bira Member magazine - January 2018

THE MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH INDEPENDENT RETAILERS ASSOCIATION ISSUE 13 | JANUARY 2018

PERSONAL

BEST Creating runners’ store Advance Performance has been a marathon, not a sprint, for owner Sam Hale & her team

We’ve got you covered Get the right protection for your business We understand that all businesses are different, so our specialist team tailor our retail insurance specifically to your needs.

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British Independent Retailers Association (bira) is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited. bira insurance is a trading name of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited. Registered in England No. 4043759. Registered Office: Towergate House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN. Towergate Underwriting Group Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Comment

Are you ready to change in 2018?

Plan ahead now even if you are doing well, says CEO Alan Hawkins Moreover, retailing is going through its own equivalent of a second Industrial Revolution.

There is a combination of factors here, most obviously the massive game-changer of the internet, both in terms of information it provides and how customers want to shop.

Additionally, social media are having a massive effect on how people are influenced to shop; consumers now can praise or criticise your offering and service in an unprecedented way.

For most of you, the option just to carry on as before will not be a medium-term plan.

Even the best performers need to know the direction of travel and adjust accordingly. The best are almost certainly adapting even if they are doing well. Independents have to build on their strengths and there is little doubt that the customers perceive those strengths too.

At an independent a customer is more likely to be served by someone, often the owner, with passion for his or her business. They will have great product knowledge, as they were probably involved in sourcing it. Consumers

will get a fair price, probably a bargain, as independents track their competition.

Success won’t happen by accident. You do need to work on your business; view it through the eyes of your customer. Excellent staff have to be trained to be that way. bira is no different from your business; we try things that don’t work, so we have to move on to those that do.

We put you, our members and our customers, at the forefront of everything we plan and do.

Without doubt, 2018 will be challenging, but my prediction is that a reasonable Brexit deal will be arrived at. Confidence will return and the continuation of a consumer desire to shop locally as a balance to the internet will see most independents still making a reasonable living out of the undoubted hard work they do.

Your business resolution this year should be to check out all that bira does for you, from buying to banking, to cost-saving services to reduce many of your overheads, to training for every level of staff – including you, the boss.

A happy and prosperous new year to you all.

Cover photograph: Paul Driver

IT IS CUSTOMARY at this time of year to plan ahead and come up with sage-like predictions in the hope that no one will hold you to them down the line. A second tradition, especially in retailing, is to be positive and not talk the market down. Well, firstly, I am not talking to your customers and, whatever retail has in-store for 2018, it remains true that that the best will always survive and prosper. The key is making sure you are among the best. If you are not yet there, what do you need to do to get there?

The difficulty in searching for the right model is that many factors are outside your control. The general state of the economy is vital and within that there is a myriad of challenges for your customers. But they are not all totally bound up in the uncertainty of Brexit (but for heaven’s sake politicians, get on and sort it out). The truth is that for many the micro-economics challenges go back further, as growth in real incomes lag behind inflation rates and wage rises are patchy despite record levels of employment.

IN THIS EDITION ISSUE 13 JANUARY 2018

This is your bira magazine, so share your news, views and ideas with like-minded retailers by contacting us at editorial@bira.co.uk All contributions will be gratefully received JANUARY 2018

news for 2 Trade bira members

Rates appeals sink into chaos; members' New Year's resolutions; PayPal charges

key retail 7 Three trends for 2018

Richard Lim of Retail Economics says it's time to adapt and embrace change

Hale hits 16Sam a personal best 23 Takeaways from China The boss of runners' store Advance Performance is ready for a new lap

The bira team on the experiences enjoyed (or not) at the IHA Congress in Shanghai

with 9 Learning the big retailers

12 Design-led delights

ordering 26 It's time again

Last Word 32 The N Arnison

Monika Curry of Bodenhams on the benefits of the OSS Masters Programme

We preview a few autumn-winter goodies from Spring Fair (NEC, 4-8 Feb).

How Rossiters of Bath counters the influx of new, bigger rivals in the Georgian city

Nigel Scott on why running an historic store in Penrith is an obsession, not a job

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TRADE NEWS

It’s your time to shine…

T H E A N N UA L BI R A Aw a r d s recognise and reward the very best in the independent retail industry, showcasing the talent, hard work, innovation and achievements of bira members.

The 2018 awards will take place on the evening of 10 May, after bira’s conference, at Jury’s Inn Hotel, Hinckley Island, Leicestershire. The awards will be hosted by Reverend Richard Coles, who was seen on the recent season of Strictly Come Dancing. The award categories are: Independent retail business of the year; Independent retail employee of the year; Independent team of the year; Charitable champion; and Local hero. bira direct will also host its supplier awards, honouring the best partners that serve independents.

To nominate yourself, your business, any employees or colleagues, visit https://bira.co.uk/conference-2018/ awards/ to find the nomination forms.

…and time to learn together

BEFOR E CELEBR ATING ITS outstanding members, bira has devised an educational and entertaining conference on 10 May. Personality chef Levi Roots will share his inspirational business story, providing delegates with insights into how he became one of the most talked-about figures in the UK business world.

He’ll be joined on stage by Luay Alfaham, senior partnerships manager for the Cyber Aware campaign, Matthew Hopkinson from retail analyst Local Data Company, Polly Barnfield OBE, the CEO of online platform Maybe* and the #WDYT Campaign, Hugo Jenkins, commercial director of online platform Trouva, and Danny Crowe, a marketing specialist at research firm TwentyCi. To book your place for bira’s conference and awards, visit bira. co.uk/conference-2018/ or for more details, telephone 0121 446 6688 and ask for bira events manager Lauren Chadwick, or email events@bira.co.uk

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Bradbeers fashions a lift in sales

Sales increases of up to 25% on own-bought fashion have been recorded at Bradbeers in Romsey, Hampshire since it remodelled its 9,700sq ft fashion floor in August. “Thanks to the new continuous ceramic floor, which has no defined walkways, and the removal of some walls, we now have the ability to flex space and have created the feeling of much more space,” said store manager Paul Lewis. Doing especially well are First Avenue and Luca Vanucci, both bought through AIS. Costing around £90,000, this was the first major revamp at the 38,000sq ft store since 2003. Bradbeers also operates stores in New Milton and Hedge End.

PayPal merchant fees ‘misleading’ PAYPAL IS MISLEADING retailers by listing low transaction rates on its Merchant Rate fee chart, but failing to tell them they must fill in a form to qualify for the lower tariffs, according to BHF chairman Guy Lachlan.

Having discovered the situation, Guy wrote to PayPal asking for a refund of what he regards as overcharging. He has also alerted the Competition and Markets Authority of his concerns.

Guy runs Bicester-based Classic Oils, which supplies engine oil and other lubricants for veteran, vintage or classic vehicles, and a high percentage of his sales are made via eBay. “As many bira members will know, anyone selling on eBay is required to use PayPal. If you use PayPal to accept payments for your business, you will know that it is expensive, but presumably you’ve made an assessment that the extra expense is outweighed by the convenience to buyers. I recently became aware, however, of underhand overcharging by PayPal of their merchants.

“It features on its website a Merchant Rate list of fees that range across four thresholds from 3.4% +20p for transactions totalling up to £1,500 ‘in the previous calendar month’ to 1.9% +20p for sales in the £15.000.01 to £55,000 bracket. It turns out that this Merchant Rate sliding scale is only applied when a form has been completed, applying for the lower rate. That form is difficult to find on the PayPal website, but once found, you discover that they need your business name, user name, business

type, industry, website URL and eBay user ID - all of which they know already, as you're their customer!”

Guy adds: “Of course, they know your monthly PayPal turnover, so they are clearly in the best position to apply the lower rates automatically. In addition, the system actually looks at your average turnover for the last three months, not ‘the previous calendar month’ as the website states.”

He points out that a box on the PayPal website reads: Straightforward pricing – when you sell with PayPal there are no surprises. We charge fixed prices based on how much you sell.

“I would say the system’s not straightforward at all. I believe PayPal are relying on business users being busy and trusting, and they are pocketing millions in excess fees simply because companies don’t know about this form.

“Presumably if your turnover varies around one or more of the four thresholds, you are expected to fill the form in every time you qualify for a lower rate.

Expecting small businesses to remember to do this on top of everything else we have to do is absolutely unreasonable. PayPal should do the right thing and charge the appropriate fee level automatically, without being asked to do so. Of course, when one ceases to qualify for the lower rate, the change to the higher fee level is made automatically.”

Guy has received from PayPal a refund of some of the higher charges he had paid. The CMA has advanced the matter to its investigative group. Guy wants to hear of other members’ PayPal experiences.

JANUARY 2018

TRADE NEWS

Business rates appeals system stalls in chaos FIGHTING FOR A fairer business rates system often found that their data disappears. will continue to be a priority for bira in 2018 even “In September 2017 it was reported that 90% of though the government, which appears interested users of the new system were dissatisfied with the only in Brexit, insists the current system is working. process. Despite this appalling rating the governRecently-released government f igures ment continues to claim the new process is workrevealed that since new rateable values for noning well. Further IT improvements are promised domestic properties were introduced in England but the government remains firmly wedded to the in April 2017 only 0.3% of assessments have been principle of the new system, not least because a sigchallenged. It is highly improbable, bira believes, nificant reduction in the number of rating appeals that only a tiny number of English businesses are reduces cost.” unhappy with their rates bill. The real cause of The new appeal system may reduce costs for govthe massive decline in the number of challenges ernment but there is no doubt that it has increased is the new appeal process introduced by Westcosts for business and many believe the complexity minster to coincide with the new of the registration is designed to disOn the courage appeals. rating list.

The Scottish and Welsh governEven if the IT system is improved, online ments sensibly decided to stick with the registration process will remain system, many the former systems. complex, intrusive and drawn out.

In England the new Check, Chal- ratepayers have But perhaps the biggest issue for ratelenge, Appeal system was introduced payers comes further down the line at been refused in April with government promises of the Challenge stage. Businesses will greater transparency, earlier resolu- access or have now find that the burden of proof in a tion of cases and significantly quicker rate appeal has been shifted found all their business refunds of overpaid rates. It has failed from the Valuation Office Agency to spectacularly to deliver any of these data disappears themselves. benefits.

Says Mark: “This means that the Says Mark Radford, bira’s rates appeals specialGovernment has happily introduced a new regime ist: “One huge problem has been that the IT systhat imposes a significant tax burden on businesses tem introduced to handle the new processes has without any obligation upon it to justify the derivanot worked properly despite repeated promises of tion of that liability. This is wholly unreasonable, improvement. especially in a system where the majority of busi“The first stage of Check, Challenge, Appeal nesses are unlikely to have any access to the relevant requires businesses to register via an online govunderlying evidence. ernment account. In many cases ratepayers have “When details of the new appeal system were been refused any access. Those registered have first published, former minister Stephen Norris said: ‘This dreadful nonsense has no place in our law’. It is hard to disagree with him.”

MAKE SURE MEMBERS’ VOICES ARE HEARD DO YOU WANT to be part of the vital work bira does for independent retailers?

Members are now able to nominate themselves for a position on bira’s board of management (BOM) for 2018-2020.

The board comprises independent retailers, from many different sectors, from all over Britain. Board members are able to air their views on bira’s activities while learning from other retailers and collectively sharing their experience of independent retailing.

Board member Richard Rowlatt, of cookshop retailer Rowlatts in Wellingborough, says: “I stand for the board of management because I want to ensure that the members’ voice continues to be heard and listened to at all levels within bira. I also want to support our hardworking staff and directors. Our bira is a fantastic members’ organisation with a great range of services and I fervently wish for that to continue.”

Alan Hawkins, bira’s CEO, adds: “With plenty of healthy debate and discussion, our board of management is the driving force behind the association, pushing us forward, making the difficult decisions and ensuring we are always working to make lives easier for retailers. It is our members’ chance to get their voices heard and to influence their association at the highest level.”

If you would like to actively have a say in bira’s activities, then please contact Jill Austin on 0121 446 3722 or email jill.austin@bira.co.uk to find out the process for nominating yourself for the board.

A week to make indies strong ‘LOVE THE HOME You Live In’ is the tag line for National Home Improvement Week, a new consumer marketing initiative to be held during 12-18 March.

The activities, which have been organised by the British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA), are being supported by bira, which wants members in the home & garden improvement sectors to get involved.

Leading brands like Dulux, Polycell, Hammerite, Cuprinol, Stanley Black & Decker, Solvite, Harris, Unibond, Duracell and Flymo are supporting the initiative. bira's Jeff Moody commented: "bira

urges all independent retailers to take advantage of this promotion, which will drive traffic into stores and reinforce the indies' position in leading branded goods sales to consumers."

BHETA director Paul Grinsell explains: “We’ll have a great package of retail POS and support material as well as promotions and product launches from some of the leading brands, so all kinds of retailers will have everything they need to make the most of this marketing opportunity.”

For more information about how you can become involved in the week, go to the bira website at bira.co.uk/resource/NHIW

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TRADE NEWS

Cain of Heswall: still nifty at 60 AS MENSWEAR SPECIALIST Cain of Heswall enters its seventh decade, 18-year-old George Cain, the fourth generation of the family, has joined his father Andrew in the firm.

Last year the business marked its 60th anniversary on 12 July. Andrew’s late grandfather John and his father Ken, who had been agents in the menswear trade, opened their outfitter’s on The Wirral in 1957. Andrew joined the business in 1984 and fully took the reins from his father about 15 years ago.

While the core business is still menswear – Magee, Meyer and Eterna are key brands – these days Cain’s also serves 17 schools with uniforms, it has a sports clothing and equipment side, it is the only dancewear and ballet retailer on the Merseyside peninsula, and has a shoe shop, where women’s sales exceed men’s.

“I bought a sports business and that led us into dancewear,” Andrew explains.

In 2005 Cain’s was extensively revamped when it took over an adjacent unit, extended it and installed the footwear business. The total sales area of the neighbouring units is 3,300sq ft, with the original shop now trading across two floors. “We converted what had originally been my grandparents’ flat above the shop,” says Andrew.

And what’s the secret of 60 years’ trading in the same place? “We try and stock what our customers require with quality, value-for-money brands,” says Andrew.

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Morleys boosts Bexleyheath MORE THAN 20,000 customers have signed up for the new Morleys Rewards loyalty programme in Bexleyheath, Kent since the independent department store group opened its ninth store there in a former BHS unit.

Menswear, fashion accessories, jewellery, gifts, beds and the restaurant have all enjoyed especially strong trading since it opened over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. A kidswear department and a larger-than-planned Christmas shop were added in autumn due to customer demand. In the run-up to Christmas, marketing activity was stepped up in the Broadway Shopping Centre, on social media, and in the local press to promote the new arrival.

Morleys Stores invested £3m in improving the

40,000sq ft two-storey unit, creating 100 jobs.

As Bernard Dreesmann, executive chairman of Morleys, promised: “The new store will bring an exciting shopping experience to Bexleyheath and the surrounding areas, teaming quality brands and services with first-class customer service.”

The group, which Bernard has led since 1985, includes Morleys in Brixton, Elys of Wimbledon, Pearsons in Enfield and Camp Hopson in Newbury in 2014. In the year to January 2016, group sales were £109m and pre-tax profit was £8.5m. Morleys owns all its own freeholds.

In the photograph, Bernard (centre, with pink tie) is seen, with group managing director David Hordle to his left, with staff at the launch.

Glasswells revamps its flagship GLASSWELLS, THE BURY St Edmunds-based, family-owned, home furnishings specialist, will complete a massive reconfiguration of its flagship this year when the atrium of its Newmarket Road store is overhauled.

Owner Paul Glasswell admitted 2017, the company’s 70th anniversary, had been a busy year. As well as updating the Newmarket Road store, it opened new premises in Sudbury (as reported in bira magazine Nov/Dec).

Paul said: “We last carried out big works in Bury St Edmunds in 2003 and while it has stood the test of time, we felt last year’s anniversary was a great chance to look at the infrastructure and carry out some big changes.

“Our first phase was to hold a big clearance Sale in the summer. We then started on the second phase around the furniture section and replaced all the flooring. It (was) a bit chaotic at times, but I must

Paul Glasswell has thanked customers for their support during 2017’s building works

thank our customers for their loyal support.”

The budget for the entire project will exceed £1m. Paul said: “Since 1946, we have been very proud of our Suffolk roots. This shows our commitment to this area.”

JANUARY 2018

TRADE NEWS

This year I am going to…

From expanding internationally to improving their golf skills, bira members share their plans for 2018.

William Coe, Coes of Ipswich My business resolution is to spend more time planning and less time doing ! A resolution for bira members - it would be great for every member to get at least one other retailer to join. We could all do a little more for the association. Food for thought.

Rachel Riley, Rachel Riley, London January will be exciting, with the launch of our home collection at tradeshows in Germany, New York and London. In February, we will launch our SS18 collection in our flagship on Marylebone High Street, on our website and with our 120 stockists worldwide.

Royal Baby Fever will start to build in March in preparation for the arrival of the new royal in April. There will be great excitement around the royal wedding in May too, so we will be ready for the surge in red, white and blue childrenswear.

There will be quite a lot of bunting in our shop this spring!

We recently appointed distributors in Japan and South Korea, and a large proportion of our business is in the USA. Customers in Asia and the US are huge fans of the royals, so we will be ready to build on this attention.

I am always one to focus on the positives. My New Year’s resolutions are firm and strong: to continue to design, manufacture and sell quality children’s clothing as all children are their parents’ little princes and princesses!

Dom Beaven, Prezola, Bath My personal resolution is to travel more and squeeze in lots of weekend breaks somewhere warm this year.

For our online wedding list business, we have a new website coming soon as well as lots of exciting new brand partners, so it’s more growth.

Martin Foster, Lakeland Leather, Ambleside We’ve enjoyed three years’ like-forlike sales growth at Lakeland. My New Year’s resolution is to keep that trend on track. No pressure! But I’m not worried as all our product categories are performing well and new developments in production will keep our fashion offer fresh as we move from winter to spring.

We once again surpassed 2m shoppers passing through our doors in 2017, selling over 150,000 leather jackets, handbags, luggage items and other leather goods. Our expertise in leather is renowned, so in 2018 we’ll be announcing exciting plans to launch a new wholesale division.

This year won’t be without its economic challenges. I hesitate to mention the B word. It concerns me but until we know more about Brexit, it’s business as usual. We’ll be upgrading our web platform further to develop international sales. We have a fabulous opportunity for international sales growth and just hope our exit from the European Union doesn’t interrupt our plans.

Vin Vara, The Tool Shop Group, London We will continue to grow the business as well as concentrating on the businesses we acquired in 2017, ensuring they are in line with our other shops and all working the same. We’ll also be looking at multi-channel retailing.

I’m going to finish my bira president role on a high at bira’s conference and awards in Hinckley on 10 May. I hope to see many members there as I hand over to Surinder Josan. After that, I will be able to spend a lot more time at home with my family instead of travelling here there and everywhere every week.

Oh, and I’ll be working to reduce my golf handicap too!

Tool Shop No 11 opens

bira president Vin Vara finished the year with 11 Tool Shop stores in central London, with the most recent opening on 1 December at 155 Camden Road. The 950sq ft unit on the busy main road through Camden Town is about 10 minutes’ drive away from the 10th branch in Islington, which opened on 4 October. Three fulltimers and two part-timers man the 11th branch, which trades seven days a week. The energetic Vin is not finished yet – he plans to open another four shops before the Easter weekend.

JANUARY 2018

Cheque clearing is getting faster NEW PRACTICES THAT will reduce the cheque clearing cycle between banks have been welcomed by bira.

Under the new procedure, by the end of 2018, the current six business day clearing process will be withdrawn altogether and all cheques will be cleared on the next business day. This quicker clearing time means, of course, that money will leave your account earlier than now if you have written a cheque.

Currently paper cheques are physically exchanged between banks. To reduce the processing time, banks are beginning to capture and exchange digital images of cheques with each other.

This should result funds being moved between accounts more quickly.

Over the next year banks will introduce quicker ways of depositing cheques, including secure mobile banking apps and desktop scanners for businesses that need to send digital images of large numbers of cheques. Meanwhile you will still be able to pay in your cheques as you do today.

INDX AW18 SCHEDULE Independent fashion retailers will be heading to Cranmore Park Exhibition Centre, Solihull B90 4LF for a quartet of INDX fashion trade shows this spring. Next season's best-sellers, favourite brands and fresh brands will be presenteded by buying group AIS. The essential AW18 schedule is: INDX Menswear Sun-Tues 28-30 January (featuring 100+ brands); INDX Womenswear & Footwear Tues-Thurs 6-8 February (70+ brands); INDX Kidswear Sun-Mon 11-12 February (150+ brands); INDX Intimate Apparel Sun-Tues 18-20 February (155+ brands).

Online registration is open to all independent buyers. Entry, including refreshments, lunch and on-site parking, is free.

To register and see full details of each event, go to indxshow.co.uk

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conference and awards Jurys Inn Hinckley Island Hotel, LE20 3JA

10 May 2018

“I was absolutely thrilled to win Retailer of the Year 2017, it was a great honour!

It’s recognition of all our hard work. It has contributed to the success of our business as we continue to grow and strive to make the customer experience enjoyable and memorable.”

Rachel Riley, independent retail business of the year award winner 2017

It’s time to shine

We’re looking for inspirational business owners, employees and teams who are standing out in the retail industry. To enter one of the awards or nominate someone you know visit bira.co.uk/conference-2018.

0121 446 6688 opt. 1

membership@bira.co.uk

bira.co.uk/conference-2018

RETAIL TRENDS 2018

Adapt, embrace innovate Success in retailing in 2018 will start with riding out three big trends, says Richard Lim, CEO of economics consultancy Retail Economics

THE PRESENT ECONOMIC uncertainty is huge. I fail to remember a more challenging time to accurately predict an industry’s future, but there are three disruptive forces which are almost certain to impact the retail industry this year.

Spending power and interest rates Here’s the good news. Inflation is likely to have peaked. Heading into 2018, the pressure on personal finances will begin to ease as inflation falls towards our forecast of 2.5% by spring, tailing off to around 2.3% by the end of the year.

Least affluent families will still find the cost of living difficult to bear. Food, transport and housing account for over half of all expenditure for least affluent households (compared with just over a third for the average households). These areas of spending are difficult to dodge, hence other areas of discretionary spending will be hit.

In November 2017, the Bank of England raised interest rates for the first time in over a decade — from 0.25% to 0.5%. The most direct effect on households will impact loans and savings. However, only a third of households have a mortgage on their homes and the share of fixed-rate mortgages has risen in recent years.

Therefore, the overall impact is just £4 per month for average households (including credit cards and other loans). Nevertheless, there’s a much greater risk to confidence compared to spending power. A Retail Economics survey showed that 60% of consumers think that interest rates will rise again before May 2018.

Behavioural change The growth and adoption of digital and mobile technologies has caused a fundamental shift how consumers interact with retailers of all sizes.

Online retail spending rose by 20% in 2017, accounting for around 16% of total retail spending. For categories such as electricals, we estimate that over half of all spending is now JANUARY 2018

online. The transient nature and break-neck speeds that retailers experience e-commerce trends (and the various final-mile delivery and return options) has crash-tested traditional business models. Many of the traditional business models are no longer fit for purpose.

Sad, but true.

Adapt, embrace and innovate is the name of the game. Retailers of all sizes have the opportunity to utilise platforms such as Shopify, Magento and Wix, in concert with eBay, Amazon and Etsy to drive sales in new markets. Small online retailers are thriving. According to the ONS, small clothing retailers have seen growth of over 30% in 2017, driven by international consumers who continue to benefit from the drop in sterling.

Analyse your business to assess whether these opportunities can be exploited. Admittedly, online may not be appropriate for all retailers but being digitally savvy, engaging in online local communities and promoting a more personalised overall experience could certainly help.

Many retailers I talk to don’t attempt to compete with Amazon in some categories. The boardroom talk is increasingly about WACD: What Amazon Can’t Do. Focusing on providing meaningful experiences in-store through exceptional customer service can set you apart.

Richard Lim has over 15 years’ experience analysing economic and consumer trends and interpreting what these mean for retailers. Retail Economics, which he established in 2015, is an independent economics research consultancy focused on the UK consumer and retail industry. www.retaileconomics.co.uk

Brexit Any outlook for 2018 would be fallacious if Brexit was excluded. In short, the mantra for the wise is: ‘Prepare, prepare, prepare’.

Our view supposes three key potential landing points for Brexit: (1) A Hard Brexit — the current trajectory; (2) A Free Trade Agreement — which doesn’t necessarily mean free trade; and (3) The Customs Union – the simplest, least disruptive, but probably most unlikely. Our Brexit Team at Retail Economics is flat out in deep planning and scenario forecasting.

The details matter. For example, if retailers import from Turkey, they should be concerned.

Turkey is part of the Customs Union, but not part of the EU. Come March 2019 there is currently no plan for how the UK will trade with Turkey.

Food retailers are also exposed to more risk than others. Should a Hard Brexit come about, import tariffs for beef, dairy and lamb could be as high as 60%-70%. Sourcing all our beef within the UK is not an option. It’s been estimated that we would need to triple our domestic production.

Furthermore, a Free Trade Agreement, similar to Norway, is likely to contain many caveats.

For instance, it may not cover food, just like the Norway agreement, which is frequently cited as a successful outcome for the UK. Final prediction It’s likely that conditions will remain tough for the first half of 2018, trickling gently towards an improved second half. Winners will be retailers recognising the inherent opportunities embedded within newly-emerging online and digital trends. They must execute a plan that strikes a calculated balance between the right product mix and price points while offering an outstanding overall customer experience. The message for 2018 from the many CEOs I talk to is: ‘Plan for the worst and capitalise on key opportunities as they arise’.

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*Maximum limit applies, call 0121 446 6688 opt.1 for more information. **Lines are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday except Bank Holidays Global Payments is HSBC’s preferred supplier for card processing in the UK. Global Payments is a trading name of GPUK LLP. GPUK LLP is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 (504290) for the provision of payment services and under the Consumer Credit Act (714439) for the undertaking of terminal rental agreements.

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Issued by Global Payments, 51 De Montfort Street, Leicester, LE1 7BB. GP588

OXFORD SUMMER SCHOOL

“I give the OSS Masters programme 10 out of 10,” says Monika Curry of Bodenhams of Ludlow

Learning together to boost business For bira member Monika Curry from Bodenhams of Ludlow, the OSS Masters programme was a unique learning environment that pushed her well out of her comfort zone

JANUARY 2018

THE OXFORD SUMMER School (OSS) is passionate about developing retail professionals, no matter what size of business they work for.

Each year it welcomes delegates from all manner of retailers, from national plc’s to one-store independents. Its programmes provide a unique opportunity for retailers large and small to work together and learn from one another.

Independent stores often report that the chance to work with and network with other retail businesses is the most beneficial part of the experience. Monika Curry, co-owner of Bodenhams, a family-run independent department store in Ludlow, attended the OSS Masters programme in 2017.

She says: “The challenge of operating in a market town like Ludlow is that you can become isolated. While I connect with other businesses in the town, there isn’t the opportunity to meet and get ideas from people in other areas, and especially from larger retailers.”

Explaining what attracted her to the OSS Masters programme, she adds: “I studied a postgraduate course in strategic management and leadership, which was useful, but I wanted to find

a programme that was retail-specific.

“I really wanted to test my retail management skills and the four-day programme certainly did that! I was challenged and pushed out of my comfort zone in the best way possible. Meeting people from other organisations has inspired me to embrace different ways of working.”

And how did this benefit Bodenhams?

“Attending the Masters opened my eyes to the potential already within our business. The course has helped me to really engage my team. Everyone now contributes their ideas to how we work and this makes everyone feel part of the business.

“The programme also reminded me how good small business can be. Obviously, there are advantages to becoming a large retailer, but as a small business we can be very nimble and adapt quickly to an ever-changing marketplace.”

Monika attended the OSS Masters on a 50% funded scholarship from retailTRUST, the trade charity. Would she recommend OSS and the Masters programme to other bira members?

“Definitely! It gives you the opportunity to take a step back from your business to consider the broader picture. You can discuss your ideas with like-minded people outside your normal network. I give the OSS Masters 10 out of 10.”

For more information on OSS programmes, please visit oxfordsummerschool.co.uk or contact Neil Moss on 0121 446 6688 or neil@ oxfordsummerschool.co.uk.

9

conference and awards Jurys Inn Hinckley Island Hotel, LE20 3JA

10 May 2018

Levi Roots

A recipe for business success

Levi has seen unimaginable growth, blazing a trail in the retail industry since his appearance on Dragons Den in 2006. Now Levi will provide you with insights into how he became one of the most inspirational figures in the UK business world.

Book today to secure your seat 0121 446 6688 opt. 1

events@bira.co.uk

bira.co.uk/conference-2018

BIRA BANK PROMOTION

To find out what it would cost to transform the efficiency of your shop lighting, head to birabank. co.uk and use our online calculator to see your tailored quote. Or call David Pears or Frank Burton on 0121 446 6688.

Typical loan example based on £10,000 over 36 months

6.4%

APR typical

£305.25 per month

Typical loan example based on £20,000 over 60 months

7.1%

APR typical

£395.00 per month

A brighter deal with government grants Using a low-cost equipment loan from bira bank could help reduce your electricity bills ENERGY COSTS ARE one of the biggest overheads any retail business faces. The cost of electricity in particular always features highly when we survey members about utility bills.

Ambient and fixture lighting, electric heating and cooling, and powering digital appliances are all costly necessities. Looking at ways to reduce these costs can be particularly timeconsuming and often result in only small savings being found. Bigger initiatives are being backed by the government, however, and there are ways in which they will help bira members make sizeable savings.

How bira bank can dovetail with government “free money” Government grants (and additional interestfree loans in Wales and Northern Ireland) are available via Carbon Trust, which helps companies reduce their carbon emissions and become more resource efficient. The grants are subject to applicants meeting criteria, including using an accredited supplier.

Up to £5,000 could be available to assist with the project cost – and bira bank might be

able to fund the rest of the cost via its equipment loans. These currently are on a promotional flat rate of 3.3% (up to 3 years) and 3.7% (for 3-5 years). Typical examples and their APR equivalents can be seen in the panel above.

An upgrade to LED lighting could save your business thousands of pounds a year, as well as reducing your carbon footprint. A typical return on investment takes just two years and there is an enhanced capital allowance (ECA) of 100% in Year 1. So, if your business pays corporation or income tax at 20%, every £10,000 spent on qualifying equipment would reduce the tax bill in the year of purchase by £2,000. In contrast, for every £10,000 spent, the generally available capital allowance for spending on plant and machinery would reduce your business’s tax bill in the year of purchase by £360. In other words, an ECA can provide a cash flow boost of £1,640 for every £10,000 spent in the year of purchase.

And it doesn’t stop with lighting. At the bira Conference in May 2018 The Energy Saving Trust, a social enterprise devoted to promoting energy efficiency, will be hosting a breakout

session to explain and take questions about other ways in which members may save energy and reduce costs.

Measuring the benefits “We’ve had 54 new LED light fittings installed, which will give us an annual saving in electricity bills of £2,959.31, with a payback of 16 months. We were lucky and took advantage of Carbon Trust’s capital contribution scheme, which is now 15%.

"Dealing with Carbon Trust was fairly easy. We were very lucky to have a great team from a local Carbon Trust-accredited lighting supplier, which completed the works quickly and efficiently. Everything was backed up with a completion visit.”

Sue Phillips, finance director, Newington Garage Services, Craven Arms, Shropshire.

bira bank, 225 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B5 7UB. Tel: 0121 446 6688 Fax: 0121 446 5215. bira bank Ltd is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services register No. 204478)

JANUARY 2018

11

BUSINESS PROFILE

Design-led delights Independents in Bath are under pressure from an influx of large rivals.

For lifestyle store Rossiters, the response is just to keep doing what it does best – providing a discerning product mix and a unique personal service.

A RECENT INSTAGRAM post for Rossiters of Bath told followers: “William Morris once said, ‘Have nothing in your house you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful’. This sums Rossiters up.”

That neat description of the appealing emporium is expanded upon by buying director AnnMarie James: “I always tell people we are a design-led lifestyle store, specialising in furniture, homewares and gifts. It’s very difficult to sum us up because I hate what the phrase ‘department store’ conjures up. If we are a department store, we are more like Liberty of London and Heal’s than Debenhams and House of Fraser.”

If not quite the size of a traditional department store, the business certainly has an imposing physical presence on Broad Street.

Its vivid purple frontage runs the length of three buildings that were brought together in the 1960s and 1970s to create the current unit. As

a result, there are three entrances into the premises, which covers a series of rooms that lend themselves to creative merchandising of different categories.

Rather than the austere, if “efficient”, big-box appearance of a modern retail unit, Rossiters can give visitors the impression they are walking round the home of someone with good taste (and a generous budget). There is plenty here to interest both men and women, as well as gifts for kids. There is an unmistakeable sense of a personality about the shop, always the mark of a successful independent.

Despite the many options in gifts, kitchenware, tableware, china and glass, home furnishings, toiletries, lighting, fashion accessories and more, in fact furniture accounts for more than half the sales. Classic and contemporary styles are blended on the extensive first floor, which also houses an interior design service and a bespoke furniture service.

“We have recently advertised in Savills’ property magazine because we want to offer our expertise to the many property developers working in Bath and beyond,” says Ann-Marie. “We work hard to try and find interesting suppliers and interesting pieces that aren’t widely available. Our two main criteria for furniture are beauty and quality – and that applies across the store.”

Set up by Michael and Ann Rossiter in 1961, the business is something of an institution in Bath, but its appeal goes beyond the city.

“Bath has become a real destination for shoppers from far and wide,” says Ann-Marie. “All the independents here benefit from having each other around and we benefit too from the pull of the hotels, the restaurants and even the Christmas market.”

Perhaps worryingly, others have noticed the attractiveness of the city and Ann-Marie easily reels off a list of new competi-

ROSSITERS

Peter & AnnMarie James

12

38-41 Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LP Founded: 1961 Current ownership: 1999 Size: 10,000sq ft across four floors, plus 4,000sq ft stockrooms, staff rooms, office Staff: 16 FT, 26 PT Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9.30-5.30 Sun Closed Turnover: £2.1m Main brands include: CKS, Dartington, Designers Guild, Floris, Gisella Graham, Jellycat, Sophie Allport, This Works, Tweedmill bira member since: 2004 rossitersofbath.com @rossitersofbath  @rossitersofbath

tors that have opened nearby in just the past three years, including Neptune, Graham & Greene, India Jane, Oka, Hay, Brissi and Anthropologie. Yet, without being complacent, she believes that Rossiters, which enjoys the benefits of owning its premises, has the formula and the following to withstand the increased challenges.

Also, she stresses, competition stimulates the entire market and occupied units are preferable to empty spaces.

Although the business is over 50 years old, its modern incarnation dates from 1999 when the Rossiters sold it to Wildings of Newport, another family-owned independent department store operator, which at the time was run by Sheldon James. (Sheldon, now 87, played an active role in the Menswear Association of Britain, a precursor of bira.) Peter James, Sheldon’s son, had joined the family firm in 1995 to succeed his father after a career working in retail operations in The Burton Group and as a retailing management consultant with financial services firm PWC. When Peter spotted the potential of acquiring Rossiters, he was enthusiastically backed by AnnMarie, who started her retail career as a trainee buyer at Marks & Spencer and rose to be head of an M&S womenswear buying department. Latterly she switched sides and became a director of William Baird, a major supplier of lingerie to M&S, but when the retailer unexpectedly axed Baird, Ann-Marie was on the job market.

With some trepidation, she accepted Peter’s offer of coming to help him with his new acquisition in 2000, planning to stay “for a couple of years at most”, she recalls.

She quickly tuned into the fact that JANUARY 2018

GB DU: 24.10.2017

9. – 13. 2. 2018

JANUARY 2018

homes & garden, and pet products.

“Given all the categories we have, there is no beginning or end to our buying,” Ann-Marie admits.

“We just keep all the plates spinning and hope none fall! But the whole team is well organised and is fully aware we will take 45% of our sales in the last six weeks of the year.”

This new year could be a busy one for Rossiters, which reported sales up by 10% in some key departments in 2017. Last year attention on Bath was distracted by the group’s decision to close the Rossiters’ store in Cardiff after 10 years of trading. “It was a great shame to have to say goodbye to Cardiff when the team had worked so hard to build it up. We were very proud of the store and it traded well, but a rent review made the situation unworkable,” says Ann-Marie. “On the positive side, we can now devote ourselves fully to Bath.”

While opening more shops is not on the agenda, Ann-Marie hints that she thinks an edited version of what Rossiters does, especially with furniture and interior design, could be made to work online. More than that, she will not say, but she and the team is encouraged by customers who regularly make comments such as “Every city should have a Rossiters”.

Do living and furnishing make a perfect match. How important is the space you create yourself.

How do you turn lifestyle into culture.

65855-021_AM_Living_BIRA_87x265/ssp • FOGRA 39 • CMYK • tg:11.09.2017

the Rossiters brand is special and saw an opportunity to develop it for changing consumer tastes: “I particularly discovered a love for furniture and our success in Bath prompted the expansion to a second store in Cardiff in 2007.”

Under the new direction, out went the formal tableware sets and in came more informal, more fashionable and more colourful options. “Coming from a massive organisation like M&S, the great thing was the autonomy I had at Rossiters,” Ann-Marie recalls. “I could do things quickly. We still do not have a computerised stock system, but I soon learned if I wanted to know what my stock situation was, I could just walk downstairs from my office and have a look! One reason I believe we will continue to prosper despite the increased competition is that Bath is our home town and we buy solely for our customers. We are not trying to make a national selection work here.”

Today Peter is the MD of the group (Wildings has stores in Newport and Thornbury, a suburb of Bristol), while Ann-Marie is general manager of Rossiters. She handles all the buying for the furniture, furnishings, kitchenware and tableware, while Rachel Kings buys the extensive selection of gifts,

Living is the transformation of a dream into a home – a place where creativity is lived, where diversity pulsates.

Ambiente, the show.

Information and tickets at ambiente.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83 info@uk.messefrankfurt.com

Partner Country The Netherlands

13

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V1417

To learn more, contact us at bira@vendhq.com or call us on (020) 3868-3219 and let us know you’re a bira member.

NEW MEMBER SERVICE

EPOS for independent retailers A total EPOS solution is now available to bira members, courtesy of Vend point-of-sale, the latest business partner service to sign an agreement with the association. Vend powers leading independent retailers, whether you have one store or 20-plus.

JANUARY 2018

VEND POINT-OF-SALE AND inventory is everything you need to run your retail business. The software is fast, intuitive and designed for modern retail. Vend’s best-in-class product and inventory features with powerful reporting insights help you make smarter, more profitable decisions.

Vend is cloud-based POS software, so you can sign in and work from anywhere. Easily access your sales, products and reports, and always have the latest data. And if the internet goes down, Vend will still trade offline. Modern retail is online, in-store and mobile, so it helps to have a POS system that takes you where you need to go.

Do more with best-in-class partner integrations. Vend integrates and works seamlessly with other world-leading retail tools, so you can use the products you already love. Its open platform was built on the internet, so it’s simple to connect your other systems like ecommerce, payments or accounting, and to develop your own custom extensions on its API (application programming interface). With Vend’s preferred partnerships or deep integrations with Xero, Shopify, Apple and many others, it’s easy for you to extend the power of Vend.

As a proud four-time winner for customer service at the business-focused Stevie Awards, Vend is a company built on its customers’ success. Its support team comes from retail backgrounds, so they appreciate the daily challenges independent retailers face.

Get Vend to support you with the heavy lifting of setup and training to get things right, straight from the start. Vend’s team of retail experts will work with bira members to offer services from advice, to store setup and training, to fullytailored onboarding services. bira members get an exclusive 50% discount off enhanced and customised services packages.

If you already have an EPOS system, don’t worry! Vend works with the best and most commonly used retail hardware. It works on iPad, Mac, PC, and a range of barcode scanners, printers, and cash drawers, so if you already own EPOS hardware, it’s very likely it will work with Vend.

To learn more about how Vend can transform your retail business, contact the team at bira@vendhq.com or call 020 3868 3219 and let them know you’re a bira member. Find out more at vendhq.com/uk/bira

15

THE BIG INTERVIEW

Personal best

Giving the everyday runner the service levels an elite athlete enjoys has created a winning formula for Sam Hale and her squad at Advance Performance

DURING THE 2012 London Olympics Samantha Hale was in her element, spending five weeks as a volunteer Gamesmaker at the equestrian centre in Greenwich. She still buzzes with excitement when describing working among the best horses and riders in the world.

“To walk round the stables and interact with these incredible horses was such an amazing experience,” she enthuses. “I was brought up in Cambridgeshire and from a very young age, my life was horses. As a youngster I rode competitively for a lady who was very particular about how everything was done. She taught me that the only way to do something was the right way and that has stayed with me all my life. It definitely influences how I operate Advance Performance.”

In the early 1980s, after leaving school, Sam’s passion for equestrianism led her to relocate to Hampshire to work as a groom to Tiny Clapham, a world-class eventer who was a member of the British team who won the silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. “I was comfortable being in a supporting role. It really suited me as I was very shy in those days. Looking after five or six expensive horses teaches you very quickly about responsibilities and, again, doing things correctly.”

When it became obvious that a stable girl’s life did not offer a realistic income or long-term job prospects, Sam returned to Cambridge and began working in retail, most happily in the toy department of Joshua Taylor, which at the time was a leading independent department store in the city. (It closed in the 1990s).

“My late mother June was a manager in Boots and also in John Lewis in Peterborough. As a young child I spent a lot of time behind the scenes, helping with basic tasks.

I also worked in retail roles for Boots, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer during holidays,” she reveals.

All that experience has been used by her to create a business that is concerned with two-legged athletes rather than four-legged ones. Advance Performance has branches in Peterborough and Cambridge, which are both in 4,000sq ft out-of-town units. Peterborough is in a typical industrial estate “shed”, while Cambridge is housed in a restored mill. They trade seven days a week, with longerthan-normal opening hours. Sam stresses, however, that her success story has been a marathon, not a sprint.

“The concept was always to target runners, ranging from the serious club runner to the man or woman in the

16

street trying to get fit. We want to be the running and triathlon store for everyone. In every case, however, the notion has been to provide a level of service that is normally restricted to elite athletes. We offer equipment, especially running shoes, and everything we do is backed by technical knowledge and real expertise.

“It’s taken about 15 years of hard work to get to where we are. The idea of being out-of-town was because we need a lot of space for our gait analysis machines, which enable us to analyse how each customer runs. We also take a lot of time, around 45 minutes to an hour, for each consultation, so free parking is useful. And we open late to fit in with customers’ working lives.”

The look of the premises is functional rather than fancy. Running shoes are the backbone of the business, accounting for 70% of sales.

And these are strictly performance athletic footwear, not trendy sneakers. The footwear guru in the business is Matt Parker, who has amassed 18 years of experience at the firm and is so knowledgeable that footwear brands seek his opinion when developing new styles.

Although by choice the business lacks an EPOS system, Matt’s own stock keeping methods and record-keeping are much admired by the company’s accountants. Incredibly, Matt has amassed over 130,000 paper records of customers’ purchases and these are now being digitalised.

The major brands at Advance Performance are “proper” running shoe suppliers such as Brooks, Asics, Saucony and Mizuno, augmented 

THE BIG INTERVIEW 

by niche labels such as Hoka, On and Zoot (all three are from the US). Megabrands with a strong fashion image like Nike and Adidas have only a small presence. The latest celebrity collaboration or design fad definitely does not impress the team.

“We never go down the trend route,” Sam insists. “We are open-minded to new ideas, but we know what we believe in. Matt is not afraid to tell the brands what he thinks to their latest gimmick. We stress to our customers that we are an independent, family-owned specialist business that can make our own decisions. They trust us.”

Given its hard-won reputation in the running community, it is not surprising that some 85% of new customers come through recommendation.

The £2,000 gait analysis machines – essentially a treadmill running track with an iPad attached to film a customer’s running style from behind – are the starting point of the service. There are 26 bones and 33 joints in each foot; fitting shoes is a skilled job. The analysis allows the team to help a customer choose the best style to help prevent injury and discomfort from the 120 or so options that are kept in stock at each store.

“Problems of over-pronating (when the foot tends to roll inwards during walking and running) or supinating (when it rolls outwards) are very common,” says Sam. “We then have to find out how often the customer is going to run, on what surface, to hone in on the right shoe for them. We sell plenty of shoes to people who are not runners, but just want a comfortable shoe for everyday use because of dodgy knees or bad posture.”

Prices for running shoes stretch from £100 to £150, with £115 being the most popular. Other product lines range from clothing, including triathlon swimming suits and running shorts, to goggles, heart monitors, books and nutritional snacks. To the uninitiated, it seems like a very exotic and esoteric mix, but for Sam it is merely providing the customer with everything relevant to running and related activities. Sales are split evenly between the sexes. The firm’s website is mainly for information about running, but does include some “simple” product lines such as reflective jackets. It does not contribute majorly to sales.

After a decade and a half of concentrating on its specialty, Advance Performance is the centre of an extensive running community. Its notice board is covered with details of local running clubs, events, and competitions and its feedback cards regarding service from its staff are awash with compliments. With a team of 18 across its two sites, it has experts in several specialist areas of interest to runners, such as sports science, physiotherapy, running coaching, injury avoidance and nutrition.

If Britain is a nation of shopkeepers, it is also a nation of runners, as shown by participation

18

Sam’s view of the Peterborough store from her office on the mezzanine

in the annual London Marathon (about 38,000 runners) and the Great North Run half-marathon (about 54,000). Even the Perkins Great Eastern Run in Peterborough, of which Sam is commercial director and her company a sponsor, attracts more than 7,000 runners.

Given this potential market, Sam believes that the time is right for Advance Performance to grow speedily beyond its two units. To that end, in recent months she has put together a formal board for the first time and recruited people with big-company experience - Maccs Pescatori (ex-Tate & Lyle) as non-executive finance director and Martin Chillcot (ex-Paul Smith and Thomas Cook) as director of marketing. We can expect some interesting developments in the new year.

Sam’s current top team, in addition to Matt Parker, includes Deb Miller, who has been with the company for 13 years and assists Sam with buying everything apart from footwear, and Tim Cook, who takes care of retail operations. He has been with Advance Performance for six years.

ADVANCE PERFORMANCE 4 Titan Drive, Fengate East, Fengate, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE1 5XN Gusto Mills, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL Founded: 1998 Size of stores: Each about 4,000sq ft Staff: 10 full-timers, 8 part-timers Opening hours: Mon/Tues/Thurs: 10am-7pm; Wed/Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat: 9am-6pm; Sun: 10am-4pm Main brands: Asics, Brooks, Mizuno, Saucony Annual sales: £1.5m bira member since: 2004 advanceperformance.co.uk @advance_perf  @Advance_P

JANUARY 2018

The big interview

“On a day-to-day basis, Deb is the general manager, while I drive the business, with Matt as my trusted back-up as he’s so experienced. I feel we can grow bigger, but it’s taken us time to get to where we are, and we need other experience to move us on,” says Sam. “Every member of our team is incredibly valuable and plays their own important role in the business; with many of the team having worked for the business for well over six years.”

One of her own strengths, she explains, is that she understands every single part of the business – and that was learned in a very painful way. The company was set up from home, with the week’s housekeeping money, in 1998

by Sam and her ex-husband, with Sam playing her famous “back-up role” supporting her confident spouse. They graduated to a small shop in a suburb of Peterborough but in 2001 he unexpectedly exited both the marriage and the company, leaving Sam with a 10-year-old son, Ben, and a business that was rapidly growing.

She was forced to ride a colossal learning curve.

JANUARY 2018

“I didn’t know about running shoes and I didn’t know about running a business, but I was determined to learn,” she says, matter-offactly. “It was sink or swim. Yet within a year, I was named East of England Businesswoman Entrepreneur of the Year.”

Winning awards has become a habit for Sam, including bira’s Bronze Independent Retail Business of the Year Award in 2016. She believes entering business competitions is a good way to self-analyse her business, it engages staff in wanting to do better, and it provides useful publicity and endorsement to customers.

As well as planning possible expansion, Sam has planned a reorganisation of how Advance Performance presents itself to customers.

“I want to present runners – of any level – with a holistic approach to serving all their needs. I want the stores to be seen as a hub for a range of complementary services and activities, not just to sell equipment. We all know that retail is not well paid, but my staff are passionate about what they do and want to share their

knowledge of specialist areas with customers.

We could, perhaps, have an area devoted to a ‘clinic’ on avoiding injuries. We want to explain sports science in everyday language.”

Although it is easy for an independent retailer to become introspective, to be weighed down with the day-to-day burden of getting everything done, Sam has worked hard to plug into various business networks, both regional and, in the case of bira, national. “I have been a bira member since 2004. At first the low-cost of its services attracted me, but I was really won over when I attended my first conference in 2013. It was just fabulous to meet so many people who ran businesses similar to mine, who had the same issues to deal with. It felt like a family and it felt like I could trust bira.”

The team spirit at Advance Performance, the networking among the running community, the linking up with other business groups and the fellowship of bira all help to explain how a shy single mother with no business experience has created such a successful enterprise.

19

Photography: Paul Driver

Gait analysis machines assist the team to help a customer select from the 120 styles of running shoe in stock

NEW CATALOGUE

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PENSIONS/LEGAL UPDATE

Minimum contributions are increasing. Are you ready?

Be clear on supplier/retailer agreements

THE MINIMUM CONTRIBUTIONS that you and your staff pay into your automatic enrolment workplace pension scheme are increasing.

This is also sometimes known as phasing. It is your responsibility to make sure these increases are implemented.

bira has teamed up with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to make sure members stay on the right side of the law. Here the CMA share its tips on pricing.

When do the increases take effect?

Minimum contributions are increasing in two phases. The first increase must be in place from 6 April 2018 and the second from 6 April 2019.

Who does this apply to?

All employers with staff in a pension scheme for automatic enrolment must take action to make sure at least the minimum amounts are being paid into their pension scheme. This applies whether you set up a pension scheme for automatic enrolment or you decided to use an existing scheme.

You don’t need to take any further action if you don’t have any staff in a pension scheme for automatic enrolment or you are already paying above the increased minimum amounts.

Additionally, if you’re using a defined benefits pension scheme then the increases do not apply.

What are the increases?

The amount you and your staff pay into your pension scheme will vary depending on the type of scheme you have chosen and the rules of that scheme. You can find this information in the documents sent to you when you set up the pension scheme or you can speak to your pension provider.

Most employers use pension schemes that currently require a total minimum of 2% contribution to be paid. The calculation for this type of scheme is based on a specific range of earnings. For the 2017/18 tax year this range is between £5,876 and £45,000 a year (£490 and £3750 a month, or £113 and £866 a week).

HOW PENSIONS PHASING WORKS Date

Employer minimum contribution

Staff contribution

Total minimum contribution

Until 5 April 2018

1%

1%

2%

2%

3%

5%

3%

5%

8%

6 April 2018 to 5 April 2019 6 April 2019 onwards

There’s more information on this and other aspects of auto enrolment on the Pensions Regulator’s website: thepensionsregulator.gov.uk Why do you need to get this right?

Employers who fail to pay in the correct amounts on time from after this date will not only receive a fine (see panel below), but will also have to pay back the missed contributions at the higher rate.

To make sure the payments are smoothly processed in the first place, employers should check that their payroll software is designed to carry out all the automatic enrolment tasks they need it to and is set up to handle the increased contributions from April 2018.

Bryan Stott, a corporate pensions expert with bira pensions provider Wren Sterling, says: “Auto enrolment is not a one-time commitment.

Employers need to be mindful of meeting contribution rises and communicating these changes to their employees. We’re seeing more fines and steeper penalties as The Pensions Regulator steps up enforcement action.

“Surprisingly we have been informed some payroll providers/ software will not automatically increase contributions, but require confirmation from the employer, that contributions need to be increased, so we recommend that employers check with their payroll that these increases will be deducted from employees' pay."

THE COST OF FAILING TO COMPLY Type of notice

Definition

Number issued Total number of in Q3, July to notices issued September 2017

Unpaid Contributions Notice

An Unpaid Contributions Notice under section 37 of the Pensions Act 2008 to remedy a late or nonpayment due to a qualifying pension scheme

753

2,972

Fixed Penalty Notice

A Fixed Penalty Notice under section 40 of the Pensions Act 2008 of £400 for failure to comply with a statutory notice or some specific employer duties

5,479

24,779

Escalating Penalty Notice

An escalating penalty under section 41 of the Pensions Act 2008 of between £50 and £10,000 per day (depending on size) for failure to comply with a statutory notice

1,433

5,331

JANUARY 2018

EVER FELT UNDER pressure to keep resale prices artificially high or agree to a minimum advertised price policy? Ever been tempted to avoid a “race to the bottom” on price?

Tread carefully. Suppliers dictating resale prices and retailers agreeing to such pricing arrangements is illegal.

There are serious consequences, for suppliers and retailers, if caught doing it - fines can be up to 10% of annual turnover.

Early in 2017 the CMA fined a domestic light fittings business £2.7m for restricting retailers’ freedom to set their own prices online. The year before it fined businesses, in different sectors, over £3m for similar practices.

So, how do you stay on the right side of the law?

As a retailer, remember that: lY ou are entitled to set the price of the products you sell, whether online or through other sales channels. lS uppliers are not usually allowed to dictate the prices at which you sell or at which you advertise their products online. l I f you have agreed to sell at fixed or minimum prices with your supplier, you may both be found to be breaking competition law. l I f a supplier asks you to comply with a restrictive pricing policy, you should report this to the CMA. Want access to more CMA advice?

There is a range of guidance on the CMA’s website around supplier/ retailer relationships and the law. In the resources section of bira’s website is a short video on resale price maintenance.

If you think you are losing out to a business that is breaking the law by competing unfairly, you should report it by emailing general.enquiries@cma. gsi.gov.uk or calling the CMA enquiries team on 020 3738 6000.

21

BIRA DIRECT PROMOTION

Let our free invoice manager reduce your admin headaches Could you use an extra member of staff to keep on top of paper invoice handling?

The new invoice manager service from bira direct might be just what you need OF COURSE, MEMBERS of bira love Not familiar with bira direct? retailing, but the administration that supplier bira direct is the free-to-use buying group for invoicing involves has to be pretty low on bira members. It offers centralised invoicing anyone’s list of favourite jobs. It’s timewith more than 170 suppliers offering some consuming, laborious and simple errors can 2000+ brands, covering hardware, ironmonresult in costly consequences. The wait for the gery, tools and DIY, cookware, housewares, product invoice to arrive can prevent the stock glassware and ceramics, tabletop, giftware appearing on your shelves with the correct and pet products. bira direct works with some pricing. Potentially, there is a lot of time and of the biggest, market-leading brands operatsales to be wasted in a busy retail business. ing in the UK. Electronic invoicing can free up your Even if you don’t retail in those specialist accounts team or even you, categories, bira direct also works with as the business owner, from more than over 20 suppliers that SEE HOW error-prone paper invoice provide electronics, lighting, IT WORKS handling. With this in mind, heating and cooling, stationbira direct has introduced To view a simple tutorial on ery and cleaning products i nv oic e m a n a g e r, a n how to use bira direct invoice for use in any business electronic invoicing system, manager, and to learn how to sign – and all the goods are at as a free-to-use service for up, visit the videos section of the preferential rates thanks all bira members who use resource hub on the bira website to your bira membership. bira direct to purchase stock. bira.co.uk/resources/ Given the number With invoice manager, all Alternatively, call Mark Tylar on of independent retailer your supplier invoicing is 0121 446 3716 to set up your memb er s u si ng bi r a brought together in one system account or to find out more direct, we negotiate some that you can access via any online about how the system of the very best terms device. Allowing you to access your works. available. Regular proinvoices whenever you have an internet motional offers are listed connection, it saves time and greatly in the members’ area of the reduces paper wastage. bira website. Alternatively, you can request to join our email database to learn of the latest The key member benefits deals. l Instant access with your bira.co.uk login bira direct is free to use as part of your l Search supplier invoices by supplier, date membership. You receive 30-day EOM (end of range, or paid/unpaid status month) payment terms. There are no obligal View and download over two years’ worth of tory tie-in contracts - you’re free to use this supplier invoices unique service as much as you like. Our averl Updated daily (XML invoices only) age user saves around £1,518 over a 12-month l Quicker than relying on post from a supplier period when using just 12 suppliers.

Having recently started using the new bira direct invoice manager system, we now can access our invoices much more quickly and more regularly, rather than waiting for them through the post.

This not only speeds up purchase ledger work, but also improves our shop efficiencies because we have instant access to useful information, such as quantities, product codes and cost prices - sometimes even before the goods are delivered!

We like the different search criteria options, such as date, amount, supplier etc, which makes it quick and easy to find any document.

Purchase ledger controller, Barnitts of York, family-owned department store

 22

JANUARY 2018

IHA SHANGHAI An indie in Shanghai

What could be finer than a trip to China?

CEO Alan Hawkins led the bira delegation to the IHA Congress in Shanghai, where they met robots and edible baby scorpions ATTENDING THE CONGRESS of the IHA, the International Hardware and Housewares Association, has always been an interesting and fun part of my job, except for in 2009 when we hosted it in London!

For the latest gathering, on 18-23 October last year, our Chinese colleagues, led by IHA president Ms Shi Senglan, did a fantastic job of looking after us in Shanghai. The quality of venue and presentations was top-dollar.

The congress is like meeting old friends, with delegations in attendance from the USA, Sweden, Germany, Australia, France and Japan, to name but a few. All of us from the independent sector who made country reports were amazed at the commonality of opportunity and threats. Our bira delegation was probably the largest, but with our president Vin Vara, the world No 1 networker, it would have seemed that way anyway.

With IHA chairman Jean-Francois Dubost, of FFQ France, at the helm, all went well at the business sessions, with Bill Lee, from NHRA USA, sweeping up behind. The congress for us had three direct phases. There was a convention-based conference for one day, followed by a visit, a twoJANUARY 2018

hour coach ride away, to an amazing intelligent manufacturing base run by the Robam appliance company. It shows Artificial Intelligence is the thing of the future. Robots happily worked away, they almost smile, all directed from a computerised control centre from a James Bond movie manned by a few humans. Time to retire?

Day three saw us at the impressive show venue for both the massive China International Hardware Show and its sister International Kitchen Expo.

What really made the difference, however, and of course robots don’t get this, was meeting people.

Thanks to Stax, we had a sponsored place for Tessa Hindle from bira member Pextons Hardware in York (see bira magazine No 5, March 2017). Tessa is no ordinary shop manager and I can guarantee that Pextons will have a more confident and motivated team member as a result of the trip.

Similarly, Graeme and Lynn Cartwright from Staffordshire Farm Supplies in Stoke-on-Trent, regular bira conference goers, are always looking for a gem to apply in their own business. Mind you, all our open-mindedness was tested to the full by squirming baby scorpions skewered and ready to be deep fatfried at the open street markets. McDonalds has never seemed so appealing!

After we won a competition organised by bira direct and Stax, I was chosen to represent our small but perfectly formed shop, Pextons Hardware in York, at the 54th IHA Congress in Shanghai.

I felt like I’d got the golden ticket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. That’s not to say, however, I wasn’t nervous and apprehensive about travelling to a hardware conference in Asia! Despite not knowing what to expect, I soon got the hang of it.

With representatives from all over the world (many of whom seemed to know each other), it seemed to be a case of renewing friendships or making new ones, sharing best practices and generally putting the world to rights.

The Chinese hosts seemed keen to demonstrate their hospitality with a series of dinners, all of which involved welcoming speeches and copious amounts of food (some of it tricky for a vegetarian like me). Organised pre-conference activities included golf and a tour to the ancient town of Zhouzhuang, with both proving to be entertaining things to do.

The next few days were more businesslike with meetings and presentations and a visit to a factory, which was impressive and efficient. The final day culminated with the hardware show hosted at what claims to be the world’s largest single building in terms of size. It was slightly overwhelming at moments and good footwear was essential.

The five days flew by and it was an amazing experience, made for me by people's generosity.

JOIN THE BIRA TOURS IN 2018 We are organising two overseas trips this year, one to Paris in June for our cookshop- and giftware-focused members, and another in October for our larger players and department store members. Additionally, a decision has been made (subject to final sign off) for the IHA to move to a more European-focused event in the future. This will see us at the EDRA/GHIN* event at Barcelona on 12-14 June, with a pre-day specifically for independents. Put it in your diary now. (*aka European DIY Retail Association/Global Home Improvement Network).

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COUNTERPOINT/FROCK FLOGGER

No room here for sacred cows Just as we invest in stock, so we must invest in our staff, says Frock Flogger

Have your say Would you like to share your views and experiences with the bira community? We welcome contributions like Frock Flogger’s. You can write under your own name or under a pseudonym. You can contribute regularly or occasionally. If you are interested, please email editorial@bira.co.uk

JANUARY 2018

MY PERENNIAL ANSWER to the question, “How many people work for you?” is “About half of them”.

The biggest factor in being an employer is that you rely on other people to buy into your dream. From the minute it stops being just you in the shop, you must pick carefully those who are going to bring home your bacon.

It seems harder and harder these days to find staff who are willing, loyal and able, and who see retail as an opportunity and not just a fill-in between dreams.

Currently I also have a Sacred Cow in my midst. One who no one is prepared to tackle head on as the individual makes life very uncomfortable with moods and comments.

She/he manages to work themselves up into a role of their own definition. If this situation is left too long, it becomes too late and too difficult to remind them of what it is they came to do.

So, not very long ago, I decided to tackle Sacred Cow. Or rather, I tasked my manager to tackle the Sacred Cow. My office door is the final frontier when the wisdom of Solomon is needed.

We talked it through. We role-played. We played devil’s advocate. We wrote the “journey” and we decided what we wanted the outcome to be before the conversation even started.

Strangely, Sacred Cow was caught off-guard and I believe genuinely surprised at the perception that he/she was not a team player.

We have given clear timelines for progress we want to see and a date is in the diary for a followup meeting when we will measure the progress.

Now, frankly, I think a likely outcome will be that Sacred Cow will hand in their notice, but that is their choice and I will have avoided all those lengthy warnings and the general legal minefield (bira’s legal advice team can tell you how to follow the rules).

The immediate benefits, however, are clear from having this “conversation”. The rest of the team is aware a conversation has taken place, so they feel relieved that we are seen to be acting on their behalf. There are, of course, those who think they had better step it up too, so there is a benefit achieved without words too.

Let me clarify that most of my staffing issues come via chefs and front-of-house folk.

Seven years ago, I decided, in my Solomon-like wisdom, to diversify into a sector of which I had no knowledge! On the one hand, it has worked

handsomely and redefined my business, but it’s been a steep learning curve for me too. In my core fashion business, the team racks up 300+ years of continuous service (and that’s just me!).

How can we shop owners be surprised that our sales are poor when we don’t give the right tools to the staff to help them? We have a morning meeting each day when we talk about stock that has arrived, customers who may be coming in that day, jobs that need doing behind the scenes. Information is most definitely power.

Just as we invest in stock, so we must invest in our staff. They are still the biggest difference we can make to securing a sale and winning a repeat customer. The internet, so far, is not interactive, but surely the days of some avatar

All staff have regular appraisals but I am not brave enough to undergo a 360˚ review by them walking you round a department in real time will come. Until then, however, there is a reason for a customer to come into your shop.

We insist that all staff have regular appraisals, which happen three months, six months and twelve months after joining. We have a strong induction document. They are issued with “expectations” and we have a private Facebook group called The Blurb, where I post daily news and updates to keep everyone in the loop.

The appraisals are booked in advance and the staff complete a form from which we work.

I hate surprises on the day. They have to score themselves out of 10 on various questions and we also score them. A discussion then takes place if the two scores are way off each other.

I understand there is a trend for 360° appraisals, in which the staff would appraise me. I am not brave enough to ask for that one to be done. There is room for only one Sacred Cow in my organisation and until I retire, on my terms, that position is filled.

25

PRODUCT NEWS

Product news January See lots of these products at Spring Fair (NEC, 4-8 February).

Register at springfair.com

Ideal for daily use: the Pro Sharp Twist ‘n’ Sharp The new Pro Sharp Twist ‘n’ Sharp from Eddingtons is a 2-in-1 knife sharpener with a simple single-handed pull-through operation.

It achieves professional results, even on old and blunt knives, as well as on serrated blades and scissors too. Its tungsten steel edges sharpen the knife, while the ceramic edges hone and perfect the blade, making it ideal for daily use. Its one-handed twist lock suction base

will secure the sharpener to any smooth surface; once it’s locked in place a knife can safely be sharpened hands-free. Compact and light, in range of four fantastic colours, the sharpeners are delivered in either 12-piece displays or in individual hanging packs.

01488 686572 /sales@eddingtons.co.uk eddingtons.co.uk Spring Fair: Hall 9 Stand C26-D27

Let the fun be gin with Dartington Crystal The Stemless Gin Copa Party Pack from Dartington Crystal is the perfect gift for a gin lover. The set of six stemless tumblers are in a beautiful contemporary design - specially shaped for gin – that has a large capacity bowl, with room for ice and a garnish.

Dishwasher-safe, the set of six retails at £27.

01805 626226 / sales@dartington.co.uk dartington.co.uk Spring Fair: Hall 8 Summerhouse Stand C11-13

Just desserts: Denby Gastro Sweet by James Martin

Denby Pottery and TV chef James Martin celebrate 10 years of collaboration in 2018.

Since 2008 the ranges of Denby’s first license collaboration have evolved but the products have retained simplicity and durability. At Spring Fair, Denby will launch Gastro Sweet

by James Martin, an exciting selection of contemporary dessert sets that include multi-functional pieces to make entertaining at home hassle-free.

01773 740715 Spring Fair: Hall 9 Stand C20-D21

Typhoon Modern Kitchen range for a golden year With gold one of the hottest home décor trends of the year, the gilded accents of the Typhoon Modern Kitchen range from Rayware add a luxurious feel to the kitchen. The combination of warm acacia wood with gold creates a glamorous and affluent look. The collection includes all sizes of stylish storage tins, chopping boards and even a cheese dome. Also available are matching acacia wood utensils: these sturdy, statement accessories have a contemporary appeal with their bold geometric shapes.

0151 336 9200 / sales@rayware.co.uk Spring Fair: Hall 9 Stand E60-F61

26

JANUARY 2018

Would bira members like your products?

TO DISCUSS APPEARING ON THESE PAGES, CONTACT SIMONE ADAMS ON 0121 446 6688 EXT 259 OR EMAIL SIMONE.ADAMS@BIRA.CO.UK

JML turns iron into gold

The Phoenix Gold iron from JML provides gold standard care for clothes, thanks to a built-in steam generator and a ceramic sole plate, as well as a concentrated steam zone at the front that helps to drive out creases, even through multiple layers. It’s so powerful a user can even iron vertically, on the hanger, or iron without contact from the sole plate, which is perfect for prints, buttons, sequins and more. The cordless version, Phoenix Gold FreeFlight, will be available to buy from March 2018. jmldirect.com Spring Fair: Hall 10-12 Stand 12B33

Smarter solutions from Mason Cash Innovative Kitchen Range For its new Innovative Kitchen Range, Rayware has given its most iconic Mason Cash items a twist for modern day cooks and bakers. Smarter solutions are delivered in everything from garlic stores with in-built graters, juicers with storage for unused citrus halves, and multi-functional kitchen tools that make baking and cooking functional, fun and easy. The Kitchen Mixing Bowl originated over a century ago but now with flat sides around the bowl, this unique design makes mixing on countertops easier.

The nesting and stacking Cake Tins have flipped tradition and made the lid the base of the tins to give easy access to cakes when stored.

0151 336 9200 / sales@rayware.co.uk Spring Fair: Hall 9 Stand E60-F61

Taking the drama out of kitchen sinks Featuring handy compartments that can be adjusted to fit brushes, sponges and detergents, the space-saving Sink Caddy from Beldray benefits from suction pads allowing it to be easily fitted onto the sink or wall. Fitting most standard sinks, the 2-in-1 Wash and Drain bowl features a handy plug to easily drain water, as well as drainage holes designed for rinsing fruit and vegetables. Plates and cutlery are stored neatly on the Small or Large Dish Drainer, each featuring a 360° pivot spout for draining excess water, as well as handy cutlery holders to keep knives and forks separate while drying.

0161 627 9673 / sales@upgs.com / beldray.com Spring Fair: Hall 12 Stand G04-J05

New styles join faves from What More at Spring Fair Alongside its established favourites, What More w ill be presenting new ideas in kitchenware, bakeware, enamelware, tools, gadgets and food storage at Spring Fair.

Items in the expanded black-and-cream Baker & Salt enamelware range feature an integral front handle to aid easier removal from the oven.

The range carries a lifetime guarantee. A comprehensive new range of 0.6mm Baker & Salt non-stick bakeware, featuring the highperformance Whitford Skandia Xtreme Plus coating, will be fully unveiled at the show.

The patented technology from the worldrenowned PushPan bakeware brand offers consumers 100% leak-proof and watertight loose-based bakeware. The removable base features a silicone seal, meaning the bakeware requires no liners and gives perfect results every time. A range of cake storage containers will be added to Wham Cook, What More’s widest selection of kitchenware.

01282 687030 / whatmoreuk.com Spring Fair: Hall 10-12 Stand D05-E04

27

PRODUCT NEWS For Multi-Portion meals An entire meal can be cooked with the Multi-Portion Grill from Weight Watchers, a handy kitchen gadget featuring an impressive 1500W power. With five cooking surfaces, including a large grilling area, the grill creates delicious and healthy meals easily. The adjustable temperature control enables a variety of fish, meat, seafood and vegetarian dishes to be cooked; easy-to-follow Weight Watchers recipes are included. Little or no oil is used thanks to the durable marble non-stick coated cooking plate, which can be easily removed for cleaning.

0161 627 9694 / homewares@weight-watchers.co.uk

Coating innovation from Salter Megastone Megastone from Salter is an innovative coating, born from the need for functional, durable cookware. Hard and long-lasting, Megastone is five times stronger than standard non-stick cookware; it can remain scratch-free even when

Stylish looks from Snickers’ 37.5® Insulator Jacket This great-looking quilted jacket from Snickers is padded with 37.5 fabric insulation for warmth and climate control to keep the wearer’s body warm or comfortably cool. With a waterrepellent fabric, it can be worn on its own or combined with other Snickers’ Next Generation working clothes such as base layer fleeces and shirts or outer layer waterproof shell jackets.

The jacket has long arm cuffs with thumb grips for warm comfort and a high collar that delivers extra wind protection. It’s got stretchable side panels for comfort and flexibility with Cordurareinforced elbows for durability and reflective arm details to provide enhanced visibility for personal safety.

01484 854788 snickersworkwear.co.uk

28

used with metal utensils. The non-stick coating is dishwasher-safe and will not fade or peel.

0161 627 9673 / sales@upgs.com saltercookshop.com Spring Fair: Hall 12 Stand G04-J05

Weight Watchers Air Fryer for low-fat options Using little or no oil, the Weight Watchers 3.2L Hot Air Fryer, featuring 1300W power, provides a brilliant alternative to traditional deep fat frying. Technology circulates hot air around and through the foods to create deliciously crispy and golden foods quickly. The fryer features an easyto-clean removable cooking basket and easy-to-use temperature and timer control dials. Weight Watchers recipes for tasty, low-fat meals are included.

0161 627 9694 homewares@weight-watchers.co.uk

JANUARY 2018

Healthy soups made easy Low-fat, healthy soups can be created at the touch of a button, with the 1.6L Soup Maker from Weight Watchers, featuring 1050W power. With a digital control panel and four automatic settings, including an auto-clean option, the soup maker is simple to use and easy to clean. The intelligent control system stops ingredients from over spilling during cooking and prevents dry burning. The stylish stainless-steel housing looks great and is easy to clean. Easy-tofollow Weight Watchers recipes are included.

0161 627 9694 homewares@weight-watchers.co.uk

Progress Scissors: a cut above The Multifunctional Kitchen Scissors by Progress feature professional-quality stainless steel blades for precision cutting. They can be used for cutting, chopping ingredients, peeling vegetables, opening bottles and snipping herbs directly on to meals for restaurant-style garnishing. With ergonomic soft-touch handles and smart-locking features, these are safe and effective scissors.

0161 627 9673 / sales@upgs.com Spring Fair: Hall 12 Stand G04-J05

Steaming to perfection with Salter Important vitamins and minerals are retained in food by the superb Salter DUOsteam, which uses featuring innovative steaming technology to cook vegetables, meat and fish to perfection in the microwave. The multipurpose steamer, which is dishwasher-safe, speeds up making delicious and nutritional meals. Compatible with 18cm and 20cm saucepans for steaming on the hob, the DUOsteam delivers healthy and hassle-free meals effortlessly.

0161 627 9673 / sales@upgs.com Spring Fair: Hall 12 Stand G04-J05

Progress keeps food fresher A smart but simple solution for keeping food fresher for longer, the Progress Vacuum Storage Containers feature an easy-to-use vacuum pump and release button system which creates an airtight seal. Promising to keep food fresher for three times longer, the transparent jars are available in 1L and 1.6L sizes.

Brew the tea of immortality in a Kilner Kombucha Set The Kilner Kombucha Set from Rayware is perfect for creating and storing delicious culture-rich kombucha, a fermented sweetened tea packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and probiotics. The Kilner 3-Litre Drinks Dispenser with tap is ideal for dispensing fresh-brewed kombucha and also can be used for continuous brewing. Kombucha is made by fermenting tea using a kombucha culture known as a scoby (a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast).

This feeds on the sugar in the tea and produces healthy bacteria. This health-promoting beverage has been consumed for over 2,000 years and historically is known as the tea of immortality. A scoby can be created from scratch by combining tea, sugar and some pre-made kombucha; leave to ferment for 2-4 weeks for a fully grown scoby.

0151 336 9200 / sales@rayware.co.uk Spring Fair: Hall 9 Stand E60-F61

JANUARY 2018

0161 627 9673 / sales@upgs.com progresscookshop.com Spring Fair: Hall 12 Stand G04-J05

Handy protection by Everbuild Hand Armour is a new multi-use barrier cream for hands from Everbuild – A Sika Company.

Providing protection against any wet or dry contaminants, it has been designed to help stop the skin from absorbing harmful substances as well as protecting against abrasion. The nongreasy, unscented formula is easily absorbed into the skin, and with only a small amount needed to provide unbeatable protection, a little goes a long way. Available in 100ml tubes, Hand Armour is packed into printed display boxes.

0113 240 2424 everbuild.co.uk

29

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THE MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH INDEPENDENT RETAILERS ASSOCIATION ISSUE 03 | JANUARY 2017

After taking 30 months to implement an EPOS system across his six stores in East Anglia, William Coe is ready for the opportunities and challenges of the omnichannel era

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Passion & faith In Newton Abbot, David Austin believes in investing in his family’s department store business

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All the best traditions of a local hardware store are alive and well with Dan Ebdon at Pextons in York

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Trade news

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With 120 years of trading behind it, Barnitts is being prepared for success in the age of ecommerce. Paul Thompson sheds light on the strategy for his award-winning department store

STOCK No. 52628

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01/12/2017 16:11

BIRA NOTICES

We welcome our new members nationwide The membership magazine of the British Independent Retailers Association Published 10 times a year by bira publishing Editor Eric Musgrave 07702 628848 eric@ericmusgrave.co.uk Design Alan Bingle 07949 024737 alan@forty6design.com PA, senior communications & PR officer Kate Godber 0121 446 3730 kate.godber@bira.co.uk Multimedia sales executive Simone Adams 0121 446 6688 Ext 259 simone.adams@bira.co.uk All advertising and editorial enquiries editorial@bira.co.uk Printed by Buxton Press

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bira membership magazine incorporates bira alert, Hardware Today, Cookshop, Housewares & Tabletop and Pet Product Focus. If you would like to reproduce anything from bira member magazine, please contact the editorial team for permission.

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Last autumn bira welcomed to its roster members of the National Association of Health Stores.

In this new year update, we list those new arrivals, plus the typically varied range of independent retailers from across the country that have joined the association recently.

Part of the reason we run this list in each issue is so members know which of their neighbouring retailers are also bira people. Do make the effort of introduce yourself to other bira members in your district and please share your news and opinions with us on editorial@bira.co.uk

SCOTLAND

EAST & SOUTH EAST OF ENGLAND

Eco Health Store, Dunoon; Grampian Health Store, Aberdeen; Hanover Healthfoods, Edinburgh; Health Food & More, Kirkcaldy; Healthcraft, Lerwick; Highland Health Store, Perth; Jan De Vries Healthcare, Irvine; M A S Agricultural and Plant Services, Bonnybridge; Nature’s Way, Anstruther; Old MacDonalds ATV & Garden Machinery, Blairgowrie; Sunrise Wholefoods, Castle Douglas; The Health Shop, Inverness; Thrive Naturally, Aberdeen.

Agri Sense, Bedford; Bio-5-O, Hastings; Buba London, East Molesey; Deja Vu Boutique, Ipswich; Energetic Health & Natural Beauty, Cobham; Especially Health, Sevenoaks; Food for Living, Dartford; Fun Pots, Haywards Heath; Grantham Health Store, Grantham; Greens Health Foods, Lincoln; Healthright, Chesham; Herbal Traditions, Ilford; Herbology UK, Metheringham; Holbeach Wholefoods, Holbeach; Hungate Health Store, Beccles; Hungerford Garden Machinery, Hungerford; Lambourn Universal Stores, Lambourn; Launmeadow Pet Products, Chippenham; MCEDR, Olney; Medstead Garden Machinery, Alton; Mother Nature Health and Herbal, Sleaford; Natural Health, Welwyn Garden City; Noahs Health Food Store, Wallington; Pretty Things, Buckhurst Hill; Rainbow Apothecary, Woodbridge; Rye Health Store, Rye; Scoltock Natural Foods, Ringwood; Seaford Health Store, Seaford; The Natural Way, Banstead; The Natural Way, Braintree; Tool Despatch, Westcliff-on-Sea; Vegetare, Cranbrook; Wickham Bishops Health Foods, Wickham Bishops.

NORTH & NORTH WEST OF ENGLAND Bawtry Natural Health, Bawtry; Conservation Technology & Machinery, Richmond; Food Therapy, Halifax; Halfmoon Health Foods, Huddersfield; Hamiedog Menswear, Whitley Bay; Jaynes Bridal Wear, Doncaster; Marty McFry’s, Middlesbrough; Metcalfes (Home Decor), South Shields; Millies, Leeds; Modern Herbals, Halifax; Nature’s Remedies, Southport; Nelson Nutrition, Nelson; Peppercorn, Goole; Quality Health Foods, Harrogate; Ribble Technology, Preston; Ross McTurk Engineering, Thirsk; Sunflower Health, Clitheroe; Tullivers, York; Wholesome Bee, Settle; Number Thirty-Six, Lancaster; MWHC, Rossendale; Millmark Foods, Frodsham; Hoylake General Store, Chester; Feedem, Guisborough; The Curing House, Redcar; The Rabbit Hole, Saltburn-by-theSea; Macmillan Motor Company, Middlesbrough; Amaranth, Manchester; KAN Healthfoods, Kendal; Living Natural, Manchester; Manuka Health Store, Windermere; Pastures New Health Foods, BarrowIn-Furness; R J Clothing, Carlisle; The Pod Service, Manchester; Appleseeds, Ulverston.

MIDLANDS Alun Williams Agricultural Engineering, Ledbury; Balsall Carpets, Coventry; Natural Health, Birmingham; Breckles Healthstore, Leek; Forever Sunshine Herbal Health, Biddulph; Handley Organics, Ledbury; Indigo Wholefoods, Moseley; Little London Herbal Store, Nottingham; Midland Plant Spares, Redditch; Miss Lilly’s, Solihull; Mrs Puddifoots, Kettering; Roots, Nottingham; Sherwood Wholefoods, Market Drayton; Stourbridge Health Store, Stourbridge; Taylor Garden Machinery, Droitwich; The Health Store, Nottingham

GREATER LONDON Bushwacker, Hammersmith; G Baldwin & Co, SE17; Gaia Wholefoods, Twickenham; HARA Health NW3; House of Mistry NW3; Natural Health Options, Stanmore; Northwood Health Foods, Northwood; Nutrition & Beauty Centre, SW17; Revital, Ruislip; St Johns Wood Interiors, NW8; Streets DIY, Lewisham; Today’s Living, Clapham.

WEST & SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND Archie Browns, Penzance; Bude Health Store, Bude; Ceres Natural Foods, Yeovil; Earthfare, Glastonbury; Elixir Health Foods, Wadebridge; Garlands Healthstore, Reading; Greenlife, Totnes; Healthwise, Kingsbridge; Hendra Health Store, Truro; Natures Corner, Newbury; Reapers, Tiverton; Rickard Lane’s, Plymouth; Shiny Goodness, Nailsworth; Sunshine Health Shop, Stroud; Tewkesbury Cards & Gifts, Tewkesbury; Wild Oats, Bristol; The Baytree Health Store, Ferndown; The Healthy Life Co, Devizes; The Natural Store, Falmouth; Well Natural, Salisbury.

WALES

ISLE OF WIGHT

Cracked Wheat Organics, Welshpool; Dimensions/ Dru Health, Bangor; Iechyd Health Food Shop, Pwllheli; Mulberry Bush, Lampeter; Ruthin Wholefoods, Ruthin.

Shanklin Health Store, Shanklin.

IRELAND C S Calzature, Dublin.

specifically stated, goods or services mentioned are not formally endorsed by bira. Views of the contributors are not necessarily those of bira.

All rights reserved. © 2018

JANUARY 2018

NORTHERN IRELAND

CHANNEL ISLANDS

Brothers Furniture & Interiors, Moy; Framar Health, Belfast; Nature’s Choice, Enniskillen.

Hansa, St Peter Port, Guernsey; Barannes, St Helier, Jersey; Leaders 100% Health, St Helier, Jersey.

31

THE LAST WORD

Nigel Scott

N ARNISON & SONS, PENRITH, CUMBRIA

DEVOTEES OF HISTORICAL shop premises will love N Arnison & Sons in Penrith, which must be one of the best-preserved independent stores in the UK. The unisex clothing store is run by brothers Nigel and Tom Scott, who are the seventh generation of the owning family. Nigel explains why running the business is like having a passionate hobby.

Photography: Eric Musgrave

This store has an amazing history.

It is a Grade II listed building. In 1831 my ancestor six generations back, Nathan Arnison, bought an existing business that dated to 1742 and changed the name to N Arnison & Sons. The premises look down across Devonshire Street, which is the historic main shopping street in Penrith. Before our time, the grandparents of William and Dorothy Wordsworth, William and Ann Cookson, lived here. He was a linen draper.

It’s beautiful example of an old emporium.

We trade on the ground and first floors. The front still has the signs stating Drapers Costumiers Milliners. The part to the rear, which largely houses our menswear and men’s footwear today, was rebuilt in 1902 when a workman looking for a gas leak with a candle caused an explosion.

The story goes that my great-grandfather was thrown through the window, but lived to tell the tale.

Arnison’s has sold some exotic categories.

In the mid-1800s Nathan was a dealer in silk, otherwise known as a mercer, and sold hosiery.

Over the years we have also been furriers and

32

milliners, as well as selling what we’d now call home textiles, carpets and linoleum.

We had a dressmaking workshop on the upper floors, which my paternal grandmother could remember. Today we sell men’s and women’s clothing, footwear and accessories, with about 65% of sales on the men’s side. It’s always been the stronger trade.

What is your brand mix?

We are known for established mainstream brands on menswear like Meyer, Gurteen, Brook Taverner and Magee. Men’s footwear, such as Loakes, has done well in recent years. On womenswear, we sell brands like Olsen, Lebek, Soya Concept and Braeburn, which is slightly younger. Womenswear has always been much harder as there is more competition and more options to cover. We are middle-of-the-road on pricing. We’d never go downmarket.

You must have a decent local trade after more than 180 years of trading.

There are no shops like us left in Penrith or even in Kendal or Carlisle, which are 26 and 18 miles away. As well as the locals who want to shop at a friendly family business, we are popular with tourists and some come back to see us year after year. Summer is busy but even when the schools have gone back we see more mature customers on autumn breaks.

You really are a family business, aren’t you?

We have about 10 staff, half of which are part-

time. We have very little staff turnover. I have been here since I left school in 1980 and my older brother Tim joined in 1987, after spending 10 years with Midland Bank. My mother Marilyn, who is 81, still comes in a couple of days a week and is still involved with the womenswear buying. My wife Dawn and Tim’s wife Janet also work in the business and buy for the womenswear side.

Outside the family, Eric Lamb is our general manager, while Pauline Binks, Andrea Watson and Yvonne Watson are stalwarts in the women’s departments.

Long service runs in the family, doesn’t it?

You could say that! My father Deryck, who died seven years ago, worked here until he was 79. Apart from two years of National Service and two years training at (department store) Elys of Wimbledon, he spent his entire working life here. His mother Vera, my grandmother, was an Arnison who married a Scott, which is where my surname originates.

She was company secretary – women have always been important to the business – and worked until she was 82. When I was a boy she taught me to keep the accounts ledgers correctly.

Will there be an eight generation?

That’s a good question! Tim is 58 and I am 53.

Neither my children nor Tim’s are interested in the business. But for me it’s a passion, it’s my life. I know nothing else. I jokingly tell people I run a business for a hobby, but we are profitable and people value what we do. We work hard and we look after people. Too many modern shops have had beautiful interiors and exteriors like ours ripped out. I think we are viewed well by the people of Penrith. We have been here a long time. We are part of the character of the town and we’d be missed if we went.

N Arnison & Sons 17-18 Devonshire Street, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 7SP

JANUARY 2018

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Saving assumes total turnover of £250,000 per annum based on a typical bira member profile.

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