Business Cornwall Nov 17

CORNWALL'S PREMIER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION businesscornwall.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2017 / ISSUE 115 / £3.95

WARRENS BAKERY CHAIRMAN MARK SULLIVAN

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WAYS CREATIVE SECTOR IS BOOSTING ECONOMY

IMPRIMUS

CORNWALL'S BEST KEPT SECRET?

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842001

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NOVEMBER 2017

ISSUE 115

INSIDE FEATURES

REGULARS

10 - CEO INTERVIEW

4 INCOMING

MARK SULLIVAN CREATING GLOBAL BRANDS

16 – FUTURE FOCUS INNOVATION EXPERTS SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE

18 – COMPANY PROFILE IMPRIMUS. ONE OF CORNWALL’S BEST KEPT SECRETS

20 – CHARITIES FIVE LOCAL CHARITIES VIE FOR YOUR SUPPORT

SMALL BUSINESS CHALLENGES

6 BUSINESS NEWS GOING NUCLEAR

34 TEST DRIVE MORVETH WARD DRIVES THE VAUXHALL INSIGNIA

36 ON THE MOVE APPOINTMENTS NEWS

37 EDUCATION WORK STARTS ON LAUNCHPAD

38 OUT OF COUNTY COCKWELLS SUCCESS

24 – BUSINESS GROWTH HOW SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY HAS TRANSFORMED SURF HOUSE ST IVES

39 FSB FEDERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES NEWS

40 TOURISM AWARD WIN FOR ATLANTIC

41 CREATIVE AGENCY OPENS IN LONDON

42 CHRISTMAS WISHLIST OBJECTS OF DESIRE

43 JUST A THOUGHT GUEST COLUMNIST GEORGE EUSTICE MP

44 EVENTS DIARY WHAT’S IN STORE

46 CONNECTED WHAT YOU’VE MISSED

48 THE LAST WORD JOHN LOWDON FROM CREATIVE EDGE

27 – CREATIVE FOCUS SIX WAYS THE CREATIVE SECTOR IS BOOSTING CORNWALL’S ECONOMY

PHOTO: IMPRIMUS MD TONY PLUMMER AND MARKETING MANAGER JOHN CHAPPLE, SEE P18

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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23/10/2017 15:51

NOVEMBER 2017

ISSUE 115

WELCOME 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 Hill caroline@businesscornwall.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS PFA Research, George Eustice DESIGN Hutch Agency - hutchagency.co.uk Printed in Cornwall by Deltor BUSINESS CORNWALL is published 10 times a year by: Tonick Business Publishing Pool Innovation Centre Trevenson Road Redruth TR15 3PL Tel: 01209 718688 SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@businesscornwall.co.uk

ON THE COVER Mark Sullivan, Provenance Brands CORNWALL'S PREMIER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION businesscornwall.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2017 / ISSUE 115 / £3.95

Cornwall often gets accused of lacking ambition, and if not ambition, then confidence to perform on the wider stage.

This is one charge, however, that cannot be levied at Mark Sullivan, chairman of the Provenance Brands group of companies.

From initially taking the reins as chairman at Cornish Sea Salt, the portfolio has swiftly grown to include Warrens Bakery, Great British Crisp Company, Cornish Seaweed Company, and, most recently, Living Sea Therapy.

While Cornish Sea Salt has been conquering the world, exporting to 33 countries and a recipient of a Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade, Warrens has been targeting domination closer to home. If all goes to plan, there could be 1,000 Warrens bakeries across the UK in just three years.

In addition to this Cornish growth story, this month we also reveal six unexpected ways that the creative sector is boosting the local economy; learn how corporate social responsibility can be a route to commercial success and profile Redruthbased business, Imprimus.

This month we also reveal six

unexpected ways that the creative sector is boosting the local economy

WARRENS BAKERY CHAIRMAN MARK SULLIVAN

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A Cornish growth story

WAYS CREATIVE SECTOR IS BOOSTING ECONOMY

IMPRIMUS

CORNWALL'S BEST KEPT SECRET?

11 SPONSORED BY

11 9 772514

842001

Let us help you make an amazing first impression.

TEL: 01726 72548 | WWW.NATIONWIDEPRINT.CO.UK

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Business Cornwall magazine is proud to be a business partner of the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce

Business Cornwall magazine is proud to be media partner of the FSB

EDITOR BUSINESS CORNWALL

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

Wow your customers. Stand out from the competition. Win more business.

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INCOMING

THE CONVERSATION

SPONSORED BY

transformcornwall.co.uk

The big question What is the biggest challenge facing small businesses in the world today and what is the greatest advantage that makes it all worthwhile?

Join the conversation @biz_cornwall

/businesscornwall

businesscornwall.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

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FUNDING: AVOID THE PITFALLS

It is important that businesses applying for funding remember to check the intellectual property provisions (IP) of the funding IP specialist Jowanna Conboye, outlines three of the main areas where businesses can come unstuck.

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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SPONSORED BY

THE CONVERSATION

transformcornwall.co.uk

INCOMING

HAZEL PARSONS

Cornwall Wed Meetup

ANJA JONES

SUE HOOK

Anja Jones Translation

The greatest advantage of being a small business owner is the personal approach and developing relationships with customers which you are less able to do as part of a large organisation. Whilst large corporations focus on keeping the masses happy, being a small business means you can focus on a niche market and provide that customer base with exactly what they need. You’re also quicker to adapt and less mired by bureaucracy.

To be able to follow your passion and dreams is a truly wonderful thing and that’s the real value of running your own business.

Developing your business idea, learning from your mistakes and being able to do something about it, meeting a need and keeping your customers happy. A great job to do.

But with all the good things and the joy, there are challenges and a price to pay. Juggling hours, home life and work, a constant eye on the cash flow, keeping up to date and relevant with more and more regulations and compliance. But by far the biggest challenge is getting the right people in the business. If you want to grow your business you can only do that with more people and you have to have the right team around you. This does not just mean people with the right skills, but people who share your values, philosophy and ways of working.

Having said all that I wouldn’t want to do anything else but run my own business!

We work with some great clients, many global market leaders. Unfortunately, it seems that the bigger they are the harder they try to push down our prices and push up their payment terms. This can put pressure on our cashflow as we always pay our suppliers well and on time.

Recruitment has also become more difficult which is a direct result of Brexit. We employ ten full-time staff, eight of which are EU citizens whose future in the country is now uncertain. We are currently recruiting for another German translator and have found that applications are significantly less that we generally expect, and believe that this is due to the uncertainty surrounding the UKs stance on immigration.

Being a small business owner gives me an enormous sense of satisfaction and pride, far greater than I ever felt as an employee. We are giving passionate and talented graduates their first step onto the career ladder, in an industry sector where employment opportunities are few and far between, and this is hugely rewarding for all of us.

And it’s taken a while but I now have a fantastic work / life balance. We all work hard but we encourage our staff to take time out of their days for leisure activities, such as extended lunches to go surfing or to gym classes. We don’t want our employees to feel chained to their work stations. We live in Cornwall because of the lifestyle so we want to make sure everyone takes advantage of it.

Sapience HR

1. IDENTIFYING OUTPUTS

Any business applying for funding should audit the IP they expect a project to generate, so that they can assess how they will commercialise it. This will ensure that the funders understand the project.

Demonstrating this knowledge could even help secure the funding.

2. OWNERSHIP OF OUTPUTS

Before signing up to a funding offer, no matter how tempting, take time to check that you will still own any IP which you create and that you will be free to commercialise it.

As soon as IP is created, businesses should take steps to protect it (e.g. through

registrations where possible) to help remove any doubt over ownership.

3. MAKING SURE YOU DO NOT INFRINGE THIRD PARTY IP

Finding out that your next great product or service line infringes earlier IP rights and therefore cannot be implemented is never good news – for many businesses it is fatal. Naturally, a funder will not want to find themselves caught in the middle of an IP ownership dispute.

Businesses should conduct their due diligence early to ensure that their project does not infringe earlier rights.

For me, the biggest challenges facing small businesses are keeping ahead of changes in the digital world and the need to be available 24/7. The biggest advantage is the flexibility it offers, allowing you to juggle a busy family life with a career you love.

SINEAD HANKS

Any Old Lights

Biggest challenge? Trying to do it all! As husband and wife team running a small business you have to be experts in everything from marketing to VAT to HR. There is so much to learn - and it never stops! Knowing when to take time out is critical for your health and wellbeing, not to mention family relationships to enjoy this amazing place we are lucky enough to call home.

Tax breaks always seem to favour big business.

As an import/export microbusiness, we had to be VAT-registered from the very start. Add to VAT the corporation tax and income tax, and it’s a testament to our determination that we are not only surviving but growing. It is certainly no thanks to the Government.

KAREN BARNETT

Parc Signs

Biggest challenge at the moment is the uncertainty that the political situation with Brexit and the new administration in the US creates.

The weaker sterling means material cost increases and there have been several such increases since the Brexit vote, this all creates less consumer confidence. On the flipside it also makes you look closer at UK based suppliers and how to minimise the impact of price rises.

Jowanna Conboye is an associate and IP specialist in the corporate team at Stephens Scown. The team has top ranking from independent legal guides Chambers UK and Legal 500. Please call 01872 265100 email solicitors@stephens-scown.co.uk or visit www.stephens-scown.co.uk

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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CORNWALL

BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

cornwallchamber.co.uk

NUCLEAR APPROVAL

JUST THE BIZ

Growth Hub On The Road is inviting SMEs to join them for a series of Biz Events taking place across the Duchy.

The first event on November 29 at St Austell Conference Centre will focus on finance, with Beth Mayman from the company talking about its expansion and Simon Heap of hightech fitness company, Rugged Interactive, discussing angel investor finance.

Future Biz Events will feature sales, marketing, leadership and strategy and take place every

other month from November to July. Each event runs from 8-10am and begins with a light breakfast and networking.

Growth Hub operations director, Stu Anderson, said: “Biz Events are a great opportunity to hear from ‘people like us’ and the ‘people we want to be’ talk about the issues that count when growing a business and will provide plenty of inspiration and motivation to help turn ideas into action.”

Devoran Metals has become the first reinforcing steel company in the UK to achieve Fit for Nuclear status.

The Fit for Nuclear programme (F4N) helps UK manufacturing companies get ready to bid for work in the civil nuclear supply chain – in new build, operations and decommissioning.

In order to achieve the status, companies must measure their operations against the rigorous standards required within the nuclear industry.

Devoran Metals MD, Richard Orsman, said: “Having F4N status means we have benchmarked our performance against the standards demanded by the civil nuclear industry’s top tiers. We are one of only two companies in the whole of Cornwall to receive F4N recognition, which is a fantastic achievement for us as we are committed to driving continuous improvement in all areas.”

Future Biz Events will feature sales, marketing, leadership and strategy and take place every other month from November to July

ADVERTORIAL

GOOGLE DIGITAL GARAGE COMES TO CONNECTED CORNWALL If you’ve got a website, it’s just as easy to get a new customer in Berlin as Bude, and Connected Cornwall, hosted by Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, is about looking

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beyond local and regional markets and thinking bigger.

Selling abroad – or even over the Tamar – isn’t just about goods and products, it’s

about services, tourism and concepts too. The Connected Cornwall Conference takes place at Healey’s Cyder Farm on November 14 from 9:00am – 5:00pm.

Connected Cornwall is very excited to be partnering up with The Digital Garage from Google - a digital skills training platform to assist you in growing your business, career and confidence, online. Furthermore, a Google digital expert is coming to teach you what is needed to gain a competitive advantage in the ever changing digital landscape, so come prepared to learn and ask questions, too.

Two sessions will be held by Google as follows: Reach New Customers Online (discover how

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

cornwallchamber.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF Wendron Stoves has just opened its first high street store after 35 years in business. Situated in the old Aga Shop in Quay Street, Truro, the premises mark a new era for the firm. Sales director, Gary Hawkins, explained: “The new store not only gives our customers an increased accessibility to our products and services, but also represents a huge investment and new chapter in our life as a high street store.”

CORNWALL

TIDERACE IN TOWN A&P Group has welcomed the second of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s fleet of four new Tide Class tankers into Falmouth.

A&P has the Ministry of Defence (MOD) contract to customise and fit out all four of the RFA’s new fleet Tide class tankers and co-ordinate full military Capability Assessment Trials to prepare the ships for operational service.

RFA Tiderace is undergoing a four-month

programme of military customisation, armament and upgrades to UK MOD standards before undergoing sea trials, as per the work carried out on the RFA Tidespring, earlier this year.

RFA Tidespring, which is currently undergoing trials, is expected to enter service later this year and Tiderace will follow in 2018.

The Cornish Pirates have announced details of a new networking initiative.

The Pirates Merchants Business Club looks to bring together Cornish commerce in a relaxed atmosphere to discuss business issues, network with colleagues and enjoy the best professional rugby in Cornwall. For more details email robyn.ashurst@ cornish-pirates.com

St Austell Brewery has, for the first time, been ranked as one of Britain’s largest mid-market growth companies.

The business appears in 175th place in this year’s Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250, with recorded sales of £153 million, an increase of 14% on the previous year, boosted by the acquisition of Bath Ales. Helston Garages features this year in 11th place overall with sales of £586 million, up 13% on the year before.

to attract new customers by optimising your presence on Google, learn to gather consumer insights and get started with online advertising.) Understanding Google Analytics (learn how Google Analytics can help you uncover trends about your customers, including how people use your website or interact with your business online.)

Other highlights of the event will include workshops on the logistics of exporting, targeting customers in China, Understanding Social Media and many more.

Attendance at the seminars is FREE and a ticketed breakfast and lunch will offer additional networking time.

ON THE CREST OF A WAVE A Cornish contingent has just returned from Norway where they witnessed the official opening of world’s first full scale wave power system.

The heart of the Waves4Power (W4P) system features the WaveEL buoy, where the energy of the waves is converted into electric power.

Among those attending the opening were Cornwall-based W4P UK representative, Peter Child, and Paul Wickes, CEO of Cornwall Marine Network.

To find out more information, contact jason@ cornwallchamber.co.uk or book tickets using the link:

Child said: “This is a quantum step forward for wave and marine energy and shows that wave power is becoming a commercial reality. The Smart Island Project on the Scillies is an opportunity for Cornwall and Scilly to have the first ever wave park and become the greenest Islands in the world.”

Wickes added: “There is now a tremendous opportunity for the Cornish Marine supply chain to work with Waves4Power in the future.”

Tickets: http://bit.ly/2f7w5nP Breakfast: http://bit.ly/2wATN1I Lunch: http://bit.ly/2wAFvOP

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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CORNWALL

BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

sapc.co.uk

PFA INVESTS IN CORNWALL

STRONG SPACEPORT INTEREST A trade mission to North America has reported strong interest from potential investors for a spaceport in Cornwall.

The delegation, led by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), met with a number of potential investors last month and visited spaceport facilities in California and New Mexico.

The LEP is leading a bid to establish a spaceport at Cornwall Airport Newquay in response to a Government drive to have a commercial launch facility in the UK by 2020.

Sandra Rothwell, chief executive of the LEP, was part of the delegation that visited the US. She said: “We’ve got strong interest from potential spaceport operators and investors who view Cornwall as an ideal location to access the European commercial space market for horizontal satellite launch, spaceflight research and human spaceflight.

“This isn’t a case of building a spaceport in the hope that they’ll come. What we are discussing are enhancing our airport facilities for specific operators and the wider supply chain, with the bulk of investment coming from private businesses who want a foothold in Europe.”

Following the delegation, a number of return visits to Cornwall from potential investors are expected. The identities of the companies interested in Newquay are commercially confidential and are not being disclosed.

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PFA Research has won the contract to deliver a series of brand perception surveys for Invest in Cornwall. The contract runs until September 2018.

The brand perception surveys will explore and capture the current perceptions of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly as a destination for business.

The work will track how the Invest in Cornwall project is achieving its goal in changing people’s perception of the region as a tourism only destination and growing its recognition as a future business destination of choice.

Robert Rush, managing director for PFA Research, said: “We know the local business landscape well and our team is looking forward to conducting this very important piece of research over the next year.”

SEARCH ON FOR 30 UNDER 30

The search has begun for Cornwall’s 30 under 30 Class of 2017.

Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with networking group The Hub and Business Cornwall magazine, is looking to find the 30 innovative entrepreneurs and employees aged under 30 who are making waves in the county.

To be eligible for the award, 30 under 30 entrants must be either employees or selfemployed, working in Cornwall and under 30 years of age by the nomination deadline date, November 30.

The 30 winners will appear in a special feature within the February edition of Business

Cornwall, while an awards evening will be held at Cornwall College later that month.

Cornwall Chamber chief executive, Kim Conchie, said: “We want to highlight the great contribution being made by young people to Cornish commercial life and send a message to local businesses that it’s good to celebrate success and nurture the business leaders of tomorrow.

“The Class of 2016 have been such an inspiration to young people starting their careers in the Duchy and we sincerely hope the Class of 2017 will do the same.”

For more details and to nominate, go to www.cornwall30under30.co.uk

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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Mark Global domination from deep in the heart of west Cornwall.

Business Cornwall meets the driving force behind Warrens Bakery and Cornish Sea Salt, Mark Sullivan, chairman of Provenance Brands ow did the journey start? I believe you come from a banking background?

Actually, I started life as a scientist and did a Phd in chemistry. Then I went into banking, working in strategy, mergers and acquisitions etc. But because I had a chemistry background, I spent a lot of time working in the industrial sector, food ingredients, starches, salts and flavouring agents. I got to know that very well.

I left that ten or 11 years ago, came down here and then after a few years became involved in Cornish Sea Salt. At the time they had some issues, maybe not quite focused on the right markets and were very domestic.

One of the challenges was that it had quite an expensive technology process, but had gone into the market and found itself, in no time at all, popular with the supermarkets who are obviously big to service. They were naturally looking at price and the margins were not that great. And they didn’t quite have the technology platform at that stage to do what one of our major competitors, Maldon’s, was doing which is a flake.

So what we did was put a parallel technology platform in place to create the flake, and hired a sales team to focus on international markets, which has been a great success and we’re now going out to 33 countries in places like Scandinavia and China and won a Queen’s Award for export.

So basically having come from a background where I knew food a bit, I was quite keen to get involved on the coal face and understand all the challenges and issues.

Sea Salt has turned around dramatically, not just supplying retail shelf product but also quite big supplying into food manufacturing, spaces likes cheese, bakery, meat. It’s a way for those in the food manufacturing sector, typically in products where it is challenging to add some premium content, by getting our product in and putting our logo on it. But we’re quite discerning who we partner with, we want

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INTERVIEW

MARK SULLIVAN

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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On the back of Cornish Sea Salt we started talking to the Warrens family and clearly they were looking at other ways of going forward in life the right brand partnerships otherwise it could damage our brand.

The Cornish Sea Salt brand is a remarkable brand in its simplicity. And luckily the world understands us, they get the product.

I guess in this country the ‘Cornish’ aspect sells, but what about markets like Sweden and China where maybe Cornwall is lesser known? Is it more about the quality?

It’s mixed, but it does translate. What Cornwall conveys is an image about quality, purity, sustainability and things that many of us hold dear. So when you take that message into places like Scandinavia, actually their value systems are pretty close. A strong set of values around purity, supply chain, and, of course, quality. This was the origin of Provenance Brands. We recognised these qualities had far greater appeal than just around Cornish Sea Salt. And in the respect, Cornish Sea Salt is a great brand ambassador.

And then you bought Warrens On the back of Cornish Sea Salt we started talking to the Warrens family and clearly they were looking at other ways of going forward in life. They were interested in what I had done with Cornish Sea Salt so we came to an understanding and invested in that business and I became chairman five years ago.

It hadn’t been getting the investment. Similar

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to lots of businesses in the bakery sector, a lot of these businesses grow up second and third generation family lifestyle businesses and the investment doesn’t always follow that this was a classic case of that. But what we recognised is that it had some very similar characteristics to Cornish Sea Salt, a tradition of great products but perhaps not optimised as it could be. And it was the oldest Cornish Pasty maker in the world. No one can ever take that away from you being the oldest in the world. It struck me and the team that here was something really exciting, if we can just optimise it and get it right.

So we set about rebranding it, focusing on a contemporary heritage, keeping the best of the past but fusing it with crisp modern consumer interest.

Where did the Simply Cornish brand fit in?

That was a small brand wrapped around some biscuits. It had a very heritage Cornwall look which was fine as it went, but doesn’t always translate into international markets. So we decided to give Simply Cornish its own identity, these pastel lines, more colourful shelf visuals.

And really make it stand alone.

It used to have its own retail shops didn’t it?

There were two. One in St Ives, and one in Falmouth. We felt that sent a mixed message.

We felt that it should be a trade brand and it’s

doing well. The biscuits are winning awards, the Christmas pudding beat Harrods to be best Christmas pudding in the UK which I’m proud of. So it’s moving forward and going internationally quite nicely.

So we were doing this stuff but felt this feeling of provenance and quality, we could really move on. We had ingredients and condiments, the bakery and saw some other activity which we felt could be interesting, so started to piece together Provenance Brands.

We invested in the Cornish Crisp Company, which was struggling. Sue Wolstenholme had done a fantastic job getting the business out of the blocks with limited resources. It was a nice brand but we felt it wouldn’t work internationally and the UK crisp scene is a really busy space.

We leaned on our Warrens Bakery heritage, and speaking to relevant bodies, they agreed that we were the oldest player in potato snacking, through the pasty. Because of that, we managed to capture the name of the Great British Crisp Company. The idea of that was not too much of playing into the UK, although we feel it’s got legs, but to take it out to the world. And people love it. From the Chinese to the UAE to the Philippines, they love the concept.

We thought we can’t be a ‘me too’ crisp company. We’re not Kettles. We can use Cornish sea salt, use great basic flavours, but we’ve got to be innovative. Jason Jobling (Warrens master baker) came in with his team and created these more complex flavours like Fish & Chips, Chicken Tikka Masala and Cornish Pasty. It differentiated us. So the nice thing about that is you’re not just competing against an established brand, you’re broadening the shelf interest.

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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INTERVIEW

We’ve gone into Co-op and are talking to other supermarkets, but where we’re doing really well is overseas. We use Cornish manufacturing, Cornish potatoes, sea salt, so it has real local legs in terms of provenance, but we lead on a bigger, more universal brand, because we felt that was the right mechanism to get it out there.

And because we were piecing together a portfolio, we started to attract people who could see a bigger picture. They could see they could start in a crisp business, but if they got bored with that, they could go over there, and so on. So we had this matrix developing, of businesses, of products, functions, and we started to get superb people from marketing, sales, HR, people coming from out of county.

We try to keep a really strong West Country dynamic, but it gives us an opportunity to take people we wouldn’t ordinarily capture and work them over a range of businesses.

And most recently you’ve added Cornish Seaweed Company and Living Sea Therapy. A slight change in direction, moving away from food?

Yes, but the commonality is the products.

Cornish sea salt goes into everything, into crisps, biscuits, so many other applications too. This commonality around the group is a point of linkage. We knew in Cornish Sea Salt, the salt and by products could go into therapeutic applications.

And as the world has been shifting, seaweed as a category has grown more topical, so we thought we should really harness both sides of what we’ve got down here. So we invested in the Seaweed Therapy and fused it all together.

We spent ages on the branding (Living Sea Therapy), lots of time on the formulations, very organic and pure. It came to fruition five or six

MARK SULLIVAN

months ago and is going around the world.

We’re talking to major retailers in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Some very interesting opportunities are developing.

Does it help already having a foot in the door with other brands?

It helps with credibility. They look at a nice new brand, hear the story, but if they can see you’ve taken other products and globalised them, then you’re ticking a whole load of boxes. It’s not the be all and end all, but it does make life a whole lot easier. It shows that you know how to deal internationally.

So Living Sea we’re really excited about. If we had a blank canvas, maybe we wouldn’t have done it - beauty, body, food, that’s a bit different, but when you look at the linkages it all hangs together. We have a team in sales and marketing who just think like this. They’re thinking about purity handcrafting, points of difference we use in food and translating them into consumer and beauty. And do you know what? We are quite happy not to be conventional. Models change and different models suit different territories. Our crisps and snacking biscuits, which we will have soon, will go through our retail estate which is growing fast now. You could even argue that the Living Sea range could fit in some of those premier locations like City of London.

Yes, let’s talk about the Warrens and the retail side. You’re really pushing that out; how many stores do you have now?

We have 51 equity stores owned by us from Land’s End up to Bristol, and as we talk today we have five franchise stores trading. By year end it will be about 15, including Manchester, City of London, and Southend. By the end of this year we will add 250+ contracted in the pipeline. I would like us to have, it might be slightly ambitious time will tell, but I would like us to be targeting 1,000 stores within three years. That’s a contracted pipeline, it takes

Because we were piecing together a portfolio, we started to attract people who could see a bigger picture

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time for that to be established and put on the ground. But if we have 250 contracted stores

by December, you will see 50 stores open next year.

That needs a lot of servicing, from marketing, hand holding and everything that goes with it.

Which is great for our manufacturing base here, places like St Just we’re going to be expanding the production, putting more shifts on, to service this.

Why the franchise route?

Our desire to grow fairly fast and our belief there is a vacuum in the UK for this sort of opportunity. Yes, you’ve got Greggs who handle a certain demographic, then if you go to London some nice boutique bakeries doing nicely in their own right. And if you look elsewhere in the country you’ll see some good regional players but there is no national brand in premium bakery, craft bakery, sitting above Greggs. So we are running at it very hard and fast because no vacuum stays around for very long.

I understand you’re the fastest growing franchise in the UK? I’ll reserve judgement on that until December.

If we hit our 250 target and we’ve got 14 or 15 stores down, we’ll easily be that and we are on course. So, yes, it’s exciting, from being nowhere in franchise 18 months ago. It has involved a lot of hard work, though. Getting the distribution sorted, making sure our products were right for national distribution. And hiring a team who could go out and get new partners, and service those new partners.

Do these partners already have a number of other shops?

They’re all different. We allocate territories and they could sign up for ten stores, or 20 stores.

We’re not currently signing up people who want just one or two stores. But they’re all different.

Some are big franchise players already in different brands, others are just investors who have done other things. And we try and vet them all individually, because deep pockets in itself is not enough. It has to be someone who is passionate about the brand and opportunity, so we put in all the legwork to understand whether they are right for us too.

It has certainly helped. But it is trading off Cornwall, Cornish Pasties are the signature product, the heart of the business. But there are other products as well. We have to be realistic, pasties may not settle as well in other parts of the country, so we also have a great selection of sandwiches, baguettes, healthy options so there is something for everyone, not just relying on how we trade down in the West Country. So in November we have three stores opening in the City of London, and that will have more of a weighting towards sandwiches and baguettes than pasties. But it will still be leading on that Cornish heritage.

In five years’ time, do you think Warrens will be as synonymous on the high street as Greggs is now?

I hope so, but with a twist. We would like to get really strong with brand awareness over the next three to five years. And there’s all this authenticity. We make the products. We’ve got teams working on new product development; Jason Jobling is chairman of the Cornish Pasty Association. If you peel the onion, there’s something in it. It’s real. 150 years of tradition.

We’ve been one of the top three craft bakeries in the UK twice in the last three years. Cornwall has always been known for good, wholesome product, we want to keep all that but innovate on top.

We don’t want to be just another chain. It goes back to what you said about Bake Off, we want to be an established larger business but getting that ‘craft bakery’ out of people. 15 million people watched the Bake Off final. If they can come along to a Warrens store in Manchester or London or wherever, and see people finishing products, dusting doughnuts, taking things out of ovens and see bakery as a way of life, they’ll think isn’t this exciting, a sort of Bake Off on the high street. That would be brilliant.

From a customer point of view, could you tell the difference between an equity store and a franchise store?

You shouldn’t be able to. If someone goes into a Warrens Bakery in Manchester or wherever, they should just see the brand and quality and think ‘lovely Warrens’. If they go into one of our stores outside the West Country and say that’s not as good as the ones in Cornwall, we would have failed.

So do you have enough brands in the Provenance stable now to keep you busy or are there plans for more in the pipeline?

We could do more. We have some deep channels to plough now. When you look at bakery, we obviously have a big agenda around retail bakery. We’re going to need lots of production to service that if all goes well.

So I think there is scope to do more around manufacturing-based bakery businesses that can service this growing retail arm and get some more products out.

I think there is more scope in snacking and getting this brand Great British out to the world and follow up with more innovative snacking products through the existing channels. And if there were to be another leg, I wouldn’t rule it out, but I wouldn’t do it for the sake of doing it either. I think it has to show linkage, something that truly links in to what we are doing.

Do you trade off Cornwall, or have programmes like Great British Bake Off helped?

How many people work across all the businesses?

About 600 now, including the retail arm, which

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We’ve been one of the top three craft bakeries in the UK twice in the last three years

I think puts us among the top ten employers in Cornwall. We’re heading towards £25 million turnover, but you will see that start to accelerate. Over the last few years we’ve been putting the building blocks in place. A huge amount of work has gone into the various businesses and now we’re beginning to see the results. And then with Warrens Bakery on the equity side, we’d like to do more of that ourselves, some infilling stores around the West Country, and then put some stores of our own around London.

You’ve made this growth around the world sound very easy. What advice would you give?

Firstly, you need to get the right people around you, to take the weight off the shoulders. Inspire them with a vision. There’s no glass ceiling here, if they’re good enough they can have my job!

Then be truly international in your outlook. I’m lucky I suppose, I can go around the world, and when I do, my family might moan at me, but I’m always in the supermarkets and department stores. I’m looking at what people are buying, the brands on the shelf, if there are gaps. You must understand your markets and have an international outlook and perspective.

And ask yourself how is your product going to be different. Of course it’s very nice having a union jack on the box, but if what’s inside that box doesn’t stand up in terms of quality, it will only sell once. You have to find a USP. And then I would argue to brand it nicely, in such a way you get the story out in the right way.

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INTERVIEW

MARK SULLIVAN

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Prices and details are subject to change without notice. For full specification and Ts&Cs contact your local Retailer. You will not own the car. ALD Automotive Ltd., trading as Vauxhall Leasing, BS16 7LB. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Vauxhall are not responsible for the provision of OnStar services or Wi-Fi services. OnStar Services require activation and account with OnStar Europe Ltd, Vauxhall Motors Limited. Wi-Fi services require additional account with OnStar Europe Limited’s mobile network operator supplier. All services subject to mobile network coverage and availability. Use of OnStar services (except Wi-Fi) is free of charge for 12 months from registration date or delivery of vehicle, whichever comes first. Wi-Fi trial has a time limit and capped data allowance. Charges apply after expiry of applicable trial periods. Check vauxhall.co.uk/onstar for service limitations and charges.#Fuel consumption information is official government environmental data, tested in accordance with the relevant EU directive. Official EU-regulated test data is provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. Vauxhall Motors Limited reserves the right to change, amend or withdraw this offer at any point in time. Correct at time of going to press.

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STEPPING AWAY

FROM THE More than 120 Cornish SME owners and managers took time out from their day-to-day for a hit of inspiration and to rub shoulders – and share a selfie - with two brand and innovation experts eartlands in Pool was the venue for the latest in Unlocking Potential’s Future Focus Events where two world-leading brands were invited to share their experience and expertise with a sell-out crowd.

Dan Germain, group head of brand at Innocent Drinks and Gavin Jones, the IT innovation manager for The John Lewis Partnership offered a glimpse of how large companies are finding new ways to seek tomorrow’s customer.

Innocent’s brand champion Dan helped create one of the most engaging brands in the world, built on social media. He entertained the audience with stories of how the company inadvertently launched World Penguin Awareness Day, why putting hats on bottles is their most enduring marketing campaign and how the success of the brand can be summed up by one loyal customer saying “they liked us enough, they made us quilting!”.

“I think you have to look after the people who pay your wages and find a way to listen,” he said. “The best brands are involved in the fabric of people’s lives and as humans we find the brands we like and that speak to us. In terms of authenticity then, don’t talk about it. Just be it.”

With Dan’s focus on what goes on inside your business, Gavin Jones from The John Lewis Partnership focussed on responding to external demands. He advised delegates to move

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UP_Nov17.indd 2

from surprise to anticipation when it comes to customer expectation in the future.

He said: “It’s important though that when we are looking at innovation, be customer-obsessed, not technology obsessed. Make sure you stay relevant and align innovation to your business strategies but think big, thing exponentially – there’s no point in incremental change.”

As part of its Future Focus programme, Unlocking Potential is running peer group sessions for business leaders. The Future Focus Labs are led by business experts and are specifically designed to help leaders find energy and strength to innovate their culture for longterm success. Over 3-5 sessions, businesses will make beneficial connections and be exposed to practical tools, expert facilitators and fresh thinking to develop and implement an innovation action plan for your business.

Lucy Jewson, co-owner of the organic children’s wear company, Frugi, said: “I got so much from the Brand and Culture Lab with Dan Germain from Innocent – we’ve initiated some of those ideas as soon as we got home. We now have a ‘Writers Gang’, where all people who copywrite for Frugi get together regularly to come up with crazy engaging ideas and where they can perfect our tone of voice together and we are definitely making sure that we talk more to our customers about stuff that’s important to them instead of us. We could have listened to him for weeks!”

Future Focus is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

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GROWTH

LEADING THE FUTURE Are you on the cusp of change? Will you have to expand your team if you want to continue to grow? Are you wondering how your role as leader or senior manager might evolve as the business moves forward? Or are you (or people you employ) having to take on a bigger or more senior management role?

This Lab is designed to help you get the best out of yourself and your employees, so the people in your business – including you - know where you’re heading, how to get there and are motivated to work at their full potential.

The series of three half-day Labs begin on November 8, if you are interested in coming along, call Unlocking Potential on 0845 600 3660.

GET INVOLVED Labs are demand-led so if you want to explore an issue with your peers and an industry leader like Dan Germain or Lara Morgan, please let Unlocking Potential know. Here are some upcoming themes • Scaling Up • Leading, People, Culture and Change • Sales and Marketing • Business with Purpose • Brand and Culture • Exploring Data If any of these are topics you want to explore, get in touch with the Future Focus team: hello@unlocking-potential.co.uk

PROGRAMME

NEXT EVENT RIDING THE DATA WAVE On November 30, in Falmouth, Future Focus has a date with data with The Undercover Economist, and best-selling author, journalist and broadcaster Tim Harford. As keynote speaker, he will combine his compelling ideas on economics, management and psychology with his ability to de-mystify and challenge the use of data in business: “How can data help us learn and experiment? What traps lie in wait amidst the hype about ‘big data’? And how can we ensure that we measure the right things?”

This Event is not just for analysts, statisticians or the tech-orientated – it’s for anyone who wants to get a handle on their customers and how SMEs are affected by data. It will also be tying the big thinking down with tangible examples from local companies who are combining small data analysis with a human touch to grow and succeed.

Register for your ticket now – email hello@ unlocking-potential.co.uk quoting “Business Cornwall”.

The best brands are involved in the fabric of people’s lives and as humans we find the brands we like and that speak to us. In terms of authenticity then, don’t talk about it. Just be it DAN GERMAIN, INNOCENT DRINKS

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COMPANY

PROFILE

READY TO DELIVER

We find out more about Imprimus, a business that has been helping some of the UK’s most trusted brands get more from their customer communications since 1998

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PROFILE

edruth-based outbound customer communications specialist, Imprimus, must be one of Cornwall’s best-kept secrets.

In one form or another, the business has been operating in Cornwall for the past 30 years, but few in the Cornish business scene would have had many direct dealings with the company, or even understood what it did. All that, however, is set to change.

The Redruth-based business has just celebrated its first anniversary under the Imprimus brand, following its sale by £300 million Swedishowned company, PostNord Stralfors.

Because for all its history of being based in Cornwall, the company’s Swedish owners were very much interested in national and international business and the company was unable to pay much attention to markets west of the Tamar. Indeed, Imprimus’ only customer in Cornwall has been the Council.

Things started to change, however, in September 2016, when Stralfors sold the UK arm of its operation to German business Aurelius Wachstumskapital.

There has almost been a sense of liberation for the newly-branded business since then. It is now able to develop its own business and marketing strategy, and seek to attract custom closer to home.

“We have support from our owners in Germany,” says Imprimus MD

Tony Plummer. “They are very interested in the financial performance of the business, but apart from that they allow us to develop our own plans and we are busy forging our own path.

“And a lot of really positive things have happened. We’ve invested £1.5 million in amongst other things, a brand-new IT platform; we now have a very fast and secure way of processing customer data. The IT infrastructure is now ours with no helpdesk in Sweden.

Everything now is in the UK.” The new ownership structure allows Imprimus to be more entrepreneurial with the freedom to be able to take risks. It has a number of initiatives in the pipeline which previously would probably never have seen the light of day.

“We are able to focus on solutions and services that our UK customers are demanding,” says Plummer, “rather than just things that work in Scandinavia. Pricing models and that sort of thing differ greatly between markets, and we can now go our own way without having to seek approval.”

Traditionally, the business has focused on transactional printed mail – invoices, statements, direct mail marketing etc. The market, is ever-evolving, of course, with many mailing campaigns having moved online, and Imprimus’ solutions can now combine digital and print, with a mix of email, SMS and printed campaigns.

The company has several exciting new initiatives in the pipeline, the most recent of which to come out since breaking from Stralfors is its hybrid mail solution.

Imprimus says it is something that could deliver significant savings to local SMEs. It works like a simple mailing platform. You install a driver onto your pc in the same way you would with a desk top printer, and click print.

But rather than the documents coming out of your office printer, they come out at Imprimus who then mail them out.

“It would suit SMEs sending bulk letters of 100 upwards,” says marketing manager, John

COMPANY

Chapple, “and can offer significant discounts compared to franking machines or stamps. For example, business at the moment would pay 60 or 70p to mail a letter, and that’s just postage.

We can do the whole thing for about 40p, and that includes printing it and mailing it.”

“We work with many national companies, spread across multiple business sectors,” adds Plummer. “One of which did a study and worked out the cost of doing their own letters could cost around £1.20 per letter. That includes the envelope costs, the paper costs, the toner in your printer, the franking and postage etc, and the time costs.

“I know of some companies who close early at the end of the day and the whole office team sit around the table stuffing envelopes. And that’s their way of handling bulk invoicing or bulk promotional mailing.

“We’re trying to help those guys who can’t access Mailsort discount on their own mailings.”

The future is looking bright for Imprimus.

Although it was sold by Stralfors, it still retains its old UK-based clients. And it can now also work with other companies in the Aurelius empire, such as office supplies reseller, Office Depot.

“We can now work with their customers on providing outward bound mail solutions,” explains Plummer. “We can also introduce Office Depot to our customers, so they can offer their service range to them. So, it is a mutual benefit arrangement.”

But while Imprimus’ large national clients will continue to form the backbone of its business, it is very much looking forward to forging lasting relationships with the SME sector in Cornwall.

T: 01209 312800 E: info@imprimus.co.uk

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CHARITY

CORNWALL

GIVE A LITTLE BIT A growing number of businesses are placing increased importance in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and looking at ways of building their reputation within the community. Many companies now select a single charity to donate to throughout the year, and with this in mind, five worthy causes explain why they deserve consideration of your support in 2018

ABC OF CSR CSR consultant, Gill Pipkin, explains how social responsibility is a route to success Ten years ago it was considered good practice if a business simply sought to do no harm. Today, things have moved on and CSR has become an essential ingredient for any organisation that wants to develop and succeed, survive and thrive.

This emphasis on being a socially responsible business has its roots in several factors and is set against a background where sustainability is increasingly becoming an economic imperative.

Legislation has forced industries to deliver on social and environmental objectives, there’s increasing demand for higher levels of transparency and growing evidence that customers are influenced by businesses’ ethical conduct. In addition, with proof that organisations that do good, perform better, investors now use CSR as part of their screening criteria.

The benefits of placing CSR at the core of your business are manifold and emanate from creating a sense of community within your organisation and a sense of its place in the wider community, beyond it.

CSR helps to define a corporate identity that employees, stakeholders and customers can relate and aspire to. It enhances reputation, helps attract, motivate and retain employees and, done properly, should have a positive

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impact on the ‘triple bottom line,’ people, planet and profits.

A recent UK survey found that 82% of respondents would actively choose to buy or work for an organisation with links to a charity or community group. Volunteering creates a

as donating a percentage of annual profits to your chosen cause or becoming involved with established fundraising events in charity calendars.

And it’s not just about raising money – charities and community groups often need

A recent UK survey found that 82% of respondents would actively choose to buy or work for an organisation with links to a charity or community group sense of belonging and pride for employees, as well as affording valuable opportunities for learning new skills that can then be transferred back to the workplace.

A well-thought through partnership between say, a business and a charity, delivers tangible results for both parties, generating positive PR, building awareness and opening up new opportunities. It can be something as simple

practical help. For example, John Lewis’ recent work with the Samaritans is giving the latter’s shops the benefit of valuable retail expertise.

Next year’s Cornwall Business Show (March 15) at the Royal Cornwall Showground will feature a special section for charities and social enterprises. Contact cornwallbusinessshow.co.uk for more details.

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CORNWALL

CHARITY

FLYING THE EXTRA MILE WITH CORNWALL AIR AMBULANCE Your business can help save lives

YOUR LOGO HERE

YOUR LOGO HERE

YOUR LOGO HERE

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

BENEFITS CAN INCLUDE: • Company logo on Cornwall Air Ambulance’s helicopter • Company information on the Cornwall Air Ambulance website and newsletter • Visits to the airbase • Invitations to events • Dedicated support throughout the partnership • Marketing materials • Representative visiting workplaces • Press releases • Social media support

• New and improved crew uniform • Mass running event coming in 2018 • The annual Summer Ball

Working with Cornwall Air Ambulance with a sponsorship or charity partnership has fantastic benefits for your business as well as ensuring the helicopter continues to fly, saving lives throughout Cornwall. As former winners at the Cornwall Business Awards, we understand that you will want to choose a charity partner who reflects your own passion for doing business in Cornwall. With a unique approach to partnerships, we carefully design a bespoke support plan around your business to help you meet your objectives.

Cornwall Air Ambulance has been saving

lives and keeping families together since 1987. With an average of 700 missions every year and no government funding towards running costs, the air ambulance relies on support from the local community and its businesses.

The crew are tasked to the most serious and critical incidents throughout Cornwall.

As a charity we are here for whoever needs urgent medical care, whether that be a family member, staff, clients or suppliers. By supporting Cornwall Air Ambulance you are helping to support your community.

For a chat about sponsoring opportunities, call 01637 889926 or email enquiries@cornwallairambulancetrust.org.

For more information on the corporate partnerships visit www.cornwallairambulancetrust.org/getinvolved/corporate-supporters.

ANN’S COTTAGE Premium surf and lifestyle retailer Ann’s Cottage has supported Cornwall Air Ambulance for many years, and has sponsored both serving Cornwall Air Ambulance helicopters, with their logo on display wherever the crew flies.

Robert Harris, Owner and Managing Director

01637 889926 enquiries@cornwallairambulancetrust.org.

of Ann’s Cottage, said: “Supporting the Cornwall Air Ambulance has been a pleasure over the years; it’s a charity that really makes an incredible difference saving lives.

Sponsoring the helicopters for 12 months is an absolute honour, and the brand exposure has been fantastic.’’

Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust Registered charity number 1133295

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CHARITY

CORNWALL

SUPPORTING CHSW Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) offers care and support to children with life limiting and life threatening illnesses at its three hospices, including Little Harbour in St Austell.

Little Harbour currently supports 107 local children and their families, providing them with short breaks for respite, palliative care & emergency stays as well as end of life care and bereavement support, all free of charge. The hospice has been open for 5 years and is a lifeline to children and families from across Cornwall, Plymouth and the surrounding areas.

There are many ways local businesses can make a difference to those who rely on the care and support provided by CHSW. Whether it’s choosing CHSW as your Charity of the Year, setting up an on-going partnership, donating a gift in kind or putting on a one-off event. There are also fantastic sponsorship opportunities for you to support CHSW’s own events such as the iconic Rainbow Run and Moonlight Memory Walk. You will be helping children, along with their parents and siblings spend quality time making precious memories together as a family.

The charity has many initiatives you can

get involved with including its Sponsor a Nurse campaign which directly supports the care provided at its hospices, as well as its £50 Challenge which puts the business acumen of your employees to the test. Volunteering at, or taking part in events whilst representing your business, offers a great way to improve team relationships while also making a positive impact on the local community.

A two way partnership with CHSW, one of the South West’s most respected charities, can add strength to your brand, exposure and profile.

Supporting the charity can also provide a way of fulfilling your Corporate Social Responsibility and can bring increased customer loyalty and staff motivation.

CHSW’s team of experienced corporate fundraisers are on hand to support businesses with any fundraising activity and they look forward to welcoming you to Little Harbour for a tour of the facilities provided to families and a chance to learn more about the impact of your support.

To get involved, please contact Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser, Claire Frost on 01726 871800 claire.frost@chsw.org.uk www.chsw.org.uk

MAKING A DIFFERENCE “There’s more to Cornwall Hospice Care than you think”, says patient Caroline Brown from Par. Caroline had breast cancer five years ago, she isn’t dying, but she does need to visit Mount Edgcumbe Hospice once a week.

Caroline had a lump removed but then developed a condition called Lymphoedema.

It’s a swelling in the body’s tissues associated with her cancer. A train guard, Caroline has a very physical job and some of the work can aggravate her symptoms, so she visits Clinical Nurse Specialist Helen Treleaven for treatment.

“It’s a lifeline for me,” says Caroline. “It keeps me going in every way and I can carry on working. I couldn’t manage without Helen’s support and like all Cornwall Hospice Care’s services, its free so I constantly remind people how important it is to keep helping this charity.”

Cornwall Hospice Care has at its heart two hospices, Mount Edgcumbe in St Austell and St Julia’s in Hayle, but its clinical teams also support patients (aged 18 onwards) and their families in Cornwall’s hospitals, care homes and in the community with new Neighbourhood Hubs, bringing support closer to people’s homes. The charity also runs a 24/7 advice line for other

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healthcare professionals and is involved in educating the healthcare workers of the future.

It costs more than £5 million a year to provide the care but only 20% of this is funded through a contribution from the NHS. The other £4 million is raised with the support of businesses and individuals in Cornwall. Oli Hoare is the head of fundraising. “Recently a team of Cornish cyclists rode from St Michael’s Mount to Mont St Michel in Normandy to help fund the care we provide.

Their collective efforts have ensured the funding of two thirds of all the Lymphoedema appointments we will provide this year. Success comes from working together so thank you for your support now and in the future. As businesses you can help us to make a huge difference.”

Cornwall Hospice Care, T: 01726 839156. www.cornwallhospicecare.co.uk

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CORNWALL

INSPIRING FUTURES iSightCornwall is one of the oldest charities in Cornwall. Founded in 1856, we are proud of our heritage of supporting people with visual impairments to lead active and independent lives. We know from experience that losing your sight is traumatic. For most people it is devastating news and takes time to adapt.

For some people it can take a few months, for others it takes years. The emotional reaction resembles that of grieving and can lead to feelings of isolation and depression. We are there every step of the way offering emotional support as well as practical advice about technology, equipment and visual aids that make daily living easier.

All of our funding is generated locally and all the money raised in Cornwall stays in Cornwall to provide essential services for the 22,000 people living with sight loss.

One in five people will live with sight loss during their lifetime so by choosing

CHARITY

iSightCornwall as your charity of the year, you will be helping to make a real difference to the lives of local people. In return we offer bespoke training, volunteering and fundraising opportunities to help your organisation make a meaningful impact.

We’ll be on hand to support you and to ensure you know exactly where the money you have raised will be spent. We want you to truly feel part of the work we are doing and for you to know how much your support is needed and valued.

01872 261110 www.isightcornwall.org.uk

IT’S GOOD TO TALK Someone makes a call to Samaritans every six seconds. Every 11 seconds, someone feels able to start talking about how they’re feeling. Every 52 seconds, Samaritans receives a contact from someone who’s feeling suicidal.

Last year, Samaritans responded to 5.7 million calls, emails, texts and face-to-face contacts.

53,000 of these were in our Cornwall branch alone.

We need your support so that we can be there when you, your loved ones or friends need to talk.

We’re all volunteers, receive no external funding and need £50k a year to keep our branch open.

Samaritans is a safe place for anyone to talk without fear of judgement, at a time and pace that suits them, and we’ve come a long way.

In 1953, Samaritans was just one man with a phone. Chad Varah, a young vicar, had been so moved by the suicide of a 14-year-old girl that he started this first ever telephone helpline. Today, 20,000 volunteers in 201 branches throughout the UK offer emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The organisation has no religious affiliation.

Cornwall Samaritans’ branch is a stand-alone charity. Affiliated to the national organisation

and based in Treyew Road, Truro, it has been running since 1970. Our 100 volunteers undergo some of the best training in the voluntary sector before joining the team that answers the phones day and night.

Samaritans is one of the country’s most trusted charities with a national profile and a local base at the heart of our community. We would welcome forming a partnership with a local business or organisation as it would undoubtedly be of great benefit to us both.

www.samaritans.org/branches/samaritanscornwall-truro e: trurosamaritans@gmail.com p: 01872 222321 T: @cornwallsamari1

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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GROWTH

PROGRAMME

SUPERFAST YOUR BUSINESS,

WHEREVER YOU ARE How satellite technology is helping SurfHouse St Ives connect with the outside world

cross some areas of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, superfast broadband is still a big issue facing some businesses.

Although, thanks to significant investment, many areas of the region do enjoy access to highspeed broadband connectivity, where people can stream videos without buffering and access large files quickly, there are still a number of locations where fibre broadband is not available. This lack of connectivity often affects routine business tasks, like checking and sending emails, sharing files with clients and online bill payments.

Whilst phase three of Cornwall’s fibre broadband network is already underway, deployment takes time, and there are rural and remote locations which simply will not gain access to superfast speeds through fibre.

This is where Avanti Communications comes

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in. Avanti is a UK satellite operator which owns communications satellites and, under a scheme funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), provides superfast connectivity to rural businesses across Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. The scheme helps rural eligible businesses, who do not have access to superfast broadband, get a connection of up to 40Mbps, the fastest satellite broadband speeds available in Europe.

The aim of this project is to support the growth of Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by increasing competitiveness and productivity, as well as promoting the use of online and digital marketing tools. The scheme targets areas where there is no broadband connectivity or, where broadband access has speeds lower than 2Mbps. The project has funding to provide high speed broadband connectivity of up to 40Mbps to up to 1,000 businesses across the region. Avanti is running the project from its base

at the world famous Goonhilly site on the Lizard peninsula.

GETTING ON BOARD

One of the first small businesses in Cornwall to utilise the satellite technology is SurfHouse St Ives. It must rank as one of the most amazing business locations in Cornwall, if not the UK. Standing proud on The Island in St Ives with views across Porthmeor beach and Tate St Ives, Business Director Tassy Swallow could not be better placed. The SurfHouse provides a number of functions including the provision of a clubhouse for “Tassy’s Surf Ratz”, surf education project that helps to build self-confidence using surfing as a tool to engage. The SurfHouse is a marine enterprise hub which supports themed education, community activities and events focused around sport, culture, environment and wellbeing.

However, this seemingly perfect location has

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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GROWTH

PROGRAMME

We purchased an Avanti ERDF package to connect the SurfHouse and get the speeds we need to run our business

challenges to overcome.

Tassy said: “The SurfHouse is effectively on an island so we can’t get close enough to the main cable network to get internet speeds that will open a basic webpage. That obviously has made our business plan really difficult, but that’s where Avanti came in. We purchased an Avanti ERDF package to connect the SurfHouse and get the speeds we need to run our business.

The engineer came and got everything set up for us efficiently and with no issues. Based on our previous connectivity issues, I was sceptical about the speeds we would get, but from the moment we connected we could access what we wanted in seconds, at high speeds. It is actually better than my connection at home!

It’s game changing for us and it seems like the possibilities are endless.

“I want to create a specialised technical classroom environment where I can bring in the latest software to facilitate modern coaching

techniques. We can film a lesson on the beach, come back to the SurfHouse upload it, analyse it and immediately make changes and improvements. Beyond that, we can look to resources and people from around the world that we can then bring into the classroom through the internet. Going the other way, we have so much talent in this community that we will be able to share and export our offer to the world. We are not confined to the walls of this building now that we have this connection.”

THE SATELLITE BROADBAND OFFER

The project offers satellite broadband services of up to 40Mbps download speeds and up to 6Mbps upload speeds, with a range of monthly data allowances. The funding for the project includes free kit and subsidised installation, as well as the monthly tariffs offered on a subsidised rate. All packages offer the same speeds with the variance on price reflecting the

data allowance per month; data packages start at 25GB and go up to 100GB for larger users.

The installation is carried out by a Certified Service Provider, and includes the installation of a satellite dish (installed on the outside of the premises), and a modem (installed inside the premises). Once this is installed, PCs, Wi-Fi routers and other equipment can be connected and businesses can benefit from significantly increased broadband speeds.

To check your eligibility for the scheme, please visit www.avantiplc.com/cornwall or contact one of the following certified Service Providers on the below numbers: Europasat: 01869 722 870 Bentley Walker: 0845 873 0266

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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23/10/2017 14:04

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23/10/2017 13:39

THINKING

CREATIVE

Creative Six unexpected ways the creative sector is boosting Cornwall’s economy… ornwall’s economy is growing slowly. It may not be growing as rapidly as hoped, but Cornwall Council’s most recent ‘State of the Economy’ report showed an increase in GVA of 4.1% from 2014 to 2015. There has also been an increase in the number of successful business start-ups within the last 12 months, alongside a 45.2% reduction in unemployment since 2010.

We may hear lots about tourism; agriculture and fishing, but the county’s successful creative sector has been quietly aiding economic growth for well over 100 years. Even in the 19th century, the county benefitted from the creativity of the Newlyn and St Ives Schools of artists.

More recently, we have seen the re-opening of Tate St Ives with a new £20 million extension that is predicted to bring an additional £11 million to the local economy. Alongside this, the introduction of superfast broadband has enabled the growth of high-quality design; software and technology businesses that can compete on a world stage. Objective One funding has also assisted new business development and growth within these fields.

But have any of these advances in areas as seemingly niche and diverse as packaging design; crafts; environmental design or photography, actually benefitted the county as a whole? PFA Research investigated and found at least six compelling reasons why we all stand to gain from the growth of the creative sector in Cornwall.

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE CREATIVE SECTOR?

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) believe that there are nine industries that can be termed ‘creative’.

These are: • Advertising and PR • Architecture • Crafts • Design • Film, television, video, radio and photography • IT, software and computer services • Museums • Music, performing and visual arts • Publishing

The UK Government perceives that the creative sector is crucial to the country’s post-Brexit economy and recently made it 1 of the 5 growth areas worthy of special support in its Industrial Strategy Green Paper.

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THE CREATIVE SECTOR HAS SIGNIFICANTLY AIDED BRITAIN’S POST RECESSION RECOVERY

ONS statistics show that the creative sector contributed £87.4 billion GVA to the UK economy in 2015. This equates to £8.8 million per hour or 5.3% of the total GVA. It is comparable to the UK construction or information sectors, which means that creative firms played a key role in the UK’s economic recovery following the 2008 to 2009 recession.

Furthermore, the sector is the fastest growing in the UK economy and grew by an impressive 34% between 2011 and 2015.

This growth was not limited to London and the surrounding areas. Statistics from global innovation foundation, Nesta, show that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly saw a 7% or £2.73 billion increase in economic output from the sector between 2011 and 2015. This equates to 10.6% of all economic activity.

Cornwall is well-known for its abundance of small and medium sized businesses. Those starting a business form part of a community of just over 22 000 VAT-registered businesses, most of which are SMEs. There are believed to be just as many businesses under the VATthreshold.

There was a 26% increase in the number

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of creative firms registered in the region between 2011 and 2015, which compares well to the 11% increase in the total number of firms registered within this time period.

This increase means that the total number of creative firms in Cornwall increased from 990 to 1250.

The most popular sub-sectors for new firms include: • Advertising • IT, software and computer services • Film, television, radio and photography DCMS anticipates that the sector will be worth £128.4 billion to UK economy by 2020.

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THE CREATIVE SECTOR IS ENABLING SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT GROWTH IN CORNWALL

It is often the case that jobs are outsourced to lower-cost countries, so that companies can save on labour bills and

operating expenses. These jobs may include engineering; manufacturing and certain types of back office work.

Despite this, a recent independent review carried out on behalf of the Government found that the creative sector can provide a source of sustainable employment growth both within the UK as a whole and Cornwall.

The Bazalgette review showed that creative businesses can offer a unique source of competitive advantage because they are not easily replicable by low-wage economies in different parts of the world. After all, it is certainly difficult to draw upon Cornwall’s unique culture and heritage without spending significant amounts of time in the local area.

This is reflected in employment growth statistics. The ONS reported that employment within the creative economy grew by 19.5% between 2011 and 2015, but average employment

There was a 26% increase in the number of creative firms registered in the region between 2011 and 2015

Game-changing marketing and creative.

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THINKING

growth across other sectors was just 6.3%. The increase in employment provides the equivalent of 300,000 full-time jobs and it is predicted that there will be 1 million new jobs within the field by 2020. Employment in Cornwall’s creative economy increased from 24,100 to 26,900 or 12% during this time period. This is larger than the 4% average growth in employment across all sectors in Cornwall.

Additionally, the Bazalgette review found that creative occupations are highly resistant to automation. A total of 87% of creative jobs are at low or no risk of being automated, thus meaning that the creative share of the workforce is likely to rise steadily over the next few years. This is excellent news for those of us in roles commonly identified as most at risk of automation, including accounting, data entry and hand sewing, as it should provide an opportunity to reskill.

It should also be noted that there are a large number of freelancers and microbusinesses operating within Cornwall’s creative sector. These people and entities are often underrepresented in ONS statistics, as their business activity does not take them above the VAT threshold. Therefore, it is likely that the full economic impact of the sector in Cornwall is higher than commonly reported.

3

CREATIVE

THE CREATIVE SECTOR HOLDS REAL POTENTIAL TO CONTRIBUTE TO CORNWALL’S EXPORT PLANS

The UK creative sector is a net exporter of services. It generated an £11.1 billion surplus in 2014 with music, film and design being the most popular services. This means that the sector has great potential to lead the way in exporting from Cornwall.

Exporting has been identified as integral to the success of the Cornish economy. Both local and national government are keen to encourage growth within this area. Local businesses have benefitted from EU-funded export support via the Export Cornwall and Export for Growth programmes, amongst other initiatives. Despite this, the latest data from 2010 shows that only 17.8% of local firms are exporting and that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is 38th out of 39 LEPs. Brexit is currently offering an advantage to UK-based exporters, including those within Cornwall’s creative sector. The reduced value of the pound means that UK products are more affordable and competitive. This provides at least a short-term opportunity to develop export markets, perhaps by introducing new products or services and encouraging brand loyalty.

READY TO PRINT Colour profiles. Margins. Bleed.

Dimensions. There’s a lot to consider when you’re putting together a design for print. I’d recommend asking your printer for a PDF Export preset or template to work from. It’s something we can provide to our clients on request, and it ensures that your design comes through in the right format and the colours are correct too. Of course, our pre-press department will find ways to overcome any issues that arise. But if your design format is right the first time then it means your project won’t get delayed.

Jon Hart, St Austell Printing Company

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CREATIVE

THINKING

A participant in a recent PFA Research roundtable said, “The vote to leave has helped with our global competitiveness due to the renormalisation of the value of the pound to where it probably should already have been, versus the US dollar or euro... The overinflated pound had been limiting our ability to increase export prices to cover increasing costs at home, including the living wage, autoenrolment, etc.”

Another commented that his design business was better able to financially compete with businesses from other countries, including North America, China and India.

Whilst competing on price is clearly not sustainable in the long-term, it certainly provides a valuable opportunity for Cornwall’s creative sector to introduce products and services to new markets, thus increasing growth and employment for all within the county.

4

CREATIVE ORGANISATIONS PLAY A KEY ROLE IN CREATING A STRONG CORNISH BRAND IDENTITY

Cornwall is heavily dependent upon tourism in order to survive. It received 4.3 million overnight visitors and 14.7 million day visitors in 2014. This generated £2.6 billion of business turnover and subsequently supported 53,000 jobs. Therefore, a strong Cornwall and Isles of Scilly brand identity is essential to attract visitors to the region and retain this source of annual income.

Those working within the creative sector often note that there is a strong synergy between the creative and tourism sectors.

Marketers; advertisers and crafters all play a role in creating ‘Brand Cornwall’. Similarly, Cornwall’s distinctive museums, galleries and libraries all stimulate tourism. The recent Tate St Ives reopening attracted thousands of

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visitors to the town.

Furthermore, PFA Research’s qualitative findings show that the physical landscape of the region continues to inspire creative outputs.

One participant commented: “Cornwall offers a great mix of inspiring environments, connectivity and a pool of creative students and graduates.”

Many within the creative sector report that wellknown Cornish landmarks, such as St Michael’s Mount, the rugged beaches of west Cornwall or the surrounding moorland, inspire their work and play a role in their business activity. Another participant commented that: “Brand Cornwall acts as a strong marketing tool.”

A report by TBR Economic Research noted that the creative sector helps to evolve and modernise ‘Brand Cornwall’, which in turn, encourages visitors to the area and increases revenue for local businesses. This effect has not been limited to those within traditional arts or crafts businesses. IT users have used the ‘Falifornia” hashtag on social media sites to refer to the beauty of Falmouth and the surrounding areas.

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THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES PROVIDE A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR FLEXIBLE WORKING IN CORNWALL

PFA Research often finds that business owners and workers really value the quality of life offered within Cornwall. Surveys and focus groups often indicate that workers in Cornwall are willing to accept a lower than average salary in order to enhance their work-life balance or spend more time with family.

Interestingly, a recent study by TBR Economic Research found that there are numerous creative businesses in Cornwall with a six figure turnover, but no employees.

This is because they choose to collaborate with freelancers in order to deliver contracts.

Those seeking flexible employment are likely to be pleased by such an approach to work, although it should be noted that critics may draw attention to the lack of security that this inevitably brings.

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CREATIVE BUSINESSES ARE KEEN TO COLLABORATE WITH THOSE FROM OTHER SECTORS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT CAN OFFER BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES

Finally, a range of research has shown that firms within the creative sector are keen to collaborate with business services firms. The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP, Unlocking Potential and TBR Economic Research all found that many entrepreneurs within the creative sector are seeking support in areas, such as accounting, marketing, sales, intellectual property and IT. These entrepreneurs are particularly keen to learn how to access finance in order to expand, as traditional sources of grant funding have long

3 TIPS TO HEAVEN CREATIVITY IS NEVER OUT OF FASHION

Consumers may face 3,500 messages a day. How do they count them? Who knows. But the way to get through is a combination of creativity and relevance.

One without the other simply does not cut the mustard.

DON’T LET BOREDOM SKEW YOUR CORE MESSAGE

Just because you are bored of seeing your own messages does not mean that your prospects are. Repeating the same core message over time is the best way to make it stick. Customers have more limited exposure to your brand than you do - so vary the execution, but be clear about your value proposition and do bang on about it.

PRINT IS DEAD, LONG LIVE PRINT!

Yes of course we live in the digital age, but increasingly consumers are overloaded with digital media, which is less trusted than ever. Media-savvy consumers are particularly sceptical of online messages, so don’t overlook good old print; a well-targeted piece can work wonders.

Jo Downie, Wolf Rock Marketing

been in decline. They are also keen to use the county’s digital connectivity to develop revenue streams.

This provides an exciting range of opportunities for people and businesses seeking to work with creative organisations. It will also help the Cornish economy as a whole.

Various quotes. Include what you can but cut where you need to. If poss, include 2 or 3 responses to each question

WHAT MAKES CORNWALL’S CREATIVE SECTOR UNIQUE? WHAT THEY SAID “Cornwall has a very diverse creative sector.

It ranges from traditional arts and crafts to contemporary and innovative ideas… Works inspired by and based upon the natural environment in Cornwall will always keep us unique.”

Inga Hayes, NORTH55 Gallery

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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Bringing your designs to life For over 35 years, St Austell Printing Company has been trusted by businesses and creative agencies across the UK to help them tell their stories using the power of print.

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CREATIVE

THINKING

“Cornwall has a unique sense of place. It is the juxtaposition of people, geographic location, landscape and spirit that inspires creativity…

Cornwall might be on the edge, but it is also at the centre of the universe.”

[Unattributed]

HOW IS THE CREATIVE SECTOR AIDING CORNWALL? “The creative sector is key to the growth and development of wider business prosperity in Cornwall. Sanders Studios has been lucky enough to develop working relationships with fellow creative... These relationships have a positive impact on businesses; they lead to dynamic partnerships, national publicity and fantastic networking opportunities throughout Cornwall.”

Sanders Studios “We know that the work we do has to have an impact upon our clients’ bottom line. The creative sector is there to make a positive difference - it’s not an add-on for companies that can afford it, but a necessity for any business wanting to stand out from the crowd.”

Sue Bradbury, SBPR Ltd

EFFECTIVE DESIGN

TAKE IT SERIOUSLY

Design that is effective always needs to be strategic and creative. If you keep to these principles you stand a much better chance of your product, service or offer being successful. Always focus on what’s different about your offer and be very clear about what that is and how you communicate this to your audience.

Before arriving at any final design solution always do a level of research with the audience your design is aimed at, as this will give you valuable insight into how you might better the design ahead of a launch.

Rather than see design or marketing as a bought in service, design thinking should be embedded into an organisation’s culture. Take it seriously as something that can transform business everyday not just as a ‘piece of design’. It’s easy for larger organisations to employ people to champion design from within but where things are more lean, invest in design expertise in small doses. Maybe bring someone on board as consultant? Don’t think that as the owner of the business you can do the creative bit better than designers - trust the experts.

Howard Miles, ABG Design

John Lowdon, CreativeEdge

The creative sector is key to the growth and development of wider business prosperity in Cornwall

Creativity is good for business

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Supporting Cornwall’s new creative businesses

Over 100 creative businesses formed in Cornwall thanks to support from Outset See www.businesscornwall.co.uk to read more about these inspiring client stories.

The business start-up experts

www.outsetcornwall.co.uk • info@outsetcornwall.co.uk • 01209 311063

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09/10/2017 23/10/2017 16:48 14:12

TEST DRIVE

VAUXHALL INSIGNIA

VAUXHALL INSIGNIA – A COMPANY FAVOURITE Thanks to Dales Vauxhall, Business Cornwall’s Morveth Ward has been finding out more about the new Vauxhall Insignia – a car loved by businesses

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hen I think of the Insignia I can’t help but think, fleet car – from this, much can be deduced.

When buying a company / fleet car naturally the decision is more of a business one than a personal one, therefore the Insignia must make a good business proposition because of its popularity in the sector. So what is it that businesses find appealing about the Insignia?

Firstly, Vauxhall is experienced in this sector, going back to the 80’s (and probably before) the Cavalier was a firm favourite as a company car, as was the Vectra that replaced it in the 90’s, and now the Insignia.

Plainly, in my opinion, although I hate the phrase, it ticks a lot of boxes – it’s comfortable, trusty, spacious, laps up miles effortlessly, and then importantly, it’s cheap and cost effective (and so is its servicing).

With my time spent in the new Insignia it is clear that it still fulfils those business requirements. It’s relaxing and comfortable to drive with a user-friendly cabin layout – and you feel as though a lot of effort has gone into facilitating this - for example there is a choice of seat which can be adjusted in up to 18 different ways to optimise comfort for everyone along with ample storage to cater for hours on the road. Vauxhall quotes in its brochure that it is ‘made to make your life easy’ which does sum this car up perfectly.

One of the reasons the Insignia (and its predecessors) hasn’t, relatively speaking, been as popular as a personal car is because

it wasn’t particularly exciting, despite being competent, meaning that it wasn’t easy to full in love with – an emotional element that isn’t as prevalent when making a commercial decision.

However, the new Insignia is more exciting and dynamic than ever – more chiselled and athletic than before and it offers a calm confidence and greater character – so perhaps this is the beginning of a turning point whereby the Insignia is not only a good fleet car but also a personal one you can love… I can’t see any reason why not and I’m sure this is being noticed as I’ve seen more surfboards and kayak’s strapped to the roof of a Vauxhall executive than ever before!

You could certainly be proud of this Vauxhall.

Dales Vauxhall, Truro 01872 226500

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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PEOPLE

ON THE MOVE

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LAW FIRM TO TROUNCE COMPETITION

Stephens Scown LLP has made a senior appointment in its Truro office.

Laurie Trounce joins the firm as a partner in the corporate team from Cornwall Council, where she was acting head of legal. The appointment enhances Stephens Scown’s expertise in public sector matters.

Trounce worked for Cornwall Council for ten years and has extensive experience of advising on complex outsourcing arrangements, state aid, procurement and innovative service delivery projects.

She studied at University College London and the University of Cologne before becoming a solicitor in 2009. She was named Young Solicitor of the Year in 2010 by Solicitors in Local Government and was a finalist in the Junior Lawyer of the Year category of the Law Society’s Excellence Awards in the same year.

Stephens Scown’s managing partner, Robert Camp, said: “Laurie is one of the most exciting talents in the Cornish legal sector and we are delighted that she has joined us.”

CVC RECRUITS CVC Solicitors has unveiled three new recruits across its litigation, conveyancing and admin teams.

Rob Synnott is joining CVC’s litigation team from Slater & Gordon, while Kerra Waters (pictured) returns to Cornwall after a spell working as a conveyancing paralegal for Gloucestershire firm, Thomas Legal.

Gillian Bartlett, meanwhile, has joined CVC’s Penzance accounts team from a firm in Fishguard, South Wales.

CVC’s practice manager, Grace KertlandPeake, said “We are so pleased to welcome our new recruits who are going to help enhance the services we can provide to our clients and enable CVC to offer a wider range of services to everyone.”

BACK IN CORNWALL Stratton Creber Commercial has announced a new appointment within its Truro office.

Adam Beverley-Jones will head up the firm’s agency activities throughout the county, specialising in the disposal and acquisition of retail, office, industrial, investment properties and going concerns.

Educated at Seale Hayne Agricultural College

in Devon, Beverley-Jones started his property career in Cornwall some 20 years ago.

He went on to work for Knight Frank in Southampton, where he undertook the marketing of privately operated hotels and guest houses in the southern and south west regions. More recently, he worked for a firm of auctioneers in south Wales.

THREE OF THE BEST Coodes Solicitors is growing its residential property team across Cornwall.

Solicitor Kate Manning, who has joined the Launceston office, originally trained with Coodes before moving on to Sampson Solicitors in Bude and then New Homes Law in Exeter.

Conveyancing executive Jody Nicholas has joined the Truro team from Stephens Scown, while senior PA, Jan Egan, has joined the firm’s St Ives office from local firm, CVC Solicitors.

Partner and head of residential property, Alistair Whyte, said: “These are three great appointments that will strengthen our residential property team across Cornwall. “

36

FROM LEFT: KATE MANNING, JAN EGAN, JODY NICHOLAS AND ALISTAIR WHYTE

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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GET VOTING FOR TEACHER AWARDS

Outstanding School of the Year, Outstanding Headteacher of the Year, Employer Engagement Initiative and Student Wellbeing Initiative of the Year are among the 16 categories for the next Cornwall Teacher Awards. Organisers at Cornwall Teacher Awards have announced a raft of new categories for the 2018 event, which will be held at Truro Cathedral on May 4.

Special guest speaker will be the new regional schools commissioner for the south west, Lisa Mannall. For more information and to vote, visit cornwallteacherawards.org.uk.

Deadline for entries is December 31.

Work has started on a new state-ofthe-art building at Falmouth University to incubate new spin-out tech companies.

Launchpad is a specially-designed space to support the university’s postgraduates, help them develop business opportunities and ultimately create the next generation of Cornwall-based technology companies.

The £6.5 million building, which is on the Penryn Campus, is due to complete next summer ready for occupation that September.

It will be home to Business Entrepreneurship graduates and postgraduates in a studio workspace environment which will be similar to the university’s Academy for Innovation and Research (AIR) building which was completed in 2012. The project also includes an innovative building that links AIR and Launchpad and will form the main entrance to both.

NEW ACCREDITATION The south west is set to benefit from a greater range of food safety qualifications thanks to a training provider gaining accreditation status. CCB (Cornwall College Business) has received Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance (HABC) Approved Centre accreditation.

It means CCB can now offer a wider range of food safety qualifications to businesses and individuals across the region. “The Highfield qualifications are ideal for businesses and employees to better understand food hazards and associated risks and techniques for controlling and monitoring food safety,” said head of catering & hospitality at CCB, Grant Mather.

Arrange an appointment with an advisor

SKILLS TO SUCCEED Ambitious individuals looking to kick-start their careers have been helped to achieve their goal through the delivery of free skill boosting sessions.

Delivered by Truro and Penwith College as part of the ESF Widening Participation through Skills Project, the Higher Level Skills Days provided learners with study skills to boost their confidence and academic knowledge before a potential return to education. ESF Project Coordinator Madeline Richardson was very pleased with the response from the two days and is happy that attendees have benefitted from the sessions.

She said: “It’s fantastic when the feedback tells us that these Higher Level Skills Days are a confidence boost for those wishing to get back into education. They are also great for breaking down barriers for those who are hoping to study at a higher level for the first time.”

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OUT OF COUNTY

BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

CO OP STOCKS CRANTOCK FOODS Crantock Foods has launched a new range of products into over 100 Co-op stores across the UK through its brand partnerships with Levi Roots and the Posh Pasty Co. The products on sale include two Levi Roots patties - Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Jamaican Jerk Lamb - and two vegetarian Posh Pasties, Cauliflower & Kale and Mexican Three Bean. Crantock’s MD, Matt Hurry, commented: “This is a very exciting time for us at Crantock Foods and we are delighted to be working with the Co-op on this launch into over 100 of their UK stores.

“We hope that this will be the start of a long term and highly successful relationship.”

cornwallairportnewquay.com

Sponsored By

Stand Bookings Now Open MAKE NEW CONTACTS • MEET SUPPLIERS • GROW YOUR BUSINESS

A SWASHBUCKLING LIFE Swashbuckling Cornwall’s Riding for Actors course has received industry recognition with its listing on the leading casting website Spotlight.

The course, which it runs in partnership with Polmartin Riding, has trained actors from across the UK, including those who have worked on Doc Martin, Poldark and Game of Thrones.

Henry Austwick from Swashbuckling Cornwall said: “The listing of the course on Spotlight is a big step forward for us as acknowledgement from the industry that we provide great training for professionals and amateurs alike.”

Thursday 15th March 2018 | Royal Cornwall Events Centre Media Partners

Supported By

For more info cornwallbusinessshow.co.uk

CLASSIC OVERJOYED Mylor-based Cockwells Modern & Classic Boatbuilding has returned from the Southampton Boat Show and Monaco Yacht Show with a recordbreaking raft of orders.

The company unveiled a new model in its Duchy Motor Launch series – the Duchy 35 – for which sales were secured alongside several for the flagship of the series, the Duchy 27.

“We are overjoyed at the response we received at both the Southampton Boat Show and Monaco Yacht Show,” said founder and MD, Dave Cockwell.

“Most companies would be thrilled to sell one boat – let alone six.

“The take-home quote from Southampton was that the Duchy 35 was ‘Best Boat in Show’ as we heard it so many times from passers-by. The luxury day boat we exhibited at Monaco was the most photographed superyacht tender at the show as she was the only vessel to incorporate bespoke carpentry. Her craftsmanship was noted on many occasions and led to the sale of a superyacht tender and a contract being signed on the stand.”

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NEWS

SPONSORED BY

#FSBCONNECT

www.fsb.org.uk

READY FOR WINTER STORMS? Last month Storm Ophelia brought hurricane force winds to the UK and was a not so gentle reminder that we should all have contingency plans in place in advance. FSB can offer practical help to those who are affected and advises and updates small businesses via our website, through social media and via our member services.

However, here are some top tips to bear in mind: Tell Insurers as soon as possible. Try and have your policy details to hand but don›t let that delay things as insurance companies can readily search their database if you are unable to provide your policy number. Many insurers have emergency helplines usually included with your policy documents but if you can›t find these immediately try finding the insurer›s website as that will often have an emergency number.

Try to arrange emergency repairs to prevent any damage from getting worse. Most policies have a condition in them that require the policyholder to minimise the damage. If you have a digital camera or a camcorder, it is a good idea to take some pictures of the damage. Keep receipts.

Move vulnerable items out of danger if you can.

Do not put yourself in danger but sometimes you can move things out of the danger zone.

Try not to dispose of anything. This is particularly important as you must not dispose of the evidence. Only do so after you have had the go-ahead from the insurers and/or loss adjuster.

Make a note of who you spoke to and when and if you can record the call then it is helpful in the event of disputes. Try to put a monetary value of your claim. Easier said than done in the heat of a disaster but the insurers are trying to ascertain what needs to be done. Try to stay calm. They could be inundated with claims and are trying to work out who needs emergency action and who can wait. If you can, give an approximation.

Contact information providing practical help to FSB members who are affected by storm damage:

LEGAL HUB SHORTLISTED FOR TECH FSB Legal Hub, the new online legal help and advice portal from the Federation of Small Businesses has been shortlisted for The Law Society of England and Wales Excellence in Technology Award.

As well as containing hundreds of resources across dozens of legal topics, the hub includes specific information on the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which comes into effect in 2018. The GDPR will affect the ways in which businesses are lawfully allowed to gather, hold and use personal data. Businesses are

being urged to prepare for this now.

Dave Stallon, FSB’s commercial and operations director, said: “With GDPR being a significant legal change affecting businesses, we wanted to enhance our legal offering and create an innovative resource to assist small businesses with navigating the law. It’s exciting for the new legal hub to be shortlisted for the Law Society Excellence in Technology Award.”

FSB members can take advantage of this legal hub now and it can be accessed through www.fsb.org.uk

AXE FOR STAIRCASE TAX?

looking at” legislative steps to end the staircase tax. FSN national chairman, Mike Cherry, said: “The staircase tax has heaped misery on thousands of small businesses that happen to occupy split workspaces. The Chancellor’s words will come as welcome relief to the desperate firms who had absolutely no idea that bill hikes were coming down the line.

“The Chancellor’s decision marks a victory for common sense – he’s done the right thing. We look forward to his words becoming action at the Budget if not before.”

Following up on last month’s article “Stairway to Hell?”, the FSB has been lobbying vigorously on this subject. Happily we can report progress in this area and responding to the Chancellor Philip Hammond’s comment that he is “certainly

FSB Insurance Service - offers a free insurance helpline regardless of whether you are insured with them - Call 0345 762 6158 FSB Legal helpline offers free 24/7 legal advice Call 03450 727 727

FSB CONNECT NETWORKING Open to all - Every 2nd Thursday is an FSB networking day!

Sessions around Cornwall to bring our great brand of networking and practical business advice closer to a venue near you. See our web diary for details of all FSB Cornwall events and book your place online: www.fsb.org.uk/Cornwall.

All are welcome so invite your own business contacts too!

9 NOV – Business Plans, Why & How Hannafore Point, Looe 14 DEC – How to Sell – Arundel Arms, Lifton (joint with FSB Devon) Our Next MP Round Table Meeting: 3 NOV – George Eustice 12.00 -2.00pm - Pool Innovation Centre, Redruth

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TOURISM

NEWS

SPONSORED BY

LUXURY AWARD FOR ATLANTIC The Atlantic Hotel has been unveiled as the ‘Modern Luxury Hotel of the Year 2018’ by The Luxury Travel Guide.

The Luxury Travel Guide Awards “represent the pinnacle of hospitality achievement, championing the best in their respective fields”.

Hotel duty manager, Cath Mukit, said:

PERFECT RECORD Cornish holiday lettings agency Harbour Holidays reports that it has retained 100% of its property owners for continued service into 2018.

The Padstow-based accommodation rental company has confirmed that all of

“Winning Modern Luxury Hotel of the year 2018 is a real achievement to be proud of, and the directors and staff are absolutely delighted.

“The recent investment that the hotel has made on its indoor spa facilities, and, of course, the service from our team has made a real impact on our business.”

PKF Francis Clark partner, Tom Roach, looks back at how Cornwall’s tourism sector has been performing 40

UNA PLANS WITH COUNCIL Plans to build a £25 million luxury holiday resort creating some 200 jobs, on the site of a former caravan park on the edge of St Ives have been submitted to Cornwall Council.

Truro-based Kingfisher Resorts plans to build a luxury resort comprising an apart-hotel, extensive leisure facilities, villas and apartments, on the site of a former touring caravan park at Carbis Bay, which was acquired a year ago from London-based property fund, Frogmore Real Estates.

The site already has planning permission for 123 holiday homes, of which 29 properties and the amenities building have been built to date.

Kingfisher director, Damian Sargent, said: “What we are proposing is only a very slight increase in the amount of development compared to the previously approved plans. We have significantly increased the amount of landscaping, including a wider green buffer between us and neighbouring properties, which is something that came out of our consultations with the community.”

the holiday home owners who currently market a total of 167 properties through its specialist service have signed up again for next year.

Nicky Stanley from Harbour Holidays said: “The 100% retention rate shows that we are doing things right and it’s a pleasure to know that property owners have complete faith in our first-class service.”

ADVERTORIAL

HAPPY HOLIDAYS?

www.visitcornwall.com

For over 20 years now PKF Francis Clark has been collecting data on the hotel industry. It is a valuable archive of information which has tracked the performance of the tourism sector.

Due to the size of the database encapsulating hotels throughout Cornwall, we are able to consider particular areas and hotel types, which is useful when trying to help hoteliers, potential investors or sector specialists, whether that be through compiling projections or providing a critical analysis.

We can utilise the occupancy database, together with the data that we hold on hotel accounts to consider financial performance and benchmark individual hotels.

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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www.digitalpeninsula.org

AND DIGITAL

SPONSORED BY

TILES ON SHOW A local flooring specialist is reporting brisk business since opening its first showroom.

JT Tiling and Flooring Specialists was established ten years ago by husband and wife team Trsytam and Tamsyn Rowe. It offers bespoke flooring solutions across a number of formats and numbers the likes of Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm, The Imperial War Museum in London, and Hotel Tresanton in St Mawes, among its clients.

“Essentially, Trys and I love tiles and wanted to be able to share this enthusiasm with our customers,” explained Tamsyn Rowe on the reasons for opening the showroom, which can be found just off the A39 at the Devoran roundabout.

SPACETECH INITIATIVE LAUNCHES The SpaceTech Incubation Initiative has been officially launched at Goonhilly Earth Station. The South West Centre of Excellence for Satellite Applications (SWCoESA) scheme aims to support startup companies in the space technology sector and includes an opportunity for eligible businesses to be based at Goonhilly for a year, cost-free. Four new companies from Cornwall, the UK and abroad were selected to participate in the initiative, which is funded by the Satellite Applications Catapult and the UK Space Agency in partnership with Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd, SETsquared and the University of Exeter.

So what about current performance? We had expected that after a very strong second half to last year that this would continue into 2017, however, the first three months of 2017 were soft, occupancies to March were down 2%. Then Easter happened, an incredible turn around, which saw record numbers in April with occupancies over 60% for the first time, perhaps demonstrating the value of a later Easter! Whilst performance through May continued to be strong, the summer has been less impressive, with the gains achieved last year largely falling away.

Occupancies though are only part of the story, so we have also produced some figures

CREATIVE

FROM LEFT: ANNA HART, JOHN MILER BOTH MARK PRODUCT AND MARTIN NIXON

NIXON MAKES MARK IN LONDON Two of Cornwall’s leading creative businesses have teamed up to establish a permanent London base, in the heart of the capital’s design district.

MARK Product and Nixon Design have announced the opening of a shared office/ showroom space in Clerkenwell, regarded as one of the most important design hubs in the world, and home to more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere else on the planet.

MARK Product, established in 2008, is a design-led furniture manufacturer producing furniture for the office, leisure, education and hospitality sectors, as well as for use in the home. Nixon Design, founded in 1992, is one of the largest marketing and design

on current prices achieved. We have been conscious that historically whilst occupancies have benefited from the likes of Booking.com, the price comparison sites have meant that hotels revenue per room have been suffering.

However, over the last 18 months or so, our figures suggest that hotels have achieved above inflation income figures, with revenue per room up on average about 4%, albeit with a slight reduction in other spend on food

studios in Cornwall, with 16 employees based in Hayle, working for clients throughout the UK. Anna Hart from MARK Product said: “We’ve had a showroom in Clerkenwell for a number of years and wished to move to a bigger premises, when we were looking for suitable partners, Nixon were the ideal candidates as they share our values and are keen to expand.”

Nixon added: “We are keen to export our creativity and build on our existing London client list, in addition we hope our new premises will offer us an opportunity to plan a series of events to celebrate and draw focus on the strength of the creative industries in Cornwall.”

and drink. The historic below inflation tariff increases, are starting to reverse as Cornwall realises its USP as simply the best place to come on holiday!

Tom Roach is a partner in the Truro office of PKF Francis Clark with expertise in the tourism and leisure industries, heading up the firm’s specialist sector group.

E: tom.roach@pkf-francisclark.co.uk

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DEBUYER The PRIMA MATERA range of DeBuyer are 90% copper and 10% stainless steel on the inside. Copper is the best heat conductor and ensures a perfect even heat throughout the pan. It provides exceptional cooking performance on any cook top, including induction.

Wendron Stoves Hearth & Cook Shop, Quay Street, Truro, TR1 2HD wendronstoves.co.uk

ST IVES GIN Cornwalls first cold compound gin. Handcrafted by the 3 Thompson brothers at Saint Ives Liquor Co. A beautiful gin for the perfect Cornish Christmas gift. Chin Chin!

For stockists and info: www.stivesliquor.co info@stivesliquor.co

CHRISTMAS

Wishlist Looking for Christmas gift ideas for a valued client or colleague?

How about some of these suggestions To feature your product on our December Wish List, please contact caroline@businesscornwall.co.uk now!

GLASS DECORATIVE HANGINGS Add a little designer detail to your festivities this Christmas with Jo Downs’ collection of decorative hangings. Available from early November. jodowns.com St Ives, Padstow, Fowey, Tintagel, Launceston, Ripley and Twickenham.

01566 779779

CURIO’S CORNISH CUP Curio’s Cornish Cup is a botanical gin-based spirit which makes for a delicious hot toddy!

Infused with natural botanicals including rich, malty Assam tea with exotic cardamom pods and cinnamon the artisan spirit is the perfect winter warmer. Heat gently and serve with spicy ginger beer.

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Make someone’s Christmas merry with a bottle (or two).

What: Cornish Cup Serve: Gently warm the Cornish Cup and serve with spicy ginger beer for a hot toddy and festive warmer.

Price: £27 Website: curiospiritscompany.co.uk

24/10/2017 09:58

JUST A THOUGHT

Banks shouldn’t punish the risk takers, says MP George Eustice

OPINION

PUTTING GROWTH ON THE LINE ntrepreneurs are the lifeblood of any successful economy, but enterprise will always involve an element of risk taking. You often have to learn how to lose money in order to understand how to make money. If we are serious about supporting the long-term growth of our economy then we need to help safeguard the legal interests of those who take risks and put their own money or assets on the line in order to create the wealth of the nation.

The financial crisis and the banking scandal that caused it focused attention on the way our major high street banks behave and the culture that undermined their credibility.

As well as the complete failure of the various rating agencies to do their job properly ten years ago, there have been multiple examples of bad practice relating to the way banks treated their business customers. Sometimes this relates to the forced selling of certain insurance or hedging products that other parts of the bank profit from. Many businesses were burnt by the mis-selling of interest rate swap products.

Over the summer, two other high profile issues were in the news.

Firstly, there is an ongoing legal dispute over the conduct of the former HBOS Bank after some of their former staff were found guilty of fraud relating to the way that they behaved towards distressed business customers. Secondly, there has been a simmering row over RBS Global Restructuring Group with similar allegations that unnecessary reports were commissioned at great expense and that struggling businesses were effectively milked with charges.

One of my first acts as an MP in 2010 was to introduce a Private Members Bill that aimed to strengthen the protections and rights of entrepreneurs. My argument was that those who put their homes or other assets on the line to give a money lender security and comfort

deserved far more protection. Over the years, banks have extended their own rights through mortgage deed in the form of their ‘standard terms and conditions’ and unilateral extension of their rights has taken place at the expense of entrepreneurs. It means that the powers a bank currently has to appoint a receiver, seize property and sell it, goes far beyond what was originally envisaged by Parliament in the 1925 Law of Property Act. I argued for some simple changes. Firstly, I said that we should extend the protections that currently apply to residential property to all business assets too. This means that, before being able to seize and sell property over which they had a charge, a bank would first have to go to a court and obtain a possession order.

This would put in place an important but light touch legal check on the behaviour of banks in each individual case.

The fact that a bank would know that they would have to justify their behaviour before a judge is likely to make them moderate their behaviour.

Where a business was close to being able to refinance with another lender, a court could create the space for them to do so.

Of course, whenever you come forward with ideas like this, lobbyists working for the banks always claim that they will refuse to lend any money if any changes were to be made that strengthened the rights of entrepreneurs, but such claims ring hollow. Having basic protections like requiring a possession order didn’t stop the banks offering residential mortgages of 125% ten years ago. Ultimately, a bank’s lending decisions will always be based on the confidence they have in a business plan, not on their ability to circumvent the rule of law and launch a smash and grab raid on someone’s assets. My Private Members Bill didn’t make it on to the statute book at the time, but the challenge it was designed to address is as real today as it was then.

One of my first acts as an MP in 2010 was to introduce a Private Members Bill that aimed to strengthen the protections and rights of entrepreneurs

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EVENTS

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER EVENTS 7

8

9

12

BODMIN BUSINESS BREAKFAST

Westberry Hotel & Restaurant

The breakfasts are open to all and provide an opportunity for business people to network and catch up with each other over a top quality breakfast. There are speakers at some (but not all) meetings. jb@sproullllp.co.uk

The club meets on alternate Thursday mornings over breakfast at The Norway Inn, Perranarworthal, where a lively and welcoming group of local business people awaits. falmouthbusinessclub.co.uk

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Free one-day business conference featuring workshops and guest presentations. Google Digital Garage will also be in attendance to deliver hands-on workshops sessions including Reach New Customers Online and Know your Business with Analytics. cornwallchamber.co.uk

BUSINESS CORNWALL

EventsDiary_Nov17.indd 1

SAPIENCE HR MASTERCLASS

Hub Club, Carn Brea

An education for frontline managers and supervisors in good HR Practice and early intervention techniques. sapiencehr.co.uk

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Tremough Innovation Centre

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Norway Inn, Perranarworthal

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Merchants Manor, Falmouth

HFC NETWORKS CLUB

Hall for Cornwall, Truro

The next HFC Networks Club event will be joined by guest speakers from The Art of Wine for a mini wine tasting. The bi-monthly event is a great place to share ideas and learn from others. jowdyd@hallforcornwall.org.uk

Truro & Penwith College, Truro

Mennaye Field, Penzance

Healey’s Cyder Farm

Cornwall Chamber of Commerce BIG monthly breakfasts are held at a different venue each month, typically attracting between 110180 people attending. cornwallchamber.co.uk

CORNWALL APPRENTICESHIP AWARDS

CORNISH PIRATES MERCHANTS BUSINESS CLUB

CONNECTED CORNWALL

Atlantic Hotel, Newquay

Don't miss out on the chance to network and connect with more than 50 businesses and listen to presenters give you a great insight into what they do. cornwallchamber.co.uk

Cornwall’s largest and most vibrant Christmas Fair returns to the Eden Project, helping ensure that Macmillan can continue to provide invaluable care and support for Cornwall’s cancer patients. cornwallmacmillanchristmasfair.co.uk

A half day seminar with workshops aimed at helping businesses adopt measures to save money, enhance reputation and protect the environment and precious resources. eventbrite.co.uk

Norway Inn, Perranarworthal

CORNWALL CHAMBER BIG BREAKFAST

Eden Project

Mount Pleasant Eco Park

FALMOUTH BUSINESS CLUB

CORNWALL CHAMBER LUNCH

Cornish Arms, St Merryn

CORNWALL MACMILLAN CHRISTMAS FAIR

SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOP

The Merchants Business Club is a new initiative from the Cornish Pirates. Meeting three times a year, featuring business networking followed by professional rugby union. robyn.ashurst@cornish-pirates.com

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Now in its third year, the Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards is well established as one of the leading training awards in the south west. truro-penwith.ac.uk

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HEARTLANDS BUSINESS BREAKFAST

Red River Café, Pool

This is an excellent opportunity to meet other local businesses in the area, gain contacts and establish mutually beneficial relationships.

Cost £10 which includes a Cornish breakfast. zoe.morrison@heartlandscornwall.com

MARINE TECHNOLOGY

Get up to speed on the latest developments in robotics and artificial intelligence and the many rapidly emerging opportunities in the marine sector. eventbrite.co.uk

FALMOUTH BUSINESS CLUB

Guest speaker will be Kirsty Gouldsmith, who will be presenting on GDPR which affect any business that uses data about people. falmouthbusinessclub.co.uk

CONNECT

Official launch party of new networking group, Connect, which has evolved from Leading Women UK, which is streamlining its meetings to concentrate on the aspects members most enjoy.

All welcome suzie@pieceofcakecommunications.co.uk

For further details of these and more networking events, visit

businesscornwall.co.uk

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

23/10/2017 14:58

EVENTS

Friday 1st December 2017 Headland Hotel, Newquay

Financing Growth

Annual awards dinner & disco Discounts for table bookings & overnight accommodation

Networking business breakfast with presentations from leading Cornish businesses

8-10am Wednesday 29 November St Austell Conference Centre Bookings: www.ciosgrowthhub.com/biz

01872 224346 www.cornwallsustainabilityawards.org CornwallSustainabilityAwards CwallSusAwards CSA uses ‘Ryman Eco Font’ & ‘Wunderism’ the carbon neutral eco server

SUPPORTED BY:

Businesses of all sizes and descriptions throughout Cornwall are being invited to think connectivity at our FREE conference being held at Healey's Cyder Farm, near Newquay, on Tuesday 14 November.

The mighty Google Digital Garage will deliver hands-on workshop sessions including 'Reach New Customers Online' and 'Know your Business with Analytics'

Book your tickets now www.cornwallchamber.co.uk

AD_PAGES_NOV17.indd 3

23/10/2017 13:39

CONNECTED

CORNWALL

SPONSORED BY

www.cioslep.co.uk

THRIVE THIRD SECTOR Thrive Third Sector hosted its third conference for charity leaders last month at the St Austell Conference Centre, exploring the theme Brave Moves, Bold Decisions RIGHT: JACKIE DAWKINS (SHINE CHARITY RECRUITMENT), JOSH HOOLE (CIOS SKILLS HUB), CAROLINE DANKS (CAROLINE DANKS FUNDRAISING), PAUL COURTNEY (INSTITUTE OF FUNDRAISING SOUTH WEST) BELOW FROM LEFT: DEBRA ALLCOCK TYLER (CEO, DIRECTORY FOR SOCIAL CHANGE); ALISON ELVEY (ROBINSON REED LAYTON), MARIE PREECE (CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST); SARAH PRYCE (THE CRITICAL FRIEND); DEBBIE HENSHAW (CORNWALL HOSPICE CARE), TOBY CLARIDGE (STEPHENS SCOWN), PAULA MARTIN (CORNWALL AIR AMBULANCE TRUST)

FUTURE FOCUS Heartlands in Pool was the venue for the latest Future Focus event from Unlocking Potential TOP ROW FROM LEFT: GAVIN JONES (JOHN LEWIS PARTNERSHIP), PHILIPA KAY (UNLOCKING POTENTIAL) AND JAIME TINKER (UNLOCKING POTENTIAL); CHRIS HOLMES (DESIGN BY CHANNEL) AND REBECCA PEPPERELL (FINISTERRE) BOTTOM ROW FROM LEFT:SAM LANYON (CONCEPT SHED), JEREMY SNELLER (TOUCHBYTE), Â DANIEL GRADWELL (KINGDOM AND SPARROW); DEBBIE HORNER (UNLOCKING POTENTIAL) TALKS TO TOM JORDAN (JUBEL)

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CORNWALL

CONNECTED

SKILLS HUB LAUNCH Fifteen Cornwall was the venue for the launch of the new Skills Hub programme last month RIGHT: STU ANDERSON (SKILLS HUB) AND MATTHEW THOMSON (FIFTEEN CORNWALL) BELOW FROM LEFT: JULIA HUGHES, LISA HUTCHINGS AND KIRSTY MILES-MUSGRAVE FROM THE SKILLS HUB; THE FIFTEEN CORNWALL APPRENTICES

WOLF ROCK BIRTHDAY Truro marketing agency, Wolf Rock, celebrated its fifth anniversary with friends and clients and catering from Café Chaos

BELOW: PHIL GENDALL AND JO DOWNIE (RIGHT) FROM WOLF ROCK WITH, FROM LEFT, JAIMIE SIBERT FROM 20/20, PHOTOGRAPHER ANTHONY GREENWOOD AND TIM BURINGHAM FROM ROBINSON REED LAYTON LEFT: HANNAH COLLIN AND MARIA GENDALL FROM FOREVER CORNWALL

BUSINESS CORNWALL

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24/10/2017 10:43

THE LAST

WORD

SPONSORED BY Contact: A. E. Verona Cocks E: vcocks@setfords.co.uk | T: 01209 708 651 www.setfords.co.uk

JOHN LOWDON

All you need to know about CreativeEdge’s creative director John Lowdon WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG?

A pint sized, skateboarding time traveller with an orange body warmer.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FULL TIME JOB? A junior designer for one of the UK’s leading B2B agencies. Not very glamorous though, clients included air conditioning units, domestic waste tanks and water pumps. The only way was up in a lot of ways.

WHAT’S IN YOUR POCKETS? Polos (other mints with holes are available. Actually…)

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FILM? ‘Star Wars – The Force Awakens’ shades it.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX? A bit of a

cliché, but spending time with the family on the beach.

IF YOU ONLY HAD £1 LEFT IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, WHAT WOULD YOU SPEND IT ON? A pencil.

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

Bob Mortimer (comedy hero and funniest man on the planet), Paul McCartney (no reason needed).

WHAT’S THE GREATEST INVENTION EVER?

The pencil.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST MISTAKE IN LIFE?

Not keeping that sports almanac in a safer place. I mean, look at Trump now!!!

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE ADJECTIVES. Impulsive, conscientious, imaginative.

LastWord_Nov17.indd 2

23/10/2017 15:03

Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet Giselle : Wed 17 & Thu 18 Jan Swan Lake : Fri 19 & Sat 20 Jan

Ask Yourself..?

Would IT failure seriously damage your business Do you understand the risks of Cyber Security?

Do your staff understand the risks and the consequences of a Security breach?

Get in touch today to find out how we can help CF Systems Ltd 01209 340030 enquiries@cfsystems.co.uk www.cfsystems.co.uk @CFSystems

Secure IT Solutions for Business

01872 262466 hallforcornwall.co.uk

Test drive the award winning ŠKODA KODIAQ

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Helston Garages Ltd is a broker and not a lender and can introduce you to a limited number of lenders, who may pay us for introducing you to them. #At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) pay the optional final payment and own the vehicle; ii) return the vehicle: subject to excess mileage and fair wear and tear, charges may apply; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle. With Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 18s+. Model shown is ŠKODA KODIAQ Edition, 1.4 TSI 150PS DSG, 7 seat, OTR £31,675 with optional Quartz Grey metallic paint at £555. Subject to availability and status.

T&Cs apply. Offer available when ordered between 3 October 2017 and 2 January 2018 from participating retailers. Excludes SE Technology trim. Indemnities may be required. Offers are not available in conjunction with the scrappage incentive or any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at time of publication. Freepost ŠKODA Financial Services.

Official fuel consumption for the ŠKODA KODIAQ range in mpg (litres/100km): Urban 31.0 (9.1) to 48.7 (5.8); Extra Urban 44.1 (6.4) to 61.4 (4.6); Combined 38.2 (7.4) to 56.5 (5.0). CO2 emissions for the ŠKODA KODIAQ range are 170 to 131 g/km. Standard EU test figures are for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results.

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“We provide hassle-free IT support & guaranteed reliability.�

Dean Montgomery, Sales and Support Consultant, Microtest

Microtest Ltd, Normandy Way, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL31 1EX Tel: 0845 345 1606 sales@microtestretail.co.uk

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