Sussex Business Times - Issue 366 by Life Media Group

SBT

ISSUE 366

N o . 1 for bus ine in Suss ss ex

SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

RAIN KING How Nikwax prospers when it’s pouring down

10 ESSENTIAL STEPS

FOR MEETING & EVENT SUCCESS! PAGE 32

PAGE 40

FULL OF BEANS We meet a coffee supplier who’s on a high

Think Like a Winner PAGE 62

Kevin Byrne, Sussex Businessperson of the year, tells you how + tips and advice from two more award winners! PAGE 13

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HERE’S THE FINANCIAL FORECAST Why 2013 could begin to banish the blues PAGE 24

+ TEST DRIVE: BMW M6 Convertible PAGE 18 WORKING LUNCH: The Curlew, Bodiam PAGE 29 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY: First stop, Worthing… PAGE 44

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When Whenititcomes comestotoMercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz, Lookers LookersMercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benzare arethe thebusiness. business. Excellence Excellenceredefined redefinedwith withthese theseexclusive exclusivewinter winteroffers. offers. At Lookers At Lookers Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz, we pride we pride ourselves ourselves on putting on putting you first. you It’s first.a It’s philosophy a philosophy whichwhich has seen has seen us winusawards win awards in theinpast the and pastmeans and means that we thatcontinually we continually improve improve the the services services we offer we offer to thetopublic the public and toand other to other local local businesses. businesses. BeingBeing part of part Lookers of Lookers plc, one plc,ofone theoflargest the largest motormotor retail retail groups groups in theinUK thewith UK retailers with retailers spanning spanning across across the country the country in England, in England, Scotland, Scotland, WalesWales and Northern and Northern Ireland, Ireland, has has enabled enabled us to us develop to develop our unique our unique state state of theofart, the250 art,vehicle, 250 vehicle, pre-delivery pre-delivery inspection inspection centre, centre, so you socan yoube can assured be assured your new yourpurchase new purchase is of the is ofvery the highest very highest quality. quality. FromFrom vehicle vehicle funding funding through through to fleet to management, fleet management, you will youhave will have the peace the peace of mind of mind that that we can weprovide can provide you with you the withmost the most efficient efficient and economical and economical service service in theinarea. the area. We have We have local local expertly expertly trained trained Business Business Managers Managers on site onwho site strive who strive for perfection for perfection and will andtailor will tailor any financial any financial requirements requirements you may you have may have specifically specifically to meet to meet your needs. your needs. We are Wesure are sure you can youexperience can experience the luxury the luxury of a Mercedes-Benz of a Mercedes-Benz for significantly for significantly less than less than whatwhat you may you may thinkthink this winter this winter with with Lookers Lookers Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz.

SeeSee overleaf overleaf for for a selection a selection of our of our fantastic fantastic business business useruser offers offers available available thisthis winter. winter. CallCall oneone of our of our retailers retailers today today on 0844 on 0844 947947 3649 3649 to book to book a test a test drive drive in any in any of these of these models. models. Lookers Lookers plc plc Mercedes-Benz of Brighton Mercedes-Benz of Brighton Victoria Portslade, Victoria Road,Road, Portslade, Brighton Brighton BN41BN41 1DY 1DY

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz of Eastbourne of Eastbourne Eastbourne Eastbourne Road,Road, Westham, Westham, East East Sussex Sussex BN24BN24 5NH5NH

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz of Gatwick of Gatwick County County Oak Oak Way,Way, Crawley, Crawley, WestWest Sussex Sussex RH11RH11 7ST 7ST

Official Official government government fuel fuel consumption consumption figures figures in mpg in mpg (litres (litres per 100km) per 100km) for the for Mercedes-Benz the Mercedes-Benz range: range: urban urban 13.0(21.7)-54.3(5.2), 13.0(21.7)-54.3(5.2), extr

A-Class image A-Class model image featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz A 180 BlueEFFICIENCY A 180 BlueEFFICIENCY SE at £20,150.00 SE at £20,150.00 on-the-road. on-the-road. C Class Saloon C Class model Saloon featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz C 180 BlueEFFICIENCY C 180 BlueEFFICIENCY AMG SportAMG Saloon Sport at Saloon £28,930.00 at £28,930.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingmetallic optionalpaint metallic at £645.00. paint at £645.00. C Class Estate C Class model Estate featured modelisfea a Coupé model Coupé featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz C 180 BlueEFFICENCY C 180 BlueEFFICENCY AMG SportAMG Coupé Sport with Coupé automatic with automatic transmission transmission at £37,185.00 at £37,185.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingDriving optional Assistance Driving Assistance Package atPackage £1,895.00, at £1,895.00, leather upholstery leather upholstery at £1,350.00, at £1,350.00, metallic paint metallic at £645.00 paint atand £645.00 panoramic and panoramic glass sunroof glassatsunroof £1,350.00. at £1,35 SLK and Sportsand Suspension Sports Suspension at £205.00. at £205.00. E Class Saloon E Class model Saloon featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz E 200 CDIEBlueEFFICIENCY 200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY SE SaloonSE at Saloon £29,795.00 at £29,795.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingmetallic optionalpaint metallic at £645.00. paint at £645.00. E Class Estate E Class model Estate featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz E 220 CDIEBlueEFFICIENCY 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Avantgarde Avantgarde Estate at £35,225 Estate a the-road including the-road optional includingDiamond optional White Diamond Metallic WhitePaint Metallic at £1,125.00. Paint at £1,125.00. E Class Cabriolet E Class model Cabriolet featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz E 350 BlueEFFICIENCY E 350 BlueEFFICIENCY SE Cabriolet SE with Cabriolet automatic with automatic transmission transmission at £45,215.00 at £45,215.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingLight optional Package LightatPackage £1,290.00 at £1,290.00 and metallic andpaint metallic at £645.00. paint at £645.00. CLS ClassCL m and metallic andpaint metallic at £645.00. paint at £645.00. M Class model M Class featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz ML 250 BlueTEC ML 250SE BlueTEC with automatic SE with automatic transmission transmission at £47,330.00 at £47,330.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingIntelligent optional Intelligent Light System Light atSystem £1,630.00 at £1,630.00 and panoramic and panoramic glass sunroof glassatsunroof £1,835.00. at £1,835.00. S Class model S Class featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz S 350 BlueT S model featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz GL 350 CDI GLBlueEFFICIENCY 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY with automatic with automatic transmission transmission at £63,590.00 at £63,590.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional including21” optional AMG alloy 21” AMG wheels alloy at wheels £1,865.00 at £1,865.00 and Sportsand Styling Sports Package StylingatPackage £2,765.00. at £2,765.00. SL Class model SL Class featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz SL 350 with SLautomatic 350 with automatic transmission transmissio at £79,6 featured isfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz G 350 BlueTEC G 350with BlueTEC automatic with automatic transmission transmission at £82,970.00 at £82,970.00 on-the-road. on-the-road. CL Class model CL Class featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz CL 500 BlueEFFICIENCY CL 500 BlueEFFICIENCY with automatic with automatic transmission transmission at £97,635.00 at £97,635.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingDriving optional Assistance Driving Assistance Package atPackage £2,135.00. at £2,135.00. On the road Onprices the r retail customers. retail customers. The offersThe shown offers areshown available are on available all models on all ordered modelsand ordered creditand approved credit approved between 1st between January 1st2013 January and 2013 31st March and 31st 2013 March and 2013 registered and registered by 30th June by 30th 2013.June *All2013. payments *All payments suject to VAT: suject Finance to VAT:based Finance on abased Contract on a Hire Contract agreement, Hire agreement, 10,000 miles 10,000 per annum. miles perExcess annum. mileage Excesscharges mileagemay charge app

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A-Class. A-Class.

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Or simply Or simply visitvisit www.leaseamercedesbenz.co.uk www.leaseamercedesbenz.co.uk for for more more information. information. Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz of Redhill of Redhill 12 Brighton 12 Brighton Road,Road, Redhill, Redhill, Surrey Surrey RH1 RH1 6QL 6QL www.leaseamercedesbenz.co.uk www.leaseamercedesbenz.co.uk

3(5.2), -54.3(5.2), extraextra urban urban 23.9(11.8)-80.7(3.5), 23.9(11.8)-80.7(3.5), combined combined 19.8(14.3)-68.9(4.1). 19.8(14.3)-68.9(4.1). CO2CO2 emissions emissions 334-109 334-109 g/km. g/km.

Ctate Class model Estate featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz C 180 BlueEFFICIENCY C 180 BlueEFFICIENCY Executive Executive SE Estate SE withEstate automatic with automatic transmission transmission at £29,615.00 at £29,615.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingmetallic optionalpaint metallic at £645.00. paint at £645.00. C Class C Class unroof ic glassatsunroof £1,350.00. at £1,350.00. SLK ClassSLK model Class featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY at £31,575.00 at £31,575.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional including18” optional alloy wheels 18” alloy at wheels £715.00, at metallic £715.00,paint metallic at £645.00 paint at £645.00 garde CY Avantgarde Estate at £35,225.00 Estate at £35,225.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingmetallic optionalpaint metallic at £645.00. paint at £645.00. E Class Coupé E Class model Coupé featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz E 220 CDIEBlueEFFICIENCY 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Sport Coupé Sport at £36,280.00 Coupé at £36,280.00 ononatllic£645.00. paint at £645.00. CLS ClassCLS model Class featured modelisfeatured a Mercedes-Benz is a Mercedes-Benz E 350 BlueEFFICIENCY E 350 BlueEFFICIENCY SE Cabriolet SE with Cabriolet automatic with automatic transmission transmission at £45,215.00 at £45,215.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingLight optional Package LightatPackage £1,290.00 at £1,290.00 cedes-Benz d is a Mercedes-Benz S 350 BlueTEC S 350with BlueTEC automatic with automatic transmission transmission at £69,165.00 at £69,165.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingAMG optional Sports AMG Package SportsatPackage £5,665.00 at £5,665.00 and Driving and Assistance Driving Assistance Package atPackage £2,065.00. at £2,065.00. GL Class GL Class th ticautomatic transmission transmission at £79,675.00 at £79,675.00 on-the-road on-the-road including optional includingAMG optional Sports AMG Package SportsatPackage £5,125.00, at £5,125.00, Cerussite Cerussite Grey mattGrey finishmatt paintfinish at £1,255.00 paint at £1,255.00 and panoramic and panoramic vario-roofvario-roof at £775.00. at G £775.00. Class model G Class model e5.00. at £2,135.00. On the road Onprices the road include prices VAT, include delivery, VAT,12 delivery, months12road months fund road Licence, fundnumber Licence,plates, number first plates, registration first registration fee and fuel. fee*All andoffers fuel. *All shown offers areshown for business are for users business only;users similar only; rates similar are available rates are for available for mileage . Excesscharges mileagemay charges apply.may Rental apply. includes RentalRoad includes FundRoad Licence Fundfor Licence the cotract for the duration. cotract Guarantees duration. Guarantees and indemnities and indemnities may be required. may be required.

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SBT Welcome “Graham has been able to ﬁnd plenty of silver linings shining amidst the economic predictions for the year ahead”

As the cogs of commerce start turning once more and accelerate back up to full productivity after the festive pause, it’s imperative that we start 2013 on a positive note. Why? Because, as SBT’s finance expert Graham Carn explains on pages 24-27, the prevailing mood of the economy is often a self-fulfilling prophecy. With this in mind, Graham has been able to find plenty of silver linings shining amidst the economic predictions for the year ahead. Yet, as anyone who has made a good start to breaking bad habits by setting some New Year’s resolutions should know, it’s not getting started that’s the real challenge – it’s sticking with it. In our cover story this month, ‘Think like a winner’, we explore the psychology of setting goals, then delve into the minds of three winners of Sussex Business Awards to find out how they turn their plans into long-term prosperity. So if it’s inspiration you’re after, turn to pages 13-17. Talking of awards, we headed to Michelin-starred restaurant The Curlew at Bodiam to see if the cuisine could repay the effort required to get there from our Eastbourne base. The answer, as you’ll see in our ‘Working lunch’ report on pages 29-30, is a resounding ‘yes’. Proprietors Mark and Sara Colley are managing to maintain the high standards they’ve set for themselves whilst not losing sight of the need to offer value for money. What better way to round off the issue, then, than with a profile of coffee supplier Edgcumbes – another company keeping its coffers warm despite the chilly conditions. Caffeine, it seems, is able to buck the trend of regular dips in GDP. Besides these main courses, we also offer you a variety of appetisers and digestifs, such as our regular ‘Spending it’ section, an interview with Nikwax boss Nick Brown, test drives, a commercial property profile of Worthing and 10 steps to achieving success with your meetings and conferences. That should be more than enough lubrication to keep the industrious wheels of Sussex spinning until the next issue. Enjoy.

Paul Beasley Editor

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Contents SBT Issue 366

Cover Image: Kevin Byrne, Businessperson of the Year, Checkatrade.com Sussex Business Times Managing Director/Publisher: Lee Mansﬁeld lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk Commercial Director: Simon Skinner simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk Commercial Business Manager: Luke Mould luke@lifemediagroup.co.uk Editor: Paul Beasley paul@lifemediagroup.co.uk Editorial Assistant: Laura Knight laura@lifemediagroup.co.uk Sales Executive Leanne McConnell leanne@lifemediagroup.co.uk Design: Harriet Weston harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk Media Director Linda Grace linda@lifemediagroup.co.uk Accounts: Clare Fermor/Amelia Wellings clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk amelia@lifemediagroup.co.uk Subscriptions Alex Weeks alex@lifemediagroup.co.uk Published by LMG SE LTD Park View House 19 The Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 3YD 01323 411 601 Printed by Gemini Press, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 6NZ All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Sussex Business Times Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of Life Media Group LTD. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Sussex Business Times Magazine assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from the participation in any offers, competitions or advertisement contained within Sussex Business Times Magazine. All prices featured in Sussex Business Times Magazine are correct at the time of going to press. Copyright Life Media Group LTD 2012 ©

3 9 13 18 24 29 32 38 40 44 53 62

Welcome

Start the year as you mean to go on – disregard fears of a triple-dip recession and be positive instead

Spending It! A pair of shoes, a jacket and an iPad case star in our leather line-up

Think Like a Winner SBT explores the winning mindsets of three Sussex Business Award winners to ﬁnd out how to make the best of 2013

Test Drive Maarten Hoffman gets behind the wheel of a BMW M6 Convertible and a SEAT Leon FR Supercopa 2.0tsi

Reasons to be Cheerful Financial expert Graham Carn ﬁnds plenty of positives among this year’s crop of economic indicators

Working lunch SBT’s Paul Beasley and Laura Knight head to The Curlew in Bodiam for a meal that was worth all the travel troubles of getting there

10 Steps to Meeting Success We set out the essential steps you need to take when organising a conference or event

Roffey Park Institute Explains Michael Jenkins on the vital subject of effective leadership in troubled times

Nikwax When it rains the revenue pours in for clothing and kit waterproof specialists Nikwax, as MD Nick Brown reveals

The Portfolio In the ﬁrst of a new series, SBT compiles a range of facts, ﬁgures and insights on Worthing as a place to base your business

L is

SBT Q&A Our sponsored section of expert insights covers a wide range of important business matters

Made in Sussex We learn how Edgcumbes, a coffee company in Chichester, is resisting the ill winds of the ﬁnancial winter

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Corporate hire at the National Museum of the Royal Navy Step out of the office and back into history

Flexible spaces with an abundance of atmosphere. Seminars, meetings, conferences or training, our galleries provide a unique venue for corporate hospitality. • Free Wi-Fi • Use of PA, projector, laptop • Flipcharts • Entry to the museums galleries • Day delegates packages starting at just £30pph • Dinner packages starting from £110pph

Looking for a venue with a view? The National Museum of the Royal Navy is available for corporate hire from large functions for up to 200, to smaller intimate gatherings of 20

E:Roxy.martincottee@nmrn.org.uk T:02392 727581 P 06-07 Contents JAN2013.indd 7

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LET THE PLATINUM CLUB TAKE THE â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;WORKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; OUT OF NETWORKING The Platinum Club, in partnership with The Grand Hotel Brighton, has developed a highly effective networking forum believing that less is more. We have removed much of the periphery that surrounds many business clubs such as seated meals, speeches and sponsors presentations. The Platinum Club offers a relaxed and informal Champagne cocktail party each month where local businesses come together from across Sussex to develop and build relationships, catch up on industry news and events and meet an eclectic group of business people in the splendour of The Grand Hotel. We strive to host an informal and enjoyable event that is highly effective for large and small companies alike and the finest testament we have received is a 100% membership renewal rate

For more information about joining The Platinum Club please contact:

THE PLATINUM CLUB Tel: 07966 244046 www.theplatinumclubbrighton.co.uk maarten@theplatinumclubbrighton.co.uk 8 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

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Spending It!

Leather Uppers From bags to jackets, our selection of leather goods will help you feel like a winner

LEATHER BRIEFCASE Ideally suited from business individuals who need to carry plenty of paperwork, this elegant briefcase is designed to do just that. Due to the robust Maxwell Scott chestnut tan leather, this briefcase not only looks stunning but can endure everyday scratches and scrapes and is guaranteed to last a lifetime. Maxwell Scott, £379.99. www.maxwellscottbags.com

WATCH Gents hand-made and Swiss-made automatic gold plated watch with the newest moonphase movement. This watch is able to tell the time, day, date, month and also the lunar phase. It has gold indexes on a white dial and a genuine leather strap. Dreyfuss and Co, £1,495. www.dreyfussandco.com

LEATHER LACE UP GIBSON Sharpen up this season in this timeless Gibson-style leather shoe. This formal design features lace up closure and a rounded toe. The perfect ﬁnishing touch to a sleek city style. Dune, £85. www.dune.co.uk

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IPAD CASE This iPad holder from Aruna Seth is made out of the best Italian leather and has an inside pocket and zip to keep your iPad safe. Aruna Seth, £220. www. arunaseth.com

LEATHER JACKET Designed exclusively for John Lewis, this jacket merges Savile Row cutting with rugged outdoors style. The Bezique jacket takes on a new guise as it’s reinterpreted in soft, antique lamb’s leather. The collar and cuffs are lined with corduroy for added comfort and there are plenty of useful pockets. John Lewis, £450. www.johnlewis.com

IPAD CASE The Drogo is crafted using 100 per cent high-grade leather. It is embossed with a detailed, oriental dragon motif that elegantly wraps its way around the front, back and spine of the case, A contrasting gold suede interior and yellow stitching adds a splash of colour to ensure that the Drogo is an accessory that will be noticed. Maroo, £50. www.maroo.com

LEATHER HANDBAG Stay stylish with this chic handbag from the Folli Follie K Vintage collection. Featuring a zipper fastening, two short handles and and a detachable shoulderstrap, this sophisitcated bag will hold all of your everyday essentials even an iPad in a carefully concealed inner pocket. Folli Follie, £130. www.follifollie.co.uk

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Spending It!

LEATHER GLOVES These leather gloves make the list of stylish accessories. The little bow on top adds a touch of elegance. 100% polyester lining. La Redoute, £29. www.laredoute.co.uk

LEATHER WALLET

PHONE POUCH

This lovely Storm leather wallet comes complete with eight slip pocket card holders and a double note section, press stud coin pocket, clear PVC photo pocket, sim card holders and striped lining. Storm, £20.99. www.stormwatches.com

This Ashworth iPhone case is from Radley and is avaliable in black and tan leather. It has a subtle front design and is ﬁnished off with the iconic Radley dog badge. Radley, £25. www.radley.co.uk

LEATHER NOTEBOOK

LEATHER BELT

This handcrafted leather journal is beautifully made in England, using recycled leather and would grace any desktop. Available in two gorgeous colours, of lipstick pink with silver trim or petrol with bronze trim. Alison at Home, £24.50. www.alisonathome.com

With a striking blue edging, this leather Brogue belt by designer Marcel Wanders adds a ﬂash of unique, modern style to any look. Marks and Spencer, £35. www.marksandspencer.com

LEATHER COURT SHOES A smart and sophisticated court shoe with a leather upper round toe and 9cm block heel. Wear with a simple shift dress for an on-the-go style. Bertie, £85.00. www.bertie.co.uk

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ADVERTORIAL

Love Sparks a Winning Business Plan A young man who left the UK half way through his university studies to follow his wife-to-be to Australia has come full circle. Alan Buckett, 30, from Hampshire, left Portsmouth for Perth six years ago to be with the woman he loved. Thrown in the deep end of a foreign market and needing to make a living, Alan set himself up as an independent IT consultant and quickly became very successful. He said: “Before I left the UK I was studying internet technologies and about to go into my third and ﬁnal year when my girlfriend asked me to move with her and her family to Perth. Ten years on, he and his family have arrived back in the UK and Alan, keen to resume his studies and gain a university qualiﬁcation, got in touch with the University of Portsmouth. But when an admissions tutor looked at Alan’s CV, it was suggested he had so much experience he should instead make the leap to Master’s level and studying for his MBA, a course for business managers.

Alan said: “I now have a new role with Quest Software, as a senior solutions architect in identity and access management for Europe, Middle East and Africa, I am happily married with two great kids, plus I am now getting the chance to study something of use to me and to my employer.” As a busy professional the hardest challenge in returning to studying has been finding time. Thankfully with most of the programme being taught in two-day blocks every five-six weeks Alan has been able to use his annual leave to attend Friday lectures and worked evenings and weekends to finish assignments. He said: “The most unexpected benefit has been being able to draw direct comparisons between academic methods and real-world experience, which has enhanced my understanding of situations I have been involved with and, as a result, enriched them.” In Alan’s new role he combines a deep understanding of both technical and business concepts, so he has enjoyed deepening his understanding

Round the world and back again: Alan Buckett

of how processes in one part of an organisation impact on another and how technology and business interact. He said: “The MBA has a valid contribution to my current role helping enterprise business stakeholders move forward with compliance and governance driven business solutions. www.ports.ac.uk

Show you mean business. Go back to school. Portsmouth Business School’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) will provide you with the opportunity to develop your strategic problem-solving skills whilst mastering the latest business knowledge and practice: • • • • •

Develop your management abilities Benefit through innovative work-based learning Generous scholarships Taught part-time in two-day blocks over two years Accredited by the Association of MBAs

To find out more about our wide range of degrees, come along to one of our regular open evenings – details of which can be found at www.showyoumeanbusiness.com.

‘The Portsmouth MBA has been a lifechanging experience and one that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss.’ Heather Short, Entrepreneur

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For more information or to apply: T: +44 (0)23 9284 4888 E: mba.admissions@ port.ac.uk W: www.port.ac.uk/mba

28/01/2013 15:12

Cover Feature

Think Like a Winner

The turn of the year is a time of new resolutions and big plans for the 12 months ahead… and yet late January is reserved for getting real! But it doesn’t have to be this way. SBT speaks with three recent recipients of Sussex Business Awards to find out how they set targets and stay on track for success Thoroughly bogged down by a ballast of surplus calories, and Insight operating through a perpetual fog of alcohol. This, typically, is the stony ground upon which we sow our dreams of selfbetterment, of how we’ll be fitter, happier and more successful in the ensuing 12-month cycle. It’s all part of the end-ofyear ritual of throwing out the old and welcoming in the new. Unfortunately, rapid capitulation in the face of life’s challenges is also very much part of the ritual. Is it any wonder, given these inauspicious beginnings, that leopards can’t change their spots? According to a study conducted on 700 people by Richard Wiseman, a professor at the University of Hertfordshire, 78 percent abandon their resolutions, the bunch of quitters! But why are we so slipshod, and how can we increase our chances of achieving our goals? Well, firstly, it helps if we’re actually sincere about our resolutions, rather than simply dashing them off as a means of assuaging the guilt brought on by a festive binge. An all-or-nothing attempt to make big changes to our most dug-in habits is doomed to failure, whereas a carefully thought-out plan that addresses

some of the triggers of the ‘bad behaviour’ and builds up to big change by breaking it down into small steps has a much greater chance of success. And this applies to breaking bad business habits just as much as it does to giving up smoking, say, or shedding excess poundage. Secondly, we must believe that we are capable of meaningful change. According to a joint study on 19,000 people by psychology professors at Harvard and Virginia universities, we tend to underestimate the amount of change that we are capable of. Obviously, if you set out with this opinion, you’re dooming yourself to failure because you already have an excuse: we can’t achieve our resolutions because we can’t actually change. So there! You won’t, sufﬁce to say, catch a business winner falling into this particular trap. Thirdly, the latest research reveals that it’s not enough to structure change effectively and believe that you are capable of it – you have to visualise it as well. A team of neuroeconomists (yes, you read that right) studied self-control by measuring the brain activity of their subjects with a functional magnetic resonance imaging machine. The subjects had a choice: take the money on offer or wait for a speciﬁed period and receive double the money Those people who were able to wait

patiently for a reward rather than give in to temptation immediately were found to have increased activity in the anterior prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain that we use to think about the future. Subjects were even less likely to succumb if they could make the temptation more abstract and ﬁll in some of the details of the imagined future. ‘What has this got to do with me improving the performance of my business?’ you may – not unreasonably – be thinking. Well, because the more we understand the psychology of setting goals, whether for personal or professional reasons, the more likely we are to structure them in a way that they can be achieved. To provide a little push in the inspiration department, over the next three pages we explore the winning mentality of three of the victors from the Sussex Business Awards. These individuals achieved their goals for 2012 and are now forging ahead with their plans for 2013. So, if you’re looking for a starting point for your business resolutions, you’ve come to just the right place. Turn the page to ﬁnd out how this winning trio built thriving businesses from scratch, what makes them tick and the mantras that they feel have been most important to their success thus far.

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“Believe and achieve” Kevin Byrne, Checkatrade.com Businessperson of the Year With 91 staff, and a national advertising campaign that makes checking the credentials of a tradesperson sound not only easy but also enjoyable as well, Checkatrade founder Kevin Byrne appears to have it made. Yet the business only looks like an obvious winner in retrospect. In fact, Kevin is a classic example of an entrepreneur – someone who experienced a ‘lightbulb moment’ then built a business from nothing through years of hard graft and faith in future success. “I funded Checkatrade.com myself by working two other jobs when I founded it”, Kevin recalls. “I had a carpet cleaning machine and some skills in graphic

design. I continued to work on both of these at weekends and evenings and the odd day to meet my family’s needs.” This juggling of three jobs continued for around six years, during which time most of the revenue Checkatrade brought in went straight back into marketing. Kevin was also slogging his way up a steep learning curve – not only for him but for the companies he hoped would become his clients. “Pioneering anything has massive hurdles. I started with no money, no business degree and no business model to copy; just a 486 computer, a telephone in a spare room and an idea to change the way people ﬁnd and choose tradespeople. I simply picked up the phone and started to call trades asking them if they could supply recommendations, proof of qualiﬁcations and insurance, then enquired if they’d like to be part of something new. This was

Sussex Businessperson of the Year, Kevin Byrne of Checkatrade.com, with Julien Jones, Morgan Sindall

the first time trades were asked for these things and often I was told to mind my own business.” Kevin admits that getting the first 100 trades to join was incredibly difficult, but even after this point it wasn’t exactly downhill all the way. “Even seven years into running the service friends would say ‘Kev, you’re killing yourself, and for what?’” Now, though, Kevin can look back with great satisfaction. “I have changed the way the public choose anything, online reviews are now king. I was the first to introduce this”, he says. Kevin’s first lesson for those who’d like to follow in his footsteps is that a lack of funds is no barrier to real entrepreneurial skill. “To me an entrepreneur is very much a self-motivator, and having or not having money will have little to do with the actual act of starting. The key is cash flow, not so much to push the company forward as most of this can be done by the efforts of the individual, but to feed and house the start-up entrepreneur and their family. As long as this is covered the real entrepreneur can act.” Secondly, self-belief is essential. “I believe people will only achieve what they believe they can achieve”, Kevin explains. “This comes solely from the level of their expectation. If you expect something to happen, your behaviours and actions will flow from this.” In this respect, Kevin has had to overcome his biggest hurdle: himself. “You’ll never change your outer world until you’ve changed your inner world. I used to think small, I now think big. It took a great deal of time and effort to change myself.” Talking of hurdles, Kevin says he is inspired by people who overcome the negative expectations of others – and gives former world and Olympic 400-metre hurdles champion Sally Gunnell as a prime example. “Sally Gunnell was told she was the wrong height and had the wrong body shape for hurdles. Simply inspirational”, he states of the woman who wouldn’t let anything stand in her way. Thirdly, and finally, the Selsey-based entrepreneur advises that once your business is up and running, don’t let up. “Running a business is like driving a car. Keep it moving; don’t park.”

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Cover Feature

“Innovate to accumulate” Denise Buchan, Classic Consulting, Most Promising New Business of the Year In just its first year of business, Brightonbased recruitment company Classic Consulting has more than doubled its workforce (from four to nine) and scooped the Sussex Business Award for Most Promising New Business – not a bad start! So how has Denise Buchan set about generating such a dynamic launch for the company she helms? “We opened with the mantra of ‘Integrity First’”, Denise explains. “I wanted to create a working environment that positioned us as an employer of choice, and to work with candidates and clients that truly wanted us to take their careers seriously. Daring to be different has paid off, and I think we’ve delivered on our promise.” And Denise isn’t about to let this strong foundation subside in year two. In fact, with the continued assistance of specialist recruitment venture capitalist Krypton Capital, the company is increasing its footprint. “In Q1 we have an office opening planned for central London, and over the next 12 months we aim to increase our market share throughout Sussex by opening a number of new offices and employing more talented consultants to service the region. We will continue to contribute to the regeneration of the employment market by placing quality candidates in the right roles, and in the process we hope to become strong business ambassadors for the Sussex region.” But what makes Denise think that such ambitious expansion plans are feasible? “We have thoroughly researched the areas we plan to go into, and we’re confident we will have the same level of success as we’ve enjoyed in Brighton”, she asserts. Buchan lists hard work, enthusiasm, passion and charity as the virtues that will – this is a key word in Denise’s can-do lexicon – help these plans come to fruition: “We will keep working hard to nurture relationships with the local business community. We will launch our London office with the same levels of

Winner of The Most Promising New Business - Denise Buchan, Classic Consulting, with Paul Harvey, Morrisons Solicitors

passion and enthusiasm that we did in Brighton, and a key ingredient to achieving success will be our team. We will build on the existing partnerships we have in place with our local charities [Chestnut Tree House, The Young Lives Foundation and Albion in the Community’s ‘Want to Work’ Programme], and in January we’re launching a payrollgiving scheme with our staff and temps to support Rockinghorse.” Above all, though, Denise identifies continual innovation as the key to Classic Consulting’s ongoing success. “We really listen to what the market wants and by being proactive and innovative we’re serving our clients at the highest level. Innovation is truly part of our philosophy to build longterm, strategic partnerships with our candidates and clients. “For example, we run free HR and legal seminars for our clients to coincide with new legislation changes, to help them stay ahead of the curve. We identified the need for bespoke salary and benefit comparisons and provide them as a free tool for clients looking

to benchmark new positions. We are proactive in sourcing candidates instead of being reactive, and if need be we’ll headhunt the passive candidate pool to match the client with the right candidate for the role, and vice versa. We have recently introduced a Candidate Breakfast Club and this year we’re looking forward to launching a PA Club for senior-level candidates.” Given this furious pace of development, it’s no surprise that Denise has Margaret Thatcher’s attitude to sleep: it’s strictly optional. “Our mantra is we work while others are sleeping and we’re genuinely available 24/7, no matter the time of day, the complexity of the request or the timeframe our clients are working to.” And this, Buchan believes, is what marks Classic Consulting out for longterm success. “We aim to build long-term, lasting relationships and to work as an extension of the client’s HR department as a true business partner. We’re approachable and we serve our customers with integrity and they welcome it. It really is that simple.”

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ADVERTORIAL

Promoting the Professionals found online and their services evaluated independently.” Having originally worked in London for a large global bank, Lisa was responsible for a wide range of ﬁnancial services. She was then able to use these skills to set up her own mortgage advisory business dealing directly with clients and ensuring they obtained the best possible mortgage deal. This attention to detail and experience of dealing with clients on a one to one basis put Lisa in good stead when she joined Checkatrade’s telesales team. Over the next few years, Lisa worked hard, pushed the business forward, was promoted and helped to increase the number of clients from just over 500 to 7,000. “I was overwhelmed when our Founder and MD, Kevin Byrne approached me to head up our new sister site Checkaprofessional.com. I have welcomed the challenge to put my experience to good use” said Lisa. Credibility and accountability are the building blocks of both Checkatrade and Checkaprofessional.com. From ﬁrsthand

From investments and share dealing to running her own mortgage advisory business, Lisa Beale has built up a solid and varied skills base which made her the perfect choice to head up the Checkaprofessional.com team. Checkaprofessional.com is an exciting new venture from award-winning Checkatrade. Founded in the UK in 1998, Checkatrade has become a household name for ﬁnding reliable and trustworthy tradespeople. Its success is based on the creation of an impartial model of vetting, monitoring and a customer feedback system on each participating tradesperson. “As Checkatrade has grown it has become clear that the public wanted a similar model for professional services such as ﬁnancial services, legal services, IT & consultancy, health & beauty therapy and dentists” explains Lisa Beale, Head of Checkaprofessional.com “We wanted to give professionals a way to market their services to potential new clients and bridge the trust gap by providing a platform where they can be

experience of running a company, Lisa is passionate about the ethics that Checkaprofessional.com stands for. Lisa adds “As a business professional, I know how competitive the marketplace is and how crucial it is to stand out from the competition in order to win business”.

Testimonial

“Lisa joined the team here at Checkatrade ﬁve and a half years ago when we had just over 500 members. Over the years she has been promoted and ﬁnally ended up as overall manager of both customer services and sales, with her skills and drive she has helped take Checkatrade to nearly 7,000 members. It was an obvious choice to give Lisa the opportunity to head up a new brand. Checkaprofessional.com has a very competent, able and focused person at the helm. I know she will do superbly well.” - Kevin Byrne, Founder and MD, Checkatrade.com

Let Your REPUTATION DO YOUR MARKETING FOR YOU! Brought to you courtesy of our sister company

Today, clients are looking for an informed choice when choosing a professional service and Checkaprofessional’s new online service is providing just that. The Checkaprofessional website will give instant access to all professional service providers who have agreed to be vetted by us and continuously monitored by their clients, who can post verified feedback on the site. It will provide a FREE one-stop shop to finding the right professional service for a client’s particular needs. Find out about the unique advantages Checkaprofessional membership could provide for your online marketing.

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Cover Feature

More Wise Words From the Winners Kevin Byrne says “understand and appreciate”

Tony Shrimpling, HSBC with International Business of the Year winners, Becky Rowlands,Fabiana Macri and James Burton

“In it to win it” James Burton, Qualifa International Business of the Year A little over a year ago, Qualifa CEO and founder James Burton had just received the Award for Most Promising New Business. Wind the clock forward 12 months and James once again stepped up to collect an award – this time for International Business of the Year. Considering that the multilingual business-to-business telemarketing company was only launched in 2009 and has increased its number of staff from one – James – to 100 in that time, it’s fair to say that Brighton-based Qualifa has achieved the resolutions set by its CEO. Last year, James achieved his

“Business is always highly competitive and if you’re happy to come second you won’t survive”

James Burton, Qualifa

objectives of growing Qualifa’s operational capabilities by developing specialist telemarketing teams and diversifying its client portfolio by taking on new opportunities and expanding its service offerings. So what’s next? Tomorrow, the world, of course! “In addition to developing the business, we are set on raising awareness globally of our services in order to attract more clients by being more ‘locally’ available with new business development units in France, Germany and San Francisco”, James explains. He hopes to make this happen with a three-pronged attack: marketing, growth and technology: “We will achieve these goals with a global marketing strategy to support our international business expansion targets and by enhancing our operational team, growing our multilingual specialist telemarketing professionals and investing in Cloud-based technologies to enable us to provide even better data management services to our clients.” Above all else, James feels that the personal quality required to turn such plans into realities is the determination to ﬁnish ﬁrst. “From a personal perspective, having the will to win is crucial”, he states. “Business is always highly competitive and if you’re happy to come second you won’t survive. “Psychologically, I think a positive attitude, when the chips are down, is most important. Only one person can drag you out of the pit when times are hard – and that’s you!”

The two biggest desires people have are to be understood and to be appreciated. I’ve learnt this and it is ingrained in me. I apply these principles to my team, the trades that join my company and to the public that use my services. If you can apply these from your heart you’ll win people’s hearts and be successful. Focus on what your customer wants not what you want and always aim to give more for less.

Denise Buchan says “listen” Listen, do not criticise or judge. Just as plants need water, people need encouragement in order to grow and ﬂourish. If you’re working with others, having the right people behind you will make all the difference. Our success to date would not have been possible without the hard work and support of our great team. Create an open, supportive environment where staff can express their ideas.

James Burton says “improve” Keep it moving and improving, always.

Many thanks to Midnight Communications, organisers of the Sussex Business Awards, who helped supply information for this feature. For further details please visit www.sbawards.org.uk or for 2013 sponsorship opportunities call 01273 666200

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Car Review

Test Drive

Maarten Hoffmann, SBT’s Motoring Editor, is impressed by the SEAT Leon and completely blown away by the BMW M6 Convertible

Review

BMW M6 Convertible

I am struggling with the words to describe the new BMW M6 Convertible – bonkers is a word that readily comes to mind but, in truth, it’s much more than that. This flagship of the famous M series is a stunning piece of automotive engineering and l would need five pages to list the technological gadgets that lie beneath its beautiful skin. But to mention a few, the head-up display that projects your speed and the road’s speed limit onto the windscreen is something that should be fitted to every car immediately; the reversing camera likewise; the i-Drive computer with a 10.2 inch screen is now much more user friendly and you no longer need a 2.1 from Oxbridge to use it; and, oh, the noise. The exhaust note from this 4.4-litre twin turbo-charged engine that produces

560bhp and takes you from 0-60 in 4.3 seconds, made me grin like a five-yearold. After I’d belted through the Cuilfail Tunnel in Lewes, l actually turned round at the A27 and did it again – believe me, it’s addictive when the roof’s down. The only time you might not want to repeat said manoeuvre, is when you foolishly glance down at the fuel gauge – a fixed grin this time but for totally different reasons. It boasts a combined consumption of 27.4mpg but to get that l think you would have to drive like my granny. If you drive it as it is designed to be driven, and believe me the temptation is irresistible, then l think you could half that but, as they say, if you have to ask what it does to the gallon, you can’t afford it in the first place. At £99,020 for the standard model, there’s never a truer word said. And before you ask, l don’t know what the £20 is for either! The car BMW kindly loaned me had over £12,000.00 worth of options, such as Merino Leather (£5635), M Sport seats (£1865) and 20-inch alloys

(£1650)… You get where l am going with this: the car and the extras are all rather expensive but, and it is a huge but, it is a gob-smacking car-come-ﬁghter-jet that accelerates fast enough to swivel your eyeballs, corners on rails – and did l mention the noise? I can’t afford £99,020.00 but I do have two kidneys. Hmmm...

The Details

Price: from £ 99,020

Like: The noise, acceleration, superb quality, decent rear seats

Loathe: The price; stop/

start system; the fact that l can’t afford one

Alternatives:

Porsche 911 Cabrio; Mercedes SL65; Aston Vantage; Jaguar XKR-S

Technical stuff:

Engine: 4.4 Twin Turbo V8 petrol (CO2 239 g/km) Transmission: Seven speed double clutch Warranty: 3-year unlimited mileage 0-60mph: 4.3 seconds Top speed: 155 (limited)

Best deal:

£1553.08 per month plus VAT, lease £1050.00; weekend ‘try before you buy’ hire.

www.bmw.co.uk

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Robert GrifďŹ n Photography ÂŠ

BMW M6 Convertible outside Lancing www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 19College

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Robert Grifﬁn Photography ©

Car Review

Review

SEAT Leon FR Supercopa 2.0tsi

Pronounced SAY-AT, the SEAT Leon is a car that many of you will know as there are thousands on our roads but did you know that there is a hot hatch version that leaves almost everything else in its class whimpering by the road side? It’s the FR Supercopa variant (FR standing for ‘Formula Racing’) and although it shares its chassis and engine with the ubiquitous Golf GTI, due to the fact that SEAT is part of the VW/Audi group, this Spanish-built pocket rocket is really quite impressive. Its a ﬁve-door hatch with cracking styling and is loaded with some great kit, such as touch-screen navigation, iPod and usb connectors and great seats. It also features a DSG gearbox – ﬂappy paddles to you and me. These are probably not worth the extra money as once you have used them for a week you, like 90% of other owners, will stick it in auto and leave it there – unless you are 18 with spiky hair and a hoodie, l guess. It also has great load space and

some funky style bits such as the hidden rear door handles (my kids couldn’t ﬁnd them and then I had fun testing all their friends), wipers that wipe the ‘wrong’ way and body vents that give it an pleasingly aggressive stance. It goes like greased lightning with 0-62 in a none too shabby 6.9 seconds and up to 145 mph if you are so inclined. It has great grip, endless torque and good feel through the wheel. The ride is a tad hard for me and there is too much road noise but when you consider it is part Golf with great reliability and like for like it is nearly £4,000 cheaper than the Golf, that is all the reason you need to buy the Leon and then go on holiday with the thousands you save – or pay for a day’s parking in Brighton – your choice. Should you buy it – all things considered, yes.

- Maarten Hoffmann, Motoring Editor

The Details Price: £14,890 to £26,000 Like:

Good looks, great engine, good load space, impressive standard kit.

Loathe: Hard ride, road noise Alternatives:

VW Golf GTI, Audi A3 S-Line, Ford Focus ST

Technical stuff:

Engine: 1.2 litre petrol (CO2 99 g/km) – 2.00 diesel/petrol (CO2 199g/km) Warranty: 3 year/60,000 mile

Best deal:

£230.93 per month plus VAT – lease Try before you buy – not available.

www.seat.co.uk

M A o U

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Review

WE ARE ALFA ROMEO. WE ARE PDH CARS.

YOUR NEW ALFA ROMEO DEALER FOR SUSSEX You don’t have to travel to Milan to find the best of Italian style, performance and engineering. PDH Cars, the new Alfa Romeo dealership in Sussex has it all, right on your doorstep. So whether you’re already an Alfa Romeo owner or would like an introduction you’ll find a little bit of Italy is now a little closer to home. Test drive the Alfa Mito - our sporty supermini or the Alfa Giulietta - with coupe looks and 5 door practicality. We look forward to welcoming you to PDH Cars.

PDH CARS LTD. LONDON ROAD, HASSOCKS, WEST SUSSEX BN6 9NZ 01273 845544 www.pdhalfaromeo.co.uk WITHOUT HEART WE WOULD BE MERE MACHINES

Model shown Alfa MiTo 1.4 TB MultiAir 135 bhp ALFA TCT Distinctive at £17,925 OTR including Alfa Red special paint at £425 and Alfa Giulietta 1.4 TB MultiAir 170 bhp ALFA TCT Veloce at £23,645 OTR including Ghiaccio White special paint at £490. Range of official fuel consumption figures for the Alfa Romeo MiTo and Giulietta range: Urban 26.2 –www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 64.2 mpg (10.8 – 4.4 I/100km); 21 Extra Urban 48.7 – 97.4 mpg (5.8 – 2.9 I/100km); Combined 37.2 – 80.7 mpg (7.6 – 3.5 I/100km). CO 2 emissions 177 – 90 g/km.

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ADVERTORIAL

The Autumn Statement: Key Changes

On 5th December last year Chancellor George Osborne delivered his third - and arguably most signiﬁcant - Autumn Statement in the House of Commons. Mike Wakeford, Tax Partner at Moore Stephens Chartered Accountants in Chichester, picks out the two key changes business owners should be focusing on: Capital expenditure and Pensions, and asks are you ready for Real Time Information?

Maximise the tax relief on capital expenditure In a dramatic U-turn the Chancellor increased the capital expenditure Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) limit from £25,000 per annum to £250,000 per annum for a two year period until 1 January 2015. This ten-fold rise took effect on 1 January and is clearly aimed at encouraging businesses to incur capital expenditure with a view to kickstarting the economy. The AIA is available on most plant and machinery, but excludes motor cars. It also extends to expenditure on longlife assets (those with an expected lifetime of more than 25 years) and integral features within buildings, which normally attract annual capital allowances at a rate of just 8%, compared to the 18% available on most plant and machinery. Careful planning will be necessary to achieve the maximum amount of relief on capital expenditure over the next two years. In some cases it may be worthwhile changing business year end dates to maximise the overall relief available. This is something that needs to be reviewed if you are incurring substantial capital expenditure early this year and do not have a 31 December year end. Remember that for groups of companies there is only a single AIA of £250,000 available, but this may be allocated between companies in the group in the way that is most beneficial to the overall business. A similar restriction may apply in certain circumstances to businesses that are under common ownership, but are not part of a corporate group. All change again for Pensions! It was disappointing that the Chancellor felt the need to make further changes to the tax relief available on pensions. The main changes to the annual and lifetime allowances affect individuals making substantial contributions to personal pension schemes, taxpayers with pension scheme pots over £1.25million, and individuals with pensions in a drawdown scheme. Currently there is a lifetime allowance of £1.5 million on an individual’s pensions savings. For defined contribution scheme ‘pension savings’ means the total of employer’s and employee’s contributions. For defined benefit (‘final salary’) schemes the calculation is more complex. From 2014/15 the limit will be reduced to £1.25 million, but there will be transitional arrangements to protect the position of individuals 22 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

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who are already at or near the £1.25 million limit. Also from 2014/15, the annual allowance will be reduced from £50,000 to £40,000. The amount of pension that may be taken from a drawdown scheme is currently limited to 100% of an equivalent annuity (as determined by the Government Actuary’s department). This limit will be increased to 120%, but the date of the change has not yet been announced. Ready for Real Time Information? Another important change businesses should be getting ready for is Real Time Information (RTI), which begins in April this year. All employers and pensions providers will have to submit information to HMRC regarding deductions they have made for PAYE, NICs and student loans when or before payments are made instead of at the end of the tax year as currently.

Mike Wakeford Moore Stephens are hosting a series of FREE seminars in the South on the changes to payroll and what businesses should be doing to prepare for RTI. To ﬁnd out more, or for a FREE copy of Moore Stephens Guide to Real Time Information, contact Mike Scott on 01243 520602 or email michael.scott@moorestephens.com

28/01/2013 16:47

Foreword

Finance

I hope that 2013 has started well for you and your business. Whilst the economic outlook remains challenging I still see many success stories across our county and I remain cautiously optimistic for the next 12 months and beyond. One of the success stories from last year that we are continuing into 2013 is our involvement in the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS). NatWest remains committed to making it easy and affordable for businesses to access finance. As part of this commitment we’re making available £2.5bn of funding specifically to support local businesses. This funding is limited and all loans approved under the fund will be fee-free and for loans of five years or less there may also be a 1% interest rate discount available. This is possibly the most affordable funding we’ve been able to offer and I hope that many Sussex-based small- and medium-sized businesses will take this opportunity to invest in growth. Access to funding is important but access to expertise is vital. Running a small business can be lonely and is certainly demanding. We believe in providing the best possible breadth and depth of support to local business and that’s why our team of Relationship Managers undertake independent accreditation each year. Sussex is a great place to live and to do business, with the local economy outperforming the national picture. Across the county there is a huge diversity of businesses and entrepreneurial flair and I and my team are committed to helping ‘Successful Sussex’ flourish. I hope that your plans for 2013 are similarly successful. - Robert Clare, Regional Director, Commercial Banking, NatWest

Sponsored By

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Finance

Reasons to Be Cheerful

Despite fears of a triple-dip recession, Graham Carn – SBT’s financial expert – finds plenty of reasons to be positive about Britain’s economic prospects now we’ve put turbulent 2012 firmly behind us Reading the financial papers and speaking Finance to business people I sense that against Insight the backdrop of a dismal 2012 there is a more positive but not exactly logical sentiment emerging, which believes 2013 is going to be better than 2012! This could just be the belief that eventually bad times have to turn – you could call that blind faith if you wish – or it could be that 2013 would have to go some to be actually worse. Wishing things will be better will not automatically make them so and noone should imagine we are out of the tunnel – but possibly the light at the end of it is visible. Depending on whether you are a ‘half-full’ optimist or a ‘halfempty’ pessimist will determine your view but let’s take a look at the outlook for 2013 and the fundamental areas that will measure whether it turns out better or not.

Brief review of 2012 Before looking at the outlook for 2013 in more speciﬁc detail it is worth just reﬂecting on what went wrong in 2012. Although there was very little good news, with the media reporting and

often sensationalising one set of gloomy occurrences or statistics after another, the most comforting thing to me was more what did not happen rather than what did. The ‘twenty-twelvers’ forecasting the imminent destruction of the world were wrong, the financial apocalypse in Europe did not happen, the Chinese economy and other emerging economies did not suffer their expected hard landing, and tension in the Middle East between Israel and Iran, for example, eased – reducing the risk of further oil price hikes. At the 11th hour and 59th minute the US avoided its ‘fiscal cliff’, and although there are still major issues that need to be settled – including the reaching of the self-imposed debt ceiling – there is expectation that all of this can be resolved despite the posturing of the feuding congressional Democrats and Republicans. A solution will be found as it is inconceivable that the US government should be forced to decide what financial obligations it honours and which it cannot. As with our own problems it seems to me that at last all the genuinely serious issues that exist for the various world economies are being discussed and taken extremely seriously. Although it is easy to dismiss

some solutions so far as kicking the can down the road, by the time the can is reached again there appears a little more understanding of the problems and more solutions identified. Returning to Europe, a major influence on the UK economy, it is worth commenting further that its very survival and that of the Euro was seriously questioned at times last year but sceptics have been defied and we enter 2013 with it fully intact. From a purely trading perspective, Europe and the Eurozone need to weather the storm it is still engulfed in as otherwise our own economic recovery prospects, not to mention specifically banks and financial markets, will suffer significantly.

The year ahead So, although we have avoided the various doomsday scenarios bandied about last year it doesn’t mean that all crises are behind us. It is still widely expected that at least one of the major European economies will encounter some fresh problem in 2013 – Spain and France are the commentator’s favourite ﬁnancial black sheep. If serious problems arise in Europe, or elsewhere across the globe, that cannot be ﬁxed then clearly we enter

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further uncharted territories. At a time when economies are weakened the fallout would be very serious, both economically and politically. Assuming, however, that problems are addressed as per the track record in 2012 (albeit there are always conflicting views and approaches), let us look at some key forecasts for the UK. GDP In the world economy we punch above our weight but we are certainly not heavyweight enough to be unaffected by what happens around us. What occurs in the yard of our nearest neighbour, Europe, very directly affects our intertwined commercial trade and financial activities. With conflicting ‘recovery’ policies being pursued by different Eurozone states it seems unavoidable that recession will linger there, at least through 2013. That malaise will affect the UK economy and

1.2% (the widest margin since 2009). This rise came about because of the significant fall in inflation from a peak of 5.2% last September together with employment growth, which rose by over half a million. Admittedly, the rise in employment was largely part-time but the total number of hours worked rose by 2.6%. Looking ahead at 2013, however, with inflation likely to be on the rise again and a slowdown in the pace of job creation, a fall in real household income is expected. Nevertheless, there is an expectation that consumer spending will continue to remain on a steady upward trajectory as households fund additional expenditure from precautionary savings as the frequency of new bad news diminishes. Also, households have – generally speaking – managed to undertake a significant amount of de-leveraging (debt-reduction, in other words) and the pace of this may again be

twelve saw a nine-year low which may again reflect firms’ desires to replace depreciating stock after a period of low investment, rather than spend on acquisitions. If business confidence improves and cash reserves are available, it would be logical for stronger businesses to seize opportunities in the market. Inflation Increases in fuel tariffs and upward pressure on food prices are two key influencers in anticipating that consumer price inflation will move above 3% in the first few months of 2013. The figure is expected to stay higher until the back end of the year as utility tariffs drop out of the annual comparison and food prices soften, based on expected more normal weather conditions. The Retail Price Index (RPI) methodology, which hasn’t been reformed despite expectations to

“The belief that UK businesses should be feeling more positive is reflected in equity markets, which have seen some substantial gains” not stimulate exports and therefore hinder our growth expectations and add to recessionary pressures. We need growth that comes from external demand and away from debt-fuelled consumption. We need to achieve this from our nearest trading neighbour as the likelihood of any significant growth coming internally with austerity measures, squeezed government spending, and household incomes depressed are at best limited. Despite all this, however, economists generally are more optimistic about prospects for 2013. After a flat 2012 GDP is forecast to grow in the region of 1% during the year rising to 2% thereafter. Hardly a seismic growth forecast but a return to the positive nonetheless. Consumer trends Consumer spending directly affects the small business and you may be surprised to learn that in 2012 there was an improvement in household real income, which actually rose by

easing as the way ahead appears potentially less turbulent. Corporate trends After a prolonged period of underinvestment, capital spending is expected to show a noticeable improvement in 2013. There are some early signs of investment recovery supported by improved business confidence as economic uncertainties reduce. There is a potential increase in credit availability, and a need to replace depreciated capital stock. In respect of credit availability I am referring to the Bank of England’s Funding for Lending (FFL) scheme. There have been previous government propelled schemes but the FFL scheme has been much heralded and appears to be being embraced by lenders, although it is still early days to make any definitive assessments. The other significant corporate possibility for 2013 could be a rise in merger and acquisition activity. Twenty-

the contrary, should mean the RPI figure peaks at possibly around 3.75%. Whilst the UK experiences low general growth levels and weak wage growth (average earnings rose by only 1.8% in 2012) it is unlikely we see inflationary pressures beyond those levels. The unknowns, however, could be the exchange rate affected by monetary stimuli and productivity levels. There is a view held by policymakers that sterling is too strong and a depreciation of the exchange rate and an associated pickup in imported inflation could pose an inflationary risk at home. If productivity continues to decline, rising labour costs risk higher inflationary pressure also. Interest rates, FX and equity markets Three-month LIBOR (interbank interest) rates have now fallen to around 0.5%, matching the Bank of England base rate – which is expected to remain at that level throughout 2013. In fact, there is a general expectation that the base rate is likely to remain consistent

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until at least 2015. An exchange rate of sterling against the US dollar at $1.60+ is seen as more reflective of the dollar’s weakness than the former’s strength, but anticipated growth differentials indicate a weaker GBP / USD during 2013. Against the euro the relative calm in the Eurozone has seen a decline in funds flowing into sterling as a safe haven but with still some major issues outstanding a move back of GBP/EUR above 1.25 is quite possible. As far as UK equity markets are concerned, prices seem to be signalling a strong cyclical rebound as we enter 2013. This may be based on economic factors or, with bond yields low, simply a search for better yields. As always, there will be sectors that do better than others and picking the winners is a difficult job at any time. Those individuals with active pension funds reaching retirement will hope the stock market generally is better than in recent times. The FTSE 100 above 6000 as we embark on 2013 is a positive sign.

Viewpoint Depending upon your outlook you can read the forecasts and interpret positively or negatively. I believe, however, the answer to whether UK businesses should be feeling positive to 2013 is that they should be. Clearly there is a long way to go with the process of economic recovery and there are potential events that will still try to blow us off course. Nevertheless amongst the businesses and bankers that oil the economic engine the mood is definitely more upbeat. If businesses are being encouraged out of hibernation so that they start investing and spending in a meaningful way again then that is extremely encouraging for jobs, growth and governmental revenues. The belief that UK businesses should be feeling more positive is reflected in equity markets, which have seen some substantial gains. They look abroad where America is expected to solve its fiscal and ‘debt ceiling’ problems, China is stimulating itself out of trouble and the other component parts of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia and India) have not ceased growing as was prematurely predicted last year. Japan too has its new government committed to ‘going for growth’. Europe is a long way from fixed but has not imploded yet.

At home we are worrying about an unprecedented ‘triple-dip’ recession. This may come about but it is not a doomsday scenario if it does. It is almost anticipated as it has been clear for some time that our economy is only bumping along and the return to a healthy economy once more is proving difficult to jumpstart. In this edition of SBT there is an article about the Sussex Business Awards and the people behind the successes [see pages 13-17]. Those individuals will have amongst their strengths a positive outlook and belief that they can overcome the problems they encounter. Not everyone will have those qualities in abundance but the ‘can do / will do’ attitude and positive thinking needs to be encouraged in everyone. We can be easily dismayed by constant negative and sometimes sensationalist press coverage and although we certainly have our economic problems we cannot be encouraged to believe all is doom and gloom. If we do collectively believe it, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Certainly I sense more positive sentiment around. The arrival mid-year of the new Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, should add to this and in financial circles it is being seen as the dawn of a new and more creative financial age – that optimism is good. An economic columnist recently cheerfully wrote “just as booms don’t simply die of old age, nor do busts”. Possibly, but certainly now there is a growing feeling that we are through the worst – and what helps kill busts is confidence. We are fatigued by economic and banking crises – and to prove that point when RBS were the next bank to be officially singled out by regulators in respect of the LIBOR scandal a week or so ago the share price hardly flickered! Independent evidence of positivity in the SME market place is also found in the latest survey of 1800 companies undertaken by Lloyds Banking Group. Small companies are more confident now about their trading prospects than at any time since 2009, including the belief that exports will improve in the first six months of the year. The desire and the confidence is out there.

Final thoughts Confucius, said every journey begins

with the first step. That is clearly true, and it follows that as we take each further step the end to our journey of recovery gets closer. Yes, there is a lack of consistent hard data as yet. Yes, creating demand for your products and services is challenging. Yes, finding finance for opportunities is not easy (although definitely not impossible – and ‘ease’ was a large contributory factor as to why we are in this position). Finally, yes, doubtless we will encounter more difficulties along the way. But belief that we will get there and making things happen is part of business and recovery. Cynics may call optimism blind faith but they are the half-empty ones. There is political will, there is greater understanding of the realities, and positivity and confidence within business – possibly the most powerful factor of all – is increasingly evidencing itself. Compared to what has been, 2013 should undoubtedly be better. Believe that and make it our selffulfilling prophecy.

Graham Carn is senior partner of Blackstones Consulting, the Sussexbased commercial broking and consultancy ﬁrm advising businesses and clients of accountancy and legal practices. For further information, visit: blackstones@btinternet.com

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VividBrighton_SBT_Half_Page.pdf

10/12/2012

16:56

CMY

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Our work goes beyond the brief, time after time – but don’t just take our word for it…. “I commissioned Vivid Brighton to create a logo, brand and website for my nutrition company. Right from the beginning they went out of their way to make me feel comfortable and included within the process. We worked through a number of ideas and I was impressed at their creative interpretation of my thoughts, which evolved into a logo design that far surpassed my original vision. Paul and his team went above and beyond throughout the process, supporting me to understand the build and to make sense of the technical aspects. Most importantly I felt listened too which resulted in a brand and website that fully represents my company’s ethos and mission. I am looking forward to continuing our business relationship as my company grows, in the meantime I would not hesitate to recommend Vivid Brighton for a friendly, professional and dedicated service.” - Nicola Sankey, Choose Nutrition

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Working Lunch

The Curlew,Bodiam Tucked away on a B road, The Curlew more than makes up for its location with quality, seasonal ingredients and precise preparation. No wonder its been awarded a Michelin Star The Curlew Restaurant, Junction Road, Bodiam, East Sussex, TN32 5UY Website: www.thecurlewrestaurant.co.uk Tel: 01580 861394 Travel time (by car, in minutes): Hastings 20-25; Tunbridge Wells 30-35; Eastbourne 50-55; Brighton 65-75 Nearest train station: Robertsbridge (Battle, 15 minutes away by road, has a taxi rank and better train connections) Food: three courses for £35-40 per person Wine: £6-8 per glass; £18-125 per bottle (average £30-40) Best deal: Two course set menu (two choices per course) for £20; three course set menu for £25* * Wednesday-Friday lunchtimes and Thursday and Friday evenings only

A converted coaching inn on the B2244 two miles east of the A21 Review and 12 miles north of Hastings, The Curlew is not the sort of place you should travel to on public transport, in the middle of winter. And yet, there were my colleague Laura Knight and I, attempting to do exactly this on a sub-zero Thursday in mid January. Why, you ask? So yours truly didn’t have to drive and could test The Curlew’s wine-matching skills, of course. On paper, it’s an easy-ish journey: Eastbourne to St Leonards Warrior Square, change to the Charing Cross train, alight at Robertsbridge and catch

a taxi to the crossroads outside Bodiam where the white, boarded flanks of The Curlew sit in semi-rural splendour. In total, the journey should take a fraction over an hour – compared to 50 minutes by car. As we set out from our office in central Eastbourne, the writing wasn’t so much on the wall as scrawled in icy scrapes on the pavement. We had seven minutes to make the connection in St Leonards; sadly, our train departed Eastbourne eight minutes late. As a result, we waited for an hour for the next connection at St Leonards, then changed at Battle and – the chain broken – waited a further 30 minutes for the train to Robertsbridge. There, sadly, were no taxis waiting, and no taxi rank. Instead, the station manager handed me a sheet with eight numbers on it. I got through five, to no avail, then asked a waiting teenager if whoever was picking her up would give us a lift to The Curlew. The answer, surprisingly, was yes! It turned out that this motherand-daughter combo were Kiwis, having swapped metropolitan living in famously wool-packed New Zealand for life among the sheep in rural England. Topsy-turvy. So, two-and-a-half hours after departure we finally arrived, and were ushered into The Curlew’s reception for appetisers and a glass of rather splendid Jean-Paul Deville champagne, supped next to a roaring fire. Here, we chatted with Mark Colley, who owns the Curlew with his wife, Sara. Mark explained that – as much as is feasible, without compromising on taste – all ingredients are seasonal and sourced as close to home as possible. In other words,

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they won’t use local ingredients just for the sake of it. The pair must be doing something right: Michelin awarded The Curlew a coverted star in 2011. The dining area, with its polished wooden floor, grey wooden panelling, jaunty Frisian cow wallpaper and array of decorative plates, makes an L-shape around the kitchen. This layout means that you’ll never feel surrounded by other diners, and any business discussion required will not be drowned out by the sqeals of nearby troughers. It is, as the website proclaims, “style meets stile”. And so to the menu. It’s worded in a straightforward way, so you’re not likely to choke on pretentious waffle when attempting to order – and I wanted to order everything, but settled for the Rye Bay Scallop starter with pork belly, apple and ginger. The beautiful presentation was matched by the flavours, although there was considerably more pork than scallop. Either, then, The Curlew can add another juicy, delicate scallop, or rename the dish and ensure that pork gets at least half the credit. No matter: a glass of Donnhoff Riesling Trocken Nahe, Germany (2011) provided a smooth, rounded acidity to cleanse the palate between each exquisite mouthful. For the main, I plumped for wood pigeon with cranberries, shallots and walnut mash. This delicate array of savoury flavours was like a group hug for the tongue, and the Côtes Du Rhône Villages ‘Fan De Lune’ Southern Rhone Valley, France (2009) offered subtle fruit and mellow tannins with such a light touch I could have been floating in space. Across the table, Laura was equally appreciative of her venisonand-Cahors partnership. And, finally, dessert: ginger soufflé, high as a chef’s hat. I savoured every mouthful of this light-then-chewy sweet treat – and the Moscato D ‘Asti Vittorio Bera (2011) was a perfect syrupy companion. So where’s the catch? From The Curlew’s perspective, summer passes without one – there are plenty of tourists conquered by the area’s Norman history to keep the tables full. In winter, though, the business needs clientele prepared to go the extra mile to indulge in its food. Thankfully, the grub is good, very good, in fact – and represents decent value for money. In short, it is worth the schlep. The Curlew should impress every stripe

Counting the Cost Paul Champagne - Jean-Paul Deville Carte Noire NV £8.00 Rye Bay Scallop, with Pork Belly £10.50 Donnhoff Riesling Trocken Nahe, Germany (2011) £8.75 (glass) Wood Pigeon with Cranberries, Shallots and Walnut Mash £20.00 Cotes Du Rhone Villages ‘Fan De Lune’ Southern Rhone Valley, France (2009) £8.50 (glass)

of colleague and client – apart from, of course, devout members of The Church of Toby Carvery, where quantity is the religion and quality it appears to be as welcome as a witch in the 15th century. But does The Curlew work as a venue for a working lunch? For those in East Sussex – especially those in the eastern half of East Sussex – yes, absolutely: you could make the trip without having to make a day of it. As for the rest of us, get the work done ﬁrst, then head to The Curlew to celebrate.

Ginger Soufﬂé £8.00 Moscato D ‘Asti Vittorio Bera, Italy 2011 £7.00 (glass) Laura Scallops £10.50 Seddlescombe First Release, East Sussex (2011) £28.00 (bottle) Venison with Quince, Heritage Carrot, Port Sauce £23.00 Cahors £36.00 (bottle) Cheeseboard £7.50 (for three cheeses) www.thecurlewrestaurant.co.uk

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10 Steps to Successful Meetings and Events No matter whether you’re planning for a successful meeting, conference or off-site event, our 10-step guide will help you lay ﬁrm foundations

Advice

Deﬁne the objective

According to Plato, “The beginning is the most important part of the work” – and who are we to argue with the Ancient Greek philosopher? Unless you start by defining the why, what and how of your meeting or event, it won’t matter where or when you decide to convene as you’ll be presiding over a mess, not a meeting. “From the outset, decide how you will measure the success of your meeting and work these outcomes into the event”, advises Janice McBrown of Roffey Park, a purposebuilt meeting, conference and training space in Horsham. “Consider whether participants need to be away from everyday work distractions and to build in time for interaction away from the meeting topic, so they can work more effectively together as a team”, she adds. Of course, if your objective is simply to have a good time, then your choice of venue will be significantly different. You’ll also need to consider your theme, says Lara Behrens of Eventa – a Sussex Business Awards ‘Leisure and Tourism’ category finalist in 2012. “Last year was all about Cool Britannia and the Olympics. There are no major events in the British calendar this year but the ‘Best of British’ theme is likely to continue as it was extremely popular”, she predicts. So what’s it to be: business or pleasure?

Identify delegates & dates

Now you have a reason to get together, you need to work out who needs to attend, and when they are available. These names and numbers will provide a size and shape to your initial plans that, in turn, will help you home in on a suitable budget and narrow down a list of potential venues. But will the shortlisted venues be available when you and your colleagues are? Certainly, event planners and venues in Sussex report having organised fewer events last year, and having been left less time between enquiry and event to put the whole thing together – so there could be space to be had at short notice, if that’s absolutely necessary. “We have seen a trend in shorter events and a reduction in the number of events taking place. At the same time there has been a decrease in the lead times from enquiry to the day of an event and a desire for greater value for money”, McBrown explains.

Budget basics

Devising a realistic budget that nevertheless has a built-in contingency fund will enable you to focus on exactly what you need to spend the money on, and why. With space available and everyone feeling the pinch, this does naturally leave the door open for some negotiation on everything from space to stationery.

“Value for money is key, so look for additional costs prior to booking – everything from the cost of parking to a ﬂipchart”, says Stuart Dorn of Brighton Racing & Events. In such straitened circumstances, many venues are not just driving costs down but restructing their offering as well. “We are ensuring that we offer competitive rates based on availability, particularly to clients who return to us and we’ll offer special promotions for local companies.” Roffey Park’s McBrown states. “We have become more ﬂexible to clients’ needs by moving away from standard delegate packages, to offering a ‘pick-n-mix’ approach creating a package that meets their needs more closely. Our delegate packages have also been adapted so they are fully inclusive, which means there are no ‘nasty’ surprises on the bill when you leave us”, she adds.

Event management

Next up, is the event small enough and simple enough that you can attempt to organise it in-house, or do you need to hand over to an event manager at the venue in question, or enlist the services of a specialist event organiser? Behrens of Eventa puts the case for the latter option as follows: “We work to meet the client’s brief and when doing so we make sure that we have a very good understanding of what they want to achieve from their event. We are able to tailor the event to its purpose as we

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Guide

have a team of skilled event producers and work with hundreds of ﬁrst-class suppliers so can make pretty much anything happen.” Of course, a specialist events organiser can also do the venue searching for you. If you do outsource the organisation of the event, which could be essential for all bar the cosiest get-togethers, Dorn advises that you “ensure you have the same point of contact through to the running of the event on the day. This relationship can assist with making the event as fun as possible.”

Venue selection

The purpose of your meeting or event will greatly influence your choice of venue. A boardroom meeting of several hours or more, for example, would benefit from being held in a room with natural light – this way, you should see fewer people nodding off during the session. Do you need breakout sessions? If so, says McBrown, “consider how the venue can support you – are syndicate rooms available near to the main conference room, are they included in the delegate rates and can the venue provide facilitators to ensure the event reaches its successful conclusions?” If your event lasts half a day or more, catering becomes an issue – so a venue with its own in-house catering could simplify things. If your event is scheduled to last for a day or more, the issue of accommodation may also come into play. In this situation, a purposebuilt venue with accommodation on-site or a hotel that focuses on its meeting and conference business become important options. Whatever decision you make, Dorn advises that flexibility is vital. “As other people get involved with the event, ideas change and so the requirements may change with that. Does the venue you’ve chosen have the ability to move with your event –

Roffey Park offers outdoor spaces as well as its meeting venues

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whether this is the type of catering through to the number of suites available?” Dorn also recommends that you make the best out of your venue to ensure that your event has a character all of its own. “Ask yourself what is different about the venue for you to try and maximise. This will help both the engagement of those considering attending and then those that do attend.”

To quote a Chinese proverb, “When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people.” In other words, when it comes to organising people you can’t do too much planning! Create a timeline and work backwards from your event date, plotting in all aspects of the activity – from invites to incentives – and giving each one sufﬁcient time to be organised. “Over plan!” says Brighton Racecourse’s Dorn. “Discuss everything with your venue and event manager to ensure that every eventuality where possible is covered. This then takes the pressure off the day as things invariably arise.”

need to consider what topics will be discussed, by whom, and when. If you’re organising a conference with keynote speakers or an event with wow-factor entertainment – both of which are good ways of generating interest in your event – then book early to avoid disappointment. If you’re organising a company or industrywide conference, getting the speakers conﬁrmed before you send out the invites is a sensible way of ensuring you get a good response. And if you have a whole programme of presentations and entertainment planned, be sure to get the balance right between leaving enough time for certain aspects to overrun a little but not leaving too much time in between that the mood is punctured. If your event is a conference with keynote speakers, an award ceremony or a team-building event, recording the events for posterity is all but essential – so consider paying for the services of a professional photographer. If, on the other hand, you’re meeting to celebrate, don’t be too heavy-handed with the business side of things. “We have found recently that there is more of an emphasis on events being ‘parties’, for employees to relax and enjoy themselves. So due to this we have found a decrease in lengthy speeches and company updates”, says Behrens.

The planning department

What’s on the agenda?

Everything from the shortest off-site meeting all the way up to a multi-day conference requires an agenda. You’ll

Roffey Park

Make a list

The scale of your event will, of course, determine the number of items required. If you’re holding a short meeting, then

an agenda, documents and notebooks could be required, along with flipboards, marker pens and/or audio-visual equipment such as projectors. If the event is bringing together people from more than just one small office, then name badges could be essential, along with invitations and specific seating plans. And what about signage and branding opportunities – will these be required at your event? Make a list of absolutely everything you can think of, and discuss it with your event organiser – if you have one – as they should certainly be assisting you in these areas, if not taking it off your hands altogether.

Venue viewpoint We give two Sussex venues the chance to explain why we should choose them for our meetings and events Janice McBrown, Roffey Park Institute “Whether you are organising a board meeting, residential conference, training day or more active learning programme requiring outdoor facilities, we offer an environment that has been designed to bring people together in the best possible way. From a discreet management meeting to a large company gathering, Roffey Park can put together everything you need – from simple room hire to bespoke full-service conference, AV, video-conferencing facilities, free wi-ﬁ, catering and accommodation facilities. We also have 60 contemporary bedrooms and 40 acres of meadow and grounds. “Our catering team serve breakfast, lunch and dinner using locally sourced ingredients as well as homemade biscuits and cake for coffee breaks.” Stuart Dorn, Brighton Racing & Events “Brighton Racecouse can host everything from a corporate party for 500, team building for 3,000, a trade exhibition with 60 stands to a meeting for 10. We have 18 suites and two exhibition halls to choose from and 20 acres of land, so we can cater for most requirements. “Our location as the highest point in Brighton provides some stunning views over the city, channel and Sussex Downs, making it a truly unique venue. Added to that we have 2,000 free parking spaces – with parking in the city up to £25 per day, our facilities help reduce costs greatly for our customers.”

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“The belief that UK businesses should be feeling more positive is reﬂected in equity markets, which have seen some substantial gains”

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Guide

Horseshoe or cabaret? Each seating plan has its strengths and weaknesses, which we’ve overviewed below. Or you could hold an entire event in Gangnam style. If so, be sure to let us know how that works out, won’t you… Theatre style Chairs are placed in rows – either straight, angled or in a semi-circle facing a stage or central area. This is the classic conference set-up, where the audience listens to one or more speakers and may ask questions but isn’t necessarily going to take notes. This layout maximises space.

Roffey Park

Communicate

Meetings and events are all about good communication, whether it’s a direct and brutally obvious message or a subtler message that your company is a great place to work because it allows you to let your hair down once in a while. In order to ensure that your meeting or event is up to scratch in this area, you need to check and doublecheck that everyone involved has the necessary information and that they’re on the same page as you. “Good communication is vital in organising your meeting not just communicating to your participants but with the venue itself so they have all the information they need to make it a success”, McBrown advises. “Remember to communicate the tiny details that your participants will want to know such as where can I park, how can I get there by public transport, is there wi-ﬁ and what’s the food like”, she adds. You also need to ensure that any presentation equipment being used to communicate the messages in question is tested and ready to go. If not, you’ll have your less mature attendees mouthing the word ‘awkward’ to each other.

10.

then collapse into your bed safe in the knowledge that it’s all over… But, sadly, that isn’t quite true, yet. Now you need to gauge whether your event was a success. Again, how much work is involved depends upon the scale of your event. If it was an off-site meeting for a handful of people, direct feedback from the participants and the jotting down of some points to consider for next time will sufﬁce. If, however, your event was of a greater budget and magnitude, especially if people have paid for the privilege of attending, sending letters or emails of thanks along with evaluation forms could be a good move. Did you get some pictures? If so, ensure that the best of these are uploaded to your website and/or social media sites as soon as possible. Once the feedback is in, you can sit down, compare your budget with the amount of money you actually spent, consider whether your event offered you value for money in terms of the outcomes achieved, ponder what you’d do differently next time, and pour yourself a stiff drink!

Analysis

And, ﬁnally, ensure that the venue has been left in an acceptable state,

www.roffeypark.com www.eventa.co.uk www.brighton-racecourse.co.uk

Horseshoe / U-shaped A horseshoe layout has chairs arranged in – yes, you’ve guess it – a horseshoe shape; a u-shaped layout is effectively a horseshoe of tables with chairs around the outside. Both of these layouts are good for helping interactions, provide a good view of any presentations taking place – and the u-shape of tables provide a place for drinks and notebooks. Classroom style This consists of tables and chairs in rows facing the front. It has similar advantages to the horseshoe / u-shaped set-up, although it will accommodate more people in the same space and is better in more directly educational situations. Boardroom style A central table with chairs around all sides and ends. This works well for meetings up to 20 people and is a classic ‘board of directors’ set-up – perfect for discussion around a table but not ideal for presentations. Banquet style Round tables seating 6-10 people, distributed evenly about the room, perfect for eating and getting acquainted with your neighbours. This approach can also be used for meetings and conferences, whereby fewer people are seated and each table and can therefore all face the front. This is cabaret-style’ seating. It’s not a great use of space, though. Reception style Round, typically high tables for people to congregate around high seats are often provided for perching purposes.

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ROFFEY PARK

EXPLAINS

By Michael Jenkins, Chief Executive, Roffey Park Institute

The Importance of Strategic Leadership in Turbulent Times

The last few years have been economically Explainer turbulent, and the latest forecasts indicate that 2013 will be another unpredictable year. Public sector cuts, inflation and rising unemployment continue to attract the headlines in the UK, and the situation is exacerbated by the ongoing problems in the Eurozone. The future is volatile, making it difficult to define appropriate business strategies, and the uncertainty facing organisations creates a dilemma for leaders. Followers look for a clear sense of direction in times of ambiguity, but leaders have to tread a fine line between being confident yet realistic about the challenges ahead. As a leader, you will need to have a broad perspective and a narrow set of strategic priorities, communicated clearly, so people can make the right decisions. At a time when business success cannot be guaranteed, you will have to stay positive and hold the belief that there is a healthy future ahead. Staff will rely on your confidence and realistic optimism. Personal resilience is vital, even though the future of your business may be uncertain. If you believe that your business meets a real need, and offers products and services that customers will pay for, you will have a better sense of control. By demonstrating the courage of your convictions, you will create a culture where talented people will contribute innovative ideas and personal energy to ensure the success of the enterprise.

Roffey Park

The great thing about tough times is that they can bring people together. When people understand the problem, they will support you in dealing with it, but it requires communication. Leaders are often reluctant to share concerns with a wider audience, but staff are usually well aware of the problems and are happy to assist in tackling them. You need to communicate openly with staff, without losing their conﬁdence – not an easy task. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience and ask: ‘what would I want to know?’ and ‘what would I want to hear?’. Typically, people want to know that you have assessed the size of the problem, and the possible ramiﬁcations and then they can get involved in problem solving with you. Try not to get to the answers too soon – if you involve a wide range of people you may come up with solutions that you would never have thought of on your own. Group IQ is always higher than the sum of individual IQs, so use the brainpower at

your disposal and do not feel that you have to be responsible for finding all the answers. People are more committed to solutions that they have developed themselves. When things are tough, it can be difficult to retain focus on why you do what you do. Ask yourself; ’what are the ideals that I would fight for?’ ‘What would make great people want to work here?’. The word ‘purpose’, the reason your business exists, is often at the heart of this question. People want to work for an organisation that they feel proud of – a successful organisation that fits with their values – and being clear about what you offer your customers, and what you contribute to society, helps staff to be more engaged with their jobs. If they identify with the values and purpose of the business, they will go the extra mile. The challenge for leaders is to stay focused in the face of uncertainty. There is a risk that concerns become worries, with all the lack of focus that goes with spending time turning things over in your mind, rather than taking action. Identify the priorities for action and get control. This means putting intense focused concentration into achieving something measurable and visualising the results. By ensuring you are focused, you will increase your performance and output – and achieve an increased sense of competence. Michael Jenkins is Chief Executive at Roffey Park Institute, an internationally renowned leadership institute based in Horsham and Singapore. For more information visit www.roffeypark.com

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“By ensuring you are focused, you will increase your performance and output – and achieve an increased sense of competence” Michael Jenkins

- Michael Jenkins, Chief Executive, Roffey Park

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Nikwax

From classic entrepreneurial beginnings of one man and his van, Nick Brown now employs over 150 people and has taken his waterprooďŹ ng range for outdoor clothing and kit to a global audience. Here, Nick explains why manufacturing products entirely in Sussex is important to him, and why sustainability is the name of the game

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When Nick Brown launched Nikwax on an unsuspecting Proﬁle public in 1977, hillwalking clobber was still in its swaddling clothes. Although Gore-Tex had secured a patent in 1976, the now ubiquitous fabric wasn’t fully launched until 1978, so Nikwax’s waterproof wax for walking boots was an exciting innovation in a marketplace that offered little more than the meatand-potatoes staples of rambling gear. Boots were, invariably, of the hobnail leather kind, jackets were more akin to sweat-sacks with arms, and – to judge by

a tent this writer took to the Lake District sometime in the 1980s – tents were two sheets of thick canvas, joined together by what was effectively a button-ﬂy! Not exactly waterproof, as I soddenly recall. Roll the tape forward three decades, however, and the outdoor market has exploded – a bewildering away of fabrics is now available for the hillwalker to drape themselves in and discuss the technical details at great length over a camp stove. Not one to be left behind, though, Nick has kept pace with this proliferation of fabrics and layers by making and selling waterprooﬁng, cleaning and conditioning products especially formulated for this ever-widening range of clothing and kit.

“The growth of Nikwax from the boot of a car to an international player shows how a niche product can spread like fungus”

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“I started from a garage in Clerkenwell in London but I outgrew that fairly quickly and returned back home about 30 years ago”

The growth of Nikwax from the boot of a car to an international player shows how a niche product can spread like fungus when the conditions are right and the company in question never rests on its rear. Best of all, Nikwax products are water-based – so water is being used to keep water out. Neat! With the weather we’ve endured over the past year or so, one thing’s for sure: Nikwax isn’t about to run out of one of its major ingredients. So whilst Nick Brown hasn’t exactly created a recession-proof company, he has come up with a business that finds it somewhat easier to make hay when the sun doesn’t shine. When and why was Nikwax launched and when did you move it to Sussex? The first product I created was a wax to waterproof my walking boots. That was done in my London bedsit back in 1977! It wasn’t long before I found myself travelling round Europe in my old Morris Minor selling products, so I soon needed a fully fledged production line. I started

from a garage in Clerkenwell in London but I outgrew that fairly quickly and returned back home about 30 years ago and opened the site in Wadhurst. How important is having the right premises in the right location to business success? Over the years, many people have questioned our decision to produce 100% of our products from our factory in Wadhurst. People assume that because we distribute to over 50 countries worldwide that we couldn’t possibly do that from a small village in Sussex. However, it is important to me that we stay in Sussex and support the local community. In fact we are just days away from opening a new shop in Wadhurst high street to sell both Nikwax and Paramo clothing (our sister company). How could having a business in Sussex be feasibly made easier? Many employees don’t live in Wadhurst, and have to travel in from the surrounding

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Company Focus

communities. We don’t want to turn the whole village into a car park, but the public transport options are so poor and so expensive that people have little choice but to drive. The village can accommodate many more people and offices than it can cars, so an improved public transport would make it easier for us to stay here. What is your facility like, and what aspects of the business are based there? Everything is done in Sussex. We are now spread over a few sites but everything from the invention of the product, through to manufacturing, bottling and selling is done from Wadhurst. Our sites have evolved over the years to accommodate our needs. We certainly don’t have a polished office environment but we have a lot of history within the community. How has turnover and the size of the workforce grown over time? Massively. When I first started operations from Wadhurst we had six members of staff, including me. Today we have 166 people working for us including offices in the US, Poland and Austria. What are the unique selling points of your products? At Nikwax we don’t just talk about being green, we do all we can to minimise our impact on the environment and people’s health. We are the only established outdoor aftercare company to have a completely water-based, non-flammable and fluorocarbon-free (PFC) range. We have always avoided using PFCs as we believe they are a risk to consumer health and the environment. How important is product development to Nikwax? I still try to get down to the lab at least once a week, but I am very lucky to have an excellent team dedicated to researching and developing new products. We aim to bring two products to the market every year. How important is investing in people to long-term success? Many people have stayed with us for a very long time. Our Head of Operations, for example, has been with us for 25 years – when only 10 people

Nick Brown

“Excellent customer service is key – customers won’t return if you don’t look after them” worked here. Looking after our staff is very important. We ensure they have opportunities for training and the chance to move around the business. We have a unique system of reviewers and conveners to provide staff with not only a review of their performance but also support with their career development.

focus on what is truly great or different about your business then you should be able to weather it. Excellent customer service is also key – customers won’t return if you don’t look after them. We deal with every customer query on an individual basis – one size most deﬁnitely doesn’t ﬁt all.

What percentage of your business is international? Approximately 60% of our business is international. We translate all our materials into multiple languages.

What advice do you have for wouldbe entrepreneurs? It depends what you want to achieve through your entrepreneurship. If you’re interested in making lots of money fast, then the Nikwax model is not for you. However, entrepreneurs have an opportunity to make a good living, and build an organisation that reﬂects their personal values and beliefs. It can be an enormous challenge to maintain those values in the context of commercial pressure, but if you can ﬁnd a way through then your effort is worth that much more. My advice would be: don’t expect success without a lot of hard work, but equally, don’t forget to make time to relax occasionally! www.nikwax.co.uk

Does a rainy year equal a good year for Nikwax? Yes! Winter is definitely our busiest time of year. But we do have several products such as our Tent & Solar Proof, which provides waterproofing and UV protection for tents and is more relevant in the summer. What advice do you have for businesses that are struggling in the downturn? It’s definitely tough out there but if you

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SBT

THE PORTFOLIO

Worth a Look?

In the ﬁrst of a brand new series, SBT gathers the facts and hears the case for setting up shop in Worthing, West Sussex Introduction

Worthing offers the classic Sussex Insight seaboard mix of coastal location and easy access to the South Downs. It is 10 miles west of Brighton, Sussex’s big hitter in terms of population and economic clout, and 18 miles east of Chichester, the county town. Home to an estimated population of 105,000, Worthing is part of a conurbation including Brighton and Littlehampton that has a combined population of approximately 460,000. However, like a little brother doomed to languish in its older sibling’s shadow, Worthing’s proximity to Brighton means it can be overlooked as people and money head to the ‘big smoke’. Although it offers neither the chutzpah of Brighton nor the wealth of architectural gems offered by other Sussex coastal towns, Worthing nevertheless offers solid transport links, a strong manufacturing sector and a respected further education college. Like an up-and-coming neighbourhood ready to proﬁt from price inﬂation in nearby trendy areas, Worthing may just be poised to capitalise on its location and ‘value for money’ tag. Wendy Bell, General Manager at Sussex Enterprise: “Worthing is a good place to do business. It has good access to Gatwick and good rail links and having the universities nearby ensures an excellent pool of graduates. Attracting and retaining staff is made easier by the superb quality of life offered by

the surrounding area, with the sea, the Downs and its proximity to Brighton. The main economic barrier is poor road links. Trafﬁc congestion in Worthing and along the A27 is appalling at times and the impact is felt by businesses, particularly during peak travel times.” Steve Berrett of Michael Jones: “Worthing’s strength is its location, being a seaside town allowing a pleasant working environment for businesses. Only 1 hour 30 minutes by train to London it has links to the city and the north. The weakness is also its strength as it only has 180 degrees to work from because of its position right on the south coast. The continued talk of a road bypass around the town on the A27 has never reached fruition and has remained a bottle neck. Despite this in 2008, Worthing was in the top 10 urban areas in England for jobs in each of three key sectors, thought to have a signiﬁcant impact on economic performance: creative, high-tech industries and knowledge-intensive business services.”

Transport Road: Central Worthing is 30 minutes by road from central Brighton via the A27, which travels as far east as Eastbourne and as far west as Portsmouth; the City of London is 90 minutes away by road. Train: Worthing has three stations and is approximately 25 minutes from Brighton, 45 minutes from Chichester and 90 minutes from London Victoria. Air: Brighton (formerly Shoreham) is 12

minutes by road from central Worthing and offers several domestic routes; Gatwick is approximately 50 minutes away by road or rail. Sea: Newhaven is 40 minutes journey by road, and Solent Port is 55 minutes by road.

Economic data • In 2007, Worthing’s economy was worth £2.06bn, about 13% of the total West Sussex economy. • Financial & Business Services accounts for 28% of all business in Worthing and 20% of its jobs. • Public Administration, Education and Health account for 10% of all businesses in Worthing and provide 37% of its jobs. • Distribution, hotels and restaurants account for 28% of Worthing businesses and 22% of employment. (Data provided by Sussex Enterprise)

Retail & hospitality Regeneration Team, Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce: “The town centre features over 400 retail stores, including a large number of major brands and a strong independent sector, creating an attractive shopping destination with a thriving café culture and an eclectic mix of places to eat and drink by the sea.”

Tourism & Arts Worthing & Adur CC: “Worthing Borough Council has been awarded approximately £170,000 of funding for a project that will support tourism

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Commercial Property

businesses and the visitor economy in Worthing. “In 2010, ﬁve Council-owned beach chalets at Splash Point were converted to artists studios allowing local artists to work collaboratively in the public arena and grow their businesses. The studios have proved popular, providing an ideal spot from which to work alongside other artists. The studios are known as East Beach Studios and add to the attractions in this area of the seafront.”

Business & manufacturing Worthing & Adur CC: “Worthing is an established business centre with a diverse range of industries, incorporating many major companies and trading partners. Worthing has a strong manufacturing base with awardwinning international manufacturers such as GlaxoSmithKline, B&W Loudspeakers and Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd.” Ian Pinington, Business Development Manager at Morgan Sindall: “We have an annual repairs and maintenance programme with GSK, which has been running now for over seven years. We therefore know that GSK is committed to Worthing.” Wendy Bell: “The proﬁle of Worthing’s businesses has changed. Previously the economy was reliant on a small number of larger companies; there is now an increasing reliance on small businesses. However, there appear to be a low number of new business start-ups.”

Why Worthing? Worthing & Adur CC: “Good communication links, a skilled workforce, and the availability of quality and affordable commercial premises has enabled Worthing to become a business destination of choice, with a competitive local supply chain and a vibrant business community. Worthing have recently welcomed the migration of companies and employees from the Brighton area, who recognise the business beneﬁts and lifestyle choices Worthing has to offer, like Rayner Intraocular Lenses Limited – who have decided to build a state-of-the-art medical manufacturing facility on East Worthing Industrial Estate.” Wendy Bell: “Recent years have seen Worthing undergo signiﬁcant regeneration to help local businesses

Chatsworth Hotel, The Steyne, Worthing, West Sussex. A four-storey terrace of houses built in about 1807; later became the Steyne Hotel, and now named the Chatsworth Hotel

to make the best use of its many attractions. In 2011, the borough and county councils provided funding to set-up an Enterprise Hub at Anne Street in Worthing. Northbrook College is providing the lead in bringing together the business support linkages and developing the strategy.”

Commercial property points Worthing & Adur CC: “Worthing’s 10 industrial estates and business parks provide a variety of business premises to meet all business requirements. Worthing also has a variety of office accommodation to meet modern office needs.” Wendy Bell: “Lancing Business Park plays an important role in supporting the economy and its residents have created a Business Improvement District (BID) to further that work. Almost 220 businesses occupy 250 different units across Lancing Business Park. Member firms pay a levy, which is only used for projects designed to improve the business park. BID enables members to have control over projects that directly affect the performance of their business and those who pay the levy have a voice and a vote.

In the works Worthing & Adur CC: “Decoy Farm is

located on the eastern edge of Worthing adjacent to well-established industrial estates. It is a former landfill area, which has remained undeveloped for a significant period of time. Work is underway to assess the potential for bringing this land back into use, with the objective to provide much needed commercial floorspace to the town. “The Worthing Masterplan highlighted the issues facing Worthing as a shopping area. It proposed the transformation of the retail offer through the development of modern new retail space and recognised the potential for this site to enhance the town centre offer. The Local Authority is currently actively working in joint partnership with the Sussex Police Authority in order to progress this site.” Ian Pinington: “Seven million pounds is being spent on Northbrook College. This is the second phase of a major programme of work at Northbrook Broadwater campus; the first circa £4m phase was completed in 2011/12. We are aware that local charity Guild Care is planning to build a new 84-bed care home. Northbrook College is working with Wilmington Homes on a large development at Littlehampton Road.” For further information, visit: www.adur-worthing.gov.uk

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A record of achievement

University of Sussex, Jubilee Building

We are delighted to support the Sussex Business Awards 2012, proud sponsor of:

The Sussex Businessperson of the Year Morgan Sindall is a UK construction, infrastructure and design business with a network of local offices. The company works for private and public sector customers on projects from ÂŁ50,000 to over ÂŁ500 million. The company operates across the commercial, defence, education, energy, healthcare, industrial, leisure, retail, transport, waste and water sectors.

Northbrook College, Worthing Image courtesy of ECE Architecture

Ian Pinington, Business Development Manager ian.pinington@morgansindall.com T 01737 228750 M 07808 920303 Morgan Sindall 4th Floor London Gate 72 Dyke Road Drive Brighton East Sussex BN1 6AJ

morgansindall.com @morgansindallci 46 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk A part of Morgan Sindall Group plc

Maidenbower Park Pavillion

Bluebell Railway, Uckfield

Boundless possibilities MS4129

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Commercial Property

Virtual Viewing Steve Berrett of Michael Jones estate agents takes us on a virtual viewing of Worthing’s commercial property hot spots The main office district of the town centre is situated around Liverpool Gardens and Liverpool Terrace, all within easy walking distance of the main shopping and restaurants and cafés. Businesses in this location include Thomas Eggar Solicitors, Pegasus PR and Jelf Group. The Yeoman Gate Business Park is a new modern estate located to the north west of the town near to Durrington. This is the town’s first new office development for the past 10 years and houses such names as NatWest Business Banking and Spofforths Accountants. The industrial estates in Worthing are very much fragmented, with several estates located to the north, east and west of the town. The east Worthing and Broadwater trading estates offer a mix of industrial, warehouse and trade counter users. The larger employers in these locations include GlaxoSmithKline and ETI Ltd. To the north of the town, the Downlands Business Park adjoins the Lyons Farm Retail Park and Sainsbury located just off the A27. This is home to aviation firm Saywell International and provides modern hightech business space. To the west of the town is the Goring Trading Estate, which is dominated by World of Books who have in excess of 100,000 sq ft of warehousing space. Rents for industrial premises in the town on average ranges from £4 per sq ft for larger units and up to £6 per sq ft for the smaller and trade counter units. In Worthing, there is a general shortage of industrial stock available, which is mainly due to no newly constructed units within the last eight years allowing for businesses to upgrade and therefore not releasing second-hand stock to the open market. In contrast to other nearby towns such as Crawley, Chichester and Horsham, Worthing currently only has one unit

available in excess of 25,000 sq ft, which underlines the need for larger industrial buildings. The town runs the risk of losing some of its major employers by not being able to supply modern units, particularly those excess of 15,000 sq ft. The town’s main retail and shopping areas are in the town centre, the prime locations being Montague Street and South Street, with Warwick Street and Chapel Road being the core restaurant, café and bar streets. Worthing benefits from a diverse shopping experience, although on the other hand suffers from not having an upmarket and enclosed shopping centre. A number of large national retailers have been looking at opening up in Worthing but the lack of available larger department-style stores has not allowed them to move into Worthing. However, recent additions include H&M – and recent million pound refits to Marks & Spencer and Debenhams improve the retail offer. Certain improvements are being earmarked for the town, including new and increased pedestrian paving and social areas in Portland Road. The proposals, which are at early planning stage, look to provide fixed signage and advertising for local businesses. Secondary shopping parades such as Goring Road and Broadwater Street have remained relatively buoyant through the recession and have maintained a high occupancy rate. These areas have benefitted from easy and free parking, which appeals to customers given the higher costs in the town centre. Retail rents in the secondary parades are in the region of £25 per sq ft zone A, with town centre locations such as prime Montague Street achieving considerably high rents of £95 per sq ft zone A. www.michaeljones.co.uk

Portland Road, Proposed Development

3 Liverpool Gardens, town centre area available: 574 - 2,597 sq ft. Rent: 12per sq ft

Unit 3A, Rectory Farm, Lancing 3,00 sq ft warehouse/light-industrial unit. Rent: £19,500 per annum

30 Hight Street, Ground ﬂoor lock-up shop Rent: £12,000 per annum

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High Quality Office Space To Let

Attractive Office & Storage Premises

• First floor (approx 664 sq ft) and 2nd floor (approx 742 sq ft) office accommodation - can be let as whole or floor by floor • Air conditioning, perimeter trunking, Cat II lighting, secure telephone entry system and parking • Situated off A270 on the English Business Park in Hove • Potential to acquire the Freehold (contact agent for details)

• Ground floor storage with first floor offices • Approximately 5,128 sq ft (may split) • 2 roller shutter doors • Parking for approximately 20 vehicles • Prominent location on trading estate

from £17,000 per annum or £385,000 Freehold

From £10 per sq ft

Refurbished Warehouse / Light Industrial Unit

Suitable for Various Commercial Uses

• Secure private site with locking front gates • Approximately 3,000 sq ft - 6,000 sq ft • Full height loading door with separate pedestrian access • Modern unit with approximately 17ft eaves height • Generous on-site parking

• Former Fire Station site to let • Prominent road-side position on A24 trunk road • Large car park / yard to rear • Approximately 1,435 sq ft • Suit a variety of commercial uses (STPC)

£20,000 per annum

From £19,500 per annum

Commercial

Download our latest newsletter

01903 228602

8 Chapel Road, Worthing commercial@michaeljones.co.uk

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residential sales

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residential lettings

commercial property

new homes

28/01/2013 15:25

Town Centre Offices With Car Park • Detached office building with 6 car parking spaces to let • Potential for alternative uses (medical, day nursery, training facility etc) (STPC) • Approximately 2,515 sq ft • Separate refitted kitchen, gas fired central heating and WC facilities on both floors

Town Centre Retail Premises With A2 Office Consent • Three storey town centre shop / office premises to let • Benefits from A1 (retail) and A2 (office) use • Approximately 1,320 sq ft • Suit a variety of commercial uses (STPC)

£23,000 per annum

£20,000 per annum

Attractive Offices & Parking To Let

Attractive Grade II Listed Regency Office Building

• Quality period office to let • 2 allocated parking spaces • Approximately 1,143 sq ft over ground and first floor • Alarm system, gas heating, Cat 5 cabling and staff facilities • To let on new lease with terms to be agreed

£15,000 per annum

• Town cetnre office freehold for sale • Part income producing and residential potential (STPC) • Total area approximately 3,581 sq ft • Estimated rental value circa £43,000 per annum

£450,000 Freehold

Contact our Commercial team: Steve Berrett steveberret@michaeljones.co.uk Jon Justice jonjustice@michaeljones.co.uk Susie Viner susieviner@michaeljones.co.uk

residential sales

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residential lettings

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commercial property

new homes

28/01/2013 15:25

ESTATE AGENTS

SURVEYORS

Marketing Commercial Property in East Sussex Superb Corner Development Site - Adjoining A22 Uckfield/Maresfield Bypass ASHDOWN BUSINESS PARK, MARESFIELD, EAST SUSSEX TN22 HN In total 32.86 acres (13.30 hectares) Planning consent granted for industrial/office development of approx. 240,000 sq ft.

Freehold For Sale

Visit www.ashdownbusinesspark.com Flexible Business Space Warehouse + Offices & Training Room Former Dental Laboratory Turkey Road, BEXHILL

Good Value For Money Modern Warehouse - 0.57 Acre Plot Wealden Industrial Park, CROWBOROUGH

Overall 8,436 sq ft + detached store 850 sq ft.

Overall 10,957 sq ft including offices & showroom.

Large parking area.

Freehold Price £670,000

Now £395,000 Freehold

Motor Dealer Showrooms & Workshops Income From Rear Bodyshop Business Beeching Road, BEXHILL

Offers considered for quick sale

New Lower Price Factory/Warehouse Unit For Sale Or To Let Bellbrook Business Park, UCKFIELD Overall 5,800 sq ft including small mezzanine store + 1st floor offices

Showroom 1,769 sq ft + ancillary space. Workshop.1,815 sq ft. Outside display for 50 cars +.

Now £395,000 Freehold or will let

Net rent £37,000 pa. 50 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk Uckfield (01825)

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Email:info@lawsoncommercial.co.uk Website: www.lawsoncommercial.co.uk

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uk uk

ESTATE AGENTS

SURVEYORS

Marketing Commercial Property in East Sussex Interesting Industrial Development / Investment Opportunity EASONS GREEN, Nr. UCKFIELD, EAST SUSSEX 1.2 miles from main A22 Site area 8.34 acres 7 separate industrial buildings + detached offices Overall 47, 000 sq ft

Freehold For Sale Modern B2 Workshops + Trade Counter Stores + Offices & Rear Yard Crowborough Industrial Park Fanrningham Road, CROWBOROUGH

Superb Warehouse With Offices Refurbished Throughout Wealden Business Park Farningham Road, CROWBOROUGH

Ground floor 5,005 sq ft. Mezzanine 2,459 sq ft. Overall 7,464 sq ft. Good car parking.

Overall 9,384 sq ft. Excellent loading & car parking.

Freehold £430,000

Rent £47,500 pa. 6 Months Rent Free

Consent For Coach / Bus Hire Services Workshops + PSV Parking Bell Lane, UCKFIELD Admin. building on 2 floors - overall 2,523 sq ft including offices, showroom & stores.

Superb Retail Premises Adjoining Free Shoppers Car Park Bell Walk, UCKFIELD

New bus/coach workshop 2,436 sq ft

Few yards from Tesco & McDonalds

Large parking area/ yard 13,000 sq ft.

Frontage 55 ft. Overall sales 4,425 sq ft.

Short/long lease available.

Rent £34,000 pa.

Rent £35,000 pa.

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76 44 88

Email:info@lawsoncommercial.co.uk www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 51 Website: www.lawsoncommercial.co.uk 28/01/2013 15:25

Apprenticeship Week 11th-15th March 2013

WITH NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK (11-15 MARCH) JUST AROUND THE CORNER, WHY NOT CONSIDER TAKING ON AN APPRENTICE – HELPING TO ADD VALUE TO YOUR BUSINESS NOW AND FOR YEARS TO COME? Apprenticeships are work-based training programmes which lead to nationally recognised qualiﬁcations. They include a mixture of on-the-job and off-the-job training and can be used to train both new members of staff and existing employees. There are around 50 Apprenticeship frameworks offered by Sussex Downs College in sectors including business and management; retail; construction; hospitality and catering; health, childcare and education; creative; and motor vehicle.

Our Apprenticeship partnership will provide your apprentices with all the training they need, free of charge to those under 19 years-old at the start of their programme.

Employers recruiting a young apprentice could be eligible for the AGE 16-24 grant - a £1,500 payment from the National Apprenticeship Service. For more information on how it works, available funding, and how Sussex Downs College can help you in recruiting an Apprentice, contact us on 0845 2302 007 or email us at employertraining@sussexdowns.ac.uk

52 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

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SBTQ&A

Q&A

SBT: The Platinum Club is just coming up to its third year. What do you do different from the myriad of other networking clubs out there? MH: It is what we don’t do that makes us different. When we were considering the creation of The Platinum Club, in discussion with our partner The Grand Hotel, we decided to attend just about every networking event in Sussex to find out what they were doing, what was working and what was not. What we found at some of these events was an array of distractions that, in our humble view, did nothing to enhance the experience. Therefore, when developing TPC we decided to strip everything out and bring it back to basics, removing such things as seated meals, speeches, sponsors, advertising material and the like and leaving us with a relaxed and informal Champagne party. In short, the sort of event that we would like to attend socially, regardless of the networking opportunities. We like to take the work out of networking. SBT: Why is it so important to strip these elements from your events? MH: If we take seated meals as an example, l find them very frustrating. I want to wander around and meet people often targeting certain companies that l would like to connect with. Seated meals put me beside just two other people and limit free movement. The same goes for speeches and sponsors – l don’t want to hear a speech from a sponsor that has paid the organiser to access their captive audience which therefore interrupts the flow of the evening. But different stroke for different folks – these events work for some people and it was our aim to appeal to the people

WE ASK THE EXPERTS TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS YOU NEED

SBT caught up with The Platinum Club founder Maarten Hoffmann with a view to ﬁnding out what makes it so different from other networking clubs in Sussex. As one of the most successful peer-to-peer networking organisations in the county, we wanted to know the secret that held the same view as us – I am pleased to say that there are many of them and The Platinum Club was born. SBT: The Platinum Club members comprise some of the largest companies in Sussex. Why do they find TPC so appealing? MH: We try to restrict members to the MD, CEO or Senior Partner of the member company which means that we have the business leader in the room. Brighton is such a vibrant City with more start-ups than you can shake a stick at but this can be a problem for larger companies as they feel that they are targeted by all the new companies and therefore seldom make any contacts with which they can do business. Hundreds of new suppliers but little new business for their firm. We also host each event armed with a good knowledge of the members business and therefore make relevant introductions throughout the evening to companies that we feel would benefit them and their future plans. SBT: Is the Club only for large companies then? MH: Not at all. Anyone can apply for membership and we assess their value to the Club. We also have a firm rule that we only accept four members per business category so as to ensure that we are not top heavy with any particular industry. We have quite a few small companies who happen to have a service or product that we feel would be of interest to our members and open up new categories as and when required. The aim is to ensure a diverse and eclectic group of people. One of our members recently stated ‘I have met so many great new business

contacts through The Platinum Club that it has almost removed my need for a marketing budget’ – there can be no finer testament. SBT: What’s your advice on how to effectively network? MH: Networking is all about building relationships – it is not about selling yourself or your company. Regard it as a purely social event and take the time to chat and get to know each other. Take the long view and show as much interest in them and their business as you would like them to show in yours. Many solid long term relationships start by talking about everything except business. Each member is also entitled to bring along a guest therefore you can look forward to a very diverse group of people that varies greatly from month to month. SBT: Are all your events at The Grand Hotel? MH: So far yes, as the Grand is our partner in the Club and is the finest Hotel in the City, and having just undergone a £5 million facelift, it is now even more beautiful than it was before. In April, we will be holding our meeting in the all-new Grand Spa so that members might experience this cracking new facility. Club Member Stuart Dorn of Brighton Racecourse has kindly offered to host a Platinum meeting in March at their new Twilight Race meeting – so a wager or two whilst networking! SBT: How do companies who might wish to join contact you? MH: Simply drop an e-mail to maarten@theplatinumclubbrighton. co.uk or apply thought the website – www.theplatinumclubbrighton.co.uk

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Q&A

SBT asks Rowannah Martin-Cottee about The National Museum of The Royal Navy’s virtues as a venue for innovative and affordable events.

Entertaining budgets have been downscaled across the board in an attempt to save money. How can businesses inject life into their corporate events without breaking the bank? It’s important to be able to differentiate your event from others, which is why we pride our venue on being able to offer something different from the average hotel or generic meeting facility. Of course, we can provide all the basic needed for a corporate event, but we do so whilst offering a unique view of the HMS Victory, and galleries illustrating 800 years of the

history of the Royal Navy. The material in the galleries is incredibly inspiring and can really add context and thought to events. Who better to have looking over you whilst you undertake team training than Admiral Lord Nelson, arguably one of the greatest team leaders of his time? In downtime between meetings or seminars, guests will be able to read and learn, take in new knowledge and reflect on fascinating history, which adds an extra dimension to their day. We can offer all the events and conferencing facilities of a designated venue, including a selection of delegate packages, catering options, free Wifi, projectors and anything else you may need. We also offer easy transport access by rail, and every delegate is allowed free admission to the museums and displays for the day.

Does an innovative event come at an unaffordable price? Not at all! Day delegate packages including lunch begin from £30 per head. There are pared down options available for those who are keen to use our facilities, and we do permit outside catering to be brought in – a convenience that many events venues don’t offer – and we’ve done this so that people can tailor their event to fit within their budget and still provide everything they want. Of course, for those looking to hold a truly special event, we can also lay on fine dining, and dinner packages begin at £110 for a four course meal, alcohol and soft drinks, plus a traditional Naval Port toast to Her Majesty the Queen at the end of the meal – a rich custom which has endured to this very day and is sure to send your guests home with fond memories of a new experience.

For an exclusive SBT reader discount, quote “SBT Q&A” when enquiring about a booking!

54 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

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ADVERTORIAL

Adding Value to Your Business With National Apprenticeship Week (11-15 March) just around the corner, why not consider taking on an apprentice – helping to add value to your business now and for years to come? Find out how local training provider Sussex Downs College can help About Sussex Downs College

Sussex Downs College in East Sussex provides high-quality education and training for almost half of the county’s young people. With campuses in Eastbourne, Lewes and Newhaven, and its links with local employers, the excellent quality of the College’s work was recognised by the award of Beacon status from the Government in May 2008. This means that the College can share good practice with other colleges, schools and training providers. Along with East Sussex County Council, the College is co-sponsor of The Eastbourne Academy – which is rapidly raising standards and improving life chances for 11-16 year-olds in the heart of Eastbourne. The College is also a member of the prestigious 157 Group of Colleges nationally, who work together to promote and develop further education. The high standards at Sussex Downs College are founded on the expertise, experience and talents of its staff and the many achievements of its students. The diverse curriculum ensures that there are education and training pathways for a wide variety of learners, employees and communities.

Apprenticeships at Sussex Downs College

Boasting strong relationships with more than 1,000 local employers, Sussex Downs College has made great strides in training the county’s future workforce as well as responding to the needs of local businesses in a difficult economic climate. A champion of Apprenticeships – work-based training which leads to nationally recognised qualifications – 273 local employers took on an apprentice though Sussex Downs College during the last academic year (2011/12). Since launching its Apprenticeships programme in 2006 with just 42 students, work-based learning at the College has swelled dramatically. Fast-forward to 2013 and the College is now training 700 apprentices in partnership with local employers across a variety of industries. Apprenticeships include a mixture of on-the-job and offthe-job training and can be used to train both new members of staff and existing employees. They are available in many industry sectors, with employers ranging from large national companies to small local businesses. All Apprenticeship training programmes are designed by the sector Skills Councils, who work with business representatives from the relevant industry to develop course content. And Apprenticeships aren’t just for bricklayers and plumbers – although there are lots of courses at Sussex Downs College to suit them! Accountancy, management, sales and professional cookery are all open to apprentices, proving that work-based learning isn’t just limited to certain professions. Indeed, with around 50 different Apprenticeship qualifications - or ‘frameworks’ as they are commonly referred to - on offer at the College, there’s bound to be something for everyone. Lasting in duration anywhere between one and two years depending on the course, each Apprenticeship qualification at the College has been developed specifically for the relevant sector and job role, in the areas of business and management; retail; construction; hospitality and catering; health, childcare and education; creative; and motor vehicle. And it’s not just the range of Apprenticeship courses on offer at the College that is impressive. The latest figures show that the percentage of Apprentices who successfully complete all four components of their qualification at Sussex Downs College stands at 79%, which compares favourably against the national average of 76%. Sussex Downs College works collaboratively with employers

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to deliver the job training and qualifications that apprentices need to complete their qualifications. Apprentices must be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week unless there are exceptional circumstances, and an apprentice’s time is divided between working with their employer and undertaking training with the College. For example, some apprentices spend four days a week with their employer and one day a week at Sussex Downs College, while others undertake all their training in the workplace, with the College coming to the employer for their part of the programme. Apprenticeships are an effective and affordable way to provide training for your staff. The Sussex Downs College apprenticeship partnership will provide a businesses’ apprentices with all the training they need and is free of charge to those under 19 years old at the start of their programme. Employers are responsible for paying the apprentice’s wages, to cover their time spent working and also their time spent training as a part of the Apprenticeship programme. In 2012, the government introduced the AGE 16-24 grant for eligible employers who are recruiting a young apprentice for the first time. The National Apprenticeship Service will provide wage grants to employers with up to 1000 employees who are recruiting an Apprentice aged 16-24. The £1500 grant is paid directly to employers in two stages; half at the eight weeks stage of the Apprenticeship and half when the Apprentice has completed 12 months of their programme. Further information on funding and possible grants is available from the College. As well providing local employers with skills-ready workers to help boost their businesses, the College is encouraging employers to create new apprenticeship vacancies to provide meaningful employment opportunities for local young people. One way it is hoping to achieve this is through its new campaign, The Big Conversation. Devised by the College, the Eastbourne & District Chamber of Commerce and the Eastbourne Herald, the initiative features a series of sector-based events taking place throughout the year. Officially launched by Business Secretary Vince Cable and Stephen Lloyd MP, the campaign also demonstrates how the structure of an apprenticeship provides the ideal start for someone seeking their first step into employment or re-training. As part of the events, employers have the chance to find out more about the benefits of taking on apprentices and hear from others in their industry now sold on the scheme. Big Conversations about the retail, hospitality, childcare and engineering sectors are still to come later this year. And if that wasn’t enough, the College is organising a raft of events from 11-15th March as part of National Apprenticeship Week. Showcasing the skills, achievements and benefits of apprentices to employer and student, the events include guest appearances by local MPs Stephen Lloyd and Norman Baker and will feature employers and current and alumni apprentices.

Want to find out more? To find out more about Apprenticeships and the benefits they can bring to your business, and how Sussex Downs College can help, contact its Employer Engagement Team on 0845 2302 007 or email employertraining@sussexdowns.ac.uk www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 55

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Coming Soon Look out for the following content in forthcoming issues of SBT: HOW TO PLAY THE PR GAME Top tips from one of Sussex’s sharpest communications agencies CHOCS AWAY We look at the cocoa-dusted business of Easter proﬁts TOUGHEN UP Nassim Nicholas Taleb on proﬁting from unpredictability COMPANY OF THE YEAR The man behind award-winning Marlin Financial reveals all

Everything you wanted to know about business ﬁnance (but were afraid to ask) Scouting for commercial property promise in Crawley and Hastings The smart way to set goals ISSUE 367 OF SBT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN LATE FEBRUARY Got a story for us? Email: paul@sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 58 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

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P 48-4

Service Directory

Avenue Snacks The Avenue Eastbourne East Sussex BN22 3YA Tel: 07868369940

Eurovans Eastbourne, BN24 5NH Tel: 01323 325859 Brighton, BN41 1DW Tel: 0844 818 8712 Crawley, RH11 8DU Tel: 01293 279082 www.eurovans.co.uk

Service Directory

Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium American Express Community Stadium Village Way Brighton BN1 9BL. Tel: 01273 878288. Fax: 01273 878238 www.seagulls.co.uk

Fresh Cleaning Park View House 19 The Avenue Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 3YD Tel: 01323 411 601 Fax: 01323 411 654

City Gym Express No.2 Furness Road Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 4EY Tel: 01323 648863 www.citygymexpress.co.uk

Eastbourne Property Shop 7 Mimram Road Stone Cross Pevensey, East Sussex BN24 5DZ Tel: 01323 764122 www.eastbourneproperty shop.co.uk

Gemini Press Unit A1/Dolphin Way Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6NZ Tel: 01273 464 884 www.gemini-press.co.uk

Graves Jenkins 1 N Rd Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1YA Tel: 01273 601 060 www.gravesjenkins.com

LONG ROOM THE

Hopkins & Partners 1 Ivy Terrace Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4QU Tel: 01323 416123 www.hopkinspartners.com

Identity Signage and Printing Westham Business Park Eastbourne Road Eastbourne, East Sussex BN24 5NP Tel: 01323 469111 www.signage-printing.com

Ross & Co. 13b High Street, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1AL Tel: 01323 841814 Fax: 01323 849281 Eastbourne Ofﬁce: BN21 4RB Tel: 01323 642426 Fax: 01323 417171 48 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk www.rossandco.co.uk

MDJ Services Limited Third Floor Map House 34-36 St Leonards Road Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 3UT Tel:01323 646477 Fax: 01323 646412 www.mdjservices.co.uk

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The Innovation Centre Highfield Drive Churchfields St Leonards-on-Sea East Sussex TN38 9UH Tel: 01424 858285 www.ifltd.org

Smith Osborne Downsview House, 31A Cornﬁeld Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 34QG Tel: 01323 649418 www.smithosborne.co.uk

The Long Room 8 Bolton Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3JX Tel: 01323 723023

The Best Of Eastbourne 8-9 The Business Suite The Old Print Works 20 Wharf Road Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 3AW Tel: 01323 458121 www.thebestof eastbourne.co.uk www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 59

28/01/2013 10:54 15:30 17/12/2012

SBT Recommends

SBTBook Club in partnership with

.co.uk

In each issue, we will be searching out and offering you the cream from the latest, business relevant titles at the very best prices. Choose from a host of titles, including our featured books from any issue and join us online at www.hive.co.uk/sbt to view more SBT recommends at your leisure. You can order these to be delivered to your door or, alternatively, select your favourite bookshop and pick up from there. Enjoy...

How To Make A Good Living Running Your Own Business: A Low-Cost Way To Start A Business You Can Live Off This book is a detailed description of how to start a small business from scratch, with relatively little money, and how that business can give you a comfortable standard of living with little or no risk in the long term. Publisher: Harriman House Publishing Publication Date: 28 January 2013 ISBN: 9780857192837 £7.99

Don’t Get A Job: Build A Business This book is full of the kind of information you need to run a small business successfully - whether you are just starting out, or you have an established business and you want to develop it and ensure its survival. Publisher: The Mercier Press Ltd Publication Date: 01 January 2013 ISBN: 9781781171387 £9.20

Good Small Business Guide 2013: How To Start And Grow Your Own Business Good Small Business Guide 2013 is packed with essential advice for small business owners or budding entrepreneurs. Offering help on all aspects of starting, running and growing a small business. Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Publication Date: 03 January 2013 ISBN: 9781408159590 £15.99

Live To Tell Your Story: Stories And Decisions On The Road To Success In this book Dave shares the stories that provided him with lessons and inspiration on his way to becoming a successful leader and entrepreneur, and he encourages the reader to look at their own life as a collection of stories full of priceless lessons and powerful inspiration. Publisher: Genius Platform Publishing Company Publication Date: 20 September 2012 ISBN: 9780578108612 £15.26

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Gaby Hardwicke Solicitors is a long established progressive firm which adopts a single standard - excellence

Services for You

Services for your Business

Wills, Probate & Investments Inheritance Tax Planning Care of the Elderly Residential Property Family Law Personal Injury

Corporate Finance Business Transactions Commercial Property Employment Law Intellectual Property Dispute Resolution

For more information: 01323 435900 info@gabyhardwicke.co.uk www.gabyhardwicke.co.uk

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 61 Hastings Bexhill Cooden Eastbourne

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Home Grown Hero

Made In Sussex:

Edgcumbes The story of Edgcumbes began Brand 30 years ago, when Bob Rendle returned Focus from India having acquired a taste for good quality loose tea. Unsatisfied with his options at home, he blended his own tea, with the help of his Tea Taster son Christopher Rendle, and it became so popular that he started to sell it to cafés and restaurants on the south coast. Freshly roasted coffee, hot chocolate coffee machines all followed as customers started to ask for them along with their tea. Edgcumbes were only too happy to supply the customers with what they wanted. Now operating from a purpose-built showroom in Arundel, Edgcumbes has developed to offer an all-round service to a wide range of markets including hotels, offices, leisure outlets and of course coffee shops. Our mission is to add value to our customers’ businesses by sharing the knowledge and expertise gained over three decades of trading.The South East is one of the most affluent areas of the UK, and Edgcumbes has been well placed to offer support and expertise to help its customers take advantage of the explosion in the café sector. Our pleasant climate and proximity to the continent has contributed to the growth of the leisure and café market, in particular. As a qualified training provider, at Edgcumbes we have helped our customers to strengthen their businesses by offering free Barista training to help them offer great coffee, and therefore gain repeat custom. Additionally, the Sussex area is well known for supporting local businesses, and we are grateful for the many long-standing clients with whom we work.We also make bespoke products for many farm shops, delis and cafés who want to offer their customers products from a local supplier. Our customers’ success is obviously our own success, and we have focussed

Alice Rendle tells SBT how a taste for ﬁne tea began a thriving family business

on freely sharing our knowledge and expertise with them. This has enabled us to jointly benefit from the many great businesses in Sussex who care about the products they buy and wish to develop long-term relationships with their suppliers. Additionally, as a well-established company, we too have built strong ties with our suppliers over the years and this allows us to weather the inevitable ups and downs that many businesses face in uncertain times. I believe in the mantra ‘adapt or die’ and never more than in times of

Alice Rendle of Edgcumbes

recession. Edgcumbes, along with many other businesses in Sussex, went through the difficult recession of the early 90s and this has given us the courage to change our business as times demand. In this digital age, where transparency and the customer are king, we are adapting by developing an e-commerce online business to enable us to offer our products direct to the consumer. The edges are being blurred between B2B and B2C now that the internet has been fully embraced by all, and no business can afford to be without an online presence. We have had a website for over 10 years, but it has been adapted and developed to reflect our core competencies of ‘coffee, equipment

and training expertise’: very different to the original Edgcumbes offering of a onekilo bag of Loose Tea! Additionally, we are about to launch a new range of retail coffees with names of Sussex towns and villages, such as Thakeham, Amberley, and so on. A major supermarket has recently agreed to list them in several of their Sussex stores in Summer 2013, and we’re excited to be able to share more news of that soon. These are ways in which we have changed our business, and I see a lot more of this happening in the coming years! I believe the coffee trade has had to change massively over the past five years or so. Most coffee suppliers didn’t know their cappuccinos from their lattes at the time, nor did they really need to! In the past few years I have visited several coffee- and tea-growing countries, learnt how to roast our own coffee and become a qualified Barista trainer in order to keep abreast of the changes that we – and more importantly my customers – were experiencing. The café culture is here to stay, but to stay ahead of the game everyone needs to pay continual attention to quality and consistency. Who wants to visit a coffee shop that makes a good coffee one day and a bad one the next? Edgcumbes’ job is to encourage all our customers to put training first, and to keep standards high. The secret to our success? It’s nothing revolutionary: we never forget that the customer is king, and their success is ours. Our small team works tirelessly to make sure we really get to know the people who buy our products in order to deliver the service they need. Finally, working in a business like coffee and tea is always fun. I don’t know of many people who don’t drink the stuff! We have teamed with Edgcumbes to give you the chance to get a free sample of one of their delicious luxury teas – email Alice on alice@edgcumbes.co.uk and she will pop a bag in the post

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Friends of the Albion Networking Group

Promo

al c o l t i ng

s with s e n i us

in Sussex

Join the Friends of the Albion Networking Group today and promote your business to over 130 other Member companies. Enjoy monthly breakfast meetings with superb facilities at the Amex stadium and the chance to belong to the most interesting and enjoyable affinity group in the area. Your business will also have a Member listing in every Albion home matchday programme.

01273 878278

Call Albion Commercial on or email commercial@bhafc.co.uk for more information.

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Roffey Park Institute A unique venue in West Sussex

• Purpose built, contemporary venue • 20 conference rooms • Facilities for 8-120 people • 60 executive bedrooms with free WiFi • 40 acres of landscaped grounds • Friendly, welcoming conference and hospitality staff • All conference packages include AV/IT equipment and on-site support • Easy access to rail, air and road networks

All bookings for conferences in February and March will receive a 20% discount - please quote SBT when contacting us For more information visit www.sussexvenue.com/sbt to view our virtual tour, request a copy of our brochure or contact us to arrange to come and see our facilities. Telephone: 01293 854044

Email: venue@roffeypark.com

Roffey Park Institute, Forest Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 4TB

www.sussexvenue.com/sbt Private events activity is undertaken by Roffey Park Services Limited, a Company Limited by Shares 64 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk Registered in England No 5025908, a wholly owned subsidiary of Roffey Park Institute Limited.

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