Ulster Business November 2020

#(#(

# "( # (

$! % !

' ! % ! $ !

! ! ! &! & ! $

'

!

6

46

14

86

57

74

Contents 06 News

46 In Focus

70 Review

A host of news and exclusives from right across the world of Northern Ireland business

We speak to Kainos chief Brendan Mooney about hiring through the crisis

John Mulgrew tries out the latest eating spot from two of Belfast’s top Simons

14 Cover story

49 Human resources

74 Podcast

Danske Bank on forging its new relationship with growing technology giant Kainos

Ulster Business takes a closer look at both the benefits and limitations of LinkedIn

A look back at highlights of the Ulster Business Podcast with Bank of Ireland UK

25 Exports & international business

57 Christmas planner

77 Motoring

Seamus Leheny on a crucial strand of Brexit

With the latest news it’ll be harder than ever, so how do we get creative for the season?

Are friends electric? We take a look at the latest SUV and other top motors

35 Corporate law

68 Top 100 roundtable

86 Photocall

We look at getting the best advice for firms and what happens when the support stops

We brought together business chiefs to discuss rebuilding the economy and the return to work

A look at some of the business announcements happening across Northern Ireland

Ulster Business is a part of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). If you believe you have been unfairly treated, you can contact IPSO in writing via its website for guidance on what to do. The service is free. IPSO can then advise on whether it’s likely you have grounds for a complaint and what to do about it. The normal procedure is for the complainant to then contact the publication’s editor directly. If no agreement is reached, the complainant can go back to IPSO to look for an adjudication, or for it to take over the complaint.

Full details are available at www.ipso.co.uk. Alternatively, email complaints@ipso.co.uk, or inquiries@ipso.co.uk, or telephone 0300 123 2220, or the out-of-hours emergency number: 07659 152 656.

Or write to: IPSO, c/o Halton House, 20-23 Holborn, London EC1N 2JD

NOVEMBER 2020

3

EDITOR’S COMMENTS

Let’s look to the weeks ahead for NI

I

t looks like those upcoming birthday dinner plans may have to wait (at least for now).

The latest restrictions, which primarily hit our hospitality sector – a sector which was just about getting back on its feet, have certainly made us think about the winter ahead, the impact to our bricks and mortar businesses, and the reasons the Executive has implemented them.

At the time of writing (and as always, I’d love this to be out-of-date by the time you’re reading it) positive cases were reaching truly terrifying numbers. In Derry and Strabane, a council area which already had its own restrictions in place before the wider announcement, cases reached one in 100 of the population. We had been told

that just a fraction of that would mean the Executive having to assess the landscape.

open safely. Let’s hope by this time next month we’ll be in a better position.

That being said, we opened schools and students returned to campuses. Within weeks of the former, Covid-19 cases in the double figures started appearing and some schools had dozens of students and staff off, self-isolating.

However, there’s a lot of positivity in this edition of the magazine. Firms are hiring, buildings are being built, businesses are marking achievements and advice is being sought.

There is no easy way of dealing with all of this. That is clear. But a blanket approach to one sector – hospitality – doesn’t seem fair.

We all know of pubs taking the proverbial when dealing with distancing, numbers, masks and serving food. But for most, they’ve injected millions of pounds as an industry into trying to make it work – the number of covers reduced and fewer till receipts, but still continuing to open, and

Publisher Ulster Business c/o Independent News & Media Ltd Belfast Telegraph House 33 Clarendon Road, Clarendon Dock, Belfast BT1 3BG

As always, Ulster Business is, and has been, with the business community here throughout all of this – showcasing the successes, providing expert opinion and advice, news, analysis and deep-delves into some of the issues facing many of us here.

Enjoy this edition of the magazine and we’ll catch up next month. ■ John Mulgrew

Editor John Mulgrew Magazine sales manager Mark Glover Sales executive Sarah-Ann Gamble Sales executive Judith Martin Production manager Irene Fitzsimmons

Printer W&G Baird Greystone Press, Caulside Drive, Antrim BT41 2RS www.wgbaird.com

www.ulsterbusiness.com

Graphic design Susan McClean, INM Design Studio Contact: 028 9026 4262/028 9026 4260 Cover photo: Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye

@ulsterbusiness

Ulster Business Magazine

Independent News & Media Ltd © 2020. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of Independent News & Media Ltd.

NOVEMBER 2020

5

NEWS

month IN numbers

Seamus Leheny

A

150

The number of new staff currently being hired by Belfast-based technology firm Kainos.

150

The small number of key ECMT permits which could be available for hauliers here in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario between the UK and EU.

Deal needed to avoid permit issues on island

A

‘no deal’ exit from the EU could have a drastic impact on the transport of goods between Northern Ireland and the Republic due to logistics permit systems, it’s been warned.

52.7

The latest Ulster Bank purchasing managers’ index for Northern Ireland in September which showed growth in the majority of sectors.

2,000

The number of redundancies confirmed across Northern Ireland over the past three months, according to official figures.

Seamus Leheny, policy manager of Logistics UK in NI, says “if there is no agreement either through a trade deal or a bilateral deal, then the position for local logistics operators in Northern Ireland here is very bleak as the alternative permit system gives very little ability and scope to continue services as they do today”.

“The Government’s much publicised Internal Market Bill aims to ensure all four of the UK regions are not limited by regulations determined by each devolved government,” he said. “It will create common rules that apply across the UK, to replace the EU’s single market.”

“However, this must also consider the Northern Ireland protocol which aims to avoid the introduction of a hard border on the island of Ireland in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

“The problem is that for the EU, to offer an open market for UK transport to the EU is just too close to single market access plus they

6

would require the UK to continue adhering to EU transport legislation for any vehicles and drivers that make journeys into the EU, a step too far for some in London perhaps.

“In the event of no agreement we will be left working within the confines of the ECMT permit system.”

The permit system is needed for logistics firms to enter the EU from outside. But according to Mr Leheny, if each ECMT permit were allocated to a different haulier in the UK, only one in four companies would obtain one.

“Only one of their lorries could be in the EU at any point in time,” he said. “The remaining 75% of international hauliers would be left with no permits at all.

“Given the volume and frequency of cross border haulage on the Island, to consider that only 150 vehicles could cross the border for ‘hire and reward’ operations at any given time would realistically make such permits pointless as we would have nowhere near the number of permits required to keep our cross-border supply chains moving.”

Read the full feature on page 25-28

NEWS

Kainos creating 150 new jobs

T

ech giant Kainos is creating 150 new jobs as part of its latest ongoing expansion, Ulster Business can reveal.

The Belfast-based firm, which has offices across 15 countries, is continuing to welcome new staff to the business, and will also see more join through its graduate intake this year, along with 150 vacancies for staff, right across the business.

“I think the people who have been working from home and supporting our clients have just done an amazing job,” Brendan Mooney, chief executive, said.

“And customers have also been really supportive… it has been a surprisingly positive reaction across the organisation.

Brendan Mooney

“We are currently advertising for 150 vacancies across the organisation, so these things point to a strong demand for digital services, and strong demand for digital talent.”

Mr Mooney said plans for its new head office at the former Movie House cinema on the Dublin Road, while still likely in the longer-term, are “not an immediate concern”.

NOVEMBER 2020

“I think we will, as we always do, take the long-term view. We are a growing company and our intent is to grow in Belfast as well. I think a new office at the Movie House site is likely, but it’s just not an immediate concern.”

Read the full interview on page 46-47

7

NEWS

Quotes OF THE month “Our industry is being forced into a period of closure and we are calling for the Executive to ensure that urgent financial support is forthcoming for workers so that family incomes are protected and particularly in the run up to Christmas.”

Galgorm’s Colin Johnston speaking about the latest restrictions to hospitality.

“This is an organisation that isn’t afraid to tackle tough and topical societal issues head on. From improving nutrition to tackling plastics, the breadth and depth of Asda’s responsible business activity is really impressive.”

The judges remarks when naming Asda as the NI Responsible Company of the Year by Business in the Community (BITC).

“(The) announcement of €500m for the work of the Taoiseach’s new Shared Island Unit in the advancement of key infrastructure projects over the next five years is an important step in our shared endeavour to improve the lives of our citizens right across the island.”

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon welcoming funding from the Irish government for key cross-border schemes.

8

The new restrictions will be in place for at least four weeks

New Covid-19 restrictions ‘an economy breaker’

T

he shutting down once again for the hospitality sector in a bid to curb rising Covid-19 cases has been branded an “economy breaker” amid fears of tens of thousands of further job losses.

The decision to effectively create another lockdown could have a “cataclysmic effect on the local economy and result in countless job losses”, according to Simon Hamilton, Belfast Chamber chief executive.

The Executive agreed increased restrictions, which will see bars and restaurants closing for at least four weeks, with hotels facing a similar position, while ‘close contact’ services such as hairdressers will also shut.

And Angela McGowan, CBI Northern Ireland director, said “we urgently need to see a transparent strategy for living with Covid-19 through autumn and winter to protect both lives and livelihoods across Northern Ireland”.

However, shops can remain open but there are restrictions on opening times for takeaways and the selling of alcohol.

Aodhán Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said: “It is vital the Northern Ireland public also plays its part: washing your hands regularly, keep your distance, and wearing a mask whenever you are in store.”

“Let me be clear, now that this lockdown had been signed off, all costs of the sector need to be covered by the government to ensure our people have food on their tables and as many businesses as possible can be preserved,” Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said.

“The Executive must serve to underwrite this decision and take on the financial responsibility for specifically shutting down the hospitality sector. We don’t want to see a financial gesture, but a significant payment made to all those in the sector that have had their means of making a living stripped away from them for the greater good.

“I cannot overstate the seriousness of this situation, tens of thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses are now in free fall.”

But Galgorm’s managing director Colin Johnston said he “questioned the rationale for imposing a shut down across the hospitality sector while other sectors remain open”.

“We have not seen any detailed evidence to support the case that the hospitality sector is a driver of community transmission.

“Now, our industry is being forced into a period of closure and we are calling for the Executive to ensure that urgent financial support is forthcoming for workers so that family incomes are protected and particularly in the run up to Christmas.”

NEWS

Gym equipment maker planning major new headquarters

By John Mulgrew

A

leading gym equipment business is planning a major expansion and new headquarters, Ulster Business can reveal.

Gregory Bradley

Belfast-based BLK BOX, currently based in the Titanic Quarter, now wants to create a new 140,000 sq ft manufacturing warehouse, storage and head office at Global Point Business Park in Newtownabbey.

The company, which was founded by Gregory Bradley, has recently completed its 150th installation across the UK for PureGym.

The site has been acquired from business development organisation Invest NI.

Its recent work has also included the completion of a large project for Adidas at its new multi-million-pound global headquarters in Germany.

In a supporting statement, ahead of the submission of a full planning application, it says that “the company has expanded sustainability since its inception almost 10 years ago and is now seeking new facilities to accommodate its growing manufacturing business�.

Other projects include a major outdoor gym project at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel Complex in Dubai. It is the latest in a series of projects that the company has undertaken successfully in the Middle Eastern market, including in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

NOVEMBER 2020

9

NEWS

Some of Northern Ireland’s leading businesses have walked away with the final gongs at this year’s Belfast Telegraph Business Awards in partnership with Ulster Bank.

As firms face an unprecedented challenge this year due to Covid-19, the initial winners were announced in September, while two special awards were revealed at a celebration event in October. Economy Minister Diane Dodds presented the Outstanding Business of the Year Award to Gavin Walsh, general manager of MRP. And Tina McKenzie, chief executive of Staffline Recruitment Ireland, walked away with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Deloitte Technology Fast 50 opens for entries

E

ntries are now open for the 2020 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 programme. The awards, now in their 21st year, rank Ireland’s fastest growing technology companies and recognise the indigenous technology companies that have demonstrated outstanding growth in turnover over the previous four years.

Deloitte is calling on companies from across Northern Ireland’s growing technology sector – including software, hardware, communications, media, clean-tech, and life sciences – to apply for this year’s awards.

Thirteen Northern Irish companies made the Fast 50 last year, with Belfast-based Catagen the highest-ranking Northern Ireland business at number two in the rankings, based on

10

Pictured at the 2019 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards are Dr Andrew Woods, Catagen and Deloitte’s Peter Allen

its growth rate, just behind overall winner Electricity Exchange from Limerick.

Peter Allen, partner at Deloitte said: “The Fast 50 awards are a celebration of entrepreneurial tech businesses across Ireland.

“Deloitte is actively engaged in assisting a number of previous winners to grow rapidly and attract investment. We have noticed a

significant increase in the appetite to invest in our indigenous tech companies as the global marketplace becomes aware of Northern Ireland’s reputation as a fast-growing tech hub of the future.”

The closing date for entries is November 30, 2020 and the winners will be announced in December. For details of how to enter, please visit www.fast50.ie.

NEWS

Kilwaughter plans quarry extension

A

Northern Ireland minerals giant wants to undertake a major extension of its quarry here, it can be revealed.

Kilwaughter Minerals wants to develop a new 11.9 hectare extension to its existing quarry at Starbog Road, outside Larne.

That would see the quarry extended considerably from its existing 23.9 hectare site.

Kilwaughter, headed by Gary Wilmot, works across the agriculture and construction industries in UK & Ireland under its market brands K Rend, K Systems and Kilwaughter Lime.

NOVEMBER 2020

The Larne business, which is owned by the McDowell family and was set up in 1939 by Charles McDowell and Gerald McGladery, provides products to the construction and agriculture sectors in the UK and Ireland.

In a document prepared by Quarryplan Limited on behalf of the firm, it says “to sustain the business at Kilwaughter, the employment of 200 people and to continue the supply” of its products, the firm “will require additional mineral reserves, over and above those remaining within the permitted quarry”.

The company has now submitted a proposal of application notice for the planned scheme.

Gary Wilmot

The early plans would see an extension, including an internal haul road providing connectivity between the proposed extraction site and the existing quarry and processing units.

11

RECRUITMENT

Growing your team in the new era of work A s the world of work evolves, Hays is supporting its clients to adapt and grow their teams.

Appointed as exclusive recruitment partners to Survitec, which is embarking on an ambitious growth programme in Northern Ireland, Luke Fuller, director of accountancy and finance recruitment at Hays, spoke to Louise McClelland, group finance director.

Tell me about Survitec’s future plans in Northern Ireland?

Survitec is a global leader in survival and safety solutions to the marine, defence, aviation and energy markets. We are always looking at how we can innovate to stay ahead of the curve. For example, this year we started producing personal protective equipment (PPE) for NHS England – creating local jobs and helping the NHS in a time of need.

Now we have shifted our focus to Northern Ireland, where we will be making a significant investment to establish a new shared service centre to support our 3,000 strong global workforce.

Why was Northern Ireland chosen as the location for this centre?

The vision for our Finance function is to be a trusted business partner, proactively creating sustainable revenue through a disciplined and thorough approach. Therefore, we decided to establish a finance global centre of excellence in Northern Ireland which will help us reach that vision.

How have you approached recruiting through lockdown?

We have partnered exclusively with Hays, who have helped us approach recruitment differently in this new era of work. We have moved to virtual interviewing and selection processes and brought new people into the business while home working. It can be challenging to assess personalities and team fit over virtual coffees and Teams interviews, but we have managed to keep our talent pipeline strong during 2020.

12

What skills are you looking for in Northern Ireland?

We want high calibre individuals who would like to evolve and grow their career with Survitec Group. Ideally these are people who are adaptable, problem solvers, strong communicators, who strive for excellence for both themselves, their team and the Group.

Our new positions, which are in accountancy and finance, are exclusively with Hays Recruitment and we would encourage anyone who is interested to contact them directly.

How have you adapted for remote onboarding?

Survitec’s group IT team has processes in place which allowed us to move to remote work quickly in light of the lockdown restrictions.

Our colleagues provide functional onboarding support to all new recruits via regular Zoom and Teams calls. Hays also provides an aftercare service for new talent during the first three months which has helped us to manage remote on boarding.

Tell me about your health and wellbeing initiatives?

Caring for our people is one of the values that we live by every single day and we know that

it is more important than ever for colleagues to have access to the support needed to get through these uncertain times. Therefore, we are providing a range of support services, whether that’s health and lifestyle, legal information, work life and home life.

Are you using any products to support remote working?

We are in the process of exploring the use of Thrive, which is a product by Hays Recruitment.

Thrive is an online training platform available to all organisations, big or small, to help get their workforce prepared and give them the tools they need to thrive in the new world of work.

What will the new era of work look like at Survitec?

We exist to protect lives – whether at sea, on land, or in air. Innovation and the constant pursuit of excellence is the difference between a life saved or a life lost. Working at Survitec is fast-paced and challenging but we embrace learning and never lose track of why we do, what we do. The new era of work has presented us with an opportunity to do it better, to balance work and life better and introduce flexible, hybrid working practices. ■

COVER STORY

The right fit: a big bank with local expertise Danske Bank has become the new banking partner to Northern Ireland-headquartered technology company Kainos. It’s a crucial relationship built on a firm cultural fit, top-end technology, an understanding of the local market but with global connectivity. Ulster Business speaks to Danske’s Shaun McAnee alongside Richard McCann and Matt McManus of Kainos, about the journey and working throughout the crisis

T

he big bank feel but with the local expertise has been key in establishing Danske’s latest major corporate partnership here.

And a combination of the cultural fit, technology and an ability to service a customer with huge international reach, but a local heart, led to it fighting off other financial giants to be named the new banking partner of Belfast-headquartered Kainos.

It’s that fit that’s also seen both firms being out-in-front amid the Covid-19 crisis – responding to the ever-evolving economic landscape and changing needs of both its customer bases.

Danske Bank has been working to assist customers through the crisis, as well as lending around £450m here over the last few months as part of key UK Government initiatives to support companies through this difficult period.

14

And Kainos – which employs more than 1,700 people across almost 20 countries and is listed on the FTSE 250 – is continuing to expand, win contracts and hire new staff amid the crisis. Through two specialist divisions, Digital Services and the Workday Practice, Kainos works globally for clients across healthcare, commercial, and the public sector, to solve real problems and overcome big challenges for businesses, and make people’s lives easier.

Danske is now working as banking partner for Kainos – utilising its Northern Ireland expertise as well as using its global reach and top-end technological solutions.

“We really threw everything at winning it,” Shaun McAnee, managing director of corporate and business banking at Danske Bank, said.

“We were pitching ourselves against companies we don’t normally pitch against – that included a large global player. It showed a

true measure of our capabilities. We have the tools and the proposition – and we went into the pitch with that mindset.

“This is hugely important for us and we were determined to win the banking arrangement.

There was a lot of ground work before – showcasing our capabilities.”

Danske is dealing with a company equally at the forefront of technology here. It’s a global giant with a footprint across the UK, Europe and North America. So simplifying its banking arrangements was seen as key to assisting in the firm’s success.

“A firm such as Kainos has international reach, is cross-border and across different currencies – we believe our system simplifies the banking needs, and allows us to integrate with its Workday system.

“We had faith in the strength of our proposition. We are Danske Bank UK, but

COVER STORY

Matt McManus and Richard McCann, Kainos, with Shaun McAnee, Danske Bank

we are also very proud of our Northern Bank heritage going back 211 years. The importance is the local presence, but also having international scale.”

And for Kainos, it was an 18-month process to finding the company’s new banking partner, according to Matt McManus, Kainos’s group head of finance. “Kainos has gone through significant growth and we appointed an external consultant to keep us on schedule and help us to deliver the best outcome,” he said.

“There were seven banks shortlisted in the end – including the big and the small. We had a very thorough tendering process, and Danske Bank scored well in every single category. That included the technology aspects of it, the cultural aspects but fundamentally the most important parts, such as cash pooling to match the global footprint, along with optimising Workday.”

The banking needs of a company with as large

NOVEMBER 2020

a global footprint as Kainos are both varied and highly-skilled. And it’s something which Danske was able to bring to the table.

A key element of the relationship with Kainos was the firm’s position as a leading partner for Workday. Kainos uses Workday’s suite of applications in finance, HR and business planning to help run its business. And for this project, Kainos deployed its expert consultants who worked closely with the team at Danske Bank to create a seamless integration between its Workday Financial Management application and Danske Bank’s digital banking platform.

“It’s incredibly complex, but being part of the Danske Bank Group allowed us to deploy everything that the Group offers,” Shaun McAnee says. “That includes areas such as multi-currency overdrafts and cash pooling – it’s one of the strengths that we have. We operate as an international group but at scale here in Northern Ireland, and also have the technological solutions.”

But the strength of the relationship is also centred around the cultural synergy between both Danske and Kainos. “We wanted to tie up and look at how we are culturally aligned,” Shaun says. That includes the strong focus on key corporate responsibility, among both firms – including Danske Bank being named Business in the Community’s Responsible Business of the Year in 2019.

“It was last but by no means least – looking at the cultural side of innovation,” Matt McManus said. “With elements such as Danske Bank’s work with fintech and its strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) credentials, it was a running start in terms of the fit. That came across very quickly – it was a big bank feel but with all the local expertise and fit that we needed. It’s now about building a longterm partnership.”

Kainos is one of the Northern Irelandheadquartered businesses which managed to go to full remote-working right at >

15

COVER STORY

Richard McCann, Shaun McAnee and Matt McManus

the start of the coronavirus crisis, and has continued to expand, win contracts and hire new staff over the last eight months.

“We consider ourselves to be very fortunate and our staff have been outstanding throughout this. They have picked up the ball and run with it,” Richard McCann, chief financial officer and chief operating officer at Kainos, said.

The last few months has increased the focus towards the needs of digitisation across both the public and private sectors – and Kainos has been at the forefront of helping organisations with their digital journey.

The success of Kainos throughout this unprecedented period also meant, that while unsure of what was going to happen at the beginning, it was able to repay the money it had received from the UK Government under the Job Retention Scheme.

For Kainos, Richard said its performance remained extremely strong as the effects of Covid-19 were felt across the globe, and that numerous worse-case scenarios never manifested for the firm.

“Matt ran around 40 different scenarios over a month, and what we found was an

16

outcome better than those.” He says returning the money received from the Government “was something we as a business felt was the right thing to do”.

As far as demand for its services and products goes, Richard says apart from some shifting priorities among its healthcare customers at the beginning of the crisis, there was “no significant change”.

And while there was an initial pause in terms of the implementation of demand for its Workday products, that is now seeing an increase, as businesses and organisations see an even greater importance for cloud-based software and remote-working.

“If anything this whole crisis will hasten the move to the cloud – and Workday is the best on the market,” Richard says.

That success in remote-working has meant Kainos, like many others, is engaging with its workforce to see how best to plan for the future, in terms of the needs and demands of its office footprint.

For Danske Bank, it’s been busier than ever – dealing with the ever-changing customer demand, queries, lending and support mechanisms issued by the UK Government in order to keep our economy afloat.

“We went into early March and sensed some anxiety across our customer base,” Shaun said. “It was a mounting problem and we were forecasting vastly increased levels of customer demand. We had the technology to allow straight-through processing, which was massively important.

“From March 16, we started to see the flow of lending requests – that then became a deluge. A lot of customers didn’t know what they needed or wanted. But we have relationship management, right down to small businesses – whether that’s borrowing £5,000 from us or right up to more complex needs. This allowed us to stay close to customers and help guide them.”

Shaun says after that initial response, the new phase was rolling out and implementing the Government support schemes. “That was done at breakneck speed. We wanted to be first to market with the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS).”

“We have been operating at three times lending and seven times transaction volumes. We have been able to deliver because of our technology, our people, and the high levels of expertise that we have here in Northern Ireland.” ■

APPRENTICESHIPS

Funding available to employers to support construction apprentices

C

ITB NI is encouraging construction employers to help support both new and retained apprentices and claim up to £11,700 of funding.

The funding available is a combined financial offering from CITB NI training grants and the Department for the Economy’s new Apprenticeship Recovery Package.

The Apprenticeship Recovery Package focuses on retaining or recruiting apprentices into the industry.

It was launched by the Department for the Economy, in a move to help the apprenticeship system respond to the impact of the Covid-19 crisis.

Over recent years the widely established CITB NI grants scheme has supported over 400 young apprentices who joined the industry in the last four years. Due to the successful uptake of the apprenticeship grant in recent years, CITB NI has maintained this grant which means that £6,500 can be claimed for a fully employed apprentice over a three-year period.

In CITB NI’s last training year, which incorporated five months of lockdown, the organisation paid local construction employers over £500,000 to support apprentices.

Within the Apprenticeship Recovery Package employers can claim:

- Up to a maximum of £3,700 for retained apprentices, payable from the Government Apprenticeship Return, Retain and Result Scheme - Up to £3,000 to support the recruitment of new apprentices There is also up to £1,500 available from the Department for the Economy for employers who employ an apprentice from the start of their apprenticeship through to completion of their NVQ Level 2 and 3 on the ApprenticeshipsNI Programme. This funding is paid through the training provider.

Barry Neilson, CITB NI chief executive, said: “The Government has recognised that apprentices are a casualty of Covid-19. With many contracts paused or closed; some construction employers had no option but to furlough apprentices or make them redundant.

“The combined funding now available from both the CITB NI grants scheme and the Government Apprenticeship Recovery Package is a great incentive to help construction employers plan their training, develop their

business and play an active role in moulding their future workforce. There are many benefits to employing an apprentice including filling initial skills gaps, benefiting from fresh thinking, boosting staff retention, reducing recruitment costs and helping the economy.

“Apprentices are good for business overall and both CITB NI and the Government see the potential for all sectors including construction.”

At the launch of the Government Apprenticeship Recovery Package, Economy Minister, Diane Dodds said: “I want to minimise apprenticeship job losses, maintain and grow the supply of apprenticeship opportunities and support apprentices who have been displaced and lost their apprenticeship.

“I am committed to doing everything within my power to ensure the continued development of an effective skills pipeline which will support the needs of both employers and our economy whilst also providing valuable employment for our young people.” ■

To find out more visit www.citbni.org.uk/apprenticeships.aspx

18

NEWS TITLE

Kevin Holland, Invest NI with Shane Braniff, Echlinville Distillery

Gin and whiskey maker creating 36 jobs amid £9m expansion

A

Co Down distillery is creating 36 new jobs a part of a £9m expansion, it has been revealed.

The Echlinville Distillery in Kircubbin distils and bottles a range of premium spirits, including Jawbox Gin and Dunville’s Irish whiskey.

The award-winning business is now expanding its distillery to help it increase production capacity and grow its brands of Irish whiskey and gin globally.

Invest NI has offered Echlinville £659,000 of support towards the purchasing of new equipment, the extension of its storage facilities to meet anticipated demand for its products and the creation of 36 jobs.

“This investment will help us to substantially increase our production capacity and grow our export sales tenfold over the next five years,” Shane Braniff, owner of Echlinville Distillery, said.

“We are adding capacity in distillation,

20

bottling, labelling, storage and brand development, all of which are key to further establishing our brands in major international markets including Russia and the US. “As Northern Ireland’s first farm distillery, our whiskey has ‘field to glass’ traceability – something that is increasingly important in the global food and drink industry. We have built a strong reputation based on that approach and the quality of our products. Irish whiskey is recognised as the world’s fastest growing spirits category, which is giving us a great foundation upon which to build our export business with the help of this funding from Invest NI. Invest NI chief executive, Kevin Holland said: “Since establishing in 2012, Echlinville Distillery has developed a number of well-established brands which are making their mark on the international whiskey and gin market.

“This investment will enable it to grow further and develop its portfolio of award winning products. With an emphasis on brand

development, it will also drive growth in global sales of its premium and ultra-premium Irish whiskey and gin.

“The investment includes the development of a new immersive visitor’s centre and the creation of 36 new jobs which is great news for the local Ards & North Down Borough Council area. Roles on offer include operational, administrative and visitor centre roles and once in place, will contribute over £1m of additional annual salaries for the Northern Ireland economy.”

Meanwhile, entrepreneur Terry Cross’s new Hinch distillery has won the highest accolade for its Ninth Wave gin at the China Wine and Spirit Awards (CWSA) alongside three other distinguished titles for its range of Irish whiskies The distillery, which produces Ninth Wave Gin as well as its Hinch whiskey range at its site just outside Belfast, is set to officially open in October, with public tours due to launch in 2021.

Stephen Dawson

PROFILE

W

hat started out as a small office just four years ago as part of a wider national legal practice has grown into a burgeoning office of almost 40 staff with a huge level of expertise and experience in the Northern Ireland market.

Stephen Dawson is head of office for Shoosmiths in Northern Ireland, which has its office in Belfast, and specialises in a range of areas, including financial services.

And for Stephen and the rest of his team, the success of the UK-wide practice is focused on its people, embracing technology and flexibility, while delivering for its clients.

“We are a national firm and have around 1,800 staff across the UK,” Stephen says. “In 2016 it became essential and attractive to meet our client demand and we opened our office in Northern Ireland.”

Shoosmiths: growing local expertise infrastructure, real estate, financial services and commercial litigation.

Covid crisis in March – buoyed by technology and investment in IT.

That work includes major energy clients across the island and working with national retail chains, financial services businesses and some of the biggest banks.

“For us, it’s always been about a balance between home life and professional life. We have already invested heavily in our systems and have developed our ‘New How’ initiative, looking at how we are going to work in a new way. It’s still very important that we differentiate ourselves. Even something as simple as staff knowing they can be home when the Sky man is calling – as long as our client demand is being met.

“The practice and the work is very mixed, but there is a strong emphasis on meeting client demand. We are a Northern Ireland practice staffed by Northern Ireland people, but we are part of something bigger. We have chosen the areas in which we can be particularly strong on.”

For Stephen and the wider Shoosmiths team, its people remain at the heart of its business – driving the practice forward in terms of both expertise and experience.

“At the start of the crisis, it was about getting people home safely, and that went well. Some areas of the business have been quieter, while other areas have been rushed off their feet.

We run a broad church so it’s entirely possible to ride these periods out.”

Stephen, who lives in Portstewart, has been with the firm for 15 years, and worked for major law firms in Northern Ireland before moving to Shoosmiths.

That includes John Palmer, who works across a range of areas and specialises in energy, real estate experts Mark Blair and Sarah Ewing, with the firm’s commercial litigation practice growing rapidly with fellow partner Gillian Crotty.

Stephen says the practice is also targeting reaching net carbon neutrality by 2025, has a big focus on diversity and inclusion, boasts 40 mental health champions across the wider business, has its own LGBT+ network and now has 40% female partners in Northern Ireland.

“When we arrived in Northern Ireland, we kept our ears open and listened to what was required in the market,” Stephen says. “We have now grown to a team of 37 with scope and ambition to grow further still.”

Stephen’s own work comes from his specialism in the financial services sector – something that he heads nationally for the firm across the UK.

“Shoosmiths is about looking after its people, and investing in its people,” Stephen says.

Shoosmiths merged with a small, local law firm, so got working across the wider Northern Ireland market from day one.

The team here deals with a range of specialisms, including energy and

22

The practice in Belfast, like the rest of the firm, was already experienced in flexibility and home-working, before the beginning of the

“It’s one of our most important attributes.

We have always focused on our people relationships, and that’s what helps us achieve results.” ■

NEWS

Front: George Rankin and Joe McDonald ASDA NI pick up the NI Responsible Company of the Year trophy. Back: Kevin Kingston, chief executive, Danske Bank, Chris Conway, chief executive, Translink, Lisa McIlvenna, deputy managing director, Business in the Community (BITC), John Mulgrew, editor, Ulster Business and Kieran Harding, managing director, BITC

Asda named NI’s leading responsible company A sda has been named as Northern Ireland’s leading responsible company, it has been revealed.

The supermarket giant has been awarded the title of NI Responsible Company of the Year by Business in the Community (BITC).

For more than 16 years, the Responsible Business Awards in Northern Ireland have showcased transformational stories of businesses taking real action to build thriving communities.

Each year, the awards celebrate those businesses demonstrating strong, inclusive leadership, who continuously innovate to tackle pressing social issues and repair and rebuild our planet.

24

“There is no doubt that 2020 has been a very different year to the one we expected, however, throughout the pandemic so far, I am continually heartened by the determination of companies across Northern Ireland to be even more responsible through their activities, as they take care of their people, the environment and their communities,” Kieran Harding, managing director of BITC, said.

The top award – NI Responsible Company of the Year 2020, sponsored by Danske Bank – was awarded to Asda Northern Ireland.

In assessing Asda’s entry, the judging panel said: “This is an organisation that isn’t afraid to tackle tough and topical societal issues head on. From improving nutrition to tackling plastics, the breadth and depth of Asda’s responsible business activity is really impressive.

“It succeeded in taking a large ‘corporate’ strategy and making it local, ensuring its team brings colleagues, customers and suppliers with them along the way.”

Mr Harding said: “Other than announcing our overall NI Responsible Company of the Year, we made the move to recognising Responsible Business Champions for 2020 rather than highlighting one award winner in each category. This was the right thing to do in a year where a celebration event was not fitting but recognition of responsible business is still absolutely vital.

Responsible business is needed now more than ever.”

The awards are run by Business in the Community in partnership with JP Corry and SPAR.

Exports & international trade

EXPORTS & INTERNATIONAL TRADE

‘No deal’ could mean bleak picture for NI logistics

Seamus Leheny

26

EXPORTS & INTERNATIONAL TRADE

A ‘no deal’ situation with the EU could bring a host of major issues for our companies here. And while there remain many hurdles ahead, one of those barriers could see a shortage of hauliers being able to transport goods north and south in the event of the worst case scenario. Seamus Leheny, policy manager for Logistics UK, takes a look at where we are and what a lack of crucial permits could mean for trade here

T

he Government’s much publicised Internal Market Bill aims to ensure all four of the UK regions are not limited by regulations determined by each devolved government. It will create common rules that apply across the UK, to replace the EU’s single market.

overlooked is access for good vehicles into the EU for UK operators which for us in Northern Ireland includes cross-border haulage. The Northern Ireland Protocol deals with and protects the movement of goods across the border but it doesn’t address how we physically move those goods.

However, this must also consider the Northern Ireland protocol which aims to avoid the introduction of a hard border on the island of Ireland in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

On an average day over 13,000 goods vehicles cross the border between north and south with 70% of the goods transported classed as intermediate goods, these are ingredients and components for what we manufacturer and eventually consume or export.

Currently this would mean that Northern Ireland will still need to adhere to some EU rules to allow goods to pass freely over the Irish border and beyond with the rest of the EU, which would mean that some declarations and checks would be required for goods entering NI from GB. While the Internal Market Bill contains measures we support in principle, such as removing the need for formalities for NI to GB movements, Logistics UK remains deeply concerned that introducing these changes now would jeopardise any potential free trade agreement and the future of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

We have been working with government and the EU for some time on how the Northern Ireland protocol can be refined and improved to reduce trade friction without the need for additional legislation.

Business here needs the UK and EU to work collaboratively to agree a way to make the protocol work such as easing the formalities for supermarkets, retailers and other traders we would class as ‘dead end hosts’, ultimately the goods are no threat to the EU single market.

One key area of concern that is often

NOVEMBER 2020

Negotiations are ongoing between London and Brussels and both sides have a similar position on EU/UK point to point or bilateral transport.

The problem is that for the EU to offer an open market for UK transport to the EU is just too close to single market access plus they would require the UK to continue adhering to EU transport legislation for any vehicles and drivers that make journeys into the EU, a step too far for some in London perhaps.

If there is no agreement either through a trade deal or a bilateral deal, then the position for local logistics operators in Northern Ireland here is very bleak as the alternative permit system gives very little ability and scope to continue services as they do today.

In the event of no agreement we will be left working within the confines of the ECMT permit system.

The method of how permits would be calculated is: The UK has a base limit of 174 annual base permits. Using a multiplier system, the UK can convert its base quota into 2,088 permits should it decide to only allocate them to >

27

EXPORTS & INTERNATIONAL TRADE

the most recent category of modern vehicles (Euro 6).

If a share of the quota is reserved for other vehicles, the multiplier will be reduced and the total number of available permits would decrease accordingly.

Allocation and use A permit is allocated specifically to a company and cannot be transferred to another company.

Each permit can be used only by one vehicle at a time. It can be used by different vehicles successively.

Putting the UK quota in perspective Currently, 336,000 UK-registered powered vehicles travel from the UK to Europe every year – 85,000 UK-registered vehicles travel

28

from the UK to the Republic of Ireland.

If each ECMT permit were allocated to a different haulier in the UK, only one in four companies would obtain one. Only one of their lorries could be in the EU at any point in time.

The remaining 75% of international hauliers would be left with no permits at all.

When I have discussed the ECMT permit system with the Department for Infrastructure, it was estimated that Northern Ireland would receive an allocation of approximately 150 permits from the Department for Transport in London.

Given the volume and frequency of cross border haulage on the Island, to consider that only 150 vehicles could cross the border for

‘hire and reward’ operations at any given time would realistically make such permits pointless as we would have nowhere near the number of permits required to keep our cross border supply chains moving.

Logistics UK is hopeful that compromise can be reached either through an agreed free trade deal with the EU or at the very least through a bilateral deal enabling cross-border transport services to continue north-south without the requirement for permits.

This is something that would not only protect and enable the protocol’s objective of ensuring the free circulation of goods across the border, otherwise failing we secure a deal or concession, we face yet more bumps along the Brexit road ahead of us. ■

NEWS

City Airport lands new Cardiff service B

elfast City Airport has announced a new service to Cardiff starting in January.

Eastern Airways is taking over the route following the collapse of the regional airline Flybe.

There will be up to six flights a week from January 11, with increased capacity also on the way for the Southampton and Teesside International Airport routes.

It is hoped the new flights will act as a shot in the arm for the airport in what has been an extremely challenging year for the local and global aviation industry.

Once it becomes operational, the route will be the only direct air link between Wales and the island of Ireland.

Katy Best, commercial director at Belfast City Airport, said there had been huge demand to reinstate the service since the collapse of Flybe in March.

“The announcement that Belfast City Airport will once again operate flights to Cardiff is not only a positive development for the airport itself, but also extremely welcome news for passengers who regularly travel to Wales,” she said.

“Despite the challenging aviation environment of recent months, we continued exploring options to secure connectivity with the Welsh capital.

“We’re very happy that our partner, Eastern Airways, has committed to this service.”

The route will initially be operated by Jetstream 41 aircraft seating 29 passengers and running on weekdays and on Sundays with a ticket starting price of £79.99 each way.

30

Melita Williams, Bespoke Business Events, Katy Best, Belfast City Airport and Anne McMullan, Visit Belfast

Eastern Airways’ service to Teeside International Airport will now fly twice daily.

There will also be extra flights to Southampton Airport, with the airline introducing two flights in Sunday in response to demand.

Roger Hage, general manager of commercial and operations for Eastern Airways, said the airline wanted to rebuild passenger numbers sustainably.

“Ensuring the right services and frequencies are offered as passenger confidence returns is essential,” he said.

“As the UK’s regional airline serving all four home nations, the introduction of a Cardiff service, combined with the increase in frequency on both our Belfast City to Southampton and Teeside International routes, means connectivity between Northern Ireland

and both England and Wales is already in place as the appetite for travel increases.”

Belfast City Airport reassured customer that all coronavirus safety regulations would be adhered to on the new flights.

The news follows the opening of a new route

by Loganair between Belfast and Glasgow in September.

Meanwhile, a series of new routes from Belfast City Airport, announced earlier in the year by airline partner Aer Lingus Regional, is now complete with the first flights to East Midlands Airport and Leeds Bradford Airport taking in October.

Both routes will operate up to three times a day, enhancing Northern Ireland’s connectivity and providing passengers with more choice and convenient connections to the north and east of England. ■

RECOVERY

Belfast: Our recovery

B

elfast City Council has set out an extensive plan detailing its targeted support for communities, businesses and vulnerable people.

The plan, themed around our city, our services, our communities, our environment and our digital innovation, ‘Belfast: Our Recovery’ maps out a wide range of considered, practical programmes to boost the city’s recovery and resilience Lord Mayor of Belfast Alderman Frank McCoubrey said: “This has been an exceptionally challenging time for the city, but we are determined to do all we can, as civic leaders, to focus on our recovery post-Covid.

“We’re bringing together our resources to work with the NI Executive, its departments, key city partners and communities so that we can keep citizens safe, whilst continuing to safely deliver high quality essential services for our residents during this pandemic.

“As we look to the future, we’re working to build business resilience, community capacity and digital innovation. We’re investing in jobsled growth of our key sectors, concentrating on developing people’s skills, regenerating and animating our city centre and building connectivity between it and our arterial routes; and we’re harnessing the opportunity to accelerate our path to a zero carbon future.

“The last six months have demonstrated once again just how resilient Belfast’s people are – and how much we can achieve if we all pull together. Now we are focused on our road to recovery – on protecting our communities, improving their quality of life, and realising our ambitions for Belfast’s inclusive growth and prosperity.”

The frameworks centres on partnership with communities and public and private sector stakeholders to deliver a series of medium and longer-term interventions which will lay the foundations for Belfast’s sustained recovery.

NOVEMBER 2020

Belfast City Council chief executive Suzanne Wylie, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Frank McCoubrey, Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, and chief executive of Belfast Chamber of Commerce, Simon Hamilton

Actions include:  Working with the Department for Communities, Department for Infrastructure and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to implement a £3m Revitalisation Fund to assist the city’s recovery efforts and support the planning and safe reopening of the city and key arterial routes.

tourism assets, infrastructure or products that will attract additional footfall and expenditures into our neighbourhoods – including plans for a major transformational visitor destination that would serve as a catalyst for the economic, social and cultural regeneration of the city centre.

 Delivering the £3.4m Forth Meadow Community Greenway project funded by Peace IV to create new opportunities for people to safely use outdoor space and improve connectivity.

 Working with the Department for the Economy and other partners to ensure people gain the necessary skills to remain in or enter the local workforce. Bringing forward a new £8m neighbourhood regeneration fund to drive recovery and transformation in communities.

 Delivering a programme of weekend cultural and arts animation until January 2021.

 Revamping the business start-up offer and supporting social enterprises and co-operatives.

 Adapting services to make sure they are as safe and accessible as possible.

 Boosting key growth sectors through the £850m Belfast Region City Deal investment.

 Investing £8m in the redevelopment of Avoniel Leisure Centre and £17m in the restoration and extension of Templemore Baths.

 Re-imagining the city centre, including addressing the need for increased city centre living.

 Working with central government and other funding bodies to bring forward further financial support packages for communities and the third sector to help address many of the social challenges that will be amplified as a direct result of the impact of the pandemic.  Working with local communities and partners to bring forward an ambitious, unique and significant programme of investment in

 Identifying investment opportunities for the development of clean energy infrastructure and exploring zero-emissions transport infrastructure.  Enhancing digital literacy and skills development to support people to access employment.  A Renewed Ambition programme with private sector partners – Team Belfast. ■

31

TAX AND ADVISORY

Growing and expanding while helping clients through the most difficult of times Accountancy and advisory practice CavanaghKelly has managed to grow its team throughout the Covid-19 crisis, adapt to working remotely, all while assisting and advising its clients amid a complex and ever-evolving business landscape. Cofounder Des Kelly speaks about the last few months and what’s ahead

F

or Des Kelly and his practice, the strength, resilience and experience of his team has never been more important in dealing with its clients during a period of such economic and business upheaval.

Des Kelly

CavanaghKelly has actually grown during and after lockdown, witnessing an expansion of core services, supporting clients with Government schemes, helping them adapt, reposition and digitise, as well as seeing a revival of key transactional work.

“We are across so many different sectors and disciplines,” Des Kelly, managing partner, says.

“The practice has adapted. We are still focused on our core business such as accounts and audit but have continued to develop specialist disciplines where our clients need us most.

“The team has grown considerably over the last eight months. We have had over 20 new staff join us since the start of lockdown and we are still actively recruiting for other roles. This growth is part of the practice’s wider strategy to continue to be a trusted advisor to all our clients.”

CavanaghKelly is one of Northern Ireland’s leading accountancy and advisory practices – formed in 2003 when Sean Cavanagh and Des Kelly merged their individual businesses.

The practice has now grown to a team of more

32

than 80 across its offices – which includes Dungannon, Omagh, Enniskillen and Belfast – with business split across audit and accounts, tax and advisory.

It almost goes without saying, but CavanaghKelly’s people are at the centre of its success – its experience and expertise that means the practice is able to deal with clients quickly, promptly and directly.

“All of our success comes back to our people,” Des says. “If we do not have excellent people within our organisation, then we can’t deliver for our clients.”

“I think the fact that we are a bit smaller, we are not burdened by bureaucracy, decisionmaking can be immediate and conversations can happen quicker – we can change and shape things to adapt to our client’s needs.”

CavanaghKelly is also continuing to strengthen its leadership team, bringing both experience and a fresh and youthful energy.

That includes Ryan Falls, partner of audit, charity and regulated sector, Jennifer Watterson, director of digitisation and Janette Burns, director of tax. “Our most recent senior appointments really reflect where we see the

TAX AND ADVISORY

“Different businesses were in very different positions. It was important for us and our clients that we kept them informed of what was happening and then tailored this information for our clients and provided it to them in a succinct and clear way.

“Our management team were fielding calls from clients all the time. We were helping them identify ways in which clients could diversify and reposition themselves, dealing with the Job Retention Scheme and helping them apply for Covid support such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS).

“The majority of our clients are SMEs. So, other than those that were closed out of the market due to complete lockdown, the others were able to adapt or reposition themselves very capably, and found ways and methods of working where they continued to drive revenues. That is continuing to be the case.

Jennifer Watterson with Ryan Falls, Des Kelly (front centre), Michael Drumm and Janette Burns

business growing over the next five to 10 years. While there is a youthful energy driving our strategy forward, there is also a wealth of experience there that will not only support our clients, but also bring along our next group of leaders,” Des said.

Des and his team have worked throughout the last few months of the crisis – dealing with a raft of client needs, changing and evolving demands.

“A lot of the focus in our minds has been to strengthen the core of our practice – accounts and audit. That’s the bread and butter for us. We have also continued to grow our specialisms across our advisory, tax planning and corporate finance departments.

“While we saw a drop in the transactional work in place when Covid hit we have seen this ramp back up over the last few months. It’s great to see some sort of normality return.”

NOVEMBER 2020

And the CavanaghKelly team has, like others, adjusted well to remote working. Des says the company moved to home working before the Government lockdown was announced.

“We had a trial in February, and by early March we were working from home,” Des said. “We closed the office and had everyone out from then. It was a fast learning curve for everyone, as to how you adapt, get work out, control and manage it and checking in with staff. But we were able to adapt and the systems were there.”

He says client needs and demands have grown considerably over the last few months, buoyed by an ever-evolving economic environment and dealing with the various Covid-related initiatives to assist companies.

“There is a lot of guidance. It’s our job to make sense of these schemes and ensure our clients understand what’s relevant to them,” Des said.

“For us, and for our customers, the digitisation piece is key – whether it’s clients that have the digital capability but don’t know how to extract value and meaningful information from their systems or those that aren’t yet digitally engaged and have to get into the system.

Businesses will adapt where they can and it’s our job to help them see the value in these systems.”

And he says while it will be inevitable that there will be companies undergoing restructuring and recovery, post-crisis, Des remains positive about the outlook ahead.

“The local economy has actually performed remarkably well – and that’s across sectors you wouldn’t necessarily think.”

Des says one of CavanaghKelly’s strengths is that staff have reach and connectivity right across the practice, and aren’t just confined to their own discipline.

“It’s about being able to adapt and have the capabilities to advise our clients on the areas where they need it most,” Des says. “We have always had the ethos of one practice, one team, but this has never been as prevalent as it has been over the last few months.” ■

33

REGENERATION

Renewed Ambition to showcase city real estate to a global audience

B

ringing together key real estate stakeholders – from funders, government, commercial agents, occupiers, developers, the supply chain and others – to talk about Belfast’s real estate future and to draw investment interest from around the world is the central aim of a new programme of activity devised by Belfast City Council and a partnership with private and public sector city stakeholders.

Renewed Ambition will consist of a series of virtual events and investor engagement initiatives, showcasing the compelling range of opportunities for investors, developers and occupiers in the Belfast city region. The series will draw upon local expertise and some of the world’s most respected real estate experts.

It will also create a platform to discuss key government initiatives aimed at addressing the impact of Covid-19 on our spaces and places and, crucially, how the real estate sector can respond as we learn to live with the virus in the future.

Webinars, virtual roundtables and podcasts will update potential investors on the current real estate outlook and key developments in the city region.

Thought leaders will discuss key themes in the technology, sustainability and in new workspace requirements following the coronavirus pandemic. There will also be a series spotlighting potential investment locations as well as one-on-one investor showcases.

The programme of events in Renewed Ambition follows the cancellation of global real estate investment conference MIPIM earlier this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and aims to ensure Belfast’s reputation as a premier global investment destination is maintained and strengthened.

The programme will reflect on the £1.37bn which was invested in real estate in the city

34

Belfast Harbour chief executive, Joe O’Neill with Suzanne Wylie, chief executive of Belfast City Council

between 2015 and 2019, the 107 foreign direct investors who set up or expanded in the city in the three years to 2019 creating over 4,000 new jobs, the fact the city is home to 900 international business, 75% of whom have chosen to reinvest, and the fact it has been named the second best MidSized European City for FDI Strategy by fDi Intelligence 2020.

It will focus on how Belfast is perfectly located in a post-Brexit era in an economic triangle between London and Dublin and set to benefit from a bespoke set of circumstances and trading conditions from the beginning of 2021.

Renewed Ambition will also highlight the city’s sectoral dominance in a range of fields including creative industries; financial, professional and business services; cyber technology and tourism and discuss the areas of our economy where more investment is needed.

Sustainability will also be high up the agenda

with focus placed on the huge achievements which have been made to reduce Belfast’s carbon emissions by nearly 40% since 2001 and a target to reduce emissions by a further 76% within the next decade.

The programme of events will show that Belfast’s attractiveness as an investment location remains strong in the post-coronavirus era, according to Suzanne Wylie, chief executive of Belfast City Council.

“Renewed Ambition will see Belfast take our compelling investment proposition to a global market in a brand new and exciting way.

We have had to pivot how we sell the city in the wake of coronavirus and in so doing have found ways to reach a wider audience which will allow us to attract investors from all corners of the globe.

“It will act as our real estate shop window to the world and we will make sure to showcase the very best which this city has to offer as a place to live, work, learn, visit and invest.” ■

Corporate law

CORPORATE LAW

What happens when the music stops?

While we have already faced hugely devastating times for many business here, government support, extended moratorium on statutory demands and other actions, along with positive sentiment and camaraderie, we could see a tough start to 2021. John Mulgrew looks at the importance of getting advice early and what’s around the corner when the music stops

I

n the space of just a few weeks, we’ve already seen some companies going to the wall, shed significant parts their workforces or restructure their businesses as they try their best to adapt to the shifting sands around them.

But while there have been stories that on any other given day would be front pages across our local newspapers, much of the impact of Covid-19 has yet to be truly felt here.

Advice and advisory have been and remain key

36

CORPORATE LAW

There has been so much government support out there, so much much uncertainty – it’s hard for any business to make a decision at the moment extension, allowing businesses to continue and avoiding a tax bill, will help keep firms active in the first quarter of 2021. “(For us) it’s been a lot of advisory work at the moment, and not a huge amount of (insolvency) work. There is some there, and there are some early signs.

“There is still a moratorium on statutory demands. We are in a little bit of a holding pattern at the moment… the typical pressure points are somewhat subdued.”

But James Neill, who is a director with HNH Group, said thus far there is a general sentiment in the market between debtors and creditors – with a greater level of understanding that the many issues facing firms here are largely solely down to the debilitating impact of coronavirus.

“There will be a volume of corporate failure in 2021,” he said. “But I don’t necessarily see that as falling off the end of a cliff. The Government is trying very hard to slow that process down and to hopefully minimise (companies closing).”

strands in a firm’s long-term plans when trying to carve out the next step in their journey, from both legal and professional services.

a knife-edge financially and will we see an unwanted slew of administrations, creditor’s petitions and winding-up orders?

And while we’ve lost some already, the number of those on employment benefit doubling and the economy predicted to contract by 11% this year, a number of moratoriums which have prevented actions being taken against companies which are struggling will soon come to end.

“I don’t think so necessarily, around quarter one,” James Neill, Northern Ireland chairman of R3 the association of business recovery professionals, told Ulster Business.

So, what’s next for those who are already on

NOVEMBER 2020

“There has been so much government support out there, so much much uncertainty – it’s hard for any business to make a decision at the moment.” He said things like VAT deferral

It’s been said before, but hospitality and retail are really feeling the pressure. Restrictions on the number of households, earlier closing times and the potential for increased caution, alongside the distancing measures, and now a four-week lockdown.

There’s already talk of several retail brand names eventually pulling out of areas such as Belfast, pubs reaching the end of their staff furlough, and doyens of the industry such as Willie Jack’s Duke of York and The Harp making up to 100 staff redundant.

“Hospitality and retail – anything that has a physical human presence,” James says.

“Outside of that, it’s probably more company >

37

CORPORATE LAW

specific than sector (specific).

“It just depends on the supply chain and route to market. I don’t think we are necessarily seeing a pattern sector-wide – everything is different.”

Another worrying figure is around the number of firms here which have concerns over paying back their Covid-19 loans which helped them survive during lockdown.

One in five firms here have concerns about being able to pay back crucial Government loans aimed at getting them through lockdown and the coronavirus crisis.

Around 43% of firms quizzed said they had seen little to no signs of improvement over the last quarter, according to the latest survey from the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with professional services business BDO.

38

While there are some signs of improvement from quarter two, Northern Ireland remains one of the poorest performing UK regions, according to the latest findings.

Around half of members replying to the survey said they already have, or plan to, reduce staff.

Meanwhile, firms which have pivoted or embraced their digital elements, whether that’s through a new route to market or the online offering, are attempting to power through what is an increasingly flat business landscape.

“The single biggest issue is having a sound supply base that is unaffected by Covid,” James says.

For firms unable to foresee what the future holds, what areas of business it should now be focusing on, and how it show be structured, advice is high on the agenda of priorities, says James Neill.

“There is a window to advise companies.

Without that we wouldn’t have a runway to allow us in to quarter one and later in the year,” he said. “The single biggest frustration is not being able to give advice early.

“Over the last six months (people) have appreciated any difficulties are primarily not their own fault. They are as a result of a set of circumstances, instead of poor company management, or running up debt.

“It’s a slightly different set of circumstances.

Up until now there has been a level of support from creditors and landlords – it’s not been any one particular person’s fault.

“As we move through and as time goes on, unfortunately a lot of people come under pressure themselves and that will inevitably lead to a change in sentiment in the market.

“I don’t know how bad, but it remains to be seen and is somewhat inevitable.” ■

ECONOMY

Private sector growth across sectors N

orthern Ireland’s private sector saw growth across most sectors during the third quarter of the year, it has emerged.

The latest Ulster Bank’s purchasing managers’ index shows improving output for firms here, however sharp reductions in employment were recorded again.

Richard Ramsey, Ulster Bank chief economist, said that recovery was likely to lose momentum as it faces the end of the Brexit transition period and rising Covid cases.

“Northern Ireland’s private sector saw a return to growth in business activity in the third quarter with all four sectors posting positive rates of expansion,” he said.

“This followed the record rates of decline in the second quarter. Indeed, quarter three (52.7) marked the first time since quarter four 2018 that business activity exceeded the 50.0 expansion/contraction threshold.

“While quarter three witnessed a pick-up in the pace of growth in business activity; other indicators (new orders, export orders and employment) all continued to contract, albeit at a much slower rate than quarter two’s break-neck speed.

“Some sectors have experienced more vigorous recoveries than others.

Manufacturing, construction and retail all recorded robust rates of output growth in the third quarter. This contrasts with a more lacklustre performance within the services sector.

Richard Ramsey

“At a sector level, there has been diverse performance across a range of sectors. Manufacturing saw its run of three consecutive months of output growth come to an end and was the only sector to report a fall in output in September. Meanwhile construction and services posted the fastest rates of growth in business activity with services (54.9) expanding at its strongest pace in 26 months.”

Mr Ramsey said that “sustaining that momentum will be tricky with new orders falling for the eighth month running”.

“Looking at the monthly growth trajectories, as opposed to the quarterly figures, it is noted that all of the key indicators improved in September relative to August. Business activity increased at a slightly faster rate in September but failed to match the pace set in July – the first full month after lockdown. New orders broadly stabilised last month after a notable fall in August.

“Conversely, construction reported a notable surge in demand for new work in September, with orders rising (from a very low base) at their fastest pace since February 2016. The one area where there is consistency across all sectors is employment. All four sectors continued to reduce staffing levels at a significant rate.

“However, this conceals contrasting fortunes for the domestic and export markets. The former has seen a pick-up in demand but order books continue to be weighed down by plunging export orders. It is noted that Northern Ireland’s most important export market – the Republic of Ireland – slipped back into contraction territory in September following two months of growth.

“Northern Ireland’s private sector has entered the fourth quarter in better shape than it started the third quarter. However, the pace of recovery remains relatively weak with the low hanging fruit on the growth front already plucked. What little momentum the economy has will be tested by the headwinds of more restrictions associated with the resurgence in the number of new Covid-19 cases and Brexit.” ■

NOVEMBER 2020

39

BUDGET

£450m from Republic for NI major projects is welcomed

A

commitment of €500m (£452m) in the new Irish budget towards cross-border infrastructure such as the A5 roads project has been welcomed by the SDLP and Sinn Fein.

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the money would provide “the resources to... build a shared island underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement”.

Dublin said it would work with Stormont to deliver key cross-border infrastructure initiatives, including the delayed A5, the Ulster Canal connection from Clones to Upper Lough Erne, the Narrow Water Bridge and crossborder greenways.

Work on the A5 has faced multiple setbacks, including legal wrangles and funding woes.

In 2011, the Republic’s government withdrew £400m in funding towards the upgrade – set to be the single largest road scheme undertaken in Northern Ireland – as it faced financial pressure.

Then, over the summer SDLP Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon said she would ensure funding for the 55-mile dualling of the A5 Western Transport Corridor from Derry to Aughnacloy.

of the Taoiseach’s new Shared Island Unit in the advancement of key infrastructure projects over the next five years is an important step in our shared endeavour to improve the lives of our citizens right across the island.”

Ms Mallon said she was delighted by the “investment for the delivery of all-island infrastructure projects”. “For many years the potential of the North-South strand of the Good Friday Agreement has been largely neglected,” she said.

Mr Martin said the new funding would “foster new investment and development opportunities on a north-south basis and support the delivery of key cross-border infrastructure initiatives set out in the programme for government”.

“Critical investment in our infrastructure on projects such as Narrow Water Bridge and the A5 as set out in New Decade, New Approach will transform our island economy, not least in the face of Covid, Brexit, and the climate emergency.

Cross-border cash must be welcomed

“It also opens the way for investing in new all-island initiatives in areas such as research, health, education and the environment, in addressing the particular challenges of the north-west and border communities, achieving greater connectivity on the island and enhancing the all-island economy and all aspects of north-south cooperation,” he added.

“(The) announcement of €500m for the work

40

SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan welcomed the major commitment to cross-border projects. “Tackling regional economic imbalance and increasing all-island connectivity are key ambitions for the SDLP, and we have been making the case for the inclusion of projects as an Irish government priority,” he said.

“The A5 is an important piece of crossborder infrastructure that will bring neighbouring communities closer together and open up this part of the island for further investment.”

Sinn Fein MLA Cathal Boylan welcomed the €500m pledge but said that more investment would be needed to deliver key projects. He said: “Investment in all-Ireland infrastructure cannot be a footnote in the plans of the Irish government. It must be a central and core component of its work.” ■

ANALYSIS

Hotels on the brink are in need of a bailout With the Republic going in to Level 3 restrictions the hotel sector is facing fresh and increasing dilemmas.

Richard Curran examines the massive challenges facing the industry this year

T

here was widespread relief that the Government chose not to move the whole country onto to Level 5 restrictions.

For the already bruised and battered hotel and hospitality sector, the decision to opt for Level 3 still leaves operators with big dilemmas.

The heady days of 2019 are long since gone.

The slight reprieve of a staycation August is well and truly finished now. In many parts of the country hotels rely on a profitable summer to carry them through a tough winter and spring.

They are entering the winter with no real profits in the bank, and Level 3 restrictions which recommend people stay in their own county.

It is decision time now as to whether they stay open at all for the winter or just shutter the place. Everything is going against them.

The TWSS wage support scheme has become the smaller EWSS subsidy. The banks are offering loans with 80% of the money guaranteed by the state. But how many smaller, often family-owned hotels, would qualify for a loan like that right now.

What would their business plan look like? And for many of them taking on debt is the last thing they want to do.

The Government’s stay and spend scheme

42

aimed at encouraging people to take a break in Ireland and spend money in restaurants and hotels, is cumbersome, bureaucratic and not worth very much either to customers or hoteliers.

Those that stay open for in the weeks ahead will have to offer deals to people from their own county. The only way of getting people to have a hotel break in their own county is to slash the price. This may make the offering totally unprofitable for the hotel operator.

Yes, there are other supports out there from the re-opening grant to help with water bills and rates. The Revenue Commissioners are also offering extensions to when certain taxes have to be paid. The big question for the hotel sector now is whether the Budget can come up with some targeted measures that will help ease some of the financial pain.

The industry wants a return to the 9% VAT rate, a return to the TWSS wage subvention and additional help with liquidity. A few of these would help but probably wouldn’t even be enough to allow some hotels to stay open anyway.

Up to 60 Irish hotels – employing close to 7,000 staff – rely on weddings for at least half of their turnover. That business is gone.

As the Government grapples with the health advice from Nphet it is hard to see a stimulus package encouraging people to stay in hotels, or go out to restaurants at a time when they

are so concerned about rising Covid-19 cases, even though they have not been identified as a major source of virus spread.

Therefore, help needs to be aimed at the businesses themselves. Hoteliers wrote off the summer of 2020 some time ago. They had limited hopes for the latter part of the year but they have now been decimated. There’s a survival game going on.

A survey by the Irish Hotels Federation found that bookings for October and November are averaging just 22% and 11% occupancy respectively around the country. In Dublin the situation is even worse, the survey found, with just 8% occupancy for November.

A letter co-signed by 216 hotels, 115 pubs and 52 firms from the events sector was sent to

ANALYSIS

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin. It criticised the Government’s response to the crisis for being too “centred on restricting economic activity to a much greater extent than any other country in Europe”.

That letter was written before Nphet and the chief medical officer Tony Houlihan recommended moving the whole country to Level 5 on Sunday night.

It was also written before the Government decided to move the whole country to Level 3. There is a very real question here about the intentions of the Government when it comes to the future of the economy.

Large multi-national exporters have continued to do well in a way that is saving tax revenues and supporting our GDP number. Those

NOVEMBER 2020

companies are not the big employers in small towns around the country.

Tourism and hospitality employed 270,000 people and the industry claims that figure is heading to 70,000. When this pandemic wanes we will have to try and win back international tourism business and compete for the 10 million visitors who came here in 2019.

There might not be much of a tourism infrastructure left to draw them in. If hotels go bust, yes, the buildings are still there and in theory somebody else will take it over.

That might be the case in Dublin or bigger tourism hotspots but there are lots of smaller, older, locally owned businesses that are being allowed to die.

They cannot be just turned back on like a switch when woken from their slumber come next year. Scorched by their losses, people will leave the industry.

In smaller towns the shuttered hotel might not open up at all. The Government may be quietly taking a view that many of these firms are as good as gone anyway, and throwing money at them now, will only delay things for a little while, at a cost to the taxpayer.

The alternative is to condemn a lot of otherwise viable businesses around the country to a rapid end.

The Government needs to step up with a set of measures that will help hotels get through this bleakest of winters. ■

43

NEWS

Dominic O’Neill from Danske Bank is pictured with Alpha Housing chairman John Clarke

Alpha to build more than 200 homes with new funding

A

round 220 new homes look set to be built by Alpha Housing after the company landed a £10m loan from Danske Bank.

The housing association currently has more than 950 homes in its portfolio at 40 schemes across Northern Ireland and primarily provides properties for older people, as well as some family homes.

The new loan will be used to “fund an extensive building programme, with Alpha setting a minimum target of building 220 homes over five years”, it says.

“We are committed to providing housing that meets the needs and increasing aspirations of older people,” Cameron Watt, chief executive of Alpha Housing, said.

“Securing this loan facility means we can make a meaningful contribution to the sector’s overall efforts to address growing housing needs in Northern Ireland.

“Alpha intends to help pioneer a new

44

generation of housing for older people. For the last five to 10 years there has been a focus on building family housing – which is much needed – but with an ageing population we need to provide more options for older people, including to downsize where appropriate.”

The association has recently hired a development manager and added development experience to its board in anticipation of starting work on a pipeline of new projects.

With increasing numbers of people in ‘housing stress’ across Northern Ireland, there is broad support for increasing social house building from the current level.

While larger housing associations are expected to build the majority of these homes, Alpha believes smaller and medium sized associations have a vital contribution to make in increasing provision.

It says there is a generation of older people who want to downsize but are faced with

a dearth of suitable options, regardless of tenure.

“There is an urgent need for more housing that fulfils the growing expectations of older people. Alpha developments will be spacious, maximise natural light, provide attractive green space and be conveniently located for local amenities including transport links, shops and cafes. Taken together, all these factors help people sustain a good quality of later life,” Mr Watt said.

Dominic O’Neill from Danske Bank said: “We are delighted to have agreed this loan facility which will help Alpha Housing Association to advance their goals of building developments that provide a more aspirational style of accommodation for older people in social housing.

“Danske Bank is pleased to be playing a part in helping to address the shortfall in social housing in Northern Ireland while also enabling Alpha to sustain homebuilding and construction activity by investing in new housing stock.”

Construction sees sharpest slump on record

By John Mulgrew

C

onstruction levels in Northern Ireland slumped by almost a third this year amid the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown – the sharpest fall on record.

There was a 30% drop in construction levels during the second quarter of the year, which covers the period directly after lockdown was imposed across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. According to the latest statistics from the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (NISRA), output fell to a series low during the quarter.

However, since the stark fall off at the peak of lockdown, many large scale projects have restarted across Belfast and beyond. That includes housing schemes, grade A office space and mixed-use developments.

The figures deal with the direct effects of the coronavirus pandemic and measures taken to reduce transmission of the virus.

“The most significant was the introduction of restrictions in movement, which began on March 23, 2020. Quarter two 2020 is the first quarter that has been affected from start to finish,” the latest release said.

output in was driven by a 32.9% decrease in new work and a 16.7% fall in repair and maintenance.

Breaking the figures down by sectors, all areas saw a slump but housing witnessed a 37.5% fall – a record low.

However, the latest report also says Covid-19 “impacted on the collection and validation of business data, which are collected on the Quarterly Business Survey”.

“As a result, estimates for quarter two 2020 are likely to be subject to higher revisions than normal over the coming quarters. Comparisons of provisional June 2020 estimates at lower industry levels in particular should be treated with caution.”

With work having restarted on a number of major schemes, maintenance and other schemes are also continuing – which includes a number major public sector tenders having been published.

That includes a huge £455m Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) contract, which could run over the course of seven years, and would see a host of tenders being issued for a range of fit-out and maintenance roles

NEWS

across the public sector body.

A spokesman for the NIHE said the contracts will both allow it to “undertake essential improvements to our housing stock” as well as “provide a much needed boost to the sector, which will secure employment, apprenticeships and training opportunities”.

The tenders include bathroom and kitchen replacements, door\window replacement and rewiring.

“Due to Covid-19, we suspended all tendering activity at the end of March,” a spokesman said. “This included our major planned maintenance procurement.

“With the easing of some of the Covid-19 restrictions, which allows maintenance work to recommence, we have reviewed our requirements and are now in a position to proceed with procurement for our major planned maintenance works.

“The value of these works are approximately £455m over seven years. We are currently engaging with the construction sector on our proposals.”

Construction levels were down 30% based on the same period a year earlier, and 9.3% lower on a rolling four quarter basis.

The decrease in overall

NOVEMBER 2020

45

IN FOCUS

Brendan Mooney: expansion, growing workloads and helping in the Covid fight Kainos has not only been working with the NHS around its digital services on Covid, but it’s continuing to hire around 150 staff here, while working entirely remotely over the last seven months. Brendan Mooney, chief executive, speaks to John Mulgrew about the next steps and why a new office is not an ‘immediate concern’

46

IN FOCUS

I

n the space of just a few days, the entire 1,700 strong Kainos workforce, spread across 12 countries, was already working from home.

And in the months that have followed that, the Belfast-headquartered technology business has continued to work through the crisis, secure new multi-million pound contracts, hire dozens of staff and actually pay back the initial Government assistance it received in furlough payments at the start of lockdown.

“Business has been really strong,” Brendan Mooney, Kainos chief executive, told Ulster Business. “Thinking back to March when we started our Covid planning, I certainly didn’t think those were the words I’d be saying six months later.”

The company has been working with a number of major public sector clients, across the globe, including with HM Passport Office and the NHS, and has recently landed a new health contract to work on digital services around Covid-19.

“People want that kind of convenience,” Brendan says regarding the increasing digitisation of business here, and the “accelerating” of digital adoption amid the current changing landscape.

But Brendan says while it takes a long-term view and that the new office is “likely” it is “just not an immediate concern”.

“For us, we are looking at a number of considerations. It’s important to provide a great working space for our people. Everyone is currently working from home and we only opened our 15 offices across 12 countries (late last month).

“We are doing that for a very small number of people where working at home is a real challenge.

“If I reflect on the feedback from our people over the last six months, the consistent feedback, which feels like it’s going to be something long-term, is they like working from home, they like working from an office environment to see their work friends, as well.

“In that blended working model, the question is, what is the role of office space in general for companies like us, and in particular, what’s the use for the site at the Movie House. I think right now the environment is changing. If you look, we are seeing very significant shifts in guidance from healthcare authorities and governments across the UK, so it is a fastmoving situation.

“I think we will, as we always do, take the

“For the passport office, for example, it saves tens of million of pounds a year for them. For me, that encapsulates everything that digital is all about. I see more of that happening going forward.

“Looking at digital through the lens of the current pandemic, clearly it has brought heartbreak to those who have lost loved ones and has brought anxiety and frustration to those businesses which have been impacted, if you think about that digital opportunity. It’s accelerating that digital adoption.

“Digital is a long-term trend and the pandemic has accelerated that.”

For Kainos, the move to a workforce working completely remotely means a reassessment of its own office needs. While it’s based at Upper Crescent, close to Queen’s University in Belfast, it had planned to turn for the former Movie House cinema on the Dublin Road into a major new office.

NOVEMBER 2020

long-term view. We are a growing company and our intent is to grow in Belfast as well. I think a new office at the Movie House site is likely, but it’s just not an immediate concern.”

The company has expanded rapidly into a £179m a year turnover business, with pre-tax profit of more than £23m in the year ending March 2020.

Brendan says it’s continued to welcome new staff to the business, and will also see more join through its graduate intake this year, along with 150 vacancies for staff, right across the business.

“We are currently advertising for 150 vacancies across the organisation, so these things point to a strong demand for digital services, and strong demand for digital talent.”

And speaking about some of its recent work with the health service around Covid, he said: “We are very proud of the team and what they did. In some cases we were standing up nationwide services in three or four days. That is people working 18 hours a day to provide the home-testing or infrastructure to produce isolation notes from doctors.

“It’s not like the NHS, governments or countries have a handbook about how to deal with a global pandemic. This is uncharted territory for every person involved in this.

“I think digital healthcare as a trend is something which is becoming established. If you are feeling unwell and are about to get a very good diagnosis over a Zoom call, or FaceTime call. Why would you get out of bed to then stand in a waiting room where other people have health conditions and you may be infecting them. There is going to be a blend with healthcare delivery.”

And while the company availed of the Government’s Job Retention Scheme at the beginning of April, Brendan says it soon ended that when it realised its own position was stronger, and has since paid the money back.

“It was a really easy decision. The furlough scheme was there to allow companies to have breathing space to give themselves a considered decision, rather than a panicked decision.

“When it became obvious that our business was going to be robust, it was an obvious decision to withdraw from the scheme, not claim any more money and return the money which we received, both in the UK and the US.”

“For us it has been easy to do, technically. I think the people who have been working from home and supporting our clients have just done an amazing job.

And as for the wider economic future, Brendan says: “Who knows… I think the assessments are credible but they vary in scale.

I think as a small economy we are in for a difficult time.

“And customers have also been really supportive… it has been a surprisingly positive reaction across the organisation.

“I think for us as a region, for businesses inside this region, we need to be really flexible, agile and positive.” ■

47

ECONOMY

Conor Lambe

Economic return ‘could be stunted

by Covid cases and Brexit’

By Emma Deighan

A

gradual return of economic activity could be stunted by a rise in Covid-19 cases and the impact of the Brexit transition period.

That’s according to the latest quarterly report from Danske Bank, which predicts the Northern Ireland economy will contract by around 11% in 2020 and then grow by about 7% in 2021.

Danske Bank chief economist, Conor Lambe, said: “The economic recovery now appears to be underway in Northern Ireland and we expect the third quarter output data to show a reasonably strong increase in activity. But most of the initial gains from re-opening the economy after lockdown are now behind us and with recent rises in the number of Covid-19 cases and the need for tougher restrictions to be imposed, we expect economic growth rates to begin to moderate in the final quarter of the year.

“The end of the Brexit transition period is also expected to impact the pace of the economic recovery. We continue to believe that the UK

48

and the EU will agree and implement the terms of a new free trade deal from January 2021, at which point the Northern Ireland Protocol will also take effect. However, some trade frictions are still likely to be introduced when the transition period ends.

“It is clear that there are a number of headwinds facing the local economy and despite our relatively strong annual growth forecast for next year, economic output is still expected to be around 3-4% below its precoronavirus level in the final quarter of 2021.”

In a sectoral breakdown, Danske Bank revealed that the hospitality industry suffered worst, with its anticipated annual output fall sitting at 37% this year.

This is followed by arts, entertainment and recreation, another sector in which the recovery is likely to be constrained. Danske Bank expects this sector to decline by 26%.

The wholesale and retail trade sector has also faced challenges due to the pandemic and Danske Bank is now forecasting it will experience an annual fall in output of 11.1% in 2020.

It said that continued purchases online helped cushion the impact on some businesses in the retail sector. Meanwhile it expects manufacturing to suffer a fall of 10.8%. It says construction is looking at a 16.9% fall while the closure of schools and education facilities during the lockdown period is expected to lead to a sharp contraction of 19.8% in the education sector this year.

With the exception of public administration and defence, all sectors are expected to contract this year, it said.

It said the full impact of Covid-19 on the labour market has yet to be felt but further weakening throughout the rest of 2020 is certain said Danske which projected the annual number of employee jobs to fall by around 1.3% in 2020 and by a further 2.8% in 2021.

It said the electricity, gas, steam and air sector, the professional, scientific and technical services sector, and the water supply industry, will experience job growth this year but despite the Government’s efforts to stem job losses in other sectors, there will be significant losses in consumer focused industries. ■

Human resources

HUMAN RESOURCES

Making the right links… but cutting through the rest What does your LinkedIn page say about you? At first it was little more than a digital CV, but it is now front and centre of direct recruitment here, along with contactbuilding and creating commercial connections. John Mulgrew takes a closer look at both the benefits and limitations of the business social media giant

U

sed well, social media leviathan LinkedIn can be a modern key in your arsenal when it comes to both finding new employment opportunities, the right member of staff, uncover a mutually-beneficial business connection or product.

But while it’s a brave new world for some, LinkedIn’s reach has expanded from simply a digital CV, to allowing members to apply for roles of all shapes and sizes, directly through the platform. And the growth of the platform, the ability to list achievements, successes, expertise and wins, also means it’s open to an increasing frequency of puff, hyperbole, exaggeration.

Nichola Daly, director at Daly Recruitment – which specialises in hospitality roles – said: “Your LinkedIn profile serves as a digital and

50

visual representation of your professional journey – think of it as your online CV, which is visible to everyone.

“Your profile is your own unique personal brand and it is important to always use posts and comments in a manner which will benefit you, your career and your digital and professional community.

“Be positive, be polite, be professional.

However I strongly believe you should also show personality – in the hospitality industry we are looking for service orientated, team players who show strong leadership and people skills.

“I built my brand through LinkedIn so it has great potential, if used correctly.

“At the same time it’s one of the main business channels Daly Recruitment uses to

attract candidates and engage on job postings.

I prefer to use my own social channels, with LinkedIn the most valuable platform to work with the best professionals in the hospitality and events world.

“For many people (especially in this climate)

HUMAN RESOURCES

your LinkedIn profile is the first introduction to potential recruiters and future employers.

The primary reason for using LinkedIn should be as intended – a professional platform to network, gain and share knowledge, develop skills through research and sharing best practice.

NOVEMBER 2020

“It’s important to always be mindful that LinkedIn is different from other social media platforms, professionals are reading your posts/comments. Before you post or comment on anything, always remember the platform you are using and the audience. LinkedIn is a professional networking platform and not your

group of family and friends.

“Like many other recruiters and employers, I use LinkedIn daily – you never know what potential opportunity we are working on when we visit your profile. Your content can immediately form a possibly incorrect impression. >

51

HUMAN RESOURCES

“It really is worth remembering your LinkedIn profile can be one of two things – your ticket to a variety of new opportunities like jobs, partnerships, volunteering and new business, or a ticket to nowhere based on the impression your profile has been made. Choose your picture, words, and content very carefully – they are like it or not your digital business calling card.”

“I do believe that recently LinkedIn risks losing its way by stepping away from professional to more Facebook type content, with people forgetting who are reading their comments,” Nichola Daly said.

In my time using it, I’ve had some fantastic connections. I’ve garnered stories, made commercial contacts, learned things, and been approached for impressive opportunities I wouldn’t have otherwise been aware of, if it weren’t for the now £20bn social media giant.

John Moore, managing director at Hays Northern Ireland, says the evolution of the platform has allowed people to establish strong digital CVs which are able to be accessed by any company around the world, allowing a greater potential employment reach.

However, it’s wise to try and see through some of the cliches, recycled rags to riches stories, vague ‘successes’ and motivational rants.

That’s not to say we shouldn’t be positive. We should. Share all that’s good with you, your business and your talents.

But if I see mention of a Lamborghini with a personalised number plate… I’m out.

52

“For the platform to remain so valuable it must continue to differential itself from the more ‘social’ of social media.”

“LinkedIn has evolved over the years and many organisations use this platform to promote job opportunities, build their employer brand and find candidates,” he said. “For professionals, your LinkedIn page is a living, breathing version of your CV which is accessible for employers to discover more about you.

“When used properly, your LinkedIn profile can help you establish your professional identity, grow your network and share content, all of which will make you stand out to potential employers. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge you have of your sector.

“LinkedIn is certainly the main platform used by recruiters and hiring managers and is worth investing some time in to make sure it’s up to scratch.

“We recommend that professionals always take time to consider what they are posting on this platform. Do not post anything that you wouldn’t want your current employer, potential employer or clients to see.

“Always avoid interacting in conversations that may cause controversy. By taking simple steps, such as completing your profile, engaging with your network, giving recommendations, sharing regular posts and joining relevant business groups, you can make a good impression with potential future employers.” ■

EDUCATION

Apprenticeships: now is the time to invest

B

elfast Met is accelerating its efforts in collaboration with employers across a range of industries to ensure the retention of existing apprentices in employment, as well as the recruitment of new apprentices to new employment opportunities.

challenging times, it is important now more than ever that we continue to support the development of the Northern Ireland skills pipeline, which supports the needs of both employers and our economy whilst also providing valuable employment for our young people.”

Aidan Sloane, head of skills, apprenticeships, employer engagement at Belfast Met, said: “We are delighted with the recent announcement from the Department for the Economy that decisive action has been taken to overcome the potentially devastating impact of the crisis on the apprenticeship market, with

Apprenticeships improve the employability of young people and prepare them for the jobs that employers and wider society need, and so employers have a pivotal role to play.

Businesses are the contributor of employment opportunities and have the influence to provide work-based learning opportunities

over £17.2m in additional financial support now available for employers to help retain and recruit apprentices.

across a range of professional and technical areas.

“Living in these unprecedented and

Belfast Met’s Centre for Skills and Apprenticeships provides a tailored responsive

Aidan Sloane

approach for employers, identifying and responding to individual employer needs. We are seeking employer partners across a range of industries to support economic recovery and development, and to ensure we maintain and grow the supply of apprenticeship opportunities in Northern Ireland.

If you would like further information on Belfast Met’s Centre for Skills and Apprenticeships, please contact the employer engagement team directly on 028 9026 5219 or by email at apprenticeships@belfastmet.ac.uk or employerengagement@belfastmet.ac.uk

Pinnacle teams up with cloud firm Acumatica

B

elfast-based business software and IT services provider Pinnacle has announced a new partnership with one of the world’s fastest-growing cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) companies.

James Spencer

The alliance with Acumatica will enable Pinnacle to acquire new customers in the pure cloud ERP space in the UK and Ireland.

“We had a gap in our solution portfolio for an all-encompassing cloud ERP solution,” James Spencer, managing of Pinnacle, said.

“After reviewing the market offerings we chose Acumatica. We have been tracking Acumatica for several years and were impressed by the advanced technology on which Acumatica has been designed, delivering adaptable cloud and mobile technology.

“The product also offers a full suite of industry specific applications including distribution and manufacturing, vertical markets in which Pinnacle is firmly established.”

Pinnacle executives attended the Acumatica Summit in Las Vegas at the start of this year and were impressed by the scale at which the Acumatica partner community is accelerating globally, as well as by

NOVEMBER 2020

the advanced technologies being showcased.

“We are delighted to have Pinnacle onboard as our UK and Ireland VAR,” Jon Roskill, chief executive, Acumatica, said.

“Pinnacle has a proven record of success in this territory, with in depth experience and knowledge of the ERP market. Equally important, our cultures and ambitions are aligned, so I am really looking forward to this exciting partnership”.

53

ANALYSIS

A doyen and pub pioneer but one with an uncertain future

As publican Willie Jack’s Duke of York and The Harp Bar see up to 100 staff being made redundant, with no opening date in the foreseeable future, John Mulgrew looks at the impact he’s had on city hospitality, what this doom-laden signpost could mean for others and examines a businesses which didn’t pivot like others, amid restrictions

A

once familiar heavy, thick and dense sea of bodies packed into the cobbled streets of the city’s Commercial Court and the heaving carnival-like atmosphere of the wood-clad walls the inside the Duke of York will stay silent for some time ahead.

A mainstay for the tourist crowds packing into Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter and locals alike – buoyed by the bar’s rich history, the plethora of pub and pint memorabilia adorning the walls

54

– Willie Jack’s Duke of York and Harp Bar have been among the few best-known watering holes which have remained silent, even when restrictions were lifted in the weeks after lockdown.

Willie Jack’s Duke of York is arguably Belfast’s most famous spot for a pint, perhaps aside from The Crown in terms of international recognition – witnessing decades of chatter, conversation and culture.

Now, with the loss of up to 100 jobs and no reopening for the foreseeable future, it’s both another kick in the teeth for Northern Ireland’s hospitality sector and its workers, and a horrible indicator of what could still be yet to come for others.

For those that haven’t met the man behind the pumps, Willie Jack is something of a force of nature.

Occasionally drifting into the third person when enthusing about his latest artistic

ANALYSIS

Willie Jack outside his Duke of York bar

addition to the grand courtyard that sits beside his Dark Horse pub and adjacent to the Duke, he’s largely the reason why the Cathedral Quarter has become the go-to for hospitality in the city centre.

The overall Commercial Court Inns business, which includes many of Willie’s venues, has been one of the most successful here in recent years – posting turnover in excess of £8m, according to the latest accounts ending March 2019.

The Harp, a now hospitality behemoth located at the former Nick’s Warehouse restaurant and paying homage as namesake to the punk venue formerly on Hill Street, joined Willie’s stable back in 2013.

It had grown and expanded to become one

NOVEMBER 2020

of the city’s largest and busiest nightspots – a thriving venue bolstered by live music, and one that seems to attract everyone under the sun from across Northern Ireland who calls Belfast home for a quick weekend away.

The decision to not reopen the Duke and Harp in any form might have left some scratching their heads – although the decision to cut staff now is likely buoyed by the ending of the Government’s furlough system here, later this month.

Others have, though, pivoted, and faced the difficulties in opening with both reduced customer numbers, revenue and in some cases, staffing levels. Beer gardens have been built, tables spread out, kitchens opened to serve food to meet Government requirements, while there have been fewer till receipts due to customer numbers and limited space.

The company was actually initially very proactive – posting videos on social media of the Duke’s typically quirky response to dealing

with the pandemic, from customised perspex screens to humorous colloquialisms adorning the outdoor benches to highlight social distancing.

But the issue the Duke of York faces is its strength as a stalwart of the sector here – the essence of a humming, Irish pub, crowded but cosy, locals standing and quaffing pints of Guinness. The idea of social distancing seems like a distance away.

There’s no arguing with the level of investment Willie has put into the Cathedral Quarter area. He opened the New Orpheus, and gallery, above his Harp Bar, his Friend at Hand whiskey shop, and acquired the neighbouring building on Hill Street with plans for further artistic ventures.

Turning the area and his venues into something of a living museum has been at the core of his years in the pub sector here.

It simply wouldn’t look or feel the way it is without Willie. ■

55

The column with an ear for experience...

How did you start out in your business?

My first business was a podiatry practice, but I realised early on that I needed to think differently and start a business that was going to afford me the flexibility and freedom I needed for my young family and to pursue some of the things I am passionate about. In 1995, I had an idea for a care organisation that gives people the choice to remain in the comfort of their own home when dealing with the challenges of illness or age. My husband and I joined forces and started a business together called Homecare Housing, which now provides 3,000 beds every single night for people in housing crisis in communities across the country. In Tarasis Enterprises, we have grown and developed a dynamic team of 1,200 people across 14 regions, opened ten offices, created a portable housing solution and developed online training to support our mobile workforce.

What have you found the most challenging during your years of business, so far?

The early years were tough. There were a lot of late nights. I was working 24/7 to get things off the ground but I knew we needed more support to grow and so I employed ten people in my first month to begin building a great team. It’s always a challenge to find the right work/life balance, especially if you’re a business owner. But having kids definitely forces you to ensure that your business can run smoothly in your absence and that continuity and resilience is hugely important.

How would you describe your management style?

I prefer to think of it as leadership rather than management style. I believe it’s a leader’s job to share the vision and let your great people get on with helping you make it a reality. Our

56

Name: Mairead Mackle Position: Chief executive, Tarasis Enterprises motto is ‘One Team, One Dream’ and we have an amazing team of people who share our values and vision. They feel ownership of our social purpose which is why we launched our own employee-led, volunteer-run charity called iCARE. What would you change if you could go back and do it all again?

The freedom to follow my own path is a decision that I will never regret. But, with hindsight, I know now I could have made the beginning a little easier if I had built a senior team earlier instead of feeling I had to do everything myself. Over time, I learned the power of delegation. I learned to start working on my business and not in it, stepping out of operations and into strategy.

Have you done it all on your own?

Definitely not. It’s important to surround yourself with great people you trust. I’ve also learned to trust my instincts in relation to people. I am very grateful to have a wonderful family and supportive team around me.

How would you like your business to be remembered?

We are celebrating 25 years in business this year and at our core we are a family business focused on integrity and ethical purpose. Our work is people-focused, and so how we treat them is the most important thing to us. Our vision has always been to use the power of our business to create a better world. I’d like to leave a legacy that shows how you can use family values to succeed, but also how you can use the power of business to tackle the big societal challenges that are important to you.

What piece of advice would you give to a 20-year-old you?

To believe in your vision, to find what you love and to do that. To enjoy the journey along the way – even when it gets tough; that you learn from failure as much as success. Becoming successful in business requires a lot of hard work but mindset, outlook and determination will all play a critical role in success. ■

Christmas planner

CHRISTMAS PLANNER

58

CHRISTMAS PLANNER

Getting creative for the festive season It’s hard to know what pandemic-induced restrictions we will face next in a bid to limit the spread of coronavirus, with the hospitality sector already suffering. But what can venues do to adapt to the regulations while still offering customers at least some of the festivities they normally expect at this time of year. Emma Deighan takes a closer look

T

wo households a table, no music or live entertainment, an 11pm curfew and facemasks while moving around a venue make it even trickier for our hospitality sector to do its job.

At the time of going to print, these were the latest restrictions bestowed upon the bar, restaurant and hotel trade, but the sector had also been hit with a four-week shutdown in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.

So, how does our sector adapt and still welcome guests this Christmas, with the large gatherings and office parties essentially out of the picture?

Janice Gault, Northern Ireland Hotels Federation chief, says being inventive is key to keeping festive celebrations on the table.

“Not to be daunted, people are looking at cookery demonstrations, cocktail making and even Christmas bingo,” she told Ulster Business. “There is a hope that agreement can be reached on ticketed events which would include cabaret evenings and live shows.

“These would be seated and staged in line with social distancing. The understanding is that Magicians may also be allowed, along with comedy shows which are being explored

NOVEMBER 2020

with social distancing measures in place, along with the appropriate risk assessments.

“This year is a very different story,” she says.

“Hotels are struggling with the uncertainty of trading, growing restrictions and fears of lockdown. At this stage, it’s not just turkeys which are not looking forward to the festive season.”

Janice said that while there is appetite there for a social gathering with colleagues after what has been a surreal year spent mostly at home, the format of such gatherings will change.

“There is an appetite for social activity with enquires about lunches, and a significant interest in residential stays over the Christmas period. However, there is a major question mark over the sector’s ability to stage events that adhere to current restrictions and in turn appeal to customers. There is also concern over the fiscal viability of gathering and the fear of incurring costs and having to cancel at the last moment.”

Marianne Hood, chair of the Institute of Hospitality touched base with her members.

She said the two households a table rule has made the corporate festivities “dead in the water”.

“Most establishments are hoping for a reduction in the restriction which might allow them to run ‘cabaret’ style events where there would be no dancing. Failing that, activities will be directed towards restaurant for lunches, dinners and afternoon tea. Christmas day, mitigations and risk assessments are in place for serving of buffet style dining and interest has been positive thus far.”

One member from the Institute of Hospitality said: “We have dropped our party nights which are normally four weekend December dates. It just isn’t viable and based on the current circumstances, we doubt we would even get an enquiry. Companies just have no interest in Christmas this year between risk, lack of cash and the CSR (corporate social responsibility) around it all.

“We might just be accepting that the Christmas party night is ‘dead in the water’ but that means we need to be versatile and target the demand that is there. Enquiries have been strong for a lot of private dining options, or smaller family gatherings and even a few businesses wanting a socially distanced lunch for say 60 in the bigger function rooms.

“We are taking the bookings and advising the booker that at the time we will have to adhere to guidelines, and everyone has been >

59

CHRISTMAS PLANNER

Janice Gault

fully understanding. So at least there are some positives out there.

“There appears to definitely be a demand for family-based trips away and Santa experiences.

It gives an indication as to where the public are with it – people want it to be normal. The right thing to do is press forward, of course within

Santa may be left in the North Pole, along with his elves, but we’re looking at ways in which we can bring a bit of festive cheer to guests within the confines of a new and ever changing normal 60

the guidelines, whatever they are at the time.”

Carl McGarrity, who manages The Salthouse in Ballycastle with his family, including his father Nigel McGarrity, said all his venue’s plans are guideline permitting.

“We’re following all of the government guidelines and adhering to social distancing advice to ensure that our guests have a safe, relaxing environment where they can truly unwind and discover the invigorating magic of the north coast,” he said.

“We have limited our occupancy rates and that in turn means that our spa is continuing to operate and offer guests a range of relaxing treatments that help to eliminate stress and replenish the mind. To nourish the body, our chefs have created some exquisite Christmas fayre, that uses the finest local ingredients.”

He said family bubble packages that allow for all the festivities but with safety in mind are a popular choice as well as self catering options.

With no end in sight of social distancing measures, it may be a case of gourmet food drops at the homes of colleagues or the Zoom gathering of months since past. Who’s to know how the next few months will pan out but it’s not for a lack of want that the Christmas party is on hold. But Janice Gault remains optimistic.

“Santa may be left in the North Pole, along with his elves, but we’re looking at ways in which we can bring a bit of festive cheer to guests within the confines of a new and ever changing normal. Perhaps it’s time to write that Christmas letter. At this stage a vaccine, a return to travelling and the opportunity to offer festive hospitality will all be high on the list.” ■

CHRISTMAS PLANNER

Gift the city and support businesses with Belfast City Centre Gift Card

L

ooking for the perfect Christmas gift idea for staff or corporate clients? Then, look no further than the Belfast City Centre Gift Card.

This perfect, versatile gift solution offers access to more than 155 businesses, across a wide variety of places ranging from retail, health and beauty, bars, restaurants and hotels that can be spent whenever and wherever you want. What’s more, new businesses are regularly signing up which gives you even greater choice.

Purchasing a Belfast City Centre Gift Card not only means that you #GiftTheCity to the lucky recipient but you have the comfort of knowing that you are giving the gift of support to our local economy this Christmas.

The Belfast City Centre Gift Card is a Mastercard-based gift card that works in the same way as department store or shopping centre gift cards.

To purchase a card visit www.belfastcitycentregiftcard.co.uk, choose the amount, load it onto the card, purchase and #GiftTheCity. Cards are valid for a year and can only be used at the participating business location.

Participating businesses in the Belfast City Centre Gift Card #GiftTheCity initiative are: Jonathan Topping from the Clayton Hotel, Jennifer Lemon from Jigsaw, and Paddy McGurgan from Make-up Pro Store

Belfast City Centre Gift Card is available to purchase at www. belfastcitycentregiftcard.co.uk. Details of all the businesses taking part and full terms and conditions are available on the website. Follow Belfast City Centre Gift Card on Facebook and Instagram #GiftTheCity.

This initiative was launched and funded the by the Belfast Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) Belfast One, Linen Quarter BID and Destination CQ and features businesses from across the BIDs locations.

Belfast restaurant Shu unveils £1m refurbishment

A

top Belfast restaurant has reopened its doors after a major £1m refit and refurbishment.

Shu, which is based on the Lisburn Road, has undergone significant work amid lockdown and the Covid-19, and has now reopened to the public.

Incorporating three different style elements under one roof, there is now Shu, The Upper House and Jul’s, with extended opening hours to include Sundays. Work on the scheme was carried out by fit-out firm McCue. Once music restrictions lift, Jul’s will have DJ performances on Friday and Saturday evenings, providing “laid backbeats to dine to, then, stepping up the tempo into later evening”, according to the business.

“The new Sunday afternoon offering will focus on live jazz played on the house piano, providing a relaxing and chilled vibe.”

Alan Reid, co-owner and founder of Shu

NOVEMBER 2020

Brian McCann, co-owner and head chef at Shu, Julian Henry, manager Andrew Bradley, site manager, McCue and Alan Reid, co-owner, Shu

said: “The last seven months have been a complete roller coaster ride, but myself, Brian and the entire team, many of whom are celebrating their own 20 year anniversary with us, are elated to finally get to this point.

“We had the vision for the new Shu for several years, but the timing never seemed right. When lockdown came, we seized the opportunity and the fantastic team at McCue have really pulled it out of the bag.”

61

INTERVIEW

‘There is no doubt that this has been the most challenging period’ Emma Deighan speaks to Christopher McCausland of McCausland Airport Garage and Value Cabs about dealing with the ‘worst yet’ but continuing investment and the pick up when we are out the other side

T

he McCausland name is one of the most recognised in family businesses in Northern Ireland.

Success and growth has always been on its trajectory but as it celebrates its centenary this year the emergency brakes have been pressed until Covid-19 passes.

or whatever way it is dealt with, business will lift pretty quickly.

Christopher McCausland, director at the business, which is made up of McCausland Airport Garage and Value Cabs, is third generation in the firm.

McCausland Holdings and its related businesses began 100 years ago on the Grosvenor Road in Belfast, close to the city centre. It was launched by Christopher’s grandfather, William J McGovern, a Ballymoney man who kick started the family operation as a coach builders, car sales and car repairs setup.

He says this year is its “worst yet” but he remains very confident that pickup will be fast when the world comes out the other side of the pandemic.

“There is no doubt that this has been the most challenging period yet. Worse than the property crash because this has affected everybody.

“It’s a major health issue and you also have a responsibility for the safety of your staff and customers,” begins the business leader, who also held the role of senior vice-president of the Belfast Chamber and currently sits on its board.

“We are very positive about the future because people’s attitude is they would love to get back to some normality and I believe when it does open up, whether that’s because of a vaccine

62

“People are also holding back on spending because they are frightened about what could happen but once they see that light we will all experience a lift.”

“We’ve been pretty much involved in the motor trade ever since. That has always been the back thrust of the business,” Christopher continues.

down to the fourth generation who now occupy different roles.

Emma oversees most of the human resource elements of the firm as well as the call centres.

Peter works closely with his father while Jonathan looks after the taxi side of things; buying and selling cars.

Meanwhile Michael McCausland manages the firm’s IT setup. “My father, Harry McCausland, initiated the taxi part of the business in the 1960s with Silver Cabs.

He joined the business back in 1977 but recalls immersing himself fulling in the environment from the age of eight.

“When he took over he turned the company into a car rental business and that traded right up until 20 years ago. When I joined the main focus was car rental but in 1985 we built, from scratch, the Belfast International Airport Carpark.”

He now runs the firm with his brother Stephen who is also director, while his four children; Emma, Jonathan, Peter and Michael also play senior roles.

And that was to be the firm’s first foray into car parking facilities. That carpark has been a thriving component of the business, until recently when air travel all but stopped.

“I remember really liking the business side of things, even from an early age,” he says. And it would seem that enthusiasm was passed

“The airports have been devastated through this,” Christopher says. “But we do have plans to expand that site.”

INTERVIEW

Christopher McCausland

He said the site’s current surroundings lends to further growth and exploring that potential is next on the agenda, in a post Covid world, of course. In 1997, the company brought Value Cabs on to the market. Such has been its strong reputation as a taxi fleet over those 23 years, Christopher has named his parking business Value Carparking after it.

“Value Cabs grew from a small taxi depot on the Grosvenor Road and we’ve built from there,” he says. Before the pandemic, Value Cabs had around 800 drivers, but that figure dropped to 100 during lockdown.

“It’s growing steadily now, we’re coming back,” adds Christopher. “We’ve always done work for the health service but we’re doing more now and that helps. Our driver numbers are up to around 450 today.

due to social restrictions and our work from home patterns but growth is still on the cars, reveals Christopher. “We’re hoping to expand the taxi business.

new grade A office space, we can return our headquarters home to the Grosvenor Road, a site where our business has operated since 1920.”

“There are a few opportunities to make it bigger and move slightly out of the city. We are very much on the market to buy taxi firms.”

During the pandemic, the Value brand has availed of support packages to allow it to continue with its growth. Christopher says it secured a loan through Danske Bank and the Government’s coronavirus business interruption loan scheme.

Even in the midst of the pandemic, business opportunities are still on the table for the business. Just last month it launched its extended Value Car Parks on the Grosvenor Road, which is a 575-space facility spanning 12 floors.

It represented a £20m investment for the company and also includes 7,000 sq ft of office space. Christopher is confident the hefty investment will pay off.

“We’ve introduced a lot of safety measures including safety screens that customers can specifically request. We’ve also limited passenger numbers to three in the rear of the vehicle only.”

“We know that the availability of affordable and accessible parking is hugely important for workers, shoppers and visitors when people safely return to the city. We’re confident this additional capacity will provide a much-needed boost.

Its taxi fleet may have lost a lot of customers

“We are also delighted that after creating

NOVEMBER 2020

And while that support has been helpful during the current climate, Christopher says collaboration with other businesses in the city and a joint approach to promoting the city is vital to its future.

“We have a strategic partnership with Visit Belfast who are great believers in the work that we do and their work, to promote the city as a business and tourism destination, has been huge.

“Before this Belfast was thriving, tourism was huge, hotel occupancies were doing very well and restaurants and bars were full. We are confident that this will come back if we all work together,” he says. ■

63

NEWS

Bombardier posts £23m loss but confident Spirit deal will complete

By John Mulgrew

N

orthern Ireland plane making giant Bombardier has posted pre-tax losses of more than £23m but remains confident a deal to sell its operations here will complete this year despite increased uncertainty over the future of the sale.

And the firm says the aerospace sector will “recover in the medium term” post Covid-19 but it remains challenging for the company, while it says Brexit could “result in increased geographical and economic risks including disruptions and uncertainty around our business”.

The aerospace business, which posted turnover

64

here of $890m (£685m) for Short Brothers plc, said while it has cut almost 500 staff since the start of coronavirus, by using the Government’s Job Retention Scheme it has “managed to mitigate a larger number of reductions and will continue to maximise opportunities afforded by the scheme for as long as it’s available”.

In its latest accounts ending December 2019, it says a $500m (£385m) takeover of the business in Northern Ireland by US-owned Spirit AeroSystems is “fully expected to complete by the end of 2020”.

That’s despite increasing issues around the sale, including its delay due to Covid-19. Spirit AeroSystems has also filed documents with US regulatory authorities confirming the sale may not close by the date of October 31, which

it says could then lead to legal action from Bombardier.

Bombardier, is also facing continued Covid-19 challenges, and cut its workforce following the impact of the global virus on customer demand. The company says those staff that are able to work from home will continue to do so “for the foreseeable future”. Average staff levels for the year stood at just under 3,500.

And it says “future workplace rotations are being considered post Covid-19 to continue to minimise the employee population across our sites”.

It says the business “continues to face challenging cost pressures in a difficult overall aerospace context”.

NEWS

ongoing Belfast programmes and nature of operations under Spirit ownership given the Airbus content and the need to support key Bombardier programmes”.

The company also says it aims to deliver on “major cost reduction initiatives for current sustaining programmes and programmes under development”.

It says its main risks include coronavirus, Brexit, Treasury and the aerospace environment.

But with work returning at the end of April and into May, the firm says the delivery outlook is expected to accelerate and peak seasonally, during the last quarter of 2020.

Bombardier says it expects the industry to “recover in the medium term” and that longterm prospects “are good”.

On Brexit, it also says: “Customer, supplier and employee relationships could be impacted, which in turn could have an adverse effect on our financial results and operations.”

On a planned expansion of its base in Belfast, which it says will help sustain around 1,000 jobs working the Airbus A220 passenger aircraft, Bombardier adds that “site preparation works are under way”.

But the company says it’s now the preferred bidder to develop an unmanned combat aircraft for the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

It says the company “continues to look towards new markets and opportunities” and in April 2019 it was contracted by the MoD to produce a preliminary designs for a technology demonstrator vehicle”.

It’s since been selected as the preferred bidder for the scheme, this summer, which it says has the overall aim to “explore the utility and feasibility of unmanned capability to support existing and future MoD aircraft”.

The operation had partnered with Northrop Grumman UK and Callen-Lenz to form Team Blackdawn, one of three teams awarded

NOVEMBER 2020

contracts for the futuristic development project, nicknamed Project Mosquito.

Touching on the Spirit AeroSystems deal, which has yet to complete, it says “the transaction is expected to complete in 2020 subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions”.

One of the conditions of the deal finalising is the “absence of a material adverse change to the acquired business”.

It says aside from cash and liabilities, there is also a “tentative agreement” for a $130m (£100m) cash contribution into the Shorts pension scheme.

“We expect to see a continuation of the

Plans have now been submitted by the aerospace giant could see its Airport Road West site grow by around 31,000 sq m. The wing production and assembly facility houses Bombardier’s resin-infused composite aircraft wing manufacturing process for the Airbus A220 aircraft programme. The new proposed extension would increase the facility by around 60%.

Bombardier, which is still headed up here by company stalwart Michael Ryan, had around 1,000 working on the former C Series jets, which have been rebranded as the A220,after Airbus took on a majority stake in the series.

The complete wings and fuselage components for the jet are made within the Canadian aerospace giant’s Belfast operation, which is being sold off to US-based Spirit AeroSystems. ■

65

BREXIT

A compromise on Brexit is what is needed As the UK and EU enter into crunch talks in order to secure a deal before the end of the transition period, John Simpson examines what’s likely to happen in the coming weeks and months ahead

T

he EU-UK talks to agree (or disagree) on the implementation of Brexit have nearly reached an end.

If they do agree on the outstanding issues, NI should have reason to be pleased.

If the Protocol is abolished, even if this is itself an illegal act by the UK Government, then the problems of lorries queuing at Dover may be matched by lorries queuing south of Newry or on the Buncrana Road from Derry.

An agreement, even to disagree, would leave the parameters for continuing trade between the UK and the Republic of Ireland settled, either for a last minute agreement on a free-trade deal or for a crash into open world market conditions (and a difficult dash to operate a documented set of customs arrangements).

In the absence of an agreed deal, normal free flowing cross border traffic on this island may be fraught with delays, uncertainty and possible administrative chaos. Making efficient arrangements for cross-border trade can only be by agreement between the relevant cross border authorities.

Any agreement other than a free-trade agreement would mean a rush into unprepared conditions. Will the UK Government dishonour the rules in the Ireland-Northern Ireland protocol?

The legislation reaching its final approval in Westminster will give the Government the authority to effectively abolish the international agreement that included the Protocol.

That could mean that on January 1, 2021 the border on the island of Ireland would become an international frontier.

66

Simply to walk away from the EU-UK negotiations without an agreement is not an action that would be expected between orderly neighbouring authorities. It would be unprecedented.

The UK Government has been preparing for a ‘no deal’ outcome. The new legislation defining the Internal Market within the UK leaves the UK vulnerable to legal sanctions by the EU but any such sanctions risk causing extensive commercial damage not just between the UK and Europe but, closer to home, to normal commercial activity between NI and Ireland.

BREXIT

Neither the supporters of Brexit nor the opponents of Brexit, intentionally, would have wished for a chaotic outcome.

there certainty that NI-manufactured goods will be duty free either to Great Britain or the Republic?

The spirit of the Protocol was that trade on this island would gain an advantage. The current uncertainty is a perverse outcome.

Tucked away in the detail is a requirement that NI should stay in regulatory alignment with the EU for goods manufactured here.

In international relations between friendly countries, this hiatus would be a rare, even unique, event. With little notice, hundreds of businesses, north and south, would need immediate information of rates of import taxes in the form of customs duties and arrangements to document the transactions.

This means, if interpreted strictly, that goods going from NI to other EU countries will need to adhere to EU set trading standards.

If the Protocol is implemented as agreed, even then there are many uncertainties. Is

NOVEMBER 2020

This condition should be minor, so long as the EU and GB/UK continue with the standards as set in past years. However, an added feature may be a need to label goods manufactured in NI as being from NI, rather than UK since a UK designation might obscure the true status.

There is no escape from the wider requirement, if the Protocol is being followed, for some degree of monitoring of goods coming into NI from GB which may be destined for either RoI or other EU destinations.

This is the difficult clause which asks the authorities in NI to have a procedure which identifies goods ‘at risk’ of transit shipment through NI. If the Protocol agreement is to function easily and quickly, there must be an agreed ‘fast channel’ process to minimise the risk of abuse.

Even now, at nearly the eleventh hour, a workable compromise must be possible. ■

67

TOP 100 ROUNDTABLE

Rebuilding the economy and the return to work Businesses are back up-and-running across Northern Ireland, but now begins the difficult road ahead for the economy as Government assistance comes to an end and others try to weather an unprecedented recession. Ulster Business and A&L Goodbody brought together some of our Top 100 company bosses to look at the next steps needed to rebuild our economy and get people back to work How are you all finding business as we approach the last quarter of 2020?

supporting pharma companies develop either treatments or vaccines for Covid.

Michael Neill: The one word and recurring theme to describe this year is ‘unpredictable’.

If I was to pick out one thing currently impacting the market, it’s uncertainty and then there’s also the bitter cocktail to come of a second wave and Brexit.

Richard Kennedy: Depending on what market you look to, it has been really positive in some areas and really tough in others. A lot of our business is in exports, so some of those markets would be tourist markets – Central America and some of the Caribbean… they would have dipped a lot because of that. Then, there are other areas which are up – some of the domestic production is up and some others, such as the US and Mexico.

Liam Nagle: Our sector is down globally, between 5-10%, which isn’t bad, generally.

We are up year-on-year, because we were recovering from some internal supply chain issues. There are probably two dynamics: one is companion animal, or pets, is quite strong globally… large animal dropped by about 10%, but that is coming back now. We are not in a bad place and we are up, year-onyear.

Niall Harkin: For us, our activity levels have held really well during Covid. That’s continuing into the last quarter. There are areas which have been impacted. A big area of our business is within supporting clinical trials… we did some pauses and delays in some clinical trials. But generally, we have been able to compensate in other areas. We have also had some direct wins in terms of

68

How has your workplace changed and adapted post-Covid?

Liam Nagle: For us it has changed. If I take manufacturing in our labs, those people have to come to work. Our focus has been around safety. We’ve gone from a place where we had nobody with home-working capability, to at the peak we had more than 300 people working remotely.

Niall Harkin: We are looking at this in two phases, the first is about how we adapt to the current situation where we are still dealing with Covid. We have had to react quickly to get people off site, who can work off site… for

GUESTS Richard Kennedy, Chief executive, Devenish Niall Harkin, Executive director, Almac Liam Nagle, Executive chairman and chief executive, Norbrook Michael Neill, Partner, A&L Goodbody Peter Stafford, Partner, A&L Goodbody John Mulgrew, Editor, Ulster Business

those working from home, the technology has worked remarkably well.

Michael Neill: We share many of the thoughts already mentioned. For us, striking the right balance between home and office working is a lot more nuanced than we first thought at the outset of lockdown.

Looking at the corporate work A&L Goodbody is doing, what areas do you believe will be in high demand over the next 12 to 18 months?

TOP 100 ROUNDTABLE

Roundtable guests: Michael Neill, John Mulgrew, Niall Harkin, Liam Nagle, Richard Kennedy and Peter Stafford

Peter Stafford: Our sense has been that it has been different, but deals have still happened over the last few months. I think that will continue to be the case. I think in the first half of next year there will be a better sense of what thereafter looks like, and that will be a trigger for deals. When there is a liquidity squeeze, that also leads to litigation, so I imagine the dispute practice will continue to be busy… I think the main backdrop will continue to be deals.

What economic levers do we now need in place to deal with potential job losses or to keep people in work over the next few months?

area, that throws up the conundrum of how do you tackle that?

Richard Kennedy: I think it has to be bespoke, it has to be new and it has to be long-term, because you can’t change a capital model or infrastructure that is funding a capital model without long-term restructuring.

Peter Stafford: In the same way that the Chancellor came out with something which was forward-thinking, there probably has to be a look towards government to come up with medium to long-term solutions that are going to be helpful and provide support.

Niall Harkin: It is tough. We recognise that the furlough system wasn’t sustainable in terms of what it was costing and the impact it would have. I think broadly in terms of what’s happening with the new Job Support Scheme, I think the Government is doing the right thing in terms of trying to support businesses and jobs, which will be viable coming out the other end of this.

How key will reskilling and retraining be in our future?

Michael Neill: It’s thought that there is about £2bn of unsustainable debt in NI, and a lot of it loaned through the schemes. In my practice

From a lawyer’s perspective what are the big issues for Top 100 over the next while?

NOVEMBER 2020

Liam Nagle: From our perspective it takes us about six months to get someone in manufacturing to be fully competent. I think there is a great need for reskilling and I think governments should work with each sector to see what is best for them.

Michael Neill: The issues the Top 100 cohort will face won’t necessarily be new in that there will be employee issues and disputes, even if they might be less affected by insolvencies. Brexit is a very different matter indeed as this may result in completely new regulations, a different approach to State aid as well as more procurement issues.

This is where more specialist advice may be required.

Are you as prepared as you can be as the end of the Brexit transition approaches?

Liam Nagle: I think we prepared twice already for two false starts, at least. We’ve probably wasted millions on it… we are assuming (that the Northern Ireland Protocol) survives. A couple of months back, trying to deal with a constantly shifting, not clear exit from Brexit, we didn’t feel we could deal with both, for better or for worse.

Richard Kennedy: We were very much in the same position. You can only deal with what you can influence yourself. The frustration over the last number of years has been chaos. We have taken the view that the Northern Ireland Protocol will pragmatically be achieved. But we are concerned. ■

69

Stove’s Paris Brest

REVIEW

Brave, bold and classic bistro cooking

Stove Bistro

Opening a restaurant is a difficult premise at the best of times and opening amid a pandemic brings yet more hurdles. But John Mulgrew discovers the latest spot in south Belfast has brought together a level of cooking and boldness to help put a big smile on our faces at a time when it’s needed most

T

he pairing of a doyen of the Belfast bistro and a stalwart who cut his teeth at Michael Deane’s Howard Street located in the heart of one of the city’s increasingly interesting places for food and drink is certainly something which warrants attention.

70

The two Simons – McCance of Ginger Bistro and Toye formerly of Deanes – have taken a spot above the Ormeau Road’s Bengal Brasserie for their joint venture, Stove.

It’s an area with a solid tranche of watering holes, coffee shops (a lot of coffee shops) and

455 Ormeau Road Belfast, BT7 3GQ 028 9064 7744

quirky, but high-quality places to dine. But there’s still definitely a feeling of something as apt and as classic as what this new spot is trying to do, fitting right in here.

Upstairs, it’s a well-spaced, clean wood and Scandi vibe, a balanced three course menu and a raft of specials on the chalkboard.

On this occasion, it’s a single oyster to start things off. If there’s a better way to both clean the palate and also set it up for the hot and savoury courses to come, then I’m all ears.

REVIEW

The twice-baked souffle

Stove is currently bring-your-own. I opted for quite a sweet southern Italian Lunaria Bucefalo Bloody Mary oyster

Fresh, briny, chilled down with the subtle savoury of icy tomato in the style of a Bloody Mary. The clean flavour is then juxtaposed with the next pre-starter. As a heads up, we put an additional order in mid-meal for these.

A play on the classic deep fried camembert, on this occasion it’s another of the world’s truly great cheeses. Small, crispy pillows bring oozing, funky, nutty and unctuous comté cheese, cut with the sweetness and acid of redcurrant jelly. It’s a lot of the good things that come to mind when you’re considering what to cook, or order. It’s well worth your time.

A souffle is something of a rarity here these days. It’s not particularly friendly on a typical kitchen amid a busy service and it requires both technical proficiency and time-keeping.

This double-baked version is a cacophony of all that is umami. Sticky cheese and rich dairy, a char of the allium and woodiness from the truffle. It’s as equally filling as it is warming and satisfying.

Stove again is tackling dishes and cuts of meat which immediately draw my attention.

While there’s the blade of beef on the set menu (an increasingly popular cut that when dealt with properly yields a punchy flavour), my eyes dart to the cheek special on the board. Cheek is about time and temperature, ensuring the collagen breaks down properly and turns one of the toughest chunks of the

NOVEMBER 2020

animal into something which can be eaten with a spoon.

In this case, it’s a big whack of umami, savoury and sticky from the collagen and fats and buoyed by the dark, velvet jus. And the lack of a sear on a slow-cooked cut is instead replaced by smoke and char from the accompanying butter-basted cabbage. It’s a superb pairing, bringing clean vegetal flavours along with the bitterness to cut through what is a very rich piece of cow. Creamy celeriac mash helps bring out all of the flavours of the earth.

It’s still surprising just how often chips aren’t done right, when, after all, they are something of their own food group here.

This isn’t the case at Stove. Visually, the signs are good. A mottled exterior, pocked and desiccated. Odd shapes and sharp edges. It’s the right way to get the balance of a crisp exterior while retaining softness and a pure potato flavour at the core. These are billed as duck fat but I don’t get much of the typically rich animal flavour. However, these are still among the best fried spuds I’ve had here.

To finish, something which is difficult to replicate at home and takes the skill of a decent pastry chef to pull off. The Paris Brest is aerated, delicate, but not overly sweetened. It’s light and not cloying, with the sugar coming from a balanced sticky toffee sauce and a savoury finish with sea salt atop.

– trying to balance something which can work for both savoury, beefy main courses, and sweeter puddings.

Opening a restaurant of any kind amid such difficult times is a strong step for anyone.

Thankfully the proficiency, confident cooking and simple balance of big, and well-balanced flavours means Stove has already set itself a high water mark for food on the Ormeau Road. Our sitting was an early one and by the time we left the place was buzzing. It’s the signs we all like to see. ■

THE BILL: Oyster with Bloody Mary granita Comte fritters, redcurrant jelly Duck fat chips Three courses x 2 Parmesan and truffle twice baked souffle, burnt leek Beef cheek Paris Brest, praline cream, sticky toffee sauce, sea salt Pear and blue cheese salad Lamb rump, parmesan gnocchi, peas, bacon, mint Chocolate tart, raspberries, mascarpone, sumac Corkage

£2 £2 x 2 £4 £33

£4 x 2

Total: £84

71

INTERVIEW

Bringing back the buses The bus sector is in a dark tunnel thanks to Covid but, for Aircoach, there is light ahead, its managing director Dervla McKay tells Fearghal O’Connor

W

hen Dervla McKay headed off on maternity leave from her job as managing director of Aircoach late last year all seemed pretty much right in the competitive world of Irish buses.

June, she worried as talk of Covid-19 increased in early March. When the schools shut “passenger numbers went off a cliff”. “I didn’t say anything to anyone. I just arrived back in to help deal with the crisis.”

The transport company was enjoying the fruits of a growing tourism sector and the booming airport around which many of its services were focused. Ulster University graduate Dervla was due back to work at the end of June in time for another busy summer season.

She and her team camped in the office for two weeks, effectively shutting down the business.

“That’s what we had to do. We were carrying one and two customers on our services with all the costs of running a public transport operation.”

That, of course, was not to be. The pandemic hit transport hard. Many operators are struggling just to stay in business but being owned by UK transport giant FirstGroup plc has provided a very welcome cushion, she says.

After two weeks all but 11 of Aircoach’s 270 staff at its bases in Dublin, Cork and Belfast had been laid off. Of those, 100 staff are still not back in work and 37 have been deployed to FirstGroup in the UK.

Entitled to maternity leave until the end of

For three months Aircoach was effectively in

72

cold storage. At the end of July as restrictions eased and buses were permitted to carry 50% loads, Aircoach restarted many services and brought drivers back on rotation.

“Initially we were let run at 25% capacity but there was no way the financial model on that would stack up. But when it went to 50% and we restarted our Cork and Belfast services, I was pleasantly surprised at the numbers. There were days we were hitting mid-90s percentages of our available seats being sold.”

Nevertheless, with schedules greatly reduced, during August it carried just 8% of passengers compared to August 2019. And with Aircoach’s focus on Dublin Airport – where it also provides a car park shuttle service for DAA – the collapse in the aviation sector has

INTERVIEW multinational plc and Aircoach can absolutely play that long game. It doesn’t give much comfort to the staff now that are temporarily laid off, mind you. And we’re trying to stem the losses as best we can. But Aircoach has a bright future. It’s just getting us to that bright future is the path to navigate.”

Key to that strategy will be for Aircoach to “speculate to accumulate”, Dervla says. “There could be potential acquisitions because now might be the time when some operators are looking to sell their businesses. We’re predominantly airport focused and need to diversify our business away from the east coast to be more resilient.”

Aircoach was founded in 1999 by former Bus Éireann employee John O’Sullivan, who completed its sale to FirstGroup in 2005 for €16.5m. That same year Ms McKay was in her final year at Magee College and was offered a place on FirstGroup’s graduate scheme in England.

“It absolutely fascinated me,” she says. But her time in the bus industry was nearly over before it began: “You were supposed to learn to drive a bus. I couldn’t because I’m pretty much blind in my left eye.

Dervla McKay

had a huge impact with a drop off in numbers again in September.

was head of operations in Southampton for FirstGroup.

She was not overly surprised when Bus Éireann announced that it is to halt a number of its high-profile Expressway routes, including Belfast to Dublin. “Obviously we compete with them on two of the routes, Belfast and Cork, so I’ve a fair idea what passenger numbers they carry and what we carry. It’s a highly competitive market.”

Aircoach management has used unexpected downtime for a complete strategy review.“It would have been foolhardy not to,” she says “It is difficult because there’s so many unknowns about how quickly aviation and tourism will recover.

The 36-year-old is from Glenties in Co Donegal and lives in Skerries in Co Dublin. She has been managing director of Aircoach since April 2018. A mother of three, she studied Education Business and human resources at Magee College, Derry, followed by a graduate programme in bus operations with FirstGroup plc. Before taking up the role at Aircoach, she

NOVEMBER 2020

“And I have no doubt that there’ll be consolidation in the market in Ireland with regards to public transport. That is something I’m sure operators will be looking at as part of their strategy – those that are in a position to make that investment.”

Aircoach is one of those that can think ahead to life beyond Covid, she says. “We are very fortunate. We’ve the backing of a

“I was their first ever graduate who couldn’t get a bus license and they had a bit of a moment about whether I could stay or whether they’d have to terminate my employment.”

The company changed its policies and Dervla never looked back. She was appointed operations manager to its Devon division, followed by a more senior role in Cornwall.

She was appointed to run Aircoach in 2018.

The Irish operation had recovered well from a tough time during the recession and Dervla arrived with a focus on expansion and new technology. Little did she think when she left on maternity leave last year that she would have to rush back to let most of her staff go.

“How could it not pull on your heartstrings?

Somebody is opposite you in floods of tears and you’re telling them you’ve no work for them.” But she is not one for the rear view mirror. She’s watching closely for the shimmer of light she expects will appear on the road ahead. ■

73

PODCAST

The Ulster Business

Podcast with

The Ulster Business Podcast with Bank of Ireland UK has established itself as one of the leading business podcasts, featuring a host of top company bosses and experts. We take a look at some recent highlights EPISODE 25 – DR STEPHEN FARRY

T

he coronavirus crisis has only weakened the case for Brexit and if the UK does secure a deal with the EU it will be a superficial tick box exercise, an MP has said.

Dr Stephen Farry, Alliance MP for North Down, speaking to the Ulster Business Podcast with Bank of Ireland UK on the latest movement on the Government’s new proposed Internal Market Bill, said: “The very worst case scenario is that we don’t have a future relationship, negotiated.

“I don’t see that as being a sustainable position for long. At some point the UK will have to return to the negotiation table and reframe the choices that they are making.

“The UK Internal Market Bill, most controversially, threatens to breach international law. This is not something people in Northern Ireland in the main were seeking.

“This is an invention of the UK Government. It may well be a negotiating tactic as opposed to something real, but even putting a threat to breach international law on the table is a very unusual and very worrying thing to see.”

But he said it’s ultimately “a dead end” with it being impossible to see how the EU could agree to it.

“I think (Covid) weakens the case for Brexit,” he said. We are operating in a very interdependent context. We do need to find common solutions to shared problems, and Brexit is very much at odds with that.

“If you look purely at it in public health terms, we need to be working through the World Health Organization and other structures to combat this. Even looking beyond Covid, we a conscious of challenges looming around things like climate change where we need to ensure there is concerted international action around that.

“The UK is going off on its own in that respect. We need to conclude trade deals with other parts of the world. We have a very interdependent open economy in

74

PODCAST

“There are such significant issues. It is very clear that many of those businesses in (hospitality) need very significant financial support, continued support from government to continue through the winter. And those examples shine a light on the difficulties many businesses are facing and the decisions that are making, or have had to make.”

EPISODE 27 – JACKIE HENRY

A

new £85m Belfast office for one of the world’s biggest professional services firms is continuing as normal but its layout will be adjusted to deal with the changing environment around Covid-19, it’s been claimed.

Northern Ireland. We have sales supply chains into Great Britain, into the EU. “We also have our values. When it comes to things like agricultural products that we are prioritising high food standards and animal welfare.

“As part of a wider EU bloc we are able to conclude deals that protect those values, as well as opening markets, rather than what the UK is going to be doing which is negotiating from a position of weakness, which could see some of those issues being compromised.

“Covid, Brexit and climate change are all running in to each other as challenges facing governments around the world, and we have to face that we are all in this together.”

Stephen says the current coronavirus crisis has weakened the case for Brexit, further still, when a joined up approach and working together has never been more important.

But he’s still optimistic we will get some form of deal before Christmas. However, he believes it will be somewhat superficial and a tick box exercise, and that on January 1, there will be at least chaos in the short term.

He says negotiations between the UK and EU are likely to rattle on for years to come.

NOVEMBER 2020

Jackie Henry, senior partner of Deloitte in Northern Ireland, says the regeneration of the former Ewart’s Warehouse, and 17-storey adjoining building, remains “a real positive”, and the firm may begin looking at a revised internal layout after Christmas.

Speaking on the Ulster Business Podcast with Bank of Ireland UK, Jackie says she has been working with both private and public sector clients since lockdown, including working on the ground donning a hi-vis vest and assisting in setting up Covid-19 test and trace facilities.

She also says there must be “very significant financial support” for those companies most affected by the ongoing restrictions, including retail and hospitality.

“We have a big spread of clients in NI and across the UK and here, we have been working with our public sector clients and helping them through their issues,” she said.

“Then, through to clients in consumer sectors – retail and hospitality, and for them it’s been difficult. Trying to support them through the impact on their business, seeing if there is any way in which they can pivot their business to take any good in this context, or help them restructure or avail of the support which has been made available.

“Clearly we have a long road to go over the winter months to provide more support and advice to those businesses.

And speaking about ongoing plans for Deloitte’s new 210,000 sq ft proposed office in Bedford Street, Jackie said: “In the moments where I think beyond today and tomorrow, the property commitment that we have of Ewart’s regeneration and our move in to that property, is a real positive for me, and it’s something which is really important to us and it’s something which we look forward to.

“Helpfully, we hadn’t gotten in to the detailed planning of space within the building and we will get to that, probably after Christmas time and we are looking forward to involving our teams in that, to help us design out the use of space.

“There is no doubt that Covid-19 and our experience of home-working in the last six months will bring us to design that space differently. But we have already talked to our people in terms of how things are for them, and what they might want to come back and use the office for. We have talked about having really good teams, networking and collaboration space, and space to allow us to really innovate for and alongside our clients.

“All of that will be much more important to dial up in a new building. The other thing I would say is… I hope coming out of Covid-19 that we will have a different approach to our people travelling, in and out of NI. I had always said that I had hoped that we would use our new exemplar of climate positive building and I think this gives us an even greater opportunity to accelerate on those ambitions, too.”

Listen to the podcast at www.ulsterbusiness.com/interview, on Spotify, SoundCloud and iTunes 75

PETE McFETRIDGE MOUNTAIN TECHNOLOGIES

How is business?

This is the question on everyone’s mind in the current situation we all find ourselves in, Mountain Technologies is no different. We found ourselves in a very unusual situation of being in the middle of an investment round as Covid-19 hit and lockdown came into effect. We used this time to make design and manufacturing process efficiencies so we were ready to go when the lockdown was lifted. We all became very adapted to Zoom which we used to complete our investment round and also to keep continual communication with our customers in the Alps. We are currently in the preparation stage for this winter season, in which we will officially launch our product offering of LifePass.

How did you get started in the industry?

Being an engineer by trade, I have always had the natural ability of seeing problems around me and trying to solve them. LifePass was no different. When you hear of a child of seven years old being on a family ski trip and getting separated from their parents and it ending up in tragic circumstances, it really hits home, especially being a parent myself. My thought was in this current age of technology this just shouldn’t happen so I set about finding a way to help and five or six years on from the initial idea, we are now releasing LifePass to the world for winter season 2020/21. Without the team I have around me this would never have been achievable.

Surrounding yourself with great people makes all the difference in a project like this.

Typically, who are your clients or customers?

Our typical clients are ski resort lift companies, initially we have focused on the Alps but have plans to expand to other markets worldwide. The US and Japan being the first on our radar.

Do you enjoy what you do, and what in particular?

I can honestly say I love what I do. Through my career I have always tried to do things I am passionate about. Being self employed from a young age has taught me a lot about both business and myself, what skills I have and also more importantly, what I don’t have. In my current business the thing I have enjoyed most has been to travel to all

76

Entrepreneur of the Month areas of the Alps. This has enabled me to get to know our customers better and explain how our product and services can meet their requirements. The ski industry is a very unique sector to be involved in and especially from being from a small village in Northern Ireland to working with some of the top ski resorts in the Alps. It was been referred to once as being like the Cool Runnings film from the 90s What is the most difficult part of your job?

The most difficult part currently of my job has been letting go of aspects of the business and delegating it to others. As like most founders we are very attached to what we have created.

For me, I have been surrounded by a great team who support me immensely in every aspect as we grow in a very unique sector.

What are the challenges facing your sector, and the economy in general?

There is no doubt Covid-19 is high up on everyone’s minds and for the ski industry it is no different. With the current travel restrictions it is challenging for our customers and also my team. We have had to pivot on certain aspects of the business in the current climate to focus on ski resorts which can be sustained by internal country customers. This has logistic challenges for us but we have adapted fast and have very strong relations within the industry in the Alps to overcome these challenges. We will just have to keep an eye on the situation and adapt as required, the start up world has always been challenging to navigate. As I always say to my team, if it was easy everyone would be doing it. ■

Motoring

By Pat Burns

Sponsored by

MOTORING

The new Hyundai Tucson: A smart tech hero with standout design

With advanced, experimental design and high-end technology the new Hyundai Tucson is setting new standards in the compact SUV segment

S

ince its launch in 2004 the Tucson has become Hyundai’s bestselling SUV globally. This fourth generation arrives on the market with a revolutionary and ambitious new look. In addition, it offers the most electrified powertrain line-up in its class, underscoring Hyundai’s commitment to clean driving, while retaining its true SUV character.

Arriving next year, customers can choose from hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and 48-volt mild hybrid options as well as traditional petrol and diesel alternatives.

In terms of design the all-new Tucson features a bigger and wider body than its predecessor.

Its muscular stance combines sharp angles and dynamic proportions with rich surfaces, ensuring a progressive look. The radically redesigned front grille houses signature LED headlights which appear hidden when not in use resulting in a sleek geometric look.

On the inside a new 10.25 inch touchscreen console accommodates many of the controls such as heat, ventilation and air conditioning

78

providing a clean uncluttered cabin space.

High-quality soft-touch materials appear throughout the interior, lifting the look and feel to a new level while the broad ridge of the dashboard blends seamlessly with the doors, wrapping around front occupants like a deep gorge. These futuristic features provide an even more progressive feeling and bring new levels of high-tech design to the Tucson.

Connected car services come through the latest version of Hyundai’s Bluelink system and offer a range of new benefits such as connected routing, ‘last mile’ navigation and a new user profile feature.

Meanwhile, customers can locate their vehicle, lock and unlock it remotely, or view vehicle attributes like fuel level, via the Bluelink app. In addition, Hyundai LIVE Services add real-time parking information and fuel station locations including prices, as well as weather information.

Destinations or points of interest can also

be sent from the app to the in-car navigation system.

The new Tucson also boasts best-in-class active safety and driving assistance systems designed to maintain your position on the road, avoid collisions and enhance driver visibility.

Details are yet to be confirmed however the all-new Hyundai Tucson is expected to be available to order in the UK from spring 2021, starting at around £25,000. ■ To find out more, contact John Mulholland Hyundai Randalstown or Campsie.

MOTORING

New Octavia means business

S

koda is ramping up the value for fleet customers and company car drivers with the launch of new Octavia SE Technology models.

The brand has developed a significant presence in the fleet sector, largely thanks to its value-packed SE Technology models that have been created specifically to meet the demands of company car drivers.

The new Octavia SE Technology models build on the strengths of their predecessors, which were acclaimed across the fleet market for their practicality, high equipment levels and remarkable value for money.

SE Technology models offer two engine options with power outputs ranging from 115PS to 150PS. The petrol option is a 1.5 TSI 150PS while the diesel offering is a 2.0 TDI unit that develops 115PS. Both drive through a six-speed manual gearbox.

In terms of standard equipment, Octavia SE Technology models feature 16-inch Twister Aero alloy wheels, LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, two-spoke leather multi-function steering wheel, voice control and front and rear parking sensors with manoeuvre assist.

80

To provide business drivers with the best possible connectivity on the road, all SE Technology models are equipped with Skoda’s range-topping Columbus infotainment system with 10-inch touchscreen display and digital virtual cockpit. For the first time, this new system can display the navigation maps in a different level of zoom on either screen. This new function can be adjusted via an innovative touch slider located below the display on the centre console, which can also be used to control the volume.

matrix headlights, an electrically operated boot, integrated tow bar and larger 17-inch alloy wheels.

This new model is always online thanks to a built-in eSIM, enabling access to the latest Skoda Connect mobile online services. These include eCall, a comprehensive remote vehicle access and infotainment apps backed by online data, which is mandatory in the EU. The car features five USB-C ports; two in the front centre console for charging or connecting media devices and USB sticks, and a further three, one of which can optionally be housed in the overhead console above the rear-view mirror. Wireless Smartlink for Apple CarPlay is also fitted as standard.

And, as fleet and company car drivers have come to expect, the new Octavia is brimming with intelligent ‘simply clever’ features. These include a convenient filler tube for AdBlue enabling it to be filled up using a lorry pump nozzle while in the rear, two smartphone storage pockets on the front-seat backs are Skoda firsts.

A full range of options are also available, allowing drivers to tailor their car to meet their exact needs. Options include full LED

The fourth-generation Octavia is longer and wider than its predecessor, has an even larger boot while the new interior combines classleading practicality with functionality and quality materials. The estate’s boot capacity, which is the largest in the segment, has increased by another 30 litres to 640 litres. The hatch can now hold 600 litres – 10 litres more than before.

Both models are equipped with multifunctional storage pocket below the boot cover, with the estate adding an automatically retractable load cover. The storage compartment in the front doors feature the familiar umbrella while a filling funnel integrated into the lid of the windscreen washer tank is yet another new feature in the Octavia. ■

MOTORING

More Micra for your money

T

he Nissan Micra is now more appealing than ever thanks to an extensively revised powertrain line-up along with a number of styling and specification upgrades. It gives the car a much more upmarket, refined feel to it.

Three new customer choices have been added to the Micra range – an all-new upgraded and more efficient turbocharged petrol engine with ‘world-first’ technology – the debut of an Xtronic automatic linked to the same engine; plus the arrival of a more powerful ‘warm hatch’ flagship with lowered ride height, revised suspension and sharper steering.

In addition, Nissan has also launched an allnew special version, the Micra N-Sport, which features an exclusive design upgrade both inside and outside the car. Each new version offers improved powertrain refinement and response on all road surfaces and in all driving conditions.

The three new powertrains have been

NOVEMBER 2020

developed through the Renault-NissanMitsubishi Alliance which push the boundaries of what is possible from a three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. Each offers the highest levels of performance and refinement to customers, meets the strictest standards of reliability and durability as well as reduced CO2 emissions.

engine, linked to a more performanceoriented six-speed manual transmission. It is not simply a retuned and more powerful version of the IG-T 100 PS unit, but a completely different engine. It has been developed in conjunction with Daimler, alongside the 1.3-litre petrol engine recently launched in the Qashqai.

The all-new 1.0-litre turbocharged IG-T petrol delivers 100 PS through a five-speed manual transmission. Its launch in the Micra marks the debut of this engine in any Alliance vehicle, and includes world-first technologies for a 1.0-litre petrol unit.

Still with only three-cylinders, the DIG-T 117 PS engine is engineered to offer customers a more performance-oriented drive, with 180 Nm of torque plus an additional 20 Nm on the overboost.

Customers choosing the new 1.0-litre 100 PS manual will experience an improved engine response through quicker acceleration. This can be noted from a standing start – where the pull-away is now smoother – as well as in-gear acceleration.

The new flagship in the Micra range is the 1.0-litre DIG-T 117 PS turbocharged petrol

Comparing the two new engines – the 100 PS and the 117 PS – the latter has noticeably more acceleration which is prolonged further through the rev range.

There is obviously more power, but also more torque and with maximum output lower in the rev range. The result is a 0-100 km/h time of 9.9 seconds for the 117 PS. Prices for the Micra range start around £14,500. ■

81

MOTORING

Back to the future

T

he e-2008 is Peugeot’s first electric SUV and the second full electric model after the 208. The brand is on its way to implementing its strategy of providing an electric version of every model in its range by 2023. Peugeot’s new generation electric vehicles (EVs) aims to fulfil the brand’s philosophy of ‘Unboring the Future’ by offering customers the option to ‘choose your Peugeot, choose your powertrain’ without compromising on space, technology, looks or driving sensations.

The e-2008 SUV is powered by a 100kW (136bhp) electric motor and 50kWh battery.

Under WLTP testing, the 100% electric zeroemission SUV will achieve 193 miles of range.

Capable of supporting 100kW rapid charging technology, an 80% charge will take just 30 minutes, while a full charge using conventional 7.4kW and 11kW fast chargers will take between eight hours and five hours. A full charge from a domestic plug will take up to 20 hours.

While the e-2008 is bristling with technology, Peugeot’s own history of electric vehicles goes

82

back to the Second World War. In 1941, faced with the German occupation and fuel shortages, Peugeot developed a unique alternative for the time: the VLV, a small car designed with an electric drivetrain.

This was the first Peugeot electric vehicle and was intended to meet the transport needs of those whose vehicle had been requisitioned or could not be driven due to a lack of fuel, which was often rationed and very expensive.

Its range was 43 to 50 miles at speeds up to 21mph. It was mostly used by postal workers and doctors.

Fast forward to 2020 and the 2008 comes with the Peugeot 3D i-Cockpit, featuring a compact multifunction steering wheel, configurable 3D instrument panel display, either a seven inch or 10 inch HD colour touchscreen (according to version) and seven gloss black toggle ‘piano switches.

The interior can also be personalised with a choice of eight LED mood lighting colours.

Customers will benefit from mirror screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard across all versions, and connected 3D navigation and full park assist, both available from GT Line.

It also comes fitted with a range of safety technologies, including speed limit recognition and recommendation, driver attention warning, lane-keeping technologies and programmable cruise control with speed limiter.

Using the MyPeugoet app, drivers are able to monitor, start, stop or programme charging remotely, while the Mode 3 Type 2 cable that is provided as standard with the e-2008 allows full charge in 7.5 hours on a 7kW charging point.

The new EV comes with three different driving modes, Sport, Normal and Eco – and two regenerative braking modes – moderate and increased – to help make maximise the range.

Customers placing an order for an e-2008 SUV will benefit from a free Home Charging Point supplied through our charging partner Pod Point, together with a free 6-month public charging subscription.

The e-2008 SUV full electric Active trim is £309 a month over 48 months with an initial payment of £5,500 and an optional final payment of £11,709. ■

MOTORING

Electric car sales continue to soar

O

ne in 10 new car sales across the UK are now electric or plug-in hybrid models, according to fresh figures.

The sale of the greener motors grew substantially to account for more than one in 10 registrations as new models continue to increase consumer choice Overall, Demand for battery electric vehicles increase by 184.3% compared with September last year, with the month accounting for a third of all 2020’s electric registrations, according to the The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

“Even with this growth, however, meeting accelerated ambitions for uptake of these vehicles will require government to get behind a truly world-class package of incentives – alongside binding targets on infrastructure to reassure consumers that recharging will be as easy as re-filling,” the SMMT said.

NOVEMBER 2020

“The relaxation of Covid lockdown restrictions from June saw consumers return to showrooms and factories restart production lines, after one of the bleakest periods in the sector’s history. The market still faces continued pressure, however, with myriad challenges over the next quarter.

“Brexit uncertainty and the threat of tariffs still concerns the industry, while the shift towards zero emission-capable vehicles is demanding huge investment from the sector, and stalling fleet renewal across all technologies is hampering efforts to meet climate change and air quality targets now.”

Overall, the UK new car market declined 4.4% in September. The sector recorded 328,041 new registrations in the month – the weakest September since the introduction of the dual number plate system in 1999.

Northern Ireland saw a fall of around 2.5%, while England saw the biggest slump of 5.2%. However, both Scotland and Wales saw

small rises in the number of new vehicles powering out of showrooms.

In Northern Ireland, the Ford Fiesta and Focus were the best selling cars – with more than 800 of each sold during September.

That was followed by the Hyundai Tucson, with 781 and the Volkswagen Golf on 699.

Speaking about sales generally across the UK, Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, “During a torrid year, the automotive industry has demonstrated incredible resilience, but this is not a recovery.

“Despite the boost of a new registration plate, new model introductions and attractive offers, this is still the poorest September since the two-plate system was introduced in 1999. Unless the pandemic is controlled and economy-wide consumer and business confidence rebuilt, the short-term future looks very challenging indeed.” ■

83

APPOINTMENTS

The agri-food business, ABP Food Group has appointed Chris Martin as a nonexecutive director to its board. He has over 35 years’ experience of working in retail and consumer facing businesses.

Dr Jayne Brady MBE, Belfast digital innovation commissioner, has been appointed to the new UK Innovation Expert Group, which will provide advice on how to drive up the UK’s productivity through innovation.

Ulster Bank has appointed Richard Lusty as a new regional performance manager within its corporate, commercial and business banking team.

Amanda Ward has been appointed as a partner in Grant Thornton’s financial services advisory unit. She has over 16 years’ industry and professional services experience.

John Guerin, former president of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, has been appointed a head of both the Belfast and Derry offices for insurance risk and commercial law firm BLM. Jillian Hoy has been appointed research manager with the research body, AgriSearch. She was previously employed with the Scottish Wildlife Trust where she was responsible for project managing.

Gemma Reilly is now spa manager at the Slieve Donard Hotel. She has been employed by Hastings Hotels since 2017 when she undertook the trainee manager programme. She is now responsible for the day-to-day running of The Spa at Slieve Donard.

Sodexo has appointed David Fox as managing director for Sodexo in Ireland and Northern Ireland. He has held several senior management roles within the organisation.

Brian O’Sullivan has been promoted internally to partner at Grant Thornton having spent his recent years contributing heavily to the continued growth of its financial services audit department.

84

1 PHOTOCALL

1. Announcing the energy partnership between Flogas and the Irish Men’s Shed Association are Frank Dillon, Irish Men’s Sheds Association, John Rooney, managing director, Flogas Ireland, Flogas brand ambassador David Gillick, Eamonn O Connor, Rostrevor Men’s Shed.

2

3

4

2. Pictured in Comber Community Garden are Iris Oliver (Volunteer of the Year) with the Mayor of Ards and North Down, Trevor Cummings, and Jason Aitcheson (Young Volunteer of the Year).

86

3. Belfast Harbour says it remains committed to the £115.7m of investments in significant projects announced. It comes as it held its annual stakeholder meeting.

Pictured is its chief executive, Joe O’Neill and Ellvena Graham, chair of the Economic Advisory Group.

5

4. Launching Taste Ards and North Down are the Mayor of Ards and North Down, Trevor Cummings, with Amelda Gilmore and Mark Hanna from Saltwater Brig.

5. Pictured representing their teams in the ABP Angus Youth Challenge are Alan Kelly of Fivemiletown College, Samantha Todd, Wallace High School, Jack Owens, the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Molly Bradley, Aughnacloy College.

6 PHOTOCALL 6. Law firm Arthur Cox has made two senior appointments at its Belfast office with Lynsey Mallon, left, named the new head of the corporate and commercial team and Stuart Mansfield, right, becoming head of banking and finance.

Welcoming their promotions, Arthur Cox chairman in Northern Ireland Alan Taylor, and managing partner Catriona Gibson.

7

8

9

7. A new £20m multi-storey parking facility officially opened on the Grosvenor Road in Belfast city centre. Pictured marking the opening are Value Car Parks directors Stephen McCausland, Jonathan McCausland, Emma McCausland and Peter McCausland.

NOVEMBER 2020

8. Translink has been awarded the Bronze Diversity Mark by awarding body Diversity Mark NI. Pictured is Translink group chief executive Chris Conway with Christine White, head of business at Diversity Mark NI.

10

9. McCool’s SuperValu in Ballymoney claimed the title of SuperValu Store of the Year for the third year running. Pictured is the team from McCool’s SuperValu with owner Peter McCool (back centre).

10. Angela McCartney, Business in the Community and Leslie Smyth of the Department of Finance launch Get Online Week, which aims to help people get online and improve their digital skills.

87

11 PHOTOCALL

11. Early stage startup entrepreneurs and innovators from across Northern Ireland can now apply to take part in Propel 2021, the region’s most competitive pre-accelerator programme.

Pictured are those involved in Propel 2020.

12

14

12. Corporate law firm A&L Goodbody has announced social enterprise and wellbeing charity Inspire as its new charity partner.

Pictured is Amyee Taylor, A&L Goodbody with Lisa McElherron, Inspire and Mark Stockdale, A&L Goodbody.

88

13. Francesca McDonagh, group chief executive, Bank of Ireland is pictured with Mary TrainorNagele, chief executive, Arts & Business Northern Ireland, at the launch of Bank of Ireland Begin Together Arts Fund.

13

15

14. Peter Wilkinson, area manager at Peter Mark, Kerry Boyd chief executive, Autism NI with Kathryn Flanagan and Rachel Gribben, pictured at the launch of the 2020 ‘Petermarkathon’.

15. Economy Minister Diane Dodds pictured with Mark McConville, managing director of Priory Press Packaging. It’s investing £1m in new machinery as part of plans to grow the business into new markets.

16 PHOTOCALL

16. Townsend Enterprise Park has launched a new ‘Made in Townsend Street’ marketing support package to help its 46 businesses. Pictured are Danny McGill, Peter Darragh, Margaret Patterson McMahon, Claire and Karen Gibson, Alan Cox and Anita McCann.

17

18

19

17. Drinks firm Boost has launched a new initiative aimed at inspiring and enabling local people to fulfil their dreams and follow their passion. Pictured are Marty McNally who is a graphic designer and a DJ and Katharine Walker who is a nurse, presenter and model.

NOVEMBER 2020

18. John Ferris, Ulster Bank pictured with Tina Lauro Pollock and Brendan Drain from Brain and Nerd. The game development studio has been selected for the Creative Europe Media programme and given a grant of €150,000 to develop its new computer game, Hortalius.

20

19. Pete McFetridge, founder of Mountain Technologies, HBAN investor Domhnall O’Neill, Ken Armstrong of Mountain Technologies with Jim Curran from Clarendon Fund Managers.

Mountain Technologies has received funding from HBAN.

20. Julia Corkey, chief Executive of ICC Belfast, Economy Minister Diane Dodds and Brenda Morgan, chair of the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance (NITA), after the minister addressed the AGM of the NITA.

89

21 PHOTOCALL

21. Belfast City Council chief executive Suzanne Wylie, Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Frank McCoubrey and chief executive of Belfast Chamber of Commerce, Simon Hamilton, join to show their support to the retail and hospitality sector across the city.

22

24

22. Helping to encourage the public to #GiftTheCity by supporting businesses through the Belfast City Centre Gift Card initiative are Damien Corr, Destination CQ, Kathleen McBride, Belfast One and Chris McCracken, Linen Quarter.

90

23. Pictured accepting the Best Employer for Equality & Diversity in NI award at Bank of Ireland UK in Belfast is Kerry Hinks, Bank of Ireland UK, (centre) with Barry Phillips, curator of the Northern Ireland Equality and Diversity Awards, and Judith Hearty, Bank of Ireland UK.

23

25

24. Barbara Snowarska with chief executive of sponsor Neueda, Brendan Monaghan, Joseph Ricketts and Donna Nalongo Namukasa. The three are recipients of the Belfast Ambassador Medal.

25. Mervyn Storey MLA and Cara Hunter MLA (right), join Craig Adair, head of network Delivery at Fibrus, at the announcement of the firm’s latest plans which will bring £14m investment to the Causeway Coast and Glens.

26 PHOTOCALL

26. Orla Ryan, Michelle Wylie and Shauna Ryan of NI-PPE.com, with Nichola Lockhart, chief executive of Ards Business Hub as the healthcare company has increased capacity to provide more personal protective equipment (PPE) to healthcare professionals.

27

28

29

27. Dr Jayne Brady MBE, Belfast digital innovation commissioner, has been appointed to the new UK Innovation Expert Group that will provide advice on how to drive up the UK’s productivity through innovation. She’s pictured with Belfast City Council chief executive, Suzanne Wylie.

NOVEMBER 2020

28. 3T Power has announced a partnership with Smiley Monroe.

Pictured are David McElrea, 3T Power, Tim Monroe, Smiley Monroe with 3T Power and Mary Lilley, Smiley Monroe.

30

29. First Minister Arlene Foster and Junior Minister Declan Kearney (right) following a meeting with US Special Envoy Mick Mulvaney.

30. Environment Minister Edwin Poots has announced the allocation of an additional £645,000 of funding for environmental projects. He’s pictured with Heather McLachlan, Joshua Watts and John Wadsworth from the National Trust.

91

TRAVEL

Masterclass in how to outwit Kilkenny’s smart brown trout At Mount Juliet, the food and the falconry were memorable, but for Peter Vandermeersch, the grand fishing experience was a five-star joy

T

he moment I asked the question, it was clear that I was already in trouble: “Are trout smart fish?”

I wondered out loud, while trying to wriggle into long rubber waders. Dan O’Neill, the fishery manager of Mount Juliet Estate, looked at me with a twinkle in his eyes. “Tonight, you will know the answer to that question,” he remarked, while handing fishing rods to my son and me and heading for the River Nore.

A glorious day of fishing was about to begin.

It all started with a tricky father-son dilemma.

My son Sebastian, who is 20 and half Irish, loves to fish. A student in London, he made me promise to take him for a day trip to catch wild salmon or trout when he came back to Ireland earlier this month.

As for me, I do love to go fishing with him but, I have to admit, only when I can do so in luxurious circumstances. So, I’ll agree to stand a whole day in a river, but in return I really want to stay in plush surroundings and be served a delicious meal in the evening. The answer to our dilemma: the five-star Mount Juliet Estate in Co Kilkenny with its grand fishing experience.

94

I knew Mount Juliet, which lies a little more than an hour from Dublin, from its great reputation. Friends who are keen golfers were lyrical about the Jack Nicklaus-designed course set across 180 acres of rolling green countryside. Recently, it was voted Ireland’s Best Parkland Golf Course by The Golfer’s Guide to Ireland. Mount Juliet’s famous par-four fourth was featured in the Irish Independent’s ‘Top 50 Holes in Irish Golf’.

It might be a paradise for golfers, but my son and I weren’t after eagles and birdies, but salmon and brown trout – the Mount Juliet Estate is situated on the renowned River Nore and offers its guests plenty of fishing opportunities. So, we booked a day out with Dan O’Neill, who would introduce flyfishing novices like us to the most important techniques.

I realise that I just said we’re not into eagles and birdies. Actually, we are. The day before we went fishing, we decided not only to explore Kilkenny, which according to my son is “one of the nicest towns in Ireland”, with its impressive castle and gardens, but also to take part in a Hawk Walk on the estate.

To be frank, I was afraid that it might be a bit of a tourist trap, for people who want to walk around with a bird of prey on their arm. Yet the more that Caroline from Hawkeye Falconry taught us about her eagles, hawks and owls, the more enthusiastic we both became.

It’s hard not to be impressed when a big hawk swoops down from the treetops to eat chicken meat off your (fortunately gloved) hand. It was cute, too, to see how that little owl flew back and forth between Sebastian and me.

Dan brought us to the Nore and taught us how to “give our dog a drink” (the rod goes down to the water), to “answer our phone” (the handle of the rod comes up to your ear), to wade through the fast-flowing water, to cast the line, to keep our eyes on the floating fly, and to repeat this over and over and over again. “No worries” when the hook and line get completely tangled up, the fly is lost or the hook is stuck. Dan was helping us out again and again and again.

The stretch of river at the White Bridge, where we were fishing, must be one of the most peaceful places on earth. During the entire day,

TRAVEL

from 9am to 5pm, there were literally only the three of us.

I only know some of that history of the place because yesterday, my son and I met Des McGrath, a friendly local man of about 70 years of age. He started work as a caddy at the estate 14 years ago, but now proudly carries the title ‘guest relations manager’ on his badge. Guest relations manager turns out to be an elaborate name for ‘local historian’, or ‘the man who knows everything about Mount Juliet’, or just ‘the man who likes to tell good tales’.

“Indeed, I like to hold fireside chats,” Des tells us. “Back in March, before Covid-19, I had one day an audience of 88 people listening to me from 5pm until 6.30pm. An hour and a half!

And you could hear a pin drop.”

Then off he goes, about this estate, which was built between 1752 and 1757 by the Earl of Carrick as a gesture for his wife, Lady Juliana (Juliet). About the Walton family and Oliver Cromwell, about the Civil War and the McCalmont family, about the fact that there were 100 people working there, about Tiger

NOVEMBER 2020

Woods, who won the WGC-American Express Championship at the estate in 2002 and about, Owen Brennan.

“You don’t know who Owen Brennan is?”

Des challenges me. “He worked here between 1940 and 1944 as a blacksmith before emigrating to the US. In 2013 he came back to visit this place with his two sons. I showed them around. Owen, Tom and John Brennan.

Indeed… that man, John Brennan, was by then head of the CIA.” He smiles.

Talking of lunch, when we had arranged the fishing, the hotel asked if there were any allergies or dietary requirements that the kitchen should take into account when preparing our picnic. And what a picnic. Out of a big basket came: two blankets, three crystal glasses, bottles of still and sparkling water and fresh fruit juice, linen serviettes, wooden cutlery, boxes of sandwiches with salmon, egg, cheese, ham – not to mention the scones, cakes, whipped cream and fresh fruit.

The quality of the food is indeed one of the many reasons to visit Mount Juliet. The evening before our fishing experience, Sebastian and

I had booked a table for two in the Lady Helen Restaurant. For the last seven years, the restaurant has proudly carried a Michelin star.

The ‘seven-course signature tasting menu’ (€105 £95 a head) was a true gastronomic journey, featuring scallops (leek velouté, seaweed, cucumber); cod (violet artichoke, broad beans, lemon); Kilkenny rosé veal (girolles, parsley, vin jaune sauce). Then the desserts were still to come.

Jonathan, we had learnt from Dan, is indeed a skilled fly fisherman, easily catching four or five big trout every time he leaves his wine cellar for the river.

As for me, by the end of the day I indeed got an answer to my question: are trout smart fish? My son at least caught one decent brown trout. Me… I only caught two tiny ones, who clearly were not yet smart enough to avoid biting on my bait. Obviously, I released them back into the river, where they can grow bigger and get smarter. And when they’re bigger, I’ll go back and try to catch them again because (excuse the horrible pun), I really am hooked on this five-star fishing experience. ■

95

TECHNOLOGY

Nothing beats Apple for features in smartwatch market Having worn every Apple Watch since the first one debuted five years ago, the new Series 6 flagship model is as much about refinement as it is new features, writes Adrian Weckler

96

TECHNOLOGY

The headline new feature for the Series 6 model may be its new blood oxygen measurement sensor but, so far, I have found some incremental improvements to be as relevant. These are: marginally improved battery life, a slightly brighter ‘always on’ display (when outside) and very slight power improvements.

I’ll start with the blood oxygen sensor, sometimes called a pulse oximeter. This tries to measure the efficiency of your red blood cells in carrying oxygen around your body. It’s generally considered a sign that your body’s working well as low levels can sometimes indicate a health problem that needs to be checked out.

The way that the Watch measures this is through a 15-second process that uses the light sensors on the underside of the Watch.

You can do this manually on the Watch or allow it to sporadically take readings throughout the day.

A healthy reading is typically supposed to be between 95% and 100%, although being under that doesn’t necessarily mean you have a problem.

In my case, it has returned results that mostly hover over 95%. But about one in five readings are under 95%. One, from last weekend, gave me a (slightly shocking) 83%.

When I manually activate it, it sometimes won’t give me a result, suggesting that the Watch (or my wrist) isn’t properly positioned.

Apple Watch 6 £379

B

efore I get into the features, it’s worth restating a fact: the Apple Watch is easily the best all-round smartwatch you can buy from a pure functionality perspective. No other smart wearable has quite the range of features, ease-of-use and integration that the square wrist-screen has. I’ve tested most of this year’s big releases and the Watch 6 comes out top, overall.

NOVEMBER 2020

There is a fair question here about accuracy and reliability. Apple, to be clear, doesn’t pretend that this is some sort of medical instrument, but only intended as a guide to potentially help spot patterns or problems.

Any medical professional that has commented on such smartwatch sensors have pointed out that even hospital-grade instruments can have a margin of error when measuring this sort of thing.

Apple’s Watch 6 isn’t the only smartwatch to have this feature, by the way – Garmins and a handful of other brands have had them for a while.

Sleep tracking, a big gap in the Apple Watch’s health arsenal, has also been added Whatever its ultimate veracity, the addition of this new feature is a sign of Apple’s deepening conviction that the Watch is meant to be as much of a ‘wellness’ device as a fitness gadget or an accessory to your smartphone. In this regard, the Watch 6 retains its other ‘wellness’ features, such as fall detection and an ECG sensor to detect potential heart issues.

Sleep tracking, a big gap in the Apple Watch’s health arsenal, has also been added, although this is a feature brought in by WatchOS 7 rather than the new physical hardware.

There are a few other things of note. The ‘always on’ display is over twice as bright as last year’s (still excellent) Series 5 model, when it’s in its standby dimmed mode. But this is only the case in very bright conditions, like being outside on a sunny day. There isn’t much, if any difference, in lower light conditions. This is probably to save battery life.

The Series 6 is also the only available Apple Watch to have an ‘always on’ display, which is an important factor for me as I prefer not to have to raise or flick my wrist every time I want to quickly glance at the time.

Battery life on the new Apple Watch is slightly improved on last year’s model. If you mostly use it passively, you’ll get 36-48 hours between charges. I typically get around 36 hours, except on days I used its fitness features a lot.

For instance, I took a two-hour bike ride at the weekend, followed by a walk in the park.

On both occasions, I used its Workout app to time myself. That cut the battery life a bit and I needed to charge it again within 24 hours.

There are new colours and bands. My Watch 6 has blue casing, a first for an Apple Watch.

There are new bands called ‘solo loops’ that do away with clasps, buckles or tighteners and let you just slip the Watch on or off. ■

97

Uncovering the 9-5 NAME: Alex Thomas POSITION: Master blender, The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey 6am By 6am I am up, showered and ready for my daily walk with our three dogs around the forest near where I live. It’s a nice, peaceful start to the day. I then leave home at 7.30am for the short drive to the distillery on the north coast.

8am My working day starts in the mash house, where the malted barley is unloaded ready for milling and beginning the mashing process for The Sexton. Working with The Sexton distilling team, I will carry out quality checks and ensure the process is running smoothly from mashing right through to distillation in our copper pot stills.

11am Lifting samples in The Sexton barrel store is a highlight of my day. I care for each cask while it lays in the warehouses and draw samples to ensure each cask is maturing to The Sexton’s standards.

12pm Once the samples are lifted, it’s off to the lab for analysis. I review the colour, aroma and taste of each sample to see how the maturing process is coming along. Only when it reaches the characteristics needed to be called The Sexton, will I release it for bottling.

9am I review my malted barley and yeast orders for the coming days – I work with the maltsters to select only the best malted barley to be shipped to the distillery for mashing. I then catch up on emails and have a call to check on our Oloroso Sherry casks seasoning in Spain.

2pm Brand education is an exciting part of a master blender’s role. I get to take fellow whiskey enthusiasts, bartenders and marketing teams on The Sexton journey, teaching them the story of the whiskey and hearing their thoughts and opinions.

10am Time for a quick break and good cup of coffee before heading to the maturation warehouses.

3pm The best part of being a master blender for me is the moment The Sexton spirit has reached

98

the required maturity and is ready to be released from the cask for bottling. I get to smell those amazing aromas and see the rich dark colour of the whiskey as I roll the barrel over and watch the liquid flow free.

4pm Once released from the cask, The Sexton whiskey is prepared for bottling. To see and hear the bottles as they clink their way along the bottling line is a proud moment, knowing that they are to be filled with something I have lovingly cared for. It’s an amazing feeling knowing they will journey on to be enjoyed by many people all over the world.

5pm Not many working days end at 5pm but when you love what you do it really doesn’t feel right to call it work. It’s a passion and a privilege to be part of creating something other people will enjoy while making memories with their friends and family. The Sexton is part of my life story and it’s there to be enjoyed while you write yours.