Post Business - 28th February 2013

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Economic Development 18-19

Taxing times HMRC puts the squeeze on small firms

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Deadline On 15 March 2012, the Department of Health introduced deadlines for new cases requiring assessment for NHS CHC funding eligibility.

The remaining deadline applies to previously un-assessed periods of care, which occurred between: 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012 The deadline for those assessment requests is: 31 March 2013 Contact the CHC Team at NHS Merseyside* for further information on how to notify the Primary Care Trusts of an eligibility assessment request.

This notification should be given within the above deadline. Some cases may be accepted after this deadline, in exceptional circumstances.

NHS Merseyside Continuing Healthcare Team PO Box 23, Nutgrove Villa, Westmorland Road, Huyton L36 6GA

* NHS Merseyside includes Liverpool Primary Care Trust, NHS Halton and St Helens, NHS Knowsley and NHS Sefton.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

news post business

Inenco urging firms to avoid trap of energy over-payment SMALL firms are over-paying for their energy by up to £2.5bn a year by failing to keep track of basic information, such as contract renewal dates, according to Liverpool-based Inenco Direct.

Its warning comes as regulator Ofgem revealed falls in Britain’s power production capacity are likely to lead to

more energy imports and customers paying more for power.

Inenco, which provides analysis and advice on energy, said 70% of Britain’s five million small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)were affected by overpayment.

And it said one-in-four firms have had their energy contracts ‘rolled over’ onto

higher rates – which can be up to 200% higher – without their knowledge.

It is calling on the Government to ensure energy firms put contract end dates on all invoices so SMEs can shop around for the best deal.

SMEs have also been urged to ‘take control of their destiny’ and ensure soaring

energy bills don’t tip them over the edge by being fully aware of contracts and their time spans.

Inenco managing director Karen Trepte said: “Knowledge is the key to ensuring businesses have the power to keep their energy bills in check. That means ensuring they know the contract they

are in and when it ends.

“It also means shopping around, looking for as much advice and information as you can to get the best deal.

“Keeping energy bills in check is crucial to small businesses that are feeling the effects of a double-dip recession and challenging economic conditions.”

Taskers set to open two new stores amid rising sales

by Tony McDonough POST BUSINESS STAFF

tony.mcdonough@liverpool.com

DIY and home furnishings chain Taskers is defying the economic gloom by opening two new Merseyside stores.

In an interview with Post Business, Taskers managing director, John Tasker, says he has seen a lift in sales both in the stores and online in recent months.

In the first few weeks of this year there has been a number of high-profile retail collapses, including Jessops and HMV. And in Merseyside, the Liverpool city centre-based Rapid Hardware has also fallen victim to the recession.

However, Taskers is reporting sales well ahead of budgets. It says in 2012 its sales in wall coverings were up 15%, furniture up 30%, kitchens up 25% and bathroom sales up 6%.

Mr Tasker also said that he expected a huge increase in website traffic this year, taking it beyond 1m hits for the first time. Taskers mainly operates from two warehouse-style outlets in Aintree and Wavertree.

In the next few weeks it is launching Taskers Decorative – two smaller outlets of around 5,000 sq ft in Formby and Heswall, each selling lighting and decorative accessories This will take total employee numbers from the current 250 to around 270. Mr Tasker said: “It is not all gloom and doom.

“Yes it is very tough, but there are success stories and I think it is important to remind people of this.

“In a tough market like this you have to work hard at things.

“If you look at Comet and HMV, I think there were weaknesses in those businesses and they didn’t really keep up with the times.

“If you don’t recognise that you have to change then you are going to fail.”

Mr Tasker added that online traffic was already up by 60% this year with sales up by more than 100%.

“Admittedly that is from a low base,” he said, “but it is growing fast and we now have four people working full-time developing the site.”

Taskers, a 50-year-old family business, also has a sister company called Formby Cycles which is building a new warehouse to cope with what Mr Tasker called “unprecedented demand”.

He acknowledges that the core DIY and furnishings business is very much linked to the rise and fall of the housing market.

“We have seen a lot of contraction in the sector and we cannot pretend it has been easy,” he said.

“Hopefully, we are over the worst of it now and we have seen an increase in our market share so we will benefit when things really start to improve.”

In late March, Chancellor George Osborne will deliver his Budget and, like many businesspeople, Mr Tasker is looking for measures to help bring growth to the economy.

He said: “I would really like to see a reduction in business rates. We currently pay around £600,000 and it is our second-biggest cost. I’m not sure what we get for that.”

add to its existing fuels fleet.

Suttons group managing director Andrew Palmer said: “We are delighted Total chose to award this business to Suttons. This strengthens our position as a supplier of bulk fuel transport.”

Record revenues at gap personnel A RECRUITMENT firm with a rapidly-growing Liverpool branch is eyeing another year of double-digit growth after posting its highest turnover in 2012.

The gap personnel business recorded a 19% rise in group revenues of £72m to December 2012, the 15th consecutive year of growth which puts the group on track to achieve its target of breaking the £105m sales barrier by 2015.

The firm employs 185 staff and places and payrolls 7,000 temporary workers a week.

Gary Dewhurst Despite challenging trading conditions, gap’s Liverpool branch achieved solid year-onyear growth of 63%.

Within the North West the group has high street branches in Warrington, Preston, Crewe and Burnley.

Founder and chief executive Gary Dewhurst said: “I’m proud to say that in just 15 years gap personnel has become one of the country’s most successful privatelyowned recruitment businesses.”

He added: “Our growth also justifies the ongoing investments being made within the organisation.”

POST

MOBILE Taskers managing director, John Tasker, is upbeat about prospects

Suttons wins petrol transport deal WIDNES-based global bulk logistics provider Suttons has sealed a new contract with Total UK for the distribution of petroleum products through its road tanker division.

It involves an investment by Suttons in new equipment to

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The contract focuses on business-to-business commercial fuel deliveries. Suttons operates business centres in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Japan.

■ Big Interview – P12-13

Success for Mole MOLE Group, the Upton underground engineering specialist, won the Business Innovation category at the E3 Business Awards in Bolton.

The firm was recognised for its Combisave device, one of its green products range, which fits to domestic combi-boilers and can accelerate the heating of water, saving both water and energy.

For News, Sport and Business on your phone

Text LDP to 67800

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

post business big feature

Bill Gleeson

Taxman’s grip

Bigger problems to worry about than Britain’s credit rating

Tony McDonough examines a major and imminent change to PAYE that will hit small firms

DURING a recent strike

by BBC journalists, I was struck by how pleasant it was to wake up in the morning free from the sound of a wide awake Radio 4 presenter imparting some deeply gloomy news about Syria, the eurozone or horse meat.

Instead, the BBC was forced to repeat previously recorded programmes about such things as the Pope, Nobel prize winning economic theories and other such interesting matters, some of which was encouraging and uplifting.

There is of course plenty to worry about.

This week, for example, the BBC’s (and others) doomsayers have had a field day following Moody’s decision to trim Britain’s credit rating from AAA to AA1.

The damage from the re-rating is probably limited. It could mean that Britain will end up paying a few billion more to the money markets to finance public debt over several years. It’s relatively small change compared to the hundreds of billions the Government spends every year.

Its political consequences are more interesting. After all, it means that Chancellor George Osborne hasn’t been as much of a brutal axeman as he should have been if he wanted to keep our AAA status. Missed a trick there, didn’t he?

Right wing Conservatives will see him as quite the fiscal softy, an impression that will be reinforced by his apparent unwillingness to stiffen his sinews now that Moody’s has spoken. Perhaps he thinks he has already found the upper-limits of the nation’s tolerance for austerity.

The Chancellor is right to withstand any temptation to knock many more tens of billions of pounds off public spending.

It’s not so much that the Government hasn’t been thrifty enough. It’s more that the UK economy hasn’t grown as much as predicted by the Office for Budget Responsibility. Despite its independence from Government, the OBR has managed to be as overly optimistic about eco-

OT SO long ago the UK taxman’s slogan was “tax doesn’t have to be taxing”.

However, mention that to someone running a small business in the next few weeks and you may well get a reaction that isn’t repeatable in a family newspaper.

From April 6, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is introducing something called Real Time Information (RTI) which may have major implications for the way some companies operate.

RTI relates to the operation of the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system.

When a firm or organisation pays its employees’ monthly salaries, it then has 14 days to make tax and national insurance payments to HMRC. However, under the current system there is a large degree of trust because HMRC has no way of knowing whether that payment is correct.

For example, if in a particular month a firm is owes the taxman £10,000, it may actually only pay £5,000 and it won’t have to pay the shortfall until it makes its annual tax declaration at the end of the financial year.

This allows many companies to have a tighter control over their cashflow over the course of the year.

Or as Des Veney, a partner at Liverpool accountancy firm, Haines Watts, puts it: “Some people are using HMRC as a tax-free bank.”

From April 6, employers will be obligated to inform HMRC electronically exactly who they are paying and how much either before or on each monthly payday.

This means that the subsequent PAYE payment the firm makes within 14 days will have to be exactly right. If it isn’t, they are likely to get a knock on the door.

Mr Veney believes part of the motivation for this change may be because HMRC is no longer considered to be a preferential creditor when a firm goes bust.

“Now, if a firm does collapse, the revenue might not get the money it is owed,” he added. “So they want to make sure they collect it before that happens.

“Under the current system the revenue does not have much of a clue what it is owed each month but under RTI it will have that information straight away.”

Mr Veney also believes another motivation for the change is to give the Government more up-to-date information on benefit claimants.

“Some staff, particularly if they are working part-time, may also be claiming benefits,” he added.

“RTI means the Government will now have a a more accurate picture of how much these people are being paid.”

Bodies representing small firms, as well as professional advisors, are concerned that too many small companies have not prepared properly for the introduction of RTI or, in some cases, are not even aware of it.

The Federation of Small Business recently carried out a survey of 1,700

nomic forecasts as HM Treasury used to be when it was responsible for growth forecasts.

At least on this occasion we can rest assured that the reason for these latest forecasting errors wasn’t political wishful thinking but is attributable to the vagaries of economic science.

We will get through this recession. The day will come when Britain and other nations return to trend, and even above trend, growth rates, and when that happens, we will forget all about the current hardships.

The snag is that Moody’s, among many others, think the UK is still years away from a return to growth.

One issue that Radio 4’s Today programme hasn’t mentioned, at least not within my hearing, is the invention of a new sociological term that describes a decades old problem that I have been writing about for many years.

Known as ‘social infertility’, the term refers to the one-in-five women in their mid-40s who don’t have children. The figure is at its highest level since World War II. Back then, the causes were obvious. Millions of young men who in peace time would be fathering the next generation were in foreign fields fighting and dying for King and country.

Nowadays, the cause is money and economics. In particular, it is overly-expensive housing.

Despite the recession and the decline in property values, homes are still too expensive for young people to afford. Without a home, the young are unable to start families.

The problem is compounded by the fact that many women have chosen to put off starting a family until later in life when they have saved the many tens of thousands of pounds they need for a deposit on a home, only to find it is too late as age-related medical infertility sets in.

This problem says more about the sort of society we have become than our credit rating does. Its consequences will last much longer.

People running small businesses may get a shock when RTI is introduced as a survey showed up to 25% had not even heard of it. Inset top, Des Veney, and, inset bottom, Joanne Nieman

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businesses which revealed a quarter did not know about the RTI changes and only 16% were prepared.

In the last few days, Merseyside accountancy firm, Mitchell Charlesworth, has issued a warning to firms to get their systems in place or face being fined.

The firm’s payroll manager, Joanne Nieman, said: “It is vital firms ensure their systems are ready for RTI. This is a fundamental change that will particularly affect cashflow. If a business does not pay the correct amount promptly they will be liable to a penalty.

“In the past, some firms will have underpaid their PAYE to help ease cashflow, perhaps paying in lump sums over a year.

This will no longer be possible without incurring a penalty.”

Ms Nieman said penalties will also be enforced from April 2013 if firms supply inaccurate data including the dates of births and names and addresses of employees on the payroll.

She added: “We are advising our clients to get ahead of the game and start checking their employees’ personal data before RTI is live to help correct any inaccurate

‘Some are using HMRC as a tax-free bank’

or incomplete records.

“If you are in any doubt about whether your payroll systems are correct and ready for RTI we urge you to take specialist advice.

“We believe RTI could be particularly problematic for property and construction firms.

“These types of businesses often engage sub-contractors who have tax deducted under special Construction Industry Scheme rules but they too will have to make prompt payment to HMRC to avoid penalties.

“Furthermore pubs, restaurants or any business employing casual workers will have to submit data under RTI even if they have not deducted any tax.

“Under RTI it is essential that firms have the correct details for these employees.”

Ms Nieman added that under the latest HMRC guidance, penalties for the late submission of RTI data, known as the Full Payment Submission (FPS), will not begin until April 2014.

However, the current penalty regime will continue to apply at the year end, with a penalty issued if the relevant P35 and P14 information is not filed by May 19, 2013.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

big feature post business

tightening on SMEs Paul Humphray of MSIF, left, and Chris Foran of Foz Electrical which has put procedures in place to cope with RTI

Business owners say rates and changes to the tax system are strangling growth in the UK

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NE Birkenhead firm has put new procedures in place ahead of the introduction of RTI. Foz Electrical employs 150 permanent and sub-contracting staff and turns over around £9m.

The company was started by Chris Foran and last year raised £300,000 to support its expansion through Merseyside Special Investment Fund and NatWest.

Foz finance manager, Malcolm Vaughan, said they first heard about RTI in September last year and were initially a little daunted by the prospect.

“When we first came across this our initial thought was ‘here we go again, more Government bureaucracy’,” he said.

“However, once we got used to the idea we started to see it as a good discipline.

“We have had to make sure that all our employee and payroll records are right up to date so that has been a useful exercise for us to undertake.”

Mr Vaughan acknowledged that some firms may use the present system to control their cashflow but he insisted that was not an issue for Foz. “We have always done our payroll in

the manner in which HMRC would like us to and we have undergone various audits to ensure we meet those requirements. Some people won’t like the new system but I think providing real-time information is now becoming normal in business.”

H

OWEVER, concern remains that too many small firms will get a big surprise when RTI comes into force in April.

Since April last year and RTI pilot scheme called RT PAYE has been in operation and a national firm, Inuit, has been working with HMRC to help SMEs update their systems.

Intuit claims many small firms still “have their heads in the sand” and it own research reveals just 32% of SMEs are prepared for the change.

It said this “inertia” was being driven by “confusion and complacency”.

“The changes to the payroll system may appear daunting to small business owners trying to juggle the pressures of running their company,” it added.

■ HMRC provides a complete checklist of the steps at www.hmrc.gov.uk/rti

‘We urge firms to take specialist advice’

SMALL FIRMS have given a resounding thumbs-down to the coalition Government’s changes to the tax system since it took office in 2010.

As the 2015 General Election fast approaches,many business owners believe the tax system is hampering their efforts to pull the UK out of its economic slump.

Research by the Cheshirebased Forum of Private Business (FPB) shows that a massive 94% of firms think business rates are now too high.

And they have taken a “dim view” of the coalition’s changes to the tax regime.

Overall, the changes were seen to be negative in terms of resolving issues around fairness, simplicity, efficiency, stability and certainty in the tax system.

The study showed 28% of business owners thought the fairness of the tax system had deteriorated, compared to 17% reporting an improvement.

A quarter thought it had become more complex,

opposed to 14% saying it has simplified.

And dealing a blow to HMRC, 26% said the efficiency of the tax system had got worse. Just 10% thought it had improved.

This latter point raises concerns about how HMRC will cope with Real Time Information (RTI) when it comes into being in April.

According to the FPB, so far, pilots of RTI have picked up very few problems and it has been working hard with HMRC to promote the changes to its members.

However, the research highlights a fear among businesses of how the Government will administer this huge change.

The research also showed the single biggest complaint small firms had regarding their current tax spending was business rates.

They feel that the level of taxation on commercial proper-

ties is now too high.

Two thirds of those surveyed said they saw no real benefits for the money they were spending on the tax.

A similar number reported that there were few local initiatives to support growth, with some feeling that local councils were actually hampering growth.

Just 3% of respondents saw no problems with business rates.

“It’s probably fair to say that business rates are the most despised of all commercial taxes by today’s small business owner in the UK,” said the FPB’s chief executive, Phil Orford.

“It’s a crippling tax that business owners simply have no choice but to pay, and for many who claim to see no discernible benefit to having paid up, it clearly sticks in their craw.”

The taxman is not popular with SMEs

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

post business wealth management

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Appetite for risk returns after indicators of growth emerge market analysis

by Will Roberts

LIVERPOOL OFFICE OF CHARLES STANLEY

GLOBAL equities have made a tremendous start to 2013 with the FTSE 100 Index rising by 6.4% in January, its best gain since 1989.

Although this sprint start invites some caution because ‘we’re not out of the woods yet,’ equities still continue to offer relatively good value.

The global manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) expanded to 51.5 in January from 50.1, and the world economy appears to be on a slow, but steady, upward path back to normal levels in the second half of 2013.

At the same time, major risks have partly diminished, thus supporting a return of risk appetite.

Improved global growth could be led by the US and a recovery in Asia, especially China.

In the US, the first estimate of Q4 GDP was a shock number at a negative 0.1% (consensus was +1%) but this is not a slip back into recession.

The opposite is more likely, namely a pick-up in the rate of growth.

In recent months, there has been volatility in some areas like defence spending and inventories. For example, in the fourth quarter, defence spending fell by a massive 22%.

On the positive side, there was better growth in consumption (a key economic driver) and business investment

Will Roberts

despite Hurricane Sandy and the fiscal cliff worries.

Excluding the one-off negative effects around defence spending and inventory moves, fourth quarter GDP growth would have increased by 2.6%.

In addition, January non-farm payrolls increased by 157,000, which was in line with expectations, but there was a massive revision to past data. As an illustration of this, December was revised up by an extra 225,000.

In total, the US economy has added 5.5 million jobs since 2010 (revised up from 4.7m).

After the resolution of fiscal cliff worries it will be interesting to see if investment and hiring begin to accelerate. January’s Institute of Supply Management manufacturing index advanced to 53.1, compared to 50.2, and confirms US growth has started to move ahead.

Clearly, the eurozone economy is still weak, but the stabilisation of eurozone sovereign debt markets is undeniably positive news.

Significantly, the pace of deleveraging appears to have stabilised and GDP growth could surprise the market in the second quarter.

Against this more positive global background, the stage seems set for recent equity inflows to continue. The combination of increased corporate spending, accommodative central banks and higher cash payouts to shareholders could continue to boost equities.

There are risks, of course, and the main ones are political. Elections in Europe and potential battles within US government circles could rock the boat.

The eurozone appears to be past the worst but there is still potential for the “Club Med” countries to drag the continent back into chaos.

Meanwhile, the debt ceiling issues in the US remain and the emergency measures introduced in the USA in the New Year are set to expire in the not too distant future. However, there has not been a hard landing in China which is a boost for the global economy.

Indications of global growth, diminishing macro risks and valuations that are undemanding argue for further progress in global equities, albeit at a slower pace than in January.

However, the potential for politics to interrupt progress remains and that could throw up some buying opportunities for investors.

tries. The average retirement savings gap found across the research was two-thirds of that in the UK, at eight years.

While the UK has just over a third of the average retirement covered by savings, Malaysia has the most, with 71%, with the US and India coming second at 67%.

The UK was also beaten in the league table by countries including Egypt, China, France, Taiwan, Brazil, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada.

One fifth of more than 1,000 people surveyed in the UK said that they

■

WORKPLACE pension scheme membership slipped to a 15-year low in the UK during 2012, official figures show.

Just 46% of employees belonged to a workplace pension last year, marking the lowest level recorded since similar data began in 1997, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.

Pensions experts said that 2012’s trough should be reversed in the coming years amid landmark Government efforts to get more people saving for their old age.

The ONS said that the fall has been driven by a declining membership of defined benefit (DB) schemes, such as final salary schemes, which promise people guaranteed incomes when they retire, regardless of how well underlying investments have performed.

Employers have increasingly said that such schemes are too expensive for them to keep open for new members

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Global equities showing potential again as growth takes hold

Britons are ‘not preparing for retirement’ UK WORKERS are the worst-prepared for their retirement in a global study and typically face 12 years of having to make “significant cuts” to their living standards after their savings run out.

People in this country are heading for spending most of their post-work life simply scraping by, as their savings will last around seven years but their average retirement is expected to stretch out for 19 years, HSBC found.

The UK’s 12-year retirement savings shortfall was the biggest chasm in the study, which covered 15 coun-

notes

are saving nothing at all for their retirement and two-thirds fear financial hardship, compared with just over half of people globally.

Of those not saving for retirement in the UK, three-fifths said that high living costs are holding them back, with 35-44-year-olds saying they felt particularly squeezed.

On average, UK men had just under £73,000 put by in retirement savings including pensions, while women, whose working lives are often interrupted by starting a family, had around £20,000 less at £53,000.

FRAUDSTERS are stepping up efforts to trick people into handing over their personal details by bombarding them with fake tax rebate emails, the taxman is warning.

Almost 80,000 such “phishing” emails were reported to HM Revenue and Customs during 2012 and activity tends to increase around this time of year because taxpayers have just sent in their self-assessment returns.

The emails, which often contain a link to a clone of HMRC’s website, typically ask recipients to hand over their card and bank details, date of birth, national insurance number and their mother’s maiden name for a rebate.

Sellers are standing firm LESS than a third of current house sellers have knocked some cash off their asking price, in a further sign that confidence is returning to the market, a property website said.

Some 31% of homes on the market have had the asking price cut, marking the lowest proportion recorded in two-and-a-half years and a sharp drop from 37% a year ago, Zoopla reported.

The website suggested that sellers are becoming more likely to hold firm on their asking prices

amid signs that the market is improving.

However, the findings also point to sellers in the North being more likely to chip away at their prices to achieve a sale than those in southern regions.

Wigan, Barnsley, Rotherham, Preston and Doncaster were named as the towns and cities with the highest proportion of price-reduced properties, with around 40% of homes on the market in these areas having undergone such cuts.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

news post business A word from our sponsors

CORPORATE social responsibility really matters to Jaguar Land Rover.

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We were the first car maker in the UK to achieve the highly-regarded Community Mark in 2010 and achieved the 'Platinum' standard in the Business in the Community corporate responsibility index in 2012. These awards recognise our investment in community programmes, employee volunteering, and other initiatives.

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We are proud to sponsor the Ingeus Employer of the Year Award, which seeks to recognise the best employers in the Merseyside area.

LIVERPOOL Vision is proud to be sponsoring the Investment of the Year Award.

Liverpool Vision chief executive Max Steinberg said: "Despite the tough economic conditions, we have seen continued new investment by existing companies and those new to the city."

Liverpool Vision is the economic development company leading the city's transformation and building its reputation as a business destination through an ambitious programme of events, including the International Festival of Business in 2014.

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Firms urged to enter region’s top annual business awards

by Bill Gleeson

POST BUSINESS STAFF

bill.gleeson@liverpool.com

THE Liverpool Post is inviting entries from businesses of all sizes and types from across the region to enter its Regional Business Awards 2013.

Attended by hundreds of the region’s top business leaders, the newspaper’s annual awards are an established part of the local business calander.

To be hosted by former BBC broadcaster, Peter Sissons, this year’s final will take place amid the splendour of St George’s Hall in June.

The awards' 11 categories seek to recognise best performers from across a wide range of firms, including centuries-old multi-nationals all the way down the scale to recent start-ups. Our categories recognise such things as export success, commitment to the local community and good employment practices, among much else besides.

This week we are focusing especially on three categories. They are: Jaguar Land Rover Corporate Social Responsibility Award.

This category is open to businesses that can demonstrate a commitment to the local community that goes beyond their ordinary commercial operations.

This could be donations of time, money or expertise to good causes.

Liverpool Vision Investment of the Year.

This category is open to firms that have invested in the area since the start of 2012. This can include new arrivals to The Liverpool Post’s circulation area and fresh rounds of investment by firms that are already established here.

Ingeus Employer of the Year.

This category is for local firms that can demonstrate high levels of commitment and best practice towards their staff.

Shortlists will be drawn up based on information included in entry forms.

The winners of each category will then be decided after the judges have visited shortlisted firms.

The paper’s editor Mark Thomas said: “We are looking to recognise those firms and entrepreneurs whose endeavours are making a difference to the local economy.

“It’s all the more important to do that in these difficult times.

“It is precisely the sort of people will be gathered in St George’s Hall in June who will help this region build for its post-austerity future and create the jobs that will give hope to thousands.

“The Regional Business Awards are always a sell-out event.

“So don’t be slow to enter and sign

Mike Parker, chairman of Liverpool Vision, left, presents Chris Hughes, managing director of Regal Wholesale with the Liverpool Vision Investment of the Year award 2012 up for seats on the big night itself.

“We are grateful to all of our sponsors for their support, without which this event would not happen.”

The other categories in this year’s competition are: ■ O2 Business of the Year (Up to 50 employees) ■ Barclays Business of the Year (Between 51 and 250 employees) ■ KPMG Business of the Year (More than 250 employees).

■ The University of Liverpool Knowledge Business of the Year ■ Liverpool Chamber of Commerce

Exporter of the Year ■ Green Business of the Year ■ The Judges Choice ■ DLA Piper Businessperson of the Year.

To obtain an entry form or buy tickets for the awards dinner visit our special awards website at www.regionalbusinessawards.co.uk or e-mail events@liverpool.com or telephone 0151 472 2570. There is also a twitter account to follow at @LP_RBA The closing date for receipt of completed RBA entry forms is Thursday, March 14.

THE POST L I V E R P O O L

REGIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS2013

Wirral engineer Bibby on expansion drive with relocation A WIRRAL engineering firm celebrates relocation and expansion tomorrow with an open day at its new base.

Bibby Precision Engineering has moved location from Neston to Riverview Business Park in Bromborough, which is being officially opened by

Wirral Lord Mayor Cllr Gerry Ellis.

The firm was founded in Burton in 1948 by Walter Bibby and moved to Neston in 1955.

A company spokeswoman said the new premises include improved office space and a

30% increase in workshop capacity.

She said the move will also lead to an increase in its 23-strong staff, with new jobs for one engineer and two apprentice roles, and a further two apprentice jobs in September this year.

The move was with the support of Wirral Council and the spokeswoman said: “To move an entire engineering workshop is no small feat – we continued to work from our Neston factory and moved machines as they became available to our new location,

which were then installed and re-commissioned and ready for action in our fabulous newly-built premises.”

Customers can tour the new premises tomorrow and the official opening ceremony by the Mayor will take place at 2pm.

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

post business the bottom line

Quantitative easing impairs Rathbone’s banking profits

by Bill Gleeson

POST BUSINESS STAFF

bill.gleeson@liverpool.com

PEOPLE often forget that Rathbone Brothers isn’t just a fund management firm and that it is, in fact, also a bank.

It does take deposits, but the money it holds is mostly the cash of its private investment client.

This dimension had served it well over the early years of the banking crisis, but quantitative easing has reduced the margin Rathbone can make in the money markets.

Last week, it published its annual trading results. Bottom line figures remain stable, despite the uncertain economic conditions.

Total funds under management were £17.9bn at the end of December 2012, up 13.4% from £15.8bn at the end of 2011. Over the same period, the FTSE 100 Index and FTSE APCIMS Balanced Index increased by 5.9% and 5.8%, respectively.

Total net annual growth in funds under management for Rathbone Investment Management, the core of the business, was 6% (2011: 8%). This comprised £480m of acquired business from new investment teams and the acquisitions of RM Walkden & Co in April last year and AIB Jersey in October. In addition there was £440m of net organic growth, down on 2011’s £790m.

The group’s total income from all sources was £155.5m, up from £144m the year before.

The majority of that came from fund management with net operating income from Rathbone Investment Management accounting for £146.7m of the 2012 figure and £135.1m the year before, an increase of 8.6%. This excludes gains on disposal of financial securities of £1.1m in 2011.

Profit before tax was £38.8m for the year, a decrease of 1% compared to 2011.

Underlying profit before tax (excluding amortisation of client acquisitions, head office relocation costs and, in 2011, gains on disposal of financial securities) decreased 2.4% to £45.1m from £46.2m.

The rise in income was outpaced by the rise in operating expenses, which increased 13.8% to £110.5m, largely reflecting business growth and investment, higher performance-based staff costs and legal costs.

In his report, chief executive Andy Pomfret described 2012 as a “demanding” time for investors.

“While we continued to grow,

■

PRIMARK delivered more forecast-busting sales figures this week after an “outstanding” winter.

Despite austerity impacting on many European markets, the chain’s owner, Associated British Foods, said Primark’s sales for the six months to March 2 were expected to be 23% ahead of the same period last year.

It increased selling space by 13% over the past year, giving it 257 stores across Europe and almost 9m sq ft of selling space.

On a like-for-like basis, sales were up 7% on a year earlier.

This reflected good trading over the Christmas period, when jumpers and all-in-one pyjamas sold well, as well as comparisons with the warm autumn a year earlier.

■

Rathbone’s chief executive Andy Pomfret and, left, the firm’s Port of Liverpool Building office

increases in operating expenses, which were predominantly planned, contributed to a fall of 1% in profit before tax.

“Economic uncertainties remain, but there are a number of acquisition opportunities that we are currently reviewing, and we expect there to be more in 2013.

“We are keen to maintain capital to take advantage of these opportunities, and this was part of the reason for our recent placing, raising £24m.

“The market has been volatile during 2012 (with a maximum swing of 14.7% from high to low) but on average was similar to market levels in 2011 on our key charging dates.

“In 2012, the market was adversely affected by worries about the eurozone but in the latter half of the year these seem to have abated, in spite of medium and long term concerns in parts of Europe (Greece and Spain, in particular) not being resolved.”

As a bank, Rathbone has had to keep a wary eye on the eurozone’s troubles in case the crisis there leads to defaults within the banking system.

Mr Pomfret added: “As a bank, the cash in our investment management clients’ accounts is held with us on a banking basis and is then placed in the money markets.

“We have been monitoring our counterparties carefully during the year and the small amount of money that had been placed directly with Spanish and Italian counterparties was reduced to zero during the first half of 2012. We continue to monitor the counterparties in our treasury book and have recently opened an account with the Bank of England which currently pays base rate and in theory has zero risk. The activities of the Government and the Bank of England have continued to reduce money market rates, so the interest rate margin that we are able to earn on our treasury book is much reduced.”

Maritime disasters and superstorms hit RSA’s 2012 profits THE Costa Concordia disaster and Superstorm Sandy hit the marine division of Liverpool insurer RSA, which reported lower profits for last year.

It described 2012 as a “solid performance” and said total premiums rose 5% to £8.35bn.

But pre-tax profits fell from £613m to £479m and operating profits slid from £727m to £684m.

RSA said its emerging markets and Canadian businesses performed well,

notes

but business conditions in the UK were still tough.

Premiums in its home market were 2% up at £3bn, but underwriting profits of £39m compared with £62m due to the impact of adverse weather in the first half and a weak performance in its marine and commercial liability divisions.

The marine arm reported large underwriting losses due to the capsizing of the cruise ship Costa Concordia,

off the coast of Italy on January 13 last year, and the impact of Superstorm Sandy on the east coast of the USA last October.

Profits in the marine division were almost halved at £12m, compared with £23m.

However, RSA reported continued growth in premiums as it expands in its emerging markets, Canada and its global specialty lines.

The Capital Building-based business

in Old Hall Street, which employs 1,200 staff in the city, including its More Th>n general insurance operation in Mercury Court, said it anticipates a stronger COR performance of better than 95% in the medium term.

The board also announced a recommendation to “rebase” its dividend payment to shareholders at 3.9p per share, compared with a 5.82p payout in 2011, which it said was a “prudent move”.

PREMIER Foods failed to match analysts’ expectations when it published results for 2012.

The group, which employs 300 staff at its Manor Bakeries plant in Moreton, Wirral, saw revenues for its continuing operations fall from £1.99bn in 2011 to £1.75bn, although a profit before tax on its continuing operations of £4.4m compared with a £259m loss the previous year.

It said its planned disposals programme exceeded targets by £40m and was 20 months ahead of schedule and its cost reduction programme delivered £48m of savings and is ahead of plan.

Net debt was reduced to £950.7m.

The contribution of the grocery division decreased by £11.4m to £195.5m and bread declined by £24.8m to £26.9m.

Chief executive Gavin Darby said: “It is important now to maintain continuity and focus on executing our existing strategies to build further momentum in grocery while re-building value in bread.”

Graham Jones, an analyst at Liverpool stockbroker Panmure Gordon, said: “Premier’s results were below our expectation, but it was the second half performance in bread which stands out as particularly disappointing.”

Net debt rose £23m to reach £950.7m.

9

Thursday, February 28, 2013

small business post business

notes

small

business of the week

■

NEW funding has been made available to help 18-30-year-olds start their own businesses.

Start-Up Loans is a £112m Government scheme which works with partners around the country to deliver funding and free mentoring for promising young businesses.

Riverside Credit Union is the provider for Liverpool and has now received £5m. It will work with Lodge Lane and Norris Green Credit Unions as part of the programme.

Mike Knight, Riverside Credit Union chief executive, said: “We are really excited to bring this brilliant initiative to the young people of Liverpool.”

People aged between 18 and 30 can find out more about how Riverside Credit Union can help them start up in business by visiting www.riversidecredit union.co.uk/startup liverpool

by Neil Hodgson

POST BUSINESS STAFF

neil.hodgson@liverpool.com

P

AUL Taylor has come full circle – he began his career at 100 Old Hall Street and now runs his own business from 100 Old Hall Street.

He first walked into what was then the Littlewoods Building in 1989 as an IT management services trainee.

Today, his AtPeak Resourcing recruitment firm commands an imposing sixth storey view from The Plaza Building, home to myriad small and medium-sized firms, and unrecognisable from the cavernous open-plan former Littlewoods seat of power after new owner Bruntwood’s refurbishment following the relocation of Shop Direct, nee Littlewoods, to Speke.

Allowing himself a moment of misty-eyed reminiscence, Mr Taylor recalled when Littlewoods employed 750 IT staff in Old Hall Street who did their best to support nearby hostelries The St Paul’s, Spiral Staircase and Cross Keys – good old days, indeed.

But a move into financial services began his rise up the Littlewoods career tree and was soon working on procurement in exotic locations like India, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong, as well as setting up the Aintree headquarters of the financial services team before working on the merger of catalogues giant GUS into Shop Direct.

He left to work for communications firm Phones 4 u, but after six months opted to start his own consultancy business, which swiftly led him to setting up AtPeak Resourcing in 2008.

He said: “I was working at Vertex in Prescot and decided to set up my own business because I was recruiting lots of IT people for Vertex.”

AtPeak worked at Speke, then Aintree, then moved to The Plaza a year ago having grown from two staff to six.

He still splits his time between consultancy and the business but, to his wife’s delight, his work-life balance is better: “I would work on my company at weekends, but now I’m doing consultancy four days a week and doing one day here and getting most weekends off, although I tend to work on AtPeak at night when I get home. I’m still working ridiculous hours and sending emails at stupid times.”

About 90% of AtPeak’s workload is IT-based: “They go hand-in-hand because we are recruiting for the jobs I know about. or have done.”

Friends questioned his sanity setting up a recruitment firm in a downturn and he admitted: “It has been tough, particularly the last few months, but we have just got factoring from Royal Bank of Scotland which has eased some financial pressure.”

However, he has recently detected a sea change: “We do temporary and permanent recruitment and we have seen a switch to permanent roles, but we are struggling to find people to move because they are nervous about the economic situation. This is the first time we have had loads of roles, but a shortage of candidates.”

Despite a relatively short track record, AtPeak has established a reputation with its clients and candidates.

It was a finalist in the 2011 national JobSite Recruit Rank Top 10 Best Recruiters awards based on feedback from candidates, and has built up an impressive client list.

Mr Taylor said: “The trouble is getting on to companies’ preferred sup-

■

Paul Taylor, founder of AtPeak Resourcing, in his Liverpool office within Old Hall Street’s The Plaza

Back to the future for AtPeak founder Paul plier lists as most prefer to deal with big companies, but we are working for quite a few big firms in the city, like Rathbone Brothers and Hill Dickinson.

AtPeak’s figures reflect its progress, with year-on-year improvements and revenues for 2012 expected to rise to £900,000, with pre-tax profits approaching £200,000.

Mr Taylor says IT will continue to prosper, despite the downturn: “There will always need to be people in IT, particularly retail, because everyone has apps on their phones now.”

And looking to the next five years he sees expansion, particularly in London: “We have clients already in London and want to build on that. It is not like we are going into a market we have not penetrated before, we are already in that market.”

IT expert Paul Taylor has worked as far afield as Hong Kong

LIVERPOOL John Moores University’s World of Work Careers Centre is supporting local employers and the employability of its students by providing a bursary payment for students as they complete a four-week internship.

World of Work Careers Centre director Terry Dray, said: “The bursary, which means that the internship is at no cost to the companies involved, will support students as they bring fresh ideas, complete projects and gain essential workplace experience.

“Our employer partners have helped us develop this new initiative and we are confident that the students, employers and the city region economy will benefit.”

Further information is available at: http:// www.ljmu.ac.uk/worldof work/

■

MOST small firms take a dim view of changes made to the tax system by the Government, research by the Forum of Private Business shows.

A poll by the Cheshire-based lobby group found most changes were seen as negative in terms of resolving issues around fairness, simplicity, efficiency, stability and certainty in the tax system.

The biggest complaint small firms had regarding their current tax spending was business rates.

A huge 94% of all business owners felt that the level of taxation on commercial properties was now too high.

10

Thursday, February 28, 2013

post business creative & digital

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

comment

by LAURA SCAIFE

Don’t forget the regulators when using social media LAST Thursday, Twitter released its Application Programming Interface (API) for advertisers.

The launch comes on the back of similar initiatives by Facebook and LinkedIn. Adobe, Hootsuite, Salesforce, SHIFT, and TBG Digital will be the first Twitter “beta” partners. The new facility will allow marketers to work with these partners to control, purchase, and manage their advertisements on the social network and integrate their Twitter advertisements with cross-platform management software which meets their specific business needs.

While this new facility will clearly have benefits for businesses and allow them to control their online identity in a more streamlined manner, marketers need to be aware that while the revenue generation potential of social media is strong, this aspect needs to be finely balanced with the requirements of industry regulators such as the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA).

Those requirements apply just as much to social media as traditional advertisement outlets such as newspapers and radio.

If the ASA finds an advertisement breaches its codes its may ask the advertiser to withdraw or change the content.

Ultimately, if the ASA’s powers do not persuade an advertiser to change its advertising, it may refer an advertiser, agency or publisher to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

The OFT can seek an injunction through the courts to prevent the same or similar claims being made in future advertisements.

Because these changes will present issues of regulatory compliance, it is important for businesses to consider them as part of their any digital strategy.

■ Social media law specialist LAURA SCAIFE is a member of the Regulatory Services Group at Liverpool law firm Hill Dickinson. Follow her on Twitter @RegardingLaw

Joe Rhead, left, and Jason Neal, from Vizea Sound, in their Hope Street studio

Picture: ANDREW TEEBAY

in the music industry.”

Mr Rhead and Mr Neal moved to north Liverpool to start their business in 2011 after graduating in music production from Huddersfield University.

Mr Rhead said: “We’d finished university, we were both unemployed and we wanted to do something on our own. We were lucky enough to get funding from Stepclever to help us set up.”

Vizea moved to its current home in Hope Street in August last year. Mr Rhead said: “It’s definitely revitalised us. It has helped us to make connections.”

Vizea offers recording and production services to musicians, especially unsigned artists and songwriters.

Mr Neal and Mr Rhead also write music for clients to accompany films or other projects, and have just worked for Wirral-based Archaeology for

Schools. They also offer Cover Star Experience parties at the studio, at which groups of adults or children can record songs of their choice.

Mr Rhead said: “The most popular age group is probably nine to 13-year-olds. It’s classic pop star stuff – lots of Carly Rae Jepsen and Little Mix. “We’re not exclusively doing it for kids. We do have some adults coming in. Some of them are mums coming back – they’ve brought their young ones in and liked it.”

Mr Rhead said he wanted Vizea to be seen as more than just a studio. Mr Neal added: “We never label ourselves as a studio. But we have the facilities here if we need them.”

Vizea’s founders have also been supported by the Centre for Entrepreneurship and the Open Labs project, both at Liverpool John Moores University, and by digital incubator PacificStream.

Sounds of success for city music enterprise

by Alistair Houghton POST BUSINESS STAFF

Award Winning

World Ranked

Triple Accredited

alistair.houghton@liverpool.com

The Lancaster MBA

THE entrepreneurs behind city centre music business Vizea Sound are hoping for success with their workshops designed to teach young people about how songs are recorded.

Jason Neal and Joe Rhead set up their company to provide affordable recording studio space for local artists.

But the business has since successfully diversified into other areas, including hosting pop star parties for groups of adults and children.

Now the Liverpool musicians want to hold more workshops to teach youngsters how their favourite hits are made.

Mr Neal said: “We’re trying to go behind the academic front and provide some practical information about what it’s really like working

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DIGITAL agency Studio Mashbo has teamed up with Green Circle Health & Fitness to develop to help police officers improve their health and wellbeing.

The Training Concept, created by North West-based Green Circle, aims to help members of UK police forces stay fit so they can pass the mandatory police fitness tests that are being intro-

duced from September.

Liverpool-based Studio Mashbo has developed the Training Concept website and will continue to work on it, including creating mobile apps and videos.

Gavin Sherratt, Studio Mashbo’s managing director, said: “Projects such as The Training Concept are something that we, as an agency, like to work on.

Gavin Sherratt “We get to interact with and assist entrepreneurs and digital start-ups to plan their progres-

sion with staged ongoing development.

"This project began with a great idea and a focused customer base, which is always a good starting point.

We then helped Green Circle to shape their product, business model and offering.

“Our future plans are to grow our relationship with similar firms and organisations.”

11

Thursday, February 28, 2013

creative & digital post business

www.ldpcreative.co.uk

Drama tops the bill as the BBC showcase rolls into Liverpool

Ben Hatton

Be brave and stick to Twitter

Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman, stars of Doctor Who. The show is a big seller for the BBC across the world

by Alistair Houghton

POST BUSINESS STAFF

alistair.houghton@liverpool.com

LIVERPOOL has helped television giant BBC Worldwide take sales to another dimension as hundreds of TV buyers flocked to the city for an international TV festival.

The BBC Worldwide Showcase, held at the Liverpool Echo Arena and BT Convention Centre for the second year, is the biggest event of its kind in the world – and this year is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. BBC Worldwide uses the event to showcase British television programmes to hundreds of buyers from television channels around the world.

Hit programmes this year include crime series Ripper Street and Father Brown, as well as Sky series A Young Doctor’s Notebook and BBC favourites Top Gear and Call the Midwife.

But the key programme at this year’s event is Doctor Who, which is already one of the BBC’s biggest series but which is still as popular as ever with global buyers.

Guests signing in are greeted by a giant poster of all 11 doctors, from William Hartnell through to Matt Smith, and all senior BBC Worldwide staff are full of enthusiasm about the show’s return later this year.

Tim Mutimer, senior vice-president for sales and distribution across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: “It’s doing incredibly well. It’s been sold to 200 territories around the world.

“It’s partly because of the sci-fi thing that people who start watching it get hooked on it and become very

vocal. It’s done incredibly well in America.

“It’s been on the front of TV Guide after they did a poll of the public to ask who they wanted on the cover.

“That’s incredible when you think of all the great shows in that market.

“We simulcast it with the UK now so people can see it quickly.

“It's also done really well in markets such as France, Germany and Italy and they’re tough markets. They’ve had big poster campaigns in France and Germany.”

Mr Mutimer said Matt Smith’s arrival as the Doctor in 2009 has heloped give sales a further boost.

And he said international buyers were showing great interest in the BBC’s plans for the show’s 50th anniversary in November.

The showcase includes a series of themed events featuring stars and producers from hit shows.

But the event is centred around the hundreds of computer terminals at which buyers sit to flick through hundreds of hours of programming from the BBC and other British broadcasters and producers.

Caroline Torrance, BBC Worldwide’s director from drama content and production, said other “buzz” shows at the event included the new adaptation of GK Chesterton’s Father Brown detective stories.

She said: “We’re finding that lots of international broadcasters are incredibly keen on the crime genre.

“The appetite for crime series is never-ending.

“We’re looking at a few big shows here, including Father Brown.

“The feedback on that has been

really positive. People love that Cotswold setting and that great English countryside. That's done really well in places like Scandinavia.

“Then, looking at crime from the other end, there's Ripper Street.

“They'’e very complex stories, quite dark in places. It’s a fantastic series and we're really excited about it.”

Ms Torrance said upcoming New Zealand-set thriller Top of the Lake, written by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, was also a “huge favourite” with buyers.

She said: “They are watching every single episode."

And she added: “Call the Midwife is another big hit. It’s heart-warming drama and there’s a huge appetite for that.”

Steve Macallister, BBC Worldwide’s president and managing director for sales and distribution, enthused about some of the events held during the showcase, including a Top Gear masterclass, a Doctor Who Showcase Symphonic Spectacular, a Masterchef cookery demonstration and an eevnt which saw “modern day Houdini” and escapologist Jonathan Goodwin balance his body on a single nail onstage in front of an audience of buyers.

“It just shows the diversity of shows and the talent that we can bring,” he said.

“Even trade buyers are not immune to a little bit of showbiz. Chris O’Dowd had the buyers all in stitches at the comedy presentation.

“This is a really important date for anybody in the international TV business. As for Liverpool, we’ve had some really positive feedback about Liverpool the city, the people of Liverpool,

Caroline Torrance and our fantastic venue.”

Dallas Krueger, senior acquisitions manager at Australian broadcaster ABC, said: “When it comes to acquiring content, good quality British drama and comedy is our bread and butter. It’s what our audience expects.

“Dr Who has a huge heritage in Australia. It was one of the first territories to pick up the original series from 1963 onwards.

“And Australia has its own contribution to make to the history of Doctor Who. The theme tune was co-written by an Australian and the first episode was written by an Australian.

“And when it comes to the period referred to as ‘the lost episodes’, when the BBC wiped some episodes, Australia was a good source to find some of them in our archives.

“It’s still one of our most popular shows.”

THE serious issue of hacking in relation to social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook has exploded over the past couple of months.

The high profile and unlikely names to fall victim are the likes of Apple and Microsoft. In the past week alone, brands such as Burger King, Chrysler-owned Jeep and Jeremy Clarkson all had their official Twitter accounts hacked.

Earlier this month Twitter saw the most serious security crisis in its history as 250,000 of its 200m active users were warned “limited information” may have fallen into the hands of hackers.

There was little information released regarding the nature of the hacking. Nevertheless, this raises serious questions about the security of Twitter, causing concern amongst brands that use the site as a digital marketing platform on a daily basis.

While these incidents must not be taken lightly, brands should not be deterred from using social media as an effective digital marketing tool.

Twitter has urged users to be smarter with their passwords.

And not all recent controversies have been due to external hacking. The recent embarrassing and very public incident involving HMV saw employees take to its official Twitter account and post comments regarding job cuts.

The key advice here is to be very canny with the handling of official brand social media accounts.

Brands need the right people in the right places, ready to deal with any crisis.

The benefits of using social media in generating brand awareness, loyalty and sales, definitely outweigh the negatives.

Brands need to be brave and get smart with the handling of their official social media sites.

■ INTERNET entrepreneur Ben Hatton is founder and managing director of digital agency Rippleffect. Follow Rippleffect on Twitter @rippleffected

12

Thursday, February 28, 2013

post business the big interview

Alistair Houghton meets ANDREW PALMER and JOHN SUTTON, of logistics giant Suttons

T

HERE will soon be a new pair of hands on the wheel at logistics giant Suttons Group, but the change of driver isn’t going to stop the company from driving forward.

Andrew Palmer will retire as managing director on April 30, eight years after rejoining the business and taking it back into the black.

His successor will be John Sutton, a member of the founding family who currently leads the group’s international division. That division now accounts for almost half of Suttons’ £148.5m turnover, with Suttons’ trucks working as far afield as Shanghai and Saudi Arabia.

Suttons was founded by Mr Sutton’s great-grandmother in 1920 as a coal merchant. But it was her son Alf, who joined in 1923, who made Suttons into a leader in the road haulage sector and a specialist in handling bulk liquids and gases.

Now Mr Sutton, 41, is delighted to have the chance to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.

“It’s something I’ve been aiming for all my career,” he said. “I’ve worked hard to try to get to this point.

“It’ll be a learning experience for me to spend a lot more time in the UK. But I’ve got the experience, from the international side and I’m confident I will push things forward.”

Suttons also has also expanded its board, bringing in non-executive directors from outside the founding family as it prepares for growth. Mr Palmer, 64, will himself remain on the board of parent group Thomas Cradley Holdings.

“We see that as important not just to keep the family members in line,” smiled Mr Palmer with a typically impish grin, “but because this is going to be a bigger business.

“We have the ambition that we should be able to double the size of the business in the next three to five years. We have the corporate governance in place for that.”

E

VEN if you’ve read about it before you visit, the grand scale of Suttons boardroom still takes you by surprise. And the same is true of the company itself.

The lavish wood panelling originally adorned the walls at the Committee Room of Lloyds of London.

When that building was demolished in the 1980s, Alf Sutton bought the panelling – and, when Suttons moved its HQ to Widnes in the following decade, it was used to line the company’s boardroom.

It comes as a surprise to see such a grand room in a modern Widnes industrial estate. And, similarly, it comes as a surprise to realise just how big a player Suttons is.

Take, for example, its work with one of its biggest customers, British Sugar.

“We move half a million tonnes of bulk sugar in the UK every year to major customers such as Kraft, Cadbury, Nestle and Coca-Cola,” said Mr Palmer. “If you drink Coca Cola in the UK, we’ll have moved the sugar that goes into it.”

The group also manages a tanker fleet for Runcorn chemicals firm Mexichem, formerly Ineos Fluor.

Mr Palmer said: “If you have a car, we probably moved the gases that go in your air-conditioning systems.”

Sitting in their lavish boardroom,

Change at top as global haulier bids to double in size John Sutton, left, and Andrew Palmer with one of Suttons’ new tankers. Inset, part of the group’s Saudi Arabian fleet

Mr Palmer and Mr Sutton – who have known each other for years – are relaxed and friendly company who are proud of what their business and its 800-plus staff have achieved. But things haven’t always been this jolly.

Mr Palmer joined Suttons in 1999 to led its international division, taking it back into profit, but left two years later.

“I disagreed with the way the company was going at that particular time,” he said.

Mr Palmer moved south to become managing director of DTS Logistics in Milton Keynes, which was then bought by the Clipper Group.

But back in Widnes, Suttons’ growth had stalled and the company found itself in the red.

“We used to meet in a pub in Cheshire every few months,” Mr Palmer said, nodding at Mr Sutton.

“I got to the point where I said ‘if you want any more advice, you’ll have to pay for it’.

q&a Biggest business achievement: Mr Palmer: Making this business what it is Mr Sutton: Being part of that, and getting the chance to take this job Biggest regret: Mr Palmer: We nearly did an acquisition in 2007 that didn’t happen. We’d have had a lot more debt, but in some ways I regret it because it would have moved the company on even more Best advice received: Mr Palmer: Always do the right thing. The most important thing to

in business is your integrity Mr Sutton: A lot of my advice comes from Andrew – for example, always know the detail and understand exactly what’s happening, so you don’t get surprised Still to achieve: Mr Sutton: Driving Suttons forward Mr Palmer: I’ve got a bit of a weakness for cars.

I’ve driven cars quite quickly on tracks, but I want to go to Bonneville salt flats, Utah, and see if I can hit 200mph. I’ve done 170mph on a track

“I was going to retire. But I ended up having a conversation with John’s father (group chairman Michael Sutton) and came back here in 2005.”

M

R PALMER had to act swiftly to reverse the firm’s decline.

“The simple strategy when I first came back was to survive,” he said.

“The key thing was stopping the business bleeding to death, which it was doing at a fairly rapid rate.

“A lot of that was giving people confidence, providing leadership and giving a clear view of what needed to be done.

“Businesses go bust because they run out of cash. Simple. So the first thing was to preserve the cash.

“One big early win was cutting the number of debtors dramatically. Our money ended up in Suttons’ bank, because we’d earned it.

“We cut the overheads, stopped people spending – things like restructuring the company credit cards that people had. It’s all straightforward stuff. I did that pretty quickly.

“At the same time we were talking to the key customers. There were some difficult conversations with some customers who weren’t paying enough for our services.”

By the end of Mr Palmer’s first year, the group was back in profit.

“We had our recession two years before everybody else,” he mused.

“When it did hit in late 2008 and early 2009, we did see some degree of benefit from our good planning.

“Our business in North America in late 2008 just fell off a cliff. It fell more than a half in the space of two or three weeks.

“We were in a good position in that we had cash in the bank by that time.

We reduced our reliance on leased equipment. We changed with what the market seemed to be doing.

“The international business recovered quite well in early 2009.”

Despite the recession, Mr Palmer decided that Suttons had to continue to invest for growth.

The group has invested £30m in new equipment in the past two years, and is planning to buy many more trucks for its UK business.

In 2009, it invested £1.25m into an automated chemical drumming line at its St Helens site to help it win new business with clients in the recession-hit chemicals sector.

“We’ve got a nice little robot who lifts the drums and puts the fillers in,” said Mr Palmer.

“Having done that extremely well

13

Thursday, February 28, 2013

the big interview post business

Alex

Turner Credit not ratings is the key issue THERE has been a great deal of tearing of hair out over the downgrading of the UK’s credit rating from AAA. Not of the type that there perhaps should be. There’s a plausible argument to make that the financial sector was primarily responsible for creating – or at least creating the circumstances – of our economic woes. Financial institutions were bailed out, but now they have recovered are taking a less favourable view of the state’s creditworthiness and are simply saying “we don’t like what you’ve done with your money, we’re going to charge you more interest to mitigate for the risk”.

The ratings system has much to do to rebuild its credibility after its abject failure to correctly assess, well just about anything, in the period before the credit crunch. It is hard to view its current assessments as any more reliable. Anyway, the downgrade is a technical financial matter (albeit one with real financial consequences) and merely puts a label on what we all already know and feel: the economy is in a very fragile state and there is little likelihood of significant improvement in the near future.

However even if it is somewhat symbolic, the downgrade is part of a range of indicators that show 2013 is going to continue to be very tough. Just as we all hoped at the start of 2011 and 2012 that there would be a much more positive trajectory for the economy by the third and fourth quarters of those years, we all want – and some businesses need – to see a reason to be optimistic appearing on the horizon soon.

The businesses which have survived throughout the recessions have trimmed the fat, opened up into new markets – done everything they can to be as competitive as possible. They need economic policies which are focused on stimulating growth, and quickly, rather than a combination of austerity and trumpeting commercial alliances with India, from which benefits will largely be indeterminate.

One of the key problems to address, as it has been since September 2007, is the availability of credit. Access to finance remains as difficult for business now as it has been for most of the last few years and while much is said about it, very little is done. Credit, not the UK’s credit ratings, needs to be the priority.

‘Access to finance remains difficult for firms’ Outgoing Suttons Group managing director Andrew Palmer, left, with his successor John Sutton in the group’s Widnes boardroom Pictures: COLIN LANE and safely, it’s something that we want to move around the world.

We’re looking at the possibility of doing drumming in Saudi Arabia and China.”

S

UTTONS has been working internationally since the late 1960s, when it started taking its refrigerated tankers to Europe on behalf of existing clients.

In 1997, it became an industry pioneer when it started working for ICI Polyurethane in China and opened its first office in the country.

It’s now commonplace for business leaders to be told they “should look at China”. Mr Palmer is proud Suttons was so far ahead of the game.

“We started with three people in 1997,” he recalled.

“The first year, we probably turned over about £600,000. We’ve now got six offices and a depot, employ 75 people and last year we turned over £12m.”

Mr Sutton started his career at the company at operations in the UK, before moving to New Jersey to head a sales development team at a time when the international division was led by Mr Palmer.

He then returned to Widnes to head Suttons’ non-European overseas

operations. In 2006, after Mr Palmer had returned to the company, Mr Sutton was promoted to head Suttons’ international business.

“Since then,” he said, “we’ve doubled the size of the business through putting in a lot of investment and moving into new markets.

“We’ve developed strongly in China, opened a new office in Singapore, and Malaysia has seen growth.

“The most recent development is our Middle East joint venture. We’re working with a partner in Saudi Arabia, Arabian Chemical Terminals, to take advantage of the huge investment in chemical production in the Middle East.

“Historically Saudi Arabia has been very much about oil production. Now they’re looking at more downstream work, which benefits the liquid chemicals we transport.

“It’s similar to what happened in China 10 or 15 years ago, if not bigger. The potential is enormous.”

Mr Sutton said his company would continue its investment in its international arm.

He said: “We are looking to open more offices in China to take advant-

age of new development zones there.

Everything is on the east coast at the moment, but as labour costs increase there, people are starting to look more inland.

“We’re looking at other developing markets – places such as India. We’ve done a study to look at whether we should open our own office there.

“There’s big growth under way in economies such as Indonesia and the Philippines. There’s a study under way to see if we should invest in those markets” Mr Palmer added: “We’ve looked at South America and we will look at it again, particularly Brazil.”

The company could also, he said, join the acquisition trail.

“Having done several acquisitions in the past,” he smiled, “I can tell you that you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince. And we’ve kissed a lot of frogs.”

Mr Sutton emphasised that the UK business was also performing well despite tough economic conditions.

Last year it grew 14%, driven by new contracts wins with Air Liquide and Total Oil as well as the renewal of its British Sugar deal.

‘Have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince’

Mr Palmer added: “The UK market is tough. It’s challenging. But in my 40 years or so of experience, it’s never been easy.”

Asked why he was standing down, Mr Palmer smiled: “Age, mostly.

“Really, and it sounds a bit cheesy, I promised my wife that I would stop work before I was 65. I’m 65 in September, and the end of April is the end of our financial year.

“I’d originally said to the chairman that I’d work here for five years and get us to £2m or £3m (in profit).

“Having been here for five years and got to £6.2m, I thought ‘well, I’ve got to get to £7m’.

“I was very tempted when I got to £7.2m last year to stay ‘til I got to £10m – but then I thought ‘no’.”

Wolverhampton native Mr Palmer, who now lives near Chester, has worked in logistics for most of his career. He studied geography at the University of Liverpool before joining Procter & Gamble’s graduate trainee scheme – where one encounter shaped his working life.

He smiled: “An ex-military guy looked at my CV and said ‘Do you know geography?’ I said ‘yes sir’.

“He said ‘you know where places are, so we’ll put you in distribution’.

That’s how careers are defined.”

■ Alex Turner is the general manager of financial training firm Ambitious Minds

14

Thursday, February 28, 2013

post business legal

www.ldplegal.co.uk

Specialist warns of potential flood of parking fine appeals A LIVERPOOL lawyer specialising in motoring offences has warned that councils could be swamped with parking ticket appeals after action against London local authorities.

The case involves almost 350,000 parking fines, totalling an estimated £23m, that may have been wrongly issued.

Neil Davies set up Caddick

Davies Solicitors three years ago dealing with offences such as speeding and no insurance and now has a national reputation for representing motorists.

The cases involve councils issuing penalties where parking bays have been suspended, but where the authority has not displayed Department for

Transport (DfT) approved signage to inform motorists.

A motorist successfully challenged a fine by Camden Council in 2010.

Councils then applied for DfT authorisation, but there could be grounds for appeal for thousands of historic fines.

Mr Davies said: “From a legal perspective, councils are

on very shaky ground, because the signage they used is effectively made up.

“It’s difficult to explain the actions of councils who haven’t sought authorisation – they may be relying on the fact many people don’t challenge parking notices.”

There is a 28-day time limit to lodge an appeal, but Mr

Davies added: “There’s certainly a strong moral argument for councils to refund those monies.”

He said the issue has already drawn ministerial comment and he believes that as more motorists become aware of the action, calls for refunds on historic fines could escalate across the UK.

City QC backs drive to help injured Army personnel

by Neil Hodgson

POST BUSINESS STAFF

neil.hodgson@liverpool.com

A HIGH-profile Liverpool barrister who successfully acted on a groundbreaking mediation for inmates at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp is now backing help for injured service personnel.

Gerard Martin QC, a barrister at Exchange Chambers in Liverpool, is spearheading a campaign to promote advancements in prosthetic technology, particularly for members of the armed forces.

Mr Martin acted for two Guantanamo inmates who were seeking compensation from the UK Government for human rights violations.

The mediation against five Government departments lasted two weeks.

Mr Martin received the instruction from a London human rights solicitor as a result of his reputation as a tough negotiator and quantum specialist.

He acts almost exclusively for the victims of accidents, rather than the defendant, or insurance company.

Mr Martin’s experience in acting for military servicemen in litigation stretches back to 1993.

Now, as part of a new national initiative, the Liverpool barrister is publicising the advances in prosthetic technology.

He will be speaking at a national conference, entitled ‘Pushing Boundaries’, at the Royal College of Phys-

icians in London on April 10.

Mr Martin told the Liverpool Post: “For decades, a soldier’s lost limb meant a life confined to a wheelchair or crutches, and at the very least a discharge from active service – but not anymore.”

The Government last week announced that it has set aside £6.5m for injured military personnel who have legs amputated below the knee to be given the most up-to-date prosthetic limbs – a move which Mr Martin fully supports.

He said: “The increasing number of injuries in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, while horrific, have led, by necessity, to advancements in prosthetics technology.

“In fact, some amputee service members have been able to remain on active duty, thanks to the experience gained by their doctors.”

Mr Martin said prosthetics have become more comfortable to wear and closer in range of motion to natural limbs.

As part of the rehabilitation process, he also encourages amputees to take part in Outward Bound courses, such as those run by Jim Bonney, a former captain in the Royal Marines whose leg was amputated below the knee following a 1,000 ft fall in Alaska.

Mr Martin said: “We are employing techniques to restore confidence via Outward Bound courses and the results are truly amazing.

“It is all about improving quality of life.”

effect it may have on their organisations, employees and patients.

Hill Dickinson was directly involved with the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry as a recognised legal representative to one of its core participants.

Acting on behalf of more

BRABNERS Chaffe Street says Helen Marriott, its divorce and family law expert, is the first solicitor to qualify as a family law arbitrator in the Liverpool legal sector.

Ms Marriott, a partner and head of the family law team at Brabners, is one of about 150 lawyers in England and Wales to have qualified as a family law arbitrator under the new scheme introduced last year.

Now qualified, she

Helen Marriott can become a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration.

Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution which has been used extensively to resolve commercial disputes but has only recently been applied to family law.

Under the family law arbitration scheme, an arbitrator is appointed to resolve financial family law disputes by providing legally binding outcomes, known as “awards”, which offer an alternative to the court system.

The scheme covers financial and property disputes including divorce settlements, financial provision for children, property and inheritance issues.

POST

Gerard Martin QC, backing help for injured service personnel

Hill Dickinson targets NHS boards THE healthcare team of Hill Dickinson has launched a new training service for NHS boards following the findings of The Francis Report.

The firm will be offering board training to NHS organisations across the UK in an effort to help them understand the legal implications of the Francis Report and the

Partner in exclusive circle of arbitrators

than 80 NHS bodies in the North West of England and Wales, the healthcare team is also appointed to the NHS Litigation Authority’s clinical negligence and employers’ liability and public liability panels and to all 10 areas of the North West Collaborative Commercial Agency’s legal framework.

MOBILE

Helen impresses HELEN Watson, head of employment and a partner at Chester-based Aaron & Partners, has been shortlisted as a finalist for Charity Fundraiser of the Year 2013 at the Network She International Women’s Day Award’s.

The nomination comes after Ms Watson raised more than £4,000 for charity last year by cycling 350km across India in just five days.

The awards ceremony takes place on March 8, at Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

For News, Sport and Business on your phone

Text LDP to 67800

Thursday, February 28, 2013

women in business

15

post business

Alissa cutting her teeth in business with BabyBangle

by Neil Hodgson

POST BUSINESS STAFF

neil.hodgson@liverpool.com

BUDDING Businesswoman Alissa Koopal realised her venture had promise when it was endorsed on its first public outing by a top TV celebrity.

Mum-of-two Ms Koopal has designed BabyBangle for teething tots which also doubles as a stylish piece of jewellery for young mums.

She officially launched it at the UK Baby and Toddler show in the ECHO Arena earlier this month and was stunned when TV’s Take Me Out host and comic, Paddy McGuinness and his former Miss Liverpool wife Christine Martin called by their stall and snapped up some of her stock.

The couple had only just revealed they are expecting twins.

Ms Koopal, originally from Holland but who now lives in Allerton, said: “It was absolutely amazing because I didn’t recognise Paddy McGuinness at first because he had a cap on.

“They were lovely, and his wife is so gorgeous.”

Since then the business, Izzy Melody – named after her two daughters Chloe Melody, four, and Isabella May, nine months – has generated more interest.

Ms Koopal said: “I’m working on my website at the moment, but have secured a couple of high-end baby boutiques and I’m talking to some big retailers.”

She had been mulling ideas for “must-have accessories” for young mums for a while. She said: “I’ve got a couple of other ideas, but thought the BabyBangle would have the most impact to start with.”

She admitted she really got to grips with setting up her venture while on maternity leave from her events management job.

“It took time to get the right materials and the right UK manufacturers, but I thought while I was on leave I might as well go for it and do it,” she added.

BabyBangle is made from medical-grade silicone which is easily steam sterilised, is dishwasher safe and can be put in a fridge freezer.

Ms Koopal said: “Babies love it due to the density, the grip and the shape – and mums adore it as it is so simple to use and to clean.

“And, of course, it is beautiful to wear as an accessory when not in use by baby and out and about.”

She added: “Mums have been raving about it, which has been amazing, and also a bit overwhelming.”

She said she was also keen that the manufacturing of BabyBangle, and its distinctive packaging made of recycled materials which adds to the product’s eco-friendly credentials, should be with a UK business.

Ms Koopal admitted she thought long and hard about setting up the venture, saying: “There were so many things to consider as a mum and having a family and my income, with a new business, because I don’t work for the marketing company any more.

“But with the amazing help of the Prince’s Trust, a minimal budget and more, I brought my teething toys to the market.”

She added that working from home can have its drawbacks.

“You work 24 hours a day when you work from home,” she explained.

But she said the feedback she has had so far for BabyBangle makes it all worthwhile.

And she said the whole concept is about her daughters: “I want this to be for them. They are my true inspiration in all this.

“I have set this up for them to be proud and to hopefully pass on to them.”

‘You work 24 hours a day when you work at home’

Top, Izzy Melody founder Alissa Kooper and, above, one of the baby bangles, which also double as pieces of jewellery for mums Main picture: JAMES MALONEY

BUSINESS to BUSINESS

Catharine takes seat on British Franchise board

Women save the most cash

A WIRRAL businesswoman has been appointed to the national board of the British Franchise Association (BFA).

Catharine Chalton runs the Wirral office of at-home care franchise company, Home Instead Senior Care.

She has been a franchisee member of the BFA since 2012, when membership was opened to franchisees.

And in 2011 she and her husband, Mike, were Gold Award winners in the BFA HSBC Franchisee of the Year awards thanks to the success of their business, which is based in Oxton.

Ms Chalton said: “I would like to say that I am very pleased to have been elected by the board.

“It goes to show that we have a very high calibre of franchisees at Home Instead.”

She added: “In my role with the BFA I am looking to

FEMALE savers typically have around £500 more squirreled away than men, research from Halifax into its own customers found.

Despite having lower average earnings, women have a balance of around £8,211 compared to £7,699 held by men making a savings gap of £512.

This means that while women have around 41% of their annual wages in savings, while men have less than a quarter, at 23%.

Women have more savings as a share of their earnings than men in all regions across England and Wales, Halifax found. The South West was named as the area where both men and women are likely to have high amounts put away as a proportion of their salaries.

Women in the region have around 49% of their annual earnings in savings, at £8,700 on average, while men there typically have 28% of their yearly wage, or £8,344 stashed away.

Male Halifax customers in Wales also have around 28% of their annual earnings put away in savings against 44% of women.

Catharine Chalton promote the work of the BFA and also be a representative voice for all of the franchisees who the association supports.”

BFA board members are voted for by the BFA membership.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Excellent Pub Business Opportunity in Southport The Hoghton Arms

Hoghton St, Southport, PR9 0TF

• Imposing city centre pub • Opposite railway station • Large trading areas • Catering kitchen • Family accommodation • Enclosed rear patio area

Is this the pub business you’ve been waiting for?

The Hoghton Arms is a great local pub business with low start up costs, flexible terms, very competitive rent and a full support package including free training.

Call to discuss this and other opportunities available in this area or nationwide:

Freephone: 0800 085 3232

Trust Inns Ltd, Blenheim House, Foxhole Road, Ackhurst Park Chorley, Lancashire PR7 1NY www.trustinns.co.uk

16

Thursday, February 28, 2013

post business location

The once-derided ‘pop-up’ shop can bring vibrancy back to the high street

view point

by Richard Peters, an associate at consultants GVA ECONOMIC pressures have forced a significant rise in the number of empty retail units on our high streets as well as an increase in unoccupied commercial premises.

Homes site is up for sale A SITE in Knowsley suitable for residential development is being marketed by agents at Edward Symmons in Liverpool.

The 5.54 acre triangular-shaped piece of land is accessed via Kipling Avenue/Newsham Road, in Huyton.

It is close to the Halewood International drinks factory and the intersection of the M62 and M57 motorways.

It has outline planning permission for residential development, which was granted by Knowsley Council in December.

Offers are being sought for the freehold interest of the site.

What are called “pop-ups” and “meanwhile uses” are helping to put some much needed vibrancy and variety back into our urban landscapes The significant increase in empty commercial units on the high street and wider urban landscape, coupled with the fast-changing retail market and growth of internet shopping, has resulted in a significant increase in pop-up shops appearing in vacant retail spaces, offices, industrial units and building sites across Merseyside.

When they first started to appear in our towns and cities, pop-ups were generally perceived as something of

an eyesore – the ubiquitous “24-hour golf sales” – widely considered to be an unwelcome and intrusive addition to the street scene.

But, since then, pop-ups have become increasingly sophisticated and have even been adopted by high-end names such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

It is not only those from the retail sector who are making use of these empty spaces. When used for socially beneficial purposes such as community arts and cultural projects, this is known as “mean-

while use” and can last anything from a single day to several years.

The Government has recognised the importance of building and maintaining the attractiveness and vibrancy of our town centres by simplifying the process for obtaining these types of alternative use leases.

As time goes on and the economic landscape shows no signs of changing significantly any time soon, we are seeing more and more start-up retailers choosing to incorporate the pop-up shop into their

‘Bringing variety back to the urban landscape’

marketing strategies over advertising in the local glossy magazines.

So could pop ups and meanwhile uses be more than just a passing trend?

With more liberal permitted development rights they are a very efficient and effective use of otherwise unused resources.

They can provide high profile activity in our town and city centres, bring vibrancy, give new enterprises and entrepreneurs a welcome step up and engage communities.

It is a win-win scenario that should be applauded and supported by everyone in the property world.

Autograph sign-up enables Lingley amenity work to start Computer-generated image of the amenity centre at Lingley Mere and, right, Wes Erlam

by Tony McDonough POST BUSINESS STAFF

tony.mcdonough@liverpool.com

BUSINESS to BUSINESS COMMERCIAL PREMISES

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BUILDING TRADE Further information please contact Neil Dryburgh or Euan Ross at

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LINGLEY MERE Business Park will open its new amenity building in September after securing a letting with catering specialist Autograph.

Construction work has now begun on the facility near Warrington.

The 7,500 sq ft building will be located in the centre of the park between its two lakes.

It is expected to take six months to complete and once open will be managed by Autograph – part of Initial Facilities.

The company has signed a lease with the Lingley Mere’s joint venture partners, Muse Developments and United Utilities.

The building will incorporate full-length curved glazing to maximise the south-facing view of the surroundings and will also feature an elevated canopy where people can sit outside.

It will offer hot and cold food, a Costa Coffee outlet, a shop, and meeting space with wi-fi facilities.

Wes Erlam, senior development surveyor at Muse Developments, said: “We are delighted to have concluded the letting to Autograph, which has extensive experience in running similar and successful facilities elsewhere.

“This is a positive step forward for Lingley Mere and we believe it will help to retain and attract occupiers over the coming years.”

Paul Daly, managing director of Autograph, added: “We have been providing dedicated catering services to United Utilities at the site since 2007.

“This latest development will enable us to offer a modern and high quality service to all the buildings on the business park moving forward.”

Lingley Mere, which is next to junction 8 of the M62, currently provides 380,000 sq ft of office accommodation within 100 acres of “semi-manicured” parkland.

The park has outline planning consent for a further 400,000 sq ft of office space, with the majority of buildings ranging from 10,000 sq ft to 40,000 sq ft in size, together with 150,000 sq ft of distribution space.

This includes an 18,000 sq ft grade A office building, which has detailed planning consent and can be delivered in approximately 12 months.

Lingley Mere is also big on sustainability. In recent times it has introduced free bikes for people to use while travelling between different parts of the started.

It also launched a free shuttle bus service – the 96 – which connects the park with Warrington town centre and with the rail network.

The weekday shuttle operates three services in the morning and evening peak periods together with a lunchtime service to the Westbrook Centre and Gemini Retail Park.

Robin Uttley, head of commercial property at United Utilities, said: “The joint venture partnership, which formed in 2004, has a long-term commitment to Lingley Mere.

“Our aim is to attract a greater number of high quality businesses to the park by delivering an excellent range of amenities, combined with bespoke office accommodation.”

The joint venture partnership works alongside joint agents, GVA and Edwards & Co.

‘We see this as a positive step for the park’

17

Thursday, February 28, 2013

location post business

Prospect GB takes on a new executive DEVELOPER Prospect GB has appointed Chris Walker to head up its commercial property division.

Mr Walker has operated globally in the corporate area, managing commercial transactions and portfolios for blue-chip clients of BNP Paribas and CBRE from New York to the Far East.

He will now be overseeing a range of commercial investments and developments across the North, including Meridian

BRC calls on Osborne to ease pressure on the retail sector

by Tony McDonough

POST BUSINESS STAFF

tony.mcdonough@liverpool.com

UK RETAILERS are paying some of the highest property taxes in the developed world, according to research published by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

Of the 34 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Britain collects the third-highest proportion of its tax from commercial property, the BRC study says.

At 12.1% this is more than five times

greater than Germany, at 2.3%, and nearly 50% greater than France at 8.5%.

Only the US and Japan levy higher rates of property tax.

The BRC report, produced by Oxford Economics, has been sent to Chancellor George Osborne ahead of his Budget next month.

It is urging Mr Osborne to help the retail sector reduce its costs and help re-build consumer confidence.

With 2013 just two months old there have already been a number of high-profile retail casualties including Jessops, HMV and Blockbuster.

In Liverpool city centre iconic DIY

and furniture retailer, Rapid, has also collapsed in recent weeks.

The BRC says the retail sector makes an “ essential contribution to investment, jobs and growth” in the UK and needs more Government support. In particular, it is calling for the freezing of business rates followed by the introduction of a new system that “produces increases that are more affordable and predictable”.

It recommends using an annual average of CPI, rather than a single month’s RPI. BRC director general, Helen Dickinson, said: “Retail is a major force for good. It’s the UK’s largest private sec-

tor jobs provider and has been a powerhouse for investment and growth.

“There were welcome measures in the Autumn Statement and the Chancellor has it within his gift to do a great deal more.

“Our figures show dramatic increases in operating costs, often as a direct result of Government decisions.

“Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of all expenditure in the UK. It must recover before the economy can, yet 2013 has begun with high-profile evidence that demand is weak and a painful restructuring of the UK retail industry is underway.”

Accommodation available at central Birkenhead building

Chris Walker Business Village in Hunts Cross near Liverpool, International House and Montel House at Chester Business Park, London House in Poynton and Distington House in Sheffield.

He will also play a key role in acquisition and disposal activity for Liverpool-based Prospect GB’s commercial portfolio.

Mr Walker said: “I have joined Prospect GB at an exciting time, with a commercial portfolio which is active and performing well despite a sluggish market and includes the forthcoming launch of Montel House.”

POST

Smith and Sons says Haymarket Court is located in an area which has attracted a number of businesses

AGENTS at Birkenhead’s Smith and Sons have been appointed to market office space in a three-storey building in Birkenhead.

Around 11,400 sq ft of accommodation is available in Haymarket Court, close to Hamilton Square.

Half of the ground floor is available, comprising 2,163 sq ft, while the entire first floor, totalling 4,612 sq ft, is also ready to let.

There is a further 4,622 sq ft of space on the second floor. There is an opportunity to lease by floor or part areas.

Each floor has its own kitchen and toilet facilities with individual fob entry systems at each level.

Several Merseyside businesses have relocated to the surrounding area in recent years, marking a continued interest in Wirral as a business destination, according to Smith and Sons.

Partner Sean Seery said: “Haymarket Court is a fantastic building that’s in a great location with strong transport links through nearby Hamilton Square and Conway Park train stations and minutes from the Birkenhead tunnel.

“There is great scope for businesses to take entire floors or a specific floor area depending on needs.”

MOBILE

St John’s appoints deputy manager FOR News, Sport and Business on your phone

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LIVERPOOL’S St John’s shopping centre has appointed Robert Bradley as deputy centre manager.

Mr Bradley brings almost 20 years’ of management experience at shopping centres across the country, including his previous position as deputy centre manager at Princes Quay, Hull.

He began his career in shopping centres at Butter-

market in Ipswich and has worked at shopping centres across the UK during his career, including Castle Mall, Norwich, Europe’s largest underground shopping centre – where he spent eight years in the management team.

He said: “St Johns is a really positive place. It has an impressive record throughout a very difficult time for retail and I’m very much enjoying

getting stuck into my role here.

“Liverpool is a lovely city and I plan to make the most of its architecture in my spare time as I’m a keen photographer.”

Centre director, Ian Ward, added: “Robert has already shown himself to be invaluable here. He’s a great asset who I look forward to working closely.”

MP takes space BOOTLE Labour MP Joe Benton has joined the growing list of tenants at St Hugh’s House office building in the town centre.

Mr Benton, the town’s Westminster representative for more than 20 years, has relocated his constituency office to a 485 sq ft space at the six-storey building in Stanley Road.

He said: “When we decided to relocate the constituency office, we knew it was important to select somewhere central that would be within easy reach for all visitors, whether they’re individuals, families or businesses.”

18

Thursday, February 28, 2013

post business economic development

New music festival could visitor

economy

by Bill Gleeson

POST BUSINESS STAFF bill.gleeson@liverpool.com

S

CRAPPED last week, Liverpool’s Mathew Street Festival was by far the biggest annual tourism event staged in this city.

In terms of sheer numbers, it was one of the biggest events in the country.

According to figures contained in Merseytravel’s Corporate Marketing Strategy 2010-2014, the Mathew Street Festival, with its 320,000 visitors, was bigger than Liverpool On the Waterfront (attended by 65,000), Liverpool Food and Drink Festival (28,000), the Grand National (150,213), Africa Oye (50,000) and the Brouhaha Carnival (35,000) put together.

It also attracts almost exactly the same attendances as Wales’ National Eisteddfod and Glastonbury combined.

The Mathew Street Festival, produced by Liverpool City Council, saw stages set up around the city centre streets, such as Dale Street and Castle Street, over the August bank holiday weekend. The street entertainment was free. Alongside it, bars and other venues put on their events that would usually involve an admission fee.

The Mathew Street event should not be confused with the International Beatles Festival, which is based at the Adelphi Hotel and which continues to run.

The council, however, felt there was a need to give the weekend a fresh feel. As well as the difficulty of justifying the running costs at a time when other council budgets are being slashed, the Mathew Street Festival was thought to have become a bit tacky, with too much drinking in the streets.

It is to be replaced with a new music festival, called the Liverpool International Music Festival, which combines a waterfront stage with another at Sefton Park at which the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic will perform.

Cllr Gary Millar is chairman of the council’s employment, enterprise and skills select committee. It is his job to scrutinise decisions taken by the council’s executive members.

Cllr Millar believes the new festival will be an improvement on the old one.

He said: “The Beatles Festival continues and it will still have an impact. That won’t change.

“The new International Music Festival is going to be over four days, not just two. So more people will spend more money over the weekend.

“For local trade, it will have a positive impact.

“People will still come into town, but there just won’t be the usual seven stages in the city centre.”

Cllr Millar thinks the benefit of the festival could be more widely spread across the city.

“This is something to be applauded,” he said.

The Mathew Street Festival, seen here in full swing, attracts 320,000 visitors to the city each August bank holiday “It should reduce the level of anti-social behaviour, and it’s all the better for that, particularly in this decade of health and well-being.”

Spreading the festivities over more days will create greater capacity in the city’s bars and clubs.

He added: “Once a bar is full, you cannot get any more business into that bar. But spread it over four days, they can get more business.”

Pam Wilsher is head of visitor economy development at Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership.

She said the two city centre festivals have had lives of their own. The International Beatles Festival, pop-

ular with overseas tourists, has been going since the 1980s. The Mathew Street Festival came along later as an add-on extra day for the non-tourist.

She said: “Drinking on streets marred it in people’s minds. It wasn’t a good showcase for the city. It was lacking a bit in that sense.

“What we are trying to do now is pick up elements of Mathew Street, keeping some of the atmosphere of a music festival.”

Ms Wilsher says music festivals will continue to be big business.

She said: “Roughly 5% of visitors come to the city because of an event.

‘No city has greater claim to a music festival’

It’s quite a draw in terms of people staying overnight.”

She acknowledges that there is some risk in the change of tack by the council. For all its ills, the abandoned Mathew Street Festival did attract large numbers of people.

She said: “It will be quite interesting to see whether or not that is still the case or whether it has a slightly different profile.

“There is no reason to suppose a large proportion of those visitors won’t come back to the city.”

One possibility is that the number of visitors from outside the city holds up, while the number of locals coming into town during the August bank holiday falls.

Ms Wilsher added: “We have to be realistic. It’s new. Mathew Street

didn’t get its big numbers in the first few years.

“We aspire to have something like an Edinburgh Festival which people go to every year, but that is not going to happen overnight.

“It’s quite hard to speak generically about music because there are all types of different events from Glastonbury to Opera and the Proms, but the market is wide and diverse and large and no city has a greater claim to holding a music festival. If we are not going to do it, who is?

“We feel it’s going to be a festival for our time. It’s going to be about remembering our music heritage and also showcasing new talent.”

Mathew Street was a strong brand name. Whether the new festival matches it will have to be seen.

19

Thursday, February 28, 2013

economic development post business

boost business

Pam Wilsher, head of visitor economy development at Liverpool’s Local Enterprise Partnership

diary of an entrepreneur AS the CEO and co-founder of North West-based IT managed services company adept4 I’ve been fortunate to be able to pursue the entrepreneurial instincts which I’ve had since I was a child.

I’ve always been a creative, driven person and I think that’s reflected in the ambitious growth model and continued focus on improvement and innovation which we have at adept4.

I grew up in Richmond, North Yorkshire, and had a happy, stable childhood, with two older brothers who kept me in line.

I went to Durham Chorister School, which has had a lasting effect on me. It taught me discipline and how important it is to work hard to develop your passions and talents.

I was a very musical child. I was head chorister at Durham and also play the trumpet and piano.

Music is still a really important part of my life, but it was even more so when I was younger. I was diagnosed as dyslexic in 1969 – dyslexia wasn’t as well-documented as it is now and it was a confusing and stressful time.

Music gave me an outlet which allowed me to excel where other aspects of school life, like reading, proved incredibly challenging.

I also loved sports at school and was a member of most of the school teams. I did my A Levels at Richmond Comprehensive, and while there developed my love of rugby, swimming and athletics. I also made it to the All-England trials for cross country.

I studied business studies at Manchester Polytechnic – now Manchester Metropolitan University. My sandwich course involved a placement at technology design firm NCR. The company was launching its first PC in 1983 – the Decision Mate V – during my placement and I had the opportunity to work on the launch of that product in a sales and marketing capacity.

It’s hard to imagine these days with iPads and the like, but this

A street stage scene from the Mathew Street Festival

Tourism makes a major contribution to city trade LONG seen as one of the best hopes for economic growth in the years ahead, the development of the region’s tourism sector is a top priority for economic planners.

As well as music festivals such as Mathew Street, Creamfields and Africa Oye, the city is also strong in other types of tourism that have helped sustain rapid growth in the num-

ber of hotels in the area.

It recently emerged that the Liverpool’s ECHO Arena and BT Convention Centre, which attracts around 500,000 visitors a year, has contributed more than £500m to the city’s economy since it opened.

Another big factor in the local tourism market is the sports sector. While Open Golf has attracted visitors in the past, foot-

ball, and particularly Liverpool Football Club, keep hotels full and their room rates high.

Speaking about the decision to replace the Mathew Street festival with a new event, Liverpool’s Mayor Joe Anderson said that a combination of high costs and a wish to “freshen up” the city’s music calendar meant that the festival could not continue as it

had for the last 20 years.

The new festival – to be called The Liverpool International Music Festival – will see four days of events including a concert from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in Sefton Park and Beatles influenced outdoor stages on the Pier Head.

Running costs will be around 40% lower than the old festival.

Peter Birkett of adept4

kind of technology was really revolutionary at the time. It was really exciting to be working with a team operating in the vanguard of this emerging technology and it really piqued my interest in IT. I moved over to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia after I graduated in 1984 and lived there for a while – it was quite challenging as the lifestyle was so different and regimented, but I met my wife-to-be over there, so it was worth it.

After two years in Saudi I moved back to the UK and started work at Logitek, eventually heading up their Northern sales division. My wife and I got married in 1989 and moved to Huddersfield where we’ve lived very happily for around 20 years, with our three children.

In 1992 I moved to ICL reseller, Diktat, where I stayed until the company sadly went into administration in 1994.

After Diktat I bought into an IT services company called Keytech Network Services in 1994. I was with Keytech for 13 years as their sales and marketing director and during my time there I met Paul Talbot, with whom I later launched adept4.

We launched in February 2007 to provide premium IT support and managed services for companies who want to concentrate on their core business. Businesses today need IT systems as much as they need water pipes. But not every business wants to run its own IT network, which is where we step in.

The company has gone from strength to strength and we recently moved to our new headquarters in Daresbury Business Park after more than doubling our staff from 19 to almost 50.

Our turnover is due to rise to £6m this year, which is testament to the service we provide and the quality of our team, and we’re looking forward to continuing to grow and develop.

Peter Birkett, CEO and founder, adept4

20

Thursday, February 28, 2013

post business professionals

Towry: It’s grim up North as financial concerns deepen

by Neil Hodgson

Bob Fraser, senior client partner at wealth adviser Towry

POST BUSINESS STAFF

neil.hodgson@liverpool.com

FINANCIAL worries are deepening for most people across the region, a survey by wealth adviser Towry shows.

In most cases North West respondents are gloomier than the rest of the UK, with 33% more worried about their financial situation against last year, compared with 30% of UK adults.

The poll also reveals that 39% in the region feel worse off, compared with 34% in the UK, while 66% said outgoings have increased over the year, against a UK average of 61%.

And 27% in the North West cited a rise in unemployment as their greatest concern for the economy, while only 22% in the UK said it is a key concern.

Bob Fraser, senior client partner at Towry’s Liverpool office in Exchange Flags, said: “The North West doesn’t have the opportunities for employment and pay that the South enjoys, so these figures don’t surprise me.”

Towry provides wealth advice and Mr Fraser said since the downturn the appetite among clients for planning their financial future has increased.

“Since we have been making this offering the enthusiasm for proper financial planning is very keen.”

The group has 18 UK offices with £4.5bn of funds under management.

The Liverpool office, which opened three years ago, manages about £180m on behalf of clients.

A former lieutenant colonel in the Army, Mr Fraser specialises in financial planning which he says is completely different to financial services, such as offering advice on selling products like ISAs. “Financial planning identifies the resources needed to achieve a client’s desired financial objectives throughout life,” he said. “We would look at someone’s wealth as a means to

Liverpool broker wins ACC contract INSURANCE broker Butterworth Spengler has secured a brokerage deal with the ECHO Arena and BT Convention centre operator, ACC Liverpool.

The Old Hall Street-based firm will provide advice and support on insurance matters to the waterfront venue.

Butterworth Spengler is one of the UK’s longest-established independent brokers.

It is also the partner insurance broker of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.

Alan Tune an end, rather than an end in itself.”

A key plank in sound planning is a pension, but Mr Fraser said people are loathe to consider investing in pensions, either because they seem a long way off, or constant adverse publicity on pensions puts them off: “My take is that a pension is just a savings vehicle that you get tax returns on, and where else can you do that?

“What brings pensions down is the

way the money is invested. When you save for your own pension there is an investment risk and that’s what makes people wary.

“People should not blame the pension, but the investment manager who has put them in that position.”

And Mr Fraser warned against jumping on investment bandwagons, such as gold or corporate bonds, for a quick return: “There are trends, and

here I would add a note of caution.

Whenever you see a bandwagon coming it’s time to get off.

“A lot of these trends are bandwagons, but by the time people read about them, that is when there’s already a head of steam. By that time most of the gains have already been made.

“Following trends means you will always invest at the top and be disappointed.”

Mazars in call for audit market reform

No flexibility

NORTH WEST accountancy firm Mazars has welcomed provisional findings from the Competition Commission that the FTSE 350 audit market is too restricted.

The commission is

EMPLOYERS are holding back attempts to increase productivity and staff well-being by failing to press ahead with flexible working arrangements A survey of 400 businesses and 2,000 workers by O2 found staff were willing to embrace new ways of working but were not being supported by employers.

conducting an investigation into the supply of statutory audit services to large companies in the UK. It claims that the audit market is currently dominated by the

so-called “big four” accountancy firms and that auditors tend to focus on satisfying management rather than shareholder needs.

David Herbinet, who is Mazars’ UK head of

public interest markets, said: “We applaud the Competition Commission’s findings and, in particular, the emphasis on the primacy of the auditors’ duty to shareholders.”

Asociate director Alan Tune said: “ACC Liverpool is an important asset to the city and it is imperative that its insurance requirements are met efficiently and effectively.

“We look forward to using our experience and expertise to provide advice to the ACC Liverpool team on the insurance-related solutions most suited to the business.”

Gerald Andrews, finance director of ACC Liverpool, added: “Given the type of businesses we operate, having the correct type and level of insurance cover is absolutely vital and we are confident that Alan and his team will more than meet our expectations.”

on the move ■

MERSEYSIDE accountancy firm Mitchell Charlesworth has appointed Gemma Gower to head its VAT department.

Ms Gower, who lives in Wallasey, will oversee offices in Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, Warrington and Widnes.

She has nine years’ VAT experience including roles at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) as well as accountancy firms

PKF and Deloitte.

■

MANAGEMENT and property consultant AA Projects has made three senior appointments.

Neil Fyles joins as a director and Mark O’Reilly and Nick Elliot as divisional directors.

The company says the move reflects its recent growth and continued expansion of new services.

Mr Fyles joins from

Davis Langdon after more than15 years’ service. Mr O’Reilly has joined from Stradia where he was director of sustainability, and has more than 15 years of experience, and Mr Elliot is a former technical director at Landmark Developments. He previously worked for Shepherd Construction and Bass plc.

■

CONSTRUCTION lawyer Barry

Goodall has been appointed as a partner by Brabners Chaffe Street.

Mr Goodall has 17 years’ experience acting for contractors, sub-contractors, developers, suppliers and companies of all sizes through alternative dispute resolution, adjudication, litigation and arbitration.

He joins from international law firm DAC Beachcroft, where he was a partner.

Gemma Gower – will oversee VAT function

Nick Elliot – new divisional director

Barry Goodall – joins as Brabners partner

Thursday, February 28, 2013

style

21

post business

Legal eagles set to soar as they hit the catwalk

Tony McDonough gets a sneak preview ahead of law firm’s charity fashion show

Y

OUNG lawyers from Hill Dickinson are working on a very different brief over the next few days – a city centre catwalk show.

The St Paul’s Square-based firm is organising the Spring into Style 2013 event at Liverpool’s Metquarter shopping mall on Wednesday, March 6.

All proceeds from the event will go to the The Prince’s Trust Fairbridge programme in Merseyside and it is being organised as part of the charity’s Zero to Hero challenge.

The catwalk show will feature the latest spring and summer collections being sold by Metquarter retailers.

Radio City’s Peter Price will compère the event with live music being provided by Britain’s Got Talent finalists, The Mend, currently touring with Little Mix. There will also be performances from Jennifer Ellison’s Fame Academy.

A “Young Fashion Designer” competition will feature the latest designs from local budding young designers.

The winner will be judged on the night by a panel of guest judges including the Young Apprentice finalist, Patrick McDowell.

“Hill Dickinson is proud to be part of this event which enables us to work alongside Liverpool’s premium brand retailers and young design talent to raise funds for The Prince’s Trust Fairbridge programme,” said Hill Dickinson managing partner, Peter Jackson.

“Hill Dickinson employees are working really hard to produce the show. The Zero to Hero challenge provides an opportunity for staff to utilise their business experience and learn new skills, while raising money for the Fairbridge programme.”

Three Hill Dickinson solicitors – Bethany Gore, Mary Bentley and Sean Banks – agreed to take part in a speciallyarranged fashion shoot ahead of the show to model some of the outfits that will appear on the catwalk. Tickets for the show are £10 each and are available by clicking on to www.springintostyle.co.uk

Sean Banks wears a blue and red tartan shirt (TM Lewin, £89), a red casual jumper (TM Lewin, £90), a jacket (TM Lewin, £458) and beige chinos (Gieves & Hawkes, £195) and, below, the Hill Dickinson trio outside Metquarter Pitcures: ANDREW TEEBAY

Mary Bentley, left, wears an electric blue dress (LK Bennett, £225), shoes (LK Bennett, £195) and a clutch bag (LK Bennett, £225) and Bethany Gore wears a beige ‘Sophia’ dress (Phase Eight, £140), sandals (Phase Eight, £89) and clutch bag (Phase Eight, £49) Picture: ANDREW TEEBAY

past business – nostalgia

Alf Sutton: The driving force behind one of Britain’s logistics giants

Alf Sutton at his 80th birthday party

FOR much of its history, the story of the Suttons Group was the story of the dynamic Alf Sutton.

The company’s official history, Time & Tide, by Philip R. Jordan, tells how Mr Sutton joined his mother’s coal delivery business in 1923 and grew it into one of the North West’s leading haulage firms.

AB Sutton & Sons was nationalised in 1948 and Alf was dragged, “kicking and screaming”, into British Road Services (BRS). But, in 1954, he bought out his share of BRS and set up Sutton & Son St Helens.

Time & Tide recounts how Alf adapted his six-wheeler vehicles so they could each carry 4 tonnes more – and then added a trailer in a combination called “wagon and drag”, giving them a payload substantially bigger than rival trucks.

Alf also started Suttons’ international expansion in 1958. Today, as you can read on pages 10-11, Suttons has operations as far afield as Shanghai and Saudi Arabia.

Alf seems to have been a tough

taskmaster, and had a keen eye for any potential waste of money. Even Time & Tide calls him “a man of extremes”, adding: “He could be generous to a fault one moment but the next he would be turning lights out, making people work in near darkness.”

But, it adds, Alf inspired great loyalty from staff, family members and customers from Pilkington to ICI. Mr Jordan said: “His hardness was always countered by fairness.”

Alf, who died in 1987, was also a proud family man with a fondness for Dom Perignon champagne.

He adds: “Alf would have suffered in this present era of political correctness and delicate diplomacy. St Helens was a hotbed of socialism and he had two of his Rolls Royces drive across the picket lines during one of the strikes in the early 70s.”

Alf would surely be proud to see that his company is not only still going, but that his grandson, John Sutton, is about to take charge.

ALISTAIR HOUGHTON

Alf Sutton with his horse and cart, circa 1926 Pictures from Time & Tide: The History of the Suttons Group, by Philip R. Jordan

22

Thursday, February 28, 2013

post business endpiece

trading gossip ■

TENSIONS were rising and it was squeaky bum time at Anfield last Thursday as the Reds pressed for the all-important fourth goal to knock out Zenit St Petersburg and progress into the next round of the Europa League.

Attack, attack, attack attack attack, was the roar from the Kop as every soul inside the stadium willed Liverpool on to make that all-important breakthrough.

Well, almost every soul.

For fidgeting nervously up in the Centenary Stand was Alex Baldock, below, chief executive of Speke- based online and catalogues retailer Shop Direct, nee Littlewoods.

He was certainly sweating on the score, but his mind was elsewhere – Stamford Bridge, to be precise.

An avowed Chelsea fan he was lapping up the

action unfolding on the Anfield pitch, but he was frantic to find out how events were unfolding in West London.

And, for him at least, the night ended well, with news that his Blues were through, on away goals, allowing him to commiserate with his guests of a Red persuasion.

■

SOME people just love their jobs so much that the line between their personal and professional lives can become blurred.

Robert Bradley, the new deputy centre manager of St John’s shopping centre in Liverpool, loves shopping centres so much, he got married in one.

Norwich City football fan, Robert, tied the not in Buttermarket shopping centre in Ipswich, where he once worked.

Traders in the centre provided the decorations.

St John’s, of course, boasts it is where you can “get the Liverpool look for less”.

Once news of Robert gets out it could give the cut-price fashionistas of Merseyside a few ideas of their own.

Watch out for weddings taking place under the escalators next to the food court.

Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “walking down the aisle”.

A former ‘couch potato’ who can’t wait to hit the water myday off Hazel Russell is fundraising manager at charity Vision4Children, and has regular dealings with Liverpool’s business community. In her spare time she has a passion for rowing

W

E ARE the only charity totally focused on tackling issues of childhood blindness across the world. We carry out valuable research into the causes of childhood blindness.

My working day can be very varied and is usually quite busy. I have worked in the charitable sector as a fundraiser since moving to Merseyside 20 years ago and have worked for a wide range of different charities.

I am pleased to have finally found a hobby that fits in with my busy working life, hectic social life and family – rowing.

I have never been in the least bit sporty. I don’t (or didn’t) own any outdoor clothes apart from long wool coats, posh boots and hats.

I remember when I first met my husband. He and his sister once suggested playing a game of tennis one sunny Sunday afternoon and I replied incredulously: “Why? Was someone making us?” I couldn’t understand why anyone would actually choose to go outside and run around.

However, a couple of years ago when driving over one of the dock bridges in Wallasey, I noticed people out on the water in some sort of canoe-type boats and a building with a sign grandly proclaiming it to be the Liverpool Victoria Rowing Club.

So I went on the website and had a look and found they were offering taster sessions for new rowers and promptly signed up.

Much to my family’s amusement, I then donned every piece of outdoorwear owned by my two teenage boys and presented my rather-Michelin-Man-type-self one very cold day in January two years ago. The lovely Heather and Lesley from the club didn’t fall around laughing at the sight of me, which in itself was confidence-building.

They showed me how to get into a boat and then just pushed me off from the side and followed me in the launch shouting encouraging instructions.

‘Blade’ in hand, Hazel Russell is ready to row and, inset, rowers from her club in action I do remember noting that no-one had actually asked if I could swim.

Surprisingly, I found I could do it, so it just started from there. Generally I have no co-ordination but have learned to keep in time – the best advice I was given was just follow the person in front.

Two years on and I’m still pretty average. I’m part of a crew which rows in an eight (a massive boat) who are mostly a lot younger and certainly a lot fitter than me.

But everyone is very nice and not at all pushy. I usually row on bow side (left).

I’ve tried sculling, which is rowing with two oars (or blades as they’re known) and have been out on my own in a single boat, but than can be un-nerving if the water is not calm.

My most exciting moment was getting my crew top with my name embroidered on it – I’ve never owned anything like that before, and even though my friends and family still laugh about my hobby I still love it and only wish I discovered it when I was a lot younger.

I love being a proper club member and not just being there because I’m someone’s wife or mum.

To think that I will willingly roll out of bed on a cold, dark wet and windy Sunday morning to be down at Liverpool Vics for 9am would be unimaginable a couple of years ago, but I now love it.

There’s nothing like swirling grey Mersey water to concentrate your mind and your balance.

‘I’m fitter than I have ever been in my life’

I’ve come home wet through from rain and waves but have not yet capsized, though I have done capsize training in a warm swimming pool.

I’m not scared of water at all, just scared about losing my dignity.

Being out in a small boat on in the dock clears your mind. It doesn’t really give you time to think as you have to concentrate all the time and listen for instructions (generally for me it’s Heather or someone in the launch boat beside us constantly hollering ‘Hazelslow down, Hazel, sit up, Hazel, timing’), but it is extraordinarily calming and exhilarating and without trying to sound like a cliché, there’s simply nothing better than being out on the water.

I am fitter than I’ve ever been in my life and I am now a massive advocate of fresh air being the cure for almost everything.

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

endpiece post business

networking Beer festival pictures: NEIL LLOYD

Ales from the crypt HUNDREDS of beer drinkers packed the crypt of Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral last week for the ever-popular Liverpool Beer Festival.

Pictured at the trade event on Wednesday are Steve Crawley, left, managing director of Caledonian Brewery, presenting

John O’Dowd, of The Belvedere pub in Liverpool, with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Campaign for Real Ale’s Liverpool branch.

Kevin Murray, of Wirral’s Peninsula Luxury Pies, inset left, was among those who helped feed the weekend drinkers.

We’re all in the club BUSINESS people and other “movers and shakers” attended the launch of Signature Living’s Ambassadors Club at The Vault in Liverpol.

All attendees will become members which entitles them to use the facilities at

the exclusive new hotel based in Stanley Street, which opens its doors on March 29.

Pictured, from left, Ian Sadler, Dylan Cass, Dion Padan and receiving a shave is Matt Alis.

A FREE breakfast seminar, called ‘Top HR tips for growing businesses’, is being hosted by ClearSky HR at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel & Spa in Hoole from 8-10am. To reserve a place email events@clearsky-hr.co.uk with your name, company and phone number.

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

FEMALE enterprise organisation The Women’s Organisation is holding its inaugural ‘Women in Busi-

ness’ awards, together with small firms lobby group Downtown Liverpool in Business, at the Hilton Hotel, coinciding with International Women’s Day. The awards involve 11 categories and Women’s Organisation chief executive Maggie O’Carroll said: “There are many successful businesswomen setting up and growing their businesses in the region and it is about time we recognised this vibrancy which will ultimately help to ensure

Andy Duckworth, general manager, Signature Living Q Why is this your favourite venue?

A I love the service Q What is your favourite dish and why?!

A Lamb De Fez. The lamb is so succulent and tasty with just the right amount of spice and the portion sizes are very generous – you never leave there hungry

SPEKE-based online and catalogues retailer Shop Direct entertained guests, including Garston and Halewood Labour MP Maria Eagle, at Liverpool’s Europa League tie against Zenit St

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

my favourite lunch

Q What is your favourite lunch venue?

A Kasbah in Bold Street, Liverpool city centre

Shop Direct Reds’ date

business diary

Kasbah in Bold Street, Liverpool city centre

the economic prosperity of Merseyside.” The event starts at 12 noon and runs until 4.30pm. Tickets, including drinks on arrival and a meal, cost £102 (inc VAT).

MONDAY, MARCH 11

LIVERPOOL Chamber Training, part of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, is delivering a series of events during National Apprenticeship Week running from March 11 to 15.

These include a “You’re Hired” challenge which will offer several apprenticeship roles with Liverpool Chamber of Com-

Petersburg last week.

Pictured in front of their branding in the Centenary Stand box is, left, group finance and product director Mark McMenemy, and chief executive Alex Baldock.

merce. Firms are also invited to attend an Apprenticeship Open Day on March 11 to identify the opportunities available. A dedicated ‘60 Really Useful Minutes’ session on apprenticeships, at which the winner of the You’re Hired challenge will be announced, will conclude the week’s programme at the Chamber. For further details email mary.smyth@ liverpoolchamber.org.uk

TUESDAY, MARCH 12

A WORKSHOP entitled ‘BCC Accredited – Export Documentation & Methods of Payment’ is being staged at

Q What is the best bit of business you have done over lunch?

A I have recently struck a deal over lunch with a major champagne house for an exciting project we’re currently working on for our new venture at Signature Living Hotel Q Who would you most like to have lunch with?

A Maybe the general manager

the Old Hall Street offices of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, from 9am until 5pm. It provides an introduction to the world of export procedures and documentation and is designed for any person in an organisation who has to deal with export procedures and the paperwork associated with it. The workshop has been designed to meet British Chambers of Commerce National Trade Training Standards and delegates will complete an assessment which will be used as credits towards recognised qualifications. Each deleg-

Andy Duckworth of Claridges. He could give me a few hints or tips in the lead up to our hotel opening Q Where else do you like to go for lunch?

A For food I love the service and standards in The Italian Club, Luche Libra and The Living Room. For drinks it has to be Berry and Rye or Santa Chupitos.

ate will also get a set of detailed course notes and worked examples to take to use in their workplace.

Attendance costs £200 for chamber members and £250 for non-members. For more information visit http://www.liverpool chamber.org.uk/eventitem. aspx/show/485

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13

THE Build Merseyside Construction Conference takes place at Aintree Racecourse’s Princess Royal Stand between 9am and 4pm. For the first time the conference will incorporate other Merseyside local

authorities, including Knowsley and Halton, Liverpool Vision and Local Authority Building Control (LABC). It is specifically for construction companies only and will focus on registered social landlords, Liverpool2 container terminal expansion, major contractors, the Mersey Gateway and the Green Deal. To reserve a place email events@invest sefton.com ■ Send your diary events to neil.hodgson@liverpool.com

24

Thursday, February 28, 2013

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