LDP Business Magazine, March 2010

M O N T H LY R E G I O N A L B U S I N E S S M A G A Z I N E

LDP BUSINESS w w w . l d p b u s i n e s s . c o . u k M a r c h 2 0 1 0

Lord Derby’s green mission Merseyside aristocrat invests in a sustainable future

● The business of sport: Passion into pounds ● Chinese trade: What does Confucius say? ● Big ships: Miami’s nice for luring the liners

Your business... ...our business

Running a business in challenging times calls for challenging decisions.

At Mazars we make it our business to work hand in hand with your business to guide you along the road to success.

This true partnership approach ensures you can confidently concentrate on doing what you do best; knowing that we're working with you to keep your business on the right track.

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We'd love to hear from you. Please contact: Richard Burrows – richard.burrows@mazars.co.uk or David Nicholls – david.nicholls@mazars.co.uk 0151 236 6262

mazars.co.uk Mazars LLP incorporating the business of Chadwick LLP

INSIDE 4

LDP BUSINESS

7

NEWS

Businesses back boat show

EDITOR Bill Gleeson 0151 472 2319

7 BIG FEATURE

bill.gleeson@liverpool.com

The business of sport

DEPUTY BUSINESS EDITOR Tony McDonough 0151 330 4918

14 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Auction sales holding up

tony.mcdonough @liverpool.com

17 Lord Derby

BUSINESS WRITERS Alistair Houghton

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Peter Elson

BIG INTERVIEW

alistair.houghton @liverpool.com

Opportunities in Mexico

23 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Focus on Business Link

peter.elson @liverpool.com

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Neil Hodgson neil.hodgson @liverpool.com

Alex Turner

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alex.turner@liverpool.com

HEAD OF IMAGES Barrie Mills

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barrie.mills@liverpool.com

HOW GREEN IS YOUR BUSINESS?

MARKETING EXECUTIVE Litza Gorman 0151 742 2352

Chester Zoo’s energy drive

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ADVERTISEMENT DIRECTOR Debbie McGraw

PROFESSIONAL SECTORS Return of private equity

ADVERTISMENT SALES Jackie McMahon 0151 330 5077 Trudie Arlett 0151 472 2476

32 TRANSPORT

36 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

PHOTOGRAPHY Trinity Mirror

Righttxt moves to Science Park

38 EDUCATION

Confucius Institute in Liverpool

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41

PUBLISHED BY Trinity Mirror NW2, PO Box 48, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L69 3EB.

41 RESTAURANT REVIEW Delifonseca, in Liverpool

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TELEPHONE 0151 227 2000

THE LIST

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FAX 0151 330 4942

NETWORKER

Alistair Houghton props up the bar

COPYRIGHT

LDP Business is printed monthly and distributed with the Liverpool Daily Post. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.

46 SOCIAL DIARY

Carolyn Hughes out on the town

HAVE you noticed how, as the country slowly emerges from recession, some key economic indicators are behaving in unexpected ways?

Inflation has risen sharply, while unemployment has fallen in recent months. Economists would ordinarily anticipate neither of these trends in current conditions.

Inflation appears to be a blip.

The temporary conditions that caused the consumer price index to hit 3.4% last month were explained in some detail by the Governor of the Bank of England in his open letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. As well as explaining the causes of above-target inflation, the Governor is also meant to set out what the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee proposes to do about it.

BUSINESS CLUB INQUIRIES 0151 472 2352

EDITOR’S LETTER While Mervyn King pointed to rising petrol prices and the restoration of VAT to 17.5%, he then went on to state the MPC proposed to take no further action to tackle the problem, confidently predicting instead that inflation would of its own accord fall sharply by the second half of the year. He based his prediction on the combined effects of historically low levels of money supply and spare production capacity.

But, if economic conditions are weak, why then has unemployment been falling over the late autumn and winter months?

Surely, at this point in the cycle, we would expect to see unemployment continuing to rise and come closer to economists’ original predictions of 3m people out of work.

But, while the number of people claiming jobseekers’ allowance is up, the latest labour market survey figures are down. This latter figure is the more comprehensive indicator of unemployment trends, and therefore is favoured by government and economists.

The Office for

National Statistics has tried to interpret the anomaly by suggesting that many people are removing themselves from the labour market altogether. The statisticians think enough people are choosing to return to full- time education, rather than just sign on while searching for a new job.

This interpretation is consistent with the fact that universities are experiencing a big increase in the number of people applying to them.

It shows considerable endeavour and foresight.

Presumably many of these people understand that by enhancing or changing their qualifications,

they will be better placed to prosper when things get motoring again. Pity then that the Government has chosen this moment to cut university budgets and, therefore, curtail the number of places available to would-be students.

The Government should show some foresight of its own by acknowledging that, by choosing to take a course, people are saving public sector cash by not claiming the unemployment-related benefits they would otherwise be entitled to.

In which case, why doesn’t the Government transfer some of the unemployment benefit budget to education and allow our universities to carry on preparing people for a better future?

BILL GLEESON 3

NEWS

Eastern promise beckons for balloon hanger firm

David Manning, of Balloon Hangers

THE only way is up for balloon hanger inventor David Manning.

His Southport business is really taking off after he clinched supply deals with UK and overseas retailers and a favourable reception at the recent Nuremberg toy fair.

Balloon Hangers can hold either three balloons for a room corner, or eight for ceiling clusters.

Mr Manning’s clients include established high street and mail order company Hawkins Bazaar – which describes itself as a

supplier of “things you thought had gone for ever and things you never even knew existed” – and several online wholesalers and events companies in the UK and in Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Canada and the USA. He said: “I am currently negotiating a deal with a company in Japan and the product has reached the next stage with a major supermarket chain in the UK. “It was also featured at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, and feedback was very encouraging.”

City firms give backing to Liverpool Boat Show ERSEY businesses have given their full support to the inaugural Liverpool Boat Show by snapping up more than 10,000 corporate tickets.

The show will be held at the Albert Dock in April next year, and around 120 private sector organisations were urged at a presentation at the Mersey Maritime Museum to give their endorsement to the plans.

Organisers of the show were joined

by Liverpool City Council leader Warren Bradley, Liverpool Vision chief executive Jim Gill and The Mersey Partnership’s chief executive Lorraine Rogers at the presentation to city businesses.

Organisers say the presentation resulted in a commitment to buy some 10,000 advance ticket packages from companies which have pledged to become Founding Partners.

Rob Mackenzie, managing director of Marine Industry Events, said: “The reception we received was unbelievable. To have effectively sold 10,000 tickets for an event which is still 18 months away is unheard of, and shows the level of enthusiasm which already exists.

“Businesses can see what a great opportunity the show presents.”

Cllr Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool City Council, told companies their backing would help to ensure the city delivered a spectacular show with the potential to become the best boat show in Europe.

He added: “The city’s public sector partners are giving their 100% commitment to this event, and we are now urging the private sector to match our passion by supporting the boat show and taking advantage of the massive benefits it can deliver.”

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The Albert Dock will be the venue for the Liverpool Boat Show

Terry McCoy, director of the NLP Works

McCoy’s mission to help business LIVERPOOL businessman Terry McCoy is on a mission to help business executives change the way they use their minds.

Mr McCoy is founder of a company called the NLP Works.

NLP stands for neuro linguistic programming, which has been described as “software for the mind”. It focuses on how we use our brain and the pictures, words and feelings it produces.

He is a certified trainer of NLP, EFT (emotional freedom technique) and hypnosis and is now launching a brand targeted specifically at the corporate world.

He said: “The Liverpool One shopping centre opened a couple of years ago and it inspired me to register

a new domain name – liverpoolone training.com “I want to take NLP into the workplace.”

Mr McCoy is doing a degree in neuroscience and believes what he is learning fits in with NLP. He added: “I want to look at problem solving and decision making in business and helping people get into what we call the flow state.

People in this state are generally wellbalanced.

“A lot of people in the workplace multi-task, and when they shift attention from one task to another they have to go through four separate mental stages and that takes up energy.

“This can make them 50% less efficient. NLP works by manipulating states.”

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Protecting your business

Local entrepreneur advises north-west companies on HR issues with help from Stepclever STEPCLEVER is an initiative to generate an enterprise culture in North Liverpool and South Sefton, by offering free business advice and support, as well as grants and other financial assistance for existing enterprises, start-up companies and individuals.

Here we look at an exciting venture which is being helped

by Stepclever.

ELAINE COURTNEY has worked hard to get where she is today.

After working in the recruitment industry for years, in 2007 she decided to branch out on her own. But, within months, Courtney Consultancy Ltd was experiencing problems, and the sudden death of Elaine’s father in the December, followed by the on-set of the recession in 2008, meant that the company’s future looked doubtful.

Nearly three years on and the story couldn’t be more different.

Elaine realised there was a gap in the market and recog-

nised that businesses were not only looking for someone to help them recruit staff, but also wanted a service which would help with other staffing issues such as contracts and inductions, along with disciplinary and grievance advice.

Working with organisations across the North-West, Courtney Consultancy provides this comprehensive package, resulting in protection not only for the organisation but for the employees themselves.

Elaine said: “HR is an area I’m really interested in and I’ve spent years with my head in books learning all I can as well as gaining my Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development accreditation.

“It isn’t something you can take lightly – for example, one company I know dismissed a member of staff for good reason, but because they didn’t document it properly it wasn’t straightforward and ended up going to a tribunal.

“We make sure that all the

proper processes are in place so issues like this are completely avoidable.”

Thanks to around £3,000 Stepclever funding, the consultancy has been able to kit out its new office at Vauxhall Neighbourhood Council with all the necessary equipment, including staff !

Elaine employs two people and is planning on accessing more Stepclever funding to take on a third person in the forthcoming months.

Elaine added: “Stepclever have been wonderful and their advice has been invaluable. Setting up a business can always be a risk, but having an organisation like Stepclever support you throughout the process is a real bonus.”

■ TO FIND out more about Courtney Consultancy, call 0845 309 6191 or email elaine@ courtneyconsultancy.co.uk.

The new website, www.courtneyconsultancy.co.uk, will be available by the end of the month.

Support for Business

Elaine Courtney, of Courtney Consultancy, offers a comprehensive service with protection, not only for your organisation, but for your employees, too

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• Want to grow your business and create new job opportunities?

• Want to know how to get FREE advice and continued support to develop your idea?

• Require financial assistance to help you achieve your goals?

We can Help

Stepclever offers FREE specialist advice to growing businesses including access to a range of financial incentives, support with developing your business idea, managed referrals to other available support, developing new production processes, finding suitable business premises and a dedicated Business Development Manager to help you on a one to one basis through the whole process.

If you would like some more information please contact us by either email or phone.

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You can call us, free of charge, on 0800 030 4376 Email: info@stepclever.co.uk

www.stepclever.co.uk

© Crown copyright.

All rights reserved 100018351 2008

Who to contact Stepclever has established offices in the heart of the communities serving the areas of Anfield, Everton, Kirkdale, County in north Liverpool and Derby and Linacre in south Sefton.

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NEWS

Chris Morris and Peter Kellett – launched design firm Peppered Sprout in Liverpool, in 2004

Idea Sprouts into business Creative firm benefits from guidance in establishing a solid business platform TWO colleagues at a publishing agency found that what was on offer in their sector wasn’t to their taste – so they created Peppered Sprout.

Chris Morris and Peter Kellett set up the Liverpoolbased design company in 2004 to deliver multi-channel creative content for retail brands.

It offers services including branding, publishing, photography and advertising and works with companies from sportswear giant Adidas to the boutique Liverpool hotel Hope Street Hotel. Mr Morris said:

“While we had all the relevant creative experience, neither of us had been involved in running a business before so we were keen to seek advice.”

Business Link Northwest’s digital and creative adviser Ian Marshall helped them through the start-up phase.

He added: “Working with Business Link saves us so much time as we can go directly to someone who makes sensible suggestions, based on the issues that we are facing.

“Because we have built a relationship with Ian, he is able

to offer advice that is tailored to our business, which is invaluable.”

Mr Marshall then put Peppered Sprout forward for the High Growth Scheme, a Northwest Regional Development Agency funded programme.

This included having a mentor assigned to work with them to develop the business.

“In the past, we have almost been guilty of having too many ideas and not focusing enough on the core business and our mentor has helped us do that,” said Mr Morris.

“He has an agency background and previously had a very successful career, which were exactly the qualities we wanted in a mentor.

“The fact that he works with so many creative industry companies in Merseyside is also a major benefit because without giving away anything that could be commercially sensitive he can advise us on how to differentiate ourselves in the marketplace.”

The company expanded in 2008 with the launch of Russian Club Studios, in London, an eclectic mix of photographic

studios and gallery spaces. The Russian Club Studios also act as a space for brands interested in utilising it as a temporary pop up store, as well as housing Peppered Sprout’s sister design agency, Tomorrow Studio.

■ LDP BUSINESS has joined forces with Business Link to support recession-hit firms in Merseyside.

Call Business Link on 0845 0066 888 or e-mail info@businesslinknw.co.uk Firms can also find information at businesslink. gov.uk/northwest

Tennis tournament organiser appoints accountants MAZARS has been named as the official accountancy partner for the 2010 Tradition-ICAP Liverpool International Tennis Tournament.

The firm will look after both UK and European finances for the event, which is organised by Northern Vision.

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Northern Vision director Anders Borg said: “I am delighted to be able to announce our partnership with Mazars.

“The company has a fantastic reputation within the industry, and I am certain they will be able to provide Northern Vision with the financial support

and guidance to help us in our continuous growth.”

Mazars is an independent, international organisation specialising in audit, accounting, tax and advisory services.

It is currently ranked as the eighth-largest UK partnership by audit fee income, and is one of

Europe’s largest accounting firms.

David Nicholls, partner at Mazars’ Liverpool office, said: “We are eager at the prospect of working with Northern Vision and providing them with an increased range of specialist services and international reach.”

Anders Borg, of Northern Vision

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THE BIG FEATURE

Making a net profit

Billionaire owner of AC Milan and three-times Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi – pictured here after his team’s 2007 2-1 European Champions League victory over Liverpool – once said that fans should be allowed into stadia free to provide a suitable backdrop for the millions watching on television. The reality has proved very different

BY ALEX TURNER

▲ ▲

The massive revenues in Premier League football can distort the business reality of sports clubs where every pound counts. But ambitions and plans are helping clubs plot a route to on-field success

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THE BIG FEATURE THE BUSINESS OF SPORT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 HE paying spectator remains a key part of clubs’ abilities not just to continue to grow, but simply to continue.

The view once expressed by media mogul, AC Milan owner and three-times Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was that fans would be allowed into stadia free to provide a suitable backdrop for the millions watching on television.

The reality has proven to be very different, with clubs still needing to grow their crowds while at the same time extracting as much money as possible from fans through merchandise, lotteries, catering and non-matchday activities.

Two clubs fighting to be heard above the clamour of Premier League football are rugby league club Widnes Vikings and basketball team Everton Tigers.

The 125-year-old rugby club has a long and distinguished history, but has spent much of the last decade in financial turmoil.

As many other sports clubs have found out, mortgaging your future to chase success will eventually end in disaster.

In the winter of 2007, the club went into administration and were rescued by Steve O’Connor, months after he sold his Widnes-based family haulage business to Stobart.

The immediate focus was on stabilising the club, but very quickly shifted on to how to grow the club for a stronger, and more successful, long-term future.

The club will be applying for a Super League licence for 2012-14 and, with one club from outside the top league promised a place by the Rugby Football League, the Vikings are in a very strong position.

Mr O’Connor is building up every aspect of the club’s operations – on and off the field – in preparation for their long-awaited return to the game’s elite competition by 2012.

“My job is to ensure that we build a club whose foundations are solid and durable and whose future growth is planned and sustainable,” he said.

O’Connor is a very senior executive in the Stobart transport company, to whom he sold his family haulage business three years ago for a figure reported to be in excess of £30m.

With his extensive business experience and understanding of how successful companies work – he is the managing director of Stobart Ports, in charge of the Mersey Multimodal Gateway (3MG) and the Mersey Gateway Port – he is determined that the Vikings will be a club rooted in good business practice and well- managed structures.

He said: “We have to compete on the field but we also need to grow our fan base and attract people from outside the Widnes area and convert them into Vikings fans.

“We have a live televised game against Halifax coming up on March 18, and we want to use that as an opportunity to showcase the Vikings and our stadium and its facilities.”

Mr O’Connor has developed a plan to drive more revenue into the Vikings business and, at the same time, to grow in three specific areas – the Wirral, the City of Chester and Liverpool.

“We are building a plan for our future growth, which is designed to take us into Super League, and, more importantly, to compete in Super League effectively.

“We have a fantastic heritage at Widnes, but that of itself is not a guarantee of future success.

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While clubs like WIdnes Vikings sometimes have to pull a stunt to get the crowds in, the real focus is on the long-term growth of fan and “We are not complacent. Sport is a very competitive business and I understand the need for our business at the Vikings to be energetic and imaginative in attracting more fans and more committed commercial partners.”

Support from new commercial partners is a key part of his sustainable growth strategy.

“We want to attract serious sponsors who look for a real commercial value in their association with the Vikings,” said Mr O’Connor. “Having Stobart as our main shirt sponsor is a show of our intention to attract big companies, and we will add to that list.

“Rugby league is a fantastic sport and I speak as a recent convert myself.

“We know that we can create an environment which fuses business success and sporting success in a great modern stadium, supported by first-class commercial partners, followed by fans from the old traditional Widnes heartlands with the new Vikings fans we bring on board from Liverpool, Chester and the Wirral.

“We have a great story to tell, we are committed to building a great club of which we can be proud and we have the resources and the determination to see this through.”

While the Vikings are plotting a bright future based on a long tradition, Everton Tigers is drumming up support from a relatively low profile and low supporter base.

Founded in 2007, although the club can trace its roots back over 30 years, it wants to spread an enthusiastic message about basketball virally.

Martyn Best, chairman of Everton Tigers, said: “Basketball is the fastest-growing participation sport in the UK. “It’s really popular in schools with the kids.

“British Basketball League (BBL) teams do so much engagement with schools and with their health and education programmes.

“For example, we run a basketball academy at Childwall Sports College.

This is the first of its type on Merseyside.

“We run it with one of our players and the head coach, Tony Garbelotto.

“If they are good enough at 18 then

we will take them on. We do have to be totally creative and imaginative.”

He believes his mission is helped by the fast nature of the game which can be immediately appealing to a younger audience.

He said: “I haven’t been to a bad basketball game – you just can’t have a boring basketball game.

“Defence is important but only to get the ball back so you can attack.

You have to make a shot within 24 seconds.

“One of the reasons for engaging with people is they will hopefully appreciate that they are speaking to the real basketball stars who they can then see play on court.

“Hopefully the Tigers are on the threshold of a real increase in popularity in basketball.”

THE BIG FEATURE THE BUSINESS OF SPORT

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Lancashire Point the way forward £12m investment to ‘transform’ revenues

The Point conference centre, at Lancashire County Cricket Club, will open in June CRICKET’S genteel image is far removed from the aggressive ambition that Lancashire CCC have shown with its plans for Old Trafford.

The first phase of the ground’s development – in the form of a £12m conference centre called The Point – will open in June and it is forecast to have a huge effect on the club’s conference business.

Geoff Durbin, commercial director at Lancashire County Cricket Club, said: “The Point will transform our non-cricket income pretty dramatically over the next few years. Hopefully, it will turn into a £6m turnover business before too long.

“In a very uncertain cricket world, it gives us a degree or certainty, because

the conference and banqueting market is more predictable.

“If you look at what’s happening in cricket, at the other major clubs, the ones that rely on cricket income are in a far more difficult position than ourselves, the Brit Oval [Surrey] and Lord’s [Middlesex].”

Lancashire has a mature offer of off-field activities, with more than 1m people having watched pop concerts at the ground, while it also has a 68-bedroom hotel, the Old Trafford Lodge.

“They have brought people in to our venue who wouldn’t have if it was just about cricket and that has helped promote our other businesses and facilities,” said Mr Durbin. “We have not just

gone for another conference and events site. There’s nothing else like this anywhere in the North-West, because it’s a purpose-built facility which accommodates the magic 1,000 people.

“The Point gives us greatly improved capacity so 2011 will see a significant increase in our catering income with a full 12-month trading year.”

Its opening comes as the club sees the first signs of an improvement in the commercial outlook after a period of “lots of small declines in every area”.

He added: “The firm expectation is that all our key income streams will see single figure increases compared with 2009. Things have bottomed out and the graph has started to turn.”

corporate support Mr Best has the convert’s enthusiasm for his sport, but as a chartered accountant and co-founder of Liverpool PR firm Paver Smith, he appreciates the importance of getting the business side right at the club.

He said: “Everton Tigers is Merseyside’s basketball team, not just a blue team.

“At Greenbank Academy, we get crowds of 500-600, peaking at 800. We have built up awareness and a following. We played at the Echo Arena earlier this month and return there this Friday.

“We have had up to 5,000 at the Echo Arena. It was a conscious decision to recognise that for us to raise our awareness, we need to play there.

“The 5,000 crowd, which was in

our first year, was the largest crowd for a basketball game in the UK for 14 years.”

The Tigers’ growth plans could be given a significant boost by a return to television, which would lift the sport’s domestic profile.

“There are a new set of conversations with the management of Sky and it could be that basketball is back on there in the future,” he said.

“It would be really important. It would raise the wider profile of basketball generally. It would help us to attract sponsors because they will be showcased on national television.

It would also promote the wider things we do.

“I really hope we are on the verge of a strong breakthrough.”

Building future revenues proves tough STADIA redevelopment across the country from the mid-90s was primarily a response to the Taylor Report post-Hillsborough, but it was also motivated, especially in sports unaffected by the legislation, by a desire to improve facilities.

This was not usually a direct

response to fans’ wishes – after all, spectators had stood and sat in mild discomfort for many years – but as an attempt to secure future revenues through increased attendances, corporate hospitality and non-matchday events.

Aintree and Haydock

racecourses and Widnes’s Stobart Stadium Halton have been transformed in several phases while Warrington Wolves moved into the new Halliwell Jones Stadium in 2003.

But, for others, it has been a period of frustration.

That frustration should soon end in St Helens, with

a move into its new ground scheduled for the first half of 2011, but Liverpool and Everton remain a few years away from new stadia.

The limitations of their existing venues mean that every month that ticks by is a month of lower income than some of their Premier League rivals.

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THE BIG FEATURE THE BUSINESS OF SPORT

The Open drives visitors to the region England’s Golf Coast is a key plank to the sports tourism strategy for Liverpool city region

THE 2014 Open Championship is expected to deliver £70m to the region’s economy.

The event is returning to Royal Liverpool Golf Club, in Hoylake, eight years after Tiger Woods won the claret jug.

Then, 230,000 spectators attended with estimates of a £60m impact on the local economy from the event.

Post-event analysis by TNS Media Intelligence concluded that the value of UK newspaper space devoted to coverage exceeded £4.2m, while it received £1.25m worth of broadcast airtime – not including the actual coverage of the event.

The region’s tourism offer gained significant coverage, with 27 minutes broadcast of positive comments about the event and its location.

The value of the championship to the wider economy demonstrates the importance of sports tourism.

Cllr Steve Foulkes, leader of Wirral Council, was delighted with last week’s confirmation that the championship was returning to the borough.

“This is fantastic news for Wirral,” he said. “We look forward to getting ready to welcome new visitors to the Peninsula, as well as returning golf fans who enjoyed themselves so much with us four years ago.

“The return of one of the world’s biggest sporting events to Royal Liverpool Golf Club is not only great for Wirral, but the whole of the North-West.

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring local residents, businesses and golf fans alike benefit from this fantastic opportunity once more.”

Spectator sports tourism is the highest profile of the four market segments, while the sector is also segmented into participation sports tourism, incidental sports tourism – when visitors take part in or watch a sporting event as part of, but not the reason for, their trip – and nostalgia sports tourism, which is centred around museums and stadia.

David Walmsley, sport business analyst and the author of reports on sports event bidding and sports tourism, said: “More sports tourism opportunities are available now than ever before, as a consequence of new players entering the market and existing destinations diversifying their offer, and wider trends in society are driving interest in this type of vacation.

“The ‘sportification of society’ that has strengthened the position of sport at the centre of the leisure mainstream; the budget airline-led expansion of the short break market to which sports tourism is especially suited; widening interest in health and fitness and extended participation in older age groups are all

contributing to the sector’s growth.”

However, he warned that working out the value of hosting sports events is problematic, with the implication that it is often wrongly assigned to the sports tourism sector.

He said: “Accurately assessing the scale of these impacts – direct and indirect – is one of the key risks to the success of the strategising process, as the sources from which they derive can be difficult to isolate.

“Even more problematic, however, is the danger prevalent in the spectator sector of confusing the benefits of sports tourism with those of event hosting.

“Many impacts commonly attributed to sports tourism – from infrastructure development to place branding or urban regeneration – actually stem from the act of staging the event and not from the inflow of international visitors it brings.

“In stripping the sports tourism benefits from the event hosting ones, the question the strategist has to ask is, which of this event’s impacts would not have occurred if it was attended only by local residents?”

The Mersey Partnership’s visitor economy strategy to 2020, published recently, set out the region’s ambitions for the sporting sector. England’s Golf Coast, which covers most of the North-West coast, but is centred on the area from Lytham to Heswall, is a key focus for the strategy.

It said: “The city region will continue to prioritise attracting international golfing events and visitors and promoting England’s Golf Coast for golfing holidays and short breaks, particularly building on the world-class links golf available.

“By building on success to date and capitalising on the international profile opportunities that golfing tournaments present to put the city region on the world’s media map, including using the championship courses of the Royal Birkdale and Royal Liverpool as standard bearers for the quality of the offer.”

The wider sporting strategy is “to optimise the opportunities of the very strong cluster of high-profile spectator sport venues – by developing added value packages and special experiences at venues outside of the main sports season when there is capacity to do so.

“These packages will target leisure and corporate visitors and help to diversify the sport cultural offer, playing to the strength of key brands and events including Liverpool FC, Everton FC, the Echo Arena, Aintree, Haydock Park and both St Helens and Widnes Vikings rugby league clubs, in order to maximise the capacity of the venues and their facilities throughout the year.”

Crowds flocked to Royal Liverpool when Tiger Woods won the Open Championship in 2006

World Cups and Games can be ‘economic engines’ during decade of sport

Former Waterloo player and rugby union world cup winner Will Greenwood scores in the 2003 tournament

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THE decade of sport presents opportunities for the city region to capitalise on its strong sporting brands.

Maximising the economic benefits could have a significant economic impact in the years ahead.

The events are additional to existing highlights such as the Grand National, and Liverpool and Everton’s home matches.

There are world cups which will see matches take place at stadia in the region – the rugby league’s competition in 2013, rugby union in 2015 and potentially the football world cup, in 2018.

For events not taking place here, such as the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London, and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, there is the potential of attracting

training camps, as well as visits from international tourists who are in the UK primarily for sport.

Steve Broomhead, chief executive of the Northwest Regional Development Agency and chairman of rugby league club Warrington Wolves, said: “We are working hard to ensure the NorthWest benefits from the UK’s ‘golden decade’ of sport.

“We have been

encouraging businesses to go for contracts for the Olympics. We have got training camps, swimmers from Australia and Oceania, we have got Thailand, we are hoping to get Ukraine in Leigh. it puts the UK on the map for most of 2012. There are opportunities from the Olympics for tourism in Liverpool, and trade links.

“They are sporting events, but they are also economic engines.”

TCrosbyhe Lakesi£10de Adventumire lCentionre This £10million centre is ideally located within the Crosby Costal Park on the Mersey Estuary and overlooking the idyllic Crosby waterfront.

Lakeside Conference & Meeting Facilities This exclusive self-contained facility with residential accommodation for up to 28 people,has a dedicated conference planning team making it an ideal venue for conferences, meetings and away days for up to 120 people.

Corporate team-building & Away Days For events with a difference, Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre also offers a range of water sports including canoeing, windsurfing, dragon boat racing and even orienteering.

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11

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THE BIG FEATURE THE BUSINESS OF SPORT

Liverpool FC managing director Christian Purslow, right, with former Anfield manager Kenny Dalglish, and Standard Chartered Bank group executive director Gareth Bullock, left, at sponsorship deal, says Standard Chartered believe the sponsorship association will ‘drive their business forward’

Not just a shirt, but long ties as

Two of the region’s biggest sports clubs have signed new deals which mean more than just putting a TWO clubs, two shirts, two very recognisable brands – and two shirt sponsorship deals signed and sealed.

Not that they are called shirt sponsorship deals any more – now it’s called club partner or primary partner.

But its importance remains the same – it is the commercial deal which usually brings in the most corporate cash. Liverpool FC and St Helens RLFC have both announced new deals which they consider to be significant to their clubs.

Although the magnitudes are very different – St Helens, as with all rugby league clubs, will be receiving less than 1% of the reported £20m-a-year Liverpool will get from Standard Chartered – both clubs were delighted with what they achieved in a very difficult sponsorship market.

Football industry finance expert James Dow, of Cheshire firm Dow Schofield Watts, was involved in

12

takeovers at Manchester City and Everton in the 1990s, and has also advised Ajax, Celtic and Barcelona.

He believes clubs are getting better at understanding and reacting to the needs and requirements of sponsors.

He said: “I think the clubs and the advisers they’re using become increasingly expert at actually showing the benefits – and clubs are getting better at demonstrating the benefits to sponsors of being associated with their product.

“I think in the past it’s been a case of ‘we’ll put a couple of boards down the halfway line and we’ll put you on the programme’ and there’s a lot more sophistication in terms of promoting the brand association and in terms of how subtle that can be in terms of the affiliation and I think the clubs are getting more sophisticated.

“Certainly, there are more advisers and advertising agencies and marketing agencies that are getting

more sophisticated about demonstrating those benefits in terms of the subtle extra benefits you get from association with football.

“Advertising revenues are down.

Sponsorship is a form of advertising.

“The bottom line is it’s an area of discretionary spending. Supporting your brand is a discretionary spend.

“Nobody is immune to it.”

The global shocks to the financial system has put some banks in a difficult position. But they are traditionally big sponsors, with the Barclays Premier League and the RBS 6 Nations being two of the most prominent deals in the UK. Liverpool FC’s managing director, Christian Purslow, argued that the backing of Standard Chartered, who replaced Carlsberg after the beer brand’s 17-year stint on the kit, was a mark of their confidence in the club.

He said: “No institution, let alone a major financial institution, would risk its name with our football club

if they were anything other than hugely confident in our future, hugely confident in the team of people we have here and hugely confident in what we are achieving.

“This bank knows that wherever they operate in Asia, in Africa, in the Middle East, there are literally hundreds of thousands of fans of this football club.

“And they believe that will drive their business forward to be associated with Liverpool Football Club.”

In the modern sponsorship world, though, the relationship is no longer one-way. Sporting organisations also want to leverage their sponsorship, to make sure it fits in with their brand.

Sometimes it can be to avoid negative associations.

For example, when the current sponsors of rugby league’s Super League competition, financial services firm Engage, were

negotiating, they offered less money than an online gaming firm, but were still chosen.

But brand associations can also be positive beyond the consideration terms in the contract.

Mr Purslow said: “From our perspective, it’s like having thousands of shop windows on Liverpool Football Club in countries in the world where we have new and emerging fans to add to the family of Liverpool supporters.

“By having more fans, more interest in our football club, driving more commercial value to our football club, we can plough that back into the future health of our team on the pitch.”

Future health is also a key message of Medicash, one of two new primary partners for St Helens this season.

While brand awareness played a role in the decision to put its name on the away shirt for this Super

THE BIG FEATURE THE BUSINESS OF SPORT

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Television deals show value of football to broadcasters American football shows that sport can buck dwindling audience trend

the announcement of their

well name on the kit League season, Medicash is particularly interested in the opportunities offered by the club’s community work.

Medicash chief executive Sue Weir said: “We want our support to make a real difference to the club, its fans and the people of St Helens.

“St Helens already does invaluable work within the community, and we are discussing a number of opportunities to build on this and develop more projects together which we hope will benefit a great many individuals and organisations across St Helens and Merseyside.”

St Helens chief executive Tony Colquitt added: “Sponsorship is critical to us in terms of funding and development so the support from major sponsors such as Medicash is crucial to more success this season.

“Both our organisations have long-standing charitable and community links, so there is real synergy in the partnership.”

THE splintering of television audiences is often used to explain declining audience figures for programmes whether soap operas, news programmes or sport.

But Super Bowl XLIV earlier this month showed that even a diversified television market like America can bring in a huge viewing public for an event.

Its figures weren’t just huge, though, it broke a 27-year record to be the mostwatched programme in US TV history when 106.5m people watched the New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts.

While Super Bowl Sunday is a major event in America’s television calendar, UK audiences also tune in in their droves for big sporting events.

In 2009, the most-watched sports programme – the Wimbledon finals – achieved an audience of 8.5m viewers.

And the last football World Cup, in 2006, saw 18.5m people watch England play Sweden, a television audience not surpassed in the four years since.

That explains why television rights deals continue to rise in value for the most attractive events.

The Premier League has not been afraid to cash in on its worldwide popularity. The value of the international rights over three-year periods will shoot up to £1bn for 2010-13 – on top of domestic agreements worth £1.78bn.

However, the flood of money from media companies to football clubs has not resulted in healthy balance sheets.

Instead, it is marked by what Alan Sugar memorably described as “the prune juice effect” – what goes in at one end, comes out at the other.

James Dow, of corporate finance firm Dow Schofield Watts, believes that the former Tottenham Hotspur chairman’s assessment is still true.

“What's the raison d'etre for being a football club?” he asked. “Is it really to build infrastructure? It’s not.

“It is to supply the best football team and so naturally the income that comes in – and it always has been the way – has come in and has gone out to players.

“Traditionally, clubs’ point of differentiation was how big your stadium was because that drove your revenues, your bigger attendances.

“That's why the big clubs are big, because they have bigger grounds, bigger gate money, they've got the best players.

The 2010 Super Bowl broke viewing figures records in the USA – demonstrating why sports broadcasting deals can be so valuable “It's just that they’ve got different sorts of income streams coming in to football now.

And it's always going to be the same.

“All the income comes in, and it all goes on to the players.”

Changes in the television market, led by the growth of Sky, has seen the domestic television rights deal increase from £38m-a-year in the first year of the Premier League in 1992-93 to nearly 10 times that from next season.

He said: “The major change has been the development of the Sky package and Sky TV. “And that's really been technologically driven, so we’ve now got digital TV, many more channels, and therefore you’ve got many more routes to supply a visual product, which is what football is.

“That’s driven the revenues exponentially and that's absolutely transformed football in the UK.”

Taxing times for sports clubs as image doesn’t pay THE issue of image rights has come a long way since Denis Compton and the first £100-a-week footballer, Johnny Haynes, wore Brylcreem in the 1950s.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been investigating the use of image rights as a vehicle for players to earn money.

It is concerned that it is remuneration and therefore should be taxed.

Currently Premier League players, and high earners in

other sports, set up image rights companies, often based offshore and so outside the reach of HMRC. Closing the loophole could cost Premier League players up to £100m.

Other sports are also affected, where there are often image rights payments that aren’t matched by the image – that is, a player’s image does not have any value but stills earns a sizeable chunk for his image rights.

Cricket, rugby union and rugby league have also come under the scrutiny of HMRC. Top earners in the major sports – who take home more than £150,000 a year – are also being affected by the tax changes which come into force in April.

They will be paying 50% instead of 40% on their earnings – knocking £500,000 off the annual gross pay of a £100,000-a-week footballer.

However, the previously attractive tax regime of Spain became dramatically less so from January 1.

The so-called Beckham Law was introduced in 2003 and meant foreigners earning more than 600,000 euros – about £520,000 – only had to pay 24% tax compared with the domestic rate of 43%.

That has been revoked, meaning footballers now face a taxing time in both England and Spain.

13

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

NW auction market holds up

Chris Johnson, a partner at Wirral-based Smith & Sons, says he is seeing a recent upturn in demand for commercial property deals

Banks still reluctant to lend – but number of transactions remains steady THERE has been a year-on-year fall in the number of commercial properties being offered and sold at auction in the North-West, new figures reveal.

Research released by the EI group – recognised as the most authoritative UK source for property auction data – shows that across the region, in November to January, there were 140 commercial properties offered at auction.

This is down from 152 for the same period a year earlier.

However, despite the number actually sold also dropping from 98 to 91, the actual percentage of lots sold increased slightly, from 64.5% to 65%.

Total receipts on these sales was almost flat year-on-year, falling just 0.6% to just over £13.8m.

Merseyside is one of the UK hotspots for property auctions, with five operators in the market – Sutton Kersh, Smith & Sons, Venmore, Merseyside Property Auctions and Whitegates.

James Kersh, director of Sutton

Kersh, said sales were holding up but added the picture was not totally clear.

“Any property that comes with an income tends to do reasonably well,” he said.

“We have seen over the last quarter that anything with a shop attached would be popular.

“Banks are more prepared to lend where they see a robust loan-to-value ratio.

“For example, they are not so keen to lend when someone wants to buy a

residential property in need of refurbishment because the cost and the income are less clear.

“I think that when bank lending starts to come back in, then prices will harden.”

Chris Johnson, partner at Smith & Sons, added: “We have seen an increase in demand and a number of sales are proceeding to completion, particularly on retail, office and workshop space.

“We are still hampered by the lack of available finance, but remain

confident of an increase in demand over the next 12 months.”

In a report at the end of January, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) claimed the northwest commercial property market was still in the doldrums, despite an improving picture nationally.

Surveyors across the region reported decreases in both demand and confidence.

It reported the national market had seen a rise in demand for both office and industrial space.

High street of yesteryear ‘will not be coming back’ THE British high street of yesteryear is gone and won’t be coming back, a leading property body is claiming.

The British Property Federation (BPF) was responding to figures from the Local Data Company that revealed the number of empty retail units was increasing.

The data shows that 12.4% of shops are now unoccupied.

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BPF chief executive Liz Peace said the recession was partly to blame, but claimed a more fundamental change was taking place.

She added: “The fact of the matter is that Brits now do a lot more shopping over the web, so we’re seeing a fundamental reshaping of high streets.

“The next government will need to balance cuts in

spending with ideas for reinvigorating regions that have suffered from years of under-investment.

“We must encourage councils to make it easier for people to convert shops.”

Her views were similar to those expressed by the director general of the British Retail Consortium in an article for the Daily Post last week. Mr Robertson said

the nation’s high streets needed to be “planned and nurtured” He praised Liverpool for “fighting back” with the construction of the £1bn Liverpool One retail scheme.

He said it was a “massive investment in keeping shoppers coming to the city”.

He also praised Chester for its “free after three” parking initiative.

Liz Peace, of the British Property Federation

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16

THE BIG INTERVIEW

The greening of Lord Derby

BY PETER ELSON

▲ ▲

The Derby name is synonymous with racing worldwide, but now the 19th Earl hopes it will be linked with green concerns 17

THE BIG INTERVIEW LORD DERBY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 NOWSLEY Hall and Park embodies what most people regard as the template for a great stately home and estate.

This stupendous Queen Anne-style house grandly sits amid rolling parkland which resembles a slice of the Cotswolds rather than the urban Liverpool it abuts.

Yet even timeless scenes are in reality dynamic – after all, the M57 hums with traffic just beyond the estate wall.

In fact, nothing stays immune from the forces of nature and economics.

But the 19th Earl of Derby is nothing if not determined to consolidate his inheritance and ensure its commercial success.

There is no question of Merseyside’s premier aristocrat, who is also president of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, selling up and bowing out of the ancestral seat his family has occupied since 1385.

He fully intends to leave its 2,500 acres, properties and tenancies in good order for the next generations and those after it.

In order to do this, Lord Derby has seen the “green” light and believes that an ecological approach to his business makes sense on every level.

“Most individuals want to go green. Deep down we feel working with nature is the right thing to do,” said Lord Derby.

“We have more of a general feeling of both social and corporate responsibility.

“There is a dispute over the University of East Anglia’s climate change data, but it’s impossible not to sense that something is going on.

“We know we’re belching out a lot of carbon.

“It’s not just about doing it to make yourself feel good, it’s also good for business .

“The first step in the process is knowledge. You need to start learning to get some green credentials. There are far more options than you realise.”

When Edward Stanley inherited Knowsley from his uncle, the 18th Earl of Derby, in 1994, Knowsley Safari Park was already established.

The Safari Park, which is the biggest of its kind in Britain and attracts over 500,000 annual visitors from the North West and to Hull along the M62 corridor.

The visitor numbers have held up through the recession, probably because Britons were not holidaying abroad as much.

Almost all of the 1970s building complex on the 500-acre Safari Park has been renewed since then.

However, last year the latest construction project offered Lord Derby a chance to put his green credentials into practice.

The first big step was to rebuild what was the Giraffe House, which £120,000 later has been converted into the 25m-long Antelope House.

“This was the last of the original Safari Park complex buildings dating from when it was opened in 1971 by my uncle.

“I wanted to see if we could do something special and so incorporated an air source heat pump.”

“I was amazed at how small these units are. During construction, hundreds of metres of piping was set under the floor.”

This piece of kit alone cost £20,000, or a sixth of the overall building price.

The system is based on the ambient temperature of the ground just beneath the surface being a

K

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Lord Derby with the statue of his racehorse, Ouija Board, one of the best racing mares in history, which amassed £3m in prize money for her steady 10°-11°C and no less than 4°C: “Working on the heat differential principle, the building’s temperature can be raised to a very comfortable level for the animals inside,” said Lord Derby.

“We got it running in November with just a couple of ostriches and some rhea, but by the December freeze every species was in there and it looked like Noah’s Ark. “I’m waiting to see what the

running costs are like and how economic it is to run.

“In the Safari Park, we have a range of animals people don’t normally see and many are endangered species.

“Climate change must have some effect on this.

“So I’m interested in putting a couple of wind turbines in the Safari Park car park.”

This has led to the “Big Wind”

study and he said: “Such places are not pretty things and so they wouldn’t spoil the view.

“I want loads of gizmos and things to inspire young visitors while instead of burning loads of gas we save it.

“However, the park is in the green belt so we’re in discussion with the planners, who have not said ‘no’ yet.”

Green policy has two main elements: conservation, as in how

much energy you can keep, and generation, which is how much energy you can make efficiently.

One such source is anaerobic digestion, which is not a stomach complaint, but processes whereby microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen.

“As part of an integrated waste management system, anaerobic digestion reduces the emission of

THE BIG INTERVIEW LORD DERBY

Lord Derby – has upset the horse racing fraternity with his Newmarket plans

owner, in the picturesque grounds of Knowsley Hall landfill gas into the atmosphere.

We’ve looked at an anaerobic digestion machine, but unfortunately they need to run on the same stuff.

“The Safari Park produces plenty of animal dung, but of greatly differing types.

“The machines don’t like mixing camel dung with elephant dung and so on.

“About one third gas is produced to two thirds heat, and I can imagine

Scimitar-horned oryx in the new eco-friendly Antelope House, at the Safari Park

it being really useful to housing developments in future.”

Whether he is debating to include this in his controversial housing development on his 100-acre estate at Newmarket, Suffolk, is the least of his worries.

It must have been a shock for the head of a family which has dominated British horse-racing to find himself receiving such opprobrium from the racing

fraternity. After all, in 1780, the 12th Earl of Derby lent his title to a contest on Epsom Downs that became the world’s greatest flat horse race.

Opponents in Newmarket claim the huge development would increase the population of the town by 5,000 from its current 15,000.

Are Lord Derby’s green credentials in doubt when campaigners claim the additional

traffic from the 1,200 home development would create an unbearable burden on the town’s infrastructure and drive racing away?

Lord Derby responded: “The population of the UK is going up, in particular in the South-East there is a housing shortage.

“The proposal is for 600 homes by 2021, and then 600 between 2021 and 2031.”

He said building on his farmland, which is home to his own Stanley House Stud, near Newmarket’s centre, was better than other options.

“The alternative (to his scheme) is putting up 50 or 60 houses in each of the villages around Newmarket.

“Nobody has a greater interest than I in ensuring that the development is appropriate.

“I would have thought that it was better that somebody who knows and loves racing would be a much more sympathetic developer.”

Within a short time of Lord Derby inheriting Knowsley, he was faced with the enormous task of finding a new use for the old Hall.

The Derby family live elsewhere on the estate in a 1960s house, and the huge old hall was occupied by Merseyside Police, which was soon to terminate its lease.

“We looked at many options for the old Hall, including opening to the public, but none were viable,” said Lord Derby.

“So we decided to turn it into a conference centre, which was also available for private hire for events like weddings and film shoots.

“The problem was that the hall had become very institutionalised, so we had to restore it completely.

“We’ve also added Merseyside’s only five-star hotel rooms.”

Lord and Lady Derby (who was a former curator for the Queen’s Pictures collection) bought back furniture and objects sold off from the hall when its use changed.

But they were still dealing with a very old house, largely of the 1730s, yet with all the problems of organic expansion over many centuries.

Such a vast pile poses major problems of heat loss.

Not only is the Hall a listed building, but in its present role as a conference and events venue, its stately home look is essential.

Besides the restoration costs, there are the day-to-day running bills.

“This is a traditional, solidly-built property with thick walls and a big roof,” said Lord Derby.

“While it keeps some heat in, thermal imaging of the house showed the windows glowing bright red where all the heat was escaping from the radiators beneath them.

“We can’t get rid of the sash and casement windows, but we could put thermal shields behind the radiators to redirect the heat inwards.

“But the best heat saving measure is to close the original wooden shutters fitted to the windows.

“The roof space is in many parts, which makes it difficult to insulate properly.

“A house like this gobbles up heat and our old boiler house was some way from the house itself.

“At any one time, there was six tons of water flowing in pipes between the boiler house and the hall.

“Also, we’ve got a lot of Edwardian pipes beneath acres of floorboards that are amazingly difficult to lag “Pipes are now pre-lagged and heat can be transported over several hundred metres without loss.

“Thankfully, there is an amazing efficiency difference between old and new boilers.

“It’s all about knowledge and having a coherent strategy.

“There’s no point in generating a load of heat unless you know why you’re doing it.”

Apart from routine practical matters of running a big property, there is a need to keep an eye on government energy policies.

“The big unknown from the government is feed-in tariffs,” said

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

19

THE BIG INTERVIEW LORD DERBY

Lord Derby – committed to environmentally-sound innovations across his business interests CONTINUED FROM FROM PAGE PAGE 18 19 CONTINUED Lord Derby. “This is a sum of money for A bit of energy you produce, whether it’s for your own use or to sell.

“The Government won’t give you a grant to put in a boiler, but will give this feed-in money.

“If this goes ahead, it will be a significant change in economics for us.”

Other ideas under consideration are water source heat pumps and wood chip boilers.

“All these are feasible and the

20

technology is getting better and better,” said Lord Derby.

“But all this equipment costs significantly more – about three or four times – than an ordinary gas boiler.

“Unfortunately, our Knowsley Park is too flat for hydro-generation.

“This is the most efficient green way to make electricity, as proved in Scotland and Wales.

“However, it might be feasible at our Crag Hall estate, in the Peak District.

“Probably the best idea at Knowsley would be the water source

heat pump which extracts heat out of the water.

“We’re looking at the possibility of putting hundreds of metres of coiled hose pipe in one of the lakes so it can extract heat out of the water.

“It works like a sort of radiator in reverse and is successfully used in rivers.

“I think we’re merely at the beginning of understanding what we can do in these areas.

“The Mersey barrage debate has gone on for decades, as to whether this is good or bad ecologically.

“But there’s no doubt that the

power of the sea is an enormous force which we should seriously consider harnessing.

“In just 10 years, all kinds of new technologies have emerged.

“It’s difficult to realise how new some of this stuff is.

“Even established green technology like wind turbines have moved on.

“The modern wind turbines are much quieter as they have less gears and create less friction.

“For example, vehicle technology which was once regarded as incredibly expensive developments

for Formula One cars, like anti-lock brakes, cascades down to ordinary saloons. Or satellite navigation, which was James Bond stuff not that long ago, can now be bought at your local hardware shop for £50.

“All these ideas and projects interest me hugely and tick all my boxes.

“They appeal to my individual and corporate values about the responsibility we should have towards the wonderful planet on which we live. Done properly, it’s good for sustaining our business and the earth. It’s a win-win situation.”

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Mexi-can is the message for region’s firms in the Americas British Ambassador wants more UK companies to conisder the country

THE British Ambassador to Mexico visited Liverpool to champion the benefits of companies considering the Latin American company as a potential business opportunity.

Judith Macgregor was in the city region as part of a UK visit.

She said: “With a market of 107m consumers, huge biodiversity and abundant natural resources, it is a country with a lot going for it.

“While the global economic downturn had an effect, a decade of sound management of public finances has seen Mexico fare relatively well – and better than most, if not all, of the G8 economies and other so-called emerging markets.

“Some analysts predict that Mexico will be the world’s fifth-largest economy by 2040 and fourth by 2050.”

However, Mexico is not just a market for the future. It has a GDP of more than $1,000bn – roughly 40% of the UK – which puts it just outside the top 10 world economies.

This is helped by its advantageous position bordering America, and its role in the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

“A lot of Mexican exports and imports had looked to the United States but how do we persuade people to look at other markets?” she asked.

“Mexico has a free trade agreement – NAFTA – and, through that, companies can link in to one of the many Mexican companies or supply chains which are linked to finalising products or exports to the US.” But Mrs Macgregor emphasised that Mexico is not just a gateway into North America but is a key market in itself.

“Mexico is a big country,” she said.

“The economy had been growing fairly constantly and is expecting to go back into 2-3% growth.

“And it has a large number of people aspiring to and developing consumer lifestyles.”

Ms Macgregor believes the trading

relationships that already exist between the two countries provide a platform for companies looking to enter the market.

She said: “The UK and Mexico have a very good relationship, particularly when it comes to international trade. Britain continues to be a major investor in Mexico and trade has been increasing rapidly since the signature of the EU/Mexico Free Trade Agreement.

“But there remain huge opportunities for UK firms.

“In 2007, the Mexican President launched a major new National Infrastructure Plan when the government pledged to invest a staggering $50bn every year for the next five years.

“This money is going towards developing the country’s ports, airports, roads and railways, as well as water supply and treatment, irrigation systems and oil and gas generation.

“And British firms have the necessary experience and expertise, be it architectural, engineering, legal or financial, to be major beneficiaries.”

Some perceptions of Mexico as a difficult place to do business – not helped by the swine flu outbreak – do not represent the reality of trading in the country.

“Mexico is often viewed as a tough nut to crack, even for the seasoned exporter,” she said. “But doing business in Mexico is no more difficult than in other emerging markets, and in many cases much easier.

“In the World Bank’s most recent table regarding difficulty of doing business, Mexico came well above Brazil, Russia, India and China, and ranked highly compared to other emerging markets.

“There has never been a better time to consider Mexico as a place to do business, given the limited growth rates in traditional markets and the Mexican government’s efforts to reduce dependency on US trade.”

Judith Macgregor, British Ambassador to Mexico, believes the country has ‘huge opportunities’

Major step forward as Mexican giant invests £220m in Runcorn chemical firm

Ineos Fluor chief executive David Price

A CHESHIRE chemicals firm is to become part of a Mexican-based global giant in a multi-million-pound deal.

Mexichem, the world’s largest supplier of fluorspar, has agreed to buy Ineos Fluor for £220m, in a deal that should be completed by the end of March.

Mexichem employs 10,000 people worldwide and is listed

on the Mexican Stock Exchange.

Its chief executive, Ricardo Gutiérrez Muñoz, said that the deal would help his group expand its product range and reach even more markets worldwide.

He said: “This agreement is a major step forward in the development and growth of Mexichem.

“Acquiring Ineos’s fluorochemicals business reflects our ongoing strategy to add value to our main raw materials.

“The strategic fit of this business within Mexichem presents a unique opportunity to enhance our business, our position in the fluorochemicals market and the service that we can offer our customers.”

Ineos Fluor is a former division of ICI that employs around 280 people in Runcorn.

Its chief executive, David Price, said the deal showed real confidence in the sector.

He said: “The investment by Mexichem shows real commitment and confidence in the future of fluorochemicals, as a strategic business.”

21

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Acas conciliators will actively seek to find common ground to enable the parties to move towards agreement.

Some of the issues that come to conciliation include: annual pay, other terms and conditions, redundancy, discipline and dismissal, and changes in working practices.

A study by Ipsos Mori* in 2008 evaluated customers’ views on the benefits of collective conciliation.

It found that: Acas was trustworthy, impartial and proactive in seeking to secure an agreement; that its intervention speeded up the resolution of the dispute; that it

helped to improve workplace relations and avoid costly industrial action.

The economic benefits have been clearly demonstrated – further research by NIESR* has shown that for every £1 spent by government on collective conciliation services, the UK economy benefits to the tune of £98. *Research reports can be found online at www.acas.org.uk/ researchpapers) ■ WANT to know more? Talk to Acas’s Merseyside lead conciliators: Mel McRae, 0151 728 5610, email: mmcrae@acas.org.uk or Dave Glassey, 0151 728 5617, email: dglassey@acas.org.uk

THE Acas organisation is working with Partnership for Learning in Liverpool to provide essential training to ensure that businesses are equipped to deal effectively with HR and employment issues in the workplace.

Working together, Acas and Partnership for Learning are delivering practical advice for managers.

They will also provide the tools and techniques to guide managers through potential problem areas and helping to improve workplace relations, business performance and prevent costly litigation.

Partnership for Learning is also able to access funding for businesses to help with the cost of

this training (subject to eligibility criteria being met).

■ TO FIND out more about this training and the availability of funding, please contact Alex Parkinson at Partnership for Learning on: 0151 288 2100, or email: alex.parkinson@ pfl.org.uk

Don’t miss these invaluable Acas courses ■ MANAGING discipline & grievance, March 4, half-day, £95; ■ Practical skills for frontline managers, March 16, full day, £160; ■ Employment law update, March 23, half-day, £95; ■ Parental rights, March 25, two hours, £60; ■ Employment law update, April 13, half-day, £95; ■ Contracts of employment – how to get it right, April 20, half-day, £95; ■ Monitoring and impact assessment, April 22, full day, £235; ■ Redundancy & restructuring

– all the options, April 29, full day, £160; ■ Managing discipline & grievance, May 18, half-day, £95, Chester; ■ Merseyside Employment Relations Forum, May 20, halfday, £50.

■ ALL prices are exclusive of VAT. Courses are at Acas Liverpool unless stated otherwise.

For details on the content of each training session, go online at www.acas.org.uk/training or contact the Acas Customer Services team by email: events@ acas.org.uk or by phone: 08457 38 37 36.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

in association with

Linking businesses with help Ellen Kerr, centre, Universal Services Outreach Team Leader at Business Link Northwest, with team members Dylan Powell and Sheryl Clare

Business Link Northwest aims to provide a link between entrepreneurs’ dreams and reality TARTING and running a business can be a continuously steep learning curve, with every working day full of Rumsfeldian known unknowns and unknown unknowns.

But where to turn for help? A regional development agency, such as the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA), or a sub-regional agency like Liverpool Vision or The Mersey Partnership; the local Chamber of Commerce; business support consultancies like Blue Orchid; Government, in the form of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, or the council; business associations or trade bodies; the Learning Skills Council; networking groups; or even the first port of call for almost anything, Google?

S

Alongside that dizzying maze of options, there is one organisation that is trying to establish itself as the primary access point for information.

Business Link Northwest (BLNW) was created three years ago, bringing together five sub-regional agencies which separately covered Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.

“People can get confused as to what’s available,” said Peter Watson, managing director of BLNW. “We look to take the strain out of that.

“We act as a primary access point to the publicly-funded products and services that are available throughout the region.

“It might be at a national level, such as accessing UK Trade and Investment for companies that have

export ambitions, and it can also come down to a local authority programme, for example something that Gary Millar [executive member for enterprise and tourism at Liverpool City Council] or Mike Taylor [director of investment and enterprise at Liverpool Vision] is offering at a very local level.

“It’s our job to know what it is and how relevant it is.

“We are quite unique in the fact that we know everything that’s available and offer an easy route through.”

Its offer is based around its partnerships with local and national organisations.

“We want to be the primary access point, but we are not the only access point,” he said. “If people know where to go that’s fine, we are

interested in the people who don’t know where to go. We feel we can offer a very simple, easy route through to where they want to be very quickly.

“Our work is very partnershipbased. We pride ourselves that we have access to all the publicly-funded products and services, whether on a regional or national basis.

The second fundamental function of BLNW, according to Mr Watson, is to assist individuals and companies at all stages of a business’s life, from the idea to the exit.

“We have to have a service that’s attractive and relevant in the whole of the business ownership life cycle,” he said.

“Someone who was thinking of starting a business better hasn’t done so yet – the pre-start stage –

then supporting them all the way through start-up and beyond.

“At the other end of the spectrum is people coming out of the business cycle and wanting to successfully exit.

“The typical person we work with is an individual running a business with a £1m turnover which employs between eight and 15 people. We are very firmly in the SME market.”

BLNW’s involvement with companies can range from one-off advice to a long-term relationship.

He said: “Companies can get lots of information from our website, without having to register, right up to those companies we intensively assist. They have their own advisers and we nurture that relationship and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS LINK

Business Link Liverpool's strategic partnership management team CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 we work with them to prosper. There isn’t a set ‘you get so many days’ of our time.

“Our advisers work with companies to identify areas that require attention or improvement.

“This can include addressing issues to help the business survive, overcoming barriers to growth and capitalising on opportunities to really drive the business forward.

“Our in-depth understanding of the support available from both the public and private sector can help business owners to consider the full range of potential solutions that are out there and access the right support quickly.”

24

BLNW has sought to improve the way businesses can access its services, looking to reduce the time and difficulty people have in getting the information or advice they need.

Mr Watson said: “We have three elements to the service – the telephone number, they are advisers at the other end, they are going to try and help on the first call.

“We have got a fantastic website now, geared around getting people help within the first minute or two.

“The third one is the one-to-one service where an adviser comes out and talks about your business and produces an action plan. The person who comes out to see you will understand your business.”

The recession and the numerous

business challenges the economic situation has thrown up has increased the number of enquiries to BLNW, but Mr Watson said that the themese had remained largely the same.

The main enquiries are about starting a business, skills, finance, growing a business, and HR issues.

He said: “In terms of who approaches us and requires service, there hasn’t been a significant change. It’s lots of businesses, especially the ‘S’ of SMEs – the businesses where the owner has to be all things to all people.

“They have stayed the same issues in good times or bad.”

During the second half of 2009, an average of 1,700 Merseyside-based people were contacting BLNW every

month. One-in-six were with “pre-starts”, people looking for help and advice in planning the launch of a business. The 265 engagements a month showed a 93% increase on the same period in 2008.

He said: “Year-on-year, the number of enquiries has nearly doubled in the Merseyside area – 2,400 people just from Merseyside at the start-up stage.

“It’s not just because people are insecure about their job. Starting your own business is becoming more of a popular choice.

“Some of it is based on insecurity.

People aren’t as secure as they used to be. But that’s always there. I do think that people have more courage and ambition to take a chance. In

difficult times, we have seen that spirit come through more.

“Also, we are better-known now than three years ago when we started. There are more people coming through the doors.”

BLNW’s “doors” are in Preston, where its headquarters are sited.

This houses the agency’s administrative functions, but also some of its advisers. However, Mr Watson is keen to stress that BLNW does not operate a call centre.

“We have an operations centre at Preston. The people that answer the phone aren’t call centre staff, they are people who have owned businesses, they are advisers.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS LINK

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

REGIONAL OUTLOOK with Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the NWDA STEVEN BROOMHEAD, Chief Executive of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), gives an update on recent investments that will spearhead the renaissance of some of Merseyside’s waterfront areas.

■ THIS month marks the official start on site for the transformation of Liverpool’s former International Garden Festival site, which will see it returned to its former glory and reopened to the public.

Led by developer Langtree, in partnership with the Land Restoration Trust, the project will see the restoration of the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, the lakes and associated watercourses and the woodland sculpture trails, which will ultimately sit alongside a new residential development.

This is a significant milestone in the regeneration of this area of the city, which, through the creation of an internationally significant tourist attraction, will provide a welcome boost to the local economy.

NWDA investment of £3.7m is spearheading this crucial project, which will create a valuable leisure resource for the local community and secure the site’s long-term future.

Merseyside’s waterfront has long been recognised as one of its key assets, and the NWDA have been working with our partners for a number of years to capitalise on the economic potential of the sub-region’s waterfront areas and resources through the Mersey Waterfront programme, led by The Mersey Partnership.

The Festival Gardens project will further support

the work of the programme, which has delivered a number of flagship schemes to create new regeneration and tourism opportunities along Merseyside’s 135km coastline.

Another signature project of the programme also received a boost this month, with the Agency confirming a £3.9m grant to enable Neptune Developments, with Wirral Council, to take forward Phase 2 of Brand New Brighton. The Agency’s investment will support land remediation and the delivery of a series of integrated public realm improvements across a 14-hectare stretch of New Brighton seafront, including a new model boating lake and high-quality promenade.

Crucially, the second phase will create over 700 new jobs by 2012 and lever a further investment of £33.6m from Neptune Developments.

The first phase of development, which received a £3.6m investment from the Agency via the Mersey Waterfront programme, delivered the stunning £11m Floral Pavilion theatre and conference centre, and our latest investment will build on the success of this to further revive the area’s economy.

We have a reputation for making big things happen in the North-West, and, in the difficult economic climate, the Agency is working hard with our partners to keep development projects such as these on track.

These investments will not only support the ongoing growth of the Liverpool city region visitor economy, but will improve the quality of life for local residents in these two key areas, creating new business, investment and employment opportunities.

‘Waterfront has long been recognised as one of our key assets’

A privilege to start a new organisation – Peter Watson, managing director of Business Link Northwest

BUSINESS LINK’S MANAGING DIRECTOR MAKES JOURNEY FROM BALFOUR BEATTY TO BUILDING A NEW ORGANISATION HEADING up Business Link NW (BLNW) is managing director Peter Watson’s first foray into the public sector.

It is a long way from his first job, which saw him leave an apprenticeship unfinished.

He said: “I actually came out of the apprenticeship a year early. I was very ambitious and I was able to earn more money by doing so.”

He was taken on by construction giant Balfour Beatty as a management trainee. The company sponsored him to undertake a business studies degree at Lancashire Polytechnic – now the University of Central Lancashire – and he stayed with the company until 1989, developing a skill for the implementation of quality standards.

He then took on a management role in a company manufacturing footwear before joining the British Printing Company two years later.

He said: “The company was looking to start tendering for public sector printing contracts and was required to demonstrate a specific quality standard and it was my job to make sure that was implemented.”

After spending 15 years in the print industry, he had two start-up businesses – which he hopes means he can “wear the T-shirt” when talking with entrepreneurs and business people in his current role.

“This is my first public sector job,” he said. “I believe that the Northwest Development Agency at the time were looking for someone from business to run

BLNW. I started with the NWDA in October, 2006, and I helped bring about the new regional service.

“We amalgamated that from April 2, 2007. I have enjoyed every minute of it.

“I have had the privilege of starting a new organisation off.

“Although it was the Business Link service, we didn’t transfer across a lot of people.”

That decision allowed the agency to have a fresh start.

“It allowed us to recruit the right sort of people into the service. I have seen it respond to need really quickly.

“We have designed a really attractive organisation. On day one, we had 130 people; now we have 350 people. It has given us the opportunity to bring in real expertise.”

Steven Broomhead, centre, meets those responsible for the future of the derelict Garden Festival site

25

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS LINK

The people that answer the phone aren’t call centre staff, they are people who have owned businesses – Business Link Northwest’s headquarters, in Preston CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 “But over 90% of our 350 employees are scattered about the region delivering business advice, and a significant amount are around Merseyside.”

He argues that the agency’s corporate structure, as a subsidiary of the regional development agency, helps the service deliver its goals.

“We are a subsidiary company of the NWDA but we are a separate legal entity,” he said. “We are at arm’s length. We are at the business end, we help with the NWDA’s economic development and growth.

“Business Link is a national service and is available throughout the country. We are the only one that’s a subsidiary of the regional development agency but that gives us advantages – we are right on the pulse of their aims and strategies.”

Individuals and businesses contacting BLNW utilise three main services – Train to Gain, Innovation and Access to Finance.

Under the Train to Gain banner, skills advisers work with companies to explore their training requirements, develop staff training plans, signpost businesses to relevant training providers and identify any available funding.

There is also a team of leadership and management advisers, which specialises in skills and training for senior management.

BLNW’s innovation advisers offer guidance around innovation and increasing efficiency

26

within a business. They have access to finance advisers who diagnose the financial needs of businesses, help them develop funding strategies and work with them to enhance their appeal to lenders and investors.

“Access to finance has always been an issue,” said Mr Watson.

“But, over the past 12-18 months, it’s become the primary issue. We started a scheme called, simply, Access to Finance.

“We have 15 Access to Finance specialists working in the business and they have two-thirds of their enquiries from our advisers. The uptake has been phenomenal.

“Over the past year, we have had nearly 4,000 businesses come through the service. Of those, we have intensively assisted about 700-800.”

BLNW’s offer is centred as much around assisting business growth as it is helping firms survive the difficult times, and Mr Watson wants to make sure that the agency is as ready as the region’s entrepreneurs.

He said: “Our growing portfolio of products and services has been developed to meet the needs of local entrepreneurs and existing businesses alike.

“By planning ahead, businesses can be in the best shape possible to capitalise on some of the massive opportunities that the upturn will inevitably bring.

“Anybody in any economic environment that takes the brave step to start a business is a hero and we treat them like heroes – and we want to give them the best possible support.”

CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE CITY REGION’S BUSINESSES BUSINESS Link Northwest (BLNW) and the Liverpool Daily Post have been working together for the last six months on an ongoing Supporting Our Businesses campaign.

It was a reaction to a study by BLNW which showed that one in five companies across the Liverpool city region – about 12,000 firms – were at “maximum risk” of failing.

Supporting Our Businesses also aims to help safeguard jobs in the area. The figures showed jobs were most at risk in small businesses with fewer than 25 employees.

Peter Watson, managing director of Business Link Northwest, said: “Businesses across

Merseyside need to take direct action to deal with the tough challenges they are facing. And, through our partnership with the Liverpool Daily Post, we will be providing the help they need.

“Research shows that businesses who seek help from external sources are more likely to prosper. Business Link provides them with a gateway to a wide range of support and help for companies, through our team of experienced advisers.

“By working together with the Daily Post, we provide a powerful voice in the region and are determined to help businesses through the current challenging times.”

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

HOW GREEN IS YOUR BUSINESS?

Zoo project slashes emissions Chester’s big beasts are doing their bit to help fight climate change CHESTER Zoo is home to more than 7,000 animals and 400 different species, and that requires it to provide a multitude of carefully-controlled habitats and environments.

Many animals need to live in enclosures at specific temperatures which makes reducing energy usage more of a challenge than for most businesses.

However, the zoo takes its carbon-reduction responsibilities seriously and in the past two years has made great strides in using energy much more efficiently.

During that period, it has been actively running an energy conservation and efficiency project.

Managers have taken a “holistic” approach to energy management, concentrating on three key areas – the buildings, the technology and the people.

And thanks to the project the zoo reduced its carbon footprint during 2009 by 200 tonnes.

Chester Zoo’s maintenance manager Ray Morrison said: “The zoo’s mission has always been about conservation and so we are also very much aware of the issues around climate change and energy.

“Among our stakeholders, there is an expectation that we will run the business along sustainable lines.

“In 2009, we have reduced our carbon footprint by 200 tonnes and that reduction will be ongoing.”

In the elephant exhibit, the zoo has reduced the electricity consumption associated with heating and cooling the building by 82%.

This equates to an annual reduction of CO² emissions of 85,000 kg and a cost reduction of £21,840.

The CO² figure is based on 43g carbon per kW/hr grid electric. The cost is based on a rate 11p per kW/hr.

The zoo has just completed its first solar power scheme on site, which complements the solar hot water scheme that was completed 12 months ago.

The project has addressed the energy used by the filtration system that cleans the penguin pool and that has now been reduced by 60%.

Water consumption is a big issue for the zoo, too.

Mr Morrison explained: “We have our own boreholes at the zoo from which we extract water for different uses. With the old pumps, the water would come out at the same rate however much or however little was needed, and this led to waste.

The elephant enclosure at Chester Zoo contains sub-tropical plants that need to be kept at a certain temperature “But now we have installed new pumps. The motors have a variable speed drive and this gives us much greater control.”

Not all efforts made by the zoo have been hi-tech.

Every door on the rhino enclosure was fitted with thermal curtains which act as draft excluders. These

still allow the rhinos to access the outside areas while also minimising heat loss from the inside.

The Energy conservation and efficiency project at the Elephant and Penguin exhibits reduced energy spend by £38,000 and CO² emissions by 132,000 kg in 2009.

“Heating the space in the elephant

enclosure is important because it contains sub-tropical plants that need to be kept at a certain temperature,” added Mr Morrison.

These exhibits featured as the case study at the North West Energy Forums 2009 conference.

Two manufacturers that Chester Zoo has used are now using their

work as a case study to promote business worldwide.

Mr Morrison said: “I attended the North West Energy Forum at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Liverpool a few months ago.

“I talked about the project and they ended up using us as a case study.”

Buy As You View makes £6m of ‘green’ investments

NORTH-WEST retail and consumer finance company Buy As You View has invested more than £6m on eco-technology in a bid to go green.

The investment made by St Helens-based Buy As You View throughout 2009 supports the firm’s eco policy to significantly cut its carbon footprint.

Commercial director

28

Andrew Deeley said: “During the past 12 months, the economic climate has forced many companies to cut back on their investments, but Buy As You View has bucked the trend by committing more than £6m to ecofriendly measures.”

They include £5m to replace 500 company cars with an eco-friendly model

and £900,000 for a greener home delivery service which will reduce the corporate carbon footprint by up to 20%.

This involves the installation of a specialist logistic management tool – Paragon Multi-Depot Software – to enable Buy As You View to plan and allocate daily delivery patterns and regular customer home visits more

efficiently. This, the firm hopes, will considerably cut carbon emissions among the fleet by reduced mileage and greater fuel efficiency, as well as improving its distribution.

The company has also invested £250k on handheld computers for account managers, to reduce paper wastage.

Andrew Deeley, of Buy As You View

HOW GREEN IS YOUR BUSINESS?

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

From left: Lord Mandelson; Bob Hall, of Green Lite Solutions; and Small Business Minister Lord Davies, at a reception at Number 10 Downing Street

Mandelson praises Cheshire lights firm Green Lite managing director attends reception at 10 Downing Street SECRETARY of State for Business Lord Mandelson has praised a Warrington company which supplies firms with environmentally-friendly lighting.

Bob Hall, managing director of Green Lite Solutions, met Lord Mandelson at a reception at Number 10 Downing Street earlier this month.

The company took advantage of a £450,000 loan backed by the Government’s Enterprise Finance Guarantee to access capital its needed to grow.

Lord Mandelson said: “Small businesses are the lifeblood of the British economy and we recognise what an important role they have played in getting the country through the recession.

“Bob Hall is an inspiration to his community and a good example of why support from Government was so crucial over the downturn.”

Mr Hall said the business had been able to expand its workforce by nearly 20% from 70 to 83 employees as a direct result of the financial confidence provided by the Government support.

He added: “When you are sourcing equipment from places as far afield as the Far East and they require Letter of Credit payments, the funding assisted this facility.

“The Enterprise Finance Guarantee has helped us towards realising our potential. Not only has it sustained us through the recession but it has also allowed rapid growth in the past year.”

Lord Mandelson and Small Business Minister Lord Davies said the reception at Number 10 was an important opportunity to acknowledge the considerable effort Britain’s 4.8m small and medium-sized firms have put in to keep their businesses afloat through the recession.

“The Government remains committed to standing alongside the business community,” said Lord Davies.

“We have extended the Real Help for Business Now package to support small firms with their growth plans in the recovery.”

Green Lite Solutions is the new trading name and identity for Direct Lamp Distribution, a former wholesaler and distributor of

lighting equipment to retail and trade buyers.

The Green Lite concept offers the customer energy design, product supply with a full three-year guarantee, installation and maintenance.

The firm was started with the help of a £1.25m funding package from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) which comprised the EFG loan.

Its services include a full energy audit and evaluation of the current lighting systems at a customer’s premises.

This is followed by a suggested redesign using energy-efficient LED lighting where possible, to help lower energy bills and reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

LED lighting uses up to 80% less

energy than halogen or fluorescent lighting, meaning that a business can significantly reduce its energy bills and carbon footprint by changing its lighting source.

LED lighting also requires less maintenance and lasts much longer when compared to traditional lighting sources.

Direct Lamp Distribution was originally established by its directors, John Millar and Mark Dempsey, in 2004.

The duo also owns and operate Eurotec Services GB, a sister company based in Warrington, which, over the past 15 years, has provided electrical maintenance and testing services to blue-chip clients such as national retailers and DIY chains.

Research shows NW companies are not doing enough ONLY a third of north-west firms have made any environmental improvements during 2009, a new study claims.

The survey by ENWORKS also reveals that only a fifth of companies in the region plan to make improvements in 2010.

This is despite Government research that shows North West companies could save the region's economy £713 m through improved resource

efficiency. ENWORKS, the North-West’s business support programme, which co-ordinates environmental advice and training to companies, carried out the survey.

The results come at a time when the environmental impact of climate change is high on the agenda among leading policy makers in the region following Copenhagen.

ENWORKS surveyed more than 2000 companies of all

sizes and sectors but found the region’s businesses are still not doing enough.

The survey found that companies’ motivations for implementing environmental improvements are to save money.

Low impact measures, such as turning off lights, installing low energy light bulbs and increasing recycling, were the most popular improvements made and the reasons given were to make cost savings.

However, these low impact measures are not enough, says ENWORKS. Director Todd Holden said: “Low impact measures are a step in the right direction, but are unlikely to dramatically reduce overheads, which we found was the most common incentive. More than 90% of the businesses we work with go on to make improvements to their resource efficiency, and we need to enable more companies to do that in 2010.”

Todd Holden, director of ENWORKS

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PROFESSIONAL SECTORS

Private equity market may be Advisers cautiously optimistic that deals will flow again in 2010 after upbeat start to the year

Private equity house Kohlberg Kravis Roberts bought Pets at Home for £955m, in a deal welcomed by analysts IFE is returning to the private equity market – that’s the view of the region’s professional advisers, after a number of recent high-profile deals.

The market for private equity deals has been badly hit by the recession, and recent research showed the value of private equity deals in the North-West had slumped by more than three-quarters in 2009.

But major deals earlier this year have sparked a wave of optimism among accountants and lawyers that the deals market will soon come back to life.

In January, private equity group Bridgepoint sold Cheshire-based Pets at Home to fellow private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR).

That same month, survival equipment maker Survitec was the subject of a £280m buy-out deal by private equity firm Warburg Pincus.

Survitec owns Birkenhead firm RFD Beaufort, which employs more than 150 people.

Colin Gillespie, north-west corporate finance partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said: “There have been encouraging signs of life in the private equity market in the last couple of months, with some significant high-profile transactions, albeit in the secondary and tertiary buyout space.

“PE investors have spent much of

L

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the last year on housekeeping within their portfolios and the key focus for the next 12-18 months will be realising value – we certainly are seeing an increase in appointments well ahead of a planned process.

“At the same time, there is still a shortage of mid-market transactions, particularly primary deals, due to ongoing uncertainty in market conditions and vendor price expectations. However, the pipeline of opportunities is encouraging.”

This month, the latest research from Nottingham’s Centre for Management Buyout Research (CMBOR) showed that the total value of private equity-backed buy-outs in the North-West fell from £1.87bn in 2008 to £432m in 2009.

Just 54 buy-outs were completed in the region – the lowest level since 1989.

However, KPMG’s quarterly review and predictions for management buyout (MBO) activity has shown that deal values are starting to hold up, suggesting a slow but assured increase in private equity activity in 2010.

John Hughes, head of private equity for KPMG in the regions, said: “While our latest research shows that management buyout activity in 2009 was just 35% of the volume we saw in the heady days of 2007, analysis of the last two quarters shows a fragile stability taking hold.

“If the activity of the last six months is maintained – and, indeed, our own pipeline of activity suggests there may be a gentle increase – we could see 125 deals done this year, taking deal activity up to two-thirds of normal levels. Indeed, activity is also taking on a more ‘healthy’ disposition with the balance tipping away from ‘distressed’ deals, which made up 50% of activity in last quarter’s analysis.”

Mr Hughes warned that the stability in the market was fragile and could easily be undermined by any economic shocks.

But he remained cautiously optimistic that more deals would be done in the North-West in 2010.

He said: “Certainly, the old adage that 'good deals will get done, whatever the climate' still rings true, as evidenced by last month's sale of Pets at Home to KKR. “However, my contacts in the North West Private Equity community are also telling me that more deals will be done with more equity – and I believe them. There is certainly enough money sloshing around, both in the traditional private equity houses and in the new quasi-funds which are starting to come to market, for activity to start picking up again, and soon.

"This new-found bullishness among private equity houses will inevitably lead to increased

competition for the best assets. As a reflection of this, some sales processes are already being run as auctions, and I can only see this continuing.”

Some economists have predicted that there may be a flurry of flotations this year as the world economy edges into growth. Mr Hughes, however, says many firms earmarked for flotation may end up in private hands. he said: “While it is certainly true that the credit squeeze has tied the hands of many private equity investors and deal activity in recent months has been hottest in the corporate market, there are signs that the eagerly anticipated float pipeline may, in fact, be snapped up by private equity.

“The public markets can sometimes be suspicious of ‘twin track’ processes, where companies are offered to both private investors alongside a float proposal.

“Historically, stock markets have responded more favourably to a strong public offering with no perceived ‘safety net’ of a private sale. The sales rationale in the current market for a ‘twin track’ process is understandable, but the sale of Pets at Home suggests that the private equity market is very much back in the game.

“While the appetite of the public markets for fundraising was the

surprise story of 2009, private equity appetite for big ticket deals could be the surprise story of 2010.”

Aziz Ul-haq, director in Deloitte’s north-west corporate finance advisory team, said this region had been particularly badly hit by the collapse in the number of private equity deals.

He said: “Over the past 18 months, the private equity (PE) market has fallen to its lowest level of activity since the mid-1990s, which has had a significant effect on the North-West, as home to the largest number of PE houses outside London.

“The financial crisis effectively locked out PE deals from the credit markets, making it very difficult to finance leveraged buy-outs. As a result, 2009 saw PE houses spending a lot of time managing their portfolio companies, preserving cash, aligning cost bases with slower economic growth and, where appropriate, restructuring over-leveraged capital structures.

“Exits were also difficult as the secondary buy-out market was affected by credit liquidity, the IPO market was closed and trade buyers were largely focused on recapitalising balance sheets or unwilling to meet price expectations.”

Mr Ul-haq agreed the PE market was on the road to recovery.

He said: “The credit markets have

PROFESSIONAL SECTORS

bouncing back

LEGALLY

SPEAKING

By Stuart Watson, company commercial practice group at Hill Dickinson

Q

I'VE been involved in several acquisitions over the last ten years, and have found that the standard legal due diligence process was of little practical help.

How can the process be enhanced so I can attain a more thorough and relevant evaluation?

A

Ian Hodgkinson, of Mace & Jones – money always talks and never more than now opened up considerably over the last six months, particularly for mid-market deals. We have seen an increase in the number of banks actively competing to finance PE deals and leverage is beginning to creep up, albeit within sensible limits.

“This has been reflected in an increase in deals completed over recent months and new deals coming to the market, and we are already seeing a significant increase in activity compared to this time last year.

“Overall, we are cautiously optimistic as, historically, the best returns for PE deals have come from investments made in the first year of an economic recovery. For that reason alone, 2010 could prove to be a very successful one for PE houses seeking to invest.

“Larger deals are also making a comeback, the buy-outs of Pets at Home and Survitec reflecting increased confidence in the PE model and the leveraged finance markets.

“However, this has been somewhat tempered in the last week by aborted IPO plans for the PE exits of Travelport, Merlin Entertainment and New Look.

“Looking forward, the legacy of the financial crisis will see capital structures being more conservative as the PE portion of funding for deals

will be closer to 50%, compared to 15-20% in the boom period of 2008.

“PE houses are adapting to this new environment with a renewed focus on performance and strategic expansion at the expense of pure leverage-driven returns.”

Richard Harding, private equity partner at Ernst & Young, said it was more important than ever that vendors kept their prices reasonable.

He said: “It is likely that we will see more private equity-backed deals in 2010 than in 2009. However, I wouldn’t expect a substantial increase while the economy is still fragile.

“In a weak economy, only the very best companies will be attractive: those with a strong growth story, credible management team, and a conservative balance sheet.

“Price expectations are a potential hurdle. Vendors will need to be realistic and set sensible price levels to see more deals being done.

“The recession has realigned valuations for the majority of assets and taught private equity the value of a strong management team and the importance of reacting quickly and flexibly to changes in market conditions.

“There is still a great deal of uncertainty and some volatility in global markets impacting on investors. We are likely to see more PE deals at sensible multiples in the

latter half of the year, post general election, when investors may feel more confident about the economy, potential spending cuts and potential changes in the tax environment.

“What will help drive PE deals are: stabilisation of business earnings to help businesses forecast; a realisation that valuations may not materially change in the near term; more clarity on a potential capital gains tax increase; and a compulsion to make those strategic decisions, sooner rather than later.”

Ian Hodgkinson, corporate partner at Liverpool law firm Mace & Jones, said: “There is no question that private finance muscle has the potential to flex considerable influence over the corporate scene.

“Money always talks and never more than now. For business angels and private equity companies, there are rich pickings to be had.

“Under-performing businesses, that were poorly run before the recession, but able to muddle along on easy credit, can now be picked up for realistic prices.

“The challenge then for private equity firms is to identify those that are under-performing but with potential – rather than terminal basket cases, of which there are plenty around. Then they have to find the talent to turn these relegation zone strugglers into title contenders.”

HAVING been involved with many acquisitions, I agree that the single biggest criticism from funders and management alike was that the legal due diligence process was of little practical help during the acquisition process.

Legal due diligence is generally regarded as a necessary evil, a box ticking exercise and of limited assistance to the acquirer in agreeing the price or shaping the transaction they are looking at.

A due diligence report may be produced to varying standards and with differing levels of detail, and is often compiled at the last minute.

This means that it often arrives too late for the purchaser and their advisers to be able to effectively use the contents of the report and, as a result, reflect any adverse issues in the price or structure of the deal.

The majority of due diligence reports are comprehensive in regards to the amount of information contained, but this information may not be particularly well presented or organised. In real terms, this means it’s difficult to siphon out relevant data and use the information effectively.

Hill Dickinson recognised that there were significant shortcomings in this way of reporting information, and set about designing an innovative and intelligent solution.

Following detailed discussions with a number of clients, funders and experts in the field, we developed “Intelligentsia”, a formal legal due diligence service.

Intelligentsia is unique in its approach to the due diligence process and is organised as follows: 1. We ensure a meeting of the target company and its management team is arranged very early on in the process.

Positioning the legal issues in

the right commercial context is a core element of the Intelligentsia system. For example, it is difficult to comment on the implications of employment issues if you don't know how many staff there are, or how much they earn; 2. Present the initial report to management/their advisers well in advance of the compilation of the formal report. Management are busy and, in the early stages of a deal, the time pressures are intense.

To assist, we summarise key issues in a PowerPoint presentation and formally brief management on the issues to enable the lawyers to focus on the important aspects of the deal; 3. By highlighting specific concerns to the management, they have the opportunity to address these in their negotiations on price, rather than raise these issues when the final written report is received. At this late point in the deal, it is often difficult to alter key elements without causing considerable disruption; 4. We present our findings to the funders and their lawyers face-to-face, so we can discuss any issues and provide information and solutions during these meetings.

This lessens the inevitable time delays of discussing issues via numerous and lengthy email threads; 5. When the final report is produced, it contains an “executive summary” to specifically address the key issues in a clear format with comprehensive recommendations. The issues and recommendations are coded according to a unique “traffic light system” to help the reader prioritise what needs to be done; 6. Finally, we detail a number of post-deal action points and cost-saving recommendations. This gives the acquirer a structured plan to work from in the immediate post-deal period, which is key to a successful acquisition.

By following the Intelligentsia process, we have found the format provides a smart, effective and practical structure to enable a smooth acquisition that limits the stresses that often arrive during transitions.

‘Legal due diligence is generally regarded as a necessary evil’

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TRANSPORT NEIL SCALES MERSEYTRAVEL is now a big hitter in the Liverpool City Region's tourism economy.

Last year, we contributed £34m and created 743 fulltime equivalent jobs in the area.

There's more to come because we are currently in talks with Wirral Borough Council as the preferred bidder to acquire the Pacific Road Arts Centre, Taylor Street Transport Museum and the historic Birkenhead Tramway.

For those who may be puzzled as to why Merseytravel is involved in tourism, the answer is simple.

It was a strategy launched to safeguard the future of the Mersey Ferries.

Back in the 1930s, Mersey Ferries carried in the region of 33m passengers a year, but, with the advent of the second Mersey Tunnel, the rise of the car, the decline of the Port and the provision of reliable cross-river rail journeys, the numbers fell rapidly year by year.

It became obvious that we could not continue with just a simple cross-river commuter service even though, under the ferries’ Charter, we have an obligation to do so.

To discontinue the service would have required an Act of Parliament, which would have been as difficult to get onto the statute book as it would have been unacceptable to the people of Merseyside.

We could have down-sized the business, but I decided the answer was to continue to invest in the ferries with the emphasis on tourism.

Today, with the addition of the Beatles Story, Spaceport

and The U-Boat Story, the Mersey ferries are the most popular paid-for tourism attraction in the region.

The independent survey on the economic impact of our attractions was produced by England's Northwest Research Service – and it was conducted last year at the height of the current economic crisis.

It shows our policy is paying handsome dividends .

Currently, about 750,000 people use the ferries every year. About 343,000 tourists come here as a result of the attractions offered by Merseytravel and 16% of this number are from overseas.

The tourism industry within our region is forecast to grow by over 30% within the next decade, which bodes well for our own attractions.

We now have strong tourism attractions at each of our three ferry terminals.

The transport museum is a hidden gem and we intend to capitalise on this by attracting some of the increasing number of visitors to the Woodside ferry terminal. The terminal, near the increasingly popular U-Boat museum, has undergone a dramatic refurbishment, including superior restaurant facilities.

We're currently awaiting the 50,000th visitor to U-534, which is now more than 30% ahead of its target and, with a co-ordinated tram service between the Woodside terminal and the museum, we can deliver increasing numbers to our proposed new attractions.

Finally, a large proportion of the visitors travelling to our attractions will also be using public transport.

An aerial view of the U534 U-Boat, at Woodside, Birkenhead

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in association with

Maritime summit

Merseyside’s maritime trade group to stage major conference MERSEY Maritime Group, which promotes the region’s maritime sector, is planning its first summit conference in five years.

The trade body, which also includes the Maritime and Engineering College North West (previously Laird Foundation) will hold the conference on April 23.

Mersey Maritime, formed to grow the maritime sector of the local economy, was launched in February, 2003, and is based at Monks Ferry, Birkenhead.

Jim Teasdale, Mersey Maritime Group chief executive, said: “We’re going to say ‘this is the story so far’ and talk about plans for the future and discuss how we move forward.

“There are 1,700 companies involved in the maritime sector, and it’s a very strong community in this part of the world.

“Yet there’s still the perception that not much is happening these days in the maritime sector.

“The reality is that there is a fantastic amount going on, with some 26,000-28,000 people employed.

“They generate around £2.5bn turnover annually, which is 15% of the Merseyside economy.

“The summit is about raising collective awareness among the wider business community and public.”

The maritime sector is private business led, backed by Mersey Maritime Group and public bodies.

From the initial 566 organisations who signed up five years ago, Mersey Maritime has seen this nearly treble to more than 1,700 members.

These range from high-profile companies like Cammell Laird to maritime services and small charities.

Around 85% of Mersey Maritime members are SMEs (small to medium-size enterprises).

Arguably, it is these smaller companies which need the protection and clout that Mersey Maritime can give them. This is the only UK regional maritime trade group of its kind.

“Although marine engineering accounts for only 5% of the membership, its impact is much bigger,” said Mr Teasdale.

“Until we were formed, the maritime sector was fragmented and dispersed, in spite of its importance.

“People were busy getting on with running their businesses and had no time to study the bigger picture.”

An agenda was set to co-operate on wider business development, communications, infrastructure projects and education and skill development.

“We devised a business plan underpinned by these four key elements,” said Mr Teasdale.

“We operate as the fulcrum between the private and sector and public partnerships.

“One of the challenges is not only being an honest broker, but reacting to international policies and issues.

Dave Pendleton and Annette Parker with MM’s crane simulator “We need to lead by example, as we regard ourselves as the industry’s biggest advocate.”

Most recently, this has included fighting the ports rates, in which the Valuation Office Agency issued non-domestic rate bills to port-based businesses in 2007-8, back-dated to 2006.

As a result, some firms have ceased trading and others are struggling.

Mersey Maritime is also concerned with the hike in light dues, which is the levy on shipping companies to pay for UK and Irish lighthouses and buoys.

This disadvantages UK ports, as there is no equivalent tax on the Continent.

Following a Mersey Maritime demand survey in December, 2009, for member feedback, it is planning roundtable discussions next month.

Mersey Maritime CEO Jim Teasdale “This will help us gather information to shape our plans for 2010 onwards,” said Mr Teasdale.

The group is also updating its resources to include new training simulators.

TRANSPORT

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Miami trip to lure more liners

The sight of Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 – the world’s largest ocean liner – by the Royal Liver Building last October, has transformed Liverpool’s cruise industry image

Queen Mary 2 visit helps Liverpool hit the big time at the world’s top cruise convention in the US LIVERPOOL will have its biggestever presence at the world’s premier cruise convention later this month.

This will be Liverpool Cruise Liner Terminal’s fourth appearance at the Miami Seatrade Convention, which runs from March 15 to 18.

For the first time, Liverpool will have its own dedicated space on the Cruise Britain stand.

Already, pictures of Cunard Line’s flagship, Queen Mary 2, in front of the Royal Liver Building, taken on her maiden visit last October, have caused a sensation in the industry.

“This picture has gone round the world and done more than anything to promote the city’s cruise status,” said Angie Redhead, Liverpool Cruise Liner Terminal manager.

“It proves what we’ve kept saying, which is that the biggest cruise liners can berth in the heart of the city.

“I’ve had people tell me they didn’t really believe it when we said we could get the biggest ships into the heart of the city, but this is proof.

“Cruise industry representatives have told me that they suddenly realise what we’re offering.

“It’s been a fantastic calling card for us, as this is the picture that paints a 1,000 words.

“Disney Cruises is really excited now about coming to Liverpool.

“They say it fits their family image perfectly and has easy walking access to the city.

“This is also a major plus about Liverpool for many cruise lines.

“However, Disney has yet to establish a European cruise presence.

“Disney has appointed a UK person to start the marketing, but the cruises won’t begin before 2012.”

This will probably be a tie-in with Disneyland Paris, with the liner based at Le Havre or Cherbourg.

Representation at Miami Seatrade, in Florida, is vital for any organisation seeking credibility in the cruise industry.

Liverpool has produced a 26-page promotional magazine called Liverpool – A World-Class Cruise Destination.

It is being put in all delegate and cruise executive promotional bags.

After the impact of the QM2/ Royal Liver Building picture, Liverpool is now using the slogan: “Large cruise ships in the heart of the city”.

Angie Redhead said: “The Beatles is the easy sell, but there is big

interest in the cultural offer of the Tate Liverpool and its Picasso exhibition this summer.

“Passengers are always asking about the Tate, they’ve clearly done their research in advance.

“It’s refreshing they’re not all just asking about The Beatles, but looking for the Walker and the museums.

“The Merseyside Maritime Museum’s footfall goes through the roof each time a liner visits.”

The financial impact on the city centre is huge, with each ship visit disgorging 1,000 to 4,000 passengers and crew into the centre.

This year, there will be 17 cruise liner visits to Liverpool, compared to 14 last year.

Yet this is nowhere near Dublin’s average of 85 annual visits, Cork’s 50-plus or Belfast’s 30-plus.

“At conventions, I try and glean what other ports offer and how we can compete,” said Ms Redhead.

“But Cork, Dublin, Belfast and Greenock are our allies, not rivals.

“We’re all Irish Sea ports and should be on the same itineraries.

“Most cruise planners are Miamibased and it’s surprising how limited their geographical knowledge is.

“Dublin has a lot of repeat calls.

Angie Redhead – Liverpool Cruise Liner Terminal manager They get it right and are a fixture on round-Britain itineraries.

“Its ashore offer are pubs and ‘the craic’ which Americans love.”

The passenger benchmark is Princess Cruises’ passenger ratings, which gave Dublin a 91% satisfaction score, with Liverpool second at 89%.

The 3,000-passenger megaliner Crown Princess will make four calls this summer.

A new repeat visitor is Aura, of TUI’s Aida Cruises, part of the TUI empire, calling four times from

Germany. Meantime, a considerable coup for the magazine has been a ringing endorsement from Simon Douwes, Holland America Line’s director of deployment and itinerary planning.

He wrote: “The city of Liverpool has become a very attractive destination over several years.

“The terminal is smack in centre of the historic city. Most attractions are an easy stroll from the terminal.

“The tour programme has the variety and the quality we’re looking for, and it’s a very successful part of this great port of call.

“The Beatles are not the only great attraction in an amazing array of historical and cultural highlights.

“Our passengers love the city of Liverpool and it will remain one of our great destinations.”

Ms Redhead said: “This is a terrific endorsement from a highly influential figure in the industry.”

While at Seatrade, Ms Redhead will meet officials from Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line.

“These are two of the biggies we’ve not yet cracked. NCL do go to Ireland, and are enthusiastic about Liverpool,” said Ms Redhead.

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34

LDP REGIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS

Are you a business tiger?

Sir Michael Bibby was awarded tthe DLA Piper Businesss Person of the Year title at last year’s regional Business Awards

The 2010 Regional Business Awards will honour the region’s most successful firms IT’S the Chinese Year of the Tiger – and, as the city heads to Shanghai’s World Expo in spring, LDP Business is on the look-out for the roaring successes of the business world.

Despite two years of economic woes, many businesses across the region have remained strong through a combination of ambition, innovation and plain hard work.

The Liverpool Daily Post’s Regional Business Awards – now in their 19th year – have always sought to recognise the sterling work that our businesses and business leaders do in improving our region’s prosperity.

This year, the awards dinner will be at a new venue, Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, on Thursday, May 27, hosted by Peter Sissons.

Liverpool Daily Post editor Mark Thomas said: “As a salute to Liverpool’s involvement as the only UK city to take part as an exhibitor in the World Expo in Shanghai in 2010, we are giving this year’s event an Oriental theme.

“The year ahead promises to be a more positive one for the business community in our city region, after the difficult times we have all had to fight our way through over the last 18 months.

“Fragile though they may seem, the signs of recovery are out there, and the businesses who have shown the drive, foresight and courage to steer the most effective course

through the recent economic downturn are those who will be best placed to prosper.

“Our awards are open to any firm, big or small, that operates in the region. If you think your company, or another business you know well, deserves the recognition that these awards bring, please complete the nomination form.

“We would be delighted to receive your entry, and I hope very much to see you at the awards ceremony in May.” There are nine awards which enable businesses big and small, start-ups and long-established firms to be recognised for their achievements in the last 12 months.

ROYAL MAIL SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR The award for businesses employing up to 50 people that can demonstrate all-round business excellence.

It was won last year by fast-growing St Helens-based Elite Telecom.

MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Judges will be looking for specific business achievements and a strong financial performance from businesses employing between 51 and 250 people.

RS Clare, winners in 2009, had transformed its fortunes in recent

years within the competitive chemicals sector, helped by significant R&D investment.

O2 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARD This award will be presented to the private sector business or individual, judged to have the best history of taking into account the effect of the business operations on the community and the economy.

This can include companies that give time or money to charities or the voluntary sector.

Last year, Eli Lilly’s relationship with the communities around its Speke factory caught the judges’ attention.

LIVERPOOL VISION INVESTMENT OF THE YEAR Can your company demonstrate how investment since January, 2009, has had a beneficial impact on your business and local economy?

Firms that are new to the region or existing businesses making fresh investments are eligible.

T-Systems, the billing and direct mail arm of Deutsche Telekom, last year created 40 jobs in Bromborough.

KLM EXPORT BUSINESS OF THE YEAR With the World Expo highlighting the importance of international trade, judges are looking for the company that can demonstrate a substantial and sustained increase in export activity over the past 12

months. They will be looking for evidence of barriers that have been overcome and the degree to which the overseas trade has benefited the region, as Runcorn-based Tall Security Print did last year.

LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY KNOWLEDGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR The Knowledge Business of the Year category is open to any business engaged in the commercialisation of research and development of intellectual property, including pure sciences, technology, software or professional know-how, irrespective of size or stage of development.

The judges will be looking for evidence of, or at least the clear potential for, profitable trading in the knowledge sector, as well as a beneficial economic impact to the region.

Aimes Grid Services, which provides high-volume advanced internet services to the business market, were the stand-out winner of this award in 2009.

GREEN AWARD Painting and decorating firm Roy Hankinson Group last year found a way of recycling 50,000 used paint tins a year. Has your business made a similarly positive contribution to the environment?

KPMG BUSINESS OF THE YEAR This award is for the region’s

outstanding large business, employing more than 250 people.

Judges will consider evidence of a strong financial performance, excellent business achievements, contribution to local prosperity and other specific initiatives that make you stand out from your peers – as resurgent shipbuilders Cammell Laird did a year ago.

DLA PIPER BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR Do you, or does someone you work with, truly stand out from the crowd.

Do they help to not only grow the reputation of their respective organisation but also the region, showing the entrepreneurial spirit that typifies the region’s resilience and resurgence? Last year, Sir Michael Bibby won the award – joining the Duke of Westminster, George Downing, and Peel Holding’s John Whittaker as a winner of the award.

■ THE awards are open to any business operating in the Daily Post circulation area of Merseyside, West Lancashire and north-west Cheshire.

To enter one or more of our award categories, please get in touch with the Daily Post’s events department for an application form by telephoning 0151 472 2570 or download an application form at www.regionalbusinessawards.co.uk The closing date is Wednesday, March 24.

35

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ADVERTISEMENT

Righttxt is right for Science Park

Righttxt is all set to move into Liverpool Science Park, by the RC Metropolitan Cathedral

Media company brings jobs to Liverpool Science Park LEADING new media communications development company Righttxt plans to hire eight staff with its move into Liverpool Science Park.

The opening of the Liverpool office’s first phase will create posts for developers and sales positions.

The mobile technology specialists leased a double suite of offices in the Science Park’s Innovation Centre 2.

This is a major investment in Liverpool for Righttxt, which is among the UK leaders in the development of new media communications tools and applications.

Ian Appleton, Righttxt managing director, said: “Opening our second UK office in Liverpool offers us an opportunity to grow the Righttxt brand in the heart of the knowledge quarter, during an exciting time for the mobile communications sector.

“We are leading the way in the development of applications for mobile technology that brings greater power into the hands of business owners and users.

“We are recruiting the best of the talent the Liverpool city region has to offer, and we are a huge growth business for anyone looking to fast-

track a career in mobile communications.”

Righttxt is an innovator for growth in multiple platform, mobile marketing communications.

These range from simple SMS, MMS and Bluetooth, through to mobile tags, mobile app development and all aspects of the mobile web.

It means businesses can communicate with their customers with instant access.

Chloe Young, Science Park business development director, said: “This dynamic company represents a high-growth sector in the region.”

Liverpool consolidates lead in marine sciences LIVERPOOL University’s Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL) is to become a partner in the new UK marine research community.

The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) will be formed by bringing together the Proudman and the National Oceanography Centre,

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Southampton, into a single institution.

The NOC will work closely with the wider marine community to tackle the big environmental world issues.

The research priorities include the oceans’ role in climate change, sea level change and the future of the Arctic Ocean.

Deputy vicechancellor Jon Saunders said: “The University works closely with the Proudman Oceanographic Lab in areas such as climate change research, sea level science and marine renewable energy.

“The development of the new National

Oceanography Centre offers opportunities for even greater collaboration, and will consolidate Liverpool’s reputation as a world-leading centre for the study of marine science.”

The NOC will have a key role in providing national capability to meet the needs of all UK marine research.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Professor Stephen Flint, left, and Dr David Hodgson, from the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, at the University of Liverpool, out in the field in South Africa’s Karoo area

University digs deep for oil data

First rock cores are analysed by Liverpool scientists in £1m project to discover deep sea fossil fuels

LEADING world oil companies have given £1m to University of Liverpool scientists to explore oil and gas reserves buried deep in submarine channels.

The project’s first sample bores are now being analysed in South Africa.

The Liverpool scientists are working with 13 leading oil companies to increase knowledge of these fossil fuel reservoirs.

Prof Stephen Flint and Dr David Hodgson, from the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, have been awarded £1m by a global consortium of oil producers including BP, Shell, Exxon, Mobil and Total for their studies.

They are researching how sand is transported along deep-sea submarine channels and deposited in them at undersea continental margins.

Submarine channels transport sediments such as sand, mud and silt from shallow marine waters to the deep sea.

They contain much of the recently discovered oil and gas reserves outside the Middle East.

The cost of drilling a well to extract new reserves in slope channel reservoirs can cost over $50m (£29m), so it is crucial that the right position is targeted.

Ancient channel systems in the Karoo area of South Africa, which are now exposed above sea level, are being studied.

Only sand-filled channels can produce oil, so scientists at the University have to predict which channels are filled with mud and silt and therefore unusable, based on analysis of the characteristics of the Karoo systems.

Prof Flint said: “We have used the latest laser imaging, satellite mapping, helicopter-based high resolution photography and 3-D computer modelling in our field work to capture the data required to understand and predict sand transfer and storage mechanisms.

“The computer models will be used by oil companies to guide development of new oilfields across the globe, helping to guarantee future energy supplies and increase the efficiency of oil recovery.”

Academically, the data will improve understanding of the mechanisms of sand transfer from shallow shelf to deep ocean floor, helping to predict and analyse how submarine landslides and natural hazards like tsunamis occur.

Prof Flint said: “We’ve drilled boreholes in the Karoo and retrieved tubes of rock core.

“We have a PhD student in South

Ripe for exploration – a typical channel in the Karoo area of South Africa Africa analysing these rock cores.

Being in the Karoo is like walking on a dry sea floor.

“It’s far easier and cheaper than surveying at sea.

“This helps us to understand how channels form and the findings can guide drilling for wells.

“We’re not actually looking for oil, but the detailed data as to where it could be.

“An example is the sand coming down the River Congo and flushing along these channels, on to the sea floor.

“As more sediment covers them,

they act like giant longitudinal sponges. The oil migrates into these sponges and we work out which direction and where these channels are.

“The oil companies need all the data they can get, so exploration can be as focused as possible.”

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EDUCATION

Disseminating ancient Oriental The Liverpool City Region aims to improve business opportunities with the economic powerhouse

Prof Michael Hoey, who will be the University of Liverpool’s link with China and the forthcoming Shanghai Expo, which could reap rich rewards for the region’s businesses F TWELVE Confucius Institutes in the UK, the University of Liverpool’s is seen as a flagship after its official opening last October by senior Chinese politician Madam Li Wenyi.

Liverpool’s decade-long twinning with Shanghai; the creation of a Liverpool campus at Suzhou, near Shanghai, in partnership with X’ian Jiaotong University; and the city’s forthcoming participation as the only UK presence at the six month-long Shanghai Expo in May, establish the region as a leader in encouraging and enabling cultural and trading links with the world’s powerhouse economy.

But the region’s standing in China could be enhanced even further, should a bold bid by Edge Hill University to set up its own Confucius Institute succeed.

Prof Michael Hoey, University of

O

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Liverpool pro-vice chancellor for internationalisation and director of its Confucius Institute, pledged to work with Edge Hill if it succeeds in its quest, as well as Liverpool’s Chinese community – one of the oldest in the West – to extend the benefits of the Institute to as wide an audience as possible.

Institutes are established in conjunction with the Chinese Government and work with local schools, businesses and the community to offer language skills and cultural awareness.

Prof Hoey acknowledged Liverpool’s fortune in establishing a Confucius Institute: “There are not many in the world, and we have the privilege to be one of these places.

“Our objectives are to make people more aware of Chinese culture and to assist local businesses to prepare them for work in China, which is particularly timely with the

Shanghai Expo coming up.” To assist firms heading to Expo, the Institute will provide courses in introductory Mandarin – China’s language of business – and a measure of cultural awareness to avoid the kind of faux pas that could jeopardise a business deal that Liverpool has been guilty of in past receptions for visiting Chinese VIPs. Prof Hoey said: “We then want to assist people who have made Chinese contacts to the full.”

Another key objective at the Institute is to make the Chinese language more accessible for businesses and, possibly, tourists.

“All Institutes would seek to serve these main planks, but there are two things that distinguish us from other Institutes, in that Liverpool is one of only two UK cities to be asked to go to the Expo (London pulled out last year) and the other factor is we are recognised because of Liverpool’s

previous relationship with the University of Souzho and our role for education in China.

“That gives us a unique set of possibilities, because most universities with an Institute will have a Chinese population, but we are the only Institute that is a university that has set up and helped to develop a massively successful and large university in China.

“Our Institute is seen as a flagship in the UK, and I will be in Shanghai for quite a lot of time seeking to establish Liverpool’s priority in terms of dealing with the UK. “We can’t expect to be given higher priority than London, but we will emphasise that Liverpool is the next best place to deal with both educationally and in business terms.”

Prof Hoey continued: “As a result of Expo, our businesses will have a deeper understanding of Chinese

than any other city. We are uniquely placed as a city with one of the oldest Chinese communities in the world outside China.

“And, as a result of Capital of Culture, we have a reputation for the diversity of cultures we foster.

“We will be able to claim a fully knowledgeable and complete understanding of China’s business place in the world.”

The Professor intends to exploit every opportunity to immerse the Institute in Chinese culture and aims to develop close links with the city’s Chinese community, which should also enable him to liaise closely with Edge Hill, should it succeed in its bid to establish a Confucius Institute, as Alan Seatwo is both the Liverpool Chinese Business Association chief co-ordinator and knowledge management specialist with Edge Hill University.

Prof Hoey said: “The Chinese do

EDUCATION

wisdom to a new generation of China. Neil Hodgson outlines how two of our universities aim to reap the benefits of historic links

Alan Seatwo, who represents both the Liverpool Chinese Business Association and Edge Hill University encourage co-operation between Institutes in other countries, and we have discussed the possibility of cooperating with an Institute in Rwanda.

“But we would be happy if an Edge Hill Institute wanted to work with us.

“We all work towards a common goal. We want to investigate all the ways we can to make contact with local businesses. Edge Hill’s presence as an Institute would help in that work.”

He said two Institutes could complement each other, given Liverpool’s strength in research and Edge Hill’s specialism in teacher and health care training: “We would be entirely happy to collaborate, but both of us would seek to deliver to our own strengths.

“There is no point in having programmes that clash, so we would seek to harmonise programmes and

support each other rather than divide an audience.” Mr Seatwo agrees that Liverpool’s Chinese can provide an invaluable insight into their culture for the city and the Institute and is keen to develop close working links with the university.

“The university has to recognise the expertise within the community.

“They need not have the same capacity of academic understanding, but clearly they have lots of hands-on experience and first-hand understanding about culture and business processes in China and an appreciation of Chinese politics.

“That type of expertise has probably been overlooked and the university should realise that knowledge can develop within, through collaboration with different parties.”

He said this area of contact with Chinese delegations has often been overlooked in past receptions that

city leaders have organised for Chinese VIPs and, perhaps unwittingly, the city has put high-level noses out of joint.

“They don’t appreciate that even seating at a business meeting is quite important.

“Money is the universal language, but in order to sustain a business relationship you need to have a broader understanding about each party.”

He added: “There needs to be an appreciation of how China has gone through the process of economic development, as well as some perception of the political system.

“I think it is even more important we have more dialogue to enhance our understanding.

“In the future, whatever Government, there will be more cuts in public spending, so it makes sense to collaborate more with the voluntary sector, like our community.

“It would be a pity to miss this opportunity to maximise our resources and avoid duplication of work.”

He said the same applies to Edge Hill University’s application to China to establish its own Confucius Institute.

“In Edge Hill, we excel in teacher training and health care training.

“We will be looking at Mandarin teacher training which has great demand and we will look at using language to enhance our understanding of business practices and green issues on a consultancy level, for example, on sustainable building design.”

Edge Hill has established links with South China University, in Guangzhou, which is two hours from Hong Kong and one of China’s key commercial zones.

Mr Seatwo said if they are granted Institute status the university hopes

to involve the nearby Ormskirk community in “catching the Chinese wave”.

“We hope to see an agreement with South China University some time this month and aim to be up and running for the next academic year.

“The project will enable students and the local community to study the Chinese language.”

He said combining language studies and teacher training could offer students the right qualifications to equip them for the employment market of the future.

“We would want to explore more exchanges between the two universities in terms of research collaboration and staff training, and at the same time not overlooking the opportunity for links with businesses in both countries for overseas placements or employment opportunities for students.”

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THE NETWORKER

BUSINESS LUNCH Peter Elson meets property lawyer Andy Green, the new head of DWF’s Liverpool office, at Delifonseca N LINE with today’s clock-watching corporate ethos, Delifonseca is the perfect city centre eaterie.

A classy, yet informal, small restaurant, it is set on the mezzanine floor above the basement deli.

Just the kind of place to drop into for a quick lunch, which never-theless can be guaranteed to quell the lunchtime hunger pangs and stimulate the taste buds.

There is a choice of seating at long communal tables or in a row of dark leather booths for more secluded meetings.

Just the sort of place one hopes would appeal to a busy property lawyer like Andy Green, newly appointed as an executive partner at DWF, who will head the Liverpool office’s operations.

He seemed perfectly satisfied with the chance to enjoy a Great British Platter, while I pushed out the fishing boat with a fillet of pollack.

Both dishes came with leafy salads, which seemed odd on a bitterly cold February day, but, by the end of the meal, we were both replete and staggered away from our booth to our respective offices in Old Hall Street.

Andy’s platter comprised rare-roasted Welsh black beef, a slice of roast crust pie, Shropshire back ham, Mrs Kirkham’s Tasty Lancashire cheese, potato chive salad and tangy pickle.

Clearing his plate, he declared this main course to be excellent.

Never having cast my line for pollack in a restaurant before, I found I’d reeled in a firm, tasty and meaty white fish.

The sauce was delicious and the chunky chips deeply rewarding on such a winter’s day.

While Andy showed due diligence for his waist-line (he’s a former amateur rugby and tennis player), I went for the full pig-out with a dessert of strawberry and apple crumble, swimming in custard.

Fabulous.

As for drinks, in line with modern, healthy living we stuck to a diet Coke, still water and two filter coffees. Truly an expenses manager’s model couple.

Delifonseca is the kind of place which relies on a cultured, informed, well-heeled clientele, who know about food, and expect high standards and a wide range of food.

That, in turn, depends on the city’s success in providing suitable jobs with which to keep them here.

So how does Andy think the city is faring, since returning from running DWF’s real estate practice in Deansgate, Manchester?

“I remain excited about what’s going on in Liverpool,” he said.

“The cranes haven’t disappeared

I

completely from the skyline. As a development lawyer, you notice this.

“I left Liverpool 7½ years ago to work in Manchester, although my wife Julie and I continued living in Barnston, Wirral.

“Coming back, the place is unrecognisable through regeneration.

“It’s not just Liverpool One, but the Echo Arena, the Beetham developments, Princes Dock hotels and the Cruise Terminal.

“This is serious regeneration for the city, which will multiply as each of these major assets brings in people and money.

“Besides all the extra service industries which are generated, if visitors have been for a night at the Arena, they’ll notice Liverpool One and come back to visit that.

“Having sat in my Liverpool office for 21 years through the 80s and 90s, I’ve witnessed its ups and downs, with unfortunately more of the latter.

“Liverpool and Manchester have a very different feel to them.

“There is still a loyalty about Liverpool business people.

Manchester is more cosmopolitan as it’s so much bigger.

“Whereas, in Liverpool, businesses stay loyal to advisors and suppliers, which gives this place a more rooted character.

“I was born in Birmingham, grew up in Solihull and started my career lecturing in law at Chester, but now I regard Merseyside as my home.”

He met his wife in Chester and their first taste of Liverpool was when she became a maths lecturer at Liverpool University.

DWF has bucked the economic cycles by steadily expanding since being founded in Liverpool in 1977 as Davies Wallis.

In 1988, it merged with Dodds Ashcroft, of Liverpool, and a year later with the well-known Manchester law firm of Foysters.

After practising as Davies Wallis Foyster, the firm became DWF in 2000.

Readers will be pleased to note that Andy was sent from Liverpool to Manchester to give the real estate team there “a bit more oomph”.

He said: “They were a good team, but needed some direction.

“I was lucky enough to attract some good Manchester clients, some of whom I’m delighted to say are still with me.”

In Liverpool, he is now responsible for co-ordinating DWF’s operational and business development activities.

One

Delifonseca, Stanley Street, Liverpool – just the kind of place to drop into for a quick lunch personal benefit is that he no longer spends 10 hours a week battling though the commuter rush on the M56.

This finally gives him a chance to indulge himself in visiting the theatre, which he loves.

Now his two daughters have left home, he also hopes to start piano lessons again.

Andy has advised on many high-profile regeneration and development projects in Liverpool He is currently working on Project Jennifer, the £150m public-private sector regeneration of Great Homer Street.

“The role of law firms has changed a lot in 40 years.

I remember we used to go all over the country arranging liquor licences for supermarkets.

“I got out of that as it was incompatible with the property work I was doing.

“When I joined Davies Wallis, we had a staff of

Andy Green

about 15-20 people. Now it’s 1,000 across the UK. “Even in these tough times, our insurance and litigation teams have grown and our transactional teams have held their own.

“There are 275 staff in our new offices in St Paul’s Square, off Old Hall Street, which we moved into last year.

“These are superbly-equipped, advanced premises and moving here shows our commitment to Liverpool’s regeneration.

“They’re a big improvement on our former offices at 5 Castle Street.

“It was a shame to leave them, as there were board rooms with wonderful old panelling.

“But it got to a point where they were just too old to be fit for purpose.

“This is one of the Liverpool business district’s big problems: lovely old characterful buildings which need massive upgrading to be viable.

“It’s very sad to see somewhere historic like the White Star Building, in James Street, lying empty.”

Will there ever be the cash to refit these offices and return them to use?

“I’ve no reason to suspect we’re not coming out of recession,” he said.

“It’s a multi-faceted story.

Developments are still going up with

public money, for which we should be very grateful. But there is uncertainty for the region, which is not doing anybody any good.

“If the Conservatives come in, they won’t promote regeneration here.

“It’s crucial for this region that there are funds available to kick-start developments.

“While we can’t be entirely dependent on public money, the Northwest Development Agency has produced some very good projects and continues to work hard.

“I am particularly pleased DWF continues to play an integral part in Liverpool's business community.

"Besides helping to drive the business still further, it’s also a pleasure to lead our work on behalf of Alder Hey Hospital."

DETAILS Delifonseca, 12, Stanley Street, Liverpool L1 6AF Tel:0151 255 0808 Cost: £40

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THE NETWORKER

THE BUSINESS LIST Tuesday, February 23

A networking event for “social pioneers” is being held by Striding Out, at Chaya, Wood Street. It is aimed at people who are either running or interested in starting a business that makes a positive impact on the local community, environment or society.

It is from 6pm-9pm. For details, visit http://tinyurl.com/socialpioneer

TUESDAY, MARCH 2/ BREAKFAST IN AREA 51 – ONSTAGE AT THE ECHO ARENA

Friday, February 26 The Daresbury business breakfast brings together around 100 people working for hi-tech companies and their supply and support communities.

The breakfast is at Daresbury Innovation Centre, starting from 8am. For more details, see www.daresburysic.co.uk/events

Tuesday, March 2 DWF is holding a breakfast seminar at its St Paul’s Square office on the Equality Bill. It has teamed up with specialist employment barristers from 7 Bedford Row to explain to employers the effects of the bill, which becomes law later this year.

It starts at 8am and is scheduled to finish at 10.30am. For further details on this event and to register, visit www.dwf.co.uk

Tuesday, March 2 The Halton Chamber of Commerce 1stuesday event will take place at Virgin Talent Academy. The event will cost £5 for members and £10 for non-members, and this includes a light breakfast and coach travel to the Talent Academy in Crewe.

To attend, call Nicola Holland at Halton Chamber on 01928 516142 or e-mail nicolah@ haltonchamber.com.

Friday, March 5 Judith O'Brien, managing director of IT Answers, is talking about online communication and marketing through microblogging in Liverpool Chamber of Commerce’s 60 Really Useful Minutes series.

It is free for members and £5 for non-members. To book, call 0151 227 1234.

Networkers at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce’s new event will follow in the footsteps of stars such as Pink, on the Echo Arena stage SOME of Liverpool’s most “secret and exclusive” meeting places will be opened to networkers in a new project inspired by legendary US Air Force base Area 51.

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce will next

month host the first of its Breakfast In Area 51 events, designed to give business leaders the chance to visit places they may otherwise not get the chance to experience.

The first event will be held on a place seen by

Tuesday, March 9 My Networking PA is hosting its monthly networking coffee morning

thousands every week but seldom visited – the stage at the Echo Arena.

The event will allow networkers to see the stage from the performer’s point of view while hearing from Bob Prattey, chief executive of the Arena and

Convention Centre Liverpool, about the venue’s plans for the future.

The events are named after Area 51, the Nevada airfield whose existence is barely acknowledged by the US Government.

That secrecy has seen it

Wednesday, March 17

at Coffee Republic, in Exchange Flags. The free event is from 10am-12pm. For more information, call 0845 301 7406.

The Liverpool Curry Club is an informal event hosted by My Networking PA where the networking takes place over a curry.

It is at Mayur Restaurant, Duke Street, from 6pm-8pm, and costs £15. To book, call 0845 301 7406.

Tuesday, March 9 A Marketing Made Easy seminar is being held at St Helens Chamber.

The one-day event will cover four areas – market research, advertising, knowing your business, and digital marketing.

It costs £11.75 for members and £23.50 for non-members. To book, visit www.sthelenschamber.com

Thursday, March 11

Ramada Chester – hosting B2B lunch

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The West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber is holding a business-to-business lunch at Ramada Chester.

It is from 12pm-2pm and costs

become a magnet for conspiracy theorists and the base is central to much UFO folklore.

Tickets for the event cost £15 for Chamber members and £25 for non-members. For more information, visit www. liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Wednesday, March 24

Judith O’Brien, of IT Answers, is presenting a seminar on microblogging on March 5 £15 for members and £23 for non-members. To book, call 01244 669988.

At St Helens Chamber’s business breakfast, John Haynes, life coach and business advisor, will talk about the key success principles companies need to think about for a successful 2010.

David Hitchen, healthy workforce adviser for St Helens Chamber, will also give a short presentation on the benefits of having a healthy workforce. Register at sthelenschamber.com

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Winner of

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Originale Cucina Italiana

Tel: 0151 227 5700 41 Castle Street L2 9SH www.sancarlo.co.uk info@sancarlo.co.uk Roberto Durante Head Waiter

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THE NETWORKER

ALISTAIR HOUGHTON . . . in which the world of networking meets the world of real ale, and the city’s secret meeting places are revealed ATE, as one should never forget, moves in mysterious ways.

Last time round, I suggested that my ideal networking event might feature a beer festival.

And, lo and behold, it came to pass that an invitation to the Mersey beer world’s party par excellence came into my hands.

The golden ticket, my very own key to the magic kingdom, was an invitation to the official opening of the Liverpool Beer Festival, the annual celebration of all things ale in the crypt of the Metropolitan Cathedral.

In case that should sound like shameless freeloading, I should point out that I had already bought a ticket. And that's something you can’t do on a whim.

If you want a ticket, you have to know on which December morning to turn up on Mount Pleasant to join a lengthy queue of good-natured yet cold drinkers patiently waiting to grab their tickets to nirvana (maximum of four).

But then that anticipation, and the fact you feel you’re part of some secret society (well, CAMRA), are all part of the attraction.

Last Thursday’s opening was

F

brought to us by Edinburgh’s Caledonian Brewery, who stepped in to sponsor the event after Cains’ troubles of last year.

For a couple of hours before the festival opened to the ticket-carrying hordes, us special few were able to enjoy a sneak preview of three fine Scottish ales. And do some networking, of course.

Thankfully, at beer festivals, you are generally given a half-pint glass to carry around. After all, a full pint of foaming ale is, perhaps, not the easiest thing to carry round when trying to schmooze and impress.

If you're clutching a small bottle of Continental lager, or a glass of wine, or even a soft drink – it does happen – you can multitask. You can swap business cards, or grab the glossy brochures that are too often – distressingly – referred to as "marketing collateral".

Camra is very keen to point out that this is the only beer festival in the UK to be held in a cathedral.

But it is, of course, not the only cathedral in Liverpool you can have a drink in – as you'll doubtless see at our very own Regional Business Awards in May at Liverpool Cathedral. Unless the business community has decided to take a vow of sobriety by then . . .

Pop sensation Lady Gaga performing at the MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto in last June – a model for Mersey entrepreneurs?

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HE beer festival also reminded me just how wonderful the crypt of the Metropolitan Cathedral is.

It’s made all the better for me by the fact that, although it’s a huge space, it somehow feels like a slightly secret place.

If you didn’t know about the chequered building history of the cathedral, you would never guess at the existence of the dark, elegant, brick-vaulted halls beneath the brash brightness of the 1960s church.

But – as the thousands of visitors to the beer festival show – it’s not a totally unknown quantity and is open to the public.

There are, however, some places in Liverpool that are far less accessible – yet ideal for networking.

That, at least, is the hope of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, which is organising a new series of events inspired by mysterious US Air Force base Area 51.

The new events, dubbed Breakfast In Area 0151 – see what they did there? – aim to take the art of networking to the city’s most inaccessible places.

Area 51 is, of course, the top-secret Nevada airbase that attracts UFO conspiracy theorists like a tanning salon attracts WAGs. But it’s unlikely that these Chamber meetings will excite the interest of famed UFO lover Robbie Williams – after all, who could imagine a business meeting attracting little grey men?

Instead, they look to be an intriguing chance to glimpse unseen corners of the city. I’ll await future venues with interest – how about the mysterious dungeon hidden under Fazakerley Street, or in an echoing cavern dug out from one of those mountains of scrap at the Port of Liverpool.

But the first venue is one that many thousands of us have seen but so few of us have ever stood on – the stage of the Echo Arena.

That will give networkers, of course, the chance to shout “Hello Liverpool” at the top of their voices.

But the real question, of course, is: Will networkers be expected to go on stage in full Lady Gaga get-up? Will we see Jack Stopforth and his comrades greeting guests in costumes made of plastic bubbles?

Perhaps canapés could be fired from cannons in homage to AC/DC, or maybe Power Point presentations could be ditched in favour of a Pink Floydian sound and light show, in which a giant, symbolic red tape is cut by a giant inflatable pig.

Still, let’s hope no-one follows Lady Gaga’s approach by coming onstage in a corset adorned with fireworks. After all, we wouldn’t want anyone singeing their canapés.

T

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SOCIAL DIARY THE NETWORKER

At the After Hours event, from left, John Haynes, Liverpool Coaching Academy; Jenny Stewart, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce; and Ian Clarke, Purple Wine Company

CAROLYN HUGHES THE Red Door Neighbourhood Bar and Kitchen, due to open in West Kirby in April, hosted a Cocktail Tasting evening at GUSTO, in Heswall, to sample cocktails from the proposed new menu. The new bar and restaurant is the latest collaboration of Living Ventures Tim Bacon, and Dave Hinds, and the venue – previously a funeral parlour – is currently being fitted out.

■ THE Living Room, in Victoria Street, hosted an Ultimate Girls Night In on Thursday. Liverpool’s most stylish ladies were bowled over with Philip Armstrong’s latest collection. Hair was

provided by Zoo Salon and make-up by Bobbi-Brown.

Khan Dental showcased the latest in teeth whitening, Botox and fillers, while David M Robinson showcased a stunning collection of jewellery.

■ MERSEYSOUND Productions hosted Liverpool Chamber’s Business After Hours last week to showcase its latest product, an audience response system provided by partners, IML. The funfilled evening included a demonstration of the latest in Voting System Keypads, designed to provide another level of interactivity in the corporate events market.

Bryan Foy, Sam Bushell, Christine Johnson, and Sybaris Lomax-Dwent, at the Girls Night In event

Jenny Lemon and Teresa Bickley, of Ness Gardens, at the Red Door cocktail tasting

Joe Hull, general manager, GUSTO, Heswall; and Lee Lynch, director of bar operations, The Red Door; with Dave Hinds, of The Red Door, enjoy the cocktail tasting

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Khalid Khan, of Khan Dental; and Melanie Gravell, of Bioform Medical, Radiesse; at the Girls Night In event

Mandy Molby and Yvonne McCormick at the Red Door cocktail tasting

Ben Gooch and Andy Chandler, with Mosquito manager Elliott West, at the Girls Night In event

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