PLATINUM BUSINESS MAGAZINE - ISSUE 23 - SUSSEX EDITION by Platinum Business

The widest-read business publication in the South East

PLATINUM

SUSSEX EDITION . ISSUE 23 . 2016

BUSINESS TRAVEL Shake hands in... Berlin

INTERVIEWS WITH OLIVER BLOND Headmaster of Roedean MARTIN COOK UKTI’s USA Director

PLATINUM

KRESTON REEVES

Is tax evasion acceptable?

BMW X5 HYBRID Reviewed

THE BIG STORY

TABLE TALK New Sussex Food and Drink Feature

SIR JAMES DYSON

The man who cleaned up

Read all past issues at www.platinumbusinessmagazine.com

Corporate & Commercial Banking

That’s not just £400,000 of extra finance, that’s another 15 people on your workforce. Our relationship managers are sector specialists. So they understand when you need financial support and the difference it can make. Search: NatWest Commercial Banking Call: 0800 529 8069 Text relay: 18001 0800 529 8069 Open Mon-Fri 9am to 5.30pm

Security may be required. Product Fees may apply. Over 18s only. ANY PROPERTY USED AS SECURITY, WHICH MAY INCLUDE YOUR HOME, MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT.

BMW Business Partnership

THE NEW BMW 7 SERIES. DRIVING LUXURY.

The new BMW 7 Series incorporates exquisitely crafted design, enhanced levels of comfort and an extensive range of pioneering technology, which have all led to it being hailed as the most innovative car in its class. With CO2 emissions on the BMW 730d model from just 124g/km and fuel economy of up to 60.1mpg (combined), this model offers attainable luxury for your fleet. Business rates available for the new BMW 7 Series. For more information, contact us on 01293 831 347 or www.vinesofgatwickbmw.co.uk

VINES OF GATWICK

Stephenson Way Three Bridges RH10 1TN Official fuel economy figures for the new BMW 7 Series Saloon range: Urban 24.8-51.4mpg (11.4-5.5l/100km). Extra Urban 45.6-67.3mpg (6.2-4.2l/100km). Combined 34.9-60.1mpg (8.1-4.7l/100km). CO2 emissions 189-124g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

WELCOME

As we inch closer to the most important referendum in a generation, we have again totally avoided it.

THE BIG STORY SIR JAMES DYSON The vacuum billionaire

GLOBAL GROWTH

Amanda has broken herself whilst exploring the culinary delights of Guernsey, Chicago and California but found time to review some great local restaurants, profile a top chef and bring you the ins and outs of English wines. We chat with the whirlwind that is Penina Shepherd, founder of Acumen Business Law, and learn more about the unconventional convention.

BUSINESS TRAVEL Shake hands in... Berlin

Maarten rips up the tarmac again with the BMW X5 hybrid, the all-new Mercedes E-Class and terrified the life out of Amanda when she foolishly asked for a lift to a restaurant. If you don’t want a lift in a £160,000 supercar driven by a deranged petrol-head, best not to ask. We’ve had fun bringing you this issue and hope you enjoy the read

ANGER MANAGEMENT The Science of Stupid

Maarten & Ian Platinum Business Magazine May 2016

TABLE TALK

GIRLS ALOUD

All the latest food and drink news

Interview with Roedean Headmaster, Oliver Blond

In this issue, we pack Rose off to Berlin to see what the City holds for MICE travel, we interview Global Travel Management’s CEO, Scott Pawley, and we catch up with the Headmaster of one of the finest girls schools in the country, Roedean. Clive Stevens of Kreston Reeves discusses if tax evasion is ever acceptable, DMH Stallard explain what the new Living Wage will mean for business and we feature all the winners of the prestigious Gatwick Diamond Business Awards and learn what it means to them, and their team, to have won.

Interview with Scott Pawley

But that cannot continue, therefore next month we will bring you a major feature on the subject of the IN/ OUT vote with comment and opinion from some of the leading CEO’s from across our region.

All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit. Platinum Business Magazine is published and owned by Platinum Business Publications Limited.

Issue 23 - 2016

The Team

AT A GLANCE 6

Local News

Nova Direct

Natwest Economic Indicator

Motoring News

Motoring - BMW X5 40e

Motoring - MercedesBenz E-Class

Maarten Hoffmann – Director maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07966 244046

Ian Trevett – Director ian@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07989 970804

Amanda Spicer Senior Designer

Nick Hall Sales Director

nick@ platinumbusinessmagazine.com

Lewes Business Awards

Entrepreneurial Spark

Acumen Business Convention

Charity News

Table Talk

Beacon Security

National News

Review - The Leconfield

Sir James Dyson

Is Tax Avoidance okay?

Chef Profile - Kanthi Kiran Thamma

Bar Fly - English Wine

Gatwick Economic Forum

A Fair Share

EU Referendum Opinion

Review - East Sussex National Resort

Gatwick Diamond Business Awards

Shea Bennett, Identity Group

Portsmouth University

National Living Wage

Business Travel

Oliver Blond, Roedean School

Travel News

Networking

Scott Pawley, Global Travel Management

Platinum Club

Platinum Style Chambers of Commerce

35 36

Business Destination Berlin

Martin Cook, UKTI’s USA Director

104 Secret Sussex - Carrot

Anger Management

106 Institute of Directors

Events

QUOTE OF THE MONTH Amanda Menahem Food & Drink Editor

Julia Trevett Accounts Manager

❝

It is the most uplifting business magazine in the region, and each edition has me enthralled. I believe in the magazine and every business should have a copy.

Rose Dykins Travel Editor

Lauren Psyk Event Photographer

Faiza Shafeek, Carrot Events

❞ 5

NEWS

LOCAL NEWS BUSINESS BLACKMAILED Businesses around Sussex are being blackmailed by hackers who are threatening to attack websites and damage their reputations if they do not pay hundreds of pounds. Sussex Police are investigating reports that companies, especially those in the hospitality sector, have received on-line threats that if they do not pay in virtual currency to online accounts their websites will be attacked. So far this week five businesses, restaurants, B&Bs and hotels in Hastings, St Leonards, Eastbourne and Brighton have reported receiving emails saying that if they do not pay £500 by bitcoin into an online payment address their websites will be hacked and reputational damage will be caused to them. All have stated their intention not to pay and the Surrey and Sussex Cyber Crime Team are investigating.

GATWICK AIRPORT NOISE REVIEW

An airport spokesman said it accepted all 23 recommendations the Independent Arrivals Review made in a report in January which stated ‘it is clear that there is scope for the improvement of the present situation’. A Gatwick report published in March stated some of the recommendations required discussion between GAL and stakeholders involved with further analysis and community engagement before decisions over ‘precise steps’ were implemented. A GAL spokesman said: “Gatwick has allotted six weeks for local community feedback and to allow all those who took part in the Review to consider its proposed action plan. One recommendation of the Review was to put in place an independent Noise Management Board including the main aviation stakeholders and representatives of local communities.” Bo Redeborn, who led the Arrivals Review, said: “I was very pleased by the response of all those concerned to the Arrivals Review and I am now delighted that Gatwick has announced that it will accept all of our recommendations.”

TURKEY GONE BUST

A UK holiday firm specialising in travel to Turkey has gone into liquidation, blaming the country’s political situation. Jewel in the Crown Holidays, based in West Sussex, has been trading for 29 years and claimed to be the largest independent tour operator to Turkey. The company, which sent up to 18,000 holidaymakers a year to the country, ceased trading this month. It said there were currently no passengers overseas. A statement on the Crawley company’s website said the business to Turkey had been challenging for the last two years. “We had hoped that the political situation in Turkey would improve but sadly this has not happened,” it said. “The directors of Jewel in the Crown Holidays Ltd would like to apologise to both our UK and overseas staff.” It said it had holiday bookings for this summer but they could not be honoured because negotiations with airlines had failed. All 11 staff have been made redundant.

“Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavour.” 6

NEWS

“I always give 100% at Work: 10% Monday, 23% Tuesday, 40% Wednesday, 22% Thursday, and 5% Friday.”

SOUTH EAST FORMATION DATA TOPS

Company formation group, 24.7, have released data regarding the increase in company formations across Sussex. The study shows a slight increase over 2014 and a decrease in dissolved companies over the same period.

Research launched today by NatWest shows the South East is beaten only by London as being the best place in the UK to start a business. One fifth (20%) of the UK voted for the South East compared to London’s 29% - well ahead of the next most popular regions, the South West and West Midlands, which both had 8% of votes. Despite this, NatWest’s Entrepreneurship Monitor for the first quarter of 2016 shows a 23% dip in entrepreneurial intent, as 23% in the South East would like to be selfemployed compared to 46% in the third quarter of 2015. The survey showed a key barrier was fear of failure (55%), while over a quarter of people (27%) in the region feel the economic climate is too difficult. While the economic climate is still a significant perceived barrier, it has almost halved from 48% since the Spring of 2012, when the Monitor began. Despite worries over the wider economy, the data, compiled by Populus for NatWest, revealed 72% in the South East think the region’s strong local economy is one of the best reasons to locate a business here. In addition, 40% of those surveyed cited its highly skilled workforce and a third (32%) noted greater access to business accelerator hubs, such as Entrepreneurial Spark, as advantages. Fiona Anderson, Entrepreneurial Development Manager for NatWest, said: “Despite improving economic conditions and a clear entrepreneurial desire in the South East, too many people are still being held back from following their ambitions. These figures highlight the need for the right early support for start-ups, which can help people overcome the barriers to starting and establishing a successful business.

NEWS

LOCAL NEWS BIG GUN JOINS DMH Renowned intellectual property (IP) and technology solicitor James Martin has joined top 100 law firm DMH Stallard. James was previously a Director at City law firm, Fieldfisher. James’ track record in IP law has made him a regular speaker, lecturer and contributor in the media. He has acted in numerous high profile cases, advising on trademarks, designs, copyright, patents, confidential information and domain name disputes. He works with companies of all sizes in brand protection and anti-counterfeiting programmes and has acted on many medium to large scale IP infringement actions for both claimants and defendants. James has developed particular expertise in the protection of confidential information acting for Vestergaard Frandsen, the manufacturer of long lasting insecticidal mosquito nets in the global fight against malaria. Tim Ashdown, Senior Litigation Partner at DMH Stallard, said: “This is a really exciting appointment and one that reflects our ever increasing presence in the market in London and across the south east. James possesses a calibre of experience that is hard to match. His arrival demonstrates that our ambition to continue growing and attract the very best people in the UK law sector is as strong as ever.” He is also well known internationally through his work on the coordination of cross-border litigation involving multiple jurisdictions across Europe, North America and Asia. With extensive knowledge of the Indian commercial and legal landscape, James regularly assists UK and European businesses entering India in their commercial and intellectual property matters, as well as Indian businesses investing in, and protecting, their intellectual property in the UK.

ARTS COUNCIL GRANT

ALL ABOARD! The Mumpreneur’s Networking Club will be bringing the Natwest business bus to

A partnership of organisations led by the University of Brighton

Brighton’s Ship Street on Wednesday 25th

has recently been awarded £266,610 by Arts Council England to

May.

boost creative, digital and Information Technology businesses in

The Mumpreneur economy (businesses

the local area.

run by mothers with children under 18)

The University of Brighton will work with organisations including

generated 7.2 billion for the economy in 2014. A report from the think tank

Wired Sussex, University of Sussex and Gatwick Airport to lead Arts DRIVA (Digital Research & Innovation Value Accelerator). Arts DRIVA will establish valuable partnerships between local arts and

Development Economics commissioned by Ebay, evaluated the contribution of Mumpreneurs and found that the sector is growing at an unprecedented rate,

culture organisations, small businesses, universities, public bodies

The report states that Mumpreneurs will generate 9.5bn for the UK economy.

and larger enterprises, to help creative, digital and IT organisations

Club Director Sara Guiel says, “Women from all professions who have

deliver commercial innovations more effectively.

discovered that the corporate world can be an uncomfortable fit with family

Funding from the Arts Council will provide arts and cultural

are turning their passions into businesses.”

organisations from the local area with the opportunity to be at the

MNC are inviting aspiring business owners and entrepreneurs along to the

heart of this work, demonstrating the value arts and culture has in

bus in each location to talk to professionals within their network about local

delivering economic value and innovation.

support helping to inspire, share practical skills and drive forward their ideas.

Hedley Swain, Area Director, South East, Arts Council England,

The bus will be open between 10am and 4pm. Visitors will be able to drop by

said: “Through its strong partnership with Brighton University,

informally at a time which suits. If visitors need more time with a particular

Digital Catapult and Gatwick Airport, the Arts DRIVA project will

expert, they can contact them directly and arrange a slot between 3pm and

enable the development of a larger, stronger Creative Digital

4pm.

Information Technology sector. This will demonstrate the impact

The bus is NatWest’s iconic 1966 Routemaster. It has been refurbished inside

the arts can have within the local economy. We’re excited to be able

to give it a very modern twist and comes with its very own bus driver and

to fund such an important project.”

conductor! For details go to www.agoodgossip.co.uk.

“Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” 8

NEWS

“Good things come to those who wait… greater things come to those who get off their ass and do anything to make it happen.”

SINGING POLITICIAN SLICE OF LIFE Liberal Democrat

The former Pizza Express

junior transport

tycoon, Luke Johnson, has

minister Norman

purchased Brighton Pier.

Baker has released

Johnson’s Electric Bar

a pop single with his

Group recently purchased

band The Reform

the iconic pier for £18

Club.

million from the Noble

The 55-year-old MP

Organisation having

for Lewes co-wrote

recently invested in the

the single “Piccadilly Circus” with his band mates.

Laine Pub Group, Small

He appears in the video for the song walking around the famous tourist hot spot in an open-necked shirt and black trilby. The song does not obviously reference politics, aside from the lyric “Don’t get caught under flashing neon signs in recessionary times,” and a shot of a sign in the video that reads: “Jesus will soon come and sweep all politicians from power.”

Batch Coffee and Neilson Active Holidays based at the Marina. Last year, the pier made a profit of £415,000 against a turnover of £12.3 million. Johnson said: ‘Brighton

“I wouldn’t write a song slagging off the prime minister. But I was

Pier is one of a kind and is

never going to write about politics. That would be naff,” Speaking

a very profitable company.

on the Today Programme the junior transport minister said: “Music

There are many other piers

has always been very important to me. That’s what I like to do

out there that would need a lot of either taxpayer or private investment and

when I go home and switch off the day job.”

that’s not something we would be interested in”. He has been inundated with

However, the Telegraph’s pop and rock critic Neil McCormick said on

calls for other pier owners hoping to off-load their business and he will now

the show that the single shared the same opening chords from The

probably be inundated with calls from lobbyists about the name reverting to the

Kinks’ “Well Respected Man”, and told Baker “just because you can

Palace Pier, a campaign that Noble have efficiently ignored for many years and

sing, doesn’t mean anyone else should have to listen.” Hear hear.

currently has 2,000 signatures.

BANG TO RIGHTS Green Party MP Caroline Lucas is to be prosecuted after being arrested during anti-fracking protests in Balcombe, West Sussex. The Crown prosecution Service has confirmed Ms Lucas will be prosecuted for “breaching a police order on public assemblies and wilful obstruction of the highway”. The Brighton MP was detained during mass demonstrations at the Caudrilla drilling site on August 19th 2013.

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOUR

The Manor Royal ‘Know your Neighbour’

Nigel Pilkington, a senior lawyer with the Crown Prosecution Service South East, said Sussex Police had been authorised to charge Ms Lucas with one count of breach of a section 14 order contrary to section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, and one count of wilful obstruction of the highway contrary to section 137 of the Highways Act 1980.

Expo will take pace at the Crowne Plaza

”After careful consideration, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to prosecute Ms Lucas for breaching a police order on public assemblies and wilful obstruction of the highway.“ Ms Lucas will appear at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 9 October.

neighbours. Entry is free to MR based

Hotel in Crawley on May 18th. This well attended event is a great opportunity to network with over 100 businesses and 300 delegates and, well, get to know your businesses and there are a series of seminars, events and speed networking.

ECONOMIC TRENDS

Regional Economic Tracker The NatWest Regional Economic Tracker monitors employment levels in 12 regions across the UK showing where the fastest job growth has occurred on a quarterly basis.

OLDER WORKERS DRIVE SOUTH EAST JOBS MARKET SURGE

Yorkshire & the Humber takes top spot ACIB MCIBS Chartered Banker Director, Commercial Banking, NatWest Bank by Gary Chown

e-mail: gary.chown@natwest.com

NORTH WEST

Top 3 Ribble Valley Pendle Allerdale

Yorkshire & the Humber has leapt to the top of the NatWest Regional Economic Tracker, seeing a higher rate of job growth than any other UK region over the last year. Employment rose by 3.8% in the 12 months to September 2015, twice the already strong UK rate of 1.9%. Top local areas within the region were Scarborough, Hambleton and Leeds, all seeing growth of over 10%. This excellent recent performance helps Yorkshire & the Humber make up some of the ground lost in the early stages of the recovery and means that employment is now 4.4% higher than it was in 2008, a result that is only bettered by three other regions.

SCOTLAND

2.7%

21% 18% 13% WEST MIDLANDS 1.6%

Top 3 N Warwickshire Lichfield Rugby

13% 12% 11% 1.4%

WALES

Top 3 Anglesey Wrexham Pembrokeshire

8% 6% 6%

SOUTH WEST

Top 3 W Somerset N Devon Mendip

NORTH EAST levels are compared to2.2% preToprecession 3 peaks. S Tyneside 8% The South East’s strong Gateshead 5% performance is welcome 5% as Middlesbrough it helps make some inroads

Regional Economic Tracker

YORKS & HUMBER 3.8%

to the astonishing lead that Top 3 London has built up. So while Scarborough 19% the region benefits from 16% its Hambleton Leeds 10% close proximity to the capital,

Q3 2015

3.0%

the South East’s growth1.2% is still EAST MIDLANDS

by the 14% expansion Topdwarfed 3 Ashfield 19% that London has seen since NW Leicestershire 12% 2008. In real terms, this means Hinckley & Bosworth 10% that one in every three jobs

29% 23% 14%

SOUTH EAST

Top 3 Spelthorne Tandridge Rushmoor

1.2% 14% 13% 11%

1.1%

Top 3 in the year to September 8% 2015, Clackmannanshire Dumfries &as Galloway 6% as well since 2008 showing W Dunbartonshire 5% where the current employment

LONDON

EAST OF ENGLAND 1.7%

2.2%

Top 3 Newham Greenwich Ealing

that has been created in the Top 3 UK since the recession began Braintree 15% Colchester was based in London. 14% Waveney 13% In the South East, last year’s

12% 11% 10%

largest gains were seen in

Employment Y2Q3

Surrey where Spelthorne and

Employment 2008- Q32015

Tandridge saw the number of people in full or part-time employment rise by 14%

he UK’s economic recovery is broadening, both regionally and demographically. For most of the last four years London has Yorks & Humber

year with growth of 1.2%, having spent much

increases were well above the national average

of the previous year growing faster than the

of 1.9%.

been theWest stand-out region for job creation. No South

Last year, fortune also shined on two of

NorthYorkshire West longer. & the Humber shot to the top

UK average. However, the South East’s strong East long term performance means there South Westare now

the three main commercial centres in Surrey

of the table in the year to Q3 2015 with a 3.8%

Yorks than & Humber 4.4% more jobs in the region there were

and Sussex with Crawley seeing an additional

rise in employment, twice the national average. East

in 2008.

North East

London

The West and North East also made it in West North Midlands

London

South East Wales

East Midlands and 2.2% respectively. South East

3% employed while Guildford had impressive rise of 7% last year. Crawley is now home to

Regional Economic Tracker, which monitored North West

58,000 full and part time jobs and Guildford

regional job growth acrossEast theMidlands United Kingdom

has 72,000. However, it was a down year in

North East

Scotland 0.0%

and 13%, respectively. These

These are latest figures from the NatWest West Midlands

Wales to the top five turning out jobs growth of 2.7%

In the South East, job growth slipped last

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

2.5%

3.0%

3.5%

4.0%

Scotland 0%

12%

15%

ECONOMIC TRENDS Brighton where a 5% decrease in jobs means there are now 143,000 in the vibrant south coast city. Perhaps what’s most interesting about the overall growth in the South East, and indeed nationally, is that the surge in employment growth has been driven by the number of over 65s in employment. Since 2008, there is now an astonishing 65% more over 65s in full or part-time employment than there were during the pre-recession peaks. When combined with the 12% increase in over 50s working, the total growth across the UK has been more than accounted for by the rise in these two age groups. Whether this is by choice or necessity people are retiring later, a trend that’s set to continue as state pension ages rise for men and particularly for women in the coming years. Working longer means more flexibility for many, so the South East has seen faster growth in part time work and amongst the self employed accordingly.

“Perhaps what’s most interesting about the overall growth in the South East, and indeed nationally, is that the surge in employment growth has been driven by the number of over 65s in employment.”

However, the story for the country’s youngest workers is not as positive in the South East or nationwide, where there are now 5% less people aged between 16-24 who are in full or part time work than there were pre-recession. Only in London has there been a net increase in the amount of 16-24 year olds employed since 2008. Last year, the South East did see some positive gains for the region’s youngest workers. While the number of over 65s in work dropped 1% in the year to September 2015, the number of employed 16-24 year olds saw a healthy rise of 3% during the same period.

Are you a local business looking to gain new clients or maybe a start-up in need of some real business advice? Whatever the reason, The Target Business Expo and gdb Speakers Conference should be the most important date in your diary. This business to business exhibition is a unique event bringing together organisations from a range of sectors from Insurance to HR to Design and Vehicle leasing.

Over 140 exhibitors will be available to discuss their products and services directly with you. Purchase a ticket for the gdb Speakers Conference, hear from three outstanding speakers and have the opportunity to meet and discuss your business issues over lunch.

DAILY EVENTS NETWORKING BREAKFAST (Tickets available from gdb in advance)

08.15 NETWORKING BREAKFAST | Hosted by Gatwick Diamond Business

FREE SEMINARS 11.00 The March of Technology Seminar | By John Berry of TimelessTime 13.00 Speaking in Public Seminar | By Ges Ray

gdb SPEAKERS CONFERENCE

(For the full conference timetable, please see the event website. Tickets purchased in advance through gdb)

11.30 Lara Morgan

12.15 Geoff Meade

13.45 Rt Hon Lord Andrew Adonis

Target Business Expo is free to attend to all visitors and offers a wealth of information and advice, products and services to all businesses large and small. Please book your stand early to avoid disappointment.

THE TARGET BUSINESS EXPO

Tickets for the Networking Breakfast and gdb Speakers Conference must be purchased through gdb in advance.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL TARGET IN 1

Gatwick Diamond Business | 01293 440088

AND gdb SPEAKERS CONFERENCE. K2, PEASE POTTAGE HILL, CRAWLEY RH11 9BQ

20TH OCTOBER 2016

01293773021 targetbusinessexpo.co.uk

www.gatwickdiamondbusiness.com

Charity supported by Target in 1 Limited.

BUSINESS AWARDS

LAST CHANCE FOR LEWES

Deadline Extended for 2016 Lewes District Business Awards

ue to overwhelming demand, Lewes District Council has extended the deadline for the Lewes District Business

Awards to Wednesday, 11 May 2016. Celebrating excellence amongst the District’s

The Awards create a fantastic opportunity for many different types of businesses to come together and celebrate the success of the District’s business talent and achievement - so don’t miss out on your chance to enter.

business community, the Awards are FREE TO

Entries can be submitted online at www.

ENTER and open to organisations of all sizes

lewesdistrictbusinessawards.co.uk. Deadline

and sectors.

for entries is 11 May at 17:00.

There are 12 trophies up for grabs this year, including three new categories: the Best Employer, Customer Service and International

Winners will be announced on Thursday 14 July at the Lewes Town Hall. Around 200 of the District’s leading

Business. There are also special awards to

businesspeople, sponsors and judges are

recognise growth and the community.

expected to attend, giving guests the perfect

Commenting on the forthcoming deadline,

opportunity to network with peers, celebrate

Councillor Andy Smith, Leader of Lewes District

with colleagues and find out those all-

Council, said: “Following the huge success of

important results! What’s more, all finalists

the last two years, the Lewes District Business

receive one free ticket.

Awards continue to go from strength to strength. “We would like to urge all businesses across

The Awards create a fantastic opportunity for many different types of businesses to come together and celebrate the success of the

the District to put themselves forward, no

District’s business talent and achievement. So

matter how small or large, as we believe every

don’t miss out on your chance to enter.

business should shout about its successes.”

Businesses can enter up to three categories,

and deadline for submissions is 11 May at 17:00. The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, 14 July at the Lewes Town Hall. Entries can be entered online at www.lewesdistrictbusinessawards.co.uk.

❝ The awards process

was an exciting learning curve for the team and the ceremony itself was a very special night, where we enjoyed sharing stories, ideas and enthusiasm with likeminded local businesses…

❞

G.Burley & Sons Ltd Lewes District Award for Green Business

ENTRY DEADLINE EXTENDED •11 MAY Celebrating excellence in the business community, the Awards offer a fantastic opportunity for many different types of businesses to come together and recognise the District’s business talent and achievements. Winning an award really can make a difference! It can also… • Boost staff morale and improve motivation • Increase credibility • Attract new business • Add value to marketing • Raise company profile • Gain invaluable media coverage • Offer fantastic networking

FREE TO

ENTER

SUBMIT AN ENTRY ONLINE TODAY

www.lewesdistrictbusinessawards.co.uk

M A G A Z I N E S

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPARK

ACCELER8 TO SUCCESS

£10,000 Awarded to Brighton’s Budding Entrepreneurs

ix local entrepreneurs have picked up a major cash boost at the annual #GoDoAcceler8 training and awards

event at Entrepreneurial Spark’s Brighton hub. Run alongside partners NatWest and KPMG,

by an awards ceremony celebrating the top success stories from all 85 of the businesses based at the Hatchery. The event also marked the halfway point of the February intake’s six month programme at

Entrepreneurial Spark is the world’s largest

the hub.

free business accelerator for start-up and

The award winners were as follows:

scaleup businesses and has provided free support, mentoring, networking and office accommodation for over 650 businesses across the UK. The #GoDoAcceler8 event comprised a

Acceler8 Award (£3000 awarded to the best performing company) • China Travel Outbound (www.

training and networking programme dedicated

chinatraveloutbound.com) – Specialist

to developing entrepreneurial leadership skills

marketing agency which promotes British

and encouraging growth for the new fledgling

tourist boards, hotels and attractions to the

businesses (‘Chiclets’) that joined the Brighton

Chinese market

hub (‘Hatchery’) in February. This was followed

#GoDo Award (£2000 awarded to each of

the companies that best demonstrate the mindsets and behaviours of a successful entrepreneur) • ClubRadar (www.clubradar.com) – Brighton’s official university nightlife app • DoubleSix (www.doublesix.co) - The digital experience supporting grassroots football

Best Pitch Award (£1000 awarded to each of the entrepreneurs that best delivered a 60 second pitch about their company to a panel of esteemed judges) • Michael Kelly, founder of Wriggle • Amber Rust, founder of Bonieri Chocolate (www.bonieri.com) • Al Start, founder of Go Kid Music (www. gokidmusic.com) Jim Duffy, founder and Chief Executive

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPARK

“I’m thrilled to see such a high standard of businesses enter this year. This truly stands as a testament to the fantastic young talent we have across Brighton and Hove...” Officer, Entrepreneurial Spark said:

Fiona Anderson, Entrepreneurial

Tim Rush, Head of Enterprise for KPMG in

“#GoDoAcceler8 is an exciting stage in the

Development Manager at NatWest, said:

the South East, added: “The Acceler8 events

Entrepreneurial Spark programme. The

“Congratulations to all the entrepreneurs

are the first opportunity for the Chiclets to

progress we see is incredible and it’s hugely

who took part yesterday. Seeing how far the

really test their mettle and demonstrate the

Chiclets have come in just three months, it

progress they have made since embarking

will be really exciting to see how much they

on the Entrepreneurial Spark programme.

improve by the end of the programme. Events

Once again, we were not disappointed. The

raised more than £45million in investment to

like yesterday’s #GoDoAcceler8 are what make

confidence, enthusiasm and sheer ‘GoDo’

date, and #GoDoAcceler8 is an important stage

Entrepreneurial Spark so unique and effective,

attitude on show here in Brighton reinforces

in each businesses’ growth as they look to

and what ultimately helps establish successful

our belief that the future is extremely bright for

scale up and build incredible businesses.”

businesses.”

these ambitious young businesses.”

rewarding to watch entrepreneurs who joined us three months ago often unable to clearly articulate their business idea stand up and deliver a winning pitch. Our Chiclets have

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPARK Run alongside partners NatWest and KPMG, Entrepreneurial Spark® is the world’s largest free people accelerator for start-up and scaleup businesses. Open to businesses from all sectors and completely free, Entrepreneurial Spark® takes no equity in supported businesses. For more information, please visit: www.entrepreneurial-spark.com

CONVENTION

THE UNCONVENTIONAL CONVENTION

he name Acumen Business Law has been around for just under a decade, and yet they seem to be everywhere. Not only as a corporate law firm with offices in Crawley and Brighton but the annual Acumen Business Convention, now in its seventh year, just seems to get bigger every year. The convention brings together business leaders from across the South East to the Grand Hotel in Brighton for a day of

inspiration. International speakers, four interactive workshops, unique networking opportunities and it is always a sell-out. This year the convention is to be held on May 10th and kicks off with a splendid 3-course lunch followed by speakers such as Lord Karan Bilimoria, Founder of Cobra Beer who will tell his story of of building the Cobra brand and his tips on leadership and UK/Indian relations; Kevin Byrne, the inspirational Founder of Checkatrade who will share his route to success from zero investment to a £2.7 billion turnover; Linzi Boyd, author of Brand Famous, who will explain why business leaders who spend millions of their branding often forget to build the brand of their people. And finally, we will hear from Penina herself who will discuss how to shake off the conventional business shackles and join the Freedom Revolution. Not only business but an array of surprises along the way. In previous years the convention saw Levi Roots singing, dancers performing, ice sculptures and a chap spinning enormous silver bowls - this is no normal staid business convention. With over 250 CEOs and MDs attending the convention, it is one of those annual events that it would be wise to pop into the diary - but be quick as it will sell out. To reserve your ticket please go to www. acumenbusinesslaw. co.uk and click on ‘Convention 2016’ under the ‘Conventions’ tab.

CONVENTION

Maar ten caught up with Managing Director and Founder, Penina Shepherd, which is no mean feat as the whirlwind that is Penina is not an easy lady to pin down - or keep up with.

Why did you start Acumen?

After working with several of the well-known local firms, l decided that there had to be another way to do the job. I took the brave step to launch out on my own eight and a half years ago and was literally in a small offi ce in Hove with a desk and a coffee cup. It was lonely and stressful at times but my deter mination never wavered and the great thing is that this new attitude tends to attract people that share my ethos and hey presto, you end up with a highly successful firm full of people who share my vision.

So why does a law ﬁrm host a business con vention?

I love business. I love people. So I love creating business communities for business people. It is for this reason that we set up the ACUMEN BUSINESS CLUB which is about to enter its eighth year and the ACUMEN BUSINESS CONVENTION. The Conventio n allows us to provide the platform for people to meet, learn, be inspired and have fun in the process. This is what a busin ess community is all about. Indeed, there is a mass ive cross sector networking opportunit y and with over 250 CEOs present, there is a huge amount of business done at the Convention. This is the seventh year of the Convention and it has gone from strength to strength. We are even thinking of a convention road-show next year to reach all parts of our region.

Why the prevalence of Zebras everywhere?

If you look at all wild animals, there is very little colour there but for greys and browns. Then suddenly you see a gorgeous white horse painted with black stripe s, now that’s different! That is a ‘head turner’! We believe Acumen is the zebra of the law firms. Acumen is a law firm that is genuinely different. We don’t have secre taries , we do everything we possibly can electronically, we are democratic ally run by all in the firm and if you see a lawye r in ﬂip ﬂops, please don’t worry it is just one of the ways we do happy. We care a lot about happiness. The FT listed us at the top 50 ground-breaking & innovative law firms in the whole of the UK & Europe, The Observer voted us a UK rising star and we have won many local awards.

LET’S DO BUSINESS EASTBOURNE RETURNS

EASTBOURNE’S NO.1 B2B SHOW IS BACK WITH MORE STANDS AND SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER

THE WINTER GARDEN THURSDAY 30 JUNE

STANDS ON SALE NOW

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BOOK A STAND VISIT WWW.LETSDOBUSINESS.ORG/EASTBOURNE

Meet special guest speaker

Declan Curry Former BBC Business Correspondent

BOOK EARLY AND SAVE!

EARLY BIRD BOOKING OFFER WORTH £45 10% DISCOUNT ON STANDS IN CONGRESS SUITE STANDS START FROM ONLY £275+VAT

LET’SDO BUSINESS B2B EXHIBITIONS 2016

SECURITY

IS LONE WORKING SAFE? If your staff spend time working alone it can be perfectly safe, but you need to assess the risks, says Matt Robinson, Operations Director at Beacon Facilities Management Limited

n the age of no win, no fee compensation and the Corporate Manslaughter Act, is it time to review your lone working policies and procedures?

WHAT IS LONE WORKING? Many businesses are often not sure what constitutes lone working and fail to identify potentially dangerous tasks. It might sound glaringly obvious but, lone working, is any period of time that a team member is working on their own. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) define lone working as “those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision”. Lone working is perfectly legal to carry out but, like all tasks within your business, you must have looked at the risks and taken reasonable steps to mitigate them.

Examples of Lone Working: • • • •

Sales Team members out on the road Estate Agents visiting properties Staff travelling to and from meetings A member of staff who starts earlier or leaves later than everyone else • A member of your team who responds to intruder alarm activations outside working hours • A cleaner working in your office after everyone else has left

✦✦ The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)

HOW TO MANAGE LONE WORKING Taking reasonable steps to manage lone working does not have to be time consuming or expensive and minimises the risk of incidents. Initially you need to risk assess the lone working and identify the tasks, hazards and people performing the duties. Once you have identified the risks you can take steps to manage lone working safely, these steps include: • By law you are required to speak to your team members on health and safety matters so, talk to you team and involve them, they can often come up with the best mitigation actions • Introduce supervision

• The use of technology, stand-alone lone worker devices or, lone worker apps for smart phones • Stopping any lone working which the risks cannot be reduced by adding supervision or a colleague • Training Once the risk assessment is complete and the control measures identified, implement them and then perform regular reviews.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION? • Health and Safety Executive website • Suzi Lamplugh Trust Lone working is often perfectly safe as long as you have evaluated the risks and controlled them to keep your team and business safe. Web: www.beacon-services.co.uk Email: Matthew.robinson@beacon-services.co.uk

WHY MANAGE LONE WORKING? For the safety of your team and business, especially in the era of corporate manslaughter, reviewing how your team work, identifying and risk assessing lone working then putting in steps to mitigate risk are vital. There are several arguments for dealing with lone working: • Financial – Your team members being injured at work can be costly with downtime, investigations and compensation • Morale – Looking after the safety of your team so they feel protected and valued • Legal – The main areas of legislations covering lone working are: ✦✦Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 ✦✦Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 ✦✦Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS TAX FAILINGS

The Government’s tax man only investigates 35 wealthy individuals for tax evasion each year. HMRC told the Public Accounts Committee it did not know how many people it had successfully prosecuted. The Parliamentary report also found that HMRC has made only limited progress in reducing the level of tax lost, which has remained relatively consistent over the past five years. It concluded that the department’s failure to prosecute those evading tax “creates the impression that the rich can get away with tax fraud”. A spokesman for HMRC said: “HMRC is one of the most effective tax collectors in the world, getting 93 pence of every pound due. Few other countries have a smaller tax gap. “We remain relentless and strategic in tracking down the few that try to get out of paying their fair share.” Relentless is not the word l would use for 35 individual investigations every 12 months!

JP MORGAN ENLISTS MANDELSON

ANOTHER RECORD

The new 16 plate drives registrations to a new high for the month of Wall Street’s largest bank, JP Morgan, are taking no chances over the Brexit vote by enlisting the services of former EU commissioner Lord (Peter) Mandelson to explain (scare and brainwash) to the bank’s 15,000 British staff the horrors of voting to leave. Matthew Elliott, CEO of Vote Leave, said JP Morgan has clearly woken up to the fact that many in the City think it is time to leave. Mandelson will be joined by BT Chairman Sir Mike Rake and Innocent Drinks founder, Richard Reed, out of paying their fair share.” Relentless is not the word l would use for 35 individual investigations every 12 months! in making the case. As is usual in this one-sided debate, there will no no alternative views allowed and no member of the Out campaign will be invited.

March, with the Ford Fiesta on pole position. Strong demand for the 16 plate-change has driven sales of new cars to a record for March, according to an industry body. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported growth of 5.3% on the same month last year, with buyers snapping up 518,707 new cars - a new high for the month since the number plate system was reformed 17 years ago. The SMMT credited the biannual plate change, which took effect on 1 March and said demand was up year-on-year across all fuel types. The SMMT said diesel and petrol registrations grew by 4.8% and 4.7% respectively while alternatively fuelled vehicles enjoyed a rise of 21.5%.

“If you hit the target every time it’s too near or too big.” 20

NEWS

“Life is like photography. You need the negatives to develop.”

UNFAIR TO BUSINESS

Plans for a quarterly tax filing system have sparked criticism from the independent body that oversees HM Revenue & Customs for their potential impact on small businesses. In a report published on Tuesday 5 April, the Administrative Burdens Advisory Board (ABAB) predicted that plans announced by chancellor George Osborne to introduce a new digital tax system for the self-employed – including mandatory quarterly updates – would create a significant added burden in terms of accounting records and costs. “Compulsory digital record-keeping and quarterly online updates is not an approach we can endorse,” ABAB said in its annual report. “We are concerned that the proposals for quarterly updates will be more burdensome than they currently are with increased record-keeping and compliance costs. This will have a big impact on the smallest of businesses.”

DAIMLER SAUSAGE ROW

As Daimler AG shareholders approved the biggest dividend in the company’s history, two investors got into a fight at its annual general meeting over complimentary sausages. The world’s second-biggest luxury-car maker called police to calm things down after one man began packing away multiple sausages from the buffet. A woman intervened, and the two got into a verbal altercation. Daimler served about 12,500 wursts to the 5,500 shareholders who attended the meeting in Berlin, spokeswoman Silke Walters said. Buffets that can cost far more than one share of stock are part of the culture of European shareholder meetings, which can drone on the better part of a full day as investors chow down on everything from hearty pretzels and bratwurst to coffee and cake. Daimler shareholders approved a dividend of 3.25 euros per share on Wednesday, enough for a double-pack of sausages at German discounter Aldi. Still, Chairman Manfred Bischoff mused at the meeting, clearly the company needs to do more to satisfy their hunger. “Either we need more sausages, or we’ll have to get rid of the sausages entirely,” Bischoff said.

PARENTAL LEAVE FAILURE

Figures compiled by My Family Care have found that there has been very little take up by dads of new shared parental leave rights. Under laws that came into effect last April, fathers in the UK can use as many as 50 of the 52 weeks of leave afforded to mothers after the birth of a child. Mothers must take two weeks off - or four for factory workers - but can swap the rest for shared leave, which can be taken flexibly by either of the parents. The time can be taken in consecutive periods or concurrently, to allow parents to be with their new baby together. It can even be used in blocks throughout the course of the year. Pay is offered at the same statutory rates as maternity leave, something it was hoped would encourage more dads to take a more active role in early childcare. But the new research, based on a survey of 1,000 parents at 200 employers, suggests just one per cent of fathers may be doing so. It is suggested that men on the career ladder are too afraid to tell they boss that they wish to put their family before their job.

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS FORMATION DATA

Company Formations 24.7 have released data from across the UK as to company formations, dissolutions and company type which makes for interesting reading. Surprised to see the youngest Director is 16 and the oldest 100 - you have to take your hat off to that chap.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Retirement kills more people than hard work ever did.â&#x20AC;? 22

Award winning business, tax and wealth advice For a complimentary initial discussion on any of your accounting, tax or financial planning needs please contact Shirley Smith on: T: +44 (0)1293 776152 E: shirley.smith@krestonreeves.com Offices across London, Gatwick and Kent

www.krestonreeves.com

SIR JAMES DYSON The man who cleaned up By Maarten Hoffmann

“Like so many entrepreneurs, he wants a cheap currency and low interest rates, but also low inﬂation, low wages, a ﬂexible labour market and low regulation. He will not find them in the eurozone.” 24

THE BIG STORY of £2,000. It won the 1991 International Design Fair Prize in Japan and he obtained his first US patent on the idea in 1986. After failing to sell his invention to the major manufacturers, Dyson set up his own manufacturing company, Dyson Ltd, and in June 1993, he opened his research centre and factory in Malmesbury, Wiltshire. Dyson’s breakthrough in the UK market came more than ten years after the initial idea, through a TV advertising campaign in which it was emphasised that, unlike most of its rivals, the Dyson vacuum did not require the continuing purchase of replacement bags. At that time, the UK market for disposable cleaner bags was worth over £100 million. The slogan “say goodbye to the bag” proved more attractive to the buying public than a previous emphasis

he humble vacuum cleaner was invented in the UK by Hubert Cecil Booth in 1901. As usual, the Americans got their hands

on the suction efficiency that its technology the sawdust was removed from the air by large

delivered. Ironically, the previous step change

industrial cyclones. Centrifugal separators are

in domestic vacuum cleaner design had been

a typical method of collecting dirt, dust and

the introduction of the disposable bag —

on it and the Hoover Company was launched,

debris in industrial settings. Such methods

users being prepared to pay extra for the

selling vacuum cleaners door to door to

usually were not applied on a smaller scale

convenience. The Dyson Dual Cyclone became

alleviate the housewife’s burden of cleaning.

because of the higher cost. Dyson reportedly

the fastest-selling vacuum cleaner ever made

hypothesised the same principle might work,

in the UK, and outsold those of some of the

Unusually for such designs that start in the UK and get ‘hoovered’ up by the Americans, we

companies that rejected his idea, becoming one

have grabbed back this design via the industrial

of the most popular brands in the UK.

design talent of a man from Cromer in Norfolk. This man from Norfolk is now worth £3 billion. James Dyson was born in 1947 and in his early days he excelled at long-distance running: “I was quite good at it, not because l was physically good, but because l had more determination. I learnt determination from it.” He spent a year at the Byam Shaw School of Art and then studied furniture and interior design at the Royal College of Art before moving into engineering. Dyson helped design the Sea Truck in 1970 while studying at the Royal College of Art.

“In 2014, Dyson said he would now be voting to leave the European Union to avoid being “dominated and bullied by the Germans.”

In early 2005, it was reported that Dyson cleaners had become the market leaders in the United States by value (though not by number of units sold). Following his success, other major manufacturers began to market their own cyclonic vacuum cleaners. In 1999 Dyson sued Hoover (UK) for patent infringement. The High Court ruled that Hoover had deliberately copied a fundamental part of his patented designs in making its Triple Vortex bagless vacuum cleaner range. Hoover agreed to pay damages of £4 million.

His original invention, the Ballbarrow, was a modified version of a wheelbarrow, using a ball

In 2005, Dyson incorporated the wheel ball

instead of a wheel. This was featured on the

from his Ballbarrow concept into a vacuum

BBC’s Tomorrow’s World television programme.

on a smaller scale, in a vacuum cleaner. He

cleaner, creating the Dyson Ball, with the aim of

Dyson stuck with the idea of a ball, which his

removed the bag from the Hoover Junior and fitted it with a cardboard cyclone. On cleaning

making it more manoeuvrable.

brother had thought of, inventing the Trolleyball, a trolley that launched boats. He then designed

the room with it, he found it picked up more

the Wheelboat, which could travel at speeds of

than his bag machine. This was the first

40 mph on both land and water.

vacuum cleaner without a bag.

In the late 1970s, Dyson had the idea of using

Partly supported by his wife’s salary as

To prove the theory that failure maketh the man, this industrial genius was not always successful as, in 2000, he expanded his appliance range to include a washing machine called the ContraRotator, which had two

cyclonic separation to create a vacuum cleaner

an art teacher, and after five years and many

that would not lose suction as it picked up dirt.

prototypes, Dyson launched the “G-Force”

He became frustrated with his Hoover Junior’s

cleaner in 1983. However, no manufacturer

The range was decorated in the usual bright

diminishing performance: the dust bag kept

or distributor would handle his product in the

Dyson colours, rather than the traditional white,

becoming clogged with excessive dust, thus

UK, as it would disturb the valuable market for

grey or black of most other machines. The item

reducing suction. The cyclone idea came from

replacement dust bags, so Dyson launched it in

was not a commercial success and is no longer

a sawmill that used cyclone technology. During

Japan through catalogue sales. Manufactured in

available.

a visit to a local sawmill, Dyson noticed how

bright pink, the G-Force sold for the equivalent

rotating drums moving in opposite directions.

In October 2006 Dyson launched the Dyson

MEETINGS SIMPLIFIED™ BY HILTON

Meeting your needs, exceeding your expectations. That’s the Hilton diﬀerence – and the thinking behind Meetings Simplified™. Ideal for up to 25 delegates, it makes booking your next meeting easier than ever – at an all-inclusive price.

PRICES FROM

£300.00 BASED ON 10 DELEGATES

TRUST HILTON TO MAKE YOURS A SUCCESS.

SIMPLE TO BOOK

SIMPLE PRICE

SIMPLY FLEXIBLE

Meetings Simplified™ makes booking easy. Simply call or email your chosen hotel. Want complete flexibility? You’ve got it – book within 24 hours of your meeting* for true convenience.

Choose Meetings Simplified™ and you choose total simplicity. No surprises, just everything you require included for one great value fixed price. Better budgeting? It just got simpler.

Change the date or time of your meeting up to 24 hours before your event with no charge**. With Meetings Simplified™ simply call or email the hotel to amend or even cancel. Making your job easier – it’s all part of the service.

SIMPLE MEETINGS PACKAGES FOR ONE GREAT VALUE PRICE†, INCLUDING: • Room hire • Free wi-fi • Two course lunch

• Two servings of tea/coﬀee • LCD projector and screen • Flipchart

• Stationery • 24 hour cancellation • All for one great value price

Get even more with Event Bonus rewards Choose our new Meetings Simplified™ package and you can get even more great benefits. Like our Event Bonus rewards, which gives you HHonors points every time you spend on eligible meetings charges. To learn more and to enrol in HHonors visit hhonors.com/eventbonus Book now Meeting packages are available at Hilton London Gatwick Airport Hotel For more information, please email events.gatwick@hilton.com or call +44 (0) 1293 610 809 hiltonworldwide.com/simple

AMERICAS • EUROPE • MIDDLE EAST • AFRICA • ASIA • AUSTRALASIA © 2014 Hilton Worldwide. Offer is subject to availability at participating hotels, the full offer terms and conditions and the hotel’s booking terms and conditions. Credit card guarantee may be required at time of booking. Offer cannot be combined with any other offers and/or special discounts. Blackout dates may apply. Offer applies to new bookings only and is valid for a maximum of 25 delegates. **Cancellation charges may apply if booking outside of 21 days to arrival. Cancellation must be received in writing 24 hrs prior to arrival. Hilton HHonors Membership, earning of Points & Miles, and redemption of Points are subject to HHonors Terms and Conditions. For full terms and conditions go to http:// hhonors3.hilton.com/en/index.html. To qualify for Event Bonus, the booker must book an event for at least $1,000. Learn more or enrol in HHonors by visiting: http://hhonors.com/eventbonus *To ensure you get the date and time you want, we recommend booking as early as possible. †Package elements may vary by hotel.

THE BIG STORY

Airblade, a fast hand dryer that uses a thin sheet of moving air as a squeegee to remove

may be nothing left to save.” Claiming that the strength of the pound was

resultant strong pound will force him to move abroad. Last week he blamed the price of land

water, rather than attempting to evaporate

affecting his company’s profits on exports to

and planning delays in Wiltshire. So where will

it with heat. This allows faster drying, while

France and Germany, in 2000 Dyson threatened

using much less energy than traditional

to shift focus from his Wiltshire plant to a

he go? To Portugal, Italy or to an EU candidate

electrical hand dryers. Another product is a fan

new plant set up in Malaysia because the

without external blades, which he calls the “Air

government would not join the euro. He said:

Multiplier”. In addition to a cooling fan, a model

“We would expect to double in size in the next

which distributes electrically-produced heat

two years. We are talking about a £100 million

rates, but also low inflation, low wages, a

and an ultrasonic humidifier model are also

investment and up to 2,000 jobs. I would like

flexible labour market and low regulation.

available.

to make that investment in the UK but it seems

He will not find them in the eurozone.” Lord

such as Poland? No, Mr Dyson threatens to go to the Far East. Like so many entrepreneurs, he wants a cheap currency and low interest

that is not going to be possible. The value of

Tebbit, a former Secretary of State for Trade

and chief executives of the twenty FTSE

sterling means we are struggling to compete

and Industry, also questioned Dyson’s motives

100 companies who signed a statement

at home with cheap imports from Europe and

and said: “What still puzzles me is why such a

published in The Financial Times calling on the

the Far East. We do around £40 million worth of

government for early British membership of

euro-enthusiast as Mr Dyson does not intend to

export business with France and Germany each

the Eurozone. He claimed that failure to join

year but we aren’t making any money. If we

the Euro would lead to the destruction of the

joined the euro we would be on an even footing

British manufacturing base and said: “It does

with our biggest trading partners.”

In 1998, Dyson was one of the chairmen

not mean that the jobs will go tomorrow but

At the time, an editorial published by The

establish his new factory in Europe if he can’t have it in Britain.” In 2014, Dyson said he would now be voting to leave the European Union to avoid being “dominated and bullied by the Germans.”

will drift abroad over a period and the longer-

Times responded: “Mr Dyson, a manufacturing

term future of Britain as a manufacturing

version of Sir Richard Branson, likes

nation will be blighted. Ministers had better

complaining. Yesterday he was complaining

looming EU referendum and shows that the

understand that if we delay entry too long there

that Britain’s failure to join the Euro and the

opinion of industry cannot always be trusted

This brings us bang up to date with the

In 1998, Dyson was one of the chairmen and chief executives of the twenty FTSE 100 companies who signed a statement published in The Financial Times calling on the government for early British membership of the Eurozone 27

Be More Successful DMH Stallard has been working in partnership with businesses for over 40 years, helping them become more successful. We focus on your business critical success factors and deliver commercial solutions to effectively manage your: • Customer and supplier agreements

• Intellectual property

• Property and employees

• Shareholders and Directors

• Finance, borrowing and insurance

• Environmental issues

Having the right strategic approach to effectively manage these factors can positively impact your bottom line. Don’t leave this to chance.

DMH Stallard Corporate Law Firm of the Year 2016

London | Gatwick | Guildford | Brighton | www.dmhstallard.com

THE BIG STORY

as they have their own vested interests that

and a copy of Genius Of Britain, a Channel 4 TV

on the subject of engineering and thinks

might not chime with the best interests of this

series featuring Dyson, and design engineering

that people feel it’s all “bearded men in bad

country. Dyson’s demand to join the Euro was

posters. The Foundation also supports the work

jumpers”...or white coats. “Yes, exactly, a

motivated by the best interests of his company

of young designers through the James Dyson

terrible image problem, but they’re creative

and certainly not those of the UK.

Award. This is an international design award

people. They’re creating all day long. That’s the

With the Dyson invention taking the world by

problem I’ve always had with people talking

storm and adding billions to his bank account, he turned his attention to the nurturing of British engineering talent and created the James Dyson Foundation to support design and engineering education. It now operates in UK, US and Japan. The Foundation’s aim is to inspire young people to study engineering and become engineers by encouraging students to think differently and to make mistakes. The Foundation supports engineering education in schools and universities, as well as medical and scientific research in partnership with charities. It achieves this by funding different resources, such as the “Education box”, a box filled with activities for a school to use as a

about the ‘creative industries’, it implies that

“Partly supported by his wife’s salary as an art teacher, and after five years and many prototypes, Dyson launched the “G-Force” cleaner in 1983”

teaching aid.

industry isn’t creative. I loathe that. It degrades the whole idea of making things. There is still this snobbery in Britain about that sort of thing. It’s ‘trade’ or ‘new money.’ It’s OK to make money as an artist, but not OK to make money by making things”, he said in a recent interview. When asked how the UK is fairing in the engineering debate, his response is typically blunt: “ Very badly. We’re filing fewer patents every year, and we’re now 22nd in the world league. Yet, we’re the fifth-largest economy in the world. And we need lots and lots of engineers and can’t get them. If we could double it tomorrow, we would double it tomorrow. There are not enough British

The Foundation lends the boxes to schools for four weeks free of charge. They are suitable

that “celebrates, encourages and inspires

students reading engineering at university.

for Key Stage 4 and above. The Education box

the next generation of design engineers.” It’s

Then very, very few stay on to do research.

enables students to take apart and examine

run in twenty countries and is open to recent

Around 88% of researchers in science and

a Dyson DC22 Telescope hand held vacuum

graduates in product design, industrial design,

engineering in British universities are from

cleaner. In addition, a school is allowed to

and engineering.

outside the EU. And they are told they have to

retain a James Dyson Foundation teacher pack,

Dyson has always been quite outspoken

go home when they finish their degrees

Call Worthing: 01903 234094 Call Gatwick: 01293 227670 Email: info@carpenterbox.com

XERO AWARD WINNER 2016

THE BIG STORY near his engineering base in Wiltshire. With his wife and three children, he also enjoys homes in Chelsea and the South of France and is the owner of the largest British-owned mega-yacht, the Nahlin, which at 91.4 metres, is the 36th largest yacht on the planet. But, not content with just any old yacht, Dyson bought a unique steam powered boat that was built in 1930, having been used by King Edward Vlll and Wallis Simpson during their Adriatic cruises. Getting aboard should be no problem as he has his own £20 million Gulfstream private jet and a £2 million private hanger at Bristol Airport. So what does the future hold for a man that has everything but still appears to have the

because they can’t get a visa. The Dyson

research, and they were absolutely right.

Foundation is also trying to get more children

People said they didn’t want to see the dirt, but

rabid thirst for invention and disturbing the

interested in engineering. It teaches the

now every single vacuum cleaner has a see-

status quo? “The future is robotics”.

valuable life lessons you need. You have to

through bin. I couldn’t prove that people would

analyse things. You watch failure and overcome

buy it. The research showed the opposite. But,

than buying other people’s. We’ve been

failure because you don’t get it right the first

you have to be brave, you have to risk a lot of

developing one for 15 years. We’ve been a bit

time. You go back, you analyse it, you change it,

money, you have to go into the unknown. It’s

slow about it, but are very ambitious in what

you get it right. That’s what life’s about.”

risky.”

we’re doing, so it’s taken us much longer to

There was some criticism over his £8 million

All of this commercial success has created

“We are developing our own robots rather

get there. It’s interesting because it’s slightly

donation to Cambridge University, being that

a multi-billion pound company, yet, unusually,

difficult to see at this stage where robotic

it is effectively a private company: “Well, yes.

Dyson is still a private company: “It seems that

technology is going. We’ve been developing

But we’re doing all sorts of things. And it’s

most entrepreneurs just want to make money

vision systems so that they can interpret what

our free choice. So £6m of that is going into

as quickly as possible, but I didn’t do it for that.

they see. What our robot is doing is behaving

a new postgraduate engineering building,

We double our investment in research every

and £2m into an area where graduates and

two years, and couldn’t do that as a public

like a human. When you vacuum a room, you

undergraduates can build prototypes, which

company. They wouldn’t put up with that. We

is so important. We also fund undergraduate

can take a very long-term view. We’re doing lots

bursaries, postgraduate bursaries, because I

of research in lots of British universities, and

think the government should subsidise the fees

some of it is 20 years old. It won’t happen until

of UK engineering undergraduates. Since there

I am long retired, and you couldn’t do that if you

are so few, it wouldn’t cost them very much.”

were a public company”.

It would appear that he trusts his intuition over the market research:

Being a private company also allows Dyson to indulge himself and his family, and he

look and interpret, and that’s what they’re doing. They’re already cleverer than humans in the sense that they remember things. So, when artificial intelligence truly kicks in, then yes, artificial intelligence might well surpass human intelligence. We use robots on our assembly lines because the motor is assembled perfectly every time, every measure is assembled

answers to no one. He now owns more land in

perfectly. We used to batch test; we stopped

Dyson. As engineers, we got really excited

England than the Queen, the Duke of Bedford

because there were no failures.”

about that, we enjoyed seeing our dirt, and

and the Duke of Marlborough after his latest

watching it come in. But, when we started

purchase, a 3,000-acre estate in Lincolnshire,

a myriad of other things. Dyson is not a man

selling it, the retailers were appalled: ‘You’ll

bringing his total land portfolio to 25,000 acres.

who is quitting anytime soon, and as long as the

never sell that. People don’t want to see the

His main residence is Dodington House, an

drive to invent is there, we will be hearing much

dirt.’ We said no, we like it, and did some

18th-century manor house with 51 bedrooms

more from the Dyson empire in the future.

“Yes, a trite example is the clear bin on the

There are rumours of the Dyson car amongst

TAX

IS TAX AVOIDANCE ACCEPTABLE IN TODAY’S WORLD? asks Clive Stevens, Head of Taxation at Kreston Reeves

New definition: Google:

Noun – an internet search engine Verb (1) to search for information on the internet using Google search engine; (2) to avoid tax by some artificial or complicated structural way, possibly using overseas entities, with intent to hide income from the tax authorities.

tax returns in response to accusations that he

of the window: Couple that with the instant

had benefited from an overseas investment

judgement that comes from social media

fund set up by his late father.

and reputations, and power and position are

The discovery of these papers, taken from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, is the

year and advise on the tax position. On hearing the result, my client asked me if it were possible to ‘google’ the tax away – hence the definition above. English is a language that evolves, but I am not sure that I would be happy, if I owned Google, with this usage of my company’s name, from a reputational point of view. Last month, we had the leak of the ‘Panama

Despite all that, our government has

largest leak of information about the offshore

done a great deal in recent years to counter

arrangements used by some of the world’s

unacceptable tax avoidance. A lot of the

richest or politically exposed people. The leak

revelations are historic, and the activity

dwarfs previously leaks from Liechtenstein,

demonstrated in the Mossack Fonseca files

Wiki-leaks or other whistle-blowers and

does seem to have peaked in 2005, with

comprises some 11.5 million files going back

progressive reductions in the use of offshore

nearly 40 years and revealing details of more

arrangements since then. But before looking

than 200,000 offshore entities connected to people in 200 countries. The investigation has so far revealed over 30,000 offshore companies

was recently meeting with a client to run through his company’s year-end financial statements, review the resultant profits for the

threatened immediately.

related to active UK citizens, making the UK the third-highest user of the arrangements after Hong Kong and Switzerland... and this

at what the government has done, it is worth considering where the boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable planning and avoidance fall. HM Treasury clarifies the terminology as follows: • Tax Evasion: This is always illegal. When

time it’s personal. We aren’t just dealing

people or businesses deliberately do not

with the multi-national corporations, such as

declare their true incomes or conceal

Google and Starbucks. We are dealing with

taxable sources of income.

identified individuals in powerful positions. Tax

• Tax Planning: Perfectly legal use of tax

authorities around the world are duty-bound

reliefs for the purpose for which they were

to investigate and will want to bring people

intended. Examples would be investing

who are involved to book if criminality, money

through ISAs, claims for allowances on

laundering or tax evasion is proved, for fear of

capital investment, tax relief for pension

being perceived as weak by their citizens. What

premiums, and so on.

papers,’ so it is very easy to come to the

the Panama leaks show is that ‘secrecy’ (and

• Tax Avoidance: Bending the rules of the

conclusion that everyone is at it – even our

many such arrangements depend on secrecy,

tax system to gain a tax advantage that

Prime Minister, who felt forced to publish his

as opposed to full disclosure) has gone out

Parliament never intended. It involves

TAX

“Most clients do not entertain contrived arrangements to reduce tax further as they generally have a desire to ‘sleep at night,’ knowing their affairs are dealt with properly.” contrived or artificial arrangements that serve no purpose other than to produce this

come to an end. A raft of anti-avoidance legislation has been

inevitably result in a call for more powers to investigate defaulting taxpayers. David

advantage, or using tax reliefs excessively

enacted to deter aggressive tax avoidance. This

Cameron has announced the establishment of

or aggressively in a manner way beyond the

includes a General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR),

a task force to deal with the leaked papers and

intention of Parliament.

to prevent artificial transactions with the sole

will demand that overseas territories provide

And this is the rub. While outright tax

purpose of bending the rules. We have also

details of the beneficial ownership of secretive

evasion is relatively easy to understand, tax

seen the Accelerated Payment arrangements,

offshore companies.

avoidance and Parliament’s intentions are not

whereby taxpayers must now pay the liability

The ethics of tax planning have certainly

always clear. The boundary between this and

immediately in relation to any tax avoidance

changed, and what may have been acceptable

acceptable planning is blurred. We continually

HMRC identify, only getting recovery if they win

30 years ago is certainly not acceptable in

discuss this in the profession, and one of my

their case, which may take many years.

today’s age of austerity. The numbers of

contemporaries recently commented, “You

HMRC are now pursuing more criminal

people engaged in such planning is reduced

know, there is no such thing as tax avoidance; it

cases with a five-fold increase in prosecutions

significantly. Most of our clients want their tax

is only tax planning that has been proved not to

for mass market investigations across trade

affairs managed efficiently, and in a proper

have worked.”There is a lot of truth in this. Most

sectors. Since 2010 there have been more than

manner, taking advantage of the normal tax

tax schemes that people have been encouraged

2,650 criminal prosecutions, and we know the

relief and allowances available under the law.

to enter into are proved not to work when

Public Accounts Committee would still feel this

They do not entertain contrived arrangements

challenged by HM Revenue & Customs. People

is not enough!

to reduce tax further, as they generally have a

will find that they have paid more in fees and

HMRC now publicise the names of defaulters

subsequent penalties and interest than the tax

in serious cases where income has been

they sought to avoid. My own firm has sought to

deliberately concealed and tax of at least

avoid such schemes.

£25,000 has been evaded.

So what has the government done in recent years to stem the tide of unacceptable avoidance?

Unit to specifically review the tax affairs of the

To start with, way back in 2006, the government introduced the DOTAS (Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes), requiring promoters of tax schemes to disclose them to HMRC so they could be reviewed. Over the years, these rules and the obligations on promoters of such schemes have been increased and expanded. Failure to comply comes with significant penalties. We will soon start to see increased co-operation between governments in international tax transparency. Over 90 countries will, from 2017, share information on bank and other financial accounts. Internationally, the G20 group of countries are leading reform of international corporate tax rules through the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project, to make it harder for companies to avoid tax by hiding profits abroad. In the last few years, HMRC have given taxpayers the opportunity, through the UK Swiss Agreement and the Liechtenstein

HMRC have established a High Net Worth UK’s 6,000 richest people, who each have a net worth of over £20 million. In addition, an

are dealt with properly. But I am concerned that this will lead to more oversight and regulation. If we join the ‘burn them all at the stake’ brigade, then be careful what you wish for: more legislation is likely, in my opinion, to affect the ordinary taxpayer and businesses more than the

Affluent Unit was formed in 2011 to review

international tax dodger. In my view, a more

the affairs of wealthy people who may not be

targeted approach is required by our tax

within the remit of the HNW Unit.

authorities, who have already been given all the

A whole host of specific tax changes has been enacted to prevent taxpayers using what the government considers ‘loopholes’

powers they need to investigate tax dodgers. They just need to use them effectively. But back to my client’s request to ‘google’

in the system. These are many and varied,

his company’s tax bill away. Yes – I was able to

and continue to be enacted. They include

reduce the tax bill by offsetting losses incurred

measures to:

by other group companies within the spirit and

• target the use of Employee Benefit Trusts to avoid tax and NIC on income paid to employees and directors of companies • increase the tax charges on dividends to reduce the tax advantages of withdrawing income from a company in such a way compared with the tax due under PAYE • eliminate the tax advantages obtained by using companies in partnership to

letter of the law. Did I do wrong? I don’t think so. But as with all these things, proper, sober advice is always needed - not the quick fixes sold by ‘snake oil salesmen’ who peddle offshore tax arrangements to the rich and famous that may not work when they face scrutiny, yet which will inevitably lead to damaged reputations when discovered. www.krestonreeves.com

avoid higher rate tax liabilities that might otherwise arise. New rules are also to be enacted shortly,

Disclosure Facility, to make declarations

requiring the disclosure of the beneficial

about offshore accounts and to clear up past

ownership of all Companies in the UK.

wrongdoings. These arrangements have now

desire to ‘sleep at night,’ knowing their affairs

The release of the Panama papers will

BUSINESS FORUM

GROWING THE GATWICK DIAMOND DIGITAL ECONOMY

The annual Gatwick Diamond Economic Growth Forum, which this year takes place at the Arora Hotel in Crawley on June 9, brings public and private sector together to discuss the opportunities and obstacles for our regional economy.

he forum will be discussing Gatwick Airport and how it plans could provide greater economic growth across the Gatwick Diamond, and hearing from important investors and employers like Stewart

Wingate, CEO of Gatwick Airport and Surinder Arora, CEO of Arora Group about what they are investing in, and why. For 2016, the theme is the digital economy, so this year’s Forum will spend some time considering our digital sector, and how it can grow further, providing more jobs, and generating more local economic value. It is no longer accurate to talk about a digital sector alone. In the Gatwick Diamond new digital trends such as the internet of things, cloud computing, mobile web services, smart grids, and social media, are radically changing the business landscape, reshaping the nature of work, the boundaries of enterprises and the responsibilities of business leaders from the largest of organisations to the smallest. These trends enable more than just technological innovation. They spur innovation in business models, business networking and the transfer of knowledge and access to international markets. The strongest sectors in the Gatwick Diamond – advanced manufacturing and engineering, medical devices and health technologies, and professional and business services – are already taking advantage of the clear link between market competitiveness and the uptake and application of digital technology in the workplace. Conversely, a lack of digital investment and infrastructure can place companies at a competitive disadvantage. We need to benchmark our own infrastructure which is still woefully inadequate in many parts of the Gatwick Diamond, particularly in industrial estates and outside of towns. How do we achieve adequate digital investment into our infrastructure to enable our businesses to grow? The event will also look at digital skills and the talent pool discussing how the supply of digital skills could meet the demands of the labour market. The shortage in digital skills represents a key bottleneck for industry. There is an increasing range of activities and occupations where digital skills are needed but supply is not adequate. There is a lack of awareness of career opportunities within the digital sector, sometimes reflecting skill and gender stereotypes around the types of roles that exist. And there are challenges in matching the speed of change in the education sector, the speed of demand, and the rapidly changing skill sets required in the economy and society in general. The event attracts almost 200 delegates each year. They are a mix of leaders from significant local employers, investors, local authorities and more. It’s this mix that gives the event its power, as business leaders talk directly to local authority leaders about how we can make growth happen faster.

Join the conversation. See more information at www.gdegf.com.

A RICH MIX Delegates at the Gatwick Diamond Economic Growth Forum are a real mix of the business and economic development community. Last year around 200 people attended from organisations including American Express, Balfour Beatty, Canon UK, Chemigraphic, DMH Stallard, East Surrey College, Gatwick Airport, Iceni Projects, Jones Lang Lasalle, KPMG, Liberty Property Trust, Mayo Wynne Baxter, NatWest, Optima Systems, Platinum Business Magazine, PricewaterhouseCooper, Red River Software, Southern Housing Group, Transvalair UK, University of Brighton, Valad, and Whiston Solutions, as well as the Coast to Capital LEP and all seven of the local district and county councils.

EURO REFERENDUM

THE EU AND THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL THINGS

the wealth and taxes by which this country and its people prosper. It provides us with jobs and a future for our children. One inescapable statistic is that our main trading partner, by a long chalk, is the EU. In a

In this very personal view of the upcoming referendum, Carpenter Box Partner Chris Coopey muses over the European question.

he interconnectedness of all things is a phrase I have borrowed from the late great Douglas Adams – he of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. This particular gem comes though from one of his

other works, the Dirk Gently novels. Hopefully, the link with the European question is obvious. Whilst we may be disconnected by the seas and oceans that surround us, our past (and in my view) our future, are inexorably interconnected to our continental near neighbours. Of course, it’s not that simple. I have had endless discussions with friends, colleagues and business contacts over the merits of staying in versus leaving the EU, and pretty much all of us have come to one conclusion: it is almost impossible to untangle one argument from another because, sadly, the context of the debate has become toxic,

recent FT article, exports of British goods from the UK to the EU were said to stand at 45%, with services accounting for 38% of our exports to the EU – in both cases, our largest market by some measure. Of course, on the basis that we import more from the EU than we export, it would be stupid of them to cut us adrift or start a tariff war, but the risk to our trade is still obvious and significant. What isn’t in question is the fact that if we leave the EU, we will still be caught by all of the legislation governing the goods we export to it. The big difference here is that we would have no influence over what those regulations would say, which would leave UK industry and the UK service sector at a major disadvantage, and that would undoubtedly be bad for UK business. In my view, and because no market enjoys uncertainty, the effect of a BREXIT on UK business confidence would be tangibly negative and potentially long-lasting. Negotiations for an exit would take time and, whilst they were going on, uncertainty would be pervasive. The EU question has many other facets, not least national security, but for me there’s no fence-sitting. I’ve made my choice, and it’s to stay in.

although the tribal tendencies of our politicians have temporarily moved away from the predictable left and right, to coalesce around the new question of ‘in’ or ‘out’. All factions are pitching in with their particular sound bytes and political point-scoring, much of which is so unworthy of the country they profess to serve. In addition, as far as the Conservative Party is concerned, we have the unedifying spectacle of a government and party divided on a fundamental question affecting the future of the UK, which, even when answered by the referendum, will at best leave deep and permanent scars, and at worst may see the party fracture down what seems to be an irreparable fault line. So where has this left me? Well, obviously, one of my prime concerns is business, which perhaps you’d expect from a Partner of an accounting practice. In my book, business makes the world go around. It generates

THE GATWICK DIAMOND BUSINESS AWARDS 2016

Success Spotlight

The most prestigious awards in the region are over for another year and we asked the winners what this success means to their company and their team. With such a rigorous judging process, it is a significant achievement to win one of these coveted awards and our congratulations go out to all the winners.

RED RIVER SOFTWARE - Simon Pringle BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR sponsored by KPMG “I am absolutely delighted to win this award and am overwhelmed by the feedback from our customers, business partners, colleagues and many of the guests on the night. This is a great award to win, both for me and my colleagues, and is a perfect way to end a number of years of building our businesses and working with the Gatwick Diamond community. I have seen the Gatwick Diamond proﬁle grow signiﬁcantly over the years and feel proud to be part of it and to receive this recognition.” info@river.red

VAT INTERNATIONAL INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY AWARD sponsored by Rawlison Butler “We are absolutely thrilled to have won. Countless thousands of hours have gone into the development of our unique VAT Forensic Management software that helps our clients submit correct returns anywhere in Europe, be compliant with all EU VAT legislation and recover lost VAT and other cash. Apart from providing efﬁcient and transparent processes, our software greatly helps our clients avoid disruptive HMRC audits and ﬁnes, and recover millions of VAT and other cash.” www.vatinternational.com

IT DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by FSB “Entering a competition like this in the ﬁrst 2 years of starting a business has been a great experience; to win it has exceeded all our expectations. We believe the future for ITDS will be full of exciting moments. As a company we like to have fun, but we are serious about what we do. We will continue to look for products and services to enhance our portfolio through consultancy, we will continue to maintain the buzz and excitement in the ofﬁce, and we will continue the same enthusiasm and passion in front of our clients. We see this award as another step forward from taking our small business, to one day becoming a big business.” www.itdocumentsolutions.com

DENBIES WINE ESTATE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by NatWest GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Crawley Borough Council Celebrating its 30th year, Denbies Wine Estate, England’s largest vineyard, was delighted to be the recipient of two major South-East business awards. Denbies received the coveted Gatwick Diamond Business of the Year Award 2016 and the Green Business of the Year Award 2016. ‘Winning the Green Business Award (1) is a real testament to the whole team, sustainability has been and will continue to be a major focus at Denbies. We endeavour to lead the way to become market leaders in every aspect of our business in regards to sustainability and environmental wellbeing. Winning both awards really reinforces Denbies commitment to strive for the best in all areas of the operation” http://www.denbies.co.uk/

ASSURITY CONSULTING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRM OF THE YEAR sponsored by PVL Assurity Consulting, a leading independent workplace compliance consultancy has been awarded the Gatwick Diamond Business Award for Professional Services Firm of the Year 2016. Paul Foxcroft, Managing Director, commented, “We are delighted to win this award, achieving recognition as an organisation with award winning customer service is fantastic. It is a superb achievement and all of the employees at Assurity Consulting are extremely proud.” 2016 also sees Assurity Consulting celebrating their 30th anniversary in business. They have achieved this success and acquired their loyal customer base by listening to and implementing customer feedback so they can continually provide the exceptional service expected through their health, safety and environmental compliance solutions. www.assurityconsulting.co.uk

FRONTIER PITTS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Gatwick Diamond Initiative “Frontier Pitts is delighted to be named Winner of International Business of the Year at the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards. Frontier Pitts manufactures Security Gates, Automatic Barriers, Bollards and Turnstiles in the heart of the Gatwick Business region. This equipment is installed throughout the UK and exported around the World, including the Middle East, Europe, Australia, Russia and the Far East. This award recognises the counter terrorist equipment which is produced in Gatwick area using local skills, mitigating potential threats internationally, and Protecting Our World. Winning the award is a fantastic recognition of our achievement, and, perhaps more importantly, has provided an additional incentive and inspiration to develop even further.” http://www.frontierpitts.com/

1ST CENTRAL AWARD FOR DEVELOPING PEOPLE FOR SUCCESS sponsored by Central Sussex College At 1ST CENTRAL our people are at the heart of everything we do. With that in mind we ensure every single employee, no matter at what level, has access to knowledge boosting courses, self-development and professional qualiﬁcations. By winning the Gatwick Diamond award for Developing People for Business Success we are demonstrating to our employees and the Gatwick Diamond community that we really care about the careers of our people to ensure a happy and knowledgeable workforce. We are delighted to have won this award. www.1stcentralinsurance.com

HILTON LONDON GATWICK AIRPORT AWARD FOR PLACE TO MEET sponsored by B&CE “We are proud to have been recognized in this way” said Guy Hilton, General Manager of Hilton London Gatwick Airport “It is testament to our team’s dedication and commitment to meeting efﬁciency standards, ensuring complete customer satisfaction” By winning this award, Hilton London Gatwick Airport’s team have clearly demonstrated that they understand the essence of a top meeting place for business and the needs of those who use it. The team shows ﬂexibility and commitment to please their customers by delivering a service of a high standard that represents value for money. Above all, the venue and service they provide contributes to the success of customers’ meetings. www.hilton.com/Gatwick

CLUB CLASS CHAUFFEURS AWARD FOR CUSTOMER DELIGHT sponsored by Storm Creative Corporate chauffeur provider, Club Class Chauffeurs, scooped the award for Customer Delight. Club Class Chauffeurs was in a hotly contested category with many of the biggest and best players in the South East. This comes on the back of being crowned Corporate Chauffeur of the Year at its industry awards just three months ago. Managing Director, Jonathan Dow said: “We are very honoured to be crowned winner. Customer service is the backbone of our business and the entire team at Club Class focuses on being exceptional deliverers of fantastic service. Thank you to the judges involved too, we are very pleased.” Club Class Chauffeurs specialises in serving the corporate market by providing long distance transfers. It is an Investors in People Gold accredited organisation with administrative hubs in Sussex, Gloucestershire and Leicestershire, and plans to further expand in the future.

HEADLINE SPONSOR COMMENTS

www.clubclassonline.co.uk

"We were delighted to be a headline sponsor for the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards again this year. It was lovely to get the chance to mingle with the best businesses from the Gatwick Diamond and we were impressed, as always, by the sheer range of talent, quality and innovation there is around the patch. Our team had a great night out together, and our thanks go to Jeremy and his team for making it such an enjoyable evening. Our congratulations to all the winners and runners-up: we’re proud to be part of such a dynamic region." Susie Howells, Community Engagement Advisor

“The Gatwick Diamond Business Awards gives us the chance to work with the other sponsors and the other companies. We are fairly new to the region so it’s given us an opportunity to work with a new network of organisations.” Peter Clinker, Head of Property & Facilities Management

ROCKETMILL DIGITAL MARKETING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Optima Systems EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Search Consultancy We are surprised and delighted to have won these awards. We have bold ambitions in terms of our employer brand and to win the employer award shows we are on the right track. Making history by winning the digital award for three consecutive years is much deserved public recognition for the hard work our team put into campaigns and driving value for our clients. I would like to thank Optima Systems and Search Consultancy for their sponsorship and judgement of the awards, our clients for their continued trust, and our team for making such a success of their work. www.rocketmill.co.uk

BASEPOINT RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Lloyds Bank We are delighted that our Basepoint Centres in Crawley and Haywards Heath have won Responsible Business of the Year. The competition is very tough within the Gatwick Diamond business community, so we are very proud to accept this award as recognition for the work we do to build thriving and sustainable business communities, support local charities, and the development opportunities we provide for our teams. Basepoint aims to have a culture of responsibility throughout our whole business, so this award is fantastic recognition for all the efforts our hardworking team puts in to share that ethos with the wider community. www.basepoint.co.uk

ACRO AIRCRAFT SEATING AWARD FOR SUPPLY CHAIN EXCELLENCE sponsored by Hays Recruitment Since we set up in 2007, Acro has focused on staying true to its vision to be more than just another manufacturing business and we were extremely delighted to receive the 2016 Gatwick Diamond Business Award for Supply Chain Excellence in recognition of our achievement. We’re proud of the way that our business aids the Gatwick Diamond economy via employment and a 95% local supply chain with which we have partnered, designed, certiﬁed and manufactured over 60,000 seats for more than 300 aircraft, serving more than 25 airlines throughout the world. Thank you Gatwick Diamond and Hays Specialist Recruitment! www.acro.aero "NatWest is very proud to support the annual Gatwick Diamond Business Awards. They are truly authentic business awards aimed at honouring the people and businesses that are committed to making a real difference to the Gatwick Business community. The competition is of the highest calibre and the judging process is extremely rigorous. Our team undertook 17 extensive interviews to ensure that the most deserving of the very worthy finalists is recognised. We are humbled to be part of such a great event." Daryl Gayler, NatWest Regional Director for Corporate & Commercial Banking in Surrey & Sussex

“Vines Group are delighted to be a headline sponsor of the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards and wish to extend our congratulations to all the winners. The awards are the most prestigious in the region and with our Vines Centres being the most prestigious locally, it seemed to align perfectly. All the winners were worthy of their awards and it is testament to the strength and depth we have in the Gatwick Diamond.” Cathy Parsons, Group Marketing Manager Vines BMW and Mini

LIVING WAGE

LIVING WITH LIVING WAGE

Greg Burgess, Partner at DMH Stallard, explains what the introduction of the National Living Wage will mean for business

nnounced to raucous cheers from his Tory colleagues in the budget in July 2015, the introduction of the National

Living Wage (“NLW”) was Chancellor George Osborne’s headline-grabber. The business community was stunned. Greg Burgess of DMH

Q: Doesn’t the NLW already exist?

it will affect 6 million low paid workers.

it has been an entirely voluntary thing. Over

Q: What are the pay rates?

the last few years, employers have been able to sign up to be accredited Living Wage Employers. This accreditation is provided by

exactly what it is, and looks at how it is likely to

the Living Wage Foundation.

Q: So what is the NLW? Rather than being something entirely new, it is in fact just a higher, National Minimum Wage level for workers aged 25 and over. It does not affect workers aged under 25, who will remain entitled to the National Minimum Wage (of

the NLW increases it is estimated that by 2020

Yes, the concept does exist, but until now

Stallard’s Employment Law Group explains affect businesses in the South East.

affect 4.5 million low paid workers initially. As

Over 2,000 employers across the country have signed up to pay the optional living wage of £9.40 in London and £8.25 outside of London.

Q: Why is it now being forced upon employers? As the cost of living rises faster than average

From April 2016 the NLW will be £7.20 per hour for workers aged 25 and over. The aim is for it to ultimately rise to £9 per hour by 2020. It will rise each year until 2020, although it is not yet known by how much.

Q: What is it going to cost British business? As usual, various figures have been published about the financial impact on British business. The Federation of Small Businesses

£6.70 for 21-24 year olds, and £5.30 for 18-21

wage growth, low earners will inevitably suffer

says around 40% of its members will be

year olds). It came into force on 1 April 2016.

the most. It is estimated that the NLW will

directly affected by the NLW. The greatest

LIVING WAGE the next level of staff, to ensure the gap in pay bands between staff at different levels are preserved. For those businesses that it does impact, the impact is potentially more dramatic than might first be thought. In Sussex, since 2012, Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce have spearheaded a campaign to encourage local businesses to pay the Living Wage. The Brighton and Hove Living Wage Campaign is the only business-led campaign in the UK. It aims to make Brighton and Hove a great example of how the Living Wage can become the normal and accepted minimum level of payment for employers in the City. Over 260 businesses have signed up to show their commitment and are continuing to do so, even after the announcement of the government’s ‘National Living Wage’. impact is likely to be in those sectors which already operate on tight margins, such as hospitality, care and retail. Interserve, who employ 15,000 cleaners, estimate that the cost to them will be £15m a year, equivalent to 12% of its annual profits. Care provider Mears Group estimates an extra £5m on its wage bill for its 4,000 care workers.

Q: What are the options for companies who are now faced with an increase in their wage bill? This very much depends on factors specific to the business or industry they are operating in. A recent survey of companies showed a variety of ways they were proposing to fund it: • 40% of companies said they would absorb the cost; • 25% suggested they would pass the cost on to their customers;

Q: What are businesses in Sussex and Surrey doing to respond to the introduction of the NLW? Fortunately, average wage rates in London

because they are a Living Wage employer and

higher than in other parts of the country.

it’s been great PR for their business. Others

However, it would be wrong to think that

said that staff morale has improved, as well

businesses locally are not affected.

as their reputation in the City as an ethical

There appears to be a wide variety of different approaches from businesses across the region. We have spoken to businesses, for example, in the hospitality sector who are hit with additional costs of several hundred thousand pounds, in an environment where price competition on room rates is so fierce. Unable therefore to pass additional cost on to their guests, they are having to review all of their variable costs and specifically employee benefits packages margin. However, seeking to

employer.” Businesses can sign up to the Brighton & Hove campaign (at no cost) at www.livingwagebrighton.co.uk

If your business needs help finding solutions to help manage the impact of the NLW then please contact Greg Burgess in the Employment Team at DMH Stallard at greg.burgess@dmhstallard.com.

change employees’ terms and conditions especially where

packages.

it results in financial loss to

The challenge for businesses is that the

staff is inherently risky, and

the introduction of NLW are those that already

for businesses too. In our recent survey, businesses told us that they’ve won tenders

in an attempt to protect their

sectors that are most likely to be affected by

employees, we’ve found that there are benefits

that is in part because the cost of living is

• 14% said they would reduce bonuses and • 11% said that they would reduce benefits

the Living Wage has clear benefits to

and the South East are relatively high, although

• 21% said they would introduce a pay freeze; discretionary payment;

Sarah Springford, Director of the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce comments, “Whilst paying

requires careful planning. The knock-on effect of

operate on relatively tight margins. Those

increasing wage rates for

that operate for example in the retail sector,

the lowest paid staff, is that

or supply into the retail sector, are unlikely to

it is forcing businesses to

be able to pass on the additional cost to their

also review and potentially

customers.

increase the wage rates for

www.dmhstallard.com 41

Take a University of Brighton student on placement Placements offer a flexible way to meet your staffing needs, and help you secure the best talent for your organisation Students on our professional ‘sandwich’ courses are looking for temporary placements in many sectors including: • • • •

environment, sciences, maths product design, engineering leisure, arts, media business and management

A placement student brings many advantages to your organisation: • a high-calibre employee who is motivated to perform well • fresh, innovative ideas • a flexible way to resource a short-term project • cost effective graduate recruitment

These placements are for pre-agreed durations, between 2 and 12 months, and most are paid.

“They’re bright, they’re enthusiastic, they help to bring the rest of the team up.” – Anton Cowell, Product Support Manager

Joe Simes, Mechanical Engineering student from the University of Brighton, on a placement at Eschmann

Medical device made by Eschmann

Contact the Business Helpdesk on +44(0)1273 643098 or email businesshelpdesk@brighton.ac.uk

www.brighton.ac.uk/may16placements

Anton Cowell, Product Support Manager

TRAVEL SUPPLEMENT

PLATINUM

Welcome to the Platinum business travel section. We interview Scott Pawley, the CEO of sector leader, Global Travel Management, to find out what is happening in the industry and how he has gained such success in a relatively short time, Rose ďŹ&#x201A;ies off to Berlin to discover the City and what it offers for conferences, incentive trips and exhibitions and we chat with UKTI to learn the latest on exporting.

sponsored by

PLATINUM THIS MONTH:

Berlin

Opening a world of business opportunities With over 40 airlines and more than 200 destinations, London Gatwick is better connected

To find out more, visit gatwickairport.com

TRAVEL NEWS

Travel

NORWEGIAN AIR Norwegian Air has continued its expansion at Gatwick Airport by putting seats on sale for a new route to a popular Greek island. From the end of the the month, they will be offering lights three times week to Crete from Gatwick. The route will depart Gatwick on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sunday from April 28 using brand new 186-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft which offer free wi-fi. Fares on these new flights will start at £29.90. Thomas Ramdahl, Chief Commercial Officer at Norwegian, said: “We’re serious about offering more choice, flexibility and low-fares for our passengers. Crete is a fantastic addition to our growing UK route network which now serves more than 40 destinations nonstop. Travel patterns have changed and so Crete offers an attractive option for sun-seekers.” Norwegian is also boosting the number of low cost flights from Gatwick to the U.S this summer with 425,000 transatlantic seats on offer and is also going to start flying to Berlin 13 times a week.

RISK MANAGEMENT

CUBA OPEN FOR BUSINESS Booking.com said it will be the first online travel brand in the United States to offer instantly bookable properties in Cuba. “After months of

Of those global corporate travel buyers with risk-management plans in place, 81% found theirs to be effective after the March 22 Brussels terror attacks. The Global Business Travel Association surveyed 301 travel managers across the United States and 10 European countries between March 23 and 28 and found that 72% have riskmanagement plans in place. Flipping the numbers, though, caused concern for GBTA executive director Michael McCormick: “With 28% reporting their company either doesn’t have a risk-management plan in place or they are unsure if there is one and 13% who found their plans ineffective after the Brussels attacks, there is clearly still work to do.” The poll also found that 90% of travel managers expect their companies’ level of travel within Europe to stay the same or to decline only slightly.

BRANSON BONANZA Sir Richard Branson is about to land a £490 million windfall from the sale of his Virgin America airline to Alaska Air. Alaska have edged out the competition from Jet Blue, valuing the Virgin business at £1.6 billion. Another day, another dollar.

working with the Cuban authorities and local hotels, the first properties will be ready to book in the coming weeks on Booking.com,” the company said. Initially, bookable properties will be offered in Havana, with plans to expand beyond the capital city. “With the news of the easing of U.S. travel restrictions, we began working immediately with the local Cuban government, tourism authorities and our local hotel partners to launch the first platform to allow travellers to book and confirm instantly with the click of a button,” Todd Dunlap, Booking.com Managing Director of the Americas, said in a statement.

NEW APP Have you ever wondered from your window seat at 35,000 feet exactly which town or city, lake or river, hill or mountain, you are gazing at down below? Of course you have. Well, now there’s an app that will help air passengers identify and explore the distinguishing features on the ground as they fly to their destination. Flyover Country, which is available to buy in the app store now, but is still being developed, will also find relevant Wikipedia articles for users so that they can better understand what exactly is beneath them at any given moment.

Travel

GLOBAL GROWTH

Nineteen years ago, just after getting married, Scott and Natalie Pawley launched a business-travel company in Horsell, equipped with just a phone and a PC each. Now Global Travel Management turns over in the region of £30m per year and employs 35 people. Ian Trevett met Scott Pawley at his Woking office to discover how they have thrived in such a challenging industry.

of Beacon Security when it was that people

important thing is the peace of mind knowing

decided to invest in security. “After they

that someone is looking after your travel if

story has been one of organic growth, retaining

have had a break-in,” was his reply. It seems

there are any problems,” says Scott. “With the

customers and building relationships. But

that the same thinking can often apply to

recent incident at Brussels Airport, the first

sometimes a tremendous force of nature can

travel management. With travel comparison

thing we did was to find out where all of our

also help, as Scott Pawley discovered a couple

sites, booking flights isn’t that difficult, but

travellers were. Was anybody in Brussels?

of years back when an erupting volcano in

companies have a responsibility for their staff

Then we can tell all of our clients, you’ve got

Iceland spewed out vast clouds of volcanic dust

who are travelling.

x number of people there and we can manage

ust a year short of the 20th anniversary celebrations for both the company and the founders, Global Travel Management’s

into the atmosphere.

In last month’s issue, I asked the owner

This is where a travel-management company

(TMC) is so important. “Perhaps the most

their forward travel. If you do it yourself, you

Travel “But sometimes a tremendous force of nature can also help, as Scott Pawley discovered a couple of years back when an erupting volcano in Iceland spewed out vast clouds of volcanic dust into the atmosphere.”

Icelandic Volcanic Eruption

are at the mercy of the airlines. We can tell you,

customers who had decided to book their own

either by email or phone, or by one of our apps,

flights on the internet, and we could advise

that your flight has been changed.

them, but ultimately we just had to refer

“The most challenging event was the

them back to the airlines, and, of course, they

aftermath of the volcanic eruption in Iceland.

couldn’t get through. We got a lot of business

That was the first time flights around the world

because of our reaction to the crisis. I don’t

were grounded for so long. It was an absolute

want another volcanic ash incident, but it was a

nightmare. No-one had ever seen anything

good business lead.”

like it before. “On the Saturday afternoon when I realised how bad things were getting, I

Of course, a TMC is not just there in case of Acts of God or terrorism outrages. Happily, in

So, who is GTM’s market? “When we first started 19 years ago, it was just myself and my wife. Our niche was small start-ups, as we could relate to them, and the key was always to be around the SME market. Obviously, a good SME company grows, so we have grown with them. Now we have more of a mix with SMEs and blue-chip companies. “The SME market is still our bread and

thought I’d ring our out-of-hours service, and

usual circumstances they are there to make

butter because they appreciate what we do and

the lines were engaged, so I knew they were

business travel smooth and cost-effective,

they appreciate there’s a fee for our service. It’s

in trouble. I got in the car and legged it to the

as Scott explains. “Business travel is not just

not overly high, but they understand that if they

office. I thought I’d turn the phones on and

about the flights. A businessperson might need

did it themselves, it would be more expensive.

start working - but the office was already open

a hotel, they may need advice on whether they

and all the team were already there. I hadn’t

require a visa or insurance. Then there’s the

because we rely on repeat business. We learn

phoned them to tell them to come to the office,

accounting side; if you are doing one flight a

their business and their travel requirements.

but they just knew it was going to be bad. Being

month, that’s easy to account for, but not so

the last in meant I got plenty of stick! They

straightforward if the company is doing 100

If they are exhibiting at trade shows, we get

all stayed there literally until the following

trips a month. We bring all the invoicing and

Wednesday, when it started again.

purchasing into one place, and we report on

“We were inundated with calls. Everyone was watching the TV and were being told 24/7 there

figures. “We are not tied to any one airline. We have

“It’s all about knowing the corporate needs,

to know the nature of their business, so we can help ensure the transit of their stand goes smoothly. It’s difficult to advise on customs, as laws in different countries change, but we can ensure we source for them the right place

were no flights. Everyone said: ‘I really need to

a license to sell with almost any airline in the

get back,’ but there were simply no flights. ‘Can

world. If we haven’t got a license to sell with

you charter me an aircraft?’ we’d be asked,

them, it’s through our choice. We simply guide

partner freight forwarding company or the

but chartered or not, planes can’t fly through

our travellers to where they want to go in

right department within the government.

volcanic ash. Strangely, it was a real buzz. By

the most cost-efficient way, because our fee

the time we finished, everyone was exhausted.

is going to be the same, whether they buy a

We own a private-jet company, which has

£1,000 ticket or a £5 ticket.”

attracted a new demographic, including sports

“We got so many calls from previous

to get the up-to-date information, such as our

“We have also diversified into new markets.

Travel “Clients always tell us where they want to go, and that is the big difference between leisure and business.”

somewhere. We’ve always been keen to make sure we had one extra member of staff before the business was there. “The best barometer, to me, is the guys working in reservations. Our rule of thumb was that everyone in reservations should be able to turnover a £1 million of business in a year. If we had five people and £6 million of business, I would think we were one short, though I would speak to the team first. “There have been a few recessions and dips, but we have grown all the way, through a lot of hard work and a bit of luck as well. In the first dip, we looked to outsource outside of the UK and go to emerging markets. We started doing business in Bogota and South Africa. Even though the UK economy was down, we were stars and celebrities. One of our clients is a

dad’s business partner. Dad offered me the

Premiership club.”

opportunity, and I said no. I’d only just started

Scott has come a long way, and perhaps he should thank his school’s careers advisor...

on the management ladder, and I just didn’t feel

done this, because passengers had to have

ready. But after our wedding, Natalie asked me

actual tickets. When e-tickets came in, the

in a cinema, ‘Do you ever regret that decision?’

whole world opened up to us.”

To be honest, I hadn’t really thought about it,

“I only went to school because I had to go;

but I phoned my Dad and next thing we were in

Aside from e-ticketing, what are the biggest changes you’ve seen?

I didn’t really enjoy it; and I didn’t do well in exams. My parents were rightly concerned that

Turkey, chatting to the guy. “We came back, we handed our notice in and

riding the wave of newer economies. “When we first started, we couldn’t have

I had no plans to do anything, and I just had

we set up our own business-travel company in

“The airlines used to pay a commission.

one CSE in maths. The careers advisor asked

Horsell, a little shop with two phones, two PCs

If I sold you a ticket to New York, the airline

me loads of questions, input the answers into

and just me and Nathalie. It was a simpler time,

would give me 9% of the value of the ticket. The

a computer, and the print-out said I should be

because there were no huge demands on us to

very day we opened our doors, a letter came

an estate agent, work in a hi-fi shop or be a

make any profit because it was a brand-new

through the door from British Airways which

travel agent - so the next day I applied for a job

business. We wrote our business plans and

said they were cutting commissions from 9%

as a travel agent at Reading University in the

we worked 23 ½ hours a day for two or three

down to 7%. It was a worrying start! Then 7%

students union.

years... and it grew and grew.

became 5%, and 5% became zero. Within our

“It was doing UK and domestic travel, mostly

“Nineteen years later we have just short of

British Rail tickets and National Express, which

£30 million turnover and there are 35 of us

was fine, but I saw what was going on in the

doing it. We still very much see ourselves as a

main office with the flights - and that was the sexy part. “When I was 21 I moved to a company in Chertsey, where I met Natalie. We got married we and both wanted to stay in this business, but we decided it probably wasn’t best to work together, so she went into the hotel trade I stayed in the air side. “My father had a business partner in Turkey, and one day he told my dad: ‘You and I are going to run a business in the UK, it’s going to

family business.

One of the greatest challenges for any company is managing the growth, and working out when the time is right for expansion. GTM have always handled this well, as Scott explains: “Once we started getting a bit too busy for

first 4-5 years we’d lost the whole mechanism of where our income came from. “We had to think on our feet, and that’s when we, and the whole industry, introduced our own fees, whether it was a monthly management fee, a transaction fee, or per invoice. It was a massive change, but in hindsight it was good that it happened when we were starting out, as we had to adapt from day one. For the companies who had been going 40 or 50 years, it was a big struggle. Some of my older peers are still complaining, 16 years later. “There have been changes in how we pay the airlines. We have to pay airlines through a

be a travel agency and your son is going to run

two of us, we employed a few more people.

company called Billing and Settlements Plan

it.”

We got someone in to sell for us, but we were

(BSP), which is effectively a clearing house. We

winning a lot of sales from our referrals,

used to pay our bill once a month, but this has

so that’s when we thought this is going

changed to bi-monthly, which may not sound

“I was 24 at the time, and it was six months before the wedding. I’d never even met my

Travel Global Travel Management • Kingsway House • 123-125 Goldsworth Road • Woking • Surrey • GU21 6LR T: 01483 747321 • W: www.gtm.uk.com • M: sayhello@gtm.uk.com

like an issue, but effectively means we have

We gave Farefinder to all 68 members of the

that one of the guys might go home, so we said,

less time between booking flights and paying.

group.

if you do want to go home, why don’t we pack

As customers often pay on account, there has

“You never can tell what the next booking

your PC under your arm and we’ll set you up

will be. One phone call is going to be a first-

remotely with a phone system. It will be like

class around-the-world, and the next phone

you are sitting in Woking, because your phones

IATA on how much cash must be held in

call is going to be an Easyjet to Aberdeen. The

will come through here. It worked out very well

reserve, it means that running a TMC requires

interesting thing is that more people moan

for us.

significant sums of money. You probably

about the price of the Easyjet to Aberdeen at

wouldn’t want to start a business in this sector

£100, than a round-the-world ticket at £7,000!

advantages of the time differences. We have a

“Our key routes are Jo’burg and Durban in

very good out-of-hours service, but it costs me

been a considerable impact on cashflow. “If you add to this the requirements from

now as the licenses are getting harder, and

“The next step may well be Australia, for the

more expensive, to obtain. Our business works

South Africa. There’s always going to be New

a fortune. I’d like to bring it back in house, but

on bonds; if you are an unknown business in

York business. In Europe, we have a lot of stuff

trying to get people to work all night isn’t ideal.

this industry, you have to put down a bond, and

into Warsaw, we have a lot of stuff into Paris, as

With an Australia office, during the day we’d

that could start from half a million pounds.

well as Brussels. Each year we run a report on

be their out-of-hours service and during their

We’ve built up quite a large cash reserve over

what our top five routes are, and four of those

day they’d be ours. We’ve got some clients out

those years. It’s hard, but I try to keep the cash

will probably change each time.

there already, and through our network of other

in the bank. “It is no wonder that many companies are

“In a leisure market you can push a

travel agencies we’ll look at possibilities there.

destination. Our clients phone up and say they

We won’t have a problem finding people who

merging or consolidating. We are always

want to go to Munich, and I say how about New

want to go from here to start it up. That’s the

looking around. We’re not actually looking for

York, and they say, no I want to go to Munich,

five-year plan.

someone right now, but if the right opportunity

it’s where the business is. They tell us where

“Our most important decision has always

came along, and we could manage and

they want to go, and that is the big difference

been to value our staff, and we are proud to

integrate it, we’d be open-minded.

between leisure and business. In a leisure

have Investors in People accreditation.

“We recently took on a company that had been going for 43 years, with a good client base, heavily into the medical market. For us it was a good fix, because it was a family-run business and it was the right size. We are 8-9 months in now, and it’s been a big challenge and very exciting. We gave ourselves a year to

market, they can be open-minded: ‘here’s my

vote of all the airlines, they voted us as their

Are there any decisions you’ve made that have changed the business?

favourite travel agency. That was fantastic. We

“We decided to open up an office in Durban

do it, but we are three months ahead of time.

three years ago. We put it there because we

All the things we thought would be hard have

had a lot of business coming out of South

been really easy; all the bits that we said, ‘Oh,

Africa. We had a few guys in the office who

that’ll be easy’, have been the hardest bits.”

were South African and the possibility arose

What innovations have kept you ahead? “Four years ago, we developed comparison software called Farefinder so we could make sure we didn’t miss a fare for our client. We get reduced prices on many flights, but we also check against online portals such as Expedia. In our market, clients check our fare and then go on to Expedia to see if they can beat it. We need to make sure that we can beat their prices, because if we don’t, people won’t come back to us. We created a network of agencies around the world to ensure we remain competitive. “We are part of an organisation called the Advantage Focus Group – the largest independent travel consortium in the UK. If our sector is strong, it keeps the bigger boys at bay.

“It is great to get recognition. In a secret

budget, where can I get to?’”

“We simply guide our travellers to where they want to go in the most cost-efficient way, because our fee is going to be the same whether they buy a £1,000 ticket or a £5 ticket”

are hoping they will vote for us again this year. Closer to home, we were shortlisted for a Toast of Surrey Award. I learnt so much from it, and the staff had a great time being involved. We have entered again this year and have been shortlisted for three awards. Local awards are important to us, and we are working closely with colleges in Woking and Guildford.”

Which leads us onto one very impressive achievement: a husband and wife working together successfully for such a long time! “When we first worked together, we did exactly the same job. Now, we are almost polar opposites. She’s more on accounts payable, that sort of side. I’m on the other side, still doing reservations, so if something goes wrong, I’ll offer something for free, but I have to get it past her. We’ve got a rule: I’m in charge at work, but that’s the only place. When we get home, I don’t stand a chance. We don’t go home and spend the whole time talking shop, but when we need to, we can.”

Travel Shake hands in...

BERLIN

by Rose Dykins

The German capital has first class facilities for business, plus the quirkiness and poignant history to captivate your team

here’s something in the air in Berlin. The city has forged a special cultural identity based on its modern history, and the

atmosphere,” says Heike Mahmoud, Director

legacies of the Second World War and the Cold

Office. “Each year sees more participants in

War era pulse through the city’s core. A walking

conventions and conferences travelling here,

tour of the city leads you past monuments still in need of repair, despite being bombed more than 70 years ago. Berlin has had to pay heavily

“Berlin attracts visitors with its own vivid of Conventions at Visit Berlin’s Convention

enjoying its unique rhythm.” As with many cities faced with adversity, Berlin has cultivated an impressive start-up culture: “Global companies like Microsoft

for Germany’s role in the wars, and the nation

and Google are coming here to search for

only finished repaying its billion-dollar debts

talent and the next ‘big idea’,” says Mahmoud.

from the First World War in 2010, let alone

“Therefore, the city has the right atmosphere

the second. The city has needed to be gritty, creative and forward-thinking to prosper, and the result is a dynamic culture of fresh starts, architecture built from scratch and cleverly repurposed buildings steeped in history.

for congresses dealing with innovation. Last year saw more than 50 events held here that were focused on global digitalisation issues, an average of one conference a week.” In Berlin, meeting space is certainly not limited to cookie-cutter carpeted ballrooms.

Stadtbad Oderberger Straße

Travel

Spree

Over the past few years, unique venues have emerged – such as

“I’d have to say that the Axica is my favourite venue,” says Scott

Stadtbad Oderberger Straße, a renovated 1902 public bathhouse with

Pawley, Managing Director of Global Travel Management. “It’s a very

soaring vaulted ceilings – as well as state-of the art congress centres

exclusive conference and convention centre that is actually a DZ Bank,

such as CityCube, now Berlin’s second-largest venue, a super-sleek

and is located right by the historic Brandenburg Gate.” From the outside,

cube-shaped 22,000 sqm site.

Axica is like any other bank, but you step inside to find a Frank Gehry-

CityCube

Axica

Travel

Das Stue hotel designed atrium bursting with character, and giant walk-in sculpture that can hold 80 people for a meeting – the latter, named “Plenum” has an off-the wall biomorphic design (using shapes inspired by nature, which is said to boost creative thinking.) “Berlin’s hotel landscape is ideal for all kind of events,” says Jenny Klamm, Director of Sales for Das Stue, Berlin’s first independentlyrun luxury hotel, set in a grandiose 1930s building that was formerly the Danish embassy. “We see a trend for hotels that offer a new experience – something apart from only a meeting room.” Taking full advantage of its location in Tiergarten Park, adjacent to Berlin Zoo, Das Stue has just launched its Urban Safari

Berlin Zoo

Experience, where guests will be able to access the zoo directly from the terrace of the hotel bar, opposite the antelope and ostrich enclosures. “Henceforth, guests will not have to queue at the official entrance in order to go peek at the penguins or loll by the lions – the easy entry to the zoo will enrich the experience of staying with us,” says Klamm. Last year, Berlin gained its first Soho House hotel and members’ club, housed in a Grade II-Listed former department store that became the headquarters for the Reich Youth during the Second World War when its Jewish owners were forced out by Nazis. Its meeting spaces are ideal for intimate gatherings – the woodpanelled Club Room has a board room seating for 16 people and its own bar, and there’s also a stunning 30-seat cinema with red velvet seats. Other new hotels include the four-star Titanic Chaussee Berlin in the central Mitte district,

Moxy Hotel

Travel

Titanic Spa

with 389 modern rooms and a tempting 3,000 sqm spa, the 108-room Hotel Zoe in the Hackescher Markt shopping district, with plush, masculine interiors and a rooftop terrace, and the 204-room Moxy Berlin Ostbahnhof in the bohemian Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg area – Marriott International’s Moxy brand is geared towards next-generation travellers, with the Berlin offshoot featuring “plug and meet gathering areas”, 24-hour dining and large “writing walls” for brainstorming. For welcoming international clients, Berlin Tegel Airport’s impressive flight network and mere 8 km distance from the city centre make an accessible, convenient option (the Departures area is in desperate need of a makeover, and fortunately, there are plans to increase the capacity of the check-in area.) Its other airport, Schoenefeld is further away (23km), but also handy – Easyjet has just stationed its tenth A320 aircraft at the facility, which is its Berlin base, while Norwegian plans to increase its service from London Gatwick to Schoenefeld to 13 flights per week. The

Alexanderplatz

long-awaited new Brandenburg Airport is now slated to open at the end of next year (six years behind schedule). It has been plagued with setbacks, but when the hub does finally arrive, it will offer cutting-edge facilities and handle 27 million passengers annually. The original plan was for Brandenburg to replace Berlin’s three Cold War-era airports (including the abandoned Tempelhof Airport, see below).As for getting around the city, Berlin’s metro runs like clockwork. During one of my journeys, a band of buskers hop on for three stops – a singer, saxophonist, guitarist and drummer – for a jovial rendition of Hit The Road Jack, before they do a cheeky whip-round for cash, then jump off to try another carriage. Worlds away from my old commute on the Victoria Line, my mood is lifted by the encounter, and I’m reminded of the enterprising vibrancy that permeates this incredible city.

HachsecherMarket

Holocaust Memorial

Tempelhof Airport Photo Credits: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, copyright Visit Berlin, Wolfgang Scholvein Am Hackescher Markt, copyright Visit Berlin, Wolfgang Scholvein Yorckschlossen, Kreuzberg, copyright Visit Berlin, Pierre Adenis Strandbar Capital Beach Berlin-Tiergarten, c Visit Berlin, Philip Koschel

Kreuzberg

Travel

BERLIN

TEN TOP INCENTIVES • ZAGREUS PROJEKT – Literally immerse delegates in Berlin’s art scene by organising a meal set within one of Ulrich Krauss’s exhibitions – where the food served matches his latest masterpiece.

• BERLINER UNTERWELTEN – Up to 30 people at a time can descend for a two-hour Altes Museum tour of the capital’s “underworld” of ominous concrete bunkers that were intended to shield citizens from nuclear attack during the Cold War.

• TRABI SAFARI – Delegates form a convoy of the infamous Communist-era cars and cruise around the east of the city, the arty Kreuzberg district, and the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall.

• DDR MUSEUM – Available for private hire in the evenings for up to 150 people, guests are transported back in time to experience everyday life in the German Democratic Republic – even the smell is authentic.

• SAIL ALONG THE SPREE – Hire luxury 1930s yacht, Marlene, complete with a skipper, for a relaxing way to soak up the sights. • ALTES MUSEUM – Clinking champagne glasses beside the murals of the museum’s 19th-century rotunda is an elegant way to network. • TEMPELHOF AIRPORT – A guided tour of the abandoned 1920s airport has a thrilling apocalyptic vibe – the silent ticket hall feels particularly haunting. The edifice can also be hired for events, including the 300-hectare airfield.

• SHOPPING SCOUT TOUR – Fashion-forward delegates can be taken to the underground clothing hotspots of the city, and add some edgy local designer items to their wardrobes. • OPEN DOORS BERLIN – Small groups can visit apartments in the city to meet their residents and find out more about what it’s like to be a Berliner.

• SPREESPEICHER– set in Berlin’s vibrant media quarter, Friedrichshain, this

Spreespeicher

repurposed granary pairs exposed brickwork with white contemporary furniture, and its 030 Eventloft space can host 200 diners cabaret-style. “It’s one of the most stylish places in all of Berlin, and the Spree Terrace that has a wonderful view of the river,” says Pawley.

SPARE TIME DINE: For a beautiful bistro, make a reservation at the newly-opened Le Petit Royal – check out the shimmering peacock wallpaper above the bar and the line drawings by Yves Saint Laurents. For an intriguing, “brutally local” dining experience, Nobelhart & Schmutzig only sources ingredients from in and around Berlin – so don’t expect pepper or lemons on the menu. And for a clubby yet comfortable vibe, Crackers serves curious, contemporary dishes (to the beat of “DJ dinner sets” on Fridays and Saturdays) DRINK: With Modernist furniture, animal Le Petit Royal sculptures and cognac that can’t be found anywhere else, Stue Bar is a classy place to unwind. In good weather, head to PraterGarten, Berlin’s oldest beer garden, for a cold Prater Pils and a sausage (cash-only, open April-September). And to sample Berlin’s incredible speakeasy bar culture, knock on the door of Scrawl Traube – there’s no menu, but a bespoke cocktail will be conjured up based on your preferences. Prater Garten DO: Head to the historic-turned-hip district of Scheunenviertel for one-off boutiques and quaint courtyards with street performers. Museum Island comprises five internationally-acclaimed museums right in the city centre, while the Currywurst Museum is a fun, well-curated attraction, with some surprisingly absorbing facts about the history of the curried sausage dish. Museum Island

VENUES

THE PLACE TO MEET 2016 B

usinesses are now not only looking for just great venues in which to hold their meetings and conferences but venues who are the number one choice based on sincere customer experience.

Satisfaction for businesses is achieved when choosing a venue that plays a big part in the community and upholds sustainability. The reason businesses seem to be suddenly placing so much importance on venue choice is because it says so much about a company’s credibility. Every business wants to impress its clients. It is no longer enough for a venue to just be in the right location and offer acceptable food and drink at a good price, it is vital that a good business’s choice of venue will deliver outstanding customer experience on every level. It must be seen that the venue and its staff will play an important part in environmental programmes and keep both small and large scale meetings as green as they can be. Every credible business sourcing a meeting place will want to find the most time-efficient and effective way of sharing, thinking, identifying solutions and reaching agreements. However, it is important to maximise the positive impacts and minimise the potential negative ones during the planning stages and this starts with choosing a venue with unmatched experience in doing this. It has never before been so important to consider a venue which understands that every business must leave only a small footprint - however large scale its event may be. Gatwick Diamond Business honoured Hilton London Gatwick Airport with the ‘Place to Meet 2016’ award. The team at this hotel have clearly demonstrated that they understand the essence of becoming a first choice meeting place for businesses and meeting the needs of everyone who uses the venue. It is critical that a team is entirely flexible and shows commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and high standards that represent value for money. A good team will always remember that their service contributes to the success of their customers’ meetings. Nowadays, making meetings more productive, meaningful and ecofriendly is becoming more popular for both customers and venues. The common goals are to utilise practises that are less resource-intensive and more environmental friendly while minimising waste. Hilton London Gatwick Airport is a good example of such a venue. It takes a holistic and comprehensive approach to sustainability, reducing their impact and looking closely at all aspects, including a careful selection of products and services as well as the conservation of energy and water, creating a more efficient hotel. Furthermore, in 2015, the hotel’s team organised and participated in activities such as helping to serve dinner at a local homeless shelter and organising a food collection whereby a total of 54.4kg was donated to a local food bank. This kind of dedication really signals a team’s commitment. Last year, this particular venue raised over £15,000 for charity.

INTERVIEW

AMERICA IS GREAT

Should you be taking advantage of the huge US market? Ian Trevett meets Martin Cook, UKTI’s USA Director Trade & Investment As the UKTI’s Director in New York, Martin Cook’s role is to encourage and help UK companies export to the United States. Last year Martin’s office worked across the US with approximately 4,000 UK companies who either already had a presence or were exploring the opportunities the US market can create for them. His remit is to help UK companies understand what the opportunities are in America and what the differences are between operating in the US versus the UK. Is there still a strong US/UK relationship? Do Americans like buying UK products? My view is that Americans like dealing with Brits. They see us as honest, straightforward, trustworthy, and often as creative as well.

pretty quickly. Even if you intended to cover

probably a slightly more challenging city 25

it and you were doing it in the wrong order,

years ago than it is today, but people on the

they’ll get bored quickly. So understanding that

whole are very friendly and very willing to help.

cultural difference, how you sell to them, is an

It’s a very international city.

important differentiator coming here. The small talk may come a bit later in the

They like dealing with the UK, and that will get

meeting when they’ve figured out that there is

you in the door. It won’t keep you in the door.

an exchange of value that they can make with

What keeps you in the door is having the right

you, then they’ll invest some time getting to

product, the right sales pitch, understanding

know you.

how to deliver it in America, particularly in New

I always hear people say that New Yorkers

Which sectors can British exporters or British companies really exploit in the US? That’s always a tough question. To me, it’s a little bit less about the sectors and a little bit more about the differentiation you bring to

York. In a typical sales meeting in the UK, we’ll

are not friendly. I don’t buy that. I think New

your product. If you add to this the capability

discuss the weather for at least five minutes,

Yorkers are really friendly, they’re just time-

to build partnerships and support the product

or last night’s football match, before we get

poor. If you ask them for help, they will almost

with marketing, then you can make a significant

down to the business of the day. In New York

always suggest something to you before

amount of money.

that’s unlikely to happen. The chances are that

moving on but New Yorkers are generally

in the first two or three minutes they’ll expect

very open.

you to be telling them about your KPIs and how

I first lived here in the early 1990s and I

We see quite a lot of food and drink companies coming here, as well as giftware and jewellery businesses. The UK is quite design-

you are going to earn them money. If you aren’t

had people say to me, “New York is a pretty

strong; there is some really cool stuff that Brits

ready for that, then you’ll be out of the door

scary place. You’re going to die.” New York was

do, and we have a very quirky take on things.

INTERVIEW Advertising for us is a really strong point. US adverts are not as good as UK adverts - ours are funnier and they resonate more. Again, it is a sense of British creativity coming through.

Do you have a network of UK exporters to the US that new exporters can tap into? Taking New York as an example, whenever we have groups coming over on trade missions, we will almost always have a couple of Q&A sessions where we will bring in UK companies that are based here, who will talk about their experiences. I can tell people all kinds of things, but they are far more likely to listen to a

The United States is the size of a continent. How do you advise tackling a market that is so vast? When I’m talking to companies, I’ll often put a slide up showing the size of each US state as an economy, renaming the state with a world

up against some unusual spikes in tariffs,

that picture and it makes you stop and think

such as a UK company who were selling ballet

for a second and realise: I wouldn’t try and

leotards to the New York Ballet, and the duty

tackle 50 countries in one go. I wouldn’t do it!

was something like 30%. Then there are the

So why do I think I can do that in America? UK

non-duty barriers, like having to change your

companies will often go to one place such as

labelling where you have got to invest time in

New York, San Francisco, Chicago or Atlanta,

understanding the US labelling requirements.

and they will start to grow from there.

here can network amongst themselves. The purpose is to learn from each other and share advice. We have a steering group, which is made up of four or five companies from that group, so it’s not us setting the agenda.

In a time of public sector cuts, will the funding for the UKTI’s work be maintained?

TTIP is about getting rid of as many of those barriers as we possibly can. It would be very helpful for SMEs to take away barriers to trade.

We’re starting to build a group called Great members now, where the UK companies over

There are several examples of SMEs coming

country that is the same size. So you look at

guy who did it last week. British Business Club, which has about 120

What impact would the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (a trade agreement between the European Union and the United States) have?

I believe there is an appetite on both sides of

“My view is that Americans like dealing with Brits. They see us as honest, straightforward, trustworthy, and often as creative as well.”

the Atlantic to make TTIP happen.

Do you get frustrated about the vast number of companies in the UK that don’t have the ambition to actually take their fantastic products further afield and really take that chance? I’m not sure I’d say frustration, but I think it’s about people missing out on opportunities. It is true that companies that export tend to be

The whole government has challenges on funding, and like other departments we

more productive, more innovative and more

have to reduce spending over the next four

creative; if you’re travelling the world selling

to five years. But they are relatively modest,

It’s all about understanding the opportunities

stuff, you’re seeing way more ideas. I think the

and within that we were given a big chunk of

and the challenges. Some companies arrive

challenge for many people is that it can feel a

money, which we need to use carefully. We have

thinking they’re going to make a big sale, but

bit scary. My challenge is always: is the bigger

big targets to meet: gaining a trillion pounds in

then find it’s tough, so they go away and they

risk to do nothing? Because if you sit here and

exports and 100,000 new exporters by 2020.

don’t come back.

do nothing, maybe some guy from America

One way is to focus on digital as it can help

There are lots of little steps along the way

or Germany or Japan will come and nick it

companies to be better prepared for when

that can get you in the right place, and part of

and take your market in the UK. So grow what

they come here. If you can sit at your desk

our role at UKTI is to help companies with each

you’re doing, learn more things, be better at

and download some information, maybe some

of those little steps, and gradually those small

what you do, and then when that guy comes,

video blogs, before you go to the States, then

steps become a journey. If you try to do the

don’t just see him off, but go back to his country

the investment of time and money you make

whole journey in one go, people can get quite

and take his market over there. That’s what I’d

will be valuable to you.

scared.

like UK companies to be doing.

ANGER MANAGEMENT

ANGER MANAGEMENT by Maarten Hoﬀmann

THE SCIENCE OF STUPID H

ave you noticed that we are getting more stupid by the day? Technology is replacing the mundane

human actions so fast that we can scarcely

answers and articles appear on screen. It’s

the knowledge that answers are just a click

an unsettling feeling that my first instinct – to

away, and are happy to treat the web like an

Google my own stupidity – may be the root of

extension of our own memory.

my increasing stupidity.

Sit down with a pen and two A4 sheets of

A recent study (you’ve probably forgotten it

paper and write a letter, or a report. Take a look

parking sensors and, having finally learnt to

by now) suggests 90% of us are suffering from

at your formerly beautiful, crafted handwriting

trust them, we now take them for granted. Try

digital amnesia. More than 70% of people don’t

that has now deteriorated into a 5-year-

parking without them. Go on, turn them off and

know their children’s phone numbers by heart,

realise that you no longer have that immediate

and 49% have not memorised their partner’s

knack of being able to parallel park. Turn the

number. While those of us who grew up in a

Satnav off and try to use a map. That’s a hoot.

landline-only world may remember friends’

keep pace. Take driving - most of us have

We have outsourced our memory for such

home numbers from that era, we are unlikely

things, safe in the knowledge that they are only

to know their current mobiles, as our phones

a click away. “Is the internet making us stupid?”

do the job. We don’t commit data to memory

I type. Press enter. Almost instantly, a raft of

because of the ‘Google Effect.’ We’re safe in

old’s scrawl. Ask your kids to research their homework without using a computer. I did, and now, apparently, there is one Dad for sale at a very reasonable price. But our dependence on technology and the internet has a dark side. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that the net, with its constant distractions and interruptions, is turning us into scattered and superficial thinkers. Such mental juggling takes a big toll. In a recent experiment at Stanford University, researchers gave various cognitive tests to 49 people who do a lot of media multitasking and 52 people who multitask much less frequently. The heavy multitaskers performed poorly on all the tests. They were more easily distracted, had less control over their attention, and were much less able to distinguish important information from trivia. The researchers were surprised by the results. They expected the intensive multitaskers to have gained some mental advantages. But that wasn’t the case. In fact, the multitaskers weren’t even good at multitasking. “Everything distracts them,” said Clifford Nass, one of the researchers.

ANGER MANAGEMENT

“Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words,” he wrote. “Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a jet ski.”

What we seem to be sacrificing in our surfing

would get caught up in the narrative or the

latest episode of the moral panic that always

and searching is our capacity to engage

turns of the argument and I’d spend hours

accompanies the arrival of a new technology.

in the quieter, attentive modes of thought

strolling through long stretches of prose.

People worried about printing, photography,

that underpin contemplation, reflection and

That’s rarely the case any more. Now my

introspection. The web never encourages

the telephone and television in analogous

concentration often starts to drift after two or

us to slow down. It keeps us in a state of

three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin

perpetual mental locomotion. The rise of social

looking for something else to do. I feel as if I’m

networks like Facebook and Twitter, which

ways. It even bothered Plato, who argued that the technology of writing would destroy the art of remembering. The brains of illiterate

pump out streams of brief messages, has only

people, for example, are structurally different

exacerbated the problem.

from those of people who can read. So if the technology of printing – and its concomitant

Every 50 years or so, American magazine, the Atlantic, lobs an intellectual grenade into our culture. In the summer of 1945, for example, it published an essay by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) engineer Vannevar Bush entitled “As We May Think.” It turned out to be the blueprint for what eventually emerged as the world-wide web. Recently, they published an essay by Nicholas Carr, one of the blogosphere’s most

“We have outsourced our memory for such things, safe in the knowledge that they are only a click away.”

requirement to learn to read – could shape human brains, then surely it’s logical to assume that our addiction to networking technology will do something similar? Our brains adapt, but the process of adaptation is value-neutral; we might get smarter or we might get dumber, we’re just adapting to the environment. There are of

prominent (and thoughtful) contrarians, under

course great positives to such technology, but

the headline “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”.

l would argue that the pace is unprecedented

“Over the past few years,” Carr wrote, “I’ve

and therefore the historic change that humans

had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been tinkering with my brain,

always dragging my wayward brain back to

remapping the neural circuitry, reprogramming

the text. The deep reading that used to come

the memory. My mind isn’t going – so far as I

naturally has become a struggle.”

can tell – but it’s changing. I’m not thinking the

“Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of

way I used to think. I can feel it most strongly

words,” he wrote. “Now I zip along the surface

when I’m reading. Immersing myself in a book

like a guy on a jet ski.”

or a lengthy article used to be easy. My mind

It’s easy to dismiss Carr’s concern as just the

adapted to over a decade, now needs to be done in a year or two. We are losing skills before we are done with them and the pace is too furious. Watch reality television or read the Sun. The resulting vacuum can only be filled with stupidity.

INNOVATION

NOVA SHINING BRIGHT

Nova Direct has always embraced innovation and technology. Commercial Director Stuart Sutherland outlines some of the latest developments at the Burgess Hill direct-marketing company.

lthough Nova Direct is best known as a direct-mail company focusing on fulfilment, we have always looked at new ideas with an open mind. In recent years we have promoted ‘smellymail’ and have developed a very strong charity arm, which helps charities maximise the potential of their databases. Now we are turning a small part of our business into an innovation hub, bringing together different skills and techniques.

A NEW SOLUTION We are always looking to offer new services and solutions for our clients, and one way in which we have achieved this is by bringing in an over-sized A1 bed laser cutter, which allows us to make whatever shapes we want out of polypropylene, paper, beech ply, MDF and other materials The value of using this type of equipment is multiple: • Prototyping: Computer Aided Design (CAD) is not enough on its own. If you are working on a large project or looking to mass-produce a

product, it is always best to create a physical model before launching into production. We can work on a project with our CAD designer, pass it onto our graphics guy and create the component parts. Testing in this way can make dramatic savings, as design faults can be eliminated.

“The Greeks invented the steam engine, but didn’t have a practical application, so it sat there on a drawing board for 2,000 years.” • Unique promotional products: We have been working with the United Nations Refugee Team, and they wanted a little, free gift

item that they could hand out at events. The idea was a self-assembly money box, and together we came up the idea of a money box that looks like a refugee shelter tent. We were able to try out different designs, whether is was the angle of the tent or the positioning of the coin slot. It enabled us to grow and evolve an idea and a concept until we got to a finished piece and we could see it, rather than making a judgement on intangible artwork on a computer screen. • Short runs: If you are a small charity and you want to make a till display, you are limited by what you can find already out there online or in a catalogue. If you wanted to have your own design, such as a display with a sunflower hanging out of the top corner, it would be prohibitively expensive to create without any economies of scale. The laser cutter opens up the opportunity for short-run bespoke marketing products, with a wide range of choice in terms of the material used. The only limit is the imagination of the client.

INNOVATION but also internally, so they can create forums, log donations from people and manage memberships.

AUGMENTED REALITY We started working with augmented reality a couple of years ago. It was one of those innovations that needed a practical application. We are now working with the innovations team of Konica Minolta, a massive Japanese company. They were looking for partners and we have worked with them on a number of projects over the years. They want our input on taking new technology to market. One of the things they are developing is an app-building tool, where clients can develop their own on-line shop. Our role is to find companies or retailers who can make practical use of it. We are looking for people to innovate, looking for people who want to do something a little bit different. We want to get a group of collective, creative brains from around Sussex to come together and to go, “We’ve got this tool and this function and this ability, what is it you are trying to do?” A good example of a practical use of the tool is where a company sends out a physical catalogue, for instance, as a clothing company. Normally, you might see an item in the catalogue you like, and then you have to go online, log in and find that product before you can discover if it is in stock. Instead of that, you hold your phone over it and it reads the page. It identifies the 20 products on the page – you tap the one you want and it will come up and ask which colour and size you want. It’s taking technology that’s been developed and actually giving it a practical application that isn’t just a gimmick. It’s making life easier.

“The internet is a hard place to find something if you are not sure what you are looking for” thumbing through a catalogue. So it combines the ease of purchasing online with the physical experience of shopping.

We save companies and charities a lot of money every year by using our technology to remove obsolete records; your database may contain 20,000 names, but only 17,000 are active, so why waste £6,000 a year sending things to them? In December we did a campaign for the Big Issue. They were quite adamant that their data was accurate. We took 23% of the names out of that; it was the most successful campaign they had ever done because they had saved thousands of pounds, which means they needed less donations in to cover that cost and generate a return. We’d rather deliver quality over quantity. Removing those names was not just a saving in that one campaign; it created an on-going saving going forward. The message that we try to get across is that we always love to find answers or solutions to anyone’s marketing wish-list. We are far more than a fulfilment house. Whatever you are trying to do – talk to us, because if we don’t know how to do it, we will find someone who does. It doesn’t need to be the biggest job for us to get involved; we just enjoy the challenge. We like to offer something that’s unique; we are able and willing to give that kind of support.

www.novadirectmail.co.uk

The augmented-reality side of it (where a 3D image leaps out of the phone) adds another dimension. Imagine a housebuilder building a new estate: they can create an app where you hover over a plot in a brochure and it will bring up an artist’s model of the house and garden, as well as a virtual tour. The partnership with Konica Minolta has worked very well, as they are so advanced in their innovation, but we can advise on what is actually useful. The Greeks invented the steam engine, but didn’t have a practical application, so it sat there on a drawing board for 2,000 years.

CHARITY WORK The other area where we have been developing new ideas is on the CRM platforms for charities. We are busy building a new CRM platform for charities so they can manage their interactions, not just with their supporters,

This is a very powerful way of selling, as people like to flick through a catalogue that comes through the post. Actually, the internet is a hard place to find something if you are not sure what you are looking for. It’s not easy to browse on the internet; it’s not like walking into a shop where something catches your eye, or

MOTORING

MOTORING NEWS GOODWOOD 2016 The Festival of Speed will take place on June 23 - 26th this year with the theme being ‘Full Throttle - the Endless Pursuit of Power’. There are many more yet to be confirmed but the list of drivers so far is quite impressive: Grand Prix winners Rene Arnoux, Tony Brooks, Jenson Button, Emerson Fittipaldi (along with his brother Wilson), Jochen Mass, Sir Stirling Moss, Riccardo Patrese, John Surtees and Mark Webber, Le Mans winners Richard Attwood, Derek Bell, Emanuele Pirro and Vern Schuppan, plus sports car legend Brian Redman, Motorcycle champions Giacomo Agostini, Troy Corser, Eddie Lawson and Sammy Miller, Rallycross stars Ken Block, and Liam and Pat Doran, Indy winner Kenny Brack, NASCAR champion Bobby Labonte and legendary team owner Richard Childress, and Touring car stars Fabrizio Giovanardi, Andrew Jordan, Matt Neal, Gordon Shedden and Steve Soper.

ANCHORS AWAY

FIT FOR A QUEEN If you fancy yourself as a bit of a queen, log onto Autotrader as she is selling one of her cars. The Queens Bentley Mulsanne limo has gone on sale for £200,000 and has been used by Maj from 2012 having covered only 5,000 miles. Just for fun, no one has touched the SatNav which still shows the ‘home’ address as Windsor castle.

HERITAGE MG have just sold the 5,000th MG3 model which just goes to show that there really is a sucker born every minute. I have driven the 3 and the 6 and l have to say that they are both appalling in terms of style, design, build quality and good luck when when they come to sell it. Unless they own a boat, in which case it would make a great anchor.

Jaguar is to build nine brand new XKSS models, last seen in 1957, and often referred to as the worlds first supercar. Having built 16 in 1957, a fire consumed the factory and they lost 9 of them and it is these that will be recreated. At a million quid a pop, this image is all you will ever see of them.

THE MUSTANGS ARE LOOSE Over 1,000 UK customers have now received their new right-hand-drive Ford Mustang, as total sales accelerate past 3,500. So far, 80% of UK customers have opted for the fastback body style over the convertible and 68% have specified the 416PS 5.0-litre V8 engine. Mustang’s six-speed manual transmission is the slightly more popular choice (54%) over the six-speed automatic, which comes with SelectShift paddle control. Red is the most-popular exterior colour among UK buyers, specified on 20% of Mustang orders. Silver is second in line with 17% and Black is third with 15%. The right-hand drive Mustang is available to order in the UK from £30,995 (EcoBoost) and £34,995 (V8).

MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV GX4h

£299 PER MONTH 1

PLUS INITIAL RENTAL AND VAT AT 20%

With luxuriously smooth driving dynamics, the intelligent Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV decides when it’s more efficient to use petrol or electricity, giving it the ability to deliver a staggering 156mpg2. And with ultra-low CO2 emissions, the Outlander PHEV is exempt from Road Tax and the London Congestion Charge3. Numbers never looked this good. We call this Intelligent Motion.

UP TO 32 MILES EV RANGE

4WD

156 MPG COMBINED

ULTRA-LOW COMPANY CAR TAX

CONTRACT HIRE FOR BUSINESS USERS ONLY

BIRCHWOOD MITSUBISHI Acts as a credit broker and not a lender

Birch Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 6QA 01323 407526 www.birchwoodmitsubishi.co.uk

Book a test drive

Model shown is a 16 MY Outlander PHEV GX4h 2.0 petrol hybrid automatic at £33,899 including the £2,500 Government Plug-in Car Grant. For more information about the Government Plug-in Car Grant please visit www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants. The Government Plug-in Car Grant is subject to change at any time, without prior notice. 1. The Contract Hire Finance Plan shown is applicable to UK resident business users only and is subject to status via Mitsubishi Contract Motoring (MCM) Watermoor, Cirencester, Glos. GL7 1LF (part of the official Mitsubishi Motors distribution in the UK). The rental is based on an initial rental repayment equal to 12 months’ rental plus VAT at 20%, followed by 35 monthly rental in arrears, and based on an annual mileage of 10,000 miles and are non-maintained. Excess mileage will be charged for. The offer rental is valid between 30th December 2015 and 29th March 2016 and is subject to change without notice, other terms and mileages are available upon request, available at participating dealers in the UK (excludes Northern Ireland, Channel Islands & I.O.M). Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. We may receive commission or other benefits for introducing you to MCM. 2. Official EU MPG test figure shown as a guide for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. 3. Congestion Charge application required, subject to administrative fee. Birchwood Motor Group Ltd trades as BIRCHWOOD MITSUBISHI.

Outlander PHEV range fuel consumption in mpg (ltrs/100km): Full Battery Charge: no fuel used, Depleted Battery Charge: 51.4mpg (5.5), Weighted Average: 156.9mpg (1.8), CO2 emissions: 42 g/km.

MOTORING

BMW X5 40e By Motoring Editor, Maarten Hoffmann

he electric/hybrid market continues apace, and following the cracking i3 and i8 models, the Bavarian Motor Works

take just 6.8sec. Claimed combined economy,

admits the claims of 85.6mpg and 77g/km

meanwhile, is 85.6mpg. From a domestic

(which misses out on the UK government’s

socket, the car will recharge itself in a little

£5000 plug-in grant) are a result of the flawed

have come up with their latest incarnation - a

under 4hr, or 2hr 45min if you’ve stumped up

NEDC economy test. Instead, BMW calculates

hybrid X5.

for the fancy-looking BMW i Wallbox.

that with a full battery charge you should score

Hybrid SUVs might not yet have taken Europe

What’s it like to drive? Well, the same as any

about 43.5mpg on what Munich deems ‘an

entirely by storm, but in the petrol-dominated

other barnstorming X5, but quieter. With full

average commute,’ and for a two-tonne SUV,

US and Chinese markets, their potential sales

electric charge, it’s totally silent, which, for a

this is pretty impressive, but if you combine

volumes are prodigious.

large SUV, is rather disconcerting, and when

the electric and fuel mix, and drive like Mother

you run out of electric juice, around 20 miles,

Theresa, then you can reach over 85 mpg.

In the US, with Lexus and Porsche chief among its rivals, luxury and performance rate

the engine kicks in with barely a murmur and

as highly as efficiency, so the plug-in hybrid

the only way you really know you are on fossil

cabin layout or styling from the standard X5,

X5 gets plenty of surge to go with its zero-

fuel is when you see the rev counter flicker into

save a few badges, and there are no shouty

emissions.

life. Try the Porsche Cayenne with this trick and

‘look at me, I am saving the planet’ styling cues.

Consequently, the car comes with a 111bhp

There is virtually no difference in the drive,

you will see how well BWM have done. They

The X5’s cabin is still a good place to spend

electric motor located just upstream of its

have also thrown in a ‘Save Charge’ setting,

time, with very comfortable seats and masses

eight-speed Steptronic gearbox, and, ahead

which avoids draining the battery if you’re

of space in the back. But if you need seven

of that, the most powerful four-cylinder

anticipating some urban driving later in your

seats, it’ll have to be a non-hybrid X5, as the

petrol engine in the BMW range: the 242bhp

journey. Most drivers will leave the car in Auto

rear-mounted battery pack means a third

TwinPower turbocharged unit found in the 328i.

eDrive mode and let the computer decide when

row of chairs can’t be fitted. There is also

Total system output is rated by its maker as

the e-motor should get stuck in.

restricted luggage space — 150 litres less with

309bhp and 332lb ft, and 0-62mph ought to

Interestingly, BMW’s official bumf tacitly

the rear seats down — although, subjectively,

MOTORING

Vines of Gatwick

Vines of Redhill Vines of Guildford

www.vinesofgatwickbmw.co.uk the boot still looks quite capacious. And then you have the lovely split tailgate that offers the Range Rover style seating area should you find yourself unexpectedly on a grouse shoot. It drives superbly, is full of creature comforts, will take on mountains and valleys, and then there is that intrinsic satisfaction that, in electric mode, all of this is costing you absolutely nothing. Do less than 20 miles a day on your commute and you will never have to put in a drop of fuel. With an everincreasing network of charging stations around the country, this is getting easier to do away from home, and with a 2.5-hour charge time, you could find yourself driving to that meeting, putting it on charge and then driving home again without ever visiting a petrol station. Mash the go-pedal to the floor and it is satisfyingly fast and is as smooth as silk on the motorway, with barely a hiss coming from the tyres, very little wind noise and a totally silent drive. Smug? Moiâ&#x20AC;Ś

TECHNICAL STUFF Model tested: X5 xDrive 40e Engine: 2-litre, turbocharged Electric: 111 bhp Power: 245 bhp Performance: 0-62mph: 6.8 seconds Top Speed: 130 mph Economy: 85.6 mpg combined Price: ÂŁ52,105

MOTORING

MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS By Motoring Editor, Maarten Hoffmann

“I know we Brits hate the thought of the Germans ‘ruling’ us as the strongest European state, but maybe we should just shut up and let them get on with it. Imagine if everything in life functioned like a German car?”

the class-leading S-Class, and a further

brilliant Brake Assist, Comand on-line Nav

push towards a more minimalistic approach,

system, keyless go and more besides. It will

been with us since 1993 and it has sold by the

although nothing is missing. Its just all a tad

follow the car in front, brake, swerve and

bucket load, over 13 million as of 2015. So why

easier to use and on the eye. The dash flows like a Frank Geary design and sweeps across

manoeuvre with no assistance required from

the major facelift?

his is the most comprehensive mid-life facelift ever carried out by Mercedes, and that’s quite some claim. The E-Class has

Well, if you have a winner, make it better and stay ahead of the game, and l was not disappointed with their efforts. Its smoother,

Inside, we are moving continually towards

your horizon, interrupted by four stylish air vents and a neat row of toggle buttons. Most

you are outside the car, head-up display, the

the lump of flesh sitting in the drivers seat. It comes with AppleCarPlay that allows a full

everything else is on the rotary wheel that is a

interface with your phone so that the 12.3-inch

doddle to use. The tech is incredible, with Drive

screen assumes the role. Use voice command

slicker, quicker and feels totally bomb-proof.

Pilot taking us a step closer to autonomous

or the steering wheel controls and the phone

They have shaved the sides and given it a more

driving with laser range-finding, self-parking

is hardwired into the car and comes with

coupe-like nose.

that can be controlled from your phone whilst

Bluetooth and WiFi. (Read Anger Management

MOTORING TECHNICAL STUFF Model tested: E220 SE CDI Engine: 2.0 litre Power: 194 bhp Performance: 0-62: 7.3 seconds Top Speed: 149 mph Economy: 72.4 mpg combined Price: £35,935.00 ‘The Science of Stupid’ for my current view on technology in our lives). Enough playing with everything and licking that tactile dash: what’s it like to drive? The ride quality starts at exceptional and, with the optional air suspension, goes all the way to extraordinary. OK, Mercs are known for this, but in the past this was a compromise in handling, but no more. It gets down the road at quite a lick, and if you are impressed with 0-62 in 8.8 seconds, then there is great news. That’s the slowest diesel E220. The 250 needs 7.3 seconds, the 350 6.6, and if, like me, you are slightly deranged, plump for the thunderous AMG E63 S (5.5 litres of twin-turbo charged gorgeousness), and see 62 mph arrive in an earth-shattering 3.6 seconds. Its rivals are no slouches, and this sector’s battleground is hotly contested. The BMW 5 Series, Jaguar XF and Audi A6 are all exceptional cars. The Beemer is punching toe-to-toe but only comes with a roof. Jag just need a little work on build quality and the A6 is coming up fast but lacks that aesthetic refinement and has a roof. The Merc has them all in

one very noticeable respect: unlike its rivals, you can have it as a saloon, estate or drop top. You could name the Lexus GS and Volvo S80 here, but one is Japanese and one’s a Volvo, so l think not. What is it with the Germans? How did they get so far ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to build quality and sheer breathtaking efficiency? I know we Brits hate the thought of the Germans ‘ruling’ us as the strongest European state, but maybe we should just shut up and let them get on with it. Imagine if everything in life functioned like a German car? Many of you will go for the entry model E220 CDI, and if you have to, go ahead, but l beseech you to look down the back of the sofa or be a sycophant to the boss and step up to the E250 at least, as that is where this new model comes into its own. I would also advise the AMG models as they will result in a better re-sale value. Deliveries start in May, so join the queue. Compared to its competition, the new E-Class is not cheap but the old idiom of ‘you get what you pay for’ has never been more spot-on.

“Enough playing with everything and licking that tactile dash: what’s it like to drive?” 67

CHARITY

THE DOG DOES THE BUSINESS A great campaign has been launched by the Martlets Hospice charity that will see an invasion of dogs hit Brighton. Not just any dogs but Snowdogs by the Sea.

he campaign will see more than 50 individually designed 1.5m tall Snowdog sculptures appearing throughout the city during autumn 2016.

The trail is being co-ordinated by, and will raise funds for, local charity the Martlets Hospice, who are working with Wild in Art, one of the UK’s leading creative producers of public art events. The sculpture trail is inspired by the animated film The Snowman and The Snowdog, the hugely popular sequel to Raymond Brigg’s classic story The Snowman. Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim said: “The Martlets are a charity very dear to mine and Zoe’s hearts, we’ll never forget the wonderful care they gave to Zoe’s stepfather and to us as a family. So when they asked me to be part of the campaign I couldn’t say no. For me the Snowdog art trail isn’t just about supporting a vital local charity, it will also be a chance for Brighton’s creativity to shine. We’ll have a Snowdog down at the Big Beach café decorated by Ryca, the UK street artist, we’re hoping to have him working on the Snowdog outside the café this summer so anyone will be able to come and see the sculpture being created!” Many local companies have already signed up including Amex, Brighton Pier, Marina and Sealife Centre, Burt Brill & Cardens, GSFW Solicitors, Channel 4, the Theatre Royal and Peter James will be creating a Detective Dog. The campaign will also include a focused citywide education programme in partnership with local schools, encouraging teachers to use creativity as a device for learning. The scheme will offer an opportunity for children to decorate miniature Snowdog sculptures, which will be displayed around Brighton alongside the art trail, before being returned to the schools to keep as a memento of their participation. Organisers are looking for Brighton businesses to support this extraordinary event and a range of sponsorship packages are available. We hosted the Disco Dog at a recent Platinum Club event and apart from creating enormous interest, at least one was sold on the night. This is a great opportunity for companies to raise money for a very worthy cause and, at the same time, create publicity for the firm and involve their team in creating the design. Hurry though as there are only 50 and 40 have gone already.

For more information, contact sarah.harvey@martlets.org.uk. Tel 01273 718797 For more information about the Martlets Hospice visit www. themartlets.org.uk

Disco Dog on Ice

EVENT

CHARITY EVENT WITH A HEART

he inaugural Big Heart Auction in 2015 raised an impressive £30,000 for children’s hospice Chestnut Tree House and this year promises to be even better.

Art works have been donated by around 200 local, national and celebrity artists, illustrators and photographers, as well as pieces by some of the children cared for by Chestnut Tree House. Proceeds from the sale of the art works will support the vital work of Chestnut Tree House, caring for children with life-shortening illnesses across Sussex, and Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival’s community work, such as the Umbrella Club, which provides live art experiences for these children. Proceeds will be split, with 80% going to Chestnut Tree House and 20% to Brighton Dome.All the works will be on display to view at Brighton Dome from Friday 1 July to Tuesday 5 July and available to purchase online via Ebay from 1-10 July. You can view them all online at www.bigheartauction.org.uk. One highlight for 2016 is ‘The Art Bird’ by the immensely popular Sussex-based children’s illustrator Sir Quentin Blake, who said, “I am delighted to donate The Art Bird painting to Chestnut Tree House for their Big Heart Auction. As a children’s book illustrator, I’m particularly pleased to be able to support this wonderful children’s charity in this way and I hope that my contribution will enable them to continue their invaluable support for so many families.” This year’s Big Heart Auction will be going on a road trip around Sussex to ensure more people have a chance to see and experience the wonderful art included in the auction. Selected pictures from the auction will be travelling to Worthing Dome on 16 and 17 May, Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne, on 7 to 9 June, St Mary in the Castle, Hastings on 21 to 23 June, with the full collection on display at Brighton Dome. There is a terrific breadth of work available to bid on, and art works will continue to be added in the coming months, so keep returning to the Big Heart Auction website to see the latest additions.

Visit: www.bigheartauction.org.uk

Luxury Private Dining BY ALAN WHITE

THE ULTIMATE PRIVATE DINING EXPERIENCE IN SUSSEX Perfect for special occasions & celebrations, client entertainment and high end company dinners. For bookings or to arrange a viewing of our private dining spaces, please email conference@grandbrighton.co.uk

or call 01273

224300

THE GRAND BRIGHTON, 97-99 KING’S ROAD, BRIGHTON, EAST SUSSEX, BN1 2FW

www.grandbrighton.co.uk • conference@grandbrighton.co.uk

TheGrandHotelBrighton

@GrandBrighton

INTRODUCING

Table Talk

Welcome to the second issue of Table Talk. I hope you enjoyed our launch last month - please do feed back with your thoughts!

thanks to the gin. Here I had one of the best tapas of the year so far, a Josper grilled

This month, you can read my review

cauliflower steak basted in

of the gorgeous Leconfield in Petworth.

butter and garnished with

Following on from our profile of Ridgeview

capers. Something magical

Winery, our wine columnist Jonny Gibson provides the inside track on English wines. Our chef profile this month is Kanthi Kiran Thamma, chef patron of the Curry Leaf Café that I reviewed last month.

happens to cauliflower when roasted/grilled and of course a Josper grill makes everything delicious. This was one of many dishes

There’s news about the Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival

I ordered and they were

and you can also find out about FareShare. This charitable organisation

all faultless. With Cava by

takes surplus from the food industry and redistributes it to provide

the glass and one of my

meals for the needy. Ingenious.

favourite Rioja’s on the wine list, I found myself

What have I been up to? Well…

wishing this place was on

This month I’ve been immersed in food and wine even more than usual.

my doorstep. The following day was

I began the month with my head in various textbooks, revising for

lunch at the very chic Bella

my wine exam, then headed off to Guernsey for a foodie weekend,

Luce. I shall definitely be returning there for a long weekend. It is both

and finally drank and ate my way around Chicago and California. This

elegant and cosy – oh, and they have a spa….

Thelma and Louise style road-trip (minus Brad Pitt, regrettably) was totally wonderful, but I have to say it’s broken me. And so, as I type, I’m on day five of super-food smoothies and salads and, shockingly, no booze! Its all about balance as they say. Sadly they’re right. Guernsey was a revelation. Soon after my arrival I took to the streets in search of sustenance. I ended up at Tinto tapas bar intending only to stay for a few plates but ended up in there all afternoon trying out different gins and learning drink making tips from

In the evening I was treated to the tasting menu at the Old Government House Hotel headed up by the talented award-winning chef Simon MacKenzie. Look out for him cooking at occasional pop-ups and chef exchanges in Brighton as part of food festival events. 24 hours later I was on a plane to Chicago for the first leg of what would turn out to be a wonderful adventure. For the sake of word count l’ll have to save that for next month’s issue… Suffice to say I now have a cupboard stocked with Guernsey local gin (of course) and their locally made espresso vodka (I have an espresso Martini fan coming to dinner soon), a variety of bean-to-bar artisan chocolate from San Francisco (it’s a thing there), almonds roasted in salt, olive oil and tarragon from the Napa Valley and Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara. It’ll all have to wait. I have a green juice to drink first.

the (extremely) delightful Bar Manager. I forget his name,

Amanda 71

Table Talk REVIEW

The Leconfield By Amanda Menahem

first noticed the Leconfield when a top local

had been slightly over ‘brightened and

chef ‘checked-in’ there on Facebook. ‘Well if

lightened’ with too little of the original interior

its good enough for him’ I thought, and so

features of the period building retained. I was

it was added to my ever growing mental list of

craving an exposed beam or a cosy fireplace. In

‘must go to’s’.

the summer the interior will be complimented

Located in the picture-perfect Sussex town of Petworth, somewhere I’d often driven through but never stopped at, I was looking forward to stopping this time.

by the fabulous outdoor space adding to the airy feel. The Leconfield is definitely a restaurant

Relish, Parfait and Brioche. Bread arrived in a branded paper bag for us to tear open, accompanied by three ‘smears’ of different butters including seaweed, which I love. Given its ‘prominent’ arrival I had high expectations of warm, freshly baked bread straight from the oven. Instead it was cold, dense and dry. I’m sure it probably was home-

rather than a ‘pub with food’. The impressive

baked (otherwise you’d buy in good bread

menu offers the choice of either a three course

and offer guests a selection). But who knows?

what turned out to be a rather hair-raising

a la carte or an extensive tasting menu. As

The waitress didn’t tell us. Never mind. The

ride courtesy of our publisher Maarten, who

befits a racing driver and his navigator, we

butters were very good.

happened to be test driving the new Audi R8.

went a la carte.

In fact, stopping was a huge relief, after

The chef sent out a pre-starter of the Chalk

You’ll no doubt be reading the review in the

I confess I was hung-over after some

motoring section. Here’s mine; loud and fast

accidental drinking at the Salt Room in

Dill Emulsion and Fennel. Anything with gin

(until I forced Maarten to take it off sport

Brighton the night before. And so I didn’t

in it sells these days, of course. This is not

order -shock horror - the Crispy Pig with Burnt

something I would have ordered as a starter

Apple, Shallot and Parsley (regular readers

and so I am glad I got to try it canapé style. It

outside the Leconfield. Its branding is modern

know of my love of all things pig). On this

was a perfect accompaniment to my aperitif.

and shouts ‘chic gastropub’. I was hopeful - I

occasion I was craving greenery, and opted for

A very fine piece of cured fish classically

just don’t like pubby pubs, with their lingering

the Salad of Pear, Smoked Goats Curd, Chicory

combined with dill and fennel in a modern

odour of beer stained carpets and watery gin

and Walnut Crumble. Maarten chose the Hay

way. Personally I couldn’t detect any gin in the

and tonics (shudder). That said, the interior

Smoked Chicken Terrine with Gentleman’s

cure, but it didn’t need any.

mode). We pulled up (or rather screamed to a halt)

Stream Farm Gin & Tonic Cured Trout with

Table Talk

❝

The Leconfield is definitely a restaurant rather than a ‘pub with food’. The impressive menu offers the diner the choice of either a three course a la carte or an extensive tasting menu.

The starters arrived. My salad: a delicate combination of fresh and thoughtful ingredients providing contrasting texture and flavors. Crisp leaves, sweet pear and creamy curd. Light yet

❞

looking to match that Artichoke Chiboud at Graze or the Cep tart at Hibiscus) and Maarten ordered a hot pear pudding with pear sorbet, honeycomb and homemade vanilla yoghurt. ‘Hot pear pudding’, this ordinary description

impactful with the walnut crumb adding depth

gave us no clue as to the magic of this creation

and contrasting texture.

on the plate. A delicate pear sponge with an

Maarten’s terrine was even more impressive - dense chicken terrine with a rich and delicate parfait and faultless brioche (the chef clearly can do good bread, which makes the earlier paper bag effort mystifying). The accompanying relish and garnish on the plate cut through the richness of the meats. For the main course I opted for Stone Bass with Salsify, Chicken Wing, Shrimp and Beurre Noisette. Maarten ordered the Herdwick Lamb Cannon Breast with Radishes, Turnips and Sussex Dark Ale. The bass was meaty yet delicate. The chicken wing had been confit into squares lending a richness to the delicacy of the fish. The salsify added a welcome earthiness and the beurre noisette lifted the whole dish. Maartens Lamb breast was perfectly cooked. This more unusual cut of meat suggests a confident, flavor-driven chef. The turnip and radish on the plate provided a crisp and refreshing contrast against the rich breast meat. The Sussex ale jus - rich but not

oozing centre of luscious vanilla batter - almost custard-like but even better. Usually this type of filling is reserved for chocolate fondants, so I admire the chef’s creativity in taking this ubiquitous chocolate dessert and reinventing it using seasonal fruit. The accompanying pear sorbet and vanilla yoghurt were full of flavour and provided good temperature contrast. My resolve to have “just one bite” quickly disappeared. I’m lucky Maarten is the sharing type. My own dessert, the parsnip custard was as good as I’d hoped, the earthiness of parsnip working well here as a rich, sweet crème. The Hazelnut pastry, more a ‘crisp,’ added texture. Between us we drank a glass of sparkling wine from the nearby Wiston Estate followed by glass of Pinot Grigio and Muscadet. Service was very efficient although the waiting staff could have been more knowledgeable (and forthcoming) about some of the dishes. Starters are between £8-£11 and mains are

cloying - brought the whole dish together. The

£20-£26. Expensive perhaps, but for food this

sides were impressive both in their volume and

good it’s worth it for a special occasion.

quality. Roasted root vegetables stood out; crisp, plentiful and delicious. As so often, my inner health freak was now waging war with a powerful adversary

They just need to improve the bread and dim the lights a bit. Get a taxi and come here or even better a friend willing to drive perhaps someone with a nice Volvo…

in the shape of my sweet tooth. When Maarten suggested dessert, on this occasion I was prepared to give it a miss (I had had dessert only the night before, when my good intentions were ruined by wine) but I’m glad I went for it. These were outstanding. I ordered a Hazelnut pastry, apple sorbet, parsnip custard and caramelized apple (regular readers know I’m fond of desserts with interesting vegetable twists - I’m always

The Leconfield, New Street, Petworth West Sussex GU28 0AS 01798 345111 restaurant@theleconfield.co.uk

Table Talk CHEF PROFILE

Kanthi Kiran Thamma

Award winning Curry Leaf Cafe is fast gaining an impressive reputation in our region for both the cuisine and its regular charity events. I caught up with chef patron Kanthi Kiran Thamma. By Amanda Menahem

espite a growing clutch of awards and accolades Kanthi is a humble, generous and warm individual with family values

in the broadest sense of the word. He takes pride in creating a family feel within the

good for the economy and for us foodies. As well as raising money for local charities, Kanthi also supports charitable endeavors in his native India. In January for his birthday instead of a typical birthday celebration he

restaurant, making the effort to spend quality

held a charity dinner to raise money for an

time with his team, involving them, ensuring

orphanage in Chennai.

that they enjoy what they do in life and work. This also extends to the local community. He has supportive relationships with fellow chefs,

contributes to a thriving local food scene –

team member and that they are happy in what they’re doing, that they are passionate about the cuisine (Kanthi seeks input from the front of house team when developing dishes for the menu as he believes that they should love what they sell), and last but not least giving something back to the community and charity.

One lunch time I managed to catch Kanthi to chat about his inspirations, values and all things food….

suppliers, producers and restaurateurs. This collaborative and open approach to business

and the team; making sure I get to know each

Where do you get your inspiration? From many places – the local farmers and producers providing me with fantastic

What’s important to you? Three things – never compromising quality,

ingredients, amazing fellow chefs and most importantly my travels which are always

Table Talk

❝

I get inspiration from all good international cuisines, a recent trip to Barcelona was also food heaven for me! The informal tapas style of dining appeals in the same way as Indian street food which features strongly at the Curry Leaf.

❞

food orientated. Recently I spent time in India, visiting my family and travelling further afield to discover new cuisines. On my last trip to India I discovered the unique cuisine of Coorg, where the curries are completely distinct. I discovered a slow cooked pork curry, very unusual for this part of india and this will be appearing on the menu at Curry Leaf Café very soon. I get inspiration from all good international cuisines, a recent trip to Barcelona was also food heaven for me! The informal tapas style of dining appeals in the same way as Indian street food which features strongly at the Curry Leaf.

What do you cook at home? Anything and everything! I look at what I have in the fridge and create something. Ingredients come first and then the recipe emerges.

Guilty pleasures? Popcorn! – although I usually add turmeric, paprika or masala spices…

What do you think of the local food scene? I am blessed to be working in such a great city and region. Conde Naste voted Brighton and Hove the best city to dine out in because we have so many great restaurants. Some commentators point out that we haven’t got a Michelin star in the city but in a way I admire the fact that the chefs here are more focused on cooking what they love and being true to their passion rather than ‘trying to get a star’ which requires a certain formula. Having said that I think its only a matter of time before we’ll get one just because the chefs here are so talented.

Where do you like to eat out? I love The Set for a special occasion, La Choza; good Mexican street food and the informality appeals to me. Terre a Terre cannot be beaten for vegetarian food. Semolina is a great new local restaurant run by a husband and wife team turning out stunning dishes. Having worked for the Chilli Pickle I really rate what they do and its where I go to dine for Indian food other than here!

Which celebrity chefs do you admire? Having worked for Jamie Oliver, I still admire what he does. For Indian food, I am inspired by Alfred Prasad, the youngest Indian chef to obtain a Michelin star at Tamarind in London. I love his humility. You won’t have heard of him because he doesn’t seek the limelight. He just quietly gets on with creating excellent food.

What’s next? I am never satisfied, I am always looking to make improvements, develop and learn. On my recent trip to India I have started building the foundations to grow my own produce such as coffee. This allows me to ensure fairtrade and ethical business, cutting out the middlemen. Expect to see Curry Leaf Café home grown coffee on the menu soon!

Bar Fly

Wine School

ENGLISH WINES ARE COMING OF AGE England was the third most successful sparkling wine country in last year’s Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships. If English sparkling wine can build a world class reputation and achieve the competitive success to match it on such young vineyards and with very little reserve wine, imagine what might be achieved as the vineyards mature and

nglish wines are enjoying a renaissance at the moment. According to Julie TrustramEve of English Wine Producers, retail sales

producers build up their reserves.” The wine estate that fired the starting gun on the new breed of English wines

for wine made from grapes grown in England

was Nyetimber in West Sussex. It’s

and Wales are predicted to rise to £100m in

Classic Cuvee still sets the benchmark

2015 when final figures are in. The industry

for English sparkling wine and indeed

produced a record breaking 6.3m bottles in

the Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2010

2014 and is expecting another bumper year in

won the trophy in the English

2015. English wines are now a regular feature

category of the 2015 Champagne

JONNY’S FAVOURITE BUBBLES • Ridgeview Bloomsbury 2013 • Ridgeview Blanc de Blancs 2013, • Bluebell Vineyards Hindleap Blanc de Blancs 2011, • Court Garden Blanc de Blancs 2010, • Coates & Seely Blanc de Blancs NV, • Gusbourne Estate Brut Reserve, • Chapel Down Blanc de Blancs 2009,

at award ceremonies and state occasions. UK

and Sparkling Wine World

• Davenport Limney 2010,

retailers reported a huge increase in sales of

Championships. They were followed

• Langham Classic Cuvve

English wines last Christmas and Taittinger

by Ridgeview, the award-winning

recently became the first Champagne house to

family run producer at Ditchling

purchase prime vineyard land in Kent. It wasn’t that long ago that English wines

Common in East Sussex. Land prices and the lack of

were regarded as something of a joke. Even 10

economies of scale, not to mention

years ago there still weren’t many plantings of

the labour intensiveness of making

what have become the three most important

sparkling wines by the traditional

grape varieties – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and

bottle fermented method, mean

Meunier – used mainly for producing sparkling

that prices are in the £23-35

wine. Recent investments in vineyard plantings

range. Make no mistake though as

and winery equipment from a number of

these wines are right up there in

entrepreneurs are beginning to reap rewards.

quality terms with similarly priced

According to renowned fizz expert Tom Stevenson “With 13 Gold medals and 11 Silvers, Jonny Gibson is an independent wine educator. He runs regular tastings and courses including WSET Levels 1-3 with Sussex Wine School in Brighton and Tunbridge Wells. www.sussexwineschool. com

Champagnes. Still wines are also improving with every vintage. Bacchus has led the way but there are some excellent whites being made from Pinot

Brut 2011 • Wiston Estate Brut 2010.

For sparkling rosé you should try: • Camel Valley Pinot Noir 2012, • Ridgeview Victoria Rose 2010 • Hush Heath Balfour Brut Rose NV.

JONNY’S FAVOURITE WINES • Bolney Estate Pinot Gris 2014 • Camel Valley Atlantic Dry 2014, • Albourne Estate Bacchus

Gris, Pinot Blanc, Ortega and other grape

2014 and Estate Selection

varieties – sometimes single variety sometimes

2014,

blends – but usually with a distinctive whiff

• Chapel Down Bacchus 2014,

of hedgerows, elderflower and citrus fruits.

• Davenport Vineyard’s

Gerard Bassett MW MS OBE commented recently that English wines remind him of New Zealand in the 1980s. The future is bright and full of bubbles.

Horsmonden Dry White 2013, • Gusbourne Estate Guineviere 2013 • Bolney Estate Pinot Noir 2013

Table Talk SPONSORSHIP

A Fair Share

here can be few of us who readily accept the enormous waste

costs of running their warehouses and three refrigerated delivery vans,

within the food industry as we are regaled with stories of

which underpin the entire service. FareShare are looking for corporate

hundreds of tonnes of perfectly good food being ploughed into

partners who would be interested in supporting them in tackling

rubbish dumps, with supermarkets disposing of anything just past its

the important issues of food waste and poverty on a local level and

sell-by date. No doubt, we are all appalled, and then we get on with our

reaching new areas in Sussex and Surrey.

lives without ever contributing to the answer. FareShare is not one of them, as they have taken the problem by the scuff of the neck. The project began its life as FareShare Brighton, established by a group of friends in response to the problem of homelessness in the city to provide food for the eleven existing services for rough sleepers at the time. The project has now grown to deliver around ten tonnes of food

I would suggest that there can be few better recipients of companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CSR programmes than this organisation, as, in 2016, we should all be ashamed that there are hungry people on our streets whilst tonnes of perfectly good food goes to waste. There are various sponsorship opportunities available to companies wishing to support their work. They currently have one delivery van

a week to their network of over 85 different charities and community

available for sponsorship, which would see your brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s logo next to

groups that work with vulnerable client groups. These projects include

theirs on the vehicle, which is out and about in Sussex and Surrey, and

supported housing schemes, homeless hostels and day centres, food

there are many further opportunities, and significant tax relief can be

banks and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s centres. They currently reach an area from Bognor

achieved.

in the West, to as far north as Redhill in Surrey, and they are just

If you wish to get involved, contact Beth Parry: beth@faresharesussex.org.uk or call on 01273 671111. Fareshare is a charitable project run by city gate community projects. www.citygatechurch.org.uk charity number 1093245

beginning a pilot route into Hastings to the East. FareShare has the joint aims of alleviating poverty, reducing food waste and supporting volunteers. It works by redistributing surplus food from the food industry out to local groups supporting vulnerable people. Perfectly edible food that would otherwise go to waste due to short use-by dates, overproduction, damaged or mislabelled packaging or unmet aesthetic standards is instead donated to FareShare and delivered to where it is needed most across the community. Their main challenge is securing enough funding to sustain and expand the service. There is food available and an on-going need, but in the current climate it has been difficult to find repeat funding for the

Spring Harvest 2016 Friday 19 May - bank holiday Monday 30 May Thursday 19 May Three Chefs go to the Musicals Friday 20 May Around the World in Five Wines Saturday 21 May Sussex Wine Bus Tour Sunday 22 May FoodLab Monday 23 May Cocktail Fusion Tuesday 24 May Curry Leaf Café Indian Banquet Wednesday 25 May Terre à Terre Cool Steamers Thursday 26 May Cool Climate Wine Dinner Thursday 26 May Bitter & Twisted beer night Friday 27 May Make Your Case wine night

ALL OF OUR MAJOR EV

ENTS ON

HOVE LAWNS ARE

FREE ENTRY

FOR EVERYONE TO EN

JOY

Saturday 28 - holiday Monday 30 May on Hove Lawns, Brighton seafront Sussex & The World Market Live Food Show Children’s Food Festival English Wine Festival Beach BBQ Cook Off Laithwaites Wine Festival Visit Sweden ‘Fika’ Tea Dance The Dog’s Dinner contest The Beer Collective Bar Shake Your Own Cocktail Bar Taste the World area World’s Biggest Cheeseboard & lots more!

www.brightonfoodfestival.com

brightonfoodfestival

brightonfood

brightonfoodfestival

REVIEW

SPACE ODYSSEY A

ccording to politicians and pundits of a certain ilk, Britain is full. Apparently, we live in the most packed corner of the most crowded island. Should this paranoia make you feel a bit claustrophobic, then

I can recommend the perfect remedy: the East Sussex National resort. East Sussex National has a diverse offering of golf, dining, accommodation, pampering and conferencing, but if you want to boil down the essence of the resort into one word, it is ‘space.’ Set within 1,100 acres of South Downs countryside, this is a venue

The East Sussex National resort was inspired by one of America’s ﬁnest golf clubs, and, like any US venue, it retains a sense of space and openness. Review by Ian Trevett

with plenty of room to breathe. Sussex is blessed with many beautiful country- house hotels nestling in impressive acreages, but the hotels themselves tend to be cosy, wood-panelled affairs, with historic beams and warming fires. Here, the hotel is as spacious as the breezy fairways. What makes it unique is that it has a country-house location, yet is a thoroughly modern creation - even the eccentric, traditional Wurlitzer Organ, set under the banqueting room to rise up spectacularly through the floor, is a modern incarnation. It also feels slightly American, but that was the original intention. When it was being developed in the late 1980s, it was billed as the ‘Augusta of the UK.’ A nice piece of marketing, but probably counter-productive to draw such esteemed comparisons, though we’d love to see Augusta members such as Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and Jack Welch teeing off in Sussex. In its early years, East Sussex National struggled to live up to such comparisons, but since the turn of the Millennium, it has quietly (without any more Augusta boasts) built up its facilities and the quality of the experience and, most importantly, its reputation. Indeed, this year it was shortlisted as the Best Place to Meet at the all-important Gatwick Diamond Business Awards.

REVIEW

suitably spacious. In fact, you could easily fit in

seared chicken breast, truffle mash, green

functions at the East Sussex, I can vouch that

a putting green if you wanted a bit of practice

beans, confit garlic and red wine. Both could

this nomination was well deserved.

before a round.

accurately be described as pleasurable and

Having attended many excellent events and

On this occasion, my partner and I had the

Before dinner, a chance to try out the

comforting, which on a chilly, early spring

opportunity to explore without the distraction

Horsted Spa facilities. With few people around

evening was just what the doctor ordered.

of a buzzing drinks reception or awards

at this time, it was a relaxing and calm

My salmon was cooked beautifully and Julia

ceremony.

experience. With a nip still in the air outside,

commented on the wonderful earthiness of the

After the winding drive to the reception, you are greeted by the surreal appearance of a lifesize gorilla statue, for a reason that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t entirely apparent, but then this is a venue with a chintzy Wurlitzer, which rises up from the floor like the musical box in Camberwick Green. Naturally, we started with a leisurely drink in the airy bar, affording the chance to wander out to one of my favourite attractions at the resort

the heated floors of the changing rooms were a welcome introduction. At 20 metres, the pool is an impressive size for a hotel, but as you

To finish, my Grand Marnier and meringue

may have gathered, space is hardly an issue.

mousse with orange tuiles was delightfully

The sauna and steam room could do with a bit

indulgent, whilst Julia chose a dish that cannot

of updating, but the Jacuzzi was hot, powerful,

fail to please - the selection of farmhouse

and quite addictive.

cheeses. Sussex is truly blessed with

Appetite stimulated, time for dinner - after a quick glass of fizz in the bar, of course. Dining from the excellent-value Table dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hote Menu, I

- the fantastic collection of black and white

started with ham hock ballantine with sweet

photos from The Golden Age of Hollywood. No

mustard dressing, which was wolfed down

trip is complete without attempting to name

before I remembered I should be savouring the

as many of the film stars as you can. Sadly, my

intricacies of the dish for the review. Well, I was

knowledge of the silver screen icons was not

hungry. My dining partner was also impressed

as accurate as I thought it was.

with her sweet potato and coconut soup.

The suite we booked for the night had

mash.

The main was roasted salmon on herb-

exceptional cheesemakers, and any opportunity to sample these should never be turned down. The East Sussex National has now firmly established itself on the map, with excellent facilities and warm, friendly service. The only regret was the lack of time to try any spa treatments or one of the championship golf courses. But then again, this is a great excuse to come back again. I will find a space in the

glorious views across the Downs, was stylishly

crusted new potatoes, spinach and salsa

diary very soon!

furnished and, apologies for the repetition, was

verde, with my companion opting for pan-

www.eastsussexnational.co.uk

INTERVIEW

THE FUTURE IS NOW Interview with Shéa Bennett, Head of Digital Marketing at Identity Group How does digital work with Identity’s traditional speciality of signage and event branding? It’s been a very organic process. Identity’s events division launched some 30 years ago, and exhibition-stand design and build remain the core focus of the Group. Identity Signage & Printing was initially created to support the events team before being launched as a standalone entity, which has been very successful. In 2015, Identity launched its digital division, which strengthened both the events and signage departments, allowing us to offer bespoke marketing services to our existing clients and to engage new business. Digital has proven to be very popular with our clients on the events side, as we can now offer a fully integrated marketing solution before, during and after a conference, both within the show as a whole or on a per-exhibitor basis.

Will digital replace print and physical marketing products - or do they need to work together? They absolutely need to work together. One concept we talk about at Identity is phygital – that is, how businesses of all sizes can optimise strategy and outcomes by blending physical (traditional) marketing with digital (modern) marketing. This can be as simple as ensuring that the livery on your company fleet includes your social media profiles (and that it’s always kept up-to-date!). More innovative examples would include in-store digital signage or a 3D-printed, digitally-branded company logo or product miniature to give away at exhibitions.

What does your role entail? In my role as Head of Digital Marketing at Identity I oversee all aspects of the Group’s digital marketing services, which include social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, pay-per-click (PPC), lead generation, website auditing and user experience (UX). We work on a local, national and international level, focusing on strategy and deliverables. We’re big believers in the value of education at Identity,

via fax and email, and part of my remit was experimenting with delivery times to optimise opening rates. I began working as a proprietary trader around the turn of the millennium, which, while exciting, is a job that affords a lot of downtime. I’m a voracious reader, and that’s how I filled the gaps. It was around then that Facebook and Twitter launched, and, notably

and a lot of my time involves client training and workshops on these

with the latter, I found that almost nobody was writing about these

topics. I speak about digital at events on a regular basis and find that

platforms from a business perspective. So that’s what I did. I launched

tremendously rewarding. I really enjoy the “lightbulb moment” – that is,

my own platform and wrote thousands of articles – which, pre Identity,

when someone suddenly sees the possibilities after you have delivered a

neatly segued me into a senior digital role for a boutique marketing

presentation. Especially if they were skeptical before!

agency – and published two books. As the digital marketing space has

You have two books published about Twitter and you chaired an international conference. How did you become an expert in that field? My background is actually in the City. My first career was as a technical

grown, so have I, both in terms of knowledge and practical expertise, and it’s been a very rewarding journey.

How important is social media to a business in 2016? It’s as simple as this: every business needs a social media strategy.

analyst for a small research firm – the nature of the work meant that

There are no exceptions, no industries that ‘don’t fit’ or can’t make it

I was soon tasked with other responsibilities, which involved teaching

work. In little more than a decade, social media has established itself

myself web development to maintain the company website (this was back

as the most efficient and inexpensive way to reach large groups of

when everything was hand-coded), and also learning the ins and outs of

people to raise awareness of a brand’s products and services. Social

small-business marketing. We would write and send out daily reports

media is fantastic for building trust and loyalty, delivering first-class

INTERVIEW

customer service and creating a sense of

a smartphone, and this has allowed event

community. Moreover, from a purely marketing

visitors to become truly immersed and engaged

perspective, the social graph on a platform

in a conference. Platforms such as Twitter

such as Facebook is now so detailed that it

connect event attendees in a way that was

offers targeting opportunities that simply

simply not possible a decade ago. Moreover,

were not possible even a few years ago. Yes,

they allow people who were unable to attend

you absolutely need a strategy, and you have

a conference to get involved and receive

to do the work, or outsource the expertise,

information by following event hashtags and

but the tools are freely available for everyone

updates. This has had a tremendously powerful

to use. Your customers and clients are using

impact on exhibition marketing, significantly

social media. Your suppliers are using social

boosting overall reach and awareness for

media. And, perhaps most importantly, your

shows of all sizes, irrespective of where they

competitors are using social media. By

are in the world.

choosing to opt out, you are placing your head

What changes do you predict in the future?

very much in the sand.

How is the events sector evolving with the changes in digital technology? The single most important technological advancement over the past decade has been the mass availability of the smartphone, specifically the launch of the iPhone in 2007. The importance of the latter cannot be overstated. These devices are not just ‘phones.’ They are computers in your pocket that travel with you everywhere that you go, granting access to all of the world’s information in just a couple of clicks. It’s an incredible privilege. Every business professional in the UK owns

I think that mobile will continue to be the most important part of every digital marketing

possibilities are still very exciting. Digital video is also on a huge uptrend, and there’s no reason to think that’s going to change. Study after study shows that most people prefer to consume information visually and, of course, the brain processes images much faster than it does text. YouTube, of course, was the pioneer, and remains a force, but marketers would do well to keep a very close eye on Snapchat; it’s the fastest-growing social network in history, and already boasts more than 8 billion video views per day. That’s more than Facebook, and more than YouTube. That sort of trend doesn’t happen by accident, and Snapchat is on the verge of positioning itself as a major player. Where the future gets very interesting is in

campaign for at least another decade. As

the field of virtual reality. Facebook’s Oculus

a business owner, that’s where your focus

Rift VR system is shipping now, and while the

needs to be in terms of capturing attention

technology isn’t quite there at the moment,

and building community. Always ask yourself:

we are probably just five to ten years away

how does my brand look on a five- or six-inch

from a truly immersive experience. This offers

screen? What will change here is that, as new

tremendous opportunities in the digital space,

functionality and features appear on mobile

particularly in the events industry. And in

devices, and as the handsets become more

marketing, too: I’ve long said that we’ll know

powerful, marketers (and brands) will need to

when virtual reality has truly arrived when

adapt and grow accordingly. Think back to how

the blur between “real life” and VR becomes

archaic mobile phones were pre-iPhone and

so indistinguishable that one day you’ll find

project 10 years forward from now. Moore’s

yourself inside an advert… and won’t even

Law might have slowed a whisker, but the

know it. Just imagine the ROI!

Biography: Shéa has managed the digital campaigns and marketing solutions for both B2B and B2C brands across a variety of industries, including retail, finance, education, healthcare, charity, sports and events. A recognised authority within the digital space, he has published two books and written thousands of articles about social media, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post and the BBC. Identity specialises in the manufacture and implementation of corporate branding, with over 30 years’ experience in the industry. A major supplier of digital marketing, events management and commercial signage across the UK and Europe, Identity is a multi-award-winning company with a very experienced team of industryrespected individuals. Email: sb@identitygroup.co.uk, Web: www.identitygroup.co.uk

Northbrook College – Open for Business Room Hire – prices from £10 per hour Northbrook College is dedicated to meeting the needs of the business community and is now offering a range of rooms for hire. Whether you need a space for client meetings, new business presentations or interviews we can accommodate your needs on a small or large scale basis, one-off or regular hire available.

For more information please contact: commercial.services@nbcol.ac.uk or 01903 273 016

CAREERS

EMERGENCY EXCERCISE S taff and students from the University of Portsmouth have taken part in Europe’s biggest-ever emergency response exercise – involving a tower block collapsing on Waterloo Station.

The fictional but painstakingly realised scenario was at the heart of Exercise Unified Response, which took place at four sites in London and involved more than 70 agencies and 4,000 people.

Organised by London Fire Brigade and the London Resilience Partnership, the exercise was designed to test the UK’s readiness in dealing with major incidents involving urban search and rescue and identifying victims. The University provided teams of evaluators led by academic researchers Dr Alison Wakefield (of the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies), Dr Sara Thorne (Portsmouth Business School) and Dr Richard Teeuw (School of Earth and Environmental Sciences). Some students were also involved and will be using observations from the exercise as the basis for postgraduate research projects. Dr Teeuw said: “Taking part in the exercise has been a unique opportunity, allowing a team of around 20 from the University of Portsmouth to work closely with London Fire Brigade organisers in order to support the evaluation of the exercise and learn lessons for the future. “This will enable the UK and the EU to fine-tune their urban disaster

responses, training staff in rescue techniques, testing procedures and equipment.”

Tom Hales, a part-time student on the MSc Crisis and Disaster Management course and a specialist rescue technician and trainer, added: “It was a fantastic opportunity to be part of the evaluation team and participate in an exercise on this scale.”

In the scenario, UK search and rescue teams are already at full stretch because of another major building collapse elsewhere in the country, so help has been requested from Europe. Specialist teams from all over Europe took part in the exercise – partfunded by the EU – which involved more than 2,000 volunteer playing casualties.

For information about Portsmouth Business School, its courses and regular events, please visit www.port.ac.uk/pbsevents

Show you mean business – do the Portsmouth MBA

Our Master of Business Administration (MBA) will develop your capabilities and enable you to bring fresh thinking to your organisation right from the start of your studies. Not only will it enhance your career prospects but it will allow you to build lasting networks with like-minded individuals. • Innovative work-based learning • Taught part-time in two day blocks over two years • Generous scholarships

‘The MBA is a key to unlocking the doors to senior and executive level management roles. The pace of the course allows me to carry out a full time international sales role at the same time as studying.’ Katie Ilincariu Europe and South America Sales Manager, Fosse Liquitrol

Come along to one of our Postgraduate and MBA open evenings and listen to a guest speaker, meet the teaching staff and current students in a relaxed and informal atmosphere – for details visit www.showyoumeanbusiness.com.

For more information or to apply: T: +44 (0)23 9284 4888 E: mba.admissions@ port.ac.uk W: www.port.ac.uk/mba

INTERVIEW

ROEDEAN IS A SCHOOL ON A MISSION The Headmaster of Roedean, Oliver Blond, has improved facilities and results, and expanded the day oﬀering with the aim of attracting a higher intake of local girls, but what eﬀect will this have on the school?

liver Blond has been at Roedean’s helm for nearly three years, and he is definitely steering it in exciting new

reason is the renewed emphasis on localism.

interests, that happens very quickly.

“The interesting thing about the school

“At every single Open Day, I talk to parents

is how it is growing, as this means we are

about how Roedean is a really important part

directions. “It is certainly a challenge, a big

capturing people’s attention. We are growing

of Sussex, with the view over the sea and

challenge. When I arrived at Roedean and

at about 15% a year in terms of pupil numbers,

the Downs behind. This is a Sussex school,

thought about what it stood for in terms of

moving from 370 pupils to almost 500 pupils in

so I want it to be here for Sussex children. I

its history and legacy and where it could be

three years, and that’s fantastic. The big growth

also want students, if they come from further

in terms of the future, I was very excited. It

area is in day pupils from across Sussex and

afield or abroad, to experience Sussex, and a

has such a strong position in the sector, but I

London and South East weekly boarders, which

British education. A large feature of my last

felt that it could be steered in a slightly new

is very exciting.

two years has been engaging with local UK

direction, focussing on providing a high-quality

“I’m a strong believer in localism, and

families and schools to explain what our vision

academic and all-round education to a very

because there’s so much strength, talent and

and heritage is all about, which is giving girls

astute UK market. So I found this shift an

quality in Sussex and in our staff, everyone

an exceptional, holistic education, the passion

intriguing prospect.”

is invested. The school employs 250 local

and determination to succeed, and arming

people and educates mainly local children,

them with the skills to make a difference in the

sisters, and they had very clear aims for the

and this helps to harness the strength and the

world. Internationalism is fantastic, as we are

school, centering on providing girls with an

engagement of local parents as well.

all members of a global community, and we

The school was founded in 1885 by three

education which was equally as good, if not

“When I arrived, the question was, ‘How do

value it highly, but for the benefit of all students we need a strong base in the local community.

better, than that available for boys. The school

we re-engage the local families?’ The answer

was extremely successful from the outset and

is quite simple: if you align yourself to what

grew rapidly, to the point where it had to move,

parents and families want, which is happy

done recently is to extend our Brighthelm

and the school on its present site was opened in

and engaged children who will flourish and

Awards to the Sixth Form, providing access for

1898. The school is still growing today, and the

succeed, whatever their particular talents and

able students from local schools. It is vital that

“One of the most successful things we’ve

INTERVIEW

“ He believes that it is vital to give every girl the belief that she can excel, and that the self-confidence she derives from this will help her to challenge herself and realise her potential.” private schools do all they can to widen access

of our girls. I think the most tangible part of

strengths. He believes that it is vital to give

and opportunity within the area.”

Roedean, once you get inside the impressive

every girl the belief that she can excel, and that

One perception of Roedean was that there were so many overseas students that it had eﬀectively become an International School. Was this an accurate viewpoint?

façade, is the happiness of the girls, the sense

the self-confidence she derives from this will

of energy and excitement in the classrooms

help her to challenge herself and realise her

and corridors and the fact that it is a very

potential. The result is that the school has leapt

welcoming, kind and friendly school. It is a very

67 places up the league tables last academic

communal and community-focussed school,

year, with large numbers of girls achieving

which keeps the academic standards high and

excellent grades in public examinations and

ensures that the girls are really well-rounded

going on to top universities.

individuals.

When Mr Blond’s predecessor left the school, one of the reasons she cited was the hostile climate towards the independent sector in this country. Was she right?

“Roedean’s approach has shifted, and our intake in the last three years has meant our first three year-groups are now 90% UK pupils. However, we are still a global school in our

“Whether they board or not, Roedean is the

outlook, and it’s genuinely important for a

girls’ home. You treat your home as something

school in Sussex to have a diversity of pupils

you really value, and this is the girls’ home

from different backgrounds and countries,

for a significant proportion of their time. But

as this enriches our community. We do live

they value the partnerships with other local

“In my view, far from it. People are very

in an increasingly globalised world, and the

schools and organisations and realise that

positive about independent schools. One area

understanding and empathy the girls develop

they are in a privileged position and need to

where there is constant discussion is how

through living in a school with girls from over

work proactively beyond the boundaries of the

much independent and state schools can

25 countries is very important. But we are a

school with local people and organisations. It

work together and what they can do for each

British school, and our international pupils

is this that helps them to grow personally and

other. There’s been fantastic growth in the

value this aspect of Roedean as much as local

to develop skills, and which will be valuable in

development of partnerships. We are currently

pupils do.”

later life.”

working with City Academy, Whitehawk and

“There can be no doubt that Roedean is

Mr Blond feels that the key to the girls’

Ringmer Community Academy, and we’ve got a few more in the pipeline.”

a unique school, due to the quality of the

development is giving them the opportunity

education and pastoral care, the strength of

to grow up at their own pace, not being

our heritage, the amazing location, with over

constrained by finite expectations, having

other’s aspirations and sharing ideas. The girls

100 acres of the South Downs, overlooking

the freedom to explore different possibilities,

here instinctively believe they’re going to go to

the English Channel, and the individual talents

intellectual passions and to find their

university, but this isn’t a belief that all

“I think the children benefit from seeing each

INTERVIEW

children have for themselves at primary school age, so it’s good to see

This eventually led Mr Blond to the highly regarded Henrietta Barnett

them discussing their futures with other children. Our understanding of

School in North West London, where he was the Headteacher for almost

what we can achieve can develop very early in life, so these discussions

eight years, leading the school to a top placement in the national league

are invaluable. We have girls really enjoying getting involved in reading

tables for six years and an award as the Sunday Times School of the Year

programmes with younger pupils, as well as sports leadership, drama

before taking up the reins at Roedean.

and music. The children have access to girls who can help generate an interest in learning.” “Our partnership with Ringmer includes a series of strands drawing on

“I think there is a place for both single-sex education and co-education, and there are pupils who will be more inclined to one type of schooling than the other. For every pupil who says they prefer co-educational,

the particular strengths of each school for our mutual benefit. Ringmer

there will be another who prefers single sex education. Parents should

is very strong on ecology and sustainability, and they’re helping us set

be looking for the school that is best for their child, and that is a process

up a school farm and become more sustainable. We’ve got expertise in

that will involve a very careful and subtle consideration of many factors. I

university admissions, so it’s very much a two-way partnership.”

am not sure that parents are helped by listening to our pronouncements

“In the sixth form, all students go into Brighton every week to do what

or a polarised debate. We should be trying to help pupils feel as positive

we call Community Action. They work with over fifty organisations across

as possible about the school they choose, whatever kind of school that

the City and they are engaging with hospitals, charities and non-profit

happens to be.

businesses, which encourages sharing and understanding.”

Late last year, the Daily Mail reported on fears from a member of the Old Roedeanians’ Association committee, who believed the country’s most famous girls’ school was planning to allow boys into the imposing seaside towers. Meanwhile, just down the road at Brighton College, the Head, Richard Cairns, claimed that preventing the mixing of the sexes just doesn’t prepare people for the outside world. “Single-sex schools are a deeply unrealistic world”, declared Mr Cairns. So can it be true? If there is anyone who knows the value of all-girl schools, it is Mr Blond, who has spent all of his educational career teaching or leading at girls’ schools. He initially worked in a girls’ grammar school, where he found the atmosphere incredibly empowering and enabling. “There was much less focus on external rules and assessment regimes than in some boys’ or co-ed schools, perhaps because girls are so internally self-motivated and conscientious. This means that the focus was on developing a passion for subjects. Girls’ all-round development is not so well-served by too much scaffolding in the form of assessments

“I know, however, from experience that girls benefit enormously, intellectually and in development of their self-confidence, from an approach to learning that prioritises their approaches and qualities and this is very much at the heart of girls’ school education. “A 2006 study by Professor Alice Sullivan of the UCL Institute of Education found that single-sex schools did little to inhibit relationships between the sexes, and also that girls from single-sex schools were more likely to choose male-dominated subjects such as Maths and Science than if they were in a co-ed environment. This is certainly the case at Roedean, where Maths is one of the most popular A-level subjects, and large numbers take Sciences.” “While people will argue that one is better than the other, when parents visit a school, most of them will say the single-sex or co-ed issue doesn’t matter as much as what the school is going to do for their particular child.” “What you need for the outside world is confidence, character, the ability to take risks, knowing what to do when things don’t work out, being able to work in teams, being willing to lead, being able to be

and excessive focus on grades, but they respond very well to inspiration,

successful in a variety of fields, being able to speak in public, and being

opportunity, creativity and encouragement. It was this experience and

able to get on with all kinds of people. That’s what Roedean does best.”

insight that made me want to continue to work in girls’ schools.”

www.roedean.co.uk

Platinum Business News!

Your future talent-pool of highly-skilled future employees The Careers and Employability Centre, at the University of Sussex, welcomes the opportunity to work with new and existing employers, our Sussex alumni and opportunity providers across all sectors. We want to make it easy for you, the business community, to engage with the University and your future talentpool of highly skilled students and graduates. We look forward to discussing ways in which we can work together.

Free vacancy advertising for employers We offer a free vacancy advertising service for opportunities which are suitable for our current students or recent graduates. Adverts appear at our online vacancy listing: www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/jobs/search and interested candidates will apply to you directly. One year professional placements A number of courses at Sussex involve a professional placement year. Subjects include Informatics, Business and Management and Product Design. We can help you to recruit a suitable student for your organisation. Work experience and Internships Work experience is a cost effective way of raising your profile and even trialling potential future graduate employees. We can target current students and recent graduates and have some special funded schemes. Sussex Santander internships The University of Sussex is a member of Santander Universities UK and we are able to offer a limited number of 12-week internships, with attached funding, for small to medium-size enterprises.

Recruitment fair Our flagship event, Careers Fair, is held each autumn at the American Express Community Stadium. It attracts over 100 exhibitors and up to 2,500 students and recent graduates. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love you to be there! Events Let us host your recruitment presentations or informal drop-in sessions to give you the opportunity to meet students on campus. This is an effective way to reach your target audience. We also welcome your support and expertise for some of our initiatives such as StartUp Sussex Enterprise, our programme for potential social and commercial entrepreneurs. Skills workshops and alumni talks Employers regularly visit Sussex to run skills development sessions for our students. Recent events have included presentation skills, social entrepreneurship, commercial awareness, networking and assessment centres. We also welcome Sussex alumni back to campus to take part in careers information

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to find out more please contact: Linda Buckham, Director, Careers and Employability Centre, Andrea Wall, Employer Engagement Manager, Careers and Employability Centre, The Library, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QL T: 01273 873384 or 01273 678429 E: andrea.wall@sussex.ac.uk W: www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/employers

Please mention Platinum Business Magazine when you contact us.

NETWORKING

THE BUSINESS NETWORK How to dissolve your fears and network with confidence By Emma Pearce Marketing Consultant – marketing planning, outsourced marketing and social media training www.pearcemarketing.co.uk

Caroline Rushforth

Face-to-face networking remains an important element of many businesses’ marketing, but it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. So what is the secret ingredient to a successful and positive networking experience?

answer these questions:

uses NLP and wingwave coaching to dissolve

• What is the worst that could

his month I interviewed Caroline Rushforth, an experienced trainer, coach and mentor for business start-

ups. Her style is different because she also subconscious blocks and negative self-talk to help business owners get more clients. So if you are dreading your next networking event, read on for some great insight in how to turn things around.

Why is confidence important? Having the right mindset when going into a networking situation is hugely important for creating the right impression, but it’s not just about how you come across, it’s also how people feel when they interact with you. People need to feel that you are confident about what you have to offer so they can buy into it. An enthusiastic entrepreneur can have passion in their heart and an abundance of skills or knowledge. But unless they have belief in their ability, they will find the technique of self-promotion very challenging. Confidence in what you have to offer requires congruence and self-belief that you are the expert and the

Grab a piece of paper and • What is the worst that could happen if I did go for it? happen if I didn’t go for it? • What am I sacrificing by not doing it? • How will I feel after I have done it?

How can someone overcome selfdoubt or those pesky voices in the back of their mind? If you have something to sell but feel uncomfortable talking about yourself, you may recognise some of this internal self-talk: • “They won’t like my product/service”

causes us to either fight through something or run away from it.

will feel like they’re not being listened to, and we all know how that feels, right? The key to successful engagement is a you feeling refreshed afterwards. Always ask

product/service to me”

questions about the other person and flatter

• “My product is not good enough”

them in a subtle and authentic way to earn

• “Perhaps they don’t have enough money to

their respect so they remember who you

afford me”

are. People buy into your personality and do

Do you find yourself regurgitating some of

business with people they feel comfortable and

yourself, why should anyone else?

it! Fear is a natural response to a situation that

constantly fidgeting and glazing over, people

• “Oh no! Someone else is selling a similar

thinking by putting yourself in the shoes of

stretch your comfort zone and smash through

distracted by our wandering mind. If we are

• “They might say “no”

person to fix the problem. If you don’t believe in

The best way to overcome any fear is to

When we are interacting with people in a networking situation, we can sometimes be

balanced conversation that leaves both of

these beliefs? If so, work on reframing your

What is the best way to overcome those pre-networking nerves, what do you suggest works best?

communication is through body language.

valued around. The best way to improve your confidence

the customer. They are potentially interested

when promoting yourself and your business is

in buying your product or service because it

to throw yourself in at the deep end and go for

will benefit them in some way. This will flip a problem into a solution.

What is the best way to boost our confidence when interacting with a potential customer? It’s well known that 90% of our

it! What’s the worst that could happen? Caroline Rushforth is offering a free 30-minute business consultation to Platinum Business Magazine readers. Visit www.forthhorizons.com or email: caroline@forthhorizons.com or call 01273 328 730 | 07881 998816.

2016

One day exhibitiOn, Friday 6th May THE KING’S CENTRE MId SuSSEx, VICToRIa Road, BuRGESS HIll, RH15 9lR 10.00aM – 3.00pM

exhibitiOn OF business in burgess hill This lively one-day event showcases many of the businesses in and around the business parks of the town. Burgess Hill is home to more than 250 businesses, of which some are large international companies and many others are SMEs. We are very proud of the strength and diversity of the business sector in the Town. do take this opportunity to come along and find out for yourself – and also to network with the vibrant business community and witness some individual success stories.

Where: When: entry:

The King’s Centre Mid Sussex, Victoria Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 9lR

”THE EVENT WAS FANTASTIC. A SUITABLE NUMBER OF VISITORS BUT ALSO A VERY FRIENDLY BUSINESS TO BUSINESS ATMOSPHERE.”

Friday 6th May 2015 from 10.00am – 3.00pm

ROB LITTLE, HILLINGAR LTD.

Free – on production of a business card

For more Information on registering for the exhibition or further details on networking visit www.bhbpa.co.uk or contact Peter liddell at peter.liddell@bhbpa.co.uk Thanks to Sussex living for sponsoring this event, and to the following companies for their continued support:- autowise, Burgess Hill Town Council, Hickstead Hotel, The King’s Church Mid Sussex, lea Graham associates, Paul Noble Photographic, Preview, Netsense, The Sussex Sign Company and TS Professional.

“MUCH MORE FRIENDLY AND PERSONAL THAN OTHER EXHIBITIONS.” BRUCE MILLINGTON, SUTTON WINSON

“ONE OF THE BEST EXHIBITIONS I’VE ATTENDED.” IAN HOPPING, AUDITEL

“THIS WAS BUZZY AND BUSY, THERE WAS GREAT FREE FOOD AND ICE CREAM. I HAD A GREAT TIME SPEAKING TO ALL AND SUNDRY.” ANN DRUERY, THE VAT LADY

organised by