DQ 18 - Spring Edition

ISSUE 18 - SPRING EDITION

FIFTEEN MINUTES WITH GARY NEVILLE Downtown in Business caught up with the footballerturned entrepreneur to ask his views on leadership, lockdown and bouncing back.

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BILL ADDY KIM LEARY ELAINE BOWKER RYAN WAIN & MORE

AWARDS ARE BACK. CHEERS TO THAT. CITY OF MANCHESTER BUSINESS AWARDS 2021 23rd June 2021 CITY OF BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS AWARDS 2021 15th July 2021 CITY OF LIVERPOOL BUSINESS AWARDS 2021 7th October 2021

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THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AND MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING US THROUGH LOCKDOWN.

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CONTENTS ISSUE 18 EDITOR: SOPHIE ROONEY

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED

06 FRANK MCKENNA 08

FIFTEEN MINUTES WITH...

GARY NEVILLE

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LEEDS BECKETT AND BRUNTWOOD SCITECH TEAM UP TO BOOST SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN LEEDS DEB HETHERINGTON

DESIGNER: JACK HUNTER CONTRIBUTORS: FRANK MCKENNA GARY NEVILLE DEB HETHERINGTON ELAINE BOWKER SIMON DANCZUK KIM LEARY SAMANTHA PIKE-DEVLIN RYAN WAIN HANNAH FLOYD JAMES FORRESTER JULIAN GILBERT BARRY ROBERTS JESSICA HENNESSY BILL ADDY ELLIE GREEN ROGER MARSH OBE DAVID MORRIS MP STEPHANIE COWEN ROBIN TUDOR

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WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE FUTURE OF LEARNING AND EDUCATION ELAINE BOWKER

WORK STARTS ON FINAL PHASE

48 OF BLACON PARADE, CHESTER 49

SUTCLIFFE MANAGING DIRECTOR SEAN KEYES APPOINTED AS NEW ACE NORTH WEST CHAIR RESCUE, RE-IMAGINE AND BUILD

WE ARE ALL TECHIES NOW

52 DAVID MORRIS MP

MANCHESTER CENTRAL ANNOUNCES PODCAST SPINOFF SERIES TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON INDUSTRY SAMANTHA PIKE-DEVLIN

EDEN OF THE NORTH BACK TO BUSINESS

54 STEPHANIE COWAN

COVID-19 PCR TEST CENTRE

56 OPENS AT LJLA FOR PASSENGERS ROBIN TUDOR

HOW CAN THE ECONOMY BOUNCE BACK? RYAN WAIN THE POWER OF NETWORKING

28 HANNAH FLOYD 30

ELLIE GREEN

50 RESILIANCE ROGER MARSH OBE

20 KIM LEARY

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HOW CAN YOUR CITY ATTRACT

46 A WORKFORCE ON THE MOVE?

IN CELEBRATION OF LONDON

18 SIMON DANCZUK

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LIVERPOOL WILL BOUNCE BACK AFTER THIS PANDEMIC, BUT WHAT DO WE WANT THE CITY TO LOOK LIKE? BILL ADDY

BIGGEST RECESSION BOUNCE BACKS IN PROPERTY PRICE SINCE THE LAST MARKET CRASH JAMES FORRESTER THE DEATH OF THE MAIL

33 PIECE IS GREATLY EXAGGERATED JULIAN GILBERT

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WHY COLLABORATIVE TWO STAGE PROCUREMENT HAS TO BE THE NEW NORMAL BARRY ROBERTS

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70% OF GREATER MANCHESTER BUSINESS LEADERS LIKELY TO ADAPT CURRENT WORKPLACE DESIGN IN WAKE OF COVID-19 JESSICA HENNESSY

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BRAND-NEW ROOFTOP BAR AND EVENTS SPACE IS OPENING THIS SPRING IN LIVERPOOL’S BUSINESS DISTRICT

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INNSIDE MANCHESTER AND STERLING GROUP JOIN FORCES TO LAUNCH HYBRID EVENT STUDIO IN MANCHESTER LET’S GET READY TO REOPEN

60 LIAM JONES

A ROADMAP FOR RE-OPENING

62 KEITH TULLY

WHEN LEARNING IS VIRTUAL,

64 HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IS VITAL LUCY O’CONNOR

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WORDS BY FRANK MCKENNA GROUP CHAIRMAN & CEO, DOWNTOWN IN BUSINESS

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We have lost many things during the past twelve months. Too many have lost loved ones. Many have seen their jobs, livelihoods or businesses go to the wall. There has been an explosion in anxiety and mental health challenges.

School children have fallen behind in their studies. The economy has tanked.

Yet, as is often the case in a crisis, many of us have had an opportunity to reflect on what to appreciate in life. Our family. Our friends. Our work colleagues. And the ability to meet up, socialise, engage, and enjoy one another’s company.

For a short period of time back in the early days of this hugely damaging COVID-crisis, there was a vocal movement who were trying to tell us that cities were dead; that the office was a thing of the past; that everyone now wanted to work from home; that staying in was the new going out. A year later, and those assumptions are looking about as far fetched as a Donald Trump coronavirus remedy.

The fact is that twelve months down a long and winding road, we are all desperate to reconnect to our workplaces, our cities and even to our bosses.

Of course, there will be a more relaxed attitude about presenteeism and the demands for teams to be at their office desks five days a week. But that was happening anyway. There will also be an increased demand to deliver good on investment into cleaner, more efficient public transport systems. Some of the inequalities that have had the spotlight shone on them in recent months must also be

tackled by our senior politicians, in partnership with business and other stakeholders.

However, the one thing that has not changed and will not change is our animal instinct to meet up, to socialise, to network.

As grateful as I am to Zoom (and DIB has hosted more events on this platform than any other organisation in our industry), and as much as I have enjoyed the opportunity of lounging around in casual gear for most of 2020 and into 2021, I am convinced that I am in the majority when I say that I cannot wait to get a haircut, get my glad rags on, hit the town and get the party started all over again.

And I’m not just talking about having the first draft Guinness at the Restaurant Bar & Grill, the long awaited Fazenda, a night out in Birmingham, a visit to the capital or a stay in one of my favourite hotels and spas.

The virtual world may have been okay for staying in touch and staying informed. But I don’t know anyone who has done a Millionpound deal on a Zoom call.

Because, in the end, people do business with people. And before we shake hands, or fist pump, on a deal, we want to have looked into the whites of their eyes, gotten up close and personal and believe that this is someone who you can not only sign a contract with, but someone you can get on with too.

It’s what makes Downtown in Business a success. Its why we have facilitated literally hundreds of millions of pounds worth of deals during the past eighteen years. And the confidence the

business community has in the vaccination roll out and a return to normal is demonstrated by the huge spike in membership we have enjoyed in the first quarter of this year.

As the business group who hosted the ONLY major live event (post-March) in 2020, one of the few who hosted a series of inperson lunches when restrictions allowed during the Pandemic and the organisation that shouted long and loud about the need for businesses to be supported through this traumatic time, we are well prepared to help you hit the ground running with a comprehensive range of activities for the remainder of 2021.

Our cities will bounce back and with them our economy will too.

DIB is pleased to be involved with so many fantastic companies who, we know, will be doing everything they can to make that happen – and we will do everything we can to support you.

Prepare yourself for a year of working hard and playing hard.

I look forward to seeing you at a ‘live’ Downtown event very soon.

It’s time to get back to business.

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FIFTEEN MINUTES WITH GARY NEVILLE Gary Neville played for Manchester United FC for almost twenty years, winning 20 trophies and 85 England caps. Since hanging up his boots, he has embarked on an eclectic career journey, maintaining his involvement with football through his work for Sky Sports, and becoming the co-owner of Salford City FC – but getting involved in a host of other business interests too. Downtown in Business caught up with the footballer-turned entrepreneur to ask his views on leadership, lockdown and bouncing back.

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Q: OUTSIDE OF FOOTBALL, WHAT ARE YOUR MAJOR BUSINESS INTERESTS? GN: My major business interests are in the following 5 sectors: Hospitality, Sport (SCFC), Education (UA92), Development and Media, Broadcast and Production.

When I came out of football 11 years ago, I decided to pursue these sectors. Sport and Development is something that I had already been doing for the last 20 years. Hotels (Hotel Football and Stock Exchange) was something that I started to get passionate about towards the end of my football career in terms of delivering high quality service and a bespoke experience for guests. Education and the creation of UA92 (University Academy 92) came out of a feeling that we wanted to impact as many young people as possible in a positive way and try to instil personality and character traits into them that we, as the CO92 had had set into us at Manchester United and the best way is through education, so we set up a University in partnership with Lancaster University. Of course, media, broadcasting and production is a major part of what I do alongside my other business interests.

Q. YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED THE CHALLENGES BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE FACED DURING THE PANDEMIC – WHAT ARE THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS YOU THINK HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO GET YOU THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT MONTHS – AND HOW WILL YOU MANAGE WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE A ‘BOUNCE BACK’ IN THE SECOND PART OF 2021?

GN: Every business leader and employer during this pandemic requires patience because it’s frustrating not being able to do what you want to do with your business. We are going through something that is unique and people react to things very differently.

Key traits for me are: • • • •

PATIENCE - frustrating not being able to do what you want to do with your business EMPATHY - people react to things very differently ACCEPTANCE - we are going through something that is unique TOLERANCE - of each other’s situations

•

•

FORWARD PLANNING AND RESETTING – for a lot of us we have time on our hands, time to reflect, time to think about what we are doing well and what we are not doing well.

ENCOURAGEMENT – to ensure that everyone’s spirits are kept high, maintaining the confidence and the belief in the teams through engagement.

‘Bounce back?’ I think managing this is linked to the earlier part of this question in terms of how you maintain your team spirit and your engagement with your team and creating the enthusiasm to go again!

The big challenge for every business to put in football terms, is like coming back from an extended pre-season and you don’t know how the team are going to respond. Which means making sure throughout the extended break we keep ourselves ticking over and again in football terms it would be like keeping our physical fitness, well-being and nutrition going.

I believe this is what we have been doing with our teams, keeping them engaged, keep them thinking about the business, whilst bearing in mind they are at home and can’t do the jobs they are so used to doing and equally making sure they don’t disappear into an abyss!

How we bounce back is related to how we have dealt with the above and the enthusiasm and confidence that remains within our teams.

Q. BACK IN MARCH LAST YEAR, SOME PEOPLE WERE SUGGESTING THAT WORKING FROM HOME WAS GOING TO BE THE NORM, SIGNALLING A HUGE DOWNTURN FOR CITY AND TOWN CENTRES. DO YOU THINK THOSE PREDICTIONS WERE SOMEWHAT PREMATURE? GN: I will be really honest with this question.

We have kept our offices open throughout the 2nd and 3rd lockdown, the 1st lockdown when we didn’t know about the pandemic and the virus and we were all in the unknown we closed.

The government spoke about only leaving home for essential work but what I have found is that for a lot of our team members it is essential for them to get out of the house 1/2/3 times a week. Ultimately being at home all the time is causing great distress for them.

So, they do come in for maybe 2-3 hours a few

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“OF COURSE, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO EVERY RULE, THERE MAY BE INDIVIDUALS THAT FEEL THEY CAN WORK BETTER AND AS EFFICIENTLY FROM HOME, BUT I WOULD SAY WHAT YOU ARE LOSING IS THE SOCIAL ELEMENT, THE EDUCATIONAL ELEMENT, THE TRAINING ELEMENT AND THE CREATIVE COLLABORATION THAT EXISTS WITHIN BUILDINGS.” times a week to engage, to create, to collaborate, to train and to educate… all the things you can’t do remotely.

So, this idea that the ‘new normal’ is people working from home, is actually abnormal.

The very basis of a person’s life is that they get up in the morning and are stimulated and motivated to go and do their job. Staying at home for those 9 working hours a day, all day every day for the rest of their working life doesn’t seem right. I have no idea how that stimulates individuals and may even cause great harm. Of course, I understand that there are exceptions to every rule. There may be individuals that feel they can work better and as efficiently from home.

But I would say what you are losing is the social element, the educational element, the training element and the creative collaboration that exists within buildings. And this is not about getting the teams in to check on the work they are doing. Within our businesses we have been working remotely and in independent locations for 5 years now, the idea of having someone cooped up in an office at the same desk every single day from 9-5 is long gone in our businesses. We work in a lounge/bar environment in our offices, where people can move around. They can work from a coffee shop, one of our hotels, a bar/ restaurant, they can work from home one day, they can take the kids to school and come in at 10am… we have a very flexible working environment to ensure that our teams are stimulated and engaged and have the ability to feel that they are accountable yes, but also that they are absolutely trusted, and they are responsible for their own work and that is how we have always worked. So, this idea that the ‘new normal’ is that we all stay at home and do zoom calls for the rest of our lives will ultimately

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cause great distress and all those things that make a great team will be lost and I can never believe that that will be normal. There will be a slight amendment to how we have done things before of course, but I don’t see this great shift that people talk about that offices and commercial space is dead.

Q. WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO GET INVOLVED IN THE UNITEDCITY GROUP IN MANCHESTER? GN: I was motivated by the fact that we would be an independent voice representing the business community of Manchester, on key issues that would be free of political influence. All Manchester businesses and the people in them that become embedded in Manchester feel great passion for the city and also are protective of the city and it’s important that this community has a voice. My view of UnitedCity is that we are a group of members with a democratic and independent approach on key issues and we would be bold and brave enough to stand up and make our voice known.

Q. IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP, THERE CAN’T BE MANY BETTER LEADERS THAN SIR ALEX. WHAT ARE THE KEY LESSONS HE TAUGHT YOU THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO APPLY TO YOUR BUSINESS-LIFE? GN: Really simple… every single day you wake up and you have a choice.

You will work as hard as you possibly can, and you will never give up or you will not work as hard as you can, and you may take short cuts.

I suggest you choose the first one!

Because if you choose the first one you have a great chance of achieving your maximum in life and I believe that everyone has got skill, everyone has talent. So, if you put that first set of principles that Sir Alex always told us, with that skill and that talent, you’ve got an opportunity to do great things. Even if you don’t do great things you will be employable and respected by employers because that’s what they want – committed, hardworking, resilient individuals who never give in, who wake up every single day irrespective of how they are feeling and work as hard as they can and give their all to the team.

Q. FINALLY, AND IT HAS TO BE ABOUT FOOTY, WHO IS GOING TO WIN THE PL – AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHERE WILL EVERTON FINISH IN THE TABLE? GN: Manchester City will win the Premier League this season… unfortunately! They are consistent, they’ve had an amazing run since that win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge that I was at a few months ago and since then they’ve been absolutely brilliant. They are going to run away with it. It’s been a strange season so let’s hope there’s a twist!

But at this moment in time however I can’t see that happening and City will win the league.

Everton will finish 7th, they’re just too inconsistent so I think they’ll either finish 6th or 7th, but I’ll just go with 7th!

Downtown in Business will be hosting its first national planning, property, and regeneration conference at the world - famous Belfry Hotel in September 2021.

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WORDS BY DEB HETHERINGTON HEAD OF INNOVATION, BRUNTWOOD SCITECH A new partnership between Leeds Beckett University and Bruntwood SciTech aims to boost the long-term sustainability, growth and success of businesses in the Leeds City Region – supporting them to embed innovation and management skills, and access talent and entrepreneurial training.

The collaboration will build a culture of innovation within start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the region, through access to academic consultancy, student and graduate work placements, and the established expert business support services and mentoring provided by Leeds Beckett and Bruntwood SciTech – at Platform in Leeds city centre.

Platform is Leeds’s ‘home of tech’ and is part of Bruntwood SciTech’s network of innovation districts.

It is the base for over 100 digital and tech businesses, including startups, scaleups, and large corporate organisations. Platform’s specialist Tech Hub offers a range of business support to new and early stage companies including access to finance, talent, partners and new markets.

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Professor Peter Slee, Vice Chancellor of Leeds Beckett University, said: “Our new partnership with Bruntwood SciTech here in Leeds demonstrates our shared commitment to driving innovation in the region.

Together, we will create a new engaging and innovative environment in the heart of Leeds for our students, graduates and academics to come together with entrepreneurs across the city.

“As an anchor institution in the Leeds City Region, we are proud to work with Bruntwood SciTech at Platform to provide a physical space in the centre of Leeds for us to engage with SMEs in the city and support their resilience and growth.”

Deb Hetherington, Head of Innovation, Bruntwood SciTech - Leeds, said: “A key aim of the new partnership is to establish the management capabilities of the small business community – including leadership skills, strategic thinking, and business productivity – to give them long-term sustainability. We are committed to supporting our businesses through their ambitious growth journeys, and a large part of that support comes from our extensive partner network.

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“I AM DELIGHTED PERFORM PARTNERS HAVE STARTED COLLABORATING WITH LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY AND WE ARE ESTABLISHING A STRONG RELATIONSHIP.” “Leeds Beckett University offers a wealth of SME support that has already added value to the start-up community at Platform. We are excited to continue to work together to support the city’s ambition to grow its culture of innovation.”

Through the new partnership, Leeds Beckett and Bruntwood SciTech will: • •

• • •

Link up SMEs with academic experts to engage in consultancy and knowledge exchange research projects.

Create opportunities for business and management students and graduates to work on bespoke projects and take on apprenticeships, work placements and full-time job roles within businesses.

Run free events and mentoring sessions – including guest lectures from academic and industry experts, networking events and one-to-one mentoring.

Develop joint research and innovation funding bids to work together on new projects.

Provide access to Leeds Beckett business support experts on-site at Platform in the heart of Leeds.

Businesses will be able to take advantage of established Leeds Beckett initiatives including: •

•

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) - governmentfunded innovation projects where a skilled graduate and team of academic experts work with a business to achieve a specific goal.

The Small Business Leadership Programme (SBLP) – funded by the Government, run by the Small Business Charter and delivered by Leeds Beckett academics

•

through a series of free webinars to support the recovery, growth, and long-term productivity of SMEs following the pandemic.

The Accelerate programme – funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) – a series of online masterclasses for start-ups and businesses in their first three years.

As part of their final year assessments, Leeds Business School undergraduate and MBA students partner with industry clients and deliver between 70 and 100 consultancy projects every year. Businesses at Platform - including business and technical change delivery consultancy, Perform Partners - are already working with Leeds Beckett students on eight consultancy projects. The new partnership will open up this opportunity to an even wider pool of businesses across the city.

Rob Smith, Director of Perform Partners, said: “I am delighted Perform Partners have started collaborating with Leeds Beckett University and we are establishing a strong relationship. We are currently working with a group of MBA students who are carrying out a market intelligence project for us which will help to shape our strategic direction. We are very keen to work with the students to help provide them with real world experience and support growth in the region.”

The new partnership between Leeds Beckett and Bruntwood SciTech supports Leeds Beckett’s network of University Business Centres – based in Halifax, Wakefield, and Headingley – which offer physical and virtual office services, alongside business advice, mentoring, and professional training.

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WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE FUTURE OF LEARNING AND EDUCATION? WORDS BY ELAINE BOWKER PRINCIPAL, CITY OF LIVERPOOL COLLEGE

Despite the quality of its teaching and the opportunities it presents, the further education sector has for many years suffered from under-funding and decreasing student numbers, with analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies showing that further education and sixth form colleges in England have seen the largest falls in student funding of any education sector since the Conservative party entered government in 2010. It’s a problem that has become more acute in recent years, with the system being overlooked and undervalued in favour of more high-profile schools and education systems.

However, more than ever before we are seeing a need across the industry for those who are entering the world of

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work to have the technical skills needed to meet demand.

Currently, we don’t have enough technicians, engineers or healthcare professionals to meet the vital challenges facing the economy, and the skills system must transform to meet this need, as evidenced by recent analysis which has shown that technical courses often lead to better outcomes and career options than more traditional academic routes, for those that follow them.

It isn’t an issue that has gone unnoticed, and last month saw the publication of the Government’s white paper, ‘Skills for jobs: lifelong learning for opportunity and growth’ which outlines the long-promised overhaul of

DOWNTOWN QUARTERLY skills and vocational education in England, which aims to spur growth of higher-level vocational and technical courses in England.

The white paper aims to improve collaboration between industry and education and places employers at the heart of the further education system, giving them a greater opportunity than ever before to play a central role in setting out employerled standards for the skills they need to help their businesses grow, through a pledge to give employers a “central role” in designing nearly all technical courses by 2030. By working in collaboration with education providers to deliver a work-ready talent pipeline and putting industry expertise at the heart of technical qualification, employers will be able to ensure that both established and new employees receive the training needed to support a successful business.

For us at The City of Liverpool College, this isn’t anything new. We know that providing students with the technical skills they need to enter the world of work improves their employment prospects and, in turn, helps to bridge the skills gap. We also know that working directly with industry to identify the skills that are needed, and adapting our curriculum offer to reflect this, provides our students with the best possible chance for a successful future.

There has never been a better time to upskill your workforce and to develop the talent in your organisation. The white paper highlights the promise of the lifelong loan entitlement, which enables people to access four years’ worth of student loan funding across further and higher education, allowing for flexible learning opportunities for employees. This flexibility opens up learning to a greater number of people. Previously, the government would pay for a first level three qualification up to the age of 23, but with the removal of this age cap comes the removal of a barrier and ensures employees of all ages can be supported to progress and achieve.

Tailored planning to meet local needs will also be of vital importance, with employers having the opportunity to engage and inform which skills and qualifications should be delivered locally through skills improvement plans and the introduction of College Business centres in FE colleges, improving job opportunities and prospects for local people as a result.

The Liverpool City Region is one step ahead, where six regional colleges joined together to design three courses to upskill, reskill and retrain adults who have found themselves out of work or in unsustainable careers, enabling them to boost their employability in growing sectors of the economy; health and social care, digital and engineering. This is the first time a Combined Authority in a devolved area has invested in developing skills in this way and has shown how innovative our region can be.

When it comes to finding fulfilling careers, sadly young people are often left to face this challenge alone, with many leaving school with no real technical or transferrable skills.

In addition, independent careers guidance has sadly been lacking for many years. However, with education and industry working collaboratively, people of any age will have the tools to make informed decisions about their career choices and can rest assured that wherever they are within their career, they can access the skills they need to progress. This approach will give employers access to a greater pool of talent and will help individuals to sustain employment by widening career opportunities during their working life.

The world of work is also changing.

Never before have we seen such a dramatic shift in the nature of work than over the past year, with more people than ever working from home and employers considering how they might adapt in the future. This is in addition to the constant evolution due to rapid developments in technology and shifts in the business market. Transitioning to virtual work environments at an accelerated rate

has, in many cases, significantly changed the way many employees perform their jobs.

This shift to more virtual offerings has highlighted information technology and technical skills gaps across many industries, as remote workers are left to troubleshoot technological issues on their own. Many companies are adopting mobile learning as a solution to support dispersed employees, but upskilling is needed to ensure employees can effectively use these tools to succeed in their roles. As the world of work continues to evolve, new job roles and skills will be needed, requiring organisations to reskill employees to prepare them for new positions. For education, it will be vital to provide learners with the skills they need to adapt to these changes, whether they are entering the world of work, upskilling, or reskilling to change their career path.

At The City of Liverpool College, for example, we adapted quickly to provide remote learning across our courses, transitioning many courses online and we’re continuing to innovate and create entirely new courses to meet the changing skills need brought about by the pandemic, both for employers and individuals.

We welcome the Government’s commitment to the introduction of ‘skills bootcamps’ to address these needs, providing flexible, short courses designed around digital and technical qualifications at Level 3, upskilling and reskilling existing and new employees to be prepared for the future world of work.

The role of education and training is more important than ever as we look to the future and plan for recovery in the aftermath of the pandemic and our exit from the European Union. Our best chance for success is to place employers at the heart of the education and skills system, strengthening the links between further educations and businesses.

Whatever happens, collaboration, flexibility, adaptability and innovation will be key to ensuring the future of education is bright.

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WORDS BY SIMON DANCZUK CHAIRMAN, DOWNTOWN LONDON IN BUSINESS

SIMON DANCZUK IS DOWNTOWN LONDON IN BUSINESS CHAIRMAN, A BUSINESS CONSULTANT AND FORMER MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT. 18

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“FROM REGENTS PARK TO RICHMOND PARK, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, THE CITY HAS LANDSCAPES MANY MEGACITIES CAN ONLY DREAM OF. IT IS ANOTHER FEATURE WHICH HELPS THE CITY PUNCH ABOVE ITS WEIGHT.” London will bounce back quicker and stronger than we think. Of course, there will be a new normal, things will be done differently, but its economy will start to flourish again.

Yes, we’ve all seen images of a desolate Oxford Street, tourist spots devoid of tourists, offices without office workers. But there are reasons London remains one of the greatest cities in the world.

It remains attractive the world over because it has so many attributes that other cities just don’t have. And it is these attributes which will help it recover.

Take the City of London. It has already published a five-year post-pandemic recovery plan, particularly focusing on green finance, fintech, and the creative industries. The Corporation is reviewing its planning policies in light of new work practices, it is going to introduce smart city technologies and renewable energy networks.

But it is because it is so well regulated, corruption practically unknown, and business standards very high, that the Square Mile will survive and prosper, once again, even post-Brexit.

Good governance will also help with the recovery. Whatever you might think of Sadiq Khan, he is not some loony left-winger and he will remain London’s mayor after the election in May. This political stability pays dividends in a truly global world.

A key political issue is infrastructure. For all the rush-

hour overcrowding, which should now dissipate, the tube, bus, train, and now cycle networks are impressive. Anyone who has tried getting across other megacities will know how difficult it can be. And my friend at Transport for London tells me that whilst there is some churn in commercial lettings across their network, interest and take-up of their properties is as strong as ever.

The Deputy Mayor, Jules Pipe’s London Plan was launched in early March and set out his spatial development strategy. It acknowledged a lull in office space development, there might be a shift towards more residential, and it will took account of retail property readjusting their prices, but London will retain its position as a place where people want to visit, live and do business – that is not going to change.

What is also not going to change is the green space across the city, and access to the countryside, which is so appealing to visitors and residents alike. From Regents Park to Richmond Park, and everything in between, the city has landscapes many megacities can only dream of.

It is another feature which helps the city punch above its weight.

However, whilst we wait for tourism and visitors to return there will undoubtedly be increases in unemployment, but it will not be as harsh in the Capital as one might think. A lot of people from continental Europe had already started returning to their country of origin because of Brexit, the pandemic will have increased that number.

Although jobs will be lost in the regions, London’s labour market should remain relatively stable. And this helps with keeping crime low.

Another reason people flock to our Capital is because it is relatively safe compared to many other world cities.

But the biggest attributes, which help London remain buoyant, is its reputation for creativity, innovation, and culture.

Living in the UK we can often underestimate how our Capital is perceived internationally. One of the reasons successful business people locate here – whether they be designers, financiers, architects, or pop stars – is because London has so much to offer, from swanky restaurants to West-end shows, world-class museums, to well-preserved historical sites, through to carnivals, high fashion, and excellent educational establishments.

Yes, it is going to be tough, particularly on some individual businesses and business people, hard for those that do lose their jobs, but with the right roadmap from Government, London can and will get back on track.

London continually evolves but it retains the attributes that have made it so popular. Even now that Brexit has been done London will remain a place many people still want to live and do business. These are the reasons it will steadily re-build its economy after the pandemic.

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WORDS BY KIM LEARY CEO, SQUIBBLE CHAIRPERSON, DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM IN BUSINESS

Do you remember, back in 2017, when the nation was entertained (or shocked) by Professor Robert Kelly whose child had ambushed his live interview? Who would have thought that a few years later it would be the norm for children to casually join our meetings?

Zoom forward 4 years and it’s likely that the COVID-19 recovery will be digital. It has often been cited that in the first 8 weeks of the pandemic we accelerated consumer and business digital adoption by 5 years. This is huge and sets the precedent for what’s to come.

For us, at Squibble, the switch to working from home was a fairly swift one and within 48 hours we’d replaced our typical face-to-face meetings with online delivery supported by a simple tech stack that enabled us to carry on with limited disruption. It would have been a bit of a worry if we couldn’t adopt new technologies, right?

Working in a web design agency means that we’re a lover of all things tech and particularly in my role as Chair of the board for Birmingham Tech CIC. The challenge for most business owners and their employees was far greater though, particularly if you’re used to having an IT department on-hand. WFH presented an entirely new set of problems. How do large corporations or banks continue to support their customers without all the security protocols present at home?

Especially if said employees did not consider themselves ‘techy’. There’s no denying the fact that it’s been a huge upheaval for businesses up and down the country, not to mention for the children and their missed schooling.

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But aside from the obvious tech boom with Software as a Service (SaaS) products like Zoom, Slack and Netflix there are already huge consumer shifts that are likely to stay.

This means our budding relationship with tech is only set to grow. Ecommerce sales have also seen a huge surge with UK online sales growth hitting a 13-year high at +36.6% year-on-year for 2020. Even after the first lockdown ended these figures remained constant with a small 6% drop. If the numbers are to be believed, it’s fair to suggest that our short-lived adoption of digital could signal what the future holds. For businesses, this means we need to continue our quest with giving consumers access to our products and services online, and not only this we need to consider where the tech advances are taking us.

So what are the fastest-growing tech industries worldwide?

• • • • •

Virtual Reality Security Fintech Artificial Intelligence Biotechnology

According to Tech Nation, “Specialised tech roles are particularly in demand, like network security jobs for which salaries increased 69% on average this year to £85,894. Given the nationwide shift to remote work which relies on digital networks, specialised security professionals are more necessary for businesses than ever before.” They also state that “As the sector continues to grow it’s important to ensure that there are

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“ECOMMERCE SALES HAVE ALSO SEEN A HUGE SURGE WITH UK ONLINE SALES GROWTH HITTING A 13YEAR HIGH AT +36.6% YEAR-ON-YEAR FOR 2020.”

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“DESPITE THE INITIAL FEARS, WFH HAS OPENED THE DOOR TO ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYERS AND ENTREPRENEURS ALIKE.” opportunities for everyone and that a diversity of skills and perspectives can contribute to UK innovation. Around 37% of employees in the digital economy are in non-digital roles, such as HR, marketing, legal, and compliance.”

There are lots of exciting headlines that we can take from the tech sector. The UK currently has 80 unicorns (private companies valued at $1 billion or more), which is more than any other European country. Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds and Oxford have surged ahead of pre-covid investment funding and this can only be seen as a vote in confidence for UK’s innovation. We only have to look at the heroic achievements the UK has taken with the OxfordAstraZeneca Vaccine, where the previous work of Prof Sarah Gilbert enabled her to develop the vaccine in less than a few weeks based on her existing research in 2014 for Ebola.

Gerard Grech, chief executive, Tech Nation, said: “The UK’s tech businesses have faced one of the biggest upheavals in a century, and still pulled in more than $15bn.”

There is a clear correlation between high-growth companies that position themselves as tech-driven. Let’s switch to pizzas, I know much less awe-inspiring than vaccines, and you’re probably thinking how can there be any technological innovation within the pizza market? But for Domino’s, they’ve seen eye-watering growth over the past few years and it’s because their business strategy has technology at its core.

Today Domino’s is seen as one of the early adopters of technology within their sector. They were quick to respond to consumers’ demands. Increasingly diners wanted seamless delivery with a few taps on their app and delivery straight to their front door. In fact, online orders now far surpass orders taken over the phone.

However, a decade ago its share price languished at $2.83. Both consumers and investors were obviously underwhelmed by what the business had to offer. Since the introduction of their mobile ordering and tracking system share price drastically increased and is now

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hovering around $400 and the company’s market cap stands above $17 billion. Even pre-COVID their share price was at $290.

So what changed? Domino’s started to call itself a tech company. Out of the 800 people working at Domino’s headquarters, 400 work in software and analytics.

So what does all this mean for business leaders? How can we utilise tech in our own business? If you can’t invest in developing your own product then why not consider using technology partners. There is a rich ecosystem of successful cloud technology companies that can help to streamline and automate your business.

Despite the initial fears, WFH has opened the door to endless opportunities for employees, employers and entrepreneurs alike. For those that are willing to rip up the rule book and step out onto the precipice competitive advantage can be gained. This pandemic has shown us that anything is possible. I’m sure many business owners would have disregarded the possibility of allowing their staff to work remotely, pre-COVID, but we’ve proven that it can be done. As a result, many employers are finding that staff are more productive and more importantly CAN be trusted. This should enable us all to consider a new way of working in the future. It’s not unrealistic to expect that employees will want to continue in some form with a hybrid approach to WFH. Business owners will need to consider how this can be continued.

Now is the time to gain momentum. The need to integrate technology within our companies is not going to relinquish.

Given the fact that the tech sector has, so far, been largely unaffected by the pandemic it’s likely it could be the catalyst that propels the damaged UK economy out of its 300-year low decline.

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MANCHESTER CENTRAL ANNOUNCES PODCAST SPIN-OFF SERIES TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON THE INDUSTRY WORDS BY SAMANTHA PIKE-DEVLIN DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE, MANCHESTER CENTRAL

Last year, individuals and businesses across the UK, including Manchester Central, had to quickly learn to adapt to a new COVID-19 world and the array of restrictions that followed.

is bigger than we’ve ever seen it, so we felt the time was right to bring back Central Chat in this new format as we get stuck into 2021 and all it brings.

The ‘Central Chat’ spin-off series will give a voice to event professionals and local Manchester companies who have shifted focus as a result of this ‘new normal’.

The podcast primarily focuses on the event industry, and as we know, events are all about people. With that in mind, we want to develop the channel to tell new stories about how this global pandemic has affected, inspired, and changed the events industry and the people and businesses within it.

Each episode will put the spotlight on one specific guest’s story and experience, sharing their insights and learnings over the last 10 months.

Shaun Hinds, CEO at Manchester Central, said: “Almost one year on since the first lockdown, the appetite for accessible, interesting, and unique online content

Manchester Central is calling for event professionals across the UK to get in touch if they’re interested in being featured on the podcast.

If you have an interesting story to tell about how you or your business have

shifted focus or if you have any views on hot topics in the event industry at the moment then get in touch with podcast host, Samantha Pike-Devlin on: info@manchestercentral.co.uk.

To listen to the podcast trailer now, please visit: www.centralchat.buzzsprout.com

“EACH EPISODE WILL PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON ONE SPECIFIC GUEST’S STORY AND EXPERIENCE, SHARING THEIR INSIGHTS AND LEARNINGS OVER THE LAST 10 MONTHS.” 23

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WORDS BY RYAN WAIN HEAD OF POLICY, TONY BLAIR INSTITUTE At the time of writing, the ink on the Prime Minister’s lockdown exit plan is still drying.

Thanks to the now customary approach of leaking it to the Sunday papers ahead of time, we at least have some idea of what is being planned. Schools will reopen on 8th March, followed by the reintroduction of the ‘rule of six’ on 29th March. For a strategy billed as being based on ‘data not dates’, there sure are a lot of dates in there.

This lockdown has to be our last. For the economy to successfully reopen and stay open, it’s data we need. Specifically, a single-minded, focussed metric that business, community, and government can all get behind. This was absent the last time we exited a lockdown and it was business that paid the price, plagued by the opaqueness of tier systems and the uncertainty of an ever-changing picture.

At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, our belief is that restrictions should be eased – or added – based on the oft-quoted ‘R’ number. This simple figure tells us the average number of secondary infections produced by a single infected person. Keep it below 1 and cases will fall.

Go above, and cases rise.

The country’s mission should be to keep R below 1. This should inform when we ease, what we ease, where we ease – and when to put restrictions back on.

Focussing on this R number means we’re not directly guided by hospitalisations or case numbers, as important as they are.

Instead, it’s a rational recognition that an exceptional vaccine rollout means that the most vulnerable will be protected from death and serious illness, and we must therefore learn to live safely alongside Covid-19. To do this, we need a series of containment measures: tools that will keep a lid on cases, quickly identifying and isolating carriers.

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DOWNTOWN QUARTERLY The first of these is test and trace. Already, £22bn has been spent on this colossal machine and the result is a near 100x fold increase in the UK’s testing capacity. A phenomenal achievement but a waste of money if those testing positive – and their contacts – don’t isolate. This is a very real problem. Up to 80% of those required to isolate are not, with most citing the prospect of losing an insecure job or necessary income as the major reason why. The government, working with employers, should do all they can to remove these barriers – after all, a higher compliance rate will have a direct correlation on economic recovery.

Business should ready itself for a CovidPass of some sort. Notwithstanding important questions on privacy and security, a covid credential could be the difference between boom and bust, particularly in urban areas where a third of jobs are in hospitality. Their application should be simple: a vaccine or recent negative test would give a green light to entering a setting, be it an office, a bar or a stadium. These credentials would become a passport to freedom, ultimately replacing restrictions with ‘Low Covidrisk perimeters’ - areas free from social distancing and other measures because risk of transmission has been significantly lowered.

Two further measures will become key components of the containment infrastructure. Mass testing and health passports should be commonplace in a recognition that risk can only be managed, not eradicated. First piloted in Liverpool where it successfully identified 70% of infectious cases, mass testing utilises rapid, disposable tests that give users results in minutes. On their own, these tests have limited impact but as a system where users test themselves regularly regardless of symptoms, they are an exceptional tool. In the Liverpool pilot, only 30% of citizens participated – the so-called ‘worried well’ – but even then this identified 20-30% of the city’s weekly Covid cases. This is a remarkable number given that those being tested had no symptoms at all, but it is imperative that incentives are used to drive up participation. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that mass testing replaces lockdown as the go-to Covid-reduction measure.

Keeping the ‘R’ number down is vital for consumer confidence too, which we know has a dramatic impact on spending. Research from the Bank of England has shown that people react strongly to actual or perceived virus risk. Voluntary social distancing, not lockdown measures, account for about 40-50% of the fall in consumption and employment. What’s more, the IMF’s Annual Report also demonstrated that voluntary social distancing accounts for about 40% of the reduction in mobility in advanced economies – and lifting lockdowns will only lead to a partial recovery if perceptions of health risks persist. It is critical we get the containment measures right.

“MASS TESTING AND HEALTH PASSPORTS SHOULD BE COMMONPLACE IN A RECOGNITION THAT RISK CAN ONLY BE MANAGED, NOT ERADICATED.” 26

Together with mass vaccination these measures, if properly implemented, offer a path back to near normality within months. The need for decisive government action and support for business will, however, remain.

THE BUSINESS CLUB WITH OPINIONS Subscribe to the DIB weekly bulletins and receive early access to our DQ Digital magazine and keep you up-to-date with news, views and opinions from the world of business and politics. As well as, details of Downtown’s outstanding 2021 events programme.

Don’t miss out, sign up to receive our email bulletins and have early access to the DQ Digital Edition at: WWW.DOWNTOWNINBUSINESS.COM

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WORDS BY HANNAH FLOYD DIRECTOR & CO OWNER, PI SQ LTD

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“NETWORKING IS A CORE SKILL AND THERE IS AN ART TO IT.” Having been asked to write about the power of networking it has been necessary to stop and reflect on my networking past. Upon reflection I calculated that I have been networking now for 12+ years and it dawned on me what a huge impact networking has had on my life.

So, if you are not utilising the power of networking to positively impact your personal and business life – what is stopping you?!

I have networking to thank for the position I am in today and I wholeheartedly believe that. I also have networking to thank for some incredible businesspeople that I am now very proud to call my friends. I have been lucky enough to work in an industry where networking is a given, the wonderful world of commercial property. Starting my career as an Area manager for Regus in my early years to move into business development around 6 years ago and networking has been key to every increase in salary or promotion because my network was my net worth. Now that I have started a new business, networking has been the most invaluable asset to grow my business and brand awareness.

Without the incredible and supportive network of people that I have formed in my time I am certain that the business (which was set up in the middle of lockdown series one) would not have hit the ground running as it has and for that I am so grateful.

The relationships that we build during networking are key to our business and by making this priority you will not only gain more contacts but also gain more sales and I believe every role is responsible for sales, not just BDM’s or sales exec’s. Back

to basics here but how do we build any meaningful, worthwhile, and long-term relationship? Through trust. That is how a good business is conducted, not just focused on a quick sale, and conducting transactions but to get to the trust you must get to know the person first then there has to be a mutual liking. This is not going to be achieved by meeting a person once, its built over time and several meetings in varying situations, that’s where networking comes in. In today’s highly competitive world being a confident and effective networker sets you apart form the crowd.

The prospect of putting yourself out there can be daunting for some but it is important to remember that it does not always have to be in a formal setting, choosing the right networking events for what you feel comfortable with is also important because if you’re not comfortable its completely counterproductive. I remember years ago I attended a rather regimented networking event which I was not comfortable with and I sat in a corner, on my own drinking a coffee – a complete waste of my time and so I learned early on to seek out the more relaxed networking because those fitted with my personality.

There are still many people/ businesses out there that see networking as a jolly, schmoozing people, nice dinners, and lunches (I know my friends and family see it that way, I swear they did not think I did any actual work pre lockdown) but aside from all of that, networking is a core skill and there is an art to it. Of course all of that has kind of gone out of the window recently as we find ourselves in a time where our only way of networking is online

via zoom/teams which is somewhat more difficult, but I have found this a great support network personally you, so it is important we still continue to find new ways of keeping in touch but online networking is a whole new art that we have had to learn and adapt too very quickly.

Downtown in Business has been a large contributor of my networking journey as well as managing to win Female Networker of Year in 2019 I was lucky enough to be nominated for Young Entrepreneur of the year 2020. For obvious reasons that award ceremony hasn’t happened yet, but I am sure when it does, we will make up for lost time. Groups such as Downtown are so important to be a part of, going back to that trust element, when we find a group that we are committed to and have fantastic people and businesses involved in it, that can only work in our favour.

And so, leads me to my final thought, you will reveal networking’s true power when you do one thing; make it about how you can help people and not what they can do for you. For this you need to be authentic, you can’t just simply say that you’re there to help people unless you mean it and unless you experience genuine joy out of helping others. Networking for me firstly is about how I can help someone else achieve their goal because I get no better feeling that helping others and secondly if my business grows because of that, fantastic!

Once you have come to fully understand the above, I truly believe that the power of networking is life changing.

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BIGGEST RECESSION BOUNCE BACKS IN PROPERTY PRICE SINCE THE LAST MARKET CRASH WORDS BY JAMES FORRESTER MANAGING DIRECTOR, BARROWS AND FORRESTER GROUP & STRIPEHOMES Despite fears of a property market crash due to Covid, house prices are at an all-time high and the latest research by property developer, StripeHomes, has revealed which pockets of the market are currently fighting fit based on house price growth since the last market crash.

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“THERE WILL BE GENERATIONS OF UK HOMEBUYERS WHO WILL HAVE KNOWN NOTHING OTHER THAN UPWARD HOUSE PRICE GROWTH, BUT THOSE SLIGHTLY LONGER IN THE TOOTH WILL HAVE EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE DECLINE IN THE VALUE OF THEIR BRICKS AND MORTAR DURING THEIR LIFETIME. BIGGEST MARKET DECLINES Back in Q3 of 2007, the average UK house price peaked at a high of £189,503. However, when the market crashed, property values fell consistently before bottoming out at £155,701 during the first quarter of 2009; an -18% drop.

The market crash was felt the most in Northern Ireland where the average property price declined by -38%, while the South East (-19%), South West (-18%), East Midlands (-18%) and East of England (-17%) also saw some of the largest declines.

BIGGEST MARKET BOUNCE BACKS However, over a decade later the average UK house price now sits at £240,349 having climbed 54% from when the market bottomed out in 2009, with property values now 27% higher than their pre-recession peak.

No surprise then, that the best bounce back property markets are largely located within the capital. Waltham Forest has seen the largest bounce back since the recession, with house prices now 118% higher when compared to their 2009 low and 97% more than their prerecession peak in 2007.

Haringey, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Islington, Lewisham, Hackney and Newham have also seen property values increase by more than 100% since the recession.

Hackney has seen the largest improvement when compared to pre-recession highs, with house prices now 97% higher compared to their 2007 peak.

OUTSIDE OF LONDON

LONDON

The East of England (74%), South East (72%), South West (55%) and East Midlands (55%) have also seen the largest increases in property values since the recession, with house prices between 27% and 43% higher than their prerecession peaks.

London has seen the greatest revival of all UK regions.

The capital saw house prices fall by 16% during the recession. Today, the London market has bounced back to an average value of £490,620, 96% higher than the recession low of £250,068 and 65% higher than its prerecession peak of £297,254.

Cambridge has seen the largest recovery outside of London, with house prices bouncing back 94% since 2009; now 62% higher than their pre-crash peak. Some of the other largest recoveries outside of the capital include Bristol (91%), Oxford (86%), Epsom and Ewell (85%) and Hertsmere (85%).

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DOWNTOWN QUARTERLY YET TO BOUNCE BACK Just Northern Ireland has failed to recover, with house prices climbing just 2% since the recession, although they remain -36% below their pre-recession peak.

While house prices in the North East have also climbed 13% since the market bottomed out in 2009, they also remain -4% below their market high seen in 2007.

Managing Director of StripeHomes, James Forrester, commented: “There will be generations of UK homebuyers who will have known nothing other than upward house price growth, but those slightly longer in the tooth will have experienced at least one

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decline in the value of their bricks and mortar during their lifetime.

However, the resilience of the UK property market and the cyclical nature of house price growth means that the market has well and truly bounced back, with all but a very small segment reaching new house price highs.

Not only have the ghosts of the financial crash been laid to rest but house prices have far exceeded their pre-recession peaks and this demonstrates that, by and large, the property market remains the safest investment you can make during your lifetime.”

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THE DEATH OF THE MAIL PIECE IS GREATLY EXAGGERATED WORDS BY JULIAN GILBERT

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF NATIONWIDE FRANKINGSENSE

Are Marketing departments missing a trick? For sure there is value and a place for all methods of communication Modern explainers, e-mail (although getting old now) and social. E-mail might have replaced fax but it’s not fully replaced direct mail yet.

To create a quality mail piece takes time and thought; it hits the spot in different ways. It’s a simpler process than sitting in a room full of creatives arguing about styling, genres and which decade to choose for the backing audio; then trying to explain your company’s ethos for 3 hours to strangers so they can come back with a 45 second explainer video that bears no resemblance to the starting brief. “I just felt it this way,” comes the reply “I hope you don’t mind?” at the same time blowing thousands of pounds for the privilege. All this time just so everyone can go, “Ooooh! We’ll get a lot of likes on LinkedIn with that beauty.” I don’t know if anyone else has been there but I have?

Look - this is all good fun and exciting but surely the name of the game is results. For me, the object of Marketing should be more focused on lead gen, direct customer engagement, driving traffic to web, generating an email enquiry or inbound phone call so the BDM’s can have their day. Not trying to be ‘discovered’ on LinkedIn as the next Spielberg? Not all Marketing is about brand building, particularly the personal brand. Don’t worry, I understand the irony in this piece.

I believe in all Marketing so I’m not biased but I want to put the case for all channels, in particular the much overlooked mail piece. The letter is a blunt instrument in the modern world; it’s direct, forceful and requires action.

Positive or negative, either way it creates momentum. It’s different (completely) to all the razzmatazz of explainers, personal video blogs and self-indulgent promotions.

That it’s simpler could also be considered dangerous, as you put something in writing to a recipient, personally delivered, that requires thought about the consequences of the action. Even if that action is putting the mail piece in the bin or shredding it – you are connected to the letter in a way unlike any digital media. My thoughts were triggered as I was admiring a professional mailer that got my attention revived in the office (it looked like it was completely hand written but was cleverly volume printed) and energised by some interesting data recently released

by Royal Mail that made me stop and think about the values of mail in a new post COVID light.

So, in conclusion I think there is much life left in physical communication as we yearn for something different. With the assistance of hardware to carry the load of preparing mid to high volume mailings (of which there is a vast array). Some fantastic creative, new stunning office digital printing capabilities combined with strong sales call to action methodology - all this can create powerful results as part of the overall Marketing mix.

In complex noisy Marketing environments, the power lies in the pure simplicity of the direct mail piece as its biggest USP. Sometimes the tools at the bottom of your kit box, even if a little blunt, are just the thing you need to get the job done perfectly.

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WHY COLLABORATIVE TWO STAGE PROCUREMENT HAS TO BE THE NEW NORMAL WORDS BY BARRY ROBERTS

MANAGING DIRECTOR, MORGAN SINDALL 34

“ON TOO MANY OCCASIONS, NONCOLLABORATIVELY PROCURED WORK HAS RESULTED IN ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIPS FORMING, TO THE DETRIMENT OF ALL PARTIES AND THE QUALITY OF THE END PRODUCT.” The planned recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic has already seen the UK government intervene with promises to ‘build, build, build.’ The package of ‘New Deal’ measures announced so far represents a big change in mind-set from how the pre-COVID administration looked at economic stimulus and has supported the property industry and construction in particular at a critical time.

The pandemic has encouraged other changes in thinking that have been less positive, especially when it comes to how construction projects are put together. The market is seeing more use of single-stage procurement, a process that separates design and construction and which, because of the knowledge gaps it tends to produce, provides an illusory promise of competitive pricing and cost certainty.

Property teams are undoubtedly under pressure to manage costs and want full visibility of these at the earliest stage. But in a single stage process the project is generally designed and costed up by the contractor in isolation from the design team which can often result in the project budget being exceeded.

On too many occasions, non-collaboratively procured work has resulted in adversarial relationships forming, to the detriment of all parties and the quality of the end product.

Unfortunately, we have also seen the demise of some of our peers over the last year because of complications that have arisen from non-collaborative procurement.

The more enlightened approach for procurement, especially when we start to get back to a new normal, is the two-stage, collaborative route. If two-stage procurement is managed effectively, insight from supply chains can be provided early, and designs can be tailored more appropriately to budget.

The importance of incorporating costs into a design brief is often underestimated. Early collaboration from all means the appropriate disciplines are able to share their insight into what the brief entails and how it can be achieved within budget at the earliest stage. Failure to account for the insight of different members of the project team can, and often does, result in aspiration clashing with reality.

An excellent illustration of doing this the right way is our work with Liverpool City Council (LCC) on the Paddington Village Central site within the city’s Knowledge Quarter.

We’re currently working on numerous projects within the site, including The Spine, which will include the new northern home for the Royal College of Physicians.

Here, our role goes far beyond that of traditional main contractor – our remit includes full cost planning,

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design procurement, programming, technical and legal services. Early engagement and full integration of Morgan Sindall Construction as contractor partner created both efficiencies and cost savings. All projects have been designed to cost from first principles, ensuring high quality and functionality within budget.

The benefits of early engagement and two stage procurement can also be shown by our work for the University of Salford. Morgan Sindall Construction was announced as the preferred contractor for the £65 million Science, Engineering and Environmental Building two years ago and worked on the scheme alongside project manager Faithful + Gould, architect Sheppard Robson and engineers Arup before we were formally appointed this summer.

Work has begun on site, and the knowledge and the experience we’ve gained over the past two years working with the university means we have a complete awareness both of the technical aspects of the job, and also of the wider drivers, such as its place with the University’s masterplan.

In practical terms, this was achieved by Morgan Sindall Construction’s bid team being co-located within the University campus, and other methods such as a transparent and jointly owned cost plan between client and contractor and the periodic presentation of the design to key stakeholders ensuring they remained involved through the whole journey.

It would be wrong to suggest that during a two year procurement period there were no moments of disagreement or tension. A concoction of numerous stakeholders, budget pressures, design aspiration and varying personalities will be present in many, if not all, construction projects particularly of such high value.

However, the way the team collaboratively engaged to resolve such pressure and find practical solutions for the benefit of all has been both refreshing and rewarding for all involved.

As the examples I’ve referenced illustrate, such a commitment to collaboration can result in enhanced communication with the client, enabling a contractor to really understand the drivers behind the project and allowing the design, build programme and social value outputs to be shaped according to the client’s wider aims.

It’s for these reasons that two stage procurement is ultimately the best route to a successful project.

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70% OF GREATER MANCHESTER BUSINESS LEADERS LIKELY TO ADAPT CURRENT WORKPLACE DESIGN IN WAKE OF COVID-19 WORDS BY JESSICA HENNESSY EA & HEAD OF FINANCE, OBI PROPERTY

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DOWNTOWN QUARTERLY New data from real estate consultancy OBI has revealed that 70% of business leaders surveyed across Manchester have said they need to permanently change the design of their workplaces in order to suit the longer-term needs of their businesses and teams.

The report, ‘The Future of Work and our City’, surveyed 100 business owners or managers in leadership positions in offices from a variety of sectors across the city region.

The research comes as OBI has reported an increase in requests from clients to help redesign and advise on their post pandemic working environment.

Andy Crompton, head of workplace consultancy at OBI said: “There is no one size fits all answer to an occupiers future working environment. We are taking even more time to fully understand our client’s DNA, the psychological profiling of their employees and the flexibility of their technology infrastructure. This is before we even commence the design process. The answer is that everyone’s needs are different and the workplace design will be bespoke to that occupier.

“We are working with a lot of businesses seeking to work more flexibility and make efficiencies wherever possible.

Only 12% of people we spoke to said they would see their office footprints increasing post-COVID. “Instead, businesses are getting ‘smarter’ about the way they design their existing office space, as the needs of team members continue to change.”

Once a return to the office is given the green light, OBI found that the top three things that business leaders in the region anticipate they’ll ‘need’ to provide to employees are: • • •

Technology to assist with flexible and agile working More collaboration space Video conferencing rooms

“Agile working is now properly being embraced,” added Andy, “and that’s something which business leaders need to understand quickly if they’re serious about talent retention. 37% of leaders we surveyed see their businesses accelerating towards an agile working model, expecting to allocate 1.6 - 2 people per desk.

Pre-pandemic, we were seeing desk ratios of 1-1.2 people per desk. Again, this solidifies the idea that people are reassessing the way their spaces work for them and their teams, as flexible and remote working becomes a mainstay.”

OBI was founded in 2010 by Will Lewis and Dominic Horridge, and is headquartered in Manchester with an additional office in Leeds.

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Flexibility also extends to lease terms, as 80% of businesses surveyed by OBI expressed a desire for ‘extra flexibility’ when making future decisions regarding their office or agreeing on a new lease.

“Lengthy leases with complex terms are becoming increasingly unattractive for occupiers,” commented Andrew Cowell from the Transactions & Asset Management team. “Landlords should consider this a key priority for future-proofing the commercial sector, particularly when it comes to SMEs who will likely seek out a greater degree of flexibility.”

OBI sees a safe return to the office as key to the reactivation of Manchester city centre, as workers will drive footfall back into urban spaces and provide hospitality venues with key daytime trade.

Respondents to the survey shared in this, with 80% of business leaders sharing that they are ‘concerned’ about the future of city centres following the impact of the pandemic. More support to the hospitality industry was identified as a key priority for those surveyed, second only to ‘more frequent and safer public transport’.

Andrew said: “The positive impacts that fewer cars on our roads and no commuting have had on the UK’s air quality

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have been regarded as a ‘silver lining’ for many, and it’s unlikely that people will be comfortable with slipping back to pre-pandemic emissions levels.

“We foresee an even stronger push from the Government and local leadership towards public transport, which will be a key driver in helping to rebuild and bring footfall back to our towns and cities.

“This tallies, of course, with Greater Manchester’s sustainability ambitions, as Andy Burnham looks to achieve his ambitious 2038 net-zero goals for the city region.”

60% of respondents think a ‘COVID passport’ which formally records test results and vaccinations would help to reopen city centres – however, only 30% of businesses would consider implementing a COVID testing programme to encourage colleagues back to the office post-lockdown.

“Ultimately,” concludes Cowell, “business leaders and owners are going to make their own decisions on how they build back, based on what their organisations need. But our advice would be to approach the new way of working with flexibility and compassion at the core.”

“RESPONDENTS TO THE SURVEY SHARED IN THIS, WITH 80% OF BUSINESS LEADERS SHARING THAT THEY ARE ‘CONCERNED’ ABOUT THE FUTURE OF CITY CENTRES FOLLOWING THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC.”

LIKE TO JOIN US FOR DRINKS ON THE TERRACE? PALACE OF WESTMINSTER 18TH OCTOBER 2021 SAVE THE DATE

PATRICK.GAFFNEY@DOWNTOWNINBUSINESS.COM

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BRAND-NEW ROOFTOP BAR AND EVENTS SPACE IS OPENING THIS SPRING IN LIVERPOOL’S BUSINESS DISTRICT A brand-new rooftop bar and events space is opening this spring in Liverpool’s business district.

Independent bar operator Ma Pub Group has announced that it has agreed terms for the former Hus café bar unit in Capital & Centric’s Tempest Building on Tithebarn Street in Liverpool.

Ma Pub Group is headed by operator Iain Hoskins, which also runs the historic Ma Boyle’s Alehouse & Eatery pub that celebrated its 150th Birthday last year. Two other locations, Ma Egerton’s Stage Door and Bøck Biere Café (Manchester) were recently sold from the estate.

The stunning unit spans over 5000sf across ground floor and a basement events space, with an imposing frontage which also compromises a roof terrace that was the highlight of the site when it previously operated as Hus. The new venture is to be called Tempest on Tithebarn, with a heavy nod to New York’s meatpacking district eateries, focusing heavily on brunches, lunches, cocktails and craft beer. A provisional Easter opening has been suggested dependent on lockdown restrictions, but Hoskins is keen to take full advantage of the outside and roof-top space with good weather while social distancing will be in place.

Iain Hoskins: “The café bar unit at the Tempest building is an incredible space, with the addition of some fantastic outside areas that are an absolute premium for the times we are living in right now. Tempest on Tithebarn will be an exciting addition for the business community, with which we already have a longstanding relationship, having run Ma Boyle’s locally for the past six years.

This project has been nearly a year in the making as negotiations started just prior to the first national lockdown last year. We had every intention of opening last summer but with Covid-19 that obviously didn’t happen.

When allowed, we traded very well with Ma Boyle’s, despite the constantly changing restrictions, which has given us confidence with Tempest. Liverpool’s a really resilient city and hospitality one of its main industries. I have no doubt it will bounce back, it will be tough, but it will.

The Tempest Building boasts some incredible creative companies, and the building is a real hub sitting alongside the many new developments in the commercial district.

The lack of footfall created by the pandemic is a worry and will continue to be so until we fully know that we have beaten Covid-19 and office staffing levels return to normal.

However, as we’ve found with Ma Boyle’s, the weekday office trade is actually only one of many parts that will make up our core audience. At its heart, great food, coffee and drinks, along with the incredible homely service that have made people keep coming back to Ma Boyle’s is what will drive this new business.”

The new venture is likely to employ up to a mixture of 40 part and full-time staff with a refurb budget of circa £250,000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: WWW.TEMPESTONTITHEBARN.CO.UK HELLO@TEMPESTONTITHEBARN.CO.UK 41

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WHO IS R CHARITY? Aimee Clare, Fundraising Development Manager from Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Charity appeals for your support R Charity is the dedicated charity for staff and patients at Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust, raising funds to directly and positively impact the treatment, care and support of our patients.

It’s thanks to local donations and support that we can help our trust improve the services it provides by funding world class equipment, technologies and environments that are essential to providing our patients with the best possible diagnosis, treatment, care and experience.

Since March 2020, the R Charity Fundraising Team has raised £1.3million to help our trust provide our staff with psychological and wellbeing support through the provision of additional psychologists, shower and changing rooms, wellbeing rooms, wellbeing packs and whatever other support may be required to make their jobs caring for the people of Merseyside and beyond during the COVID-19 Pandemic easier.

We want to contribute to the improvement of services and treatment, in particular Cancer services and treatment to and for those who need it, whilst working closely with departments, clinicians and trust executives to identify where additional support is required.

The team has also been working hard to support our patients who face being separated from family and friends with support and provisions during their stay.

COVID-19 has meant that we have had to cancel all of our 2020 fundraising events, resulting in loss of income and time spent with our supporters as we usually would. We appreciate that times are tough for organisations and charities alike all over the county, but we are extremely grateful to those who continue to support R Charity and our Hospital Trust.

2020 has been a worrying time for us all. Our hospitals have been caring for a high percentage of the UK’s COVID-19 patients, doing all that they can to provide the best treatment and care to those who need it. This is why in 2020, R Charity has focused its efforts into raise as much money as possible to support our incredibly hardworking teams, and our patients through these difficult times.

Since March, we’ve had some incredible donations to support our COVID-19 Appeal from organisations and companies. We received a £250,000 donation from Barclays, £100,000 from Deliveroo and £10,000 from Amazon UK; all incredible donations to which we are extremely grateful to have received. But we are also just as equally grateful to the 100’s of individuals and organisations from within the city that have made a

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donation, organised a virtual event, organised a quiz, walked 50 miles…

We’ve had an array of people raising funds in an array of ways, and we are extremely grateful to each and every one of them.

We can only continue our work by gaining the support of our local communities and our mission is to create as many different ways as possible to forge new partnerships and involve our supporters in ways that best suit them. We are so grateful to the thousands of dedicated fundraising volunteers, supporters and donors, without whom the projects funded by the charity would not be possible.

How you can help…

By taking part in the 300/3000 Mile in March Challenge We challenge you and your team to walk, run, cycle or swim 300/3000 miles in March. By challenging yourself and your team, you can raise funds by setting up a Just Giving page, encouraging customers, colleagues, friends and family to sponsor you.

To take part, or for more information about other ways in with we could work together to support out hospitals, our staff and our patients, please contact Aimee Clare aimee.clare@liverpoolft.nhs. uk/07768508962

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B&M WASTE SERVICES IS EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AT THE NATIONAL RECYCLING AWARDS 2020 B&M Waste Services won Employer of the Year at the National Recycling Awards at a virtual awards ceremony held on 27th January 2021. Despite fierce competition from Suez Recycling and Recovery UK, and Valpak, the family-owned carbon neutral company prevailed, winning one of the most coveted awards of the evening.

The award recognises businesses that have created safe, supportive and stimulating work environments for its employees, and those which have a genuine commitment to the welfare of its staff. B&M were able to demonstrate high employee satisfaction levels in an ambitious and motivated workforce, driven by how it values staff in areas such as safety, welfare, culture, inclusion, and learning and development.

Commenting on the win, Neil Curtis Managing Director for B&M Waste said: “We are delighted to accept the award on behalf of all our employees

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who have worked so hard with us to create such an amazing working environment. It’s been a tough year for all of us and we are thrilled to receive such an accolade.”

The MRW National Recycling Awards bring together recycling and waste management professionals to recognise and celebrate best practice and innovation in recycling and waste management. The awards provide industry recognition and unrivalled networking opportunities.

Corin Williams, MRW editor, said: “The standard of entries this year was very impressive indeed and the winners had to see off a lot of stiff competition.

I am once again amazed at the strength and depth in the sector.”

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LAST YEAR THE LOWRY HOTEL’S RIVER RESTAURANT LAUNCHED ‘AT HOME DINING’ WITH AWARD-WINNING CHEF DAVE ASHTON AT THE HELM If you’ve not yet heard about @HOME by The Lowry Hotel, you might have been living under a rock. Last year The Lowry Hotel’s River Restaurant launched a successful at-home cookery service to enjoy AA rosette food from the comfort of your own home.

Whilst this meal kit is reserved exclusively for Mother’s Day weekend the opportunity to delight your clients with an Afternoon Tea delivered for your next virtual meeting or zoom team event is always available as The Lowry Hotel are able to cater for bespoke events.

The River Restaurant is renowned for its sumptuous Sunday Lunch and decadent afternoon tea, no stone has gone unturned when it comes to this dining service which brings a touch of luxury to the comfort of your own home.

No virtual event is too big or too small. Do you want to reward your employees with a treat at home, or do you want to bring back the social aspect of Friday afternoon drinks in a virtual setting? With options ranging from delivery to your attendee’s homes or socially distanced collection slots, you can make sure any event is catered to five-star standards.

The current promotion is a special Afternoon Tea designed for a Mother’s Day treat. This year, more than ever, it is important to show appreciation for those who support us through the year. Although our Mother’s know that we appreciate them today and every day, 14th March is the perfect opportunity to show them just how much. @HOME

by The Lowry Hotel is the epitome of five-star luxury in the comfort of your own home, and Mother’s Day is no different. Choose from either an Afternoon tea delight or an indulgent Sunday Lunch with minimal effort, assembly is required.

The decadent Afternoon Tea @ HOME requires no cooking, just an artful arrangement at home and consists of a fully prepared afternoon tea spread inclusive of tea from the Manor and a bottle of Prosecco – perfect for the Queen inside us all!

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LIVERPOOL WILL BOUNCE BACK AFTER THIS PANDEMIC, BUT WHAT DO WE WANT THE CITY TO LOOK LIKE? WORDS BY BILL ADDY CHIEF EXECUTIVE, LIVERPOOL BID COMPANY

If we do want the city to “build back better” we have to consider key questions, about how we want Liverpool to work for everyone within it, and how we create a happier, healthier and more inclusive city for the future.

A city where people come for culture, come to shop, to work, live or visit, Liverpool has to work to be a place for all of its communities, businesses and attractions. The welcome Liverpool offers to those coming for a city break has to be as warm as the one it gives potential investors. If Liverpool is to recover in a fair and equitable way, the city has to recognise and cater for all of its strengths.

As part of the strategy to recover, Liverpool BID Company has unveiled a team of BID Champions, coming

from an array of sectors and industries, including hospitality, commercial, retail and culture.

Understanding the unique challenges and impacts that have been felt in each sector is vital if Liverpool is to be able to open up and to rebuild.

Recovery needs to be rooted in a mixed-use economy, ensuring every industry is supported.

The BID Champions include Julie Johnson for Corporate Services, as Business Operations Partner at Morecrofts Solicitors and Chair of Commercial District BID, Jennina O’Neill for Retail as Centre Manager at Metquarter and Chair of the Retail & Leisure BID, Natalie Haywood for Hospitality as Managing Director of the LEAF Group and Gillian Miller for Leisure and Culture as CEO of Liverpool’s Royal Court and Chair of St George’s Quarter CIC. Each will provide a voice for each sector, working with BID Levy Payers in each industry helping to bring their concerns, needs to the fore and lobby on their behalf to local, regional, and national government via Liverpool BID Company.

Liverpool’s 30-year renaissance is rooted in its ability to appeal to retailers, to commercial businesses, the hospitality sector, its thriving and night-time economy. From the waterfront to the Knowledge Quarter, Liverpool is a city that has been able to come together to write a fresh chapter in its story.

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This is an economic perspective, and helping the city to work and to flourish is a vital ingredient in its recovery and ability to adapt and respond to the crisis that has affected us all for the past year.

Yet recovery is also about people, and at Liverpool BID Company we are always mindful that our 1,500 Levy Payers represent multinational employers, digital and creative agencies, independents, contractors, SMEs and everything in between.

They might employ hundreds, or they might be working for themselves.

No matter the size of the team, any recovery must have people at its heart.

The way people work has changed substantially during the coronavirus pandemic, and it will be important to recognise the benefits many will have felt to have a greater degree of flexibility between their working and home lives. What impact will that have on offices, on how our city centre is used from breakfast networking

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meetings to post work drinks and theatre shows? The flow and rhythm of a city is rooted in how its people, its communities, use it.

Connecting the city, giving its inhabitants, its businesses and communities an equal stake in recovery will help Liverpool to rebuild in a way that makes it far stronger.

2020 taught Liverpool the power of connecting people and organisations who might not have traditionally worked together, and not only has it helped in the response to the pandemic, it has helped individuals deal with the challenge. Rebuilding the city will also require rebuilding our communities, and in some ways ourselves. No one has been left untouched by this crisis.

At Liverpool BID Company, our BID Champions represent a desire to let everyone have a seat at the table, and a voice in the way to build back better.

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HOW CAN YOUR CITY ATTRACT A WORKFORCE ON THE MOVE? WORDS BY ELLIE GREEN CONTENT AND COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE, TOTALJOBS

Widespread homeworking following Covid-19 has inspired many people to think about where they want to live and work. The roadmap out of lockdown will see restrictions gradually lifted over the coming months and office space reopening.

However, many businesses are now considering a long-term hybrid working style, where time is split between the office and home. In some cases, roles are going entirely remote. This means more options for candidates, and more opportunities to connect with talent for employers.

Totaljobs research shows that at least 27% of people living in urban locations have been working from home since the Covid-19 pandemic began, and don’t want to return to working in their city office. A third (32%) of 18–24-year-olds across the UK are the most likely age bracket to be reconsidering where they want to

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live. 25–34-year-olds aren’t far behind, as 31% are reconsidering where to call home.

The Government’s Stamp Duty holiday has already led many people to fast-forward their moving plans.

In London alone, 38% of people are now reconsidering where they live.

Migration away from the capital was already on the up before Covid-19, with people typically spending fewer years in London and leaving at an earlier age. The pandemic has seen this accelerate.

Businesses currently recruiting can utilise their remote or hybrid working models to attract a workforce on the move and hire the best candidate for the job, regardless of where they’re based. If an employee only needs to travel into the workplace once a week, or even once a month, the length of the commute becomes less of a

blocker when applying for a role.

So, when it comes to attracting candidates from outside of your local area, what’s the best approach? Take a look at how businesses can utilise their location to build a competitive employee value proposition and win over people looking to relocate.

A FAMILY-FIRST APPROACH A quarter of people considering relocating believe childcare support from an employer would help them to up sticks and move somewhere new.

This need is very much dependent on an individual’s own life milestones, with this factor being twice as important to people in their thirties compared to other ages.

A robust relocation package and being open to relocation is very different to the reality, where different

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factors need to line up in order for someone to be able to start afresh in a new place. Totaljobs research found that 80% of people would be more likely to move if they were offered a relocation package – regardless of whether they were actively planning to up sticks or not. This could range from support with moving, temporary storage space or housing, through to highlighting the locations of top performing schools or nurseries in the area.

have already requested to continue working in this way; for those people who find their requests declined, they might be tempted to search for roles that do offer this style of working as a given. This desire to spend more time working from home in the future may partly be driven by the fact 49% believe their work-life balance took a turn for the better since going remote.

A FLEXIBLE WORKING MODEL

With millions of people across the UK reconsidering where they live and work following the Covid-19 pandemic, employers can make the most of this sentiment and find the next person for their team by sourcing talent from outside their local area.

Getting the practicalities of managing remote and on-site staff will be a priority in the months ahead for those businesses embracing a more flexible working model. Totaljobs research found that 76% of people are interested in a long-term remote working solution, and a quarter

PROMOTE THE BENEFITS OF YOUR LOCAL AREA

business, but in the context of their location, Totaljobs has created the City CVs collection to enable businesses to bolster their employer value propositions, widen talent pools and ultimately source the best talent.

The City CVs spotlight the uniqueness of twelve popular UK cities: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield. Each City CV showcases the area’s culture, history and lifestyle perks, plus essential information on house prices, and local schools and universities.

To help employers to position a job offering not only in the context of their

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WORK STARTS ON FINAL PHASE OF BLACON PARADE, CHESTER Work has started on the final phase of Sanctuary Homes’ Blacon Parade to deliver a new medical centre at Blacon Parade with housing above, next to the existing Parade Enterprise Centre.

The scheme also includes 12 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom apartments, available for affordable rent.

Comprising three storeys, the health centre will be on the ground floor with the apartments above.

Brock Carmichael has been responsible for the masterplan, concept design and executive delivery for the £19m major mixed-use regeneration of this centre of the 14,000 resident Blacon Estate in Chester.

The scheme is being delivered by an innovative partnership between Sanctuary and Cheshire West and Chester Council including Cheshire NHS and other vital local community organisations. The Parade Enterprise Centre, already completed, is run by Avenue Services, a joint venture between Sanctuary Group and Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Sanctuary’s senior development manager Danielle Wrigley said: “I’m delighted to see the redevelopment of final

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stage of The Parade beginning to take shape with the new GP surgery and health centre which, along with 16 apartments, will be a significant addition to the local area.

This development further underlines Sanctuary’s ongoing commitment to Blacon and the wider Cheshire West and Chester region.”

Brock Carmichael’s masterplan has provided substantial refurbishment of the neighbourhood centre, 62 new build housing units, including a 36 unit sheltered housing scheme, a fully refurbished local retail centre, a new anchor store occupied by Spar, an Enterprise Office Centre, Library and 1,000sqft. new flexible community building.

Key to the success of the project has been sustained and effective consultation between key local stakeholders and the wider community. The project has now moved into the implementation phase with Brock Carmichael leading on executive delivery.

Work is expected to be completed by Spring 2022.

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SUTCLIFFE MANAGING DIRECTOR SEAN KEYES APPOINTED AS NEW ACE NORTH WEST CHAIR Managing director of civil and structural engineering firm Sutcliffe, Sean Keyes, has been appointed as the new Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) North West chair, following in the footsteps of the company's founder John Sutcliffe, who held the prestigious title for a number of years in the early 2000s.

Sean’s passion, experience and knowledge of the industry will see him as a natural fit for this new strategic role with ACE, which represents the companies large and small designing our built environment, both as a leading ambassador for the association and a champion for its members and the wider infrastructure and built environment sector in the North West.

Brexit, the Northern Powerhouse and levelling-up agenda, the ongoing impact of Covid-19 and sustainability will be on Sean’s list of priorities over the coming months, as he aims to build on the mission of previous chairs to create a strong and robust sector in the North West region.

Sean Keyes, managing director at Sutcliffe, said:

“It has long been an ambition of mine to work more closely with ACE and as its new chair I have lofty plans to engineer the future landscape of the North West. I’m very excited to take up the role, following in the footsteps of the late great John Sutcliffe, who founded Sutcliffe 36 years ago!

“It is an interesting time to take up the position and I love a good challenge. We will hopefully soon be entering into a post-Covid world where up-skilling, job creation and the construction sector will all be integral as we rebuild the country’s economy.

I hope my three decades worth of experience will stand me in good stead in our mission to strengthen the sector in the region.”

Darrell Matthews, director of membership and business engagement at ACE, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Sean to the ACE board as our representative from the North West. The region has a huge role to play in regeneration and the levelling-up agenda, as well as delivering a Net Zero future for us all. Our members design, deliver and manage our infrastructure and built

environment, and as such are vital to turning these aspirations into reality.

“Sean joins us at a crucial moment in time. While construction activity in the region will drive our national recovery, many companies are emerging from a period of great uncertainty. As the leader of a successful SME in Sutcliffe, Sean is ideally positioned to share his personal experiences for the benefit of the industry. I look forward to us working together.”

ACE is the association for the UK’s professional consultancies and engineering companies operating in the social and economic infrastructure sectors. It champions infrastructure and the built environment to government and other stakeholders, representing the views of around 400 members. The North West group forms a body of unrivalled knowledge which can help the cities in the North West positively make the case for more construction and infrastructure investment.

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RESCUE, RE-IMAGINE, AND BUILD RESILIENCE WORDS BY ROGER MARSH OBE

CHAIR, THE LEEDS CITY REGION ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP The North has a proud legacy of leading the country through moments of national difficulty and playing an integral role in its subsequent recovery. The pandemic provides yet another opportunity to build upon this legacy and lead the nation onto future prosperity.

As the UK Government looks to rebound from the worst economic crisis in 300 years, it must draw upon the strengths and capabilities of the North to deliver a truly national recovery. Our region has exceptional strengths in innovation, manufacturing, clean growth, and digital that can be drawn upon to ensure maximum resilience and responsiveness to a post-pandemic economy. However, as a region that has suffered among the worst impacts of the pandemic’s health and economic fallout, we will need targeted interventions to help people and communities rebuild and forge brighter futures in new growth industries.

Our economic recovery will provide a renewed and welcome focus on clean growth. The UK Government has set out a ten-point plan to reach

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net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and in November the eyes of the world will be upon us as Glasgow hosts COP 26. The North has a unique and crucial role to play if the nation is to reach these critical, but ambitious environmental targets.

As the energy powerhouse of the UK, the North already generates 40% of the nation’s electricity, and is well placed to take advantage of innovations in renewable energy and lead the transition to a carbon neutral future. Our region is already home to the largest offshore wind farm in Europe, world-class electric car making factories, and northern businesses that are pioneering innovation in nuclear energy.

Targeted Government investment would cement the North as the primary zero-carbon energy provider for the UK. These ambitions are not only environmentally critical, but will also bring substantial economic benefits, helping the Government to deliver its ‘levelling-up’ commitment. A 50% reduction in carbon levels by 2032 would create 100,000 new jobs and add £2bn a year to the Northern

economy by 2050. Further targeted investment in the North’s renewable capabilities would create a thriving Northern Powerhouse that can compete for the UK globally whilst creating better economic outcomes for everyone at home.

As the nation contemplates our economic recovery, we are simultaneously embarking on a new trading relationship with Europe and the world. The North is home to world-renowned culture, arts, sports clubs, research institutions, as well as economic strengths in high-value, high tech industries.

Our expertise in these sectors has cultivated a Northern Powerhouse brand which adds real value to UK Plc, and boosts our nation’s trade in markets throughout the world.

Despite these strengths, the North has been greatly underutilised in recent years, with exports accounting for only 24% of Northern Powerhouse GDP, compared to the UK average of 30%. Global Britain will need to be firing on all cylinders to be a trading powerhouse post Covid-19 and must therefore take advantage of our region’s unique offering.

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Our fightback from the pandemic must be accompanied by a renewed focus on health and wellbeing. This is not only socially, but economically advantageous, to communities and businesses across the nation. The North enjoys a rich abundance of natural environment, heritage, culture and arts, which make vital contributions to our wellbeing and quality of life as well as being major employers and attractions that boost our region’s economy. We are home to five national parks, eight world heritage sites, and a vibrant arts sector which each make a massive contribution to our quality of living. Targeted investment in place, will breathe new life into our town and city centres and ensure our rural communities benefit from digital and transport connectivity to help them thrive.

Innovation in science and healthcare has been critical in the fight against Covid-19, delivering a life-saving vaccine within 12 months of the outbreak. Northern innovation and productivity are supporting this fightback, with 60 million doses of the Novavax vaccine set to be produced in Teesside, and institutions such as the University of Sheffield developing tests to limit the global spread of the virus. Research and Development will continue to play a pivotal role in the ongoing battle, as well as prepare us for any future pandemics. Meanwhile, innovations in science and technology will aid us in the other great battle of the 21st century – the climate emergency. The North is home to some of the nation’s leading

research institutions and universities, which are working to deliver innovations in renewables, healthcare, and manufacturing. However, failures to adequality invest in Northern Research and Development and connect this academic research with industry have been partly responsible for the disparity in regional growth in the UK. As Chair of the NP11 and the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, I’ve seen first-hand the incredible resilience of Northern business throughout the pandemic. This crisis has only made the importance of levelling-up even more acute, but this determination has laid the foundation for our economic revival. As we rescue, re-imagine, and build resilience, everyone has a part to play to ensure all voices are heard and that inclusion is at the heart of the recovery to national benefit for decades to come.

“INNOVATION IN SCIENCE AND HEALTHCARE HAS BEEN CRITICAL IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19, DELIVERING A LIFESAVING VACCINE WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF THE OUTBREAK.” 55

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WORDS BY DAVID MORRIS MP MORECAMBE & LUNESDALE

Securing a Parliamentary Adjournment Debate is one of the highlights of being an MP. For those not encumbered by a detailed knowledge of how Westminster works, it is worth explaining that it gives one a full 30 minutes to make a speech on whatever your topic and the relevant Government Minister must respond.

And so, on Wednesday 10th February there was the chance to explain why the Government should invest in helping create an Eden of the North.

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This project is all about celebrating environmental protection, illustrating the obvious advantages of saving our planet, creating a better understanding of the green agenda.

Building a northern version of the Eden Project, that has thrived in Cornwall since 2000, will not only benefit Morecambe, where it is to be located, but it will stimulate the economies of towns and cities all around the region.

Eden Project North is one of those initiatives which feeds directly into the Government’s post-pandemic

levelling up agenda. It is ready to start, it will create sustainable jobs, it helps lift the northern economy, and it also educates communities about the importance of marine environmentalism.

If there was a project that could be described as a ‘win-win’ then this is it.

And the response to the Adjournment Debate from the Local Government Minister, Luke Hall MP, could not have been more positive.

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“THIS PROJECT COULD BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE WIDER TOURISM OFFER, REIMAGINING COASTAL COMMUNITIES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY” He said: “Eden Project North is exactly the kind of project that this Government wish to support. Proposals like Eden Project North are part and parcel of our core agenda to secure a vibrant and prosperous north and level up every part of our country… this project has the potential to make an economic impact reaching far beyond the town itself, across the whole of Lancashire and, indeed, the northern powerhouse. It has the potential to create high-quality, new, green economy jobs, which are needed in the north.”

The Minister continued: “The north has many areas of outstanding natural beauty, and this project could be an important part of the wider tourism offer, reimagining coastal communities for the 21st century, not just as an international visitor destination, but as a real asset in the region’s post-covid economic recovery.”

Hopefully, as we steadily move on from this truly awful pandemic, we will see the Government able to positively invest in this unique northern project. That is the result I will continue to campaign for.

David Morris is Member of Parliament for Morecambe and Lunesdale, and Chairman of Lancashire All Party Parliamentary Group

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BACK TO BUSINESS

WORDS BY STEPHANIE COWAN SALES EXECUTIVE, STOCK EXCHANGE

If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing Stephanie.Cowan@StockExchangeHotel.co.uk or calling 0161 470 3901.

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“THE HOUSE IS A UNIQUE PENTHOUSE, BOASTING SUPERLATIVE ATTENTION TO DETAIL, EXTENSIVE AMENITIES AND SPACIOUS FACILITIES.” Following most recent announcements, Stock Exchange Hotel is ready and waiting to welcome you back. Whether you are looking to host a training session, hold a meeting or would simply like to bring the team back together, the hotel’s exclusive event spaces and dedicated team can provide a unique and safe environment.

current health and safety procedures, The Vault is the perfect place to hold your next business event.

THE HOUSE With its own roof terrace offering views over and across the Manchester skyline, The House is a unique penthouse, boasting superlative attention to detail, extensive amenities and spacious facilities. The exclusive space offers a large dining area which accommodates up to ten guests, as well as two separate seating areas, suited for both business and leisure alike. Whether you are looking to wow clients or enjoy a special experience The House really is a space like no other.

THE BANK Hidden within every Stock Exchange is a space reserved for the most special and private of transactions.

The Bank at Stock Exchange Hotel has been reinvented to provide the setting for any type of special moment; an intimate experience, exclusive and light hearted in equal measure. The Bank offers a culinary masterclass with Tom Kerridge’s hand-picked team. A uniquely tailored opportunity to share in warm welcomes, bold flavours and the creation of the meal of a lifetime. Alternatively, this is the perfect space for an exclusive, self-contained boardroom meeting, compete with its own private access.

THE VAULT Few throughout history have experienced the magic of The Vault within the Manchester Stock Exchange. Until now. The Vault at The Stock Exchange Hotel was the secure space where money and valuables

were held and has now been restored to offer a unique venue in the city.

Today it’s a secure place to hold your next business event in a safe and non-intrusive environment. Due to the layout of this unique space, The Vault can accommodate meetings for up to 30, but with the facility to break out into smaller group using socially distanced booths. Each of the attendees will also receive a personal sanitiser kit to ensure that they ‘Stay Safe at Stock’. Situated on the lower ground level of the Hotel with fully integrated AV, social distancing measures in place and dedicated staff who have been fully trained on the

HEALTH & SAFETY Health & Well Being of staff, guest and suppliers is of the upmost importance to Stock Exchange Hotel.

Adopting detailed standard operating procedures, which coordinate their approach and allows for engagement of the team and monitoring of controls. Stock Exchange want to reassure everyone who enters the hotel, they are in a safe and secure place.

Stock Exchange is currently still open for essential business travel and key workers, and a member of the team is always happy to help.

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COVID-19 PCR TEST CENTRE OPENS AT LJLA FOR PASSENGERS WORDS BY ROBIN TUDOR HEAD OF PR, LIVERPOOL JOHN LENNON AIRPORT International travel continues to be banned for most people due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, however for those who have a legally permitted reason to travel internationally, it is likely they will need a ‘Fit to Fly’ certificate in order to gain entry in to the country they are travelling to. Liverpool John Lennon Airport is pleased to announce that it has teamed up with locally based Test Assurance Group (TAG) to offer passengers the opportunity to book the required COVID-19 PCR test at a new facility based at the Airport, with easy access and free parking right outside.

Whether traveling overseas from Liverpool or other UK airports or perhaps by other forms of transport, the testing facility based at the Airport is able to provide passengers who need to prove that they have had a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, between 48-72 hours before arrival in the country they are travelling to. TAG are now providing passengers with a complete test, results and Fit to Fly certificate service, helping passengers looking

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to travel overseas once again meet all the necessary requirements.

TAG have developed a technology platform that over the coming months will help Liverpool John Lennon Airport and encourage more passengers to start to travel overseas again once restrictions are lifted, confident they meet the necessary health requirements of the country they are travelling to.

The Knowsley based business has partnered with Salutaris to provide the clinical operators and process, and Randox Health for the laboratory testing process all of which are UKAS and ISO 15189 accredited.

The tests are carried out at a dedicated facility located in one of the Airport car parks, with free parking available immediately adjacent to their facility. Tests cost £110 per person and can be booked via a link from the Airport website www. liverpoolairport.com/fit-to-fly .

TAG also offer tests for returning passengers looking to reduce their

quarantine period to just 5 days as part of the Government’s ‘Test to Release’ scheme.

Lucy O’Shaughnessy, Commercial Director at LJLA commented, “This is another important step along the road to recovery for the travel industry and we are delighted to be able to work with a local company to offer our passengers a convenient, hassle free service to help them get back to travelling overseas once more.

Cliff Kirby, Board Director of Test Assurance Group (TAG) added, “TAG are pleased to be able to partner with Liverpool John Lennon Airport and offer COVID-19 PCR testing in order to help the travel industry recover from a difficult year and to enable passengers to be able to travel abroad safely again. Our testing service is simple and straight forward and assists in bringing a semblance of normality back to the lives of those in the region who wish to travel again.”

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INNSIDE MANCHESTER AND STERLING EVENT GROUP JOIN FORCES TO LAUNCH HYBRID EVENT STUDIO IN MANCHESTER INNSiDE Manchester, part of Meliá Hotels International, has partnered with one of the UK's leading technical event production and AV hire companies, Sterling Event Group to launch Manchester’s first virtual event production studio in a hotel.

Installed and ready to be booked as and when Government guidelines permit, ‘INNSiDE LiVE’, at INNSiDE Manchester, is a virtual event solution that features a state-of-the-art studio setting, offering a live streaming experience, designed to facilitate a virtual or hybrid event.

A first for a Manchester city-centre hotel, the Sterling Event Group has taken over part of the self-contained event space to provide a creative technical studio production that enables businesses to engage, communicate and inspire employees, suppliers, clients and stakeholders by combining cutting edge technologies and expertise to create live, virtual and hybrid events. The set features a central rear projection screen with HD laser projection, 2x 65 Inch screens for custom logos and content, brandable backdrop, stage floor, multiple cameras, live stream production suite and a professional audio and lighting system - plus more.

The COVID-safe space, set within the eclectic homefrom-home bleisure hotel’s Chadwick meeting room space, allows companies to hire out and to host live audiences at the venue, in line with current Government restrictions, whilst streaming professional, broadcast-quality content in real-time; engaging, entertaining and communicating with audiences wherever they are across the globe. Content can be streamed to Zoom, YouTube, Facebook and more. Alternatively, it can be pre-recorded ready for broadcast at a later date.

The live studio experience is supported by INNSiDE Manchester’s experienced in-house events team and the expert production crew at Sterling Event Group, who will be on hand to ensure all studio events run

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smoothly and safely from start to finish.

Commenting on the virtual studio collaboration, INNSiDE UK North, Cluster Director of Sales Scott Brown said: “INNSiDE LiVE is a new state-of-the-art hybrid event studio, that allows us to deliver a topclass event production facility, in a safe, dedicated space at INNSiDE Manchester.

With this facility staying in place for the next six months we have been able to offer a cost-effective solution that doesn’t require the usual set up and break down costs, meaning this is accessible for everything from an online conference or awards event to company briefing or online training day.”

As and when events can return to what they were, on a larger scale, this studio offering will only add to the experience; allowing organisers to reach a much larger delegate audience – both within the UK and globally.

Dan Estcourt, Technical Manager at Sterling Event Group said, “This is a great solution for event organisers as it works equally as well with a fully virtual audience as it does with a hybrid audience allowing them to plan with confidence.”

INNSiDE LiVE comes as a fixed rate package, however Melia Hybrid Solutions have been developed globally meaning that virtual or hybrid events of a larger scale with full Video Walls or enhanced technology are equally as possible with quotes on request.

As part of Meliá Hotels International, INNSiDE Manchester will operate the global ‘Stay Safe With Melia’ programme across the hotel, which guarantees the highest COVID-19 health and safety standards, in collaboration with Bureau Veritas - Visit Britain’s ‘We’re Good to Go’. Some of the measures put in place to prioritise guest and staff safety during this time include: a new signage system to inform customers and indicate how spaces will be used and the need for social distancing, installation of protective screens in reception and other public areas, sanitising stations and digital concierge.

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LET’S GET READY TO REOPEN WORDS BY LIAM JONES FOUNDER, FOURSQUARE

Lockdown is coming to an end. The Government have announced a roadmap out of national lockdown which means that hospitality, retail and leisure can start to prepare for life after COVID… Only it won’t be exactly life after COVID but more life with COVID. We’ve been told that the virus will be around for some time and it will become a part of our life we have to deal with, just like regular seasonal flu.

This means that our businesses are going to have to manage the risk for some time to come. When retail opens in April and hospitality opens in May, your business will still have to take purposeful steps to protect your staff and your customers from the virus.

This is where we can help. Last year we launched our Covid-Safe scheme to help independent hospitality, retail and leisure open confidently, safely and legally. So far, we’ve been delighted to help over 100 amazing independents including The Art School, Maray, Bacaro and more.

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We helped these businesses understand the risk of COVID-19, decide and implement control measures and record them in a way which meets the new regulations.

Most businesses carried out these tasks really well and passed at least one of our Covid-Safe audits.

Successful businesses have been added to our Covid-Safe register and have publicised their certificates to show the public they are a safer venue.

The great news is – we are now offering the Covid-Safe scheme in Manchester as well as Liverpool. We love the Manchester independent scene just as much as Liverpool so we are really excited to get involved and help as much as we possibly can.

We recently hired our first Manchester employee – Callum.

Callum is a hospitality guy through and through, having worked at Hawksmoor and several other venues across the city centre. He will be on hand to walk you through

the Covid-safe process from start to finish to ensure that your business is safe to open and managing the new regulations well.

Oh, one last thing. We understand how tough it is at the moment for your business. We understand that cash is tight and every penny matters. We can help there too. Until the industry recovers from COVID-19, we are offering all of our services via a ‘pay what you can’ model. That means that even if you can’t afford the full price, we will still help you reopen, all you have to do is tell us.

Right, let’s do this. Let’s get ready to reopen. Pick up the phone and speak to us to find out more about our Covid-Safe scheme and how it will help your business.

You can get through to our Manchester office by calling 0161 706 1096 or head over to www. foursquaregroupltd.com to read more.

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A ROADMAP FOR REOPENING WORDS BY KEITH TULLY PARTNER, BEGBIES TRAYNOR LIVERPOOL

The staged dates for scheduled reopening provide a greater element of certainty for business owners and may lead to optimism that pent-up demand for services in hospitality and similar industries will enable businesses to successfully reopen.

However, the news may unfortunately come too late for a number of companies – our latest Red Flag Alert research revealed there were 9,414 businesses in ‘significant distress’ in the Liverpool City Region. A number of companies have been artificially supported by the Government’s aid measures and whilst these won’t be removed overnight many will struggle to operate without this support and with the burden of immediate cash flow requirements.

WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKEN?

So, what steps should a proactive director take to deal with the position? What is their roadmap to reopening and what should they consider if they are in difficulty? There are number of steps that all directors can take.

ACCURATE INFORMATION – It’s not uncommon for many business owners to only produce cash flow forecasts or targets when their annual accounts are due. The key

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to assessing the extent of the difficulties is current and accurate information. Directors should be preparing weekly or monthly cash flow forecasts detailing the immediate requirements.

RESPOND ACCORDINGLY – Once the position and requirements are known directors will need to address any gaps in funding or immediate cash flow requirements.

Can cost savings be implemented, is there opportunity to secure additional turnover, will creditors be willing to take payment over longer periods?

BUSINESS INTERRUPTION INSURANCE – The Supreme Court has ruled upon the interaction of coronavirus and business interruption insurance and estimates suggest as much as £1.8 million worth of claims will be paid out across a variety of policies. Directors should check their policies and see if a claim can be made for loss of earnings.

BOUNCE BACK LOANS – Borrowers now have the ability to extend repayments up to 10 years, make interest free repayments, and take payment holidays of up to six months, all options that may provide some much need breathing space and affordability

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VAT DEFERMENT – Similarly HMRC have launched a VAT deferral scheme for VAT that was deferred from between 20 March and 30 June 2020. The scheme can be joined between 23 February 2021 and 21 June 2021 and the earlier a borrower opts in the greater number of monthly instalments they can make.

ALTERNATIVE FUNDING – Many businesses may need to plug holes in cashflow by raising additional finance. In addition to traditional high street loans business owners may want to consider alternative sources such as invoice finance or factoring; asset finance (including lenders provide assistance with stock purchases) and peer to peer lending.

DIRECTOR’S EXPOSURE

Directors of struggling companies should also consider their position and potential exposure if their company is placed into a formal insolvency process. This could lead to calls on personal guarantees that may be particularly relevant now the reinstatement of secondary preferential status has ensured HMRC will be paid ahead of secured creditors in a number of instances.

Directors will also need to consider whether their conduct and use of funds will give rise to any personal liability and whether or not an overdrawn director’s loan account has accrued. This latter situation will be particularly common in cases where the director/shareholders are traditionally remunerated via dividends and the company has lacked the reserves for these to be lawfully paid.

SEEK ADVICE

It is important for directors to remember none of the factors or steps to take exist in isolation. They will need to take an overall approach and consider the position in its entirety. Company directors who are running a distressed business should explore all their restructuring options now if they are to survive and seek early advice where possible. Getting together a proactive creditor strategy, fresh re-financing package or a tax efficient disposal of the business needs to be high on the agenda for directors at this moment in time.

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WHEN LEARNING IS VIRTUAL, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IS VITAL WORDS BY LUCY O’CONNOR DIRECTOR, CROSSFIELD GROUP

For Trainee Quantity Surveyor, Samantha Smith, her apprenticeship with Crossfield Group has always given her invaluable access to hands-on experience with a skilled and knowledgeable team. Never has this been more beneficial than when, through necessity, the majority of higher education has been taken on-line.

“I have always loved the balance I have between learning at university and on-site experience. That’s the beauty of an apprenticeship; it’s important to learn and study your craft but for construction, what you learn only comes alive when you apply it to a real life construction site. It also gives you the advantage of being in an experienced team; you benefit from their knowledge and this practical experience is something no textbook can teach.

“Over the past year, anyone doing their studies has had to adapt and it’s been hard. I am studying at LJMU and they have been brilliant at getting us set up with virtual learning but I do miss the contact I have with the people I learn from. It’s why I chose an apprenticeship, because I want to learn from those around me. And while I don’t have this with my studies at the moment, I am still able to work with the team on site.

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“Our sites have stayed open with Covid-secure measures in place and I’m so grateful for this. Without the team around me to learn from I would worry for my knowledge and experience. Doing an apprenticeship has meant that I can carry on learning even with the current restrictions and I’m really grateful for this.

Obviously it doesn’t only benefit me. Buildings need to be built and new recruits are always needed in construction. Being able to continue apprenticeships in construction throughout the Covid-19 pandemic will mean there’s trained people to work on future projects and the economy really needs that.

“To anyone thinking about an apprenticeship, in any industry not just construction, I would say do it. It’s not for everyone, and not every industry offers it, but there is no greater experience than the skills you can get from the people you work with.”

Samantha Smith is a Trainee QS at Crossfield Group currently working on site at Alexandra Drive, a new housing development on behalf of Regenda Homes.

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SAMANTHA SMITH TRAINEE QS, CROSSFIELD GROUP

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