Arun Business Partnership Magazine - Issue 1

THE

magazine For the Bognor Regis &

Littlehampton Business Partnerships

Foreshore foresight Littlehampton’s evolution from seaside resort to bustling coastal hub – how the 2020 Vision is progressing

ISSUE 1 September 2006

REGENERATION IN LITTLEHAMPTON

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NIGHTMARE ON THE ROADS

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VEHICLE LEASING

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DESIGNER EVENTS

MADE TO MEASURE AT BUTLINS With Butlins providing the largest all-inclusive venues in the UK and that extra bit somewhere special on the South Coast for your next conference, concert, gala dinner or party, we have flexible space for 10 to 3,000+ delegates you can even take over the whole Resort! Plus there's free parking.

NEW CONFERENCE CENTRE NOW OPEN! Exclusive to Bognor Regis, the new Shoreline Conference Centre has function rooms from 10-300 for meetings, dinners and events. Use in conjunction with 160 room Shoreline Hotel for 24 hr delegate rates. Enjoy exceptional service and contemporary accommodation combined with all the Resort facilities.

Please contact us for special introductory rates.

For more information on events at Butlins Bognor Regis call 08705 011 011 Events.BnButlins@bourne-leisure.co.uk www.adifferentkindofevent.com

Both Littlehampton and Bognor Regis will be undergoing substantial transformations in the next few years – and we will be profiling both in these pages, starting with Littlehampton’s Vision in this issue.

Look out for the Bognor Regis Master Plan analysis in December.

And the business world is changing as well. The Business Partnership is becoming stronger and our part of the South Coast is being put on the map with additions like the Heatherwick Café and the huge redevelopment plans for Bognor Regis. These are exciting times, brimming with possibilities.

To celebrate these times and the diversity and quality of businesses in the Arun area, ‘The Magazine’ has been created to be the central communication of the Business Partnership.

This is your magazine for your business environment and to ensure its continued success, we need your support. We need to hear what you want to say, what you want to read. We want to learn about your companies’ success, read your news releases, find out about your moves and promotions. And we want to tell you what you want to find out.

‘The Magazine’ is your mouthpiece to tell the other 3,999 businesses on the distribution list about your company, to increase your market penetration and to reach the people who, like you, matter to the local economy.

The team behind ‘The Magazine’s’ production want to hear from you – so if you have any thoughts about what you’d like to see in the magazine or want the rest of the Partnership know about your success stories, if you have awarded or been awarded some work as a result of contacts made via the Partnership please let us know. We want to tell the whole world about your successes – go on be proud – shout about it through your Magazine!

The December issue will also be the Awards Special Edition, so look out for it in your in tray.

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Until December,

The Business Partnership Team Contact details: Bognor Regis & Littlehampton Business Partnerships

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Miriam Nicholls Arun Civic Centre Maltravers Road Littlehampton BN17 5LF Telephone: 01903 713436 E-mail: miriam.nicholls@arun.gov.uk

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Editor: Neil Hopkins neilhopkins@camcentral.co.uk Sales Team: Cherie Mummery, Vicki Fairman 0870 1900 220 Publisher: Cam Publishing 0870 1900 220 Design: Grapevine 01903 531531

cam

Produced in September 2006 on behalf of the Littlehampton and Bognor Regis Business Partnership

grapevine design & print

Photography: Dave Flindall Print: Bay Print 01903 721313

03 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS

We are living in interesting times. There is so much going on across the Arun District that we wonder whether we’ll recognise the district’s profile a decade from now.

WELCOME

Welcome to ‘The Magazine’

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Having had seven successful years of the current format, the members of the Partnerships have expressed the opinion that it is time to move things on a little to the next level.

worth of extra contracts just through the Partnership network – and many others will have similar success stories.

The Partnerships also holds regular events to bring businesses together in a more formal ‘roadshow’ setting, as well as bringing them face to face with their consumers. There is no better way of networking and raising your company profile.

Having had seven successful years of the current format, the members of the Partnerships have expressed the opinion that it is time to move things on a little to the next level.

In the future, Arun Enterprise Gateway and the Coastal Business Parks project will have closer ties into both Business Partnerships and the hope is that they will bring another dimension to how the Partnership operates. Hopefully this will be in terms of both networking (expanding the range of people who want the goods or services that your business has to offer) and other fringe benefits of interest to local businesses.

These changes will be discussed at the next Business Partnership meeting.

Since you are reading this, there is every chance that you are already on the Partnership mailing list for meeting times and locations. But if you want to check, just e-mail miriam.nicholls@arun.gov.uk or call 01903 713436.

Finally, ‘The Magazine’ and the Business Partnership community need your feedback. What has the Partnership done for you? What have you done for the Partnership?

There are many success stories coming from the Partnerships and these ought to be publicised more, both through ‘The Magazine’ and other avenues.

Similarly if you feel you’ve put a huge amount of work into a project that has benefited businesses locally in any way please contact Miriam Nicholls who will be delighted to feed these stories into the next edition of ‘The Magazine’.

05 THE MAGAZINE

FEATURE

he Bognor Regis & Littlehampton Business Partnerships are your Partnerships. Controlled by you, the local business leaders, the Partnerships’ sole reason for existence is to help you increase your trade, learning and local networks.

And, unlike other organisations, the fact that you operate in the Arun area means that you are an important part of the Partnerships – there are no fees to pay, no commitments required. If you’re familiar with the way the Partnerships operate, then you can skip the next section. Should you be new to the area or haven’t been involved in meetings or initiatives, now is your chance to see what your business has been missing.

In the beginning was the Littlehampton Business Partnership, established to bring local businesses together for the common good. After four years of productive networking and learning, the Partnership expanded to include Bognor Regis. Each side of the Partnership meets separately twice a year, with joint meetings being held every six months.

Facilitated by the Economic Development Team from Arun District Council, Partnership meetings have no formal structure or agenda – they deal with the issues of the moment that are important to you.

Through the Partnerships, strategic links have been made with local education providers, companies and private/public sector organisations that can help you to achieve your goals.

From training events to information dissemination, contact building to contract signing, the Business Partnerships facilitate you building your business in the way you want and need it to grow.

Should you need any more persuading as to the veracity of the Business Partnerships’ worth, one local company can attest to pulling in over £500,000

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIPS

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RS COURIERS

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LOGISTICS heir same day courier service extends across the United Kingdom and even penetrates Europe, thanks to RS Couriers’ links with domestic and continental air transport. On the ground, RS Couriers can offer vehicles in all sizes up to 38tonnes and carries goods in transit insurance of up to £20,000, meaning that you know your consignment is in safe hands.

Due to their links with the National Courier Association, RS Couriers can also arrange nationwide pickups to bring goods or products directly to you with the minimum of fuss.

In addition to their courier service, RS Couriers have a large warehouse that can cope with all of your commercial storage needs. This gives businesses across Arun

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Littlehampton has a greater proportion of young people under 24 than either the West Sussex and Arun districts.

Naturally, this brings with it a unique set of both problems and opportunities for the area.

Russell Skinner

the opportunity to store their products prior to shipping or to have goods shipped direct from suppliers to the centrally located warehouse for pickup by local businesses.

As if all of this wasn’t enough, RS Couriers also operate an executive chauffeur taxi service to get harassed business leaders to their next meeting or function relaxed and on time.

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THE MAGAZINE 06

Chris Shephard

Promoting excellence

ON THE COAST In the last ten months, there has been a small revolution rippling across the Sussex Coast. Business Parks and Industrial estates are being taken to a new level by a concerted action between the West Sussex Economic Partnership and Arun District Council. rom this joint effort, a Business Parks Co-ordinator role for Arun has been created.

Chris Shephard has the responsibility for working on the ground with business park and industrial estate businesses to bring them together in a culture of partnership working. This means arranging and hosting meetings informally to discuss shared initiatives, shared solutions and sharing expertise and learning. This post also entails working with partners such as the Police, Fire Service, and various departments of the County and District Councils to be a catalyst for change.

There are two main elements to the Coastal Business Parks Project. First, there is a need to share best practice across the South Coast region.

Secondly, the project aims to make any group or association fully sustainable. In the short term, administrative support is provided by Pam Barton of Arun Office Services, from Rustington. In the long term however, the solution for some estates may well be a fast growing initiative, called Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) – there is a feature on this within this edition of ‘The Magazine’.

In November, Southern Cross Industrial

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Estate in Bognor Regis will have an opportunity to vote for their estate to become what would be the first Business Improvement District on an Industrial Estate in the South East (outside of London). This would mean that the estate could benefit from regular security patrols and other security initiatives, regular image enhancements, and a maintenance charter. A group of businesses located on Southern Cross Industrial Estate have been working together with Arun’s head of Economic and Cultural Development, Richard McMann, and in more detail recently with Chris, to reach this significant milestone.

In the ten months that Chris has been in post, he has also set up four business park associations, all of which are at different stages of development and more on these will be found in later editions of ‘The Magazine’.

The pace of change across local industrial estates and business parks is increasing as the Coastal Business Parks Project extends its reach and partnership network. The next editions of ‘The Magazine’ will feature the latest news and updates from these important drivers of the local economy – so look out for Chris’ columns in future issues.

he Enterprise Gateways are designed to reach those who don’t normally access mainline business support, developing them personally so that they can start up businesses, helping to improve the local economy.

Gareth takes a fresh, accessible approach to business support, combining his passion for business with the ability to communicate across different sectors of society. This helps to ensure that the Arun Enterprise Gateway achieves the four overarching aims: • To help develop the culture of the local communities so that more people believe that starting a business is a realistic option for them and their families • To contribute to bringing business start up and survival rates up to the regional average • To increase the take up of mainstream business support services • To help entrepreneurs support and learn from each other and to become less dependant on publicly funded activity.

Many businesses fail within the first three years and this figure can be as high as 80%. If entrepreneurs access business support, they are 50% more likely to succeed. If every business that was set up continued to flourish, the effect on the local economy could be dramatic.

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If you want to know more about the work Arun Enterprise Gateway is doing, or the unbiased and free support it can offer you, please contact Gareth Sear on 01243 841607 or email info@arunenterprisegateway.co.uk

07 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS ADVISORS

Budding entrepreneurs in the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton area can access specialist business support through the Arun Enterprise Gateway.

Gateway Director Gareth Sear manages the project and works closely with the local community to encourage the growth of startup and small businesses.

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Practical Partnership BIDS

BIDs are the new buzzwords of public/private sector business partnerships. Designed to draw businesses together to effect beneficial changes in their immediate area, they have been classed by some as the new urban regeneration cure all.

n its simplest terms, a BID –Business Improvement District – is a defined area where all of the rate payers have democratically agreed to pay a levy on their business rates for a set period of time (most often five years). This levy is gathered by their local authority and used to create change in the local area for the benefit of all the traders. The levy is solely allowed to be used for the BID area and can not be siphoned by the Council for any other purposes.

BIDs are becoming increasingly popular, and North Laine in Brighton is one of the most recent local shopping Districts to successfully implement the scheme. Closer to home, the Southern Cross Industrial Estate businesses are gearing up for their own vote on going for a BID. Within the BID preparation process, the area and timescale that BID is to cover needs to be expressly defined, as do the types of rate-payer that are eligible to be a part of the scheme. This should all be set out in the initial business planning documents and must be abided by throughout the process.

The voting process to establish a BID is simple enough, and yet not at the same time. It’s all done through the local authority’s elections office to keep the process clean and above board and the actual voting is a two stage process,

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in which both stages have to record a ‘Yes’ vote for the BID establishment for it to proceed.

The first element of this process is straightforward – there needs to be a simple majority by numbers of traders in the area from all of the rateable traders eligible to vote in the process. For the second stage, the results are weighted by rateable value and the majority of the rateable value weighting (RV) needs to be behind the BID process. For example, one company with a high RV could block a number of small companies with a much lower RV. However, if the RV of all of the small companies combined exceeds the RV of the larger company, then it is a majority by RV and the process can proceed.

BIDs are affordable, since it is the businesses and traders within the defined area that agree the amount of their levy. Different types of rate payer can pay different amounts of levy, if agreed and enshrined within the business plan. Therefore, the BID model is flexible enough to take in even the most diverse of trading environments and businesses are free to make extra voluntary contributions should they wish to do so.

The uses for the levy monies collected by the local authority can be put to a number of good uses, for example security, Christmas lights/events, or

Business Continuity Planning Protect your business against unforeseen disruption ll businesses are at risk from unforeseen disruptions caused by a range of natural and man made disasters, from workmen destroying power cables to major fires, floods or natural disasters. Businesses without the Continuity Management processes are likely to have to cope with overwhelming workloads and are less likely to survive.

Continuity Management is a straightforward process that every business should adopt to protect themselves against the unforeseen. The objective is to identify hazards that may affect critical functions or activities and

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ensure that these can be reduced or responded to effectively.

The booklet enclosed with ‘The Magazine’ will explain this process in more depth, but, in brief, businesses should consider: • How likely is each risk to happen?

• What impact will each risk have on the business?

• What factors will reduce the likelihood of that risk occurring, reduce the effect of that risk or mitigate the risk entirely?

A Business Continuity Management Plan will help you to identify not only the risks (no matter how likely or

marketing work. There is no minimum amount for the levy, but whatever levy is proposed and agreed will have been set in the initial business plan for the area.

The money flow is tightly controlled, with only those improvements deemed necessary to add value to the trading environment being actioned.

Since the levy on a successful BID is a compulsory payment, everyone in the area that will benefit from the improvements pays. There are no freeloaders in a BID, meaning that the whole community benefits. Also, the levy provides an agreed amount for an agreed period, which makes it easier to forecast and deliver various projects across the area.

A BID can also lever in funds from other sources to supplement and enhance the pot – thereby bringing more improvements into the area than could have been actioned by the traders’ money alone.

For further information on BIDs and how they work, detailed information is available from www.ukbids.org.

Should you feel that your area would benefit from a BID, discuss it with your neighbours and approach Miriam Nicholls at Arun District Council on 01903 713436.

unlikely they might seem) but also the chain of responsibility that will need to be invoked to deal with that risk. In the same way that many large businesses have fire officers who lead the evacuations, businesses will need to identify people to carry out specific functions in the case of a disaster.

Arun District Council is the local statutory body tasked with disseminating information on all aspects of continuity planning.

For further information, consult the enclosed booklet or speak to the Council’s Emergency Planning Officer on 01903 215100

09 THE MAGAZINE

FEATURE

But what are they, and what would one mean for Arun?

PROFILE SHORELINE

On the shoreline, Magnificent is one of the words frequently used to describe the Shoreline Conference Centre at Butlins. Allied to the Shoreline Hotel, it offers flexibility, style, panache and all of the benefits of a great location for any business or group needing a venue. fficially opened on August 16 this year – a year to the day after the Shoreline Hotel first flung its doors wide and invited the discerning in – the Shoreline Conference Centre is already seeing its bookings diary filling. A quick flick through the pages will reveal local businesses vying to use the boardroom; international companies booked in to the main conference space and organisations from across society taking advantage of the facilities in the Centre and the neighbouring Shoreline Hotel.

Transforming a former snooker hall into the stunning Shoreline Conference Centre cost somewhere in the region of £800,000. Rather than spend their money on glitz, the Shoreline management spent it subtly – an approach which gives the entire complex a high-class, welcoming appeal without being over the top. And rather than being achingly modern as is the current trend, the design is aesthetically timeless while still referencing current trends.

“During the construction process,” comments Martin Jackson, Resort Director at Butlins, “we used local builders and companies wherever possible. This was extremely important to us as we recognise the value in supporting the local economy, rather than drafting in similar experience from outside.

“The design of the Conference Centre echoes that of the Shoreline Hotel itself, so conference guests flow smoothly

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from one space to another. The Shoreline team felt that this was vital to create the sort of atmosphere for the complex that we desired.”

The Shoreline team have high hopes for the Conference Centre and are already planning its expansion. In the current form, the Centre boasts a boardroom capable of taking twelve (including full board table and boardroom facilities) and a main suite for 200 guests, along with an open plan lounge area with full bar and tea/coffee facilities. Next year, phase two of the construction will start. This will see the ‘Rendezvous Room’ turned into a supplementary conference area capable of hosting 300 delegates, adding a new dimension to the Centre.

The keyword for the Shoreline Conference Centre, both in its current and future form, is flexibility. The existing Conference Suite can be divided in half to cater for smaller groups and the Rendezvous Room will be equally divisible. In addition, the two spaces will also be able to be merged to accommodate 500 attendees.

“Everything is provided for our guests,” continues Martin. “From the fully serviced conference facilities to the Shoreline Hotel a moment’s walk away, guests can come for any duration and be completely looked after.”

In fact, one of the significant bonuses for local businesses is the fact that the Centre and hotel are going to be open all year round – they are not tied to the Butlins resort’s opening times.

From the fully serviced conference facilities to the Shoreline Hotel a moment’s walk away, guests can come for any duration and be completely looked after.

THE MAGAZINE 10

SHORELINE

at The Shoreline

PROFILE

The entire Centre and hotel complex has been designed with the needs of the local business market in mind.

“We know that we’re unlikely to lure major conferences away from London, Manchester or Brighton,” continued Martin, “and that was never our intention.

“The Shoreline team wanted to provide a facility perfectly geared to the needs of local business and local society. We see the local market as being our most valuable, and the relationships we build within that market as being of paramount importance.”

The flexibility of the Centre’s offering ensures that it can cope with formal conferences or boardroom meetings, Christmas parties, wedding receptions and almost every function under the sun. This move was an obvious one for the Shoreline management, since it doesn’t preclude the space from being used by local residents as well as businesses – thus widening the revenue net.

“This is an extremely exciting time for all at Butlins and Shoreline,” concludes Martin.

“Our visitors are feeding back some very positive comments about the works that we’ve carried out and are as excited as we are about phase two of the project.

“Being part of the local Arun business community is highly rewarding for all of us and I hope to welcome many of our local business leaders into our new facility over the coming months.”

With corporate business on the up, the Shoreline is certain to have a bright future. And, as residents and other groups (for example the Red Cross who are already booked in) start to realise just what is on their doorstep, the Shoreline Conference Centre team are sure to have some packed months ahead.

To find out more about how you can benefit from everything that the Shoreline Conference Centre and hotel has to offer, contact Conference Sales Manager Marlene Cornish on 01243 810118 or by email: Marlene.cornish@bourne-leisure.co.uk

Shoreline Conference Centre – a facility perfectly geared to the needs of local business and local society.

11 THE MAGAZINE

Anything real starts with a dream...

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Catering Personnel The SDS Group only employs charismatic and professional individuals, who are trained in-house at the SDS training schools.

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Philip Duckling FCCA Rita Duckling FCCA 168 Elmer Road Middleton-on-Sea W. Sussex PO22 6JA

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Enjoy your evening at the Silk Road Restaurant and return often, but you will never forget that magical moment of your first visit.

Whisky Night At The Six Bells The Six Bells is a charming old coaching inn renowned for its superb food and great atmosphere. The original features of this 3oo year old Sussex flint building have been retained. It is conveniently located in the delightful village of Lyminster, close to the historic town of Arundel.

We are always pleased to host the bi-monthly meeting of the local Whisky Club. This is organised by local business men to take the opportunity to sample some ten rare malt whiskies. It is accompanied by a superb four-course dinner (including haggis).

This takes place in our private function room which seats 40, so if you are a whisky lover just imagine the aroma in this room after 400 nips of rare malt have been poured.

If you are interested in attending one of these dinners throughout the year contact Alex or Clive at The Six Bells on 01903 713 639.

Let them eat cake…

“To survive in any business, you’ve got to be flexible,” says Linda Charge of Cake Magic.

“There are a lot of big boys out there with bigger muscles than you’ve got. So you need to find a niche and so those things that the bigger companies couldn’t dream of doing.”

With this approach to business, it is hardly surprising that Linda’s confections have found themselves in front of the Queen, Rolls Royce and Spirit FM, to name just a few. Linda produced the spectacular chocolate galleons that graced the Queen’s table during the Trafalgar 200 celebrations.

With over 20 years in business, Linda and the Cake Magic team can create a confection-wonder for any occasion and has a ‘can do’ attitude to impossible requests. Linda is also well known in the area thanks to extensive years of working with higher education establishments, training students for City and Guilds examinations.

If your business has an important anniversary coming up, or you need something special for a party, then Cake Magic will turn your ideas into an edible reality. They can also cater to special diets, so simply speak to Linda to discuss your requirements.

Advice coming from experience Pam Knight’s vast experience in the local area gives her a unique position among other accountancy firms. Although her client base is international, she deals largely with small businesses and start ups in the local Arun area.

One of her specialities is helping new businesses get started. Establishing a business can be a daunting prospect, but Pam’s friendly manner and no-nonsense advice helps entrepreneurs to cut through the mire quickly and effectively.

Her work with small businesses encompasses annual accounts, helping with business plans as well as completing tax returns. Furthermore, Pam can also assist individuals with Capital Gains Tax, where appropriate.

Pam’s first interview is always free, and her fees are also extremely competitive. When money is an object, having this kind of supportive approach really makes a difference.

To find out more about the services that Pam Knight could provide your business, contact her on 01243 829814, via email: Pam@knight2431.fslife.co.uk or by fax: 01243 866742.

15 THE MAGAZINE

PROFILES

The Silk Road is a Turkish/Mediterranean Restaurant that creates delicious and freshly prepared authentic Turkish cuisine, as well as dishes from a number of countries along the old Silk Road Caravan route. An intoxicating menu awaits you and everything is presented beautifully and there is a wide variety of menus to suit every possible requirement.

The Restaurant also specialises in the most unique entertainment in the South –Belly Dancers, Brazilian & Latin Jazz Bands, Spanish Flamenco shows – to name but a few – all of whom make regular weekend appearances but can also be accessed for individual events.

The Silk Road Restaurant is able to provide Corporate Entertainment for businesses and companies wishing to treat their clients, or their staff, to a fantastic night out, which may be preceded by a meeting or presentation and followed with a 3-course Hot & Cold Mediterranean Buffet and some great live Middle Eastern entertainment.

Exclusivity is always possible and worth enquiring about.

LOCAL BUSINESSES

The Silk Road

Christmas at The Six Bells

Work wear, badges, logos, sportswear embroidered to your requirements.

No order too small or too large.

We offer a personalised, efficient service.

BOGNOR REGIS

A Family Business committed to Quality, Service and Value for Money

Superb Food

Warm Atmosphere

Friendly Staff

Fine Wines and Ales

Celebrate your Christmas Party with us whether it is for 5 or 50.

We offer an interesting and comprehensive range of Christmas menus that will suit your budget requirements. Three-course party menus from £15.95, served from Monday 27 November.

Dine in our main restaurant or, for larger numbers, book our renovated flint barn for your own private function. A large marquee adjacent to the Barn may be used for dancing.

Contact Mary or Peter for a quotation.

Tel: 01243 837544 Fax: 01243 828695 Email: peter@pm-embroidery.com

Computer Software Computer software solutions for small and medium sized businesses.

We offer a personal service to develop computer systems to suit your exact requirements using Microsoft Access.

• • • •

Order processing Stock Job costing Staff scheduling

• • • •

Accounting Sage interface AS400 etc...

If you have the need, we can provide the solution

For a Christmas brochure please contact Alex or Clive.

The Six Bells, Lyminster Road, Lyminster (near Arundel) BN17 7PS. Telephone/Fax: 01903 713 639 E-mail: sixbellslym@aol.com Web: www.sixbellslyminster.co.uk

Free Initial Consultancy E-mail: Info@gbas.co.uk Telephone: 01243 585615 GB ASSOCIATES

LITTLEHAMPTON GOLF CLUB NEW WINTER MEMBERSHIPS November 1st 2006 until 31st March 2007

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COME AND JOIN ONE OF THE BEST WINTER GOLF COURSES IN SUSSEX LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE, MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES UNLIMITED GOLF & ELIGIBILITY TO PLAY IN CLUB COMPETITIONS Please contact 01903-717170 for more details or to request an application form Details also available on www.littlehamptongolf.co.uk *Rules & Conditions apply

the local population moving, we offer a repair service at your place of work. If we can’t repair your cycle there and then, we will lend you a loan cycle until your steed is ready to roll once more”.

To make life even simpler, you can text your details to Spokes on 07772 397413 and they will come to your location.

With enough people cycling to work, a real difference will be made to the environment and the congestion on the roads. For further details, contact Spokes by calling 01903 732010 or by visiting the shop on Beach Road, Littlehampton.

For the really time-pressed, email: spokes_cycles@linesone.net.

Flying into the web

Picture: Steve Kennedy Pintura 3D

With a list of high profile clients across a range of industries, Cottagewebs have established themselves as a leading local provider of high quality internet solutions. Their portfolio of completed websites is only matched by the volume glowing recommendations from their customers.

Peter and Helen Christmas, the husband-and-wife team behind Cottagewebs are known as innovative problem solvers and are consistent in their attention to detail and customer service. They remain unfazed by any ‘impossible’ problems presented to them and ensure that clients receive exactly what they’ve dreamed of.

In a time when so many web design companies offer the same format over and over again, becoming a customer of Cottagewebs could be the best move you’ve made for your business in years…

LX Parties LX was started in May 2006 by Paula Tongue (who already runs successful corsetière business Queen of Hearts) and Polana Fehù, an English graduate. They started by offering party planning to local residents, as a way to share their skills with a wider audience.

Polana, a qualified holistic therapist, offers palmistry and crystal healing as well as Indian head massage, while Paula, a cartomancer with several years’ experience, reads playing cards for divination in much the same way that tarot can be used to offer insight into a situation.

LX has brought all of these services together, offering bite-sized taster sessions for guests to enjoy at any event, from office parties to staff conferences or promotional evenings for prospective clients. Individual packages are put together for specific companies and the prices are tailored to suit a variety of budgets.

As one satisfied customer put it: “LX will lift your spirits and leave you in a positive mood.”

Improvements in life and business

Keeping the accounts in order

Charity begins in business

Whole Being help businesses and individuals to unlock their potential and make changes in their lives.

Using Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Whole Being can help people to make the most of their time in and out of the office and enjoy productivity gains of some 7% after just three one-hour sessions.

These sessions can be built on with a programme of NLP Practitioner and Master Practitioner training.

With over twenty years’ experience, Graham and Claire of Whole Being are confident that they can help your business to enjoy increased productivity. For further information, call 0845 241 0490 or visit www.wholebeing.co.uk.

Martin, Fahy & Co. offer high quality, efficient and cost-effective book keeping and accountancy services to clients from new start-ups to multimillion pound enterprises.

“Our clients will only be dealt with by a fully qualified certified accountant,” says Philip Duckling (Partner). “They’ll never have a junior working on some of the most important documents in their business.”

“From being aware on a day-today basis how sound their financial standing is, to making the most effective use of their tax allowances, accurate book keeping is essential.”

For further information, contact Philip on 01243 855850.

“Contributing to the community should be a priority for businesses,” says Steve Goodheart of Goodheart Signs.

“As well as the growing Bognor Rox festival – which has attracted many thousands over the 16 years we’ve been holding them – we run music and art workshops for young and old, to help people discover and develop their musical & artist talents.

“There are many positive spin offs from supporting the Rox and I’d be delighted to discuss these with local businesses.”

Contact Steve Goodheart on 07989 264103 to discover how your business can get involved with the phenomenon that is Bognor Rox.

17 THE MAGAZINE

PROFILES

Spokes in Littlehampton are trying to encourage more local employees and staff to cycle to work, increasing their fitness and doing their bit for the environment.

Andrew from Spokes said: “We know how difficult it is when a fault develops with your bicycle. To keep

LOCAL BUSINESSES

Making life easier

FEATURE LITTLEHAMPTON REGENERATION

LITTLEHAMPTON VISION

NO

optician required

Littlehampton. Soon to be home to the new East Beach Café.

Well known for the quality of the beaches and popular harbour.

Location of one of the most stunning riverside developments to grace this corner of the country in recent years. With all of this going on, what’s the need for a Vision?

ommissioned by Littlehampton Town Centre Action Group, the Littlehampton Vision is both an ethos and a strategy to guide the town’s development up to the year 2020. It aims to capitalise on all of the opportunities inherent within the town as well as guiding physical and perceptual regeneration of the area during the next decade and a bit.

The Vision comes as a response to difficulties that the town has faced in recent years, as the national trend for seaside holidays has diminished, manufacturing levels have slumped and supermarkets have relocated. By 2020, if current progress and the aims of the Vision are anything to go by, Littlehampton will once again be ‘des res’ for the discerning.

The Town Centre Action Group is made up of a range of public and private partners, all of whom have a burning passion to see Littlehampton back on the map. Work had been going on for some seven years and, in that time, a large number of smaller projects ranging from a regular graffiti patrol to Christmas

C

THE MAGAZINE 18

Littlehampton has a greater proportion of young people under 24 than either the West Sussex and Arun districts.

Naturally, this brings with it a unique set of both problems and opportunities for the area.

lighting, new street furniture, CCTV and the repaving of the High Street have been undertaken. With progress running briskly, the partners decided that a longer lasting and more structured approach was needed to continue the pace of change within the town and to capitalise on the momentum already created. A team of Consultants were employed and ran a number of workshops at which local businesses, community groups, councils and others came together to give their views and ideas on how the town should look in the next 15 years. After extensive work and consultation, the Littlehampton Vision was finally put into draft form.

The Vision has certainly become a talking point and raised a few eyebrows amongst the people of the town. There has been some excellent feedback and the proposals to ‘make a real difference’ to Littlehampton have been wholeheartedly welcomed - by most!

There will always be those who wish to slow the pace of change, but, as business leaders will be aware, standing still can only lead to stagnation and a

Perhaps the greatest opportunity here is to provide new leisure facilities which have the potential to contribute significantly to the day time and night time economy of the town centre.

the sites that have been identified as having major development potential in the longer term and each could have a wide range of different uses. Below are three key examples of these areas and we will look at how they might affect the future employment snapshot of the town.

Clifton Road, in plan form

An artist’s impression of Clifton Road

What does this mean for Littlehampton?

The development potential at Railway Wharf will provide quality employment land and attract high value job opportunities to the town, as well as allowing companies that are currently here to grow and expand. This will then attract a certain calibre of workers to the area and encourage local young people to increase their skill levels to compete in the newly vibrant local jobs market. The combination of new job opportunities and wealth creation will ripple out into the community, providing benefits not just for the companies and workers, but for everyone in the town as its economic prosperity grows.

A new riverside walk and green spaces would open up areas that are currently inaccessible to the public and provide a fitting counterpoint to the new development by bringing nature into the urban jungle.

The creation of a range of residential accommodation, including both private and affordable accommodation, will help to bring additional ‘life’ into the town centre areas and provide space for the current population to grow into, as well as attracting new settlers to the town.

St. Martin’s Car Park At the moment a humble car park, in the future, St Martin's could become mixed development with the opportunity for leisure, retail, residential, multi storey car p21

19 THE MAGAZINE

FEATURE

Railway Wharf This area is highlighted for quality employment land since there is the opportunity to develop the site with mixed commercial and residential uses.

A range of flexible light industrial units adjacent to the Riverside Industrial Estate together with some smaller business park/high tech units could also be possible and bring some much needed high quality, modern facilities into the town. There may also be the opportunity to create R&D facilities relating to the marine sector or incubator space to promote local entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is essential to grow an economy (whether at town or district levels) and therefore it is vital to have locations for new SMEs to start out from.

LITTLEHAMPTON REGENERATION

slow spiral of decline – and this is not for Littlehampton, where even the Town Council’s motto is ‘Progress’.

The overall stated aim of the Littlehampton Vision is ‘Building on the town’s distinctive character, Littlehampton will be a successful, competitive and connected town. It will provide an attractive, vibrant place to live, work and visit with an excellent range of facilities for all ages and groups.’

But what does the Littlehampton Vision mean for local businesses? Here we take a brief look at some of the proposals in the Vision and what they might mean for the local business environment.

To do this, it’s helpful to set out a few background facts about Littlehampton.

The population of the town is 25,600 and is projected to grow between 3.5 and 4% by 2011. During this period, household growth is also expected to grow by 12.4%.

Littlehampton has a greater proportion of young people under 24 than either the West Sussex and Arun districts.

Naturally, this brings with it a unique set of both problems and opportunities for the area.

Manufacturing is an important sector in Littlehampton. However, the greatest number of people work in wholesale and retail activities. At 19.4%, this is actually disproportionate to the sector unit values. Amazingly only 4.2% work in hotels and restaurants – just think of how many eateries there are in the area (both seasonal and off-season) and this figure yet again seems disproportionate to the visible reality.

Those already familiar with the Vision will know that it is based around a number of Opportunity Areas. These are

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Clifton Road Currently dominated by Travis Perkins, the Clifton Road site forms a barrier between the key strategic locations of town centre, river and seafront.

However, it does provide an opportunity to create another mixed use, vibrant part of the town which will naturally strengthen the links between these strategic locations.

The concept here is to create a retail and restaurant area with residential accommodation at higher level. In

addition, there is a further opportunity to create extra green space in the heart of the town and create an openness conducive to encouraging visitor movement and flow. Continuation of the existing Boardwalk and the pedestrianisation of Pier Road could also help to continue the restaurant theme which currently and successfully dominates Pier Road.

It is important to remember that this is a Vision for Littlehampton. There are no plans set in stone and still lots of room for change. However, the Vision and the work that is going on to supplement it has already attracted interest in Littlehampton from significant national companies. Sainsbury’s have recently signed the contracts for the former Somerfield site and Asda are keen to get in on the act as well. We hope that this will continue and that by continued partnership working, great things will happen in our Town.

If you want any further information about the Vision and the opportunities it provides please contact Miriam Nicholls on 01903 713436 or miriam.nicholls@arun.gov.uk

The Vardar Restaurant Peter and Loretta offer you the warmest of welcomes and the best in hospitality • Extensive Wine List • Table d’hote Lunches • A la carte always available • English and Continental dishes • Parties,Weddings & Private Functions catered for • Ample parking • Business Lunches • Local Produce used • Special Feature Evenings • All major credit cards acceptable • Garden BBQs and Buffets catered for

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Tel / Fax: 01903233638 Mobile: 07774638175 Call anytime on the mobile number & ask for Tim 19 Lyndhurst Road Worthing BN11 2DB 21 THE MAGAZINE

FEATURE

What will the St Martin’s development bring?

It will upgrade the entire northern side of the High Street and provide a huge boost to both day and night time economies of the town as there will be additional reasons for people to visit Littlehampton and further reasons for them to linger and enjoy the new retail and leisure developments. And the

longer people stay in an area, the more they are likely to spend.

The development will also be a fantastic draw for new retailers to Littlehampton as it will provide more units appropriate to their needs. And more retailers means wider employment opportunities – and the more people employed means more disposable income in the economy... It’s a positive cycle of regeneration in the town.

New build accommodation would increase and diversify the population of the town centre by attracting young professionals, thereby creating an environment which will attract further private investment and make the town centre a more vibrant and welcoming place to visit.

LITTLEHAMPTON REGENERATION

parking and a new town square. To aid the integration of this area into the rest of the town, Franciscan Way could be downgraded to improve the pedestrian and cyclist links. This will help with the movement flow around the town as well as encouraging those visiting the traditional town centre to wander further afield.

Perhaps the greatest opportunity here is to provide new leisure facilities which have the potential to contribute significantly to the day and night time economics of the town centre.

Additional retail space could be taken by a number of companies who are keen to locate in the town but are currently unable to find space that is suitable for their needs. Taken together, the new retail and leisure offering will expand the traditional town centre and act as a magnet to the town.

FEATURE A27

The Does your business suffer due to the congestion on the A27?

Well, you’re not alone. Companies across the region are finding it increasingly difficult to get into and out of their places of work along the A27 corridor and the traffic densities are delaying any delivery not brought in by motorcycle courier. So, what’s being done?

BY NEIL HOPKINS

he answer is not a lot – at least on the road in the short term anyway. The problem is that creating a bypass around the congested section at Arundel has a unique set of issues associated with it, added to a low prioritisation given to the scheme by SEERA (the South East England Regional Assembly) when it looked at priorities across the region last year. It all adds up to a lengthy, drawn out and tortuous process that may put new businesses off locating in Arun.

One issue facing the A27 is directly linked to a principal attractor of this area – the outstanding natural beauty.

No-one would want to see a bypass ripping through the green and pleasant lands that surround Arundel – and yet there are those justifiably arguing for such a solution. Balancing the environmental impact against proof of need is just one of the unenviable tasks carried out by the Highways Agency.

The potential for the land around Arundel to be conglomerated into a National Park will only serve to make this environmental balance all the more difficult to reach.

Another factor in the growth and delay of the A27 is the substantial development pressure placed on the South East by Government. Housing densities are reliant on the relevant access networks being in

T

THE MAGAZINE 22

place and so with the A27, it’s a chickenand-egg situation. Without the road network, it will be excessively difficult to build new housing. Without new housing, there may not be the Section 106 agreements (agreements between developers and local authorities that tie the developer into contributing to the local community as well as building their homes) that could help fund the new roads, nor an exacerbation of the proof of need. Do you build without the infrastructure, or wait for the infrastructure to be built first?

A further issue is the sheer longevity of the problem – two successive Governments have been looking at the scheme since it was first proposed two decades ago. And old problems aren’t often ‘hot’ problems, although they could be vote winners if anyone actually managed to get them sorted.

West Sussex Economic Partnership (WSEP) are as frustrated as all of the affected businesses. Their fear is that the situation on the roads will persuade successful local companies to move out of Arun, to somewhere with better access.

Obviously this is not a viable solution for the area.

Local business Scott’s Removals, need effective transportation links around this area and beyond – and just do not find these in the A27:

“The A27 is a nightmare – the Arundel bottleneck and further problems at Worthing mean that I recommend my drivers avoid the road as much as possible,” comments Scott of Scott’s Removals.

“Not only can it be a major inconvenience for our customers to have their removals delayed, but it costs the business substantial amounts of time and money.

Whether we’re in a 7.5tonne lorry or one of our Sprinter vans, the risk of getting stuck on the A27 – with the gridlock on surrounding roads that invariably develops – is too high, and so we avoid the road.”

In recent years, several scheme proposals have been submitted to the Secretary of State – and all have been turned down for one reason or another – most recently due to the high environmental impact. In fact, Arundel has missed out on the first phase of transport improvement funding with the majority of 2006/11 monies going to the A3 at Hindhead, which put more ticks in more boxes than Arundel. SEERA are now looking at the period beyond 2011, when Arundel will again be up against schemes from across the region, including those at Chichester and Worthing, for funding.

The District Council has also been actively pursing a solution for the A27 issues in recent years.

"The lack of priority for the Arundel, Chichester and Lancing/Worthing section of

A27

the A27 is having a serious effect on the economic regeneration of the Coastal areas of West Sussex,” says Councillor Norman Dingemans, Member for Economic Regeneration at Arun District Council.

"Arun District Council with Arundel Town Council has made strong representations to the Highway Authority to increase the 'score' for the Arundel by-pass so that it could be included in the next round of spending after 2011."

Council Leader, Mrs Gill Brown, echoes the sentiments.

"The lack of an Arundel by-pass is a major infrastructure deficit and we are pressing the Highways Agency and SEERA to consider the impact of this strategic bottleneck on the Arun District and the wider South east area for residents, businesses, the environment and our regeneration efforts on the Sussex coast.

"This deficit in highway infrastructure directly results from Government decisions to accommodate housing and other development in this part of West Sussex and this deficit needs to be addressed before there is another major housing allocation imposed on the District."

WSEP are conducting periodic consultations of local businesses and encourage them to return their consultation papers.

“Without business input to our consultations, we can’t move forward,”

comments Simon Warburton, Economic Development Advisor at WSEP. “We also are lobbying SEERA, the Highways Agency and Central Government to achieve a satisfactory outcome to the situation. We need business input so that we know how congestion and traffic problems are affecting them on a day to day basis.”

The WSEP consultations carry significant weight with regional agencies – over 100 companies with in excess of 12,000 employees responded to the last consultation, giving a strong cross-section of opinion.

In the short and medium terms, businesses are left with very few options.

While the Highways Agency and County Council are keen to implement sustainable traffic management solutions (for example park-and-ride), these simply aren’t suitable at Arundel since most of the traffic passes straight through.

Businesses therefore are left to organise their own sustainable transport policies internally, or work with other members of the Partnership to investigate the possibility of car pools and other shared modes of transport. The County Council can provide advice to anyone interested in this area.

The Highways Agency expect to submit a report to Government at the end of the year to co-incide with SEERA’s latest

consideration (which takes place at the end of October), and the HA report will lay out their view of the options for a scheme that best balances economic and environmental issues. Work on the A27 at Arundel is unlikely to start before 2013 and, according to WSEP, may not be completed until 2020.

For the future, there is an idea being developed by the County Council for the implementation of a public transport system for the coastal towns in West Sussex, similar to that of the Fastway in Crawley. This is a modern, efficient, mass transit system using the latest bus technologies and linking all the different stops to a centralised computer to inform commuters of how long it will be until the next bus hoves into view.

However, this is only a ‘blue sky’ idea at present.

Until the region receives enough funding for improvements to the road network, it is unlikely that the situation will change very much. Despite multiple agencies working together to try and achieve a satisfactory solution, the hand that holds the purse strings is currently clenched rather tight…

Updates on the A27 situation will appear in future issues of ‘The Magazine’. If you would like to contribute your thoughts, please contact the Editor and we’ll be delighted to publish any correspondence.

23 THE MAGAZINE

FEATURE

road goes on…

PROFILE PPL

GET THE BIGGEST BANG FROM YOUR MARKETING BUCK

BY BARRY PICKTHALL – MD OF PPL LTD 2005/6 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS or too many companies, marketing is a feast and famine exercise. They either have too much work to get out of the door, or too little work and thus no budget to spend on it.

Simple advertising rarely works unless it is part of a focused marketing programme with clear goals and a target audience, which I know from bitter experience.

Market research is all important, and so to is the need to monitor where each new lead comes from. We work with clients to develop a detailed marketing plan, cost it out and budget for it on a monthly basis. This includes:

F

Direct marketing: Identify target audience Research best person to target by name Set out Unique Selling Points (USPs) How will your product or service: • Save money •Improve productivity Ensure that you have ability to follow up leads immediately

THE MAGAZINE 24

Produce direct mail and multimedia marketing aids Develop illustrated e.mails with pictures and text Remember - targeted mail and e.mail lists can be bought from specialist firms!

Indirect marketing: Research best media for your market area Negotiate discount for multiple adverts Professional product photography Produce brochure Produce web site Publicise web site on search engines.

Without publicising your web address and details on search engines like Google and Yahoo, it’s akin to putting up a bill board in a forest. No one will see it. Internet marketing is now very specialised, but the rewards from the world-wide market it provides are that much greater.

PR The biggest news stories are always about people, not products. This winter

Barry Pickthall

we will be working to promote round the world yachtsman Tony Bullimore’s attempt to break the solo non-stop round the world record. Last time, we generated 149 hours of TV coverage across 131 countries, 32 hours of radio coverage, 10,000 column inches in newsprint and more than 200 million hits on the web. In all, this amounted to a £40 million return for his sponsor!

Just think what can be done for your company.

Barry Pickthall is managing director of PPL Ltd, the specialist media and news source based at Walberton, Sussex.

The Company specialises in commercial photography, video and multimedia presentations, news distribution, brochure design, corporate identity, web production and publicity.

Tel: 01243 555561 E.mail: ppl@mistral.co.uk Web: www.ppmedia.com

BUSINESS AWARDS

Drum roll, usinesses across Arun are still riding high on the wave of euphoria that followed last year’s Annual Business Awards celebrations.

The second joint Littlehampton and Bognor Regis Partnership Business Awards (2005) grew the success of the first year’s into something even bigger and more spectacular. With over 250 local businesses attending the ceremony in the superb setting of Fontwell Park’s Lawn’s Marquee, the atmosphere was crackling with anticipation.

With only 26 awards to be given out, competition was keen and the winners were clearly delighted to be nominated by their peers and recognised for the

B

specific skills and excellence that they brought to the local area. There are profiles on some of the winners in ‘The Magazine’, so that you can catch up with how they’ve done one year on.

This year, the Awards ceremony will be held at Fontwell Park Racecourse on Thursday 19 October and attendees to last year’s event will remember the free buffet provided by the SDS Group which will be making a welcome return.

To attend the event, businesses should contact Linda Standley on 01903 713344 or by email: Linda.Standley@arun.gov.uk. The tickets are FREE, but strictly limited in supply!

The Award categories for this year’s competition are as follows: • Small business of the year – up to

Design and print, the Dragonfly way uoyed by their ‘New Business of 2005’ award, Dragonfly Design and Print have raced ahead in 2006, supplying high quality products to Arun businesses, UK TV stations, customers across Europe and even the USA! “Winning the ‘New Business Award’ certainly gave us a boost,” comments Antony Cleall. “The past year has been a whirlwind for us – and we’re now able to offer more services than ever before to our (global) customer base.”

In October, Dragonfly will be featured in a new Endemol documentary. Not only did Endemol come to Bognor Regis to get a specific banner printed, but they left Dragonfly with a substantial order as well!

Dragonfly have recently invested in new equipment and personnel to meet their customers’ needs.

New printers are adding to the flexibility of the design service, Antony Cleall while Jackie Cleall is out and about liaising with clients on ideas, specifications and proofs.

The team have been kept busy with an order for Cancer Research South East who needed a complete cycle of print, mail merge and envelope stuffing.

“Our recent acquisitions have allowed us to take the company to the next level,” concludes Antony. “We can now offer our customers even more in terms of design, print and costefficiency. It’s an exciting time to be a business in this area, and I sense that things are going to continue to get better!”

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five employees • Small business of the year – six and ten employees • Business of the Year – over ten employees • Business Marketing and Promotion Award • New Technology Award • New Business of the Year • Customer Care Award • Training and Development Award • Business in the Community Award • Business in Education Award • Special Award for Commitment to the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Business Partnerships • Business of the Year – Overall Winner • Work Experience / Trainee of the Year

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25 THE MAGAZINE

FEATURE

please…

Housed in an attractive, modern waterfront building topped by a circular glass tower, the Look and Sea Visitor Centre is an interactive voyage of discovery that lets you experience how Littlehampton and surrounding area have developed over thousands of years.

• Harbour Lights Café and Evening Bistro • Open daily from 9am until late – last food orders 9pm • Whole building available for corporate or private hire • Christmas Party Nights Bookings now being taken

• Conference Facilities

Stay for free!

From 1st September to 30 November 2006 book a two night stay on a bed and breakfast basis and get the third night free.

Quote Autumn1 when contacting the reservations team.

Subject to availability.

• Serving delicious home cooked meals, local fresh fish and seafood, breakfasts, lunches, vegetarian meals, children’s meals etc • Licensed with outside patio and fantastic views across the harbour and out to sea

Comfort Inn Arundel, Junction A27 / A284, Lyminster Road. Crossbush. Arundel.

63-65 SURREY STREET • LITTLEHAMPTON – BN17 5AW

01903 718984 • info@lookandsea.co.uk

Tel: 01903 840 840 Fax: 01903 849 849 E-mail: reservations@comfortinnarundel.co.uk www: www.comfortinnarundel.com

EXCLUSIVE OFFER TO READERS OF THIS MAGAZINE

15% CASHBACK* ON TOTAL SPEND

Please mention this offer when calling

Telecommunications Specialist • Business Telephone Systems • Voice and Data Cabling • Call Logging Systems

*Terms & conditions apply, see below. *Cashback payable after full settlement of account. 50% deposit to be paid with order. 50% on completion of work.

An invoice must be provided to Arian to claim the cashback value on completion of the work and will be paid on full clearance of funds from customer. Any tax liabilities remain the responsibility of the recipient of the cashback payment.

• Voicemail • Maintenance • Installation

t: 01903 881500 f: 01903 881510 e: sales@ariancom.com Unit 14 Gaugemaster Way, Ford, West Sussex BN18 0RX

Our commitment is to provide quality, fully maintained flexible telecommunication solutions to our customers, efficiently and effectively

TO SAVOUR The twin Black Horses of Climping and Binsted are making a move to revive the true meaning of ‘fine dining’.

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The Black Horse teams specialise in providing high quality food which has been locally sourced wherever possible.

If, for example, you were to savour the exceptional herb encrusted cod fillet, the herbs used would come from the herb garden just outside the window of the restaurant. Each site grows its own herbs and a number of its own vegetables to give you unparalleled quality and taste.

Each Black Horse has an impressive history behind it and this informs the ambience of each restaurant from the open fires to comfortable surroundings.

With old-fashioned levels of customer service and attentiveness, married to the care and imagination spent on the food, The Black Horse at either Climping or Binsted is the perfect venue for any function or event that you care to think of. Even the biscuits that will accompany your coffee embody the Black Horse

BINSTED

ethos – the recipe is one passed down through generations and each biscuit is handmade. If this amount of care is taken over a ‘simple’ biscuit, you can imagine how the rest of the food is prepared.

‘The Magazine’ has teamed up with The Black Horses to give its readers a very special offer. When two or more people order a two course meal (one of the courses must be a main course) in either restaurant, they will receive a free bottle of house wine on production of the advertisement printed in ‘The Magazine’.

This offer can only be used once per advert.

Advance reservation is highly recommended to ensure that you secure a table. Call The Black Horse at Climping on 01903 715175 or Binsted on 01243 551213 to book yourself an experience to remember.

CLIMPING

The Black Horse Inns Christmas Bookings now being taken.

Extensive Wine List.

Easily accessible, tranquil setting.

Home grown produce direct to your plate.

BINSTED

Catering for all business needs – briefings to parties.

CLIMPING

Fresh traditional cooked cuisine professionally tailored for your individual needs.

Binsted Lane, Binsted, Arundel Tel: 01243 551213 Climping Street, Climping, Littlehampton Tel: 01903 715715 27 THE MAGAZINE

PROFILE

arely are you able to enjoy a meal unhurried – most restaurants see your table, and not you as the customer, as the asset to the business. And in most restaurants, the herbs don’t come from a herb garden you can see while dining.

This is where the Black Horses are different to many other establishments.

Their ethos is, in essence, quite simple – they aim to provide a complete dining experience to their customers, not just a ‘pint, pie and away’ meal. Whether you are looking for the ideal location for a business lunch, conference or celebration, or a romantic anniversary meal, one of the Black Horses will perfectly suit your requirements. The Black Horse at Climping has an especially versatile interior which can cater for many different groups with different requirements, all at the same time.

THE BLACK HORSE

An experience

FEATURE BUSINESS IN EDUCATION

Where business means equality Up to one in five members of the Arun workforce has a disability – is your business doing enough to make adjustments? Would you know where to start looking to find out what is necessary? or companies in Arun, the answer to these questions can be provided by Disability Equals Business (DEB) – a specialist Sussex organisation dedicated to helping local organisations understand and embrace their legal obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act. “Disability is a much wider term than most people realise,” comments Jill Sale, Employment Diversity Consultant at DEB. ”People usually think solely of physical disabilities, but the legal definition is far broader and encompasses a physical or mental impairment having a substantial and long term (more than 12 months) adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities.”

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Due to this broad spectrum (which can include dyslexia, depression and other mental health issues as well as sensory or physical disabilities), DEB have developed a specialised ‘tool kit’ with which they can help companies to better understand the issues relating to employing and including disabled people in the workplace. This includes free advice, guidance and training on relevant issues (including policies and procedures, the Disability Discrimination Act and information on reasonable adjustments that can be made to a business to accommodate a person with a disability).

The next Disability Equals Business “Disability and the Law” Event (in

FREE a r e f f o s n Connexio ment service recruit lds o r a e y 9 r for 16-1 nd ask fo 66 a 243 7716 1 0 guide n o s mployer Call u e r u o f o py a free co lc.com wood@vtp y e n o .h n so Email ali

Jill Sale

conjunction with Bennett Griffin Solicitors and Barclays) will be held at Fontwell on 05 October and an “Age discrimination: the law and the workplace” seminar will be held in the 24th November at the Hill Barn Golf Club (also in conjunction with Bennett Griffin solicitors).

For further information, or to arrange a free visit from one of the consultants, call 01903 708880, or contact Jill Sale on 07921 291211 Look at their website: www.disabilityequalsbusiness.org.uk

Disability and employment law appliies to ALL businesses... but help is on hand and it’s FREE

Don’t miss out... ...equip yourself with the knowledge to include and enable disabled people in your organisation.

We clarify your responsibilities, recommend policy improvements and train staff FREE. We are also running FREE business seminars and networking events including Disability and Employment Law, Age Discrimination, Dyslexia and diversity awareness.

Call 01903 708880 www.disabilityequalsbusiness.org.uk

THE MAGAZINE 28

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Training opportunities at Ford

Businesses who are willing to have an extra pair of hands in return for offering support, guidance and where possible, developing specific skills.

For more details, please contact: Harry Bartley/ Clare Cherry, HMP Ford, Arundel, 01903 663023

Lion’s Den finalists

Future-

in the

inking the local business arena with education has been a major success story for the Business Partnership.

Every business needs skilled employees, and the links forged between the Littlehampton and Bognor Regis Business Partnership and local companies are helping to enthuse young people about the world of business, as well as giving them the skills needed to enter the workplace.

Here, Sara Hopkins, Community Liaison Manager at Littlehampton Community School (LCS) highlights just one of successful initiatives that the school has been involved with recently.

“Lion’s Den is based on the popular TV

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peconomy roofing

show ‘Dragon’s Den’ and ran from November 2005 to July 2006. The finalists from LCS survived a chilly day of outward bound activities in December, then created fabulously romantic window displays at Gatwick Airport on St Valentine’s Day before setting up fresh produce market stalls at the Southwick Spring Fair in May. “We were looking for something seriously fiendish to stretch our five finalists in the summer and Dan of Café Red in Littlehampton came to the rescue.

“He hosted a ‘hell’s kitchen’ style competition in July where he and his team worked with the youngsters at every stage to ensure the results were professional and a real credit to them.

“Dan had only opened Café Red at the

end of May and could have quite rightly been feeling more than a little precious about his new business. Not a bit of it – he treated the students like adults and gave them a unique experience.

“This project exemplifies the fantastic support we receive from our local businesses. We are gaining a strong reputation locally and nationally for our enterprising initiatives and can only make waves in connection with you out there!”

To find out more about how your business can get involved with the future generations of employees, contact Sara Hopkins on 01903 711148

29 THE MAGAZINE

FEATURE

n the last twelve months, Ford Open Prison has more than doubled the training opportunities on offer.

We are linking with other ‘feeder’ prisons, so that if an offender starts a course at one prison he should be able to continue or progress with his learning.

An example of that would be Paul who started a BICSc Industrial cleaning course at Lewes and reached level 2. We were able to help Paul progress to level 3 and then work towards his trainers and assessors awards. Paul will also be offered the chance to study a Small Business Course and get business support from The Princes Trust. The money he could earn would compete with what he did before; the incentive is there for Paul to ‘go straight’.

The wide range of courses that we have available offer an alternative lifestyle but the key to reducing reoffending is sustained employment, for that offenders need to learn how to work. We are trying to build our pool of placements for men to gain work experience and are looking for businesses who are willing to have an extra pair of hands in return for offering support, guidance and where possible, developing specific skills.

Anyone who would like to know more is welcome to visit or join our Employers’ Day on Tuesday 10th October. The day will include: • Guided Tour of Ford • Presentations from prisoners and employers • A chance to meet offenders, staff and support agencies.

BUSINESS IN EDUCATION

Ford train offenders for real work

PROFILE CONNEXIONS

Making the right Connexions Connexions offers information, advice and guidance to young people on a wide range of issues. Currently, they have a major focus on getting young people between the ages of 16 and 19 into the workplace, offering them job opportunities, training and assistance. or Arun employers, this means a free database of several hundred young people in the local area, all of whom are looking to begin their working lives or take up training opportunities with local businesses.

With access points in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton and a centrally located Advice Centre in Chichester, Connexions can offer employers a truly local workforce of young people who possess the necessary skills and ambition to succeed.

Below is a case study, illustrating the success of the Connexions service.

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Case Study Stephen came to Connexions in February 2006. He had been unemployed for a while and was looking for a job in the construction industry. Allie, a Connexions Employment and Training

THE MAGAZINE 30

Adviser, helped him in his search by assisting with the completion of CVs and application forms. Stephen also took advantage of funding which allowed him money to help with his job search including buying envelopes and stamps for applications and taxi fares for interviews.

Stephen was advised of a vacancy with a local construction company, Mainline Construction, by the Connexions access point in Bognor Regis and used some of his funding on a taxi fare to get to the interview. He was successful and began working for Mainline soon after.

Since starting the job, Stephen’s skills have increased and he has become a valued member of the team. He is really enjoying his job.

Comments from Employer Caroline Hale of Mainline Construction

said, “Mainline Construction have had a relationship with Connexions since 2005, during which time we have had several successful placements, one of them being Stephen who joined us in March 2006 as a labourer.

“Since he joined us, he has been primarily working on an extension and alteration project in Portsmouth under the guidance of an experienced Site Supervisor. He is gaining valuable experience to further his career and access possible training within the company.”

To find out more about how your business could benefit from the free recruitment service offered by Connexions, please contact Allie Honeywood on 01243 771666

the pennies…

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BY NEIL HOPKINS

Finance Lease schemes are VAT free and operate in the same way as Contract Hire – however you will be responsible for the sale of the vehicle at the end of your contract, using the money to pay for the final payment. The good news is that you can make money this way, if the value of the vehicle is in excess of the agreed final payment. However, like interest rates, the value of the second hand car market can go up and down…

If you’re undecided as to whether you want to keep the vehicle at the end of your contract, then Contract Purchase might be the route forward. This approach will shield you from some of the depreciation risk on your vehicle – you pay a fixed monthly rental and then a predetermined ‘balloon’ payment at the end if you want to buy the vehicle. If you decide that you don’t want to keep it after all, you should be able to hand the vehicle back to your finance company and start with a new contract.

For those who know that they want to keep the vehicle in the long term, then Hire Purchase finance will fit the bill.

Under this scheme, the business pays a fixed monthly rental and then buys the car from the finance house at the end of the agreement for a predetermined sum (you don’t have the option of changing your mind and handing the car back as you would with Contract Purchase).

Repayments can be made lower by increasing the final ‘balloon’ payment.

FEATURE

ou could, of course, use public transport to bolster your green credentials. But there are drawbacks, none of which need pointing out here. So, what’s the way forward? Many business people use their own private vehicles for business purposes, assuming that they have the appropriate levels of insurance of course. This approach does have pluses and minuses to it – one minus being that darling baby George will always throw more than just toys out of his pram the day before you drive your most important client to lunch…

One of the most popular – and convenient – ways to ensure mobility for you and your staff is to acquire a vehicle for business use, paid for through the business via one of a range of attractive finance deals. Whether you are looking for a car for yourself, a pool car for the office or a fleet of motorway munchers, there will be a finance deal to suit your requirements.

Before you enter into finance negotiations, it might be worth considering what you want to happen to your vehicle after a certain period – would you want to keep it or trade it in for a new one? Your ultimate plans might have a bearing on which deal is most suitable for you.

Should you, like many businesses, want the convenience of having new cars on a rolling basis, then you might find that Contract Hire or Finance Lease schemes are the best for you. Both options carry repayments spread out over a predefined term, allowing you to effectively forecast your budgets. The amount of the monthly rental will depend on the mileage you anticipate doing, as well as any servicing/maintenance agreements that you’ve entered into.

With Contract Hire, once your contract runs out, you simply return the vehicle to the finance company and enter into a new contract to get a new vehicle. VAT registered businesses can get a proportion of the rental payments offset against taxable profits, plus the car doesn’t show up on your asset sheet as a liability.

VEHICLE HIRE & FINANCE

Looking after

Being mobile is a great asset to any business. From providing that all important (and sometimes deal clinching) face to face contact to dropping round final contracts, the ability to be out on the road – often at a moment’s notice – is paramount.

It is worth remembering that this approach will mean that the vehicle will show up on your balance sheet – so if you’re going for an Enzo-sized finance package with a Corsa-sized turnover, your ability to borrow funds for the business may be affected.

With all of these schemes, there are a number of different ways to reduce the monthly outgoings – including initial and/or balloon payments, lump sums or extending the period of the lease to cover any balloon payment. The Business Advisor at your local dealership will be able to advise you on the option best suited to your business, or speak to a qualified accountant who can go into more depth on which option is most tax effective and best suited to your individual circumstances.

For the more adventurous, there is always the Sale and Leaseback option. This is where a finance company purchases all of your current vehicles at a realistic set value, and then you lease those vehicles back to yourself. This can release capital into your business while keeping you on the road.

As with any major outlay from your business, seek fully qualified financial advice before entering into any contracts. The above information is simply intended as a guide to get your started in the rewarding world of business car ownership.

31 THE MAGAZINE

et us quoott fo Let e r our pprriin nttiin ng needs you

Commercial Litho Printers

FULL COLOUR DIGITAL PRINTING WE PROVIDE A COMPLETE DESIGN, PRINT & FINISHING SERVICE Stationery (Corporate & Personal) Leaflets, Newsletters, Business Forms Labels & Packaging

Call Ann on 01903 244557 email: info@bakerpress.com Ferring Street 路 Ferring 路 Worthing 路 West Sussex 路 BN12 5JP

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over twenty-five years of experience in the media and entertainments industry, as well as academic achievements, Bryan knows his business.

With interest in 3P, bfp, Phase One and End of the Pier spanning the globe, you might wonder what’s next. Future developments include satellite and internet broadcast channels, the acquisition of an independent cinema chain, theatrical and retail distribution of film material and who knows what else…

The success story that 3P is currently enjoying proves beyond a doubt that large-scale philanthropy and traditional hard-edged business go hand-in-hand.

As Bryan often states: 'Wealth is not measured by what you've got, but by what you give'. Thus far, Bryan has personally spent over a quarter of a million pounds on the establishment of his projects and his commercial company. With a feature film on the horizon, that amount is about to have a lot of noughts added to it.

3Ps in a

Can(nes) 3P MEDIA UK Ltd sponsors a number of film related projects in the South East of England Including: Bognor Regis Film Productions, Phase One, first steps in film making and the End of the Pier International Film Festival, all of which contribute heavily to the local learning network. essential to ensure on-going success and being able to continue the philanthropic work. Hence the formation of 3P Media as a supporter of film making as well as arts and education in general.

3P Media are expanding rapidly as a company and are looking increasingly at the European markets. It is envisaged that within five years, the company will have established offices in a number of other E.U. countries, including Spain, Poland and Germany. The European media and broadcast markets far exceed the US in terms of population and growth potential.

Economic development in the new E.U. member states is predicted to soar, and Poland leads the race with a higher growth

3P get a lot of approaches from people with strong ideas, but little practical experience in filmmaking. That is why in order to help these people achieve their goals, the company sponsor training projects that will develop the required skills in the participants.

The structure of 3P and its related projects might look complicated, but it isn’t. Each entity draws on the talents, skills, experience and reputation of the others to achieve more than they could on their own.

Behind this phenomenal commercial growth and the growing network of film related projects is Director and founder of 3P, Bryan Gartside. With

Bryan Gartside

For further information, contact 3P on: 0845 632 4445 info@3pmediagroup.eu www.3pmediagroup.eu

33 THE MAGAZINE

PROFILE

rate than any other fellow E.U. state. It is vital that companies such as 3P are there from the beginning to grow with these markets, as well as media based industries in China, Russia and India.

3P are also engaged in funding and creating a wide range of broadcast material for global TV and film markets. They are able to offer a range of expert advice and services to independent film companies who are looking to create commercially viable products. 3P is not limited in its capacity - by calling on a wide range of external suppliers and human resources, it is possible for the business to run a number of projects on a simultaneous basis.

3P also offer a complete ‘end-to-end’ package for any projects brought to them. They can work from concept to distribution of a film with their in-house teams, or help filmmakers with personnel finance (subject to status).

They even have the skills to market films and to produce and design all the advertising required to get a product in front of the people who matter.

3P MEDIA

any people will be familiar with Bognor Regis Film Productions (bfp) and Phase One, just two of the philanthropic arms of the growing 3P media empire. Both community film projects have made a name for themselves in the South East, and in the wider film industry, by taking young people who want to be involved in film making through the processes that they require to help them achieve the practical experience that they need. This avoids a classic Catch-22 situation of not having the experience to get a job, when only by having a job can experience be gained.

Local residents and film-buffs will know of the ‘End of the Pier International Film Festival’, which highlights the work of independent film makers, whilst also offering to showcase bfp productions and Phase One projects.

Of course, being altruistic is all very well, but in the cut-throat world of business, developing a commercial core is

PROFILE IFAST

Gary Tompsett – Director of Independent Fire & Safety Training (Ifast Ltd) – looks at the importance to business, particularly small to medium SMEs, of the latest major change to Fire Safety Law.

the enforcing authority to ensure compliance - by force if necessary - and sets penalties if it is not. After carrying out the assessment, the ‘responsible person’ will need to produce a policy, develop evacuation procedures, provide staff training and carry out fire drills.

Ready & Fired Up?

5 Step Assessment Fire Certificates will no longer be issued under the new order and the 1971 Fire Precautions Act will be revoked. If 5 or more people are employed then the risk assessment will need to be documented.

A business owner or responsible person must decide whether they have either the knowledge or expertise to carry out the fire risk assessment. If not, they will need to seek advice from a third party such as a specialist firm/consultant to fulfil their responsibilities. There will obviously be a cost involved to provide this service and this will vary according to the size and complexity of the assessment. For small businesses, I would recommend a good website - www.fpafireriskassessment.com -where they will find a list of questions and a format to compile an assessment.

If then they are still not sure or feel confident to carry out an assessment, then they can contact IFAST with a view to us conducting the work at competitive rates.

ARE YOU hen the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRO) comes into force on 1st October, it will consolidate existing fire safety legislation in England and Wales as well as extending the reach of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (amended). The new order will require the person responsible for premises to take general fire precautions and undertake a fire risk assessment of those premises to safeguard all people there in case of fire.

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Gary Tompsett

Implementation of the Order The RRO firmly places a duty on a ‘responsible person’ to ensure the safety of all the people they are either directly or indirectly responsible for within a building. The Order outlines all the actions that must be taken and allows

We can help you provide fire risk assessments, supply and maintain fire equipment and ancillary equipment such as safety signs. Our core business is fire training and we can also conduct fire drills.

Staff Training Here are a few of our clients: L

ASDA

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BP

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Fred Perry

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Spinnaker Tower

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Wentworth Golf Club

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WHSmiths

Engineer Training Fire Risk Assessments Fire Extinguishers Hose Reels Fire Blankets Servicing Signs First Aid Ancillary Equipment

Call Ifast on 01243 553868 visit www ifast-online.co.uk or e.mail enquiries@ifast-online.co.uk.

Gary Tompsett can be contacted directly on 07947867621

THE MAGAZINE 34

Ahead of the game

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Finishing Ltd

Latest colour finishes on offer including Alochrome 1200 and Iridite for all zinc and bright tin plating requirements.

Use of the latest processes will guarantee future proof finishes, protected against the enforcement of EEC regulation CR3.

For further information contact C&W Finishings Ltd on 01243 838311 Unit M,Byfield Place, Durban Road,Bognor Regis West Sussex

To find out more about C&W Finishing’s commitment to quality and the environment, contact the team on 01243 838311

Employers Day, HMP Ford, Arundel Would access to `work ready` staff be attractive to you? Ever wondered what training takes place in Prisons?

HMP Ford invites you to attend a day for Employers across the South East & London to visit the prison & take a look around the workshops & training facilities here. Workshops include: Painting & Decorating, Industrial Cleaning, Electrical Assembly, Injection Moulding, Horticulture, Waste Management, Computers, Kitchens, Manufacturing & Educational courses.

No obligation to work with the prison.

For more information, or If you would like to attend, please contact Harriet Bartley by 4th October. Tel: 01903 663023 Email: harriet.bartley@hmps.gsi.gov.uk

Ford Prison

• Tuesday 10th October 2006 • 10:00am – 14:00pm • 09:45am at main gate

35 THE MAGAZINE

PROFILE

Industry leading using the latest technology to increase quality and to reduce harm to the environment.Finishes we offer: Zinc & clear & colour. Bright tin, Anodise Natural & black & Iridite Ncp. All the above finishes are Rohs compliant.

C&W FINISHING

OHS CR3 – a neat acronym that trips easily off the tongue, at least it does if you’re C&W Finishing, who have put themselves ahead of the game with the latest EEC Regulations.

Without going into huge detail, some of the metallic components in your TV or VCR will break down over time and release harmful chemicals into the environment. There are many other similar products from industrial brackets to medical components which face the same problems.

C&W Finishing are one of the first to use a new process which will negate the risks to the environment. Whether they are anodizing components for the medical industry, zinc plating parts for B&W speaker systems or creating bright tin coatings for industrial fixings, they use the latest processes to assure quality and reduce harm to the environment. They have been using this process for the best part of a year and their quality is as high as ever.

The ROHS regulations are going to become more tightly enforced in the near future – however C&W Finishing’s work exceeds the requirement of the new regulations, so their work won’t have to be replaced any time soon.

C&W Finishing’s work includes using Alochrom 1200 and Iridite to provide the finishes and quality that industry leaders expect.

How can I ever talk to that many people?

Later that day...

Lucky for Emma, she called the Sales Team at SpiritFM who took all her advertising worries away.

Radio advertising works. Advertising with SpiritFM can help you speak to thousands of potential new customers every day.

If you want to live happy ever after call the Sales Team on 01243 773600 or email sales@spiritfm.net Website: www.spiritfm.net Spirit FM, 9-10 Dukes Court, Bognor Road, Chichester, West Sussex. PO19 8FX.