< Previous© SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / MORONOBU A promising pipeline A promising pipeline 30 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk COMMERCIAL PROPERTY 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2020 16:11 Page 1New developments aren’t only a means of meeting demand but serve as a bugle for companies to move in and invest in an area. Though often geared towards businesses and retailers, commercial property is to the benefit of the entire regional economy, bringing new jobs and investment and often providing new infrastructure and services. The longevity of any area depends on its commercial property market and the East Midlands is a great example of a region with a pipeline of promising developments aiming to meet demand, bolster its offering and ensure it remains a great place to live, work and invest. In this month’s commercial property pages, we’re spotlighting some of the most promising of these developments. Although we’re only one month into the new year, there’s already been several exciting updates and developments across the region and we begin with Derby. Although it falls outside of the region’s so-called ‘golden triangle of logistics’, Derby is ideally suited for logistics and distribution thanks to its central location and proximity with major road and rail routes. As consumers continue to opt for e-tail over bricks and mortar, and more and more supermarkets and retailers offer same-day delivery, a greater number of distribution centres and logistics parks are required in order to meet demand and Derby is well positioned to take advantage of this shift in consumer habits. Complementing recent logistics and warehouse developments over the last few years in and around the city is a robust pipeline nearing completion, under development or securing planning permission. The city’s council has recently granted outline planning permissions to property investment and development business, St. Modwen, for a seventy-acre site on former wasteland at Wyvern Park. Permission was granted after St. Modwen resubmitted a revised proposal in conjunction with landowners Network Rail for the £80 million scheme. Formerly known as ‘Derby Triangle’, the St. Modwen Park Derby scheme will consist of up to 560,000 square foot of industrial and logistics space. It is situated adjacent to the soon-to-be-completed A52 Wyvern Transport Improvement Scheme which will provide future occupiers with quick access to the A50 and Junction 25 of the M1. The initial units of the forthcoming park are expected to be ready for occupation in early 2021 and, once the entire scheme as been delivered, it could bring upwards of 1,250 jobs to the immediate area. As of publishing, St. Modwen is preparing to submit plans for the scheme’s first phase. With some of the biggest engineering and technology firms calling the East Midlands home and boasting some of the most forward- thinking higher education facilities in the country, innovation is ripe across the region. One of the areas in which this can be most obviously seen is with Leicester, which has become known as the space city over the last few years. The crowning glory of the town’s burgeoning space industry is the £100 million www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 31 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CGI of the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility in Nottingham 32 Á 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2020 16:12 Page 2Space Park Leicester, one of the most important commercial property developments taking place not only in our region, but the entire UK. We covered this development and the city’s space sector extensively in our September 2019 issue and return to it now after the development took another important step forward. The University of Leicester recently secured planning permission from the city council for the second phase of the development, which is focussed on research into artificial intelligence and robot-assisted satellite production as well as research into novel solutions for downstream space data challenges. Construction on the first phase is already underway, with work on the second expected to commence in spring, with the full site slated for completion in 2021. It’s a wide-reaching collaboration with multiple stakeholders and interested parties involved, being developed by the university alongside local, national and international partners including the city council and the Leicester and Leicester Enterprise Partnership. The work undertaken at the park will be driven by partnerships and will include creating a bespoke hub for the National Centre for Earth Observation, as well as providing state-of-the-art facilities for space research, development and manufacturing. The East Midlands is therefore leading the charge for the UK’s space sector, and innovation abounds right across the region in numerous sectors. Although Cambridge is often thought of as the UK’s pharmaceutical and medical hub, Nottingham is a leader in medicine production, research and development, something the city is doubling down on. With main contractor GF Tomlinson on site, work is well underway on Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) new Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF) at the Boots site, which is part of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone. Forming part of the university’s dual £23 million MTIF project, the facility will be dedicated to the development, commercialisation of new medical The facility will provide access to a unique set of resources for the development of new products – such as labs and clean rooms – and is expected to complete in autumn. This follows the beginnings of work on a building at NTU’s Clifton Campus, due for completion in summer, which will focus on research, linking academics multidisciplinary approach to medical technology development. Supported by £9.7 million from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership via its Local Growth Fund allocation, the MTIF project will form strategic alliances with a range of organisations to held ensure effective support for companies and researches. From any angle, be that logistics, medicine or the space sector, the East Midlands is well positioned to capitalise on the future. While issues persist across its commercial property market, including a dearth of high-quality available space, these developments and more show that our region is the foremost place to live, work and invest. 32 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Space Park Leicester St. Modwen Park Derby © ST. MODWEN 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2020 16:12 Page 329th April 2020 A well targeted event aimed at the Construction, Property, Business, Investment, Finance, Professional Services and related B2B markets. It has everything you require for a great day of networking and business generation. Face2face route2market – the opportunity to meet more potential clients in one amazing cost effective day, than it would take months out on the road. As the exhibition closes (circa 2pm), we will roll directly into an informal network lunch, with paybar – tickets are just £25 plus vat and can be ordered and paid for directly online. For further Information contact tina@businessshowsgroup.co.uk Register now businessshowsgroup.co.uk 29th April 2020 The Bentley Hotel, Newark Rd, South Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 9NH Exhibition & Network - Property & Construction related industries - FREE TO ATTEND 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2020 16:12 Page 434 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk PUBLIC RELATIONS By Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR and Enterprise Nation Champion for Nottingham In this column, I am going to show you how to make the media fall in love with you. There’s no need for incantations and you will be pleased to see that neither eye of newt nor toe of frog are on your shopping list. However, we are going to weave something of a spell here as we aim to at least get you a date with your target media. By the end of it, you might even be holding hands. I wanted to write this as all too often when people chat to me at business events, typically the standard networking soiree with a bacon roll and a coffee, they seem keen to find ‘sneaky ways’ to get the press to cover them. Almost like they are trying to get away with being covered by them before they are rumbled. A bit like online dating but using a VERY old photo or perhaps not even one of yourself or perhaps exaggerating some of your ‘achievements’ in the hope that they will pique interest. The problem is, this strategy will only work in the short-term before you are rumbled, if indeed it works at all. Are we in a relationship? I want you to be more mature about what you want from each other in any potential media relationship. I want you to think about what you BOTH bring to the party. It shouldn’t just be about you getting media coverage, it should be about them getting a great story so they can sell more copies or clicks. It is a win/win for both of you. I want you to start looking for a relationship where you are Roses are red, violets are blue If you want press coverage I’ll give you a clue There’s one simple way, To get what you need You’ll need to start planning Then react with great speed To really stand out and get their attention There’s so many ways Too many to mention But one thing is certain As I’ve been deducing It takes two to tango Now let’s get seducing 34-35.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:40 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukEast Midlands Business Link 35 PUBLIC RELATIONS perfect for one another. Media Matchmaker I suppose that is what I have been for the last decade and a half. My job is to find the right media outlets and contacts that will boost my clients’ businesses whilst ensuring that the media is getting the best possible outcome too. I have the advantage here in that I come from a more objective position. Firstly, I used to be a business journalist, so I ‘get’ their pressures but what I also have is a more neutral position between the two parties where I am seeking the win/win. The problem is, although it is perfectly possible to DIY when it comes to PR, too many people are focused on What’s In It For Me? To be really good at the PR game, you need to think about What’s In It For Us? You need to find the right media partner, the perfect fit for your business, not your ego. You need to find common ground where you and the journalist are greater than the sum of your parts. You need to add some Valentine’s Value. If you work with this approach, you will soon start to find that you are doing less of the chasing and the media suitors are actually flocking to you for a date. Valentine’s Day was originally a celebration of the coming of spring. If you start to work with my approach you will soon find your PR and marketing campaign is blooming marvellous. Or you could just send them flowers, it's a start. 34-35.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:40 Page 236 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk TRAVEL AND LEISURE © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / EKATERINA POKROVSKY 36-38.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:41 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 37 TRAVEL AND LEISURE Arrive in style Business travel is a booming industry, but what are the reasons behind this? Imagine the office of yesteryear, with its fax machines, tethered telephones and reams of paper. Now compare that to typical premises today, with conference calling technology, computers, tablets and so on. The modern workplace is unplugged and always on the move. The world is our workplace now, with mobile data connections and public Wi-Fi ensuring that no matter the location – a hotel, coffee shop or park bench – that the busy businessperson can keep on top of their work. Despite the technology available to workers, especially in terms of telecommunications, there’s simply no replacing face to face meetings. Likewise, if a company is looking for new recruits, they’d rather interview in person than quiz a perspective new staff member over Skype. Businesspeople are still among the most time-pressed of all workers, and with smartphones and tablet devices, there’s no other option than to take one’s work home with them. While this has in no small amount contributed to the nation’s chronic tiredness epidemic, it does come with an upside. It used to be that downtime spent travelling between meet and greets and other appointments, was wasted time. Of course, an individual could get some paper work done, they could even tinker with their Filofax, but this was impractical at best. Now, however, the back seat of a taxi, a train carriage and a private hired vehicle are all surrogate offices. Indeed, many modern business leaders will likely find they spend more time out in the field than sat behind their desks. There are a number of reasons behind business travel, not least in travelling to and from the office. Car ownership is on the decline, predominantly among young people, with analysts forecasting that ownership will likely never return to the levels seen in the mid-nineties. The gap left by waning car numbers is being plugged by public transport, particularly busses and trains. However, cycling has become increasingly popular for office workers, especially those looking to stay ahead of the Government’s looming phase out of diesel and petrol engines. For a business leader, travelling by bus or by train often isn’t a viable option. Indeed, if a company boss or other senior management want to take out a client, perspective or loyal, they likely won’t want to meet them at a bus stop. This is where car hire comes into its element. Though ownership and the manufacture of new vehicles is on the decline, a luxury car is still very much a statement of wealth, style and success. For that reason, a company boss might want to take advantage of one of the region’s hire companies and turn up instead in a Mercedes, Rolls-Royce, BMW or whatever takes their fancy. Or 38 Á Á Arrive in style 36-38.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:41 Page 2they can go a step further and hire a car and driver. This is a good option for taking clients out rather than meeting them; especially if there will be alcohol involved. Travelling to any meeting or business event usually throws up the question of a hotel stay over, particularly with the latter. If a company is exhibiting at a business event, especially one of the bigger ones, they often have to add a day either side of the main event in order to set up their stand and products and then to take it down and pack it up again. But not all hotels and establishments are run with the business traveller in mind. If a hotel is geared more towards families, it’s probably better to give it a miss. The sound of screaming kids is hardly conducive to sealing deals now is it? Many hotels across our region specifically cater for businesspeople, especially those in our big cities – Nottingham, Leicester et al. Often these will include restaurants and entertainment facilities, such as gaming rooms or even a full blown casino. If a company boss was looking to take out a client, or even to reward staff, this would make quite the impression. There seems to be a lingering idea that businesspeople are totally all- consumed by their work at the expense of all else. While workaholics exist in any profession, and businesspeople do indeed work incredibly hard, they are not “all work and no play” and like to let down their hair as much as anybody else. Combining business and leisure in this way is not only a great way to bridge the gap between clients, or staff, but also is a real boon to a boss’ health and wellbeing. We’ve all heard the horror stories in Japan of people literally working themselves to death. It’s such a big issue they even have a word for it – Karoshi. So long as businesspeople need to attend meetings, nurture relations with clients and customers and attend exhibits, the business travel sector will continue to flourish. The Government’s planned departure from diesel and petrol engines will only add fuel to the fire. In amongst all these meet and greets and corporate commitments is the need for bosses to let loose to the leisure industry’s benefit. © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / PERFECTLAB TRAVEL AND LEISURE © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / ATSTOCK PRODUCTIONS 38 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk 36-38.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:41 Page 3www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukEast Midlands Business Link 39 © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / FIZKES The skills gap looming over the country has reached the East Midlands, presenting employers with the challenge of finding suitable staff to fill the positions available. The East Midlands, much like the rest of the UK, is facing a major skills crisis. Businesses are struggling to find candidates qualified enough to fill the positions available, and there has been much criticism over a lack of support from the government. Three in four businesses are anticipating an increase in high skilled roles, and 61% fear there will not be candidates with the correct skills to fill the roles. Next to plenty of coverage on the manufacturing and engineering industries in our region, one must not forget the major effect the skills gap is having on the service sector, which includes important industries like finance and marketing, and one must also not overlook the importance of soft skills. Though the technical skills in manufacturing and engineering are a huge concern for the nation’s future, the service sector takes up the majority of the UK’s economy, accounting for over two thirds of businesses, employment and turnover for the East Midlands economy. With demand in the sector continuing to build, along with digital advancements, it is becoming harder to keep up with the skills gap, and thus fill the number of positions being created. In 2017, according to the Confederation of British Industry’s survey, the skills shortage in the 40 u Facing the skills 39-41.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 12:14 Page 1Next >