Contact - October-November 2014 by North East Chamber of Commerce

NECC:Making the North East a success OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2014

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2014

HEY, MISTER MUSIC MAN 60 Seconds with Lindisfarne’s Ray Jackson

BETTER TOGETHER? What the Scottish ‘no’ vote really means for the North East

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READ ALL ABOUT IT How a career in newspapers prepared the course for Rockliffe Hall’s Warwick Brindle

PROFILE

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TOP GUN

Dan Robinson’s journey from fighter pilot to head of the family firm GLASS ACT LUNCHING AT SUNDERLAND GLASS CENTRE

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Welcome...

EMBARK ON A NEW JOURNEY

Welcome to the latest edition of Contact magazine. I hope you enjoyed a wonderful summer, making the most of our region’s fantastic attractions and flying off to some beautiful corners of the globe. While the holiday season is one of our busiest periods at Newcastle International Airport, it can be the quietest for regional business. However, since the beginning of September it feels like everyone returned to work with renewed vigour. As we go to print, the ‘no’ vote in the Scottish independence referendum remains the topic on most people’s lips, and we have also seen the first shots fired across the bows of our political leaders in the run-up to next year’s general election. The British Chambers of Commerce launched its Business Plan for Britain, which reflects the expectations of business communities across the UK and the measures they require from the incoming

NECC president David Laws considers the need for business to drive growth

Government in 2015 to help Britain fulfil its true economic potential. NECC also defined priorities within the BCC document to help the North East maximise growth and empower business to drive the economy forward. These priorities follow widespread consultation among the businesses we represent which cover one-third of the North East workforce, all the localities in the region, all industrial sectors and all sizes of business. Among the priorities are working with secondary schools to prepare young people for work, guaranteeing a business governor in schools to increase business engagement in education, ensuring everyone leaves school having undertaken a high level of work experience, and continuing the progress made in forging relationships between the worlds of business and education. Infrastructure upgrades must be delivered, including the A1 and A19 upgrades and the A1 dualling feasibility study, while immediate action is required to deliver new aviation capacity and Air Passenger Duty reform. We must complete the legal framework of HS2, and roll out rural broadband and 5G. We want to drive down business costs and taxes by freezing business rates until 2017 along with a full re-valuation of premises. Our members are central to everything we do and empowering them to deliver more can only lead to a more successful and prosperous North East.

EDITOR Jane Pikett jane@offstonepublishing.co.uk EDITORIAL TEAM Dean Bailey Liz Hands Owen McAteer Paul Robertson Contact is the magazine for NECC members. News and press releases should be sent to submissions@necc.co.uk ADVERTISING Contact our commercial team 01661 844 115 sales@offstonepublishing.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY Kevin Gibson www.kgphotography.co.uk Nicky Rogerson www.nrphotography.co.uk Peter Skelton www.photo-psp.co.uk

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RAYJACKSON

DAN ROBINSON

GERALDINE KAY

“I told the youth employment officer I wanted to be an artist. He said, ‘no chance, there’s 49 apprentices in the shipyards, 12 jobs down the Rising Sun pit or a butcher’s boy job on the high street’. I stuck to my guns and that led to Lindisfarne.”

“Everyone knew we were in trouble and looked to me to get them out of it. I told them the next six months would be the biggest battle of their careers and there would be difficult decisions. I promised to be honest with them.”

“Our people are our greatest asset. Organisations are not successful, the people within them are. That is why we’ve strengthened our focus on the people side of the business, our employees are at the centre of everything we do.”

Lindisfarne

Gus Robinson Developments

Derwentside Homes

©Offstone Publishing 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All information contained in this magazine is as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Offstone Publishing a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part. Although every care is taken, Offstone Publishing is not liable for resulting loss or damage. Offstone Publishing endeavors to respect the intellectual property of owners of copyrighted material reproduced herein. If you identify yourself as the copyright holder of material we have wrongly attributed, please contact us. Offstone Publishing does not guarantee the insertion of any particular advertisement on a specified date or at all.

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Contents

To keep up to date with all the latest NECC and member news download the NECC app by searching for NECC in the Apple app store and on Google Play

Plus 10 IN IT TO WIN IT

The North East Business Awards are launched

15 CLASS ACT

The Theatre Royal’s £4m economic impact

Championing the region since 1815 Be part of it

24 TURBO-CHARGED British Engines boosts turnover and investment

29 SPACE

Commercial property in focus

30 SUCCESS

Meet this year’s BCC Awards delegation

32 POLICY FOCUS

Are we better together?

44 SKILLS

Training and apprenticeships

Features 06 60 SECONDS

With Lindisfarne’s Ray Jackson

34 MIDDLE MAN Above: Dan Robinson

Evolution Forwarding’s Terry Goldspink

46 EXPORT

Overseas trade in focus

54 HI TECH

Apple’s iPhone 6

65 DOUBLE TAKE Harbour mastery

36 IN FULL SWING

Serial entrepenuer and Rockliffe Hall chairman Warwick Brindle

40 TOP GUN

Dan Robinson, from fighter pilot to head of the family firm

49 PLEASED TO MEET YOU For two centuries our members have stood shoulder to shoulder for the good of the region, developing ground breaking innovations, and playing key roles in industrial and economic change. Our region’s economic and physical landscape continues to change and NECC is, and will always be, evolving with it, but our sole purpose remains the same - we will always make the prosperity of our members and the North East our number one priority. NECC is your Chamber.

The North East’s conferences and events sector in focus

56 OUT TO LUNCH

With SAFC’s Gary Hutchinson

63 FAB FIVE

Clockwise from above: Geraldine Kay, Warwick Brindle and Gary Hutchinson

My first job...

66 LAST WORD

With Watson Burton’s Duncan Reid

Be part of it. Join us now at www.necc.co.uk/join-us or call 0300 303 6322 #GreatNE

36 56

OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 5

60 SECONDS

Hey, Mister Music Man 60 Seconds: Lindisfarne’s Ray Jackson, by Dean Bailey

t’s 9am and I’m already tackling a difficult question: “Would you like Metallica or AC/DC?” It [my choice of mug] is a tough one this early in the morning, but when you’re being asked by a veteran of the music industry, it adds a lot more pressure. “It’s OK, they’ve both got milk and sugar in,” says Ray Jackson, handing me the AC/DC cup. Jackson is the only member of Lindisfarne to have been in every one of the band’s line-ups in the last 40 years and was behind the group’s 2013 revival. We meet in the tiny Aladdin’s cave of instruments, mixing equipment and memorabilia that is First Avenue Studios in Heaton, Newcastle, where Jackson is working on a live album recorded at last year’s Lindisfarne Christmas concert at Newcastle City Hall. “I had no intention of

Q Who did you look up to as a child? My granddad taught me a few things, including how to play the harmonica, and my uncle Norman was a member of the Magic Circle and used to play the social clubs so I learned a lot about performing from him, too. Q How do you compare to your 21-year-old self? It’s a little foggy! I would say I drink a lot less Brown Ale now. Q What’s the best job you’ve ever had? Working for the events team at Guinness was good - the freebies were fantastic! In music, it was playing mandolin on Rod Stewart’s Maggie May. I’ll never forget it. Q What have you enjoyed most about coming back to music? I’ve enjoyed recreating something I

6 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCT - NOV 2014

thought was gone. We’re creating the original Lindisfarne sound again. It’s magic. Q What would you be doing if you weren’t in music? I trained to be an artist, and I like to think I could have gone to a nice sunny climate and painted for a living. That would be pretty perfect. Q What’s the best decision you’ve ever made? It was the day I went to see the youth employment officer. I told him I wanted to be an artist. He said, ‘not a chance, there’s 49 apprentices in the shipyards, 12 jobs down the Rising Sun pit or a butcher’s boy job on the high street’. I stuck to my guns, enrolled in art school and that ultimately led to Lindisfarne. Q What’s the greatest moment of your career to date? The night we supported Bob Dylan at St James’ Park. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and the pitch was filled with people. It was an incredible night. Q What does the future hold? We’re touring next year and looking at an album of new and never-released songs. After that, who knows? At my age you don’t know what’s around the corner! Ray Jackson’s Lindisfarne is at City Hall December 20, 22 and 23. For more details and to book tickets go to www.newcastlecityhall.org

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We’re creating the original Lindisfarne sound again. It’s magic

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doing it, but when I found out the City Hall was under threat of closure I had to do something,” he says.“Everybody including The Beatles and the Stones has played there in its 70 years and we played more than 130 shows there over a period of 20 years. It’s our spiritual home.” Jackson hoped the show would raise the profile of the campaign to save the venue and the band ended up playing three sell-out shows last Christmas. Something did the trick, because the hall remains open and Ray Jackson’s Lindisfarne is back with another three Christmas shows in December. So what makes him tick?

OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 7

INBOX

IN MY VIEW

inbox...

Have you got something to say about the magazine or about business in general? Then inbox may be the perfect home for you. Send your views, comment and gossip to inbox@necontact.co.uk

Tweet Tweet! Here’s our pick of the best pictures from Twitter in September

BATTLE OF TROY

Dig deep, folks…brave 10-yearold Troy Dodds needs your support for a sponsored bike ride with his dad Paul. Paul, from Consett, will be taking time out from Jennings Ford in Gateshead to complete the 174-mile Hadrian’s Way coast-to-coast ride with Troy, who suffers from Erb’s Palsy. The condition, which is a result of birth trauma, affects the nerves which supply movement and feeling to Troy’s left arm. Sponsor Troy and Paul at justgiving.com/Lisa-Dodds2

THE INTERN

Intern James Lefley has proved himself a bright spark by helping a marketing agency position itself at the forefront of cutting-edge touchscreen technology. Gateshead-based Daykin & Storey employed Lefley as a software developer as part of a Knowledge Exchange Internship run by Teesside University and he spent 10 months developing new programmes and researching new ways to maximise touchscreen technology.

ROAD TO SUCCESS

Nice work on the part of experiential marketing agency Independent Events, which has been shortlisted for two awards. The Newcastle-based company won nominations for creating an augmented reality roadshow for Road Respect at intu Metrocentre. Visitors downloaded a Road Respect app before facing their device to a shop where they could then hear and see a virtual drunk driver smashing through the window. The awards final is in London on October 23.

FITTING TRIBUTE

A new street in County Durham has been named after a local war hero who was killed while saving children’s lives during World War Two. Robert Key Mews is a new development of 25 homes in Hamsterley which have been built by North Durham housing provider Derwentside Homes. The street is named after Bombardier Robert Key who died in a tragic accident in 1944 after helping to liberate the French town of Annezin from Nazi occupation.

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BOY DONE GOOD

Ex ‘Boro defender Christian Burgess has graduated from Teesside University with a First Class BA (Hons) History, completed part-time with studies between games and training. Burgess, who transferred his studies from Birmingham to Teesside when he signed for Middlesbrough and is now with Peterborough, is clearly a bright spark, as his dissertation has now been shortlisted for the Royal Historical Society/ History Today prize. Nice work!

DEM BONES

More tests are to be carried out on skeletons to try to unravel the mystery surrounding a centuries-old mass grave in Durham City. Initial analysis by Durham University’s Department of Archaeology has found all of the 28 skeletons were males aged between 13 and 46. The remains could be Scottish prisoners who died in Durham Cathedral and Castle after the battle of Dunbar in 1650. Results of further tests are expected in the New Year.

Get Into Newcastle (@NewcastleNE1): Lots of people enjoying #NE1PingPong today Sintons Law (@SintonsLaw): We hosted the Eagles press launch yesterday, looking forward to the season opener v Worcester Wolves @NewcastleEagle ITV News (@itvnews): Mo Farah celebrates becoming the first British man to win the Great North Run since 1985 Newcastle Airport (@NCLairport): Great shot of the sun setting over #Croatia by @BlythSpirit66 on his flight from NCL to Dalaman Northumbria Police (@northumbriapol): New Newcastle City Centre Police Station now open at Forth Banks - to report a crime - or ask for advice Rockliffe Hall (@RockliffeHall): Monasterio with his winning put, a fantastic -14 for the tournament #ESO2014 #EnglishSeniorOpen

In my view

NECC chief executive James Ramsbotham is ready to celebrate all that’s great about North East business

ne of the best things about working for the North East Chamber of Commerce is hearing about the excellent success stories from our fantastic membership. I’ve often used this column in the past to highlight achievements among our membership, and the next couple of months provide us with a host of opportunities to really celebrate them. Our 200th anniversary in 2015 will see NECC lead a 12-month celebration of all things business in our region, though for the moment there is plenty to focus on in the immediate future. The annual awards and dinners season is upon us and we can tell by the fact that both our Tees and Tyne & Northumberland Gala Dinners sold out months ahead of the events that our members are keen to celebrate, too. This is something of the hat-trick for NECC, following one of the best-attended Durham and Wearside Dinners in years.

Securing excellent speakers certainly helps, and if you were at our Tees Dinner in September you will have enjoyed hearing from the BBC’s Steph McGovern, who spoke wonderfully about growing up in the North East and her BBC career. If you missed it, a full report and photographs from the event will appear in the next edition of Contact. In November, we will welcome some 400 people to the Tyne & Northumberland Dinner where we will welcome speaker Ann Cairns, who is president of international markets for MasterCard. Like Steph, Ann is a great North East export and she has worked across the globe in many senior management positions. November will also see us take a delegation of superb North East businesses to London to represent our region at the British Chambers of Commerce Annual Awards. Having brought home awards for the past two years, I feel certain our group comprising The Bazaar Group, A-Belco, Derwentside Homes, JC Atkinson and Nobia will represent our region with distinction. NECC also hosted its first Members Showcase at Rainton Meadows Arena in September. The event focused solely on networking, getting to know other businesses and NECC members from across the region with our staff on hand to work with attendees and make sure that they are maximising the many benefits their membership offers. We’re proud of our members and this event provided a unique platform to shout about all the good things they

are doing and the exciting, pioneering projects that are helping the North East to sustain its reputation for worldleading innovation. I’ve said it before and I know I’ll say it again, but we have so much to celebrate in our region and it is a great source of pride that NECC provides so many opportunities for us to showcase the great work of our membership. Having spent much of the last 18 months talking about rising positivity in our region, it’s great to see that optimism being harnessed by business. We currently have more people in employment in the North East than we have ever had. Yes, unemployment does remain an issue, but recent trends indicate that this is also beginning to fall. The deadline for this edition of Contact arrived a little early for the results of our Q3 Quarterly Economic Survey, but I expect to see a continuation of the positive trend we have seen since the beginning of 2013. And while I’m no stranger to flying the flag for the North East, we can all expect to see some exciting news coming out about the whole of the North of England in the coming months. The directors of all the North’s Chambers of Commerce are working together to get behind the “One North” campaign, and provide a united voice for business to drive forward economic growth in our part of the world. We want the North to become the industrial powerhouse it once was and can certainly be again. After all, a united voice for more than 25,000 businesses would be very difficult to ignore.

 Last year’s Tyne & Northumberland Annual Dinner OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 9

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Steve Grainger, MD Enigma Interactive

Newcastle-based web development agency Enigma Interactive, which was established in 1997 by MD Steve Grainger, has been named one of the top 5 elite digital agencies in the UK in The Drum’s Digital Census 2014. The Drum magazine’s annual digital census is the largest of its kind and provides a comprehensive review of the digital marketing agency landscape. In partnership with the Recommended Agency Register, The Drum judges agencies on financial performance, client satisfaction and peer recognition. Agencies which rank consistently well in all three achieve elite status.

Last year, the North East Business Awards Newcomer of the Year award went to Thornaby-based PJA Distribution Ltd. PJA MD Andrew Simpson says: “Entering the North East Business Awards was a fantastic experience for us. It was the perfect opportunity to showcase what we have achieved, to raise our profile and to celebrate what this region has to offer in terms of innovation and success. We’re pleased to say the trophy takes pride of place in our reception area and is also featured on our website: a big deal for us and a useful trust indicator from the point of view of customers.” The 2015 awards feature 14 categories, including the new Let’s Grow award, recognising companies that have significantly boosted everything from profits to staffing levels.

For details of the awards and to book tickets for the awards ceremony go to www.nebusinessawards.co.uk

10 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCT - NOV 2014

in association with

find it, which he did, hidden in a tree hollow.” Organised by Catalyst Recruitment, NECC and Atlas Cloud, the digital treasure hunt is a technology-enabled challenge to find a secret location where the prizewinning ticket is hidden. The competition runs for 12 months and is open to all NECC members to coincide with the run-up to the Chamber’s 200th anniversary celebrations next year and Catalyst’s 10th birthday. The next prize is provided by Barbour, which is also celebrating a significant anniversary of 120 years in business. The first to find the golden ticket will choose an outfit from Barbour’s Autumn Winter 2014 collection up to the value of £500.

For more information and to register for the Great North East Digital Treasure Hunt go to www.pluscatalyst.co.uk/treasurehunt The first to claim the ticket will win the prize. Terms and conditions apply in association with

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Choice cuts

Family butcher goes global

REACH OUT TO POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS

MEET THE MILLERS Paralympian Stephen Miller on business life with his wife

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PLANE SAILING

Former pilot’s business takes off

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Architectural design consultancy New Bold Design has scooped a prestigious housing award. The Co Durham-based firm took the prize for Best Individual New Home at the Northern Local Authority Building Control Awards. Greendale Cottage in Upper Weardale impressed judges with its environmentally friendly credentials.

he North East Business Awards 2015 are open for business, inviting nominations in 14 categories in advance of the gala awards ceremony in April 2015. Some of the most famous names in North East business are previous winners of the awards, which provide an excellent showcase for regional talent, innovation and success. The 2015 awards coincide with the North East Chamber of Commerce’s 200th anniversary and the awards ceremony is a landmark in the business calendar. NECC is working with The Journal and Evening Gazette to present these prestigious honours, which celebrate the progress, achievements and success of the cream of North East business.

lucky treasure hunter has won the double rollover prize in the latest round of the Great North East Digital Treasure Hunt. Dave Shepherd, general manager at the international gas testing facility run by oil and gas consultancy DNV GL in Chilton, Co Durham, won a painting by prominent artist Dennis Woods donated by Art Evolution and a Nokia Lumia 635 smartphone from Activ Technology. Dave says: “I solved the online clues and used the co-ordinates to realise the ticket was hidden near the bandstand in Gateshead’s Saltwell Park. “Then I challenged my son Thomas, 12, to see if he could

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GRAND DESIGNS

Prestigious awards are open for business

MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TICKET

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NEWS

PJA Distribution MD Andrew Simpson receives the Newcomer of the Year Award 2014 from Virgin Money’s Brian Giles

l-r: Phil Richardson, chief operations officer at Atlas Cloud, Victoria Anderson, MD of Art Evolution, Matthew Ord, senior account manager for International Trade at NECC, Dave Shepherd, general manager at DNV GL Flow Centre, and Ian Gillespie, chairman Activ Technology

IN THE PINK Alice Blackie: Turning a £45 start-up into a £1.8m-turnover fashion empire

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NEWS

ADVERTORIAL

PARTNERS UPDATE With Jo Fryett, head of NECC Partners While the summer break was more than welcome, it’s also good to be back, and NECC Partners launched their autumn programme with their first event at Newcastle’s International Centre for Life. With the Scottish independence referendum taking place the night before, you can imagine what most of the conversation focused on at the event, and the overwhelming consensus was that things are never going to be the same again. It was interesting to get a perspective from Andrew Hebden, deputy agent for the North East at the Bank of England, who spoke exclusively to Partners. This gave us the opportunity to examine the many differences across the 11 UK regions in which The Bank of England operates; differences reflected by reports from the bank’s agents who provide

Ryding high

information regarding business conditions and economic trends affecting businesses within each region. Each agency provides a monthly assessment to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) about business conditions, helping the MPC to form its view on the likely path of the economy and inflation. Agencies also contribute to the Bank’s financial stability activities by providing a regular narrative on credit conditions for firms and our Partners were provided with an excellent opportunity to question and input directly into the Bank’s views on regional economies. For the remainder of the year the Partner programme will be looking at some of the stories behind new investment opportunities, future plans for our region and we’ll reveal the results of the NECC Housing Survey. joanne.fryett@necc.co.uk Twitter @NECCJo tel 07867 541 467

OUR PARTNERS...

Architecture firm Ryder, which has an office in Newcastle, is celebrating UK and overseas project wins. Schemes in the North East include the redevelopment of Newcastle Central Station, Newcastle College Gateway, ongoing work for Nissan, Ashington Leisure Centre, a new masterplan for Hartlepool town centre and the Freeman Hospital cardiothoracic expansion. In Hong Kong, Ryder is the preferred bidder on a £200m police headquarters (left) and will be developing designs for a new hospital for the Chinese University of Hong Kong. These are some of the significant projects set to push the firm, which was ranked in the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies to Work For 2014, to a turnover of more than £10m.

BANKING ON MINE

David Langley

NECC is welcoming a new recruit to its executive team as David Langley takes over as chief operating officer in November. Langley qualified as a chartered accountant with NECC Partner KPMG in Newcastle and has spent the last seven years working with a number of businesses, most recently Qubic Tax, Newcastle. 12 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCT - NOV 2014

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Site manager Paul Dunne and environmental manager Ben Anstee at Mainshill

Family-owned North East firm Banks Mining has won a new contract in Scotland. Banks has been appointed by Mines Restoration Ltd to carry out maintenance work at a former surface coal mine in South Lanarkshire. The Mainshill site has not been mined since former operators Scottish Coal went into administration last year

L-R: Danny Sharpe; Ian Holmes; Jean Sharpe; Alex Rayner; Alok Loomba

NEW JOB ADDS UP “With confidence returning to North East business and the economic recovery well underway, this is an exciting time for NECC and its members,” he says. “I am very much looking forward to taking up this role and the opportunity to engage with our membership and the wider regional business community to build on the excellent reputation of NECC as a champion for North East business.” Langley’s experience over the last 13 years spans audit and transaction services in practice through to financial and operational management and strategy in business. He replaces Chris McCourt.

NORTHSTAR DEVELOPS NATIONAL PORTFOLIO

but Banks is now expected to be on site for around eight weeks. Founded in Durham in 1976, Banks Mining has operated and restored more than 100 surface mines across Scotland and the north of England. Its latest project is designed to ensure the integrity of the site is maintained while a restoration plan is developed. in association with

specialist development and project management business which started life in the North East has grown to become one of the leading players in the care sector. Northstar was set up in 2007 by Danny Sharpe and Ian Holmes to support developers in creating state-of-the-art care homes, advising throughout the duration of the project on all aspects of the development. Northstar’s work in its native North East – where Danny hails from, and Ian is now based – includes care home developments in Stocksfield, South Shields, Sunderland, Redcar and Harrogate. And the business also has a raft of new projects in the pipeline, with 2014 proving a particularly busy year for the care home sector, as both confidence and funding continue to return to the market. Ian, Northstar’s Projects Director, is based in Newcastle, while Developments Director Danny, along with his wife Jean – Northstar’s Finance Director – are based in South Oxfordshire. Danny Sharpe said: “We work throughout the country to design and deliver new five-star state-of-the-art care facilities, and source most of our talent from the North of England to do so. “We have a particularly strong portfolio in the South and South East of England, and, with new instructions all the time to add to the many existing projects we are working on, we are seeing a very busy 2014. Our team are as busy as they have ever been, and the returning confidence in the development sector promises to see that continue into 2015 and hopefully beyond.” Northstar have worked with Newcastle-based law firm Sintons on many of its projects. Sintons, whose care team is led by Partners Christopher Welch and Alok Loomba, supported by the construction expertise of solicitor Alex Rayner, is nationally regarded for its work in the care sector.

Sintons LLP, Barrack Road, Newcastle, NE4 6DB tel: 0191 2267878, www.sintons.co.uk OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 13

NEWS

ADVERTORIAL

NEWS

Class act

DINNER DATE

Newcastle’s Theatre Royal made an economic contribution to the region of more than £4m last year, the company’s annual report reveals. The report for the 2013/14 financial year details record-breaking figures against a difficult economic landscape. Between April last year and March this year, the theatre presented 409 performances to a combined audience of 337,447 people. With a turnover of £9.85m, it supported 90 full-time equivalent jobs and returned £600,000 in tax, national insurance and VAT. The total annual economic benefit of the theatre to the region was calculated at £4.1m.

Ann Cairns, president of international markets for Mastercard

One of the North East’s most successful business exports is returning to the region as keynote speaker at NECC’s forthcoming Tyne and Northumberland Dinner. Ann Cairns, president of international markets for MasterCard, will address business leaders at the event in November. Newcastle-born Cairns gained an MSc in Statistics at Newcastle University and is now responsible for the management of all markets and customer-related activities for every country outside North America for Mastercard. This year’s dinner, which will be held at Newcastle Civic Centre on November 6, is sponsored by Newcastle International Airport and Gateshead College.

WINNING FORMULA

TLW LAUNCH SPECIALIST MOTORING OFFENCES SERVICE

Peter McKenna, founder of MotoPro and Partner at TLW Solicitors

RHINE AND WEAR

aw firm TLW solicitors has launched a new service and brand – MotoPro - aimed at representing people dependent on their driving licences. MotoPro offers a range of fixed fee service packages - meaning no hidden charges or unexpected bills. The team of experienced lawyers understand that losing your licence can significantly impact on both your professional and personal life and aim to remove the stress and worry you may face. Expert advice from the MotoPro legal team can help prevent the loss of your licence or ensure that you are back on the road as soon as possible. Dealing with all motoring offences from simple speeding fixed penalty notices to more serious charges where injury or death may be involved, services include pre-trial conferences with a specialist barrister, preparation on what to expect at court and looking to recover your costs in the event of a successful defence. ‘The service is aimed at individuals and businesses where driving is essential and where losing a driving licence can be disastrous – executives, salespeople, taxi drivers, couriers.’ says MotoPro founder and TLW Solicitors Partner, Peter McKenna. ‘It offers niche expert representation with the peace of mind of fixed fees.’ A new website has just been launched which includes a detailed overview of the MotoPro packages and answers lots of FAQs. If you are facing prosecution for a motoring offence, MotoPro can help.

NEWS GOLD STANDARD A County Durham college has been praised for its commitment to staff after being awarded Investors in People Gold status. A six-day inspection, including interviews with 40 members of staff at Bishop Auckland College, concluded the college rewarded and recognised its employees, helping them feel motivated and committed.

Alan Roberts, MD of C&A Pumps and EngineeringLimited

Hartlepool-based engineering company C&A Pumps is celebrating after securing more than £70,000-worth of new contracts. The business has reported winning bids within the housing, construction, transport, marine and nuclear sectors in recent weeks, of which the most significant contract is to supply and install five new underground pumping stations at the Hitachi Rail plant currently under construction in Newton Aycliffe. Contracts

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have also been secured to test filtration systems at Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station, to refurbish pumping stations for property firm Gentoo, and to supply a specialist pump for Tyne and Wear Metro. The firm will also be diverting toxic water from a County Durham landfill site and serving the systems of an offshore rig support vessel docked in Sunderland. The business puts its success down to its ability to respond to challenges from clients of all sizes and from all sectors.

Germanwings arrives at Newcastle International Airport

Newcastle International Airport has welcomed Germanwings, part of the Lufthansa Group, as the airline begins its new service to Dusseldorf. The carrier will operate the same service to Dusseldorf as

Lufthansa daily (except Saturday) and with a new low-cost pricing structure. Chris Saunders, aviation development director at Newcastle says the service will be popular with leisure travellers. in association with

info@motoprolegal.co.uk www.motoprolegal.co.uk Tel : 0800 7562415 OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 15

ADVERTORIAL

NEWS

NECC PRESIDENT’S CLUB UPDATE With Eamonn Leavey, head of NECC President’s Club In association with Brewin Dolphin

BUSINESS SUPPORT BOARD SOUGHT FOR NEW PROGRAMME Business leaders are sought to inform and lead a key component of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Strategic Economic Plan.

Paul Varley, North East LEP Board member.

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership is committed to driving economic growth, delivering more and better jobs for the North East. To achieve this we need to make sure that businesses have access to the support they need to start up, grow and expand. So we have set ourselves a clear ambition to help businesses find and use the right information, expert advice and finance to thrive and grow. We will deliver this ambition through a new business support programme driven by a Business Support Board. We are looking for passionate, well-connected business people from across the area to be a part of this new Board. If you have the drive, passion, business insight and business skills, we would love to hear from you. The new Board will oversee and advise on the developing and delivering Business Support Programme, at the core of which is the new North East Growth Hub. Created for business and lead by business, the North East Growth Hub will make it easy to find the right support at the right time with the right results. The highly networked digital growth hub will be a single point of reference for businesses looking for support services and products. Its USP will be business-to-business online communities and knowledge-exchange forums focused on opportunities, solutions and insights to inform and inspire, where businesses will be able to share experiences, conduct business-to-business interactions and investigate potential procurements. The new Business Support Board will be instrumental in the development of the Growth Hub which is scheduled to be launched in April 2015. Up to eight business leaders from across the region will be required to commit an estimated two days every quarter over the next three years. North East LEP Board member, Paul Varley,

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explained: “Our ambition is clear. We will help businesses find and utilise the right information, expert advice and finance to thrive and grow. “The Business Support Programme is an essential part of our Strategic Economic Plan. It provides the framework for an investment of over £200m in access to finance and business support over six years. “This investment will increase profitability, wages and employment across the economy. Specifically, we will invest over £40m in developing the business support offer, ensuring that the support services and products on offer meet the needs of business. North East LEP Board member, Gill Southern added: “The Growth Hub is at the heart of this growth programme. It will make it easy for businesses to find the right support at the right time for the right results. Created for business and lead by business, the digital hub will drive growth, productivity and trade, ultimately creating more and better jobs in the North East.” The deadline to apply for the unpaid Business Support Board positions is Friday 10 October 2014. Those interested should contact Dinah Jackson or download the application pack from www.nelep.co.uk/business_support.

North East LEP 0191 222 3180 info@nelep.co.uk www.nelep.co.uk @northeastlep To sign up for North East LEP updates please visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/northeastlep

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INTO CONTINENTAL?

he North East Chamber of Commerce’s latest poll on European Union membership reveals high levels of concern about leaving the EU among North East business, as well as strong support for transferring some powers back to the UK from Brussels.

Nearly two-thirds of businesses surveyed said there would be a negative impact in the event of withdrawal from the EU, with only 13% predicting a positive impact. However, 61% said the transfer of some powers back to the UK from Brussels would be good while nearly half said further integration would be negative.

POSITIVE RESPONSE After buying Armstrong Works two years ago, Reece Group has started its move into the iconic site on Scotswood Road, Newcastle. Responsive Engineering, formed by a merger of two Reece Group companies, will be investing £10m in the redevelopment of the site over the next two years. As a provider of sub-contract manufacturing for the oil and gas, subsea, power generation and defence industries, the move comes at a time when demand for the firm’s specialist skills and products is growing. Previous owner BAE Systems is releasing space in a phased exit and Reece Group now occupies more than 65% of the

l-r: Ali Reece, Reece Group, Niall Ash, Responsive Engineering, Brian O’Donnell, Responsive Engineering, and Tim Rutter, Reece Group

site, which has a footprint of 32,000sq metres. Reece Group chairman John Reece says: “It is a privilege to be able to continue the engineering and manufacturing legacy created by Lord Armstrong more than 167 years ago.”

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Things are shaping up nicely for the next NECC President’s Club, with a leading speaker secured for the event at Newcastle’s Centre for Life. International trade minister Lord Livingston will speak at the event, which is sponsored by Newcastle University Business School. Lord Livingston will be well aware of the fact that the North East is the only net exporting region in the UK, but that won’t stop us reminding him about that, and the fact that we could be delivering so much more with additional support. It was great to see a good number of President’s Club members attend the Scottish Independence debate with Garry Clark, head of policy and public affairs at the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, who provided a fascinating insight into the independence debate from a Scottish perspective. It was also good to see the work HMP Northumberland is doing first hand. The improvements to the work experience programmes available have a beneficial impact on re-offending and helping ex-offenders lead productive lives in society. Sodexo Justice and the prison staff have achieved a huge amount since the prison was privatised at the end of last year. The new Durham Constabulary headquarters at Aykley Heads in Durham is due to open this month and I was privileged to be given a personal tour of the new building from the chief constable Mike Barton. It was clear why Nobia UK in Darlington received the North East Manufacturing Award earlier this year. Nobia has invested £8m in its Darlington site in the past two years and makes 300,000 panels a week in the factory. It is part of European kitchen specialist Nobia. Its brand portfolio includes Magnet Kitchens. To join President’s Club, contact Eamonn Leavey, tel 07714 845 624 email eamonn.leavey@necc.co.uk Twitter @NECCEamonn

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NEWS

NEWS IN THE DRIVING SEAT

North East flying high The North East’s £1m advertising campaign hit screens at Heathrow Airport in September. Following a nail-biting finish in August’s YourGreatBritain competition, which asked the public to vote for their favourite image from four UK regions, a campaign advertising the best of the North East was launched at the airport. The campaign will be displayed on digital screens across terminals for three months and features five iconic images from the region: Bamburgh Castle, The Angel of the North, Hadrian’s Wall, Durham Cathedral and the Quayside in Newcastle. The North East won nearly half of the 40,000 votes cast on the airport’s Facebook page, which was organised by Visit Britain and Heathrow Airport, beating the North West, Northern Ireland and the Midlands.

l-r Lance Bradley and Nas Khan

Jennings Mitsubishi, part of the Jennings Motor Group, has opened a new franchise in Teesside. Located at the group’s Cargo Fleet Lane dealership in Middlesbrough, the branch, which is part of an on-going expansion in the region, was officially opened by Jennings MD Nas Khan and Mitsubishi Motors UK MD Lance Bradley.

NEWS LONDON CALLING Commercial law firm Muckle LLP has won a place on London Universities Purchasing Consortium’s (LUPC) new legal panel. It’s a prestigious South East win for the North East law firm, which is headquartered in Newcastle. LUPC framework agreements are open to all LUPC members, including London universities and colleges, the British Council, the British Library and British Film Institute, as well as government agencies and research organisations. LUPC members spend around £13m per year on legal services. Tony McPhillips, head of Muckle’s education team

Improved prognosis

Durham Uni spin-out company has signed a deal which could improve the diagnosis of prostate cancer. FScan Ltd has agreed a licensing deal with Glide Pharma to exploit technology which uses light energy to measure citrate levels. Those levels can then be used to signal the onset and progression of prostate cancer. The technology was developed by Professor David Parker and Dr Robert Pal at Durham University’s chemistry department. Clinical studies are underway at UCL Hospital London to assess the

effectiveness of the test while the licensing deal includes an upfront fee, development and commercial milestone payments, and royalties on future product sales. Prof Parker says: “What is pleasing is that some fundamental academic research can now be properly assessed for commercial exploitation and may, in time, offer real benefit to patients.” Durham University is no stranger to success with its spin-out companies. Two of them have floated on the stock market in the past year. Kromek, specialising in digital colour x-ray imaging, raised £15m, while Advanced Graphene Materials raised £11m.

RECORD SALES Stockton-based Evolution Valves is continuing impressive growth with another record sales month of £1.6m. The figures were recorded in August in an achievement sales director Peter Cone says is entirely based on export sales, with key orders coming from North America, the Caribbean and Lithuania. Evolution recently opened a sales office in Texas, which has significantly contributed to recent orders. The company is now planning further investment in its Stockton factory and is taking on more staff by the end of the year.

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NEWS

NEWS ARTISTIC LICENCE A North East art gallery has been named one of the best businesses in the country by the Small Business Saturday campaign. The North East Art Collective is an independently run art and design gallery in Newcastle’s Eldon Garden, which showcases and sells work from more than 130 artists. Despite being colour blind and having no arts experience, John Thompson from Chester-le-Street started the business after being made redundant. Three-and-a-half years later and the business is growing, with year-on-year profit increasing steadily. This year, Small Business Saturday is taking place on December 6, one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The North East Art Collective has been chosen as one of the campaign’s top 100 businesses.

NEWS TECHNICAL TRAINING

TTE Technical Training Group has launched short courses to retrain staff and develop engineering skills. Held at TTE’s South Bank facility in Middlesbrough, the courses include health and safety, engineering maintenance and first aid. TTE managing director Steve Grant says: “It is vital that employees are constantly re-skilled.”

Dear Prime Minister

he North East Chamber of Commerce has outlined the priorities a new Government must address in 2015 if the region is to deliver on its true potential. As the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) launches its Business Plan for Britain, NECC has defined the priorities within the BCC document that will help the North East maximise growth and empower businesses to drive forward the economy. The business group sets out the lobbying priorities to empower business, stimulate growth, create jobs and help the North East become an international gateway for industry. Among the key priorities are assessing secondary schools on employment outcomes to prepare young people for work; guaranteeing a business governor in every school to increase business engagement in education, ensuring everyone leaves school having undertaken

a high level of work experience and continuing progress made in forging relationships between the worlds of business and education. There must also be a strong focus on delivering infrastructure upgrades, such as pushing for delivery of pledged A1 and A19 upgrades and the A1 dualling feasibility study, immediate action to deliver new aviation capacity and Air Passenger Duty reform, completing the legal framework of HS2 and proceeding as rapidly as possible and rolling out rural broadband and 5G. The Chamber also prioritises the driving down of business costs and taxes by freezing business rates for all companies until 2017 and delivery of a full re-valuation of premises by the same year, and a solid commitment to a thorough review of the broken Business Rates system by 2017 centred on creating a competitive local tax system by 2022. Business must also be placed at the heart of local growth.

HEAVY METAL Teesside University has held a conference of internationally renowned metallurgists for the first time in nearly 80 years. More than 150 delegates from across the world attended the three-day European Steel Environment and Energy Congress, also visiting SSI’s Teesside Steelworks and Middlesbrough FC’s Riverside Stadium. Louis Brimacombe of Tata Steel described the event as “a landmark for the steel industry”

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NEWS

On Thursday 20th November 2014, HR Showcase are proudly presenting...

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM NECC ACCOUNT MANAGERS NECC Global I welcome Beanie’s Flavour Company to NECC Global. They’re a flavoured coffee company already exporting to countries like China, Kuwait and Korea. Another new global member to watch out for is fashion business Love Niche. Matthew Ord tel 07717 300 351 matthew.ord@necc.co.uk Twitter @NECCMatthew

“YOU’RE HIRED!” This seminar will show, by means of a role play, the importance of: → effective job adverts and descriptions; → implementing a non-discriminatory recruitment process; → getting the right paperwork in place; and → managing your employees from the outset.

Venue: Centre for Life, Newcastle Date: Thursday 20th November 2014 Time: 8:30am - 10:45am

To reserve your free place at this seminar contact Helen Ward Call: 0191 232 8345 Email: helen.ward@hay-kilner.co.uk Visit: www.hay-kilner.co.uk to book a place online Feedback from the previous seminar: “HR Showcase training is engaging and realistic. It has helped our HR managers improve their knowledge, understanding and, most of all, their handling of difficult people situations.” Julie Cowen - Director of People and Organisational Development, Mental Health Matters “The structure of the programme, facilitating and encouraging delegate participation, was excellent. Thank you once again for producing such effective and entertaining scenario training sessions.” Norvil McClurg - Care Director, Care Management Services

HEALTHY INVESTMENT Spire Washington Hospital has invested £1.2m in a new CT scanner, enhancing its existing service and creating new jobs. The new scanner is one of a number of innovations being introduced at the hospital to help speed early diagnosis and introduce preventative measures for patients. A further £400,000 is being

invested in upgrading the hospital’s fluoroscopy room. Formally launching the scanner, Durham CCC batsman Keaton Jennings (pictured) said: “As a sportsman, it is a huge advantage to have this type of equipment, and the professional expertise that comes with it, within five miles of the cricket ground.”

NOT SO SMART Newcastle-based green energy expert Tim CantleJones has dismissed criticism by MPs of Government plans to install smart gas and electric meters in every home and small business in the UK. Cantle-Jones (pictured), MD of Newcastle-based Future Energy Solutions, was responding to the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee which said smart meters would help consumers save only 2% on their power bills. But Cantle-Jones, who has worked on a number of energysaving projects across the North East, said the evidence was that savings could be about five times that level. in association with

Northumberland Northumberland has hosted a number of events this quarter including an Exchange event at De Vere Slaley Hall and a smaller event at Stratstone BMW. Les Dixon tel 07850 740 645 les.dixon@necc.co.uk Twitter @NECCLes Newcastle/ Gateshead There are some great job opportunities and good news for all homes in the UK thanks to our newest member Future Energy, which has opened a training centre for installers of smart meters in Newcastle. Every home in the UK will have a smart meter by 2020 and the centre will train some 400 engineers a year. Lynsey Fairless tel 07834 444 627 lynsey.fairless@necc.co.uk Twitter @NECCLynsey Sunderland/ South Tyneside Sunderland BID is making excellent progress and helping to promote some great events. Welcome to new our member, The Health Insurance Group. Arthur Hodgson tel 07980 259 991 arthur.hodgson@necc.co.uk Twitter @NECCArthur

Darlington Welcome to our new members Tree Tops Consultancy and Centre of Coaching Excellence. Our members also enjoued an excellent networking event hosted by the Xcel Centre on behalf of St Theresa’s Hospice. Ann Boyd tel 07739 162 408 ann.boyd@necc.co.uk Durham It’s great to see Durham Cathedral’s Open Treasure redevelopment project is well under way. It’s really going to transform the interior spaces and allow a lot more treasures to be displayed. John Mansel tel 07736 799 727 john.mansel@necc.co. uk Twitter @NECCJohn Teesside A warm welcome to Snaith Signs, Visualsoft, Evoprint, Economic Endurance, Quartz Electrical, Blueberry Connections, VT Visual, NFU Mutual and The Raw Marketing Company. Tom Warnock tel 07714 845 617 tom.warnock@necc.co.uk Twitter @NECCTom Medium Business We welcome Baltic Training, ARC Wealth, Keelman Homes, and The Ashington Learning Partnership into membership. Look out for the forthcoming events at Northumbria Water and the linking Education with Business event at North Shore Academy Hartlepool. Andrew Heavisides tel 07912 478 961 andrew. heavisides@necc.co.uk Twitter @NECCAndrewh

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NEWS

ADVERTORIAL

NEWS

TYNE & WEAR HOSTS SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT CONFERENCE

BANKING ON BUSINESS The Bank of England monthly agents’ summary of business conditions for September revealed business investment intentions for the next 12 months were steady and consistent with more rapid growth in services investment than manufacturing. The findings also included: • Housing market activity stabilised at lower transaction levels • Business services turnover growth remained strong • Manufacturing output growth for the domestic market eased • Fragile European demand, sterling’s appreciation and the crisis in Ukraine affected export volumes • Construction output growth eased slightly but remained robust • Corporate credit conditions improved

NEWS DURHAM DOES THE JOB

Durham University has been re-confirmed as a World Top-100 university and been ranked among the world’s top universities for the employability of its graduates, according to the new 2014/15 QS World University Rankings. It was ranked 25th globally for employer reputation following a survey of 27,900 blue-chip employers worldwide.

Go Smarter Masterclass event to focus on economic benefits of engaging with employers to cut congestion

Turbo-charged

orth East-based British Engines has announced a 12% increase in turnover for the year ended May 2014, during which it increased capital expenditure by 20%, created 100 new jobs and spent more than £2.4m on research and development. The group has six North East-based businesses which design and manufacture technology-leading products for industries including oil and gas, chemical, marine, construction and agriculture sectors. British Engines’ results showed a 12% increase in turnover up to £156.3m and a pre-tax profit increase of £4m, allowing it to increase investment in the business. 2014 saw its Rotary Power business move into a new factory in South Shields, CMP Products expand in to a second factory in Cramlington, Stadium Packing

Services increase warehouse space in Swallwell and its head office core services team move to Quorum Business Park. This has made way for significant investment in redeveloping its St. Peter’s site on Newcastle Quayside, where BEL Valves is now the sole occupier. British Engines also revealed in July that it is increasing the size of its apprenticeship intake by 50% as part of its on-going growth plans. The engineering group has recruited more than 30 apprentices, to add to its existing 53 apprentices, who will be given the opportunity to undertake the company’s in-house Apprenticeship+ scheme, alongside the more traditional apprenticeship programme. Chairman Alex Lamb says: “The North East is, and always will be, our home and for this reason we maintain a commitment to not only growing our businesses, but also investing wisely within the region.”

VIDEO OF THE MONTH

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Most of us need a bit of a motivational boost every now and again, particularly when we’re buried under heaps of the day-to-day detritus which is an inevitable consequence (at times) of being in business. This video of tips from great entrepenuers including Oprah Winfrey, left, gave us a lift on a grey day. Give yourself a break, ignore the cheesy soundtrack, and enjoy it… To find the video, scan this QR code or visit: https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EbVzXSkkd4M in association with

heaper, greener, sustainable transport in Tyne and Wear and the critical role it plays in cutting congestion and growing the local economy is coming under the spotlight at a nationallyfocused Masterclass in Newcastle. The event, ‘Commuting back to work: Business engagement and access to employment’, is being hailed as a major opportunity for Tyne and Wear to showcase the good work that’s already happening here and learn from other local sustainable transport initiatives that are actively engaging with businesses in other regions across the UK. Hosted by Go Smarter, Tyne and Wear’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) programme at the request of the Department for Transport, the Go Smarter Masterclass on Wednesday 19 November will focus on successful strategies that are already in place to engage with key employment areas in Tyne and Wear and discuss how these can be used to further boost local employment and the economy. The Masterclass will focus on best practice for business engagement, access to employment and how businesses and Go Smarter have worked together to reduce congestion on the important A1 Corridor, along with highly regarded speakers from the sustainable transport industry and LSTF programmes nationally. Event chair, Go Smarter’s SRO Nick Clennett, Head of Transport Strategy Development and Enterprise at Gateshead Council, said: “We’ll be presenting case studies showing how Go Smarter’s business engagement is working in practice and looking at the importance to the local economy. “Congestion at peak times is a significant issue for business productivity and profits. Delayed deliveries and late staff arrivals at work due to traffic issues all eat into these and it’s in everyone’s interests to work together to tackle them.

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‘Keynote speaker Stephen Joseph OBE will focus on the findings of a new report, Improving Local Transport Helps the Economy, and the role of cleaner, greener and more sustainable transport policies in generating jobs and money for the local economy around the UK. Nick Clennett said: “We’re expecting delegates from across the UK to attend, because we will be looking at the very latest developments in sustainable transport on both a national and regional level. It is a real coup for Tyne and Wear that we’ve been chosen to host this event’. Any businesses that sit within the four key employment areas and that wish to discuss how Go Smarter to Work can help their employees travel more sustainably, can contact Go Smarter via the Go Smarter website. ‘Commuting back to work: Business engagement and access to employment’ – is aimed at Transport Managers at large organisations, SME’s, business parks, universities, NHS and developers; LSTF programme managers and officers; Transport consultants and service providors; Job Centre Plus; Transport Planners at Local Authorities. The event takes place at the Assembly Rooms in Newcastle upon Tyne from 9.30am – 3pm on Wednesday 19 November. Tickets are available from https://www.transportxtra.com/ events/events/?id=2261 The event is hosted by Go Smarter, sponsored by Parsons Brinkerhoff and Sarah Hall Consulting, and supported by the Department for Transport.

If you think Go Smarter could help your business, contact us via our website at www.gosmarter.co.uk

OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 25

NEWS

Expertise at your side

Some of the No Strings puppets made a special appearance at the charity golf day at Close House

No Strings attached

lose House hosted the inaugural Northern Golfer magazine charity golf day in aid of No Strings; the Newcastle‑based charity which uses puppets to spread life-saving messages among children in the world’s trouble spots. The event attracted teams from businesses all over the region and was organised by Offstone Publishing, publisher of magazines including Northern Golfer and NECC’s Contact magazine. No Strings is the official nominated charity of Offstone Publishing. “This small, Newcastle-based charity’s programmes reach hundreds of thousands of children in the world’s trouble spots every year, and funding raised here in the region is crucial in helping No Strings take its life-saving

messages to communities all over the world,” says Offstone partner Jane Pikett. “We were delighted to have the support of so many North East businesses on our first golf day in aid of this amazing cause and we look forward to our second golf day next year.” No Strings’ films are made by members of the original Muppets team and reach children in conflicts, disasters, and poverty on four continents. The charity has recently made two new films and workshops for children affected by the Syrian conflict and it is currently working in areas as diverse as Haiti, sub-Saharan Africa, the Philippines and elsewhere in South East Asia, where No Strings programmes help communities remain safe in landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

ACTION FOR JOBS CALL North East employment levels have shown a dip for the first time this year. Employment in the region stands at 1,172,000 or 68.8%, according to latest statistics, a fall of 11,000 over the quarter to June, but a rise of 32,000 over the year. North East unemployment is at 10.1%, compared to a national rate of 6.2% with the regional claimant count at 4.9%.

NECC policy and research manager Mark Stephenson says the rise is a “cause for concern.” He adds: “The North East is struggling to reverse the rate of unemployment within its labour market and addressing this, whether through policies focused on employability or supporting investment by businesses has to be an urgent priority for regional and national policy makers.”

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THROUGHOUT THE NORTH EAST Hexham, Ponteland, Sunderland, Yarm, Crook, Portobello www.rowlands accountants.co.uk

OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 27

PROPERTY

One Trinity Green

NEWS NEW FACES ON BOARD Newcastle-based Lugano property group has appointed three new board members to help drive through its planned expansion programme. Former Tynedale Council chief executive Richard Robson has replaced Barry Moat as chairman, while Allan Henderson and Scott Munro have also joined the board. Robson described the appointments as the start of an exciting new chapter for the company.

Services giant moves to Quorum

An award-winning building providing first class services to tenants and visitors, One Trinity Green is a 5* location for your business. State of the art self-contained offices, workshops and hybrid units Secure development with 24 hour access, 365 days a year Professional reception and concierge services

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0191 481 3310 onetrinitygreen@groundwork.org.uk

www.southtyneside.info/business Follow us @STyneBusiness

Outstanding IT and telephony systems Excellent conference facilities and meeting rooms Business space made easy SOUTH

TYNESIDE

uorum Business Park, Gosforth has landed a significant inward investment project with leading multinational services company Cofely creating up to 200 new jobs. Cofely, a GDF SUEZ company, is a provider of integrated and energy services employing more than 15,000 people in the UK with a turnover of £1bn. The move to Quorum will see a number of company functions move to a new shared services centre providing customer support and internal services across its UK operations. Having reviewed space across the country, Cofely has invested in a 26,000sqft office building at the business park. The move follows Cofely’s recent acquisitions of facilities

management businesses Balfour Beatty WorkPlace and Lend Lease FM. The new location at Quorum will see around 50 existing staff relocate from their present locations in the region, with up to 200 new jobs created over the next 18 months. David Hughes, head of shared services at Cofely, says: “The move will put Cofely in a better position to support the increased demands of our enlarged business and enable future growth. The North East offers a great investment opportunity for businesses such as ourselves who are looking to relocate and further their development. “We are very keen to consolidate our presence here and it’s our aim to make Cofely a sustainable and long-term employer in the region for years to come.”

ANTIBODY EXPANDS Life sciences company Absolute Antibody, which develops next-generation engineered antibodies, has relocated its laboratory from Oxfordshire to Teesside. A manufacturer of antibodies for the biomedical research and diagnostics markets, Absolute Antibody has moved to new laboratories at Wilton Centre near Redcar. As part of its move the company has doubled its lab

space and has options for further growth. The Wilton Centre laboratory currently employs four people and the company plans to expand by taking on an additional four people over the next six months. Dr Ian Wilkinson, head of research and manufacturing at Absolute Antibody says: “The move to Wilton Centre has allowed us to increase in size while at the same time reducing costs. We

can also continue to grow our service portfolio which is something we would not have been able to do in Oxford. Wilton Centre provides first-class facilities.”

NEWS TUNNEL VISION

Tyne Tunnel A4 refurbishment for Chirton Engineering

UK Land Estates has announced the start of the next phase of a multi-million pound refurbishment programme at Tyne Tunnel Estate. Chirton Engineering has agreed a 46,000sqft pre-let for an engineering and educational facility. The educational section of the building will provide training support for apprentices, forming part of the North East Advanced Manufacturing Academy. A grant of £200,000 from the Regional Growth Fund, together with the new premises, will mean the creation of 16 jobs.

EUROPEAN UNION Investing in Your Future

European Regional Development Fund 2007-13

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SUCCESS Julian Atkinson, JCAtkinson

Geraldine Kay, Derwentside Homes

Fab five

Five North East businesses represent NECC at the forthcoming British Chambers of Commerce Awards in London. Bryn Littleton meets the runners and riders

ome of the brightest business brains from the North East Chamber of Commerce membership will be hoping for a fairytale ending when they head to London to represent the region at one of the UK’s most prestigious business awards in November. The Annual British Chambers of Commerce Awards attracts the cream of UK business talent and this year a kitchen manufacturer, housing association, beanbag producer, coffin maker and a firm more used to preventing explosions than creating them are planning to make a big bang at the awards. The North East has performed well at the ceremony in recent years, with Simply Bows and Chair Covers, Nortech Solutions and the Harland Corporation all claiming honours in the last three years. This year’s delegation are: Nobia Nobia is Europe’s largest kitchen specialist, developing, manufacturing and selling kitchens across 20 brands in Europe. Nobia boasts three UK manufacturing plants, its Darlington operation employing 600 people and securing a 24% increase in turnover last year. Factory manager Paul Colman says: “We’ve invested £8m in new equipment at the Darlington plant in the last year and we’re adhering to lean manufacturing principles that have upped productivity and helped to up-skill our workforce.” With customers including Magnet, Wickes, Homebase, and Hygena, Nobia is a major player in business-to-business

Brian Trench, A-Belco

Mark Dolder, Bazaar

and customer sales. Colman adds: “We are expanding our product line and breaking new ground in foreign markets. It’s fair to say the next few years promise to be exciting for everyone at Nobia.” At Darlington, panels are drilled and edged ready for assembly or packing. Once assembled they are pressed by some of the most advanced equipment in Europe and the plant manufactures 90 units an hour on four production lines. With the aid of robots, the Darlington team can pack more than 300 items an hour. Derwentside Homes Derwentside Homes is one of the top five most profitable housing associations in the UK and provides affordable and market rent housing in North Durham. The organisation, based in Stanley, employs 231 people and will contest the national award for Commitment to People. The firm, which owns 6,700 properties and has seen turnover increase by £8m since 2008, is overseen by chief executive Geraldine Kay. She says: “Our people are our greatest asset, and we know that organisations are not successful, the people within them are. That is why we’ve strengthened our focus on the people side of the business to make sure that our employees are at the centre of everything we do. “We want an inspirational environment where everyone can flourish and enhance and grow our business. We constantly review our people and processes to ensure the right people are in the right jobs and we have made enormous strides

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Paul Colman, Nobia in ensuring our workforce feels valued and their input is not only welcomed but encouraged.” JC Atkinson JC Atkinson is the largest independent manufacturer of coffins and caskets in the country and will be competing in the awards’ Excellence in Innovation category. The Washington firm manufactures and distributes more than 70,000 coffins a year. As well as traditional caskets, the firm produces specialist ranges including picture coffins, woollen ones, and Fairtrade-endorsed wicker, bamboo, and seagrass ranges. MD Julian Atkinson says: “We take a great deal of pride in our work and have a long heritage of producing beautifully crafted coffins from high quality materials, so it is fantastic to not only be recognised at a regional level, but also to compete on the national stage.

“We have worked incredibly hard to ensure that we maintain our position at the forefront of the industry by working proactively with the funeral trade about the values of the many options which now exist. Most importantly, we constantly work hard to deliver the choices to the highest possible service standards.” The company supplies funeral directors across the UK and Northern Ireland. A-Belco A-Belco makes explosion-proof electrical equipment and will compete in the Achievements in International Business category. The Ashington, Northumberland-based company makes industrial enclosures, control stations, industrial plugs, sockets and combination units for the control and distribution of electrical power and will take on the cream of exporting talent from across the UK in the category.

CEO Brian Trench says: “We have worked incredibly hard in recent years to break new ground in exports by establishing a network of distributors throughout Europe, USA, Australia, UAE, South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. “For that to be recognised at a national level would be a fantastic achievement for everyone associated with A-Belco. It would also cement our reputation as a blue-chip supplier to our growing list of customers.” The company also manufactures electrical equipment switchgear for industrial, rail, and infrastructure applications and its customers range from the oil, gas and petrochemical industries to power stations, pharmaceutical, marine and transport industries. Sales have increased year on year from £3m in 2010 to £10m by 2014, with product revenue rising by 30% in the last year alone.

The Bazaar Group The Bazaar Group is the UK’s leading designer, manufacturer and online retailer of bean bags, having started life as a one-man hobby and grown into a 30-strong business. Having launched its dedicated website in 2005 with 50 products, The Bazaar Group now sells more than 700 units from multiple digital storefronts.The Cramlington company will compete for honours in the Small Business and Internet & ICT categories. MD Mark Dolder says: “We are a family-run business that has maintained a ‘small company, big thinking’ attitude. This has allowed us to make great strides in the last 12 months with our successful entry into the European market and the educational market.” The business has grown steadily with no outside investment, consistently achieving turnover growth of 20% year-on-year.

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Better together? I

Ross Smith, NECC director of policy, assesses the future of the Union as Scotland votes to remain in the UK

n November 2004, I remember watching the count unfold from the referendum on creating an elected North East Assembly. From the moment the first ballot box was opened, it was apparent that the region had voted ‘no’, and the only real issue at stake was by how much. The answer to that question turned out to be a lot. At about 3am, deputy prime minister John Prescott gave a press conference at which there wasn’t really much to say, and the next day everyone in the region went on with things much as they had before. But in the run-up to the Scottish independence referendum, it became abundantly clear that things would be a lot closer. The result was close enough that the clamour for change couldn’t simply be dismissed. Leaders of all the main Westminster parties had already cobbled together a tentative ‘devo-max’ plan in order to shore up the ‘no’ vote when polls started to waver.

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But south of the border, the demand for change was also in evidence. The calls for more devolution within England were getting louder from councils, think-tanks and business groups, while the ‘West Lothian question’ - why Scottish MPs are allowed to vote on matters that do not affect their constituencies - was increasingly impatient for an answer. There is, therefore, every possibility that despite the ‘no’ vote, politics students in years to come will look back on the Scottish referendum as a watershed moment in British constitutional history. It is also likely to have profound consequences for the North East economy. Since devolution to Scotland was first introduced in 1999, many in the North East have looked enviously across the border. Scotland has had the ability to tailor policies to its own circumstances, the strength of leadership to make strong decisions quickly, and crucially an advantageous funding settlement compared to English regions. That

Image Credit: Andrea Obzerova - Shutterstock.com

NECC POLICY

mooted that have the potential to shift has all paid dividends with a growth rate that investment away from our region, only for it to has outstripped large parts of the UK. land a few miles to the north - hardly an Meanwhile, since the 2004 referendum, the efficient way to run a national economy. North East has had a selection of different If Scotland makes a reduction in corporation institutions with no great transfer in powers, tax, could that prompt firms to move their confused leadership structures and paltry assets up the A1? If it reduces income tax, will spending levels on some crucial economic some of our most skilled people favour functions. Businesses in the region have Dumfries over Durham? If it cuts air passenger performed phenomenally in that time to put duty or subsidises ports, will exporters find our economy in the strongest position it has their international transport routes are now ever been, but the gap with the rest of the UK leaving from north of the border? has barely moved. It would be hard to begrudge Fundamentally, policies for the THE NORTH Scotland taking these measures if North East have remained largely EAST IS A it has the opportunity to do so. set by Westminster, and usually But it would be bizarre for tailored to conditions that exist HUGE POTENTIAL Westminster politicians to allow 250 miles south. The ‘vow’ that ENGINE OF that to happen when it would be David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed GROWTH bad for not just the North East, but Miliband made - to increase the UK as a whole. To make the whole Scotland’s powers while retaining the cake bigger, rather than just giving now infamous Barnett Formula - therefore Scotland some extra cherries, all parts of the looked inequitable. More than that, it looked country must be enabled to grow to their like a very poor economic strategy from the potential. Most business leaders are perspective of UK plc. ambivalent about how that happens. If The North East is potentially a huge engine Whitehall can deliver it, then great - though the of growth for the UK which at present has been record of the last half century fails to inspire under-utilised. At a time when there is a drive confidence. On the other hand, a re-run of the for elusive export-led growth, our businesses 2004 assembly vote seems unlikely. perform better than anyone on international The notion that economic policies in place trade. With energy security one of, if not the several hundred miles north of London need to biggest, long-term issues affecting the country, be tailored to local circumstances is now our resources and expertise are vital to the rightly beyond question when it comes solution. With parts of the country facing major to Scotland. congestion problems, our capacity for growth It is hard to argue that a different logic is essential. applies in Galashiels to South Shields. Nevertheless, a series of changes are

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PROFILE  Terry and Amanda Goldspink

Middle man Terry Goldspink is living proof that, despite common understanding, the middle man can save the day in more ways than one, discovers Bryn Littleton

ow many times have you heard the phrase, “cut out the middle man”? It has become part of our vocabulary; a figure of speech used to highlight a shortcut that will save time, money or hassle. It is considered good business practice to “cut out the middle man”, but what if instead of costing you all of the above, the “middle man” could save it? That is the role that Terry Goldspink of Evolution Forwarding has excelled at for most of his career, and having started in freight when he was 18, he brings more than 20 years’ experience to the role. Specialising in the transportation of hazardous material, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, Evolution Forwarding is expert in taking the hassle out of shipping goods. “While we work in international shipping, our role remains fairly simple,” says Goldspink. “We transport goods from A to B and removel the hassle from customers who then don’t have to worry about the correct packaging, document certification, and transportation. They just tell us where they want it to go. “I like to say to our clients, you concentrate on making your ‘gloop’ and leave us to deliver it to your customers!”

It sounds simple, but in reality it requires skill, knowledge and experience to ensure that freight is collected, packed and delivered correctly or the cost to a business can be huge. Among the many products classed as hazardous material are perfumes and nail polish (which contain trace amounts of potentially dangerous chemicals), mobile phones with lithium ion batteries, pressurised aerosols and a range of fine chemicals produced around the UK. Surprisingly, only a fraction of Evolution’s work comes from the process industry giants on the doorstep of its base in Middlesbrough. “When we set up in 2011 we thought Middlesbrough would be the perfect place, but in truth we seem to get our business from everywhere but Teesside,” says Goldspink. “We have four or five large chemical clients, but the majority of work comes from Aberdeen in the north and areas like Newton Abbott in the south. We have recruited people to handle sales in these areas and all the operational work happens in Middlesbrough.” Just like the freight he oversees, Goldspink has spent a large portion of his working life on the move.“When I started out as an 18-year-

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old I had no intention of working in this industry,” he says. “I wanted to join the RAF and while I was waiting for the intake I went to the job centre and applied for a job as a freight forwarding clerk at Teesdock. I got the job and was given the task of preparing the paperwork for the tankers and, as it turned out, the RAF career never came off.” After a spell at C Shaw Lovell, Terry moved to Cenargo Shipping, but it was the removal of the EU borders in the late 1980s that was to spur him on to the next phase of his career. “I moved to London and focused mainly on deep sea and air freight. I worked for the French company CGM for around three years and then moved to Woodland International Transport, which at the time was only eight people, but has grown massively since. I stayed there until 2004.” After taking a year out, he was persuaded to return to the freight industry with American firm Paramount and after a five-year spell with them decided it was time to go it alone. “I was spending far too long away from my family and I was missing my kids growing up,” he says. “I realised that for five months of the year I was away from home. My daughter was four

and my son eight or nine and I decided the time had come to focus more on my family.” Having gained valuable experience in packaging potentially dangerous freight, Goldspink spotted a gap in the market for a forwarder who could fulfil that role as well as that of handling logistics, documentation and transport. The decision was reached with his wife and business partner Amanda that they would create their own company. He says: “When I left Paramount I signed an agreement that I would not take any customers with me and I was fine with that. We

moved into our new base and I admit that it was pretty daunting sitting in our empty building without a single client on our books. “We set about sorting out our branding, hitting the telephones and chasing every lead we had and it wasn’t long before we got our first customer on board; a mobile phone supplier shipping phones to Dubai that had lithium ion batteries and from that moment it all started coming together.” Evolution Forwarding now has four staff at its base in Middlesbrough and two salesmen. Revenue has risen

revenue mark I will be happy. from £180,000 in its first year My main focus is developing to £582,000 in its second to the three brands and making £820,000 last year. sure we maintain the “Most of our sales come standards we have set over via the internet and we have the last three years.” worked a lot on Search Evolution has Engine Optimisation claimed two so that we’re “IT’S SIMPLE; awards in the last on top of every WE REMOVE year. It won Best Google search,” THE HASSLE New Business says Goldspink, FROM in the Service who has created CUSTOMERS” category at the another two Tees Valley Business companies under Awards as well as the the Evolution umbrella: Best New Business Overall. Evolution Training and So, as the boss of his own Evolution Hazpack. award-winning company, is “I haven’t really set myself Goldspink getting to enjoy a target, but if we can get the more quality time with his company to around the £1.5m

family? “I’m home every night, I see my family a hell of a lot more and I’m much less stressed than I ever was. So you could say it’s worked out okay so far,” he smiles. Evolution is a member of NECC and has recently signed up for the Chamber’s Global Package, which offers preferential rates for international trade training, documentation and support. NECC international trade accounts manager Matthew Ord says: “Evolution makes export easier and encourages more firms to explore foreign markets by taking the hassle out of export.”

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TOP GUN When Dan Robinson’s father died suddenly, the former fighter pilot had to leave his life in the US to save the family firm. He tells Owen McAteer how he and his team achieved it

is abilities as a leader have been a key part of Dan Robinson’s life, taking him from his place as the youngestever pilot to graduate America’s fabled “Top Gun” fighter pilot school to the head of a North East family business which was falling apart in the wake of his father’s tragic death. Having spent his childhood watching his father building the business carrying his name, it was always expected Robinson Jnr, now 38, would one day run Gus Robinson Developments in Hartlepool. What he didn’t imagine back then was the tragedy that would put him at the head of the family firm at its lowest moment, or the route to the top that would see him fly combat operations for two nations and study business at one of the United States’ most prestigious universities. Even prior to his father’s untimely death in November 2011, Robinson could see trouble ahead for the business his father founded in 1976. He had worked for the

Robinson says: “He died business in 2009, between during a single fortnight leaving the military and that changed my life. I was completing his business moving house, I broke up studies. Of that time, he says: with my girlfriend, I broke my “We had plenty of work, but shoulder, a good friend took a change was coming. We tremendous amount of needed to reposition and money from me, and then restructure. Inevitably, that my father died. would impact on jobs and my “I came back to a business dad was resistant to that. in trouble; it was broken. It “Our father-son was a question of looking at relationship was deteriorating. myself and asking who I was offered a job in New I was as a person; York so I went there what was the right after finishing thing to do. business school. “THE BUSINESS “The business Then everything HAD TAKEN A had taken a toll I thought would TOLL ON MY on my father; it transpire did and FATHER“ wasn’t the reason I got a call from he took his life but my father asking it was a contributing me to come back. factor. My mother didn’t want That was the last time I to carry on with the business spoke to him.” and I couldn’t turn my The day after that phone back on it. call, Gus Robinson, 62, took “We had more than 100 his own life at his home in staff and the world was in Hartlepool. An inquest later the midst of a financial crisis. heard that the father-ofI knew how important the four, a respected business business was to the family, I figure, MBE and successful knew the sacrifices my father boxing promoter who stood had made for it, and the as the Conservative Party personal cost to him. candidate for Hartlepool in “The plan had always been 2001, had been suffering that I would eventually take from depression.

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I needed to get the business back to the runway by staying calm and making sensible decisions

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PROFILE

 Gus Robinson (Northern Echo)

over the business, but when I was younger I wanted to do my own thing to prove myself. That helped, because when I came back I was ready to do it.” Historically, the business had been predominantly involved in commercial building work - mechanical and electrical contracting on schools, chemical plants, hospitals, airports, offices, hotels and retail units. But in late 2011 business was drying up. Robinson says: “I use the analogy of the aeroplane falling apart around you; the front end’s on fire and you’re making lots of small decisions as the situation develops to get it back to the runway. I needed to get the business back to the runway by staying calm and making sensible decisions.” Pulling an aircraft away from disaster is an appropriate metaphor given Robinson’s career as a fighter pilot, which saw him policing no-fly zones in Iraq and serving with the RAF and US military as well as being chosen for Miramar, the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, made famous by the Tom Cruise film Top Gun. “I was the youngest guy to ever go there, aged 27. It’s still the hardest thing I have

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PROFILE ever done,” says Robinson. He then undertook an MBA at Georgetown University in Washington DC, studying in South America, Spain and Russia. “That enabled me to look at short-term operational decisions while keeping a view on long-term strategic positioning, making sure everything aligns with the overall strategy,” he says. Days after his father’s death he had to address the staff. “Everyone knew we were in a lot of trouble and they looked to me to get them out of it. I told them that the next six months would be the biggest battle of their careers, that there would be changes and some difficult decisions. I also promised that I would be honest with them.” The focus of the business changed to affordable housing. “As a boy my dad would take me to the beach and tell me I could learn about business from the surfers, by looking at the waves they chose to miss so they could catch the big one,” he says. “I decided we should position ourselves in housing and pulled off a deal for a scheme of 22 homes. On the back of that we were awarded a £2.5m student accommodation scheme in Hartlepool which we have just completed.” The next financial year will be the first that Robinson considers the business to be truly his, having cleared a legacy of debt and recording a £20m turnover. A believer in “recruiting good people and getting out of the way”, he intends to recruit more senior talent to join Steve Bell who joined the firm as land and development director last year. He also continues his father’s legacy of supporting and employing the local community, and he continues

WORLD CLASS PERFORMER Simon Hartley of Be World Class, puts the new Golf GTD through its paces and finds a world class performer

 Dan Robinson was chosen for Miramar, made famous by the film Top Gun

 A souvenir of life in the US

 And another of childhood

Dan Robinson also runs a boxing gym founded by his father to run a boxing gym at the firm’s HQ, which was begun by his father and is open every evening for local youngsters. He has also set up projects, many in partnership with Hartlepool College, to support young people into work. Meanwhile, the Gus Robinson Foundation provides

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educational scholarships to young people who prove they can meet exacting standards, and a scholarship is being established to support a young person through university. Robinson says: “In the past we gave a fortune away to charitable ventures all over

the world, but we didn’t have any strategy. I started the foundation to honour my dad and give structure to what we were doing. We reward achievement.” This has brought awards for the business, including this year a CENE Leadership and People Development Award and a ‘Big Tick’ by the Business in the Community’s Responsible Business Awards 2014. It was also named SME of the year in the regional Construction in Excellence Awards and it has been shortlisted in the residential category for the RICS Renaissance Awards 2014. With the business now on track for further growth, Robinson has no regrets about the decision he made to walk away from the life he had built in the USA three years ago. “It’s about integrity, doing the right thing,” he says. “It’s that simple.”

SIMON HARTLEY Founder of Be World Class

imon Hartley is the founder of Be World Class, a company that provides coaching and mentoring programmes designed to help businesses and individuals be the very best that they can. We put him behind the wheel of the latest Golf GTD to get his impressions of the iconic German hatch. “I began by asking myself the question; “Is this car world class?” When I look at world class performance, I am careful to compare like with like. It doesn’t make sense to compare a 100 meter swimmer with a 100 meter track athlete. It would be wrong to conclude that the runner is more world class because they are quicker. Equally, it doesn’t make sense to compare a VW Golf with a Rolls Royce, a Bentley or an Aston Martin. I haven’t driven all of this car’s direct competitors, so I can’t compare one with the other. But I can look at this car and ask whether it shares characteristics with other world class performers. Like many world class performers, this car does the basics exceptionally well. Many people think that they need to be different in order to differentiate. However, the world’s best often choose not to be different, but simply to be better. This car’s class comes not from features, or gismos or gadgets. There is no ‘bling’. Instead, it’s class comes from craftsmanship, engineering and design. Clearly, there has been a lot of thinking invested into this car. The little things have been nailed. Less really is more! It displays that rare union of simplicity and elegance. There is an understanding in sport; you don’t

notice good refereeing. The same is true in many areas of life. Often we only notice things when they are not working or when they are difficult. The VW Golf gives a reassuring sense of ease. It seems to take everything in its stride. Seventy miles per hour on the motorway is a light jog; it doesn’t even break sweat. Driving is made easy; no fuss, no bother. The phrase “consummate ease” fits perfectly. So, is the VW Golf world class? Whilst I cannot compare it to anything else, what I can say is this; it certainly has many of the hallmarks of a world class performer”. The Golf GTD driven by Simon features a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine with power of 184 PS and 380 Nm of torque. 0-62 mph can be reached in 7.5 seconds and combined fuel consumption of 67.3 mpg Available with six-speed manual or DSG gearbox.

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Drive away the “world class” Golf GTD through Benfield’s Business Contact Hire scheme for three initial rentals, followed by 23 rentals of £234 + VAT per month on 8,000 miles per year. (*Business users only, subject to terms and conditions.)

BENFIELD VOLKSWAGEN, Scotswood Road, Newcastle, NE15 6TZ Telephone: 0845 148 3020 www.drivebenfield.com

OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 39

PROFILE

Warwick Brindle, serial entrepreneur and chairman of the five star golf and spa resort Rockliffe Hall near Darlington, shares his journey from newspaper delivery driver to managing director with Liz Hands

certainly something Brindle t’s fitting that we meet knows about, although he is Warwick Brindle on the not always a man with a plan, eve of the Scottish as evidenced by the fact that referendum on two of his major career breaks independence. were accidental. As the former MD of If it were not for the threeThe Scotsman newspaper, day week introduced by the Brindle was always going Conservative government in to have plenty to say on the the early 1970s to conserve possibility of the end of the electricity, Brindle’s working 307-year-old union. life may well have taken a “But Scotland itself is different path. divided,” he says. “As “I WAS The son of a an MD in Scotland, ACCEPTED IN textiles boss, I was accepted EDINBURGH he had set up a in Edinburgh, but BUT NOT IN ceramic design not in Aberdeen ABERDEEN OR company with or Glasgow. GLASGOW” his wife Maureen “It’s totally after graduating flawed. The from Wolverhampton economics simply Poly. “The three-day week don’t add up. The Holyrood wrecked our business and parliament building was we ended up doing part-time meant to cost £40m and it hit jobs as well as running the the £400m mark, so there’s business,” he says.“I started not exactly a great record for driving a newspaper delivery bringing things in on budget.” van part time and after four Hitting budget targets is

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Read all about it

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Getting into the newspaper industry was a total accident. I did end up a senior vice president in America, but there was a lot in-between

The road to the creation months they asked me to join of the now internationally the circulation department renowned resort was, as is the full time, so getting into the nature of these things, bumpy. newspaper industry was a “We got planning permission total accident. I did end up at the end of 2006, and the a senior vice president in next thing, Northern Rock and America, but there was a lot Lehman Brothers happened. in-between.” We already had funding There have been many in place, so that wasn’t a professional achievements, problem, and we didn’t have but Brindle is reticent when any choice but to cope with I ask him to list them. “You the recession because we’d don’t want to know all that, do already started building. you?” he asks. When I assure The only decision we had to him that I do, he recounts his make was whether to change story quietly. His CV includes our pricing because the deputy MD of the Newcastle market had dropped 20%Chronicle, Journal and Sunday 30%. It was a hard decision, Sun prior to taking on the but we stuck to our plan.” then-Thomson newspaper The spa at Rockliffe is group’s top job in Chester “phenomenally busy” and then Teesside. He he says, the golf eventually became club has hit its MD of The “IT WAS A membership Scotsman before HARD DECISION, targets and the it was sold to the BUT WE hotel is five AA Barclay Brothers STUCK TO red star-rated. in 1995. OUR PLAN” Brindle is now He went on to pushing forward shape Thomson’s with a new five-year plan overseas operations as which includes tennis courts senior vice president in the and an infinity pool. US and Canada, becoming Rockliffe’s food offering instrumental in the sale of the has also undergone a American division for $1.2bn. revamp under the direction He’s been involved in of executive chef Paul O’Hara multiple business start-ups following the departure of the in America and at home, well-known Kenny Atkinson, some hugely successful, such who has set out on his own. as Newsstand, the world’s “We parted on good terms,” largest online newsagent. says Brindle. “Kenny has Back in the North East, always wanted his name Brindle invested in several above his own door. We’ve start-ups before a chance now moved towards a more meeting with Rockliffe British menu. It’s not that Hall’s owner, Middlesbrough people don’t want fine dining. Football Club chairman Steve They want the style of food Gibson, led to his involvement you get on a tasting menu, but in the now five-star hotel and with more variety.” golf resort. It opened in 2009 The hotel is seeing signs after the £50m development of business confidence of the mansion and its returning in the region. “Our 18th Century estate to leisure business is up and the create the hotel, spa, and corporate side is improving championship golf course.

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PROFILE

too. We’ve gone from just having the management teams of companies here for conferences to having the tier below them as well.” It is business Rockliffe has attracted with little outside support, says Brindle. “When we were building this place, hardly anyone knocked on the door and asked if they could help. We came in when One North East was on the way out. We’ve got fantastic relationships with local authorities, but it’s difficult for them to find a way to market individual properties so we’ve done it ourselves. Tourism is always last on the agenda, but it brings something like £1.2bn into the local economy.” A major coup for Rockliffe was securing the English Senior Open 2013 and 2014. In the two years, Rockliffe saw more than 10,000 spectators come through the gates to see star players including former Ryder Cup captains Ian Woosnam, Mark James, and Sam Torrance. “We had 15 different nationalities here when it was played in August and they’ve gone away telling others to come here. 50% of people who come here now are from out of the area.” Brindle is now heavily involved in promoting Darlington to the outside world as part of the newly formed Marketing Darlington group. “You ask people what is good about Darlington and they say good roads, schools, housing and parks. But you could say that about any

of the newspaper industry. number of places. It’s about “My last day at The Scotsman how we differentiate. You was the day Dunblane ask what Richmond is and happened, so it was a sad people say a market town, last day. I was asked if we Durham is a university city, could send reporters up but what about Darlington in a helicopter and and Stockton? Does that was my last anyone know? There “TOURISM IS decision there. are some really ALWAYS LAST I don’t miss great businesses ON THE AGENDA it, it’s become here. We could BUT IT BRINGS IN too full of big really quickly find corporates.” a way of marketing £1.2BN” He does, so everyone knows however, still see a where we sit.” future for print titles. “The Now 64 and a bigger papers may go out grandfather-of-two, Brindle of existence,” he says, “but shows no signs of slowing the smaller titles will be sold down. “Work keeps me fit,” he off and there will be people says, adding that he also has willing to buy them. There’s no regrets about moving out

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still a good margin. It’s back to the very local model; the American model where there’s a small circulation area and very little competition.” With his reputation for start-up business consultancy, it wouldn’t be surprising if Brindle became involved in any such venture. For now, though, he is very much concentrating on raising the profile of Darlington and Rockliffe Hall. “I said I’d take a quick look at the initial ideas for Rockliffe and here I still am 10 years later. But,” he says, casting a glance around the plush golf clubhouse, “what’s not to like?”

SKILLS

CASE STUDY

NEWS

PLEA TO IMPROVE CAREERS ADVICE

SUPERMARKET SWEEP

The principal of Gateshead College has welcomed national calls to urge the Government to extend access to careers advice to all young people Judith Doyle, principal of Gateshead College, says it is vital to have good quality impartial advice available that raises the aspirations of all young people and ensures they are able to make important and informed career choices as soon as possible. “It’s our most important responsibility to ensure our learners can successfully go on to secure work in a career that’s right for them, that matches their skills and fulfils their aspirations. “That’s why everyone must have the right to be able to find out about all the options open to them from an early age, to give them a head start on the road to career success. “In order for this to happen, schools, colleges and employers must work together to provide the most objective advice, personalised to each young person. “That’s why it is crucial careers advice is made available to all; to ensure people get on the courses that match their skills.“ She also added that it’s important to have employers involved in the process. “We’re actively working in partnership with many regional businesses to support the young people they employ with advice and measurable vocational training that meets workforce needs.“

left to right: Kay Graham, New College Durham Dawn Nixon, Sainsbury’s Jennifer Fullard, New College Durham and Russ Walker, Sainsbury’s

l-r Sage recruits Mitchell Forman, Ryan Foggett, Jenny Nicholson Scott Gray, Kirsty Reed, Carl Lattimer and Robert Marks. Inset: Amanda Vanek

Sage’s super six

We live…in a virtual world

to aid efficiency, productivity, service or iddlesbrough-based 3D safety. Research into virtual training has software business shown increases in knowledge retention up Spearhead Interactive is to 70% higher than traditional real-world using psychology and training. Naturally, virtual training is also physiology to develop particularly useful if learning is conducted real-time training software with in dangerous or hazardous situations. applications tailored to meet the needs “Spearhead Interactive is re-purposing of the process sector. powerful technology traditionally used ‘Scenario training’ is a tried-andto create entertainment software tested technique that has been to develop commercial used by the military, large “WE WANT TO solutions. Our custom-built industries and the interactive 3D environments emergency services. MAKE THIS enable businesses to give Spearhead’s research into TECHNOLOGY staff the most immersive this area has been steadily ACCESSIBLE training experiences possible. gathering momentum and a TO ALL” “We want to make this loan from the UK Steel Enterprise technology accessible to small and Regeneration Fund has helped to medium-sized firms as well as larger further developments. organisations. We live in an age where the The software developed by Spearhead processing power of an average home PC Interactive can provide believable 3D is easily capable of rendering detailed 3D environments and connect more than environments and spaces. This means 100 individuals from anywhere in the that the expensive simulator you used to world to navigate, communicate, have to travel to can be replaced by an collaborate and train. MD Dan Riley says: in-house PC and some affordable and easy “Scenario training is a proven method to use equipment.” used to provide familiarity with processes

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age, the international software and service supplier, has boosted its workforce with the addition of six new apprentices. Working in partnership with NECC, Sage has recruited a total of 16 apprentices into its Customer Service Department since 2012. The apprentices will be providing support for Sage customers and other business areas. Sage UK’s apprentices team manager Jenny Nicholson says: “Every apprentice is provided with a solid foundation at the beginning of their journey and supported throughout their training programme. “We believe that training and

nurturing these young people will lead to great things for them as individuals, our customers and Sage as a business.” NECC regional manager for skills development, Amanda Vanek says: “Sage is just one of the many large companies that is feeling the benefits of apprentices.” “NECC’s dedicated recruitment team has already supported a variety of employers across the region in finding committed and enthusiastic individuals to join their business.” The Sage recruits are working towards completing an EDI Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Customer Service which lasts for 12 months, with some learners progressing to Level 3.

ENGINEERING CAREERS More than 50 apprentices have been honoured at a celebration event at one of the region’s leading engineering firms. The learners, all of them studying for advanced welding and fabricating qualifications at Hartlepool College, were recognised at engineering specialist Darchem’s plant in Stillington near Stockton. In all, 14 apprentices have graduated with Darchem following four years of work-based learning and have set the standard for a further 44 students. The event marked the first graduation of students since Hartlepool College took on Darchem’s higher education and commercial training requirements.

Graduates with college principal Darren Hankey (right) and Darchem MD Billy Meijer

Darchem specialises in insulation systems, structural components and special fabrications for the aerospace, nuclear, marine, oil and gas, off highway and Formula 1 industries. Darchem MD Billy Meijer says: “It’s our duty to develop the workforce and train to a high standard.”

New College Durham has teamed up with national supermarket chain Sainsbury’s to launch a new further education qualification. The Level 3 Business and Retail course is a one-year diploma giving students hands-on experience as well as an understanding of retail. Russ Walker, store manager for Sainsbury’s Arnison Centre, says: “To be able to contribute to the education of our future is an amazing honour. I hope in ten years the students are doing my job.”

NEWS KETTLE’S ON THE BOIL Durham County Council worker Aimee Kettle was named one of the North East’s best apprentices in the regional final of the National Apprenticeship Awards 2014. Aimee, who is close to completing her AAT Level 3 qualification with NECC, beat stiff competition to be highly commended in the learndirect Intermediate Apprentice of the Year category. The prestigious awards were held at the Radisson Blu, Durham.

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EXPORT Credit: Micha Klootwijk / Shutterstock.com

NEWS PASSAGE TO INDIA

The ERDF-funded NECC Access Programme opened more international doors in October with a business trip to India. Delegates from North East businesses visited the regional capitals of Bangalore and New Delhi from October 6-11. Access India worked with the UK India Business Council to offer a number of events focused on doing business in the regions, as well as a grant of £1,000 to eligible businesses. Access programme leader Nynzi Maung says: “Companies unfamiliar with India might regard Mumbai as the obvious first point of call, but they should consider other regional capitals where opportunities are considerable and international competition weaker. There is a natural fit for the North East because it offers goods, technology, services and expertise in areas India has identified as critical for economic development.” The next Access Programme trip is hosted by Access Brazil in November to explore opportunities available beyond Sao Paulo and Rio de Janerio, for which a travel grant of £1,000 is available. For info, email gemma.bainbridge@necc. co.uk or tel 0300 303 6322

Port of Tyne provides a major export gateway from the North East to the rest of the world

SANCTIONS ALERT Companies should tread carefully to avoid falling foul of EU sanctions against Russia, North East law firm Ward Hadaway has warned. Commercial law experts at the firm warn that the full extent of EU sanctions against Russia in response to the situation in eastern Ukraine could catch companies out. With Russia one of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) earmarked by observers for economic expansion, businesses with longstanding relationships,

projects or schemes in the pipeline could be affected. Colin Hewitt, partner and head of commercial at Ward Hadaway says while most people will be aware of sanctions against the import of military and defence equipment to and from Russia, they may not know that export licences are required for sending certain energy-related technology and equipment. The firm is hosting a series of seminars over the coming months focusing on the export control regime for the UK, US and key emerging markets.

North East exports up and boosting UK economic recovery

orth East exporters are doing their bit to drive the UK’s economic recovery, according to the latest statistics from HMRC. The latest quarterly export figures released by HMRC for April-June 2014 show the total value of exports in the region in the last year rose by 2.32%; the highest of all the English regions. The figures also reveal that £3.102bn worth of goods were exported from the region, equating to an increase of £273m (9.66%) on the same period last year. Although the quarterly figure was slightly less than for Q1 2014, there was a 2.32% increase in the 12-month rolling total, from £11.724bn to the end of March 2014, to £11.998bn in the 12 months to the end of June 2014, while the UK average showed a fall of 2.04%. David Coppock, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) regional director, says: “Despite a

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small dip in the quarterly figure, the North East is demonstrating growth in many export markets and was one of only three English regions to show growth over a rolling 12-month period, and saw the highest increase. This is an impressive achievement for the region’s exporters.” The HMRC statistics also reveal that the Netherlands remains the largest single market for North East goods, with a 12 month export value of £1.608bn to the end of June 2014. Exports to nine of the region’s top 20 markets grew over the past 12 months, including the USA at £1.66bn, up £251m or 28%; Belgium at £715m, up £526m or 278%; Canada at £224m, up £57m or 34%; and Finland at £201m, up £100m or 100%. Exports to the EU also grew by around 3%, to bring the share of total North East exports to the EU to 56% of all exports compared to the previous year. Nationally around 51% of all exports are to the EU.

YEARS BICENTENARY PUBLICATION Celebrate all that is great about the North East 200 years after the foundations of the North East chamber of Commerce were laid.

Be part of it Find out how to be a part of this historic publication contact Mark Anderson. Tel: 01661 844115 Mob: 07817210202 Email: mark@offstonepublishing.co.uk

#necc200

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MEETINGS

Pleased to meet you Conferencing and events business in the region is on the up, discovers Dean Bailey

The Ultimate Matchday Experience with 15 Game Hospitality

The North East’s conferencing and events market is back on its feet and growing following a recession that hit the hospitality sector particularly hard. Venues across the region, from huge spaces like Sage Gateshead to meeting rooms in boutique hotels, are welcoming conferences, business meetings and lunches back with open arms, according to North East Hotels Association joint chair and general manager of the Thistle Hotel Middlesbrough Damon Roberts. “We have seen a resurgence in the market in 2014, with a number of our members reporting an increase in events of all sizes,” he says.“Of course the market slowed during the recession; everyone had to cut back on their spending across the board, not only hospitality. We also saw an increase in the trend for SMEs to host smaller meetings in-house.” Since the recession ended, however, demand has increased, and the nature of that demand has changed. “One of the biggest changes I’ve seen is in the type of food people want. Whether that’s lunch, dinner, even during breaks during

the day, people generally want a healthier and wider selection. “The other shift I have identified is in people looking for more unusual venues; whether that’s going out into the countryside and combining meetings with energising activities or choosing boutique hotels for business lunches.” For Roberts, the sector is now one step away from a return to full strength. “The residential market is the last piece of the puzzle,” he says. “Day conferencing and smaller meetings are certainly well on their way. But companies are still very careful, and big events and three-tofour day conferences are still too much of a risk for many. “We are focused on attracting the largest conferences to the North East and we are working closely with the Convention Bureau to bring events such as political party conferences and larger International conferences to the region in order to support the entire hospitality industry, not just the accommodation providers. Attracting events of this calibre has a major impact on the region’s economy as a whole.”

Sunderland’s Stadium of Light is one of the most iconic sporting venues in the country. From just £750 per person you and your guests will be at the heart of the action, taking advantage of some of the finest hospitality in football. Panoramic pitch views with access to private executive boxes, stunning suites and contemporary bars are all complemented by our award-winning service and sumptuous dining choices - at a price to suit any budget. To book or for more information call 0871 911 1555, email hospitality@safc.com or visit safc.com/hospitality OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 49

MEETINGS

You value your team. They work hard. You want to make sure they feel valued.

MEETING & ACTIVITY PACKAGES

All activities take place on site at Slaley Hall with a wide selection to choose from.

Call to book

0871 222 4688

devere-hotels.co.uk/Slaley-Hall | coordination.slaley@devere-hotels.com *Select a minimum of two activities from the Team Works Activity list. List provided upon enquiring. Restrictions may apply for smaller groups. For larger groups more than two activities maybe required. Timings will vary depending on the number of guests and activities selected. Prices include VAT and are subject to availability. Calls to 0871 numbers cost 10p per minute plus network extras.

will delve into the mental health of George III. An organised ‘saunter through 18th Century Newcastle’ will also take place during the week, as well as a re-staging of the famous 1820 Literary & Philosophical Society debate which resulted in the venue banning Lord Byron’s controversial poem Don Juan. Other events include screenings of A Cock and Bull Story with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon telling the story of Laurence Sterne’s fictional character Tristram Shandy, and Jane Campion’s A Bright Star - a beautifully shot account of the Romantic poet John Keats’ passionate affair with Fanny Brawne. There will also be a number The events, entitled of public lectures on subjects ‘18th-Century Legacies’, are including early actresses and part of the national Being celebrities, and a discussion Human Festival which aims of Britain’s first erotic novel, to inform, extend and which gives modern ignite contemporary texts such as Fifty “A GREAT thinking around the Shades of Grey humanities. a run for CHANCE TO SEE Dr Claudine their money. THE RELEVANCE Van Hensbergen, The OF ACADEMIC senior lecturer fashionable RESEARCH” in 18th Century diseases of Literature says: “This Georgian Britain will is a great chance for the also be explored, looking local community to see the at why early poets were relevance and benefits of the associated with melancholy, academic research taking while a screening of the film place in the region.” The Madness of King George

Remember when

orthumbria University will host its first Being Human event in November, inviting the public to step back in time to 18th Century Britain. Academics from the university will bring their research on the period to life during Being Human, the first national festival of the humanities. From November 15-23, the university will host free film screenings, public lectures, debates and an 18th Century coffee house re-creation at venues across

Newcastle. The festival will explore a range of curious and inspiring themes from ‘the long 18th Century’ (16601832) and discuss their relevance to modern society. The week-long programme opens on November 15 with an 18th Century coffee house re-creation at Blakes café on Grey Street. It will demonstrate the origin of the coffee house as a place of news and debate and visitors can expect to find replica 18th Century newspapers and artefacts and find out about the lesspalatable origins of one of the nation’s favourite drinks.

EVENTS AT THE CORE OF SCIENCE CENTRAL

Jenna Herlingshaw jenna.herlingshaw@thistle.co.uk tel: 01642 232 000 Rachel Dunn rachel.dunn@thistle.co.uk tel: 0191 206 7691

COUNTY HOTEL NEWCASTLE

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A packed calendar of events, talks, pop-ups, socials and exhibitions is planned for The Core - Science Central’s landmark building which opens in November. The Core’s management company Creative Space Management has appointed Lisa Tolan (pictured) as centre manager to run the office space designed for science, technology and knowledgebased businesses. Having opened the award-

winning Toffee Factory, Lisa has a track record of developing spaces that serve design and creative communities, including making Toffee Factory a key venue for a number of city festivals including The Late Shows, ¡VAMOS! Festival, EAT! Festival and Ouseburn Open Studios. She says: “The Core is a building specifically designed to provide accommodation for small and medium sized businesses. We’ll be working

with a range of partners to showcase some of the themes that are important to Science Central. This will be done through an ambitious programme of events and demonstrations that will be

of interest not just to the business community, but to everyone in the region.” The Core opens on November 3 and a ‘Meet the Neighbours’ event is taking place on November 27.

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MEETINGS

NEWS DISSINGTON’S NEW DIRECTION Dissington Hall’s owners Michael and Gill Brown have withdrawn from the wedding market to allow the venue to become fully dedicated to its corporate clients. The launch of a further nine office units with views over parkland will help to further establish the hall in Northumberland as an enterprise hub. In September DEFRA visited North East Business Hubs including Dissington Hall to see how the RGN (Rural Growth Network) funding has been used to produce the new workspace. The plan is to provide a flexible and relaxed working environment and several of the current tenants cycle to work and take advantage of the shower and bike shelter provided. Improved communal facilities and outdoor spaces create an atmosphere to encourage businesses to work together.

NEWS A WARM WELCOME

NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau is working in partnership with VisitEngland and bmi regional to showcase the North East’s potential as a business tourism destination. The trio organised a two-day visit for influential account managers from international travel planner UNIGLOBE Travel. The planners, from UNIGLOBE Travel’s Belgium office, enjoyed a two-day showcase of venues and experiences on offer to business tourists.

DISSINGTON HALL ENTERPRISE HUB Business Support • Office Space • Co-working • Meeting Rooms Lots of free parking • Conference facilities • Networking Events Dissington Hall Enterprise Hub has 16 office spaces of which 9 are newly created on the top floor with fantastic views over the Parkland. Offices range from 15 to 40 sqm with inter connecting doors to allow for expansion.It has a private entrance with security in the East Wing.

MEETINGS & EVENTS IN THE HEART OF NORTHUMBERLAND Centrally-located in the heart of Alnwick, just ﬁve minutes from the A1, and within walking distance of the historic Alnwick Castle and Gardens, the White Swan is a stunning and unique venue for any Northumberland meeting or business event, or product launch. With suites to cater for 2 to 150 delegates, and free parking for up to 30 cars, we can oﬀer a variety of conference and meeting solutions to suit everyone’s needs

From the beginning of October 2014 additional offices will become available.

• Half day, full day and 24hr DDR available from as little as £32.00pp DDR

For more information contact Gill Brown on 01661 886063 gill@dissingtonhall.co.uk

• 4 ﬂexible function spaces ranging from a boardroom for 8 delegates right up to an exhibition space for up to 150 delegates

Dissington Hall is part of a network of hubs in Northumberland. The objective of Rural Connect is to help ‘network & grow your business.’

• Flexible syndicate room and break out options for your conference

tel: 01661 886063

www.dissingtonhall.co.uk

• Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout • Flexible dining options to suit the audience from a simple buﬀet to a two or three-course lunch or more contemporary ‘grab & go’ options ideally suited to exhibitions and product launches • Full AV provision with technical support (chargeable)

Contact our Events Coordinator on 01665 602109 The White Swan Hotel, Bondgate Within, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 1TD

Showcase success

he first NECC Member Showcase - an expo welcoming regional businesspeople - attracted around 350 attendees and more than 80 stallholders. The event, sponsored by MAKE it Sunderland and Sunderland City Council, was held at Rainton Meadows Arena, Houghton-le-Spring. “We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from exhibitors we canvassed throughout the day and we are already drawing up plans to stage a bigger event next year,” says NECC events manager, Daniel Marsden-Knight. “The aim of the event was to not only bring businesses together, but also to celebrate

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The showcase focused the diversity of the NECC on networking, getting to membership and I think we know other businesses and achieved that.” NECC members from across Coun Paul Watson, leader the region. of Sunderland City Council, NECC head of membership says: “We’ve seen continuing Stuart Miller says: private sector growth “We’re proud of in our city, and “WE’RE our members Sunderland PUNCHING and we wanted is known for ABOVE OUR to provide punching well them with the above its weight WEIGHT IN opportunity to in attracting INVESTMENT” demonstrate what major overseas is unique about investment. Many their business with of our most exciting this exciting addition to our new businesses, however, are events programme. homegrown, setting up and “While the exhibit stands thriving in the city and region. showcased our fantastic “The NECC Member members, we also invited Showcase event helps non-members to the event, regional enterprises get to providing us with the perfect know like-minded businesses, opportunity to tell them what and spark new partnerships, the NECC is all about.” ideas, and goodwill.”

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HI! TECH

Apple to the core Mark Anderson takes a closer look at Apple’s iPhone 6

n the end the Apple iPhone 6 was exactly what I expected, - an evolution of, rather than a revolution away from, the excellent iPhone 5S. Cosmetically it is slightly bigger and slightly thinner. It is still easy to use one handed and despite the very small changes, makes my 5S feel chunky in comparison. Packed inside its beautiful metal case, behind the scratch resistant crystal screen is

APPOINTMENTS

in association with

Apple’s new A8 processor, which promises more speed and processing power to drive the bigger, higher resolution screen and propel the camera, video and graphics capabilities to the very top of the smartphone league table. The camera is packed with easy to use features - mostly automatic - that seek to make expert photographers of us all by eliminating shake, focus and lighting errors. There are massive new

memory capacities and iCloud features that encourage us further along the ‘one device to rule them all’ route that I’m sure is Apple’s end game. I’ve already ditched my compact camera and MP3 player in favour of the 5S and I expect more tech to go the distance. My social media accounts, messaging, email, diary and apps are synched to my laptop and backed up in the Cloud, my digital life is secure and sorted. When Apple Pay is integrated

into all of this (a secure, contactless payment system on your phone) the iPhone will become truly indispensable. Have you noticed I haven’t mentioned the iPhone 6 Plus or Apple Watch that were released on the same day? That’s because, in my opinion, they are unnecessary, gimmicky rubbish that would not have seen the light of day were Mr Jobs still alive. The iPhone 6 however, carries his DNA; beautiful, brilliant and uncompromising.

Ammar Mirza and Iain Watson

Chris Milne

Debra Burton and Craig Malarkey

Graeme Smith

CULTURAL COUP

TRUSTED ADVISER

MOVING UP

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership has appointed a new chief economist. Chris Milne, who was born in Sunderland and grew up in Hexham, joins from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills where he worked as an economic adviser. Milne has recently led the evaluation of major government programmes and acted as adviser to high profile inquiries. He says: “My work will have more of a macro-economic focus than most of my previous governmental roles. It also means I’m able to move back home to the North East.”

Tilly Bailey & Irvine Solicitors has announced the promotion of six of its staff to associate solicitor. The solicitors who have been promoted represent a cross-section of the firm’s services in both business and personal law. They are: Kay Ditcham and Helen Elstob, who work in the firm’s Personal Injury department; Rebecca Samuels, who is a specialist in Family Law; Brian Farrell who carries out both Family Law and Conveyancing; and Debra Burton and Craig Malarkey, both from the firm’s Wynyard-based Business Law team.

THE BUSINESS

One of the region’s leading businessmen has joined the board of the Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) Development Trust. Ammar Mirza has more than 20 years’ experience leading and advising businesses and has an extensive network of contacts in the public, private and not-forprofit sectors. In his role as a founding member of Asian Business Connexions, an organisation which connects, supports and promotes the Asian and wider business community, he has provided help to hundreds of businesses. As TWAM Development Trust trustee, Mirza will play a key role in shaping and supporting fundraising initiatives.

MONEY MATTERS LUCIE’S THE BUSINESS One password to rule them all

1Password - free in the App Store The “holy grail” of password managers that 1Password maker AgileBits teased earlier this year has arrived. The application’s Apple iOS 8 version touts an extension that allows users to fill in login credentials directly from Safari as well as some other thirdparty apps. 1Password also takes advantage of Apple’s Touch ID so users can unlock their password vault with a single touch.

The need for speed

Swift key – free in the App Store For the first time, iOS users can use custom keyboards on their Apple devices. Swift Key has been tearing up the smartphone screens of Android users for a while now and the nifty little app has finally made its way to Apple’s iOS. The whole idea of Swift Key is that it learns from what you are typing. After a while, it becomes uncannily good at knowing what you want to say. Definitely worth a try.

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Laters!

Instapaper – free in the App Store You can now save all of those interesting articles, videos, recipes, song lyrics, or whatever else you come across while browsing the internet with a single click thanks to Instapaper. It’s really useful if you are browsing for one thing and come across another you really want to read later, or a cat video for that matter. The iOS 8 version allows you to access the app via the ‘share’ option from any web page too.

Game on

Gorgeous Games – free in the App Store Head over to the App Store on any of your Apple devices and you’ll notice a new ‘Gorgeous Games for iOS 8’ section. Each of these titles is, “enhanced by Metal,” which means they look great in the new iOS. There are seven new games so far and having tested each over a particularly quiet afternoon, Epic Zen Garden is my pick of the bunch. The peaceful scenes really showcase the power of the new graphics system.

PARTNERING UP

Swinburne Maddison LLP has appointed Simon Robinson to its property team. The former head of BHP Law’s commercial and agricultural property team, Robinson joins Swinburne Maddison as a partner, bringing extensive experience to the team gained in major firms in the North East, City of London and Leeds. Swinburne Maddison acts for clients across the UK including commercial and residential property developers, healthcare companies, schools and education trusts as well as building contractors.

Brewin Dolphin has appointed business development manager Lucie Gordon to help strengthen the firm’s links with independent financial advisers (IFAs) across the region. Lucie, who is an AFPC qualified Chartered Financial Planner with more than 16 years’ experience, joins the firm from Standard Life Investments where she specialised in working with the IFA market as a strategic alliances business development manager in London and the North East. Brewin Dolphin, which employs more than 360 people in Newcastle, manages more than £28bn of funds for more than 100,000 private clients.

The TTE Technical Training Group has appointed a new finance director and expanded its finance department with the creation of two new positions. Andrea Preston has been promoted to the newly created director role after more than four years at TTE. She joined as financial controller and progressed to the position of group finance manager before taking her current position. Her promotion, alongside the development of TTE’s commercial operations, has also led to the requirement for the introduction of a group financial controller and a commercial accountant. TTE is currently in the process of recruiting for these roles.

GEM Partnership’s expansion continues with the appointment of Graeme Smith. Graeme will bolster the Gem Partnerships Industrial division, supporting the existing delivery team while also identifying new opportunities to partner with businesses in the region.

RETAINED EXECUTIVE SEARCH

Like many professions, the executive recruitment industry has developed its own specialisations and distinctions. The differences between retained executive search and other types of recruitment can seem confusing and the differences unimportant. However, the retainer provides an umbrella of professionalism, credibility and recognised practice, implying partnership between the search firm and the hiring organisation. As an executive search division, GEM Talent Search brings industry-specific expertise and unique insight on the client’s leadership needs. Jeroen Pichal Head of Talent Search GEM Talent Search in association with

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OUT TO LUNCH A GLASS ACT

Pop and footy is pitch perfect Liz Hands talks food, football and finances with Sunderland Football Club director Gary Hutchinson

“

I’m always awkward. I order something that’s not on the menu to test them,” says Sunderland Football Club’s commercial director Gary Hutchinson. He asks staff at the National Glass Centre Brasserie for a protein-heavy lunch of a two-egg omelette served up with chargrilled chicken, no bread, a handful of prawns and some chilli sauce on the side. “I know it’s quite random,” he says. “But when you work as much as we do, and you’re mixing with footballers, you’ve got to keep fit. I train most nights. It makes me feel a lot better and it’s good for stress relief as well.” Hutchinson grew up in Sunderland’s Hylton Red House area, going to Hylton Red House School. “I got an A*, three As and seven Bs in my GSCEs, which was tough for that school, went on work experience at Nissan and was the first person they let go back on day release until I left school.” He served his time as an apprentice engineer at Nissan after leaving school, but says as soon as he started working in the factory he realised it wasn’t

the career for him. Instead, he double the turnover of nonstarted to find his feet in the match days over a two-year catering trade. “The first pub I period. “I looked at what we worked in was The Ropery in were doing and pulled it back. Sunderland, where I was a glass I said ‘let’s go again collector. Then I joined the on everything’.” football club. It was then the idea to hold “I worked as a waiter at the big music events at the football club, so that’s always a Stadium of Light took shape. “I good story for the kids in the went to [former chairman] city when I say I started as a Niall Quinn and said ‘we can waiter and I’m now a director do concerts’ so he gave me the of the football club.” freedom to do that. He went on to work for “At the beginning, it was Scottish Courage, gaining “the daunting putting 25,000 core skills I still use today in people on the pitch. It was a terms of a blue chip marketing learning curve. But now we’ve programme,” before done 17 concerts. We’ve becoming provided £60m of Sunderland’s economic benefit “WE’VE catering, to the city. We’re PROVIDED £60M operations and experts at it now OF ECONOMIC sales manager. and I’ve got good BENEFIT TO Hutchinson, relationships at THE CITY” who also chairs the top level with NECC’s Sunderland major promoters. Committee, says one of “The idea came from the achievements which has seeing some of the stadiums taken him to lofty heights across the country doing within the football club is concerts and thinking ‘why bringing Sunderland don’t we have a crack at that?’. University’s graduation events You don’t usually put to the stadium. “I brought that Sunderland and Rihanna in the right from enquiry through to same breath, so we’re really delivery and I still help manage proud of doing that.” it today,” he adds. As well as bringing nearly His strategies helped to 58,000 fans into the stadium

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to watch pop superstar Rihanna, Sunderland has also attracted more of the biggest names in the music business to its stage including Take That and One Direction. “I’m an expert in music and I employ people to track trends,” says Hutchinson. “I will know or have a good idea of who will be touring next year from the intelligence I have, and I’ve not been wrong yet. When you go to meet a promoter they don’t take any prisoners. It’s very cut-throat, so you have to go informed. You’ve got to go with that smart

approach. I enjoy the music bit of our business because I can control that, whereas when the guys are on the pitch, I can’t control the result.” The money brought in by events is ploughed back into the club. “Utilising the asset of the stadium away from football generates more income that can be invested into the playing squad, which improves us on the pitch. So it’s generating revenue which ultimately helps develop the football club,” he says. In March, Sunderland posted a loss of £23m in its annual

accounts, but Hutchinson is confident of an improving financial position. “All Premier League clubs are getting more money from the Sky deal and there’s a cap on wages now, which will help health check our position within a few years. “We’re not in the place we want to be, but we’re working hard. The cap is a good thing for the Premier League because what business in the world has an audience of 4.7bn, but can still be making huge losses?” The club is pushing all strands of the business to become more stable. Its events

arm, 1879, has, for example, diversified its operation with the launch of new seafront bistro The Beach House, in Roker. “You’ve got to be flexible and open to different things in the events business and the same goes for football. Football is not a job, it’s a way of life, and so is events. If you’re not prepared to have that as a way of life, you’re in the wrong place.” And, with that, Hutchinson heads off to do his bit to help Sunderland win on and off the pitch.

It’s Thursday lunchtime and every table in the Brasserie at the National Glass Centre in Sunderland is full when we meet Sunderland Football Club’s commercial director Gary Hutchinson for a bite to eat. Run by 1879 Events Management, the club’s events arm, the Brasserie is set in a light, airy atrium, which reverberates with chat, the occasional baby cry and the clink of cutlery. While Hutchinson opts for a lunch of protein-rich staples because he will be heading to the gym after work, I go for the seafood platter. It’s a pretty plateful of smoked salmon, peppered mackerel and North Shields crab, served with three different sauces and warm bread. The fish is succulent and well seasoned, perfect for a lightish lunch. The rest of the menu is a mix of sandwiches, salads, and the everpopular cheeseburger. While all the favourites are likely to remain, the menu may see something of a revamp in coming months as Hutchinson has recently taken on a new executive head chef, Steve Welsh, who has worked at Wynyard Hall, Teesside and the Black Horse at Beamish. “He will be analysing all of our food operations to see how we raise it several levels,” says Hutchinson. “We’ve got a good reputation for food, but I’m never happy. It can always be better. Everyone who goes out dining knows you’re only as good as your last meal.”

OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 57

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE: LUNCH

New members Visit our website for information about the companies which have recently joined NECC - the region’s largest business membership organisation. Along with contact details, there are opportunities for announcements from new members keen to publicise their products, services and activities to other NECC members. While listings are free to all new members, editorial announcements are part of a broader package designed to promote a new member’s business to reach the readership of Contact magazine. For further details contact the Contact advertising team, tel 01661 844 115, email sales@offstonepublishing.co.uk

Thank You

DABBAWAL

HOTEL DU VIN

MARCO PIERRE WHITE STEAKHOUSE BAR & GRILL

No.19 is a place where comforting home-cooked food is served in a contemporary environment. Whether you are grabbing a quick bite after a round of golf, enjoying dinner in No.19 or a light lunch on the terrace, you can relax in stunning surroundings in the heart of the Northumberland countryside while tasting the best of Northumberland’s local produce. No.19 also offers a restaurant and function room able to cater for parties up to 140.

Dabbawal, street food pioneer of the North East, brings the amazing tastes of the street to its two restaurants in Newcastle, featuring unique tapasstyle plates for sharing and classic dishes with a twist. Larger parties can hire the whole restaurant on a Sunday for Indian cocktails, canapés, a feast of dinner and dancing. Smaller groups of up to 20 can also take over Dabbawal’s private room. Perfect for an informal business lunch or for entertaining clients or your team.

Bistro du Vin is at the heart of the hotel in Newcastle’s vibrant Ouseburn district. Experience an elegant and informal setting for lunch and dinner. At Bistro du Vin Newcastle, dishes rely heavily on fresh, seasonal, locally sourced and, wherever possible, organic produce. It’s about enjoying moderately priced à la carte dining in a down-to-earth, warm and relaxing setting.

Offering what Marco Pierre White describes as ‘affordable glamour’, the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill offers top-quality food in an informal setting. The express lunch is £18 and includes two courses and a glass of wine (quote NECC) and you should be back at your desk within the hour. And if a leisurely lunch is more your thing, that’s always available, too.

LOCATION: Close House, Heddon on the Wall, Newcastle, NE15 0HT Tel: 01661 852 255 www.closehouse.com

LOCATION: 69-75 High Bridge, Newcastle, NE1 6BX Tel: 0191 2325133. Brentwood Mews, Jesmond, NE2 3DG Tel: 0191 281 3434 www.dabbawal.com

LOCATION: Hotel du Vin, City Road, Newcastle, NE1 2BE Tel: 0191 2292200 www.hotelduvin.com

LOCATION: Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, 2-8 Fenkle Street, Newcastle NE1 5XN Tel: 0191 300 9222 www.mpwsteakhousenewcastle.co.uk

For your recent membership renewals. Particular thanks to members supporting NECC for over 15 years 60+ YEARS! Ringtons Limited

15-19 YEARS 64

40+ YEARS! Marton Hotel & Country Club

35-39 YEARS Hertel (UK) Ltd

30-34 YEARS AAF International Eversheds LLP Northdale Rotary Engineering Ltd

34 34 31

25-29 YEARS Komatsu UK Limited Newcastle International Airport NorthEast Press Ltd Dennhofer Wines Ltd Punch Robson Ward Hadaway Solicitors Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

28 27 26 25 25 25 25

20-24 YEARS

The contact details of all the companies which joined NECC recently are now available at www.necontact.co.uk under the ‘New Members’ link

NO.19 AT CLOSE HOUSE

Carroll & Meynell Ltd DBH Serviced Business Centres New Bridge Street Bedding Centre Thermal Detection Ltd Tyne & Wear Enterprise Trust Ltd Isocom Components 2004 Ltd Ladrim Ltd T/A Cleveland Chroming Company BIB (Darlington) Limited Contex Office Services Ltd Dinnington Fencing Co Ltd Dissington Hall Draycott & Kirk JBT Waste Services Ltd New College Durham Washington Components Ltd Architectural Powder Coatings Dunlop Oil & Marine Ltd Langley Castle Hotel Latimer Hinks Tyne & Wear Fire & Rescue Service Whittle Jones North East

24 24 24 24 24 23 23 22 22 22 22 22 21 21 21 20 20 20 20 20 20

Datastor 19 Lintron Electronics Limited 19 Northumbria Safety Limited 19 Perception 19 Poppies 19 Signet AC Ltd 19 Sun FM Ltd 19 Wearset 19 4D Distributors (Northumbria Ltd) 18 CDS Security Ltd 18 High Force Research Ltd 18 Kimmerston Design Ltd 18 Nick Jackson 18 Orange County Ltd 18 Pipe Coil Technology Ltd 18 Rosh Engineering Ltd 18 S M H Products 18 Turbo Power Systems Ltd 18 Westline Distributors Ltd 18 Gordon Brown Law Firm LLP 17 Scotia UK plc 17 Total Communications & Security Ltd 17 2Touch BPO Services Ltd 16 A Williamson Ltd (AWL) 16 Assembly & Packaging Services Ltd 16 Davison Tyne Metal Ltd 16 Direct Recruitment 16 Intelect (UK) Limited 16 OH3 Ltd 16 Peacocks Medical Group Limited 16 Serco International Fire Training Centre 16 Westwaters 16 A M Hire 15 Beacon Creative 15 Browns Language Services 15 Capital North East 15 Ellwood & Hoyle Leisure Security North East Ltd 15 GB Belting Limited 15 Industrial Workwear Limited 15 Lord Hire Centres 15 Momentum Taxation & Accountancy Ltd 15 Rotational Engineering Limited 15 Stratton Valves and Engineering Ltd 15 Workwear Express Ltd 15

This is businesses that have been members for 15 years or more and renewed their membership in July and August 2014.

NATIONAL GLASS CENTRE BRASSERIE

PEACE & LOAF

RENDEZ VOUS AT THE COUNTY HOTEL

SACHINS

Eating at the Brasserie is as much about the atmosphere and stunning surroundings as it is about the food. Having undergone a stylish transformation, from the décor down to the tableware, the Brasserie stands out as one of the most attractive restaurants in the North East. Echoing the philosophy of National Glass Centre, the menu showcases heritage and innovation, delivered with creativity and passion. Open daily: 10am–5pm

The latest addition to the North East’s fine dining scene, Peace & Loaf boasts a chic and stylish venue alongside an entirely original and unique dining experience. Indulge in the meticulously crafted three course business lunch for just £19.95, showcasing the skills of the dedicated team and highlighting fresh, locally sourced produce. The menu is inspired by traditional British cuisine and will excite even the most discerning of palates.

Located directly opposite Newcastle Central Station in the heart of the city, the County Hotel is the perfect location for a light midday snack, drinks after work with friends or a relaxing lunch or dinner. The Rendez Vous Restaurant, lounge and bar are open daily. The County Hotel also has 11 meeting and event rooms from 1:1 interviews to a conference for 220 delegates.

Celebrating 30 years in Newcastle, the award-winning restaurant Sachins on Forth Banks has been delighting diners with its signature, meticulously crafted menu since opening its doors. Using only the freshest, locally sourced ingredients, chef and proprietor Bob Arora offers the discerning diner a unique opportunity to sample the very finest Punjabi food in a fresh and exciting environment.

LOCATION: National Glass Centre Brasserie, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL Tel: 0191 515 5555 www.nationalglasscentre.com

LOCATION: Peace & Loaf 217 Jesmond Road, Jesmond NE2 1LA Tel: 0191 281 5222 www.peaceandloaf.co.uk

LOCATION: The County Hotel by Thistle, Neville Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5DF Tel: 0191 2322471 www.thistle.com/newcastle

LOCATION: Sachins, Forth Banks, Newcastle, NE1 3SG Tel: 0191 261 90 35 www.sachins.co.uk

OCT - NOV 2014 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 59

EVENTS

NECC EVENTS Book now to engage with fellow NECC members

www.necc.co.uk

NECC Exchange

Three Chamber Networking Lunch

Scottish Independence Views from across the Border

FREE