Business Cornwall Mar 23

4

TOURISM MARKETING IN CHALLENGING TIMES

PHOTO: HAYDN CUTLER

WELCOME

ON THE COVER

JON HYATT, DIRECTOR AT HENDRA HOLIDAY PARK

- SEE PAGE 10

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Nick Eyriey nick@businesscornwall.co.uk

PUBLISHER

Toni Eyriey toni@businesscornwall.co.uk

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

MANAGER Morveth Ward morveth@businesscornwall.co.uk

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Caroline Carter caroline@businesscornwall.co.uk

DESIGN

Ade Taylor design@businesscornwall.co.uk

PRINT

BY EDITOR NICK EYRIEY

The future is bright, the future is Cornish!

As the thoughts of people up and down the country turn towards the summer holidays, inside this issue we shine a light on the tourism industry in Cornwall and meet Jon Hyatt, director of the family-run Hendra Holiday Park in Newquay.

Jon explains the importance of being a family-run business, how they’ve always resisted the temptation of selling to a big national operator, the challenges the sector currently faces and his hopes and ambitions for the future.

It has certainly been a rollercoaster last few years for the sector following the Covid pandemic. And now we’re faced with a cost-of-living crisis. Tom Roach, head of leisure and tourism at accountancy firm PKF Francis Clark, casts his eye over the tourism industry in Cornwall, analysing how it has been performing and its prospects for 2023.

Another sector facing its own set of challenges in the face of rising costs is the property market. But again, while there have been many stories of doom and gloom, the outlook is looking brighter than it was a few months ago.

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And on that positive note, also inside this month we have an uplifting Just a Thought from proud Cornishman and ‘cultural entrepreneur’ Will Coleman.

“An termyn a dheu yw splann, an termyn a dheu yw Kernewek,” he tells us. The future is bright, the future is Cornish!

GOLDEN TREE PRODUCTIONS - THE MAN ENGINE PENZANCE (PHOTO: GREG MARTIN)

AMANDA PENNINGTON Wildanet

International Women’s Day gives us a great opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements and inspire future generations that they can be anything they want to be, and that nothing is out of their reach. By sharing positive stories from all over the world we can learn from one another and use this information to make the world a more equitable place for all girls and women.

NICHOLA CAIN Voice Communications

International Women’s Day provides a time to reflect and acknowledge the women before us who have created opportunity and hope as well as the women that continue to pave the way.

As a female leader, I look to continuously empower women inside and outside of my business whilst honouring the strong female role models that I grew up around. These are the women that have helped shape me into who I am today. My mum, my auntie, female managers and leaders I have had the privilege of working with and the amazing females on my team at Voice who consistently amaze me with their talent, resilience, drive and kindness.

The day also provides us with a platform to create conversations to make the world a safer and more inclusive place for women. Did you know that a quarter of women have taken time off of work because of their period? Did you know that 900,000 women in the UK have quit their job because of the menopause? I am

Will we ‘Bing it’ in the future, kissing goodbye to ‘Googling it’? Maybe not anytime soon, but a recent development has given Bing a big step forward in the search world.

Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president & consumer marketing office at Microsoft, announced that in 48 hours, over one million people had joined the waitlist for the new AIpowered Bing search engine.

One million. Yes, that is, one million people in 48 hours have signed up to try the new AI-powered Microsoft

incredibly passionate about generating awareness around women’s health and menopause and menstruation in particular and I encourage other women to speak up during this time.

ELIZABETH STANSFIELD Handelsbanken

It’s a great chance to take a moment to appreciate the achievements and accomplishments of women in every walk of life. Here at Handelsbanken, we have an inclusive corporate culture and we actively look for ways to promote the values of equality and diversity. So naturally we are enthusiastic supporters of International Women’s Day. We will be celebrating the day by discussing the topic over fika, a popular Swedish tradition of enjoying coffee and cake.

ADAM PEARSON Newquay Hypnotherapy

International Women’s Day has a very interesting history, spanning political and national boundaries. It’s not owned by any one organisation. Like the issues, it’s complex. But where there is complexity there is opportunity, and dialogue can unlock it. For example: equity in healthcare - what are the opportunities? In employment, some positives. In access, some issues. We should talk about it.

KIRSTIE NEWTON (Freelance journalist)

I see International Women’s Day as an opportunity to celebrate and support my

Bing search engine. Yusuf Mehdi posted: “We’re humbled and energized by the number of people who want to test-drive the new AI-powered Bing! In 48 hours, more than 1 million people have joined the waitlist for our preview.”

Why we care. If Microsoft can pull away some market share from Google with this new Bing, then that might change how marketers and SEOs spend their days. In the old days of SEO, SEOs had to optimise for Google, Ask, Yahoo, MSN, Alta Vista,

fellow females, while remembering that not all women and girls around the world share the same freedom and opportunities - lack of education, period poverty and restricted roles in society are still sadly common. Here, we have laws on our side. I have spoken at educational events in secondary schools in Cornwall, and I always tell girls the only people who can really stop them being anything they want to be is themselves. A few years ago, my daughter and I marked IWD by joining a gaggle of female swimmers from the Blue Tits groups at Perranporth. The water was glacial, but the atmosphere was one of real warmth. I wonder if they’re doing it again this year?

TOR AMRAN The Cornish Food Box Company

To me International Women’s Day is a day to recognise the incredible achievements of women just like me all over the world who are striving to make their voices heard, be represented, listened to and taken seriously. It’s a day to celebrate how far we have come in so many ways but also a recognition of how much more is needed to be done around the world. IWD is a day of reflection and poses some interesting questions. For me the day is not about women being better than men - it’s about equality and about being seen as a person with skills that are considered fairly. As a woman in business in Cornwall I am constantly inspired by all the incredible women here putting people and purpose first, and doing it SO well. On an international level IWD highlights that we should never take equality for granted - this is not just a luxury that I enjoy but should be one for every women (and man) across the world.

and several other search engines.

Right now, SEOs and PPCers are pretty much focused on Google Search and Google Ads. But will this new search experience help Microsoft gain share? If so, your focus as a marketer may need to change.

A weekly podcast from a Cornwall-based business consultant has reached a lofty milestone. The 250th episode of Trevor Lee’s Better Presentations More Sales podcast went live recently, leaving him to say: “Given that around 90% of podcasts don’t get past episode seven, I am delighted and somewhat amazed to have reached the 250 episode mark.”

Cornish clothing brand Seasalt has announced a new partnership with Reskinned, the sustainable pre-loved clothing repair and resale specialist. The partnership will enable customers to return pre-loved clothing, in any condition, to be rehomed or otherwise responsibly recycled, and receive a voucher for money off their next Seasalt purchase.

Cornish furniture design company, Out of Wood, has received over £80k through SWIG Finance to support its growth plans under new ownership. The funding was made up of a Start Up Loan, plus a SWIG Business Loan backed by British Business Bank’s Recovery Loan Scheme. Business owners Adam and Sophie Simmons purchased the business, which designs bespoke kitchens, last year.

Lizard Yacht Service is opening a new office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to service superyacht customers in the USA and the Caribbean. This is the latest business expansion from the Falmouth-based company, which opened an office in Mallorca last year to service superyacht customers in the Mediterranean.

Cornish Lithium has announced plans for a new exploration project to assess the potential for producing lithium from geothermal waters in Blackwater. A General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) has been submitted for the relevant permissions to drill an initial research borehole to a depth of 2,000m and test the lithium potential of the geothermal waters that flow through its underlying permeable geological structures.

The number of businesses taking on apprentices in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly increased by more than 10% last year, with 3,750 new starts. The latest available figures show that there were 360 more new starts in the year to July 2022 compared with the year previously. The number of apprentices being taken on now exceeds pre-pandemic levels.

VOICE BUYS BAREFOOT

PR and Marketing agency, Voice Communications, has acquired local specialist communications firm Barefoot Media. Barefoot MD, Jim Michell, said: “It was hugely important to me that I found the right business to take over Barefoot, our team,

EDEN MOVES TO MORECAMBE

and our clients. It was essential that the new owner would be a like-minded agency which shared our values and ethos, and I have found that in Voice.”

With the inclusion of three Barefoot team members, Voice’s services are set to expand to also include email marketing and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) work.

Working with clients as an extension of their team, Voice provides services to organisations throughout the UK in a range of industries, including green energy, construction, hospitality, tech, not for profit, home improvement, recycling and waste management, travel and leisure, and the charity sector.

Nichola Cain, MD of Voice Communications, which has offices in Essex and Cornwall, said: “Welcoming the Barefoot team to Voice is an important milestone for Voice. We are excited to be continuing the great work that Jim and his fantastic team have carried out over the years and begin this new chapter.”

The Eden Project has been awarded £50 million in the second round of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund to build the new Eden Project Morecambe in Lancashire.

The bid was submitted by Lancaster City Council, one of the Eden Project’s key partners on the Morecambe attraction and was chosen as a recipient of the largest investment possible under the fund, earmarked for large-scale cultural regeneration projects.

As the lead for the partnership bid, Lancaster City Council will be the recipient of the funding and will work with partners to ensure it is allocated in accordance

with Government requirements.

Eden Project Morecambe is the new official name for the project, which has previously been known as Eden Project North.

Preparatory groundwork will now be undertaken on the site on the Morecambe seafront, a vital prelude to construction beginning.

The £50 million investment is half of the £100 million needed to build the coastalthemed project. The funding allows the project to move into its next phase and begin the process of finalising the remaining £50 million from private and philanthropic sources identified as part of the bidding process.

A PIONEERING PARTNERSHIP

Tugdock Limited has announced a partnership with Sarens, the global leader and reference in crane rental services, heavy lifting and engineered transport.

To support the further growth of Tugdock, Sarens has invested in the Cornish start-up. The partnership will enable the two companies to offer an innovative solution to the fastgrowing floating offshore wind industry.

Lucas Lowe-Houghton, director of business development for Tugdock, explained: “The floating offshore wind sector is expected to continue to grow rapidly.

“However, very few of the world’s ports have sufficient water depth and assembly quay space to build the huge turbine floaters required and conventional dry docks are not wide enough as they were originally designed for ships. Tugdock’s patented marine buoyancy bag technology solves this issue. It allows floating dry docks to be delivered by road in modular form and assembled at the port to dimensions far wider than most of the world’s existing dry docks.”

CEO Shane Carr added: “Working in partnership with a large multinational such as Sarens will accelerate our development, enabling further innovation to keep us at the forefront of the floating offshore wind industry.”

A pioneering project attempting to restore climate change-fighting marine plants in Cornwall has got underway.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust has completed its first round of seagrass planting trials in the River Fal, thanks to funding from clothing brand Seasalt Cornwall.

The ‘Seeding Change Together’ project is using technology never previously trialled in Cornwall to study – and hopefully expand – the seagrass bed found at the Trust’s Fal-Ruan nature reserve.

Around 4,000 seeds were collected from stable and healthy meadows in the Fal Estuary at the end of last summer. Yet researchers were surprised that the seed pods collected yielded only a quarter of the seeds expected. Marine experts from the local nature charity are concerned that the summer’s prolonged periods of high temperatures may have affected the seeds’ development.

Sophie Pipe, seagrass project officer at Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: “We

IN ROYAL CONVERSATION

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall met with local homeless charity, St Petrocs, during a visit to Cornwall last month.

The Duke and Duchess spoke with current and past residents, staff members, and the chair of trustees to discuss the work and impact of St Petrocs across the county. Both William and Kate were visibly engaged through the 15 minute conversation and

experienced record-breaking heatwaves and droughts last summer, in addition to an incredibly mild start to autumn and sudden cold snaps this winter. These extreme conditions may have affected the seagrass meadows on site, but it’s an unknown as to what those short-term and long-term impacts will be. That’s why our research is so important.”

Newly-purchased testing equipment, funded by Seasalt Cornwall, is now helping scientists to understand how water quality is affecting the seagrass populations onsite. It is believed to be the first time these tests have been carried out at this location.

Seagrass is a flowering marine plant that captures carbon from the environment up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests, making it an important resource in the fight against climate change.

were especially interested to hear the personal experiences of residents.

Henry Meacock, chief executive, said: “It is a privilege for St Petrocs to have been included in the visit. The Duke and Duchess have stated that their priorities for their charitable work include homelessness, mental health and the environment, all of which are issues central to our charity. I believe the meeting will help us increase awareness of the issue of homelessness and will lead to action to address some of the current challenges our clients and residents face.”

SEEDING CHANGE TOGETHER

NEW BUSINESS HIGH

Figures just released show that the number of companies in Cornwall hit a record high during 2022.

The total number of registered companies in Cornwall rose to 25,857 over the last 12 months, showing an increase of 4.5% on 2021. During the year 2,912 new businesses were established.

The statistics are taken from the Inform Direct Review of Company Formations, using data from Companies House and the Office for National Statistics.

John Korchak, MD at Inform Direct said: “The last few years have been turbulent for businesses, with inflation and a cautious economic outlook following the impact of the pandemic. However, in these figures we see evidence of the ambition, creativity and resilience of entrepreneurs in Cornwall, as well as the benefits from the county’s support for a range of enterprises.”

This positivity is mirrored in the overall picture for the UK which saw a record number of new companies established during 2022, exceeding 800,000 for the very first time.

Meanwhile, Begbies Traynor’s ‘Red Flag Alert’, which monitors the financial health of British companies, says the number of ailing businesses in Cornwall reached 3,294 in Q4 of 2022.

This represents a quarterly decrease of 1% in the number of struggling businesses in Cornwall, and an annual fall of 5%.

Despite the overall decrease, the data identified specific sector hotspots where businesses are particularly struggling.

According to the report, businesses in the hotels & accommodation sector are most affected, with a quarterly increase of 10% in the number of companies in significant financial distress. This was followed by automotive, which saw a quarterly jump of 7%.

Nationally, the latest Red Flag Alert research for Q4 2022 recorded 610,405 businesses in significant distress. Representing a 4% increase since Q4 2021 and 24% surge in significant distress levels compared to pre-Covid times in Q4 2019, the data highlights the intense strain an increasing number of companies are under as they are hit by rising labour and materials costs, increasing energy costs and an economy likely headed into recession.

A space tech world first is being claimed from Cornish soil.

No, this is not the satellite launch from Cornwall Airport Newquay, but rather an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) taking off from Predannack airfield. And thankfully, this time there were no last-minute technical glitches.

Gravitilab Aerospace Services Ltd successfully launched its UAV, which climbed to 2,000 ft before releasing its payload, which achieved a period of microgravity. Microgravity is when objects appear to be weightless.

It is said to be a world first for generating a “sustained microgravity environment” using an UAV system.

Norfolk-based Gravitilab says microgravity environments offer “far superior” research and testing conditions and the launch opens up the world of microgravity research to new markets as diverse as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, building materials, communications, SpaceTech and climate science.

“This is a fantastic collaborative achievement for Gravitilab, the Cornwall Space Cluster, and the UK Space Industry as a whole,” said Rob Adlard, CEO and technical director of Gravitilab.

A GRAVITY DEFYING ‘WORLD FIRST

Cornwall Space Cluster director, Gail Eastaugh, added: “We’re thrilled to have been able to support the achievement of this world first in microgravity testing from Cornwall. Cornwall Space Cluster exists to unlock innovation within the space and aerospace sector and companies like Gravitilab are paving the way for the future of the industry.”

For the last 12 months, Kettlewell Colours reported revenue of £8.9 million. It joins sustainable Cornish lifestyle brand Celtic & Co, ethical childrenswear brand Frugi, and the upcycled cashmere accessories brand Turtle Doves, in the Refined Brands portfolio. Meanwhile, Refined Brands has completed a £6.75 million equity funding round, including £1.5 million of investment by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF).

A REFINED ACQUISITION

St Columb-based fashion group Refined Brands has been back on the acquisition trail after adding womenswear company Kettlewell Colours to its growing portfolio.

Founded in 2004 by Melissa Nicholson and her husband John, Somerset headquartered Kettlewell Colours sells wardrobe essentials in over 300 colours to customers internationally - working predominantly with small, family-run factories in Portugal, Turkey and the UK.

The funding, which includes investment from new and existing private investors, will be used to further accelerate the growth of its portfolio companies, both in the UK and internationally.

Chairman Ben Barnett said: “The creation of Refined Brands was motivated by a desire to build a differentiated family of sustainable fashion brands, alongside founders and teams that shared our passion and vision.

“I am delighted to welcome CIOSIF as investors into our expanding group. We value their experience in supporting businesses throughout the region and believe their input will help us achieve our ambitious goals for organic growth in the UK and internationally.”

MELISSA NICHOLSON

Jon Hyatt

As Cornwall looks forward to what it hopes will be another successful holiday season, we meet Jon Hyatt, director of the popular family-owned Hendra Holiday Park in Newquay.

You’ve always been involved in the family business, joining straight from university.

My great uncle started the business. My parents, second generation, were co owning and running it. And we grew up in the house on site here. So, I was here from year dot! I’ve always enjoyed the business and always enjoyed being here. I went away to Oxford and did my masters degree in chemistry but didn’t really want to carry on in research science. And I never went on to work in Boots, like a few people assumed!

So rather than look at some ideas in London, there was the opportunity of coming back here. The call of Cornwall and Newquay and working in the family business where you get your hands in and make a big difference, to be part of something I believe in. And I’ve never really looked back.

And very much proud to be a family business?

Yes, and my cousin, Tom May, he’s third generation also and recently been made a director. My parents, auntie and uncle, the shareholders, the owners, they’re still very much involved on it. Not so much on an operational basis, but certainly a strategic basis. And the brand means an awful lot to them, the staff mean a lot.

We go to 260 on the payroll in the summer and at this time of year, in the winter, while the park is closed, we’re still about 60 to 70 members of staff, some part time, but most full time.

What typically goes on at this time of year?

Winter is actually our busiest time of year, working on the business. We’ve got 320 foundationed

units, 600 touring pitches, and generally because they’re all our own, we like to keep them fresh. And generally, we’ll swap out between 50 and 60 caravans every year. So that’s 50, 60 caravans sold off to other holiday parks, base works, utility works done, new caravans all on site and all made ready. And we’re doing a big capital project in terms of refurbishing our Terrace restaurant. It’s probably the biggest amount of work done to that building, which was made in the 1970s. We’ll always have a pretty busy, probably over ambitious winter plan in terms of development and investment.

Is this something you think of towards the end of each season, what sort of projects are needed?

Yes, or a couple of years in advance. We’ve got a new climbing centre in the planning pipeline, which will probably be built this time next year going live at some point in 2024. But yes, whether it’s a new bar, play area, set of accommodation, upgrading camping facilities, there’s always something to do and we are committed to continual and significant investment in the site.

You mentioned you own all the pitches. Has that always been a conscious decision?

It started out 51 years ago as a campsite. And in the 80s, they brought on the static holiday homes. And we just found the holiday only model works very well for us. A lot of other holiday sites, particularly the national chains, they seek a quick return on selling out a base or a unit to an owner. That massively changes the dynamics of the park. They

become more focused on selling a unit as opposed to necessarily delivering a holiday. So we are, for those seven months that we’re open, 100% focused on delivering a customer experience, a 5* holiday experience.

First we had Brexit and then Covid. And now we’ve got the cost-of-living crisis. It can’t have been easy over the past few years operating a holiday business?

No. And we’re looking at another odd year, aren’t we? We always used to base our business performance on the previous year but we’re still benchmarking on 2019 now. Covid gave us time to move our product on, probably three or four years in the development cycle. It really forced us to focus on the really important bits, namely our staff and our customer service. We’ve got an incredibly strong team, everyone owns the brand, and there’s a lot of loyalty there. But our customer base has grown and we’ve got close to 4,000 people on our loyalty scheme. And they are people who stay with us year after year.

And how is the rising of cost of living impacting on things? Are fewer people holidaying? And if they do come, are they spending less?

When that was beginning to bite towards the tail end of last summer, we were expecting that but what we noticed is people were probably spending more time with us, on site. So whether or not they decided to opt for a location where they saw a more reliable value, maybe, and base themselves here and not suffer transport costs, or what have you. They spent more time on site and there was a bit more take up in our own secondary spend, whether it’s the food or the entertainment on site, rather than necessarily going off site as often. In the peak weeks, in the summer, we’ll have up to 3,500 guests a night. And we’ll do 1,000 covers across our various food outlets.

We are committed to continual and significant investment in the site

Last summer was the first one after Covid that people could go abroad again. Did you feel that impact?

We were worried about that, but we have benefited from a surge in loyalty and a huge number of guests who stayed with us in 2020 and in 2021 and booked for the following year whilst still on site. Generally, we’d always get to January, February and the bookings would start coming in earnest for that season. But the last couple years, a big trend has been people booking 12 months in advance for us. Over 30% of guests who stay with us book again before leaving which is an incredible vote in confidence in our product

Overall, though, has the lead time for booking got shorter?

It has got shorter if you look at the grand scheme of things over the last five-to-ten-year period. But what we’ve really noticed over the last two or three years is we’re getting a huge cohort of guests who are booking for next year before they even go home, which is fantastic. And this year, we’re already seeing a huge swell in new families and couples booking which is really bucking the expected trend in terms of the cost of living.

What are the main challenges that keep you awake at night?

Utilities are quite key at the moment. In 2011, we built a 1.5MW ten acre solar farm next to park, that generates most of the site’s electric. That was a big success when we installed it but even more now as it’s underpinning our energy security moving forward. Likewise, the switch to biomass for heating our fun pools. So, utilities are always a concern, but we have somewhat underpinned that with previous investment and have plans for further sustainable developments.

Staffing, the last couple of years have probably been our biggest challenges. At one

point, we had around 25% of our staff living on site, over double the usual number. We have a number of staff accommodation units anyway for seasonal use, but we have had to bring in more staff accommodation units in order to meet employment needs.

Are most staff from out of county?

No, the majority are still local, but there is a cohort of seasonal staff coming down to do the bar shifts and the lifeguarding and such and mostly live on site for the season.

The recent acute pressure on staffing coincided with Brexit in terms of reduction in the size of the labor workforce in hospitality generally. But also – if you look in Newquay and the loss of affordable seasonal accommodation since Covid – has drastically reduced the available seasonal labour force; that’s why the accommodation we’ve got on site is so valuable for our staff. So we have a lot of staff applying, but they just can’t afford to live in Newquay for instance. And some staff have had to move out of Newquay because they can’t afford to keep renting.

And it must be competitive with other holiday parks and hotels in Newquay, to get the best staff?

It is, but we are very fortunate with a good retention. We’ve got seasonal staff who come back year after year. And fortunately, we have an outstanding management team here and they grow very strong teams.

How has the park developed over the years?

It started off back in the 70s as a campsite and was one of the largest campsites in Europe at one stage. And it kind of grew from there, following the trend and popularity for Newquay holidays. In the 80s static

accommodation was added. And ever since then it’s been focused solely on families and couple groups. So we like to say we’re a holiday park run by families for families. Our key focus is delivering memorable holidays for families, by making the most out of Newquay and Cornwall and wanting to come back, whether that’s for a short break or their main holiday.

What give you most pleasure from working here?

It used to be seeing the number of returning guests. But since Covid, it’s really having such a strong, close-knit and motivated team, and in seeing what we can achieve together. Because we’ve all gone through the Covid period together and helped move the brand on through our 50th year. Every single member of staff is in it together and are all driven by a common goal. And that’s to deliver quality memorable family holidays for generations of both guests and the team to come.

What makes a for a great holiday park?

I think it’s quality, reliability and attention to detail in everything we do, right from the from the point of booking. We’re 100% focused on holidays and the vast majority of our bookings come direct. We don’t really rely on online travel agents, we’re not on booking.com or AirBnB and so guests can have absolute confidence in what they book direct with our bookings team. Our return and referral rates are high. It’s not only the quality of the accommodation we’re offering, but also the quality of the staff that are servicing that accommodation.

We’ve got close to 4,000 people on our loyalty scheme

It’s the continued investment in that accommodation, the bar and restaurant facilities, the swimming pool and the high quality entertainment. It’s day in, day out service delivery and investment in the facilities and team.

Many holiday businesses look to extend the shoulder season. Is that the same with you?

Yes, whether that’s targeting families with preschool aged children or empty nesters, that sort of thing. Also short breaks from local destinations, whether it’s Cornwall, Plymouth,

Devon, we get a lot of visitors particularly in the shoulder seasons coming down for a short break and making use of the facilities.

Where do most guest typically come from?

The M5 corridor largely. And there’s a growing contingent coming from the south east as well.

During the height of Covid, did you fear for the future of the business at any stage?

We’re fortunate in that we’re a family business with a farming mentality. So, we’re in it for the long game and the business was in a healthy position with good financial security. And ultimately, tourism was always going to bounce back quite quickly. Our biggest concern was making sure we were doing things right, listening to the local community, listening to staff and not putting too much pressure on them. We were conscious about tourism and tourists not overwhelming the local infrastructure and area, hence why we restricted site capacity to 60% for 2020 for instance.

And, of course, when things did open up, summer 2021 must have been crazy?

There was an absolute explosion in demand for Cornwall and tourism in 2021. We also had the G7 summit where we hosted a big contingent of event staffing which added extra pressure. So yes, there was huge demand in 2021. But again, taking a long-term view on it, we were careful not to cash in and hike the prices to match the soaring demand. Rather we focused on delivering

a sound and reliable holiday for what were many guests first visit to Cornwall; as such they weren’t disappointed and have become return guests, unlike what has been the case all too often elsewhere with over priced and under resourced accommodation.

Cornwall can be expensive, can’t it?

I think Cornwall caters for such a diverse clientele that some places are very expensive. We’re trying to position ourselves for our guests so there is something here for every budget. But yes, you’re right, Cornwall can be perceived to be too expensive.

In the summer of 21, I think many people made the mistake of putting up prices too much. We heard examples of people putting up prices by as much as 40%. But ultimately, you saw TripAdvisor scores and return booking rates for those establishments go through the floor, because guests were left unhappy.

How big a challenge are the likes of Airbnb? Because Cornwall could be full, but more people could be coming in because it’s unregulated and you don’t know how many private rentals are out there.

And this is why I strongly support the move with Cornwall Council and Visit Cornwall to get compulsory registration for private rental properties. Cornwall just couldn’t cope with the numbers of 2021 and no one knows how busy areas are going to be until the day, let alone the pressure on roads and bins and beaches – and for sustainable development of Tourism throughout Cornwall.

So what I think we’ve seen since that explosion in Airbnb and private rental properties; a lot of people made a fair bit of

Over 30% of guests who stay with us book again before leaving

money from that, but a lot of people also had their fingers burnt and guests had bad experiences on holiday. There’s no surprise why during 2022 and certainly so far into 2023, private rental figures are well down. The flip side being you get a lot of enquiries turning to established holiday markets like ourselves.

Looking ahead to this summer, how do you see that going?

At the moment, given the national context and the cost of living, we’ve entered this year, pretty cautious, like everyone else. But crucially, we are comforted by a decent amount of forward bookings from last year. And where we were expecting a slow start to the year, we’ve actually seen quite a flurry of bookings and activity. And that’s what’s really intriguing and exciting for us, is a lot of new enquiries from people have never seen here before.

Are these from people possibly downsizing from a more expensive foreign holiday?

Quite possibly. There’s certainly examples of families and couples who are trading down and instead of going abroad might be staying at a holiday park in Cornwall, but the fact that they’re willing to stay with us and make that commitment five, six months in advance, we’ll take that definitely.

And looking forward to the next five years or so, what plans have you got?

We’re looking to target two main drivers. One is to extend the season, not so much over the winter period, we’ve seen a lot of places who actually opt to close for February half term and cancel bookings rather than stay open. But try and flatten our demand curve and get more demand in the shoulder periods, or by adding more value to those

periods by investing in energy efficiency and security. And people want a more experience-based holiday, so we’re adding more facilities such as a climbing centre, expanded indoor play, nature activities and developing partnerships with local attractions to offer our guests even more variety.

Is any of this open to non-residents?

The Oasis fun pool is open to non-residents. We have 200,000 people a year going through the pools and 40% of those are locals or other holidaymakers staying elsewhere. We’ve got a locals scheme which gives discounts for the pool, the restaurant, the soft play facilities, particularly at the shoulder seasons, when we’ve got that capacity.

The business has been going 51 years now. Has there ever been any family temptation to sell?

We must get a letter through the door every week from some agent or the other, or someone representing a big group. And the number of holiday parks that have changed hands in the last four or five years is unbelievable. But you quite often see the cycle, where an independent sells out to a national chain, a load of staff are made redundant, that park’s reviews and TripAdvisor status tumbles and not many have really recovered that far. We’re proudly independent. The whole family are in this for the long term and we enjoy what we’re doing.

Does it give you an advantage being an independent. Do you care more?

Absolutely, we do care about every detail. The team mean a great deal to us and we

get to know a lot of the returning guests. We live on site, what impacts anyone on site impacts us, and our personal reputations are intertwined with that of the business, we’re all in this together. It means an awful lot. I grew up on the site and still live here with my young family now. It’s a fantastic environment for them to grow up in.

Never had any regrets working for the family business, that you didn’t go in a different direction?

Certainly not in another direction. I’ve got a twin brother who’s an airline pilot and younger brother who is a GP. So, I’m really pleased to represent them here, make my contribution to the family business and hopefully help lead it on for the next generation.

Was there any pressure on you to work in the family business?

There was certainly pressure when we were 14, 15 to go and clear tables!

But no, no pressure to stay, it’s both the lifestyle I wanted, which is absolutely fantastic, but also the dynamic business I could thrive in.

Probably the one regret I get is other than four years away at university and a bit of traveling, is not taking any other time away in industry to bring back learning to the business. But I can’t complain of the what has been learnt here!

200,000 people a year going through the pools and 40% of those are locals

Shiningstars

There seems no stopping Cornwall’s popularity as a tourist destination. What trends have you seen over the years?

The thing about Cornwall is that it’s got a hard-to-put-into words magic about it, which teamed with an extraordinary home to retreat to after a day’s exploring, really is a dream holiday combination.

Our guests are looking for us to help shape their holiday experiences to better embrace our community connections – so they can travel responsibly, have more time to slow down, switch off and escape the everyday.

Increasingly guests are discovering new ways to make the most of their beautiful Cornish Gems home-from-home, by bookings inproperty experiences that offer greater privacy, flexibility, and personalisation. Our expert team have established partnerships with brilliant local companies, so guests can also enjoy extra special additions whilst staying with us such as private chefs, spa-treatments, or wine-tasting – which prove especially welcome with celebratory stays.

Another trend is advance bookings. Our guests are planning ahead much more than pre-Covid, to secure their preferred dates, property and location. There is also an uplift in multiple trip bookings, with guests not just having

one holiday to look forward to but two or three in the pipeline over 12-24 months. As a result, we make our availability calendars available well in advance and our 2024 calendar is already filling up fast.

It also seems like Cornwall has become more popular all year round now

Since lockdown, and the challenges with international travel, the perception that UK holidays are just for summer is certainly shifting.

The summer months of long hazy days at the beach are, of course, truly wonderful. But Cornwall is genuinely a year-round destination – and more people are realising it can feel even more special at other times of year.

This year we’re already seeing an increase demand for out of season stays, in larger and dog-friendly properties, particularly in lesser-known locations. There’s been a 15% increase in stays of two weeks (YOY), in bigger properties offering greater flexibility for multi-generational groups.

How’s the coming season looking?

We’re fortunate to have a wonderfully loyal customer base, who repeatedly trust us with their holidays – 60% of our peak season stays are from repeat visitors, and 40% have stayed with Cornish Gems three or more times. 2023 is already tracking well, and we’re confident to achieve another record-breaking year.

How many properties do you now have and what is your specialty?

Our speciality? Top quality throughout. We take the hassle out of holiday planning, so guests can focus on making memories with loved ones.

We offer a collection of 200 quality properties and know all the best places to stay in unrivalled locations. And we can take care of the finer details too, from ensuring our guest’s home-from-home is kitted out with baby essentials, to arranging food deliveries, offering a choice of welcome gifts, and providing hand-made sustainable children’s activity packs.

How do you stand out in what is now quite a crowded market?

As an independent company, we do things a bit differently to the corporate templatewe’re proud of our entrepreneurial spirit and sustainability is at the heart of the business. We feel lucky to call Cornwall our home, that we’re rooted in the local community, so we work with passion and integrity to do right by people, whilst looking after the environment.

Our biggest accolade is that our guests trust us with their holidays. We set the highest standards in holiday homes, and our success lies in the strength of our team of regional experts – there’s no scripts, just great knowledge and attention to detail.

There’s no scripts, just great knowledge and attention to detail

A fresh new rebrand and new management, these are exciting times for luxury holiday lettings specialist Cornish Gems, says commercial director Michelle Baillie.

It’s been a pretty crazy few years for tourism - how did you deal with it? We can’t deny, it was nothing short of a rollercoaster!

For all of us, it was a time of adaption with lots of curve balls. We’re fortunate to have a brilliant team, of 100 local people, and because Cornwall’s our home sharing it with our community is what we do best. So, while we needed to be nimble and flexible, we were also able to confidently uphold our quality service and standards to support both guests and owners.

What are your goals in the coming years?

We’ve got big plans. And have hit the ground running for 2023 revealing our major rebrand and new leadership, following our fifteenth anniversary last year. Tamsin Huddy and I have been appointed to oversee the day-to-day business operations, supporting Cornish Gems founders Julianne and Nadia – which is a huge privilege and marks an exciting new chapter in the business’ evolution.

Our commitment to sustainability, remains at the core of the company and we feel passionately about using our business as a force for good. We’ve already introduced a wave of positive change from reducing energy consumption and waste, boosting social involvement, to winning a

Green Tourism Award – but we’re really pushing ourselves to do better year-on-year.

For example, we’ve just submitted our B Corp application, which is a big step forward to leading sustainable tourism in Cornwall. And just one of many goals we’re striving towards this year. Thinking ahead we’re also hoping to raise awareness, education and inspire our wider community and other business to join the journey with us too.

We’re firm believers that small steps can lead to big strides!

Cornwall is genuinely a yearround destination

MICHELLE BAILLIE (LEFT), TAMSIN HUDDY (RIGHT)

Sunnyahead? days

Cornish tourism looks set to return to pre-pandemic levels, says Tom Roach, partner and head of leisure and tourism at PKF Francis Clark.

The rollercoaster of businesses ups and downs over the last three years appears to be steadying and comparisons of occupancies and profit levels can now be made with prepandemic levels.

As with the economy in general, the hospitality sector is in a sustained period of cost pressures, but according to PKF Francis Clark this is following an unprecedented period of growth.

The question is: Is this enough to withstand the on-going cost inflation?

Our Cornwall Hotel Occupancy Tracker has been monitoring bookings at a crosssection of hotels in the county for the past 20 years.

This database of bed nights and

occupancy levels, when aggregated with market information on profitability and tariffs, provides us with a useful barometer for how the hotel industry is performing and the outlook for 2023.

The graph below compares occupancy rates over the past two years with those in the last pre-pandemic year of 2019, which was on par with 2018 and slightly ahead of earlier years.

ANALYSIS OF STATISTICS

Our figures indicate that following a period of truncated openings and unscheduled closure periods, businesses saw an increase in occupancy levels during 2021 and 2022. There were very low levels of occupancy during lockdowns with most hotels staying

closed, but a few making use of rooms for key workers etc.

Bookings in April to September last year were ahead of pre-pandemic levels, although this was not sustained for the final part of the year as booking levels appeared to suffer from press speculation that the UK economy was about to enter if not a deep recession, then a very long one. The repeated attempts by the media to talk down the economy clearly do not help to bolster public sentiment!

In addition, the sector saw significant improvements in tariffs. In many cases, the VAT reduction was coupled with strong demand and businesses have been able to maintain improved tariffs and less discounting since the pandemic. However, the profitability of hotels needs to withstand:

• Increased energy costs. With energy increases lagging the market due to fixed deals, the costs of energy in a typical hotel - whilst being offset by increases in turnover to some extent - are looking to increase to around 7% of turnover from a typical historical level of around 4%.

• Increased financing costs affecting any hotel with debt on a variable loan.

• Continued shortages in the labour market coupled with increases in the living wage from April. Wages in 2022 were on average 39% as a percentage of turnover.

Looking back on 2022, Easter was the first time since the pandemic that many businesses had been able to open for this important holiday period. Over the whole year, occupancy levels saw an increase of 3% compared to 2019, which by historical standards is a good result.

However, these were not at the same levels as 2021 and the second half of the summer in 2020, where there was an increase of 15% over the core season compared to

2019. The removal of travel restrictions in March 2022 made inbound and outbound travel easier, with the figures demonstrating an increase in tourism in the south west following a period of lockdowns. Towards the end of 2022, occupancy levels dipped in December as businesses and consumers contended with increases in energy prices, interest rates and inflation.

Staffing became a common discussion point in the industry, with recruitment remaining a key issue and focus. In addition, significant government support provided to hotels during the pandemic was either tapered out or completely removed.

WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK FOR 2023?

As we look ahead, booking levels for 2023 appear to be consistent with levels in 2019. Our database is currently showing energy costs at around 3.9% of turnover on average, which is lower than historically and the

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF ICONIC GOLF

Clare and Graham Bond, owners and directors of Lanhydrock Hotel and Golf Club, are celebrating and reminiscing upon 30 years since they first opened their doors in 1993.

Clare comments: “I’m so grateful for the life that Lanhydrock has given us over the past 30 years, and more specifically to Graham’s father and uncle, Hermon and Martin Bond, who first bought the golf club.”

Hidden in a sheltered wooded valley in Bodmin and surrounded by dramatic moorland countryside, the golf course is beautifully shaped into the landscape and boasts natural fauna and water features.

It is reasonably flat, so an enjoyable challenge for golfers of all abilities.

Graham’s father and uncle, Hermon and Martin, bought Lanhydrock Golf Club in 1993. Graham at this time was running Looe Golf Club and took on the project at Lanhydrock that required substantial investment, including a new clubhouse.

Graham and Clare admitted that the recent pandemic has been the hardest challenge of the 30 years by far, but that they are thankful to have emerged from it in a place of strength and positivity.

With golf now showing an increase in

consequence of strong revenue growth.

This figure is expected to rise to 7%-8% by the end of this year. Despite suggestions that these costs should subside later in 2023, the knockon impact for laundry and repair costs is likely to continue into 2024.

Whilst energy costs continue to impact on hotels, during 2023 businesses will need to contend with the national living wage increasing to £10.42 an hour from April 1 as well as the next revaluation of business rates being enforced. These rates will be based on values from April 2021 and whilst many were severely impacted by Covid-19, the year to 1 April 2021 was one of two halves –premises being closed for a major part of the first half, but many doing well locally in the second half. This could make valuations higher than expected.

momentum and popularity due to greater appreciation for getting outside and limiting screen time, after lockdown, the future is looking bright (and green!).

Both Graham and Clare look back on their time at Lanhydrock with great fondness and affection, delighted to now be celebrating their 30th year milestone and excited to spend many more years doing what they love - providing locals and visitors with an enthralling golf experience, quality catering and warm welcoming accommodation in the beautiful north Cornish countryside they call home.

Recruitment remains a key issue and focus

Local hotel and golf club celebrates three decades as one of the south west’s finest 18 hole golf courses!

challenging Tourism marketing in times

As we move towards peak season in Cornwall, many Cornish businesses are considering their marketing strategy for the year ahead. In challenging economic conditions, what are the key things that should be front of mind? Lauren Webb has some suggestions.

2022 seemed to bring with it a perfect storm, especially for those who rely on the visitor economy within Cornwall. With many holidaymakers feeling it was safe to go abroad for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, others were starting to feel the bite of the rising cost of living – leading many to choose to forgo their UK holiday.

For those who did book a holiday here in Cornwall, trends indicated that many holidaymakers were watching their spend, cutting out perceived luxuries and opting for more low-cost or no cost options –aided by the advent of a summer heatwave encouraging extra hours on the beach or the coast path.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR 2023

• Position yourself as essential –from making memories to creating experiences, to educating children to helping conserve our planet, what’s your best way to do this?

• Be true to yourself – be authentic, talk openly about people’s concerns, ask your customers what they need or want and don’t change your style just to accommodate current challenges.

• Support local – forge local partnerships with other businesses, showcase local artists or creatives, and represent the Cornish community you are part of, bring hidden gems to a wider audience.

• Add value – what are you doing that will add more value to your customer’s visit? From deals with local restaurants to discounts for early booking, consider what your audience would appreciate.

Lower visitor numbers over the last 12 months have led tourism businesses to approach 2023 with a degree of caution. The challenges presented by rising inflation, interest rates, utility bills, fuel and food presents difficulties for everyone – how do we navigate these uncertain times?

TALK ABOUT MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES THAT WILL CREATE A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES

Think about your messaging. Visits to visitor attractions, galleries or the theatre can be seen as a luxury. It’s important to help your audience realise the importance of time spent together, of the chance to make memories and discover experiences that will be remembered for many years to come.

Messaging around the benefits to your children can also help here – getting them away from screens, out of the front door and being out in the open, learning new skills and enjoying activities can land well with the family market. It helps to create a perception of value to the customer.

Everyone is considering their spending more carefully, so your audience really want to sense the worth of what they’re getting.

MOST PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THEIR MONEY

Address their concerns within your content marketing. These are difficult times for the

majority of people – the cost-of-living crisis is causing challenges for many British households. Are there special offers available? How can people make their day out with you more affordable? Do you have competitions to enter?

Make sure that your communications around this offer stay true to your brand values and the language that appeals to your target audience. Your marketing will only land with your audience if it reflects you accurately.

LOOK AT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS

Consider how you can build a stronger relationship with your existing customers – especially in your email marketing.

There are multiple ways to encourage repeat business with marketing campaigns encouraging previous visitors to returnthrough schemes such as Locals’ Pass or membership schemes, through incentives for loyal customers, through free annual passes when you purchase tickets, or book one ticket (or night of accommodation) get one free.

Your marketing will only land with your audience if it reflects you accurately

PHOTOGRAPH BY GEORGE HILES

LOOK AT PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS FOR GREATER REACH AND CONNECTION

When marketing budgets are being reduced, it’s important to think about how you can get the most from your strategy when financial resources are limited. Your relationships with the tourism network around you can be key in this area. Consider:

• Can you partner with other visitor attractions to offer special joint ticketing deals to your audience?

• Are there accommodation providers locally who share a similar audience with your business? Are there partnerships to be formed there?

• Can you come up with reciprocal marketing deals with like-minded companies who share your values and goals? If you offer them space in your print and digital channels, will they offer the same in kind?

• Is there a value to your business in being part of a membership organisation? In tourism in Cornwall, Visit Cornwall and Best Days Out Cornwall (run by Cornwall Association of Tourist Attractions) are great examples, as well as national platforms such as Days Out With The Kids.

Marketing can often be overlooked in challenging economic times –especially if businesses are looking to save money. But it’s important to keep communicating with your audience, making sure they understand who you are and why they should connect with you – keep your marketing front and centre during this challenge, and it will stand you in good stead.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lauren Webb is a freelance marketing consultant based in Krowji, Redruth. She runs Roscoe Communications, a communications consultancy helping tourism, arts and culture organisations in the south west make an impact with their marketing. She also works with Cornwall Association of Tourist Attractions, running marketing and membership for the community of almost 40 top Cornish attractions.

w: www.talktoroscoe.com

w: www.bestdaysoutcornwall.co.uk

e: lauren@talktoroscoe.com

Roll with it!

Truro-based Cornwall Payroll was founded by directors Tim and Jo Wilkins in 2014. It now runs the payroll for over 300 businesses across Cornwall and beyond. It caters for all sizes and types of organisation, with employee numbers ranging from 1 to 250.

Cornwall Payroll is a family run business offering a friendly, professional service and has a great working relationship with all its clients.

It is currently the only accountant or payroll company based in Cornwall to hold CIPP accreditation (The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals), which is the gold standard in the payroll profession and involves a rigorous audit of all internal processes.

“We started the business when many companies were given a staging date for Auto Enrolment, following the introduction of the

Workplace Pension,” explains Tim Wilkins. “The business really started to really take off as many companies decided it was easier to outsource to a payroll specialist”.

And Cornwall Payroll works with many fantastic, iconic Cornish businesses. Here we look at some examples of how outsourcing payroll works for them.

CARBIS BAY ESTATE

Hosts of the G7 summit, the world famous Carbis Bay Estate has outsourced its payroll for many years. As the business grew exponentially, more resource was required to manage the growing workforce and they chose the services of Cornwall Payroll, which has proved to have been a great working

relationship for the last five years.

As the hotel & estate continues to grow, Cornwall Payroll offers continued support with the increasing staff numbers and the seasonal fluctuation of employees.

Managing Director Stephen Baker comments:

“In recent years Carbis Bay Estate has expanded its offerings to become a diverse mix of visitor accommodation in three hotels, a multitude of serviced cottages, lodges and apartments; an award-winning coastal spa; restaurants, and bars, each area with a staff and payroll to match. For a privately owned company, such as ours, which used to undertake the responsibility of payroll inhouse, the assistance and advice afforded by Cornwall Payroll has proved most beneficial to the business.”

We learn how outsourcing your payroll can save your business time, money and stress.

HALL FOR CORNWALL

For its much-anticipated re-opening in October 2021, the number of employees was due to dramatically rise once again. Hall for Cornwall engaged the services of Cornwall Payroll prior to this in preparation for the influx of new employees.

Explaining the decision to outsource to Cornwall Payroll, finance manager Ian Abrahams explains: “Hall for Cornwall has a fairly complex payroll with cross-departmental allocations and task-specific additional earnings, so partnering with a local company who takes the time to understand who we are and what we do helps us de-risk the process.

“This works for HFC, as we can be confident in the knowledge that our in-house expertise is supplemented and supported by experts at Cornwall Payroll in a highly cost-effective, yet rigorous way”

PRIMA BAKERIES & CORNISH PREMIER PASTIES

Prima Bakeries is a real Cornish success story. Since MD Mark Norton bought the business ten years ago, it has grown from a just handful of staff to currently employing

over 80 at its bakery in Scorrier.

Mark made the decision to outsource to Cornwall Payroll in 2016 and he hasn’t looked back.

“Having historically managed the payroll in-house, we recognised that our business growth and the introduction of Auto Enrolment pensions meant that it was time to look for external expertise,” he says.

“We were lucky enough to find Cornwall Payroll, who have been brilliant and look after us incredibly well. As a business owner, it has freed me to spend more time growing my business.”

In 2021, he also acquired Cornish Premier Pasties and outsourced the payroll to Cornwall Payroll once again. Between the two businesses, they are now the fourth largest manufacturer of Cornish Pasties in the world!

RODDA’S

One of Cornwall’s most famous exports, Rodda’s has been making clotted cream for 130 years! Starting out in a Cornish farmhouse kitchen in 1890, today it is still a family run business and exports its products all over the world.

Having historically run the payroll in-house, Rodda’s decided to outsource to Cornwall Payroll last year. It felt that the time was right to use the expertise of a local payroll company to help to keep up to date with ever changing payroll legislation.

There are many reasons as to why outsourcing payroll could help your business. The start of the new tax year is the perfect time to outsource or switch payroll provider.

To find out more about how Cornwall Payroll can help your business in 2023, contact them on 01872 306412 or info@cornwallpayroll.co.uk

The property

review

Has the property market fully shaken-off the impact from the pandemic, or are soaring costs casting a dark shadow?

PICTURE: TOLVADDON HOUSES

In its annual Market Monitor report, which has just been published, Alder King reports an “encouraging increase” in office takeup for Truro and the surrounding areas, despite there only being a “modest increase” in supply.

There’s a familiar story in Cornwall. While on paper supply exceeds demand, Alder King says a mismatch remains between what people want and what people can get. Those seeking quality office accommodation in specific locations, continue to find options limited. And again a common issue in Cornwall, increasing construction costs relative to values limits speculative development.

As for the industrial market, Alder King’s Market Monitor says last year there was an increase in supply and reduction in takeup, which was in part a readjustment following the impact of Covid restriction.

However, despite this Alder King says there continues to be limited availability around the Duchy, with most demand focused on the A30 corridor, a trend which is likely to continue given the current dualling between Carland Cross and Chiverton.

As with the office market, rising construction costs continue to present significant viability issues for many developments.

HOUSING SLOWDOWN

Turning to the residential side, the slowdown in the housing market has been well documented in recent months. As we move into spring, activity traditionally picks up, but there remains much uncertainty.

Charlie Huggins, head of equities at Wealth Club, comments: “The housing market is very difficult to call right now.

“There has clearly been a marked slowdown in housing market activity in the last six months. Faced with higher mortgage costs and soaring bills, it’s no surprise that new home buyers are exercising greater caution.”

He says many housebuilders like Barratt have been battening down the hatches, but the picture may be improving.

“The picture is not looking as grim as it was back in the autumn, following the disastrous mini budget,” he says. “Despite rising interest rates, mortgage rates have fallen in recent months due to intense competition between lenders. And there is a growing sense that interest rates are close to peaking. If that turns out to be the case, confidence in the housing market could quickly return.

“At this stage a range of outcomes are still possible. Barratt has seen early signs of improved trading in January but it’s still too early to say whether the housing market will

suffer a mild downturn or a much deeper fall out, accompanied by substantial house price declines. In the meantime, house builders like Barratt are operating in ‘wait and see’ mode. “But at least things are looking brighter than a few months ago.”

Lynsey Carroll, new homes sales and marketing manager at Treveth, is more upbeat, however. Founded in 2019, Treveth builds high-quality new homes, sustainable communities, and commercial developments in partnership with Cornwall Council. Operating under a ‘Profit with Purpose’ ethos, Treveth says it puts Cornish people first. Residential property is offered to people who live, work or have family connections within the immediate vicinity of Treveth’s sites, and commercial developments support the property needs of businesses looking to grow and invest in Cornwall. Continued on page 28

RENTAL GROWTH

The January 2023 RICS UK Residential Survey results highlighted a muted market, with new buyer demand, sales, fresh listings, and prices all reported to be on a downward trend.

Near-term expectations suggest this picture is likely to remain in place for a while longer as the market adjusts to a higher-interest rates in the UK.

Looking at the next 12 months, however, the sales outlook does not appear to be quite as downcast.

Simon Rubinsohn, Chief Economist, RICS, says: “Although some respondents to the January RICS survey have noted a little more interest in the housing market as the new year got underway, the overall tone of the feedback still remains subdued which is not altogether surprising given the jump in mortgage rates since the autumn.

“Prices, meanwhile, are now beginning to reflect the shift in balance between demand and supply.

“However, it is questionable how much downside to pricing there is likely to be given that recent macro forecasts from the Bank of England and others are now envisaging a less harsh economic environment this year.

“Meanwhile the rental market continues to show strong interest from tenants and limited stock available which is keeping a firm momentum to rental growth.”

Things are looking brighter than a few months ago

GREEN NEW WORLD

The conversation around net zero, energy efficiency and all things ‘green’ has really stepped up over the last few months. Aimee Barrable, a partner at Stephens Scown LLP, looks at how this is affecting the Commercial Real Estate sector.

In the property world, the forthcoming change to the requirements around energy performance ratings and commercial leases is a particularly hot topic. While 2018 saw the introduction of minimum energy ratings for new leases, this April brings current leases within that scope too. As such, a landlord won’t be able to let or continue to let a commercial property with an energy rating below “E”. With buildings accounting for about a third of all carbon emissions in the UK, and given that about two thirds of non-domestic property is rented, this new phase to the Regulations is significant.

Aside from the ‘green’ impact of the Regulations, we’re likely to see investors

increasingly looking to more sustainable assets attracting better rents and returns, avoiding concerns around penalties for non-compliance. Tenants are less likely to be attracted to inefficient premises, particularly given the increase in energy costs, and will be less likely to make longterm commitments.

Advice to commercial property owners letting premises:

• Assess your portfolios urgently to ensure you can comply with the Minimum Energy Regulations and avoid penalties;

• Be alive to the fact that the Government has confirmed its intention to raise the minimum rating to “C” by 2027 and to

“B” by 2030, and implement the plans to upgrade and refurbish as necessary, engaging with your tenants to carry out those works;

• Consider the use of “green leases” or “memoranda of agreement” on environmental issues so you and your tenants can play your part in reducing the environmental impact of the property.

For our full blog on this topic, visit the Business Cornwall website, or to discuss any of these issues contact enquiries@stephens-scown.co.uk Aimee Barrable is a partner in the Commercial Real Estate team at Stephens Scown, advising clients on a wide range of property matters.

Continued from page 26

Lynsey comments: “With residential sites coming forward in Tolgus, Liskeard, Bodmin and Newquay, we are seeing strong pent-up demand for these new build homes. The market remains buoyant, in particular the rental market which isn’t showing signs of slowing down, and we are receiving enquiries about our schemes daily from local people who are looking for open market rent, affordable rent, shared ownership, and open market homes.”

Treveth currently has three live residential sites which are under construction: Gwel Basset in Tolgus; Park Lanneves in Bodmin and Bann an Hyns in Liskeard. Gwel Basset is a market leading, low carbon estate housing scheme, with all 185 new build homes at this site designed to meet challenging energy saving targets set by the industry for 2030.

Across the commercial sector, Treveth is still seeing good occupier demand within the commercial tenanted estate and future development opportunities.

Robert Churchill, senior commercial property manager at Treveth, says: “Our tenanted estate is fully let, and we have a number of live enquiries from businesses looking for commercial workspace. Generally, interest is for both freehold and leasehold accommodation with purchasers sometimes seeking to place the property within their personal pension and then rent back to the business.

“Looking forward, Treveth anticipate rents will settle at a good level and construction costs will stabilise due to the continued lack of supply and the high pent-up demand for modern, sustainable units in the region. This will provide more cost certainty on construction and help with closing the viability gap to a level where projects can be brought forward.”

Treveth’s current commercial projects include the refurbishment of a 7,250 sq ft unit in Redruth which will be starting imminently with works aiming to be completed by the summer. Several large companies in the region have expressed an interest in taking the unit on a long lease term and good rental values have been offered.

It has also submitted for planning a proposal for eight smaller double height industrial units at Walker Lined Industrial Estate in Bodmin. The aim is to complete these units by the end of 2023.

Treveth is also bringing forward a number of mixed-use schemes. Land was recently acquired at Coinagehall Street in Penzance for which plans are anticipated to be submitted in the summer. Treveth’s portfolio also includes the high-profile mixed-use schemes of the flagship garden village, Langarth Garden Village and the proposed transformation of the Pydar Street area of Truro into a vibrant new neighbourhood.

Take-up 000s sq ft Headline rent £psf

5 year average 168,000 sq ft 5 year average 254,600 sq ft

55% 6% 300

6% 200

55% 100

6% 400 168

200

150

58% 100

250 150 170 100

58% 0

10% 50

10%

6 4

8

10% 350 380 145 230 18192021 22

245 175 18192021 22 9 9 9 10 11 0

10 18192021 22

2

Supply 000s sq ft 29% 0 100 200 300 400 168 350 380 145 230 18192021 22 0 50 100 150 200 250 150 170 100 245 175 18192021 22 9 9 9 10 11 0 2 6 4 8 10 18192021 22 5 year average 168,000 sq ft 5 year average 254,600 sq ft Data supplied courtesy of Alder King’s Market Monitor 2023

Companies and partnerships holding residential property that falls, or may potentially fall, within the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) charge must ensure such property is revalued every five years.

The 2023/24 chargeable period is the first that will be based on the most recent valuation date of 1 April 2022 with any tax arising payable, and returns due, by 30 April 2023. If that revaluation has not been done, time is getting short.

The charge relates to residential property owned by a company or a partnership with a corporate member and valued at more than £500k at the last revaluation date, or new acquisitions costing more than £500k since that date.

The previous valuation date was 1 April 2017 and with a recent survey indicating that property price inflation in the south west since the 2016 Brexit referendum exceeds 33%, any property previously valued at £750k or above must be at risk of falling into the higher band, and any property valued at £375k or above is at risk of falling into ATED for the first time this coming year.

Control over the ATED regime has previously been quite lax but a recent reorganisation has seen a stricter approach to penalties and the failure to submit a return, even if no tax is due because of eligibility for relief, can result in severe penalties - £1.6k if a year late!

Properties in the £500k to £1m range will suffer an annual tax charge of £4,150 for 2023/24. The charge is £8,150 for those

valued between £1m and £2m, and there are further bands for properties above £5m with charges ranging from £28,650 to £269,450.

Properties used wholly for certain commercial purposes are eligible for relief, but those reliefs are highly conditional and an ATED return must be submitted to claim the relief. Properties such as hotels, guest houses, boarding school accommodation, hospitals, student halls of residence, military accommodation, care homes and prisons are exempted from the tax.

If you would like to discuss whether your company may be liable to ATED, or how your residential property business may be affected, please contact Robert Bailey, tax director at rbailey@bishopfleming.co.uk or on 01872 247086

of Forcenature

Groundsure director, David Kempster, explains some of the risks that climate change poses to commercial properties

In 2022, perhaps more than any other year, we came face to face with the reality of climate change as businesses, communities and homeowners. Temperatures soared above 40C for the first time, we were exposed to bushfires and water shortages. But we also experienced some of the strongest wind gusts ever recorded along the southwest coast thanks to Storm Eunice earlier in the year.

Businesses are starting to comprehend how both their property assets and the welfare of their staff can be directly impacted. This is what drives us here at Groundsure to provide commercial property owners and their lawyers with the tools to be able to make informed and sustainable decisions about their investment.

We give land and property professionals expert information on environmental and climate risks to advise their clients in a property transaction or commercial mortgage offer. Each of these risks could have significant impacts on the long-term valuation of the property asset, interrupt business operations and affect access to insurance and lending.

Climate risks fall into two camps – physical and transitional risk. Physical risks include flooding from rivers, surface rainfall, coastal/ tidal flooding from sea level rise; natural subsidence and coastal erosion.

According to our ClimateIndex™ analysis, nationwide by 2070, 98,000 homes will be at risk of coastal erosion while 3,000,000 homes will be at risk of flooding. 3,600,000 will be at risk from subsidence, up from 449,000 today. Not only is the probability of incurring a loss growing; the scale of that loss is significant.

Aviva estimates that 1 in 3 commercial properties are at risk of flooding1. The average cost of a flood claim to insurers is £50k.2

According to the British Geological Survey (BGS) the number of properties in Great Britain which are highly or extremely likely to suffer “shrink-swell” subsidence was 3% in 1990 (750,000 homes) and is predicted to grow to 6.5% of buildings by 2030 (1.625M homes)

Looking at Cornwall specifically, dozens of properties are at risk on the coast from crumbling cliffs and their fate will be determined by national and local policies on whether to defend, retreat or abandon sections of coastline. Not everywhere can be saved and The Environment Agency does not have an infinite pot of money.

Downderry, Marazion and Perranuthnoe are among the 21 most at-risk communities from encroachment by the sea. If left to the mercy of the waves, these communities are part of the estimated £584 million worth of property damages and loss of value to land that could be hit by coastal erosion by 2100.

Properties lost off cliffs represent a total loss in value of course and you would be hard pressed to find any lender who would be prepared to write a mortgage offer on these if it looks likely the property could succumb within the life of the loan. But persistent flood risks may also mean limited or no insurance cover which could also mean no mortgage. Flood Re is a support scheme designed to help the

most vulnerable communities, but there is no such safety net for business owners.

Let’s not forget the impact of former tin mines across Cornwall too. Localised heavier rainfall may also wash away informal or poorly capped former mine entrances, exposing commercial buildings, car parks and infrastructure to structural risks that they hadn’t anticipated. This is where our well-known and trusted mine risk assessment team based in Pool near Redruth come in.

The other type of climate risk – transition risk – could have even more significance for businesses. The Government have a clear drive to decarbonise property, to retrofit energy efficiency measures and achieve Minimum Energy Standards for businesses in the next ten years. There may be significant costs that businesses could be required to consider with their heating and ventilation, power consumption, renewable and sustainable energy generation including wind and solar power to jump these hurdles.

So, this is where we at Groundsure are focusing our support and attention. Tying together the complex impact of climate change with existing environmental risks across Cornwall and looking ahead to see if these could impact on business success.

For more information about our ClimateIndex™ data and how we work with lawyers and lenders on how to advise clients on managing these risks alongside our mining risk assessment support, visit www.groundsure.com/climateindex or call us on 01209 218861

1 https://www.aviva.com/newsroom/news-releases/2021/09/one-in-three-business-properties-at-risk-from-flooding/ 2 https://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/abi-uk-floods-to-cost-insurers-13bn/1416942.article

1 in 3 commercial properties are at risk of flooding1

There’s no place like Cornish Gems

They say home is where the heart is. And our heart lies here, in Cornwall. Our roots in the local community mean we can offer a deeply personal service right across our portfolio of exceptional holiday homes.

This local knowledge and expertise means we’re the perfect partner for anyone looking for a home in Cornwall. Not only can we help you achieve a fantastic return on your investment, but we can connect you with loyal customers who keep coming back to the rare quality of Cornish Gems.

Talk to us today about joining the Cornish Gems Portfolio. Call 01872 241241 and select option 5.

Bthe difference

Wildanet launches ambitious B23 initiative to create 23 new Cornish B Corporations.

A rallying call has gone out to businesses in Cornwall to join a new initiative aimed at further establishing the county as one of the UK’s and world’s most sustainable places to live and work.

Cornwall-based broadband provider Wildanet has teamed up with Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and LEAP to launch the B23 initiative.

The scheme aims to bring together 23 Cornish businesses in 2023 and support them to gain B Corp status – the globally recognised accreditation for ethical businesses.

TRANSFORMATIONAL YEAR FOR WILDANET

The campaign launch follows a busy year which has seen Wildanet catapult the issue of digital connectivity for Cornwall, Devon

and other rural areas on to the regional and national agenda. At the same time, it has accelerated the roll-out of its own gigabitcapable fibre network to towns and villages in the region.

The company was founded in 2017 with a clear mission to extend high-speed broadband to hard-to-reach rural areas, bringing significant socioeconomic benefits to communities and businesses.

Wildanet is investing more than £50 million in its high-speed broadband network across Cornwall and the south west following a £50 million backing from Gresham House’s Sustainable Infrastructure strategy in 2020.

In addition, Wildanet was recently awarded £36 million of contracts under the Government’s Project Gigabit to deliver fullfibre, gigabit-capable broadband for up to an additional 19,250 premises in hard-to-reach areas in south west and mid Cornwall.

As a result of these new contracts, Wildanet expects to create 200 jobs on top of the 150 the company has created in the area already.

B23 - CREATING A MOVEMENT

Companies enrolling on the B23 initiative would join a growing cluster of B Corps already in Cornwall - understood to be the largest in the UK outside London – creating a movement with the potential for further growth and underpinning Cornwall’s position as beacon for sustainable economic development.

Certified B Corps are a global community of thousands of purpose-driven companies working together to use business as a force

Underpinning Cornwall’s position as beacon for sustainable economic development.

for good by measuring, managing and improving their social and environmental impact. Achieving certification demonstrates that companies meet high standards of verified social and environmental performance.

Businesses joining the B23 initiative will be supported and mentored by sustainable design agency, and Cornwall’s first B Corp, Leap, who as B Leaders have guided more than 70 businesses nationally on their B Corp journey.

Helen Wylde, chief executive of Wildanet, says Wildanet already had an ambition to become a B Corp as part of its wide-ranging commitment to sustainability and good practice.

After discussing with Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and Leap, the idea formed of widening participation and bringing 23 likeminded businesses together for 2023 to support each other in becoming B Corps for Cornwall.

Helen adds: “Wildanet has a clear mission to bridge the digital divide and promote social and economic inclusion by extending high speed broadband to those areas which currently don’t have the connectivity they deserve. At the same time, we want to do this in a way which is least impactful on the environment and we are already a Carbon Neutral business, with rigorous audits and processes and a clear route to Net Zero by 2050.

“B23 is an excellent way for businesses, large and small, to understand their impact, improve it, have fun and create long-term impact within their company and beyond.

“We are delighted to be working with the Cornwall Chamber, as their Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) partner, and with Leap, bringing businesses in Cornwall together to support each other, achieve something incredibly positive and lay the foundation for a bigger movement.”

Kim Conchie, chief executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, says: “We’re so proud of the place where we live and work and the fact Cornwall has the biggest cluster of B Corps outside London in the UK says a lot about the values of Cornwall and its businesses.

“We are delighted with the feedback from so many businesses interested in joining the movement through the B23 programme and we are grateful to Wildanet for the gamechanging energy and enthusiasm they are bringing not just to this initiative but to the wider business life of Cornwall.”

Simon Thomason, managing director of Leap, said: “As the first B Corp in Cornwall, and having been one for six years now, we feel really blessed to be part of this movement and we want to share it with more people and businesses. So, we are incredibly pleased to be partnering with Wildanet and the Chamber

for B23 and to see such enthusiasm from interested businesses.

“We’ve got a programme which is really exciting – with inspiring venues and inspiring talks and support from a series of B Leaders - which will allow businesses to work together and collaborate as they go through the BIA process.”

FIND OUT MORE

Wildanet, Cornwall Chamber and Leap were due to host a B23 inspiration day on March 1, where some of Cornwall’s B Corps gathered to share their stories on why they chose to become a B Corp.

For more information please visit: https://wildanet.com/B23/

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, visited Truro College last month to help mark National Apprenticeship Week.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Truro and Falmouth MP, Cherilyn Mackrory, and Truro and Penwith College principal, Martin Tucker, on a tour of the college’s South West Institute of Technology building.

PM VISITS TRURO COLLEGE

Talking to full-time Level 3 Engineering diploma students, the PM said: “It’s absolutely brilliant. You’ll all have great careers but you’ll also discover things and different ways of doing things and that is what we need.”

DIGITAL SKILLS FOR WOMEN

TECWomen CIC and Truro and Penwith College have launched a free-to-access, online technology skills course designed specifically for women.

The ten-week DigitalUPLIFT course has proved so popular - fully subscribed within a week - that a second one has been announced for September.

Caitlin Gould, founder of TECWomen, said: “Cornwall has a thriving technology sector - but not nearly enough women are part of it. By launching this course, we hope to help close the gender gap in Cornwall’s technology sector and encourage more women to recognise the value that they can bring to this kind of work and to pursue careers in this field.”

For full details of the course, which is open to women of all ages and experience levels, go to www.tecwomen.co.uk/digitaluplift

STARS OF THE FUTURE

Truro and Penwith College recently hosted some of Cornwall’s top hospitality employers as they delivered a series of masterclasses to inspire the next generation of hospitality stars.

The Ainsworth Collection, Steins Group, Hub Box, St Austell Brewery and Philleigh Way Cookery School were among those who hosted a masterclass.

The annual ‘Employer Week’ was organised by Truro and Penwith College’s Hospitality department and Hospitality Table Cornwall.

The week was designed to inspire students while increasing awareness of the varied careers in the sector and raising aspirations as they rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in the industry.

Course coordinator, Tony Duce, said: “Our employer engagement week here at Truro and Penwith College has always been a key part of our learner’s development and journey.”

CAREERS IN HOSPITALITY

St Austell Brewery has partnered up with The Cornwall College Group to deliver an interactive learning experience in the catering and hospitality industry – the only one of its kind in the south west.

The partnership will open a world of opportunities for school-aged students, giving them the chance to gain valuable work experience in various industries and learn from seasoned professionals, while earning a competitive wage.

The collaboration allows Year 10 and Year

11 students to access state-of-the-art professional kitchens, where they will learn from one of Cornwall’s top employers and gain hands-on experience in the culinary arts.

Under the guidance of experienced chefs and hospitality professionals, students will learn the latest techniques and trends in the industry across 175 pubs in Devon and Cornwall.

The brewery’s early careers manager, Jon Kelly, said “We are proud and excited to be at the forefront in developing this unique learning opportunity in partnership with Cornwall College and look forward to helping the young people that participate to get the most out of the programme.”

LOGANAIR RETURNS TO CORNWALL

Cornwall Airport Newquay has welcomed the return of the UK’s largest regional airline. Initially planned to recommence from March 26, Loganair brought the schedule forward to cater for the February half-term break.

Coupled with the Cornwall-Manchester reconnection are routes from Cornwall to Newcastle, Edinburgh, and onward services are available to Aberdeen, the Isle of Man and the Scottish highlands and islands.

Luke Lovegrove, chief commercial officer

at Loganair, said: “It’s great to be back at Cornwall Airport Newquay and to be able to offer our customers increased choice and year-round service.”

Head of commercial at Cornwall Airport Newquay, Amy Smith, added: “The connection between Manchester and Newquay is and always has been one of our most popular routes. We’re delighted to have Loganair back serving this market, as well as other much needed connections to Scotland and the north.”

PREMIER INN PLANS

Plans have been submitted to Cornwall Council for a 100-bedroom Premier Inn hotel in St Ives.

SW TOURISM AWARDS FINALISTS

Ninety tourism businesses from across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bath, Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall have been shortlisted for the South West Tourism Awards.

Among the local hopefuls are Hendra Holiday Park (Holiday Park of the Year), Budock Vean Hotel (Large Hotel of the Year) and PK Porthcurno (Small Visitor Attraction of the Year).

The news follows an awards process which started in April 2022, with 482 entries submitted, a rigorous judging process and many winning in their county schemes in Cornwall, Bristol, Bath and Somerset, Dorset and Devon.

Up to four finalists have been announced

BUDOCK VEAN LOOKS AHEAD

The Budock Vean has strengthened its team in anticipation of a good year ahead.

The hotel, located on the Helford River, near Falmouth, has reopened with several new starters, and a number of promotions.

in each category, but all will have to wait until the ceremony, at the Eden Project on March 23, to learn whether they have won Gold, Silver or Bronze trophies. Many will also be nominated to represent the south west in the national VisitEngland awards later in the year.

Chair of judges, Dr Natalie Semley, lecturer in sustainable tourism management at Cornwall Business School, said: “The level of excellence being sustained throughout the south west region was truly inspirational, and represents the extraordinary level of dedication and commitment from each and every business shortlisted.”

To view the full shortlist, head to southwesttourismawards.org.uk

Despite several challenges since the pandemic, owner and MD, Martin Barlow, believes Budock Vean is in good shape for a busy year ahead.

“We’ve had a very interesting few years –especially post pandemic when we found ourselves really struggling to find staff,” he said. “I’m pleased to say that we are feeling confident about the way 2023 is going to pan out, and as a result we have re-opened this week after a short refurb period, with several new positions, new staff, and some

Announced in September, a planning application for a sustainably designed, contemporary-style hotel on the site of Trewidden Care Home, Trewidden Road, has been formally submitted by Premier Inn’s parent company Whitbread.

If approved, more than £10 million will be invested by Whitbread in the construction of the proposed hotel and 30 new permanent jobs in a variety of roles will be created on opening. It is also estimated that guests of the St Ives Premier Inn would spend around £2.5 million per year in the local economy –£1.2 million of which is expected to be spent during the off-peak season.

Louise Woodruff, property acquisitions manager at Whitbread, said: “During October, we were able to meet with residents and community stakeholders to share our plans for St Ives. We have been listening to their feedback and been working closely with our team to design a hotel that is fitting for the town and would bring many long-term benefits.”

familiar faces promoted to more senior roles.”

The hotel has recruited a new head gardener. Danny Konik will take care of the diverse range of woodland, parkland, foreshore, and subtropical valley garden on the 65-acre estate.

Bronwyn Maddocks has been promoted to natural health spa manager, and Sarah Ferrie moves from her role in events to the new position of head of marketing. Chloe Walton is marketing assistant while Ryan Bray has been named food & beverage manager.

A new National Lottery-funded report commissioned by Screen Cornwall and the BFI has found that the screen industry in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly shows increasing potential to become a “screen cluster of national significance”.

Entitled ‘Catalysing the Cornish Screen Sector,’ the report points to the region’s recent successes in domestic independent filmmaking rooted in Cornish heritage –notably Mark Jenkin’s BAFTA-winning 2019 debut Bait and 2022 follow up Enys Men - coupled with its long-standing popularity

BULL’S EYE!

Video production company Bull & Wolf has won two key industry awards.

The Penryn-based business took a gold award in the short form video series category of the AVA Digital Awards for its work with ProQ Smokers and a platinum for its cinema advert for Truro and Penwith College.

“We are thrilled to receive these awards, which reflect our dedication to delivering exceptional social video and services to our customers,” said MD Joe Turnbull.

“Our team works tirelessly to bring a fresh creative approach that goes above and beyond the needs of our customers, and it’s an honour to be recognised for our efforts and to work with such established names.”

HUGE POTENTIAL FOR SCREEN INDUSTRY

production companies and audiences alike, as well as a growing bank of crew and exciting creative talent. We have a rich cultural heritage with a minority language that is rising in profile on screen - Enys Men is particularly significant; a fully indigenous critically-acclaimed feature film developed and produced by a Cornish company.”

for location filming, that attracts incoming productions like ITV’s Doc Martin and international titles like HBO’s House of the Dragon.

In addition, the study profiles a skilled and growing regional crewbase, an indigenous community of ambitious microbusinesses and physical infrastructure developments set for completion in 2024/5.

Screen Cornwall MD, Laura Giles, said: “The ambition for sustainable growth for the screen sector in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly builds on our popularity with

The study found that although the region’s film & TV production crew base is small compared to more densely populated regions - with around 290 professionals registered on Screen Cornwall’s database - it is highly experienced and growing in number.

More than 270 companies were found to be active across film, television, video production, equipment hire and digital games. 65 fell under the category of film or TV, and 35 were video games companies ranging from start-ups to more established companies like AntiMatter Games, True Players and Dull Dude. The majority (over 85%) of screen sector companies registered in Cornwall are microbusinesses with two or fewer employees.

SPANISH STEPS

Video production company, Oatey Media, recently returned from Spain after filming its first international video project.

This company was in Madrid as part of a wider brand film on behalf of Carrington Crisp, that’s being produced alongside additional footage being shot in the UK.

Oatey Media founder, Sam Oatey,

says projects like these exemplify the opportunities available for Cornwall’s creative sector and the potential for growth within the industry.

“When I started filmmaking, I never expected to be presented with projects like this. It’s been a dream of mine for a long time to work abroad with high-profile brands. It really does amplify that Cornwall has so much to offer and we’re proud to be part of this community.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY OLLIE UPTON, HBO

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

is to raise interest rates, which makes things difficult for the average SME.

However, psychologically I do think the word ‘recession’ being thrown out will make a significant impact on business confidence, and inflation coming down might ease pressure slightly on wage claims and cost of living for everybody.

At the Chamber, I think it’s our job to keep confidence levels high. There’s been a lot of bad press about how businesses are feeling – and I’m sure the private sector sitting with wage increases between 3% and 7% whilst public sector wage demands are between 15% and 28%, is not helping morale.

Of course, many businesses are holding off on decisions to invest, recruit, or buy new equipment until they have something concrete from the Government to give them confidence they need. The upcoming budget will be an important one – particularly where energy costs are concerned.

30 UNDER 30

Don’t forget to put your young members of staff – or yourself, forward for the 30 under 30 awards!

Now in their eighth year, the awards, which are organised by Cornwall Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Coodes, Business Cornwall, Whyfield Associates, Pirate FM and Truro & Penwith College, recognise 30 of the Duchy’s most innovative young businesspeople.

To be eligible for the award, candidates must be employed, or self-employed, under the age of 30 on March 18th 2023 and living and working in The Duchy.

CORNWALL CHAMBER CEO, KIM CONCHIE, FINDS REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL.

The daffs are out, the birds are singing in the morning, and it’s not dark when I drive home from work; spring is on its way, and I’ve definitely witnessed a subtle change in mood at our events recently.

That of course, may be down to some good news where the country’s economic position is concerned: last month we heard that the UK is not in recession, and that inflation –whilst still in double digits, is going down. Don’t get me wrong, the fact we’re not in recession is a very weak silver lining; the economy hasn’t gone into reverse, but only because the damage of the pandemic was greater than initially thought.

Similarly, where inflation is concerned, businesses continue to be battered by rising costs from raw materials, wages, energy, new trade barriers, and taxation; and the Bank of England’s approach to bringing inflation down

The British Chambers of Commerce has said a number of businesses have experienced as much as 600% increases in gas and electricity costs. The Government must do a U-turn on the decision it made before Christmas: to offer a pot of money and essentially walk away. The only way to create the stable environment needed to support investment and a focus on skills, infrastructure and green technology, is to provide businesses with security.

It’s chicken and egg at the moment; lots of issues must be solved in order to unlock growth potential of businesses and therefore control inflation, but inflation levels are making the Government very cautious.

In other news, I think Rishi’s restructure of The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is positive. We now have a department dedicated to business and trade, and a department specifically focusing on energy security and Net Zero.

The latter could be a great asset to Cornwall as we push to be the first region to achieve net zero and take the reins in the green industrial revolution.

Stay positive, push on, have faith. We’ve got a tough old year ahead, but things are perhaps, kind of, somewhat, maybe a little tiny weeny bit better than predicted.

The judges are looking for nominations that represent the true diversity Cornwall has to offer and the unique contribution these passionate and talented people are adding to our region.

Enter now at the Chamber website, best of luck!

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.

FOOD FESTIVAL LINEUP

The Porthleven Food Festival has announced the first wave of leading chefs headlining this year’s event.

Presented by acclaimed chef Jude Kereama alongside celebrity chef, broadcaster and returning festival supporter Anthony Worrall Thompson, the 2023 (April 21-23) chef

TASTY NEW VENTURE

Barbican Bistro – a new family run restaurant led by local brothers Jack and Jay Liddicoat – has opened in Penzance, with the help of alternative law firm Spencer West.

Located in a historic building next to Penzance Harbour, Barbican Bistro offers casual dining, serving small plates with a focus on fish. The menu features fresh, seasonal local ingredients including fish caught by Jack and Jay’s dad Shane, which he delivers straight off his boat in Newlyn.

The Liddicoat brothers were advised by a team of three lawyers from Spencer West led by Sonya Bassett, a Penzance-based corporate partner with the national law firm.

line-up includes Tom Barnes – executive head chef at Simon Rogan’s flagship three Michelin Star L’Enclume restaurant; James Knappett – chef patron of two Michelin Star Kitchen Table in London and Emily Scott – chef and cookbook author, who opened her restaurant on the sea wall at the iconic Watergate Bay.

The festival is also set to welcome Rupert Cooper, of Philleigh Way Cookery School; Josh Eggleton, Michelin Star chef patron of The Pony Restaurant Group; Olivia Barry chef owner of Adelina Yard in Bristol; Andrew Tuck, head chef of St Kew Inn; Stephane Delourme group head chef of Stein’s Restaurants and Masterchef quarterfinalist and Sabzi Deli founder Kate Attlee.

Kereama, said: “We’re so excited to bring together such a talented line-up of chefs for the 2023 festival – these guys are some of the best in the business, the real movers and shakers of the industry.”

ALL SET FOR THE GRUB HUB

Falmouth’s Custom House Quay is about to become a go-to spot for the local community and visitors to sample a diverse array of food and drink pop-ups this summer.

The 350-year old quay operated by Falmouth Harbour is becoming home to a scenic ‘Grub Hub’ of independent street food vans and vendors following a successful trial last year. Former superyacht chef Paul Halliday will return with his mobile Pescabar and he said: “Custom House Quay is a beautiful spot to work from and the feedback from customers last year was amazing.

“It’s always been a great year-round destination with all the surrounding pubs and restaurants - and alongside those it’ll be good fun to have a real foodie colony of pop-ups on the quay this year.”

Falmouth Harbour is inviting bookings for its pop-up slots with the hub up and running for purveyors of food and drink between April 1 and October 31.

She said: “I loved listening to their amazing ideas and guiding them through the legal and wider business aspects of the transaction. Barbican Bistro will be a fabulous addition to Penzance’s thriving foodie scene.”

The Liddicoat brothers grew up in Penzance and Jay trained as a chef in London. He worked for respected London restaurants including Shane’s on Chatsworth in Hackney and Mark Hix’s restaurant in Selfridges.

On his return to Penzance Jay was one of the founders of the Lost and Found Café on Chapel Street. Jack has developed his career in a number of highly rated Cornish restaurants including most recently 2 Fore Street in Mousehole.

Throughout July and August – peak time for events at the Harbour including the Tall Ships Festival, Shanty Festival and numerous regattas - the entire quay will be closed to parking and turned over to the Grub Hub. Harbour CEO, Miles Carden, said: “It’s a privilege for us to hold such wonderful, historic waterside quays as part of our Falmouth Harbour estate and we are delighted to be opening Custom House Quay in particular to local food and drink businesses in what will be such a blockbuster summer for our town.”

Independents wanting to join the Grub Hub can apply to Falmouth Harbour online at falmouthharbour.co.uk/grubhub

AN AWARDING EXPERIENCE

Neil Eames Regional development manager – south central and south west FSB

There is no doubt that 2023 has got off to a very challenging start for many Cornish small businesses and there is obviously a lot of uncertainty about the months ahead. So, it is important, where we can, to try to recognise there are also some very good things happening in our small business community.

One example that shows local businesses doing their best to stay positive amidst the economic storm is how they have reacted to our FSB Small Business Awards – the UK’s biggest competition for SMEs and the self-employed.

The south west regional contest has seen a near-record amount of entries and we have witnessed a particularly large amount of interest from Cornwall. We were overwhelmed by the amount of high quality entries that came in from businesses of all types in the county and it meant Cornwall had a larger amount of nominees than many other major south west areas including Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol.

Freedom Signs starts 2023 with significant investment in the business.

A business born from the ashes of the Covid pandemic is firing into its third year of trading by heavily investing in new equipment.

Freedom Signs, based in Redruth, has recently acquired an additional stateof-the-art printing system. This is in addition to opening new premises at Cardrew Industrial Estate in 2022 and purchasing other plant machinery and equipment.

The investment came off the back of a hugely successful year for Freedom Signs, which expanded its portfolio.

This included a complete signage rebrand installation for Truro and Penwith College, as well as working on the hangar and wayfinding signage for Spaceport Cornwall, alongside other local companies.

Tom Moran, Future Skills and Business Partnership Manager at Truro and Penwith College, said: “Freedom Signs has been an extremely valuable part of our new Future Skills

Great companies from Truro, Penzance, Launceston, India Queens, St Columb Major, Bude and Redruth all made our various shortlists along with three individuals – Jennifer Webb, of St Austell, and Gemma Heard, of Penzance, (shortlisted as best self-employed/freelancer) and Jason Ratcliffe, from Hayle, who was nominated for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Our various nominees represented businesses from the food and drink sector, manufacturing, health and fitness and more and it meant the Cornish flag was flying in no less than eight of the 12 category shortlists. That is some achievement.

What this shows is that yes, times are tough but there are still plenty of business owners in Cornwall prepared to enter highly-competitive awards to show how proud they are of what they have achieved so far - and how keen they are to make a mark in the future.

Institute branding. Freedom Signs takes concepts and translates them into clean, visually appealing, and professional graphics that continue to impress. What we like most is that they will take creative risks and think outside the box to deliver a superior product that we are impressed by every time, while still representative to our brand.”

Mark Minton, project manager, Mark Williams, installation manager, and Dan O`Riordan, production manager, started Freedom Signs following redundancies as a result of the Covid pandemic.

Freedom Signs has also confirmed new signage projects for spring at the new MRI and Oncology Unit at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, as well as the second phase of the Marazion to Penzance gateway signage, working in partnership with Cornwall Council.

Mark Minton, said: “We’re adding these new contracts to our impressive list of existing clients, including Tate St Ives, Truro School, Falmouth University, Truro and Newquay BIDs, PK Porthcurno, Goonhilly and Lands’ End.

www.fsb.org.uk

info@freedomsigns.co.uk freedomsigns.co.uk /freedomsignscornwall

01209 916198

Jon Hurrell strengthens the senior management team with a wealth of experience gained in a variety of manufacturing environments.

Started by Dean Haney and Jason O’Connell 14 years ago, Sellectronics

TAKE POINT TAKE FOUR

Leadership and team development provider, Take Point Training, has appointed four new training facilitators as the company continues to grow.

The Falmouth-based firm provides bespoke training programmes to businesses and organisations using mostly ex-military personnel with extensive experience in leadership and teamwork.

Terry Reeves joins the business with a wealth of expertise having spent 34 years in the Royal Air Force (RAF). Jon Turner has

Coodes has appointed a new lawyer to further strengthen its specialist personal injury and clinical negligence team.

Demelza Pallant has joined the six-strong team in Cornwall and Devon as an associate solicitor with the firm, after recently relocating from Gloucestershire.

With more than 20 years of experience as a lawyer, Pallant brings with her significant expertise on a wide range of complex personal injury matters.

Rachel Pearce, head of the personal injury and clinical negligence department at Coodes, said: “We are delighted to welcome Demelza to Coodes – her specialist knowledge and expertise will provide a further boost to the incredibly committed, experienced and empathetic team of professionals who work tirelessly to provide the highest levels of support for our clients.”

NEW MD SELECTED

has been at the forefront of UK electronic engineering with its specialist printed circuit board (PCB) assembly.

Hurrell said: “Dean and Jason are the brains behind Sellectronics and the achievements secured by this SME to date are extraordinary. Their dominant expertise lies in the technical aspects of the business, ensuring the company delivers the most up to date cutting edge solutions.

“My role is to be able to shape and develop the business further, so that it can maximise the opportunities the expanding market offers.”

a proven track record of operational and leadership success, gained over many years in the British Army and corporate sector, while former Royal Marine Commando, Dan Fielding, will share his real-world experience working in high-intensity and fast-paced environments across the globe.

Take Point Training has also appointed David Renton, who has joined forces with the company following a high-flying career in the Royal Air Force.

Founder and CEO Shaun Pascoe, who launched the company following his 16 years’ service in the RAF, said: “We are delighted to welcome Terry, John, Dan and David to the team, who will be instrumental in helping us deliver our training programmes to our client partners.”

DEMELZA JOINS COODES

LANG BENNETTS ADDITIONS

Natalie Dunstan and Josh Collett have joined Lang Bennetts’ growing accountancy team. Dunstan has been appointed practice manager – a new role that oversees Lang Bennett’s three offices in Falmouth, Truro and St Austell. Describing herself as a “Falmouth girl born and bred”, Dunstan is the former director of a local estate agency where she worked for 22 years.

Josh Collett grew up in Truro before studying at Cardiff University. He moved back to Cornwall and has spent the last eight years working as an accountant and is currently studying towards his professional chartered qualification.

FLYING THE FLAG

Red Ensign, one of the West Country’s largest independent yacht and motorboat brokerages, has welcomed a new director and shareholder.

Tristan Vivian (pictured far right) brings more than 20 years’ marine industry experience to the business. His background includes a key role in the refitting of Mirabella V (now M5) and nearly a decade in marina operations and management.

“It’s great to be joining an established and highly professional yacht brokerage and I’m confident that I can really make a difference,” he said.

Red Ensign, which has offices in Plymouth and Falmouth, is the sole international broker for pre-owned Rustler, Bowman and Starlight yachts.

RACHEL PEARCE AND DEMELZA PALLANT

Falmouth-based contract electronics manufacturer, Sellectronics, has a new MD.

aventurer gonisogethel Avowans

‘Confessions of a Cultural Entrepreneur’ - Will Coleman, artistic director of Golden Tree Productions

It was Kim Conchie who first introduced me as a ‘cultural entrepreneur’. However, I had better ‘fess up straight away that I really don’t know how to make money. What’s more I don’t really understand how other people make money either. What I do know is that ‘culture’ does create significant economic impacts and that, as a company and as a sector, we have made enormous progress in helping people understand this.

Apparently, the UK’s Creative Industries contribute something like £115 billion to the

economy annually, that’s over £300 million every day. Pre-Covid the sector was powering the UK’s workforce growth – adding new jobs at twice the rate of the rest of the economy. Here in Cornwall, we’ve always had a bubbling set of innovative creative industries and there’s now a growing realisation of the economic value of theatre, film, visual arts etc. However, I have to tell you that I do not get out of bed in the morning to ‘do culture’ because it helps with the economy, that’s not what motivates me and it’s not what

motivates most people across the creative sector.

We do stuff because it’s good for people, and it’s good for life. It enriches life in a way that can’t be measured in pounds and pence. Whilst it’s great that culture contributes to the economy, if that lesson has now been learnt, how about we now learn the next lesson, which is that ‘culture’ is the stuff that makes life worth living...

As a company we’ve been fortunate enough

to form relationships with so many businesses that just ‘get it’. The rewards of cross-sector cross-pollination have been apparent in many of our projects, including The Man Engine.

The first tour in 2016 was witnessed by an audience of 149,400 in person, with an international reach of 112 million. Based on the audience figures, the economic impact of the Man Engine tour was calculated at around £2.9 million just in the first ten days! We managed to secure the support of First Kernow buses, Maen Karne, CORMAC, Imerys, Mining Searches UK and Volvo Construction Equipment GB.

We are also seeing these cross-sector collaborations flourish at Kerdroya, the Cornish Landscape Labyrinth which we’re constructing at Colliford Lake on Bodmin Moor. As a commission for the Cornwall AONB Diamond Jubilee in 2019, the 56m diameter labyrinth project has grown into a multi-faceted Cornish heritage project - training young people, volunteers and nurturing school pupils. This project growth

has meant we’ve had to reach out to those outside of the sector for support – whether that’s investment from South West Water, sponsorship from Rodda’s, Financial Concepts Planning and First Kernow or networking and connection sharing from those who can help us shift stones across Cornwall!

Recently, we’ve been working away on grand plans for a few projects (that may never be realised to their full potential, depending on the outcome of various funding bids – dreckly does it) and have been gratified by the overwhelming response from those, outside of our sector, who’ve seen the value – with little convincing – and jumped right on board.

We’re repeatedly being told how fortunate we are to live in Cornwall, with its beautiful landscape and its wonderful people. Well,

IMAGE BY: STEVE TANNER

purely seeing that in terms of economic benefit is to diminish the experience of real life. Real people’s lives are lived in real places, in real communities. Finally, we are now inching closer to that parallel universe where there are multiple and diverse Cornish voices telling our own story (see the recent Cornish language additions to BBC iPlayer) together with a renewed engagement with and celebration of our distinctive identity and indigenous language. If we are all going to co-exist here in this wonderful patch of the planet, it’s our communal cultural life that will glue us together in all our diversity as we tackle the ecological and existential crises ahead - and that will help make tomorrow a day that is worth getting out of bed for.

An termyn a dheu yw splann, an termyn a dheu yw Kernewek!

The future is bright, the future is Cornish!

The future is bright, the future is Cornish!

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MARCH 2023 EVENTS

MARCH 2023

ARCA ON THE ROAD

Atlantic Hotel, Newquay

Come and join the Arca team for a free workshop on exploring the benefits of using coaching techniques within your business. eventbrite.co.uk

CORNWALL CHAMBER LUNCH

Driftwood Spars, St Agnes

Don’t miss out on the chance to expand your Cornish connections, while joining in some great conversation. cornwallchamber.co.uk

HEARTLANDS BUSINESS BREAKFAST

Red River Café, Pool

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

CELEBRATING INNOVTION

Atlantic Hotel, Newquay

Join Acceleration Through

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!

Innovation 2 (ATI2) for the finale legacy event celebrating business innovation in Cornwall. eventbrite.co.uk

SURF NETWORKING

Global Boarders, Praa Sands

The Cornwall Chamber of Commerce has started a series of surf networking events led by surf enthusiast Ella Croft. cornwallchamber.co.uk

BREAKFAST & BEYOND AT HELIGAN

Lost Gardens of Heligan

Conversations on regeneration. Heligan’s second seasonal breakfast event, hosted by podcaster Tia Tamblyn with guests Tom Kay (Finisterre) and Bella Collins (Flexi Hex). heligan.com

CORNISH PIRATES V COVENTRY

Mennaye Field, Penzance

Championship rugby action as the Cornish Pirates welcome Coventry to the Mennaye. For a full matchday experience, why

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not try a hospitality package – the perfect way to entertain clients and colleagues alike. cornish-pirates.com

ST PETROCS BUSINESS CLUB

Rick Stein, Newquay

St Petrocs is hosting a networking breakfast to celebrate the launch of its new Business Club. stpetrocs.org.uk

LEADING A SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE CONFERENCE

Nancarrow Farm, Saint Allen

Listen to inspirational speakers, Jo Fairley co-founder Green & Black’s chocolate and Chris Hines MBE co-founder of Surfers against Sewage. eventbrite.co.uk

EARLY BIRD COFFEE CLUB

Cocktail Haus, Falmouth

A free space for local businesses, start-ups, creatives, entrepreneurs to connect over good coffee. Kindly hosted by Solskinn Coffee and Cocktail Haus in Falmouth. eventbrite.co.uk

10 BREAKFAST NORWAY INN Norway Way, Perranarworthal

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13 PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION Holiday Inn Express, Bodmin

14 WEST CORNWALL BUSINESS BREAKFAST Inn for All Seasons, Treleigh

15 NETWALKING WITH ANNIE CHAPMAN & ANNIE PAGE The Borough Arms, Bodmin

16 OPEN HOUSE CORNWALL

For further details of these and more networking events visit businesscornwall.co.uk

To publicise your event for free, email news@businesscornwall.co.uk

SOUTH WEST TOURISM AWARDS

Eden Project

Tourism businesses from Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bath, Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall have been named finalists in this year’s South West Tourism Excellence Awards.

Southwesttourismawards.org.uk

THE PIG DIPPERS

The Pig at Harlyn Bay

Networking while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, followed by a light breakfast of pastries. What could be more refreshing!

cornwallchamber.co.uk

CORNWALL CHAMBER

BIG

Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth

This month, Cornwall Chamber’s flagship breakfast networking event will hear from Christian Thomson, founder and CEO of Marwick Marketing. cornwallchamber.co.uk

FEATURED EVENT

MARCH 8-9

EXPOWEST

If you have a Cornish business, small or large that’s in hospitality, catering, or food and drink retail, Expowest Cornwall is the show you cannot afford to miss.

Over 150 exhibitors will be bringing you everything from the latest food offerings to the newest drinks, the best in business services, sundry supplies, catering equipment, food service and much more besides. Everything your business needs for the year ahead, for two days, all under one roof!

expowestcornwall.co.uk

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yourpartnerships.co.uk

UNLOCKING POTENTIAL

Over 100 delegates from organisations across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly attended UP’s 20th birthday celebrations at the Falmouth Golf Club.

WBW SOLICITORS

Trethorne Golf Club in Launceston was the venue as WBW Solicitors welcomed colleagues and clients for a new year social gathering.

DR PAUL UPTON (ULTRAMED)

BEN TRELEAVEN (ISO SPACES)

KATHERINE GEORGE (OH SO SOCIAL)

ALLYSON GLOVER (UNLOCKING POTENTIAL) AND NATHAN JEFFERY (DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION)

HELEN DAVIES (LAUNCESTON OFFICE PARTNER AT WBW)

LAURA VANSTONE (KIVELLS ESTATE AGENTS), TOM RATTRAY (KIVELLS ESTATE AGENTS), LOUISE CROCKFORD (WBW SOLICITORS) AND JACKIE CHEGWYN (KIVELLS ESTATE AGENTS)

MARIE MOORE (WBW SOLICITORS) AND LAURA VANSTONE (KIVELLS ESTATE AGENTS)

PAUL CHIDNEY (KERNOW FINANCIAL PLANNING) AND GREG SLEEMAN (STAGS ESTATE AGENTS)

DAVID ROBINSON (DAVID ROBINSON ESTATE AGENTS)

SUSTAINABLE WOODLAND

WIldanet hosted a special tree planting event at Cabilla Cornwall on Bodmin Moor to launch its Sustainable Woodland campaign.

SENIOR EXECUTIVES’ FORUM (SEF)

The Alverton in Truro provided a welcoming backdrop for the Senior Executives’ Forum (SEF) event hosted by CCB Training.

SEF members and guests heard from Mark Duddridge, chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP.

ALI CARNEGIE (TOTAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS) EWAN MCCLYMONT (BISHOP FLEMING)

JAMES COLLINGS (FOOT ANSTEY) AND JAMES HODGSONS (HODGSONS)

DAN WING (VITAMIN CORNWALL) AND LINDSEY AXTEN (BUZZ INTERACTIVE)

CHRIS LEWIS (PLANT ONE), RAI LEWIS (PLANT ONE), AMANDA PENNINGTON (WILDANET), AND CARL ROWLINSON (PLANT ONE)

MATT HOCKING (LEAP) AND MELISSA THORPE (SPACEPORT)

MIKE BEE (BIG BOX) AND BRIAN FISHER (WILDANET)

MARK DUDDRIDGE (CORNWALL AND ISLES OF SCILLY LEP) AND STEVE THOMPSON (THE CORNWALL COLLEGE GROUP)

ALLISTER YOUNG (COASTLINE HOUSING), STACEY SLEEMAN (CORNWALL COUNCIL) AND GILES BLIGHT (BAILEY PARTNERSHIP & CHAIR)

SUE HANDFORD (CHOCOLATE DOG MARKETING), KIRSTIE NEWTON (FREELANCE EDITOR AND TONI EYRIEY (TONICK BUSINESS PUBLISHING)

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG?

I’m passionate about music and becoming a professional musician was always an ambition. Maybe one day, once my estate agency years are behind me!

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FULL TIME JOB?

Having finished at university in Manchester, I paid off student debts by working full-time at a market research call centre, Taylor Nelson Sofres. This taught me a huge amount about efficiency, reliability and the true value of money.

WHAT’S IN YOUR POCKETS?

I never keep anything in my pockets except two phones: one business, one personal. Although my business is personal, I prefer to be able compartmentalise all communication.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX?

I probably don’t relax anywhere near enough but taking my two dogs for a walk around Pendennis Point always works, as does rock-pooling on Castle Beach with my young son.

IF YOU COULD BUILD A HOUSE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOULD IT BE?

It’s pretty hard to think of anywhere better that the Falmouth area. We have an incredible standard of living in Cornwall. Apart from here I’d probably say the Alps or south of France.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER?

Starting Shore Partnership with my two business partners in the autumn of 2019 was closely followed by the lockdown of March 2020. Coming out the other side in a far stronger position and hitting the ground running with the sale of £3 million property for a world-renowned OBE was probably it.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE WORST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER?

Being made redundant at the end of 2008 during the credit crunch. Not one to sit still, I quickly found work with another agency, thanks to my two now-business partners Tim and Andrew. Turning this setback around was also one of my career highlights.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT CORNWALL?

The quality of the outdoors lifestyle and pace of life, combined with a focus on a work-life balance.

IF YOU COULD INVITE ANY TWO PEOPLE FOR DINNER, WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY WOULD YOU INVITE THEM?

If we’re talking celebrity, it would have to be Ben Elton and Kate Winslet for the humour, sarcasm and satire.

IF YOU COULD BE GOD FOR A DAY, WHAT MIRACLE WOULD YOU PERFORM?

I’d bring back my father who passed away suddenly in 2021.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME?

I suspect I’ll still be doing what I do now. Fortunately, I love my work so as long as my family are happy and healthy, I’ll be content with that.

BEN DAVIES

Director

of Shore Partnership

ACCOUNTANCY TAX ADVICE AUDIT

INHERITANCE

We offer more than just accountancy, with a team of in-house experts here in Cornwall. Get in touch for a meeting – it’s free.

rrlcornwall.co.uk