SBT October 2018 ISSUE 426

SBT

ISSUE 426

FREE

SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

LOVE LOCAL JOBS FOUNDATION LAUNCH SQUARE ONE WEALTH MANAGEMENT THIS MONTH WE WELCOME TO OUR FINANCE SECTION SQUARE ONE WEALTH MANAGEMENT, AS WE MEET WITH PARTNER NICK JENNER

ICON OF THE FOOTBALL WORD HARRY REDKNAPP HAS KICKED OFF THE LOVE LOCAL JOBS FOUNDATION AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH IN BRIGHTON

VENUES

WE CHAT WITH NEW GENERAL MANAGER OF THE OLD SHIP HOTEL, JASON BRANWELL

IN THIS MONTH’S COVER FEATURE SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES’ FOCUS IS ON NICHOLAS JAMES SALES & LETTINGS, WHO HAVE CREATED A NEW MODEL OF ESTATE AGENCY. WE TALK TO FOUNDERS NICK DALEY AND JAMES PERRY TO FIND OUT MORE

SERVING THE SUSSEX BUSINESS COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

SBTWelcome MEET THE TEAM

Sam Thomas, Managing Director/ Publisher

Greg Carroll, Partner

Mark Butcher, Partner

James Morrison, Production

Belinda Bennett, Editor/ Head of Social Media

Stephen Lawrence Photographer Snap it Now

CONTRIBUTORS

James Dempster, Managing Director, Cobb Digital

Ian Dawes, Partner Coffin Mew.

Welcome to our latest issue of SBT! As the winter months set in we have another packed issue for you with all the local news, local insights and reviews from across the county. SBT continues to give a voice to the Sussex business community. We hope you enjoy the issue.

This month’s cover feature focus is on the new estate agents on the block, Nicholas James Sales & Lettings. We talk to founders Nick Daly and James Perry to find out about their first year in business as well how they are the new wave when it comes to selling or renting your property.

As media partners this month we are delighted to cover and be part of the Love Local Jobs Foundation launch in Brighton. This was kicked off by icon of the football word, the legend Harry Redknapp at a truly fantastic event.

Read all about it in these pages.

We have a Q&A with Jason Bramwell, the new general manager at the fantastic Old Ship Hotel.

As always alongside these great features we have Ask the Expert columns and our Made in Sussex feature, with acclaimed Sussex bespoke Jewellery company RTFJ. As ever our popular motor section, sponsored by Rivervale Leasing to understand hybrid for businesses. This month’s hotel review is on the fabulous boutique Charm Hotel in Brighton. With these pages we bring you some fantastic Q&A’s with Spice Circuit’s Chef Kanthi and hear about his fabulous journey, charity work and what is next. As well as your usual local, national, motoring and chamber news.

Enjoy this month’s read.

Sam Thomas, Managing Director

Stacy Keech, Wills, Trusts & Probate, Coffin Mew

Kayvan Khoroosi, Partner PJCO Accountants

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 3

Issue 426

SBT

ISSUE 426

FREE

SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

LOVE LOCAL JOBS FOUNDATION LAUNCH SQUARE ONE WEALTH MANAGEMENT THIS MONTH WE WELCOME TO OUR FINANCE SECTION SQUARE ONE WEALTH MANAGEMENT, AS WE MEET WITH PARTNER NICK JENNER

ICON OF THE FOOTBALL WORD HARRY REDKNAPP HAS KICKED OFF THE LOVE LOCAL JOBS FOUNDATION AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH IN BRIGHTON

VENUES

WE CHAT WITH NEW GENERAL MANAGER OF THE OLD SHIP HOTEL, JASON BRANWELL

IN THIS MONTH’S COVER FEATURE SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES’ FOCUS IS ON NICHOLAS JAMES SALES & LETTINGS, WHO HAVE CREATED A NEW MODEL OF ESTATE AGENCY. WE TALK TO FOUNDERS NICK DALEY AND JAMES PERRY TO FIND OUT MORE

SERVING THE SUSSEX BUSINESS COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

Cover: Nicholas James

Managing Director/Publisher Sam Thomas sam@thebusinessgroup.co.uk 01323 819 012 Head of Production Sam Thomas sam@thebusinessgroup.co.uk Web Designer/Developer Tom Alexander Accounts: Clare Fermor accounts@thebusinessgroup.co.uk 01323 819 016 Published by The Business Group Sussex Ltd. Unit 1a Swan Barn Business Centre, Swan Barn Road, Hailsham, BN27 2BY Printed by L&S Printing Limited Hazelwood Close Worthing BN14 8NP 01903 821005 www.ls-printing.com

All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Sussex Business Times Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of The Business Group Sussex Ltd. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Sussex Business Times Magazine assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from the participation in any offers, competitions or advertisement contained within Sussex Business Times Magazine. All prices featured in Sussex Business Times Magazine are correct at the time of going to press.

Copyright The Business Group Sussex Ltd. 2018 ©

4 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

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News

View the latest local and national headlines.

Spending It

As winter months draw in we have some Christmas Crackers.

Finance: Protecting your business from internal and external fraud

Andrew Dix, sales director at UK insurance broker Gallagher, explains the type of fraud that can affect your business, and the controls and cover you can put in place to help protect yourself.

Legal - Irwin Mitchell: How do I protect my digital assets?

Irwin Mitchell return to our pages again this month as the sponsors of our Legal section. Here in these pages, Aurelia Butler- Ball, Senior Associate’ shares her insights into the everdeveloping world of digital assets.

Charity - Harry Redknapp Kick off Love Local Jobs Foundation

Icon of the football word Harry Redknapp has kicked off the Love Local Jobs foundation at an official launch in Brighton.

Cover Feature: Nicholas James Sales & Lettings

This month’s cover feature we speak with Nick Daley and James Perry about their first year in business and how they are part of the new wave of estate agents.

Health & Well Being - Lewis Hatchett the Sport Yogi

Lewis Hatchett returns as sponsor of our health section with hints and tips to help promote a healthier workplace.

Venue - A Q & A with Jason Bramwell

This month we chat with New General Manager of the fabulous Old Ship Hotel.

Tried and Tested in Sussex

We have a Q & A with Chef Kanthi, the man behind the fantastic Spice Circuit, whilst our Hotel review focuses on the charming boutique hotel, The Charm Hotel, Brighton.

Chamber News

This month’s Chamber news section we have again partnered with Sussex Chamber of commerce.

Motoring – Rivervale reviews

This month Rivervale tell us more about Hybrid for businesses.

Ask the Expert

Local Sussex business experts advise on relevant issues.

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www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 5

SBTLocal News New Director of Estate Planning Appointed at MHA Carpenter Box forward the new initiative for MHA Carpenter Box. He started in practice and worked in London for almost 20 years, finally working for the London office of one of the ‘top six’ accountancy practices. He then moved south and in more recent years, ran his own Tax and Estate Planning practice with 14 employees.

Phil will be based at MHA Carpenter Box’s Worthing office and his new role will involve meeting with families and individuals to discuss estate planning and how they can best protect their wealth and assets for their loved ones.

This could include reviewing Wills, Trusts, Inheritance Tax profiling and Powers of Attorney, amongst a whole range of other considerations.

New Director of Estate Planning Appointed at MHA Carpenter Box To lead and support its new Estate Planning Service offering, MHA Carpenter Box has appointed Phil Atherton to the new position of Director of Estate Planning in the firm’s Tax Services Group.

Starting December, the Sussex and Gatwick-based firm of chartered accountants, tax and business advisers will be delivering a series of Estate Planning seminars which will offer tax, wealth management and legal advice from regulated professionals.

Phil has vast experience in tax and estate planning spanning 37 years and is the ideal candidate to push

Brighton and Hove development designs revealed

Solutions to five of Brighton and Hove’s most challenging urban development sites were created at the third annual City Charrette, a partnership between Design South East, Brighton and Hove City Council and DesignBrighton on 19 October.

6 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Phil commented: “I was particularly attracted to MHA Carpenter Box as it has a very good reputation in the industry and a wide range of quality clients. I am looking forward to supporting the firm on its continuing strategy of providing a one stop wealth management service helping new and existing clients to take control of their own financial affairs.”

Phil lives in Rustington and is married with three grown-up children. Outside of work he is a keen golfer, enjoys listening to and playing music and is a member of a local church. www.carpenterbox.com

This event brought local architecture, development and planning professionals and Brighton University students together to help shape the future of the city.

The hypothetical proposals were produced at a day-long collaborative design workshop held at Hove Town Hall on 19 October and could inform future redevelopment in the city.

Sponsored by Edward Street Quarter Ltd, a £210m development in partnership First Base and Patron Capital, the collective closely examined five local development sites, chosen in collaboration with the city council, with the aim of producing design solutions and guiding principles for each.

The sites in focus were Madeira Drive,

Elder Place, the area north of Hove Station, Portland Street and Foundry Street cluster and Coombe Farm in Saltdean.

Teams of design professionals and students identified the key issues of each site and proposed practical solutions to better suit the needs of the community.

For more information regarding DesignBrighton and to learn how to get involved, please visit www. designbrighton.org or search #DesignBrighton on Twitter.

For more information regarding Design South East, please visit www.designsoutheast.org or @DesignSouthEast on Twitter.

SBTLocal News Law firm holds launch party to celebrate new Brighton premises opening

Leading southern law firm, Coffin Mew, recently held a glittering launch party to celebrate the opening of its new Brighton office on Prince Albert Street, which the firm has beautifully renovated into one of its flagship locations.

Nearly 100 guests attended the event including Coffin Mew CEO Miles Brown and the new Brighton leadership team: Nick Leavey (Chairman & Partner – Head of Commercial Property), Mark O’Halloran (Partner - Head of Commercial Services) and Mark James (Partner – Dispute Resolution).

Senior partners, solicitors and staff from across Coffin Mew’s sector teams were also present, as well as many of its clients, key contacts and local business people.

Coffin Mew, which provides legal services to businesses and individuals in the region, treated guests to champagne and canapés as they enjoyed the evening, socialised and toured the firm’s new office. It spans four storeys and features a modern ‘hot desking’ system and collaborative work space.

A delighted Nick Leavey said: “Our Brighton launch party was a great success with dozens of people from Coffin Mew and other organisations turning out to help us celebrate the beginning of a new era for our firm in this vibrant, exciting and entrepreneurial city.

“We opened in Brighton three years ago but demand for our services has skyrocketed and our talented, hardworking team is now three times its original number. Our new premises can accommodate the breadth of Coffin Mew’s industry sectors from property and commercial to employment and family law, so this positions us perfectly for further growth in the last quarter of 2018 and beyond.”

Coffin Mew also has offices in London, Portsmouth, Southampton, Gosport, Newbury and Wantage. With a recently refreshed bold and innovative brand, it is aiming to become a £20 million law firm by 2020.

For more information, please visit www.coffinmew.co.uk.

Brighton is UK’s best city for employee work-life balance perks Employers in city offer most benefits to employees We all like to be beside the seaside, but those who work by it in Brighton have several more reasons to be perky.

Research has revealed that employers in the East Sussex city offer more perks associated with work-life balance than other UK locations.

Brightonians will also be happy to know the city topped tables in terms of overall benefits offered, at 2.5 perks per job advert, closely followed by Bristol at 1.6 perks per job role, and Cardiff, at 1.5.

The research, conducted by business travel experts Red7, aimed to reveal a snapshot of the cities which offer the most perks such as flexible hours and parental benefits to employees.

To conduct the study, online job adverts were analysed for five top career roles in ten locations across the UK, recording the frequency with which all listed perks appeared. A minimum of 50 job adverts per location were analysed, with results then compiled to paint a picture of which cities offered the most perks and benefits

according to a range of categories.

Work-life balance perks in Brighton, which included flexi hours and a free holiday day for birthdays, made up 6.5 per cent of all benefits offered by employers in the city.

Ian Lucas, Founder of Red7, said: “As a Brighton-based business which takes employee incentives very seriously, we are happy to see the other employers in the city also offer employees perks and benefits to encourage a healthy worklife balance.

“Although people should find satisfaction in their jobs, a good work-life balance is very important.

This hot topic appears to be gaining more recognition as time goes on.”

The top five cities for work-life balance perks were: 1. Brighton 2. Bristol 3. Leeds 4. London 5. Belfast

Other findings from the research include: Brighton offered the most perks for multiple categories, including work-life balance, family and parental benefits, and food and drink benefits.

Bristol also performed well, offering the highest number of commuting benefits, as well as benefits in relation to bonuses and investments.

Based on the overall amount of perks offered in each individual city: Edinburgh offered the largest percentage of employee health benefits with 21.2 per cent of all of the city’s benefits fitting into this category.

York offered the largest percentage of fun and games benefits with 10 per cent of all of the city’s benefits fitting into this category.

Oxford offered the largest percentage of food and drink benefits with 5 per cent of all of the city’s benefits fitting into this category.

For more information please visit red7.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 7

SBTNational News Insurer Warns Over Fire Safety

The spokesman pointed out that regulations in the UK fall behind many other European countries. He called on businesses to invest in sprinkler systems and stop the practice of only doing the bare minimum.

Business in the UK could receive a much-needed shot in the arm if the UK reaches a timely deal with the EU. That is what chancellor Philip Hammond said after a shift in the pace of negotiations.

Following the Prime Minister’s disastrous attempt to sell her Chequers plan to EU leaders, Mr Hammond said there was now more optimism.

projections. This has been done to support the economy if the UK exits the EU in a disorderly manner. If a deal is reached, some of that cash could be released to boost the economy.

He said a deal reached in the coming weeks would aid the economy. Speaking at the International Monetary Fund annual meeting in Bali, Mr Hammond pointed out the Office for Budget Responsibility had forecast slowing growth because of uncertainty over Brexit. He stressed, if a deal is reached, the ORB would upgrade the forecast.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Fires involving commercial and industrial premises have prompted specialist insurer FM Global to speak out. Following a major fire at a warehouse in Dartford, the company’s head of international codes and standards, said firms should look beyond the requirements of current building regulations.

Brexit Dividend If UK Reaches Deal With EU

Describing the potential for an agreement to be made, he told the BBC: “I believe there will be a dividend, a deal dividend for us.”

The chancellor has built a £15.4 billion “fiscal buffer” into his Budget

Review of Food Labelling After Deaths

Hair Salon Chain Seeks Rescue Deal The company behind two hairdressing chains, Regis and Supercuts, has admitted it is restructuring to stabilise the business. It is looking for capital investment. In addition to a rescue deal, it is thought to be seeking to lower rents through a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).

A review is to be undertaken of food labelling following a number of deaths. Two people are known to have died after suffering allergic reactions to baguettes sold

by Pret A Manger. Businesses are being urged by food safety experts to review labelling now.

As well as ensuring all ingredients are listed on packaging, food businesses are strongly advised to review hygiene practices to avoid cross contamination and to ensure labelling is accurate.

Currently 10 people a year are known to die in the UK after suffering an allergic reaction to something they have eaten. However, the figure could be much higher because a death caused by an allergic reaction is currently not a recordable event.

8 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

The chain has blamed a lower footfall, increased pension costs and the apprenticeship levy for its trading difficulties. The business has 220 salons nationwide and employs more than 1,000 people.

Regis UK said up to 90 per cent of its creditors will not be impacted by the restructure. The company is not intending to close any of its salons but has said it wants to invest in its digital platforms.

SBTNational News First Dividend from RBS in a Decade

Ten years ago the Royal Bank of Scotland was on the brink of collapse. After years of restructuring, it has finally emerged from the 2008 financial crisis. It has paid its first dividend in a decade.

Investors, including the Government, have received a 2p dividend. The bank is 62 per cent owned by the state but also has around 190,000 private shareholders. The Government made a substantial loss when it sold some of its shares earlier this year.

The bank has described the dividend as an important milestone. Announcing the payment, chief executive Ross McEwan said it was “a small return” to shareholders “after their many years of patience”.

He added: “This is another important milestone in our turnaround, almost 10 years to the day that RBS was rescued by the British taxpayer.

“We have created a smaller, safer bank that is generating more sustainable profits. Our capital position is above our target and we are also looking to return any excess capital as soon as possible to shareholders.”

The bank admits it still has a long way to go to win back the trust of consumers and businesses.

Amazon Ditches AI Recruitment Tool Over Bias Fears At a time when the recruitment industry is analysing the threat of artificial intelligence in the hiring process, Amazon has ditched its AI recruitment tool. The in-house technology was developed to simplify the company’s recruitment process and bring it in line with Amazon’s strong reliance on automation. However, it was found to show bias against female candidates.

In an era when even unconscious bias can lead to costly litigation, Amazon took the decision to pull the plug. It

said in a statement: “This was never used by Amazon recruiters to evaluate candidates.” However the global ecommerce giant has not disputed that recommendations by the model were viewed by Amazon recruiters.

While video interviews are popular at the screening stage and applicant tracking systems help make recruitment more efficient, AI has a long way to go before it is a serious player.

Fraud Suspected at Cake Chain

One of the UK’s best known cake brands has been saved from the brink of collapse. Patisserie Valerie has received a multimillion pound injection of cash from a major shareholder.

The chain’s future was in doubt following alleged financial irregularities. A man has been arrested and released on bail pending further investigations.

Around 2,500 staff stood to lose their jobs if nobody had come forward to bail the longestablished business out.

At the start of the financial year, the company had reported a net cash position of £28.8 million.

Today it is considered almost worthless.

Earlier in October, Patisserie Valerie said directors had uncovered “significant, and potentially fraudulent accounting irregularities”. It was acknowledged that the company’s accounts could have been previously ‘mis-stated’.

Patisserie Valerie has over 200 shops across the UK and specialises in handmade cakes, including wedding cakes and gifts.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 9

Christmas Crackers

With Christmas just around the corner, now is the time to stock up on all those little essentials along with some treats. Our guide will help you save time and avoid a last-minute panic.

For Him He will love this ‘Big Boy’s Craft Lager Hamper’. It’s packed with nibbles as well as New Yorker beers. Cheers! Next day delivery available.

For Her

£33 www.hamper.com

Season’s Greetings

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

This stunning Brighton Rocks necklace features 18ct white gold with a 0.15ct round brilliant-cut white diamond. The setting is faceted in the Brighton Rocks style. Fine chain.

£855

Wish your customers a happy Christmas and raise brand awareness at the same time. Add your logo to this card to promote brand loyalty.

www.baroquejewellery.com

£0.89 www.christmas-connections.co.uk

Treat Yourself Well, it is Christmas. You don’t have to break the bank to sit behind the wheel of this dazzling Mercedes-Benz A Class Hatchback – you can lease it.

£245.99 Per month

Smile, it’s Christmas This novelty photo booth is perfect for the office Christmas party or family get-together. It will provide hours of fun and help you create unforgettable memories.

www.rivervaleleasing.co.uk

www.johnlewis.com

£8

Wacky Jumper

£70

Celebrate in style

If your business is planning a Wacky Jumper fundraising day, George at Asda has a great selection of weird and wonderful woollies. This one has a Star Wars theme and even lights up.

£20

www.direct.asda.com

This gift box contains Marc de Champagne Truffles and Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Pop the cork on Christmas Day for a real festive treat. www.fortnumandmason.com

Tree-mendous!

Get into the festive spirit with this 6ft Norman Fir Artificial Christmas Tree perfect for the office or showroom.

Don’t forget to make it really stand out with beautiful baubles and a sprinkling of tinsel.

£149.99

For the Little Ones This Wobbly Worm game will keep the kids happy for hours.

There’s no wriggling out of it, this is a fun game.

£17.99 www.whitestores.co.uk

www.johnlewis.com

Insurance

Protecting your business from internal and external fraud Fraud is once again becoming a more common risk in the business world. Whilst it can have serious financial implications, it can also impact on the brand and reputation of an organisation. Andrew Dix, Sales Director at UK insurance broker Gallagher, based in Metro House in Chichester, explains the types of fraud that can affect your business, and the controls and cover you can put in place to help protect yourself.

Fraud can be a massive problem and as businesses Insurance become increasingly digitalised, the problem is likely to get worse. The Annual Fraud Indicator 2017 stated that annual UK losses to fraud are estimated at £190 billion, with £140 billion of this coming from the private sector1. For the private sector, some of the most common losses are procurement and payroll fraud, as these can be easy to manipulate by insiders, followed closely by financial sales fraud, such as online and telephone banking scams. Another area to consider is cyber-crime, of which there were 3.6 million reported cases last year.

Remember, the threat of fraudulent activity is not just from external sources but often occurs from within an organisation. Internal fraud can include anything from misuse of credit cards and employees claiming false or inappropriate expenses, to fraudulent cheques being written. External fraud on the other hand can include identity fraud by hijacking bank accounts or phishing emails, false invoicing and theft of databases to be sold on to third parties.

While all businesses can be vulnerable to fraud and financial crisis in some way, those who do not have the correct financial controls in place are putting themselves at needless risk.

Your organisation needs to have an appropriate set of controls in place, which should be tailored to the size of your organisation.

Action Fraud suggests the following steps to help prevent fraud:

12 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

1) Know your employees Internal threats can come in many forms so it’s important that you can trust your employees. Always ask for at least two references and verify their personal information wherever possible.

2) Know your customers Assess each customer’s profile and the transaction they are requesting. If a transaction seems suspicious, then trust your instinct and don’t be afraid to request further information or proof of address.

3) Know your suppliers Make sure you take the time to verify that they are who they say they are, and to research their reviews online. Double check your invoices so that you know you are getting the goods and services you are paying for and always keep an eye on your financial health.

4) Know your assets Identify and monitor your assets, only giving access to the necessary employees. This applies not just to tangible assets but also data and intellectual property.

Fraud can affect any business no matter what size and with so many types of fraud risks it can be hard to predict and prevent. That’s why you should have a robust insurance policy so that, if the worst does happen, your business can get back on its feet with minimal damage to your revenue, reputation and long-term financial health.

There are two types of insurance available:

1

Andrew Dix

Fidelity Guarantee or Employee Crime only – this offers protection and compensation should a business be defrauded internally by the finance director, employee or a temporary worker.

Crime insurance – wider protection that covers externally perpetrated fraud as well as internal, whether that involves the public, organised crime or temporary workers. Such cover may also include computer-based theft.

The insurance market sees hundreds of fraud claims each year, so ensuring you have the right protection in place can be critical. If you wish to discuss insurance options available to you, then get in touch.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK? For more information contact us: T: 0800 612 3760 E: andrew_dix@ajg.com www.ajginternational.com

https://brand.crowe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/11/Annual-fraud-indicator-2017.pdf

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Insurance crafted to meet your business needs.

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©2018 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. | ajginternational.com “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and “Ethisphere” names and marks are registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® for 2018. Ethisphere Institute, March 2018.

Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Office: Spectrum Building, 7th Floor, 55, Blythswood Street, Glasgow, G2 7AT. Registered in Scotland.

Company Number: SC108909. FP454–2018 Exp. 09.05.2019.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 13

Money matters after selling your business The financial adviser market has historically a bit of a murky Finance had name, with many firms being set up by former sales people.

Looking to change that reputation is Square One Wealth Management, the Hove-based wealth management company that prides itself on giving the right advice, in plain English, and at a fair price.

Nick Jenner who heads up the firm with John Kelly believes that building longterm relationships and trust is key to the success of their firm. Both have come from different professional backgrounds with Nick working for investment and pension providers and John, a chartered accountant, but they both strongly believe that advice to the client is what comes first, not selling products.

Based in Hove, the team has quickly built relationships with the businesses around them. The latest example of this is where Square One is now working with Handelsbanken to support their clients’ banking needs. Handelsbanken is recognised as one of the safest banks with a focus on client relationships.

Nick explains: “Our approach to client relationships and service is a perfect fit and we are delighted to be working closely and to be able to introduce clients to Handelsbanken who may be able to benefit from preferential deposit rates.”

Adept at advising small and medium sized businesses, Square One Wealth Management advises business owners in the early stages of growing their

14 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

business through to exit. In the early stages, Nick explains that it is essential to protect both the business and its owners in the event of the death or serious illness of a stakeholder.

“I have seen firms brought down by these circumstances in just a few months where these basic but vital advice areas are not addressed.”

Typically, small and medium sized businesses are under-capitalised and vulnerable without key workers because of the likely loss of revenue, competitors exploiting your vulnerable position and creditors such as your bank losing confidence and calling in their loans. Not to mention the deceased stakeholder’s estate requiring payment for their share.

In the latter stages for many business owners, the biggest questions arise when it’s time to think about selling.

What should be a momentous occasion can bring a fresh set of problems which are complex and have serious financial consequences without professional advice. As a firm with 16 years’ experience advising business owners, Nick believes that financial planning advice when selling your business will ensure that you have realistic expectations and can plan ahead.

“When managing capital after selling a business we often get asked the same questions time and time again. Here, we’ve put together some answers to these frequently asked questions but if you’d like us to take a look at your situation in more detail, we’re happy to provide an initial consultation without obligation.”

I’m worried that my hardearned capital is subject to 40% Inheritance Tax when I pass away.

There is a lifetime limit of £10m to qualify for Entrepreneur’s Relief at 10% Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on sale.

In some instances, the sale of your business may not be eligible for this relief either partly or in full. If any part of your business sale was subject to CGT at the highest rate of 28% for an individual, these assets could later suffer 40% Inheritance Tax (IHT). This is an effective rate of 56.8% on death.

In many cases business assets qualify for Business Relief where on death these assets do not suffer IHT but post sale this relief is lost. Subject to certain conditions, it is possible to reinvest into new qualifying business property to maintain Business Relief. There is also an established market for investments in a variety of diverse and asset-backed businesses which also qualify for Business Relief or replacement relief. These investments are aimed at individuals wanting to maintain control of their investments, with the prospect of inflation proofing their capital. These investments are free of IHT after just two years. Qualifying shares will also attract Investor Relief where you can draw down by selling shares at only 10% tax. This is ideal if you might need access to capital or regular withdrawals from your investment.

How can I future proof my capital?

Whilst low interest rates and higher inflation prevail, it is important to consider investments which offer long-term growth prospects. This can only be achieved with a diverse portfolio, which is tax efficient and where the costs are low.

Meet Nick Jenner, Partner at Square One Wealth Management With 20 years’ experience in the financial sector, Nick is adept at building strong relationships with clients and advising on complex financial matters. Specialising in long-term capital management for high net worth individuals, charities and trusts, Nick brings experience and specialist knowledge to the Square One Wealth Management.

Prior to becoming a partner at Square One Wealth Management, Nick worked with NPI the former pension provider and Skandia Investment Management now Old Mutual Wealth. In his spare time, Nick enjoys racing bikes and all things on two wheels.

Favourite tipple?

Sincere Wine.

Favourite place for lunch in Hove?

The Ivy is a great new addition to the Brighton & Hove food scene – perfect for client meetings.

What networking events do you attend across the county?

The Institute of Directors and The Boundary Club.

I couldn’t get through Monday without…

Tea and biscuits.

I want to give away capital, but I’m worried about what the future holds.

If you are unsure about making substantial gifts, you can make regular gifts out of surplus income with no upper limit, provided certain conditions are met. If uncertainty is stopping you from planning, creating a trust is one of the most effective ways of maintaining control of your assets and ensuring the right people benefit, while saving Inheritance Tax after typically seven years. There are also trusts which allow the creator to continue to benefit from the trust property and still make gifts later.

Will I run out of money?

At Square One Wealth Management, we produce life time cash flows to ensure that your income expectations are realistic and achievable – so don’t worry!

I haven’t used up my pension annual allowance and/or my lifetime allowance.

The current pension annual allowance is

£40,000 and the Lifetime Allowance is £1,030,000. Selling the business might provide an opportunity to maximise pension funding. It is possible to carry forward unused allowances for up to three previous tax years. This can mean additional contributions in excess of the current year’s allowance of a further £120,000 provided certain conditions are met. Typically pension death benefits will not suffer Inheritance Tax which provides an opportunity to accumulate capital to leave to future generations if planned for correctly.

I am worried about my pensions and I am unsure how to manage them post sale.

Reviewing your pensions in the build up to selling is likely to lead to a better outcome after. The first step is to identify what you have and what your objectives are post sale.

Pensions can be complex and you may find for example that you have valuable guarantees and/or old style plans which are inflexible with high charges. We often find that a business owner is a member of a self-invested personal pension (SIPP) or a small

self-administered scheme (SSAS). With these types of pensions there may be connected investment decisions which are complex and effect the sale of your business. For example, where the pension has loaned money to the company in the case of a SSAS; or there are investments common to both pension members and the company, such as a commercial property. Early stage planning is key in these areas and it requires specialist advice which I am pleased to say we can offer.

Managing my capital is more complex than running my business, help!

Selling your business is a huge decision, and the last thing you want is for it to give you more to think about.

At Square One Wealth Management, we monitor and report to you on all your investments and will liaise with your accountant and solicitor, so you can relax and enjoy retirement.

01273 921990

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 15

How do I protect my digital assets?

Aurelia Butler- Ball, Senior Associate at Irwin Mitchell shares her insights into the ever-developing world of digital assets.

When we consider what assets we have, we usually think Legal first of the physical possessions we own: a house, a car, perhaps some antique objects. But with more and more reliance on digital technology to create and store our assets, we should make sure to include them in our estate planning. If you pass away or lose your mental capacity, would anyone be able to access your digital assets? We share below some steps you can take now to allow for the future transfer of your digital assets and avoid losing this content permanently.

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What is a Digital Asset?

There is no clear legal definition of a digital asset but it can be understood as any content about you or created by you that is stored in digital form, whether online or on a personal electronic device, and which is able to be accessed by you. Digital assets are intangible personal property such as online accounts, emails, digital photos, virtual currency gaming avatars, or domain names. They can also take the form of contractual rights which you acquire when you sign up for a service, such as an iTunes account, although some of these are held simply as licences that have no value on death.

Can you transfer your Digital Assets?

Tangible personal property can be physically transferred to an attorney or personal representative. The ownership rights associated with intangible personal property may also be transferred. However, digital contractual rights can be challenging to transfer and many internet service providers (ISPs) prohibit their transfer in their terms of use or licence agreements.

Examples of digital assets that cannot be transferred to others include those held in accounts with Apple and Amazon.

Some companies allow accounts to

Legal who lack capacity or are deceased can prove difficult. This is because although you may have given verbal permission for others to access your content, if you lose capacity or die, many companies won’t accept this. Further they may even consider such access as a breach of privacy and of their regulations, and will lock the account. It is therefore always best to check a company’s terms of use before asking someone to access your digital assets or before you access a digital asset on behalf of someone else.

What practical steps can you take to protect your Digital Assets?

A practical first step may be to make a list of all the digital assets you believe you possess and to include your username / login details and any other information which would allow access to your digital assets. You should not include your passwords which you should keep separately for security, making sure to keep this information safe. It is a good idea to keep a hard copy of this information, to save it to an external hard drive not connected to your home or work network and to regularly update the list. Login information should not be included in your Lasting Powers of Attorney or your Will. be transferred only with their written permission, including PayPal and Facebook. The virtual currency Bitcoin, on the other hand, allows account holders to transfer their digital assets as long as the recipient knows the password.

It is vital, therefore, you fully check and understand the ISPs terms before accepting them, rather than just clicking ‘OK’.

How can others access your Digital Assets?

Accessing the digital assets of those

Check the ISPs terms first, however, as you may find simply writing down your login details may be a breach of their terms.

Providing for your incapacity

A Lasting Power of Attorney can give one or several attorneys the authorisation to deal with your property in the event of your incapacity (or sooner, if you prefer). It should be drafted to specifically include the ability to access, control, delete or transfer your digital assets, where permissible.

This will help to ensure that access to this information is not lost or suspended in this time.

Bear in mind that a Lasting Power of Attorney may not be recognised in relation to assets that are held under the terms of ISPs who are based outside of the UK.

“Our national Private Wealth team can provide expert advice and assistance with estate planning, including drafting Wills and Powers of Attorney to protect your digital assets.”

Providing for your death

Your Will should be drafted to include your digital assets. This can be covered by leaving a gift of digital assets (suitably defined) to be dealt with according to a separate letter of wishes which can be updated as the assets change over the years.

This can give clear instructions for your personal representatives, helping them to comprehend which accounts are important or give them the valuable information needed for those accounts.. Appointing a ‘digital executor’ who specialises in technology may, in some cases, also be useful, if you consider your digital assets to be complex, but is not always needed.

How can we help?

Our national Private Wealth team can provide expert advice and assistance with estate planning, including drafting Wills and Powers of Attorney to protect your digital assets.

Contact Irwin Mitchell Private Wealth on 0370 1500 100 to discuss what steps you should take now.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 17

Budget

Comments on the Autumn Budget Budget

Miles Brown, CEO Coffin Mew:

“There are clearly some positive initiatives in the budget speech, on tax and personal allowances, and investments in the high street and transport infrastructure.

“It is also good to have a positive outlook on the economy, growth and a potential end to austerity.

“Having said all that, the bigger imperative for all of us in business is knowing the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, as against minting a coin on the issue. Because this will have a significant impact on all of us.

“The sooner we have some certainty on Brexit, the sooner we will all genuinely be able to move our businesses forward and plan our future with confidence!”

Nick Leavey, Chairman & Partner – Head of Real Estate, Coffin Mew:

“Whilst some will welcome a number of the Chancellor’s announcements in this year’s budget, many are still looking for radical solutions to twin crises affecting the property market: housing and the high street.

“The Chancellor announced £500m for the Housing Infrastructure Fund to help deliver 650,000 new homes, new housing association partnerships to help deliver 13,000 more, and up to £1 billion in bank guarantees to help small housebuilders deliver their housing schemes. He also abolished stamp duty for first time buyers of shared ownership properties valued up to £500,000.

“Businesses with a rateable value up to £51,000 will have their business rates cut by one-third for the next two years, saving many around £8,000 each year

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and local councils will receive support from a Future High Streets Fund.

“However, whilst these measures will be welcome, both crises need long term strategic plans, providing for an even larger increase in housebuilding, alongside a transition to a new leisure experience focussed, rather than retail focussed, high street.

“These strategies will need to address a wide range of major challenges, such as the reduction in labour available to housebuilders since the Brexit referendum and the threat to high street businesses from giant online retailers.”

Leon Deakin, Partner – Head of Employment and member of Coffin Mew tech team:

“Announcing a crackdown on tax avoidance and evasion by the tech giants will certainly play well to the public gallery. Following the recent data breaches and revelations about how data is handled the public mood is clearly to try and bring them down a peg or two.

“However, for sector specialists, those working with tech start-ups and businesses looking to scale-up, the devil will inevitably be in the detail as to how the system will be ‘carefully designed’ to ensure the burden is shouldered by the giants. With Brexit looming the tech sector will remain a key part of our economy and anything which could depress or dampen that buoyant area of the market must be approached with caution.”

Henry Powell, Vice Chairman of the Coastal West Sussex Partnership

“All in all, the Autumn Budget spelled good news. The chancellor talked about rewarding the strivers and the grafters.

We have plenty of hard-working people on the coastal strip. The key to economic prosperity for Coastal West

Sussex is building better roads and rail links, more housing and workspaces and upskilling our workforce. We need to work hard to deliver on our potential.

“Firstly, we’re delighted with the additional £30 billion to improve roads.

The A27 is an embarrassment and is choking our region - we need those in local leadership to provide direction and drive to make sure we get our fair share of that money… and quickly. The average man and woman in Sussex needs to be more vocal as the process has been stalled for far too long by the interests of the few. We also need to reach a reasonable compromise with the national park so that the coast can thrive while the park continues to provide an outstanding amenity.

“The extra £400m for schools is welcomed, but I know as a Governor for a local Academy that this is more of a one-off sticking plaster than a longterm solution, and it will run out fast.

Our schools need more than the “little extras” – they need more teachers and increased funding.

“We’ve seen our high streets change rapidly over the last few years, and the slashing of business rates for small retail businesses will certainly help. As the demand for residential housing continues to outstrip supply, the announcement to help redevelop empty shops as homes or offices is a step in the right direction, as is the £5.5bn to ‘unlock’ 650k homes.

Again, local leadership needs to remove log jams and deliver the space for us to live and grow.

“And finally… as an area which has an increasing number of small digital companies, we also welcome the 2% tax on revenues earned by likes of Facebook, Google and Amazon to create a fairer marketplace for all.”

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Founded by three passionate creatives.

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200 take flight for official launch of DesignBrighton More than 200 local business people attended the official launch of DesignBrighton, a new festival celebrating the city’s urban environment

Design

Attendees were treated to a flight on the BAi360 for a stunning view of Brighton’s architectural landscape by sunset.

Among the many big reveals of the evening, the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange was named as the hub conference, networking and exhibition centre and it was announced that the programme for the festival will focus on the city’s great designs of the past, present and future.

The festival will also include a series of satellite events across the region, including: • A celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Marina, hosted by the original architect • A trail of open studios and workshop tours to ‘meet the makers’ • Installations from lighting engineers, makers and designers

• A photography competition to visually highlight the city’s exceptional urban design • Hard hat tours of developments in progress • Hack-a-thons engaging the next generation of urban designers A limited-edition Augmented Reality drinks coaster, produced by LCE Architects and Mnemoscene, was revealed as a sponsorship opportunity for the festival, which will fill Brighton’s eateries and watering holes with a collectable marketing concept showcasing key developments and architecture in the city.

Sophie Law-Smith of Stickland Wright Architects and Interiors said: “DesignBrighton will be much more than an urban realm festival. It is an invitation to us all to come together to light a beacon for our design rich culture, celebrating our heritage and creating a legacy for the next generation; it is an invitation to all, because design is for all.”

John Cowell, festival co-founder, added: “We are thrilled to see so many local stakeholders come out to support the launch of DesignBrighton. Together we can work on today’s challenges and drive towards a circular economy for our region and nurture talent to shape our future. I’m also personally thrilled that the 40th anniversary of the Marina is going to be included in the festival programme as my father, the late Eric Cowell, was one of the original developers.”

For more information regarding Design Brighton and to learn how t o get involved, please visit www.designbrighton.org or search #DesignBrighton on Twitter.

Images from Nick Ford Photography

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 21

Education

How many soloentrepreneurs have stopped to consider their own mental health and how at risk they are?

Education

How many soloentrepreneurs have stopped to consider their own mental health and how at risk they are?

As someone who has been selfemployed for 12 years, I know just how dark it can get when you’re running a business on your own with very little support. The days when you can’t get out of bed because you don’t know what to do next with your business, the empty bank account that won’t afford you your next meal and the overwhelming pressure to make your next marketing campaign work. It doesn’t take much to feel exhausted.

I know I am not alone in this.

When I run my Expert Economy introduction sessions, everyone nods their head in agreement when I point out the harsh realities of the life we have chosen. Although we can choose our own hours and opt to take the day off when we need to, few of us actually do.

22 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

And few of us realise just how compromised we are and how at risk our mental health is.

It wasn’t until two months ago when I interviewed Poppy Jaman OBE, co-founder of Mental Health First Aid England, that I actually realised that, during my darkest times, my mental health was compromised.

Honestly, I just thought I was failing. A conclusion that compounded my feeling of inadequacy and continued to not only compromise me further but, worse, would lead me to make decisions about myself and what I am capable of, and ultimately shape my identity. Our identity forms the basis of who we think we are, the world around us, and what we believe we can achieve.

and identify what we’re doing well when we feel like we’ve failed.

There is also no one there when our mind starts to go to a dark place. When our thoughts begin to spiral into selfdestruction or when we start behaving as the world’s worst boss.

“I am so stupid. Why did I do that?” I heard a friend say a few months ago.

“Excuse me?” I said, turning my head in her direction. “Girl, you wouldn’t speak to your children that way, so don’t you dare speak to yourself that way!” Often we don’t even realise we’re doing it.

For many of us, as solo-entrepreneurs, we suffer alone.

Many things can spark this selftalk - from losing a critical sale to miscalculating a tax bill, to a client not being thrilled with a service. Without the right support, it can take years to build the resilience you need to keep yourself on track, no matter the knocks.

We’re likely working from home. We’re probably the only person in our family taking this brave step into the unknown.

No one sees us. No one is there to encourage us or help us reflect back

And, no matter how big the knock or how much you want to run, the reality is you have to keep going. You have no choice. You’ve promised to deliver that piece of work. Your reputation is

Naomi Johnson

at stake. You’ve told everyone you’re building this business and you can’t back out now.

Giving up doesn’t feel like an option.

In my first book, Grassroots to Green Shoots, I detail the lessons I learned during my first years in business, which ended dramatically in 2008 with the financial crash.

At the time, my mental health was very bad. Only, I didn’t realise it. The doctor had signed me off work, but what did that actually mean? There was no one to give a doctor’s note to - and there was no sick pay to claim.

I had Key Man insurance, and an evaluator came to assess my condition.

I felt like a fake as I sat with her and told her I felt unhappy and didn’t feel like working.

When she left, and I didn’t hear anything more from the insurance company. I concluded that, having been prescribed by the doctor to read a book called ‘Living with the black

dog’ to help my ‘depression’, I didn’t qualify as a condition they’d pay out on or even respond to. I just felt I’d wasted the evaluator’s time. How I felt didn’t matter. With no financial cushion, I couldn’t give in to how I felt and lock myself away, I just had to keep going and claw my way back both mentally and financially.

I think all of us know the feeling of showing up to a networking event not feeling like ourselves. We smile through the introductions and make polite conversation, but inside we feel like dying. Although we’re in a room with other solo-entrepreneurs, who are probably the only other people in the world who will really get what we are feeling, we can’t show it.

fulfilling multiple roles within your company, to continually handling customer feedback and meeting demanding deadlines, this road isn’t easy.

“Mental health is now a hot topic in most organisations. But for the entrepreneur, the support isn’t there and the symptoms are not easy to spot. I encourage you to take a step back.”

Having spoken to thousands of individuals about their businesses, I know I am not alone and the challenges I have faced are not unique.

Mental health is now a hot topic in most organisations. But for the entrepreneur, the support isn’t there and the symptoms are not easy to spot.

I encourage you to take a step back.

Give yourself an honest once over. How are you really doing?

From the constant need to selfpromote, being an introvert in an extrovert’s world, to the bank account that needs continuous refilling, to

The answer to this problem isn’t simple. Yet if we’re going to survive and succeed, it is one that we can’t ignore and need to start talking about.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 23

Come and join us for a unique charity fundraiser in aid of Sussex Cancer Fund

Brighton Medieval Banquet Saturday 2nd March 2019 at the Grand Hotel, Brighton In aid of

PRICE INCLUDES: Drinks reception Three course medieval banquet Jugs of wine, ale and mead on your table TV’s Sid Sloane - celebrity host Entertainment Live band - Empire Prize for ‘Best Dressed Couple’ Medieval fundraising fun

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Media partners:

24 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Sponsors

Fundraising night at the i360

By day, Noel Preston is an unassuming Brighton insurance broker going about his business as Managing Partner of Preston Insurance Brokers. By night, he becomes the city’s answer to the eccentric and gifted Muppets’ drummer. He’s a real animal!

Noel and his band, Planet Trousza, entertained guests Charity at a very special fundraising night in Brighton recently.

He was at the i360 on October 26 to raise the profile and much-needed funds for the deserving Teenage Cancer Trust. It is the charity that does amazing work to help teenagers through highly traumatic periods in their lives.

Noel had first-hand experience of their work when his teenage son, Archie, was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in April last year.

After a year-and-a-half of intensive treatment, chemotherapy, proton radiation and 36 hours of back and spinal operations, Archie was given the all clear in February. He is now into his first of five years’ remission.

While the diagnosis and treatment brought intense levels of anxiety and uncertainty to Noel’s close-knit family, The Teenage Cancer Trust team played a massive part in Archie’s survival, treatment and comfort - all thanks to their fantastic nurses and facilities.

The event at the i360 was pay-back time. Open to everyone, it was a feast of live music, nibbles and, of course, a night-time ride on the truly iconic and wonderful i360.

Every penny raised from the tickets, auction and raffle is going to the Teenage Cancer Trust. The total sum raised was £8,060.

Noel said: “We are so lucky to still have Archie with us and words cannot express my gratitude to all the hospital staff and the amazing people at the Trust.

“Seven teenagers are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK and Teenage Cancer Trust is the only

charity dedicated to providing specialist nursing care and support to them when they need it most.

“I wanted to play a small part in helping them raise their profile and raise a few pounds to help them continue their amazing work.”

The event included an auction and raffle. Top prizes included a box and tickets at the Royal Albert Hall, Adidas trainers signed by Noel Gallagher, signed CDs, a £500 voucher for James Ross Jewellers, a £450 voucher for Zapp Laser Studio, 4 balls at East Brighton and Mid Sussex Golf Clubs and Sunday lunch and wine at the West Beach Bar and Kitchen.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 25

Charity

Hollywood glamour at charity’s gala Ball as guests raise £90,000 for ventilator appeal The Grand Hotel in Brighton played host to a night of glitz and glamour on Saturday 13 October for the 2018 Rockinghorse charity Ball.

Sponsored by DMH Stallard, the Hollywood-themed Charity event welcomed over 400 guests to the annual fundraiser, which included entertainment from the charismatic ‘Frank & Dean Show’ and big-band ‘Down for the Count’, with guests enjoying a taste of classic la la land music until the early hours.

Those attending The Rockinghorse Ball included The Mayor of Brighton & Hove – Councillor Dee Simson – and MasterChef 2018 winner Kenny Tutt. The cookery champion donated an auction prize with one lucky winner being treated to a delicious three-course meal cooked

by Kenny himself at the winner’s home, for up to 10 people.

“During the evening, an incredible £90,000 was raised for the charity’s ventilator appeal” The prize received a flurry of bids and went for an impressive £2,500, which quickly doubled to £5,000 after the auction prize received huge interest from guests and was awarded to two lucky winners.

26 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Hannah Seltzer, Cheryl Piper, Hollie Trezise, Ryan Heal, Terrina Barnes and Rhian Walsh from Rockinghorse

During the evening, an incredible £90,000 was raised for the charity’s ventilator appeal. Rockinghorse is raising funds to provide the High Dependency Unit (HDU) at The Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital (the Alex) in Brighton with additional non-invasive ventilation systems.

The state-of-the-art ventilators teamed with the innovative Optiflow breathing systems (also funded by the charity), can effectively treat children admitted to the Alex with respiratory issues.

To support the appeal, parent and

Rockinghorse supporter, Johanna Zakiewicz, delivered a touching and inspiring speech explaining how the ventilators helped saved the life of her daughter Aya Willow last year.

Born on 16 July at the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Haywards Heath by emergency C-section, Johanna’s daughter Aya Willow suffered from severe Meconium Aspiration Syndrome, caused by a long and difficult labour.

She was put into an induced coma for 10 days while doctors in three different hospitals battled to save her life.

Addressing the room, Johanna said: “When we tell people our story they say we were unlucky, but I know better – we are the lucky ones – our daughter Aya is now a healthy one-year-old. She is here because of the actions of some very special people at the Princess Royal Hospital, the Trevor Mann Baby Unit, Great Ormond Street and the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital.

“Aya spent four weeks on a ventilator in the Alex and it breaks my heart to imagine the choices having to be made by staff when they don’t have enough ventilators for all the children who need

them. Rockinghorse wants to ensure that such choices never have to be made.”

Money raised at the Ball will enable the charity to purchase an additional five ventilators for HDU at the Alex.

Ryan Heal, Chief Executive of Rockinghorse children’s charity, said: “Thanks to the incredible support received at the Ball, we have been able to reach our fundraising target to purchase more potentially life-saving ventilators for the High Dependency Unit at the Alex.

The Mayor of Brighton and Hove with her daughter

“This exceptional amount not only enables us to purchase the five ventilators outright, but the surplus from the event will be donated towards our other existing projects at the children’s hospital. We are so proud to be able to deliver on this hugely important appeal, none of which has been possible without the amazing support from our sponsors and guests on the night.”

To find out more about Rockinghorse and the work they do to support sick children in Sussex, visit www.rockinghorse.org.uk.

Staff from the Royal Alex children’s hospital Images from Stephen Johnson Photography

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 27

Harry Redknapp Kicks Off Love Local Jobs Foundation

Icon of the football word Harry Redknapp has kicked off the Love Local Jobs Foundation at an official launch in Brighton.

Young people across Sussex are set to benefit from Charity the foundation’s pioneering work to help them realise their full potential and improve access to local jobs. The launch, staged on Friday, October 26, was held at the prestigious Hotel du Vin and was attended by a sellout crowd of more than 120 businesses and local professionals.

A networking lunch celebrated the launch and raised funds for the foundation with over £10,000 raised from an auction. The money raised will be used to take 20 lucky school students on a life-changing experience to the Dolawen outdoor pursuit centre.

It will help them significantly grow in confidence and realise their full potential.

Harry said: “What a great day! Who would have guessed that, after bumping into Gary in Australia all those years ago,

28 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

he would go on to open a foundation dedicated to giving breaks and inspiring our amazing next generation?

“Like football, life’s all about trying your best with the hand you’ve got, looking to build something worthwhile, never giving in, and trying, amidst all of this, not to forget to love every minute of it.

“The work that the foundation does is genuinely inspiring and will better the lives of thousands of our next generation, helping them to become the best they can be. I’m proud to have played my part in its journey and I look forward to hearing more updates from the team soon.”

The LoveLocalJobs Foundation encourages local employers to actively participate in various employability programmes that inspire the next generation of jobseekers by significantly strengthening their employability skills and ensuring they leave school fully equipped for the ‘world of work’.

Raising aspirations is just one part of the foundation’s role. It also focusses on the often hidden barriers to job success, including happiness, low self-esteem, hope and relationships. Importantly, it encourages students to identify their own barriers to employability and helps them find ways to overcome them.

The foundation’s main objectives are: • To inspire the next generation to become the best they can be • Significantly raise local career aspirations • Promote the regions best employers and job opportunities • Connect the best local employers with the next generation of talent • Build resilience • Build confidence • Improve wellbeing • Deliver essential life and employability skills

Harry kicked off the day by joining the LoveLocalJobs.com team and local under 11’s footballers. The pitch-side action was followed by the networking lunch and a fundraising auction.

During the lunch, Harry spoke about his career. He outlined the various journeys that his role as a football manager has taken him on and the importance of giving young people a break.

Gary Peters, of the LoveLocalJobs Foundation, said: “We were delighted to be joined by Harry Redknapp to launch our foundation. Harry gave me a break many moons ago that ended up leading to my first ever job. Nearly 23 years later he gladly gave up his time to launch our fantastic foundation and it really couldn’t have gone any better — he was incredible.

“So many people leave school without the tools, confidence or belief to realise their full potential. The LoveLocalJobs Foundation is set up to ensure our local next generation can thrive in a career they love, irrespective of any barriers that may be in their way at this time.

“Anybody can work to be the best they can be; it’s our commitment to give them the tools, confidence and inspiration to do so.”

jobseekers and, since then, has been all about LOCAL. It is the brand behind award-winning regional job boards and employability programmes.

Daryl Gayler, of NatWest, which supports Be the Change, one of the ground breaking programmes within the foundation, said: “I was very humbled to be invited to say a few words at the launch of the LoveLocalJobs Foundation. Gary and the team have done so much for so long to support the local community, it is great to see this all come together with the setting up of the foundation.

It has been credited with significantly raising the career aspirations of future generations.

LoveLocalJobs.com works with partners to ensure every young person has the tools, confidence and knowledge needed to succeed.

“At Natwest, we have been so proud to be associated with the Be the Change programme that Gary mentioned so it was easy to come and talk about the programme and the impact it has on local kids who just need a break.

As well as advertising the region’s best job opportunities, the LovelLocalJobs. com proactively links businesses, universities, colleges, schools and public and third sector organisations.

These collaborations are creating local employment opportunities and also providing much-needed careers information, advice and guidance to local businesses and job-seekers alike.

“Having personally been involved for the last two years, I have seen first-hand how kids have raised their ambitions on the back of the programme and how they have changed their whole attitude to school. The foundation will hopefully be able to ensure more kids get the chance to benefit from Be the Change and the other fantastic programmes the foundation runs.”

LoveLocalJobs.com says: “Our innovative solutions provide a costeffective, engaging and trusted service that enables employers to better connect with their local region.

Our services also provide the local community with access to local jobs and the information and inspiration people need to be successful in today’s marketplace.”

About LoveLocalJobs.com Raising aspirations and helping young people seize opportunities is what LoveLocalJobs.com is all about. It relishes the idea of employers and young people creating phenomenal futures together.

The origins of LoveLocalJobs.com can be traced back to 2010 when it launched its first jobs board in Brighton and Hove. It connected employers and

Its partners include: American Express, Hastings Direct, Bupa International, O&G, Natwest, Focus Group, Domestic & General, Manor Royal BID and B&CE. The foundation’s media partner for this event is the Sussex Business Times.

For further information, visit the website, call 01273 651100 or email info@lovelocaljobs.com

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 29

Nicholas James the future face of estate agency Estate agency Nicholas James Sales & Lettings is Cover aptly named after Feature its founders - Nick Daley and James Perry. Both have strong connections with Brighton and have a solid background in local estate agency services.

They both excelled in their respective careers before joining forces to offer the local property market a refreshing new approach.

30 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Nick grew up in Portslade and now lives in Hove. He has worked in estate agency since he was 17.

James moved to Brighton in 1998 from London. He was just 11 at the time. He now lives in Hangleton.

As well as working together, the business partners play in the same football team and their families regularly socialise.

& Lettings have combined experience of more than a quarter of a century in the industry. Nick started his career as a negotiator in 2003 with a family-run business close to Hove station. He then moved to a multi office company, still as a negotiator.

Experience in the industry

Over the next 10 years, he climbed the ranks becoming a senior negotiator, branch manager and then associate director. He was running a central Hove sales department before launching his own estate agency business.

The founders of Nicholas James Sales

He says, his proudest moment came

were introduced either by kind recommendations or previous long-term clients who we will be forever grateful for. They showed their confidence in us and helped to get us going.

Sell for £2500+VAT Fully Managed 8%+VAT

“Our first sale came only a few days after opening.

We sold a lovely 2 bedroom house in South Portslade and achieved over the asking price – no mean feat in what has been a challenging market. Since then we have gathered momentum, helping clients sell or let their homes all across Brighton and Hove.”

“We have embraced technology, allowing clients 24/7 access to their data via mynicholasjames”

when he was named ‘Relocation agent employee of the year award’ – a national award where just one person from an estate agents in England, Scotland or Wales is ‘recognised for going above and beyond’.

James started his estate agency career in 2008 after spending a year travelling the world. He quickly established himself as a key member of a successful local estate agency and soon became a branch manager and then associate director. After putting his office in pole market position, he assisted in the setting up of new departments and new offices.

Our first year in business/Why we are different from other estate agents Reflecting on their first year in business, Nick says: “We made the leap of faith, leaving our long-term jobs at the end of last year. Thankfully, word of mouth travels fast in Brighton and Hove. It wasn’t long before people started to hear that we were setting up Nicholas James.

We officially opened our doors on February 2, starting with a handful of properties. They

James admits: “No doubt there have been easier times to open an estate agency. There are now somewhere in the region of 200 estate agency offices working within Brighton, either in sales, lettings or quite often both. There has also been the emergence of the online agents. Love them or hate them, you would be a fool to ignore them.

“We thought long and hard about what we could offer that would genuinely be different. Most clients we spoke to said they were working out whether they want to use a local high street agent.

They recognise the brands but are generally underwhelmed by the service and put off by the high fees. At the same time, they have had to consider paying up front fees to the cheap online agents, cross their fingers and hope for the best.

“The reason Nicholas James works is that we have essentially combined all the best bits from the high street and online models, creating what we genuinely believe to be the future model of estate agency. We offer fairer fees which are transparent and available to see on our website.

“We have embraced technology, allowing clients 24/7 access to their data via ‘mynicholasjames’, allowing vendors and landlords to monitor

Full breakdown of our fees available on our website nicholasjamesproperty.co.uk

marketing stats, viewing feedback and even offers. Buyers and tenants can schedule viewings at any time of the day and send direct feedback to the homeowner.

“Landlords have complete control via the portal, being able to see if rent has been paid, any maintenance issues and when the next inspections or safety certificates are due. Whilst this is great for the client, it also allows us at Nicholas James to concentrate on the ever important personal touch and customer service – clients know that we are there for them and have their best interests at heart.

“The moving process, even for seasoned pro’s can be a stressful time and we enjoy being able to use our experience to manage expectations and ultimately add a little calm.

“We always knew we didn’t want a high street office. Having worked in offices within busy locations, we have noticed a clear change in buyer behaviours over the years. Fifteen years ago, a shop window along with ads in the local paper and a ‘for sale’ or ‘to let board’ was the only way to attract buyers or tenants. In recent times, the offices and local paper advertising have been replaced by the online portals, most notably Rightmove and the more recent OnTheMarket.com.

“We are now able to reach a wide audience, locally, nationally and internationally with just a few clicks of a button. This has levelled the playing field as we now all find our customers in the same way.

Nick points out: “The value in a good quality estate agent is no longer how

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 31

Cover Feature

you find your buyers or tenants but the journey - from the moment you come into contact with them. This includes the knowledge of the properties we are marketing, the ability to listen and think outside the box to match customers to properties and, most importantly, the ability to build trust and confidence.

“That doesn’t mean there are not things we can do to set our marketing apart from the competition. All of our listings benefit from high-quality photography and floor plans, and we have also introduced virtual tours and even virtual furnishing where we feel it will be beneficial.

“Our office is a fun, vibrant place to

32 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

work. Located behind Hove station, occupying part of the ground floor of what was previously an old perfumery factory, it is the perfect base for us, central to our core marketplace and easy for our clients to visit.

“We share this space with other local, exciting businesses which has been unbelievably beneficial to us. We are experts in our field, however to share knowledge with various other enthusiastic businesses has been great.

There is always so much energy and excitement around the place.”

Next year Nick and James plan to continue to develop and improve what they do.

James says: “We encourage genuine feedback from our customers and we are not scared to be brave, embrace technology and try new ideas. We had a few sleepless nights when we first set up our ‘direct feedback’ tool, encouraging customers to leave viewing feedback which then goes direct and uncensored to the homeowner.

“Our brand awareness is growing as our past and current clients help spread the word and hopefully we are making it very easy for them to recommend us.

We want to be known as approachable, trustworthy and a ‘friend in the industry’ with everyone we work with.”

Cover Feature

Summary of the market In changeable market conditions, Nicholas James Sales & Lettings has had to have its finger on the pulse.

James says: “We have worked through various market conditions and know that you need to adapt quickly in order to offer the correct advice to our clients, depending on what the market is doing.

“We are now able to reach a wide audience, locally, nationally and internationally with just a few clicks of a button.

“The sales market has been tough this year in terms of levels of activity, the average time to secure a buyer has certainly increased, however in general we have noticed prices maintain and actually in many cases we are still achieving record prices.

“Brexit has no doubt had an impact,

although we are seeing a ‘keep calm and carry on’ attitude. People still want to move and have their own motivations for this - be it a growing family, a job relocation or even just to move to what is such a great City.

“We are always happy to sit down with anyone thinking of purchasing an investment property to help them understand the process and advise on what and where to buy, along with the costs involved.”

“We are lucky to be working in Brighton and Hove. If we enjoy another summer like we just have, the city is only going to become more and more popular.”

Nick adds: “Our advice is that if you are thinking of moving next year, plan early.

Talk to us about your ideal completion date and decide on a strategy accordingly – don’t rush to sell once you have found your next dream home.

Nicholas James Sales & Lettings is located at Hove Business Centre, Unit 7, Fonthill Rd, Hove BN3 6HA.

“The lettings market has seen fewer new instructions as the buy to let market has cooled. Landlords who have stuck with it are enjoying healthy rental prices and, in general, if you are able to offer a good quality, well maintained property there is no shortage of ready and willing tenants.

Contact Nicholas James Sales & Lettings on 01273 917915 or email hello@nicholasjamesproperty.co.uk www.nicholasjamesproperty.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 33

Lewis Hatchett The Sport Yogi

How to catch some better Zzz’s I don’t think you are going to be alone if you are one to admit Health that you don’t get a good night’s sleep.

I for one have been guilty of neglecting my sleep. Until I heard and saw why it was so important. Firstly, from a performance recovery aspect in my sport but now in an everyday function sense!

Improving our sleep has a range of benefits including: increased energy, greater capacity to learn, better ability to make healthy food choices, reduced stress levels, improved concentration, and so much more.

By not getting enough sleep we now know that even just short term sleep deprivation can cause increased levels of our stress hormone cortisol, raises blood pressure, increases levels of inflammation (linked to a wide range of diseases), impairs our bodies ability to regulate blood sugar levels, decreasing our levels of leptin (the hormone that makes us feel full) and increases our level of hormone called ghrelin (which stimulates hunger), and much more!

I hear ‘Oh yeah, I don’t get much sleep’ so often. Whether it’s hearing from a student that they don’t get enough sleep, a friend, family member or even overhearing something in a coffee shop.

We seem to say this phrase like a badge of honour to entice some sort of pity onto our busy lives. Or we are being sold the idea that in order to create a meaningful, successful life or business we must sacrifice these hours of sleep in order to get more work done! With a rise of mental health issues and people ‘burning out’, a lack of quality sleep can be a cause.

So how can we get more sleep with our busy lifestyle we live now?

We need rest. More than we know.

Sleep is not the enemy. It is our friend.

And one that we seriously need! Not only do we use sleep to gain rest, it is a time of repair, creativity, imagination that restores our body and mind for the next day.

For me it’s not about completely changing your lifestyle straight away but implementing small changes bit by bit. Small changes that eventually become habits and result in a healthier lifestyle.

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Reduce caffeine If you are like me, I can imagine that the majority of you are spending a lot of your week in meetings that revolve around a coffee or tea. There have definitely been days when I have drunk in excess of around 3-4 coffees before 12pm followed by more after that time.

This high level of caffeine stays with us for much longer than the initial hit you may feel from your espresso. The half-life of caffeine is up to 5-6 hours.

So, if you are still having a cup in the afternoon your body will still be feeling the effects later into the evening.

Try to have your caffeine drinks before 12pm. If you have meeting in the afternoon or want to go for a coffee, try something different like a decaf (although will still contain traces of caffeine) or even look to herbal teas.

Tumeric latte’s is one of my favourite!

Switch off devices an hour before bed.

The modern business as well as the modern world is hugely dictated by the use of our small little friends, our devices. However, these little chaps are emitting ‘blue light’ which is confusing

Health our bodies telling us that we need to be more awake and reduce production of melatonin (our sleep hormone).

So, try to turn off your devices at least an hour before bed (90 minutes is gold) plus most devices now have a ‘night mode’ which can reduce the amount of blue light.

If you use a TV to help you fall asleep, try to have it as far away as possible and reduce the amount of time you’re watching. Again, having it off is ideal!

Create a bedtime routine Set an alarm so that you know when it’s time to go to bed. Try to start regulating when you are falling asleep as much as you do waking up. There are so many things you can look to add into this routine and it is about using what works

best for you. You can try things such as, turn on a red light, light a candle to promote red light use, drink a noncaffeinated tea or water if thirsty, try to get all rigorous exercise done before 7pm, implement slow yoga stretches, listen to music, read a book.

Our sleep health is, without a doubt, as crucial in our lives as is our healthy living when we are awake. By just implementing a few small changes in your routine a lifestyle could drastically change your overall health and wellbeing.

Follow @thesportyogi on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube.

If you’ve like to get in contact further, please visit www.thesportyogi.com

This section is SBT’s way of looking after the businesses of Sussex.

To help promote healthier workplaces across the county.

Meditation of the month

Nutritional tip

Stretch of the month

Listen to some music or spend 1 minute noticing all the sounds around you. Close your eyes and try to listen to the sounds of the instruments being played or if you don’t want to play music, listen to the sounds around you, outside.

For improving sleep try cherry juice before bed. Cherries contain a natural source of melatonin, our sleep hormone and can help aid sleep.

Seated forward fold

Try to focus on visualising those sounds being made. Or even something as listening to the sounds of your own breathing.

You can usually find cherry juice in most health stores. A product I would recommend is called ‘Cherry Active’.

Forward folds are calming poses, by stretching the back of our body we allow the body to naturally relax.

Sit comfortably on the floor with the legs extended out in front.

If you’d prefer you can place a blanket underneath you to raise your hips slightly.

Slowly hinge from the hips, work the belly button towards the front thigh first, working up to the neck folding forward.

Tuck the chin towards the chest Hold for 1-2 minutes.

Breathing should be easy and smooth If it’s shallow and fast, come out of the www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 35 stretch until it’s easy to breath.

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Brighton business woman brings new fitness app to her home city A Brighton businesswoman is heading up the rollFitness out of the world’s leading fitness app in her home city.

Chloe Ross, who has lived in Brighton for more than ten years, is International Vice President for fitness network ClassPass. The company, which started life in America in 2013, offers a monthly ‘no-strings’ app-based subscription that allows fitness enthusiasts to book studio classes anywhere on its network, without the need for multiple memberships.

Chloe worked in the heart of government during both the Brown and Cameron administrations including at 10 Downing Street, before co-founding her own software company. She is now responsible for growing ClassPass’ international network outside the USA.

ClassPass, which is already operating in London, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai and 50 other cities worldwide, will launch in Brighton & Hove with a network of local studios offering activities ranging from boxing and strength conditioning to martial arts, yoga and Pilates.

Chloe said: “ClassPass is a new adventure for me and in just a few months I’ve led the rollout of this fantastic service in some of the world’s biggest international cities in Asia and the Middle East. But nothing is more exciting for me than launching here in my home town.

“ClassPass is a revolution in fitness, which now allows people in Brighton to go all over the city and beyond in search of their favourite class. Using our app you could do Pilates on Monday, cycling on Tuesday, hot yoga on Wednesday and HIIT on Thursday.

“Commuters who work in London will be able to use our network of more than 550 studios there too, which is a great benefit.

Having access to the very best classes where you live and work means you have the best of all worlds – but without longterm contracts and tie-in clauses.”

ClassPass members purchase bundles of credits as part of their subscription and book via the company’s app. The number of credits per class depends on the location, activity and time of day.

Brighton & Hove members will be able to book studio classes at brand new boutique fitness studio ROX, Marina Studios, Barre Studio Brighton, TheBox, Brighton Pilates, Yoga with Olive, It’s Yoga Brighton, and martial arts studio Elements. Other studios on the app will offer kettlebells, acro yoga, strength training and Zumba classes.

Alex Boito, who opened boutique fitness studio ROX with his business partner Jon Chatterton in September, said: “The fitness industry has changed.

People don’t necessarily want to be tied down to just one studio in one location.

We believe fitness should fit around your lifestyle and not the other way around. With its extensive network

of studios across the globe, ClassPass’ unrivalled national and international network allows its members to train whenever and wherever they want.

Members can book indoor cycling, HIIT, boxing or yoga classes in our brand new studio in Brighton & Hove one day and then take advantage of the ClassPass network when they commute to London the next. We’re partnering with ClassPass because we understand fitness in the same way and are both committed to delivering the very best possible experience for members.”

Annelies Omari, who runs Marina Studios, said: “We’re thrilled to be part of ClassPass as it launches in Brighton.

We have a fantastic selection of dance and dance-fitness classes - including Zumba - here at our studios. ClassPass offers not just a new way for people to find us, but also a really easy way for those who love dance and dancefitness to book and pay for their class.

We can’t wait to welcome the first ClassPass members through the door.”

Chloe worked for Accenture and Microsoft, before joining the Cabinet Office as Deputy Director of the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit in 2008. She then co-founded Showroom, an online shopping platform, before joining ClassPass in May 2018.

For more information, and to view the full list of fitness studios available, please visit www.classpass.com.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 37

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Sussex’s castle from the storybooks

One thing we’re not short of in Sussex is a castle. We have some of the best the country has to offer (in my opinion, obviously) and Arundel Castle is a stunner.

Imposing itself on the Arun skyline from any direction, the castle promises to be full of stories, and as soon as you step over the threshold it delivers wholeheartedly.

As with the majority of castles that are still standing, the oldest part of the site dates from the late 11th Century, with a motte and dry moat constructed two years after the famous Battle of Hastings. The Normans wanted to control us rowdy Sussex lot, so an imposing castle was the order of the day. With a rich history of being passed through wealthy families, (including the Howards in the 16th Century), the castle was a focal point for a number of key events in the history of Sussex.

For this piece it’s the civil war I want to focus on – a war that turned friend against friend and brother against brother. For me, this was one of the defining acts that changed the British Isles for ever.

During the Civil War (1642 – 45), (can’t help but say that in an Uncle Albert voice) a war that saw Royalists loyal to the King turn sword on the Puritan Parliamentarian force of Cromwell, the

castle came under fire significantly.

The Howard family (who still owned the castle at this stage) supported the Royalist cause, and when the war started, they brought 800 men to protect the castle from potential Roundhead invasion. William Waller attacked and seized Arundel on 20 December 1643 but didn’t have the manpower to take the castle itself.

Instead, he resorted to cutting off the water supply before bombarding with siege artillery. Thirsty and shellshocked, the Royalists surrendered in early 1644, leaving it to fall into parliamentary control.

One of my favourite parts of visiting Arundel Castle is the promise of re-enactment. Whether it’s medieval swordplay or Norman Knights prancing in their armour, seeing the accurate portrayal of combat and dress in The Keep adds to the castle’s imposing sense of living history.

If you live in Sussex, or are just visiting, I urge you to visit Arundel Castle. A castle with centuries of rich history, beautiful gardens and fantastically well-preserved rooms. This is a castle straight from the storybooks. Grab a wooden sword from the gift shop and chase someone up the ramparts – don’t forget to choose a side though. For me it was the Royalists, I wouldn’t have got on well with Cromwell’s strict Puritan policies.

Enjoy.

By James Dempster - Cobb Digital

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 39

A Q&A with Jason Bramwell

This month we chat with General Manager of the Old Ship Hotel, Jason Bramwell

Venue

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I started my hospitality career over 30 years ago in my home town of Norwich after finishing an HND at College. At 16 I had worked in a kitchen and having started as a Chef I really got the ‘bug’ and knew then that a career in hospitality was what I wanted to do.

After finishing college it became clear to me that my passion really centred on the guest experience and being able to provide great customer service which would make a difference, so it made sense to build a career in hotels. That passion for making a difference also fuels my other main interest which is Charity Work. I have been part of the Bear Patrol in Brighton, which raised over £12k at this year’s fundraising

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lunch, and won The Queens Award for Voluntary Service 2 years ago.

What high points have shaped your hotel career to date?

Right now is definitely a high point becoming General Manager for the first time in! It has been a long journey to get here though and I knew early on that hard work and persistence would play a big part in success as you have to be prepared to work the hours and take the knocks as well as the praise and really shape your own way. My first Head of Department position was as a Restaurant Manager at the Hilton in Norwich from which I transferred down to Brighton to what was then the Hilton West Pier (now Holiday Inn Seafront). Having started as Food and Beverage Manager, I later went on to be the Operations Manager and stayed

at the hotel for 8 years. I then went to the Crowne Plaza London Gatwick as Operations Manager before joining Paul Wright, the previous GM here at the Old Ship, as his Deputy. If I reflect on my career I feel it has been a fairly logical progression and you tend to remember the good times rather than dwell on the challenges and long shifts!

How long have you been at The Old Ship?

5 years as the Deputy General Manager and now in my first few months as GM.

Why did you want to become the new General Manager at OSH? Good question – ask me again in a year! Seriously though it felt like the right hotel at the right time. I know the hotel and seen it change a lot in the last

Interview

few years. It is such an iconic building wrapped up in local history, so there really is a sense of responsibility to preserve all those things that makes it great. For me to have the opportunity to lead the team that will carry that mantle over the next few years is a great privilege. It helps that the team already know me and know I understand the hotel and the local market, so I hope they know and trust that the decisions I make now as their General Manager will be made for the long term benefit of the business.

What plans do you have for the next few months?

With the Christmas around the corner, my focus is really to make sure the festive season is successful and start to build more strategic plans in the background which may not go live until the New Year. I have a new Deputy General Manager about to start and I expect a ‘bedding-in’ period whilst he settles in. We have plans to really focus on The Wardroom, which, having launched 6 months ago, now needs to really solidify its place in Brighton’s

restaurant scene so I will be tasking team members to ensure that happens.

On a personal and professional level, I will be looking at which other charities we should be working with and continuing my association with Bear Patrol along with the other business leaders in the town. There is a lot to do and I am fired up and looking forward to it all.

What excites you most?

At this point, everything! The personal challenge of stepping out of my comfort zone in areas I didn’t need to as a Deputy is right up the top of what is exciting me at the moment. My team have really been supportive, (as have the Cairn Hotel Group), so it is key to me to repay that with good leadership, developing and enhancing the skills and work journey for all the staff. Continuing to improve the guest experience and connecting with new local businesses who may have overlooked us as a serious contender in the past, for whatever reason. It’s all there to do and definitely what gets me out of bed in the morning.

What do you think will challenge you most?

The same thing that challenges most business owners I suspect! Getting it right for everyone; team members and guests alike. It is a lot of responsibility but I think the biggest challenge for me will be remembering I am not doing it on my own! I do have a tendency to action rather than delegate and that will be one of the lessons I will need to learn very quickly – I have a brilliant team of Department Heads and I trust them to do the job they are paid to do so I need to let them do it! Other challenges I have less control over such as future financial investment in the hotel. That said, I know the Cairn Hotel Group have as much respect for the heritage of the building as I do and want to make sure that when they do make that investment, the resulting changes are right for the market and the future of the Old Ship. Until that happens, we carry on regardless!

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 41

Q&A with Chef Kanthi

Lunch Review

About The Spice Circuit

The Spice Circuit is chef Kanthi Thamma’s dream venture. It is the culmination of everything he has learned in his role as a chef. Born and raised in Hyderabad, the culinary capital of southern India, the food and flavours he experienced as a child are now the toast of diners in Sussex and around the globe.

He says: “First encouraged in my mother’s kitchen, I have travelled the world as a chef in search of further culinary inspiration and excellence. I was just 18 when I worked in kitchens in Switzerland, Disney World Resorts in the USA and Disney Cruise Lines. I went on to settle in the UK, gaining more experience with some of the country’s most acclaimed chefs.

“I helped to set up and manage one of Brighton’s most successful brands, Curry Leaf Café. It currently has two

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restaurants and a kiosk at Brighton Railway Station. Drawing on my skills and knowledge, I have managed to impress both diners and reviewers.

Following a string of accolades, I started The Spice Circuit a year ago.”

What is The Spice Circuit?

“The Spice Circuit delivers chefled cuisine via innovative tours and pop-ups in Brighton and around the world. My pop-ups have impressed diners in the Canary Islands, Mallorca, Amsterdam, Den Haag, Hamburg and will be heading to Montpelier and Gibraltar soon. Though delivering the pop-up dining experience abroad is challenging, I love taking Indian cuisine to places where it has never been before. The concept is so popular that events sell out well in advance.

“At home, pop-ups have been staged in Brighton, Hove and London to name Twice a year, I add to the authentic Indian cuisine experience by taking diners on a real-life tour of Southern India and Sri Lanka. The personalised

tours comprise between 8 and 12 tourists and take place in late January/ February and September/October. I plan the tours with my friend Wilson and we take immense pride in showing people the real India. Importantly, I support responsible tourism, only choosing eco-friendly resorts. The tours were recently named in the New York Times as among the world’s best.”

“First encouraged in my mother’s kitchen, I have travelled the world as a chef in search of further culinary inspiration and excellence” Why do you support charity?

“Charity work is important to me.

However, I rarely use the word ‘charity’.

To me giving back to the community is more of a responsibility.

“I support Fareshare Sussex and the Crew Club. In addition, I have raised

for food waste, as well as solar energy for electricity. The tours also give back to their communities by supporting local farmers focusing on menus that are created from the ingredients that are grown within 50 miles of the restaurant.”

funds for Children with Cancer UK and helped to build a care home in Bangalore. I have supported the community kitchen in Brighton and also cook at St Anne’s day centre on some Tuesdays.”

Through various fundraising campaigns #cookforkerala, boho gelato, Pizzaface and social boar we will help to rebuild a village in Kerala that has been completely destroyed by recent floods.

Tell us more about your tours “The Spice Circuit takes guests to India and Sri Lanka, visiting local villages, temples, farms, farmer’s markets and cultural events so they experience the real India. We are lucky that Southern India and Sri Lanka have so much history related to spices. This story is told in parts when we visit places that are related to history and food.

“The tours started when some of my friends asked me if they could join me

on a trip to India. Soon, more joined and I had a group of eight people coming with me. With the help of my good friend, Wilson Rajan, I worked out an itinerary for them and made sure everything was taken care of from the moment we landed to our departure.

They really enjoyed the whole experience and suggested that I should do such tours every year with food as the highlight.

“As a chef, food is the most important part of my travels and I realised that no one is offering intense, chef-led tours to Southern India and Sri Lanka” When is the next tour?

“The next tour is in February 2019 when we will be spending nine nights in Kerala and eight nights in Sri Lanka.

Prices start from £1,200 per person. I highly recommend anyone interested to check the hotels and resorts online.”

What’s next?

“As a chef, food is the most important part of my travels and I realised that no one is offering intense, chef-led tours to Southern India and Sri Lanka. Plus, people get very excited whenever I talk about these tours. I always emphasise the importance of supporting agriculture, farmers, eco-friendly practices and food redistribution. All of these are reflected in our tours.

“There are some exciting pop-ups lined up for November, both in Brighton and abroad. Apart from that, I am teaming up with a very exciting brand to open a permanent kitchen. Together, we will be doing stuff that has never been done before in Sussex. We will be unveiling a complete new take on Indian food.

Keep checking social media for the big announcement.”

“We choose resorts that have their own organic farms, community kitchens, bio-composts and vermicompost plants

I’m about to launch my own gin brand ‘Spice Circuit Gin’ with the help of Blackdown Spirits.”

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 43

Review: The Charm Hotel

This week our reviewer visited the aptly named Charm Hotel in Brighton.

What an absolute pleasure it was this month for us to be Review invited to investigate and partake in a visit to The Charm Hotel near St James’ Street in Brighton. A luxury, boutique hotel which would be a perfect stay for both business and pleasure.

The location itself is great for business, the right side of the Pier to be quiet for work and evening walks, but also close enough to walk into town for any central events or nights out.

I arrived around dusk and entered into the bright, airy, quiet reception. I was met immediately by Daniel on reception who was warm and friendly. It felt immediately like I was on a weekend break despite this being an overnight work stay. He showed me to my room which was the breathtakingly fresh

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King Suite Sea View room. Despite the building being around 200 years old, the décor was clearly new and modern and most certainly lives up to its “designer living in a traditional setting” claim. The room itself was a bright, spacious room which felt brand new and spotlessly clean. The interior designers for the recent refurbishment have clearly made a spectacular job of creating a room which feels like a home from home.

The artwork and little touches like the ornamental lamps did not go unnoticed and there was clearly an attention to detail throughout the room. Crucially for me, being a business guest, there was plenty of room to work at the desk facing out onto the lovely gardens below and a quick look to the left displayed a peaceful sea view. With various convenient power points, plenty of space and the all important Nespresso Coffee machine in the room, it was everything I could need to set up an office space.

“The marbled bathroom also seemed brand new, with a deep bath, deep pile bath towels, a waterfall shower and complimentary toiletries which finished off my working day perfectly” The marbled bathroom also seemed brand new, with a deep bath, deep pile bath towels, a waterfall shower and complimentary toiletries which finished off my working day perfectly. The bed was absolutely huge with crisp clean bed linen and a mixture of pillows.

After a truly restful night’s sleep I headed down to the breakfast room.

The large breakfast room can also be set up for business conferences and I would be keen to book this and return

“It genuinely felt like a comfortable place to stay, with no request being too much to help with.�

with my colleagues, as I am positive they would appreciate the professional staff and the well-presented rooms.

The staff were extremely attentive immediately on arrival, showing me the breakfast buffet which was so beautifully displayed it seemed a shame to ruin it by helping myself. After a pastry and a rich coffee, I also ordered from the breakfast menu. A full English breakfast was the perfect way to set me up for the day. It was obvious to me that the ingredients were all fresh, well cooked and attractively displayed.

After one more coffee for the road I was

reluctant to leave this hotel!

I checked out with a very likeable lady named Eugenia who offered to assist me with guidance for Brighton itself and we had a brief chat about my plans for the day. If I had my way I might have remained in reception to work but sadly I had other appointments. I have to say that the staff at this hotel were a real credit to its charm. It is unusual to find the perfect mix of attentiveness without spilling into an intrusive style. It genuinely felt like a comfortable place to stay, with no request being too much to help with.

After chatting to the staff I discovered that there is to be a new extension of the Charm Hotel with nine new suites plus the New Spa with manicure, pedicure, steam room and hot tub.

Apparently this is to be ready by the end November 2018. I will most certainly be booking myself a spot here.

I would return to the Hotel even without these plans, but this tempts me to start booking extra nights to indulge in a spa break for an extra treat.

Aptly named, The Charm Hotel was charming in every sense, the staff, the rooms, and the food combine to make this a truly luxurious treat of a stay. I am truly happy to have discovered this little gem in the heart of Kemp Town for myself personally and will most certainly be back to stay again. I would also thoroughly recommend to my colleagues and our readers for its consistently excellent service and facilities.

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The Investment in Young People Award The Investment in Young People Award Chamber Investment in Young People (IiYP) is the News business mark for corporate social responsibility. IiYP is a National Award that recognises the important work that businesses carry out in assisting young people aged 5 to 25 to gain employability skills and to assist them with the transition from education into the world of work.

The Sussex Chamber of Commerce, as the sole delivery agent in Sussex for this prestigious award, is extremely excited to announce the first company in the county that has successfully achieved the required standard.

Since its launch over 35 years ago, Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd (ETI) has become the UK’s leader in the design and manufacture of electronic thermometers and temperature probes.

They also manufacture temperature and humidity data-loggers, as well as humidity and pH meters. ETI has an internationally recognised, UKAS accredited calibration laboratory, for both temperature and humidity. In

46 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

2018, ETI won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for the fourth time in six years and has enjoyed recognition of its business model and apprenticeship scheme by national bodies.

Peter Webb, MBE, Managing Director: “ETI are proud to have achieved the National Award in Investment in Young People. Our business has unquestionably benefited from our apprenticeship scheme and liaison with local schools and colleges; introducing young people to the many aspects of our manufacturing business, and also giving them an opportunity to experience potential employment. Not everyone has the time or facilities to offer significant opportunities to younger people, but as they are undoubtedly the future, any encouragement is worthwhile. From work experience placements and CSR events, through to offering a little time in mentoring students. Investing in young people has proved a valuable feature of our business; however, we recognise that there is always room for improvement and would encourage any business to enter the IiYP awards to provide self-awareness.”

Ana Christie, Chief Executive, Sussex Chamber: “The Investment in Young People award demonstrates the company’s commitment to investing in and supporting young people. ETI has shown huge determination to working with local schools and colleges and providing young people with opportunities by gaining employability skills and assisting them in the transition from education into work.

The IiYP accreditation is a national initiative of the British Chamber of Commerce’s Young Chamber and makes business stand out from the crowd as a Sussex-based employer of choice. This will help to attract and promote Sussex-based jobs which are competing with London and elsewhere giving you, Sussex employers, the tools to reduce your recruitment costs and help you satisfy your replacement staff demand.”

To find out more visit www.iiyp.co.uk or www. sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

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Representation @SussexChamber 01444 259259

Understanding hybrid for businesses Rewind the clocks back and go back in time to the late 1990s and early 2000s when hybrid cars were first introduced, back to when most people - inventors included - thought that the only resource to power cars was petrol. Since then, hybrid cars have come a long way in development and have grown hugely in popularity.

Studies show that the sales of hybrid cars peaked in March 2018 with nearly 15 thousand units sold.

You can only expect this number to grow over the next couple of decades. But if you are a part of a business and you’re unsure as to what exactly a hybrid car is, how it operates and how it could be beneficial for your business and employees, then this article is for you.

What is a hybrid?

Hybrid cars are simply cars that use two energy resources for power. A common

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type of hybrid is the petrol-electric hybrid. This is a term most people are familiar with.

Some examples of hybrid cars: • Ford mondeo vignale saloon • Toyota c-hr hatchback • Toyota prius hatchback • Toyota prius + estate • Bmw i8 coupe • Kia niro estate • Suzuki swift hatchback ‘Self-charging hybrid’ however is a term less commonly used.

What does it mean?

Put simply, a ‘self-charging hybrid’ is a hybrid that charges itself and does not require a plug-in - which means these are always ready to go.

Now that we’ve covered both terms, although these are similar in meaning, let’s delve into how hybrid cars work.

How does a hybrid work?

A hybrid’s main objective is to give you the best of both worlds. It combines the power and range of a traditional engine with the environmental benefits of an

“2019 Will be the year of the hybrid for electric car registrations” What are the pros of a hybrid car?

It depends on how you use your hybrid car and where you source the electricity you need to charge your hybrid car.

If you drive in heavy city traffic, a hybrid or plug-in electric vehicle could cut your greenhouse emissions in half while also saving money.

But, if you spend most of your time cruising on the highway, a plug-in or hybrid vehicle offers little environmental benefit as these cost more.

electric motor. From the moment the car starts, and at lower speeds, the car will operate on electric power only, which means zero fuel consumption and zero exhaust emissions.

When more speed is needed, or when the battery runs low, the petrol engine automatically kicks in and takes over the job of moving the wheels.

The petrol engine also sends power to a generator, which recharges the electric motors battery power. This is another better benefit of the electric motor. It allows the driver to have more acceleration and torque while at the same time reducing fuel consumption.

Once the car begins braking and comes to a halt, the system collects the kinetic energy from the turning wheels and brakes and converts into electrical energy, then transfers it back to the battery.

Hybrid cars give the same emissions as a normal petrol or diesel vehicles, but hybrid cars give us more option in terms of how we would like to re-fuel our vehicle. This, in turn, minimises our dependency on using up fossil fuels such as oil.

#1 Regenerative braking system Every time you apply the foot-brake while driving a hybrid car, it helps recharge the battery of the car. There is an internal mechanism, which converts electrical energy into mechanical energy to help recharge the battery power.

This contrasts with the conventional braking system in normal cars, which use brake pads to slow or stop the vehicle. The friction caused between the brake pads and the brake rotor then turns the car’s kinetic energy into heat, which, as we all know, is never a good thing!

#2 Lightweight materials While any vehicle can be constructed

with lightweight materials, these are extremely important for hybrid vehicles.

Using lightweight materials in hybrid cars reduces a cars overall weight, which means less energy is required to run it. The use of lightweight materials also improves the car’s efficiency and increases the cars electric range.

#3 Higher resale value With fuel prices in the uk constantly rising, more and more people seem to be ditching their traditional petrol vehicles for a hybrid or an electric plug-in vehicle. Since there is a strong demand for hybrid cars in the used car market, you will always be able to sell your vehicle for a higher resale price.

When combined with potential tax credits, maintenance savings, and lower fuel costs over time, it’s become more possible to recover the money it took to purchase a hybrid car when compared to investing money on a fuel-only car.

What are the cons of a hybrid? #1 Higher purchase cost A hybrid vehicle is always going to be more expensive when compared to models without hybrid features. However, you might be able to recuperate that cost with lower running fuel costs, tax exemptions and through leasing.

#2 Maintenance cost Hybrid cars need more money to repair when compared to traditional cars. The shortage of relevant equipment and the changes in technology can make it difficult for mechanics to repair the car.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 49

have a lower co2 emission, due to their improved fuel economy, company car tax for the hybrid are lower than nonhybrid cars.

For cars registered from 2001 onwards will be placed in a tax band between a and m, each band being defined by tailpipe co2 emissions. Tax band a represents the lowest co2 emissions, up to and including 100g/km, and m represents the highest (emissions over 255g/km).

The current tax band includes two rates for each system: • The initial first year tax will range between £0-£1,120.

Bear in mind, that if there’s a lack of equipment in garages, then it will also be difficult to find a mechanic who has the expertise and skills to repair a hybrid car.

So, if you have purchased a hybrid car and it needs to be repaired - it will take time, effort and money for you to get your vehicle up and running again!

#3 Weak batteries Whether you’re planning to buy or lease a hybrid vehicle, you’ll need to consider whether it’s worth investing in a vehicle with such a low battery lifespan.

Of course, all batteries wear out over time, but you need to be extra careful with hybrid batteries.

Which is why it’s important to not drain your battery by leaving the lights on. Otherwise, you’ll wake up in the morning, fully expecting to drive your vehicle to work, until you realise that your battery is discharged to nearly 0 per cent.

Why you should consider leasing a hybrid for your next company car?

If you drive a company car as an employee or operate a company car scheme as an employer, perhaps you should be considering switching over from the internal combustion engine to hybrid. Here’s why.

#1 Savings as an employee One of the downsides to driving a company car is you must pay tax if you

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or your family use it outside work hours, so it’s important to save where you can.

The amount of tax an employee will pay depends on these four factors:

• For cars registered after the first-year, a standard tax rate is payable thereafter with prices ranging from £0 to £515.

• The p11d value (list price of the car plus any delivery fees)

• Both the first year and second year increase based on the cars co2 emissions.

• Whether you pay something towards its cost • Whether you have it full or part-time • The vehicle’s co2 emissions Here is an example of a comparison between a low emission hybrid and a non-hybrid car.

Low emission hybrid car. The list price is £30,000 and the co2 emissions are 45 g/km. Emissions at this give a bik rate of 7%. As an employee would pay tax on £30,000 x 7% = £2,100. Tax at 20% is £420 per year and £840 for a 40% taxpayer.

A non-hybrid car is list price £20,000 with co2 emissions of 108 g/km. The employee would pay tax on £20,000 x 18% = £3,600. Tax at 20% is £720 and £1,440 for a 40% taxpayer.

#2 London congestion charge Fortunately for company car drivers, hybrid cars are exempted from london congestion charge - saving you £11.50 per day, which can easily accumulate if you’re making daily trips into london.

#3 Car tax bands Tax bands and their monetary incentives have shifted over the years, tax bands are now allocated according to a car overall co2 emission. As hybrid vehicles

• Hybrid cars are more likely to fall within the lower tax bands, with rates of £0 for both first and standard tax rates.

#Savings as an employer Since standard capital allowances were introduced in 2016, businesses which use green technologies/hybrids have been able to significantly save on tax costs.

What does it mean?

Capital allowances were made to promote the take up of low emission cars: the lower the co2 emissions, the quicker taxes were cut - meaning more money saved for you, your business and employees.

If you need any further advice on tax implications relating to your company vehicles or any advice about leasing a vehicle that could improve your cars tax rates, then feel free to get in touch with the Rivervale team. We are always happy to offer businesses advice on the best vehicle choice for their needs.

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SBTMotoring News Deaths Prompt Rule Change Plea The AA is calling for new motorway rules following the deaths of three roadside technicians in 12 months.

It has joined with other breakdown organisations to call for enhanced motorway safety rules. It says they are necessary to protect road users as well as recovery patrols.

In a letter to Road Safety Minister Jesse Norman, the AA urges the government to introduce a ‘slow down, move over’ rule. It wants the rule applied when drivers pass a broken-down vehicle or a recovery vehicle with flashing amber beacons.

Breakdown organisations say in a combined letter: “We have strengthened our resolve to work together to do all that we can to prevent similar incidents in the future.”

More Roar for New Mustang Ford has added dual-fuel, high-pressure direct injection to the Mustang’s renowned 5.0L V8 engine. The new Mustang also features an increased overboost on the 2.3L EcoBoost engine to further improve performance and, at the same time, reduce emissions.

The company says: “Whichever engine you choose, you’ll enjoy either a smooth and responsive 6-speed manual or a sophisticated 10-speed automatic transmission.

“With Active Valve Exhaust, you can even control the sound of your New Mustang. For example, select Race Track mode to dial up the engine’s rumble and roar. Or choose Quiet Mode for more peaceful surroundings.”

The AA previously wrote to Mr Norman suggesting changes to the Highway Code. That letter was sent ahead of new rules, implemented in July, which enabled learner drivers to have lessons on motorways. The recommendations were not adopted.

Silhouette Tease from Skoda Skoda is teasing its customers with a silhouette-only glimpse of its future Compact Class car. The company claims the darkened image gives the public “a first look” at the model.

An unusual marketing ploy or an attempt to put competitors off the scent of what the car will finally look like, the image doesn’t reveal much more than the vehicle’s shape.

Skoda says of the image: “It provides a first taste of the distinctive and dynamic design of this five-door model. This hatchback model translates the emotive design language of the study ŠKODA VISION RS, which recently attracted attention at the Paris Motor Show, into a production vehicle.”

The actual vehicle will be on ful lview before the end of the year. The suspense.

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BMW Unveils New 3 Series Saloon BMW has announced its 3 Series Saloon. The model brings together some of the series’ more familiar features with new and innovative capabilities.

The car manufacturer says it maintains the vehicle’s status as both “iconic and visionary”.

Improved connectivity is one of the big plus points. The latest iD7 operating system is complemented by a new Intelligent Personal Assistant, which will be available on the M Sport model. BMW says will “allow drivers to take greater control of their driving experience through the power of voice”.

Other features include enhanced noisereducing acoustic glazing, parking assistance and the optional BMW Digital

Key and Connected Music.

Many of the traditional features have been retained, including the sporty proportions. However, several new additions include the wider and more athletic rear and a much more aerodynamic design, which can be seen through the contoured surfaces and dynamic silhouette.

Under the bonnet, the new BMW 320d Saloon, which is up to 55kg lighter, boasts 190hp and 400Nm of torque.

It goes from 0 to 62pmh in a mere 6.8 seconds. What’s more, the new BMW 330i Saloon, which has 258hp and 400Nm, powers from 0 to 62mph in just 5.8 seconds.

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Stacy Keech, Wills, Trusts & Probate, Coffin Mew however you should review the company’s constitutional arrangements to ensure they will be sufficient to enable your company to continue, particularly if you are also the sole director of the company.

This is not necessarily the case for partnerships or sole traders as executors have no authority to run the deceased’s business unless express powers to do so are given to them in your will.

Do you have the ‘will’ to succeed?

We all agree that a will is a very important document, but as a business owner there are some essential points to consider when making or reviewing your will.

Firstly, you need to consider if your business will still be able to function on your death. Your executors should be able to exercise all the powers that you could in your capacity as a shareholder,

EXPERT

You should also consider if the executors you have appointed are also the right people to run your business on your death.

Have you considered the inheritance tax position? If you have owned the business or shares in an unlisted company for more than two years at the date of your death your estate will be entitled to business property relief at 100% of the value of that interest, or at a reduced rate of 50% for certain other

Intellectual property (IP) is widely regarded as one of the most vital assets a business has at its disposal. IP encompasses anything physically created by a company including its products, product names, documents and logos. As such, it is often intrinsic to a company’s brand and key to differentiating its market offering.

Failure to adequately protect their IP rights could leave businesses open to competitors capitalising on the success of their ideas and diverting their market share, leading to a potentially 54 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

To qualify the business must be trading and not one that deals with making or holding investments, is a not for profit organisation, is being sold or is being wound up. This is a very valuable relief, so it is important that this is not lost, for example by leaving everything to a spouse.

A trust can be used to take qualifying business assets on death to preserve the relief and stop the assets forming part of a spouse’s estate, which is particularly important if the business is sold in the future and the relief no longer available.

I would therefore urge you to review your will to ensure that it is fit for purpose so that your business can continue to be a success long into the future.

Ian Dawes, Partner - Head of Dispute Resolution & Head of Restructuring and Insolvency, Coffin Mew. devastating impact on revenue.

Why are a business’ IP rights important and how they can protect them?

interests or assets.

Disputes in this area are becoming an increasingly common headline feature, with big-name companies publicly battling competitors to protect their IP and, by extension, their brand. Notable recent examples include Waitrose and Hotel Chocolat’s ‘slabgate’ and the infamous and long-running KitKat trademark dispute between Nestlé and Mondelēz.

These cases serve to demonstrate the value that many business owners place on their IP rights and the lengths they are willing to go to protect them. Whilst the media usually only concerns itself with large scale, public interest disputes, giant corporations are not the only companies for which IP protection should be a significant concern; small businesses arguably have the most to lose from an infringement in this respect. Losing its market niche in the early stages of development can be

seriously detrimental to the growth and profitability of a fledgling business.

Modes of protection for these rights fall into several categories: patents, trademarks and copyright. Whilst copyright is automatic, patents and trademarks must be applied for through the Intellectual Property Office in the relevant jurisdiction.

The application process can take anything from one month to five years to complete depending on the type and complexity of the protection required.

Whilst this can be a lengthy and laborious process, it is certainly one worth undertaking when considering the risks associated with an infringement.

Attempting to enforce rights in the absence of legal protection can incur significant costs and time which some companies may find fatal.

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Why switch to QuickBooks Online?

Over 3.4 million customers are currently using QuickBooks Online globally. You may be asking yourself what are the benefits of switching to QuickBooks Online and why should you change the way you currently record your businesses finances. This blog will outline why you should convert your bookkeeping to a cloud based system QuickBooks Online.

“There are no complicated excel formulas and you can automate regular expenses such as direct debits so that you no longer have to allocate these on a monthly basis.”

1. Making Tax Digital Making Tax Digital is coming in April 2019 for any businesses that are over the VAT threshold of £85,000.

Kayvan Khoroosi, Partner PJCO Accountants

QuickBooks Online will allow you to submit a VAT return through the system keeping you fully compliant with the recent changes HMRC have implemented. Currently, HMRC are recommending switching to a cloud based system such as QuickBooks Online or alternatively start using a bridging software, however the latter can be time consuming and costly.

making it easy to allocate every single item of expenditure and income into the system. This also means that no transaction will be omitted from your bookkeeping reducing human error. There are no complicated excel formulas and you can automate regular expenses such as direct debits so that you no longer have to allocate these on a monthly basis.

2. Real time reports

4. Access anywhere, anytime

QuickBooks allows you to access real time data at any point in time. For example, many businesses benefit from being able to take a look at their profit and loss report throughout the year in comparison to once a year when their accountants prepare their yearend accounts. This allows for better decisions to be made in regards i.e. budgeting or decisions to invest in new assets. At the click of a button you can also easily compare figures against another period. You can also really drill down into your financials in regards to classes and locations.

As QuickBooks Online data is held within the cloud, this means that you can access your accounts from any web browser on any device. QuickBooks Online also now has a mobile application allowing you to complete your bookkeeping whilst on the go

3. Faster One of the features that PJCO insist all of our clients should use is QuickBooks Online’s direct bank feeds. QuickBooks imports all of your bank transactions

5. Go paperless With the QuickBooks mobile app, you can simply snap your receipts on the go. Attach these to the bank transaction it relates to within your QuickBooks profile to create a complete record, which is HMRC compliant. Alternatively, you could use a third party app to do this. At PJCO, we recommend using Receipt Bank, which automatically extracts data meaning your bookkeeping process becomes quicker and quicker every step of the way.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 55

Record turnout for best ever Brighton Expo This year’s Brighton Business Expo attracted a record turn-out.

The free B2B business show, staged at official Expo partners, Brighton Racecourse on October 11, saw 540 visitors attend on the day. Plans are now under way to significantly expand next year’s event.

As well as attracting the highest ever number of visitors, the event also yielded 10,000 social media impressions in the space of just a few hours - taking the exhibitors’ exposure nationwide.

56 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

This year’s extended event, which used two halls, saw 100 exhibitors take part.

Headline sponsor was Castle Water Limited. Gemini Print was the official print partner and Picture Book Films provided video services. The Sussex Business Times was the official expo media partner.

Mike who organises the Brighton B2B Expo, says: “The expo was a huge success. Visitors and exhibitors combined gave us a total footfall of 740 people throughout the day.

“The seminars were well-received and our keynote speakers offered insightful

free advice that everyone appreciated.

“A packed networking breakfast and two speed networking events were organised by Network My Club and really added to the day.

“It was great to have two speed networking events this year because they have proved extremely popular in the past.”

Mike says he has been overwhelmed by positive feedback following the event.

He says: “The feedback has been amazing, with exhibitors wanting to re-book now for next year.

“Our headline sponsor has already taken the sponsorship for 2019. It has been a pleasure to work with Castle Water and I am honoured that they have chosen to partner with us again next year.”

“Visitors have commented on what a good selection of businesses they were able to talk to. A number of exhibitors say they have meetings in their diary for after the event.”

So, after three years, how does Mike think Brighton Expo is placed for the future?

The outstanding success of Brighton Expo means it will further expand its features for next year.

“I am now confident that we have the largest B2B exhibition in the area,” he says. “That is because we create a real buzz and enjoyable atmosphere during the day.

Dates for your diary for 2019 are: West Sussex Business Expo at Fontwell Park May 1 and 2; Brighton Business Expo at Brighton Racecourse - October 2 and 3.

Flo Powell - Midnight Communications

Pearce Marketing, run by Emma Pearce, won the Best Exhibition Stand award. She was also a speaker on the day. Other speakers included Paul Samrah, Flo Powell, of Midnight Communications, Clive Bonny, Mick Dawson, Ian Ross and Vicki Jakes.

Keynote speakers were John Reynolds OBE, of Castle Water Limited, and venture capitalist expert David Mellor.

Brighton Expo works 12 months a year to help B2B businesses grow. It offers outstanding networking and followup advice in blog posts and podcasts - all managed by award-winning entrepreneur Matthew Larcombe.

“The Expo has grown because we deliver what we say and make the Expo an enjoyable and fun day for both Exhibitors and Visitors alike” Mike has put Brighton Expo on the map and helped countless businesses connect with potential new clients. He says lead generation is at the heart of everything he does, but emphasises: “My expos are also great fun. It is what makes them engaging and different.”

Many exhibitors attracted increase traffic to their stands with competitions, giveaways and prizes. This element further added to the buzz of the day and gave a number of visitors some unexpected, pleasant surprises.

To book a stand at next year’s event, call 01273 286133 or visit www.b2bexpos.co.uk/brighton

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 57

The Goodwood Estate's business networking group, poweredEstate's

by Network My Club.

The Goodwood business networking group, powered by Network My Club.

Company benefits of joining include: Company benefits of joining include: - 1 x FREE place to each monthly networking event at the Goodwood Estate discount at Goodwood -- 110% x FREE placeon tohospitality each monthly networking event at the Goodwood Estate -- 10% 2x tickets to a race day at Goodwood Racecourse discount on hospitality at Goodwood monthstofor 12 Premier Club Membership -- 14 2x tickets a race day atGolf Goodwood Racecourseat Goodwood Golf - Marketing from Network Club, facilitated introductions, - 14 months support for 12 Premier Golf ClubMy Membership at Goodwood Golf and much more!

- Marketing support from Network Club, facilitated Next Networking Breakfast at the My Goodwood Estate introductions, and much more!

Friday 7th December - 8.30am-10.30am - Book: www.nmcgoodwood.co.uk Next Networking Breakfast at the Goodwood Estate Friday 7th December - 8.30am-10.30am - Book: www.nmcgoodwood.co.uk www.nmcgoodwood.co.uk | info@nmcgoodwood.co.uk | 01903 898025 www.nmcgoodwood.co.uk | info@nmcgoodwood.co.uk | 01903 898025

Brighton & Hove Albion FC’s official business networking group, powered

by Network My Club.

Brighton & Hove Albion FC’s official business networking group, powered by Network My Club.

Company benefits of joining include: Company benefits of joining include: - 1 x FREE place to each monthly networking event at the Amex Stadium inplace the members directorynetworking within BHAFC match day programme -- 1Listing x FREE to each monthly event at the Amex Stadium - Discount on Amex Stadium conference and event bookings - Listing in the members directory within BHAFC match day programme - Exclusiveon use of the Network Albion Business Clubbookings logo - Discount Amex Stadium conference and event Marketinguse support Network MyBusiness Club, facilitated introductions, and much more!

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Next Networking Breakfast at the My Amex Stadium Thursday 6th December - 8.30am-10.30am - Book: www.networkalbion.co.uk Next Networking Breakfast at the Amex Stadium Thursday 6th December - 8.30am-10.30am - Book: www.networkalbion.co.uk www.networkalbion.co.uk | info@networkalbion.co.uk | 01903 898025 www.networkalbion.co.uk | info@networkalbion.co.uk | 01903 898025 58 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Network My Club

“I’ve found the business club to be an excellent way to meet like-minded professionals and those are often in senior positions.”

- Engage Healthcare

“Network My Club make you feel very welcome and allow you the time to actually network!

They take a keen interest in your business and try to help any way they can, which I find very refreshing.”

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“The structure Network My Club have created really is the future of networking.”

- Detect Fire & Security “In today’s fast-paced business environment, I was struck by the time and care the Network My Club team dedicated to getting to know our business and objectives.” - Hero IT Support

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 59

Networking in Sussex

Fashion Fizz and Frolics Charity Evening

Donatello Restaurant in Brighton staged a fashion show to support The Martlets Hospice.

All clothes modelled had been donated to sell in The Martlets stores.

The glamorous of Brighton gathered together for a Fashion, Fizz and Frolics event at Donatello Restaurant. It was all in aid of the Martlets Hospice, a charity that looks after the terminally ill and is dear to the heart of Sue Addis.

She said: “You can see what a fantastic charity it is. But, like all charities, they need money to keep all the services going.”

“So together with David from E3 Events we decided to create a night to raise funds but that also incorporates our favourite things namely food, fashion, fizz and a bit of fun and frolics”.

The Martlets Director of Income Generation Sally Brighton with Desi

60 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

And what a success it was! With entertainment from the magnificent singing trio The Sundaes it was a night to truly have a bit of fun.

The unique, curated fashion show incorporated garments and accessories that were kindly donated to the Martlets retail stores showcasing the variety of wonderful fashion that you can find (and save on) when you pop in.

These items, modelled by E3s dancers, were available to purchase and take home at the end of the evening and the guests certainly picked up a few bargains!

Another highlight of the event was the charity auction, with fantastic prizes donated by generous Brighton businesses such as Karen Millen, The Treatment Rooms, Brighton Racecourse, Derek Le Ward jewellers and Theatre Royal to name but a few.

This auction alone raised over £5000!

Sue added: “It was a sensational evening and we are still counting but believe the total monies raised for Martlets Hospice exceeded £8500 so we are truly grateful to all of those individuals and businesses who came together tonight for a very worthwhile cause”.

E3 Group’s David Hill with Judy and Maggie

Networking in Sussex

Leo and Sue Addis

Christina from Dental Health Spa with Jules Carol and Miriam

A show from The Sundaes

Becky Wood and Natalie Batchelor

An approving audience

All clothes modelled by Charley, Chloe, Holly and Paige Images from Graham Franks Photography

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Made in Sussex: RTFJ Richard Talman is a Goldsmith and owner of the highly acclaimed Sussex bespoke jewellery company RTFJ. The ethos of the company is a simple one - to Brand provide clients not Focus only with the finest quality jewellery tailor-made to suit their needs, but also the dedicated and informative process of manufacture.

All clients receive a personal, uninterrupted private consultation with Richard himself, to ensure all clients requests are not lost in translation.

Consultations are in the Wivelsfield based workshop, where all the pieces are made, allowing Richard to show the

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clients the process and even mock up ideas.

RTFJ welcome any enquiry regarding the design, manufacture, restoration or repair of all types of precious metal jewellery. A frequent request is to remodel unworn pieces, by removing the stone and melting the metal to form a new cherished piece. Sentimental items can be made in the same way, by integrating an heirloom item into something new.

Richard also specialises in repairs and restorations and even featured recently on the BBC’s ‘The Repair Shop’.

“All clients receive a personal, uninterrupted private consultation with Richard himself, to ensure all clients requests are not lost in translation.”

Richard welcomes you, by appointment only, to come and chat about your jewellery needs, whatever they may be.

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Fairytale at

SHARED & EXCLUSIVE CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2018

our 2018 calendar PRICES FROM £35PP INC VAT FRIDAY 30TH NOV

SUNDAY 9TH DEC

FRIDAY 21ST DEC

• DJ Festive Party

• Santa Sunday Lunch

• DJ Festive Party • ‘The Sundaes’ Party

SATURDAY 1ST DEC

FRIDAY 14TH DEC

• DJ Festive Party

• DJ Festive Party

SATURDAY 22ND DEC

• ‘The Get Down’ Party

• DJ Festive Party

SATURDAY 15TH DEC

SUNDAY 23RD DEC

• DJ Festive Party

• Santa Sunday Lunch

SUNDAY 2ND DEC • Santa Sunday Lunch FRIDAY 7TH DEC

• ‘The Get Down’ Party 18TH & 19TH JAN 2019

• DJ Festive Party SUNDAY 16TH DEC SATURDAY 8TH DEC

• January Nights

• Santa Sunday Lunch

• DJ Festive Party • George Michael Tribute

FOR DETAILS OR TO BOOK: CALL: 01273 878272 | EMAIL: EVENTS@BHAFC.CO.UK WWW.EVENTSATBHAFC.CO.UK

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