South East Business April/May 2020

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Steve Sherry

A decade of support for damaged veterans

We’ll be taking

a short break

Due to Coronavirus, South East Business W e’ l l b e b a c k magazine will S OON! be taking a short holiday.

We will be back from August/September edition.

We wish all readers and businesses a safe return to normal in coming months.

www.southeastbusiness.com

SOUTH EAST

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www.southeastbusiness.com SOUTH EAST BUSINESS Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL 01959 541444 EDITORIAL Editor: Christine Rayner Email: seb.ed@kelsey.co.uk ADVERTISEMENT SALES Wendy King 01233 555735 wendy@tandemmedia.co.uk AD PRODUCTION Studio Manager: Jo Legg jo.legg@kelsey.co.uk Graphic Designer: James Pitchford MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Steve Wright CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Phil Weeden MANAGING DIRECTOR: Kevin McCormick FINANCE DIRECTOR: Joyce Parker-Sarioglu PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty HR & OPERATIONS MANAGER: Charlotte Whittaker RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown RENEWALS AND PROJECTS MANAGER: Andy Cotton SENIOR SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Nick McIntosh PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Georgina Harris PRINT PRODUCTION CONTROLLER: Kelly Orriss DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain: Marketforce (UK) 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Place Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU Tel: 020 3787 9001 PRINTING Precision Colour Print Kelsey Media 2020 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published.

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A PRI L / M AY 2020

CONTENTS NEWS & REPORTS 05 06 08 42

Focus on the gender pay gap.

Sweet taste of success.

Coastal knowledge test.

Make the switch to electric.

REGULARS

3 5 T rai n i n g Supporting talented athletes.

3 6 M overs & s h ak ers

F E AT U R E S 1 4 Covid-19 As the world comes to terms with the Covid-19 pandemic, we look at how businesses in the South East are coping and what lessons can be learned for returning to work after the crisis.

10 Cove r s t o ry Chief executive of veterans’ charity knew he was right for the role, but had to persuade trustees to even invite him for interview!

12 The B o s s MD of fast-growing events agency Identity sets his sights on the ‘champions’ league’, as the business continues to meet its challenges.

27 Mone y Management reports will keep entrepreneurs on top of their businesses

28 Le ga l Free resources.

30 Constru ct i o n Housebuilder donates face masks to local NHS.

32 Commerci al p ro p ert y Are you missing out on property finance?

14

LIFESTYLE 38 40

Motoring: Volkswagen T-Roc v Peugeot 2008 Arts & culture.

12

03

News

Tech help for L-drivers Two brothers from Kent have launched a tech answer to the question “where can I find the best driving instructor?”

Kevin (right) and Oliver Tuffney have set up Rated Driving Instructors, the online equivalent of AirBnB for the sector, allowing learners to check and compare reviews of instructors from their area.

Kevin, 29, from Maidstone, had the idea after qualifying to become an instructor, but struggling

to find work in the referral-based industry. Since launching the site in Kent with his brother, Oliver, 27, it has quickly attracted more than 100 of the county’s driving instructors, who are now actively using the site and receiving regular business.

For the first year, Rated Driving Instructors was a free service, but they plan to start charging for business referrals through the site. If this works as they hope, the brothers will be launching the comparison site nationwide.

Port improvements A £27 million investment by Peel Ports has brought a significant development to a terminal on the River Medway.

The enlarged site for storing, processing and handling timber at the Port of Sheerness creates the largest terminal of its kind in the UK, handling 1.1 million tonnes of timber and forest products a year.

Port director Richard Goffin said: “This investment is a direct response to the interest we’ve had from the construction sector in using the Port of Sheerness for serving the South East construction market. As well as supporting the local business community, we’re also proud to have created a number of new permanent jobs at the port, underlining the role we play as a major employer in the region.”

04

An 86-year link ends, with the retirement of architect Andrew Clague from the company his father started in 1934.

The company name Clague Architects will remain, but Andrew, 68, is leaving the Canterbury business in the hands of its managing partner Karl Elliott, who took over the role in April last year, to prepare for the changeover.

Clagues have built a reputation for innovative projects, particularly in the conservation and heritage sector. Its staff also design offices and commercial buildings, schools, sports and health centres and public buildings. Among these are the Ashford International Truckstop and the redevelopment of the Debenhams site Canterbury.

Karl said: “Andrew has been instrumental in building a very successful and highly respected practice serving clients across Kent, London and the wider South East.

“With the name Clague continuing above our door, Andrew leaves a very positive legacy having been involved in many exciting and significant conservation and ground-breaking design projects across Kent. Everybody in the firm wishes him all the best for the future.”

End of an era

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

News › Europa’s warehouse director Maria Torrent-March (left) with her female colleagues and logistics warehouse manager Luis Ribeiro

Focus on the

gender pay gap

A campaign to improve working conditions for women employed by a worldwide logistics company at its hub in Dartford is paying off.

Europa Worldwide Group reports “a notable increase” in the number of women employees putting themselves forward for in-house training to increase their skills. The ratio of men to women at the Dartford warehouse is 56-44 and the company is always focused on improving equality of the sexes.

Europa warehouse director Maria Torrent-March said: “We are making a conscious effort to reduce the gender gap. We support female employees to take on skill-based jobs such as operating forklifts, by offering in-house career development training programmes, strengthening the number of female machine operators within the industry.

“As a business we follow the gender gap regulations, ensuring our salaries are benchmarked in line with market rates and within different job categories. Our aim is always to pay identically and we encourage female employees to take higher paid job categories, therefore closing the gender gap.”

The company is hoping to recruit 200 employees across a range of roles, when the time is right.

acquisition of Kent boutique firm Ernst & Young (EY) has announced the acquisition of Breakthrough Funding Ltd, the Kent-based Research & Development (R&D) independent tax consultancy which specialises in supporting companies accessing R&D tax relief through the Small to Medium Size (SME) scheme.

This bold deal, which underlines EY’s continued commitment to the SME market, will see the Breakthrough Funding team become an extension of EY’s Innovation Incentive R&D tax team, under the new name – EY Incentives – and its 20 employees will continue to operate from its head office in Ashford.

SMEs lifeblood of the UK economy Frank Buffone, EY Partner and Founder and Head of EY’s Innovation Incentive team, said: “SME’s are the lifeblood of the UK economy and this acquisition will help these businesses access the much-needed R&D tax relief they need to grow and reinvest in innovative products and services.”

Roxane Markarian, EY Partner and Head of London Market for Innovation Incentives, said: “EY recognises that the private mid-market is the engine room of the UK economy, and the acquisition of Breakthrough Funding

provides access to this huge SME market and over 1,000 existing clients.

The brains behind Breakthrough Breakthrough Funding was established in 2015 by Sue Nelson, who later joined forces with Brady Last as managing director, starting out in Sue’s conservatory in her house in Wye armed with just two laptops.

The company has become synonymous with innovation in the workplace and family flexible working practices, winning multiple awards including the Kent Invicta Chamber’s New Business of the Year in 2017 and the prestigious national winner of Tolley’s Best UK Independent Tax Consultancy Firm 2019.

Sue has also won Kent Business Woman of the Year and was the Institute of Directors 2019, London and South East Director of the Year for Innovation.

A cultural fit Nelson decided to sell the business in order to secure investment for rapid expansion across the UK. Inundated with offers for her business, it was EY’s culture and focus on its people that helped seal the deal.

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

05

News

Sweet taste of success The 20th anniversary of a business park specialising in start-ups was celebrated with champagne and sweets.

Peter Boam, MD of Capital Space, which operates St George’s Business Park in Sittingbourne, explained why sweets were on offer: “We provided them to customers as a small thank-you for their support, in celebration of our 20th anniversary and so that we can all enjoy – literally and metaphorically – the sweet taste of success.”

Peter attributes the success of the venture to teamwork and an awareness of customers’ needs.

Capital Space set up its first business centre in Colchester in 1998 and now runs nine, serving more than 1,000 small and growing businesses.

First to occupy premises on to the site in 2000 was Alan Taylor of AT Blinds, who recalled the day he moved in: “Someone I knew said they were building

Stay safe and keep the channels open

Thanks to Covid-19, it’s clear we are all having to think and behave very differently if we are to come out the other side with our businesses, teams, and our collective mental health intact.

The first significant change will manifest itself in how we work. There has been the explosion in homeworking and that’s going to require not only the necessary investment in IT solutions, but also the trust on the part of employers. If your business is one that can work remotely and present the perception that it’s business as usual, then it is hoped you have the systems in place to make it work.

One of the biggest challenges relates to how businesses communicate internally, as well as externally, in a crisis. While it might seem rational to look at trimming back, even stopping anything public-facing, now is the time to engage and keep communicating.

Albeit from a distance.

Reassuring colleagues is imperative. Not only will there be the obvious concern over contracting the virus, there’ll also be a fear over the future of their jobs and possible impact on their personal life. Nothing can ever be guaranteed, but it is now that the company’s

leaders need to come forward, take charge and reassure.

It’s also vital to reassure customers and suppliers that you are taking all the necessary measures to protect them, and their business – and that can be achieved with an email or letter and updates to your website, combined with a strong social media presence.

Messaging always needs to be strong, robust and consistent. If it’s not, the information vacuum gets filled with rumour and falsehoods, stoking fear, and energising a vicious cycle of public and market mistrust.

The scale of the virus’s impact has sparked an insatiable demand for information. The media itself is wrestling with how it tells the Covid-19 story while at the same time seeking to find other news to tell.

Reminders of upbeat business and public normality are definitely in demand. We’ve received many positive comments from journalists responding to our client’s press releases, glad to receive something other than news of a possible dystopian future. If you’ve got good news – and

E

E XP

E

I recognise this will not apply to all businesses – then now is a good time to tell it.

With the wall-to-wall coverage of the crisis, there’s a growing concern over Covid-19’s impact on the mental health of individuals and the community as a whole. The more “normal” news we can share the better. That’s not to suggest we hide from the pandemic and its implications, but we do need to give our mental health a moment to recover.

Good, balanced, useful business messages can be a part of that “normal” news, grounding us and helping us try to keep everything in perspective, no matter how bleak things might sometimes appear.

We all need downtime from our screens and the 24/7 news – but we do need to keep communicating. Stay safe.

CONTACT Andrew Metcalf, director, Maxim PR & Marketing Ltd

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

RT COMM

NT

06

new units here and that they would be right for us, so I thought I would come and take a look.

“I liked the monthly licence fee, in case something went wrong with the business. Being here has worked out well for us, it’s handy, there are lots of services and if we have any problems, they are always helpful at reception.”

Maxim_PR

News

In brief Gift for hospice

Staff at a law firm spent more than a year raising money for a hospice and were delighted to be able to hand over more than £17,400 to the charity.

St Catherine’s Hospice at Crawley benefited from the generosity of staff at Irwin Mitchell’s Gatwick office. The funds will be used to support the work of the hospice, which last year cared for more than 2,450 people from West Sussex and East Surrey.

‘Mountain’ award for haulier

Museum award

A specialist curator at the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery has been awarded a fellowship to focus on his work within the collection.

Curator of fashion and textiles Martin Pel (pictured) was one of four successful applicants for support from The Headley Trust and Art Fund, a three-year major national funding programme for museums professionals launched in 2018.

Each fellow receives up to £5,000 to be used for travel, courses or learning opportunities. A total of £600,000 in funding was offered under the terms of the award.

Martin will be researching the influence of British artist Martin Battersby, who is recognised as creating the Brighton Museum as it is today.

He said the award would allow the public to be given “an understanding of Battersby’s legacy”, through talks, re-display of objects and presence on social media.

Helen McLeod of the Headley Trust said, “The fund provides a unique opportunity for some of the UK’s most talented curators. With this support, they can take time away from the growing day-to-day pressures of their roles to focus on research that will lead to new ways to engage the public with their collections and make connections with their peers in the museum world. We congratulate the four new beneficiaries on their exciting news and look forward to following their progress in the coming months.”

A Surrey haulier firm has picked up a national award for its contribution to the logistics sector.

Chris Pleece, MD of Surrey Pallitz Ltd, which operates out of Lingfield, was presented with the Tile Mountain Award for Delivery Excellence at the Pall-Ex ceremony in the East Midlands Conference Centre, hosted by Vernon Kay. The annual awards scheme recognises the efforts of SMEs who are part of the Pall-Ex network, with marks given for growth, compliance and quality of service.

Be kind to staff Bus operator Stagecoach South East has launched a campaign to protect staff from abuse.

Posters showing the children of Stagecoach drivers, urging passengers to be kind to their mum or dad, have been put on buses across the region. The campaign was led by MD Joel Mitchell, in partnership with police in Kent and Sussex.

Anyone found abusing Stagecoach staff will be referred for prosecution.

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April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

07

Cricket sponsors Three sponsorship deals have been announced in the 150th anniversary season of Kent County Cricket Club.

T Parker and Sons will continue as its ground care specialists and suppliers of ground staff work-wear for the 2020 season. The company was established in 2003 by Bob Cook with more than 40 years’ experience in turf care industry supplies and specialises in supplying amenity and sports providers across the South East.

Barretts Group Ltd will continue to represent the club as the official training kit partner and vehicle fleet leaseholders. The car dealership, established by George R Barrett in 1902 in St Peter’s Street in Canterbury, holds the Jaguar Land Rover, BMW, MINI, Citroën, DS and Honda franchises in Ashford and Canterbury.

Finally, the cricket club will continue its partnership with HR GO Recruitment, a nationwide company with its head office in Ashford and more than 60 years’ experience in the sector.

HR GO Recruitment provides catering and hospitality staff for match days, events and functions at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence in Canterbury, as well at The County Ground in Beckenham.

08

Don’t let Check, become Checkmate ACAS / Employment Tribunal Advice If your employee is making an Employment Tribunal claim against you, we can help.

We’ll tell you where you stand and advise you of your options.

We pride ourselves on providing no-nonsense cost-effective advice.

Whether you decide to seek a settlement or to defend the claim, our experienced team will be with you every step of the way.

Tel: 01580 767525 E-mail employment@whitehead-monckton.co.uk www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk Whitehead Monckton Limited (no. 08366029), registered in England & Wales. Registered office 5 Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under no. 608279.

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April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

Coastal knowledge test Staff from businesses in the tourism or hospitality industries are invited to check their knowledge of the South coast and step up as a UK ambassador.

A free, online training course has been devised by the National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA), offering information on Kent, East and West Sussex and on round the coast to the Isle of Wight. It is aimed at anyone who interacts with visitors to the UK and already hundreds of businesses have taken part.

Academy director of the NCTA, Samantha Richardson, said: “This free online training course is ideal for anyone working in the hospitality industry or meeting international visitors in any capacity, whether you’re a restaurateur, hotelier, work in a bar, shop, café or hairdresser.

“It’s more important than ever that we offer international visitors superb service and a very warm welcome. We know they’re keen to visit the coast and are key to boosting the tourism industry.”

The course is divided into eight sections of the South coast and can be taken in stages, with a certificate to be downloaded at the end. It can be found on www.Englandscoastambassador.co.uk

News

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Firstly, most electric car drivers still plug in at home, at work, or both. This is due to most cars being parked for hours on end outside houses or offices. This long stay period is the ideal time to top up the battery. Which makes this type of charging ideal for your daily commutes in an electric car. EVision offers a FREE charge point to be installed at your home or place of work when hiring for a minimum of 12 months. Not to mention that it will cost only a few pounds in electricity, compared to £20 or more in diesel or petrol.

The time it takes to charge an electric vehicle depends on the model, charger types and charging network being used. The average EV charging time can be

anything from eight hours on a normal domestic power supply to less than an hour with a high-voltage rapid charger.

General Manager for EVision Electric Vehicle Hire, Garry Tinkler says: “The key thing to remember is that you’ll be able to charge the car at times when you’re not using it. Public chargers tend to be located for use at convenient places such as; the supermarket and shopping centres, meaning that the length of time it takes to charge shouldn’t really be an issue.”

There are a numerous amount of different companies and organisations installing and running public EV charging networks in the UK. Different charging networks run different membership models too. Some operate ‘pay as you go’ systems, some require subscription fees, and others offer free power and minimal sign-up fees. This may sound daft to drivers used to paying for petrol anywhere with the same credit or debit card. Nevertheless if you want to charge on the go, you’ll almost certainly need a smartphone. The use of apps are widespread within operators, although a physical card is still an option. Some networks will charge a fee based on the time and power used. Other apps such as Polar and PodPoint ask you to pre-load money into your account, similar to London’s Oyster card.

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Everything you need for the perfect event April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

09

Cover story

Persistence paid off Chief executive of veterans’ charity knew he was right for the role, but had to persuade trustees to even invite him for interview!

Offering hope and purpose to men and women damaged by life in the armed services has been Steve Sherry’s daily focus for 10 years. But he almost didn’t get the chance to even begin the role.

Steve saw the advertisement for chief executive of Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI), based in Aylesford, Kent, when he was planning to return to the UK in 2010 after a career in the army and two periods working as defence adviser in Pakistan and the Czech Republic. He was looking for a new challenge and knew he still had more to offer.

An inquiry was made to the headhunting agency for more information about the role, but Steve was firmly told the charity was looking for someone with a commercial, rather than a service, background and there was no point in him applying.

However, Steve was not to be put off so easily.

“I was so sure I was the person they needed that I applied anyway – and got the job,” he tells me with a smile. “It’s been a fantastic 10 years and I’m privileged to have been involved.”

RBLI operates from the 75-acre estate surrounding Preston Hall set up by Royal British

10

› The RBLI manufacturing team April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

Legion Industries shortly after the First World War to provide accommodation for men whose physical and mental health had been affected by active service. The charity, which celebrated its centenary last year, now offers work to about 100 veterans and a few civilians from the wider community.

Many of the employees live on the estate, which offers a range of accommodation to former service men and women and their dependents. A block of 24 flats for independent living was opened in 2017 and is home to families as well as single people, charged rent appropriate to their income. There are

also homes for those whose health is not as robust, some with part-time medical supervision, others with full-time care for dementia and other issues.

Steve has seen RBLI develop in size, efficiency and profit over the decade he’s been occupying the chief executive’s chair, but he retains a clear view that it can do even better.

“I’m not ready to retire yet,” he says, fixing me with a friendly, but determined look. “I have a wonderful, forward-looking, ambitious board to support me and we are determined to continue to grow and improve opportunities for people who have had a hard time.”

Some of those ex-service men and women end up homeless and are referred to the Royal British Legion Industries for help. Steve tells me of three veterans, aged from 23 to 81, who turned up on the site just before Christmas in need of accommodation. They were all welcomed.

So what does RBLI produce from its on-site factory – Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company?

Steve arranges for me to take a quick tour of the

duces D-Day veteran Charles › Steve intro the Queen at a ceremony to mark Boyer to Preston the opening of Appleton Lodge at 2019 in e, ston Hall, Maid

workshops, which turn out laser-printed, reflective information signs under contract to various organisations, including Network Rail and Barratt Developments. This company has just taken out a contract with the charity to provide it with signs advertising its new housing estates, as well as offering a £750,000 donation towards the cost of building a “centenary village” on the estate. Another role for the charity’s employees is to create bespoke pallets for certain industries, including fruit farms. It also runs a small factory in Leatherhead.

Steve is proud to have become involved with a graduates’ programme operated by Barratt Developments, under which students took part

› Steve (right) with the chief executive of Barratt Developments, David Thomas in a Dragons’ Den-style competition to design dementia-friendly gardens and refurbish buildings on the estate.

In his spare time, Steve enjoys sport in all forms, particularly running – which he does up to six times a week when he’s in training for an event. He’s a keen cross-country skier and coaches his son’s under-12s football team.

Our conversation ends with Steve’s mantra about the business he clearly loves “The RBLI estate is a multi-generational community which impacts positively on people’s lives. Employment is an important part of that process and provides what the government says we should do – ‘social value’.”

11

Steve has seen RBLI develop in size, efficiency and profit over the decade

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

South East Business interviews Mic hael Giet zen, I d en t i t y

THE BOSS Aim high, always MD of fast-growing events agency Identity sets his sights on the ‘champions’ league’, as the business continues to meet its challenges

12

It’s day four of the national coronavirus lockdown and Michael Gietzen tears himself away from supervising his two young children to spend a few minutes chatting via video link about his company’s extraordinary success story.

He’s very upbeat, despite the complexity of running a multi-million pound business from home, alongside two active sons playing in the garden of

his house near Eastbourne on a beautiful, sunny spring afternoon.

Like everyone, Michael admits he’s finding life a bit crazy at the moment, but he’s focused on growing his business, Identity – described on its website as “a global, full service live events agency”, offering “experts in the planning, design, management and delivery of world class immersive experiences”.

› Michael Gietzen APRIL/May 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

So how did Michael reach the dizzy heights of MD of a company ranked in The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100, a finalist in the Queen’s Award for International Trade, and proudly claiming the title of “fastest-growing events agency in the UK”? All within eight years.

He takes a swig from a glass of orange squash and considers his answer: “A great team, hard work and confidence that we offer a very competitive

› The Identity team rose to the occasion

by arranging for a full-size replica of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team’s Hawk jet to be delivered to BBC headquarters in central London. The ambitious project was to publicise the Red Arrows’ latest dynamic manoeuvre on The One Show

service in a very competitive sector.”

To prove his point, Michael reels off some of the contracts his team has won in the past few months – tier one supplier for Siemens UK, most recently delivering a hydrogen fuel cell activation at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2019; multiyear contract to deliver exhibition stands and other events for Highways England; outreach events programme for the Royal Navy and the RAF; the “Get Ready for Brexit” campaign for the Department of Transport, that included the single largest event staffing contract of the decade, then the crème de la crème, delivering the full event production, management and media requirements for NATO Leaders’ Meeting at the end of the year at The Grove, London, on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

“That was some job,” Michael muses. “We were so excited to get the contract. You don’t get much higher profile than that.”

Not that he’s content to stop there. He hints at more big contracts to come, supporting the biggest names in business, the sport and entertainments industries, but his lips are sealed on details until the deals are done.

The origins of Identity are simple. Michael trained as an accountant and 10 years ago was invited by his father to “take a look at the books” of his small exhibition business in Sussex – with a view to succession planning.

we are live events

Michael recalls: “At the time, the business employed just three people, focused on signs and exhibition stands for businesses and its profit margins were very tight. After reviewing the accounts, I starting thinking ‘shall I give this a shot? I think I could really make something of this business’.” And so the journey towards Identity began.

Michael’s father stayed on with the rebranded company for a while, before retiring. In the first 18 months, Identity reached £1.5 million and within five years, £5 million. In the eight years since it was formed, it has grown from three employees to more than 100 at its Eastbourne headquarters, with plans to open a London office as soon as life returns to some sense of normality.

Michael really values training within his business.

Identity makes a considerable investment each year on personal development for the team – this includes weekly technical training sessions; monthly supplier product demonstrations; external coaches and an annual innovation day. “Keeping ahead of the curve is what differentiates us from our competitors,” he says.

I sense Michael will be far from treading water during these next few weeks of isolation.

His eyes glint as he shares an ambition to reach the “champions’ league” of £50 million-plus businesses in his sector, which he is convinced can be done within three years.

“We’ll be up there with the household names, like Jack Morton, Imagination and George P Johnson,” he tells me with a broad smile. And I believe him.

› The NATO team

identitygroup.co.uk

13

Covid-19 special - Sponsored by Cripps Pemberton Greenish

As the world comes to terms with the pandemic, we look at how businesses in the South East are coping and what lessons can be learned for returning to work after the crisis

Supporting business

through Covid-19 JAMES BEATTON, HEAD OF CORPORATE AT LAW FIRM CRIPPS PEMBERTON GREENISH ANSWERS SOME OF THE VIRUS-RELATED QUESTIONS BUSINESSES ARE ASKING AND HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF STATE SUPPORT. 14

We need financial support to get us through the crisis, what is currently available?

Support available includes business property rates relief, VAT and Income Tax deferral and grants of up to £25,000 for those in the retail, leisure and hospitality sector.

To address liquidity issues, the coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offers loans of up to £5 million to businesses with a turnover up to £45 million. However, some have found the loans difficult to access or subject to potentially onerous conditions. Explore all available options and take advice if you are unsure.

We do not have enough work for our employees. How can I avoid redundancies?

Furlough leave aims to assist businesses to retain employees who would have otherwise been made redundant due to the effects of coronavirus on the business. The Government will cover 80%

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

of their salary costs, up to £2,500 per month, plus employer NICs and some pension costs. The business can top up pay to 100% but this is not obligatory. Employees cannot undertake any work for the business while on furlough leave, other than training.

Covid-19 special My business employs freelancers/contractors.

Am I responsible for assisting them, and if not, what help is available?

Businesses are not legally obliged to provide work for freelancers (gig-workers), contractors or other self-employed workers (although in limited cases they may have obligations towards them under service contracts).

To protect these workers, the Government set up the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) which is similar to the employee furlough scheme. It offers a taxable grant worth 80% of profits to a maximum of £2,500 per month. Not all self-employed people will benefit – if they are newly established for example or have profits exceeding £50,000 a year.

Those who are employed through their own companies won’t be able to claim SEISS, but instead need to look to the furlough scheme. This means however that they would have to stop work altogether for the period during which they want to claim. Also difficult for some is that the furlough scheme covers only salary, not dividend income.

We’re struggling to meet contractual obligations to suppliers and customers, what are our options?

Firstly, review your contracts to establish your legal obligations. Next consider what could work for you, your customers and suppliers going forward (suspension or termination, extended credit terms, reduced repayments etc). Then take your proposal to your customers and suppliers. If that’s unsuccessful, or your situation deteriorates, be cautious about continuing to trade.

The Government has committed to doing “whatever it takes” to support businesses through this crisis and the measures have been broadly welcomed by business in the South East. Whether they are enough to keep businesses afloat as the difficult economic trading conditions continue will only become clear with time.

The information provided here was correct at the time of writing (31 March 2020). For updates and practical guidance on all of the topics above, please visit our coronavirus (Covid-19) resource hub at www.crippspg.co.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/ We will be keeping this up to date and will add further resources as the situation unfolds and in response to our clients’ concerns.

James Beatton Head of Corporate, Cripps Pemberton Greenish T: 01892 489500 E: james.beatton@crippspg.co.uk www.crippspg.co.uk

Taking business calls from home Having a conversation with someone else while on a call has been named the most annoying habit by UK office workers.

With many UK office workers now operating from home, conference calls have undoubtedly become part of the daily routine. Business telecommunications provider, 4Com, investigated the nation’s thoughts on bad telephone manners, revealing the habits to avoid.

The five most annoying phone habits are: 1. Someone having a conversation with someone else in the background (43%) 2. Being interrupted whilst speaking (42%) 3. Someone not listening/clearly appearing distracted (41%) 4. Being put on hold (39%) 5. Someone eating their food/having a drink whilst speaking (35%) Playing music in the background (29%) and speaking too quietly (28%) or loudly (16%) were also cited as bugbears.

To ensure these conference calls run as smoothly as possible, Mark Pearcy, Head of Marketing at 4Com, offers five tips:

1. Sit in a separate room to others in your household Having a conversation with someone in the background has been revealed as the most annoying phone habit, so if you are at home with members of your household make sure they don’t interrupt you while on a call. Tell them you’re going on an important call, sit in a separate room and make sure nobody distracts you during this time – this will all help towards a productive and stress-free call.

2. Make sure everyone has time to speak Being interrupted while speaking is the second biggest bugbear while on a conference

call. Although replacing a meeting with a conference call can be hard, it’s important to make sure that each person is engaged in the call and has the chance to have their say without being cut off.

3. Make sure you’re present It’s vital that you remain present while on a call. Without face to face interaction, it can be tempting to switch off when you’re not speaking and go on your phone or browse the web instead, but you must make sure you’re engaging with everyone on the call – the same as you would in a face to face meeting.

Make sure you’re listening to everyone who is speaking and responding when necessary. A video call can sometimes help with this as there’s nowhere for you and your colleagues to hide!

4. Have a snack, drink or break before your call Being put on hold and eating or drinking while speaking round up the top five most annoying phone call habits, so are other important factors to consider while taking conference calls from home.

Before a long call, make sure you have eaten so you’re not doing this while speaking. It’s perfectly fine to have a drink while on a call but try not to do it when you’re speaking.

5. Speak at the right volume Playing music in the background or speaking too quietly or loudly were considerable annoyances in our survey, so when on a conference call with your colleagues, stop playing any music as this can be a huge distraction. It’s also important not to shout or whisper while speaking on a call and speak at the volume you would normally; using headphones can help with this if you’re struggling.

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

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Covid-19 special Protective masks bought for staff at two zoo parks in Kent have been donated to a hospital, to protect NHS staff from the virus.

Animal director at the Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve, Simon Jeffery, said: “We were lucky enough to have some spare masks in stock and immediately thought of the important work the NHS is doing and donated 2,000 masks to the William Harvey Hospital at Ashford. We hope this small donation helps nurses and doctors on the frontline in our community.”

Staff at both Port Lympne and Howlett’s have

Zoo donates masks

been observing virus countermeasures, practising self-distancing, performing additional cleaning of surfaces and taking separate breaks. All keepers have been provided with thermometers and asked to check themselves daily. Both parks are closed for the duration of the virus, but teams of keepers will continue to care for animals on site.

Team Unites for Urgent Delivery Specialist 3PL operator Europa Warehouse and its transport team at Albion Road in Dartford jumped into action this weekend to assist with the delivery of urgently needed medical beds.

Europa’s client Accora UK Ltd received a call at 8pm on Friday 27 March from the NHS requiring specialist beds urgently for one of the new NHS Nightingale coronavirus hospitals, created at ExCel in East London.

Accora is a leading manufacturer of assistive care equipment and has been

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Kent-based medical device manufacturer, Bedfont Scientific thinks its NObreath FeNO monitor could help the early detection of coronavirus.

NObreath testing is quick, easy, non-invasive, and the monitor is portable, which means testing can be performed by healthcare professionals at home. The equipment’s mouthpieces have been vigorously tested by Public Health England, and are proven to remove and trap 96.8% and 95% of airborne bacteria and viruses respectively.

Also, unlike other FeNO measuring methods, the NObreath testing technique does not require patients to inhale through the device, reducing the risk of cross-infection. Finally, the Bedfont-designed monitor is integrated with unique technology, which eradicates the bacteria that causes contamination and infection.

MD of Bedfont, Jason Smith said: “As the spread of Covid-19 seems relentless, we find ourselves trying to weather the storm both personally and as a business. Being a medical device manufacturer, we are fortunate enough to be in a position where we can try and help, but that does mean it is necessary to have some of the Bedfont family, our employees,

a client of Europa Warehouse since 2015. It supplies customers ranging from large public-sector organisations to small and medium sized businesses across the globe.

London’s ExCel conference centre is becoming an emergency hospital treating coronavirus patients with 500 beds initially made available at what will be the first of several crisis facilities dotted around the UK. Working through the night Europa’s team of 10 worked closely with Accora to pick and despatch 300 specialist beds.

Europa Warehouse Director Maria Torrent-March said: “I’m so proud of our team who came together and worked hard over the weekend to support Accora to meet their client’s deadline.

“We’re not directly on the frontline but this shows how the logistics sector is vital and can do our bit to support the NHS at such a hugely challenging time.”

Accora Ltd’s operations director Tim Drake added “It’s at times like this when the power of working as a team really comes to life. You truly appreciate how much you depend on each other to make things happen and the shared energy and drive has been inspirational.”

Equipment offer attend the offices.

“While this is not desirable, it’s necessary to support the business and all the families it provides for. Covid-19 is hard to diagnose and we know very little about it presently, however we know about airway inflammation and so we are testing employees each day.”

Any members of staff found to have a possible infection will be sent home to self-isolate for 14 days, said Jason.

The NObreath monitor was designed by Bedfont as a diagnostic and management aid for asthma, but the company hopes it will be able to help mass screen, changes in inflammation levels, so patients can self-isolate early, helping to reduce the spread of the virus.

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

Covid-19 special

Communicating through

a crisis In these challenging times while navigating your business through the minefield of government initiatives, employment law and financial crisis, it is easy to batten down the hatches and not think about communicating with your customers.

However, now is the time to stand together with your employees, your suppliers and your customers.

We’re all in this together. The coronavirus will test us all, it will test the strength of our businesses, the loyalty of our employees and our client relationships. What you say and how you say it has never been so important and will likely be remembered in the months ahead.

Now more than ever businesses must think longterm and keep building their brands and protecting their core values. It is important to let your client base know that you are here for them and what you can do to assist them through this crisis.

Out of sight means out of mind. Keep in touch with your customers or you risk losing them. As

everyone knows it is always more cost effective to retain an existing customer than acquire a new one.

In the longer term as a country we will come out of this, which is why it has never been more critical to keep our channels of communication open.

An unprecedented number of people are selfisolating, working from home and practicing social distancing measures. With more people at home brands are shifting their focus towards digital media such as social media channels, digital ads, online magazines and e-marketing. Digital media enables brands to improve visibility to their target audience.

Video is a great way to get your key messages across to your audience using animation and infographics.

Be considerate with your marketing messages there is a balance between being helpful and looking like you are trying to take advantage of a crisis. Don’t deviate from your mission statement or company culture and ensure your messages are clear and reassuring.

If you are concerned about how you should be

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Adams Creative Group Ltd is a full service marketing agency. Our services include website design, SEO, PPC, email campaigns, photography, video, VFX, 3D graphics, PR and branding. For more information please contact us T: 01622 687729 E: hello@adams.uk.com www.adams.uk.com

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

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Covid-19 special

Time for the garden

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Enforced isolation during the pandemic is offering home owners the chance to catch up on household jobs – and independent builders’ merchants are reporting an increase in demand for supplies delivered to the door.

Spokesman for the Independent Builders’ Merchants Group (IBMG), including Chandlers, Fairalls, Stamco Timber and Parker Building Supplies, Sue McKinney, said: “It would appear from our data and customer activity online that as the nation settles into a new normal of staying at home, people are preparing to undertake home and garden projects that may have been on the back burner.”

An online poll conducted by the group revealed that almost 60% are planning patio, driveway and gardening projects. A further 30% are preparing internal DIY projects to include installing insulation “probably because it is an inside job,” said Sue. Increased demand has also been noticed for delivery of patio and gardening supplies like top-soil, decking maintenance and paving.

IBMG drivers have been instructed, where possible, to wear disposable gloves and to wash their hands before and after making deliveries. If a pen is required to make a signature it need not be returned, but wherever possible paperwork will be sent electronically. Drivers have been asked to carry wipes to wipe down their cab and steering wheel on a regular basis and all will stand at a distance, to minimise the risk of infection.

Remote working need not mean an end to staff career progression, says CEO of leading training provider Qube Learning, Joe Crossley.

He and his staff are working to ensure a remote solution can been found for students and the businesses they work with.

Joe said: “Every day, as more stringent requirements are enforced upon the nation, we are updating how we work and structure our days to ensure that the government’s protocol is reflected across our organisation. Our key objective is always to support individuals on training programmes which are so important to their future, the economy and their employers who have entrusted us to deliver core apprenticeships. That doesn’t stop now, it’s just about how we act within the current climate.”

‘Drive-through’

beer sales Surrey-based Hogs Back Brewery is finding new ways to keep its beers flowing to customers through the coronavirus “lockdown”, with pubs and bars closed for the duration.

The brewery, in Tongham near Farnham, has introduced a new drive through service for its draught, bottled and canned beers, including its flagship TEA, Hogstar lager and Surrey Nirvana Session IPA. Customers simply drive up to the Brewery Shop, place their order – from a safe distance – and the beer is loaded into their boot by shop staff, without needing to leave their car.

Customers can also “click and collect” by going

online to www.hogsback.co.uk with orders ready for collection after 10am the next day. For customers unable to leave home, Hogs Back will home-deliver orders within a 15-mile radius of the brewery, and further afield for orders of £40 or more.

Hogs Back Brewery owner Rupert Thompson said: “One of the benefits of being a small brewer is that we can act quickly. We launched our drive through service the day after the government’s announcement on social distancing and if their advice changes again we will adapt our practices.

The safety of our customers and staff is paramount.

Train and retain The company is finding new ways to work collaboratively with employers to ensure that it can continue to deliver training to students, moving to an online enrolment process. Monthly student visits are also being undertaken remotely, with meetings conducted over the telephone or via a conference call.

Remote working lunches with clients are also offered, allowing a relaxed environment in which to go through the formalities of business, said Joe. Qube Learning is providing free online courses to all students for six weeks, after which it will be

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

reviewed. The company is also having discussions with the education department to investigate programmes that can be developed to support people who have lost their income due to the virus, as well as providing help for people who will need to re-train after the return to normal working.

Joe added: “The training sector needs the government to ensure a solid financial support structure is in place and working to get us through this period, which in turn will help businesses and those individuals who work for them.”

Covid-19 special

Be prepared Marketing specialist Jordan Baker has drawn up a list of sanity-savers for business owners, to avoid a post-virus crash.

Jordan, CEO of Sanity Marketing, says his five tips can help companies prepare now for picking up the reins after the country is given the all-clear.

Top of the list, not surprisingly given the nature of Jordan’s business, is to keep an eye on marketing. He says: “Now is the time to invest in getting your business in front of potential customers. You want to be building brand awareness and wooing your market – ready for them to spend when this saga is over.”

Second, Jordan suggests keeping track of website users, adding: “All those extra customers

for you will mean more traffic to your website.

Make sure you’re capturing all that user data in the form of a Facebook Pixel, or your users are here today and gone tomorrow.”

The third tip on Jordan’s list is to ensure visitors to the website sign up to a newsletter, so they retain loyalty to the brand. Fourth is to follow this through with regular production of a newsletter, with “appealing offers” for customers.

Finally, Jordan says businesses must be ready with a tempting offer for customers, once life returns to normal. “Use social media remarketing ads to send ads to users who have been on your website. Give them an offer and, for tracking purposes, create a code, a link, or use lead ads so you know how successful it’s been,” he says.

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Vineyard supports charities

A Sussex boutique wine producer has launched a trio of sparkling wines to help raise funds for two charities supporting those affected by the coronavirus crisis.

Fox & Fox, of Mayfield is selling Foxy Rescue Remedy, a three-bottle tasting pack, with £10 from each sale to be donated equally between the Sussex Community Foundation and The Drinks Trust.

The foundation is providing vital support for local food banks as well as caring for vulnerable people, the trust has launched a new campaign to support sommeliers and bar, restaurant and club staff unable to work because of the pandemic lockdown.

Fox & Fox co-founder Jonica Fox said: “In these difficult times a little of what you fancy does you good and with a charitable donation being made from the sale of every Foxy Rescue Remedy pack, our customers can take comfort in the knowledge that they will also be doing some good and supporting others at the same time.”

‘Flagship’ show cancelled The decision to cancel this year’s Kent County Show because of the threat of coronavirus will affect farmers and agricultural businesses, who regard it as an important event in the industry’s calendar.

Regional director of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), Michael Valenzia, said: “The Kent County Show is a flagship event in the agricultural calendar and to hear that it won’t go ahead in July as planned is sad to hear, but entirely understandable given the current national situation with the coronavirus outbreak. The health and safety of everyone involved must come first.

“Many rural businesses rely on the show as an opportunity to demonstrate their

fantastic products and services to thousands of people in the region.”

Mr Valenzia said the association would be supporting its members, a range of farmers, landowners and rural businesses, through the crisis, offering the latest advice and information regarding the virus. “We are also holding regular calls with government officials and lobbying on issues the industry needs to be reviewed to support them through these uncertain times,” he added.

“The rural sector is exceptionally resilient however, having faced more than its share of adversity in the past. I have every confidence the Kent County Show will bounce back and we can’t wait to be part of it once again.”

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

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Covid-19 special

Legal help

Employers daunted by the mass of legislation surrounding coronavirus and staff rights are thrown a lifeline by employment specialists KLG Law. The law firm based in Maidenhead has published guidelines for companies affected by the virus, in the form of frequently asked questions covering home working, payment for equipment needed to work remotely, lay-offs and shorttime working and the complaints procedure for employees unhappy with what is proposed. The guides, which are also available for employees, can be seen on the KLG Law website www.klglaw.co.uk

Phone buddies

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A Kent legal firm has set up a system to ensure elderly people within the community have a friend to call. Furley Page’s “phone buddy” system offers companionship and support for people who are self-isolating for weeks because of the virus.

It replaces the company’s regular tea parties, organised in East Kent by senior associate Val Prosser, who said: “The telephone buddy system helps to alleviate social isolation and ensure that no-one is struggling at home alone, without essential food and medication. It will provide welcome regular contact for elderly citizens who are isolated and enable our volunteers to check that they are OK and arrange any help or support they may require during this difficult time.”

Leadership vital A neuroscientist is offering support for businesses to allay fear and anxiety among employees. Dr Alan Watkins says leadership is vital in such times of global stress and that panic is highly infectious, causing potential issues with mental health which can lower immunity and resistance to viral infection. His new book “The HR (R)Evolution: Change the workplace, Change the world” sets out his belief that the world of work stands at a crossroads and requires a new path.

Antibody hope Researchers at the University of Kent are working with Imperial College, London, to look at possibilities of developing antibodies to target coronavirus. The research project aims to develop a potential antibody therapy, which could then be prepared for clinical trials. Professor Philippe De Wilde, deputy vice-chancellor research and innovation at Kent said: “We have very strong research groups in pharmacy (Medway School of Pharmacy, joint with University of Greenwich) and biosciences. These groups are focusing their efforts on helping the NHS and government agencies during the current crisis.”

Ask the experts Free advice on coping during and after the Covid-19 outbreak is offered by marketing and PR agency Sharp Minds Communication.

The agency has invited business coach Julian Weekes and Darren Austen of accountancy practice Synergee to highlight the important issues now and post-virus.

Sharp Minds director Siobhan Stirling explained: “These are going to be challenging times for businesses of all shapes and sizes, and in all sectors, which is why we’re offering our expertise to help local companies create effective plans to get through the current crisis and position themselves for success when the economy picks up again.

“Research shows that businesses that emerge as leaders from economic downturns are those that employ a judicious mix of efficiency savings and investment in marketing, research and development and assets – also known as ‘progressive strategies’ – rather than simply slashing costs or investing heavily to tough it out.”

Julian, from Action COACH, says: “The

problem with simply slashing costs is that you don’t maintain the market presence to push ahead when things pick up and companies that cut staff dramatically often find it harder and more expensive to recruit on the other side of downturns, while those that simply throw money at the solution don’t create the efficiencies needed to help them compete effectively when consumer confidence returns.

“I can help businesses drill into their numbers to find the savings and alternative income streams that will underpin future success.”

Darren adds: “The Chancellor’s lifeline is essential, but it’s important for business owners to remember it’s a bridge, not a bailout. The support is in the form of loans and grants that will have to be paid back, which will add to costs as companies try to rebuild.

We can help companies work out whether a government loan is the right solution, or whether there are alternative strategies for managing their cash flow through this challenging time.”

Online solutions

A digital agency based in Canterbury has launched a free online solution to help small Kent businesses keep in contact with their customers through the Covid-19 lockdown.

The solution, launched by digitalbeans, will allow restaurants, toy shops, art shops, garden centres and small convenience stores to launch an online store, by signing up to the free website YourLocalDelivery.

MD of digitalbeans, Piperis Filippaois, explained how YourLocalDelivery worked: “The bespoke free-of-charge package includes a branded web page, individual to each company, so they can continue to take orders, online payments and display listings of an unlimited amount of product or menu items. Each website will be created manually by a member of the digitalbeans. Once local businesses have set up their profile online, they will need to share the link with its local community, accept the order and then offer a ‘click and collect’ or delivery option to the customer.”

Each company which signs up for the service will be offered a free marketing package by Spark Film Production of Canterbury. It includes eye-catching visuals to promote their new online store.

Rural lifeline Groups providing emergency relief to farmers and the needy in rural areas during the crisis are invited to apply for financial support from the Prince’s Countryside Fund.

Money made available from the People’s Postcode Lottery is being distributed to groups which provide emergency relief to vulnerable or isolated individuals, who support farmers and farm businesses or generally help rural

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

communities to cope through the pandemic.

The first round of funding has been released, with £100,000 being made available in grants of up to £2,500. This may cover fuel costs for volunteers collecting and distributing food or medicines.

Applications close on Wednesday, 15 April.

To apply, or find out more, visit www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/grants

Covid-19 special

Take a Holistic View Joanne Gallagher, head of corporate and commercial at law firm Thomson Snell & Passmore comments on how to Deal With a Rapidly Changing Situation “The impact of the coronavirus on people, businesses and supply chains is unfolding on a daily basis. The final effect of COVID-19 remains to be seen, but there is already significant disruption to many businesses, with all sectors being affected. Some harder than others.

Every aspect of business from commercial contracts and employment to finance and data protection is affected. With the situation changing on an almost hourly basis, and a myriad of information to wade through, it is understandable that many organisations feel overwhelmed.

However, businesses can take heart in the fact that the Government has announced unprecedented support for organisations to help them weather the storm.

When faced with such a complex and rapidly developing situation, there is no one solution, and we urge businesses to take a holistic view, as well as

arm themselves with a thorough understanding of the help available to them.

This includes: • The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) • COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) • Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) relating to ‘furloughed workers’ • Retail and hospitality grant scheme • Business rates holidays • Deferred VAT payment It would also be wise for businesses to ensure they familiarise themselves with how the situation may impact areas such as: • Commercial contracts, especially in terms of force majeure and frustration clauses • Data protection, especially in terms of new guidance from the ICO • Changes at Companies House

• Changes to planning laws • Evictions of residential or commercial tenants Undertaking an internal review of for example, commercial contracts and supply chains, to see if it is possible to stream-line anything, even on a temporary basis, could immediately save some costs and help cash flow over the next few weeks and months.

If as a business you find yourself in financial difficulty, or unable to meet any contractual obligations, then having open channels of communication with all relevant parties is key. There is help and support available and lenders are also putting in place measures to support organisations.

With so much advice being issued and often conflicting sources of information, it is more important than ever to have access to trusted, practical advice. Like many professional service advisors, we have put together a resource of information for businesses www.ts-p.co.uk/ for-business/corporate/covid-19-understandingwhat-coronavirus-means-for-your-business. We are keeping this updated on a regular basis.

Joanne Gallagher Head of corporate and commercial, Thomson Snell & Passmore T: 01322 623708 E: joanne.gallagher@ts-p.co.uk www.ts-p.co.uk

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

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Covid-19 special

› The Copper Rivet team (from left) brothers Stephen and Matthew Russell, their father Bob and the head distiller Abhi Banik

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Distillery support

A Kent distillery has diverted production of gin and vodka to develop a recipe for Nurse Clare Knight serving ›hand sanitiser on behalf of the emergency services.

Copper Rivet, which operates out of Chatham Historic Dockyard, is one of only a few UK distilleries to produce neutral alcohol, which is ideal for killing the virus.

Co-founder Stephen Russell said: “This is about Copper Rivet using its equipment and

As the food production season gets underway, growers in Sussex have issued an urgent plea to people who might have lost work through the virus to step up and Pick for Britain.

The Coastal West Sussex Partnership is backing a call from the West Sussex Growers’ Association for more workers to take up jobs across the horticultural sector, in particular food production.

Partnership director Caroline Wood said: “The horticultural industry in Sussex is worth over £1 billion and employs more than 10,000 full-time employees. As such, it is a vital part of the coastal economy which is currently facing extreme challenges.

“With garden centres closed, ornamental and commercial growers have taken a massive hit on their

resources, its people and its knowledge, to help the emergency services. Our business sells Dockyard Gin and Vela Vodka to pubs, bars and restaurants, which are now all closed; so this new sanitiser product allows the distillery to help the wider community, protect distillery jobs, and perhaps creatively develop a totally new range of products.

“We make our gin and vodka from locally grown wheat, barley and rye, and the naturalness

of those cereals should give us an excellent base for a new health product.”

But Stephen explained that achieving the right chemical formula was not easy. “By itself, high strength alcohol could hurt hands, by opening up cracks and encouraging germs to attack. So the solution’s formula needs to comply with World Health Organisation guidance. Together the compounds achieve the efficacy of the alcohol, while also being kind to the hands.”

Pickers plea businesses and aren’t able to get stocks to market, while food growers have issues getting enough staff to pick the crops ready for us to buy. We would urge people who are facing time away from their regular work to look for opportunities with our local producers.

Volunteers to help Pick for Britain are invited to check out the Concordia site: www.concordiavolunteers.org.uk

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

Covid-19 special

Efficient use of time No matter your business size, time is your greatest commodity and with the majority of staff working remotely through isolation, this has become most important.

The efficient use of time in a business determines efficiency, productivity and, ultimately, success says Yves Hiernaux, CEO of the time tracking tool BeeBoleTimesheet.

Implementing an easy and efficient time tracking system is no longer simply about clocking in and/or clocking off, he says. It’s about the type of business intelligence the data holds.

“Imagine knowing your employees’ absenteeism rate at a glance, or being able to pinpoint when they might be burning out. This opens the door for a very necessary conversation perhaps even before any serious issues have arisen.

Not keeping track of this data, or having the context to really understand what you’re seeing, are missed opportunities.” Yves says.

Using a cloud-based time tracking system, employers can ensure projects stay on track even though teams are forced to work remotely in the coming weeks as the country comes up against coronavirus.

“Employers should trust their employees are working, whether they’re in the office or not. The coronavirus is clearly going to have a huge impact on the UK workforce. If employers are truly worried about their team working remotely, employers can see how many hours were worked (and from where they were registered) if using a cloud-based time tracking system,” Yves said. “Presenteeism and absenteeism are very much alive and well in today’s work culture, so remote or not, the real key is being able to measure productivity in other ways. Remote working is not the enemy.”

Keep drains clear during the pandemic, urges Southern Water, which says clearing blockages will potentially put staff at risk.

Elvira Gabos, who leads the authority’s Fat Oil Grease and Unflushables team, said: “Now more than ever during this very difficult time where most people are at home, we ask them to think carefully, and think neighbourly, about the risks of putting inappropriate items down sinks and loos.

“We’re currently being called to more blocked sewers in residential areas, which is keeping our teams busy. During this lockdown our teams are having to attend customer premises and keep customers’ essential services working, but we need the help and support of our customers to avoid any nasty consequences.

“Only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed. Not kitchen roll and especially not wet wipes. We thank everyone for being mindful and together we can keep our sewers flowing as they should.”

Head of wastewater collection at Southern Water, Peter Stakim, made a plea for care when customers make a request for help to the authority: “If you’re self-isolating because of contact with Covid-19, please tell us immediately

He added: “By empowering your business with an effective time tracking system, all aspects of your business are likely to improve, from efficiency and productivity to employee health and well-being. The system needs to be fast, easy and flexible, enabling companies to track time daily, weekly, monthly and in real-time. It needs to be specifically designed for a company’s convenience and provide management with a real insight into workers behaviours and performance.”

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Drainage plea when you call and make sure the message has got through to those attending.

“When we’re working in your home, allow our staff, if possible, to open a window or outside door in the area they are working, for ventilation.

Our team may request you go into another

room and we hope you understand why this is necessary. Please make sure you stay two metres away from our people, in line with government advice. And for now, cups of tea aren’t welcome.

“We hope customers will understand why these necessary measures are required.”

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

Covid-19 special

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MANAGING A REMOTE TEAM As millions of UK workers set up office at home, a business leader has revealed her tips for managing staff working remotely.

Anita Tweats, founder of The Finance People, believes clear guidance needs to be given to ensure homeworking benefits the employee and the business.

She says trusting the team and their abilities is key to successful remote working. Regular communication and focusing on goals are other key elements to keeping employees motivated and on track.

Anita Tweats said: “At the moment homeworking is likely to happen for most of us and making sure it’s a success during this difficult period is essential.

“If you have the technology in place, then that’s a good place to start. The next step is to be clear on what you expect but at the same time trusting the team to work well, efficiently and manage their own time.

“It is also important to be mindful of employees wellbeing. Make sure they stick to set hours and don’t go over. Also encourage them to have regular breaks.”

Anita has some tips for managing employees who are working from home:

BE CLEAR ON EXPECTATIONS

Working away from the office is less structured and employees need to be clear on what’s expected from them. Agree working hours and availability.

Do you want staff to work office hours or is a degree of flexibility built in? If hours are more flexible, be clear who’s working when and make sure staff know if you need them to be contactable during office hours. Discuss daily and weekly tasks, key projects and deadlines to ensure all work is met and completed in time.

TECHNOLOGY The technology has to be in place for home working to really work.

Invest in reliable equipment – you don’t want staff waiting hours for files to download or having conference calls on crackly lines.

FOCUS ON GOALS Stay focussed on goals and not the number of hours the team are putting in. If goals are being met, then everything’s on track.

COMMUNICATE Communication is key. You need to make sure you and the team are talking regularly. Agree an

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

appropriate number of weekly catch ups and any formal reporting. Remember to keep the team up to date with how things are going.

MOTIVATION If you have monthly one on ones to ensure professional goals are met, do them via video calls and deal with issues head on. It is important to keep the team motivated and on track – not always easy when everyone’s working in isolation.

MEETINGS If you can’t talk to your team face to face, do them via video call instead. Having that time as a team is still important.

AVOID BURNOUT When working from home, it is easy for your team to do too much. Set daily and weekly maximums for working hours and make sure employees take the necessary breaks.

TRUST Trusting your team is key to making home working work. Set up work from home guidelines to ensure standards remain high and everyone stays motivated and on track.

VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain ™

COMMUNITY

RESOURCE created Shoreham Port continue to support their team and stakeholders, having updated their package of measures put in place across the Port. Creating a Community Support page on their website to direct people to essential services as well as how they can support others in the wider community.

These steps align with the Port’s aims of supporting their stakeholders and giving back to the local community as a Trust Port.

In line with the government guidance, Shoreham Port remains fully operational, with team members across the Port being considered ‘key workers’ as they are required to keep ‘water freight transport modes operating’. As the health, safety and welfare of their team and stakeholders is always a priority, the Port have put in place social distancing measures and limits on movement across the Port in order to minimise the risk of any infection restrictions on visitors. Where possible, colleagues are working at home on a rotational basis.

The Port also shared a community notice to remind Port Users to adhere to government advice on social distancing in areas such as the Port’s lock gates and notified stakeholders to the closure of the Harbour Arms.

As a responsible and fair landlord, Shoreham Port continue to support their tenants by paying all invoices in a timely manner and are working on support packages with all tenants who have contacted them. Their cleaning team are continuing their great work across the Port estate, and extra sanitation is in place at all locations.

Tom Willis, Chief Executive said: “I’d like to thank the whole Shoreham Port team for continuing to work so hard to keep our Port safe and moving under very challenging circumstances. Much like other organisations, we are adapting to new ways of working and supporting one another at the Port, as well as reaching out to our small business tenants and local community.”

The Port’s communications team have also created a Community Support on the Port’s website. The page lists a range of helpful resources; from links to local Mutual Aid groups in the local area, to food delivery services and even includes tips to manage working from home. Resources include initiatives from tenants of Shoreham Port, who came forward to reach out to one another to share key information, as well as to support small businesses for which the Covid-19 pandemic is a very challenging time.”

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25

Celebrating 450 years of legal excellence

The oldest law firm in operation - Guinness World Records www.ts-p.co.uk @pragmaticlawyer T 01892 510000

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

Money

SMART WAY TO GREAT DEAL PRESCRIBEd

26

Ashtons Hospital Pharmacy Services (Ashtons) has secured a significant investment from mid-market private equity investor LDC with the help of EMC Corporate Finance. The deal will help the existing management team to drive organic growth, further develop its software services, and expand its pharmaceutical warehousing and distribution infrastructure.

Headquartered in Brighton, Ashtons provides medicine management solutions to the UK independent healthcare sector and its services include clinical pharmacy support and the supply of medication.

Through its nationwide network of specialist clinical pharmacists and bespoke software technology, Ashtons’ services help clients to comply with healthcare regulations, professional and best practice requirements regarding medicine management.

In the last three years, Ashtons’ revenues have increased by 70% to reach £18.7 million in 2019 and the company currently employs 90 staff.

LDC’s investment will support the business’s organic growth strategy, as it continues to develop its infrastructure and distribution network and enhance its technology platform.

ON THE MOVE

Sussex accountancy firm MHA Carpenter Box is expanding in Crawley as it moves to new offices to meet the growing demand for its services.

The firm opened an office in Gatwick in 2015 and has seen business grow rapidly, outstripping all forecasts. Just five team members initially worked at the office but, five years later, the number has grown to over 40 business, tax and financial advisers, who work with businesses in and around the Crawley/ Gatwick area.

The new, larger premises at Peveril Court, London Road, Crawley give team members more room and allows for agile working so individuals can work flexibly and with minimum constraints to optimise their performance.

REMAIN COMPLIANT As the nation adapts to remote working for the foreseeable future, anti-money laundering service, Smart Search, has announced the launch of dedicated cover to help businesses remain compliant with money-laundering laws over the coming months.

With the government now stating all non-essential businesses should work from home where possible and minimise the amount of time we spend around other people, experts advise there’s never been a better time for regulated businesses to switch to an automated anti-money laundering (AML) platform.

According to figures from the National Crime Agency, money laundering costs the UK more than £100 billion pounds a year. John Dobson, CEO at SmartSearch, urges businesses to take note of the following three considerations: 1. Businesses in the property, legal and financial services sectors that are required to run identification and verification checks on customers before conducting any business, and still use physical documents to do so, are really going to struggle. If people are unable to come in with their documents for checking, it won’t matter if the rest of their business can be done remotely – because nothing can happen until those initial checks have been completed. This is why electronic verification is now so important.

2. Switching to an electronic system not only offers consistency but also allows your business to continue, as checks can be done remotely. Electronic systems will also help to save money, as full AML checks can

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

be completed within a matter of seconds.

These checks include Sanction, PEP, SIP and RCA screenings on every check, triggering Enhanced Due Diligence automatically for any clients that match, while daily monitoring ensures you are alerted if any of your clients’ statuses change.

3. In January of this year, the fifth money laundering directive came into force and stated that customer due diligence measures should identify the customer electronically wherever possible. It is possible that in a post-Brexit world, the FCA – or whatever agency takes over the control of our money laundering regulations – will take this even further and insist that electronic checks become mandatory. Although we cannot be sure whether electronic AML checks will become compulsory or not, and we don’t know how long our current situation will continue to impact our lives, we do know that using an electronic AML platform is the most reliable, secure and efficient way of conducting identification checks, Enhanced Due Diligence and ongoing monitoring.

John Dobson, CEO at SmartSearch, said: “It is really hard to see so many businesses unable to continue remotely, however, sectors such as property, legal and financial services shouldn’t suffer due to their AML checks. We hope by explaining the benefits of electronic verification, businesses will be confident they can continue to remain compliant with money laundering regulations.”

Money Now, as the Covid-19 pandemic dominates, business owners need to be on top of their business as well as in it, says Jenny Crockford.

That means good and regular management information.

It is not uncommon for entrepreneurs and business owners to very quickly become buried in the day-to-day running of the business. Long hours and working weekends are often the norm as a business takes off.

As the business grows into the equivalent of those awkward teenage years or when a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic strikes, it is important that business owners keep on top of the business to get those overview insights. It is the difference of being in a trade and being a businessperson.

Cashflow is king and is often the trigger for a business owner to look at how the business is performing and how it might need to evolve.

Regular management information is vital.

Management reporting Management reports will, quite naturally, be different from one business to the next, but they will typically include some of the following: Debtors – Debtor reports outlining who owes the business what and the length of outstanding invoices are essential. Businesses owners need to keep on top of its debtors, chasing for payment, and agreeing credit terms and limits. Depending on terms, business owners may want to look at its debtors at least once a month.

Bank balance – What is in the bank is not necessarily a good indicator of financial health but is critical in meeting short term liabilities. Check regularly.

Turnover by product or service lines – An understanding of where the money is coming from is vital. It will allow business owners to decide items to drop, where greater support is needed, and where to focus time and energy. Review turnover against profit per customer/client and time spent at least quarterly.

Profit – The saying that ‘turnover is vanity, profit

Pathfinder Business update

Stay on top of your bUSiness Management reports will keep entrepreneurs on top of their businesses is sanity’ rings true. A monthly profit and loss report showing income and expenses is vitally important, helping to spot trends, gaps in management information, and where costs are rising and when it might be time to renegotiate with suppliers.

Tax – Paying the HMRC on time is important to avoid unnecessary penalties. Particularly at the moment where HMRC have given automatic extensions for some tax payments, it is important to ensure management reporting includes alerts to the due dates of tax liabilities.

Online accounting Online accounting tools, like Xero and Quickbooks, make the creation of management reporting easier, quicker and in real time. It is possible to create dashboards that link to a bank account allowing business owners to make decisions based on the current financial position.

Reports are often visual, showing trends more clearly and include built-in checks to ensure information is as accurate as possible. Reporting offers greater flexibility, allowing, for example, debtor lists to include contact details to make chasing debts that much easier. Online accounting also allows the use of specialist apps, such as staff expenses or invoice factoring. By integrating these, the record keeping process becomes more efficient and so creates time for looking at the output reports.

Online accounting and its reporting puts

management in touch with the information that matters most at anytime and anywhere.

Business owners do not need to do this all by themselves or rely on online accounting software.

A good firm of accountants can help identify the best systems to put in place to ensure management information is as accurate as possible and delivered in a timely way.

But a great accountant can tell the story behind the figures, helping business owners make sense of the numbers. A second and fresh pair of eyes can help business owners make greater sense of the financial information. They should play the role of a ‘critical friend’ challenging a business owner to perhaps focus on things they may have overlooked or have been putting off.

Jenny Crockford

Business Advisory Manager at accountants and business advisers Kreston Reeves E: jenny.crockford@krestonreeves.com www.krestonreeves.com

Our complimentary Pathfinder - Business update provides insight and guidance for business owners, shareholders, directors and financial personnel of businesses and partnerships. To subscribe to this bi-monthly email newsletter, please email marketing@krestonreeves.com For all your business, tax and wealth needs.

Call: +44 (0)330 124 1399 Email: enquiries@krestonreeves.com Visit: www.krestonreeves.com

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

27

Legal

New firm with Significant

geographic footprint UK law firms Moore Blatch and Barlow Robbins have agreed to merge, creating a new regional powerhouse firm with a significant geographic footprint across the South East. The merger has been approved unanimously by the two firms’ respective partnerships.

Set to begin trading as Moore Barlow from 1 May, the new firm will comprise 70 partners, 272 lawyers and legal professionals, and a total staff of nearly 500 across six UK offices.

Moore Barlow will have a combined turnover of almost £40 million, putting it well within the roster of the UK’s top 100 law firms.

In terms of clients, Moore Barlow will be focused primarily on meeting the needs of private individuals and families, owners and managers of fast-moving organisations and businesses, and people whose lives have been affected by serious accidents or negligence.

Each of these groups require relationshiporiented legal advisors who are dedicated

to helping them find the best path through complex, difficult or stressful situations, a focus and approach which will set Moore Barlow apart in the marketplace. At the heart of the firm’s proposition will be a singular focus on people, both when it comes to clients and the firm’s 500-strong workforce across the UK. Bringing together both firms’ respective and highly complementary areas of expertise, Moore Barlow will boast some of the largest and most comprehensive teams of legal advisors in areas such as private client, clinical negligence and residential property, among others.

The firm combined will have offices in Southampton, Guildford, Woking and Lymington, as well as two locations in London (Richmond and the City). It will also be the sole UK legal advisor within Ecovis, an international network of more than 7,500 lawyers, accountants and consultants with capability around the globe.

free resources In a bid to boost support for NHS Charities, Kent-based legal firm, Outset Group, has made available, free of charge, a wide range of resources to support businesses, including guidance on implementing the UK Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS).

Their legal specialists have produced both guidance and, more importantly, template documents to allow businesses to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme whilst complying with employment law. These are available now on the website of their group business, Primed.

In return, those downloading the documents are encouraged to make a donation to the NHS Charities COVID-19 Urgent Appeal.

28

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April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

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Legal

Global software firm

WorkRite, the UK’s leading health and safety, DSE training and e-learning brand, has been sold in a deal advised on by EMC Corporate Finance.

The Berwick, East Sussex-based business, a subsidiary of Posturite, the UK’s market leader in the manufacture and supply of ergonomic furniture and equipment for the workplace, has been acquired by fast-growing global software firm Ideagen PLC, headquartered in Nottingham.

EMC CEO Nik Askaroff, said: “We are very excited and pleased to have helped this long standing client to sell WorkRite . It has tremendous potential for future growth which I’m sure will now be realised as part of Ideagen’s portfolio of federated GRC software applications” Ideagen CEO Ben Dorks said: “WorkRite offers a suite of e-learning solutions to ensure companies can keep up to date with current regulations relating to health and safety at work.

“From their origins as part of ergonomics business Posturite, WorkRite has a depth of knowledge in the provision of HSE and DSE that is unrivalled by other software providers and that is why we are keen to bring them into the Ideagen family.

Ian Fletcher-Price, CEO of Posturite, said: “The global reach, extensive client base and expert marketing capabilities of Ideagen, will ensure WorkRite’s fantastic suite of software products will get the attention and recognition they deserve. I am confident the products will be of great interest to Ideagen’s current and future clients and that WorkRite’s current clients will feel the benefits of being part of a much bigger business that is more focused on software development and implementation.”

snaps up WorkRite

› Left to right: Abigail Owen, DMH Stallard; Chris Jones, Posturite; Ian Fletcher-Price (Posturite); Nik Askaroff (EMC); John Yates, DMH Stallard

29 With the UK now living in lockdown, many separated couples have questions relating to the shared care arrangements they have in place for their children. The government guidance allows for these arrangements to continue; however, thought should be given to carrying out the arrangements in a practical and/or safe way.

Is our Child Arrangements Order still valid?

The simple answer is yes, as long as you follow the ‘rules on staying at home’ and the guidance issued by Public Health England (PHE).

Ongoing communication is key for parents to agree what is best for their child considering the circumstances. If direct communication between parents is not possible or permitted, parents should seek assistance through professionals such as

Gail Brooks Partner, asb law LLP T: 01622 656519 E: gail.brooks@asb-law.com www.asb-law.com

Shared care arrangements solicitors or mediators.

If an agreement cannot be reached and a parent stops allowing direct contact, then they should ensure that the ‘spirit of the order’ is followed; all other forms of indirect contact between the non-resident parent and child should be considered.

If the non-resident parent is aggrieved they may seek resolution from the courts. In these cases, the courts will take a view on whether the non-compliant parent acted reasonably and sensibly considering the official advice from the government and PHE.

What if one household is self-isolating?

Should one member of either household start to show symptoms, the rest of the household is required to self-isolate for 14 days. This includes the child if they are in the household at the time the symptoms start to show. Of course, if one parent is physically unable to care for them, they can stay

with the other parent, but that household should then also self-isolate.

If shared care arrangements need to be adjusted, it is important that the child is still able to engage in regular indirect contact with the other parent via daily phone calls and video calls where possible.

What if the shared care arrangements consist of contact in a public place?

Some care arrangements only allow for contact to take place in a public venue. With this not currently possible, parents should try to agree arrangements for the contact to take place in an alternate safe venue. If this is not suitable then direct contact may need to be temporarily suspended and regular indirect contact via phone calls and video calls should be encouraged. * From 17 April 2020, asb law LLP will be part of Knights PLC. To find out more visit www.knightsplc.com

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

Construction

Village life

The joint benefits of countryside living, with amenities on the doorstep, are offered to buyers of a new development in Sussex.

Berkeley Homes’ luxury two to five-bedroom properties built in the village of Rudgwick are a perfect combination of comfort and practicality, with the Surrey Hills and South Downs within easy reach for leisure time. A Coop store, pharmacy, post office and pub mean you’re never far from what you need, while nearby Horsham station offers a commuting time of less than an hour into London.

Prices start at £399.950.

30

Support praised Three councils have been praised for their support of small and medium housebuilders in Kent.

Planning departments in Medway, Maidstone and Swale are working with a network which brings together the smaller high-quality, bespoke housing developers. Each of the councils believes these companies are crucial in helping to meet the government’s housing targets.

Head of planning at Medway Council. Dave Harris, explained: “It’s great to see small developers recognising the role they can play by working together in this network. We are pleased to work with them. In recent years the proportion of new homes created by small housebuilders has dropped from almost 50% to 10%. This needs to be addressed.

“If we are to meet the government’s housing targets and support our local economy, then we must make use of small housebuilders who are willing to take on high quality projects on smaller

sites across Medway, rejuvenating communities and improving the diversity of our housing offer.”

Paul Henry, MD of Esquire Developments, one of the companies which founded the housebuilding network, said: “The response from the three councils has been great. They really appreciate the importance of small housebuilders and are being incredibly receptive to our efforts as a group. This was reaffirmed by chief planner to the government, Steve Quartermain, when he attended our last meeting.

“The whole purpose of the network is that it’s open to everyone and there’s always opportunity in the room. For some of us it’s about working together to discuss a planning issue, whereas for others it might be about cashflow or site identification. It’s up to each developer to decide how to make the most of it.”

Paul is happy to hear from similar developers who would like to join the network. His email is phenry@esquiredevelopments.com

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

SCHOOLS SCOOP £1K

FUNDING

Two Kent schools have each scooped £1,000 funding from a leading housebuilder.

Lower Halstow School in Sittingbourne and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Canterbury are the latest recipients of Community Champions awards from Persimmon Homes South East.

The national match-funding scheme seeks to support groups and charities working to improve the quality of life or environment across the region.

Martin Crick, sales and marketing director for Persimmon Homes South East, said: “The Community Champions initiative was established to support the volunteers, charities and organisations that make life better for everyone in the areas where we are creating new homes.”

The PTA at Lower Halstow School in Sittingbourne are a group of volunteer parents working to raise money to supplement the school budget. They are currently fundraising for a traverse climbing wall – one that goes across rather than up to increase the variety of activities available to the children. Other village groups will be invited to use the facility once installed.

Judy Haynes of the PTA said: “Thank you so much Persimmon Homes, this grant is amazing. Climbing is a great way to increase stamina, promote flexibility and coordination and improve motor skills and this facility will be of benefit to the wider community.”

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Aylesham, Canterbury is looking to create a calming and sensory area where children can relax and gain control of their emotions.

Carol Stuart, Business Manager at the school, said: “An increasing number of children with social and emotional needs are looked after at St Joseph’s and pupil wellbeing is an important part of that care.”

Community groups, charities and good causes across the country have benefited thanks to the donations from Persimmon Homes. Organisations can apply for funding by completing a simple online form at www.persimmonhomes.com/charity

Construction Regional housebuilder Persimmon Homes South East has stepped in to help the NHS by donating much-needed face masks and gloves.

Staff at Persimmon’s local office in Maidstone have gathered all of the spare PPE normally used on building sites and handed it over to be utilised by doctors and nurses on the frontline as the battle against Covid-19 intensifies.

The NHS is in desperate need of all safety gear due to a global shortage, forcing some hospitals to try and source equipment independently to keep employees safe from infection.

Brendon O’Neill, Managing Director of Persimmon Homes South East, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to step up and donate this much-needed equipment.

“Our NHS is doing a tremendous job in this fight

HOUSEBUILDER DONATES FACE MASKS TO LOCAL NHS against coronavirus. We all appreciate the work the doctors and nurses are doing to look after people in need and we’re pleased that we can help in this small way. They deserve to be as protected as possible.”

Persimmon Homes has donated PPE equipment to hospitals right across the UK. In order to protect the health of its employees, Persimmon has taken the decision to commence an orderly closedown of building work and temporarily close its sales offices across the country.

During the crisis, Persimmon is supporting groups

which benefit people aged over 70 with £64,000 of grants every month through its Community Champions scheme.

Community Champions has run since 2015, giving away two grants of £1,000 in each of the company’s 32 operating regions every month. It has been decided that the money will be targeted at over-70s groups for the foreseeable future.

Applications for Community Champions: www.persimmonhomes.com/charity

Groundbreaking at centre The official groundbreaking to begin the build of the Maidstone Innovation Centre took place on Wednesday 4 March, at the site located within the Kent Medical Campus part of the North Kent Enterprise Zone.

The event marked the start of the construction of the new Innovation Centre which will be a mixed-use med tech-based development providing flexible office space, facilities and business support for small and medium-sized enterprises working in the life science, healthcare and med-tech sectors.

The breaking ground was assisted by Maidstone Borough Council Leader – Cllr Martin Cox, along with Mark Mitchener, managing director of Rydon Construction who were selected as the partner for the development in 2019.

Speaking at the ground-breaking Cllr Cox

said: “This signifies a milestone for this exciting project in Maidstone and will contribute towards ‘Embracing Growth and Enabling Infrastructure’.

This outstanding building has taken just two years from the planning stage to where we are today. The Innovation Centre will encourage more people to start their med-tech businesses in Maidstone, ‘the business capital of Kent’.”

Maidstone Innovation Centre is scheduled to be open for business in summer 2021 and will act as a visible, engaging and vibrant business destination at the heart of the Kent Medical Campus and North Kent Enterprise Zone. Situated beside Junction 7 of the M20 - a site identified in the Maidstone Borough Local Plan as an opportunity to capitalise on the development of the area to attract high value, knowledge intensive employment and business as a

boost to the local economy.

As part of the North Kent Enterprise Zone, the Maidstone Innovation Centre will bring together businesses and organisations involved in finding solutions to complex healthcare issues and scientific research and development. It will provide 30,000 sq ft of usable workspace and is expected to support around 270 jobs boosting the economy by £120m over the next decade reinforcing the message that Maidstone is the Business Capital of Kent.

The Maidstone Innovation Centre is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund 2014-20 and has previously received funding from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.

Maidstone Borough Council is reinvesting over £5.2m in recovered business rates from the Enterprise Zone into the building.

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

31

Commercial Property

FACILITIES EXPANDed

32

The core of our existence is to connect, support, promote and represent our members. In the current crisis we are obviously not able to run events, which we know are popular, providing opportunities to make new contacts, deliver information and the chance to share best practice.

However, we are all working full-time from home to deliver on the support, promote and represent part of our commitment. We will keep everyone up to date on the business support available, we will shout as loud as necessary to government about the challenges we are hearing about, we will create a series of webinars and we will continue to promote businesses to each other.

One of the really positive things which often happens in a crisis is a fantastic level of camaraderie and support. This has been fully

demonstrated by one of our members who has co-ordinated Surrey Drive.

This campaign has been created by Surrey Event Professionals, a local networking group consisting of the county’s finest event experts. After seeing the heart-breaking stories of NHS workers unable to buy food at this critical time they identified a way to help.

With a large professional group of event caterers to hand, they knew they could supply meals on mass.

With a fundraising page in place to raise money for the produce, they set the caterers a task to produce 1,200 meals per week giving the frontline heroes at the Royal Surrey County Hospital access to a nutritious, immune-boosting meal.

These meals are being provided by some wonderful caterers who at this time of year would

Healthy living is at the heart of an ambitious city centre development in Brighton, with space allocated to pedestrians, cyclists and social space.

The £120 million Edward Street Quarter, the redevelopment of the former Amex House site, is being promoted by mixed use developers First Base as “a new neighbourhood for Brighton to work and play”, where emphasis is put on “the wellness of the individual, mentally and physically”.

Head of design at First Base, Daniel May, explained: “We have taken great care to design spaces that will promote community engagement and be a catalyst for social wellbeing.”

Emma Hards, a partner at estate agents SHW, which is marketing the development, said: “The modern office is no longer just a place we have to turn up for the nine to five, so the market’s prerequisites for office buildings have changed significantly over the last decade.”

ER COMM B E AM

normally be gearing up for the wedding season.

Instead they are working with Surrey Drive on one of their most important events to date. Such a positive story amongst the challenging times people are experiencing.

CONTACT Louise Punter, chief executive, Surrey Chambers of Commerce

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

NT

A heartwarming tale

Active space

CH

Dachser established its first branch office in the South East in 2005 and has now acquired a fit for purpose 2,700m2 new cross-dock terminal with 25 docking stations and five-level access doors. The combination of the two sites on Crossways Business Park now enables opportunities for production and service improvements for both cross-dock activities and contract logistics.

On top of Dachser's main import and export activities, there are many additional benefits for customers in the region including contract logistics and value-added warehousing, customs clearance and customs warehousing as well as optimising UK domestic distribution and providing a UK Gateway for North Africa, Turkey, and CIS traffic.

"This investment represents a unique development for our southern UK organisation, the Dachser European network, and all our customers," said Mark Rollinson, managing director of Dachser UK. "After 15 years of successful growth, we are now even better equipped to adapt and react to any future market challenges and maintain the service levels that our customers have come to expect."

"By offering our customers a full range of integrated services through this new 'Dartford Logistics Centre' we continue to fulfill our mission to create the most intelligent combination of integrated logistical services." Patrice Ollivier, general manager south, of Dachser UK, concluded.

@surreychambers

Commercial Property Hundreds of thousands of British SMEs have been turned down for property finance in the past five years, a new study has revealed.

Nearly a quarter of small and medium-sized companies said they had struggled to find the funds to move or expand – with inflexible lenders and a shortage of suitable property proving the biggest problems.

The research by specialist lender Together shows that even the 24% which have successfully completed property moves or upgrades still struggled to navigate a challenging funding processes.

Andrew Charnley, Head of Corporate Relationships at Together said businesses across the country were being turned down for finance, “potentially crippling their expansion plans”.

He said: “Property finance is crucial to help SMEs – which are the lifeblood of the UK economy – expand and boost productivity as well as creating jobs and offering better career development to staff.

“It is however a worry that accessing the finance they need is such a strain on firms, and doubly worrying that the business practice of lenders is an issue with firms saying finance providers are inflexible and do not understand their businesses.

“This kind of inflexibility could be crippling the expansion plans of many entrepreneurial firms.”

Finding a suitable property was ranked as the biggest problem by SMEs – nearly one in three (30%) said it was an issue – but the next four biggest challenges were all driven by issues with lenders and raising finance.

About 28% of firms said lenders were inflexible, while the same number – the equivalent of nearly 840,000 firms – had applications rejected during the process.

More than a quarter (27%) said they had to resubmit applications and nearly one in five (19%) said lenders did not understand their businesses.

However, successfully completing property deals was good news for the economy, according to the survey, with more than half (52%) of firms reporting increased revenue as a result. Over a third (35%)

Are you MISSING OUT ON

PROPERTY FINANCE?

said their profits increased and 47% of firms said they had taken on more staff as a result.

However, managing property moves or refurbishments can be a drain on SMEs, the research found. About 1 in 10 firms said project management took more executive time than expected while around 230,000 SMEs questioned said the property plans disrupted their existing business.

Mr Charnley said: “Lenders and other advisers can play a vital role in helping SMEs to deliver their plans but can also be a major barrier.

Lenders need to look at the bigger picture when making decisions and not just adopt a ‘one size fits all’ approach.”

According to the research firms in the South East are the most likely to have found moving premises difficult.

First tenants An imposing office block in Bexhill has taken its first tenant. High Weald House, on the town’s Enterprise Park, is suitable for small, medium and large firms and the first occupier, accountants and tax planners Acuity Professional, has taken space on the second floor.

The 25,674sq ft block was developed by Sea Change Sussex and offers offices from 621 sq ft to 22,511 sq ft. Flexible terms are available for the

small and medium units.

Acuity Professional, with head offices in the City of London, has moved its 30-strong Sussex regional team into High Weald House. Partner Debbie Hargreaves said: “Our firm has continued to grow and develop in recent years. This new office will give us a great hub to serve our clients and the Sussex business community as we establish the firm as a growing local accountancy and financial services player.”

Commercial Property Services • Sales

• Management

• Lettings

• Insurance

• Finance

• Investment Consultancy

Head Office: James Pilcher House, 49/50 Windmill Street, Gravesend, Kent DA12 1BG Telephone: 01474 537733

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

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ENTR Y

stand side by side once again to showcase their to over 3,000 visitors.

B u s i n e sproducts s V i s i o nand L i v services e

Show postponed We look forward to bringing you all together at the Kent Event Centre on 12th May 2021!

NEW E! T A D

Seminar topics include:

The South East’s largest business expo postponed from 13 for all of our stakeholders is to move the event a full year to May • The Human Aspect of isCrisis Management May 2020 to 12 May 2021.

2021. Protecting the health of exhibitors, visitors, contractors and • Putting Marketing atbythe of your Business Responding to recent announcements the Heart Prime Minister our own staff is always a top priority for Revolution Events but we and the Government, urged the publicDevelopments to avoid mass were keen not to over-react in the early stages of the outbreak, as • UKThe Latestwhich Infrastructure gatherings and minimise social contact due to the coronavirus/ decisions made in a panic are rarely very wise ones. At this stage, • outbreak The Gig Economy & New Ways Towith Work however, we can no longer see any chance of being able to run the Covid-19 – and following extensive consultation event partners Kent County Council, Kent Event Centre and Kent event safely in its original timeslot.”

• Personality-Based Marketing Invicta Chamber of Commerce – organiser Revolution Events has Mike Whiting, Cabinet Member for Economic Development announced the postponement of the forthcoming Business Vision at Kent County Council commented: “Kent County Council fully • How to Sell Better LIVE show to the equivalent time slot next year. endorses this as the right decision under these unprecedented Effective Remarketing Strategies The•next Business Vision LIVE will now take place at the Kent circumstances. I would like to thank the Revolution team for the Event Centre on Wednesday 12 May 2021, when it will continue huge amount of time and effort they have already put into this • Recruiting on Attitude to play a key role in bringing together the business community, year’s Business Vision LIVE and I share their disappointment that highlighting innovative Steps thinking,to generating connections and Greener it can no longer take place this May. However, I am sure the event • Practical Makenew Your Business boosting the local economy. will return next year bigger and better than ever.”

• Cybercrime & carefully e-Security Revolution Events had been monitoring the evolving status of the coronavirus/Covid-19 crisis since the outbreak started • Social & Content-Based Marketing earlier this year and was originally hopeful that the situation could Revolution Events and Business Vision LIVE send their best be brought control quicker than is proving possible. and under much much more... wishes to organisations across the UK at this difficult time and Rich Tribe, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Revolution Events hope that most of them will not be badly affected by the outbreak said: “Having assessed the current situation and reviewed the business calendar for the rest of the year, we considered a number in the medium-to-longer term. The response from the business community to our decision has been overwhelmingly positive and of alternative timing options and concluded that the best option we look forward to bringing you all together again at the Kent Event Centre on 12 May 2021, when we are confident that most of us will be getting back to business as normal.

A Message from Revolution Events and Business Vision LIVE

Save the date and secure your free place:

www.businessvisionlive.com

www.businessvisionlive.com NEW DATE: 12 May 2021 @BizVisionLIVE

Support through the crisis For information on exhibiting and our new sponsorship packages please get in touch:

Email Emily@revolution-events.com or call 01892 820939 Event Partners

and their members are working together to see how they can play their part, including gathering unused PPE equipment from local businesses and delivering them to the NHS. Businesses across the UK will welcome measures that help them contribute to the national effort to tackle the coronavirus. Action to speed up the production of these supplies will be vital to limiting the spread of the virus and reducing the burden on our health service.

Businesses will welcome the scale of the government’s specific support it is offering to some of the worst-affected parts of our economy. These measures could be a lifeline for many businesses across the UK who are now experiencing disruption as a result of the pandemic.

Cashflow remains an urgent concern for many businesses, so it’s vital that government support

CONTACT Ana Christie, chief executive, Sussex Chamber of Commerce @sussexchamber

B AM

ER COMM E

NT

The Sussex Chamber represents and campaigns for business, championing and supporting our members all across Sussex.

Our network is a powerful, collective force that is fighting for businesses of every size and sector across the UK at this difficult time. We understand the challenges businesses are facing and we’re SEB_Apr-May20_Revolution Events _FP.indd 1 working around the clock to deliver the support and advice needed at this critical time. Every day, the British Chambers are at the heart of fighting for the business response to coronavirus, raising issues our members face – both in Westminster and with decision-makers across the country.

Measures to cut red tape to allow companies to produce Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and hand sanitiser quickly have been announced. Chambers

CH

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31/03/2

packages reach businesses and people on the ground as soon as possible. Companies need practical details, at great speed, for these interventions to have the desired impact, and to reassure firms across the UK. We are at the forefront of helping businesses across the UK manage the impact of coronavirus.

Visit our ‘Coronavirus Hub’ to keep your business up to date with all the latest guidance and support available.

Training & apprenticeships

Help for TALENTED ATHLETES The University of Brighton has been accredited by an innovative Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) which will help young sports people pursue their ambitions while gaining qualifications.

The Sport England-backed programme allows athletes to reach their full potential in education alongside their successes in sport. By becoming a Dual Career Accredited Site, the University of Brighton will be a key part of the network of institutions which already partner with TASS, delivering core support services to more than 600 student-athletes each year.

These services include physiotherapy, nutrition, lifestyle support, psychology strength and conditioning and a private medical scheme.

Already among the elite athletes studying at the university are Sports Scholars George Mills, who recently won the British Athletics Indoor title over 1500m, and Wales international hockey player Lauren Roberts.

Barry Squires, Head of Sport at Sport Brighton – the university’s sporting arm – said: “We are extremely proud to have been awarded TASS Dual

› George Mills

©British Athletics Getty

Career Accreditation.

“Sport Brighton is committed to supporting our students achieve both academic and sporting excellence, under-pinned by strong professional relationships within schools to enable academic flexibility.

“The Dual Career Accreditation highlights our

dedication to supporting the overall personal, professional development and wellbeing of our student athletes through a comprehensive programme of support.

“We look forward to welcoming more talented high performance student athletes to the university as a result of this accreditation”.

The scheme has been backed by British Paralympic great, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who led the Duty of Care in Sport review, published in 2017: “I believe we have a duty to help young people to achieve their potential, whilst prioritising their welfare, wellbeing and education.

“For the vast majority of athletes, skills and formal qualifications are needed to help them find alternative careers, either alongside their sporting activities or once their sporting days are over.

“For me, the TASS Dual Career Accreditation Scheme is a vitally important measure to ensuring all athletes have the chance to pursue an education and enjoy a more well-rounded approach to life.”

TASS National Director, Guy Taylor, said: “We’re delighted to be awarding TASS Dual Career Accreditation.”

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CENTRE FOR HIGHER & DEGREE APPRENTICESHIPS University of Kent offer Higher and Degree Apprenticeships • Taking on apprentices is a cost-effective way to upskill your existing workforce, or attract talented people, with up to 100% of training costs fully covered by levy payments or government co-investment.

• Our management apprenticeships are underpinned by a certificate, a foundation degree or a bachelor’s degree in management.

• With flexible start dates (September, January & May), the degree programmes are delivered nationwide via blended learning – a mixture of on-line and face-to-face teaching.

For more information, including details on a fully managed service and other higher & degree apprenticeships contact T: 01634 888467 E: apprenticeships@kent.ac.uk www.kent.ac.uk/apprenticeships April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

Movers & SHAKERS New Finance Director

› Philippa Robinson

36

Investment in Corporate Finance Team

Ambitious and innovative logistics operator Europa Worldwide Group, which has its head office and 1hub based on Albion Road in Dartford, has promoted Adam McBride from Commercial Controller to Finance Director.

Since he joined in 2016 Adam has played an integral role in developing new financial systems including the launch of Leo Finance, Europa’s internal IT system, and delivered a new reporting system to create a more efficient way of reviewing finances across all Europa divisions – Road, Air & Sea, Warehouse, Showfreight, Contact Centre and Continental Cargo Carriers.

In addition to this, Adam has been heavily involved in the financial forecasting of Europa’s new £60million site at Corby. It’s most ambitious project to date.

As Europa’s Finance Director, Adam’s new role will include the overall management of the 30 strong Finance team.

Business advisory firm Quantuma has appointed Philippa Robinson as a director in its Corporate Finance Team.

Philippa joins Quantuma after qualifying with KPMG to become a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. In her role at KPMG, she spent time on both the Corporate Tax and Corporate Finance teams.

In her new role as director at Quantuma, Philippa will act as the lead advisor on a variety of transactions, including sale mandates, and management buy outs. She will play a key role in understanding the businesses that Quantuma advises, picking apart any issues and finding effective solutions.

› Nusrat Qureishi

Team bolstered Tunbridge Wells-based law firm CooperBurnett has appointed two new team members, corporate lawyer Nusrat Qureishi and litigation specialist Lee Quickenden.

Experienced corporate lawyer Nusrat Qureishi has joined the CooperBurnett Corporate and Commercial team as a senior associate. She was most recently with another regional law firm and has worked in the City too, building up wide experience and expertise in corporate law.

Lee Quickenden brings particular expertise in litigation and disputes. He will be working with Partner John Spence, who specialises in property litigation, in addition to supporting other areas, including the Private Client team. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives since May 2014, he was most recently with a firm in South London, working within its commercial litigation department for five years, and has worked in central London too, where he trained.

Lee specialises in all types of property litigation, including residential and commercial landlord and tenant work, dilapidations and service charge disputes. Lee’s work with the Private Client team will mainly involve contentious probate and trust claims, which includes Inheritance Act claims, removal of trustees and personal representatives, and revocation of Wills.

From Pickle to Fish!

Brands expert Laura Pace has taken on a new challenge, as MD of marketing and events agency Yellow Fish in Brighton.

She joins the agency from London brand experience agency Hot Pickle, where she served as business director, working on Magnum, Dove and Coca Cola, among other products. Her new role will be to help lead the development and strategic direction of Yellow Fish, supporting its plans to grow sustainably.

Laura said: “After eight amazing years at Hot Pickle, I’m excited to join the talented team at Yellow Fish and explore the diverse range of projects the agency delivers for its global portfolio of clients.”

Laura joins the board of directors and will gradually take over the responsibility for the day-to-day running of the agency, ensuring the team and clients continue to be well supported.

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

› Lee Quickenden

› Laura Pace and Maria Valentine

AWARDS

‘Triumph Over Adversity’ Winner Catsfield Christmas Tree Farm, near Battle, is celebrating after owner Clive Collins won the ‘Triumph Over Adversity’ award at the 2019/2020 Rural Business Awards’ National Final. In addition, employee Toby Ballard was Highly Commended in the category for ‘Rural Young Person of the Year’.

Clive and Toby had previously been named winners in their respective categories at the South East Regional Finals in October 2019. This allowed them to progress to the National Finals.

The ‘Triumph Over Adversity’ award was created to recognise and celebrate businesses or individuals who have overcome significant business or personal difficulties in order to succeed.

Clive said: “The panel told me I had been chosen not because I use a wheelchair, but for adapting and learning new skills to make my new business successful.”

Business Woman of the Year

On Friday 6 March, the cream of Kent business womankind turned out for the eighth Kent Women in Business Awards: a glittering, black tie evening hosted by Hilary Steele at the Mercure Great Danes Hotel in Maidstone.

It was an evening that would see Karen Deans, MD of Edenbridge-based, frozen food specialists field fare, taking a runner up award for the Growth Award and winning the coveted Business Woman of the Year Award for a business over five years old.

As Hilary Steele summarised, Karen won for her, “Drive to create a sustainable future, not only for [field fare] but also for their stockists. Karen is constantly looking for ways to develop their offering by monitoring food trends and customer consumer demands. She’s not afraid to take risks. She leads with her heart and is backed by a business brain.”

Best Ambient Manufacturer In a glittering, rock-themed event, hosted

by Scissor Sisters singer, Ana Matronic, some of the most influential brands in the food manufacturing industry gathered at The Marriott Hotel on London’s Grosvenor Square, to find out whose trophy cabinet would be swelled by one of the industry’s most prestigious awards.

Every year the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards invites the best in the business to compete for a crown across eight category awards, four Industry initiatives and four overall winner titles.

Having won the same title in 2014, Fudge Kitchen was again honoured to win the Best Ambient Manufacturer of the Year Small Company award.

› Fudge Kitchen MD Sian Holt & Production

Manager Arianne Mills (centre left and right respectively) receive their Award from Ana Matronic (far right)

37

This “guess at what matters” column, in this unprecedented period – where the use of the word “unprecedented” is unprecedented – comes to you from social isolation, something which millions of us are now enjoying.

Years ago, when flying into O’Hare Airport in Chicago there appeared to be a problem with our plane’s landing gear. We had to adopt crash positions and as we prepared to land the order “Brace! Brace!” filled the cabin. I can tell you fear makes your life flash before your eyes in slow motion, as you prepare for what in the moment seems like certain death.

Thankfully on that occasion it was a faulty warning light and we all survived, but I write about it now as the Prime Minister has screamed “Brace! Brace!” and moved to enforce lockdown.

Meanwhile, manufacturing and e-commerce businesses have been asked to continue to work on safely, as have the heroic clinical staff of doctors and nurses, as well as delivery drivers, the emergency services and so many more, not least the broadband engineers. This is a national effort, a national emergency. We seem largely to be pulling together,

becoming better neighbours to one another, as we find the time to talk and reach out more. One of the abiding outcomes of this crisis may well be stronger communities.

As horrible, sad and frightening the next few months are going to be, as we stare weeks ahead into the expected peak, we WILL get through and beyond this and in the end we will judge ourselves by how proud we are of the parts we played in this national emergency. Be kind, not selectively blind. It remains true that every virus has a silver lining.

My doctor has been on at me for years about my weight and its impact on my blood pressure and diabetes, but for whatever reason I figured I would be OK. Two weeks in self-isolation under threat of imminent death and I’ve been exercising like mad and have flipped my unhealthy diet. I’m four pounds lighter and my blood sugar numbers have nearly halved. Never waste a crisis.

The impacts of this crisis will be deep and long lasting. There will be the abiding memories of those

RT COMM E NT

Be kind, not blind

E

E XP

who ran into the burning building to help others as everyone else fled – the doctors, the nurses, the army of social care workers and many more.

It will also be the case that many generations will be paying back the colossal financial costs of this Covid war.

As horrible and frightening as life is at the moment, to quote Gerry and the Pacemakers “at the end of the storm there’s a golden sun and the sweet silver song of the lark. Walk on …”

CONTACT Alex Pratt, chairman of the Institute of Directors, South region

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

MOTORING – with Sue Baker

Chic and slick Glamour model: Volkswagen T-Roc

Clever Volkswagen. In the midst of World War C, otherwise known as the coronavirus, the VW logo has been temporarily amended by the company, distancing the V and W within their encompassing circle. It was a smart move of solidarity with its employees and customers, who are having to practise social distancing until the pandemic passes.

Traffic on South East roads is currently much

38

quieter than normal and what used to be the home of the London Motor Show has been turned into a 4,000-bed Covid-19 hospital alongside the Thames.

These are bizarre times.

So, as a welcome diversion from the gloom, here are a couple of interesting new cars that appeared on the scene shortly before the lockdown.

Volkswagen’s newest model is another SUV to join the mushrooming ranks of tall and competent models that are popular for their lifestyle flexibility.

This is the T-Roc, a bigger sibling for VW’s wellreceived T-Cross.

Chic-looking, with a stylishly executed design inside and out, the T-Roc brings a bit of glamour to the company car park and looks particularly good in this look-at-me red and black colour combination.

It comes in a choice of petrol and diesel engines, of which this 1.6 TDI diesel is likely to be a popular choice, but the range kicks off with a perky one-litre, three-cylinder petrol version that will suit those who want the car for commuting and mostly local area

use, rather than constant long-haul motorway trips.

Although to be fair, it’s a pretty competent cruiser and arguably the pick of the bunch, with lively acceleration and good economy.

The T-Roc’s boot size is 445 litres, stretching to 1,290 litres with the rear seats folded. Pricing starts from £19,630 for petrol models and from £23,035 for diesels. The 1.6 TDI Design test car comes in at £25,360, has a 111mph top speed and a 0-62 mph acceleration time of just under 11 seconds. Gearbox choices are six-speed manual or seven-speed auto.

Some models are four-wheel-drive.

Driving manners are pretty slick and ride quality is among the best of similar medium-size SUVs. There’s a bit more body roll on the bends than some, but the handling is grippy and steering feel is informatively good. Most versions are nicely refined, too, although the 1.6 diesel does make you aware of what’s under the bonnet when you put your foot down. Overall, though, it’s a thoroughly likeable drive.

Starts at £19,630 Photos: Sue Baker

445 - 1,290 litres 124 mph - Top speed 134 g/km CO2

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

11 sec 0-60 mph

111 mph

Starts at £17,735

39

In France it’s known as the Deux Mille Huit and it originally appeared back in 2013 as a chunky-looking SUV-crossover. Now in its newly launched second generation model, the Peugeot 2008 has grown up a bit and has a chunkier stance with a more muscled-looking bodywork.

The original car had a slightly puny look, but its successor has a much stronger kerb appeal.

Across the range, the new 2008 has good economy and pretty reasonable running costs, making it an interesting prospect as a familyorientated company car. It has a decent-sized boot at 410 litres, but the downside is rear seat knee room that is quite tight for tall adults. It’s fine for smaller ones and kids, though. It’s a plus that with the back seats stowed down, the total cargo space is quite generous at 1,400 litres.

Inside, the cabin design is pleasingly driverfocused with some quirky French details. You view the instruments over the top of the steering wheel,

Chunky and nimble Business savvy: Peugeot 2008

rather than through it as in most cars and the dials have a 3D look to them. There is a row of organ-stop switches in the middle of the dash that are easy for a tall driver, but a bit tough if you’re short for seeing the horizontal labels that tell you which is which.

Peugeot favours a smaller steering wheel than most manufacturers, which is useful for letting you see over it, but also clever for making the car feel quite sporty as you drive. Steering feel is pert,

115 mph

nicely light for manoeuvring, but weightier as speed increases. Body lean is slight and the car’s behaviour through the bends is nimble and likeably poised. It’s good to drive.

Prices for the new 2008 start from £17,735 for a 1.2 litre Pure Tech petrol model, and rise to £24,495 for a 1.5 litre Blue HDi. Our test car was a GT Line Blue HDi 100 at £26,480, with a 115 mph top speed and 0-62 in 11.4 seconds.

11.4 sec 0-60 mph

410 - 1,400 litres

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

Arts & Culture

Railway art Artist Liz Wilson will be delving into industrial heritage during her seven months in residence at the Coachworks site in Ashford.

She hopes to create new works using sound, moving image and sculpture, to portray the relationship between the town’s long association with the railway and, appropriately part of her

sponsorship comes from Hitachi Rail Europe via its Connect38 development.

Liz said: “In the coming months I will be creating new works responding to the industrial heritage

of Ashford and its overall significance within Kent.

The works produced during the residency period will culminate in an exhibition open to the public later this year.”

Building a crime series

40

Everything goes downhill when Poynter discovers a murder on his worksite. “Suddenly all of his financial problems seem a lot closer to home. Was this a warning his debts are overdue?” asks the blurb. “Suspected of being the killer and worried at being the intended victim, the murder makes Mark’s money problems worse, leading him to turn to the local villain, Hamlet, who has a unique repayment plan in mind for Mark…”

Matthew grew up in the Medway Towns, spending his school summer holidays helping out on his father’s building sites. After leaving school, he followed his father into the industry and over

I have to take my hat off to Kent County Council and all the local authorities in Kent.

All too often the public sector takes a bashing and are branded as being too slow and bureaucratic, but in response to Covid-19, I have to say a big thank-you on behalf of businesses across Kent.

As the scale of the impact on business became clear we knew we needed to develop a service to help local firms struggling to get to grips with the speed of the changes. Working with Kent County Council and all of our local authorities, we set up and launched a service to support our businesses in just over a week.

The resulting Covid-19 Business Helpline is provided by the Kent & Medway Growth Hub, the support service delivered by Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Kent County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.

A dedicated team of six call handlers is backed up by eight business advisers, each working

from home, who can answer detailed inquiries specific to the individual business, by telephone or video conference.

The helpline team is handling the frequently answered questions, to speed up the support with more complex inquiries being forwarded to the team of business advisers. Every adviser is up to speed with the latest government advice and receiving daily updates from a variety of public and private sector sources.

In the first five days following the soft launch, the helpline has received more than 800 calls. Of these calls more than 500 inquiries were passed on to the business advisers, who have been tasked with responding within 48 hours.

Cashflow is one of the major issues, particularly among our micro and small businesses. The government has launched some very generous and supportive measures, but sadly, by the time the money gets to business, in some cases it may be too late. They need the financial assistance and they need it now.

There are gaps in the support being offered by Government, particularly for the owner-managed businesses. As a chamber network, we are working

CONTACT Jo James OBE, chief executive, Kent Invicta Chamber

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

@invictachamber

the years has worked on everything from small domestic repairs to billion-pound projects. He still lives in Kent with his New Zealander wife, two young sons and “one very old, bad-tempered cat”.

Death of a Painter comes out in hard back, paperback and as an e-book on 27 April.

B AM

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Rising to the challenge

› Matthew Ross

CH

A new series of comic crime fiction, set against the competitive building industry of the Medway Towns, has been published by Kent writer Matthew Ross.

Death of a Painter introduces builder Mark Poynter, aided and hindered in equal measure by his trusted crew of slackers, idlers and gossips and the lengths they go to just to earn a living.

The blurb from publishers Red Dog Press, with offices in Medway, Kent says: “In the building game, time is money and money is everything.

Unfortunately for Mark Poynter, he’s run out of money and he’s fast running out of time.”

with government to try to see how best any gaps in provision can be filled and what tweaks are needed for the existing support.

Our message is clear. Government support needs to reach businesses and people on the ground as soon as possible.

Public and private sector working together can really make a positive impact in these uncertain times It has certainly provided a vital countywide support service.

It is expected that over the next three months the issues facing business will change, with the hope that the virus will be brought under control and businesses can look at how best to recover.

The team at the Covid-19 Business Helpline can be reached by calling 03333 602300. It is open 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday and further information can be found at www.kentandmedwaygrowthhub.org.uk

Arts & Culture

Creative and profitable

More than 200 creative enterprises in Ramsgate are helping to contribute more than £165 million to the UK economy, a report reveals.

The analysis of the economic impact of the Kent town’s creative sector was provided through a survey by Heritage Lab and Canterbury Christ Church University, with funding from Locate in Kent and Arts Council England.

CEO and founder of Heritage Lab, Rob Kenyon, said: “It is clear from this report that our diverse and growing creative sector is putting Ramsgate well and truly on the map and we aim to help the sector to thrive by regenerating some of Ramsgate’s amazing heritage buildings.”

Area director, South East, Arts Council England, Hedley Swain, said: “This is a really important initiative, one that aligns with the importance of place regeneration across the country. It reflects strongly what we want to achieve with the launch of Let’s Create.”

CEO and founder of Heritage Lab, Emma › From left - RobofKenyon Creative Estuary, Hedley Swain, area director of Wilcox, director Arts Council England, Professor Mike Weed of Canterbury Christ Church University, Jo Rossi and Anita Glover of Locate in Kent

©Terry Aplin

Support for music charity

A Brighton-based music charity supporting young artists has attracted sponsorship from a national law firm.

Irwin Mitchell has donated £5,000 to AudioActive’s community project to encourage young people to get involved in music. The grass roots charity has already nurtured up-and-coming artists, including hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks (Jordan Stephens and Harley Alexander-Sule), who come from Brighton.

The aim of the charity is to boost the careers of two under-represented artists a year. It also provides space for young men to take part in weekly rap sessions as part of a mental health project called Room to Rant.

Commercial lawyer with Irwin Mitchell, Aurelia Butler-Ball said: “AudioActive does amazing work, supporting budding young artists and developing community projects. We are proud to help.”

41

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News

BAFTA AWARD-WINNING

ART DIRECTOR joins

BRIGHTON STUDIO BAFTA award-winning games artist Jules Langran has joined mobile games company MAG Interactive as art director at its Brighton studio.

She left her previous role as art director at Plug-In, where she was part of the team that won a BAFTA Children's Award in the Interactive: Adaptive category.

Jules Langran will help the studio to create a new product and build on its success as a leading mobile developer and publisher of casual mobile games, including Ruzzle and WordBrain, played by millions

around the world.

Jules Langran said: "I was very impressed with the ethos at MAG. It was clear that they cared about their employees just as much as they care about their games. I knew I would be valued as an artist and instantly made to feel part of the amazing and talented group of people at MAG. They give you time to be creative while at work and that is where the best ideas are forged.”

David Amor, Chief Business Development Officer at MAG Interactive said: "We're so pleased to have

an artist of Jules Langran's calibre to join the team and she's already doing great work designing the look and feel of MAG Brighton's next smash game.

She's a really creative person to have around."

Jules Langran added: "It was amazing to win the BAFTA! I'm very proud that we won the award for work that helped children feel less stressed about hospital visits. The BAFTA win was really a team effort and Rebecca Deakin, who also works as an artist at MAG Brighton, was also very involved in the game that earned us that prestigious award!"

make the switch to electric 42

With car makers and the government on a mission to bring low-carbon motoring to the masses, the number of electric vehicles on the roads is set to increase rapidly. In turn this means that the charging infrastructure in the UK will expand at an extensive rate to encourage more drivers to make the switch to electric.

The UK charging infrastructure is well underway with a large push from the government, electricity providers and car manufacturers, all aiming to ease EV adoption. Home and work charging is ideal for those who have private or off street parking, due to vehicles being idle for a number of hours, allowing you to charge. For those who don’t have off road parking, public chargers play an important factor in ‘filling up’. The charging hub is one model; supermarkets, shopping centres and the like are in the game to ease charging for drivers. Whilst there are more EV charging stations than petrol stations in the UK, it ultimately falls down to having the right type of charging infrastructure in the right places.

Paul Harris, Fleet Controller for EVision Electric Vehicle Hire, based in Strood, Kent, says: “The placement of public EV chargers is a key player in the uptake of EVs, for example at petrol stations, they will be seen by drivers of other vehicles while refuelling, which will give those drivers greater confidence that the infrastructure is there and that they are in convenient, familiar places.”

There are numerous different companies and organisations installing and running public EV charging networks in the UK, such as; Tesla, Pod

Point, Polar and BP Chargemaster, to name a few. Payment for their use varies from network to network, as some include the use of a pre-loaded card others work through the use of a smartphone app. Tesla Superchargers automatically recognise the

vehicle meaning that you do not require a charging card or app.

Drivers looking to make the switch to electric should feel confident that the charging infrastructure is growing at a rapid rate.

If you would like to know more about electric vehicles, the new government initiatives and tax changes, as well as have the chance to drive various electric vehicles, head over to www.evrent.co.uk/masterclass

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

THE LAST WORD

Left

hand, right THE hand…

Rosemary French blows her lid Since we built our new home over a year ago, our neighbour has been paying for our electricity meter and vice-versa. We have spent the past six months trying to resolve this with two well-known utility companies involved.

It has been a stressful experience, although I admit it has paled into insignificance in the face of Covid-19.

I speak on the phone to the utility companies once a week, wasting up to an hour on average before I even speak to a human being. They promise faithfully to sort it out and to phone me back. Of course, they do not and a week later I go through the same routine.

I get a different person in a different call centre, in a different country even. As that history of calls, conversations and promises gets longer, the more frustrated I become. I have been given such excuses as GDPR stops them from discussing my neighbours’ bill; that I need to talk to the Post Office because my address is incorrect on their national database; that the photographs of my meter sent to them did not prove it was my meter because it could be on anyone’s wall; that we must be using the same electricity source.

All it needs is for an engineer to come out and check for himself, but that would be too expensive, I suspect. I laughed when one of them searched for my house on Google and exclaimed “oh yes, there is a house there!”

Eventually I blew my lid and launched a

LAST

WORD

Twitter storm. The next day I received an email confirming that at last I have a case worker and some action is taking place – or so they promise. They have admitted it was a manual error inputting the meter numbers, but it is still not resolved.

The point of telling you this is that each customer service person was helpful, friendly and conciliatory, but they were not connected directly to the engineers, or their back office, or their accounts and payments sections, some of which were outsourced.

The information might have been on their customer service system, but each time they have to have separate conversations with individual departments to pass on the message. In effect, the customer service people can only placate and reassure me that they will not be cutting off my neighbour’s electricity because I have refused to pay any more bills for energy I have never used. Then, of course I get threatening letters saying they are sending the bailiff s in for an unpaid bill because one hand is not talking to the other.

The answer is simple. A good process improvement tool would make such a difference, combined with the leadership to implement it. Such tools have long been used by the manufacturing industry, but here is a

classic example in the service industry of two large utility companies not providing a customer service, despite all their fancy advertising claims.

I remember when the Engineers Employers’ Federation (EEF) used to train businesses in process improvement and Business Link promoted it heavily. That was for small businesses, but I never dreamed that a large business had not adopted process improvement.

April/may 2020 | www.southeastbusiness.com

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12th May 2021, Kent Event Centre, Detling

Business Vision LIVE will be back in 2021 for our 15th outing Where businesses across the South East will stand side by side once again to showcase their products and services to over 3,000 visitors.

FREE ENTR Y

We look forward to bringing you all together at the Kent Event Centre on 12th May 2021!

NEW E! T A D

Seminar topics include: • The Human Aspect of Crisis Management • Putting Marketing at the Heart of your Business • The Latest Infrastructure Developments • The Gig Economy & New Ways To Work • Personality-Based Marketing • How to Sell Better • Effective Remarketing Strategies • Recruiting on Attitude • Practical Steps to Make Your Business Greener • Cybercrime & e-Security • Social & Content-Based Marketing and much much more...

Save the date and secure your free place:

www.businessvisionlive.com @BizVisionLIVE

For information on exhibiting and our new sponsorship packages please get in touch:

Email Emily@revolution-events.com or call 01892 820939 Event Partners