Business Cornwall Oct 19

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

businesscornwall.co.uk

OCTOBER 2019 | ISSUE 134 | £3.95

INTERVIEW WITH JULIAN CHENOWETH

OFFICE PARTIES

GETTING INTO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

GREEN MACHINE

NATIONWIDE PRINT IN PROFILE

10

10 9 772514

842001

A CHARITY WALK IN PENZANCE FOLLOWED BY LIVE RUGBY

CORNISH PIRATES VS london scottish

18+

Saturday 14 December BOOK NOW

cornwallairambulancetrust.org/rugby-ramble or contact Sarah Walker, Challenge & Events Officer, on 01637 889926, sarah.walker@cornwallairambulancetrust.org

A great day out with friends and family. Free pasty and a pint at the match.

Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust | Trevithick Downs, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4DY | Registered charity 1133295

OCTOBER 2019

ISSUE 134

INSIDE FEATURES 12 CEO INTERVIEW WE MEET SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR, JULIAN CHENOWETH

18 BUSINESS GROWTH THE MARINE SECTOR CONTRIBUTES £1.2BN TO THE REGION’S GDP

20 WEDDING BELLS THE POTENTIAL OF CORNWALL’S WEDDING SECTOR

23 COMPANY PROFILE SUSTAINABILITY IS AT THE TOP OF NATIONWIDE PRINT’S AGENDA

26 SAINT PIRAN CORNWALL’S ELITE CYCLING TEAM IS DREAMING BIG

28 OFFICE PARTIES BOOKED THE ANNUAL FESTIVE SHINDIG YET?

REGULARS 4 INCOMING IS FLEXIBLE WORKING GOOD FOR BUSINESS?

6 BUSINESS NEWS PENDENNIS BUYS SPANISH MARINA

34 ON THE SCENE NEW BUSINESSES ON THE BLOCK

36 ON THE MOVE MOVERS & SHAKERS

38 CREATIVE & DIGITAL NIXONS’ TASTE OF CORNWALL

39 FSB

41 TOURISM HELI TICKETS ON SALE

42 FOOD & DRINK SUPERMARKET LISTING FOR TARQUIN’S

43 CHAMBER NEWS CORNWALL CHAMBER LATEST

44 JUST A THOUGHT SBPR’S SUE BRADBURY

46 EVENTS DIARY NETWORKING EVENTS

48 THE LAST WORD OXFORD INNOVATION’S ANDREW FINLEY

FSB NEWS UPDATE

40 EDUCATION NEWS NEW CORNWALL COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

PHOTO: LITHIUM EXPLORATION SEE PAGE 8 FOR FULL STORY BUSINESS CORNWALL | 1

OCTOBER 2019

WELCOME ON THE COVER

CHENOWETH TRADING COMPANY MD, JULIAN CHENOWETH EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nick Eyriey nick@businesscornwall.co.uk PUBLISHER Toni Eyriey toni@businesscornwall.co.uk

DEATH, TAXES AND FURNITURE SALES There are few certainties in life, certainly none that are much fun. Death, taxes and there being a sale down at your local furniture store this weekend and that’s about it.

But let’s put Brexit aside for the moment and look ahead to things we have a little more control over and this month we welcome the inaugural Cornwall Festival of Business.

Kudos to the chamber for coming up with such a packed programme of events across the five days (October 28 – November 1). In addition to the tenth annual Cornwall Business Fair, there truly is something for everyone across a vast range of sectors from food & drink and mining, to marine and space.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Morveth Ward morveth@businesscornwall.co.uk ACCOUNT MANAGER Caroline Hill caroline@businesscornwall.co.uk

And talking of space, Cornwall Council’s cabinet have recommended to councillors to approve £12 million of funding towards the Spaceport Cornwall project.

CONTRIBUTORS PFA Research

While the development of a spaceport in Cornwall is a huge opportunity for the local economy and has widespread business backing, it is still proving controversial with fears over the damage it could cause to the environment.

DESIGN & PRINT Design by Business Cornwall 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

The Council has published an independent study in an effort to debunk these claims, but it has not appeased critics who accuse them of a “greenwash” and question the true independence of the study.

SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@businesscornwall.co.uk 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.

The cabinet vote was tight – six to four – and now the final decision will go to a full Council vote in November and expect that to be tight as well. As I said at the top of the page, there a very few certainties in life.

Business Cornwall Magazine is proud to be associated with

2 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

BY EDITOR NICK EYRIEY

ISSUE 134

Design that delivers...

We created a new website for property experts Miller Commercial.

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Brand Identity Websites + Apps eCommerce Content Design for Print Packaging vitamincornwall.com

INCOMING

THE CONVERSATION

The big question According to research, 43% of UK workers say that the provision of flexible working is the most important thing to them when choosing a job, even more than salary concerns.

What are your views on flexible working? Can it be productive for the business? Should it be an option to all workers?

Join the conversation @biz_cornwall

/businesscornwall

businesscornwall.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

COMMERCIAL TERMS: QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER Starting a new commercial relationship can be an exciting and busy time.

While it is important to sort out the practical issues like new processes and setting up supply chains, the importance of well thought out contractual terms cannot be overstated. Getting this right is a valuable tool in mitigating risk and maintaining efficiencies. Tim Lane, solicitor in the corporate team at Stephens Scown LLP outlines some of the key questions that you should think about.

4 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

THE CONVERSATION

GEORGIE UPTON

Wild West Communications With flexibility comes trust, and when the two marry, you are on to a winner. We are open to flexible working because often the best people out there are those that need to have some flex. One example of this is the fact we work in a female heavy industry, and in order to ensure we don’t lose brilliant women when they have families, is to fully embrace flexible working. That could be working part-time, shorter days, or from home on certain days - we also have specialists we dip into, and they often work evenings or weekends.

THOMAS SMITH Miller Commercial

In terms of the below, flexible working conditions is something we actively promote within our workforce to allow our team to be most efficient and effective in what they do. We have embraced the technology that is out there to allow remote and flexible working conditions to provide a working environment that our staff enjoy and benefit from and enables them to be as productive as possible in a fast-moving business environment

around their clients’ needs. Clients are key in this approach as the consultants don’t get paid until the client is happy, so consultants have even more of an incentive to get the job done efficiently, than perhaps an employee might. Another incentive for consultants is the ability to organise their time around their clients and their own priorities, with the added bonus of sharing in any upside created for the firm.

JOHN PETERS SWIG Finance

It depends on the role. Our business managers spend a lot of time on the road and it often makes sense for them to work from home rather than check into the office. It is important, however, that all managers check into the office so that they feel part of the team and aren’t left ‘out of the loop’. Working less than five days can also work as a work/life balance incentive; a happier employee will generally be more productive and potentially achieve more.

ANN VANDERMEULEN FSB

Flexible working is the key to a good work/life balance. All of our consultants choose their own hours and work

Working from home and flexible working has been a real benefit for me in my job over the last 20 years. It’s certainly been a factor in my staying with such a good forward-thinking employer for so long.

The benefit for my employer is that I get the job done when the job needs to be

What is the business being asked to do?

assist in maintaining cash flow, and in dealing with non-payment.

Confusion over the scope of the “ask” is a common cause of disputes. An objective and comprehensive specification of what is to be delivered is a must.

How is risk being apportioned?

PENNY PADDLE Paddle & Cocks

What assumptions are being made?

If the contract is being accepted on the basis of certain assumptions, such as that the customer will provide certain information or allow access to their property, these should be included.

How and when will payment take place?

Appropriate provisions setting out when a business can expect to be paid can greatly

A party’s willingness (or otherwise) to assume a particular risk will often be an important part of the commercial arrangement on the basis that if a party expects to be absolved of particular risks, there may well be a cost implication of this.

How will the contract end?

INCOMING

done and I am focused and productive instead of just being present at work for designated hours. For me it takes the stress out of life and has enabled me to balance my family needs with a challenging role. I would thoroughly recommend it, however it won’t suit all sectors. More physical jobs or for those that need face-to-face customer interaction, such as retail, will struggle to offer such flexibility to employees but solutions such as job sharing and use of technology may help to overcome this.

LAURA WHYTE Whyfield

Flexible working is definitely a ‘hot topic’ currently and something all employers should be acknowledging and asking themselves the question of whether it has a place in their business.

A company that can offer flexible working is always going to be more attractive to employees and even though it is not practical to implement a fully flexible working policy into every workplace, I believe there are things all employers can do to be more accommodating. For example, small changes can be made to the times employees work, where they work from and also how they manage leave. In my experience, when employees have choices and freedom they are more satisfied in their roles.

and information sharing bring with them particular legislative requirements which need to be borne in mind.

Tim Lane is a solicitor in the corporate team at Stephens Scown. The team has top rankings in legal guides Chambers and Legal 500. For more information, please call 01872 265100, email corporate.cornwall@stephens-scown.co.uk or via www.stephens-scown.co.uk

It is important to be able to identify the point at which a party’s obligations will come to an end.

Are there any other requirements?

Certain sectors, such as consumer credit BUSINESS CORNWALL | 5

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“We have a long way to go in the New Heli Appeal fundraising campaign- with over £750k left to raise by April 2020, so we need everyone’s help to turn it into Cornwall’s brand new air ambulance and bring it home where it belongs.”

AIR AMBULANCE SHOWS ITS STRIPES The livery design of the new Cornwall Air Ambulance helicopter has been unveiled by the charity.

Designed in collaboration with the charity, members of the community and marketing agency Wolf Rock, the helicopter will return to its original red colour with yellow chevrons.

It incorporates the charity’s proud Cornish identity, with the St Piran’s flag and Cornish language featuring prominently.

Barbara Sharples, trustee & chair of the New Heli Appeal board, said: “We are delighted to be able to give our supporters a glimpse of what the new helicopter will look like.

“It’s their helicopter and it is only thanks to the generosity of everyone that has supported the appeal so far that we are at this stage.

The AW169 helicopter is being built in Italy by helicopter specialist Leonardo. It will continue to bear an Italian registration while it undergoes manufacturers test flights over the next few months, before being brought to the UK to be fitted out with a special medical interior.

The helicopter will cost £7.5 million, and for the first time in the charity’s 32-year history, will be owned by the charity and not leased.

HAVE AN AVO CHRISTMAS ADVERTORIAL

A Cornish caterer has its sights set on the festive season after opening its new kitchen.

It has been a busy six months for Danny Wingate and Mark Polglase since opening AVO Catering, working with some of the biggest businesses in Cornwall.

After spending the last few weeks working tirelessly to get their new kitchen ‘AVO HQ’ up and running in Perranwell Station, the

pair are now turning their attention to the festive season, looking to cater all manner of Christmas parties and business events.

Wingate said: “Our aim is to gather the finest Cornish produce, prepare it using classic festive flavours and deliver our beautifully presented buffets to all manner of businesses and events throughout the county.” www.avo.catering

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE It’s all hands to the pump for Fastnet Marketing MD, Sarah Leverton

6 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

This month I feel positively buzzing with excitement. It’s a month where so many things are coming to fruition, and ideas and visions that I’ve had in my head for so long are finally taking form.

First up, we’re so excited to announce that our new office space, Fastnet House, will soon be open for business.

As I write, the build team are working on the finishing touches, ready for us to move in at the end of September.

Fastnet House will be a fantastic space in which to work. We have a dedicated photography, video and podcasting suite, a large meeting

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NEWS IN BRIEF

According to an independent report, the proposed horizontal launch spaceport at Cornwall Airport Newquay is not expected to impact significantly on Cornwall’s overall greenhouse gas emissions and efforts in combatting climate change.

The Spaceport Cornwall Carbon Impact Assessment was commissioned by airport owner Cornwall Council to inform plans to offset any carbon impact from the Spaceport as part of the Council’s commitment to making Cornwall’s economy net zero carbon by 2030.

The research looked at projected horizontal satellite launch activity between 2021 and 2030 and calculated the likely greenhouse gas emissions per year.

The study found that total annual emissions from Spaceport Cornwall would be between 0.04% and 0.1% of Cornwall’s total carbon footprint and concluded that this was ‘relatively low’ in comparison to overall emissions.

SPACEPORT NEARS LAUNCHPAD final funding decision will be taken by the full Council in November.

This would match-fund £7.85 million already committed by the UK Space Agency, which has selected Cornwall as the UK’s first horizontal launch spaceport.

A further £500k is coming from the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, and £2.5 million from Virgin Orbit.

LEP chairman, Mark Duddridge, said: “This was a bold and important decision by Cornwall Council’s Cabinet and an important step towards creating the conditions for the space sector to flourish in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

While the report was met with disbelief from critics to the scheme, accusing the Council of a “greenwash”, the project moved a step closer to fruition last month when the Council’s Cabinet recommended £12 million of Council funding for the spaceport. The

“The LEP is already investing £8.4 million to upgrade Goonhilly Earth Station for deep space communications, which has helped to attract £25 million of additional private investment. We expect Spaceport Cornwall to have a similar catalytic effect, creating high quality jobs in a fast-growing sector of the economy.”

room, and a number of ‘break out’ spaces to relax, socialise or informally meet with clients.

to fastnet-house.co.uk and register your interest via the online form.

But even more exciting is our plan to share this fantastic space with a select bunch of like-minded businesses.

As if that’s not enough excitement for one month, we’re now ramping up for this year’s Cornwall Marine Conference. The conference, which we organise alongside Stephens Scown and PFK Francis Clark, is now in its third year, with the 2019 event focusing on Cross Industry Learning.

We have a small number of studios, pods (permanent work stations) and hotdesks available, all fitted out with ultra-fast broadband and everything your business needs to thrive.

We’ve already had a lot of interest, so spaces won’t be available for long.

If you’re looking for a high-end, inspirational and purpose-built workspace in Falmouth, with easy access to the main road, then go

We have a fascinating Virtual Reality workshop taking place in the afternoon, followed by three inspirational speakers in the evening. They’ll be talking about how we can take learning from other industries to boost the success of our businesses and the UK marine industry as a whole.

Award-winning Belgian engineer Laurent Ney has been revealed as guest speaker at this year’s Cornwall Architectural Trust (CAT) Lecture, at the National Maritime Museum on November 8. The work of his firm, Ney and Partners, has been widely acclaimed throughout the world but in Cornwall he is perhaps best known for his newly opened Tintagel Bridge, designed in collaboration with architect William Matthews. ____________________ Launceston-based peer-to-peer lending platform, Folk2Folk, has passed the £300 million lending mark. According to figures, Folk2Folk, is the third largest peer-to-peer lender to business in the UK in terms of money lent. Interim MD, Roy Warren, said: “Reaching the £300 million milestone highlights the important role Folk2Folk plays in providing a lifeline to many local and rural businesses as well as providing an additional source of monthly income for our lenders’ savings pots.” ____________________ A new independent estate agency has been launched in Truro. Shore Partnership has been formed by Ben Davies and Tim May, formerly associate directors at Savills, along with Kernow Property Services director, Andrew Berry. ____________________ Four Cornish printers are up for awards at this month’s PrintWeek Awards. Nationwide Print has been shortlisted in the SME Print Company of the Year category, while there are also nominations for St Austell Printing Company (Environment), Walstead Roche (High Volume) and the printer of this magazine, Deltor Communications (Environment).

The event will take place from 3pm on Thursday November 14 – for more information go to cornwallmarineconference.co.uk

www.fastnetmarketing.co.uk | 01326 250879

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 7

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Falmouth-based superyacht build and refit specialist, Pendennis, has acquired the Vilanova Grand Marina in Barcelona.

COUNTDOWN

TO TEDx

The first three speakers have been announced for this year’s TEDxTruro.

Child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Lynne Jones OBE, expedition paddler Jeff Allen and ‘Action Nan’ Pat Smith have all been confirmed for the event, which takes place on October 25 under the theme ‘Uncharted Waters’.

Dr Jones, a Fellow of Harvard University’s Center for Health and Human Rights, has worked in areas of conflict and disaster for the last 25 years. Her talk, ‘Giving the migrant child a voice’, will tell the story of what it’s like to leave your home and your country.

Jeff Allen is a sea kayaker who loves the challenge of exploring remote coastal environments. He has circumnavigated Japan and South Georgia and undertaken an extended expedition to experience the rugged coastline of the Scandinavian Peninsula.

His talk is entitled ‘Karma Waters’.

Pat Smith, meanwhile, is a 70-year-old grandmother who, in her fight against plastic pollution and climate change, has achieved national and international recognition for activities like her 52week beach clean and founding the final straw campaign. Her talk will ask the question: ‘How can we inspire others?’

Tickets are now available to buy on www.tedxtruro.com. Costing £50 each (plus £3 booking fee), the price includes refreshments and lunch.

8 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

The deal for Vilanova, a purpose-built marina for superyachts and one of the main stopping points for servicing for luxury yachts travelling through Europe, follows a multimillion-euro funding deal with NatWest and Lombard Asset Finance.

The funding package has enabled Pendennis to take a controlling stake in the business and purchase an adjacent site. The newlyacquired site will offer a new 12,000sq m servicing facility alongside the marina for superyachts including a 640 tonnes haul capability, providing valuable technical support to the Mediterranean superyacht fleet.

PENDENNIS REIGNS IN SPAIN Toby Allies, joint MD at Pendennis, said: “Acquiring Vilanova Grand Marina is a real strategic coup for the business, helping us bolster our presence in the Mediterranean, a key region for the superyacht industry.

“Our primary refit offering will remain in Falmouth but this strategic acquisition positions the business perfectly for further growth. It’s a hugely significant step for the business and a very exciting time for both ourselves and our clients.”

Falmouth marine businesses are establishing something of a foothold in Barcelona, with Armada Engineering last month opening a workshop in at the MB92 shipyard.

HIGH HOPES FOR LITHIUM Results from drilling the first lithium exploration holes in the UK are being heralded as “staggeringly good”.

Roche-based MetAmpere is now carrying out further excavation work in Cornwall as part of a project to build a quarry and processing plant capable of producing 20,000 tonnes of the highly sought-after metal each year – sufficient to power 350,000 electric vehicles.

Lithium has never been extracted from the mica in granite before and the experts behind the project say they are very excited about what they’ve so far discovered.

“The results from the drilling we’ve done to date are staggeringly good,” said MetAmpere chair Roderick Smith, who has built and officially opened five mines of different kinds worldwide.

“We’ve spent the last two years undertaking a range of reconnaissance activities and are looking at another three years before construction is planned. Our approach is always to research thoroughly and ensure feasibility before moving on to design, build and operation.

“I can’t emphasise enough how very excited we are about this project – its extraordinary potential will bring huge economic benefits for Cornwall.”

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HOMELESS CENTRE OPENS Coastline Housing has officially opened its new homeless centre at Dudnance Lane in Pool.

The new, purpose-built facility for Coastline’s Homeless Service is here thanks to match funding secured from Homes England and Cornwall Council. It is the culmination of ten years work identifying a new location to provide modern facilities and cost a total of £3 million to develop.

The centre brings together several services

on one site overnight crisis accommodation, a community hub with space for partner organisations, IT suite, a doctors’ surgery, training space and office facilities for staff.

Louise Beard, director of housing, assets and communities at coastline housing, said: “This centre will enable us to expand our services to those without a home of their own, keep them safe, and work with them to help them re-build their lives.

“We are incredibly proud to open this fantastic new facility.”

BREXIT FORCES WH BOND HAND WH Bond has exited the plant hire and agricultural machinery sales side of its business.

Citing “market conditions, coupled with the uncertainty of how Brexit will affect the plant and machinery sectors”, WH Bond will auction off all equipment this month.

The rest of the WH Bond businesses will not be affected.

WH Bond has always been known for its ‘serial diversification’ which has ensured the survival of the business during the last 62 years.

WH Bond will now focus on its core business Bond Timber, bespoke contracting, the agricultural businesses, as well as diversification into “new and exciting” projects.

MUSIC TO EDEN’S EARS

The Eden Project and global live events company AEG Presents have announced a new partnership to run the celebrated Eden Sessions series of concerts.

instrumental in launching the Sessions in 2002 and has booked every act since, will continue to lead on the booking for the concerts.

A new company, Eden Sessions Ltd, has been created by the two organisations and is now looking ahead to the next series in summer 2020.

Eden chief executive Gordon Seabright said: “In 18 years, the Sessions have established an excellent reputation in the industry and with concert-goers. Our exciting new venture with AEG Presents teams Eden with the global leader in live music. It will give us more national and international reach and help us

Eden’s Rita Broe, who has run the Eden Sessions for the last eight years, will lead the new company. John Empson, who was

spread Eden’s mission even further.”

Since its inception in 2002 with a headline show by Pulp, the Sessions have featured performances from a wide range of major names such as Oasis, Elton John, Tom Jones and Kylie Minogue.

AEG Presents is one of the world’s leading live entertainment companies promoting sell-out tours for the world’s biggest artists including Justin Bieber, Khalid, Shawn Mendes and Ed Sheeran.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 9

ADVERTORIAL The University of Plymouth’s Enterprise Solutions team is offering companies a new service, which could help professionals make an impact.

Delivered by the University’s head of voice, professional actor, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner and trained counsellor Charlotte Storey, the training is aimed at teams as well as individuals and is tailored to meet any business’ specific needs.

Charlotte’s clients include Hollywood actors and politicians, as well as CEOs and professionals in businesses and not-for-profit organisations.

FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING?

“Many people come to me because they fear public speaking,” she says. “If you’ve had a bad experience, it can haunt you. Performing in the West End I’ve learned to overcome terrible stage fright. My strategies are completely transferable to the corporate world and I share them quite freely with my clients.

A recent Gallup Poll revealed opportunities to learn and grow at work are highly important to millennials in the US when seeking out new jobs or choosing to stay in current ones.

If this holds true in the UK, companies are falling short. According to a CIPR survey, only 44% of employees in the UK are satisfied with their level of training and career development.

This isn’t surprising to Josh Hoole, manager of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Skills Hub. The project has helped 400 businesses access training and build employee development programmes since October 2017.

The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Skills Hub is part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and match funded by Cornwall Council and Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.

10 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Charlotte says the training focuses on far more than technical aspects of using the voice, such as pitch and pacing. “The voice is highly personal and sensitive,” she says. “To deal with the voice is to deal with a lot of emotional issues. It’s about programming your brain to have that belief that when you open your mouth you will speak with authority and gravitas.

“I offer a very warm, friendly, fun environment and it won’t be like any other training you’ve had. My clients go away knowing what their personal brand is. I bring the best out of people.”

To find out more, please contact the Enterprise Solutions team at the University of Plymouth: 0800 052 5600 or enterprisesolutions@plymouth.ac.uk

“The pitch, pace and tone of the voice, as well as your physical gestures, plays a vital role in negotiating and persuading. The first three seconds is crucial in sealing a deal, so I help clients to make the first impression count, right from the moment they open the door.

“A problem for many of us is to speak too quickly, and rise in pitch, when under pressure.

INVEST IN YOUR TEAM Staff development has the power to boost efficiency and improve engagement.

According to the latest research, investing in your team makes you more attractive to millennials, too.

Business women in particular often want my help to achieve more vocal authority.

“Dedicating time to training is challenging, particularly if you’re a small business,” says Hoole. “Employees can feel undervalued when they don’t feel invested in, potentially seeking employment elsewhere. Additionally, if you’re not investing in your staff, your business is never going to be as productive as it could be.”

www.essupport.com

Truro-based skincare business Made for Life Organics understands the importance of employee development to business growth and long-term sustainability.

Last year the company grew by more than 50%, sparking a review of its employee development plan and a consultation with the Skills Hub. “We needed to focus, regroup and consider what skills were missing and what we needed to do,” reflects MD Amanda Winwood.

Last year, 59% of Cornish businesses who were actively recruiting fell flat in their search for the right candidate. Josh advises that more businesses should consider training-up existing employees to fulfil vacancies.

“We discussed our future aspirations and immediately identified that we needed additional support and training for two members of my team. We also needed help with business administration and are now looking at an apprentice.

“Someone in the team might have what it takes to become the ideal person for the role. Let’s face it, they already know how the company works within the wider sector and with the appropriate training, could be a huge asset to the company,” says Hoole.

“We would have invested quite a bit of time in training but being able to instantly access courses that were readily available and suited our needs has been invaluable. Having an affiliation with the Skills Hub fast tracked us to get moving.”

Make your mark on Cornwall’s new air ambulance helicopter Have your business logo on the new air ambulance.

There are just six months left until Cornwall Air Ambulance takes delivery of its brand new next generation helicopter: the AW169. With 360-degree access to the patient, the ability to fly faster and carry more equipment, better safety features and more fuel capacity, the AW169 will transform the air ambulance service in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly – ultimately saving more time and more lives for decades to come.

We are inviting businesses to get behind Cornwall’s local lifesaving charity and be involved in creating a lasting legacy for the people of the county and beyond.

Voted by the public as Cornwall’s Business of the Year 2019, Cornwall Air Ambulance is a great charity to partner with. For information on getting your logo on the helicopter and the accompanying PR & Marketing package, get in touch today.

Logo spaces are extremely limited so don’t miss out on this exclusive opportunity.

To find out more, contact Stephanie Bray, Corporate Fundraising Officer on 01637 889926, ext 125, or email: steph@cornwallairambulancetrust.org

Invest in a lasting legacy for your business cornwallairambulancetrust.org/corporate Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust | Trevithick Downs, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4DY 01637 889926 |

@cornwallairamb | Registered charity 1133295

CEO feature & cover photographs

by Toby Weller

Chenoweth

I think the self doubt thing is always there and the doubt is the fear of failure which drives me on.

I don’t care about the outcome so much, for me it’s the journey

12 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

JULIAN

CHENOWETH

Julian Chenoweth has developed and grown many companies from start-ups to multimillion pound concerns. From wine merchants to waste collection, in every sense of the word the Chenoweth Trading Company MD, is a true entrepreneur

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 13

At the start of your career, you didn’t instantly follow in your father’s footsteps My dad (Brian Chenoweth) built a haulage company, I grew up around trucks and diggers and things like that. But I went off to become a Royal Marine commando and then I ended up getting a job in Bolivia for six years as an expedition archaeologist.

That’s very Indiana Jones sounding! (laughs) They used to call me Indiana Jules!

It was great, I really enjoyed it. But you get to a certain age and think I can’t do this for the rest of my life, how do I monetise it?

If you really break down all businesses, it’s really just revenue against cost of sales, against operating costs

And you started Maen Karne. I guess you had the background of your dad’s business?

Not really. It was a bug bear of mine back in the beginning because everyone thought I had taken over my dad’s business which annoyed me a bit because I started Maen Karne with one 7.5 tonne truck and no money. My dad had sold his business nine years before that and gone and retired to St Mawes. But he did say there was an old yard up at Ruan High Lanes, he said I’m going to give you the tools but that’s all. If you want to go and do something, do it. So that’s what I did. I bought a little 7.5 tonne truck and was just driving that around here doing a bit of stuff.

I’ve heard you talk about the art of honest deception. Pretending to be bigger than you were. Was that an important part of your growth?

I think it was. It’s a funny one really. I almost believed my own lie, but I felt justified because I didn’t think it was a lie; I felt that I will be there at one point. So, when I made out to people I had loads of lorries, I always knew that one day I would have loads of lorries. And when I did finally have loads of lorries, it almost validated my previous lies if you follow me!

Wasn’t it difficult to fulfil some jobs because you didn’t have loads of lorries?

Was it getting the wanderlust out of you before settling down?

I think so. But I’ve always been a traveller, man of the world and I still am. I go away quite a lot now and I like learning languages. It’s always been there but I needed to do it in such a style that was to exorcise that demon as much as I could.

Because I knew that I would eventually have to come back and do something.

When I was in the growth period of Maen Karne, as it was a haulage, muck-shifting kind of business, we were in recession, there wasn’t a lot of work around so I could hire lorries everywhere. So, I did have loads of lorries, we were running 40 trucks. My business was two years old and I was running 40 trucks; it didn’t matter that 39 of them weren’t mine.

But I had to do some pretty serious dodging around. There were challenges managing cashflow because you could go from one lorry and a wheelbarrow to 100 times that, then it stopped again.

And you sold Maen Karne two years ago?

The business had diversified, I had gone in to manufacturing my own value-added products.

Haulage was a separate entity at that point.

Bagging, concrete products, ready mixed concrete, muck shifting and environmental services and then I met a bunch of guys who came down one day on a recce to Cornwall to see the viability of them opening up a business down here. I said you don’t want to do that because this pie is only so big,

14 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

JULIAN

CHENOWETH

there’s no point. I’m an entrenched local, you’re a big company with loads of money, it will be a blood bath, no one will win and all of that. So, I said let’s have a joint venture, so we had a joint venture then later they bought the business.

How big was the business when you sold it?

In excess of 100 lorries, 240 employees turning around £20-25 million.

That’s pretty impressive growth in ten years. Did you always believe it would be that successful? Did you never have any self doubt?

I have loads of self doubt, but I had no doubting that. I think the self doubt thing is always there and the doubt is the fear of failure which drives me on. I don’t care about the outcome so much, for me it’s the journey.

And there’s only a few things in life I like in terms of material objects that money can buy, the rest of it I’m not interested.

You’re not driven by the money as such?

No, although the money’s the liquid which greases the machine. I get that and I want it.

But I’m not interested in being that guy over there. I like the journey, the process, the building of the business. It’s what I’m doing building all these other businesses now, because I really like all the little things that happen.

A business is literally a whole bunch of problems linked together by other problems that need solving everyday. And that’s it.

That’s how I define business. I don’t see any business that runs without a hitch making loads of money. And I don’t think I would want to be a part of that business, even though the money’s nice!

Since you left the Marines you have always worked for yourself. Would you ever be tempted working for a big company as a number two in Europe or whatever?

I’ve had those offers. The business that bought my business offered me that kind of position in their business; it would mean relocation to London. I’ve had a tech business offer a commercial director’s role in that kind of entity. Since I sold my business I did a bit of consulting and was asked on all those occasions to either join the board or be

part of that, but I politely turned all of them down simply because sometimes if it’s not your show, the passion is not quite the same.

And for that reason, I think I am probably unemployable.

I like collaborating, I enjoy working with professional people but ultimately I’m my own boss.

The term ‘entrepreneur’ can be overused but certainly applies to you. What does the word mean to you?

Yes, it’s thrown around a lot these days, it’s a common term but entrepreneurism isn’t actually what people think it is. It doesn’t mean a shed load of money. For me it means you see a spark of potential in something, be it a product or a service, or even people. I’ve built businesses here around the people. The people have come to me and I’ve gone I like these individuals. My only real skill was finding out who the people were that worked for me and putting them in the right place and then motivating them in the correct way and getting 100% if not more out of those people who work for the cause, which is actually my cause.

being a figure head on the front of a ship.

Sometimes your best time is spent going around all these businesses being visible, having a chat with the cleaner or the MD or whatever. I’m informed enough to know the complexity of the numbers; I’m informed enough to know the financial health of that said business. Do I know every tiny little thing that happens on the day to day running? No, I don’t need to. But going around, your people will understand why they’re doing it, who they’re doing it for and appreciate that they are an integral part of the team. And it reflects in the numbers I see when I get back to the P&Ls each month.

I’ve always structured my life around building things.

I’m always building stuff, I can’t help it

Without the right people it doesn’t work.

Entrepreneurism is firstly about identification of people and talent and secondly, and this is the bit some get, some don’t, you end up

Did the Marines play a part in you being the businessman you are today?

I think so. At school it was “Chenoweth”, they called you by your second name back then, “Chenoweth, you will amount to nothing” and all this sort of stuff. I sought no sympathy, I thought you’re probably right. But deep down, even from childhood age, I had a feeling of...I don’t know, position. Not status, but I had a feeling of place, of purpose.

Just through my disposition, I knew there was no way I could simply be an electrician or a plumber for the rest of my life, not that there’s anything wrong with those things, but I knew that wasn’t the root for me. For me it would be empire building. I’ve always structured my life around building things. I’m always building stuff, I can’t help it.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 15

I started Chenoweth Trading around the people. I have a best old friend of mine who I have known for 30 odd years, who has worked for me all his life. When I sold Maen Karne, he knew and I knew he couldn’t stay there. So, I just said I would build another little business in a similar industry, doing smaller things in manageable chunks for this guy to manage and run, to have a wage and provide for his family, stuff like that.

If I’m at home I’m building sheds and plotting and planning and in my social circles I’m building networks and friends.

When I left school and went into the Marines, you go from boy to man really quickly, and that was an experience. But after that settles down and you realise you are now a Green Beret Commando and this is your job, all the lights switch on and you think ok, this is serious. So, when I came out of that after a serious injury, I thought I don’t have any other experience of work life other than that and my brain being the way it is. So, I went into everything else with the same vigour and composure that I’m not going to fail at this, I can’t fail.

But you put it all into context. You hear people moaning about this and that and their job and stuff; you think that’s not even a point. It’s a point to them, but it was not a point to me - a lot of seriously bad things happened when I was in the Marines in terms of physical and mental stress and traumas.

So, instantly it was like it doesn’t matter, I’m doing this, I’m going there.

Setbacks, but not really setbacks?

They were and they weren’t. I recognised them as a setback. But maybe you get a setback which means you have to stay on an extra four or five hours at the end of a long day. To me I thought, well that’s just what I’ve got to do. I’m sure other people will broach the problem as well and overcome it, but I just did it without moaning.

I embraced it. In terms of it being a problem, yes it was a problem, but I just converted it into a job.

You started Chenoweth Trading after selling Maen Karne. Is that a complementary business?

Not really. To be honest

16 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

As it happens, he’s done a really good job as I knew he would; he’s flourishing as a person and it’s nice to see that, he’s building a team around him now and Chenoweth Trading is going to turnover £1 million this year and we’ve been going two years. When I do a like for like scan of P&Ls with Maen Karne in year two, it’s light years ahead already. But I’m not going to build Chenoweth Trading up to a £25 million company; I’m going to put it about between £3 and 5 million operating on 20% margin and that’s good enough.

It’s a manageable chunk for me not to stress about when we have bad times; and it’s a manageable chunk for him and his relatively inexperienced team at the moment who are leading it.

Is running one business very similar to running any business?

Yes, I think so. I know industries would have specialist guys who link their skillset to that particular industry, but if you really break down all businesses, it’s really just revenue against cost of sales, against operating costs. That’s all it is. So if you understand the principals of that in its purest form you can take that to anywhere. I consult at the moment on a beauty therapist business. So, it’s the same lipsticks and shampoos and products against the people who are using them, against the electric, rent, overheads and all the rest of it.

There is an enjoyment putting someone in a spot and watching them do well

And in the meantime you have other businesses as well?

I did a sommeliers’ course the other day, so I am a qualified sommelier. The wine business, The Old Garage, is just opening. I’ve got the business park here which has just been put into the group Chenoweth Holdings, I’ve got an artists’ management company which is a couple of years old - I do a bit of consulting with Marshall Records and Marshall Amplification in Milton Keynes. I’m involved in a business in Brixham that creates underwater aquaculture from concrete products, reef building and for offshore wind generation; I’ve got an equestrian business; a jewellery business...

It’s crazy. You’ve got to wear different hats but I’m quite quick on the fly. If I stop and try and think about everything it would probably blow my mind, so I have to just go today’s that day, that day, that day and if I have a board meeting about that business, I’ve literally got about ten minutes to mentally prepare for it.

But as soon as I start looking at the numbers it’s like reading a book beside your bed, you pick up where you left off.

It’s still a rare skill to have to be able to do that. Just to have that confidence That’s probably why I have had the job offers that I have had. Not being egotistical about this, but when you’ve created a whole bunch of businesses from nothing...

I didn’t get bought out because I was struggling, I got bought out because we were clearly going somewhere. A lot of larger companies today, they have a silo mentality. Everything is compartmentalised purchasing department finance, operations, commercial director and all the rest of it, whereas I have been all of those things and at high levels. I can talk to an operations director whether he’s in a factory packaging potatoes or if he’s in a ready-mixed concrete facility.

I can sit down and talk to finance directors about EBITDA, the cashflow. I’ve learned all these skills and also the ways to develop the balance sheet and be creative in and around that area where some people aren’t so smart.

Working around depreciation and talking about more integral parts of accounting solutions.

What I have found is if you didn’t have these kind of debates with your accountants they wouldn’t bring it up, especially if you had crap accountants. The more you learn, the more you can question what they’re telling you to do and then you can redefine your own balance sheet to create a better credit worthiness situation for yourself. It’s not manipulating numbers, it’s changing your business model. Do you buy assets, depreciate them, or do you lease everything and have it hit the bottom line?

When I worked in London with some of the big guys, I was asked to go and restructure a

JULIAN

big logistics business, a £45 million company.

It was clear what needed to happen, 38 people needed to go and a whole bunch of lorries needed to be taken off the road. The guy who owned the business knew that, he just wanted a second opinion, but everyone else couldn’t see it, but you had all these experts in their different offices.

That was the other thing, I would go in the office and everyone was in different offices and communications were terrible. I like open plan offices so I can hear what’s going on. And so, I restructured all of that and stopped the bleed in that business. It wasn’t anything to me, but everybody looked at me as if I had done something magical.

Do you often get asked for help and consultation?

I haven’t started my own consultancy and I don’t tout for business, but Cornwall is quite a small place and knowing a few key people, they say you need to speak to Julian, you’ll get on with him. He’s quite alternative, he thinks outside the box, I think it might fit your business, even if he just sits on your board as a non-exec.

Do you have many non-exec roles?

Yeah, yeah. There are four small companies I’m helping out at this moment in time. I quite enjoy that because I get quite a lot of job satisfaction sitting down with somebody who clearly doesn’t know the same amount as me, who is as naive as I once was and who is struggling to understand what to do. So being able to come in and shine a light on that really easily but without ridiculing anybody. There’s more to it than somebody coming in and going here’s a plan, follow that, bye. Business isn’t linear, we’re all humans.

Have all your investments been start-ups?

You don’t tend to buy failing companies?

What happens with those kind of businesses, if you can catch them soon enough it’s worth doing. I bought three businesses out of administration at Maen Karne. Maen Karne ended up being two entities, Maen Karne Concrete Products Ltd and Maen Karne Aggregates Ltd, but within that I bought three businesses. Two of those businesses I did the deal with the receiver. Very often by the time the receiver gets them, it is often too late.

With the deal I did with Eden Aggregates for example, it was more of an asset and save the jobs kind of deal, I didn’t take on the limited entity.

There was a logistics business that came to me other day and I almost did it. Had it had been a month before and he hadn’t of burned

CHENOWETH

through another 50 grand, I think that would have been alright. It’s not off the cards that I wouldn’t do it in the future, but the key is timing. Very often this is about the business owners themselves. If they recognise it early enough you can do something about it.

Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

In ten years’ time I will probably have between ten and 20 limited businesses all formed into two groups owned by a parent company.

And each one of those businesses will turn over between £500k and £5 million each, so I don’t ever have to worry about having a gigantic behemoth of a business that could go bang. I would also want to spread the businesses across different industries and genres because that’s interesting. The different types of businesses I meet when I’m doing wine, or doing jewellery or concrete is really broad bunch of people.

Part of the big enjoyment for me is making people. Not so I can claim them when I’m older and say I made you. There is an enjoyment putting someone in a spot and watching them do well. I’m the type of boss who allows people to make their own mistakes.

How do you deal with the pressure of being responsible for so many different businesses?

I train quite a lot. You’ve got to keep physically active. I weight train and strength chain. Brazilian Jujitsu. I’m active out on my push bike, and I also ride a motor bike. You have to find time for these sort of things. If you don’t look after yourself first, you’re not doing yourself or anyone you are responsible for, a justice. And that’s a bit of a Marines way too. I’ve always kind of been like that but the Marines compounded that. It’s a bit like when the aeroplane crashes and you have to put on your own oxygen mask on first.

So, it’s not about working 12 hours a day?

I’d do it if I have to, but there’s no longevity in it. No happiness, and life’s about happiness too. If you’re starting a business from scratch on your own; yeah, you can expect to pull those kind of hours, doing the job of three people so you can save on three peoples wages and build the business. But if you’re in an established business and you’re working 12 hours a day in your office, there’s something wrong with your business and there’s something wrong with you!

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 17

GROWTH

PROGRAMME

DR RACHEL NICHOLLS-LEE, FOUNDER OF WHISKERSTAY

The marine sector is a key driver of Cornwall’s economy, contributing £1.12 billion to the region’s gross domestic product.

Cornwall boasts 400 miles of coastline with deep natural harbours, a strong maritime heritage, a 15-hectare Marine Enterprise Zone and a large network of companies that include world leaders, such as superyacht builder Pendennis and geo-consultant Fugro.

To ensure Cornwall remains a competitive and innovative player, over £7 million from the Growth Programme, the EU economic regeneration programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, has been invested in the marine sector, to help deliver smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

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MARINE-I PROJECT: TESTING AT THE COAST LAB (UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH)

Utilising funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), two major organisations, Cornwall Marine Network and Marine-i are redeploying this investment to support the development and growth of SMEs and boost research and innovation in the marine industry.

The Falmouth-based naval architecture consultancy, Whiskerstay, is one of 143 businesses supported by Cornwall Marine Network’s Propel Project.

Following a friend’s recommendation, Dr Rachel Nicholls-Lee, founder of Whiskerstay, became a member of Cornwall Marine Network and was referred through to the Propel Team. Through Propel, she received 12 hours of one-to-one business support from a Marine Innovation Mentor.

This enabled Rachel to get a comprehensive review of her website, helped with understanding her product capacity and a grant

to lease new motion and structural analysis software, ANSYS. Rachel says: “Cornwall Marine Network has helped me in all sorts of ways and it’s been so valuable as I take on new clients and make plans for growth.”

Paul Wickes MBE, CEO of Cornwall Marine Network, explains: “Propel Cornwall helps small and medium sized marine businesses to improve their business systems, processes and develop new products, and offers part-funded expert guidance from industry mentors, structured support to work with other businesses in the sector and a grant scheme to help fund investment in participating businesses – all tailored solely for the Cornish Marine Sector.

“The development of Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust’s £1.7 million specialist training centre and the recent launch of the Obervargh Barge by marine salvage expert Seawide Services were both supported by Propel grant funding.”

GROWTH

PROGRAMME

Cornwall

waves

Cornwall Marine Network is also a key partner in the Marine-i project, together with University of Exeter, Cornwall Development Company, University of Plymouth, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and The Cornwall College Group. This programme focuses on supporting marine technology research and innovation, to help businesses exploit new market opportunities.

At the outset of the Marine-i programme, they set a challenging target of supporting 100 businesses, including providing grant support to at least 66 marine businesses.

They are well on the way to smashing this target, with over 190 businesses registered with Marine-i.

the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.

Other strategic initiatives have included a fund of up to £1 million to support research, development and innovation in marine robotics and autonomous vessels, while a fund of £500k was designated for innovative marine data technologies and applications.

Professor Lars Johanning of University of Exeter, lead partner for Marine-i, says: “The initiatives that have been taken by the Marine-i project have been reported by industry media around the world, including in the USA, Australia and Asia. All of this has helped to raise the profile of Cornwall as a world leader in marine technology innovation.

“Most importantly, the vital support that has been provided to pioneering companies in the industry has helped to ensure that innovation is being built on solid foundations and that Cornwall has been able to grasp key opportunities for growth in the future, firmly establishing the county as a world-class marine technology sector.”

If you are an SME interested in receiving support from the Cornwall Marine Network’s Propel programme, visit www.propelcornwall.co.uk or if you would like to find out more about Marine-i, visit www.marine-i.co.uk

Marine-i’s support has encompassed consultancy, leading-edge research expertise, grant funding, subsidised graduate staff and access to outstanding test facilities, including the COAST Lab and

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 19

WEDDING

FEATURE

marriage

MADE IN HEAVEN? Could weddings be Cornwall’s biggest hidden industry?

We all love a good wedding. Family, friends, love and happy faces. But although a wedding is just one day, it represents the culmination of months of planning and needs the input of many different businesses and suppliers in order to make it a success.

Each year, thousands of couples tie the knot in Cornwall. While there is always the option of a traditional church wedding, there are now around 170 approved venues – anything from one of Cornwall’s luxury hotels to Bodmin Jail, stately homes, a waterfall or a tin mine – that can host a legal wedding ceremony.

Many couples come from outside of Cornwall to get married here; often bringing family and friends and transforming a traditional honeymoon into a big family holiday.

20 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

In addition to the venues, couples will be looking for local suppliers of photography, flowers, catering, entertainment, transport and all the other added extras that make a wedding special and personal to the couple concerned.

“Whether that’s venues like Pendennis Castle going the extra mile to be able to accommodate weddings or shops like Bow Falmouth developing specialist shoe and hat departments; some have really grabbed the opportunity.”

All of which presents an opportunity to those businesses who are willing and able to tap into this lucrative market. Even those businesses not traditionally linked with weddings could find they have a product or service that couples planning their wedding would find perfect.

One such businesses is Cornish Camels on the Lizard Peninsula. Owner Jan Oates first obtained an approved venue licence because her daughter Rachael wanted to get married on the family farm.

Emma Tuckley, editor and publisher of the Silverlinings Cornwall Wedding Guide, knows more than most about the range of businesses supplying services to couples getting married in Cornwall.

She says: “When I get enquiries from advertisers, I am constantly surprised by the creative thinking some businesses have employed in order to be part of the wedding industry.

As a licence lasts three years, Jan saw the opportunity to offer weddings on the farm and 11 years later, there are now three separate licensed wedding venues on the farm, as well as a couple of holiday cottages.

Weddings have grown into a significant proportion of the farm’s income; in fact, there are so many weddings on the farm that it has become harder to accommodate people who just want to come and see the camels. Jan says: “We enjoy hosting weddings. We build each wedding to the

WEDDING

vision of the couple involved which keeps it exciting, challenging and so very rewarding.”

Jules Hayden owns and runs Art of Weddings and organises wedding fairs in Cornwall, including currently planning for the Ultimate Wedding Event in Wadebridge later this month.

She gets to speak to lots of couples at all stages of planning their celebration and has a good idea what they are looking for. She believes that whether the couple live in Cornwall or upcountry, they want to use local suppliers as much as possible before, during and after their big day, so they’ll be looking for local photographers, transport and beauty suppliers.

They also want to know that, in an emergency, suppliers will be able to step in to help. Jules says: “I’ve heard stories of wedding clothes being left behind, transport breakdown and even a short notice change of venue, when Cornish suppliers have stepped in to sort things out and saved the day. Once couples

FEATURE

understand just how many wedding experts we have here in Cornwall, it gives them the confidence to book their wedding here.”

Another business that has embraced weddings is LJ Laundry Services in Redruth. Originally established as a traditional domestic and commercial laundry, it now offers a specialised wedding EMMA TUCKLEY dress service. As well as cleaning a wedding dress after the day and then returning it in a pH neutral Even those businesses where weddings are storage box so the dress remains pristine for a natural extension such as hairdressers and many years, they are also able to refurbish photographers are well known and good at the pre-loved gowns which are becoming promoting that aspect of their business. more and more a popular choice for brides.

But Silverlinings’ Emma Tuckley believes there is another layer of businesses who So, are weddings Cornwall’s best kept have not yet fully grasped the opportunity secret business sector? Well, yes and no. Those businesses who specifically to pivot their offering to target the wedding cater to couples getting married are market and especially in these uncertain many and varied and are very good at times, might find it adds a vital additional creating a buzz around the sector. income stream to their business.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 21

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ADVERTORIAL

PROFILE

great green

PRINTING machine Sustainability is firmly at the top of the agenda for most households and organisations, and Cornish businesses are helping to drive the agenda. One such business is Nationwide Print, whose printing services have become a magnet for other green enterprises – locally, nationally and internationally

We’ve got outstanding natural resources for renewable energy generation, and we have business and community leaders who care passionately about the environment

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 23

At a time when a company’s environmental record can be either a burden or a boon, Nationwide Print is nailing it.

For nearly a decade this St Austell-based printer has put green credentials at the heart of its decision-making processes, proceeding with an ambitious development plan for sustainable growth at a time when many other printers were losing the battle against the unstoppable rise of digital marketing.

Making such bold investments in renewables, energy efficiency and behaviour change was risky given the tough times the print industry was going through, but it paid off. Nationwide Print was named ‘Environmental Print Company of the Year’ at the 2018 PrintWeek Awards, the flagship awards scheme for the UK industry.

Later this year it will compete at the same awards for the title SME Printing Company of The Year.

The firm is now well-placed to take advantage of a resurgence in print marketing and independent publishing, backed by its environmental credentials. Major brands are increasingly turning back to the analogue world of the printing press to create beautiful assets and publications which have an aura of craftsmanship, value and longevity.

Digital marketing continues to thrive, of course, but its ephemerality is being counterbalanced in paper and ink.

Nationwide’s investment in renewables, energy saving and clean technology – as well as their Forestry Stewardship Council accreditation - helps us to minimise our impact on the world we live in.

When brands such as Armani and Rolex look to create valued print assets, they search for a printer who can deliver to the highest standards, using the latest technology, with the least environmental impact.

Enter a Cornwallbased SME, which punches above its weight in the printing world.

Nationwide Print’s journey to environmental leader began in 2010 when MD Julian Hocking took part in an Eden Project initiative, the Green Foundation. His participation kickstarted a series of bold investments in green technology and energy saving measures, including the installation of two large solar arrays, energy-efficient office

24 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

lighting, exterior cladding, the purchase of a fully electric e-Golf and many other small but impactful initiatives. During quieter times and weekends Nationwide Print HQ exports to the grid, and overall about 65% of its annual energy use is provided by the solar panels.

It’s an attractive choice for companies – large and small, local and multinational – with green procurement policies. Amanda Winwood, CEO of Made for Life Organics, choses Nationwide Print to fulfil the skincare company’s printing needs; it’s a partnership built on environmental principles as well as good business sense.

“Sustainability is a founding principle of Made for Life Organics,” explains Amanda.

“Nationwide’s investment in renewables, energy saving and clean technology – as well as their Forestry Stewardship Council accreditation - helps us to minimise our impact on the world we live in. Nationwide are also fantastic in terms of quality and customer service, and they are competitive on price too.”

Robin Freight, compliance officer at St Austell Brewery, sees a shared environmental outlook as a major factor in the close relationship between the brewery and their printer. “We are striving to become a greener brewer, with significant investments in technology and systems to reduce our carbon footprint at our head office, distribution depots and managed houses” explains Robin.

“Having another local business with a brave, outward-looking vision and a green agenda is really helpful – it spurs us on, and we learn from each other.”

Julian considers that part of the reason for his firms’ success lies in Cornwall itself.

“Living and working in such a beautiful place certainly inspires us to protect the natural environment,” he explains. “The ‘Cornwall brand’ is also hugely positive.

ADVERTORIAL

Our international clients know and respect Cornwall as a region where natural beauty, human creativity and environmental stewardship coexist.”

Julian believes that in these times of heightened awareness of green issues, Cornwall has a huge opportunity to maximise its status as a regional leader. “We’ve got outstanding natural resources for renewable energy generation, and we have business and community leaders who care passionately about the environment,” he says. “But the one most important thing in my opinion is the collaborative outlook of Cornish businesses.

People want to get around the table and work together to make progress and share bestpractice.”

example in this area earlier this year when it closed for a day during the busy June half term week. Peter Stewart, executive director at the Eden Project, said: “With the 24/7 culture we now live in and with businesses open 7 days a week, there’s less and less time for people to connect with their communities and take stock of what’s around them, so we made the decision to give staff the day off to reconnect with their neighbourhoods.”

Cornwall is already a powerhouse and a leader in sustainability, but there is always a need to push forward – to find new ways of sharing and using our businesses as a force for good

Another Nationwide Print customer, Matt Hocking (CEO and founder of Leap, a B-Corp accredited ‘design agency for change’) agrees. “Cornwall is already a powerhouse and a leader in sustainability, but there is always a need to push forward – to find new ways of sharing and using our businesses as a force for good,” he explains.

“Environmental impact reductions are a great first step, but attracting the right people and retaining them is an area I feel all business can focus on. Investing in people and supporting their growth – for example through learning and volunteering – is really important for nurturing sustainable communities.”

The Eden Project, which uses Nationwide Print for much of its printing needs, set an

Travel to work is another area where progressive businesses like Nationwide Print and Leap are leading the way. Leap offers staff a slow travel bonus, while Julian encourages his staff to reduce their carbon emissions with free access to an electric vehicle charging point on site, which is powered by solar energy.

Watergate Bay Hotel is another business in this green cluster which is driving the sustainability threshold ever higher. As well as an integrated system of renewable energy technology and impact reductions schemes – including the choice of Nationwide Print for much of its print marketing - Watergate galvanises its team with regular beach cleans.

PROFILE

As Julian explains, it’s often the little things, like picking up plastic on the beach, that make the most difference and have a knock-on effect. “We recently gave all our staff a Chilly’s drink bottle to help reduce single-use plastic, both at home and at work. It’s just a small thing, but it’s important for people to feel that they are part of the solution, part of a movement.”

Julian says he is continually inspired and motivated to push forward through conversations with other organisations in Cornwall, not least the team from The Lost Gardens of Heligan, who have been pushing the boundaries of what it means to be ‘green’ for decades.

“Heligan is a real inspiration, and an organisation we are very proud to work with,” says Julian. “Every year tens of thousands of people visit the gardens and almost everyone picks up a map or a story leaflet. Everything we print for Heligan is produced right here in St Austell using renewable energy, efficient technology and a skilled local workforce, and transported in our electric e-Golf. That’s the kind of future we need to be aiming for if we want to save the planet!”

“Every day our team spend some time cleaning the beach,” Will Ashworth, CEO at Watergate Bay Hotel explains. “We organise staff beach cleans every season and work with the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) to run regular public beach cleans. It has a positive impact on community resilience, health and wellbeing as well as the environment.”

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 25

SAINT PIRAN

CYCLING

behind bars

Morveth Ward catches up with the Duchy’s first elite cycling team to learn how it all started and how it plans to conquer the world from Cornwall Having role models and something to aspire to is undoubtedly a huge driver in developing ambition and demonstrating to others what can be achieved if you put your mind to it - something that can create a ripple effect across a community.

That’s why Tonick Business Publishing (publisher of Business Cornwall magazine) now has a close relationship with Cornwall’s first elite cycling team, Saint Piran, which wishes to defy convention and become a pro cycling team competing on a global stage, yet remain based in Cornwall, Bissoe Bike Hire/ Bike Chain Ricci, to be precise.

Saint Piran is owned by Richard Pascoe and has already started turning heads on the race-scene. This year alone Saint Piran has raced competitively at many of the major national events. Among the successes, Steve won the Men’s National Masters Championships on a wet and windy 60-mile course in Lancashire; as well as Saint Piran taking the top spot in the UK Elite cycling category and taking the red jersey in the Tour Series.

The plan is to continue and develop these successes and by 2023 it has big targets to compete as an accredited continental professional squad in the world’s biggest races.

Saint Piran has attracted highperformance athletes, including Cameron Jeffers who took this year’s national e-racing championship win, as well as local talent that includes Healey’s Cyder MD Joe Healey, who happens 26 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

to be an exceptional and committed rider.

What seems to attract the athletes is the ambition of the club, the level of involvement and inclusion given to riders, whereby they are involved in all key decisions and perhaps the opportunity to achieve goals from a county as beautiful and unique as Cornwall.

Commenting on the inspiration behind establishing Saint Piran, team principal, Richard Pascoe, says: “Initially I wanted something that would reflect well on the region and its athletes. Opportunity is difficult from a remote region. However, over the past 30 years I’ve learnt so much whilst mentoring world class cyclists, professional riders and helping grassroots athletes and I wanted to create a platform where excellence could flourish in Cornwall.”

Saint Piran team leader and director sportive, Steve Lampier, adds: “The main reason for this whole process is to develop Cornish cycling talent and to ultimately propel them on to the world stage.

“We are geographically challenged for bike racing, living this far south west. But we act as the bridge in effect, putting my years of experience and helping the next generation succeed.

“Also, with the Tour of Britain starting in Penzance next year, we want to be the first ever pro team from Cornwall in the race and boost sponsorship opportunities for companies wanting to be involved.”

As well as being an amazing asset for cyclists in Cornwall, bringing huge opportunity for aspiring riders, it is the ripple effect that has attracted local businesses, including us.

The message that Saint Piran sends out to the wider community is ‘why not?’. In this day and age, we are more limitless than ever, and Cornwall has the opportunity to be ambitious in everything it does and use some of its

SAINT PIRAN attributes to drive a virtually unrivalled USP of having one of the best work/ life balance opportunities in the UK. You really can have the best of both worlds’ now, a successful career/business and truly wonderful lifestyle.

Saint Piran and all it’s achieving/hoping to achieve, reinforces this. That is why it has attracted the support of local businesses and organisations such as Stephens Scown, Tregothnan Tea and Cornwall Chamber of Commerce.

A collaborative approach which is synonymous with that of the wider business community in the Duchy.

It is this collaborative approach

that will undoubtedly play a big role in the success of the team and surely a journey that many more businesses will want to be involved with.

It is also something that will theoretically snowball, so the more successes for the team the more rewards for everyone involved.

CYCLING

We are thrilled to see Saint Piran take on this challenge and whilst it is undoubtedly going to be a tough one, we wish them the best and will be following the journey closely.

I wanted to create a platform where excellence could flourish in Cornwall

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 27

CHRISTMAS

FEATURE

Season...

As we put the barbecues back inside the garden shed, thoughts begin to turn to Christmas and the annual office party...

28 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

CELEBRATE IN STYLE Christmas Parties & Festive Afternoon Teas

SMor_XmasAdvert_194x136.indd 1

11/09/2017 16:49

CHRISTMAS… A TIME FOR GIVING

Everyone likes to be able to give gifts, especially around Christmas time but what are the tax implications of doing this through your business? Truro accountancy, Whyfield, explains all

Gifting, like entertainment is generally a ‘no

no’, although there are some occasions where you can provide a small thank you to clients and employees and here are the do’s and don’ts to ensure there are no tax implications for your business:

Your clients: Where the gift given incorporates an advertisement for the business, eg features the business name or logo, then that may be tax deductible.

For example, a branded drinks bottle, umbrella or diary for the following year would all be allowable.

BUT if the gift consists of food, drink, tobacco,

or any voucher that can be exchanged for goods, then that is not tax deductible, even if they feature business branding.

There is also a further restriction in that the cost of the gift cannot exceed £50 per recipient.

You don’t have to pay tax on a benefit for your employee if all of the following apply:

There are, however, allowances where a company gifts one of its products, ie a free sample, and the item is given away during the ordinary course of that business, to advertise to the public generally.

• it isn’t cash or a cash voucher (vouchers in exchange for goods or services is fine)

For example, if the business is a microbrewery, then it could make Christmas gifts of its products to the general public for promotional purposes and obtain a tax deduction for the cost of doing so.

Christmas donations to charities in lieu of gifts would also be tax deductible so are worth considering.

Your employees: As well as the allowances for staff entertainment which permit a provision for the staff Christmas party, you can provide small gifts for employees under HMRC’s ‘Trivial Benefits’ rules.

• it cost you £50 or less to provide

• it isn’t a reward for their work or performance • it isn’t in the terms of their contract These gifts are known as a ‘trivial benefits’.

You don’t need to pay tax or National Insurance or let HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) know.

BUT you will have to pay tax on any benefits that don’t meet all these criteria and also there is a limit for close companies, which includes the typical family-owned company of £300 limit per tax year for gifts to a director and their family.

whyfield.co.uk | 01872 267 267 BUSINESS CORNWALL | 29

Celebrate the Festive Season with us...

Fine festive food accompanied by candlelight and crackers, live entertainment, and luxury accommodation make for a memorable Christmas party.

Main House Hotel Party Nights

• Live entertainment on arrival • Festive candlelit tables with crackers • DJ late into the night • Complimentary bed and Cornish breakfast for the organiser (20 guests or more) • Discounted bed and Cornish breakfast from £60 pppn (based upon two people sharing a room, upgrades apply) • Parking

Four-courses - £29.95

Exclusive Party Nights

For larger parties of 80 or more, hold an exlcusive event in one of our grand function rooms.

Pre-Christmas Luncheon

Beach Club Christmas Party Nights

Enjoy our pre-Christmas festive luncheon, available daily from the 1st to 24th December.

Cocktails, Champagne and dining in the chic Beach Club on the sands.

Festive Menu - £35 per head

3 courses - £22.95 per head

New Year’s Eve Dinner

Dance the night away to many favourite tunes from our five-piece show band and toast with Champagne at midnight.

7 course dinner £79.50 per head

For more information or to book call +44 (0) 1736 795311 www.carbisbayhotel.co.uk events@carbisbayhotel.co.uk Carbis Bay Estate, Carbis Bay, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 2NP

DECKED OUT CHRISTMAS PARTIES & DINING Perfect for a team night out or a gathering of friends, our Christmas packages take care of everything so you can focus on kicking back, relaxing and enjoying the fun of the festivities!

St Ives Harbour Hotel & Spa The Terrace, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 2BN E: stives.events@harbourhotels.co.uk T: 01736 795221

00276_St Ives Christmas Advert_94x136mm.indd 1

Festive lunches at The Greenbank

12/09/2019 13

£1 for t 8 h cour ree ses

Our festive lunch offer runs every Monday to Friday, priced at just £18 for three courses.

So whether there’s just the two of you or you’ve got the whole office to entertain – we’d love to see you at The Greenbank. Pre-bookings are essential. www.greenbank-hotel.co.uk 01326 312440 Harbourside Falmouth TR11 2SR BUSINESS CORNWALL | 31

Christmas Parties Enjoy vibrant cocktails, bold Cornish cuisine and music to keep you moving on the dance floor until midnight.

A Cornish Festive Feast

Our festive party nights run from the end of November until the middle of January and can seat up to 100 merrymakers from £36 per person. Stay from an additional £55 per person.

CHRISTMAS PARTIES CANAPÉS & EVENTS

CALL 01326 369 793 TO BOOK Find out more at stmichaelsresort.com/party

OFFICE PARTY TAX BENEFITS! As summer is officially over and Christmas items are appearing in the shops, it is time to consider the most important part of the festive season, says Bishop Fleming tax executive Kerensa Pink – the office party!

To reward your staff for their hard work, a party to celebrate may be the expected thing to do. However, if the tax rules are not considered, your employees could be landed with a taxable benefit which they may not be expecting.

If you wish to discuss any potential staff benefit tax issues, contact Kerensa Pink, Tax Executive at Bishop Fleming on 01872 275651, at KPink@bishopfleming.co.uk or visit bishopfleming.co.uk

32 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Most people are aware of the £150 per head rule but not all are aware of the detail.

This is an exemption, not an allowance and if there is more than one event, the event that breaches it will be fully taxable. For example, if you hold a summer barbecue at £80 per head and a Christmas party at £130 per head, one will be taxable, but the exemption can be used in the most tax efficient manner rather than chronologically. You can choose to use the exemption against the Christmas party so saving your employees tax which will exempt the entire Christmas event. Unfortunately,

the barbeque will be fully taxable, even for those who didn’t make the Christmas party, via the P11ds of those attending.

To qualify for tax relief the event must be: • an annual party (it doesn’t have to occur every year) and • available to all employees.

The business can claim tax relief on the expenses for employee entertaining, but the amounts of a non-qualifying party would be fully taxable on the attendees.

This can be avoided by arranging a PAYE Settlement Agreement with HMRC so that the employer picks up the tab. All amounts dealt with in this manner are grossed up for tax and then subject to National Insurance so this can be costly.

We always recommend setting budgets and sticking to them, so you are aware in advance of any potential issues rather than dealing with them as an afterthought.

CHRISTMAS IN THE HEART OF THE BAY ParTy WiTh Us 29th and 30th November, 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th December from 7pm Join us for fairy lights and fizz, firepits, festive feasting and views of St Michael’s Mount lighting up the bay. With live music from Slapdash Trio. £40pp To book contact events@godolphinarms.co.uk or call 01736 888510 A 50% deposit will be required on booking. godolphinarms.co.uk

HAVE YOU BOOKED YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY NIGHT...?

CHRISTMAS

Party Nights

Bring everyone together and celebrate Christmas in style with the best festive party in town.

Prices from £27.95pp including: - Welcome drink - 3 course festive feast with hats, crackers and more - Entry to our late night disco with DJ Available on Friday and Saturday nights from November 29th until December 21st.

Make a night of it and stay over from £42.50pp including a full English breakfast.

To book - Call: 01637862244 or Email: events@atlantichotelnewquay.co.uk

Our festive Christmas Party nights include either a two-course meal £18 per person or a three-course £22 per person.

Your evening comes complete with crackers, streamers and party hats and perhaps an appearance from our family of goats dressed up as reindeer.

Accommodation from £45 per person sharing* *This price is based on two people sharing a two bed Park Cabin.

THE PARK - MAWGAN PORTH ·

www.theparkcornwall.com

See our website for available dates, hurry bookings are essential to avoid any disappointment.

For more information or to book call our team on: 01637 860594 BUSINESS CORNWALL | 33

START UPs

CORNWALL

NEW BUSINESSES

ON THE SCENE In association with Unlocking Potential

ADRIAN CABELLO

Danny and Mark have just launched their brand-new kitchen facility on their farm, overlooking the glorious Cornish countryside, near Perranwell Station.

A local Cornish business, specialising in timelapse and drone film production, has received international recognition for his work.

Adrian Cabello is a CAA approved drone pilot, time lapse specialist, camera assistant and operator with experience in feature films and TV productions. Paying special attention to composition, Adrian understands the way natural light works and pre-empting the best times to film.

Adrian’s client list now includes Channel 4, Epson, Aldi and the National Geographic Channel.

“The latest titles that I have worked on,” he explains, “include the feature films The Festival (2018), The Kid Who Would Be King (2019), the National Geographic series One Strange Rock (2018) and the new Devon and Cornwall (2019) series for Channel4/More4.

“I work mostly for TV & Film productions, as well as for corporate clients. I provide them with a different perspective from the air – capturing hours of time into seconds.”

You can check out Adrian’s winning film, ‘Cornwall’ on Vimeo, chosen as an exclusive staff pick.

THE BARKERY UK Jackson Lynn launched The Barkery UK to service the growing consumer demand for high quality, conscious pet treats.

AVO CATERING COMPANY Two chefs, Mark Polglase and Danny Wingate, met while working at a bustling cafe on one of Cornwall’s finest beaches.

Jackson says: “The Barkery produces high quality dog treats which have been designed to address common skin, teeth and dietary issues. They’re also vegan friendly and a human-grade product; this means that you can have one with a cup of tea if you’d like to try one!”

Together they aimed to create a Cornish catering company that utilises the wonderful produce the county has to offer, in a considerate and contemporary way. At the core of AVO is a firm commitment to ecofriendly practices.

Working within the seasons, AVO sources sustainable and locally grown organic produce wherever possible. With a combined 25 years’ experience in the catering industry, they are well versed in delivering exciting, visually stunning and memorable cuisine for every occasion- be it a business lunch, corporate event, party or wedding.

“We started AVO to showcase the best local Cornish produce we can find, and sourced as locally to our farm as possible,” says Mark.

Mark likens starting up a business to being in a ‘bubble’. “When you start a business, you don’t question things, you live in your own business bubble. Gaining some business support, we had someone ask us hard questions about our business. We stepped out of the bubble and discovered who our customers are, what our business looks like and what direction it could take.”

The idea for the business took shape on the golden beaches of north Cornwall. Sat looking out to sea, watching the dogs chasing across the sand, Jackson decided to lovingly create some fun, handmade tasty snacks for dogs which would not impact on their summer beach bodies!

The Barkery use only fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices to create these doggy delicacies. When sourcing ingredients, they only work with partners who share their passion for high quality produce.

Jackson continues: “The pet food industry is growing rapidly, so I really needed some help with email marketing and sales – the expert knowledge and business support available in Cornwall is second to none.”

All of these entrepreneurs received support in the early stages of their business by attending the ERDF funded Breakthrough two-day workshop, delivered by Unlocking Potential. If you are planning to grow or are just starting out, the Breakthrough team will help you on the next stage of your business journey. www.unlocking-potential.co.uk

34 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

If you have a new start up that you’d like to introduce to the business community, please contact our editor Nick Eyriey at Business Cornwall nick@businesscornwall.co.uk

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BUSINESS CORNWALL | 35

PEOPLE

ON THE MOVE

SPONSORED BY

There have been two senior promotions at Truro-based agency Vitamin Cornwall.

VITAMIN PROMOTIONS

SUE HOOK’S AMANDA Cornish human resources company, Sapience HR, has appointed a second director.

Amanda Paddy, who has worked at the company since 2012, steps into the role of director alongside founder Sue Hook, as both look to strengthen the knowledge and skills the company can offer to businesses in Cornwall.

“Amanda is a true asset to the business,” said Hook. “We’re very excited to see how we can take the business to the next level together by continuing to deliver excellent services to our existing client base as well as reaching new businesses and making more of an impact.”

Sam Thomas has been named creative director while Dan Mitchell has been promoted to technical director, in recognition of the strategic role they have played in Vitamin Cornwall’s successes in the last year.

Owner Jacob Beckett said: “Sam’s creative lead underpinned by Dan’s technical

knowledge has helped us secure a number of tenders, giving us the opportunity to work with Choose Cornwall, Tevi, St Austell Heritage Trail and Home Grown Learning.

“They’re both integral to our boundary pushing design and digital services, sharing their expertise with our studios in London and abroad.”

Vitamin Cornwall has also welcomed Kathryn White back to the team as its studio manager, covering all aspects of account and project management to enhance client experience.

NEW MD AT CORNISH MUTUAL Cornish Mutual has announced a new managing director.

Subject to regulatory approval, the company’s finance and operations director, Peter Beaumont, will replace Alan Goddard, who is due to retire in December after 15 years in the MD’s hotseat.

Beaumont, who joined Cornish Mutual in 2009, said: “Over the last ten years, I have had the privilege of working alongside Alan and the whole Cornish Mutual team to make the company what it is today.”

The Islands’ Partnership, the official destination management organisation and business lead for the Isles of Scilly, has named Nick Bond its new executive director.

The appointment coincides with a new three-year strategic partnership with Penzance Helicopters, alongside Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, Tresco Estate and the Duchy of Cornwall, all of whom have

BOND NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 36 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

www.sapiencehr.co.uk

Since joining Cornish Mutual in 2001 and becoming MD in 2004, Goddard has led the company through a period of growth, which has included increasing members’ funds from £8 million to in excess of £21 million.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as managing director of Cornish Mutual,” he said. “I’m proud of our achievements and pleased to be passing the reins on to Peter, whose experience with Cornish Mutual makes him ideally placed to drive the company forward while retaining its unique values and approach.”

renewed their commitment to the Islands’ Partnership for a further three years.

Bond, who took up his role last month, was previously head of tourism at Visit Norwich for six years and prior to that he was business tourism manager at Welcome to Yorkshire.

Andrew Sells, chairman of the Islands’ Partnership, commented: “He (Nick) has a great deal of experience and expert knowledge of the travel industry and will, I am sure, be an excellent asset to the Islands’ Partnership and to the Isles of Scilly as whole.”

www.sapiencehr.co.uk

PEOPLE

SPONSORED BY

AVIATION EXPERT ON BOARD The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group has appointed Red Funnel Group chairman Kevin George to its board of directors.

George, who spent much of his career in the airline industry with British Airways and Monarch before joining Red Funnel as CEO five years ago, replaces Henk Wiekens, who has stepped down after serving 12 months on the board.

Red Funnel operates vehicle and passenger services in Southampton and the Isle of Wight, transporting in excess 850,000 vehicles and 3.4 million passengers per annum. He became chairman of the Red Funnel Group in 2018.

He said: “I am delighted to be joining the Steamship Group and look forward to assisting in the development of the business in both its shipping and aviation activities to provide it’s lifeline services to the Islands. It is a fascinating time to be joining the company as it addresses some key performance and asset challenges.”

Steamship Group CEO, Stuart Reid, added: “Kevin will bring both marine and aviation expertise and experience to the board of directors and he is a strong appointment for the group.”

ON THE MOVE

Truro-based Ignition, a leading provider of vehicle and asset finance for UK SMEs, is welcoming a new business development manager to its growing team.

Ele Smith is already an active member of the business community in the south west region, previously working at Santander as director of transactional banking and liquidity for Bristol, Devon and Cornwall.

MD, Paul Caunter, said: “We’re thrilled to have Ele on board. She is highly regarded in the business community and has a strong track-record for delivering excellent solutions and forging lasting relationships with clients.”

Ignition offers finance for a wide range of business assets from plant and machinery to vehicles and business equipment, as well providing general business loans.

FRESH SPARK FOR IGNITION

ALL CHANGE AT ST IVES BID St Ives Business Improvement District (BID) has appointed a new manager and board chair to support the town’s businesses and deliver key services and projects for the Cornish seaside destination.

Helen Tripconey took up the post as BID Manager in the summer, shortly after St Ives BID won a second five-year term when local businesses voted in favour of renewal.

Originally hailing from Coverack, Tripconey

has lived in St Ives for almost 20 years and is a familiar face in the town.

She has a background in the finance sector and has spent the last 26 years working as a financial advisor.

A new Chair of St Ives BID has also been elected recently. Alex Ward, who took up the position at the start of BID2, owns a picture framing business called Mirror Image with her husband and has lived in St Ives for more than 20 years.

FORE! WATERS ON COURSE China Fleet Country Club has appointed a new golf and estate manager.

Ben Waters, who is a member of the PGA, joins China Fleet after 13 years as head of golf pro at St Mellion.

“We are delighted to have Ben heading up our golf department,” said director Dean Bennett. “Not only is Ben a very talented player himself, but he understands the golf industry and has great business accruement.”

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 37

CREATIVE

AND DIGITAL

SPONSORED BY

www.digitalpeninsula.org

GINSTERS YOU’VE BEEN TURNS TO NIXON FRAMED A Hayle-based creative agency has completed a major branding project for Ginsters.

The Callington-based baker, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, turned to Nixon Design to help with a new packaging range and brand strategy.

Nixon partnered with Thoroughbred Communications to focus on Ginsters’ three core strengths: its Cornish heritage, British ingredients and distinctive taste.

The refreshed look features original wood

GAMER CHANGER This month’s Future Focus event is anticipated to be a ‘digital game changer’.

Delegates at Digital Mindset at the Eden Project on October 9, will hear from Cate Trotter, head of trends at Insider Trends, and Holly Tucker, founder of notonthehighstreet.com.

Tucker will focus on the human at the eye of the digital data-storm, delving further into customer experience, employee engagement and the link between them.

Trotter’s presentation, ‘Max Your Digital UX’, will explain how technology is enabling more than just a faster version of businessas-usual and transforming the nature of business itself.

Digital Mindset is organised by Unlocking Potential and supported by media partner, Business Cornwall.

THREESY DOES IT

38 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

engravings by illustrator Andrew Davidson.

Depicting rural scenes in painstaking detail, each took four days to create by hand. As part of the project, the Nixon team has also reimagined the design of Ginsters’ vans, lorries and supermarket displays, as well as applying branding to a Team Toyota GB BTCC racing car.

Nixon Design MD Martin Nixon said: “It was a real privilege to develop a new look for one of Cornwall’s leading brands.

“It’s great to know that our Cornish business can compete with national agencies to create something authentic to the Ginsters heritage.”

FLYING HIGH A Cornish aerial photography company is enjoying success with what it claims to be a first of its kind initiative in the south west.

Bad Wolf Horizon launched its 360 VR drone service in the summer. Its first project was for Goonhilly Earth Station, providing pre-recorded virtual reality drone tours for its special Apollo 50 event.

“We were utterly blown away by the response of this VR experience,” enthused Bad Wolf director, Tom Wadsworth. “We already have a couple of projects lined up with some very well-known Cornish businesses. We start filming these in the middle of September.”

Three Cornish marketing agencies have been appointed to work alongside the in-house team at the Headland Hotel.

Barefoot Media, Idenna and Solve will provide media relations, website design, video and search engine optimisation, as well as content for other marketing materials.

Darryl Reburn, MD of The Headland, said: “It is an exciting time for The Headland as it embarks on a new journey to become a world-class destination. The all-Cornish marketing team is taking it to the next phase of its evolution and providing a coordinated approach that is already delivering highly positive results.

Newquay Business Improvement District (BID) is offering member businesses the opportunity to have their very own short promotional film made.

As part of a new project entitled, ‘Meet the Business,’ the BID is working with Newquay-based Ice Cold Gorilla Marketing (ICG) to develop a series of short videos to showcase the innovative business landscape in the town and the individual businesses that make it up.

The videos will be gifted to the businesses at no cost for their use within their own marketing and communications efforts. If requested, they can also be shared across Newquay BID’s social channels which have a combined reach of 33,971 reaching new audiences and potential customers.

Newquay BID manager, Carla-Marie Jones, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to offer this beneficial service to our members. As we all know, engaging video content is hugely influential nowadays in the evolving digital landscape.”

“While we are keen to spread the message about The Headland and Cornwall to a wider audience, we recognise that our success also benefits the local economy and we hope to make a difference to the local community; from the team that work here, to those who visit and the suppliers who provide goods and services.”

Commenting on behalf of all the agencies, Idenna creative director, James Neale, said: “Generations of guests come back year after year to experience The Headland’s excellent facilities and stunning location.

“It has a unique story to tell and it is our role to capture and communicate the essence of The Headland and what makes it so special.

Marketing, PR, social media and the new website all work in harmony to do that.”

NEWS

SPONSORED BY

NLW – UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES New FSB research reveals that small business owners are cutting profits and productivityenhancing investments in an attempt to absorb inflation-beating wage increases.

This survey of more than 1,000 business owners shows that over half (51%) of small firms were already paying all staff at least £8.21 per hour prior to this becoming the National Living Age (NLW) rate in April. The figure rises to 56% among microbusinesses (those employing up to ten staff).

FSB’s development manager for Cornwall, Ann Vandermeulen, said: “To retain the best staff, show good will and to simply be fair,

#FSBCONNECT

business owners really do want to pay their staff the best they can afford.

“However, when wage rises become a mandatory directive and hit at an already stressed time for the business that is when some unintended consequences start to occur. There needs to be a balance between enforcing good wages and allowing the business owner freedom to manage the money that is available in the business to use.”

The most common response to the last NLW increase among small business owners directly affected by the change was to pay themselves less: seven in ten (71%) lowered profits or absorbed costs in an attempt to handle the hike. The other most-frequently cited responses are: increasing prices (45%), delaying investment (29%) and reducing hours worked by staff (23%).

DATA MASTERCLASS

WAGES PROFIT PRODUCTIVITY

ALL CHANGE TO LOAN CHANGE? is unreasonable. And especially so in such an uncertain and unpredictable climate.

“The loan charge is causing misery for thousands of sole traders – many of whom were acting on the advice of employers or financial professionals when they agreed to schemes which were, at the time of participation, perfectly legal.

FSB’S MIKE CHERRY The recently announced independent review to the Loan Change is leaving sole traders shrouded in uncertainty.

Responding to the announcement that the Treasury has appointed Sir Amyas Morse to lead a review FSB National Chairman Mike Cherry, said: “While it’s encouraging to see the Government doubling down on its commitment to a review of the loan charge – telling sole traders that they’ll have an update on where they stand as late as November, with then potentially only two months to settle-up,

“A lot of these people are not financial experts or high earners. There are individuals being targeted here who could lose everything. The priority must be intervening to protect those who were following professional advice or guidance from employers or third parties.

“Interventions like the loan charge make it impossible to plan for the future. Many who are playing fair when planning their tax affairs today will be wondering where else the Government might suddenly change the rules, start applying new laws to years past and demand big pay-outs.

“In future, HRMC should establish a tax efficiency white list, guaranteeing that – if the scheme is listed – you have cast iron protection form a retrospective grab if you use it.”

In a data and payment driven world it can seem a complex landscape for many small businesses and it is more important than ever to keep your business and your customer’s data secure.

In a data-driven world, good information handling makes good business sense.

This masterclass, hosted by the FSB and delivered by the UK’s data protection regulator, focuses on the lessons learned for small businesses since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act. Reduce business crime and learn how to enhance your reputation, increase customer confidence, and save both time and money by making sure the personal data you’re responsible for is accurate, relevant and safe.

To book search for FSB South West on Eventbrite or email Vanessa.gale@fsb.org.uk

FSB Offer for Business Cornwall Magazine Readers at www.fsb.org.uk/join If you want to join FSB after reading this page then please quote BCM30 when you join and save £30!

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 39

EDUCATION

AND TRAINING

SPONSORED BY

THREE NEW TRAINEES The Truro office of accountancy firm, Bishop Fleming, has recruited three new trainees, helping to continue growth within Cornwall’s economy.

and finance. Working towards her ACA qualification, she will embark on a 36-month training program with the firm, starting in January.

The appointments of Alice Harry, Jacob Fletcher and Callum Palmer come as the firm which delivers accounting, tax and advisory services, celebrates its centenary year.

Fletcher joined Bishop Fleming after completing his A-levels at Truro College two years ago and is currently working with the firms support towards gaining his AAT qualification.

Harry is a graduate trainee from the University of West of England who has just completed her degree in accounting

www.truro-penwith.ac.uk

HEAD START FOR POLWHELE

Palmer, meanwhile, has just started working towards his ACA qualification.

COLLEGE PRINCIPAL NAMED The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) has appointed a new principal and chief executive.

John Evans, who has more than 30 years’ experience in FE Colleges in the south west, takes over from interim principal and chief executive, Dr Elaine McMahon.

Chair of the TCCG board, Dr Ian Tunbridge, said the college was thrilled to secure an “outstanding leader in education”.

Evans has held the post of principal of Yeovil College since January 2014, following a role as vice principal for curriculum and quality of Swindon College. He also worked at Bridgwater and South Devon Colleges, as head of motor vehicle, construction & engineering and head of technology respectively.

He took on the additional role as an Ofsted inspector across the country in 2011.

Hilary Mann, formerly Head of Roselyon School in Lanlivery, becomes Polwhele’s fifth head since the school was founded in 1981

by Richard and Rosemary White.

He said: “John’s obvious passion and enthusiasm for delivering innovative teaching and learning and ensuring that all learners have an outstanding experience resonated with everyone.”

ADVERTORIAL

Cornish preparatory school Polwhele House has appointed a new head to start this autumn.

“I am delighted to be joining such a prestigious and popular preparatory school in the heart of Cornwall,” she said.

“I am looking forward to working closely with staff, parents and the children themselves to help take the school forward and to further develop and improve on the educational and pastoral offering.”

BEACON PROJECT SHINES A LIGHT Cornwall leads the way with new digital tool. Clare Harris LEP senior skills officer explains all...

40 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Modern society and the world of work is changing rapidly, bringing with it new challenges for our physical and mental health.

We spend a third of our lives at work, so employers have an important role to play in helping people stay healthy and remain in work.

As people are increasingly working for longer, we know that many employers need access to more information and advice, to support health, disability and wellbeing.

The Beacon Project, through the development of a digital tool, aims to draw together this practical advice and support to help employers.

www.visitcornwall.com

NEWS

SPONSORED BY

BOOK DIRECT CALL Holidaymakers are being urged to book direct, after new research claimed that many Brits are paying over the odds for their selfcatering holidays.

Independent Cottages, which conducted the research, discovered that in Cornwall, the average saving is 21%, the equivalent of £222, when compared with booking through an online travel agent such as AirBnB, HolidayLettings, Tripadvisor or HomeAway.

Sarah Jarvis, owner and co-founder of Independent Cottages, said: “We always knew that, compared to an online travel agent, holidaymakers saved money when booking direct, but until we carried out the research we had no idea just how much.

“At a time of watching the pennies and not knowing what’s ahead in the coming months, we were shocked when we realised just how big the savings could be. Whether booking ahead and travelling further afield or searching for a last-minute break to enjoy the beauty on your doorstep, visitors to various parts of Cornwall can snap up a great deal.”

HELI TICKETS ON SALE Advance bookings are now being taken for the new helicopter service to the Isles of Scilly which is set to get underway next spring.

The new operation takes off from March 17 and will be the only scheduled helicopter service for the Isles of Scilly, flying direct to both Tresco and St Mary’s from the new Penzance Heliport.

The new service is to be provided by Sloane Helicopters – a leading onshore helicopter operator with 48 years’ experience – in partnership with Penzance Heliport Ltd and Tresco Estate.

Flights will take 15 minutes aboard a modern 15-seater AW139 helicopter. The route will Tourism chiefs from across the region met aboard Bristol’s SS Great Britain last month as they attended a Great Western Railway partner seminar promoting UK travel.

GWR ON TRACK We are in the final stages of developing a scalable digital tool, in partnership with Evident Agency, that will deliver advice and ongoing support for businesses, working with the Cornwall Growth Hub and other partners to provide a single place for employers to find the help they need.

With record levels of people now in employment, we know many businesses are struggling to recruit. This project aims to make it easier for businesses to find the right person from a larger pool of possible candidates, as well as supporting their existing employees who may have a disability or long-term health condition.

TOURISM

Over 30 tourism partners from across the network, including English Heritage, local tourism boards, and community rail partnerships came together to learn from each other to encourage visitors to their region, and to hear of the exciting initiatives ahead.

operate year-round, with up to 17 flights per day, six days a week.

Sloane MD, Jeremy Awenat, said: “The Penzance Helicopters service will be of great benefit to islanders and visitors to the Isles of Scilly, as well as bringing great benefits to the visitor economy of west Cornwall.

“The level of public support for the new helicopter service from Penzance and the construction of a new Penzance Heliport has been overwhelming. We’re very much looking forward to providing this exciting new direct air link to improve connectivity to the Isles of Scilly.”

Standard flight prices start at £122.50 one-way.

At the top of the agenda was the opportunity to hear more about the new December timetable, which will see the biggest change to GWR services in 40 years.

GWR’s Amanda Burns said: “GWR recognises only too well the value of rail to the national and to local economies. The new timetable in December gives us a huge opportunity to invite even more people to visit the south west, both from within the UK, and from abroad - and to take advantage of the full benefits that rail travel has to offer in helping people get to great places.”

Come and join us on October 31 at 12pm at Pool Innovation Centre for a networking lunch to learn more about the Beacon Project and the digital tool, specifically designed by businesses, making essential support for businesses more accessible.

You will also have the opportunity to hear from the ‘Inclusivity Project’ team, a University of Exeter-led academic research and innovation project offering support to small businesses to try to improve workplace wellbeing and productivity, drawing more on the talents of the wider workforce – older people, people with long-term health issues, and disabled people.

RESERVE YOUR FREE PLACE AND FIND OUT MORE AT

www.cornwallbeacon.co.uk

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 41

FOOD

& DRINK

OLD COASTGUARD POP-UP

TARQUIN’S IN TESCO

A pop-up restaurant has opened in Penzance, run by the team from The Old Coastguard in Mousehole, which was damaged by fire earlier this year.

Two gins from an artisan Cornish distillery are appearing on supermarket shelves for the first time.

Bottles of Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin and Tarquin’s Rhubarb and Raspberry Gin took to the shelves at Tesco stores across Devon and Cornwall last month.

The gins have won a host of accolades, including the World’s Best Gin at the San Francisco Spirit awards, while demand has seen the business expand to become the UK’s third largest family-owned distillery, employing 35 people to hand-fill, hand-sign and hand-wax over 2,000 bottles of its premium gin a day.

The supermarket listing is the latest chapter in the success of Tarquin’s, whose products are produced in small batches at the first distillery to open in the south west for 100 years.

“We are incredibly excited about taking the next step forward as a company and reaching more customers through our supermarket partners,” said founder Tarquin Leadbetter.

The Old Coastguard has been closed since June after suffering extensive fire damage and is not due to re-open until early 2020.

Head chef Jamie Porter, who only joined a week before the fire, finally has his chance to show what he can do with The Vault Kitchen.

Edmund Inkin, one of two brothers who owns EATDRINKSLEEP, which runs The Old Coastguard, said: “It’s been a tough period for the team since the fire and they’ve grabbed the opportunity to resurrect The Vault from a dire state. Although we’ll only be here until The Old Coastguard re-opens, it’s good for us all to do something a bit different.”

MILK ON NOSTROVIA! DEMAND A Newquay-based business has started selling ‘milk on tap’.

Since its launch at the beginning of the year, FreshPoint Local has been waging a war on unnecessary plastic packaging across its retail service, encouraging customers to use paper bags for fresh produce and recycled boxes or bags for life rather than plastic carriers.

And now it has introduced milk on tap from its Milk Refill Station.

Director, Rachel Craze, explained: “We are working with Rodda’s on this initiative to see a reduction in the use of plastic milk bottles.

We have traditional glass milk bottles which customers can purchase or they can bring their own bottle which we simply refill with Cornish milk which is sourced from Cornish farms within 30 miles of Rodda’s Creamery in Scorrier.

“We made a conscious decision to sell the bottles at cost,” added Craze. “This is an environmental initiative which we hope will encourage Newquay to change the way milk is purchased.”

42 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

St Austell Brewery won Best Stout at the 23rd International Beer Challenge Awards 2019.

Black Square Russian Imperial Stout, the brainchild of St Austell Brewery’s brewing director Roger Ryman, was first brewed in collaboration with Moscow’s New Riga’s brewery.

The accolade follows on from the Championship Trophy that the stout received earlier in the year for ‘Best Strong Beer’ at the International Brewing Awards 2019.

Ryman said: “We’re so proud to have been awarded Gold for Black Square. The awards we have received for this wonderful dark beer is thanks to the collaboration and innovation that the brewing team enjoys here at St Austell Brewery.”

UK’S BEST RESTAURANTS

Outside of London, Padstow has been identified as the culinary capital of the UK in a list of the country’s top 100 restaurants.

Padstow is the town with the most restaurants listed in SquareMeal’s list of UK Top 100 restaurants with Cornwall, in total, having six restaurants ranked within the top 100.

SquareMeal’s Top 100 claims to be “truly unique” as the only poll to exclude London restaurants, allowing the UK’s regional dining scene to “truly shine”.

Nathan Outlaw is the big winner with his two-Michelin-starred flagship ranked as the

eighth best restaurant in the country and his Outlaw Fish Kitchen, both in Port Isaac appearing in the top 30.

Padstow has Prawn on the Lawn’s combination of a traditional fishmongers with an on-trend seafood bar listed alongside the original Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant and Michelin-starred establishment, Paul Ainsworth at No. 6, just a couple of streets away.

Elsewhere in Cornwall, Tom Adams and April Bloomfield’s 66-acre farm in Lewannick featured at number 35 in the top 100.

CHAMBER

SPONSORED BY

cornwallchamber.co.uk

BUSINESS BREXIT CHECKLIST As we at Cornwall Chamber are part of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), we therefore have the most up to date information on Brexit. At time of going to press (and we appreciate the fluidity of the situation!) these are the latest questions businesses are being advised to ask themselves in order to start planning for what may come next.

• Have you/your management team considered the potential consequences of Brexit on your business?

CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST Cornwall Wildlife Trust has been chosen as Cornwall Chamber of Commerce’s Charity of the Year from September 2019.

NEWS

The Trust was seen as a ‘natural fit’ for the Chamber as the growth of wildlife goes hand in hand with the growth of businesses in Cornwall.

Carolyn Cadman, chief executive of Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: “We’re delighted to be Charity of the Year and excited about the opportunity to work closely with the Chamber of Commerce. As well as being good for our wellbeing, we know how important the environment is for the economy of Cornwall.”

MADE IN CORNWALL

• Have you consulted, or scheduled to consult with your board of directors on the consequences of Brexit?

• Have you mapped your supplier/ customer base and considered how changes in trade relationships could affect them?

• Have you checked to see if your sector is included in the planning notices issued by the UK Government and European Commission? Find out at www.britishchambers.org.uk

The Chamber is now part of a Community Interest Company that runs the Made in Cornwall Scheme.

CHAMBER INNOVATION INVESTMENT NETWORK If you have got a business idea or concept and you are looking for investors, then the Chamber Innovation Investment Network could be the answer for you.

You could end up pitching to the ‘Cornish Dragons’ from a cross section of some of the county’s finest business and Angel Investors and securing the investment you need to take your innovation to the next stage.

Go to www.cornwallchamber.co.uk for the latest dates and venues

The Scheme has gone from strength to strength over the last few months, with membership increasing, opportunities

multiplying and an incredibly successful Summer Fair on Lemon Quay in Truro.

The Christmas Fair from November 27 to December 1 sold out in days and promises to be a fantastic event offering the very finest of authentic Cornish products from the members.

CONNECTED CORNWALL Businesses of all sizes and descriptions throughout Cornwall are being invited to think ‘connectivity’ at our FREE conference being held at Healeys Cyder Farm, near Newquay, on Thursday November 14.

Sponsored by the fantastic Export for Growth programme, which focuses on helping Cornish businesses develop into international markets.

With handpicked workshops tailored to benefit Cornwall’s businesses all under one roof, this is set to be the best FREE business event of the autumn.

Email: hello@corwallchamber.co.uk Call: 01209 216006 Online: www.cornwallchamber.co.uk BUSINESS CORNWALL | 43

OPINION

JUST A THOUGHT

LET’S TALK! SBPR director Sue Bradbury prefers the personal approach

When I started out in PR, the phone never seemed to stop ringing. I was the public relations officer at the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose and making and receiving calls was the way I got things done.

message. Mobiles are an indispensable part of our lives (just imagine going anywhere without one) so, even when we’re sunning ourselves on holiday thousands of miles away, we’re never really out of touch.

When there was a search and rescue going on, I could spend endless hours answering calls from across the world whilst also keeping myself updated on what was happening. Often what I said would be recorded and broadcast as part of a news report – initially a scary prospect but one that got less daunting with practice.

Communication has never been easier but, for all its sophistication, I would argue that it hasn’t necessarily brought us closer together. Indeed, in many ways, we have to work even harder to make productive contacts.

Emails ensure everything is in writing, but they lack tone of voice, can be time-consuming to compose and risk being submerged by an avalanche of trivia.

On one memorable occasion, I was bleeped at home with news of yet another big story and, in the ensuing journalistic scramble for information, ended up being interviewed live on one of the main national news channels. That was par for the course but my television was on at the time so I could see the presenter picking up his phone, knowing that it was me on the end of the line. A very surreal moment!

Life and technology have moved on swiftly since then of course. There are no phones visible on a newscaster’s desk now, just a computer, and instead of talking to people all day long most of us are glued to a screen tapping out message after

44 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

emails are important but, in my opinion, there is no substitute for actually talking.

So much can be learnt about someone’s personality from vocal inflection and, as we all know – or should know – people do business with people and the person behind a couple of hastily typed lines of text is much harder to read than their voice in your ear.

We live in a highly technological world full of gadgets designed to make life easier.

Wonderful as they undoubtedly are, they also make our lives cluttered, noisier and less personal. I suspect many of us will admit to feeling regularly overwhelmed when we see what’s in our mail in-tray on a daily basis – making it very tempting simply to skim through, disregard or even delete.

Relationships are built by engaging in conversation

Which is why I remain a firm advocate of the personal approach whenever possible. When I’m providing strategic advice, writing a press release or formulating a PR plan, I don’t rely on a website or Google for information. I sit down with the client, listen to them and chat through what they want to achieve.

Relationships are built by engaging in conversation –in person, on video or on the phone. Online research and follow-up

In my world, there is a lot to be achieved by picking up the phone or meeting over coffee. Yesterday, for example, I arranged a television interview for a company by ringing the journalist concerned and explaining what I was offering. That direct approach, used wisely and based on the two of us having met before, was always going to be far more effective than tapping out a couple of lines of text. At least in the first instance.

The number of ways we can communicate these days is mind-boggling. My advice is to think carefully about what is most appropriate, try to avoid ending up in trash and, above all, make time for talking.

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EVENTS

OCTOBER

OCTOBER EVENTS 3 4

LACUNA BUSINESS LAUNCH Carbis Bay Hotel, St Ives

Exclusive launch event for lacunabusiness.com, the #1 online location for all your conference space and business meeting needs. lacunabusiness.com

9

CORNISH PARTNERSHIPS OPEN HOUSE Loggans Moor, Hayle

In a data and payment driven world it can seem a complex landscape for many small businesses and it is more important than ever to keep your business and your customer’s data secure. eventbrite.co.uk

Hotel Tresanton, St Mawes

Join Cornwall Chamber at one of its new Connected Lunch venues the Hotel Tresanton. Network, hear from great speakers, take in the fresh sea air and maybe even take a short stroll to the castle after lunch. cornwallchamber.co.uk

M.O.N.E.Y

Do you dread opening your bank statements? Do you worry about pensions and financial security?

Learn the secret to feeling wealthy, no matter what your bank balance, and how to attract more money into your life. Free event (7pm-9pm) hosted by business coaches Kate McCavana and Russell Davis.

Lowin House, Truro

For full listing of events, visit: cornwallfestivalofbusiness.co.uk 46 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

13

11

CORNISH PARTNERSHIPS POWER LUNCH

16

Trevince Estate Gardens, Redruth

Kick off the week of the Cornwall Festival of Business with a mimosa and an informal chat in stunning Trevince House.

KING NETWORKING

Victoria Inn, Threemilestone

Kernow Independent Networking Group gathers fortnightly. Members pass referrals and testimonials along with each giving a one-minute presentation on their business. king-networking.co.uk

FALMOUTH BUSINESS CLUB

18

HFC NETWORKS CLUB

Penventon Hotel, Redruth

FESTIVAL LAUNCH

Cornish Pirates v Ealing Trailfinders

17

Power Lunches always have an amazing mix of business owners from Devon and Cornwall. You will meet so many great new contacts. cornishpartnerships.co.uk

28

GREENE KING IPA CHAMPIONSHIP RUGBY

Get the full match-day experience with Cornish Pirates’ amazing match day hospitality package, a perfect way to entertain clients and colleagues alike. Matchday hospitality starts at £25+vat. robyn.ashurst@cornish-pirates.com

Old Bakery Studios, Truro

PKF FRANCIS CLARK BUSINESS BRIEFING

TOP 5 DAILY FESTIVAL OF BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS

With digital disruption as the core theme; delegates at this event will be taken on a journey of discovery; learning how to navigate the digital world to create an excellent customer experience to build a thriving commercial business. unlocking-potential.co.uk

Exeter Science Park

CORNWALL CHAMBER LUNCH

Focussing on business and share valuation issues from start-ups to mature businesses. Ed Marffy, from the corporate finance team, will be joined by Henry Maples of Murrell Associates, Brent Treloar of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund and Martin Brown from the tax team. pkf-francisclark.co.uk

The Eden Project

FSB SW BUSINESS MASTERCLASS

Since January 2018, Cornish Partnerships has had great success holding a monthly Open House in the St Austell area. Now bringing that same networking to the west of Cornwall. cornishpartnerships.co.uk

8

FUTURE FOCUS

29

The Carnon Inn, Carnon Downs

The networking club meets every other Thursday morning at the Carnon Inn, where a friendly group of business people awaits. Today they will hear from Bishop Fleming business development director Ewan McClymont, who will provide an update on funding sources. falmouthbusinessclub.co.uk

Vertigo, Truro

Join us at the HFC Networks Club as we return to Vertigo Truro for our autumn networking event.

This is a free event and provides a great opportunity to network with a host of business professionals in a relaxed and friendly environment. seans@hallforcornwall.org.uk

PFA RESEARCH – THE CORNWALL BUSINESS OBSERVATORY

Tremough Innovation Centre, Penryn Join PFA Research for a buffet breakfast and hear why the Cornwall Business Observatory resource is important for Cornwall.

NETWORKING

25

27

NETWORKING

TEDxTruro

Truro College

TEDxTruro is a place for thinkers and doers from all fields to share their ideas and their work, capturing the imagination, sparking conversation and encouraging discovery along the way.Tickets are priced at £50 (+£3 booking fee) and include refreshments and lunch throughout the day. tedxtruro.com

Business Cornwall’s Morveth Ward keeps us up to date on the networking scene The likes of Business Cornwall’s Summer Networking Cruise and other outdoors-based networking events are something of a distant memory as we seem to have sharply entered Autumn with little transition. However, there’s still lots to look forward to, including Cornwall Chamber of Commerce’s Festival of Business which packs the days of October 31 – November 1 full of business events – in fact it must be a record-topping amount for Cornwall, with over 50 events/workshops over the course of the week. To name just a couple – Zamu, Big Box and The Vintage Guys will be running a workshop on ‘Thinking Differently’ and Cornwall Wildlife Trust is holding its Wild Business Networking Event.

GREENE KING IPA CHAMPIONSHIP RUGBY

Cornish Pirates v Newcastle Falcons

Get the full match-day experience with Cornish Pirates’ amazing match day hospitality package, a perfect way to entertain clients and colleagues alike. Matchday hospitality starts at £25+vat. robyn.ashurst@cornish-pirates.com

OCT 28 NOV 1

SCENE

The main event, being the Business Fair, takes place on Wednesday 30 at the Sir Ben Ainslie Sports Centre, Truro School.

One of the highlights in the annual events calendar, there are over 100 exhibitors scheduled to attend. Expect a busy day of networking and making new business connections, whilst those exhibitors get the opportunity to show what they do.

CORNWALL FESTIVAL OF BUSINESS Various locations

The inaugural Cornwall Festival of Business, organised by the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, is a week-long celebration of business in Cornwall, featuring a huge array of events up and down the Duchy, including the Cornwall Business Fair on October 30. (For full details, see the Festival Guide packaged in the posted magazines). cornwallfestivalofbusiness.co.uk

One of the highlights in the annual events calendar

The week will be finished off with the ‘Finale’ taking place on the Friday at St Austell Brewery Visitor Centre to celebrate Cornwall and the business community – kicking off with a ‘Sporting Breakfast’ where you can network whilst watching the Rugby World Cup and finishing with live entertainment in the evening.

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

30

CORNWALL BUSINESS FAIR Truro School

The centrepiece of the Festival, the Cornwall Business Fair is now in its tenth year and will feature over 100 stands as well as an engaging programme of speakers on the Lightning Stage.

31

CORNWALL MANUFACTURING AWARDS Atlantic Hotel, Newquay

Join the Cornwall Manufacturers Group to celebrate the commitment that Cornish manufacturers make to Cornwall’s proud industrial heritage and the UK’s economy.

NOV

1

FESTIVAL FINALE

St Austell Brewery Visitor Centre

Celebrate the closing of the Festival of Business with a Sporting Breakfast, Cornwall Drinks Fair, media presentations and live entertainment in the evening.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 47

THE LAST

WORD

SPONSORED BY

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WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG? Working for a newspaper.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FULL TIME JOB? Working for a newspaper.

IF YOU COULD BUILD A HOUSE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOULD IT BE? Northcott Mouth Bude, the team know that I’m constantly banging the drum for Bude, it’s an often-overlooked piece of Cornish heaven.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER? Sounds a bit sugary, but what the OI teams are doing in Cornwall right now is amazing and I’m proud to be part of it.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE WORST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER? Seeing the demise of the regional and national press – history will recognise that the rigorous scrutiny of big business and the mechanisms of state provided by a strong and truly independent press was invaluable. Would Watergate or Thalidomide be brought to a conclusion today? I wonder.

WHAT DO YOU BEGRUDGE SPENDING MONEY ON? Children’s Hospice South West. I’ve supported them for years and will continue to do so. They do wonderful work but it’s a scandal that they need to ask for money – Government should fund them entirely.

ANDREW FINLEY

Oxford Innovation stakeholder & relationship director

IF YOU COULD INVITE ANY TWO PEOPLE FOR DINNER, WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY WOULD YOU INVITE THEM? Alistair Cooke (the broadcaster, not the cricketer) and my father – two remarkable journalists. Because, as I get older, I realise more the value of sage historical perspectives on current events. There is nothing much new in the world and we should draw on lessons learned from the past.

WHAT COULD YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT? My wife and sons.

WHAT’S THE GREATEST INVENTION EVER? The printing press – it democratised news and education.

WHEN IS HONESTY NOT ALWAYS THE BEST POLICY? When, just as we are about to go out, my wife says, “How does this look?”

WHAT WAS YOUR LUCKIEST BREAK? Getting employed by International Thomson (now Thomson Reuters) – Roy Thomson was a visionary, he built a brilliant company that nurtured the disciplines of honesty, relentless innovation and calculated risk taking.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME? What I’m doing now but even better – Cornwall is at a critical point as we leave the EU. Focused investment in economic competitiveness must continue in order to build on the significant strides made over the last ten years. That will leave a legacy which changes prospects for our children and everyone who lives here.

48 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

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