Sussex Business Times Issue 402 2016

SBT SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

EU REFERENDUM

THE HOT TOPIC: SBT ROUNDUP THE OPINIONS

BREAKING BARRIERS

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

THE LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS SBT CONSIDERS THE BENEFITS OF INCREASING A WORKFORCE’S LANGUAGE ABILITY AND CULTURAL AWARENESS

+ MOTORING: WE TAKE A LOOK AT

THE NEW RANGE ROVER VOGUE SE AND JAGUAR XF + NEWS

ABIGAIL OWEN OF DMH STALLARD:

RELY ON REAL EXPERTISE SBT TALKS TO LEADING LAWYER ABIGAIL OWEN ABOUT THE OUTLOOK FOR POST-BREXIT MERGER AND ACQUISITION ACTIVITY IN THE UK

SERVING THE SUSSEX BUSINESS COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

ISSUE 402

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SBTWelcome MEET THE TEAM

Lee Mansfield, Managing Director/ Publisher

Simon Skinner, Clare Fermor, Group Director/Editor Operation Director

Jenny Ardagh, Deputy Editor

Thomas Allen, Features Editor

James Marchant Features Editor

Lou Dobson, Sales

Elliott Mansfield, Sales

Geoff Diamond, Sales

Harriet Weston, Production Manager

Amy Watson, Amelia Wellings, Production Designer Financial Controller

CONTRIBUTORS

Clive Janes, Owner of CRJ Lettings and Author of the Chichester Property News

Steve Mansour, CEO of Construction Insurance Specialist CRL

Gordon Humphrey, Managing Director, Seaspace International Ltd

Martin Verrall, Tax Senior Manager, Grant Thornton

Christina Ewbank, ACES Facilitator

Abigail Owen, Corporate Partner, DMH Stallard

This was always going to be a difficult one – our July issue sees the outcome of one of the biggest decisions of our generation (and haven’t we been reminded enough?). The long wait is now over and, as if you weren’t already aware, the UK voted to leave the European Union. Cue instantaneous political fallout and mass speculation over our future.

Elsewhere this month, we give you a guide on growing your business, as well as outlining the importance of staff training. Cyber security has become a huge issue in the business world, so training and recruiting the right staff is imperative to getting ahead of the hackers and trusting that your business is secure. Read pages 40-42 for more, with expert comment from Stott and May. Equally important to the growth of a business is having the skills to expand into other countries. Language is key to the success of an international business, and this month we look at why the people of Britain seem to be so behind on their second-language abilities and how this affects the economy (see page 28).

Among other big topics such as women in business and infrastructure, we take a look at mentoring in our education section, the latest BDO report on manufacturing and feature our usual ask the expert section, news from ACES and our reviews.

I hope you enjoy your July read!

Jenny Ardagh Deputy Editor

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 3

SBTContents

Issue 402

SBT

ISSUE 402

FREE

SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

EU REFERENDUM

THE HOT TOPIC: SBT ROUNDUP THE OPINIONS

BREAKING BARRIERS

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

THE LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS SBT CONSIDERS THE BENEFITS OF INCREASING A WORKFORCE’S LANGUAGE ABILITY AND CULTURAL AWARENESS

+

MOTORING: WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEW RANGE ROVER VOGUE SE AND JAGUAR XF + NEWS

ABIGAIL OWEN OF DMH STALLARD:

RELY ON REAL EXPERTISE SBT TALKS TO LEADING LAWYER ABIGAIL OWEN ABOUT THE OUTLOOK FOR POST-BREXIT MERGER AND ACQUISITION ACTIVITY IN THE UK

SERVING THE SUSSEX BUSINESS COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

Cover: Abigail Owen, Corporate Partner, DMH Stallard www.dmhstallard.com Managing Director/Publisher: Lee Mansfield lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 007 Group Director/Editor: Simon Skinner simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 017 Operations Director: Clare Fermor clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 007 Sales: Lou Dobson lou@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 007 Elliott Mansfield elliott@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 012 Geoff Diamond geoff@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 013 Deputy Editor: Jenny Ardagh jenny@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 011 Features Editor: James Marchant james@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819019 Production Manager: Harriet Weston harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 010 Production Designer: Amy Watson amy@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 018 Subscriptions: Linda Grace linda@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 015 Accounts: Amelia Wellings amelia@lifemediagroup.co.uk 01323 819 007 Published by Life Media Group, Unit1, Swan Barn Business Centre, Swan Barn Road, Hailsham, BN27 2BY Printed by Berforts 17 Burgess Road, Ivyhouse Lane Hastings, East Sussex, TN35 4NR 01424 722733 www.berforts.co.uk All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Sussex Business Times Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of Life Media Group LTD. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Sussex Business Times Magazine assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from the participation in any offers, competitions or advertisement contained within Sussex Business Times Magazine. All prices featured in Sussex Business Times Magazine are correct at the time of going to press.

Copyright Life Media Group LTD 2016 ©

4 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

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News

View the latest local and national business headlines.

A Brexit Report

After months of campaigning and talk, we have a result...

Spending it

There are loads of great fitness accessories out there just waiting to improve your workouts. Here’s our round-up of some of the most useful...

Finance

Successfully growing a small business is not easy. Here, Stephen Boobyer, co-founder of Ziffit.com describes five strategies that have worked for him.

The Road to Ruin

SBT examines another issue that affects rural SMEs – the state of country roads and public transport.

Women in Business

SBT looks at what has caused this sudden increase and which barriers are still holding strong.

Language in Business

For those looking to grow their business abroad, SBT considers the benefits of increasing a workforce’s language ability and cultural awareness.

Cover Feature: Abigail Owen of DMH Stallard

South-East Leading Lawyer and Partner at DMH Stallard, Abigail Owen, talks to SBT about the outlook for merger and acquisition activity in the UK and in the Sussex region.

Cyber Security

Businesses need to implement proper training for their staff and get ahead of the hacker before it’s too late.

Tried and Tested in Sussex

Jenny Ardagh turns veggie for the day, spending lunch time at Food For Friends in Brighton, while Geoff spends the night at The Hydro Hotel in Eastbourne.

Motoring Simon Skinner reviews the Range Rover Sentinel and the Jaguar XF. Ask the Experts

Local Sussex business experts advise on relevant issues.

Made in Sussex

This month’s home grown hero is Inprova Energy.

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SBTLocal News Stott and May Opens New Sussex Office

International executive recruitment business, Stott and May, has opened a new Brighton office to support the company’s burgeoning cyber security practice and expand its substantial UK presence.

Speaking of the new office, Stephen Stott, founder and CEO of Stott and May, said: “In the years since Stott and May launched, we’ve seen phenomenal growth – in no small part because of the incredible performance of departments like our cyber security practice. It’s got the best talent, it’s got the best reputation, and it stands proudly at the forefront of the market. We’ve done remarkable things, and we’ve no intention of slowing down.”

He added: “Opening premises in Brighton is a logical step forward for the department, and I have every confidence that the team will build on the great work they’ve already done in London.”

Open for Business – The £2.4 million Fund to Support Economic Growth Small and medium businesses wanting financial assistance to expand and create new jobs can now apply for funding from the £2.4 million Business Growth Grants Programme.

The programme is run by West Sussex County Council on behalf of Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and can provide grants of £15,000 to £100,000 - up to 40% of a total project cost.

The programme is open to small and medium businesses within the Coast to Capital region: West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, Lewes, Croydon, Epsom and Ewell, Reigate and Banstead, Mole Valley and Tandridge.

6 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Law Firm Shows Support For Local Children’s Charity Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton, has been named as Mayo Wynne Baxter’s chosen charity for the next two years. They raise money for life-saving and cutting-edge medical equipment, whilst ensuring that children are treated in an environment better suited to their needs. Ryan Heal, Chief Executive of Rockinghorse said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been voted as the chosen charity by staff at Mayo Wynne Baxter for the next

two years. We are very much looking forward to working with the team on a number of exciting fundraising activities and events.” Mayo Wynne Baxter Chairman, Dean Orgill, is gearing up for the Ride London-Surrey 100 cycle event in July, he said: “Anyone who has ever seen any of the great work done by Rockinghorse in places around the county can have no hesitation in supporting this wonderful charity. I am happy to ‘get on my bike’ and do my bit to help.”

Lewes Fashion Business Attracts Star-Studded Customers A Lewes business has helped put East Sussex on the international fashion stage, counting Kim Kardashian amongst its customers. Turning over £1.5million in its first year, Boom Boom the Label is continuing to expand and has recently created 18 new positions to help the business grow further.

Alie Mackintosh, 24, set up the business at home during her time at university and now sees celebrities wearing her pieces which include dresses, skirts, tops and accessories.

The Lewes-based business has

benefitted from three separate grants through Locate East Sussex, totalling £18,000.

Miss Mackintosh said: “Locate East Sussex has been a huge support to me, providing not only financial help with grants and loans, but also offering me advice and guidance through mentoring.”

Director of Locate East Sussex, Philip Johnson, said: “The funding, along with advice, has helped the company grow by over 1,017% over the past year, with 60% of sales being generated from outside of the UK.”

DMH Stallard Completes Sale of Firefly’s Rental Arm DMH Stallard has advised Lewes-based energy company Firefly on the sale of their event rental business to specialist equipment and crane hire firm, Hewden Stuart Limited.

CEO and Founder of Firefly, Andy Mead, said: “With more of Firefly’s hybrid power systems in the market place today than ever before, the acquisition allows us to focus on driving the hybrid proposition forward across all sectors.

“Having paved the way and proven the benefits for sustainable event power since 2007, we are now in a new phase of our journey.

We continue to support the world’s leading rental power specialists with our market leading hybrid systems.”

Jonathan Grant led the DMH Stallard team. He said: “Firefly is a great local business which is growing fast under Andy Mead’s guidance. These are the type of local businesses we aim to look after.”

SBTLocal News Marks & Spencer Brighton Presents Funds to CLIC Sargent’s Team at The Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital On 16th May, M&S Brighton Store Manager, Craig Taylor, and charity representative, Claire Button presented a cheque to CLIC Sargent’s Chief Executive, Kate Lee, and CLIC Sargent Nurses at the cancer care ward at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital.

CLIC Sargent provides practical, financial and emotional support to children and young people aged up to 24, diagnosed with cancer. Last year, the leading children’s cancer charity provided support to 108 local young people.

Craig Taylor said: “We’ve had a great year raising funds for CLIC Sargent and it means so much to be able to visit the hospital where the children are treated.”

Helen Farquharson, CLIC Sargent’s Community Fundraising Manager for Sussex, said: “We want to say a huge thank you to the team at M&S Brighton, Carden Avenue and all their customers.

The team have worked so hard and will help towards our goal to change what it means to be diagnosed with cancer when you’re young.”

Exporting is GREAT Roadshow Visits Brighton The Exporting is GREAT campaign roadshow visited Brighton on 26th May to promote the government’s ambitious export campaign to inspire 100,000 more businesses to trade overseas by 2020.

The Exporting is GREAT truck toured the South East with international trade advisers and other export experts, including Wired Sussex, Coast to Capital LEP and Virgin Start-ups on board to provide face-to-face advice and expertise to both new and established exporting businesses.

With Brighton being synonymous with the digital sector, UKTI hosted an event for local businesses on how to attract overseas customers for their products and services online.

Lewis Scott, UKTI South East Regional Director, said: “The Exporting is GREAT campaign provides new and experienced exporters with an invaluable opportunity to receive tailored and expert advice first hand from our International Trade Advisers. At no cost and with no obligation, the only thing companies can lose is the opportunity to grow their businesses and to be even more successful!”

Top most profitable firms in Surrey and Sussex revealed New research from accountants and business advisers BDO LLP has revealed Surrey and Sussex’s most profitable mid-sized companies have continued to forge ahead, reporting profit growth of 19% in the last year.

The best performing firm in Sussex was Arun Estate Agencies Limited with CAGR of 159%, followed closely behind by Surrey-based Fileturn Holdings Limited. Three companies – Whelan & Grant (Holdings), Deutsche Leasing (UK) Limited and Broadway Malyan Holdings Limited – have maintained their performance by appearing in the list for the second year running.

The research identifies that each employee is on average £1,000 a year better off than employees at other mid-market companies, with average remuneration being £43,400; an increase of 5.7% on last year.

Kevin Cook, partner at BDO LLP, said “Medium-sized businesses continue to thrive across the counties and have reported impressive results for the last year. They have remained focused on sustainable growth and vigilant to changing market conditions.”

Sussex Builders Merchant Launches New Graduate Training Scheme Chandlers Building Supplies has announced the launch of its brand new Graduate Management Training Programme, giving young people the chance to develop a career in the builders merchants industry.

Offering graduates the opportunity to get to know the sector inside out, the two year programme includes working in a variety of roles and departments interspersed with tailored training workshops that will be delivered by the Builders

Merchants Federation.

At the end of the programme it is hoped that the graduates will be in a strong position to apply for supervisory roles within the business before progressing to management positions in the future.

Andrew Cope, Managing Director of Chandlers Building

Supplies, commented: “Graduate training schemes offer young people a fantastic opportunity to immerse themselves in a particular industry. This will be our first Graduate Management Training Programme and we look forward to welcoming the successful candidates into the business.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 7

EU REFERENDUM:

The Result

After months of campaigning and talk, we have a result...

So here we are. After all the campaigning, debating and Focus mud-slinging, the votes have been counted and the announcement made. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, we now know the outcome of ‘the most important political decision for a generation’. The UK has voted to leave the European Union.

With a turn-out of 72% (the largest of any UK-wide vote since the 1992 general election), 52% voted to leave, while 48% wanted to remain. Overall, the Leave campaign came top in nine of the UK’s nations and regions with only London, Scotland and Northern Ireland favouring Remain. Contrast this with the first referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Community back in 1975, when the UK voted to stay in by a clear margin - 67% vs 33%.

The 2016 result will have come as a shock to some, less so to others. Some will be happy, some will be sad. The political fallout has been predictably dramatic and the speculation over the future of the UK rampant. At the very least it has had us talking about

8 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

to stabilise markets if trading conditions something other than the weather. So or the availability of capital change what of the future? The truth is no one dramatically. really knows; the fact remains that only Business will want to see a detailed one country (Greenland) has ever left plan to support the economy during the the European Community (as it was coming transition period - as confidence, then), and that was over 30 years ago, investment, hiring and growth would all so it’s fair to say that we are sailing into be deeply affected by a prolonged period unchartered territory. One thing is for of uncertainty. If ever there were a time to sure, it’s going to be quite a journey. ditch the straight-jacket of fiscal rules for Amid the sea of speculation about investment in a better the future, here we business infrastructure, have collected some “Firms want help to get comments and views Britain back to business this is it.

Businesses need (with maybe a little at a time of great action to maintain more speculation uncertainty. The health economic stability, a thrown in for good of the economy must be timeline for exit, and measure!) from the answers to their many national and local the number one priority practical, real-world business communities.

– not the Westminster questions about doing political post-mortem” business during and David Sheppard, - David Sheppard after this historic Chairman of the transition.

Sussex Chamber of Firms want help to get Britain back to Commerce and Dr Adam Marshall, business at a time of great uncertainty.

British Chamber of Commerce Acting The health of the economy must be Director General: the number one priority – not the Some business people will be pleased Westminster political post-mortem. with the result, and others resigned to it. Yet all companies will expect swift, Mike Cherry, National Chairman, decisive, and coordinated action from Federation of Small Businesses: the government and the Bank of England

Carolyn Fairbairn, Director General, Confederation of British Industry The first part of the plan must be to get strong, calm and decisive leadership in place as soon as possible. Never has there been a more important time to put the interests of the country ahead of party politics. Businesses welcome the Prime

Minister’s announcement of a delay in triggering Article 50 to create breathing space, but need rapid clarity on who is making the decisions.

Second, we must agree the principles that should underpin our new relationship with Europe and the rest of the world. At the highest level, the government should resolve publicly to preserve the openness of the UK’s economy, one of its greatest strengths.

This means seeking to protect tariff and barrier-free access to the Single Market, ensuring companies are able to continue to attract the best people to the UK with the skills we need, while recognising public concerns about immigration. And, it means setting out clearly how the UK will agree the right international trade deals with the wider world.

The third action we must take is to forge close and deep collaboration between business of all sizes across the UK and the government to help shape our future economic relationships. The CBI and business leaders across the UK stand ready to work with the new leaders of our country to help chart the future course, starting as soon as practically possible.

© Valsts kanceleja/ State Chancellery from Rīga, Latvija

FSB calls on the Government for clarity on what these decisions now mean for business, including how businesses will have access to the single market and the free movement of people and trade.

Nearly a quarter of FSB members export, with the majority exporting to the single market. Access to the single market means access to 500 million potential consumers, more than 26 million businesses and is worth 11 trillion euros.

We call on the Government for clarity on the impact to smaller firms who export wider afield through EU FTA agreements.

These are crucial questions that need to be answered swiftly to ensure the UK’s 5.4 million small business confidence does not fall any further, which is already at the lowest levels since 2013.

This includes clarity over the practical implications of this result on how smaller firms do business.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 9

Mark Waters, Investment Manager, Skerritts: The referendum result came as a surprise to many people, and certainly to markets. A remain vote had been expected by currency traders, right up until just after 10pm on Thursday night with Sterling rising against the Dollar.

However, things quickly unwound as results started to come in with the Pound then plunging. As expected Equity markets followed suit with sizeable falls across UK & European stock markets this morning.

We are now entering unchartered territory but the key thing is not to panic. The fact that the result was announced on a Friday was a good thing. It allowed a weekend for markets to digest the outcome, rather than having an immediate three day open period in which they would be reacting “in public”. After the initial shock we think markets will adjust to the new reality relatively quickly, given the two year exit period, and attention will turn quite rapidly towards the next “unknowns” that are approaching throughout the Summer – namely the Spanish election, the Italian Referendum and the US Election.

the best of times for those who are entrepreneurs in the true sense of the word – those who know how to actively Shweta Jhajharia, Entrepreneur and seek out opportunities.

Business Coach: Commercial prudence will eventually With the UK’s decision to leave the prevail over instinctive reaction. There EU, we have now entered a period of are SME owners who are going to extreme uncertainty. What is certain thrive under the Brexit. These are the though is that the decisions made by SME owners who have the financial small and medium enterprises (who literacy to understand make up about half the numbers in their of the economy), “It is possible that the business, those who over the next few months will determine government will negotiate are watching their a Norway-type deal to margins closely, who more than ever their are already planning on individual success in remain as members how to cast a wider net this environment. of the EEA to maintain to draw in better talent, SMEs generally access to the single and who are constantly have a low bandwidth market, including free looking for ways to when it comes to movement of workers” increase opportunities market information, in their pipeline. These cash flow and talent - James Strickland SME owners will be pool – all factors likely learning how to protect to be disrupted over their business well, strike when they have the next few years. The pressure here opportunities, and develop their own skills can also quickly affect performance, and competencies to negotiate effectively and begin to affect profit margins. For with the big players in the market.

SMEs with very little cash reserves and There may be reason to lament the exit balance sheet strength, this could even of the EU, but the SME owners who are threaten their very survival. fastest to come to terms with the reality However, the uncertainty and the of Brexit are the ones who are going confusion in the market will mean

10 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

© Electoral Commission.

Brexit

to thrive and continue on their paths of success and create the best of times for their business.

James Strickland, Co-founder and Group Sales Director, Passionate About People: It is possible that the government will negotiate a Norway-type deal to remain as members of the European Economic Area (EEA) to maintain access to the single market, including free movement of workers.

Another option for the UK is to adopt the Swiss approach and create bilateral trade agreements with certain countries, whereby an arrangement could be made between EU nationals currently working in the UK, and UK nationals currently working in EU countries.

A fast-track visa process is still on the cards for the supply of skilled workers to travel and work within the EU, but this is also likely to be affected following a change in the government of border controls.

Brexit has won, however, one thing is for certain: nothing will change overnight negotiations, meetings, deals and formal resignations could take years to put in place.

FRESH CLEANING SERVICES LIMITED

CLEANING SERVICES Fresh Cleaning Services are a Sussex based family owned commercial and domestic cleaning company. Fresh Cleaning has been established for over 10 years.

We pride ourselves on the personal touch to each individual client. Our staff are fully trained, achieve high standards which we except and maintain for our clients.

WHAT WE OFFER: • Office Cleaning • Stripping and resealing floors • Carpet Cleaning • Consumables provided • Free estimates and advice • Drive ways, patios and flag stone jet washed • Washroom services • Fully insured • Competitive rates • Testimonies available • Initial ‘spring clean’ to all new contracts • Visits from management to client sites

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 11

d.stephens@fresh-clean.co.uk • Tel: 07976 568241 • www.fresh-clean.co.uk

Get Set For Summer!

There are loads of great fitness accessories out there just waiting to improve your workouts.

Here’s our round-up of some of the most useful...

BIOSYNERGY FRUIT INFUSER

X9I INCLINE TRAINER Built with the features and reliability of a standard treadmill, this powerful training machine also features an amazing -6 to 40 percent incline range. Reflex cushioning absorbs the impact of every step, so you can run or walk with real-world ups and downs. Or, take on higher inclines to ramp up your intensity and burn five times the calories, just by walking. £1,999. www.nordictrack.co.uk

THE POOLMATE2 The PoolMate2 is a complete swimmer’s watch, this model will give swimmers data including the speed, distance, duration, strokes, calories and efficiency in pools and open water and has 99 set chrono mode for timing other activities. £70. www.swimovate.com

Don’t compromise when it comes to hydration.

Enjoy the taste of water infused with fruits and vegetables and recieve health benefits like antioxidants and vitamins at the same time. £14.99. www.biosynergy.co.uk

QARDIOBASE QardioBase is a sleek, elegant scale that measures your weight, BMI and full body composition including muscle, fat, water and bone. It tracks your hydration levels, your muscle building history and tells you if you are turning those fat deposits into muscle tissue and losing weight or just water. It’s the only scale with SMART FEEDBACK that allows you to replace numbers with smileys for a more encouraging feedback on reaching your goal. £129.99. www.getqardio.com

SNICKERS AND MARS PROTEIN BARS

12 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Are you a fan of the unmistakable chewy centre, distinctive caramel and delicious chocolate in a Mars bar? Or do you love to ‘get some nuts’ with your favourite Snickers bar? Well now you can have all the great taste you love in a Snickers Protein bar, with 18g of protein and a Mars Protein bar with 19g of protein. £2.19. www.amazon.co.uk

COPPER SKIN:Z Compression wear has become a staple element of fitness enthusiasts’ work out gear, as well as sportsmen seeking to push themselves harder on the playing field. Copper Skin:Z is the latest innovation in compression garments, and for the first time in the UK, features embedded copper fibres designed to quickly and effectively relieve muscle stiffness and soreness, transforming the way you support your body. From £24.99. www.trionz.com

MISFIT RAY The Misfit Ray delivers the fitness and sleep tracking needed to stay motivated, including steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned, activity tagging, and sleep duration and quality. It also never needs charging and is waterresistant to 50 metres, so it can be worn constantly. This means it collects more data and builds better insights. In addition, the Ray also gives owners text and call notifications, silent alarms and movement reminders whilst allowing them to control lighting, take selfies and control their music with one tap. £72.47. www.misfit.com

MAXICLIMBER Looking for a way to diversify your workout? If you’re tired of the same old generic exercise machines, and want to try something new with faster, and more effective results, why not give the Maxi Climber a try? The Maxi Climber is the vertical climbing system that imitates the movements of rock climbing to engage the major muscles in your body, helping you to achieve sculpted, sexy legs, rick hard abs and toned, strong triceps and biceps in the comfort of your own home. £149.99. www.highstreettv.com

AFTERSHOKZ TREKZ TITANIUM BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES

PORTABLE PERSONAL POWER PLATE® Power Plate creates harmonic vibration, instantly triggering the bodys natural response to vibration. The Personal Power Plate’s vibrating surface vibrates 35 times per second, resulting in corresponding muscle activation. This significantly amplifies the effectiveness of any movement performed on the plate, improving circulation, balance and stability. £995. www.powerplate.com

Trekz Titanium is a game changer for those who like to listen to music on the move.

Relying on a suite of proprietary audio technologies, these open ear headphones deliver premium sound quality through bone conduction. Experience maximum situational awareness and increased safety when you’re running, walking or biking on trails and roads. £109.95. www.aftershokz.co.uk

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 13

Money Matters

5 Top Tips

My, Haven’t You Grown?!

Successfully growing a small business is not easy. Here, Stephen Boobyer, co-founder of Ziffit.com describes five strategies that have worked for him

Seeing your small business grow, from Essential creative idea through Advice to a fully-fledged operation, can be a hugely satisfying and meaningful process.

However, for businesses of all sizes, growth comes with a unique set of issues and complexities. Business owners looking to successfully scale will need a sound strategy in place.

The transition from startup to SME can be a particularly challenging one, as entrepreneurs need to find new systems and ways of working in order to scale sustainably. But by focusing on the bigger picture - and not losing sight of your core service, team and customers - any dedicated CEO can successfully achieve growth in any business climate.

Here is a breakdown of some of the simple but crucial ingredients that are often overlooked when growing a small business.

1

Consistency is key

Growing a business requires significant commitment. As your business grows, consistent quality and reliability may be what makes the difference between gaining or losing customers. Your product or service may evolve over time, but if the quality of your output remains consistent, customers will reward you with loyalty.

Consistency also needs to be delivered within the business itself. Growing a company naturally comes with greater managerial responsibilities. This means both delegation and a more hands-off approach with day-to-day tasks are

14 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

essential. However, this shouldn’t be confused with becoming absent from the business. You should always keep one eye on the core service, ensuring that quality is the best it can be, and your customers are able to rely on you.

2

Tailor your service

A focus on customers is essential for growing your business, they are the reason most businesses exist in the first place. The needs of your customer change constantly and as their requirements grow, so should your business. It’s key to always measure how your customers are responding to your company and to try and gauge how you can develop to suit them. By keeping track of customer satisfaction you can see what is and isn’t working, and tweak things that aren’t delivering.

You can measure customer satisfaction in a range of ways. Google analytics is an invaluable tool for businesses looking to track lots of different variables. At Ziffit we like to keep track of social media as well – Twitter is a great resource for finding out about our customers’ experiences.

The social networking site is also a great platform for engaging and interacting with as many people as possible.

3

Analyse your competition

Competitive advantage is very important.

When considering new routes for growth, you need to examine not just what your company does well or differently, but what you do better than other companies. Pinpoint the other big players in your sector and really explore their service, thinking about what you do better than them, and if they are better

Money Matters

than you in some areas, how can you develop to beat them on that front?

Competition is healthy, and rest assured they will be doing the same thing too.

Don’t be afraid to look at the ins and outs of any competitors and grow your business by learning from them and improving wherever possible.

4

Have a business plan and stay focused on achieving it

While this may sound obvious, many companies neglect to take time out and develop the business, often until it is too late. It is crucial to have a business plan and stay focused on achieving it. This also means taking action if things start to go off plan; don’t wait and hope for the best. Monitor your numbers daily and tackle any unexpected irregularities as soon as they arise.

When running a business, you can keep yourself busy every second of the day reacting to every request, email or concern. Expansion will mean you will need to be in many different places at once. But make sure you dedicate a block of time each week to sit down and build your service – applying all the knowledge you are picking up along your journey of growth into the core of your business. Remember to use everything you have learnt from your customers and competitors when doing this.

5

Listen to your team

Think about how best to work with all departments and members of staff to improve and expand your business. You hired your staff for a reason, because they are competent and promising individuals, so it’s important to listen to their needs, but also to their ideas. Your team is the lifeblood of the business and they have the best understanding of the company,

and of what is working brilliantly and what could do with improving.

Sit down with them and share ideas in an open environment, bringing together different departments and creating dialogue can generate positive ideas that carry the company forward in new directions. Listening to your team is just as important as listening to your customers. While it can be hard to take a step back from your business and put trust in other people to start guiding it, it is an integral step to let creativity flourish and to help your business grow.

Stephen Boobyer, Co-Founder, Ziffit.com

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Manufacturing

The Next Industrial Revolution Mention “Industry 4.0” and you may well be met with a Insight look of confusion.

At least that’s what the most recent report published by accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO LLP, in association with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), has revealed.

So, what is Industry 4.0? In short, it is the next (fourth) Industrial Revolution; the next phase in the digitisation of the manufacturing sector as we know it, including the emergence of a new level of connectedness, analytics, businessintelligence capabilities and interaction – much like many other sectors. This is a term first coined in Germany to refer to the digitisation of manufacturing, allowing German manufacturing to build on its competitive edge.

Industry 4.0 creates what has been called a ‘smart factory’ and the increasing use of automation, data exchange, technology and wider supply chain communications that comes with it provides huge opportunities to UK manufacturing. However, it also causes possible threats. Either way, there remains a ‘gaping hole’ in the education and understanding of Industry 4.0; around the Internet of Things, cyberphysical systems, augmented reality, the Internet of Services and evolving humanmachine interaction.

I imagine some reading this now sympathise completely with the 56% of UK manufacturers who feel they don’t fully understand Industry 4.0. There’s a lot to take in and a lot of strange terms being used. This figure comes from the

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latest BDO/IMechE report, which found that only 8% of UK manufacturers have a significant understanding of Industry 4.0 processes, despite 59% recognising that the fourth industrial revolution will have a big impact on the sector.

Let’s break things down a little.

By region, the survey revealed that Yorkshire had the highest significant understanding of Industry 4.0 (24%).

The county also performed well on an overall basis with over half being familiar with the concept, 43% having ‘some understanding’, and 24% having ‘significant understanding’.

By industry sector, understanding was perhaps surprisingly low in the aerospace and automotive sectors: 55% in each had little or no understanding. This is surprising given that, arguably, the automotive sector has driven Industry 4.0 more than any other, through the relentless drive for productivity and, increasingly, customisation of product.

The remaining manufacturing sectors covering chemicals and pharmaceutical, oil and gas, electronics, food and drink, construction, power generation and others had generally low awareness; the numbers of respondents with significant understanding of Industry 4.0 were almost all in single figures.

And then there are companies who are aware, yet do not have a strategy in place for implementing the necessary changes. 48% of companies had no Industry 4.0 strategy but said that they needed to look into it, suggesting that while awareness is generally low, those engineers and managers who are aware of Industry 4.0 know that it requires real action and is not just the ‘next big fad’

© Dmitry Kalinovsky | Dreamstime.com - Industrial worker at tool workshop

SBT looks into how a lack of understanding around Industry 4.0 will hold back UK manufacturing

“According to the report, Industry 4.0 has far-reaching benefits, such as: increased productivity, better data analysis, increased competitiveness and lower manufacturing costs”

Manufacturing in manufacturing. Looking at the South East for a minute, a promising 23% of those surveyed said they had a strategy in place and had started implementing changes. This suggests that as a region, the South East is fairly advanced with smart factories, where a large proportion of firms either needed to look into it (51%) or were implementing a strategy (23%).

According to the report, Industry 4.0 has far-reaching benefits, such as: increased productivity, better data analysis, increased competitiveness and lower manufacturing costs. However, a third of manufacturers are at risk of falling behind global competition having not invested in Industry 4.0 related technology or processes in the last two years. Worryingly, a quarter say they have no plans to invest in this area in the next two years and 44% of those not investing said this was due to a lack of understanding.

So, it would seem then that more needs to be done to raise both awareness and recognition around the concept, as well as encouraging those industries to take action and put a strategy in place. Kevin Cook, Partner at BDO LLP, said: “It is surprising to see such low awareness of Industry 4.0 amongst UK manufacturers and clearly more needs to be done to educate, support and assist the sector. UK manufacturers need to push ahead or they will be left behind.

Philippa Oldham, Head of Manufacturing at the Institution of

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Mechanical Engineers, said: “By embracing this new revolution our factories will become much more intelligent and be able to detect, and even predict, faults in our production lines before they happen. This will not only lead to increases in efficiency and productivity but also drive out waste, improving our global competitiveness.

Unsurprisingly though, Industry 4.0 doesn’t come cheap. Of those that are increasing investment levels, 16% of companies expected to spend over £500,000 before 2018, while 7% plan to invest more than £5m. Over 60% of those surveyed said that production would be a key area when investing in automation systems and Industry 4.0 related technology, with 45% and 25% respectively saying research and development and logistics were key areas of focus. Only 5% said poor investment levels were due to the lack of external finance or grants. Looking more locally, 66% of South East respondents didn’t know how much they had invested in industrial automation and systems relating to Industry 4.0 in the past two years, while 12% have invested between £100£500k. Looking forwards, 30% do not intend to invest anything in the next two years while 3% are anticipating investing between £1-£5m.

It would seem that cost was a large barrier in the investment of Industry 4.0, but respondents more often than not stated that the reasons for not investing were heavily led by a lack of understanding in Industry 4.0 (16%),

© Kadmy | Dreamstime.com - Programmer Engineer With Metal Working Machine

Manufacturing

followed by 11% believing it isn’t relevant to their business. There also comes concern over security; 73% of those surveyed said Industry 4.0 will increase the risk of cyber security breaches in their business and 48% of these felt they had an adequate IT infrastructure which could prevent breaches.

A clearer strategy and more education

© Kadmy | Dreamstime.com - Worker At Tool Workshop

18 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

is certainly needed for moving the industry forward effectively. If we don’t invest heavily in Industry 4.0, as a country we may find ourselves left behind.

Kevin Cook commented: “It is evident other countries are already moving ahead of the game with education and investment programmes being much more clearly supported by government than in the UK. The lack of a clear strategy on what could be the most important development in manufacturing for some years is of huge concern. We would like to see the Government doing more to match manufacturers’ longterm outlook by developing a 15-20 years industrial policy that avoids the disruptions of the political cycle.”

Philipa Oldham added: “It is now time for Government to set-out a clear, long-term strategy which empowers UK companies to invest in these technologies and UK manufacturing’s long-term future.

“The survey findings show that much more is needed to be done to help our manufacturers understand how technologies such as automation can add value to their businesses.”

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 19

THE ROADS TO RUIN There’s much to enjoy about living in the countryside Focus - beautiful scenery, fresh air, country pubs... However, many of those who reside in the UK’s rural regions will be sorely familiar with the far from perfect roads and public transport provision.

Seemingly, negotiating crumbling and potholed roads and largely slow and inaccessible public transport is part and parcel of country life. Few eyebrows will be raised then by the publication in May of a report by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) that highlights the overwhelming level of dissatisfaction with the state of rural roads and public transport among SMEs. The key findings revealed that just 4% of rural business owners said public transport and the road network had improved, rising to 8% for less remote rural businesses. This compares to 14% of urban businesses, who reported improvements in these services. Overall, 50% of small businesses believe the quality of the road network and public transport has declined in the past five years. What’s more, these findings come despite significant investments in transport infrastructure over the past decade.

The Roads Of course, many SMEs are hugely

20 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

reliant on the road network, with the FSB economic output, and is valued at £210 report finding 89% of small businesses billion per annum. considered it of high value, and those in So what’s causing these problems? more rural and remote areas value access A report by the Local Government to the network even more thanks the Association (LGA) entitled Better Roads general lack of access to public transport. for England, points to inadequacies The main causes of dissatisfaction in the current road funding and reported by small businesses were maintenance system. The report congestion, poorly suggests that maintained local these arise as a roads, and a lack consequence of the “Over half of small of regional strategic government treating business owners planning. Again, as the Strategic Road individual issues, said they knew who Network (the main this is unlikely to motorways and was responsible surprise, yet all trunk roads) in for the upgrade or of these combine isolation from the maintenance of the rest of the road to impact heavily roads they used, on those small network, and businesses which making it difficult to through having are dependent on know who to report created overly the road network. complex funding – issues to” This is certainly including differing rather poor when legal frameworks, one considers the oft-quoted figures that assessment criteria, and timescales – illustrate the value of smaller businesses for local authorities around the country. to the UK economy. A quick re-cap: It’s also suggested that gaps in council small businesses make up 99.3% of all powers hamper attempts to manage businesses in the UK; they contribute transport as a whole. The current 51% to GDP and employ 60% of the system is neither locally devolved, private sector workforce. Furthermore, in nor wholly top-down, but rather a rural areas, smaller businesses provide combination of the two, and this only a significant proportion of employment serves to complicate matters. opportunities and are often said to drive This convoluted approach also economic growth across the country. creates confusion among businesses, The contribution of the rural economy as to which governmental body has represents around 16% of the UK’s total responsibility for the upkeep and

Having looked at the issues surrounding rural broadband provision last time around, this month SBT examines another issue that affects rural SMEs – the state of country roads and public transport

© Wiki Commons | Arriva436

delivery of transport infrastructure. In the FSB report just over half of small business owners said they knew who was responsible for the upgrade or maintenance of the roads they used, making it difficult to know who to report issues to, alongside causing a general nescience around the subject.

It would seem then that the current system needs urgent attention if things are to improve. The FSB propose that current and future devolution deals should be used as an opportunity for new combined authorities to commit to greater investment in local transport infrastructure. FSB’s Mike Cherry said: “The current devolution agenda in England presents a real opportunity to make a positive difference to rural communities. Small businesses want to see more resources earmarked for rural transport. This will help support rural small businesses as well as the UK tourism industry, which are both disproportionately affected when local bus networks and roads are left to deteriorate.”

This view is shared by the Local Government Association who agree that ‘changes are required to enable local authorities to prioritise and fund the long-term improvements needed’.

In order for things to move forward, the LGA recommend changes including: connecting up budgets and objectives; linking maintenance and improvement budgets; establishing continuity;

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 21

Infrastucture

are now being inflicted on our vital bus services on a par with the swingeing and misguided cuts the government and Dr Beeching made to our rail network, which decimated services back in the 1960s.”

In response, Transport Minister, Andrew Jones said: “The government protected around £250m of funding for bus services in England, provided through the Bus Service Operators Grant, as part of last year’s spending review.”

He added: “Ministers have also provided £7.6m in support for 37 local transport schemes in rural areas, while more than 300 charities and community groups across England would benefit from new minibuses through a £25m fund. We are also developing measures in the upcoming Buses Bill so local authorities can deliver improved bus services.”

Brighton Railway Station And Train In Sunshine - © Nigel Spiers It would seem that the railways are not facing quite the same peril as bus services thanks to the £9 billion allocated alternative to driving for London-based providing flexibility; and trusting local for upgrading the network across England firms who benefit from the country’s most accountability. and Wales between 2014 and 2019. sophisticated transport network, the Let us not forget that part of the Nevertheless, things are far from rosy majority of UK small businesses depend problem is caused by business traffic what with ongoing issues surrounding on their vehicles.” itself. Figures from the Department of above-inflation fare increases, Focusing on the buses for a moment, Transport show that LGV use on rural overcrowding, and continuing budget ‘A’ and minor rural roads both rose (by efficiency. cuts are severely 9.1% and 10.5% respectively) between Furthermore, affecting the December 2014 and December 2015.

“Yet again we are disputes such as services in rural In the same period, HGV use on rural seeing evidence of rural that surrounding areas, many of ‘A’ roads also increased, by 3.3% communities being Southern Rail which have already (unfortunately the data for minor rural left behind their recently, which seen reductions roads was not published). Overall use or cancellations. of rural ‘A’ roads and minor rural roads urban cousins in terms has led to strikes and widespread According to the both increased, with minor rural road of infrastructure, cancellations, Campaign for Better traffic rising the most of any road type, ultimately serving alongside disruptions Transport, public by 5.2%. Many country roads were to inhibit rural caused by general funding for bus not originally - and in many cases still productivity, profitability problems such as services throughout aren’t - designed to deal with high traffic signal failures have the UK has been and growth” volumes and regular use by larger, served to highlight reduced each year, heavier vehicles. just how erratic for the best part of this form of public transport can be. the last 10 years. Research indicates that Public Transport the funding cut in the South East in 2015- Unfortunately these occurrences are Outside of the big towns and cities, all too common with thousands being 16 is to total 13.93% - the highest of any public transport is, comparatively, affected and countless work hours lost UK region, while the local authority cuts incredibly limited and a far less feasible each year as a result – let’s hope we see levied by East Sussex County Council means for work-related travel. A survey the benefit of that £9 billion. and West Sussex County Council were conducted by YouGov on behalf of Yet again we are seeing evidence of 43.2% and 20.68% respectively. This all vehicle leasing company, Lex Autolease rural communities being left behind their adds to the increasingly bleak picture for last year found that more than one in five urban cousins in terms of infrastructure, the already uncertain future of the bus SMEs said their business locations are ultimately serving to inhibit rural services in these areas. poorly served by public transport links. productivity, profitability and growth. While Speaking to the BBC in February, If forced to rely on public transport for the issues we’ve looked at may not have Martin Abrams, from the Campaign for day-to-day business travel, 44% said any easy solutions, it would appear that a Better Transport, likened the ongoing they would be less efficient and 31% simplification of certain processes and a cuts to the buses to the infamous cuts said it would cost them more money. little more thought applied to others could (akin to a hatchet job some might say) Simon Barter, head of SME Direct at at least provide a decent foundation on on the railways fifty years ago: “Up and Lex Autolease commented: “While which to build future improvements. down the country utterly devastating cuts public transport provides a suitable

22 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

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Breaking Barriers: Women in Business The gender gap has been a very real thing for too long. But low and behold, we are now seeing an influx of female entrepreneurs and powerful women in business. SBT looks at what has caused this sudden increase and which barriers are still holding strong

Historically, there have been significant gaps between men and Insight women with regards to all levels of equality; one being career prospects. When it comes to levels of self-employment, pay or business ownership, the story has long remained the same, and the conclusion to that story is often that women are left behind. However, more recently we have been seeing a shift: over the past few years or so, the UK has seen a sustained increase in the number of women in

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self-employment, starting their own businesses. Since the 2008 recession (between November - March 2008 to November - January 2016) the number of self-employed females has risen by approximately 40% according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). As such, women now account for 32% of all self-employment compared with 28% prior to 2008. In 2014, 20% of singleperson businesses and 18% of smaller firm employers in the UK were majorityled by women.

These are clearly encouraging signs - signs that in this modern age, in 2016

look almost outdated in principle, but unfortunately in reality are not. But what has prompted this rise? Well, firstly, self employment has been recorded to be at its highest in 40 years, but simple probability isn’t solely the reason.

Changing perceptions from both sides surrounding women in business and entrepreneurship has also certainly made for a rather different environment from that of the past. No matter the probability calculations, such a rise in female entrepreneurship must, at least in part be led by a shift away from – arguably – long-standing, largely patriarchal views

Women In Business

of society. However, there’s still plenty of room for improvement as Fiona Anderson, Entrepreneurial Development Manager for NatWest, reveals: “If women started businesses at the same rate as men, there would be an additional 150,000 startups launched every year, potentially increasing UK GDP by £60 billion by 2030, which really underlines the importance of boosting female entrepreneurship.”

Clearly then, there are still challenges and barriers that remain to be overcome.

Among the most pressing are access to business support and finance, skills

and training, the age old juggling act between a successful career and being a parent and, quite simply the gender gap whilst growing up. Sharon Davies, Chief Operating Officer for Young Enterprise thinks that a more fundamental change in education must be implemented: “The increase in women entrepreneurs is encouraging, and it’s great to see more millennial women setting up businesses. However, male entrepreneurs far outnumber women across other age groups. Women still face barriers to overcome, the main ones being a lack of confidence and the perception that going into business is for men, which needs to be tackled early through education.

Bridging the gender gap at school, college and university will make the gender gap in entrepreneurship and also in salaries easier to tackle.

In agreement with Sharon’s comments, in spite of evidence that shows that more women than men are now choosing to move into self-employment, the RBS Enterprise Tracker - which tracks people’s attitudes to starting up in business has found that women continue to be less likely than men to want to start a business (30% vs 38%) and that fewer women are in the process of starting their own business (3% vs 5%).

A recently published report by FSB called ‘Women in Enterprise: The Untapped Potential’ spoke to almost 2,000 women business owners in the UK. It found that the key challenges that women faced when starting their own business included balancing work and family life (40%), achieving credibility for the business (37%) and, as Sharon pointed out herself, a lack of confidence (22%). The report also found that a third (34%) of women business owners say they have experienced gender discrimination in the workplace. This was felt particularly in sectors that are traditionally male dominated - for example in construction where over half (54%) had experienced discrimination.

In SBT’s most recent roundtable event in association with NatWest on entrepreneurship, Melanie Lawson, Director of Bare Biology, agreed with the findings of this study and Sharon’s opinion, suggesting that a lack of confidence was indeed a key barrier for women in business: “I believe that if men think they can do 30% of a job they will apply for it; if women think they can’t do 30% of the job, they won’t apply. Reshma Saujani in a recent TED Talk said that

“A third (34%) of women business owners say they have experienced gender discrimination in the workplace”

girls are taught to be perfect and boys are taught to be brave. So, women are thrown into life with this idea that they can’t start anything unless they know it’s going to succeed, whereas men just give it a go.

This really affects the business climate, as women are so much less inclined to just start up a business without fear.”

This is one woman’s opinion of course.

However, the overwhelming evidence including that from the Women’s Business Council - does in fact suggest that women are more likely to be prevented by a fear of failure when starting a business and indeed less likely than men to think they have the skills needed. According to the Council, a key explanation for the gender entrepreneurship gap may be ‘linked to wider issues of lacking self-confidence rather than an actual lack of skills’. If this is the case, it seems that perfectly ably skilled people are being left behind simply because of an issue with self-esteem.

Research by the Council itself has shown that the UK economy is missing out on more than 1.2 million new enterprises due to the untapped business potential of women. This is despite a number of policy initiatives by the UK Government and the devolved administrations, and the business community to promote and facilitate women business leaders and enterprise.

Holly Bonfield, FSB Manchester & North Cheshire region’s National Councillor, said: “Women-led smaller businesses already contribute over £75 billion to the UK economy, yet less than one in five (18%) of businesses are majority run by women.

“If women were to set up businesses and grow them at the same rate as men, we would see a huge boost to growth and prosperity in this country. In fact, the Government estimates it could add £600 billion to our economy.”

Where has this lack of confidence come from and how can we tackle it?

The obvious answer is that women have been ingrained with a mantra

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Women In Business

Happy businesswoman Steve wilson ©

“If women were to set up businesses and grow them at the same rate as men, we would see a huge boost to growth and prosperity in this country” - Holly Bonfield, FSB Manchester & North Cheshire region’s National Councillor

developed by centuries of inequality and misconceptions over their abilities as leaders, or even as anything other than a menial housewife. Whilst there isn’t anything wrong with this, it should never be expected for a woman to strive for nothing more. The challenge we face leads us in a spiral. A lack of female entrepreneurs due to a lack of confidence leads to a distinct lack of female entrepreneur role models in the limelight; which in turn stifles entrepreneurial ambition. Young girls have comparatively

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very few examples to work from. Men dominate as entrepreneurial role models, perhaps largely due to the stereotypical trait linked to entrepreneurship; that of competitive risk takers in pursuit of wealth, which in itself is strongly associated with masculinity. This persistent stereotype of ‘what it means to be successful’ is highly damaging to the aspirations of girls and young women attempting to overcome it. As with so many ingrained perceptions, change is not going to happen overnight. Of course that is not to say that things are not improving in this regard, it’s just not with the speed or ease with which many of us would like.

Being able to access external business support and advice is crucial to starting, running and growing a business - and this is one area that’s clearly improving for female entrepreneurs. Research by the FSB found that two thirds of women say they have accessed both private and government-sponsored business support in the past in order to help grow their business. In fact, a promising survey by the British Banking Association found that, while women-led SMEs are

less likely to use external finance, those who did apply for finance were more successful than male-led SMEs (70% of women-led SMEs were successful in loan applications compared to 56% of maleled SMEs). However, in spite of this, 33% don’t receive support of any kind.

To further the recommendations of the report that was published, FSB plans to launch a dedicated ‘Women in Enterprise Taskforce’ to support woman entrepreneurs and business owners.

Minister for Women, Equalities and Family Justice, Caroline Dinenage commented on the state of equality in our country today: “We have a lot to be proud of - Britain is ranked one of the top three places in the world for female entrepreneurs and we have over one million female led small to medium businesses. But we know there is even greater potential out there, which is why we’ve given a further £1.1 million to help women improve their digital skills and launched the Meet a Mentor scheme – providing women with valuable advice and expertise when they start out.”

NatWest have thrown their hat in the ring too. As part of a public commitment to support female entrepreneurs and business owners, the bank has developed the Women in Business initiative. Fiona Anderson of NatWest explains: “The Women in Business initiative has been designed to tackle the barriers to business success through access to expertise, finance, skills development and networking-building.

At the beginning of the year we had 250 accredited Women in Business Specialists and by the start of 2017, that number will be doubled to 500, helping to ensure female entrepreneurs and womenled business customers can receive specialist support at all stages of their business journeys.”

There may not be an easy fix for this problem. It’s one among many other aspects of the world we live in which needs to be improved upon, in order to benefit us as people as well as strengthen our economy. However, things are slowly getting there, which can only be a good thing for the business climate.

Holly added: “Everyone should have the same chance to succeed in business.

Understanding the importance of diversity and getting more women into business is critical for a dynamic and vibrant small business sector. That’s why we need to work out what the barriers are for women and break them down one by one.”

What a Vietnam Prisoner of War can teach us about leadership Rachel Stone of Bespoke Training, Eastbourne contemplates what a Vietnam Prisoner of War can teach us about leadership

“I work with business owners and senior leadership teams to help them build faith in themselves and face the brutal truth”

One of my favourite books about expert leadership is Jim Advertorial Collins’ “Good to Great”. There is so much in this masterpiece but my very favourite section covers the story of a US Vice Admiral’s experience as a survivor from the isolation on four years in solitary confinement as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

Vice Admiral James Stockdale not only survived his incredible ordeal, he also used it to teach himself something.

His survival tactics have been studied by those psychologists who study exceptional performance. Of course this area of study is significant because if a few people can experience exceptional success or achievements – then why can’t we all do this?

Collins studied many highly successful companies and compared them to their next best competitors. It was the sequel to “Built to Last”, but should really be read first! “Good to Great” looks into those companies who really gained massive traction and powerfully took their results through the roof over a period of about 15 years or less. The factors leading to this success were studied as a piece of empirical research. If you haven’t read it I highly recommend you do. There

is much to learn and it contains a few surprises too.

The major piece of learning that comes from the section based on the Vice Admiral’s achievements deals with attitude. Many gurus cover the topic of a positive attitude and the trait of optimism.

James Stockdale revealed a slightly different view.

The “Stockdale Paradox” emerges from “Good to Great” as a way of looking at positive psychology and adding in another factor. Facing the brutal truth.

There were many prisoners in the same situation as Stockdale, although they didn’t survive. They based all their survival efforts on being optimistic about their fate and hanging on for the day they would be rescued. Studies revealed that many died of broken hearts. They hoped for a release at Christmas, then Easter, then in the Autumn and so on. Their optimism wasn’t enough to keep them alive on its own.

Stockdale, on the other hand, coupled optimism with facing up to the brutal truth. Collins claims this as one of the six key concepts in his Good to Great Flywheel model.

He famously said: “I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade” His efforts were channelled into accomplishments to defy the enemy and to take an element of control.

He developed a tapping code to communicate with others, he sent a coded message home to his wife which relayed vital information about the enemy and he used a system of milestones to keep him alive.

Since the study of his ordeal the “Stockdale Paradox” has been discussed in leadership circles and it is simply this: • “You must retain faith that you will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties.

• AND at the same time…You must confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.

This is something that underpins my coaching practice. I work with business owners and senior leadership teams to help them build faith in themselves and face the brutal truth. In business organisations it is sometimes hard for the truth to reach the right ears. I train and coach leaders to develop a coaching culture where feedback is key. This leads to expert leadership and excellent results.

The powerful Best Year Yet programme has helped my clients do just that. Would you like to have your Best Year Yet? If you would like to find out more about the coaching and training packages that Bespoke Training Eastbourne delivers please do get in touch. You can call reception on: 01323 332316 to book in for a consultation or email rachel@ bespoketrainingeastbourne.com.

We have availability from September.

If you quote this article and call before July 21st you can claim a free copy of the resources from the 2015 Leadership that gets Results Conference materials.

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bespoketrainingeastbourne.com

Language in Business

The Languages of Business For those looking to grow their business abroad, SBT considers the benefits of increasing a workforce’s language ability and cultural awareness

“English is the international language of business and, as such, foreign language skills are not seen by many companies as an absolute top priority area for action in education”

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Business is becoming an increasingly international affair Focus these days among the country’s small and medium sized enterprises. Over the years, in part due to the globalisation of business via the internet, we have seen an increased recognition of the growth potential presented by exporting abroad.

This has been brought even more to the fore by the government’s Exporting is GREAT programme, launched in 2015, which encourages businesses to think outside of the box; outside the UK. Small, medium and large businesses alike are now becoming more and

more international in nature and with this comes an increased demand for not only understanding another culture, but being able to communicate with those of another culture. As Brits, we’re not entirely used to having to give way to other languages. As the 2015 CBI/ Pearson Education and Skills Survey points out, English is the international language of business and, as such, foreign language skills are not seen by many companies as an absolute top priority area for action in education.

Nevertheless, even when most have become used to a life of leisure when going abroad, the practical value of speaking another language is increasingly being recognised. In fact, the Skills

© Koco77 | Dreamstime.com - Shelving With Language Books

Language in Business

Survey found that nearly three quarters of UK private sector employers see a need – or at least a benefit in having – foreign language skills in their business.

Only 23% said they had no need at all for language skills.

Multilingual workforces are increasingly becoming more and more important as companies recognise the value in having the ability to communicate with clients and potential partners in their own language. Effective communication plays a vital part in forming relationships, building mutual understanding and trust, and developing the networks on which business opportunities depend. When a sales team is pitching to clients on the other side of the world and their first

question is if there’s anyone who speaks English, confidence is most likely almost immediately lost. Research carried out

by Cardiff University Business School for UK Trade & Investment recently found that the lack of language skills costs the UK’s economy an estimated £48 billion a year in lost contracts – surely a ridiculously huge loss thanks to something that, in the grand scheme of things, is not so difficult to ameliorate.

Of course, our education system does take this into account, teaching modern foreign languages across the board. However, a survey conducted by language learning company Rosetta Stone has revealed that only 46% of language learners who received language training at school felt sufficiently confident and prepared to use it at work. When you pair this statistic with the 81% of respondents who had had language lessons before entering the workforce, it’s clear that additional language tuition is needed. Or perhaps something more fundamental needs to change with how we learn foreign languages. The European Survey on Language Competences, carried out by the EC with a consortium including Cambridge Assessment, illustrates the scale of the language skills gap in England.

Comparing the modern foreign language skills, in reading, listening and writing, of 15-yearolds in 14 countries in 2011, England came bottom in reading, writing and listening in the main foreign language taught (French for English pupils).

England scored worst in reading in the second foreign language taught and came 14, out of 16, in listening and writing in the second foreign language taught (German).

Where are we going wrong and how can we rectify this situation? Following pressure on foreign language study in schools in recent years, we have seen some signs of change. The findings from the CBI survey suggest that the

“Businesses tell us that language skills help employee productivity, improve relationships with customers and increase sales opportunities” introduction of compulsory language teaching in Key Stage 2 in England has had a profound impact on the number of primary schools teaching a foreign language. Almost all primary schools (99%) now do so and 12% say they started in the 2014/15 academic year.

Just short of 40% of state schools in England have reported an increase over the past three years in the numbers of pupils taking at least one language at Key Stage 4, compared with 22% reporting a decline. A step in the right direction this may be but there is still a clear need to continue to make the case for language learning, as it remains to be seen whether recent government initiatives to revive it will bring about a much needed resurgence. Equally – taking into account the previously mentioned finding from Rosetta Stone - will this suffice for developing long-term skills for later life?

Due to this continued uncertainty, and for those who are no longer in education, Panos Kraniotis, Regional Director of Rosetta Stone Europe suggests that for those businesses looking to reap the benefits of a multilingual workforce, it may well be that language learning will need to continue in the workplace: “Businesses tell us that language skills help employee productivity, improve relationships with customers and increase sales opportunities. These things directly impact the bottom line. We’re hearing from employees who are using their second language at work, that traditional schooling can only take things so far; to

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 29

© Vectorstory | Concept Of Business Travel Or Studying Languages

improve internal and external multicultural communication, businesses would do well to incorporate language training into learning and development programmes.”

It may be argued that, for smaller companies in particular, this approach is perhaps a little too idealistic and that in many cases offering language tuition programmes is only likely to happen when their value to the firm exceeds the cost. This will also depend on the SMEs’ export markets, both current and projected, as well as on the skills of their established staff.

However, there are ways, other than language tuition, of addressing language needs that needn’t be costly.

For example, UKTI Language & Culture Adviser, Sara Knowles proposes the recruitment of students who can undertake placements in your business to carry out language and culturerelated marketing, market research, sales and customer care tasks that require language skills and cultural knowledge. Ms Knowles also suggests that professional translation may not be as costly as you may think - a small investment will reap rewards, enabling you to engage more effectively with your buyers and preserve your brand’s credibility. “A professionally translated, localised and well optimised website (or language pages within your website) will help your business to ‘speak to the heart’ and give you competitive edge,” says Sara.

Ultimately, it is important that

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© Lesssia | Dreamstime.com - Social Networking And Social Media

Language in Business

businesses fully recognise that a lack of language ability among a company’s workforce creates language ignorance, which in turn contributes to a largely unrecognised barrier to UK SME engagement and expansion. Evidence strongly suggests that language ignorance is one of the reasons we are seeing a trend in low exports by firms who reportedly had experienced ‘no cultural difficulties in selling abroad’.

Either these businesses are relying excessively on English-speaking markets

and not developing sales elsewhere, or they are failing to appreciate the role of cultural differences within business.

However you look at it, as a business owner or employer, you simply cannot ignore cultural or linguistic differences – now more than ever. The growth of business, and the growth of the British economy depends on the ability to communicate, expand and succeed with clients and customers, and speaking their language is the first step.

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The apartment has been reduced to attract easy purchase of a relocation family or a consortium of golfers.

When this apartment was purchased the price was â‚Ź160.000 approx - it can now be purchased for a bargain price of:

â‚Ź 76.000 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 31

CONTACT THE AGENT ON: 0034 968 140781 OR DIETER@ARENAINN.COM AND ASK FOR DIETER MULLER

DMH Stallard’s corporate team at the Insider SE Awards

Abigail Owen of DMH Stallard:

Driving the UK M&A Market South-East Leading Lawyer and Partner at DMH Stallard, Abigail Owen, talks to SBT about the outlook for merger and acquisition activity in the UK and in the Sussex region Abigail Owen, Partner at DMH Stallard, was Cover voted ‘Corporate Finance Lawyer of Feature the Year’ two years running and with the DMH Stallard corporate team winning the 2016 Corporate Law Firm of the Year, she is one of the key players on the South-East Corporate Finance scene, completing more than 100 transactions. Being a woman in a man’s world is never easy, but Abigail has not seen this as a barrier, believing that good communication and common sense advice with a pragmatic view will always get the deal done.

2015 was a great year for mergers and acquisitions, and being based between DMH Stallard’s Crawley, London and

32 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Brighton offices has enabled Abigail to get a great overview of what is going on in the region and particularly Sussex. The start of 2016 saw a slowdown, although personally her workload did not drop.

SBT asked Abigail how she saw the current marketplace and what the outlook was post the referendum.

Do you see any difference in how deals will be funded post-Brexit?

We continue to see deals funded by companies with cash reserves and resources and by the backing of highnet worth individuals. We have noticed an increase in the use of funding from banks, who are trying to come back into the market and by invoice discount or alternative funding providers. All investors and funders will be more

“We have noticed an increase in the use of funding from banks, who are trying to come back into the market” cautious, but do we think that the fundamentals will change? The answer is ‘no’. What nobody likes is uncertainty and unfortunately, the process we now find ourselves in will be very uncertain

wards

Cover Feature: DMH Stallard

for sometime to come. We still expect sensible good deals to be funded and to proceed.

“Brexit will add another page to every seller’s and buyer’s checklist and you need to be prepared for those questions. Good business people know this and will allow for it”

How are you seeing buyers approach transactions?

Businesses want and need to continue to grow and carry on business. Brexit has put a different complexion on this, but it hasn’t changed those objectives.

The recessionary days of people sitting on their hands and not wanting to do anything with their business are long passed. There will be a level of caution by buyers looking at businesses, which means that due diligence will be a key element to any transaction. Buyers will be going into a transaction with their eyes wide open and will want to know precisely what it is that they are buying. As a seller, due diligence can be very disruptive and distracting to the business, right at the point when a seller needs to focus on the business and the numbers. You can never under-estimate the value of getting your company in good order prior to commencing any transaction, and we have seen this with the transactions over the last 6 months; those that had prepared themselves ready for a transaction resulted in the deal proceeding more smoothly with least price chipping! This will be the same post Brexit as it was before.

Are you seeing deals being structured in any particular way?

Over the last 6 months, we have seen transactions structured in a multitude of ways. We are finding that parties are being flexible, looking at the end result and how to get there in a way that works for all where able. We have seen deals structured in the ‘standard’ share sale manner, as well as the purchase of certain business & assets, commonly where it is only part of or a division of a business that is being sold. We are also seeing an increasing number of buyback of shares, as a means of enabling certain business owners to capitalise on their hard work and exit from the business, whilst the other owners stay with the business. Coupled with this is the increased availability of bank and institutional funding options. All of this makes for an active market. In 2008 bank finance dried up. This isn’t the case now and if anything, the Bank of England are making sure that there is enough cash around to ensure that there is no repeat of 2008.

Abigail Owen, Partner at DMH Stallard

What advice have you got for people looking to sell their businesses over the next 12 months?

Most importantly, it is never too early to start planning, particularly with regards to the advisers you are going to use.

This doesn’t just cover legal, but also tax, accounting and corporate finance advice. You should not be rushed into any transaction and so the earlier you get your house in order, the more smoothly it will run and the better you will be prepared. Transactions tend to be of two types, either instigated by the owner who wants to exit or by a third party who makes the owner an offer they cannot refuse! There is an old saying that having your business fit for sale makes either of these straightforward, whichever stimulates a transaction. Brexit will add another page to every seller’s and buyer’s checklist and you need to be prepared for those questions. Good business people know this and will allow for it.

We understand that values have been increasing in the market place. What are you seeing at DMH Stallard?

Prices have certainly increased over the last 24 months and the market was, until the referendum, pretty firm.

What we are seeing is that initial higher prices being offered and accepted are now under pressure during the due diligence period, and if anything, values have softened slightly in the last 3 to 6 months. Your advisers should be helping manage not only value expectations but also attempted price reductions. There must be an expectation that for some businesses the current uncertainty will hit the value but for others e.g. where earnings are not in sterling, it will increase value. Again, by keeping control of the process and understanding your options, you will be able to maximise value. www.dmhstallard.com

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 33

Made In Sussex

One of three deals completed by EMC post-Brexit. EMC’s Terry Rainback (far right) lines up with (from left) solicitor David Gordon from Mayo Wynne Baxter and directors Paul Boon, Dominic Boon and Lawrence Boon after the sale of their Pasante Healthcare business to Karex Bhd of Malaysia.

Keep Calm & Carry On Nik Askaroff, EMC Corporate Finance Chief Executive and winner of the South East Dealmaker of the Year Award for the last two years, talks to Sussex Business Times about the UK’s M&A landscape post-Brexit and looks at what may lie in store for our SMEs SBT: How do you see Brexit impacting on M&A activity in Britain over the coming months and years?

Nik: It’s much too early to say yet. M&A activity had already slowed in the first half of the year so it would be no great surprise if this trend were to continue. But just as there were a huge range of conflicting opinions about what Brexit would do for our country and our economy before the referendum, so there are equally widely-held views about what the future holds in store now that we have voted to leave. For example, while both EY and PwC are anticipating a continued downturn in M&A activity in the short to medium term, Simon Borrows, the chief executive of private equity company 3i, has said that he expects deal levels to pick up in the second half of the year. Only time will tell who’s right.

EMC Corporate Finance

What has been your personal experience since the Brexit vote?

34 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

It’s been very positive. We actually completed three very good deals less than two weeks after the referendum, the most significant of which was the £6m sale of Lancing-based Pasante Healthcare to Malaysian company Karex Bhd. Pasante was formed in 2000 by local entrepreneurs Lawrence, Dominic and Paul Boon and has grown steadily year on year to become the UK’s largest independent condom company, exporting to 60 countries across Europe and the Middle East. Karex now plans to use Pasante to spearhead its expansion into Europe.

My EMC colleague, Terry Rainback, has worked closely with the Boon family over many years and acted as their corporate adviser during the sale which went through in record time. The Boons had been through business sales before

so knew a lot of what to expect. But Dominic, the FD, made the very good point that “making sure you have the right people around to help you is important.”

What does that mean exactly?

It really means having advisers you can trust and who have the knowledge and experience to see a deal through from beginning to end. Up to 60 per cent of mergers and acquisitions don’t complete even after deal terms have been agreed. Many fall over simply as a result of poor planning, communication and deal management.

That’s why it’s vital to have the right advisers on board with you for the duration of the journey from when you first start to think about selling to the final signature being placed on the completion documents. You’ll want someone who

“Up to 60 per cent of mergers and acquisitions don’t complete even after deal terms have been agreed”

EMC Corporate Finance

“I always predicted that a vote for Brexit would bring some short-term pain with it, but I have great faith in our SMEs to adapt to changing circumstances” is prepared to hold your hand not only through the initial negotiations but, just as importantly, throughout the complex and painstaking due diligence and legal processes that can often make even the most committed buyers or sellers lose the will to live!

So, is this a good time for owners to think about selling or, indeed, acquiring a business?

It’s certainly not a bad time. Well run businesses with a strong presence in their market should always be able to find a willing purchaser. However, there may be opportunities for acquisitive companies to snap up a bargain caused by the current economic uncertainties. Certainly that’s what Carl Jackson, Managing Partner and Founder of specialist restructuring firm Quantuma, believes. He says that there soon could be many viable businesses out there that are undercapitalised or poorly managed and that these could represent real opportunities for growth by acquisition or merger. It’s also worth bearing in mind that private equity firms currently have more than £1.5 trillion of cash sitting on their balance sheets. The pressure on them to invest and buy has not changed so there are sure to be opportunities for those willing to consider PE as an option.

It’s impressive that you manage to arrange so many interesting cross-border deals. We know, for example, that you won a Deal of the Year Award for organising the sale of $100m freight forwarding and logistics company Bellville International Ltd to OIA Global of Portland, Oregon and advised on

Nik Askaroff, EMC Corporate Finance Chief Executive

the sale of the cloud payroll product, PaySuite, to Intuit Inc, the US Fortune 500 company. And now you’ve just concluded the sale of Pasante to a Malaysian business. What’s the secret?

There is no secret. It’s sheer hard work, market knowledge and research, and some excellent contacts. We have forged a number of collaborative arrangements that have given us direct access to leading M&A specialists in Asia, Australia, America and Europe. The latest is with Dolder Corporate Finance GmbH in Switzerland. It allows us to have eyes and ears on the ground in lots of different marketplaces to alert us to any opportunities there might be for our selling clients. Conversely, we are also able to provide them with knowledge of and information about any UK companies that could possibly be interested in acquiring a business they are advising.

It’s a useful two-way street with benefits all round.

Generally, then, how do you see things going over the next 12 months?

I hope and trust that things will start to calm down a little once the new Prime Minister is in place and she can begin the tricky task of negotiating our new relationship with the EU and the wider world. I always predicted that a vote for Brexit would bring some short-term pain with it, but I have great faith in our SMEs to adapt to changing circumstances and I see no reason why the vast majority shouldn’t ride out the current stormy waters and emerge relatively unscathed.

Good businesses run by good people will always do good business. And we are always here to help them to do that! www.emcltd.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 35

Creative Commons - Andrew Campbell

Aegon International Tennis

International Tennis Comes Home

As the Aegon International Tennis Tournament in Eastbourne closes for another year, SBT catches up with the event’s newest partner, Brewers Home as they reflect on their inaugural year of working with the prestigious Sussex sporting event

You don’t need to be a huge fan of the sport to appreciate Tennis the scale of the annual tennis tournament hosted in Eastbourne’s Devonshire Park.

Largely regarded as the precursor to Wimbledon, the event regularly attracts more than 30,000 visitors over the 8-day tournament each year - and this year’s Aegon International Eastbourne was no exception!

Those of you that are keen on tennis will likely know the outcome of the 2016 tournament, but for those who are not, Dominika Cibulkova impressively won her maiden grass court title with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Karolina Pliskova. After knocking out Agnieszka Radwanska and Monica Puig on Friday, the 27-year-old returned on the finals day with a tough task against the in-form Karolina Pliskova.

Pliskova had already won the Aegon

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Open Nottingham singles and Aegon Also it’s my first title win on grass so I’m Classic Birmingham doubles titles so was over the moon.” going for a hat-trick on the grass this Another first for the tournament this summer. But the World No. 21, playing in year was the involvement of its new her first ever final on partner and local grass, was not to be success story in its “This win is really denied her second first year of launch, title of 2016 and sixth special. It’s a special Brewers Home, of her career. After who got involved title for me and my getting the advantage with the event to second title of the to lead 3-1, the 2011 introduce some of year. I’ve never been their signature style Wimbledon quarterfinalist fought off six able to win two titles to both the ticketing break points in her in the Towner in one year before so it area following two service Gallery and also feels just great” games as Pliskova the Sky Lounge pushed hard for a hospitality suite. route back into the The otherwise- Dominika Cibulkova final. cavernous, concrete Cibulkova told SBT: space that sits at “This win is really special. It’s a special the rear of the Towner Art Gallery sees title for me and my second title of the thousands of people passing through year. I’ve never been able to win two titles during the tournament, to collect their in one year before so it feels just great. passes and buy day tickets. Brewers

Aegon International Tennis

Home occupied the space next to the main ticket booths with a room set filled with designer brand products, bright colours and inspirational styling to introduce the company to visitors of the event.

Through each day of the tournament, the Brewers Home team invited visitors to enter a prize draw, where the daily winners were announced on centre court and handed a voucher worth a significant £250 to spend at any of the 150+ national Brewers stores.

It’s an often-missed fact by many that Brewers, Brewers Home’s parent company, have amassed such an impressive breadth of businesses, which now reach all corners of the country and continues to grow at an impressive rate. Having been supplying the decorating trade with materials since 1904, Brewers celebrated a double centenary celebration of 100 years and 100 stores in 2004.

Subsequently in 2011, the company was awarded the prestigious Royal Warrant for supplying decorating materials to the Household of HM The Queen. The Brewers Home room set and decorative prowess certainly lived up to this label.

Throughout the tournament, Brewers Home also ran a second competition for those attending the hospitality area in the Sky Lounge, which was open from Monday through till the final on the Saturday afternoon. Guests were invited to enter a draw, which offered one lucky winner for each of the six days in the hospitality suite, a voucher

“The collaboration between the biggest sporting event in Eastbourne’s calendar and Brewers Home, the most exciting national interiors company born from one of the largest, longest established and respected companies from the town, was a complete success” for the value of £200 to spend in any Brewers store in the UK. The Sky Lounge offers quite possibly the greatest view of the action during the tournament and guests were treated to sumptuous surroundings as laid on by the design team at Brewers Home, which included lamp shades in a pink hue. The space was beautifully decorated with a combination of materials from some of the very best brands in the interiors market and representing a small selection

of the specialist edit available from the experts at Brewers Home.

The collaboration between the biggest sporting event in Eastbourne’s calendar and Brewers Home, the most exciting national interiors company born from one of the largest, longest established and respected companies from the town, was a complete success. So much so that both Brewers Home and the Lawn Tennis Association are already talking about further collaborations, in Eastbourne for 2017 and also exploring possibilities to partner with the Queens tournament which traditionally takes place just after the Eastbourne event.

The organisers of the Eastbourne Tennis Tournament and the local council recently announced their guarantee of a further ten years of the Eastbourne event, which not only secures the future of the tournament for a significant period, but will also see the events roll out through the planned development of the Devonshire Park.

SBT looks forward to seeing more collaborations between independent Eastbourne companies and prestigious events such as this and wishes to congratulate not only all the tennis professionals at the tournament but those 14 lucky Brewers Home competition winners!

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 37

Healthy Workplace

Forget Four Wheels & Take to Two! Ahead of national Cycle To Work Day, Sussex Business Times focuses on the benefits for employees and businesses and how encouraging as many people as possible to commute in a more environmentally friendly and healthier way can make all the difference Research shows that those who lead active lifestyles are happier, Health healthier and more productive. At work this means more energy, improved mood, improved mental performance, better time management and a greater ability to meet deadlines.

Clearly, this benefits business as well.

A happy, positive and more engaged workforce boosts productivity, reduces stress, improves overall morale and reduces staff sickness and turnover. These gains are obvious, yet relatively few incorporate as much physical activity as they could into their working day.

Clearly the most significant gains are to be found through reconsidering how we travel to and from work. Walking, running and cycling to work are all great ways of introducing physical exercise into your workday routine. They’re perfect for getting some fresh air, helping the environment and, if

nothing else, it saves you a lot of petrol money!

Whether the idea of cycling to work is an appealing one, or brings you out in a cold sweat, it remains perhaps the most viable means of transport after driving or using public transport (if you live within a reasonable distance from work). Many of us will have heard about the government’s Cycle To Work initiative, which offers discounts for staff on cycle purchases, through a salary sacrifice system. Savings of up to 40% on the retail cost of a bike are typical and there are a range of organisations set up to implement the scheme.

“There are multiple research sources which support the positive impact on productivity and happiness in the workplace from having an overall commitment to wellbeing, which could include a successful cycle to work scheme,” said Thomas Ridgely, Senior Environmental Consultant at NatWest Mentor. He adds: “If employees can be persuaded through education to

“Existing studies show that exercising before work increases an employee’s productivity by up to 15%”

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choose a more efficient personal vehicle, or indeed a company car, and then cycle to work instead; the reduction in environmental impact would be significant.”

Cycle to Work Day – an affair that has been promoted across all regions of the nation – has proven to have huge benefits for businesses. The event, which will take place on Wednesday 14th September, encourages UK residents to take to two wheels by cycling to and from work for at least one day. Last year, tens of thousands of people got involved, and hopes for this year are that it will be bigger and better than before, and will carry on as a daily fixation for many people.

Studies show that approximately 741,000 people in the UK regularly cycle to work. Yes, this sounds like a lot, but when compared to the 64 million people currently working in the UK, it really is a relatively poor statistic. However, this is increasing day by day with the help of events such as this one. Not only is

© Gstockstudio1 | Dreamstime.com - Going Everywhere By His Bike

Cycle to Work Day aiming to get people on their bikes just for this day, but hopes that those general figures will soar, and that by 2021, one million people will be commuting to and from work in this way.

So far, over 12,000 cyclists have pledged more than 180,000 miles, saving a staggering £83,000 and 38,600kg of CO2, also burning more than 5 million calories.

Hundreds of employers – from startups to huge national companies – have been and are supporting this day, and it has been proved that regular cycling to and from work improves employee productivity, benefitting businesses everywhere. Existing studies show that exercising before work increases an employee’s productivity by up to 15% not bad at all if even just a quarter of your employees take it upon themselves to travel to work in this way.

Additionally, cycling will reduce the costs of health care. On average, cyclists live 2 years longer than those who to not cycle, also taking nearly 50% fewer days

off sick, according to Sustrans. This is another major benefit to businesses all over the country as absenteeism in the UK costs businesses around £32 billion per annum, says research conducted

by PwC. As well as a 4-15% increase in productivity, cycling to work has also been proved to lessen task errors by 27%, suggesting that cycling has benefits for both physical and mental health for employees.

Businesses will also have the ability to make huge savings on their expenses by encouraging their employees to cycle – probably one of the main reasons so many companies (especially startups) are getting behind and supporting the Cycle to Work day in September. Employees that cycle instead of taking trains, tubes and buses into work can save businesses a couple-of-hundred pounds a month.

It’s clear to see that by advising employees to take on an active lifestyle, drastic improvements can be made with regards to businesses and productivity, the environment and, obviously, personal

health; resulting in stress-free commutes and an all-round happier working atmosphere. So, consider getting involved in national Cycle to Work Day 2016 for what seems to be overwhelming benefits in the workplace and in employee’s personal lives.

For more information: visit: https:// www.cycletoworkday.org

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 39

Cyber Security

Getting Ahead of the Hacker

Cyber Security has long been a topic of discussion for businesses across Sussex, the country and the world, and it is undeniably a growing threat. Innovators are working on an answer, but in the meantime businesses need to implement proper training for their staff and get ahead of the hacker before it’s too late

With the vast majority of companies now using the internet to Focus do business, cyber security is becoming an ever more pressing issue. As security systems become more sophisticated, so do the ways and means of breaching them. There were 5.1 million cyber attacks between 2014-2015 alone (with a further 2.5 million offences under the Computer Misuse Act), with over half of the victims suffering financial loss.

Furthermore, internet security technology company, CYREN, found that successful cyber attacks on businesses increased by 144% over the four year period up to 2015.

Of course all businesses are vulnerable but smaller operations tend to bear the brunt as they often do not have the same resources available to them.

Research has found that smaller firms are collectively attacked seven million times per year, costing the UK economy an estimated £5.26 billion. It’s not for lack of action on the part of the SMEs however; 93% of small firms were found to have taken steps to protect themselves from digital threats. In spite of this, 66% have been a victim of cyber crime in the last two years. Over that period, those affected have been victims on four occasions on average, costing each business almost £3000 in total.

Also, according to Oliver Kuehne, Head of Cyber Security Practice at Stott and May, cyber criminals are actually hacking into smaller businesses as a way of getting into larger corporations: “Smaller companies are easier to target because they often lack the resources, knowledge and technical capability to protect

40 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Cyber Security

themselves against the many different forms of attack than can occur.”

There are two main vulnerabilities that are most often exploited by cyber criminals. Firstly, there are those that are categorised as ‘organisational vulnerabilities’, which are weaknesses in the procedures, processes and human behaviour within a business. These can have significant consequences for the security and integrity of the assets of a small business, such as financial details and customer data. Secondly, there are ‘technological vulnerabilities’; weaknesses

in the technology itself, which can leave those using the technology, such as small businesses, open to attack.

In today’s world it’s important for businesses to acknowledge that cyber security breaches are now more or less inevitable, so instead of focusing solely on defence, a new approach is needed - cyber resilience, for example.

Cyber resilience is a broader approach that encompasses cyber security and business resilience, and aims not only to defend against potential attacks but also to ensure business survival following

a successful attack. Broadly speaking, this involves ensuring that your cyber security is as effective as possible without compromising the usability of your systems, and also ensuring that there are robust continuity plans in place that cover information assets so that you can resume normal operations as soon as possible if an attack is successful.

Andrew Cooke, Client Director at consultancy firm, Atkins suggests: “It’s essential to create organisational cyber resilience by understanding what is most important to delivering your mission and goals and converting that into a clear and simple set of controls to ensure that your critical physical and information assets are protected.”

“93% of incidents it investigated in the fourth quarter of 2014-15 were caused by human error” Mr. Cooke also suggests that cyber resilience is about leadership. Creating a cyber resilient organisation has to start at the top and work down. “What is it that is important to the organisation and what needs protecting? To determine that you need to start with the top level organisational objectives. There are few businesses now for which cyber is not a key enabler; maybe none. Effective cyber security needs to be an objective on the CEO’s list of top level objectives.”

However, research undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers for their 2015 Global State of Information Security Survey found that only 25% of directors are actively involved in reviewing security and privacy risks. Oh. Even for those that do take an active interest, let us not forget that the best-laid plans of mice and men go oft awry. The simple fact is that the human element is most often found to be the weakest link in the cyber security chain. A report from

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 41

Cyber Security the Information Commissioner’s Office found that 93% of incidents it investigated in the fourth quarter of 2014-15 were caused by human error. This is clearly a statistic that needs to see a dramatic reduction. Oliver Kuehne comments: “In recent years, the need for cyber security talent has skyrocketed. Because there is such high demand for this specialised talent and the threat landscape is growing faster than our ability to secure it, we are faced with a mass cyber skills shortage.”

So while up-to-date security systems and solid continuity plans are clearly important in combatting and recovering from attacks, the role of the workforce is as important as ever. In the past, taking fairly basic steps and precautions has been relatively effective, and while this is still the case, the increased sophistication of cyber attacks now necessitates a higher level of education and awareness among employees around the subject of cyber security.

According to Tech City’s Tech Nation 2015 report, Brighton has ‘the highest concentration of digital companies in any of the UK regions’, providing scope to enhance the region’s cyber security capabilities whilst enabling businesses and citizens to be safe in cyber space.

The potential is there, and of course whilst threats grow, so do innovations in protecting against malicious actors, but

42 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

to really improve the situation businesses need to consider implementing proper training in-house for employees on preventing data breaches upon being hired. Oliver suggests: “It is critical for organisations to focus on improving their existing safeguards which doesn’t have to be cost prohibitive.

Companies need to ensure they have a robust monitoring system in place, that employees are adequately trained in protecting data and in what to do if a breach does occur, and that there is a strong identity lifecycle process in place.

Monitoring internal security measures is just as important as looking out for external threats.”

The training for employees should include education on different types of exposures and on how employees can protect against security breaches.

Employee training should also include instructions on what to do in the event of a suspected or confirmed cyber attack and this goes beyond simple password management or not opening links in emails. It is a company’s duty to have policies in place

“Monitoring internal security measures is just as important as looking out for external threats” to educate staff on security, specifically for your business. Hackers are becoming more and more sophisticated by the day, so businesses in turn need to become more sophisticated to combat them.

However, this requires skills we simply don’t seem to have yet, as Oliver points out.

Oliver warns: “That the threat landscape will keep evolving is, unfortunately, inevitable. That means businesses need to be all the more diligent when it comes to building a pervasive security culture, in which employees are aware and able to practice smart cyber hygiene and make safer online decisions.”

Central SuSSex College apprentiCeShipS An Apprenticeship success story When specialist food production company, Jeanie Marshal Foods looked to upskill their workforce, they turned to Central Sussex College for help.

Jeanie Marshal Foods first met with central sussex college’s skills Advisers in 2008 to discuss their training options and have since worked with the college to roll-out a range of training solutions including, Apprenticeships, nVQs and short courses to nearly half of their existing workforce. the company formed in 1993 and led by a team of award-winning chefs with more than 100 collective years’ experience gained worldwide, prides

itself on providing high-quality catering to the transportation and leisure sectors. commitment to staff training is at the core of Jeanie Marshal Foods, who believe that investing in their staff has led to increased motivation, productivity, interest and drive for self-success as well as business performance. they have also seen higher staff retention and have developed a system for cultivating in-house talent for supervision and management roles without having to recruit externally. culinary Director for Jeanie Marshal Foods, Gerry Mccorriston said, “As culinary Director, i wanted to find a training partner that had the flexibility to understand our business, a partner that could work with us, support us and understand our needs. to date, we have all this and more. central sussex college has worked with us, supported our goals, and in some cases, helped to increase them. the college has been open to adapting in our ever changing business and has helped contribute to the success we have had so far with all our team members fulfilling their potential.”

nikos Kirykos is just one of many employees at Jeanie Marshal Foods developing his skills through an apprenticeship. “i joined Jeanie Marshall Foods two years ago. shortly after i started, i was given a position in the kitchen where i was able to demonstrate my cooking skills. Despite working in kitchens for many years in Greece and in the uK, i didn’t have the qualifications i needed to progress within the industry. studying as an apprentice has allowed me to develop my skills as a chef and improve my maths and english.” central sussex college is one of the largest apprenticeship training providers in sussex. they are currently managing over 700 apprentices in companies including chemigraphic, southern Adolescent care services, hpc engineering, Lifestyle Ford and international Logistics Group, to name but a few.

An apprentice can help you develop the specialist skills your business needs to grow, and because they are committed to a career in your industry, they make a real contribution to your workplace. to find out more about how apprentices add value to your business visit centralsussex.ac.uk/apprenticeships or contact a skills Adviser on 0845 155 0043 (press 4) or email employers@centralsussex.ac.uk.

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS WITH AN APPRENTICE Apprenticeships can help your business grow by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.

96% OF EMPLOYERS REPORT BENEFITS TO THEIR BUSINESS COULD YOU PROFIT FROM EMPLOYING AN APPRENTICE? CALL 0845 155 0043 (PRESS 4) EMPLOYERS@CENTRALSUSSEX.AC.UK CENTRALSUSSEX.AC.UK/APPRENTICE

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www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 43

Money Matters

Mentoring the Next Generation This month SBT casts its spotlight over mentoring and youth enterprise

“The YMCA Downslink Group provides oneto-one mentor support through volunteers from within local communities for young people in Brighton and Mid Sussex to overcome issues that they are facing”

44 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Business mentoring is certainly nothing new Education but more recently the focus is centring more on younger people looking to become their own boss. This is perhaps due to greater recognition of young people’s business ideas and their potential, and the value of nurturing this from a younger age, as well as exploring another avenue that could help to ensure the continued health and growth of the country’s economy.

Interest is being built in schools too, many of which are becoming more adept at promoting enterprise and entrepreneurial thinking themselves, running sessions around topics such as CV writing and interview skills, and bringing in local business people and professionals such as bank managers to explain what they do, as well as to build links.

Another factor is that youth

unemployment is still high following the economic problems of 2008 something which has consequently left many young people in a state of worry, confusion and frustration with regard to their futures - and this has given rise to a movement towards building another viable route in to employment for young people: entrepreneurship.

People from all walks of life have begun to get behind the idea that starting up in business is now very much a viable means for young people to earn a living. Indeed, research by the Federation of Small Businesses has shown that unemployed people are now more likely to find work through self-employment than within large firms.

However, the practicalities of setting up such a venture with no support would of course be daunting for all but the most optimistic and risk-happy, and there are no doubt many potentially viable businesses that never go beyond the drawing board each year. There

Education in Sussex

are also young people who will have created businesses and achieved a reasonable level of success but then find that they cannot take their business further due to lack of experience or specialist knowledge. It has been said that access to experience and guidance plays a greater role in being the catalyst for success than access to finance, and this is where mentoring comes in.

There’s no doubting the benefit of having an experienced hand to guide you - it’s estimated that around a third of young entrepreneurs fail to make it past their first year, compared to just 1 in 10 of those over the age of 30.

You might think that most would be happy to have someone with experience to help guide them, but in a piece about the value of mentoring, Richard Branson highlighted that sometimes younger entrepreneurs may struggle to fully acknowledge that they could benefit from finding a mentor: “Understandably there’s a lot of ego, nervous energy and parental pride involved, especially with one or two-person start-ups factors that tend to manifest themselves in a cocoon-like state of mind where, ‘Only I/ we get it and nobody else can possibly help make this thing work’. Trust me: they can and they will. Going it alone is an admirable but foolhardy and highly flawed approach to taking on the world.”

Well, there’s a piece of advice that’s probably worth taking on board.

There are a fair number of well known organisations that run mentoring programmes, including: • Young Enterprise - Founded in 1962, The charity aims to empower young people to fully harness their personal and business skills.

• The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme - Helps people aged 18-30 to turn big ideas into a business reality by providing advice, guidance and support. The programme has helped over 80,000 young people to start their own business since 1983.

• Entrepreneurial Spark – A business accelerator whose mission is to encourage entrepreneurship through the development of entrepreneurial mindset and behaviours.

• RBS Inspiring Enterprise – The headline aim for the Inspiring Youth branch is to help 100,000 young people to explore enterprise, develop their skills and start up in business, whatever their

background. As of April 2016, they have helped 114,059 people and created 1,164 businesses.

Mentoring is not confined to those with specific business aspirations. It has also been recognised as an effective means of supporting disadvantaged youngsters as well as those not in education, employment, or training (sometimes referred to as NEET) to use their time meaningfully and work towards gainful employment.

For example, the Positive Placements project, run by the YMCA Downslink Group provides one-to-one mentor support through volunteers from within local communities for young people in Brighton and Mid Sussex to overcome issues that they are facing, such as anxiety, low confidence, lack of experience or skills, lack of qualifications and issues with mental health.

A YMCA DLG resident and Positive Placements mentee said: “My mentor has been absolutely superb. We first assessed what my end goals were in terms of further education and have now moved on to the subject of how to get there. As I have a long term illness that affects my mobility, it has been valuable to have someone to talk to about it not controlling my life and being able to do what I want, which is to get into education.”

“It has been said that access to experience and guidance plays a greater role in being the catalyst for success than access to finance, and this is where mentoring comes in” There are benefits too for the mentors themselves. For a start, mentoring is an effective way of further developing ones own skills – such as communication and leadership skills - and business knowledge at the same time as imparting them to others. It also improves networking, presenting opportunities to meet and work alongside like-minded business people; as well as recruitment potential, allowing engagement with the emerging workforce. And there are many more benefits besides.

So why not lend a hand and play a part in inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs? There’s very little to lose but so much to gain.

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Made In Sussex

Soldiers Off The Street car donation

An Education from All Angles

Sussex Downs College utilises its relationship with businesses nationwide to support the local community and give students a unique learning experience

Courses are vast at Sussex Downs College with students Education choosing to study academic A-Level subjects alongside vocational-based courses. Part-time courses for adults and re-engagement programmes target beyond the usual 16-19 age demographic, offering something for everyone.

With campuses in Eastbourne, Lewes and Newhaven, Sussex Downs College works with businesses to provide students with a learning experience like no other. Sussex Business Times looks at the College’s partnership with companies in supporting charities and how students are getting a foot on the career ladder through industry relations.

Charity endeavours In 2016, the College has worked with a number of companies to help raise the profile of charities.

Last month, students repaired a

46 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

car donated to the ‘Soldiers off the Street’ charity by local fireman and ex-serviceman, Rick Plumber. Local businesses, Hankham Motorworks, Euro Car Parts, Hobbs Recovery Service and Brown Brothers Ltd provided the parts, MOT and bodywork paint. Five SDC Level 2 Motor Vehicle Bodywork & Repair students then restored the Renault Clio to its former glory.

In total, the car received £2.5k worth of work and 35 hours workshop time was spent on its repairs.

The car was presented to exserviceman, Dean Roberts, in a handover ceremony held on campus at SDC, Eastbourne. Representatives from Soldiers off the Street drove from the charity’s head office in North Wales for the event. Ex-serviceman, Dean Roberts - the chosen recipient of the

transformed vehicle - travelled by train from Bournemouth.

Shaun Read from Hankham Motorworks had the vehicle road tested and provided its MOT. “We’re happy to help out on an amazing project like this,” he commented.

“The students have done a fantastic job in making the car road worthy.”

College projects like this take place throughout the year and support various charities and individuals within community. Over in Lewes, young adults on The Prince’s Trust Team Programme, offered through Sussex Downs College, transformed the garden at the local YMCA for young children to enjoy. The three-day project was part of the Team’s 12-week programme and culminated in a garden party following its successful completion. The garden was landscaped

“Sussex Downs is committed to providing students with cuttingedge educational experiences”

Sussex Downs College

Prince’s Trust Team Lewes complete YMCA garden project

SafeGuard Armour donation

and re-fenced, with the addition of seating and play equipment. The group raised over £550 for the project by holding cake sales, packing groceries for shoppers in the local supermarket, busking in Lewes train station and washing cars.

Emergency response The College’s relationship with companies benefits students in all subject areas.

Public & Uniformed Service students have recently gained hands-on experience in their subject thanks to the support of East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service and Safe Body Armour UK. Uckfield Community Fire Station welcomed students from Sussex Downs College in June, giving them the opportunity to experience wearing breathing apparatus, climb ladders and undergo fitness tests required to make it in the service.

Bob Shoesmith, course co-ordinator for Sussex Downs College, said: “We actively encourage our students on the Public and Uniformed Services course to engage with all the emergency services and we are really grateful for this.”

That same week, SafeGuard Armour donated a bulletproof vest to the Eastbourne campus, giving Public & Uniformed Service students an experience of life in the forces.

“Sussex Downs is committed to providing students with cutting-edge educational experiences and we’re pleased to announce that we have begun work with SafeGuard Armour, an international manufacturer and distributor of body armour,” commented Bob Shoesmith. “These samples allow us to provide hands-on learning experiences

MV work on the Clio

for our students, and these bulletproof vests give those on our Public Service courses an example of the protective clothing they may use later in their career.”

Accounting adds up It’s not just students studying practical courses who have benefited from the College’s links to employers. Five A-Level Accounting students who receive their results this summer have secured apprenticeships with top firms, both locally and nationally.

“Our Accounting students are focused and hardworking with a clear career goal in mind,” said course leader Sam Alvarez.

Luke Pannett, 17, has been offered a place with Advanta; Ellen Gee, 18, has been offered a place with Price & Co; Eleanor Griffiths and Josh Cottingham, both 18, are headed to Humphry & Co. “We also have a student who has

secured an apprenticeship with KPMG, which is just fantastic,” enthused Sam. “It’s notoriously hard to secure an apprenticeship with this global firm, with around 150,000 applications made and just 150 taken on worldwide. Sussex Downs College has had a student accepted every year for the past five years, a real testament to the course here and the drive and determination of these young adults.”

For more information on the courses available at Sussex Downs College, please visit www.sussexdowns.ac.uk If you are an employer looking to work with Sussex Downs College in supporting charity events or taking on apprentices please contact the Employer Engagement Team on 030 300 39474 or email: employer training@sussexdowns.ac.uk

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Lunch Review:

Food For Friends Deputy Editor, Jenny Ardagh turns veggie for the day, spending lunch time at Food For Friends in Brighton

Food for Friends Brighton

Address: 17-18 Prince Albert St, Brighton, BN1 1HF Telephone: 01273 202310 Web: www.foodforfriends.com

48 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

On the corner of Prince Albert Street in the historic South Review Lanes, Food For Friends provides an ideal place for exactly what it says on the tin: a meal out with friends. The glass encased, bistro-feel interior gives a feeling of relaxed sophistication; laid back and quiet with a pinch of class and air of elegance.

I sat down with my partner and was given a full menu along with a lunch set menu and was offered complimentary filtered water for the table. I had chosen this restaurant for a review this month because it was something a bit different to the usual: a vegetarian restaurant. In Brighton, this is now a well-versed idea for passers by and locals have become almost used to the eclectic mix of different and exotic flavours they come across around each corner of the South and North Lanes. However, ashamedly, I am one of those who tends to – very much accidentally – stick to what I know.

Not this time. Food For Friends seemed an obvious choice; it was voted Best Restaurant at the Brighton and Hove Foodie Awards in 2012, and is in the Good Food Guide 2015, plus has many a good review on and offline. That’s a lot to live up to. Their ethos is that they use the freshest and finest ingredients to really appeal to not just the vegetarian but simply all food-lovers, and I am certainly the latter, but with a healthy love of veg!

As it was a sunny summer’s day, I decided to go for a cocktail (nonalcoholic), so tried the Lemon and Apple Zinger, which was beautifully refreshing and full of flavour I ended up having two more! The cocktails here are fairly priced and are adapted to suit the season, so you should always find something to suit the mood and weather. We were then informed that the soup of the day was a broth-like concoction with courgette, tomato and mushroom and, even as I looked down the list of delicious sounding starters, I couldn’t get the idea of that soup out of my head. So, I went ahead and ordered it, whilst my partner chose

Tried and Tested in Sussex

the Sweet Tofu Pockets, stuffed with stir-fried shiitake mushrooms, spring onions and brown rice with a hot Gochujang pepper sauce (vegan and gluten free). I had already found out that I wasn’t the biggest fan of tofu, but my partner clearly was at this point, and we both very much got onto a good start!

For the main event, I opted for the Mushroom Three-Ways dish, which was recommended to me by our very accommodating waiter. He mentioned that this dish had replaced one of their very popular dishes and was new on the menu, so as the mushroom-lover that I am, I thought it best to give it a go. My partner chose the Double Baked Soufflé, which was topped with grilled goat’s cheese and served with honey roasted vegetables, Jerusalem artichoke purée, wilted cavolo nero and basil pesto. I must say, when both of our mains made their way to the table, a pang of jealousy raged through me at the sight of the extremely appealing soufflé, but my meal was in fact delicious, especially given that it was very simply a plate of mushrooms. It was all deliciously flavoured, and each mouthful had something different to it.

The Portobello mushrooms were grilled and marinated in what tasted like a lot of garlic and herbs, I had Shimeji fricassee and pickled wild mushrooms too, all alongside cauliflower puree and a rosemary potato gratin.

At this point, I could hardly even think of putting any more food in my

mouth; I was extremely full. So, on this occasion (rare as it is), I decided not to have a pudding, but my partner did and, of course he just had to go for the most indulgent and rich one on the menu – I felt that pinch of jealousy return as soon as it was ordered.

The Molten Chocolate pudding was cooked perfectly, melting in the middle with the wonderfully complementing, sweet but bitter salted caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream and crushed pistachios.

I had to try some and I’m very glad I did.

It was gooey, filled with different flavours, rich and heavy but light all at the same time. I may go back just for this dessert.

We left feeling amply full and satisfied that we had experienced something quite unique. The atmosphere and food made for, I think, a perfect place to take a client or a friend. The flavours are a talking point, the aesthetics thoroughly impressive, the service above par and

“We left feeling amply full and satisfied that we had experienced something quite unique. The atmosphere and food made for, I think, a perfect place to take a client or a friend” the setting ideal. There were customers here that had clearly spent many an hour simply enjoying the environment, watching the world go by through the curved windows and, I’m sure, feeling treated as friendly company.

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Hotel Review:

The Hydro Hotel

This month, SBT Sales Executive, Geoff Diamond, describes his stay at the Hydro on Eastbourne’s seafront

The Hydro Hotel Eastbourne Address: Mount Rd, Eastbourne BN20 7HZ Telephone: 01323 720643 Web: www.hydrohotel.com

50 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

With the Eastbourne coastline offering an array of hotels to Review choose from, I arrived at The Hydro Hotel, situated on the South Cliff, early evening but found the hotel car park to be full. With unrestricted parking around the hotel, I was able to secure a parking place right outside the front door. I made my way into the reception area through the revolving doors where I was greeted by the receptionist who instantly made me feel welcomed and like a valued guest.

I made my way through the foyer area where I was able to take in the splendid 19th Century ambience of the hotel.

Upon entering The Downlands Suite my room for the evening, I was confronted by a fantastic sea view from the living room – it was breathtaking. The room itself was furnished with two sofas and a coffee table, a flat screen TV, and a mini bar (which was wisely left empty).

Stepping into the bedroom, I was greeted by yet more spectacular sea views, as well as the hotel’s perfectly manicured, award-winning garden.

After a quick change for dinner, I made my way downstairs to the bar where I enjoyed a gin and tonic on the terrace by the garden whilst waiting for my dinner guest for the evening. After my guest finally arrived we made our way into the Crystal restaurant, which can seat up to 130 at any one time. The setting was a delight – from the fantastic chandeliers to the attentive service received. As a starter, I chose grilled Mediterranean mackerel with a lightly spiced cherry tomato coulis, whilst my guest went for the bacon, pea and chestnut risotto, with parmesan and olive oil. Both starters were beautifully presented and absolutely divine, though I believe that my starter took the trophy.

The citrus flavours complimented the mackerel perfectly and the fish was cooked to perfection.

For the main event, I had slow braised shank of lamb, parsnip puree, braised root vegetable and rosemary sauce (I was told that this was one of the most popular dishes), whilst my guest went for poached fillet of chicken with a pesto farce, sautéed potato, and tomato, garlic and basil jus. Once again, both meals were very well presented. The lamb was

Tried and Tested in Sussex

juicy, tender, and perfectly cooked and just melted in my mouth. It was very well complimented by the selection of locally sourced vegetables that I had ordered.

Having tried both, I certainly feel that mine edged it once again. The chicken, although very good, was to me a little dry and the garlic a touch overpowering.

Finally, the desserts! Now I don’t normally have much of a sweet tooth and usually choose a lemon sorbet, but as my guest decided that she would beat me to my usual order, I felt that I had to try something a little more substantial. I went for a baked Alaska with vanilla ice cream and summer fruit compote and boy did I make the right choice! My dessert was well balanced – the warm with the cold, the summer fruit balancing out the sweetness of the baked Alaska and ice cream. Both were ideally sized, leaving us full but not bursting at the seams.

The pièce de résistance however, breakfast with various juices, pastries, was when we were brought some fruit, cereals, and yoghurts. Once sat fresh homemade fudge to go with our down, having fetched my grapefruit juice, coffees. I’m not a fan of fudge but on this a pain au chocolat and some fruit, the particular occasion… having tried just the waitress came over to ask whether I’d one piece, I went on to eat three more! like a coffee and a cooked breakfast.

It was a nice touch to what had already I ordered a full English with scrambled been a fantastic meal in a remarkable eggs - it was perfect. setting.

Following breakfast, I called down to If I had one criticism about the whole reception to ask whether I could have a dining experience - it wouldn’t be the tour of the grounds and the hotel facilities service as that was exceptional, it and I was told that Jonathan Owen, the wouldn’t be the food as that was divine, recently appointed it wouldn’t be the General Manager, price as £26.95 for a wanted to give me “Upon entering The three-course meal of tour of the hotel this quality represents Downlands Suite - my afacilities himself. great value - but it would be the lack room for the evening, I was shown the Garden Suite, of music. This is I was confronted by which links to the only negative the conservatory, that I have with a fantastic sea view where private regards to the dining from my living room – functions can experience as myself and my guest found it was breathtaking” be held. The conservatory’s ourselves whispering natural light, when speaking to projector, Wi-Fi and one another in order Bluetooth makes it an ideal place to hold to not expect the guests around us. I a conference, combining 19th Century shouldn’t imagine this to be a problem charm with 21st Century technology. usually as I imagine that the restaurant is We went on through the drawing most likely full but due to the day that we room and into the Meads Room, a were dining there, coupled with the fact room full of character and where a small that we did have a late dinner, this was conference could be held for up to 10 unfortunately noticeable. However, this is people. My tour continued on through a very minor niggle and did not detract the conservatory restaurant and into from the wonderful evening overall. the garden where croquet tournaments After a very pleasant and relaxing take place in the summer. At the end night’s sleep, I went downstairs for of the garden and heading towards the breakfast. There was a buffet style

sea, Jonathan showed me the outdoor swimming pool, which is on a lower ground level than the garden and is surrounded by hedges, giving the guests privacy.

The hotel has 81 guests rooms, 2 restaurants, 2 private car parks, unrestricted street parking, Wi-Fi access throughout, 5 function and meeting venues, spa treatments, a hair salon, award-winning gardens, a traditional and historical atmosphere, excellent personable service and best of all – breathtaking, uninterrupted ocean views.

I would highly recommend a stay at the Hydro Hotel. Whether it’s afternoon tea, a meeting, a conference, a memorable event like a wedding, or a simple lunch or dinner, you can be sure that the Hydro and its dedicated team will not disappoint.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 51

The Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex

ACES represents 4,000 members across the County and you are automatically a member of ACES if you are a member of one of the Chambers listed overleaf. This entitles you to share your news stories in these SBT Business pages without charge - just contact your local chamber

Eastbourne Rallies Round to Help BHS Staff Facing Job Losses this Summer

52 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

© By Gibboboy777 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49596546

Eastbourne’s retail and business community is rallying round to help staff at BHS find new jobs as the store faces closure this summer.

The move comes after administrators to BHS announced that all 164 stores would close after they failed to find a suitable buyer for the department store chain.

During that process, BHS stores will remain open, as stock is sold off, with estimates that this could take up to eight weeks. When the stores do close, some 11,000 jobs are likely to be lost – with 38 of those in Eastbourne.

In an initiative led by Eastbourne Arndale Centre Manager Bill Plumridge, where the store has been based for the past 36 years, key organisations are trying to match staff in the store with current job vacancies.

After the announcement was made, Bill approached store manager David Andrews for a list of roles and hours so that staff could be matched with vacancies in other stores in the Centre.

Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce and the Healthy High Street Team are also surveying vacancies available in the town centre that may be suitable to BHS employees.

Bill said: “The closure was devastating news for the staff, the Centre and the town. BHS has been part of the Arndale Centre since it was built 36 years ago and is one of our largest stores. By getting details of the store’s staff out to local employers, hopefully this will help the team to find work more quickly.”

Emma Moore of Healthy High Streets, said: “It’s important for the town to come together at a time like this.

Already we’ve had employers alerting us of vacancies that might be suitable.

I’d urge any other employers to make

Start-Up Workshop

contact if they feel they may have jobs for any of the team.”

Christina Ewbank said: “The Eastbourne unLtd Chamber of Commerce was very disappointed to learn that the BHS Group has not found a buyer and will be closing its doors after almost 90 years of trading. Clearly this is a very difficult time for those people faced with losing their jobs but we are canvassing our town centre database and working closely with the management team at the Arndale Centre and our Members to help in any way we can. I’m sure the space in

this prime location will be snapped up in no time and will provide more jobs in the near future.

“If ever there was a time to ‘buy local’ this is it. The more people who buy exclusively on-line, the more likely they are to condemn local shops to a slow death. On-line is not always the cheapest option and is not as sociable as meeting friends for a cup of coffee, a pleasant day’s shopping and a meal out. Shopping in a lively town centre is a much more enjoyable experience than buying on-line, so support your town by buying from your local shops.”

Chamber News

Best4biz Is Back and Better than Ever!

After last year’s successful business conference, this year is set to be even bigger and better. The conference is at 9am on Friday 14th October at the iconic De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill and will consider the future of business and better ways of working.

ACES and East Sussex County Council (ESCC) are bringing you terrific keynote speakers this year including: Allister Frost, former Head of Digital Marketing at Microsoft. Allister will open the conference and talk about making the most of digital marketing.

As a global conference speaker, Allister works with businesses as diverse as Sony and Anglo American Mining and will talk about digital ways of working today and in the future.

Alex Storey, Head of SME Partnerships at Google will let you into

some of their secrets and help you find the best way to use the internet to grow your business. Alex has worked as a senior manager with Google in Africa, Australia, the Middle East, Europe and the UK and speaks internationally to help businesses make the most of Google.

Rupert Clubb, Director of Economy, Communities and Transport ESCC will welcome you to the conference and host our “Question Time” style expert panel at 11am. This year it will include MPs Caroline Ansell, Nus Ghani and Huw Merriman alongside Malcolm Diamond MBE Chairman of Trifast and T R Fastenings with Allister Frost and Alex Storey.

You will meet over 300 business leaders and decision makers from across Sussex including many leaders of the various local authorities in the county.

Lunch is included with a B2B exhibition

and is followed by interactive breakout seminars including: • Google Garage • Social Media – so what if it goes

wrong?

• The fastest ways to grow your business • Cyber Attack – SMEs are the target now!

If you would like to find out more or book your place, visit www.acesalliance.org/best4bizconference-2016 Please note: tickets will be allocated on a first come first served basis. There is no charge for the conference however, non-attendance without at least 48 hours notice will attract a small charge as places are limited. If you would like to sponsor Best4Biz or exhibit at the B2B exhibition call ACES on 01323 641144.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 53

Advert Nov_Layout 1 14/10/2014 12:38 Page 2

Chamber News

in East Sussex

“Bigger and Better” TR Fastenings - Best Profits for 10 Years The East Sussex (A Trifast Company)Aegon International WTA Tennis Tournament

F

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

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

However, the DotCom crash in 2001 devastated sales and profits in just a few short months, and the two Midlands factories had to be closed as the focus was intensified into Asia.

A change of senior management in 2007 and the 2008 recession resulted in the near collapse of the Company, with 2008 revenues down to £84m with substantial losses, and in March 2009 the two previous retired CEOs (Malcolm Diamond and Jim Barker) were invited back by the shareholders to rescue the business.

By 2010 profitability started to recover, as did the share price.

In 2011 a major automotive bolt manufacturer was acquired in Malaysia, and in May 2014 a leading domestic appliance

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

Hastings Chamber of Commerce

Why struggle to get to Wimbledon each summer when you have world class tennis on your doorstep?

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) in conjunction with Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) has today announced a landmark partnership to enhance and redevelop the Aegon International MalcolminDiamond MBE and Jim Barker tennis tournament East Sussex, men’s tennis will be here at least until firmly positioning it as one of the top In 1978, manufacturing of specialist fasteners screw business in Italy was brought into 2026.” tennis tournaments was startedglobally. in Uckfield, with subsequent the Group.

David Tutt, Leader of EBC said: factories The planned £44established million in Northampton and TR’s major customer sectors include Telford in the 80’s.

“WeAutomotive, are delighted to be working refurbishment of Devonshire Park will Domestic Appliances, In the late 80’s, IBM selected TR as their most andthis Distributors – all project” of which are with Electronics the LTA on exciting include a brand new show court, new eligible component supplier to be trained in growth. and enjoying added:organic “we have an ongoing practice courts, the latest irrigation zero defect/on time deliveries to a new In June 2014, announced the best sales, toTRcommunity tennis systems, state of the art that changing assembly facility relied on “Just In Time”commitment profits and share price for a decade, now deliveries to their production line. offering free court opportunities rooms, medical andstraight media facilities with 1,150 staff spread across 17 countries.

Successful compliance led to TR being a residents.

Today Trifast Plc is based in Uckfield and along with and in recognition of this investment, single source supplier with IBM, which then to Eastbourne TR’s sales,an distribution and manufacturing attracted other major represents exciting next step in the LTA have committed to atelecoms 10 year facilities employs over 150 staff on site. As the manufacturers to TR. The massive 1990’s surge our joint venture to make Eastbourne extension toin their contract to continue largest local employer, the Company the electronics sector carried it to a full LSE close links with both the Uckfield ‘the maintains tennis town’.” hosting thislisting event East Sussex. as in a PLC in 1994 named Trifast.

Chamber of Commerce a founder member Local girl Johanna Konta loves the In addition, the men’s ATP World By 2000, sales turnover peaked at £120m of the Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex Aegon tournament asCommunity she canCollege. go andthe by 2001 three component Tour will be sales, joining women’s WTA (ACES) and the local factories had been established in Singapore, Theat College is theofmain provider of ‘A’ home the end theannual day rather Premier event from 2017 after the court Malaysia and Taiwan, with sales and Level candidates for TR’s 2 year NVQ Business thanStudies to a hotel.

An Eastbourne run off spaces have been distribution facilitieswidened in Southernto Ireland, Apprenticeship scheme.

Norway, Sweden, USA, Holland, Hungary and resident, Johanna is the highest cater for the increasing speed of the Despite global uncertainty there is clearly China, plus eight around the UK. seeded British player globally forand game. a feeling amongst TR management Company had become global by there“I’m are grounds overstaff 30 that years. ready for forcautious this LTA ChiefThe Executive, Michael Downey following its former UK based multinational optimism for the future continuing growth tournament and love playing my said: ”We are thrilled by Eastbourne key customers to lower cost economies of their business as sales for year in ended March 2015 are forecast reach crowd. overseas –substantial mainly Asia and Central/ home town in-front of atohome Borough Council’s £150 million.

Europe.

Eastbourne is such a lovely place investment Eastern into Devonshire Park to to live, I travel a lot but it is lovely to keep this iconic venue as one of the come home to Eastbourne where I very best in the country. We are also always feel so welcome.” delighted that world class women’s and

www.acesalliance.org

01424 205500 www.hastingschamber.co.uk Heathfield Chamber of Commerce 01435 865858 www.heathfieldchamber.co.uk The Institute of Directors 020 7766 8866 www.iod.com Lewes Chamber of Commerce 07917 382316 www.leweschamber.org.uk Locate East Sussex 0844 4159255 www.locateeastsussex.org.uk Newhaven Chamber of Commerce 0800 107 0709 www.newhavenchamber.co.uk Peacehaven Chamber of Commerce 01273 586222 www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk Seaford Chamber of Commerce 0800 881 5331 www.seafordchamber.co.uk South East Local Enterprise Partnership 01245 431469 www.southeastlep.com Uckfield Chamber of Commerce 01825 722607 www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk Wealden District Council 01323 443322 www.wealden.gov.uk

Join your local Chamber (listed on the right here) and you will automatically become a member of ACES, the Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex. We have 4,000 members representing 15,000 staff and hold regular networking events to help you share best practice and meet new customers.

54 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk Why not book to attend our Best4Biz Conference on Friday 14th October? Visit www.acesalliance.org for full details. As a member of ACES you are also entitled to contribute news on these pages free of charge. Call 01323 641144 for details.

A Footballing Lesson To Help Rebuild A Struggling Business Great taste of success with R&D

Tax Relief for brewers of craft beers Your business might possess a solid foundation and have previously been successful, but are you now struggling on a new, tougher playing field?

It’sLike notthe just technology and companies England Team at themanufacturing Euros, a business with proven historical resultsEntrepreneurial that can apply for R&D Tax Relief. can sometimes in danger not being of pounds brewers can nowbeclaim backofthousands adequately prepared or resting too much and development against costs connected with research on its laurels when approaching new and projects. Brewing is a competitive industry which more challenging market conditions. This constantly has to address the public’s thirst for new can lead to an unexpected downturn in avours and products. In an environment like this, trade which has a nullifying effect on that opportunities to research raw ingredients and try out new all important lifeline for most enterprises: production methods and taste combinations are almost cash flow. inexhaustible.

As England have discovered to their cost the art of scoring goals and

The Hackney Brewery is another good example of a business that could examine recouping costs for R&D. Brewers Tristram Stuart and Jon Swain spent time developing Toast Ale. They source left over fresh bread from artisan bakeries, then slice, toast and mash it, adding the breadcrumbs to malted barley, a mixture of hops, yeast and water. Prots from the sale of the ale, which is stocked in a number of different outlets in the UK, go to Feedback, an environmental organisation that campaigns to end food waste.

defending is critical successTax andConsulting, even Simon Bulteel, fromtoCooden is an R&D Inventive brewers can contact Simon at Cooden Tax on just one (defending tax focussing relief specialist.

He area recently discussed how this tax Consulting for R&D Tax Relief advice set applied pieces) might not necessarily relief can be to brewers of various sizes with (www.coodentaxconsulting.co.uk). He works directly with to that success. Similarly, Craft Beer lead World.

The Charles Wells Brewery in Bedford businesses, as well as via Accountants, Solicitors and reviewing past business are a wonderful example of precisely the sort of project Patent Attorneys. Simon will ascertain if you are eligible innovations to discover yourself in the right position to send off struggled. It’s arguable whether they that could qualify for R&D Tax Relief.

Master Brewer for this specic tax relief and undertake the claim new opportunities an application that’s highly likely to enable were sufficiently well managed that Chris Read spent “…a lot of time brewing process for you. He is currentlytheir processing to recoup monies via researching you to win back market share and create handicapped progress. a claim for a archives, looking for traditional malt and hop recipes and hop processor that also manufactures hop Research & Development an improved outlook for your business.

When it comes to R&D Taxproducts Relief for working outTax how best to evolve them for modern tastes”. the brewing industry.

Cooden Consulting has Relief can provide much England went in to the Euros riding claims, Cooden Tax Consulting does needed flow to assist an He then went on to cash the development work high withon hisa raw helped businesses between £3k reasonably longsuccessfully series of understand howwith bestclaims to tackle the ailing business. recent victories, but noneand in a major hard times to help your business to net ingredients and “arrived at a blend of Galaxy, Simcoe £300k.

Together with the right lighter competition, rewards that will singularly increase your and Goldings Hops, alongside various malts, towhere the stakes are of R&D management course considerably higher and success chances of recovery futureto success.

Which business owner wouldn’t raiseand a glass that? create a traditionally bitter and hoppy IPA with a soft, expertise behind you, that much harder to obtain. They were modern, tropical you avour.” could soon find ill prepared for lots of reasons and

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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT TAX RELIEF SPECIALISTS RAISE YOUR A GLASS TO IMPROVE CASHFLOW FIND OUT IF R&D TAX RELIEF COULD CASH BACK FROM HMRC BENEFITTAX YOUR BUSINESS NOW! Call COODEN CONSULTING

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email us on: info@coodentaxconsulting.co.uk

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43 St Leonards Road

Bexhill on Sea

East Sussex TN40 1JA

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Motoring

Test Drive The Range Rover Vogue SE Sussex Business Times’ Motoring Correspondent tests the all-new Range Rover Vogue SE to see if the rumours about the latest TDV6 Diesel engine are true Here it is then; the biggest car to have graced our pages in Luxury quite some time.

This is the latest Vogue model in the Range Rover fleet and hosts the impressive and much lauded 3-litre TDV6 Diesel engine.

This is a car that has really turned a corner.

The Range Rover used to be an all-consuming brute - in every sense of the phrase. Not only was the car an assault on the senses, but also on your wallet so far as fuel stops were concerned. Now though, with this new engine, Range Rover have finally managed to achieve a fuel economy that’s almost hard to believe. During my week with the beast, I was managing to get near the

40mpg that’s stated in the paperwork. A rarity in my experience, what with most manufacturers hugely overestimating such figures.

This doesn’t mean that performance suffers however; the engine has plenty of grunt for something this size - the performance to economy ratio is certainly agreeable and the TDV6 is of course much more wallet friendly than the thirstier variants higher up the Range Rover series.

While the Vogue SE may sit at the lower end of the Range Rover hierarchy, they certainly haven’t skimped on refinement by any means. Even with this ‘entrylevel’ model, the interior is brimming with leather and comes armed with a list of mind-boggling tech.

I have to admit that I haven’t driven

“It is quite simply the most stable, sturdy and solid car I’ve ever taken onto the motorway”

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too many Range Rovers in my time.

More cars from the burgeoning smallSUV market have been parked on my drive over the last couple of years and I’ve often wondered (as many others do) what the appeal of having such a huge, lumbering tank of a car is anyway and why do you see so many on the motorway? Surely it’s the most impractical choice for the mile-crunching brigade? Who, outside of farmers, loggers and (the few) larger families who can honestly justify the need for space and/or performance that a Range Rover offers, genuinely claim to require a car this big?

Well, there is the ego to consider is there not? There’s no avoiding the obvious points about owning a Range Rover. Aside from the drug dealer style Rovers, there are a lot of classy examples rolling around and they all too often seem to be criminally occupied by lone drivers. Sure, some will be heading home after the school run, but there are an awful lot that serve as an everyday car for individuals.

Ego or not, though, my time with the Vogue SE has swayed me from being a cynic to a fully-fledged Range Rover lover. It’s a phenomenon and I take back every word. These people are not trying to be flash or to impress others (with the exception of the drug dealer contingent), they are flash.

These are people who know quality and expect great performance, comfort and let’s face it, those tinted windows don’t just keep you out of sight from the police; they also keep you comfortably obscured from the peasants in their beaten up peasantmobiles. Perfect.

Seriously, though, and getting back to the point of motorway driving in this car - I simply didn’t see how the Range Rover could offer a comfortable or dynamic experience on a straighter, faster road. I could envisage the benefits of short, country road style trips, with rough terrain and the odd bit of flooding and various sized potholes, but not the wide, open road. How wrong I was.

In fact, I had it entirely the wrong way round. This car is built for the motorway. It is quite simply the most stable, sturdy and solid car I’ve ever taken onto the motorway. Even this, slightly tame-by-comparison-to-some, model has more than its fair share of poke and goes well enough to outperform most other cars that may have the audacity to get in your way. There’s no doubting that the new Range Rover is as happy on a motorway as it is when up to its neck in dirt.

Now, with an OTR price of £82K it’s not really what you would call cheap, but then Range Rovers have never really been aimed as a car for the masses. They have always been at the top of the luxury SUV food chain. Their up-market image, incredible interior, potent engines and unrivalled off-road ability make it the go-to option for those who want one car that can do it all. What they’ve managed to achieve with the Vogue SE though, and with that excellent TDV6 engine, is to find the car’s sweet spot.

The Range Rover is now available with the standard wheelbase (SWB) along with the long wheelbase (LWB), which is available on the higher-spec cars. As it is, I wasn’t too happy about handing back the keys, but in my job, it doesn’t do to let them stack up in the driveway. Next time eh? Next time.

Engine: 3.0L TDV6 Diesel Engine type: DOHC, turbodiesel, longitudinal V6 Max Power: 258hp Transmission: Automatic 8-speed Four Wheel Drive (4WD) Fuel consumption: EU combined mpg (L/100km) 40.9 (6.9) 0-60mph: 7.4 sec Top speed: 130 mph PRICE: (OTR): £81,850.00 PRICE AS TESTED: (INC. Optional Extras): £92,365.00

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Motoring

Jaguar XF Portfolio 2.0 i4 180PS Having already had a go in a Range Rover this month, SBT’s Simon Skinner also had the good fortune to test a car from that other British motoring icon, Jaguar It’s hard not to like a Jaguar, they’re quintessentially Dynamic British with plenty of class and pedigree, experience I’m not sure. Saying this, and it’s fair to say there’s bags of room everywhere else, that Jaguar know especially in the back. how to make a decent car. They know Now, I’ll admit to having been a how to make a good-looking car little disappointed when I found out too - just look at the current F-Type. that the model provided only had a However, I do feel that this latest XF 2-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine - a Jag seems a little plain. When the XF first shouldn’t have anything less than a hit the road it was fresh and new but petrol burning 6-cyclinder, surely?! now it blends in with a lot of the other However, I soon found that this similarly styled executive type saloons particular 4-cylinder diesel is a bit of out there. Don’t get me wrong, the XF a peach. With 178 bhp and 317 lb ft is still a handsome thing, of torque available I just don’t find it as there’s more than “Having had the striking as it once was. enough grunt to chance to experience throw you down the I was given the one for myself, I can road at a decent rate Portfolio XF model whose focus is more on happily report that it of knots. The swift luxury and refinement is helped delivers a perfectly acceleration rather than performance by a smooth, slickentertaining driving shifting 8-speed auto and handling (which is more the territory of the ‘box, which makes the experience” R-Sport variant). As such most of all that torque the Portfolio comes loaded with all the and helps to create an impression of tech and goodies that you’d expect, effortless progress. Of course the little making for a comfortable and stressdiesel can’t deliver the same thrills free driving experience. Of course, and accompanying soundtrack as the there’s plenty of leather and metal and bigger (and thirstier) V6 petrol found wood throughout too, and I found the in the XF S but there’s still plenty of layout to be both attractive and well performance available to enjoy yourself thought-out – there’s no doubting when the mood takes you. that it’s a very nice place to park your Being a Jaguar, you’d naturally backside. expect a smooth, nicely judged ride In spite of this, I found that sitting in and the XF Portfolio doesn’t disappoint. the driver’s seat I felt a tad confined.

As I mentioned earlier, this model is This is something that I found when more focused on comfort over backI tested the original XF as well. road blast cornering prowess but I have Everything seems a little too close by to say that I was mightily impressed at for my liking, whether this is intended how well it coped when being thrown to create a more involved driving around a bit, there’s plenty of grip and

58 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

it maintained its composure very well indeed. For normal driving it is spot on too – it glides like a Jag should and shrugs off most lumps and bumps with ease. Of course the motorway is where it’s really at home and likely to spend a lot of its time. Its comfort and refinement combined with its ability to suppress road and other ambient noise make the XF a perfect motorway milemuncher.

So it’s not without a few niggles but I did like this car. Of course the kid in me would prefer the 3-litre V6 petrol for the ‘proper’ Jag experience but the diesel engines will clearly have the broader appeal, which is probably why there is only one petrol option compared to a choice of three diesels.

On paper a diesel XF might not set your pulse racing but having had the chance to experience one for myself, I can happily report that it delivers a perfectly entertaining driving experience when the mood takes, while also being a more than capable mile eater when it doesn’t.

Engine: 2.0L i4 Turbocharged Diesel Max Power: 178bhp Transmission: 8-speed automatic Fuel consumption: EU combined mpg (L/100km) 65.7 (4.3) Emissions: CO2 (g/km) 114 0-60mph: 7.7 sec Top speed: 142 mph PRICE: (OTR): £39,050.00 PRICE AS TESTED: (INC. Optional Extras): £50,780.00

SBTMotoring News Electric Registrations to Dominate New Car Market by 2027 Electric power could be the dominant form of propulsion for all new cars sold in the UK as early as 2027, with more than 1.3m electric cars registered each year, according to new automotive industry forecast analysis by Go Ultra Low, the government and industry-backed campaign.

Go Ultra Low collated data from multiple electric-car sales reports and forecasts, and its conclusions are backed by Auto Express, Britain’s best-selling weekly car magazine. The publication recently reported record high scores for EVs in its flagship car owner survey, ‘Driver Power’, with electric cars topping the overall best

car tables and performing strongly in ease of driving and running costs categories, among others.

Commenting on the expected continued rise in EV popularity, Steve Fowler, Auto Express Editor-in-Chief said: “The positivity and appreciation of electric vehicles by their owners in this year’s Driver Power survey is suggestive of a step-change in public perception of these vehicles. We are moving towards a tipping point for electricallypowered cars, so it’s entirely possible

Maserati’s Levante SUV Makes Official UK Debut At Goodwood Festival Of Speed Maserati have unleashed their first ever SUV, the Levante, on Goodwood’s famous hillclimb in the ‘First Glance’ class during the 2016 event.

This was the first time the British public got to witness the Levante driving in the UK, making for one of the most eagerly anticipated debuts at the Festival of Speed.

As well as making its UK dynamic debut, visitors to Thursday’s Moving Motor Show were also able to get up close and explore the Levante, which was on show in the pavilion, alongside

the flagship luxurious Quattroporte and the executive Ghibli saloon.

The automotive spectacle attracted over 200,000 visitors over the weekend and the Levante’s run up the 1.16mile hillclimb created one of the most exciting dynamic debuts of the festival.

Mclaren Automotive Announce Engineering Apprenticeship Scheme McLaren Automotive has launched its very first Engineering Apprenticeship Scheme. The threeyear NVQ Level 3 apprenticeship programme builds on the company’s existing graduate and work placement programmes. An initial intake of 15 apprentices will be employed, with the potential of more to follow afterwards.

Initially, the apprenticeship scheme will focus on production engineering and will see apprentices getting

hands-on experience at the McLaren Production Centre while being supervised by experienced technicians.

Apprentices will complete a programme of training that includes gaining knowledge of vehicle assembly techniques, fabrication and machine tools as well as an understanding of how to interpret data, problem solve and develop process documentation.

Read more at: www.sussesxbusinessgroup.co.uk

that by 2027 these vehicles will dominate the market as the top choice for new car buyers.”

Poppy Welch, Head of Go Ultra Low, said: “The huge interest in electric vehicles and their subsequent rapid rise in uptake has been spectacular so far, with more than 60,000 EVs registered in the past five years. These rises are just the start of the electric revolution as Go Ultra Low analysis suggests that electric vehicles could dominate the new car market as early as 2027.”

UK Automotive Report Announces Record £71.6bn Turnover

A report gained by the team at Sussex Business Times in the wake of the EU Referendum result states that the UK automotive industry continues to make significant gains in employment, economic contribution and environmental performance, according to new figures released by a leading trade organisation.

The industry body’s 17th annual Sustainability Report reveals that the automotive manufacturing sector turned over a record £71.6 billion in 2015. Jobs, production output and vehicle sales all grew while the environmental impact of manufacturing saw significant reductions. Waste from production was cut by almost a quarter, and water and energy use per vehicle produced were also reduced.

Access to the single market and EU-negotiated international trade deals, the ability to recruit talent internationally and influence new standards have all helped make the UK automotive industry one of the world’s most competitive. This has helped attract billions of pounds in investment in recent years, delivering record productivity, job creation and growth.

Read the full report at www.sussexbusinesgroup.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 59

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SBT

ASK THE

SBT Ask the Experts is sponsored by

EXPERTS

WE ASK THE EXPERTS TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS YOU NEED

EXPERT

Clive Janes, Owner of CRJ Lettings and Author of the Chichester Property News Why should I ask them?

Breaching the agreements you have in place could have serious consequences.

The freeholder needs to be made aware and you should ensure there are no restrictive covenants in the lease preventing you from renting out the flat.

The mortgage company need to either provide you with ‘consent to let’ on your current mortgage, or they may switch you to a buy-to-let product. Finally, you’ll need specific landlord insurance to ensure your home is protected should the worse happen whilst it is tenanted.

alarm on each level of your property and a carbon monoxide alarm in any rooms with a solid fuel burning device.

And once I’ve found a tenant?

Ensure you reference them thoroughly and perform the required ‘Right to Rent’ checks. Then you’ll need a gas safety certificate (if applicable) and after protecting the tenants deposit, you need to provide them with the prescribed information, along with the government’s ‘how to rent’ leaflet. You should also have an inventory in place, which lists the condition of the property, before finally signing the tenancy agreement and handing over the keys.

I’m thinking of renting out my flat, what do I need to know?

Firstly, you need to make sure you’re allowed to rent out your flat. That means checking with three key people - the freeholder, your mortgage company (if applicable) and your insurers.

Then what?

Then it’s time to find a tenant! But, before you do, you’ll need to ensure you have a valid EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) in place - you can check this via www.epcregister.com. New regulations also mean you need a smoke

EXPERT

Gordon Humphrey, Managing Director, Seaspace International Ltd

Shipping Regulations Update On 1st July 2016 a new set of regulations from the International Maritime Association (IMO) are coming into effect.

The update has implications for the freight forwarding industry and local transport infrastructures. Here are the key points for businesses and concerns within the industry.

New IMO regulations from July 2016 mean: The guidelines require any shipping container arriving at its departure port to have a declaration verifying its gross mass; without this a container cannot legally be loaded and sent to its destination. In this instance, the supply chain is broken.

The regulations state that it is the responsibility of the shipper to weigh the container with its cargo loaded.

Until now, shippers weighed just the cargo and most on site weighing equipment will not be adequate for the additional mass.

Consequently, loaded containers will need to be transported either to public weigh stations or well in advance to departure ports that are

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For more information or advice please visit www.crjlettings.co.uk or e-mail clive@crjlettings.co.uk

offering a weighing service to obtain the documented verification. These added journeys will increase costs, fuel emissions and traffic volumes; in Sussex, there are only three advertised public weighbridges.

Local businesses with international sales should speak with their freight forwarders about the new rules and how they will impact their business and be implemented. Seaspace International stress the IMO and MCA need to clarify how the change will be practically enforced and whether there will be a uniform application of weight metrics and procedures or variations in selected zones. www.seaspace-int.com

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SBT Ask the Experts is sponsored by

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WE ASK THE EXPERTS TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS YOU NEED

EXPERT

Steve Mansour, CEO of Construction Insurance Specialist CRL Will my lender require me to have insurance in place?

You will need to check with your lender but some types of insurance are a legal requirement when undertaking projects of this type – which means you won’t be able to proceed without having the right kind of cover in place.

Why is insurance needed for a selfbuild home?

If you are building your own home one thing you can’t afford to overlook is insurance. You need to consider that a project can come with a number of inherent risks, so having the right cover in place can make all the difference should a worst-case scenario occur.

EXPERT

Tax reliefs available for R&D and patenting products could help support you in bringing new products to the market.

To remain competitive, businesses of all sizes need to continuously evolve their product offering. The UK Government recognises this and offer two generous tax reliefs to those who take the risk and invest time and money in innovation.

info@checkaprofessional.com

Who is liable for a self-build project?

If you are responsible for project management, the liability will lie with you.

If you’re utilising a main contractor, you’ll need to discuss insurance with them beforehand. Even if the contractor has a good level of cover in place, it’s still a good idea to invest in certain types of insurance yourself.

Employer’s Liability; if you have taken on the project manager’s role, then you will need this. If you are employing a general contractor, make sure you’re aware of their level of cover.

Contract works or All Risk; this ensures you are covered should the theft of materials take place whilst on site. It also covers structural or fire damage.

Public Liability; once you own a plot of land, you will be held responsible for any injuries that occur on it. This is important as injury claims are expensive.

Structural Defects; if a problem with the building itself occurs post-construction, structural defects insurance will provide cover you and any future owners of the property.

What are the different types of cover?

There are a number of requirements that you will need to consider but cover may include:

For more information, visit www.c-r-l.com, email customer. service@c-r-l.com or call 0800 772 3200 / +44(0) 20 7127 5198.

Martin Verrall, Tax Senior Manager, Grant Thornton Research and Development (R&D) tax relief R&D tax relief is worth up to £33 cash back per £100 an SME spends on qualifying R&D activities.

Broadly, qualifying R&D involves a project which seeks an advance in science or technology, which requires the resolution of a scientific or technological uncertainty and the solution is not readily deducible by a competent professional.

The relief is open to companies across all sectors, not just those with a laboratory. For instance, manufacturers claimed £635m in tax savings in 2013/14, more than 1/3 of all R&D claims by value.

Small businesses making their first claim can seek advance assurance from HMRC for up to three years,

which can provide certainty that they are eligible for the relief and provide comfort to external funders for projects.

Patent box tax relief Where R&D tax relief incentivises new product development, patent box rewards those companies subsequently patenting their inventions. The headline is a 50% reduction in a company’s corporation tax bill to 10% on profits derived from patents, which for many companies will more than cover the costs of applying for and renewing their patents.

Martin.verall@uk.gt.com www.grantthornton.co.uk

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Networking in Sussex

SBT

Society World Cup Sporting Lunch is a Winner for Local Children’s Charity

Held at The Grand Hotel Brighton on Friday 3rd June, The Best of British sporting lunch was a sell-out event that played host to almost 500 guests from businesses across Sussex for the 1966 World Cup special, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of England’s World Cup win.

Raising vital funds for local children’s charity, Rockinghorse, guests dug deep to raise £38,500 for sick children in Sussex.

Funds raised from the Best of British event are supporting the charity’s annual Summer of Sport initiative, which this year is providing activities and leisure opportunities for local young people suffering from mental health problems.

Ryan Heal, Chief Executive of Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, said: “Rockinghorse has traditionally focussed its efforts on clinical equipment and resource. Whilst we very much continue to service these areas robustly, we are becoming far more acutely aware of the importance surrounding the support of children and young people with complex mental health issues right here in Sussex.”

A charity raffle and auction were held during the lunch to boost funds raised on the day. Items included a signed Lionel Messi boot, 1966 World Cup winning England shirt signed by 10 of the 11 starting players, plus a very special limited edition piece of artwork entitled ‘The Greatest Save’. Hand signed by both Pelé and Gordon Banks, the artwork was kindly donated by Castle Fine Art Gallery in Brighton and fetched £2,300 at auction.

Sir Geoff Hurst speech

Ryan Heal (CEO, Rockinghorse), Scott Gair (Partner, Mayo Wynne Baxter), Sir Geoff Hurst and Jason Edge (Marketing Director, Mayo Wynne Baxter)

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The team from Leaders with Sir Geoff Hurst

Mr Humphrey signed canvas

Rockinghorse team and volunteers

Hannah Seltzer (Rockinghorse) & Sir Geoff Hurst

Jon Hill from Brewers

We’ll help you & your business prosper EMC is the leading independent provider of corporate finance advice, interim management and operational support to SMEs across all business sectors in the South East In the last 25 years EMC have: Completed 250 business sales and acquisitions Advised & completed on more than 80 private equity transactions Assisted over 50 management buy-outs Completed over 500 business & strategic reviews Raised over £600m of debt and equity finance for clients

www.emcltd.co.uk +44 (0)1273 945984 | contact@emcltd.co.uk Eastbourne|Brighton|Maidstone|Crawley|Chichester|London

AWARDS 2016

AWARDS 2016

W INNE R

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Made In Sussex

Made In Sussex: Inprova Energy

Burgess Hill based energy specialist, Inprova Energy has come a long way since its start-up 40 years ago in Haywards Heath. SBT shares the story from the Sussex business’ foundations to the current day

Inprova Energy helps businesses to reduce energy and Brand water costs through Focus energy purchasing and analysis, energy and water auditing and management, carbon reduction and reporting, and legislative compliance.

Today the company is part of a national 100-strong group, with offices around the country, working with some of Britain’s biggest brands such as Virgin Atlantic, Hotel du Vin, National Grid, Carlsberg and retail group White Stuff.

Last year, the company managed almost 3,000 gas and electricity supply contracts worth nearly £1 billion.

It now aims to build on its strong reputation as a trusted energy advisor to pursue further growth.

During the last 12 months, clients benefited from £5 million worth of savings through the expertise of Inprova Energy advisors, working with 21 different energy suppliers to negotiate flexible, fixed and collective contracts. Such progress means that the company is ranked as one of the top ten business energy procurement

and management consultancies in the UK. It’s a success story that started in 1976.

Back then, the company was called T&M Team Analysis and focused on helping organisations understand their energy tariffs so that they could save money on their bills.

In 1991, the company began to move into the newly privatised energy market negotiating gas and electricity contracts on behalf of industrial and commercial users.

By the start of 2000, the team had outgrown their office space and moved to their current premises in Burgess Hill.

And in 2005, the energy services division of the company was launched and quickly gained accreditation from the Carbon Trust to carry out energy surveys. At this time the company began trading as energyTEAM. The business went from successto-success with a management buyout in 2008, and then acquisition by Inprova Group in 2015. Following a period of integration with other energy consultancies within the group, the newly branded company was launched this May as Inprova Energy.

Paul Garratt, Director of Accounts for Inprova Energy, said: “The customer

Paul Garratt, Director of Accounts for Inprova Energy

care values we held 40 years ago remain just as strong today as Inprova Energy continues to expand. Our vision is to be the most trusted energy advisor in the UK and we will achieve this through our commitment to building long-term relationships with our customers and energy suppliers, providing customer service excellence through open and honest communication and energy market expertise.

“The energy market is complex and fragmented, so it is essential that businesses have an independent and trusted advisor to help them minimise costs and risk and reduce their carbon footprint.”

As members of the Energy Institute’s Register for Chartered Energy Managers and Register of Professional Energy Consultants, Inprova Energy’s chartered advisers are qualified ESOS Lead Assessors, and certified to deliver Carbon Trust Standard, ISO 50001 and carbon footprint measurement services.

Contact: www.inprovaenergy.com Phone 0330 166 4444 Email info@inprovaenergy.com

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Kalera Agard Marketing Intern, RBS Bank, New York City

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greg williams Level 3 Plumbing Apprentice.

Now partner in his own plumbing business

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A level Politics, Law, Sociology and AS level Economics Now studying for a BSc in Government at LSE

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