Sussex Business Times - December 2014 by Life Media Group

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Is moving to the ‘virtual office’ a smart idea, or a recipe for disaster?

Finance: COMMON MISTAKES INVESTORS MAKE

SUSSEX BUSINESS AWARDS SBT talks to the finalists

Carmyke TAKEs A CLOSER LOOK AT THE Mitsubishi Outlander

After 10 years in business, Eastbourne’s independent estate agent Home Sweet Home reveal how embracing technology and staying grounded has helped them succeed where many failed

THE credible voice for the Sussex Business Community

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Working without walls

Survival is Sweet – Success is Sweeter

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SBT Welcome MEET THE TEAM

Lee Mansfield, Managing Director/ Publisher

Simon Skinner, Group Director

John Keenan, Editor Zoe Thomas, in Chief Editor

Harriet Weston, Production Manager

Amy Watson, Junior Designer

Clare Fermor, Operation Director

Jon Goodwin, Business Development Manager

Amelia Wellings, Accounts

Contributors

Ann Patterson, Leon Deakin, Allergy Blogger Senior Associate, Thomas Eggar LLP

Lisa Beale, Check a Professional

Jennifer Mansoor, Solicitor, Adams & Remers

Gemma Hope, Solicitor and Collaborative Lawyer

Andy Parsons, Yelo Architects

As the year draws to a close, business owners across the county will be popping the champagne corks to celebrate survival. And a lucky few will be able to sound their party horns in the wake of heady success. To all readers of Sussex Business Times, we say a hearty congratulations for sticking with it in what remain challenging conditions. Next year will bring a new venture in the shape of the Sussex Business Group. I have the privilege of managing this new project which aims to help business leaders charter a course into the future. One hesitates to deploy the hoary business cliche “one-stopshop”. The group will not be all things to all people. It will implement the results of the most dynamic business brains in Sussex (that’s you, by the way) getting together to transform the way we communicate with each other. The Sussex Business Groups seeks to do nothing less than to empower business owners and employees to significantly increase their performance so they are able to achieve the worthwhile purposes at the heart of the endeavours. Over the coming months you will be hearing more from me on this - but I want to hear more from you. Tell me your good news stories, share your lessons with your peers, discuss common ways of working together to the benefit of all. In this month’s issue for example we meet the team behind Eastbourne-based Home Sweet Home, as they celebrate 10 years in business and discuss the challenges they’ve faced in a dramatically shifting property market. As the Internet changes the way we conduct business, we question the purpose of office working and talk to local innovation centres about the rise of the ‘virtual office’ and the impact this could have on our town centres. The next twelve months are already looking exciting. Here’s to a prosperous 2015. Enjoy your read! Editor-in-Chief John Keenan

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Contents SBT Issue 383

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SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

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issue 383 FRee

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workINg wIThoUT wallS iS moving To THE ‘virTuAl officE’ A SmArT idEA, or A rEcipE for diSASTEr?

FINaNcE roUNdUp:

grAHAm cArn updATES uS on THE lATEST monEy mATTErS

HSH

SUSSEX BUSINESS awardS

SbT TAlKS To THE finAliST

wE TAKE A cloSEr looK AT THE MITSUBISh oUTlaNdEr

SUrvIval IS SwEET – SUccESS IS SwEETEr

AfTEr 10 yEArS in buSinESS, propErTy ExpErTS HomE SwEET HomErEvEAl How THEy wEATHErEd THE rEcESSion And cAmE ouT STrongEr

THE crEdiblE voicE for THE SuSSEx buSinESS communiTy

Sponsored by Home Sweet Home www.hshome.co.uk

Managing Director/Publisher: Lee Mansfield lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk Group Director: Simon Skinner simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk Operations Director: Clare Fermor clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk Business Development Manager: Jon Goodwin jon@sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk Managing Editor John Keenan journalistjohnkeenan@gmail.com Editorial: Zoe Thomas zoe@lifemediagroup.co.uk Production Manager: Harriet Weston harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk Design Assistant: Amy Watson amy@lifemediagroup.co.uk Subscriptions: Linda Grace linda@lifemediagroup.co.uk Accounts: Amelia Wellings amelia@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Published by Unit1, Swan Barn Business Centre, Old Swan Lane, Hailsham, BN27 2BY Printed by Gemini Press, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 6NZ

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 Life Media Group 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 Life Media Group LTD 2014 ©

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News

View the latest local and national business headlines

Spending it

A selection of corporate gifts and gadgets

Events

The Sussex Business Awards shortlist has been announced. Here, we meet some of the finalists…

Money Matters

Juno Wealth takes a look at the common mistakes investers make

Virtual Office

Is moving to the ‘virtual office’ a smart idea, or a recipe for disaster? Zoe Thomas investigates

Sponsored Cover Feature

After 10 years in business, Home Sweet Home reveal how embracing technology and staying grounded has helped them succeed where many failed

Retail

Beyond the high-street: The rise of independent shops in Sussex

Tried and Tested

This month SBT’s Lottie Dowdeswell reviews Shelley’s Hotel in Lewes, while John Keenan has lunch at Jeremy’s Restaurant in Haywards Heath

Chamber News

All the latest news and events from ACES

Motoring

Carmyke Leasing Ltd. reviews the latest Mitsubishi Outlander, while we preview the Infiniti Q50 and the Mercedes Benz CLA 45 AMG

Ask the Experts

Four local business experts advise on relevant issues

Made in Sussex

This month’s home grown hero is Yelo Architects

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SBTLocal News £1,000 Grants for Energy Saving Projects in East Sussex

East Sussex-based businesses with 250 employees or less may be eligible for council grants of up to £1,000 to install energy-saving projects at their premises. What can the grants be used for? Grants can be used to install measures that will demonstrably reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Eligible projects may include: • LED lighting • Lighting sensors • Heating controls • Draught proofing • Insulation Up to £1,000 is available and no match funding required. Contact the Sustainable Business Partnership CIC on 01273 964239 Deadline: 17:00, 5/12/14.

Controversy Over Alex Salmond Effigy at Lewes Bonfire East Sussex County Council sparked controversy after tweeting a picture of a bonfire society in Lewes parading a giant effigy of former Scottish nationalist leader Alex Salmond, with intentions to throw it on the bonfire. The giant figure, which also sported a model of ‘nessie’ the Loch Ness Monster’, was saved from its fiery fate at the last minute after a complaint triggered a police investigation. “Mr Salmond said: ‘It’s outrageous. What has Nessie ever done to the East Sussex Conservative Party?’ The first minister added: ‘I think their judgement’s askew, but if they think I am a threat to the Westminster establishment, like Guy Fawkes, they are right.”

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Bartercard Sussex is Born The UK’s largest business-to-business trade exchange, Bartercard, has announced the launch of Bartercard Sussex. Chris Edworthy, a Bartercard member who joined the trade exchange earlier this year, will be leading the team in this new endeavour to encourage businesses to maximise their spare capacity and discover the benefits of business bartering. Chris will be responsible for growing the business in the region and is already looking to appoint a Brighton-based Trade Coordinator to take charge of trading in Sussex and improve local trading opportunities for businesses in the area. The Sussex brokerage, which opened in September 2014, will enable local businesses to use their spare capacity and to source the goods and services required to run or expand their business while protecting their cash reserves.

This is particularly valuable at a time when banks are being criticised for refusing to lend to SMEs. Barter trade in Sussex already accounts for more than £1 million per annum; the opening of the new office will see this significantly increasing in the future. Stuart Leopold, Business Development Consultant for Brighton, will also join Chris for the launch of Bartercard Sussex. Mr Edworthy said: “I became a member of Bartercard whilst working as a Director for Rockland Clothing Ltd. I fell in love with the concept and decided to take my membership one step further and open my own franchise. I’m delighted to start the Bartercard operation in Sussex and will be leading the team to build awareness and opportunities for businesses in the area looking to barter.” www.batercard.co.uk

Airbourne Visitors Donate £35,000

Visitors to Eastbourne’s annual airshow donated a total of £35,000 this year, with 30% allocated to charities and the rest funding future Airbournes. In total, £10,000 was donated to two chosen charities: Chailey Heritage Foundation and Demelza House. This makes 2014 a record-breaking year in terms of charity donations, marking a 25% increase on last year. The cheque was presented by the Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, Cllr David Tutt, on

11 November, at a thank you event held for the charities and the many Airbourne volunteers. Cllr David Tutt commented: “It is a pleasure to be able to pass these donations on to two incredible Sussex charities. Our thanks go to the many volunteers who made this year’s air-show such an astounding success, and of course to the many people who donated – your support is much appreciated and will help bring even more magic to the skies over Eastbourne next year.”

SBTLocal News Could You be the GREAT Face of British Business? The search is on for the South East’s most innovative and exciting SMEs. The Business is GREAT campaign and BT Business have teamed up to launch the GREAT Faces of British Business competition, designed to showcase the Government’s growth support for small firms and businesses in Sussex. Entrants will be in with the chance to be crowned regional champion, with a top prize worth £30,000. This will include a bespoke creative advertising campaign, local and national press coverage, along with an iPad Air and unlimited BT WiFi for 12 months courtesy of BT Business. In addition, the winner will also receive a package of export support from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), one of the Government departments

currently supporting the Business is GREAT Britain campaign with the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS). There are three categories and businesses can enter one or all depending on which are relevant to their business: • Best exporter – a small business that has successfully entered new markets • Most innovative small business – a small businesses that has turned an innovative idea into a reality • Best growth story – a small business that has an inspirational growth story To enter, go to www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/ competition

Brighton Tea Shop Opens 12-hour Pop-up in London Bluebird Tea Co, the UK’s first tea shop to specialise in ‘tea mixology’, was selected to take part in iZettle’s ‘Big Things Start Small’ campaign. Mobile payment and app service provider iZettle gave small businesses the opportunity to trade for 12 hours in central London. iZettle’s store was taken over by Bluebird Tea Co. on Thursday 30th October, allowing the company to share their flavoured loose leaf teas with passing Londoners Krisi Smith, co-founder of Bluebird Tea Co. said: “We are hoping to open our second store in London next year so this was the perfect opportunity for us to introduce ourselves to the city. “The iZettle 12 hour Store was an amazing opportunity for my business!”

Brighton Jeweller Raises over £2,500 for the Royal British Legion with Bespoke Jewellery A Brighton based jeweller has raised over £2,500 for the Royal British Legion (RBL) by designing an exclusive silver poppy charm. Scarlett Jewellery is donating £15 from the sale of each iconic charm to support ex-service men and women. The Sussex based jeweller has a long-standing commitment to The Royal

British Legion and was one of the first jewellers to work with them, starting in 2005. Charlotte Thompson, Community Fundraiser for the RBL said: “We are extremely grateful for the support of Scarlett Jewellery this year through the sale of their

Successful Fire Safety Prosecution Against Takeaway Restaurant East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is reminding owners of takeaway restaurants with sleeping accommodation above of their legal responsibilities, following a court case which resulted in a prison sentence and a fine for the owner of a food takeaway business in Uckfield. Secim Gezegen, trading as Sanchos, was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 2 years, and ordered to pay costs of £4,327.27 by Eastbourne Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to the offence of failing to comply with a

Prohibition Notice. The notice made it clear that the loft was only to be used for storage purposes unless the fire safety arrangements in the premises were improved. Group Manager Richard Fowler, Head of Business Safety for ESFRS, said: “Dangerous conditions were identified and Mr Gezegen was instructed not to use the loft for sleeping. He blatantly ignored this instruction and placed his staff at risk by allowing them to sleep in the loft.”

poppy charm. The poppy is a powerful symbol which is worn to commemorate the sacrifices of our Armed Forces and to show support to those still serving today and their loved ones.” The festive season should push the fundraising total to more than £3,000.

HSBC charity golf day raises thousands HSBC Sussex Commercial held a charity golf day in aid of Rockinghorse Children’s Charity. The event, held at Singing Hills golf club in Albourne, raised over £7,500 to help Rockinghorse make life better for sick children in Sussex. 19 teams took part in the fundraising event with 76 players enjoying the late September sunshine for 18 holes of golf, followed by a sit-down dinner and a charity auction and raffle.

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SBTNational News Retail Sales Rise Amidst Serious Discounts

Photograph by Antoine K ©

October figures show a rise in sales as shoppers head out to splash the cash on clothes and furniture. The Office for National Statistics said the quantity of goods sold leapt by 4.3% compared to the same month last year. Economics Correspondent Phillip Inman, from the Guardian, said: “The bounceback from a fall in the previous month will give the Treasury a boost at a time when other parts of the economy are slowing down.” While physical shops are doing well, online retailers saw a 0.1% fall in the proportion of online sales to 11.2%.

Bank of England Freezes Interest Rates in November Policymakers at the Bank of England voted to keep interest rates at 0.5% throughout November. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) also agreed not to change the size of the Bank’s economic stimulus programme, known as quantitative easing, keeping it at £375bn. Interest rates have now remained at a record low since March 2009. Despite traders expecting an impending rate hike, the MPC argued that interest rates should be kept lower for longer due to falling inflation, growing risk of a triple-dip

recession in the Eurozone and weak pay growth. The rates are now expected to be kept on hold until next spring.

Morrisons Tries to Win Back Aldi and Lidl Shoppers for Christmas

The supermarket chain lost out last Christmas to Aldi and Lidl, both of which attracted more shoppers thanks to lower prices. In the past Morrisons has done well at Christmas, with shoppers ‘upgrading’ there for their festive foods. However, with most Brits feeling the pinch, shoppers have been more inclined to find bargains at Aldi and Lidl. However, Morrisons’ Chief Executive Dalton Philips is determined to win lost custom by pledging a price cut of £1bn across all the stores, improving the quality of produce and launching a

loyalty card scheme to match prices at Aldi and Lidl. Mr Philips said: “The combination of these factors should give confidence to customers – they don’t need to split their baskets.” He also reported that like-for-like sales dropped by 6.3% in the 13 weeks to November 2. Despite analysts describing the figures as ‘dismal’, Mr Philips insisted Morrisons is ‘making progress’. Following the update, shares in the supermarket chain rose by 7%. This is down to the company narrowing its profit guidance for the year to £335m-£365m and reducing its debts by £100m more than expected.

UK car sales hit highest mark since recession So far this year Britons have bought more than 2m new cars, following an unexpectedly sharp leap in October sales. A total of 2.14m new cars have been registered since the start of 2014, the first time the 2m mark has been passing since 2007. Cheap finance deals have encouraged more people to swap their vehicles for newer models. Sales in October were 14.2% higher than in the same month last year, totalling 179,714 cars. This tops off a growth run of 32 consecutive months, according the to Society of Motor

Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Alternatively fuelled vehicles saw the biggest rise in sales, up 59% since last year. Mike Hawes, Chief Executive at the SMMT, said: “The October new car market outperformed expectations,

Drive tomorrows cars today

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with registrations showing the strongest growth in a month since March’s 18% rise. With economic confidence still rising, customers continue to benefit from attractive financial packages on exciting new models. “We still expect the overall market to level off as we head towards 2015, but the exception to that rule will be alternatively-fuelled vehicles, demand for which will continue to accelerate.” The bestselling car models were the Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Corsa.

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SBTNational News Ryanair to Become ‘One Stop Shop’ for Travel

The self-styled ‘budget airline’ is developing its own comparison and feedback forum online to rival the likes of TripAdvisor and Skyscanner. Despite receiving around 80,000 complaints a year from unhappy customers, Ryanair has made the brave decision to allow passengers to publicly rate the quality of its flights on its website. The news comes after two shock profit warnings last year caused the airline to rethink its image. At the

launch of the airline’s ‘softer approach’ (relaxed cabin baggage, reduced penalties and allocated seating) Chief Executive Michael O’Leary revealed a photo of himself cuddling a puppy which was not, it transpired, his own pet or a dog he had met before the photo shoot. Now, the company wants customers to bypass comparison sites. Mr O’Leary said: “The airlines have been somewhat dysfunctional in the way we have developed our digital

Experts Say Entrepreneurs Need Better Access to Free Financial Advice November hosted the world’s largest celebration of entrepreneurs with Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). During the week, Tracy Ewen, Managing Director of IGF Invoice Finance, raised a point about start-ups accessing financial services: “The recent economic downturn gave credit a bad name among many SMEs in the UK, leading to a very guarded approach to borrowing. This has snowballed over the past couple of years into a real aversion among SME leaders to traditional forms of credit and borrowing. Unfortunately, recent research by AXA Business Insurance has shown that this has left almost half of small businesses reliant on credit cards and overdrafts to top up their cash reserves and keep them solvent. It’s a situation

that needs to be resolved, but after the longest recession in UK history, knowledge about the sources of credit available to growing businesses is at an all time low. “The UK needs to do much more to educate its small business leaders on where they can turn for credit that will help them cover cash-flow shortages and invest in their future.”

Treating customers Fairly

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platforms. TripAdvisor shouldn’t really exist as an independent platform, it should be on Ryanair.” But what if the site is saturated with negative feedback? “Shock, horror, people might be sl*gging off Ryanair. People have been sl*gging us off for 25 years, let them work away, we are not a sensitive airline. I think what you will find is there will be much more positive endorsement coming back from people who have flown with us,” he said.

Facebook at Work According to the Financial Times, Facebook is launching a new branch of its world-famous social networking site, specifically for the professional world. The new site will have a similar interface with a newsfeed, groups and messaging capabilities, however it will also feature collaborative tools for teams to work on shared documents – competing directly with Google Drive and Microsoft Office 365. Facebook at Work will be entirely separate from users’ personal Facebook accounts. The idea was allegedly borne from Facebook’s own internal employee network.

AUCTION

Four Day December Sale 15 December - Kent, SE London & Essex 16 December - Sussex & Surrey 17 December - Hampshire & Isle of Wight 18 December - West Country

Sussex & Surrey Lots - Tuesday, 16 December at the The Hilton Brighton Metropole - commencing 11am

Former off licence for occupation or investment Guide: £50-55,000 epc:tbc

Guides are provided as an indication of each Seller’s minimum expectation. They are not necessarily figures which a property will sell for and may change at any time prior to Auction. Unless stated otherwise, each Lot will be offered subject to a reserve (a figure below which the Auctioneer cannot sell the Lot during the Auction). We expect the reserve will be set within the guide range or no more than 10% above a single figure guide. Please check our website regularly at cliveemson.co.uk, or call 01273 571853, in order to stay fully informed.

Houseboat for immediate occupation Guide: £70-80,000

Substantial detached property with potential Guide: £460-480,000 epc:tbc

WORCESTER PARK HASTINGS

Ground floor flat with far reaching views Guide: £180-190,000 epc:e

WORTHING

Detached cottage with gardens extending to 1.1 hectares Guide: £700,000-Plus epc:g

PETWORTH

Guide: £50-55,000 epc:tbc

SHOREHAM

Flat for investment

EASTBOURNE

NEWHAVEN

ALFRISTON

HASTINGS

A range of Sussex & Surrey Lots including:-

LAND & PROPERTY AUCTIONEERS

View Lots and download catalogues via our website cliveemson.co.uk

Block of three commercial units Guide: £300-320,000 epc:tbc

Prominent seafront building with potential for conversion Guide: £280-300,000 epc:tbc

Town centre property in need of renovation Guide: £175-180,000 epc:tbc

Catalogue Hotline

(60p per minute at all times)

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COMING SOON 12 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Spending It

It’s Time For a Treat...

You’ve worked hard all year - now’s the time to reward yourself with these fabulous items...

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Looking for fashion umbrellas? Do you need something to match that new outfit? Whatever you need in the way of umbrellas, this sophistaced black umbrella with a Large Wooden Handle is perfect for any occasion. £20 www.next.co.uk

Keep out the cold in style with this warm, soft scarf. This luxurious scarf is the perfect accessory for any Autumn/ Winter wardrobe. £16 www.next.co.uk

Ti Sento Square Cluster Earrings Ti Sento White Mother of Pearl & White Stone Set Square Cluster Earrings. Accessorise with matching rings, wristwear and neckwear. £90 www.wbruford.com

Frank Wright Bude Black Leather Taking design inspiration from a traditional brogue design, the ‘Bude’ multi eyelet, lace-up shoe from Frank Wright features a wooden sole unit and punching detailing to the upper. A versatile shoe that can be dressed up or down. £90 www.frankwrightshoes.com

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Spending It

Leather Travel Card Holder Keep your travelcard safe with this leather card holder. Each one features one main opening, perfect for holding your bus pass, railcard or oyster card and one smaller opening at the front if you need space for two cards. £10 www.oliverbonas.com

Vesper Logan Dress In Pink This Vesper Logan Dress in pink is one of this season’s winning styles. With its exaggerated shoulders and bodycon fit it’s a dress to ensure you stand out from the crowd. £52 www.designerdesirables.com

The Astron GPS Solar To add a chronograph and an electronic setting function in the crown, all in a smaller case size, demonstrates that Astron is redefining the industry’s idea of what a watch can deliver. This watch sets a new world standard in electronic watchmaking. £1,750 Seiko.co.uk

Bugatti Vela Food Blender Enjoy your home made soups, shakes and smoothies using the very best blender for the job! This modern orange food mixer is made by the same people that design the famous high-end sports cars. £170 www.redcandy.co.uk

Antony Morato holdall Weekender bag with zip fastening, handles and removable shoulder strap. Interior and exterior pockets closed by zippers. Antony Morato shield on the front pocket made of contrasting eco-leather. £89.90. www.morato.it/en/

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Spending It

Sage Dual Boiler Coffee Machine Espresso perfection requires precision temperature and pressure control, consistently, every time, and the Sage by Heston Blumenthal Dual Boiler™ espresso coffee machine will deliver just that. £1,199.95 www.johnlewis.com

Fair-trade Leather Betty Gift Set

Breitling Navitimer 01 Mens Watch The Navitimer - A 20th century watchmaking classic favoured by pilots and dedicated aviation fans. This watch features a fully automatic movement black dial and stainless steel case with a black leather strap. Water resistant to 30m. £5,990 www.wbruford.com

Cobalt Blue Zip Tote. This timeless tote is made from high quality soft leather. Lined with robust organic cotton fabric. Beautifully matched with the Cobalt Blue Luxury Leather Womens Wallet. £194 www.bettyandbetts.com

Tripp World 4-Wheel Medium Suitcase The Tripp World Medium Suitcase in White and Indigo is part of a sophisticated 4-wheel collection exclusive To Tripp. Now £59.00 www.debenhams.com

Ti Sento Silver & White Stone Crossover Ring A stunning silver and white stone crossover ring. A simple yet glamorous combination of silver and white stone makes a unique, breathtaking finish. £55 www.wbruford.com

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Sussex Business Awards 2013

Meet The Sussex Business Awards Hopefuls The Sussex Business Awards shortlist has been announced. Here, we meet some of the finalists… A total of 46 individuals and businesses are hoping to leave The Awards Grand Hotel Brighton on Wednesday 10th December carrying one of 16 glittering Sussex Business Awards. This year the competition has been tougher than ever, with a 10% increase in the number of award entries since last year. Judges were tasked with whittling down over a hundred applications from 30 towns across Sussex to find the strongest contenders. All entrants presented strong cases and endeavoured to present facts and data to back up their achievements over the last year. Decisions were finalised at a meeting chaired by Mike Herd, Executive Director of the Sussex Innovation Centre. For the 26th year running, the Sussex Business Awards is giving local businesses the chance to shout about

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their achievements – to publicise their progress and get due reward for their hard work. Small Business of The Year finalist IEP Financial is already using its nomination to its advantage. Karin Yardy, Marketing Manager of the Brighton-based company, said: “We’ve told everyone!! We’re so proud to be shortlisted – we went a bit crazy on social media and on our website. We had a big celebration within the office to thank all of our staff – without them we wouldn’t be where we are today. We’ve recently launched a new mortgage service and are expanding our Auto Enrolment work and whilst doing this we’ve been telling everyone that we’ve been shortlisted. It’s been amazing to see the support we are receiving from other local businesses.” Karin continued: “Here at IEP Financial we have worked incredibly hard over the past couple of years to build our brand and grow our business. It’s been down to the hard graft of every single employee

that we have built such a reputable business. “We receive recognition for our hard work from our clients, but to receive recognition from such an elite judging panel would really be the icing on the cake for us and prove that hard work does get you recognition. She added: “Writing an entry into the Sussex Business Awards is incredibly hard and time consuming, but it is obviously made much easier if you have the facts and figures to back up the entry, which we couldn’t have done without our employees’ hard work. We have consistently hit and exceeded all of our targets over the past two years, whilst developing our charitable and community projects and for these reasons we believe we should win “Small Business of The Year”. “An award like this isn’t handed out easily and we are up against some tough competition. Winning this award will really cement our company as one of the best

Sussex Business Awards 2013

in the area – we know we are up there amongst the best, but to be told by The Sussex Business Awards that we are would be fantastic.” The Sussex Business Awards are organised by Midnight Communications, a public communications agency based in Brighton. Karin said: “The awards have been very well organised and the guys at Midnight Communications should be proud. It must be an incredibly difficult task to co-ordinate everything from the entries, through to shortlisting and then the actual event itself. They’ve been with us every step of the way and we can’t wait to attend the awards night at The Grand, and hopefully win.” Noel Preston, Managing Partner at Preston Insurance Brokers, said he feels ‘proud, honoured, excited and very humbled’ to be shortlisted for Most Promising Business. “I’m pleased more than anything for those that have supported us in our first couple of years, helping us achieve what we have to date and consequently this recognition. More then anything our clients have taken us to this stage and a massive thanks should go their way.” Noel is fully aware of the benefits a

Sussex Business Awards 2013

“We know we are up there amongst the best, but to be told by The Sussex Business Awards that we are would be fantastic”

Sussex Business Award could bring to his company, saying: “Just being shortlisted for an award is a massive fillip, winning would be the icing on the cake! Being shortlisted or winning an award itself doesn’t make you a better business but it does provide you with some well received positive external recognition. It also provides encouragement to your staff and business partners that we are doing things in the right way.” He believes his business really does

show promise, adding: “We deliver what we promise and keep to the values of our business. We have a professionalism and service provision that is becoming widely renowned in Sussex, with the majority of our new clients coming from strong recommendations and referrals from existing clients and business partners. “One of our clients said we ‘…provide a personal service with a corporate clout…’. Our impeccable client retention level speaks for itself and is the foundation of the growth and evolvement of our business. We are looking forward to growing into the future, continuing to enhance our service offering and becoming a go to and trusted insurance broker for businesses based in Sussex and beyond.” In addition to celebrating Preston Insurance Brokers’ achievements over the past year, Noel is also looking forward to meeting other hopefuls and business peers on the 10th. He said: “There will be a number of Sussex businesses and people known to us in the room on the night, with both clients and friends also short-listed for other awards. We are thoroughly looking forward to an enjoyable evening.”

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Sussex Business Awards 2013

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Fellow finalist Gary Peters, who founded Love Local Jobs in 2010, hopes to be awarded Best Entrepreneur of the Year, which is proudly sponsored by SBT. When asked why he thinks he deserves to win, Gary joked: “I don’t know if I do deserve to win, there are a lot of amazing entrepreneurs out there right now who are doing amazing things. However, if the prize is for creating something from nothing, risking everything I own, surviving two financial crashes, strengthening and learning every day, loving my job, making a positive difference to the place I love and still finding time to be the best dad and husband in the world (so I’m told!) then I maybe deserve to be at least shortlisted!” Gary started his business to help tackle unemployment in Sussex. BrightonAndHoveJobs.com provided two much-needed services in one place: a search engine for local jobs, and a resource offering advice and guidance for job seekers and recruiters. Since then, the concept has grown rapidly to cover all parts of Sussex with new platforms launching under the umbrella brand Love Local Jobs. When asked what it would mean to win the award, Gary said: “Honestly? It would be amazing. It would be a huge pat on the back and it would give me a genuine boost of confidence to keep doing what I am doing. Running your own business is often a lonely and thankless task and most entrepreneurs will question daily why they do it. Winning this award would be amazing recognition of all of my family’s, colleagues’ and friends’ support over the years as I most definitely couldn’t have done it without them!” Two other entrepreneurs also made the shortlist: Andy Laurillard, owner of the Giggling Squid, and Jamie Malpass of Malpass Markets. Andy and his wife Pranee opened their first Thai restaurant in Brighton in 2002. Their aim was to cook simple, fresh tapas-style Thai food. With next to no money, a leaky rood and dodgy wiring, the couple embarked on a journey that would eventually lead to the opening of 10 Giggling Squid restaurants across Sussex. Andy said: “We have increased our payroll a lot, creating around 200 new jobs in the last three years. We are improving the working conditions, training, career progression opportunities and employment benefits in our niche of the labour market and are now employer of choice for Thai chefs in the UK – all

Events - Sussex Business Awards

without importing people from abroad. “We have managed to expand in the teeth of the worst recession in living memory, in a sector that has seen serious demand decline and massive withdrawal of bank financing. We have kept capital expenditure low on opening new sites by recycling discarded and waste materials (wood, old pots and pans, baskets as décor etc) and still managed to create welcoming and professional seeming customer environments. And we now serve 10,000 customers a week fantastic Thai food!” Andy added: “We’d be most honoured to win the award, but to be honest we’ve found growing the business to be an enormously fun and satisfying thing in its own right.” Another hopeful is Mandy from Recruitment South East, who said she feels ‘honoured’ to be selected as a finalist for two awards: Boss of the Year and Business Person of the Year. “I was put forward by my staff whilst away on holiday so it was a huge surprise to find out I had the judging panels coming to see me upon my return,” she said. “Any award or PR is good for

“Winning this award would be amazing recognition of all of my family’s, colleagues’ and friends’ support over the years as I most definitely couldn’t have done it without them!” business. It just adds to our credibility as a specialist in our field run by good people. It helps that Sussex Business Awards are so well run and trusted as an award of merit keenly contested and totally independently judged. It gives the award Kudos.” Mandy has had a busy year with numerous achievements under her belt. She said: “Gosh I have been

Water Coolers, Boilers & Zip Taps for your office

very fortunate, starting in January with an invite to the House of Lords as a champion of the Youth Employment Charter, then meeting William Hague then foreign secretary over coffee discussing our new export recruitment business RSE Worldwide, acquiring a boutique head hunting business to add to the RSE group in April, doubling our turnover so huge growth and lastly being elected on to the board with the highest votes from my peers as a corporate director of our governing body the REC , www.rec.uk.com, still two months to go!” When asked if she was looking forward to the event, she said: “Oh yes! Who doesn’t like to dress up in a posh frock & celebrate with their team?!! If I win what an honour if not it’s great to celebrate others successes in a great environment with a fabulous group of people. Im already a winner, I have a great team, love my business & my job and work in one of the best areas of the UK Sussex. What’s not to like!” SBT would like to wish all finalists good luck for the big night on Wednesday 10 December at the Sussex Business Awards!

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Auto enrolment and pension reforms affect every single employer in the www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 19 UK, including SME’s. Dont leave it too late to start planning

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Common

Mistakes Investors Make

OTIONS

Juno Wealth Management (Haywards Heath) offers advice for investors... www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 21

Money Matters

It Costs Money Despite the internet Financial driving down Advice charges, buying and selling shares still costs money. The same is true if you are buying investment funds from a fund manager – there’ll be an upfront charge and an annual management charge. Again, do your research. There are some intermediaries who will reduce the initial charge significantly – but that will be on an ‘execution only’ basis – if you want any advice, then expect to pay for it. It’s Your Money, Not the Taxman’s Simple maths dictates that if you are not paying tax on your investments then they’ll grow much more quickly. Every UK individual has their own Individual Savings Allowance for the current tax year. This means that a husband and wife could invest 2 times the allowance in stocks and shares and do it tax efficiently. Over the years, the difference between paying tax on your dividends and/or capital gains and not paying tax compounds significantly. Following the Trend Won’t Make You Rich There’s an old investment maxim which runs along the lines of “buy on bad news; sell on good news.” The theory behind it is that if everyone wants to buy something the price will be artificially high: stockbrokers will confirm that the time most people want to buy shares is when the stock market is at its highest. So if you’re making an investment ask yourself a simple question: am I buying this just because everyone else is buying it? As we saw with the dotcom boom, that may work for a while – but as all too many small investors then found out to their cost, it is not a viable long term strategy.

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It’s hard to go against the conventional wisdom – but sometimes it can pay very healthy dividends. Listen to your Grandmother “If you don’t understand something, don’t buy it. If it seems too good to be true it is too good be true.” Two sayings that your Grandmother would definitely have been familiar with – and as true today as they have ever been, particularly in the world of investing. You need to do your research before you make an investment – especially as it is now very easy to invest anywhere in the world and there are some apparently very attractive propositions out there. Don’t Fall in Love You may own a particular share or other investment which has performed very well for you in the past. However, if it has started to perform badly then you should think about selling. Don’t fall in love with your investments – ask yourself, “Would I buy this share today?” If the answer is no, then give serious consideration to selling. As we are constantly told, ‘past performance is not a guide to future performance.’ Similarly, investments do not ‘owe you money.’ If you bought a share at £2 and it has fallen to £1.50 it doesn’t owe you fifty pence. £1.50 is what people think the share is now worth: don’t be afraid to cut your losses if something is clearly going wrong. Don’t Worry About Timing “Buy low, sell high.” It sounds like common sense and obvious advice.

“Don’t obsess about short-term fluctuations: you’ve made long term investments and it’s the longterm performance that really matters”

The problem is that too many investors obsess about timing, desperately trying to buy when the market is at its very bottom and sell on the day the market reaches its peak. No-one gets this exactly right – and even the most experienced investors get it wrong more often than you’d think. It’s important to remember that you are investing for the long term. What matters is buying an investment when it’s under-valued and selling it when it is fairly – or over – valued. Far too many investors spend far too much time fretting about getting every last penny out of an investment and, as a consequence, miss other investment opportunities. If an investment has

Money Matters

reached a price where you think selling is the right decision, go ahead and sell. The price is as likely to fall as it is to reach that mythical high point you’re frightened of missing. Get a Life… Of course your investments are important. Of course they require your time and attention. But that doesn’t mean you need to check the price of them six or eight times a day. Investments rise and fall – and they sometimes rise and fall dramatically within a single day. In our experience, constantly checking prices and values leads to a short-term focus and unnecessary worries about the performance of your investments. It’s not so much a case of ‘investments can rise and fall in value’ as investments do rise and fall in value. So don’t obsess about short-term fluctuations – you’ve made long term investments and it’s the long-term performance that really matters. …But Don’t Fall Asleep Having said that, some investors go too far the other way and neglect their investments. You need to strike a balance and it will be different for each investor – but every portfolio needs to be reviewed regularly. First of all, portfolios become unbalanced over time as some investments within them perform well and others perform poorly. If it’s your

declared aim to have, say, 25% of your portfolio invested in UK manufacturing then you need to check your figures from time to time. Portfolios can become unbalanced quite quickly and you may need to do some buying and selling to keep to the investment strategy you originally planned. Don’t Keep all your Eggs in One Basket Every good investment portfolio is diversified. Ideally, your investments should be diversified geographically, by sector and by risk profile. They shouldn’t all be in one country; they shouldn’t all be in one sector of the economy and – depending on your individual risk profile – your portfolio should contain a mixture of ‘aggressive’ and ‘defensive’ investments.

All investors get decisions right and wrong: the important thing is not to get carried away by your successes and to learn from your mistakes. Just as your investments are there for the long-term, so learning about investments takes a long time – experience cannot be acquired quickly and sometimes, sadly, it’s expensive. www.junowealth.co.uk *Shares are high risk investments – You may lose some or all of your capital.

Keep your feet on the ground One day, you’re going to get an investment decision spectacularly right. The shares you bought at 20p each will soar in value to be worth several pounds. Sadly this doesn’t make you the next Warren Buffet. Equally when you get a decision badly wrong it doesn’t mean that you should never make another investment as long as you live.

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Money Matters

Protect Yourself Against Unauthorised Finance Firms Top 10 tips for protecting against fraud and unauthorised activity

“If you deal with an unauthorised firm, you will not be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) or Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if things go wrong”

The Financial Conduct Authority Financial (FCA) provides ten Advice steps to make sure you are dealing with an authorised financial services firm, and to protect yourself from fraud and unauthorised activity. Firms and individuals can only conduct regulated financial services activities in the UK if they are authorised by the FCA or registered to do so, or are otherwise exempt. Some firms seek to act without FCA authorisation and may knowingly run scams. If you deal with an unauthorised firm, you will not be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) or Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if things go wrong.

Check the FCA Register

You are strongly advised to only deal with financial services firms that are authorised by the FCA. The Register has information on firms and individuals that are, or have been, regulated by the FCA. It can be accessed by the public at www.fca.org. uk/register. If a firm does not appear on

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the Register but claims it does, contact the FCA Consumer Helpline on 0800 111 6768.

Ring the firm back

Use the right website

Beware of cloned firms

To confirm the identity of an authorised firm on the Register, ask for their ‘firm reference number’ (FRN) and contact details, but always call them back on the switchboard number given on the Register rather than a direct line they might give you. If there are no contact details on the Register or the firm claims they are out of date, contact the Consumer Helpline. You should access the Register from the FCA website – www.fca.org.uk – rather than through links in emails or on the website of a firm offering you an investment. Also check the address of the website is correct and there are not subtle changes that mean it is a fake. You should also beware of fraudsters pretending to be from a firm authorised by the

Money Matters

FCA, as it could be a ‘cloned firm’. Such scammers often claim to be from overseas firms that appear on the Register as these firms do not always have their full contact and website details listed.

Make additional checks

With fraudsters adapting their tactics, you should make additional checks to confirm you are dealing with the financial services firm in question and have the correct contact details – especially if you have been cold-called. You might want to check the details on the firm’s website, with Directory Enquiries or Companies House.

Check if a firm is authorised or registered

Almost all financial services firms and individuals must be authorised by the FCA. But certain types of firms may instead be registered with the FCA, including some payment services providers and electronic money (e-money) institutions, mutual societies like credit unions, friendly societies, cooperative societies, working men’s clubs and building societies. You can check the Register to see whether a firm is authorised or registered. Beware that registered firms do not have to provide the FCA with as much detail about their business and the FCA has less power to check on the firm

Search the FCA list of unauthorised firms

You can look through the list of unauthorised firms to avoid

doing business with, although their names are likely to change regularly. This is a list of firms and individuals that are currently targeting UK investors and about whom the FCA has received complaints. New names are added to the list as soon as possible, but if the firm which has approached you does not appear on the FCA list, do not assume it is legitimate – it may not have been reported to the FCA yet.

See warnings from abroad

Avoid unwanted sales calls

If you are dealing with an overseas firm or scheme, you should check how it is regulated and follow similar steps to these. The FCA also has some warnings from foreign regulators about firms conducting unauthorised business.

Keep in mind that authorised firms you have no relationship with are highly unlikely to contact you out of the blue. You can also reduce the number of unsolicited mailings and cold calls you receive by registering with the Telephone Preference Service and Mailing Preference Service.

Report an unauthorised firm

If you think you have been approached by an unauthorised firm you should contact the FCA Consumer Helpline on 0800 111 6768. The FCA also has reporting forms that you can use to tell them about an unauthorised firm or broker involved in certain business areas, such as consumer credit, mortgages, insurance products, payment services and share fraud. www.junowealth.co.uk www.fca.org.uk

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Virtual Office

Working Without Walls Is moving to the ‘virtual office’ a smart idea, or a recipe for disaster?

“There is a recognition that the notion of a traditional 9-5, MondayFriday, commute-tothe-office job is quickly eroding”

26 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

The office no longer has to be the control hub of our businesses. Focus The main reason for having an office – accessing files, using printers, computers, scanners and communications equipment – no longer applies thanks to developments in technology. Computers don’t have to be relegated to the surface of a desk anymore; they can be as small as your palm and lighter than your wallet – and with cloud computing, filing cabinets will soon look as alien to the younger generations as floppy disks. Data can now be stored on the Internet and accessed from practically anywhere in the world – whether from a hotel bed, a train, or a sun lounger on a Caribbean beach. This is great news for new entrepreneurs who can’t afford the overheads that come with running an office. Remote working is also becoming an increasingly popular choice for larger, established tech companies. The thinking behind the concept is that, if a job can be done from anywhere in the world – why waste time, money and effort traipsing into an office every morning? In fact, if we’re to believe the hype, all the fresh-thinking silicon valley start-ups are either conducting their businesses in home-from-home ‘HQs’ equipped with

relaxation pods and games rooms, or actually working from home. Tech giants Google and Facebook both operate work from home policies, with Google saying: “We leave Googlers to use good judgement on the matter. Netflix too supports a remote working policy, saying: “We don’t measure people by how many hours they work or how much they are in the office. We care about accomplishing great work.” For these employers, it’s results that matter, not input. But it’s not just our forward-thinking American cousins thinking in this way: academics, economists and entrepreneurs at the recent London Business School’s Global Leadership Summit claimed that 50% of UK businesses will be operating remotely by 2020. Adam Kingl, London Business School’s Director of Learning Solutions, said: “Technology and some fundamental shifts in management thinking are behind this response. Leaders are learning how to enable their teams to flourish, and there is a recognition that the notion of a traditional 9-5, Monday-Friday, commuteto-the-office job is quickly eroding. There is, though, an equally strong case for bringing teams together on a regular basis to inspire and to share.” This need to collaborate and share ideas is perhaps the biggest stumbling

Virtual Office

“Concerns over data security still prevent some from instigating a virtual working environment”

A recent survey of remote workers by Microsoft found that the top 10 benefits of working from home were: 10) Environmentally friendly (23%) 9) More time with family (29%) block when it comes to operating remotely. Joseph Bradford of Sussex Innovation Centre, which operates a ‘virtual office’ service, said: “There are some difficulties created by working remotely that we can help to resolve. Virtual offices can often be the perfect solution for start-ups and young companies that need to be agile and work flexibly while keeping overheads at a minimum, but it can be quite an isolating experience. What’s often needed at that early stage is to feel part of an entrepreneurial community, network with other innovative and growing businesses, and get access to strategic partnerships, investors and mentors.” The Sussex Innovation Centre offers a range of different membership packages designed to appeal to businesses at different stages of their development. Joseph said: “The Virtual package is designed to complement businesses that work from a virtual office – they get access to our administrative services like mail and call handling, can use our hotdesking facility for a couple of days per

week if they’re in the local area, and can book our meeting rooms, seminar room or boardroom if they’re meeting with clients or putting on an event. “We feel that credibility is often a key factor for companies looking to grow their business – convincing potential clients or bringing in a big contract by presenting a professional image. That’s why the real difference between our offering and other virtual office packages is the credibility that comes from being part of our network, and the opportunities that it creates to collaborate with other businesses, be introduced to established partners, or draw upon our connections with academia and the investment community – as well as all of the usual things like a postal address and phone service.” Security Issues According to a survey by Virgin Media Business, 48% of office workers could feasibly work from home and on the go, and although 70% of

8) Less stressful environment (38%) 7) Quieter atmosphere (43%) 6) Eliminate long commute (44%) 5) Less distractions (44%) 4) More productive (45%) 3) Avoid traffic (47%) 2) Save gas (55%) 1) Work/home balance (60%)

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Virtual Office

“Businesses that are contemplating moving to the cloud is choosing the right service provider. Businesses can’t afford to gamble with their data”

Chief Information Officers believe their workforce would be happier doing this, concerns over data security still prevent some from instigating a virtual working environment. The study said: “With happy and motivated staff, organisations can reduce rates of absenteeism and drive down the sky high costs often associated with recruitment, providing a welcome boost to their bottom line.” However, there are always risks to consider when transferring data onto the cloud. Paul Kollnig, MD of Sussex-based M2 Computing, says: “Businesses can be reticent to embrace remote working for fear of losing control of their data. By far the most important decision facing businesses that are contemplating moving to the cloud is choosing the right service provider. Businesses can’t afford to gamble with their data.”

survive outages, improve the uptime of your data and your ability to recover from data loss. If the cloud provider stores data in a different country, that country’s laws may affect who has access to it and how it can be controlled. • What are their security capabilities? You are after all giving your data to a 3rd party and you need to know that it is safe. Make sure they have put sufficient security measures in place including encryption, antivirus and firewall. • What is their pricing structure? Most providers charge for the amount of data storage you require. Is it a flexible package that will allow you to increase your data without incurring crippling surcharges?

Paul has created a checklist of questions businesses should ask before choosing a cloud storage provider:

• How easy is it to access your data? Are there restrictions in terms of operating systems or devices? You want to be able to access your data quickly and easily from anywhere and on any device.

• Where is the data stored? Storing your data in multiple data centres can help you

• How can you recover data? What are their data recovery capabilities for

Putting you in the driving seat

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The Right Address Can Open Lots of Doors You might be just starting out, but when you have a groundbreaking idea, it’s important to present the right image. Becoming a virtual member at the Sussex Innovation Centre helps you to inspire confidence with our prestigious university address and impressive meeting space and reception services. We work with innovators to ensure that their idea achieves high growth, so as well as the benefit of our superb facilities, you’ll get access to all of our financial, marketing and strategic support too.

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“The benefits of our virtual membership go far beyond the usual professional services – we’ve enjoyed working closely with members of the support team, and feel part of a real community of developing businesses.” Lois Howell, Director, Howell Christie Ltd

Want to find out more? Visit www.sinc.co.uk or call 01273 704 400

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 29

Virtual Office

retrieving deleted files? What backup solutions do they offer? • What are their Service Level Agreements? What uptime guarantees do they provide? Director of Hastings Business Operations Jim Christy, believes remote working can only become more prominent in future as technologies improve. He said: “Virtual offices are a rapidly expanding market. It gives companies the opportunity to present a professional image to clients, without having to be based in an office. “It also means you will have access to a range of additional services such as meeting room space and business networking opportunities. It’s a great starting point for a lot of companies. We’ve seen many companies start with this service and go on to take a desk space or an office.” If experts at the London Business School’s Global Leadership Summit are right to predict that half of businesses will be operated remotely by 2020, then we can expect the impacts to fan out into other areas of our lives. Transport,

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“We can expect citywide WiFi connectivity, convenient charging points and wireless charging infrastructure”

economy and the environment will all be affected. M2’s Paul Kollnig believes the changes will be positive, saying: “I think town centres will flourish as they embrace technology to develop innovative and engaging touch points that cater to the flexibility and mobility of the remote worker’s lifestyle. For example, we can expect city-wide WiFi connectivity, convenient charging points and wireless charging infrastructure. I think shops and businesses will provide a more comfortable environment for people to work in and conduct meetings. There will also be more interactive services providing real-time information, like transport arrivals and departures, cinema

showings and availability, restaurant menus and waiting times. “We can also expect mobile ordering and payment, plus anytime, anywhere delivery of online shopping including lockers in tube stations and instant delivery to cafés and restaurants.” Are you looking forward to the remote working revolution? Tweet us your thoughts @SussexBusiness

Hastings Innovation Centre 01424 205400 or email lindajeffcoate@hbol.co.uk Sussex Innovation Centre 01273 704400 www.sinc.co.uk

Cycle to Work

The Business of Bikes

Find out how Velo Cafe wins business with coffee and cycling events - By Nigel Lambe Since the huge success of the professional riders Health in the Olympics and the Tour de France in recent years the Brits are taking to their bikes in huge numbers. More than three million people are now riding their bikes most days. They all need a bike, a light, a helmet, puncture repair kits and a few other bits to get them going. We as a nation spent £700 million on bikes last year and this is set to increase to £869 million within three years. I have been watching the BBC reports this week on how the Government wants to get more people on bikes, and they have been looking intently at the barriers to entry for retailers. The biggest barrier is the Internet, but most people still want to see what they are going to buy before they make that purchase. This provides an opportunity for the specialist retailers. Velo Café on the Level in Brighton has, like any other business in any other industry, been looking at ways to service the customer and keep them engaged. The retailers in the industry need to sell the experience of riding, not just the equipment involved. Bike servicing is the one area that cannot be taken on by the Internet. You need to take your bike to a great mechanic at a great outlet to get the correct attention. Velo Café, like others, offer this service and couple it up with a free coffee while you wait. The more discerning customer today

Nigel Lambe is founder and Chief Executive at the Velo cafe

“Velo Café on the Level has, like any other business in any other industry, been looking at ways to service the customer and keep them engaged” needs to feel a part of a community within the brand. They bring with them a lot of cynicism about what is on offer, however if you look at the amount of events which take places within the biking community, this is where the key to success for any brand lies. Velo Café hosts a number of rides on a weekly basis, starting off at the café, and this engages the customer and helps them feel involved. If you attended

the Spin up in the City on the evening of the Tour of Britain in Brighton you would have been amazed at the bond between the members of the cycling community in the town. Like any business there will always be a new thing and there will always be a competitor who is leading the way and keeping up with the posse or overtaking on the climb.

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk Drive tomorrows cars today31

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Sponsored Feature

Survival is Sweet But Success is Sweeter

After 10 years in business, Matt, Steve and Sophie from Eastbourne’s independent estate agent Home Sweet Home reveal how embracing technology and staying grounded has helped them succeed where many failed - Zoe Thomas

“Home Sweet Home has not only survived the challenges of the modern age – but succeeded regardless. ”

OPPOSITE: from left to right: Sophie Archer, Matthew Thompson and Stephen Davies

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“Steve and I worked together for about Cover three years before we set up on our own,” Sponsor co-founder Matt tells me over a cup of tea at their smart but modest office along Eastbourne’s ‘up and coming’ South Street. “We felt it was the right time to do it. People at the time told us we were opening up in the seventh year of a 10 year growth cycle, so we knew we’d get on the back end of it but we didn’t know how long that was going to last.” “Nobody can ever predict that –” Matt’s business partner Steve interjects. “Is there ever a good time?” Despite taking a leap, it seems the risk has paid off – I’ve been invited here today because the team is celebrating its 10th birthday in business – a significant milestone for a small independent estate agent that opened in a triple dip recession at the cusp of the Internet revolution, on a road hidden away from the main property area of the town. Where most other businesses have struggled to survive the last decade, I’m interested to know how Home Sweet Home has not only survived the

challenges of the modern age – but succeeded regardless. Today the business is split 50/50 between sales and lettings, but when Home Sweet Home first started out, it was entirely sales. “Matt had the brainwave of doing lettings,” Steve enthuses. “When the recession eventually came along and the sales market got very difficult, we already had a lettings business that was established by two or three years, so that helped us weather the storm. 99% of the agents that now do lettings jumped on because they had to, while we did it because we wanted to.” “There were 12 lettings agents when we first started out,” Steve adds. “Now there’s over 40 in a 10 mile radius, so competition is tough.” Steve, who has worked as an estate agent in Eastbourne for 20 years, tells me that when the recession struck in 2008, the rental market was one of the few sectors to blossom. First time buyers found it increasingly difficult to get a mortgage as banks required larger deposits – often up to 20-25% of the property’s value, in order to secure a loan. Home owners looking to sell up struggled to find anyone who could afford

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Sponsored Feature

to buy, so many turned to letting as an alternative. Steve says: “There’s such a good cross over with vendors and landlords. If people were having trouble selling and decided to let their homes instead, we helped to keep a tenant happy inside the four walls, and then when the time came when the owners were fed up of letting, we could sell it instead. “We had the capital there to venture into lettings, so when we look back now we realise what a good decision that was. It was the best decision we ever made. To this day I don’t think we would have survived had we not have made that decision. We would have struggled with the sales market on its own.” When they first started, Matt and Steve decided to keep things small. They put their money into building the business up slowly and, as Steve puts it, they ‘kept their sensible hats on’. Matt says: “I think a lot of people, when they do set up a business, and I’ve been in business before, they find it quite easy to take their money out quickly. When we first set up we didn’t take a lot out of the business, we just

wanted to make sure the company was sound.” Steve agrees, adding: “The office is a comfortable size, we didn’t go into Cornfield road and pay a rent that was three times as much. South Street was a sensible place to be and it still is to be honest. Managing the expense of running an estate agency is massive.”

not robotic. Estate agents are often that smarmy type, not well liked. but if you are a good estate agent, and that’s what Sophie is – that’s worth its weight in gold.” This friendly, personal approach lies at the very heart of Home Sweet Home – a name which is in itself innately warm and cosy. Matt tells me that he and Steve worked for a number of years together for a bigger company before launching Home Sweet Home. Like many entrepreneurs, they had seen other people conduct business the wrong way, and they wanted to do it the right way. “When I joined I spent a lot of time speaking to people on the telephone and sometimes spent longer than I should have done,” Matt reminisces. “My boss would come in randomly, I’d be talking to someone on the phone and he would wait for me to come off. He would get so fed up with me on the phone he would stand there and tell me to wind it up. What he failed to realise was that through the whole term of that business being open, I had the most sales. “Spending time with people, and not rushing around a property, wanting to listen to what clients were after on the

“For us it’s about people and property. Helping someone move, helping someone find their dream home”

34 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

A few years into their business, Matt and Steve employed Sophie as their Senior Negotiator. It’s clear to see the trio share a great rapport – within their team as much as with their customers. As the interview takes place, a client enters the shop and Sophie has them laughing within minutes. Steve picks up on this, saying: “We’re

Photography by Creative Commons, Vicki Burton ©

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telephone, that got me more sales. They were happy because they got service. “We don’t force services down people’s throats. I know some agents have to, because of their own red tape, but for us it’s about people and property. Helping someone move, helping someone find their dream home.” For Matt, Steve and Sophie, an estate agent’s job is to support people through one of life’s biggest mile-stones. “Births, deaths, marriage, people moving home, people leaving or changing jobs, it all causes people to move and we’re here to help hopefully,” Matt says. “It’s satisfying knowing you’ve dealt with someone from the minute they’ve called up, and we’ve been on a viewing, to the point where we’re actually handing the keys over to them, giving them a bottle of sparkling wine for them to sit down on their first night and enjoy their new home,” he finishes. With the Internet revolution well and truly in motion, service is something many face-to-face businesses are having to capitalise on. The Internet may offer speed and convenience, ideal for food or clothes shopping, but when it comes to buying a house, most people still require something a little more personal. Instead of trawling through towns

picking up stacks of property magazines and brochures, house hunters can now browse properties from anywhere - their beds, kitchens, on the train, or even at work if they’re feeling rebellious. Search websites like RightMove, Zoopla and PrimeLocation offer house hunters a convenient way to filter their searches and look at properties from a number of estate agents. Matt and Steve haven’t let the Internet revolution phase them. In fact, they tell me they’ve used these new tools to their advantage. “We’ve definitely embraced the Internet revolution and we got on board with Right Move fairly early on,” Matt explains. “We had our own website from day one but within 6-8 months we were also on RightMove.” He tells me that Home Sweet Home was the first agent in Eastbourne to have a Facebook page and today they use it to communicate with their clients - not just to advertise properties, but to share interesting links and promote local events. “I think we were also the first agent for sales and lettings to have a RightMove microsite too,” Steve adds. “This is like a full-blown website within RightMove itself.” Matt says: “Although we might deal

“Home Sweet Home was the first agent in Eastbourne to have a Facebook page and today they use it to communicate with their clients”

OPPOSITE: from left to right: Matthew Thompson, Stephen Davies and Sophie Arche ABOVE: View of Eastbourne from the Arndale Centre

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“Eastbourne holds its own as a little niche bubble. “It is a popular town, nice and clean. I still see it bubbling along quite nicely”

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Eastbourne Town Centre

agency stand out from the crowd. We’re definitely good at that. “We’ve heard stories of agents taking several weeks to get details prepared, whereas we often get it turned around in the same day, back through their door in the same day, straight online immediately, up to a really high standard too.” A combination of personal service, utilisation of technology and sensible decisions has led to Home Sweet Home’s success 10 years on – a success they now want to spread to other parts of Sussex with the potential of franchising the business within the next two years. “We would have to have a pilot office first before we sell those offices on, so if we did do a franchise, we would have to be looking for someone who was prepared to run alongside and have that pilot office for us to be able to prove that the franchise would work,” Steve says. They both agree that the time for expansion is right, with the local property market is looking up – “Eastbourne holds its own as a little niche bubble,” Steve assures me. “It is a popular town, nice and clean. You can still get to London and Brighton. People do retire here. But for sales and lettings, I still see it bubbling along quite nicely. I think lettings will become more and more a way that some people will have to live due to affordability constraints, the mortgage market and so on.” Matt nods, adding: “I still think there’s

massive room for improvement. The redevelopment of the town centre will improve things in the next 10 years, with bigger shops coming to the town and with it being very close to the railway station - if they ever do anything with the railway station that is. “At the moment Eastbourne’s really restricted on the roads. It’s so gridlocked, it’s difficult to get in and out. As soon as the travel links are improved, it’s waiting to explode, like Brighton.” Steve continues: “We’re definitely looking to grow the business and get more market share next year, with an additional member of staff hopefully joining the team. We’ve grown to a level now where that’s needed. “We’re not being daft about it but we are looking to grow.” I’m impressed by the level-headedness of these guys – and I’m certain that wherever the market goes and whatever technologies are to come – Home Sweet Home will continue to survive and succeed.

www.hshome.co.uk

F d o

h Photography by Creative Commons, Steve Slater ©

with our clients online, we then meet them in person and show them around the property. Some online agents don’t offer that personal service. That sort of thing will always appeal to a few penny pincher types, but ultimately it will come and go. “There are people who come back to us because it’s us. They want to walk through our door – they don’t just want to send an email. We use the Internet the best we can, we use all the facilities that we can afford to use, but that doesn’t stop us dealing with people face to face.” He continues: “Our statistics have proven we probably get more hits than any other estate agents in town because we’ve got a bigger set of details to read. “Steve produces all the details on properties. Not only do they get handed out to clients as soon as they come into the office, a whole set of details also goes onto the web portals. So our competitive edge is, when we take a job on, we put a decent set of details together that people are actually going to read. Sometimes you can look in the paper or online and there will just be one or two lines of blurb.” Steve adds: “Everyone’s online, so if you’ve got bad photos and bad wording and you’re making a hash of what you’re doing, being on RightMove’s no good – you’ve got to make the property stand out from the crowd to make your

36 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

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visitbrighton.com ©

Beyond the High Street: The Rise of Independent Shops in Sussex You can visit most towns in Britain and walk down the same, Focus ubiquitous High Street. Waterstones, Boots, WH Smith, Costa Coffee…the same brands, the same layouts, the same products and the same companies pocketing the profits. But is this all about to change? Since the country fell into recession in early 2008, we’ve seen a mass exodus of big-name chains. Comet, Woolworths, HMV, Jane Norman, Tie Rack, Blockbuster, Barratts, La Senza and hundreds more all closed down, leaving gaping holes in the High Street… holes that independent retailers have started to take advantage of. Despite fears that Britain’s High Streets are turning into ghost towns, a study

conducted by the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) and the Local Date Company (LDC) has identified a net growth of 726 independent stores last year, with 15,908 openings offset by 15,182 closures. “As chains cut their links with High Streets, our towns are showing signs of reverting to older models of economic activity, where they serve the needs of physical customers in physical stores,” commented Michael Weedon, Deputy Chief Executive of BIRA. LDC director Matthew Hopkinson added that although the number of vacant stores across the UK is starting to stabilise, there are still more than 43,000 empty shops waiting to be filled. “The propensity of independents to survive and thrive varies massively by place,” he said. “What do we do in all the

towns which still have a 20% vacancy rate? They say housing, but with a high vacancy rate and no jobs why would you want to go and live there?” While the northwest bares the brunt of empty shops with 17.3% vacancy compared to 12.2% average across the UK, Sussex is one of the best performing regions. In fact, Horsham in West Sussex has one of the lowest retail vacancy rates in the country, at just 4.4%. Horsham also has one of the highest numbers of independent retailers in the South East, with over half of shops being independently run. Commenting on the findings, Gill Buchanan, Chairman of Horsham Unlimited Business Partnerships, said: “Horsham town centre has always performed well and with footfall just ahead of last year to date and a surge in

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new and exciting businesses opening in the town, we really are able to offer our customers a great shopping experience in a lovely market town. “Indicators for the future also look healthy with good interest in the many of the few units remaining vacant, although a small turnover of stores is always healthy and ensures that the town reacts to market forces and customer expectations.” Despite huge changes in consumer habits and technologies having a significant impact on shops in recent years, many retail entrepreneurs are rising to the challenge in new and innovative ways. Bookshops in particular have suffered due to the surge in popularity of e-readers and e-books. Figures published recently by the Booksellers Association show that a third of the 1,535 independent bookshops recorded in 2005 have closed down. At the end of last year, there were only 987 bookshops in the UK - the first time the number has dipped below 1,000 since records began. Those still clinging on are having to find increasingly innovative ways to keep drawing patrons in. One couple, who live in Hastings Old Town, have come up with a very creative twist on the classic bookshop. The Boulevard Bookshop Cafe is a quaint bookshop by day, and a cosy Thai restaurant – and bookshop, by night. Guest are invited to bring their own bottle of wine and browse the books

According to the survey of 1,867 Brighton businesses: 80% of local independent retailers are not trading online 84% have websites that are not mobile-friendly 80% of the websites had no option to buy online 39% have not had any ‘social shares’ on Facebook or Twitter

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Stephen Cleary ©

Retail

Brighton Laines

while waiting for their traditional Thai meal to be cooked. Owners June and Gary said: “We are book dealers, in many ways a trade that has way too many unfair competitors. From the charity shop to the online private sellers, none of whom pay taxes or rates or have the overheads we have. Yet people love to browse in bookshops, and our aim is to let them do so in a way that is both relaxing and gives them a sense of well-being. We hope this will loosen their purse strings.” The Old Town district of Hastings is where most of the town’s independent galleries, pubs, cafes and shops can be found. Like Horsham, Hastings Old Town attracts shoppers with its charming narrow streets, festival bunting and historic market-town feel. Regular events throughout the year, such as the Old Town Carnival, The Seafood and Wine Festival and Fat Tuesday all help to increase footfall in the area and boost custom for local shops. A few miles along the coast in Brighton, independent shops account for 70% of the city’s overall retail portfolio, with the famous North Laines in particular providing a unique, quirky shopping destination with over 400 shops selling everything from records and musical instruments, to wigs and fancy dress costumes. However, a recent survey by Thomsonlocal’s Business Data and

“In Brighton, independent shops account for 70% of the city’s overall retail portfolio, with the famous North Laines in particular” the Brighton Disital Cities Retail Report concluded that independent retailers are losing out on business by failing to invest in digital opportunities. Despite Brighton being recognised as one of the country’s main media and digital hubs, it seems that the retail sector is failing to catch on. Jane Byrne, Head of Marketing for Thomsonlocal Data Division, comments “Our latest research shows Brighton’s independent retailers are missing out on huge sales potential. Digital engagement is crucial for retailers as it offers opportunities for new business. With the retail sector under pressure from uncertainty and falling sales, local retailers cannot afford to ignore their customer’s digital experience.” An increasing body of research shows

Retail

Oast House Archive ©

“We have seen time and again how niche retailers beat the superstores and corporations. It happens in the high street and offline”

Twitter account - set one up before Christmas and get posting. Post pictures of your store, your products, your offers and anything fun or funny that will get attention and most importantly - shares. Social media marketing may not always lead to direct sales, but it will help you develop a brand personality to get noticed in wider circles.

Hastings Town Centre

that customers expect a ‘multichannel experience’ when shopping, with 80% of survey respondents saying it is important to have a choice of shopping in-store, by phone, or online. The survey, which was carried out on 1,000 people by Sterling Commerce, also found that over half (55%) of shoppers believe they spend more money as a ‘multi-channel’ shopper. David Mackley, MD of Intelligent Retail, said: “Often I am asked: ‘But is there any opportunity for smaller retailers to sell online?’. My answer is: “Of course there is, endless opportunity in fact!”. Online is the world’s marketplace. We have seen time and again how niche retailers beat the superstores and corporations. It happens in the high street and offline.” Many independent retailers see the Internet as a crowded marketplace: how can they ever go head-to-head with the larger department stores? David disagrees with this mindset. He said: “A specialist retailer will have multiple supply partners and an eye for the right ranges and they hold stock. These retailers are perfectly positioned to open a phenomenally useful online shop to present a niche set of products to the market. These niche sites work superbly.” Providing that ‘multichannel’ shopping experience means customers get the best of both worlds. They can easily

see what’s in stock and what’s on offer from the comfort of their own homes, and they can choose to go in-store for help, recommendations and specialist customer service - something bigger stores cannot necessarily provide. As competition gets tougher both on the High Street and online, it will be the specialists that stand out: the retailers who have knowledge about the products they sell. The independent shops that experiment and express creativity - like the Thai restaurant/bookshop in Hastings, will continue to attract customers looking for more than a basic purchase. In a world where everything is immediate, available and online, people more than ever are looking for a unique, reallife experience – and that is what the successful independent shops are providing. Tips: What can Independents do to boost business? As we approach the make-or-break runup to Christmas, what can retailers do to entice shoppers into their stores?

1. Ramp up your online marketing

The Internet offers a whole host of powerful free marketing tools. If you don’t already have a Facebook and

2. Spruce up your premises

This is the fun bit - get festive! Put your Kim and Aggie hat on and scrub your shop down before adding some tasteful Christmas decorations to get people in a jolly mood.

3. Cross-sell

Don’t miss any opportunities to get the impulse buys in. Relocate relevant products such as wrapping paper, cello-tape and greetings cards to the counter area.

4. Hold an event

Hold an after opening hours event in the run-up to Christmas - perhaps offer live music, mince pies and mulled wine to encourage people in and push all your offers to create a buzz.

5. Be proud of your independence

Beat the bigger boys by making a big deal out of your small size. Make it clear that patrons are supporting their town by buying from you. Work on your customer service to give an unbeatable in-store experience and encourage people to keep coming back.

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Hotel Review: Shelley’s, Lewes Shelley’s Hotel Lewes

Address: 135-136 High Street, Lewes, BN7 1XS Tel: 01273 472361 Web: www.the-shelleys.co.uk

The Medieval town of Lewes, East Sussex, is home to Review many beautiful old buildings. One such building is a country house hotel known as The Shelleys. With its immaculate lawns, enchanting ‘secret garden’ and close proximity to the ancient castle, this really is a true hidden gem of the South East – and I can’t wait to explore it. A House with a Story The now family-run hotel has a long and fascinating history that dates back to the 1520s, when the original inn, known then as ‘The Vine’, was first built. Since then, the building has undergone a number of renovations and extensions, the first of which was carried out by the 4th Earl of Dorset who converted the inn into a fine manor house in 1590. The house was then sold to Henry Shelley in 1661, a relation of the famous romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The Shelleys lived there until the 19th century, when the house was bought by lawyer John Hodgkin, who lived there happily with his family

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Lottie Dowdeswell reviews her experience of this historic hotel

for many years, keeping pigs and chickens in a small farm at the back. Interestingly, guests today can still see where all the Hodgkin children’s heights were recorded on the lounge door. The beautiful gardens were first landscaped by a young Alfred Waterhouse – the very same Alfred Waterhouse who later became famous for designing the Natural History Museum in London. Today, The Shelleys is a grade II* listed property. As soon as you enter the comfortable lobby, you get the sensation that you’ve slipped back in time, what with its imposing sweeping staircase, understated elegance and sophisticated decor. In total there are nineteen luxury boutique rooms, all en-suite and each designed and decorated in keeping with the lavish Georgian style. Upon our arrival, a kind receptionist welcomed us in and showed us to our rooms. The feeling of slipping back in time heightened as we climbed the stairs, passing beautiful paintings and guilt mirrors as we went. The bedroom was beautiful and everything you’d expect from a country house hotel: large, with an

Tried & Tested in Lewes

enormous fireplace, heavy curtains and antique furniture demanding attention. Refined afternoon tea For afternoon tea we were lead out to the brick-paved terrace overlooking the lawn – and as it was such a beautiful day, it seemed silly not to enjoy a glass of bubbles in the sunshine as we perused the afternoon tea menu. We were spoilt for choice on the sandwich front, with offerings including smoked salmon, eggs, chicken and avocado and of course the traditional cucumber filling. We went for the egg and smoked salmon sandwiches on white bread and ordered Earl Grey tea to wash it down.

There was even a choice between fruit or vanilla scones, ensuring that our every whim was taken care of. The afternoon tea was served on a three tiered cake stand with raspberry jam and clotted cream in individual pots and each decorated with fresh fruit on the top tier, followed by large warm scones and bite sized squares of gooey chocolate and zingy lemon cake – not forgetting the tier of sandwiches which was served with bowls of salad and juicy tomberries. As we walked back to our rooms we walked through the stylish and award-winning Apostrophe Restaurant, which was every bit as opulent as

expected with floor length white tablecloths and perfectly polished glasswear, marrying well with the imposing chandeliers that lit the room atmospherically. We were pleased to note that the a la carte lunch and dinner menu was available within the restaurant throughout the day. All in all, The Shelleys offers a discreet service, with impeccable standards and with staff who anticipate your every need, placing The Shelleys at the very top of my list of favourite places to stay in East Sussex! www.the-shelleys.co.uk

43 Putting you www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk in the driving seat

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Jimmy Gray at the kitchen pass - photo by James Boardman

Lunch Review: Jeremy’s Restaurant Jeremy’s Restaurant

Haywards Heath Address: Borde Hill, Borde Hill Gardens Haywards Heath West Sussex RH16 1XP Tel: 01444 441102

The kitchen team at Jeremys - photo Julia Claxton

In an age when we never leave the office but merely Review carry it with us via our mobile devices, Jeremy Ashpool, founder and owner of his eponymous restaurant in leafy Borde Hill, has turned technology to the foodie’s advantage. If you ask one of the diligent and friendly staff to email the lunch menu to you, you can take your pick of the mouthwatering choices by noon on the day of your reservation, and your order will be fast tracked, allowing you to get back to business in good time. Not that you’d want to be too hurried about it. When I visited I plumped for soup of the day (pumpkin and sage) and chestnut mushroom risotto with parmesan and chicory. It can be tricky to produce a good risotto in the

Treating customers Fairly

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by John Keenan, SBT’s Editor in Chief

frenetic conditions of a commercial kitchen, but the fact that I was able to deliver my order in good time produced superlative results. It is no exaggeration to say it was the finest risotto I have eaten this side of the Venetian lagoon. If you can drag your eyes away from your plate, you will be rewarded with stunning views of Borde Hill gardens which are beautiful in all seasons. Mr Ashpool celebrates 30 years of continuous trading next year. He puts the success of the restaurant down to the effort and commitment of his wife and partner Vera who runs the neighbouring Café Elvira, and their hard-working front-of-house and kitchen teams. His young chef Jimmy Gray worked for his parent’s restaurant business in Chichester before training at Westminster College. He says he joined the team at

Jeremy Ashpool at the kitchen pass photo by James Boardman

“Mr Ashpool celebrates 30 years of continuous trading next year. He puts the success of the restaurant down to the effort and commitment of his wife and partner Vera who runs the neighbouring Café Elvira, and their hard-working frontof-house and kitchen teams”

Jeremy’s knowing the environment was one in which he’d thrive. The owner encourages his chefs to express themselves within the restaurant’s simple ethos of fresh, seasonal, high quality and as local as possible – and this includes edible flowers from the gardens. Jimmy’s talents and contribution was recognised when he won Young Chef of the Year at the Sussex Food and Drink Awards in 2013. But what about the business end, I hear you cry. The restaurant can comfortably find room for 55 diners for a sit-down event, and up to 70 people can be accommodated for a reception. For larger events of more than 100 people, you have the option of a marquee during the autumn and winter months. You can also book the restaurant exclusively. The combination of beautiful facilities, intelligent menu choices and the experience of the staff, makes Jeremy’s one of the finest flowerings in the Sussex restaurant scene.

Chef Jimmy Gray preps - photo by Julia Claxton

Service - photo by James Boardman

Jeremy’s Restaurant overall rating:

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Chamber News

The Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex ACES Member News East Sussex Pilot for Jobs and Employers

Eastbourne’s recruitment and jobs markets have had a major boost in the last couple of months thanks to the launch of the Eastbourne Jobs Hub pilot in the Grove Road Library. This is an employment initiative driven by East Sussex County Council and supported by the Eastbourne UnLtd Chamber of Commerce. The Hub is run by qualified career advisers to help direct people to find the right support whether they are looking for a new job, planning a change in career, searching for a training opportunity, or are a local employer looking for help with recruitment. The Hub is open on Monday to Wednesday from 10am to 4.30pm, on Thursday from 10am to 6.30pm and on Friday from from 10.30am to 4.30pm. People can either drop in or make an

46 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

appointment and ACES hope that this model will be rolled out across the County in due course. Working alongside the Jobs Hub is LoveEastbourneJobs.com, an online jobs board that focuses on promoting opportunities for paid and volunteer work with organisations in Eastbourne and the surrounding area. Launched in August, it is the latest addition to the LoveLocalJobs.com family of jobs boards covering East and West Sussex and parts of Surrey. In the last 12 months LoveLocalJobs.com have advertised over 18,000 jobs on behalf of local employers, attracting over 3.5 million views. Nicky Binning, Managing Director of LoveLocalJobs.com, said: “Eastbourne has a vibrant and growing economy and deserves its own bespoke recruitment and employability service.

LoveEastbourneJobs.com provides access to jobs and employment advice for local people while giving employers an affordable recruitment resource.” Since launching in August, LoveEastbourneJobs.com has advertised over 250 jobs, had 27,889 job listing views and over 85 applications made through the website. Loveeastbournejobs.com is the online arm of the Eastbourne Jobs Hub. • LoveEastbourneJobs.com is a selfservice site available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. • To post a job all you need to do is visit www.loveEastbourneJobs.com register as an employer and follow the online direction to ‘post a job’; paying online with either a credit or debit card. • Post a single job vacancy for ONLY £99 + vat.

Chamber News

Building Our Future Two construction students from Sussex Downs College get the experience of a lifetime at The Prince’s Foundation Residential Summer School. It’s rare to secure a much coveted place with the Prince’s Foundation Residential Summer School, but this was the reality for not one, but two Sussex Downs College students this year. Construction students Nathan Joslin, 20, and Connor Lambert, 21, were both offered a fully funded place on the three-week summer programme. The Summer School ran in July and August this year. With just 25 available openings, Nathan and Connor’s new classmates included men and women of all ages and backgrounds. The programme kicked off in London, with classes including Geometry and Life Drawing. Each session was delivered by experts in their field, with special guests including Lucien Skilly, Jon Allen and Henry Gibbons. Between classes, the two SDC students joined their 23 classmates on sight-seeing tours, with architecture at its heart. After the first week, the next stop was

Dumfries House in Scotland. Activities included workshops in timber and stone masonry, pargetting, plastering and thatching. In the final week, the class was split into six groups and started work on a design for an agricultural school. Each group presented their final developed proposal to the Stakeholder Panel on the last day of the programme. Project work often took them up until midnight, but the experience was an opportunity neither Connor nor Nathan

would have traded. With hopes of studying architecture at Bath or Brighton University in the future, the Summer School boosted the students’ confidence in taking the next step to Higher Education and securing a career in the architecture industry. “I would definitely recommend the Prince’s Foundation Summer School,” says Connor. “We’ve also made great contacts in the industry,” Nathan adds. “This experience has been invaluable.”

From the Terraces of Twickenham to The Terrace in Eastbourne After 25 years as a professional chef in London, Nigel Pinner and his wife Anne moved out to the beautiful South Coast to find a new business to showcase their talents. In 2014 they refurbished and opened The Terrace at 8 Hyde Gardens, Eastbourne and have become the “Company Dining Room” of choice for the many accountants and solicitors in this elegant Victorian square. Customers can eat in or take away but must be prepared to wait for their freshly cooked, locally sourced food. While working at Twickenham Rugby Stadium Nigel served Rob Andrews, Martin Johnson and the England team and Twickenham staff when they won the World Cup in 2003. He provided 200 healthy, home cooked meals each day and helped fuel the team to World Cup success. Nigel noted that the team got through a ton of salad but would

often pop back for chocolate after the afternoon training session. Nigel provided that decadent chocolate hit with his miraculously light white chocolate cheesecake but he and Anne serve plenty of healthy options too, like their fat free fruit cake (pictured). “The secret behind the plump fruit is to soak it in Darjeeling overnight; it gives the cake a deliciously light, moist flavour” said Anne. Anne worked for GOV.UK as Assistant to the Director of Copyright in the Intellectual Property Office before sitting her City & Guilds Chefs Diploma in 2010. As their hobbies include cooking, eating and entertaining, Nigel and Anne are well placed to make a go of their new business venture in Eastbourne town centre. To book, call 01323 646494 or visit www.theterraceeastbourne.co.uk

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Chamber News

in East Sussex

Celebrating more Success at TR Fastenings - Best Profits for 10 Years McCrudden Training (A Trifast Company)

ounded in a small rented office at the top of Uckfield High Street in 1973, Mike Timms and Mike Roberts established their business after becoming disenchanted working for a large industrial group in Birmingham that restricted their creativity and individualism.

They focused on sourcing and selling industrial fastenings to light assembly industries in the South East at a time when ex stock deliveries could take as long as three weeks from the larger industry market leaders. Their core values were “look professional, be professional, provide outstanding service, sell on value rather than the cheapest price, maintain dynamic cash management and motivate and take care of your staff”.

However, the DotCom crash in 2001 devastated sales and profits in just a few short months, and the two Midlands factories had to be closed as the focus was intensified into Asia. A change of senior management in 2007 and the 2008 recession resulted in the near collapse of the Company, with 2008 revenues down to £84m with substantial losses, and in March 2009 the two previous retired CEOs (Malcolm Diamond and Jim Barker) were invited back by the shareholders to rescue the business. By 2010 profitability started to recover, as did the share price. In 2011 a major automotive bolt manufacturer was acquired in Malaysia, and in May 2014 a leading domestic appliance

ACES Battle Chamber of Commerce www.battlechamber.org.uk Bexhill Chamber of Commerce 01424 842892 www.bexhillchamber.co.uk Crowborough Chamber of Commerce www.crowboroughchamber.co.uk Eastbourne UnLtd Chamber of Commerce 01323 641144 www.eastbournechamber.co.uk East Sussex County Council 01273 481570 www.eastsussex.gov.uk Federation of Small Businesses 01424 754686 and Regional Office 01323 482018 www.fsb.org.uk/eastsussex Hailsham Chamber of Commerce 01323 310531 www.hailshamchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Hastings Chamber of Commerce 01424 205500 www.hastingschamber.co.uk Heathfield Chamber of Commerce 01435 865858 www.heathfieldchamber.co.uk The Institute of Directors 020 7766 8866 www.iod.com Lewes Chamber of Commerce

Malcolm Diamond MBE and Jim Barker In 1978, manufacturing of specialist fasteners was started in Uckfield, with subsequent

screw business in Italy was brought into

the Group. After winning a three-year contract to training to three leading Sussex factories established in Northampton and TR’s major customer include to a provide training the City of London the 80’s. Telford into organisations. “We sectors have access Automotive, Domestic Appliances, Authority earlier this year, the team attheir most number of different funding In the late 80’s, IBM selected TR as Electronics and Distributors – all streams of which are eligible component supplier to be trained in that enjoying growth. McCrudden Training are celebrating meanorganic we can effectively halve zero defect/on time deliveries to a new another successful tender. This time theIncost training for businesses June of 2014, TR announced the best sales, assembly facility that relied on “Just In Time” profits and share price a decade, now winning opportunities totodeliver trainingline. wanting to expand byfordeveloping deliveries straight their production with 1,150 staff spread across 17 countries. compliance to TR being as diverseSuccessful as Health & Safetyledthrough to a their staff. As a result, we are seeing Trifast Plc is based in Uckfield and along with single source supplier with IBM, which then Leadership & Management skills to Kent a dramatic increaseand in the volume of TR’s sales, distribution manufacturing attracted other major telecoms facilities employs over 150 staff on site. As the County Council. manufacturers to TR. The massive 1990’s surge bookings” says Nicky. largest local employer, the Company electronicsthat sector it to a full LSE in thepleased “I am really wecarried continue maintains close links with both the Uckfield listing as a PLC in 1994 named Trifast. to grow our reputation for quality, brainChamber of Commerce a founder member By 2000, sales turnover peaked at £120m of the Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex friendly training, working with clients sales, and by 2001 three component (ACES) and the local Community College. across thefactories Southhad East”, explains Nicky been established in Singapore, The College is the main annual provider of ‘A’ Malaysia and Taiwan, with sales and Level candidates for TR’s 2 year NVQ Business McCrudden, Managing Director. “Our distribution facilities in Southern Ireland, Studies Apprenticeship scheme. team of trainers have a strong reputation Norway, Sweden, USA, Holland, Hungary and Despite global uncertainty there is clearly for knowing their subject matter, with China, plus eight around the UK. a feeling amongst TR management and frontline experience and having the skills The Company had become global by staff that there are grounds for cautious to deliver engaging training that adds UK based multinational following its former the future continuing growth To optimism exploreforhow McCrudden keyclients” customersNicky to lower cost economies of their business as sales for year ended value to our adds. Training could help your March 2015 are forecast to reach overseas – mainly Asia and Central/ Hot on the heels of success in Kent, business visit our website or £150 million. Eastern Europe. the company also passed the first stage contact us on 0845 257 5871. For of procurement of a contract with the a free trial of our online courses Houses of Parliament, and have recently visit www.mccrudden-training. won contracts to provide leadership co.uk/e-learning-courses

www.acesalliance.org

Putting you in the driving seat

48 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

www.carmyke.co.uk

07917 382316 www.leweschamber.org.uk Locate East Sussex 0844 4159255 www.locateeastsussex.org.uk Newhaven Chamber of Commerce 0800 107 0709 www.newhavenchamber.co.uk Peacehaven Chamber of Commerce 01273 586222 www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Seaford Chamber of Commerce 0800 881 5331 www.seafordchamber.co.uk South East Local Enterprise Partnership 01245 431469 www.southeastlep.com Uckfield Chamber of Commerce 01825 722607 www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Wealden District Council 01323 443322 www.wealden.gov.uk

Chamber News

Crowborough Business Expo 2015 Tuesday 3rd March - Crowborough Community Centre The Crowborough and District Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce our first ever business to business Showcase for members and nonmembers. We should be pleased to receive both your organisation and your individual members as exhibitors and visitors. The following is a summary of the basic facts - further information can be found on the relevant page of the Chamber website: www.crowboroughchamber. co.uk/businessexpo.html The Expo will take place on Tuesday March 3rd 2015 from 10am to 4pm at the Crowborough Community Centre.

optimise the opportunities for new contacts. We recognise that some exhibitors may not need a ‘shell’ and have therefore agreed the following scale of charges: Members not requiring a ‘shell’ Free of charge Non-Members not requiring a ‘shell’ £35.00 Members requiring a ‘shell’ £30.00

“This exciting new event will give them an excellent platform to showcase what they offer to a new audience”

The Chamber can provide a ‘shell’ system that will create divided areas that are 2m wide by 1m deep by 2m high to give a small display space and to provide a measure of privacy. There will only be room for thirty-five exhibitors of whom fourteen will have access to a power point. We shall provide two chairs for each exhibitor but not tables, since those belonging to the Community Centre are too large. There will also be a FREE ‘speed networking’ hour during the day for visitors and exhibitors to mingle and

Non-Members requiring a ‘shell’ £75.00 We ask for an additional deposit of £25.00 in the form of a cheque that will be returned to you at the end of the Expo. We expect that demand for spaces will be heavy and would advise exhibitors to book as soon as possible using the form that can be found via the link to the website mentioned above. The form, payment and deposit cheque should be

returned to the address on the bottom of the form as soon as possible. Any questions should be emailed to expo@ crowboroughchamber.co.uk - this is an address created to deal with all aspects of the Expo and the source of further news as it becomes available (but please keep an eye on the web page that will also be updated regularly). We should be most grateful if you would circulate this information to your members and we look forward to meeting you at the Crowborough Business Expo 2015. Quote from the Chamber President: “The Chamber is keen to give local businesses as many opportunities to promote themselves as possible. Hopefully this exciting new event will give them an excellent platform to showcase what they offer to a new audience and extend their customer base.” Jeremy Woolger, President & Chairman, Crowborough & District Chamber of Commerce Quote from Chamber member Roger Bloxham Photographer: “I’m looking forward to meeting potential contacts face-to-face. In my business personal contact is essential and beats any other form of advertising hands down”.

www.crowboroughchamber.co.uk www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 49

Test Drive

Carmyke Leasing Ltd. reviews the latest Mitsubishi Outlander, while we preview the Infiniti Q50 and the Mercedes Benz CLA 45 AMG

50 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Motoring

Mitsubishi Outlander Carmyke Leasing Ltd. reviews the latest Mitsubish Outlander

This year saw Mitsubishi become INNOVATIVE one of the first manufacturers to launch a hybrid that broke the trend of being either a small town car, or a medium to large ‘premium’ vehicle. The Outlander PHEV is marketed to those living in either semi-rural or town locations, who would benefit from the higher seating position offered by an SUV as well as the load space.. The Diesel version of the Outlander is used as a base for the new drive train technology that promises to offer outstanding consumption and emission figures, coupled to the SUV style. But does Mitsubishi pull it off? What are they like inside? If you have ever driven the diesel version of the Outlander then it will feel very familiar on the inside. The design is refreshingly minimalist for a Japanese manufacturer, with a lower button count than many of its competitors. The centre console environment controls are as you would expect; however, several of the controls that you would expect on the stalks have been moved to just below the right vent behind the steering wheel – not particularly intuitive. Also, and many users have reported this issue, the first visit you make to refuel may take longer than normal unless you have

been super observant to the location of the fuel cap release. It has been located in the driver’s footwell on the outside sill but unfortunately it has no markings and is easily overlooked. The contact points of ‘hands, seat and feet’ feel quite natural with no offset, with a nice finish on the steering wheel. Cabin materials are a good mixture of soft touch with some obligatory ‘Piano Black’ highlights in the centre console. It feels well screwed together and buttons have a good size and feel. Support from the seating managed to provided expected levels of comfort and support with multi way adjustment and heating. The leather had a more natural, softer feel than that found in the Kia Sportage for example. Both the front and rear seats have plenty of room for most sizes. This is where the sacrifice in space between the diesel version and this PHEV becomes evident. The third row of seats found in the diesel have been sacrificed to locate the battery pack in this hybrid. So despite losing the third row of seats, in five seat configuration the vehicle is very nearly identical in load space to its ‘oily’ cousin at 436-litre’s. Additionally the rear bench seats are very slightly raised which some passengers actually liked as it gave a better view ahead rather than staring at head rest. The Media unit is not as good as some touch screen head units from

other manufacturers but it does provide the usual CD, USB, SD and Bluetooth connectivity as well as NavTec navigation. As with most proprietary navigation and media units, it will take some playing with to learn the menus and functions as not all are accessible from the steering wheel controls, the same can be said for the voice control commands. What are they like to drive? Firstly, despite having all the electronic wizardry to manage the mixed drive train, Mitsubishi has remained traditional with the handbrake. You won’t find any electrical handbrake in this car, something that traditionalists will applaud – but it does make us wonder, in a car with this much electronic control and with others in the class being so equipped, why leave it out? Otherwise, the urban drive is much as you would expect. The suspension feels the right side of firm and only the

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Carmyke Leasing Ltd

To speak with us please call 01323 834 560 or email sales@carmyke.co.uk Follow Us More great special offers online

Mercedes-Benz C CLass C220 Diesel Saloon Bluetec Sport Auto 4dr

Outlander PHEV £349 Mitsubishi Estate 2.0 PHEV Hybrid Gx4H 5Dr Auto

+VAT PER MONTH CO2 of 110 g/km

Mileage

Maintenance

Contract Type

Urban 52.3 (5.4) ExtraUrban 76.3 (3.7) Combined 64.2 (4.4)

Toyota Auris Icon

*Picture for illustration purposes only

Term

6+23 10,000mpa Business Contract Hire Full Maintenance Official Fuel Consumption MPG (Liters per 100km)

Mileage

Maintenance

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6+23 10,000mpa Business Contract HireAvailable on Request Official Fuel Consumption MPG (Liters per 100km) Urban 0.0 (0.0) ExtraUrban 0.0 (0.0) Combined 148 (1.9)

Land Rover Evoque £146 Diesel Hatch 2.2 eD4 Pure 5dr 2WD

Diesel Hatchback 1.4 D-4D Icon 5dr

£296

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+ VAT PER MONTH

CO2 of 103 g/km

CO2 of 133 g/km

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3+23 10,000mpa Business Contract Hire Full Maintenance Official Fuel Consumption MPG (Liters per 100km) Urban 62.8 (4.5) ExtraUrban 78.5 (3.6) Combined 72.4 (3.9)

Citroen Berlingo Diesel

L1 1.6 HDi 75ps 625kg Enterprise Panel Van

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Maintenance

Mileage

Contract Type

Maintenance

6+47 10,000mpa Business Contract Hire Available on Request Official Fuel Consumption MPG (Liters per 100km) Urban 47.1 (6.0) ExtraUrban 62.8 (4.5) Combined 56.5 (5.0)

Boxer £145 Peugeot £219 435 L3 Diesel 2.2 HDi H2 Professional Panel Van 130ps

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CO2 of 135 g/km

CO2 of 199 g/km

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+VAT PER MONTH CO2 of 44 g/km

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Term

£359

Maintenance

10,000mpa Business Contract Hire Available on Request

*Picture for illustration purposes only

Term

Mileage

6+47

10,000mpa

Contract Type

Maintenance

Business Contract Hire Available on Request

Plywood lining available at extra cost. Plywood lining available at extra cost. Celebrating 20 Years of Trading in the South East Figures correct at time of going to press & exclude VAT. Excess mileage, Termination & Vehicle condition charges may apply at the end52 of www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk your agreement. Consumption and emissions ﬁgures as published by UK VCA. Subject to status and in the UK only. The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Finance available from selected leading UK Financial Insitutions from which Carmyke Leasing may recieve commission. Carmyke Leasing is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. ‘Term’ based on initial monthly multiple payment followed by remainder of monthly payments.

VAT NTH

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only

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more sizable potholes managed to make enough presence in the cabin to actually catch your attention. Steering is slightly lacking in feedback but is generally weighted. Around town the car is quite quiet as you may expect from an electric drive train with no requirement for ‘family conversations’ to be any louder than normal. It is only when the pace increases that the noise increases due to a combination of tyre and wind noise entering the cabin. The integration of the clever gearbox and multiple drive trains is the core of the vehicle and they have actually pulled it off. Setting the dash display to show how the power is being both delivered and generated tells you what’s happening. The primary indication is dependent on what setting you have the energy regeneration set to ‘zero’ is off and ‘five’ is on full. Once on the move it can easily be altered using the ‘flappy paddles’ on the steering wheel. Despite having used paddles in other vehicles for gear changes, we easily and quickly got used to this setup. Urban driving gives a reasonable ride, as with many

of the competition in this class, and price range as the speed increases and the road gets windier the limitations of the suspension begin to present themselves. While the four-wheel drive does its best to keep it together, the level of vagueness through the steering wheel becomes more prominent and the car tends to push wide and/or loose traction. No it’s not a sports car and no it’s not the only car to suffer this, but it does highlight that the suspension is built to a price point. When extra power is required, and we found this particularly on hill climbs, the engine/gearbox combination does rev quite hard as the petrol engine kicks. On longer runs the petrol engine was understandably quiet but only managed 35/36mpg on petrol alone, so ok if you need to run up the motorway very occasionally. The forty-five gallon fuel tank is not going to give you huge range, but it is sufficient and you do not find yourself standing on the forecourt that much more than usual. The Outlander PHEV is targeted squarely at the urban/ semi-rural buyer looking to do local commutes and still get the family to the countryside and back in relative comfort. So if you plug it in at night it does begin to make sense. What will they cost? Prices are form £28,249 for the GX3h rising to £34,999 for the GX4h after the Government Low Emissions grant of £5000. Only the higher spec GX4h is more expensive than its diesel cousin,

but only by £1,000 and this is due to the higher spec, not the PHEV kit. Company car drivers that fit the mileage profile that the PHEV excels in will see substantial benefits over a large number of alternatives. The low emissions attracting a benefit in kind of only 5% meaning a 40% tax payer will pay less than £665 in this tax year. Verdict Today, despite what you read and see, there are no really bad cars that we perhaps saw in the past – it is very subjective. However, if you are looking for an SUV style vehicle and will be doing a reasonable amount of motorway mileage then the diesel version will make more sense, with the additional benefit of the extra two seats. If, as mentioned, the SUV style is what you want and will mostly be doing short journeys, then this could be the car for you. It is comfortable, drives well, with an interior finish that has soft touch materials in the right places without leaving you afraid to get it dirty or wet. The cabin is spacious and generally a nice place to spend some time.

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 53

Motoring

Infiniti Q50

Does the new Q50 from Nissan’s luxury division Infiniti live up to all the PR hype?

It may come with the advertising tagline Luxury ‘Convention Can’t Keep Up’, but the new Q50 from Nissan’s luxury division Infiniti isn’t as radical as they’d have you believe. It certainly isn’t going to make people stop in their tracks and stare, unless they have a particular penchant for saloon cars. But dig beneath the promotional hype and what you do have is a smart-looking car with a number of fun onboard controls – ideal as a company car, or for professionals who like to work (or Facebook) as they drive. The Infiniti InTouch display unit set in the car’s dashboard connects to your smartphone, transferring your contacts, emails and even some apps for easy

54 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

access. The car will read your emails and texts out for you, like your own virtual PA, so you can focus on driving safely. InTouch can also store the personal settings of up to four drivers – so things like seat position, steering wheel position, climate and driving mode adjust automatically to your personal preferences. Now for the technicals. There are five engine choices when it comes to buying, including diesel, petrol and petrol/electric hybrid. The latter is the most expensive, with the 7-speed automatic 5.4s coming out at £41,640 – but for that you get intelligent all-wheel drive. For the cheapest model, the £27,950 diesel engine, you get 6-speed manual transmission and rearwheel drive.

In a word, the Infiniti Q50 is solid. It looks solid – an all-rounder car, one you could happily pick an overseas business client up from the airport in, or use to drop the children off at school without embarrassing them. Find out more at infiniti.co.uk/carmodels/infiniti

Mercedes Benz CLA 45 AMG It’s a small estate with a seriously powerful four-cylinder engine...not your average family car

The new Mercedes CLA 45 has been Stylish described (by Mercedes) as ‘avantgarde meets driving performance’. With ‘avant-garde’ being perhaps a tad strong to describe a small estate car, what the brand lacks in modesty, it does make up for in engineering prowess. With an output of 265 kW (360 horsepower) and peak torque of 450 Newton metres, the 2.0ltr turbo engine is the world’s most powerful four-cylinder engine in series production. Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG, recently said: “The continued high demand for our high-power compact models more than justifies our decision to launch another exceptionally dynamic

high-performance car in the form of the new CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake. “This means that Mercedes-AMG now boasts the most varied model lineup in this segment. The CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake serves up an enthralling blend of supreme power and dynamic handling on the one hand plus efficiency and everyday practicality on the other, all beautifully packaged within an extraordinary design.” Modest indeed. However, the allwheel drive Mercedes is designed to look sporty and it does succeed, with a prominent radiator grille, elongated roof line and ‘Turbo AMG” branded wings. This sportiness is continued into the interior too, with sports seats in leather

with red topstitching and red seat belts for that boy racer edge. ‘Cool’ and ‘estate’ don’t often go together in the same sentence, but in this case it’s hard to deny it. The CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake is an estate with style. It’s also coming to the UK in 2015, so watch this space... www.mercedes-benz.co.uk

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 55

Gemini London office opens, with Arron Clark, Gemini London and Steve Cropper, Gemini Print.

And that was 2014…

Remem

Steve Cropper, MD Gemini Print looks back on the last 12 months

“Looking back on my own year - being part of the Gemini Print business – it has been extraordinary!’

As the year draws to a close, I wonder what will Looking be remembered of Back 2014? It was the centenary of WW1 - will we ever forget the amazing red carpet of 888,246 poppies at The Tower of London - I doubt it. Scotland voted against independence in a historic referendum and decided not to end its 307-year-old union with England and Wales. More locally, Brighton got a new TV station making it the country’s sixth local TV service, while Eastbourne’s beautiful pier was damaged by fire. The rebuild and refurbishment has already begun on the pier and just like businesses and the business community of Sussex, there is an excellent ‘can do’ approach to progress, development and ‘getting on with it’.

Looking back on my own year - being part of the Gemini Print business – it has been extraordinary. We started with an expansion to London and the opening of our new offices in the capital. Following this, over £1 million was invested in our Bristol operation. Gemini has partnered again with Brighton Fringe 2015, for the second year and more recently we have also signed a deal to be the print partner for Brighton Pride – one of the region’s largest and most successful festivals. We are at the heart of Sussex business, and while we work nationally we are proud of our Sussex heritage and our ability to offer great employment opportunities locally – from apprenticeships to more senior roles. Altogether I think I’d give 2014 the thumbs up. With many thanks to our wonderful team at Gemini Brighton, Gemini Print, Gemini Digital and Gemini West. But most of all - a big heartfelt thank you to all our clients. Here’s to a fantastic 2015.

Call Gemini on: 01273 464884

56 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Eastbou

Remembrance Day, London - Photo byLeon Benjamin

Brighton Pride 2014 - Photo by Funky Dooby

DIGITAL PRINTING OFFER TO SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES READERS

15% off i n January

To help you and your business in 2015 we are offering a very special offer for orders placed in January. 15% discount on any order over £50 in January. All you have to do is quote “SBT December Offer” when placing your order and we will allocate a 15% discount to your order. We love to talk to our customers, so please call 01273 441832 for further information or to request a quote. Eastbourne Pier on Fire - Photo by Rowan Stanfield

or visit: www.gemini-print.co.uk

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 57

Ladies league

Brighton Falmer

Firm Balls Networking on a Different League The five-a-side football league taking the UK by storm What started out as a football league for business professionals Network in Eastbourne, has since spread as far and wide as Manchester and Portsmouth – in addition to numerous locations across Sussex. “Sport, especially football is such a powerful tool to build business contacts,” said founder and Managing Director Hamed Ovaisi. “Football in particular is the most popular sport and one which naturally attracts young people - many of whom are professionals and don’t necessarily want to be part of a formal rotary club, BNI or networking group. It allows companies and individuals to

58 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

break business barriers in an informal way, without actually knowing they’re marketing.” The only requirement for joining a league is having or being part of a business - beyond that anybody can join, regardless of gender, ability, or age. There are specific leagues for ladies and over 35s. Hamad explained: “We have a very popular Ladies league in Brighton and are looking to develop this area across all our venues. We believe this a huge growth area and unfortunately we have found there is a lack of opportunities for woman to play football.” He continued: “This exclusivity for professionals has made FirmBalls a very attractive and successful model.”

Since it started in 2011, FirmBalls has offered businesses the chance to enjoy regular exercise while networking, team building and marketing with likeminded business people. There are now 12-15 successful leagues across the UK. There are numerous sponsorship opportunities within Firmballs. Hamed said: “We also host regular networking events, including quiz nights, drinks nights, golf days, FootGolf events, where sponsorship opportunities are available. It is a great way for a company to build their brand and awareness amongst local businesses through our events and leagues. Sponsoring is so cost effective as well, starting from as little as £100 to cover the prizes for a quiz night.” In addition, they run a monthly

Brighton Portslade

“We also host regular networking events, including quiz nights, drinks nights, golf days, FootGolf events, where sponsorship opportunities are available” newsletter with a circulation of 5,000 business email addresses across the South East where businesses signed can take advantage of free advertising opportunities. “We also work with various local charities to try and give something back but also to allow our participating businesses to feel happy that through their efforts they have contributed to charitable enterprises,” the young entrepreneur continued. “We appreciate that football is such a

Hamed Ovaisi

Sam Thomas

powerful tool through which awareness for some great causes can be made.” In April of 2013 Sam Thomas joined the team as Director with a view to growing the business and continue expansion. Sam has brought in a new level of professionalism and a marketing strategy that has helped the business attract over150 companies playing weekly across the UK in all Leagues. There are two Xmas quiz nights in Brighton and Eastbourne on the 4th December (Brighton – Sussex CCC) and 17th December (Eastbourne) both sponsored by SBT – so bring your work colleagues for a fun packed night of quizzing and networking. Hamad and Sam are not content to stop at football and aim to expand their

business model further to encompass other sports: “FirmBalls is a scalable business and sport (not just football) and business go hand in hand. We are planning to launch our first FootGolf league in spring 2015 a mid Sussex golf club and can see leagues developing in netball, touch rugby, basketball and street cricket etc in the future.”

FirmBalls have leagues running all year round and are looking for businesses to join now. Email sam@ firmballs.com or visit www.firmballs. com for more information and start ‘Networking through Football’ today!

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 59

SBT

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Should employees allow the boss to see their social media activity in return for job security?

Leon Deakin, Senior Associate, Thomas Eggar LLP A recent study by Pricewaterhouse Coopers suggests that a third of young people would be happy to let their employer see their social media profiles in return for job security. But I am at a loss to see how this idea could realistically get off the ground

given its serious legal concerns and mechanical difficulties. Discounting privacy and general monitoring concerns, unless the employer promised some form of tangible additional ‘job security’, the employee would be giving up something for nothing. It is hard to imagine what a credible form of greater job security would look like. For example, could an employer agree contractually not to dismiss on the grounds of poor performance, minor acts of misconduct or redundancy? I cannot see employers agreeing to these sorts of restrictions on their business, even if there was a legally enforceable and workable mechanism available to do this. As a result we are straight back to vague and hollow promises motivating the workforce and improving wellbeing. If they really

wanted to achieve this, I am sure most employers could do so without reading what employees have posted on Facebook or Twitter. Many individuals post sensitive personal information, which they would be unlikely or at least reticent to share in a work context. This could consciously or unconsciously skew managerial decisions and provoke discrimination claim - at the very least it could leave employers vulnerable to such accusations. Claims of improved sickness levels seem doubtful. Even if employees post about their ‘health and wellbeing’, employers would be wise to still seek proper medical guidance from a qualified practitioner before making crucial decisions. Medical experts are unlikely to rely on social media when making assessments.

Why is it important for professionals to build their personal image in the workplace and how can they do this?

Anna de Vere, Director of Corporate Training and Development at Colour Me Beautiful 55% of the first impression we make about work colleagues has nothing to do with what we hear them say, it’s all about how they look – in other words… what we see and therefore initially what we think of them. No one wants to be remembered as ‘the one with the really short skirt or that novelty tie’ which is why getting your

info@checkaprofessional.com 60 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

personal image right is paramount in business. Whilst it’s always important to maintain your personality at work, what you wear must be appropriate to the business you work in. Consider BA & Virgin, the former in reliable blue suits with skirts just on the knee, whilst Virgin is in fun-loving red with skirts well above the knee. Both get us from A to B but their ‘brand image’ and therefore their look is very different. Getting your colours right is the first step for a positive personal image in the workplace. Wearing the wrong colours can make you look tied and unapproachable whilst the right ones make you look energised and positive. For example, if your natural colouring is light (fair hair, pale skin and pale

eyes) a black suit with white shirt will instantly take you over, whilst a grey or navy suit with a soft white shirt will work in harmony with your colouring making you instantly more approachable. And, just before you head off to that important meeting, check your appearance – after all you don’t want to be remembered for chipped nail polish, dirty shoes, missing buttons, unkempt hair or worst of all poor personal hygiene!. TOP TIP: Does your LinkedIn picture truly represent the image you want to reflect in business? No one cares about your holiday, or your night out, they want to see a professional who is tidy, organised and has great eye contact. For further information, please contact www.cmbimage.co.uk

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How should allergies be managed in the workplace? A lack of control over cleaning policies, other people’s actions, access to medication and an ever-changing, communal environment all mean there is a greater risk of an allergic reaction happening at work. Make sure you know how you can help keep your workplace a safe one.

Ann Patterson, Allergy Blogger New EU regulations on food allergy labelling come into force this month. While they will affect the products and operations of many businesses, they are designed to help allergic customers make safe buying choices. However, it’s not just your customers that have food allergies.

Preventing a reaction Here are some simple measures to reduce the chance of a colleague or visitor experiencing an allergic reaction: • Ask all staff to be mindful of food they bring into the office for lunch, snacks and treats • In a hot-desk or flexible working environment, ensure food is not consumed at the desk or work area of an allergic colleague

• Make appropriate cleaning products available to create a good habit of keeping food residue off desks • Reduce cross contamination in kitchens through good cleaning policies and availability of clean cutlery and crockery • Give an allergic employee or visitor advance warning of a catered meeting. • For celebrations and events such as nights out and Christmas parties, think about available menu choices and venue so you can get maximum inclusion with minimum risk. It is important that managers demonstrate responsibility in keeping employees and visitors safe. Visit www.allergyuk.org or www.anaphylaxis.org.uk

How does investment in staff training help businesses become more profitable?

Tony Christian, Course Advisor, Pitman Training Continuing professional development (CPD) is becoming increasingly important to employers and employees alike in today’s economy. No longer are people simply doing jobs to pay the bills, they are embarking on careers in which they wish to continue progressing and evolving professionally, updating their skills, getting promotions

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and really helping businesses to succeed. By investing in staff training businesses are fuelling this desire, and helping their employees work towards their career goals by allowing them to update/gain more skills, be more efficient and diversify in their roles. Employees who receive training through their work undoubtedly feel more valued, confident and motivated, and the skills gained lead to them being more efficient during working hours as well as generally feeling happier and more often than not, having a better work-life balance. A skilled workforce undoubtedly leads to a more efficient business, which in turn leads to increased productivity and a more profitable business. At Pitman Training we pride ourselves

on being genuine ambassadors and champions of continued learning and development, encouraging both employers and employees to review skillsets on an ongoing basis and consider how the success and profit of the business depends on this. Statistics from a survey run with BCS (The Chartered Institute of IT) show that people can easily gain an extra hour a day by getting typing speeds up to 40wpm, which results in increased productivity and profits. We would love to hear from employers and employees and offer advice on the ways in which we can help with tailored learning, training and career development paths, to increase business productivity and in turn business profits.

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What is collaborative law? SBT speaks to Gemma Hope, Solicitor and Collaborative Lawyer to find out... couples who use the collaborative process, especially when there are children involved, find the short and long term benefits of the process given its holistic nature far outweigh the costs involved.

Gemma Hope, Solicitor and Collaborative Lawyer

Why do we need lawyers to do it? Separation has legal consequences and is a legal process which needs to be dealt with. Lawyers have a role in this process whichever route the couple choose to find a solution. Collaborative law is an inclusive process so the lawyers will work together with each other as well as financial advisers, counsellors and other professionals when necessary to find the best overall solution for the couple.

What is collaborative law? It is a process that provides an alternative way of dealing with the consequences arising from separation. Each person appoints their own collaboratively trained lawyer and they then all meet together to work things out face to face. Each person has their lawyer by their side throughout and has support and legal advice as the matter progresses.

What if I don’t like it once I get started? Hopefully you will go into the process fully prepared and aware of what is involved. If the process isn’t working for you though you can withdraw. You are completely in control. You would have to use a different lawyer though because as part of the collaborative process collaborative lawyers agree not to be involved if court proceedings are issued.

Is it just another way of lawyers making money? No, it is an alternative way of resolving disputes. The lawyers of course get paid for the professional expertise, but they charge no more or less for working collaboratively than they would working in the more traditional way.

Are you seriously saying warring couples are going to sit down and sort things out face to face? No, if couples are at war with each other it is unlikely the collaborative process would work for them. It is the couples, particularly parents, who want to try and find a solution that minimises the emotional cost of the separation that are more likely to choose the collaborative process and gain the most from it.

Is it cheaper than other options? Sometimes, but not always. Every couple separating is different and it is hard to compare what something would have cost if another approach was used to find a solution. The best outcome is not always the cheapest one. Many

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Collaborative law is a modern way of dealing with separation - the lawyers are trained to move away from an adversarial approach. By choosing the collaborative process the client is agreeing that they want a holistic solution reached through open discussions with their lawyer, their former partner and their former partner’s lawyer. By effecting that the lawyers meet their professional duty to facilitate clients making their own decisions about what is best for them. The Collaborative Law process isn’t for everyone, but it can be a very effective way of helping a couple who are separating find a solution so they can move on with their lives.

If you are interested in finding out more about collaborative law and whether it could be the right route for you please contact Gemma Hope on 01903 743201 / ghope@mayowynnebaxter.co.uk

How do you meet your professional duty to meet your client’s best interests with the collaborative process?

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How does a business stand out and provide clients with the reassurance and transparency they are seeking, in a world that reports increasing digital fraud and deception?

Lisa Beale, Check a Professional With so many horror stories appearing, it is to be expected that clients are being urged to question whose services they are engaging. Evidence now shows that care should be taken regardless of the profession in question! Q. Can you provide an example where more diligence was required? The BBC recently reported on the growing number of fake barristers and solicitors in the UK. One specific incident was reported where a man had become a victim to this growing crime. The man who thought he had bought his dream home, only to find the £750K he had paid had been stolen by a fake firm of solicitors. The advice given by the BBC was, if you wish to check your legal service provider, check the usual regulatory channels; however, even better to go via recommendation from those who have used the services of the legal service provider previously. Q. Surely a website or regulatory evidence would reassure prospective clients?

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Websites are so easy to purchase nowadays and even easier to populate with information. It is easy for fake company details, accreditations or even regulation information to go on display. A business can say what it wants to on its own website, show references from any amount of satisfied clients and make any amount of promises. Many prospective clients are unaware of which profession is regulated and by whom, or that some hold a register for public view. The Internet has been fabulous for many, especially businesses, but due to the fact that very little is checked, users are encouraged to seek more information and ask more questions prior to engaging with any services. Businesses should be looking to offer their prospective clients transparency and another way to find out more about them. They cannot just rely on their websites, or their business premises being enough.

having to provide this evidence. In years gone by, it was normal practice for children to use the same businesses their parents used, however with the introduction of the Internet, many now search for themselves. Just as the Internet brought in a change to the lives of many and their businesses, we now have to move on and give prospective clients the added extra they need. For many this may seem like big brother tactics, however if a business knows they provide a good service and are good at what they do, they should be looking to stand out and give their prospective clients help in making a more informed choice. If a client is paying money to a business for a service, surely it makes sense for that business to be interested in what the client actually thinks about them and their service – or is it assumed that they would not keep coming back if they weren’t happy, until one day they don’t!

Q. Why should someone who is qualified, who may have been in business for some time, now have to provide transparency to their clients? It is easy to say: we shouldn’t take things personally and that dreadful things happen in other places, but not near me, not in my profession. Unfortunately dreadful stories like this are reported frequently and involve many different professions with many different outcomes. For so many in business, it can take an age to qualify in their chosen profession and then reach a stage they are able to actually start practicing, it is easy to forget, or not have given a thought into, what is it that lets others know of you, your expertise, or that you give an outstanding service, especially if you have been in business for some time and never had to think about

Q. Will this help me stand out in my profession? Showing transparency often provides trust and reassurance. It will certainly help you and your business stand out from competitors, as it will help clients need to make an independent and informed choice. Remember, if you want to help your prospective clients, you must show them you understand what it is like to be in their shoes. Help them to feel comfortable in their choice and be able to trust all the information your business is displaying on its website. Completely independent verification on everything about a business help prospective clients make a choice. It’s time to help clients stay safe and find a more informed choice! Call us on free phone: 0800 093 8414 Visit www.Checkaprofessional.com

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I have an employee who has broken the terms of their contract and committed what I consider to be an act of gross misconduct, but I understand I can’t just dismiss them – why is this?

Jennifer Mansoor, Solicitor, Adams & Remers A ruling by the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) earlier this year, means an employer cannot show zero tolerance for gross misconduct, even when it is written in to their contractual rules.

even if they did not mean to do it. Therefore, if you fail to investigate for willful or gross negligence and simply go ahead and dismiss an employee for gross misconduct because of what your contract says, the employee will be able to claim breach of contract for their notice pay and (if qualified) compensation for unfair dismissal.

The EAT ruled that an employee cannot be dismissed for gross misconduct under an employer’s own contractual rules, unless the employer can prove the breach of rules was serious and that the employee acted either willfully or grossly negligent. Employers often include in employment contracts that they will operate a zero tolerance policy and will summarily dismiss anyone who does certain things they consider to amount to gross misconduct. This ruling means employers should now be investigating each and every case and judge fairly whether the breach was serious and whether the employee intended to do it, or ended up doing it because they were grossly negligent,

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Jennifer Mansoor is a solicitor at Adams & Remers and can be reached at Jennifer.mansoor@ adamsandremers.com or visit www.adamsandremers.com

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