Business Cornwall Jul/Aug 23

FUTURE OF OUR HIGH STREETS

WHAT LIES IN STORE FOR TOWN CENTRES?

ASK THE EXPERT LOCAL PROFESSIONALS ANSWERING SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS

Vertu Land Rover Truro

6 Cornwall Business Park West, Scorrier, Redruth, TR16 5BN

0344 234 6119

vertumotors.com/land-rover

Official Fuel Economy and CO2 results for the Range Rover Sport Autobiography 23MY extended-range Plug-In Electric Hybrid range in mpg (1/100km) (weighted combined): 353.1-313.9 (0.8-0.9). CO2 Emissions (weighted combined) 18-20g/km. Equivalent all-eletric range: 70 miles (112 km). The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation with a fully charged battery. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ. CO2, fuel economy, energy consumption and range figures may vary according to factors such as driving styles, enviromental conditions, load, wheel fitment, accessories fitted, actual route and battery condition. Using 50kW rapid DC charger. Charging times will vary dependent on many factors, including: the age, condition, temperature and existing charge or the battery facility used and duration of charge. For more information and to configure your vehicle visit landrover.co.uk. Vertu Land Rover is a trading name of Albert Farnell Limited which is an authorised representative of Bristol Street First Investments Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Company registration number 00391896. VAT Registration number 902737238. Registered office: Vertu House, Fifth Avenue Business Park, Team Valley, Gateshead, NE11 0XA.

PHOTO: NEW CLASSIC YACHT RACE LAUNCHES

WELCOME

ON THE COVER

SEE PAGE 10

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Nick Eyriey nick@businesscornwall.co.uk

PUBLISHER

Toni Eyriey toni@businesscornwall.co.uk

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

MANAGER Morveth Ward morveth@businesscornwall.co.uk

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Caroline Carter caroline@businesscornwall.co.uk

DESIGN

Ade Taylor design@businesscornwall.co.uk

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BY EDITOR NICK EYRIEY

A numbers game

The cost of living crisis is continuing to impact on lives and businesses across the country. And while there are some positive signs that the pace of inflation is beginning to slow down, soaring mortgage costs mean the spectre of a recession is still a very real concern.

With consumer spending power being squeezed like never before, it will be interesting to see how business will be for the region’s tourism industry this season.

The early indications are that while people are still coming to Cornwall on their holidays, although with numbers slightly down, there will be a general tightening of belts.

Despite the sunny weather, numbers were also lower than last year at last month’s Royal Cornwall Show (118,201 compared to 120, 671), but still rightly considered by organisers as “a very good attendance”.

One traditional barometer on the health of the economy and consumer spending has been the high street. But for a raft of reasons, Britain’s high streets aren’t what they were and are increasingly having to reinvent themselves.

In this month’s issue we ask what the future holds for Cornwall’s high streets. Independent retail? Leisure? Housing? Office space? Or perhaps a mix of everything? Turn to page ten for the full story.

Have a good summer.

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TOBY WELLER Photographer

For me personally, I find it easy to stay motivated everyday because of the sheer variety and joy that my work brings. Each and every shoot draws new challenges and my motivation comes from knowing I have to deliver superb images for my clients. When I send my photos through after an assignment, I like to know I’ve delivered the best results I am capable of and that my customer will receive the quality images they are expecting. I always say you are only as good as your last photoshoot, and this stays in my mind every time I pick up the camera. Also, I flippin’ love my work and doing it here with the great people of Cornwall, who needs more motivation than that! Keep smiling!

MATT MILLER Mor Workspace

There are a few key parts to staying motivated and focussed that I think are really important but having fun along the way is crucial. Setting goals and allocating time to various tasks is a great start. Making sure that you have an inspiring and fun space to work, somewhere where you actually want to be!

I tend to overthink a lot if I’m not careful so knowing yourself and how you work best is really important.

SARA PUGH Eight Wire

For me it is people... my team at Eight Wire help to motivate and support me - their enthusiasm rubs off and I, in turn, can

support them. We are also blessed with our clients; working on different projects, across different platforms with a diverse client based spanning many sectors means there is always something new to focus on and learn about.

This diversity combined with interests outside of Eight Wire helps to keep things fresh and interesting and allows me to remain enthusiastic and focused when running my business.

ROBERT RUSH PFA Research

Well, I could say it’s all about working to the vision, hitting targets and that I’m a highly driven person... but when it comes down to keeping it going day to day, and you employ lots of people, there’s nothing more motivating than knowing you have hungry mouths to feed. It gives all the motivation you need to go win contracts, get the work delivered efficiently, raise the invoices and know that you make the payroll. And I love the thrill of the chase!

ANDREW DAVENPORT Focus Technology

I stay motivated by looking at the goals ahead. As a business we grow, develop, and adapt to what is happening in our industry which is always exciting. There is always something new to learn. We invest in the team, the culture and, the knowledge to ensure our focus matches with the client’s needs. As a natural problem solver, the industry suits me well so being faced with challenges daily keeps me motivated to learn and move ever forwards.

AMANDA WINWOOD Made for Life Organics

I have been doing this for 20 years now and still leap out of bed in the morning! Why? Because I absolutely love what we do as a business and how we change lives. So, my top tip for any business owners is that if you fall out of love with your business, you need to take stock. Does it still motivate you and how do you feel at the end of the day? If you don’t love what you do then diversify or move on.

How do I stay focused? Have clear goals and objectives and know that the plan is not always the path. Things change and times are challenging currently. Communicate regularly and with your team and LISTEN. Make sure that you revisit your offering and what you represent regularly. Keep an eye on the money and be aware of profitability vs sales. Don’t say ‘yes ‘to everything unless it fits with your vision and values as a brand.

LYNN FILE Brand Innovation

The trick is to make sure you love your work and it resonates with your values. One of the big benefits of running your own business is that you have some choice over which projects you take on. Nowadays, I only work on projects I find stimulating and worthwhile, with clients who are on the same wavelength. Avoid projects and people that could drag you down. All my current clients are innovative go-getters and I really enjoy working with them. Work is energising rather than a drain. That certainly makes it easier to stay motivated.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Tugdock has secured new investment from a US-based supply chain company serving the offshore wind sector. Falmouthbusiness Tugdock is the developer of the world’s first road-transportable floating dry dock – the Tugdock Submersible Platform (TSP) – and the new partnership with Crowley will look to help advance offshore wind energy in the US.

An award winning family-run shop in Fowey has relaunched with a new name and look. Any Old Lights, winners of Best New Retailer 2017, has rebranded as Any Old Vintage with its stock of vintage maritime and industrial lighting to include clothes, vinyl, toys and homewares.

Scorrier-based fuel distributor, Mitchell & Webber, received a special award recognising its promotion of HVO and the Future Ready Fuel campaign, at the UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association conference in Coventry. Mitchell & Webber was the first company in the UK to begin trialling HVO as a renewable fossil-free fuel for heating.

China Fleet Country Club was named Planet Saver Green Business of The Year at the Devon and Plymouth Chamber Awards. China Fleet Country Club has introduced a range of green initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, including the installation of 373kWh of solar panels.

The Truro office of accountancy firm Bishop Fleming has selected Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust as its chosen charity for the next 12 months. Bishop Fleming plans to raise £7.5k through joint fundraising activities over the next 12 months.

Ministers are being warned that electricity grid constraints in minerals-rich areas like Cornwall will hold back the development of strategic national resources vital to a raft of British industries, from car making to defence. Research shows that Cornwall alone could meet more than half the UK’s 2030 demand for lithium, which is an essential component of electric vehicle batteries and the transition to net zero.

In line with Government demands in the UK Critical Minerals Strategy to accelerate homegrown capacity, industry leaders are calling for the infrastructure to be put in place to power a domestic critical minerals industry.

In particular they want power from planned floating windfarms in the Celtic Sea to be landed directly in Cornwall. This would require the local grid to be significantly upgraded and unlock more renewable energy generation from wind, solar and geothermal to power critical minerals extraction.

Glenn Caplin-Grey, chief executive of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise

GRID CAPACITY WARNING

Partnership (LEP), said: “Cornwall is vital to delivering the Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy but has one of the most constrained grid networks in the UK. We have some of the best natural resources in the world including wind, solar and geothermal. But renewable energy generators have been told they have to wait more than ten years for a grid connection.

“Meanwhile we have a minerals industry desperate for clean power so they can produce the raw materials like lithium and tin that are vital to UK industry and the energy transition. It should be a virtuous circle but feels more like a stuck record.

“We are encouraging both the National Grid and The Crown Estate to consider the wider strategic requirements of our region in the UK’s national interest.”

HELP! SOMEONE ELSE HAS REGISTERED MY DOMAIN NAME

By Frederick Noble, British and

Attorney at Albright IP.

REGION BUCKS NATIONAL DEALS TREND

The south west was one of just two English regions to see an increase in equity deals in 2022, with three deals a week completed on average with a total value of more than half a billion pounds.

The British Business Bank’s annual Small Business Equity Tracker shows that 155 equity deals were completed in the south west last year, an increase of 4%. Yorkshire and The Humber and Wales were the only two other nations or English regions that saw an increase in deal numbers.

Overall deal value in the south west was down by almost a third (32%) to £540 million following a record year in 2021, which included several £50 million-plus deals. Nationally there was an 11% decline in total UK investment value to £16.7 billion, driven by a downturn in market conditions.

The total number of UK deals also saw a modest decline of 7%, falling from 2,912 in 2021 to 2,702, the first annual drop in equity deal volumes since the Beauhurst data series began in 2011.

Steve Conibear, UK network director, south

west said: “In the south west deal volumes held up well compared to nationally, but values fell, reflecting the wider market. Encouragingly however, the bank’s geographically focused programmes are playing an important role in increasing access to SME equity finance.

“Our regional fund in Cornwall and Scilly supported a third of all equity deals in that area in 2022 and we will shortly launch our £200 million South West Investment Fund. This is the first of our £1.6 billion Nations and Regions Investment Funds and covers the whole of the south west, offering equity investments of up to £5 million.”

It was a record year for university spinouts, with Falmouth performing well. University spinouts received a record 12% of total equity investment in 2022, at a value of £2 billion. The average deal size for university spinouts was £8.9 million, which was 33% higher than the wider market. Of all equity deals in the UK in this year, 8% were in university spinouts, totalling 226 deals.

CULTURAL FUNDING BOOST

Truro Cathedral, the Old Duchy Palace in Lostwithiel and 13 other historic sites are set to benefit after three organisations successfully bid for support from the Shared Prosperity Fund to ensure these cultural

For longer than most companies have even had websites, speculators have been trying to snap up domain names, often in the hope of selling them back to somebody who actually has a real business associated with that name for a great deal more than the initial cost of registration.

Fortunately, this activity is recognised as abusive and action can be taken by businesses, especially if they have registered trade marks, to force transfer of these domains.

The rules and procedure vary slightly for the different top level domains, i.e. based on whether it is a .com, .co.uk, etc. For UK domains you will need to show that firstly

assets can be enjoyed by residents for years to come.

Cornwall Heritage Trust has been awarded £260,634 to grow the charity, expand its outreach programme to schools, youth groups and local communities, and increase volunteer and training opportunities across

you have rights in the name registered, and secondly that the registration is abusive. Having a registered trade mark will help a lot, although unregistered common law rights to prevent use of a similar name can also count. There are a number of reasons that the registration could be abusive. If the person who registered has tried to sell it to you for a large amount of money that would be a strong ground. A registration will also be abusive if its use infringes your trade mark, among other things.

Procedurally, your case needs to be set out in full at the outset. You get one chance to get it right and so you need to take care to make sure that you put in evidence to prove

In Cornwall, Falmouth University tech spinout Codices secured £650k equity including £250k from the British Business Bank’s Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund. Cleantech investment has also been strong, with marine engineering business Triskel Marine in Hayle securing £3.2 million including £1 million from the bank’s Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund to grow the market for its power efficiency technology.

its 13 historic sites, which include Treffry Viaduct near Luxulyan, Castle an Dinas at St Columb Major and The Hurler Stone Circles near Bodmin Moor.

Cornwall Buildings Preservation Trust will use £188,453 to carry out a programme of works to future-proof Old Duchy Palace, while Truro Cathedral will see £112,410 of investment towards restoring St Mary’s Aisle.

the criteria are met – there is no opportunity to put in extra evidence later.

If you have a problem with an abusively registered domain name, or any other wrongful use of your brand, feel free to get in touch and we will see if we can help.

Albright IP, Pool Innovation Centre, Redruth, Cornwall TR15 3PL

fnoble@albright-ip.co.uk

+44 (0)1209 316161

STEVE CONIBEAR

TESTING TIME FOR CANADA

Canada-based space and aerospace company, Space Engine Systems, has signed a lease for a testing facility at Spaceport Cornwall, in a move designed to bring the next generation of propulsion technologies to Cornwall.

Building on the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations, the partnership provides a state-of-the-art facility for Space Engine Systems to test its reusable, horizontal take-off and landing vehicles.

Pradeep Dass, president & CTO at Space Engine Systems, said: “We have been working on this joint partnership with Cornwall for quite some time. It is the champions at Cornwall that have made this happen. Space Engine Systems is developing the lightest, reusable, multi-fuel propulsion system, and reusable, horizontal take-off and landing vehicles.”

Spaceport Cornwall business development manager, Ross Hulbert, added: “We are really excited to welcome Pradeep and the Space Engine Systems team to Cornwall. The company is developing cutting edge technology and from the very first meeting displayed a determination to collaborate with what we are doing in Cornwall.”

MBE FOR RIO CEO

Real Ideas Organisation CEO, Lindsey Hall, has been awarded an MBE in the King’s first official birthday honours list.

Hall received the accolade for her services to social enterprise and the community.

Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden MP, said: “This year’s honours list is a testament to ordinary people who have demonstrated extraordinary community spirit, and I pay tribute to all those from the south west who have been recognised.

Hall co-founded Real Ideas Organisation

(RIO) in 2007 with a mission “to take forward creative changemaking and apply it in a wider context”.

She helped grow it from a single community interest company (CIC) with six staff members to a CIC Group with around 100 people and a turnover of £5 million.

Her achievements include developing the Social Enterprise Qualification (SEQ) to support children and young people to set up social enterprises as social entrepreneurs, partnering with the British Council and the Scottish Social Enterprise Academy to support the global growth of social enterprise in schools and renovating several heritage buildings to turn them into creative socially enterprising spaces that support regeneration.

ENCOURAGING’ SIGNS

The agency team at Vickery Holman is reporting activity in the south west office market back at ‘pre-Covid levels’.

Good office space in Plymouth is said to be being snapped up at levels not seen since 2020. And the picture in Cornwall is similar.

Director of agency, Alan Treloar, said: “New builds take a while to be established here, but once they are, they go like hot potatoes. “We’ve managed around 12 lettings at Helston Business Park in the last three years as an example; it has become a popular place to be based and space there is now in short supply. The picture in Cornwall is encouraging. We’re seeing activity across the region in all markets, from office to leisure.”

‘

High Street? High noon for the

We take a look at the changing role of our town centres and the impact this has on the business community...

High streets up and down the country are struggling. There is no shortage of stories in the press about their demise, while boarded up shops have become an increasingly common sight in recent times. While it is true to say that the role of the high street is changing, it is not all a tale of doom and gloom. And to suggest that high streets are dying, is quickly taken to task.

Mark Warren, Newquay BID Manager, and former manager of New Look in Truro says the notion that Britain’s high streets are “dying” is a “very wide comment” and not accurate.

Richard Wilcox, executive director of one of Cornwall’s longest-running Business Improvement Districts – Falmouth BID – and also chair of the South West BIDs group, also gives short shrift to the suggestion – “…a broad-brush and simplistic approach to a complex picture and a message that at times, has been pushed out to sensationalise, sell newspapers or suit a political agenda!”

But they are changing. While once upon a time the high street was the domain of shops and banks, there is increasingly a more eclectic mixture beginning to take root.

Warren says: “There are certain places like Newquay that, albeit they have a tough winter, certainly across the last two challenging winters, the ‘high street’ most definitely comes fully alive in the spring and summer.

“Right along our high street and in surrounding areas, our Newquay vibrancy optimises, and the locals, the visitors and people from Cornwall all start coming into town to hang out, shop and socialise in our really varied and positive business area.”

Mark says the key thing for high streets is having a plan all year round and having lots of independent businesses who have really thought about how they run their businesses.

“It’s all about who are constantly thinking about new ways, new products, how they plan to save costs but plan all the way through the ups and downs. It’s about shops and businesses adjusting and selling different products. And it’s about them really working closely with the local community and customers and with us at BID to get the help and support they need to get through the naturally quieter winter months.

“Then, as they’re doing at the moment, they speed into the spring and summer seasons, laden with opportunities, and optimise their cashflow and yield for the year.”

While high streets like Newquay enjoy seasonal bounces from the tourists, it is a little different for towns in like Camborne.

Anna Pascoe is manager of the Camborne BID. She says businesses on the high street are up against a number of challenges. The cost of living, in particular, is hitting them and their customers hard. But the picture isn’t negative.

“Do I walk up Camborne high street and see 12 open, hard-working businesses that are integral parts of a bustling town for every one empty premises? I certainly do,” she says.

The key thing for high streets is having a plan all year round

ANNA PASCOE

BUSINESS RATES

Business rates continue to be a challenge, though. “We saw during covid that the rateable value of a business, although archaic, was a very blunt instrument where businesses could fall off a cliff edge for support just by having a large area, ie a restaurant or hotel,” she says.

“Investment, in particular access to grants, can still be really inaccessible to SMEs when applications can take months and months of work, requiring a high level of spreadsheet literacy. We need an agile mechanism that can inject support to good businesses and good businesspeople with good ideas.”

Tom Smith, a chartered surveyor and commercial property agent at Miller Commercial in Truro agrees. “Business rates have not been appropriately dealt with over the past five years,” he says, “and despite short term interventions by the Government, the system does not reflect accurately the change in consumer habits in recent years.

“There is an opportunity for the Government to be radical about how business rates are charged. They are an important source of tax revenue but they have to be proportionate and reflective of the market conditions and until there is long-term consistency and confidence in the rating system, it will inhibit long-term commitment to retail units.

“With a remodelled rating system, the high street would attract a far wider range of producers and traders, entrepreneurs and businesses as well as service providers to town centres.”

KEEPING AN OPEN MIND

She reports that Vickery Holman has seen activity around smaller retail units in good positions reviving, as people return to local shops and the tourism industry remains buoyant in Cornwall, bringing in the leisure spend.

“There is a role here for the redevelopment of the disused upper parts of commercial buildings in and around the High Street which could be converted into desirable, energy-efficient housing for young professionals,” she says.

CHANGES

Anna doesn’t believe the role of the modern day high street has changed that much “at street level”.

“Most trips are still made for buying provisions, homewares, clothing and gifts,” she explains. “The main change has been in the growth of self-care and wellbeing businesses. These days you might get your nails done each week whereas back in the day it might have been more typical to have your hair curled and set.

“A vibrant future high street, and I’m focusing particularly on Camborne here, will likely have an increased leisure/wellbeing component and the retail, work and living options that complement that.

“Living in the flat above your start-up business, walking down the street after work to a neighbourhood gym, meeting friends and family at a café have all taken on increased meaning since Covid and are still affordable and accessible to most people in Camborne.”

“This keeps people in towns and cities beyond office hours, and that is where we’ll see the potential for the High Street to reinvent itself as a ‘customer experience’ offering a mix of retail, leisure and residential.”

The biggest change to hit High Street fortunes in recent times has been, unsurprisingly, the swing to online shopping – a trend that was always gathering pace and then exacerbated by the pandemic. But there is some encouragement.

“That hasn’t gone away as we’ve all got back to normal, but there is a much bigger emphasis now on shopping local. This is not only because it’s more sustainable and better for the environment, but because we are all working from home more now, we are using our neighbourhood parades much more.

“This is why we’ve seen many neighbourhood parades maintain a low vacancy level. Of course, the coastal towns have done well with the leisure spend. Business rates have now been re-assessed and this has seen many retail units having a lower rateable value, which helps with affordability especially with other costs having increased substantially.”

The traditional role of the High Street is long, says Joanne, and its future will call a little creativity and innovation.

“The concept of multi-use High Streets and spaces is becoming more common, as well as increasing the dwell time,” she says.

“Stakeholders need to keep an open mind when considering opportunities, and those brave enough to try something different are most likely the ones who will be rewarded further down the line.”

Joanne High, head of commercial agency at Vickery Holman, says the health of the High Street paints a mixed picture.

Business rates continue to be a challenge

Tom Smith says the vibrant high street of the future will provide a whole range of retail opportunities and services.

He says: “Expect to see businesses that have previously worked on industrial estates and offices relocate to the high street as planning conditions have been relaxed to allow a much wider range of occupiers operate from high street premises without the need for planning consent.

“Big retail units are likely to become subdivided, offering more smaller units appealing to a wider occupier base.

“As such, small scale workshops, offices, studios, health & wellbeing services will become more common place on the high street. Look above the ground floor at first and second floor height.

“A major trend will be the re purposing of these floors to residential or other commercial practices rather than being left as redundant storage space that retailers no longer demand. If a property can access the upper floors, the potential for conversion or re purposing will mean more people living in town centres, which will generate more town centre spending.”

“The problem with living above the shop idea, which everyone talks about, is its’s great as an idea, but in practice, it’s really hard because as you go through the shop to get upstairs, there’s health and safety, fire risk regulations, all these things make it really hard.”

And he points to Penzance as a good example of high streets adapting to residential needs. “Chapel Street, which is our most successful street in the town, is a mixture of homes, restaurants, bars and shops. It’s quite normal to live and walk out your front door and go next door to the cafe or the restaurant or the bar.

“A really good case study on change of use is definitely Causeway Head in Penzance, where there are people living and the owner of the cinema, the Savoy, has put in about eight flats next door. We need more of that sort of thing.”

FRAGILE

While Falmouth BID executive director Richard Wilcox doesn’t buy into the negativity, he agrees there no shortage of challenges.

“Up and down the country the thousands of businesses, independent or national, who sit as crucial, anchor tenants at the heart of our high streets, do so within a fragile, challenging environment,” he says.

“Whether due to the shifting sands of consumer attitudes, trends and behaviours, the wave of digital influence or central outdated bureaucracy, the pressures, and external forces currently at play, are extreme.

A FIRST FOR ST IVES

St Ives has attempted to boost trade on the high street by becoming the first town in Cornwall to launch its own gift card scheme.

Led by St Ives BID, the St Ives Gift Card is available to buy online as either a physical or digital card and can be spent like a debit card on everything from accommodation and eating out to shopping and leisure activities.

BID manager, Sarah Hooper, said: “St Ives itself has a population of 10,000 and is reliant on tourism. Approximately 5 million people visit Cornwall each year, and around 15% of those people currently visit St Ives, either for the day or staying overnight. International travel in the south west region is forecast to grow 15% by 2027, and by 3.8% each year through to 2025 in Cornwall itself.

Tim Dwelly is a councillor for Penzance East and is also a director of the Workbox co-working spaces in Penzance and Truro. He believes housing on the high street is something we need to see more of.

“We need planning policies which reflect this and a much more pro-residential planning system which allows retail more easily to become housing and I include the ground floor on that.

“And we know of course that the pandemic and cost of living crises have accelerated and amplified those challenges and patterns, thereby affecting business viability for many. But with challenge comes opportunity and innovation, and there have been many brilliant examples from across the UK of transformational community-inspired place projects, that have further emphasised the vital social and economic value of our urban spaces and places.”

While many of the national high street trends are reflected in Cornwall, the Duchy also its own rural and coastal dynamic that comes into play. Consequently, says Richard, there’s a vital need for more support from Whitehall in several areas – skills, recruitment, tax, rates etc.

“Encouraging even a small percentage increase in visitor numbers to St Ives through our gift card and giving people the means to immerse themselves in the full range of products and services in St Ives, will have a significant impact on our economy.”

The pressures and external forces currently at play, are extreme

“A lot of our advocacy work through South West BIDs and Cornwall Towns Group which I also chair, focuses proactively on this area,” he says. I also sit on a national high streets advisory council, raising the concerns I hear from our stakeholders around the fact that a lot of the Levelling Up work focuses on the larger conurbation areas across the Midlands and Northern Powerhouse, and mechanics contained therein. Proposed solutions there do not always fit regions such as ours.”

Richard also points to “political sluggishness and bureaucracy”, poor local leadership aligned with a lack of governance, plan or high street vision that hinders growth.

Touching on this, Tim Dwelly says that are examples where Cornwall Council has its “knickers in a twist” over policy.

“For example,” he says, “imposing suddenly, evening parking charges in town centres, for sure harms the evening economy, it harms high street vitality.

THE FUTURE

Miller Commercial partner Tom Smith believes the High Street still has a big part to play in all of our lives.

“The high street is still the main source of consumer spending on retail goods,” he says. “While internet sales have increased dramatically, they account for about a third of all retail spend so the high street still has a very important and significant role to play. The high street provides an experience that online shopping cannot fulfil. The visual intrigue, the enticing smells and ability to deal with people, ask questions about products etc are all major contributors to how shopping on the high street remains appealing.”

He says a relaxation of planning law in 2020 has made it much easier for cafes and restaurants to use traditional retail space as well as gyms and other recreational users to occupy what were always retail units.

“Consumers appear to have an unceasing appetite for coffee shop culture and the range of lunchtime eateries in most towns throughout Cornwall has improved substantially in the past five years.”

Co-working spaces and hot desking facilities are also increasingly common and a vital to a vibrant high street mix.

Tim Dwelly runs two such initiatives – The Workbox – in Penzance and Truro and is currently in discussions about opening a third, in Helston.

“Every high street in Cornwall should have a co working space,” he says. ““We have found the two that we run already incredibly successful, particularly on the back of Covid. We have over 100 businesses are members of our two spaces. There’s about 60 people regularly coming in. And not all of them live in walking distance, some of them cycle, some of them to drive, some of them use public transport.

“But basing these work spaces in town centres is a deliberate ploy as it helps high street vitality with workers using local businesses at lunchtime or whatever.”

Newquay is also seeing a rise in office space on the high street.

“If you’re serious about high street vitality, you’ve got to consider the impact of those things, which might end up bringing in very little money to the Council, because people won’t bother coming or they might drive to somewhere out of town and go shopping, or go out of town and park free. What we need is to make it easy for people to be in town centres.”

Mark Warren says: “In terms of office space, in Newquay town centre, we have lots of offices above shops, but we’ve also got an evergrowing mix of creative businesses working more flexibly.

“Newquay has some amazing hot desking options right in the central area, overlooking the beach and walking to work by the sea. These offer hot desk space that’s better and cheaper rate-wise than anywhere in the city and the amount of people here that work remotely is just rising and rising. These remote workers are getting their daily coffees and lunches from our local businesses, and are getting their daily shop on the way home.

“This is full day potential trade for all the other high street businesses and has our ongoing support all the way.”

THE MODERN-DAY HIGH STREET

South West BIDs chair, Richard Wilcox, says the modern-day high street should fulfil a number of roles:

Community hub

• Where people should feel safe in, connected to, or inspired by.

• An accessible place where people can dwell, imagine, create, spend time or money in.

• A place to connect or reconnect with friends, family, partners, or colleagues.

Commercial driver

• A place where business can thrive because it is invested in, considered, incentivised to be there and has had the central bureaucratic shackles lifted perhaps.

• A place that facilitates a more multisectoral environment that will see for example, retail and digital, marine and education or hospitality and health, operate successfully alongside one another.

Hotbed for ideas and innovation

• We’ve seen a rapid rise of co-spaces, small business incubator zones, creative and knowledge hubs. As business models continue to shift and re-evaluate, we’ll likely see more and new iterations around this theme.

• The buildings, services, talent, and infrastructure are in place for this within a high street setting and no more so than right here in Cornwall.

As a cultural amplifier

• Brilliant things happen in urban spaces. That genre-defining interactive art exhibition you remember, that jawdropping carnival you experienced, will have likely taken place within a high street or urban setting.

• The settings within a high street, whether they be park, piazza, or quayside, provide us with a wonderful platform to confidently bring together creative practitioners to curate year-round cultural programmes.

As home

• High streets are not the sole preserve of commerce and so the role of the modern high street must ever more so, consider the ‘liveable space’ requirement.

• Our attitudes around how we work, engage, and interact with others has changed hugely through and post pandemic. The notion of the walkable neighbourhood, where one can readily access places of work, cultural, health and social needs within a ‘walkable’ distance of home, is one being adopted by many urban areas across the world.

To be green

• Beyond traditional parks and green spaces within urban environments, it is vital that the role of high streets, towns and cities is as green incubators as well.

• By 2050, 70% of us will live in cities, so how we build, plan, and design our urban areas simply must consider market-leading carbon capture materials in the build and design process. There are brilliant examples across Europe of garden streets, urban living walls, and pocket parksinnovative ideas around interspersing green space within urban settings.

A decade of

growth

This year marks ten years since St Austell Printing Company (SAPC) moved into its state-of-the-art premises in the Carclaze area of St Austell.

This huge expansion has not only created new jobs within the business, but allowed the company to grow its print services and become a UK trailblazer for eco-friendly, carbon-balanced printing.

Established by Peter Moody in 1981, SAPC began as Kwik Print, operating from a high street shop in St Austell town centre. As the business expanded beyond its modest origins, the construction of the purpose-built ecofriendly facility commenced in 2011. By spring 2013, Peter and his team had successfully transitioned to their new premises.

Now managing director of St Austell Printing Company, Peter says: “We’re extremely proud to be marking ten years in the factory.

“Our ambition was to create a space where the business can continue to serve our clients and the community, but with room to grow in terms of our product offering and as an employer of local people - of course keeping sustainability front of mind throughout.”

Sustainability is hugely important to SAPC, with the factory being built on strong environmental principles. The design of the building reduces the demand for energy and natural resources making printing even more efficient. Solar panels are responsible for a third of all energy used by the building, all

paper used is recycled and produced from sustainably managed forests, with all off-cuts being processed for use in recycled paper.

Eco-friendly measures are in the fibre of the business, which has recently become a certified carbon-balanced printer, meaning they offset the full operational carbon footprint of every print order.

Peter continues: “We believe that our strong eco principles have definitely been a factor in why so many companies trust us with their printing, including national brands like the fantastic Top Trumps - of which we are their only UK supplier. We’re very proud to be putting Cornwall on the printing map, and we know we will continue to innovate our family business over the next decade.”

Always a family affair, Peter now shares company leadership duties with his daughter Beth Mayman, the operations manager at SAPC.

Under the family stewardship, the business is continuing to go from strength to strength, introducing new products and offerings regularly, such as bespoke casino-quality playing cards to celebrate its anniversary year.

Beth is delighted with the progress the company has made and is looking forward to a bright future.

She adds: “At SAPC our team have always strived to be at the forefront of innovation - from commissioning one-of-a-kind custombuilt printing machinery to new product development, and even the construction of the St Austell Business Park which is now home to 15 companies and St Austell Conference Centre.

“We feel like we’re just getting started and are excited to see what the next ten years have in store.”

We’re extremely proud to be marking ten years in the factory

PETER MOODY AT THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED BUILDING IN

ST AUSTELL BUSINESS PARK

Celebrating

the best

It was truly a momentous occasion last month as Cornwall Law Society held its Awards Dinner at Truro Cathedral, hosted by its president, Verona Cocks, joint managing partner at Paddle & Cocks Solicitors. The Cathedral was lit up in majestic splendour, appropriate for the occasion as was the president, to boot.

Shaun Wallace, better known as the Dark Destroyer from the TV Quiz show ‘The Chase’, presented the awards together with the award sponsor.

239 lawyers and business professionals filled the historic nave as the president gave an inspiring address on the importance that the awards play in not only recognising individual lawyers and law firms, but also raising the profile of the legal community in the region.

The further significance of that, the president said, was that it would assist with attracting lawyers from outside of the county, which would in turn help with recruitment and general economic development.

“We need to lift our heads up a little bit more,” she said. “We need to inspire the budding

AWARDS

WINNERS’ ROLL OF HONOUR

• Trainee Lawyer of the Year –

Sponsored by Your Partnerships

Winner: Lexie Williams of Stephens Scown

Highly Commended: Sophie Kunz – Parnalls Solicitors

• Junior Lawyer of the Year –

Sponsored by Brooks Financial Planning Ltd

Winner: Clare Hall – CVC Solicitors

students we have to stay here and grow with us; we need to shout about our talented people and the thriving legal community we have and come together more and engage and that is where the Cornwall Law Society can have real purpose and impact.”

The 27 finalists in each of the nine award categories truly demonstrated the breadth and depth of talent and passion in the county, from those just starting their legal careers to those who have a wealth of experience under their belt.

The evening opened with a slide on the importance of upholding the rule of law with the colours of the Ukraine flag in the background and finished with all the winners on stage with the president and Shaun Wallace for a group photo.

Verona added: “The feedback from the event has been phenomenal with everyone saying what a fantastic and uplifting evening it was, with fabulous food and exquisite surroundings.

“Thank you to all our sponsors without whom the event would not be possible: X-press Legal Services, Elite Wealth Management UK Ltd, Groundsure, Paragon and Evelyn and Partners.”

Highly Commended: Edward Aldis – Nalders Solicitors

• Commercial Lawyer of the Year –

Sponsored by Vickery Holman

Winner: Laurie Trounce –Stephens Scown Solicitors

Highly Commended:

Kayleigh Whitman – Coodes Solicitors

• Commercial Property Lawyer of the Year –

Sponsored by Miller Commercial

Winner : Anthony Booth –Stephens Scown Solicitors

Highly Commended: Jennifer Burden –Paddle & Cocks LLP Solicitors

• Private Client Lawyer of the Year –Sponsored by FAC Group

Winner: Lee Naylor –Randle Thomas Solicitors

Highly Commended: Samantha Ennor –Earl & Crocker Solicitors

• Family Lawyer of the Year –

Sponsored by Children 1st Mediation

Winner: Kelly Grigg – Grigg’s Law (a trading name of Nelsons LLP)

Highly Commended: Anthony Vingoe from Vingoe Family Law

• Residential Property Lawyer of the Year – Sponsored by KD Group –Bridging Lender

Winner: Kate Holland –Nalders Solicitors

Highly Commended: Claire Wicks –Parnalls Solicitors

• Large Law Firm of the Year –Sponsored by PKF Francis Clark

Winner: Stephens Scown

• Small Law Firm of the Year –Sponsored by Kysen PR

Winner: Earl and Crocker Solicitors

The feedback from the event has been phenomenal

VERONA COCKS AND SHAUN WALLACE

Adult Learning The future of

We caught up with Hayley McKinstry, Truro and Penwith College’s director of business and partnerships, to discuss the current picture of career and professional development in Cornwall.

and Health Skills Centre in Bodmin this September will bring industry-led courses and CPD opportunities to students across north east Cornwall as well as the launch of new projects in renewable construction, composite engineering and healthcare.

Truro and Penwith College has been offering career and professional development courses for adults for almost 30 years.

Over that time, the training needs of Cornwall’s employers have changed considerably, and the college is continually evolving and adapting its learning environments and provision to meet this need.

In 2022, the college launched its Future Skills Institute (FSI), the new umbrella name for its wide-ranging 19+ provision that includes apprenticeships, career and professional development and University Centre courses.

Headed up by the college’s director of business and partnerships, Hayley McKinstry, the Future Skills Institute is now responsible for creating and maintaining partnerships with some of Cornwall’s largest and best employers and businesses to ensure the needs of the business community are being met.

2023/24 will be exciting years in its development. The opening of the new STEM

WHAT IS THE STATE OF CAREER AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN CORNWALL CURRENTLY?

With a recent survey finding that 49% of the UK workforce are keen to re-train or study for a new qualification in response to the Cost of Living crisis, alongside proven returns on investment for businesses who encourage their teams to engage in professional development for staff retention, motivation and productivity, there is a clear drive for Cornish employers and employees to take advantage of local career and professional development programmes.

Truro and Penwith College has developed and updated its CPD course provision for 2023/2034 in line with both the articulated needs of our partner businesses and intelligence shared from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Skills Hub regarding highly sought core business skills, including Leadership and Management, Finance and Digital Marketing.

In recognition of the constraints of capacity and cost that businesses need to navigate to access training, Truro and Penwith College can offer bespoke and accessible solutions for organisations alongside practical and financial assistance to support training costs across a range of CPD options, including short business seminars, Institute of Leadership and Management Awards, industry-recognised technical qualifications and skills bootcamps.

Economic forecasts for the next decade suggest there will be a significant increase in the volume of employees qualified at a higher-level within the Cornish workforce to meet future skills needs and respond to digital and technological developments so, with staff turnover and associated recruitment estimated to cost a business £11k per person, working in partnership with the college to develop the existing talent within your workforce could have real benefits both for the business and local economy.

TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR STEM AND HEALTH SKILLS CENTRE INVESTMENT?

The STEM and Health Skills Centre is a new £6.3 million investment in Bodmin that

aims to transform the teaching of industryrelevant skills in Cornwall. It is being built by Truro and Penwith College with support from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), to help meet the needs of employers across the region but in particular those based in north east Cornwall. It will become a centre of excellence for the education and training in engineering, health and digital.

It will help over 300 local people a year to enter further education while also creating 15 new jobs and supporting 150 business, meaning the benefits will ripple across the whole community.

Creating

state-of-the-art teaching rooms, conference centre and refectory, learning resource centre and student services support, the STEM and Health Skills Centre includes innovative, industry-standard facilities and equipment including two health environment simulation suites, composite moulding technologies and the latest digital technology workshops. There will be regular access to employers that will provide placement opportunities, coaching and mentoring for our students, as well as some specialist delivery that will enhance employment opportunities.

L6 Operating Department Practitioner

L3 Senior Healthcare Support Worker

L3 Marketing Assistant

L3 Business Administration

Full Time Courses

L2 Engineering

L3 Engineering

L3 T Level in Health

Access Courses

Access to HE Nursing

Access to HE Computing

WHAT ELSE DOES TRURO AND PENWITH COLLEGE OFFER?

We have engaged with employers in north and east Cornwall to shape a curriculum offer that suits the requirements of their businesses and also used their expertise to ensure the equipment meets industry need.

Courses will be co designed with employers ensuring that they mirror the skills development required by locally and nationally. With the shortage in these skills and the projection of more job vacancies over a five-year period this confirms the need to provide outstanding technical education that is accessible locally.

A range of over 30 19+ Learning courses will be offered to upskill and retrain adults to ensure that they can access provision locally and remain economically active securing highly paid jobs within Cornwall.

WHAT ELSE MAKES IT UNIQUE?

In addition to the significant investment in a modern, purpose-built education facility with

During studies at the STEM & Health Skills Centre, students will be able to access a range of enrichment options that will support skills development, employability, and health & wellbeing.

The centre will also become Truro and Penwith College’s home in the north of Cornwall for career and professional development with courses on offer aimed at employers and professionals on a vast range of areas such as Leadership and Management, Digital Marketing, Access to Nursing, GCSE English and maths as well as a range of other courses to support personal development, upskilling and re training.

WHAT WILL BE STUDIED THERE?

A range of apprenticeship opportunities

L2 Engineering Operative

L3 Mechatronics Maintenance

L3 Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer

L6 Registered Nurse Degree

L5 Nursing Associate

Hosted at modern and dedicated training facilities at the Tregye Campus just outside Truro and the Future Skills Conference Centre in the Valency Building in Truro, the Future Skills department offers a range of career and professional development courses, including accredited qualifications in Leadership and Management, Coaching and Mentoring, IT (including the ICDL Certificate), assessment and information, advice and guidance, alongside a suite of industry-led business seminars and bespoke business training, action learning, emotional behaviour in the workplace diagnostics and one-to-one coaching.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?

To find out more about the STEM and Health Skills Centre and to discover the range of courses on offer from this September visit Stem & Health Skills Centre | Truro & Penwith College (truro-penwith.ac.uk)

15 new jobs and supporting 150 business

Over the next few pages, we call upon the expertise of some local business people to answer some frequently asked questions...

expert Ask the

Do I have to sell all my shares to an EOT?

No. Some EOTs start by acquiring a modest shareholding, perhaps as little as 10% to give the employees a stake in the business. This does not meet the criteria for no CGT or tax free profit share, which requires over 50% to transfer to the EOT, but it does create an initial stake for the employees.

Why might I retain shares on a sale to an EOT?

You might want the employees to share in the growth of the company but are not ready to let go altogether. Some founders retain shareholdings to give reassurance to customers that they are still part of the

Why should you consider PR as part of your marketing mix?

In short, PR is the practice of earning media coverage through strategic communication. Editorial content, secured by PR efforts, cannot be bought – this is the key difference between PR and other marketing activity.

An effective PR strategy can help businesses build and maintain a positive image, establish credibility, and engage with stakeholders.

By actively managing communication with the public, media, customers, and employees, businesses can shape and protect their reputation and handle potential crisis situations.

Strategic PR and communication methods are vital for increasing brand awareness. Using PR as part of the marketing mix can

How

do I go

about selling shares to an Employee Ownership Trust?

operation. And some shares might be allocated to management to incentivise them to grow the business.

Can shares be transferred to family members or a Trust?

Yes. In forming an EOT some shares might be handed to the next generation or into a family trust.

Can we use direct ownership of shares and share schemes alongside an EOT?

Yes. It’s not unusual for senior managers to be offered share options, like EMI schemes, to assist in the drive for enhanced growth in the business.

If I hold back shares can I sell them later to the EOT?

Yes, and founders may do this on final retirement. The EOT is a potential purchaser of the shares at market value. Zero CGT is only available in the year the majority of the shares are sold to the EOT, but other tax reliefs may apply.

help businesses make themselves known to a wider audience, generate positive publicity, and stand out from their competitors.

When things go wrong, transparent and prompt communication is key. PR agencies can provide guidance in managing crises, handling media enquiries, and minimising reputational damage, to maintain trust and credibility.

By proactively engaging with customers, investors, employees, and the community, PR fosters trust, loyalty, and long-term connections with key stakeholders.

One of the biggest sticking points of PR is return on investment. By viewing PR as a crucial part of the brand awareness

mix, businesses can shape how the public perceives them, their products, and their services, which in turn often leads to increasing sales, attracting investors or hiring top talent.

So, why PR? When done right, PR can establish a positive reputation, increase brand awareness, build relationships, manage crises, shape public opinion, and support business objectives – a win-win!

Carlton from the Employee Ownership team at Stephens Scown answers five frequently asked questions...

Why should I invest in coaching for my business?

In coaching, this question is a very important part of the commissioning process. There are many benefits from organisational coaching, for example:

• Enabling clients to achieve the very best they can.

• Improving performance on a personal and organsational level.

• Providing clients with space to stop, think, evaluate and plan more effectively.

• Significant skills development so clients can make their organisation more effective to get the maximum returns.

In March 2015 the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) conducted a study of the benefits of coaching for Executives and Senior Leaders. Their report Evaluating Leadership Coaching in Organisations concluded that “A conservative calculation on the return on the investment (ROI) gave a figure of 856%.” (EMCC’S International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching, March 2015)

This demonstrates that organisations have much to gain from undertaking a coaching programme.

Firetower offers a range of programmes with a highly qualified, skilled and experienced

professional coach. Coaching is delivered to individuals and in groups. Once clients learn how to develop their potential and improve their performance, confidence soars and they and their companies achieve things they never dreamed possible. Coaching is one of the most affirming, challenging and life-changing learning processes anyone can engage in because it utilises the positives that people bring with them.

To find out more, visit our website at www.firetowercoaching.com and contact us. We provide a free 30 minute telephone consultation to make sure we are right for every client.

How important is having good cyber security?”

The importance of protecting IT systems and data has never been higher. According to www.gov.uk, 39% of UK businesses surveyed reported receiving a cyber attack. Of those 39%, one in five estimated they were attacked at least once a week.

Cyber security attacks can take on many forms, some common types include:

Phishing – This is where an attacker sends a malicious email designed to trick you into disclosing sensitive information, such as bank details. As a general rule be suspicious of any email you are not expecting, that is creating urgency and any that sound too good to be true.

Ransomware – This is where an attacker

gains access to your IT system and locks you out. A ransom is then demanded in exchange for access to your own data. Ransomware can enter your IT system in various ways such as clicking on harmful links or attachments.

Unauthorised access– A weak password can take on many forms such as being too short, contain no special characters or being based on a birthday or easily predictable word. These can be easily broken by an experienced hacker.

It is important for organisations to have robust systems in place to combat cyber security threats, such as a secure messaging system to allow clients to send and receive documents securely and all employees should receive regular training.

Adequate cyber insurance cover would also be highly recommended, as would advice from specialist cyber security consultants. The National Cyber Security Centre has various information and advice on how to prevent these attacks and what to do if you fall victim to them.

For more information on how RRL can help, please contact us, on 01872 276116 / 01736 339322 or post@rrlcornwall.co.uk

We ask Fiona Westwood from Firetower Coaching and Development Consultants...

Cyber security breaches are one of the biggest threats facing organisations today, explains RRL accounts assistant Sam Allen...

Intellectual Property (IP) rights are intangible, which often means they are overlooked when starting and running a business. However, they are valuable assets, which in many cases are the most valuable assets of a business. Key IP rights to consider and actions to take are as follows:

Confidential Information

All businesses will have some kind of information that is proprietary to them and of value. The value can be assessed by considering the damage to the business that would be caused if the information was freely available to competitors. It is essential to take steps to protect confidential information.

Brand Protection and Trade Marks

For many businesses, for example those in the service or retail sectors, the brand of the business is its most valuable asset. It is the thing that allows customers to identify and reach out to the business. Therefore, all aspects of the brand should be protected. Brand protection is relatively inexpensive and is achieved by registering the relevant brands, words and logos as trade marks.

100% OF BUSINESSES HAVE

Product Design

If the business is selling a product, it is likely that a lot of time, effort and expense has been put into the design of the product, be it the item itself and/or its packaging. The design is likely to be something that customers readily recognise and which sets the business and its product apart from others in the market. Again, designs can and should be protected at an early stage, certainly before the product is launched.

Technology

Technological innovations are also very valuable assets, which keep a business ahead of the competition. A wide range of technological innovations can be protected by way of patent protection. Once a new product is launched, the underlying technology is made available to all. Without adequate protection, competitors will simply gain a free ride on the coat tails of the costly and time consuming development undertaken by the innovative business.

IP Ownership

It is essential to a business at any stage to ensure that it owns all its IP rights. This

is likely not a problem when the creative work is carried out in-house. However, in many cases, key aspects of the creative process are passed to someone outside the business. It is essential to agree that, at the end of the development, all rights to the work product, including all IP rights, belong to the business. It is preferable that this is put into writing and a suitable agreement put in place, which can be relied upon later to demonstrate ownership.

Every business will have IP rights. These rights will be of considerable value and provide protection and an advantage over competitors. Identifying and protecting these rights should be started early and be maintained as an ongoing practice within the business.

Web: www.njakers.com

Email: info@njakers.com

Tel: +44(0) 1872 266810

N. J. Akers is a firm of Chartered Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, based in the south west of England, representing clients throughout the UK, Europe, North America and the Far East. We are well placed to assist companies with their IP needs, including preparing and filing new patent applications for innovative technology, as well as preparing and filing applications to protect new brands and new designs.

Noel Akers, chartered patent and trade mark attorney at N. J. Akers & Co., explains your IP rights...

What are the key Intellectual Property elements I should consider when starting and running a business?

IP

,000 DESIGN APPLICATIONS WERE FILED IN 2022

124,098 TRADE MARKS APPLICATIONS WERE FILED IN 2022

Zeitgeist

WORKPLACE WOES

New research has revealed that 70% of Britons still prioritise their physical health over their mental wellbeing, particularly in the workplace.

70% OF BRITONS PRIORITISE PHYSICAL HEALTH OVER MENTAL WELLBEING

The findings from Rethinkly - a virtual world platform that helps resolve communication and wellbeing challengesreveals that just under one in five UK workers (18%) worry that their employees will judge them for making a mistake, and consequently, 23% of workers say that due to living with mental health issues, they feel that their productivity at work is 50% or less of what it could be.

....................................................................

WHERE TO RETIRE?

Spain is still the country Brits want to spend retirement in the most.

According to data compiled by equity release specialist Retirement Solutions, Spain tops the top ten list ahead of Australia and Portugal respectively.

Thailand is in fourth place, with the research highlighting Chiang Mai, in the northern region, for it “breathtaking scenery with many mountains and country roads for peaceful living”, while Canada comes in at #5. Perhaps surprisingly, France as a retirement proposition only comes in at sixth place and Greece tenth.

FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

A third (36%) of UK businesses plan to adapt their strategies to navigate financial challenges over the next six months, new research from HSBC UK reveals.

36% OF UK BUSINESSES TO ADAPT STRATEGIES TO NAVIGATE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

The findings demonstrate how resilient UK businesses are with 29% stating that they had to adapt their

business strategy over the past five years to survive – and 12% said this adaptation enabled them to increase their profits.

One in five (20%) businesses feel optimistic that business will get better, despite a similar figure (22%) reporting that the current challenges were having a worse impact on their business than the Covid-19 pandemic. The research reveals the top three issues currently affecting businesses are rising energy bills (77%), travel costs (76%) and rent (23%).

HOSPITALITY HEADACHE

A new survey of decisionmakers within the UK hospitality industry has discovered a sector in strife.

44% OF HOSPITALITY BUSINESS ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING AT A LOSS

Europe’s largest virtual food brand operator, Peckwater Brands, commissioned the survey and reported that 44% of business are currently operating at a loss, with 53% impacted by

the rising cost of goods and 50% by higher energy bills.

A third (34%) of hospitality leaders do not think their business will survive the next 12 months, while 70% expect they will have to increase prices within that timeframe.

Inflation is not just ramping up hospitality businesses’ costs – the majority (70%) say customers are spending significantly less than they were 12 months ago.

HOLIDAY HOTSPOTS

Research from retailer GO Outdoors has revealed “the best holiday hotspots in the UK”.

According to its findings, the UK’s #1 holiday hotspot is the “delightful village” of Betws-ycoed, a gateway to Snowdonia.

While Ambleside in the Lake District comes in at #2, there are a couple of Cornish additions in the top ten – St Ives (#3) and Padstow (#9).

GO Outdoors also looked at the best holiday destinations for camping, with Cornwall coming in fourth behind Northumberland (#1), Caernarfonshire and Devon.

They obviously don’t get out enough!

CLIMATE CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM

Also, more than seven out of ten pupils (72%) say they would welcome the opportunity for broader lessons about climate change in school, rather than simply learning facts and associated impacts.

A similar number (68%) believe climate change education should be included across all subjects, in addition to science and geography where most learn about the climate and how it is changing.

72%

Secondary school pupils feel the climate change education they receive is too focused on passing exams and doesn’t equip them with the skills they need to tackle the climate crisis, according to a new report. The research, carried out as part of a partnership between the University of Plymouth and the British Science Association’s Future Forum programme, showed that 14 to 18-year-olds believe climate change is the most important issue that needs to be addressed if their lives are to be improved in the future.

Despite that, just over a quarter (26%) of pupils surveyed feel strongly that any actions they currently take to combat climate change might make a difference.

WALK ON!

Cornwall is officially the UK’s top destination for coastal trails.

Researchers at Sun Bingo have created a ‘coastal walk hotspot’, scoring 69 individual locations mapped around the UK, with 21 in Cornwall. Holywell beach walk is ranked as the second best walk in the UK overall, with three other Cornish strolls making the top ten – Boscastle Harbour walk, Porthcurno circular walk and Rocky Valley walk.

Business Cornwall investigates the wider opinion and mood across the UK...

WOULD WELCOME BROADER LESSONS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE IN SCHOOL # 1

CORNWALL IS THE UK’S TOP DESTINATION FOR COASTAL TRAILS

business Is your to all? accessible

Businesses are losing £2 billion a month by ignoring the needs of disabled people, according to the latest research by disability charity Purple. This could be due to poor accessibility - both physical and digital - or not being disability confident in their customer services approach.

At iSightCornwall we want to help businesses to become more disability confident and we can show you that it doesn’t have to cost the earth. Sometimes the smallest changes can make the biggest difference.

Harrods Cornish Cottages is an independent family-run business offering beautiful, detached holiday cottages in the heart of Cornwall. Whilst they have been at the top of the game for wheelchair accessibility for quite some time, it was only more recently that they started to think about how to make adjustments for guests with sight loss. After looking online to find out what was needed, Rebecca Harrod was completely overwhelmed by what she found and almost talked herself out of it before she’d even got started.

Rebecca says: “Looking online, I thought I would need to spend thousands of pounds on equipment; from voice activated technology and high-tech adaptations to providing every single instruction manual in braille – an investment I wouldn’t have been able to afford to make.

“But thankfully I called iSightCornwall, something I couldn’t recommend highly enough, and they reassured me that I didn’t have to spend a fortune to make improvements. They talked me through some of the small changes I could make which would make a big difference such as the bright orange tactile stickers that can be added to ovens and microwaves to help guests find the correct settings. This is such a simple idea but something I’d never thought about before.

“They also encouraged me to talk to my guests to ask them what they needed. At first I was afraid of saying something wrong or using the wrong terminology but it’s the only way you learn. If I’ve ever said anything wrong, my guests have very kindly corrected me and I’ve taken it on board and now I’m not scared. I listen to the feedback and learn from it.

“To other businesses thinking about going down this route, I strongly advise talking to iSightCornwall. I learned that the majority of people with a visual impairment actually have some vision and this really helped me think about accessibility in different ways – from how colour contrast can help, to the importance of good lighting. My perception of what it was to have a visual impairment wasn’t quite right and changing that perception has helped me improve accessibility even more.”

iSightCornwall has worked with businesses across a range of sectors including tourism, hospitality, leisure and construction. If you would like advice on how to make your business more accessible to people with sight loss, please get in touch. www.isightcornwall.org.uk

The smallest changes can make the biggest difference

ON THE SHORTLIST

Truro and Penwith College will discover this month whether it is the UK’s top provider for hair, beauty and hospitality training. Along with Cardiff and Vale, Milton Keynes, Rotherham and Suffolk colleges, Truro and Penwith has been shortlisted for College of the Year at the VCET Excellence Awards.

VTCT is the UK’s leading vocational and technical awarding and assessment organisation for personal services and

Falmouth University has been awarded £850k funding for an innovative new research project that will use technology to capture and archive performance practice.

GWITHA, from the Cornish word to guard, or to keep, will establish an open centre for immersive approaches to archival practice in the performance space, capturing and preserving performances that have previously been difficult or impossible to document because of their transient nature.

The project will be particularly relevant in Cornwall, which is renowned for sitespecific landscape theatre that is part of its cultural heritage but challenging to document and record.

This £850k investment is through the Creative Research Capability (CResCa) fund from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Falmouth University Vice Chancellor, Emma Hunt, said: “We are thrilled to have been successful in our bid to the CResCa fund.

“We are committed to being the leading university for the nexus of creativity and

wellbeing sectors. The VTCT Excellence Awards celebrate the very best the country has to offer across hair, beauty and hospitality education and training, with the 2023 awards forming part of VTCT’s 60th Anniversary celebrations.

Jo Lello-Dunn, programme team leader of vocational and commercial studies at the college, commented: “Everyone at the college is thrilled to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award and I’d like to congratulate all our staff for their continued work to go above and beyond to support our students and Apprentices.

“We can’t wait to celebrate our success at the Awards on 13 July.”

UNI AWARDED RESEARCH FUNDING

ROYAL VISIT FOR UNIVERSITY

Falmouth University welcomed HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh to its Penryn campus recently. The Duchess met students and academics who are working together across technology and creative disciplines to make a positive social impact.

As part of the visit, the Duchess spoke to those working on the Live Audience Accessibility & Augmentation research project, exploring how new haptic technology can make live music and events more accessible for people who are deaf or disabled. Also showcased were examples of games and digital products that have been developed by students at the Games Academy. The UK video games industry is an economic and cultural success story; it supports 73,000 jobs throughout the supply chain and contributes £5 billion to the economy. It is also providing new ways to transform health, education and traditional industries like tourism.

technology and I can’t think of a project that would encapsulate this better. Furthermore, we want to use our knowledge and expertise to generate positive opportunities, particularly in Cornwall.”

LEARNER OF THE YEAR

A Cornwall College student has been named HIP Learner of the Year, an honour for aspiring plumbers in the UK.

Elliot Julian, currently in his third year of the Plumbing and Domestic Heating apprenticeship, level 3 programme at the St Austell campus of The Cornwall College Group (TCCG), emerged victorious after

Professor Emma Hunt, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, said “It was an honour to show Her Royal Highness some of what we do here at Falmouth. As Cornwall’s university we’re very proud that 120 years after Falmouth School of Art was first founded, our students, academics and researchers are harnessing the power of creativity and technology, for good.”

outperforming six other plumbing finalists in a gruelling two-day practical test.

The competition pitted participants against the finest plumbing students in the country, where they showcased their installation skills in a fierce battle for the title.

Julian said: “It’s the second time I’ve done it, last year I got to the finals and came second, but my name was put forward again this year, and I was determined to win.

“The pressure was definitely heightened this year because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.”

NCUTI GATWA AS ADI AND NANDI BHEBHE AS HARRY IN 946

PHOTO BY: STEVE TANNER

RISING SUN REOPENS

St Austell Brewery has completed the refurbishment of The Rising Sun in St Mawes. Overlooking St Mawes harbour, The Rising Sun is a popular maritime inn dating back to 1880. Now totally transformed, reimagining the visitor experience, the iconic waterside pub has relaunched with new and improved boutique accommodation.

An extension welcomes three new luxurious bedrooms and a serviced apartment, complementing the existing seven bedrooms above the pub.

BRONZE AT VISITENGLAND AWARDS

Cornwall picked up two Bronze accolades at last month’s VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.

Hosted by Alex Polizzi at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, the winners were selected from hundreds of tourism businesses across England including hotels, self-catering accommodation, B&Bs, glamping operators, attractions, restaurants, pubs and museums.

In addition to the 16 core categories award winners, four special awards were also presented this year including an ‘Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award,’ which went to ‘England’s Coast’ in recognition of its valuable role in boosting domestic and inbound tourism to England.

Hendra Holiday Park was awarded Bronze in the Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year category, as was PK Porthcurno in the Small Visitor Attraction category.

Hendra MD Jon Hyatt said: “We’re so proud to have represented the Hendra team and indeed Cornwall at the national Visit England finals and even more so to have won Bronze for Holiday, Camping & Glamping Park of the year.

“What a fantastic achievement for all of our team, especially after a roller coaster few years – we’re incredibly proud, not least as this national accolade represents a tremendous amount of hard work, dedication and investment over many years and indeed generations. We can’t thank our team enough, together we have built something very special that is just an absolute pleasure to be part of.”

A restored 19th century manor house hotel and lodge resort in south Cornwall has been put on the market for £2.7 million.

Wyndham Trenython Manor Hotel sits within 24 acres of landscaped gardens and woodland areas, in the village of Tywardreath, three miles outside Fowey.

The hotel comprises 25 contemporary ensuite guest bedrooms. Additionally, there is a hotel spa which comprises a large indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, steam room & whirlpool. There is also a fully equipped airconditioned gym and two treatment rooms.

And located within the grounds are 37 selfcatering holiday lodges, all furnished to a high standard, and comprise of one or two

NEW PLANS FOR PINK HOTEL

HOTEL FOR SALE

PBHH Ltd, owner of the former Pendower Beach House Hotel on the Roseland Peninsula, known as the ‘pink hotel’, has unveiled significantly scaled back plans for the regeneration of the disused and largely derelict former hotel, at its public consultation event held last month.

Local residents and stakeholders took the opportunity to view the plans, which are 25% smaller in scale than those outlined in 2019/20, and which reflect feedback from

Nine of Cornwall’s beaches have been awarded the coveted ‘Blue Flag’ status for 2023.

The Blue Flag is the worlds most recognised award for beaches and marinas with each applicant having to meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria.

A total of 77 UK beaches and one marina have been awarded the status for 2023. The nine in Cornwall are: Crooklets (Bude), Carbis Bay, Gyllyngvase, Porthmeor (St Ives), Polzeath, Porthtowan, Summerleaze (Bude), Porthmissen (Trevone Bay), Widemouth Bay.

Blue Flag is an international award managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental

bedrooms, all fitted with a kitchen, lounge area and private patios.

Knight Frank has been appointed sole selling agency for the property.

the Parish Councils of Philleigh, Gerrans and Veryan, as well as the Friends of Pendower Beach organisation.

Alongside in-depth detail about the designs, attendees had the opportunity to see the latest computer generated images of the proposed destination aparthotel, which has been adopted to provide year-round economic benefit to the local economy, including local jobs. It is envisaged that up to 12-15 staff will be on site at any one time, with 2-4 staff on site at all times. The aparthotel being put forward consists of a reduced, 2-storey scheme encompassing 23 two and three bed family self-catering holiday-let suites, a public café and restaurant with 40 internal and up to 40 external covers, and a shop for use by selfcatering visitors and beachgoers.

PBHH founder, Johnny Goldsmith, said: “We would like to thank all those that attended the event, at which they had the chance to view the outline plans for the aparthotel, restaurant, shop and café, first hand, in situ.”

Education. It is only presented to wellmanaged beaches with water quality defined as ‘excellent’ under the EU Bathing Water Directive and that offer environmental education programmes.

NINE BLUE FLAGS

TOUCHBYTE UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

TouchByte, a leading Cornish innovator of contactless facial recognition technology, has announced its recent acquisition by SALTO Solutions; a global market leader in smart electronic access control solutions.

Touchbyte MD, Jeremy Sneller, says the acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for the company. “At TouchByte, we believe in delivering simple, safe, secure, and convenient access control solutions, eliminating the need for keys, codes, fobs, cards, wristbands, phone or fingerprint scanners.

“With the acquisition by SALTO Solutions, we can expand our capabilities globally and extend our commitment with SALTO to provide unparalleled access control technology worldwide.”

Business support received from Unlocking Potential (UP) has paid a key role in TouchByte’s journey from start-up to acquisition readiness.

Through UP’s Breakthrough programme and access to a grant, TouchByte was able to develop and produce the hardware for the first Facentry door system in collaboration with Vital Spark, which subsequently employed an Unlocking Potential graduate to complete the hardware development.

Additionally, grant support from Digital Transformation years later facilitated the development of new functionality and a new customer interface for the Facentry, face management platform, resulting in a new and improved user experience.

RESHAPING NHS RESEARCH

A Truro communications agency is celebrating growth with the appointment of a new agency manager and a fresh look.

The Agile Communications Agency, previously known as Agile PR, has unveiled a new visual identity as it records 36% growth in revenue, up from 22% the previous year.

The business has been joined by Charla Symons as agency manager, who brings 15 years’ experience in marketing, communications and event management.

Led by Chartered PR and Agile coach Rachel Foster (formerly Picken), The Agile Communications Agency has updated its brand name to reflect the full range of integrated communications on offer including public relations, brand strategy, digital marketing, content creation, Agile coaching and training.

Foster said: “We’re thrilled to unveil our new brand and visual identity, which reflect the exciting evolution of our agency and our commitment to delivering agile, innovative communications to our national and international clients.

AGILE NEW LOOK

A group of innovative games design students have created an immersive animation game, to support the NHS

“Our new brand values of collaboration, delivering value and friendly positivity will underpin everything we do as we continue to grow and expand our services.

“I’m so proud of our growth over the past three years and bringing Charla into the business is the perfect next step to support our team of creative communicators.”

The new visual identity features an animated logo that captures the agency’s agility and is complemented by a new website that showcases services and expertise, as well as case studies highlighting recent work.

A MARVELOUS OPPORTUNITY

A group of game developers who launched an independent game development studio following their studies at Falmouth University’s Games Academy have secured a new deal with Europe’s ‘Marvelous Europe’ to release their new game ‘Leximan’.

This is the latest success for the trio who have already caught the attention of industry big hitters following funding from Transfuzer for their post-apocalyptic game Rustbreaker.

Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equality (CIDER) Research group.

The talented students, all studying the Games Design for Industry degree at Cornwall College University Centre, have been collaborating with local medical professionals on a special mission to craft a digital experience tailored specifically for CIDER.

The animation and game created by the learners is hoped to revolutionise the way intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental research is carried out and enhance patient engagement within the NHS project.

Students embraced the challenge, collaborating with the doctors to ensure the animation and game met the rigorous standards of

Knights of Borria is an award-winning UKbased studio founded in 2020. Formed by three Falmouth University graduates, Knights of Borria aim to create “soulful, fun, and outright weird” games.

With the support of Marvelous Europe, Knights of Borria’s Christ Jones, Max Amaden, Jake Whittaker have recently launched a sneak peek of Leximan.

Jones said: “This is one of the biggest steps forward on our career path in the industry that we’ve had so far. I definitely see that Cornwall will have a huge role to play in the future of the games industry.”

medical terminology and NHS requirements. The doctors, who have commissioned the project, were thrilled with the outcome, and expressed their appreciation by rewarding the learners with cutting-edge Quest 2 VR (Virtual Reality) kit.

Professor Rohit Shankar MBE, who led the project, said: “We’re immensely thankful to all the students who’ve transformed our vision into a tangible reality.”

“This animation and game will serve as an invaluable tool for both industry professionals, and patients participating in CIDER projects. We cannot wait to work with The Cornwall College Group in the future, and make more of our ideas come to life.”

RACHEL FOSTER AND CHARLA SYMONS

SOUTH WEST BUSINESS CONFIDENCE

After years of upheaval caused by Covid, political instability and the economic crisis, it is hardly a surprise that confidence among small business owners and the self-employed in Cornwall and beyond has been historically low. However, there are signs – albeit small ones –that the vital ingredient of confidence may finally be starting to return.

Our latest Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) survey - both nationally and in the south west - has shown a marked upward turn in positivity with our best figures for a year. Yes, the levels are still well behind where we want them to be but compared to the record lows of confidence we saw at the start of 2023, they are definitely heading in the right direction.

So, what may have changed?

Well, the truth is most of the factors that have hit confidence so badly haven’t changed at all

– but their impact is perhaps starting to reduce, however slightly.

Take prices for instance. Inflation may still be very high and the fear of rising interest rates is causing great concern but there is a growing sense we may have passed the peak of both energy costs and prices at the pump, both of which have a huge impact on the business bottom line.

Wage Growth

73% 68% of small businesses increased the average salary over the last year

Employment Investment Intentions

9%

of small businesses in the previous quarter

Of course, these are just two factors and we can’t forget many other real issues remain. However, after a lengthy period when it seemed the only news for small businesses was bad news we are just starting to see some indications that things may be getting back on track.

We shouldn’t get too carried away yet though as confidence levels still remain fragile - but any improvement has to be welcomed after the past crazy few years.

increasing the average salary by 2% or more per cent

of small businesses have aspirations ne xt year to grow rapidly or moderately

www.fsb.org.uk

Neil Eames, Regional development manager – south central and south west FSB

SOUTH WEST SBI Q1 2023

NEW INVESTMENT FOR DISTILLERY

Saltash-based Trevethan Distillery has received a major investment from the family owners of Cornwall’s Ince Castle Estate. The investment will be used to strengthen the brand through marketing which in turn will drive volume growth in the UK and push exports.

There are also plans for new product development after the business dipped its toe into the dark spirits market last year after launching Trevethan Cask Aged Golden Rum. The cash injection will also create additional jobs in Cornwall and out of county by expanding its national sales teams.

Co-founder and head distiller, John Hall, said: “We couldn’t be more delighted to be working with our new investors who share the same vision and belief in our values. Their investment will enable us to meet the growing demand for ultra-premium spirits and from humble Cornish roots, amplify Trevethan’s story globally while staying committed to our core values and never compromising on quality.”

Since being founded in 2015, Trevethan has been on an upward curve of success, with its flagship Trevethan Cornish Dry Gin winning an award every single year. In 2021, it was named ‘UK Gin Producer of the Year’ by the International Wine & Spirits Competition and was listed by Forbes magazine as one of the ‘World’s Top 20 Gins’.

Jeffrey Robinson, one of the UK’s first chefs to have attained a green Michelin star, has opened his new Cornish outpost – Harbour House.

Set on the waterfront in Flushing, Harbour House is a pub that is dedicated to creating and achieving “new levels of hypersustainability” in the hospitality industry.

Robinson, who for that past few years has run the New Yard Restaurant, with his wife Caroline, on the Lizard Peninsula, said: “We’ll be using produce from the top of the hill in Flushing, seafood harvested right

HARBOUR HOUSE OPENS

outside the front door and imports delivered by sail boat.

“By allowing forward thinking farmers from Cornwall to dictate my menus, I will be honouring how previous generations sourced and traded ingredients from this very location.”

JOHNS WINES IN FOWEY

Specialist wine and spirit store, Johns Wines, has opened a new shop in Fowey. The family business, which has run a popular store in St Ives for generations, has expanded and taken on a second store with support from Truro-based asset finance provider, Ignition.

Brothers Tom and Sam Hanson took ownership of the business around ten years ago, with the name honouring their great, great grandmother, Elizabeth Johns, who first opened a greengrocer in St Ives in 1894. The Johns Wines store in St Ives has proved hugely popular among tourists and regulars alike, stocking a wide variety of fine wines, craft spirits and local beers.

Keen to expand, the brothers had been waiting for the right property in the perfect location and found it on Fore Street in Fowey. The busy street is in the heart of the tourist shopping area and the property itself is attractive and spacious on two floors.

Tom Hanson said: “We knew as soon as we found the Fowey property that it would be perfect for us but had to plan and complete the fit-out swiftly in order to establish ourselves and make the most of the tourist season.

“The new store looks fantastic, and we have employed five new staff members who are fully trained, knowledgeable about our products, and excellently placed to provide advice and assistance to customers.”

Summer is a funny one for businesses in Cornwall; for some it’s absolute chaos and their busiest time of the year, whilst for others it’s a time when everything seems to pause momentarily – lots of Out of Office replies as employees take a well-earned rest with their families.

I’ve personally always seen it as a time for reflection. In B2B for businesses outside the tourism sector, the year is not dissimilar to a school year, where September is often viewed

as a new start. I use the summer and the slower pace to get my ducks in a row –sort out things I’ve put off, but most importantly, do some creative and strategic thinking (even if that’s on my boat while treating myself to a few days off). I used to implement more resolutions after summer holidays than at new year!

At the Chamber, after a successful business fair, we are now putting the finishing touches to our autumn Planet C events.

I’ll be using the summer to think more broadly about exactly what the business community needs from this series of events, as well as what it needs from the Chamber the whole year round, to support its green ambitions. Any thoughts please do send them over.

Luckily, we have the brilliant Green Works Consulting on hand to guide us through the Sustainability Conference event as they did last year. I’m absolutely thrilled that after the success of our 2022 event, lots of companies enrolled their employees on the free Carbon Literacy Training (delivered by Green Works).

I have also seen a noticeable shift in the culture of many micros and SMEs in Cornwall,

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN BUSINESS

Young and talented people increasingly want to work for an organisation with ‘purpose’. Look out for our series of Nex Gen events which will bring the cream of Cornwall’s young workforce together. If you’d like to talk to them about values-driven behaviours in business do get in touch.

We are reviving our Masterclasses. As EU funded training comes to an end, your Chamber is going to organise a range of two-hour sessions on a diverse topics to

help you and your management team deliver your business objectives. Keep an eye out, sign up. And, if you’ve got some expertise to share, Masterclasses are a fantastic way to connect with businesspeople hungry to learn, so what about delivering a session yourself?

For the same reason we are upping our mentor and NED introduction service. Do you need a mentor? Or, would you like to give something back to young and growing businesses?

who have clearly acted on what they learned during the month of Planet C-focused events. If your company doesn’t make solar panels or EV chargers, it can be difficult to establish how it can make a difference to Cornwall’s decarbonisation. The key to the Duchy reaching its net zero ambitions is to make sustainability accessible to all, and that’s what Planet C aims to do.

Planet C 2023 builds on last year’s success and focuses on business leadership for sustainability.

In the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report, it has given a ‘final warning’, saying that only drastic and swift action will enable us to avoid irrevocable damage to the world.

Cornwall has incredible potential to provide the UK with a domestic supply of the raw materials and energy it needs to reach net zero, and whether directly involved or not, our businesses can play a part.

This year’s Planet C lead event will be at the Eden Project on September 27; expect an exciting mix of inspirational speakers –including headline speaker Hugo Tagholm, as well as discussion and networking.

More details to come – I hope to see you there.

Cornwall Chamber of Commerce is an independent not-for-profit organisation accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce. We solely exist to represent businesses in Cornwall. Our events provide a platform for businesses to connect, create and make valuable business relationships. Membership to the Chamber starts from as little as £17 +VAT per month and provides you with the tools to promote your business.

SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVING IS EASY. BUT FOR CORNWALL CHAMBER CHIEF EXECUTIVE, KIM CONCHIE, IT IS TIME FOR REFLECTION AND STRATEGISING.

NEW ROLE AT MILLER COMMERCIAL

Miller Commercial has appointed a new assistant building surveyor.

Following a career at sea with the Royal Navy Reserve and SubSea7, Hannah Sieniewicz pursued a land-based career in property working in various sectors, most recently as an energy assessor.

Head of building surveying, Tom Howard, said: “The demand for our building surveying services has grown significantly since we first offered this service 12 months ago. Hannah’s is a new position which reflects that demand and we are looking forward to being able to offer our building surveying services to a growing client base.”

Nalders Solicitors has promoted two of its team to partner within the firm.

Chris Gilbert moves from senior associate, while Charlotte May is elevated from finance manager.

Both began their legal careers at Nalders. May joined as an apprentice in 2007 while Gilbert has started out as a paralegal in 2009

HEALTHY APPOINTMENT

Nick Bailey has been appointed chief executive officer of Healthwatch Cornwall.

With a background of senior roles in education and health that have included working as national manager for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities for England, Bailey returned to Cornwall in 2018 because, he says, “quality of lifetrumps salary”.

Since then, he has worked for Treviglas Community College in Newquay, Cornwall Council and the Council for the Isles of Scilly as the supported internship coordinator and for the University of Plymouth as business engagement manager.

Healthwatch Cornwall ensures that local voices are heard when it comes to individual experiences of health, dental and social care services. As an independent Community Interest Company (CIC), it is one of 150 local Healthwatch organisations across the country that have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers listen to feedback and improve standards of care.

HOME SWEET HOME

Saffron Academy has moved to new offices in the heart of Newquay.

The training company has moved into the lower floor of Tall Trees and with two offices and two training spaces, plenty of room exists to hold courses and meetings.

Director Claire Hall said: “It is great to have a base for Saffron Academy after two years working from home and to be able to bring the training, and team together in a fabulous space.”

NALDERS PROMOTES DUO

“We are delighted to promote Chris Gilbert and Charlotte May to the position of partner,” said managing partner, Dale Band. “Their dedication, expertise, and outstanding performance have been invaluable to our firm, and we are confident that they will continue to contribute to our success in their new roles. These promotions also reflect Nalders’ commitment to fostering talent and providing opportunities for professional growth within the firm.”

NEW PARTNERS AT ACCOUNTANCY

PKF Francis Clark has promoted three new partners and one director based at its Truro office.

Ian Hughes, Katie Skea and Nicola Cornish are among ten newly promoted partners at the south west’s largest independent chartered accountancy firm, bringing the total number of partners to 60, the most in its 104-year history. Andrew Dungey has also become a director in the business advisory team in Truro.

Hughes and Cornish joined PKF Francis Clark straight from university and trained with the firm, while Skea returned to her Cornish roots after several years working for Deloitte in Bristol and Australia.

Tom Roach, who heads the Truro office, said: “Katie, Nicola and Ian’s promotions are thoroughly deserved and I look forward to them playing key roles in supporting our clients and developing our team in the years to come.”

NICOLA CORNISH, IAN HUGHES AND KATIE SKEA

HR DEPT MOVES IN

A new franchise of the HR Dept has opened in Cornwall.

The HR Dept is a UK-wide company with a network of 65 licensees providing outsourced services to more than 6,000 of the nation’s SMEs.

The HR Dept Truro and St Austell has been launched by Mike Talbot, a human resources expert with two decades of experience behind him.

Talbot started his career with IKEA in Bristol where he worked his way up to head of HR. From there, he was relocated to the company’s international flagship store in Wembley and then worked for Hillingdon Council in west London for 13 years.

“It’s an interesting time to be in HR,” he said, “and I am looking forward to immersing myself in the local business community and helping the passionate, entrepreneurial, spirted people of Truro and St Austell continue to run their own businesses.”

NEW SPACE FOR MELISSA

Former head of Spaceport Cornwall, Melissa Quinn, has joined US-based space data company Slingshot Seradata.

Quinn, who left Spaceport Cornwall at the end of May, succeeded Tim Fuller as general manager on July 1.

MINING CONSULTANCY GROWTH

Leading mundic and ground stability expert, Cornwall Mining Consultants, has made three new additions to its team as well as three in-house promotions.

George Richards joins as a graduate field geologist; Max Kennedy takes up the role of graduate research geologist while Adam Wells is assisting as financial administrator.

Internally, Dylan Greet has taken the

Slingshot CEO, Melanie Stricklan, said: “Melissa’s pioneering work in establishing the UK’s first spaceport, coupled with her passion for space, purpose-driven leadership, aerospace expertise, and strong business acumen, make her an invaluable addition to our team.”

Quinn added: “I am thrilled to join Slingshot Aerospace because they are at the forefront of revolutionizing successful, safe and responsible space operations, which is near and dear to my heart.”

Digital marketing agency Solve has moved to new offices in Nansledan.

Reflecting the B Corp company’s core values of

lead for the mining search team, having progressed to search coordinator and research geologist. Alex Botterell’s continued career development sees him become senior field geologist and will now manage their site services team, coordinating all field geologists whilst remaining the focal point of contact for mining assessments, contaminated land and geotechnical services.

And Chris Rogers has become principal mining geologist, working as the technical lead on all mining subsidence aspects.

MD Dan Berriman said: “The amount of in-county talent is really encouraging and I have been hugely impressed with the hard work, ambition and enthusiasm of my team during the past few years.”

SOLVE RELOCATION

sustainability, the new office has been designed with eco-friendly features, including cork-lined walls and a geothermal heating system.

The space features a large collaborative workspace, an informal meeting room, and a conference room complete with a bar, which will serve as a venue for workshops and events.

“We are thrilled to have relocated to our new, larger office in Nansledan,” said founder Lawrence Harmer.

“This space truly embodies our agency’s identity and will allow us to expand our network by connecting with more amazing people, businesses, and creatives.”

culture All about

In full transparency, I’m no expert in “people”; I’ve never done a psychology degree or worked in HR but I do know I’ve learnt a lot in the last ten years about how to create a high performing, happy team. From being the managing director of sustainable packaging start-up, Flexi-Hex, and leading marketing teams to my successful expeditions rowing across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made a few mistakes too (mostly by trying to be everyone’s best friend!) but that’s all part of the learning curve.

So, what have I learnt? It’s all about culture. I know you’ve probably read this many times, but I feel it is often forgotten. I define culture as your brand, vision, values and the way in which you work.

The goal? To have a company that people are proud to work for. You do this by having clear values that create the foundation of how you work and treat each other; by introducing efficiencies that make working hard, easy; by celebrating success but also encouraging failure; by sharing a vision that inspires people to go above and beyond; by offering multiple communication channels for people to share what is and isn’t working and so much more...

As a person who likes a process, I’ve also learnt that you can’t apply a single process for people. There isn’t one way to manage a team. You have to get to know individuals and understand what makes them smile, how they act under stress and how they like to be treated when times are tough. Do they desire regular feedback or do they consider that micromanaging? Two-way communication is key.

People also like to know their boundaries, give them benefits like flexible hours or unlimited holiday but also let them know when

the line is crossed so they aren’t left second guessing. And more importantly, ensure there is accountability so people understand what part they play in the machine. How do they help get the vehicle to its destination? Are they planning the route, are they the wheels or the driver? All crucial to keep it moving and in the right direction.

Talking of direction, last year I attended a Forbes conference in Israel where the founder of navigation app Waze and serial entrepreneur, Uri Levine, said the most common reason why a start-up fails is due to its people. Highlighting the importance of attracting, motivating and retaining the right people for success.

In my last expedition with the Ocean Sheroes (we rowed 2,700 miles from San Francisco to Hawaii), we spent hours talking about how we were going to perform as a team. Making rational decisions when your body and mind

is fatigued is hard, so having clear values to guide our decisions was key. The first value was to row across the ocean safely, the second was to finish the row as better friends than when we started, and the third was to try to break the world record. This order was incredibly important. There was no point in breaking a world record if we got injured, hated the journey and never wanted to talk to each other again.

There were numerous occasions at sea where we decided to stop rowing in order to protect our physical and mental health and prevent negative conversations between team members. These breaks were always followed by a feeling of rejuvenation and kindness. This in turn made us row harder and therefore, even though we had pressed pause on the oars, we broke the world record by over two weeks. This year, my journey has led me to go freelance into business consultancy.

Something that I am really excited about! I would love to help more founders, start-ups and SMEs find their culture and create a high performing environment that leads to their definition of success and most importantly, a happy and thriving team.

I define culture as your brand, vision, values and the way in which you work

It’s commonly known that the single most important value of a business is its people, says former Flexi-Hex MD Bella Collins.

ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW

The sun shone on last month’s Royal Cornwall Show, attracting 118,201 people through the gates.

CAMBORNE AWARDS

Camborne Rugby Club played host to the second annual Camborne Community & Commerce Awards

BEST FOOD WINNER: SHARRON LIPSCOMBE-MANLEY, OWNER OF DELIGHT2BITE

Q&A WITH OTTO MEAD OF LYNHER DAIRIES AT BUSINESS CORNWALL BREAKFAST

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO SPORT WINNER: CAMBORNE RUGBY CLUB

MAYOR AWARD WINNER: RALPH ELCOX WITH MAYOR COUNCILLOR ZOE FOX

BEST CUSTOMER FOCUS WINNER: MICHELLE WALKER OF SCALLYWAGS (LEFT) WITH FELLOW NOMINEES HEATHER WOODS (CORNWALL ANIMAL HOSPITAL), JO WELLER (JOJANGLES) AND BID CAMBORNE MANAGER ANNA PASCOE

THE BUSINESS CORNWALL TEAM

BUSINESS CORNWALL NETWORKING BREAKFAST

FRANCIS CLARKE (TREWITHEN DAIRY) THE PRINCE’S COUNTRYSIDE FUND BREAKFAST

FINANCE IN CORNWALL

CHARITY DINNER

A converted barn looking out over Padstow and the sea was venue for a special charity dinner which raised £20k for The Fishermen’s Mission.

Truro-based firm of chartered accountants, PKF Francis Clark, held its annual Finance in Cornwall event at the Lighthouse Cinema in Newquay.

LUKE SMITH (MURRELLS), JEANNIE CAIN (ASC) AND RACHEL THOMSON (SWIG FINANCE)

JEREMY RICHARDS (PKF FRANCIS CLARK) AND RUPERT SOUTER (TOGETHER)

CHEFS SIMON SMITH, MICK SMITH, GUY OWEN, JACK STEIN, STEPHANE DELOURME, JUDE KEREAMA AND MATTHEW PERIAM

JEREMY RICHARDS AND TOM ROACH (PKF FRANCIS CLARK)

RICHARD MILLE CUP

Watchmaker Richard Mille gathered some of the world’s most beautiful classic superyachts in Falmouth Harbour last month for three days of fierce competition hosted by the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, which launched the luxury brand’s new sailing event.

SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT

BAFTA-award-winning TV presenter, Michaela Strachan, led an “outpouring of action against the ecological emergency” at the Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Nature Partnership Ecological Summit held at Heartlands.

LORD ROBIN TEVERSON (LOCAL NATURE PARTNERSHIP)

MICHAELA STRACHAN RICHARD BENWELL (WILDLIFE & COUNTRYSIDE LINK)

COVE CAFÉ

Rupert Cooper of Philleigh Way Cookery School opened his latest venture, the Cove Café, nestled above Hayle’s Riviere Towans beach.

RUPERT COOPER AND LIZZIE CHURCHILL ASPECTS HOLIDAYS

RUPERT COOPER

JEN MASTERS AND ALEX JACQUES

JAMES CHURCHFIELD AND FLORENCE BATE

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JULY/AUGUST 2023 EVENTS

JULY

HEARTLANDS BUSINESS BREAKFAST

Heartlands, Pool

Heartlands business networking breakfast is a great way to start the day with friendly, relaxed networking and good grub! heartlandscornwall.com

PENZANCE BUSINESS BREAKFAST

Jubilee Pool, Penzance

An opportunity to meet other local businesses and professionals, gain contacts and establish mutually beneficial relationships. enginehousetickets.co.uk

CORNWALL CONVERSATIONS

Foot Anstey, Truro

Cornwall Conversations is designed to keep you and your business updated with the latest hot topics in Cornwall. This month, the Future of the Built Environment. cornwallchamber.co.uk

Your Partnerships is Cornwall’s largest networking group, with meetings up and down the Duchy

Growing a business can be challenging. You want your business to be visible to the right people, so it’s important to know how and where to meet them.

Your Partnerships is Cornwall’s largest networking group and it events enable you to connect with other members, gain referrals and build trusting relationships with customers and suppliers.

Your Partnerships, can help your business grow!

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RHINO CLUB RETREAT

Walkabout, Newquay

A weekend of fun, team building, socialising, sundowners and building massive momentum in businesses! eventbrite.co.uk

SWIM & NETWORKING

Perranuthnoe Beach, Penzance

Join Jeannie Cain from ASC Finance and Rachel Thomson from Swig Finance together with Jem Wallis from Escape Swims at Perranuthnoe beach for a dip followed by coffee at The Cabin Beach Café. enginehousetickets.co.uk

CYBER SECURITY FOR SMES

Boo Consulting, Newquay

Learn how to protect your business from cyber attacks! Join Boo Consulting for expert insights, real-life case studies, and best practices. eventbrite.co.uk

TECWOMEN CONNECT

Hall for Cornwall, Truro

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What does an AI future mean for women? Join TECwomen for a night of food, drinks and an exciting panel chat. eventbrite.co.uk

THE NEWQUAY NETWORK

Tall Trees, Newquay

Attention Newquay businesses! Don’t miss out on The Newquay Network, a brand new networking group that brings local businesses together. eventbrite.co.uk

MEET THE NEIGHBOUR

St Mellion, Saltash

Meet businesses and chamber members from our neighbours in Devon. Hear from Cornwall Chamber CEO Kim Conchie and Devon and Plymouth Chamber counterpart Stuart Elford. cornwallchamber.co.uk

CORNWALL CHAMBER

BIG BREAKFAST

Truro Cathedral

The inspirational surroundings of Truro Cathedral welcomes you to

For further details of these and more networking events visit businesscornwall.co.uk

To publicise your event for free, email news@businesscornwall.co.uk

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this month’s Cornwall Chamber flagship networking event, with key speaker Julian Waring from the Fishermen’s Mission. cornwallchamber.co.uk

BITA SOCIAL NETWORKING

Vertigo, Truro

Opportunity to meet with the South West and Cornwall Board, other BITA members, and local business people in a friendly and relaxed environment for social networking, every fourth Thursday of the month. Non members welcome! eventbrite.co.uk

HFC BUSINESS NETWORKING CLUB

Hall for Cornwall, Truro Hall for Cornwall is more than a creative hub! Its networking club is an informal opportunity for businesses to get together for a chat and a drink in the stunning new Playhouse Bar at Hall for Cornwall. There’s (usually) no formalities, just a chance to catch up on a Friday afternoon. hallforcornwall.co.uk

AUGUST

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HEARTLANDS

BUSINESS BREAKFAST

Heartlands, Pool

Heartlands business networking breakfast is a great way to start the day with friendly, relaxed networking and good grub heartlandscornwall.com

KING NETWORKING

Victoria Inn, Threemilestone

The Kernow Independent Networking Group gathers fortnightly every other Wednesday from 7.30am, for a prompt start to the meeting at 7.45am. king-networking.co.uk

BITA SOCIAL NETWORKING

Vertigo, Truro

Opportunity to meet with the South West and Cornwall Board, other BITA members, and local business people in a friendly and relaxed environment for social networking, every fourth Thursday of the month. Non members welcome! eventbrite.co.uk

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HFC BUSINESS NETWORKING CLUB

Hall for Cornwall, Truro

Hall for Cornwall is more than a creative hub! Its networking club is an informal opportunity for businesses to get together for a chat and a drink in the stunning new Playhouse Bar at Hall for Cornwall. There’s (usually) no formalities, just a chance to catch up on a Friday afternoon. hallforcornwall.co.uk

CORNWALL CHAMBER

BIG BREAKFAST

Cape Cornwall Golf Club, St Just

The Cornwall Chamber’s popular monthly breakfast networking meeting heads down to the wild west of the Duchy! cornwallchamber.co.uk

SAMUEL DAVIES

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG?

As a child I was fascinated by the magic of cinema. I’d spend hours making home videos with my siblings, experimenting with special effects and being curious about telling stories. My heart yearned to be a Hollywood film director and it’s fuelled my life ever since.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FULL TIME JOB?

On leaving The University of York, I co-ordinated European marathons for an adventure travel company that combined epic challenges with fundraising for incredible causes.

WHAT’S IN YOUR POCKETS?

My headphones are a constant companion, ready to transport me into a world of insightful dialogue and transformative ideas via podcasts. I’m a big fan of long walks and I seek out discussions with the brightest and forward-thinking minds in health, entrepreneurship, and spirituality.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX?

One of my favourite ways to unwind is to take a sea swim (the colder, the better) and then head straight to the sauna. It’s a powerful, revitalising ritual that brings me internal balance and multiple health benefits.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER?

There have been several humbling milestones in my career, including working alongside renowned athletes and celebrities for world leading brands.

THE MOST REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE?

Perhaps, filming the Wadi Rum ultra-marathon. Sleeping open-air under the stars for 6 nights in the desert was an unforgettable adventure.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE WORST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER?

At 23, I was arrested in remote south east Asia by corrupt police for seeking an insurance statement for a stolen phone. The adrenaline of survival in a crisis is fascinating. After hours of torment, they raided my wallet, and I was thrown onto the street. A tuktuk driver

took pity and drove me back to my hostel for free (faith in humanity restored). It taught me valuable life lessons and gratitude.

IF

YOU COULD INVITE ANY TWO PEOPLE FOR DINNER,

WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY WOULD YOU INVITE THEM?

I’d love to host film director Justin Balodini and prolific endurance athlete Rich Roll. Both bestselling authors – their contributions to their respective fields and their vulnerability as male role models would foster enlightening discussions on spirituality, personal growth, and the power of authenticity.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION?

There is this indescribable enchantment in retreating to the mountains. Picture yourself skiing through untouched snow offpiste, navigating through trees and exploring uncharted paths. Ski trips always leave you with unforgettable memories.

IF YOU COULD BE GOD FOR A DAY, WHAT MIRACLE WOULD YOU PERFORM?

I’d unleash a mind-blowing revelation that knocks down the perceived walls of separation between humanity and nature. It would be like a cosmic “aha” moment, where everyone realises that we aren’t passive onlookers, but active players in the grand symphony of life.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST MISTAKE IN LIFE?

Discounting my own self-worth. I struggled for years with selfdeprecating thoughts, it limited my potential and prevented me from fully embracing life. Since, I’ve learnt the power of self compassion and through introspection I’ve discovered my authentic expression; allowing me to live a more fulfilling life.

WHAT WAS YOUR LUCKIEST BREAK?

One of the most fortuitous turn of events transpired at a production company in central London when my boss had a dispute with a high-profile client. I seized the moment to resolve the situation and consequently landed the extraordinary opportunity to direct a film with the world’s most successful supermodel. This project became a pivotal portfolio piece, opened doors, and served as a catalyst for my career in the luxury sector.

Atlas Film co-founder and filmmaker

Imagine the extra time you’d gain, and the stress you’d remove if you had a specialist team looking after your payroll each month.

Staff would get paid the correct salary on time. HMRC would receive the correct information on time. But best of all it would create additional time for you to do other ‘stuff’. Happy days.

For a free no-obligation discussion to find out how we can help, please get in touch.