Business Cornwall June 22

CORNWALL'S PREMIER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION

businesscornwall.co.uk

JUNE 2022 | ISSUE 158 | £3.95

WHEEL OF FORTUNE

WE MEET CATHERINE MEAD OBE, OWNER OF LYNHER DAIRIES

JUBILANT JUNE

ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW, FESTIVAL OF BUSINESS, BUSINESS AWARDS

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

BUSINESS SUCCESSION

06

06 9 772514

842001

£5 PER

TICKET

T S E F I L E H 22 0 2 Y L U J 6 1 Y A D R U T SA

FAMI LY F UN AT CO R N WA L L’ S N EW BLUE LI GHT F E S T I VA L I N PA DS TOW

PLUS

A day of music and festival fun to celebrate the hard work of Cornwall’s vital blue light services, with the chance to see your new air ambulance up close for the first time

LIVE MUSIC • CIRCUS SKILLS WORKSHOP • FAMILY ACTIVITIES • FOOD & DRINK

To find the full festival lineup and secure your tickets, visit: cornwallairambulancetrust.org/helifest Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust | enquiries@cornwallairambulancetrust.org | 01637 889926 Trevithick Downs, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4DY | Registered charity 1133295

JUNE 2022

INSIDE FEATURES 10 CEO INTERVIEW WE CATCH UP WITH CATHERINE MEAD OBE, OWNER OF LYNHER DAIRIES

16 ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW COUNTY SHOW’S MUCH ANTICIPATED RETURN

18 FESTIVAL OF BUSINESS CORNWALL FESTIVAL OF BUSINESS, JUNE 13-17

20 CORNWALL BUSINESS AWARDS AWARDS PREVIEW

22 DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY HOW WILDANET HAS TRANSFORMED ST BURYAN FARM SHOP

24 COMPANY PROFILE LESJÖFORS HEAVY SPRINGS UK

26 SUCCESSION PLANNING

ISSUE 158

REGULARS 4 INCOMING DO YOU BUY LOCAL?

6 BUSINESS NEWS CELTIC & CO REPORTS RECORD SALES

32 JUST A THOUGHT ARE YOU META-CURIOUS?

34 ON THE MOVE APPOINTMENTS NEWS

36 CREATIVE & DIGITAL NIXON UNDER EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP

38 BUSINESS CLINIC RECRUITMENT TIPS FROM TALENT TIDE

38 FOOD & DRINK CALLESTICK WINS M&S CONTRACT

39 EDUCATION & TRAINING NEWS NEW CHAIR AT CORNWALL COLLEGE

40 CHAMBER NEWS CORNWALL CHAMBER CEO KIM CONCHIE

42 TOURISM NEWS SPECIAL AWARDS PARTY

43 FSB FEDERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES

44 EVENTS DIARY WHAT’S ON

46 CONNECTED WHAT’S GONE

48 THE LAST WORD STUART BERVERIDGE OF ST MICHAELS RESORT

FUTURE STRATEGY

PHOTO: TARQUIN’S CORNISH DRY GIN & TONIC GRAB-AND-GO CANS. SEE PAGE 38 FOR FULL STORY

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 1

ISSUE 158

JUNE 2022

CORNWALL'S PREMIER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION

businesscornwall.co.uk

JUNE 2022 | ISSUE 158 | £3.95

WHEEL OF FORTUNE WE MEET CATHERINE MEAD OBE, OWNER OF LYNHER DAIRIES

JUBILANT JUNE

ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW, FESTIVAL OF BUSINESS, BUSINESS AWARDS

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

BUSINESS SUCCESSION

06

06 9 772514

842001

9 772514

842001

ON THE COVER CATHERINE MEAD OBE, OWNER OF LYNHER DAIRIES SEE PAGE 10 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nick Eyriey nick@businesscornwall.co.uk

WELCOME

BY EDITOR NICK EYRIEY

Jubilant June!

While lockdown has been over for a little while now, this month it finally feels like things are back with a bang.

Just like the proverbial bus, this month we have not one, not two, but three favourite events all coming back-to-back. I think it’s fair to say that the Royal Cornwall Show has been greatly missed and it’s fantastic to see it back for the first time since 2019.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Morveth Ward morveth@businesscornwall.co.uk

Equally, the celebratory Cornwall Business Awards has not taken place since 2019 and makes a very welcome return at the end of the month, at St Mellion Resort. And sandwiched between these two, we have the return of the week-long Festival of Business, which will feature a number of networking events including the popular Finance in Cornwall and Cornwall Business Fair.

ACCOUNT MANAGER Caroline Carter caroline@businesscornwall.co.uk

Keep a look out on the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and Business Cornwall websites for an online festival guide, which will include full details of the events taking place.

CONTRIBUTORS PFA Research, Toby Weller

With Royal Cornwall in mind, this month’s issue of Business Cornwall has an agricultural theme as we catch up with Catherine Mead, owner of Lynher Dairies. Much has changed since we first interviewed Catherine back in 2008. But as she tells us, with Brexit, Covid and now war in Ukraine, it’s difficult to think back more than two years, let alone 14!

PUBLISHER Toni Eyriey toni@businesscornwall.co.uk

DESIGN Ade Taylor design@businesscornwall.co.uk PRINT Printed in Cornwall by Deltor BUSINESS CORNWALL is published 10 times a year by:

Tonick Business Publishing Pool Innovation Centre Trevenson Road, Redruth TR15 3PL Tel: 01209 718688 SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@businesscornwall.co.uk

Business Cornwall will be out and about at all the above events, hopefully we’ll see you there!

Registered under the Data Protection Act. All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval system or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher. Stringent efforts have been made by Business Cornwall magazine to ensure accuracy. However, due principally to the fact that data cannot always be verified, it is possible that some errors or omissions may occur. Business Cornwall magazine can not accept responsibility for such errors or omissions. Business Cornwall magazine accepts no responsibility for comments made by interviewees that may offend.

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Discover the latest centre for innovation in Cornwall

The new Feritech Innovation Centre near Falmouth is where Feritech designs and manufactures innovative products for clients around the world.

We have recently launched Sealance, a new technology system that will create a step change in subsea geotechnical surveying. And we are set to launch the world’s first subsea autonomous vessel for geotechnical surveying.

Our brand new facility has been designed with enabling innovation in mind. Product design, machining, fabrication, electrical, electronics, embedded software, hydraulics and 3D printing are all available on one site and this enables agile working and collaboration across the team, and streamlined project management. It is the only manufacturing facility in the South West to provide such a comprehensive range of design and production services on one site.

As well as designing and manufacturing our own advanced engineering products, Feritech provides innovative design and manufacturing solutions to other companies and local inventors.

Get in touch to find out how Feritech can help your business, bringing your ideas to life.

info@feritech.com | 01326 369 444 | www.feritech.com

INCOMING

THE CONVERSATION

The big question With so much fantastic food and drink now produced in Cornwall, how important is it for you to ‘buy local’? Do you try and buy fresh local produce as much as possible, or do you see it as more of a luxury item?

Jointheconversation /businesscornwall @biz_cornwall /businesscornwall/

businesscornwall.co.uk

4 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

THE CONVERSATION

JASON KNIGHTS Knights MPR

When local food is produced and delivered closer to the local consumer, everyone benefits. You and I – the buyers and consumers of food – have more influence on the food that is produced, and often with more varied, quality and fresh options that support the natural cycle of food production, and which is perfectly aligned to support our health.

You don’t need to buy an apple that’s travelled half-way around the world to reach your dish. Just think of the carbon footprint for that one apple arriving on your plate? Is it fresh? How was it grown? Were any chemicals used?

Questions which are difficult to answer in today’s high-street supermarkets with food wrapped in a vast array of plastics, packaging and mixed labelling.

Choosing to buy your food from local sources here in one of the most amazing locations in the world, reduces the need for fuel-intensive transportation and supports the wider decarbonisation efforts the world is embracing. Transport by sea, air or road contributes to poor air quality.

Buying locally helps to keep farming and food growing practices sustainable and minimises the environmental impact of the food we consume.

JAMES SCOTT

NCI Technologies Even though the cost of living has increased, as a family we are still trying to support local businesses. Many of our vegetables are sourced locally from farm shops or direct from the farmer. However,

over the past 18 months we have found it increasingly difficult to support local food producers due to rising costs. This has led us to reduce the amount of meat we consume and revert to purchasing from supermarkets what is now a luxury item. Unfortunately, the only thing that would encourage us as a family to purchase more local goods would be a reduction in living costs. Currently mass production has the competitive edge when it comes to staying within our budget.

JONNY BRIGHT Miller Commercial

Buying fresh, local produce is an important part of supporting the local economy and curbing my carbon footprint. However in light of the cost of living crisis it is increasingly looking like a luxury, especially when some supermarkets offer fresh fruit and veg boxes at cut price. So my mantra is, if I can afford to then yes support local and support Cornwall, but the option isn’t always that straightforward.

RUPERT COOPER Philleigh Way

INCOMING

then be on a much better food lifestyle.

Or treat yourself once a week to some amazing local meat/fish/cheese/veg, once you taste the difference then you will start to unpick and budget accordingly. But I see it as my job to try and show people how to use cost effective local produce!

It’s something we are planning at the cookery school in the near future, running specific courses for everyday ‘local’ eating within budget.

SUE BRADBURY SBPR

It’s never been more important to buy local.

The last two years have shown us that supply can be a real issue in times of crisis and, with what’s happening in Ukraine and the effect that’s having on energy and prices, it makes absolute sense to support local producers. I try and do that as often as I can - not just because I think it’s the right thing to do but because what’s out there is genuinely (and tastily) impressive.

What would encourage me to buy even more local products? Probably promotion.

Put something under my nose - either on a screen or in physically in front of me - and I’m more likely to want it. Visibility is key.

I’m going to play devil’s advocate here, it’s easy for chef’s and celebrities to say buy local etc but the fact is, it’s more expensive than supermarkets. With the cost of living going up how are families supposed to justify the extra pounds? BUT, what I will say/suggest is if you can aim to reduce protein/meat/dairy/fish consumption and buy local that will level out the cost, but also with that comes organisation and planning of meals.

Coupled with trying to eat seasonal you’ll

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 5

CORNWALL

BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

focus-technology.co.uk

BORIS WAXES LYRICAL CAD EXPANDS SERVICES CAD Architects in Truro has set up its own planning consultancy service.

Laura Potts, a chartered town planner with over 19 years’ experience, has been appointed to head up this new service.

Commenting on the appointment, CAD Architects’ MD, Mark Dawes, said: “The practice has been growing steadily and we have built a highly talented team who are able to handle a wide range of projects.

“With the growing importance and complexity of planning issues, we have taken the bold step of setting up our own planning consultancy, so that we can offer the very best advice on these matters to our clients.

“There are very few chartered architecture practices in the south west who can offer this service and we are delighted to welcome Laura into the business.”

ADVERTORIAL

Cornish, sustainable candle manufacturer, St Eval, was invited to 10 Downing Street last month for a Spring Showcase highlighting the very best of British business.

As one of only ten businesses invited from all four corners of the UK, St Eval proudly showcased its range to Prime Minister,

COULD DISUSED MINES HEAT HOMES? A new study hopes to give Cornwall’s abandoned mines a new lease of life by demonstrating their potential to heat homes.

Cornwall Council, LiveWest and the National Trust have been awarded £67k from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to explore the potential for sustainable energy from warm water in flooded abandoned mines.

Boris Johnson, alongside Cabinet Ministers and a host of VIP guests.

St Eval CEO of St Evals Ian Greaves said: “As a British manufacturer based in rural Cornwall, we are delighted to be given the opportunity to showcase St Eval alongside some of the best of British business at this event.”

Each organisation has pledged an additional £11k the project, which is being carried out at Geevor, Levant and Botallack mines near Pendeen.

Water within the mines is warmed by natural processes due to the granite bedrock and could provide a continuous supply of heat.

Mine water temperatures are not affected by seasonal variations, and combined with heat pump technology, could provide renewable, lower cost and low carbon heating.

If successful, this work could provide a model for the use of mineshafts across Cornwall in the future and with around 400 abandoned mines, mine water heat could improve options for off-gas grid communities and play an important role in meeting carbon neutral ambitions.

KEEP YOUR INVENTION SECRET UNTIL YOU HAVE FILED A PATENT APPLICATION

By Frederick Noble, British and European Patent Attorney at Albright IP. This is probably the single piece of advice I give out most often as a patent attorney. It sounds simple but it’s not always as easy as it seems.

6 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Secrecy is important because for a patent to be valid, the invention must be a new invention on the date of filing. So, any disclosure before that will invalidate the patent.

BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

CORNWALL

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QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR CORNISH DUO Two Cornish companies have been awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise, in the sustainable development category.

Ward Williams Associates (WWA) is one of the UK’s largest regional property and construction consultancies. Over the past five years, it has seen consistent year-onyear growth of circa 10% per annum and in 2021 had a turnover of £8.1 million.

JAMIE MURPHY

ANDY SNAPES

Origin founder, Tom Sobey, said: “It is with enormous pride that we have been recognised by Her Majesty the Queen for our commitment to sustainable development.

“When we talk about sustainability at Origin Coffee, we talk about it in terms of each and every aspect of business operations – nothing escapes scrutiny.”

Porthleven-based Origin Coffee is one of the leading and most progressive speciality coffee roasters in the UK. It has seven owned and operated locations in the UK and Cornwall and works with over 480 wholesale partners across the UK and Europe. In 2021, the 80-strong company reported a turnover of £7.8 million.

Commenting on the award, WWA senior partner, Andy Snapes, said: “Receiving this accolade is an incredible honour. It is the highest possible recognition of our team’s commitment to being a responsible business and celebrates the passion that is so intrinsic to our culture.”

Two recent cases show just how serious this rule is. Our first tale is about the validity of a patent on the “XHose”, invented by Michael Berardi working at home. It is one of those great stories of someone working alone to come up with a simple but effective product which ends up being a big commercial success.

But when Hozelock were accused of infringing the patent, they claimed it was invalid. Why? Because before filing his patent application Mr Berardi had made prototypes in his garden. Of course, his garden is private property, but anyone standing on the street can see in.

PENZANCE IN ZANZIBAR Penzance Dry Dock was among a number of south west marine businesses that representatives of the Minister of Blue Economy in Zanzibar last month, aimed at enhancing sustainability and decarbonisation in the marine Sector.

The event, hosted by DIT (the Department for International Trade) and Business West, DIT’s delivery partner in the south west, also featured presentations from marine biologists, marine sector specialists at DIT and businesses hoping to secure trade deals with Zanzibar.

Dry Dock CEO, Jamie Murphy, said: “This event is hugely important to Penzance Dry Dock because it gives us a platform to showcase our new vessels and expertise to new markets.”

TOM SOBEY

Here the judge accepted that if someone had been looking in, Mr Berardi would have packed up and moved out of public view. The experimenting in the garden did not destroy the patent, but perhaps it nearly did.

Our next hero, inventor Jeffrey Claydon, tested his new seed drill on private land.

But a public footpath ran alongside.

Again Mr Claydon said that if anyone had appeared on the footpath, he would have moved so the invention couldn’t be seen. But a seed drill is a lot bigger than a garden hosepipe. The judge concluded that hiding it away would have been impossible – and so the patent was invalid.

Total UK exports to Tanzania amounted to £138 million in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2021 (an increase of 0.7% or £1 million compared to the four quarters to the end of Q3 2020), showing the significant and increasing export opportunities for UK businesses in the market.

The result may seem harsh, but the law is clear – public disclosure before filing will invalidate a patent. So, I repeat, keep your invention secret until you have filed!

If you have any questions around patents or disclosure, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

Albright IP, Pool Innovation Centre, Redruth, Cornwall TR15 3PL fnoble@albright-ip.co.uk +44 (0)1209 316161 BUSINESS CORNWALL | 7

CORNWALL

BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

focus-technology.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF According to a new survey, Truro is the country’s ‘most British’ city. Based on several “typically British” factors, including the number of pubs and its annual days of rainfall, Truro came out on top of the list compiled by Vendula London, ahead of Newcastle upon Tyne and Bangor. According to the figures, Truro has the equivalent of 107 pubs and 405 fish and chip shops per 100,000 people. ______________________________________

ATC ADVISORS LAUNCHES A new accountancy business has launched in Launceston.

years’ worth of experience between the partners and management team alone.

ATC Advisors held a launch party last month, at new premises on the Pennygillam Industrial Estate.

Stevenson specialises in construction, property and legal sectors with keen interest in supporting local businesses to develop the local area.

Spearheaded by Peter Stevenson and Sarah Gay, the firm has a wealth of expertise from accounts and business planning through to personal taxes, bookkeeping to probate, with over 150

Gay, meanwhile, heads of the agricultural team and has an intrinsic understanding of the rural area and proactive appreciation of the impact upon business.

CELTIC & CO PASSES £19M SALES achieved such a strong performance particularly in this area of the business.

Fashion brand, Celtic & Co, has reported record sales for the year ending January 30, driven by a strong response to its collections in the UK and internationally.

Continuing on from a successful 2020, which had seen sales almost double to £15.5 million, the latest financial year saw sales lift by a further 21% to £19.3 million.

MD, James Williams, said: “International growth was a key part of our strategy over the last year, so I’m delighted to have 8 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

“For the very first time we shipped to over 100 countries across the globe, with international sales now representing over 30% of turnover on our own channels.”

During the year, new partnerships were launched with John Lewis, Next, and M&S, which brought in additional revenues amounting to over £1 million, while Celtic & Co also continued to build on its strong UK manufacturing heritage, with in-house manufacturing capability expanding its footprint further on the existing dedicated site in Newquay.

Coodes Solicitors has promoted Sarah Evans to head up its family law team.

Evans, who joined Coodes in 2008 as a trainee, has worked her way to partner in the family department and will now head up the 22-strong team, taking over from Elise Alma. ______________________________________ A new centre is set to open its doors in Launceston this month to provide dedicated space and fully-funded support for local businesses. The Popup Innovation Centre on 12 Southgate Street, delivered by the Acceleration Through Innovation 2 programme, will offer local businesses the use of meeting rooms, hot desks, 3D printing, a mini photography studio and access to business support with innovationaccredited advisors. ______________________________________ The Cornish Seal Sanctuary has officially launched a new £1.3 million fundraising campaign, as part of a major redevelopment project at the charity’s site in Gweek. The Fund our Future campaign is looking to raise vital funds to futureproof the Sanctuary, including replacing four pools currently on site over the next two years in one of the biggest redevelopment projects the charity has seen in its 64-year history. ______________________________________ The space and satellite team at law firm, Foot Anstey LLP, has collaborated with Spaceport Cornwall’s professional advisors to support its preparations for its first launch into space this summer.

Spaceport required specialist legal support and advice to ensure compliance with the relevant legislation and regulatory frameworks, including the new Space Industry Act 2018.

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BRIGHT ON BUSINESS AND BEACHES Long evenings paddleboarding at the beach, idyllic coastal walks and savouring the delights that only Cornwall has to offer have all been part of the ‘staycation’ boom that we have experienced in the last two years.

While there are challenges for business owners such as the cost-of-living crisis and ongoing staff shortages, we have seen the Business Transfer department handle instructions from modest ingoing premiums of £15k right up to acquisitions of large leisure sites in excess of £10m in the last few months alone. Business across Cornwall is headed in the right direction, and as Chartered Surveyors and Business Property Specialists we are best placed to advise on how to prepare your business for sale, including marketing, finding the right buyer and achieving the best possible price.

Miller Commercial is EGI’s Most Active Agent in Cornwall and advise clients across the Duchy on the acquisition and disposal of businesses, leasing and letting of commercial premises and managing commercial property whilst providing consultancy on development sites, investments and valuations.

Commercial Surveyor Jonny Bright, recently recognised as one of Cornwall’s 30 Under 30 as well as being a Cornish Ambassador, is optimistic about the future business prospects for Cornwall and is passionate about the Duchy being increasingly seen not only for its lifestyle but also as a place of opportunity and growth. Recent advice on new leases for national retailers in Falmouth and Penzance, sales agreed for office and living space and a village store alongside receiving instructions to dispose of a guest house in north Cornwall, exhibit the breadth of work we carry out that contributes to businesses placing themselves in Cornwall and providing employment for professionals, those starting out in their career, company directors, and small business owners.

There is no doubt that there is a bright future for the Duchy and we are pleased to be part of it.

Contact: Jonny Bright, MSc, Commercial Surveyor · 01872 247 022 / 07425 311 949 · jb@miller-commercial.co.uk BUSINESS CORNWALL | 9

CATHERINE

MEAD

We catch up with Catherine Mead OBE, owner of Lynher Dairies, home of the famous Cornish Yarg and Cornish Kern cheeses. Catherine explains how a tumultuous last few years has impacted her business and the wider agricultural sector as a whole, and she looks forward to the return of the Royal Cornwall Show.

Catherine

Mead

We first interviewed you in Business Cornwall magazine 14 years ago.

I guess much has changed since those days?

Like most other people, I’m challenged to think back more than two years! And I doubt if in 14 years, we’ve had as much change as we’ve had in the last two or three years! What with Brexit, the pandemic, and now the war in Ukraine. Crikey! The things we’ve all had to deal with, in different ways, Brexit, Covid and war are absolutely extraordinary.

Brexit, you could prepare for to an extent. But the other two, obviously you couldn’t.

We always knew Brexit

10 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

was happening, didn’t we, right back from 2016, we knew Brexit was coming. And there was a lot of hope and optimism that it wouldn’t affect us too badly. I think in the food industry we’ve been quite badly affected by things like import tariffs, quotas and by currency which has been quite a significant problem in export. And then of course, by the lack of Eastern European workers, which has really been bad for food and farming. Recruitment is an enormous problem for us now.

And then, a year after Brexit hit, the pandemic came along. How did that impact business?

Gosh, it was such a roller coaster. We were supplying supermarket deli counters and they went. We supplied airlines, they went.

We supplied restaurants. They went. We had quite a lot of work with Premier League; there weren’t any football matches. We were exporting and there were problems with export into both Australia and America, for varying reasons. So we had this really

dramatic period where everything looked absolutely cataclysmic. And we did lose 30% of our sales in 2020, it was really quite a significant drop. So, the dairy had to work in a completely different way. It becomes a moment where you take a step back and think about how you want the business to be going forward. It gave us a chance to think about the business and what kind of market do we want to work in. How do we want to work going forward? And so, a lot of that business that we lost, we didn’t necessarily go rushing to get back.

And furthermore, we replaced it with other business of the kind that we really wanted to be working with. So it was definitely a case of swings and roundabouts. And in the face of adversity, good things can happen.

There were definitely some positives, as I think many people would say. Well, this was really hard work, but actually, this happened.

And that was quite good for us. So it has been a very difficult couple of years because of its volatility and uncertainty. It took about 18 months, through to probably September 2021, before we felt really confident in what

CATHERINE

we were doing and the direction we were heading in.

And then Putin invades Ukraine.

And then Putin invades Ukraine! And our input costs are absolutely terrifying. They’re going up, every single solitary day. And they are some of our key costs. Milk, being the primary cost, is literally looking like it’s going to double. It’s heading in that direction.

And then you can’t hold your own prices, because if you did you wouldn’t have a viable business. At some point you have to pass it on and every single link in that supply chain has that same problem. They cannot keep absorbing the prices, they have to pass them on. And I find that very disappointing. It is not how I would choose to engage with customers. I don’t want a world where potential customers cannot buy our product because they’ve been priced out. That would be a really disappointing outcome from the last three years. But right now, there’s an awful lot of food that is going to be sitting in that category, because the

input costs are so high.

And this affects the whole of the agricultural sector.

Absolutely. I was on the farm today. And Jonathan our farmer was saying he’s really worried about the input costs - the fertiliser, the feed. These are fundamental costs, fundamental parts of his business model. If he can’t balance his books, why would he stay in farming? What would be a reason for staying in?

Is this going to force some people out of business?

I think it definitely will force some farmers out of business. A number of farmers are already thinking that this isn’t viable because although it’s difficult now, the worst is to come before we feel the effects of much more expensive fertiliser and not having the Ukrainian and Russian feed stock. I think all the farmers in the next six months will seriously be reviewing what they’re doing. I was reading an article today that said it is likely that we’re going

MEAD

to lose 5% of the milk market. That’s quite significant. That puts quite a bit of pressure on the price and availability of milk.

What can be done? Is it down to the Government to provide more financial assistance?

The Government has delayed on the new spreading legislation and has said farm slurries can be spread, to try and alleviate some of the pain on the fertiliser price.

That was very welcomed, but no farmer is advocating that we don’t continue to look very closely at climate change mitigations. So, can the Government sensibly help the price of fertiliser in the interest of ensuring we have food? That’s a pretty significant dilemma. I would suggest the answer is they can’t, but others might have a different view on that. I don’t know. It is worrying for everybody as to how we get through this. I think ultimately, the farmers would say in the main there isn’t a choice, the consumer has to pay. And there’s a terrible concern around that with emerging food and fuel poverty.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 11

CATHERINE

MEAD

Before Ukraine, pandemic and Brexit, the agricultural sector had its challenges anyway didn’t it?

There have always been number of challenges, which run is themes. One theme is succession. The average age of farmers is high, I think 57 at the moment. So how do you bring young farmers into businesses?

Climate mitigation is another massive challenge and we go through the debate of whether or not we should be producing more food and having greater self-resilience as a nation. At the moment, we only produce 63% of the food we eat. And recent issues have shown, such as backing up at the ports on the outset of Brexit, that our supply chains are

quite fragile. That takes us full circle to the Brexit issue, which is the price of food will go up with input tariffs. And the supply chains are more vulnerable, because there are so many more hurdles. Therefore, should we not be focusing more on buying British food? There’s a strong campaign for buying British food coming out of Government, but I personally believe we could do a bit more on that. And the horticulturists, in particular, are seriously challenged by the lack of pickers. So that 63% figure could actually go backwards. We could actually lose some of our horticulture, which would really affect us in Cornwall very badly, because horticulture is a very significant part of the mix. So that is something that is unresolved; the seasonal workers scheme was a great help, but didn’t go far enough. And then I think we then have this other challenge, which is probably bigger than all the others put together, which is whether or not we produce food, or carbon sequestration. Planting woodland and rewilding for the benefit of the planet is a massive issue. But we need food to eat and we’re not ready to create all our food in the lab. That isn’t about to happen.

The cheese I make today, we’re going to be selling in May 2024

Do you ever hanker back to the days when you were up in London, working in the advertising industry? It hasn’t put you off, all these mounting challenges and issues?

No, not at all! And by the same token, there are some fantastically interesting things happening in farming.

Innovative use of technology and science to further the industry and look at how we best provide food.

So, in many respects I think when you say who would go into the industry now, it is potentially more attractive now than ever.

Yes, there are some crunchy issues to deal with but let’s face it, crunchy issues can be 12 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

quite exciting. No longer is farming that sort of rather sleepy, kind of bucolic pastime or way of life. It’s really quite sharp. It’s got some massive, massive issues to deal with, but it’s exciting to be part of the revolution.

Is the rise of agri tech one of the biggest changes you have seen in recent times?

I think we’re going to see much more out of agri tech particularly agri robotics, which has been heightened by the issues with Brexit and the challenges of recruiting labor.

But techniques on precision farming have much improved.

Who would have thought 30 years ago, that we would only put the very exact amount of fertiliser in the very exact amount of space.

And ditto with the very exact amount of feed to the very exact number of cows and or even right down to the cow itself. Farmers have really embraced the technology that’s available to them to make them leaner, meaner, and more commercial. And at the same time, they have had to meet ambitions for this really ethical green farming and the conservation of our environment. So, there is a lot being asked of farmers and they are doing incredibly well. There are some outstanding examples in Cornwall of where agri tech has been harnessed with a really positive effect.

So generally speaking, farmers are far more modern in their thinking now?

Absolutely. But just in the same way as other businesses. 30 years ago, we were using pens and papers and clipboards galore. Now every single solitary thing we do is digital and all our systems are streamlined. And I’m sure that will be the same for most food manufacturing businesses. And farmers are no different. They are embracing the need for change in the longer term.

Talking about Lynher Dairies more. When we last spoke back in 2008 it was just Yarg but now you also do Cornish Kern which has been a great success, winning the World Cheese Awards in 2017. How did that feel?

You’re always seeking to improve your product. And when you go into the awards season, which generally runs from the beginning of April through to the world cheese awards in November, you have five or six months where your cheese is being looked at. And basically, you get this amazing opportunity for a bunch of people to come together tasting cheese, anonymously, say just where they think the strengths and weaknesses are of your product. And if

CATHERINE you’ve made changes, it’s a really good way to get some external feedback.

So, while I don’t always hang on to the end result of whether this was a gold or a silver, every single time we win an award, it is a wonderful moment and a massive pat on the back. And it’s a pat on the back for everybody who makes the cheese. We look at the business interdepartmentally, but I’m always at great pains to say, every single person here has a critical role.

Did Kern coincide with having your own herd of cows?

So we started making Kern in 2015, winning Best British Cheese in the 2016 British Cheese Awards. So that was a kind of heads up that this is looking quite good. And it kind of came from nowhere. We had been making small amounts of cheese but that was the first time taking it out and showing it to the world. And then we went to the World Cheese Awards and won supreme champion, which is an extraordinary event, without doubt. We were then absolutely inundated, and we really didn’t have much stock because we were taking it steadily. I think people understand this in wine but maybe less so with cheese.

But the cheese we’re making has a two-year profile. The cheese I make today, we’re going to be selling in May 2024.

And I know it’s a bad pun, but you’re kind of banking on it, you’ve got a lot of cash tied up in it. But aside from that, you have some early stages of trialing where you’re waiting to see what the profile of that cheese is like, probably into it being 18 months old. There’s masses of anticipation tied up with making longer-term cheese. And what we found out was that at certain times of the year, there were environmental spores in the milk, probably to do with the changing seasons, when you get a lot of loose pollen. And so these spores can get into the milk and then what happens is that you get something that’s called a second fermentation.

because of this, and so we decided that the only way to keep complete control was to have our own herd. So, we had the opportunity to buy this herd of cows, Ayrshires.

The composition is this really nice balance between good fat and protein and a certain amount of volume. They’re not a cow designed to give masses and masses of volume like a black and white might be for a liquid contract. And nor is it looking to give you a very soft cream, it sits nicely in the middle, which is great for cheese. And it meant that we could control the milk and what was going into the milk. So, we could have input into the diet and the regime of the cow to ensure that late blowing didn’t happen. And touch wood, two years on we’ve not seen that problem.

So, it seems to have been successful, but quite apart from that, it feels like the right thing to do, keeping connected with our most important raw material. We can we have that supply chain integration and are able to look at what’s going on in the farm and see how it’s affecting the milk or vice versa. And our customers like it because of the provenance.

The UK cheese market is worth £3.5 billion. Is the cheese market dominated by the mass-produced supermarket cheeses?

Over 50% of the market is cheddar and probably half of that will be own label. And after that you’ve got the big players such as Davidstow. After that you have some of the big imports like mozzarella and parmesan.

And then you’ve got what we might call British territorial, your Wensleydales, Caerphilly, Stilton.

And then not counting much for volume, but more for value are your other specialist cheeses.

We’re a small part of the market, but we have this massive halo effect. We punch way above our volume/value rate in terms of brand promotion, because we have introduced the world to variety, breadth, diversity, depth.

And we introduced the concepts of profile maturity, recipe developments and so on. I do believe we form a very important part of the market because most cheese lovers want to have variety.

There are some fantastically interesting things happening in farming

And basically, the cheese sits on the shelf, looking perfectly benign and happy for three months. And then suddenly, the spores kick into action. And they literally create gas and blow the cheese up. So, your cheese ends up looking like a football. And at that point, it’s game over, they spoil and you’ve got nothing left to show for it.

It was a soul-destroying period, and we had made quite a bit of cheese. The year after Cheese Awards, we lost quite a bit of cheese

MEAD

Do you trade on the Cornishness of it? Has Cornwall got a good reputation for cheese across the country?

I think Cornish food has a very good reputation in this country. It’s synonymous with fresh air, with land and sea. It feels right that food comes from Cornwall and that it will be good. And Cornwall has seen a lot of growth in specialist food making, which has been helped by our enormous tourist industry, so yes, we do trade on it. It is part of our story. Cornwall is where we come from, this is what we’re about. This is how we look, this is what we do. And the fact that our cheese is called Cornish Kern and Cornish Yarg, I think adds value to it.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 13

CATHERINE

MEAD

Is there much of a difference between who eats your cheese, people in or out of county?

It’s funny, we were doing some work on that today. So, we have national distribution, and we export to the States, Australia and a bit into the Middle East. And we’ve got a very strong following in Cornwall. But equally, we’ve got years’ worth of a very strong tourism market, people coming down, buying Yarg in Cornwall, and then going home and seeing it in their local shop and buying it there. And coming back to Covid, we quickly got behind online sales, because people still really wanted to eat our cheese, but the places where they might have bought it were not open. And one of the things that we found is that a lot of people will treat it as a go-to product because they like that connection they have with Cornwall.

be looking at some of these issues of what does farming look like in the future, what agri tech opportunities are available to us and we will be having meetings and discussions with the CLA, with the NFU, and Young Farmers.

There will be all those moments when people are really getting their heads together to discuss what does farming look like, globally, nationally, and specifically in Cornwall. And there isn’t another opportunity for that to happen, so I think the return of the Royal Cornwall Show couldn’t come a day too soon. It really has been missed.

We punch way above our volume/ value rate

Would you say then your cheese is a luxury product more than an everyday product?

I don’t think we are a luxury product, but we are towards the premium end of the everyday product market. We’re not in any of the discounters, for example, or the large supermarkets. So, on that basis, maybe we’re not an everyday product but we have a huge number of customers who say they always have it in their fridge.

Counting down now to Royal Cornwall. You must be excited that it’s back after three years?

I think it is going to be an absolute knockout show and yes, really excited. And a lot of what we have talked about is all encapsulated in The Royal Cornwall Show. On one hand we’ll be celebrating our traditions, we’ll be celebrating our crafts. We’ll be celebrating the music, the culture, the food of Cornwall, and that will be incredibly uplifting and I just think it’s celebrating being back together again. But at the same time, we will

14 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

And you yourself had a Royal visit recently with a visit from Prince Charles. How was that?

We love having visitors, full stop.

But to have Prince Charles Duke of Cornwall come to the dairy, I think is the greatest privilege and honor. And I think everybody in the dairy felt that every inch of the way. He is the patron of the Specialist Cheese Maker Association. He has a genuine interest, understanding and commitment to cheese. And we had some really interesting conversations about the role of artisan cheese in the market, and the challenges that we face and the opportunities that we have.

And I think he really did enjoy talking and hearing about it. I look back in the photos and he’s smiling in them all. And I think that is a sense of enjoyment and also a reflection of his connection to the countryside and his connection to food and farming and specifically his connection to Cornwall.

So, what’s in store for Lynher Dairies over the next say, five years?

We will be looking on the product side, we’re looking at some new product ideas and we’re really interested in looking at the possibilities of marketing dairy beef. We’ll have a look at making butter and I think we need to look at products where we can

use some of the waste products. Waste is so unacceptable, coupled with which it would be highly favourable in terms of our carbon mitigation. We’re looking at a woodland project here, very small, but it will contribute and we’re looking at alternative energies.

We’re absolutely focused on how we can reduce our energy usage through improved processes.

We have a small shop here, I think we could do some development there because our customers enjoy coming by, they love to have that connection, while at the same time continuing to develop our online business.

Another area of development would be in using IT and technology, as we spoke about earlier, farm businesses and food businesses are employing far more technology to good effect.

And what do you enjoy most about your role?

Driving change and meeting challenges.

I think a lot of these challenges are the macro challenges, the external challenges.

Any business would get them from time to time. Having that peripheral vision that says, “what’s happening externally is actually going to impact on our world”. Sometimes it’s quite hard to see, because it’s really quite a long way away. But if you can get ahead of that, get into that space, you can then start thinking, okay, what could be the challenge for our business? And how could that be turned into an opportunity?

Do you have an idea that could improve the health and wellbeing of others?

Talk to us: epicehealth.co.uk Funded By:

Delivered By:

The project has received funding from the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is the Managing Authority for the European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund provides funds to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects that will support innovation, skills and employment and create jobs. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding

ROYAL

CORNWALL SHOW

Back in

business

After a three-year hiatus, the Royal Cornwall Show returns June 9-11

Back for the first time since 2019, this year is bound to be another action-packed Royal Cornwall Show, the biggest event on the Cornish calendar. Whether you are a regular visitor, or someone attending for the first time, there is truly something for everyone.

The Royal Cornwall Show is very much the main event to attend

The show, once again, will be jam-packed with three days of

16 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

top class competition, exciting displays, and the opportunity for some serious retail therapy amongst the hundreds of incredible trade stands.

With a history that stretches back to the original Cornwall Agricultural Society in 1793, the show not only provides a place to meet friends and

colleagues, to do business, and of course, compete, but also somewhere to enjoy time with friends and family, and simply have fun!

At this time of change and uncertainty, it is more important than ever to demonstrate the heritage, community, and values of our county. Visitors often comment on the sheer ‘Cornishness’ of the event, which seems to thread its way through to every corner of the Show, with the magnificent steam fair, impressive countryside area, and the unmissable Cornish Heritage Pavilion.

ROYAL CORNWALL

With hot competition at its very core, and agriculture and horticulture of supreme importance, the show offers hundreds of competitive classes across a whole host of sections, from beef cattle to bees, and ponies to pigs, and everything else in between.

As a leading ‘foodie’ destination, find out what the county has on offer in the very best of Cornish food and drink at the Cornwall Food & Farming Pavilion. If music and dance is more your thing, check out the three live stages, packed full of local talent.

Not to forget, the amazing entertainment gracing the main ring, and strolling around the showground, ready to put on an impromptu performance for you.

This year the Shetland Pony Grand National will be making its Royal Cornwall Show debut; Shetland ponies and their jockeys will be racing it out each day for a place in the Finals at the London International Horse Show in December and back by popular demand,

SHOW

the Bolddog FMX Stunt Team will be wowing crowds with tricks 35 feet in the air.

The Show is also a place where much business is done, whether that be showcasing new products or services, catching up with current customers, or trying to attract new ones. The Royal Cornwall Show is very much the main event to attend for many Cornish businesses, and the first on the corporate calendar.

All in all, Cornwall’s biggest day out is back in business.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 17

FESTIVAL

OF BUSINESS

Cornwall festival of Monday June 13 to Friday June 17

business

If you’ve become a little too comfortable in your home office, or choose Zoom over a good coffee shop, there’s never been a better time to get back into the thick of it.

Cornwall’s Festival of Business is a week-long series of live events designed to reinvigorate the Cornish business community, encourage collaboration, boost productivity and focus on the future.

After two years on pause and many organisations now offering remote or hybrid working, the business landscape in Cornwall has changed. The five festival days in June will be critical to identifying opportunities in the Duchy, sowing seeds for collaboration, and addressing Cornwall’s role in the green revolution.

Kim Conchie, chief executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, comments: “This important week in June provides Cornwall’s businesses with a unique opportunity to ensure they are up to speed with what’s going on in The Duchy, nationally and internationally, and will give them the chance to get involved in securing its future.

We all work better when we collaborate

“We all work better when we collaborate and there’s so much passion and excitement for the future of business in Cornwall, I really feel that the Festival of Business will be the catalyst to making some brilliant things happen in our region – a region that’s absolutely bursting with potential.”

The centrepiece of the festival week is

18 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Cornwall Business Fair, this year titled The Future of Business. The fair takes place on Wednesday June15 at Falmouth University’s Penryn Campus – there’s free entry and free parking.

Other live events include the highly anticipated Finance in Cornwall event from PKF Francis Clark in association with British Business Bank; a Digital and Sustainability Training Expo at Truro & Penwith College (Truro), and the first of Budock Vean Hotel’s re-launched monthly meet-up networking events – free of charge to celebrate festival week.

Social events include a tour of tall ship Irene of Bridgewater - courtesy of Sea Sanctuary, a wellbeing walk at Heligan; a craft, coffee and cake event at Millendreath, Looe, and a trip out to visit Cornish Lithium at their site at United Downs.

A large number of events are taking place online, including ‘How to prepare yourself for PR’ from Wild Card, ‘10 Top Tips from 10 Global Business Gurus’ from business consultant Trevor Lee, and a look at what ten-year trends in Cornwall’s economic data tell us about the Duchy’s economy now and opportunities for the future, courtesy of PFA Research.

Several organisations have chosen festival week to launch a new series of events; Unlocking Potential will hold the first of its four-part, fully-funded breakthrough workshop designed for business owners who started strong but need support to boost the growth of the business. Konnect for Business will launch its four-part Coffee Conversations, the first of its four sessions will look at how to conduct a great appraisal.

Look out for cutting edge web analytics tips from Emerald Thinking, a workshop on the key principles of User-Centred Design and Design Thinking, from Smartline, and presentations and panel sessions with top business leaders like Sarah Howard, Chair of British Chambers of Commerce.

The week comes to a close with an exciting evening honouring Cornwall’s bright young business stars at Cornwall Chamber’s 30 under 30 awards ceremony.

Make sure you have a good read through the official electronic Cornwall Festival of Business guide, available soon via Business Cornwall magazine. The guide will tell you where you need to be, and when, and also features a floor plan for Cornwall Business Fair so you can plan your day before you get there.

FESTIVAL OF

BUSINESS

CORNWALL BUSINESS FAIR sponsored by Wildanet

Wednesday June 15,

Falmouth University’s Penryn Campus If you make new connections at the beginning of festival week, why not arrange a follow up meeting with them at Cornwall Business Fair? This free event is always buzzing with excitement and positivity so it’s a great place to get the ball rolling on new business relationships and collaborations.

The day starts with Cornwall Chamber of Commerce’s largest BIG Breakfast to date, with 200 networkers sitting down to enjoy a cooked breakfast in the Penryn Campus Stannary, sponsored by Coodes.

Guest speaker at the breakfast is British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chair, Sarah Howard who will share the latest insights and information from the BCC. The fair itself is open 10am to 3pm and features 65 stands for delegates to browse and meet with some of Cornwall’s most exciting businesses. There’s free training in breakout rooms covering a range of topics like practical problem-solving using data, digital transformation, how to improve personal wellbeing and productivity, as well as a free networking lunch and even the chance to have new headshots taken at a discounted Business Fair rate.

If you’ve a dry mouth from a busy day of networking, join Cornwall Chamber of Commerce for drinks in the Stannary bar at the close of the Business Fair (3pm) – find Kim and he’ll buy you a drink!

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 19

BUSINESS

AWARDS

business

The Best of The Cornwall Business Awards make a welcome return for the first time since 2019.

The finalists for the 2022 Cornwall Business Awards have been revealed. Featuring 38 businesses representing a range of sizes and sectors, from Gunnislake to Penzance, the finalists will be vying for the top prize at the awards night on June 30. These 38 businesses supported over 3,000 employees and turned over £250 million in the past 12 months, proving once more that Cornwall fights well above its weight when it comes to business.

Community Interest Company, Active Plus, along with Boost Innovations, Mike Martin Window Systems, Ocean Housing Group, Peaky Digital, Penzance Dry Dock and Smile Together Dental lead the way, each with two nominations.

Other businesses finding their way to the podium include former award winners Bluefruit Software and Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, along with big names such as St Ewe Free Range Eggs and Pendennis Shipyard. Plus there is the county’s rising talent, too, with Jamie Murphy of Penzance Dry Dock, Alex Horsfall of The Valley Cottages and Tom Woodley of The Cornish Company all spearheading the charge in terms of future Cornish business leaders.

From great places to work and customer experience, inspirational stories of success and growth to exporters and rising stars; the Awards recognise companies that demonstrate why Cornwall and the Isles of 20 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Scilly is such a great place to do business.

“Once again we have been blown away by the quality and range of businesses that have taken the time to apply. For every category there was only a few points difference between the top three, which is a credit to how many great companies we have in the local economy,” said Kirsty Miles-Musgrave, Operations Manager for the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth and Skills Hub, who organise the awards.

“Our expert panel of judges have reviewed, deliberated and scored the entries and every business on our finalist list is among the best of the best in Cornwall,” she added.

The winners are still waiting to be chosen, of course, with the finalists to make a pitch for the top spot during Showdown Day on June 17. This will be where an expert panel will get the chance to quiz the business on their entry, before the winners are decided and announced at the glamorous awards night at St Mellion Estate on June 30, with guest speaker, Ben Fogle.

There is a The People’s Choice Award will be decided by the public with finalists from across the 15 categories in the running to win this award. The vote will be live right up until the night of the awards.

You can vote now on the website – www.cornwallbusinessawards.co.uk

BUSINESS

AWARDS

finalists Beacon Inclusivity Award sponsored by The Beacon Project Active Plus

Bluefruit Software

Ocean Housing Group Best Business with a Purpose sponsored by Corserv Boost Innovations Earth Candle Co.

Smile Together Dental Best Customer Experience sponsored by Talent Tide Budock Vean Hotel Ethica Diamonds

Clean Growth Award sponsored by University of Exeter

Third Sector Award sponsored by the Eden Project

ARCO 2 Architecture

Coastline Housing

Push Chocolate

Konnect Communities

Pocketful of Stones Limited

Cornish Lithium

Best Family Business sponsored by St Austell Printing Company

Employee of the Year sponsored by Truro and Penwith College

Cornish Accounting Solutions Mike Martin Window Systems St Ewe Free Range Eggs

Best New Business sponsored by Outset Cornwall NQY Sports

Once Upon a Tuesday Xigxag

Best Place to Work sponsored by the Skills Hub Active Plus

Ocean Housing Group Thought Quarter

Business Finance Award sponsored by Cornwall Isles of Scilly Investment Fund Boost Innovations Ignition Credit

Smile Together Dental CIC Business Leader of the Year sponsored by Future Focus and Unlocking Potential Michael Gibbs of Lesjöfors Heavy Springs

Natalie Crouch of Peaky Digital Georgie Upton of Wild Card

Emma-Jayne Brooker of Cornish Traders

Vicki Spooner of Falmouth Harbour Julie Belcher of ISO Spaces

Exporter of the Year sponsored by Business Cornwall Feritech Global Mucky Nutz

Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust

The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub and Skills Hub organise the awards and are part funded by the European Structural & Investment Funds and match funded by Cornwall Council, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership. The Awards are also supported by Cornwall Innovation, Vickery Holman and DCA PR.

Radix Communications Growth Business of the Year sponsored by Access to Finance Mike Martin Window Systems Peaky Digital

Penzance Dry Dock Rising Star sponsored by Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership Jamie Murphy of Penzance Dry Dock

Tom Woodley of The Cornish Company Alex Horsfall of The Valley Cornwall Skills Brilliance Award sponsored by Cornwall College Business Training Black Voices Cornwall iCareiMove

Pendennis Shipyard BUSINESS CORNWALL | 21

DIGITAL

CONNECTIVITY

No looking Cornish broadband provider Wildanet is expanding its network bringing high speed and reliable broadband to communities and businesses throughout Cornwall, including transforming connectivity for the popular and successful St Buryan Farm Shop.

Keeping it local is very much part of the ethos of St Buryan Farm Shop.

So, when owners Morwenna and Richard Bone needed better broadband, they chose Wildanet.

The farming couple found out about the Cornwall-based provider when a team of Wildanet engineers - who just happened to be working in the area - popped into the busy farm shop for one of Morwenna’s famous homemade pasties.

The engineers came up to the counter to pay and Morwenna noticed the logo on their shirts.

“We’d been looking to upgrade our broadband for a while and I’d heard about Wildanet after seeing one their flyers,” says Morwenna. “This team had been working in the area and they came in here for a pasty. I realised they had the Wildanet motif, so I asked them about the company and the broadband.”

Farmers Morwenna and Richard opened their shop in 2018 but had been having issues with their internet connection when it came to processing card payments.

“Our broadband just wasn’t fast enough,” says Morwenna, explaining that customers were often having to wait up to ten seconds for the card machine to register their card and

22 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

back

then another ten seconds for the payment to go through. “When you’ve got a queue of ten people or more – which we often have – that’s a lot of time being wasted. We knew we had to get something sorted out.”

“We try to support local businesses as much as we can with everything we do,” says Morwenna. “Around 90% of what we sell is from within Cornwall. So that’s why it made sense to choose Wildanet for our broadband.

After the successful pasty break, the engineers from Wildanet arranged for another member of the team to visit Morwenna to give her more information about the superfast and reliable service the firm can bring to businesses throughout Cornwall.

“We’re really pleased we did and would definitely recommend them.”

“They came along soon after, installed the broadband and it was all ready within about half-an-hour,” adds Morwenna. “It’s so much better. The payments go through much quicker and it means customers aren’t stood around waiting.”

St Buryan Farm Shop’s loyal customers both locals and holidaymakers - come back time and time again to make the most of the fabulous array of produce on offer here.

Home reared meats from the farm, 45 different varieties of vegetables grown in the neighbouring fields and Morwenna’s freshly baked cakes and pasties have helped St Buryan Farm Shop develop a reputation for keeping it local. One customer recently described the shop as being ‘part of the fabric of Penwith’.

See www.stburyanfarmshop.co.uk

At Wildanet, we’re all about supporting local businesses. If you’re looking to upgrade your business broadband, contact our local friendly team today on 0800 0699906 or visit www.wildanet.com/business See the case study: www.wildanet.com/ stburyanfarmshop

DIGITAL

CONNECTIVITY

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 23

MANUFACTURING

CORNWALL

Powering the world’s

infrastructure Manufacturing springs for multiple industries across the globe, Lesjöfors Heavy Springs UK might be a new name on the business scene but its engineering heritage goes back decades.

24 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

MANUFACTURING

CORNWALL

MICHAEL GIBBS, MD, LESJÖFORS HEAVY SPRINGS UK

It all started in a ‘beach hut’ in Perranporth nearly 35 years ago, which has now grown to a multi-million pound, multi-site, marketleading manufacturer, heading a specialist division of heavy spring manufacturing with two sister sites in Sweden and Finland.

Based in Redruth and Penryn, Lesjöfors Heavy Springs UK manufactures millions of springs every year and have seen their best year yet with a 35% increase in sales, 40% increase in staff and a record breaking £15 million turnover.

Look under your car and it’s highly likely that Lesjöfors suspension springs have been fitted during your cars MOT or service

Managing director Michael Gibbs says: “I couldn’t be prouder of our team. We’re all local, with some sporting a 30+ year pedigree with the business and it is their ambition and progressiveness that has delivered every element of our performance.”

A recent rebrand unified the Cornwall operation with its parent company and is all part of a new division, focusing on growth and significant investment in the heavy springs sector.

LONDON STADIUM

A key player in the automotive aftermarket sector with 50% of their suspension springs exported across Scandinavia and central Europe, Lesjöfors Heavy Springs UK has also grown sales in its industrial sector by 60% in the last year.

Gibbs continues: “In the past 18 months we have been laser focused on strategy and growth, increasing our market share across the automotive, rail, agriculture, oil, mining, construction and energy sectors.”

However, the spring market doesn’t stop there. Experts in large diameter compression, torsion and tension spring manufacturing, Lesjöfors Heavy Springs UK has manufactured springs for all sorts of purposes including retail displays in iconic shop windows and restaurants, components in canopy covers for football stadiums and sprung floors for gymnasts.

Michael says: “The manufacturing industry has seen the benefits from companies ‘reshoring’ production to the UK but there is a cocktail of factors with world events which is disrupting the world economy and global supply chains.

“The Ukraine war has impacted on our automotive division and every business is having to handle rising inflation through price adjustments and cost control. Our customers and suppliers are our most valued asset and we need to ensure we work smartly, collaboratively and source locally, as much as possible.”

As the largest holder of silicon chrome wire in the UK, Lesjöfors has developed an initiative which enables its customers to manage costs by forecasting their annual spring material need. This enables Lesjöfors to pass savings onto the customer as it optimises production and commercial efficiencies, reduces material waste and decreases lead times.

Gibbs concludes: “Partnership is everything and our commitment to our customers and to manufacturing excellence means that this year we’re investing £1 million in new machinery to continue to develop the technological infrastructure for the worldleading springs we manufacture.”

www.lesjoforssprings.com

LIBERTY LONDON

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 25

BUSINESS

SUCCESSION

Business

succession

It’s never too early to think about the future. Building a successful succession planning strategy starts here.

26 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

BUSINESS

SUCCESSION

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 27

BUSINESS

SUCCESSION

GROWTH THROUGH ACQUISITION STEPHENS SCOWN LLP HAS SUPPORTED THE GROWTH, SALE AND PURCHASE OF OWNERMANAGED BUSINESSES AND SMES ACROSS THE SOUTH WEST AND FURTHER AFIELD. HERE, GAVIN POOLE OFFERS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FOR THOSE SEEKING TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS. Any large transaction involves a number of constituent moving parts that need alignment. With any merger, acquisition or succession plan, the focus needs to be on the final objective, which invariably is to deliver an era of greater benefit for the business/its owners.

Stephens Scown LLP has helped hundreds of businesses to deliver the sought-after benefits. Trade sales, MBOs with external finance, listings and other structures are recurrent themes in the life of a corporate lawyer. But as an employee-owned business

and specialist employee-ownership advisers, we can explore attainment of those objectives through a different route.

Take some statistics from the Employee Ownership Association: the top 50 employee-owned businesses have seen a 4.6% increase in sales, a 25.5% increase in operating profits year-on-year, and a 4.5% increase in productivity year-on-year. Growth ambitions and succession planning may well be achieved through more traditional mergers and acquisitions, however the evidence shows that an employee-owned acquisition can be persuasive.

Stephens Scown LLP has advised on many acquisitions, mergers, disposals and helped with succession planning, especially amongst family businesses.

Since transitioning to employee ownership ourselves in 2016, we have plenty of experience in the employee ownership arena and can provide advice on options for business owners looking to embark on the next chapter of their business.

Gavin Poole specialises in the purchase and sale of businesses (via an employee-ownership model or otherwise) at employee-owned law firm Stephens Scown. The team has top rankings in legal guides Chambers and Legal 500. For more information please call Gavin Poole on 01872 265100, email g.poole@stephens-scown.co.uk or via www.stephens-scown.co.uk

MAXIMISING VALUE AFTER THE DEAL MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS (M&A) ACTIVITY IN THE SME MARKET IS DRIVEN BY A RANGE OF FACTORS, MOST OF WHICH ARE UNDERPINNED BY THE DESIRE TO BUILD VALUE, SAYS ANDY HAWKES, CORPORATE FINANCE DIRECTOR AT BISHOP FLEMING. The initial challenge for decision makers when appraising a target acquisition investment is to truly understand the value drivers in the combined business. The next hurdle is then ensuring that post-deal, those drivers underpinning the value are genuinely capitalised upon.

Most business combinations create an ideal situation to overhaul existing practices within both the target and the

acquiror. Introducing new approaches such as zero-based budgeting can help to remove entrenched inefficiencies and build value.

It is important that decision makers critically consider their organisation’s ability to implement such strategies in order to avoid the all too common situation where cost savings or sales volumes are overestimated, and the deal fails to live up to expectations.

This risk can be mitigated by undertaking the appropriate due diligence, taking the anticipated synergies into consideration.

Integration, oversight and change management programmes are then crucial to delivering the value in the business combination. The managers and teams delivering these programmes should be motivated to

deliver the synergies with realistic targets and appropriate resources. Focusing on these areas can allow businesses to maximise and deliver the value potential of the deal.

Benchmarking against competitors and other industries using a mixture of financial and non-financial key performance indicators is then an effective method of monitoring the deal’s success.

Bishop Fleming provides a comprehensive range of corporate finance advisory services.

For acquisitions this includes target searches, fundraising, financial modelling, due diligence and post-transaction acquisition integration.

For more information, contact Andy Hawkes, corporate finance director, on 01392 448800 or ahawkes@bishopfleming.co.uk

28 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

BUSINESS

SUCCESSION

THE “W’S” OF NEXT GENERATION PLANNING AFTER CAREFULLY GROWING A BUSINESS FROM SEED, NO-ONE WANTS TO SEE THE HARVEST SPOIL: JANE DRUMMOND FROM ATC ADVISORS BREAKS DOWN THE KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN IT COMES TO SUCCESSION PLANNING. WHO’S NEXT?

WHAT ABOUT ME?

Handing over property or shares will give some degree of control to that person, and you have to be ready to let go.

If looking at giving assets, it is important to review what you need to retain to be able to maintain the standard of living you want.

Children are often the first choice, but may not want to be involved in the day to day running of the business. Shares encourage employee participation, but might not guarantee fidelity. We don’t have a crystal ball, but we do talk you through the impacts and options. Our goal is to make sure you are happy with who you’re handing your business to, and how.

We look at the bigger picture - where you are, where you want to go, and how you want to get there - to ensure that any planning undertaken meets those needs throughout.

WHEN’S GOOD FOR YOU? Last-minute decisions may not achieve your full intentions, and those actions risk a potentially large tax bill.

The seven-year window for Inheritance Tax purposes is well-known, but there are also annual exemptions. Rome wasn’t built in a day, after all – starting sooner maximises options available. Our Capital Taxes and Business Planning teams work in tandem to create a regularly reviewed strategy to suit your evolving requirements and changing legislation.

Good tax advice is knowing legislation; great tax advice is applying that to you.

Jane Drummond is Tax Manager at ATC Advisors.

To discuss any issues raised in this article, please call 01566 772177 or email office@atcadvisors.co.uk.

WHERE THERE’S A WILL… Business owners are often fiercely driven individuals committed to the success of their company, working incredibly hard on a day-to-day basis. It is not surprising therefore that planning for what happens to the business on death often falls off the radar.

However, putting in place a will that makes provision for business is a vital component of guaranteeing its future viability for coowners and employees and, arguably most importantly, protecting the inheritance of one’s family.

What are some of the key considerations when making a Will and looking at succession planning?

• If your business is a partnership or limited company, is there an up-to-date Partnership Agreement or Shareholders Agreement that includes provisions for when a partner or shareholder dies? Business owners will often agree to put in place specific options

that will enable them to purchase the interest of a co-owner on death and this is usually linked with life cover that can fund the purchase from the estate.

• Who to appoint as the executor of the will. If the estate includes business assets, family members may not be best placed to deal with decisions relating to the business and it may be sensible to appoint at least one executor who has experience or expertise in this regard.

• Is your business and will properly positioned to ensure that the benefit of Business Property Relief (BPR) (a valuable relief from Inheritance Tax) is fully maximised? BPR applies to qualifying business assets (broadly speaking, business interests or assets in an acting trading business) which have been owned for at least two years prior to death. BPR provides a relief of either 100% or 50% on the value of the business depending on the

circumstances. A will can be prepared that ensures that BPR is not wasted.

• Are there specific administrative powers in the Will that will enable your executors to ensure the smooth running of the business while the estate is being administered?

RRL Wills is a niche legal practice focussing on wills, trusts and powers of attorney.

Together with our sister company, RRL LLP which provides business and tax advice from its team of chartered tax advisers, we are able to provide a comprehensive service to business owners looking to ensure the implementation of succession planning in the most tax effective manner possible.

If you would like to discuss the issues raised in this article or to talk about updating your Will, please contact Nick Latimir on 01872 276116 or email nick.latimir@rrlwills.co.uk Nick is a solicitor and member of both STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) and Solicitors for the Elderly.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 29

BUSINESS

SUCCESSION

Planning for

the future

In our current climate of enduring skills shortages – and with research suggesting a lack of confidence in leadership potential within the existing workforce – interest in succession planning has been revived. The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Skills Hub offer some advice to help you move forward.

Succession planning was previously, perhaps, something thought of only within family businesses, as the next of kin worked their way up their respective organisation’s ladder to take over from a fellow family member. But now succession planning is something that goes far beyond just that.

identify business critical roles at all levels within their organisation.

Organisations who value their employees know that they need to invest in professional growth. And, conversely, employees need to see a future of promise and opportunity.

Succession planning is just one example of how to achieve this.

What can you do within your organisation to ensure you’re better prepared for a smooth transition to take place?

Modern succession planning looks quite different to that of the past, with a broader vision, greater openness and diversity, and closer links to wider talent management practices. Progressive organisations who adopt an inclusive, whole workforce approach to managing and developing talent, will

30 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Developing business leaders of the future – particularly promoting and fostering the leadership attributes of those from within an organisation – is the new ‘done’ thing.

Well, the Cornwall and Isles of Skills Hub are here to help with a selection of key tips.

BOOST YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS We would like to think that you already have plans in place for regular training, learning, and skills development opportunities.

However, if recent data is anything to go by, this might not be the case.

According to research conducted by independent think tank the Learning and Work Institute, spending on employee training has fallen 28 percent since 2005, with the overall proportion of employees receiving training within their workplace falling by 14 percent in the same period. Further research from Deloitte also shows that, despite growing investment in leadership development, improvement in the quality of leadership has stalled.

What can you do to turn the tide? Get your team up-skilled, re-skilled, or create an ethos within your business that places training and development at the top of your to-do list. Identify those within your organisation who possess leadership and management attributes and link them with the right training to help them develop and grow.

The Skills Hub can help with this, and more.

BUSINESS

THERE ARE NO ‘KEY ROLES’ – EVERY EMPLOYEE IS IMPORTANT

what they want in the short term can help you retain staff in the long term.

As far as succession planning goes you should employ a strategy that ensures each employee is considered a ‘key’ member of your plan. A succession planning strategy that focuses solely on senior leadership will be narrow, so map the talent within your team (and the gaps too) and identify those who you believe could make a future leader.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY No one likes being left out of the loop, and there is nothing healthy about a severe dose of FOMO. As with most aspects of business, communication will make any succession planning strategy much smoother.

Progressive organisations built for future ways of working adopt an inclusive, whole workforce approach to managing and developing talent, with the ability to identify business critical roles at all levels within their organisation.

If you have managed to identify a successor, be sure to keep your team in the loop. And keep your successor abreast of your plans, too. Would you believe it if we told you that research shows around 25 percent of those employees in line to take over a small business weren’t aware that they themselves were being chosen?

Take the time to talk to your team – and don’t make assumptions. Find out your team’s vision for their own future because finding out

Of course, your plans for the future might not always be well received. Some employees

SUCCESSION

might feel as though they have been overlooked, so ensure that an open, two-way communication channel is established (however big or small your business may be) that allows for open, honest dialogue to take place.

Contact the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Skills Hub; the independent and impartial specialists when it comes to all things skills, training and workforce development. We can equip you and your team with the skills needed to ensure that you’re ready to tackle whatever comes next for your business. Succession planning or otherwise.

www.ciosskillshub.com – 01209 708 660

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 31

OPINION

JUST A THOUGHT

There’s been a lot of noise in the media surrounding the subject of NFTs (non-fungible tokens). In many ways there’s more of a focus on NFTs than the wider umbrella of the metaverse, which is about so much more than images, songs, games and videos...

Are you

meta-curious?

Businesses are conquering virtual worlds, it’s time Cornwall joined the party, says Brian Waterfield, director of Falmouth University’s Immersive Business Lab.

32 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

JUST A THOUGHT

You may be somewhat familiar with the term ‘Meta’ if you’ve watched the news in the last couple of months. Facebook has rebranded their parent company to better align with their future goals, focusing on the possibilities of a “Metaverse’, a 3D internet of sorts where Zuckerberg says it will be possible to “teleport instantly as a hologram to be at the office without a commute, at a concert with friends, or in your parents’ living room to catch up...”

While understanding of the metaverse and use of extended reality is growing across the UK– it’s fair to say that here in the south west we could be doing more to capitalise on these emerging fields.

In the next few years, the metaverse will become as ubiquitous as ‘digital transformation’ for businesses and local authorities. It’s no longer an elective choice to create digital solutions, the market is already expecting it and it’s essential for businesses’ growth and innovation to keep improving their offer.

I’ve seen some great advances from some excellent companies, start-ups and established players here in Cornwall. There is absolutely a thirst for change and progress.

We’re not starting from the bottom of the ladder, but there is a lot of catching up to do. Ask a UK leader what’s happening in the south west and they may say “Well, great things are happening in Bristol and Exeter...”.

Looking at the road ahead, we’re dedicated to providing opportunities for local businesses to get on board with it and open up new possibilities.

Immersive technologies – augmented and virtual realities – offer new ways to save time, create efficiencies, explore new products and services, maximise resource and meet training needs.

OPINION

For example, the automotive and aerospace The Royal Shakespeare company, the industries now use immersive technologies Royal Theatre and Royal College of Art have throughout their product development and all invested considerably into immersive decision-making processes. Having the technology and are creating a new way to ability to visualise the product early in the engage and experience via 3D immersive creation process has given designers and sound, visuals and motion capture. engineers a powerful Here in Cornwall, we’re already tool, failure mode analysis witnessing the interface of raw and decision making creative talent with cutting edge into simulation and tech. Through the university and If social media has virtual, reducing costs, our partners, we’re building a “opened up the significantly improving foundation for more competitive conversation”, the quality and meeting the creative entrepreneurship and needs of customers. metaverse opens up and creative tech ability to service democratises the entire The use of similar the future marketplace. creation and involvement technologies is also Travel and hospitality have becoming the norm process, away from a been severely impacted in the healthcare and transmit and consume by the pandemic. But new medical training fields, technologies can be part of the model and towards a with health authorities recovery. It’s been great to see deeper, more immersive in the UK now using Cornwall Musuems Partnership and responsive interface simulation and immersive and Cornwall and the Isles of technology to train and between customers, Scilly LEP embrace the use maintain standards consumers and of immersive tech through the and stage simulated companies WaVE project in partnership surgical procedures. with Falmouth University, which This is resulting in a fostered the use of Virtual, shortened passage of Augmented and Immersive time to introduce drugs technologies to help bring our best heritage and medicine to the market and has vastly and tourism sites to life and taking our tourism simplified the process of surgical procedures. industry into the future.

The construction, architecture and civil Falmouth University’s Immersive Business Lab engineering industries have immersive is also working closely with Cornish company technology and digital process embedded Glas Twin, who are revolutionising the concept into their work. Larger construction firms and of immersive sound-based experiences that architectural firms know that giving clients can aid trauma recovery, fight the epidemic an immersive experience of what is possible of stress in our emergency services and can make the difference to winning a tender healthcare settings and help individuals or not. The technology has filtered down to strengthen their wellbeing and overall health. smaller construction firms, where augmented There’s strong evidence demonstrating reality is now being used to layout tasks by that these immersive technologies have an overlaying data on site. incredible influence over the way we respond to and cope with stress, how we process our Across the globe, big brands like Nike, trauma and recall our memories.

Roblox, Balenciaga, Gucci, Coke and Sotheby’s are building immersive and We’re only just getting started and seeing responsive worlds to engage their the tip of the iceberg in terms of ways this customers with their brands via the technology can benefit our communities, metaverse – an exciting and bold way education and healthcare settings. I for of virtually exploring a new world with a one, can’t wait to see how our creative and sense of your own presence. entrepreneurial talent here in Cornwall will make it their own.

By focusing too much on the latest media controversies around the latest NFT scandal or crypto boom, we risk missing out on the bigger picture – that is, the un-mined landscapes on offer for businesses through virtual metaverses. The metaverse is no passing fad. It is already happening and is here to stay.

So...are you ‘meta curious’ yet?

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 33

PEOPLE

ON THE MOVE

HEAD OF BUYING YASIN AHMED, JO MORGAN AND JO COUNTER

Sustainable fashion brand Celtic & Co has appointed Katy Burnett as its new head of product and buying.

COODES APPOINTMENTS

Burnett joins from Coast, where she was a senior buyer in occasion wear, tailoring, shoes, and accessories. She has almost 20 years’ experience in the fashion industry, including senior positions at Warehouse, F&F, and Dorothy Perkins.

Coodes has expanded its commercial property team with the appointment of two new lawyers.

Celtic & Co MD, James Williams, said: “We

VITAMIN SPACE GAINS

Paralegal Yasin Ahmed is based in the firm’s Truro office and will assist lawyers within the team on several commercial property matters to support their legal needs. Ahmed, who grew up in Cornwall, started his legal career two years ago focusing on the property sector with Penderlaw Solicitors in Truro, while studying for his LLM in Legal Practice and Masters at the University of Law’s Exeter campus.

Also based in Truro, Jo Counter has joined Coodes as a commercial property executive specialising in the sale and purchase of freehold commercial property, landlord and tenant matters and new build developments.

Counter recently returned to Coodes having previously worked at the firm for several years.

are excited to welcome Katy to our senior team, where her extensive experience will be invaluable as we continue to progress with our digital first growth plans for the UK and internationally, introducing the brand to new customers.”

over two floors with five meeting rooms and breakout spaces.

Vitamin Cornwall’s creative director Sam Thomas said: “We are really happy to have a fantastic new base in the heart of the city.

Vitamin Cornwall has moved into new Truro offices having outgrown its previous premises in Newham.

The new space at Library House is spread

NEW PEOPLE DIRECTOR

“Truro is emerging from the last couple of years of lockdown with lots of new businesses and opportunities, and a chance to re-establish itself as a major creative hub in Cornwall, and we want to be a big part of driving that forward.

DAVID HUGHES, JOSH FLETCHER (FOUNDER) & ALAN CLOUDER

The international disaster relief charity, ShelterBox, has announced a new director for people.

ON TARGET

The appointment of Ruth Evans comes at a decisive moment for the charity as it develops its new five-year strategy.

Penzance-based digital agency, Target, has added two more members to its team.

She joins ShelterBox from NHS England where she has led on development programmes, with a focus on leadership, culture change, and health and wellbeing.

Chief executive of ShelterBox, Sanj Srikanthan, said: “Having changed her focus from care of patients to care of colleagues, Ruth joins ShelterBox from her most recent role in NHS England where she has been supporting organisations to develop leadership capabilities for 34 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

compassionate and inclusive cultures.

“Ruth is an experienced leader with a wholesome understanding of the challenges that come with balancing work and home life.”

Alan Clouder has been appointed head of strategy and brings extensive PPC experience to the company having previously held the position of head of paid search for eight years at 3WhiteHats, leading campaigns for Aon, Octopus Group and Sport England.

David Hughes, meanwhile, has joined as technical SEO manager from a Cornish SEO agency and brings with him four years of search marketing experience, both in-house and agency side.

The business start-up experts

Want to be your own boss?

Start your journey with FREE award-winning support “Never having done this before, Outset really ticked all the boxes. I always felt I could get help with any issue I came across.”

Karen Cornelius The Refill Hut

Text

OUTSET to

82228 or visit www.outset.org/cornwall

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CREATIVE

AND DIGITAL

SPONSORED BY

WILDANET JOINS CCF Liskeard-based Internet service provider, Wildanet, has joined the Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF) Business Club.

The CCF Business Club, the business arm of the Cornwall Community Foundation, was established 13 years ago in March 2008. Since its inception it has invested

NIXON UNDER STAFF OWNERSHIP One of Cornwall’s leading creative agencies has transferred ownership to its employees.

Coinciding with its 30th anniversary, Hayle-based Nixon Design has formed an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), joining the likes of Riverford Organics, Aardman Animations and John Lewis in giving its team a meaningful say in how the company is run.

Though Martin Nixon will no longer own Nixon Design, it won’t be the end of his role within the company. He’ll continue as a director of the EOT, joining forces with operations director Laura Ward, creative director Diggory Gordon and non-executive director Robert Salvoni.

week. A new office in Pool’s FibreHub will also enable social contact and collaboration.

Co-founders Sam and Allanah Armondi have set out a plan to make Thought Quarter, which aims to achieve £1 million in turnover in 2022, one of the best places to work in the south west for talented developers, testers, project managers and designers.

Allanah Armondi has taken on the newlycreated role of people and culture director, with a focus on creating “life-changing opportunities” for existing and new employees.

A focus on people development plays a key part, with a new benefits scheme that includes a £300 allowance for personal development, flexible working hours, and the ability to work remotely for three days a

“We want our people to progress their career in the way that suits them best, which isn’t something that’s possible in every company in the south west,” she said.

“That includes holding quarterly, employeeled progress reviews which have already led to two promotions in 2022.”

SURF’S UP FOR REBRAND

“I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve collectively created, and I know the company is in safe hands with its biggest supporters.

I’m excited to see what the next 30 years have in store.”

The branding has been applied across the restaurant from signage and menus to branded merchandise. Whittle Design Studio also designed and developed the new Surf Beach Bar web site.

NEXT LEVEL FOR N-CODERS

sive technology, creative embedded development, game outsourcing and applications.

36 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Wildanet chief executive, Helen Wylde, commented: “We are delighted to be supporting the great work Cornwall Community Foundation and its Business Club members are doing and look forward to helping the Foundation support many more communities.”

Consultancy-led software development agency Thought Quarter has unveiled an ambitious growth strategy for 2022 and beyond, based on the company’s ethos of “progress with purpose”.

Penzance-based Whittle Design Studio has recently designed the new branding for the Surf Beach Bar at Sennen Cove.

Founded initially as a general software development agency, n-Coders has evolved over the past couple of years to specialise in immer-

over £370k into communities in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, awarding over 200 grants.

AMBITIOUS THINKING

He explained: “Nixon’s team has always been one of its leading strengths, and what really sets us apart. Thinking about the future, as we reach the incredible milestone of 30 years, I wanted the company to pass into the hands of those people who’ll truly value what we’ve achieved and think of new and innovative ways to continue our success.

n-Coders has relaunched with a new brand identity and website.

www.digitalpeninsula.org

Director Mark Jennings explained: “Over the past year, n-Coders has grown, not just in revenue but also in skill and specialism.

The rebrand reflects our transition, focusing more on creating immersive games and experiences, captivating applications and becoming specialists in XR.” The new rebrand and website has been spearheaded by head of creativity, Melanie

Due to Covid, online ordering was introduced to the Surf Beach Bar’s smaller bar, the Surf Den, last year and because of its huge success, has been rolled out to the Surf Beach Bar web site for this year’s season.

Andrew of Whittle Design Studio said: “It’s been great to work with and to continue to support the Surf Beach Bar and for us to apply our three core areas of expertise which is branding, illustration and web site design and development.”

Band. She explained: “Our logo incorporates everything that n-Coders is. The general shape represents a processor on which technology is built. The ‘N’ can also be seen as brackets to represent the development at the core of the business.

“Aesthetically, we aimed for something really vibrant, bold and creative, which is what we strive for in our products and services.”

Pool Innovation Centre - supporting early-stage innovative businesses and helping companies to grow.

Offering flexible, managed and modern workspace combined with access to business support and academic research.

• 3 levels of association • Affiliate membership • Formation Zone – Collaborative co-working space • Private office space • On-site meeting and events facilities • Café on-site for individual and events catering • Free on-site parking • Access to business support and academic research • Flexible contract terms • Friendly, welcoming team to support all of your business needs • Fantastic easily accessible location • Free networking opportunities

For more information: enquiries@cornwallinnovation.co.uk www.cornwallinnovation.co.uk 08000 129 500

FOOD

& DRINK

BREWERY’S ANTHEM St Austell Brewery has launched a new cask beer brand - Anthem, a British pale ale (3.8% abv).

CALLESTICK M&S WIN Callestick Farm Ice Cream has won a new contract with Marks & Spencer’s.

“In all my years of Callestick Farm Ice Cream, this is by far the most challenging but also the most exciting leap the business has taken,” said MD and owner, Sebastian Parker.

The Parker family have been making ice cream at Callestick, near Truro, since 1989 when the introduction of milk quotas meant an alternative source of income was needed to keep the farm going. Since then, they have gone from strength to strength.

Operations director, Ben Parker, who has overseen the development, said: “We couldn’t believe it when the contract was confirmed, we knew this was going to change the business overnight and drive us forward. I am looking forward to what the future holds.”

To meet the demands of the new contract, Callestick has increased the factory size by 60% and installed a new spiral freezer.

Initially two flavours will be available, under the M&S Food brand, Apple Crumble and Rhubarb.

BUSINESS

CLINIC

The brewery’s new pale ale is made with 100% British ingredients, including Maris Otter barley grown in Cornwall and East Anglia. It’s the first new brand launched since Georgina Young took over the reins as St Austell’s brewing director in 2020.

“We’re delighted to see Anthem joining the likes of Tribute, Proper Job, and korev as part of our fantastic beer portfolio, said Young. “Although we’re exploring launching the beer in bottles in the future, we’re proud to be launching Anthem exclusively as a cask beer first.”

A CAN-DO ATTITUDE Tarquin’s Cornish Gin has launched a new addition to its range of craft gins - Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin & Tonic grab-and-go cans.

Created by self-taught master distiller and founder Tarquin Leadbetter, the new cans combine a “light tonic with Tarquin’s flagship Cornish Dry Gin… distilled with 12 botanicals sourced from across the globe and locally foraged on the wild Cornish coast”.

Leadbetter said: “We’re celebrating the great British summer with our latest release. At Tarquin’s we’re always looking to try new things and test new products - our new cans went through meticulous testing to create an on-thego product that doesn’t compromise on quality or taste.”

FINDING THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR THE RIGHT JOB: TOP TIPS

It’s a tough time in recruitment – there’s no way around it. From an oversaturated jobs market to a dreaded skills shortage, filling roles has been undoubtedly challenging in 2022.

In fact, for some, getting the right people into the right roles has seemed like an almost impossible mission. So, how do 38 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

you make sure you’re hitting the nail on the head and attracting the right people to your business?

www.truro-penwith.ac.uk

EDUCATION &

SPONSORED BY

TRAINING

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Truro and Penwith College has announced a new range of Professional Development start dates as it kicks-off the final 12-months of discounted costs thanks to the European Social Fund (ESF).

The new Professional Development start dates come complete with the college’s significant part-funding package from the ESF, supporting employers and those seeking to boost their career with 50% off the cost of training, subject to eligibility.

Charli Styles, programme team leader of

Future Skills and Professional Development at the college commented: “The college is delighted to announce a full programme of professional development training throughout the summer period.

“Hundreds of employers and learners have already benefitted from the significant ESF funding available and with this ceasing in 2023, we’re encouraging anyone who may be interested in enhancing their business or career to talk to us so we can ensure they don’t miss out.”

The college has published details of the training online at truro-penwith.ac.uk/ profdevsummer2022

UNIVERSITY IMPACT 100% of Falmouth University’s research impact case studies and 63% of its research outputs have been rated as being world-leading or internationally excellent in the Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF2021).

The results show the university’s progress since REF2014 and represent a significant step forward for the institution, which this year marks only its tenth anniversary since becoming a university.

Vice chancellor, Professor Emma Hunt, said: “We are delighted by these results and very proud of our staff.To achieve such an outcome only a decade after getting its university title status is testament to Falmouth’s talented and committed staff

Here, we’ve outlined some of our key tips to help you get things moving: • Be honest with yourself about what you’re looking for. It’s easy to list all the attributes of the ‘perfect’ candidate, but, in this tough market, that’s not always easy to find. Instead, think about the skills the applicant actually needs to fulfil this role – it might be simpler than you think. Everything else is a bonus.

• Be open about the process. Let candidates know the recruitment set-up from the beginning, so they’re aware about whether they’ll need to do several interviews, or even undertake

and the immense hard work they put into this submission.

“Located in Cornwall, a place with longstanding economic and societal challenges, we are committed to our civic role as an anchor institution and to driving local transformational change.

“It’s therefore fantastic that our impact case studies, all of which were focussed on tackling issues facing rural regions like Cornwall, such as wellbeing, productivity and growth, were recognised as being outstanding, or having considerable impacts in terms of their reach and significance.”

mini projects before they get an offer.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that the shorter you keep the application process, the more likely you will receive applications. Lengthy application forms or pre-interview tests are never enticing.

• Practice what you preach. Right now, candidates can have the pick of crop, so to speak. Simply stating that you are an ‘ethical/supportive/open-minded’ business isn’t enough anymore. You need to back this up with action, by demonstrating to the candidate how you will support them in their role beyond financial incentive. After all,

NEW CHAIR OF GOVERNORS The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) has welcomed Patrick Newberry as its new chair of governors.

With a background as a chartered accountant, Newberry spent 25 years as a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) until his retirement in 2013.

During his time with PwC, Newberry held various roles including global leader of insurance consulting and commercial managing partner of PwC’s UK consulting practice. He also served as a member of PwC’s supervisory board.

He said: “I’m looking forward to working with our principal, John Evans, and the rest of the senior team to continue to put the college in the forefront of further and higher education in the region.

“The college has significant investment opportunities, thanks to the support and confidence of central Government. It is positioned to expand its quality provision for learners rapidly, anticipating the many exciting developments in the Cornwall and Devon world of employment.”

Newberry follows in the footsteps of past chair Dr Ian Tunbridge OBE.

when you meet a candidate, you’re as much on trial as they are!

Need some help nailing that role profile or reaching the right people?

Get in touch with the TalentTide team on 01872 322823 or email info@talent-tide.co.uk for more information.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 39

CHAMBER

NEWS

SPONSORED BY

cornwallchamber.co.uk

The business landscape has changed beyond all recognition since we last held a live Business Fair – I’m not just talking about remote or hybrid working; this time we are no longer part of the EU.

OUT OF ADVERSITY… AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS MONTH’S FESTIVAL OF BUSINESS, NOW IS THE TIME TO COME TOGETHER, SAYS CORNWALL CHAMBER CEO, KIM CONCHIE. At the Chamber, we’re putting the finishes touches to what is shaping up to be a hugely exciting Cornwall Festival of Business – and of course, our Business Fair.

I really feel that the festival week will bring Cornwall together and get us back on track with renewed optimism.

While the pandemic made us more resilient in many ways, it also presented us with new challenges, and we’ve largely faced those challenges with little cohesion or collaboration – for obvious reasons. Now is the time to come together again and move forward, linking arms.

There’s a lot to talk about and plan for – the proportion of the Shared Prosperity Fund we have been awarded does not match the EU funds we have been used to receiving, so we need to come at things with a different approach and take a fresh look at strategies for securing future growth in The Duchy.

It should be noted that my counterparts in other areas of the country - including Devon, were envious of how much of the SPF we are to receive. Per head of population, Cornwall gets around £220 per head compared to just £17 for Torbay. It’s not the best outcome, but it’s something we can work with.

At the Chamber, we’re lobbying for some national business energy policy with a cap, a subsidy and guarantees in place now, and a long-term plan on renewables, self-sufficiency, nuclear and investment in sectors that would create their own Levelling Up effect for Cornwall - like floating offshore wind, onshore wind, solar, geothermal, lithium mining for electric batteries.

We want the Government to abolish import tariffs and remove delays on components from EU countries, scrap the National Insurance Contributions increase, and delay the end of business rate relief and VAT relief for hospitality businesses until both the war in Ukraine and the aftershocks of the pandemic are over.

Email: hello@cornwallchamber.co.uk Call: 01209 216006 Online: www.cornwallchamber.co.uk 40 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

The Government needs to reward and encourage productivity so businesses can learn how to produce more value from fewer people – grants for investment in AI & robotics, business leadership courses, time management courses, skills development are all vitally important.

We desperately need to find incentives for young people to remain in Cornwall to pursue their careers here: housing quality and subsidy for the types of workers we need in the right place at right price is key.

Often, when writing columns in the lead up to the Business Fair, I find it difficult to convey exactly why events like this are so crucial to securing Cornwall’s future when so much of its future is in the hands of policy makers and those that dish out the funds.

It’s all down to the conversations that happen, ideas that are sparked through panel sessions and presentations, and the new business relationships that blossom as a result of connections made on the day.

I firmly believe that the key to Cornwall’s success is collaboration: where there is people, there is power, and it’s this united approach that will boost productivity, reveal new opportunities, and unlock funding.

WHY JOIN? Cornwall Chamber of Commerce is an independent not-for-profit organisation accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce. We solely exist to represent businesses in Cornwall. Our events provide a platform for businesses to connect, create and make valuable business relationships. Membership to the Chamber starts from as little as £17 +VAT per month and provides you with the tools to promote your business.

Get in touch today to have a chat about how we can support you and your business.

Cornwall’s Business Challenge event www.viaferratacornwall.co.uk/business-challenge-event/

Accountants and business advisors supporting Rural and Agricultural businesses

9th September 2022

Agriculture is all about balance. With our rural sector knowledge and support, you’ll have time to focus on growing your business.

Practical services and advice on: • Succession and tax planning • Cost control, finance and cash flow • Capital expenditure • Renewable and diversification projects • Agritourism • Cloud accounting and bookkeeping Malcolm Peters Partner Truro malcolm.peters@azets.co.uk

Near Falmouth • TEAM building • brand promotion

• networking • Fun for all

• Lunch included • CSR

azets.co.uk All profits support BF Adventure’s charity work with Cornwall’s disadvantaged young people.

Founded in 1880, Truro School is Cornwall’s leading independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 3 - 18.

NURSERY | PREP | SENIOR | SIXTH FORM

“

Refreshingly lacking in arrogance but quietly setting itself up as the place to be schooled in Cornwall.

truroschool.com/admissions

”

The Good Schools Guide 2021 Read in full at truroschool.com

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 41

TOURISM

NEWS

SPONSORED BY

ABI STEEL

A SPECIAL TIME Winners of the 2021/22 Cornwall Tourism Awards enjoyed a special party at Healey’s Cyder Farm recently, with four special prizes announced.

The event was a welcome opportunity for winners to meet face-to-face after February’s awards which were held online, and receive their Jo Downs trophies, alongside food, drink and conversation.

The Tourism Event of the Year award went to Carn to Cove, with Visit Cornwall’s Malcolm Bell saying: “Events and festivals are a huge

and growing part of the Cornwall visitor economy – but were virtually impossible to run during the on-off lockdowns and restrictions of 2021. But one organisation persevered – and continued to run a series of important events throughout the year – and for that they receive this special award.”

There was also a special award for Visitor Information to Visit Cornwall’s Abi Steel, and an Outstanding Contribution accolade to Jon Matthews of the Cornwall Covid Task Force.

The final award of the night was the prestigious Winner of Winners Award, which was presented to Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School.

www.visitcornwall.com

JON MATTHEWS AND MALCOLM BELL

The party coincided with another big day for Cornish tourism as VisitEngland announced the finalists for the national VisitEngland Awards, with four Cornish finalists confirmed - Mylor Sailing & Powerboat School, The Idle Rocks, Three Mile Beach and Glynn Barton.

The 2022/23 Cornwall Tourism Awards, meanwhile, are now open for entry. All entries must be supplied online by midnight on June 19.

Awards organiser, Robin Barker, said: “It’s our 21st! Let’s have record entries and make this a year to remember!” www.cornwalltourismawards.org.uk

TACKLING OVERTOURISM A holiday company has launched a destination cap to tackle overtourism.

Sawday’s has identified 14 “heavily impacted destinations” in the UK and Europe, from Cornwall to Barcelona. The strategy will involve limiting the number of properties listed by the Sawday’s, Canopy & Stars and Paws & Stay brands.

The company, which represents nearly 2,000 holiday properties in the UK, says it will limit the number of places to stay in destinations impacted by overtourism – with Mousehole, St Ives and St Minver being three of the key areas highlighted.

MD Mike Bevans said: “The constant desire for insatiable growth by some holiday operators, accommodation platforms and large rental companies is unsustainable.

“Communities need viable visitor numbers in areas affected by overtourism - a more targeted approach that has lighter impact and yields higher income is better for everyone. The industry can’t keep gorging itself on the generosity of local infrastructure, communities and the environment without considering the longer-term effects.”

42 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

NEW DUBLIN SERVICE The new Aer Lingus Regional service between Dublin and Newquay has got underway.

The first flight departed Cornwall Airport Newquay at the end of April, operating four times per week, year-round.

The new route also facilitates onward connectivity from Newquay to North America. Passengers flying into the US can avail of US Immigration Pre-clearance at Dublin Airport, skipping any lengthy immigration queues stateside.

Airport MD Sam O’Dwyer said: “We’re delighted to welcome Emerald Airlines as our first new airline to Newquay this year and to be operating this very popular route between Ireland and Cornwall. It’s a welcome sight to see Aer Lingus Regional here at Newquay and we look forward to working with Emerald Airlines to develop the partnership further in the coming years.

“This hugely popular route between Dublin and Newquay will undoubtedly be welcomed on both sides of the Celtic Sea.”

NEWS

SPONSORED BY SOUTH WEST

SBI Q1

2022 “The South West Small Business Index (LSBI), which measures confidence amongst businesses, has risen since the last quarter.”

WAGE GROWTH

of small businesses increased the average salary over the last year

68%

11% EMPLOYMENT

In South West the confidence level currently stands at

-1%

Last quarter it stood at -22%

increasing the average salary by 2% or more

INVESTMENT INTENTIONS

FORTY-EIGHT

of small businesses have lost staff in the previous quarter

CONFIDENCE LEVELS

63%

per cent

of small businesses have aspirations next year to grow rapidly or moderately

BUSINESS CONCERNS

51%

General economic conditions

31%

Consumer demand

38%

Appropriately skilled staff

Are the greatest perceived barriers to growth over the coming year

fsb.org.uk facebook.com/federationofsmallbusinesses @FSB_policy If you require this document in an alternative format please email accessability@fsb.org.uk

FSB’s small business confidence report, for Q1 of 2022 in the south west, shows that confidence has risen among SMEs since the end of last year – but there are still many concerns around the economy, recruitment and rising costs.

The report shows that compared to the previous quarterly report, which came out in January when Omicron fears were still prevalent, confidence among the region’s SMEs has definitely improved. However, the overall figures are still in negative territory and the report also reveals that the south west is now the least positive region for SMEs in the whole of the UK. The upturn in confidence among some SMEs

MIXED PICTURE ON LOCAL SME CONFIDENCE is reflected in the fact that of the businesses who took part in the survey, four times as many expect to take on staff compared to those planning to cut back. And almost one in two of the local FSB members surveyed predicted their business will grow either moderately or rapidly in the coming year.

Among the main concerns expressed by south west respondents was the problem of finding appropriately skilled staff to fill vacancies - nearly four in ten said this was a major barrier to growth.

The FSB’s regional policy representative who is based in Cornwall, Craig CareyClinch, said the results of the 2022 quarter one survey offered some hope but said that things on the ground were still very difficult for many of the region’s small business owners and self-employed.

“The overall picture seems to be that confidence among members – though still disappointingly low compared to most of last year – is creeping up again and this is something we must feel encouraged by.

“However, the sooner we can see the south west off the bottom of the league table for business confidence the better. We must all hope that happens as soon as possible.”

NEW RESOURCES TO SUPPORT LGBT+ ENTREPRENEURS The FSB has launched a flagship new digital resources hub to support and encourage LGBT+ entrepreneurship, and promote inclusivity in workplaces.

FSB’s ‘Let’s Grow Business Together’ initiative has been backed by the Government’s Equalities Minister, Mike Freer MP. It is also backed by prominent LGBT+ business campaigner Iain Anderson, the executive chairman of public relations agency Cicero/AMO. The online hub features first-hand insights and experience from LGBT+ small business owners, some of whom decided to start their own business in order to feel more comfortable being themselves and avoid the risk of discrimination or subconscious bias in a corporate workplace.

Inclusion specialist and FSB member Ellie Lowther, who is among the LGBT+ entrepreneurs featured on the hub, reveals

#FSBCONNECT

that “unconscious bias is something I see in many more areas than you may imagine”.

INPUT PRICE GROWTH HITS RECORD-HIGH Responding to recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures which show producer input price inflation at a record-high 18.6%, and the consumer prices index at 9%, FSB national chair Martin McTague said: “The gulf between the rate of input and consumer price growth underscores the efforts of businesses to absorb costs rather than pass them on.

“Small firms in particular find it hard to pass higher operating costs onto customers, fearing that doing so will hamper competitiveness.

“More and more are being left with no choice, however, as inflationary pressure collides with an increasingly tight labour market, making it harder and harder to find the right people, and pushing up the wages needed to keep them.

“We hear a lot from politicians about the cost of living crisis, but very little about the cost of doing business crisis which underlies it.

FSB’S CHIEF OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, CRAIG BEAUMONT

FSB’s chief of external affairs, Craig Beaumont, who is featured in OUTstanding’s list of the UK’s Top 100 LGBT+ executives, said: “It is a sad reality that barriers, discrimination and subconscious bias are still faced by many in the LGBT+ community.

Anderson added: “I think it’s just fantastic that FSB is creating a hub around LGBT+ issues so that businesses can show best practice, so that they can buddy up. And frankly, like any business owner, you want to do more business, so if this is a way of, at the same time, allowing faster progress on LGBT+ at work for the small business sector, I think that’s fantastic.”

“The Government must now look at targeted interventions that will do most for local economies hardest hit by the pandemic which are now faced with low growth and surging inflation.”

FSB Offer for Business Cornwall Magazine Readers at www.fsb.org.uk/join If you want to join FSB after reading this page then please quote BCM30 when you join and

save £30!

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 43

UPCOMING

EVENTS

JUNE

EVENTS 7

HEARTLANDS BUSINESS BREAKFAST Red River Café, Heartlands

9

Heartlands business networking breakfast is a great way to start the day with friendly, relaxed networking and good grub!

12 Southgate Street, Launceston Celebrate the opening of the ATI2 Pop-up Innovation Centre in Launceston. Vusinesses and partners are invited to view the facilities and find out more about how they can utilise the new business support space.

1317

cornwallchamber.co.uk

911

aticornwallinnovation.co.uk

8

Cape Cornwall Golf Club Join Cornwall Chamber at the beautiful Cape Cornwall Club. Do not miss out on the chance to expand your Cornish connections, while joining in on some great conversation.

heartlandscornwall.com

LAUNCESTON POP-UP INNOVATION CENTRE

CORNWALL CHAMBER LUNCH

Environment & Sustainability Institute, Penryn

10

Facilitated by Oxentia, this session aims to support the Cornwall microbiology community as a cohort, and as individuals, to explore how best to build collaborations with external, non-academic organisations.

Various locations Masterclasses, open days, conferences and ‘in conversation with’ style events. A whole host of events will be taking place up and down the Duchy, celebrating and showcasing the best of Cornwall’s business scene. cornwallchamber.co.uk

ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge The county’s biggest annual event is brim-full of exhibits and activities which offer so much in the way of entertainment, competition, information, shopping and all that’s best in food and farming.

15

CORNWALL CHAMBER BIG BREAKFAST Falmouth University, Penryn Cornwall Chamber’s biggest Big Breakfast yet! Get set for the Cornwall Business Fair, with a hearty networking breakfast. Not to worry if you cannot attend the fair, as this event is open to all.

royalcornwallshow.org

MICROBIOLOGY PARTNERSHIP WORKSHOP

CORNWALL FESTIVAL OF BUSINESS

cornwallchamber.co.uk

BUSINESS CORNWALL BREAKFAST

CORNWALL BUSINESS FAIR

Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge

Falmouth University, Penryn

Get ready for a day at the show by joining Business Cornwall magazine for a delicious networking breakfast.

Cornwall Business Fair has become the most diverse, vibrant and accessible networking event the Duchy has to offer.

eventbrite.co.uk

cornwallchamber.co.uk

eventbrite.co.uk

Your Partnerships is Cornwall’s largest networking group, with meetings up and down the Duchy Growing a business can be challenging.

You want your business to be visible to the right people, so it’s important to know how and where to meet them.

Your Partnerships is Cornwall’s largest networking group and it events enable you to connect with other members, gain referrals and build trusting relationships with customers and suppliers.

Your Partnerships, can help your business grow!

44 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

6 8 10 13 15

BREAKFAST NETWORKING IN CORNWALL

16

WADEBRIDGE FORUM

18 21 22

Victoria Inn, Threemilestone The Crag, St Breock

BREAKFAST NORWAY INN

Norway Way, Perranarworthal

Ambassador: Gareth Looker

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION Holiday Inn Express, Victoria

BUDE NETWORKING

Neetside Community Centre, Bude Ambassador: Edward Chapman

24

OPEN HOUSE CORNWALL Victoria Inn, Roche

Ambassador: David Brock

RAINBOW RUN NETWALKING RAF St Mawgan

BIG LUNCH

Exeter Racecourse

NETWALKING Tehidy Woods

Ambassadors: Annie Page and Edward Chapman

HAYLE BREAKFAST MEETING

Brewers Fayre, Loggans Moor

Ambassador: Karen Looker

UPCOMING

EVENTS

For further details of these and more networking events visit businesscornwall.co.uk To publicise your event for free, email news@businesscornwall.co.uk

15

NET ZERO FOR CORNISH BUSINESSES Falmouth University, Penryn

16

As part of this year’s Festival of Business, Tevi will host a lunch and networking session titled: Net Zero and My Business – How do I apply Net Zero thinking to my business and how to talk about it? eventbrite.co.uk

16

FINANCE IN CORNWALL Lighthouse Cinema, Newquay

22

pkf-francisclark.co.uk/events/ finance-in-cornwall-june-2022

Why not set aside an hour a week to join in FSB Cornwall’s regular Cornwall Conversations virtual networking, hosted each week by one of our FSB Cornwall Area Leads, Edward Chapman and Clare Trice. Every Thursday at 2.30pm via Zoom.

FINANCE FOR START-UPS Trevenson House, Pool

23

A free space for local businesses, start-ups, creatives and entrepreneurs to connect over (really) good coffee. Kindly hosted

by Solskinn Coffee and Cocktail Haus in Falmouth.

aticornwallinnovation.co.uk

king-networking.co.uk

BUSINESS FINANCE & ADVICE

Ambassador: Dionne Williams

MEET UP WITH JON & WARREN

Ambassadors: Jon Iacomino & Warren D’Souza

THE BIG ONE

Ambassador: David Brock

TUESDAY MORNING CATCHUP

Ambassador: Bill Christie

MEET UP WITH JON & WARREN

Ambassadors: Jon Iacomino & Warren D’Souza

20 21 22 23

28

INNOVATION FOR BUSINESS CONFERENCE Alverton Hotel, Truro

aticornwallinnovation.co.uk

Join Acceleration Through Innovation 2 for the Market and Competitor Analysis Workshop at Pool Innovation Centre.

16

eventbrite.co.uk

eventbrite.co.uk

Meeting every fortnight on Wednesdays, Essential elements include passing of referrals and testimonials, introduction of guests and an opportunity for announcements.

ONLINE:

Cocktail Haus, The Poly, Falmouth

Delivered by Acceleration Through Innovation 2 (ATI2) and featuring a bespoke line-up of innovators, business leaders, researchers and academics.

The Victoria Inn, Threemilestone

Pool Innovation Centre

EARLY BIRD COFFEE CLUB

A free two-day course to provide you with the practical knowledge and skills you need to get your business off to the best possible start.

KING NETWORKING

MARKET & COMPETITOR ANALYSIS

13 14 15

Online

fsb.org.uk

This event will be of interest to business owners at all stages of business maturity – from start-up to exit and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions and network with your peers.

7 8

CORNWALL CONVERSATIONS

30

cornwallbusinessawards.co.uk

27

THE BIG ONE

28

Ambassador: David Brock

BUSINESS WITH PURPOSE Ambassador: Edward Chapman

St Mellion International The glittering event shines a spotlight on the amazing people who help drive the local economy and make it one of the best places in the country to do business.

MONTHLY MEETING WITH BJ STEPHENS

Ambassador: BJ Stephens

CORNWALL BUSINESS AWARDS

THE BIG ONE

Ambassador: David Brock

TUESDAY MORNING CATCHUP

Ambassador: Bill Christie

MEET UP WITH JON & WARREN

Ambassadors: Jon Iacomino & Warren D’Souza

CYBER SECURITY

Ambassadors: Chris Windley & Kelly Thompson

yourpartnerships.co.uk BUSINESS CORNWALL | 45

CORNWALL

CONNECTED

YOUR PARTNERSHIPS The Penventon in Redruth was the venue for Your Partnerships’ popular Big Lunch event.

Photos: Elizabeth Melvin Photography

CLAIR WELLSBURY-NYE (PLAIN SAILING)

MATT WILLIAMS (INSPIRED MOTIVE) AND RYAN TRELOAR (INSPIRED MOTIVE)

HANNAH DANSON (HD WORDS) AND MARY WARDALL (FREELANCE WRITER)

BROCK

SIMON CADDY (CADDY CONNECT)

NADIA HENRIQUE-MURRAY (NHM MARKETING) AND IAN HARRIS (CORNWALL BUSINESS CONNECTIONS)

FOOD AND DRINK CONFERENCE

PANEL DISCUSSION

SPEAKERS ROBERT RUSH (PFA RESEARCH), HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL (RIVER COTTAGE) AND CHARLES BANKS (THE FOOD PEOPLE) 46 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage was the key note speaker at a special food and drink industry conference held at Eden Project last month.

Photos: Simon Burt

ANDREW FINLEY (OXFORD INNOVATION)

HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL (RIVER COTTAGE)

UGO MASSABO (THE CORNISH ITALIAN)

CONNECTED

CORNWALL

SUZANNAH SHARKEY (HOTEL MEUDON)

CHAMBER BIG BREAKFAST/ GOLF DAY

The Cornwall Chamber of Commerce held its inaugural golf day following its monthly Big Breakfast gathering, at Falmouth Golf Club.

MARK JONES (HARRINGTON HOMES)

Photos: Exposure Photo Agency

ALASTAIR CARNEGIE (TOTAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS) AND JONNY BRIGHT (MILLER COMMERCIAL)

KIRSTY WORDEN (VICKERY HOLMAN)

PETER DOVER (OCEAN BMW)

SPENCER WOODS (BIG BOX ADVERTISING)

ANDREW DAVENPORT (FOCUS TECHNOLOGY) BUSINESS CORNWALL | 47

THE LAST

WORD

STUART BEVERIDGE Head of marketing at St Michaels Resort

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG? As with a lot of youngsters I wanted to be a footballer - until I realised that you actually had to be decent at the sport!

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FULL TIME JOB? Does a paper round count? My first ‘proper’ job was as a marketing executive at a small, technology firm in Bath. It taught me so much in a short space of time.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX? Exercise is a big one for me. I try and workout at the end of the day, having a fantastically equipped gym where you work is a plus. A nice, cold beer also does the trick!

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER? There have been lots of stand out moments.

But I think the best was the moment the penny dropped and I realised that I am good at what I do and became a confident marketer and leader. Lots of people lack confidence when they are really skilled and have so much value to bring.

IF YOU COULD INVITE ANY TWO PEOPLE FOR DINNER, WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY WOULD YOU INVITE THEM? Arsene Wenger would be top of my list.

He instilled a new culture when he came to England that has paved the way to a fundamental change in his industry. I’d love to know how he went about that and what made him the personable leader that he was.

And Michael McIntyre to lighten the mood a bit!

IF YOU COULD BE GOD FOR A DAY, WHAT MIRACLE WOULD YOU PERFORM? Very tricky. Perhaps I would make everyone content with their lives, so the world was a less-negative place.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST MISTAKE IN LIFE? Not believing in myself sooner. It took several years to build the confidence to have conviction in my opinions and beliefs.

WHAT WAS YOUR LUCKIEST BREAK? Moving to Cornwall seven years ago. It has given me the chance to get to know the amazing Cornish business community and experiences I wouldn’t have known otherwise.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME? I’d like to be heading up a high-performing marketing team at St Michaels Resort and continuing to build this fantastic brand to where it deserves to be.

48 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

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