Hull Business Edition November 2017 by Humber Business

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Wednesday November 1 2017

FIRM CELEBRATES ITS 50TH BRANCH Builders’ merchants hits ‘significant milestone’ ... and has big ambitions By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

We are more national now than we have ever been. “We are significantly developing in the North West, in Scotland and we cover all down the east coast to Deal in Kent. “We are moving towards being a more national business. “We are looking, if possible, to have 100 branches by 2022. “There are plenty of people wanting to open their own units and develop them, run and manage them. “We have arrived where we have because we have a brilliant team of people who work hard and long hours and we are extremely proud of them. “They are all pivotal to us continuing to grow and that is good for the city, as it creates local jobs. “Hull is receiving a boost for the economy, which is seeing develop-

Continued on PAGE 2

NOW OPEN: David Kilburn, front centre, at the opening of MKM Building Supplies’s 50th branch in Leamington Spa.

BUSINESS leaders from East Yorkshire will witness the launch of the region’s new tourism strategy for the next five years at a major conference next week. Some 250 delegates will be attending the conference next Thursday, which will also give people the opportunity to reflect on the success of Hull 2017. Those attending the Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (VHEY) Tourism Conference at the Mercure Grange Park Hotel in Willerby will hear from keynote speakers Andrew Stokes, who joined Visit England last year as its England director, and Julia Bradbury, above, the TV presenter best known for Countryfile, which she presented from 2004 to 2014. Ms Bradbury will focus on rural tourism and the opportunities it presents. Also speaking is Fran Hegyi, executive director of Hull 2017; Matt Jukes, chief executive of Hull City Council, about this year’s cultural celebrations; and industry expert Professor John Lennon, who is leading preparations on VHEY’s new five-year tourism plan. Prof Lennon, director of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business Development at Glasgow Caledonian University, completed the original strategy which led to the setting up of VHEY ten years ago and is leading the team setting new tourism goals and strategies to be implemented from April. In 2007, the value of tourism to the local economy was put at £615m; by 2016 that had risen to £797m and is expected to touch £1bn by next year. In terms of jobs, more than 17,000 people are dependent on the sector for full-time, part-time or seasonal jobs.

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A HULL builders’ merchants says it has hit a “significant milestone” as it opens its 50th national branch, coming a long way from the solitary Hull store in a “big shed” 22 years ago. David Kilburn, right, started MKM Building Supplies in 1995. It has seen rapid growth in the past year, opening seven new branches across the country. He says he plans to continue the company’s impressive expansion and have 100 branches open by 2022. The company has now opened its 50th branch in Leamington Spa and the chief executive says there are many new branches in the pipeline. Mr Kilburn said, while the company now has a greater national presence, it started from humble beginnings. He said: “It’s a really significant milestone for us. We started in what was effectively a big shed in Hull 22 years ago. “I suppose it’s down to a lot of hard work from a lot of people who have seized the opportunity to help make us successful. “It’s similar to a franchise, so it has people pushing forward with the businesses and they have really made it work. “Hull is very much a core part of the business, as this is where our humble beginnings started and we are very supportive of Hull. “Our success in Hull has allowed us develop, branching out further, and has meant we can open up in new places, such as Honiton, Leamington Spa and Heatherhill recently.

Tourism plan for next five years revealed

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BUSINESS

‘A truly smart space’ Complex will have city’s most advanced telecommunications systems

BASE: MKM Building Supplies headquarters in Stoneferry Road, Hull.

Firm celebrates its 50th branch Continued from PAGE 1 ment, which is helping to create a greater demand for our products. “That development is what will help to leave an important legacy for the city.” The new branch has employed 18 staff and sells everything from building, heating and plumbing supplies, through to landscaping and timber, as well as having a bathroom and kitchen showroom. The Leamington store in one of seven planned for opening by the end of this year, expanding further across the UK. Brothers Paul and David Warren are the site’s branch directors. David Warren said: “Being the milestone 50th branch, MKM Leamington Spa will epitomise what MKM is all about: local people providing unrivalled service to local people, with incredible product ranges and prices.” “MKM has built up an enviable reputation as an independent, locally focused merchant – and that’s why MKM Leamington Spa intends to get involved wherever possible. “We can’t wait to meet all of our new customers.”

THE new £6m development complex at Kingston House in Hull city centre will be equipped with the city’s most advanced telecommunications and wireless broadband systems, ahead of its opening next month. The K2 development at the former council building in Bond Street will have a state-of the-art telecoms system, including a dedicated fibre feed, wi-fi throughout, a high-speed wireless back-up and voice-over internet protocol systems. The K2 development will house office and co-working space, alongside 14 luxury serviced apartments, a 100-bed hotel and retail and leisure space, with plans to include a restaurant, gym, bar and a café with rooftop terrace. Work by contractors MLS Group began on the site in September, which was purchased for development by Beverley-based Tradepark Ltd via NPS in August. The first office spaces are due to be open this month, with the first serviced apartments available from January next year. Mark Butters, Tradepark Ltd director, says the system will be a key part of the complex.

“

The smart wireless infrastructure is one of the most technologically advanced in the north of England Furqan Alamgir, of Connexin

By Henry Saker-Clark

CONNECTED: From left, Mark Butters, of Tradepark Ltd, with James Dearing and James Gemmell, of Connexin, at the K2 development at the former Kingston House site in Bond Street, Hull city centre.

henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

He said: “K2 will provide Hull with a multi-space community that brings businesses, creative professionals, residents and visitors together and will be the first concept of its kind in the city centre. “Whether people use K2 for work or play, communication is key. Having excellent internet access is something people have come to expect, wherever they go and we wanted to offer the very best service for our residents, tenants and their clients.” The developer says the complex has been inspired by contemporary, flexible co-working spaces, serviced offices and apartments in neighbourhoods of New York and East London. Furqan Alamgir, chief executive officer at Connexin, said: “The smart wireless infrastructure being installed at K2 is one of the most technologically advanced in the north of England and will make the development a truly smart space. “It will give tenants access to the highest-quality internet services in the region. “Connexin is delighted to be working in partnership with Tradepark Ltd on such a prestigious project and we look forward to providing a high level of service to K2 tenants.” Hull City Council moved staff to other premises two years ago as it looked to sell the multistorey landmark, which is one of the tallest buildings in Hull, before selling it to Tradepark Ltd.

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BUSINESS

IN BRIEF

Supporting the region’s brightest and best Hull and Humber 30 Under 30 lets firms recognise their top young employees

Recognition for 11 years of safe working AWARDS: Local partnership housing developer Lovell, which is working on a major housing regeneration programme in east Hull, has been presented with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) President’s Award for maintaining an excellent safety record over the past 11 years. Lovell was recognised for achieving 11 consecutive Gold RoSPA awards for

COMPLETE: Lovell Homes in Ings. safety performance, including its health and safety management systems, at its sites and offices in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Lovell regional managing director Robert Adams said: “Keeping our workers and the public safe is of the utmost importance to Lovell.” The Lovell team recently began building the latest phase of the multi-million pound regeneration of the Ings area of east Hull.

Apprentice accolade

“

By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

A NEW programme has been launched to recognise the region’s best young employees and give them the support for further business success. Hull and Humber 30 Under 30 is the opportunity for Hull businesses to highlight their top employees and give them the opportunity to become involved in a series of sessions to help them develop in the future. It is the brainchild of Simon Jones, 31, who started the Identify recruitment agency in Hull three years ago. He says he dreamt up the concept to help the region’s talent meet their potential by offering extra support and sessions. The top 30 young employees will be revealed at an event next year, before all 30 go on a programme of sessions involving business leaders from East Yorkshire. The organisation will be putting a 12-month programme in place for successful nominees, following an awards evening in March. Mr Jones says he hopes employers, both public and private sectors, take advantage of the programme by nominating individuals. He said: “Fundamentally, the reason why we are doing this is because there isn’t an event for

We want to recognise people’s achievements, but also give them genuine support Simon Jones

SCHEME: Simon Jones, owner of recruitment company Identify. employees in the region. There is nothing dedicated to highlighting and celebrating the talented individuals working in the region. “There are thousands of employees in the area so we wanted to target this group. “We’ve been speaking to people who want to volunteer their time and skills to help employees grow and develop, particularly when it comes to things like soft skills. “It is there to offer ‘added value’ for employees, but also to celebrate. “We wanted something that

would celebrate and show what young, talented people are doing in their fields. It’s not just about the positive recognition. It is important to highlight people’s achievements, which is a core part of this, but we also wanted to work out how we could help support people so they can realise their potential.” The programme of sessions, intended to encourage employees, will include management training, soft skills development, emotional intelligence and also incorporate fun, active events that will raise money for charity.

Mr Jones said: “There is this idea at the moment that a lot of young people, in the social media world we live in, want a ‘like’ or token of recognition. “We want to recognise people’s achievements, but also give them genuine support that may help them with the issues they face trying to make a successful career. “You often people hear that someone had amazing potential but ‘burnt out’. We want ensure that doesn’t happen, helping these talented people by speaking to them about things like management and their mental health, so they feel in control. “Hopefully, seeing people who are recognised as being the top talent in their area might inspire other young people at the beginning of their careers.” Businesses involved in sponsorship opportunities or nominating employees can do so on the Hull and Humber Top 30 Under 30 website at www.top30under30.co.uk Nominations must be submitted by Sunday, December 31.

APPRENTICESHIPS: Melton-based Encompass Group has been awarded a place on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) framework for the supply of apprenticeship training. The announcement means the professional training firm will deliver commercial apprenticeship training and related services for the CCS. The announcement is part of the Gover nment’s plans to invest in the CCS framework to develop the “next generation” of public servants. The CCS framework hopes to help organisations set up their own training and apprenticeship programmes without having to commit to lengthy procurement exercises in order to find a provider.

your daily port of call for the latest and breaking business news around the Humber region visit humberbusiness.com

4 Wednesday November 1 2017

IN BRIEF

‘Seven months of business rates chaos’ GOVERNMENT: Phillip Hammond should end the staircase tax, bring business rates bill increases under control and commit to more frequent rates revaluations at the Autumn Budget, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The calls come seven months after the 2017 business rates revaluation took effect on April 1. The FSB threw light on the staircase tax in August after small businesses occupying split workplaces unexpectedly started to receive hiked business rates bills. All business rates bills across England and Wales are set to rise by 3.9 per cent in April next year, in line with the largely discredited Retail Prices Index (RPI). At the same time, firms will lose their year one cap on bill increases. Mike Cherry, FSB national chairman, said: “We have had seven months of business rates chaos following April’s bruising revaluation. “In that time we’ve had the staircase tax, chronic delays to relief measures, a disastrous new appeals platform and now an RPI-linked increase in bills. The business rates regime is nothing short of a living nightmare for millions of small firms. “The Chancellor must put an end to the staircase tax at the Budget and ensure that each of the emergency reliefs announced at the last Budget are in place by November 22.”

Praise for poultry firm AWARDS: An East Yorkshire family poultry business has won two categories at the Rural Business Awards 2017. T. Soanes and Son Poultry, of Driffield, was presented with the awards for Britain’s Best Rural Food and Drink Business and Rural Employer of the Year at the awards ceremony at Denbies Wine Estates in Surrey. Judges were impressed that the business promotes from within, adding that staff were “clearly valued and treated as an asset”. They said the company had a “solid, joined-up view about employment”.

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BIGINTERVIEW

‘I am always curious. I don’t like to be idle and I’ve been fortunate – things come to me’ E

ntrepreneurs are known for being mavericks – people who live by their own rules and who do not often seek advice from others. So to have one of East Yorkshire’s leading entrepreneurs tell me he not only admires Lord Christopher Haskins, but is also, at times, in awe of his contacts, knowledge on numerous subjects and ability as a leader and a negotiator, is testament to Lord Haskins’s influence. As the former head of Northern Foods, government adviser and chairman of numerous organisations and committees – the Open University being just one – Lord Haskins has a CV that would put most people to shame. He also remains more involved with the local economy than many people 20 years his junior. He said: “I am always curious. I don’t like to be idle and I have been fortunate in that things tend to come along. “Things come to me rather than me looking for them, and these tend to have been things I have an interest in.” Before being appointed chairman of the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Lord Haskins was arguably best known for his role at Northern Foods. The business, which was founded as Northern Dairies, was launched in Hull during the war by his father-in-law. Having been “persuaded” to join the business in 1962, Lord Haskins helped to inspire the innovation that saw Northern

Henry Saker-Clark speaks to the much-respected businessman Lord Christopher Haskins Foods create some of the most groundbreaking products of its day, namely the first chilled ready meal, the first supermarket sandwich and the first shop-bought trifle, among other things. Ready meals are now so intertwined with our everyday lives it is hard to imagine a time without them, yet when they first hit the shelves of Marks & Spencer (M&S), they were hailed as a revolution. Lord Haskins said: “Chilled fresh ready meals are now the norm in many households, but they weren’t even on the horizon 50 years ago. “When I went in to the business, food in this country was of pretty awful quality. “Supermarkets as we know them now did not exist. “We used to spend a lot of time abroad in places such as Italy carrying out research. They were much better at food than we were. “Now, I go to M&S in Willerby and the innovations we created are still there on the shelves. Elements might have changed a little, but the basic formulas we made have lasted 40 years. “The biggest challenge for us as a business was going into a completely new world, which is what Marks & Spencer was. Marks & Spencer was moving into a new

world too, exploring innovation and new products. There was a huge transformation of what we made and how we did it, and Marks & Spencer led that transformation.” M&S’s legendary trifle was based on a Mrs Beeton recipe, and took product developers at Northern Foods five years to work out how to ensure the trifle not only tasted great but also didn’t turn to mush in its packaging. But where did the idea behind pre-packaged sandwiches came from? Lord Haskins said: “I was in Marks & Spencer in London when the chief executive was doing an experiment. “He had the women in the food department make up some sandwiches. “We watched them coming down the aisles and they didn’t even make it to the chiller cabinets; they were all snapped up by customers before they got there. “I rang our factory in Oldham and said, ‘I think we are on to something here’.” Though he clearly had a huge impact on Northern Foods, Lord Haskins maintains he was not the entrepreneur of the business. The entrepreneur, he insists, was his father-in-law. “He started the business from scratch, often having to live on a wing and prayer,” he said. “When I joined the business, it was making £300,000. When I left, it was making millions, but the £300,000 was the clever part.” It was during his time at Northern Foods that Lord Haskins began to dabble in things outside of the business, namely using his farming and food expertise to offer advice to both Conservative and Labour governments. This eventually led to him becoming Prime Minister Tony Blair’s adviser on farming matters, including the foot and mouth outbreak that rocked the industry. He said: “I have always had an interest in Government. I knew the former Prime Minister John Smith, and when he died I had been doing some work for the Labour Government. I got to know Tony Blair before he became prime minister. “He was a good person to work with. There were a lot of his policies I did not agree with, for example Iraq. “I also worked alongside the likes of Gordon Brown and David Blunkett. I had

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Wednesday November 1 2017 5

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INNOVATION: In Lord Haskins’s time at Northern Foods he helped inspire some of the most ground-breaking products of the day – the first chilled ready meals.

LIFETIME IN BUSINESS: Lord Chris Haskins.

disagreements with them all, but they always supported me.” One cause for disagreement between Lord Haskins and the former Prime Minister was an issue that continues to divide businesses and politicians to this day. Lord Haskins said: “Tony Blair had a more hands-off perspective of the economy than I did; he was always wanting me to back off regulation but I said no, I want to make regulation better. “The idea that regulation is strangling business is nonsense. Of course there are bad regulations, but in a civilised society you need regulations.” Softly spoken and outspoken are not qualities readily bestowed on one individual, but they both fit Lord Haskins, whose willingness to speak out about issues he feels strongly about, whether to leading politicians or local farmers, are well-documented. This outspokenness continues today, and he makes no apology for having a strong opinion on Brexit. He said: “Brexit is on my mind all of the time. It is a real problem we have to tackle. The ports are very effected by Brexit, as are so many industries here in the Humber. “We have spent my entire lifetime building a stronger relationship with our neighbours, not just economic but social and political, too, and suddenly this country decided to turn its back on that and undermine 70 years of progress, and for what? For nothing. “I think the campaign was badly handled on both sides. “People were just misled. They were told huge amounts of money would come back to the country if we left the EU, which was

not true, and that the economy would get better, which is not true. “Before the referendum, Europe was quite low down people’s priorities. When they were then given the chance to vote, it was high on their minds. “The general feeling was that a lot of people were getting a raw deal. They saw chief executives on huge salaries and felt hard done to, and they had every right to do so. But leaving the EU was not the answer. “Now the challenge is tackling the complexities of Brexit and understanding, or trying to understand, how complex it is and how we are going to get out of the other side.” Despite having lived in the area for four decades, Lord Haskins says he has only really come to understand it since his appointment to the Humber LEP. “I tended to spend a lot of time in London,” he said. “I didn’t know too much about the Humber, really. The past five years have been quite new to me, and I have found it very stimulating. “The Humber has historically been an isolated part of England. Trying to get it more mainstream, to get people wide of the Humber to work more closely together than in the past, has been key. “I think we have made real progress, and the Humber economy is going quite well. The local politicians are working together, local businesses are working together. “The impact of Siemens in the area is it has created 1,000 direct jobs, but much more importantly, it has created confidence and self-respect. Local businesses are much more confident. If businesses are confident that breeds confidence, and confidence comes.”

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IN BRIEF

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BUSINESS

Many feel underpaid A STUDY has found more than two thirds of people asked admitted to feeling underpaid and almost half of graduates (46 per cent) say they actually feel embarrassed about their starting salary. The survey, by Satsuma, found only 24 per cent of graduates thought their salaries were fair for the current cost of living.

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A HULL accountancy firm say the future is bright after promoting two of its chartered accounts to become partners. The move highlights the strength of the fir m’s professional training programme, with both new partners having joined the firm as trainees less than ten years ago. Luke Taylor and Mike Stocks have been named as partners at Smailes Goldie Group, which has offices in Hull and Barton. Their appointments increase the number of partners at the firm from eight to ten. The pair, who are both in their 20s, joined the firm in September 2009, before qualifying in 2012 and being promoted to managers in 2014. Last year, Mike and Luke both received promotions to become associates of the firm. Both are members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Mark Sharpley, a partner at Smailes Goldie, hailed the two new partners, saying they showed a bright future is ahead. Mr Sharpley said: “It’s quite a big moment for the firm. Smailes Goldie has been about for 135 years and I can’t recall two people being appointed as partners at the same time before. “Mike and Luke are both local guys who have developed and completed with us. “They are only 29 and 27, respectively, and I think this just shows the impact they have had at the firm. “They are both in it for the long haul and I think that shows there is a bright future ahead. “I’ve been here for 30 years and other

“

They are both in it for the long haul and I think that shows a bright future ahead Mark Sharpley

By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

partners have been here 20 years and more so fully hope they will continue to impress here for many years. “It’s been a good time for the firm. We have about 120 people here now – we have effectively doubled in size in the building at Freetown Way compared to when we were at St Stephen’s Square. “We pride ourselves at being at the forefront of the industry in the region. We have the office in Barton as well, and we are really going from strength to strength.” Mr Stocks said: “I am thrilled to have completed the journey from trainee to partner at Smailes Goldie Group. This is a great firm, which provides exceptional development opportunities to its team. The professional training we have benefited from here has been first rate and helped us progress quickly to become partners.” Mr Taylor said: “I am delighted to have been made partner and I am looking forward to delivering the excellent level of service our clients expect. “The fact that we have both been able to progress in our careers so quickly is a testament to the quality of the training programme at Smailes Goldie Group.” Ian Lamb, managing partner at the firm, said: “We would all like to congratulate Mike and Luke on their quick progression to becoming partners of the firm. “They have consistently provided our clients with an exceptional level of service and we are very pleased to be able to recognise this by appointing them as partners. “Mike and Luke’s appointments are a clear signal of our commitment to the future of our firm, ensuring our clients will receive the same high standard of service they are used to for many years to come.” Last year, Peter Dearing was also promoted to partner, having begun his career as a trainee.

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Low fixed rate mortgages are still around – but they won’t be forever, warn experts

NOTES

HOUSEHOLDS FACE BIGGER ENERGY BILLS HOUSEHOLDS are being reminded to shop around for a better gas and electricity deal as temperatures fall. GoCompare Energy says standard variable rates (SVRs) are the most common form of default energy tariff that people who do not switch will end up on – and they can be hundreds of pounds more expensive than the best deals on the market. Ben Wilson from GoCompare Energy says: “Energy suppliers announced their price increases in the spring and summer, when the weather was warming up and the big winter bills had been dealt with, so there’s a good chance that millions of people would have done nothing about them. “By now, many of us have probably forgotten just how big some of these price increases were.” BUILDING SOCIETY LAUNCHES ‘AUTISM FRIENDLY HOURS’ NATIONWIDE Building Society is trialling autism-friendly hours in branches to make the experience as comfortable and convenient as possible. Designated quiet periods, reduced background noise and greater availability of office space are to be offered to create a more welcoming environment for people with autism. The initiative, which is being piloted in Worcestershire, is supported by the National Autistic Society and will be rolled out across the Society’s entire branch network if successful. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS THE Ombudsman Service and Age UK have teamed up to produce the pamphlet Know Your Energy Rights to help over-65s get a better deal. The Get advice on Ombudsman your energy deal Service’s Lewis Shand Smith says: “We want to make sure that everyone has the knowledge and confidence to complain effectively, and knows what to do if their issue isn’t resolved.” The pamphlet is available from Age UK centres nationwide. Or you can find it online at ombudsman-services. org, along with lots more useful information. MUMS AND DADS OWED THOUSANDS YOUNG adults owe an average £12,700 to their parents and grandparents. Around 11% owe more than £20,000 and some 44% of parents do not expect the loans to ever be repaid in full, according to a study by the Prudential. Reasons include soaring property prices, tighter rules on bank lending and student loan debts. Prudential’s Stan Russell said: “In many cases this support ends up being gifts rather than loans from the Bank of Mum and Dad.”

It’s still not too late to get yourself fixed up LENDERS HAVE BEEN RAISING THEIR FIXED MORTGAGE RATES LATELY – VICKY SHAW TELLS YOU HOW YOU CAN BAG A GOOD DEAL

T’S crunch time for borrowers considering taking out a new fixed-rate mortgage deal. Lenders have been tweaking the rates they are offering upwards in recent weeks, leading to some of the lowest of the low fixed-rate deals disappearing. So, if you’ve been considering taking out a new deal for a while but haven’t got round to it, now might be the time to have a closer look. Here’s what’s been going on – and what you can do about rising rates.

have been heading upwards. She says: “Swap rates have started to increase, which has caused lenders to rethink their offerings.”

Who’s affected? DAVID HOLLINGWORTH, from broker London and Country Mortgages, says several larger and smaller lenders have been increasing the rates they are offering, with some ultra-low fixed-rates being pulled off the market altogether. “This acts as a reminder that What’s happening? those rates won’t stay that low MORTGAGE rates being offered by forever and actually they’re already on the move.” lenders have crept up in recent The rate increases have also weeks. Dozens of providers been made across large chunks of upped their rates between mid-September and mid-October, lenders’ ranges, he says, so people with bigger and smaller deposits according to Moneyfacts.co.uk could be affected. David adds: What’s the background? “Right the way through the THERE have been hints that the loan-to-value range now, from the Bank of England’s base rate could lowest of the low right up, you’re soon edge up from its low of 0.25%. seeing increases in fixed rates.” Charlotte Nelson, from Does that mean the deals on Moneyfacts, says that, amid the offer are now quite poor? speculation about a possible base BY historic standards, the rate rise, swap rates – which mortgage rates on offer are still lenders use to price their loans –

very low, so there are still many good deals out there. David says: “The rates are still very, very low,” but notes: “The very lowest rates are rapidly disappearing. “I think this is something that will trigger people to take action if they haven’t already, because they are going to miss out on the very lowest rates potentially,” he says, “but there are still a lot of competitive rates out there, so it’s not too late if they are able to get their skates on.” What’s the best length of time to fix my mortgage rate for? THIS will depend on individual circumstances and how far into the future you feel comfortable locking yourself into a deal for. A longer-term fixed deal means you have certainty over your mortgage payments for a longer period, but a shorter term deal may have a lower rate, and will also free the borrower up more quickly if their circumstances change in the future – so the pros and cons need to be carefully weighed up. Shorter-term deals may last for a couple of years, or longer-term

deals may last for five, or even 10 years if you feel happy locking yourself into a deal for the next decade. David Hollingworth says that a possible base rate on the horizon could mean more people locking themselves into fixed-rate deals to insulate themselves from potential interest rate rises. He says: “The question will be whether they go for the very cheapest rates, which are the shorter-term fixes, or consider longer-term.” For borrowers wanting longerterm certainty and weighing up whether to go for a five or 10-year deal, David suggests a possible compromise could be a sevenyear fix, with Coventry Building Society having brought out these deals. What else should borrowers consider? WHEN choosing the right mortgage, David says it’s important to factor in any fees as well as incentives, such as cashback or free legal packages, as well as the rate. He adds that if some people are nearing the end of their current mortgage deal, some lenders will make mortgage offers which are valid for up to six months, so they could consider trying to lock into a deal now which they may not start for half a year.

The expensive mistake that can leave drivers paying more than they need to YOU might assume that third party car insurance is going to be cheaper as it offers a lower level of cover – but some insurers may see people opting for third party cover as a higher risk. Research from uSwitch.com has found nearly three-quarters (72%) of drivers mistakenly believe third party motor insurance is always cheaper than fully comprehensive cover,

so could be overpaying by as much as £929 by only searching for third party policies, according to the price comparison and switching service. It found a third (37%) of drivers who search for third party policies are potentially losing out because they do not search all policy types and may be paying higher premiums for less cover. The website says it

has now set up a new search function which gives drivers the option to list all car insurance cover options when running a search. Sabrina Webb, of uSwitch.com, says: “Every year, drivers could be missing out on huge savings when they insure their cars, as they mistakenly believe that third party cover is always cheaper than a fully comprehensive policy.”

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Design and marketing firm up for awards

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BUSINESS STRONG FOUNDATIONS: Andrew Weaver, of Strata, a Hull housebuilder, which has seen record profits.

AWARDS: East Yorkshire PR and marketing agency Bluestorm Design and Marketing has been shortlisted for three prestigious industry awards for its work on Green Port Hull’s Women into Manufacturing and Engineering (WiME) initiative. WiME aims to inspire women to choose a career in the manufacturing and engineering sectors. In just 12 months, eight women were recruited through the scheme and have taken up roles at some of the region’s largest companies. Bluestorm has been shortlisted for awards at the CIPR PRide awards, the Public Relations and Communications Association National Awards and the Northern Marketing Awards.

Workers still worse off FINANCE: New figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed Yorkshire and Humberside workers are still £46 a week worse off than they were before the financial crash. The ONS figures show for the year to April this year real wages in Yorkshire and Humberside were 10.4 per cent below their 2008 level. Bill Adams, TUC regional secretary for Yorkshire and Humberside, said: “It’s leaving millions of working people facing hardship and getting deeper into debt.”

Building a record profit Housebuilder reports high demand and sales

Looking for new premises? Search over 700 properties in the Humber region Visit humberbusiness.com/commercialproperty

A HOUSEBUILDER with three Hull sites has reported record profits, achieving doubledigit growth for a second consecutive year as it delivered a total revenue of £128m. Sales for Strata in the year ending July 1, 2017, helped the firm reach record profits, with turnover rising by 30 per cent compared to the previous full financial year. Compared with the full financial year ended December 31, profit before tax on residential property sales took a substantial leap forward from £11.1m to £20m in the same period. The business has completed 605 homes across 20 sites in the past 12 months, with an average selling price of £212,000, up by 22 per cent on the 12-month period ending December 31, 2015. The company has two completed sites in Hull – Amber in Boothferry Park and Emotion in Maybury Road – where it secured planning permission to build a total of 296 homes. During the last financial year, it sold 46 properties with an average selling price of £149,000. The company also recently started work on the latest development in Kingswood, Hull,

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY PARTNERS:

SITE: Strata homes in Boothferry Road.

By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

called Attraction, and is currently in negotiations over further plans for the region. Strata’s chief executive, Andrew Weaver, said: “Despite wider political and economic uncertainty, we are exceptionally pleased by the resilience of the housing market in Yorkshire and East Midlands. “As well as improving our operational margin, we have used the favourable conditions to widen our geographical reach, diversified our house type range and fortified our position as a forerunner in design and customer service.” The company says growth has been driven by acquiring new sites for development throughout Yorkshire and the East Midlands. It says it has seen a higher average selling price this year after developing schemes with homes suited to families and people wanting to move up the housing ladder. Mr Weaver said: “2016-17 saw the highest demand since the launch of Help to Buy in 2013. This has been coupled with high affordability pass rates and record low cancellation rates. “Furthermore, our focus on customer experience has seen us named as one of only 15 housebuilders nationally to secure five-star status from the Home Builders Federation.” With a strong and sustainable land pipeline and sites negotiated or contracted, future growth for the company is reinforced by a record forward selling position going into 2017-18, with 65 per cent of sales committed for the 700 plots forecast. Employing 178 people, Strata was recently named in the Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100, where it was ranked 20th in the league table. It had been identified in the ten companies included in the Ones to Recognise category in the Top Track 250 in the previous year.

IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A BOAT? NO, IT’S A TUG SUPERMAN PAGE 5

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RIVERSIDE FLATS TO BE GIVEN LUXURY REVAMP PROPERTY PAGES 3

& commercial property

BUSINESS BOOST AT MICROFIRM CENTRE

MP urges investment in small firms at opening rebranded of trading park By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

VISIT: MP Karl Turner. Lara Roberts, who runs Roberts Vintage Home, from the site says she has a “positive outlook” following the relaunch of the centre. She said: “The change of ownership of Hull Microfirms Centre was as smooth as it was beneficial. Tradepark and NPS ensured that our business was not disrupted by the purchase of the building, but instead benefitted from it. “The work Tradepark has done to the building has put the centre on the map, filled the empty units and made it a bustling community to work in. Investing in the cosmetics of the centre has made it a much more enjoyable place to spend time in and shown the occupiers that Tradepark cares about our

Continued on PAGE 2

BUSINESS SUPPORT: From left, Alex Browning, community manager, MP Karl Turner, Simon Butters, of Hull Microfirms, and James Joannou.

Firm grows at Pace in C4DI A HULL creative communications agency has celebrated it second anniversary with an expansion of its offices and team of staff. Pace, based at C4DI in Hull’s Fruit Market, was set up by former KCOM director Anita Pace, pictured, and offers marketing, PR, design and digital services. Ms Pace launched the business after recognising there was an opportunity to provide businesses with a more creative approach to their communications challenges. Since launching, the company has built a broad portfolio of work across sectors including corporate, education, sport and the arts in a successful 24 months of trading. This continual growth has seen the expansion of the Pace office at C4DI and recruitment to maintain and enhance services for existing clients and attract new ones. Recent additions to the team of 12 include Natalie Murphy, who joins as PR manager, and Shaun Wyatt, digital account manager. Ms Murphy is a former journalist who spent 15 years working in regional newspapers including a decade at the Hull Daily Mail, where she edited award-winning monthly lifestyle magazine, The Jour nal. Mr Wyatt joins Pace from Summit Media, where he worked as digital marketing manager, specialising in search engine optimisation. Ms Pace said: “I’m delighted to welcome Natalie and Shaun to our growing team, both of whom are highly experienced in their specialist field. “This is a pivotal time for us as we build on the success we’ve had in our first two years. It’s been a brilliant two years and we’re excited about the future.”

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“SMALL businesses in Hull must not be forgotten” said Hull MP Karl Turner as he reopened a workspace in Hull, following a recent takeover and renovation. Hull Microfirms Centre in Wincolmlee has supported small and start-up businesses for more than 35 years. It had been operated by Hull City Council, before it was purchased by Tradepark Ltd in May, in a sale overseen by commercial agents NPS Humber Ltd. Since the purchase, Tradepark has undertaken a major refurbishment of the centre, with a vision to create a community hub for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Karl Turner, MP for Hull East, attended the relaunch of the centre and says it is important not to forget small businesses. “I was delighted to have been invited by the centre to reopen it after its renovation. It’s a brilliant space for small businesses,” he said. “Small businesses in Hull do a lot for the economy. The fantastic big investments we have recently seen are hugely important to the city, but it is also important that we don’t forget the small businesses that are doing a lot to support the economy on a daily basis. “While I was there, I met some fantastic entrepreneurs. I met an upholsterer who had just secured a big contract with a manufacturer, and it had recently just taken on an apprentice. “I could see these businesses going well at the moment, although they obviously have various concerns. A lot of small businesses owners want reassurances about the economy and it is important to allow them to continue to grow.”

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Commercial landlords urged to be more energy efficient Regulations will punish business that do not meet performance criteria

MP backs small business drive Continued from PAGE 1 experience. The only worry I had was that the price of rent would increase along with the extra investment, but this has not happened and the price continues to be very competitive and great value for money. “Overall, I am very happy with the new owners and have a positive outlook for the future.” A spokesman for Tradepark Ltd said: “Hull Microfirms Centre represents a great addition to the Tradepark portfolio. The site is unique within Hull and we aim to continue to provide accommodation for start-up and small businesses. “We are trying to establish a community feel to the site, with shared facilities and services that encourages collaboration and shared business knowledge to help start-up businesses to grow and generate employment. “To assist this, we have invested in the site by refurbishing dated communal arrears and units and see a long-term future in a revitalised Hull Microfirms Centre.” James Joannou, of NPS Humber Ltd, said: “The sale of Hull Microfirms Centre is an outstanding result for small and start-up businesses in Hull. The sale secures the long-term future of the site and its 70 existing small businesses and entrepreneurs. “However, there is space still available in both the workshop and offices for other new businesses wanting flexible occupation.”

By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

COMMERCIAL property landlords should act now to prepare for changes in energy efficiency legislation, according to industry experts. Tough regulations to be introduced in April 2018 will make it illegal for landlords to lease buildings with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of F or G. Speakers from the surveying and legal sectors warned landlords to review their properties when they met at a breakfast briefing organised by Garness Jones chartered surveyors in association with Gosschalks solicitors and Procters, commercial property consultants specialising in energy efficiency. The event, held at the University of Hull, attracted an audience of property professionals from across the Yorkshire and Humber region. They heard Dale Gooderham, senior agency surveyor at Garness Jones, outline the possible impact of minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) and the penalties for non-compliance. He said: “From April 2018 it will become unlawful to let commercial properties that have an EPC rating of F or G. That could affect 18 per cent of commercial property stock. You will not be able to market it without improving it. “Landlords will be the parties most affected. The most obvious threat is the cost of upgrading buildings, but there is also the

PROPERTY SQUAD: Mark Teal, Jonathan Hardy, Dale Gooderham, Nick Procter and Dave Garness. cost of not being able to collect rent from them. “Penalties are 10 per cent of rateable value with a minimum £5,000 and a maximum £50,000, increasing after three months of non-compliance to 20 per cent, with a minimum £10,000 and maximum £150,000.” Nick Procter, principal of Procters, said the company has completed around 2,000 EPCs since 2008, and he suggested that landlords should be able to cope with the changes if they prepare properly. He said: “MEES is a pain, but it is something that we have to take into account. The prohibition of

letting sub-standard properties in five or six months is going to have an effect, but the EPC rating of E is generally achievable for most properties. “It is fairly easy to determine what work is required and it is sensible to do that. Most sub-standard properties can be sorted quickly and cheaply, even changing the light bulbs. It may be as simple as taking out a hot air blower in a workshop, but it is important to have a review. It can save you thousands of pounds in unnecessary improvement work. Our advice is to review and repair because it makes good property sense.”

Mark Teal, head of property and real estate at Gosschalks, explored exemptions and exceptions and discussed the relationship between landlords and tenants. He said: “If you are borrowing money you need to be careful that the lender is not going to refuse the loan on the basis that the EPC is inadequate. You don’t want to see your tenant take out an EPC that is lower than your own, register it and damage the value of your interest. Don’t prohibit a tenant from commissioning an EPC, but prohibit without the landlord’s consent and then you can influence the process.”

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Cowboy clients hamper construction growth

WAREHOUSE CHIC: Riverside property is nearly 150 years old and was converted into flats in 1980s.

HULL: Three quarters of construction SMEs say “cowboy clients” are hampering their business, according to the latest research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The FMB’s UK-wide research looked into the impact of “cowboy clients” – clients who delay or withhold payment without good reason or make completely unreasonable demands – on small and medium-sized construction firms. The research found that nearly three quarters of businesses think cowboy clients are a serious problem for their trade. It also revealed that nearly a quarter have had to wait more than four months for payment from a client or large contractor. Also, less than one third of firms say they are always paid within the standard 30 days.

Living wage recalculated

Riverside warehouse to have luxury makeover Major refurbishment planned to give residential property new style A FORMER riverside warehouse, which was built nearly 150 years ago, is to add to the appeal of Hull’s urban living scene after being bought by an investor and developer. New North Bridge House, which was initially converted into apartments in the late 1980s, will undergo a major refurbishment under the new owners. The value of the investment has not been disclosed, but the asking price was £1.1m. Hull-based commercial and

“

It is an exciting opportunity – a building with real character in a great location on the fringe of the city centre and the Old Town Hans Nieuwkerk

By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

residential agents Garness Jones sold the building on behalf of the construction company, which carried out the original conversion. It will now retain a management role under the new owners. Hans Nieuwkerk, residential director at Garness Jones, said: “It is an exciting opportunity – a building with real character in a great location on the fringe of the city centre and the Old Town. “Most of the 25 apartments are occupied at the moment and will be fully refurbished as they become vacant. Work will begin straight away on those which are unoccupied and on communal areas.” Mr Nieuwkerk said the property is part of a varied portfolio under the management of Garness Jones, including Queens Court above the BBC building and the riverside locations, Trinity Wharf in High Street and

EXCITED: Hans Nieuwkerk. Tradewinds, next to Hull College. The property was built in Charlotte Street by R G Smith in 1870 as a ships supplies warehouse. It was listed grade two in 1994, about five years after the conversion for residential use. Five flats are one-bedroom and

the remaining 20 are two-bedroom, with potential for further development in the roof space above the five floors. Paul White, agency director at Garness Jones, said: “We sold the property as an investment and the level of interest reflected the growing demand for city centre living in Hull. “In addition to the properties, which are already available through our residential department, we are working on a number of new opportunities. Earlier this year we sold the former Chinese buffet site and the former TSB bank in the city centre as well as King William House in the Old Town. All three will provide a mix of commercial and residential accommodation. “There is a lot of residential development in the city centre and it is driven by the fact that there is much more going on, partly as a result of City of Culture activities and also because more people are choosing to live and work in the centre.”

EAST YORKS: The Living Wage Foundation announced on Monday that the living wage will increase by 30p to £8.75 per hour. Unlike the Government’s “living wage”, the Living Wage Foundation calculates a rate based on what working people need to live on. Commenting on the rise, TUC regional secretary Bill Adams said: “Extending the Living Wage is vital. Many people are living in poverty despite being part of working households. The new rate would make a big difference to the lowest paid in Yorkshire and the Humber.”

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NEWS

College seeking new governors for board EAST YORKS: East Riding College is seeking new governors from the community and region’s business world. The college works with the region’s employers to ensure local skills are met, playing a role in trying to support the region’s economic growth. The board of governors has said it particularly wants to encourage people with business experience to put themselves forward and hope to gain more representation from the north of the East Riding. Simon Wright, chairman of the corporation, said: “We are keen to hear from motivated individuals with time to commit and an interest in education. The successful candidates will serve for four years as members of our board, playing a vital role in shaping the education of thousands of people of all ages every year. “The knowledge and experience governors bring to the corporation are essential in determining the strategic direction of the college.” Most governors attend eight to 12 formal meetings a year, but also have the opportunity to attend training, networking events and college events, such as staff conferences, learner focus groups and award ceremonies.

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Bosses look to Chancellor to reduce rates confusion

Businesses are struggling with appeal system says Hull-based expert By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

BUSINESSES owners will be looking to the Chancellor for the second time this year for signs of help in the Budget with a rates system that is delivering cost and confusion with the prospect of more to come. Adrian Smith, founder of AS Rating in Hull, said businesses are still struggling to access the “check, challenge, appeal” system introduced by the Government as part of this year’s revaluation process. Meanwhile, there are still more than 200,000 appeals pending from the revaluation processes in 2005 and 2010 and the effectiveness of various forms of relief introduced in an attempt to cushion the blow of rates increases has faced stiff questioning. Mr Smith said: “The Spring Budget brought a number of measures that were intended to ease the burden for businesses faced with big rates increases as a result of revaluation. “Less than nine months on we approach another Budget and many of the concerns remain the same, but it is doubtful whether the Chancellor will have the same level of freedom to offer assistance.” Among the measures introduced earlier this year was a doubling of Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR), with the result that generally businesses do not have to pay rates if their rateable value is below £12,000. The Government also introduced a cap of £600 on increases for those businesses that lost their SBRR because of revaluation. It created a fund of £300m, made available through local authorities to help businesses that faced hardship because of rates increases and it offered a discount of £1,000 to some pubs. Businesses and rates specialists continue to voice concern about an appeals process which has been branded “shambolic”,

RATES: Adrian Smith of Adrian Smith Rating says problems with ‘check, challenge, appeal’ are an old story.

“

Less than nine months on we approach another Budget and many of the concerns remain Adrian Smith

and they now fear further rates increases from April 2018 with the Uniform Business Rate driven by the RPI rate of inflation for

September of 3.9 per cent. Adrian said: “The problems with the check, challenge, appeal process are becoming an old story, but one that won’t go away. At the last count, there were about 15,000 appeals outstanding from the 2005 revaluation and about 235,000 from 2010. The only reason there aren’t any from this year’s revaluation is that the system restricts the opportunities for ratepayers to submit appeals. “Meanwhile, it is expected that rates bills will increase in April

because of the RPI increase in September and questions remain about the value of some of the relief packages that were introduced. “The hope among businesses is that the Chancellor will be able to find something in this month’s Budget to alleviate their concerns, but the fear is that he may not have much room to manoeuvre. “Many businesses are struggling for cash, but so is the Government and Brexit is a factor for both parties.”

Local brewery’s ale highlighted by top beer writer HULL: An East Yorkshire Brewery’s IPA has been picked out as the best in class by an esteemed beer writer. Roger Protz has picked a beer produced at Wold Top Brewery in one of his top ten lists published in the Good Beer Guide 2018. The Wold

Newton-based brewery’s Scarborough Fair IPA took the title for best IPA in the expert’s list of the best examples of British beer styles. With an ABV of 6 per cent, Mr Protz said that Scarborough Fair IPA had the “strength of a Victorian original” and applauded the beer for its “big punch of hops

balancing lightly toasted malt from barley grown on the brewer’s farm”. Mr Protz was writing in the Good Beer Guide, described as the “beer lovers’ bible”, which is now in its 45th edition. Released annually, the independent guide is revised and updated to list the best cask ale

outlets in the UK. Kate Balchin, pictured, Wold Top Brewery export and accounts manager, said: “We are very proud that our Scarborough Fair IPA has been chosen by one of the most knowledgeable beer writers in the country to feature in the Good Beer Guide.”

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Superman arrives as most powerful tug in Humber

Small businesses need to adapt to mobile web HULL: Small businesses in Yorkshire could be failing to cash in on the boom in mobile shopping by not having websites that automatically adapt for the different screen sizes of smartphones and tablets, according to new research from PayPal. A UK-wide survey of more than 2,000 small businesses and 2,000 consumers reveals a growing gap between online shoppers’ mobile preferences and what small businesses are offering. Research by PayPal shows that mobile shopping growth is outstripping overall online spending by four to one in the UK. This trend looks set to continue, with 34 per cent of shoppers in Yorkshire expecting to use their smartphones to shop more often in the next 12 months, rising to 37 per cent for 16 to 24-year-olds. Mobile devices are already central to today’s shopping experience with nearly six in ten (58 per cent) of local millennials browsing for purchases on their smartphone every day. Commenting on the findings, Nicola Longfield, director of small business at PayPal UK, said: “With mobile web browsing overtaking desktop for the first-time last year, it is more important that businesses adapt. Bridging the gap between customer expectation and what businesses are offering need not be daunting.”

A significant new ship arrives on local waters to boost city business, says Henry Saker-Clark THE most powerful tugboat on the Humber has been unveiled at a naming ceremony at Hull’s Albert Dock. SMS Towage’s newly built £5.8m vessel Superman was christened at the ceremony yesterday after being delivered from the Sanmar shipyard, near Istanbul. The boat will be one of the company’s most powerful, expanding its UK fleet to 15. The Hessle-based firm, which is the UK’s largest independent tugboat operator, now has seven Sanmar-built tugs working on the Humber and other UK ports. With twin Caterpillar engines, producing 4,200Kw of power and generating 72 tonnes bollard pull, Superman will go into service on the south bank of the Humber to meet growing demand in the tanker and bulk carrier sector. Director, Gareth Escreet, said the acquisition was in line with the company’s invest and renew programme, enabling it to maintain a modern fleet, as well as reflecting the strength of the Humber economy. “This shows a significant investment we have made,” he said. “She is the most powerful tug in the river and really helps provide us with the necessary equipment for our work around Hull and Immingham. “It’s a good statement for a smaller, independent towage company like ourselves to be making. We are proud to be a local, family run business and a lot of our business is still focused in the region. “It’s an industry heavily monopolised by the global players, so it is great for a family company to make this sort of statement.” The firm was started by Gareth’s father, Paul, 14 years ago, and the director says the Humber region has been kind to the firm and help it to expand in recent years. He said: “We are only a relatively young company and have been able to progress and expand recently. The Humber ports have been busy and has allowed this investment to happen. “The Humber estuary has always been our main base, but it is fantastic for us to be working in Belfast and Bristol as well. The Humber has been very kind to us, and we are fortunate to be incredibly busy here at the moment. “We still say that the Humber will continue to be the jewel in the crown in the industry. The region is strong, at the minute, and we

TUG OF AWE: The powerful craft was named at a special ceremony yesterday. don’t see Brexit as being a huge risk to the needs of the country now.” Chairman Paul Escreet said: “The previous Superman is now with new owners in Murmansk who were so impressed with her name that they asked if they could retain it. “The new Superman is chunkier, giving extra room on board for the crew and she is very manoeuvrable. She is destined for Immingham and other south bank jetties. “The first Superman to sail on the Humber was in 1923, many years before the comic book hero’s arrival on the scene.” The company has also announced that it is expanding operations further, with two tug boats set to launch in Portsmouth. As well as the Humber estuary, the firm also has vessels working on the Bristol Channel and Belfast Harbour. She was blessed by The Rev Canon Dr Neil Barnes, vicar of Hull Minster, who carried out his fifth naming ceremony for the towage company, which was founded in 2003. The vessel was officially named by Amanda Pannett, wife of master mariner Phil Pannett, who spent 11 years with ABP Ports on the Humber. SMS’s other Sanmar-built boats are the Statesman, Scotsman, Yorkshireman, Masterman, Englishman and Merchantman.

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• Stunning Detached Property • Much Sought after East Riding Village • Operates in Six Openings per Week • Self-Contained Four Bedroom Accommodation Let Out for £750 PCM • Weekly Turnover £2,000 • REF 558033. EPC Band C. Business & Property £369,950

• Fantastic Location Scope Here for So Much More • Worked in Easy Hours Over Five Days • Sensibly Priced Business and Freehold Property • Three Bedroom Accommodation • Weekly Turnover £1,200 • REF 559353. Awaiting EPC Business & Property £199,950

• Run Entirely by Staff • No Expense Has Been Spared on the Recent Refurbishment • Stunning Open Plan Restaurant with Over 40 Covers • Very Well Fitted Commercial Kitchen with 4 Pan Range • Weekly Turnover £6,000 • REF 557802. EPC Band C. Business Offers Around £89,950

• Tremendous Potential • Prime Trading Site • Very Easy Hours • Priced to Sell • Taking £250 weekly Post Ofﬁce Remuneration £48,000/£50,000 p.a. • REF 559295. EPC Band C. Business £79,500 Sensibly Priced

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• Tremendous Potential • Prime Trading Site • Viewing Highly Recommended • 2 Bed Accommodation • Taking £3500 weekly • REF 557308. EPC Band C. Business £39,950

• Bustling Shopping Centre with Large Car Park • Offering Enormous Potential for Much More • Retirement Sale After Many Years Here • HIGHLY RECOMMENDED • Weekly Turnover £2,700 to £3,000 • REF 557825. EPC Band E. Business £39,950

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• Showing Net Proﬁts, Prior to Depreciation of Over £70,000 • Densely Populated Residential Area • RUN PREDOMINANTLY BY STAFF DUE TO OTHER BUSINESSES • HIGHLY RECOMMENDED SENSIBLY PRICED TO SELL • Weekly Turnover £25,000 • REF 557695. EPC Band D. Business £200,000

• Scope for More with Full Time Working Owners • Superb 60 Cover Restaurant & 40 Cover Function Room • Worked in Sensible Hours Over a Six Day Week • Fantastic Location. Genuine Reason for Sale • Weekly Turnover £ 5,000 to £6,000 • REF 557907. EPC Band E. Business £49,950

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BUSINESS MOVING: Thompson Commercials has purchased Sewell Group’s former offices in Geneva Way.

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Vehicle firm eyes move to construction company HQ

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Expansion opportunityas Sewell Group moves THE expansion of an East Yorkshire progressive commercial vehicles company has seen it acquire the long-standing former headquarters of one of Hull’s leading construction firms. The property in Geneva Way, Hull, was designed and built by Sewell Group in 1990 after the company finally decided that its original converted house was too tight a squeeze. Now, the decision by Sewell Group to bring its teams together at its complex at the other end of Geneva Way has provided an expansion opportunity for another longestablished East Yorkshire firm, Thompson Commercials Limited, which operates seven depots employing 170 people. Paul Simpson, managing director of Thompson Commercials, was looking for offices close to the company’s headquarters at Salvesen Way, Hull, to expand his £50m truck, trailer and van sales and leasing business. He changed his mind after being alerted to the new opportunity by Garness Jones chartered surveyors. Mr Simpson said: “I wanted to centralise various parts of the business, including accounts, invoicing, sales, admin and leasing. The plan was to do that near our Hull depot, but then I saw this place.

“

It is great value for money and the location is ideal for most of the 30 people who will be working here. It’s almost made to measure and it will be a good working environment for everybody Paul Simpson

By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

“It looks new, because they built it very well. It is great value for money and the location is ideal for most of the 30 people who will be working here. It’s almost made to measure and it will be a good working environment for everybody. “We’ve got room here to bring in more people and, if I achieve everything I want to achieve, I could imagine us out-growing this in the next five years.” Graham Atkins, commercial director of Sewell Group, said the company’s accounts, people and health and safety teams have all moved into the headquarters, which faces Leads Road. The investments and facilities management divisions have joined them, and the construction division is now in the adjoining Sewell Studio. He said: “Years ago, we were in a converted house in Sutton village with a traditional builders’ yard at the back, and it was a huge decision at the time to move. “But we bought the land at Geneva Way, put a road in and, 27 years ago, built an office and lived there for several years, slowly building up the business park down there. “Now, we have outgrown it. We had a dilemma about whether to do a full refurbishment, but we also had the opportunity to do that with Geneva Court at the other end of Geneva Way.” Paul White, agency director of Garness Jones, said: “Thompson Commercials needed more space and its preference was to expand to a site close to its Hull depot alongside the A63. We knew Geneva Way would offer a high-quality solution and Paul was convinced as soon as he saw it. The key for him was the opportunity to create a convenient, modern and stylish working environment for his staff.”

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YOUR M ONEY

YOURMONEY POUND NOTES

PENSION FREEDOMS BRING OPTIMISM FOR RETIREES Nearly two thirds (64%) of people who retired since April 2015, when the pension freedoms were launched, say stopping work has opened up new opportunities, with one-in-five (20%) having decided to learn new skills and more than half (55%) devoting more time to their hobbies. Those who retired since the pension freedoms, which give people more choice over how they use their pension cash, are being more adventurous with their holidays, according to the survey from LV=. Nearly half (46%) are holidaying in places they have never been to before, compared to 39% of people who retired before the freedoms were introduced. 2017 POPPY APPEAL TO ACCEPT CONTACTLESS CARD DONATIONS This year’s Poppy Appeal will give you the chance to donate via contactless card, alongside cash. The Royal British Legion, in partnership with card payment services provider Cardnet, is piloting the scheme with 200 mobile donation terminals across the UK. The terminals, featuring the familiar Poppy design, will have three pre-set donation levels of £2, £3 and £5 enabling donors to quickly and securely make their donation for the traditional poppy, pictured, or for a lapel pin. Tony Nash, Lloyds Bank Cardnet MD, says: “We’re really proud to be supporting the legion and hope this pilot will lead to a hugely successful 2017 Appeal.” ‘DARKER NIGHTS CAN PROMPT BURGLARIES’, HOME OWNERS WARNED Claims relating to home thefts increase by over a third (36%) in the five months after the clocks go back, according to analysis by an insurer. More than two-thirds (69%) of these break-ins are “forcible and violent entry” thefts, Co-op Insurance found. Caroline Hunter, head of home insurance at the Co-op says: “Unfortunately, when the clocks go back, darker nights do lead to more burglaries and so we’re urging people to be vigilant and think carefully about the safety of their properties.”

MONEY F ACT Some 4.1 million people have been defined in a report from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) into the UK’s financial lives as being in difficulty – because they have already failed to pay domestic bills or meet credit commitments in three or more of the previous six months.

hange for C the better

when it comes to your finances, loyalty doesn’t always pay, writes tricia phillips

Switching providers can add up to savings worth thousands

ou might think it’s not move to a better deal once their worth the effort to switch introductory offer expires – from your energy bills, the age of 32 until their 68th insurances or mortgage. birthday. But if we told you that by Ringing the changes by moving being loyal and sticking with the mobile phone deals could save same old financial firms it would £13,392 in a lifetime, switching to cost you £118,425 across a working better energy deals will save lifetime you might want to think £12,686 and driving off with again. cheaper car insurance will put an Firms offer the best deals to new extra £2,697 into your pocket. customers so you have to beat Yet, despite big savings, a fifth of them at their game by people never switch switching whenever you financial products and find a better offer. that includes two The study, in million homeowners association with the who are paying their Royal Bank of mortgage provider’s Scotland, compared a standard variable regular switcher rate – they’re the against someone who most expensive and doesn’t move products ones that should only or services at all. be used as a last resort. Get a better deal It looked across a Paul Fox, managing for gas and electric range of common director, retail at Royal household bills from Bank of Scotland, says: mortgages to energy bills, car and “Life is often busy so it can be home insurance, broadband and difficult to find the time to mobile phones. compare whether you can make While car insurance is the bill savings on your financial committhat is the most switched, followed ments. by home insurance and energy “These figures show the bills, switching mortgage will potential cost if someone never contribute the largest overall switched any of these outgoings. saving with the average household “Moving mortgage, for example, paying a hefty £84,400 more for could provide you with enough to their home loan if they never pay for a holiday each year.”

tips for managing your money RBS bank manager Amy 3 Switching is worth it Sparks runs financial reviews A 1% to 2% difference might for her customers. Here are sound small but it can mean her top five tips on spending hundreds of pounds saved less, saving more and every month. So it’s worth at reaching financial goals. least doing the sums. And there are tools online to help. 1 Be goal-orientated Having goals with 4 Find spending money makes you pitfalls focused because We all have you can visualise a different ways we tangible result. like to treat Getting married, ourselves buying a car or a – buying clothes, home are examtakeaways or ples that are better going out. Don’t than just trying to try to cut them out Save up for a ‘spend less’. Be altogether, but set a special goal specific. You can then budget. Control is key. think how to cut down your 5 If you’ve never had it, you spending in a targeted way. won’t miss it 2 Everyday purchases really A big expense such as your stack up mortgage might get cheaper The best way to eliminate a when you switch, but lot of spending is to look at consider keeping the monthly what you buy nearly every amount you pay the same. day as these small purchases This way, you will pay off really add up. Coffee, food, the loan much quicker by drink or travel are all comreducing the term. Overall mon things to re-evaluate. you’ll pay a lot less interest. Cutting out just £10 of And if you’ve become regular weekly spending adds accustomed to budgeting for up to more than £500 a year the old amount, you’ll be used that can be used elsewhere. to paying it.

Saving now for Christmas can add up to a stress-free new year If you are worried about the festive season making a dent in your finances, start planning and budgeting now. We spent £452 on average last year on Christmas, according to research from Halifax. Standing at the top of the leaderboard of items we tend to splash out most on, are booze, gifts and the Christmas roast. Here are some top tips

from the independent Money Advice Service: ■■Set a budget Work out how much you can afford to spend in total. Factor in food, gifts, decorations and social events. ■■Keep track of your incomings and outgoings Putting aside a bit of money each week could soon add up by the time December comes around. If you want to avoid the

temptation to dip into it, you could put it in an easy access savings account, rather than your day-to-day account. ■■Make snips to your spending habits Are there any costs you can reduce or cut out altogether? Small savings can soon add up. ■■Switch to own brand Save a few pounds by switching to supermarket own brand on regular

purchases, such as cereal or ketchup. You might not be able to tell the difference! ■■Have a clearout Why not have a clearout and look into selling any old and unwanted items on websites such as eBay and Gumtree? ■■See www.moneyadvice service.org.uk/en/tools/ christmas-money-planner for more help.

Allow for social events in your festive budget

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NEW LOOK: Alex Jenneson in RFD Interiors Architecture’s office.

Architecture firm moves into stylish development your daily port of call for the latest and breaking business news around the Humber region

visit humberbusiness.com

RFD Interiors first tenant in former brewery A HULL architecture firm has become the first company to move into Anchor House at the Maltings in Hull city centre following an extensive renovation. RFD Interiors Architecture has opened in the former brewery building after the letting was secured by PPH Commercial. The city firm specialises in creative commercial interior design, with a large client base in the region, including Sewell Group, rradar and Victoria Plum. RFD has expanded its operations by moving from 400sq ft offices in Grammar School Yard to the 1000sq ft Anchor House site. The company says it has tried to be sympathetic to the historic architecture, choosing the site partly because of its unique and interesting heritage. Alex Jenneson, RFD’s design director, said: “As interior architecture and design consultants it was important that we moved to premises that could highlight our work and our ethos. “Our new offices are perfect, because they are on a site with a very interesting heritage and architecture. “They are showcasing what we can do for clients and how we can mix the old with the new and create an interior that is sympathetic to the existing architecture. “For example, instead of installing a modern fitted kitchen we have used industrial metal work benches for the units to reflect the building’s heritage.

“

Anchor House is one of the most stunning locations in the city centre, with units available to suit start-ups and much larger organisations Ben Cooper

By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

“The offices also feature the building’s original pendant lighting, reclaimed metal storage units and natural exposed materials. We have created walls by using building acrow props to highlight a construction item that is removable.” RFD has created three different areas within the new offices – a coffee shop-style sofa and laptop working area, a large open-plan workbench with meeting facilities for clients and a show area to highlight some of the products that the company specifies and installs. Ben Cooper, PPH divisional director, said: “We are delighted that the investment and confidence in Hull shown by Catalyst Capital, the owner of Anchor House, has resulted in the first letting and we are confident that many more will follow. “With the refurbishment completed, Anchor House is one of the most stunning locations in the city centre, with units available to suit start-ups and much larger organisations. “We expect a lot of enquiries from local, regional and national companies due to the quality of the space available and the fact that Hull is now very much in the spotlight as a result of its City of Culture status.” Sarah Cooper, portfolio manager at Catalyst Capital, said: “Our decision to invest in Hull and carry out an extensive refurbishment of Anchor House reflected the fantastic regeneration of the city centre for the UK City of Culture appointment. “The big investment in the public realm has had a transformative effect on the city’s economy and we are delighted to be part of it.” Anchor House features a high-quality reception area, door-controlled entry system, lift to all floors, on-site parking, CCTV-controlled environment, EPC rating B and immediate availability of office space.

SHADY DEAL: PAINT FIRM’S TURNER PRIZE

CARAVAN AND KITCHEN PROS EXPANDING

DESIGN

HOLIDAYS

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Wednesday November 15 2017

TOURISM SET TO HIT £1BN TARGET

Industry experts laud significant hospitality increase and warn of need for hotels By Henry Saker-Clark

SPEAKER: TV presenter Julia Bradbury spoke at a regional tourism conference.

henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

THE tourism industry in Hull and East Yorkshire is on target to contribute £1bn to the region’s economy, says the industry specialist behind Visit Hull and East Yorkshire tourism strategy for the next five years. Hull has seen an astronomic rise in visitor numbers over the past 12 months and tourism leaders now say East Yorkshire needs to improve its hotel offering to continue growth in the sector. Professor John Lennon, who has helped to direct tourism strategy in the region for the past ten years, says Hull and East Yorkshire are on target to have seen £1bn pumped into the regional economy through tourism in 2017 following the boost of City of Culture. Across July, August and September this year, Hull has seen the number of domestic visitors increase by 80 per cent. Speaking at the Hull and East Yorkshire Tourism Conference 2017, industry leaders hailed the success of the City of Culture for celebrations that saw record numbers of visitors. Across the first nine months of this year, the Ferens Art Gallery

STRATEGY: Professor John Lennon. and Hull museums saw a 500 per cent increase in visitors compared to the same period last year. But leaders say that regional businesses will need to work hard to continue this growth in the sector, pinpointing areas for future improvement as the tourism strategy for the next five years was put forward. Prof Lennon stated that the county’s hotel offering needs

Continued on PAGE 2

How’s that for a conference speaker? HULL: The next high-profile speaker for The Business Day 2018 at Bridlington Spa has been announced. Cricket legend and proud Yorkshireman Geoffrey Boycott OBE, pictured, will be speaking on stage at the event in May next year alongside a raft of speakers. The announcement follows that of Joanna Lumley, who was recently announced as the headline speaker for the prestigious event as part of Humber Business Week. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England’s most successful opening batsmen and since retiring as a player, he has found further success as a cricket commentator. He is currently a member of BBC Radio 4 long wave’s Test Match Special commentary team, as well as Channel 5’s TV highlights and Test Match Special, and he will be going to Australia later this month to commentate on the Ashes for BT Sport. Councillor Stephen Parnaby OBE, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council said he is delighted to have secured the presence of the cricket icon. He said: “I was privileged to meet with Geoffrey at Welcome to Yorkshire’s White Rose Awards recently and after explaining the event to him he readily agreed to be part of the day”.

Our brand new website is now live! Visit www.abilityit.co MAI-E01-S4

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Tourism industry to boost economy Continued from PAGE 1 improvement, while highlighting that this is significantly better than a decade ago and will hugely benefit from the opening of a Hilton brand hotel in Hull. It was also stated that improvements in Hull’s late-night economy, particularly on Mondays to Thursdays, will strengthen the area’s tourism potential. Prof Lennon said: “Hull has so much going for it, particularly looking forward. The cruise terminal alone would be completely transformational. “It’s important for employers to get behind apprenticeships in this sector as well. It’s a really good area for growth in employment. “There is now an increased accommodation need at a regional level and we need a larger number of rooms available. It’s an issue in the Wolds, Beverley and Bridlington. “It’s important to soak up all this art and culture and pour this into the area’s late-night offering as well.” The director of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business Development at Glasgow Caledonian University says he has been impressed by the long-term financial backing of Hull City Council to regeneration in the city, particularly highlighting the potential benefit of one new development, due to open next year. “I think one of the big things we will see next year is the benefit of the Hull Venue. It will attract people regularly, having a designated music venue in the city. I am particularly confident as well with the management of SMG. “It is very experienced and its boss worked on Glasgow’s Hydro, which has been a huge success, so I’m optimistic.” He said that he expected the tourism economy of Hull and East Yorkshire to have hit £1bn for the year 2017 – a target set back in 2007. The third annual tourism conference, held at the Mercure Grange Hotel at Willerby, also saw talks from TV travel show presenter Julia Bradbury.

Leadership changes at Sewell Construction firm managing director to step down after handover By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

ONE OF the region’s oldest companies has placed a new leadership team in position as its managing director prepares for retirement. Sewell Construction managing director Steve Gibson will retire next year and Rob Cawkwell will officially take over the role from April following a 14-month handover period. Mr Gibson, who joined the business in March 1997 and became a director in 2005, said: “This is the start of the transition and the next era. “I’m immensely proud of the business and it’s a great place to work. It’s somewhere you can enjoy and be respected and you’re not just a number. “I will miss the people and the great things they can do. I have helped to develop some of them over the years and have even employed others. To see their growth is fantastic. “Rob and the team know this business inside out and they are more than ready.” Mr Cawkwell began his career at Sewell in January 1990 as a trainee quantity surveyor, aged 20, and has been involved in a host of major projects since then. He has been pre-construction director since 2011. Mark Boothby and Chris Soper, who have spent the majority of their careers at Sewell, have also joined the board alongside estates director Sean Henderson. Mr Cawkwell said: “I’m excited because this new role covers a much wider remit for me across the business. My new team is a perfect balance of the skills and disciplines needed and they all

MANAGEMENT TEAM: Rob Cawkwell and Steve Gibson of Sewell Construction. have specialities in different areas. “Steve has been instrumental in my career in terms of how long we have worked together and how much I have learnt from him. “I have worked in all of the other divisions around the business in some form or another, so I have a great knowledge of how they fit and work together, and I want to make these links even tighter.” Working with and on behalf of partners, Sewell Construction has recently refurbished the grade two-listed Hull New Theatre and created the new £10m Ron Dearing University

Technology College (UTC), transforming the Kingston Square area of Hull city centre. Construction of the new £9m Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre is also well under way on the site of the former David Lister School in East Hull. Meanwhile, the business has grown from Hull to include West and North Yorkshire, including an extension and refurbishment of a hub and library in the heart of York and the recent completion of an extension and refurbishment at Athelstan Community Primary School in Sherburn in Elmet. Paul Sewell, managing director of Sewell Group, said the

management changes and new leadership team make for an exciting future, and Steve leaves a strong legacy. He said: “This is continuity for the business to grow. These people have been appointed because they are the very best for the job. This is talent management in action and the people here are so hugely talented, there is no problem with them stepping up, as has also been the case with Sewell Facilities Management and Sewell On The Go, where we have done exactly the same thing. People do business with people and our partners and customers appear to like the way we work.”

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Warning to trustees and directors of non-profit-making companies

rustees and directors of non-profit-making companies have been advised to heed a serious warning, following a landmark High Court ruling. The decision will make uncomfortable reading for some as it sets out the directors’ responsibilities of these enterprises – and the responsibilities may be more than many believe. The case involved a community project that went into liquidation for non-payment of VAT. The company behind the project was not registered for VAT when it was incorporated in 2004 and only did so in 2011, when it was alerted to the issue. By then, the bill was too high and the company folded. But this was not the end of the issue. The liquidator then took proceedings against the directors, suggesting that they

Adam Marham, par tner, Wilkin Chapman LLP

failed in their duty to exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence. The directors argued that they were “non-specialist” volunteers who had to rely on accountants’ advice and should accept no responsibility. They also said they had not been the original directors when the company was formed. But their arguments did not wash with the court, which decided the new directors should have formed their own opinion and not relied on advice. The court added it felt it was “incumbent on the directors to have

sufficient knowledge of the company’s business and understanding of its operations to be compliant with all statutory requirements”. This decision certainly suggests that, while directors are not required to have specialist knowledge, they are required to ask questions, rather than rely on the position of previous advice to the company. Failure to act in this way could mean they are liable to pay compensation where the company enters into insolvency. The case demonstrates the importance of taking legal advice as soon as possible in circumstances where a company is faced with potential insolvency, in order to be prepared. ■ For further information, call Adam Marham on 01482 398398, email adam.marham@wilkinchapman.co.uk or visit www.wilkinchapman.co.uk

ADVICE: Adam Marham.

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BUSINESS

IN BRIEF

Property auction set for racecourse next week EAST YORKS: The latest Auction House Hull and East Yorkshire property auction, giving buyers the opportunity to purchase private and commercial properties, will take place at the Attractions restaurant at Beverley Racecourse on Wednesday, November 22. The November auction will see 15 lots go under the hammer, including a mixture of vacant and tenanted residential houses and flats .

SHADED DEALINGS: Crown Paints has set the backdrop for the Turner Prize exhibition at the Ferens Art Gallery.

Hull paint firm setting the right tone for Turner Prize

your daily port of call for the latest and breaking business news around the Humber region visit humberbusiness.com

Crown Paints works with Ferens Gallery artists to make backdrops By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

A HULL paint manufacturer has set the backdrop for the Turner Prize shortlisted work displayed at the Ferens Art Gallery. Crown Paints has helped provide the bespoke backdrop for the artists’ work to be displayed at the historic Hull gallery. Shortlisted work by artists Hurvin Anderson, Andrea Büttner, Lubaina Himid and Rosalind Nashashibi is featured in the exhibition, which will run until January 7, next year. Colour-matching experts at the company’s Hull Decorating Centre have collaborated with the curators of the 2017 Turner Prize, Sacha Craddock and George Vasey. Ms Craddock, critic, educator, curator and chair of the New Contemporaries, said: “Crown Paints has been a great partner on this important project for Hull. It was important to have access to a range able to match the shades we required and that we were not going to be limited to just a colour card.” Mr Vasey, writer and curatorial fellow at Newcastle University, said: “A lot of thought has gone into providing the right shades for each of the artist’s spaces and the sensitivity of the display and the colours have been very well received. “Hurvin Anderson chose a

TURNER CURATORS: George Vasey and Sacha Craddock. very cool grey, with no colour in it at all, just a mix of black and white. He mixed the specific shade he wanted before Crown Paints matched it. “Andrea Büttner wanted a colour similar to the gallery’s permanent collection, but 50 per cent lighter, again something Crown Paints was able to deliver. “The end result is a beautiful lilac colour, a very intelligent

shade, which has so many variations. Lubaina Himid’s display is set in the standard art gallery white colour “Rosalind Nashashibi’s terracotta-coloured display was developed to create an intimate space for visitors to feel they could sink into. Rosalind also used Crown Paints to create displays in the entrance area.” Providing the backdrop for the Turner Prize is the latest project

for Crown Paints as Business Club partners to Hull UK City of Culture 2017. Ellis Mudd, site manager at Crown Paints’ Hull manufacturing centre, in Sculcoates Lane, said: “Having the Turner Prize in Hull has been a huge coup for the city and we are delighted to play a part in this event. “Our expertise, pride and passion for Hull has enabled us to add colour to a range of eye-catching projects across the city.” Crown has been involved with some of the UK City of Culture exhibits, including providing the backdrop for the World’s Favourite Colour display by Hull paper company G.F Smith. The company has also helped to provide the backdrop for the exhibition space at Humber Street Gallery in Hull’s regenerated Fruit Market. Crown has a heritage of paint-making dating back more than 200 years, having launched in Darwen, Lancashire, in 1777, where it still has its head office. In Hull, the company continues a tradition of paint-making that dates back to the early 1700s. Historian Paul Gibson records that paint was being sent from Hull as early as 1703, and names including Joseph Pease, Samuel Tudor, Sissons Brothers & Co and Blundell, Spence & Co have all been associated with the development of the industry.

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4 Wednesday November 15 2017

IN BRIEF

Deadline approaching for business awards GOOLE: The deadline for the eighth annual Goole and Howdenshire Business Excellence Awards is fast approaching and regional businesses have only three weeks left to put in their nominations. Previous winners of the awards, staged in partnership with the Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, have highlighted the benefits of being shortlisted or winning the awards. Robyn Newman, of Goole-based MNA Group Limited, which was named Small Business of the Year in the 2017 awards and is sponsoring one of the awards this year, said: “I’d encourage business owners to give it a try. It’s free and easy to enter and, you never know, you might just win. “Winning the Goole and Howdenshire Business Award gave us the confidence to share our success stories across a wider area and, as a result, we’ve recently been shortlisted for another high-profile award.” Lucy Oates, of Asselby, one of the co-founders of the online accommodation guide Boutique and Breakfast, which won the Marketing Excellence category in 2013, said: “As a relatively new venture at that time, winning an award definitely helped to raise the profile of the business at a local and regional level, generating lots of positive media coverage for us. Visit www.goolebusinessawards.co.uk and complete the entry form to apply.

Fund invests over £5m YORKSHIRE: Mercia Fund Managers, which manages part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF), has invested more than £5m from the fund to support businesses throughout Yorkshire and the Humber. Since the launch of NPIF in February, Mercia has completed more than 25 debt and equity investments with a total value of £5.7million, to the region and Tees Valley. Businesses that have received funding from NPIF – Mercia Debt Finance include Electric String, which provides audio-visual systems for superyachts and luxury homes.

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BIGINTERVIEW

Good people, precision and caravaning love drive holiday firm’s success Years of experience give Willerby Holiday Homes CEO Peter Munk the right ideas for firm

t is the largest manufacturer of holiday homes in the UK, with its products found at leisure parks and tourist destinations throughout the country, as well as being shipped to Europe where they continue their journey across the continent. But did you know Willerby Holiday Homes is also one of the UK’s largest manufacturer of kitchens? Or that it once featured in an episode of BBC hit comedy Only Fools And Horses? Me neither, until I had stepped alongside one of the company’s vast production lines – one of which is reported to be the most productive on any factory throughout Europe in terms of the volume. Peter Munk, CEO, said: “Willerby is quite unique in that we make all of our own kitchens and cabinets. That’s more than

By Catherine Lea news@hulldailymail.co.uk

8,000 kitchens every single year.” The first stage of production begins with the chassis, which is wheeled through the vast factory doors marking the start of the manufacturing process. Every 30 minutes, this chassis automatically moves to the next stage of the production line, with teams of staff building each holiday home from the ground up, concentrating on adding their own elements, from windows, walls and door panels to bathrooms, kitchen cabinets and cookers. Production manager Aaron Cambridge led me through the factory. Aaron has clocked up 16 years of service with Willerby, and was recently joined by his son, Ethan, who is now in his second year as an apprentice joiner at the firm. Walking further into the factory, it was hard to believe the structures in front of me, complete with sofas, bedside tables and toilets, had just a few hours previously been only a chassis. Pointing to a huge stack of MDF panels, Mr Cambridge said: “Everything is made on the shop floor; we go through 70,000 pieces of MDF a week.” Each component is quality-checked throughout, with line managers monitoring every stage of the process, both by sight and with the help of handheld tablets. If an issue does occur, it is flagged up on these tablets in red so it can be resolved without holding up the process. It is a swift, yet smooth operation, and employees have to undergo thorough training – including weekends – to equip them with the expertise and speed required to keep up with the pace. “It is a very skilled process,” said Mr Cambridge. “A lot of the people working here have been here for years. It takes 30 minutes, for example, to install the kitchens. “People would not be expected to do this on their first week of joining the company; they undergo a lot of training until they reach that stage.”

Willerby was founded in Hull in 1946 by Walter Allen, an entrepreneur whose former business interests centred on beehives and beekeeping equipment, timber imports and engineering. Caravans were, at that point, still something of a novelty. In the post-war years, however, families had increased leisure time and prosperity compared with what had been endured during the Second World War. Spotting an opportunity in the market, Walter Allen teamed up with John Richardson and began building touring caravans from a small site in Main Street, Willerby. After beginning with the York caravan – a two-berth model with a price tag equivalent to £150 – by 1949 the company was shifting about 1,000 units a year, paving the way for

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hulldailymail.co.uk

HOLIDAY HOME: Before joining Willerby Holiday Homes Peter Munk worked for Black and Decker and Jacuzzi.

“

Customers are getting much more educated about what is available and while some people would never have considered staying in a caravan, these same people are now holidaying in luxury lodges Peter Munk

expansion into larger, more innovative designs. As well as making static caravans and lodges, today Willerby designs, manufactures and installs modular timber frame buildings for the leisure sector and for social and private housing, through its Willerby Innovations division. Its Innovations division includes Willerby Bespoke, which recently created 120 bespoke woodland lodges for the Enchanted Village at Alton Towers Resort, complete with Hobbit-style doorway, pointed roofs and crooked chimney pots – a far cry from what we perceive as a typical holiday home. Mr Munk said: “Innovation is central to Willerby, and always has been. “Customers are getting much more educated about what is available and while some people would never have considered staying in a caravan, these same people are now holidaying in luxury lodges. “A lot of this has been driven by the growth in staycations. “The staycation trend was happening before Brexit, but recent events mean it is now really accelerating. “That, together with the fact people over the age of 55 can now unlock their pensions, is a huge opportunity for us.” Mr Munk came to the UK from Denmark 22 years ago to work for Black and Decker. He stayed with the company for 12 years, heading up its European business, before

moving to office supplies company ACCO Brands to head its European operations. He was then appointed global president for Jacuzzi hot tubs in California. It was while in the States that the opportunity arose to join Willerby. “I have three children and had kept my family home in Ascot while working overseas,” he said. “Willerby provided me with a fantastic opportunity to come home, but also to get involved with a fantastic business. “I have always worked for global brands. Willerby has been going for more than 70 years and is a very strong brand, with a huge amount of customer loyalty and a brilliant workforce. As a market leader it had great products, however the former management team could not agree on decisions about where the company was going, and when that happens it does not take long for a company to get into trouble. So, Willerby needed someone to take it to the next level. “I knew Willerby was renowned for quality, but even I was surprised at the level of world-class technical competence. It was a very exciting proposition.” Since joining the company, Mr Munk has enjoyed a first-hand experience of life in a lodge. He said: “I stayed in the North East with my wife and it was superb. The lodge was stunning, the view was fantastic and the people were great.” With a workforce reaching 1,000, including a comprehensive apprenticeship programme, Mr Munk says the company is about to introduce a graduate scheme. “There are 20 apprentices in the company at the moment and we are about to take on seven more,” he said. “Many of the existing employees, including senior managers, began as apprentices. “The next step is to introduce a graduate scheme, to further develop talent. “We have a fantastic workforce where everyone is responsible for quality. To be a great business, you need a strong product and strong people – and Willerby has both.”

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• Bustling Shopping Parade Commanding Main Road Site • Retirement Sale After Over 12 Years • Cash Machine and Two Bedroom Flat let for £6,060 PA • BUSINESS AND PROPERTY ABSOLUTELY PRICED TO SELL • Weekly Turnover £7,500 plus Lotto • REF 557918. EPC Band E. Business and Property £159,950

• Currently Operates a Fleet of 9 Motorhomes • Easily Relocated to Anywhere in North of England • Showing Annual Proﬁts of Over £100,000 • Very Easy and Pleasurable Business to Run • Annual Turnover £168,563 • REF 559254. EPC Exempt. Business £100,000 plus Vehicles

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• Densely Populated Residential Area • Two Bedroom Accommodation, Sub-Let for £450 PCM • Immaculate Throughout PRICED TO SELL • Taking £1,600 Weekly • REF 557005. EPC Band C. • Business £39,500 Business and Property £224,950

• Densely Populated Residential Area • The Coffee Shop / Café is Currently Unused • Scope to Introduce a Deli Here • HIGHLY RECOMMENDED PRICED TO SELL • Weekly Turnover £1,100 • REF 557819. EPC Band E. Business £19,950

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6 Wednesday November 15 2017

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IN BRIEF

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BUSINESS

£14m contract deal is just the ticket for BBP HULL: Magnetic ticket manufacturers BemroseBooth Paragon (BBP) has secured a two year extension to its contract with Rail Delivery Group (RDG) worth £14m. As well as extending the contract, the organisation, which supplied 900m rail tickets to UK operators in last year, has also been named preferred supplier for smart ticketing as UK rail makes the transition from paper-based magnetic tickets to contactless or smart alternatives. BBP, which has a manufacturing site in Stockholm Road, Hull, will supply all RDG tickets to 2020. In addition to the extended ticket contract BBP provides marketing material distribution services for RDG and rail operating companies. Sales and marketing director for BBP, Richard Farmer, said: “I am delighted to have extended the rail ticket supply contract. BBP and RDG have agreed that we will work closely together to make the transition from traditional magnetic stripe paper tickets to paper and plastic smart ticketing”.

Staff admit to using social media in office UK: A survey of workers has revealed that only 11 percent of people say they never use social media while at work. The survey of 1,000 UK workers by Free Office Finder revealed that 33 percent of people in total use social media for less than 30 minutes a day while at work. While the most common answer from surveyed workers was that they spend between 30 minutes and an hour on social media platforms, four per cent of people say they spend more than three hours on social media each day while at the office.

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ELITE BUSINESS: Gary Gallen of rradar.

Law firm on London Stock Exchange’s business rradar Innovative Hull company joins elite business program after major growth INNOVATIVE Hull law firm rradar has been welcomed onto the ELITE business program by the London Stock Exchange Group, on the same day it has confirmed significant growth. Each year, the ELITE Programme welcomes two exclusive cohorts of ambitious companies through its doors with the aim of guiding them through the next stages of company growth. At an event last Wednesday rradar was announced as one of the newest businesses to join the program, which has helped 660 businesses, across 35 sectors in 25 different companies. The Hull firm, which is trying to revolutionise the legal services industry to be more forward-thinking, has been selected as a result of its rapid growth since 2013. The firm was started five years ago as a concept by Gary Gallen, a former partner at a leading national law firm. The East Yorkshire firm has now recently moved into

By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

a new office in Hessle, which has allowed it to expand its team to around 100 staff with plans for further recruitment. The new base, at the Beacon Way business park, is hoped to put the firm at the forefront of the industry, with state-of-the-art filming studios are in situ to bring to life aspects of the law featured in rradar’s technology platfor ms. The company has confirmed that for last year it saw an impressive turnover of £4m. The firm says it has already exceeded this figure for this year after further growth. The company is utilising Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to create new technology platforms to help clients. The approach to legal services has been compared to insurance, preparing clients and working to prevent legal action before it happens and the firm has benefitted from its

work alongside insurance giant AXA. Gary Gallen, CEO of rradar, said: “rradar has been given a fantastic opportunity to grow our revolutionary and innovative business model. “The learning and guidance that the ELITE Programme provides will support the transition and challenges we may face during the next stages of growth. “The ELITE Programme enables entrepreneurs, like me, to share their knowledge and vision with like-minded people. It’s refreshing for to see a conglomerate like the London Stock Exchange Group supporting private businesses in expanding in the UK, but also entering international markets.” Luca Peyrano, CEO of ELITE, said: “I am delighted to welcome the latest group of UK companies to the ELITE Programme. The programme selects innovative, inspiring and fast-growing businesses who are vital to supporting the British economy.”

Retailer seeks food bank support for those in need HULL: A leading East Yorkshire forecourt operator is collecting food and toiletries to help people in crisis over the festive period. Sewell On The Go has put collection points in place at four of its larger sites for donations to the Hull Foodbank, which provides nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people referred to the charity in crisis. As well as the business

donating items to the collection, customers are being encouraged to support the cause and help make a difference to those in need as Christmas approaches. Emma Kordhaku, sales Manager at Sewell On The Go, said: “We believe this is the right thing to and it’s helping people who are in crisis in our local community. Tinned and dried food, as well as toiletries, are ideal and it will be

wonderful if our customers can join us in supporting this fantastic charity. The Hull Foodbank is there for people at a difficult times in their lives.” The collections points are in place at Sewell On The Go stores in Chanterlands Avenue, Sutton, South Cave and Hull West on the A63 at North Ferriby. Items can be dropped off at any of the four stores, which are open 24 HELP: Sewell On The Go staff. hours a day, up to December 1.

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PPH Commercial

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IN BRIEF

Company expansion eyes European growth

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BUSINESS LEGAL TEAM: From left, Mike Wilson, Rob Ripley, Joanne Wright, Lee Whiting and Nicola Barrass.

EAST YORKS: Pocklington based Detectamet, which make metal and X-ray equipment and materials, has taken on a new sales manager to help build on the firm’s recent expansion. Leo Wild has joined the company to expand is sales and distribution, following the company’s move to triple its production, administration and warehouse facilities seven months ago. The firm says Mr Wild has a proven track record in selling technology based products and services. His role will encompass distributors and end users in the UK and Europe where Leo intends to expand support and customer services. He said: “I am looking forward to working with food and pharmaceutical producers and offering a consultative approach to solving consumer safety challenges.”

Free social media clinic EAST YORKS: Beverley-based social media marketing consultants Social Bods has partnered with Flemingate’s Riva Lounge to provide a free social media clinic for East Yorkshire businesses, charities, and other organisations. Businesses of all sizes are invited to Riva Lounge from 9:45am on Friday, November 17, to get help solving their social media issues.

Law firm makes its mark Bridge McFarland lawyers appear in guide

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REGIONAL law firm Bridge McFarland has made its mark in this year’s edition of the Legal 500 with recognition for its work and for 11 of its specialist commercial lawyers. The firm based in Hull and East Yorkshire, which has also been recognised for medical and personal litigation, was recommended by the industry-leading survey in the areas of commercial litigation and human resources. Specifically, there are recommendations for Rob Ripley in dispute resolution and for Lee Whiting and Nicola Barrass in human resources. The guide says Mr Ripley is “highly regarded” as head of a dispute resolution practice, which “has a strong team that inspires confidence in clients”. It adds that the employment law practice “covers the full spectrum of employment law matters, including handling team moves, restrictive covenants and trade union and industrial action issues”. TUPE transfer issues are described as a “particular strength” of the team, with Lee, as department head, recommended for sector expertise in transport and logistics, healthcare and construction, and Nicola described as a “key figure” with a strong track record handling multi-party litigation around TUPE. Rob Ripley said: “I’m incredibly proud of what our commercial team has managed to achieve since we came to Hull just five years ago. Our Partners, many of whom have been personally named in the Legal 500 for their

“

The accolade means a lot, particularly as the recommendation comes from past and present clients Lorraine Taylor

By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

work at Bridge McFarland, and previously for work done at other local and regional law firms, made the decision to migrate from those firms and to offer clients the same quality of service in a more costeffective and user-friendly way. “The fact that we are already being ranked alongside firms who have been around for more than 100 years and that we have been recognised by our clients and the local business and professional communities in this way is a remarkable achievement.” Bridge McFarland is recommended for its clinical negligence work on behalf of claimants in the Yorkshire and Humber region, with specific references to the work of Lorraine Taylor and Lynsey Furley. The guide says: “Bridge McFarland’s clinical negligence clients recommend the practice without hesitation. It provides an excellent level of service and suppor, and timely and appropriate advice throughout the case’s lifecycle.” Lorraine is praised for her “combination of professionalism and ability to make the client feel valued.” Lorraine said: “The accolade means a lot, particularly as the recommendation comes from past and present clients. The work we do is difficult and clients have very often been badly affected by what has happened to them. To know that you have done a good job for them and have, in the process, made them feel valued makes it all worthwhile”. The firm’s work on behalf of personal injury claimants in the region also earns a recommendation. There is individual recognition for Leanne Keating for claims involving industrial accidents and diseases, and for Kathryn Hudson, singled out for her expertise in claims involving injured seafarers and in handling serious and fatal injuries arising from motorcycle accidents.

THE BEST OF THE REGION’S BUSINESSES GATHER FOR GLITTERING AWARD NIGHT The Hull Daily Mail Business Awards 2017 honoured the people and companies driving the local economy, writes Henry Saker-Clark

his year has been an unforgettable one for everyone in Hull and the East Riding and the Hull Daily Mail Business Awards 2017 provided a chance to reflect on doing business in the region. While for the 18 winners of this year’s Hull Daily Mail Business Awards it was definitely a night to remember, for the rest of the audience at the glittering occasion it was also an opportunity to hear a wealth of inspiring stories about people and companies across the region. The tone for the awards, which took place at the KCOM stadium’s Kingston Suite, was set by an esteemed keynote speaker from the other side of the Pennines. Dave Fishwick, the larger-than-life businessman and star of the BAFTA award-winning Bank of Dave, told the array of guests about how he stood up to “bullies” and took on the UK’s biggest banks, changing the law in the process. “If there are three messages to take away from tonight, I want it be this. One, never lose money. Two, never give up. And most importantly, number three, never ever give up,” he said. He described how he never ever gave up on his dreams to create his own business, going from selling one van to creating the

UK’s biggest minibus supplier, becoming a multi-millionaire in the process. Still recognising his humble roots, the entrepreneur, who is now also a Sunday Times best-selling author, hoped to inspire young businesspeople in the room to never give up on their ambitions. The event, held last Thursday evening before an audience of more than 400 people, was hosted by journalist and TV presenter Helen Fospero and attended by the competition’s judges and representatives of its numerous sponsors. Ms Fospero introduced the esteemed representatives to reveal the award winners as she hosted the evening for a sixth year. She said: “It's very exciting to be back

“

If there are three messages to take away from tonight, I want it be this. One, never lose money. Two, never give up. And number three, never ever give up Dave Fishwick

INSPIRING: Dave Fishwick and, below, Helen Fospero addressed the crowd of more than 400 people. Picture: Richard Addison

for the sixth year to host these prestigious awards and help celebrate the very best of business in Hull and the East Riding. Of course, these awards seek to celebrate businesses of all sizes from a wide variety of industries. “But they also aim to recognise individual effort. Judges were looking for real local talent, including young achievers in their chosen professions and the entrepreneurs who are the lifeblood of all industry. “This evening is all about showcasing achievements, and there’s a lot to celebrate over what has been a historic year for the city. This year, the spotlight has been well and truly focused on the achievements of people in Hull and East Yorkshire so I'm absolutely delighted to be your host and share in all your successes.” Alongside 15 categories for a variety of businesses and individuals, there was also a winner announced for this year’s Lifetime Contribution award for their commitment to business and community in the region. As well as annual awards, there were also two special awards to recognise the involvement of two organisations, one in the private sector and one the public sector, to help make this City of Culture year so successful. Mail editor Neil Hodgkinson said: “It feels like there is an unprecedented amount of investment and support, with people finally recognising the raft of talent we have available in Hull and across East Yorkshire.”

2 Wednesday November 22 2017

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BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 AWA R D S 2 017 SPONSORED BY

The region’s business community was inspired and entertained at the KCOM Stadium says Henry Saker-Clark

elebrating another great year for the local business community, the Hull Daily Mail Business Awards 2017 was heralded as another great success. Company leaders from across the region gathered for the occasion at the KCOM stadium in Hull, which saw business excellence honoured in 16 categories, as well as two special City of Culture awards. The awards have become a major event in the region’s business calendar and provided the perfect opportunity to recognise achievements across a range of industries in a monumental year for Hull and the East Riding. Mail editor Neil Hodgkinson shared this message of positivity with the audience of almost 400 guests, describing an unprecedented amount of investment and support visible in the region. He said: “Big businesses have backed the region, with major developments planned at RB and Croda in Hull and Tricoya at Saltend Chemicals Park. “This year has also seen other significant investments bearing fruit, with Siemens producing the first wind turbine blades from its state-of-the-art Alexandra Dock facility.” As well as the major developments that have created jobs in 2017, the ceremony also provided the opportunity for Mr Hodgkinson to recognise key plans that hope to leave an impressive legacy in the area. Mike Pennington, managing director for Trinity Mirror Regionals, shared a similar message of positivity. He said: “The city, over the past 12 months, has changed beyond all recognition. The coverage we have received locally, regionally, nationally and internationally has been way beyond all our expectations. “Hull is definitely a city on the up and on the UK map more than ever before, most of which you will hear about tonight. “However, for me, it’s all about the legacy and the sustainability in years to come for the city encouraging people to come back.” Mr Hodgkinson, speaking ahead of keynote speaker Dave Fishwick, added that the event was a great opportunity to praise businesses that have supported the City of Culture celebrations. “It would be remiss of me not to praise the way that businesses across the region have supported the City of Culture,” he told the audience. “There are many more stories from 2017 and we will be championing them throughout tonight’s awards and I must, as always, pay tribute to our sponsors for

Major night on business calendar is celebration of economy

SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT: Mail editor, Neil Hodgkinson lauded major projects. making tonight happen. So, my thanks go to KCOM, the University of Hull, ABP Humber, Arco, Siemens Gamesa, Jelf Insurance Partnership, Smailes Goldie, HSBC, Gosschalks Solicitors, BP, Cranswick, BAE Systems, Sewell Group, Horncastle Group, MKM Building

Supplies, Swift, Hull Trains, KRL Group, HBP Systems, Hatfields Jaguar, Ability IT and GF Smith. “Finally, a word of praise for the judges. So much thanks and appreciation to chief executive of For Entrepreneurs Only, Jan Brumby, Alex Tong, head of finance for KCOM in Hull and East Yorkshire, and to Rob Bell, logistics consultant and founder of The History Troupe.” The judges selected two shortlisted nominees for each of the 15 regular categories, before picking one worthy winner to be announced on the evening. The winners were announced in three sections during the night, around a three-course meal with variety of entertainment including fire-breathers, stilt-walkers, caricaturist Ray Allen and magician James Kirkman entertaining guests at their tables throughout the night. The event also had a raffle to raise funds for chosen charity, the NSPCC, raising £1,888 through guests’ generous donations.

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BUSINESS AWARDS 2017

BEYOND EXPECTATIONS: Mike Pennington, managing director for Trinity Mirror Regionals, shared a message of positivity with guests.

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Training and Development

Moulding next generation of workers Advanced Plastics has invested thousands of hours in training

mploying around 150 people in Hull, Advanced Plastics Ltd has shown an impressive rate of growth since starting out in the city almost 25 years ago. Operating from a highly automated manufacturing facility in Bergen Way, Advanced Plastics produces a diverse range of technical injection moulded products to blue chip clients. In the company’s entry, it said: “The training and development of team members is critical to achieving the strategic goals and fulfilling an overall business mission.” This was proven by the company, which made a step-change over four years to ensure the amount of dedicated training for each member of staff was increased. The firm, which has seen impressive growth from 82 staff to 150 since the change in 2013, says it has resulted in the business

delivering in the region of 35,000 hours of training over the four-year-period. A structured technical apprenticeship scheme was also introduced by the company for apprentices to gain engineering skills from an accredited training provider, before they undergo training on a three-month rotation in a number of core disciplines. For the remainder of their four-year apprenticeship, apprentices specialise in a specific area, and throughout their time attend technical college on a day release basis for formal qualifications. The firm currently has seven technical apprentices. One judge said: “I’m impressed by the breadth of evidence it has put forward and everything on the criteria it has clearly met. They have not just met it, but surpassed it too.” The category was sponsored by the University of Hull.

Winners of the Training and development award, Advanced Plastics with host Helen Fospero.

WE’RE PROUD TO SPONSOR THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AWARD

www.hull.ac.uk

Exporter of the Year

International trade is now pet project Burgess Pet Care makes strategic change in successful year

The Burgess Pet Care team at the Hull Daily Mail Business Awards ceremony.

ne of the UK’s leading independently owned pet food manufacturers, Burgess Pet Care has been established in the area for more than 200 years, dating back to 1790. The company has recently embarked on a strategic move to put greater focus in the direction of developing and growing its export business. In a short period of time it has developed an export revenue more than £1m. Produce is now exported from the factory near Snaith to more than 30 countries across the globe. It has recently signed distribution agreements with major distributors in Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, South Africa and South Korea, showing an established export market inside and outside Europe. The entry by Burgess said it is continuing

ABP Humber Ports of Grimsby, Immingham, Hull and Goole are proud sponsors of the Exporter of the Year Award. www.abports.co.uk

to grow quickly and “plan to realistically double or treble export turnover”. In the entry, Burgess said it has “embraced international business” and changed its organisational structure to focus on it, including the employment of a dedicated export administrator and a re-branding of all product labels to be multi-lingual. The pet food firm says it is continuing to grow its export market and is in active discussions with distributors in another five countries and plans to launch Burgess products into these markets within months. The judges said they were impressed by the significant financial growth the company has gained through its continued emphasis on taking advantage of the growing export market for pet food. Chris Green, port manager for sponsors ABP Humber, announced the winner.

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BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 BUSINESS AWARDS 2014

Community Involvement

Pub is at the heart of its community The Wrygarth Inn has stand-out relationship with customers

community-spirited pub in the heart of the East Yorkshire Wolds, the Wrygarth Inn is just ten miles away from Hull, but has become a family oriented destination. The pub is a lynchpin of the village community and has found itself at the very centre of community events, campaigning and charity fundraising. Judges recognised the contribution of the independent firm in a competitive category, saying that it went far beyond what would be expected of an independent business of its size. The pub has raised significant amounts for charity, including more than £20,000 to organisations including Macmillan Cancer Research and homeless charities including William Booth House. These fundraising efforts also included a wing-walk by the pub landlady, raising

£1,450 for Marie Curie and local volunteers. She has also recently completed a parachute jump to raise the funds for a defibrillator for the pub. This summer, the pub also got into the spirit of the City of Culture, launching a local artist weekend, showing pictures and painting from the Hornsea Arts Society as well as hosting demonstrations by esteemed guests. Last year, the pub was a finalist for the Morning Advertiser’s family pub of the year 2016 and won the community pub Best Bar None award in East Yorkshire in 2016. The judges said they could see that the pub regularly and heavily contributed the local community, through its own campaigning and charity work. They said that there was clearly a “stand-out” relationship between residents and staff at the pub. The award was sponsored by Arco.

Ray and Sandra Thompson, of The Wrygarth Inn, accept their award from Arco.

The UK’s Leading Distributor of Workplace & Safety Equipment Proud to sponsor The Hull Daily Mail Business Awards 2017 www.arco.co.uk

Innovation and Technology

Tech firm on right track for the future APD Communications is developing innovative technology

Judges recognised the progression made by APD in its industry.

determination to develop important and innovative technologies won APD Communications this year’s Innovation and Technology Award. The company has been creating cutting-edge technology in North Hull since 1984. Back in the Eighties, before GPS, APD single-handedly designed and launched the world’s first real-time bus tracking system. Now, the firm has received wide acclaim for a variety of technical communication systems, including state-of-the-art technology for emergency services call centres. A leader in the industry, APD creates integrated communications control systems, technology required to operate control rooms so people can work quickly when it most matters. It has also developed crash detection analytics technology and vehicle telematics,

Proud sponsors of the Innovation & Technology Award

which are used to monitor driver and vehicle performance using discreet in-car technology. The business has become recognised in the field, maintaining a 50 per cent market share in UK police and having several fire service contracts. In APD’s entry the company said that demand is beginning to grow in the UK public sector, increasingly around the emergency services, meaning it continues to look for cost-effective solutions in the sector. The judges said there was a clear contribution to technical innovation and forward-thinking in the industry through APD’s work. One judge said: “It’s invaluable technology. The importance of what APD is doing needs to be recognised, as well as its progression in the industry.” The category was sponsored by BP.

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BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 BUSINESS AWARDS 2014

Green Award

‘Teathos’ gives firm bags of eco love Leaves of The World brewing business prosperity in the UK

lthough only launching in January of this year, Leaves of the World Ltd has already grown to become the largest organic loose leaf tea company in the UK. The start-up company, based in Swanland, also prides itself of being one of a small number of vegan-friendly tea blending companies. By following what the firm calls its teathos, owners Jason Russell and Samantha Castledine have developed a business with ethics at its core. This ethos means that no chemicals and pesticides are used to produce the tea leaves the company sells, which it says supports wildlife in the area and keeps soils unaffected. Leaves of the World says it is important that this is not just seen as a vegan or alternative product, but an accessible one, which has strong ethical values at its core.

Alongside organic principles, the company used bio-degradable and recycled packaging where possible. The teabags themselves are raw and bio-degradable and even business cards are printed on recycled paper. The firm has recently been recognised by Breakthrough Global, an elite programme corporation, working with companies such as Nestlé and Danone, as upcoming market leaders in the field. One judge said: “They really get across how ethics are at the very centre of each decision they make. “They have clearly thought about how they can source products well, work sustainably and improve any processes as they grow, while maintaining that ethos.” The award was announced by Jason Speedy, Hull plant director for sponsors Siemens Gamesa.

Siemens Gamesa was sponsor of the Green Award won by Leaves of The World.

Proud sponsor of the Green Award in Hull Daily Mail Business Awards 2017 Customer Focus Award

Service centre taking on the big boys Beverley Motor Works taking customer service seriously

The team behind Beverley Motor Works is inspired by quality customer service.

Jelf is delighted to be sponsoring the Customer Focus Award

lan Lewis and Richard Hayes left larger car service centres seven years ago in order to a build a business that treated customer service as the utmost priority. Beverley Motor Works has seen continued growth since being launched by the pair as an independent BMW and Mini service centre, with a team that has more than 50 years combined dealership experience. In the company’s entry, it highlighted that the owners established the business because they had become aware of customers’ mistrust in the motor industry and said that they hoped to change that. It says Beverley Motor Works has looked towards new and innovative solutions to help customer service, including SMS alerts to let customers know their vehicle is ready to collect, which the firm says has helped

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communicating with customers. Turnover has increased by 280 per cent since the first year of trading in 2011 and the firm say this is a result of positive customer appraisals and, therefore, good word of mouth. A member of the Good Garage Scheme, the business has more than 1,200 honest customer reviews, with 99.1 per cent of clientele agreeing that the business exceeded expectations with regards to helpfulness of staff, communication and standard of work. The firm has also been externally accredited as a coveted Which? Trusted Trader, the only garage in the local area with the award. The judges said that the firm was “taking on the big guys and beating them at their own game” when it came to giving customers long-term support. The award was announced by Richard Tuplin of sponsor Jelf Insurance Partnership.

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Jelf Insurance Partnership is a trading name of Jelf Insurance Brokers Ltd (Reg No. 0837227), which is part of Jelf Group plc (Reg No. 2975376) and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Registered address: Hillside Court, Bowling Hill, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol BS37 6JX (Registered in England and Wales). Not all products and services offered are regulated by the FCA.

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BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 BUSINESS AWARDS 2014

Business of the Year (Small)

Small firm has big ideas about industry GW Power Safe has impressive growth after just a few years

W Power Safe was set up four years ago by Daniel Haley with no start-up capital and one engineer, but has since added 13 full-time members of staff, as well as another four engineers working on a seasonal basis. The judges said that the firm managed to stand out in a popular category because of its commitment to expansion, in both recruitment and service. Mr Haley started the firm as an electrical contractor, shortly after being made redundant as an electrician, but it has since branched out into mechanical services and, recently, opened a plumbing and heating department. In the entry, GW Power Safe also said there are plans for the future to create further arms to the business in areas such as air conditioning and ventilation services to provide a full scope of work for builders.

In the fourth year of trading, the company has almost doubled turnover year on year. The firm has also said it is looking to invest a minimum of £15k on training for both office staff and engineers to improve service they provide. Continued growth may see the firm open its first base outside of Hull, with plans for a Leeds branch to enable it to be competitive for contracts in West Yorkshire. Year one turnover was £166,912 and now the firm says it is on track to meet a year four target of £1.25m turnover. Judges said that Mr Haley’s development and growth of the company has been impressive in a short period of time and were encouraged by the business plans to continue and develop its services to customers. The award was announced by Mike Stocks of sponsor Smailes Goldie.

Despite being a smaller firm, GW Power Safe is investing significantly in training for staff.

Congratulations to all the winners of the Hull Daily Mail Business Awards 2017 As the proud sponsor of the Small Business of the Year Award, we’re passionate about local SMEs

To find out more, please call 01482 326916 or visit www.smailesgoldiegroup.co.uk

Business of the Year (Medium)

Modular buildings integral to growth Integra continues to expand after 20 years in the business

In its 20th anniversary year the building and construction specialist picked up a major award.

wenty years since its creation, fast-growing designer and manufacturer of modular buildings, Integra, operates in an increasingly important sector of the construction industry. The firm has spent two decades continuing to supply public and private sector clients with buildings for a wide variety of uses, including sport, leisure, education, healthcare and commercial operations. Led by managing director Gary Parker, the company boasts more than 100 years of combined experience in the industry. The firm says revenues have doubled in the past five years and this year it was recognised as one of the region’s fastest-growing companies. As well as a main Burstwick site, the company also has a secondary manufacturing operation at Paull. It has now purchased

Proud to sponsor the Hull Daily Mail Business Awards 2017

www.hsbc.co.uk

a £1.6m, six-acre site in Paull for a single fit-for-purpose operation with further investment planned. In its entry, Integra said that sales trajectory has been mirrored by a growth in employment, which has seen 20 more staff employed in the past three years, bringing the workforce to 90. The judges said this was a tightly fought category, but they were impressed by the speed of recent growth. They said: “This is a company that making a lot of positive business decisions at the moment. It has grown impressively, but seems to be always looking towards the next positive move.” Mr Parker, said: “This year we’re marking the 20th anniversary of the business and this award reflects how far we’ve come.” The category was sponsored by HSBC Commercial Banking.

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Business of the Year (Large)

Helping to construct culture in the city Spencer Group continues to be a major employer in region

ne of the most successful businesses in its sector nationally, Spencer Group has been a major employer and key player in construction developments in the region for decades. 2017 has been another important year for the firm, which has been a visible developer in numerous high-profile contacts throughout works for City of Culture year. The business was created by Hull entrepreneur Charlie Spencer, who turned a small engineering firm into one of the UK’s largest privately owned multi-disciplinary engineering firms. Next year will see the completion of Spencer Group’s ground-breaking £200m energy works development on Cleveland Street. In the financial year to March 2017 Spencer delivered record pre-tax profits of £5.4m on a turnover of £113m.

The Hull firm has continued to develop industry-firsts, including the landmark Scottish Bridge of Invention – Britain’s first retracting footbridge – using a unique system to prevent corrosion of suspension bridge cables. The past year has also seen growth in new areas of construction for Spencer, including enhancing its rail client base and portfolio with a £20m project in Penzance, Cornwall critical to the start of HS2. The firm has also supported initiatives such as the Tommy Coyle Academy and Cat Zero to help give young people confidence and skills for a better future. One judge said: “Sometimes, with other businesses, you need to sit down and think about what they do, but everyone in Hull knows the contribution of Spencer Group.” The award was announced by Nigel Beckwith, of sponsors Gosschalks Solicitors

Spencer Group has capped another important year by bagging a Hull Daily Mail Business Award.

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The hands-on, straight-talking law firm gosschalks.co.uk

Employee of the Year

Ex-labourer helps apprentices prosper Vulcan Windows man shows loyalty and enterprise for firm

The total respect for colleagues in all positions in company helped Neil Hall win an award.

aving started as a labourer working for Beach and Walker, which became Vulcan Windows some 35 years ago, Neil Hall might have found it hard to imagine that he would now oversee the new build division at the company, responsible for contracts worth £4m a year. The Hull lad now has 20 staff working for him, but his managers say he has always remained humble and a key part to their operations. Having worked his way from the bottom, his total respect for employees at levels has been lauded and helps him gain respect from customers and staff alike. Neil set up the firm’s apprentice scheme, which he has continued to look after for the past five years. Throughout that time he has seen around 20 apprentices work at the firm, with

around ten now having full-time jobs there. He said that he was given his opportunity there 35 years earlier and now wanted to give something back and help younger generations. In the entry form for Mr Hall, Paul Walker, operations manager at Vulcan, said: “Neil’s attention to detail and loyalty to Vulcan is second to none and as an employer and friend I could ask for no better. “I have worked with Neil for nearly 20 years and we have seen good and bad times together, but knowing that he is with me, we have always come out on the other side.” One judge said: “I really got the way that he took the apprenticeship scheme on himself in order to give young people the opportunity he had.” The award was sponsored by Cranswick Foods.

PROUD SPONSORS OF HULL DAILY MAIL BUSINESS AWARDS

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Entrepreneur of the Year

Brewing interesting new opportunities Tom Mellor of Wold Top Brewery has adapted to farming life

he judges of this year’s awards were swept up by Tom Mellor’s passion for his self-made business and the ingenuity that led him to create one of the region’s most successful breweries. After numerous years back at his family farm in the Yorkshire Wolds, he introduced new crops and looked for new business opportunities. With farm incomes falling nationally in the early 2000s, Mr Mellor looked for new avenues and used the quality of his land for growing barley to his own benefit, developing a site on the farm for brewing real ale, creating Wold Top Brewery at Hunmanby Farm. A barn at the farm was converted into a micro-brewery and in the first year production was 1,600 litres per week with £70,000 turnover. In 2017, production is up to 26,000 litres per

week and a turnover of £2,000,000 at the brewery, which now employs 18 staff members. New business with Marks & Spencer and the Co-Op, together with a growing export order book, has resulted in a 26 per cent increase in sales year on year. In 2015, it invested in a new brew plant and extended the brewery size by 150 per cent and added contract brewing for bottling to its offering. Tom Mellor has also developed the new brew plant so that it was built with whiskey as well as beer in mind. Judges were impressed by Tom’s innovation to initially start the brewery, describing him as a real character, and could see why this had helped the business become successful. The award was announced by Paul Sewell of category sponsors Sewell Group.

Judges were impressed by Tom Mellor’s passion for his self-made business.

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Start-up Business of the Year

App team shows bottle and expands Sauce has developed an impressive reputation at C4Di

Sauce was presented its award by sponsors MKM Building Supplies and Horncastle Group.

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The Beacon, Brighton Street, Hull

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4Di has seen the growth of a raft of impressive digital firms blossoming recently, and Sauce is one of the most highly regarded. The firm is only 18 months old and has already seen growth, taking up more office space at the digital incubator, growing from three employees to a team of six, with three more subcontractors. The firm has worked with some of Hull’s biggest companies including Siemens and Ideal Boilers to create online platforms and applications to help provide their services. The company won the Best Mobile App at the recent Hull Digital Awards 2017 for an app it created working with Siemens. The MyTime platform understands the shift patterns of the 600 workers at the Siemens Gamesa facility to accurately forecast the hours worked in a given quarter.

The company also won the Best Mobile App award last year for its application developed for Hull University Union to help student engagement and provide information about events. The company has also been developing smart technology for a major Hull firm to improve the way that customers can pay for bills and open up valuable data on how products are used. As well as client projects, Sauce has also taken on internal projects, such as an app it is developing to send users notifications for when and which bin needs to be put out for collection. Judges said they were impressed by the development of Sauce over a short period and had been impressed by the impressive reputation the firm had gained within C4Di. The award was sponsored by MKM Building Supplies and Horncastle Group.

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START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD 2017

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Young Achiever of the Year

Model employee has major influence EskimoSoup’s Amy Knight has creativity and professionalism

efore she even had a job at EskimoSoup Amy Knight proved the creative flair and character that has made her an integral part to the firm’s successes. She arrived at EskimoSoup in Hull after having sent a hand-crafted clay model of herself with a handwritten CV in 2014 to gain the attention of the social marketing agency. The company swiftly hired her onto 12-week internship and says it hasn’t looked back since. The company says that from starting the internship she “made herself indispensable, ensuring the company created a permanent role for her”. Since then she has gone onto accomplish many things for the growing C4Di-based company, which it says makes her a standout candidate. Amy has been the campaign manager for

Not In Our Community, a multi-award winning campaign that helps young people protect their friends from grooming and exploitation. Working sensitively with young people she helped them retell their stories and find positivity in the darkest of places. The firm says that Amy has rapidly been promoted to influencing key decisions and the running of the business at Eskimosoup. In her entry, EskimoSoup managing director John Gilbert said: “Amy’s interest in business and generally giving a damn has been a tremendous influence on the direction of business.” In choosing Amy Knight for the award, the judging panel said: “She stands out. The company has made it clear how she has really helped, with really high-quality work in important areas of campaigning.” The award was sponsored by Swift Group.

Amy Knight, of EskimoSoup, first came to the attention of colleagues with a creative application.

Tourism and Hospitality

Marina restaurant dishing out classics Tapasaya@Marina combines Indian style with Yorkshire flair

The food and hospitality of Tapasaya@Marina was well-known to the judges.

he tourism and hospitality award will be making a short journey after changing hands between last year’s winners, 1884 Dock Street Kitchen, to neighbour Tapasya@Marina. After opening the first popular Tapasya restaurant on Beverley Road in Hull in 2013, last year the fine-dining Indian institution opened a restaurant in the growing Humber Street area. It was a joint venture conceived by Tapan Mahapatra and Mukesh Tirkoti. Mr Mahapatra is an onco-plastic breast surgeon at the Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham. After deciding to enter the restaurant business, he created a partnership with Mr Tirkoti, who had experience in the international hospitality industry. The pair combine Indian recipes and technique with fresh Yorkshire produce. The

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restaurant, based on the waterfront at the marina, aims to replicate the same methods in a stylish new setting to great success. For the new restaurant the company hired a head chef with experience at London restaurants Benares and Gymkhana, to help provide an innovative dining experience. In the entry, the restaurant said it has gained a positive reputation quickly through listening to customer feedback and maintaining excellent communication. The restaurant has also diversified its services, by opening on different days, providing lunch-time deals as well as a quirky Indian afternoon tea. Judges said they all knew and loved the food from Tapasya and had been impressed by the growth of the company. The award was announced by Will Dunnett of sponsor Hull Trains.

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BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 Best Support Service

Forward-thinking firm is rewarded rradar ‘steadfast in its desire to help and support SMEs’

hat happens when an SME needs access to legal advice? Many only turn to lawyers when trouble has already happened, but rradar CEO Gary Gallen sought to revolutionise legal services by providing a forward-thinking service to prevent problems occurring. Winning the award for the second year in a row, the company has seen impressive development over the past 12 months, including almost doubling staff numbers to more than 100 and moving to a new base at Beacon Business Park. The custom-made building is a long way from the conservatory where Mr Gallen started the firm, after becoming frustrated with the industry while working for one of the UK’s biggest law firms. In just five years, he has built up the firm, which now completes work alongside insurance giant AXA and has recently been

recognised by the London Stock Exchange Group and been included on its acclaimed ELITE programme. In its entry, rradar said it has been steadfast in its desire to help and support SME’s in the region. The company says it believes traditional legal services have become outdated, and it has therefore developed a less reactive and more prepared approach to the sector. rradar promises to provide straightforward legal advice, sharing knowledge with clients to develop legally compliant, robust workplaces that can identify and avoid problems before they happen. The company has also been at the forefront of embracing digital technologies to help support its clients. The judges applauded the company’s innovation to specifically solve problems its clients may face. The category was sponsored by KRL.

The Best Support Service Award winners Rradar on stage with sponsors KRL with George Baker and Helen Fospero.

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Culture

People who made culture happen MKM Building Supplies and Hull City Council recognised for their contribution to an amazing year for city

MKM Building Supplies won a Culture award.

his year has been unforgettable. The UK City of Culture 2017 celebrations began with a bang and continued to grab the imaginations of people in Hull and across the UK. To recognise the success of this year’s celebrations, and the contribution of both public and private organisations to making it a roaring success, two special awards were created. Sponsored by BAE Systems, both awards highlighted the investment that has allowed Hull 2017 to happen and the work that has taken place to ensure residents can benefit from a tangible legacy. The first of the two awards focused on the contribution of a

Hull City Council won the Culture award for a public entity, sponsored by BAE Systems. business which had a committed involvement to making this year a success from the outset. MKM Building Supplies took home the award, being described as “the first name out of everyone’s mouth” when business leaders were asked who they believed was deserving. The

firm helped to create events as a forerunner to the year and has given significant backing over the year itself, through its work as a major partner. BAE’s Andrew Woodward also revealed the second award winner as an organisation which had backed the City of Culture

A Proud History of Aviation Excellence Cutting edge design, development, manufacture, testing and through-life support of world-leading military aircraft. www.baesystems.com

bid from the very beginning and has worked with focus and determination throughout the last few years. Announcing Hull City Council as winners for the award for a public entity, Neil Hodgkinson said: “Many people have contributed, but way back in 2013, there was a very lonely feel to the bid and doubt as to whether we should even bid for the title. “However, one group of people kept its nerve and pressed on. They were consummate professionals, they took on the risk of failure, they worked hard behind the scenes – unheralded and often unappreciated. But they ended up with a miracle. “We won. They won.”

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BUSINESS AWARDS 2017

A night to remember for city firms

The cream of business in Hull and the East Riding were out in force at the KCOM Stadium to recognise the region’s industry

BUSINESS AWARDS 2014

Lifetime contribution

Solicitor with business acumen wins Simon Lunt, of Gosschalks Solicitors wins impressive honour

he Lifetime Contribution Award has been a feature of the Hull Daily Mail Business Awards since 2012. Sponsored by KCOM since this category’s inception, the title goes to someone who has had a significant and positive impact on the local business community. Unlike the other categories, there is no nomination process or shortlist published, the judges instead facing some serious deliberations about their chosen winner. Last year the coveted award went to Spencer Group founder Charlie Spencer, with Victoria Johnson, founder of Kingston Recruitment, winning back in 2015. This year it was the turn of Simon Lunt, senior partner at Gosschalks Solicitors to take the crown. Announcing the decision, Alan Worthing, director of Hull and East Yorkshire business for sponsors KCOM, recognised the

contribution of Mr Lunt, not just for his business acumen, but also for helping many causes in Hull and the East Riding. Mr Lunt has worked at the firm for more than 40 years, receiving acclaim as a solicitor, but also for his involvement across a range of organisation, from his involvement with Humber LEP, to his support of rugby teams and Hull’s Smile Foundation. A video highlighted why business leaders chose Simon Lunt as this year’s recipient, including Andrew Horncastle, who said: “Simon is a guy who commands respect. You mention his name in the area and those who perhaps don’t know him that well would say he’s a solicitor. And he is a solicitor, an exceptionally good one, and one who has been a key player in building Gosschalks into one of the largest and most successful firms. But there is much, much more to Simon when you know him well.”

In awarding Simon Lunt the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award, judges recognised his experience.

Congratulations to Simon Lunt of Gosschalks Solicitors Winner of the Lifetime Contribution Award

24/7 breaking news at hulldailymail.co.uk

Wednesday November 29 2017

Burning desire to make cash from waste

IT’S FULL STREAM AHEAD FOR KCOM

Communications firm boss says the ‘future is bright’ in Hull and East Yorkshire By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

said that Lightstream is a key area of financial growth for the firm, which has seen a growth in sales revenue. However, these successes have been undercut by an expected decline in KCOM’s legacy activities within the National Network Services. Group revenue is down to £151.5m from £165.3m for the same six months last year, with pre-tax profits seeing a similar decline from £16.1m to £14.8m. Mr Halbert said: “Year on year there has been a decline in revenue, and that was primarily down to the national network services work outside of Hull and East Yorkshire. That was what cost caused the 8 per cent decline overall for the group.

“Looking specifically at Hull and East Yorkshire, it is much more positive. We have seen a 4 per cent growth in residential consumers. The future in the region is definitely very bright. “It has been such a strong performance in Hull and East Yorkshire, which has shown the benefit of investment in the region with the FIPP fibre broadband roll-out coming closer to completion. “We now have about three quarters of the network, 150,000 covered and have investment capital sorted to complete it by March 2019, covering more than 202,000 homes. “I think it makes a strong statement about the encouraging progress we have seen. The percentage of people

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‘POSITIVE’: KCOM chief executive Bill Halbert.

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THE chief executive of KCOM says the “future is bright” in Hull and the East Riding for the firm as it revealed its annual financial results. The figures for the first half of the year, to September 2017, show a 1 per cent increase in revenue in the region, although group revenue reduced by 8 per cent. The news comes as the company announced the final details of its ultrafast Lightstream broadband roll-out, which will see more than 200,000 homes with access to Lightstream by March 2019. The roll-out of the broadband will provide everyone on the KCOM network access to the broadband, which can reach domestic speeds of 250Mbps, following £85m of investment by the firm over seven years. KCOM chief executive Bill Halbert

A HULL business is turning waste wood sourced from Scandinavia, The Baltics, Scotland and Ireland into a new business venture. WJ Group specialise in commercial decking and timber and were set up from scratch in Hull ten years ago by managing director Mark Eggleston, pictured. It initially supplied roof trusses to the caravan industry before expanding into other timber products, including decking. Now the offcuts from its production processes are being turned into kindling to sell directly to the public via local outlets such as farm shops and garden centres. Mr Eggleston said: “We have invested in a machine, which chops up our waste wood to make kindling and puts it into nets to sell. “Wood-burning stoves are becoming increasingly popular and real fires are also making a return to our homes so we’re delighted to be able offer this product to our customers just as winter arrives.” The kindling is the latest innovation from the firm, which recently developed its new DeckWright product. Designed and manufactured in Hull, DeckWright prevents decking becoming slippery and WJ Group recently took the product to the prestigious multi-awardwinning home event, Grand Designs Live. Its unique T-shaped design means it can be retrofitted to almost any grooved timber decking and is available from major retailers, such as B&Q and Wickes. “Not only is this the time of year when people are going to be buying kindling but it’s also when decking is repeatedly becoming dangerously wet and slippery,” said Mr Eggleston. “Although the two products are very different, customers who come to us to buy kindling who may not be aware that there is a solution to slippery decking will be able to find out about DeckWright when they visit us.”

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It’s full stream ahead for KCOM Continued from PAGE 1 taking up Lightstream is very good as well, with more than 54,000 so far.” The chief executive also said the firm has had to make cost-saving measures over the year, which has included the announcement that it will close one of its two remaining contact centres, at Prospect House, next year after a contract comes to an end. He said: “We have had to look at areas where cutbacks needed to be made. We have the two contact centres and have had to close one after one of its two contracts comes to an end.” Mr Halbert says there is mediumterm confidence, highlighted by the interim dividend of 2p per share for all shareholders, including 40,000 people in Hull. “There is positive news for shareholders. We can fulfil our dividend commitment of a 2p dividend, which affects 40,000 shareholders in Hull. “We are always looking forward and innovating as well, and the next couple of things for us will be looking at a TV application, which I think will be of particular interest and also how we can relate devices to the Internet Of Things. “Across the region as well we have been involved in the community this year, only the other day I was down at Ron Dearing UTC where we have been a partner.” Only last week, Matt Hancock, minister for digital, met with staff from KCOM to find out more about Lightstream saying he was delighted by “rapid advances in technologies” by the fir m. He said: “Full fibre is the future, and so I’m delighted that KCOM is now entering the final stage of its ambitious rollout of full fibre broadband to homes and businesses in Hull. “Rapid advances in technologies mean the need for ever faster broadband is only going to increase, and so it’s wonderful news that the people of Hull will all be able to enjoy the gold standard, future-proof connectivity that full-fibre broadband offers.”

your daily port of call for the latest and breaking business news around the Humber region visit humberbusiness.com

More efficient system for ratepayers on way? Expert predicts possible long-term gains after short-term pain of increases By Henry Saker-Clark h.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

BUSINESS ratepayers could be rewarded for the short-term pain of increases in April with the long-term gain of a more efficient and user-friendly system, according to an expert from East Yorkshire. Adrian Smith, founder of AS Rating, said the recent Budget brought mixed messages for businesses seeking help with their rates. But he said the key to improving the process still lies with streamlining the “check, challenge, appeal” system that was introduced this year. Mr Smith said: “There were some encouraging announcements about business rates in the Budget but the continuing problems with the new system mean that things are likely to get worse before they improve.” The announcement by Chancellor Philip Hammond that rates increases next April will be linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rather than the Retail Price Index was welcomed, as was the decision to continue the £1,000 business rate discount for pubs with a rateable value of up to £100,000. Mr Smith said: “The move to the CPI was something that businesses had called for and it should have the effect of reducing next year’s planned increase of 3.9 per cent by more than one per cent. “Of course, this is still an increase, and we don’t know how much the CPI will rise in the future, but this was welcome. “The discount for pubs will also be welcomed, but for many the saving of £1,000 per annum will be considered small beer.” Mr Smith said businesses will benefit from legislation to address the “staircase tax”, which in many cases removed

“

There were some encouraging announcements ... but continuing problems with the new system mean things are likely to get worse before they improve Adrian Smith

MIXED MESSAGES: Adrian Smith.

Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) and, for larger firms, quantum relief where firms occupy parts of a property separated by communal facilities such as a staircase, corridor or lift. He said: “Currently, they are treated as separate business premises, which means they may not qualify for full SBRR, so this is another positive move because two separate assessments will normally bring a higher total liability than one overall assessment.” The Chancellor also announced an increase in the frequency of rates revaluations to every three years. Currently,

they are due to take place every five years, although this year’s revaluation was delayed from 2015. Mr Smith said the proposed changes should produce a much more efficient system, but he warned there would be a huge backlog to clear, with more than 200,000 appeals still outstanding from the 2010 revaluation. He said: “The job of processing appeals from 2010 is ongoing, and the number of new challenges will increase once people get to grips with the changes introduced this year and with a system that is still preventing users from challenging their assessments.

“Changes to the staircase tax will add to the assessors’ workload. “But there is now light at the end of the tunnel. “Once all the appeals wash through – and it will take some time – we should end up with more frequent revaluations and that should bring greater accuracy, which will benefit everyone. “However, the Government is cutting jobs within the Valuation Office Agency and it may be the case that these changes will also see the introduction of a self-assessment approach, with potential further complications for business owners.”

Employers urged to support ex-offenders from treatment centre HULL: A leading Hull businessman has launched an impassioned plea for local employers to support The Bridges, the nationally acclaimed Hull-based residential drug and alcohol centre specialising in treating male ex-offenders. Thomas Martin, chairman of Arco, the

UK’s leading safety company, has employed graduates from The Bridges for the past seven years – and is now urging other Hull and East Riding businesses to do the same. He said: “At the heart of all we do at Arco is our core value of Respect for People. “This is something we

work determinedly towards ensuring that it is incorporated in all the elements of our business, from the way we work with our people, customers and suppliers, through to our community and charity activities. “Supporting The Bridges is a classic example of this. The aim

of The Bridges is to transform the lives of men trapped in the cycles of addiction, drugs, crime and incarceration and we are proud to have employed their graduates at Arco. “To play a part in helping ex-offenders to turn their lives around is both life-enhancing and humbling.

“Over half the prison population are serving a sentence related to drug addiction. “About 60 per cent of released prisoners will go on to re-offend within two years. In contrast, 76 per cent of the men who completed The Bridges programme did not re-offend within a one year follow-up.”

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New fire safety help online for landlords Ex-firefighter-turned safety inspector sets up website and app A FORMER firefighter from Hull has set up a platform to help landlord’s keep on top of fire safety regulations. Tony Bolder left the fire service to set up independently as a fire safety inspector and is now working to ensure landlords stick to necessary regulations. Mr Bolder says the new Landlords FSO website and app is the first online portal for fire safety regulations, particularly for houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs), and he hopes it will lead to more property owners avoiding fire risks. After the tragic events at Grenfell Tower in London, where investigations are currently taking place after 71 people died in a huge fire at the block of flats, Mr Bolder regularly gave his expert opinion on news channels, including CNN and BBC News. He said many landlords and

By Henry Saker-Clark h.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

authorities are now recognising the importance of meeting these regulations and he hopes more people are being held to account over fire safety failings. Mr Bolder said: “We are trying to change the culture. The business had been going on before, but obviously it has shone a light on the issue of fire safety. “Afterwards I had people from the BBC ringing me for interviews and it raised my profile, but for completely all the wrong reasons. “I’ve been working on an Inside Out programme with the BBC in Bradford looking at some properties, and the problems you see are really concerning.” The fire safety inspector says that while the platform cannot ensure compliance, it will make it easier for landlords to know what checks they

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need to do to avoid punishment. He said: “I do a lot of work with local landlords and it has certainly been busier recently. A lot of people are not aware of what HMOs they have, or who is responsible for what areas in shared housing. “People need to ensure proper inspections are undertaken, and regularly, because otherwise they can get caught out.” He also says the idea for the platform, which can cover a landlord’s whole property portfolio, came to him because of his unique position working as an inspector and for Humberside Fire and Rescue. Mr Bolder said: “With my background I have seen both sides of it. “I’ve been a firefighter and seen exactly what can happen, as well as being paid by landlords to inspect properties and reduce the risk, which I think really puts me in the ideal position to create a platform like this.”

CULTURE CHANGE: Tony Bolder, with his website landlordsfso.co.uk

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EAST YORKS: A leading East Yorkshire retailer is collecting food and toiletries to help people in crisis around the Christmas period. Sewell On The Go has put collection points in place at four of its larger sites for donations to Hull Foodbank, which provides nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people referred to the charity in crisis. The charity is part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK. As well as the business donating items, customers are also being encouraged to support the cause and help make a difference to those in need as Christmas approaches. Emma Kordhaku, sales manager at Sewell On The Go, said: “We believe this is the right thing to do and it’s helping people who are in crisis. “No one should have to struggle at any time of the year, but Christmas can be especially difficult and we really want to help make a difference. “Tinned and dried food, as well as toiletries, are ideal and it will be wonderful if our customers can join us in supporting this fantastic charity. “If this collection is successful, we’d like to make it an annual appeal.” Collection points are at Sewell On The Go stores in Chanterlands Avenue, Sutton, South Cave and Hull West on the A63 at North Ferriby. Items can be dropped off at any of the four stores, which are open 24/7, up to December 1, when they will be delivered to the charity in King Edward Street, Hull city centre.