SBT
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ISSUE 445
FREE
SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES
THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS NETWORKING WE CHAT TO BRADLEY HATCHETT, FOUNDER OF NETWORK MY CLUB
COUNTY BUSINESS CLUBS VIRTUAL AWARDS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
THE ACUMEN TOP 50 FATEST-GROWING BUSINESSES IN SUSSEX REVEALED
S E RVI NG TH E SUSSE X BUS I N ES S COM MUN ITYwww.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk S I NCE 197 5
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SBTWelcome
WELCOM E
Welcome to the latest, packed issue of SBT
Spring has definitely sprung and slowly we start the road to recovery and some normality (whatever the new normal is these days).
This month we had great pleasure in speaking with my good friend and our event Partners, the founder of Network My Club, Bradley Hatchett. In this month’s cover feature we discuss the future of business networking.
We also have an exciting announcement as the Acumen Business Law Top 50 fastest growing businesses in Sussex are revealed. County Business Clubs New Platform launches is its beta form and are really excited to share it with our members and the community. We also launch County Business TALKS, as we look to humanise the webinar experience as we once again partner with Network My Club to bring you another great event.
The Nominees for the second Virtual Business Awards for the Sussex have been announced and you can VOTE NOW for your winners for the event later this month!
As always this issue is packed with insights, advice and great content across a variety of sectors, written by the Sussex business community for the Sussex business community.
Thank you all as always for your continued support and we look forward to an exciting Spring - Summer. I hope you enjoy the issue,
Sam Thomas, Managing Director
VALUE ADDED PARTNERS
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BRAND NEW County Business Clubs Sussex Community Platform
NOW LIVE
Content Hub
Community
Marketplace
Growth Services
Your Business | Your Community | Your Platform www.countybusinessclubs.co.uk
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 5
Issue 445
Cover 445
Managing Director/Publisher Sam Thomas sam@thebusinessgroup.co.uk 01323 819 012 Production & Design Kim Butler 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. 2020 ©
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Monthly News
Acumen Business Law Fast Growth 50 Revealed
SBT Finance
How much Money do you need for the rest of your life? - By Servo Private Wealth
SBT Legal
Outside seating for hospitality customers: points to consider – Mayo Wynne Baxter
SBT Property
What is the state of the Mortgage Market a year after Covid? - Mortgage Medics
SBT People Management & Recruitment
Flexibility Matters: leading best practice in hybrid and flexible working past COVID-19
SBT Sales & Marketing
Freedom of Social Activism & Social Media - By Stephanie Prior Revisiting Whitespace Meet Agency 53 Are you Chasing Money? - By Ben Bennett
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SBT Cover Feature
47
SBT Tech
53 59 65 71
The Future of Business Networking - We chat to the founder of Network My Club, Bradley Hatchett
Adapting to our new remote working reality – New World Tech Extech Cloud’s ongoing investment in training and staff development proves a success
SBT Charity Special
Homeless Crisis emerging with local charity, Turning Tides Rockinghorse reaches fundraising milestone
SBT Motoring
Electric Commercial Vehicles out now and coming What is Caz? - By Rivervale
SBT Networking & Events
An interview with Beau & Bell tent hire
Chamber News
We hear from Sussex Chamber, Brighton Chamber and Worthing & Adur Chamber
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SBT Lifestyle
83
SBT Ask The Expert
We hear from Orange Beach Bars Bodywaves Mind Body Soul County Business Clubs Wine of the Month
This months Ask the Experts are Helen Buckingham: Keyword Copywriting, Adam Banstock: small 99 and Chris Mansfield: Fusion, The Business Catalyst
SBT MONTHLY NEWS SPECIAL
THE ACUMEN TOP 50 FATEST-GROWING BUSINESSES IN SUSSEX REVEALED
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MO NT H LY N E WS
The Acumen Top 50 Fastest-Growing Businesses in Sussex revealed! Brighton & Gatwick
Monthly News
based business
specialist law firm, Acumen Business Law, has today
revealed the Top 50 Fastest-Growing
Businesses in Sussex, powered by data
business world, Acumen Business
deal-flow search engine for the private
successes too and the purpose of
from mnAI (the world’s first AI-powered investment markets).
After one of the toughest years in the
Law is delighted to celebrate some the initiative is to identify and provide
recognition to local businesses for their outstanding growth year on year.
The Top 50 Fastest-Growing Businesses in Sussex revealed today are: • Asset Plus Financial Ltd
• Minton Young Ltd
• Avanti (Abi) Ltd
• Mjh Tax Ltd
• Bare Biology Ltd
• Nio Comm Ltd
• Bgl Wealth Ltd
• Numbers Studio Ltd
• Bozboz Ltd
• Organic Zoo Ltd
• Brightec Ltd
• Ozum Ltd
• Casgo Connections Ltd
• Pathway Healthcare Ltd
• Class Cover (Surrey) Ltd
• Phonicsplay Ltd
• Clearstone Business Services Ltd
• Premier Gt Ltd
• Cleghorn Lighting Ltd
• Projects Abroad Ltd
• Clifford Osborne Ltd
• Prosper Home Loans Ltd
• Curtis Building Solutions Ltd
• Ramjam Ltd
• Dyer Technology Ltd
• Rotamac Energy Solutions Ltd
• Gbvi Ltd
• Sketch Events Ltd
• Goodman Lantern Ltd
• South Downs Safety Ltd
• Green Lemon Company Ltd
• Stratospherec Ltd
• Houseen Lettings & Property Services Ltd
• Streetpave Groundworks Ltd
• Insa-Rend Ltd
• Sure Property Solutions Ltd
• Insure For Travel Ltd
• Technology Box Ltd
• Its Cycling Ltd
• The Fabulous Collective Ltd
• Lease Group Ltd
• Tnk Engineering Ltd
• Lyons Finance Ltd
• Tradestar Glazing Systems Ltd
• Marketing Edge Pharma Ltd
• Trenchline Utilities Ltd
• Meridian Finance Partners Ltd
• Tuff-Trek Ltd
• Middleton Heating & Plumbing Ltd Penina Shepherd, Founder & CEO
of Acumen Business Law said: “As a Founder & CEO of a Sussex based business myself, I know what a
rollercoaster this year has been for
businesses. I’m thrilled that the Top 50
Fastest-Growing Businesses in Sussex
initiative can recognise the success and
efforts of the teams involved, who are all
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making a remarkable difference, especially during such unprecedented times”.
The Acumen Top 50 businesses were
Penina Shepherd
You can follow Acumen Business Law on social media, where each finalist will be announced:
contacted by post with their certification,
before meeting digitally or face to face
along with recognition on social media,
with Penina, when the national lockdown ends, and it is safe to do so.
MON T H LY N E WS
Latest pictures show progress at Edward Street Quarter Momentum gathers at Brighton’s newest neighbourhood
Two of the buildings
Monthly News
at Brighton’s newest neighbourhood Edward Street
Quarter have reached
their highest point in a major milestone for the development.
A building containing homes and
office space, together with another
accommodating both homes and local amenities have topped out.
Steve Eccles, Project Director at First Base, said: “Topping out two of the buildings was a very exciting step forward for us.
“Brighton’s newest neighbourhood looks set to be completed by early next year and we cannot wait to welcome the
community and tenants to this new area,
which will provide a home to businesses, residents and cafes, as well as gyms, bars and restaurants.”
Developer First Base said work has already begun on the next stages
of Edward Street Quarter, including
building The Clubhouse which will
to boost mental and physical wellbeing,
views stretching out towards the sea
by the sea, along with touchless
Edward Square, a contemporary, high
working in a post-Covid world.
feature a stunning roof space with
adding to the feelgood factor of working
and pier. Work has also started on Two
technology that responds to office
specification workspace.
The development will include three
The developer said it was pleased with
public green spaces, heavily planted
made, despite the challenges posed by
full of herbs, as well as public art.
progress on the site which has been operating during the pandemic.
First Base has included design features
with mature trees and an ‘edible’ garden
For more information, please visit www.edwardstreetquarter.com
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MO NT H LY N E WS
Post-Traumatic Growth: is it possible to emerge from a pandemic year fighting fitter than before? By Richard Freeman, CEO, always possible It was mid-February
Monthly News
2020. One of my nonexecutive directors
sent me a text: ‘Apart from ensuring the
team are safe and well, what do we
need to do to manage any risks from COVID-19?’. Nothing, I said. We’re a
small and agile consultancy, staff can
work from home if they need to isolate.
We’re cool. As long as our clients are still managing to trade.
Naïve is generous. With people only
starting to get their heads around social
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distancing and the prospect of a few weeks, maybe months, of disruption – I’ll admit I was not even remotely
entertaining the complete shut-down of our clients in the arts or hospitality, or
that our upcoming programme of 1,100 events across summer and autumn would be, um, illegal.
My nonchalance quickly became
anxiety, and I don’t think I have ever worked as hard in my life as I did in
April 2020. But, we know we are one of the lucky ones – we are small enough
to pivot, but big enough to pool expert
brains and the patience of some brilliant clients. For many others, this hasn’t been the case.
In the mid 1996, US psychologists Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence
Calhoun published a paper in the Journal of Traumatic Stress that
detailed a phenomenon that they had
observed in some war veterans and in survivors of major accidents or lifethreatening illnesses. They called it Post-traumatic Growth (PTG).
With instances of Post-traumatic
MON T H LY N E WS
Growth, “…people develop new
understandings of themselves, the
world they live in, how to relate to other people, the kind of future they might
have and a better understanding of how to live life,” says Dr Tedeschi.
There are lots of reports, memes and blogs circulating the internet right
now, about PTG in mental health and
education, families connecting and in other parts of public life.
But what might this look like in business?
Once I had figured out how to stabilise
the always possible team, we put 100% of our time into understanding what the real impact on businesses was going
to be. From April 2020 to Feb 2021, we ended up delivering 1:1 or small group support to over 180 small and micro
businesses across the UK; 25 webinars and 18 engagement sessions around adaptation and innovation in a digital market-place. We’ve published six
insights reports for UK regions on what different sectors need, and why, with recommendations for action.
We’ve helped SMEs to launch online
services, secure grant and innovation funding and pivot their business
plans. We’re managing the South
East Boost grant programme in East Sussex, enabling 157 SMEs to draw down £1.6m in business grants –
and we’ve designed and delivered the Reset. Restart programme for
Brighton Business & IP Centre running workshops on digital pitching, pricing, marketing and resources.
It has given us an aerial view of the
challenges and opportunities affecting all sorts of enterprises, and it is clear that
there are universal trends but it is not a level playing field. Businesses will fold,
but I’m not so sure that the enterprising spirit will. Viable retailers, events
businesses and venues are badly bruised – but
they’re not out. And when you scratch away at tech, engineering, construction
and professional services – you don’t have to go far to
see the impossible become possible, and some radical ideas starting to bear fruit.
It has been so, so exciting. Sussex businesses are innovating hard.
If we are to distil the path to PTG into a process of five skills or mindsets, it
might look a bit like this:
Richard Freeman
1. T hink big
What you know and what you do right
now, might not be enough for the future 2. Listen hard
Find some space to find out what your customers really need, not what it is convenient for you to sell 3. Plan with clarity
The best thing you can do is give
yourself permission to get rid of the
noise and the baggage – go back to
basics, start simple, and be pragmatic 4. Wing it with style
We’re all in new territory – and you
don’t need all the answers; own your
exploration, be clear that you’re trying
things out and take your customers on a new adventure
5. Collaborate, radically
Businesses that pulled up the
drawbridge are the ones that have failed – you’re surrounded by experience and expertise; find some partners and you can achieve more
By plotting out our own Post-Traumatic
create a transformational approach to our work. And we want to share it.
The always possible team are now
on a mission to help transform one
hundred businesses in 2021. We’re seeking ambitious entrepreneurs,
creatives and business teams to join
The 100, working with each business to create a bespoke, practical, visual
12-month roadmap that clears the fog and nails some big decisions.
Post-Traumatic growth is what some
teams are ready for, emerging from the Brexit and COVID-19 disruption with the energy, ideas and opportunity to do things differently. Better. Bolder. Grabbing 2021 by the horns.
This might be you. This might be someone you know.
Because we’re trying something new, all the support we’re providing for The 100 will be affordable for most budgets – some will be given away for free. Interested?
alwayspossible.co.uk/The100
Growth journey, we’ve been able to
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MO NT H LY N E WS
Culture Recovery Fund opens the door to arts this spring Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival (BDBF) has received vital support from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund today (Friday 2 April 2021). The registered arts
Monthly News
charity has received
two grants to help the organisation recover and reopen over the
next few months. Brighton Festival will benefit from £296,500 to ensure it can
bring events back to audiences online, outdoors and safely back on stage
with the re-opening of Brighton Dome Concert Hall this May.
The region’s largest music education
service which teaches thousands of school children and young people, receives
£174,000 for Brighton & Hove Music &
Arts and East Sussex Music teachers to resume tuition in person with students. Andrew Comben, Chief Executive,
Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival
to have such loyal audiences who we
need as the public health advice changed.
beyond the pandemic.”
Council England, as well as Historic
These awards are amongst more than
Fund and the British Film Institute.
England to 2,300 cultural organisations
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden,
know want the arts to thrive and survive
£300 million allocated by Arts Council
The funding has been awarded by Arts England and National Lottery Heritage
announced by the Culture Secretary today.
added:
“We’re delighted to receive this
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts
Fund has already helped thousands of
announced that Brighton Festival will
“Investing in a thriving cultural sector at
the country survive the biggest crisis
of helping the whole country to recover
their side as they prepare to welcome the
help to re-open theatres, concert halls,
our cultural gems plan for reopening and
commented:
invaluable support in the week we
return safely back to the city in May.
Since last year’s cancellation and with
the continued closure of Brighton Dome, it’s been hard to imagine that we’d be able to look forward to this moment.
This funding will also allow us to support our music services as students return to lessons and to present a Festival
that works with local artists, community organisations and a range of creative
professionals who are all committed to and excited about coming back.
We are enormously proud to be in a city that believes in the value of the arts, both economically and socially, and
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Council England said:
“Our record breaking Culture Recovery culture and heritage organisations across
the heart of communities is a vital part
they’ve ever faced. Now we’re staying by
from the pandemic. These grants will
public back through their doors - helping
and museums and will give artists and
thrive in the better times ahead.”
making new work. We are grateful to
Brighton Festival 2021 takes place
recognising the paramount importance
events, performances and installations,
identity as individuals and as a society.”
projects, as livestreams and across
The funding awarded today is from a
extending from Brighton to Worthing. A
companies the opportunity to begin
the Government for this support and for
from 1 May to 31 May and features 94
of culture to our sense of belonging and
both as specially commissioned online multiple outdoor and indoor locations
£400 million pot which was held back last
third of the events will be free to attend.
could continue to help organisations in
www.brightonfestival.org
year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund
MON T H LY N E WS
Freemasons provide £1M funding and 18 Million hours of community support
Freemasons throughout England came together in 2020 to challenge Covid and support their communities. Donating £1M, as well as their time, to help those in need. Freemasons also
Monthly News
worked 18 million
hours as volunteers
in a range of different areas, where there
was a need, including driving vulnerable people to hospital, preparing meals,
taking care of people at risk, organising care packages, producing scrubs, PPE and hand sanitiser.
Crawley, East Grinstead, Worthing,
crisis response. Of that £2.1m, £850,000
Battle, Seaford and Newhaven.
people through several charities with
Supplying a four wheel drive car to
homeless individuals are being provided
to help their team of Rehabilitation
help with accessing services such as
Physiotherapists to reach patients in
employment and training opportunities.
Littlehampton, Chichester, Rye, Bexhill,
has been allocated to support homeless
which UGLE partners. More than 40,000
St Wilfrids ‘Hospice at Home’ team
with food and essentials, transport,
Assistants, Occupational Therapists and
counselling and healthcare, as well as
outlying areas.
Dr David Staples, chief executive of the
In Sussex, Freemasons provided wide
Christopher Moore, Head of Sussex
charities across the counties to enable
the way in which Sussex Freemasons
shows what Freemasonry is all about;
communities in so many different ways,
to our communities and volunteering
providing and delivering hot food to
Freemasons have been doing this for
are vulnerable”
time and commitment that our members
In addition to the £1m donated in 2020, the
fight against Covid-19.”
of £2.1m to support the ongoing Covid-19
www.sussexmasons.org.uk
ranging and much needed support to
them to continue their work during the pandemic. These included:
Supplying 50 Samsung Galaxy Android Tablets to hospices in East and West
Sussex to help Covid patients stay in touch with their families.
Helping fund CPR machines for
Chichester and Worthing Hospitals
Freemasons said “I am very proud of
United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), said “Our response to the Pandemic
have come together to support our
supporting those in need, giving back
from sourcing and producing PPE to
where it can make a real difference.
those in crisis and supporting those who
over 300 years and I am proud of the
Freemasons have committed a further fund
have given to support the nation in its
Providing mobile phones to support
remote working in the NHS, £30,000 to directly support NHS staff working in
the major hospitals across the county (St Richards in Chichester, Worthing Hospital, the Royal Sussex County in Brighton, the Princess Royal in
Haywards Heath, the Eastbourne District General Hospital and the Conquest
Hospital in Hastings) and PPE to a wide range of charities and hospices.
Supporting the work of Domestic Violence charities
Providing £28,000 cash support to food
banks in Brighton and Hove City Mission, Portslade, Burgess Hill, Horsham,
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MO NT H LY N E WS
Kreston Reeves strengthens wills, trusts and probate team with senior solicitor appointment Accountants, business, legal and Monthly financial advisers News Kreston Reeves has strengthened its growing legal services team with the appointment of senior solicitor Catalina Lowe.
than seven years’ experience in advising individuals on their wills, probate, and trusts and estate planning including powers of attorney. She is both a solicitor and member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
said: “Kreston Reeves has an enviable reputation across the region for advising both businesses and private individuals. I am thrilled to be joining the firm and contributing to its continued growth.”
Catalina joined the firm on 18 March from a leading Sussex law firm. Her appointment follows Simon Levine’s arrival as a Legal Services Director in November 2020.
The Kreston Reeves 14-strong legal services team works across offices in Kent, Sussex and London, advising individuals and their families on estate and inheritance planning, wills and probate, trusts, and powers of attorney.
Philip Lansberry, Partner and Head of Legal at Kreston Reeves, said: “The demand for our private client legal services continues to grow across Kent, Sussex and London. We are delighted to welcome Catalina to our expanding team and look forward to working alongside her.”
Catalina brings to Kreston Reeves more
Commenting on her appointment, Catalina
www.krestonreeves.com
Designate launches new LV= Multi Car TV advert revealing how to make life better Brighton strategic creative agency Monthly Designate has News unveiled its latest TV advert for insurance company LV= to showcase the brand’s Multi Car product.
part of the same LV= brand world we all love. It was created with the help of the awesome animation experts at A+C Studios in Margate under director, Dan Richards. We’re also proud that we could champion the British production industry, especially at this particular time.”
The advert is part of LV=’s It’s Our Heart That Sets Us Apart campaign and shows customers that when your family’s cars are on one policy, it makes life easier, simpler and offers a saving too.
One of the main challenges to overcome was producing new TV creative in a very restrictive lockdown period during December and January. Filming live action was possible, but presented significant difficulties. Stop frame gave the agency the solution they needed to bring the idea to life, complement the LV= brand and work around any production limitations.
Designate used familiar, relatable and British pairings to illustrate this concept such as a biscuit dunked in tea or traditional fish and chips and brought this to life using stop frame animation. Becky Sherriff, Group Account Director at Designate, said: “LV= has never used this style of production before and stop frame animation creates a really charming and magical effect. It already feels like
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Sophie Baker, Advertising Manager from LV= said: “The Multi Car TV advert shows that when you bring two things together, they instantly become better, like putting your family’s cars on one Multi Car policy, which could offer a
saving and also means you’ve got one policy and just one renewal date. “The advert sits perfectly in the LV= brand world with its charm and warmth as well as the green heart branding and the ‘Have Love Will Travel’ music track, which has become synonymous with the company. It’s the first time we have used stop frame animation and it created a magical effect, while also rising to the challenge of lockdown restrictions.” The advert launched during Saturday Night Takeaway and will be accompanied by further supporting campaign activity. This latest work builds further on Designate’s long-standing relationship with LV=, having started working with the company in 2006. For more information please visit www.designate.com
SBT FINANCE
HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU NEED FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? BY SERVO PRIVATE WEALTH
A LOOK AT METRO BANK
THE FIRST HIGH STREET BANK TO OPEN IN 100 YEARS
SBT FINANCE SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 15
FI NAN C E
How much money do you need for the rest of your life?
We all know the adage that ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’, so have you planned out how much money you need for the rest of your life? If the answer is no,
Finance
you’re not alone. However, James Mallinson, the
Managing Director of
Servo Private Wealth, is encouraging people to take this seriously, noting that financial planning ‘has no minimum age limit’.
So, where does someone start with something like this?
We were lucky enough to sit down with
James to find out a little more about how
16 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
and why we should all be thinking about financial planning for the future:
“First off, we hit you with the big questions in life, such as; what would you be doing
if you weren’t working? How do you have fun outside of work? What would you be doing if money was no object? We then
quantify this and go a level deeper, asking clients questions such as ‘do you want
to leave a legacy behind? Or would you instead want to go out penniless?”
All of this information is used to build up
a framework by the Servo Private Wealth
team, where they conduct a charges, performance and risk analysis of any
existing plans and schemes you might be invested in.
“We then use the analysis to understand your aversion to risk and link it back to your goals. By doing this, we’re able to tell you whether you need more,
whether you have enough or even if you have too much (this leads to a separate
discussion around Wealth Management and potentially discuss methods such
as charitable giving). I’ve also sat across from people and told people they can
FI NA NCE
retire five years earlier than they thought
they could, providing a massive sense of relief and astonishment.”
However, the team are keen to clarify
that this kind of exercise isn’t isolated to just retirement; in fact, far from it:
“Equally, we’ve been able to help young
business owners quantify their business and help them get off the treadmill of running a business and move onto
something enjoyable. Whether that be investing in another business,
consulting, or just having more time for family, however, without being able to
quantify their business and make a plan, this wouldn’t have been possible.”
James Mallinson, Managing Director of Servo Private Wealth, concluded:
“Ultimately, this is about understanding
the top and bottom of where you want to go in life by asking the big questions. It
may seem daunting at first, but this really
helps to build a bigger picture. Even if
start planning how much you need for
you’re already working with a financial
the rest of your life.
your existing investments to see if there
Servo Private Wealth is an Independent
financial journey. Often, people (business
specialising in providing financial advice
full advantage of the tax exemptions
high net worth families.
aware. Ultimately the sooner we start
Find out more about Servo
know what you’re working towards and
servoprivatewealth.com/ You can also
planner, we can still help by looking at are any gaps to help you along your
Chartered Wealth Management practice
owners in particular) aren’t taking
to entrepreneurs, business owners &
available to them because they just aren’t working with people, the sooner you
Private Wealth here: https://www.
the sooner we can achieve it.”
follow them on Instagram & Linkedin.
The economic climate is certainly
Disclaimer: This article is for general information
looking interesting for the foreseeable
future. Slashed interest rates, coupled with tax changes and government
reforms, which are all coming into effect in the not too distant future, means relying on standard cash ISA’s and
and is not intended to address your particular requirements. No individual or company should act upon such information without receiving appropriate professional advice. Servo Private Wealth is an appointed representative of Best Practice IFA Group Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
savings accounts for your future isn’t enough. These changes are likely to
hit higher level earners and business
owners, so now is the time to plan and look at different income streams and
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 17
A look at Metro Bank
Metro Bank opened its first store in Holborn, London on 29 July 2010 – the first high street bank to open in the UK in more than 100 years. The bank has since
Finance
grown to serve more than two million
customer accounts, with 77 stores in
England and Wales including five drivethru stores and over 3,500 colleagues across the UK.
The team in Brighton is headed up by Brian Quinton, Local Director, who is
keen to help business customers excel by fulfilling their banking expectations; making introductions to specialist
lenders, for example in asset and invoice finance; making introductions to other business leaders and professionals
through the teams networks; providing
18 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
easy to use and efficient mobile and
Metro Bank offers very quick account
exceptional customer service.
every business, on the spot card printing
Over the past 10 years, Metro Bank
bank is also recognised for its game-
online banking technology and providing
opening, a relationship manager for
as well as a 24/7 contact centre and the
has expanded its store network and its
changing digital innovations.
it serves. It is the highest rated high
As the UK’s community bank, Metro
for personal and business customers
spend time volunteering within their local
stores in the Competition and Market
it, delivering more than just banking.
February 2021. More recently its was
www.metrobankonline.co.uk
commitment to the local communities street bank for overall service quality
Bank colleagues are encouraged to
and the number one bank for service in
community and helping those who need
Authority’s Service Quality Survey in
recognised as ‘Bank of the Year’ at the 2020 MoneyAge Awards and ‘Banking Brand of The Year’ at the Moneynet Personal Finance Awards 2021.
SBT
LEGA L
LEGAL
OUTSIDE SEATING FOR HOSPITALITY CUSTOMERS BY MAYO WYNNE BAXTER
SBT LEGAL SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 19
Outside seating for hospitality customers – points to consider The Communities
Legal
Secretary’s recent
announcement that the government is
proposing to extend
existing measures allowing pubs and restaurants to use pavements as
outside seating areas will be warmly received by struggling pubs and
restaurants throughout the country. However, some legal issues need to be considered by hospitality businesses before making the
application for a pavement permit to the local authority.
20 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
1. C heck the terms of your lease,
particularly the description of the “demised premises”, to identify
the extent of the land within the landlord’s control.
It may be necessary to obtain the
landlord’s permission to use the area for
outside seating, in which case the tenant should seek this in writing to reduce the risk of any issues arising.
In most cases, it would certainly be counterproductive for the landlord
to inhibit the tenant’s ability to trade.
Still, in the case of a significant breach of the lease, the landlord could seek to restrain the tenant from using the outside eating area altogether and/
or they could claim damages for any financial losses that are incurred.
When giving permission, the landlord may wish to impose conditions, for
example, on opening hours, keeping the
area litter-free etc. They may also charge a licence fee.
2. The pavement licence will only provide permission for the placing of furniture
LEGA L
Markika Monaghan
the risk of accidents. It also means that should an accident occur; a
business owner will be better able to demonstrate that they have taken all
reasonable steps to ensure their staff on the highway, so consideration needs to be given as to whether
any other licences are required, for
and customers’ safety.
5. Businesses should also notify their
insurers of their intentions to operate
example, an alcohol licence.
an outside eating area and ensure
pavement licence and make sure the
cover in place.
3. C heck the specific wording of the
arrangements put in place comply
that they have adequate insurance 6. Under the Equality Act 2010, it is
with the terms of the licence. For
unlawful for service providers to
stipulate that any furniture used must
because they are disabled. Adequate
pavement at the end of the day, so
be required to facilitate the needs
of seating that is put in place.
customers, to avoid facing claims of
example, the pavement licence will
treat disabled people less favourably
be capable of being removed from the
access arrangements will therefore
care will need to be given to the type
of all users, including disabled
4. Carry out a risk assessment to ensure that the pavement area being used is a safe environment for staff and customers. This should minimise
disability discrimination.
7. Businesses applying for a licence
litter nuisance and take steps to minimise these.
Taking the steps referred to above
should go a long way to enabling pubs, restaurants and cafes to begin trading again using outside eating areas.
However, this is not an exhaustive
list and businesses with concerns or queries regarding how they may put
this into practice lawfully and safely are recommended to seek legal advice.
If you would like advice on any of the above, then please call us on 0800
8494101 and speak to a member of our Litigation Team.
Marika Monaghan, Associate Solicitor Mayo Wynne Baxter
should consider the potential for
disturbing neighbours or causing
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 21
LEGA L
Does your business need help? During these unprecedented times, many businesses are struggling so we would like to help. We are offering free general guidance on: • Unpaid invoices & contract disputes • Commercial landlord & tenant issues • Professional Negligence • Commercial insurance claims
• Trading Standards & consumer complaints • Shareholder & Partnership disputes • Employment claims & compromise agreements • Franchise disputes
Call us on 01273 223290 or visit www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk/here-to-help
www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk 22 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
SBT PROPERTY
WHAT IS THE STATE OF THE MORTGAGE MARKET
AFTER A YEAR OF COVID?
THE CHANCELLOR’S MORTGAGE GUARANTEE: A GOOD IDEA? OR A BIG MISTAKE?
SBT PROPERTY SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 23
P RO PE RT Y
What is the state of the mortgage market after a year of Covid? Like all markets, the mortgage market has not avoided the impact of coronavirus. A year after the start of the pandemic let’s take a look at what we can learn from the last twelve months and what can be expected as we move forward.
Property
The availability and
year later on the 1st March 2021 the
higher risk offerings despite the wider
products saw a fairly
paying your lender’s SVR you may be
indication of confidence in the mortgage
variety of mortgage dramatic decrease
throughout 2020. Many
lenders withdrew deals from the market when the first impacts of the pandemic were felt in the UK, and the hardest hit
were high LTV (loan-to-value) mortgages. This is because deals that require a 5%
average SVR sits at 4.41%. If you’re
able to reduce these monthly repayments further by switching to a new deal, even if remortgaging is out of reach because
your circumstances have been impacted by Covid. It’s still worth getting in contact to review your options.
economic uncertainty can be viewed as an sector. With Sunak’s budget outlining a government guarantee scheme for
lenders to offer 95% mortgages, as
well as extending stamp duty holidays, this too should lead to an increase in the availability of high LTV ratio mortgages.
or 10% deposit, known as 95% LTV or
In the last few months, we have seen an
The mortgage market, as ever, boasts
lenders. This left first time buyers with
As of February 2021 there were 3,215
a new deal, are seeking one, are
90% LTV are considered higher risk for little choice, if any (depending on the size of their deposit) and those with plans to remortgage using a small deposit also found themselves with fewer options. For existing homeowners on their
lender’s standard variable rate, mortgage repayments may well have fallen over
the last year. The average SVR on the 1st of March 2020 was 4.90%. One
24 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
increase in available mortgage products. mortgage deals available. In comparison
to March of 2020 when 5,222 deals were
on the market, it may seem relatively low,
however, it is the highest number since and indicates a trend of expanding options.
This is particularly good news for first time
buyers, as the largest rise in deals of late is on mortgages with a 90% LTV ratio.
This display of willingness to lend out
fluidity. If you are in the process of
looking to become a homeowner, or
just generally interested further in the options available to you, then please
get in touch, we’ll be delighted to help you understand what’s possible. www.mortgage-medics.com
P RO PE RTY
The Chancellor’s Mortgage Guarantee: a Good Idea? Or a Big Mistake?
“Generation Rent,” declared Rishi Sunak in his Budget speech, “will become Generation Buy.” Had the House of
Property
Commons been full, this announcement would no doubt
have been greeted
with loud cheers by Conservative
backbenchers. At last, someone is doing something to help young people get on the housing ladder…
So what did the Chancellor announce? And is it a good idea? Or is he simply repeating the mistakes we have seen
so many times in the mortgage market
– meaning that, in the long run, we’ll all pay the price?
Rishi Sunak declared two boosts to
the housing market in the Budget. First of all he extended the stamp duty
holiday by three months to June 30th, with tapered relief then applying until September 30th.
More eye-catching, though, was his
introduction of a mortgage guarantee, with some of the country’s largest
lenders offering Government-backed
95% mortgages from next month. “A
policy,” said the Chancellor, “that gives people who can’t afford a big deposit the chance to buy their own home.” The mortgage industry generally
welcomed the move: first-time buyers
historically make up a large part of the housing market, very often don’t have
a large deposit and have struggled over the last year with high loan-to-value mortgages in very short supply.
So on the face of it the Chancellor’s
scheme is a win/win. It will help first-time buyers and it will stimulate the housing
market – which should be good for the
course, is house price inflation. Will a
home improvements and DIY projects.
with a Government guarantee, push up
offer long-term fixed- rate mortgages –
likely answer – but with the inheritance
know what their mortgage payments will
Budget, rising house prices would also
economy as people spend money on
sudden rush of first-time buyers, armed
Lenders under the scheme will also
prices for everybody? ‘Yes’ seems the
meaning that the first-time buyers will
tax rate frozen for five years in the
be for at least five years and can budget
mean a windfall for the Chancellor.
and plan accordingly.
If you’re thinking of moving or would like
Some commentators, though, have
to discuss anything in this article please
scheme. Those with long experience
to our mailing list to get our monthly
been rather more cautious about the
don’t hesitate to get in touch or sign up
of the mortgage market will remember
newsletter in your inbox.
other schemes to stimulate lending –
self-certified mortgages, for example
– which seemed like a good idea at the time, and later turned out to be rather less so…
There are also doubts about yet another
‘Government guarantee.’ More than £43bn has
been lent to businesses through the ‘Bounce
Back’ loan scheme. The
Financial Times has since dubbed it a ‘giant bonfire
of taxpayers’ money’ and
suggested that more than half the money lent could be lost.
Could the Chancellor’s mortgage guarantee end up costing the
taxpayer more money? By definition 95% lending is
risky – and the Chancellor wouldn’t be the first in his position to misjudge the mortgage market.
The other problem, of
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 25
Our thinking starts with you “They are excellent in every respect and I am absolutely delighted with the service we receive. Everything has been done in a first-class manner. We know the next period is going to be uncertain, however, with MHA Carpenter Box’s help, I look to the future with confidence.”
Standing still is not an option In today’s environment you need an accountant that does more than just numbers. You need a trusted adviser that helps your business thrive. With our relationship led service, we look to understand the opportunities and challenges faced by you and your business. Our focus is always on client service, with open and honest relationships.
We’re here to help Audit and assurance Accounts and business consulting Tax planning Digital solutions Financial planning
www.carpenterbox.com Now, for tomorrow
26 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
SBT
COVER FE ATU RE
PEOPLE MANAGEMENT & RECRUITMENT
FLEXIBILITY MATTERS:
LEADING BEST PRECTICE IN HYBRID AND FLEXIBLE WORKING POST COVID-19
KICKSTART SCHEME
WE FIND OUT MORE WITH BUSINESS DOCTORS
SBT PEOPLE MANAGEMENT & RECRUITMENT SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 27
P EOPL E MAN AGE M E NT & R EC R U ITM E N T
Flexibility matters: leading best practice in hybrid and flexible working post Covid-19
Keynote speaker Marisa Williams, from PwC, and five flexible working experts share their practical approaches on how to embed a now crucial, post-pandemic smart working culture. Our fourth Flexible
HR
Working Action
Learning Group was hosted by
Emma Cleary of
Sussex based recruitment agency
Flexibility Matters who, for the past 7 years, has been helping businesses
build sustainable teams with flexible
workers. Emma explains: “The idea of a hybrid and flexible approach to
work has been propelled forward due to the pandemic, so the discussion now is not whether it’s embraced, but how?”
28 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
Leading the way with a set of
actions, based on their own trials,
the Action Learning Group revealed some golden nuggets on smart
working implementation. Testament to the relevancy of the topic, over
70 participants benefited from the
session which included breakout room
discussions for drilling down to the detail. Keynote speaker Marisa Williams,
PwC’s Talent Acquisition and Flexible Careers Network Lead, began by
sharing their 22,000-employee strong journey. Commencing in 2017 with a
company-wide smart working initiative that empowered employees to decide
when and where they worked best led
to the launch of ‘Everyday Flexibility’ in
2018. The completely inclusive initiative followed key principles as success
drivers: Working differently not less,
communication is key, not one size fits all and personal responsibility.
With 2019 being the catalyst to a
significant rise in people needing to
work differently, ‘The Flexible Talent
Network’ and the ‘Contractor Network’ were initiated. They allowed for the
P EOP L E MAN AGEM EN T & R ECR U ITM E NT business to flex alongside commercial peaks and dips and for workers to
choose a pattern of work that fitted with extra life demands, such as
homeschooling. By 2020, the initiatives saw PwC emerge as a productivity
powerhouse and voted ‘Best Employer for Flexible Working 2021.
Watch Marisa’s presentation here Following Marisa’s success story, all Action Learning Group leaders took participants into separate breakout
rooms to discuss individually how their
own smart working practices have been implemented across one of six key
stakeholder groups, from new starters to senior management teams and
operations. Here are the resulting top three take-aways:
Marissa Williams tackled The Senior Management Team.
• Communication: ask your people: A
policy designed bottom-up that meets the needs of both the business and
team individuals is most likely to work and has the highest self-motivation engagement.
• Analysis & Action: Testing the model with SMTs and analysing it will create a guide that is based on fact and
inclusion not opinion, eradicating fear.
Champions will then lead by example.
• Toolkit: Production of a roadmap for
managers and team members to use
as guidance helps people move from a mindset of needing ‘permission’ to ‘being able to choose flexibility’.
Dagmar Albers, UK Lead on Diversity
& Inclusion (Gender Pay Gap) at Pfizer, alongside Undergraduate Ella Warren, tackled New Starters.
• Duty of Care: Leaders of new starters must be given managerial tools to
be able to offer a consistent duty of
care, remotely and face to face, with regular check-ins.
• Trust: Mutually agree on boundaries
and responsibilities from the very start.
•A ctively Listen: Graduates, for
example, bring a new way of thinking,
specific team charter to be drawn up for guidance.
so to actively listen will both empower
Richard Pollins, Managing Partner of
the business culture.
‘Gatwick Diamond Business Person of
them and help to expand and evolve
David Blackburn, Chief People
Officer at FSCS, recently awarded the
DMH Stallard, recently awarded the
the Year’, led discussions on Teams and Facility Development.
• Real Estate: Configure office space
Chartered CCIPD in recognition of his
and relevant tech, asking what NEEDS
Management, where flexible working
coaching, community and creativity.
pioneering HR work, addressed Middle practices often get stuck.
•L isten, Engage, Act: Listen to what
MM teams need to be able to achieve their individual objectives. Provide
them with, proven to work, flexible
tools and guiding principles, then allow
to be face-to-face: collaboration,
• Future proof: Sustain what has been
achieved in 6 months, accelerated by the pandemic: paper lite processes,
automation, overhead cost reductions, improved efficiencies.
• Being adaptive: Dynamic leadership
them to manage their own progress.
that transforms having to work in a
in practical terms: A two-week
approach that will constantly evolve.
•E mpower MM to make it work
template, based on what’s worked in
flexible way to following a flexible cultural
other teams, a 40/40 rule that means
Liane Richardson, HR Director at
40% of the time, working parameters
Company to work for’ this year,
40% of employees are in the building
Thakeham Group, named ‘Best Small
of 7AM-7PM.
tackled ‘HR Teams’.
•P ilot: Think carefully about the teams
• Sustaining connections: Even if
to pilot, ensuring that it’s with teams
teams are not face-to-face, ensure
different environments per day.
connection, for example, walking and
that have diverse tasks or need to be in
Jessica Hornsby, 10 years Business
time is ringfenced for maintaining talking on headphones.
• Wellbeing: Maintain wellbeing
Psychologist at Thales, who uses data
by injecting play and space to
teams have on productivity, addressed
remote environments: Chair Yoga,
to prove the positive influence diverse
talk about non work topics within
‘Organisational Development’.
Mindfulness, virtual dance classes.
•S trategic Performance Agenda:
• Show vulnerability from the top:
Following evidence-based research
Initiated from Director level, sharing
better, a flexible policy ‘HAS’ to sit
inspires trust and confidence
proving that diverse teams perform
how people are ‘really feeling’
within the DNA of the business, not as
throughout the business.
a HR Agenda.
•G uiding principles, not rules:
Covid-19 has been the biggest test case
Empower teams with a set of
for flexible working, providing us with
own choices that are best for
Watch this space for more actionable
needed for this shift to happen.
this most recent Action Learning Group
to continue their duty of care online as
one. Keep in touch on 07810541599 or
principles, not rules, to make their
clear evidence on how well it can work.
productivity, recognising the support
take-aways based on the finer details of
•R emote Team Charter: For operations well as face to face, a ‘remote working’
discussion and for the date of the next emma@flexmatters.co.uk
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 29
Kickstart Scheme HR
What is the Kickstart
resource. The Government also covers
Although first
Contributions and Employer minimum
July 2020 and
And if that isn’t enough an additional
Scheme?
announced in
associated Employer National Insurance automatic enrolment contributions.
work experience that they get paid for,
unpaid internships are great experience
but only work for those who can afford it, this levels out the playing field.
theoretically launched in October
grant of £1,500 per Kickstart placement
I’d heard it’s a waste of time trying to
remain one of the Government’s best
(equipment, PPE, uniforms), support,
The scheme has had a lot of
2020, The Kickstart Scheme seems to
is provided to help with setup costs
kept secrets. Which is truly strange as
and training.
objective is to provide 6 month work
So why support 18-24 year olds when
a result of the pandemic, are struggling
groups?
it provides businesses with 6 months of
of long term unemployment, impacting
it’s an excellent initiative. It’s primary
placements for young people who, as
unemployment is rising across all age
to find work. But by default this means
This is the age group at greatest risk
FREE resource.
on their life long earning capacity,
How does it work?
homeownership and ultimately their
reducing future possibilities such as
Businesses receive 100% of the
ability to contribute, via personal tax, to
Minimum Wage, 25 hours a week for
incurred throughout the pandemic. The
young person’s salary, at National
paying off the huge national debt we’ve
26 weeks, that’s 600 hours of FREE
scheme gives young, unemployed people
30 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
get involved!
negative publicity as being slow and bureaucratic – both fair criticisms.
However, progress is now being made as the DWP have recruited (perhaps
they took on Kickstarters) for both their Central office where applications from
businesses are screened and the local Job Centres who support potential
Kickstarters. And, to make life easier,
you can use a Gateway Organisation to do the paperwork for you.
Then I heard you had to take on at least 30 people
P EOP L E MAN AGEM EN T & R ECR U ITM E NT
True at the beginning of the scheme,
but not any longer, anyone can apply
directly to the DWP even if they can only take on one person. To be honest the
rules around who’s eligible and how the
scheme works are changing all the time.
If in doubt call me on 07809 909839 and I’ll share what I know about the latest version of events.
I’m still not convinced
Here’s five good reasons for getting involved in the Kickstart scheme:
1. The 12 month period from March 2020 to February 2021 saw the
number of 18-24 year olds claiming unemployment related benefits increase by 124% *
2. 491,000 young people aged 18-
24 were unemployed in November
published 23 March 2021 https://
There’s more info here about how to
research-briefings/sn05871/
universal-credit/eligibility.
commonslibrary.parliament.uk/
check eligibility https://www.gov.uk/
2020-January 2021 *
OK, you’ve convinced me, what can
Sandra Murphy and Steve Jebson are
roles on your recruitment ‘wish list’
Do at least one of two things:
both based in Sussex. They decided to
3. It helps you, as a business, try out
that you can’t currently afford. 100
hours per month, for 6 months, fully
funded by the Government, what’s not to like about that?
4. It helps local economies - businesses employ youngsters, who in turn go
out and spend their hard earned cash, probably in pubs and clubs!
5. Businesses grow because they’ve had
600 hours of extra, free, staff resource.
And because people are spending with them again. Everyone wins
* T aken from a Parliamentary briefing paper on Youth Unemployment
I do to help?
1. Take on a Kickstarter, you can apply
part of the Business Doctors network,
get involved with the Kickstart scheme
direct to the DWP or you can ask us to
for three reasons:
pretty much nailed now – unless of
1. B oth have young people in their
so you might find it easier to use a
pandemic, are struggling to find
do it for you. We’ve got the paperwork course they change the system –
networks who, because of the
Gateway Organisation like ours.
suitable employment opportunities
2. PLEASE spread the word around your network. Lots of 18-24 year olds still
don’t know about the scheme or don’t know how to get involved. In brief,
if they’re 18-24, claiming, or eligible to claim, Universal Credit, they can
get access to some of the fabulous
placements businesses are offering.
2. I t enables them to support their clients - local businesses who are looking to grow and need extra resources
3. G rowing businesses and employed
young people can only be good for the local economy
Sandra is based in Brighton and can be
contacted on 07809 909839 or sandra. murphy@businessdoctors.co.uk
Steve is based in Crawley and can be
contacted on 07889 269573 or steve. jebson@businessdoctors.co.uk
Steve Jebson
Sandra Murphy
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 31
JACK NEEDS
YOU We’re looking for ‘Hero’ businesses from across Sussex to help raise the aspirations of our local next generation. Raise your profile and market your business while helping 1,000’s of young people. Find out more – visit LoveLocalJobsFoundation.com or email Foundation@lovelocaljobs.com
32 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
Dare to
Dream
Delivered by
SBT
P RO PE RTY
SALES & MARKETING
FREEDOM OF SOCIAL ACTIVISM & SOCIAL MEDIA BY STEPHANIE PRIOR
REVISITING WHITESPACE WE CHAT WITH THEM 2 YEARS ON
MEET AGENCY 53
WE FIND OUT MORE
ARE YOU CHASING THE MONEY?
IF SO, YOU’RE RUNNING AFTER THE WRONG THING
SBT SALES & MARKETING SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 33
SA L E S & MARK E T I N G
Freedom of Social Activism & Social Media
Traditionally, businesses have been reluctant to promote or voice political opinions in fear of potentially alienating customers. However in recent times, there has been a shift in social activism not just from the perspective of the business but for the consumer too. Consumers are
Sales & Marketing
increasingly attracted to brands that stand for something.
There has been a
significant change in marketing trends and consumer behaviour resulting in people not only buying from a
company based on the value of its
product or service, but additionally buying into a brand’s social and
environmental values. Whether it is
food, retail or financial services, there is consideration over principles as
well as products. Brands who uphold ethical standards, transparency and
good business in many ways represent a new brand quality required from many buyers globally.
So why now? What has encouraged this shift?
34 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
Standing up & Standing Out
promoted the rising momentum of the
new; it’s been around for a while and
many ways, changed how many people
fortunate to explore through various
Some of the world’s most successful
been keen to work with stakeholders
Jerry’s, L’Oreal and Nike reached out
values that are not only important to
stand in support with protesters and use
In many ways, social activism is nothing
Black Lives Matter movement and in
as a Marketing Manager I have been
and businesses now use social media.
campaigns. Whenever possible, I have
commercial brands including Ben &
and employees to promote and support
via digital platforms to pledge to make a
them, but to our clients as well. From
their platforms to speak about racism.
from a good place and the results can
Social activism has been considered a
Whether it be finance, law, property,
have followed suit. However, some
opportunities for your brand to stand up
and have been accused of hypocrisy.
my experience, these initiatives come
be financially and personally rewarding.
largely positive move and many brands
retail or even politics, there are always
corporations have come under scrutiny
and stand out.
This has been particularly apparent in
There is no doubt that the social
there have been a range of wide of
that took place in the United States last
and unethical standards. Boohoo is an
the retail industry, where for many years
broadcasting of the devastating events
reports regarding the industry’s practices
year has enhanced social activism. It
example of a brand that has supported a
SAL ES & MARKE TI NG range of social campaigns yet in recent times, has come under criticism for its working standards for employees and has been hit financially as a result.
Several businesses that expressed support for the black lives matter movement had
history of having complicated relationships with race, gender and equality. Leading sports brand Nike for example, had
previously reported in 2017 that out of its
353 vice presidents only 10% were black.
But shortly after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis 2020, the corporation was a leading brand to speak to out about violence and racism.
It is also possible that some corporations and institutions engage in social activism
as a means to influence the policymaking process. In addition to Nike, other large
corporations such as Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Coca-Cola, all recently made
pledges to make contributions and work towards racial equality. However not all
forms of corporate activism are embraced by communities and brands must act cautiously when approaching such
campaigns. Last month it was reported that Coca-Cola had been boycotted
by thousands in Georgia after openly
communicating its support for proposed changes in the voting regulations. It’s not surprising why so many
businesses have embraced social
activism when we explore the results. Recent research conducted suggests that over 60% of consumers care for what brands are doing to support
environmental and social issues. These trends tend to be higher amongst the
younger demographic with over 70% of millennials considering social activism key in consumer loyalty.
Often, there may be assumption
that brands are making a stand as a
form of marketing. They are branding
themselves as fair, diverse or inclusive
as a performative tactic to attract sales.
There is evidence to suggest that social activism can drive corporate behaviour. Consumers are aware of the power
many brands hold and know that they
have an opportunity to make an impact. Businesses are increasingly expected
to use their platform to lead on positive
change. People increasingly navigate their way through today’s politically polarized
landscape, with brand trust playing a key role to consumer accessibility.
Traditionally, social media platforms have offered their own separate purposes
and functions for users. For example,
Twitter originally was the ‘go to’ social
site for seeking news, current affairs as well as engaging with key influencers and celebrities. On the other hand,
Netflix’s Social Media Documentary,
like-minded business professionals and
not only businesses, but politicians pay
are increasingly using all social media
political votes, and support narratives.
and promote social values. In recent
politicians use social media as a means
stumble across an article on LinkedIn
nothing is free. The saying is, if you’re not
LinkedIn was the platform to reach out to
‘The Social Dilemma’ where we see how
networks. However social media users
digital giants millions to attract business,
platforms as a means to explore, discuss,
The documentary suggests that
weeks, it is has not been uncommon to
to win elections. It also reminds us that
questioning Pierce Morgan’s views on
selling the product, you are the product.
Markle is a liar. Although such content can
Increasingly users are becoming aware
be insightful to read and observe others
to fuel more social activism. Although I
Meghan & Harry or whether Meghan
be very uncomfortable for many, it can
of this and in many ways, this is likely
opinions on rather important matters.
do not tend to read some mainstream
Social Media
unavoidable during lockdown. When
accessible communication channels
rather apparent that UK mainstream
to discuss their views and in recent
As society becomes more diverse and
get away from. One of the ways in
more points of view to be represented and
via social media platforms is through
organisations acknowledge this, we are
investment, the larger the reach.
presented by liberal brands, CEOs and
or the pages followed and personal
media platforms including LinkedIn.
depend on what content one will see.
By Stephanie Prior, Marketing Manager
newspapers, their content has been
Social media has given everyone
we pay attention to this content, it is
with direct access to a wider audience
media follows a similar tone or voice.
months, it has been impossible to
interconnected, there is opportunity for
which brands access large audiences
discussed. Until the UK media and other
paid advertisement. The larger the
likely to see more social activism being
Depending on the user’s connections,
other leading professionals on all social
search activity will likely dictate and
This has been recently highlighted in
at Healys LLP
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 35
Revisiting Whitespace
It has been over two years since we celebrated Whitespaces first year in business on the front cover of SBT back in January 2019. Sales & Marketing
Tell us about the
up with demand so we are now actively
business over the
to help spread the load. Emma and
development of the past few years? Things have
on the lookout for a full time developer Tony are still part of core the team
and we have recently hired Jo as our
developed a lot for us since we last
Accounts Director. Jo has over 14 years
slightly since we started. We now focus
range of clients from the travel, outdoor
Branding projects and collaborate with
first point of contact these days and is
We haven’t managed to be there as
much as we would have liked due to
restrictions but are very much looking
forward to getting back in and dusting things down. All being well we are
hoping to have a belated moving in party
spoke. Our core services have refined
PR experience and has worked with a
exclusively on Digital, Design and
and sustainable sectors. She’s peoples
The last 12 months have been difficult
some amazing partners for anyone who
already proving invaluable.
found it as a creative agency?
needs marketing support.
Last summer we moved to a larger studio
The big news is that Milly is currently
located at 4 St Georges Place so we
full managing ‘twins’ rather than Steve
building and a fantastic creative space
the business and will be back later this
are located in the basement, Designate
catching up with old friends and contacts.
office mates, Midnight Communications
As ever Steve is working flat out to keep
collaboration and Friday beers.
on maternity leave and has her hands
are nice and central still. It’s an amazing
and I. She is still very much involved in
that gives us everything we need. We
year when she will be looking forward to
are in the middle and our old friends and
36 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
are at the top so there is lots of scope for
once the latest lockdown lifts!
for so many companies, how have you Of course it has been a struggle and
like everyone we have had to adapt and get used to video calls as a way of life.
When we first started the business four years ago we didn’t have a studio so
when the lock-down was announced
we were well set up to switch back to remote working.
We are very fortunate to work in digital and have kept relatively busy. The
SAL ES & MA RKE TI NG pandemic has highlighted the importance of good on-line presence and being able to trade and communicate effectively.
We have tried to help clients who have been hit harder by offering help and
support where possible. Whether that’s advice, a bit of free time or flexible payment plans.
When the first lock-down was
announced we recognised websites would be more important than
ever and play a vital role in helping
businesses’ trade, raise awareness
new projects at the moment?
the last six months in collaboration with
customers. In light of this we offered
range of clients. From start ups to well
due to go live in the next few weeks
businesses invest in a new site or
We recently launched a portfolio site for
busy. It is a huge site and we can’t wait
challenges and help with their cash flow.
site showcased some beautiful artwork
Tell us a bit more about the team and
such as an interactive mood board and
Whitespace?
As a team we have always believed in
with some exciting new start ups to
success of our four years in business.
simply enjoying the process. We all love
for summer launch.
important to us - we love sharing and
the same enjoyment. At the end of the
We have been quite involved in
creative results possible and exceed
the only way to deliver results is to truly
recently and enjoyed collaborating with
and communicate effectively with their
Whitespace work with a wide and varied
the amazing team at Search7. This is
a deferred payment scheme to help
established international companies.
and is currently keeping Steve very
upgrade in order to meet the new market
illustration agent ‘Arena Illustration’. The
for the big reveal.
and included some really clever features
What does the future hold for
culture at Whitespace?
smart search. We are currently working
We plan to grow and build on the
working hard, being approachable and
develop their brands and websites ready
Collaboration continues to be very
what we do and want our clients to get
developing ideas to offer the best
day we deliver a creative service and
designing for the property sector
client expectations.
enjoy the journey.
the Land and New Homes department at
Our own website is always the last
Great design underpins everything we
brochures and hoardings for new and
we are about to launch the revamped
to ensure that love and passion for
Heritage Collection in Buckingham
a number of our own products which
at the heart of the company. We have
and Park Mansions in Preston Park.
such as the upgraded Traffic CMS and
with our clients and believe we are
We have also helped develop a
Mishon Mackay. Specifically branding,
thing to be done but after much delay
do and as the team grows we want
upcoming developments such as The
version. We are also very excited about
delivering a great end product remains
Road, The Old Sorting Office in Keymer
have been in the pipeline for some time
a relaxed collaborative approach
Blend CRM System.
uncomplicated to work with.
number of established estate agent
Finally, we’re looking forward to getting
We understand the need of striking a
Eightfold Property in Brighton and
Zoom subscription and enjoying
us that we create a working environment
currently in the process of helping to
When we hire someone we want them to
a startup agency in Hove. Hoping to
websites and brands - these include
back to a simpler life, cancelling our
good work life balance. It is important to
Richwards in Henfield. We are
spending time together in our new studio.
that is creative, supportive and flexible.
establish a brand identity and site for
James Morrison
stay, love what they do and help us grow.
launch soon so watch this space.
www.whitespace.studio
Can you tell us about some of the
We have been working very hard on a
clients you work with and any exciting
Creative Director
large corporate hospitality website over
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 37
We chat to Agency 53 Sales & Marketing
Tell us about
by researching and forming a thorough
We’re a local digitally
and requirements.
marketing agency
Our strengths are our team - It is their
Agency 53?
integrated creative
with particular focus on the construction
understanding of our clients’ objectives
skills and understanding and the ability
and property sectors.
to take a concept idea through the
Our goal is to help our clients enhance
successful marketing campaign.
utilising our skills in Digital, Content,
The Agency53 leadership team is made
produce cost effective yet exciting
and Creative Director Michael Neligan, a
the performance of their businesses by
design process to the culmination of a
Design and Marketing. We design and
up of our Marketing Director Jamie Pierce
marketing collateral to enable our clients’
friendship and commercial partnership
businesses to reach their full potential.
built from their university days.
Simplicity is always our aim. We start
Jamie is well known across Sussex
38 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
having built numerous relationships
through various networking groups in
the area. He has also chaired a national trade association group and has
spoken at industry conferences both home and abroad.
Michael’s skills have been crafted in design for digital marketing encompassing web,
social and content. He has experienced life with agencies and working in businesses. Between them Jamie and Michael
have over twenty years commercial experience in this field.
Away from the day job both are keen
SAL ES & MARKE TI NG
runners as well as being frustrated
golfers!! Some may know of Jamie’s
first love Brighton & Hove Albion but not Michael’s who is a rugby man at heart and supports Harlequins.
We are hopefully coming towards
the end of a very tough period for
businesses, why have you decided to launch the company now?
Over the years, we have worked
together on various projects since leaving university and as such the
next logical step was to start their own business.
Michael says, “As an integrated marketing agency, we’ll unravel
the issues, overcome challenges
businesses may face and also help
educate their teams so they have the knowledge for the future.”
Jamie adds “We love to inject new life into businesses of all sizes, whether
that be rebranding, a new website or an advertising campaign. It’s that simple,
we’re here to help and we never forget
that business is about people and trust.
People do business with people and we
have been very fortunate with the support we have received from Richard Beeforth
at Sussex Print Management, Jason Edge
- It’s crucial that people build
at Mayo Wynne Baxter and Sam Thomas
partnerships to learn and develop
their help during the past twelve months.”
Network-Network-Network.
at Sussex Business Times in particular for
How do you differentiate from other creative marketing agencies?
from each other, so our advice is to - Always do your research on your target market.
- Know your audience and understand
Every business needs their own USP
what is driving them to you. If they are
things that automatically come to mind.
get them to share their experiences
and with Agnecy53 there are three
happy customers, ask them why and
1. Agency53 was founded on the
with others. You’re obviously doing
core principle, ‘simplicity’. Our goal
is to make the clients life as easy as possible.
2. Our team has vast knowledge, skill
and experience through working within
something right.
- Only use the social media platforms
that are the right fit for your business.
- If this pandemic has taught us
anything it is that you can work from
many different business sectors.
almost anywhere but also look for
long-term relationship with our clients.
your businesses. Stand still and you’ll
3. F or us its more about developing a
How can you help businesses achieve their marketing goals?
opportunities to diversify and grow only go backwards.
If you would like to discuss how we
It’s simple actually – HONESTY.
could help drive your business, then
We’re confident that our team can
studio@agency53.co.uk or call
deliver results, but it is vitally important
please get in touch with the team 0204 534 2545.
that we understand the clients brief and their business ethos in order to deliver first class results.
Can you give us your 5 top marketing tips?
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 39
SA L E S & MARK E T I N G
Are you chasing the money? If so, you’re running after the wrong thing Winning new clients has always been tricky, and the more tools and gadgets we have at our disposal, the more complex the process seems to be. Let’s face it, selling is actually feared and loathed by many. But here I am, having ‘fallen’ into Sales & an industry that I am Marketing immensely proud of, trying to help others demystify the art of selling and winning new business. If you’re older than *cough* 40, you’ll probably remember a business world before the luxuries of social media and lead generation software. At our disposal, we had an incredible sales tool. It was called the phone. Novel, I know! ‘Phone-bashing’ scared people, and the telesales role was typically reserved for first jobbers, in a quest to line their pockets with enticing commission cheques. Having landed myself in a sales role armed with only a directory and a landline, I soon realised that this is not just a smash-and-grab role. There is huge opportunity and responsibility in doing this job. I was extremely fortunate to start out working with some of the most experienced and capable managers in the industry, and they taught me well. My training was always geared towards understanding the prospective customer’s business needs and desires. We were taught to use big open questions, and to encourage organic conversations. Essentially, we learned to remain curious and satisfy that curiosity
40 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
through information gathering and understanding our customer’s situation. Just build trust. Quite a simple concept when you think about it. When you watch films like Boiler Room or Glengarry Glenn Ross, you will see a huge emphasis placed on the sales teams to play the numbers game, and always run at the money. Do whatever it takes to hit the target. Eventually someone will buy. Right!? The targets are typically very large revenue numbers that increases monthon-month to squeeze every last penny out of the prospects and drive sales teams crazy with greed. Sadly, this tactic works… for a time. But this will typically lead to poor clientsupplier relationships, low renewal rates, and short-term gain. Anyone who runs a business knows, these are not the ingredients for longterm success. While some of those practices still exist in some companies, they actually provide you with an opportunity to stand head and shoulders above them in the quality stakes. A research paper by Salesforce found that 79% of customers think it is critical that the salesperson doesn’t try to sell them products they don’t need. Coupled with the fact that 76% believe it is essential that their salesperson is focused on helping achieve their needs, not just on making a quick sale
Ben Bennett
The smash and grab model of selling no longer applies, assuming you want strong long-term relationships with your clients. If you set your financial targets as the main measure of success, then you will be running at the wrong thing. Focus on how you can educate and support your prospective customers. Add value at every stage of the buying cycle. Demonstrate empathy while building credibility. If you go above and beyond for your customer, they will reciprocate with renewals, referrals and a long-term working relationship. Revenue is your biproduct of success, not your objective. Ben Bennett is Managing Partner of Second Voice (secondvoice.co.uk) a Brighton-based company focused on enabling founders of B2B companies to accelerate growth through sales and operations. Ben is also a business growth mentor for the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator in London and Brighton. If you’re looking to grow your own company and want impartial advice or support, please reach out to Ben at sbt@secondvoice.co.uk
SBT COVER FEATURE
THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS NETWORKING
WE CHAT TO BRADLEY HATCHETT, FOUNDER OF NETWORK MY CLUB
SBT COVER FEATURE SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 41
The future of business networking Cover Feature
Bradley, tell us about
sports clubs to launch business clubs
We are a business
locally in Sussex at the Amex Stadium
membership
Network Albion Business Club many will
Network My Club? networking
to bring businesses together. We do this with Brighton & Hove Albion FC (for the
organisation. There’s a bit of a pre and
know) but do the same across the South
given the circumstances.
Kia Oval Cricket Ground, Twickenham
post pandemic story to the business
Currently running our events online, but
East and London, at the likes of the
Stadium, Madejski Stadium and others.
historically (and we’ll be returning post
But Network My Club are more than
place at iconic sporting stadiums.
Ultimately, as a membership
We partner directly with professional
and serve our business community. It’s
COVID restrictions) our events take
42 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
just networking events is that right? organisation we’re there to support
not just about running quality events, it’s about ensuring our members are
meeting the right people, understanding why they are networking and what
they’re looking to get out of it, then helping them achieve that.
Our business is networking, it’s not just a side-line (although I still get asked what I do for another job).
There are five of us in the company full-time. Meaning when you join
Network My Club, you get a hands-
on team dedicated to supporting and understanding your business.
COVER FE ATU RE
Bradley Hatchett
Too often I see businesses go from
event to event, with no real approach
and thought behind it. They don’t get
anything from it and then bemoan the
fact networking doesn’t work. We want to change that. To help put purpose behind your networking.
We’re on a mission to bring networking
into the 21st century. Using cool venues. Doing it innovatively online. Making
networking something you want to do,
not something you feel like you have to. As a networking events and
membership company, tell us
about the last year and how you have adapted?
Where do I start?! To say it’s been the most challenging, stressful, mentally
exhausting and toughest year of my life would be an understatement.
We’ve adapted a lot. Our business
model was primarily based on face-toface events at these venues I mention.
From March 2020 that business model
was completely blown apart. We had to act fast. It really was do or die.
So, we did what everyone else did and got a Zoom account. We started to
run small meetings on there with our members. But learned early on that
they were going to get very samey and
stale, very quickly. There was no way to
differentiate one Zoom call from another! After 3 or 4 weeks of doing that,
before Zoom fatigue had completely
set in, I started to explore other online event platforms and came across
Remo. For those reading that haven’t
experienced it, it’s probably the closest an online events platform has gotten
to delivering an authentic and as close to real-life experience out there. You can create different event rooms (or
environments as I call them), meaning events look like real events, even with
tables and chairs. Attendees can move freely around the room onto different tables and only see and speak to
people they are on a table with. It’s not cheap, but it’s so clever and you get what you pay for.
As a result, we began aligning the
formats of our online events with that of our live events. With it offering the
ability to have intimate conversations
in a large-scale event, with the control and freedom to move to speak to who
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 43
C OVE R F E AT URE
you want to. Just like you would at a
real event. Our members are saying it’s as good as the real thing, without the travel or the food.
Since June 2020 our online events
have been solely on Remo. We’ve also
added a new online event management arm to our offering, running events for
businesses on the platform to save them the stress of doing it themselves having seen how close to real life it is.
We’re running all kinds of online events for clients, including online exhibitions,
awards ceremonies, charity fundraisers,
live cooking demonstrations, Q&A’s, pub quizzes, company social and team-
building events, webinars, networking and many others.
We even opened our own virtual pub, Network My Pub, last year. Not a
sentence I thought I’d be saying over
a year ago. This has proven extremely
popular on Friday afternoons when we
44 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
open it and has helped people stay
connected socially in a fun way during
We have been fortunate enough to
Landlord’ to my LinkedIn profile?
events, we know we share a similar
lockdowns. Can I add ‘Virtual Pub
Ultimately, we had a duty to serve our
members first and foremost. Therefore, invested in the best online platform to
offer the best online event experience. I
often say there’s a big difference between a video conference (on the likes of Zoom/ Teams) and a virtual experience. You
have to see it for yourself to understand what I mean – I’ve given up trying to
explain it over a call or email, I just tell people to come and try it out!
That’s a snapshot of our last twelve months, it’s been one hell of a ride,
we’ve adapted so much. But, despite the stress, we’ve come out of it with a more robust and future-proofed
business. I owe so much to my team
who have faced every challenge head on with such a brilliant attitude. They are absolute superstars.
attend and work with you on various ethos and passion for ‘collaboration
over competition’, tell us about your views on this, how this year has
impacted people’s ideas around this
subject and what a good partnership, collaboration looks like to you?
Firstly, we are fortunate to operate in a space where our perceived
‘competitors’ can be friends and allies. A space where businesses choose
to spend their time and budget with
organisations that offer a very similar service. Not all industries have that luxury, but that’s a big factor in my
belief in collaboration over competition. I often use the analogy that networking
is like fishing. You don’t go fishing from
the same lake every time. You mix it up. In networking, you attend and join different groups. We see that with
COVER FE ATU RE our members. Many (if
not all) are members of
other networking groups or memberships. Each offering something
slightly different. Be it
different formats, member demographic, structure, benefits, lots of things.
For example, our approach
and events are informal and relaxed. The experience
you’d get attending one of our events compared to
say a BNI event would be drastically different. But
both serve a purpose and
attract and work for many different people.
Therefore, collaborations for us are about bringing two communities together for the benefit of both communities.
A good partnership and collaboration has to work for both parties. If you’re
going into a relationship thinking what
you can get out of it, you’ve already lost. It’s also important that you collaborate
with an organisation or community that
share the same values and approach to what you do.
We see it as a value add to our members too. Collaborating with another group
that shares the same ethos means new businesses for our members to meet,
and vice versa. That can only be a good thing for all parties.
Not all organisations see it this way.
Some see it more of a conflict. That’s fine. In our case, we believe in our
structure and model enough to be
open to collaboration. If people don’t like our format, that’s absolutely fine.
There’ll be something out there for you. If people prefer another group to ours,
no problem. If anything, that drives me
and the team on to see how we can
continue to add more value and serve our members further.
The last year has been a year of
‘firsts’ for many of us especially the team at NMC. What do you feel you
and the team have learned the most? For me, it’s been the importance of
mindset. And the mindset you choose. This isn’t just for us, but what I’ve
witnessed from meeting hundreds of businesses in the last year.
We had a choice in March 2020. Wait for this virus to ‘blow over’ and get
Ones that are just waiting and hoping for things to return to how they were
before. And others seeing the change
as a positive and adapting their ways of working to make the most of it. It’s no surprise the latter are in a much more
positive frame of mind and optimistic for the future when speaking to them.
Times are changing drastically and will continue to do so. Embracing change and being agile will put you in a good position. Mindset is everything.
back to live events. Or embrace the
What does the future hold for
most of the situation.
My Club?
reality for the foreseeable and make the
Luckily, the former was never even a
consideration of our team, and I couldn’t be prouder how this was their default. The result of that is what we’ve been
able to achieve, how we’ve adapted and the position we’ve put ourselves in now to move the business forward. I look back on the past year with immense pride, in my team and myself.
I’ve seen a clear difference in mindset
in businesses during the pandemic too. Typically, on one of two sides.
networking events and Network A lot of people are talking about hybrid
events. That’s becoming the buzz phrase
for the future. The idea of people being at an event in person and also online.
I don’t see this applying to or working with networking events.
Instead, I see a more blended approach to networking. In terms of people
attending some events in person and some events online.
Firstly, the obstacle of adopting video
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 45
C OVE R F E AT URE
conferencing technology has been
overcome by pretty much everyone (thanks to Zoom!). Meaning, the
receptiveness to attending online events has been dramatically increased, as well as the benefits being realised.
Businesses are seeing how much time
and money they’re saving from attending events online but are still meeting the
same number of people (if not more). Not
to mention the impact on the environment
by not driving to and from so many events. In our annual member survey, 81% of our
members said they will be doing a mixture of online and in-person networking.
Therefore, we will be offering both forms, live and online events.
For us the biggest benefit of online
events to our members has been being
online events. A big factor of this is the experience we’ve been able to offer using the Remo platform.
Typically, those I speak with that are desperate to go back to live events have spent the last year attending networking events on Zoom. I can fully understand this as I was sick of it after about 4 weeks! Zoom is a great communication tool. But it was not made for networking. Many networking groups are using it as a stop gap until live events return or trying to bend its limited features to work in their favour. Whereas Remo was built for events and specifically networking. I expect to see many networking groups continue with online alongside their live events too. If not, we’ll be
able to meet other businesses across
there to help people get their fix.
to London to Hampshire to Berkshire,
How do you see people networking
all the regions we work in. From Sussex without leaving their office or home.
effectively moving forward?
If you speak to our members, they’re
this. But in summary, it’ll be about
very eager for us to continue with
46 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
I recently wrote a blog on exactly embracing online and in-person events.
Online events are a great way to meet new people and maintain relationships. In person is where you solidify and establish that relationship. Making it even more human. The shake of a hand or a joke over a coffee or glass of wine will not die out. But people have just found other ways to network. More time and cost-effective ways to do so. Opportunity will be online and in-person. Businesses will spread themselves across the two forms whereas before in-person events were the only option. It’s about putting yourself in the position to welcome that. I talk about being a networking chameleon and being able to adapt and change to the different forms. If you consider yourself one of those and are open to embracing both, you’re a great fit for Network My Club! www.networkmyclub.co.uk
SBT
COVER FE ATU RE
TECH
ADAPTING TO OUR NEW REMOTE WORKING REALITY
BY NEW WORLD TECH CEO, GLEN BALLARD
EXTECH CLOUD’S ONGOING INVESTMENT
IN TRAINING AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROVES A SUCESS
PLUS X BRIGHTON ARE ON THE LOOKOUT...
SEARCHING FOR INNOVATIVE LOCAL COMPANIES TO JOIN THEIR SEVEN STOREY INNOVATION
SBT TECH SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 47
Adapting to our new remote working reality
A year into the global pandemic and there is near universal agreement that flexible working models, that accommodate different locations and schedules, have proven to be much better than anyone would have imagined possible. While it might appear
Tech
that the Covid-19 virus precipitated
the work-from-home
movement, for many
knowledge workers the shift to remote working was already well underway. The pandemic has indisputably
accelerated and amplified the remote working trend and there is no doubt that as we gradually move towards a new more ‘normal’ environment, business as usual will look profoundly different.
48 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
Most employees largely welcomed the shift to remote working, but for some
companies and employees alike, there have been and will continue to be
some growing pains. Social connection and bonds between colleagues are foundational to the success of all
organisations and first-time remote workers can feel overwhelmed,
disconnected and distracted initially. Since the pandemic hit just over twelve
months ago, technology has dominated the conversation about work. A good
day at work depends on the quality of
your Wi-Fi. “Zoom” is now a verb. And
virtual collaboration happens with tools like Slack, G Suite and Box.
After the initial freedom and enjoyment of being able to work the way they
wanted to work, for some the shine quickly faded. As the pandemic
stretched on with no end in sight, many
people found that they sorely missed the social outlet that work once provided.
The need for belonging and connection are core to being human. While
productivity, work-life balance, and
TECH experiences across your
organisation – regardless of the location of your
employees. Our services enable flexible working
practices such as remote working, use of different device types to access
data regardless of location
and enhanced collaboration tools. We provide a suite of Office 365 advisory,
transformation and ongoing management services that overcome the challenges
and complexities of moving workloads to the Cloud.
Glenn Ballard
overall satisfaction with working
arrangements is trending up, the
difficulty of building and maintaining
relationships and staying in sync with colleagues is a persistent struggle. Digital tools are the indispensable
infrastructure of remote work. But getting plugged into the best technologies will
only take you so far. Thriving in the world of remote and distributed work depends on finding new ways to wire your teams’ social connections.
At NWT we know that remote working has been a steep learning curve for
everyone. But with the right policies and technology, it is possible to ease the
transition and ensure that remote work is both productive and fulfilling.
While there are many things that we do not know about what lies ahead
for remote workers, we do know that siloed communication, fragmented
systems and disconnected employees
simply will not cut it anymore. As we all learn to navigate these times of great
change, we also have an opportunity to reimagine how work is done.
It is clear that remote working will be at
the core of the new ways of working, the
We provide fully managed trend has already picked up pace, with
industry giants such as Google, Twitter, Morgan Stanley, Microsoft, Amazon
and JPMorgan announcing permanent
work from home policies for significant portions of their workforces.
The new normal offers everyone –
employees and staff – an opportunity to reflect about what is important at
a corporate and individual level. The
talent pool no longer has to be within
commuting distance of the office. Work
no longer needs to refer to the workplace but the fundamental operations to
be performed. Technologies such as
cloud computing enables efficient and
sustainable remote working that will free up teams to focus on creativity, problem solving and innovation.
NWT is helping businesses to rethink their remote working strategies and implement an agile work culture
that prioritises results and flexibility over rigid structures. We provide
independent advice on how to set-up
physical and virtual workspaces using
Service Desk solutions that
are designed to encourage
self-help, self-heal and resolve issues on first point of contact. We can
deliver both on and off-site support for your IT infrastructure and applications including Office 365.
As a result of the pandemic the world is a very different place. Over the
last 12 months, many organisations
and individuals have been forced to
adopt austerity measures to survive. But the new normal is finally here. Now it is time to recover, instil a
sense of purpose and set bold new
goals. Now is the time to enrich your
digital infrastructure and tap into new talent. Your reward will be a more
resilient company, a more diverse and empowered workforce and a more robust and equitable society.
If you would like to know more about our goals for the new workplace
future of work, please contact info@ newworldtech.io or visit www.newworldtech.io
communication, project management and collaboration tools.
Our services are designed to empower productivity through consumer-like
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 49
Extech Cloud’s ongoing investment in training and staff development proves a success
Extech Cloud, an award-winning IT managed service provider based in Sussex, was recently thrilled to be announced as ‘Edge Partner of the Year’ in the Vuzion Cloud Awards 2021. Vuzion is an
Tech
innovative Cloud
solutions specialist,
assisting businesses like Extech Cloud,
in order to ensure the team has the
technical skills and expertise to offer
customers the solutions and services to suit their needs.
ensuring the best possible foundation
Investing in knowledge and staff
sustainable and future-proof business
“Part of our ongoing work with Vuzion
for their partners to build and develop a for the 21st Century.
The team at Extech Cloud has partnered with Vuzion’s EDGE Partner Program
50 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
development
involves heavily investing in the training of our team, with the help of Vuzion
Cloud,” says Andrew Hookway, Director of Extech Cloud. “This is so that our
team of experts at Extech Cloud can continue to provide top-level service
and pass this knowledge on to our wide range of clients. We want to ensure that no matter what a client might want to speak to us about, we have the best possible answers and solutions onhand to help”.
“The virtual awards, which took place
via Microsoft Teams, celebrated Vuzion Partners, and their innovative work
TECH to the reluctance to change current
practices. Whether it stems from an IT Manager or an outsourced team,
it results in the same issue…a team that are disengaged with IT and
disheartened by decisions being made. What’s more, when everyone does return to the office (even if it’s just
for a few days per week), you don’t
want a culture of staff blaming poor IT infrastructure for losing precious time. Having the right systems in place
ensures that day to day routines can
continue without any spanners being thrown into the works. What’s more,
although it might seem like a move to
Andrew Hookway
within the IT industry,” says Andrew.
“The night was a fantastic way for those in the industry to stay connected during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
It also offered a brilliant opportunity for
Vuzion Cloud partners to promote their hard work during challenging times
and to ensure wider recognition of their successes and achievements. Continually learning as new innovations arise
As the world of IT is so fast-moving, the
team at Extech Cloud aim to continually
learn as new innovations arise, ensuring that they are always ahead of the curve
and that clients are empowered with the know-how to be in the starting gates
when the business boom hits, and by all accounts later this year.
If your business has a new-found confidence in future business
conditions following the first steps
in the gradual easing of the national lockdown, you may find that
uncertainties are now shifting towards
the cloud is a big change, it results in a thinking about it next month or waiting until later in the year, when it’s already much too late”.
Overcome IT issues before it’s too late The team at Extech Cloud understands that SMEs can’t always afford to be
making investments, especially at the moment in the midst of a pandemic,
and it can be tempting to delay making any changes for as long as possible. However, now is the perfect time for businesses to decide on the most
optimal way to overcome any IT issues and be better prepared for whatever happens next.
“Businesses have to remember that if
they only ever do what they’ve always
done before, they will only ever get the same results. A miracle won’t occur overnight,” adds Andrew.
Nothing is going to change if your IT
systems and processes don’t change too. Therefore if you limped through lockdown, Extech Cloud can help!
what you are doing with your IT.
Locked down IT due to a reluctance
“If this sounds familiar within your
Over the years, the team has seen time
business operation, NOW is the time to act,” says Andrew. “I don’t mean
lot more than ‘just’ the ability to access
any applications quickly and easily from anywhere in the world. It’s a way to
future-proof the business and ensure
that you’re competing within your sector, otherwise what’s the point?
For example, you wouldn’t enter a
marathon without your running shoes,
would you? therefore why be in the race when you’re at less than your best? Be at your best with Extech Cloud
“Being at your best works both ways,” says Andrew. “Not only do we want to
ensure that our clients can work smarter and more efficient and effectively be
the best versions of themselves with
our help, we want our team to continue learning and ensure that we have the
best knowledge and support on-hand at all times to pass on to our customers”. Digital transformation is easier than
you think when you come to Extech
Cloud. Speak to the experts to get the
facts. Contact the team on +44 (0) 1444 443200, email info@extech.co.uk or visit www.extechcloud.com.
to change?
and time again where a business’ IT
systems become ‘locked down’ due
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 51
TEC H
Plus X Brighton are on the look out... Plus X Brighton are searching for innovative local companies to join their seven storey innovation hub and benefit from fully funded business innovation support. Could that be you? Read on! The Innovation Hub
Tech
which opened in
June 2020 is home to a like-minded community of
ambitious businesses who want to
grow their business in a productive and creative space. Co-working, resident desks and studio offices for small,
medium and large companies are on
offer but Plus X Brighton offers much
more including state of the art product proto-typing workshops, podcast
studios, media suites and wellbeing
benefits such as the twice weekly yoga classes and a nutritional on site café. It doesn’t stop there…. Plus X Brighton have partnered with
the University of Brighton to offer you a
unique package of fully funded business
innovation support. This support includes: • Monthly innovation & business growth workshops
52 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
• Monthly drop-in clinics with carefully
selected professional service partners providing advice on topics such as
Intellectual Property, Brand Strategy,
Diversity and Inclusion and much more
• Collaborative social and networking events such as the monthly coffee morning
• Opportunity to access one off or
regular coaching sessions where you can go in depth with your unique business challenges
• Access to world renowned innovation programmes delivered by an expert team at the University of Brighton
• Access to the Plus X Workshop and
team: a maker space with the state of
the art machinery and on site technicians to help you with product prototyping
All the above support is included fully
funded when you sign up to one of the
innovation programmes. And the timing is perfect, as the next programme is accepting applications now.
Inspiring Innovation is a 5 month programme that will help you
differentiate your products or services, explore new revenue streams or prototype new products.
To access the support, you do have to be a member of Plus X Brighton, but
the good news is the memberships start from £150 a month.
If you’d like to find out a bit more,
we’ve got an event coming up where
our Programme Manager Sam will be grabbing a cup of tea and telling you
about how it works. Register for free
here or let me know if you want to book a tour and have a look round.
The project is receiving £5.5m of
funding from the England European
Regional Development Fund as part of
the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.
SBT CHARITY
HOMELESS CRISIS EMERGING WITH LOCAL CHARITY, TURNING TIDES
ROCKINGHORSE REACHES FUNDRAISING MILESTONE RAISING AN INCREDIBLE £600,000 SINCE APRIL 2020
CHOSEN CHARITY PARTNER:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 53
C HAR I T Y
Homeless Crisis Emerging – local charity, Turning Tides, are starting to see the real economic impact of COVID Local charity, Turning Tides - the largest provider of support for homeless men and women in West Sussex ended 2020 supporting a record number of men and women. Turning Tides
Charity
were delighted
to be announced
the winners of the
Community Award
at the inaugural Virtual Business
Awards Sussex in December 2020.
After an incredibly challenging year,
with a near doubling in the number of individuals accessing their services due to the pandemic, the news
brought a real moment of positivity.
54 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
The start of 2021, has been no less
challenging, as the real economic impact
of COVID is now upon us and a homeless crisis is emerging. Many people had been hit hard by the pandemic - losing their
livelihoods and their homes, through no fault of their own.
Simon, now a resident in one of Turning
Tides’ services, shares his story - he is one of many who found themselves without
anywhere to live over this past difficult year.
CHA RITY “Last March (2020) marked the beginning of the worst year of my life, within a
few short days everything completely
fell apart. I was living with my girlfriend and worked as a self-employed
construction worker. But in March, our relationship ended. In just a few days I had the sudden realisation that our
home wasn’t actually ours, but hers. Not only was I devastated about the
spilt, I had absolutely nowhere to live.
At the same time, the country went into
its first lockdown - a frightening time for
everyone. Worse still, work dried up and I found myself ‘sofa surfing’. I can only
describe that time as feeling completely shell shocked and very afraid that this was happening to me”.
Simon had to live out of his work van,
which he describes as “three months of
absolute hell”. “It was often freezing, my
roof leaked and so everything was damp. I gradually sold off my work tools in order
to eat. If it rained, I would just sit in my van alone all day long. Living this way took a toll on my mental and physical health.”
Fortunately, Turning Tides were able
to provide Simon with support at their local Community Hub where he could
access hot showers, clean clothes, hot
meals and practical and emotional help from keyworkers which he describes as “a real lifeline”.
Claire Halford-Dale, Worthing’s
Community Hub Manager explains:
“We are seeing rapidly increasing numbers of local men and women seeking our
support for the first time. I have witnessed first-hand how COVID has literally ripped apart the lives of so many people within
our community - people just like you and I - as COVID takes away health, jobs,
relationships – and eventually homes. Our Community Hubs are the place that
offers someone with nothing - something. If the Hubs weren’t here, I think life would be unbearable for many.”
At the start of the second lockdown in
time before these short term remedies
‘Everyone In’ initiative, Simon was
streets. With a shortage of temporary
worked round the clock with local
housing and rising numbers of people
rough into emergency accommodation
are painfully aware the homeless crisis
November, as part of the Government’s
end and many are returned to the
offered a room at Butlins. Turning Tides
accommodation, limited affordable
authorities to bring people sleeping
becoming homeless, Turning Tides
to protect them from the virus. For so
brought by COVID has only just begun.
was a very real lifeline.
Turning Tides are committed to finding
Simon describes that time as “feeling
Simon, who just need the chance to
warm bed, I was able to cook hot food
without continued support from the
began to heal.”
for donations to help them meet the extra
many, including Simon, ‘Everyone In’
lasting solutions for local people, like
like I had won the lottery. I had a
rebuild their lives. They cannot do this
every day and my physical pains also
community and are urgently appealing
Simon is now living in Turning Tides
need for their vital services.
accommodation:
A homeless crisis is happening where
and work is not going to be easy,
another person’s story by donating to
“I know that finding my own home
you live - you could be the hero of
especially when so many others are in
Turning Tides today.
has been such a godsend. Without
To donate, to find out about the work of
the charity, I honestly do not know
Simon’s story in full, visit: www.turning-
the same situation. The charity really
their support and those that help fund
Turning Tides’ Community Hubs, or to read
where I would be right now.”
tides.org.uk/homelesscrisis
For the first time ever an estimated
Donate by phone: 01903 680748
1,000 people, including families,
Scan QR Code:
are living in temporary emergency
accommodation across the county.
Unless they are supported into proper
housing and, crucially, given support to rebuild their lives, it is only a matter of
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 55
After a year to remember, Rockinghorse reaches fundraising milestone Despite the enormous challenges of the past year, Rockinghorse has managed to raise an incredible £600,000 since April 2020. Over the last year the
Charity
world has changed beyond measure.
When 2020 started noone could have seen
the impact that the coronavirus pandemic would have across every aspect of our
society from schools to retail, businesses
to travel, and of course the charity sector. And Rockinghorse was no exception. In March 2020 they were suddenly
56 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
faced with the prospect of all their usual
charity events being cancelled, including their single biggest fundraiser of the year, the Rockinghorse Ball.
There was a real possibility that 2020 would be the year that Rockinghorse closed its doors. The team had to
adapt incredibly quickly to ensure
they were able to continue supporting vulnerable children throughout the
county, but nothing was certain, and
no-one really knew how the year would pan out.
Luckily, thanks to careful financial
management during the previous few
years, the small staff team at the charity weren’t furloughed and continued to work throughout the year. They
understood that while the landscape of ‘business as usual’ was shifting
dramatically, babies and children were still getting sick, and they wanted to
CHA RITY with the support they received. Young people put their time and effort into raising money for their peers with netball challenges, sponsored cycles and marathons and even running
a charity Etsy shop. Runners who
missed out on the usual marathon
season took to the streets to run virtual races and fundraise. And online gamer Matt Cullimore undertook two 24-hour live stream gaming sessions to raise over £6,000.
Local businesses were also a vital part
of fundraising through the year. Search 7, a Brighton based digital marketing agency, have undertaken a range of fundraising events as part of their
target of raising £77,000 for charity
this year, pledging £50,000 of this to
Rockinghorse. And staff from Santander undertook a range of challenges along
with cake sales and a Christmas hamper sacrifice scheme for the charity.
And throughout the year the Trust
Fundraising Manager at Rockinghorse
applied to 115 different trusts, resulting in being awarded over £180,000
in grants during the year, including
£120,000 from The Camelia Botnar Foundation in Horsham.
This all meant that far from being unable to offer much support,
Rockinghorse could not only continue honour their commitment to support them in any way they could.
As Rhian Walsh, Finance and
Operational Director at Rockinghorse
explains: “We realised immediately that
we had to think fast and change the way
we worked almost overnight. This meant engaging our supporters quickly to help them understand that we needed their support more than ever.
“We developed our ‘Rockinghorse
Hero’ campaign and launched it within
a week which really helped galvanise
to fund vital equipment and services
support and kick-start a new world of
but also offer more support related to
virtual fundraising.”
the year’s events.
This initial campaign ended up raising
They funded a range of equipment
By thinking differently, really linking in with
of the virus: a portable lung function
their website and social media platforms
of lung conditions, camp beds for
more people were contacting them to help.
with their children while they are in
From individuals to businesses, children
project looking into how COVID-19 is
over £95,000, but this was just the start.
and projects in response to the impact
the local community and making sure
machine to help children with a range
engaged the public, they found more and
parents to be able to stay overnight
to grandparents, they were overwhelmed
hospital, and an innovative research transmitted by young people.
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 57
C HAR I T Y
In addition, they also funded a range of vital medical equipment including 12
oxygen saturation monitors to monitor
children after operations and those with respiratory conditions, a simulation
manikin to help staff practise their skills
and responses in medical emergencies, and sleep study monitors to support
babies with sleep disordered breathing. Plus, the charity also supported
several projects in the community
such as funding a new sensory room for children with severe learning
disabilities and autism at Downs View School in Woodingdean and a mobile
interactive video floor system, known as a magic carpet, for Hazel Court School in Eastbourne, offering games and
stimulation to young people with severe complex needs and disabilities.
This means that one of the most beloved Sussex charities has been able to
support around 12,000 children during the last year. Working in partnership with local hospitals, respite centres
and specialist services, their funding
has made a difference to hundreds of
children, often making their experience of visiting hospital more pleasant and much less scary.
58 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
And all this during a pandemic that could
“So, we want to thank all our amazing
have stopped their operation entirely.
supporters for everything they have
As Rhian puts it: “We’re really looking
to the rest of 2021!”
the year goes on but we’re so proud to
For more information about
total during an incredibly challenges 12
visit their website at: www.
the amazing support of everyone
01273 330044.
forward to getting back to normality as
done for us and here’s looking forward
have reached this amazing fundraising
Rockinghorse or to make a donation,
months. But the bottom line is, without
rockinghorse.org.uk or call them on
throughout Sussex who has fundraised for us, we simply wouldn’t be here.
SBT MOTORING NEWS
ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VEHICLES OUT NOW AND COMING
WHAT IS CAZ?
BROUGHT TO YOU BY RIVERVALE LEASING
SBT MOTORING NEWS SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 59
M OTO RI N G N E WS
Electric commercial vehicles out now and coming
Electric commercial vehicles are coming onto the market by the bucketload. There is, of course, more and more demand for electric vans, as more businesses, both small and large, feel the impetus to drive towards a Greener future.
Motoring News
Both for private and
Best small electric vans
there is a constantly
electric van market as more smaller
commercial vehicles, growing demand for electric vehicles -
ones that are better than their previous incarnation, are cheaper or are kitted
out with everything you expect from an
ICE drive (and more). When they deliver just as an ICE engine does, but without the costly carbon footprint, it’s a nobrainer to go green.
Large city centres often impose clean
air zones, so the business imperative to drive more cleanly in these areas can be a costly error to fall foul of. Due to
pressure from the consumer, business incentives and punitive measures
on carbon-emitting vehicles, green
commercial vehicles are doubtless here
to stay - and well worth early investment. This is our list of our favourite electric commercial vehicles 2021.
60 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
There’s been movement in the small start-ups and self-employed workers
combine business with everyday driving. Renault Zoe
Best for small car usability and impressive range
Speaking of small vans to combine
work and daily driving, the Renault Zoe van is a real exemplar of this
trend. Basically, a compact car with the passenger seats removed, the
Zoe van is excellent to drive, quiet, and comfortable. It’s small 387kg
Read more: April 2021 Changes to Electric Company Car Tax Nissan eNV200
Best for carrying capacity at micro size At the other end of the small van,
spec is the Nissan eNV200. It offers a sizable load volume but in a small van category, great for urban deliveries.
With a real-world driving range of just over 100 miles (174 official range),
it can’t compete with more car-like
models such as the Zoe, but it allows for maximum carrying capacity in a small, zero-emission van.
payload, and 0.5m3 of capacity
Renault Kangoo ZE
the range will certainly keep many
The latest Kangoo ZE offers a massive
won’t fit all commercial needs, but happy - an 80kW motor plus 52kWh
battery make for a 245-mile range. For smaller carrying capacities who need a comfortable city car that can adapt
to daily life and longer journeys, this is a winning option.
Europe’s best-selling small electric van 70 miles more range than the previous electric Kangoo due to a new 59bhp electric motor (a variation of the one
used in the Renault Zoe). With a realworld driving range of 120 miles, the
Kangoo combines a car-style drive with
MOTOR I NG N E WS
great small van capacity. It comes as a
for a zippy drive and offers a 93-mile
Mercedes Benz e-Sprinter
wheelbase version) and the ZE crew
capacity of 6m3, it delivers practically
a similar offering to the eVito, but is
standard-length van, the ZE Maxi (longvariant, which can carry up to five. Best medium electric vans
Medium electric vans are set
to explode in terms of choice, as
exemplified by the imminent arrival
of Ford’s electric variant of the ever-
popular Transit. The PSA Group leads
the way in this sector currently, with its Citroen, Peugeot and Vauxhall brands. Read more: Green Number Plates Introduced on UK Roads Maxus E Deliver 3
An engaging, zippy drive
The Maxus E Deliver 3 offers two sizes - the standard and the long-
wheelbase - but it’s really the latter
of these choices that offers the best
‘medium van’ spec. The standard comes in at a 4.8m3 capacity, whilst the larger wheelbase affords 6.3m3 of loadspace (with maximum payloads of 905kg and 1020kg, respectively). Capable of 150
miles, this is a ‘get the job done’ electric van to fit the bill.
Mercedes Benz E-Vito
The clever, innovative electric van
The Mercedes E-Vito is class-leading
in medium-sized vans in terms of tech. Its set of regenerative braking levels
almost emulate a gearbox, allowing you
to slow or coast. Its 85kW motor makes
range. With a payload of 1015kg and a as well as aesthetically - Mercedes always comes up trumps when it
comes to good-looks and reputation. It does not support quick charging (it
only supports up to 7kW), so this may be a consideration if you’re looking to
undertake longer distances and charge publicly rather than overnight at home/ on business premises.
Best large electric vans
The large electric vans market is quite
new, but there’s already hot competition. Batteries can eat into payloads, which is a challenge in the large van category, as
they are already quite heavy, nearing the 3.5-tonne maximum weight limit. Renault Master ZE
Renault’s large zero-emissions option The Renault Master ZE fills in the blank in Renault’s EV van offering.
Dominating the market in EV sales
(claiming 25% of EV sales worldwide), Renault offers the Kangoo ZE as their
small electric van, but this is their first
The Mercedes Benz e-Sprinter is
bigger. Some might even class it as
a better offering, as it supports rapid
charging - the lack of which might be
a deal-breaker for some in the smaller eVito. It only offers one body size, but can transport up to 1045kg, in 11m3.
The real-world range offered hits up to 96 miles. As ever, it comes with that quality level standard to Mercedes Benz, so although it represents a
bigger investment, it can earn its keep relatively quickly and easily.
Eco-consciousness is only going
to grow as the government works
towards its Road to Zero plans for zero emissions by 2050. Some measures
already penalise carbon emissions, and failing to move to a zero-emissions car or fleet may really hit your bottom line.
If going Green is your plan for your next
purchase of a commercial vehicle, take a look at Rivervale’s electric van leasing options, whether you’re in the market for a small, medium or large vehicle.
large electric option. It uses much the
Give our friendly team a call on 01273
similar all-round appeal. The official
request a callback and one of our
same tech as the Kangoo and offers driving range is 124 miles (with real-
world range likely to be nearer 74), so
433480 to discuss your options, or team will be in touch.
it’s a great large van for city deliveries. Read more: Top 5 Electric Vans for Eco-Conscious Businesses
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 61
What is a CAZ?
A Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is an area where special measures have been implemented to help improve air quality. This government-
Motoring News
backed initiative is designed to
discourage people from driving older
vehicles which produce more emissions. There are two different types of CAZ: Non-charging CAZ - Vehicles driving
through these areas will not be required to pay a fee. But you will notice other measures to improve air quality like cycle lanes, better public transport
emission requirements for the CAZ will be required to pay a fee.
Why are CAZ’s being introduced?
In 2010, the UK committed to limiting air pollution, including harmful NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) emissions. The
Government also pledged to create an
Air Quality Plan whenever the limits were found to have been breached.
Read more: How to Get the Most Range From Your Electric Car
services and modified road layouts.
Unfortunately, those limits have been
Charging CAZ - Anyone driving a
introduced. As a result of this and
vehicle that doesn’t meet the minimum
62 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
breached every year since they were subsequent legal challenges, the
Government has produced a number of Air Quality Plans.
The 2017 publication highlighted 29 of
the most polluted local authorities. The
Government asked them to put together plans to reduce NO2 in their area.
Following yet another legal challenge
in 2018, 33 more local authorities were tasked with the same initiative.
CAZ’s were expected to be brought in during 2020, but the global pandemic
has meant this has been pushed back by most local authorities.
Why are CAZ’s different between areas? Local councillors are responsible for
MOTOR I NG N E WS setting the parameters for their CAZ.
Minimum emissions standards will
introduced in Birmingham on 1 June
NO2 as fast as possible, it is down to
these are based on the vehicles Euro
cost for cars and motorcycles will be £8
Provided that the plan sets out to reduce the local authority to decide whether a CAZ is needed.
If a CAZ is deemed necessary, they will also have the power to set the
boundaries and identify key policies.
They will also decide whether it should
be charging or non-charging. That said, a charging CAZ should only be used
where non-charging measures will not
apply within a charging CAZ, and emissions standard.
Are any CAZ’s already in operation?
Technically, London has been operating
Greater Manchester and Bristol to
had to pay a fee to travel through the LEZ since 2008.
the minimum emission standards to
be different, too, with some areas
charging more than others. In some places, the CAZ will be in place at
all times, whereas others may only operate it within certain hours of
the day. Being aware of the various conditions could be problematic if your fleet travels through several different areas.
Read more: Which Electric Car Is Right For Me?
Which vehicles will be affected by CAZ?
London requires vehicles not meeting
pay a fee. This has been in place since April 2019 and requires drivers of noncompliant vehicles to pay £12.50 per
day. It covers the same parts of Central
London as the Congestion Charge Zone. Larger vehicles like HGV’s, buses and coaches have to pay £100 per day if
which vehicles will be required to pay a fee for driving through them:
• Class A for buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles
• Class B for Class A + HGV’s
• Class C for Class A + Class B + small vans, large vans, minibuses
• Class D for Class A + Class B + Class C + cars, motorcycles, mopeds
(Source: Department for Transport)
prevent the need for a CAZ. In both cases, the improvements were not enough to retain cleaner air. This
means there is an ongoing risk to public health. Over the next year,
drivers will see CAZ’s being introduced in Greater Manchester and Bristol as well as many other major UK cities,
including Bradford, Cambridge, Oxford and Sheffield.
What is the best way to manage
Arriving in 2021
There are plans to extend the ULEZ to cover other London Boroughs during Autumn/Winter 2021.
Bath City Council on 15 March 2021.
classes of charging CAZ’s to identify
after the pandemic were enough to
Read more: Top 7 Electric Vehicles
within their CAZ. But the Government Air Quality Plan. This outlines the four
explore whether air quality changes
Read more: Government Announces
standards.
Bath
has offered some guidance through its
Further modelling was carried out in
they don’t meet the minimum emission
Local authorities will have the final say
on which vehicles will be charged (if any)
school children will be exempt.
Zone (LEZ). Older vans and lorries have
As a result, different areas of the
structure for charging CAZ’s will
£100 per day. Minibuses transporting
Other major cities
although it’s known as the Low Emission
The Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in
for improving air quality. The pricing
per day. For larger vehicles, this will be
a type of CAZ for more than ten years,
improve air quality quickly enough.
country will have different strategies
2021. It will apply all year round. The daily
A charging CAZ was introduced by
It applies 24 hours per day throughout the year.
HGV’s, buses and coaches which don’t meet the minimum emission standards
2030 Ban on Petrol and Diesel
non-compliant vehicles in my fleet? ANPR cameras will be installed in
CAZ zones to ensure compliance. With a penalty of £120 per day, businesses with more than one
vehicle are encouraged to register for the charging checker before CAZ’s go live. The charging checker will
allow you to register non-compliant vehicles. You will be able to make
the necessary payments either seven days in advance of travel or six days in arrears.
have to pay £100 per day. Taxis, vans
If you’d like to learn more about
Cars and motorcycles are exempt at
questions, give us a call on 01273
and minibuses have to pay £9 per day. the moment.
Which other areas plan to introduce a
low emission leasing or have any
433480 or request a callback at a time that suits you.
CAZ?
Birmingham
A 24-hour charging CAZ is set to be
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 63
Driving your Business Beyond the Forecourt Buying a car will never be the same again. The world of automotive has evolved and your customers buying habits have changed. Let us transform your dealership.
Web Design Social Media Management SEO & PPC PR & Content and so much more
The future of automotive marketing starts here. Get in touch today. 01273 007 855 info@67degrees.co.uk 64 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
SBT NETWORKING & EVENTS
AN INTERVIEW WITH BEAU AND BELL TENT HIRE
A SUSSEX BASED BELL TENT AND GIANT TIPI HIRE COMPANY
SBT NETWORKING & EVENTS SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 65
An interview with Beau and Bell Tent Hire
Spring has sprung and outdoor events are being scheduled for the summer in accordance with social distancing measures being relaxed. We caught up with Jade at Beau and Bell, a Sussex based Bell Tent and Giant Tipi Hire company, to discuss their plans…. Networking & Events
Tell us about Beau
400 guests in our beautiful Giant Tipis
We are proudly
glamping village alongside it. We will
successful years in
all you require!
and Bell?
celebrating over 10
business. Beau & Bell came about due
and provide a truly magical Bell Tent
also happily still rent you a tent if that’s
to a collective passion for glamping,
What effect has COVID-19 had on
provide Giant Tipis for reception spaces
Being in events this has really tested our
private events and can set up furnished
businesses will have done, we have
As Beau and Bell has grown so has our
our services whilst looking to the future
and our knowledge. Now a dedicated
spring and summer our teams created
event of our clients dreams for up to
instance, turning them in to havens
festivals and outdoor experiences. We
the business?
at weddings, festivals, corporate and
resolve! On a positive note, as many
Bell Tent Villages for accommodation.
adapted to continue to provide some of
love for the industry, our experience
and bettering our proposition. Last
team of experts, we can create the
outside spaces in clients gardens, for
66 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
for their families to enjoy a holiday at
home. When lockdown loosened up we provided for small receptions and group holidays at campsites, for example,
where our furnished Bell Tents and Giant Tipis were put to good use for group
bookings. In the background we were
working with a lot of brides and grooms who had had their plans put back for
their weddings and helped them with rescheduling and / or downsizing. It
has been really important to pick up the phone and chat any changes through
and stay close to what the client wants, being flexible and reassuring in order to not make our business a problem when they are looking for solutions!
N ET WOR K I N G & E V E NTS
What services have you continued
short space of time and there have
with a manufacturer who can work
It’s been really pleasing to put our Bell
have not survived. We always have
tents and related furnishings. This is
Spring. Ordinarily we would not open
crew to deliver exceptional service.
pride in as we know the benefits will be
and now we forecast that in future years
we have some new faces on board year
know works, making our events a better
Spring months as well, mainly for private
‘mothballing’ over the winter months,
a possibility after this rental season
look to provide our Giant Tipis for large
costs in the absence of ‘normal income’
possibly expand into retail with a niche
and weddings but we have found they
covid scenarios has been highly on our
also want to appeal more to corporates
too. We have also helped venues make
throughout the last 12 months has really
for example, an annual summer drinks
our Giant Tipis in Pub Beer Gardens for
if not for now then in the future. With
Giant Tipis at amazing venues in or
to create pop up campsites for landowners
outdoor events, we have been on a big
site at South Farm in Rodmell. Here we
this year. It has been important for us
and accommodate guests in Furnished
to take bookings and make purchases
with and what have you changed?
been businesses in our industry that
on some impressive modifications to
Tents to good use in lock down in the
the challenge of recruiting likeminded
something that we are taking great
up our business until May at the earliest
Because we are a seasonal business
huge in terms of cost but also what we
it would make sense to work in the earlier
on year. Storage of our equipment and
experience for our clients. There’s
events in clients gardens. We will always
constantly re-evaluating, looking at
that we would further our range and
reception spaces for corporate events
and planning for different covid and non
set of products to offer glampers. We
are popular for smaller scale celebrations
minds. Being in contact with our clients
who might want to work with us on,
use of their outside spaces, by providing
been key in delivering what they need,
receptions - hosting their clients in our
example. This year we have been invited
a surge in interest with staycations and
around Sussex.
and are really excited to set up our flagship
buying programme to satisfy demand for
For information on services Beau and
will have a Giant Tipi for communal space
to appropriately time our commitments
info@beauandbell.co.uk
Bell Tents with woodburners, set in the
whilst thinking about what might or
beautiful backdrop of the Sussex Downs.
might not be possible this year.
What have been your biggest
What does the future hold for Beau
There have been so many in such a
We have built a really good relationship
challenges?
Bell provide please contact Jade on
and Bell?
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 67
68 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
SBT CHAMBER NEWS
CONTINUING TO STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE COUNTY BY SUSSEX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
CONSTRUCTION VOICE: IS THE BRIGHTON AND HOVE CITY PLAN ON TRACK? FLO POWELL, JOINT MD AT MIDNIGHT COMMUNICATIONS, WRITES FOR BRIGHTON CHAMBER
THE CHANGING CHAMBER
REDEFINING THE WAY AHEAD FOR WORTHING AND ADUR CHAMBER
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 69
C HAM B E R N E WS
Sussex Chamber of Commerce continues to strengthen its partnerships across the county
The Sussex Chamber of Commerce has, in the last few months, joined forces with Chichester Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Crawley & Gatwick Chamber of Commerce, Haywards Heath Business Association and Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce. Sussex Chamber is
Chamber News
the largest business membership
organisation in
Sussex providing a
huge variety of free and discounted services to help drive business
economic growth. We are accredited
by the British Chambers of Commerce. The new affiliation aims to broaden the Chamber’s partnerships, whilst
still enabling all parties to retain their independence. The town Chambers
and business associations will continue to work at a local level on issues of
concern, whilst the Sussex Chamber
will work with a more strategic role and a wider economic overview.
The initiative was put in place to give county Chambers a louder voice and
platform to represent businesses on a
70 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
local, regional, and national level. Sussex Chamber, Chief Executive,
Ana Christie, said: “There is a huge opportunity for the whole Chamber
network across Sussex to really come together. The network of business
organisations can be far stronger and far more cohesive than it has been. It is fantastic that a further three
town Chambers and one business
association have become affiliated with the Sussex Chamber. The
affiliation fosters better collaborations among the business community as
well as creating a stronger voice for Sussex businesses.”
Gareth Sear, Chair, Chichester
Chamber of Commerce & Industry
said: “We are delighted in Chichester to become affiliated to the Sussex
Chamber of Commerce and increase
out network across all of Sussex. We are constantly looking to increase the
offering to our members who will now
benefit from the lobbying power of the British Chamber of Commerce, the
special rates for different products as
well being able to attend events in the Sussex programme. We are definitely all stronger together.”
Chay Took, President, Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are delighted to be affiliated with Sussex Chamber of Commerce. It expands
the support and resources available to us and our members. In these times especially, and as we look forward,
the benefits of working together with a powerful shared voice will be a crucial factor to our success.”
Clare Jones, Chair, Haywards Heath Business Association, said: “We
CHAM BE R N E WS Together we all form a respected voice
to attend numerous webinars, training sessions as well
for business and members.”
other benefits which will help
The affiliation brings a wealth of
business. “
include members being able to access
Jose Evans, Acting President,
attend networking events or training
of Commerce, said: “Crawley
member rates, and to have a say in
as take advantage of many
benefits for its members, which
to support and grow their
additional savings and discounts,
Crawley & Gatwick Chamber
courses with the Sussex Chamber at
& Gatwick Chamber of
national polls and surveys.
affiliated with Sussex Chamber
To find out more about the
this affiliation will help firms
and the benefits you can get as a
affiliation will lead Chambers
sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk/
Commerce are delighted to be Ana Christie
are delighted to have signed up to
become an Affiliate member of Sussex
of Commerce. We believe
Sussex Chamber of Commerce
of all sizes achieve more, this
member, please visit https://www.
to achieve goals far bigger than we
Chamber of Commerce and through that affiliation be part of the British Chamber of Commerce network,
which will help support our business GROW
community. Our members will be able
are able to achieve alone. Across
To find out more about Sussex
connect businesses locally, nationally
www.sussexchamberofcommerce.
this network, together we can help
Chamber Affiliates, please visit https://
& internationally with other members,
co.uk/membership/affiliate-members
Events businesses & decision makers.
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01/03/2021 09:56:23
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 71
Construction Voice: Is the Brighton and Hove City Plan on track? Flo Powell, Joint MD at Midnight Communications, writes for
Brighton Chamber about their latest Construction Voice event. Chamber News
Five years on from
Joined by Liz Hobden, Head of Planning
Brighton and Hove
Peter Rainier, Principal Director at
the launch of the City Plan, and
Brighton Chamber’s
Construction Voice event, ‘City
Plan: aspirational and achievable?’, the Chamber brought together the
great and good of the property and construction sector, with expert
at Brighton and Hove City Council;
DMH Stallard; and Kelvin MacDonald,
Senior Fellow, Department of Land and Economy at University of Cambridge, and Board Member of Brighton
Housing Trust; with the panel expertly chaired by Ed Allison-Wright.
panelists, to discuss the progress of
The Council’s City Plan was hailed
is the Brighton and Hove City Plan
in 2016, and Liz took us through the
the City Plan at ‘Construction Voice: on track?’
72 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
as ambitious when it was launched
successes and challenges over the last
five years. The plan set out the housing delivery target, retail and employment land requirements to 2030 – including
13,200 homes and 140k sqm additional employment space.
The Plan identified eight development areas, 18 strategic site allocations
and 22 strategic city-wide policies. Of the 18 sites, 12 had made progress including Preston Barracks, the
Edward Street Quarter and Circus
Street developments, and the Hove Gardens site.
CHAM BE R N E WS in multiple occupancy to be bought by families.
In terms of employment space,
the plan’s ambitious target was an
• ‘Windfall’ sites could be identified to
So…is the plan on track? There have
• Introduce more flexibility at retail sites
add to housing target
to allow more pop-ups
To answer the question ‘is the city plan
we’re down on employment space, we
terms of housing delivery, affordable
haven’t achieved the affordable homes target and three of our big projects have all stalled.
Peter Rainier suggested three Rs:
1. Review – a review of the City Plan is due.
2. R eform – significant planning reforms
are on the way, and Brighton has been picked as one of 20 cities to take the brunt of new housing delivery.
3. Resources – the planning system is
key to the city and the council needs to resource it properly.
Liz mentioned some major challenges
Kelvin MacDonald brought a piece of
Centre and Churchill Square, the
Brighton Borough Plan!
and the Brighton Marina. Each site has
Kelvin noted that Brighton and Hove has
history to the discussion – the original
had no real progress.
a huge challenge in terms of affordability
The target of 13,200 homes is over 20
the levels of depravation in the city.
We are not achieving this at the moment,
The council has more than 20 different
The target for 30% affordable housing
therefore needs to tie in to all the other
to buy or rent, and called for a focus on
on average achieving 481 homes a year.
strategies on the go – the City Plan
is quite far off. Over the life of the plan,
objectives the council has.
affordable, and much of that was down
The attendees were then split into groups
to the council’s own delivery rather than
to try and come up with some solutions:
planning application negotiations.
• Affordable housing target could be
Student housing was hailed a success
•B uild more student housing to free up
the life of the plan, freeing up homes
•T he process for dealing with local
story with 4,500 rooms delivered over
local amenities and workspace
Edward St Quarter are all excellent
developments for the city. However,
only 23% of the housing has been
developments
over the last 10 years.
Road, Preston Barracks, Circus St and
years (2020-2030) which is 660 a year.
be carefully considered with new
• Create ‘coherent neighbourhoods’ with
certainly been some successes – Lewes
seafront including the King Alfred Site
should be sped up
• Transport infrastructure needs to
additional 140,000 sqm. However, the city has had a net loss of 28,000 sqm
with three development areas: Brighton
objections on planning applications
on track’ is therefore a difficult one. In
housing and employment space? No, it
isn’t. There’s no doubt that the council’s planning department have made
improvements and is striving to meet its targets, but the city is facing huge challenges and therefore the finding of this discussion is that a review is needed, and quickly.
With thanks to event sponsors DMH Stallard.
Flo Powell is Joint MD at Midnight
Communications and regularly writes for Brighton Chamber. To read Flo’s
full write up, head over to the Brighton Chamber blog here.
Construction Voice is organised by Brighton Chamber in collaboration
with RLF. Graves Jenkins, Lewis & Co Planning and Hayden Consulting.
Find out more about Construction Voice and past events visit the Chamber website.
Stay up to date with the latest
Brighton Chamber events by signing up to our mailing list.
increased
more family homes
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 73
The Changing Chamber Redefining the way ahead for Worthing and Adur Chamber and its members We are all so familiar
Chamber News
with the Government
roadmap for the next few months ahead. Things are pretty
clear as to when you can meet with
friends and family but how does all this relate to business? How many people
can you have in a small room together?
When will venues be able to lift the 50% capacity rule? When can we have an
event with 100+ people? What happens if this all gets delayed? So many
questions to make sense of and work
74 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
to do to provide a safe … and enjoyable …. experience for our members.
For a business, that pre lockdown, did
all its events, training and meetings face to face there is a lot to consider for this new way ahead. Will people still want to attend training and events online? I think we will all agree that we have
saved so much time with the efficient
use of zoom to run meetings, no more travelling for an hour’s meeting!
So, when and where will we start
introducing face to face events? We
are going to start with a really informal networking event, outdoors in a large
garden in June, keep a look out for an announcement coming soon! Then, as soon as the situation allows, we
will be back to our formal networking
events with a speaker (and breakfast!). However, one thing we are going to
look at in depth is what people want.
Do they still want the event to start at 7.30am, like we always have, or is it
time for a change? Many people now working from home are enjoying that
CHAM BE R N E WS
WHAT'S PLANNED FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS AT THE CHAMBER?
6 5 4
3 2
28TH MAY 19TH MAY
23RD JULY 21ST JUNE
1
Early Bird stand
23RD
Larger events to
Face to face networking
SEPTEMBER Better Business Show 2021
breakfasts to
9TH JUNE
start taking place
resume with
Informal networking
both indoors and
keynote speakers
outside with limited
outdoors
numbers
bookings for the
Chamber Annual
Better Business
General Meeting, to
Show to close
be held online via Zoom Face to face Peer Mentoring to resume
01903 203484 | info@worthingandadurchamber.co.uk | www.worthingandadurchamber.co.uk
family time before the school drop
off. We want to make sure we provide something for everyone, so if you are not a fan of early mornings we still have an event that works for you!
What benefits does Membership bring? Recently we’ve been running some focus group sessions with our
members. We are the changing
Chamber and we want to reflect that in our member benefits. The group was
asked what are the top three member benefits that are important to them.
In no particular order of priority, they all said networking, all desperate to get back to face to face and have
conversations with real people, as we mentioned we have plans in place for this. The next was how much they valued the business support and
advice, being informed of all the grants and funding through lockdown was invaluable, we make sense of it all
and pass the key information on, we were always at the end of the phone to help, as well as offering a pretty
fantastic selection of free expert hours
for our members all through lockdown.
The third was the help we can give
Stand bookings are now open and the
some of them are effectively using
you want to exhibit we’d recommend
stories for the e-news, sharing articles
are a variety of stands available from
expert hour or training session. Some
of information about the show here
use of this. We have some plans in
co.uk/BB2021
members to promote their business,
early bird rate finishes on 28th May. If
the opportunity to submit good news
getting your stand booked early, there
in Connect magazine, offering to run an
just £199 + VAT . You can find lots
admitted they are not making the best
https://worthingandadurchamber.
place to make this bigger and better! Better Business Show
If you want to find out more about
being part of our amazing business
You’ll see on the infographic the last
community, please look at our website
is for the Better Business Show with
or even better give us a call and see
amazing business community. For
together business is stronger.
the past you will know what a brilliant
Tracie Davey
bottle the buzz in the room we’d be
Worthing and Adur Chamber
will be at a new venue – Worthing
01903 203484
date marked is 23rd September, this
www.worthingandadurchamber.co.uk
a big fanfare of celebration for our
how we can help you. Remember
those of you that have attended in
and worthwhile day this is, if we could
Operations Manager
onto a winner! This year the show
tracie@worthingandadurchamber.co.uk
Leisure Centre in the main sports
hall. We are going to have much more space with a separate room for the
keynote speakers. We already have 2 keynote speakers booked, you’ll
have to wait to find out who though!
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 75
BEE PART OF THE BIZ BUZZ Worthing Leisure Centre Thurs 23rd Sept • 10am - 4pm
NEW VENUE!
At the show...
BIGGER SHOW FOR 2021
140+
exhibitor stands Explore local opportunities
Enjoy some networking over a hearty breakfast
Meet the buyers
From local larger companies and Adur & Worthing Council
Free business support From business experts in various fields and industries
FREE ENTRY
Packed programme with Keynote Speakers
Lunch Box
New for 2021 Eco Zone Well-being Zone
...network and mingle
#betterbiz2021
www.worthingandadurchamber.co.uk SHOW ORGANISER
76 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
HEADLINE SPONSOR
Branding & Design: yoohoocreative.com
Breakfast Power Hour
New skills for the digital world
Sponsorship opportunities
SBT LIFESTYLE
ORANGE BEACH BARS
A NEW MOBILE AND FESTIVAL BAR BUSINESS
BODYWAVES MIND BODY SOUL
A SPORTS THERAPIST, YOGA TEACHER WITH A SECRET WEAPON
COUNTY BUSINESS CLUBS WINE OF THE MONTH WITH BRIGHTON AND HOVE WINE CLUB
SBT LIFESTYLE SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 77
Orange Beach Bars Award winning pub owners Sarah and Jamie Davies from The Cleveland Arms in Brighton have launched a new mobile and festival bar business. We are a husband-
Lifestyle
and-wife team who are in love with the
hospitality industry. Together we have
over 30 years’ experience.
Having taken over The Cleveland Arms back in 2017, Sarah and I had clear
goals on where we wanted to take the pub. In 2019 we won the Knorr ‘Best
UK Meat Roast’ award for our Sunday Roasts and in the same year Sarah
won the ‘Start Up Business of the Year’ award at the Sussex Businesswomen Excellence Awards.
78 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
Prior to the first lock down Sarah and I decided to buy a horse box to convert
in to a mobile bar. This was completed
and launched in 2020 called ‘The Dog & Duck’. With the concentration being on outdoor events Sarah and I expanded the bar offering and introduced two
further bars, ‘The Dog & Partridge’ and ‘The Dog & Swan’. Both of these bars are static bars and ideal for garden events, marque bars or weddings.
In 2021 Orange Beach Bars partnered with the multi award winning Sussex brewery ‘Harvey’s of Lewes’. Having had a very
strong relationship with Harvey’s through
The Cleveland Arms Harvey’s were very
confident in Orange Beach Bars managing their mobile and event bars.
The pub has enabled us to host many weddings, celebrations and events.
Orange Beach Bars is an extension to
this. For us, we are bringing our amazing team, service and exceptionally high
standard of bars to you, whatever you are celebrating.
We are able to supply your wedding,
festival, party or celebration with fully
functional mobile bars. We have several
different bar styles and options available.
L I FE STYLE
We can cater for any event size, ranging from an intimate garden party to a full music, food or drinks festival.
Our hospitality experience enables us to accommodate any size or style of
event and it also means we can access our extensive network of suppliers,
ale and craft brewers and acclaimed
Sommeliers. Our wholesale contracts
mean we can offer competitive prices
and we can build a drinks package that is right for any budget.
And we know how to throw a good party! Our Bars
The Dog and Duck Mobile Bar is a
vintage working horse box which we have converted to a high standard mobile bar. The inside has been
refurbished with antique wood and
bronze tiles and is an attractive focus point for any event. We pull out a bar
area at the rear of the horse box creating
an open airy space for guests to mingle
about us is that we can offer your guests
and enjoy their drinks. With intimate
draught beer and ale.
which also gives us more serving space,
Having this versatility means we are
lighting it is a beautiful relaxing bar area after all nobody wants an empty glass.
suitable for any venue and if there is
The Dog and Partridge Mobile Bar is
services with the use of a generator.
vintage wood, giving a gorgeous
Our pricing is simple, and every price
indoors or outside.
glassware, arrangement of alcohol licence,
The Dog and Swan is a modern club
to the event theme.
themed event or wedding again ideal for
We have various hire options. Drinks can
a handmade mobile bar carved from rustic look, perfect for any set up
style bar ideal for cocktails or for a
no power supply we can provide our
includes travel, experienced staff,
designing a bespoke drinks menu suited
indoor or outside events.
be purchased from us and we offer a cash
All our bars are fully equipped so if you
The bar alone can be hired fully equipped
bar, pre-paid bar or a combination of both.
want your guests to sip hot chocolate
and we can provide bar staff too.
it happen. The horsebox is kitted out
Planning a party or event coming out
espresso machine, perfect for those
Contact us, Sarah 07766000131 or visit
whilst watching fireworks, we can make with a smoothie maker and professional
of lockdown?
espresso martinis. All our staff are
www.orangebeachbars.co.uk
trained mixologists and what is unique
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 79
LI FEST Y L E
Bodywaves Mind Body Soul Christie is a Sports
Lifestyle
Therapist, Yoga
teacher with a secret weapon. She has thrown out much
of the conventional style of physical therapy over the years and now
concentrates on treating with Muscle Activation using the Be Activated
Method. This works primary on all
complex injuries, pain and dysfunction in the body because, well we are complex systems.
The body needs two things to survive; to move, and to breathe. And if either one isn’t working efficiently, the body will find a way to cheat to continue.
How well do you breathe? Honestly, can you take long, slow steady
breaths, deep into the belly? Do you ever allow your belly to fill up (round
like a little buddha belly?!) or do you
hold it in and breathe into the ribs and the chest? Most of us don’t breathe
deeply, or even if we do on occasion,
we could do more. Babies and animals breathe into their bellies at rest, and therefore we should be able to. But
as adults we tend to feel the effects of stress. Whether it’s emotional,
physical or mental stresses, our body responds. It also holds on to trauma and injuries, which Be Activated is great at figuring out. What we are
interested in is your story. Your body’s story, and figuring out why your body may be over compensating for the
80 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
breath, or movement
and causing muscles to
fatigue or end up in pain or injured because they are working incorrectly. It is all linked to our
responses to stress. And
this is why this technique can be used on literally anyone. Young, old,
active, sedentary. Before a big business meeting,
or before any sporting performance, be in a friendly game of golf, or a
competitive game of basketball! It works on bringing the body to it’s
most efficient state and allowing it to perform at it’s highest efficacy.
Working by exploding with power,
instead of imploding under stress. Wouldn’t it be nice to feel powerful. Feel that power coming from your
body! The very vehicle you have at your disposal 24/7. Be Activated
teaches simple techniques which you can take into your every day
routine to help calm the mind, and
body. Reconnect to these, and the
powerhouse at your very centre. And
bring yourself out of the fight, flight or freeze response stress puts us into.
If you have pain, injuries, unresolved
trauma you feel your body is holding
or just feel your breath needs working on, Be Activated is for you. Christie
also teaches Yoga and meditation, all
her favourite tools for helping train the body, calm the mind and connect to the soul.
Christie works in Offington Osteopath Clinic on Offington Lane, Worthing.
She can be contacted directly and by her own website - www.bodywaves. co.uk for appointments (even during lockdown), Yoga classes (zoom,
outdoors and in person when we can
return) and 1:1 and corporate wellness sessions. Incorporating Be Activated
bringing it to your group, or individual, yoga, meditation and breathwork.
Find her on Instagram and Facebook - Bodywaves Mind Body Soul, and
join her newsletter via the website.
WI N E OF T H E M O NTH
County Business Club Wine of the Month My name is Michael Yeoman, I run Brighton and Hove Wine Club and also create a range of Sussex spirits using the pomace from English wine production called Spirit of the Downs. I have a passion finding small batch producers in and around Sussex. I will suggest a new Sussex wine for you to try each month.
For April’s wine of the month we have chosen Breaky Bottom’s Vintage 2015 Cuvée Jack Pike Varietals: 100% Seyval Blanc.
sparkling wine. Peter comments on the following “this has a fine balance of fruit and acidity, delicate aromas of white flowers and a long fresh finish”.
ABV: 12%
For me this wine has lovely green apples (for some people
For the first wine of the month I have chosen an English
on its own or with seafood.
sparkling wines such as Champagne and Prosecco. One
This wine and more can be purchased from our website
sparkling wine as we are now world beaters against other of my local favourite vineyards is Breaky Bottom just of the
more tropical pineapple notes), overall lovely fruit, great aperitif
www.brightonandhovewineclub.co.uk
South Downs Way near Lewes. Peter Hall has been making wines for over 45 years and so is very much a pioneer of
the English wine scene. I love catching up with Peter, his
wife Christine and his Bengal Cat Toto for visits and also at
harvest time. Breaky Bottom pioneered using Seyval Blanc for
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 81
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summer opening hours
winter opening hours
april - september
october - march
8am - 6pm
* late night opening til 8pm in July & August
82 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
www.cottsandlinz.co.uk
8am - 4pm
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SBT ASK THE EXPERT SPONSORED BY:
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 83
AS K T H E E X PE RT
A (very) simple guide to SEO By Helen Beckingham, SEO Copywriter www.keywordcopywriting.co.uk This article is about
Ask the Expert
SEO, or search
engine optimisation. No, don’t make that face. It’s a simple
guide with no technical gibberish, just straightforward information.
OK, let’s dive straight in with
keywords. When potential customers search online for your services, which words do they use?
The easiest way to find out is to ask
your existing customers. Seriously, it
works. And it’s free. What’s more, they’ll probably surprise you with the answers. • You think: Business solutions facilitator
• Your customers think: Coach for small business
Or you can download a keyword
research tool. The most basic (and
cheapest) is Keywords Everywhere at $10 per year.
Top tip: Google likes larger websites with 300-400 words per page. Don’t squeeze everything onto a few pages. Cast
your keyword net wider by giving each service a separate page with its own keyword term.
Where to put keywords The correct placement of keywords tells Google’s robots what your website is
`about’, thus making it easier to rank.
What do they look at, and in what order? First, your domain name. If it contains
84 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
a keyword, that’s ideal but… (big `but’)
if your domain name has history, leave it be. Google rewards domain longevity. After that, your SEO title - the
clickable 60-character headline on a
results page. Write unique SEO titles for each page and put the keyword term at the beginning.
Don’t forget the meta-description the paragraph under the SEO title. It’s irrelevant to the robots, but
humans always read it. If you don’t
write one, Google picks content from the page and you’ll get… random words… and ellipses.
The robots then read the website itself
- your page names, main headings (H1), subheadings and page content.
Top tip: Google is aware that online
readers have the attention span of a gnat. Put your keyword in the main
heading and within the first 100 words
- preferably the first sentence - as instant
confirmation that the page delivers on the
Helen Beckingham
Or write a guest blog. Do a Google
search for a related service and pick
companies which appear on page 1. If
they have good quality blog content plus an active social media presence, they are ideal.
First, earn brownie points by posting
appreciative blog comments and sharing their content. When emailing them,
include links to your best content, i.e., the posts that have attracted lots of attention.
reader’s search term. After that, sprinkle
In conclusion…
throughout the page.
SEO isn’t’ rocket science, but there’s
the keyword (and its synonyms) sparingly
Backlinks When other websites link to yours, it
sends a trust signal to Google and your ranking improves. Ideally, you want
backlinks from high authority websites
linked to your own industry. How do you get these gold standard links?
Offer a testimonial for a company you’ve worked with. Bingo! An instant backlink.
lots of detail. At the last count, Google
had over 200 ranking signals so I’ve had to leave stuff out. Obviously.
For more advice (or to get your on-page SEO sorted out) send me an email.
helen@keywordcopywriting.co.uk
ASK T H E E XPE RT
Getting to grips with Net Zero
As we emerge from the COVID19 pandemic, questions have been raised about the way we live, work and what we prioritise in our lives. In November the UK
Ask the Expert
hosts the UN Climate Change Conference,
COP26, further raising questions on how we
move on from the pandemic.
As businesses and business owners, we all have an impact on the world. Increasingly consumers (and
governments) are requiring that our impact is a positive one.
“Net Zero” is a term that dominates
discussions as part of this, yet seemingly came out of nowhere. Searches are
up 3,000% in the past 2 years alone.
However, there is still little clarity on what it means for small businesses. So what is Net Zero?
Net Zero refers to the balance of
greenhouse gas emissions. At a national level, it is the total amount of emissions emitted vs the amount of emissions
captured (e.g. through tree planting). Net Zero refers to all greenhouse gases such as Methane and Nitrous Oxide, as well as Carbon Dioxide.
As a business, achieving Net Zero
requires you to be responsible for your “carbon budget” - i.e. how much you
emit. If you emit 100 tonnes of CO2 in a year, and do no carbon offsetting, then you are a way off from net zero.
If however, you reduce your emissions
to just 10 tonnes a year,
and offset the remaining 10
tonnes through tree planting
or similar schemes, you have achieved net zero.
It is beneficial for companies to begin thinking about their
carbon emissions as soon as possible, and thinking about
them like you would a financial transaction. Too much
financial debt and a business
risks becoming unsustainable, unprofitable and risks
collapse. Equally, failing to
reduce your emissions and leaving too much carbon
Adam Bastock
debt in your business and
regulations in the future may pose a
significant threat to your operations. It’s important to note that different
regions have different Net Zero targets. The UK wide target is 2050, though for Scotland it is 2045. Brighton, Bournemouth, Bristol, London,
Glasgow and Edinburgh are all aiming
for 2030. Other UK cities fall in between these dates.
With such an appetite for change,
expect Net Zero dates to become more ambitious, not less.
on the COP26 Agenda and it’s a matter of when, not if.
Getting on top of your emissions now and achieving net zero ahead of time,
aside from the environmental benefits,
will help your business be more prepared for uncertainties the future holds.
The sooner you get started on your journey, the sooner you’ll arrive at a more sustainable, resilient and positive business.
www.small99.co.uk
The earlier you get to terms with it, the better. While carbon taxes or carbon
accounting are not yet in place, they are
www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 85
AS K T H E E X PE RT
Putting the right business people together! By Chris Mansfield – Fusion - The Business Catalyst www.fusion-business.co.uk I started network-
Ask the Expert
ing in 1999 when
I attended my first
BNI meeting. I had to stand in front of
about 30 people to introduce myself
and my business and ike the majority
of people, I was terrified and spluttered my way through the worst explanation of what I did.
working which have become the foundations of my business.
Start networking before you need it.
If you start networking because you’ve
run out of customers and are desperate for new ones, seasoned networkers
will smell your desperation from across the room. People can always tell when
someone is only out to help themselves. Chris Mansfield
21 years later, I’m now paid to generate new business leads and strategic
connections for a variety of top-quality, non-conflicting businesses based on a reputation for building trusted relationships through networking.
True networking occurs when you
understand that everyone in the room has equal value. It’s about people
enjoying other people, communicating their interests and connecting with others who share them. It’s about listening to what others need and connecting them with people you
think can help, without any designs for personal gain. The most successful
networkers build genuine relationships and give more than they receive.
We have two ears and one mouth so try
to use them in those proportions, as the Dalai Lama once said, “When you talk
you are only repeating what you already know, if you listen, you might learn something new!”
Here are 4 key components of net-
86 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk
Proper networking is a slow burn but
when you have no ulterior motive, you can begin to build relationships and a reputation for being generous rather than self-serving. Have a plan.
Before attending any networking event,
be clear on what talents, strengths, skill sets and connections you can bring to
the table. Decide who you want to talk
to and what you want to talk about, particularly how you can help other people. Incidentally, a large number of people
I meet while networking really struggle to simply communicate what it is they
actually do so you might want to work on that first!
If there’s an attendee list look at it before you go along and decide who you really want to connect with, and if you don’t
know them, ask the organisers to intro-
duce you. I tend to focus on 4 – 5 people
with a view to organising 121s over coffee. Follow up and follow through.
If you tell someone you’ll get in touch
with them, do it and if you promise to introduce someone to a person you know, take the time to do that too. Everyone is busy these days with jobs, families,
events, etc but it takes no more than a
minute to shoot off an email to introduce two people you want to connect. They
can take it from there and you can just
enjoy being the bridge. Little things like that mean a lot to people and just one
introduction can end up changing someone’s life for the better. ….and finally,
Believe in the power of networking.
When you believe that the true value of networking lies in helping others and
you do your part, you’ll soon discover magic happening all around you. The beauty of this approach is that you
never know when that karma is going to happen, but it will!
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