DECEMBER 2018EAST MIDLANDS LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINECORPORATEHOSPITALITYThe Christmas bash - worth it?PORTSPerfectly placedEND OFYEARREVIEWwww.blmgroup.co.ukWWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UKWWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UKLOOKINGFORWARDLOOKINGFORWARD01.qxp_Layout 1 03/12/2018 14:35 Page 1LinkingbusinesstogetherEast Midlands Business Link has been bringing businesses together through itsonline pages and we’re now offering even more chances to network and createnew relationships with a host of special events – and there are numerous sponsorship opportunities to help promote your brand!Round TablesBringing together leading names from local businesses, our round table events debate the latest hottopics. By sponsoring the event you can decide on the topic and help shape the guest list to ensurerelevance. The resultant debate will appear in our pages.Breakfast EventsEast Midlands Business Link's breakfast events present topical and incisive discussion. A panel ofexperts offer their views on business matters in front of an informed and interested audience –alongside plenty of opportunities to network! Sponsors of the event receive access to the delegate list as well as extensive pre- and post-event coverage.AwardsHighlighting the best of local business, there are myriad sponsorship opportunities atEast Midlands Business Link's awards evenings. Bringing together guests from across the region,sponsoring a category or even the entire event will ensure exceptional exposure for your business! These events are also a great place to entertain and welcome distinguished guests.Business Link is renowned as the voice of the East Midlands business scene. By partnering with us at these special events you can take advantage of our strong reputation and enjoy exceptional exposure for your brand!Connectwith us today to see what we can do for your business...02.qxp_Layout 1 03/12/2018 14:36 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukEast Midlands Business Link 3EDITORS NOTESAs we move ever closer to the end of March, Brexit isfeeling more and more like a lost episode of The Thickof It. Indeed, the last month has seen a mad flurry ofdevelopments and setbacks as Theresa May desperatelytries to convince the world that her Brexit deal is what’sbest for Britain. Although there’s been yet more resignations, andbackbenchers continue to sharpen their knives, thecautious optimism many businesses have adopted hasturned desperate. At present, business leaders are rallying behind May’s dealas the lesser of two evils. Although research claims that the UK could be £100billion worse off a year, any deal is better than no deal, right?Although we can’t offer Brexit clarity, we can offer the informed, qualityeditorial you’ve come to expect over the years. Our team have been busybeavering away at our end of year issue, with dives into the region’s ports andlogistics industry, as well as invoicing and finance solutions. This time of year is perfect to pause and reflect, which is exactly what we’redoing in our end of year success stories. Here we go over the biggest eventsof the year and what they’ve meant to business, as well as giving localcompanies the chance to share their own successes. It’s a theme thatcontinues into our commercial property pages, where some of the year’sbiggest and most beneficial developments are reflected on. We can’t think of a better way to end the year than by inviting companiesto shout about themselves and their services. That’s exactly what our meet theexperts section offers. Until next issue, have a great Christmas and a prosperous New Year.Michael FisherEditorWelcome...03.qxp_Layout 1 03/12/2018 14:38 Page 1ContentsDecember 2018LATEST NEWS 6A round-up of the latest news from our regionAPPOINTMENTS 8East Midlands on the move.FINANCE NEWS 10The latest news from the world of finance around the regionMANUFACTURING NEWS12News and views from around the regionPROPERTY NEWS 14All the latest from the property sector.END OF YEAR REVIEW16A lot’s happened over the last twelve months, from the collapse ofCarillion to a draft Brexit deal agreed with Brussels. BRICKS 201920East Midlands Business Link Bricks Award 2019 are now open forentries. The awards are a chance to recognise and celebrate theregion’s top projects, as well as the teams behind them.FINANCE AND INVOICE SOLUTIONS22The late payment culture is a bane to businesses in our region, butthere are steps one can take to limit the damage. TAX26Impact on business of a No Deal Brexit? By Robin Lee, Partner,Streets Chartered AccountantsHOSPITALITY 27It’s an age-old tradition and one that is expected, but is it reallyworth holding a Christmas work party in this day and age? PORTS 32Our region holds the “golden triangle” of logistics. With its greattransport connections, the East Midlands is prime for movinggoods to ports.NETWORKING36Are you a giver or a taker? By Fiona Duncan-Steer, founder ofRSViP Business Networking Agency, clearly defines the differencesbetween the givers and takers of this world...COMMERCIAL PROPERTY38So often it goes that the end of a year offers a time for reflection,a chance to mull over any New Year’s resolutions before enactingthem. But what about your workplace? The traditional office is duean upgrade, with new builds prioritising and health and wellbeinginto their designs. PUBLIC RELATIONS42Don’t be afraid to be a Lidl bit funny - I’m still standing. By GregSimpson, founder of Press for Attention PR and Enterprise NationChampion for Nottingham5227HEALTH & SAFETY 44With higher than average injury rates and 53% of East Midlandsemployees stating businesses are not doing enough to supporttheir physical and mental wellbeing, it is essential that the region’semployers implement thorough health and safety policies.AUTOLINK48Though we’d all love a new car for Christmas, most are a little outof the budget as gifts. That said, there’s a lot coming in the NewYear and much to be excited about, so for those looking to planahead, here are some exciting new cars looking to enter themarket.• Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reportOUT OF OFFICE54All the leisure sector news from the last monthEVENTS56A timely look at forthcoming business events around the EastMidlandsAND FINALLY...5804-05.qxp_Layout 1 03/12/2018 14:39 Page 144Group EditorSteve Fishers.fisher@blmgroup.co.ukEditorMichael Fisherm.fisher@blmgroup.co.ukJournalistsDominic Cuthbertd.cuthbert@blmgroup.co.ukStuart Pearcey s.pearcey@blmgroup.co.ukTess Eggintont.egginton@blmgroup.co.ukSales DirectorAngela Coopera.cooper@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310310Accounts & SubscriptionsAngela Sharmanaccounts@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311Design & ProductionGary Jorgensen, Mark Cassonstudio@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310304Fax: (01472) 310314E-Mail:eastmidlands@blmgroup.co.ukPublisherHaychart Ltd, t/a Business Link Magazine Group,Huntingdon House, 278-290 Huntingdon Street, Nottingham NG1 3LYAll rights reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied,recorded or otherwise without expresspermission of the copyright holder, for whichapplication should be addressed first to thepublisher. While every reasonable care is taken,neither the publisher nor its participatingagents accept liability for loss or damage toprints, colour transparencies, negatives or othermaterial of whatever nature submitted to thispublication. The views expressed in thispublication are not necessarily the views ofthose held by the publisher.@BLMEastMidlandsBLMEastMidlands SDNALDIMTSAE GAMSSENISUBGNIDAELS ENIZAG C 81RE WA VAY TAP YAA fT ku.oc.porgb.www COVER PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM • ZEPHYRMEDIA • NITO • ANT CLAUSEN • AUN PHOTOGRAPHER • ALEXANDER RATHS04-05.qxp_Layout 1 03/12/2018 14:39 Page 26East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukGENERAL NEWS£1m for Nottingham to create moreconstruction jobsGovernment funding of £1 million has been given to Nottingham to get more people into construction training and jobs.Partners in Nottingham have been given a slice of a £22 million funding pot, which will be used to launch constructionacademies with Nottingham College.These academies will bring training to construction sites – allowing learners to apply their knowledge in a real-worldenvironment. The money will be used to help local residents secure industry jobs and will pay for training and resources.The Construction Skills Fund was launched in June 2018 and Nottingham has been chosen as one of 26 successful biddersfrom across the country.The bid was led by Nottingham College, along with partners Nottingham City Homes, Nottingham Trent University,Nottingham City Council, Wates Construction and local construction firm Woodhead Group.It is anticipated that the fund will help meet the needs of employers and tackle the construction skills shortage, while alsosupporting those who want to join the industry, particularly adult learners. The 18-month scheme is funded by the Departmentfor Education and will be administered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).Women-ownedbusinesses contributestaggering £105bn toUK economy Women are increasingly becoming the job creators and growth driversin the UK, according to new research from the Federation of SmallBusinesses (FSB).A new report, ‘Supporting Women’s Enterprise in the UK: TheEconomic Case’, shows that women owned businesses are nowcalculated to contribute a staggering £105bn to the UK economy, anincrease of 40% since comprehensive data was last collected andanalysed. This equates to women owned businesses contributing £36kGross Value Add (GVA) for each person they employ, 6.3% of total UKGVA.Despite the rise in female founders overall, the proportionatecontribution from women owned businesses in manufacturing hasdeclined. Worryingly, the report findings show that over the periodstudied (2012 – 2015) there has been a reduction in the contribution ofthe manufacturing sector to women owned businesses’ GVA (from 14.9%to 11%) and proportion of employment (from 8.7% to 7.1%).This is concerning because manufacturing is a relatively high profitsector. A larger proportion of women owned businesses are in the caresector which has low profit.The contribution women make to the UK economy is even moresignificant when the estimated GVA of women led businesses is included.The research shows that women led and women owned businesses areestimated to contribute £221bn representing 13.3% of total GVA.Across UK nations, using available data, the estimates show that Wales(7.24% of GVA) and Northern Ireland (9.23% of GVA) lead the way in thecontribution women owned businesses make to their economies. £14m lost to goodshijacking in three monthsCompanies lost an estimated £14 million as a result of cargo theft on UK roadsbetween April and June, according to new research from BSI and the NationalVehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS).This marks an increase of £1m from the previous quarter, despite a fall in theoverall number of incidents from 454 in Q1 to 386.The SCREEN UK Cargo Theft Quarterly Report highlights the theft tactics,targeted commodities and areas of concern across the UK. It found that the mosttargeted commodities for cargo theft during Q2 were alcohol and tobaccoproducts, and these products had an average loss of £36,436 per incident.The highest-value single cargo loss in Q2 was £1.13 million, as thieves stole atrailer loaded with high fashion apparel products. BSI’s figures estimate thatorganizations made a loss of at least £54m in 2017 as a result of cargo theft, andcategorizes the UK as high risk.The report found a slight rise in a more sophisticated method of cargo theft,known as ‘around the corner’ during the first half of 2018, as thieves looked for newways to circumvent security strategies.‘Around the corner’ thefts involve thieves impersonating company employees inorder to deceive drivers into diverting cargo to new locations or transferring loadsto unauthorized vehicles. London is a particular hot spot for this type of theft, andalcohol is the commodity most commonly stolen via this methodology.Although this tactic is more challenging to execute, thieves can steal full loads ofhigh-value goods in this way and so the high financial reward makes it particularlyattractive. It is expected that the use of subcontractors may increase the risk ofaround the corner thefts, as it is harder to tightly manage a supply chain. As such,BSI recommends that companies ensure that all business partners have conductedproper security threat awareness training so that transporters can spot the signs forfictitious pick-ups.© SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / KRIVOSHEEV VITALY © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / PRESSMASTER06-07.qxp_Layout 1 03/12/2018 14:44 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukEast Midlands Business Link 7GENERAL NEWSEast Midlands laggingbehind in two-tierenergy economyYorkshire and the East Midlands are lagging behind as a two-tiereconomy emerges from an energy revolution, according to ImperialCollege.Researchers from Imperial College London and E4Tech have warned of a two-tier economy emerging as Britain goes through an ‘energy revolution’.The say a revolution taking place in UK energy system could unlock new growth, lower energy bills and smarter living, but many in society will lose out.The research shows that businesses and families in London and Scotland are better placed to take advantage of the benefits of the ‘energy revolution’, includingcheaper energy bills, electric vehicles and smart appliances. Meanwhile, the North of England and East Midlands lag furthest behind.Conducted independently by researchers from Imperial College London and E4tech, facilitated by Imperial Consultants and commissioned by Drax Group, thereport breaks down the energy revolution into 20 metrics for the power, transport and buildings sectors, to provide a barometer of national and regional progress.Achievement against each of these metrics is scored as ‘not on track’, ‘within 90% of target’ or ‘ahead of target’.Commenting on his team’s findings, Imperial’s Dr Iain Staffell said: “The country is going through an energy revolution. We are creating an energy system which willpower our future economy and help tackle climate change.“But, our research reveals that Britain is at risk creating a two-tier economy, leaving millions of families and businesses less well equipped to enjoy cheaper bills andbetter health outcomes. Our concern is they will not be offered the same opportunities as people living in regions which are modernising their energy infrastructure.”Nottingham and Leicesterchosen as sites for 5GrolloutEE has revealed that it isswitching on 5G sites in 16UK cities in 2019. The firstlaunch cities will be the UK’sfour capital cities – London,Cardiff, Edinburgh andBelfast – and Birminghamand Manchester.As well as the six launchcities, through 2019 EE willalso be introducing 5Gacross the busiest parts often more UK cities including Nottingham and Leicester.Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer division, said: “Adding 5G to the UK’s numberone 4G network will increase reliability, increase speeds, and keep our customersconnected where they need it most. This is another milestone for the UK and for ournetwork journey – we’ll keep evolving as we move to one, smart network for ourcustomers. We have an ambition to connect our customers to 4G, 5G or WiFi 100%of the time.”The 5G rollout strategy is determined by the number of business and consumercustomers the EE network connects in busy places, and the amount of data thosecustomers use.The first 1,500 sites that EE is upgrading to 5G in 2019 carry 25% of all data acrossthe whole network, but only cover 15% of the UK population. EE is upgrading to 5Gwhere it can make the biggest difference to the most people.Tecserv UK appointed as an approved partner bySiemensNottingham alarm and CCTV specialists, Tecserv UK has announced that it has beenappointed as an approved partner and is now an official distributor of fire alarm systemsmanufactured by Siemens.Tecserv UK already holds distributor agreements with most of the leading manufacturers offire alarms, intruder alarms, CCTV systems and access control equipment. Becoming anapproved Siemens partner has enabled the company to add another leading brand to thefirms product portfolio.Commenting on behalf of Siemens, Rob Yates, Head of Fire for Siemens UK, said:“Approved Siemens partners hold a current quality standard such as BAFE and are authorisedto design, supply, install, commission and maintain our full product portfolio. They also receiveongoing training to ensure they remain up to date with new product developments andtechnological advancements in our systems.”© SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ ANT CLAUSEN © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / PONSULAK 06-07.qxp_Layout 1 03/12/2018 14:44 Page 2APPOINTMENTSFirm continues rapid expansion withninth appointment in 2018Financial services broker, Midlands Asset Finance (MAF), has continued to strengthen its national presence byappointing a new relationship manager to cover the Leicestershire area.Based in Syston, Leicestershire where she was born and still lives, Shital Koria has joined the business to supportSME and corporate clients across the country with any financial needs, including asset finance, invoice finance andproperty financeJoining from Lombard where she worked as a relationship manager, Shital also spent ten years as a businessmanager and service quality manager at Royal Bank of Scotland.Shital is the ninth appointment of the year for MAF, following the recent hiring of five graduates earlier thismonth, as the firm continues its expansion which has seen the business more than double in size in the last 18months.Outside of work, Shital enjoys travelling and participating in adventurous activities including hot air ballooning and zip-wiring.On joining the firm, Shital said: “I’m really excited about what’s in store at MAF and can’t wait to get stuck in. Dave & Sue [the directors] have really set outa vision for the company and are surrounded by a team of highly experienced and talented people who share that same vision.“I’m looking forward to building upon existing relationships and working on new ones with clients throughout the country.”MAF Director, Sue Chapman, said: “I’m delighted that Shital has joined the team here.“She’s a huge coup for the business and comes with a vast amount of experience. With banks reducing their high street presence, MAF remain committedto meeting customers face-to-face to understand their business.“Shital’s expertise in working across all areas of finance means she can assist local businesses in obtaining access to a variety of funding sources to helpthem grow.”8East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukCentral England Co-operative appoints newChief ExecutiveCentral England Co-operative has announced the appointment of Debbie Robinson as the Society’s new Chief Executive; a vacancy created dueto Martyn Cheatle’s announcement to retire in May 2019.Central England is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK and employs over 8,000 people. The Society’s principalareas of activity are food, funeral services, and property investment, with over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties.Debbie Robinson has held directorships for food retailers specialising in store innovation, brand strategy and global development and joins theSociety from SPAR where she has been UK Managing Director since 2011. She has a strong background in retail, built up over 30 years with thelikes of Co-op Group, Marks & Spencer and WHSmith among others.In her new role of Chief Executive at Central England Co-operative Debbie will be responsible for developing the strategic and commercialdirection of the Society.Elaine Dean, Society President, said of the appointment: “Central England Co-operative is delighted to welcome Debbie Robinson at a time ofgrowth and development for our Society.“Debbie is no stranger to co-operative ethics and values, having previous experience at a senior level within the co-operative movement. Shehas a sound track record of success and is highly respected in the retail sector.”Elaine added: “This is the first time in the Society’s history that we have had a female Chief Executive and the Board is confident in her ability totake us forward as a dynamic and independent co-operative society. We look forward to working with Debbie as we build on our strongfoundations and plan for the future.”08-09.qxp_Layout 1 03/12/2018 14:51 Page 1Adare SEC appoints COO to driveoperational efficiency Tom Prestwich joins Nottinghamcommunications firm Adare SEC asChief Operating Officer (COO). Tomjoins from business services company,Communisis, where he was Director ofits Group Change programme andformerly Head of TransactionalOperations.Specialising in productivityimprovements, customer on-boarding,transformational performance andclient satisfaction, Tom has beenappointed to ensure Adare SEC isoperationally fit for purpose to adaptto digitisation and deliver ‘best in class’performance.Tom will be working with his team tooptimise Adare SEC’s processes andachieve operational excellence. He willalso continue the work on enhancing Adare SEC’s operational efficiency and deliver the 3 year businessplan.Tom said: “I’ve been impressed with how Adare SEC has already approached ways to improvecommunications for its clients and to enhance the customer experience. It’s something I’m passionate aboutand I’m incredibly excited to be part of the company’s transformation and enhancements.’’Tom will be responsible for all four of Adare SEC’s sites in Huddersfield, Redditch, Nottingham and Guildfordand CEO, Rachael Nevins, believes he will bring energy and focus to the whole business.Lloyds Bank strengthens Lincolnshirebusiness support with new areadirectorLloyds Bank Commercial Banking hasappointed a new area director to support SMEand mid-corporate businesses acrossLincolnshire.Andrea Warboys brings more than 30 years’banking experience to the role, including 18years in the Commercial Bank team across theEast of England.She also has experience in leadership roleswithin the trading, education, healthcare andlegal teams in the SME division at LloydsBank.Her new role will see her oversee a teamof nine people and offer relationship-ledbanking support to businesses across a widerange of sectors, including general trading,property, education and healthcare, withannual turnovers of up to £25m.Andrea will join a team of ten offering business support to as many as 2,000 businesses acrossLincolnshire.She said: “SME and mid-corporate businesses are a vital part of the thriving Lincolnshire economy butthey need support to navigate the challenges and opportunities being created by the current economiclandscape.“At Lloyds Bank, we’re committed to helping Britain prosper through offering tailored support to thesebusinesses and I’m looking forward to getting under their skin to do just that.”Steve Elsom, Regional Director for SME and mid-corporates at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said:“Andrea has a huge amount of experience within the sector and is a really strong addition to the team.Her appointment marks the next step for our team, and will enable us to offer better, relationship-ledsupport for businesses across the region.”New head ofbusinessdevelopmentfor AggregateIndustriesAggregate Industries has strengthened itsasphalt and ready-mixed concrete division withthe high-profile appointment of new Head ofBusiness Development, Joanne Wilkins.A rising star in the construction industry,Joanne brings with her an extraordinary trackrecord of successfully delivering productdevelopment and growth strategies, havingspent over 11 years with construction giantCarillion, most recently as Product DevelopmentDirector.Already active in her new position atAggregate Industries, Joanne is tasked withdriving sales and development of the firm’smarket leading asphalt and concreteperformance products, as well asspearheading the growth of value addedservices.With Aggregate Industries recently namedas ‘Endorsed Employer of Women’ byWORK180, a pioneering jobs platform thatpre-screens employers to ensure theysupport women’s careers, Joanne ispassionate about supporting thecompany’s ambitious plans to build amore inclusive and diverse workforce.Commenting on her appointment,Joanne said: “I am delighted to join theAggregate Industries team and lookforward to further developing thestrong, customer focused culture thatthe asphalt and ready-mix concretebusiness is already renowned for. Myfocus will be on collaborativeplanning, bringing both teamscloser together and using our in-depth market and productknowledge to drivesustainable growthopportunities.”www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukEast Midlands Business Link 9APPOINTMENTS08-09.qxp_Layout 1 03/12/2018 14:51 Page 2Next >