Business supplement Nov 5

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BACK FROM BURNOUT

TUNNEL VISION

PROPERTY MATTERS

Businesswoman’s mission to save others from struggles – p3

How robotics firm is extending its global reach – page 4

Can sector adapt to Bristol’s growing tech scene? – p8&9

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NOV 2014

INWARD INVESTMENT SPECIAL

THE JOBSEEKERS How this team of industry specialists has helped bring more than 1,000 new jobs to the West of England

– Pages 6&7

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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Holiday pay

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Technology

EU ruling could prove costly for UK firms ● A LANDMARK legal ruling on holiday pay could leave business across Bristol counting the cost.

The Employment Appeals Tribunal ruled firms have been wrongly interpreting European rules and that overtime should be included in holiday pay.

It means employers must include the overtime pay staff would have earned when calculating holiday pay.

The ruling could also have implications on firms who pay bonuses and commission.

John Cridland, CBI director-general, described it as a “real blow” to businesses which now face “the prospect of punitive costs potentially running into billions of pounds – and not all will survive, which could mean significant job losses”.

He added: “These cases are creating major uncertainty for businesses and impacting on investment and resourcing decisions.”

Jonathan Rennie, employment partner at Bristol headquartered law firm TLT, agreed the decision would lead to higher wage bills.

But he added: “The anticipated retrospective claims going back numbers of years may very well be more limited.”

Jonathan said the “tension” was between UK and EU law and how UK regulations interpret the EU Working Time Directive.

He said: “The European courts have consistently emphasised the need for normal remuneration to be maintained during periods of annual leave. So the decision is not a surprise.

“The interesting part of the judgment is that claims must be brought within three months of the last pay deduction.”

He added that EU rules stipulate four weeks of paid holiday so the ruling would only apply to four weeks, not five as many firms offer.

The case was brought by trades union Unite against Amec and Hertel for work carried out on a power station in Nottinghamshire.

Unite executive director for legal, membership and affiliated services Howard Beckett said: “Until now some workers who are required to do overtime have been penalised for taking the time off they are entitled to.”

● From left, Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich, tennis champion Venus Williams – one of the judges, and Sammy Payne and Joel Gibbard from Bristol firm Picture: Paul Sakuma Photography Open Bionics at Intel’s ‘Make It Wearable’ competition in San Francisco, California

‘Amazing’ Bionic hands creators land £125k in global competition Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

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COMPANY with the ambition to make affordable robot hands for amputees is $200,000 (£125,000) closer to that goal after finishing runner-up in a global competition for wearable technology.

Joel Gibbard founded Open Bionics at the Bristol Robotics Lab at UWE’s Frenchay campus and has since been joined by community manager Sammy Payne.

The pair flew out to San Francisco for the finals of Intel’s Make It Wear-

able contest, to pitch against nine other finalists hailing from China, Europe, Latin America and the United States.

They put their case to a judging panel which included tennis champion and fashion designer Venus Williams, Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich and leading lights from Louis Vuitton, Nike and more.

The top prize of $500,000 was won

by American firm Nixie for the first wearable camera that can fly.

But second place was an amazing achievement and 24-year-old Joel told the Post they had come away with far more than a big cheque.

He said: “Over the last couple of months we’ve had an intense course

of business coaching from world leading experts.

“We’ve learnt how to approach our business and our product from the point of view of the customer, so we’ll be creating hands that are far better suited to amputees. The key piece of advice has been to talk to as many customers as possible.

“This money is going to make such a huge difference to our project. It brings the end into sight as we can afford to complete the rest of the development process.”

Sammy added: “This has been an incredible experience. It feels amazing to be at the forefront of wearable technology.

“It was also particularly inspiring because there were only five women

in the whole competition and the two teams that placed first and second were the teams with women pitching.

“We’re looking forward to the future and getting bionic hands to children who need them.”

It has been a heady few weeks for Open Bionics. Joel was named Young Design Engineer of the Year at The British Engineering Excellence Awards last month and Founder of the Year in the SPARKies Bristol and Bath tech awards.

Last week the Post reported how he had created a hand for Danny Melville, from Reading, who had been born without one. Joel got to experience shaking the robot hand he had designed with Danny.

Bottle Yard

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Studios on the perfect wavelength AN EMMY-award winning music and sound design company has opened a Bristol base as the city turns up the dial on its film and TV industry.

Radium Audio is the latest business to move to the Bottle Yard studios in Hengrove, where a cluster of specialist companies is beginning to spring up lured by the growing number of productions filmed there.

The move is the first venture outside the capital for the creative audio company, which has its head office in South East London. It brings the number of business tenants operating from the former bottling plant to a dozen.

The firm was founded in 2007 by Andrew Diey and has since picked up

gongs including an Emmy, Cannes Lions and International Music and Sound Awards.

Its work includes some original music composition, sound design projects and sound brand work for corporate clients.

Commercial director Robyn Taylor said: “We needed to increase our production capacity, and struggled to find the ideal space for expansion in London.

“We design and build our own instruments and create much of our sound source in-house, so we need to be able to make some noise and a bit of a mess sometimes too!

“The Bottle Yard presented a very viable option for us for a number of

reasons, Bristol’s close proximity to London makes it logistically easier to manage the two locations compared to somewhere further afield, the area has a vibrant creative community with a great local talent base we can draw upon, and the Bottle Yard’s management has offered excellent support throughout our design, fit-out, and setup process.”

The firm is filling 3,600 square feet of space including several electronic production studios, a live studio, sound creation lab and editing suites.

It has created four jobs with the move and hopes more will follow.

Fiona Francombe, site director of The Bottle Yard Studios, said she was

● Radium Audio’s Founder Andrew Diey recording clock sounds for project in the studio delighted to welcome the firm.

“The calibre of their cutting-edge audio work is of the highest possible standard, pushing boundaries and winning critical acclaim internationally,” she said.

“We’re proud to have played a part in attracting them here to Bristol, a

city with an already outstanding reputation for audio post production services.

“This is the third new tenant to sign with The Bottle Yard Studios since the summer and it’s fantastic to see the profile of our production hub develop with each new addition.”

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Networking

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Finance

‘Love Lending’ highlights firm’s crucial role

● Amanda Kerin

A BRISTOL investment firm has provided £25 million of funding to businesses across the South West.

Clifton Asset Management, based in Ham Green, has helped fund 43 companies in the city themselves, which collectively employ 409 people and turn over £36 million.

The firm was sharing the news to coincide with Love Lending Week, organised by the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers.

Clifton chairman Adam Tavener, pictured, said: “We have been very active with a number of initiatives to promote alternative ways of funding small businesses at a local, regional and national level.”

“This campaign will once again shine a light on how a collaborative culture between corporate finance brokers and lenders can ensure the right funding solution for the business owner.”

Clifton has provided funding to 150 South West based businesses over the past eight years, such as Bristol-based Upstream Procurement Solutions, whose owner, Martin Niblett wanted to expand the company’s consultancy arm by buying an existing procurement business, Merlin Tools and Fixings, and turned to pension-led funding for help.

Martin received £23,000 through a pension loan-back.

Refocused Burnout led to new career supporting women Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

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the hard way, and I “ I learnt want to prevent women from making the same mistakes as I did. Inspiring Women Live! is designed to help women realise their own needs for work/life balance

Amanda Kerin

offer professionals around the country, as well as employers looking to ensure they have a healthy and happy workforce that will be most productive, with reduced risk of costs to cover stress related sick leave.”

The next Inspiring Women Live! event takes place on Thursday, November 13, at the Pavillion, Hanover Quay. It features guest speakers Bray Leino’s learning director Stephanie Morgan, discussing how women should pursue board appointments, and Karen Lowe, image consultant and personal stylist, talking about how the clothes we wear can have a positive or negative impact on how we feel about ourselves.

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FTER more than a decade pursuing a successful career in broadcast production and event management, Amanda Kerin hit the wall. She experienced an unexpected and debilitating period of what she calls “bur nout” in 2012.

Now she is using her experience to encourage ambitious women in business to nurture more than just their careers.

Through her recovery she developed the concept for a series of events designed to support women in a new way of working and thinking.

She said: “Businesswomen today have so little ‘switch off ’ time. In this digital world it has become the norm to be permanently on call in high pressure roles.

“If we find it tough, there’s a tendency to think it must be our own fault, ignore it and just keep on going.

“It’s easy to fall into the trap of blindly chasing career goals without staying true to your own personal aspirations, but by doing so you risk jeopardising your emotional and physical wellbeing.

“I learnt the hard way, and I want to prevent women from making the same mistakes as I did. Inspiring Women Live! is designed to help women realise their own needs for work/life balance, giving them the courage to say ‘no’, whilst still supporting them to be successful.”

The event invites working women from every field of business to meet every two months, to network and hear from two speakers who share their personal and professional journeys to success.

The focus is on sharing and learning in an

ego-free environment, the events encourage women to regularly refocus career goals, and warns against the dangers of sacrificing personal development.

It launched in May this year, regularly attracting around 50 people and in 2015, Amanda is looking to roll out an idea of organising bespoke retreats, in particular for staff teams whose employers are looking to develop the professional and personal wellbeing of their workforce.

She said: “We’ve received such a fantastic response in our first six months that we’re already developing the next stage of the business, exploring what our approach can

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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Technology

Snake robot playing key role in Hong Kong tunnel Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

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BRISTOL company has invented a robot which is playing a vital role in digging a giant undersea tunnel in Hong Kong.

OC Robotics designed a snake arm robot to clean the giant bores used to drill undersea tunnels.

It was first used on a project in Miami for a road link to the port. Now French firm Bouygues Construction has hired its services again for a tunnel section of a venture to link Hong Kong and mainland China.

“Boring machines find rock quite easy but they have difficulties getting through sand and soil as they clogg them up,” said OC’s technical director Andrew Graham.

Previously trained divers who are used to working in high-pressure environments cleaned the heads. But it is dangerous work in a difficult setting.

Andrew said: “We developed a machine to do that cleaning and inspecting job more safely.”

The company was founded by Andrew and then business partner Rob Buckingham in 1997.

But the idea of the snake arm had come to them years before when the pair were at Bristol University.

They published a theoretical paper on how a robot arm could be controlled, even though one did not exist at the time.

It was only years after they founded their company that they actually developed the technology when the Ministry of Defence approached them to discuss safer bomb disposal.

“The project didn’t come to fruition,” said Andrew.

“But there were so many potential applications for this once we had the technology.”

The first snake arm was built on the fifth floor of an office in Broad Quay House in the city centre.

“We had a few problems getting it out in the lift!” said Andrew.

The firm has since moved to more suitable accommodation close to the MoD Abbey Wood base.

The technology is also used in the nuclear industry, as many older plants weren’t built with much thought to maintenance and decommissioning.

The snake arm robots allow technicians to see round corners or carry out tasks where it would not be safe for people to be.

Business Secretary Vince Cable was given a first-hand demonstration

● Vince Cable comes face to face with the snake robot during his visit to OC Robotics Pic: Simon Galloway

of the snake arm on a visit to the fir m’s Filton operation.

Afterwards, he told the Post: “This is world-leading technology, developing a specialist arm of robotics working in decommissioning nuclear power among other things.

“It brings home the strength that we have in the UK in terms of advanced manufacturing and entrepreneurs. We just need an awful lot

“ It brings home the strength that we have in the UK in advanced manufacturing and entrepreneurs. We just need an awful lot more.”

Vince Cable more of them.

“The creativity and imagination has impressed me most, not just taking a standard technology. This is a small company that’s exporting and training their own staff, we’ve got young people here with apprenticeships so we’ve got the next generation being brought on as well.”

Composites ● From left, Peter Chivers, NCC chief executive, Colin Sirett (Airbus) NCC industrial steering board chair, Prof Nishan Canagarajah, PVC research at Bristol University, Dick Elsy, CEO High Value Manufacturing Catapult, Alison Starr, (GE) chair of Composites Leadership Forum, Vince Cable, Business Secretary

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Investment at centre already paying off, declares Cable A £28-MILLION investment in using cutting edge materials is already paying off for Bristol, according to the Business Secretary.

Dr Vince Cable opened the extension to the National Composites Centre, where an array of applications for the strong lightweight material was on show.

An innovative racing yacht, lightweight cars and the largest openly accessible high-rate manufacturing press for composites in Europe were on display.

The centre in Emersons Green was established to help businesses find ways to exploit composite materials.

Dr Cable was joined by more than 400 guests to see the new facility, funded by £28-million investment from the department of Business Innovation and Schools, via InnovateUK and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult.

He saw demonstrations of the high-tech manufacturing capability, including the high volume manufacturing composite press.

Dr Cable told the Post: “We’re already seeing the return on the investment. The hall was full of companies making use of it and not

only the big guys, Airbus and Rolls-Royce, but also a lot of small companies.

“There are hundreds of small and medium sized companies, many highly innovative, making use of the new materials. The potential for some of them is astounding.

“There was a process for fabricating car components reducing time from hours to minutes, footbridges for railways can now be manufactured at a fraction of the cost.

“These are revolutionary applications and since this is the part of the world where it is being promoted it is local companies who will get to take advantage of it.”

Peter Chivers, NCC chief executive, said, “The NCC is building the future for composites. We will work with companies to accelerate innovation and develop people to deliver commercially viable solutions.

“We have installed the world’s largest openly accessible high-rate manufacturing press for composites manufacturing. This is aimed at supporting sectors such as automotive, where developing high-rate, low cost manufacture of composite components is key.”

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Training

Depot build company receives skills award ● A PROJECT that includes the building of a depot in Stoke Gifford that will service new trains on the Great Western Line has been awarded National Skills Academy status.

The status, delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board, was conferred on VolkerFitzpatrick because of the company’s commitment to maximise skills and employment opportunities on the project.

The firm was chosen to design and build four depots for new trains that will run on the line once it has been electrified.

Paul Lilley, contracts manager, said he was proud to be heading up the scheme.

“It is regularly reported back to my colleagues and I that the client and the staff employed on these projects are getting as much benefit as the apprentices and work experience placements,” he said.

“Everybody has embraced the principles of the Skills Academy and I look forward to spreading the success and the values established, throughout all our future projects.”

Survey

Finances our main fear, say start-ups ● ENTREPRENEURS believe that access to finance is the biggest issue to setting up a company, an EY survey has found.

Fifty-eight per cent of respondents cited funding as a key hurdle to launching a business, followed by uncertainty of income (48 per cent) and fear of failure (45 per cent). In contrast, only five per cent of respondents thought that bad market conditions could hold back entrepreneurs, while just 13 per cent cited lack of skills as a barrier to starting a business.

David Wilkinson, partner at EY in Bristol, said: “Matching funding to business growth plans remains a key area of concern for ambitious entrepreneurs, not least as rapid growth tends to absorb cash. Business leaders that develop controls over cash and cash forecasting as they grow are able to plan early for fundraising and are more likely to attract investors.”

Recruitment

First steps Digital agency puts word on the street Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

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DIGITAL recruitment company has been employing some good old-fashioned shoe leather to get the message out to potential candid-

ates.

Talent Blok is one of the businesses to come out of the WebStart Bristol start-up incubator based at the Engine Shed.

Chief executive Rebecca Wasley, 22, and technical director Christof Constantinou, 31, believe the company meets a need in the recruitment market by allowing candidates to show off portfolios of their work.

But while the business is digital, the team are prepared to use all roads to get their message out.

Rebecca said: “We have been to several job centres to speak to people coming out and talk to them about what we are doing. They thought it was a really good place to find jobs and had never seen anything like it before.

“We’ve been around Broadmead and Cabot Circus and to UWE to talk to students as there are internships and graduate jobs on the site.

“And we have been using social media and blogging, anything we can to get the word out.”

The pair are using desk space at the Engine Shed but hope to expand and get their own office within three months.

During their stint with WebStart, where they received a small start-up investment as well as mentoring and technical support, they developed their first version of website.

Things have taken off faster than Rebecca expected, with more than 3,000 jobs advertised so far.

“We had more than 1,000 new sign-ups in the first month,” she said.

“That far exceeded expectations. We thought we’d get 50-100; more than 10,000 UVs in the first month too.”

Since then the focus has been on developing the technology and getting feedback to make the site work as well as possible.

The firm has been working with a number of Bristol recruitment agen-

“ We have been to several job centres to speak to people coming out and talk to them about what we are doing.”

Rebecca Wasley

● Rebecca Wasley and Christof Constantinou cies, advertising their jobs initially for free in order to use their feedback to develop the site and is willing to do the same for companies too. They can integrate with company websites too and mange the ads for them.

“We have a good pool of candidates already so we are in a good position to offer a service to companies and agencies who need to recruit.”

The site’s point of difference is that rather than just advertising jobs or displaying CVs, it allows people to build a strong portfolio showing off

their work, including video, images and documents to make it interactive.

“Talent Blok has a variety of jobs available,” said Rebecca. “But because of the profile element, we are targeting creative jobs, such as photography, web design and developers, because they can really show off their work on the portfolio.

“We have had really positive feedback from customers seeing it.”

After honing the product, now they need to get back out and sell it.

Bristol Post campaign

Parties united on need to devolve rates spending Mr Clark pointed to the recent Growth Deal which saw more than £200 million of funds devolved through the West of England Partnership and the Coalition Gover nment’s recent move to allow councils to retain up to half of business rates.

“It is very much the direction in which we are travelling at pace,” he said. “We want to go further but there are checks and balances which need to be there and there are still national services to pay for.”

Both parties are looking for regions, rather than just local councils, to show they can be trusted to spend

the money for the greater good.

Labour would pass an English Devolution Act, transferring control of £30 billion of funding to England’s cities and counties.

Councils that come together as a combined authority would be able to tap into the pot of Whitehall cash to promote the economy of the city and wider region. In return for devolving business rates to the new statutory authorities, city and country regions would need to work together to deliver agreed key infrastructure investments to drive regional growth.

Labour said excessive centralisation was holding back cities and regions, with 95 per cent of all taxes – including income tax, stamp duty, land tax as well as business rates –

being paid into central government coffers.

Analysts believe since revenues for business rates were transferred to Whitehall in 1990, local authorities had increased restrictions on planning which led to less business development.

The Post’s #RealRatesReform campaign is calling for: ● Greater local control over how rates are spent so they can be used to encourage more investment and job creation. ● A simpler system that small businesses can understand. ● To break the deterrent to expansion. This could be done by replacing rates with a local sales tax or a profits tax.

Family business

Wine merchant the oldest city business ● AVERYS wine merchants is the oldest business in Bristol, according to a new study.

The firm was established in 1793, although its real success is said to have come in the 1920s when Ronald Avery was at the helm. While other UK wine merchants bought wines from agents, he travelled to wine estates to taste the wines with the makers. In 1949, after sailing his yacht to Bordeaux, he met the Moueix family, one of today’s most important families in the city.

They encouraged him to buy a few cases of Château Pétrus, a wine which was unknown at the time but would become one of the most expensive wines in the world.

His son John championed Californian and Australian wines and Averys has become one of the early supporters of both those now-popular wine producers. The last Avery in the business is fifth generation Mimi, who works as a brand ambassador. The firm employs five people in its Culver Street shop, which is undergoing a major refit, and 30 in the office.

Mimi, above, said: “Averys has stood the test of time with its pioneering wine selections by my Grandfather, father and the current buying team.”

The report was compiled by Close Brothers Asset Management and launched at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. Head of client services Penny Lovell said: “Family businesses are the lifeblood of the South West, not only financially but culturally too. The family businesses that we have identified have all been in existence for over 150 years. Having endured for so long, they have left a real mark on communities, from the local to the national. In many ways, these businesses have become timeless.”

The next oldest family firms in Bristol were both funeral directors, Thomas Davis, founded in 1840, and Burnell Tovey, founded 1860.

Averys was listed as sixth oldest across the South West, the oldest being Dorset butcher RJ Balson & Son, founded in 1515.

VALUATION DATE ● April 1, 2015 has been revealed as the valuation date for business rates assessments to apply from 2017 onwards, with the necessary statutory instrument laid before Parliament last week.

The aim of rating revaluations is to achieve fairness of tax liabilities by ensuring rateable values are based on up-to-date rental values and therefore to redistribute liability in line with relative movements in property values since the previous revaluation.

The revaluation should have happened two years earlier but was postponed. Many believe it was because the Treasury wanted to keep the steady £27 billion a year rolling in.

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THE main political parties are backing more local control of how business rates are spent.

The Bristol Post is campaigning for wholesale reform of business rates, with local control over how the tax is spent one of three main goals.

Last week Labour unveiled a policy to enable local authorities, which collect business rates, to keep all of the money rather than send it to London. And now Conservative Cities Minister Greg Clark has told the Post that greater local control is “very much the direction of travel”.

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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Inward Investment focus

OUR SECRET WEAPONS BRINGING FIRM The team at Invest Bristol and Bath has helped create more than 1,000 jobs here in less than two years.

But despite many of them being in hi-tech industries, Gavin Thompson finds out the old-fashioned methods behind the success

● Amy Robinson, Barry Warburton and Rick Chapman of Invest Bristol and Bath Picture: Dan Regan BRDR20141024B-002

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T’S all about the black book.

Bristol is attracting new businesses to the city, building on its global strengths such as advanced aerospace engineering, robotics, hardware and software.

Much of the credit goes to the work of Invest Bristol and Bath, which has pulled all the region has to offer into strong propositions for businesses looking to get away from an overheating London or be close to giants such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce.

But the real reason behind the success is good old-fashioned contacts. Who you know as much as what you know.

Matthew Cross, head of inward investment at Invest Bristol & Bath,

“ Our strategy is focused on attracting new investment that creates jobs in the Bristol and Bath region and we are delighted that we have now surpassed the 1,000-mark.”

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Matthew Cross said: “Our strategy is focused on attracting new investment that creates jobs in the Bristol and Bath region and we are delighted that we have now surpassed the 1,000-mark in this respect.

“In fact, to date, we have helped to create 1,253 jobs in the region and we are on track to achieve our two-year target of generating 1,380 jobs, 529 of which were created last year.

“Our success in attracting a string of international businesses to the region has boosted these figures significantly.”

The successes have been reported in these pages, including: ● Kainos, the specialist independent software company from Belfast, which opened an office in Bristol city centre with plans to create up to 80 jobs; ● Chinese giant Huawei, which makes the technology used in mobile phone base stations as well as wi-fi boxes and dongles, is opening a £135 million research centre creating 30 specialist jobs; ● Mobile solutions firm Somo set up a centre hiring at first 20 engineers but building towards 60 over time.

These firms and others like them tend to cite the same reasons for coming to Bristol. The talent pool,

either based on an existing core of businesses in their field or strong output of graduates from the local universities; ease of access to London via the soon-to-be electrified Great Western Railway; and quality of life for their workforce.

Being named the best city to live in by The Sunday Times hasn’t done any harm but the fact that so many students and others who come to Bristol stay here adds substance to that headline.

There’s plenty in Bristol’s favour then, but what the inward investment team has done is pull all that together coherently.

“We’ve got a pipeline we’re pretty confidence on of about 1,500 jobs to come in the next year or so,” said Matt.

“From starting from scratch, we’ve started to make a strong impact. We thought there would be a longer lag before things started to come in but the strength of Bristol and Bath market and the fact it has not done a great deal to promote itself and encourage investment in before means just by organising ourselves and developing a coherent set of propositions, stuff has started to come in and respond to that. Somo and Just Eat are good examples of that.”

The agency was founded in January 2013 with £2.35 million funding from the Department of Business,

Innovation and Skills to last until April 2015. One of the first things it did was carry out a large assessment of the region’s skills and industries, in order to find the areas where it could make most impact.

Based at the Engine Shed, the agency employs seven people in the core team, plus the four sector champions. The sectors, low carbon, aerospace, creative and digital and tech, were chosen as areas where Bristol and Bath already has strong clusters of world-leading businesses which can act as a hook with which to pull in more.

The champions, the team’s answer to the Fantastic Four, are tasked with going out into the world and bringing back new companies to Bristol, and with them new jobs.

“The reason we hired them is because of their contacts and background,” said Matt. Those little black books.

“They are our secret weapons, thoroughly networked, experts in their field and able to pick up the phone and have a conversation with senior staff in Airbus or big tech companies.”

He cited an example of Huaewi when he and tech champion Rick Chapman went to China to meet the company as an example of the value the champions bring.

“I sat at a meeting with them and I might as well have been a million

● David Maher Roberts

miles away for all I knew what was going on,” he said. “It was a real peer-to-peer conversation with someone who understood what the company wanted.”

David Maher Roberts is the team’s sector champion for digital and creative. He’s a former director at Future Publishing in Bath and founder of digital consultancy Digital DNA, among other things.

David said: “It’s about understanding the market trends then

using contacts to maximise strengths of region.

“We know London is overheating in the digital software start-up market, mostly in terms of skills.

“The effect of that is a lot of tech companies struggling to fill full-time roles either because they can’t afford the wages or because a lot of people are preferring to contract and have the freedom and not be full-time employed.

“Just Eat, for example, has a

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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

MS AND JOBS HERE

Kiev and Madrid but t to ship everyone out so explore whether people d be more interested in les because building loyulture within the comportant. und through work we did was the case, so they office here.

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● A GLOBAL financial services player has bought a successful Bristol company and is planning a major expansion to the team.

Momentum UK, part of MMI Holdings Ltd (MMI), one of the largest financial services groups in South Africa, acquired Bristol-based Blue Speck Financial, its award-winning MoneyHub technology and YourWealth.co.uk.

The group made the purchase in order to bring its vision and products to the UK market.

And it is already delivering on plans to invest in the business.

Blue Speck Financial has tripled in size to 35 since March 2013. In the first quarter of next year, the team is moving to new offices with the capacity for 115 staff to accommodate more growth.

Toby Hughes, chief executive of Blue Speck Financial, said there were strong reasons for choosing

authorities and West of England Enterprise Partnership to decide whether to fund its work. With all the great things Bristol has to offer, you might ask if the team is really needed. Wouldn’t these companies come knocking anyway? The answer is that some might, but would anyone answer?

David refers back to the start-up he met in London recently looking to relocate to either Bristol, Brighton or Reading.

“They said ‘we have identified three cities and contacted them and you’re the only ones who have come back to us with any information’,” said David. “That’s because those other cities don’t have inward investment agencies.

“The company contacted the local council and got nothing back. Instead we had a meeting with them, next they’re visiting here and I’d be surprised if we don’t land them.”

Matt added: “The alternative is it’s councils who do it. It’s just a part of their job not all of it, they end up doing basic tasks and can’t do the other bits you need resources to do that make the different. The long-term commitment really important.”

With 1,225 jobs and counting. The case seems to add up.

PROPERTY MATTERS: PAGES 8&9 THE WEST’S TECH OSCARS: PAGE 12

Manufacturing

Ecoegg now exporting to 30 countries around the globe AN award-winning Bristol-based business that specialises in the design of eco-friendly laundry products is exporting to over 30 countries worldwide after bringing its production back to the UK from China.

Ecoegg developed an innovative Dryer Egg product and was keen to secure funding to enable it to be manufactured in the UK. The company received support from SWMAS Ltd through the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) programme and the Product Development Centre (PDC). The Park Street-based firm was awarded a grant to fund the design and development of a new injection moulding tool through the PDC project, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund Competitiveness Programme.

Ecoegg director Dawn White, pictured, said: “Being able to bring our production back to the UK has so many advantages. From a quality control perspective, we are able to see the product being manufactured and meet our suppliers face-to-face with no language barriers to

overcome. It has also turned out to be at least as equally cost effective because the price of transportation from China is growing rapidly.”

The product parts are now being manufactured across the UK, in South Glamorgan, Bournemouth, Manchester, Nottingham, Liverpool and Hastings.

“We have also been able to create three full-time jobs and six part-time jobs including ongoing work for a warehouse manager, a logistics manager and our own team of packers,” said Dawn. “A further five jobs have been created indirectly with our UK suppliers.”

She praised the support from the MAS and PDC team.

“We are now working on another project and they are helping us in our attempts to link up with some university expertise as we look to develop a new dishwasher product,” she said. Ecoegg is exporting to more than 30 countries worldwide including Italy, Germany, Brazil and Australia. It has come full circle in that it now sells in to China.

The company is on track to hit sales of £1.5 million by the end of its next financial year.

Education

● Jackie Arthur outside the new Happy Days nursery in Bradley Stoke

Happy Days nursery launches new site ● Toby Hughes, chief executive of Blue Speck Financial Bristol as a place to grow.

“Bristol has two great universities, strong creative, tech and financial services industries, and good links to London,” he said.

“Incubators such as SETsquared, voted one of the three best in the world, make Bristol a great place to accelerate a tech-focussed business.

“There’s a wealth of talent in Bristol and it’s one of the best cities in the UK for a work-life balance.”

MMI uses the Momentum brand as its operating brand in the UK. MMI has a market capitalisation of £2.44 billion, and manages client and shareholder assets of circa £34 billion, whilst employing more than 16,500 people.

SOUTH West nursery operator Happy Days is expanding into Bristol with its first site in the north of the city at Bradley Stoke.

Work is underway on the 100-place nursery at the Almondsbury Business Centre in Woodlands Lane, with completion due at the end of November, before open days in December.

Staff recruitment is currently under way with new team members due to start soon, in preparation for the new nursery set up.

They will support nursery manager Julie Bright in the run-up to and following the nursery opening in January next year.

Happy Days, which announced in April that it had received £3.9 million of investment to drive expansion throughout the South West, plans to open another nursery in north Bristol in spring 2015. The company, which is the largest childcare provider in the South West, currently operates 16 nurseries across Devon and Cornwall, is now identifying sites for further nurseries in the Bristol area.

Managing director Jackie Arthur said: “This heralds the beginning of an exciting time for us and we are putting our extra investment to good use in this strategy for growth.

“The Woodlands Lane site is close to the junction of the M4 and M5 and the Aztec West exit of the M5 itself, so it’s ideally located for business people travelling around or into Bristol and wanting to leave and collect their chil-

dren on the way to and from work.

“We are delighted to have achieved an Outstanding Ofsted grade at our recently opened nursery in Exeter, demonstrating our commitment to delivering high-quality provision within our settings.

“So we are extremely keen to work in partnership with businesses and employees to offer them high-quality childcare in the area.”

The new nursery will accommodate 100 children from up to five years old and will open from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday.

The room and resources will be designed following the same proven blueprint which recently helped to achieve the Outstanding rating at the Exeter nursery.

The blueprint is the culmination of five years of researching and testing designs and methodologies to create cutting-edge nurseries that are able to deliver high-quality care whilst focusing on maximising children’s learning potential for their future education.

Miss Arthur said: “All of our learning spaces are being designed specifically to inspire children of different ages to play and learn together.

“We also have free-flow access to the outside areas from all children’s rooms, which at Bradley Stoke have been designed to utilise the existing natural resources including trees and grass areas.”

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mpanies who came reted with about 15 people d to grow to much larger been on the board of a mpany, been CEO of o I can talk about that.” e agency’s money runs ear, it will be down to ns including the local

CASE STUDY

7

8 6

www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

We dndensedsady,ay, November 5, 2014 We October 1,

Property matters

Focus on start-ups | Sponsored by THEME SPONSOR’S NAME HERE.

BOOMING STRETCHEDCREATIVE PLANNERSCENE’S S STRUGGBUZZY LE TO K The of Bristol’s The growth recovery in the technology and creative Bristol property market is gathering pace but sectors is leading to changing that speed lead to demands fromcould the property a bottleneck market.

But caninit the adapt? planning process.

Gavin Gavin Thompson reports

Thompson reports

TT

MIPIM commercial property Case study

Contemporary now Mayor maps outworkspace the complete - and already 80% let future at conference ● BRISTOL mayor George Ferguson will be of later other creative SMEs, has ● CREATIVE like conference to speaking at a companies major property

benefited Hurricane enormously huddle together for inspiration. It’s HE face of Bristol’s business this month. since one the appeals of places such event community is changing. If TheofMIPIM commercial property is a we arrived here in February 2012.

WO years ago there was little as Bath Road you look around the Engine mainstay of theStudios. industry calendar and the Bristol building onand in The has finalinphase of the Shed – a work hub ofgoing digital region the past sent high profile “Whilst it’s a highly creative and relaxed environment to work in, Bristol. companies That has changed redevelopment of the former HTV tech from delegations in a bid to woo investors to the there’s an air of professionalism and quickly!

In businesses the residen-– studios start-ups to fast growing re gion. into office what the resonates throughout the tialmore sector we have Finzel’s owners describe “new, you’ll see hipster beards than The event takesas place in Cannes but that this year a contemporary workspace” space tReach ies. at the former Courage BrewUK version of the event is being stagedbuilding for the which is perfect for our brand’s image and our ability to ery revived under new developer has time beenatcomplete, it is That change is reflected in propfirst London’sand Olympia. with other Cubex, Wapping Wharf near the already 80elected per cent let. is taking part collaborate erty needs too. Style is important.

Bristol’s mayor in a business-focussed creative M shed companies rising from the and The project, commissioned by2050, staged These are ground attracting session called My Future City in by the General Hospital conversion into theFuture building’s owners Cube Real young, skilled and motivated workers the Cities Catapult, flats don’t is wellwant under Estate, at highlights a continued who to way. sit in a boring old looking how places On the office side Salmon Hardemand for small-scale, office. such as Bristol can veThe ster’s Two Glass Wharf stands contemporary space industries are fast moving too. become smarter and in Bristol, in proud in itsexpand Bristol quickly blue colours line with a rise in the number of Companies and more successful. while Skanska’s 66 Queen Square start-ups and SMEs in the city. sometimes vanish just as fast, deso But overall, velopmentleases is taking with the Almostindustry 80 per is cent of the long-term just shape, don’t work.

Bristol’s steel thatbewill sit behind building hasofnow Andframe that can a problem for the taking more a been let to a curving facade now visible. variety of firms, ranging from small commercial property market, where wait-and-see Then there’s all thesuch bed as spaces start-up companies to big institutional investors penapproach to the being companies created to accommodate the multinationals such as PUMA. sion look for safe, event. thousands returns. more coming to study in The fact that the site includes an long-term David Mace, on-site Friska and a Pilates But this thriving technology and regional senior café director Ruari Laidlaw studio an insight into the digital sector is growing in importat GVA,gives whichyou is attending target market. ance in Bristol. It is becoming the the event but not exhibiting, said: “As a company Ruari of Cube MIPIM Real in Cannes poster child of economy. companies.”

GVA hasLaidlaw been attending for Estatetime, said:and “Wefor are really Government ministers are The building is also home to The some the last pleased couple of years we’ve to have very completed queuing up to the pictured next to a Set, an workspace that operates worked closely this with Bristol, Bath, South much-needed refurbishment fancy piece of kit that symbolises a a membership club where Gloucestershire and North Somerset onastheir project, which now influential allow us toeventlike-minded fast-paced and future-proofed ecobusinesses can presence at thiswill hugely – we’re turn ourforward attention improving nomy. This past week saw Business network and share skills and looking to to being there again in 2015. sustainability and green initiatives Secretary Vince Cable meeting the ideas. Its collaborative base “It’s therefore a talking point for the property within the building. creations of OC Robotics in Abbey removes industry that the UK is to have its own event in the isolation of working “It alsoand gives us an opportunity Wood. The week before the President London, we’re hugely encouraged from that home, while offering to work with existing tenants to of Singapore was at the University of contemporary facilities. mayor Ferguson will be representing Bristol in a furtherofimprove ourdebate, offer soclearly it is strengthening Bristol to see how advances in wearOn the first Wednesday of each Cities the Future even more attractive to future able technology could be applied to month, The Set plays host to an Bristol’s place as a core city. occupiers.” the healthcare market.

Engine informal networking night where “We’ll be a keen and supportive observer of the Jo Davis, seniorThe planning Jon Mowat, managing director Shed itself is director a regularatstop-off for like-minded creatives share a London event this year both from the perspective property ofBristol’s tenant Hurricane Media VIPs, from politicians to royals. agency GVA in Bristol glass or two of something, a few of participation andsaid: GVA’s own.”

“Being in a building with such Paul Williams, from commercial nibbles and some of that good facilities, and a broad range ● Bridgewater House in Bristol’s Victoria Street which has been refurbished by Cubex, the firm behind the property agency Bruton Knowles’ collective inspiration. the city office, each year ourinflux universities Bristol saidatthe of tech(see Expert Eye column, right). nology firms was good for the city.

And just Bristol itself.

The “Thethat’s regeneration of large areas of little development activity.

“We now have some planning The problem is that all those new Cubex which is behind the Finzel’s bridge a northern eastern fringes are Jo Davis, right, senior planning previouslyand abandoned commercial policy certainty across the Bristol developments need input from the Reach development in Bristol city over 800 buzzing with largely at road, property agencyisGVA, space has been key tohouse-building Bristol’s recent director a,” said Jo. “The property in-sector relevant council along and has also beentorefurbishacross the Paintworks one of are tions, media and technology funding which don’tall suit lowerthe cost, centre a proposition to take developers to “We led activity, as the lastmedia year in Bristol homes success and such is lifting theLyde city Green up the said needs use that to in scale, way, including public coningsay Bridgewater House the top hubs in the878 city, whilst dustry deals tend to to be fairly modest easy-in easy-out terms.” we’ve got four of in fiveVictoria companiesworking development intable Emersons built, compared with we number speed up national league in termsGreen of at- were sultation, reports bring –it where up tocan grade Temple Studios next to the 2,574 train in sta- ensure the sheer of the business moves It takes a different kind and of de- Street withtodemand you A buildwith pla and several sites around Keyn2008/9. planing tracting new business,” he said. eventual planningbusiness perstandard, hasevidence seen theofproblem tion has continued the trend. brings process. the footfall – not to mention veloper, with a different based on demandfirst we canseen how sham.

“In the last three years,help the create only “And the au- rely on for “Previously redundant and negmission. Any bigare develat coun “These popular centres spend – planning city centres model. Thankfully there some, hand. give you?”

The locations upsurge in is the welcomed across wewhich had seen in sky were at thorities lected city centre and cranes will behind involvethe He Ben understands the challenges faplannin the buzz all cities need to take growth.” need to be with firms opment such as Verve Shorrock, product developindustry, but the speed of the Hospital,” she said, take on the of those deals around the Temple Quarter are reset- Southmead the city council, would like andnumber full advantage of the recovery,” said ready Thetomodest nature Paintworksmultiple and TCNapplications. behind Temple cingment manager at but Invest Bristol covery caught many off guard, speaking at aconfidence recent property sem-in extra activity that isparticularly for That means the ting thehas trend, attracting increasing to see action Paul. “The generated can pose a problem, Studios.

Bath, said:taken.

“It’s often not about stylemendou not least the authorities. the firm hubs hosted the M shed. place. slimmed down, austernumbers of local technology, media and inar have but fivehaving planning our creative is at percolating back taking old-style property investors such as Matt said Invest Bristol and Bath “We of space a bitapplicamore flex-on the r Planning departments She thepraised South “That is funds more difficult. ity-sized planning telecommunications firmshave and not exbeing considered

by Bristol along riverside Bristol, to mothballed city pension which look for steady was building a picture of teams demand, tions ibility.

If you are working in anim-ficers. been exempt of austerity and They cut returns. the planning a bottleneck Council at the moment tending the from city’syears so-called Media Gloucestershire centre sites such and as theBath Glassfields long-term finding are out becoming what the needs of some fo Cityation for example, need toand go are up and “This and cutsthe inA4.” local authority North-East for very hardhead and the abil- investthat could it beisholding up ecoa further two,” Mile deep out along delays developmentSomerset in Templecouncils Way – wh ich teams Matt Cross, of inward the companies attracting to the shortly downtoa submit lot in size.

With traditional budgets fromto Whitehall. the been downturn in activity to ity to build back thatBristol resource growth in and aroundand BrisGavin.

“Collectively theselease rep- forprocess He points the £1.35 million re- using has now earmarked for three ment agency Invest and to Bath, nomic city are and being proactive hav- saidoffice, you sign a five-year For the last project five years, probably their core strategies for flats fuaccommodate growth will chaltol.ing “mature conversations” with de- resent overspace £100 so million of develfurbishment by itCube Real develop new buildings including offices, said: “When developers arebe governed specific that doesn’t work.” applicat d idn’t which matterhas because there was so ture sites. lenging.”

Gavin far right, director of opment, 100moving homes, a Estate transformed the old and development a café. by institutional lenders then those velopeBridge, rs.

He more addedthan firms tonew Bristolthe cons B015-1411 Bruton Knowles Bristol “Although Post Commercial Advert 270x40mm AW 2.pdf institutions 1 06/05/2014 17:24 HTV studios in Bath Road.

Just many telecommunicacreate conditions on “We have been working on creating are often won over by spaces like the

“ Whilst it’s a highly

creative and relaxed environment to work in, there’s an air of professionalism that resonates throughout

“ They cut the planning teams very hard and the ability to build back that resource to accommodate growth will be challenging

EPB-E01-S3

0117 287 2101

enquiries@brutonknowles.co.uk brutonknowles.co.uk

Achieve more from your property

ww ww. w.bbrriissttoollppoosstt.co.uk/business .co.uk/business w

Wedneessd daay, y, October November 2014 1, 5, 2014

association with with In in association

HUBPACE S LEAWDINTGH RECOVERY THE WAY KEEP

e Finzel’s Reach development in Bristol city centre

79

Property0117 of the Week 287 2101

Expert eye Expert eye PaulPaul Williams Matthews

HeadPartner of Agency Bruton Knowles Bruton Knowles paul.williams@brutonknowles.co.uk 0117 287 2101 0117paul.matthews@ 287 2101 brutonknowles.co.uk

We need to accommodate the surging student population

brutonknowles.co.uk

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brutonknowles.co.uk To Let - High Quality Offices

Near Parkway Station, Bristol To Let - High Quality Offices Near Parkway Station, Bristol • From 980-1,980 sq ft (91-183.9 sq m) • 8 parking spaces • Easy access to M4/M5/M32 motorways • From 980-1,980 sq ft (91-183.9 sq m) • Flexible terms available • 8 parking spaces • Easy access to M4/M5/M32 motorways

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● Skanska’s 66 Queen Square development is taking shape with the steel frame now in place

and the potential to create welcome any measures that would more people. Zoe Willcox, service ularly liaise with property organ0 new jobs. provide additional resource and supdirector for planning and sustainisations such as the Planning User enjoy an excellent to those“There officers.” ability, council’s develGroup and for Bristol Engine Shed, only to find it’sport full-up. ● Main is strong demand for said: com- “The attractive location bothProperty big busi-Agents g relationship The obvious is on management is andAssociation to ensuretothat they are But the market is responding. picture, section ness mercialimpact property spaceopment from techinnovative start-ups grow. anners but have new but any managed to ensure has resilience kept up-to-date withspace any to developThere are plans being drawn up for a developments nology businesses in Bristol but not theitnewly It is important that we make w the cutbacks bottleneck will have an ef-supply, to flex and respond of forments to our service.

In this&way we second Engine Shed within the enough appropriate so it vital refto urthe bishdemands ed cater this demand and at Bristol ncil to reduce further downis addressed. the the local propertyBath market. feel confident thatworking we will up maintain Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone. fect that this need Road Bath Science Park we are ng officer If, for example, a sector “The a good working relationship with the Another of the city’s hubs for techchain. “Businesses in this areglobal able financial plans for a new building to help acStudioscrisis of 2008 rs has put tre- is the Bristol and Bath Sciencenew office site isand delayed, in a significant drop offcommodate in commercial firms to develop scale upresulted more easily this.” property sector at this and, us pressure firmspreviously interestedasinbarriers the amount of planning busy time.”

Park. The Emerson’s Green includesthen than to entry Such increasingly expansions need to happen above,applications. the remaining of- facilities for start-ups plus moving inbeen might have toIt is,Happily however,Bristol Bristoland has been at or businesses Recruiting skilled people hot desk a have reduced. for example, soon as such as Just Eat in the wait, much meaning there old prototypes the forefront national economic current growing market is not algrow on centre for companies that easier to make now of aBath which have been lured to the city s doesneed cause tied up that bit revival which hasScience led to a significant easy as many more space. Crucially it is premises deso is technology is advancing quickly. becauseways of the so talent poolhowever, and quality in the signed planning longer. And property increase activityofinlife private sector companies have to meet the needs of research “In the addition, our region hasin adevelopment (and cheaper-than-London Park whether an merry-go-round stops. the base, city and the found, developers, agents and andbefore development-led businesses, strong engineering skills de-we are currently inproperty prices)sowon’t wait. tion is registered during an issue City process of recruiting in order to other interested parties will be where lab or space can be It’s more im- Bristol veloped offCouncil the backisof a rich heritage The property market needs to learn sideration period.

Wedesks. would well aware of and is looking toand hireadvanced meet this renewed demand. We from reg- the watching closely. portant than init aerospace engintechnology sector and pick B015-1411 Bruton Knowles Bristol Commercial Advert 270x40mm Chief executive Bonnie Dean said:Posteering, which means thatAWit2.pdf is an 1 06/05/2014 17:24 up the pace.

0117 287 2101

Bristol and Bath. Well that’s the prospect the two cities are facing as they seek to provide ITH money from with overseas continuing to accommodation to cope a continuing surge flownumbers. into the UK, Bristol is poised for a in student increase in inward investWith significant Bristol, UWE, Bath and Bath Spa camment. For to many years overseas investors puses predicted grow significantly over the have been concentrating their cash on next few years demand for new student accomtrophymodation investments in Londonmany and the Southsites East.– not has absorbed available Butjust highindemand and rocketing arearound obliging the residential marketprices but also the more aand overseas office investors look at locathe rea’smore commercial, and to industrial regional as well as the capital. Manchester and tioncities s.

Birmingham seeing increased activity but With are fouralready top universities within a 20-mile Bristol is alsothe on their radar. radius, impact on Bristol and Bath will be Overseas investors own a quarter of inmore pronounced thanalmost in many comparable recome-producing commercial property in the UK, with gional cities. shopping centres, warehouses, hotels and office buildBruton Knowles has been closely monitoring ings athe favourite target.

China, Russia and more reconversion trend since it gained traction centlyduring Brazil the have been busyBack in this area but there has downturn. then, owners, builders also been marked rise in keen investment German and adevelopers were to keepfrom busy and set funds about and also from the Middle East. office and elderly transforming secondary Invest Bristol & Bath is helping to focus interest commercial stock into residential – especiain lly the Bristol, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, studentNorth – accommodation.

But what was Bath and North-East Somerset areas and has worked something of a stopgap measure has been boosted closely groupsthan likeexpected the Westrecovery of England bywith the faster and China is now Bureau todaraise fun mentthe allycity’s profile.

High-powered delegations from the major Chinese transforming the cities entire of Shenzhen and Guangzhou have visited Bristol commercial in thesecpast tor. month looking for investment opportunities.And whereas Overseas inmost people welvestors snapping comed the transup competitively formation of so pricedmany property abandoned offices or unused industrial has premises, its draw-the continuing demand for even more backsstudent – sharpenaccommodation raises the question of ing demand and development will take place – eswhere such increasing compecially once the supply of secondary sites is petition for UK exhausted. buyers –Inbut this of an in London than it Bristol,isamore number ofissue well known office buildis in the regions. ings have already been converted or earmarked So what is it that makes the Bristol Bath area for student accommodation, not and to mention the such acity’s targetformer for overseas investment? ice rink, a police station and a As number well as ofbeing a key regional transport and old people’s apartments. communications hub, theare concentration of aerospace Now developers looking at ‘hands on’ inand other high-tech industries attracts and supports a dustrial and commercial sites in Bristol and Bath highly– skilled ablyalready supported no fewer several workforce of which have beenby taken out of than four major universities. the sector to create additional space for student UWE alone accBristol ommodat ion. is investing £220 million in infrastructure including a dedicated business school Hands on businesses such as garages, tyre firms building. additional student accommodation reand The repair shops have traditionally been located quiredinto support a steeply increasing student pop-to secondary premises and many are beginning ulation is also proving highly attractive overseas run out of options if they need tofor move, after investgrowing ors. out of their old premises for instance.

A report

by Centre for Cities McKinsey & The level of demand we areand seeing is certainly Company named Bristol andpatterns Bath’s high sector as skewing development andtech impacting on the only cluster of its thefast-growing, city centre globally-significant scene, transforming traditional kind in the UK, with the South West’sand aerospace commercial property function usage. sector highlighted in this to category According recent too. forecasts some 50,000 stuThedents profusion of skills exhibited in the growth are expected to be looking forkey accommodareas ation such in as Bristol aerospace, industry; and a overthe thenuclear next few years with STEMfurther (science, technology, engineering math20,000 in Bath – the equivalentand of building ematics) is further helping to focus overseas interest a new town ten times bigger than Keynsham. on what Bristol and Bath has got to offer.

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I W

Overseas investors MAGINE having to find space forset the equivalent of a new town ten times bigger than to look towards Bristol Keynsham, somewhere in the vicinity of

www.bristolpost.co.uk

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

can be a lightning rod for change’ Gavin Thompson

B

RISTOL’S status as European Green Capital next year will be a “lightning rod for change” around which businesses can rally.

That message was delivered to the business community at the Bristol Post’s Bristol Connected networking event.

Tom Silk, commercial and brand director of Bristol 2015, the company formed to deliver events around the city’s European Green Capital status, said it was an “incredible achievement” for Bristol to win the award.

He said the prize did not come with a war chest of funds but the Bristol 2015 team had been successful in securing £7 million from Government and support from sponsors, including First, Skanska and KPMG, to fund a programme or events.

Tom said 400 organisations had signed up as members of the Green

Chamber Networking Breakfast: Popular event held in the Terrace bar of Colston Hall so you can network while taking in the spectacular city view.

7.30-9am, November 6. Book at www.BusinessWest.co.uk.

One-to-one drop-in advice: University of the West of England advisers are holding confidential, one-to-one drop-in sessions for the region’s innovative businesses to discuss its growth service at the Engine Shed, November 7. Email uwebusiness@uwe.ac.uk.

Backing Your Ambition: Focus on the importance of planning for the next phase of growth, through accessing finance, understanding the risks and opportunities. Plus economic update from Rhys Herbert, senior economist, Lloyds Banking Group, and talk by Brian McConnell, MD of Hydrock. Tuesday, November 11, 8-10.30am, M shed.

“ How we are going to

live in a more sustainable way is the biggest single challenge on the planet.

Capital Partnership.

“Why is it important?” said Tom. “Well, what a fantastic opportunity!

“We are a lightning rod for change.

How we are going to live in a more sustainable way is the biggest single challenge on the planet.

“The pendulum is swinging away from the idea that combating climate change is about nations and their policies to the fact it is cities and their people. There is no other city that demonstrates that like Bristol.”

Tom said the organisation now wanted to get more small and medium sized businesses involved, both in making their own companies greener and in supporting events.

The gathering of around 50 business people also heard from David Nichols, of Temple Studios-based start-up CardNest, a greetings card subscription service.

“The idea is you build a nest egg of cards for any occasion,” said David.

Business diary

Super-fast Business – Measuring Your Online Success: Understand how your social media, online marketing and web strategies work for you by learning how to measure your online success. Free event at Bristol and Bath Science Park, 8.30am-11am, November 6.

Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

Tom Silk

11

● Tom Silk, of Bristol 2015, and Hazel Chawa, Ross Office “It’s a nice surprise each month, even though you can’t choose the card you want they’re always very cheerful.

“They are exclusive designs from independent artists.

“They are all every different and it’s wonderful to see people engaging with us.

“We have 65 subscribers already since end of September.”

The event was held at the Double Tree by Hilton Bristol City Centre in Redcliffe Way and manager John Dowling shared the hotel’s recent experience of how a £5 million investment and decision to switch from Ramada to Hilton in 2011 had paid off.

● Bristol Connected is an every-other-month business networking event organised by the Bristol Post. If you are interested in hosting the December event, email gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk.

South Bristol Business Netwalk: Gathering for coffee from 7.30am at Brigstow Lounge Cafe (look for Cross Harbour Ferry and the cafe is next door).

Harbour walk starts promptly at 8.20am. Returning for breakfast treats an hour later. Wednesday, November 12. Sponsored by Blue Orchid. Register at newwalkingsouthwest.co.uk.

Transatlantic trade talk: An expert panel will be discussing a ground breaking TTIP EU-US trade agreement and its implications for South West businesses at Grant Thornton, Victoria Street. From 8.30-10.30am on Wednesday, November 12. Email eadam@babinc.org to register.

● John Dowling, DoubleTree by Hilton, and Quintus Dickinson, Wriggle

ExploreExport: Delivered by Business West in association with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), gives you the opportunity to explore over 60 markets around the world in just one day.

At The Bristol Hotel on Thursday, November 13, it offers one-to-one meetings with experts from British embassies and consulates from over 60 countries. Register at exploreexport.ukti.gov.uk/bristol.

Bristol Distinguished Address: UWE’s series giving the chance to meet the leaders of industry continues with Anne Francke – CEO, CMI. Leigh Court, Abbots Leigh, 6pm, November 13.

Register via UWE. Inspiring Women Live! Meet and network with other amazing women and be inspired by the event’s speakers. The Pavilion, Hanover Quay, 6.30-9pm, Thursday, November 13. Book via eventbrite.

● Karl Brown, Clarke Willmott

BRML20141027F-010

● Katie Brown, Atkins Walters and Webster, with Samantha Barner, Design and Co

Email your business events to gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk.

Events are sometimes cancelled without us being notified so please check with organisers before travelling.

10

Special feature

Go diGital Green capital ‘Major event In pictures Bristol Post’s Bristol Connected

The digital world impacts right across enterprise and is helping businesses expand, grow and reach new markets. Don’t be left out.

GALLERIES GALORE

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he world is quickly becoming digital with people consuming digital content on a daily basis. So far this year 38 million, or 76%, of British adults accessed the internet every day.

So it’s no surprise that some of the UK’s most well known brands have put growth down to their digital strategy.

Digital is big business. But one in three SMEs doesn’t have a website and is missing out on a slice of the online marketplace.

There is a raft of opportunities to get an online presence, whether it’s selling items via eBay, Amazon, or Etsy.

Some enterprises are doing it themselves, using websites such as Wordpress and Moonfruit, to

bristolpost.co.uk/business

create and market their own website. Specialist creative agencies can also help businesses build websites.

Social media – including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram – now plays a huge part in helping businesses connect with customers, receive feedback and share news on products and services. It’s free and businesses can engage with customers in real time.

Smartphones and tablets have also changed the digital landscape. Potential customers are accessing information directly from their mobile phones. Having a mobile site is now just as important to businesses as a desktop site.

Steve WilSon, Director of Corporate Banking, Bristol

Gina Fucci, Managing Director of Films at 59

At RBS if a customer isn’t sure how to create an engaging website, or doesn’t understand the benefits that social media can bring – we can help. We support Bizcrowd, a free social business network that can connect you with professionals in your area. If you have something you need help with, just let them know. We offer a range of services, including 24/7 telephone and online banking, and even a mobile app so you can check your balance and make transfers on the go. If you want to stay competitive, it’s vital to embrace the digital age – and RBS will show you the way.

For me, it’s not just the importance of the digital age, but the impact of it. You can now find out about a business at a click of a button and you have to stand out. Information is out there and it’s out there for a long time.

For us and our clients, digital is our business - we provide text, audio and video and it’s being streamed and backed up every day.

Without a doubt, the digital age is here and we all have to be a part of it. I think it’s important to embrace it but not to be a slave to it.

To find out more about connections that can help your business visit rbsbusinessconnections.co.uk.

Or call Steve Wilson on 07919 210737 steve.j.wilson@rbs.co.uk

● Bristol Connected at the Double Tree by Hilton

Pics: Michael Lloyd BRML20141027F-013

● Inge Dowden, Inge Dowden Coaching BRML20141027F-007

● Andy Hatten, Wriggle; Georgina Webb, Fishtank

● Dave Robinson and Dave Nichols, of Cardnest

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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The back page Record field up for the region’s tech Oscars

T

HE achievements of big hitting digital companies and entrepreneurs were recognised in the West Country’s annual tech Oscars.

With the region’s tech industry now worth nearly £5 billion, judges at the SPARKies had to choose from a record field of 225 nominations across the 14 categories.

This year they rewarded hardware innovators and those competing on the global stage – while also backing the region’s reputation as a game development cluster.

Incubator games developer Opposable Games and Ultrahaptics, which is developing pioneering technology allowing users to ‘feel’ and change a screen without physical contact, each won a brace of awards.

SPARKies founder David Maher Roberts said: “The judges’ thinking has reflected the growth of the local tech industry and they’ve tended to reward companies and individuals with big ambitions.

“We’ve now moved into a situation where we’ve got local companies like Coull, vouchercloud and Zynstra winning business both nationally and on the global market.

“And in the wings we’ve got a new generation of exciting start-ups – companies like Ultrahaptics and

● Guests at the SPARKies awards Open Bionics.”

The awards help to raise the area’s profile too.

David said: “We are shouting about what we have here but it’s also about all these companies knowing about what each other is up to.

“Every single CEO or worker here is an advocate for Bristol and Bath.

● Best Service Provider – SETSquared That’s part of what SPARKies is about so next time they go to New York or London they can say ‘this company won best start-up award and will be next billion dollar business and they are based in Bristol’.

“If you can get 100 people saying that instead of us four in this room it makes a massive difference.”

THE WINNERS One To Watch: Ultrahaptics From Chips To...: Ultrahaptics The Good Award: Opposable Games Best Game: Amazing Frog produced by independent Swindon-based game developer Fayju, Best App: Wriggle Best Service Provider: SETSquared Totally Killing It Abroad: Coull Founder Of The Year: Joel Gibbard - Open

Bionics Biggest Success Story: vouchercloud Best Start-up: Zynstra Individual Contribution To Technology: Ben Trewhella, co-founder of both Opposable Games and the Bristol Games Hub Best Mentor: Mark Mason, founder of Mubaloo Future SPARK: Jake Chandrasakera, Android developer at Somo Global Coder Of The Year: Sam Davies

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OUNG entrepreneur Rhys Thickett was simply too busy to think just how significant the day was when he launched his fledgling Bristol property sales and lettings agency on Bonfire Night five years ago.

The city’s property market was a damp squib bogged down in recession when he set up Robert Rhys in a one room office in Clifton with the aid of a laptop, a mobile phone and a branded Mini.

His total assets at the time were £5,000 of his own cash and an unlimited supply of youthful enthusiasm and burning desire to succeed come what may.

“Launching a property agency in the middle of a slump as a 22-year-old was a crazy idea at the time but, in hindsight, the market was poised to come out of recession. So completely unknown to me it was in fact absolutely the right time,” said Rhys.

Today Robert Rhys employs an eight strong team, occupying a smart suite of offices on the edge of Cabot Circus, just a step down the road from Harvey Nichols, and has plans to open a second office in fashionable Clifton.

It’s all a far cry now from the impatient young man who dropped out of university not once but twice.

Becoming friends with the agent who had previously let a flat to him in Cardiff was the start of a change of direction for Rhys, who left UWE to become a lettings negotiator back in the Welsh capital. After 18 months he returned to UWE, this time to do business studies, but continued his work in Cardiff before joining a Bristol agency and abandoning his studies for a second time.

But Rhys soon tired of putting in time and effort to build up someone else’s business so one day he just went out and registered Robert Rhys as a limited company; Robert being his dad’s name.

“I started cold calling and chasing landlords for business and although I wasn’t really making any money I was making lots of contacts and meeting some interesting and even inspiring people,” he recalled.

Rhys went to every bank in Bristol and was

● From left, Alice Hay, Laura Keast, Rhys Thickett and Ben Rees of Robert Rhys Picture: Jeremy Long/JCL Photography told that “no way” would he get an office in Cabot Circus. But after 13 months of negotiations, that’s exactly what he did, opening the Broad Weir premises in January 2013 and the business has grown since. ● Technology company Coull which is building a growing business creating new revenue streams for publishers of online video has joined the London Stock Exchange’s Elite scheme.

The support programme is for chief executives of high-growth companies, offering mentoring and access to investors. Coull was among a cohort of 16 firms joining the scheme. ● Legal firm Ashfords is celebrating 10 years in Bristol. The team has gone from strength to strength since the office was first opened in 2004 following Ashfords’ de-merger from Bevan Ashford.

The original premises in Bull Wharf was quickly outgrown following the office expanding by more than 60 per cent in three years and in 2010 the firm moved to Tower Wharf.

Bristol office head Andrew Betteridge said: “At a time when many were reining in their expansion plans, we have taken the opportunity to do the opposite and we have significantly invested in the future.”