Hull business editions jan 2018 by Humber Business

NATASHA’S CALL FOR WOMEN TO FOLLOW HER LEAD FEMALE INSPIRATION

GIRL POWER IS BREAKING BARRIERS

INDUSTRY WOMEN

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Wednesday Januar y 3 2018

DEBBIE’S MBE TOPS OFF A GREAT YEAR Managing director’s honour is icing on cake for security company

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

hostile vehicles, is for the city of New Orleans to protect Mardi Gras attendees. Last year ended with even more positive news as the managing director was recognised with an MBE (Member of the British Empire) in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for her services to STEM and export. Heald Ltd, which manufactures hostile vehicle mitigation systems, protect some of the

‘ABSOLUTELY GOBSMACKED’: Heald managing director Debbie Heald says she thought her MBE was a scam letter.

worlds most high-profile locations including embassies, airports and shopping areas with their award-winning road blockers and bollards. She says the award came as a huge surprise, and has topped what has been a “tremendous year” for the growing Hornsea business. “I was absolutely gobsmacked when I found out. I got a letter a few weeks ago and I thought it might have been one of those scam letters,” she said. “The company has made signific-

ant advances with exports, which I think has been recognised, and I think it was also being a woman in this sort of industry. “It’s really great for the business at the moment. We have really pushed the company over the last few years and have been able to get this steady growth. We had a young family and developed the business, but now we’ve really been growing much faster, all over the world, and it has been tremendous.”

Continued on PAGE 2

Director new chairman of Bondholders A DIRECTOR at leading Hull engineering firm Spencer Group has been appointed as the new chairman of Bondholders after former leader Anita Pace stepped down. Andy Parkinson, group director of Strategy and Innovation for Spencer Group, pictured, has worked for the firm since June 2016. Working across a variety of different areas, Andy has also lead significant developments in the public sector, most notable as the lead for Hull’s City Plan, a £1bn economic infrastructure plan to transform the city, creating in excess of 12,000 jobs. The announcement as Chair was made at the organisation’s Christmas social. In a speech to members, he said: “The past few years have given the region a great platform to build on, and it is my plan that now we will cement our position in the Northern Powerhouse. “We can’t do it without you (the business community), your input and innovation as Bondholder members is vital to realise this vision. “We are not going to stand still, together we will achieve great things.” Andy Parkinson said he was excited to lead Bondholders at such an important time for the region and was determined to make the Humber an internationally recognised place to live and work. Managing director of Bondholders Diana Taylor said: “It is great to have Andy on board to help propel the Bondholder activities forward, really build on the opportunity to represent our members and take the strong message of the Humber out on the national and international stage.”

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A “TREMENDOUS year” for East Yorkshire security technology firm Heald has been topped off with an MBE for managing director Debbie Heald. The family firm based in Hornsea, has seen a successful 2017, with revenues increasing by 25 per cent as well as scoring a number of major new contracts overseas. The latest major contract for the firm, which develops innovative barriers and systems to protect against terrorism and

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BUSINESS

Family firm is planning for bright future after taking national plaudits Delight for Debbie with MBE honour Continued from PAGE 1 She says the business has particularly grown over the past year in the export market, gaining more business in the USA. As well as a new contract to supply securing equipment to New Orleans, it has also installed its shallow mount road-blocker, the Raptor, outside the UN Building in New York. Mrs Heald said: “We just secured an order to supply New Orleans with our new security bollards, which will be all around the main areas of ‘party central’. “We are constantly innovating, and that is down to my partner Rod, who is the real inventor of the operation. “Each year we have been putting out one new product, but next we are really developing and are going to introduce more than that. “We already had a good business base in the Middle East, in Australia, in Europe, so it is great to break into that American market.” The firm recently launched a range of electro-mechanical and manual products which spans across the Matador range, which is the world’s first IWA 14-1 crash tested surface mount bollard system that can halt a 7.2-tonne truck travelling at 40mph. Heald, which manufactures all its products in the UK, says the growth will also support the firm’s plans to recruit for a range of roles including apprenticeships throughout the course of the year. Commenting on the plans, she said “It has been a tremendous year for Heald and we are proud that our products have been chosen to secure both buildings and people from the heightened risk of vehicle attacks. “With this comes the opportunity for us to offer even more real career prospects for people in the local area”.

Company ends year with recognition for good business practice By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

A HESSLE-based family firm has topped a successful 2017 by taking centre stage at a national conference in recognition of its good business practice. Srategic planning firm Agencia marked its 20th anniversary last year with a major national award at the National Family Business Conference. The company joined major players, including Pimlico Plumbers and Pentland Brands Ltd – stable for such labels as Ellesse, Lacoste and Speedo – on a platform that has previously featured the likes of Fortnum & Mason, Morrisons and Stagecoach. Managing director Helen Gibson and her sister, Joy Allen, the company’s head of HR and corporate services, shared the lectern at the event in Canary Wharf, London, and outlined the Agencia approach to the challenges facing family businesses. Agencia operates throughout the UK and internationally, devising and delivering health and justice improvement programmes that transform lives and communities. In July, it was voted the Best Small Business in the UK at the National Family Business Awards. Ms Gibson said: “By focusing on succession planning at the right time, we were able to take the business forward to our 20th anniversary this year. “Joy’s appointment was crucial because HR is such a key element of talent development. “But the conference was not just about sharing our experiences with others, it was also a fantastic learning environment as we heard the stories of other

NATIONAL STAGE: Managing director Helen Gibson, right, and sister Joy Allen shared the lectern at the event in Canary Wharf and outlined the Agencia approach to the challenges facing family businesses. family businesses and made a lot of new contacts. “It is a very honest forum in which people open up about the difficult situations that they have faced in their business and personal lives, which are intertwined more than ever in a family business. “That, in turn, means the conference and the individual delegates can be a great source of moral support and encouragement.” Ms Gibson was a key part of the

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succession process when she left a career that included spells in the Cabinet Office and with PA Consulting to join her father Andrew Gibson at Agencia in 2009. She became managing director in 2012 and was joined early in 2017 by Ms Allen, who had held senior HR posts with RBS, NBC Universal and retirement solutions heavyweight Hornbuckle. The firm says it is now planning for further expansion this year, in the region and further

It’s been incredibly special just to get to 20 years, because that’s not something we would ever have taken for granted Managing director Helen Gibson

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afield in Europe, with a new brand and exciting new projects at their offices in Hessle, Scunthorpe and Sarajevo. Helen said: “It has been quite a year for us. “It’s been incredibly special just to get to 20 years, because that’s not something we would ever have taken for granted. “We also won the award and we celebrated in style with colleagues and contacts at The Deep and in Sarajevo. “Next we will roll out our new brand and our new-look website and use that to tell more people about the work that we do. “We have a three-year strategy to take us to 2020. “It’s about building on what we have in our core markets and taking it to more places.”

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IN BRIEF

INSPIRATION: Natasha Armitage, 24, is one of KCOM’s latest recruits to install Lightstream across the area and is hoping to inspire many more young women to do the same.

‘The Government must tackle late payments’

Jobs for the boys? Not anymore, says KCOM’s latest recruit Natasha

Female engineer wants more women to follow her into the industry By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

A FEMALE former soldier is calling on more women in the region to join her and build a career in engineering. Natasha Armitage, 24, is one of KCOM’s latest recruits to install Lightstream across the area and is hoping to inspire many more young women to do the same. Ms Armitage who spent six years serving in the Royal Logistics Corps before joining KCOM earlier this year, says she does not believe there is any such thing as a “male or female industry” any more. She said: “I think you can do whatever you want if you’ve got enough interest or passion for it. I didn’t really think ‘that’s a boy’s job’ when I applied for the role of field services technician. “I’m just interested in telecoms and thought I’d like to pursue a career in that. “Maybe it helps that I was in the Army before, which is more traditionally thought of as a man’s job, but I think that’s a bit old fashioned. When I told my friends I’d got a job as an engineer they didn’t bat an eyelid, although it probably helps that

one of my female friends is a surveyor and another’s a truck driver.” The new KCOM recruit, who originally hails from Beverley, said the only daunting part of starting her new job was the thought of shinning up telegraph poles fitting cable. So far she has trained on KCOM’s copper network and is now focusing on Lightstream fibre home installs. “I didn’t think I’d like the heights,” she laughs. “But I’ve actually found it OK – not as scary as I’d imagined. “It’s been great so far. I’m really enjoying it and I’m learning a lot

from the guys on the team. The reason I applied to KCOM was because they’re a local company and I think there’s real potential here to progress. “Eventually, I’d like to be a senior technician or a team leader, but that’s somewhere down the road. If I can inspire other girls to follow as engineers then that would be great. I’ve already had someone come up to me at Slimming World and ask ‘are you an engineer?’ “They had a daughter who was interested in the industry and was asking what it was like and what they should do. I said ‘yes, just go for it’.”

Ms Armitage’s message echoes that of digital minister Matt Hancock MP, who recently made a speech tackling “gender inequality in technology”. Mr Hancock said: “You can’t catch all the fish if you only fish in half the pool. “Yet our tech industry is still too male-dominated, in fact and in culture. We want to see equal opportunities for men and women in one of the fastest growing areas of life, and we want to see Britain’s tech industry using the talents of the whole nation.” Sean Royce, executive vicepresident of technology, service and operations at KCOM, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Natasha to KCOM and know she’ll be a valuable addition to the team. “We’re always looking for quality candidates, both males and female, to join us as we continue rolling out our industryleading Lightstream broadband network.” KCOM is now actively seeking both male and female applicants for a number of full-time service desk analyst roles it now has available working from its new Salvesen Way centre of excellence.

SMALL BUSINESSES: The Federation for Small Businesses (FSB) says that tackling the late payment culture that devastates thousands of small businesses each year must be at the top of the Government’s domestic agenda for 2018. In his New Year message, Mike Cherry, national chairman of the FSB, pictured, called on the Government and its new Small Business Commissioner to tackle poor payment this year. He says that the new year must also see a revitalised approach to business rates, and is calling on 30 councils which have yet to pass on the emergency relief to fall into line. He said: “Brexit will no doubt continue to grab headlines as we enter the new year, but it’s vital we don’t lose sight of the domestic issues impacting our 5.7 million small businesses and self-employed every day. “The coming weeks and months will be a crucial time for the Small Business Commissioner and his team to start making a real difference to firms impacted by the debilitating late and poor payments crisis across the UK. “An estimated £18bn is held up in poor and late payments. This needs to change. Just like everyone else, small businesses deserve to be paid promptly and should not face supply chain bullying. “We want to see the worst offenders tackled and then named and shamed if they do not improve.”

Biggest pain points SELF-EMPLOYED: New research shows finding clients, marketing and generating sufficient cash flow are proving to be the biggest pain points for Britain’s self-employed. In total, almost seven in 10 (68 per cent) of Britain’s entrepreneurs say that they have experienced barriers to growing their business. This ranges from struggling with late payments to understanding the tax system. As part of wider research into the self-employed market, specialist lender Aldermore asked businesses what the biggest pain points were when launching and then growing their business. Alder more’s research also shows that one-third of people (33 per cent) are considering starting their own business in the next couple of years. Alder more’s head of savings, Ewan Edwards, said: “It is understandable that finding clients and marketing are clearly the biggest pain point for start-ups and growing SMEs alike as, without clients there is no business. “However, it is interesting to see that the financial side of business is also a significant pain point for those setting up their own firm.”

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NEWS

Meet the women who are inspiring females to break down barriers

ome of the region’s largest manufacturing and engineering firms have boosted the numbers of female employees in their workforce, thanks to an initiative that encourages women to take up careers in these sectors. For more than a year, Women into Manufacturing and Engineering (WiME) has been working to drive more women into these vital industries. The organisation was created by Green Port Hull, supported by the Regional Growth Fund, in partnership with the JobCentre Plus, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Ltd and Airco Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Ltd in October 2016. In the 12 months after it started, ten women have been recruited through the scheme and WiME now has the support of 16 major employers from across the Humber region – a 433 per cent growth. Roles have been taken up at some of Hull’s leading firms, including the Swift Group, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Spencer Group and Airco Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Ltd. Kirsty Clode, chairwoman of WiME, says there is an ongoing “gender imbalance” in manufacturing and engineering and believes the organisation is making steps to address this. “Although manufacturing, engineering and renewables in the Humber region are going from strength to strength, there is an ongoing issue of gender balance within these fields,” she said. “When Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy was recruiting for its new wind turbine blade factory in Hull, the company attracted more than 20,000 applications, but only 7 per cent were from women. “It reflects a perennial nationwide issue – just 9 per cent of the UK engineering workforce and 6 per cent of registered engineers and technicians are female.” She said Green Port Hull has recognised that there is a lack of visible role models, as

Some of the region’s biggest firms are welcoming more women into the world of engineering and manufacturing. Henry Saker-Clark looks at how the industry tide is turning well as widely held misconceptions about the work involved by women in the sectors. Ms Clode said: “Green Port Hull consulted employers around the region, women currently working in engineering and other technical roles, and Women In Science And Engineering to address the issue. “They realised there were three main reasons for women and girls not applying for engineering roles. “It wasn’t just lack of information about job opportunities and routes to them, it was also a lack of visible role models and widely held misconceptions about the work types involved and a sometimes deep-rooted belief engineering is for men.” Two WiME careers events were organised in August 2016 and March last year to provide information to girls and women about employment opportunities available to them in manufacturing, engineering and renewables to try and encourage applications from current job seekers. The events were well attended and enabled companies to directly engage with potential candidates for roles. Rebekah Shepherd, human resources manager at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, said: “Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy is working hard to increase the number of women within our workforce in Hull, as part of our commitment to workplace diversity. “We’re also committed to collaborating with partners to promote manufacturing and engineering as excellent career choices for women. “We were delighted to play a major part in the WiME events. Since then we have seen a

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No one in my team had made a turbine blade before. We come from such a variety of backgrounds. I’m proud to be inspiring other women Julie Omond

marked increase in women applying for jobs we have advertised in Hull, which is very encouraging. “Four women who came to the events have also now joined us, which is a great result, and proves WiME is a successful recruitment route for us.” Paula Cullen, training and development manager at Airco Centre of Excellence, said: “The distance travelled over a year has been amazing for WiME. The initiative has brought success to Airco, as we now have three female engineer apprentices along with our first female electrical student. “The commitment from employers is fantastic and I believe WiME will go from strength to strength with the potential for a national reach. “Although based primarily in the Humber, WiME has received wider recognition on the northern and national stage. “It was the icing on the cake for the Green Port Hull team when they received Westminster recognition of their work from the Science and Technology Committee and representatives took to the podium at the Northern Power Women Awards.”

Ms Clode said she was thrilled by the success of the organisation in its first year and is looking to increase the number of businesses involved. “We started out with just a couple of local companies, but by March things had snowballed and 16 companies/organisations joined us for our careers day. “WiME has initiated a constructive dialogue between employers and female candidates and now we want to increase the number of businesses supporting WiME – with the goal of firms using WiME as one of their key recruitment channels. “WiME has genuinely had life-changing impact with women securing full-time jobs and securing apprenticeships. We’ve been thrilled with the success of the first year of WiME as we feel we have made a real difference.” Councillor Helena Spencer, portfolio holder with responsibility for equalities and diversity, said: “It’s promising to see that a year on from launching this initiative, ten women have already gained employment

FEMALE DRIVE: Laura Emms, of Siemens Hull, spoke at a Women Into Manufacturing and Engineering careers open day last year.

GENDER IMBALANCE: Kirsty Clode, chairwoman of WiME

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NEWS CAREER CHOICES FOR WOMEN: For more than a year, Women into Manufacturing and Engineering has been working to drive more women into these vital industries.

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COMMITTED EMPLOYERS: From left, Paula Cullen, Airco Centre of Excellence, and Rebekah Shepherd, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. through this scheme. The WiME initiative is hugely important and it is vital the manufacturing and engineering sectors continue to actively support it by looking at how they encourage and support more women to work for their organisations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Local companies are keen to break down barriers and encourage more women into these industries, and the work being done in the city is leading the way in addressing the gender gap in engineering careers.â&#x20AC;? Julie Omond, 45, is production operative at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Ltd, who lives in Beverley. She found work through the programme and says it is a huge shift from previous jobs working as an illustrator for childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s books and a wedding florist. She said:â&#x20AC;&#x153;I never thought I would be part of a team making a wind turbine blade, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ended up doing thanks to the WiME event I attended in March. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I found out about the event from my partner, who said I should go down and have a look to see if there is anything that would suit me.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having worked as a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book illustrator and a wedding florist, I know office jobs are not for me. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suit me to be sat behind a desk as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m quite arty, so I was looking for a new role that was more hands-on. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The WiME event was great and I found it really useful. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I spoke to some of the girls working at Siemens Gamesa and heard straight from the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mouth about what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to work there. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It inspired me to attend one of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recruitment days and apply for roles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was delighted when, in June, I was taken on as a production operative at the blade factory on Hullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alexandra Dock. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No one in my team had made a turbine blade before. We come from such a variety of different backgrounds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proud to be inspiring other women to work in manufacturing and engineering. I have twin girls who are now 20 so I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to let women know that every career is open to them.â&#x20AC;?

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IN BRIEF

BUSINESS FANTASTIC ACTORS: One Summer When You Went Away is Dead Bod Films’ next production. Below, the cast members.

Boss’s £110m pay-out receives huge criticism BONUS: The boss of a regional housebuilder is under increasing pressure following the revelation of his £110m end-of-year bonus. Jeff Fairburn, 53, the CEO of York-based Persimmon, which has built two major housing developments in Hull, received the first instalment of his bonus last weekend, which had been roundly criticised by politicians and charities. It has been calculated that his bonus could be used to provide a council house for every homeless family in Yorkshire. Nicholas Wrigley, chairman of the firm, resigned last month over his failure to rein in the CEO’s “obscene” bonus, according to a report in the Guardian. Hull MP Diana Johnson criticised the size of the bonus to the CEO of the firm, which has built the Broadacre and Charterhouse developments in the Kingswood area.

Bakery given £8.5m INVESTMENT: Regional bakery firm Coopland & Sons has received an investment of £8.5m from the Business Growth Fund (BGF) to accelerate the roll-out of its shops across the north of England. The company, which has a bakery in Hull, delivers its produce, including breads, sandwiches, pies, pasties and cakes to more than 140 Cooplands shops, 11 cafes and 28 sandwich vans. The firm has numerous outlets across East Yorkshire, including a newly opened shop on Whitefriargate in Hull city centre. The investment in the firm will be used to open 30 new shops in the next three years, improve and develop its production facilities and explore potential acquisition opportunities. The business will also expand its growing sandwich van service, which delivers fresh food to industrial and business parks, doubling its fleet by 2020. Cooplands has grown from a chain of five shops to its current size under the leadership of Paul Coopland. Today, the business employs more than 1,500 people and generates sales of close to £50m.

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From Hull to the silver screen: Film company’s hopes for new release Movie firm’s next production shot entirely in Hull and Humber By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

AN independent film company says it hopes to can build on a successful 2017 by seeing its newest film, shot entirely in the Hull and Humber region, appear on the region’s cinema screens. Dead Bod Films, based above Kardomah94 in Hull city centre, is looking to follow up the success of its first short film, The BagpipeMaker’s Baby, with further critical acclaim. The Bagpipe-Maker’s Baby was recently shortlisted at the Toronto International Film Festival and writer and producer Julian Woodford says he has equal high hopes for the company’s next production, One Summer When You Went Away. Mr Woodford said the film was made on a veritable shoestring budget, but hopes it can be successful and prove the viability of film production firms in the region. “People talk about micro-budget productions. I think you’d have to describe this as a micro-micro production,” he said. “It’s not easy to make films on these sorts of budgets, but I hope we are proving that it can be done, and it can be done successfully in Hull. “We think we have a film that looks of a much higher quality than the amount of money it has been made for. We have relied on a lot of fantastic actors and staff from Hull and the East Riding, so it is very much a local film.” One Summer When You Went Away is currently in post-production, and is due to be completed around June.

Mr Woodford wrote the film with Chris Hopkins, and produced it with Emily Brown in a roughly two-year development process. He says Dead Bod Films has started to grow following the success of the BagpipeMaker’s Baby, for which the firm has also agreed a screening deal with Paris-based Art District Radio to broadcast on new digital TV channel Art District TV. Mr Woodford said: “Emily had been supported on a paid internship with us for pre-production and production, supported by the BFI and Creative Skill Set, facilitated by Chris at Bridge Way Films. “The team has all been people from Hull and East Yorkshire. The locations have all been in a small radius around here. “We had a tight-knit group over just 12 days, so it was a fantastic experience to

make it. The actors we found are incredibly talented and I’m really happy with what we have shot. We’re hoping it will be shown at some film festivals, so it’s just about finishing it and getting as many people as possible to see it.” The film-maker says that the region has a large pool of talent, and believes there is particularly a good opportunity for successful smaller films and television shows to be made locally. He said: “It will be hard to create a sustainable market here for full-length feature films in the area, but there is certainly talent to be invested into. “Particularly looking at TV and smaller films, there is a huge opportunity for people to come and work in the region. Hopefully, we help to show that slightly.”

YOUR M ONEY

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Wednesday January 3 2018 7

YOURMONEY Work out what’s best before joining a gym

Finding the money for a deposit – an average of £51,821 for first-time buyers – is beyond many of the 1.5 million young people forced to live with their parents

PROMISING to start a diet and get fit in January is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. But getting back into shape after the festive feast doesn’t need to eat away at your bank balance. Yorkshire Building Society warns those hoping to lose a few pounds on the scales to avoid wasting pounds from their wallet. THINK TWICE BEFORE SIGNING UP GYM memberships are popular investments at the beginning of the year, but many come with lengthy contracts and up-front joining fees. Fitness resolutions often don’t last past the first couple of months so consider a rolling contract so you can try and see if you like the gym and the facilities, and ensure you can get there. Then you’ll have a get-out clause if you’re not getting your money’s worth. A CENTRE THAT SUITS YOUR NEEDS THERE’S no point paying for a fancy club with personal trainers and the latest hi-tech kit and classes when all you want to do is swim. It may be cheaper to pay as you go at your local authority pool. DON’T BUY ALL THE GEAR UNTIL YOU ARE COMMITTED SPLASHING out on the latest fitness kit and trainers may seem like the perfect way to help get you hooked. But, if they are going to end up at the bottom of the wardrobe collecting dust then it will be a waste of your hard-earned cash. DO THE SUMS WEEKLY fees might sound cheap but they will add up. Some of the popular weight loss plans will add up to hundreds of pounds over a year. SWAP THE GYM FOR THE OUTDOORS GETTING fit doesn’t have to involve signing up to a regular monthly contract. You can simply pull on your trainers and head to the nearest park.

Save cash and swap the gym for a run in the park

Louise Halliwell, senior manager for savings at Yorkshire Building Society, adds: “Whatever the motivation, losing weight and getting fit doesn’t always have to cost a fortune. Watching the pounds while losing pounds is just one of a number of things you could do to help get the year off to a good financial start.”

Why owning a home is out of reach for so many young people The rising cost of living makes saving difficult, says T RICIA PHILLIPS

LMOST 1.5 million young people are forced to live at home with their parents because they can’t afford not to. More than half of people aged 21 to 35 that don’t currently own a home are not confident they will ever be able to afford to get a foot on the property ladder as the cost of everyday basics eats up too much of their income. For almost a fifth of Millennials their usual monthly outgoings are often more than their average monthly income, according to research from Experian. The small numbers that do manage to save, put away around £198 a month. That’s £2,376 per year, which is not much help when the average first-time buyer deposit is £51,821. Living with parents is not done out of choice as many young people crave their independence.

A third of those living at home said they didn’t earn enough to be able to rent or buy their own place and around one in 10 said expensive debt repayments prevented them from being able to move out. Meanwhile, general unaffordability, after they had tried to live independently, was the reason for many others moving back home. Just one in five actually choose to live at home – the main reason being so they can afford to save

towards a deposit for their own property. James Jones, head of consumer affairs at Experian, says: “People might ask why it’s a problem that people well into their 30s are stuck at home with their parents. But owning a home is still the number one financial goal for millennials. “Renting is so expensive and young people either can’t afford it or don’t want to waste vast sums of money. “It’s tough for young people these days as incomes are not keeping up with the rising cost of living.” Experian has launched a moving-out cost calculator that estimates the average monthly rent and mortgage repayments for an area, and gives an indication of likely living expenses such as utility bills and council tax. James adds: “We really want to help Millennials realise their dream of owning a home, which is why we have launched a tool to help them Owning a home is still the number understand the areas that are one financial goal for millennials most affordable.”

GETTING READY TO TAKE A FIRST STEP ONTO THE PROPERTY LADDER ■■DO YOUR homework. Know what you can afford and where you can afford to buy. Don’t forget to factor in all the costs, including regular ongoing bills and commuting to work. Visit experian.co.uk/ consumer/generationrent/#calculatethe-cost to get an idea of what it’ll set you back. ■■CHECK your credit score to ensure everything is up to date and correct and to see if it paints a good picture about your financial situation. Get free access via experian. co.uk, clearscore.com, call credit.co.uk and equifax.co.uk ■■IF YOU check your credit score early on in the process you will have time to improve it if need be. Simple things like ensuring you are on the electoral roll, paying off debt (or at least reducing it so you are not maxed out on credit cards), paying above the minimum on credit card repayments and ensuring you make all bill payments on time each month can help to boost your score. ■■GETTING the best credit score is vital as that will mean you qualify for the best mortgage deals. This could save you a small fortune over the years of a loan.

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IN BRIEF

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BUSINESS

Haulage firm praised for its performance HULL: A haulage firm has been recognised for its outstanding performance by Europe’s largest palletised freight network Palletways. D&P Haulage has been praised for its strong sales performances and the role it has played in the expansion of Palletways last year. D&P Haulage is one of more than 110 members that form the UK Palletways network. The company was announced as the Northern Region Winner in Palletways 2017 Sales Awards at its National Sales Conference last month. Paul Charlton, joint managing director at D&P Haulage, said: “This award is a fantastic way to end another successful year working with Palletways. We’re delighted to have won as it reflects the dedication and hard work of every member of staff at our depots.” D&P Haulage helped Palletways UK move a record breaking 5.4 million pallets – the biggest year for the network to date. Dave Walmsley, Palletways UK managing director, said: “D&P Haulage has made a significant contribution to the strength of the network over the past 12 months and their efforts are well deserving of this award. “The company has been a top performer in its region over the past 12 months, setting an excellent example to the industry. “We’re delighted the team is part of the Palletways family and the award officially recognises their continuing excellence.”

‘SIGNIFICANT VALUE’: From left, Joe Besch, Samskip’s manager of terminal operations Hull, and John Habergham and Chris Thornes, of Myton Law.

Law firm plays part in making sure new ABP contract is in shipshape Company advises on deal for container terminal at city dock

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A SPECIALIST law firm from Hull has advised on a major new contract for the 30-acre Hull container terminal at Queen Victoria Dock. Myton Law has advised international shipping firm Smaskip Multimodal BV on a new agreement with Associated British Ports (ABP) relating to container services at the site. The new agreement – for which contract details have not been disclosed – confirms Samskip’s decision to appoint ABP to provide terminal services for its Rotterdam to Hull journeys. The decision to appoint ABP with the shippings, which take place five times a week, follows ABP’s takeover of the Hull container terminal from a previous port operator last year. Myton Law’s team included shipping lawyer John

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

Habergham and commercial and real estate lawyer Chris Thor nes. John Habergham said: “Myton Law’s shipping, logistics, commercial and real estate law capabilities combine well to provide clients with comprehensive legal advice relating to ports and terminals. “We are very pleased to have worked with Samskip again to assist in finalising this agreement, which is of significant value.” Hull is a key element of Samskip’s provision of panEuropean combined transport services via shortsea, road, rail and inland waterway routes. Frank de Lint, manager claims and legal at Samskip Multimod-

al, said that the Hull law firm had helped to advise on a deal that is in the interest of both Samskip and ABP. He said: “Samskip has worked to our satisfaction with Myton Law in various cases in recent years. We were, therefore, happy that Myton was able to assist us with this important agreement. “The service of Myton Law and Chris (Thornes), in particular, in respect of this terminal agreement was very useful for Samskip. “With a hands-on attitude and practical advice, Chris assisted us in determining our position under English law. “Myton Law’s advice was used in the negotiations with ABP, resulting in an agreement that is in the interest of both ABP and Samskip and will define the relationship in the coming

years. We enjoyed working together and will certainly use the services of Myton Law again.” Using its own vessles and containers, the firm, which has headquarters in Rotterdam, offers quay-to-quay services through a network of local offices and agents throughout Europe. Cargoes shipped include highprofile brands embracing food and beverage, chemicals, paper, construction materials, electronics and other consumer goods. Myton Law provides commercial legal services from offices on Hull’s Humber waterfront. In addition to shipping, logistics and commercial property, Myton Law’s expertise includes international trade, insurance law and offshore renewables.

Restaurant group puts money aside for global poverty charity HULL: Award-winning restaurant group Tapasya Group has raised money to address global poverty after becoming involved with the Curry For Change campaign. Both the Tapasya on Beverley Road and Tapasya@Marina

restaurants have been raising money from donations. This initiative was created by UK charities Find Your Feet and Health Poverty Action, providing support for 19 countries around the world, helping vulnerable families

build a new future. One of the group’s owners, Tapan Mahapatra, said: “It’s been a pleasure to participate in Curry For Change and get help for some of the most deserving families in the world. “We’re delighted to be involved in such a

worthy cause. Find Your Feet and Health Poverty Action do amazing work and we hope to help again next year.” Both restaurants selected a dish from their menus and each time one was sold, £1 of the dish’s value was

donated to the charity. The Hull firm, which also supports charities Clarity and the Smile Foundation, raised a total of £454. The money will be used to help families in rural Asia and Africa suffering from poverty and hunger.

CULTURE IS HELPING OUT CITY SHOPS

BABY BOOM AS PRAM FIRM MOVES

RETAIL

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24/7 breaking news at hulldailymail.co.uk

Wednesday Januar y 10 2018

City pharmacy expands to larger premises

INVESTMENT: Garness Jones is developing the ground floor of Blundell’s Corner.

CULTURE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROPERTY BOOM £10m in city centre investment has come from culture feel good factor By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

The Hull property firm, based in Beverley Road, oversaw the sales of landmark properties including King William House, the vacant Chinese restaurant in Jameson Street and the Edwin Davis Building, which is part of proposals to develop Albion Square. The Hull Daily Mail newspaper still occupies the top floor of the property at the corner of Beverley Road and Spring Bank and Allenby Commercial is currently working on refurbishing the remainder of the building to create The Worx, an office and leisure facility, which will welcome its first tenants in spring.

Elsewhere in the city centre the focus has been on retail, leisure and residential projects through a combination of property conversions and redundant buildings being brought back to life. Paul White, agency director at Garness Jones, said the level of activity in Hull city centre is unprecedented in his experience. He said: “The 12 months from late 2016 has been the best and busiest period in the ten years that I have been with Garness Jones. The numbers are remarkable, with a total of 237,210sq ft being sold for £9,515,000. “We know from talking to the investors that City of Culture has been the key factor for them and

businesses in the region are entitled to be buoyed by that confidence.” Landmark projects include the conversion of King William House, a former office block of 80,000sq ft in Market Place, into 30 apartments with four ground-floor commercial units. In nearby High Street, Garness Jones concluded the sale late last year of 25 apartments at New North Bridge House, a former warehouse dating back 150 years and undergoing modernisation having been converted for residential use in the late 1980s. At the junction of George Street and Jameson Street, Garness Jones

Continued on PAGE 2

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INVESTOR interest sparked by Hull’s UK City of Culture status is being credited for the booming commercial and residential market that has brought the completion of acquisitions worth almost £10m in the city centre since late 2016. Garness Jones chartered surveyors has sealed deals with purchasers from the local area and from much further afield for a variety of properties to a total of nearly 240,000sq ft. Activity began to pick up from the autumn of 2016 when Hull-based developers Allenby Commercial bought Blundell’s Corner from Daily Mail and General Trust, former owners of the Hull Daily Mail.

AN EXPANDING online pharmacy business, based in Hull, has moved into new offices at the Ideal Business Park in National Avenue, Hull. Atropa has moved into the unit, with both office and storage space, which is ten times larger than its previous base in Hessle Road, in the letting secured by PPH Commercial. When Atropa was formed, three years ago, it dispensed and delivered 400 items in its first month, but the firm has grown so much that, in November last year, it dispensed nearly 9,000 items. Joint owner Bryn Smales, pictured, said that moving on to the Ideal Business Park has enabled the company to expand its staff from ten to 13 and also have the space for further growth. He said: “We now have separate, open-plan areas for storage and dispensing, together with high-quality office accommodation and a clinic room that will provide the next phase of our expansion – we will be able to offer cost-effective private clinics for immunisations and health tests, such as PSA prostate cancer tests and coeliac testing. “Instead of people having to go to their GPs and have the inevitable wait for appointments and results, we will be able to provide the results within ten or 15 minutes.” “To move the pharmacy into the new premises we had to change our contract licence, which took time, but PPH was very flexible and helpful in progressing the let for us.” The six buildings on the one-acre Ideal Business Park are divided into 11 separate units, offering a total of 27,500sq ft of office accommodation combined with warehousing, workshop or storage facilities. The business park is electronically gated and CCTV controlled.

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City centre property a thriving business Continued from PAGE 1 completed deals with separate developers from South Yorkshire for the former TSB bank and the vacant Chinese restaurant, both of which are undergoing conversion for ground-floor leisure use with apartments on the upper floors. Only yards away, the practice sold the derelict Edwin Davis building, which is now earmarked to form part of a new development comprising Albion Street car park and the former BHS and Co-operative stores, and estimated to be worth around £130m to the economy. Mr White said: “Tivoli House, which in the 1970s housed the Hull office of Zurich insurance, is fully-let as groundfloor retail and has permitted development of former offices on the upper floors to create 30 apartments. There are also plans for a residential conversion at Liberty House in Old Town. “At the beginning of last year there was an over-supply of secondary office stock, which saturated the market. Permitted development opportunities then took a lot of the lower quality stock out of the office market as developers bought some properties for conversion to residential. “Where there have been opportunities to improve offices, they have been developed and refurbished. “This is enabling businesses to move into a good working environment and the combination of that, plus the residential conversions and the rising interest in retail, leisure and residential opportunities is helping us to work towards creating a sustainable city centre along the lines of other major northern cities. “The likes of Arco, Spencer Group, RB and Smith and Nephew are all improving Hull and investing in the city and the SMEs are also working as a business community to improve the city centre. The year has highlighted that Hull presents significant opportunities for investors, with good people and good buildings.”

Landlords warned over energy laws Solicitor firm advises property owners to be aware of changes COMMERCIAL property landlords are being warned that new energy efficiency protocols will be introduced on April 1, and they may be penalised if they do not make necessary improvements. Properties put up for let or renewal after April will have to meet a minimum E rating of energy efficiency or could face a penalty from £5,000 to £150,000. A Hull law firm has warned landlords that they should start making preparations to make sure they are not caught out by the change in legislation. Steven Berry, a partner in the property team at Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP, says one fifth of rented properties are “sub-standard” and the new rules will help to reduce energy costs as well. He said: “With MEES just a few weeks away, it’s vital that parties understand fully how their properties will be affected. Non-compliance could result in increased costs and/or penalties. Government guidance has been published, but there are still areas of uncertainty. “Meeting the new standard – currently EPC grade E – makes

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

sense. About 20 per cent of the rental stock is sub-standard. Improving it will help reduce energy costs and greenhouse gases, as well as enhancing property values and providing employment. “MEES applies only to properties, which are required by law to have an EPC. It doesn’t apply, for example, to certain buildings which have a low energy demand. In broad terms, properties that are let for less than six months or more than 99 years are also excluded.” Mr Berry says there are significant penalties for any landlord, which breaches the new legislation. He said: “If MEES applies, then, subject to non-transferable exemptions, it must be met before a new lease (or a renewal of an existing one) can be issued and, from 1 April 2023, before the property can continue to be let. “Where an exemption applies, the property can be let even if it is sub-standard. Exemptions include where reasonable steps have been taken to obtain any

ENERGY: Steven Berry, partner in the property team at Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP, is warning landlords about new regulations. required third party consent for the works without success, or where independent surveyors advise that the works would reduce the market value of the property by more than 5 per cent. “There are significant penalties (£5,000 to £150,000 for a single breach) and the breach(es) may be published and cause reputational damage.” The partner at Andrew Jackson says there are a number of things that landlords should do now in preparation for the changes. He said: “Landlords should check whether or not MEES

applies and look critically at EPCs with a level of F or G in case they are flawed. “They must undertake audits to see if an exemption applies and register any applicable exemption on a new and in part public self-certified register. “People should check whether the lease allows the landlord to carry out upgrading works and recover the cost of them. “On new lettings, they should consider provisions specifying things such as minimum energy efficiency requirements. And people should also keep MEES under review, as circumstances and requirements will change.”

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Legal considerations before climbing renewables ladder

s a business, how can you position yourself to seize opportunities in the growing renewables sector within the Humber region? The burgeoning offshore wind industry has been hailed as a “golden dawn” for the Humber region. Its growth over the past decade represents a sea-change in the prosperity of the east coast, with many saying the turbines we see offshore will do for the Humber, “what oil did for Aberdeen”. But what of the opportunities this affords to businesses in the region and how can you position yourself so you are best able to capitalise? For some, the prospect of getting a foothold in the renewables’ supply chain can perhaps seem daunting, but there are certainly

Richard Frogson, partner in the commercial team at Wilkin Chapman Solicitors

major benefits in aiming for success. However, it is vital you plan properly. For example, many SMEs will operate with little specialist in-house legal expertise. Therefore, a broad legal review of the SME’s operations may well be needed before it comes to being vetted for contracts by the larger, European wind industry giants. This is, of course, alongside it being crucial to gain advice on the terms of the contract itself. Confidence in the SME’s ability

to deliver contracts safely and on time must also be assured and, for some, this may involve looking at investing in larger premises, upscaling their own supply chain and employing more staff. Again, this is where sound legal advice must be delivered so the SME is clear as to how it can release itself from a long-term lease, or what is required to secure new premises. The lack of any permanent HR facility is another understandable gap for many SMEs. However, SMEs must put themselves on a strong footing when engaging new consultants, or temporary or permanent employees. The last thing any firm wants is to start a major contract and face issues with its workforce halfway through.

As an alternative to “going it alone”, in recent years there has been evidence of SMEs looking to collaborate, allowing businesses to join forces to win larger contracts. Again, getting your legal houses in order is vital to ensure each party knows its role and responsibilities from the outset and both parties are confident in the other’s ability to fulfil their respective obligations. It is clear that the renewable energy sector has grown and will continue to grow in the Humber and the developers of the large projects can only thrive with the support of local businesses. But are you ready to dip your toes into the supply chain? Wilkin Chapman is happy to advise clients ready to take the next step. For further information, contact Richard Frogson at Wilkin

Chapman by calling 01482 398398 or emailing Richard.frogson@ wilkinchapman.co.uk Alternatively, visit www.wilkin chapman.co.uk

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IN BRIEF

Sign up for advice on completing tax returns TAX: Businesses in the region are being urged by HMRC to sign up to its forum for tips on tax returns. With the midnight on January 31 deadline for self-assessment tax returns to be filed online approaching, businesses are urged to join HM Revenue and Customâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (HMRC) Small Business Online Forum. It is hosting Q&A help sessions throughout January on how to file, paying taxes for the first time and how to use HMRCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital services. The Q&As are aimed at new enterprises and start-ups but any self-employed individual or new business can sign up to the forum, which launched in August. The sessions with HMRC specialists are on: Friday, January 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1pm to 2pm; Thursday, January 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1pm to 2pm; and Friday, January 26 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1pm to 2pm.

PRAM BUSINESS: From left, Beth Bell, Julie Bolder, Phil Barker and Aimee Swaby, at the new store in Courtney Street.

Pramland predicts a baby business boom and growth Baby specialist moves into new premises and targets expansion By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

A BUSINESS that was born to cater for the baby boomer market has completed a move to a new home as it heads past most peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retirement age. Pramland opened its doors in Holderness Road, Hull, in 1950 and became an institution, building its business by serving growing families. But, as the company matured and space became a squeeze, it needed somewhere bigger. Over the Christmas break, the owners relocated to new premises in Courtney Street, about a mile from the previous premises, and the new year has brought the launch of an exciting new era. John Barker, of Pramland, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are close to the old place, but we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be further away in terms of style, space and layout. The move enables us to bring in new products and stock more of the brands that we already have.â&#x20AC;? Dale Gooderham, senior agency surveyor at Garness Jones, said the relocation also demonstrates the need to move with the times in a sector that has been transformed during Pramlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifetime. Dale said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;People love Pramland and some families have been shopping there for 67 years. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sign of its success

that they have just kept growing and have also kept an eye on the future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But, as with most business sectors, products change and new trends emerge. Pramland needed more space for the things it does now and for the plans it has for development, and, with nearly 6,500 sq ft it has recognised that this site is ideal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For many years Pramland was just prams â&#x20AC;&#x201C; people walked in and pushed the prams home. But over the years the industry has developed hugely. There is a much wider range of prams and

other products and people want to see them, which means more display space. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pramlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new home has plenty of that and, significantly, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also great for parking. When Pramland opened all those years ago there was no such thing as car seats, but now theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re big business and carefully regulated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parents want to see what is available, but they also want to know how to fit a car seat and how to adjust it. That was a big problem for Pramland at Holderness Road, but at the new

premises customers can park right outside the front door.â&#x20AC;? Phil Barker and Julie Bolder have been running Pramland since 2000. John, Philâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son, joined them ten years ago and is looking forward to developing the online side of the business, adding to the team of eight and broadening the customer base as he embarks on a ten-year lease at the new site. John Barker said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The main thing that limited us at Holderness Road was the layout and size of the property. The shop floor limited the range that we could display and the store room limited the stock that we could carry, so we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been able to sell anything online. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have taken the business to this level purely based on the local market, but we are expanding with customers in Scarborough, Doncaster, Grimsby and York and we know we can compete with anyone on price and quality. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t grown by 30 or 40 per cent over the next 12 months there will be something wrong. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to double our turnover in the next three years, but we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be a faceless national business. We now have the professional look of a big company, but we will maintain all the benefits you get from an independent business in terms of quality and service.â&#x20AC;?

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Find out more about becoming a consultant CAREERS: A company in South Cave is offering the chance for people to make a change in their career by being involved in a consulting programme this month. The Beech Centre for People, Performance and Organisational Development will run a unique version of its highly acclaimed Certificate in Professional Consulting programme in January. The programme is open to anyone who has the vocation to become a consultant in Organisation Development â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a method that helps organisations achieve success through behaviour change that has a significant impact on performance. And if they impress, the centre in South Cave will offer them a job as an Organisational Development Consultant and refund the cost of attending the programme. Those who are not selected for a job will have gained an internationally recognised qualification in professional consulting at a discounted rate. Steve Benfield, founder and chief executive of The Beech Centre, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our collaborative consulting philosophy and the results it returns for our clients has won global recognition twice in the International Management Consulting Awards.â&#x20AC;?

VALUE DELAYS: Adrian Smith, of Adrian Smith Rating, is warning business owners to expect delays on rates revaluations.

Rates expert tells business owners to expect delays Valuation Agency cuts likely to cause issues

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Scarborough

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Hull

SELF CATERING HOLIDAY APARTMENTS

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T: 0113 238 2900 E: info@ernest-wilson.co.uk W: ernest-wilson.co.uk The Business Centre, Deanhurst Park, Gelderd Road, Gildersome, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS27 7LG TRIED AND TRUSTED SINCE 1956

BUSINESS owners are being warned to expect long delays with challenges to rates valuations as discontent increases while the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) faces job cuts and office closures. Adrian Smith, founder of Hull-based AS Rating, said the number of checks and challenges resulting from the business rates revaluation, which took place last April, is rising every month and comes on top of a total of nearly 200,000 challenges still to be resolved from the 2010 revaluation. Meanwhile, the VOA is pushing ahead with plans to reduce the number of offices in England, Wales and the equivalent Scottish assessorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; office from 52 to 28 by 2023. Hull will survive the cull, but could still be affected by job losses and a larger workload, with offices in Lincoln and Sheffield set to close. Mr Smith said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The system, which was introduced as part of the revaluation last April, was a shambles from the start and the cuts are making it worse. Business owners have serious questions about the impact on their organisations and there are fewer people to provide the answers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One industry analyst has likened it to closing a hospital, because there are too many sick people to deal with. The hope seems to be that the issue will just go away, but the reality is that it will just take longer for the real problems to emerge.â&#x20AC;? Figures releases by the VOA show that, in England and Wales at the end of September 2017, there were 199,160 appeals still to be

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

The CCA system is so difficult and slow that it could take 12 months or more for appeals to be lodged Adrian Smith

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

resolved from the revaluation that took place in 2010. In the Yorkshire and Humber region the figure was 16,980, with 1,140 in Hull and 750 in the East Riding. The numbers indicate that the VOA is making slow progress with the backlog. The national figure peaked at 305,120 in March 2016. Yorkshire and Humber reached 27,340 in July 2016, Hull hit 1,800 in the same month and the East Riding climbed to 1,290 in December 2015. By comparison, the number of outstanding cases under the new check, challenge, appeal (CCA) procedure introduced in 2017 is minimal, but Adrian said this is merely evidence that the new system is succeeding in putting people off. He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The figures show that the number of reviews carried out by the VOA, following the 2017 revaluation, reached 66,080 by the end of September, with 2,260 checks outstanding and around 300 challenges still to be resolved. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But the CCA system is so difficult and slow that it could take 12 months or more for appeals to be lodged. These numbers give a clear indication of how complex it is to go through the process.â&#x20AC;? The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has called for changes to the system and the VOA has said there will be improvements, but meanwhile business owners are being hit in the pocket. Mr Smith added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the coming months there will be more reviews conducted by the VOA. That will lead to more requests for checks and to more challenges from people who think their rates valuation is unfair. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eventually, it will lead to rising numbers of appeals as well and, coupled with the job cuts and office closures, the effect will be that some business owners will be paying too much for too long.â&#x20AC;?

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BIGINTERVIEW

Digital firm has eye on development and growth A leading city marketing company is planning for the future with office move By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

ONE of East Yorkshire’s leading website, design and digital marketing firms has moved to larger riverside offices in Hessle to accommodate its expansion. Paul Scott set up the firm 15 years ago, and says that good word of mouth, with significant regional clients, has seen the firm expanding staff numbers, client numbers and now office space. He says that the move into new offices at Waterside House in the Maritime Business Park, Livingstone Road, is a significant marker for the firm, which had been flying under the radar of some people in the region. But, with a client list of recognisable firms and clients including sports stars Luke Campbell and Kyle Edmund, as well as the Millhouse at Skidby, the Star Inn and The Humber Country Park, most people will have encountered one of Eyeweb’s websites. Mr Scott says the firm outgrew its previous offices in the town centre and sees the move to Waterside House as a big opportunity for the company. “The move is massive for us,” he said. “We wanted to invest in a really positive environment for people working here and for clients who come here. Hopefully it will be ideal environment to help us continue to develop. “We have increased our number of clients and our progress just meant we outgrew our old offices. We really wanted to stay in Hessle and we saw this office we knew it was perfect for us. “We have grown our team as well. There

WEB EXPANSION: Digital marketing specialists and web professionals at Eyeweb have moved to new premises in the city.

Brewery’s special beer inspired by ‘big skies’ FOOD AND DRINK: A Yorkshire coast brewery is heralding the start of the new year with a limited edition beer inspired by constellations in East Yorkshire’s “big skies”. Wold Newton-based Wold Top Brewery has launched a limited-edition cask beer called Orion’s Belt to coincide with Tryanuary, a nationwide campaign to bolster support for the beer industry in January. The brewery is one of the many bodies involved in the Tryanuary campaign which encourages people to support independent breweries, bars, pubs and other drinks retailers during one of the typically quieter months in the brewing industry. Orion’s Belt is a 3.9 per cent ABV bright crisp beer that is light in colour with floral and citrus flavours. It is brewed using Chinook and Cascade hops with pale ale, lager, maize and wheat malts. It is available in pubs and restaurants throughout Yorkshire during January. Wold Top Brewery manager Alex Balchin said: “We love to create new and different limited-edition beers and this year our inspiration comes from the fabulous Big Skies that we enjoy at Hunmanby Grange. “Orion’s Belt is a beer to banish the winter blues and remind people that spring is coming. We hope it will appeal to people.”

GHGHGHG: Paul Scott, managing director of Hessle firm Eyeweb. are ten of us, with subcontractors, so we were in a really good position to make this next move forward.” Mr Scott says the business has forged its success on building tailor-made websites, which are customised specifically so they can be used by the clients. He said: “I set the business up 15 years ago and we have always specialised in custom built sites. They are not just off-the-shelf systems, but websites made to meet the client’s specific requirements. “If we make a website for Kyle Edmund, then it means he can go onto it and edit his tennis matches on there. The people who the websites are for, should be able to access it and update it as they require. “We think people understand the value of that, and we have had long relationships with a lot of our clients as a result. “We are constantly developing as well. It is an industry that is constantly shifting and improving, so it is vital for us to keep up with that.” The 1,500sq ft office space sits on the banks of the Humber in the Livingstone Road business community and has dedicated customer and staff parking, open creative spaces for the growing workforce and, of course, the amazing Humber views. The managing director says the move will keep them close the regional businesses and clients that have supported the development of Eyeweb over the past 15 years. He said: “We don’t only have clients in Hull, but that’s where a lot of our focus will always be. We have people like Graham and Rosen who work with us who are longstanding city companies and they have faith in us which means a lot. “This move is testament to the hard work and determination of all the Eyeweb team as we invest and push the business forward. “We have taken on an apprentice as well. We don’t think finding skilled staff is a huge issue, but we are still very passionate about trying to give young, local people that opportunity.”

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Safety specialist to provide training needs GOOLE: Safety specialist MNA Group Limited is providing training to more than 100 employees of major regional construction firm Hobson & Porter. The firm has signed up to a comprehensive package of online training with the firm, signing up to more than 600 courses. These will be completed by more than 100 of its employees, most of whom will complete multiple courses covering a variety of subjects. Director of MNA Group Ltd. Mark Newman said: “Although we can, and do, provide in-house or classroombased training for our customers, we have developed a programme of online courses that our customers can complete as and when it suits them. We’ve made it our mission to take the stress and hassle out of health and safety training for the companies that we work with. Some of our online training courses take just 20 minutes to complete and they all cost just £20 per person.”

Brexit worries for SMEs E YORKS: Small businesses are beginning the New Year with increased pessimism as surging costs, weak domestic growth and flagging consumer demand hamper profits, according to the latest Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Small Business Index. Profitability has fallen, with the proportion of small businesses (41 per cent) reporting a fall in profits is at its highest since 2013. Mike Cherry, FSB national chairman, said: “As we progress to stage two of Brexit talks, negotiations with the EU27 are set to continue dominating the political agenda. “While the swift agreement of a transitional arrangement and an ambitious free trade agreement with the EU are absolutely critical, it’s spiralling costs, weak growth and flagging consumer demand at home that are front of mind for small firms day to day. It’s troubling to see a record number of entrepreneurs seeking an exit as these challenges prove too much for many.”

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Retail regeneration pros laud city culture impact RETAIL SQUAD: From left, Ray Cliff, Kathryn Shillito, Jim Harris and Bernard Ferris in Princes Quay.

Representatives of Revo gave Hull seal of approval after shop tour A LEADING authority on retail-led regeneration gave Hull its seal of approval for working to maximise the benefits of investment triggered by UK City of Culture. Representatives of Revo – the retail evolution partnership – highlighted the city centre streets and the shopping and leisure offers as areas showing major improvements since the group held a conference in Hull in 2016. Bernard Ferris, head of retail property at FI Real Estate Management and chair of Revo’s northern board, said: “We came here for our conference in anticipation of UK City of Culture and the effect that it might have. “The reason we came back, is because so much has happened since our previous visit and we wanted to look at the effects of that and see if there’s a physical manifestation of the change. “There has been a lot of change in terms of the public realm and the commercial space. The public realm has been improved dramatically and Princes Quay has been developed as a hybrid shopping centre. “City of Culture has been a huge success for the people, not just for the businesses.” The Revo delegation comprised around 30

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

property professionals from organisations including shopping centres, local authorities and commercial agents. They toured the city centre and visited Princes Quay and St Stephen’s, hearing first-hand from speakers including the managers of both centres, Martin Green, chief executive of the City of Culture Company, and Kathryn Shillito, HullBID city centre manager. Ray Cliff, head of centre management at Realm Limited, told how Princes Quay has benefited from the investment of £20m to create the new Outlet Deck. He added that future plans include improving the food and beverage offer and creating direct access to The Venue, which is due to open next to Princes Quay by the end of June. Jim Harris, centre manager at St Stephen’s, highlighted some of the new arrivals at his complex including Smiggle, Footasylum, NYC Bar and Grill, Gravity, Fun Station, Rock Up, Zizzi and Caffè Nero. He added that the total space allocated to

the food and beverage sector and to leisure has almost doubled since 2012. Martin Green said the UK City of Culture company will publish its research into the economic impact of the 2017 programme at Easter, and he gave a preview of some of the figures. He said: “A total of 1.1m people walked past Blade during the nine weeks it was up in Queen Victoria Square. Of those, 210,000 said it was their reason for visiting on that particular day. If they all buy one cup of coffee you have the beginning of your economic argument.” Ms Shillito said: “The fact that the Revo delegates were so keen to return to Hull underlines the progress achieved by the city and its businesses. The contacts we have developed in the retail and property sectors will help us build on that success. “Hull has become a book-it list place to visit and a desirable place to reside. It’s in tune, everybody wants to be part of it, everybody wants to come here and we are seeing a growing number of conversions of commercial buildings into residential units for people who want to live in the city centre.”

Accountants

New production manager for town food firm E YORKS: Specialist manufacturer, Grotech Production Ltd has appointed a production manager to continue its growth of 2017. Rebecca Beevers, pictured, joins the Goole firm after a long career in production management in the food sector, where she helped improve skills and drive up efficiency to achieve targets. Formerly in both food and pet

food industries, Ms Beevers says she believes that improving skills leads to better productivity and ultimately more turnover and increased profitability. “Staff training is vital to improve staff morale, which in turn helps businesses hit their targets more efficiently,” she said. “I have spent a lot of my time developing my own career and

believe that I can make a contribution to the continued Grotech Production Ltd success story.” Stephen Moore is operations director for Grotech Production Ltd, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2017. He said: “Rebecca has an enviable track record, which impressed us here. I am sure she will help us surpass last year’s achievements.”

YOUR M ONEY

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YOURMONEY POUND NOTES

WARNINGS OVER BOGUS GOVERNMENT GRANT SCAM PEOPLE are being warned to watch out for emails and cold calls from fraudsters who are asking people to apply for government grants in return for an advance fee. Action Fraud has received 85 reports of this type of fraud since January 2017 with a total loss of £255,724 and an average loss of £3,000. The scam involves bogus companies claiming to be operating on behalf of the UK government.

Fun now, but will you stick with it? QUITTING NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS COULD MEAN WASTING £187 PEOPLE spend an average of £187 on New Year’s resolutions that they are quite likely to give up, a survey has found. Last year, nearly a third (31%) of people had given up at least half of their resolutions, such as getting fit or a new hobby, by the end of January, TSB found. By the end of March, nearly half (46%) had given up their resolutions. SHOPPERS WARNED ABOUT DANGERS OF BUYING FAKE GOODS SHOPPERS should not underestimate the dangers of buying fake goods, according to police. Detective Inspector Nicholas Court, of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), says: “Buying fake goods can not only pose a public safety risk, buying from rogue sites can also put your personal and financial information at risk, meaning criminals can use your identity for malicious means.” PIPCU says shoppers should do their research before using an unfamiliar website, watch out for poor spelling and grammar on a website and avoid “too good to be true” offers. MILLIONS AVOID FEES MORE than 900,000 new “no frills” fee-free basic bank accounts were opened across the UK between July 2016 and June 2017, taking the total number of fee-free accounts open to nearly five million, according to figures from the Treasury.

What will the 2018 housing market bring for buyers and sellers? asks E LLA WALKER

GOOD NEWS FOR FIRST-TIME BUYERS

HE housing market has been sending out some mixed messages recently – on the one hand there’s talk of consumers being reluctant to make big decisions amid wider economic uncertainty and a squeeze on their living costs, but on the other hand, house prices have continued to climb in many areas, with reports of a lack of properties to choose from in popular locations. So what’s in store for 2018? Here’s a look at what the market could bring for house prices, mortgages and first-time buyers. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HOUSE PRICES IN 2018? IN general, predictions have ranged from house prices being flat across the UK to edging up by a few percentage points by this time next year. Economists believe inflation squeezing incomes will limit what buyers are willing to pay. Robert Gardner, chief economist at Nationwide Building Society, says: “How the housing market performs in 2018 will be determined in large part by developments in the wider economy. Brexit developments will remain important, but hard to foresee.” DOES THAT MEAN HOUSE PRICE GROWTH IS EXPECTED TO BE SUBDUED ACROSS THE WHOLE UK? THIS year has seen been big differences between areas of the UK in how the housing market has performed. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has said pricing in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and North-West England has been resilient. While London has seen a cooldown, some major cities, where housing affordability is less stretched, have been putting in a relatively strong performance. Richard Donnell, insight director at property analysts Hometrack, says: “The likes of Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow have seen market activity increase and

this has delivered above-average price growth of 6-8% for the last 12 months.” WILL BUYERS HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO BAG A BARGAIN? WHEN it comes to sealing a deal, more house sales are now going through at less than the original asking price, according to estate agents. For some buyers, they may find there’s more room for negotiation, depending on what the local housing market is like at the time. But the supply of properties on the market is still tight in many places, so sellers in these areas may feel more confident in holding firm on price. Across the UK, 85% of properties sold for less than the asking price in November, according to NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents) Propertymark – the highest proportion since its records started in 2013. One in eight (12%) properties sold for the asking price

and 3% sold above the asking price. WHAT ABOUT MORTGAGE DEALS? DESPITE the Bank of England hiking the base rate from 0.25% to 0.5% in November, in general, the mortgage rates on offer are still “extremely low”, says David Hollingworth from broker London & Country Mortgages. He says some rates on the fixed-rate mortgage deals on offer had started to edge up even before the base rate increase, with rates creeping up further generally after November. Home owners sitting on their lender’s standard variable rate (SVR), which happens after a particular mortgage deal comes to an end, may want to consider whether they can get a better deal, he says, adding that many lenders announced rate increases to their SVRs in line with the base rate hike. David says some mortgage borrowers will be receiving their annual statements in January,

which can help them to take stock of whether they should make switching mortgage their New Year’s resolution or whether they are already on a good deal. HOW ABOUT FIRST-TIME BUYERS? DAVID also believes there are still plenty of mortgage options available for people with lower deposits. Those who have slightly less than a 10% deposit may find quite a “substantial advantage” in being able to access a better mortgage rate if they can scrape together more cash to push themselves into the 10% deposit bracket, he says. In some good news for first-time buyers, Hometrack predicts this sector will make up the largest group of buyers in 2018. Richard says: “We expect firsttime buyers to be the largest group of buyers in 2018 accounting for over one in every three sales (35%) and overtaking existing home owners (34%) as new purchases by investors fall in the wake of tax

SARAH BEENY’S TOP TIPS FOR HOUSE HUNTERS THIS WINTER WHILE finding a new or agent how old it is and whether it’s place to call home can be an exciting regularly serviced. time, two-thirds of Check radiators home owners say too. If it’s a cold day they’ve had and the heating is unexpected off, it could be a sign problems after something’s wrong. moving into a new Ask the seller to home, according to switch it on and check each radiator a survey from Sarah Beeny’s estate works. Do the same agent, Tepilo.com. with hot taps. Here are Sarah’s ■■Investigate the tips to avoiding electrics: Old nasty surprises electrics can be Sound advice: which could be dangerous, and Sarah Beeny costly to fix, and, if expensive and messy spotted, could help to replace. Ask how old they are and if they’re over 15 buyers negotiate on the price: ■■Be boiler aware: A busted years old or the current owner doesn’t know the age, it could boiler in winter can be a nightmare – and new boilers be worth getting an electrical aren’t cheap. Have a good look survey done to find out more. at the boiler and ask the seller Look at the sockets and fuse

box – if they look old, then the rest of the electrics could be too. ■■Check the pipes: Plumbing problems can be hard to spot, but leaks can be devastating, so look for telltale signs. Look at walls and ceilings – if walls or ceilings are stained with water marks or are showing signs of damp, it could be a leaking pipe. Ask the seller about anything suspicious and make sure you get a good survey done before completing a house purchase. ■■Broken and faulty windows can be hugely expensive to repair and replace, so check them. Make sure they open and close properly and check seals to make sure they’re intact and working. ■■Also look for common signs of pests – droppings and signs of gnawing are major red flags.

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Get organised for greater efficiency WORKPLACE: Pointless and unproductive meetings cost small businesses ÂŁ973,000 every year according to new research. Experts at STL Microsoft Training conducted research into some of the biggest time-wasting tasks in the workplace to help small to medium businesses save money in 2018. Lack of lists, poor prioritisation, social distractions and not taking breaks are just some of the biggest time management mistakes that people make. However, one of the costliest is unproductive and pointless meetings. Data compiled by the team reveals that these are costing SMEs up to ÂŁ973,000 every year. Data reveals that the average SME employee attends 207 meetings every yearof which 139 are a waste of time by not achieving the goal set.

Helping the homeless CHARITY: Leading frozen food retailer Aunt Bessieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is celebrating National Yorkshire Pudding Day on Sunday, February 4 by giving back to homeless charity, Shelter. Shoppers buying the printed packs of Aunt Bessieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Homestyle Yorkshires will be helping by raising money for the worthy cause.

Control Room Awards to recognise life-saving work Companies team up to reward professionals

TWO neighbouring Hull-based technology companies have teamed up to recognise and reward the life-saving work of personnel in emergency and critical control rooms. The APD Control Room Awards, launched by APD Communications, are the first national awards to publicly acknowledge the unsung heroes within critical control rooms and a variety of public and private sector organisations across the UK. Based at Newland Science Park, next to the University of Hull campus, APD Communications specialises in technology solutions for the emergency services. APDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market-leading software protects the public and emergency services personnel and ensures the efficient, continuous operation of services for the likes of Gatwick Airport and the London Underground. Part of the University of Hull, Seed Software provides dependable frontline software solutions for fire and rescue services in the UK. The neighbouring business has signed up as Bronze Sponsor of the Control Room Awards and will sponsor the Young Achiever Of The Year category. Originally founded to give students industrial software development experience and provide internship opportunities, Seed is now a leading player in the development of software for the public and private sectors, with a strong focus on research and development. Alan Dalgairns, manager at Seed Software, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We felt it was a natural choice for us to support the APD Control Room Awards and sponsor the Young Achiever Of The Year category. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very familiar with control rooms and spend a lot of time at fire service organisations discussing and enhancing control room software to better serve their needs. We work with many fire and rescue services around the UK, so have first-hand experience of the amazing work done by

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

control room personnel on a daily basis. These operators are one of the first to take the call from distressed individuals and deal with very difficult situations in a timely fashion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you step into a control room, the standard of professionalism is evident and the shift of adrenaline in the room when a call comes through is palpable. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These awards will recognise the humbling and dedicated achievements of all the unsung heroes in emergency and critical control rooms across the UK.â&#x20AC;? Mike Isherwood, APD managing director, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re delighted to announce Seed Software as a Bronze Sponsor of our Control Room Awards. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Momentum is really gathering pace for the awards and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re pleased to see so many worthy nominations coming through. These awards are a great opportunity to celebrate the hard-working, dedicated and highly-skilled people who work in critical control rooms around the UK.â&#x20AC;? Seed Software has joined heavyweight tech companies Telent Technology Services and Sopra Steria in backing the APD Control Room Awards, while the British Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (British APCO) has come on board as Media Partner. The Control Room Awards ceremony will take place on March 8 at the De Vere Orchard Hotel in Nottingham when finalists and a select group of guests will enjoy an evening of celebration, reward and recognition. Nominations for the Control Room Awards are open until January 18, with the awards shortlists scheduled to be revealed on February 1. Visit www.controlroomawards.com for more information and to nominate a control room professional.

ELDERLY ARE TARGETED IN LEGAL SCAM WARNING PAGE 2

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£30m DEAL PAGE 4

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INNOVATIVE PAGE 8

Wednesday Januar y 17 2018

PLANT SHUT-DOWN TO HAVE BIG IMPACT

Chamber chief says uncertainty at Vivergo Fuels damaging for economy THE shut-down of Vivergo Fuels’ Saltend plant following government inaction to introduce renewables fuels legislation will have a “major impact on the local economy and regional agriculture”, warns Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce chief executive Ian Kelly. The president of the regional business group has written to Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, expressing concerns regarding the Vivergo Fuels shut-down. The chamber has said that the City of Culture year has been a particularly positive one for the region’s businesses, particularly in the renewables sector. Highlighting the investments of Orsted and Siemens in the region, Mr Kelly said that “renewables is the biggest game in town”, and said the growth in the industry should benefit smaller businesses in the area. But he has also highlighted that the local economy and regional agriculture will be significantly impacted if a positive solution is not found for Vivergo Fuels. The firm has blamed government inaction over the introduction of E10 fuel, for the Saltend plant’s shut-down which began in December due to unsustainable biofuel prices. Mr Kelly said: “We are obviously in support of something being done to

BOOSTING ECO-FRIENDLY CREDENTIALS

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

support Vivergo, which has been such a big investment in the area. “It’s a fast-changing environment when it comes to green energy, but if a company is making the sort of commitments that Vivergo has, they should be able to see the process take place, without the government changing it.” A letter he wrote to Greg Clark read: “It is essential that the legislation passes before the next RFTO year in April, otherwise the industry will remain in a state of limbo for a further year and the market for the industry will remain constrained, threatening the profitability and longevity of the business. “Having already made more than £400m investment, predicated on government pledges that have failed to be followed through, it is hard to imagine that the company would be willing to sustain ongoing losses. “This inevitably has a major impact upon the local economy, regional agriculture and the country’s ambitions to lower transport emissions through the increased use of renewable bioethanol.” Vivergo is continuing to monitor the

Continued on PAGE 2

UNSUSTAINABLE CONDITIONS: Vivergo Fuels’ Saltend plant. Inset Dr Ian Kelly.

Comms agency secures deal AN EAST Yorkshire communications agency has beaten competition from 45 other firms to secure a prestigious contract with a leading global technology company. H&H in Hessle secured the contract with Fujitsu after a competitive bidding process that saw it go head to head with companies from across the world. Helen Bissett, pictured, co-founder of H&H, said the win helped demonstrate how our region can successfully hold its own against the likes of London, Manchester and Europe. She said: “The selection process was robust and exceptionally challenging, but one that our team felt more than ready for.” Ms Bissett founded H&H with Hannah Thoresby in 2011, over a cup of tea in Hull’s Land of Green Ginger. The agency’s first piece of work – for KCOM – went on to win a national award from the PRCA, beating competition from O2, Westminster Council and Camelot. It has since added a further 27 industry awards to its trophy cabinet, and is working with clients such as FedEx, DHL and the NCA, as well as many of the biggest employers in the region such as Arco, Siemens and University of Hull. H&H now employs 24 people and expects that number to grow significantly over the next year on the back of recent big project wins.

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2 Wednesday January 17 2018

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BUSINESS

CONTACTER: Greg Clark.

Plant shut-down to have major impact

‘Unregulated advisers are targeting the elderly with unsuitable will packages’ Legal expert highlights growing concern for region’s law firms

Continued from PAGE 1 market, but is still pushing the Government to introduce legislation which will introduce E10 fuel and reduce emissions in transport fuel. Vivergo managing director Mark Chestworth said: “As was the case in December, ethanol prices remain low, the market remains constrained and legislative progress on the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation and the path to the introduction of E10 fuel remain uncertain. As a result, Vivergo Fuels’ plant continues to be off-line. “We have a range of key projects that are being undertaken by staff, taking advantage of this situation. As always, we will monitor the market and the political conditions ahead of any decision on a restart. “We continue to work with Government and other stakeholders to progress the necessary legislation, introduce E10 fuel and reduce transport emissions.” Mr Kelly said that green energy represent a plethora of opportunities for the region’s energy estuary following significant investment around the City of Culture year. He said: “I think recently a lot of companies in the renewables sector, particularly, have recognised the opportunities the Humber offers. Siemens is the obvious example, and Orsted – formerly Dong – has also had a big impact with a longer term commitment, moving forward with Hornsea Projects. “We’ve also seen big investments that are home grown, from businesses already based here, such as Smith and Nephew and RB, with investments in R&D, ensuring stability. “From my point of view, renewables is the biggest game in town. The scale of the opportunity for renewables business here is enormous and could be transfor mational. “We need to work hard to ensure that small businesses in the region also get a slice of action, as we develop the energy estuary here.”

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

AFFLUENT market towns and seaside resorts are a prime target for unregulated advisers promising to help people avoid care fees and inheritance tax (IHT), a legal expert has war ned. An adviser from one of the region’s largest law firms has added her support to warnings about unregulated firms, saying she has helped customers who dealt with an unregulated adviser in Beverley last year. An investigation by Daily Telegraph Money reported that methods are being used by these firms that are concerning professionals, who say people may be convinced to pay for schemes to cut IHT and care fees, such as placing family homes into trust. The report highlights methods including marketing flyers in a south coast seaside town encouraging consumers to set up a trust for £99 plus VAT to “help prevent your home being sold to pay for your care”. Lucy Butterfint specialises in elderly private client issues at Wilkin Chapman solicitors and is a member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners and Solicitors for the Elderly. She recently revealed how two elderly female clients in the region had been sold unsuitable family trust and will packages by an unregulated adviser operating in Beverley. She managed to retrieve £7,000 for the pensioners – the money they paid out to purchase the packages. Ms Butterfint explained how the women had handed the money over, but they became concerned about the trust package sold to them and contacted her office.

WARNING: Lucy Butterfint, inset, says unscrupulous advisers with no legal qualifications are targeting older people. As they were still in the “cooling off ” period, they were able to cancel the arrangements, but it took four months to get the money back from the legal, but unregulated, firm. She said: “Unregulated advisers and companies will cold call people or hold events, with the more affluent areas or towns popular with older people being heavily targeted. “They will then advise people to set up trusts and charge between £3,000 and £5,000 up front for doing so.” Once sold, the expensive packages will most likely not protect the client in the way they were told, said Miss Butterfint. She warned that many will lead

people to believe it will protect their homes if they need long-term care, when in fact that is not the case if done for that purpose. She said: “Unfortunately, anyone can call themselves a legal adviser and write a will or sell a trust package, claiming they have expertise with no legal qualifications at all. “I cannot stress enough the importance of people seeking advice from a regulated solicitor. For many people, we are talking about their lifetime’s savings or assets and they need to be properly looked after.” Under “deliberate deprivation” rules, local authorities have powers to take action

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against individuals who they believe have deliberately reduced their assets with the intention of claiming state help. Under current care rules, councils will pick up some or all of the cost of care where the patient’s assets fall below £23,500. It is also a concern that some firms may be pushing inheritance tax avoidance schemes even where there is little to no risk of the family breaching tax-free amounts. Since April last year, an additional IHT allowance relating to family homes means a couple can potentially pass on £850,000 tax free. By April 2020 this will rise to £1m.

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IN BRIEF

Cage fighter sets up his own security firm to keep people safe on nights out

New firm will specialise in doorman services at venues across the region

New course to help you with your presentations

TALE OF THE TAPE: Lemi Gezer has launched new security firm Unisec.

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

A HULL cage fighter has branched out to launch his own security firm to keep Hull residents safe on their nights out. Lemi Gezer, from Sutton Road, has left major security firm Phoenix to launch own business Unisec, to provide security services across the city’s night-time destinations. The semi-professional cage fighter says his new firm will specialise in doorman services and, despite only starting three weeks ago, has contracts with venues such as Piper in Newland Avenue. He said that after numerous years working for firms, he wanted to take the plunge and try and start a successful business of his own. He said: “I’ve started up a Hull-based company after working as an area manager for a larger firm called Phoenix. I left there to set up my own business and, so far, our clients have said we’ve been doing a fantastic job.

“It’s about three weeks since I got the firm going, so it is all fairly new still, but it’s an industry I’ve been involved in for a while. “I’ve worked for the likes of Phoenix and G4S and worked up through there. I thought I was doing quite well so took it as the opportunity to start up Unisec. “I have several years of experience, working from Hull to Manchester, to Scotland. The focus will be the night-time industry as that is what I know. The new business has not stopped Mr Gezer’s passion for MMA and he says he has future fights in the pipeline. He said: “So we are largely involved with nightclubs, pubs and take-aways. But we are looking to expand a range of services so we will be able to do things, like have dog handlers, in the future. “My partner and I both decided to

do it together. They have a hand on the administrative side and I am more the face of the business. “I have a lot of contacts through my experience in Hull – I’ve been doing it here for about six or seven years in the night-time industry. “We work with Piper on Newland Avenue, and some people might just think it’s about organizing shift for someone to stand by a door, but there’s much more to it.” Mr Gezer says it was an easy decision to set the firm up, and following a significant investment in liability insurance, was fairly quick to set up. He said: “All of the organisation, with regards to licensing, means there is a lot of other stuff which goes on behind the scenes. “The main investment into starting the firm is things like liability insurance, but it is fairly quick to set the firm up.”

MEDIA: Hull-based business Land of Green Ginger Design has teamed up with three other central Hull media businesses to offer new, unique “Presenting to Camera” courses. The courses will introduce positive and practical methods in how to present whether that’s standing in front of a camera or presenting to three, 300 or 1,000 people. Led by Mark Rees, artistic director of Single Story Theatre Company, the courses are being held in the screening suite of Kardomah94, 94 Alfred Gelder Street, central Hull, in partnership with award-winning filmmakers from media outfits Mindmap Productions and Placed Media. They will cost £150 per person and take place on: Friday, January 26, from 9am to 2pm; Friday, February 23, from 9am to 2pm; and Friday, March 23, from 9am to 2pm. For further information and to check availability please call Peter Hadfield on 07958 657 232 or email contactpeterhadfield@gmail.com

¨ȸȒɖƳ ɎȒ ɀɖȵȵȒȸɎ ǼȒƬƏǼ ɎƏǼƺȇɎ ¨ ³ ǣɀ ƳƺǼǣǕǝɎƺƳ ɎȒ ƫƺ ɀɖȵȵȒȸɎǣȇǕ Ɏǝƺ ³ȵȒȸɎǣȇǕ !ǝƏȅȵǣȒȇɀ ɯƏȸƳɀِ áƺ‫ټ‬ɮƺ ƫƺƺȇ ǝƺǼȵǣȇǕ ɎȒ ƫɖǣǼƳ ƬȒȅȅɖȇǣɎǣƺɀ ǔȒȸ Ɏǝƺ ȵƏɀɎ ‫ ׎ב‬ɵƺƏȸɀ ƏȇƳ Əȸƺ ȵȸȒɖƳ ɎȒ ȵǼƏɵ Ə ȵƏȸɎ ǣȇ ɀɖȵȵȒȸɎǣȇǕ ɵȒɖȇǕ ȵƺȒȵǼƺ ɎǝȸȒɖǕǝ Ȓɖȸ ȵƏɀɀǣȒȇ ǔȒȸ ɀȵȒȸɎِ

4 Wednesday January 17 2018

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IN BRIEF

NEWS

Help to boost exports at roadshow event EXPORTS: A roadshow by the Department for International Trade (DIT) to help businesses boost their exporting capabilities, is coming to Hull next week. The DIT’s mobile Export Hub will be coming to the Village Hotel in Hull on January 23 as part of the national campaign. As part of DIT’s Exporting is GREAT campaign, the Export Hub is touring the nation with a series of events to help businesses get started in overseas trade. The events will provide information on the benefits of exporting and the key steps and processes that need to be considered and businesses will also learn about the ongoing support available from DIT. In the year to September 2017, Yorkshire and the Humber businesses exported £16.4bn worth of goods, 5 per cent of the UK total. Mark Robson, DIT regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “The Export Hub provides a great opportunity for businesses across the region to learn more about the opportunities offered by exporting. The series of events will encourage, educate and support SMEs as they look to discover new markets. “There is a strong demand across the world for UK goods and services, and many of Yorkshire and the Humber’s businesses are already finding success abroad. DIT is on hand to help firms manage common barriers to exporting such as cost, language and administration.”

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Leading recycling firm secures £30m contract Company will design, build, finance and operate composting facility By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

A LEADING recycling and waste management firm has secured a major £30m contract, the firm’s first outside of the Yorkshire and Humber region. Biowise, based in Willerby, fought strong competition to win the minimum 15-year contract for the provision of an Organic Waste Treatment Solution for Cheshire East Council. Biowise will design, build, finance and operate a £7m state-of-the-art Gicom In-vessel Composting Facility (IVC) along with associated Aerated Static Pile (ASP) composting, screening and blending operations at the Council owned site in Leighton Grange, near Crewe. James Landau, managing director of Biowise said: “We are delighted to be working with Cheshire East Council on this new waste treatment project, which will provide a proven solution for the treatment of organic waste as well as a quality end product.” In 2015, Biowise developed a similar IVC facility at its own site in Eppleworth, near Hull, which now handles up to 75,000 tonnes of garden and food waste produced annually by households. The facility utilises the industry leading Dutch “Gicom” technology, on which the new site in Leighton Grange will be modelled. Monique Groenenboom, Gicom managing director said: “We have a great relationship with Biowise and are very happy to be partnering with them on this project and in the development of further opportunities in the UK.” Councillor Don Stockton, cabinet member for environment at Cheshire East Council, said: “Biowise put forward a proposal that not only fulfilled all our strategic, operational and financial requirements, but

TEAMING UP: Willerby firm Biowise has secured a £30m contract with East Cheshire Council. From left, Ralph Kemp, corporate manager commissioning waste and environmental services at Cheshire East Council; James Landau, managing director at Biowise; Don Stockton, environment portfolio holder at Cheshire East Council; and Bob Wilkes, operations and development director at Biowise.

assists us in making recycling as simple as possible for residents, with additional beneficial outcomes for the community and minimal disruption to service.” Looking to expand its horizons across Northern England, this is Biowise’s first Local Authority contract outside the Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire region. Operations and development

director Bob Wilkes, who joined the business in June, is spearheading the company’s geographical growth as it continues to broaden its waste-processing infrastructure, which includes materials recycling, biomass and alternative fuel production facilities. The planned facility in Leighton Grange will have the

capacity to process up to 75,000 tonnes per annum of food and garden waste and is expected to take one year to build with a proposed operational date of summer 2019. Biowise secured a seven-figure funding package from Yorkshire Bank to assist with the build of this new facility. The Yorkshire Bank team worked closely with Biowise to ensure the funding structure it provided was tailored to meet the needs of the business. Pete Sumners, corporate and structured finance director at Yorkshire Bank, said: “The development of this state-ofthe-art facility is extremely encouraging for Biowise and we are delighted to support this important project. “By bringing this market-leading technology into the North, the plant will transform the way the local authority processes its recycling, as well as create employment opportunities.”

Well-deserved promotion at insolvency specialists FINANCE: A leading insolvency firm has strengthened its position in the region by promoting a new partner at its Hull office. Begbies Traynor, based at Marina Court on Castle Street, has promoted Andrew Mackenzie to partner, where he will work across the Yorkshire region.

Having joined Begbies Traynor 12 years ago, Mr Mackenzie has led the development of the firm’s East Yorkshire presence following the opening of the Hull office in 2008. The firm says he has played a key role in the strategy and development of the firm’s services to lenders across the region. Julian Pitts, regional

managing partner for Begbies Traynor in Yorkshire, said: “With his strong track record in providing refinancing and insolvency advice, Andrew is a well-known figure in the East Yorkshire business community. “This promotion is well deserved recognition of the vital role he has played in growing our

presence in the Humber region.” Mr Mackenzie said: “Having moved to larger offices in the redeveloped marina area just over four years ago, our team has continued to expand and we have established ourselves as the leading independent rescue, recovery and advisory firm in Hull and across the whole of the county.

MOVING UP: Andrew Mackenzie.

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IN BRIEF

BIGINTERVIEW

Major role in Volvoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impressive UK sales

Taxpayers warned over bogus rebate scammers By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

TAXPAYERS in Hull are being warned by a leading regional audit and tax firm to beware the latest scam affecting people in the region. Fraudsters are emailing taxpayers stating that they are due a tax refund and using the incentive of a cash rebate as a trigger to enter their personal details including bank infor mation. However, the link to the customer portal is bogus and is leading to confidential personal data being disclosed. Jackie Hall, tax partner at audit, tax and consulting firm RSM in Hull, says taxpayers should ignore any emails or phone calls claiming to be from HMRC offering a refund. She said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is a particular scam going around at the moment which is saying in an email that people are overdue a tax refund and have to fill out their personal information and bank details in order to receive the money. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of people will realise straight away that this is not legitimate, but a lot of vulnerable people may get it and be worried about the thought of getting something back from the revenue men, so they fill it out and give it to the fraudsters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They do look very convincing. It does look like a government email address but there are a few signs that people might pick up on to see itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fake. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For example, the ones we have seen sometimes have American-style language which would use, saying phrases like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;we have recalibrated your fiscal activityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. We wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say that in the UK. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But the main thing, is that HMRC would never contact anyone by email, or phone for that matter. If you receive anything purporting to be from HMRC, then it is best to go

CONCERNED: Jackie Hall, of RSM.

SALES: Hullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local Volvo dealership Riverside Motors has played a major part in securing the Swedish manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second-highest UK sales figures for a quarter of a century, with 46,139 cars sold last year. This is only slightly behind 2016â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record-breaking figure of 46,696, and an especially strong result in an overall new car market down almost 6 per cent. Volvo also increased its UK market share by 5 per cent in 2017, up from 1.73 per cent in 2016 to 1.83 per cent.

ENTICING: Fraudsters are tricking taxpayers into revealing their personal details online.

directly to its Gov.uk website and contact them directly.â&#x20AC;? Ms Hall said a number of people had contacted the Hull firm in the last week and people with accountants are more likely to be caught out by the fraudsters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the last week, we sent out a warning because we had about half a dozen people come to us with the same issue, and there will be a lot more people who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have accountants and tax specialists to turn to,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s particularly important people who do their tax returns themselves, and might not know how HMRC works, know about these fraudsters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Generally HMRC would write to you, setting out the payment that needs to be made, but if anyone has any concerns they can always contacted HMRC to double check anything. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A couple of months ago we had quite a few clients saying they had received phone calls where the scammers asked for their bank details. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nearing the end date for tax returns and people are obviously worrying about getting everything sorted before then.â&#x20AC;? The Hull tax specialist was also keen to remind taxpayers of the importance that they file their tax return soon, with people set to face penalties if they do not meet the January 31 deadline. Ms Hall said that newly self-employed people need to particularly urgent in filing their tax returns as they may face a lengthy registration process. She said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;People will always leave it to the very last minute, but it is obviously paramount that people have it sorted on time. Particularly for people who have not submitted it before or have only recently been self-employed, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very important they do it now. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They may have to register, which is a time consuming process in itself, as it may take up to a week to be sent a password you need before you can file your tax return. So obviously we are just urging people to get it sorted as soon as possible.â&#x20AC;?

Community awards COMMUNITY: People across the East Riding are being urged to recognise the work residents do to make their communities a better place to live by nominating them for a Chairmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award. The annual awards, which are held at Bridlington Spa in May, celebrate the work done by individuals, businesses and projects that have helped improve the East Riding over the last year. For more information or to submit a nomination, visit www.eastriding. gov.uk/chairmansawards or email chair mans.awards@eastriding.gov.uk The closing date for nominations is Wednesday, January 31.

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6 Wednesday January 17 2018

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IN BRIEF

MAI-E01- S4

BUSINESS

Pessimism sets in over post-Brexit economy BREXIT: Middle market businesses in Yorkshire have become more pessimistic about both the short and long-term prospects of the UK economy post-Brexit, according to a survey commissioned by a leading tax and auditing firm. The results were highlighted by the third quarterly YouGov survey, the Brexit Monitor, commissioned by audit, tax and consulting firm RSM, which has an office in Wellington Street West, Hull. RSM’s Brexit Monitor index, in which any reading above 100 indicates that businesses are more optimistic than pessimistic, showed that sentiment about the impact of Brexit on the UK economy over a five-year period dipped from 116 to 81 in the last quarter of 2017. Kevin O’Connor, RSM’s regional managing partner in the North East and Yorkshire, said: ‘The latest statistics highlight varying attitudes across the North towards the implications of Brexit. ‘It’s good to see that a number of businesses in the North East and Yorkshire have already taken measures to mitigate any future turbulence, but many are still planning to take further steps to ensure they are prepared for life post-Brexit.”

Timely move back home APPOINTMENTS: Leading professional services firm EY has appointed a new head of Transaction Support for Yorkshire and the North East, to support its Hull offices in Marina Court. Mark Allcroft joins as a partner and will be responsible for growing EY’s Transaction Support business across Yorkshire and the North East. Mr Allcroft previously spent 18 years at KPMG, where he supported corporate and private equity clients across a wide variety of sectors and deal situations both domestically and overseas. Mark Allcroft, partner, Transaction Support in Yorkshire and the North East, said: “I couldn’t have timed my move back home to the North any better.”

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LANDMARK: Artist’s impression of the development planned for King William House, inset, in Market Street, Hull, which Garness Jones worked on.

Experienced new recruit joins expanding team of city property agents Garness Jones appoint commercial management surveyor A PROPERTY professional who has worked on projects ranging from small lettings to substantial land acquisitions has become the latest recruit to the expanding team at a Hull property agents. Simon Preston, who began his property career at a residential agency in Beverley in 2001, has been appointed commercial management surveyor by Garness Jones. Mr Preston moved into commercial property in 2004 with Scotts Property, where he gained experience of retail agency and valuation work and then went into property management. He became chartered in 2008 and in 2012 joined NPS Group as an estate surveyor managing Hull City Council’s vast property portfolio. At Garness Jones, Simon’s duties will include property management work and valuations covering industrial, retail and offices. Mr Preston said: “I decided early in my career that I wanted to gain valuable experience working in both the public and private sectors. Having achieved that I found I prefer the private sector, with its greater variety of properties and clients, and the challenges which come with that. “As someone who has been in Hull for about 18 years, I have been aware of Garness Jones throughout my career and I recognise them as one of the market leaders in the region.

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

“I have also seen how the city has improved greatly in that time. The market in the city centre appears to have shifted, particularly in the retail sector. “The range of properties has changed considerably, with a better balance of retail and leisure to draw people into the city centre.” Dave Garness, managing director of Garness Jones, says that the firm is pleased to have Mr Preston on board as it looks to continue its expansion. He said: “The property landscape in the Hull and Humber region is changing all the time as a result of the influx of high value and high-profile investments, and our business is evolving along with that. “Simon’s background of a rich variety of property experience in residential and commercial, public and private sectors is a very good fit with the work that we are doing and the partnerships that we are developing. “He is an excellent addition to our team and we are delighted to have him on board as we plan our future expansion.” The firm had its “best and busiest” period in the 12 months from late 2016, according to Garness Jones agency director Paul White. During the UK City of Culture year the business saw the completion of almost £10m

NEW APPOINTMENT: Simon Preston. worth of acquisitions for a variety of properties to a total of nearly 240,000sq ft. Landmark projects include the conversion of King William House, a former office block of 80,000sq ft in Market Place, into 30 apartments with four ground-floor commercial units. In nearby High Street, Garness Jones concluded the sale late last year of 25 apartments at New North Bridge House, a former warehouse dating back 150 years and undergoing modernisation having been converted for residential use in the late 1980s.

Wednesday January 17 2018 7

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YOUR M ONEY

MAI-E01-S4

YOURMONEY POUND NOTES

Financial fact More than 10,000 tax returns were submitted online in total over Christmas Day and Boxing Day, figures show. On Christmas Day, 2,590 self-assessment returns were submitted – with a further 7,655 submitted on Boxing Day, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said. People who need to complete and submit online self-assessment returns need to do so before the deadline on January 31. MORTGAGE APPROVALS FOR HOUSE PURCHASE REACH 15-MONTH LOW The number of home-buyers receiving mortgage approvals hit a 15-month low in November, according to a high street banking report. In the same month that the Bank of England base rate was hiked from 0.25% to 0.5%, the number of mortgage approvals for house purchases stood at 39,507 – the lowest figure since August 2016. But there were also 33,670 re-mortgaging approvals – higher than the average seen over the previous six months and a 24% increase compared with November 2016, the figures, released by trade association UK Finance, show. DAMAGE WOES FOR SMARTPHONE USERS more than half (54%) of people with a smartphone admit to having damaged their phone beyond repair at some point, research has found. A third (33%) who had damaged their phone admitted to having been under the influence of alcohol at the time. Those aged between 25-34 were most likely to have damaged a phone, with 74% having damaged it beyond repair, according to the survey from gadget insurance comparison provider Protect Your Gadget. WE SPEND £124 A MONTH ON ‘LITTLE LUXURIES’, SURVEY FINDS People spend £124 per month on average on ‘everyday’ luxuries, including ordering takeaway meals, taking taxis rather than public transport and buying clothes that we hardly wear, a study has found. Scottish Widows said one-ineight (12%) people admit to not tracking their incidental spending at all and having no idea how much they could be splashing out on non-essentials. A third (33%) of people say they spend less in January – cutting back by an average of £109 during the month.

New year, new subscriptions? icky Shaw fi nds V out how to steer clear of potential pitfalls when making new financial commitments

ith a brand new year ahead, many of us are thinking about turning over a new leaf to get 2018 off to a good start. For some, this could mean taking out a new subscription – for the gym or an online streaming service, for example. But while there are many great deals out there, before signing up, it’s worth taking some time to make sure you don’t end up trapped in a deal you don’t want once the January rush wears off – perhaps because the service wasn’t what you expected, and/or you find it difficult to break out of it. Citizens Advice says that over the past 12 months, it has helped people with nearly 3,500 problems around gyms, health clubs and fitness studios – with common complaints including ‘terms and conditions’ and people feeling they had been unfairly held in a contract, and facilities or classes being not as expected. The costs of an unwanted subscription can soon add up. Separate January is a challenging time – particularly if you’re nursing a debt hangover after over-spending at Christmas. One-in-six (16%) people say they are likely to fall behind in January as a result of Christmas spending, according to National Debtline, run by charity the Money Advice Trust (MAT). Some will have been paid early in December, in time for Christmas – meaning they will be attempting to survive a five-week gap until the next pay day. The independent Money Advice Service (MAS), another debt-help body, says it expects the number of people seeking debt advice to peak around this time of year. Last year, the service helped nearly 2.3 million people during

Make sure you check the small print before signing up for a gym subscription

analysis from Citizens Advice of cases where people reported problems with subscriptions such as TV, insurance, online streaming services and gym memberships, found that, on average, these people had forked out £160 on unwanted subscriptions over a three-month period. So how can you avoid falling into a subscription trap? Here are some need-to-know tips about subscriptions from Citizens Advice...

Make sure it’s worth it If you’re signing up to a gym, consider how often you will go, and then work out your price per visit. If you’re going once a week or less, pay-as-you-go or individual classes may be cheaper and won’t tie you into a contract.

Be confident you know what you are signing up for Take time to read the contract and ask questions so you fully understand what you’re committing to – and, importantly, for how long.

Check what your cancellation rights are Make sure the terms and conditions look reasonable before signing up. If you’re signing up to a gym, find out if there are options to pause your membership or switch locations if you move away, lose your job or can’t train because of injury.

Find out about cooling off periods You may find you have a period to get your money back if you change your mind. However, you might not be able to get a refund if you start using a service straight away.

Follow the cancellation policy Make sure you follow the cancellation policy set out in your contract when you’re ready to end your subscription. Don’t stop your payment without checking what else is required first – otherwise your subscription may not be cancelled and you could be liable for any missed payments.

Challenge unfair T&Cs People might have different views about what counts as an unfair policy. But if you’re finding it tough or have to give a long period of notice to cancel a subscription, contact the supplier’s customer services department. If this fails consider going to the supplier’s trade or complaints body or reporting it to Trading Standards.

Save the evidence Keep a copy of any adverts or special offers that attracted you to a particular subscription. Make sure that you are promised these features in writing, either in your contract or in an email.

Make a complaint if you need to Explain to the company in writing why you think it is unreasonable that you’re not able to leave a membership. If you’re still having problems then get free help from bodies such as Citizens Advice.

How... t o survive a debt hangover this month January compared 2.1 million in an average month – a 10% increase. Nick Hill, advice manager at the MAS, says people can use the service’s online “debt advice locator tool” to find out what free debt help is available in their area. Here are its five top tips for getting January finances back on track: ■■Set a budget. The first step to taking control of your money is working out your living costs, including knowing what’s coming in, what’s going out and when. Look at all your regular spending

and keep track of it throughout the month. ■■Cut back. While it can be difficult to increase the amount of money coming in, you have more control over what goes out. Avoid the January sales and cook at home rather than spending on takeaways and dining out. ■■Have a clear-out. You could also look at items at home that you no longer need, or sell unwanted presents to raise some extra cash. ■■Switch. A household can potentially save hundreds of pounds each year on home bills,

so don’t underestimate how much you could save by switching energy suppliers. ■■Take control of debt. If you have loans or owe money on credit cards, it usually makes sense to pay off the debt that charges the highest rate of interest first. If you find yourself going in to your overdraft, make sure the costs don’t spiral, it is important to manage an overdraft just like you would with any other debt. If you are worried about your debt, get advice as early as you can before the situation becomes worse.

8 Wednesday January 17 2018

hulldailymail.co.uk

IN BRIEF

MAI-E01- S4

BUSINESS

Hull in top ten fastest growing economies list ECONOMY: Hull has been named as one of the ten fastest-growing economies in the UK, according to a new report. Hull featured ninth in the list, sat between Yorkshire neighbours Rotherham and Wakefield, in the recent UK Powerhouse study. The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 45 of the UK’s largest cities 12 months ahead of the Gover nment’s official figures. Hull recorded a growth rate of 1.8 per cent in Q3 in 2017 according to the report, published this month. Dorrien Peters, partner and Head of Business Legal Services at Irwin Mitchell’s Sheffield office, said: “The rate of growth seen in Rotherham, Hull and Wakefield is a great testament to the excellent work being done by businesses across Yorkshire.”

Making light work AWARDS: Northern Powergrid, the region’s electricity distributor, has announced it has been shortlisted at the North East Contact Centre Awards. The company, which is responsible for keeping the lights on for eight million customers and 3.9 million homes and businesses, has been shortlisted in the Best Contact Centre Award category. The Awards celebrate the success of one of the region's leading industries.

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‘LEAD BY EXAMPLE’: Bio-D’s Emily Gallagher, sales manager, and Lloyd Atkin, managing director.

Cleaning firm boosts its eco-friendly credentials Manufacturer introducing new packaging made from UK waste A HULL manufacturer of eco-friendly cleaning products has further boosted its green credentials by introducing new packaging made entirely from UK post-consumer waste. Bio-D, based in Bergen Way, Hull, produces more than 20 product lines, specialising in cleaning products, such as washing up liquid and floor cleaner. The firm says that with increasing global concern over a rise in plastic packaging usage, it hopes the introduction of the new packaging might encourage other brands to follow its lead. Bio-D says that while much of the packaging used in similar household products is recyclable, it is often made from newly-produced, unrecycled materials.

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

The new Bio-D packaging is intended to help to reduce the amount of waste in landfill and reduce overall energy consumption by minimising its use of virgin plastics Bio-D’s managing director Lloyd Atkin says that the firm wants to “lead by example” through reducing the amount of waste in the production process. He said: “The issue of plastic waste is always high on the green agenda, as the amount that the world’s population collectively uses and wastes currently shows no sign of slowing, sadly. “At Bio-D, we’re passionate about making products that

‘don’t cost the earth’ and want to lead by example in helping to make a difference; this is consistent across all of our production processes, from the ingredients we use in our detergents to how we make our bottles.” Bio-D also produces more unusual lines, such as a yoga mat cleaner and a high-end sanitiser for cleaning up after pampered pooches – for other brands, including a luxury Scandinavian company. Bio-D has recently expanded into personal care products for some of its clients, with plans to launch its own range in the future. The firm was formed in Hull in 1989, after its founder, Michael Barwell, sought greener alternative solutions to standard home

cleaning products. The firm has shown good signs of growth, and was forecast to significantly surpass its £1.55m turnover in 2015-16 in the 2016-17 financial year. The firm began exporting in 2005 and now exports to 19 countries, including China, Russia, Taiwan and South Korea. The new packaging is being introduced across the majority of Bio-D products and the company is working towards an entire range packaged in 100 per cent recycled materials by the end of the year. Bio-D produces a growing range of hypoallergenic, cruelty-free and vegan friendly products, made from sustainable, naturally-derived raw materials.

Air ambulance flying high after landing major service award E YORKS: Yorkshire Air Ambulance is flying high after a major national category win at the prestigious Health Business Awards. The emergency service won the 2017 Air Ambulance Service Award at a glittering event at the Grange Hotel, London. The Health Business Awards recognise and celebrate the significant contributions made each year by organisations and

individuals that work inside and alongside the NHS. They were presented by broadcaster, journalist and physician Dr Phil Hammond. Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves five million people across Yorkshire and carries out more than 1,250 missions every year. It needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives. YAA has also introduced extended night flying hours

and started carrying blood for the first time, enabling critically injured patients to receive transfusions at the scene of accidents or in the air. Over the past 12 months, the charity has fully brought into service two, new state-of-theart Airbus H145 helicopters, which carry the latest medical equipment. Abby Barmby, YAA director of marketing and communications, said: “2017

was a major year for the YAA and we are delighted that our achievements as a service have been recognised with this prestigious award. “For us, this success reinforces our commitment to providing the best possible air ambulance service to the people of Yorkshire and its visitors. “We really are very humbled to have been given this award.”

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Wednesday Januar y 24 2018

LTP has had contract wins across UK and to open new Manchester branch By Henry Saker-Clark

EXPANDING: LTP has worked on RB’s research centre. Right, Tony Kirby, left, and Andy Mayo. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and has been appointed on to a number of local authority frameworks. This includes the national 664 Consultancy Services framework agreement for the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation and the Scotland Excel Engineering and Technical Consultancy Framework Contract. LTP serves the residential, commercial, health and retail sectors as part of the planning process, as well as holding framework contracts with various local authorities and other public bodies. The offices, which opened this week, are in Princess Street in the heart of Manchester’s commercial centre and will initially be staffed by two senior engineers, Aimee Dunne and Ryan Penn, with support from LTP’s head office team.

Continued on PAGE 2

Rugby business club sessions to return again A BUSINESS club run by Hull KR head of rugby, Jamie Peacock, is returning for a third season, after a popular first two years. The club’s ever-growing JP Business Club is returning to KCOM Craven Park as the Robins prepare to return to the Betfred Super League. Run by Hull KR’s head of rugby, Jamie Peacock MBE, to provide members with a unique insight into the world of elite sport, the club has gone from strength-tostrength over the past 24 months. Last season, JP Business Club members had the opportunity to witness the club’s promotion-winning campaign from behind closed doors, with the club now set to return for 2018 with six more exclusive events organised by Peacock and Rovers’ commercial department. “It’s been an incredible journey for everybody involved over the past two years, incorporating a relegation and a promotion back to Super League and I hope our get-togethers have helped provide some insight on what’s been going on behind the scenes,” Mr Peacock told hullkr.co.uk “The JP Business Club has been a new project for Hull Kingston Rovers and our thanks go out to everybody for helping to make it such a success, both in growing the numbers and ensuring that the networking aspect of the scheme has resulted in some real tangible business gains and partnerships.” The action will get under way with a “Night of Legends” event on Friday, February 16. Membership to the JP Business Club is for one person per company, with members invited to bring a guest to each event. For more information, call Sarah Kidd on 01482 780918.

MAI-E01-S4

AN EAST Yorkshire transport services firm has continued its expansion with the announcement of new offices, building on a series of recent contract wins. The firm, with headquarters in Beverley, specialises in transport development planning, traffic engineering and highway design services and works across the UK. To take advantage of contract wins across the UK, including transport assessments for a number of schools in the North West, the firm has announced it is expanding operations with a second base in Manchester. In Hull, the firm has been contracted to work on transport assessment, highway design and workplace travel planning for RB’s new £105m research and development centre of excellence in Dansom Lane. Andy Mayo, LTP director, says the new offices will be a “landmark” for the expansion of the firm, which has seen a number of new contracts across the UK in recent years. He said: “We’ve come a long way since LTP set up in 2004, but this is a landmark occasion for us and an incredibly exciting opportunity. “While LTP already works throughout the UK, we feel that a base in Manchester will help us to better access the wider North West market and apply the expertise we have built up in our 14-year history to serve the thriving Manchester development market. “It will also serve as an excellent base from which to further expand our local authority services.” LTP has won recent contracts throughout the UK, including in

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2 Wednesday January 24 2018

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BUSINESS

Tech firm appoints chairman Ash TV names experienced digital leader as the company’s chair By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

LTP expansion sees it open new office Continued from PAGE 1 Its recent local authority and private sector work includes transport planning and highway design for large new secondary free schools across London and the South East, as well as transport assessments for 12 expanded schools across the North West. The firm has also been developing “cycle superhighway” designs for Cardiff Council and transport planning for a 1,000-home scheme with a large leisure complex at Loudoun Castle near Kilmar nock. Mr Mayo said that the firm is also looking to increase recruitment for the new offices, helping to develop the business and its national reach. He said: “We are also looking to expand the Manchester office with additional employees in the short-to-medium-ter m. “This will not only allow us to develop the business, but also enable us to offer rewarding professional roles to existing and new employees. “LTP has a well-established trackrecord in nurturing professional talent, from recruiting through paid internships leading to permanent roles, hiring graduates and apprentices and sponsoring staff through professional qualifications and masters degree courses. “We want the very best employees and we want the best for our employees.”

A RAPIDLY growing Hull tech business has appointed an experienced leader in northern England’s technology sector as its first chairman. Ash TV has appointed Tech North’s Richard Gregory as the smart video advertiser’s first chairman to help direct the firm as it continues to quickly grow. Mr Gregory, executive chair of Tech North’s advisory board, brings a wealth of management and tech-savvy experience to the young and growing company, based at C4DI, which has opened offices in France, Germany and the Netherlands in the past 12 months. Set up by 21-year-old Hull entrepreneur Ash Lewis in 2016, Ash TV uses unique, patented technology to run auto-playing video advertising for major publishers, particularly for mobile users. Some of Mr Gregory’s career highlights include 12 years at a senior level at agency Latitude Digital Marketing, with ten years as chief operating office and two years as managing director, and co-founding SAScon, the Search, Analytics and Social Conference. Until December last year, Mr Gregory was director of Tech North, before moving to his current and more strategic advisory role ahead of Tech North’s transition in April to Tech Nation. Ash Lewis, Ash TV’s CEO, said: “Richard has great agency, communications, business and strategic expertise and has worked at the heart of the tech industry in the north of the country for many years while growing significant, strong, sustainable and robustly financed corporate assets.

BOOST: Ash Lewis, above, and Richard Gregory, right, eye digital growth. “Ash TV and our teams here in the UK and mainland Europe will benefit greatly from the experience, insights, connections and mentoring support he will be able to bring to the business as we consolidate the current phase of development and look to initiate new product launches and media partnerships. “His involvement will also be a great addition to the Hull and Humber’s vibrant digital economy.” While at Tech North, Mr Gregory was able to help build regional, national and international awareness of the north of England’s tech strengths and opportunities He holds various non-executive and trustee positions, including as chairman of Liverpool-based

tech start-up Ruler Analytics, and he is a member of the Manchester Digital Council. Richard Gregory said: “Ash TV has already seen impressive growth and secured its first round of funding in a short time. “The business is already working with some brilliant clients and partners and I’m excited to dive in to help Ash and the team secure a huge chunk of the growing mobile video advertising market.” In 2016, Ash TV was among ten of the fastest growing companies in the North to win Northern Stars, a Tech North Award for tech and digital start-ups. In the last year it has secured a round of investment finance from Mercia Technologies through Enterprise Ventures Equity Finance’s Northern

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Powerhouse Investment Fund and has struck a mobile video advert placement deal with Immediate Media. Its unique, patented technology is supported by artificial intelligence software to target adverts using location and social media data.

MAI-E01-S4

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IN BRIEF

Seafarersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; guidelines set out minimum wage HULL: The Government has released new guidance setting out the right to pay seafarers working in UK waters the minimum wage. The new guidance, announced last week, comes after concerns about unfair competition, following reports that some ships registered abroad were underpaying their workers in UK waters, undercutting UK crews. UK Border Force patrols will be handing out information to seafarers and employers in more than 50 languages promoting the law. Employers failing to pay at least national minimum wage and national living wage can face fines of up to 200 per cent of the underpayment, public naming and, for the worst offences, criminal prosecution. Business Minister Andrew Griffiths said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seafarersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work is vital to key UK industries such as fishing, oil and gas. We are determined to ensure they are paid fairly for the work they do, often in challenging conditions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today we are making it crystal clear that if you work in UK waters you are entitled to, at least, the minimum wage and all employers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no matter where theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re from â&#x20AC;&#x201C; must pay it.â&#x20AC;? Border Forceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Modern Slavery Maritime lead, Rob Meyer, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Border Force takes its role of tackling exploitation and protecting vulnerable people very seriously.â&#x20AC;?

MOVING IN: Kyle Acheson, left, and Mike Jackson outside their new premises.

Increased demand for small commercial property units PPH reports interest from start-up businesses By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

A LEADING property agency says it is seeing an increase in demand for small commercial units in the city, following a number of lettings at a Hedon Road site. PPH Commercial is reporting an increased demand across the city, so much so that it recently let four units on the South Orbital Trading Estate within just two weeks. Ben Cooper, PPH divisional director, said that the â&#x20AC;&#x153;lack of new unitsâ&#x20AC;? being built means that start-up firms and expanding small companies are looking to move into new premises. He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is pent-up demand for small units, due to the lack of new units being built and due to this type of property having a rateable value of ÂŁ12,000 or less, making them exempt from business rates for many occupiers under the small business rates relief scheme. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The units are in demand from both start-up operations and small companies looking to expand.â&#x20AC;? Makson Building Services was one of the companies to recently become tenants at the South Orbital Trading Estate. The firm, which formed in June 2016, will be occupying a unit that provides 1,244sq ft space on the ground floor with a mezzanine. Makson Building Services had been based

Tâ&#x20AC;&#x153; here is pent-up demand for

small units, due to the lack of new units being built and due to this type of property having a rateable value of ÂŁ12,000 or less Ben Cooper

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in Chamberlain Business Park, Hull, and has three staff and more than 20 contractors. The firm specialises in building refurbishments, maintenance and repairs, for both residential and commercial clients. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As well as good storage space and a mezzanine floor, the unit has four offices and an area that we can use as a dedicated client suite where we can display new product samples,â&#x20AC;? said Makson director Kyle Acheson. His fellow director, Mike Jackson, pointed out that the unit is in a prominent location because it is clearly visible from Hedon Road, enabling it to further promote the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations when its signage is in place.

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SMEs will be negatively impacted by Brexit HULL: Small and medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) may be the businesses most negatively affected by Brexit, according to new research from the University of St Andrews. In the first such study of its kind, researchers led by Dr Ross Brown and Professor John Wilson from the Centre for Responsible Banking and Finance, University of St Andrews, in conjunction with Dr José Liñares Zegarra from the University of Essex, examined the potential impact of Brexit on UK SMEs. This independent research draws upon detailed econometric analysis of the Government’s Longitudinal Small Business Survey, encompassing approximately 10,000 firms. Dr Brown, Reader in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Finance at the University of St Andrews, said: “The results of our analysis suggest that Brexit-related concerns could result in a range of negative consequences for UK SMEs, especially the impact on reduced capital investment, which critically weakens and undermines their ability to grow and prosper. “Most worryingly, these perceived negative impacts appear to be foremost in the minds of entrepreneurs and managers located in the types of innovative and export-oriented companies, which are often viewed as the high-growth ‘superstars’ of tomorrow. “In other words, SMEs thought to be the most significant for boosting productivity and economic growth may be the most negatively affected by Brexit.”

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Bright future for paint maker after award win

Crown Paints recognised for waste management and sustainable approach By Henry Saker-Clark henr y.saker-clark@hulldailymail.co.uk

A MAJOR paint manufacturer is in a celebratory mood for 2018 after securing a top industry accolade for the work of its Hull plant. Crown Paints’ manufacturing centre, in Sculcoates Lane, has been awarded the prestigious Coatings Care Overall Best Performer Award by an industry trade organization. British Coating Federation judges awarded the accolade to the Hull site based on its outstanding improvements in energy use and waste management, with waste to landfill recorded as zero. Ellis Mudd, site manager at Crown Paints in Hull, said: “We are delighted our work in such wide-ranging and important areas of the business has been recognised. “We are committed to sustainable manufacturing and the award is a big boost to us on that jour ney.” The award recognises an innovative approach at Crown Paints, which has included the introduction of Nimtech, a social enterprise providing employment opportunities for the hard to reach and long-term unemployed. Providing the business with waste recovery and recycling services across the UK, the Nimtech programme was originally introduced to the company’s Darwen headquarters in 2012, before expanding to Hull two years ago. Nimtech works closely day-to-day with the manufacturing team on site at Hull to ensure the maximum amount of waste can be re-used and recycled. The UK paint manufacturer introduced the partnership as part of its Earthbalance sustainability programme, with the aim of changing the way the company does business in terms of social responsibility, the environment and the economy.

The move is part of the firm’s efforts to hold onto materials rather than immediately disposing of them, and seeking ways in which they can recycle and regenerate the products. Crown donated more than 1,000 litres of paint to the city in this landmark year, with its products having a transformational effect and supporting a range of initiatives and good causes. Projects included donating paint for two huge terraced house murals in the historic old fishing area of Hessle Road, as well as products and colour- matching expertise to provide a bespoke backdrop for the shortlisted Turner Prize artists to display their work at Ferens Art Gallery. Mr Mudd said: “Crown Paints is owned by Hempel and we

CLEAR WINNER: Ellis Mudd, of Crown Paints, with the firm’s award.

are actively encouraged to take an active role in corporate responsibility. “That includes supporting causes or events which impact

on local communities or the wider world and our work with Hull UK City of Culture has been a great example of that policy in action.”

Health firm to advise on high-tech deep-freeze work E YORKS: A HEALTH and safety firm is acting as an advisor to contractors on high-tech, deep-freeze storage plant being built in Yorkshire. East Yorkshire-based MNA Group Limited is acting as Health and Safety Advisor to contractors constructing a high-tech, deep-freeze storage plant at

Wakefield for global cold store giants NewCold. MNA Group Limited, which has its headquarters in Goole, has had a presence on NewCold’s 16-acre site, off the M62, throughout the first and second phases of the plant’s development. Work first began on site back in 2015.

Mark Newman, pictured, director of MNA Group Limited, said: “We’re currently working on the second phase of development, which will enhance the work done in phase one. “When this phase is complete, the storage facility will be able to hold in excess of 150,000 pallets. Automated

product picking will be carried out by 16 high bay-picking cranes in an environment where the temperature is maintained at -28 degrees Celsius. To eliminate the risk of fire, the environment within the high bay storage will be oxygen-depleted.” Newcold is a cold store and freezer logistics firm.

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Engineer aims to inspire women in the industry HULL: The product manager of industrial maintenance and repair firm Brammer UK inspired the next generation of female engineers at a recent Women into Manufacturing and Engineering (WiME) event. With women underrepresented in manufacturing and engineering roles, Libby Peacock, pneumatics product manager at Brammer, shared her journey into the sector for the event by the Green Port Hull initiative. Starting her career in a small engineering company making appointments for the sales team, Libby was supported by her manager to go to college and learn more about engineering. Immersed in a completely new environment – one dominated by men – Libby discovered her passion for engineering, finishing top of her class. “As well as having my idols, Claire Williams and Suzi Wolf, to look up to, I was so fortunate to have the support of my boss and college tutor when I was starting out in the industry and they helped me to see that engineering is just as much for women as it is for men,” said Libby.

Will your job be obsolete? UK: New research has found that more than two fifths of employed Brits think their job will be obsolete in as little as ten years, compared with more than a third of those in the US. The Happiness Index, created by Jobbio, the leading careers marketplace, revealed that, in particular, Brits think roles such as travel agents, telemarketers and factory workers will become obsolete. 41 per cent of Brits think that we won’t retire until the ages of 70-74 in 2050 with 14 per cent thinking they will get to retire under the age of 65. Brits also seem to have a lot of objections with the working day itself. Day-to-day tasks such as meetings, were found to be the biggest office bug bear, with 28 per cent confessing that meetings are the biggest waste of their time at work. 17 per cent would prefer not to chat with colleagues, as they thought it a waste of their time.

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SWEET DEAL: Laura Gunderson, head of export for Tickton firm Creme d’Or, which has seen an increase in export sales.

Sweet success for local confectionery exporter Tickton firm has eyes on Dubai as it pushes for Middle East growth AN EAST Yorkshire confectionery company is pushing for greater growth following a rise in export sales over 2017. Confectioner Creme d’Or, based near Beverley, has reported business growth after securing overseas trade in both the Middle East and the Far East. Based in Tickton, the company has seen exporting sales rise by 9 per cent in 2017 after it began trading with Dubai and Shanghai over the past two years. The company hired a permanent staff member, dedicated to exporting in 2015, and is now recruiting two additional staff to manage increased overseas demand. The firm was established in 1991 to specialise in the import and distribution of continental confectionery and fine food. The business is now one of the largest suppliers of wholesale premium chocolate to a host of major independent retailers around the world. Laura Gunderson, head of export at Creme d’Or, said: “Creme d’Or is now totally committed to exporting and our hard work over the past two years is consistently

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

resulting in some major new order wins. “One of the first things I did when I joined the company was work with government trade advisers to create an exporting plan that identified the most appropriate markets for us. “This can be a time consuming and, sometimes, challenging process that requires a lot of due diligence, so it was crucial to have informed and knowledgeable trade advisers on hand to help us through this process and overcome any hurdles. “With this support, we realised that the European market was already highly competitive, which led us to identify opportunities instead in the Middle East.” Creme d’Or was invited to a Northern Powerhouse trade mission to Dubai to attend Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food event which showcases suppliers to 95,000 visitors. Defra and DIT will be supporting UK businesses at Gulfood in February this year,

as part of the Food is GREAT campaign. With further government support, the company exhibited at food and hospitality trade show HOFEX in Hong Kong, while also travelling to Singapore to meet with prospective clients. Laura returned from this trip with a “significant order” from a large supermarket chain. Mark Robson, regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber at the Department for International Trade, commented: “Concerns about the cost of exporting and bureaucracy often prevent highly successful companies based here in Yorkshire from exporting. “But, we want to help. We have 29 international trade advisers who provide specialist support and guidance to ensure that companies can achieve their potential. “We’re aware of hundreds of different exporting opportunities that could be right for businesses across this region. “As we look to the year ahead, now could be the ideal time for companies thinking about exporting for the first time to discover the benefits for themselves.”

Archaeological rescue projects shortlisted for prestigious award HERITAGE: The discovery of an Iron Age cemetery at David Wilson Homes’ Pavilion Square site in Pocklington, East Yorkshire has been shortlisted as one of the year’s best archaeological rescue projects. The discovery has been nominated for Current Archaeology magazine’s Rescue Project of the Year 2018 award. The project was commissioned by David Wilson

Homes ahead of their Pavilion Square development and Paula Ware of MAP Archaeological Practice, who have been nominated for the award, said: “We worked closely with David Wilson Homes to ensure the site was recorded to its full potential and the artefacts preserved for future generations. We are delighted to have been nominated for this prestigious award.” The discovery includes the

first chariot burial with horses to be found in 200 years The excavation has also revealed a sword, shield, spears, brooches and pots, all items of material culture associated with the Iron Age dating from 300BC to 1AD Peter Morris, Development Director at Barratt Developments Yorkshire East, said: “These finds have unveiled the fascinating heritage of the local area,

which is incredibly exciting for the community. “The findings are vital clues to aid our understanding of Iron Age Britain, and by casting our votes we can help put Pocklington on the historical map.” Phil Gilbank, chair of the Pocklington Heritage Partnership, said: “We’re over the moon the dig has been nominated for such a prestigious award.”

YOUR M ONEY

MAI-E01-S4

Wednesday January 24 2018 7

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YOURMONEY POUND NOTES

Bargain hunters are now looking online for the best that charity shops have to offer

CHARITY’S ONLINE SHOP SAW SALES SURGE OVER CHRISTMAS ONLINE shoppers rushed to seek out designer clothing at Oxfam over the Christmas period, the charity has said, with sales soaring by 33%. Vintage and designer clothes were the online shop’s top search terms, with brands such as Burberry, Barbour, Gucci, Whistles and Boden being particularly popular. First edition books, as well as cameras, blankets and throws, were also highly sought after. ‘RISING LIVING COSTS ARE BIGGEST MONEY WORRY’ FOR MOST PEOPLE TWO-FIFTHS (40%) of people think 2018 will be a financially challenging year, with 12% admitting to being ‘seriously worried about their finances’ in the year ahead, a survey has found. Just under half (49%) of people said they need to try and reduce their outgoings in 2018, GoCompare found. More than half (58%) of those surveyed from across the UK said rising living costs are their biggest financial worry of 2018.

MORTGAGE LENDER ANNOUNCES CASHBACK OFFER COMPETITION in the mortgage market has been ramped up as a lender has unveiled a new cashback offer. Halifax has announced it is offering first-time buyers, home movers and those who re-mortgage from another lender £500 cashback on qualifying mortgages until March 18, 2018. The cashback will be paid automatically on completion and sent to the conveyancer with the completion funds. FINANCIAL FACT UK households’ median average disposable income was £27,300 in the financial year 2016/17, up £600 on the previous year, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.

Read V ICKY SHAW’S tips on getting a better holiday deal before handing over your cash

ITH 2018 signalling a fresh start, many of will be thinking about planning our getaways, to bring a ray of sunshine to the gloom of the winter months. But while you may be dreaming of an exciting escape, when making your plans, make sure you don’t fall foul of a holiday pitfall that could leave a serious dent in your pocket. Here are six holiday pitfalls to avoid, which could stop you spending more than you need to...

DON’T RULE OUT DESTINATIONS WHERE MONEY MAY GO FURTHER TRAVEL money expert FairFX says currency shouldn’t be an afterthought – choosing a destination with a better exchange rate could spell savings when it comes to forking out for accommodation, shopping and dining out. FairFX suggests looking at where the pound has performed well over the long-run to find destinations where your travel budget could go further. It says sterling has fared particularly well against currencies in Argentina, Nicaragua and Costa Rica over the past year, for example. Destinations such as Sri Lanka, Laos, Indonesia and Hong Kong are also generally offering UK travellers better value compared with last year. Ian Strafford-Taylor, chief executive of FairFX, says: “If the Brexit trade talks have some positive momentum in 2018, then we may see sterling improve against the euro. “However, if Brexit negotiations impact on sterling creating another rocky year, travellers may have to look further afield at destinations where countries have performed better in the long run.” DON’T FORGET TO PLAN HOW YOU BUY YOUR CURRENCY “REGARDLESS of your holiday destination, there are plenty of steps to follow to ensure that when you buy currency, you get the biggest bang for your buck,” Ian adds. “This includes considering exchange rates before you book, tracking rates so you buy when

Costa del lots?

Jetting away for a little sunshine will never be cheap, but make sure you don’t inadvertently pay over the odds

DON’T RUSH TO BOOK A DEAL BEFORE CHECKING IT REALLY IS A ‘BARGAIN’ SOME holiday ads may boast special ‘limited-time offers’, which could encourage you to snap up what they are offering without checking whether you could be getting a DON’T RISK TRAVELLING better deal. WITHOUT INSURANCE But consumer group Which? says TRAVELLING abroad uninsured can that while tight deadlines, cost thousands if a trip goes wrong. emotive language and countdowns According to the Foreign and may rush us into making a decision, Commonwealth Office (FCO), it might not turn out to be the right nearly three-quarters (72%) of one. people aged over-55 plan to travel Rory Boland, Which? travel editor, abroad in 2018 and half (50%) of says: “Compare prices with other these have a pre-existing medical holiday companies and travel agents condition. to check savings are genuine.” A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) provides access to state DON’T JUST ASSUME medical care in the European Economic Area – but does not cover YOU’RE COVERED JUST because you have some form other costs, such as bringing the patient back to the UK, or additional of insurance, don’t just assume it will cover your particular trip accommodation costs in-country. without checking. The FCO says holidaymakers Research from financial should research the appropriate information business Defaqto shows travel insurance options and make that the level of protection for cruise sure they give a detailed and accurate medical history to insurers. holidays, for example, varies they’re at their strongest, as well as avoiding travel money traps, such as buying currency at the airports and being hit with credit and debit card fees.”

considerably. Only 58% out of single trip policies, and 61% of annual policies it researched cover cruise holidays as standard. Brian Brown, head of insight at Defaqto, says: “Today’s modern cruise ships cater for every taste with celebrity speakers, specialist classes such as gourmet cooking and wine tasting, as well as traditional sight-seeing. “Yet a cruise holiday is very different to a holiday on the shore and has very different risks.” Similar research from Defaqto previously found that only 12% of single trip travel insurance policies it looked at cover winter sports as standard, while less than one in five (18%) annual policies include winter sports cover as standard. FINALLY, DON’T FORGET TO PACK YOUR INSURER’S CONTACT DETAILS WHEN you go away, make sure you take note of your insurer’s emergency phone number. That way, if something happens, you can call your insurer first for help.

Planning can ease the financial pains of a divorce DIVORCE lawyers often see a jump in enquiries in January perhaps due to Christmas stress, or people seeing the new year as a fresh start. According to Aviva, couples typically spend £14,561 on legal and lifestyle costs when they divorce or separate, with close to a quarter (23%) borrowing from family and friends to tide them over. Sarah Coles, a personal finance analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, suggests ways to take some of the financial pain out of the process... ■■DRAW up an emergency budget to cut expenses as much as possible during these first difficult months. Debt is common as you are

dividing the same income between two households – while paying for what can be an expensive process. ■■CONSIDER freezing accounts. Banks can freeze the assets in joint accounts, or make arrangements so that you both have to agree to any money being withdrawn. Similarly, they can place controls on debts to prevent either of you from abusing joint arrangements. ■■UNDERSTAND the value of what you have. Couples often offset assets, but you need to appreciate the value of what you give up and what it will cost to replace. Someone forgoing a pension for the lion’s share of the property,

for example, needs to understand what they are trading. It may be worth speaking to a financial adviser as well as a lawyer. ■■PENSIONS are often one of the largest assets built up during the marriage – often largely in the name of one person. You may have a few options as to how to split it. ■■REVIEW beneficiaries for pensions and work-based death in service benefits. ■■REVISIT your overall position. After a divorce you may need to revisit your longer term savings and investments too. You may need to rebuild your portfolio or your pension, and re-think retirement plans.

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IN BRIEF

BUSINESS

Port operator’s gift to children’s education EDUCATION: ABP’s Port of Hull has donated thousands of pounds to enable hundreds of underprivileged children to experience unique educational trips. Hull and East Yorkshire (HEY) Children’s University has received £5,000 and have officially become Silver Partners with the leading port operator. This has enabled local disadvantaged children to take part in unique experiences including being an astronaut for the day and a tour of London. ABP already has established ties with the charity as last year it provided several port tours, a special tracked container was launched so children can learn about trade and children attended several ABP events including a special festive express train to London. Humber Director Simon Bird said: “We feel it’s important to inspire and educate youngsters as they are the future generation that will keep Britain trading. “We hope our close links will influence them to consider the port industry as a future career as there are more than 200 different job roles in the Humber ports ranging from accountants, to operations and pilots.” During the next three months children from the charity will take a private tour of the pop-up historical gallery at the port’s grade two listed pump house building. Rosanna James, Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University Partnership Manager, said: “We are extremely grateful for ABP’s ongoing support and we love working with all of their fantastic staff.”