The Voice Issue 2

Issue 2 • Summer 2012

...of business in Dumfries & Galloway

RHS Review

Youth Employment Renewables for Business

2012 Chamber Lunch Dumfries & Galloway’s Annual Business Event Tuesday 30th October 11.45am to 2.30pm, Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries e part of our region’s annual business event, the 2012 Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce Lunch, bringing together more than 250 of Dumfries & Galloway’s business leaders.

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This well established annual celebration of business provides an opportunity to make new contacts, catch up with old friends and to hear inspirational speakers. Tables of ten are available for companies wishing to host staff and guests, while mixed tables and individual tickets provide a great opportunity for networking.

Our Speaker Jim McColl is one of Scotland’s leading entrepreneurs.

Chairman and Chief Executive of Clyde Blowers, last year he sold specialised engineering company ClydeUnion Pumps for £750m, having bought it for £45m just four years ago. Clyde Blowers still consists of 85 engineering companies in 27 countries, with a turnover in excess of £1 billion and 6,000 employees around the world. He said: “I am looking forward to the Chamber Lunch. Small and medium sized companies are the life blood of the Scottish economy and I am keen to catch up with the developments in Dumfries & Galloway where there is a vibrant community of small businesses.”

Tickets £30 +VAT for Chamber Members £40 +VAT for Non-Members Purchase online at www.dgchamber.co.uk

t: 01387 270866 e: admin@dgchamber.co.uk www.dgchamber.co.uk

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Contents 4 News Dumfries & Galloway’s business news digest.

10 Appointments & Achievements Who’s moving on and moving up.

14 Networking Connecting and communicating.

16 Naturally Inspiring

34 16

Review of Dumfries & Galloway’s Presidency of the Royal Highland Show.

19 Powerful Reasons for Renewables Energising Dumfries & Galloway businesses.

25 Riding the Renewables Boom DuPont Teijin Films’ innovation for the solar PV industry.

Publisher: Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce T: 01387 270866 E: admin@dgchamber.co.uk

28 Youth Employment Making the most of young talent.

Editor: Lorna Young T: 01387 263886 E: editor@dgchamber.co.uk Design: Ian Findlay Design T: 01387 252599 E: design@dgchamber.co.uk

31 Knowledge Exchange

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34 Mind the Gap

Advertising: Helen Holt T: 07966 162654 E: advertising@dgchamber.co.uk

Economic Commentary

by Professor Hervey Gibson.

Print: Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press

36 Learning.

Networking. Growing.

Photography: Reproduced by kind permission from Allan Devlin, Ian Findlay, Craig Stephen, Gordon Rae and contributing businesses.

Additional images from shutterstock.com The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort is made to ensure the veracity and integrity of the companies, persons, products and services mentioned in this publication and details given are believed to be accurate at the time of going to press. However no responsibility or liability whatsoever can be accepted for any consequence or repercussion of responding to any information or advice given or inferred.

Chamber members share their expertise.

Forthcoming business events and opportunities.

38 Meet the Member Our random number generator selects T. B. Watson.

39 Welcome New members of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce.

25 Partners for Business

South of Scotland Business Solutions: A partnership between Barony College, Borders College, Dumfries & Galloway College, Scottish Agricultural College, Heriot-Watt University, University of Glasgow & University of the West of Scotland

your local magazine for business & enterprise 3

News

Dumfries & Galloway’s business news digest Email your news to editor@dgchamber.co.uk

Laggan Outdoor Opens Target Beating Mail UK’s Longest Zip Wire Delivery in Dumfries & Galloway L aggan Outdoor, based near Gatehouse of Fleet, is hoping that the launch of its new zip wire will prove to be a driver for business growth. The double line zip wire is the longest in the UK measuring a staggering 820 metres. Taking off from a platform perched on the top of a rocky outcrop overlooking the picturesque Fleet Estuary those brave enough to try it will be propelled over the scenic countryside at speeds of up

to 50mph!

“At over £100,000 this is our biggest business investment to-date,” said Duncan McConchie, Director of Laggan Outdoor.

“We are confident that even in the current climate, the Zip Wire experience will attract and thrill people from all over the country, appealing to adrenaline seekers, active family groups and companies looking for a unique team building challenge.”

hamber member Royal Mail has released independent research showing that Dumfries & Galloway is receiving some of the best quality postal services in the UK. The DG Postcode Area beat the annual First Class mail target with 93.1% of First Class stamped and franked (meter) mail arriving the next day, above the target of 93%, and well ahead of the minimum standard of 91.5%.

Royal Mail’s Lead Collections and Delivery Sector Manager for the DG postcode area, Michael Doherty, said: “Royal Mail’s target for next-day delivery of First Class mail is one of the highest and most challenging next-day performance targets in

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Europe. We are extremely pleased that we are delivering a high quality service for our customers.

It’s down to our local postmen and women who are determined to deliver the best possible service to our customers.”

Orchard Social Enterprise Breaks New Ground allace Hall Academy’s Social Enterprise Shadow Board has broken the ground for a new community orchard following six months of work by eleven pupils, ranging from S1 to S5, three community business advisers and three teaching staff, supported by the staff of the Queensberry Initiative.

The orchard has been made possible after the board, which has been named whapples, secured a

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long term lease of an acre of prime orchard land on Buccleuch Estates’ property next to the new Wallace Hall Academy and Primary schools. Mark Turner, Depute Head Teacher and Shadow Board Member, said: “This is an innovative project which has been led and developed by our pupils.

They are keen to involve the community and pupils from local primary schools as well as their classmates at Wallace Hall Academy. It is hoped

that the orchard will function effectively as a social enterprise – paying its own way through the sale of fruit and products such as

4 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

apple juice and chutneys, improving the local environment as well as giving something back to the community.”

Image by Louise Llewellyn Photography, Dumfries

The Old School has a Busy Start hamber member Rachel Speedie of The Art Room says the school summer holidays have helped get the new collaborative business group, The Old School, off to a great start. The former home of St Andrews Primary School has undergone nine months of renovations before opening to the public this summer as a hub for eight local businesses.

Rachel Speedie said: “We are all so delighted to see The Old School as busy

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and bustly as it has been and the positive feedback we’ve been receiving from customers and clients has been really rather overwhelming. As a sole trader, collaborating with other creative businesses is proving to be a constant inspiration and strength.

The collaboration has added a new dimension to the already well-established businesses and has been of instant benefit to the start up businesses amongst the group.”

New Round of Innovation Voucher Scheme Opens umfries & Galloway companies are being urged to tap into academic expertise and funding opportunities through the 2012/2013 round of the Innovation Voucher Scheme.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has issued a new call for applications with approvals being granted from 1st August onwards. Launched in 2009, the scheme was set up to encourage SMEs to access the expertise, skills and research facilities within Scottish universities and research institutes, with awards of up to £5,000.

The scheme is administered by Interface which offers a free, face-toface service to businesses wishing to engage with academia to address challenges such as increasing competitiveness, developing new products or exploiting new market opportunities.

Laura Noble of Interface commented:

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“We have already developed a number of partnerships between businesses and academia within Dumfries & Galloway.

However we recognise that many more in the region could be benefiting from support in a variety of areas such as product development, green energy production, accessing testing facilities or market research.

The scheme presents a fantastic opportunity for businesses looking to ‘test the water’ and trial working with an academic institute whilst getting such projects off the ground!”

One business which has benefited from the support is Chamber member Solway Feeders, based in Kirkcudbright, which specialises in feeders for birds. Solway Feeders wanted to advance its

product but needed additional electronics expertise to progress. Jane Smith, Finance Director at the firm commented: “We knew what we wanted to do but lacked the expertise in-house. We would not have known where to start with academia. Interface saved us a lot of time and effort by identifying the specialist expertise we required. We were also delighted to secure some funding to off-set the cost of the collaboration.

The project with Heriot Watt University has been a great success and we look forward to benefiting from the outputs.”

The University of the West of Scotland highlights that innovation is recognised as being a driver of economic growth and likewise encouraged local companies

to make use of the scheme, which encompasses all disciplines of academia from science, engineering and technology to arts, creative industries, humanities and social sciences.

Knowledge Exchange Manager at UWS, Joan Scott explains: “We are delighted to support local businesses through access to our facilities, staff and student expertise. The University has a range of mechanisms to help, from the provision of the £5,000 Innovation Vouchers, through staff consultancy, student projects and access to recent graduates. We can also help companies with their skills needs, including those of their management teams.”

To find out more about the Innovation Voucher Scheme visit www.interfaceonline.org.uk, or contact Joan Scott at UWS on joan.scott@uws.ac.uk

your local magazine for business & enterprise 5

News

Dumfries & Galloway’s business news digest. Email your news to editor@dgchamber.co.uk

New Chamber Healthcare Options XA PPP healthcare has added two new healthcare products to the Chamber’s Healthcare Package, which all members of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce are invited to consider.

Business Health Select and Business Priority Health products are modular so can be personalised to suit the specific needs of any

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Walk Back in Time on the Crichton Estate eople working on the Crichton Campus, Business Park and at nearby NHS sites will shortly be encouraged to take a walk back in time for health with the launch of a new signposted walk through the Crichton Estate.

The Crichton at Dumfries Heritage Walking Routes have been developed with support from NHS Dumfries & Galloway through the Working Well Challenge Fund, which funds projects that, among other goals, address staff health, wellbeing and safety.

As well as a main walk which takes around an hour to complete, a series of shortcuts segment the route, breaking it into shorter chunks which are easily

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completed within a lunch break.

John Edwards of the Crichton Development Company said: “The walking routes provide an opportunity to look at the Crichton in a new light. While the original idea of the scheme was to encourage people working nearby to take a walk through the grounds to keep fit, we hope this walk will have plenty of appeal for people from the wider community too.

“The route includes eight plaques which provide information about the Crichton Estate, its heritage and its current usage, with wonderful illustrations by Pamela Grace which depict the culture and landscape of the Crichton.”

Other funders of the project include Solway Heritage and Shanks Waste Management Ltd through the Landfill Communities Fund and sponsorship through the Crichton Trust and the Crichton Development Company.

business, including cover level and budget.

They will be offered alongside existing products to give Chamber members increased choice when purchasing business health insurance. Business Health Select and Business Priority Health are available with a 50% discount on Chamber Membership for 3 years.

Scottish Chamber Survey he results of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Business Survey, published quarterly, are considered to be one of the most authoritative surveys of Scottish business prospects, but plans are underway to substantially increase the number of businesses being surveyed in each region to allow the economists at the Fraser of Allander Institute to monitor regional trends.

Gordon Mann, who attended the Council meeting of the Scottish Chambers to discuss a range of issues including the survey, welcomed the proposed increase in sample

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6 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

size, commenting: “We know that the economy of this region has some unique aspects and this new work will help to identify where the regions’ economy is diverging from the national trends. Very shortly an additional 40 businesses in this region will be asked to participate.

The information gathered is kept confidential by the researchers at the University and only aggregated information is published. We would encourage any business asked to join in this to help us build a picture of how our economy is faring.”

Expect more

from your business premises Inspirational office space in Dumfries from as little as £80 per week. To find out more or to view available accommodation log onto www.crichtonbusinesspark.co.uk

more support

On site property management, site security and hassle free IT and telecoms support.

more flexibility

Versatile accommodation and flexible lease options.

more space

High ceilinged, spacious, historic properties on the beautiful Crichton Estate.

more facilities

E AS FROM AS LITTL

£80 PER WEEK

Free car parking, access to shared meeting rooms, Fresco café, Aston Hotel and nearby Crichton Golf Course.

more success

Dumfries’ vibrant and dynamic business park, be part of it.

Please contact John Edwards, on 01387 702211 or Neil Macgregor, on 01387 702500 or email lettings@crichtonbusinesspark.co.uk

your local magazine for business & enterprise 7

News

Dumfries & Galloway’s business news digest. Email your news to editor@dgchamber.co.uk

New Mentors Join Business Mentoring Scotland even new mentors covering south west Scotland have recently joined Business Mentoring Scotland, making a total of 65 local business people, with experience and knowledge of growing businesses and organisations, volunteering to share their knowledge with others. Twelve months business mentoring is available free of charge to businesses with a turnover of £100,000 or more, and the volunteer mentors have experience in a wide range of sectors from manufacturing to tourism, retail to marketing, engineering to health and social work.

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Linda Robertson who is based near Newton Stewart has recently become a business mentor after moving back to the region, she said: “My background is in banking, with experience in retail, private and business banking, and latterly coaching senior managers to become great sales coaches.

When I retired it was not my intention to hang up my boots - I have a lot of experience to share with business owners who aspire to building their own successful business. I look forward to working with business owners to help them step back, look at the bigger picture and set some

realistic goals for growing their business.”

Lorna Mercer who is based at Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce co-ordinates the Business Mentoring scheme across south west Scotland. She says that mentoring is increasingly used by successful people in all walks of life and is keen to encourage businesses to take advantage of the scheme.

“An experienced mentor can help you boost profitability and productivity, enter new markets, launch new products and improve customer service. Business mentors understand how difficult it can be to run a

business, and how lonely you can sometimes feel.

“As successful business people in their own right, mentors have the experience and knowledge that growing businesses and organisations look for. Most importantly, they are willing to share their knowledge and provide encouragement and confidential and objective feedback to help you consider how to grow your business or organisation.

In my experience having a mentor can change the way you look at your business, make you enjoy what you do again, put problems into perspective and encourage you to make growth plans a reality.”

New Branch for Anderson Fire & Rescue nderson Fire & Rescue, based in Dumfries, has opened a new office and manufacturing unit in Southampton following a surge in orders over the past three years. The company, which manufactures rivet and truss construction ladders and stowage equipment for the fire service, has secured around 60% of the UK market after a competitor in the sector lost ground.

The sustained growth of Anderson Fire & Rescue, and sister company Anderson Engineering, has seen jobs in Dumfries increase from 15 to 24 over the past three years. The new satellite branch will create an additional 5 posts in Southampton to assist

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with training, servicing and manufacturing for customers in the south of England. The expansion south will also secure work at the Dumfries site for sister company Anderson Engineering who manufacture parts for the specialist ladders.

Graham Anderson who started the company 14 years ago opened the new Southampton branch in late July and said that the expansion will help consolidate Anderson Fire & Rescue’s leading market position: “We have been making the transition from a service engineering company to a manufacturer over the past few years and I’m delighted with the results. Our

ladders have taken the market by storm, and by focussing on designing well thought out stowage solutions such as our sliding vehicle trays we’ve become the UK market leader in fire service stowage. 50% of our customer base is now south of the West Midlands

8 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

and so it makes sense to have a satellite branch in the south of England, and the success of that branch and our anticipated further growth in the south will continue to support the manufacturing jobs in Dumfries.”

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your local magazine for business & enterprise 9

Appointments & Achievements Metrik is Best for Color etrik Document Solutions has recently been recognised as a “Best for Color – Office” Dealer by Olivetti, one of only three in Scotland.

To become a “Best for Color – Office” specialist dealers are invited to apply to prove that they provide the best solutions and service to users of Olivetti’s low to mid volume colour print range, as well as giving an on-going commitment to technician training. Dealers must also commit to the ongoing improvement of the levels of colour knowledge

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of all their staff, offer the best advice to customers and endeavour to save the customer time, effort and money in the long-term.

Dennis Woods, Managing Director of Olivetti UK Limited, highlighted the importance of the programme for the customer. “The Best for Color scheme offers customers the peace of mind that they are dealing with a fully trained, professional company who they know they can trust to

provide them with the very best products and service from day one of their working partnership.”

Stuart Callander of Metrik said: “This is a European-wide quality standard and I’m delighted that Metrik has been recognised

by Olivetti, for our hard work in this way.

“It provides our customers with the reassurance that we are offering the best possible colour solutions and it recognises our commitment to on-going staff development.”

Lindsey to support Young Entrepreneurs indsey Mason has joined Youth Business Scotland, formerly known as The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust, as Young Entrepreneur Co-ordinator as part of a new two year Youth Entrepreneurs Project funded by Dumfries & Galloway Council.

Lindsey will be working alongside Youth Business Scotland colleagues in the region with a particular focus on Annandale and Eskdale’s Beyond Chapelcross Project, which has been set up to help boost employment prospects for those affected by the decommissioning of the former nuclear power plant.

The project, delivered in partnership with Youth Business Trust, will assist in providing more opportunities for Dumfries & Galloway’s young people to start a business, thereby increasing the number of

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new businesses started.

Welcoming Lindsey into her new role, Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Head of Economic Development Ewan Green said: “Lindsey comes with a wealth of experience in supporting businesses in the region and her involvement with Youth Business Scotland will help raise awareness of the opportunities open to 18 to 25 year olds who are considering starting their own business.

“Her role will involve supporting young people to access business start-up funding via Youth Business Scotland, helping them test the market for their product or service and assistance with the preparation of a business plan. Lindsey will also be working closely with Council colleagues in Education and Employability and Skills to further develop entrepreneurial opportunities for the young people in this area.”

Lhea Johnstone and Ann-Marie Sammon who are writing a business plan with support from Lindsey Mason.

10 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

New Social Media Posts ruce McKenzie is joining both Savour the Flavours and Dumfries & Galloway Farmers’ and Community Markets Association to develop the social media presence of the organisations, which are both funded by LEADER and Dumfries & Galloway Council. Bruce will take over the management of the Savour the Flavours social media feeds, providing a steady stream of engaging content focussing around local food and drink, and he’ll support six farmers’ and community markets across the region in establishing and maintaining a presence on Facebook and Twitter.

Dave Smith, Chairman of Savour the Flavours said: “No one can ignore the increasing impact that social media has on our day-to-day lives, particularly upon decision making about our leisure time. I’m delighted that our project funders have recognised the value of investing in a strong social media presence and I’m pleased to welcome Bruce to the Savour the Flavours team.”

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Thistle do Nicely! hree Chamber members took home five titles at the regional finals of the Scottish Thistle Awards recently and will now progress to the finals in November to compete for a coveted national award.

New Chamber member Cream o’ Galloway won more trophies than anyone else in Scotland, winning the Best Visitor Attraction, Best Nature Based Experience and Training and Skills Development awards in the Central South West region. Castle Douglas deli Thistle ‘B’ Scrumptious, also a new member of the Chamber, proved that small is beautiful by being named as offering the Best Shopping Experience.

Meanwhile Solway View, who featured in the last

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issue of The Voice, won Best Self Serve Accommodation award.

Considered to be the Oscars of the Scottish tourism industry the Thistle Awards recognise and reward excellence throughout the customer experience. Speaking of their win Wilma Finlay of Cream o’ Galloway said: “It was absolutely amazing to win 3 awards.

We were hoping for one and fantasising about winning

two, but never dreamed that we would get the hat-trick.

But we won’t be resting on our laurels, our aim will be to continue to improve our service and our facilities and try to win some of those national awards later in the year!”

Clint Burgess and Helen Cronie of Thistle ‘B’ Scrumptious are no strangers to award wins, Helen said: “We are thrilled and overwhelmed to be a

Regional Winner in the Scottish Thistle Awards, this really does mean the world to us. The last year has been great for Thistle ‘B’ Scrumptious as we have also been lucky enough to win Retailer of the Year as well as Local Food Hero awards. Without such high quality produce, totally committed producers and loyal customers none of this would have been possible.

Our thanks to everyone.”

RoSPA President’s Award for Chapelcross agnox’s Chapelcross Site has won the RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) President’s Award at the prestigious RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2012, following nine consecutive years of Gold Medals.

Magnox has a long and proud safety record recognised worldwide for its continuous improvement and safety achievements.

John Grierson, Chapelcross Site Director, said: “We believe that nothing is more important than the health and safety of the people who work for us and

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the protection of our environment. Achieving the President’s Award from RoSPA recognises our high standards and our drive for continuous improvement.

This is testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone on site, over a sustained period, in achieving and maintaining excellence in health and safety standards.”

The award clearly demonstrates Magnox’s commitment to high levels of health and safety performance and reinforces the message that ‘good health and safety is good business’.

Site Director John Grierson seated with the award surrounded by representatives from Magnox Limited, Chapelcross.

David Rawlins, awards manager at RoSPA, said: “Our awards programme provides well-deserved recognition for the winners and spurs on other organisations to raise their standards of accident and ill health prevention. We congratulate Chapelcross

site on its success and encourage all our winners to remain committed to health and safety.”

The award was presented at a ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole on Wednesday 16 May 2012.

your local magazine for business & enterprise 11

Supporting, advising and protecting companies and individuals.

Armstrong Watson doesn’t wait for you to take the lead. Our job is to share in your vision, to work with you as you progress towards your goals, to support and improve you. We’re there to cross the t’s and dot the i’s, to advise you on key areas of growth, to do all those things that will help you realise your plans.

Get in touch to see how our support could help you.

T: Douglas Russell on 01387 955900 E: douglas.russell@armstrongwatson.co.uk www.armstrongwatson.co.uk

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12 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

raphic design company, Weesleekit has been short-listed for two Arts & Business national awards.

Part of the BDS group of companies based at Annandale House on the Crichton Business Park, Weesleekit is in the running for both the Returning Sponsor and Small Business Sponsor awards for its support of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, which brought As You Like It to Dumfries last June. The company has a long history of working with the arts as well as local business and is currently taking on staff locally and expanding its services to include the Edinburgh area.

“This is great news for Weesleekit,” says Managing Director, Steve Kirkpatrick.

“We pride ourselves on the quality and effectiveness of

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the work we do, and what better endorsement than this!”

Arts & Business is supported by, among others, the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland and was set up to foster dynamic relationships between business and the arts to enable Scotland to benefit from a vibrant cultural community. The awards ceremony is to be held at the City Chambers in Edinburgh and the awards will be presented by Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs.

Weesleekit was approached to become a sponsor by The Bakehouse arts body which has organised the visit of Shakespeare’s Globe to Dumfries since it started in 2008 and the event is now firmly established in the

Photo: Alan Devlin

Weesleekit Shortlisted for Sponsorship Awards

Left to right: Steve Kirkpatrick of Weesleekit, Lesley Whyte of parent company BDS and Chrys Salt and John Hudson from The Bakehouse.

region’s cultural calendar.

Richard Macfarlane, Business Director at The Bakehouse is delighted.

“This is recognition for the hard work that everyone puts in to bring The Globe to Dumfries. As promoters, The Bakehouse takes a

considerable risk – a risk that would be inconceivable if it were not for our sponsors. We would like to thank them all.”

Best in Scotland, Two Years Running acquies has won the coveted Beauty Salon of the Year for the second year in a row at the Scottish Hair and Beauty Awards, which celebrated the best of Scotland’s hair and beauty professionals in late May. Jenny Woolgar, Dumfries and Galloway Life Magazine

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Winners were chosen through a public voting campaign and a total of fifteen awards were given out on the night ranging from Junior Stylist of the year to The Life Time Achievement Award. Joanne

Reid Managing Director from INAA.com said: “We are delighted to reward and recognise all the creative talent within the industry – Scottish talent is second to none and INAA.com is privileged to be holding this event.”

The Beauty Salon of the Year award is the latest in a string of achievements for Jacquies which was also awarded the Guinot Skincare Crown Salon status earlier this year, making it the only salon in Scotland to have achieved this special recognition of excellence.

Owner Jacquie Brown said: “To be voted Scottish Beauty Salon two years in a

row for us is fantastic.

Quality and service are central to everything we do, and our clients’ recognition of this makes us so proud.

The beauty industry can be a fickle industry, for example, orange people and silly nails, but we have significantly bucked that trend, performing treatments that inspire our clients to be the best they can be, focussing on natural beauty and wellbeing, results driven treatments and well trained staff. This award belongs to our clients. It is their feedback that has helped us to win and it’s their support that inspires us to strive to be the best.”

your local magazine for business & enterprise 13

Networking

Social Networking F

Women in Business

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lmost 50 business women enjoyed an inspirational evening of networking and information sharing at the Women in Business Networking Evening in Dumfries in June. The evening started with bubbly and canapés,

before listening to speaker Fiona Smyth, Director and Founder of successful business TotsBots Ltd who spoke honestly about the ups and downs the company faced in order to get to where it is today.

Network 530

chance to meet new people in a relaxed atmosphere over a coffee and tray bakes.

The next event takes place in HSBC in Dumfries on 23rd of August from 5.30pm-7.30pm, with Liz Cole from The Moniaive Chocolatiers speaking about her recent business growth.

To reserve your place contact 01387 270886 or admin@dgchamber.co.uk

am Taylor of Solway Firth Partnership spoke at the second of these free after work networking sessions at Kings Coffee and Books in Dumfries, organised by the Chamber in partnership with HSBC. Network 530 events are very informal and are a great

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or those unable to physically attend networking events, social networking has opened up a host of new opportunities for connecting with people. The Chamber is becoming more active through social networks and use these communication channels to keep people upto-date on Chamber news, as well as providing a means for members and other businesses to contribute and comment on topics.

• Facebook: search for DG Chamber.

• LinkedIn: search for Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce in Groups • Twitter: search for @dgchamber The Chamber also sends out regular e-newsletters to keep businesses informed of forthcoming events and news from within the region. If you are not currently receiving these e-newsletters but would like to do so please contact the Chamber office on 01387 270866 or admin@dgchamber.co.uk to add your email to the distribution list.

Themed Business Discussion Events L

inking Entrepreneurs is the title of the new series of business discussion events organised by Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce and supported by South of Scotland Business Solutions, and these unique interactive group sessions are giving fascinating insights into a whole host of business topics.

Each Linking Entrepreneurs event starts

with a short introduction to a topic by an expert in the field, followed by a general discussion around the topic.

This format allows those attending to make sure that their particular interest is covered whilst also encouraging the sharing of knowledge and experiences.

The first discussion looked at energy with the Energy Saving Trust and the Crichton Carbon Centre and

focused on practical ways of reducing energy consumption and driving down costs. The second looked at Service Quality with Dave Moyes, Senior Lecturer at UWS in Dumfries, who outlined his work in research into business growth. The last event looked at the challenges of running a family business led by George Stephenson of the

14 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

Scottish Family Business Association.

Gordon Mann said: “With the expert on hand to guide the discussion and help keep it relevant and on track the general view is that this new format is working well with everyone getting a lot out of the experience.

The evening rounds off with a buffet supper allowing informal networking to continue.”

Your Voice.

Here.

To advertise in The Voice contact Helen Holt on 07966 162654 or advertising@dgchamber.co.uk

your local magazine for business & enterprise 15

Naturally Inspiring rganisations and individuals from across Dumfries & Galloway worked together to give an inspiring impression of our region to visitors to the Royal Highland Show this summer. This year’s President of the Royal Highland Show, Alex Fergusson, tasked the Chamber with the responsibility of co-ordinating a collaborative outdoor stand featuring 20 groups and organisations, the Presidents’ Initiative worked with catering suppliers to ensure that all beef served at the Show came from Dumfries & Galloway, Dumfries & Galloway Council supported 20 local food and drink producers to attend on a regional stand in the Food Hall and Savour the Flavours showcased 5 local chefs and launched regional food festival Flavour Fortnight in the popular Cookery Theatre.

Alex Fergusson said: “I have no doubt that we did Dumfries & Galloway proud in terms of our imprint on

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The Dumfries & Galloway Village in the Countryside Area Above: Alex Fergusson, President of the Royal Highland Show 2012 and Dave Smith, Chairman of Savour the Flavours, jointly host a reception in the Cookery Theatre; Tom Kirkpatrick demonstrating delicious local food; enjoying the Show, whatever the weather

16 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

the show itself and beyond. Despite the weather the Show was just terrific. The collaborative effort across the region to mount the initiative was amazing. Thanks are due to the people and organisations who worked so hard to make sure Dumfries & Galloway was well represented, and of course to our sponsors, large and small, from right across the region, whose support made it all possible.

“It was an honour to hold the title of President and it was a privilege to be part of the team who showcased Dumfries & Galloway to thousands and thousands of visitors to the Royal Highland Show.”

Chamber Chief Executive, Gordon Mann commented: “Bringing together over 20 different groups to create the D&G village was no small task but the support from everyone was fabulous. Unfortunately the rain started on the Thursday morning and did not seem to stop until late Sunday afternoon. Not

deterred our volunteers continued to persuade people to stop and think about Dumfries & Galloway as a potential holiday destination. The Tipi was a great success particularly on Thursday when the school parties traditionally attend – seeing over 30 kids sitting on the floor of the Tipi listening intently to stories was magic.”

The large collaborative stand in the Food Hall was funded through the South of Scotland Business Competitiveness Project with the aim of showcasing Dumfries & Galloway’s locally produced food and drink, raising awareness of the region to potential visitors and giving small and micro businesses the opportunity to present their products to thousands of visitors at the Show.

Councillor Ian Carruthers, Chair of Planning, Housing and Environment Committee at the Council said: “I am

delighted that the Council has been able to support the region’s small businesses at this showcase event which really puts Dumfries & Galloway on the map.”

Savour the Flavours took title sponsorship of the Cookery Theatre to cement Dumfries & Galloway’s foodie presence. Dave Smith, Chairman of Savour the Flavours, said: “It was wonderful to see Dumfries & Galloway so prominent within the Food Hall.

We had a steady stream of chefs highlighting the qualities of our local food and drink during the four days. The sight of some of our top local producers and top local chefs working together to highlight the best of Dumfries & Galloway food and drink was fantastic. A lot of people worked very hard to bring this all to fruition and as a result Dumfries & Galloway really did steal the Show in the Food Hall.”

Above left: Shelley Bell and Chris Churms, Economic Development Officers in the Business and Enterprise Team and part of the South of Scotland Business Competitiveness Project Above: Galloway Lodge Preserves; RHS visitors were eager to try and buy at the Food Hall stand

Below left to right: Highlighting Dumfries & Galloway’s natural heritage; James Withers, Chief Exec of Scotland Food & Drink launches Flavour Fortnight 2012; Tom van Rooyen of The Earth’s Crust Bakery

your local magazine for business & enterprise 17

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18 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

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W it re h e ar ne ne w r SM e be ab gy op E co le cos o m tha f e por s. A min mic ts s ex ea t i ne tu s g ro pi be plo n th nce rgy nit we an gen rall y l a e i n r n he efi e h at n tiv bill to l as ttra rat ng e a t o o i s t p c io 速 t or from w y w i se c , go ake rov tive n te ver u el g ou s th lea ver gre idi op ch pw ec en r n n a n n tri e bu e id en me ter g t tion olo ard ci rat sin ea er nt co he fo g s ty in e l gy s n r ies . g ss tim p ch tro its c e ro em l ow oul to du es ct n d io n

Po Re w Re as er ne on ful w s ab fo le r s

The latest solar technology means that even the cool Scottish sun can enable valuable energy generation

cotland is leading the way in embracing renewable energy production, with ambitious targets of generating the equivalent of 100% of the nation’s energy needs from renewables by 2020. But those targets won’t be met solely by large wind farms and hydro schemes, microgeneration has an increasingly important role to play in Scotland’s energy mix and for Scotland’s SMEs it can make sound financial sense too.

Microgeneration covers a wide range of technologies which generate heat or electricity, for example, biomass, heat pumps, solar photovoltaics and wind. In June the Scottish Government announced a Microgeneration Strategy which sets out the financial support available to people considering generating their own energy, as well as steps to simplify the planning and regulation system and to ensure there are enough people with the skills to install the equipment. Meanwhile in late July Westminster’s Department of Energy and Climate Change announced a package of changes to the Feed In Tarrif (FIT) scheme, to ensure long term certainty for those investing in microgeneration.

These changes mean there is now a feed in tariff for a wider range of technologies for small scale electricity generation and a degression mechanism is also being introduced with tariffs reviewed quarterly.

This means that the sooner businesses invest

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The community wind turbine at Cream o’ Galloway

20 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

in renewables, the greater their rewards are likely to be.

Two Chamber members who have already committed to renewables, Cream o’ Galloway and Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue Centre, are already seeing the benefits.

Cream o’ Galloway has implemented several renewable energy options over the past 8 years including solar thermal panels on all farm houses in 2004, and the erection of a 50kW community owned wind turbine on the farm in 2007. However it’s their new initiative, an anaerobic digester, that is likely to have the most significant impact on the business.

This will take farm slurry and maximise the production of methane which will then be converted to electricity which should produce a constant 25kW of electricity per hour. It will also produce 30kW of hot water, which Cream o’ Galloway ultimately plan to use to heat poly tunnels for yearround vegetable growing.

David and Wilma Findlay’s main focus is long term sustainability: “The cost of energy is only going to go up long term and we will undoubtedly see energy shortages – possibly even this decade,” said David. “So our focus is to reduce our energy needs and structure our energy supply so that we have a mix of options that secures our own supply.”

Getting that energy mix right is the key to long term energy security says applied

Driving Down Energy Costs he other way to reduce exposure to rising energy costs is of course by improving energy efficiency and the Crichton Carbon Centre are launching a new programme to help small and medium sized businesses in Dumfries & Galloway to do just that.

The Sustainable Process Improvement Programme is designed to help businesses cut operational costs and increase productivity by improving their processes and the way they use resources.

Mike Bonaventura, Chief Executive at the Crichton Carbon Centre, said: “Scottish Government research has identified that wasted resources cost Scottish businesses 4% of their turnover every year. Now more than ever Scottish businesses need to reduce costs – they simply cannot afford to keep wasting resources if they want to stay competitive.”

In its first year, the free programme will assist 10 SMEs employing less than 50 people within Dumfries & Galloway, with an aim of extending this support programme to other regions within the Lowlands and Uplands of Scotland for its second and third year.

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Solar photovoltaic panels at the Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue Centre

weather forecaster Ronald Chaplain, from Balmaclellan: “For Dumfries & Galloway climate disruption means that there is a threat of any particular spell of very dry, wet, warm, cold, windy or quiet weather lasting longer than was normal in the past. To some degree all forms of renewable energy which are weather related are intermittent and may well become more so.

“This is why it is so important to be ready to build in whatever is the latest form of improved energy storage as it becomes available to mitigate against the effects of intermittency. Evaluate and then invest in every form of long term source of renewable energy that is potentially available to you. A combination of minimising wastage, maximising reuse of heat and generating one’s own energy is the ideal for all of us.”

Despite the lack of sun this summer, Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue Centre are pleased with their introduction of solar photovoltaic panels. Their initial investment of £24,000 looks set to be recouped in around ten years time, and the Centre will benefit from the previously very generous Feed in Tariff which guarantees an attractive rate of return on energy generated for a total of 25 years. Roger Guy, a Director of the

Centre, explained why renewables made sense.

“The Centre leases the buildings so we had to weigh up a number of factors, the length of our lease and the cost of the panels against the long term reduction in outgoings.

We were fortunate that individuals on our board had experience of being involved in renewable energy, so we drew on their expertise and the service of generous supporters, such as a local architect, which helped a great deal.

“Since our buildings aren’t of modern construction they have high heat losses, so we are also reducing our energy use through retro fitting insulation to walls and floors, and we expect a financial pay back from that investment in around three to four years and in the longer term we’ll be evaluating both air source and ground source heat pumps. Investing in renewables for us is all about reducing costs to keep the charity sustainable in the longer term.”

There are two main tariffs to think about when considering renewables. The Feed in Tariff is the money received from energy suppliers for the electricity generated, whether that electricity is used by yourself or exported to the national grid. This is the tariff that has supported the boom in solar PV panels over the past couple of years.

ensure long “ term certainty for

those investing in microgeneration

”

your local magazine for business & enterprise 21

Microgeneration and Tax ennifer Maxwell, Chartered Accountant with Saint & Company in Annan, explains the tax implications of installing renewable technology.

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Income Tax or Corporation Tax The income received from Feed in Tariffs is taxable for the individual or company receiving the income. If the income is received by a company, this will form part of the company’s profits and will be liable to corporation tax, whereas for an individual the tariffs will be regarded as miscellaneous income and will appear on the self assessment tax return. Any income generated from Feed in Tariffs should be included for tax credit purposes.

Capital Allowances Solar panels and wind turbines will qualify for Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), currently £25,000 from April 2012. Expenditure in excess of the AIA may only qualify for writing down allowance as a long life asset on the basis that many manufacturers are guaranteeing the panels for 25 years. From April 2012 these assets are specifically designated as special rate expenditure and therefore only eligible to the lower rates of writing down allowance, currently 8%. Solar panels and wind turbines do not qualify for Enhanced Capital Allowances.

It is important to note that where there is a mixture of business and private usage, the capital allowance claim will be restricted to the business proportion. There is also a restriction where the purchase of equipment is funded by a grant, only the non-grant element can be used for capital allowances.

VAT VAT can be reclaimed on the purchase of solar panels and wind turbines by a VAT registered business. The rates of VAT depend on the type of property, for installations on a residential property VAT will be charged at 5% whereas this will be 20% on a business property.

Where units are purchased for both business and private use, the VAT is reclaimable only to the extent that the units will be used for business purposes. There is no VAT consequence for private individuals or non-VAT registered businesses as they are not able to reclaim VAT from HMRC. Generation tariff income is outside the scope of VAT whether you are a company, business owner or private individual, and therefore does not need to be declared on the VAT return. Export tariff income is charged at 20% where the business is VAT registered.

22 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

Although the tariff has reduced somewhat as of the start of August, the FIT still ensures a good return on investment. It’s available for the installation of electricity generating technologies from renewable sources, provided that they are supplied and installed under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is the first scheme of its kind in the world and it has been designed to encourage people to change from traditional fossil fuel heating systems to more environmentally friendly and sustainable renewable heat systems. It provides a subsidy for anyone installing a new approved system to provide useful heat for space, water or process heating and systems can include biomass, ground source heat pumps, solar thermal or biomethane.

Once installed and approved the payments will apply for 20 years and are increased in line with inflation every year.

Gordon Mann, Chief Executive of the Chamber and a non executive Member of the National Committee of Forestry Commission Scotland has been surprised at how little publicity there has been on the Renewable Heat Incentive, particularly in relation to biomass. He said: “The RHI has been operating for both business and public sector premises since last year and offers some real opportunities for businesses in this region. A recent meeting of the local Woodfuel Forum was given some worked examples of how it might work in practice. For a hotel using a biomass boiler of up to 190 kW the payments would ensure that the capital costs could be paid back in under 6 years, and over the 20 year lifetime the RHI payments could exceed £400k. For a region that has the highest level of commercial forestry in Scotland biomass would seem to be an obvious answer for any business using oil to provide significant amounts of heat.

“There are some clear business opportunities with this scheme – opportunities for businesses to invest in these systems and to contain their energy costs over 20 years; opportunities for companies to design, install and maintain these systems and, in the case of biomass, there are opportunities for new suppliers of wood chip.”

For businesses thinking about investing in renewable technology finding an installer who is part of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme is essential, explains Vanessa Salthouse of Heathhall based Solarae: “Renewable heat technologies deliver the

Switching to biomass can be a sound economic option for many businesses

highest levels of energy efficiency when they are designed and installed correctly, by highly qualified, reputable engineers, particularly those who are Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accredited. The MCS scheme is designed to offer consumers assurances that renewable heating products and services meet rigorous and consistent government standards. The scheme goes some way to easing any end-user anxiety about adopting an innovative product or technology and is a positive move for the industry.”

To support SMEs in investing in renewables Energy Saving Scotland can provide fixed rate small business loans of £1,000 to £100,000 and the loan scheme aims to support businesses in replacing old and inefficient technology, as well as those introducing energy efficient measures.

Bob Baillie, Advice Centre Manager at the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre South West said: “These loans are a helping hand for SMEs to become more energy efficient. Energy bills are not only rising for householders but for businesses too and those who install energy efficiency measures will see an ongoing reduction in energy costs. I would urge any business interested in becoming energy efficient and saving money to give us a phone at the advice centre.”

there are some clear “ business opportunities with this scheme ”

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24 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

DuPont Teijin Films’ commitment to innovation and finding new markets has seen it secure an important foothold in the booming solar energy market, after developing an innovative costeffective polyester film, designed specifically for use in solar panel manufacture.

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Riding the Renewables Boom your local magazine for business & enterprise 25

espite its temperamental climate Europe is the world leader in solar panel installations.

Bolstered by government support for renewable energy homes and businesses have been keen to take advantage the micro generation opportunities offered by photovoltaic cells, which means that Europe now boasts 70% of the solar panel installations in the world.

Now as China and Japan both begin to embrace solar energy production in a substantial way, the market for photovoltaic modules is about to boom – big time – and suppliers to the PV industry are set to reap the benefits.

The process of harvesting power through photovoltaic cells has increased dramatically and, in 2011, 25GW power was installed as solar panels. This would be enough to power over 12 million homes for one year and the increasing demand for the polyester film designed for the photovoltaic market is very good news for the DuPont Teijin Films plant in Dumfries which makes it.

Employing 285 people and around 50 contractors on the 100 acre site on the edge of Dumfries, DuPont Teijin Films is a global leader in the polyester film industry. The Dumfries site makes products for a wide variety of applications including food packaging, labels, medical test strips, ID cards and now renewable energy, with a new film designed specifically for the solar industry now accounting for around a tenth

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commitment to “ innovation combined

with market-driven product development

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26 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

of total manufacturing at the plant.

DuPont Teijin Films was formed in January 2000, when US chemical giant DuPont combined its polyester film operations in a joint venture with leading Japanese chemical company Teijin. The company employs about 2500 people globally and has two manufacturing sites in Europe, Dumfries and Luxembourg, as well as an important R&D and Innovation Centre near Middlesbrough.

That commitment to innovation combined with market-driven product development is what led to the development of the high performance film which is now in such demand in solar panel manufacture.

DuPont Teijin Films manufactures polyester films that are used to form part of a solar panel called a ‘backsheet’. The backsheets are placed onto the rear side of a solar panel, providing electrical insulation and resistance to weathering from sunlight and moisture.

Traditionally, backsheets were based largely on a fluoropolymer material which provides excellent resistance to outdoor weathering, much better than standard polyester film. However the boom in the photovoltaic market, combined with a shortage of fluoropolymer based backsheets, allowed alternative materials to enter the market and DuuPont Teijin Films were quick to seize the opportunity.

Site and Operations Manager Moray Mackenzie explains: “We used our prior understanding of manufacturing polyester films with specialised properties to very quickly

develop and bring to market a highly competitive, novel polyester film designed specifically for the PV market.

“Traditional polyester films offer inherently poor resistance to UV and water degradation, for example, the surface degrades and becomes hazy. Our experience and understanding of developing UV resistant film and also of hydrolysis resistant film allowed us to bring those two properties together to produce a range of high performance polyester films with excellent outdoor weathering resistance.”

These novel polyester films were developed on a pilot scale at the R&D Centre in Teesside and then scaled up at the manufacturing site in Dumfries by a large team of scientists, engineers and plant operators. The resulting film not only filled a market need, it offered a highly competitive, cost effective alternative to the fluoropolymer based backsheets previously favoured by the industry.

Once the film is manufactured it goes through a lamination process to form the final backsheet structure and these are exported to China where over 70% of photovoltaic modules are now manufactured.

Kirstin Forsyth, Market Manager PV, now travels to China regularly to support a key customer with whom the company has developed a strategic partnership. Kirstin explains that understanding and anticipating market demand is a critical stage in product development.

“Our business strategy is to be a market led innovation engine. We combine market knowledge, close customer relationships, polymer and film technology know-how with manufacturing excellence to offer the best PET film solution.

“We are now providing customer support

on the ground in China. Photovoltaics is a growing market but also a very competitive one. Our customer has built a plant in China that finishes off the product, and our technical and manufacturing expertise is helping them to maintain and grow their market position.”

DuPont Teijin Films have now captured a 10-15% global share of the photovoltaic market, and they have ambitious but realistic plans to grow that market share to 20% within the next few years, within an industry that is growing by at least 15% year on year.

The scale of growth in the photovoltaic market is reassuring for the Dumfries plant, with the specialist films providing higher returns than can be found in the more competitive packaging films market. Last year DuPont Teijin Films UK was honoured by the award of a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2011, granted for the development of the high performance polyester films for solar photovoltaic modules.

This was the 3rd time DTF has won this award in 10 years and Moray believes that innovation and market driven product development will continue to keep DuPont Teijin Films’ at the forefront of the industry.

He said: “We used to make computer tape and VHS tape, now we make medical diagnostic test strips, cover films for smart phones and backsheets for solar panels. Technology is always changing, always being replaced by newer technology. So long as we continue to innovate and anticipate the future demands of the market, DuPont Teijin Films’ technical expertise and product know-how will ensure a bright and secure future.”

photovoltaics is a “ growing market but also a very competitive one ”

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t n e m y o l p m E h t u Yo The Skills Agency or businesses aspiring to growth, finding the right people within Dumfries & Galloway to support that growth is regularly cited as problematic, but is the materialisation of the right person at the right time a happy coincidence or a planned for goal?

Skills Development Scotland supports Scotland’s employers in developing their staff and Modern Apprenticeships are one of the ways that young people can be supported in becoming a skilled asset to a growing business. Skills Development Scotland provides funding towards workforce training through these structured programmes, which are designed to support employers in the development of their team, whether that’s bringing in fresh ambition and enthusiasm through a new member of staff or upskilling existing team members.

Ray Robertson says employers are often surprised at the level of support available to them when they commit to developing a young member of staff.

“The framework for each Modern Apprenticeship is different, tailored to the needs of each industry sector, but the structured approach to developing the apprentice is the same. Planning for growth means planning for a skilled and able workforce and Modern Apprenticeships are a very good way to do this. Employers who are interested in finding out more about the support and advice available through Skills Development Scotland should contact our national helpline.”

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Building Future Prosperity ncreasing levels of youth unemployment has been one of the most unfortunate consequences of the current economic climate, but is youth unemployment a problem in need of a solution, or an entrepreneurial opportunity to create a more dynamic and energetic local economy?

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28 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

The College new project led by Dumfries & Galloway College is encouraging both employers and young people to stick a toe in the water of youth employment without making a long term commitment. The new 16 week programme starting in September will provide 8 weeks work placement and 8 weeks practical training within the hospitality, retail, care and facility services sectors. The programme gives employers the opportunity to meet and work with young people for a manageable period of time to assess where a young person may fit within their organisation.

Alison Jardine who’s heading up the new project is looking for employers from across Dumfries & Galloway to create more than 100 work placements this year. She said: “Employers don’t need to have experience of employing or training young people. This new programme is about helping young people to open up their horizons about what employment offers and helping employers meet a range of good young people who are keen to work, and there will be support for both the employer and the young person throughout.

“This project is happening across Scotland but we’re keen for Dumfries & Galloway to lead the way. We’re looking for around 50 employers to step forward and take up the challenge of working with us to create work placement opportunities.”

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The Council reating 250 Modern Apprenticeships over the next five years in their new MA Plus programme, Dumfries & Galloway Council are leading by example, recruiting their first 80 apprentices this September.

Opportunities for apprenticeships within the local authority have been identified in roles including business and administration, facilities service, land-based engineering, learning and development, print and graphics, roads maintenance, vehicle maintenance, warehousing and storage, website development and many more. Successful applicants will enjoy 3 years of temporary employment within a structured programme, leading to recognised qualifications, with mentors providing support and guidance to each apprentice.

Councillor Brian Collins, Depute Leader of the Council, said, “Our Council has developed MA Plus to address the issue of youth unemployment, complementing other employment initiatives. MA Plus will develop our Council’s role as an employer and, as it is linked to local labour market needs, it will develop a pool of young people with skills and experience from which local employers can recruit.”

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The Graduate Scheme umfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce is at the centre of a new initiative aimed at getting graduates into employment. The Graduate Employment Incentive Programme will provide businesses with a substantial financial incentive to recruit a graduate into a permanent position.

Welcoming the announcement earlier this summer Gordon Mann, said: “I am delighted that Dumfries & Galloway has been selected as one of the pilot regions for this exciting initiative. We are all too aware of the effects that the recession has had in terms of the employment prospects for graduates, with far too many remaining either unemployed or underemployed. This is a waste of talent, since these highly educated young people possess the kind of skills that will be needed to help businesses drive our economy forward towards growth.

“That is why Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce will work with local graduates and local employers to help match graduates with the businesses that need those skills most. Our efforts will be focused on Dumfries & Galloway’s small and micro businesses, where the positive contribution that our talented and enthusiastic graduates can make will be felt most.”

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The Employer inerva People is one of Dumfries & Galloway’s most established training providers, and as a small business itself the company has recognised the important role young people play in ongoing business development. Minerva has recruited 3 Modern Apprentices over the last two years, a 16 year old school leaver, an 18 year old and a graduate in her early 20s, all of whom are thriving in their roles and adding real value to the business.

Tricia Hunter of Minerva People said: “We go through exactly the same Modern Apprenticeship process as any other employer, but our experience has given us an understanding of the benefit of a slow and gentle start, with a focus on work shadowing in the early stages.

One apprentice who joined us on her 16th birthday is now helping her supervisor train candidates, our 18 year old apprentice who joined us last year supports our training manager, has a high attention to detail and is even starting an inhouse Pilates class. Our graduate apprentice is helping to establish a new department, assisting in the implementation of a new customer relationship system to become the expert-user for the company.

“Young people bring enthusiasm, energy, drive and ambition to our business and to many others, and in the current economic climate that energy and ambition is exactly what’s needed to help our region thrive.”

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your local magazine for business & enterprise 29

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To tap into our know how call 0141 848 3400 or visit www.uws.ac.uk/knowhow

SUCCESS TAKES KNOW HOW. Together we’ve got it.

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30 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

Tom Caira SCHOOL OF COMPUTING.

Knowledge Exchange Harnessing the knowledge and expertise of Chamber members, Knowledge Exchange shares advice, ideas and suggestions to help you do business better in Dumfries & Galloway.

How safe is your company data? ez Draper of Dumfries based 8020 shares backup protocol advice to help safeguard your company data.

Businesses are more dependent than ever before on IT solutions to carry out their day to day work. Email, internet, word processing, spreadsheet and database applications, to name but a few, are now essential for conducting business in the modern world, and the sharing of data through servers allows improved efficiency and process streamlining.

But such a reliance on technology brings with it inherent risks - what happens to your business when your business technology develops a problem?

Or worse still, what if your business premises were destroyed by fire? Would you be confident that all your company data was retrievable? How much data loss could

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your business take and still remain functional?

A day or two? How about a week? How about a month or more?

What if your server’s hard disk drive died? Would being without a server for a day whilst it was repaired mean loss of business for your company?

Do you know what your IT disaster recovery plan is for events like these? Has it been tested?

Do you know when the last good backup was made of your company data? Do you know where it is physically stored?

Too many businesses find out the answers to these questions the hard way, but if your business is dependent on IT at all, then these are questions you should ask yourself on a regular basis. Regardless of who manages your IT systems, should data disaster strike then you should be assured that the answers to these questions will enable your business to keep doing business.

Here are some backup recommendations: Minimum • A full daily backup of all company data, taken off-site at the end of the day, Microsoft Windows Server has a built in backup solution for this purpose.

• Weekly backup reports via email to keep you informed.

• A 6 or 12 month scheduled full test restore from backup.

Preferred • A full daily backup of all company data, taken off-site at the end of the day.

• A well regarded third party backup solution.

• Further “incremental” backups each hour of the working day.

• Daily or weekly backup reports via email to keep you informed.

• A quarterly scheduled full test restore from backup.

Knowing you have a good full backup is all well and good, but knowing you have a good full backup that you can actually restore is vital.

Service & quality – getting the basics of business right acquie Brown of award winning Jacquies Beauty Salon discusses why service and quality are the foundations of business success.

They’re two of the most frequently used words in business, so why do so many businesses, especially in the service sector, get customer service and quality so very wrong? How can so many women be so intimidated by an industry, which by definition, should be about helping women feel amazing about themselves? In the beauty industry, with all its fickle fads and plastic people, customer service can too often be overlooked in the rush for the next big trend.

Good customer service starts when you take a moment to really listen to your customers. At Jacquies that process of really listening is the backbone of our development as a business. Good service isn’t a one size fits all, it’s about understanding and anticipating the needs of each customer and remaining flexible enough in your approach to be able to adapt to those individual needs. For us that has meant, most recently, extending our opening hours to fit better with our customers’ busy lifestyles and recognising that the interpersonal needs of a busy professional evening client are very different from those of a leisurely day time customer.

Truly listening to customers involves making them part of the business processes, giving them a voice and a sense of ownership, an active participant in how the business grows and evolves. Nothing creates stronger loyalty than a customer seeing his or her suggestions listened to, taken on board and put into practice.

Whatever business you’re in, in whatever part of Dumfries & Galloway, excellent customer service should be what we as a region strive towards doing better and better.

And the quality of our service should be matched by the quality of our products.

Is there ever a good reason for choosing second best?

Striving for the best possible quality should always be our goal, and as businesses we make quality choices in a variety of ways. From the products we buy to the training we provide our staff, knowing you’ve made the right decisions that lead to the highest quality product gives you and your team the confidence to deliver an unbeatable service to customers.

By getting the basics right - great customer service and exceptional quality products - business growth and development is inevitable, despite the turbulent economic times that we live in. Get it right and the awards are there for the taking, but most importantly, for as long as you’re getting the basics right your customers will keep coming back.

32 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

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Growth Capital is there if you know where to look

Research & Development (R&D) Tax Relief

imon Burton, a Dumfriesbased Tax Director at Johnston Carmichael, reviews the funding options for growing businesses.

Many SMEs in Dumfries & Galloway will be feeling frustrated by the challenges in accessing business growth support capital. However, while there may be a strong perception that banks are currently not giving their support to small business, funds are out there and available if you know where to look for them.

Santander has increased its profile recently, rolling out a new mezzanine level of unsecured funding for growing businesses, while HSBC has bolstered its recruitment levels in Scotland to focus on generating more business loans. This development could spark further momentum in the market and potentially influence some of the more traditionally Scottish-based banks to better engage. It’s fair to say that RBS and HBOS acquirer Lloyds have been taking a more cautious approach, they do, however, continue to back solid performing SMEs. For firms which are still struggling to comply with the banks’ lending criteria or simply can’t get the required level of funds from them, there are a number of alternative sources of capital available. The Scottish Loan Fund (SLF) was set up to help out firms with demonstrable growth potential which can’t otherwise get access to funding. The SLF can provide loans on a commercial basis, ranging from £250,000 to £5 million. This lending tends to be more expensive than traditional bank debt but this is reflective of the higher risk attached to its unsecured nature.

The £2.5bn Business Growth Fund (BGF) is another initiative, set up by the UK government to help small and mid-sized fast growing firms in other sectors. While the BGF is effectively competing with existing players in the finance market, it should be welcomed, especially after it bolstered its presence in Scotland last year.

All businesses with fast-growth ambitions should also not discount targeting investment from private equity firms based south of the Border. The likes of London-based Lyceum Capital and Sovereign Capital have made recent investments in Scotland, albeit in non-retail businesses.

Another trend is emerging of larger companies investing cash in smaller firms as an alternative to putting their capital in the bank could provide another option for SMEs to consider.

A great example of this is Mitie, the global outsourcing giant, which has invested in over 80 small businesses.

While the criteria for getting lending remains tough there is no question in my mind that capital is available, which is surely great news for aspirational businesses here in Dumfries & Galloway.

igel Holmes, Director of Corporate Tax at Armstrong Watson, explains why businesses may be missing out on valuable tax relief.

HM Revenue & Customs recently published statistics for the Research & Development Tax Relief for companies and these make shocking reading.

In 2009/10 the number of companies claiming was only 9,410, of which 7,410 claimed under the very generous SME scheme which allows for an additional deduction against taxable profits of 125% of the qualifying R&D expenditure. Loss making SME companies can surrender tax losses for a non-taxable cash refund.

There are still many companies not making a claim for this relief, and the same misconceptions remain: “We are not doing R&D.” This is by far the biggest misconception. Many companies do not initially realise that their project is R&D – it may even be a process and not an end product.

“Claiming the relief is complicated.”

Not if you seek good advice.

“The costs of claiming outweigh the benefits.”

This is rarely the case.

“We cannot separately identify costs.”

HMRC does not expect the company to reinvent its accounting records to make a claim and will accept some elements of estimation.

“We received a grant towards R&D, we cannot have the tax relief too.”

The receipt of a grant may affect how much additional tax relief the company can claim but you can have both!

I have been involved in R&D tax relief claims since their introduction in 2000. During these difficult economic times, this generous tax relief can be used to provide tax free cash for loss making R&D companies, or substantially reduce a tax liability. I would encourage all companies in science or technology sectors to consider claiming and speaking to an expert on the relief. I have seen plenty of successful claims in IT, manufacturing, engineering, pharmaceuticals and nuclear sectors, and am proud to say that the proportion of Armstrong Watson clients claiming the relief exceeds the national average.

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your local magazine for business & enterprise 33

Mind The Gap Economic commentary

by Professor Hervey Gibson his edition of The Voice is full of stories about Since the millennium output has fallen by more than energy generation and conservation. The energy half. It is currently 125 mn tonnes per annum, a rate of audits, the biomass, the solar and wind production first achieved 120 years ago, in the 1890s. The generation are all hugely important from a chart shows how the progressive collapse of production global point of view – to maintain key aspects of goes on month by month without remission, as our civilisation, no less, and the ecosystems that support it. hydrocarbon resources are sapped, and fragile nuclear This Economic Commentary will just present some of the technologies are shut down for fear they will fall apart. numbers that show why In 2004 we slithered from the United Kingdom must energy surplus into deficit. urgently produce as much Energy consumption has of UK primary energy production and consumption energy as it possibly, course been pressed down possibly, can, and how by rising fuel prices and smoothed and seasonally smoothed and seasonally adjusted consumption adjusted production people in Dumfries & deepening recession, and Galloway have bigger there have been some 350 issues with fuel bills than beneficial efficiency anywhere else in mainland improvements. But it is still Britain. running above 210 mn 300 Most articles, tonnes per year. So the programmes and annual energy deficit has discussions on UK energy now reached 85 mn tonnes 250 policy deal with climate per year, more than four change, energy security, times as big as the surplus and electricity supply. ever was.

200 Quite right. But I’ve yet to If the deficit carries on see one that confronts the deepening, it will be more full awfulness of the than 100 mn tonnes this 150 developing trade deficit. time next year. Costed at the The UK’s pressing need oil price that would be £50 is to produce more energy. bn on the trade deficit – but 100 After three centuries of the actual figure will be world-shaping growth, somewhat lower because gas Britain’s primary energy and coal cost less than oil. production reached its allIn terms of economic time peak just a month before the millennium, at a level growth, a primary energy sector shrinking at nearly 10 per equivalent to 300 million tonnes of oil per year. In those cent per year knocks almost 0.5 per cent per year off the days we consumed 80 per cent of it, 240 million tonnes of whole-economy growth rate. oil equivalent, and exported the rest.

So we need the fuel. There are not a lot of Dumfries & 96 19 97 19 98 19 99 20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05 20 06 20 07 20 08 20 09 20 10 20 11 20 12

19

19

95

Million tonnes of oil equivalent (annual rate)

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34 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

he Chancellor was claiming, as The Voice went to press, that unemployment is down. Well, maybe, but not here and not any longer. The figures he quoted were UK ones, when virtually all the improvement was in London and south west England. And they were out-ofdate, centred on comparing April with January. They come from a sample survey which is statistically and economically impeccable, but too fuzzy to use for short term tracking and local analysis.

The claimant count – what we used to call registered unemployed – is one of the tools that Holywood firm cogentsi uses to scan across Britain for signs of recovery.

It’s the promptest short-term monitor, even though you have to watch out for changes in the benefits system and other alterations. After seasonally adjusting the numbers – to remove predictable regular patterns – the Dumfries & Galloway total was up to 3424 in June, 6 per cent higher than the level at the start of the year. The last time the figures were so high was in January 2001.

T

Dumfries & Galloway claimant unemployed 2007–2012

3,800

Monthly claimants

Seasonally adjusted

3,600 3,400 3,200 3,000 2,800 2,600 2,400 2,200 2,000 1,800 Ap ri l Ju 20 O ly 07 ct ob 200 Ja er 7 nu 2 ar 00 y 7 Ap 20 ri 08 l Ju 200 O ly 8 ct o 20 Ja ber 08 nu 2 ar 008 y Ap 20 ri 09 l J 20 O uly 09 ct ob 200 Ja er 9 nu 2 ar 009 y Ap 20 ri 10 l J 20 O uly 10 ct ob 201 Ja er 0 nu 2 ar 010 y Ap 20 ri 11 l Ju 20 O ly 11 ct ob 201 Ja er 1 nu 2 ar 011 y Ap 20 ri 12 l Ju 201 ly 2 20 12

Recession Watch

A person is living in fuel poverty if, in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime, they would be required to spend more than 10 per cent of their household income on all household fuel use.

The Scottish Government have pledged to ensure that by November 2016, so far as is reasonably practicable, people are not living in fuel poverty in Scotland. However rising energy prices are making this an increasingly difficult target. In the latest survey, 42 per cent of households in Dumfries & Galloway had fuel poverty, up from 25 per cent five years earlier. Over the same period, Scottish figures had risen to 28 per cent from 19 per cent, and English ones to 17 per cent from 6 per cent.

The underlying causes are the house types we have here, the high proportion of private tenants, the low incomes, and the lack of gas.

Nowhere in Britain are energy prices felt so keenly on such a large scale as here in Dumfries & Galloway.

It’s a natural place, and Dumfries & Galloway is steeped in natural resources. Some of those can yield energy – clean energy at that – and for the sake of the nation and the local community we need to get as much out of them as we can.

Number claiming JobSeekers'Allowance

Galloway businesses that can help to squeeze the last drop of oil, to mine out the last coal seam, or to suck out the final cubic metre of gas. But we do have some specialists in these fields, and pipelines, trunk roads and train tracks through the region have a vital and sometimes strategic role in transporting traditional fuels to users. And as The Voice shows, local firms can help catch the sun, the wind and the tides, to slow the growth of Britain’s energy deficit, and make at least some contribution to renewal.

One reason why our regional businesses need to make as much money out of energy as they can, is because as a community we are the place most squeezed by energy costs. Official statistics show fuel poverty in Dumfries & Galloway higher than in any local authority area in mainland Britain.

The Scottish House Condition Survey 2008-2010 shows only the Orkneys and the Outer Hebrides with higher levels of fuel poverty than Dumfries & Galloway (and that is because relatively few houses there have central heating).

DECC statistics show that the Eden District in Cumbria has the worst in England, but it has only two thirds the fuel poverty level we do. No local Welsh statistics are available, but overall Wales has less fuel poverty than Scotland.

Local house markets remain flat as a pancake, and Scottish GDP figures for the first quarter show the second dip of the recession deepening. Agriculture was flat, tourism was up a little, but transport was down, and construction continued to slide steeply.

your local magazine for business & enterprise 35

Network 530 in Partnership with HSBC 23rd Aug, HSBC, 46 High St, Dumfries, 5:30pm – 7:30pm The inaugural Network 530 event in HSBC’s new branch in Dumfries town centre. Guest speaker for the evening will be Liz Cole from The Moniaive Chocolatiers who will talk about how she has grown her business.

Cost: Free. To book contact the Chamber on 01387 270866 or admin@dgchamber.co.uk Finding Finance in Difficult Times 24th Aug, Douglas Arms Hotel, Castle Douglas. 5.30pm Getting finance for any business can be difficult at the best of times, but as traditional sources get harder then more innovative solutions are required. This group discussion will consider a number of options and the pros and cons of alternative sources of funding. A Linking Entrepreneurs event with Douglas Russell and Tom Riddet from Armstrong Watson.

Cost: £10 +VAT members, £15 +VAT non-members.

Book online www.dgchamber.co.uk

Learning.

Networking.

Growing.

Business events in Dumfries & Galloway

Networking Event with Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and North East Chamber of Commerce 30th Aug, De Vere Slaley Hall Hotel, Hexham, Northumberland, 11am – 2pm This networking lunch event includes round table networking and is a three way Chamber networking event. There will be plenty of opportunities to network and build new contacts.

Cost: £15 inc.VAT members, £30 inc.VAT per non-members. Exhibition space £50 inc.VAT. To book contact the Chamber on 01387 270866 or email admin@dgchamber.co.uk UWS IT Academy Information Session 5th Sep, Dudgeon House, Dumfries Campus. 4pm – 7pm Information session for businesses.

Cost: Free. Drop-in session.

Disciplinary Investigations Workshop 6th Sep, Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries. 9.30am – 1.00pm Conducting a fair and proper investigation is the cornerstone of a finding of fair dismissal. This course will take delegates through the various stages of an investigation: from gathering and assessing evidence, to presenting the findings, arriving at an outcome, and managing that outcome. This session is suitable for all managers and HR professionals interested in developing the knowledge and skills relevant to disciplinary investigations. A half day training event delivered in partnership with ACAS Scotland.

Cost: £45 +VAT. Book online at www.dgchamber.co.uk

36 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

Make the Most of your Chamber Membership 19th Sep, Cairndale Hotel, Dumfries. 5:30pm Make the most of your Chamber membership and discover the Chamber services that are there to help your business. Come along to this free event and hear from representatives from Qdos Consulting who will talk about Chamber HR, Composite Legal Expenses Ltd who will talk about Chamber Legal Expenses, Westfield Health who will tell you all about the Chamber Healthcare Plan, and First Data Merchant Solutions who will talk about Chamber Merchant Services.

Cost: Free. To book contact the Chamber on 01387 270866 or admin@dgchamber.co.uk Business Planning 24th Sep, Queensberry Arms Hotel, Annan. 5.30pm Putting together a Business Plan for a small business can seem a daunting task. With advice on planning, organisational development, leadership skills as well as job design this session will help you get on the way. A Linking Entrepreneurs event with Joan Scott and Anne Hill from the Business School of the University of the West of Scotland.

Cost: £10 +VAT members, £15 +VAT non-members.

Book online www.dgchamber.co.uk UWS IT Academy Information Session 2nd Oct, Open Day, Dumfries Campus. 3pm – 7pm Information session for businesses as part of the UWS Open Day. Cost: Free. Drop-in session.

Joint Event with Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and North East Chamber of Commerce 4th Oct, Smiths Hotel at Gretna Green. 12:30pm – 2:30pm Following on from our very successful joint networking events we’ve had with Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and the North East Chamber of Commerce, this is your chance to build new contacts and network, following a buffet lunch.

Cost: £15 +VAT for members, £20 +VAT for non-member.

Stand space £20 +VAT for members, £25 +VAT for non-members. To book contact the Chamber on 01387 270866 or admin@dgchamber.co.uk Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce Annual Lunch 30th Oct, Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries. 11.45am - 2.30pm The Chamber Annual Lunch attracts over 250 people and is a great chance to both network and also say thank you to customers/clients and employees. This year’s keynote speaker is Scottish businessman and entrepreneur, Jim McColl OBE, responsible for the development of engineering company Clyde Blowers plc.

Cost: £30 +VAT for Chamber members and guests, £40 +VAT for non-Chamber members. Table of 10 for Chamber members £300 +VAT, table of 10 for non-Chamber members £350 + VAT. To book contact the Chamber on 01387 270866 or email admin@dgchamber.co.uk

get more from your business communications & IT mobile solutions | fixed lines | it support | broadband

Case Study John Miller Ltd

With over 100 employees, 70 vehicles, 45 sub-contractors and multi-site locations the quality services and strong customer relations of John Miller Limited depend on a solid IT infrastructure.

in John Miller Ltd appointed 8020 Ltd D&G ul essf succ r thei ort July to supp based business. Director Davie Carson said:

“We were very impressed by Andrew Edgar and Jez Draper from 8020 who conducted an in depth review of our business needs and brought a number we of suggestions to the table of how re uctu astr infr IT our could develop to better support our business.”

01387 250008 www.8020ltd.com helping our clients do business better your local magazine for business & enterprise 37

Meet the Member . B. Watson is a wine and spirit merchant based in Dumfries and run by Brian and Karen Gibson and Iain Marr. The business also includes Galloway Glass, a crystal engraving business which exports worldwide, and a pub, The Troqueer Arms.

Opened in 1909 T. B. Watson is now best known for its vast range of malts.

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Brian Gibson, the current Joint Managing Director has been with the company for 30 years and is a ‘Keeper of the Quaich’, a prestigious award given to those who dedicate themselves and their time to the promotion of Scotch Whisky Tell us about the history of T. B. Watson.

Thomas Baird Watson started trading as a hatter and hosier at 1-3 English Street in 1909. When he died in 1923 the business was bought by a group of Glasgow businessmen who incorporated it in July 1924. Karen’s grandfather managed it during the late 30s and through the war, buying it with his wife in 1945. Since then it has stayed in the family through three generations and each generation has brought something new to the company.

How do you ensure such a well established business remains dynamic and competitive?

Specialising is the main way. We have almost 800 whiskies to choose from, and we also have an extensive range of other wines and spirits. We are a true specialist.

Tell us about some of the changes the business has seen since it was established.

The business was first based in 1-3 English Street then in 1949 a second

shop was opened at 18 English Street selling ladies wear and in 1958 the basement of the original shop was renovated as a hairdressing salon! A Wine & Spirit and Sports & Fishing tackle shop opened at 11/17 English Street in 1960 and the 1970s took us into wholesaling wines and spirits until 1998. Our Wine Club which is still going strong started in 1983. We bought The Troqueer Arms, managed

by Iain Marr, in 1999 and Galloway Glass, managed by Karen, in 2005. We started a Whisky Club, called the Drambusters, around 2000 which now boasts over 300 members and in 2003 we began trading on the internet and have built up a good online client base.

How has your location shaped your business?

We believe it is important to source as much of your business locally where possible and many of our suppliers are also our customers.

What 3 things do you consider vital to business success?

Great staff, customers and a good relationship with your bank.

What’s your favourite part of day / week / year and why?

We do regular whisky and wine tastings with our two clubs tasting a wide variety of products, each taking place every 5 or 6 weeks. Our Wine Club includes 6 or 7 half glasses of

38 The Voice of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

wine and a 3 course meal and at the Whisky Club people taste 7 or 8 whiskies alongside cheese and biscuits. All the tasting means that we need to pre-pour up to 1000 whiskies!

Both clubs are great social evenings as well as being a powerful selling opportunity for us.

What challenges have you faced in the last couple of years?

The change in the licensing laws that came in in September 2009. This put a heavy cost burden on the business as well as reducing the hours that we can sell to the public.

Tell us about a recent business highlight.

We held our first Whisky Festival in November 2011. 375 people attended and had a choice of over 150 whiskies to taste. All our suppliers supported us and commented on how successful and how well organised it was. We’re looking forward to this year’s festival on 24th November at Easterbrook Hall, it will be even bigger and busier!

What’s the best thing about your job?

Getting the opportunity to sample and sell fantastic products!

What does the future hold for T. B. Watson?

Hopefully, continued steady growth within an extremely competitive sector of business.

Welcome 1st Aid 4U Dumfries Contact: Stuart Robb Tel: 01387 251384 www.1staid4u.co.uk

A warm welcome to new members of Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce. Our full membership directory is available on www.dgchamber.co.uk

IAIS Group Glasgow Contact: Nick Singer Tel: 07766 138450 www.iais.co.uk

SW Audio Mouswald, Dumfries Contact: Sandy Sweetman Tel: 07793 631109 www.swaudio.co.uk

Andersons Fire & Rescue Dumfries Contact: Graham Anderson Tel: 01387 253999 www.andeng.co.uk

The Hair Boutique Dumfries Contact: Charlene Fry Tel: 01387 252020 www.thehairboutiquedumfries.co.uk

Bakhu Pharma Ltd Annan Contact: Simon Davidson Tel: 01461 200100 www.bakhupharma.com

The Halo Trust Carronbridge Contact: Anthony Wigan Tel: 01848 331100 www.halotrust.org

Cream o’ Galloway Gatehouse of Fleet Contact: Wilma Finlay Tel: 01557 814040 www.creamogalloway.co.uk

Kings Coffee & Books Dumfries Contact: Mark & Helen Smith Tel: 01387 254444 www.kingsonline.co.uk

Daksh Indian Restaurant Dumfries Contact: Anuj Chaturvedi Tel: 01387 253876 www.dakshindian.co.uk

ings Coffee and Books is a well established coffee shop in the heart of Dumfries town centre.

With free WiFi it’s an excellent setting for relaxed daytime business meetings or accessible evening events.

A reputation for first class coffee, home baking and light foods has put them ahead of national brand competitors.

Making a difference is at the very heart of Kings; they’re a social enterprise majoring on personal customer service and highly trained barista performance.

Drumlanrig Castle & Country Estate Thornhill Contact: Stephen Manion Tel: 01848 331555 www.drumlanrig.com Dumfries & Galloway Citizens Advice Service Dumfries Contact: Sue Irving Tel: 01387 266193 www.dagcas.info Fellend Farming Co Castle Douglas Contact: Robin Austin Tel: 01557 820112 www.barstobrick.co.uk Gracie Drew Childcare Dumfries Contact: Rachael Boyle Tel: 01387 252768 www.graciedrew.co.uk

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Lowland Training Newton Stewart Contact: Anne Clark & Tracy Johnson Tel: 01908 852990 www.lowlandtraining.co.uk Scramble Castle Douglas Contact: Roz Hilsley Tel: 01556 505318

Thistle ‘B’ Scrumptious Castle Douglas Contact: Helen Cronie Tel: 01556 504006 www.thistlebscrumptious.com ndependent food retailer and deli, specialising in local and Scottish food and drink as well as a selection of Scottish gifts and crafts. Lunch time baguettes, salads and soups make it popular with local people and visitors, while Thistle ‘B’ Scrumptious hampers are increasingly popular as corporate gifts.

Owned by Clint Burgess and Helen Cronie, Thistle ‘B’ Scrumptious’ focus on exceptional customer service has resulted in a string of accolades and awards since it opened in 2010.

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