AUTUMN 2016
Buffaload Logistics relocates to Skelmersdale
Small Business Saturday
Growth Support for businesses
And much more‌ Economic Regeneration at West Lancashire Borough Council
Let’s talk Business - AUTUMN 2016
Ormskirk monitors town centre footfall Delivery of the Ormskirk Town Centre Strategy has made further progress with the exciting news that Springboard, a market leader in the provision of high street footfall counters, has been appointed to measure footfall data within Ormskirk over the next 5 years. The Strategy identified that there was a lack of data to help measure the strength of the town centre and that a footfall monitoring system would help provide an understanding of how the town centre is being used. The system will detect early signs of change so that relevant measures can be put in place as well as helping to measure the effectiveness of future marketing campaigns and events.
Property of the month Unit 1, Wheatsheaf Walk, Ormskirk L39 2XA West Lancashire Borough Council is excited to announce a prime retail unit ‘To Let’ in a prominent, busy location on the pedestrianised Burscough Street, Ormskirk. This large well-kept retail unit offers great frontage and benefits from an open plan ground floor space with ample storage and kitchen facilities to the first floor.
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David Wilkinson, Manager at Marks and Spencer, Ormskirk and member of the Ormskirk Town Centre Management Group said:
The footfall monitoring system will enable the Management Group to judge the success of events and promotional campaigns. It will also identify when visitor numbers are at their highest and lowest and help the group in its work to support local businesses.
The Ormskirk Town Centre Strategy is a five year plan which sets out actions to ensure that Ormskirk continues to thrive, serving both the people of West Lancashire and attracting new visitors to the town. To find out more and to read the Strategy visit www.westlancs.gov.uk/regeneration
Up-coming Christmas Celebrations Accommodation:
Ground Floor approx. 58.99sq.m. (635sq.ft) First Floor approx. 62.04 sq.m. (668sq.ft. )
Terms:
The premises are to be let by way of a new full repairing and insuring lease for a term of years to be agreed. Flexible terms are available.
Rent:
£25,000 per annum exclusive of VAT
Rates Payable:
£11,058.25 (2016/17) All prices are quoted exclusive of VAT To find out more or request a viewing contact Sara Tomison Estates Surveyor on 01695 712612 or email sara.tomison@westlancs.gov.uk
Do you run a retail / hospitality business? Would you like to take up a stall in the town centre marquee, as part of the Christmas lights switch-on celebrations on Friday 25th November? Contact Jane Coyle, Retail and Events Officer on 01695 571328 or email chapel.gallery@westlancs.gov.uk
Small Business Saturday is coming soon 3rd December 2016 Small Business Saturday (SBS) takes place on 3rd December 2016 and is a grass roots, non-commercial campaign, which highlights small business success, encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and small businesses to get involved; whether they be a family business, local shop, online business, wholesaler, business service or small manufacturer.
Sara Parker, Marketing Manager at Face for Business (a UK telephone answering service), Burscough has taken on the role of West Lancashire Champion for Small Business Saturday, and has supported the campaign since it was first launched in 2013. How did you first become involved in SBS? In December 2013 when Face for Business had not long been set up, I came across an online article promoting Small Business Saturday’s launch campaign. I felt it would be a great way of promoting our new company and so I signed us up to be profiled on the SBS website in their top 100 business list. Soon after signing up our Director Andy McGregor was invited to 11 Downing Street for a special reception, to meet with the Business Minister along with other small businesses from across the country. This was such an honour and as a new small business it was a great achievement in our first year of trading.
What attracted you to the role of SBS Champion for West Lancashire?
I want to help other small businesses in the area to get involved. I’m also very passionate about shopping local and supporting independents. I know a lot of people who run smaller businesses that are not so internet or social media savvy and wanted to pass on my knowledge and experience to them. I took it upon myself to visit as many local businesses in the area as I could to make them aware of the campaign, how to join and explained the benefits. What are the benefits of being involved in the campaign? Small Business Saturday will help raise the profile of your business. Businesses can promote themselves on the day via the #smallbizsatuk hashtag as well as register on the small business finder section on the Small Business Saturday website. It’s a great way of getting the local business community involved. As part of the campaign Small Business Saturday encourages all businesses taking part to change their profile pictures on their social media channels to the SBS logo, to help promote the campaign as well as all those taking part. Using the hashtag is crucial to being seen on the day itself, via Twitter and Instagram. How will the SBS message get out there to businesses? Leading up to SBS I will be knocking on doors of local West Lancashire retailers and businesses to drum up interest and provide information on how to get involved. My advice to any small retailer or business would be to:
Register your small business on the Small Business Finder section of the campaign website https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk. com/small-business-finder
Look out for the SBS Bus Tour which will be heading up and down the country, you can meet the SBS team along with other small businesses.
Contact myself for further information and support on how best to promote your business on the day.
Sara is also holding a drop-in social media clinic on Small Business Saturday, 3rd December. This is free of charge to small businesses but places are limited and on a first come first served basis. To find out more e-mail sara.parker@ffb.co.uk
For further information on how to get involved in Small Business Saturday visit www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.org.uk 3
Let’s talk Business - AUTUMN 2016
Skelmersdale welcomes new inward investor Buffaload Logistics Q &A Julie Feltwell Managing Director
West Lancashire Borough Council welcomes the arrival of Buffaload Logistics to West Lancashire; a large logistics company which have recently re-located to newer, bigger premises in Skelmersdale. The Council’s Economic Regeneration team were keen to find out more and recently met with owner Ross Taylor and Managing Director Julie Feltwell at their new premises to welcome them and offer our support.
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Tell us about Buffaload?
Buffaload are a specialist, high volume temperature controlled logistics company and operate the largest independent fleet of double-deck trailers in the country. Our trailers carry up to 60% more load than conventional trailers which help keep food-handling costs down, ensures fewer vehicle movements and reduces Co2 emissions. We work on behalf of major retailers, collecting and delivering chilled foods to their regional distribution centres throughout the country, 365 days per year, from our four depots in Skelmersdale, Huntingdon, Avonmouth and Livingstone in Scotland. Our roots lie in potato farming and date back to the 1890’s. We farm over 600 acres of potatoes in the rich peaty
soils of the Fenland countryside in Cambridgeshire. These are grown for our sister company, Corkers Crisps. Keep an eye out for them; they are a fantastic tasting crisp! Made from our own potato variety and grown exclusively by us. www.corkerscrisps.co.uk
Why did you choose Skelmersdale as your business location?
We had been based in Wigan for five years but had outgrown our existing site and so chose Skelmersdale because of its ideal location: it is situated close to the motorway network which enables easy access to our Scotland depot and to other destinations across the country. We also find that the work ethic of the West Lancashire folk is just what we need to help grow our business.
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Place Board update Over the past few months business leaders from Skelmersdale, supported by the Council and place specialists thinkingplace, have been developing an exciting placeshaping strategy designed to put Skelmersdale firmly on the map as a place to do business. Part of this work has been to create ‘the Skelmersdale story’ - a visual identity and narrative that can be shared by all with a stake in the success of the borough to attract investors, visitors and residents; and to position Skelmersdale as a key player in the Northern Powerhouse to create skills, jobs and wealth. A special breakfast event is being planned to launch the brand and the Skelmersdale Ambassador programme and further details will be coming soon.
Is it important to your business to forge local connections? eg: with local businesses and other networks such as the Council. If so how would this benefit your business? Working with local businesses is very important to us and we have already forged relationships with local suppliers to source building materials for the ongoing modifications to our Skelmersdale depot, along with employment agency companies.
We have found West Lancashire Borough Council to be very welcoming and keen to help and support us. We must say, this is very refreshing! We will be extending our local supplier base and continuing to develop current relationships. It’s certainly our intention also, to build on the relationship we have with the Council and through close team work, we are sure to be taking on many more local people over the coming months and years.
Place board member Steve Jones Director of Fairbanks Environmental said;
these are exciting times for Skelmersdale, with the creation and development of the new brand we can begin to promote the great opportunities Skelmersdale has to offer in order to attract new investment. Ensuring the long-term success of the place whilst positioning itself regionally, nationally and internationally.
Logistics a key sector in West Lancashire
To find out more about the Skelmersdale Place board, brand launch event and Ambassador programme, contact the Economic Regeneration team at lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk
As this sector grows there is a need to create and develop a skilled workforce to meet the demand.
Do you employ apprentices and local people?
In addition the college has a wide commercial offer, including qualifications in Manual Handling, IOSH & NEBOSH which are recognised within the sector.
Absolutely, we currently employ seventy six people from the area. We don’t have apprentices as of yet, but this will be on the agenda in the coming months with support from the Council. We have also signed up to the Council's Employment & Skills Charter to support local employment and skills initiatives. As we continue to expand, we expect the number of local people we employ to grow significantly.
Do you have any future plans for Buffaload?
Yes, we have an exciting plan for our Skelmersdale site. We see this location becoming more strategically important in the coming months and years and it will almost certainly double in size in the next one to two years. This will require more employment in the area to help reach our goals and who knows, we may need to look for further local warehousing. We are always looking for class 1 local drivers and we put all our employment opportunities on our website. For further information about Buffaload Logistics please visit www.buffaload.co.uk
West Lancashire College are experts in delivering bespoke training solutions for employers, providing industry recognised qualifications alongside high quality training. The college is able to offer Apprenticeships in Warehousing and Driving Goods Vehicles as well as office based qualifications in Business Administration, Customer Service & Management.
For more information on how West Lancashire College can support your business, please contact the Apprenticeships Team on 01695 52300.
Did you know? The transport and storage sector accounts for 3100 jobs in West Lancashire Source: WL Economy Study 2014.
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Let’s talk Business - AUTUMN 2016
From Apprentice to Ambassador The Lancashire Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network is a joint initiative set up by the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub and the Lancashire Work Based Learning Executive Forum, and is part of a country-wide drive to champion apprenticeships, increase training and employment opportunities for young people and raise skills among Lancashire’s workforce. One of its aims is to encourage apprentice ambassadors to share their own experiences with others as well as support activities such as:
• Promoting apprenticeships to employers • Attending school events and careers fairs • Supporting young people considering an apprenticeship Portia Taylor-Black works at West Lancashire Borough Council and is also studying towards her NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration. She was selected to take part in the Ambassador Network and said:
I’m looking forward to sharing my apprentice experience with employers and other young people. I believe apprenticeships are a great pathway and the Ambassador Network will provide me with the opportunity to tell my story, whilst promoting apprenticeships as a whole.
If you would like support to recruit an apprentice, information on the Council's apprenticeship grant for employers or if your current apprentice would like to join the Ambassador Network, please contact Tracey Shaw Business Engagement Officer on 01695 712555 or email tracey.shaw@westlancs.gov.uk
Employment & Skills Charter members support local careers event The Council’s Employment & Skills Charter is already making a big impact in supporting local employment initiatives. A number of West Lancashire businesses including internationally renowned Hotter Shoes and Trelleborg Offshore UK recently gave up their time to take part in a mock interview day held at West Lancashire College. Organised by UpHolland High School and assisted by West Lancashire College and the Council, over one hundred Year 10 students attended and took part in a jam-packed day of career focused activities, including a one-to-one interview with a local business and were asked questions they may face when sitting a real job interview.
Assistant Head Teacher Paul Smith said:
Our pupils learnt important life-skills which will help them when applying for college courses, apprenticeships and future jobs. We are grateful to the College, West Lancashire Borough Council and the local employers for assisting us with this event
The Council’s Economic Regeneration team encourage their Charter members to support employment and skills activity in the borough; Andy Wood from Trelleborg Offshore UK, Skelmersdale said:
We thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the young people at the mock interview day. Our participation was part of a wider commitment to the Council’s Employment Charter by influencing the development of skills and employability in West Lancashire as well as promoting the Trelleborg Offshore name to the engineers and chemists of tomorrow!
The Council's Economic Regeneration team are dedicated to supporting employment and skills initiatives and are keen to work with local businesses, schools and colleges. To find out more about the Employment & Skills Charter and how to become a member contact Tracey Shaw Business Engagement Officer on 01695 712555 or email: tracey.shaw@westlancs.gov.uk 6
Give your business a BOOST If you’re looking to start or grow your business, Boost Business Lancashire has a range of free and funded support programmes to help your business succeed! Available support includes leadership development, growth planning mentoring and start-up help – and much more.
Support to start and grow your business BOOST Business Lancashire has launched two exciting business support programmes aimed at potential entrepreneurs across Lancashire looking to start their own highgrowth business and existing enterprises trading and less than 3 years old.
Lean Launchpad This 2-day programme is designed to equip you with the tools, knowledge and techniques not only to launch a successful enterprise but also to accelerate your growth; including: • Access to bespoke, innovative workshops • Access to a wide range of growth tools • One-to-one coaching with a wide range of sector specialist growth coaches • Personal Action Planning
Grow How Master Classes Grow How Master Classes help your enterprise tackle complex growth challenges and provide you with the knowledge and tools to overcome barriers to reach your growth potential; including: • Specialist coaching • Networking and growth opportunities
Am I eligible? • Operate Business- to-Business (B2B) • Based in Lancashire • Under 3 years old • Can achieve a turnover in the region of £250,000 over 3 years • Can create 3 jobs over 3 years
• Peer to peer coaching with a range of specialist growth coaches • Growth Action Planning
Find out more: For further information on the above programmes or to speak to a member of the team about other support programmes visit www.westlancs.gov.uk/business or contact the Economic Regeneration Team today on 01695 712692 or email: lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk
Growth Mentoring Programme The Growth Mentoring Programme is aimed at established high growth businesses and accelerates their growth by identifying and removing barriers such as business planning, finance, sales, marketing, and human resource management. Each business will be matched with a knowledgeable and experienced business mentor who will share their knowledge, experience and skills to help make effective decisions and develop a high quality growth action plan. Business mentors are available for every eligible business sector and are free to the business. Businesses choose the location and time of the support to suit their availability.
Who can apply: • Established small and medium sized companies that are about 3 years old or over and operate on a business-to-business basis • There are some sector restrictions • Located in, or moving into Lancashire • Able to show growth potential that will lead to job creation Start the conversation today for further information about BOOST Business Lancashire support contact the Economic Regeneration team on 01695 712692 alternatively email: lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk 7
Let’s talk Business - AUTUMN 2016
Dates for your diary Coming soon… Skelmersdale Brand Launch*
Date: To be announced soon, register for details Venue: West Lancashire College, College Way, Skelmersdale Time: 7.45am-9.30am Cost: FREE
A special breakfast event is being planned to launch the new brand visual and narrative which will help to put Skelmersdale on the map as a place to do business. This event is the culmination of months of work by business leaders, council representatives and other stakeholders who have contributed to this process, sharing insight and opinions about what makes Skelmersdale a great place to live, work, study and invest. As well as the launch of the brand visuals, we will be hearing from a range of guest speakers and launching the Skelmersdale Ambassador programme. Breakfast will be provided and there will be opportunities for networking. Intrigued to learn more? To make sure you don’t miss this event, register your interest with the Economic Regeneration Team and be the first to know when the date is announced. Email lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk or call 01695 712692.
Wigan Expo 2016*
Date: Friday 7 October Venue: Robin Park, Wigan WN5 0UH Time: 10am - 4pm Cost: FREE
Wigan Expo is one of the largest North West business exhibitions which attracts over 1000 people and show cases around 140 businesses. Visitors / businesses can benefit from a range of free seminars, networking and advice from a range of experts.
Economic Regeneration team: Paula Huber Economic Regeneration Manager Kate Pierce Principal Economic Regeneration Officer Tracey Shaw Business Engagement Officer Anoek Petit Business Development Officer Dominic Carr Senior Planning Officer (Regeneration) Lisa Ratican Economic Regeneration Officer Portia Taylor Black Economic Regeneration Support Officer To discuss your business needs contact us today; we are happy to come and meet with you at your place of work or have a chat on the phone. Tel: 01695 712692 or email: lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk
To pre-register your attendance visit www.wigan.gov.uk/wigan-works/business/expo *All event details correct at time of print
RATULATION G N S CO Two top performing Skelmersdale businesses are celebrating joint success after scooping the highly commended Queen’s Award for Enterprise. The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious business awards, given only to companies or individuals who are outstanding in their field.
Council services can be accessed online at: www.westlancs.gov.uk or by calling: 01695 577177 Business Rates www.westlancs.gov.uk/businessrates Planning and building control www.westlancs.gov.uk/planning
The following awards were presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, Barron Shuttleworth
Estates and property www.westlancs.gov.uk/business/ business-location-links
Aqua Fabrications Ltd
Licensing www.westlancs.gov.uk/licensing
Aqua Fabrications, based at Garnett Place, East Gillibrands, received the award for “innovation” in rail drainage systems.
Fairbanks Environmental Ltd
Fairbanks Environmental Ltd, based at White Moss Business Park, won the Queen's Award for outstanding achievement in international trade. They have seen overseas sales grow by 350% in three years. Has your business recently won an award? If so send in your details to: lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk to feature in future editions of this newsletter and the Council's website www.westlancs.gov.uk/business
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Useful Contacts Council Services
Refuse and recycling – trade waste collections www.westlancs.gov.uk/refuse-recycling/ trade-waste-collections.aspx If you have any news you would like us to include, or to find out about advertising opportunities in future editions, please email: lisa.ratican@westlancs.gov.uk Please note that not all contributions can be used and information may be edited to fit.