Surrey Business Magazine - issue 18

SURREY

BUSINESS THE OFFICIAL SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE

ISSUE 18 SEPTEMBER 2019

Woking means business preview

DECLINE OF THE HIGH STREET

ARE WE ALL TO BLAME?

URSULA von der LEYEN

TAKING FLIGHT Gatwick’s plans for the future FINDING WINTER SUN with Go Bespoke

Ursula’s Army Will the new head of the European Commission create a Euro army?

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CONTENTS 7

THE CHIEF EXEC Louise Punter’s monthly roundup within the Surrey Chambers of Commerce

9

THE PRESIDENT President Steve Coburn on the real meaning behind running a business

10

NEWS The latest from the chambers and the Surrey business scene

34-42

HEALTH & WELLBEING Improving mental and physical wellbeing in the workplace, with contributions from ViiSana, Posturite, Hurst College and Foxhills

59

SURREY POLICE Tackling the problems associated with drug gangs

61

GROW YOUR BUSINESS A look ahead at the trade show taking place this month at Epsom Downs

44

SURREY BUSINESS SCHOOL Executive MBAs at the University of Surrey

15 16

HAINES WATTS Protecting your family wealth

DMH STALLARD Their role in helping Horsham FC acquire their new home

46

ANEELA ROSE Interview with the PR guru – and World Powerlifting Champion

18

NATWEST The latest survey of business confidence.

20

HERRINGTON CARMICHAEL Make yourself IR35 Off-Payroll ready

62-69

TRAVEL Find the best places to soak up winter sun courtesy of the experts at Go Bespoke Travel. Plus Gatwick Airport has announced its masterplan for future growth

22

HART BROWN Who is to blame for the decline of the High Street?

24 25

WESTERN UNION Managing currency risk

26

KEN BLANCHARD Steps to building an effective

28

CLEANKILL Flies, damn flies!

NEW MEMBERS Welcome to the Chambers’ new members

team

30

THE BIG STORY Ian Trevett profiles the incoming President of the European Commission, Urusla von der Leyen

50-58

CHRISTMAS PARTY VENUES Showcasing the best spots around Surrey to host your work’s Christmas do

70-73

MOTORING Maarten Hoffmann takes a look at the Amorak Pick-up and the Audi Q3

76-82

SURREY CHAMBERS Events at the Chambers of Commerce across Surrey, how to sponsor a Chambers event, SC Golf Society, and why you should join the Chambers, plus we look ahead to next month’s ‘Woking Means Business’.

SURREY BUSINESS

5

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A WORD FROM THE CEO

Your Chamber – working for you

W

e have been receiving many responses to our survey on what kind of events businesses would like to see in 2020, and there is a great deal of interest in specialist forums which provide updates and opportunities to share best practice. We already have some of these planned for 2019 so we encourage businesses to come along and share experiences with their peers. During September, a particularly busy month, our events include a Corporate Social Responsibility Forum, an Apprenticeship Forum, exhibiting at the Grow your business Show in Epsom as well as a mixture of networking and training.

The UK Economy

The latest UK figures suggest that the UK economy hit the buffers in the second quarter of 2019. We’re seeing the unwinding of heightened levels of stockpiling, growing anxiety over the prospect of a no deal Brexit and moderating global growth having an increasingly chilling effect on economic activity. The marked contraction in manufacturing production is disappointing, but unsurprising, given the current downward pressure on activity in the sector from the running down of excess inventories, weakening automotive production and tougher global trading conditions.

firmation that it remains a weak point for the UK economy.

Anaemic investment limits innovation and productivity, stifling the UK’s growth prospects. Unless decisive action is taken, it is increasingly likely that the factors that drove the contraction in the second quarter will continue to weigh on the UK’s growth trajectory over the near term.

A messy and disorderly exit from the EU would considerably increase the probability of an economic downturn, particularly if global conditions continue to moderate. We are talking directly to the government about the importance of avoiding a no deal on October 31st but in the meantime we are also putting plans in place to support businesses in the event of a no deal.

Surrey Business Awards

On a positive note we have nearly reached the deadline for entries into the Surrey Business Awards and we are really looking forward to recognising the excellence of many Surrey Companies. There are several categories so I would urge everyone to share their story with us so that we can celebrate their success. In spite of National figures showing a slow-down in the economy we know, at the Chamber, that many businesses are still forging ahead with great results.

Surrey Chambers of Commerce can be reached on 01483 735540, info@surrey-chambers.co.uk, @surreychambers

Louise Punter

The slowdown in services output in the quarter is a worry given the sector’s significant share of total UK economic output. The decline in business investment is further con-

CEO Surrey Chamber of Commerce

THE TEAM Maarten Hoffmann – Director

maarten@platinumpublishing.co.uk 07966 244046

Molly Enser Chamber Editor

Lesley Alcock Comercial Director

Fiona Graves Events Director

Danielle Mason Sales Executive

Kate Morton Copy Editor

www.platinumpublishing.co.uk www.surrey-chambers.co.uk If you have a news story for publication, email molly.enser@surrey-chambers.co.uk For Surrey Business Awards enquiries email fiona@platinumpublishing.co.uk Ian Trevett – Director

ian@platinumpublishing.co.uk 07989 970804

Alan Wares Head of Design

Lydia Bunyard Events Executive

Hanna Nicholson Travel Editor

Steve Elford Head of Web Development

For editorial and advertising enquiries email danielle@platinumpublishing.co.uk

SURREY BUSINESS

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ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

A DECADE OF PERFECTION

Celebrating ten years in business for telemarketing agency, Perfect Pitch

S

urrey-based company Perfect Pitch celebrate their tenth birthday this month, and Surrey Chambers of Commerce caught up with them to see how Managing Director, Nigel Blake, and other members of the team were feeling about this big milestone, and how they are looking forward to ten more years working with the company.

Nigel Blake started the business because, as a buyer of telemarketing services, he could not find the quality of service he was looking for. Looking back over the ten years Nigel said: “It’s been a rollercoaster. Ten years ago I said to myself be patient, be flexible, and have courage in my convictions and I wouldn’t change a thing!

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“Being part of the Chamber network has been incredibly useful for the team, it’s helped in so many ways having access to a business network, marketing, business support and sometimes a shoulder to cry on.”

Members of the Perfect Pitch team are delighted to be working for such an inclusive business. John Gallacher, Telemarketing Director, has been working for them for eight years and loves how the team are a mixture of creatives and professionals. He said: “It's enjoyable uncovering the things we all have in common, there always seems to be one thing that connects everyone.”

One thing that many of the staff mem-

bers talk about is the ‘family feel’ in the office and from the company as a whole. Mike Goodwin, Operations Manager, described the business as a “Family atmosphere coming from the top down”, whilst Steph Napier, Outbound Marketing Manager, said the brilliance lies in the “family feel. It may sound cheesy, but I respect everyone I work with both personally and professionally. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for Perfect Pitch!”

At Surrey Chambers we would like to say a HUGE congratulations to Perfect Pitch and wish them a Happy Birthday from the whole Chamber Network.

www.ppitch.co.uk

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

THE PRESIDENT’S VIEW

FINGERPRINT RESETTING YOUR

© Paul Judd Food

by Steve Coburn

I

t’s been a busy summer in the news, hasn’t it? But, putting all the political stories to one side, there’s been quite a few stories about fines being issued for information security breaches.

dress so that she could work from home. That sounds like something lots of employees might do, if we don’t allow them to have access to their emails from home.

Then there was an £80,000 fine for a small company who had suffered 18,610 customers’ personal data being exposed – all due to inadequate security measures in their IT Infrastructure.

It’s the Marriott Hotels fines that make all the headlines. After all, a £100 million fine is somewhat newsworthy! But some of these larger firms are able to absorb such fines. Just look at what Facebook and Google have had to pay out before – and yet they are still going strong.

There’s a fine of £120,000 for an SME for sending Direct Marketing emails without the recipient’s consent.

Yet for the smaller companies, an £80,000 fine won’t go making the BBC News at Ten. However, I’m not aware of too many micro-businesses that could happily absorb an £80,000 fine from the ICO. A look at the ICO website will reveal some interesting fines and enforcements that we should all be aware of.

But the problem with receiving an SAR is that criminals are using this as a way of obtaining personal information to use in Identity Fraud. Why go to the trouble of trying to hack an organisation, when all you need to do is create a GoogleMail account that resembles an individual’s name, and then email a Subject Access Request on their behalf.

For example, there was a recent fine issued to a Doctor for sending patient information to her personal email ad-

And an Enforcement Notice for a very small company, employing just one person, who failed to respond to a SAR (Subject Access Request) in time.

A BBC journalist recently tried this on a number of organisations and over 25%

of them freely provided information without carrying out any basic checks to see if the request was genuine.

But one of the most thought-provoking incidents this summer was the exposure of more than a million fingerprints and other biometric data in the Biostar-2 breach.

Thousands of companies worldwide use the Biostar-2 service – including the Metropolitan Police. Data that was exposed in the breach includes the usual names, addresses, passwords and financial data, but also includes facial-recognition and fingerprint data.

What happens if your biometric data is leaked? How do you ‘reset your fingerprint’? Once that data has been exposed, then what? It will be interesting what fine the ICO issue on Suprema (the firm that offers the Biostar-2 service). I’ll be keeping an eye out for that one.

And, as a final example, it would appear that no-one is immune from the ICO… they have even issued the HMRC with an Enforcement Notice for not obtaining the correct consents before emailing people!

SURREY BUSINESS

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CHAMBERS

news

The Spirit of Shakespeare S

pirit of Youth, the intergenerational drama project from Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC), is uniting local schoolchildren and care home residents to create their own version of a Shakespeare play.

again,” says Heather de-Ninis, Home Manager of Queen Elizabeth Park care home. “The benefits of the interaction between the elderly and the children

are considerable, not least the wonderful relationships that developed between the different generations as a result of the project”.

Spirit of Youth first began last year when children from Weyfield Primary Academy began working with residents of the Queen Elizabeth Park Care Home in Guildford. Over two terms, the group created their own magical versions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo & Juliet, which were performed in the care home to friends and family. The programme has now returned to explore Shakespeare’s magical classic, The Tempest.

“We are all delighted to be part of the Spirit of Youth programme once

Fashion brand teams up with Surrey charity P hyllis Tuckwell has teamed up with fashion retailer New Look to offer Fleet shoppers an extra big thank you for helping the charity.

New Look is launching a new customer discount initiative to support

hospice care by encouraging more people to donate goods to local hospice shops, and Phyllis Tuckwell’s shop in Fleet is one of those chosen to pilot the scheme until September 14th.

The high street store will be offering a 20% discount voucher to anyone who drops in a full bag of donations at the Phyllis Tuckwell shop on 279 Fleet Road, Fleet. Under the scheme, running in partnership with national charity Hospice UK, donors will receive a voucher which they will be able to spend at New Look’s store in Fleet, which is only a short walk from the Phyllis Tuckwell shop.

“We are really excited to announce this fantastic offer to our supporters, and would like to thank New Look for supporting local hospice care so generously,” said Barry Young, Retail Operations Manager at Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care.

The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.

BUSINESS WISDOM

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SURREY BUSINESS

Going Smart for new and learner drivers

S

peedSmart was launched earlier this year to help educate new and learner drivers and make roads safer. They run a two-hour classroom-based course in schools and sixth form colleges across Surrey and the rest of the country.

as a result of car accidents and this was the initial inspiration for Oliver to found SpeedSmart. The SpeedSmart course is ROSPA accredited and supported by Brake and Roadpeace who are national road safety charities.

It has been specifically designed for 17 and 18 year olds who are the drivers most at risk of being involved in an accident. It was founded by Oliver Carpenter, who after suffering a spinal cord injury whilst working in NYC, returned to Surrey and came across many young people in rehab who had also suffered spinal cord injuries. A lot of these young people were in rehab

Whilst attaining a driver’s license is a major event in a young person’s life, it comes with a great amount of risk and responsibility. SpeedSmart helps to educate these young drivers to make roads safer and prevent road accidents and deaths. They are currently expanding and working with more and more schools to educate a greater amount of young drivers.

Health company awarded London procurement place

K

ML Occupational Health are delighted to be awarded a place on the London Universities Procurement Consortium (LUPC) Framework for Occupational Health and Wellbeing for Students and Staff.

Along with five others, KML Occupational Health were awarded a place to provide Occupational Health Services to LUPC’s many members which include further education establishments and other not-for-profit organisations including art galleries and museums. KML Business & Operations Manager Adam Hodkinson said: ‘We are delighted to have been awarded a place on this Framework Agreement, and will work hard to deliver our Occupational Health services to their members across the term of the contract.’

Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.

BUSINESS WISDOM

Are you Brexit ready?

by Gary Hayes, International Trade Manager at Surrey Chambers

W

ith Boris Johnson’s government making its default position of a no-deal Brexit clear, and with less than 10 weeks until the UK leaves the EU on October 31st, it is imperative that businesses that have done little or no preparation begin to review their position and plan for any potential issues that may occur from November 1st.

I was pleased to hear about some of the work that the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Department of International Trade (DIT) and the Department of Exiting the EU (DExEU) are doing to

support no-deal preparations.

to the relevant government notices.

Surrey Chambers of Commerce have been working collaboratively with the British Chambers of Commerce and other partners, to be able to provide informative Brexit support and guidance to the Surrey business community.

The government have also released a useful Triage Tool (https://www. gov.uk /business- uk- leaving - eu) that quickly highlights the relevant technical and guidance notices that your business needs to review.

Our Brexit Risk Register and Brexit Checklist, both which can be downloaded from our Brexit Hub on the Surrey Chambers website, highlights key questions that businesses should be asking as well as providing useful information and links

Our team stands ready to support your business through these challenging times so if you have any questions, require advice or want to make us aware of issues that are facing your business, please contact: gary.hayes@surrey-chambers. co.uk

SURREY BUSINESS

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NATIONAL

news

Google Images lack women CEOs

A

ccording to statistics from the International Labour Organisation, women represent an average of 31.3% of the world’s senior business leaders, however just 11.9% of Google Image results for the search ‘CEO’ were of women.

Analysis conducted by Creditsafe looked at the top 25 Google Image results for the search term ‘CEO’ in

15 countries to see how many times women were shown. With 34% of the UK’s business leaders being female, just 19% of its search results showcased women; Canada had the highest percentage of women in their results, whilst Colombia, Russia, Norway, Mexico and Japan were the only countries to have no female representation in the search results.

Business owners on brink of burnout

T

housands of SME owners are heading towards burnout, with some going without a holiday for as long as five years, according to figures released by Simply Business, one of the UK’s largest providers of SME insurance. Money is the number one worry with 62% admitting

that potential loss of earnings is the main issue that prevents them from taking time off work. 35% estimated that taking a holiday costs them at least £2,500 in lost earnings, while 8% estimate they’re losing out on a whopping £5,000 or more for every holiday they take.

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.

BUSINESS WISDOM

The gig economy is booming in Britain

B

ritain is the second most lucrative country in the world for the gig economy, having doubled from 2.3m workers to 4.7m since 2016.

According to a report, the UK has seen a 59% increase in freelance revenues in the past year, and with this expansion comes the advent of services specifically designed for freelancers, including banks

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that have specific accounts to help freelancers, and a sharp increase in co-working office spaces. Nick Woodward, CEO of ETZ Payments, said: “The gig economy is growing exponentially and is likely to continue with more highly skilled workers opting to work in a freelance capacity to earn more money and achieve a better work/life balance.”

UK favourite to host UN summit

A

major United Nations climate change summit will take place in Glasgow if a bid to attract the event to the UK is successful. The UK and Italy have lodged a joint bid to host the 26th Conference of the Parties, known as COP26. While Turkey is still in the running for the event, the UK is now seen as the clear favourite. If the bid is successful, the event would take place at Glasgow’s Scottish Events Campus (SEC) at the end of 2020. A decision on the location for the UN conference, which has been described as the most important gathering on climate change since the Paris agreement was signed in 2015, is expected later this year.

Empowered or discouraged?

C

ontrary to headline news on women in the workplace, a new survey conducted by theknowledgeacademy. com has found that over half of women feel empowered in the workplace.

Results showed that 59% of respondents are offered training, while a further 65% are encouraged to attend training.

69% of women said their manager does provide the resources needed to succeed and 77% said their manager helps them to balance their work and personal demands. However, the findings also showed that 69% of women have been addressed in a less than professional way at work, and 77% feel they have had to prove their ability in the workplace.

Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.

BUSINESS WISDOM

Sports empire becomes a Jack of all trades

S

ports Direct has won the bidding war for Jack Wills, adding yet another brand to Mike Ashley’s high street empire. Advisers at KPMG said Jack Wills had been put into administration and was immediately sold to Sports Direct in a process known as a pre-pack

administration. The sale, for which Sports Direct paid £12.75m, includes all 100 UK and Ireland stores and stock, as well as a distribution centre, along with all employees.

Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.

Eating their way to the street

R

estaurants are eating into the nation’s high streets according to new research from Direct Line for Business.

Shops are increasingly being replaced by restaurants and takeaways with retail outlets accounting for just a quarter of high street premises. Despite the difficulties suffered by many high profile restaurant chains in recent months, demand remains high for these premises.

London, home to approximately 1,200 high streets, saw the highest number of applications for the change of use of business premises.

BUSINESS WISDOM

Apple takes next big bite

A

pple’s latest creation has officially arrived. Their new titanium credit card, created with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard, is designed to work with your iPhone’s wallet and promises no

late fees, annual fees or over-the-limit fees. They say it’s the “only credit card designed to take advantage of the power of iPhone.”

Robots the future of the NHS

T

he NHS in England is setting up a national artificial intelligence laboratory to enhance the care of patients and research. The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, said AI had “enormous power” to improve care, save lives and ensure doctors had more time to spend with patients. He has announced £250m will be spent

on boosting the role of AI within the health service. Clinical trials have proven AIs are as good as leading doctors at spotting lung cancer, skin cancer, and more than 50 eye conditions from scans. This has the potential to let doctors focus on the most urgent cases and rule out those that do not need treatment.

Scots on a quest to protect their produce

S

cotch whisky and salmon must have the same protections after Brexit even if the UK leaves without a deal, Scotland’s Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing has said. In a letter to his UK Government counterpart Theresa Villiers, Ewing called for “iconic” Scottish food and drink products to keep their protected status under EU rules. Geographical indications (GIs) are used to protect food and drink products including Scotch whisky, Scottish-farmed salmon and Ayrshire Earlies potatoes.

The Scottish Government said it is worried about guidance from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which it claims contradicts UK Government assurances about GIs once we leave the EU.

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.

BUSINESS WISDOM

SURREY BUSINESS

13

news

LOCAL

A decade of global excellence

I

n its ten years of business, Epsomheadquartered financial planning firm bdhSterling has evolved into an international financial advice company with offices on both sides of the globe. bdhSterling provides independent financial planning to local clients in the UK, clients living in Australia, and those wishing to migrate between

Space savers T

he national SPRINT (SPace Research and Innovation Network for Technology) programme has signed a partnership agreement with the FAIR-SPACE Hub, a national centre of research excellence in space robotics and AI, based at the University of Surrey. The partnership will provide UK businesses in space, robotics and AI sectors access to funding and expertise from a network of universities and industry partners.

the two countries. They are experts in a range of financial planning services from investment to retirement and pension planning. Set up in 2009 by friends Simon Harvey and Paul Davies, the firm celebrates its tenth year with a worldwide revenue of over £4.5m with 27 employees in their UK office and 26 in their three Australian offices.

Ross Burgon, head of the national SPRINT programme, said: “SPRINT is helping UK small-to-medium sized businesses to develop products and bring them to commercial markets, based on the space expertise, facilities and technologies of our partner universities.”

High flying foodies A Surrey firm has teamed up with food delivery service Deliveroo to offer dining experiences in the air. Charter-A Ltd in Redhill is providing and piloting the Augusta AW109 helicopter which has been fully wrapped in Deliveroo’s teal-coloured branding and transformed into Roocopter One. Launched at the beginning of last month, the first day of flights sold out in just a few hours.

Mark Zaiger, Charter-A Ltd’s owner, said: “We can now add Deliveroo to a strong list of successful corporate partnerships that also includes Nike and the National Lottery.” Dates and prices for future Deliveroo flights are yet to be announced.

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Councils left baffled

by Brexit briefing

S

urrey councils are still confused about what a no-deal Brexit might mean for them despite receiving a briefing from ministers. Council leaders were told during the telephone briefing last month from local government secretary Robert Jenrick, that they would receive £20 million to support Brexit preparations. Split between the 350 local authorities in England this amounts to less than £60,000 each.

They were also told to ‘look out’ for opportunities from a no-deal Brexit, but not told what those opportunities might be or what the likely impact of leaving the EU without a deal might be, according to Waverley Borough Council’s deputy leader, Liberal Democrat Paul Follows. In a post on his Facebook page, Cllr Follows said; “the briefing had shown the government assuming that a no-deal Brexit would lead to financial hardship, severe trade disruption, business disruption and economic shock.”

FINANCE

PROTECTING YOUR FAMILY WEALTH: THE RISE OF FICS Understanding the use of Family Investment Companies by Dan Morgan, Managing Partner, Haines Watts Esher

F

or many business owners, securing wealth for the next generation is of paramount importance. Doing so in the most tax-efficient manner and in a way that it enables you to maintain control over your assets is also vital.

For many years trusts were the preferred means of securing wealth and reducing Inheritance Tax in the long term. However, years of changes to the tax regime have made trusts less appealing as a succession-planning tool.

So what is the alternative?

Introducing the Family Investment Company (FIC). Simply put, a FIC is a private company in which the shareholders are family members across different generations. The makeup of a Family Investment Company differs vastly from situation to situation and there are numerous variations in the structure, ownership and assets within FICS – which is part of the appeal.

How do FICS work?

In broad terms, a limited company is set up and incorporated with several different classes of shares to enable flexibility over the payment of dividends. Shares can be subscribed for or gifted to different family members.

Key tax benefits of FICs • There are no upfront Inheritance Tax

charges on funding the FIC and giving family members shares • UK and most non-UK dividends received by the FIC are exempt from tax, as opposed to being taxed at up to 38.1% - the top rate of Income Tax on dividends for an individual • Income earned in the FIC is subject to Corporation Tax at 19% as opposed to being taxed personally at up to 45%

can be set up as a shareholder to hold shares for these individuals – thus providing additional protection against the impact of divorce or family disputes.

• Using growth shares in an FIC can also serve as an incentive for family members who are active in the business, to secure support for the longterm growth plans of the owner.

• FICs can be used to remove excess cash from trading FICS AREN’T HOWEVER JUST ABOUT TAX companies and there are circumstances in PLANNING; CENTRAL TO THEIR APPEAL IS which FICS are being THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE CONTROL OVER THE used to hold rental or investment properties FAMILY’S WEALTH IN THE FUTURE – these are complex • Capital gains in a FIC are subject to areas of planning with many factors Corporation Tax as opposed to Capito consider, but they can be effective tal Gains tax depending on your long-term objec• Dividends and salaries can be paid tives. to the various shareholders to enable use of their personal allowances and Family Investment Companies offer basic rate bands flexibility and can be personalised to • While the initial value of cash or asyour specific circumstances. They can sets in the FIC will be subject to IHT be a valuable tool for facilitating wealth in the estates of those who set up the and estate planning while enabling the FIC, it does provide protection for the founders to exercise control over that growth in value of those assets wealth. However, the bespoke nature of FICs means they are complex and planFICs aren’t however just about tax ning should be done with experts who planning; central to their appeal is the have experience in this field. ability to provide control over the family’s wealth in the future.

Additional benefits of FICs: • Any shareholder can be a director in an FIC but in most cases, the directors are the individuals who provide the FICs working capital – and the structure enables them to retain total control over investment decisions.

• Where there are very young family members or family members in unstable circumstances, a family trust

Haines Watts Surrey offices are in Esher and Godalming. Visit www.hwca. com/accountants-esher

SURREY BUSINESS

15

LEGAL

BRINGING THE HORNETS HOME

Approved planning permission for a new home for Horsham FC was a dream come true thanks to Guildford-based DMH Stallard’s planning consultancy team who set out an inspiring vision for the team’s future Background

Horsham Football Club start the new season on the most momentous high in their 138-year history after moving into a fantastic new stadium complete with stunning new clubhouse and first class 3G pitches.

The club led a nomadic existence for 11 years without a ground of their own and during this time suffered a series of setbacks, on the field and off it.

Here we explain how specialist planning consultants in the Guildford office of leading south east law firm DMH Stallard, played a crucial role in turning around the club’s misfortunes off the pitch and putting it on course for a victory that will resonate with supporters for generations to come.

The search for a new home With dated club facilities in desperate need of investment, Horsham Football Club played their last match at Queen Street in 2008 before the ground was sold for redevelopment.

The club invested the proceeds of the sale into The Holbrook Club – a local sports and social venue – with the intention of making it their new home. However, they were dealt a crushing blow when planning permission for the proposed new stadium was refused.

The decision heralded a turbulent period in The Hornets’ history, as they were forced into a series of ground shares at Worthing, Horsham YMCA and Lancing. HFC were hit by two relegations and dropped into the Sussex County

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Horsham FC playing their first match at the new ground against Crawley Town

League for the first time in 60 years.

The club turned its attention to land adjacent to Horsham Golf & Fitness Club in south Horsham and close to the park and ride facility; this would become fundamental to the travel planning case supporting the new ground. However, in January 2015 the first iteration of plans for the Hop Oast Ground was refused by Horsham District Council.

At this stage and in order to finance the ambitious project, the club entered into an agreement with Reside Developments for much-needed local homes to be built on around a third of land at The Holbrook Club, while retaining and investing in the sports, fitness and social facilities for people to continue to enjoy.

This agreement was dependent on planning permission being granted for the development.

DMH Stallard on the team DMH Stallard’s planning consultancy is one of the largest teams of chartered planning consultants within a law firm anywhere in the UK and comes with a track record of success that very few others in the sector could match - the unique mix of planning consultants and solicitors allows the team to provide a complete service to developers.

Working on behalf of Reside Developments, a Dorking-based company, and hand-in-hand with Horsham Football Club, the award-winning team brought forward modified plans that addressed earlier concerns and set out an inspiring vision for the future of a much-loved community asset, alongside the delivery of 58 new homes.

However, with the project becoming increasingly politicised, considered

BUSINESS SURVEY

Katie Lamb, Director of Planning at DMH Stallard, said: “It’s inspiring to now see this incredible club prosper again in a permanent new home that offers so much to the local community. The benefits of the developments reach far and wide in this part of West Sussex, not least the contribution that 58 new homes, including affordable properties, will make to the local demand for housing.”

Image courtesy of ECE Architecture

John Lines, Chairman of Horsham Football Club, said: “I am very proud to be a small part of bringing the club back home to the town. This is the start of an exciting new era for the club, and to top it all we have stepped up a league after being promoted at the end of last season.”

The housing development was a key part of the proposed plans

dialogue was required with local councillors and other key opinion formers to assure them of the advantages of the new scheme.

This comprehensive programme of consultation with stakeholders, including the local community, underpinned by the consultants’ extensive experience in project managing large scale developments and the most forensic understanding and knowledge of the planning system and related legislation, ensured that when the revised application came before the planning committee in March 2017 it was overwhelmingly approved.

The new ground has been named The Camping World Community Stadium following a multi-year partnership agreement with Camping World, and provides: • A full-size FA grade 3G pitch and a second training pitch, both floodlit • Superb clubhouse facilities including a directors’ boardroom named in honour of Club President Frank King - who sadly passed away just before the opening of the new facility - a bar area and a function hall also for hire • A permanent home for grass roots football in the region

Steve O’Halloran, Land Director at Reside Developments, said: “Having worked alongside the excellent people behind the scenes at Horsham Football Club and seen how passionate and committed they are to their club, I have no doubt that 2019 will come to be seen as watershed in the proud history of the club, with their greatest days yet to come.”

Katie Lamb is Director of Planning at DMH Stallard. Contact her at katie.lamb@dmhstallard.com, or call 03333 231580. dmhstallard.com

SURREY BUSINESS

17

ACTIVITY CONTINUES TO DECLINE IN JULY Drop in output reflects a downturn in business

P

rivate sector output in the South East declined for the second consecutive month in July, according to the latest NatWest PMI® data. This marked the first back-toback contraction in over seven years.

The rate of decline remained only mild, but new business dropped for the third month running and backlogs fell sharply. Subsequently, growth of private sector employment slowed to a marginal pace and the 12-month outlook for business activity weakened from June’s 11-month high.

The headline NatWest South East Business Activity Index – a seasonally ad-

justed index that measures the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – remained below the no-change mark of 50.0 in July and was unchanged from June at 49.7. These were the first back-to-back negative readings since October-November 2011, although signalled only a slight contraction in private sector output. In contrast, the UK as a whole registered a slight rebound in activity during the month.

Business activity was weighed down by a further decline in new work in July. The volume of new business placed with private sector firms

KEY FINDINGS • Second successive drop in business activity, albeit weak • New business declines for third month running • Marginal increase in employment

fell for the third month running, the longest sequence of contraction in a decade. That said, the rate of decline eased since June. Where growth was reported, panellists linked this to new contract wins and foreign sales due to sterling depreciation.

Although new business and output both declined in July, companies continued to expand their workforces. The current sequence of job creation was extended to five months, although the rate of expansion slowed to a marginal pace.

Sustained employment growth combined with falling new orders explained a steeper drop in the volume of outstanding business in July. Backlogs declined at the fastest rate in three years.

Average input prices rose at the fastest rate in three months in July. Although stronger than the long-run survey average, the rate of inflation remained weaker than

THE VOLUME OF NEW BUSINESS PLACED WITH PRIVATE SECTOR FIRMS FELL FOR THE THIRD MONTH RUNNING

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SURREY SURREYBUSINESS BUSINESS

Demand Business activity was weighed down by a further decline in new work in July. The volume of new business placed with private sector firms fell for the third month running, the longest sequence of contraction in a decade.

That said, the rate of decline eased since June.

Where growth was reported, panellists linked this to new contract wins and foreign sales due to sterling depreciation.

in three years.

BUSINESS SURVEY

Outlook

Private sector companies remained confident of growth of output over the next 12 months.

That said, the strength of sentiment eased from June's 11-month high to the weakest since April. A number of firms highlighted Brexit uncertainty as a key factor weighing on sentiment.

South East Business Activity Index sa, >50 = growth since previous month

70 60 50 40 30 '97

'99

'01

'03

ALTHOUGH NEW BUSINESS AND OUTPUT BOTH DECLINED IN JULY, COMPANIES CONTINUED TO EXPAND THEIR WORKFORCES

the trend shown over 2017, 2018 and the start of 2019.

With new business continuing to fall, private sector firms faced increasing pressure to price their goods and services competitively. Output charges rose since June, but at the slowest rate in three years.

Private sector companies remained confident of growth of output over the next 12 months. That said, the strength of sentiment eased from June’s 11-month high to the weakest since April. A number of firms highlighted Brexit uncertainty as a key factor weighing on sentiment.

'05

'07

'09

'11

'13

'15

'17

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COMMENT

Stuart Johnstone, Managing Director, London & South East, Corporate & Commercial Banking “The South East registered another slight dip in private sector output in July, unlike the trend for the UK as a whole where growth resumed at a weak pace following June’s contraction.

crease in new work since October 2017 – may provide some stimulus to the South East in the coming months.”

“Both new and outstanding business fell in the South East at the start of the second half of the year.

Employment continued to increase, albeit only marginally.

“The outlook darkened in July as Brexit uncertainty remained, with 12-month expectations for output the weakest since April. More positively, London’s recovery in July – the capital saw the greatest in-

Stuart Johnstone

METHODOLOGY The NatWest South East PMI® is compiled by IHS Markit from responses to questionnaires sent to South East companies that participate in IHS Markit’s UK manufacturing and services PMI surveys.

SURREY BUSINESS

19

BEING

OFF-PAYROLL From April 6th 2020, the private sector will be brought in line with the public sector in relation to the IR35/ Off-Payroll working tax regime

What is IR35/Off-Payroll?

HMRC considers there to be just two different types of employment status in relation to tax; employed or self-employed. Under existing IR35 rules, a ‘self-employed’ individual working through a personal service company (PSC) is responsible for determining their employment status and account for Income Tax and National Insurance.

The new Off-Payroll rules will shift this responsibility onto the end user, meaning that it will soon be down to the end user to determine an individual’s employment status and, if employment is determined, for whoever pays the consultant’s fees to deduct

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SURREY BUSINESS

Income Tax and NI contributions from payments made to them.

The new rules will apply where, were if not for the intermediary, the circumstances of the engagement would have the characteristics of employment. It will therefore not matter whether an individual is invoicing a company personally or through a personal service company. If sufficient characteristics of employment exist, the fee payer will still have to account for income tax and NI. The new rules will therefore significantly increase the risk involved in mislabelling workers and employees as self-employed.

This is particularly the case where the

READY

‘mislabelling’ has occurred for several years and there will be back taxes, interest, penalties, costs and expenses to be settled with HMRC. What do we know about the draft legislation?

The draft was issued on July 11th which included clauses for the new legislation to roll out Off-Payroll into the private sector.

The new rules will apply only to medium and large business.

All clients will be required to issue a Status Determination Statement (SDS). If an individual disagrees with

LEGAL the determination of their status, the client will have 45 days to review the decision under a ‘status disagreement process’. The client will either have to change the individual’s status or provide them with confirmation of their original decision and reasons why they came to this conclusion.

Difficulty in determining status Accurately determining an individual’s employment status requires the application of criteria established by case law. The government’s ‘check employment status for tax’ or ‘CEST’ tool has been criticised for not factoring in this criteria when reaching a decision as to whether or not IR35 or Off-Payroll applies. As a result, the CEST tool does not always give an accurate determination of an individual’s status. The government have promised an improved CEST tool to be rolled out along with guidance to help businesses prepare for the new rules. Given that HMRC expects businesses to be ready in April 2020, businesses should be starting to risk assess their engagements with contractors now.

When determining whether an individual is employed or self-employed for tax purposes, some of the factors to be considered include:

THE NEW OFF-PAYROLL RULES WILL SHIFT THIS RESPONSIBILITY ONTO THE END USER, MEANING THAT IT WILL SOON BE DOWN TO THE END USER TO DETERMINE AN INDIVIDUAL’S EMPLOYMENT STATUS 1 Whether the individual is supervised by their ‘employer’ 2 Whether the individual can provide a substitute 3 Whether the individual is responsible for their own liabilities 4 Whether the individual is trained by their ‘employer’ 5 Whether the individual is required to wear a uniform 6 Whether the individual uses their own tools or equipment 7 Whether the individual is required to have their own insurances Some factors will bear more weight than others and no one factor on its own will determine status, they must be considered collectively. The terms of any written contract on their own are not determinative. It is how the relationship operates in practice that is important.

What does case law say?

A recent case between a medical practitioner and HMRC highlighted the difficulties in making status determinations. The case concerned a urologist providing services to two hospitals through a PSC. The Tribunal considered the employment relationship based on hypothetical contracts between the urologist and the hospitals based on the reality of the situation in practice. The Tribunal concluded that, the engagement with Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) amounted to employment but the engagement with Medway Maritime Hospital (MMH) did not amount to employment.

• Reviewing existing contracts – contracts can be drafted to mitigate the risk of Off-Payroll applying. Similarly, a poorly drafted contract can substantially increase your risk.

• For identified contractors falling within Off-Payroll, considering whether the extra costs are commercially necessary, or can contracts be amended or terminated.

• Estimating any likely cost increase due to the Employer’s NIC and Apprenticeship Levy charges and potential changes in the contractor’s rates.

• Reviewing systems and processes around your engagement of contractors.

• Providing training for employees who are responsible for determining the status of contractors engaged by your business.

How can Herrington Carmichael help?

• Review your existing engagements • Draft contracts to take in to account the new rules • Advise on (implement strategies to) mitigate risk with contractor engagements

If you would like to know more about the proposed new regime and the impact it is likely to have on your business, contact our employment solicitors at Herrington Carmichael on 0118 977 04045. Please visit our website to sign up to our IR35/Off-Payroll seminars. www.herrington-carmichael.com

How should businesses prepare?

Companies should be considering how their business is structured and how they currently engage with contractors. Including:

SURREY BUSINESS

21

WE ARE ALL TO BLAME!

Times are changing for the high street and a shift in consumer spending, as well as the way in which we shop, is having a drastic effect says Tamzin Mandelli, Partner at Hart Brown Solicitors

M

uch has been written about the death of the high street over the last few years with big (and so we thought untouchable) names closing all or some of their stores. To name a few: Woolworths, BHS, Toys “R” Us, Debenhams, Boots, Mothercare and M&S. These were the stalwarts of the high street and in many UK towns the high street has become a very different place.

It’s not just the retail sector that’s affected. The restaurant chain Jamie’s has suffered a similar fate, and banks have been regularly closing branches.

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So, why is this happening? What is it that is causing all these closures?

ing for that one particular thing with a disgruntled teenager or spouse in tow!

Remainers will point to Brexit as a reason. The Brexiteers will point out the high street was failing before that historic referendum. What is undeniable is that despite the vote, we still haven’t agreed a deal for leaving the EU. It is this uncertainty that is making consumers more cautious about how they spend their money which, in turn, has an impact on sales and therefore the success of the high street.

Consumers have learnt to expect immediacy and intuitive experiences.

Looking for a gift? As you browse online, suggestions of what other people have looked at pop up giving you more ideas on ways to spend your money.

The dress you looked at yesterday? It pops up prompting you to an impulse purchase.

There are, of course, other factors at work too. There has been a behavioural shift in the way consumers shop.

Many consumers now take to the internet for their shopping needs. You can shop any time – when the baby’s tucked up in bed with a glass of pinot in your hand, on the train on the way home or while eating your lunch al desko – all from the comfort of your device. It has never been easier to compare prices, products and delivery times. Some e-commerce sites even cater for same day delivery; no need to traipse around endless shops look-

We are choosing the easy way and the stores that have gone into administration have not been able to keep up with the changing ways in which we shop.

This isn’t driven by e-commerce, this is driven by us. We are the ones who choose to shop online putting pressure

WE WERE THE ONES WHO IN THE 1980S CHOSE TO TAKE OUR SHOPPING NEEDS TO THE BIG SUPERSTORES OUT OF TOWN WITH THE FREE PARKING on traditional retailers. We were the ones who in the 1980s chose to take our shopping needs to the big superstores out of town with the free parking. Just as we were the ones who forced many

LEGAL CONSUMERS WITH TIGHTENED BUDGETS ARE LEANING MORE TOWARDS EXPERIENCES THAN MATERIAL THINGS a traditional greengrocer, butcher and fishmonger to the wall then, we are the ones now forcing high street retailers to close. We could choose to keep shopping on the high street and support our community but we don’t. We want the easy life, the quick fix. We are to blame!

That’s not to say the rise in e-commerce is the only challenge facing the high street. There are other challenges too – business rates, high rents and property values; not being able to compete on an equal footing with merchants who don’t have these expenses; fluctuations in the pound; parking restrictions. The list goes on but these just exacerbate the situation. They are not the root cause.

Retailers are also to blame for their own downfall. They are failing to adapt to the changing expectations of consumers. Simply having a website that allows customers to buy the products they sell in store is not good enough.

Social media is everywhere. Never has it been easier to interact with customers, to create goodwill and enhance the shopping experience and it must be that, an experience. What if a shop was able to ping a notification about a sale item to consumers walking past?

Consumers with tightened budgets are leaning more towards experiences than material things. What if Mothercare had included a crèche area and coffee shop in its stores to help the beleaguered mother of two year-old twins while she shopped for some clothes for them? It would have made it easier for her to buy and would make going into the shop an experience she wanted to repeat.

Retailers must adapt to fend off what will otherwise be an inevitable decline.

That said, change isn’t always bad and perhaps it is not just the individual retailers but the high street as a whole that needs to change. Pop up shops are more prevalent than they have ever been before. The environment is more important to protect than ever. Against this back drop, consumers are becoming more socially responsible and looking for ways to reduce packaging and stop yet more plastic ending up in the oceans and our food chain. They are looking at eating more healthily and no longer want plastic straws in their drinks. Small bespoke retailers are able to take advantage of this. When was the last time you got a package from Amazon? It’s often in a box three times larger than it needs to be and filled with those air-filled plastic bags.

More and more retail space is being converted to residential, changing the character of the high street and bringing it back into the community. Maybe the high street could look at longer hours, free parking and more competitive prices.

One thing is certain. To survive, the high street needs to become interesting again.

For expert advice on commercial property matters, please contact Tamzin Mandelli at Hart Brown Solicitors by emailing TPM@hartbrown.co.uk or by calling 01483 887549 www.hartbrown.co.uk

Imagine waiting for your tube train to begin your long commute home.

While you’re waiting you scan some QR codes on an interactive wall. Done – your grocery shopping has been ordered. Sounds like an episode of Dr Who? In South Korea, it’s reality.

SURREY BUSINESS

23

INTERNATIONAL TRADING

MANAGING CURRENCY RISK

By Christina Wadlow, Head of Partnerships, Western Union Business Solutions

O

ver the last year, the value of the Sterling fluctuated significantly, and with continuing uncertainty we can expect more of the same.

For any business, uncertainty can be bad news, but especially if you are involved with importing, exporting or any other activity that needs transactions to be made in foreign currencies. Negotiated prices and calculated profits can be significantly impacted if the exchange rate moves against you on the day a payment is being made or received. This can be a major concern for small and medium-sized enterprises which don’t have a specialist risk team in-house.

What is hedging?

Hedging simply means managing against movements in exchange rates. However much rates fluctuate, you can fix your transactions in advance, so you know exactly what your costs, cashflows and profits will be, putting you in control of your bottom line. This way, your cashflow is stable, and your business forecasts are reliable. By setting a hedging strategy you no longer have to react to the market; you are layered from volatility so you can focus on your business without unnecessary distractions.

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Choosing the right currency provider Many businesses involved in currencybased transactions have concerns about currency risk, but many will have very different priorities, transaction volumes and business goals, so there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to setting a hedging strategy.

That is why it’s a good idea to use a currency specialist who will take the time to understand your business and who can give you support based on years of knowledge and experience.

Many SMEs choose to work with their bank to make currency transactions, but banking staff aren’t necessarily experts in foreign exchange, and may not be able to offer the same level of advice and expertise as a specialist currency provider.

Setting a hedging strategy There are a number of tools used to hedge against currency risk. Products such as forward contracts enable a fixed exchange rate to be secured for a future date or, for a predetermined cost, options products allow for flexibility to take upside gains whilst protecting a minimum rate. For many SMEs who are new to the world of currency trading, these products can seem daunting. A good currency specialist will explain all the jargon and

the many options available clearly, so informed decisions can be made which benefit the business long term.

With any hedging tool, there are associated risks. Your foreign exchange provider should ensure that you know exactly what these are, so your decision-making is informed, and you are confident and comfortable with the choices you make.

The information contained within this article does not constitute financial advice or a financial recommendation, it is general in nature and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

This information has been prepared solely for informational purposes and does not in any way create any binding obligations on either party. Relations between you and WUIB shall be governed by the applicable terms and conditions. No representations, warranties or conditions of any kind, express or implied, are made here.

www.westernunion.com

NEW MEMBERS

Surrey Chambers of Commerce welcomes its latest member companies ACCOUNTING BDO LLP

Contact: Tania Fensom Tel: 01483 564646 www.bdo.co.uk

AGRICULTURE, HUNTING, FORESTRY

CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY

IT & COMMUNICATIONS

Casa Court Properties

KB Trade Services Limited Contact: Kersi Bandorawalla Tel: 07824 332433

Contact: Dominic Cullis Tel: 01483 424150 www.casacourt.com

Exedra Architects

Cloudbox Technology Limited Contact: Nick Goodenough Tel: 02037 618080 www.cloudboxtech.com

Contact: Daren Drage Tel: 02085 462115

Dynavics Ltd

www.exedra-architects.co.uk

The Grounds Care Group (UK) Ltd Contact: Adam Brindle Tel: 0800 122 3376 thegroundscaregroup.co.uk

BUSINESS SUPPORT ES Business Coaching Limited Contact: Simon Read Tel: 07522 352212 actioncoach.co.uk/simonread

GeoTechniquesResearch Ltd

Contact: Kieran Coles Tel: 01276 583024 www.dynavics.co.uk

Millbrook Building Consultancy Contact: Matthew Blachford Tel: 07305 191516

TechVertu

www.millbrookbuildingconsultancy.co.uk

Contact: Hadi Marashy Tel: 01375 366767 www.techvertu.co.uk

FINANCIAL SERVICES

MANUFACTURING / ENGINEERING Capex Finance

BTU (Europe) Ltd

Contact: Trevor Bridgman

Contact: Anita Barnett Tel: 01252 660010 www.btu.com

Tel: 07539 371535 www.capexfinance.co.uk

PRINTING

Contact: Jonah Chitolie Tel: 01932 780948

The Happy Work Place Contact: James Brown Tel: 07976 645927 thehappyworkplace.co.uk

Negotiation : Mediation : Facilitation Contact: David Ward Tel: 02032 909620 www.davidjward.com

CHARITY

Contact: Jessica Samba Tel: 01784 427300 www.jelf.com

Hayes Financial Planning Limited Contact: Michael Hayes Tel: 07882 442806 www.hayesfinancialplanning.com

HOTELS/RESTAURANTS/VENUES

Something2trade Limited Contact: Mandy Delaney Tel: 07982 629076 www.saveourshops.org

Kalm Kitchen Ltd

Contact: Jen Middlehurst Tel: 01483 813360 www.kalmkitchen.co.uk

Surrey Choices

Contact: Christina Earl Tel: 01483 806806 www.surreychoices.com

DirectColour

Jelf

Kalm Kitchen Ltd

Contact: Zoe Richards Tel: 01483 813360 www.kalmkitchen.co.uk

W

Contact: Mark Attwater Tel: 02083 910011 www.directcolour.com

hen you join Surrey Chambers of Commerce, your company details automatically get listed on this page alongside fellow new members. What a fantastic way to let the Surrey Business community know you are out there and ready to get those all-important connections.

If you are looking to join Surrey Chambers then please do get in touch with either: sarah.butcher@surrey-chambers.co.uk molly.enser@surrey-chambers.co.uk noah.pesci@surrey-chambers.co.uk or call 01483 735540.

We look forward to hearing from you!

SURREY BUSINESS

25

STEPS TO BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE TEAM

Are these common challenges derailing your work teams, asks skilled speaker and facilitator, Lael Good

I

n today’s fast-paced business environment, organisations need their teams to start fast and get productive quickly. That can be a challenge if you don’t have a common language and process in place to launch and accelerate the growth of a team through these four stages of development: Orientation, when a team is just starting out; Dissatisfaction, when conflict

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inevitably arises; Integration, as the team begins to learn how to work with each other; and Production, when the fine-tuned team is achieving its purpose and goals.

At the Orientation stage, a team needs clarity and alignment. Team members

are excited, but they also have a lot of questions. The team leader’s role is not only ensuring the team is aligned on its purpose, goals, and roles, but also providing clear objectives and norms around communication, accountability, and decision making.

Team members need to know what decisions the team can make and the process for making them, so that the team is able to move forward. Without a clear sense about where it is going and the process for getting there, a team can stall right at the beginning with an endless series of meetings designed for preparing to start.

BUSINESS SURVEY THOUGHT LEADERSHIP contribution to overall organisational goals? Have we recognised and appreciated each team member’s efforts?

What’s next for this team?”

The goal is to keep leveraging the team’s natural motivation to be a part of something bigger than team members’ individual agendas. If a team is not continually reengaging about why it exists, how it serves, and what it is doing, it can be hard to maintain cohesion and modify individual agendas for that bigger purpose.

The team also needs direction and discussion around problem solving. Team members need to decide how to solve problems together and how they will manage through some of the conflict that will occur. Having ground rules in place will help as the team moves into the latter stages of development.

At the Dissatisfaction stage, the team begins to experience conflict as team members present different ideas about how the team should work together. Conflict is a big derailer for typical work teams — many never progress to high performance because they can’t manage or communicate through that conflict.

At this stage, team members sometimes turn on each other — and even their leader. In response, leaders often revert to fight-or-flight behaviours, saying things like, “Knock this off, we’ve got to move forward,” or they ignore the conflict and hope it goes away on its own. In Blanchard’s Team Leadership program, leaders are taught how to approach conflict with an attitude of candour and curiosity.

Candour helps people say what must be said. Curiosity helps people keep an open mind.

At the Integration stage, things are beginning to improve, but the team needs to keep talking. We teach team members to voice their concerns and share with the team what they’re thinking and observing.

This is about learning how to say something to the effect of “You know, I’ve been observing in our meetings

over the last three weeks that none of us is offering any suggestions or options when questions come up. I’m wondering what we need to do so that people are more willing to share some of their ideas and solutions.”

Go slow to go fast

If leaders are matching what the team needs at each given point in time, the team is going to accelerate through the stages of development. The more broadly that is understood in the or-

Sometimes it feels a little scary to say; WE SIMPLY CAN’T ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING “Here’s what I think, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, OR GAIN ENOUGH and here’s why I think it,” but when you fol- SKILL OR EXPERTISE TO DO IT, BY OURSELVES low that with “What are your thoughts, and how might you ganisation by both team members and address this?” you’re asking for everyteam leaders, the more you’re going to one’s help — and that makes a big difcreate an organisation where team ference. performance is going to be at the top level. And if it means going a little bit Accountability sometimes becomes slower in the beginning, rest assured it an issue at this stage. We know teams will pay off with additional speed and are trust-based systems, not complibetter results in the long run. ance-based systems. That means when a team has to accomplish something, a The speed of change in our organisaleader can’t just order the group to do it. tions today is such that no one person Instead, the team has to know that they can go it alone. We simply can’t accan trust one another to get the results complish everything that needs to be they are jointly responsible for. done, or gain enough skill or expertise to do it, by ourselves. Well-structured This is where having clear agreements teams with a common language and about objectives and norms at the process allow organisations to leverfront end helps. Now people can ask age the diverse skillset and different “How are we doing with our norms?” approaches available when you bring This check-in process gives the team a group of people together to address a way to openly talk about what’s happening and what might be getting in If you wish to learn more about The the way of the team’s ability to deliver Ken Blanchard Companies’ research results on time. on team leadership, please contact uk@kenblanchard.com or visit www.

At the Production stage, the challenge kenblanchard.com/Resources is how to sustain high performance.

This is about keeping the team nourished and growing. Don’t take the team for granted. The team leader needs to Training the World’s Best Managers ask “Are we demonstrating the team’s

SURREY BUSINESS

27

Flies, damn flies...

PEST CONTROL

“If you followed a fly for a day you wouldn’t eat for a week” is a favourite saying of staff at Cleankill Pest Control. crannies in buildings to hibernate in large numbers. Their favourite places are roof spaces and lofts, and people living in houses in the country are often plagued with swarms of cluster flies in their lofts.

Normally, several thousand flies will cluster together – hence the name cluster flies. They will usually infest the highest warm point available, and this is often the top floor of offices or loft spaces in people’s homes.

Paul Bates

T

here are more than 110,000 species of flies, with the largest being around 6cm long and the smallest only around 0.15mm long.

Some are more bothersome than others – depending on the season – and some carry more germs than others.

Cleankill Pest Control’s Managing Director Paul Bates explains: “As cluster flies don’t breed indoors, controlling them outside is impractical. It’s often impossible to keep flies from entering premises, no matter how well sealed or modern the property is. The flies enter through air vents, breathing points in mortar, roof tiles and even through

In late summer, if staff in top-floor offices are complaining about flies – or your loft space is overrun with insects – it’s probably cluster flies.

Cluster flies such as Common cluster fly Pollenia rudis are ‘field’ flies – they lay eggs in the soil and the larvae burrow into earthworms where they pupate. As the weather becomes cooler, they seek out shelter in nooks and

gaps in modern double glazing.”

Insecticidal spraying around window and door frames and other entry points can help. Once flies are inside, control can be achieved with a range of insecticides and electronic ultra-violet fly machines.

While there is a specific species of Common cluster fly, there are other species of swarming flies which overwinter.

The life cycle of the cluster fly is very much dependent on the prevailing weather conditions and, in this country, two generations a year are usual but, in hot summers, up to four generations per year are possible.

Curiously, a single house or one building in a row of similar buildings is often chosen year after year for this clustering phenomenon.

While cluster flies can be a nuisance, they do not pose a risk to human health and their presence should not be taken as evidence of poor hygiene.

Common cluster fly Pollenia rudis

The typical cluster fly is about 7mm long and has distinct lines or stripes behind the head, short golden-coloured hairs on the thorax and irregular light and dark grey areas on the abdomen. Cluster flies are typically slow-moving. Eight species are found in Britain and 31 in Europe.

For further information go to www. cleankill.co.uk or call 0800 056 5477

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29

URSULA’S ARMY

IS ON ITS WAY?

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BUSINESS BIGSURVEY STORY Ian Trevett profiles Ursula von der Leyen, the incoming President of the European Commission: and a committed federalist and an advocate of a European Army

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hen you start a new job, it’s always nice to have a bit of time to settle into the new role, meet the team and have a calm, orderly handover from your predecessor. Ursula von der Leyen takes over as the President of the European Commission on Friday November 1st, starting the morning after “No ifs. No buts. We are leaving the EU on October 31st.”

What will she walk into? “Good morning Frau von der Leyen. Here’s your office. The bathroom is down the corridor on the left. The kitchen is to the right. We just installed tariffs on UK imports, we have twenty mile lorry jams on both sides of the channel, there’s now a hard border in Ireland and a big demonstration planned, and EU citizens have been stripped of their legal status to stay in the UK. How do you take your tea?”

Who knows what will happen on October 31st, but one is for sure, von der Leyen will be hugely influential in how our future relationship with the 27 remaining EU nations is defined.

So who is Ursula von der Leyen?

The good news is that she loves London. In 1978, she was studying economics at the University of Göttingen, when her father, a leading European civil servant, was warned his family could be a target of the Baader-Meinhof Group, a German left-wing terrorist gang known for violent kidnappings and assassinations. Ursula was quickly dispatched to the UK with a new name and continued her studies at the London School of Economics.

She embraced her temporary home and some years later told the weekly newspaper, Die Zeit, “I lived much more than I studied. I immersed myself for one year in this seething, international, colourful city. For me, coming from the rather monotonous, white Germany, that was fascinating.

“For me, London was the epitome of modernity: freedom, the joy of life, try-

ing everything. This gave me an inner freedom that I have kept until today.

And another thing I have kept: the realisation that different cultures can get on together very well.”

Whether her love of London withstands her first trip to Boris Johnson at 10 Downing Street remains to be seen.

If she adores London, she is just as enamoured with the European project and is known as a federalist and talks keenly of a European Army.

exploded with self-righteous fury, labelling her a fanatic.

But is it fanaticism or pragmatism?

Airbus, which employs 14,000 in the UK, writes on its official website: “The EU is facing unprecedented challenges that endanger the safety and security of its citizens: Since 2015, a series of terrorist attacks have taken place in France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and the UK. The strained relationship between the EU and Russia has not yet recovered since the annexation of Crimea. Obviously, member States cannot handle these challenges on their own – and yet the defence landscape in Europe is increasingly fragmented. For example, according to the European Commission, the EU-28 use 20 different fighter planes (six in the US), 29 different frigates (four in the US) and 178 different weapon systems (30 in the US).”

THE UK, AS REPRESENTED BY MICHAEL FALLON THE THEN DEFENCE SECRETARY, DECLARED IN SEPTEMBER 2017 THAT WE WOULD BE OPEN TO CONTRIBUTING TO THE €5.5BN EUROPEAN DEFENCE FUND AFTER BREXIT! In 2011, she spoke abut the desirability of a “United States of Europe along the lines of federal states like Switzerland, Germany or the US.” She has moderated her stance in recent years, clarifying it by saying: “It has become more mature and more realistic. In the European Union we have unity in diversity. That is something different to federalism. I think that is the right path.”

Unsurprisingly Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage threw his toys out of the pram, and accused von der Leyen of wanting to build “a centralised, undemocratic, updated form of communism where nation state parliaments will cease to have any relevance at all.”

Just as controversial has been her call for a European Army. In 2018, she said, “By giving birth to the European Defence Union, we have started to build what I like to call the ‘army of the Europeans’. We maintain national armies, under the authority of sovereign states, but better coordinated and mutually reinforcing.” Again Farage

Writing in the Conservative-leaning Spectator, Vernon Bogdanor wrote, “There are four major power blocs in the world — the United States, Russia, China and the EU. Of these, only the EU does not provide for its own defence and security. Remarkably, nearly 75 years after the end of the second world war, Europe is still heavily dependent upon the United States for its defence. But it is hardly surprising that, in the Trump era, pressure has grown for an autonomous European defence policy.”

The EU is already pooling resources in 2017 The European Defence Fund was launched to coordinate spending on defence research and the acquisition of military equipment. The UK, as represented by Michael Fallon the then defence secretary, declared in September 2017 that we would be

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open to contributing to the €5.5bn European defence fund after Brexit!

Ursula von der Leyen has extensive experience in defence matters having been Germany’s Defence Minister from 2013 until this July. She has by no means been regarded as an unqualified success. If you want a criticism of Von der Leyen then the Brexit party will never let you down. Brexit Party MEP (and Danish dentist?!) Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen dismissed a potential European Army under Von der Leyen as a joke, adding “We can see what she did to the German army - where none of their submarines can actually sail, where they had tests where she sent all the soldiers but they didn’t have any guns so they had broomsticks instead…”

Noah Gordon from The New Statesman, assessed her tenure more impartially: “The defence job has been viewed as a graveyard for ambitious politicians because of the German public’s wariness of foreign deployment and resistance to military spending. “…Von der Leyen spent much of her time managing a large government bureaucracy with cultural baggage. Evidence of extremist views in the Bundeswehr (the German armed forces) — a far-right lieutenant posing as a Syrian refugee and plotting terror attacks, Nazi memorabilia found in a barracks — drew a sharp response from von der Leyen, who alleged in 2017 that the military suffered from an “attitude problem” and a “weakness of leadership”. Some in the military hierarchy felt she went too far and resented the remarks.

“Von der Leyen is also under fire for awarding, without proper justification, lucrative defence ministry contracts to outside consultancies with which she had personal connections. A Bundestag committee is still investigating the matter.

“Many military analysts, however, take a positive view of her tenure, pointing out that she increased the defence budget after years of cuts, improved troops’ equipment, and enabled Ger-

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THE ECONOMIST’S CHARLEMAGNE CHARACTERISES HER AS “LESS TWINSET AND PEARLS THAN KNUCKLE-DUSTERS AND CAFFEINE PILLS.” many to play a key role in both Nato missions and the establishment of EU initiatives such as the European Defence Fund. “…Her calls for an “army of Europeans” should be understood as a desire to make member state militaries more interoperable, rather than one to create a military juggernaut commanded from Brussels. In von der Leyen’s vision, national parliaments would still have the final say about deployment.”

The usual suspects among our populist-leaning press like to portray von der Leyen’s proposals of increased military co-operation among European nations as some kind of betrayal of the veterans of the WWII, which is dangerous nonsense. Sharing resources among liberal democracies and friendly nations is sensible and press-

ing, especially in an age when the support of the US depends on the whim of an unpredictable Donald Trump.

Von der Leyen’s views on defence can understandably dominate headlines, but she has equally strong political leanings when it comes to gender equality. After studying for a medical degree and practicing as a gynaecologist, The Guardian’s Daniel Boffey reports, “She only entered politics at 42.

A mother of seven, she has held government positions as labour and family affairs minister, driving forward key policies on gender quotas for company boards and improved maternity and paternity pay and rights.”

Her first battle was to change the policies of her own party, the centre-right Christian Democratic Union. Her biographer Daniel Goffart noted: “She has

BIG STORY an incredible amount of energy. You especially saw that in her bitter and protracted battle to modernise her party’s view on the role of the family.”

Under her watch, Germany introduced a law guaranteeing every child over 12 months of age a place at a daycare facility, and a paid parental leave scheme that includes at least two months of paid leave for fathers. She forced Merkel to drop her opposition to boardroom quotas for women, even though the policy was later defeated in

Von der Leyen will be loathe to renovate the current withdrawal agreement, this she says is “A good agreement, which was negotiated properly in accordance with the red lines drawn by the British government.”

She is also preparing for a no deal, especially with regards to Ireland, which could be hit harder than any other nation. Von der Leyen has said that a European unemployment benefit reinsurance scheme, modelled on measures put in place in Germany to cushion the blow of the world financial downturn a decade ago, could be rolled out across the bloc of 27 nations: “Should an external shock such as a disorderly Brexit hit two or three countries particularly hard, for example, the unemployment reinsurance scheme could come into force.” It is clear that the EU under her stewardship will do all it can to prevent Ireland being dragged down by a British exit.

THE FUTURE OF THE PLANET IS A MATTER OF URGENCY, BUT THE FIRST ITEM IN HER INBOX WILL, INEVITABLY BE BREXIT the Bundestag. In 2017, she voted for same-sex marriage when her mentor Merkel voted against.

Von der Leyen has pledged to bring in a “green deal” investment programme for the continent in her first 100 days in office and to ramp up environmental targets and write them into law.

The future of the planet is a matter of urgency, but the first item in her inbox will, inevitably be Brexit. She will be likely be a difficult opponent if the UK goes in too heavy-handed. The Economist’s Charlemagne characterises her as “less twinset and pearls than knuckle-dusters and caffeine pills.”

Yet she is also an Anglophile and like Angela Merkel, she desires a close and productive relationship between the UK and Germany, and indeed the EU. She says: “It would be wrong to see Brexit only as the end of something.

The way in which we carry out Brexit will determine our future relationship to our neighbour the United Kingdom.

For both sides it is of the highest interest that there is an orderly and good beginning to our future relationships.”

In the crazy world we currently inhab-

it, predictions are impossible, but it is certainly safe to say that Ursula von der Leyen is about to become a very familiar figure in the UK - for better or worse.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION Ursula von der Leyen is the second German to become the President of the European Commission, although Germany was the only EU nation not to back her nomination, a reflection of the tribal divides which can be found in domestic politics.

The tiny nation of Luxembourg has had three Presidents, more than any other nation, the latest being the present incumbent JeanClaude Juncker.

The UK has had one President – Roy Jenkins from 1977 to 1981.

The position of President has existed since 1967.

It is often, incorrectly, confused with being the President of the EU, a position which does not exist.

The Commission’s job is to develop laws for member states and enforce them.

Based in Brussels, it’s the only EU body that can draft laws. It employs more than 32,000 staff in total and its running costs this year are €3.6bn.

Ursula von der Leyen is the first woman to become President.

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CORPORATE

Health

&WELLBEING It has long been recognised that a healthy workforce has a dramatic effect on productivity, leads to less absent days, increased motivation, company loyalty and overall economic prosperity.

Throughout 2019, this magazine will partner with a selection of major companies in the sector to offer advice on how to deal with the growing crisis of avoidable employee absent days. We intend to lead the way on this subject to aid in the economic prosperity of our region.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

v Soho is the unhealthiest place to live in Britain, whilst the healthiest is Great Torrington, a small town in Devon according to a study conducted by the University of Liverpool

The number of adults using e-cigarettes has risen by 70% in two years according to NHS data

A simple change to the sleeping patterns of ‘night owls’ can lead to a decrease in depression and stress, as well as improved eating habits and better performance in the mornings, a new study has revealed

Zzzzz

Zzzzz

By 2030, there will be around

2,000,000

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more adults in the UK with mental health problems

“Walking is the best possible exercise.

Habituate yourself to walk very far” Thomas Jefferson

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Nearly

66 71%

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of UK based employees plan to work beyond the age of 65

Office for National Statistics

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Creating a healthy working environment Creating the right working environment will make your employees fly, says Paul Ollerton, Managing Director at ViiSana Ltd creates the backdrop for people to enjoy their work and give their best.

Paul Ollerton

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ne of the biggest challenges that any business (big or small) has is to create a working environment that brings the best out the people who work there. Pretty obvious really…

I speak to some business owners who say that; ‘it doesn’t matter so much because customers don’t visit the site’. Wrong answer – your biggest (and normally most expensive) asset sits there – the people who are your business. Create the right environment and they fly, but in the wrong environment the same people can flop.

One of the common threads we see in our line of work is that companies will spend time meticulously planning how to support and encourage a healthy productive workforce, but often overlook the four walls in which it happens.

The aim of this month’s article is to highlight some simple areas where you can create a healthy environment,

fatigue and headaches – that means happier, more productive people. If you are lucky enough to have natural light, simple things like keeping the windows clean make a huge difference. If natural light is not an option, natural light bulbs can drastically improve a dark workspace. These are now readily available from most lighting retailers, including Amazon.

Are you sitting comfortably?

‘Sitting all day isn’t the healthiest thing for you, but slouching all day is even worse’.

“The human body is not designed to spend eight hours a day sitting but, unfortunately for many of us, that’s exactly what happens at work”

You might be thinking what this has to do with health and wellness at the office, but actually a healthy working environment does all of the above – it

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without breaking the bank. Most ideas can be implemented without any, or minimal, cost.

Light up someone’s day

Proper lighting is essential for a healthy work environment. Getting rid of glare and shadows can reduce eye

Put simply, the human body is not designed to spend eight hours a day sitting but, unfortunately for many of us, that’s exactly what happens at work. Sitting for extended periods can lead to muscle loss, weight gain, hypertension, osteoporosis, heart disease, depression, back pain, and many other conditions.

To counter the negative impact of sitting, ergonomically correct chairs and

desks are now available as standard (the adjustable stand up desks would be our choice). However, more so - encourage employees to move around to different sitting areas or meeting areas, or even work outside the office.

Technology can also help - you can also try a gadget like the Lumo Lift, a tiny sensor that pins to your shirt and vibrates when it senses you slouching forward. Equally useful are computer programs like Move for iOS or Big Stretch Reminder for Windows – which can remind you to take breaks at regular intervals.

Clean and organised

Office cleanliness really matters because dust and bacteria can have a negative impact on your health. Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a phenomenon that causes a variety of illnesses and symptoms. SBS can be the result of chemical or biological contaminants, inadequate ventilation, or electromagnetic radiation, just to name a few. It can affect productivity and increase absenteeism.

Bringing nature into your office

Green leafy plants can be a great way to inspire creativity and a feeling of wellness in an office space. Steer clear of cacti though, their spikes can create the opposite of a relaxed feeling, or flowers with a strong scent, which can be distracting or irritating.

Some plants, like the sansevieria, may even improve air quality in your office. If this is out of reach for you, you can let in some fresh air by keeping windows open while you work, or if that’s not an option, consider getting an air purifier with a HEPA filter.

This will improve the air quality.

You are ‘where’ you eat

Clutter is also known to increase feelings of depression and dissatisfaction – try adopting a clear desk policy.

Having a dedicated area where employees can break from their work environment and eat is massively important, to allow interaction with other colleagues and to take a rest from the day’s tasks – allowing you to truly get that break during the day. Eating away from the desk can also encourage healthier food choices. Research has shown that eating while distracted (i.e. surfing the web at your desk) is more likely to result in overeating.

Contact us ViiSana specialises in implementing wellbeing programme through the implementation of company-wide Vitality Life and Health insurance. If you would like to discuss your company’s individual health concerns/challenges, or

if you would just like to discuss ideas for implementing a programme at your business, please get in touch: Email: paul.ollerton@viisana.com Phone: 0333 772 0761 Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn

What’s in a wall?

Your corporate colours might look great emblazoned across your walls, but think about the effect of the colour on your people.

“Colours that aren’t very saturated but relatively bright put us in the right sort of relaxed mental state to be doing knowledge work.”

Most roles involve being creative, so we recommend shades of green to enhance creative thinking. To get the most out of your walls, choose a hue that’s quiet and calming. And whatever you do, avoid red – research has shown bright red to negatively affect analytical performance.

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Are you making

reasonable adjustments?

Removing the barriers employees face in the workplace because of their disability or illness

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big part of health, safety and wellbeing at work is making sure employees with disabilities have everything they need to feel supported, empowered and wellequipped in the workplace. In this article Posturite answers some of the most frequently asked questions employers ask about making reasonable adjustments.

As many as 7.8 million working-age people in the UK report living with a disability. Of these, an estimated 3.9 million are in employment, which is an increase of 150,000 from last year. Two years ago the Government launched a strategy called ‘Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability’ in a bid to get 4.5 million people with disabilities in employment by 2027. This involves policy changes, training programmes, investment in disability services and the creation of a dedicated team to drive and champion the cause.

Ultimately, the power is in the hands of employers. It’s up to us to create an inclusive environment which supports individuals with disabilities. In fact it’s our duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for those who need them. This involves removing barriers people face because of their disability or illness, in order to give them, as far as possible, the same opportunities and means as those who are not disabled.

What reasonable adjustments should

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you make? Under the law, employers are expected to make the following reasonable adjustments within their business: Changing the way things are done This essentially means that sometimes the way organisations do things makes life harder for people with disabilities. If it is ‘reasonable’ to change this in a way that doesn’t disadvantage anyone, then you must do so.

For example, it is your organisation’s policy for staff to park in a designated car park across the road. Allowing an employee with a mobility impairment to park in the visitor spaces directly outside the office building is likely to be considered a reasonable adjustment.

Changing a physical feature Making changes to the physical features of a building, such as: • Passageways and paths • Entrances and exits • Lighting and ventilation • Steps and stairs • Size of premises Provide extra equipment or services This means that if you can reasonably provide something to enable someone to do their job then you must do so.

Examples include: • Assistive technology products and software • Disability Enablement assessments • Extra staff assistance

When is it necessary to make reasonable adjustments?

The Equality Act 2010 says that you have a duty to make reasonable adjustments when an employee is placed at a ‘substantial disadvantage’ due to a disability when compared with their colleagues.

What counts as a substantial disadvantage?

A substantial disadvantage is defined in the Equality Act as being one that is ‘more than minor or trivial’. In other words, it would likely have a big impact on that person’s ability to carry out a task properly or effectively. The Act also emphasises that the employee would have to be at a substantial disadvantage when compared to a person or group carrying out the same tasks.

Some common examples of disabili-

HEALTH & WELLBEING

ties that are likely to put someone at a substantial disadvantage include: • Problems with hearing or sight • Conditions that come and go, like ME, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis • Learning disabilities • Dyslexia and dyspraxia • Impairments caused by injury • Conditions that get worse over time, like motor neurone disease, muscular dystrophy, or forms of dementia • Autistic spectrum disorders What happens if you don’t make reasonable adjustments?

If you don’t make reasonable adjustments for an employee then you are breaking the law. That employee can then complain internally and if the problem isn’t resolved, make a discrimination claim against you under

the Equality Act. This can result in:

• Training in the use of AT

• A compensation pay out • Aggravated damages • Personal injury • Recommendations such as: • Introducing an equal opportunities policy • Setting up an internal review panel to deal with grievance procedures • Retraining staff in equality matters • Ensure equal opportunities policies are more effectively implemented

We make your lives easier by handling the entire enablement process end to end - from drawing up a plan of action, to coordinating with your teams internally to implement the plan, all the while working alongside the end users themselves to make sure the solutions we’ve put in place really are helping them.

One of our core services at Posturite is Disability Enablement. We believe in enabling and empowering individuals, helping them to reach their full potential in their roles. We do this in three ways:

You can find out more about reasonable adjustments, enablement and how we can help by visiting our website posturite.co.uk/enablement

• Assessing individuals • Providing assistive technology (AT)

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A healthy culture This month our Health & Wellbeing series looks at how staff and pupils are looked after at one of the region’s leading independent schools. Ian Trevett interviews Hurst College Headmaster Tim Manly “We simply want the children to achieve the best they can, and to be happy with that. We are working with students to recognise what they are capable of rather than leave it all up to their own neuroses. We can’t all run faster than an Olympian or be brighter than Einstein. We want to know we are doing as well as we can and to be recognised for this fact.

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chooldays should be among the happiest days of our life, but the pressures on our young people are immense. The intense need to fit in and the fear of failure can weigh heavily on today’s students, perhaps more than ever before.

Although the intensity has amplified, the good news is that educational institutions have never been more aware about their responsibility to look after the welfare of students, and indeed the staff.

The health and wellbeing of the Hurst community is a priority for Headmaster Tim Manly, who is all too aware of potential stresses for staff and pupils alike.

The pupils “Our year has real peak pressure points, notably leading up to and during the exam season,” says Mr Manly.

“What happens in the exams is critical for the school, but more importantly for the pupils, so we are playing for high stakes. This is especially the case for A- levels, where students need certain grades to be accepted at the universities they have set their hearts on.

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“The classic stereotype is the very hard-working girl (as opposed to the stereotype of the boy who spends too much time on the X-Box) who puts a huge amount of pressure upon herself. It’s not always good if someone works ‘too hard’ and worries too much. If they can relax a bit they become more efficient.

With a lifetime in education, Mr Manly has an understanding of what children worry about and when these issues come to the fore. “The key ages are around 11-15,” observes Mr Manly.

“When you are a child you are spontaneous and you then reach an age where it is common to be anxious about conforming to the social norm of a particular group. They worry if they are liked or not liked, but they don’t realise that the most likeable characteristics are those of warmth, confidence, openness and friendliness. It takes a while to work this out. They are terrified

“The health and wellbeing of the Hurst community is a priority for Headmaster Tim Manly”

“For us it is about avoiding that dog fight about who comes out on top.

You should not value yourself based on whom you beat. Not everyone can win at sport, so it is important to remember that taking part in sport is fun. It’s about how you make the most of what you have and how you treat others around you.”

of being classed as a loser (or whatever the current terminology is). You have to have a culture that counteracts that idea of winners and losers.

“Children are far too worried about what other people think. The vast majority of children require structure, encouragement and to feel valued. If they are coached, supported and never left to feel vulnerable, isolated or like a failure - then they’ll fly.”

HEALTH & WELLBEING

at Hurst It seems that schools are more aware than they used to be. Mr Manly concurs: “For some time it has been common to have someone in a school who is there for safeguarding vulnerable children or those who have special needs. However, for most children there has, historically, been very little support. Now there is more awareness of a school’s responsibility to help children develop a resilience and a sense of being able to look after themselves. We are helping children to be able to navigate the world they are in.

of a moan to when you are sitting at the college bar. It’s someone who you can say to: ‘It’s all getting a bit tough at the moment,’ and be listened to.

“Mike Lamb, the Director of Staff and Pupil Wellbeing runs forums and makes sure we take time to exercise, have a swim, do some yoga, look out for ourselves and he’ll organise social events. He tries to ensure that everybody has the right balance. This is vital when it becomes very pressured

leading up to the end of term, and the work/life balance goes out of the window, even if it is just temporarily.”

Hurst College launched its inaugural Wellbeing Conference earlier this year to share ideas and best practice with other local schools in supporting students through transition periods – especially from Prep to Senior School.

www.hppc.co.uk

“The danger is it doesn’t go too far to create a generation with an overblown sense of entitlement. The next few years for all of us will be about navigating through an uncertain world.

Our challenge is to help children be ready to adapt to that challenging and changing environment.

“It is often hyped that if you come to a school like this you will leave as a possibly overconfident young person.

Actually the important thing is to leave with a well-grounded sense of selfworth. If a young person doesn’t have that, then they can be vulnerable in life.”

The staff Alongside the welfare of pupils, there is far more support for the staff as well as Mr Manly explains: “There is no doubt that if your employees are mentally healthy or happy, they will be more productive and committed.

“This is now recognised as a responsibility of the employer, which is very different from 10 or 20 years ago. There is a greater sense that to function in a healthy and productive way, we need our staff to thrive.

“We have a counsellor who is there for any member of staff. I wanted something in between the full-on counsellor and someone you have can have a bit

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Re-energise and refresh Foxhills Club & Resort is on hand to refresh and re-energise any workforce with a series of tempting new corporate packages

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s well as all of the necessary facilities for a successful business event, the extensive range of leisure facilities will entice companies and their workforce with some appealing and innovative options.

The Foxhills Wellbeing and Yoga package will help remove the stresses of work and finds your inner balance with a one-hour class after the morning meeting or conference has taken place. The package, starting at £80 per person – minimum 10 people/maximum 25 people – includes main meeting room hire and all the essentials.

The Foxhills Outdoor package, also starting at £80 per person – minimum 10 people/maximum 25 people – takes advantage of the stunning Surrey countryside on offer at Foxhills with a range of wildlife-based activities to choose from, as well as the facilities for a successful meeting.

Explore the surroundings and spectacular woodlands at Foxhills, while beekeeping sessions will include some expert guidance from a resident beekeeper and a jar of Foxhills honey, while a light fitness session can also be added to the mix.

Meanwhile, the Foxhills Sports package, starting at £90 per person – minimum eight people/maximum 90 people, makes the full range of leisure pursuits available for some friendly competitive action or simply to add some light physical activity. The outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a family games room, play areas, tennis courts and an enjoyable nine-hole golf course can help add something extra for delegates to enjoy as part of a corporate away day to leave them feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Perhaps add in a touch of creativity

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in the games room or some healthy rivalry with a team event as part of the day’s events.

The historic Surrey venue, within easy reach of the M25 and central London, strikes the perfect balance between work and downtime to make the most of any company away day and can play a significant role in increasing productivity as staff return mentally and physically refreshed and ready to tackle the next challenge.

Sally Raith-Riches, group director of sales at Foxhills, said: “Businesses

thrive when there is that collective drive to succeed and we believe Foxhills is a venue which allows that to develop naturally for any size of business.

“A fresh look at a problem in a new meeting space and a shared activity can produce real results in the workplace. We can tailor many different experiences and packages to suit all requirements.”

For more information, call 01932 872050, email events@foxhills.co.uk or visit foxhills.co.uk

EDUCATION

BUSINESS EDUCATION AT THE SPEED OF CHANGE Executive MBAs at the University of Surrey

Chris Mahon, MBA Director

I

n a world where connectivity transforms our lives at an ever-increasing pace, it’s more important than ever that businesses learn to identify and leverage new opportunities, and manage change faster to thrive.

An Executive MBA will help position you – personally and professionally – to lead and succeed in this rapidly changing world.

What an Executive MBA offers Generous scholarships are available for talented individuals, and with matched funding of employer contributions up to 40% of the total tuition fees an Executive MBA has never been more affordable.

Our careers consultant works closely with you to improve your positioning and employability, making sure you are ready to take the next steps in your career.

Modules are designed to reflect the inter-dependencies between functions, so that you graduate with a sound un-

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derstanding of theoretical business frameworks and the confidence to apply these across complex and multi-disciplinary contexts.

the new skills you have learnt immediately. You will return to work each week with a new confidence, helping you lead with purpose and passion.

Our ‘Connected’ MBA also helps you create and develop meaningful relationships to peers, academics, industry leaders, investors and alumni throughout and beyond your studies.

You will also benefit from the diversity and experience in the MBA cohort, allowing you to learn from each other, as well as from our distinguished faculty.

Who should consider an Executive MBA? If you are looking to develop your career, enhance your leadership capability, broaden your skills and connections, or potentially start your own business, then the Executive MBA at Surrey is designed for you. In particular we look for experienced professionals who are excited by what we have to offer, attracting students from all industries and sectors of the economy.

The Experience Consisting of 17 weekends a year for two years, our Executive MBA offers you the opportunity to study without taking a career break. You can apply

“I met and received education from world-class professors and teaching staff, most of whom have academic excellence and industrial experience. Surrey’s MBA modules also focus on digital economy and innovation, which keeps me updated with the latest market trends and technologies… and my experience at Surrey proved that systematic training sharpens one’s mind and helps generate creative ideas.”

Bing Cao, Senior Business Development Manager and Surrey MBA Student

So, if you think you’re ready to take a life changing step, we’d love to hear from you. Places are still available for 2019 entry!

Find out more about our upcoming Open Day. Register online at: surrey.ac.uk/mba/open-mornings Can’t attend? Our MBA team would be happy to hear from you. E-mail: MBA@ surrey.ac.uk or call: 01483 68 9186

SPONSORSHIP

S

Sponsor a CHAMBER EVENT

urrey Chambers of Commerce holds over 100 events a year spread across the county. We host regular breakfast meetings, industry specific forums and corporate dinners perfect for entertaining clients. These events are designed to give you the chance to enhance your

business network, find new customers and local suppliers, and meet other dynamic business people.

Sponsoring a Surrey Chambers event allows you to raise your profile and brand awareness within the county and showcase your expertise as

a company. By sponsoring an event you can take advantage of the Surrey Chambers of Commerce database and reach your target audience. It’s the perfect opportunity to make new connections and be seen to be leading and influencing.

Option 1: £300+VAT

Option 2: £750 +VAT

Option 3: £1500 +VAT

PRE-EVENT • Marketing flyers - the words ‘sponsored by’ and your company logo on event flyer.

• Company logo on Surrey Chambers website against sponsored event of your choice.

• Included in weekly newsletter promotion of the event.

PRE-EVENT • Marketing flyers - the words ‘sponsored by’ and your company logo on event flyer.

• Company logo on Surrey Chambers website against sponsored event of your choice.

• Included in weekly newsletter promotion of the event.

• Hyperlink on the respective Surrey Chambers website page, through to your own website.

PRE-EVENT • Marketing flyers - the words ‘sponsored by’ and your company logo on event flyer.

• Company logo on Surrey Chambers website against sponsored event of your choice.

• Included in weekly newsletter promotion of the event.

• Hyperlink on the respective Surrey Chambers website page, through to your own website.

AT EVENT • Two complimentary places.

• Event ‘sponsored by’ and company logo on delegate list; copy for each attendee.

• Logo on delegate badges.

• Opportunity to display corporate banner and literature.

• Acknowledgement by Chamber representative for sponsorship at event.

• Opportunity to speak briefly at event (up to 10 minutes).

• Tagged on Twitter/Instagram social media platforms.

AT EVENT • Up to 10 complimentary places / table of 10.

• Event ‘sponsored by’ and company logo on delegate list.

Copy for each attendee.

• Logo on delegate badges.

• Short bio and accompanying photos in event programme.

• Opportunity to display corporate banner and literature.

• Acknowledgement by Chamber CEO for sponsorship at event.

• Opportunity to speak briefly at event (up to 15 minutes).

• Tagged on Twitter/Instagram social media platforms.

AT EVENT • One complimentary place.

• Event ‘sponsored by’ and company logo on delegate list.

Copy for each attendee.

• Opportunity to display corporate banner and literature.

• Acknowledgement by Chamber representative for sponsorship at event.

• Tagged on Twitter/Instagram social media platforms.

POST EVENT • Logo included in post-event email to attendees.

If you are interested in sponsoring a Surrey Chambers of Commerce event, please contact: Emily.Stanton@surrey-chambers.co.uk or call 01483 735540

POST EVENT • Logo included in post-event email to attendees.

• Special thanks featured in post-event write-up article for next issue of Surrey Business Magazine, along with logo and accompanying photo.

SURREY BUSINESS

45

&

POWER, PR PASSION Aneela Rose, founder of Rose Media Group, is a successful business owner, a mother and a World Champion Powerlifter. In-between juggling her work, sport and home life, Aneela found time to tell Ian Trevett about a special anniversary “You’re looking at my arms!”

I had to admit Aneela was right - she had caught me red-handed, staring quizzically at her slender biceps. Chatting over lunch, she had just shown me a photo of her lifting a barbell with enormous weights that surely weighed far more than she did. It didn’t seem humanly possible and Aneela is hardly how I would perceive a weightlifter to look. But what do I know? For her bodyweight and age category, Aneela Rose is an AWPC World Champion Powerlifter.

Appearances are not always what they seem. A petite frame disguises the steely determination that has driven Aneela to build a successful PR agency and out-lift all her competitors. This year Aneela celebrates 15 years of running her own business and, typically, she is looking forward ambitiously.

“I like to reinvent the agency every few years,” says Aneela. I love bringing on board people who want to change the world and try something new as this keeps us fresh and interesting to our clients.

Photograph by Aslan Steel

“I’m not afraid of making decisions or making mistakes, it’s complacency that scares me. Within the next year we are forecasting our growth within the sectors we excel in such as manufacturing, engineering, construction and technology.

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SURREY BUSINESS

“Known as a glamorous geek and with a PR background in flight simulation, I’m completely at home focusing on more technical campaigns.”

INTERVIEW

“We work with some very successful global companies in these sectors, and our evidence based marketing, or data-driven sleuthing as I like to call it, really hits the mark with generating results.”

“I went on my own in 2004,” recalls Aneela. “I was fed up with reporting to managers who didn’t know anything about my job. I was Head of PR at an IT company, but reported to a Sales Manager who didn’t understand PR - which so often happens.

“Initially I went into retail as my dream had always been to have a shop with my name above the door. Graham, my husband-to-be, was a Financial Director at a local company at that time and wanted to leave his job as well. He always encouraged me to follow my dreams so we opened the Aneela Rose Boutique in The Lanes in Brighton. Graham actually left his job before me and, for a while, ran the shop on his own. I was working seven days a week - midweek as Head of PR and weekends at the shop.

Photograph by Aslan Steel

If the agency’s future is in the manufacturing and engineering sectors, Aneela’s biggest break and proudest moment in business was when she secured a highly sought-after PR contract in the luxury leisure sector.

“Our first client was Amberley Castle which was amazing, as I had no experience in the hotel or luxury industry. A good friend of mine told me that Amberley Castle’s PR Manager was leaving, so I got in touch straight away.

“In the interview I was asked which hotels I was looking after, and I confessed I had no experience in the sector, which I assumed would have ruled me out. In fact, it was the opposite; the castle didn’t want any conflict of interest. We got on so well that they appointed me on the spot.

I’M NOT AFRAID OF MAKING DECISIONS OR MAKING MISTAKES, IT’S COMPLACENCY THAT SCARES ME “The shop was brilliant fun, but we didn’t make any money. One morning, when it was very quiet, I wrote a press release for my friend’s business. She paid me £200 and Graham commented that I had earned more money writing than we earned in the shop that day. He suggested I set up a freelance PR business, which made sense as we had already built up plenty of press contacts with the shop. In 2004 I set up Aneela Rose PR.

“I immersed myself in Amberley Castle and spent long hours really understanding the business. My lack of sector experience didn’t really matter as I understand PR and how it works, what makes a good story and how to get the story out there at the right time. I know how to build relationships with journalists and understand what they are looking for in a story. The key is to understand the business and know what they want to achieve.

“Within a few months I was picking up new clients. My second client was Kate’s Cakes followed by one of their distributors, Southover Foods. Then I was appointed by an orthodontic company, so within the first year I already was building an eclectic client base across a wide range of sectors.”

Aneela’s business grew quickly from working as a freelancer with a desk in her bedroom: “I realised I was building a grown-up company. It was such an adrenalin rush. From day one I had a mindset that I would always be professional. Even when working from my home, I’d dress smartly and asked the same of my staff too.

Her journey has had its ups and downs.

The lowest point was when Aneela brought in someone to run the company when she had her first child - which resulted in losing clients and staff.

‘It was my biggest mistake,” reflects Aneela. “My husband believed I should have trusted my team to look after the business, and he was right. I would never make the same mistake again.”

The business recovered when Aneela returned and she set up Purple Rose

SURREY BUSINESS

47

INTERVIEW Digital at the time when digital marketing and social media began to take off. “We were perceived as ‘just’ a PR company but not necessarily a digital company. The important thing back then was to make people aware that we offered the whole package: social media, email marketing, PR, sales activity and events.”

was throwing the javelin, until one day a coach made the left-field suggestion that she might do well at powerlifting. It wasn’t a bad suggestion as she is now a world champion. To be precise Aneela is the AWPC (Amateur World Powerlifting Congress) World Powerlifting Champion 2018 and the ABPU (Amateur British Powerlifting Union) British Powerlifting Champion & Record Holder 2019. In May, Aneela broke two British powerlifting records in the Masters 56kg bodyweight class.

AT THE AGENCY I ALWAYS STRESS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE WORK The digital off-shoot served its purpose, but Aneela realised that running two companies was not the most efficient proposition: “In 2016, we combined the PR and digital companies into Rose Media Group, which allows us to grow the business and perhaps even look at some acquisitions.

“PR is still at the heart of what we do: it’s about memorable story-telling, but we also offer expert digital marketing as part of the package, including SEO, website design and build.”

Photograph by Aslan Steel

Speaking to Aneela it is apparent that her business is a very important part of her life, but not her sole drive. Aneela explains how her life balance works: “The key elements of my life are like three circles or cogs: my family, my work and my sport. If I removed one of these circles my life wouldn’t be as smooth as they are all interlinked and interact. I need all three. I want to be a businesswoman, a mother and to be physically active. At the centre of the cogs is my husband, not me. He is involved in the business, at the centre of family life and encourages me in my sport. Since I realised this it has made everything make sense.

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“I’m successful and happy because I rely on other people to help me rather than do it all on my own.”

Knowing how interlinked her work, sport and family are drives Aneela to train even when it would be much easier to watch TV. Her original passion

As well as the drive of competitive sport, the powerlifting has another therapeutic benefit for Aneela: “When I train for my lifting I surround myself with people who know more about the sport than I do, and they tell me what to do. At work I’m the leader, and home I am mum. In sport, the role is reversed and it is me who relies on others, which is a welcome release for me.

“At the agency I always stress that everyone should have a life outside work as it is important that people have a balance in their lives. I like to take an interest as it should never be all about work.

“I am very proud to be, I believe, the first British Asian female to win gold within this federation in my weight class. It is a male-dominated sport and I am a physically small and older Asian female , which I hope will break down barriers and encourage others not to be scared of taking chances. I am planning to get more involved with local communities and schools and hold motivational talks.”

After spending some time with Aneela, it is clear she is an incredibly motivated individual who has been able to combine successfully a thriving business, family life and sporting achievement. She passionately believes that with a positive mindset and consistent action, you can achieve great things. www.rosemediagroup.co.uk

namic D Y

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR WOMEN ISSUE ONE – OCTOBER 2019

ROME Shake hands in the eternal city

INTERVIEW Amber Rudd shares her journey

GIRL TORQUE The new Audi Q8

THE BIG DEBATE Glass ceiling or glass floor

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ULTIMO SUPREMO

The Baroness of Mayfair

Michelle Mone OBE

T HE B U S INE S S M AG A Z INE F OR W OME N The all-new publication inspiring women in business Dynamic is a highly informative magazine for women in business, written by women in business

LAUNCH DATE: OCTOBER 16TH 2019 Subscribe to your copy now by contacting info@platinumpublishing.co.uk PLATINUM BUSINESS MAGAZINE THE LARGEST CIRCULATION REGIONAL BUSINESS PUBLICATION IN THE UK.

MAGAZINE ISSUE 55 2019

ISSUE 55 2019

Rome Shake hands in the ETERNAL CITY

The Winners!

The Sussex Business Awards

THE HEALTH WELLBEING ISSUE

2018

How to sell your business in 2019

Fly Premium from London Gatwick to the Americas and Asia.

Our service includes: • Lounge access at selected airports • Premium meal service • Complimentary drinks throughout the flight • State-of-the-art touch screen entertainment system • Complimentary seat reservation at time of booking • 2 checked bags x 20 kg • USB charger and power outlet in your seat • Fast Track at selected airports

HOW

Arianna Huffington LEARNT TO SLOW DOWN

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DynamicMagazine

PLATINUM PUBLISHING

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DynamicWomenUK

20/12/2018 14:02

’TIS THE SEASON TO BE PLANNING...

It may feel slightly surreal, but taking the time in the summer months to book your Christmas party will mean you’ll have a slick, well-organised, festive celebration Here are our six top tips to help you get ahead of the game:

1

Planning ahead is key: the best venues, and even the best deals, can be snapped up with an early booking.

It also allows you to spread the cost if you are paying some of the bill up front.

It’s a daunting prospect sifting through the hundreds of venues and menus and finding the right one for your company. Ask your staff, get a feel for what your colleagues would like. You can’t please everyone, but you can work with a general consensus. You might be surprised by some inventive suggestions.

2

Setting the date early is a good way of ensuring most people are available to attend. Check out the consensus on a few possible dates with staff first and go with the majority for maximum attendance. Sending a ‘save the

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SURREY BUSINESS

date’ email out early will help to ensure a good turn-out.

3

Work out your budget and stick to it. If the budget is tight, you might want to consider venues offering shared parties. A table at a bigger event may be a good way of offering some entertainment without blowing the budget. Maybe you can buddy up with other companies in the same building to create a bigger event with a shared cost. It’s always good to save a bit of the budget for any unexpected costs.

Consider the food and drinks bill. Be clear about what is included. Is there free wine with a meal and a pay bar after that? Make sure staff know, and

remember that a big part of the offering is a thank-you to staff for their hard work throughout the year. It won’t boost morale if you ask for a contribution. It’s better to do something less fancy, but cover the cost.

4

Food and drink: Festive drinks to get your crew in the party spirit are a great way to kick-start the evening. If you are worried about a certain con-

CHRISTMAS VENUES BUSINESS SURVEY CHRISTMAS VENUES tingency using up the drinks budget with excessive rounds of Jäger bombs from the off, consider drinks vouchers, or limit freebies to wine and beers.

Food is usually expected at the Christmas do, so do organise a menu tasting prior to booking so you can sample the quality of the food on offer. Consult with the chefs and your staff to ensure there are vegetarian options and that other dietary requirements can be catered for. The food is an important part of the event, so making sure the venue is used to catering for large numbers is another must. There’s nothing worse than the whole evening falling flat because the food and/or service is awful.

5

Entertainment can make or break your event, so some carefully planned surprises can lift your teams’ spir-

its and add to the party atmosphere, plus it’s a great way of ironing out any awkward small talk. Musicians or magicians working the room, circus acts, casino tables and giant games are but a few of the many options for adding some entertaining sparkle to your event. You’ll want to consider music, too. A small dance floor is always a plus.

6

Thank-you speeches and awards: The Christmas party is a great time to let your staff know how well they’ve been doing. Pick some serious and funny awards to present to staff to let them know how much they are appreciated.

Sharing the spirit of Christmas among family, friends or work colleagues has become part of the Foxhills tradition for the festive season.

Whether it’s a smaller intimate event or a glitzy bash for up to 180 guests, the Foxhills experience springs to life with our outstanding facilities, attention to detail and the perfect atmosphere to make any Christmas party an occasion to remember.

Prices start from just £45 per person for a three-course meal and for smaller groups, join up with fellow revellers.

Book today Email christmas@foxhills.co.uk or call 01932 872050

foxhills.co.uk/christmas SURREY BUSINESS

51

LINGFIELD PARK

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS EVE PARTY NIGHTS FROM £51PP

01342 830930 events@lingfieldpark.co.uk LingfieldPark

lingfieldpark.co.uk Close to Gatwick, M23 J10, M25 J6

Clandon Regis Golf Club

are proud to announce we are now licenced to hold Marriages & Civil Partnerships Recently Engaged ?

We are delighted to be able to offer you the complete package.

Walk down the aisle to your loved one and make your lasting vows to one another, followed by Welcome Drinks & Wedding Breakfast. Then dance the night away with your guests. Or maybe you would prefer a simple service followed by Afternoon Tea.

Already Married ?

Come along and celebrate with family and friends and renew your vows in a beautiful setting, followed by a served meal, buffet lunch or dinner.

Clandon Regis Golf Club. Epsom Road, West Clandon, Surrey GU4 7TT Visit: www.clandonregis-golfclub.co.uk Call: 01483 224888 Email: functions@clandonregis-golfclub.co.uk

Christmas at Clandon Regis Golf Club Visit us for a Magical Christmas Event Offering festive menus for lunch or evening meals which combine traditional, seasonal & modern dishes to suit all tastes.

Choose from two or three courses from £20.50 or upgrade your package to include wine and music from £30.95. Alternatively our festive afternoon tea offers a more low key event at just £8.75.

Whether your group is 20 or 120 we will endeavour to cater to your requirements, you can hire our function room for exclusive use or join one of our mixed party nights.

To book your party or for more information please contact our Functions Manager on 01483 224888 extension 3 or email functions@clandonregis-golfclub.co.uk

JUST A FEW DATES REMAIN - BOOK TODAY! Website: www.clandonregis-golfclub.co.uk

Christmas parties at Mercedes-Benz World.

Enjoy the sparkle of Christmas and book your exclusive Christmas party at Mercedes-Benz World. Prices start at just ÂŁ65.00 per person + VAT. To book or find out more call 01932 373 707 or email mbworld-events@daimler.com

Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0SL. Tel 01932 373 707.

CHRISTMAS VENUES

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Lingfield Park Resort is bringing the Big Apple to the peaceful Surrey countryside this Christmas and New Year

L

ingfield Park Resort is the perfect destination for all things festive this Christmas. Our Christmas and New Year’s Eve party nights make any occasion memorable, whether you’re celebrating the end of a successful year with your team or if you’re seeing 2019 off with a bang alongside your nearest and dearest. Don’t let the party stop by taking advantage of our residential packages within our Marriott Hotel & Country Club located on site, plus our Christmas Party

guests receive an exclusive 20% off accommodation.

Prepare to be dazzled by the glitz and glamour of New York City. Enjoy a complimentary arrival drink to get the party started, then take your seats for a decadent three-course festive menu. Prices for our Christmas Party nights start at £51pp.

If you would like to join us for New Year’s Eve, get ready to bid farewell to 2019 in

Located in the stunning 160 acres of Painshill Park, The Conservatory at Painshill is an ideal events venue. It sits within a private walled Victorian heritage garden which creates an idyllic setting for corporate and private events.

This Christmas we welcome Circus Extraordinaire to The Conservatory. The venue is available for both exclusive hire of capacities up to 320 people and shared party nights for smaller groups. Join us at The Conservatory this festive season for show-stopping entertainment and exquisite catering.

style at our spectacular “Countdown in Times Square” in the city that never sleeps. Prices for New Year’s Eve start from £99pp. You’ll enjoy a delicious Champagne and canapé reception on arrival followed by a four-course feast.

After dinner, it’s time to dance the night away to our resident DJ. To find out more please contact events@ lingfieldpark.co.uk or give us a call on 01342 834930.

Our Circus Extraordinaire Party Package includes a sparkling wine and drinks reception, a delicious three-course meal by our award-winning caterers Create Food, professional DJ and disco, and circus themed entertainment. The party packages are available for exclusive hire and shared party nights, which start from £55 +VAT per person.

For more information contact us on 01932 584283 or email us at events@painshillevents.co.uk

SURREY BUSINESS

55

JOIN IN THE FUN AND FESTIVITIES TO CELEBRATE THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS AT EPSOM DOWNS

S H A R E D PA R T Y N I G H T S Friday 13th, Saturday 14th & Friday 20th December

Tickets £58

(inc VAT)

per person

Call 01372 464348, email SANDOWN.EVENTS@THEJOCKEYCLUB.CO.UK or visit SANDOWN.CO.UK

CHRISTMAS PARTY NIGHTS 6TH, 13TH & 20TH DECEMBER 7pm - Midnight • £50pp Includes: Arrival Prosecco or bottle of beer 3 course set menu • DJ Upgrade for £10pp to include 1/2 bottle of wine or 2 bottles of beer Minimum numbers of 8 required to secure a private table

Quote code SBXMAS19 when booking to receive a complimentary bottle of prosecco per table.

Tandridge Lane, Blindley Heath, RH7 6LL • 01342830820 • theredbarn@geronimo-inns.co.uk

THEREDBARNBLINDLEYHEATH.CO.UK TheRedBarnPub

RedBlindley

theredbarnblindleyheath

Celebrate the festive season at Wotton House From sparkling Christmas parties, to a Christmas day feast, to popping the champagne at our New Year's Eve gala dinner, Wotton House is a stunning backdrop for your celebrations.

Christmas Parties Spoil your team with a glass of bubbly on arrival, a delectable 3 course meal and a DJ to party the night away.

Contact our events team on 01306 730000 for details.

WWW.WOTTONHOUSE.CO.UK

POLICING SURREY

SURREY POLICE

Tackling county lines Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner David Munro talks about tackling a national problem which has made itself to parts of rural Surrey

Y

ou may have seen a recent news story about drug gangs operating in more rural areas which highlighted a small Surrey village as having had a particular spike in offences.

Understandably some alarm was caused amongst the residents of Westhumble, which has a population of 649, to learn that drug crime had quadrupled from nine cases in 2015 to 42 in 2018.

So had a small, peaceful village nestling in the Surrey Hills suddenly become the target of drug gangs operating from big cities? The simple answer is no.

None of the offences happened in the village itself and they were all for cannabis possession, not supply. The bulk related to a nearby beauty spot car park where, for a time, people were going to use cannabis, and the associated proactive policing operations that took place to address the issue. It was not gang related and an example of where figures were reported without the right context to present the accurate picture.

They also work with local schools and partner agencies to educate young people in particular of the risks. We know gangs often groom, threaten or trick children into ‘running’ their drugs for them. They may lure them initially by offering money, food, alcohol, clothes and jewellery, or improved status – but the giving of these gifts will usually be manipulated so that the child feels they are in debt to their exploiter.

What the story did do however was highlight an issue which although may not be troubling the residents of Westhumble, is nevertheless very real in other parts of our county.

‘County Lines’ is the name given to drug dealing which involves organised criminal networks using phone lines to facilitate the supply of class A drugs –

We all have a part to play in disrupting these gang’s activities and ensuring they, and the harmful drugs they peddle, stay out of our communities.

I would urge anyone who is aware of suspicious activity in Surrey that could be related to drug dealing or knows of anyone being exploited by these gangs to pass that information to police so that action can be taken.

IT IS A NATIONAL ISSUE AND WE ARE NOT IMMUNE HERE IN SURREY such as heroin and crack cocaine - to customers in towns and villages away from the big cities where they usually operate.

It is a national issue and we are not immune here in Surrey. Our police teams take this growing problem very seriously and are working hard with other agencies to address it. They employ a number of tactics to reduce drug related harm and disrupt this criminality including covert activity, proactive patrols at train stations, drugs dogs and patrols on major routes in and out of the county.

If you are concerned about drug use or drug dealing in your area, contact Surrey Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always dial 999.

If you want to learn more about County Lines and the signs to look out for – visit https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/what-we-do/crime-threats/ drug-trafficking/county-lines

Visit the Surrey PCC website at www.surrey-pcc.gov.uk

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GROW YOUR

THURSDAY 12TH SEPT

BUSINESS

EPSOM DOWNS RACECOURSE

SHOW

Surrey's Business Expo & Race Day is the ideal platform for like minded people to create, build and strengthen business relationships

60+ exhibitors

100s of attendees

12+ seminars

eeches from:

Seminars & keynote sp

Richard Woods BBCs The Apprentice Finalist, Keynote Speaker & Bestselling Author

James Paoloni Founder of J2 Accounting – Making Tax Digital

Ges Ray Keynote Speaker & Author – Power of Public Speaking

Vee Roberts Multi Award Winning Brand & Marketing Expert

Damien Roberts Chief Operating Officer – Epsom & Ewell Council

Malcolm Dawes Managing & Leading High Performing Teams

Covering a range of industry sectors: Accounting, Advertising, Banking, Beauty, Company Formation, Design, Digital, E-Commerce, Education, Financial Services, Franchising, Furniture, Government, Health & Safety, Insurance, Legal, Marketing, Printing, Production, Property, Recruitment, Sales, Web Services, & many more...

Free to attend – Register your tickets below:

growyourbusinessshow.co.uk Proudly sponsored by:

Media partners:

BUSINESS EVENT

NETWORKING AT THE RACES The Grow Your Business Show, Surrey’s very own Business Exhibition and Race Day, is taking place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on Thursday September 12th 2019

T

he show provides a professional, open and friendly platform for start-ups, SMEs and large businesses looking to network, build relationships, gain new knowledge and keep up to date with the latest products and services. We are looking forward to welcoming over 1000 attendees and more than 70 exhibitors from a wide range of industries.

The show starts with a morning networking session from 8-9:30am, sponsored by Surrey Chambers of Commerce and Hartfield Manor, giving attendees the opportunity to network before the show doors officially open at 9:30am.

The first of 12 seminars, led by industry experts and keynote speakers, will commence at 10am. Both seminar rooms 1 and 2 will run in conjunction with each other, covering key industry topics such as - Making Tax Digital, Lead Generation, Speaking in Public, Growing a Profitable Business, Finance Solutions, Building Successful Teams, and more.

Throughout the show you will have numerous opportunities to network with the hundreds of attendees, exhibitors and sponsors. Omni Local Business Network will be providing attendees with an opportunity to take part in two-speed networking sessions, the ‘speed dating for professionals,’ which is an exciting, fast-

paced method of networking offering maximum exposure in a short space of time (register your interest at reception).

Grow Your Business Show is also proud to be launching the Women’s Power Hour at 12pm. This is an hour dedicated to supporting and celebrating Surrey’s business women. Enjoy our panel discussion with six guest speakers sharing their knowledge and

experience, offering advice, and answering questions from the audience.

Following the Business Expo (8:30am – 2pm) we invite all attendees and exhibitors along with their clients to join us at the iconic Epsom Downs for an afternoon at the races (free with registration). A great opportunity to extend the networking opportunities with fellow attendees or just use it as the perfect excuse to enjoy the last of the summer sun.

Tap into the truly diverse and thriving Surrey business community at the Grow Your Business Show. Whether you’re looking to start your own business, are already established, searching for growth potential or keen to meet those who are already further along their journey, this is one event you simply cannot afford to miss!

To register for your complimentary tickets please visit www.growyourbusinessshow.co.uk

PLAN YOUR DAY 8:30am - 9:30am - Morning Networking Session 9:30am - Exhibition Doors Open 10am - Seminars Begin

11:15am - 11:45am - Speed Networking Session 1 12pm - 1pm - Women’s Power Panel Discussion

1:15pm - 1:45pm - Speed Networking Session 2 1:50pm - Seminars End

2pm - Exhibition Doors Close & Race Day Starts 6pm - Race Day Ends

SURREY BUSINESS

61

GATWICK’S GROWTH PLANS Our international airport has produced an innovative plan to enhance the UK’s global connectivity and boost trade

G

atwick has just announced its master plan which maps out the airport’s ongoing development and growth into the early 2030s. The plan sets out the airport’s latest thinking on how it can meet the increasing demand for air travel and provide Britain with enhanced global connectivity and new economic opportunities and jobs across the region for generations to come.

The master plan sets out how Gatwick could develop to meet demand in the most sustainable way over the next 15 years. It is also a direct response to the Government’s recent call for UK airports to look at ‘making best use of their existing runways’ and explores how Gatwick could grow across three scenarios: 1 Using new technology to build capacity and resilience on the main runway 2 Bringing the existing standby runway into routine use for departures only by the mid 2020s

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SURREY BUSINESS

3 Recommending planning policies to safeguard land for an additional runway Strong public support Following the publication of the draft master plan late in 2018, a 12-week period of public consultation took place to gather feedback and views on the three scenarios which included: • Eight consultation events across the local region attended by over 2,500 people • Over 5,000 responses from local residents, community groups, businesses, airlines, local and national politicians and other key partners • 66% of respondents supporting Gatwick making best use of existing runways in line with Government policy, including the innovative plan to bring the existing standby runway into routine use alongside the main runway • 59% of respondents supporting the continued safeguarding of land for an additional runway should it be required in the future

Taking forward the innovative plan to use the standby runway will deliver additional capacity. Taking forward the innovative plan to use the standby runway to deliver additional capacity, the airport will bring forward plans that balance: • Operational resilience: unlocking extra capacity will help Gatwick to continue to provide good operational performance for passengers and airlines.

• Sustainable growth: building on Gatwick’s strong track record, work will

be carried out to ensure environmental impacts are appropriately managed and mitigated, and incremental growth is delivered in a sustainable way.

In addition, the scheme would aim to deliver:

BUSINESS SURVEY TRAVEL

• Enhanced competition: building on the positive impact that competition has made to the passenger experience, additional capacity will provide further opportunities for airline innovation and passenger choice.

• Economic growth: investment will deliver more global connections, new opportunities for the local economy,

and jobs for generations to come.

• Similar noise footprint: the extra capacity will be balanced by the airport’s noise footprint remaining broadly similar to today’s levels, mainly because of the introduction of new, quieter aircraft technology

which have already made a signifi cant difference.

• Minimal disruption: the standby runway plans will be a privately financed, low-impact and low-cost development resulting in a highly productive scheme. No compulsory purchase of residential properties would be required.

information on the standby runway plans later this year. This information, together with further details on the plans, will then be subject to a period of public consultation to allow local residents, councils, businesses, community groups and other key parties to have a say on the plans, potentially next year.

Next steps In order to gain planning permission to routinely use the standby runway plan, Gatwick will follow the Development Consent Order (DCO) process that culminates in a final decision by the Secretary of State, following a recommendation from the Planning Inspectorate.

The first stages in the DCO process will see Gatwick carry out surveys and preparation of detailed environmental

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Travel ...done beautifully

Introducing Go Bespoke Travel

We are proud to welcome our new travel section in association with Go Bespoke Travel. Over the coming issues, the travel experts on Go Bespoke will offer advice on everything from the the most luxurious spas to the finest skiing resorts. This month they recommend where to go for winter sun and the hippest London bars.

O

ver the past two decades, the number of luxury hotels, resorts and cruise-liners has grown at an absolutely astonishing rate, bringing even more choice to familiar destinations, and assuring luxury travellers that a five-star experience can be enjoyed throughout their ventures, even when traversing more diverse locations. Add to this the airlines that have spent millions on enhancing their in-air amenities: from fine-dining whenever the mood takes you, fabulous Frette linen-laden flat-beds and shower spas, to first-class suites– and in some cases your own private apartment – and the choice can be overwhelming.

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This is where an independent travel agent like Go Bespoke is of enormous value. Founded in 2013, Go Bespoke is a boutique, luxury travel agent based in a lovely seaside office in Hove, East Sussex. The small team of four, headed up by Director Louisa Tubman, is incredibly experienced in all aspects of travel, for both individuals and businesses.

Partnering with an impressive Little Black Book of suppliers, the knowledgeable team ensures that every detail of a trip is tailor-made, from the travel arrangements to the concierge requirements at your

destination. From stunning villas in Europe, to ultra chic honeymoon getaways, to fully staffed chalets, off the beaten track retreats and leading boutique hotels, there is no end to the stylish and unforgettable experiences on offer. Indeed, Director Louisa is also an interior designer so you can expect to be wow-ed by beautiful styling, attention to detail and design when you travel with Go Bespoke.

Meeting with clients and offering a really personal service is at the heart of the business, down to handdelivering travel documents or being on call to book last minute

TRAVEL BUSINESS SURVEY

restaurants or activities during a client’s holiday. Given the team’s excellent relationships with suppliers, Go Bespoke is in the know when it comes to the latest openings and offers. In this day and age of impersonal online booking systems, using an independent agent also means all sorts of perks or added little extras can be arranged directly, making a trip truly memorable.

‘Most of our clients are just as price conscious as us and want the best deal for their money, and we have worked hard to make sure all our suppliers are the best in the business, and the most competitive’.

Be inspired online at www.gobespoketravel.com Follow on Instagram: instagram.com/gobespoketravel

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Where to go for...

WINTER SUN

In this first feature from the team at Go Bespoke, the team has hand-picked some of their top recommendations for ‘Where to Go’ for some restorative winter sun over the next few months.

ST BART’S When to go: December. St Bart’s is the original discreet-A-lister’s sunny paradise of choice and it is especially buzzing in December. With postcard-perfect beaches, restaurants, hotels and villas, it’s certainly a glamorous destination at this festive time of year. Make sure you book well in advance though to avoid off-the-charts FOMO since mid December is considered peak season but it’s well worth the forward-planning.

Climate Averages: Average maximum daytime temperatures of 30°C/84°F - due to it’s location within the North of the Caribbean, the island itself experiences welcome trade winds and endless blue skies which truly enhance the tropical experience.

Go Bespoke recommends: Eden Rock (pictured) Eden Rock is a gem that has been transformed into a paradise of sophisticated style and is considered one of the finest hotels on the island.

Boasting colourful works of art, contemporary furniture and innovative design, Eden Rock is an ideal destination for families, providing them with a variety of fun games and activities from bodyboarding to sandcastle-building. Located on a rocky promontory surrounded by white sandy beaches, gin clear sea and amazing coral reefs full of colorful wild sea life.

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TRAVEL NEW ZEALAND When to go: November. With most tourists arriving in December, November gives you a major head start on sampling all of the countries epic attractions. Days are getting longer, NZ is greener than ever, and there’s never been a better time to enjoy South Island’s adrenalin-fuelled adventures, or North’s hot springs and beaches.

Climate Averages: Average maximum daytime temperatures of 20°C/68°F (Auckland), no humidity, and around 6 hours of sunshine daily.

Go Bespoke recommends: Hapuku Lodge & Tree Houses (pictured). Hapuku Lodge & Tree Houses provides luxurious accommodation on Kaikoura’s rugged coastline. A place for guests to relax in its indoor/outdoor setting and a place from which they can explore the larger maritime landscape of Kaikoura, one of the world’s premier eco-marine tourism destinations. Go on one of the local walks with a picnic basket, take an ocean fishing trip or experience the wondrous sight of baby seals frolicking in the Oahu waterfall just a short drive up the highway.

DUBAI When to go: November. Where else can you wrap-up all your Christmas shopping and bag yourself a festive A-list tan?

Cooler temperatures make sightseeing, beach-lounging and desert adventures a breeze at this time of year.

Climate Averages: Average maximum daytime temperatures of 26°C/79°F with low heat and humidity, and around 8 hours of sunshine daily.

Go Bespoke recommends: The Bulgari. Bringing elegant Italian style to the Middle East, this private island retreat just off the Dubai coast is the antidote to the city’s ubiquitous skyscraper hotels with a low-rise. It boasts 101 rooms and suites, as well as 20 Bvlgari villas with sea views and a state-of-the-art 1,700 square-metre luxurious spa and a hammam.

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Leading independent luxury travel agent Â

Travel done beautifully Designing tailor-made holidays since 2013 +44 (0) 20 8935 5779 // info@gobespoketravel.com // www.gobespoketravel.com

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Where to go for...

WINTER SUN

MOROCCO

When to go: October. The best time to visit Morocco is in the shoulder-season (September to October) or during spring (mid-March to May). The weather is warm but pleasant, the perfect temperature to explore the bustling medinas comfortably, as well as hike in the mountains. October is also date season in the desert region, which is when Skoura, Erfoud and the surrounding

valleys are at their most lush and vibrant.

Climate Averages: Average maximum daytime temperatures of 22°C/71°F with no humidity, and around 8 hours of sunshine daily.Go Bespoke recommends: Mandarin Oriental Marrakech. Lying in 20 hectares of fragrant gardens and olive groves, Mandarin Oriental Marrakech is a five-star luxury resort just minutes from the Medina

MEXICO When to go: December. Fun and festive, extraordinary and energetic, vibrant and diverse, Mexico is full of surprises. Desert landscapes, porcelain-white beaches, cerulean sea, spectacular diving, historical haciendas and Mayan ruins are just a few reasons to go… and December is the perfect time.

Climate Averages: Average maximum daytime temperatures of 28°C/82°F with moderate heat and humidity, and around 6 hours of sunshine daily.

and with the Atlas Mountains as its backdrop. With excellent facilities and world-class dining, accommodation comprises a selection of beautiful guest suites and villas, each featuring design influences from the local Berber community and many offering private gardens and pools. Perfect for a romantic getaway!

THE HOTTEST BARS THIS WINTER > London

Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square

Overlooking Tower Bridge, Ten Trinity Square is great for after-work drinks, a pre-dinner aperitivo or a more informal client meeting. The Rotunda Bar has live music sessions every Tuesday to Saturday, plus there’s an impressive menu of creative cocktails from Head Bartender, Harry Nikolaou. Discover the pop-up rooftop bar, ‘The Residence’, for a great view of some of the City’s most iconic landmarks.

The Ned

With eight restaurants and bars to choose from, there is something for everyone at The Ned. Set amidst the historic 3,000 sq.m. former banking hall, the interiors are grand with a distinctly cool vibe and it’s clear to see how Soho House & Co’s founder Nick Jones is behind this development. There’s a rooftop bar overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral which is not to be missed!

The Mandrake

Go Bespoke recommends: Hotel Esencia. A majestic 50-acre estate between Tulum and Playa del Carmen, boasting 40 rooms decorated with sumptuous bathrooms and private terraces, great for honeymooners and those seeking total privacy. This ultra cool boutique hotel is ideally located on one of the only remaining undeveloped pristine shores of the Riviera Maya in the immaculate bay of Xpu-Ha – a haven where each year sea turtles make their nests. The restaurants are some of Mexico’s best from a Michelin-star winning culinary team.

With its own glasshouse apothecary, this awardwinning luxury boutique hotel in Fitzrovia, has a bespoke art collection that includes works from Salvador Dalí and Francesco Clemente. The 34room hotel also boasts a three-storey-high living wall of Jasmine and Passionflowers at Jurema. Enjoy this little sanctuary with a feel-good cocktail or two and Mexican-inspired dishes.

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AMORAK PICK-UP

Having never reviewed a pick-up truck, l thought it time to see what all the fuss is about. By Maarten Hoffmann

T

here are not many areas in life in which l can claim virginity but pick-up trucks is certainly one of them. I have never driven one, ridden in one or ever really wanted to.

But seeing them in copious numbers on the street, they are getting better and better looking and l didn’t feel the need for tattoos, a copy of the Sun or a Yorkie bar.

A pick-up is a five seater estate with a large flatbed instead of an enclosed boot. The advantages are ease of load without having to open a boot or ruin perfectly good carpets hence they are generally seen in the hands of builders, tradesmen and the like.

There is a plethora of models out there and mine is the VW

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Amorak, the company’s first purposebuilt full size pick-up. If you forget about the flatbed, this is a perfectly normal SUV - high position, five seats and everything else you would expect.

There is a choice of two turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 diesel units, offering either 201bhp or 258bhp. There is plenty of torque available and plenty of grunt throughout the range. I am forced to repeat, this is essentially a car with the only slight difference being the light rear-end when unladen, for

obvious reasons. The combination of leaf-spring rear axle, a low-range gearbox, mechanical locks on the centre and rear diffs and traction control ensure that it can tackle all conditions with ease. It is a hoot to sit in a huge pick-up truck and hold on whilst it hurtles towards the horizon like a hot hatch.

The interior is a tad more spartan and work-like than standard VW cars but

BUSINESS SURVEY MOTORING

then this is a work vehicle and as such, needs to be tough, easy to clean and uncluttered. There are three models -the Trendline, Highline and the Aventura and each comes with a differing range of kit. In short, you could regard this as a Touareg with a long open boot. The load bed is one of the largest on the market to boot, with a volume of 2.5 square metres and a payload in excess of one tonne and can tow up to 3,100kg. There are four lashing rings to tie everything down or you can plump for the hard tonneau cover that encloses everything.

The variable servicing system monitors the owners driving habits and the on-board computer tells owners when it needs a service and, driven with care, the Amarok can go as much as two years or 25,000 miles between visits to the dealership. The offered four-year servicing package costing £675 whilst most competitors offer only three years. This is a great vote of confidence from the company on the hardy nature of this model.

The real kicker with such pick-up trucks is that if purchased through a business, you can reclaim all the VAT, the BIK rate is pegged low regardless of how far up the extras list you go and the road tax is capped at £250.

So, you have a perfectly good estate car with massive load space and great spec and you save a considerable

amount of dosh. Perhaps this is why we see so many on the roads today and look closer, as many of them are not driven by tradespeople but by average Joe’s going about their daily business with a smile on their faces when they ruminate on the cash they have saved. Looking butch I guess is just a bonus.

TECH STUFF Model tested: Amorak Highline 4Motion Engine: 3.0-litre TDI V6 Power: 258bhp Speed: 0-62 – 7.4 seconds Top: 127mph Economy: 33.6mpg combined Price from: £34,845 (after VAT refund)

SO, YOU HAVE A PERFECTLY GOOD ESTATE CAR WITH MASSIVE LOAD SPACE AND GREAT SPEC – AND YOU SAVE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DOSH

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AUDI Q3

Form an orderly queue for this great crossover.

By Maarten Hoffmann

T

new models into such a crowded market? This never seems to slow down car manufacturers as if there is a slither of a gap, insert another model.

he Q series for Audi has been a great success and when l first drove the Q5 back in 2014, l was very impressed. The range has expanded greatly since then and here we have the Q3, the baby brother of the Q5 and the bigger brother of the Q2.

This whole crossover class of car has become all the fad of late, with the BMW X1, Volvo XC40 and the Jaguar E-Pace. Then Mercedes got in on the act with the GLA and JLR with the Evoque. So, in any other business sector, who on earth would keep launching

This is the second generation and comes with a body that is bigger by 10cm, therefore affording better proportions and more room inside. This has been done to provide more space and to put some light between their next smaller Q model, the Q2.

SO, IN ANY OTHER BUSINESS SECTOR, WHO ON EARTH WOULD KEEP LAUNCHING NEW MODELS INTO SUCH A CROWDED MARKET?

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The Q3 is a really good looking car with sharp, angular creases in the bodywork, eight-sided grille frame and fake intakes in the bonnet.

It uses the VW MQB platform, as in the Tiguan, and therefore there are no fundamental differences bar the party frock of the body. It is prettier than the Tiguan and more nimble.

MOTORING

The model they delivered to me is the Q3 45 TFSI quattro S tronic. Quite a mouthful. And what does the 45 mean?

4.5 litre one might presume but no, the numbers are quite confusing. The 35 offers 150bhp, the 40 offers 190bhp and the 45 offers 230bhp, dependant on whether it is diesel or petrol. Confusing but l am sure there is some base connection somewhere but it escapes me.

The 150bhp is too turgid at 9.2 secs 0-62mph so this model with 230bhp from a 2.0-litre petrol engine would be my choice, and at 6.3 secs 0-62mph, it is very nippy and is actually powered by the Golf GTi engine. Pop it in Dynamic mode and it will blast around all day and is actually good fun to drive.

It’s an Audi – so solid as a Panzer tank, not a rattle in sight and quick.

INSIDE IT IS ALL PURE AUDI DNA WHICH IS NO BAD THING What’s not to like?

Inside it is all pure Audi DNA which is no bad thing. We have the much loved Virtual Cockpit with interchangeable dials at a the press of a button and the centre screen is touch controlled with fantastic resolution. Pop the nav up on the centre screen and the dash screen, and you have a panoramic view of where you want to go.

It is all cloud connected so real time traffic news at your finger tips and the ankle biters in the back will be happy with WiFi and plenty of sockets. The rear seats slide back and forth so you

can alter the configuration as they grow or they want to load their mates in.

Of course, all Audis have the option of four wheel drive and as l constantly bang on about, why wouldn’t you? You really don’t know its there - until you need it and when you need it, it can be a life saver. Few will be dumb enough to enter the Baja 1000 in this, but it will work well when it snows, pours or you need to cross that muddy field whilst camping.

The company has flogged 1.1 million Q3’s since its launch which is no mean feat and l see no reason why this new version will not continue that trend. If you are looking for a compact crossover, this must be in your top three, if not at the top.

TECH STUFF Model tested: Audi Q3 45 TFSI Quattro S tronic Engine: 2.0-litre Power: 230bhp Speed: 0-62 6.3 seconds Top: 144 mph Economy: 32.1mpg combined Price from: £37,670 As tested: £47,555

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The A-Class.

From just £249* per month with 3 years’ free servicing**.

The new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is as youthful and dynamic as ever, but now even more grown-up and comfortable. The A-Class introduces MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience: plus it offers a number of functions usually found in classes above. Thanks to the Driving Assistance package, the A-Class can drive semi-autonomously on certain roads, and MULTIBEAM LED headlights are optionally available as part of the Premium Plus package. All models of the new A-Class are also powered by new, efficient diesel and petrol engines.

Mercedes-Benz of Guildford Moorfield Road, Guildford, GU1 1RU

Representative Example

A180 d SE Manual, Solid Paint

Monthly Payments of 1

£249.00

Customer Deposit

£2,999.00

On the Road Price

£24,599.00

Retailer Deposit Contribution

£3,231.16

Optional Purchase Payment 2

£9,525.00

Amount of Credit

£18,328.83

Duration of Agreement

48 months

Total Amount Payable 3

£27,717.16

Purchase Activation Fee 2

£10.00

Representative APR

5.7% APR

Fixed Interest Rate

5.55%

Excess Mileage excl. VAT

8p per mile

01483 916292 www.sandown-group.co.uk

1. Finance offer based on a Mercedes-Benz Agility agreement. Vehicle condition, excess mileage and other charges may be payable. 2. Payable if you exercise the option to purchase the car. 3. Includes optional purchase payment, purchase activation fee and retailer deposit contribution (where applicable). *Orders/credit approvals on selected A-Class models between 20 August and 30 September 2019, registered by 30 September 2019, excluding Mercedes-AMG models. Guarantees may be required. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Some combinations of features/options may not be available. Subject to availability. Over 18s only. Finance is subject to status and provided by Mercedes-Benz Finance, MK15 8BA. Sandown Group is a credit broker and not a lender. Sandown Group is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated consumer credit activity. All New and Approved Used cars sold by any Sandown Mercedes-Benz Retailer is subject to a purchase fee of £129 inc VAT. ** All new A-Class hatchback (incl. A35 AMG) must be registered between 01 July 2019 – 30 September 2019 (inclusive). Vehicles must be purchased on a MBFS finance contract to be eligible. Offer applies to all private retail and small fleet (1-24 units) customers only. Offer excludes old model S176 A-Class. ServiceCare Plan is based on 3 services taken at the relevant service intervals – either 15,500 miles or 12 months whichever comes sooner. All services must be completed by an authorised Mercedes-Benz Retailer. This offer can be used in conjunction with all other applicable Sales Campaigns except other ServiceCare campaigns. No cash alternative. ServiceCare plan stays with the vehicle and therefore in the event of change of vehicle ownership, the ServiceCare plan cannot be moved to another vehicle, but should be given to the new owner of the same vehicle. Mercedes-Benz Cars UK Limited reserves the right to amend or remove this offer at any time. Prices correct at time of going to press 08/19. Images for illustrative purposes.

The C-Class Estate.

Representative Example

C 200 AMG Line Estate Premium Package, Solid Paint

Monthly Payments of 1

£299.00

From just £299* per month.

Customer Deposit

£4,849.00

On the Road Price

£40,779.00

Retailer Deposit Contribution

£12,388.26

Optional Purchase Payment 2

£13,350.00

enhancements. In terms of looks, the focus of the redesign work was on the front of the

Amount of Credit

£23,541.74

vehicle as well as the design of the headlamps and tail lamps. The electronic architecture is

Duration of Agreement

48 months

completely new. You will benefit from a user experience with an optionally fully digital instru-

Total Amount Payable 3

£44,949.26

ment display and multimedia systems with tailor-made information and music. The assistance

Purchase Activation Fee 2

£10.00

systems are now at the level of the S-Class. There are also new petrol and diesel engines. It’s

Representative APR

5.7% APR

longer and wider than its predecessor, with an increased load capacity of 490 litres with the

Fixed Interest Rate

5.55%

seats up (450 litres in the C300 BlueTEC Hybrid) and 1510 litres with the seats down (1470

Excess Mileage excl. VAT

9p per mile

Head-turning looks. Cutting-edge technology. Refined performance. Effortless practicality.

The new C-Class Estate excels in every department. Now in its fifth year of production, the C-Class is the most successful model series from Mercedes-Benz and boasts a wealth of

litres in the C300 BlueTEC Hybrid). It’s also significantly lighter, and remarkably efficient: up to 76.4 mpg* combined, with CO2 emissions as low as 104 g/km. Yet it still packs a punch, with the C 250 BlueTEC reaching 0–62 mph in only 6.9 seconds.

Mercedes-Benz of Guildford Moorfield Road, Guildford, GU1 1RU

01483 916292 www.sandown-group.co.uk

1. Finance offer based on a Mercedes-Benz Agility agreement. Vehicle condition, excess mileage and other charges may be payable. 2. Payable if you exercise the option to purchase the car. 3. Includes optional purchase payment, purchase activation fee and retailer deposit contribution (where applicable). *Orders/credit approvals on selected C-Class Estate models between 20 August and 30 September 2019, registered by 30 September 2019, excluding Mercedes-AMG models. Guarantees may be required. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Some combinations of features/options may not be available. Subject to availability. Over 18s only. Finance is subject to status and provided by Mercedes-Benz Finance, MK15 8BA. Sandown Group is a credit broker and not a lender. Sandown Group is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated consumer credit activity. All New and Approved Used cars sold by any Sandown Mercedes-Benz Retailer is subject to a purchase fee of £129 inc VAT. Prices correct at time of going to press 08/19. Images for illustrative purposes.

To find a full list of our 2019 events visit www.surrey-chambers.co.uk/event-listing

September 17th CSR – CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY Event Time: 08:30 - 10:30 Event Theme: Networking AM Price: Member Rate: £10.00 +VAT Non Member Rate: £20.00 +VAT Event Location: Woking & Sam Beare Hospices Goldsworth Park Centre WOKING Surrey GU21 3LG

September 18th

MEMBERS NETWORKING EVENING Event Time: 18:00 - 20:00 Event Theme: Members Networking Evening Price: Member Rate: Free Non Member Rate: £20.00 +VAT Event Location: Denbies Wine Estate London Road DORKING RH5 6AA Here at Surrey Chambers, we think it’s highly important that you get to know the team, but also get to know the faces behind the organisations you see and hear about on a daily basis. Members of Surrey Chambers can enjoy this complimentary event on a monthly basis; the chance to meet fellow members and network with both new and established businesses from all over Surrey.

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Back by popular demand, our CSR – Connecting the Community is officially welcoming a whole new group of charities to host their own table for the morning. If you’re a business who needs to brush up on their CSR, this is the event for you.

Through speed networking, share best practice and engage with fellow businesses and charities on how you can give back to our local community. Gain insight on how to work with charities and further the discussion on corporate social responsibility. This is a great opportunity to learn about the large projects and initiatives of your fellow businesses. As you rotate around the room, you will meet with a variety of businesses and hear from a selection of wonderful charities throughout the two hour session.

At Surrey Chambers we love creating new and innovative events for our members to attend. We have decided to renovate our usual CSR Forum to produce an event that will bring together best practice, and to create a buzzing environment for our members to make countless connections, all under one roof.

September 19th

APPRENTICESHIP FORUM

Event Time: 07:45 - 10:30 Event Theme: Topical Price: Member Rate: Free Non Member Rate: £20.00 +VAT Event Location: Nescot College Reigate Road Ewell EPSOM KT17 3DS Surrey Chambers of Commerce and the Association of Learning Providers in Surrey (ALPS) have created an Apprenticeship Forum bringing Providers and businesses together to share information, make connections and do business. The format of the Forum will ensure that there is plenty of time to network and share best practice as well as a platform to provide updates.

2019 BUSINESS SURVEY

SURREY CHAMBERS

EVENTS DIARY

September 26th

SURREY YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORKING

September 26th INSPIRING AND ENGAGING FEMALE LEADERS Event Time: 12:00 - 14:30 Event Theme: Business Women In Surrey Price: Member Rate: £5.00 +VAT Non Member Rate: £5.00 +VAT | Event Location: WWF-UK The Living Planet Centre Brewery Road WOKING GU21 4LL The Surrey Chambers 'Business Women in Surrey' initiative is back, in partnership with Woking Works, to bring all female leaders and entrepreneurs together to hear a report on The Rose Review, which looks to identify the barriers faced by women when starting or growing a business.

Event Time: 17:30 - 20:00 Event Theme: Networking PM Price: Member Rate: £15.00 +VAT Non Member Rate: £15.00 +VAT Event Location: Komo Bars Weymead House Mill Brook GUILDFORD Surrey GU1 3YA Join Surrey Chambers of Commerce for a touch of informal networking at Komo, Guildford.

Back again with full force for 2019, this is a slightly re-vamped series of our Surrey Young Professionals networking evenings.We’ve all been new to an industry before; new to a company, new to a social scene, new to networking. But it’s not always easy and doesn’t come naturally for many. And yet it’s something we all do on a daily basis. So we thought, why not change this as early on as possible? Our SYP networking evenings are therefore a little more informal, in a laid-back, less corporate setting.

Be greeted with an arrival drink, break the ice and create new conversations over a spot of cocktail-making, and find your networking ‘patter’ over drinks and nibbles at the relaxed but trendy Komo bar in Guildford.

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Be Safe With Us

Did you know that Chamber members have unlimited access to a range of essential business support services.

ChamberHR

ChamberHealth & Safety

ChamberLegal

ChamberTax

These services give you unlimited access to no less than five business advice lines and a website which features over 750 free downloadable template documents.

Believe it or not all these services are included in your membership fee – you will have nothing extra to pay!

These services offer members real protection and peace of mind. To ensure that you can have access to these valuable services all you need to do is join.

Don’t delay… join today!

BUSINESS EXPO

THE LONGEST RUNNING SHOW IN SURREY? Woking Means Business runs for the 16th time when it opens at the H.G. Wells Conference & Events Centre, Woking on Wednesday October 16th 2019

I

tors that will accelerate your business and professional growth’.

n exhibition terms, long running usually means successful, and the 2019 event will certainly be no exception.

An hour later at 11.30am, Paul Squire from Finsbury Media will explain how to maximise your online marketing in his talk ‘Practical advice on how to make the most of your marketing online’ while at 12.30pm, Richard Maybury will discuss how to prioritise your time and become more efficient in his presentation ‘Win easier in business – Top Tips from ‘Mr Productivity’.

From the ram-packed preshow breakfast forum run by Woking Borough Council, to the 60 fascinating, varied exhibitors, the three stunning seminars and the noisy speed networking, this expo has everything to offer both the exhibitors and the visitors.

The Council Breakfast is a must for owners and directors of local businesses. They will be brought right up to date with the many developments in the town – the imposing new tower blocks, the rooftop restaurant, the four-star hotel, the new retail outlets, apartments and car parks and what the council is doing to support business in the town through its Woking Works project.

Exhibitors include Woking Borough Council, DoubleTree by Hilton, Menzies. Projectfive, Lansbury Business Estate, Woking Football Club, Woking Hospice, Talbot Inn, Costco, Curchod, Madlins, Woking Chamber of Commerce, Woking News & Mail, Eagle Ra-

dio, Surrey Chambers of Commerce, TVision, Surrey Business Magazine and many more.

The three seminars are all designed to help business owners run their businesses more efficiently, more profitably and more effectively. At 10.30am, Dene Stuart, former Advertising Director of the Daily Mirror, who specialises in leadership will explain the skills necessary to become successful in his talk ‘Discover the eight proven fac-

Finally, the ubiquitous John Gower, (yes, he is everywhere) from Omni Local Business Networking will be running the speed networking at 1.30pm.

As the event draws to a close our traditional drinks reception will start at 3.15pm giving everyone the opportunity to socialise and network.

Exhibitions provide a wonderful opportunity to meet, talk, connect and learn. Where else can business people attend an event for free on one day and meet hundreds of other like-minded business folk, some of whom might be able to offer help and some of whom can be given help? It’s a forum, a meeting place, somewhere to exchange ideas catch up with old friends and make new friends – and do business.

For free registration or to book a stand go to www.wokingmeansbusiness.com Paul Webster on paul@websterconsultancy.co.uk

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Surrey Chambers

GOLF 2019 SOCIETY Surrey Chambers of Commerce Golf Society (SCGS) has been running for 23 years and offers the opportunity to play some of Surrey’s finest courses and to entertain guests in a relaxed and mildly (!) competitive environment. By Tara Wavre

O

pen to all business owners or senior executives, the society’s main strength is the quality of the venues attended, with Swinley Forest, St. George’s Hill, New Zealand and Hankley Common to name four of a stunning monthly selection.

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July saw us to return to one of our favourite venues, and the second of the three Ws we are playing this year, Worplesdon Golf Club. The day was sponsored by Redbox and we were graced with perfectly sunny weather for the days golf. Golfers competed for

the Bill Ward Memorial Cup, which was won by Roy Stansbury with 39 points.

As it’s summer time, naturally I am already thinking about Christmas and our December fixture sponsored by 3Wise Digital. I am really excited to

GOLF 2019 SPONSORS

DIARY: September 11th

HEADLINE SPONSOR

ORDER OF MERIT SPONSOR

New Zealand

October 17th Camberley Heath

November 7th Swinley Forest

be able to tell you that after the success of our first major tournament at Burhill, we will be holding another major team tournament on the December 3rd at Woking Golf club. We had 21 teams for the Burhill event and managed to raise over £600 for the very worthy charity, Oakleaf.

This will be a team event with a shotgun start, competing for the Claret Jug (currently held by Team NGA). If you want to challenge Andy Drees and

Team NGA for the Claret jug, thank clients, reward colleagues or catch up with golfing buddies close to Christmas time, please book your team in!

Put the dates in your diaries and contact Tara to book your team in.

December 3rd Woking

We have some fantastic fixtures coming up in the autumn and winter, including our visit to New Zealand Golf Club in September and Swinley Forest in November. I hope you see you all at an event soon.

“I was first attracted to the society some five years ago by the opportunity to play some great golf courses. It came as a pleasant surprise to find that the atmosphere was friendly, with just the right degree of competitive edge and not with an oppressively businesslike environment. It is an excellent set-up to entertain customers or just to come along and share the day with like-minded souls” Roy Stansbury

SURREY BUSINESS

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JOIN THE CHAMBER

“Surrey Chambers of the count y’s Commerce is ndent, notlargest indepe ness support for-profit busi that helps organisation lly, connect loca businesses to in ly al ob d gl nationally an customers, in ga to er ord d suppliers an .” ge d le ow n k

CAN YOUR BUSINESS AFFORD NOT TO BE A MEMBER OF SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE? Sitting at the heart of the business community, Surrey Chambers of Commerce connects you to opportunities, skills, knowledge and valuable contacts. We can help you grow and develop, by promoting your business, introducing you to new customers, keeping you informed and representing you locally, regionally and nationally.

W

ith a membership representing businesses of all sizes across every sector of the economy, the Chamber works hard to ensure that the continued prosperity of Surrey takes into account the needs of business, as well as providing a range of high quality services to help businesses to grow and meet new potential customers, including making introductions into over 40 countries.

Surrey Chambers of Commerce is an integral part of the Surrey business support network and alongside its partners offers specialist advice, knowledge and information on a wide range of issues facing local businesses.

you the chance to enhance your business network, find new customers and meet like-minded and other successful business people.

Expand your network overseas – we provide friendly, professional advice and assistance and help you obtain necessary export documentation. Our relationship with 28 accredited overseas British Chambers means we can introduce you to our global network of experts to make your journey much easier.

We can:

Develop you and your workforce’s knowledge and skills – we run a range of training events throughout the year and can introduce you to a variety of training providers.

Connect you to other businesses – we run over 100 events a year that give

Represent you – we believe it is important that you and your business are fairly represented locally, regionally, nationally and, where appropriate, internationally on issues affecting business. We work closely with Surrey County Council, the eleven local borough councils, district and two Local

Help you to find new customers – raise your profile, increase your brand awareness and generate new business by using our website, publications and database to communicate with thousands of business people.

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SURREY BUSINESS

Enterprise Partnerships and we feedback and provide input to the British Chambers of Commerce who talk directly to government, influencing policy and strategic decisions.

Support your local community - we are passionate about contributing to the wider community and encourage you to work with us. We support a variety of local initiatives, providing you with the chance to give something back, whilst raising your company profile.

Save you money - We can provide you with a variety of discounts designed to save your company money. As well as national deals you will benefit from exclusive discounts offered by other Chamber members. You too can offer a special member to member deal.

Call: 01483 735540 Email: sarah.butcher@surrey-chambers.co.uk Visit: www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

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