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GROWING
GLOUCESTERSHIRE BUSINESSES Profiling a selection of leading Gloucestershire companies
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The opposite of casino mentality… Eric Barton delves deep with The Attivo Group’s CEO, Stephen Harper A career in the Royal Navy provides you with a zest for life, instils good work ethics, and you have to have a natural talent for getting on with people. Having enjoyed his time as an ex-Royal Navy Chief Engineer, the Chief Executive of the Attivo Group, Stephen Harper, has all three of the above qualities in spades or waves, depending on your nautical bent. As I walk into Stephen Harper’s office, the welcome is both warm and clearly genuine. This is a man in touch with his own ‘ying and yang’ - and everybody else’s to boot. Now, Stephen Harper has been in the Financial Services industry for over 25 years, and his previous career enabled him to develop an eye for detail and in a sense prepared him for getting to grips with the minutia of the finance sector. Stephen began his financial career when he joined a major insurance form. He comments, “After a very successful time with RSA, I made the decision to leave. They said I was mad. At the time it was a company that I felt wouldn’t be around for another five years. In fact they were gone two years after I left”. He adds, “I never liked the way we dealt with clients at RSA. I felt that the clients weren’t put first and for me that wasn’t good enough’’. It was his departure that prompted Stephen to launch Fountain Independent Financial Advisers in 1998 from a small office over Swinton’s on Bath Road in Cheltenham. Time has indeed marched on from those humble beginnings. Stephen Harper explains, “Morality is everything to me. Big companies have forgotten how to treat clients. It’s not their money. It was this rotten attitude
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Stephen Harper
“Morality is everything to me. Big companies have forgotten how to treat clients. It’s not their money. It was this rotten attitude and a lack of transparency that inspired me to start up on my own.“ and a lack of transparency that inspired me to start up on my own’’. In 2005, Stephen established Attivo Group Limited. In 2006 he launched MYSIPP. And then in 2012 Attivo Investment Management was born. It’s been a very measured path of growth and acquisitions that have brought the Attivo story to where it is today.
Stephen is passionate and says, “We must, as a profession, do the right thing by our clients, whatever the cost to the business. When we make a very rare mistake I will always ensure this is rectified no matter what it costs this business. We don’t do bland, dull vanilla here. We are all about providing unfettered robust advice that works”. The burden of regulation weighs heavily on any company these days trading within the UK finance sector. It’s a world where the protection for the client is foremost. Being a chartered business within this sector is a must. Stephen goes on to comment, “Attivo Financial Planning is chartered and independent. Not many financial planning companies in the UK are and the lack of technical expertise in the industry is shocking. Some people think having money in investments is simply like throwing the dice in a casino. The investment sectors are too big now for small un-chartered firms to manage and advise properly. It’s as simple as that. What we do is the opposite of the casino mentality’’. Keeping things simple for the client is the top of the agenda at Attivo. Stephen adds, “We don’t do babble here at Attivo. We keep everything in plain English, and easy for the client to understand, easy for the client to understand but behind the scenes robust investment propositions that work”. Stephen has created a financial services business that is totally transparent and built on long-term client relationships, rather than the historic transactional model employed by many in the financial services sector. He leads
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a team of specialist independent pensions, tax and investment advisers, who are well known for their technical excellence and innovative approach. It also transpires that Stephen still has client meetings himself and also holds the Diploma in Investment Planning and is a Professional Financial Adviser member of the Chartered Banker Institute. In other words, he’s regulated. Nice touch that the Attivo Chief Executive is ‘still in the game’. Most of the business is done in the South West and South East. It’s a wide enough net that generates upwards of £2BN being managed at any one time. Stephen says “We have a varied cross section of clients who benefit from our knowledge and expertise. But as far as our location is concerned, the HQ will always be in Cheltenham. We are in fact growing into another floor here at Jessop House. There’s no doubt in my
mind that this is the best office complex in Cheltenham. The town is a great place to live and work. All four of our board Directors live in the town, so that must say something. We also have an office in St James’ Square, London’’. He goes on to add, “We have eighty staff in the company now and plan to double that number this year. We see ourselves as the employer of choice. We pay well for the right people and offer good working conditions’’. He also says, “We now have our Attivo Academy for training and have a ‘big hitter’ joining us from a major UK institution to head this up’’. And on a lighter note, they also have, as a staff sporting extra, the AC Attivo football team and support Gloucester Rugby. Sports aside, Stephen makes a straightforward statement, “We are growing rapidly. Less than four years ago we had just twenty staff. Also in the last
year, turnover was up 50% and is now targeted to grow another 50% in the next year. Stephen finally adds, “It’s about good human beings, not just topnotch professionals good at their job. And proper wealth isn’t just about money. Health and happiness are much more important’’. Away from steering Attivo, Stephen Harper finds time to snowboard and travel abroad with his wife and two daughters. It’s a happy life balance for a nice human being… and as well as we all know, people buy from people with the right ‘ying and yang’. www.attivogroup.co.uk
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000 Business Profile Chelbury Mushrooms March 15:Layout 1
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Mushroom miles… Eric Barton meets Mark Haynes, a Director of Chelbury Mushrooms and Managing Director of G’s Fresh Mushrooms Ltd. I love a direct line to anything. I’d like a direct contact to the Prime Minister but that’s not going to happen. As most scientists know, electricity loves taking the shortest route too. It’s about conductivity and the shorter the better. The food chain is no different. The shorter the time to the customer from the point of growth and picking is best for everybody. It affects taste, quality and the environment. Mushrooms are at the very forefront of this freshness battle and being able to enjoy them at their optimum is a true delight for all mushrooms lovers. At family-owned Chelbury Farm Mushrooms, which nestles in the glove of Cleeve Hill, just outside Cheltenham they know how to deliver the caress that their mushrooms require in order to provide the organic environment they need to flourish. The farm itself has a clean, almost clipped appearance. Blink and you’ll miss it. The farm itself is nicely contrasted by the green fields and surrounding flora and fauna. The mushroom farm extends quietly out from the side of Cleeve Hill; like a soft green, gloved hand that offers no threat. It’s a place that’s full of promise and is in tune with its location. A natural
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occurrence that makes no statement of where it is. Which is how it should be. Melting into its natural surroundings. More an enhancement to the natural vista than a disturbance. The low - lying sheds which are dotted about the property provide the nursery milieu the mushrooms require. It’s all wellorganised, with trucks delivering organic growth material and taking waste away which is then re-cycled. It’s a non-vicious circle. Chelbury Mushroom Farm goes as far back as 1965 (the year they introduced drink driving laws and Ronnie Biggs the great train robber did a bunk to South America). It was in fact started as a hobby and as the years unfolded the farm grew. A move in 2000 saw the business morph over to increased organic production. In 2011 the larger producer G’s Fresh Mushrooms became involved and the business now has a current investment of £3.5M to provide expansion and better retail penetration. In fact more than £1M has been invested in the growing methods in just the last two years alone. Mark Haynes Managing Director, G’s Fresh Mushrooms Ltd commented, “we have been a family business since 1952 and this year is the 50TH anniversary of
the Chelbury mushroom farm. It’s a landmark for all of us’’. The eighty-five staff at Chelbury Mushrooms take a cossetting approach to their work, as constant care is needed to produce the right ‘enablers’ of temperature, humidity, soil quality and light for the products to grow at the right rate and quality. They produce mushrooms all year round with only a few days off. And they’re all hand-picked. Mark Haynes went on to further comment, “mushroom farming doesn’t stop for anything and I quite like that’’. He said, “at G’s Fresh Mushrooms Ltd we take the organic side of our business very seriously indeed. Our growing methods are pivotal on being consistent and supplying high-end quality produce that’s available all year round’’. Being a local company Mark Haynes and the team are all-too-aware about the need to engage with the local market. Mark also adds, “Our Chelbury mushroom range is available in the Wholefood Store in Cheltenham’’. It’s true to say that it’s this, the kind of ‘seed to shelf’ story that really resonates with customers. Most people these days want to know that the produce they’re eating is both fresh and hasn’t been
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“I love the fact that mushrooms are relentless. Indeed farming is like that and it’s a very fulfilling part of my life. Its creation whatever way you look at it“ round the block a few times. Mark goes on to comment, “There’s only two or three true organic mushroom growers now in the UK, with only around 30% of mushroom production actually happening in this country’’. He also comments, “most of the mushrooms in the UK come from Ireland or Poland and this can easily take up to 48 hours to reach us. At Chelbury we can have them in the shops or food boxes within 12 hours, meaning the quality is there in spades’’. Although the ‘head office’ for G’s Fresh is in Cambridgeshire Mark Haynes regularly visits Chelbury Farm mushrooms in Southam to catch up with the farm manager Peter Howard. Mark goes on to say, “I’m always very keen to see how the team at Chelbury are faring and in fact they come to us in Cambridgeshire for training on a regular basis’’.
Mark Haynes also comments, “We have now developed organic shiitake mushrooms which are going very well. This is a big area for us, as most of the retailing giants still source these mushrooms from China’’. He also adds, “This is food miles gone berserk. It’s crucial for us to let people know that you can now get these from a local grower’’. Mark Haynes finally says, “I love the fact that mushrooms are relentless. Indeed farming is like that and it’s a very fulfilling part of my life. Its creation whatever way you look at it. You have to be at the top of your game to grow high quality mushrooms in a consistent way and getting it right every day, all year round is the biggest challenge’’. Including fresh mushrooms in everyday meals is a top-notch way to boost vitamin intake and interestingly adds virtually no
calories, fat or sodium. Tossing some sliced mushrooms into green salads, soups, stews, stir-fries, omelettes, as well as pasta and rice dishes is quick and super simple. We Brits ate our way through some £374M worth of these little beauties last year, with over £14M of that spend given over to organic consumption. Remember, you are what you eat and what better than the freshest mushrooms you can get your hands on from a local grower? www.chelburymushrooms.com
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000 Business Profile Holloways March 15:Layout 1
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So much more than just garden furniture… Laura-Jayne Roberts finds out everything Holloways offers its customers and more… Think garden centres…think plants, water features, fencing etc. Think again. With not a bag of soil in sight, Holloways, nestled near the Malvern Hills in Suckley, specialises in contemporary country living and garden antiques. Celebrating their 25-year anniversary this year, partners Edward and Diana Holloway opened the family business in 1989. Originally specialising in purely conservatory furniture and garden antiques, the selection has since grown and gone from strength to strength. Their collection has now expanded to include all types of home and garden furniture, Diana said: “We have furniture for every room in the house, with a particular focus on contemporary country living. We also have all the accessories you could possibly need to accompany our furniture.” Holloways furniture has always reflected contemporary design and British craftsmanship, so if you enjoy country living and entertaining friends in a comfortable home, then their extensive range of furniture will be sure to delight you. “We have a wide range of stylish and unusual furniture that you simply won’t see anywhere else, with a focus on British made, upholstered furniture. We also have one of the largest selections of woven furniture in the UK for both gardens and garden rooms,” said Diana. Located in a unique setting in the beautiful Worcestershire countryside, Holloways extensive furniture showrooms were converted from 18th century hop kilns. While the courtyards around them are a perfect backdrop for their garden furniture and ornaments, what really sets Holloways apart from its rivals is its
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unequalled level of customer service, as Diana explains: “We pride ourselves on very high levels of service. Our staff have been with us for a long period of time, so not only are they very knowledgeable, but also extremely passionate about the business.” Nowhere else in the county will you see a larger selection of conservatory and garden room furniture, in all styles, and for each and every individual home. With contemporary, vintage and period, classic luxury and everyday family furniture for all tastes as well as a wide range of materials, colours and fabrics means you will be
utterly spoilt for choice. This is why it is so important that expert staff are on hand to help with those vital decisions, as Diana explained: “All our staff have some training in interior designer, so they have a great eye and can help tailor colours, fabrics and furniture to fit anyone’s house or garden. Which is another reason why people come to us for their furniture — we can advise on what would look perfect in their choice of room or their garden and this service is free. If customers bring their plans/drawings/colour schemes with them when they visit, we can guide them. “We also have our own in-house delivery team, who will deliver all around the country, place the furniture in customer’s homes, and take any waste packaging away with them afterwards. Which all adds to the excellent customer service we offer.” Holloways proudly support British manufacturers, and you will enjoy their stunning collection of British-made sofas, many exclusive to the business, and their
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impressive dining furniture — all designed for casual living. They love nothing more than to help you match an upholstered sofa with a metal coffee table, or an oak dining table with Lloyd Loom chairs. Diana adds: “Everybody loves a comfortable sofa, and we offer a beautiful range of fabrics to choose from. Indeed most of the furniture we sell can be upholstered in a customer’s choice of fabric.” A fabulous range of home furnishings is displayed in their showrooms, from lamps to mirrors, rugs, cushions and stylish accessories — all chosen with care to help you create a unique look for your home. Expanding year upon year is the desire of customers wishing to extend the comfort found inside their homes out into their gardens with comfortable outdoor furniture. For this you will be indulged for choice at Holloways. Their selection of attractive, stylish and practical garden furniture includes deep sofas and comfortable sun loungers, contemporary dining furniture, and vintage-look, or modern sunbeds made from weatherproof wicker. Holloways International department also offers a fabulous selection of furniture for outdoor living if you own a villa abroad, and can organise shipping to anywhere in the world. Diana confirmed this was an area of the business that was really expanding: “Many of our customers have second homes abroad and, of course, need outdoor furniture to take advantage of those long sunny days. We are more than happy to ship our products, finding out shipping costs and handling fees in the process. We find that
our outdoor wicker, aluminium-framed, furniture has proved very popular with these customers.” One of the most fascinating areas of Holloways is surely their back courtyard, where you can find a wealth of treasures among the garden antiques, vintage curiosities and old rural artefacts. From lead planters and marble statuary to those familiar stone troughs, millstones and staddle stones, much loved features of many country gardens. Diana explained: “One of my husband’s (Edward) major passions is antique garden ornament, and he is well renowned as one of the leading names within this field in the UK. We have a separate space at Lower Court that’s full of vintage, weathered, and salvaged garden ornaments, in addition to our more contemporary items.” If all that wasn’t enough Holloways is also a place to enjoy delicious cuisine too! The Glasshouse Café, located inside a stunning conservatory, is a delightful place to enjoy a quick bite or a coffee, which means people can enjoy the complete
day out at Holloways. Diana confirmed this, adding: “The café is a lovely place to visit at any time of the year. In summer we have a patio area with chairs and tables, while in the winter we have a roaring fire and comfortable sofas to relax on, which makes it very cosy. We have, of course, free newspapers and magazines for people to read as well as free Wi-Fi.” Open from 9am for breakfast and morning coffee, the café also offers a delicious range of lunches and light bites, as well as afternoon tea. Diana reiterated: “We have a fantastic array of cakes, biscuits and scones for customers to enjoy, all of which are baked fresh each day in our own kitchen. We also endeavour to use locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, for example in the summer we pick up strawberries from a neighbouring farm and get vegetables from just up the road, while all our meat and eggs are locally sourced as well. We know this helps to make our meals very delicious!” Clearly a very passionate family business, Diana added: “We offer customers a unique selection of products as well as old-fashioned service. We are a family business, and one that has been in operation for 25 years. Our passion for the items we sell shines through in both the quality of our products, and the attitude of our sales staff who will give you all the help and time you need to help make the right decision.” Whether you are moving or improving, looking for a quick room refresh, a special sofa or long-lasting garden furniture, Holloways offers it all and will cater for your every need. Holloways, Lower Court, Suckley, Worcestershire WR6 5DE T: 01886 884665 www.holloways.co.uk Holloways and The Glasshouse Café opening hours: 9am - 5pm Monday to Saturday, including all Bank Holiday Mondays. Sunday Opening: 15th March to end of August.
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000 Business Profile Hughes Paddison March 15:Layout 1
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Cut the dusty babble… Forget the dusty image of the ancient pinstriped lawyer, steeped in books and clawing without much success at the world we live in. Banish from your mind the endless days waiting to hear back about your case, or developments on matrimonial, business or probate matters. We live in an instant caffeine-fuelled environment where the mobile device and Skype are king. Like products on the supermarket shelf, we all want something fresh. Who in their right mind wants to deal with some crusty old lawyer who speaks in riddles and does things at the speed of a fat, stale ticking clock? A good solicitor that’s got the babble sorted, reacts at the speed of a scalded cat and has the experience to deal with the complexities of the law is a real gem. At Hughes Paddison in Cheltenham they have a practice that’s full of people with these talents. Since the firm’s beginnings in 1985, Hughes Paddison have been young enough to be fresh and easy going but big and bold enough to be seriously professional. I’m met by two of the Directors of the practice; Jennifer Allen and Gareth Parry. Both solicitors who have now been with Hughes Paddison for nine years each. After graduating from law school Jennifer Allen had a chance meeting in a local hairdressers with the firms MD Jane Brothwood, which led to a job offer. Jennifer comments, “It was a bit bonkers really. There I was having my hair done and sitting next to me was Jane.’’. She goes on to add, “One thing led to another and before I knew it, I had a job’’. Now a Director, Jennifer is a solicitor in the Hughes Paddison Family Department and specialises in dealing with divorcing/cohabiting couples and their complex financial matters that can arise upon separation. She also assists clients with pre/post-nuptial agreements,
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGUS BETHUNE
Eric Barton enjoys a jargon-free meeting with Directors, Jennifer Allen and Gareth Parry from Cheltenham solicitors Hughes Paddison
arrangements for children, domestic abuse. She is a member of Resolution, an organisation that aims to reduce conflict in family law cases. Jennifer is on the Board of Advisors for the Cheltenham Child Contact Centre. Jennifer continues to comment, “On a day-to-day basis what I do is extremely personal and can often be quite harrowing. It’s great though to see a case come to its conclusion’’. She looks thoughtful as she muses, “Many cases of abuse in marriages or partnerships can be
both physical and mental. It’s my job to see them through this time and sort out the legal issues’’. Adding to this Jennifer Allen goes on to say, “I’m all about continuity. Clients will always deal with me. Not a paralegal. When clients first come to me distressed and in a fog of despair, they are often overwhelmed. We can help them to get their lives back again. It’s like watching a butterfly evolve and flying away into the light with renewed clarity and confidence in the future’’. “Of course very often children can be
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGUS BETHUNE
“Providing a full service to individuals and SME’s is at the very core of what we do.“
involved too and seeing the end of a case is so fulfilling. It can show that with compromises a positive result can be achieved’’. She says. A busy firm like Hughes Paddison with some fifty staff does a have a myriad of other departments and specialisations too. Gareth Parry is also a Director and Head of the Private Client Department specialising in Wills, Probate, Court of Protection work and in the disputes arising from these matters. He has a particular interest in tax planning and trusts issues. He is also a full member of The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) – a group of advisors with a higher level of expertise and is a trustee of a number of family and charitable trusts. This very affable Welshman also has a
keen eye for client relationships and retention. Gareth comments, “It’s all about ethos here. Clients will always come first. We are constantly looking to improve the way we handle our clients and look after their needs. Very often, we will work as part of a team with other professionals like accountants, tax advisers and pensions specialists, to ensure our clients get the best, integrated advice’’. He continues to say, “Whether on the commercial or personal sides of the business, our clients will always deal with their lawyer. It’s a very personal business’’. Gareth continues to further comment, “Many of my clients have been with me for years. You can sometimes become almost an extension of their family. I look to give the very best impartial advice possible’’. He adds, “It’s about helping the
family or the business and managing the situation. It’s about trust. It’s pleasing that many of our clients’ businesses have grown with ours’’. Gareth also adds to this, “Last year was fairly meteoric for the firm. In fact we are now at the biggest we have ever been. We don’t want to become a hundred headcount practice. For us, it’s not about growing at a ridiculous rate. We want measured growth that’s both sustainable and right for our clients’’. Jennifer Allen comes in at this point to say, “Providing a full service to individuals and SME’s is at the very core of what we do. We will probably continue to increase our headcount, perhaps to around sixty over the next couple of years but only if we find like minded people who are right for our clients, as well as us’’. Getting away from the practice is no mean feat and with two young children Gareth Parry has his hands full. Mind you he has a penchant for fine wines, is a bit of an epicurean and loves to travel with his family to the odd vineyard or two. Can’t be bad! Gareth finally says, “In the practice we all really like each other which is a huge bonus. It creates a positive atmosphere and a work environment that we can all feed off. So working here is demanding but rewarding’’. With horse riding and Eventing at the top of her leisure pursuits Jennifer Allen has got it sorted. Away from work she enjoys the keeping fit, spin classes, skiing and travel. She finally comments, “I love what I do. The firm is unstuffy, fresh and vibrant which makes every day both enjoyable and challenging.’’ So for some babble free advice where the first half an hour is free, perhaps give the red hot cats at Hughes Paddison a whirl. www.hughes-paddison.co.uk
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000 Business Profile John Lewis
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Artisans of Furniture Design We meet John Lewis of Hungerford, specialist furniture craftsmen with an inspiring Cirencester showroom John Lewis of Hungerford prides itself as the original painted kitchen cabinetry company with an enviable heritage of over 40 years in designing, crafting and installing furniture. The luxury fitted kitchens, beautiful bedrooms and designer furniture, have all been handmade in Britain since 1972. With an incredibly versatile offering, the inspiring Cirencester showroom enables customers to view the high
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quality products that are tailored to the customer’s individual requirements and tastes. There are five kitchen styles yet no two kitchens have ever been designed the same. The showroom displays the latest trends in painted wood and gloss kitchens, including the Urban Cool and Pure ranges, to the elegant styles of the shaker period. For those with a true appreciation for authentic British design and heritage, John Lewis of Hungerford
combines the highest levels of craftsmanship with meticulous detail in each and every piece, so everything comes with a 10-year guarantee. The showroom displays some of their most popular kitchen designs as well as other beautifully crafted kitchen essentials from pantries to furniture and accessories. It houses a friendly and highly experienced team who are on hand to help you to envisage your
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chosen design and to ensure you achieve your dream kitchen that’s beautifully tailored to your lifestyle, from style and colour to clever integrated storage solutions. From concept to completion, the designers manage every level of the project, a fully personalised service with a fully warranted fitting facility. Although best known for their kitchens, John Lewis of Hungerford has continuously grown by introducing new ranges and furniture pieces that show off their design capabilities but remain true to their handcrafted heritage. All cabinetry and furniture pieces, are hand finished by skilled craftsmen in the factory in the heart of Oxfordshire, which means individual preferences at the design stage are simple to incorporate. As specialists in painted kitchen cabinetry, the vast spectrum of 80 colours are available from their very own award winning paint range and selected ranges can even be colour matched. With such a rich history steeped in paint, the ranges are perfected to ensure they are durable to cope with busy family life and so that customer’s have the reassurance of the best in quality that is expected of John Lewis of Hungerford. Attention to detail pervades their
ethos seen across all of their luxury cabinetry and it is where the team of experts and artisans at John Lewis of Hungerford truly shine. The highly skilled craftsmen remain dedicated to ensure that each individually crafted and painted cabinet that goes through the workshop is handled with absolute care and attention so that it reaches its new home as flawlessly as it was created. With their personable approach, at the end of each project, the designers will keep in touch with the customer and offer a 1-year TLC package, where they will revisit every project to make sure their designs have exceeded above and beyond expectations. T: 01285 644705 W: www.john-lewis.co.uk
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000 Business Profile Regent Arcade March 15:Layout 1
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The UK’s greenest place to shop Emma Logan met with John Forward, Centre Director for the Regent Arcade in Cheltenham Not many provincial shopping malls can claim that two members of the Royal family, the future King of England, HRH Prince Charles in 2013 and his sister HRH The Princess Royal who opened the Regent Arcade in 1985, have visited. Ten years ago after forty years of retail expertise, John Forward took the helm at Cheltenham’s prestigious shopping venue to oversee the transformation of a tired structure with a leaking roof into the award-winning destination it is today. The owners Canada Life had a vision to update and create a shopping mecca that would not only attract some of the country’s leading national brands but be amongst the most environmentally aware centres of its kind in the country. After a huge £23 million refit, the Regent Arcade boasted a new roof and new columns, cladding, security and fire protection with computer controlled and energy efficient lighting. Even a water-harvesting unit was added to help
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flush the loos along with solar heating to heat water. Slow running escalators were installed to reduce the 880,000 annual units of electricity used to a more modest 690,000. Recycling is of high importance within the infrastructure and the arcade now insists that all shopping units comply with the regulation that has achieved 95% of recycled waste from its site. After all this hard work, the Regent Arcade beat off stiff competition from hundreds of other shopping centres throughout the UK to win the overall Green Champion award for energy conservation and reJohn Forward
cycling in the 2013 Green Apple Awards. Prince Charles having heard of this success and what they had further achieved architecturally at the front of centre subsequently visited himself, to view these accomplishments. The re-development programme at front of the arcade, which links into Cheltenham’s High Street, saw the area being gutted to accommodate four major retailers including River Island and H&M. The extensive project work has attracted more national brands to come to Cheltenham and now popular eating
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establishment, Carluccio’s will be opening its doors to customers late-May who can enter from within or from Regent Street. The uniqueness of the Regent Arcade is its ability to host a number of independent outlets who sit so comfortably amongst some of the national brands and these now account for 26% of the 60 units trading. Towards the back of the mall one will find a vastly expanded TK Maxx occupying 25,000 Sq. Feet which has increased its customer profile and BHS which has also been updated to give the store more life. The Regent Arcade is the link between the Promenade and the High Street in Cheltenham. It has a vast car parking space for 500 vehicles, it offers 6 food and beverage locations and hosts a walk-through direct to House of Fraser. The centre is a huge benefit to the local economy. Employing 350-400 people the ancillary side is immense from food operations to local suppliers and a key performance indicator is the footfall of the 6-million people who walk through each year. Towns have been struggling in recent years due to online and out-of-town retailers but since the advent of Click & Collect, this has
brought an increase of visitors back into the area, which has increased much needed growth in the retail sector. The out-of town sites has been staking an in-road into retailing especially as they have updated their areas but they are often over crowded, have parking issues and major retailers are still interested in being in the most accessible place to the majority of consumers. John Forward, Centre Director of Regent Arcade says, “We really are trying to incentivise local business to operate from within our centre. We offer shortterm leases for the right product. The front of the centre is predominantly focused on fashion but then we want more of a mix. We try not to be too competitive between our tenants and we have a strategy for products we like. Though most of our units are 1000 sq. ft., if someone wanted a larger space we would definitely consider converting to accommodate them”. Some of the success stories from Regent Arcade include shops such as Tiger, which is not an expensive store but continuously busy along with the bigger brands of TK Maxx and BHS. “It’s the mix of having the right balance of choice but we would like to increase our fashion
range. There are 10,000 students living in Cheltenham and they shop! They are the shoppers of the future as their tastes will change and we need to support that,” said John. John continues, “It is still difficult out there with the current economic climate but we have had a 4% increase in footfall and we are building on that. Local competition is great; it increases the traffic of people into town who will travel for a brand. Retail hasn’t changed over the centuries; if you’ve got something to sell, someone will want to buy it.” John Forward himself is bowing out of retailing in June of this year. After so many years of hard work, long hours and great times, he will be retiring to hand over the reins of one of Cheltenham’s finest shopping establishments and he can rest assured he will leave behind a legacy that can only continue for further success. www.regentarcade.co.uk
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Serving up a mouthful of pure passion Laura-Jayne Roberts talks to the talented new Head Chef at Vanilla, set to rustle up a storm within the Cheltenham restaurant elite… Situated in the heart of Cheltenham, you’ll find a restaurant with a stylish interior, ambient lighting and contemporary furnishings. Very similar you may think to other fine dining establishments in the town. However, look a little closer, and you will see a remarkable difference, a young and extremely gifted man behind a first class menu. Welcome to Vanilla restaurant, welcome to Head Chef, Leon Rook. Having grown up with two older brothers who work as chefs, another profession was never on the cards for passionate Leon, who fondly looked up to his siblings. He said: “I’m so lucky that I have got to do my dream job. From a young age I fell in love with everything associated with cooking. I would finish school and go home, bake brownies, and then go straight off to rugby training! I guess I was quite unusual as I was certainly the only one turning up with brownies wrapped in tin foil to matches, but it did make me very popular with my team mates, even when we lost!” Originally from Manchester, with a friendly smile and a northern twang, Leon, now aged 25, began his food career in Stockport. “The town is not very well known for food, unlike Cheltenham and the Cotswolds. It is very much based around pub food and quirky restaurants, which made it hard to get into busy restaurants. It wasn’t until I was 18-yearsold that I got a job at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester, which got me into the fine dining and restaurant scene,” enthused Leon. “I worked there for about two years, which is where I met top chef, Lee Scott, who worked with Gordon Ramsey and who became my mentor.” From Manchester, Leon moved to Cambridge, where Lee had just opened his own restaurant. He worked there with him for a year until he got offered a job at Cotswold 88 restaurant in Painswick, Gloucestershire, where he stayed for four
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years until taking the plunge, branching out on his own as a Head Chef. Having just started at Vanilla on January 1st of this year, this is talented Leon’s first month of breaking into the competitive Cheltenham food scene. He said: “It was fate. I was about to take another job and just as I hung up on the other restaurant, my agent rang me and told me of another restaurant that would be perfect for me. I accepted an interview and loved everything about the restaurant. The modern feel of the restaurant contrasted with the way that it is run, which is very traditional, with the Head Chef responsible for all the food, which then becomes the main talking point. “It’s not about maximising profits, it’s about making customers happy from the moment they walk through the door. It’s one of the only restaurants I’ve known, which has been open for 22 years, and remained profitable, even through the recession, which speaks volumes,” added Leon. For the past 20 years Vanilla had retained the same Head Chef, but they have now decided it is time for a change. Leon stated: “They have made a bold move employing me, after 22 profitable years it is potentially a big risk to them to change everything they do, so knowing they have that trust in me is massive.” Nothing makes this young chef happier than serving food (we are not allowed to
tell his wife this!) he believes that everything he puts on a plate is a reflection of himself, and nothing gets him excited like food does. “You always remember that one dish that startled you, or that final mouthful when you think, that was just amazing. There’s a real happiness in food and for me, as a chef, there’s nothing more thrilling than serving up that happiness and creating memories. “You can work in kitchens for 14 hours a day, churning out robotic food, but for me there’s more to life than that, and I wake up every day raring to go and I can’t wait to get in the kitchen because I love what I do.” Already a very highly respected and successful restaurant, Leon hopes to attract a new clientele to Vanilla, while also ensuring that the regular customers keep coming back for more. “I believe that Cheltenham is the foodie capital of the Cotswolds, and I can’t wait to have a crack at it and become personally known for the very best food! Certainly the feedback on my menus, in the first few weeks since opening, has been fantastic. The old clientele have been saying what a difference – it’s still great value for money, as its not ridiculous prices for courses, but the food is top quality,” expanded Leon. “And of course it’s not just all about the food, very few places can match the ambience we have here in Cheltenham, particularly when Vanilla is full of an evening and the candles are burning, it’s a very warm, welcoming space.” Refreshingly different from other chefs, Leon does not like to pick a signature dish, stating, “it’s so difficult to choose, most chefs have one, but for me my favourite dishes are ones that I cooked as a child, and I work on how I can bring those dishes and their influences into modern day food and fine dining.” “I didn’t grow up eating Foie Gras Terrine, or Venison, it was very much pies and breakfast in a tin! So while of course my tastes have evolved, some of my
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inspiration comes from hearty, northern staples like Treacle Sponge, or Jam Roly Poly, my challenge is how I turn those into dishes I can serve today. I guess that is my signature, taking home comfort food and giving it a modern twist, bringing northern food to a southern market…just no pies!” From Roasted Pork Belly, Sticky Pork Cheek, Squash Puree, Caramelized Apples and Honey Sauce to Pan Seared Stone Bass, Roasted Turnips, Poached Potatoes and Pickled Radish with Horseradish Sauce, the varied, mouthwatering a la carte menu you will find at Vanilla would make even the noninterested foodie take notice. Using only fresh produce, stocks and sauces, and baking specialty breads in their kitchen, Vanilla ensures that everything is handselected or homemade, then cooked to perfection and presented with style and panache. Leon said: “Where possible we certainly always try to buy and source most of our raw ingredients locally. All our potatoes are grown in the South West, our Rhubarb is grown locally, so everything is purchased from as close as can be which is big for us. “For me, that’s always been important, as it is for most chefs. We use a lot of heritage ingredients which is big for us as a lot of people are very interested in where their food comes from, and people like locally grown produce. We visited the pig
farm last week where we get all our pork from, and while it was slightly sad on one hand to know that the pigs we saw where going to be in our kitchen in a couple of weeks, it was great to go and have that connection to the food we’re going to cook.” When he is not rustling up pure food heaven in the kitchens at Vanilla, Leon still likes to cook a lot at home. “I love trying out new dishes on my wife, which she enjoys most of the time, depending on what I’m cooking up! We also try to do family things, we got married last year and we try to eat out a lot and have a life away from the kitchen! “But I’m living to cook in a way, I’m at Vanilla every evening, apart from when the restaurant is closed on Sunday and Monday lunchtime, so it is sometimes hard to get that work-life balance right. However I get no greater pleasure from anything else in life so I’m happy with that.” Looking to the future Leon and Vanilla are passionate to increase clientele through the doors during the week days, which of course can be quieter than the weekend, plus tap into more of their Cheltenham target market which they haven’t captivated as of yet. While Leon admitted that other smaller, family businesses in Cheltenham are their greater rivals, rather than the heavyweight Michelin Starred restaurants, who have
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGUS BETHUNE
Business
their years of experience and reputations to ensure that they will succeed, he confirmed: “Our aim is to rise above the rest in the market, ensure that we increase our reputation and make sure everyone knows we are here, and hopefully one day we will be able to challenge the likes of Lumiere and Le Champignon Sauvage – the Michelin Starred heavyweights.” Challenge they sure will, as if you are looking for outstanding food from an exceptional, young, talented Chef, accompanied with wonderful service and a memorable atmosphere, stop your search with Vanilla and Leon Rook. All information about Vanilla and their incomparable offering is available online at www.vanillainc.co.uk/restaurant. They have a set A La Carté menu which changes regularly to reflect seasonal changes in produce, tastes etc and also a set lunch and early bird menu between 6-7pm.
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