Worthing CONNECT Magazine - issue 05 by Platinum Media Group

Issue 5 2017

What a night! Adur & Worthing Business Awards 2017

A TIME FOR GIVINGâ&#x20AC;¦

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Welcome

This edition focuses on the Business Awards and celebrates the fantastic successes of our local businesses. This year’s entries were in record numbers which just goes to show the local business buzz we are so lucky to have in our area. Take a look and see who’s celebrating on page 14, it could be you next year! So onto 2018 and a highlight for us is the Better Business Show, it’s gathering pace and looking to be another great event, turn to page 9 to see the first keynote speaker announced is a well-known local successful business! Stands are filling fast and delegate registration is now open. We look forward to seeing you there. A full show guide will be in our next issue. Tracie Davey Operations Manager

PUBLISHERS Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com Ian Trevett ian@platinumbusinessmagazine.com THE PLATINUM PUBLISHING GROUP Tel: 07966 244046 Tel: 07989 970804 Mail: info@platinumbusinessmagazine.com Web: www.platinumbusinessmagazine.com Chamber Editorial Team: Tracie Davey, Kelly O’Haire, Clive Spring, Peter Noone, Tina Tilley Contact: info@worthingandadurchamber.co.uk Photography: www.bloomfieldigital.co.uk

AT A GLANCE 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 14 21 22 24 26 28 31 32 33 34 36 38 40 42 43 44 45 46

The Chief Executive’s View The Road to Nowhere (or perhaps not)... What IS Adur? Ensuring the Stability of your Business BOOK NOW - The Better Business Show 2018 Focus on New Development Worthing Water Haven? Why you should use a Solicitor to write your Will Adur & Worthing Business Awards 2017 - The Winners Did you Know? MHA Carpenter Box in the Community Surveying a fruitful partnership Creativity by Design Travel - Shake Hands in Mallorca Wirehive 100 Teville’s Time - At Last? Meet the Team A Warm Welcome to our New Members A Time for Giving Cleankill take Control Innovation: evolution or revolution? A Year in the Life - Khaled Khan of LR Collections Ltd New advice service for GDPR A busy season so far Spotted... Spotlight on Wall Bros

ADVERTISING and SPONSORSHIP Lesley Alcock Business Development Director Tel: 07767 613707 Mail: lesley@platinumbusinessmagazine.com Head Designer: Amanda Harrington Travel Editor: Rose Dykins Sub Editor: Kate Morton Food Editor: Amanda Menahem All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit. Worthing and Adur CONNECT magazine is published and owned by The Platinum Publishing Group.

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elcome to Issue 5 of Chamber Connect. I can’t quite believe it’s been nearly a year since the launch. The feedback has been positive, we are extremely proud of what has been achieved by the team and we hope you all enjoy the read! For our members it’s delivered to your door and we are impressed by the success of the pick-up rate at other locations. Don’t forget we are always looking for interesting and good news stories to share, so make sure you send these in to us. Not only can we publish them in the magazine but on our website and social media too. A win win for us all.

Chamber CEO

The Chief Executive’s View

hat happened to having a quiet summer? Well there hasn’t been a dull moment and the new developments across our area just keep popping up. If you have driven along the coast road from Goring the changing faces of the hotels leads to a new range of seafront eateries, a cocktail bar and alehouses which indicates the change in the demographics that is very enticing and encouraging. Heading along the coast you may have had the sight of ‘Moby Dig’ as a foreground to the Rampion Windfarm which I don’t personally find unpleasant, but each to their own. With the view changing at Adur Civic Centre as it is demolished and the new housing on the riverside you can start to see this is creating a very different look which can only be an improvement. Yes we are looking at lots of development in our area and I hear all the time that investors for commercial opportunities are actively sourcing premises locally. This must be the most positive period since the downturn of 2008, but we really need to see some of these developments happen to believe we are entering a new era. I have been heard to say I believe that the development of Teville Gate will happen and as you can see by the article on page 32. I may be proven correct with the arrival of Station Square! I must say it is refreshing to have no major parking issues as I remember that being a banned topic at our events for a long period! What will the High Street look like in the future? This is not just a local issue - it is a change of lifestyle and of course the increase of internet shopping has had its impact on us all. Will we see more varied leisure activities in the High Street? We definitely will see more eateries. A crystal ball would be useful. I see this as all very positive and hopefully the start of something really good for our area.

Chamber President

The Road to Nowhere (or perhaps not)….

he issue of the A27 has dominated the first few months of my Presidency and I suspect it will continue to dominate to the time I reach the end of my three-year term. I make no apology for writing about it again. Locally, it’s the most important issue on the agenda. For a change though, it’s great to be able to report something positive and that is that the Secretary of State for transport, The Right Honourable Christopher Grayling, has written to Peter Bottomley and Tim Loughton to say that he has now asked Highways England to provide him with further information on the viable alternative options that were mooted in the feasibility study of 2014. These included the option of full dualling, although of course the budget put to the proposed scheme was not even sufficient to pay for any element of grade separation (bridging or tunnelling to allow traffic to cross the A27 without the need for a roundabout or junction).

is not about the houses, community infrastructure and commercial development of an IKEA that’s being proposed, it’s about the effect that the extra traffic getting on and off the site on a daily basis will have on an already difficult stretch of road. Investing in the A27 isn’t an option, it’s essential. We all know the arguments. We need to escape the gridlock and all the attendant ills that failure to deal with the A27 brings. I’m convinced that the money spent to do the scheme properly would be well spent and would be recouped in a variety of ways both economic and environmental. Over to you Mr Grayling… Chris Coopey

You may remember that the Chamber responded on behalf of the business community to the Highways England consultation saying that in our view the proposal being made was unacceptable so we are pleased that he has promised to reconsider. Of course, what the Secretary of State hasn’t said is that any more money will be committed so this is where we need to make sure that our pressure on the government is unremitting to stump us the cash we deserve. In terms of money, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the improvements that are required for the A27 are an investment in the economic well-being of the area. Not only will they improve the daily lives of thousands of motorists they will unlock various developments that will give the area the ability to attract investments and protect jobs. A case in point is that the major concern around the investment being proposed for New Monks Farm

Regional Profile

What IS Adur?

eyond being a word that outsiders have difficulty pronouncing, Adur gets its name from the River Adur, which bisects the district. Adur means “river” in the local Saxon dialect… as does Arun, but that’s another story. The area covers the three main settlements of Shoreham, Southwick and Lancing, as well as Sompting and Fishersgate, and is bordered by the sea to the South and the Downs to the North. It was created in the massive local government reorganisation of 1974 and has been surviving attempts to scatter it to the four winds ever since. In 1997, it was nearly split in two – with one half due to go to Worthing and the other to Brighton & Hove… but Adur is still with us and doing well.

“What is Adur? Is it a state of mind? A cultural identity? Merely a local authority administrative area?” Each of the three towns has a distinct identity and the blanket name of Adur has been something that they have had to come to terms with. People seem to more readily identify themselves with their town, or Sussex, rather than “Adur”.

That being said, the collective area can boast some impressive credentials: • The world’s first commercial airport (Shoreham – now Brighton City Airport) • Europe’s tallest gothic chapel (Lancing College) • The centre of the globe’s film industry, before Hollywood came along (Shoreham Beach) • Scene of Charles II’s dramatic escape to France (Southwick) • Host to an award-winning farmers’ market (Shoreham) • Being heralded as the best place in the world outside of Maui, Hawaii - to kitesurf (Lancing)! From a business and industry point of view, Adur punches above its weight as well, with organisations such as Ricardo, Higgidy Pies, Flare Audio and Shoreham Port all based in the area. Lancing Business Park is one of the largest business parks in Europe, and the airport and harbour have successful industrial complexes too. Even in the public sector, there are claims to fame. The sharing of services by the two local authorities, Adur & Worthing Councils, is held up as a blueprint for how public sector bodies can and should work together.

Regional Profile

The river also provides a draw for visitors, with the iconic footbridge connecting Shoreham and Shoreham beach, the renowned house boats and the Yacht Club and Emerald Quay marina. The harbour itself, situated across the Adur and Brighton & Hove boundary, is a hive of activity and there are ongoing regeneration plans for even more transformation of the harbour area. There are major road and rail links across the region to keep people (and goods) moving.

The high street areas of all three towns are on the up, with small scale regeneration having a successful impact on the look and feel of town centres. So… what is Adur? Is it a state of mind? A cultural identity? Merely a local authority administrative area? In reality, it is all three and so much more… the byproduct of that place where the Downs meet the sea. A melting pot of three different towns that create a synergy to give us innovative businesses, model public service delivery and a unique tourism offer. Come and visit and find out for yourself. By the way, it’s pronounced in the same way as “Ada”. In the next instalment, we’ll delve deeper into the plans for Adur’s cultural, housing and economic development, so let’s not say Adur, just au revoir…

Photos by Martin Bloomfield of Bloomfield Digital

There is a thriving arts and festival scene with events covering music, written and spoken word, theatre on regularly across the towns and villages, with The Barn Theatre, Beach Dreams Festival, Wordfest, Lancing Repertory Players, and the Ropetackle Centre is going from strength to strength as an arts venue.

Skills

Ensuring the future stability of your business By Maxine Green, Specialist Skills Advisor, Greater Brighton Metropolitan College

s a Specialist Skills Advisor I support businesses from a wide variety of industry sectors. A shared concern I frequently hear is in relation to an ageing workforce and the sense of urgency and importance to up-skill existing staff, to ensure the future stability and success of the business. Whilst employees may be trained in their specialist field, many lack formal leadership and management skills - and all successful businesses require exceptional leaders. Some of my clients have commented that day release to the college places a strain on their training budgets and can therefore be a barrier to training; however our management courses are highly flexible with delivery in the workplace on a 1:1 basis or highly bespoke for the customer. Management training is available through the Apprenticeship scheme and, following the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, the rules in relation to prior achievement have been relaxed, enabling someone with a Degree Level qualification to benefit from the Government funding available, providing it supports a different specialism. From the feedback I have received from employers who have already invested in their staff, it is clear the benefits of this type of training will increase the generation of new ideas, staff commitment and self-confidence whilst simultaneously reducing staff turnover. To arrange an informal meeting to discuss your requirements and to receive more information please call me on 01903 273101 or email me maxine.green@gbmc.ac.uk

CASE STUDY I asked my colleague Sue Dyer, the Contact Centre Manager at GB MET who is currently undertaking the collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aspiring Leadership programme what motivated her to become involved.

Why did you choose to apply to be part of the Aspiring Leaders programme? The ILM Level 4 Diploma in Management qualification is aimed at first line managers seeking to develop their leadership and management skills, in support of future career progression. After discussing the programme with my manager at my annual review, I recognised the qualification would build upon my existing skills and allow me to learn new techniques. The leadership and management elements will enable me to drive the contact centre team forward with confidence.

So far how has the course improved your Management skills? I am now able to reflect on current working practices and recognise how I can make tangible improvements. Contact with colleagues in other areas of the organisation has been expanded upon with noticeable improvement in day to day engagement, communications and working procedures. As a result of this, my confidence has increased which has impacted upon my teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s motivation.

In a sentence, can you explain how the course has positively helped you at work? I feel very valued as an employee demonstrated by the investment in my personal development by my employer.

Business Expo

BOOK NOW!

The Better Business Show 2018 Thursday 1st February 2018 10am – 4pm Assembly Hall Worthing. The first keynote speaker announced: Managing Director of Fresh Egg – Adam Stafford

his event is delivered by Worthing and Adur Chamber and Adur & Worthing Business Partnership and is again supported by headline sponsor Chandlers BMW. This event is a ‘must’ in the 2018 business calendar for ALL businesses in the area. The show is your chance to get to know local success stories and network with some of the most proactive companies in the local area. • B2B Exhibition – Meet, network and share experiences with both new and established businesses • Business Showcase – Share in the success of the large and long established companies in Worthing & Adur • Keynote Speakers – Inspirational talks from local success stories • Business Advice & Support – Mini workshops and talks • Expert Zone – Clinics with local experts • Local Procurement Opportunities - from private and public sector

Adam’s career at Fresh Egg started in 2000 when he founded the company with his sister and best friend, and that’s something he’s really proud of. The digital revolution was just getting started and Fresh Egg were at the cusp of it. The company’s 17-year history has seen them adapt and evolve to ride the ever-changing digital wave, transforming their clients’ challenges into digital success along the way. Inside the central Worthing office you’ll find a collection of passionate, tenacious individuals who work side-by-side with their clients as an extension of their in-house teams. Fresh Egg is still privately owned and is delighted to be one of the largest agencies of its kind, appearing on the Econsultancy top 100 list and achieving 5th largest agency in the South on the Wirehive 100 league table in 2017.

Adam will be talking about: • Lessons learnt and what he’d tell his younger self • The importance of having clear positioning • Accelerating growth from having product focus Register at www.worthingandadurchamber.co.uk

Adur & Worthing Councils

Focus on new development

groundbreaking development led by Adur District Council to safeguard local jobs and generate a return for the taxpayer has got the go-ahead.

Planners admitted it would form a significant new feature on Ham Road, and would ‘plug the gap’ in the streetscape between Glyndebourne Court and Dunelm Mill.

In November, councillors on the local authority’s planning committee approved a proposal to create a four-storey office block on the former Adur Civic Centre car park in Ham Road, Shoreham.

Ralph Gilbert, managing director of Focus Group, said: “I’m delighted to announce this link-up with Adur District Council. It is a great example of a council helping local businesses grow.

Work on the development, which has been supported by £1.8 million of funding from the Coast 2 Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, will start in the coming months.

“Over the last ten years we have gone from two staff working from a home office to a respected company operating across the UK with hundreds of staff.

With planning approved, Adur leaders can now reveal the site will be used by Focus Group, a Southwick-based communications company, who have outgrown their current premises.

“We are really excited to be staying locally at a fantastic new office which will help us to keep on growing - that’s good news for us, the council and the community as a whole.”

Brian Boggis, Adur District Council's executive member for regeneration, said: "This is a prime example of a council doing everything it can to provide a platform to drive forward development.

The development is part of a wider revamp of the Civic Centre site.

"In these straightened times, many local authorities across the country are having to cut back on putting money into their communities. But as a council we realise that sometimes you have to invest before the wider community reaps the rewards. “By maximising the potential of council land and using public money prudently, we are safeguarding local jobs while generating a return for the taxpayer.” The development will bring back into use the car park site which has been largely vacant since the Civic Centre closed in 2013. The 2,780m2 of commercial space will be designed for flexibility and spread over four floors. The scheme will also incorporate 70 car parking spaces, some of which will be underneath a wing of the four-storey building.

Across the road to the south, the former redbricked council headquarters has been demolished and the site has been fenced off with hoardings. Adur District Council has earmarked the land for a mixed-use site with the plot set to be marketed in the New Year.

Adur & Worthing Councils

Worthing Water Haven?

lagoon could be created on Worthing seafront as part of a dramatic new vision to herald in a renaissance of the town’s coast.

Worthing Lagoon would be created by a spit built out into the sea near Denton Gardens producing a calm water haven for watersports, swimming and boat moorings. The lagoon is just one idea produced in a plan by Worthing Borough Council as it seeks to ensure the seafront offer for tourists and local residents competes with other coastal towns. Also in the Seafront Investment Plan are improvements to the promenade with more seating, a retaining wall and a new parade of beach huts on the western section. The plan is to extend the promenade experience further to the west and create new pedestrians crossings throughout Marine Parade. Other suggestions include a possible revamp of the Lido to bring in a restaurant and even a swimming pool, public art installations and lighting schemes. In addition plans are being studied to improve access to the pier to create a more welcoming experience to the popular seafront destination. Already two parts of the plan have taken significant strides forward. French food company Bistrot Pierre has been given the lease as part of the conversion of the seafront shelter opposite West Buildings into a beachfront state-of-theart restaurant.

Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Cllr Kevin Jenkins said, “These are exciting aspirational plans that will build on our progress so far. “We are not saying that we can deliver all of them straight away but they are a clear statement of intent. We will be going all out to fund these improvements and we will be saying to developers who want to come here: help us deliver this overall vision and be part of the future. “These plans declare that the Council is thinking seriously about how we can use our wonderful seafront, whilst respecting its charm and character and ensure the future economic prosperity and quality of life of people who live here and those who will come.” No exact costings are being put against this scheme as yet but the Council will seek to bring in investors to develop the schemes and attract central government grants for some elements. The Borough Council’s Place and Investment Team has already held some engagement events with stakeholders with reaction overwhelmingly positive. Town hall leaders want to build fresh momentum in the town and ensure it competes with other places currently experiencing coastal renaissance such as Bournemouth, Hastings and Margate.

The council is also shortly to announce the successful bid to convert the shelter opposite Steyne Gardens into a similar venture. The borough council has released an artist aerial impression of some of the possibilities but has stressed the plan is a “vision statement” for the next five to 10 years with finances needed to be sourced and private sector partners sought to bring it to fruition.

Wills

Why you should use a Solicitor to write your Will

ver half of UK adults (59%) do not have a Will. Although it is on most peoples’, “to do” list, having a Will drafted is not the most exciting of chores. However, the consequences of not having a welldrafted Will can be dire. If you die without a Will, known as ‘dying intestate,’ your property will be divided according to the Rules of Intestacy. This can result in loved ones not receiving part or all your Estate. For example, if you have lived with a partner for many years, but have not formally divorced from your ex-spouse, under the Rules of Intestacy, your exspouse would receive a large portion of your Estate, as unmarried partners are not entitled to inherit under the intestacy rules. If reading this is enough to convince you that you should organise a Will, you may wonder why you should use a solicitor to advise on and draft the document. After all, you can buy DIY Wills from any branch of WH Smith these days, sometimes for as little as £20. To make a valid Will, you are simply required to state how you want your estate divided and organise two witnesses. How hard could it be?

The danger of DIY Wills Wills do not have to be complicated. “Vse zene” meaning “All to wife” in Czech, was the shortest valid will in the world. It was written and dated 19th January 1967 by Herr Karl Tausch of Langen, Hessen, West Germany. However, Wills that seem short and straightforward at the outset can often drain the Estate of hundreds of not thousands of pounds because they are not clear. For example, an often cited badly written will is the 1906 one that read “All to Mother” and ended up as a court case (Thorn v Dickens). It was contested because the testator called not only his mother by that title but also his wife – as the mother of his children. It was unclear which woman he meant by “Mother,” but the court decided he did mean his wife and awarded his estate to her. Had he instructed a solicitor to draft his Will, they would have written his wife’s name, thereby avoiding any confusion. The legal requirements of a Will are that it must be: • In writing; and • Signed in the presence of two witnesses - who sign and date the Will also;

Wills • Made by a person who is sound of mind and free from duress. In theory, you could scribble your Will down on the back of a receipt and as long as it was signed and witnessed, it could be considered legally valid. The reality, however, is although DIY Wills may seem uncomplicated, this is an illusion. In the many years, we have been advising clients on Wills and probate matters, it is seldom that we encounter a DIY Will that did not require our private client team to sort out serious and costly problems associated with it. Before considering a DIY Will, ask yourself: do I want to reduce my inheritance tax bill? Or leave the family business to my children? How should I manage my property abroad? These are just some of the circumstances where it is crucial to receive experienced legal advice to ensure that you and your loved one’s interests are protected after your death. It is also highly recommended that you seek legal advice if you have children from a former relationship or you and your partner are not married or in a Civil Union. In the latter situation, if your DIY Will is declared void, the laws of intestacy may prevent your partner from inheriting anything under your estate, even if you have been together for decades.

Three benefits of using a qualified solicitor • Speed – experienced private client solicitors draft Wills regularly and have advised all types of people with different circumstances on the best way to structure their document. If you have a stepfamily, multiple properties, off-shore interests or a business, a qualified solicitor will place your affairs in order swiftly and effectively. • Extra support – it is very rare that a solicitor will not undertake additional work for an Estate and often they will complete actions that a lay person would not know to think of. For example, when one half of a couple passes away, a solicitor will organise the documents needed for the transfer of the inheritance tax nil rate band so when the other spouse dies, the executors don’t have to start finding marriage certificates etc.

• Additional advice – an experienced solicitor will ask several questions about your situation and help you work out how to structure your affairs as a whole. For example, you may wish to arrange your finances so you can mitigate possible care home fees. Or put your family business or property into a trust. A solicitor will also advise you on creating a Lasting Power of Attorney, to ensure someone can make decisions about health and finances on your behalf, should you become mentally incapacitated. Bennett Griffin are award winning solicitors based in West Sussex with offices in central Worthing and Ferring. Their experienced and specialist solicitors offer a comprehensive service and will work with you in an honest, considered, and practical manner. The wills, trusts, and probate department is able to advise and assist you in relation to making or reviewing a Will. Contact Bennett Griffin on 01903 229 999 or by email at info@bennett-griffin.co.uk for more information. The information contained in this article is for general guidance only and is not intended to be legal advice. Professional advice should always be taken on the application of the law in any particular situation.

Business Awards

The Winners Adur & Worthing Business Awards 2017

n Friday 10th November the winners of the 10th Adur & Worthing Business Awards were announced at The Pavilion Theatre, Worthing.

The sell-out event was attended by over 370 guests all representing local businesses and included the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mayor, Alex Harman and Mayoress, The Rt Hon, Baroness Virginia Bottomley as well as other distinguished guests and Council delegates. The Adur & Worthing Business Awards is one of the most prestigious events in the local business calendar and over 750 entries and nominations were received, making this a record breaking year. Now organised under the umbrella of the Adur & Worthing Business Partnership (AWBP) as a not-forprofit organisation, the Adur & Worthing Business Awards are organised by a committee of successful

local business people from organisations including Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd, JSPC Computer Services, Seagull Travel, Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce and Adur & Worthing Council. James Stoner, Managing Director of JSPC, commented â&#x20AC;&#x153;This has been a special year as it marks the 10th anniversary of the Awards and the first year that the event has been run for the businesses by businesses. The calibre of entries was of a particularly high standard which gave the judging panel a tremendously difficult task. However, after careful deliberation, we knew the right winners had been selected.â&#x20AC;? The winner of the coveted Overall Business of the Year award went to The Gemini Print Group. Judges awarded the dedicated and innovative print company this title as they deemed them to be the organisation who had shown the most enterprise, passion and drive in taking their business forward. The company has expanded significantly without compromising on their outstanding customer service, showing themselves a force to be reckoned with in the world of print. This year Sue Dare MBE was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work within

Business Awards

Gill Fielding, Chamber Patron

the Further Education sector for more than 35 years. This accolade is awarded to an individual who has had a major impact on their business and the area over a number of years. Sue held the title of Principal of Northbrook College from November 2009 until March this year and under her guidance it has become England’s third highest performing college. Over the years Sue has also been involved with the Sussex Learning Network, Adur & Worthing Business Partnership and was integral in setting up the Greater Brighton Economic Board.

Simon Fanshawe OBE

exceptional achievements over the past year. The Adur & Worthing Business Awards & Gala dinner is an unmissable event for local businesses and I’m delighted that the evening was such a great success” The photographs on the night were taken by Martin Bloomfield, Steve Forrest and Andy Matthews from Bloomfield Digital.

In addition to recognising some of the top business talent in our local area, this year’s awards also supported Love Your Hospital, a dedicated charity for Western Sussex Hospital NHS Foundation Trust who raise vital funds Worthing, Southlands and St Richard’s Hospitals. A fundraising raffle courtesy of Darren Crabb was held during the awards ceremony resulting in £1,925 being raised for this fantastic cause. Peter Webb MBE, Managing Director of Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd commented; “I would like to personally congratulate all of the award winners, runners up and finalists, for their

Mayor, Mayoress and President of the Worthing and Adur Chamber

Business Awards

The Winners

START-UP

SMALL BUSINESS, UP TO 9 EMPLOYEES

(Sponsored by: Adur & Worthing Council)

(Sponsored by: Adur & Worthing Business Partnership)

WINNER: Freedom Works Ltd

WINNER: Wall Bros Carpets & Flooring

MEDIUM BUSINESS, 10 TO 49 EMPLOYEES (Sponsored by: Allergy Therapeutics) JOINT WINNERS: 5 Rings Group & Spicer International Ltd

Business Awards

BUSINESS PERSONALITY

LARGE BUSINESS, 50+ EMPLOYEES

(Sponsored by: The Martlet Partnership)

(Sponsored by: Worthing Pier Southern Pavilion)

WINNER: Sharon Clarke

WINNER: The Gemini Print Group

YOUNG ACHIEVER

CUSTOMER SERVICE

(Sponsored by: Lancing College Preparatory School at Worthing)

(Sponsored by: Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce)

WINNER: Ben Griggs

WINNER: Prosperon Networks

Business Awards

BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY

HOSPITALITY, TOURISM AND LEISURE

(Sponsored by: Bowers & Wilkins)

(Sponsored by: Southern Water)

WINNER: Whitebox UK

WINNER: South Downs Leisure

INNOVATION (Sponsored by: Kreston Reeves) WINNER: The Protein Ball Co

Business Awards

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION

MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING

(Sponsored by: Gardner Scardifield)

(Sponsored by: Carpenter Box)

WINNER: ECE Architecture

WINNER: Allergy Therapeutics

RETAILER

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

(Sponsored by: Worthing Town Centre Initiative)

(Sponsored by: MET - Greater Brighton Metropolitan College)

WINNER: Gardner & Scardifield Ltd

WINNER: Egalite Care Ltd

Business Awards

PLACE TO EAT AND/OR DRINK

GREEN BUSINESS

(Sponsored by: Bennett Griffin Solicitors & Notaries)

(Sponsored by: Sussex Transport)

WINNER: CrabShack

WINNER: Proto Restaurant Group

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

OVERALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

(Sponsored by: JSPC Computer Services)

(Sponsored by: Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd)

WINNER: Sue Dare MBE

WINNER: Gemini Print Group

Did you know?

Did you Know? Teville Gate becomes Station Square - No.1 Worthing eyesore, Teville Gate car park, is soon to be no more! The Council has agreed extra funding that will see it demolished perhaps as early as Jan 2018. What a lovely Christmas present that will be for Worthing! The site owners, Mosaique, have also announced a new name for the site, ‘Station Square’. Visit http://ourstationsquare.com/ for all the latest updates.

Part-time leader for Worthing? - It has been announced that Worthing town council leader, Alex Bailey, is to go part time to allow him to take on a second role. Mr Bailey was already part-time at the Council however, working four days a week. This has raised concerns in some areas over the level of importance placed on leadership for our local Council but the Council has stressed that a highly qualified team has been put in place with an extensive skillset to cover any potential loss.

Turbines to starting turning - Chamber members enjoyed a very interesting talk from Chris Tomlinson of Eon recently. The Rampion windfarm has been completed slightly ahead of schedule and is set to start generating electricity imminently. Each turbine blade is over 100m long and at capacity enough energy will be generated to power a large town, so watch out for moving turbines very soon!

This is now East Worthing station

A ketchup with the past… - Did you know that our area owes much to the humble tomato? Over 100 years ago our climate proved just perfect for growing them and right up until the end of World War II most of what is now Broadwater, East Worthing and West Worthing, had acres of glasshouses growing some of the most sought after red fruit in the world. Thousands of tonnes were sent on the train up to Covent Garden to be sold to the best restaurants and exported internationally.

CSR

MHA Carpenter Box in the Community

s a firm, our ethos is very much about being involved with the community we live in and as such our MHA Carpenter Box in the Community programme sees us pro-actively helping good causes and charities on a regular basis. It works on so many levels. In a country where so much depends on the voluntary and charity sector to deliver services and support our view is that the business sector can offer so much help. It makes us feel good – some say that there is no such thing as altruism and if you accept that feeling good is a form of payment, then that idea may be right. And frankly, it’s also good for business. Put all of that together and the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility is compelling. As a supporter of the Worthing & Adur Fund and the Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce we were delighted to sign our firm up to the new Forward Steps initiative (see www.forwardsteps.org.uk). We think that whatever size of business you are, this is a fabulous way of doing what you can for the charity and voluntary sector. It’s a particularly easy way to engage if you are a smaller business which is low

on resource and without the time to engage more formally. Take a look, sign up and put your offers on. Similarly, if you’re a charity or voluntary organisation looking for help you can get your requests on the site too! It’s like blind dating where every one’s a winner! For the record, and as a way of thanking the fantastic team here at MHA Carpenter Box, here’s what we’ve been up to:

The Carpenter Box Charitable Foundation In 2009, with the support of the staff that fundraise tirelessly, we set up the firm’s own charity, the Carpenter Box Charitable Foundation (CBCF), which was initiated to make the firm’s giving more effective. The charity supports small, local voluntary and community groups that are active in the Worthing & District area. Since its inception the charity has raised over £100,000 and distributed more than £60,000 supporting small, local voluntary and community groups.

CSR We regularly arrange work experience and placements with local schools and colleges and also offer a Trainee Programme, which allows A-Level students and university graduates to join our award winning training programme on a route to becoming professionally qualified. This year we took on our largest ever number of new trainees and next year we are looking at developing an apprenticeship programme with the ACCA at both Level 4 and Level 7. Our team attend local school careers fairs where they speak to GCSE students about careers in Accountancy. We’ve also provided guidance to new University students about the essentials of personal finance.

Other charitable support

VAW Trustee Club We’re delighted to have partnered on a brand new initiative specifically for charity trustees operating in the Worthing area. Presented by Voluntary Action Worthing, the VAW Trustee Club is a free membership hub providing networking and access to resources with the aim to support local trustees and charities. As a part of this initiative, members of our team are delivering free masterclasses to help local charities improve their organisation’s governance and financial resilience. This has already gained a lot of traction in the local area and has been featured in the Third Sector Magazine as an excellent example of supporting charities with the potential to be replicated across the country.

Supporting local schools In addition to supporting our academy school and not for profit clients via permanently discounted fees, we have also been really pleased to support local schools via sponsorship of various events and awards.

Over the past few years MHA Carpenter Box staff have raised tens of thousands of pounds for many charities, local and national, including: Children in Need, MacMillan Nurses, The Juniper Trust, St Barnabas Hospice, St Wilfrid’s Hospice, The Rowans Hospice, Buffer, Breast Cancer Care, The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Cancer Research UK, Chestnut Tree House, The Salvation Army and many local schools, to name but a few. MHA Carpenter Box also signed up to become the first corporate donor to the Worthing & Adur Fund. These donations are used to support local charities and community groups now, and for the foreseeable future. Our view is that at a time when harmony within our society is all too fragile, it is all the more important for businesses and the UK public to show some solidarity and unity to help support community groups and charities alike. Take our advice: be loud and proud about the part you play in supporting our community and don’t forget to check out www.forwardsteps.org.uk.

Case Study

Surveying a fruitful partnership How Rand Surveyors found a south-coast contractor it could trust

and Surveyors is a London based independent firm of chartered surveyors that provides property services to both corporate and private clients. Much of Rand’s work is end-of-lease dilapidations work, requiring skilled contractors experienced in office fit-outs and refurbishments. One of Rand’s long-established clients is a private property investment company with a significant portfolio on the south coast. “A lot of the work we do for this client has been in and around Worthing,” explains partner Andrew Rand, “so we needed a reliable contractor

operating in this area. A building services firm I know recommended Warnes.” Andrew decided to take a look at a large refurbishment project Warnes had undertaken at London’s Great Dover Street and was impressed with what he saw. “The work was high quality and enough to convince me to put Warnes on our tender list,” says Andrew. Next, Warnes won a tender to work on Crescent House in Worthing, a £1 million office refurbishment. Andrew was delighted with the outcome, “The Crescent House project went really well and Warnes

Case Study done, “What you get when you work with Warnes is quality work, efficient site management, and great communication. They have a cooperative attitude and add value in other areas that you don’t get from all contractors.” An example of this added value occurred with Downlands Business Park in Worthing. “Downlands is in the process of being sold,” explains Andrew, “Warnes have been exceptionally supportive by supplying contracts and operation-and-maintenance documentation for the solicitors.” were a dream to work with. Since then we’ve worked with Warnes on several projects.” These projects have included: • An £830,000 warehouse refurbishment at Downlands Business Park. Covering over 17,000 square feet the works included significant structural alterations, a full internal refurbishment, and external maintenance and redecoration. Before completion, these improvements had already attracted a new tenant.

So how would Andrew sum up his experience of working with Warnes? “They’re reliable. They’re trustworthy. They’re well-organised. These are qualities I can’t get enough of in contractors.” www.warnesprojects.co.uk Email: stephen.hobbs@warnesprojects.co.uk Tel: 01243 558570

• A £500,000 refurbishment of a vacant warehouse at Chichester’s Quarry Lane Industrial Estate. This involved removing and replacing an asbestos roof with new profiled metal cladding, internal alterations, new cargo doors, and a new resin-coated floor. • End-of-lease dilapidation and improvement works in two units totalling more than 10,000 square feet at Worthing’s Downsbrook Trading Estate. Andrew is pleased he discovered Warnes as he needs contractors he can rely on to get the work

Interview

Creativity by Design Platinum Publishing Group has a stunning new website, and we couldn’t be more grateful to the wonderful designers at Nexus Design & Print. Ian Trevett met with MD Claudine Young to find out more about the business.

latinum Publishing Group is hugely proud of its new website and have been very impressed with the professionalism and customer service provided by our chosen web designers, Nexus Design & Print. Aside from the quality of their work, the overriding first impression is that it is a friendly and close-knit business where people are happy to work. This reflects the ethos of owner and MD Claudine Young, who took over the reins just over 18 months ago. “When I took over the business, I wanted to ensure it was much more family-friendly, and geared to a work-life balance. I’m aware that our staff need to have time with their families, so we are flexible on hours. However, it’s very important that we get together and we stay focused as a team. You need to be able to run ideas past each other and talk about projects.”

“We like dealing with smaller businesses because it’s nice to see them grow through the advice you’ve given them. We work with people, not for people.” Claudine has been with Nexus since its inception, almost 25 years ago, and seen many changes. In fact, the whole nature of the business has changed dramatically over the years. She describes Nexus today as follows: “We’re a creative marketing agency and we work with you on everything from designing your logo, designing your website, printing your stationery, supporting your marketing or helping with your digital marketing. We help you create a strategy to move forward and are here to offer advice.” The original Nexus was very different, as Claudine recalls: “The company was started by Steve Wadman in February 1993 and I was one of the first members of staff that he recruited.

“At the start our main business was selling computer stationery, such as paper, diskettes, and Magnetic tapes - any computer consumables. “We did a little bit of design such as letterheads and it wasn’t until we’d grown that business that we decided to open up a studio which I headed up. We also became print agents. The leap from sales to running a design studio was a steep learning curve. “Starting a studio was quite daunting,” says Claudine. “It was something I’d never done and I had to learn very quickly. I was never what you would call a designer, I was always more of an art worker. I moved over to office manager, which then progressed to general manager. I ran the business for the MD in his semi-retirement and then took it over as owner when he retired in April 2016.” When asked what was her best decision as an owner, the ironic reply is taking on a marketing manager - ironic as there was no-one marketing the marketing company. “The most difficult thing for many small businesses is that marketing is always at the bottom of the list,” she says. “It’s the last thing they do when it should actually be the first thing because it’s this that gets you known.

Interview “We were just as slow. We were looking for a salesperson, but I realised that what we really needed was a Head of Marketing, so we took on Milly Stone this year. Marketing is something that people don’t always see as a selling tool when in fact it most certainly is. Everything comes back to how you’ve marketed your business and whether you’ve done it correctly. If they were slow on their own marketing, the opposite applies to the work they do for their clients. Nexus offer a free marketing health check and are about to launch a new product especially aimed at start-ups. “We are launching a Stepping Stone Package for brand new companies that are just starting up. We’ve put together a mini-marketing plan for them and we’ll put together a mini website and business stationery package to get them on the ladder.

business will be shared with them hopefully as they get further down the line. So it’s important that we don’t spread ourselves too thin.” “We have a very loyal customer base. We want to build relationships. You maybe start with doing a brochure and then from the brochure you get up to doing their magazine and from the magazine they need to re-design their website. And you can grow a brand with them. We grow with the brand that they’re trying to create themselves.” The word nexus is defined as an important connection between the parts of a system or a group of things. This could be a good description of Claudine’s role at the company. Her interests outside work include a passion for holistic therapies and with the business she takes a similarly holistic approach. There’s no doubt that the business is in safe hands. www.nexusdp.co.uk

“We like dealing with smaller businesses because it’s nice to see them grow through the advice you’ve given them. We work with people, not for people. Somebody doesn’t come to us and say ‘I want a logo, get on with it’. We want the client to be fully involved and always encourage this.

“The most difficult thing for many small businesses is that marketing is always at the bottom of the list” So what does the future hold for Nexus? “We aim for steady growth.” stresses Claudine. “We don’t want to grow too quickly and become too big. We are a niche little creative agency that’s got a good personal touch and I don’t want to lose that. As much as we’ve got high expectations of what we can achieve, we want to achieve it while keeping our feet on the ground and sticking with our boutique approach. “Our staff stay with us and everybody is really involved in the future of the business. They want to make the business future-proof. That’s important as well. It’s my pension but also I want our people to be able to have a job in 10 or 20 years’ time. They’re young enough to see the business grow. Part of that

Travel - Mallorca

Shake hands in...

MALLORCA Puerto de Palma de Mallorca

Forget package holidays and Brits abroad, there are many sides to this Balearic destination. Rose Dykins reports on plans for boosting business travel to Mallorca.

hen checking into the BH Mallorca hotel, instead of being handed a room key card, a scannable laminated orange band with the hotel’s address printed on it is clamped round my wrist. The following day, I attend a blingy onsite pool party, where a toned dancer in a gold one-piece writhes around in a giant floating martini glass, and former contestants from the reality TV series Love Island pour shots into glitter-cheeked revellers’ mouths. At dusk, thousands gather at the hotel’s music arena to mosh along to live performances from Craig David and Tinie Tempah, before heading two minutes down the road to the debauchery of Magaluf’s strip. At 7am, I’m awoken by someone repeatedly hollering “Scotland!” outside my window. When I arrive at the front desk to check out, a staff

member simply whips out a pair of scissors, cuts my wristband in two, and off I go. Of course, there’s much more to Mallorca than the hedonistic resort of Magaluf. Although it brings in the crowds, its notorious party scene can overshadow people’s perceptions of Mallorca as a whole. Those in the know – including the 17,000 or so British expats who call it home – adore the Spanish island for its picturesque towns and beaches, its climate, its offroad adventure activities and its easy-going, friendly atmosphere. In fact, in 2015, The Sunday Times named the Mallorcan capital of Palma de Mallorca the best place to live in the world, even suggesting that it makes a feasible “commuter destination” to London (a two-hour journey by plane).

Travel - Mallorca Outsiders may also be less familiar with the island’s competitive offering for corporate travellers. “The meeting and incentive business is not something new to Mallorca,” says Csaba Boda, executive assistant manager of the Park Hyatt Mallorca, a five-star hotel that opened in the north of the island last year.” It was always part of our business, especially for four and five-star properties that were only trying to cater for traditional holidaymakers, but to stay open all year round. And this is only possible if you have conference facilities.

The term “smart island’ may not be one you automatically associate with Mallorca, but sustainability and sensible development is definitely on its agenda “Certainly from June, the occupancy of the island’s hotels increases so much that they are not easily able to offer availability for incentive groups. But still, the focus for corporates lasts for the entire year, and there are some opportunities for incentives in the summer months as well.” Recently, Mallorca has taken some big steps to further attract the interest of international meetings and events planners. Perhaps the most important

A typical shopping square, Palma de Mallorca

development over the past three years is the increased connectivity of the Balearic island via lowcost carriers and legacy airlines alike. These include British Airways, which now flies to Palma de Mallorca throughout the year from Heathrow, London City, Stansted and Manchester. Meanwhile, Norwegian, Easyjet, Monarch and Thomas Cook all offer routes to the Mallorcan capital from Gatwick. “There are many more flights to the island than before,” says Boda. “Previously, event planners often had to charter their own flights, or find solutions from numerous airlines. Now it’s easier to receive corporate groups from the UK, from Germanspeaking countries, France and Scandinavia.” What’s more, there are plans for a further €229 million investment in Palma de Mallorca’s Son Sant

The Mallorca coastline

Travel - Mallorca Joan airport. The third-busiest airport in Spain - after Madrid and Barcelona - the gateway to Mallorca is often rammed with lengthy queues of people at passport control. And the airport experienced its busiest ever day in July, with more than 180,000 passengers and almost 1,100 flights in just 24 hours. With its annual passenger numbers predicted to rise from 26 million to 28.5 million by 2021, Son Sant Joan airport needs to grow. It will increase its hourly number of flights from 66 to 80 (so a plane will take off every 45 seconds). Its development plans comprise of increasing the surface area of the terminal to improve passenger comfort; adding additional corridors, moving walkways and escalators; renovating one of its runways and modernising its luggage-handling system. The end aim is for the airport to be able to accommodate up to 34 million passengers each year.

The Sunday Times named the Mallorcan capital of Palma de Mallorca the best place to live in the world, even suggesting that it makes a feasible “commuter destination” to London Aside from aviation, Mallorca has been working hard to give its hotel offering a much-needed facelift fit for international business guests. (see box below). “Many five-star hotels have opened here, but rather than small boutique properties, we’ve gained hotels with more than 100 rooms and conference facilities,” says Boda. “And all of them have proper marketing and sales structures for spreading the news that Mallorca is an excellent destination for incentives.” An emblem of its ambitions, the Mallorcan capital gained its first convention centre in April. Operated by national hotel chain, Melia, Palau de Congressos is set along Palma’s Paseo Maritimo seafront, just ten minutes from the airport. Designed by Spanish architect, Francisco Mangado, the long, cubic yet flowing structure is intended to represent a “beached fish”. Complete with a “hanging garden”, a restaurant with a sea-view terrace and plenty of natural light, Palau de Congressos is ready and able to welcome 2,400 delegates for a congress.

The historic town of Calvià

The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma

Also in April, the Mallorcan town of Calvia hosted the first ever international Smart Island World Conference. More than 400 international experts – island leaders, governments researchers and universities – came to Mallorca to debate and devise new ways for island nations to develop and secure their future prosperity, and the same conference will also return to Mallorca next year. The term “smart island” may not be one you automatically associate with Mallorca, but sustainability and sensible development is definitely on its agenda. For example, Mallorca is planning to shut down its most carbon-emitting coal and gas power station in stages by 2020. Meanwhile, the Balearic islands – Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera – are working to increase their combined renewable energy facilities so that clean sources comprise 10% of all the islands’ energy by 2020. In addition, at a time where many European destinations are tackling over tourism, and trying to strike a balance between welcoming the world and retaining their local culture, Mallorca makes for an interesting case study. With demand on its services increasing, and many avenues of tourism to explore, Mallorca needs to use its space wisely. Its future will certainly be interesting.

Member News

Wirehive 100 Fresh Egg named fifth largest digital agency in the south

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As we draw another fantastic year to a close at Fresh Egg, we’re excited to be named fifth largest digital agency in the 2017 Wirehive 100 league table. The table promotes the best 100 digital agencies in the south outside of London, with some truly incredible talent and highly respected agencies being showcased. It means a lot to us to reach the top five and be recognised for our hard work, creativity and continued innovation over the years. It’s also a great honour to be shortlisted by our industry peers for Most Respected Agency at the Wirehive 100 Awards. Both accolades are testament to our long-standing and dedicated team who have spent nearly two decades investing in the success of our clients and of Fresh Egg as a business.

Need help with your digital transformation? Get in touch: sales@freshegg.com

Transforming customer experience Together, our in-house team of 60 transform customer experience for our clients across multiple disciplines from SEO, customer experience journey mapping, conversion rate optimisation, paid search, analytics and design and development. We’re proud that our approach is centred around customer experience and personalisation – it’s what sets us apart and drives continued growth for our clients. Fuelled by audience discovery, driven by conversion – we’re always testing, continually learning, everevolving. Big things are coming in digital for 2018 and beyond, and we’re excited to lead the way for our clients.

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Regeneration

Teville’s Time - At last? Station Square – the exciting and viable vision for Teville Gate. of city living – highly specified modern apartments, on-site shopping and leisure opportunities, all wrapped in welcoming architecture – and bring it to the heart of Worthing. It will create jobs for the community from the moment that the construction starts and it will directly contribute to the town’s economy and reputation as a place to live, work and relax.

brand new public space for everyone to enjoy including:

• Up to 374 Beautiful apartments designed for modern living • Prices to be aligned to local market values • Onsite Concierge Service and other amenities • c1,400m2 of fabulous restaurants • Spacious c750m2 gym for a healthier lifestyle

The developers believe they have ensured that their vision is one that can be delivered - and are keen to learn what the community thinks. Every piece of reaction and feedback will help them refine the proposals and build a place for life and living in the heart of the town. Once collected and analysed, the feedback will be used by the Station Square team to refine the proposals before the full planning application is submitted. The proposals and feedback questionnaire will be available through www.OurStationSquare.com Tevillle Gate as it is today

• State of the art supermarket • Public car parking • Discussions on affordable housing are ongoing with Worthing Borough Council • Improved access to Town Centre, encouraging walking, cycling & exploration In a statement from site owners Mosaique they say “We have chosen to invest in Worthing, and in this site in particular, because we can see the town’s potential as a rising star on the South Coast. Since Mosaique Global Investments Ltd purchased the site in 2015, we have focused solidly and consistently on creating a vision which will work for the site and for the town. We are determined that our vision is one which can be built – unlike some previous attempts to put a scheme in place that had no basis in reality.” The vision for Station Square is a place for people to live their lives. The development will take the best

The Vision

The Chamber

Meet the Team Say hello to your Chamber team! Tina Tilley

Amelia Tomlinson

Hi, I’m Tina, “I’m only here temporarily while I decide what I want to be” That was January 2006!

Hi, I’m Amelia! I joined the Chamber in May 2015 as a Digital Marketing Apprentice after completing my A-Levels at Worthing College.

As the CEO I’m responsible for the ideas, strategy and I try and keep the exec in line. I am responsible for sharing the business voice in our area making sure that ideas and concerns get to the right people, so talking is a great part of my job. This is more of a passion than just a job. • Likes: People, socialising, beer & peanuts, being a nanny - and Christmas. • Dislikes: Rice, technology (Bill Gates) and daddy long legs.

Tracie Davey Hi, I’m Tracie, I’ve been with the Chamber since January 2008. I started just doing 2 hours a week and gradually that has increased to my current hours! I’m the operations manager which involves looking after the general day to day running of the Chamber along with managing Tina!!!!! We are lucky to have a fantastic growing team and all have very different strengths that complement each other. • Likes: Trampolining, Dogs, Harry Potter and tea!

I am still currently helping the Chamber two days a week through my new role at MOMENTUM Business Support Ltd as Digital Marketing Assistant. • Likes: Being by the sea, photography, spending quality time with family and friends • Dislikes: Woodlice, olives and guillotines!

Lauren Martin-Grieveson Hi I’m Lauren and I am the newest edition to the Chamber. I work alongside Amelia doing the digital marketing. I went to Steyning Grammar School Sixth Form and studied A-level Psychology, Sociology and Media Studies. I look forward to continue meeting everyone during my time here and am excited to learn more about all the businesses involved in the chamber. • Likes: Dogs, tea and Christmas • Dislikes: Fish, the dark and being cold Below: Tracie Davey, Tina Tilley, Emily McCunn, Amelia Tomlinson, Lauren Martin-Grieveson

• Dislikes: Lifts, public speaking and Tuna

Emily McCunn I became involved in the Chamber through my membership (I’m a freelance marketer) and volunteering for the Membership Group. I now work about one day a week for the Chamber on business development ie making sure our current members remain happy and stay with us and talking to potential members about the benefits of being part of the Chamber. I currently combine work with childcare; I have two sons, one aged four months and one who’s three years old. • Likes: William Boyd novels, exploring, gin and tonic • Dislikes: Sultanas, inefficiency, and Nick Knowles

Membership

A warm welcome to our new Members RIGHT AT HOME WORTHING & SHOREHAM

THE BLUE PENGUIN COMPANY

Right at Home Worthing & Shoreham District provides the very best care for adults in their own homes, ranging from personal care, companionship and support, dementia care, hospital to home and managed live in care.

Local Tour Operator specialising in Educational Travel for young European students, mainly through Language Programmes and Work Experience Internships.

CUTE DOG CONSULTING Social enterprise training provider offering City and Guilds and Institute of Leadership and Management accredited programmes in management, customer Service, Business and Administration, Sales and housing

HR DEPT The HR Dept provides outsourced HR services to SMEs. We do everything an in-house HR Dept would do but at a fraction of the cost.

WORTHING FX SERVICES Foreign exchange and Money transfer Business

AQUA ITALIA LTD

NEW ERA ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DRAMA New Era Academy Of Music and Drama is one of the leading regulated Drama Awarding bodies

A GREENER ALTERNATIVE A Greener Alternative design, install and service renewable heating systems.

A big thank you to our renewing Members for their continued support

NEVALEE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS LTD We aim to help businesses large and small gain competitive advantage through the selection and development of business systems.

RELATIVE MATTERS

Aqua is a family, independent Italian restaurant that offers fresh affordable Italian cuisine.

Our team of health and social care professionals provide expert advice and carefully chosen care solutions for older people with safety at their core.

VIRTUALLY SMART LTD

SUBWAY EPS

Virtually Smart offers business support such as supporting your day to day admin tasks and time management to help you get through your to-do list.

SCOTT LABELS LTD Scott Labels Ltd, label printers and do anything from self-adhesive printed labels, plain labels and sachets.

GENIE TRAVEL

Subway EPS, a company specialising in Exhibition Printing, Commercial Photography and Shop, van signage.

YOOHOO CREATIVE Anything from branding & logos to exhibition systems and banners.

WEST SUSSEX CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

An independent home based travel agent specialising in tailor made itineraries and unusual destinations.

Central and South Sussex Citizens Advice (CaSSCA) is a registered charity, and part of a nationwide network of Citizens Advice Bureaux.

ALCHEMY SQUARED LTD

5 RINGS TELECOMS

Alchemy Ltd offers a range of bespoke services that are designed to help you transform your business.

5 Rings Telecom headed by Geoff & Peter Raynsford, feel our best product is great service and that’s why every call is answered personally within 5 rings.

Membership FEET XTRA

PETER NOONE COMMUNICATIONS

Feet Xtra is Worthing’s Premier Complementary Health Clinic. We offer Treatments and Courses for all ages and conditions.

Freelance copywriter and provides advice on marketing effectively such as how to get your message across.

CONTEMPORARY COACHING Business coach, life coach, career coach and counsellor working in in Worthing, Sussex.

SILENT ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL LTD Event design and management supporting clients locally and globally

ELECTRONIC TEMPERATURE INSTRUMENTS LTD the UK’s largest digital thermometer manufacturer, producing catering thermometers, infrared & digital thermometers, industrial thermometers, moisture meters, pressure meters and other related instruments.

Members - Don’t forget to view the exclusive member to member offers page at www.worthingandadurchamber.co.uk

for your lifetime legal planning

Christmas Charities

A time for Giving… Christmas is a round the corner and thoughts turn to giving. Presents for family and friends and also perhaps ways in which we can help those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

e have some fantastic local charities and community groups and we thought we’d share some of the activities they’re getting up to over Christmas so that you (our very generous readers!) can get stuck in to the proper spirit of the season.

St Barnabas A fantastic Christmas Craft Fair is being held to support St Barnabas on Sunday December 3rd at the Charmandean Centre in Forest Road, Worthing. Get down there to grab some super gifts and decorations that you won’t find in other places and 50p from the entry goes to St Barnabas too. www.thefairytalefair.co.uk/so-this-is-christmascraft-fair/

Chestnut Tree House If your team could do with working off a few calories in advance of a big Christmas night out then Chestnut Tree House has just the thing! Sign up to one of their reindeer runs – you can choose the place and distance and you get free antlers too! Just take some pictures or film it, then donate and share. Job done! www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/fundraising/ourcurrent-campaigns-and-activities/reindeer-runs/

Ferring Country Centre Once again, Ferring Country is hosting its lovely ‘Carols in the Stables’ service on Tuesday December 12th. It’s the perfect way to get you really feeling properly festive. The Centre is also running a ‘Santa’s Grotto’ on Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th December – just as the school holidays start, so get your kids down there to meet Father Christmas before he gets too busy! www.ferringcountrycentre.org/events/

Worthing Mencap This brilliant local charity is also hosting a Christmas Fayre on Saturday November 25th at Worthing Assembly Rooms from 9.30am-1pm. Come along, buy gifts, treat yourself and bring the kids, they can meet Father Christmas in time to get their order in! www.worthingmencap.org/events.php

GuildCare It’s back – The Christmas Pudding Race on Sunday 26th November. Race another team around a TOUGH assault course, in fancy dress...whilst holding a Christmas Pudding!

Christmas Charities • Want to take part: Team of 3 - £15 Want to watch: There will be a Christmas Fayre with lots of stalls, games, hot food and drink, a bouncy castle and Santa’s grotto! Raising funds for our Ashdown Centre for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs.

Christmas Gifts & Decorations• Mince Pies • Cakes • Festive Family Entertainment • Real Christmas Trees Location: Care for Veterans, Gifford House, Boundary Road, Worthing, BN11 4LJ Tel : 01903 218444 www.careforveterans.org.uk

www.guildcare.org/events

Worthing Churches Homeless Projects Shoreham Christmas Tree Festival - St Mary de Haura Church, Shoreham-by-Sea Saturday Dec 2nd and Sunday Dec 3rd. 10am - 5pm Saturday and 11am till 5pm Sunday. Join us for a weekend of festive fun. Vote for the best decorated tree, enjoy craft stalls, music, tea, cake and more! Entry by donation. All the trees will be decorated by local businesses and community groups. If you’re part of a team that would like to decorate a tree for the festival then you can contact us on info@wchp.org.uk or by ringing 01903 680740 ext 242. www.wchp.org.uk/events/

Care for Veterans Care for Veterans Christmas Bazaar Saturday 2 December 1.30pm - 4pm Christmas Market • Santa’s Grotto • Mulled Wine •

If you’re a good cause or charity hosting an event that you think will be relevant to our readers please do let us know! Email connect@worthingandadurchamber.co.uk

Interview

Cleankill take Control Winning Best Green Business at the 2017 Gatwick Diamond Awards, Cleankill Pest Control’s MD, Paul Bates, talks to Suzi Christie about pests, palaces and problem solving.

Cleankill win ‘Green Business of the Year’ at The Gatwick Diamond Business Awards 2017

What does your company do?

How did your company start?

As the name suggests, we provide pest control services. To the average person this might seem like a fairly straightforward business but it is far from it. What we do is constantly changing in many respects from legislative issues to do with the use of pesticides, to the vast range of accreditations needed to work in different sectors and different pests becoming resistant to treatments.

Most of our senior staff started their careers with Rentokil. I left in 1997 and contacted two old friends who had both worked for me as service managers in Rentokil’s London South branch. They had set up a small company in Croydon two years previously, it was turning over about 20k a year and they wanted it to grow. I resigned from a well paid and rewarding job on a Friday, and started with a company that wasn’t making enough to pay one man, let alone three directors, on the Monday. A year later, another old friend joined us as a director. By the end of 1997 we had turned over 37k; January this year we turned over £2million, and we now have 32 staff and are still growing.

We are also registered to remove waste and we’ll sometimes find ourselves, the directors included, a foot deep in pigeon mess that needs clearing out before we install netting or wires to prevent the birds returning. The vast majority of our work is business to business, working with facilities managers who are in charge of a number of sites. Most businesses will have a pest prevention plan which means we are not just reacting when there is a pest problem. Our contracts include an agreed number of visits during the year, whether there are problems or not, so any infestations can be spotted and resolved early on.

What are the current issues for your business and industry? Our service is all about giving customers peace of mind that we will keep their premises pest free, often helping customers in real emergency and distressing situations.

Interview Our biggest issue is to get the message out there that we can offer a better service than the big wellknown brands, and to try to inform people to make the right choice and that the cheapest option is not necessarily the best one, or also that expensive does not always equal quality.

What are the most common pest problems you have to deal with? We define a pest as an organism that is detrimental to man or his environment. In some ways it follows the gardener’s definition of a weed – it is a plant growing in the wrong place. A fly on the window is not necessarily a problem – that same fly doing breast stroke in your soup probably is! The most common pests we deal with are rodents. Rats go into property usually by mistake. Mice on the other hand want to be there and will often have been there some time before you see them and the first signs will be their droppings. Pests know no boundaries and much of our work is in Mayfair and Belgravia. We see inside some of the most expensive properties in the country. I once carried out a survey at an Arab prince’s property in Princes Gate – 60 toilets, each with a gold plated waste pipe, and two industrial air conditioning units, one for the servants and one for the royal family. Calls to deal with squirrels and parakeets are also increasing. The damage these creatures can cause is staggering. The growing parakeet population in South London is particularly problematic as these birds are expert at accessing buildings through places like vents and then destroying internal timbers and vents.

Managing Director of Cleankill Pest Control, Paul Bates and integrity; customer excellence; autonomy and innovation; open/two-way communication; teamwork and willingness to learn and share knowledge.

What is the ethos? The key to our approach is focusing on helping people and solving their problems rather than selling a service. We believe that if we focus on offering the best possible service and exceeding customer expectations, then the profits will follow. We also focus on the long-term gain. For instance a certain contract, like a pest-prevention contract involving an independent restaurant, may be smaller than others but if you look at the lifetime of the contract and you keep that customer, they are just as valuable as a large one-off job. They may also give you word of mouth recommendations that lead to more business. So whether we are treating a bedsit or a palace, we give each customer the same high level of service. Cleankill is the only pest control provider in the UK to achieve a

How do you tackle these pests?

Silver Investor in People accreditation. Cleankill is a proud member

We recruit and retain staff who we know will love their work despite the challenges they face. These could include crawling around in dirty roof spaces or cellars, climbing up the sides of buildings in all weathers or dealing with aggressive rats and squirrels. We make sure our staff are superbly trained and equipped to deal with different situations.

ISO9001 and ISO14001, and fully accredited to the Altius Vendor

of the British Pest Control Association, as well as being approved to Assessment, PICS, Safecontractor, Exor, Constructionline and Achilles Health and Safety. Cleankill was ‘Best Green Business’ in the Gatwick Diamond Awards 2017 and Best Service Provide in the ARMA Ace Awards 2017.

Every member of staff signs up to the ‘Cleankill Way’ which engenders how people are expected to work. The organisation’s values include: honesty

Business Navigator

Innovation: evolution or revolution? Keeping it fresh and coming up with new ideas is no easy feat, but doing nothing is a big risk

nnovation has to be one of the most over-used buzzwords bandied around the business world; however, if we’re to realise the full commercial potential of our ideas, we nevertheless need to recognise and understand the process of innovation. No matter how creative a business might be, many are ill-equipped to manage innovation and commercialise new ideas, and not all organizations are ready to take advantage of new or even existing ideas. What is innovation? “The action or process of innovating; a new method, idea, product, etc.; Innovation is crucial to the continuing success of any organisation” Only once we know what “innovation” really means can we then begin to explore ways in which our businesses can become more innovative and enjoy periods of significant growth. Innovation is the successful exploitation of new ideas. This means the successful commercial exploitation of ideas that are new to your business, though these ideas do not have to be new to the world. Rather, in order to innovate within their business one simply has to introduce an idea which improves performance and has commercial impact. Traditionally people think of innovation in terms of product innovation, the development of a new and different product or service, such as the

Dyson vacuum cleaner. But product innovation is only one dimension of innovation: other forms of innovation include process, organisational, and market innovation. Hence, a new idea that makes a commercial impact could be for a product, yet it could equally be process innovation, a new way of making a product such as Pilkington’s float glass production method. Economic & Social Research Council So why do so many businesses fail to make money through innovation? While there are many possibilities for any given example, perhaps the concept of innovation is often not clearly understood. • Many organisations struggle to cross the gap between concept and implementing performancebased innovation strategies. • Many organisations claim their business to be innovative, yet very few have a formal innovation strategy *1. • Few organisations embed creative values and atmosphere within their team’s culture *2. Despite how good the idea might sound, innovation is only a viable approach if there is market demand, namely demand where the product or service is of value to consumer needs and is commercially viable. Thus whilst creativity is the process of generating unique and useful ideas, innovation requires discipline and action to evaluate, test, modify and

Business Navigator then apply them, turning an idea into something of value.

• Ways in which the business communicates with its customers

Why is innovation important to business?

• Last but certainly not least, investing in new technologies.

• Innovation is essential to business health and wealth

There are many low-cost, high-value innovations a business can do to stay ahead of their competitors and generate income, however the starting point for each approach is to embed an innovative & creative culture within the organisation itself.

• Innovation is linked to competitiveness and productivity • Innovation is the lifeblood of organisations: Firms that do not search for new and better ways of doing business will be overtaken by their competitors! • Competing on low costs in not a viable option for the survival & success of business. Michael Porter of Harvard University, said: “The UK needs to change from a location competing on low costs to a location competing on value and innovation.” Innovation is more than just an invention or a great idea. It’s as much about continuous improvement within the areas of a business that might improve efficiency & productivity, both of which improve the performance and bottom line of an organisation. Here are some areas of business where simple innovations or improvements can have a significant impact on market positioning, reputation and market demand:

One possible example is to encourage creative thinking amongst your people by way of creating think tank sessions on a Friday afternoon. Other possibilities include empowering your people through investment in their development, being assertive towards investing in new ideas, new services and simple improvements and creating a focus group to evaluate the value proposition*3 of the offer. An Innovation specialist at the University of Brighton regards innovation as a fairly simple process to adopt, if your ambition is for your business to grow and make money: Ideas + Action + Impact = Innovation To discuss your Innovation needs contact one of our Business Support Navigators on 01403 333 840 or email growth.hub@coast2capital.org.uk. Appendices:*1 & *2 Research study - Strategic Innovation *3 https://strategyzer.com/canvas/value-proposition-canvas

• The offer: what, how, and why does the business provide its service to its customers? • The ways in which the business generates its revenue • How the business operates • Stakeholders & partners who have an invested interest in the business • The business’ people, customers & suppliers

Profile

A Year in the Life NAME: Khaled Khan BUSINESS NAME: LR Collections Ltd LOCATION: National Offices NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 5

When and why did you start the business? I don’t think anyone grows up thinking that they want to be a debt collector. I started out in the accounts receivable department of Security Pacific Business Finance,then on to a Senior Credit Controller at Secom Plc and finally to Group Credit Manager for The Loft Shop Group. I started LR Collections Ltd in 2011.

How have you grown your business or your client base? A good friend recommended me to Worthing and Adur Chamber and I promoted my business through their meetings as I believe people buy from people. I also joined Worthing Independent Networking both of which were a great success coupled with the fact that we used digital marketing to promote the business. I would urge anyone to join networking groups to proactively promote your business. Where else would you get to meet business owners face to face?

What challenges have you faced in the past year? The biggest challenge is to convince potential clients that using our services will not only see their invoices being recovered more promptly, but your debtors dealt with in a professional and ethical manner in order to continue their business relationship. It’s a fact that once a third party is involved in pursuing an overdue debt, the debtor pays faster.

Where have you found support or help for your business? I joined Worthing and Adur Chamber in 2011 for its networking meetings and events. I believe Tina and her team genuinely cares and supports local business. It has a vast membership base with knowledge and experience who are willing to help each other to succeed. We offer chamber members discounts, help and advice.

What are your plans for the year ahead? The world of debt recovery is evolving rapidly with new rules and regulation each year. We plan to focus on expanding our client base, offering clients cost effective debt recovery to help with cash flow. We aim to achieve this by networking, attending social events, and digital presence.

What is your ultimate goal for the business? Our ultimate goal is to carry on assisting businesses recovering payment against their unpaid invoices to make their business a success. Business owners should spend more time growing their business and less of it chasing overdue accounts after all that’s what we’re here for…

GDPR

New advice service for GDPR

he Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a dedicated advice line on to help small organisations prepare for a new data protection law. The phone service is aimed at people running small businesses or charities and recognises the particular problems they face getting ready for the new law, called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR replaces the current Data Protection Act and comes into force on May 25th 2018. Regulated by the ICO, the GDPR strengthens the rules around personal data and requires organisations to be more accountable and transparent. It also gives people greater control over their own personal data.

There are already resources on www.ico.org.uk to help organisations employing fewer than 250 people prepare for the GDPR. But the new phone line will offer additional, personal advice to small organisations that still have questions. People from small organisations should dial the ICO helpline on 0303 123 1113 and select option 4 to be diverted to staff who can offer support. As well as advice on preparing for the GDPR, callers can also ask questions about current data protection rules and other legislation regulated by the ICO including electronic marketing and Freedom of Information. www.ico.org.uk

Preparing for the General Data Protection

You should review how you seek, record and manage consent and whether you need to make any changes. Refresh existing consents now if they don’t meet the GDPR standard.

Regulation (GDPR) 12 steps to take now 8 1

Communicating privacy information

Individuals’ rights You should check your procedures to ensure they cover all the rights individuals have, including how you would delete personal data or provide data electronically and in a commonly used format.

Data Protection by Design and Data Protection Impact Assessments You should familiarise yourself now with the ICO’s code of practice on Privacy Impact Assessments as well as the latest guidance from the Article 29 Working Party, and work out how and when to implement them in your organisation.

You should review your current privacy notices and put a plan in place for making any necessary changes in time for GDPR implementation.

Data breaches You should make sure you have the right procedures in place to detect, report and investigate a personal data breach.

Information you hold You should document what personal data you hold, where it came from and who you share it with. You may need to organise an information audit.

Children You should start thinking now about whether you need to put systems in place to verify individuals’ ages and to obtain parental or guardian consent for any data processing activity.

Awareness You should make sure that decision makers and key people in your organisation are aware that the law is changing to the GDPR. They need to appreciate the impact this is likely to have.

Consent

You should designate someone to take responsibility for data protection compliance and assess where this role will sit within your organisation’s structure and governance arrangements. You should consider whether you are required to formally designate a Data Protection Officer.

Subject access requests You should update your procedures and plan how you will handle requests within the new timescales and provide any additional information.

12 Lawful basis for processing personal data

International If your organisation operates in more than one EU member state (ie you carry out cross-border processing), you should determine your lead data protection supervisory authority. Article 29 Working Party guidelines will help you do this.

V2.0 201705

You should identify the lawful basis for your processing activity in the GDPR, document it and update your privacy notice to explain it.

Data Protection Officers

Events

A busy season so far

utumn is a busy time for networking and it’s great to see our events full to the brim with members and guests alike. As always networking is a large part of what we do and we strive to host a range of events to suit every taste, budget and schedule. This September our breakfast meeting saw over 40 local businesses get together and hear from Chris Tomlinson, of the Rampion Wind Farm project. This project has been a great feat of engineering brilliance for our area, and for those who have been regularly admiring the turbines, you won’t have to wait too much longer to see them in full action. October saw our GDPR breakfast, a topic that is certainly buzzing around the business world right now. Chris Bridges from Irwin Mitchell kindly gave a full overview of the changes that every business, large or small needs to be aware of, and this update was warmly welcomed by our members. We shall be running further workshops around GDPR so watch this space! Our regular Chamber Hub meetings as pictured are always a breath of fresh air and are great for making

new connections. If you’ve not been along, then why not book for next month; it’s pure networking and free of charge and there’s always a good crowd to connect with, so please do come and try it out. Two lucky members get selected at each meeting to present at the next so this could be you! And before everyone gets too booked up for the Christmas season, do also take a look at our Christmas programme as we’re running not just one or two, but three Christmas events this year! Our Christmas party night at the Windsor Hotel, a more informal drinks evening at the Ardington, and of course Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit to the Panto! As always, we welcome your feedback and look forward to seeing you out and about …

Business Scene

Spottedâ&#x20AC;Ś Out and about on the Worthing & Adur Business Sceneâ&#x20AC;Ś

Meg Fenn & Monica Rossi

Patt Fallon & Vicki Taylor

Albert Staffiere, Helena Solomon and Neil Budgen

Liana Naylor & Kaye Foong

Martin Smith & Patrick Woodward

Kate Honey & Susan Beeby

Profile

Spotlight on

Wall Bros DIRECTORS: Ashley Horne & Keith Kirby LOCATION: Tarring Road, Worthing NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 9

When did the business start? We started in 1957. Elvis was having his early hits, Queen Elizabeth II had been on the throne just 5 years and people were saving up for the latest thing that magically bought moving pictures into your home – a television. The thing about TV though was it kept people in their living rooms and cold floors weren’t great for sitting on, so another product was also booming, fitted carpets. Back in Worthing, Cyril Wall was switched on to this new demand and decided to open a new shop on a thriving shopping street called Tarring Broadway – Wall Bros was launched!

How have you grown your business? Fast forward to 2017 and Wall Bros remains in the same unit – although, over the years, Cyril Wall was so successful that he expanded into the two units next door to his original shop. Not only did the shop expand – but the product ranges have too. Director, Ashley Horne, says, “So much has changed since 1957. Cyril Wall worked in the business until the 1980s when he retired. Paul Cook took over from him and I took the business on in the 1990s along with my partner Keith Kirby, who is based in our Storrington shop.

What Challenges have you faced? Home design and flooring tastes have moved on a great deal. We now sell every type of flooring you can think of, carpets, cushioned vinyl (which used to be known as Lino) wood flooring and the latest flooring innovation, luxury vinyl tiles (LVT). We also stock rugs, and sell soft furnishings and curtains too so our customers can really get everything matching to suit and save time traipsing the shops or trawling the internet.

Keith Kirby (L) and Ashley Horne (R) Directors of Wall Bros One thing that hasn’t changed though is that people still like to touch and feel the flooring, they like to really come and look at it and see samples in their homes. We keep records of every room we measure for every customer so, that if they want to change their flooring we can just get on with it – it also helps with any insurance claims they may have.

What are your plans for the year ahead? Our 60th anniversary is obviously a huge milestone for the company. Not many retailers have been in Worthing for as long as we have. We decided to enter the Adur and Worthing Business Awards this year and were humbled that our customers entered us for three different categories too. Find out if they won on page 14.

www.wallbroscarpets.co.uk

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THE BUSINESS EVENT FOR 2018 Worthing Assembly Hall 1st February • 10am to 4pm What can you look forward to at the show?

FREE ENTRY

meet, network and introduce your business

including Navigator Growth Hub on Finance, Legal issues, Marketing, PR and Branding

INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS

design: yoohoocreative.com

...network and mingle

from local larger companies and Adur & Worthing Council

Local businesses share their success stories #betterbiz2018

Don’t miss out – register now! www.worthingandadurchamber.co.uk SUPPORTED BY

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