Niche Magazine Issue 43

#FindYourNiche

May/June 2021

NELSONS NEW FACES ON NEW WALK

Niche Business Awards 2021

Meet the ambassadors supporting us this year

East Midlands Chamber

Celebrating the next generation

DMU’s Crucible Project

The entrepreneurship programme for graduates

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T

his issue coincides with the final steps of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown. Having gone to print in April, who knows what stage we might be at as you read this after May 17 when officials look to ease restrictions on meeting outdoors, and after June 21 when the Government hopes to remove all legal limits on social contact.

In anticipation of us all getting back out there, we’ve been working closely with some influential locals to help drive economic recovery.

We’ve put together the latest positive news stories from East Midlands Chamber giving us an optimistic outlook for Leicester. City Centre Director Sarah Harrison has provided us with information on support available for small businesses, and those that have emerged as a result of Covid-19. And De Montfort University helped us get to know some of the ground-breaking business ideas and companies formed from the Crucible Programme entrepreneurs.

You’ll find a detailed article on what’s on at Curve from May-June; buying tickets helps the charity support people in accessing the arts.

Gabby Miller from Cool As Leicester helped us select some of the best pubs that opened up on April 12 for us to enjoy their outdoor spaces. And we’ve worked closely with mental health charity, Lamp, and domestic violence and poverty charity, The Zinthiya Trust, to show you all the ways you can get back outdoors and having fun safely while making a huge difference to people in need.

Our special feature focuses on Leicester’s pride and joy New Walk. We’ve looked back on its history and the businesses that reside there today that are open for business. One of those businesses is our cover stars Nelsons. The law firm has had a lot going on recently and we wanted to see how they’ve managed to expand during the pandemic.

It’s also been an emotional time for us at Niche Magazine as we celebrated in March for making it through the toughest year we’ve faced as well as turning eight years old.

See you in June, we hope!

Contents MAY / JUNE 2021

28 SPECIAL FEATURES

ON THE COVER

24 EXPLORING

NEW WALK

28

27

Solicitor’s advice

30

The history of the Remy Hair salon

30

Where family begins

31

Through the keyhole of 100 New Walk

BUSINESS NEWS 08

Contour fashion student designs underwear for cancer patients

08

Leicester’s Reopening Plan

09 Increases in GDPR breach enquiries 09

EU: small businesses at risk of trading illegally

12

Post-lockdown business support schemes

28 NEW FACES ON NEW WALK Nelsons

Cover Image Nelsons photographed on New Walk Photographed by Hitz Rao at Hitz Rao Photography 0116 246 0475

10 CELEBRATING THE NEXT GENERATION

East Midlands Chamber

awards and other positive

news stories 48

DMU’S CRUCIBLE PROJECT Local student entrepreneurs and their business concepts

52 NICHE BUSINESS

AWARDS 2021

More local businesses than

ever support the event as ambassadors

14 DRIVING ECONOMIC RECOVERY FINANCE 21 Commercial property acquisitions 22 Tax advice in a post-Covid world 23

Money Talks: in conversation with Mital Thanki

LEGAL 32

Legal advice from the experts

33

Covid help scheme for business debt expires

34

5 reasons to update your will

35

How do criminal defence lawyers sleep at night?

24

52

BUSINESS

MARKETING

WHAT’S ON

37 Learning to fly: can you do it alone?

68 Marketing tips from the experts

87

A family of venues to visit after June 21

88

A special season at Curve

89

Will you be joining the Around the World 5k challenge?

38

Reopening your bar or restaurant safely

40

Post-pandemic positivity

40

The taste for tech

42

HR roundup

42

Self-improvement for business success

43 5 IT tips for small business owners

PROPERTY 70 Property advice from industry professionals 73

24-hour call outs and a family business in the making

77

The year of the garden

HEALTH & BEAUTY

44

Customer pain points and their solutions

46

Corporate Social Responsibility post-Covid

47

Is company survival sustainable even with Government help?

50

Pinning down energy costs

MOTOR

50

Redefining HR

81

80

One woman’s fertility story and how it changed her career path

GIFT GUIDE 78

Perfect Mother’s Day gifts

Going electric

CHARITY 90

‘Two Paces Back’, a song to celebrate Prince Philip’s life

94

Family and Guinness - the secret to a long life?

95 How to get involved with

The Zinthiya Trust this summer 96

Grassroots mental health

97

Think Funding’s annual fundraising survey

SOCIAL 98

When Niche Magazine turned eight

BUSINESS NEWS LEICESTERSHIRE

Hope Against Cancer joins forces with lingerie designer Leicestershire-based charity Hope Against Cancer has joined forces with local lingerie business Roshni Desai Designs in a bid to raise money for life-changing cancer research.

Many might question what the connection between lingerie and cancer could possibly be. Well, Roshni Desai has been busy creating a soft post-surgery bralette for breast cancer patients and survivors. The bralette is not clinical – in fact, it boasts a glamourous turquoise satin with a gold clasp – is adjustable on the back and straps with fully lined mesh panels on the inside and no wire for a comfortable fit – it is able to fit up to four cup sizes per size.

The inspiration behind the bralette came from Roshni’s auntie, who is currently recovering from breast cancer. Roshni, who is studying Contour Fashion at De Montfort University, had a vision of creating something that women can wear, in which they not only feel comfortable – but also confident after undergoing 10 | NICHE

surgery and intense treatment. A pin design has also been created, which will be sent to customers with a care card for women to check their breasts and spot the signs.

Roshni has very generously opted to donate 25% from the bralette and pin sales to Hope Against Cancer.

She said: “I wanted to support a local charity like Hope, because of the crucial and life-saving work they have done to help make a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer.

I hope that through my efforts in selling the bralettes and pin badges I am able to raise donations for Hope to continue to carry on this research and bettering the lives of those going through it.”

Hope Against Cancer is a cancer research charity in Leicestershire and Rutland. Hope funds cuttingedge research and has helped make clinical trials available to local people. The charity strives for a future where more people survive cancer by funding innovative research that

leads to improved treatments and better outcomes for local people.

More recently, they have managed to raise close to £1.5 m, which allowed an impressive transformation and expansion of the now suitably renamed Hope Cancer Trials Centre at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, allowing the staff and specialists there to double their previous treatment capacity.

Hope Against Cancer’s CEO, Nigel Rose told us: “We are absolutely delighted to hear that Roshni has decided to support Hope in this wonderful, innovative way. It is people like Roshni who help us to continue the ground-breaking work we fund and, of course, highlights the amazing talent we have amongst the next generation, right here in our county.

We are truly thankful.”

Purchase a bralette and pin at etsy.com/uk/shop/ roshnidesaidesigns or message @roshnidesai_designs on Instagram to find out more.

BID Leicester’s Reopening Plan Over the remaining months of 2021, the BID Leicester team is working to support businesses across all sectors as government restrictions are eased. A number of initiatives will be delivered to enhance the BID area, which expands just outside of the city centre boundary.

The organisation has been working closely with its partners and Leicester City Council’s Reopening High Streets Safely campaign, according to BID Leicester’s Reopening Plan published in March.

It claims its projects will “responsibly drive footfall and rebuild confidence in the city centre as a great and safe place to live, work, visit and do business.”

Here are just some of the key initiatives taking place from May. Read the full plan at bidleicester.co.uk/ reopening.

THE KEY INITIATIVES

Independent Leicester BID Leicester has collaborated with a host of local independent businesses to create Independent Leicester, which is designed to encourage customers to shop local and discover what the city’s thriving independent scene has to offer. You can discover more about Leicester’s independent culture through the directory listing website independentleicester.co.uk.

The Leicester Gift Card The city-wide gift card offers customers a great choice of spending across food, drink, leisure, and entertainment.

Over 130 businesses are registered to accept the Leicester Gift Card and more than £40,000 of sales have been through the scheme. Register your business or purchase a card at theleicestergiftcard.com.

‘Wet pubs’ artwork trail An art project involving levy paying ‘wet pubs’ in the BID area will create large scale artworks to form a mini trail around selected pubs. The artworks will attract customers and create photo opportunities for social media content. To get involved, contact james@bidleicester.co.uk.

Dine in the Square From May to September, three public areas in the city will receive outdoor seating. Members of the public will be able to order from a choice of city centre food and drink providers through the Yoello mobile ordering system. Dine in the Square will make tables available for those without a street café when hospitality can operate as an outdooronly service, and provide extra capacity and opportunity for sales throughout summer months.

Leicestershire’s small businesses ‘at risk’ of trading illegally Four months since the Brexit deal was signed, there are many hundreds of businesses across the county who could be at risk of trading illegally due to “a lack of knowledge of legislation regarding trading with Europe,” says Leicestershire Business Gateway Growth Hub. As a result, the Growth Hub announced in April the launch of its What About SME? guide. The free online guide gets this critical information into the hands of the Leicestershire business operators who need it most yet are least likely to have it.

Jon Egley, Growth Hub Manager, commented: “We appreciate that the past few months have been difficult for many of our region’s small and medium-sized businesses.

Typically, these are owner/operators and few have in-house specialists who can guide them through the changes. We also know that, especially since Covid-19, a great deal of them are working under pressured conditions, which means they don’t always have the time to hunt down the information that might help them trade more successfully – and legally.”

He continues: “This is why we’ve created the What About SME? guide, which is not only free of charge but summarises all the key topics around Brexit and what it means to our small

business sector. It goes one step further by signposting all of the advice, information and online webinars that any SME in the county can get.”

The Business Gateway Growth Hub has helped hundreds of businesses successfully tackle the new rules and red tape around trading with Europe. The guide is just one tool to assist and support the region’s SMEs; the Growth Hub continue to offer specialist 1-2-1 telephone support sessions, alongside a calendar of free-to-attend webinars and online content.

For more information on the Business Gateway Growth Hub, visit bizgateway.org.uk/trading-with-europe-support. Go to bizgateway.org.uk/events to book a dedicated 1-2-1 with an expert practitioner, or to view the current webinar programme and simply book your slot.

NICHE | 11

Generation Next

Awards

Celebrating the best young talent and future leaders in the East Midlands

Y

oung talent in businesses across the East Midlands will be celebrated in the first ever Generation Next Awards. The Generation Next Awards are delivered in partnership with the University of Derby and form part of East Midlands Chamber’s new Generation Next network for professionals and business owners aged under 35.

There are seven categories, covering a broad spectrum of people in organisations from apprentices to business leaders, as well as an award for a fast-growing start-up.

The finalists will be announced on May 17. Winners will be crowned at a virtual awards ceremony on July 16.

Lucy Robinson, East Midlands Chamber’s director of resources and Generation Next lead, said: “Generation Next is a really exciting new initiative from the Chamber and these awards promise to be a fantastic celebration of the amazing young talent we have across the East Midlands.

“Young people don’t always receive the recognition they deserve, but this is now their chance to tell their stories and showcase their successes.

“It’s also a great opportunity for employers to shout about the great work and innovation coming out of their businesses thanks to the contributions that young employees make every day, who we know are a great asset in ensuring organisations remain fresh and relevant in today’s world.”

The University of Derby is the headline partner for Generation Next, with GBS Apprenticeships, Nottingham University Business School and Fraser Stretton Estate

Generation Next Awards 2021 Winners will be announced on July 16 in the following award categories.

Apprentice of the Year Entrepreneur of the Year Community Award Customer Service Award Excellence in Innovation and Technology Award Breakthrough Award Overall winner – Generation Next Future Leader

10 | NICHE

Agents also partners.

Professor Kamil Omoteso, pro vice-chancellor and dean of the University of Derby’s College of Business, Law and Social Sciences, said: “Generation Next is the ideal initiative for providing young professionals with support for their new career or business, and these awards are a superb way of celebrating how those taking part have responded to the challenge of establishing themselves in what is a very competitive environment.

“The Generation Next Awards will provide everyone whose name is put forward with deserved recognition for their contributions and ideas that are helping to take businesses forward, and to make our region’s economy more dynamic and resilient.”

For more information on the Generation Next Awards 2021, visit generationnextemc.co.uk/awards.

BUSINESS NEWS

New partnership to boost recruitment for Leicester

A

new partnership between East Midlands Chamber and Business 2 Business (B2B), a Leicester-based employability company, will aim to boost recruitment across Leicestershire.

The organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding that involves a variety of schemes aimed at supporting employers to get more people into work during and after the pandemic.

These include a collaboration on the Kickstart scheme; skills development of the city and county’s current and future workforce; and joint bidding for future Department of Work & Pensions programmes that help people made redundant during the pandemic to find sustainable employment.

East Midlands Chamber deputy chief executive Diane Beresford said: “We know many people have unfortunately found themselves out of work due to the economic impact of the pandemic, and it’s imperative we do all we can to support these people to find jobs as soon as possible.

“With more than 4,000 employers in our membership, we’re in a great position to engage with the organisations that can offer these opportunities.

“By linking up with B2B, which has an established reputation in giving individuals the support they need

to take advantage of job openings, we’ll be able to streamline and accelerate recruitment processes – allowing businesses to expand their business while increasing Leicestershire’s productivity and prosperity.”

A long-standing Chamber member, B2B was set up 35 years ago to tackle unemployment and social exclusion. It recognised local people weren’t often able to benefit from jobs in the Leicester economy and has offered the additional support needed, such as upskilling and addressing barriers to employment.

Veejay Patel, managing director of B2B, said: “We get tremendous satisfaction from finding the right candidates for local employers, and watching their businesses grow and prosper.

“Having also supported major East Midlands employers, we’re ready and waiting to help employers of all sizes to make the most of the recent exciting developments in our region, including those arising from the East Midlands freeport.”

New data shows business confidence levels increasing

C

onfidence among East Midlands businesses is at its highest since before the last general election, according to new data compiled by the Chamber.

The latest Quarterly Economic Survey for Q1 2021 showed a net 53% of businesses expect their turnover to improve over the coming year, with a third (net 35%) anticipating a rise in profits.

It was the most comprehensive Chamber survey yet, with responses from a record 540 businesses between February 15 and March 8.

Chris Hobson, director of policy and external affairs at the Chamber, said: “Sentiment among businesses is as strong as it has been since summer 2019, supported by the successful Vaccine rollout programme, a roadmap for reopening the economy and a broadly positive response to the spring budget.”

Investment intentions are on the up, with a net 7% and 15% planning increased spend in people and equipment respectively as they look to repoint their business to succeed in a post-pandemic world. Recruitment expectations are also strong, with 30%

expecting a growth in headcount, versus only 7% anticipating reductions.

Despite these positive signs, cashflow – which worsened for the majority of firms in each quarter of 2020 – remains a problem for a significant number of businesses, with a net 14% reporting this to be down once again in Q1.

And while UK activity is recovering well, overseas activity continues to trail behind with a net 9% reporting a decline in sales over the quarter.

NICHE | 11

WYGSTON'S HOUSE

Spring into action Support for businesses is here as they emerge from lockdown restrictions. City Centre Director Sarah Harrison tells us more

T

he Prime Minister announced the Government’s roadmap to ease restrictions across England and provide a route back to a more normal way of life on February 22. A welcome landmark was reached on Monday, April 12 when non-essential retail, outdoor hospitality, gyms, hairdressers, and personal care businesses amongst others were able to reopen their doors.

The early morning sun shone on the socially distanced queues of people outside their favourite stores. Hairdressers opened early to welcome customers overjoyed at being able to have their hair cut and staff at restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars put out their outdoor furniture. There was a confidence and optimism in the air and a feeling of real joy that life could begin to return to the city streets and businesses.

The Prime Minister is clear that the decision on each stage will be based on data, not dates. The dates set out in their four-step roadmap are not guaranteed and the Government has been clear that they will move cautiously to keep infection rates under control and that these dates may need to change. We must all play our part to keep our city open for our residents and visitors – but most of all, 12 | NICHE

for our businesses that have been so brilliant and shown such resilience when facing the hardship brought upon them by the pandemic over the last year.

The Government has provided support to businesses with grants, furlough schemes, loans and other initiatives.

In Leicester alone, over £120m in grants had been paid to 7,500 businesses by the end of March 2021.

Leicester City Council’s £500k grant support for shopfront improvements, temporary café seating licences, and outdoor furniture has had a remarkable take-up by businesses across the city. The result is evident to see, with people sitting outside bringing life, laughter, and fun back onto our streets.

Leicester was awarded European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Reopening High Streets Safely funding to support the safe reopening of the city following the easing of Covid restrictions. As part of the overall city programme, the council engaged the services of Arch Creative and FU Media to create a vibrant marketing and PR campaign to support the city centre and neighbourhood businesses during the period from April to June 2021.

PHOTOGRAPH: BETH WALSH

BUSINESS NEWS

GUILDHALL LANE

PRANA CAFÉ

Welcome Back Leicest er Discover more than 20 new food outlets!

FEMI HEALTH & BEAUTY

The focus of the campaign is to support city businesses as they reopen and to build consumer confidence by providing reassurance businesses have Covid-19 safety measures in place. The campaign will support the phased reopening of non-essential retail, hospitality, hair and beauty, leisure, cultural and heritage venues, public services, places of interest, and sports facilities throughout the city over the coming weeks and months.

BID Leicester has launched an ambitious delivery plan for 2021, designed to assist businesses within the BID area with reopening and support the economic recovery of the city centre. More information can be found at bidleicester.co.uk.

What have you missed most over the last year? Is it going out to eat? Sharing a drink with friends? Retail therapy? A pampering session? Working out? Going to the theatre? Watching a film? Listening to live music?

Enjoy rediscovering our great city but remember to keep following the safety guidance and Public Health England advice so we can all do our bit to help keep our local businesses open.

Remember to

#ReopeningH igh

stay safe

StreetsSafely

HARRIMAN & CO LTD NICHE | 13

Driving economic recovery Industry experts share their knowledge to help the businesses of Leicestershire pull through the effects of the pandemic Our Columnists

Director, 2XL Commercial Finance

DARREN WILLOUGHBY

Revealing the latest views, opinions and insider information, professionals and experts in their fields cover the current subjects on the minds of local businesses and consumers during and post-pandemic. A second lockdown meant Leicester fell behind in the recuperation of its economy.

But our county found a king in a car park and our city beat 5,000/1 odds to win the Premier League, so our columnists are confident that communities can join forces to drive Leicester’s economic recovery. They provide thought-provoking, informative and inspiring commentary in a bid to support business leaders, assist the restart of companies across the county, and provide encouragement to those struggling to find their way.

Business as usual?

Restrictions will ease but our resolve must not

t is clear that the efficient delivery of the coronavirus vaccine offers Britain the best opportunity for an economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic.

Together with the latest budget announcements, thankfully, a roadmap for this recovery is now in place.

However, it is important to emphasise that this is only the start and there will be many more years of pain and challenges to come before we come out of the other side with audit, tax and advisory service KPMG stating that it could take up to two years before the economy is back to prepandemic positioning – expected in Q1, 2023.

In addition, the latest red flag report by Begbies Traynor showed that 630,000 businesses were experiencing significant financial distress as they entered the latest lockdown, with a 27% increase in companies suffering a deterioration in financial metrics including working capital, contingent liabilities and retained profit compared to Q1, 2019.

14 | NICHE

Have something on your mind? Write in to us to request a topic of discussion via kerry@crossproductions.co.uk.

Looming on the horizon for many businesses is the start of the repayment of Bounce Back Loan and CBILS Loans – nothing quite highlights the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on small businesses like the £45bn worth of Bounce Back Loans they accessed to stay afloat during the pandemic that are now expected to be paid back.

On average, for a £50k loan, this will cost a small business approximately £870 a month and – with no formal assessment carried out on these loans or their affordability being tested – many people will have taken these loans out grateful for the capital injection, but now the reality will be dawning that this wasn’t a ‘gift’ but needs repaying.

So, what happens next? In many cases, this is down to the individual businesses to find ways to adapt to the new reality we find ourselves in. Everyone’s situation is different and there is no magic wand to get business back on track; and there will be casualties, that’s for sure. I personally hope that many business owners go on to reap the rewards of what has been an unprecedented catastrophe for so many.

It’s going to be a long journey with many highs and lows, but let’s hope as business owners we can all get back to a semblance of the normal trading levels we had pre-Covid sooner rather than later.

Owner of The Turnaround CEO

AMANDA DALY

Discover your Who

“Only once you give yourself permission to stop trying to do it all… can you make your highest contribution towards the things that really matter.” – Greg McKeown

Managing Director, PPL PRS Ltd

ANDREA GRAY

hanging your rules and mindset plays a significant part in owning your value in what and how you do it.

How many of us spend too much time caught in the ‘how’ and the complexities of labouring our time and personal resources to seek an answer to challenges or specifics?

If we applied ourselves to collaboration, many of us already know someone who can help find the answer. How many of us fully use the know-how to what we seek from our thought pool of networks?

To take your business or vision to the next level I would recommend you discover the ‘who’. The who is intrinsic to success and raising the bar in business. Dan Sullivan said: “The who when selected properly to fit your vision are never a cost but an investment.”

Putting a spring into our step

pring has arrived and with it lambs in the fields, thoughts of summer and dreams of holidays, and finally the end of wearing your winter coat. April 2021 brought a different air of excitement though, particularly here in Leicester.

Marking over a year since the first lockdown was announced, many businesses in the city area had been closed for the majority of that time due to regional restrictions. However, on April 12, they opened with the appropriate safety measures in place. Hairdressers and barbers reported a surge in bookings for April as the roadmap to recovery was announced in February. Gyms and fitness centres welcomed clients back, from the same date, with many people extra keen to work off the excess pounds they may have gained during the winter and another long lockdown.

Also in April, hospitality venues with outside space

No one by themselves has all of the answers. The ability to succeed is often based on the quality of people you spend most of your time with and invest in. The whos in your life help achieve goals and add a greater sense of meaning and purpose. If you create more whos, they can help create more hows, which creates more success.

If you challenged yourself, would you say you allow enough investment in the whos or do you allow yourself to try and do the thought process of the how yourself?

Changing your rules on how you invest and how you value your strengths could be one of the biggest breakthroughs you make in your business.

Often our personal money rules hold us back as we perceive the whos to be a cost and not an investment. If you are becoming involved in the how of your business, it is time to review your rules and why you are doing what you are doing. Not only can you change your own business and take it to the higher level, you are allowing your network to grow by investing in them.

Here in Leicester we have a tremendous business community filled with groups of people that act as knowledge pools of resolving the hows. Challenge yourself, challenge your rules and really make your time count.

started to serve customers again in their gardens, this time without the need to purchase a substantial meal. For those venues that don’t have catering facilities, this was fantastic news as they could give their income a boost before indoor hospitality was reintroduced in May. Whilst we were all looking forward to some retail therapy in person and getting our hair back to its ‘original’ colour, many people may still be feeling anxious about venturing back to the high street. Your employees may also be worried about coming back to work after such a long time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday working life, if they haven’t started back at the office already. Hopefully, now those worries are easing.

Creating a safe and welcoming environment is essential for both customers and staff. Make sure you follow the Government guidelines for social distancing measures, providing enough space between your staff and customers to ensure everyone feels protected.

There may be a few bumps yet to come in the road to recovery, and the opening dates for some businesses may be pushed back to ensure we remain Covid-safe, but this roadmap is just the first green shoot of economic revival for UK industry, and as we all navigate the next few months together, we will soon start to see a field of blossoming establishments and sunshine on the horizon.

NICHE | 15

Partner, The Miller Partnership

PETE MILLER

Selling your business to your employees?

on’t rule out an Employee Ownership Trust.

Undoubtedly, Covid-19 has served to remind many company directors of their own mortality, with increasing numbers now looking to sell their companies and hopefully enjoy a longer retirement.

If you’re among them, you might be thinking of selling your business to your employees but wondering how best to go about it for tax purposes.

One tax-efficient mechanism you might want to consider is setting up an employee ownership trust (EOT), then selling your company to the trust. Changes in the Finance Act 2013 mean that, so long as you satisfy some relatively 16 | NICHE

Corporate and banking partner at Nelsons

am optimistic the worst of the Covid-19 lockdowns are behind us but, I also recognise we face a challenge in recovering lost productivity. The extension of furlough is welcome news, but it is vital the government engages with the financial advice and insurance profession to explore ways to rebuild the financial resilience of individuals.

The Chancellor has identified future tax increases to fund the high levels of borrowing that has taken place due to Covid-19.

However, we should ensure any moves to fix the public finances do not discourage a savings culture that would build back stronger personal finances.

Covid-19 has highlighted the importance of incentivising people and businesses to set cash aside and insure themselves to protect them from future financial shocks. By freezing the personal tax thresholds and pension lifetime allowance, the government are weakening the incentives for people to save for a rainy day and to fund their later life. This freeze risks more public sector staff reducing their working hours or retiring early to avoid pension tax bills.

The budget did introduce a new green retail savings product and new pensions flexibilities that will allow pension funds to invest in innovative ventures, recognising the role pensions and savings can play in building back green.

March 23 was dubbed Tax Day and indicated the direction the Government intends to take to develop revenue raising.

When forward planning, these plans need to be considered.

However, maximising your allowances and structuring your finances efficiently makes sense regardless of whether or not big changes are on the horizon.

CHRIS REES

Financial Planner, Brewin Dolphin

SCOTT CHARLISH

Rebuilding resilience

Directors’ duties

ompany directors must comply with general duties imposed on them by the Companies Act 2006.

Failure to comply with these duties can expose directors to personal liability. These general duties are described under sections 171 to 177 of the Act, as follows: Act within their powers: The directors must comply with the company’s constitution, which primarily consists of its articles of association and any other constitutional agreements, such as a shareholder’s agreement.

Promote the success of the company: The directors must act in good faith and in a way to promote the success of the company for the benefit of its members and the company.

The directors will need to consider the consequence of their decisions; interest of any employees, maintaining and generating relations with third parties; impact of operation on the community and environment, maintaining high standards of business conduct and to act fairly. This is why it is important to document any decisions made by the directors by using the appropriate board minutes or resolutions, as they may offer protection in the event there is a claim that they have acted in breach of their duties or insolvency action in the future.

Exercise independent judgement: The director must not be influenced by other people. Naturally, they may receive

straightforward conditions, the sale of shares to the EOT should qualify for a total exemption from Capital Gains Tax! This is particularly attractive, especially since the old entrepreneurs’ relief (now called BAD relief), which gave a 10% rate, is restricted to only £1m per person as a lifetime allowance.

One reason why EOTs haven’t been as popular as they might have been, given that they’re exempt from CGT, is that in some ways they are less flexible than BAD relief.

To set up an EOT you must have a reasonable number of employees in relation to vendor shareholders, so it’s not going to work for a one-man band or for companies with a handful of people on the payroll.

Also, there are complexities involved in setting up and running a trust, with the trustees effectively being the company’s shareholders and having to run the company for the benefit of its employees. Nevertheless, with BAD relief becoming less and less attractive, and possibly being in the Chancellor’s crosshairs for future changes, an EOT could provide you with a tax-free exit while, at the same time, satisfying the government’s policy of increasing employee ownership of businesses.

EOTs can be complex, but if you think setting up one might work well for your business, don’t let that put you off. An EOT could be the most tax-efficient solution for your company, so talk to your tax adviser.

Partner, Charnwood Accountants

could prove vital in protecting the director.

Not to accept benefits from third parties: Directors have a duty not to accept benefits from a third party because of them being a director or doing (or not doing) anything as a director.

Declare an interest in a proposed transaction or arrangement: If the director is indirectly or directly interested in a transaction with the company, they must declare the nature and extent of that interest to the other directors before that transaction is completed.

Directors duties, responsibilities and rights is an extensive subject; it is always prudent to seek out the appropriate advice if you are unsure of your obligations.

LEANNE BONNER-COOKE MBE

CEO, e-bate Limited

financial, legal and third party advice during the course of business. However, decisions must be made using their own independent judgement.

Exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence: The director must exercise the care, skill and diligence that would be expected from a reasonably diligent person with the same knowledge and experience.

Avoid conflicts of interest: The director must avoid a situation in which they have, or could have, an interest that conflicts with the interests of the company. In the event of a claim against the director, properly documented board minutes and resolutions, which cover the process to set aside the conflict,

ANNA BROCKLEHURST

et’s talk about the first full lockdown Budget. As always, there were many rumours about what was going to happen; a lot of which were focused on Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and didn’t materialise. However, a welcome announcement in the Budget was the super deduction for expenditure on qualifying plant and machinery.

Each group of companies currently receives £1m annual investment allowance (AIA) which means every £1 spend on capital expenditure saves £0.19 in tax. Once the £1m is used up though, the savings drop to £0.03 at best and £0.01 at worst!

However, from April 1, 2021 there is the new super deduction which has two benefits:

1. It doesn’t use up your £1m AIA – so it’s likely a higher proportion of assets not covered by the super deduction will now save the £0.19 rather than the £0.01 2. It gives a deduction of 130% before tax, so the saving per £1 of expenditure is now £0.247 For an asset to qualify for the super deduction, it must be what is known as main pool expenditure, so items such as integral features in buildings do not qualify. It has also been stated that cars do not qualify.

Example: You spend £200k on a machine pre 01/04/21.

Assuming adequate AIA, this will be deducted from your pre-tax profit and you will save £200,000 x 19% = £38,000.

If you spend this in the super deduction period between 01/04/21 and 31/03/23, then you will save £200,000 x 130% = £260,000 x 19% = £49,400.

As a caveat, there are some rather complex rules in relation to disposals of assets that have qualified for the super deduction. As well, in April 2023 the corporation tax rate for your business could rise to 25%, in which case, the expenditure on the £200k machine would potentially save you £50,000.

For once, the government guidance is quite useful.

Google ‘budget 2021 – super-deduction’ to find the factsheet downloadable as a pdf.

The tax man is encouraging you to spend

New companies up by 15%

he Covid-19 recovery has been anything but easy for business. However, people have found inventive ways to keep going, whether that’s by starting their own small businesses after being furloughed or being made redundant or using technology to remain efficient and provide a great customer experience during the pandemic.

To be factual, recent government data states that 13,257 new companies were registered in 2020 compared to 11,503 in 2019 – an increase of 15%, which is a clear indicator that there is a rise in those taking the leap and going it alone!

Among the top businesses are food and drink delivery and home cleaning services.

Productivity vs. Tech: Productivity is one of the main the main

long-term drivers of economic growth, with technology enabled innovation being one of the major catalysts to productivity and its growth. However, productivity growth has slowed whilst digital technologies have boomed. Firms at the technological forefront such as Google and Amazon have had major productivity gains, but the impact on productivity felt more widely with smaller businesses has seen a significant slowdown.

Labour Shifts: Technology is also having significant impacts on the shape of our labour markets. Automation and digital developments are shifting labour demand away from standard low to middle-level skills to higher-level and more sophisticated analytical, mechanical, and technical skills. In addition, the ageing populations in many job roles means challenges are being faced as workers’ participation rate and personal investment in new technological systems declines.

The question now is all about strategy – yes, technology needs to remain high on the list of priority, but more so on the people and processes. How do you upskill your workforce whilst also investing in and developing the next generation? Taking into account your current processes, how can they be more efficient using technology?

People are being encouraged to make quicker, more informed decisions, but have a distinct lack of access to accurate data. The answer? Plan strategies that put the right data in the right hands at the right time.

NICHE | 17

Senior Lecturer in Enterprise Development, DMU

PERCY EMMETT FCMI

What have we learnt from Covid-19?

e are all aware that the past year hasn’t been the best for all of us and, unfortunately, more so for some than others. However, it has given us the chance to stop, breathe, and reflect on what needs changing in our business model to become more agile and how we can adapt our business model to become leaner and pivot our business for the future.

What we have all learnt is that being agile will help us keep up with ever-changing business/sector landscapes and demands from our customers. Thinking ahead of the game 18 | NICHE

HR Director, Affinity HRM

hat is the most important thing to you in your next role?” It’s a question our consultants frequently find themselves asking when discussing new opportunities with our candidates. Whilst it may be perceived that for each unique individual this answer differs, we are finding more and more that there are commonalities in their answers and that one significant theme which keeps arising is a company’s focus on CSR. This may come as a surprise to some, with previous attributes such as salary, benefits and career progression taking higher ranking in previous years. However, in a modern, fast-changing world, individuals are keen to take responsibility and action for causes they believe in, and over the years this attitude has been trickling progressively through to the corporate world.

With digital trends continuing to rise, consumers today only have to take a look on social media to be unmasked to movements aiming to make a positive impact. With 94% of Gen-Z possessing the belief that companies should address pressing social and environmental issues (Forbes, 2021), it is crucial that companies are working towards implementing CSR into their business model.

As we move forward through 2021, CSR can no longer remain simply a side project within businesses. The last year has seen us all as consumers selectively choose which brands to support. These decisions stem most commonly from our shared values with a company (Guardian, 2021), so it is vital businesses are showcasing their CSR activities to not only entice customers but also attract the next generation of emerging talent and retain their existing employees.

ALEENA AHMAD

Director at Eileen Richards Recruitment

EILEEN RICHARDS MBE

Does your company care? Your future employees do

Navigating vaccinations and workplace returns

ith the UK vaccination programme in full swing, the good news is that we are coming closer to managing Covid-19 and returning to some level of normality as lockdown hopefully eases further.

Nevertheless, the vaccination programme raises a number of challenges for businesses, in particular, whether they can insist that employees are vaccinated.

We’ve been asked a number of workplace vaccine-related questions. This article briefly touches upon whether or not employers should make the vaccine mandatory for employees.

The UK’s independent employment public body, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) has released some guidance on this and their view is that employers should educate and support staff in getting the vaccine, rather than making it mandatory. Requiring a workforce to be vaccinated will be difficult to justify from both an employment law and employee relations perspective. The government is not currently introducing legislation to make the vaccination mandatory and so it will be for individuals to decide whether or not they would like to be vaccinated.

To encourage staff to get the vaccine, employers may find it useful to discuss with staff the benefits of being vaccinated, such as: ◆ The government’s latest vaccine health information ◆ When staff might be offered the vaccine

is so important for small businesses, trying to identify and understand our customers’ future needs is one sure way for us to survive through situations such as Covid. This is where ongoing research into the competition, new customers and the sector you are working in is key to your business survival.

One clear thing that has come out of the pandemic is that flexible working is a must, it not only frees you and your staff to become more agile both in and on your business, it also cuts down valuable resources such as office overheads, which enables us to redirect valuable funds to other parts of the business, such as marketing and PR to help attract more customers and increase much-needed revenue.

Business pages and social media accounts are hugely beneficial; however, people like to hear from other real people. Using social media tools like Zoom, Skype, MS Teams for meeting and catchups, helps staff conduct business meetings in a new way. Cutting down on time and money spent going to meetings is important, as most small businesses right now are strapped and are trying to build back better and in a more sustainable way.

So, what can we take away from the Covid situation?

Rethink your business model, make changes that reduce your overheads to redirect funds in attracting new customers so you can increase revenue and build back stronger.

Partner at Nelsons Solicitors

GLYNIS WRIGHT MBE

I am going through a divorce – do I need financial advice as well as legal advice?

he answer to the above question is a resounding ‘Yes!’ Divorce lawyers will advise you as to what constitutes a fair financial split of your matrimonial assets on divorce, taking into account differences in earnings, pension provision, the needs of children, and many other factors that can significantly influence what a settlement may look like.

But that is not all that a client-facing divorce needs. They also need to know what to do with the assets they retain after the settlement, particularly with respect to capital and pensions.

At Nelsons we can offer the client both services at the same time, as our family law team at Leicester works closely

Chief Executive, VAL

KEVIN LILES

◆ If staff will need time off work to get vaccinated ◆ Pay for time off work related to the vaccine ◆ Whether the employer plans to collect data on staff vaccinations, and if so, how this will follow data protection law (UK GDPR) ◆ Whether anyone needs to be vaccinated to be able to do their job ◆ Consider paying staff their usual rate of pay if they’re off sick with vaccine side effects, instead of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), unless your contract only allows for SSP ◆ Not counting vaccine-related absences in absence records or towards sickness ‘trigger’ points Employers who are having open discussions with their staff about the vaccine can support them to protect their health, maintain good working relationships, and avoid disputes in the future.

Our advice is that it is best to support staff to get the vaccine without making it a requirement of the role wherever possible, as there is no law which says staff must have the vaccine. However, it may be justified to make vaccination mandatory in some job roles, for example where someone needs to travel overseas to do their job and the country requires proof of vaccination, or within the care home sector where employees are in direct contact with the vulnerable. Any employer considering making the vaccine mandatory should take legal advice and needs to be extremely cautious to avoid issues such as discrimination.

No doubt, the vaccination roll out and its impact will continue to develop over the coming months and employers will need to be prepared to adapt their plans and approach in line with new development and guidance.

If you require HR consultancy advice in relation to this or need support with making plans to return to the workplace as lockdown eases, please just ask.

Are you really ready to open your services?

he last 12 months have brought vast changes to regulations and guidance. So how do you know if you are as prepared as you can be to open your services to the public?

As the expert in voluntary and community organisation support locally, Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL) have developed a library of updates to ensure you have all the relevant information to hand. All you need to do is subscribe to our newsletter to stay on top of governance and legislative changes that could affect your not-for-profit organisation.

In addition to this, we are running a whole host of training sessions to ensure you are prepared for the next big change.

This includes strategic business planning. Whilst business planning should be a continuous improvement activity within any organisation, it often falls to the bottom of the list of priorities. But there has never been a better time to evaluate your business plans to align them with the upcoming changes. Ensuring your trustees and strategic leaders take an active role in this is vitally important.

With service delivery having been flipped on its head, now is a good time to look at what service delivery will look like in the ‘new norm’. At the same time, our recommendation would be to have a look at your charitable objectives – whether you are a social business or a charity. The Charity Commission has created a range of resources to ensure you are delivering to your social objectives, and if you have had to change your priorities due to the lockdown, then it also explains how you can amend your charitable purpose to ensure good governance of your organisation.

Another vital area to consider over the coming months is your existing resources – be it staff or volunteers, financial resources or in-kind support – now is a good time to make sure you have enough capacity to deliver services post lockdown. with Nelsons’ independent financial advisers to really support the client through one of the toughest times of their life.

As we work towards a settlement for our clients, our colleagues in our investment management team will be helping clients picture their financial futures using cashflow software. A share of a pension, some investments, or rental properties can all be great, but it is also so important to understand the level of income those assets can generate in order to determine whether the client will be able to enjoy their future lifestyle or not!

This can be very difficult for a client to assess by themselves, but our divorce and financial planning experts will be able to help with this. We can assess what people will actually need to support themselves and see how different settlement arrangements could affect the situation, empowering them to make better decisions from a position of knowledge and understanding of how the numbers will practically affect their lives.

Although our clients are often going through traumatic situations, we try to do more than just deal with the shortterm issues at hand. We also look to the future, enabling our clients to have total peace of mind by having plans in place post-divorce where they know they will be financially secure for years to come.

NICHE | 19

Director, Pattersons Commercial Law

RIK PANCHOLI

Now’s the time

Partner, Begbies Traynor

CAROLYNN BEST

ver the last year, we have seen unprecedented levels of support for businesses ranging from the job retention scheme to bounce back loans and the furlough scheme. Admittedly not all sectors have had the same level of support, but with restrictions on trade being relaxed and free movement of people becoming easier, businesses are going to be looking towards the next few years and analysing what they can do next.

I’ve spoken with many business owners and whilst some have concerns about the risks involved in starting a new business, some of those with existing operations are looking towards the future through a lens of optimism. There may well be many redundancies once the financial support is withdrawn, but for those employees who have just been made redundant, it may well be the push they need to start up their own business based on their own interests. This creates an environment for innovation and excitement which forms the foundation of entrepreneurship. For those employers who are looking at growth, the talent pool may just become much

A roadmap to recovery

oris Johnson’s eagerly anticipated cautious four-step ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown restrictions, which could see all legal limits on social contact lifted by June 21, is now underway.

While the staged dates for scheduled reopening provide a greater element of certainty for businesses, their owners and employees who have been dogged by ambiguity and uncertainty for the past year, this news may, unfortunately, come too late for a number of companies.

As restrictions on business activity and consumer behaviour are eased, so are the aid measures introduced by the government in an effort to help businesses survive the pandemic. While these will not be removed overnight, the signs are that the government is looking to wind down these financial support packages and requiring businesses once more to stand on their own two feet.

The reality, however, is that some will struggle to operate 20 | NICHE

more interesting, with access to prospective employees who would previously not been available.

There may also be great opportunities to negotiate on costs. An example is office space; many business owners have realised that office space may not be needed as much as they once thought. The opportunity to negotiate on office space costs may become more attractive, especially to new start-up companies. Driving down on costs such as rent can help to make your business leaner and more profitable in the long run.

It is worth noting that some companies may well have taken on large amounts of debt – and provided this can be serviced properly, it might not be an issue. It will pose a challenge where the debt cannot be managed properly.

This may well be enough to put businesses into an insolvent position. If this happens, this may present an opportunity for those looking to expand to pick up businesses through administration.

What opportunity are you looking for?

without this support, having been irreparably damaged from 12 months of heavily reduced trade and the acute cash flow problems this has inevitably caused. Although the roadmap is the light at the end of the tunnel for many, others will be facing a long, hard road to recovery.

What steps can be taken to prepare businesses for emergence from lockdown?

Directors should adopt a proactive approach and create their own ‘reopening roadmap’ to ensure their business is in the best possible position for the easing of restrictions.

The first thing directors should do is to conduct an honest overview of the current financial and operational position of the company, and what the future is likely to look like. Understanding whether gaps in finances need to be addressed if the supply chain is in order, or whether the business is even still viable in a post-Covid world is vital in preparing a plan for the future.

If you anticipate problems or are already experiencing signs of financial distress, taking professional advice in order to explore your options for either refinancing, restructuring, or an alternative turnaround strategy should be high on the agenda. Implementing a robust yet flexible plan at an early stage could make all the difference as you prepare for doing business in a post-Covid world.

NICHE FEATURE

Property finance…

sorted Finance company 2XL Commercial supports two businesses in Leicester to acquire commercial premises

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XL Commercial is delighted to confirm the support for two leading Leicestershire businesses in acquiring new premises for owneroccupation. Unity Media and Paradigm Wills and Legal Services were assisted

by MD Darren Willoughby of 2XL Commercial in assisting with finance for the purchase.

Being able to secure commercial finance for new premises in these times is undoubtedly a feat to be mentioned.

For Darren, a local Leicester man himself, supporting other Leicester business owners in their time of need with the acquisition of new commercial property and business finance is a pleasure and an honour.

Darren commented: “It’s fantastic to help two businesses expand into new premises at this time, particularly given the current pandemic and also the difficulties being faced by borrowers looking to acquire funding. We pride ourselves in exploring the market in all things business and property finance, so to secure this for companies that are local but also friends is a delight.”

The team at 2XL Commercial wish the two businesses all the best going forwards.

“We used Darren to purchase our new office and he was brilliant from start to finish. If it weren’t for him, it would have been very difficult as he took the pressure off us to speed the lender up and chase them when they started slowing the process down. Darren also broke down the deals we were accepted for and explained the advantages and disadvantages of each one, while staying on track with everything right through to completion.”

Bhavin Gandhi, Co-Director at Paradigm Wills and Legal Services

“A huge thank you to Darren and the team at 2XL Commercial! As my first commercial property investment, I was so grateful to have such a knowledgeable team behind me to get me a great deal and guide me through the variety of lenders. Darren is great guy and I wish him all the best. I’ll certainly be using him again.”

Pete Frost, Managing Director at Unity

Established

15 years

07736 359 413 |

“Lenders had stopped lending however, Darren somehow managed to secure us an unbelievable rate and showed how much trust he has from lenders. He has not only secured us lending to enable us to purchase our office, but also saw the transaction through right to the end.”

Satwinder Sidhu, Co-Director at Paradigm Wills and Legal Services

info@2xlcommercial.com

National Presence

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Directly Authorised by the FCA

2xlcommercial.com

Commercial Mortgages | Development Funding | Finance for Pension Funds Asset Finance | Commercial, Business, Personal Insurance | Bridging Loans | CBILS Loans

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Partner of The Miller Partnership

Tax advice in a post-Covid world Time to conduct your business health check – taxation specialist Pete Miller explains

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s we take the first tentative steps out of lockdown, those businesses that have survived the pandemic will be thinking ahead to a life beyond the coronavirus crisis.

Indeed, those companies in sectors such as video conferencing, IT support and online retail have fared well, with coronavirus restrictions leading to the opening up of new markets, leading to a surge in demand for products and services.

To ensure that such opportunities aren’t lost, and that your business is as prepared as it possibly can be for a brave new post-Covid world, now is a good time to conduct a business health check – including a review of your tax position.

Take Capital Gains Tax. Although it was barely mentioned in the Budget, we can’t rule out future rate increases, or indeed changes that could see this major relief reduced in scope or repealed altogether. The

Chancellor may well be waiting for the second report from the Office of Tax Simplification before considering reform of the Capital Gains Tax code, but whatever his plan, you could start thinking about lessening your CGT liability.

You might also want to consider the tax implications of your exit strategy if selling your business – whether to family members, a third party or your employees – is in your sights. Alternatively, you may be contemplating a demerger, in which case you need to know how breaking up your business might play out with regards to tax.

Whatever your plans, it goes without saying you’ll need sound professional tax advice, so talk to us today.

For more ideas and advice on business beyond Covid-19, The Miller Partnership, which has experience and expertise in corporate tax and can guide you through the complexities. Contact The Miller Partnership on 0116 208 1020 or email pete.miller@themillerpartnership.com.

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NICHE FEATURE

Money Talks Rajesh Modha of Tilton Conway, a leading female-focused financial planning firm, interviews Mital Thanki, the founder of Spark Academy, an award-winning tuition provider here in Leicester, about her relationship with money and what success looks like.

In conversation with: MITAL THANKI

M

ital is the passionate founder of Spark Academy – a school of tuition for students. Having taught in schools as a qualified science teacher and most recently awarded with a global MBA Student of the Year award, Mital is on a mission to share her wealth of knowledge and passion for learning to countless students.

What was the motivation behind starting Sparks?

Well, it certainly wasn’t about making money! It’s always been purpose driven for me, right from the start when I set out to tutor at age 24. Success for me has always been about making a mark on this world to help change as many young lives as possible for the better.

I ultimately want to touch the lives and hearts of one million children around the world.

Finding the funds wasn’t about aiming to make profit; it was about finding enough to do what I felt compelled to do.

In my final year at uni I saw a competition for some funds to start a business, I put down my dissertation pen for a short while and applied and got £2k!

I couldn’t believe it. I then started my first group tuition model and taught it on the Oadby Parade – I was so nervous but looking back I am proud of having the guts to do that.

How do you view money from a personal perspective?

I see it as a type of energy, if it flows right it allows me to do what I want to do. I believe there’s so much to do with how we look at having it or our motivations on how to get it. For example, I never see savings as rainy day money – it’s a golden pot of opportunity for me, it’s all about what it can do to make things happen in my life. Having money doesn’t mean you have further complications in my view either, it just means you have the means to be able to do good with it and part of my mission is to do good with ours; to serve the local community in a positive way.

I have more responsibilities with money than I ever have done of course with the team of

I ULTIMATELY WANT TO TOUCH THE LIVES AND HEARTS OF ONE MILLION CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD

employees Spark has, but it only drives me more – to do good for them too.

What would you say to younger Mital?

I would say first of all to value my time and skills a little more – to not give so much away for free. Then, to have more financial planning in place, to have stronger financial modelling and forecasting.

To have more discipline over my personal finances. I didn’t give it a great deal of thought when my wage came through. Now I do though, I put away money into savings, or my opportunity pot as I prefer to call it. I keep saving to buy greater freedoms with my time, but I also believe in re-investing my money into myself, I believe learning is a continuous process in life. I’d also like to take the odd long weekend off, but that might still be a little way off yet and that’s OK! Speak to Rajesh if you wish to improve your relationship with money and create a financial plan to match your aspirations at tiltonconway.com or call 0116 262 1414.

NICHE | 23

Let’s take a walk, It’s a place where businesses can thrive. It’s the pedestrian’s escape from the noisiness of the city. And it’s the ideal place for the remembering and retelling of Leicester’s history WORDS BY GEMMA KNIGHT

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lthough the New Walk in Leicester is no blackand-white artefact, its origins do go deep into ancient history.

It actually dates back over a thousand years to the Roman-built trackway “Via Devana,” which ran from Colchester through cities like Cambridge and Leicester (or Ratae as the Romans called it) to finally reach the county of Cheshire.

In the Georgian era – 1785, to be exact – the Corporation of Leicester laid out “Queen’s Walk” over a section of this trackway: a wide and sprawling promenade just under a mile’s length that took pedestrians from Belvoir Street to a racecourse. Now it arrives at the site we know well as Victoria Park.

Eventually the name “Queen’s Walk” fell out of use and “New Walk” took its place. Even Leicester has had its share of different names. Ratae, Ligeraceaster, Ledecestre by the 24 | NICHE

Anglo-Saxons, and finally, Leicester.

Given time, things always change. People, places, names; but what about function?

The Romans valued the Via Devana for its use in transporting goods and travelling between cities. Even now, though the Walk is restricted to Leicester, it remains a vital artery to the growth of the city and its businesses.

These businesses offer services that range from law enforcement, digital design and printing, to entertainment, education, and even gardening! There are hotels like the Belmont, along with job centres and charities such as Friends of New Walk and Soft Touch Arts.

The Friends of New Walk organisation was formed in 1994. It consists of business people, professionals, academics and citizens who are dedicated to maintaining and enhancing New Walk for visitors and locals.

“New Walk has been at the heart of the city for 235

RECORD OFFICE FOR LEICESTERSHIRE, LEICESTER AND RUTLAND NEW WALK 1940S

NICHE FEATURE

shall we?

RECORD OFFICE FOR LEICESTERSHIRE, LEICESTER AND RUTLAND NEW WALK 1900

The trees planted along New Walk are one of its intrinsic features years,” says Peter Wilkinson, Chairman of the Friends. “It’s been a fundamental part of the historic development of Leicester southwards.

“Lined by a wide variety of businesses, churches, the museum and residential properties, New Walk is a community in its own right.”

What makes it such a unique space is that as well as serving businesses, it serves casual strollers and the environment too. While businesses expand and flourish at the fringes, pedestrians are given the space to take a long-desired walk beneath the trees, free from the hassles of traffic.

New Walk has been a traffic-free area for over two hundred years; even cycling is no longer allowed in the main section of the Walk. All of this makes it a peaceful channel for students, children, families, and citizens to cut safely through the city and reach their destinations.

NICHE | 25

1. Concerto sculpture 2. Benjamin Burrows plaque 3. Ernest William Gimson plaque 4. Robert Hall Statue 5. The Clothier sculpture 6. New Walk Museum and Art Gallery 7. Jospeh Aloysius Hansom plaque 8. The Clicker sculpture 9. The Writers’ Pavement 10. John Biggs statue

But it’s not just an eye of calm in the storm; it’s a place where visitors and locals can experience Leicester’s fascinating history in a single stroll. One journey down the Walk provides a striking yet homely montage of the many architectural styles Leicester has embraced through the decades (and centuries).

You have the French-inspired iron railings, the Gothic stained-glass windows of the Holy Cross, the ivory pillars of the museum, then the more modest and cosy walk-in shops formed in the last century. Some hang back behind elaborate fenced-off gardens, while others press up close, sporting shop signs that draw and invite pedestrians in.

The Walk is certainly no one thing.

At its lower end, you can see the recent redevelopments of New Walk Centre (now New Walk Place). The modern redesign incorporates buildings like The Circle, an accommodation site, and the financial service business Mattioli Woods PLC. There are also retail, food and drink outlets at the ground level, so ravenous walkers can stop to replenish themselves or take a look at fashion’s latest cuts.

Then there are areas like the Oval and De Montfort Square: wide and open, offering pedestrians the chance to veer off the Walk, and perhaps rest on a bench beneath some branches...

The trees planted along New Walk are one of its intrinsic features. They supply the path with gorgeous bursts of colour. During summertime, the leafed canopy overhead creates cool patches of shade. In the fall, leaves swirl down in shades of gold, orange and red, forming a lovely carpet.

Even from a bird’s eye view with a satellite image you can see how these trees have transformed the Walk into a luscious vein of green that breaks up the monotonous greys of the surrounding areas.

Perhaps this brings us back to where we started: the Walk is no black-and-white artefact.

26 | NICHE

Instead of fading from disuse or stifling attempts at preservation, it’s still buzzing with activity, business, and potential. Even today it continues to undergo development, growth and remains relevant.

It’s not just a popular route for visitors to stroll down and learn about Leicester, telling them with each step tales of trends and fashions that are past. It’s not simply a space where businesses can thrive and develop their character, and it’s not just a place where citizens and the land can find some reprieve from the noise and fumes of traffic on the roads.

It is all these things, at once, together. And this is exactly what makes it so special to Leicester and its people.

Feel like visiting? The Friends of New Walk website is a perfect place to get more information about this beautiful part of Leicester. Find out more at friendsofnewwalk.com.

In this New Walk special feature, we ask businesses that reside there what it means to them to be part of this unique community.

Starting up a business?

Seasoned in assisting start-up businesses, Greg Hollingsworth of Hollingsworths Solicitors has put together this list to help anyone thinking of setting up a company

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any people set up businesses during the pandemic, but there are matters to consider as you go forward. These are some areas you need to pay attention to, in order to avoid legal mishaps: 1. From sole traders and partnerships through to limited companies and social enterprises, your business can be structured in many different ways. Take advice on the best structure for you.

2. When you provide goods and services to a customer, you invoice them for your work and usually will give them credit. This is like loaning them money. Make sure you know who your customer is.

3. Whilst many verbal contracts are just as binding as written ones, it is a lot easier to prove and demonstrate what was agreed if your contract is in writing.

4. Review your customer’s and supplier’s paperwork. You need the terms that you buy and sell upon. If reference is made to terms and conditions, find out what they say and what they mean.

5. Get professional help when you need it. Prevention is often easier than cure.

6. Limited companies must keep records about the company and its financial accounting activities. These must be kept for at least six years from the end of the last financial year they relate to.

7. If you employ people, you must provide them with a document known as a statement of terms within eight weeks of them joining you.

8. Your business may do something in a unique or special way that sets it apart from the competition. Protect it.

9. Many businesses fail because they overstretch themselves and cannot meet the demands of the work as well as fund it. Think carefully about the payment terms you offer and have a plan if you are not paid on time.

10. Things can go wrong for many reasons, and disputes can and do arise. Address any problem. Get advice and help with resolving the problem.

For more advice, call Greg on 0116 204 2500.

Expansion and investment: Nelsons reinforces commitment to Leicester From a small office above a shop in Nottingham to a UK top 200 law firm, Nelsons has grown significantly since it opened under four decades ago – and now, it continues to cement its position in the city 28 | NICHE

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t was at the turn of the millennium when Nelsons, which already had offices in Nottingham and Derby, set its sights on Leicester, merging with three local firms – Ironsides, Tollers, and Greene Deavin – to set up its premises in the city.

Fast forward to 2021, amid a pandemic, and Nelsons, based in New Walk, has acquired Glynis Wright & Co, a boutique family law practice in Leicester and continues to recruit several key positions in the city.

Chief executive Stewart Vandermark said: “Despite the pandemic, it has been an exciting few months for us and these investments have further enhanced our position.

“Our concentration has always been – and will continue to be – in the East Midlands and we’re delighted to be sinking our roots deeper into Leicester and making our full

NICHE COVER STORY

NELSONS: YOUR LEICESTER TEAM Across the East Midlands, Nelsons employs over 150 legal and financial experts spanning a vast variety of specialisms, more than 30 of which are in Leicester, including the following eleven partners.

Stewart Vandermark Qualified in 1994, joined Nelsons in 2001.

Previously a partner in Nelsons’ dispute resolution team with a specialism in resolving intellectual property disputes. Became chief executive in 2017.

James Coningsby Has been with Nelsons since the law firm opened in Leicester, having joined from Ironsides. Specialises in all types of commercial property law, including development projects and acquisitions and disposals. Member of Nelsons’ board.

Glynis Wright MBE Family law specialist and heads up the family team in Leicester, advising on divorce and financial settlements that involve complex issues and substantial assets.

Andy Rudkin Qualified as a solicitor in 2009 and joined Nelsons in 2020.

Specialises in all areas of commercial litigation and regularly advises on corporate and personal insolvency and property litigation matters.

Lewis Addison Qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and joined Nelsons in 2008. Specialises in inheritance disputes and disputes over property.

Laura Kearsley Qualified as a solicitor in 2005 and joined Nelsons in 2012. Strong reputation in all aspects of employment law and has particular experience of developing HR support services for businesses.

Harpreet Sandhu Qualified as a solicitor in 2004 and joined Nelsons in 2016. Specialises in commercial agreements, IT, GDPR, and intellectual property law.

service offering stronger, providing support and advice to businesses, individuals and families in the city and wider county.”

Creating a modern space

Just weeks before the pandemic gripped the nation, Nelsons completed a major refurbishment of its Leicester office. The new space was designed for modern, agile working and to reflect the law firm’s vision, values and identity as a vibrant, dynamic and innovative company.

“The refurbishment was part of our ongoing growth strategy in Leicester,” Stewart said. “It demonstrates our commitment to and investment in the city and local community. We strive to provide a workplace culture that attracts top lawyers in the region to work for us so we can deliver the best client experience.”

Building expertise

Towards the end of 2020, expert dispute resolution partner and solicitor Andy Rudkin joined Nelsons’ expanding Leicester office, bringing with him more than 13 years of commercial and property litigation experience.

He commented: “Starting a new job in the midst of a pandemic could have been a challenge, especially while working from home, but Nelsons has ensured its employees have all the necessary technology to enable agile and secure working – allowing us to quickly and easily engage with and service clients remotely.”

Matthew Olner Joined Nelsons in 2000 after years of experience as a registered general nurse and qualified as a solicitor in 2007. Specialises in medical negligence cases and inquests.

Chris Rees Qualified in 2000 and joined Nelsons in 2018.

Specialises in corporate finance, banking, other funding/investment work, reorganisations, demergers, joint ventures, and corporate governance.

Jane Sutherland Joined Nelsons in 1989 and qualified as a solicitor in 1991.

Specialises in all areas of wills and probate, including inheritance tax planning and powers of attorney.

Simon Thatcher Joined in 2013 as an independent financial adviser. Areas of expertise include charity investments, investments, life assurance, and pensions.

Being stronger together

Just before Christmas, Nelsons acquired respected Leicester practice Glynis Wright & Co – with former Leicestershire Law Society president Glynis Wright MBE becoming part of Nelsons’ vision to establish the region’s strongest and biggest family law department.

Glynis, who now heads up the family law team in Leicester, said: “I’ve always wanted to build on what my phenomenal team has achieved alongside me regionally and beyond.

“After discussions with Nelsons and realising our ambitions and cultures perfectly aligned, we knew that together, we could create the most sought-after family law provision in the East Midlands.”

Stewart added: “Since we expanded into Leicester in 2000, our purpose has always been to serve clients, stand alongside them and help them take control of their lives and businesses.

“I’m immensely proud of how far Nelsons has come and our commitment to empowering our clients – giving them a voice, fighting for them, helping them seek justice and steering them through the complex legal issues they face.”

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Remy Hair then and now The history of this New Walk salon and how it looks today

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here are very few cities that can offer this kind of beauty within its city centre boundary,” says Marc Fuccio, who runs Remy Hair in leafy New Walk.

The brand began its journey in New Walk when Marc’s father Remy founded the salon. The building, which now sits opposite Esquires Coffee, dates back to 1879 when it was an old farmhouse. In 1991, Remy added balconies and a conservatory to reflect the charm of the tree-lined Victorian promenade that still remains today.

The Remy Hair brand was formed after Remy chose to take a different path to his prior business partners the Mascolo brothers who continued as TONI&GUY, formerly known as REMY, TONI&GUY with their first salon in Belvoir Street.

Upon Remy’s passing in 2016, Marc gave up DJing and managing club brands around the world to continue his father’s name. Under the management of Marc and business partner Sho, Remy Hair became fully vegan-friendly and

organic. Marc said: “The business was originally situated here due to my father’s love of nature. The environment here complements what we hold close to our heart: tranquillity, nature, and the environment.”

Marc has also supported New Walk-based charity Soft Touch Arts, as well as local care homes and air ambulance services. “The beauty of New Walk is that there is a real sense of community between all the business situated here.”

Love and respect of nature is not all that remains part of the Remy Hair brand; it’s Remy’s ‘intense training regime’ that ensures all clients receive the best standard of hair care to achieve an image that expresses the client’s personality and that flatters their appearance. The two-storey salon also includes a private area for the ‘ladies of faith’ service.

While Marc adds modern elements to the salon, he continues to uphold Remy’s vision.

Find out more at remyhairsalon.co.uk/history.

Where family begins With over 30 years of clinical excellence, X&Y Fertility are all about family WORDS BY ISATOU NDURE

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veryone needs family and in the modern world there are so many different types,” said scientific director at X&Y Fertility Dr Bryan Woodward. “We can help with problems getting pregnant, whether a client is a single woman or in a same-sex relationship.”

Their New Walk home is the perfect location for the clinic, and with good reason. Bryan told us: “Fertility treatment and sperm donation are personal and private matters. New Walk offers a discreet and peaceful location. Since we have a private road directly adjacent to the walkway, clients can park for free directly outside the clinic.”

Bryan is unsure of the X&Y Fertility building’s past, but he’s certain its first occupiers would be astounded by its use today. “Our clinic is a small, discreet building terraced between two larger premises. Was it a coach house, or servants’ quarters? Who knows! We are sure the original owners would never have envisaged that the building would

30 | NICHE

be used for such high-tech fertility treatments.”

Fertility clinics must provide a first-class service and X&Y Fertility provides nothing less. The clinic has been modernised inside to deliver comfort and present clinical treatment rooms with the purest, Grade A air. They also have a secure cryobank filled with liquid nitrogen for safe storage of biometrically screened sperm samples from donors and men wanting to preserve their fertility.

The business also caters to men with fertility problems.

“Men are 50% of the equation, and male fertility problems have dramatically risen over recent years,” says Bryan. The X&Y Fertility team are developing new dynamic business models to maximise the social impact of every sperm donation and the chance of success for every client.

From the quaint New Walk premises, X&Y Fertility continues to work with international clinics and looks forward to a “bright and fertile future”.

NICHE FEATURE

100 New Walk Through the keyhole A snapshot of the serene city centre street from the doors of 100 New Walk overlooking De Montfort Square WORDS BY KERRY SMITH

PHOTOGRAPHY: TEAM - BETH WALSH

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fantastic piece of Victoriana,” is how Nick Foreman of K4 Law describes New Walk. He is such a fan of the Grade II listed sweep of stillness that he has purchased a distinctive piece of headwear in homage to those times gone by.

“My favourite thing is New Walk under a layer of snow in the winter. It’s a brilliant view from our building over De Montfort Square when it’s snowy and foggy, reminiscent of Victorian times. I even bought a top hat – but I only wear it from time to time,” he told me over the phone with a smile in his voice.

“It’s a delightful part of Leicester to be based in and we consider ourselves fortunate that we occupy such a well-appointed area,” Nick commented. “The team’s favourite part of New Walk is Leicester Museum. We were very often in there having a wander around, getting lunch, and sitting outside. We’ve missed it during lockdowns.”

It was a happy accident that K4 Law ended up occupying a spot in New Walk. The building was owned by a solicitor who was retiring and knew Nick and his partner Kishani Navin from way back in the early ‘90s, the premises went up for rent and K4 Law moved to the quiet city centre retreat in 2008.

On the other side of the keyhole, inside the offices was a mural of white owls when K4 Law moved into the property. He said: “The building was quite clearly residential at one time. A little throwback to when we got here 13 years ago, the building was called White Owl Chambers.”

A representative from the Friends of New Walk Charitable Trust discovered that 100 New Walk was in fact the family home of renowned engineering manufacturer Josiah Gimson on the 1901 Census. Living there was Josiah, his wife, four children, and three servants.

Grade II listed in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Historic Interest in England, New Walk

IT’S A DELIGHTFUL PART OF LEICESTER TO BE BASED IN AND WE CONSIDER OURSELVES FORTUNATE THAT WE OCCUPY SUCH A WELLAPPOINTED AREA

is a thing of ancient history dating back to Roman times. It’s now been through one of the most significant recent world happenings – and so have the businesses that make up the Walk. On the pandemic, Nick said: “The past year has been challenging, but we have been agile, staff have worked from home and we have revisited our systems and processes.”

Since the first lockdown in March 2020, the boutique and bespoke service law firm has continued to support local charities such as Alex’s Wish and Charity Link.

As lockdown restrictions ease, and while New Walk blooms into a canopy of leafy greenness, Nick will be anticipating getting back out there to support more organisations – as well as looking forward to the next snowfall and a chance to wear his top hat around De Montfort Square. To find out more about Nick and the team go to k4law.com/about-us.

NICHE | 31

NICHE BUSINESS

BHUMIKA PARMAR Director of BP Legal Solicitors

FIRST TIME BUYERS IN 2021 Buying a home comes with many extra costs. But for first-time buyers, stamp duty isn’t one of them.

To be exempt from paying stamp duty, you must have never purchased any property before; you must never have bought an investment property; you must never have inherited a property, and; if you’re buying with another person, they must also qualify as a first time buyer. The property you’re buying must also be under £500,000. If it’s over this figure, you will pay a percentage of stamp duty.

You might think, as a first time buyer, that the stamp duty holiday doesn’t affect you. But, there are savings to be made if you can complete your house purchase before the end of June, which is the new extended deadline of the Government’s stamp duty holiday.

When the stamp duty holiday ends and things resume as normal on July 1, first time buyers will remain exempt from stamp duty taxes, but it will revert back to properties of up to £300,000 in price.

This means that, with the holiday, first time buyers will save £0 on a property that’s priced upto £300,000. They’ll save £2,500 on a purchase price of £350,000.

They’ll save £5,000 on a purchase price of £400,000. And they’ll save £10,000 on a purchase price of £500,000.

The holiday has seen house prices rise nationally by 7.3% (Nationwide), which is why we’re offering a 10% discount on conveyancing services for all first time buyers at BP Legal.

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Legal Forum

YOUR FIRST HOME IS AN ASSET The stamp duty holiday has been extended until the end of June. It means so many more people will have the chance to buy their first home this year. But while you’re wrapped up in the excitement of the biggest purchase you’ve made in your life so far, please don’t neglect the idea of making a will, or updating your existing one.

Like we said, it’s one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make. You’ve had everything covered from the conveyancing to the kinds of furniture you want to fit it with. You’ve sorted life and health insurance, and you’ve worked out the new journey to work.

But have you thought about what your new home really means?

Your first home increases your

BHAVIN GANDHI Co-Director at Paradigm Wills and Legal Services assets more than anything else will, most likely. It’s also a daunting concept as you now have responsibility of the most important financial asset in your life.

One of the most popular times to make a will is after buying your first home or moving house. It’s up to you to make sure your loved ones get the assets you want them to have, and that they rightfully deserve.

Without a will, your house could be left to someone undesirable to you as it will enter the rules of intestacy, which are set by the courts. We want you to be the decision maker when it comes to your estate.

NEW STARTER BOLSTERS NELSONS’ EMPLOYMENT LAW TEAM SONIA TUMBER Employment Law Solicitor at Nelsons East Midlands-based law firm Nelsons has welcomed a new associate to their employment law team in Leicester as part of its continued expansion to increase its presence in the city.

Sonia Tumber has more than eight years’ experience, having worked at national law firm Weightmans LLP as a paralegal and trainee solicitor.

She specialises in a number of areas such as settlement agreements and discrimination in the workplace but has been brought in to particularly focus on employment tribunal litigation as well as supporting with the increase in enquiries Nelsons has experienced this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said: “Despite starting a new role remotely as everyone is still working from home, I already feel part of the team. Nelsons has ensured all

its employees have the necessary technology to enable agile and secure working and provided an in-depth induction to ensure I felt at ease immediately.”

Sonia graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a BA in law before going on to achieve her Legal Practice Course (LPC) at BPP Law School in 2008. She has since gone on to work at law firms across the midlands, working her way up the ladder from legal assistant to associate solicitor.

She added: “I wanted to specialise in employment law because it’s a relatable area that affects almost everyone in some way. I enjoy the overwhelming variety and opportunities it offers to experience both contentious and non-contentious work, we can be dealing with very sensitive and important issues such as discrimination, equality, and diversity – no two days are ever the same.”

NICHE FEATURE

CIGA – the Covid help scheme for business debt – expires If you have business debts or unpaid invoices, Pattersons Commercial Law says seek advice before coronavirus help ends in June

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rovided a debt was £750 or more and was not disputed on genuine grounds, a debtor company may have found itself being served with a winding-up petition if it did not pay the debt within 21 days. This was prior to the pandemic.

Winding-up proceedings, which are a class remedy and not a debt recovery tool, can have a serious detrimental effect on a company and its ability to continue trading. If the debtor company has other, undisputed creditors, they may decide to support the petition which can significantly hinder the prospect of reaching an agreement with the petitioning creditor to withdraw the petition.

As the pandemic took effect, and the enormity of its financial impact on the economy and businesses became apparent, the Government brought in The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA). CIGA set out a range of temporary measures designed to help businesses survive during the pandemic.

One measure that came in on March 1, 2020 meant that creditors have been prevented from relying on an unpaid statutory demand as evidence

of insolvency for the purpose of presenting a winding-up petition against a debtor company.

Whilst an unpaid statutory demand is not the only basis upon which a winding-up petition can be presented against a company which is alleged to be insolvent and unable to pay its debts, it was routinely used by creditors.

CIGA further prevents a creditor from presenting a winding-up petition on any other basis of insolvency unless the ‘coronavirus test’ is satisfied.

The coronavirus test requires the creditor to persuade the court that there are reasonable grounds for believing that either: a) coronavirus has not had a financial impact on the debtor company; or b) the debtor company was insolvent notwithstanding any financial effect of coronavirus.

The temporary restrictions on presenting winding-up petitions brought in by CIGA have provided a welcome respite to companies that have suffered financially because of the pandemic and have struggled to pay their debts on time.

However, the restrictions are due to expire on June 30, 2021, having been extended once

CIGA SET OUT A RANGE OF TEMPORARY MEASURES DESIGNED TO HELP BUSINESSES SURVIVE DURING THE PANDEMIC

again by the government.

Any company with outstanding debts that it is having difficulty paying is advised to seek specialist advice on its financial position as soon as possible before the restrictions are lifted and creditors begin utilising statutory demands and winding-up proceedings once again. The earlier advice is sought, the greater the chance a debtor company has of reaching an agreement on payment with its creditors which will allow it to concentrate on building its business back up once the government’s roadmap for unlocking society begins in earnest.

If your company is experiencing difficulty paying its debts on time, or if you are a creditor owed money and wish to explore your options for recovering the same, Pattersons Commercial Law can provide expert assistance on the various options available to you and your business and guide you through the ever-changing landscape of this area of law.

For support during change for your business, call Pattersons Commercial Law on 0116 319 1110 or visit our website at pattersonscommerciallaw.com.

NICHE | 33

5 reasons to update your will You should consider making or updating a will if any of these five life events occur – here’s why, according to Paradigm Wills and Legal Services

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ife happens. Before you know it, the kids have flown the nest and you’re suddenly at retirement age. Or it could be that you’ve worked so hard to buy your first home and got married along the way, that now your life circumstances have changed so dramatically that you’re not the same person you once were.

Whatever your situation, there are five big reasons for you to make a will as soon as possible.

1. You experience the death of a loved one If a family member or someone very close to you has passed away, you might rethink who you want your assets to go to. You should make or update a will if this happens. You might have also just inherited something from them and now want to specify who you would like those assets to go to in the event of your own death.

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LIFE HAPPENS. BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THE KIDS HAVE FLOWN THE NEST AND YOU’RE SUDDENLY AT RETIREMENT AGE

2. You have children It goes without saying that you should make a will after having children, but you might not know that you need to update an existing will after the birth of a child to protect their future. They won’t automatically become a beneficiary.

3. You move house The address you provide on your will must be up to date and correct. You may have updated your life insurance with the move, in which case, it’s the perfect time to review your will simultaneously. What’s more, a new home is a whole new asset that might change the way you see your belongings being divided among your beneficiaries.

4. You get married There are many different relationship scenarios that affect your will. You may have been with your partner for decades

before being married, or this may be your second marriage.

Whatever the situation, as soon as you say “I do” your will should be updated. Unless your will was previously written in contemplation of a marriage specifically, then your will becomes invalid after marriage and you’ll need to make a new one.

5. You get divorced You may have written a will in which you’ve named your expartner and family members to benefit from your estate or to carry out key roles as Executors or Trustees as this would have been decided as a married couple. However, if these people are no longer in your life, you may want to review and change the will.

For more advice, talk to Paradigm Wills and Legal Services on 0116 464 7055 or visit paradigm-wills.com for more information.

NICHE FEATURE

The Expert Representation & Defence

‘How do you sleep at night doing your job?’

Niche speaks to criminal defence lawyers on why they do what they do

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his is a question that, as criminal defence lawyers, we get asked all the time,” says Yakesh Tanna. “There is a common misconception that our job is ‘getting people off’ or providing them with defences.

Nothing could be further from the truth.”

The 51-year-old ‘Coventry lad’, now living in and loving Leicester, is a criminal law lecturer and co-director at criminal defence specialists, ZMS Solicitors.

He said: “I was not the most academically gifted and had to work hard. Myself and fellow director Parmjit Singh are firstgeneration immigrants whose parents were born outside the UK. We had nothing and the UK opened its arms for people like us and gave us opportunities, which we could only dream of. We never have and never will forget our roots. We have worked extremely hard to achieve what we have, but are forever grateful of the opportunity that the UK gave to us.

“As a result of our background and experiences, we have created a firm where we treat everyone fairly and equally. We are in touch with what is going on and are able to relate to those problems faced by people who have unfortunately fallen into a life of

crime, as well as those people from a typical middle-class family who have found themselves in the nightmarish criminal justice system for the first time.

“Law might be perceived as an elitist career,” Yakesh continues, “but you don’t have to be elite to practice it. Parmjit and I prove that this is the case. Equally, there is a perception that you will never need assistance from a firm like ours. You are not a criminal – why would you!? Well, no matter what your background, job, lifestyle or upbringing, anyone can be arrested at any time. Trust me, we represent people from all walks of life who never thought they would find themselves in need of our services. Anyone can be in the wrong place at the wrong time and anyone can make a mistake. Breaking the law can have catastrophic consequences for anyone and it is important to get help as soon as you are under suspicion of committing an offence.”

It is clear from speaking to Yakesh that his and Parmjit’s background and journey into law has influenced the type of firm that they have created. “We have assembled a diverse team of wellrounded, approachable lawyers from various backgrounds. We excel in client care and can

ANYONE CAN BE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME AND ANYONE CAN MAKE A MISTAKE

relate to all types of people and personalities. We pride ourselves on our expertise and quality. We can talk to our clients about what we did at the weekend, not the stock market!”

Former partner Amar Mehta has now left the firm to become a Judge; another amazing achievement for someone from the same background as Yakesh and Parmjit.

ZMS Solicitors is ranked first locally and second nationally in the top criminal defence firms on reviewsolicitors.co.uk, and were awarded Criminal Law Firm of the Year, and Dedication Excellence Award in Criminal Law Education titles in the SME Legal Awards 2021.

Yakesh and his team are working alongside De Montfort University to provide internships, the Leicester Education Business Company creating short films that promote the career, and the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership as Enterprise Advisors. “This way, we are providing for future generations of lawyers too. This is partly why I also teach. It’s exciting seeing new people coming into the profession.”

For 24 hour emergency assistance call 07958 587 899 or visit zmslegal.co.uk.

NICHE | 35

Bhumika Parmar Director

Buying, Selling, or transferring property?

You will need a conveyancing solicitor.

Conveyancing is how a property is legally transferred from one owner to another A good conveyancing solicitor will conduct the complex transaction on your behalf and carry out checks and searches against the property with a fine-toothed comb, alerting you to any issues they may find.

If you don’t hire one, you run the risk of ending up out of pocket by thousands of pounds

Our principal objective is to provide specialist, honest and fair advice and representation to assist you with your legal issues. You’ll find our solicitors professional, understanding, open, direct and approachable.

Your local solicitors offering:

Immigration Family Law Wills and Probate Conveyancing Commercial Property Matters Litigation

Contact BP Legal for protection and advice when moving home

221 Belgrave Gate Leicester LE1 3HT

Tel: 0116 253 6856 Fax: 0116 253 9656

Personal Injury We speak Gujarati, Punjabi and Hindi

email: bhumika@bplegal.co.uk web: bplegal.co.uk

NICHE FEATURE

Learning to fly can you do it alone?

Are you pecking like a chicken or soaring like an eagle in the world of business? Kerry Smith speaks to coach Amanda Daly about the ‘who’ that can help you fly

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hile chickens are beautiful birds with many admirable qualities, the eagles soaring above them have been known across many cultures to symbolise pride, longevity, focus, and intelligence.

What Amanda Daly wants to know is: are you a chicken or an eagle? She loves a good metaphor, and while we have nothing against chickens, these feathered friends make the perfect comparison to the bird of prey in question.

“So many people unknowingly play the role of the chicken, pecking around on safety and the familiar environment of the coop floor, but if only they had the surroundings of other eagles to aspire, if only they would just stretch their wings, they would see that they’d be able to fly,” Amanda illustrated.

So often this is the case she says, that she offers her own business as an example of how a leader can stretch their wings.

She’s run her own coaching business herself for the past five years. When routine and levelling

took place, she began searching for the ‘who’ that will take her to fly at a higher level.

“If you bring in the right ‘who’, you can learn to fly,” she says.

Amanda, on several occasions, had to break out of her own comfort zone and explore what exists outside of the coop onto the scary side of the chicken wire – and there she’s found four new and exciting coaches to add to her inventory of experience, education, and expertise. She said: “If I’d just stuck to my usual way of business, I’d be limiting myself. I’ve grown to realise that if I maximise the strengths from everyone else and not be afraid of doing just that, then I’m making myself more powerful.

I’m bringing in the ‘who’ to help me reach new heights.

“You cannot be everything to everyone and it’s not a weakness. You just need to have the knowledge of who to bring in to make you better. Sometimes that might be a coach like myself and my team or it might be an outsourced accountant, a marketing specialist, or a

YOU CANNOT BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE AND IT’S NOT A WEAKNESS

partnership with someone in your industry. My new coaches specialise in knowledge that I don’t have, so by bringing them in, I’m making my business far more effective.”

The power of ‘who’ means her clients have access to four professional coaches for the price of one throughout a six month business transformation programme that covers growth, strategy, process, accountability, forward-thinking, sales, marketing, HR, and finance.

Confessing that it sometimes really is about who you know rather than what you know, Amanda asks every business leader to assess whether they’re a high-flying eagle or a coopedup chicken – and consider who you can bring in to help you fly if you feel you’re the latter.

For advice, call Amanda on 01509 274 119, or visit theturnaroundceo.co.uk.

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Reopen your pub or bar safely and make the most of your outside space As the world opens litte by little, Alexandra Carr of TheMusicLicence provider, PPL PRS, talks entertaining outdoors and creating a feel-good atmosphere

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s the Government plots out its roadmap to recovery, and pubs and bars can start to reopen, initially serving customers in an outside setting only, we are excited to see people making their way back to the hospitality sector, and have looked at some ways to help them feel safe, welcome and hopefully keep coming back

Swot up on the rules and guidelines

Make sure you know what you can and can’t do, in the case of Covid-19, ignorance is neither bliss nor an excuse. Make sure you check out gov.uk for all the recommendations for maximum capacity, spacing regulations, any curfews, and licence requirements and restrictions. Staying informed will keep you legally compliant and ensure you remain open during the journey through each step of the roadmap.

Use your space

During the times when you can’t serve customers indoors, it is a great time to look at new ways to safely increase your capacity by utilising space you would not normally think of. Perhaps there are areas of your car park that you could section off to safely increase the number of tables, sticking 38 | NICHE

to guidelines obviously.

Is your venue on a street where you could add some pavement seating areas? Brightly coloured tables and chairs, sparkling festoon lights, and some strategically placed plants could make even the most uninviting outside space look welcoming and encourage passers-by to pop in.

Just make sure you have checked with the necessary authorities that you can serve food and drink in these areas. Many councils are working with the hospitality industry to issue more pavement licences at this time, so contact your local authority to ensure you are covered.

Talking of being covered… the beautiful British weather does have a reputation for being changeable so you may want to consider adding a gazebo or marquee, or if your budget doesn’t stretch quite that far, simply adding some garden umbrellas to enable customers to shelter from the elements should they need to can, be an advantage.

Let me entertain you

It has been a very long year, with the absence of live music, entertainment and sport. You could create that feel-good atmosphere in your venue by adding some quality, much longed-for fun. You could create a mini festival with some

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live music, face painting, hay bales... bring Glastonbury to your pub garden this summer!

And, of course, it’s the return of the European Football Championships this June; having a big screen to show the home nation games could encourage fans to your garden area where they can watch the game safely with friends.

Perhaps a theme day is more up your street? Come rain or shine you could host a beach party to help those who are staycationing but who are missing their beach cocktails and Caribbean food and music.

Whatever entertainment you decide to put on, remember to ensure you are correctly licensed to play music or have the TV on in your venue. To play music you will need an entertainment licence, which is issued by your local authority. It gives you permission to provide entertainment on your premises. It may be subject to certain conditions such as time restrictions or number of people attending.

You will also need TheMusicLicence, issued by PPL PRS. TheMusicLicence gives you permission to play music which is subject to The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Consequently, this means that you don’t have to spend your time and energy contacting potentially

Whatever entertainment you decide to put on, remember to ensure you are correctly licensed to play music or have the TV on in your venue hundreds of thousands of rights-holders – those people who create music – to get permission to play or perform their music in your business.

We can’t wait to see pubs, bars and hospitality venues back open this summer; we can all work together to get business back to its best and #restoretherhythm to the country. Share your pictures with us using #restoretherhythm #saveoursummer #weareopen Visit pplprs.co.uk/restore-the-rhythm to learn more.

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Post-pandemic

positivity

By Cllr Paul Hartshorn, Managing Director at Mr H IT

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ver the past few weeks, I have seen businesses starting to plan for life after the pandemic.

It seems we are now moving in the right direction, and I certainly hope that we are. There is talk about people returning to the office, and in certain circumstances, this is inevitable.

However, I also think we should look back over the past 18 months and see what we have learnt.

It was early this week when I had a call from one of my customers in Gloucester. They wanted a meeting to go over a few points I had made to them by email. Two years ago, there would have been no questions asked from me, even though the technology was available to do this meeting virtually. I would have jumped in my

car and driven the 100 or so miles. But things have changed considerably. I replied to the email, suggesting we had a virtual meeting. The meeting was a success, and although not all will be via video call, some certainly can be, and it is now perfectly acceptable.

Throughout this pandemic, I have seen communities come together.

I have had the opportunity to meet people where I live because I have not been travelling so much for my job. I have also had the chance to use local shops that I never knew about, supporting the local economy. We have a walking market in my village this weekend where people put things on their drives for sale, and we produce a map. It is an excellent way of bringing the community together. Likewise, the

fact we came to our doorsteps to clap for the NHS allowed us to speak to our neighbours.

So, in the future, I will ask myself two things: if this meeting needs to happen in person, and how we can maintain this community spirit.

The taste for tech Has your food business cultivated technology yet?

This app entrepreneur says it should

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hen Sachin Vasani was doing humanitarian work abroad, never did he envisage a hunger for the business world.

Passionate about food, Sachin started out in corporate catering and food service retail. He then set up a successful Asian greetings card business and online store. It was running the online store that inspired his greatest idea yet.

With his experience in the food industry and newfound taste for tech, Vencha Apps was born in 2018, helping restaurants and takeaways increase their average order values, and grow their brand and loyal customer base.

“There was a growing opportunity for restaurants and takeaways to leverage technology and invest in their own branded online ordering and mobile marketing solution,” said Sachin “By implementing this, businesses provide the same level of convenience to their customers without going through third party portals that take high commission fees.”

Vencha Apps bridges the customer engagement gap, helping businesses to connect with their customers online under their own name, giving them more control. Last year, Vencha Apps saw a massive increase in demand for their solutions as the hospitality sector adapted to embrace digital technology.

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“With the industry back open for eating out, we’re now helping our clients to serve customers safely in a contactfree way. Our table ordering solution lets customers tap their phone to launch a digital menu and order online. It results in less contact and a streamlined process that saves on staff and printing costs.

“Our motto is explore, evolve, excel, so we encourage local food businesses to operate a hybrid business model, combining traditional bricks and mortar activities whilst developing a prominent online offering. That’s the future for food service retail and I very much look forward to eating out in these places soon.”

Support local eateries by checking if they have their own online ordering system before going through a third-party portal. Find more information at venchaapps.com.

Leicester’s No1

TOP 10 REASONS WHY COMPANIES LEASE

Photocopier Supplier

1 PURCHASING POWER The lessee can acquire more and/or higher-end equipment

P8 Systems is an independent supplier of photocopiers, printers, shredders and all-in-one multifunctional devices (MFDs) throughout the UK.

2 LEASE TO CONSERVE CAPITAL They can pay while they use it instead of before

With over 25 years of specialist experience in the industry, we help cut costs, improve efficiency, and increase productivity using a range of office printing systems.

Our machines ensure you get the best quality equipment to serve your needs well into the future.

These machines have won awards from independent print organisations.

We only use original manufacturer parts and toners for optimum quality and reliability.

Did you know?

Most companies overspend on printing without even knowing it?

Our cost-effective solutions can be perfectly adapted to your business. P8 Systems guarantees your systems are user-friendly and easy to manage – this is absolutely vital when it comes to buying essential office kit.

0800 197 8883 | p8systems.co.uk 15 High View Close, Hamilton Office Park, Leicester LE4 9LJ Supporting local

Partnering with Thaliwal and Veja Solicitors to support charities globally.

“The support that we have received from P8 Systems in the past few years has been absolutely fantastic as they stood alongside all of our charitable initiatives locally, nationally and our international causes. This included supporting the local food bank, MLSS, Healing Little Hearts, and Unique Girls, as well as a number of different mental health charities during our annual fundraising events. P8 Systems have been a fantastic affiliate and support to our efforts, and we thank them for all of their support.” – Mr Ranjit Thaliwal. Director at Thaliwal and Veja Solicitors

3 ASSET MANAGEMENT A lease provides the use of equipment for specific periods of time at fixed payments 4 SERVICE ADDITIONS Leases can include installation, maintenance and other services, if needed 5 UPGRADED TECHNOLOGY Leasing provides companies with the ability to keep pace with technology 6 100 PERCENT FINANCING The terms can be matched with the useful life of the equipment 7 TAX TREATMENT The option of deducting 100 percent of the lease payment as a business expense 8 SPECIALISED ASSISTANCE Lessors are specialists in equipment leasing and understand capital equipment markets 9 FLEXIBILITY The lessee can customise a programme to address their needs 10 PROVEN EQUIPMENT Every single FTSE 100 company and major accountancy firms lease

HR Round-up

with Aleena April 2021 was a busy time for employment law updates. With so many changes, you’d be forgiven for not keeping track of them all

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uckily, Affinity HRM’s Aleena has done her research and brings readers a digestible round-up. So, grab a cuppa, and let’s jump right in.

Increases to National Minimum and Living Wage – April 1, 2021 The National Living Wage (NLW) increased by 2.2%.

Historically, it has applied to workers over 25, but for the first time it is extended to those aged 23 and 24. This means that individuals in this age bracket will see their salaries increase by nearly 9%. (affinityhrm.co.uk/employment-law-update-april-2021/) Gender Pay Gap Reporting – April 4, 2021 Private and voluntary sector employers with at least 250 employees are required to publish information about the differences in pay and bonuses between men and women in their workforce.

However, due to the pandemic, the government announced a suspension of enforcement measures on gender pay gap reporting for 2019/20 and employers have until October 5, 2021 to report 2020/21 figures.

Increase in Rates – April 4, 2021 The rates of Statutory Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared Parental and Parental Bereavement Pay will increase from £151.20 to £151.97 (or 90% of an employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower). The standard rate of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) also increased to £96.35 per week.

Extension of IR35 to the private sector & engaging contractors – April 6, 2021 IR35 ensures that appropriate income tax and national insurance contributions (NICs) are paid by contractors who provide their services through an intermediary company. The changes require businesses to carry out assessments to check whether IR35 applies.

Where IR35 applies (ie that there is deemed employment), the IR35 reforms shift responsibility to the business for making tax and NICs deductions through PAYE. And that’s a wrap (for now). Contact me on 0116 478 0025 affinityhrm.co.uk for further information and support.

This update is a general summary of the current guidance in England and is up to date at the time of publishing. It should not replace advice tailored to your specific circumstances

Emerging

from Lockdown The pandemic affected most companies last year; some positively, others having to change. Action Coach Phil Nassau talks about self improvement for business success this year

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o doubt there should be some feeling of celebration if you made it through last year, but now’s the time to make all that tough survival work pay off.

It’s not a time to sit back and take a breath. The year ahead is about rebuilding and adapting to the new world that has come out of the pandemic. Many business owners have self-imposed limitations and we must overcome these to thrive.

Procrastination The first self-imposed limitation is procrastination; when we put off doing a minor task, it doesn’t seem to be all that important. If we let a few things

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slide during the day, it doesn’t seem like such a bad day. But let enough of those days pile up and you have the makings of a disastrous year.

Blame Why do we point the finger instead of looking within? Our ego strives to defend itself. Therefore, when we blame outside forces, we don’t have to face our own failings and weaknesses.

If 2020 has shown one thing, it’s that the news we digest as truth blames someone or something for most issues related to Covid-19. When you start thinking in terms of ‘me’ instead of ‘it’ or ‘them’, you will experience a surge of personal growth and income.

Excuses There are millions of them and we seem to be able to invent new ones for our difficulties. People go to tremendous lengths to avoid facing the truth: that you are responsible.

What are you going to do to improve yourself, starting today? If you don’t get rid of some of your selfimposed limitations, the next year will be no better than 2020, whatever the news is telling us.

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5 IT Tips

To Consider If You’re a Small Business Owner

Whether you’re just starting up or are thoroughly established in your business, we’re sure these simple IT tips will be of use to you WORDS BY GEMMA KNIGHT

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ebpages, contact details, storing your precious files and information in reliable places – these are all things that a small business owner will have to face down the line.

To give you the best advice in this area, we spoke to Adam Jeffryes from Dromaeus, a multifaceted IT company offering software and professional services to help other companies and organisations with cybersecurity, connectivity, and flexible resourcing.

Adam started up Dromaeus during the financial crash of 2008 as a contracting-based business. It offered consultancy services to the public sector including local councils, the NHS, and law enforcement agencies.

In 2015, they rebranded, entering the managed service market so they could deliver their vast range of IT services to a broader audience that included private companies.

Here, Adam offers the following five IT tips to small businesses.

1. Go for the Cloud “The single best advice we give businesses,” Adam says, “is to avoid locking yourself into technology. Wouldn’t it be nice if the technology you invested in today was still reaping benefits ten years in the future? But the reality is that technology lifecycles are becoming shorter and shorter.”

The Cloud is a much more functional and flexible way of storing your files and data, as opposed to a dusty hard drive or computer disk.

2. Ditch your database. It’s time for a CRM “Customer data is the lifeblood of your business. It needs to be in a living environment that responds automatically, at the right time, to ensure you never miss a lead and maximise your conversions.

Excel spreadsheets may have revolutionised the business world – they’re great for financing data and statistics – but customer data doesn’t belong here! It belongs in a CRM.” 3. Virtualise your phone numbers You only need to look at the profit and loss of businesses to know that telephone, internet and communications do cost, forming a significant chunk in monthly overheads.

“One way to reduce this,” Adam suggests, “is by virtualising your phone number. Virtual numbers aren’t linked to a physical address and are more like mobile numbers. They can be routed to

THE SINGLE BEST ADVICE WE GIVE BUSINESSES, IS TO AVOID LOCKING YOURSELF INTO TECHNOLOGY

almost any phone in the world.”

Virtual numbers provide all the benefits of having a landline with a virtual number – but free from long-term contracts or renting premises!

4. Risk management is not just a ‘good idea.’ It’s critical!

“Technology and risk are one of those complex areas that can seem all too difficult to tackle, so it often ends up on the backburner.”

Nevertheless, it’s critical to your business’s future that you prepare to the best of your ability for any technological risks.

Adam says every business should consider the following safety protocols: anti-virus/antimalware, backups, software updates, strong passwords, twofactor authentication, and email security.

5. What does your website say about you?

“Your website often represents who you are. When people look at your website they are judging your credibility and trustworthiness more than they are while using your products and services.”

Ensuring your website’s layout and content is balanced, consistent and fresh remains paramount while crafting your site, so it reflects you, the quality of your services, and your vision.

Ready to tackle these challenges? Visit dromaeus.com to check out their services, or give them a call on 0330 124 4340 if you’d like some advice.

NICHE | 43

Are your pain points

holding you back?

JSP Virtual’s Managing Director Jo Peters discusses pain points, finding their solutions and outsourcing to overcome and thrive WORDS BY EMILY MILLER

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or the owner-managed business, finding ways in which to prevent your pain points from holding you back is not only something to consider, but something vital to ensure that your business thrives despite them.

“Whether we are a business owner, CEO or director, we all have areas of our working life that if not managed efficiently can become stumbling blocks in creating an environment where our business can thrive,” Jo Peters of virtual assistant service JSP Virtual begins.

“Firstly, a business owner or CEO needs to uncover

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their personal pain points. Then, they need to create solutions which lessen their potential impact on business,” she continues.

Jo and her growing and highly skilled team have a vast amount of experience working in high-level administrative roles and provide extensive services such as PA work, general administration, credit control, receptionist services – all supplied virtually.

Together, we look at the typical key pain points for an owner-managed business and discover ways in which Jo and her team can assist in tackling pain points head on.

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Firstly, a business owner or CEO needs to uncover their personal pain points. Then, they need to create solutions which lessen their potential impact on business

“However efficient your team are at getting the work done and getting the invoices out, until they are paid it means nothing. And in the worst cases it can actually have serious consequences for the business. By handling our clients’ invoicing, we take away that responsibility from a business owner,” Jo explains.

EMPLOYEES Obtaining and maintaining the very best team for your business isn’t only about allowing them to carry out work when you can’t, it’s also about having the right people to take care of the elements of your business for which you might not have the skills. With employment, though, comes a great deal more responsibility – with requirements to keep employees happy, paid, trained and incentivised it can get costly.

“By outsourcing areas of a business that would ordinarily require an employee, such as reception services or accounting and PA work, clients receive support from our highly skilled team without the responsibility and cost that typically would incur. We only charge for work undertaken.

No National Insurance, tax, holidays, or benefits,” Jo adds.

CASH FLOW Managing your cashflow can be hugely stressful for a business owner and more often than not this results from unpaid invoices and having the time and even confidence to chase them.

TIME Of course, all of the above take time – the most precious of commodities for the business owner. A pain point, which if unmanaged and without support to help with time efficiency, can be hugely detrimental to your business.

“The people that we assist are often time-poor, feeling like they are juggling everything without time to efficiently work on the business and its many aspects. Whether they are owner-managed businesses or MDs and CEOs; time efficiency is everything for the smooth running of any organisation.

“We give you your time back by taking care of elements of your business which are potential pain points.

Many of our clients are really juggling it all; having us helping them as an extension of their team to organise and priorotise their time taking away the stress of doing that can be hugely beneficial.”

Having the right people to support business owners to help conquer these challenges allows them to continue with the day-to-day tasks of carrying out work or actually focusing on running their business.

“Outsourcing to respond to the pain points of your business allows the focus to be placed on the processes that require their skills and attention, rather than on the administrative tasks which can cause a great deal of stress, costs and time to the business owner of company director.”

Tackle pain points with the support of an extended team provided by JSP Virtual. For an extensive look at their services, visit jspvirtual.co.uk.

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CSR post-Covid Why it’s crucial CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) remains part of your strategy – Brand and Marketing Executive Scarlett Tinsley from Leicester’s ER Recruitment explains

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he last year has brought about a multitude of changes within the attitudes of individuals, both as consumers and as professionals.

As discussed in our Driving Economic Recovery column written by our CEO Eileen Richards, a company’s CSR has been a commonly increasing theme over current years, with top talent choosing one company over another due to their corporate and social activity.

But why do it and what value can it add to your organisation?

It is undeniable that societal attitudes are being influenced and modernised by emerging talent entering the corporate world. Until around a decade ago, a significant number of individuals kept their personal life and work-life separate, with the ideology that sharing personal views in the workplace may hinder career prospects or

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be frowned upon.

Today, it could not be so contrasting, with prospective employees keen to share their passions, placing them in the driving seat selecting the organisations they wish to work for as opposed to the contrary.

As recruitment experts, we have discussions with our partners and inform them of the latest recruitment trends within the industry – one of the biggest for 2021 being the gradual shift back to the market becoming increasingly candidate-driven again postCovid.

For employers, this means the interview process is twoway; not only are you trying to assess the individual’s skill set, but they are also evaluating whether your business is the right fit for them, one of their points of interest being the purpose of the company

CSR IS A CUTBACK THAT MANY BUSINESSES CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE

beyond the core role it serves.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) is now also increasing in importance within businesses. ESG criteria is a set of standards for a company’s operations that socially-conscious investors use to screen potential investments. With millennial investors coming through the ranks thick and fast-looking to invest in organisations, the term ‘putting their money where their values are’ is the latest buzz term featuring in business discussions.

As a local SME operating across the East Midlands region, we pride ourselves heavily on our CSR activity and passion to make a positive difference and, like many of our local business connections, we are an advocate for many causes.

With businesses likely to make cost reductions in the coming months, CSR is a cutback that many businesses cannot afford to make if they want to gain a competitive advantage and attract and retain the best talent to strive the business forward in a post-pandemic world.

Post-lockdown Restart

Is business survival really possible in life after lockdown?

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uccessive lockdowns during the pandemic have hit businesses hard. Government support through the Job Retention Scheme, cheap and easily accessed loans via CBILS, or the so-called Bounce Back Loans, coupled with leniency from creditors have served to enable businesses to survive. But is this survival sustainable once the lockdown is eased and businesses attempt to restart?

“The fact is that this support may have done little more than enable business owners to sit on their hands and await the time when they can once more commence their activities,” John Harlow of Harlow Insolvency tells us.

Whilst under lockdown, debts will have been pushed down the road

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and be steadily accumulating. The Government-backed loans will soon become repayable and although the terms appear lenient, there will be an immediate detrimental effect on cashflow.

“As an insolvency practitioner of some thirty-plenty years, I remember well the challenges facing businesses in the ‘boom/bust’ days of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Coming up out of a recession often led to businesses overtrading through shortage of cash, which could lead to failure as quickly as lack of demand had crippled businesses on the way down,” John highlights.

Back then, the 1986 Insolvency Act had created some new rescue procedures, which practitioners were able to put into force to assist businesses that had encountered just

the sort of problems which many will face over the next few months. The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act (2020), enacted last year has provided further measures which can be used to buy time for businesses in difficulty and to afford protection from creditors.

It is important therefore, that owners take proper professional advice and prepare adequately in advance of restart over the coming weeks. The Harlow Insolvency team are equipped with a strong tool chest from which to assist businesses in difficulty. For anyone with concerns about these matters, the team is always available for a free and confidential chat, by email, phone or, of course, the now ubiquitous Zoom call. john.harlow@harlowinsolvency.co.uk.

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The entrepreneurs of the

DMU Crucible Project Meet the entrepreneurs and their companies that have come off the back of their involvement with De Montfort University’s entrepreneurship programme WORDS BY KERRY SMITH

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e Montfort University has produced entrepreneurs aplenty. It’s in part thanks to DMU’s flagship incubator programme Crucible Project that some of them have flourished in the business world.

The Crucible Project is an entrepreneurship programme for DMU graduates and alumni who have an idea, product or service and require support to turn it into a business.

Through training, support and mentors, individuals turn an idea or product concept into a business reality, ready to launch in less than ten months.

Crucible helps DMU entrepreneurs explore and start their own business by providing potential access to funding, free shared office space in DMU’s Innovation Centre, personalised mentoring, training workshops and intellectual property advice, opportunities to pitch for additional investment based on a royalty agreement, access to university expertise and facilities, and group social sessions and peer guidance.

Learn more about the people and businesses that have emerged from the Crucible Project at dmu.ac.uk/crucible and find some of their bios on the right.

If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, email crucible@dmu.ac.uk for more information.

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HEAL.med

HEAL.med CIC is a diabetes education company created to empower newly diagnosed children with Type-1 Diabetes. The founders include Dr James Greening and Sarah Lockwood-Lee from the NHS Leicester Royal Infirmary and Lee Paxman-Clarke from De Montfort University. The spin-out from the organisations, enhanced by the medical and diabetes expertise of James and Sarah, and the design and research background of Lee, creates a strong driving force for the not-for-profit company to deliver The Diabetes Education App (Deapp).

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Mansoor Mohammed

A DMU graduate with a masters in Marketing Management, Mansoor had worked in the retail energy market for over a decade as a market and competitor intelligence specialist for one of the big energy suppliers.

Covid-19 allowed Mansoor to evaluate his future plans which resulted in the decision to leave the corporate environment and set up his own business, Virtual Indoor Golf. Goin’ Golf will be the biggest virtual indoor golf centre in the UK and will provide seven state of the art golf simulators and the region’s largest indoor putting area, encouraging people of all ages and ability to perfect, practice and enjoy the sport at any time of day.

Liga Orlovska

Liga Orlovska is a DMU Arts and Festivals Management graduate and is currently forming her own business.

Liga is a new beekeeper herself and Honey Craft is her new adventure. Her company will be collaborating with an exciting artist when they design products and services for children that will create memories and connect its users with nature so they can have endless fun.

Look out for Honey Craft’s ‘Bug Books’ coming out at the end of this summer.

Roshni Desai Lis Naylor

A professional artist and qualified life coach, Lis appreciates the dilemma that artists and makers have in bridging the gap between making art your passion and making art make money. Her early career was spent working alongside fellow entrepreneurs in the new media industry to grow and develop their businesses such as Sega Europe and SCEE, supporting them to reach their most ambitious career goals, creating tailormade solutions to drive success.

Lorna Grey

Lorna is a fashion designer specialising in integrating technology within the lifecycle of garments, creating a closed-loop sustainable business model to reduce waste. Her background in architecture at De Montfort University inspires her creations, which integrate 3D digital designs and traditional garment methods, with a placebased approach. Lorna was recently awarded third place in the prestigious Future Fashion Now Global Design competition launched by WeDesign, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the United Nations.

Currently, she continues to develop innovative aesthetics and sustainable designs.

UK-based designer Roshni is inspired by bold and vibrant colours. Her collection offers adjustable lingerie especially tailored to create the perfect fit, each piece completed with its signature strap design that ensures bras can be changed through four cup sizes. Each garment is finished with a bespoke gold clasp, offering exciting designs at affordable prices. Roshni Desai Designs is passionate about reducing waste in the fashion industry and their designs are the perfect statement piece to the environmentally conscious.

Sarah Langdon

Sarah Langdon is the Creative Director of Too Tall Theatre, an alternative education provision based in Kettering, offering creative solutions to accessing core curriculum for students branded with behavioural issues or youth offenders.

Launching in July, It is Sarah’s hope that Too Tall will become the pop-up school of choice for young people who feel restricted by the current academic boundaries.

Offering work experience in media and IT or horticulture and husbandry, as well as access to recognised English and Maths qualification, this is where you could really learn to walk tall.

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Pinning Down

Skyrocketing Energy Costs Covid-19 and Brexit were the main culprits impacting energy prices last year – and they’ll continue to do so, according to this commercial utility specialist

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ith many businesses closing due to Covid-19, energy suppliers increased prices for low energy users to try to make up lost costs,” Azar Khan, owner of Axiom Energy, told us. “In addition, credit requirements for small businesses – especially within the hotel and food industry – have become stringent.

“On top, Brexit has and will continue to increase prices throughout the UK. As a nation, we have been heavily reliant on our European neighbours for energy, and this hasn’t changed.”

The commercial utility consultant set up Axiom Energy this year providing transparent energy procurement for electricity, gas, and water after a successful career in the industry. Here he shares his tips to reduce business energy costs.

Turn it off!

It may not always be apparent, but plug sockets that are switched on – even without appliances plugged in – are using energy. Turning off appliances that you aren’t using will reduce your costs. It also helps shrink carbon emissions and protects the environment overall.

Understand the market

The energy market is unregulated, promoting a moneyorientated culture. Every business must make money to succeed, but we don’t believe that should be done without our clients’ understanding or approval. Energy suppliers are the biggest offenders of this. The constant change in market prices doesn’t help, as the market can change up to five times a day. If you’re serious about reducing energy costs, do your research and understand that managing these changes and understanding agreements is difficult and time-consuming.

Find yourself an energy partner

Engage with a trusted energy partner to look after this side of your business. It can save thousands of pounds a year.

Some of our customers used to go directly to suppliers, but when we ran the figures and compared the pricing to the market, we managed to reduce costs by 40%.

To learn more, email Azar at azar@axiom-energy.co.uk.

The family

Redefining HR In 2009 Jay and her son joined forces to solve a problem every company must face

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o company wants to breach General Data Protection Regulations. It has the potential to seriously harm relationships with clients. Plus, any breach leaves companies with a potentially huge fine from the ICO. “The fee can be as much as £17.5 million,” says leading HR specialist Jay Webb from her office in Loughborough.

“Or four percent of global turnover,” adds Mike, her son and IT Director. “Whichever is higher.”

He continues: “Anyone handling the data of a living person falls under GDPR. So, something as simple as customer email addresses are defined as sensitive information. If a company misuses them, it’s a definite breach.”

Jay adds: “Often, it’s an honest mistake. But some staff members have emailed customer information to themselves for criminal purposes!”

One of the popular and unique services they offer is with data protection breaches. Once they inspect the breach,

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they install measures to prevent it from ever happening again.

“The ICO prefers to work with companies rather than enforce if the correct procedures are in place and followed,” Jay explains. “It also helps to have clear breakdowns of what happens if procedures aren’t followed. Of course, every circumstance is different. There are even cases where a rogue employee has tried to wipe a hard drive to cover their tracks.”

But that won’t stop Mike. “We can uncover data that’s been deliberately deleted. Even from five wipes ago,” he says.

Once Mike finds that, Jay supports the employer to handle the disciplinary issues.

With such large fines for a breach, all companies need this type of support should they have a breach. For more on GDPR or anything else HR, call Jay Webb Consultancy on 01509 216 393.

Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th July

Debbie Moore – Award-winning Transformational Coach, Author, Facilitator, Speaker and Leader. Specialising in coaching High Achievers – Leaders/ Executives/Entrepreneurs/Creatives – overcome the obstacles getting in the way and keeping you awake at night; through discovering ways you can transform those obstacles, and choose more fulfilling aligned success in your career, work, relationships, or life goals.

Contact me for information about The YOU MATTER Feminine Power Workshop To be held in person in Tur Langton, Leicestershire 07808 783 483 | www.debbiemoorecoaching.com debbie@debbiemoorecoaching.com

Ambassadors

Taking a look at the local organisations championing fellow businesses and individuals across the county WORDS BY ISATOU NDURE

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he Niche Business Awards is back and better than ever taking place on September 24 with a ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’ theme. You’d be mad, bonkers, completely out of your mind to miss it!

Being one of the most important dates on the Leicestershire business calendar, The Niche Business Awards has seen over 2000 nominations over the past seven years and has celebrated some of Leicestershire’s many honest, hard-working, and influential companies, people, and charities.

The 2020 ceremony took place virtually in January of this year and although it was an impressive celebration for all involved, you will be happy to hear that we will be back in a face-to-face environment at the stunning Athena venue. We are so excited to get back together with the Leicestershire business community after such a challenging yet rewarding year and honour those that truly deserve it.

The Niche Business Awards – which is headline sponsored by lettings, sales, and new build specialists Fraser Stretton – not only offer the opportunity to associate brands with an illustrious, glamorous, and enjoyable business setting, it also gives them the chance to network, take on new opportunities and gain exposure in print, online and in person in the lead up to the awards

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ceremony itself. That’s why more local businesses than ever before have signed up as ambassadors this year, making the most out of being back in action.

No one will forget the year that was 2020, especially businesses that have suffered after such a turbulent year. This year’s Niche Business Awards has an array of outstanding and familiar business ambassadors and event partners such as NICO, She Inspires, The Golden Media Group, Unity and St Martins House that are supporting the acclaimed event.

Mitesh Kotecha, the co-founder of The Golden Media Group says: “When coronavirus hit, the company was put in a really challenging position like I’m sure many other businesses in Leicester have gone through and it’s a fantastic opportunity to support an event that will celebrate all our hard work this last year.”

Being a part of an ambassadorship with the Niche Business Awards benefits many companies by granting them social media coverage, individual branding featuring your brand displayed on the big screens throughout the awards show and official photography chances for you and your guests.

This is a window of opportunity for the business community in Leicestershire to get involved and support one another. Here are our 2021 ambassadors.

NICHE BUSINESS AWARDS 2021

The Ambassadors

AIMS

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IMS principal Imran Sattar has over 20 years of experience working with a multitude of sectors. Put simply, his goal is to minimise client’s tax liability and relieve them of the worries of dealing with everyday accounting and tax issues. Imran is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Having trained in practice, he now solely focuses on helping SME owners do what they do best; develop and run their businesses. Imran operates in an open and direct communication helping to support business owners with all aspects of their finances.

I have seen a great deal of clients feel concern over their finances in what has been a tumultuous year, it’s been hard for so many.

An opportunity to commend with an award ceremony is just what is needed now, a chance to come together to celebrate one another’s efforts and the support found so evidently in Leicestershire’s business network

Airborne Mortgage Solutions

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s independent mortgage brokers, Airborne Mortgage Solutions are entirely client-focused and tailor specifically to their client’s needs. With unparalleled consumer accessibility and a diverse variety of mortgage lenders and services, there is nothing ‘standard’ about what Airborne Mortgages have to provide.

Their expert team are knowledgeable in their field and are honest and straightforward in their support and guidance. They care about their clients needs and prove it with the advice and solutions offered by their professional team of brokers. Armed with deep industry knowledge it is unquestionable that their expertise provides clients with complete trust, welcoming advice and the best value during the whole process, from start to finish.

Airborne Mortgages want to support businesses in Leicester that have supported us as well. The business community in Leicester is wonderful and Cross Productions are doing something amazing by bringing us all together NICHE | 53

Bev Sankey

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fter 25 years in the jewellery business, Bev Sankey decided a change of direction was needed and in 2012 started an online business in health and wellness, vegan non-toxic products with Arbonne International as an independent consultant.

Having been diagnosed and suffering with ME in the years prior, Bev wanted to focus on her health and the health of others as well as spending more quality time with her family. Citing “health as wealth”.

I believe very strongly in community, the supportive one I have with Arbonne, but also that of the people I work with in the Leicestershire network. The Niche Business Awards are a fantastic way to show support and appreciation for the successes of businesses and individuals from our local area and communities, I’m delighted to be an ambassador for the 2021 awards

Axiom Energy

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orking for Vodafone was Azar Khan’s first snapshot of the business world. His role there was to make the store he worked in better than the best Vodafone store in the region and, within six months of completing his training, he achieved this target.

He went on to help develop a chauffeuring company’s client base to turnover £1.4m before being headhunted by an energy company. Sparks flew between him and the energy industry and five years later, he set up Axiom Energy providing everything from site audits and bill validation through to green energy plans and electric vehicle charging points.

Moving to Leicester I have become part of a great business community; I hope to make my contribution to its growth. With this in mind, I want to partner with businesses that share my drive for a better and transparent community. I am thrilled we are able to do that with Cross Productions 54 | NICHE

NICHE BUSINESS AWARDS 2021

The Ambassadors

Bluebird Care Leicester

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roviding a professional and friendly care service to the vulnerable and elderly members of society, Bluebird Care are a leading care at home provider here in Leicester. With a mission to ensure that good quality care is given to all customers and that their needs and wants are taken into account when planning the care for an individual in their own homes, Bluebird’s commitment to this mission is more important now than ever before.

Working alongside families and individuals to tailor their services and empower their clients to stay in control of their own care for as long as they are able to, delivering the very best homecare is their passion.

We are delighted to be an ambassador for the Niche Business Awards. Our business is about care in the community and supporting communities within Leicestershire is something we are passionate about in all its shape and forms!

Cotswold Mortgage Solutions

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rotection specialist Lee Freer of Cotswold Mortgage Solutions (East Midlands Branch) has a real passion for helping and supporting his clients with their regulated financial protection products. Having worked in the financial services industry for over 10 years, Lee has developed a wide range of expertise specialising in all aspects of life assurance, critical illness, income protection and private medical insurance for his personal clients tailoring solutions to suit client needs. For business owners, he specialises in relevant life insurance, key man insurance and shareholder protection, Lee provides whole of market holistic advice and he prides himself on building long-term relationships.

Providing a service for clients and being born and bred in Leicestershire means that I have a vested interest in the county and the people who live in and run businesses here. An award which commends and supports their efforts is a great thing indeed and I am pleased to be a part of it NICHE | 55

Dromaeus Limited

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romaeus Limited is a knowledgeable and responsive supplier of managed IT support and services that assist small and medium-sized companies in locating the technologies they need to succeed in an increasingly digital environment and pledge to power their businesses success.

Running across Nottingham, Leicester, Derby and the East Midlands, Dromaeus aims to develop, prepare and execute creative technological strategies to fit their client’s budget and will assist them in changing the way they handle the IT infrastructure.

With services such as an IT specialist desk to specialist project consultancy and administration, future-proof network, cloud solutions and storage systems, their mission is to provide a reliable service that is consistent, cost-effective and repeatable so that clients can focus on growing their business and keeping customers happy.

This is an amazing opportunity to help and champion businesses in Leicester and we’re all about giving back so why wouldn’t we be involved?

Glenfield Electrical

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reated in 2013 by Philip and Catherine Houlder, Glenfield Electrical operate in Leicester and throughout the Midlands. Having built a reputation for providing a high-quality service at a fair price with friendly, highly trained electricians, Glenfield Electrical have become known for their true community interest service here in the Midlands.

Reflecting on the last year, Philip tells us their company ethos of embracing change and supporting their team has served them well.

Nothing in life stays the same so it’s important to embrace change. This of course has never been truer than of the last year. We are believers in stepping out of our comfort zone and it’s certainly done that. Supporting our communities has never been more important and we are proud of all the work that we do outside of the inner wirings of our business to do that 56 | NICHE

NICHE BUSINESS AWARDS 2021

The Ambassadors

Harveys Windows

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or over 20 years Harveys Windows has been offering UPVC and aluminium double glazed windows, doors, conservatories, and other home renovation facilities in Leicestershire. The family run business strives to provide high-quality double glazing products to its growing list of current and new customers. They are all about customer service and are reassuringly knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive.

It is clear to see that by taking pride in their after-sale assistance, Harvey’s Windows have built up a reputation for expertise, dependability and quality in local areas like Leicester, Nuneaton, Hinckley and Loughborough.

We are more than happy to support Niche and be involved in helping other businesses throughout Leicester. They are doing an amazing thing by throwing an event to be able to celebrate these companies and allowing them to be recognised for all the hard work they have done this past year

Harwood HR Solutions

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arwood HR Solutions works to provide innovative, first-class, bespoke HR consultancy that inspires business leaders to grow their organisation by promoting people’s talent.

With over 24 years’ experience, Director Duncan Harwood’s rich experience in the industry has meant he has worked with both small and large scale businesses, all of which put him in the prime position to start Harwood HR over three years ago. After securing their first client one week after setting up the company whilst walking around Tenerife’s Loro Parque zoo with his family, today they have over 100 retained clients – and that first loyal client secured at the zoo is still one of them.

Reflecting on the past year and why support is needed for each other in the business community now more than ever on home soil, Duncan and his team are embracing the future.

It is important to capture and recognise the positives, share the stories and to spread the message to revitalise, inspire, and motivate others to go and make things happen!

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JSP Virtual

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SP Virtual is a company which undertakes small and larger scale admin projects, such as PA work, general administration, remote receptionist and even credit control work for businesses all looking to get the expertise of the team without experiencing the high costs which would often be associated with recruiting these services internally. Owner Jo Peters started the company after many years of working in admin and discovering there was a demand for remote services which, in the last year especially, has grown exponentially in a short space of time.

After what has been a highly stressful time for so many of us during and in recovery of the global pandemic, an opportunity to come together in celebration of the successes and triumphs amongst the difficulties is so important. I can’t wait to be part of it all and share in the festivities of the Niche Business Awards 2021

Morgan Betts & Co Insurance Brokers Ltd

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n independent insurance broker with a difference, founded by Rachael Shipman and her brother Joseph Betts, Morgan Betts & Co gives back to the community, donating a generous proportion of their commission to charities and supporting issues that affect people every day.

Despite first working with Joseph in an insurance call centre over 20 years ago, Rachael wasn’t always set for a future in insurance. Having trained at Leicester’s Dupont Dance Stage School from the age of three and then the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Arts in London for a year aged 16, she could very well have spent her career in a tutu rather than protecting her clients with a cloak of insurance.

Her clients are very pleased that she chose insurance over stage lights and, pleasingly, so is she!

As a business still developing, and having been born and brought up in Leicester, we want to build our profile and support within the Leicester business community, as well as helping to highlight and celebrate other Leicester based businesses, charities and communities here 58 | NICHE

NICHE BUSINESS AWARDS 2021

The Ambassadors

Nelsons

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elsons provides support and advice to businesses, individuals, and families with their legal and investment needs, empowering its clients and steering them through the complex legal issues they face.

In December 2020, two decades after the law firm opened its Leicester office, Nelsons acquired award-winning specialist, boutique practice Glynis Wright & Co – supporting its vision to become the region’s strongest and biggest family law department.

Being part of the Niche Business Awards – which champions businesses, individuals, and charities in the city – is hugely rewarding for us as a law firm. The city has shown great resilience and adaptability over the past year, and we look forward to hearing the stories of those who have contributed to Leicester’s success and celebrating their achievements

Paradigm Wills and Legal Services

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hen it comes to will and estate planning, the professional, friendly, and caring duo Bhavin Gandhi and Satwinder Sidhu provide a cost-effective solution to any type of situation no matter how complex. Based in Leicester with a wealth of knowledge and expertise, Paradigm Wills and Legal Services operates throughout the UK and services clients overseas who require estate planning solutions for their UK assets.

Besides supporting numerous local charities, associating their company with the Niche Business Awards is just one other way Bhavin and Satwinder care for the Leicester community.

We wanted to give back and support firms that have supported us throughout the last few years. Leicester has a fabulous business community and Cross Productions has done well to bring the community together, and to be part of this felt right NICHE | 59

SanaMente

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anaMente Hypnotherapy help people manage the tough times and develop good, healthy coping strategies for the future, facilitating people to overcome the things holding them back.

Using the hypnotic state of focused concentration, Linda Neville – former Director of Adult Mental Health services for Leicestershire, teaches people to make best use of their own personal resources, skills and talents. SanaMente means healthy mind and since setting up in private practice in 2012, Linda and her team are proud to have helped around 500 people and counting since opening their doors.

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Hypnotherapy

I chose to support the awards because I feel that it’s important for businesses to be acknowledged for hard work they do and the amazing services they offer. It has been a stressful and lonely time for business owners, so it’s so important to be able to recognise that with a celebration of achievement

Sanjay Foods

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lanning, designing and delivering spectacular and unforgettable weddings, corporate and charity events whilst creating delicious gourmet food that will leave your guests wanting more is top priority for Sanjay Foods.

Their close-knit team of passionate individuals from multi-cultural backgrounds, headed by owner Atul Lakhani, work tirelessly to ensure every attention to detail is made. They are known throughout the UK for their strong reputation in producing the very best for any occasion with a passion for creating memorable events.

The hospitality industry, like many sectors, has really suffered in the last year but the weddings and events market has been hugely and disproportionately impacted. The opportunity to support events such as the Niche Business Awards is a hugely positive first step towards the reopening of our industry and I am delighted to be part of the celebrations. It means for us and many other businesses that things are turning a corner – hope is finally on the horizon!

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NICHE BUSINESS AWARDS 2021

She Inspires

The Ambassadors

S

he Inspires is a social enterprise that provides support to not-for-profit organisations to grow and become more sustainable.

Founded by local charity leader Zinthiya Ganeshpanchan, all profits are reinvested to support grassroots projects that empower women and girls in the UK and developing world such as Sri Lanka and Nepal. The team has also introduced the She Inspires Magazine, which aims to raise the profile of womenled businesses, micro charities, and social enterprises.

For us, becoming an ambassador allows us to give something in return to our local community who have supported us over the years. The year of 2020 had a massive impact on our local community, especially small and micro enterprises across all sectors. Despite the challenges faced, the sector has survived simply due to the resilience of those who run these businesses and therefore, taking the time to celebrate this success I feel is very important

The Turnaround CEO

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ow doing what she truly loves – business strategy, sales, coaching and helping leaders maximise their potential and lifestyle – for The Turnaround CEO owner Amanda Daly the path to this wasn’t one without personal struggles. After many years of working in high profile positions in sales, Amanda found herself unfulfilled, but after a bold leap of faith she changed her direction to help others draw from her experience and business skills. Today she has supported countless business owners in achieving more.

Having gone through recessions, changes in business structures, cultural challenges, and then the monumental effects of the global pandemic, I know myself what it is to overcome challenges in business – it’s time to use all we have learnt to move forward. An awards ceremony to recognise the efforts of our network of businesses here in Leicester is all part of business moving forward – I am delighted to be an ambassador for the event!

NICHE | 61

TML Solicitors

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ML Solicitors are a bright, young law firm that provide national level advice and solutions to clients’ legal problems. TML Solicitors provide legal advice in four main areas; residential conveyancing, commercial property, family law and criminal defence. However, TML Solicitors can also provide legal advice in respect of wills and probate, civil litigation and Immigration matters.

TML Solicitors have built up a large network not just in Leicester but on a national scale which has given them the specialist ability to provide clients with real life solutions. They are firm believers that their clients’ interests should be prioritised by listening to them and presenting them with sound and transparent guidance.

Being a part of the Awards feels right, not only for me but for the business as a whole. It is important that achievements of businesses are recognised during this difficult time. Huge thanks to Niche Magazine for organising such a worthwhile event

Trident

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rident’s culture is entirely focused on customer performance. They never lose sight of the fact that what they do best is drive leads and generate sales. Offering four main marketing lead services such as impressively stunning graphic design, engaging expert web design, generating traffic via Search Engine Optimisation and finding solutions with researched print management. Trident stick to what they know and do not try to over-stretch themselves to give clients straightforward approaches that have resulted great reviews.

Ideas, in Trident’s view, are meant to be shared and whilst they act on a client’s behalf, they will make certain that the customer profits from their expertise and ingenuity.

Being someone who is passionate about my business I am excited to support the business community in Leicester just as they have supported mine. Niche Magazine is truly bringing us all together and it is a wonderful thing 62 | NICHE

NICHE BUSINESS AWARDS 2021

The Ambassadors

Weatherwise Services

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ith comprehensive gritting services negating the risk to staff, visitors, contractors and customers from slipping and falling on untreated surfaces, Weatherwise Services are all about keeping people safe.

Snow clearance helps business to continue trading during the harshest winter weather, ensuring a safety culture where secure footing is assured and that you have taken all possible steps to maintain strong accident avoidance within your organisation.

Having reinvested their profits back into the business year on year they have grown in spite of the warmer months we occasionally experience here in the UK!

To be given an award from your peers is a wonderful achievement. The Niche Business Awards are ‘honest’ awards not ‘bought’ awards, which I believe devalue achievement, and the recipients can be justifiably proud of their achievement

Unity

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ased in the Midlands, Unity is the perfect solution for businesses searching for an integrated digital marketing partner, with a focus on delivering ROI. Whether it’s a bespoke new website, increase in online conversions, maximum exposure on search engines or a slick social campaign, they pride themselves in working alongside a business’s objectives to deliver a strategic, measurable and fully integrated approach to their clients’ digital marketing.

Fuelled with bottomless cups of coffee and a passion for success, the team at Unity are an integral part of Leicester’s business network, supporting both established and start-up businesses.

Having been a previous winner at the Niche Business Awards I am delighted to now be part of the team supporting the awards. It felt great to even be nominated, but to win was really something. I can vouch for being a winner and what it can do for your business in driving it forward NICHE | 63

Vehicle Consulting Leicester

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n independent company with over 34 years’ experience in the motor industry and a reputation for high levels of ethical integrity and bespoke client service, Vehicle Consulting Leicester love what they do, and it shows.

With a full gamut of fleet services from vehicle acquisition, management software, fuel cards, telematics and insurance through to policy reviews, best practice consultancy, de-hire assistance and vehicle disposal, Vehicle Consulting Leicester have a reputation for their supportive excellent service. Person-centric people, they are only ever about creating an informative, honest service for their clients.

We wanted to support Niche with the event and be involved with helping other businesses in Leicester. With the year we have all had, it is possibly the best time for companies to have recognition for all the hard work they have done, and still being here to talk about it.

We all need to celebrate after 2020!

Get your tickets now Taking place at Athena Friday, September 24 – 7pm til late

£85 per ticket £800 for a table of ten

Ticket prices include a drink on arrival, a three course gala dinner, and the glamorous awards ceremony itself.

Dress Code: Black Tie Book early to avoid disappointment For tickets, email awards@nichemagazine.co.uk 54 | NICHE

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NICHE BUSINESS

Marketing Forum

TOP TIPS FOR AN EFFECTIVE BROCHURE SALLY SMITH Marketing Director at Cross Productions

SICK OF WASTING MONEY ON MARKETING? How many times have you tried something new to market your business? One of the common phrases I hear is: “it didn’t work”.

Nine times out of 10, there are some key elements that have been overlooked after a project has been passed off as a ‘waste of time’.

Recently, a client and I were exploring marketing options to tie in with their company goals.

When I broached the subject of flyering, I was met with ‘tried that, it doesn’t work’. When talking in more depth, they ‘only’ gained one client as a result from this activity.

This transpired to be the largest client the company looks after. The flyering held a cost of £500 for design, print, and distribution and the one customer has now spent in excess of £15,000!

Many companies will decide on an avenue to market and start running. Here are my top four steps to successful marketing.

Have a strategy: What have you tried in the past? Who are you targeting?

What are your users’ ‘pain points’?

Set clear objectives: Having key performance indicators (KPIs) set is important. If you don’t know what you’re aiming to achieve, how will you know when you’ve achieved it?

Create relevant content: Now you know who you’re targeting and what their problems are, you can tailor the wording to resonate with them.

Process, process, process: Without following a process from beginning to end, how do you know if what you’re doing is working? If your actions produce desired outcomes, can you replicate this? Always work with a mindset of: “If I got hit by a bus tomorrow, could someone else pick this up easily?”

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With many marketers focusing their attention on digital and social media marketing, creating a printed company brochure could help you stand out in a crowded market.

To help you create your company brochure, I have compiled a list of top tips for an effective brochure that sells.

Consider the purpose of your company brochure. As with any print marketing campaign, it is always important to consider your goals. Is the purpose of your brochure to increase your brand awareness? Or to be used in conjunction with your next virtual event? It’s important to keep your end goal in mind. Write your copy in response to what your audience will need to know to fulfil your goals.

Put your readers first. When considering your product brochure design, do your research and put your target audience first. When writing copy for brochures, ask yourself: ◆ What are my target audience’s pain points?

CHRIS GOODMAN Managing Director at Soar Valley Press ◆ How can I help solve their pain points?

What is my USP? The answers are the messages you should lead with in the copy.

Use high-quality paper. The quality of your brochure will set the tone for the perceived quality of your products and services. Opting for 150-200gsm for your inner paper stock is a great way to show you care for your brand.

Integrate your online and offline marketing. Integrating your digital and print marketing is one of the best ways for your company brochure to be effective. One of the best ways of achieving such results is through QR codes to bring prospects directly to your website. ◆

ENHANCE YOUR MARKETING FOR FREE REMY CLARKE Director at Cymer Marketing Solutions As businesses are re-energised following lockdown easing, there are tools available to enhance your marketing, raise visibility and improve web presence without hitting the budget. Whether you are an established business or a new start-up, here are some free tools that I recommend as part of your marketing setup.

Google My Business: This allows a business to engage with customers across Google Search and Google Maps. Build a more powerful listing containing images, reviews, and action buttons to enhance reputation and drive more traffic or enquiries.

Social Media: Another way to increase awareness and gain credibility is by having a social media presence. The channels you use will depend on the industry you are in and the audience

you are looking to attract. Once you have identified which ones, create your pages and complete your profile in full to help your audience find you. Regular and relevant content will grow your audience and keep them interested.

CRM: Several platforms exist with a basic subscription free version which can help serve smaller businesses needing to keep contacts in order, record a sales pipeline and develop a few marketing campaigns. You will probably have to live with some branding from the platform provider, but if configured correctly, the operational gains will be worth it!

Memberships & Networks: Check what is published through Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) or your local Chamber. They have a wealth of webinars and events at their disposal to boost marketing knowledge, skills, and aid self-development. You probably have marketing specialists within your network that will help guide you.

Set the foundations right and you can build a strategy to grow from.

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NICHE PROPERTY

Forum

NARINDER NIJJAR Co-Director at Fraser Stretton

READY FOR THE CHALLENGE

Things are

moving

The stamp duty holiday appears to be getting people house hunting, home packing, and stepping up property ladders

A

ccording to the UK’s leading mortgage leader Halifax, the stamp duty holiday – in addition to other post-pandemic related changes – is creating an upward curve in house sales.

The effects mean that house prices are up in value too, with the average house price currently 6.5% higher than a year ago, meaning that the typical home was valued at £254,606 in March 2021, so says the provider. They also observed that UK house prices rose by 1.1% in March compared with February, according to figures based on their own mortgage data. In cash talk, that translates as a rise by £15,430 over the last year, of which a large proportion was during a lockdown.

There are some areas where the lasting effects of the pandemic on the housing market aren’t so positive, though – for first time buyers, for example, the rise in house pricing might price them out, so to speak, where their savings may not now be enough for a deposit, especially if Covid has affected their income and therefore ability to secure a mortgage.

The government has responded to this, though, with a wider choice of mortgages that require a deposit of just 5% of the total loan.

Another long term effect could also be ahead though, with the ripple effects of Covid and the damage to the economy yet to come, according to Russell Galley, managing director at the Halifax. “With the economy yet to feel the full effect of its biggest recession in more than 300 years, we remain cautious about the longer-term outlook,” he said speaking with the BBC. “Given current levels of uncertainty and the potential for higher unemployment, we still expect house price growth to slow somewhat by the end of this year.”

This in turn may increase demand for rental properties however, so better news for landlords or those who are looking to buy to let.

70 | NICHE

We hope this is the start of a very successful story between the everchanging housing market and Fraser Stretton.

Jaz Kaur and I set up our company on June 1, 2019 as The Lettings Business to service our small lettings client base that we had built up while we were consulting for exclusive clients.

This company evolved to be known as The Lettings & Sales Business as of July 1, 2020, which coincided with the introduction of a property sales service to our client offering. The pandemic would have you think that it would deter people from buying property, however, the opposite is true.

The UK has the 12th highest average house price increase in the world, with the average house increasing in value by 8.5% in 2020.

This has shown the resilience, not only in consumers wanting to still purchase property, but in first-time buyers seeking to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday and various other incentives on offer.

Low interest rates, the stamp duty holiday extension, and the introduction of the new 95% mortgages will ensure that the momentum remains in the housing market.

Keeping this in mind, we wanted to ensure that we are constantly evolving and are best placed to help our growing client base. We now go forward as Fraser Stretton. Migrating The Lettings & Sales Business and its sister company Fraser Stretton, which helps new build developers, means we now have a greater pool of human and financial resources to meet the demands of the ever-changing market.

This we hope will ensure Fraser Stretton is a brand trusted by its clients and gives them the confidence that we can help with selling, letting, or finding them their dream home.

The Lettings & Sales Business are now known as Fraser Stretton

Looking after all your property needs Specialising in Residential & Commercial Sales, Lettings & Property Management. New Homes, Prestige Homes & Auctions Our new focused approach will ensure our clients recieve the 5-star service they are accustomed to from our various property experts

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NICHE FEATURE

Emergency Glazing

24 hour call-outs Brad Lingard has gone from ‘man with a van’ to one of the only trusted tradespeople for emergency window and door security in Leicester WORDS BY KERRY SMITH

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eicestershire areas can rely on Brad Lingard for emergency glazing, which conveniently happens to be the name of his company.

Emergency Glazing has been running since 2017 after Brad gained experience across the trade including window glazing, glass replacements, repairs, maintenance, and installations.

He took his business from ‘man with a van’ to one of county’s only trusted emergency windows and doors tradespeople for local authorities.

Brad says: “I started in the trade straight from school. The company I worked for then went bust and I was offered a contract on a secured premises taking care of their locks and windows.

Four years later, I had a van and just decided to start my own business in the emergency and security side of the industry. I

believe I’m now one of the only providers for emergency callouts in Leicester.”

Dedicated to providing for his three sons, Brad is one of the only Leicester call-out companies that provides 24/7 emergency window and door security, replacements, repairs, and maintenance. Aiming to respond to each call-out within an hour, Brad has been up in the middle of the night securing premises on behalf of local authorities and reassuring local residents.

“It’s got to the stage now where I need to be in three places at once. I’ve just taken on someone new and will employ a local apprentice soon. The business is also here for my sons to fall back on and turn it into a family business.

“I’ve been very lucky to get all the experience that I have over the years so I’m able to

I’VE BEEN VERY LUCKY TO GET ALL THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE OVER THE YEARS

teach anyone new to the industry and offer customers everything from 24-hour call-outs and repairs through to lock changes and UPVC windows and doors.”

Brad has somewhat become an unexpected hero to many of his customers. “Just last week I was at a job and lifted and cleaned a table top for an older lady who needed help. And before that, an old customer mentioned he needed his wooden doors planing and couldn’t get anyone else out to come out to do it so I did it for him.”

A simple tip Brad wants to share to help everyone at home: “Oil your windows and doors!

Over the years, their mechanisms can jam and break. Use WD40 to oil the parts where metal rubs on metal at least once a year.”

Get more tips from Emergency Glazing by emailing brad.lingard@hotmail.co.uk.

NICHE | 73

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NICHE FEATURE

2021: The year of

the garden After we spent so much time in our gardens last year, 2021 is the year of gardening.

Here are the latest trends WORDS BY EMILY MILLER

I

It feels that gardening has never been more popular, with so many of us reaching for the gardening gloves and seeking to create our dream outdoor spaces. The pandemic has played a huge part in gardening’s popularity especially as lockdown regulations have eased and we have been able to gather with one another outside in small numbers. This, in addition to a particularly mild spring weather forecast and garden centres remaining open for the majority of the year, means it’s certainly a big time for green fingers.

This year’s Earth Day theme was about restoration and with saveonenergy.com/uk’s recent study on the houseplant that emits the least amount of CO2, green-fingered conservation is on our mind.

Gardening decor experts diys.com examined exclusive online lists for 2021’s spring garden trends and, by gathering data from the inspiration platform Pinterest, they can exclusively reveal the most popular garden trends for spring 2021.

1

The top garden trend for 2021 is the recycle and repurpose garden with 269,869 Pinterest pins. Pinterest boards within this craze show inspiration on how to recycle everyday items and repurpose them as plant and flowerpots and garden decoration.

In second place with 264,966 Pinterest pins are balcony gardens. Throughout the year, city occupants have had to become creative with their outdoor areas, and so this Pinterest trend displays examples of maximising those small spaces.

Ranking in third, and keeping with Earth Day’s theme, are sustainable gardens with 250,613 pins. The trend supplies informative inspiration on limiting waste, how to be self-sufficient, and even tips on guerrilla gardening.

On the other end, in tenth place are rustic retreat gardens with 6,529 Pinterest pins. The trend forecasting company, WGSN reports this as a major theme for 2021’s gardens

2

3

MANY HOMEOWNERS ARE LOOKING TO DESIGN GARDEN SPACES THAT REMIND THEM OF THEIR FAVOURITE HOLIDAYS

as the calming colours and natural resources bring a casual elegance to outdoor settings.

Stefan Gheorghe from diys. com commented: “Gardens have become far more than just a place to plot plants.

Over the past year, we’ve seen consumers wanting to convey a sense of relaxation into their accommodations and offices.

And with the weather warming up, a lot of people are now looking to recreate garden spaces to mimic interiors such as garden studios and social spaces.

“People no longer need a large plot of land to create their ideal green oasis – those with small outdoor spaces like balconies can create gardens via a multi-functional solution such as vertical gardening.

“In addition, as staycations are on the rise this year, many homeowners are looking to design garden spaces that remind them of their favourite holidays. Bars and tall, leafy plants will be an emerging decor trend this year.”

NICHE | 77

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Whether you are seeking results from a diagnostic procedure or looking at treatment options to remove a painful hernia, our team of experienced general surgeons at Nuffield Health Leicester Hospital are experts in their field, providing you with rapid access to a personalised treatment plan.

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From Forever to fertility coaching Lockdown created a domino effect for this Burbage businesswoman, and she’s emerging from it with a brand new business in mind WORDS BY KERRY SMITH

P

re-pandemic, Amanda Box was studying to be a history teacher after gaining a PGCE in photographic history. She began writing her thesis on PhotoTherapy and the effect photos have on people.

Shortly after, Amanda wanted to be around for her children more after her granddad passed away in the first Covid-19 lockdown; the first domino to set off a lifechanging chain of events.

Staying at home to care for her children, she continued her part time Forever – The Aloe Vera Company business that she ran alongside her degree suiting her lifestyle with home schooling and flexible working. It was this side business that knocked over the next domino.

“Lockdown changed how I could do things. I missed doing a farmers’ market with my Forever business, so last year I decided to run an online Christmas market,” Amanda said.

Within half an hour of putting an ad on Facebook, Amanda’s post received 166 comments.

To date, the marketplace, a Facebook group called ACE Virtual Market, had over 9,200 members including 603

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I WENT TO ONE COUNSELLOR WHO SAID SHE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND HOW I WAS FEELING BECAUSE SHE HAD CHILDREN. I REALISED MORE SUPPORT IS NEEDED

businesses. Each ‘stall holder’ pays £5 to upload one post per day, receive an unlimited photo album, and gain access to a directory. Out of each stall holder’s fee, £2 goes to local charities.

ACE Virtual Market, which is the official group for Burbage, grew so rapidly that Amanda’s friends helped her set up groups under the brand for Leicester, Nuneaton, Birmingham, and Solihull.

Amanda originally set up ACE two years ago as a networking group for parents. Since the virtual ACE was such a hit, she was inspired to take a course in neuro-linguistic programming to form the basis of a coaching business for women going through the fertility process.

This domino takes us back to 2006, when Amanda began fertility treatment after doctors couldn’t figure out the cause of her unregulated and extremely painful periods.

“My daughter wasn’t born until 2014, so fertility treatment can be a long process. It’s a lot slicker now, but still not easy.

I went to one counsellor who said she didn’t understand how I was feeling because she had

children. I realised more support is needed.”

The birth of her second child five years ago was a miracle for Amanda. After humouring a friend who encouraged her to drink aloe to ease her period symptoms, she soon after discovered she was pregnant.

“The period cramps were similar to being in labour. I lived on co-codamol and ibuprofen just to function. Drinking the aloe somehow regulated my periods and after a nine-day cleanse plan, I found out I was pregnant.

I can’t say medically that it was the aloe, but it’s a life-changer for me. I was also even diagnosed due to the results.”

Amanda now knows she is living with adenomyosis, the “opposite of endometriosis”.

Combining her knowledge from her own fertility treatment, flair for business networking, and her passion for PhotoTherapy, the next domino is tipping over as Amanda sets up her own fertility coaching business. Watch this space.

Find Amanda’s Forever company at thealoeveraco.shop/ I0UI9FEd and the ACE Virtual Markets on Facebook.

MOTORING

Go electric

T

he joint government and industry campaign to promote the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) recently questioned 500 key fleet managers and decisionmakers that are responsible for running the full spectrum of vehicle fleets, from a handful of cars to more than one hundred vehicles.

Britain’s fleet sector accounted for 53.3%* of last year’s 2.3m vehicle registrations and is seen as a pivotal player in accelerating EV adoption. The survey by goultralow.com commissioned in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust, revealed an overwhelming appetite to embrace the electric era, with nine in 10 fleet managers enjoying the idea of driving and owning an electric company car and seven in 10 committing to purchase an EV within the next two years.

Initiatives this year have included fleet sustainability workshops across the UK and a bespoke webinar series that discusses items from Benefit In Kind to incentives such as the Workplace Charging Scheme, supporting business, charities and public sector organisations with a financial contribution to the purchase and installation of charge points.

EVs offer significant savings on the running, taxation,

One in three UK fleet managers expect half of their company car fleet to be electric by 2025 Seven in 10 fleet managers are preparing to buy an electric car within two years Half of UK fleet managers are predicting an uptake in electric company cars thanks to Benefit in Kind tax changes One-third of the UK’s fleet managers expect more than 50% of their company car fleets will be electric within five years, according to a new Go Ultra Low survey. maintenance and servicing costs of company vehicles, and 43% of fleet bosses had cited the car’s ‘whole life cost’ as the most important factor in making their companies switch from the internal combustion engine to electric. goultralow.com *Figures provided by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)

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FOOD COURT In this issue, local businesspeople choose their favourite places to eat in and around Leicestershire

The best eating establishments in Leicestershire NICK THORNTON

CINI cinirestaurant.co.uk

CEO at Energysense Ltd

My favourite place for food is, without a doubt, Cini in Enderby. Placed on a quiet side road, parking is plentiful and the welcome is always warm.

Owner and chef Andrea Paduano always offers a personal touch and takes great pride in ensuring everyone feels at home.

Whether taking the family out or hosting a business lunch, I find this to be the ideal place for a whole range of meetings, lunches and relaxing evenings. Inside, it’s spotlessly clean and spacious with plenty of seating.

Menu-wise there is a broad range of Italian dishes, but I love that you can pick the chef’s brains about combining dishes or potentially having something

DAVID APPLETON

MEZZE MANGAL

Director at Pace Financial Direction

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0116 286 3009 26 HIGH STREET ENDERBY, LEICESTER, LE19 4AG that isn’t on the menu. The selection of fine wines is fantastic – fans of vintage reds would have a field day here. Also on offer is a selection of really great Italian beers, coffees, and shots.

The quality of the food itself is outstanding. Now, I’m no lover of seafood by any stretch, but even the fish dishes smell good enough to tempt me. Everything is immaculately cooked and portion sizes are just right.

I guess the most telling comment I can make about Cini’s is about the dessert menu. Or rather the fact I’ve never had any item from it due to being beyond full from my main and all the extras. I’d recommend Cini for any occasion.

facebook.com/mezzemangaluk 0116 271 4861 60 ROSEMEAD DRIVE, OADBY, LE2 5SF The Mezze Mangal has become a firm favourite for a takeaway at the Appleton household during lockdown.

When I’ve collected recently you can see the food being freshly cooked in front of you and it always smells delicious.

This bistro café specialises in Turkish cuisine. The meat is perfectly cooked and, for the usual Friday night treat, it’s actually really healthy as the set meals come with kebab meat, a rice salad, Turkish bread, and a drink.

The first time I had it I thought I might miss having something less healthy as the weekly indulgence, but I really enjoyed the rice mixed in with the salad and didn’t at all feel deprived.

I generally go for the chicken shish kebab. As a family, we go for a selection of the mezze starters which means we all get a bit of each; chilli sauce, humous, mixed olives, Turkish feta salad and haydrai (yoghurt dip) are some of our favourites.

The bistro café is on a busy main road, so when they are finally able to open up properly, you will be able to sit and watch the world go by as you eat, drink and chat in the very relaxed and casual setting. The staff are always friendly and never rush you to finish your meal.

As lovely as the takeaway is, I’m really looking forward to being able to eat in again.

EMILY SMITH Finance Director at Michael Smith Switchgear Limited

LINDA NEVILLE Owner of SanaMente

POACHERS BRASSERIE poachersbrasserie.co.uk 01455 888 227 22 CHURCH STREET, THURLASTON, LE9 7TA Tucked away in the quiet village of Thurlaston is this absolute gem of a restaurant. Set in a 16th-century building opposite a stunning church, a very warm welcome awaits you from Aga and her team. The restaurant offers a cosy bar area with a large open fire as well as a lovely outdoor area, great for a beautiful summer’s evening.

With menus that change with the seasons, there is always something new to try and the quality of food and standard of presentation is Michelin star worthy. Head Chef Vincenzo creates some amazing dishes that really tantalise the taste buds, combining flavours and textures for a truly delicious dish. Their authentic Italian pizzas are one of the

best I have tasted outside of Italy itself!

They also provide a selection of wines from around the world.

I have tried the Sunday lunch menu on countless occasions and the food has been delightful every single time with generous helpings. If you do have space for dessert, I highly recommend one of their cheesecakes or tarts.

Poachers Brasserie also runs many events throughout the year, raising money for countless charities and providing a fantastic group dining experience.

If you’re looking for somewhere to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or just have a wonderful meal, Poachers Brasserie is an excellent choice.

NASEEB@THE CLOWES

theclowes.co.uk 0116 266 0660 29 PORTSMOUTH RD, LEICESTER, LE4 5DJ Although I love eating, I do not love cooking as those who have sampled my efforts will testify. So, when I’m not being spoiled by my husband’s amazing culinary creations, I love eating out.

For me, eating out is such a social event and the venue has to be right for the occasion whether it’s a celebration or to relax and chat with friends; feeling comfortable is so important.

The place I go to when I want to eat great food, relax after a hard day and feel completely comfortable in my surroundings is The Clowes, 29 Portsmouth Road, Belgrave, Leicester.

They specialise in authentic Punjabi cuisine, which means it’s tasty and flavoured to the customer’s particular

taste. If you love flavour, then this is the place to go. I’m not a fan of food that is so hot my eyes water and nose runs, but if this is what you like, The Clowes can provide that for you.

The Clowes has been in the heart of the community since 1880 as a public house, one of the longest serving on the Golden Mile. It has been winning awards sine 1985, the menu is varied, authentic and to the highest quality.

My favourite meals are the Special Sizzler which is a mixture of meats cooked on the bone – perfect comfort food after a busy day. The lamb keema is to die for – aromatic, tasty and so healthy too, my go-to meal when I’m watching the calories.

KERRY SMITH

THE MARQUIS WELLINGTON themarquiswellington.com

Editor at Cross Productions

You wouldn’t believe that London Road is home to these cute little huts that sit in this gorgeous little sun trap of a beer garden, adorned with hanging baskets bursting with colour and maintaining a total ‘vibe’ at all times of the day and night.

The Marquis Wellington opened up this small sanctuary on April 12. The stress of reopening and getting back into customer service mode must have been a challenge, yet the staff never faltered.

They were as friendly and chilled as ever, making those few sunny weekends in April a delight to be out and about safely.

With an online table ordering system that makes service smooth and seamless, the pub is now set up for an even busier

0116 254 0542 139 LONDON RD, LEICESTER, LE2 1EF

period in June, when they can hopefully open up the building for dine-ins and walk-ins – although bookings will still need to be made at this popular spot, I expect.

The reopening menu consists of four starters including squid and halloumi, as well as a wide variety of mains from spicy five-bean chilli to slow-roasted pork belly, making it suitable for all tastes. They also serve three classic desserts: double chocolate brownie, sticky toffee pudding, and the manager’s favourite – New York cheesecake with berry compote and fresh mint.

Keep a date in your diary free for one of their exceptional Sunday roasts, or pop in for a drink and a side.

NICHE | 99

Getting back out there The best places to return to after these trusty reliables opened their doors on April 12, according to Gabby Miller of Cool As Leicester

A

s the reopening roadmap continues, all eyes were on venues with those all-important outdoor spaces as they opened their doors in April.

In Leicester and Leicestershire, we’ve got some fantastic beer gardens to be proud of, as well as

restaurants and cafés adapting for the new normal.

You took the opportunity to visit them when they were one of the few that opened their outdoor spaces in April, please show your support and make sure you check back in with them this summer too.

Lane7, city centre

Leicester’s newest entertainment and leisure zone, Lane7, opened in October 2020 in between lockdowns, meaning that many people won’t yet have had a chance to visit. They’ve redeveloped Leicester’s old Central Station and the result is a unique and stunning venue. They might have to wait before they can reopen for bowling and crazy golf, but drinks and the resident street food traders are go! What’s more, they’ve taken over the adjacent car park and are opening up a huge new city beer garden for almost 500 people– it’s got covering too!.

The Lancaster Arms, Desford

This village pub has undergone a wonderful renovation under its current ownership. Outdoors they’ve got a revamped Burleighs Gin Terrace, which provides both cover and heating as well as a super gin menu and tasty terrace treats to nibble on. You can book one of their dining domes offering private dining for up to six people.

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NICHE FEATURE

The Navigation Inn, Barrow upon Soar

Over in Barrow upon Soar The Navigation Inn is a lovely little pub sat right on the waterside. Book ahead and grab a table with a view.

Muddy boots and wet paws are welcome, so you can make it your post-walk pub stop. The pub is also located next to Barrow Boating, so if you’re feeling active you can book in for a pedalo or kayak session before dinner too!

The Pug & Greyhound, Great Glen

What do we love more about The Pug & Greyhound; the outdoor cocktail bar or the donkeys in the garden? This pub on the village green in Great Glen will be reopening their heated marquee in the garden along with their outdoor bar, cocktails, food menu and more. Yes, they really do have donkeys in the garden and it’s a brilliant spot to pass an afternoon and evening.

The Marquis Wellington, London Road The beer garden at The Marquis is such a hidden gem! Tucked away at the back of the London Road pub is a courtyard with covered seating and private heated huts. With a menu packed with pub classics and a great beer selection, it’s a brilliant spot to start your weekend drinking.

NICHE | 85

Travel the world through coffee A non-coffee person doesn’t really exist here at Cross Productions. We, like many coffee lovers, live for the hot beverage – especially around print deadline when it becomes as essential as our laptops WORDS BY EMILY MILLER

S

o, when Ben Coffee Co. shared a selection of their latest Leicester-roasted beans with us we – in particular the coffee snobs amongst us – were delighted to ditch the instant in favour of some artisan blends and beans brewed to perfection.

I am a big fan of my morning cup of coffee, so much so it often spills into three cups of the stuff before midday, so I was more than happy to sample a number of Ben Coffee Co.’s range including Night Fox of Uganda Drugar origin – boasting a traditional profile brightened by fruity notes, and my personal favourite, Sechuran Fox of Peruvian El Guayacan origin, which was nutty and ever so slightly chocolatey – a deliciously satisfying cup of coffee. Then there is a decaf offering and further tastes from Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru too.

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Taking us on a trip all around the world, owner Ben Swinton started Ben Coffee Co. after a life-long love affair with the delicious, caffeinated nectar.

Coffee aficionado Ben told us over a cup: “My coffee journey started as a teenager smelling my dad’s coffee each day as he prepared for work. However, I didn’t really start my coffee drinking career until I started my first job working in the hospitality industry.”

He decided to take his coffee love to the next level after travelling to Kenya and across the border into Tanzania in 2010 after to a trek tour guide insisted on the group sampling a cup from each region as they hiked.

Ben shared: “Tasting that coffee each morning with the fantastic backdrop of the mountains is a memory I will never forget and brings a smile to my face each time I think of it.

TASTING THAT COFFEE EACH MORNING WITH THE FANTASTIC BACKDROP OF THE MOUNTAINS IS A MEMORY I WILL NEVER FORGET

Since then, I bought coffee and really delved into the tastes and where in the world it came from – I try to get an understanding of how each taste had been formed.”

Cue a number of years of Ben ‘researching’, (ie tasting and dreaming) Ben Coffee Co. was born and now he gets to share his passion for coffee with retailers, their customers, and his friends and family by roasting and supplying the best tasting coffee.

Get the world’s best coffee beans delivered to your door from bencoffeeco.co.uk.

NICHE FEATURE

A family of venues to visit this summer As we begin to cautiously venture out into the world again, we take a look at three venues you didn’t know were connected WORDS BY BLESSING TAIWO

A

ssociated not only in name but in values, these Leicester eateries are becoming iconic on the Leicester scene.

Guy Kersey is a well-known and successful local businessman renowned for his hospitality company GPS Hospitality & Events, not to mention being the owner of the local American football team Leicester Falcons.

Under the GPS Hospitality name, he’s brought together three venues, each with the aim of building a sense of community in their areas, and all throughout the thick of the pandemic in 2020.

GPS Hospitality is a blueprint for the popular venues and eateries Orton’s Brasserie, The Carington Arms, and the Dewdrop Inn. With Leicester being the heart of culture and diversity, Guy infuses this within his ventures, something that is very evident when you visit them.

Orton’s Brasserie adapts the cultural side of Leicester to its overall aesthetic. The Brasserie draws inspiration from the famous Joe Orton, who was a Leicester-born playwright wellknown for his scandalous plays such as Entertaining Mr Sloane and Loot.

The Carington Arms is a family-run countryside English pub and ‘probably the prettiest

pub in Leicestershire’ according to the Facebook page, especially after a recent refurb. Chefs serve a range of dishes from sandwiches to homemade burgers and other traditional pub favourites that are perfect for lunch as well as dinner.

The latest addition to the GPS Hospitality portfolio is the Dewdrop Inn located in Hathern, Loughborough; It’s a pub with enjoyable garden space, perfect for the spring and summer times and has also undergone a large refurbishment project, bringing it up to date ready for casual catch-ups and family dinners in life after lockdown.

Watch this space for more news and updates on these three fantastic, safe spaces to eat, drink, and socialise in accordance with the latest government restrictions.

WITH LEICESTER BEING THE HEART OF CULTURE AND DIVERSITY, GUY INFUSES THIS WITHIN HIS VENTURES

Orton’s Brasserie, Cultural Quarter

A quirky restaurant offering classic British dishes with a contemporary twist. Its beautiful setting brings together riveting and unique pieces of artwork adding a special touch to the restaurant’s sleek and clean aesthetic. With a cool and edgy look and with friendly, exceptional services, its vibe is clear – everyone is welcome. ortonsbrasserie.co.uk

The Carington Arms, Melton Mowbray

A family-orientated pub with a huge garden space perfect for large gatherings. The pub is best known for its beautiful meals, providing the perfect vibe for a brunch with family or friends. As well as aesthetically pleasing food, this is a traditional pub with a skittles alley that welcomes wellbehaved dogs. caringtonarms.co.uk

Dewdrop Inn, Hathern

Affectionately known as the ‘Double D’, this is a heritage pub in Hathern, Loughborough that embodies a historic interior. The snug garden room is perfect for spring/summer nights out and despite its recent facelift, Double D is set to remain at the heart of its local community. facebook.com/JimDewdrop NICHE | 87

Curve reopens doors to audiences with special season

Employing ‘hundreds of freelancers’, Curve will put on a variety of performances this season

C

urve theatre will reopen with a special socially distanced season from May 20. The plans have been made possible by a second grant from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Culture Recovery Fund.

Peter Knott, Area Director, Arts Council England said: “This funding will offer this highlyacclaimed theatre the opportunity to plan for the future and prepare for reopening in the coming months. Curve plays a vital role in Leicester, producing and touring bold and diverse musicals and plays, running community choirs and youth programmes.”

The theatre has implemented a number of Covid-safe measures, including a one-way system, increased ventilation, additional cleaning, temperature checks, and allocated entry times.

Curve Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Nikolai Foster said: “We cannot wait to bring our communities, artists and

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audiences together in our specially-adapted socially distanced auditorium. Although we recognise some audiences may be nervous returning to live events, health and safety remains our priority and we have invested significantly in implementing measures to ensure everyone working with us and visiting our theatre is safe.

“We are not only able to make live work once more and employ hundreds of freelancers, we are also able to play an active role in helping our city begin to recover from the impact of Covid.”

By raising the walls between its theatres, Curve will reopen as a 533-seat socially distanced auditorium, with audiences enjoying live performances from all four sides of the stage.

The season will officially launch on May 20 with a Members event, which will also be live-streamed from the theatre for audiences to watch online.

On May 21-22, the theatre will celebrate outstanding local and national artists with a showcase of new work and performances from Curve Associate Artists and Curve Resident Creatives.

From May 24-25, celebrated dancer, choreographer and Curve Associate Artist Aakash Odedra returns to the stage with his performance of Rising. Rising is an unprecedented pairing of world-renowned contemporary choreographers and one of the most talented British South Asian dancers of his generation.

From May 27-29, Katie Lam and Alex Parker’s AMDRAM: A Musical Comedy comes to Curve. The Great Osterley North Amateur Dramatic Society – or

CURVE PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN LEICESTER, PRODUCING AND TOURING BOLD AND DIVERSE MUSICALS AND PLAYS, RUNNING COMMUNITY CHOIRS AND YOUTH PROGRAMMES

GONADS, as they’re known – reign supreme over the village hall. It’s a hilarious new musical about friendship, theatre and community.

The culmination of this season will be The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, featuring music and memories from the extraordinary life and career of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Directed

by Nikolai Foster it will run from June 7-19. Experience a host of iconic characters performing Andrew’s greatest songs from The Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, The School of Rock, Tell Me on a Sunday, Sunset Boulevard, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and more.

The theatre will fully reopen on July 1.

NICHE FEATURE

Around the World

5k challenge Ready to roll? Run? Walk? This charity needs you to help take its campaign around the world WORDS BY KERRY SMITH

You can do the 5k however you want. Cycle it. Run it. Walk it.

JENNY CROSS KEEPING FIT DURING THE LAST LOCKDOWN

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Leicester charity is looking for 8,000 people to join its 5k challenge. Each kilometre combined will match the Earth’s 40,000km circumference, meaning that together, those involved will have taken the challenge around the world.

The Around the World 5k campaign, organised by mental health charity Lamp, aims to promote the positive effects of physical exercise on mental health.

Since March, the charity has been asking for local people to join the challenge, which takes place during Mental Health Awareness week, May 10-16.

People can join in via the free exercise tracking service Strava, by joining the Facebook event, or simply using #lamp5k on their social media posts.

Ironically, the Around the World 5k campaign really has already gone global. So far, Lamp’s Strava group has over 1,200 members from countries all over the world including Kenya, Peru, and the USA. It’s a fun challenge with a serious message behind it. Lamp, which helps people access

mental health services, has reported an upsurge in demand for its helpline, advocacy services, and online resources during Covid-19. The average number of calls to Lamp per month had doubled by October 2020 and the annual target for advocacy support between April 2020 and March 2021 was reached last year months ahead of schedule.

Lamp ambassador Greg Hollingsworth said: “It has been a tough time for many, and we want to raise awareness of the benefits of physical exercise to our mental health. You can do the 5k however you want. Cycle it. Run it.

Walk it. If enough of us complete a 5k in May, we can say together we’ve been around the world.”

Local businesses are already throwing their weight behind the campaign, including lead sponsor Hinckley and Rugby Building Society and event partner Cross Productions.

Hinckley & Rugby Building Society’s Chief Executive, Colin Fyfe, said: “We are proud supporters of Lamp and are delighted to be involved with this event. As a business, we encourage colleagues to

IT HAS BEEN A TOUGH TIME FOR MANY, AND WE WANT TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE TO OUR MENTAL HEALTH

GREG HOLLINGSWORTH AND FRIEND PETE MARTIN AFTER AN 8k RUN

take their own wellbeing and mental health seriously and are committed to providing support when it is needed.”

Jenny Cross, CEO of Cross Productions, commented: “The mental health of our employees is so important. We have a number of processes in place to help support each member of the team and are always on the lookout for anything more we can do. We are particularly proud to have become an event partner of this wonderful challenge and hope that together we can help make a change.”

Those who are unable to take part in the challenge can donate £5 for 5k at lampadvocacy.co.uk/ donate.

Download a fundraising pack at lampadvocacy.co.uk/ lamp5k, and buy an official Around the World 5k T-shirt at thefunkacademy.co.

If you are a local business looking to support a charity, whether it be selecting Lamp as your charity of the year, joining the Lamp Business Club, or looking at mental health first aid training, get in touch with Lamp on 0116 255 6286.

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‘Two Paces Back’ A charity fundraising song and music video has been released in light of the recent death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh WORDS BY KERRY SMITH

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song and music video is out now celebrating the late Duke of Edinburgh’s life while raising money for The Silver Line, a free and confidential national helpline for older people, in light of the struggles faced in the pandemic.

Writer and performer Henry Dawe, of Uppingham, Rutland, who worked for the Royal Household between 2007 and 2012, has written the lyrics and sung the vocals to the piece, entitled Two Paces Back. The title is intended as a reflection of the unwavering support which The Duke of Edinburgh gave to The Queen for so long.

The national release has more local roots, with instrumentalist Andy Robertson from Wigston performing on the track.

Henry had been working on the song for many months before the news of Prince Philip’s passing in April. It was originally written to celebrate his 100th birthday on June 10, but was later adapted.

“I was extremely distressed at the news. It was a huge announcement and momentous loss. I’d also spent a lot of time and energy on the song, having footage licenced to me.

I really thought it would all come to nothing and The Silver Line would never benefit from it. The work had to be salvaged.

“The composer, Chris Fish, and I felt the tune was upbeat, but because of the nature of the man we’re talking about, we decided to keep it. I adapted the lyrics from a birthday song to one celebrating His Royal Highness’s life more broadly.

“We would be thrilled if the project could make a difference to The Silver Line and to the people whom it helps, while serving as a tribute to the longest-serving consort in the history of the British monarchy.”

Listen and donate to The Silver Line now at henrydawe. co.uk/two-paces-back. To donate via cheque, please include a note that it is in response to the Two Paces Back project, payable to The Silver Line, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9NA.

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Charity number 1091480

Changing lives in Leicester & Leicestershire Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL) is a charity that has been helping local people to change their lives for the better for over 50 years.  Supporting local charities by providing advice, training and resources  Promoting volunteering across the city and county  Helping people find work through our YES and GREAT projects  Supporting people with learning disabilities to live fulfilling lives  Low-cost office space for local businesses and charities

valonline.org.uk helpline@valonline.org.uk 0116 257 5050

If you’d like to help VAL improve the lives of local people, get in touch with us today

School Uniform Project Providing vouchers to families struggling to make ends meet to buy school uniform.

The project supports children from families facing financial hardship by making sure they have a new, correctly fitting school uniform and shoes.

Old or ill-fitting clothes can be damaging to self-esteem and confidence, resulting in a negative effect on their potential to learn and thrive. Could you donate £25?

£25

can dress a child head to toe in their required uniform.

Donate Today Head to zinthiyatrust.org to get involved

Registered charity. Charity No: 1137350

0116 254 5168 | zinthiyatrust.org

Safe and creative spaces at

Keeping their eye on the ball throughout lockdown, SoundCafe brought back their football sessions in April

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ootball health and wellbeing sessions delivered by SoundCafe are now back following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

The first sessions have been taking place in small groups since April 13 at the usual location of St Margaret’s Pastures. With expert training from the Leicester City in the Community coaches, the SoundCafe team says they are delighted to be adding value to their guests’ experience.

The group puts on fun football training sessions led by professional football coaches every Tuesday from 11am to 1pm. The sessions are open to adults of all abilities who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

SoundCafe provides safe, creative spaces for people who are homeless, or are at risk of being homelessness, are socially isolated, or living in vulnerable housing in Leicester and Leicestershire, to enable them to explore their own creativity. The organisation welcomes guests of all faiths.

As summer approaches, the team is considering how the SoundCafe will operate in the future.

SoundCafe Director Rachel Griffiths said: “We are hugely excited to welcome our guests back in person when it is safe to do so, but we know that we will be a very different organisation from one year ago.

“We have adapted and changed to keep our guests engaged and safe. If you would like to help us write the next chapter of the SoundCafe story, we’d love to hear from you.”

If SoundCafe’s Football health and wellbeing sessions are something you’d like to get involved in, or you have any ideas to help the charity, contact Director Rachel Griffiths on 07767 350116 or rachel@soundcafe.org.uk. Find out more at soundcafe.org.uk.

The secret to a long life is family and…Guinness?

A resident living at a Hinckley care home reveals the secret to living a long life as she celebrates her 90th birthday

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oyce Hall has been living at The Ashton, which provides residential, nursing, dementia and respite care in John Street, since last spring.

Joyce was born in Birmingham and is a proud ‘Brummie’. She enjoyed her landmark 90th birthday at the home with a fun meal with other residents in a socially distanced environment.

When asked what the secret

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ingredient was to living a long life, Joyce said: “Enjoy life, enjoy your family and a tipple of Guinness once in a while!”

Joyce was eight when the Second World War started in 1939 and remembers feeling scared. She said: “I remember the war and felt worried most of the time due to the bombings, but I always felt safe with my family in the shelter.”

Her daughter, Georgina, discovered The Ashton, which has a 9.5 rating on care home review website carehome. co.uk. Joyce moved in before the coronavirus outbreak.

“I have a great relationship with carers and all staff members,” said Joyce. “I enjoy living here with lovely people looking after me, plenty of delicious food and home-made cake,

coffee club, singing, bingo, music and just having friends to chat to – it’s great.”

Since March 8, residents at The Ashton have been allowed one indoor visitor as part of a cautious easing of the UK lockdown following public health guidelines. Visitors are required to take a lateral flow test before entry and must wear PPE. The Ashton also still offers the Covidsecure visiting room for designated visitors.

Joyce, who has received both doses of the Covid vaccine, added: “I have missed close contact with my family but I’m glad to be able to see visitors now.”

For more information, contact The Ashton on 01455 233350, email reception@ashtoncarehome.co.uk, or visit ashtoncarehome.com.

NICHE FEATURE

Zinthiya Trust:

Get involved The Zinthiya Trust works to support women and families from disadvantaged backgrounds to be free from abuse and poverty in a variety of ways. Here, we take a look at just some of the projects you can get involved in to support the incredible work that they do WORDS BY ISATOU NDURE

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inthiya Ganeshpanchan is truly a wonder in the Leicestershire business and charity community. She is the founder of Zinthiya Trust and She Inspires Global.

The Leicestershire based Zinthiya Trust is a charity that supports women and families from disadvantaged backgrounds and prevents violence against women and girls (VAWG). They’ve helped thousands through a range of services including advice and support for women facing abuse, financial and debt advice, and practical assistance such as school uniform donations, food vouchers, and baby products.

Here are a few of the projects you can get involved in today to support the Zinthiya Trust in carrying out the work they do to help our community.

THE COMMUNITY SHOP

The Community Shop, which sells food, household essentials, and sanitary items at low cost, is amongst Zinthiya’s entrepreneurship projects. The shop is open to anyone through a membership scheme. All profits

generated are re-invested into the project to support those facing poverty.

GENDER EQUALITY TRAINING

The Zinthiya Trust also centres on involving men and boys for gender equality by working with businesses to improve their commitment to gender equality and diversity in the workplace. The trust also works with employers to improve their understanding of how to support those in their workforce who are facing domestic and other forms of abuse. If you believe your company would benefit from this, email zinthiya.trust@gmail.com or call 0116 251 5168.

THE CHAPEL CAFÉ

The warm and inviting Chapel Café, run in partnership by local charities The Zinthiya Trust and Bishop Street Methodist Church, was created in 2013 to assist young people and those with disabilities to boost skills and move them into employment or education. The café helped many youngsters achieve work

THEY’VE HELPED THOUSANDS THROUGH A RANGE OF SERVICES

placements, apprenticeships, and paid work and has doubled into a hub for locals to use as a meeting space for music shows, exhibitions, and fundraisers.

Income made by the Chapel Café has supported those struggling during lockdown in Leicester.

Visit the café yourself in June, Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 3pm.

SHE INSPIRES HUB

The She Inspires Enterprise and Community Hub is based in Bishop Street. Opening in mid-June, the hub will provide a wide range of support services to women-led businesses including training, coaching, mentoring, meeting room space, shared working space, and a plethora of other services, empowering women with the advice, support and space to help start and grow their business right here in our city. Zinthiya said: “I am so excited that we have our space ready to open after the lockdown has eased. We have a variety of support services planned to support local women.”

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Grassroots mental health

Mental health was a top-ranking topic for young people in the evaluation of data from 2020

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n 2017, one in nine children aged five to 16 years were identified as having a probable mental disorder. In 2020, however, the rate has increased to one in every six.

Leicester charity Focus has been providing vital support services to young people for years; now though, their work will be more important than ever. Their Wooden Spoon project at Rowlatts Hill Allotment is pioneering in its approach, providing an outdoor space for young people to work in nature, out in the fresh air with supportive and trained youth staff.

“We set out to put young people at the core and this could address deeplying sensitive issues like mental health

with an approach that was grassroots,” Gavan Wilmot, Director of Focus told us. “The physical and stimulating activities help the participants feel challenged, but within an informal and calming setting.

“Young people are visibly and emotionally more relaxed and are where they feel they have trust and positive support from adult staff and volunteers.”

Of course, much of this important work had to be revised to maintain Covid-19 safety, with the team having worked hard since November 2020 to legally provide critical support to young people.

“Working in small bubbles has

helped adults spend more valuable time and effort working with young people to explore their needs and developments. Young people regularly report how much they enjoy being on site, working the land and doing various maintenance tasks. They have managed to bring the site back to life.”

With help from local businesses, Focus has been able to create a space which is constantly in development with a new fire pit, a lovely pergola, fully accessible paved path, ceiling panels and flooring in the purpose built cabin.

For more information, to volunteer, or if you have a business and want to support Focus, call 0116 251 0369 or email admin@focus-charity.co.uk.

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NICHE FEATURE

Annual Fundraising Survey Local charities and social enterprises report reflects effects of pandemic

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hile all the talk at a national level has been about seismic falls in Third Sector income due to coronavirus (The National Council for Voluntary Organisations estimates the sector stands to lose £12bn in total), the outcome of the inaugural Fundraising Survey launched by Think Funding in January paints a slightly different picture for Leicestershire and Rutland.

More than 50 charities and social enterprises responded to the online survey, and together

had a total income in 2019/20 of £30m. Forecast income for 2020/21 was just 5% lower at £29m, albeit 35% of respondents were not confident about their projected figures for the year, and a further 27% said they would not reach their goal.

Underlying the top line figures there are a number of worrying signs, however, which suggest Covid-19’s negative financial impact locally might come in 2021/22. Of those surveyed,

87% said they had secured some form of short term support to help keep them afloat, and pre-Covid, 57% stated their fundraising strategies had only been partially effective. Add to this the fact that only 24% said they have a fundraising plan, and it’s easy to see that troubled times could be just around the corner.

Founded by Chris Shaw in 2002, Think Funding provides strategy, business planning and fundraising support for Third Sector organisations.

To obtain a copy of Is It As Bad As It Seems? Think Funding’s Fundraising Survey Report, visit think-funding.co.uk.

CROSS PRODUCTIONS

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pril 2021 saw the Cross team celebrate eight years since Cross Productions Ltd and it’s bimonthly Leicester and Leicestershire publication Niche Magazine was born. To celebrate, we gathered at Cross Productions HQ – in social distancing style of course – to reminisce, eat delicious food and celebrate the journey so far.

Things got ever so slightly emotional in parts as CEO Jenny Cross made a speech, she said: “I can’t believe it’s been eight years. It hasn’t been easy, especially at the start. There has been plenty of blood, sweat and tears along the way but we have never lost our passion for the company or our drive in creating a company with integrity.

“This last year in particular has been challenging, but it’s also been a time for growth for our company, which is testament to how we have been adaptable and innovative. I couldn’t be prouder of where we are today and more thankful to you, my team, for your continued hard work and commitment to what we do.”

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I can’t believe it’s been eight years

NICHE FEATURE

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