SBT April 2019 Issue 430

SBT

ISSUE 430

FREE

SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

NETWORKING & EVENTS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR PRESTON INSURANCE BROKERS

SBT TRAVEL

REVIEW: THE DOYLE CLUB

RED7: FRESH IDEAS TO BUILD YOUR TEAM AND SUCCESS

REVIEW: AMAZING ITALY TOURS

MADE IN SUSSEX STEPHEN D. LAWRENCE PHOTOGRAPHY

THE 2018 DIGITAL WOMAN OF THE YEAR, LISA SEYMOUR, TALKS ABOUT HER AWARD-WINNING STUDIO SPOKEN AND THE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL CHARITY EVENT SHE INSPIRED AND HELPED TO ORGANISE, THE EXECS FACTOR.

SERVING THE SUSSEX BUSINESS COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

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SBTWelcome Meet the team

Sam Thomas, Managing Director/ Publisher

Greg Carroll, Partner

Lee Mansfield Partner

James Morrison, Production

Belinda Bennett, Editor/ Head of Social Media

Stephen Lawrence Photographer Snap it Now

Contributors

Welcome to another truly packed issue of the Sussex Business Times.

As the days grow longer and we head towards the summer months, we aim to put a real spring in your step with a raft of features designed to inform and inspire.

After International Woman’s Day last month, we are delighted to feature Lisa Seymour on our front cover. Digital Woman of the Year 2018, she is a founder of studio Spoken and the inspiration behind charity event The Execs Factor.

Read all about Lisa’s success story in a special 4-page feature.

As well as keeping you updated with local and national news, we have plenty of in-depth features relevant to Sussex businesses.

What’s more, to help you relax and unwind, we’ve got plenty of ideas for your garden in our Step Into Spring feature.

On the charity front, we shine a light on Albion in the Community, the Russell Martin Foundation and a brand new initiative from Rockinghorse Children’s Charity.

For the first time, we review a travel company. Discover what we thought of our trip with Amazing Italy Tours in our Travel section, which is kindly sponsored by group travel specialists Red7.

As West Sussex Business Expo approaches, we find out from organiser Mike Monk why more businesses are using trade shows to generate leads and raise awareness.

Julie-Ann Harris Partner- Head of Family, Coffin Mew

Alexander Wood Partner- Restructuring & Insolvency, Coffin Mew

Also in our Networking and Events section, you will find a networking club review from NetworkU, the latest news from Network My Club and pictures from Preston Insurance Brokers’ recent sixth birthday bash.

Don’t forget to check out our regular reviews, history feature, wine and recipe of the month and Motoring section.

Last, but not least, our Made in Sussex feature focuses on the work of well-known professional photographer Stephen D. Lawrence.

Aaron Thorpe Commercial Manager at Preston Insurance Brokers LLP

Sam Thomas, Managing Director

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 3

Issue 430

SBT

ISSUE 430

FREE

SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

NETWORKING & EVENTS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR PRESTON INSURANCE BROKERS

SBT TRAVEL

REVIEW: THE DOYLE CLUB

RED7: FRESH IDEAS TO BUILD YOUR TEAM AND SUCCESS

REVIEW: AMAZING ITALY TOURS

MADE IN SUSSEX STEPHEN D. LAWRENCE PHOTOGRAPHY

THE 2018 DIGITAL WOMAN OF THE YEAR, LISA SEYMOUR, TALKS ABOUT HER AWARD-WINNING STUDIO SPOKEN AND THE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL CHARITY EVENT SHE INSPIRED AND HELPED TO ORGANISE, THE EXECS FACTOR.

SERVING THE SUSSEX BUSINESS COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

Cover 430 Spoken Managing Director/Publisher Sam Thomas sam@thebusinessgroup.co.uk 01323 819 012 Production James Morrison Web Designer/Developer Tom Alexander Accounts Clare Fermor accounts@thebusinessgroup.co.uk 01323 819 016 Published by The Business Group Sussex Ltd. Unit 1a Swan Barn Business Centre, Swan Barn Road, Hailsham, BN27 2BY Printed by L&S Printing Limited Hazelwood Close Worthing BN14 8NP 01903 821005 www.ls-printing.com

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

Copyright The Business Group Sussex Ltd. 2019 ©

4 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

06 08 10 12 14 18 20 24 30 48 55 60 66

Local News

Promotion for Julian Ayling-Rouse at Grant Thornton UK LLP

National News

Lush ditches UK social media and Brexit deadline extended

Spending It

Step into spring with fantastic ideas for your garden

Insurance: Protect your business from liability claims How good health and safety can protect against costly claims and save you time as well as money Legal: What does planning for the future mean to you?

Why proper planning for later life care is essential

Q&A: Albion in the Community

We find out what this local charity does and who it supports

The Russel Martin Foundation

As this local charity prepares to launch a new business lunchtime football league, we discover its roots and aspirations

Cover Story

Just after International Women’s Day, we meet Digital Woman of the Year 2018, Lisa Seymour, founder of Spoken and a true star when it comes to organising charity events that are full-on extravaganzas

Travel: Build your team, build your success

Red7 talks about the team-building activities that can help you get the best out of your biggest asset, your people

Motoring: High mileage car leasing

Calculate your annual mileage and find the best car to lease with expert advice from Rivervale Leasing

SBT Out and About

Picture round-up of Preston Insurance Brokers’ sixth anniversary bash

Networking: The benefits of business expos

With West Sussex Expo just days away, organiser Mike Monk reveals why more and more businesses are generating leads at business shows

Made In Sussex

We meet photographer Stephen D. Lawrence

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SBTLocal News Edward Street Quarter development to feature world-class cycling facilities for commuters

A world-class cycle scheme will be a key feature of the Edward Street Quarter development that will bring 110,000 sq. ft of office space to central Brighton on the former AMEX House site.

The development’s commercial space will contain underground cycle storage facilities as well as showers and lockers, all designed specifically for cycling commuters.

The Edward Street Quarter project is owned by mixed-use developers First

Base in partnership with Patron Capital.

Richard Hart, Design Manager of First Base, spoke of the importance of the scheme to the project: “More and more people are cycling to work as people are starting to see the benefit of combining their daily commute with exercise.

“Cycle facilities have now become a major consideration when designing new commercial developments. The cycle services to be built at Edward Street Quarter are designed to solve common gripes that prevent

Promotion for Julian Ayling-Rouse, Director Grant Thornton UK LLP

delighted to announce his promotion to Director.

In a few short but very successful months, Julian has celebrated winning the Transactions Services Team of The Year award at the recent Insider South East Dealmaker Awards, recruited a new team member and today we are

6 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

His team enjoyed a busy 2018, successfully advising on the completion of a number of high profile transactions including the acquisition of Moorhouse Holdings Limited by SQS Group Limited, the employee buy-out of a controlling stake of 2 Excel Aviation and the refinancing and sale of 3si to Alliance Marine Group. Julian has differentiated the firm’s offering in the market place by seamlessly integrating traditional financial due diligence and reporting accountant services with the specialist skills of the firm’s dedicated Sale and Purchase Agreement advisory, operational and commercial diligence teams. This combined offering and the

people from cycling to work – lack of showers, changing and storage facilities. We’re aiming for our scheme to set a benchmark for premium cycle amenities in Brighton.”

The cycle space at Edward Street Quarter will be designed by Five at Heart, an international leader in the field. The company has created similar schemes across Australia, North America and the UK, including in Brighton.

Five at Heart co-founder, Justin Sires commented: “At Five at Heart we’re passionate about getting more people on bikes. There are so many great reasons to cycle to work - not only are there obvious physical and mental health benefits, but it also offers a level of freedom and flexibility that is unparalleled in other methods of transport.”

Alongside the office space, the Edward Street Quarter development will also comprise 168 new build apartments, as well as 40,000 sq. ft of space targeting food and beverage, gyms, cinemas and retail units.

For more information, please visit edwardstreetquarter.com.

resulting bandwidth has allowed Grant Thornton’s team to secure increasingly complex transaction services mandates in a climate where risk mitigation to secure funding commitment has been paramount.

“Jules is a key member of our leadership team at Gatwick. He and his colleagues provide important transactional services to our clients in the South East, enabling us to offer local knowledge to businesses wishing to acquire or sell,” said Jon Maile, Practice Leader at Grant Thornton’s Gatwick office.”

You can see Julian, in the centre of the photograph celebrating with some of his team.

SBTLocal News Double industry recognition for Brightonian entrepreneur IMEX Group, was honoured with the Pioneer Award at the Exhibition News Awards in London last week.

Nicola Macdonald, editor of Exhibition News, explains: “Ray is a true pioneer of the exhibition industry, growing truly global, trailblazing events while still remaining the approachable, personable and passionate face of the brand. We were thrilled to recognise him for his lifelong contribution.”

Brighton-born businessman Ray Bloom, a director of Brighton and Hove Albion, has received both national and international recognition for his achievements in the global meetings and events industry.

Ray Bloom, founder and Chairman of Hove-based exhibition organisers, the

Later this week in Munich (Friday March 29) he is also set to be welcomed into the Hall of Fame of one of Germany’s leading publications in the meeting and events industry, ICJ mice magazine.

This double-award win recognises the IMEX Group’s ongoing success as organiser of the world’s two leading global exhibitions in this sector, one in Frankfurt and one in Las Vegas.

Cash boost and new partnership for leading Sussex accountancy firm

Hilton Sharp & Clarke, the leading Sussex accountancy practice with multiple offices across the county, has rebranded as Galloways. In the same month, the firm has also announced that it is Sussex Cricket’s new Specsavers County Championship shirt sponsor.

The firm has received significant investment from Sussex’s newest private investment business – Cow Corner – which focuses on long-term investments to build strong, profitable, local businesses.

Sue Smith, one of the longest serving partners at Galloways, said: “Our re-brand and investment signals an exciting time for us at Galloways as we look to grow the firm and continue to build on nearly 150 years of experience.

“We’re also thrilled to be the new Specsavers County Championship shirt sponsor and wish the team the very best of luck over the next three years.”

The IMEX Group was launched in Brighton by Ray in 2000 and has grown rapidly with staff increasing from 15 to 65 contributing over £5 million to the local economy each year. The company now has growth aspirations to expand and is looking to relocate to new premises locally creating up to 25 new jobs.

Ray Bloom explains: “As a Brightonian, I’m proud of my home city and the Albion and have life-long links here.

Giving back to Brighton and creating a local legacy is important to me, that’s why we intend to relocate locally.”

Image: Ray Bloom, Chairman of the IMEX Group, receives the Exhibition News Pioneer Award 2019 from Julian Agostini, Managing Director of Mash Media, owners of Exhibition News.

Sussex Cricket chief executive, Rob Andrew added: “Having a local business of Galloways’ stature commit their support for the next three years is a real boon for the club.

“Their reputation in our community is second to none and we are extremely proud to be sporting their name on our Championship shirt.”

In addition to the re-brand and shirt sponsorship, Galloways has also recruited Lorna Sizer as Tax Partner, previously Director at Knill James.

With more than 25 years’ experience specialising in tax, Lorna will spear-head the Galloways tax team and focus on expanding the current team of specialists, as well as continuing to look after a growing number of private clients.

Lorna is a chartered tax advisor and is also STEP (The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) qualified, adding to Galloways’ well established expertise in trust planning and administration.

She said: “I’m thrilled to join the team at Galloways and look forward to working with our fantastic clients and wider team.

Galloways has such a strong reputation across the county and I’m looking forward to growing our tax team and helping our clients to simplify and manage their tax affairs.”

Sue Smith added: “Lorna is a brilliant addition to our team and her arrival is a real coup. With such extensive experience, Lorna will support and propel Galloways’ growth over the coming years.”

Image: Left to right- Royston Yeates (correct), Geraldine Pratt, Matt Needham, Beth Stenning, Colin Young, Sue Smith and Dawn Moore.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 7

SBTNational News New Deadline For UK To leave the EU performance than her approach to the first extension in March.

The European press had portrayed her as a desperate leader, going to the EU with a begging bowl.

Market reaction to the new deadline was calm, compared to earlier fluctuations.

Cross-party talks are to continue after Prime Minister Theresa May secured a second extension to the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Business leaders have expressed relief, but say they are still frustrated by the lack of progress.

Mrs May says she recognises the “huge frustration” over lack of progress.

The UK successfully negotiated the extension just two days away from what could have been a no deal.

Sussex businesses are being urged to consider cash, contracts, compliance and communication to ensure they are prepared for any eventuality. Cancelling Article 50 is still on the table, according to some commentators.

Arcadia Group Set for Restructure Sir Philip Green is to restructure his high street fashion empire. He has appointed two specialists to the boards of Arcadia ahead of a major overhaul of the retail giant.

Jamie Drummond Smith, who is chairman of finance group Cattles, has been appointed chairman of Topshop, Topman, Arcadia Group, and parent company Taveta.

Also appointed to the board is Peter Bloxham, ex-head of restructuring and insolvency at law firm Freshfields.

8 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

However, John Allan, the president of the CBI, says the government should go back to the people and hold a referendum if politicians can’t get their act together.

Labour wants the embattled PM to re-consider her ‘red lines’. Its focus is on some form of customs union and workers’ rights.

The new, flexible deadline for the UK leaving the European Union is now October 31. Speaking in Brussels after a lengthy wait for EU leaders’ decision, Mrs May expressed her regret that the UK had still to leave the Union. She said she hoped to take the UK out of the EU as soon as possible and not to take negotiations right up to the new deadline.

With France dragging its feet over a long extension, after-dinner talks extended late into the night. However, foreign commentators credited Theresa May with putting on a more confident

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Allan said: “My personal view is if the politicians can’t get their act together and get to an agreement the only other option is to go back to the people and have a second referendum to see whether people still feel the same way now that they did almost three years ago and resolve it that way. ”Businesses have stockpiled goods, investing in their inventories rather than recruitment and growth. Uncertainty continues to stifle investment across all sectors.”

The housing market has stalled across the board and manufacturing is taking stock as cross-party talks continue.

Virgin Trains To ‘Vanish’?

New Regulator for Bailiffs?

Sir Richard Branson has warned that Virgin trains could disappear from Britain’s rail network after its partner, bus operator Stagecoach, was banned from making bids on three franchises.

MPs want bailiffs regulated.

They say a new regulator and laws are what it will take to stop bailiffs from breaking rules. Concerns have been expressed that some bailiffs are breaking existing laws to collect debts.

Mr Branson has hinted that Virgin could vanish from railways by the end of the year.

The Department for Transport says Stagecoach has a pensions gap of £7.5 billion.

The Parliamentary Justice Committee states new laws are needed to ensure all debtors are treated fairly.

SBTNational News Lush Ditches UK Social Media of our communities - from our founders to our friends.” The company will continue to operate social media accounts based in North America.

Social media is one of the most potent ways to reach new people and engage them. The Sussex Business Times does not recommend a shift away from major platforms.

With ‘social selling’ and customer engagement now important strands of marketing, brands are being encouraged to win more likes and follows with unique content designed to both catch the eye and drive a response.

Handmade soap brand Lush has closed its UK social media accounts, citing platforms’ algorithms.

Influencers have expressed surprise, not least because the company had 569,000 followers on Instagram and over 200,000 on Twitter. Its Facebook audience was said to be over 400,000.

Announcing the decision on Twitter at the beginning of April, Lush said it felt it was being pushed to “pay to appear” in news feeds.

In a statement, the company said: ““We don’t want to limit ourselves to holding conversations in one place, we want social to be placed back in the hands

Top tips: use media, compelling calls to action and links to shift traffic from social media to your own platform.

Develop you own strategy for building an online community you can control on your own website. Use hashtags to reach new audiences and ensure any content you market is relevant to your target audience.

Mike Ashley Fights Debenhams Administration Risk Sports Direct mogul Mike Ashley has offered to pump £150 million into ailing chain store brand Debenhams - to stop it going into administration.

So far, his offers have been declined.

He has described regulators as “as effective as a chocolate teapot”.

Existing shares, some of which Mr Ashley owns, could be wiped out if the brand sinks into administration. A feature of the UK high street since the late 1700s, Debenhams is already said to be planning up to 50 store closures.

Pressure on the high street continues as consumers look to ecommerce for convenience and value.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 9

Step Into Spring

The clocks have gone forward and the evenings are getting lighter. Here are some great ideas to help you make the most of warmer weather and longer days in Sussex.

Round the Table Get friends and family together with this Kettler white-washed garden seating set. The Palma collection provides 8 seats and a stunning dining table.

£1,999

Make A Splash

www.johnlewis.com

Perfect Petals

£22.

96

Get your garden ready to enjoy with this collection of bedding plants. With Busy Lizzie and Begonia, it contains four varieties and a total of 132 maxi plugs. www.jparkers.co.uk

Introducing the all-new 16’ X 48” Power Steel Deluxe Pool from leading brand Bestway. It looks fabulous and will provide hours of fun for everyone in the family. Buy now to prepare the ground and get the water temperature just right for summer.

www.bestwaystore.co.uk

£649.99

Pretty (Parasol Included!)

Get ready for summer with this bronze-coloured, stunning LG Devon 6-seater dining table and chairs set - complete with a parasol.

www.johnlewis.com

The Grass Is Greener…

Take the hassle out of looking after your lawn with a ride-on mower.

It eliminates the need for grass collection and makes disposal effortless. This 5-star product is manufactured by top brand Mountfield.

£1,349 www.screwfix.com

£1,599.99

Heat Things Up

Tooled Up

Take the chill out of spring evenings with this tabletop halogen heater.

Perfect for patios and verandas, it has three heat settings and is electric.

Get outside and create a garden you will be proud of with this Spear & Jackson Kew Gardens Stainless Steel Gift Set. It’s got everything you need to dig up those weeds and replace them with beautiful plants.

£21.

24

www.amazon.co.uk

www.homebase.co.uk

£150

Make A Wish We love this wishing well water feature. It will make a stunning addition to any garden and help you relax after a hard day’s work.

Made from sustainable Swedish timber it is sold complete with pump, fountainhead and liner.

£259.99

www.primrose.co.uk

Look After Your Plants £17.50 Get busy in the garden with this bee motif watering can. It will help you look after all your plants, from spring containers and hanging baskets to summer bedding plants. It will also look great on your patio. www.marksandspencer.com

Insurance

Protect your Business against Liability Claims Good health and safety can be a vital tool to help your organisation comply with legislation and reduce accidents and incidents which could cost you valuable time and money, particularly where liability allegations may lead to claims of perceived negligence on the part of your organisation. Andrew Dix, Corporate Client Director at UK insurance broker Gallagher, based in Metro House in Chichester, discusses the key components of a robust risk management strategy which could protect your business against liability claims.

Claims can occur in a number of ways, from loose flooring Insurance or carpet leading to a fall, or a potential back injury due to lifting a heavy object incorrectly where no manual handling training has been provided. With such a broad spectrum of potential claims scenarios to protect your organisation against, it is important to take practical steps to reduce your risk. These can often be relatively simple to put in place but will make a significant difference if you have to defend your organisation against a claim.

Ideally, a robust health and safety plan should incorporate some of the following elements: • Risk assessments – to be performed wherever a situation could potentially result in injury, with full written records following every assessment and each risk addressed based on its seriousness.

•

Adequate training – in place for all new employees and refresher training regularly provided to existing employees. It is important that all participants sign a document to confirm they have attended and fully understood the training.

• Occupational health schemes – to help you keep track of your employees’ fitness and identify work processes which may cause physical strain to your employees, in order to put systems in place to prevent injury.

12 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

•

Post-incident investigations – to understand what happened and how the incident could be prevented in the future, with supporting interviews and photographic evidence.

•

Documentation gathering – it is important to have a process in place which includes collating notes from investigations, risk assessments, training records and equipment maintenance logs.

It is important to keep records of all the processes you have in place and details of all training provided, so if a claim does occur you’ll be able provide your insurer with the evidence they need to defend your claim. This evidence can include, but is not restricted to: • Accident report forms • Witness statements • Post incident investigation reports/ notes • Risk assessments (Pre and Post Incident) • CCTV recording • Employees files (including training records) • Wage details (13 weeks pre and post absence) • Inspection/maintenance logs • Cleaning logs • Details of any visits/correspondence • Post incident forms • Environment Health Officer/Health & Safety Executive documents Claims can breed more claims, so if you fail to properly investigate a claim the first time, you may end up dealing with the same type of claim over and over again. This in turn, can lead to higher pay outs, increased legal costs and even reputational damage. However, if an allegation is successfully defended

Andrew Dix

and you reduce the risk of similar claims occurring in the future, it could have a positive effect on your premium over time.

It may not always be possible to prevent claims occurring however, there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of a successful claim being made against you. By implementing the correct training processes, teamed with meticulous record keeping and regular risk assessments, these can all make a significant difference to the number and value of claims you receive, as well as ensuring you have the relevant evidence in place you need to successfully defend a claim.

For more information about defending claims or risk management, please get in touch.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK?

For more information contact us: T: 0800 612 3760 E: Andrew_Dix@ajg.com W: www.ajg.com/uk

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

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 13

What does “planning for the future” mean to you?

It is fair to say that while we are all generally aware of the Legal need to take steps to protect ourselves and also our families with regard to our long-term care and the future, it can be extremely difficult to find the time to do this. With the best will in the world, we are entrenched in the current demands of our daily lives and so taking action in terms of how we will manage our needs in “later life” is perhaps not always our priority.

You may have already made a Will, being mindful of the importance of making your wishes clear with regard to how your assets should be distributed after your death, which is eminently sensible and indeed, essential in providing clarity for all concerned. It is

14 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

fair to say that there is a great deal of focus upon how to protect your loved ones in the event of your own demise and rightly so. We are keen, however, to also draw your attention to the importance of planning for your own future, during your lifetime, to ensure that you are informed with relevant information in order to enable you to plan for your retirement and beyond, to consider your choices in respect of your long-term care.

80% of respondents were not currently saving for their own care home fees, with only 20% of that figure planning to save in the future. A big majority of the British public are very underprepared for care home fees, something which can be rectified with proper legal advice.

Our own statistics show planning for care home fees is widely misunderstood.

When 2,100 respondents were asked about later life planning and care homes 70% did not know the average annual cost of a care home for one person, and yet almost half felt they could ask family and friends about these fees.

The phrase “Moving into Care” could perhaps fill you with dread, but we feel strongly that it can only be positive to plan for the future by ensuring that you are in possession of the necessary facts surrounding this potentially daunting topic. Indeed, this may already be relevant to you, if you have elderly relatives who are about to, or have already moved into care and you would like access to further information to be able to assist and support them further in this process.

More concerning was the result that

At Irwin Mitchell, we are presently

Kelly Grieg

launching our “Later Life “ campaign and our wealth of experience makes us well placed to advise you in relation to the myriad issues which arise when considering options for you or a loved one.

How will you fund your care?

The fundamental concern for many people centres upon how their care will be funded. There are various factors to be considered here and there may well be help available to you, subject to your own personal circumstances. We all have different physical, mental and personal healthcare needs and every individual should be assessed accordingly. Irwin Mitchell can advise you further with regard to the options which will have personal relevance to you.

Would you purchase a property without the benefit of legal advice?

An issue which has generally attracted less attention is that of the contract which exists between the care home and the individual receiving the care (and, indeed, their representative, if acting under a power of attorney or as “next of kin”, which, contrary to popular belief, has no legal definition in any case). It is astounding how readily people sign this contract, notwithstanding the binding and generally onerous relationship it serves to create. We cannot stress enough the importance of taking legal advice prior to signing any document with the care home and to ensure that you understand their terms of business before any contractual relationship comes into existence.

move “into care” for either yourself or a loved one.

Our Later Life package entitled “Moving into Care”, provides you with a thorough overview and checklist of everything you need to consider when planning a

Contact Kelly Greig at kelly.greig@IrwinMitchell.com

We know that moving into care can be an extremely difficult and often stressful time for both the person making the transition and for family and friends.

We pride ourselves on providing an expert hand with a human touch and care about helping you to make the right decisions, both in advance of, and when, embarking upon this process.

Irwin Mitchell Private Wealth offer unrivalled guidance and methods to support you whatever the circumstance, help you plan appropriately and make the right decisions at the right time.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 15

What’s wrong with using templates?

If you run a small business then sometimes getting Legal something bespoke designed or written for your exact needs can be difficult to afford and it seems easier to turn to templates. This can be for anything from a website design to an employment contract and there are hundreds of companies and resources out there that can provide templates and some are even for free.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using templates as long as they meet your needs but if they don’t then you either have to compromise or hope for the best. By their very nature, templates are unoriginal and you may find your design or document being used by many other businesses. They are often (although not always) quite basic and restrictive too and as a consequence don’t always do everything that you needed them to do. But they are cheap and sometimes that trade off is acceptable.

16 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

However, there can be occasions where templates can cause more issues than they resolve. I have heard some woeful tales from visitors to our stand at recent business shows regarding legal document templates. One example centred on a growing business who took on their first employee and needed an employment contract. They contacted a local firm of solicitors who quoted them £950 + vat and another £1,600 + vat for an employee handbook which was going to make a dent in their cash flow. It was also going to take the law firm 4 weeks to complete.

As a member of a large national organisation that supports small businesses, they had access to some free templates as part of their membership which they duly downloaded and proceeded to fill in the blanks. Not being completely versed in the minefield that is employment law, they filled in the blank spaces with what they thought was right rather than what was legally right and as a consequence created an employment agreement that turned out to be in breach of employment law. This

came to light some time later when the employee was dismissed and decided to take the employer to a tribunal. It had an unhappy ending but I’m sure you get the picture.

At LawEasier we don’t use templates to create legal documents, instead we use a form of AI that asks you the questions that a solicitor would ask you and then it creates a document that is bespoke to your needs and is 100% compliant with UK regulations. It protects you and your business at a price that is affordable. With LawEasier there is no limit to how many documents you can create from the hundreds available and each one guides you through the process and explains what you need.

To aid cash flow you can pay monthly so from as little as £35 + vat per month you can make sure that your business is not going to fall foul of UK business law.

As a SBT reader you can try LawEasier for free by visiting www.laweasier.co.uk/sbt

Oasis Empire Print & design

Large format print

Branded clothing

Signage

Promotional items

Exhibitions

Business supplies

Packaging

01903 228878 enquiries@oasisempire.co.uk www.oasisempire.co.uk www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 17

Charity

Q&A: Albion in the Community FirmBalls, the organisation that helps businesses Charity network through football, is staging its annual corporate tournament at the Amex Stadium on May 23. The event is being hosted by Albion in the Community, the charity set to benefit from the day’s event. Mark Barkaway, fundraising, PR and communications manager at Albion in the Community, explains what its work is all about.

As a charity we target our delivery where we believe it will have the most impact and where it is most-needed.

A great example of this is our Premier League Kicks programme, which provides free football and mentoring to more than 1,500 young people living in areas of deprivation. Not only do we help these young people get active, we also encourage them to complete qualifications with the charity, while delivering regular workshops on subjects like anti-racism and road safety.

What is Albion in the Community?

We also work extensively with adults who are either long-term unemployed or facing other barriers to employment, such as mental health problems or historic substance misuse – all aimed at boosting their chances of finding paid work.

We are the official charity of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club and we work with around 46,000 people across Sussex each year.

What is the charity’s purpose?

We aim to improve the health, wellbeing, and education of people living in Sussex. We do that in a variety of ways, but football and its popularity are central to almost everything we do.

What sort of things do you do?

Where to start! The area of our delivery most people probably know is our football sessions for people with a disability. We currently run 30 such sessions every fortnight, attended by upwards of 450 people.

Elsewhere, our schools team works with 148 local schools, using footballthemed lessons to engage young people in their academic studies. We also run after school clubs and work with school staff to improve PE delivery, encouraging more young people to be physically active.

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These are just a few examples of our work – but hopefully it provides a good illustration of the impact we are having.

How important is fundraising and tournaments such as FirmBalls?

Incredibly important. Quite simply, we would not be able to reach the number of people we do without our fundraising.

For example, it costs us between £2,500 and £5,000 a year to deliver one of our football sessions for people with a disability, meaning the £8,300 raised by the FirmBalls tournament last year was equivalent to funding two or three of these sessions for an entire season.

How do you fundraise?

In a variety of ways. We get tremendous support from the local business community and, of course, Brighton & Hove Albion fans.

“Our corporate fundraising is vital for the charity and we would encourage any local business looking for a good cause to support to consider us” Our corporate fundraising is vital for the charity and we would encourage any local business looking for a good cause to support to consider us. We really do reinvest the money we receive back into the local community.

We also hold regular fundraising events, including a European cycle challenge, a one-day cycle ride through Sussex, and a quiz night.

You are hosting a fundraising lunch with Bobby Zamora. Tell us about that.

It is taking place at the Amex Stadium on May 23, immediately after the FirmBalls corporate tournament. The event will give people a chance to hear from Bobby and some of his football friends about their careers and time playing for Brighton & Hove Albion. It will be a brilliant event and we still have places.

Tickets cost £60 each, or £550 for a table of ten. More information is available from: www.bobbyandfriends. eventbrite.co.uk

Website: www.albioninthecommunity.org.uk Twitter: @albioninthecomm

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The Russell Martin Foundation The Russell Martin Foundation is poised to launch a 5-a-side Charity Friday lunchtime football league. A registered charity based in Brighton and Hove, it uses the power of football to help change people’s lives. Set up by professional footballer Russell Martin, it is all about giving something back to the city where he was born.

professional and in non-league. He said: “I decided to put myself through my coaching badges, including my A Licence. I started out working in football community schemes, in areas such as social inclusion and after school clubs, and then progressed on to development and elite centres and then academy football. I have now been coaching for over 15 years and have worked with all age groups and abilities - from five-year olds to adult football.

Originally a football academy for young people, the organisation became a foundation to broaden its scope into areas such as education and health.

This has enabled it to fulfil Russell’s original idea of not only encouraging people to play football but also offering a wide range of educational and health improvement programmes.

“When the opportunity to work with RMF came up I jumped at the chance to help the organisation get involved in lots of different programmes and grow - especially as it is based in my home town. My main role and responsibilities at RMF are to recruit and run the Varndean College programme, which combines full-time education and football.”

Russell was keen to find suitable staff for the organisation and recruited exprofessional footballers Sergio Torres and Jay Lovett.

For Jay it was an ideal opportunity to further his career after having played football for a number of years as a

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In September 2018, Russell appointed Alan Sanders as Chief Executive.

He had previously been a director of registered charities at Brighton & Hove Albion and Charlton Athletic. Many years previously, he had at different times also been both Russell and Jay’s

Brighton Boys’ district football team manager. Alan and Jay came up with the idea of a business 5-a-side league on Friday lunchtimes. They met up with Sam Thomas, Managing Director of FirmBalls, for advice on the best way to run a league.

Alan said: “Sam has been incredibly supportive in helping us set this up. I was well aware of the success he has had with his company FirmBalls and he was the natural person to go to.”

He added: “It also made perfect sense to see if Friday Ad would want to be the main sponsor, given it was to be a Friday lunchtime league. I approached Sam Kidger at Friday Ad, who used to be a trustee at Albion in the Community where I used to work.”

The league starts on 3rd May. For businesses interested in participating please contact Jay Lovett jay.lovett@rmfoundation.co.uk (please see advert)

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The Rockinghorse 20/20 Corporate Challenge

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The Rockinghorse 20/20 Corporate Challenge Charity Rockinghorse is looking for 20 companies to each raise £5,000 by March 2020 to support the mental health programme the charity funds at Chalkhill.

It is the only mental health unit for young people in Sussex and, through the 20/20 Corporate Challenge, businesses will help the charity continue to provide its much-needed activities scheme. Launched in 2015, The Rockinghorse Activities Programme greatly complements the clinical work at Chalkhill and runs alongside their education programme.

Through the newly launched 20/20 Corporate Challenge, you can help Rockinghorse raise funds for its activities programme at Chalkhill Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit.

Based in Haywards Heath, Chalkhill is one of the country’s leading hospitals for treating children and young people with serious mental health problems and eating disorders.

It helps children and young people to increase self-esteem and confidence, improves health and well-being and develops skills beneficial for education and independent living after leaving the unit.

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Rockinghorse believes in giving all young people a chance which is why with your help, they are hoping to provide more support to children and young people with mental health problems.

Companies that sign-up to the 20/20 Corporate Challenge will be featured on a dedicated page on the Rockinghorse website and will receive further publicity through social media posts.

Each company that signs up to the challenge will also be invited to an exclusive reception to hear more about the project and network with other businesses. Will your company commit to Rockinghorse’s 20/20 vision?

To find out more, visit www.rockinghorse.org.uk or contact the charity’s Corporate Fundraising Manager, Terrina Barnes, on 01273 330044 or terrina@rockinghorse.org.uk.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 23

Spoken and The Execs Factor

Hot on the heels of International Women’s Day, we meet Digital Woman of the Year 2018 Lisa Seymour of award-winning studio Spoken. She talks about her career and the glittery charity event she inspired and helped to organise, The Execs Factor.

Cover Feature

Lisa Seymour is undoubtedly a leader in her field; someone who knows what type of branding a company is looking for and how to create it.

She co-ran the Face Media Group for 12 years. Spoken was launched as a side project three years ago. Life was breathed into the sub-brand while Lisa was still the Operations Director at Face Media.

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The business was incorporated in 2016 and has gone on to win major recognition in both Sussex and beyond.

While working at the Face Media Group, Lisa developed a strong relationship with the design team. She worked alongside Jim Cunliffe and Chris Riley, later being (Jim and Chris weren’t designers, just co directors) the design team was joined by Adam Prewin 2011 (Adam was head of design at Face)

“They often asked me for ideas and my creative take on projects,” she says.

“I realised that Adam was a pretty amazing designer straight away. His work is creative and classy, and he has a keen eye for the small details.”

Reflecting on her time at the Face Media Group, Lisa reveals: “Over time, the business changed from purely design for print to offer budget websites and logos. We offered this successfully, and customers felt they always received more than they were expecting.”

The business re-positioned itself to expand its offer. Lisa explains: “We honed our branding skills and attracted larger, more aesthetically minded companies.(This was achieved under the Spoken brand) These businesses were looking for more than a logo.

“They were looking for a brand identity that helped them grow, encourage recognition and drive customer loyalty.”

Lisa remembers: “Our first taste of this was working with Ticketmedia. We won the project based on our pitch and have never looked back. It was all about re-brand, re-position and developing a new creative website that attracted large blue chip clients and London agencies as well as being relevant to direct consumers.”

At the end of 2016, Lisa, Jim and Chris parted ways after 12 amazing years together, Lisa wanted a new challenge.

She had a vision and it was for one brand – Spoken

“It was scary,” she says, “but I wanted to take Spoken in its own direction,” she remembers. “I wanted to develop a creative agency that would help luxury and boutique brands position themselves in their market.

It started the year winning one of its biggest projects - the rebrand of River Aesthetics. The company is a globallyrecognised aesthetic clinic that works in partnership with Sinclair Pharma Limited.

“Adam took charge of all the projects, and it was my job to drive sales and grow our visibility.”

Having won the project, Spoken positioned itself as a go-to expert in the aesthetics industry - something that has grown its turnover by a staggering 70 per cent.

The partnership approach worked.

Spoken cornered a niche and in 2017 won Best Website in the Sussex Digital Awards. It was also shortlisted for The Good Web Guide and was runner up Start up of the year in the BWEA (business women excellence awards).

In the same year, Lisa and Spoken were involved in the staging of a charity event called Tycoons in Tights and grew the company’s customer base from four to 75.

At the beginning of 2018, Spoken was a passionate and driven brand in its own right.

Lisa was crowned Digital Woman of the Year shortly afterwards.

She says: “The award encouraged some local, well-known names, such as Brighton Gin and Proud Group, to work with us. It gave me a fantastic platform to launch our second charity event, The Execs Factor.

“This was a project organised by Spoken, Cobb Digital, Pier Recruitment, and Leah Mooney. Leah is an amazing copywriter, I met through BNI.”

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Cover Feature Dante’s Inferno. Who wants to hang out with demons forever? Not me!”

Spoken was her way forward. She started to create beautiful brands and produce engaging websites. Lisa stepped out of “a downward spiral” and stepped into the Brighton business community.

“What a tonic. New people. New challenges and new opportunities,” she admits. “I reconnected with myself again. Hello Lisa!

“I decided to confront Crohn’s headon and raise awareness about the condition, and fundraise for Crohn’s & Colitis UK. With a little help from my friends, of course.”

Lisa met Leah Mooney, as previously mentioned at the BNI. “We clicked. So much so that she agreed to write a madcap alternative, tongue-in-cheek panto starring a hotchpotch of Brighton business owners and friends.”

Lisa points out: “They were all more than happy to leave the boardroom behind for two nights to be Ugly Sisters, Princesses, Dwarfs, Widow Twankie, Voldy, an Evil Queen and Sidekick, Genie, Chav Cinders, Buttons, an Internet Troll, Maleficent and a Fairy Godmother.

Looking back on her journey so far with Spoken, Lisa said: “It is an agency that started with passion. Our aim is to bridge the gap between the client and their demographic.

“We want to create an experience. Our ethos is: You should feel a brand not just see it. After all, you don’t just buy an iPhone for its operating system. You buy it for the brand, the packaging, the experience.

“Branding should explain what you do, who you are and your ethos - at a glance.

“No gimmicks, just beautiful, uncomplicated, and expertly executed.

Like your favourite pair of shoes.”

Lisa says she was excited to be involved with The Execs Factor.

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It was something she felt more than a compulsion to pull off. After all, she was the driving force behind it.

She even appeared in the longed-for extravaganza herself - performing on stage at the Hilton Metropole.

She says: “I knew my mum would be proud. I knew my daughter was proud.

I was on the stage because of them. My mum, Monica, died at the age of 31 of complications caused by Crohn’s. I was two years old. Then I became a mother.

And history repeated itself. In reverse.

“My daughter, Megan, was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2013. She was 15 and spent three months on a liquid diet while revising for her GCSEs. “Boom! Welcome to my nightmare of guilt, panic attacks and a severe crisis of confidence. Two years of living in

“I pictured an evening of unadulterated entertainment that would be The Greatest Show London-by-the-Sea had ever seen.”

“Tycoons in Tights raised £4,000 over two nights. I was delighted. It was a success. But it wasn’t an extravaganza.

I wanted my next venture to make an indelible mark. I wanted it to tingle with twinkling lights and ticker-tape. White smoke. Glitter. Glitz. Glamour. Sequins.

Sparkle. Celebrity. Singing. Dancing.

“I pictured an evening of unadulterated entertainment that would be The Greatest Show London-by-the-Sea had ever seen.”

Lisa was inspired by the story of Phineas Taylor Barnum, the mastermind

of a circus that came to be known as The Greatest Shown on Earth. It went on to inspire The Greatest Showman, a 2018 blockbuster with box office sales of $435 million. The highly-original musical celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rises from nothing to create a spectacle that becomes a worldwide sensation.

“Forget big thinking - I had my giant thinking top hat on!” Lisa doesn’t jest.

She admits: “The idea of The Execs Factor was a blatant X-Factor spoof.

Not that I thought Simon Cowell would mind for one minute. Eight acts, four judges, two presenters, one writer, and me - The Ringmaster (or Mistress).

Everyone involved was hand-picked from the local Brighton business community.

“Hands up those who’ve never sung their fave song in front of a mirror. We’ve all done it - when no-one’s watching.

The Execs Factor was an opportunity

to perform in front of a crowd as Tina Turner, Freddie Mercury, Beyonce, Kate Bush, Moulin Rouge can-can girls do. Just like Agnetha, Anni-Frid or Madonna, and Stevie Nicks in suspenders, or a pastiche of Barnum’s ‘best of the best’.

“The panel and the presenters were my cohorts, partners in crime, who joined me in pulling in a crowd of 239 guests. Yes, we put on the show and raised £10,000.”

“Credit for The Execs Factor lightbulb moment rests with the Yin to my Yang, Katie Gibson. When two like-minded individuals with shared values and a common work ethic find themselves in the same room, that’s when the magic happens.”

Lisa says: “Katie has walked beside me on this journey every step of the way.

We’ve been Thelma and Louise, Cagney and Lacey and Betty and Wilma. She’s steely and canny; driven and determined, with super-human organisational powers.

Whenever I felt a storm brewing, Katie was the sunshine that made the rainbow appear.”

The other two members of Lisa’s gang were the trusty Leah Mooney and James Dempster. What a double act.

“They helped me see hurdles were there to be jumped,” Lisa remembers.

“Obstacles were there to be overcome and challenges there to be addressed.

When I was tearing my hair out, they encouraged me take a step back, take a deep breath, and take stock - without going stir crazy.

“In business, it used to be a case that it was what you know that was the golden egg. That was swiftly superseded by who you know, then who knows

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 27

you. So, imagine my surprise when I discovered that Freddie Mercury, aka Mark Newman, was big mates with a spitting image Simon Cowell look-alike, Andy Penfold. My panel of Execs Factor judges was complete.

“I have always recognised great things in business are never done by just one person. They’re done by a team of people, where ME becomes WE. Teamwork makes dreams work.”

“Joining ‘Simon’ was the larger than life Steve Darby - with fingers in pizzas and pies and hands on the steering wheel of cab land of Brighton - Katie Gibson, the powerhouse blonde bombshell from Pier Recruitment, and Hela WozniakKay, of Totally Hela. She is the ultimate connectress, the leader of a tribe of female founders of trailblazers and changemakers.

“The panel and the presenters were my cohorts, partners in crime, who joined

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me in pulling in a crowd of 239 guests.

Yes, we put on the show and raised £10,000.”

Looking back on the organisation of the event, Lisa says: “I have always recognised great things in business are never done by just one person. They’re done by a team of people, where ME becomes WE. Teamwork makes dreams work.

“Camaraderie is the secret sauce that leads common folk to achieve uncommon results. Now it’s time for me to step back and ask the following to all take a bow as they were instrumental in turning my vision onto a reality, making the impossible possible and The Execs Factor the talk of town.

“Thank you. You are all my secret hot sauce.”

Credits must go to: Leah Mooney of Leah Mooney Content Writer, James Dempster of Cobb Digital, Katie Gibson of Pier Recruitment, Hela Wozniak-Kay from Totally Hela, Andy Penfold aka Simon Cowell lookalike, Steve Darby of City Cabs, Andy Stenning and his dancers from Clearline Recruitment,

Mark Newman and his dancers from Silverstar cleaning, Ashlea of Focus Group, The Girls from Mercedes Benz, Jordan Mackay and the girls from Mishon Mackay, Jon Rush of HR Smart, Nick Ford of Nick Ford Photography, Gang from Phileas Fogg’s, Chichi Revolver, Cherry Shakewell, Dolly Rocket, Sharon Starr, Lauren Gibson, The Team from Mascol Events, James Johnson of Picture Book Films, PW Performers, Jez Kay and last, but not least, Theo Wozniak-Kay. They are all ‘stars’ who gave up their time to support three fantastic causes and put on an amazing show, of course.

The funds raised at The Execs Factor will be evenly distributed between: Crohn’s & Colitis UK, The Starr Trust and Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis.

Article photos courtesey of Nick Ford Photography and linked video from JustJez.

Scan the video code to watch the The Execs Factor

SBT TRAVEL

BUILD YOUR TEAM, BUILD YOUR SUCCESS! FORMING, STORMING, NORMING, AND PERFORMING

AMAZING ITALY

TRAVEL REVIEW

SBT TRAVEL SPONSORED BY BRIGHTON TRAVEL EXPERTS - RED7

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 29

Build your team, build your success Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing….Red7 offers a wealth of team-building activities to get the best from your biggest asset.

If you think ‘team building ‘ is just a buzzword, or a Travel team jolly, read on!

Fresh air. Healthy competition.

Shouting and screaming (in a good way!) and getting properly worn out before falling into bed after a few end of day beers!

Nothing beats a good, old fashioned team building ‘day’ out.

By getting out of a familiar work environment, you can break down interpersonal barriers and eliminate the usual distractions of the office.

Giving everyone the opportunity to

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leave their normal work environment and interact with each other in a completely different setting can also help them think differently and, of course, help them improve personal and professional skills.

Another huge advantage company away days offer is the fact that you’ll be able to tap into your team’s hidden potential!

With everyone relaxed, away from emails and phone calls, you will find out so much more about each individual.

They’ll demonstrate skills and traits that perhaps haven’t been obvious before.

Some believe that away days are a luxury and not a necessity. However,

team building is invaluable, especially because it promotes better work relationships, offers a shared positive experience that your employees will talk about for a very long time, and allows people to better understand where their strengths and weakness lie.

“Another huge

advantage company away days offer is the fact that you’ll be able to tap into your team’s hidden potential!”

Here are some of the most popular activities In 1965 Bruce Tuckman identified four stages of group development.

Forming a team takes time, and members often go through recognizable stages as they change from being a collection of strangers to a united group with common goals. Tuckman’s Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing model describes these stages. When you understand it, you can help your new team become effective more quickly - or ‘fix’ and reinvigorate an established team.

‘Structured’ conflict is a great way to create a survival of the fittest atmosphere, to create energy and motivation - as well as a strong ‘them and us’ situation to fire up your teams! And, of course, by rewarding your employees with the gift of an away day, they’ll feel that you and the company cares for them.

“The perfect team-building activities should be combined with great accommodation, delicious food and bars or nightlife to unwind; it’s not all ‘work’!”

The perfect team-building activities should be combined with great accommodation, delicious food and bars or nightlife to unwind; it’s not all ‘work’! And, a UK (or European) away day doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and the return on investment will be considerable.

Bubble football

Paintball

This is SO much fun (and totally silly at the same time!). Jump in to an oversized inflatable outfits and become an instant sumo superstar. You will have lots of fun bouncing around trying to navigate the ball, defend the goal and beat your opponents in this fun crazy game. Bubble football is sweeping the country by storm, your team will love being part of this craze for an experience they won’t forget.

The great thing about paintballing is that it’s a wonderful ‘leveller’ – it doesn’t need any particular sporting ability, and it’s possible for men and women, as well as people of all ages and all levels of fitness to participate on an equal footing. And, no, it’s not dangerous and it doesn’t hurt!

Old School, Sports Day

What better way to spend time with colleagues than taking part in an old school sports day experience? Turn the clock back to a time when life was less stressful and all you had to worry about was having fun. Relive the excitement of the sack race and the skill of the egg and spoon race and have a lot of fun while you’re doing it.

An old school sports day is a great way to escape the rigours of the modern world.

Watersports

From sports to mind-games, team-building activities breakdown barriers and create safe ‘pressure’ and healthy and constructive competitive environments.

At Red7, we’ve been organising epic group travel for over 30 years. So, if you want to get out of the training room and into action, get in touch and let’s create something amazing together for your teams!

Escape Rooms

Immersive role-playing games have grown in popularity in recent years. Players are “locked” inside a room and tasked with solving the room’s mystery within a set amount of time. Once they solve the mystery or reach the end of the time limit, they are “set free.” Escape rooms make great bonding experiences. All players must work together to solve the mystery.

For that reason, they are very popular for team building. Why not try Brighton’s newest attraction: Phileas Fogg’s World of Adventures - travel around the world in 80 days accompanied by Mr Fogg where the challenges combine with an interactive, immersive theatrical experience.

Cocktail Making

If you’re looking for excitement, challenge and enjoyment then you need look no further than a visit to Southampton. The range and quality of activities is exceptional and irrespective of your length of stay will provide a memorable experience. Try one of the exciting and challenging activities from windsurfing, canoeing, dinghy sailing, and kayaking.

After a day being shaken, stirred and - we hope - invigorated, why not learn a new skill in the evening with your very own personal Cocktail Maker. Learn the skills, sample the goods and have a laugh along the way. www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 31

And, what NOT to do….

Close encounters of the cringeworthy kind – teambuilding horror stories and how to avoid them!

The top five terrible teambuilding blunders are:

1

The purge: don’t try this at work.

Brutal honesty is not the best company policy. A popular method of getting staff to bond is by asking them to reveal what they really think of one another. A common yet misguided activity involves co-workers saying one positive thing and one negative thing to each-other – to their faces, in front of the entire team. Unfortunately, this kind of activity often ends in tears as people are far more likely to listen to the negative criticism then they are the positives.

2

Snakes on a… conference call?

On one hand, there’s tedious trust exercises and long days in the boardroom, on the other there’s snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, centipedes and (sorry) giant cockroaches. Available as a professional service, these teambuilding exercises involve an animal handler leading the office through a

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nerve-wracking workshop designed to confront fear.

There are many reasons that this exercise won’t work - most will refuse to take part and those willing to handle the creepy crawlies will quickly turn the workshop into a competitive sport, which defies the point of team building.

3

Invasion of the body snatchers!

Any activity should respect the personal space of everyone involved – if colleagues wanted to get touchy feely, they wouldn’t need a teambuilding day in the first place! Activities that involve getting up close and personal with a co-worker should be strictly prohibited. The trust fall is too cliché to even consider, but some companies have gone much, much further to bring their employees close together. One company opted to have their staff exchange mouthfuls of fizzy drink. That’s right, they literally had to spit the beverage into one another’s mouth. Pretty disgusting if you ask… well, anyone.

4

Drag me to A&E…

Nothing screams ‘model employee’ louder than going into anaphylactic shock for the sake of participation.

Unappetizing bowls of ‘finger food’ are the expected fare at any corporate away day. Whilst some employees might love munching on peanuts and Bombay mix, these snacks can have deadly

consequences as over 20% of the population suffers from an allergy. One company asked staff to hold hands (ugh, see above!) after consuming peanuts.

This kind of bonding activity can have fatal repercussions for allergy sufferers.

5

The descent.

The Descent, The Cave, The Cavern, As Above, So Below, The Ruins… how many horror films about cave diving even are there? Anyone that’s up on film will be more than wary of jumping into a cave, as will the estimated 5-7% of the global population that suffers from claustrophobia.

Team members may feel pressured into going along with the plan, despite having a phobia, and end up in a situation that they find terrifying.

It’s true that extreme activities such as abseiling, white rafter rafting and paintball can be a fun and exhilarating experience for groups, but beware!

Consider everyone in the team first – competitive and/or physical endurance activities work best when the team members have similar levels of fitness and competitiveness. These activities can cause a major divide if they become an excuse for more sporty employees to show off and can seriously demotivate their co-workers.

So, don’t pick an activity that is unhygienic, disgusting, too personal or potentially dangerous, and think twice if your activity of choice is competitive or scary.

We are a full service creative agency specialising in design, web and marketing.

Founded by three passionate creatives.

whitespace.studio

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 33 28 Foundry Street, Brighton BN1 4AT / 01273 258000 / hello@whitespace.studio

Amazing Italy Tours truly are amazing This month sees our first Travel Review for SBT. For our popular Travel section, we visited the gastro food capital of Italy, Bologna. To make this possible, we teamed up with Amazing Italy Tours to sample its incredible Food and Ferrari tour.

Italy is renowned for its fantastic food, Travel wine and style.

Bologna is the food Review capital of Italy, so it seemed only fitting to sample some of its finest produce. Suffice to say, Amazing Italy Tours delivered on all aspects.

We were picked up on a luxury mini bus from our meeting point at 8:30am in the morning. Met by our tour guide, Max, who was extremely welcoming and friendly, we were immediately put at ease. As we departed, Max began by explaining the tour itinerary to us. First stop would be the Parmigiano Reggiano factory, followed by a visit to the Proscuitto factory, then the Balsamic Vinegar vineyard, the Ferrari Museum and finally, to finish off, a 6 course gourmet lunch at a local family-run restaurant. All in all, it did not sound like a bad day!

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En route to our first stop, Max told us about some of the history of Bologna as we drove past some key landmarks - such as the Portico, which consists of 666 arches stretching from Porta Saragozza to the Sanctuary of San Luca. Also the Universita di Bologna, which is the oldest University in the world, as well as one of the leading academic institutions in Italy and Europe. Max was extremely knowledgeable and, in true Italian style, clearly very passionate which added to the experience.

After a short 30 to 40-minute journey, we arrived at the Parmigiano Reggiano factory. We were given our protective clothing, hats and masks (which Max informed us were Gucci and Prada ) and we all looked very much liked dentists.

It was amazing to see the process and incredible technique and attention to detail that goes into producing the Parmesan. It was fantastic to

watch each stage of the process and to see the finished article, that only after vigorous testing and tasting will get the Parmigiano Reggiano stamp of approval. At this point, an entire wheel, valued at a staggering 500 euros each, is placed in a temperature controlled area. We were surrounded by nearly 40,000 of these wheels, worth approximately 20 million euros.

Incredible. To finish this part of the tour, we had the opportunity to purchase some of this fine cheese as well as taste both the 24-month and 36-month aged cheeses. This was served with a very pleasant glass (or 2 to 3) of local white wine, which at 10am in the morning is a great start to any day!

On leaving the Parmigiano Reggiano factory, we made our way to the next stop which was the Prosciutto factory.

Again only a short drive away, showing that the tour is perfectly mapped out so that you spend the least amount of time

travelling and more time experiencing the fantastic produce and their processes. Arriving at what seemed like a small delicatessen, we were taken inside and once again put on our dentist style clothing (these ones, apparently, Gucci). Then we went down the stairs and were surrounded by thousands upon thousands of Prosciutto legs. It was fascinating to see how the meat was cured, stored and the length of the process in order for it to be perfect.

Similar to the Parmigiano Reggiano, it is tested and only when perfect receives the official stamp of approval. Again, we finished with a tasting with a variety of meats, my favourite being the Colletto with truffles. It was truly sublime. All meats were accompanied with some more wine, at which point I was pleased not to have booked a Ferrari test drive.

“After a fantastic morning of tastings and experiences, the next stop was the world famous Museo Ferrari Maranello. Walking around, it is simply breathtaking and any car enthusiast’s dream.”

Our next stop was the Balsamic vinegar vineyard in Modena, the home of Balsamic vinegar. This is truly an exquisite place, steeped in history; a family-run vineyard that has produced some of the finest Balsamic vinegar for hundreds of years. It was amazing to see the process. Time and effort goes

into creating this fantastic product, perfected over a number of years to get the taste and quality just right. During the tasting, we put a few drops of the 40-year old vinegar on some vanilla ice cream, something I was initially quite dubious about. However, trusting Max our tour guide, I tried it and was very pleasantly surprised, as was I placed a few drops on some of my Parmigiano Reggiano. There was also a mini museum at the vineyard with records and pictures, dating back centuries, which added to the whole experience.

After a fantastic morning of tastings and experiences, the next stop was the world famous Museo Ferrari Maranello. Walking around, it is simply breathtaking and any car enthusiast’s dream. It offers a unique and enthralling voyage of discovery and is truly a story told through the cars that have made automotive history on streets and circuits the world over. During our tour there was also a very emotional, touching tribute to the great Michael Schumacher. The ‘Michael 50’ exhibition is certainly worth a visit. If looking around these incredible vehicles wasn’t enough, you also get the option (for an additional cost) to drive a Ferrari of your choice on the road. We opted not to take part but spoke with some of the people on our tour over lunch who said it was a great experience.

To finish our tour, we had a 6-course gourmet lunch to look forward to at a local family-run restaurant. This was the perfect end to a perfect day. We all shared a large table and it was really pleasant talking with the other people

on the tour from various countries and areas in the UK. The food, as you would expect from the food capital of Italy, was first class: antipasti, followed by a variety of homemade pastas.

Our Secondi was a beautiful beef fillet with potatoes and vegetables, all accompanied with a continuous supply of wine and finished off with Italian ice cream and coffee.

As a food lover, especially Italian food, this tour could not have been more perfect. It was a truly fantastic experience, really well thought out and planned. There was no waiting around.

Travel in between each destination was only short. Max, our tour guide, was engaging, knowledgeable, informative and fun the whole way through and I cannot not recommend Amazing Italy Tours highly enough. I have since looked at the other tours they offer across Italy, such as Milan, Venice, Verona, Rome, Florence to name a few, which I will be looking to book.

However, if you love food and cars, then certainly look no further than Amazing Italy Tours’ Food and Ferrari tour in Bologna. It should be on everyone’s bucket list as it was truly a day to remember.

For more information visit www.amazing-italy.com email info@amazing-italy.com

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PRINTING Full service print solutions - Digital & Lithographic Print - Large Format - Sign & Display

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36 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

SBT LIFESTYLE

HISTORY

MARLIPINS MUSEUM

WINE OF THE MONTH

SPONSORED BY BOUQUET LTD

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

COURTESY OF MARK POPKIEWICZ

HEALTH

LEWIS HATCHETT THE SPORT YOGI

RESTAURANT REVIEW

VERY ITALIAN PIZZA (VIP)

HOTEL REVIEW

MERCURE HOTEL BRIGHTON

SBT LIFESTYLE IS SPONSORED BY FLINT & FLAME.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 37

The Potting Room Sanderson

Gatsby Albany Opulence

Salvia DESIGNERS GUILD

Blue’s Blue PAINT LIBRARY

Fable Linwood

Mister David LITTLE GREENE

GREAT CHOICE, BR ANDS & ALWAYS GREAT SERVICE & ADVICE

Just visit brewers.co.uk to find your local store 38FOR www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk FURNITURE & GORGEOUS 38 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

ACCESSORIES BREWERSHOME.CO.UK

Marlipins Museum Maritime Magic at the Marlipins Museum

Shoreham-bysea – home sweet home. The town History is undergoing somewhat of a makeover at the moment, with new restaurants and pubs opening each month, which is great. What might be missed, however, is one of the oldest and well-preserved Norman buildings in the whole of Sussex. Now that the sun is finally making an appearance, the Marlipins will be opening its doors for summer visitors.

Historians aren’t sure of the origin of the word Marlipins, but one popular option is “meeting house for Knight Templars,” which would give huge significance to the local area (readers of this article will know that Shoreham/Bramber were known resting places for pilgrims on their way to Canterbury and beyond).

Alternate theories include wine storage, a house for important documents or deeds, or being used by Carmelites.

Whatever the truth is, one thing is for certain – the building was built to last, which clearly shows its important role for the residents of the time.

The deeds of the building survive back to 1347, which describe Marlipins as an “oat market on the corner of Moderlove Street” – not quite as grandiose as a meeting place for Knight Templars, but it shows that the building has been in continual use since completion.

With a colossal range of artefacts, this museum reflects the rich history of Shoreham and its surrounding area.

Rich in shipbuilding stories, the area was a key part in maritime history and Marlipins do just a fantastic job in taking you on that journey. One of my favourite areas in the museum is the deep pit that’s been preserved in one corner that gives real insight into life centuries ago.

If you have younger children, they’ll love the model ships that highlight advances in shipbuilding through the years.

The oldest part of the building itself has been dated to the 12th century, with additions coming in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. The front of the building is eye-catching and dates from the early 14th century, giving an insight into the aesthetic taste of the time with a striking chequerboard flint and limestone façade.

Some of the more modern exhibits point to Shoreham’s involvement in film. Think of Shoreham beach as the first Hollywood and you won’t go far wrong. Before sound, silent-film makers were attracted to the area due to the quality of the light, with Shoreham fort providing a home for some of the earliest film studios.

So, bring the family, spend some time getting to know the history of Shoreham and then finish the day off with a drink at one of our excellent watering holes.

Just think, you could be standing in the same place shipbuilding advanced at a rate of knots.

By James Dempster - Cobb Digital

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WINE OF THE MONTH Red Wine Batasiolo Barbera D’Alba Sovrana 2015: Piedmont, Italy. £15.00 Barbera d’Alba is found in the northwest region of Piedmont, Italy. The wine is produced from 100% Barbera planted in and around the town of Alba, on the steep slopes of vineyards which often share soil with two other famous Italian grape varieties, Nebbiolo and Dolcetto. Barbera is an ancient grape which has thrived in the region for centuries and as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy. This wine is a tasty little example which both surprisingly and pleasantly recently outdid a Batasiolo Barolo. Deep ruby in the glass, well balanced acidity and a long finish, the wine provides flavours of dark fruit, leather and with red ripening berries with mushroom notes. Decant for a good two hours to allow the subtle integration of oak, vanilla and mocha on that long finish. A red wine to complement red meat, game and cheese!

Sparkling Wine Wiston Estate NV Sparkling Rose: Pulborough, Sussex.

SBT Edition Price £23.00 Made right here in Sussex by the hugely talented winemaker Dermot Sugrue, this Wiston Rosé NV captures the essence of summer, with fragrant notes of rhubarb, raspberry, strawberry, redcurrant, wild roses, lemon zest and a touch of sherbet on the finish. Underlying all of this is a backbone of crushed oyster shells - think subtle minerality, some savoury qualities and salinity - which reflects the pure chalk terroir where the vines are grown.

For those brave souls who might like to pair this wine with food, then tuna and salmon steaks, shrimps and prawns, duck and Charcuterie or a Red Berry Fresh Fruit Salad are ideal. Either way, with or without food, this is a superbly elegant wine with tiny, persistent bubbles and a refreshing acidity that makes one go back for more. Well, why wouldn’t you?!

Sponsored by Bouquet Ltd. Purveyors of Fine Wines.

Well, with May on the horizon and the days becoming perceptively longer, we at Bouquet Ltd thought it only right to think about celebrating the later spring and early summer days by turning our attention to some of England’s finest sparkling wine and in deference to the family roots of our esteemed publisher, a fine bottle of Italian red reminds us that some steaks, roasts and casseroles aren’t totally out of our seasonal minds just yet.

Bouquet Ltd are thrilled to be asked to sponsor this month’s “Wine of the Month.” We are suppliers of a wide range of wines from “Popular and Modern” through to “Fine and Rare” to both the trade and private clients. After forming an alliance with Top Shelf Wine Services, we offer tasting experiences from within the comfort of your home to major corporate events, bespoke sourcing of wines upon client’s requests and broking portfolio sales along with help in auction placement for client’s collections.

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Recipe of the Month

LIME, CHILLI & CORIANDER GRILLED CHICKEN WITH TOASTED SPICED CHICKPEA SALAD Serves - 2 .............................................................

Difficulty level - Moderate

Spring is here and Summer will soon be just around the corner, so here is a recipe that is perfect for al fresco dining. The salad is quick and easy to put together as is the chicken, which you can cook on the BBQ. Put together a big bowl of salad and you will have plenty for a get together with friends and family, obviously tweak the recipe depending on how many you will be entertaining!

Ingredients for chicken and marinade Chicken breast (butterflied) - x 2 Olive Oil - x 2 tbsp Small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped - 1/2 (reserve the other half for the salad) Chilli Flakes - 1/2 tsp Juice of a lime

Method In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, lime juice, chopped coriander

and chilli flakes (the marinade should thicken), pour this over the chicken breasts and ensure they are evenly coated and then put in the fridge. I would usually do this about an hour before I am going to cook the dish.

When the chicken has had time to marinade, heat a griddle pan and when smoking hot add the chicken and cook for several minutes each side. As there is olive oil in the marinade there is no need to add further oil to the pan.

Whilst the chicken is cooking we can then get on with making the salad.

Ingredients for chickpea salad Ground Cumin - 1 tsp Sweet Smoked Paprika - 1 tsp Sea Salt Flakes - 1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp Olive Oil - x 2 tbsp Chickpeas - 400g can, drained Large Carrot - peeled and shredded with a vegetable peeler Mint Leaves - 1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander - the remaining reserved half Halloumi - 100g, grated Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp Honey - 1 tsp Chilli Flakes - 1/2 tsp

Method Heat a large non stick pan over a high heat. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt and fennel seeds and cook for around 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the chickpeas, stir and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the chickpeas are toasted and coated in the spices.

Place the carrot, remaining coriander, mint, halloumi, lemon juice, honey and 1 tbsp of olive oil into a bowl and toss to combine.

Plate up your cooked chicken and divide the chickpea salad between two plates.

This month’s recipe is brought to you by Mark Popkiewicz www.amouthfulofmark.com

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Lewis Hatchett The Sport Yogi

How shoes are killing our feet!

Health while exercising.

If I go into my gym, I can instantly tell how serious someone is about how they treat their physical health by just the footwear that they are wearing

Our feet are our base for everything.

Our first point of contact to the ground and the start point to how we move.

If we get this first bit wrong, we quite literally start by getting off on the wrong foot.

Our bodies are connected. Even from the point of, if we mess up the mechanics of our feet then it can have a knock on effect elsewhere in the body.

Years of shoe engineering have left our feet in worse shape than ever before.

Shoes that have been crafted for design and fashion in order to commercially sell are pulling the wool over our eyes.

Increased rates of lower limb aches, pains, poor balance, instability and the amount of people that I see that have restricted movement can simply be caused by the poor biomechanical habits that years in poor footwear has caused.

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So how do you know if you are wearing poor footwear?

Shoes have now been engineered with how they look on our feet, rather than how they look after our feet. They are not designed for the shape of our foot and create a disconnect with the ground below us. There are a couple of things you can look out for, especially if you are spending a long day in your shoes.

I’m also aware that you can’t walk into a meeting with a pair of running trainers on (maybe you can!), so if you are wearing shoes that are for your outfit for the day, then the time that you don’t wear those shoes becomes even more important.

As design in shoes developed in the performance sector, shoes have been constructed to aid damage created in the feet from the elements as well as protect them. Companies have ended up creating many types of shoe that tend to have a foamy cushioning. This cushioning is the equivalent of putting our bodies on a sofa, the muscles begin to relax. The issue is that over the years each development and adjustment to the soles of shoes has left us further away from how our own feet were designed to function. We are blunting

the sensory information that we get from the ground which allows our feet to adapt. Experiments have shown that when you inhibit the sensory information in the foot, people have problems maintaining balance and stability. For example, it is no coincidence that martial artists go barefoot as they rely on that sensory information in the foot in their demanding situations.

Quite simply, shoes are making the muscles in our feet lazy. Switching them off one by one. When we were young and running around barefoot our feet our gathering all that information and constructing the way in which our feet should be. Soft cushioned shoes are undoing all that.

“Quite simply, shoes are making the muscles in our feet lazy. Switching them off one by one.”

Health Massage your feet using a tennis ball

Use this to release tension and manipulate foot muscles. Not only are you helping relieve the wound-up tissue but by just moving the ball around under your foot or try to grab it with your toes, you are using the muscles within the foot.

“Getting a pair of barefoot shoes could solve your problem of wearing shoes for looks and purpose all at the same time.”

Purchase barefoot shoes

So be aware that shoes that have these big foam soles that are sold as ‘cushioning’ are in fact more likely to create issues for your body in the long term as a trade of for that short-term comfort.

and pains higher up the body. An added bonus is that an increased use of the muscles in the foot also warms them up due to increased blood flow to the feet.

No more ice-cold feet!

So, what are some solutions?

If you can’t go barefoot, give some thought into the build of your shoe. This is big for if you are exercising, especially running, as the continuous force will only exaggerate any biomechanical issues that could lead to injury. Even if it’s lifting weights, be barefoot if you’re not sure! If you really aren’t sure what shoe you should be wearing, see a specialist.

Get barefoot as much as you can.

Try to get yourself barefoot as much as you can. Try to relearn what has potentially been lost in the foot. The interaction with the ground around you will wake up those muscles in the feet and has been known to resolve aches

Use shoes that are built for purpose

Getting a pair of barefoot shoes could solve your problem of wearing shoes for looks and purpose all at the same time.

The thin sole layer help protect your feet while also give you that sensory information your foot needs. A company that I would recommend would be Vivobarefoot shoes, who have done a lot of research into the feet.

You can sign up to FREE online classes at www.thesportyogi.com Sussex Business Times readers also get 30% off subscriptions when using coupon SBT30 Get in touch: lewis@thesportyogi.com

This section is SBT’s way of looking after the businesses of Sussex. To help promote healthier workplaces across the county.

Stretch of the month COOKIE JAR STRETCH A great stretch for the neck and shoulders. Sitting down reach one arm out to the side as if to reach for a cookie jar that is just out of reach. Slowly begin to tilt the head to the opposite shoulder and keep reaching through the arm.

Once your feel the stretch, and possibly a neural type feeling. Hold for 30 seconds, breath slowly. To come out. Tilt the head forward, roll the chin to chest and return to centre. www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 43

Restaurant Review:

Very Italian Pizza (VIP) Restaurant Review

For this month’s Restaurant Review, we visited arguably one of the best pizzerias in Sussex -and really did get the VIP treatment.

Very Italian Pizza (VIP) has a history most restaurateurs would die for. For starters, its roots are firmly based in Italy. In fact, the family-run business first started trading in Naples in the mid-1800s. Over five generations, the business has evolved - thanks to a strong commitment and real passion for truly great, authentic Italian food.

Known for its real Neapolitan pizza across the county, VIP sources its ingredients from its own farm in Naples to guarantee a consistently high quality.

All the produce is carefully graded to ensure only the very best ingredients are shipped to Sussex.

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VIP has two restaurants - one in Brighton and one in Saltdean. The latter opened four years ago and, due to its popularity, expanded last year.

Neapolitan street food, antipasti, pasta, insalate, secondi piatti and, of course, an absolutely mouth-watering array of pizzas.

I am a true fan of Italian food and relished the opportunity to sample what this family restaurant has to offer.

I visited the VIP in Saltdean as I was meeting a client from Lewes and both wished to avoid the hustle and bustle (as well as the parking) in Brighton. My client and I were instantly put at ease by the friendly atmosphere and warm welcome.

On offer was a choice of more than 60 different pizzas - everything from Rio Mare (featuring mozzarella, tomato, tuna, onion and anchovies) to the Mexicano (featuring mozzarella, chicken, peppers, sweetcorn, chilli and tomato). This is a menu that caters for all tastes and has plenty to offer those looking for vegan, vegetarian or glutenfree food. Whatever your palate, you will find something to tantalise your taste buds and satisfy those hunger pangs.

Our waitress was Adriana, who provided excellent and attentive service throughout our visit.

VIP boasts an extensive menu which includes da dividere (sharers), aperitivo (including large Italian olives from Gaeta and deep fried green olives stuffed with mix of beef-pork-pork tripe in breadcrumbs), a great selection of

For starters, my client and I chose antipasti to share. This truly delicious selection included a mix of Italian cured meat, cheese and bread. It was amazing and whetted our appetites for the main course.

I couldn’t wait to tuck into my main

For dessert I had a cannoli, a Sicilian specialty that is not found easily in the UK. It is one of my favourites and I was delighted to see this dish on the menu.

This dessert comprised real Sicilian cannoli filled with sweet ricotta and delicious chocolate.

My client couldn’t resist the scialatielli alla Nutella, fried strips of pizza dough with Nutella.

course, which was obviously a pizza.

I chose the Pizza Tartufo, made with cheese, porcini mushrooms and truffle cream. I can honestly say, it was a taste sensation. I could sense the attention to detail and quality with every mouthful.

My client went for the Pizza Diavola, which includes spicy Italian sausage, cheese, tomato and chilli. It had a real kick to it and didn’t disappoint.

All this wonderful food was washed down with a bottle of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo which is an Italian red wine made from the Montepulciano wine grape in the Abruzzo region of eastcentral Italy.

We appreciated the fact that the pizzas were crafted from homemade sourdough and cooked in an authentic wood-burning oven.

This is a restaurant that follows very precise rules for the preparation and

cooking of veraci - true, original Italian pizzas.

This is an excellent place to eat. With so many pizzerias in Sussex, and especially Brighton, I was thrilled to discover it. I was served the very highest quality Italian pizza - the best I have tasted outside of Italy.

As someone who has a real leaning towards Italian food and has eaten in many pizzerias, I can heartily recommend VIP. Its slogan is Made in Naples. I felt as though I was actually in Italy - thanks to the stunning food made with true Italian passion and, I suspect, love.

Website: pizzavip.co.uk Email: info@pizzavip.co.uk Brighton Telephone: 01273 677 377

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Hotel Review: Mercure Hotel Brighton This month’s hotel review focuses on Hotel a splendid seafront location, The Mercure Review Hotel in Kings Road. The hotel is currently undergoing a contemporary new facelift and with such a good location, it is easy to see why it would be a popular choice for anyone visiting Brighton.

The new reception, designed by local Hove based interior designer Helen Hooper is an amazing array of multisized pictures, from local artists, all displayed from ceiling to floor. It gives a truly modern, elegant display of splendour. The colourful chairs and wide reception area would be perfect for a quiet hour to get some work done, all with a sea view.

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I was checked in by a lovely lady named Cat at reception and given directions to my room, which was a privilege double sea facing room on the second floor. The room itself was absolutely divine. With heavy full length velvet curtains, thick grey plush carpet and gorgeous lighting creating a wonderfully sophisticated feel to the room. I had quite a bit of work to get on with and it was a pleasure to sit at the wide glass topped desk with a perfect view of the West Pier and the famous bandstand. I even managed to see the sunset before I went down for dinner.

I was seated in the bar area (the restaurant is currently being renovated), and it was quiet and serene. I was presented with a tantalising menu offering all the classics such as fish and chips and steak, and I opted for a

Brighton Deli Burger. It was a huge affair, layered with pastrami and Sussex cheese.

Along with the chunky chips I was more than satisfied. I couldn’t leave without dessert and so I went for a hearty sticky toffee pudding. This was served with salted caramel ice-cream and was truly delicious. This was all washed down with a glass of red Malbec and overall created a very satisfied customer.

While I was in the room I was happy to see the newly refurbished bathroom with a huge waterfall shower, giant fluffy towels and toiletries to cover every need. I was impressed with the extra freebies the hotel offered, such as a vanity set, shoe cleaning kit, slippers and bathrobe, which made things much more comfortable. Teamed alongside a clean crisp double bed, it made for a very good night’s sleep indeed.

In the morning, breakfast was served in the Ballroom, a magnificent room also used for weddings and various business meetings. For breakfast I was served very quickly, fresh coffee and a hot breakfast set me up for the day nicely.

The staff throughout were attentive and polite, dare I say “smiley,” a nice touch when working in hospitality. The day’s newspapers were out for everyone to

use. The food was delicious and fresh, and it is useful to know they use many local ingredients.

“The Mercure can host seminars and events of every kind, with free high-speed WiFi and AV equipment. The hotel has the business customer in mind and can provide a range of conference lunches” For us business customers, the facilities are second to none. Aside from the obvious comfort of the room and the food, there are no less than six meeting rooms, accommodating

up to 180 in the largest. The Mercure can host seminars and events of every kind, with free high-speed WiFi and AV equipment. The hotel has the business customer in mind and can provide a range of conference lunches, working buffet and breakout menus.

There is still more refurbishment to be completed, as was evidenced by the builders present in the building, but I am confident that upon completion this hotel will make for an excellent facility for our business readers, and I would get in quick to book Christmas stays and events here before everyone realises the transformation will soon make it the Place to Be.

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High mileage car leasing The latest government figures show that the Motoring average UK motorist now drives just 7.900 miles every year. While this figure might sound like enough for some, there are some motorists that do a lot of travelling across the year on a daily basis.

The idea of this article is to help you understand where leasing could benefit you as a high mileage driver, how to calculate your average annual mileage and which vehicles may be suited to a high mileage lease.

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Benefits to high mileage car leasing High mileage car leasing is especially suited for drivers who cover a lot of miles per year. It benefits the lessee in the following ways:

Flexible terms Typically, leases cover 24, 36, 48 or 60 month contracts, however, we can tailor make a lease to help achieve your desired budget and circumstances.

Eliminate depreciation costs There are some lease contracts available to cover up to 50,000 miles per year. Depending on the contract

length you opt for, you could drive a total of 150,000 miles across three years without having to worry about the resale value of the vehicle at the end of the contract.

Maintenance packages available Over the course of a typical, long driving lifetime, many drivers are likely to spend up to £40,000 on MOTs, servicing and repairs (as stated by a new study in the express.co.uk). So, with a funder-maintained package, all regular manufacturer recommended maintenance, servicing, mot and replacement tyres will be covered within your monthly rental.

“The idea of this article is to help you understand where leasing could benefit you as a high mileage driver, how to calculate your average annual mileage and which vehicles may be suited to a high mileage lease.”

If you’re a VAT-registered company/business You could reclaim between 50% and 100% of the VAT on the monthly finance rental (depending on whether you’re leasing a car or commercial vehicle).

How to calculate annual mileage?

If you want to calculate your annual mileage follow these simple steps;

STEP 1 - Write down the number of miles you drive each day when you commute to and from work (Monday to Friday), for example.

STEP 2 - Calculate the daily figures and get your total for Monday to Friday.

Let’s say you travel 160 miles (32 miles x 5) from Monday to Friday, you’ll also need to calculate the weekend figure.

Obviously, this can change week to week but the average, for example, is approximately 50miles (25 miles x 2)

That means your weekly average is about 210 miles.

STEP 3 - Now that you’ve worked out your average weekly mileage, you can now calculate your monthly figure. You can do this by multiplying the weekly figure by 4.

E.g 210 miles x 4 is 840 miles (per month)

STEP 4 - Using this monthly figure means you can now work out the average annual mileage. All you need to now is multiply the monthly figure by 12.

E.g 840 miles x 12 = 10,080 miles per year.

Sounds straight forward doesn’t it.

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Which vehicles are suited to a high mileage lease?

Getting your quotation for a high mileage car lease

cover your MOT costs to make sure that the vehicle is safe and road legal for you.

Any vehicle could be suited to a high mileage lease, however it’s important to consider how many miles you drive, what you use it for and what your monthly budget is. Whilst sports cars like Porsche and Lamborghini are everyone’s dream car, these are not suitable for high mileage leases. For instance, let’s say you drive 120 miles a day (including weekends), it means that you’re averaging 3.5-4k miles a month, plus the monthly rental charge. And monthly rental charges for a Porsche or Lamborghini doesn’t come cheap. This is why we advise you go for a vehicle that’s suitable for long car journeys and that’s more cost effective to run.

Term (length of contract) - Think about how long you would like to lease the vehicle for? Ranging from 24,36,48 or 60 months. Note: The longer you lease a vehicle, the cheaper the monthly cost will likely be.

Mileage How many miles will your vehicle travel per year? As mentioned above, this can range from as low as 5,000 to 50,000 miles annually. The more miles covered each year, the higher the monthly cost will be. We recommend that you calculate your approximate annual mileage before proceeding with a quotation request.

Initial Rental By definition, an initial rental basically means the sum you pay upfront. The bigger the initial rental the lower your monthly rentals will work out.

Top 8 high-mileage, low initial payment vehicles

“It’s important to consider how many miles you drive, what you use it for and what your monthly budget is. Whilst sports cars like Porsche and Lamborghini are everyone’s dream car, these are not suitable for high mileage leases”

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Maintenance As a general rule maintenance covers all of your routine servicing costs, maintenance costs and replacement tyres (in some cases this even includes punctures). If your chosen contract is longer than 36 months in duration, the maintenance agreement would also

Examples of vehicles with high mileage and low one-month initial payments: • • • • • • • •

Peugeot 2008 Estate Nissan Micra Vauxhall Grandland X Nissan Juke Mini Hatchback (3 door) Renault Clio Fiat 500 Citroen C3

For more car leasing help and advice please contact us via info@rivervaleasing.co.uk or give one of our dedicated account managers a call on 01273 433 480.

SBTMotoring News Rise of the Middle Lane Hogger A new AA survey has found that half of drivers think middle lane hogging and undertaking are getting worse.

The number of Fixed Penalty Notices for careless driving have dropped by 8.4 per cent, but a AA-Populus research suggests the problem is under-detected.

Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, said: “Middle lane hogs are always in the top three pet hates of drivers, so it doesn’t help harmony on the roads if drivers perceive the problem is getting worse.

“At best, middle lane hogs and under-takers are annoying, but the reality is these habits are dangerous.

Blocking lanes often leads to other drivers tailgating which itself leads to collisions.

“The drop in Fixed Penalty Notices for careless driving probably points more to a reduction in traffic police than it does to a meaningful change in behaviour.

“Hopefully allowing learner drivers on motorways will lead to a new generation of drivers who better understand lane discipline.”

Speed Limiters ‘Mandatory by 2022’ All new cars could soon be fitted with technology that will stop drivers from breaking speed limits.

The RAC says new rules have been provisionally agreed by the EU and mean speed limiters will become mandatory for all vehicles sold in Europe from 2022.

The move has been welcomed by campaigners. They hope the technology will revolutionise road safety and save tens of thousands of lives.

When the new rules have been given the green light, all vehicles in the EU would be fitted with a system that restricts them from breaking the speed limit.

To be clear, the Department for Transport says the UK will follow suit - even after its withdrawal from the European Union.

After being approved by the European Commission, ‘Intelligent Speed Assistance’ (ISA) is likely to be fitted to all new cars within just three years.

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), the body which supports the introduction of ISAs, says the limiters will reduce collisions by 30 per cent and save around 25,000 lives within 15 years.

The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) has stated it intends to mirror EU rules post-Brexit. It is also accepted that car manufacturers are unlikely to produce different vehicles specifically for the UK market.

Brighton Beach Classic Motor Show The annual Brighton Beach Classic Motor Show is poised to return to the promenade on June 2. It will feature a display of vintage and classic cars and run from 10am with the London to Brighton Classic and Kit and Sports car runs taking place from 12.30 onwards.

EcoSport For All Budgets Ford’s latest EcoSport offers a range of features and is suitable for those looking for a practical yet sporty car that won’t guzzle fuel.

The EcoSport Titanium 1.0 EcoBoost 125PS comes with SYNC navigation, FordPass Connect and a super-handy rear view camera with rear parking sensors. It also benefits from powerfoldable door mirrors.

This model is available with add-ons that can include 17” 5-spoke dark tarnish alloy wheels, a black contrast painted roof and roof rails, and sport suspension.

Ford is currently promoting its ‘build your own’ range, giving customers the power to invest in a vehicle that boasts the features and finishes they really want.

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SBTMotoring Reviews Honda Civic sitting so low down (if you want) you really do feel that you are gripping the road when hurtling around corners.

I’ll leave the aesthetics up to you to decide, but I have to say that at least the Civic has got some design to it not just on the outside but the inside to.

The inside has as much of a sporty feel on the inside as the outside further enhanced by the driving experience itself which is also pretty sporty.

The grip on the road is great, and

It runs smoothly and with a bit of poke to boot, without being too noisy accelerating to a comfortable cruise from slip road onto a motorway Suspension is good, gears move seamlessly, it brakes well and has a lovely wide front windscreen, although is not blindspot free and some may take exception to the size of the back windscreen.

The stereo and infotainment system is pretty intuitive, and there is plenty of storage spaces to house a variety of detritus that we often accumulate in our cars.

The boot is brilliant, and large, although there is a bit of a lip, but nothing too terrible. Definitely a plus point though for those with lots of luggage to cart about.

However, and there is always a however - although there is plenty of leg room in the back, the curvature of the roof does mean that passengers in the back may feel it on the sides and backs of their heads given a ridge in the back of the car.

If you are simply carting kids around in the back though this is not an issue and in conclusion leads me to say that this is basically a good allround car, that can give a little extra if you want to throw it around some corners and have a bit of fun.

Range Rover then it is great. I would expect around 22 MPG, so all in all not bad for a two and a half tonne car.

WOW. What a car. In the interests of having something interesting to write I have been racking my brain to think of something bad about this car. I do have a couple of pet peeves but first let’s give it the credit is deserves.

The infotainment is great and the TV surprisingly useful when waiting around to pick the wife up, who gleefully pointed out the car to her commuter friends from the train. And so she should - it looks awesome, and I mean that in the adult, non-millennial, literal sense of the word. It really is a sight to behold.

The interior is about as plush as you can ask for with legroom akin to a first-class plane seat. Getting in and out is easy given the leg room and treadplates.

Driving through country lanes however one does have to get use to the size of the car but then being bigger than most other vehicles the advantage is with us. There are a whole host of lighting features and safety measures that are great including pixel LED lighting.

The drive is seamless and if you want to put your foot down and don’t mind an expensive journey

Off road the car handle anything and our little test over Ashdown forest was a walk in the park. You

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can safely believe the cars own promo videos.

As for the pet peeves, the digital fuel gauge doesn’t reset immediately and sometimes takes a several miles to recalibrate which most people can probably live with.

Be warned though changing a flat tyre on your own is not mean feat so make sure you have someone to call out. Apart from a mild sense of annoyance that I can’t afford to have it permanently parked on my driveway, if you can then buy it, as there isn’t really anything comparable that is better value.

The proof is in the pudding I guess – one of our shareholders was wavering on whether to get one.

Now he is actively in pursuit of his own hybrid. I am definitely looking forward to reviewing that. Watch this space .

SBT NETWORKING & EVENTS

NETWORK MY CLUB

REVIEW OF THE DOYLE CLUB

CELEBRATIONS AT GARS

PRESTON INSURANCE 6TH BIRTHDAY

GAYDIO MIXER

COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS

COBB LUNCH CLUB

AN AFTERNOON AT COBB LUNCH CLUB

SBT NETWORKING & EVENTS IS SPONSORED BY NETWORK U INSPIRED BY THREE VERY WELL-CONNECTED SUSSEX BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS, NETWORKU IS PASSIONATE ABOUT UTILISING OUR OWN PERSONAL NETWORK AS WELL AS CREATING NEW CONNECTIONS TO HELP GROW YOUR BUSINESS.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 53

Biggest isn’t always best!

Review of The Doyle Club Several people had recommended that Networking I attend The Doyle Club networking group in London so having achieved an invitation, I travelled up to London with great expectations.

The event is free, with no membership, and includes a basic meal, which when I attended was a nice bowl of Chilli, which you can eat whilst still networking.

a large champagne bucket and a sign asking people to leave their business card………..and that was it!

The Doyle Club is probably the largest property biased networking event in London, if not the UK, which attracts around 200 + people per event, and meets every first Thursday in a large bar near St Paul’s. Now for some people those sorts of numbers would be quite intimidating but in most cases, the larger the event, the better the welcome to make new attendees feel comfortable.

I approached what seemed to be one of the presenters of an earlier seminar who kindly helped me to find one of the organisers and I introduced myself as a new member who had travelled up from Brighton to be there. I was given a brief run through of the rules which are very simply, if you see someone on their own, talk to them, which in itself is a good rule to have. Unfortunately, the impression I got was that the only people doing that seemed to be new members! There was no attempt by the organiser to introduce me to anyone and the rest of the attendees were mainly in groups of half a dozen or

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case when I attended last month. When I arrived there was a table near the bottom of the staircase to the bar with

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The event starts at 12pm and continues on into the evening if people decide to. I arrived just after 12 and the room was already busy and it seems that regular attendees turn up at a variety of times, presumably to suit their work commitments or capacity. This means that the room is constantly busy but with fluctuating numbers and people.

so people, mainly in circles at the bar and to break into a conversation was quite difficult. The impression it left me with is that there was definitely a large number of people there, but most of them seemed to be mates with each other who regularly meet up on the first Thursday for a few beers so from the networking peon of view, not the best event by a long way.

I did have a small handful of good conversations and made one or two connections, to whom I can be of more use to them than they can be to me, so overall a bit of a disappointment considering the time and effort I’d put in to getting there and the large number of people in attendance.

Now as most people know, I’m a great advocate of being consistent with your networking and you can’t just attend somewhere once and expect it to work, so I will definitely be going up again shortly, however, first impressions do count and if I was less experienced and of a nervous disposition, I probably wouldn’t be going again.

Birthday celebrations

Event

SBT

out and about

At the end of March Preston Insurance Brokers celebrated their 6th anniversary with Staff, Clients, Introducers and Business Contacts at Gars chinese restaurant in Brighton. Here is a selection of pictures which capture the mood of what was a great evening.

Abigail Owen, Kieran Connolly and Nik Askaroff

Noel Preston, Aaron Thorpe, Louisa Patient and Chris Hay

Deborah Crumpton, Gar Hine Cheung and Jason Edge

Tris Moore and Brian Quinton

Carl Turner, Jennifer McLean, Terry Wilmot and James Ruff

Thanks to Nick Ford Photography for the pictures

Nigel Lambe, Elias Paourou and Michael Bryan

Aidan Bowen and Joey Appleton

Max Robinson and Gavin Graimes

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 55

Welcome to New Age Business Networking!

Network My Club uses iconic sporting venues to attract progressive, forward thinking, professional businesses to form a network and environment where they can thrive...

Thursday 6th June, 8.30am-10.30am Brighton & Hove Albion FC The Amex Stadium, Brighton Friday 7th June, 12.00pm-2.30pm Hampshire Cricket The Ageas Bowl, Southampton Thursday 13th June, 12.00pm-2.30pm Portsmouth FC Fratton Park, Portsmouth Wednesday 19th June, 12.00pm-2.30pm Reading Football Club Madejski Stadium, Reading Wednesday 26th June, 12.00pm-onwards Match Day Networking at The Kia Oval Surrey County Cricket Club, London

Our groups are open to businesses from all sectors and for those looking to expand their network with businesses in various industries, of all sizes.

Tweet @NetworkMyClub with a picture of this page to receive 2 places for the price of 1 to your desired event!

01903 898025 | www.networkmyclub.co.uk

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“Network My Club offers an excellent balance between interesting guest speakers, and allowing its members to promote their business to fellow members and guests. This is achieved with the opportunity for group announcements as well as informal networking opportunities over a coffee and a breakfast or lunch, creating a relaxed atmosphere where you can chat to fellow professionals, as well as a soon to be launched enhanced online hub for digital networking within and between the five current locations. There are also regular benefits of sporting events such as race days and match days at the various sporting venues.”

Arbor Cultural

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

Hero IT Support

“Since joining Network My Club I have met some lovely people who I would not hesitate to recommend to my clients, friends or family should they have requirements for their services. I have also met some lovely new clients for my business. I have brought along guests who in turn have also joined, we can’t all be wrong!”

Yes Promo Products

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Networking

Gaydio Mixer Cocktail Masterclass This months Gaydio Mixer was certainly networking with a difference. It was a truly relaxed, fun event as Bar Manager at the delightful Malmaison, showed all attendees how to make cocktails. Then in small groups we teamed up to make our own cocktails (or try at least).

It was a great ice breaker and a great way to get to know other Business owners in an informal, fun environment. The events differ each month from brunch to lunch and evening drinks. Each event is unique but all with a fun element and new and interesting ways to meet and engage with other businesses. If you haven’t been yet then please do give it a go, you will not be disappointed. For more info email rachel@gaydio.co.uk

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An afternoon at Cobb Lunch Club Last month Sussex Business Times joined Cobb Lunch Networking Club at the i360 for its monthly networking event. The lunch club was formed in 2007, and 12 years later it continues to enjoy a fantastic reputation for excellent networking along with a strong social conscience.

Bringing together directors and partners of Sussex businesses with a turnover of £1 million plus, or who employ at least 10 staff, the club is a great chance to meet senior business people at the top of their games. As well as a delicious lunch and a chance to network, there is also always an interesting speaker.

Last month we heard from Piers Bishop, co-founder of WeThrive. In January 2018, 32.5% of the UK’s workforce were considering moving on professionally - Piers asked guests to think about how their business would fair in 2019? Piers gave practical tips on how to ensure your business can retain more employees in 2019 and beyond and why you need to think about it now.

Piers Bishop, MA, MABP is founder of employee engagement platform WeThrive where he created the 4Cs Model for intelligent performance, making it easy to understand the causes of stress and anxiety in the workplace and the negative effect they have on motivation, engagement and performance.

As well as hearing from Piers, we also heard from Christine Squince, CEO of local charity Emmaus, which supports people who have experienced homelessness by providing them with a home and meaningful work.

For more information about Cobb Lunch Club, please visit cobbbusinessclub.com

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Business

Why Exhibiting Your Business Pays Dividends As the final preparations get under way for this year’s West Sussex Expo, we discover what makes business exhibitions so worthwhile.

Hundreds of businesses will West Sussex Business attend Business Expo at Fontwell Park Racecourse on May 2. Many will be visiting the event to make new connections and find great local suppliers. Others will be putting their products and services in the spotlight with exhibition stands.

Among this year’s exhibitors are brands whose names are synonymous with local networking events and business expos. They have learned that face-toface marketing is one of the best ways to showcase their unique selling points.

Showing others, in person, the benefits their business delivers is easy when you have a captive audience.

Like all business exhibitions in the B2B Expos stable, West Sussex Expo brings everyone together in one place, on one day. It makes the process of promoting a business and what it does more efficient and convenient. With footfall increasing every year, there are more and more opportunities to network and generate leads.

Mike Monk is a seasoned networking specialist. He has been organising West Sussex Expo for the past few years and explains: “Having an event like this on your doorstep makes reaching new customers easier. Our exhibitors

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benefit from great exposure - without having to travel too far from their base or spending a fortune.

“The key benefit is that West Sussex Expo raises the profile of local brands and those who want to grow their business locally. They can meet potential customers in person and demonstrate what they do and how their services or products can be of benefit to other businesses. With opportunities to sponsor elements of the show, take part in networking events and learn from inspirational, industry-leading speakers, there is a lot going on to attract visitors.

“Our networking wall, show bags and workshops all offer outstanding promotional opportunities. We recommend that people visiting the expo bring plenty of business cards - to ensure the connections they make can be followed up on.”

Brands opting to reserve a portion of their marketing budgets to attend business expos benefit from online promotion before, during and after an event. This further raises the profile of exhibitors by putting their brand in front of new audiences. Getting exposure on leading social networking platforms is important and can drive traffic to exhibitors’ profiles and websites.

Mike explains: “Business exhibitions like West Sussex Expo have a ripple effect because they connect with

people across multiple platforms. And not just on the day. We are seeing more businesses take advantage of our stand upgrades because they deliver even more promotion.”

With top keynote speakers and seminars led by experts from a crosssection of industries, a business exhibition offers inspirational ideas to drive growth in the local economy.

Many of those attending free events are looking for innovative ways to not just grow their businesses but make them more efficient. With customer engagement, automation and digital sales high on the agenda, there’s plenty to learn from carefully chosen speakers.

Of course, one of the biggest pluspoints of exhibiting your business at an expo is that it is great fun. You get to meet new people in a relaxed environment where everyone wants to connect and find out what you do.

Not exhibiting at West Sussex Expo?

You can attend the event for free.

Want to put your business in the spotlight? Why not book a stand at Brighton Expo on October 3rd?

Find out more by calling Mike Monk on 01273 286133.

Twitter @WestSussexExpo and @BrightonExpo Email: mike@monkmarketing.com

Business

Exhibitor List below...I am delighted to say that I have sold out the stands and we are on track to have 300 pre-registrations. Great line up of Speakers as well. Go to the website to see www.b2bexpos.co.uk/westsussex.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Kiwi Recruitment Mid Sussex Golf Club Network Exposure Group Chestnut Tree House WPA Healthcare Practice Worthing and Adur Chamber Of Commerce PBS Group Monk Marketing MHA Carpenter Box Best Practice People Ltd Vooba The Business Group Chandlers Worthing BMW / MINI Selina Finance Hilton Avisford Park Alpha Training Safety Solutions Ltd

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

NatWest ViiSana Davenport Property Investments European Office Products The Aldingbourne Trust Spirit FM Keyword Copywriting Catax Laughton & Co Ltd Polestar Monan Gozzett Chichester Chamber of Commerce & Industry West Sussex County Council Sussex Chamber of Commerce Malmaison / Hotel Du Vin Last Friday Club - Design Collective

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Chichester - South Coast Journal Cleankill Pest Control cooperativeHR Ltd Silver Lining Convergence Custard Ltd Post Newspapers Ltd The Christmas Decorators Lead Forensics Private Office Legal Services Solicitors Unity Insurance Services Chichester College Federation of Small Businesses Brighton Harbour Hotel Basepoint

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Chamber Business Awards 2019 Chamber Business Awards 2019 – Chamber Open for Entry until midnight 28th June News Recognising and rewarding excellence in British business, the Chamber Business Awards is one of the UK’s most contested and prestigious business awards programmes. Each year, from Aberdeen to Cornwall, organisations of all sizes and from all sectors compete for the coveted titles and national recognition they bring.

We are delighted to announce that not only will this year’s Business of the Year winner get to open the London Stock Exchange when we launch next year’s programme in March 2020, they will also receive a unique staff development experience from Facebook and get the opportunity to work with Rada Business and join a one day communication skills and impact course.

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Award categories • • • • • • • • •

Small Business of the Year Export Business of the Year Best Use of Technology Employer of the Year Workplace Wellbeing Award Customer Commitment Award High Growth Business of the Year Family Business of the Year E-Commerce Business of the Year

Give your business a winning chance: • Easy, online entry process • Full category information to support your entry • Winning case studies • Insider tips and tricks on making your case The entry process couldn’t be simpler, with full category details and submissions made online at www.chamberawards.co.uk Follow us on @chamber_awards #ChamberAwards

This year, only fully paid members of Accredited Chambers of Commerce can enter 8 of the 9 categories for the 2019 Chamber Business Awards programme. However, the E-Commerce Business of the Year award is open to non-members, should a non-member win the national award for this category, they will not be eligible to win Business of the Year.

Give your business a winning chance and enter the national Chamber Awards.

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SBT

ASK THE

EXPERTS

WE ASK THE EXPERTS TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS YOU NEED

EXPERT

How can I future proof my business from start up?

Consider this. You set up a fledgling company. You work hard. You meet the person of your dreams. The company grows. Your accountant’s attention turns to tax planning. You move in with said soulmate. You marry. Accountants advise you to appoint said soulmate as employee for “tax” reasons. You’re advised to gift shares to said soulmate.

You appoint soulmate as director or company secretary. Soulmate turns into

EXPERT

When should a business consider a debt for equity swap?

A debt for equity swap is a method of restructuring often employed when a company runs into severe financial trouble. In a nutshell, it is when creditors agree to write off debt in return for equity in the company.

Debt for equity swaps are pretty common, increasingly so in the retail world.

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Julie-Ann Harris | Partner – Head of Family, Coffin Mew soulless and you separate. What next?

Without clear agreements in place it is not uncommon for one party to ask the court for help to divide the available assets within the context of divorce proceedings. Since corporate interests are treated as a resource of one or both of the parties under section 25(2) (a) Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA 1973) the court can utilise it to achieve a fair outcome. At first the key is to establish the value of the business before deciding how the asset is treated in the eventual settlement.

If you listen to one piece of advice it should be this: always focus on asset protection at the outset. A well drafted shareholders agreement will regulate the relationship between shareholders, record how the company is run, how shares are owned and what happens when things go wrong. Whilst we don’t have a crystal ball, we do have mirrors that should encourage you to reflect, at

the incorporation stage, what difficulties you might encounter as a business owner. Many of us become enveloped in a bubble of positivity at the outset of a new project or at the new beginning of a relationship that we don’t imagine the shine will fade from and reality bites.

Without a shareholders agreement disputes are less easy to resolve and if insufficient detail is recorded within the articles of association you will quickly learn that by the time a relationship has broken down it is too late to turn the clock back to take pre-emptive steps, leaving you with only reactive options.

When talking tax with your accountant, test the end point of the advice rather than the immediate discernible fiscal benefit. Ask about the worst case scenario, consult with a corporate lawyer and always consider if it is necessary to look at additional protection by way of a pre or a post nup agreement if you marry.

Alexander Wood | Partner - Restructuring & Insolvency, Coffin Mew In more buoyant, aggressive times they are sometimes the route used by private equity funders to effectively take control of a business – insisting that new funding must be in exchange for a majority equity stake – and marginalise founder director/ shareholders who may have different ambitions from maximising short- to midterm shareholder value. Even in more straitened times they can be used in the same way if there is a feeling that a particular brand or market has a limited shelf-life. If the business is not listed nor already subject to media scrutiny, it is also a strategy that can be effected quietly and without damaging PR. On the other hand, and being less cynical, debt for equity swaps can be utilised to show continued support by the creditor(s) for the business. That can be a very positive message and usually means things like more continuity for the business and greater retention of staff, rather than the alternative

of triggering a financial default and forcing a sale through administration. Particularly if coupled with a change in management and business strategy, this can buy the time and financial space to put through those changes and revise the fortunes of the business and brand.

A third scenario is that, if full repayment of the debt is unlikely and there are no prospective purchasers for the business on the market, funders are left with little other option. In this case, a debt for equity swap is generally part of a slow death. At the very least, it gives creditors (particularly landlords in the retail sector) an opportunity to rationalise their own business models before more stringent measures such as company voluntary agreements (CVAs) or administration are brought into play. These measures often cause greater pain to landlords and other creditors – as has been documented well in the media.

EXPERT

Aaron Thorpe | Commercial Manager at Preston Insurance Brokers LLP What are the consequences of this?

Often limited time is spent on insurance reviews, with a lack of cover knowledge, misjudgement of sums insured, provision of outdated information and not keeping insurers updated with the evolvement of the business. A wide number of businesses are consequently under insured, trade outside of their cover or hold unsuitable insurance.

Aaron joined Preston Insurance Brokers in 2014 and has moved up through the business to Commercial Manager, a role that includes developing and delivering industry campaigns and schemes. Here Aaron talks about his latest campaign, Licensed Trades.

Why do you feel special attention should be paid to the licensed trade/ hospitality industry?

As the owner of a hotel, restaurant, brewery, pub, bar or nightclub, the risks faced can sometimes seem endless, especially with the threats of crime, violence, fire and more commonly slips & trips. These risks are intensified by long hours, late closing times, crowded premises and intoxicated customers.

How is the industry changing and what implications does this hold for insurance?

The licensed trade industry is ever evolving to stay current to boost profits.

For example, many pubs which serve food now ‘franchise’ out their kitchens, allowing third party companies to operate these. This has rendered many off-the-shelf insurance policies inappropriate, unable to accommodate numerous limited companies operating from one site, with shared facilities.

However, moving away from the typical packaged pub insurance policy and toward a bespoke policy specific to their activities, appropriate cover and competitive rates can be achieved.

What are your top tips for a client to remain compliant, avoid claims and have the appropriate insurance?

If you are unsure on sums insured, use experts to evaluate them. Update your broker/insurer with changes to your business throughout the year. Ensure that the information provided for quotes is up to date and includes future growth.

Review your Business Interruption cover with your broker/insurer making sure the basis of cover and indemnity period is appropriate (most common cover for underinsurance). Take the time to read and understand your policy cover and endorsements – anything you don’t understand or cannot comply with question! Regularly review Health & Safety Policies and Procedures, Risk Assessments, Cleaning Procedures, Staff Training and ensure equipment is serviced under a maintenance programme (these all build into your typical Risk Management Procedures).

Last but by no means least…..USE A BROKER! For more information on how Aaron can help your licensed trade, contact him on 0333 222 1191, 07540 314 891 or aaron@prestonib.co.uk

Delivering an exceptional range of hot and cold hydration solutions | Bottled Water Coolers | Mains Fed Water Coolers | Water Boilers | Water Fountains | Specialty Taps | Accessories

0344 579 3999

edgarswater.co.uk enquiries@edgarswater.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 65

Made in Sussex: Stephen D. Lawrence This month we focus, quite literally, on Stephen D. Lawrence Brand Photography, the focus official photographer of the Sussex Business Times and many other local brands.

A familiar face among the business community, Stephen D. Lawrence is the professional photographer many people turn to when they need to capture a special moment.

Whether you are planning a wedding, celebrating a personal or professional milestone or fancy getting some high quality images for PR, Stephen is the go-to photographer.

A former national press photographer, Stephen has no less than 20 years’ experience.

He says: “I enjoy taking photographs of people, products and settings. During my time as a photojournalist, I acquired the skills needed to really capture those special moments.”

That skill has made him one of

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Brighton’s top wedding photographers.

He also undertakes corporate photography, supporting Sussex businesses as they position themselves ahead of competitors through press releases and multi-channel marketing.

He says: “It is great to get positive feedback, but I never rest on my laurels. I am very fortunate to be based in Sussex where I am privileged to work with amazing people on a fabulous stretch of the South East Coast.”

You will see Stephen at sporting events, award ceremonies and at many local venues taking official photographs for event organisers.

So, what do people say about Stephen?

Apart from being considered one of the most supportive members of the Brighton business community, his customers say he makes valuable suggestions, is never pushy and makes sure he gets top quality images without be obtrusive at events.

His skill for capturing just the right angle at the right moment has seen his stunning images adorn high-calibre company marketing, the pages of newspapers and magazines (including the Sussex Business Times) and, of course, wedding albums.

Whether you are putting on a show, dishing out awards, opening a new business or unveiling new corporate branding, Stephen can succinctly capture images that speak louder than words.

Time and again, testimonials point out that “nothing is too much trouble” for him. He really does go the extra mile to record forever moments that really matter.

He can orchestrate official photographs as well as take ‘in the moment’ action shots.

Stephen says: “I enjoy playing a part in other people’s special moments and ensuring they capture the essence of the occasion - in the way they want it captured.”

Website: www.snapitnow.co.uk Twitter: @sidzey Facebook: Stephen Lawrence Photography Telephone: 07976504832

SNAPITNOW Stephen D Lawrence Photography Corporate Photos • Company Portraits • Conferences

SPECIAL OFFER FOR SBT MEMBERS 10% DISCOUNT - QUOTE SBT

www.snapitnow.co.uk stephen.lawrence@snapitnow.co.uk 07976 504 832 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 67

Licensed Trade Insurance.

Do you own or manage a Licensed Trade premises?

We arrange specialist insurance for Breweries, Pubs, Clubs, Hotels,Restaurants and Bars including: • Single or Multiple Premises • Industry Specific Covers • Exclusive Quotations • Competitive Premiums • EPOS Systems Reviews • Online Legal Advice For a free, no obligation review of your insurance arrangements, please contact us at: 0333 222 1188 licensedtrade@prestonib.co.uk

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