SBT June 2018 ISSUE 423

SBT SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

GALLAGHER THIS MONTH WE WELCOME GALLAGHER TO OUR PAGES AS SPONSORS OF OUR FINANCE SECTION. SALES DIRECTOR, ANREW DIX DISCUSSES CYPBER CRIME AND EXPLAINS HOW A CYBER INSURANCE POLICY COULD PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS FROM THEIR IMPACT.

BRIGHTON RACECOURSE BRIGHTON RACECOURSE RETURN TO OUR PAGES THIS MONTH, WITH A LOOK AHEAD AT THE MARATHON BET FESTIVAL OF RACING COMING YOUR WAY THIS SUMMER.

ALLIED IRISH BANK (GB) WE INTRODUCE ALLIED IRISH BANK TO OUR PAGES THIS MONTH WITH A CASE STUDY ON THEIR CLIENT BLANCH HOUSE, AND HOW SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS SUCH AS THESE ARE HOW AIB ARE HELPING TO DEVELOP AND GROW BUSINESSES ACROSS THE SOUTH EAST.

IN THIS MONTHS COVER FEATURE SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES FOCUS IS ON TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN LAW FIRM SO LEGAL AND HOW THEY ARE BRINGING A REFRESHING APPROACH TO THE SUSSEX LEGAL SECTOR.

SERVING THE SUSSEX BUSINESS COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

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SBTWelcome MEET THE TEAM

Welcome to our latest issue of SBT! The summer is in full swing and we have another packed issue for you with all the local news, local insights and reviews from across the county. Written by the Sussex business community for the Sussex business community. We hope you enjoy the issue.

Sam Thomas, Managing Director/ Publisher

Jess Saunders, Editor

Clare Fermor, Accounts

James Morrison, Production

This Months cover feature focus is on technology driven law firm SO Legal. We had great pleasure in meeting and talking to partners Jamie Salvidge and new partner Hamish Smith. Discussing how they are bringing a refreshing approach to the Sussex legal sector along with their impressive growth since being founded in 2016.

We welcome Gallagher Insurance Brokers and Risk managements consultants to our pages this month as sponsors of our finance section, as sales director Andrew Dix explains how a cyber insurance policy could protect your workplace from Cyber Crime.

Brighton Racecourse return to our pages looking at this years Marathonbet festival of racing this summer. They open on 8th August and we encourage our readers not to miss out.

Stephen Lawrence Photographer Snap it Now

CONTRIBUTORS

James Dempster, Managing Director, Cobb Digital

Emma Stevens, Associate Solicitor Dispute Resolution, Coffin Mew

Daniel Sheppard, Bodifix

Marianne Schoenig, Mediator Network

We have pleasure in introducing Allied Irish Bank to this month issue with their case study on their client Blanch House and how their successful partnerships are helping grow businesses across the South East.

As always alongside these great features we have Ask the expert columns and our Made in Sussex feature, focuses on Toto Energy, and how this innovative energy start up can save you money and how they are looking to recruit this summer. As ever our popular motor section, sponsored by Rivervale Leasing extends their exclusive offer for all SBT readers. This month our food and drinks editor reviews Brighton’s newest restaurant the Ivy. Our Hotel review this month ventures out to Uckfield in the Ashdown forest to stay at the Buxted Park Hotel. With these pages your usual local, national, motoring and chamber news.

Enjoy this month’s read.

Matthew Stanley, Accounts Director, Coast to Coast

Sam Thomas, Managing Director

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 3

Issue 423

Cover: So Legal

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. 2017 ©

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News

View the latest local and national headlines.

Spending It

Check out this Summers must haves with SBT’s Summertime Essentials.

Finance: Blanch House & Allied Irish Bank a Successful Partnership

For medium to large sized businesses, a successful partnership with your bank is of paramount importance. Allied Irish Bank (GB) South East Business Centre, located in Brighton is led by Emma Lane. Her experienced team are helping to develop and grow businesses across the South East, from Dorset to Kent.

Finance: Is your Business Protected Against Cybercrime?

With new, more onerous data protection laws firmly in every business operator’s mind, the risk of cyber-attacks is becoming a top agenda item across Britain’s boardrooms. Andrew Dix, Sales Director at UK insurance broker Gallagher, based in Metro House in Chichester, explains how a cyber insurance policy could protect your workplace from their impact.

Legal: Irwin Mitchell: Achieving Successful Growth

Rohit Talwar, Steve Wells, Alexandra Whittington, April Koury and Helena Calle of Fast Future here outline the key uncertainties and challenges women in the business community are currently facing.

Charity: Back of the net

Search Seven’s #share7 campaign kicks off with a charity football match at the AMEX Stadium.

Cover Feature: SO Legal brings a refreshing approach to Sussex legal sector

Founded in Eastbourne early in 2016, SO Legal has made significant progress since its launch. With the addition of Brighton and Uckfield offices in 2017 and a move to larger Eastbourne premises earlier this year, the firm has achieved impressive revenue growth over the past 2 years.

Tried and Tested in Sussex

Our working lunch this month was at Brightons newest restaurant The long awaited Ivy in the Lanes. Whilst our Hotel review ventured to Ashdown forest and the Buxted Park Hotel.

Chamber News

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

Motoring with Rivervale Rivervale reviews.

Ask the Experts

Local Sussex business experts advise on relevant issues.

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SBTLocal News Legal specialist in fight against scams

A highly experienced solicitor from Coffin Mew, on a mission to defend the public from scammers, has teamed up with Friends Against Scams – a National Trading Standards initiative that seeks to inspire people everywhere to protect and prevent their community from this criminal activity.

Annabelle Vaughan, partner and Head of Court of Protection and Wills, Trusts and Probate at Coffin Mew has added another qualification to her impressive CV: she has become a SCAMchampion and has been trained to raise awareness of the variety of scams that target members of the public every day.

Annabelle’s top tips for avoiding falling victim to a scammer include; if it seems too good to be true, don’t trust it; pay attention to the tone of emails and calls; and always report potential scams.

“People who have been affected by scams have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about,” says Annabelle “It is sad but true that suicide and depression rates are higher among those that have been targeted by scammers. We must destigmatise this issue so that more people feel comfortable about coming forward.”

“The people who are most at risk of being affected by a scam are those who are socially isolated.

People who get little human contact and look forward to receiving post or phone calls are often targeted by these criminals.”

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Sussex golfers club together to support local youngsters!

The Starr Trust was delighted with the success of its eighth charity Golf Day, held on 9th May at the prestigious East Sussex National Golf Club which raised an incredible £4,380 to help young people in Sussex.

Over 50 golfers from local businesses came together to enjoy a well-earned day out and a great chance to network. The sun shone all day and with temperatures reaching over 20 degrees, golfers enjoyed the beautiful 18-hole course and took part in various competitions on the route.

The day was kindly organised

by Paul Maidment and the main sponsors, Beales, Gardner & Scardifield, and Airsprung helped to make the day a huge success with

awards being given out, bids made on fantastic auction prizes and a delicious carvery dinner to finish off.

The winning team was Paul Maidment’s with runners up CCI Accounting followed by Styles and Silver. The winning individual was Peter Raynesford with Tom Humphries in 2nd place and Phil Mann in 3rd.

Starr Trust event organiser Tracey Narvaez told us “as ever we are incredibly grateful for everyone’s support and delighted at how much money we managed to raise. Even those businesses that were unable to play helped us by sponsoring a hole, so some great publicity for all concerned”.

To find out more about how you can get involved with the Starr Trust go to: www.starrtrust.com

Boundless partners with PCS to offer benefits package to 200K union members Brighton-based Boundless has partnered with the UK’s largest civil service trade union, Public Commercial Services Union (PCS), to enhance its membership benefits.

In the first collaboration of its kind, the partnership is a pivotal moment for Boundless as it evolves to extend its reach through partnerships with likeminded organisations.

With Boundless’ long heritage in the civil service, this new partnership offers PCS the chance to give even more back to its union members with a tailored, digital package. Launched on 21 May at PCS’s annual conference in Brighton to over 800 delegates, the new partnership known as PCS Plus (powered by Boundless), will give around 200,000 members access to unique benefits, experiences and exclusive savings – all included with their PCS Union membership.

The PCS Plus package includes discounts on a range of leisure activities including days out, cinema and theatre trips and UK breaks as well as savings on shopping, travel essentials, motoring and more.

Mark Serwotka, General Secretary at PCS, said “People in the civil service are at the heart of our communities and we wanted to recognise the vital role they play by giving something back to them.”

Simon Wilson, Head of Business Development at Boundless, added: “We’re really excited to be working with PCS. This is something very new for Boundless and we’re hoping that we’ll be able to help more organisations give back to their members using us as the platform to do so.”

To find out more visit www.boundless.co.uk.

SBTLocal News Woodbridge travel agency best in the East A high street travel agency in Woodbridge has been named as one of the best agencies in the UK & Ireland.

Deben Travel has been selected as the Top Travel Agency in the East of England, as part of a power-list of the best agents in the British Isles by industry bible the Travel Trade Gazette.

The TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies list was revealed in a glittering ceremony in Birmingham after an extensive judging process, which saw agencies be rated by tour operators and other suppliers, and then assessed by travel trade journalists.

More than 900 travel agencies and branches put themselves forward for

consideration for TTG’s Top 50 Travel Agencies 2018 – in association with Kuoni – from which a shortlist of 95 finalists across 12 regional and seven nationwide categories was devised.

TTG group editor Pippa Jacks said: “Now in its third year, our Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative has seen us scour the UK and Ireland to uncover its most dedicated and dynamic travel agency businesses.

“It’s been truly inspiring to hear how these agencies go above and beyond on a daily basis, to deliver extraordinary service and incredible value to their customers, and to support their local communities.

Newly employee-owned marketing agency shortlisted for award Michelle Leggatt, Managing Director, said, “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award which is well-deserved recognition for our hard-working team.

“The past few years have been exciting for us, not just in terms of rising staff and client numbers, but in the structure of our company.

“We really enjoyed hosting the award judges recently and introducing them One of the south coast’s largest marketing agencies, MindWorks Marketing, to our story. We are competing against has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2018 three great companies in various South Coast Business Awards in the Owner industry sectors, so the finals event should prove to be an exciting evening.”

Managed Business Award category. The The Owner Managed Business Award company will find out if they have won at the celebrates the contribution that small to black tie awards dinner at Southampton’s medium-sized businesses make to the Ageas Bowl on 13th July.

UK economy and their commitment to The marketing and creative agency continual innovation in order to support became entirely employee-owned in growth and performance.

October 2017. Last year also proved to be the company’s most successful yet.

Conservative councillors propose bye-law to prohibit parking on pavements and verges throughout Eastbourne Conservative councillors want the Lib-Dem controlled borough council to ban parking on pavements and verges in a move supported by disability groups and local people.

The Eastbourne Blind Society described the proposal as “exceedingly good policy” and Ian Westgate at the Eastbourne Access Group added: “Parking on pavements and verges is not only inconsiderate but dangerous, particularly for those with impairment.”

“This is a common-sense plan that will help vulnerable people in our town get about safely in their everyday lives and I hope the Liberal Democrats work with us and local groups to support it,” said Robert.

“Several Neighbourhood Panel meetings have spoken about this being a good idea to address perfectly legitimate safety concerns from disability groups and parents with prams.

“It is a very real problem we need to deal with. One of my local ward residents from The Chaseley Trust recently described how his wheelchair had twice tipped over as he tried to negotiate a vehicle parked on the pavement.”

Tickets on sale for Lewes District Business Awards

Tickets are now on sale for one of the most prestigious events in the Lewes District business calendar – the Lewes District Business Awards.

An ideal opportunity to network with the who’s who of Lewes District, the awards will take place on Thursday 19th July at

the Amex Stadium with a sparkling drinks reception followed by a three-course dinner.

With laughs-a-plenty guaranteed by comedian and host Simon Evans, the organisers are looking forward to a gala evening with over 300 local business people in attendance.

Councillor Elaine Merry, Deputy Chair of Lewes District Council commented: “The quality of the entries this year has been incredible, and the judging panel have had an extremely tough task of choosing the winners.

“We can’t wait to welcome the brightest stars from our business community in

July on this wonderful night with opportunities to meet new contacts as well as find out those hotly anticipated results!”

The awards are organised by Lewes District Council and sponsored by Allied Irish Bank, Cheesmur Building Contractors, Veolia, Wave Leisure Trust, LEAP, Uniglobe Preferred Travel, Basepoint, RSE Group and Whitespace with Platinum Business Magazine and Viva Lewes as media partners.

Tickets cost £68 (+VAT) and can be purchased online - www. lewesdistrictbusinessawards.co.uk.

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SBTNational News UK’s Happiest Professions Revealed A survey has revealed that Britain’s plumbers are the happiest professionals in the country.

In fact, 55 per cent of plumbers said they were ‘very happy’ in life.

That put them way ahead in the happiness index because builders were next on 38 per cent.

The survey was commissioned by Boundless, an experiences company with a 94-year heritage.

It aimed to uncover the secrets to happiness by finding out who is happy, both at home and at work, and what makes them feel good about themselves and their lives.

Ian Holmes-Lewis, Director at Boundless, said: “Plumbers are clearly happy people! Perhaps being their own boss plays a part in that, especially as builders and property developers were high on the list as well.

“But it was also interesting to see plumbers ranked highly in our survey for quality of sleep and physical activity.

“On top of that, 64 per cent said they often tried new experiences, which placed them second in that particular table.

“It goes to show that it is not only experiences in the workplace which determine how happy people are in work. Making the most of life outside of work can have a big impact, too.”

Experts highlight far reaching impact of new EU emission rules on industry and potential risk of fines and disciplinary action A leading water and waste water management company is today warning that thousands of British companies face potential fines and disciplinary action, including the closing of facilities highlighted, due to the far reaching effects of the new Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).

Experts at Alpheus Environmental, a subsidiary of Anglian Water Group, have warned that many companies are simply unaware of the extent and potential impact of new tightened rules.

These are prescribed in ‘best available techniques’ or BREF document requirements, set to come into force later this year.

Under the EU Industrial Emissions Directive, companies are obliged to reduce harmful industrial emissions, including emissions of waste water and generation of waste, and these rules

UK manufacturing has largest monthly fall in output for five years Britain’s factories unexpectedly recorded the sharpest fall in output for more than five years in April amid falling demand for steel and electrical machinery, raising fresh concern over the strength of the economy.

Pointing to fewer orders for steel used in infrastructure projects and a wider

are set to be tightened this year. The ‘polluter pays’ principle also puts the onus on companies to upgrade their facilities and for them to pay for any damage done to the environment.

EU regulators are currently drafting a series of best practices that will heighten already-stringent obligations on waste water and waste for the decade ahead. It has, however, raised concerns that very few in the industry are aware of this.

Despite Brexit, industry experts believe these regulations will still be maintained in UK law.

Experts anticipate that the new EU guidance documents will include increased responsibilities in the design, construction and operation of industrial facilities, specifically including water treatment.

slowdown in demand for British goods at home and abroad, the Office for National Statistics said manufacturing output fell by 1.4% in April from the previous month.

Economists had forecast modest growth of 0.3%.

Overall industrial output – which includes manufacturing, utilities and mining – dropped in April by 0.8% compared with the previous month, led by the fall in factory production and similar declines for energy supply and water usage.

Three in five UK businesses predict improved performance in the coming year, with London companies most bullish Three in five (59%) businesses believe their prospects will improve in the next year, according to new data from Smith & Williamson’s inaugural report: Dream bigger: The scale-up moment. In a show of confidence from the UK’s business community, a quarter (26%) go as far to say that their position will improve ‘significantly’ over the coming 12 months.

The study also indicated that business leaders are growing tired of delaying expansion plans as they wait for the outcome of Brexit. One in three (33%) say they will increase their level of

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borrowing in the next 12 months to fund growth plans, with nearly one in five (17%) saying they would borrow ‘much more’. More than half (52%) of the UK’s businesses plan to increase their headcount over the same period, with this rising to 71% among companies with 50-250 employees.

According to research, banks and investors could be loosening their purse strings. More than one in three (38%) companies in the sample believe that access to finance has improved in the last year – almost four times the 11% of firms which feel it has worsened.

Businesses are slightly less optimistic about the economy than about their own future, with 57% forecasting economic growth in the next year, although this is still almost double the 30% which felt the same way in Q4 2017, reported in Smith & Williamson’s Enterprise Index.

The Smith & Williamson Enterprise Index has been charting the confidence of business leaders for over five years, starting from a baseline of 100 in 2013.

This research has been expanded to form the basis of the new Dream bigger report to assess the confidence levels of the UK business community.

SBTNational News Tax Preparation Specialist Urges HMRC to Commit More Resources to Assist Self-Employed Workers

One of the UK’s leading tax experts today urged HMRC to commit more resources to support self-employed workers, after a week of dismal news for those workers who are self-employed.

Tax preparation specialist, David Redfern, founder of DSR Tax Claims, spoke out after a number of issues came to light regarding freelancers and those in the gig economy, including news that four million phone calls to HMRC went unanswered last year as well as disagreements regarding the accuracy of HMRC’s CEST tool, designed to allow people to check their employment status in order to ensure they do not fall foul of HMRC’s controversial IR35 legislation.

Redfern, a long-time critic of IR35, urged HMRC to commit more resources to supporting self-employed people, who are a growing sector of the economy, with the growth in self-employment rising from 3.3 million workers in 2001 to 4.8 million workers in 2017, an increase from 12% of the labour force to 15%. He stated that many of these workers are lowerearning workers in the increasing “gig economy” and who are therefore at a disadvantage in terms of access to financial resources as well as informational resources to ensure they make informed decisions about their taxes. Redfern stated that “this increase in self-employment has not seen a corresponding increase in HMRC resources dedicated to supporting these workers, many of whom do not have access to their own experts and financial advisers and who therefore rely on HMRC for guidance and advice with regard to their taxes and employment status”.

UK HR professionals see millennials and the ageing workforce as the biggest threat to productivity

A new survey of senior HR professionals

by MintCentral, an employee engagement app provider, reveals a number of concerns they are facing, relating to business productivity and employee engagement.

The survey showed that an ageing UK workforce and increasing numbers of millennials entering the workplace are seen as the biggest threat to workplace productivity in the next five years, while employee apathy and remote working were cited as the main factors influencing the effectiveness of internal communication.

When analysing the factors affecting workplace productivity, 63% of participants ranked an ageing UK

workforce and increasing numbers of millennials as more significant than the impact that Brexit will have (21%), or stagnating wages (14%). This suggests that organisations have a very real and pressing set of age-related concerns to tackle the evolving workplace age demographic.

When the survey asked about the factors that influence the effectiveness of internal communication, employee apathy and distance were jointly ranked in first place. This is indicative of a geographically disparate UK workforce which is not fully engaged.

71% of respondents said that online surveys are the most effective technology used to measure staff engagement.

Interestingly, company intranets were ranked as the least effective technology for measuring staff engagement. This questions their continued use when the average UK workforce is increasingly non-desk bound. The inability to engage with employees through their intranet was cited by one respondent as why they ranked it as least effective.

UK motorists cautiously driving towards electric The number of UK drivers who would consider buying an electric car as their next vehicle has doubled in the last year from 15% to 30%, according to the second iteration of the Britain Under the Bonnet report from Close Brothers Motor Finance.

A further two fifths (40%) said they would consider buying one in the future, just not as their next vehicle purchase.

The findings follow recent figures from Industry experts The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) that revealed sales of alternatively fuelled vehicles, including electric cars, rose by 23.9% in 2017, and now accounts for 5.5% of the market.

The Britain Under the Bonnet report looks at consumers’ attitudes and car buying behaviours – along with views from dealerships across the country – to give a comprehensive view of the UK’s motor industry in 2018.

The research suggests that two thirds of those who would consider purchasing an electric vehicle would do so because of their purported environmental friendliness. Over half (55%) trust they’ll be cheaper to run, and well over a quarter (29%) believe they would deliver a better driving experience.

Despite UK motorists slowly plugging into electric, more than a quarter (28%) admitted that they wouldn’t consider making the switch. The main issues are the negative perceptions around the range and cost of the vehicles. More than two fifths (43%) blamed their decision on the range being limited, despite the fact that the longest range of an electric car covers more than 300 miles in a single charge.

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Summertime Essentials With summertime fast approaching, SBT has put together a list of some of the must have products and accessories to ensure you get the most out of your favourite season

IT REALLY WORKS VITAMINS As seen in Men’s Health Magazine and trusted by thousands of guys worldwide, two tablets per day helps prevent hair loss and encourages a healthy scalp. Summertime can be tough on your hair and head, so what better way to ensure healthy hair growth?

All ingredients in the supplements are 100% natural, Kosher, Halal and Vegan friendly. 90 Day Supply RRPs at £87. www.itreallyworksvitamins.com

THE MAYFAIR NAVY SUEDE LOAFER The Mayfair, a staple in any gentleman’s wardrobe, is handmade in Portugal in supple navy suede.

Features include a comfort padded insole, a combination leather/rubber sole and our signature Fairfax and Favor chain. £79.

DEAD SEA BODY SCRUB WITH FRANKINCENSE OIL Our skin is our biggest organ and most of us are guilty of serial neglect, especially during summertime. It’s time to give your body a boost and you’ll be rewarded with a body so soft and sumptuous looking, that stripping off will no longer be stressful. Dead Sea salt scrub is a deliciously buttery, two-in-one exfoliator and moisturizer.

Created by fusing nutrient-rich Dead Sea salts with Frankincense aromatherapy oil. The detergent and chemical free formula is soft but effective on all skin types so it won’t upset sensitive souls.

The Malki Dead Sea body scrub with Frankincense oil is now available in Boots stores nation-wide at £7.79 per 300ml.

www.fairfaxandfavor.com

BOTONIQUE: THE ‘CHAMPAGNE’ OF HEALTH DRINKS NOW AVAILABLE IN BLUSH Best served chilled in a Champagne flute, Botonique Blush looks very much like sparkling rosé, but doesn’t include grapes or alcohol! Instead, the delightful bouquet of strawberry, rose and bramble is followed by high notes from citrus, base notes from ginseng and milk thistle seed, and many layers of flavour in between from different herbs and spices. The overall effect is utterly unique and yet delightfully reminiscent of a sparkling rosé wine.

Botonique Blush retains the beneficial aspects of Botonique Crisp Dry White with Prelixir®, a unique blend of vitamins, minerals and amino acids which alcohol is known to deplete. What better way to stay hydrated in this year’s scorching summer?

Retailing at £7,99 for a 750ml bottle or £3.99 for a 250ml bottle. Available for pre-order now from Botonique.com. www.botonique.com 10 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

NATIONAL TRUST PANAMA STRAW HAT Exclusively made for the National Trust ,this great unisex panama hat is made from straw and features a brown tied ribbon around the middle of the hat.

A smart, wide brimmed, lightweight hat, perfect for summer days.£20. www.shop.nationaltrust.org.uk

VSL#3 Indulgent summer holidays consisting of poor eating, heat and dehydration can often make you feel bloated. VSL#3 is the world’s most concentrated multi-strain probiotic and is supported by Level One (double-blind, placebo-controlled) scientific data with over 170 published studies. VSL#3 contains 450 billion bacteria per sachet, substantially more per dose than any of the leading supplements on the market. It contains eight strains of beneficial live bacteria. These bacteria have been purposely selected, carefully cultivated and mixed proportionally to survive gastric acid, bile, and pancreatic secretions, allowing them to reach and colonise the gut. VSL#3 is available as a box of 10 sachets (£14.95). www.vsl3.co.uk

GOXTREME PIONEER 1080P ACTION CAM Capture all of your summertime adventures with this product. Featuring a 2" screen and 140 view, the GoXtreme Pioneer is a small and compact action camera offering the clarity of 1080p/30fps video recording and still images of up to 12MP, while the built in WiFi enables live view, remote control and file sharing via your smartphone when used with the free iOS and & Android companion app. The 30M waterproof housing, bike mount and additional accessories included offer a solution for multiple mounting options right out of the box and combine to offer incredible value at a great price.

RAY BAN AVIATOR CLASSICS With a classic gold frame, you can see the world through a variety of lens colors including crystal brown, crystal green, G-15 polarized and more that provide optimum visual clarity and 100% UV protection.

Aviator Classic sunglasses are a timeless model that combines great aviator styling with exceptional quality, performance and comfort. £127 www.rayban.com

Available from Argos for £49.99 www.argos.co.uk

THE MAXI DRESS

MARTINIQUE SANDALS

Nothing beats a ‘throw and go’ maxi dress when you’re on holiday. Wear on it’s own with wedges for an evening meal or, layer with a T-shirt underneath and a pair of trainers for a day-time look.

Wolkyshop has its UK flagship store in the Brighton Lanes and is proud to be a part of the Sussex business community. Wearing a pair of Wolkyshop’s shoes is like walking on air – their focus is on comfort and high-quality materials.

You could even mix things up by wearing a light knit over the top for your journey home, and turning the dress into a skirt.

Silk wrap maxi dress in butterfly garden, £133.90 Madewell

The Martinique sandals are part of the FREE collection, new for Spring Summer 2018. These are no ordinary flip-flops- they feature a dampening sole, an anatomically shaped cork footbed and an adjustable in-step.

They are available in five colours and cost £84.99. They can be purchased in-store (Bond Street, Brighton) or online. www.wolkyshop.co.uk www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 11

Finance

Blanch House and Allied Irish Bank (GB) a successful partnership For medium to large sized businesses, a successful partnership with your bank is of paramount importance. Allied Irish Bank (GB) South East Business Centre, located in Brighton, is led by Emma Lane. Her experienced team are helping to develop and grow businesses across the South East, from Dorset to Kent.

Emma Lane, South East Business Centre Leader explains: “At Allied Irish Bank Finance (GB) we provide award-winning service, through our dedicated Relationship Managers. We offer access to local, on-the-ground, experienced relationship teams, accessible via local telephone numbers and through our branch network. We pride ourselves on speed of delivery and a focused customer centric approach to banking.

Our customers tell us that understanding their businesses and the sectors in which they operate is very important to them, and in response to this, four £500m funds have been made available this year for businesses in the key economic growth sectors of hotels and hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare and professional practices to assist future growth plans. By providing access to this funding, we are encouraging businesses to invest and prosper and in turn contribute to economic growth across the region.

The funds highlight our continued commitment to tailoring funding solutions for viable businesses and we will work closely to help you achieve your growth aspirations. Relationships like the one with our customer, Blanch House, are successful because we really understand business.

Jeremy Ornellas, Co Proprietor, Blanch House said: “From initial discussions with Allied Irish Bank (GB) it quickly became very clear to us that we had found our ideal local banking partner. We decided

to move all of our banking and facilities to Allied Irish Bank (GB) and the whole process was seamlessly processed over a relatively short period of time. lt is very reassuring to know that the team are close by and more so are really understanding and 100% behind our business.

It’s so important to have a good relationship with your bank. It is critical that the bank understands your business - when it’s going well, and what happens when it’s quieter. We’ve been very fortunate to have a good relationship with our team at Allied Irish Bank (GB).”

Opened for business by Jeremy Ornellas and Kerry Turner in 2011, Blanch House is a boutique hotel in Brighton’s Kemptown area a stone’s throw from the sea front with twelve uniquely themed guest rooms.

Blanch House is a Grade II listed Georgian Townhouse hotel and specialises in creating experiences for guests and providing excellence in customer service. Since 2011, the hotel has gone from strength to strength, most recently achieving TripAdvisor’s Hall of Fame status for earning five Certificates of Excellence in a row. They have also been awarded the Travellers Choice award for 2018 for Romance – an award which is only presented to the top 1% of hotels throughout the world.

This year it marks five years since the Blanch House Business Club was created to bring together innovative leaders from the Brighton Business Community across a wide range of different industries. The Business Club has grown organically and now has over 200 members and holds regular supper club events throughout

the year.

Jeremy has crafted a clear strategy for his business to ensure guests will return for another stay. He explains: The Customer Comes First: “Our ethos is nothing is too much trouble for our guests. That starts from when people first book into Blanch House. The day before they travel, we call to see if there is anything else they need, from a restaurant booking to event tickets.

The overall experience we want our guests to enjoy is that it’s a welcoming and elegant place – a home from home whether they are travelling for business or leisure. Guests come here for a variety of reasons, from celebrating a special

The new Pommery Room

12 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Emma Lane centre pictured with members of the South East Business Centre at Allied Irish Bank (GB)

occasion such as a wedding or for a business meeting. We often provide exclusive use for meetings and events which give access to all twelve rooms, our champagne and cocktail bar plus the Belle Epoque function suite.

Cultivate a Collaborative Team Culture: “We’re really lucky we have such a brilliant team. We all work well together making best use of our individual skills and experience. It’s important for a small

business that we all pitch in no matter what our role is to ensure that our guests have the best possible experience.

Everyone is really special, we have six full-time staff and six part-time staff and everyone is very dedicated to their roles, with varied backgrounds from hospitality, travel, tourism and media.”

Encourage feedback: “We constantly review the hotel itself and look at how we serve our guests.

Our values are about paying attention to detail, professionalism, flexibility and a friendly service. Word of mouth has always been important for hotels. So in that way, TripAdvisor can now help customers to decide whether or not they want to stay with you. You have to be proactive and know when and how to react, to ensure your customer comes first. We have a lot of repeat guests coming back. We always write to our guests after their stay to thank them and to invite them to comment afterwards.

We also offer a returning discount, if they book directly with us again.”

Stand out from the competition: “As we are Brighton’s original boutique hotel, the whole idea is to provide something unique that you can’t get somewhere else. We look after everything for our guests during their stay, from champagne in the room to arranging an appointment with our preferred massage and treatment partner. We also have a

lot of functions here; everything from private dining, weddings and meetings throughout the year, in particular during the busy conference season.

Plan for the Future: “Every day you learn something new.

You’re really only as good as your next guests’ stay or your next function. We are constantly looking at new ways of working with partners – from local tourism associations to lifestyle brands in order to build the Blanch House brand presence.

We really enjoy what we do. As a team we recognise our own individual strengths and that’s what helps to create a very positive experience for us.”

To see how Allied Irish Bank (GB) can help you with any of your Business needs, contact Allied Irish Bank (GB) South East Business Centre on 01273 574195 or email with an initial enquiry to brighton@aib.ie The AIB logo, Allied Irish Bank (GB) and Allied Irish Bank (GB) Savings Direct are trade marks used under licence by AIB Group (UK) p.m. incorporated in Northern Ireland. Registered Office 92 Ann Street, Belfast BT1 3HH. Registered Number NI018800. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 13

Global perspective.

Local Solutions.

Insurance crafted to meet your business needs.

Gallagher provides Insurance Broking and Risk Management services for clients ranging from new start-ups to some of the largest PLC’s.

We transact business in over 150 countries

As a key business partner to our local community and actively

worldwide. Whilst we have grown to become

recognised by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the World’s Most

supporting local good causes, we are proud to have been

one of the largest brokers, we have a

Ethical Companies for seven years in a row.

track record of working within our local

Take advantage of our experience to negotiate your commercial

community offering a community service

insurance needs and we will provide a risk based approach to benefit your business.

with a national backing.

For more information contact In this local area we have a large dedicated team to service your insurance needs and an in-house claims team with the ability to settle claims on behalf of our partner insurers.

Gallagher Representatives: T:

0800 612 3761

E: UK.ChichesterOffice@ajg.com

GST-236330647

©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 SC108909. FP454–2018 Exp. 09.05.2019.

14 Number: www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

3rd Floor, Metro House Northgate, Chichester West Sussex, PO19 1BJ

Is your Business Protected Against Cybercrime?

With new, more onerous data protection laws firmly in every business operator’s mind, the risk of cyber-attacks is becoming a top agenda item across Britain’s boardrooms. Andrew Dix, Sales Director at UK insurance broker Gallagher, based in Metro House in Chichester, explains how a cyber insurance policy could protect your workplace from their impact.

Cybercrime is on the rise, due to our increasing dependence on technology, coupled with the rise of mobile devices and cloud-based computing.

Fraudsters can now target businesses anytime, anywhere, as the National Crime Agency reported that the number and scale of data breaches continued to increase in 2017*. Whilst strengthened security procedures, good digital housekeeping and high user awareness will reduce the likelihood of your business suffering an attack, it does not guarantee that you will not be hit with damaging ramifications of a breach.

Although most companies manage their IT infrastructure internally or with a contractor, the additional costs incurred following a cyber-crime incident can be a shock to even the most prepared business. From the cost of notifying clients of the incident, to the IT forensic experts that are needed to unlock encrypted data and truly rid the system of any trace of the malware, the cost from a ransom attack alone could be thousands.

Given that all businesses insure their buildings and their liabilities without question, in this day and age it is just as important to insure your business’ cyber presence. A tailored cyber and crime insurance policy can protect your firm against the multiple impacts of a data breach incident, but will also manage the investigation process for you following a cyber attack. From identifying the breach and neutralising the threat, to providing your business with legal and PR advice while covering the costs to notify those

affected, as well as any fines, the benefits could be priceless.

Your reputation is your strength – so why not protect it?

Compromised systems pose the longer term risk of losing loyal customers and incurring a damaged reputation. Having dedicated breach response insurance ensures the costs are covered when enlisting the help of a dedicated public relations firm, as well as the loss of future sales that arise as a direct result of loss of custom.

Data is your most important asset Data is not covered by most standard property insurance policies. A cyber policy with comprehensive cover will include data restoration, no matter how the loss occurred.

a result of a cybercrime, a traditional business interruption policy may not respond. Cyber insurance provides you with cover for loss of profits associated with a systems outage caused by such attacks.

Ensuring you have the right protection in place is critical for safeguarding the future of your business. If you wish to discuss the best insurance options available to you, then get in touch. *National Crime Agency: The cyber threat to UK business 2017-2018 Report http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/ publications/890-the-cyber-threat-to-uk-business-2017-2018/file

For any further information or to get in contact, please see details below: T: 0800 612 3760 E: Andrew_Dix@ajg.com W: www.ajginternational.com

Liability for lost third party data Businesses hold more information on their customers and suppliers than ever before, and have a responsibility to protect it. Cyber liability insurance ensures protection against nondisclosure agreements and contracts that contain indemnities and warranties in relation to this type of breach, as well as consumers seeking legal redress in the event of loss of data.

Operating systems are critical for daily business All companies rely on operating systems to manage their business, but in the event of your business suffering unplanned downtime as Andrew Dix

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 15

Penina Shepherd, founder & CEO, ACUMEN BUSINESS LAW

The future is now!

The 9th May saw the Acumen Business Convention 2018 held at The Grand Hotel, Brighton, bringing wonder and insight to hundreds of delegates from far and wide.

This year the spectacular line Convention up proved to be revolutionary, looking at future business trends and how these affect business both now and going forward.

With the advancement and increased use of AI technologies, the fascinating speakers gave valuable insight on what’s important in future proofing your business.

The day kicked off with a bang (literally!) as Clatteratti performed their tribal drums building up to a crescendo to start the show in style.

As well as the thought provoking speakers the day featured Link & Learn sessions, (with essential legal tips) and masses of quality networking opportunities throughout the day with lots of surprises too! Once everyone was relaxed and

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raring to go after their fill of delicious lunch with wine, Penina Shepherd, best selling Author and Founder of Acumen Business Law, shared her thoughts and expertise on the importance of brand and how the emotional experience plays such a key part to any business.

Giving a whirlwind talk on how the next 20 years will affect our businesses, expert on global trends and innovation, Mark Stevenson (the ‘reluctant futurist’ and award-winning author) pointed out the real urgency dealing with future crisis now. Also bringing the future to light, Tim Leberecht, a Futurist and Humanist and Co-founder of The Business Romantic Society, made a fascinating point of how we are entering a new romantic era for business in response to big data and hyper-connectivity.

Before the celebratory drinks and mingling, it was time for our keynote speaker. The outstanding Holly Tucker MBE, Founder of Not on the High Street, shared her incredible business journey highlighting what is most important along with her passion for small businesses for the future. The audience got the chance to ask Holly their questions too, so by the end of the day there were many valuable takeaway points for them to put into practice.

Holly Tucker MBE, founder, Not on the High Street

“By the end of the day there were many valuable takeaway points for the audience to put into practice.”

The Acumen Business Convention exists to give the business community motivation, inspiration, gain essential business know how and make valuable new connections. All with the added enjoyment of the Acumen magic and surprises!

Penina Shepherd, Founder of Acumen Businss Law said, “It’s been a fantastic day and so great to see so many business professionals together, all sharing in the inspiration and expertise from the day. That’s what makes it so special and we look forward to our 10th convention next year! “

Clatteratti

To find out how to get involved next year and for more information please contact creative@acumenbusinesslaw.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 17

Irwin Mitchell: Achieving Successful Growth Irwin Mitchell return to our pages again this month as the sponsors of our Legal section.

Here in these pages, Faye Bargery and George De Silvo advise on how to make a success of your growth plans.

We understand that seeking investment to expand your business Legal and/or undertaking an acquisition can be both stressful and time-consuming.

However, the benefits can often be significant, helping to grow your business.

Faye Bargery (Corporate Partner) and George De Silvo (Corporate Associate) recently presented at the SME annual conference hosted by the ICAEW, where they shared some practical tips to help SMEs prepare for investment and achieve a smooth transaction. This article summarises some of the advice that Faye and George covered, helping you to make a success of your growth plans.

Getting investment ready Preparation in advance is essential in

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order to demonstrate your business is ready for investment. Having your business affairs in order, backed up by good internal procedures, creates investor confidence. Key considerations to implement include: Business Plan: An investor or lender will want to see a clear and achievable business plan, as this will be the foundation of their investment. Ensure this is up-to-date if an investment is on the horizon – saving time preparing it later.

Heads of Terms (HoT): Management and investors should agree key terms early to avoid disputes as the transaction progresses. A balance has to made between agreeing the material terms and leaving the detail to be negotiated in the actual documentation. You should also ensure the investor signs a non-disclosure

agreement, protecting confidential information about your business.

Commercial/IP: Material contracts should be recorded in writing and intellectual property rights should be adequately protected, by registration or licence.

Employment: It is a legal requirement for all employees to have written particulars of employment within eight weeks of their start date. Key employees should have restrictive covenants to protect the interest of the business and investors.

Corporate: Existing shareholders’ agreements should be suitable and the company’s statutory books and filings at Companies House must be up to date.

Legal Tax: Investors are likely to want to take advantage of tax reliefs, such as EIS/ SEIS. Initial corporate structuring may be required as a preliminary step to investment and specific clearances may have to be sought from HMRC. Tax advice will be crucial.

Structure and Timetable Ensure you have a structure and timetable in place from the outset. A timetable should detail responsibilities and will focus all parties’ minds to meet deadlines. Without one, the transaction may lose momentum and stall. You should consider the funding of the transaction, as this will impact on timing.

A bank funder will require adequate security or a third party may want an equity interest. Finally, consider if Board or regulatory consents have to be sought and incorporated into any timeframe.

Due Diligence Having your business’s affairs in order will assist the due diligence process, which will form the investor’s or buyer’s investigations into your business. Make sure you understand the level of due diligence to be undertaken and discuss this in advance, so you are fully prepared.

Document organisation is critical.

Keeping contracts together (preferably in electronic format) and maintaining spreadsheets for employee details, corporate data or intellectual property registers will help your business to operate more efficiently and make it easier to answer the investor’s enquiries, and enable management to focus on their day job. Consider creating an online data room for easy access.

Completion Accounts Where completion accounts are used, it is useful for all parties to be clear on how they will be prepared, on what basis and by whom. Without this, there is the potential for costly and time-consuming disputes.

Net Asset Value vs. Working Capital Target vs. Locked Box: The options for completion accounts are diverse and you should ensure your advisors explain these to you. Establishing defined terms and policies at the HoT helps to focus the parties’ minds. Ensuring this is clear and workable from a legal and accounting perspective is crucial to avoid unnecessary complications.

Faye Bargery

George De-Silvo

Pro Forma Accounts: These help both parties visualise how the final accounts will be prepared and will avoid potential disputes when agreeing them. Worked examples are useful to identify whether the calculations work as anticipated before the drafting is agreed.

could require tax clearances. Seller or departing management restrictive covenants should be considered and monitored to protect the goodwill of the business. To legitimately protect the interests of the business, they should be reasonable in application.

Earn-Outs Earn-outs are a method of deferring part of the consideration, payment of which is dependent on the future performance of the business. A balance has to be made between the buyer being able to operate the business as it desires postcompletion and the seller maximising its consideration. It is prudent to specify which part(s) of the business will be measured in order to determine whether the targets have been met. Opinions may differ on whether growth should be tied to revenue, profit or otherwise and over which period. The calculation and policies applied should be clearly defined to avoid confusion.

Any corporate transaction will require a substantial amount of input from management and your advisers will be actively involved. Planning will help to anticipate any problems, allocate appropriate resources and focus all parties’ mind to an agreed timetable. It is important to consider the above matters well in advance of any investment or transaction, as identifying and dealing with any potential issues now can help you maximise value and reduce risk.

Post-Completion The transaction doesn’t finish at completion. There may be a transition period and the level of seller involvement should be considered to assist with trade continuity. The buyer should consider how the business will integrate into its existing business. A post-completion reorganisation may be desirable, which

If you need any support to realise your growth plans do get in touch.

We can be contacted at faye.bargery@irwinmitchell.com or George.desilvo@irwinmitchell.com

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 19

Sponsored by

E A S T B O U R N E

Raising funds for

With very special Guest Speaker

David Dimbleby and

At

Hosted by your MC

Danny Pike

The Grand Hotel EASTBOURNE

BBC Sussex & BBC Surrey

FRIDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2018 Tables of 10 now available at £750 To book please contact ryan.heal@rockinghorse.org.uk Co-sponsored by:

20 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Media Partners: SUSSEX

Peter Shilton is special guest

at sporting lunch 10th anniversary

Peter Shilton OBE, the most capped player in English football history, was the special guest speaker at a charity sporting lunch in Brighton on Friday 1st June.

Held at The Grand Hotel, the Best of British event Charity welcomed the football legend to the seaside to mark its 10th anniversary. He joined over 500 guests for a three-course lunch, before taking centre stage to share tales from his colourful career, including stories from the world of international football and the infamous ‘hand of god’ moment in this World Cup year.

Since its launch in 2008, the charity lunch has welcomed a variety of sporting stars over the years, who have entertained guests with humorous and poignant tales from their careers. They include Sir Henry Cooper, Gordon Banks, Jimmy Greaves, Nobby Stiles, Frank Bruno, Sir Geoff Hurst and Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards.

In the last decade, over £450,000 has been raised through the Best of British Brighton lunches which have supported a variety of local Sussex charities, and

since 2013, the beneficiary charity has been Rockinghorse. Having celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, the children’s charity is best known as the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton and is also a vital supporter of the neighbouring Trevor Mann Baby Unit.

This year’s sold-out event, sponsored

by Overline, has raised £36,500 for Rockinghorse. Generous guests have helped the children’s charity reach its fundraising goal for their latest project at the Trevor Mann Baby Unit (TMBU).

Having launched an appeal at Christmas, Rockinghorse aimed to raise £120,000 to fund a state-of-the-art real-time digital X-ray imaging facility to help treat premature babies on the Brighton-based unit, which they’ve now achieved.

Ryan Heal, Rockinghorse Chief Executive and Founder of The Best of British charity lunches, said: “It has been an honour to run these events over the years and we were delighted to welcome Peter Shilton OBE to our 10th anniversary

sporting lunch in Brighton - a true footballing legend.

“We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our guests again this year, who have enabled us to achieve our TMBU appeal fundraising target. They have contributed to such an important cause which will help more premature babies in Sussex to lead a happy and healthy life.

“In my six-years at Rockinghorse, I am regularly humbled and inspired by our supporters, many themselves, having experienced the life-saving work of the Trevor Mann Baby Unit. Our thanks to everyone who has helped make a lasting difference by contributing to this appeal.”

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

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 21

Back of the net!

Search Seven’s #share7 campaign kicks off with a charity football match at the AMEX Stadium.

In April’s issue, we featured the launch of the #share7 Charity fundraising initiative

by Hove-based digital marketing agency, Search Seven. This month, we checked in with them to see how their first fundraising event of the campaign, a charity football match at the Amex stadium, went down, who won and how much they raised. This year, the Amex stadium was host to the Search Seven XI and the Trevor Mann Baby Unit (TMBU) XI teams for a charity football match on the first May bank holiday. The event was just one of three that the local search agency is running this year as part of their #share7 charity campaign.

Search Seven, which specialises in search marketing and conversion optimisation, has always had a ‘passion over profit’ ethos. Managing Director Gavin Willis says “I set up the agency to give up to 7% of our profits to charity or the local community. As we reached our

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seventh year in business, I decided to do something really spectacular to celebrate: to try to match the entire sum that we had raised in the previous seven years in one. The result is #share7.”

THE BUILD-UP

“The #share7 campaign is our goal to raise £17k for our seven chosen charities: Rockinghorse’s TMBU, Group B Strep Support, Alzheimer’s Society, RISE, The Sussex Beacon, The Clock Tower Sanctuary and the Nkuringo Foundation, through which Search Seven sponsor a local primary school in Uganda. Every employee personally selected a charity close to their hearts for us to support.

Last year, we hosted a football game at the Amex stadium in aid of TMBU, our flagship charity. That saw a fantastic turnout of family and friends, but this year was even more engaging. We had the whole community involved, from the charities we were fundraising for, to sponsors, advertisers, and partners who all helped out and contributed. Lots of

work went into the build-up with everyone pitching in to secure great publicity and promoting awareness of the event. For me, this is exactly what #share7 is all about, people coming together and sharing the experience.”

THE MATCH

“Being one of the most glorious May bank holiday weekends on record, we were half expecting that people might not show up and be on the beach instead!

But I’m pleased to say that there was a great turnout from supporters, families and children alike. We really appreciated that people had made the time, especially on a bank holiday and the weather made it even more perfect.

For me, this is exactly what #share7 is all about, people coming together and sharing the experience.”

THE FINAL SCORES

“The match itself was a really close game, with an especially tense last 20 minutes when the TMBU team were all over Search Seven. There must have been ten set pieces with the TMBU basically camped in the penalty area. When the final whistle blew, the score was a very close 4-3 to Search Seven. The S7 Ted’s Trophy, as we call it (after my nephew Ted), was retained once again by our team this year!”

“For me, the walkout when everyone comes out together is always a really special moment. I walk out with Ted, my nephew who was treated at TMBU when he was born, and the reason why the TMBU is our flagship charity. The captain of the TMBU, Dean Macdonald, walks out with his son Bertie. This time, Dee Simson, the Deputy Mayor of Brighton (and now Mayor), and a representative from each charity we’re raising money for came out to shake the hands of all the players.

“The Search Seven side is made up of Search Seven employees and friends of the business. The TMBU side is mostly made up of friends of Dean and players whose babies have been treated there.

Dean took away the title for ‘Man of the Match’, which was judged by Chris from Mishon Mackay estate agents in Hove who sponsored the category. He put in an amazing performance, winning the ball and setting up opportunities for his team.

He played really well and was everywhere throughout.”

BACK OF THE NET

“I’m overwhelmed by the vast amount of support that the charity football event secured from a diverse mix of sponsors and those who donated generous raffle prizes. I want to say a big thank you to our three gold sponsors: Me & You who designed all the posters and banners, Media Brighton who did the video production, and Firm Balls with whom we will be partnering with again later in the year for our golf event. T-shirt sponsor was TK Installations, the match ball sponsor was Shutters of London, and LC Flooring provided the player packs. Our event partners, Tuesday Media, Sussex Business Times, Creative Blend and IQ Digital House were also instrumental in offering their fantastic support.

“The final count came in at just under £8,000, double what we made last year, before our own contribution. This is going to make a massive difference to seven really important charities.

“Although putting together the event was a huge exercise in organisation, logistics, and time spent chasing people up trying to organise it all, it was also good for us as a business. Our charity initiatives are a great platform for people to see what we’re all about.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

“This year so many people got involved from the local community and surrounding areas; but it is just our first event of the year. We have two other events, a charity golf day on the 30th August at Mid Sussex Golf Club and a quiz night at Grand Central on 22nd November. We want to do it all again, get more people involved and make a massive difference to these fantastic charities.”

For more information see: www.searchseven.co.uk/blog/ share7 and to sign up to the next events or enquire about sponsorship opportunities, email: events@searchseven.co.uk.

Search Seven also offer a FREE PPC and initial SEO Audit - email info@searchseven.co.uk to enquire.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 23

CHARITY 7 GOLF DAY THURSDAY 30TH AUGUST 2018 MID SUSSEX GOLF CLUB, DITCHLING 17K TARGET – 7 CHARITIES – 7TH BIRTHDAY DONATE: SEARCHSEVEN.CO.UK/S7GOLFDAY2018 Prizes: Hole in One ew Car e Holiday, N All-Inclusiv cash! or £10,000

7

ENTRY INFORMATION

WHY ENTER?

• £300 per team or £80 per person • Teams of Four • Stableford Points

• Great prizes for nearest pins and longest drives • Chance to win a new car or an all-inclusive holiday • Dinner included • Refreshment Buggy • Sweepstake, Auction and more

Register now at: events@searchseven.co.uk

IN SUPPORT OF 7 CHARITIES: 24 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Sponsorship opportunities available

Parker Building Supplies opens new showroom and plumbing department in Hailsham Parker Building Supplies, the South East’s leading News independent builders’ merchant, today announces the opening of a new kitchen and bathroom showroom and specialist plumbing department at its existing heavyside branch in Diplocks Way, Hailsham.

The new showroom and plumbing department are on the Hailsham branch site, where expert staff will be on hand to offer advice on the latest range of products and customers can collect plumbing supplies or arrange for delivery.

The plumbing department offers an

extensive range of plumbing products for trade and retail customers and builds on the success of Parker Plumbing Supplies in Angmering, Seaford, Bexhill and Maidstone. The kitchen showroom opens from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 12.30pm on Saturdays. The plumbing department opening hours are 7.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 12.30pm on Saturdays.

The opening follows recent investment in Parker Building Supplies by Cairngorm Capital, the specialist private investment firm, whose focus is on UK building products distribution, manufacturing and services. Cairngorm Capital partners with successful, ambitious medium-sized UK businesses to provide capital, strategic

advice and operational best practice to enable growth potential.

John Declerck, Parker Building Supplies Executive Chairman, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to offer a new kitchen showroom, and extended plumbing range at our Hailsham branch and look forward to welcoming current and new customers through the door. Plumbing supplies is a key growth area; the Hailsham opening reflects our wish to further invest in the customer service, great products and specialist colleagues which have made us the South East’s favourite independent builders’ merchant.”

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 25

2018 Lewes District Business Awards Shortlist Revealed Awards

33 of Lewes District’s biggest and best companies and business people have made the shortlist of 11 awards for this year’s Lewes District

Business Awards.

The full list of finalists can be found at: www.lewesdistrictbusinessawards.co.uk.

Now in its fifth year, the winners will be announced at the Amex Stadium on Thursday 19th July, presented by comedian Simon Evans.

Companies appearing twice in the shortlist include Depot, Alistair Fleming Design, Lewes Football Club and SO Sussex.

Commenting on this year’s shortlist, Cllr Andy Smith said: “The quality of entries for this year’s awards was unparalleled and I’m extremely proud that so many outstanding businesses reside in Lewes District.

“We had a fantastic number of entries from small companies to big businesses which made the judging process as challenging as ever. However, in the end, the judging panel were in agreement and we’re looking forward to announcing the winners at the award ceremony.”

26 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Andrew Tucknott, New Business Development Manager at Tomsetts Distribution Ltd commented: “Tomsetts Distribution are delighted to have been shortlisted for Company of the Year, which is a great achievement for our family logistics company. We would like to thank our dedicated workforce for their energy, commitment and continued high standards of customer service which has contributed to our success over the last 40 plus years.”

Geoff Stonebanks, Founder of Driftwood Garden East Sussex said: “How utterly amazing and totally rewarding to have my own private garden shortlisted for these awards alongside other great local venues! It has become a serious tourist trap for people from all over the globe after winning awards and receiving much hype on TripAdvisor.”

Michael Kianfar, Managing Director of Foodhaven commented: “The Bake Out team is delighted to be shortlisted for the Best Independent Retailer. I know for sure that for many retailers it’s all about keeping customers happy and when there is great feedback for our effort it makes our day. Thank you from all of

the Bake Out team to all involved in the awards and our lovely Lewes community.”

The awards are organised by Lewes District Council and sponsored by Allied Irish Bank, Cheesmur Building Contractors, Veolia, Wave Leisure Trust, LEAP, Uniglobe Preferred Travel, Basepoint, RSE Group and Whitespace with Platinum Business Magazine and Viva Lewes as media partners.

An ideal opportunity to network with the who’s who of Lewes District, the award ceremony will be attended by 300 local businesses people on Thursday 19th July at the Amex Stadium with a sparkling drinks reception followed by a three-course dinner.

Tickets cost £68 (+vat) and can be purchased online - www. lewesdistrictbusinessawards.co.uk.

For more information, please contact the award co-ordinators on lewes@ platinumpublishing.co.uk.

LDBA Finalists 2018 Best Customer Service - Sponsored by Basepoint • Cleankill Pest Control • Plants4Presents • Richard Soan Roofing Services Best Green Business - Sponsored by Veolia • Depot • King’s Academy Ringmer • Tiny Box Company Food & Drink Destination of The Year Sponsored by Whitespace • Downsview Dairy Produce Ltd • Foodhaven Best Independent Retailer - Sponsored by Platinum Business Magazine • Alexis Dove Jewellery • Alistair Fleming Design • Bake Out Business in the Community Sponsored by Wave Leisure Trust • Lewes Football Club • The Runaway • SO SUSSEX Employer of the Year - Sponsored by RSE Group • Fundraising Auctions • Lewes Football Club • Seahaven FM Professional Services Award Sponsored by Allied Irish Bank • Alistair Fleming Design • Mayo Wynne Baxter • Oakley Property Tourist Destination of the Year Sponsored by Uniglobe Travel • Branching Out Adventures • Depot • Driftwood Garden East Sussex • Lewes Light Community Interest Company Businessperson of the Year - Sponsored by Viva Lewes • Carmen Slijpen, Lewes Community Screen • Richard Light, Fundraising Auctions • Victoria Young, Front Room Small Business of the Year - Sponsored by Allied Irish Bank • The Beauty Rooms • Front Room • SO SUSSEX Company of the Year - Sponsored by Cheesmur Building Contractors • Industrial Construction Sussex Ltd • Tomsetts Distribution Ltd • Wilson Wilson & Hancock Opticians www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 27

Education

Will you or your children be employed in these new jobs in the future?

By Rohit Talwar, Steve Wells, Alexandra Whittington, April Koury, and Helena Calle, Fast Future The report we wrote for UK government The Shape of Jobs to Education Come, back in 2010, highlighted new jobs that might emerge in the global economy by 2030. As a result of exponential developments and breakthroughs in science and technology, many of these are now real jobs and the rest are still likely to materialise.

As an update, our recent books The Future of Business, Beyond Genuine Stupidity – Ensuring AI Serves Humanity, and The Future Reinvented – Reimagining Life, Society, and Business discuss a whole range of new industries and professions that might emerge as a result of these exponential advances. Presented below are a selection new jobs that we think could rise to the fore in the coming decade.

LIFESTYLE SERVICES

Life Manager for the TechnoBewildered - Those who struggle with technology and get left behind in the new world order might find themselves placed under the mentorship of new ago social workers. These Life Managers would supervise our every decision, guide us on how to navigate the day-to-day, and help

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ensure we use our finances or guaranteed basic incomes in a sustainable manner.

Robo-Nanny – Replacing the human nanny or au pair, future robotic child carers could become a constant companion to our children at every stage of their development. Every facet of their character could be selected and tweaked by parents – emotional intelligence, values, ethics, levels of optimism, and even how the bot responds to difficult situations such as the passing of a grandparent. The bot could also be programmed to introduce new learning topics, languages, and life skills as required.

NEW SOCIETAL ROLES

Crypto Detective - The spread of crypto currencies and initial coin offerings has led to high levels of fraud and concerns over the scale of crypto based shadow economy transactions. Specialist detectives backed up by AI will be required to unravel crime in the cryptosphere.

Robot Whisperers - Artificially intelligent robots may comprise a significant part of the future workforce in retail, food service and hospitality. Companies may require a staff of professional human Robot Whisperers to stand guard whenever the bots interact with the public. This job would involve behind-the-scenes monitoring of robotic chefs and customer service robots to make sure they don’t run over a person’s foot or knock over a gas grill or cause other such hazards.

Robot Whisperers would be a profession geared toward instilling public trust in robot workers.

Inter-AI Conflict Resolution Specialist - AIs will increasingly need to collaborate.

Our personal intelligent assistant may need to interact with the AIs of our bank, our employers, and all the vendors who serve us. Not all AIs will be born equal or have common goals, so disputes could arise.

Human arbitrators may need to intervene to get the best outcome for humanity in these disputes.

Robo-cop Coordinator – With the increasing capability of AI and robotics, policing could be undertaken by automated robotic systems. These might range from humanoid robots capable of interacting directly with the public, through to autonomous road vehicles and drones for surveillance. Human oversight would enable resources to be deployed based on the recommendations made by automated systems given the situation observed. The coordinators would be able to supervise a significant number of policing assets, all of which would be capable of operating 24/7.

Personal Festival Designer – For the super-wealthy, the next must-have experience could be the creation of your own festival as birthday parties are so 2018. Your designer would craft the perfect combination of entertainment, glamping accommodation, gourmet food, tech support services, and on-demand transport using drones and autonomous vehicles.

ENHANCEMENT SPECIALISTS

Memory Adaptation Specialists - A memory specialist may help us modify our memories and reduce mental health issues. People would be able to erase traumatic memories and replace them

with positive ones. The process might be conducted by a specialist with training in psychotherapy and neuroscience.

Modifying our memories could have a major impact on our personality. The memory specialist would help you choose the traumatic events you need to erase.

The replacement procedure would be done after a series of introspective consultations. A wide catalogue of pleasant memories would be available for your selection. People would choose what they want to remember.

Human Enhancement Technician - As a society, we are starting to augment the human body with chemical, genetic, electronic, and physical enhancements.

Body shops will appear on the high street where appropriately trained technicians will be able to perform these upgrades - administering nootropic drugs, genetic modifications, 3D printed limbs, and electronic brain stimulation.

Cryogenics Concierge - As more people opt for cryogenic preservation at - or close to - the end of their life, they will need specialist advice. The cryo concierge will provide guidance on different types of cryo procedures, costs, financial planning, the family’s rights and responsibilities, what happens when you are regenerated, insurance, and how to manage the death.

NEW PROFESSIONS/INDUSTRIEES

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Synthetic Sommelier – The rise in the use of synthetic food products could drive the emergence of experts on all aspects of edible synthetics, lab grown meat, and 3D printed foodstuffs. These professionals would be excellent at developing the perfect synth meal for any occasion. They can tell you all the differences in smell, taste, and texture between the synth food and its real, authentic counterpart.

Web: www.fastfuture.com Twitter: twitter.com/fastfuture Blog: blog.fastfuturepublishing.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/talwar

Space Junk Removal Supervisor – Near Earth orbit is increasingly congested by the remnants of old space missions, obsolete satellites, and the results of accidental collisions and losses. At the same time, the space sector is expected to explode – encompassing everything from asteroid mining and space tourism to the establishment of off world colonies.

In response, dependent upon the type of junk being targeted, different fleets of specialised space craft would be controlled, deployed, and coordinated by Space Junk Removal Supervisors based at contractors’ ground stations. The experience in low Earth orbit will drive new policies, agreements, and procedures to prevent a similar issue developing around the Moon and Mars.

Rohit Talwar, Steve Wells, Alexandra Whittington, April Koury, and Helena Calle are from Fast Future, a professional foresight firm specializing in delivering keynote speeches, executive education, research, and consulting on the emerging future. Fast Future publishes books from future thinkers around the world exploring how developments such as AI, robotics, exponential technologies, and disruptive thinking could impact individuals, societies, businesses, and governments and create the trillion-dollar sectors of the future.

Fast Future has a particular focus on ensuring these advances are harnessed to unleash individual potential and enable a very human future. The latest books from Fast Future are: ‘Beyond Genuine Stupidity - Ensuring AI Serves Humanity’, and ‘The Future - Reinvented: Reimagining Life, Society, and Business’. And their forthcoming book is ‘500 Futures’.

See: www.fastfuture.com.

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SO Legal brings a refreshing approach to Sussex’s legal sector Founded in Eastbourne in early 2016, SO Legal has made significant progress since its launch. With the addition of Brighton and Uckfield offices in 2017 and a move to larger Eastbourne premises earlier this year, the firm has achieved impressive revenue growth over the past two years.

With parallel growth in the team from five to almost Cover thirty- spanning Feature Commercial, Litigation, Property and Private Client – over the same time period and the addition of a London office to its expanding operation in July, the future looks bright.

Success to date is underpinned by a responsive, efficient and technological approach to delivering legal services to local, regional and national clients and the team continually seeking to improve the client journey and look at how technology can assist that process.

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Director, Jamie Salvidge, says: “As a growing technology-driven law firm, we recognise the delivery of legal services is changing. Our business, commercial, property and personal services clients are seeking an efficient approach. Leveraging technology and a paperless process in our delivery model has helped us maintain the expected degree of quality while delivering a responsive client experience.

We’ve grown month on month over the past two and half years and our clients are the key to that growth as they value our efficiency and responsiveness. Our technology makes it possible to work from anywhere at all.”

That growth has enabled SO Legal to invest in attracting quality lawyers and

staff to the firm, launch a Paralegal to Trainee Scheme and to back a range of sporting, charitable and community initiatives across Sussex.

“We love our sport and have committed to working with and supporting sports clubs and individuals at junior, grassroots and elite level”, continues Jamie, “including Sussex Futsal, Hailsham Town FC, Lewes Rugby Club, Eastbourne Cricket Club’s Big Bash League and a multi-year sponsorship of Sussex County Cricket Club’s Executive Suite.”

The firm has set up a dedicated Sports Law department, acting for sports stars, clubs and professional organisations. The focus on technology has also allowed them to expand into new areas and

Cover Feature

regularly come up against heavy weight firms. As a boutique firm, SO Legal is certainly going places.

Meet the Commercial Team

SO Legal’s Corporate and Commercial team offers a diverse range of legal services – including General Business Law; Business Purchase or Sale; Corporate Law; Retail & Commercial Leases; Commercial Litigation; Commercial Property Law; Landlord and Tenant issues including Leases, Licences and Variations - for businesses of all sizes.

“When it comes to serving clients we strive to create a close professional relationship and provide quality tailored legal advice to match the business’ needs and requirements,” says Director and Head of Commercial Property, Hamish Smith. “Our aim is to take away the timeconsuming, expensive and sometimes damaging legal issues, which allows business owners to focus on what they do best – running their company.”

Hamed Ovaisi, Head of Commercial Legal Services

Hamed oversees the Commercial Team and has experience in commercial

company advice, property matters, landlord and tenant issues and leasehold advice.

Hamish Smith, Head of Commercial Property Hamish joined SO Legal in 2018 as a Director and specialises in all aspects of non-contentious commercial property work and& development, commercial property transactions and projects acting for landlords, tenants, sellers, buyers, lenders and borrowers alike. He has extensive experience in property finance and investment transactions, acting for banks and lenders.

Seema Anant, Solicitor

Seema has experience in all commercial / residential property matters and business purchases / sales, asset purchase contracts, landlord and tenant and leasehold transactions.

Adam Gray, Head of Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Adam’s works covers all aspects of commercial and civil litigation, including contractual claims, commercial and residential property litigation, landlord and tenant disputes and debt recovery.

“As a growing technology-driven law firm, we recognise the delivery of legal services is changing. Our business, commercial, property and personal services clients are seeking an efficient approach. Leveraging technology and a paperless process in our delivery model has helped us maintain the expected degree of quality”

property law, business purchases and sales, business purchase contracts, www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 31

Cover Feature David Platt, Solicitor David worked at a magic circle firm for over 10 years before moving to Sussex.

He works for large developers in all matters relevant to development and construction.

Steven Holt, Solicitor Steven specialises in general commercial and property litigation matters including service charge issues, dilapidations, lease extensions, enfranchisement and right to manage, easements, boundary issues and party wall disputes.

Carolyn Olive, Litigation Executive Carolyn’s areas of expertise include property related disputes, possession claims, recovery of rent, service charge / leasehold disputes and advice, debt recovery, and general contractual / civil disputes.

James Halpin, Trainee Solicitor James has experience in all general property related matters including freehold and leasehold sales and purchases, auctions, new build developments, lease extensions and remortgages.

SO Legal partners with Barclays Eagle Labs Lawtech Incubator

Following the launch of a new lawtech incubator by Barclays Eagle Labs, SO Legal has joined major law firms as well as leading universities UCL, The University of Liverpool and the Law Society, in offering its support.

The venture aims to turbo-charge the UK’s lawtech sector, helping companies start up and scale up, and become international leaders in their field – matching the UK’s reputation as a leader in the legal services sector.

The law-tech Eagle Lab will open in Notting Hill, London, and create a centre of excellence, co-working space and support for up to 100 individuals. Events and meet-up space will follow on.

Ashok Vaswani, Chief Executive of Barclays UK, says, “Lawtech is an area where the UK has every reason to be a world leader. It is home to some of the greatest law firms in the world and we want to help build on the success of its legal sector, and play a leading role in transforming law-tech in the future. The impressive range of partners supporting this initiative shows just how important this is.

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Hamish Smith and Jamie Salvidge

Cover Feature

Our Eagle Labs are supporting thriving new businesses up and down the country, and our Notting Hill lab will lead the way as an industry centre of excellence for lawtech.”

Jamie Salvidge, Director of SO Legal Solicitors, comments: “Serving an existing client base across London and the South East, we are delighted to play our part in supporting and collaborating with startups and fledgling lawtech firms through this latest Barclays Eagle Lab. We’re excited to be involved at a time when tech is really changing the delivery of legal services.”

The new incubator will provide access to mentoring and workshops. It will be supported by a dedicated Ecosystem Manager and Barclays’ colleagues who will provide on-site advice for entrepreneurs on areas including business and personal finance, as well as connections into Barclays’ international networks.

Legal Geek, a start-up community, will also play a vital role in organising events to encourage the sharing of ideas, and help entrepreneurs network and collaborate.

Partnering law firms will provide feedback and guidance to help entrepreneurs develop, test and refine their products, with the potential to implement new technology into their firms. Academic support will come from UCL and The University of Liverpool, which have valuable expertise in artificial intelligence and lawtech.

Christina Blacklaws, vice president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said: “As new technologies continue to be developed, they are changing the way solicitors and their clients approach legal issues. Lawtech is an important area of focus for us as we seek to help solicitors and law firms keep pace with evolving client expectations. We want to ensure the profession is promoting and adopting new ideas and technologies to provide the best possible service to their clients. This collaboration will create a forum for solicitors to learn and innovate with entrepreneurs and developers for the common good of the legal sector.

We encourage all our members to get involved.”

“Serving an existing client base across London and the South East, we are delighted to play our part in supporting and collaborating with start-ups and fledgling lawtech firms through this latest Barclays Eagle Lab. The Lawtech Eagle Lab is the latest in a growing network of 15 Labs set up by Barclays to help start-up and scale up businesses to create, innovate and grow.

Find out more about SO Legal Solicitors at www.solegal.co.uk enquiries@solegal.co.uk 01323 407555 / @SOLegalUK

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 33

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34 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Insight

New festival aims to promote Brighton as world-class urban design centre Local businesses invited to launch event on 11 July

Design Brighton, a brand-new weeklong festival, is Insight coming to the city in October 2019, and aims to position Brighton as a worldclass urban design centre, alongside established design weeks in London, Milan and San Francisco.

A launch event for the festival will be held on Wednesday 11 July at the

Brighthelm Centre on North Road and all local businesses are invited to attend.

Initial plans for the festival include tours of design workshops, walking tours of Brighton’s urban realm, inspiring talks, exhibitions and networking opportunities for students and businesses in the sector.

Founded by the Cowell Consulting Group alongside Stickland Wright, a local architect and interiors firm, the festival has already secured support from Brighton and Hove Council, RIBA

(Royal Institute of British Architects), RLF, Groundsure, Minton Young, Wolfstrome Design, Stokes Group, University of Brighton, Lollipop Print Shop and Midnight Communications.

Festival co-founder John Cowell of Cowell Consulting Group explains: “Our vision is to create a leading design week, to promote Brighton’s global reputation as a design rich city. The festival will showcase the city’s exceptional designers, producers and educators to create a strong collaborative network and put Brighton on the map.”

Festival co-founder Nick Stickland of Stickland Wright comments: “This city all too often loses out to London for projects large and small, and some of our outstanding students are being lured away. Design Brighton will light a beacon to attract investment, visitors and students to the unique offering of Greater Brighton.

“Brighton is leading the charge for stellar urban design and we want the world to know about it.”

Businesses across the county are invited to attend the launch event on 11 July at the Brighthelm Centre on North Road to find out more about the exciting plans for Design Brighton and discover how they might be able to participate in the festival.

To register for the event, please visit www.eventbrite.com/e/ design-brighton-pre-launchtickets-46563255952.

Festival co-founder John Cowell

For more information regarding Design Brighton, please visit www.designbrighton.org.

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How to go from national security to cyber security: ex-Commandos provide free training New business offers route to Civvy Street for former servicemen and women A team of former Royal Marines Commandos Insight have launched a business providing free cyber security training, accredited qualifications and careers for exservicemen and women looking for a path back to Civvy Street – and the first courses start this month.

Crucial Academy’s accredited training courses – which cover offensive cyber security, defensive cyber security,

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information assurance and threat intelligence – have been developed by former military personnel who have made a successful transition to notable cyber security companies or leading financial technology companies.

The first cohort will begin their courses at the end of June, following a rigorous selection process in order to ensure they are the best possible match for a new career in cyber security. The courses, which are held at Crucial Academy’s state-of-the-art training facility in Brighton, include a module which gives attendees real-world experience.

“People who have spent time in the forces have an incredible work ethic, resilience and a security-driven mindset that makes many very well suited to a career in cyber security.”

Neil William CEO Crucial Group

“The other benefit to our model of course is that it also helps businesses future-proof their recruitment and growth plans” Crucial Group’s Chief Executive and former Royal Marine Commando Captain, Neil Williams, said: “I was proud to serve my country and I wanted to give something back to the military for all the skills and experiences the Marines gave me, and I know my colleagues feel the same.

“People who have spent time in the forces have an incredible work ethic, resilience and a security-driven mindset that makes many very well suited to a career in cyber security.

“Following my experience of leaving the forces, I know that the transition can be very challenging. We’re pleased to be able to help give them a pathway into a successful career – and in a sector where they can make such a difference.”

Once graduates have successfully completed their training and are qualified, Crucial Academy introduces them to a cyber security career with one of its commercial partners. In doing so, it is helping businesses to meet the huge demand for qualified cyber security personnel – by 2019 it is expected that there will be a global shortage of two million cyber security professionals*.

Neil Williams added: “The other benefit to our model of course is that it also helps businesses future-proof their recruitment and growth plans by providing a pipeline of trained cyber security professionals”.

Unlike graduates of other training providers, Crucial Academy graduates will begin their new careers free of debt.

The company is committed to providing

further training during the initial period of their career and works with their graduates to provide them with the next level of qualification and the opportunity to enhance their skills through training, career advice and to find their next position.

Crucial Academy is an industry partner of The White Ensign Association, a charity offering personal help and advice to all serving and former members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, their Reserves and families.

For further information or to apply visit academy.crucialgroup.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 37

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A Royal Game of Hide and Seek

Cobb Digital’s Managing Director, James Dempster returns this month for the next of his historical Sussex columns

“

This month we turn to one of Sussex’s hidden gems – St Mary’s House & Gardens in Bramber. I was lucky enough to be given a personal tour around the property a few weeks ago and was blown away.

At its most simplistic, history is about stories. Everyone likes a good story, particularly if it’s a story of human interest.

Sussex has a rich history and St Mary’s House & Gardens have been a part of that history for centuries. A hideaway for Charles II? Personally visited by Elizabeth I? A monastic inn for weary pilgrims? St Mary’s was, at one stage, all of these and more.

The gardens are impeccably well maintained, with promise of what lies within the building. As soon as the door opens to the entrance hall the walls seem to burst into life, telling stories of monks passing through amongst others.

Each room is extremely well preserved with my personal highlight being the Painted Room. This room was painted to welcome Elizabeth I on one of her “Progresses” (basically a tour to remind loyal subjects to be loyal – just in case having your head chopped off or being

burnt alive wasn’t deterrent enough), decorated with trompe l’oeil panels (I had to Google as well - early threedimensional painting in simple terms).

The room is breath-taking. On each panel there is a window painted, with a scene created that allows the viewer to imagine Elizabethan England in all its glory. The panels are worth visiting on their own.

After leaving the Painted Room, you are welcomed into The King’s Room.

Now, here is another bit of key history for West Sussex. After Charles II was defeated by the Roundheads, and before he left for his eight-year soiree in France (via my home town of Shoreham-bySea), Charles hid in this room. It is worth spending some time here thinking about how fearful and confused Charles must have been. Bramber was in the hands of the Roundheads; a dynasty was about to end, and a way of life was falling around his ears (again).

It was in this room that Peter and Roger (the owners) told me that this property was almost demolished. It would have been a tragedy for Sussex and we should be glad for the county that it was bought and restored with such detail.

Peter and Roger are extremely passionate about their property and I don’t blame them, I would be as well. If you visit when either are present, engage with them; their stories are part of the fabric of the house and their passion is evident.

As well as being sympathetic historians, they have also been hands on with their restoration of the house. One of the rooms, The Octagon, was designed by Roger himself. I won’t spoil the surprise, but The Octagon serves as a fantastic gateway between the atmospheric world of 17th Century Sussex into something very different indeed.

The grounds complete the tour and visitors are encouraged to spend some time walking in formal gardens and reflect on historic Sussex in the surrounding woodland. They are extremely well maintained and compliment the house exceedingly well. If you feel I’ve shortchanged you with stories I have one more for you. In the middle of one such garden there is a beautiful oak – a direct descendant of the Boscobel Oak that Charles II hid under after the battle loss that forced him to flee to St Mary’s House & Gardens all those centuries ago.

”

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Time to Place Your Bets Brighton Welcomes The Marathonbet Festival Of Racing

Summertime wouldn’t be complete without a day at the races Venue and few days out have the charm or the spectacular views of Brighton Racecourse – which dates back to 1783. It is the place to be this August, once again, for the three-day Marathonbet Festival of Racing, which will celebrate the 2nd year of an exciting partnership with the online bookmaker. This iconic venue will be teaming with racegoers all dressed to impress and looking for a win from 8th – 10th August.

Opening the Marathonbet Festival of Racing on Wednesday 8th August is the Marston’s Race Day featuring Brighton’s richest race – the Hobgoblin Brighton Mile. Thursday 9th August brings the hugely popular Ladies’ Day where the glamorous and stylish congregate; and closing the festival is the Festival Finale on Friday 10th August. Throughout this popular three-day event there will be music and entertainment, food trucks, vintage pop-up bars, a ladies’ lawn with a complimentary photobooth airstreamer,

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and, of course, seven exciting races each day to get your heart pumping.

It is planned to be the festival of the summer where over 15,000 people will attend, 1,500 bottles of prosecco are consumed, 1,000 bowls of fresh strawberries are served and 7,000 pairs of high heels will be cast aside by the end of the three days!

Executive Director of Brighton Racecourse, Paul Ellison, commented: “We welcome you to come and experience for yourself one of the friendliest racecourses in the UK. We have so much planned for the festival and can’t wait to make it the best one yet.”

Brighton Racecourse and Marathonbet will also be engaging with racing fans in the run-up to the festival with competitions to win prizes and tickets, so keep a look out on social media.

Tickets start at £18 across all three days. Hospitality packages have been extended this year to include fine dining in the luxury marquee across both Ladies’ Day on Thursday and Festival Finale on the Friday.

Sussex Business Times readers have the opportunity to purchase an exclusive

luxury hospitality package for £101pp (rrp is £111) for either day (Thursday or Friday) with extensive tables booked already. This package is perfect for an exclusive summer networking event in Brighton and includes a table / places for the afternoon in the luxury marquee, admission to the Premier Enclosure, raceday programme, drinks reception, three-course lunch, half bottle of wine per person, host for the afternoon, tipster and entertainment.

Contact the wonderful hospitality team to book your table today.

So pick your day, pick your outfit and pick your winner!

Tickets for the Marathonbet Festival of Racing at Brighton Racecourse are available online. For more information or to buy tickets, please visit: www.brighton-racecourse.co.uk

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Working Lunch: The Ivy Brighton Sussex Business Times’ continues this month with our regular lunch review. This time around, we attended the brand new, and most talked about restaurant in the Lanes.

Our Working Lunch brief this week caused Lunch excitement, as we had the privilege of Review attending the brand new, and most talked about restaurant in the Lanes – The Ivy. Our expectations were extremely high having visited the London branch previously. We had a mid-week lunch although were lucky enough to have plenty of time to sample the delights. I would thoroughly recommend taking some time over dining here. Any visit is more of an experience and it deserves to be savoured.

The Grade II listed Old Post Office in Ship Street is the new venue. Upon entering the restaurant it feels like a palatial ballroom. There has been no expense spared on the décor – a look at the pictures should tell you that. From the (very high) ceiling to the floor it is decadent and colourful, and even if dining alone, the wall design should keep you entertained. Each of the seating sections appear to have been crafted with comfort in mind. The round bar is the centrepiece

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for the room and having sat there for a drink it is also the perfect place to have tea or cocktails. One extra touch is that the toilet area (at least the ladies’) has individual bathrooms clearly following on the same pattern of opulence. This is an extraordinary venue to take clients and colleagues, and I’m sure it would demonstrate an extravagant taste anyone would be impressed by. There is a private dining area which seats up to 20 people for the truly decadent working business lunch or dinner. I understand that there is also a DJ spinning music at the weekends for the all-important brunch service.

Upon arrival my dining partner and I were invited for a drink at the bar. We were greeted by the lovely bar manager Louis who was bubbly and personable.

And he most definitely knows his cocktails.

A simple G&T becomes anything but. He worked his professional fascinating magic to mix us both an Ivy Royale champagne cocktail, which was a perfect start and we enjoyed this before being seated comfortably nearby at our table.

We were again welcomed by our

friendly waitress Raquel. My guest chose Atlantic Sea Scallops to start, and I chose the Asparagus with Truffle Hollandaise.

We shared a crisp white Chablis and it was simply divine. The truffle sauce in particular did its job leaving me hungry for a main course.

“I could well see a situation where The Ivy is booked up weeks ahead and would encourage anyone toying with the idea of a visit to go ahead and book it soon.”

For main I chose the Blackened Cod Fillet with Truffle and Parmesan chips, a perfect combination and cooked to perfection. I have to say that I would urge anyone visiting to check out the menu in advance. All of the dishes sound delicious and the ones we had certainly were. If nothing else it will give you an appetite before you arrive. My guest went all-out for the whole lobster and I was left feeling mighty jealous as he extracted every possible cut of the lobster meat and soaked it with the garlic and parsley butter. I would not usually share, but the Truffle and Parmesan chips were mouth-watering and I had to allow him a few.

After a brief interlude, my guest decide upon the Crème Brulee for pudding which he said was delicious, and as this is his “go-to” pudding he was well informed in that regard! I chose the Chocolate Bombe, a true assault on the senses. We watched as it was poured with a hot salted caramel sauce by our waitress, which melts the chocolate outer shell and causes such a commotion in our near vicinity that a few other diners instantly order the same!

Unfortunately there was work to be done and we had to drag ourselves away, but with more time I could have easily re-taken a seat at the bar and had some samples from the cocktail list, all of which are described perfectly delightfully on the menu. For a brand new restaurant, mid-week, at lunchtime, the place was positively buzzing. I could well see a situation where The Ivy is booked up weeks ahead and would encourage anyone toying with the idea of a visit to go ahead and book it soon. I doubt anyone could be disappointed with this restaurant. The staff are young, keen

and incredibly capable and most willing to engage in conversation about the new restaurant and indeed their clear knowledge of the food. It is exceptional in quality for the food, drinks, staff and the venue and I dare to say will be a destination place for the most pleasureseeking amongst us over the coming season. I for one cannot wait to go back, but my dining partners must be warned, I will not be sharing my chips upon my return!

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Hotel Review: Buxted Park, Uckfield

This month we had the pleasure of being invited as guests to the delightful Buxted Park Hotel in Ashdown Forest, Uckfield.

It might be considered by some to be “off Hotel the beaten track” although I would Review suggest that this is its Unique Selling Point, feeling like a relaxation spa hotel rather than a typical business hotel. In fact it is only ½ mile from Buxted Station, and very easy to access from Brighton by car. The building itself provokes visions of Jane Austen novels and the surrounding 312 acres a perfect place to refresh and relax.

I was welcomed by Clive at check-in and shown to my room straightaway. I was allocated the Browning Suite which was the most luxurious, opulent room.

Think dark, polished furnishings, four poster bed and a view to die for. It is one of the most impressive rooms I have had the pleasure of staying in. The rooms are clean, quiet and offer everything you

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would expect for a beautiful country hotel built in 1722 and having hosted guests such as Winston Churchill and Marlon Brando.

I was treated to a tour by the friendly and knowledgeable Emma and I could not have wished for a better host. We went through the Orangery first, perhaps more suited to a wedding celebration but is apparently often requested by businesses as it is so very light and airy.

I can imagine in the summer it would be a fantastic place for a conference, with large doors that open onto a spacious, well-kept lawn.

We walked through to the library, the red drawing room and blue drawing room, all of which would be a perfect choice for any upcoming conferences.

They are traditional spaces, with an air of old fashioned elegance. But they have been designed with the modern business conference in mind. With many power

points, projectors, free wifi, comfortable seats and desks which allow for a private conference in most impressive settings.

The Oriental Room was in my view the most impressive and functional space, with a ‘breakout’ area adjacent to the conference room which would allow for drinks or lunch maintaining a private space throughout the day for you and your delegates.

The Ballroom is exactly how you’d imagine – a large, spacious, high ceilinged area which would equally accommodate a wedding, a large social event and also a large conference. This is obviously for larger groups and I can imagine the Christmas party nights here being most spectacular.

The sheer size of the place means that any business booking can be tailored for your specific needs, amount of guests and type of function. One unique additions is the Projection Theatre, or

Hotel Review

Cinema Room, which can take around 55 guests and has to be applauded for its originality as an optional alternative to a drinks evening.

I was lucky enough to have a little time to look around on my own and found the small touches which ultimately shows a loyalty to attention to detail. Wellies at the front door available to loan for a country walk, wedding albums from previous guests, the small off-shoot quiet rooms with large comfortable chairs perfect for reading alone. The one facility I must mention, bearing in mind the hotel does not have a state of the art gym, is for the fitness conscious amongst us. You have the option to order to your room a “fitness bag.” My chosen one was “Yoga in a Bag” which contained a yoga mat, DVD and yoga blocks making it very easy to exercise in private. I thought this was a fantastic touch which I have not come across before.

I ate dinner in the Dining Room Restaurant, just adjacent to the Coat of Arms Bar, which is as impressive as it sounds. The service was impeccable and friendly and the food was delicious to say the least. Plenty of amuse-bouches were offered to guests from the chef including a triple sample dish of salmon and cucumber, welsh rarebit and pea and ham soup, all of which wet my appetite for my chosen meal. I started with monkfish cheeks and pancetta, with roast fig, fennel salsa and roquette. The flavours combined perfectly to create a salty treat for starters. My main course was of salmon and was cooked to perfection. I chose a naughty dark chocolate fondant with white chocolate and bourbon sabayon, malt crumb and vanilla ice cream for dessert and for once managed

to finish the whole mouth-watering dish.

My breakfast was again perfectly cooked, I always think a true sign of a good hotel. I chose the buttered English muffins with Parma ham and poached eggs. I cannot fault the service staff and indeed the chefs throughout my dining experience.

Overall I would thoroughly recommend this hotel as a business venue. It would be perfect for a daytime event, for example, outdoor team building on the well-kept green lawns, with an afternoon tea to follow. Also I could see an all-day business conference in one of the extremely well maintained private rooms and then an evening drink or private tasting event. Finally if anyone is organised enough now to be looking to book up a Christmas party for their staff I

think you would be hard pushed to find a venue which offers such variety, class and decadence. A well-kept hotel with polite and friendly staff to which I will almost definitely return.

My strong advice would be to make at the very least a night of it by booking a room and extending any long conferences.

01825 733333 buxtedpark@handpicked.co.uk www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/ buxtedpark

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 45

Ana Christie

Chief Executive, Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Mental Toughness Every day we hear stories of how people Chamber are living with mental health problems.

News Everyone experiences “ups and downs” in their everyday life.

Mental health problems affect 1 in 4 people. These problems can vary from depression, stress, anxiety to others such as schizophrenia. Reactions differ and can make you feel sad, angry, anxious, stressed, fearful or hopeless. Different events can trigger a variety of symptoms.

Understanding when someone might need help is a sensitive issue and people

46 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

worry about what to say or do. We can all help support individuals who are experiencing a mental health problem, whether this is in or out of the workplace.

Indeed over 10.4 million working days have been lost in the past decade due to mental health related problems.

Businesses can benefit by understanding signs and symptoms.

New training courses through the Sussex Chamber such as “Mental Health in the Workplace” or “Workplace Stress” are designed to enable delegates to recognise the symptoms of stress and empower themselves to deal with it in a positive manner. Delegates will learn how to apply appropriate actions to reduce the risk of stress on general health and wellbeing.

Understanding and managing your own emotions and those of the people around you through “Introduction to Emotional Intelligence” can enable businesses to understand emotions, what drives people and explore how to get the best from others.

With the increasing

challenges placed upon us, individuals who practise “Mindfulness” are proving that they are not only surviving, but they are thriving on the benefits this skill provides.

Mental toughness is also the main topic for our Business Leaders Conference 3rd October 2018. This conference will bring together global leaders on the assessment and development of mental toughness, mindset and resilience in individuals and organisations.

Organisations perform better when their staff are healthy, motivated and focused.

Sussex Chamber of Commerce is proud to be at the heart of Sussex, providing businesses with opportunities needed to grow the local economy, to develop its employees and the future workforce, to discover new markets through our international trade services and influence key decision makers within government. As a Chamber member “You’re Well Connected.”

For more information please call 01444 259 259 or email us at info@sussexchamberofcommerce. co.uk

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Representation @SussexChamber 01444 259259

Rivervale Reviews Google has changed the way we shop around for any product we are buying or any service we require, just a few minutes in front of a screen can find us hundreds of providers to choose from. The obvious benefit to this is the ability to compare prices and find the best deal. However, the online world has also largely removed any face to face interactions, so we often can no longer rely on that gut instinct that

48 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

lets us know whether this company is trustworthy, or whether we should take our business elsewhere.

Thankfully, the internet offers a solution to this problem it has created in the form of review sites. These sites allow customers who have used your services to leave uncensored feedback.

I’m sure most of us have read a few reviews on TripAdvisor before we book a holiday, if reviewers indicate the hotel

was not everything they hoped it would be you may think twice before parting with your own cash.

The motor industry also has its own set of review platforms and here at Rivervale we take the opinions of our customers very seriously. Customer care has been central to the way we operate as can be seen in our company mission statement;

“… Our mission is to provide an experience to each and every customer that is beyond their expectations in a friendly, professional and efficient manner, creating true customer value. We will treat our customers as we would want to be treated, helping them to find the most suitable and appropriate options for all their vehicle needs …”

Rivervale is made up of three departments; Rivervale Contract Hire and Leasing, Rivervale Approved Used Vehicles and Rivervale Service and MOT. Each uses a review platform to make sure our customer care standards remain as high as possible.

RIVERVALE CONTRACT HIRE AND LEASING

“… Our mission is to provide an experience to each and every customer that is beyond their expectations in a friendly, professional and efficient manner, creating true customer value. We will treat our customers as we would want to be treated helping them to find the most suitable and appropriate options for all their vehicle needs …”

In the contract hire department we use Trustpilot. We have just received our 1000th review from Rosie who has been a customer and has just collected her 5th car from Rivervale.

For over two years we have been the #1 vehicle leasing company on Trustpilot. Each company is given a rating out of 10 and are awarded a number of stars depending on this score from 1-5. Rivervale has a score of 9.9 which means we have five stars and are rated as excellent.

“I have now picked up my 5th car- I love the ease at which I can decide on a new car, then the arrangement is made for one to be collected and one to be delivered. I have dealt with Simon Fuller and his attention to detail is second to none. I would highly recommend leasing to anyone.”

Rosie, TrustPilot review

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 49

RIVERVALE APPROVED USED VEHICLES Buying a pre-owned car is often the most nerve-wracking experience for customers.

The history of the car is a worry, and many are concerned about whether there could be a major mechanical problem being covered up. It doesn’t help that the reputation of a car salesman has never been particularly positive!

At Rivervale, we want to offer approved used cars that customers can trust.To build this trust, we use Autotrader’s own review platform where potential customers can read reviews from those we have already provided a vehicle to.

We hope that this can allay any fears over buying a pre-loved vehicle from us.

The Auto Trader system also works by a star rating. Rivervale Approved Used Vehicles currently has 4.9 stars.

RIVERVALE SERVICE AND MOT There is nothing worse than when your car goes wrong, or when many more problems are found at a service than you were expecting. As most of us do not have a huge amount of mechanical knowledge, we have to trust that what our mechanic is telling us is the truth.

In the Aftersales department we use Book My Garage so reviews on the service we provide can be read by others. We are currently rated 5 out of 5.

Customer service is one of our key performance indicators as well as a staple of our marketing strategy.

It is the norm to thoroughly check hotels, restaurants and holidays on

“Had a great experience at Rivervale from start to finish.

The team were communicative, patient and informative and I didn’t feel pressured into the sale at all. Exemplary service.”

Matt, AutoTrader review

TripAdvisor and our belief is that getting your next vehicle should not be any different, no matter who you are buying or leasing from always be sure to check out their reviews and make sure you know who you are dealing with!

“Very happy with the service I received. Vehicle ready for collection at requested time all washed and shiny!”

Book My Garage Review

50 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 51

SBTMotoring News Supersize Simply Japanese is Heading to Beaulieu

Beaulieu’s Simply Japanese is shaping up to be a supersize celebration of all Japanese cars

K’s Driveway Rental Parking Hotspots Reveal a Massive North/South Divide

Cities across the Midlands and the north of England are driveway rental hotspots as motorists increasingly change how and where they park their cars, new data from YourParkingSpace.co.uk reveals.

While London dominates with 32 per cent of bookings due to its sheer size, the top 10 driveway parking league table compiled by YourParkingSpace.co.uk only has one other city from the south east.

These ‘cost conscious’ cities include Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Sheffield and Coventry.

Harrison Woods, managing director at YourParkingSpace.co.uk, “It’s no surprise that London takes the most driveway bookings as it’s so big, but if you take the UK capital out of the equation then it is a completely different picture.

“What’s really interesting is that cities from the Midlands and the north of England take up eight of the other top 10 spots with YourParkingSpace.co.uk based on the number of bookings.

52 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

with as many as 35 clubs and 550 cars already booked to attend the rally on Sunday 29th July.

One of the biggest Simply rallies in the Beaulieu events calendar, the cars on show in the grounds of the National Motor Museum will range from luxury saloons and cheerful camper vans to economy hatchbacks and high-powered performance cars, with all types and ages of Japanese cars on display.

The Z Club of Great Britain will be flying the flag for the classic Datsun and Nissan ‘Z’ sports cars, while Del Sol UK will be showcasing the open-top Honda CR-X, Mighty 5s will be celebrating the much-loved Mazda MX-5, the Herts Scooby Crewwill be parking up in their Subarus and Mazda Bongo Owners’ Club members will be settling down for a relaxing day in their camper vans.

Don’t Let Your Commute Leave You Feeling Defeated The chaos of the commute to work is never-ending for many drivers.

However, it doesn’t have to be a hectic journey. IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman, has put together five tips which can help you have a smooth, stress-free commute to and from work…

Check your route, keep an eye on the road, watch out for other road users, check your car on a weekly basis and make sure you’re prepared for the weather.

Richard says: “Our daily commute can become the time we pay the least attention to our driving - don’t let

Chauffer Services Added to iSuperdrive Luxury Car Rental Marketplace

Luxury car hire online marketplace iSuperdrive has added chauffeur services to its global high-end car rental website.

The portal provides customers with immediate access to a host of luxury, premium and supercar rental companies around the world. All in

yourself become complacent. Plan it as if it was a new adventure each day and try to keep your concentration levels up. If you can vary the route it may keep you interested and the change of scenery may be enjoyable. If you can stagger your start time you may be able to avoid the worst of the traffic.”

one place, it’s easier for customers to compare prices, vehicles and locations.

Now the leading car rental aggregator is providing a platform for chauffeur companies around the world on its website.

Operating on the same principles as its luxury car rental marketplace, the iSuperdrive website puts visitors to cities all over the world in touch with local chauffeur operators. Customers can book their chauffeur services ahead of arrival direct with the supplier.

There’s a wide range of choice of chauffeur companies operating throughout the UK and mainland Europe whilst special requests can also be made.

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SBT

ASK THE

EXPERTS

WE ASK THE EXPERTS TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS YOU NEED

EXPERT

Are you sitting comfortably?

Making noises as we get up from the chair, when we put our shoes on or unplugging the laptop from a low socket all of these are signs our bodies are being challenged by simple movements that as children we would have breezed,

EXPERT

Why should you take steps to protect your brand?

Brand identity is key to the goodwill and reputation of a business and is usually comprised of several elements, such as company name, product names and logos (which may be registered as trade marks), domain names and copyrighted materials.

If businesses do not check for existing brands prior to committing to a new brand identity, then they run the risk of litigation from the owners of pre-existing brands who feel that their rights are being

54 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Daniel Sheppard, Bodifix as a teenager we would have just moaned about, but as an adult it’s a daily challenge…. and it’s nothing to do with your age!

The signs are there but we don’t take notice, often justifying them as “getting old”, “its just in the morning” or “it’s always been like it”. The rule to follow is tightness or aching is a warning, and pain is a desperate plea from your brain to change something immediately. This rule is total logic when we think about it, but it creeps up on us and wriggles itself into our daily lives.

Unfortunately, in the office we can’t do what kept us healthy and mobile as children (great if we could) which includes running, rolling, climbing, jumping and crawling which ensures muscles are being lengthened and strengthened.

Recent research by the British Heart Foundation found an average of up to 9.5 hours per day of sedentary time. The payoff for this seated time is the reduction in strength of key back and trunk muscles (purposefully avoiding the term core), all designed to protect the structures of the back.

What can you do to help? Well stretching is often not the answer, contrary to lots of friends and gym users’ advice. Weakness is often the first port of call, look for exercises that strengthen the obliques, quadric lumborum and glutes.

Visit www.bodifix.co.uk and contact us for more information and guidance.

Emma Stevens, Associate Solicitor Dispute Resolution, Coffin Mew infringed. Similarly, if brand owners do not take steps to protect their intellectual property and brand at the outset, then they risk copycat branding or others with similar brands “piggybacking” on their established goodwill and success, the remedy for which is also likely to be expensive and time-consuming litigation.

The costs involved in litigation, both for a claimant and a defendant, can be substantial and this is particularly the case when these costs are compared with the comparatively minor costs of taking preventative action at an early stage.

We have seen cases where clients have not taken preventative action before finalising their brand where this has later had significant consequences for them. In one case there were no difficulties initially but when the client’s brand and profile began to grow they found themselves on the receiving end of a claim for trade mark infringement.

The claim was ultimately resolved through a commercial settlement which

included an expensive rebranding exercise. Although expensive, this was the preferred outcome in the circumstances given the significant risk to the client of the potentially far greater costs of losing the claim and having to pay damages, legal fees and adverse legal costs and having to incur the costs of re-branding anyway.

For many businesses, particularly start ups, the initial costs of seeking advice on brand protection are too great to incur in the early stages. Whilst it may be appropriate to take a commercial risk in relation to whether to incur registration costs during a branding or re-branding exercise, it is imperative that at the very least businesses spend time checking the market and searching Companies House and the Intellectual Property Offices before confirming their brand to minimise potential future difficulties.

Emma Stevens, Associate Solicitor – Dispute Resolution,Coffin Mew.

SBT

ASK THE

EXPERTS

WE ASK THE EXPERTS TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS YOU NEED

EXPERT

How engaged are your employees and does it matter?

The Gallup State of the Global Workplace report reveals that 85% of employees are not engaged or are actively disengaged at work. Are your people engaged?

Engagement in the workplace is achieved by supporting people to deal constructively with workplace tension, including empowering them to speak up about concerns impacting their work. A

EXPERT

Aside from social media and traditional advertising, are there any other ways we can help raise awareness of our brand and drive traffic to our website?

One of the best alternative ways to raise lasting awareness in a crowded market is through bespoke branding and promotional merchandise. A recent survey by the British Promotional

Marianne Schoenig, Dispute Resolution Expert & Ambassador, Mediator Network workplace study (Patterson et al) found that 93% of people polled work closely with someone they find difficult to work with, but they believe speaking up is too risky, especially when the person is their boss.

Sometimes disasters (including industrial accidents or suicide) result from people under pressure not feeling sufficiently valued or safe to express concerns.

Poorly handled tension and conflict costs UK business £33billion per year, according to the CBI. People are reluctant to speak up because of power imbalances; if they displease their leader, he or she could make their and their family’s life difficult.

Leaders in turn may lack support from their stakeholders, or the skills needed, to support their people. Not dealing with these issues is simply not an option.

While policies and procedures may provide a framework for managing difficult conversations, these alone don’t work.

A culture in which tensions are identified early, and sensitive conversations handled

not only professionally but with genuine empathy, is the solution.

Mediation can help. An impartial mediator facilitates a confidential, nonjudgmental space, and level playing field, for employees experiencing tensions to unpack their concerns and identify a mutually acceptable way forward.

Mediation defuses conflicts so that grievances are avoided. Preventative measures such as effective coaching and advice also help, as can assigning and training workplace champions in your business to identify when and which kind of support is needed.

Mediator Network is here to assist you and your people in all of the above services.

For any further information please email marianne.schoenig@ mediatornetwork.co.uk or call 03300 431 757 or visit www.mediatornetwork.co.uk

Matthew Stanley, Accounts Director, Coast to Coast Merchandise Association asked 15,000 people about brand recall, and 66% claimed they could remember the brand name on a promotional product they’d received in the past 12 months, and 87% of participants kept the product for over a year.

Importantly though, over two thirds (79%) reported that they would be more likely to do business with the company and over half (56%) said that their impression of the company improved after receiving a promotional gift.

In terms of choosing the right product to giveaway, usefulness is the quality people most appreciate with 50% of those surveyed saying this was important.

Interestingly, personalisation, uniqueness, durability, relevance and quality all received much less of the vote – just roughly 10% each.

So what products are suitable for

branding? The rule is, if you can fit your logo on it, you can brand it! But the most popular products traditionally have always been mugs, pens and USB sticks – all products that sit on desks and around offices for prolonged periods of time, whereas a social media post or advert will only realistically be around for a day or so. But really, you’re only limited by your imagination – recent projects at Coast to Coast have seen us branding cars, gazebos, kites and even sweets!

The better it fits with your brand, your message and your business, the more lasting the effect will be. So if you have a trade show coming up or need gifts to giveaway to your clients, or even just want to raise a bit of awareness amongst your target audience, think about branded merchandise – especially gifts that provide a use – to create a lasting impression.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 55

B2B Expos

West Sussex Business Expo 2018 Sussex Business Times were delighted to be media partners at this years’ West Sussex Business Expo at Fontwell Racecourse.

Expo

The event was run superbly by Mike and his team, with a huge number of people through the door and some excellent exhibitors.

There was something for everyone and some excellent business contacts were made.

We are now looking forward to the Brighton Expo in October at Brighton Racecourse and working with Mike and the team once again.

The day went very well and we had a total of 327 people through the door and had the skies not opened up at 1.45pm we would have had another 40 or 50 visitors on the day. The Seminars were both well attended and well received and the breakfast at 8am was nice and busy with lots of people networking before the Expo opened at 10am.

Hi Mike, I just wanted to say a huge thank you for inviting me to speak at last week’s event. I really enjoyed it and met some great people. Also, the feedback I was getting on the expo itself was glowing, you’re doing an amazing job - so keep going!

Natalie Montagnani, Page Marketing

56 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

I was an exhibitor and speaker at the West Sussex Expo. I invested in this show for two main objectives: to generate quality leads for my business, and to build on my profile.

I achieved both these objectives, and am very pleased with the return on my investment in money and time. The Expo was well run, vigorously promoted, and provided an excellent platform for marketing my business. This is the third time I have taken part in the B2B expos, and based on my experience these Expos are a must for any business wishing to generate quality leads and build their presence in the market.

Andrew Abaza, business growth expert, ActionCOACH

Further to your email below to Gayle earlier this afternoon, we would like to thank you for including us in the exhibition today. Sue and I thought it was extremely well and professionally organised, it was informative and very beneficial for us to attend. We heard several positive comments about the expo and nothing negative. Thank you for including us and we are delighted that we were able to help promote and be a part of the West Sussex Business Expo 2018. Well done to you and the team.

Julie Harrison, Chichester Chamber of Commerce

It was a well-run event and well attended. We enjoyed being there and had lots of opportunity to talk to people attending the event.

Adele Ferguson, Whitehead-Ross Education & Consulting

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 57

Network My Club

Sell Out Month for Network My Club!

Both the Network Albion Business Club and Network My Club at Goodwood events were complete sell outs in June.

Over 120 businesses were in attendance at Networking the Amex Stadium in Brighton for the latest Network Albion Business Club event.

Guest speaker for June’s networking breakfast was ex Team GB rower turned Practitioner for Complete Coherence, Ruth Walczak!

Ruth spoke about how she is using the psychology used in professional sport into the business world, with her current role helping businesses and business people

deepen their understanding of themselves in order to aid performance. You can read more via www.networkalbion.co.uk.

June also saw Network My Club host the inaugural Network My Club at Goodwood event which took place at the Kennels on Goodwood Estate. Over 50 businesses from Sussex and afar were in attendance as guests enjoyed a morning of networking, a buffet breakfast and heard more about the new business club!

Network My Club at Goodwood offer members more than just monthly networking events, but exclusive member benefits, which include: two free tickets

to a raceday of choice, discount on hospitality, discounted golf membership and much more! Find all the information regarding the benefits of joining via www.nmcgoodwood.co.uk.

To find more information about Network My Club and see where they’re hosting events near you, visit www.networkmyclub.co.uk.

Learn more about Network My Club at www.networkmyclub.co.uk

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.”

- Best Vehicle Leasing

“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

Contact them on 01903 898025 or info@networkmyclub.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 59

Networking in Sussex

SBT

Social

Paul and Annette Jones 15th Golf Charity Day at Goodwood 2018 Former Southampton footballer Paul Jones and his wife Annette Jones held their 15th Charity Golf Day at The Goodwood Hotel.

So far they have raised over ÂŁ200,000 for Chestnut Tree House.

The event sponsored by Proflex was well supported by celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment including Sir Trevor Brooking CBE and Jason Burrill film stunt man and actor who also won Big Brother 2016.

Jason Burrill film stunt man and actor who also won Big Brother 2016

Chestnut Tree House parents Victoria and Lewis Ramm

Former Brighton and Hove Albion player Kerry Mayo

Event organisers Paul and Annette Jones with Danielle Jones and Jamie Brunton

Paul Philip former basketball player who played for England with Luther Blissett former England football player

60 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Networking in Sussex

Entertainer Pete Sands

Ben Stokes, Sophie Charlesworth, Karen Wilson and Simon Reading

Danny and Karen Wilson

Lorna and Steve Cobbett

Victoria Ramm and Jenny Mayo

Main sponsor for the event, George Collacott and guests

Photography by Graham Franks www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 61

Made in Sussex

Made in Sussex: Do you want to save money on your gas and electricity TOTO Energy is an innovative energy start-up based in Brighton, and we’re expanding!

TOTO Energy supply gas and electricity and we install free Smart Brand Meters. We entered Focus the market in January 2017 to provide a simple, personal and digital service. We’ve grown to supply over 50,000 homes nationwide, and we’re not stopping there – our sights are set even higher.

We’ve recently moved into stunning new offices overlooking Brighton Marina and we’re now looking for bright and motivated people to join us for our next phase of growth.

We work hard at TOTO, but we like to have fun too. With Christmas Balls, football and volleyball teams and a Summer BBQ, your social life can be just as busy as your work one.

We’re recruiting now! We’re looking for Customer Care Advisors, Managers and Collections Specialists to join the team.

62 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Why TOTO? We take care of our staff, and that means they can take care of our customers: • We reward high performers with awards and prizes • We develop our staff with mentoring and training • We provide a range of benefits; cycle to work, childcare vouchers, • We have a great team ethos inside and out of work We expect you to value the relationship you have with our customers. We want people who can take ownership of calls, use their knowledge and their problemsolving skills to find solutions but also show real empathy.

We provide our customers with light, heating and hot water so it really matters we get our job right!

This means we have to be available throughout the day and at weekends.

This means we’ll sometimes ask you to work evening shifts and Saturday day time.

All of this means you probably have service experience, but it doesn’t have to be specifically on the phone, or in the energy sector, we’re just looking for the right people with the right attitude to hard work and community spirit.

The pay is dependent on the role but competitive, and there are also individual and team performance related bonuses.

There’s also 25 days annual leave!

Interested? Send CVs to join@totoenergy.com We’re a young, hungry company and we’re growing fast. There’s always opportunity at TOTO, you just have to come and take it!

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