SEPTEMBER 2020 EAST MIDLANDS LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE www.blmgroup.co.uk WWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UK WWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UK £3.50 EDUCATION AND TRAINING Sourcing skills FINANCE Improving cashflow OFFICE SOLUTIONS Planning out an office LEADING THE WAY LEADING THE WAY 01.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 12:10 Page 1East Midlands Business Link Bricks 2020 A celebration of those helping to create the landscape for the next generation EAST MIDLANDS The annual Bricks Awards attracts property and construction professionals from across the East Midlands and is an ideal opportunity to celebrate the end of lockdown in a safe and secure environment. Visit www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk for more information. Awards are, of course, a means to celebrate success in the region, and forge new contacts, and tickets previously purchased will remain valid for the event. For those who haven’t yet secured a seat, additional tickets may be purchased online at: www.eventbrite.com/e/east-midlands-bricks-awards-2020-tickets-84605225507 NEW DATE Thursday 29th October 2020 4.30pm BUSINESS LINK 02.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 12:10 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukEast Midlands Business Link 3 EDITORS NOTES The lockdown is a challenge that by and large East Midlands businesses have been able to face. There have been changes to the day to day operation of companies, some working from home, some on furlough and others taking advantage of the part-time furlough schemes offered by the Government. Whichever way it is, life has changed as a result of coronavirus, and it seems unlikely it will ever go back to how it was before. While there is something to mourn about that, it also offers up opportunity for savvy business leaders to take advantage and market new services to a changing economy. Our September issue is all about returning to work in a post- COVID world. We look at the changes that have occurred, where this leads and what it might mean for businesses in the East Midlands, all the way from talking about cash flow and redundancies in our Finance feature, to how the food & drink industry has adapted, all the way through to how corporate dining and conferences have changed with lockdown and social distancing throwing a wrench into the industry’s plans. Business it out there and the East Midlands will continue as it always has, but the economy has changed and it’s our responsibility not only to acknowledge that, but to persevere and come out the other side stronger than ever. Good reading, as always Michael Fisher Editor Welcome... 03.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 12:11 Page 1@BLMEastMidlands BLMEastMidlands Latest news 6 A round-up of the latest news from our region Commercial property 16 This year is being considered a tumultuous one for offices, but that hasn’t stopped key developments moving forward and fresh deals being made. Tax 20 Budgets – why you need them now more than ever and how to set them up in Sage 50, Xero and QuickBooks By Sarah Leonard, Director at Streets Chartered Accountants Food and drink industry spotlight22 To boost productivity, meet demand, address industry challenges, and remain ahead of competition, companies in food and drink manufacturing must invest in technological and digital innovation. Finance26 Many financial issues have been heightened in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, leading businesses to secure finance to fill the shortfall, and take measures such as redundancies to improve cashflow. Public relations 30 Turning a trade show into a talk show By Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, and Enterprise Nation Champion for Nottingham Office solutions 32 With many businesses coming off furlough and back to offices, there’s never been a better time to think about how your office is laid out. Hopkins Solicitors Q&A36 With redundancies a very real prospect for many businesses coming out of lockdown, we sat down for a socially distanced chat with Danielle Wright, Associate of Hopkins Solicitors and resident employment law specialist, to find out what managers and directors should be keeping in mind when it comes to redundancy. Education and training 38 Businesses must invest in training and interact with education and government to overcome the nation’s skills shortage. Corporate hospitality 42 Business went on pause during lockdown, but even after it comes back out, how viable is wining and dining your clients in a world where social distancing and facemasks are king? Networking 44 Strategic storytelling… to pitch or not to pitch By Fiona Duncan-Steer, founder of RSViP Business Networking Agency AutoLink46 Electric and hybrid vehicles have long been penned as the next step in cars but have often been seen as too expensive for their perceived quality. As the technology becomes more commonplace, however, the bar is being raised. EAST MIDLANDS L E E ADING BUSINESS MAG AZINE SEPTEMBER R 2020 £3. .50 THE LEA YYEW YA ADING Y G TIONTEDUCA AAY FINANAND OFFINCE ICE cing skillsSour TRAINING TION WW EDUCA ovingImpr FINAN W EASTMIDL AND Plannin SOLU OFFI g cashflow ANDSBUSINE NCE ficefng out an of UTIONS ESSLINK CO U ICE w UK www.blmgroup.co.uk Cover photographs courtesy: • Audi • Shutterstock - asharkyu • Andrey_Popov • Yulia Mayorova • MOHAMED ABDULRAHEEM Contents September 2020 www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Recycling and waste management50 Now more than ever businesses must implement efficient waste management. Out of office54 All the leisure sector news from the last month Events56 A timely look at forthcoming business events around the East Midlands And finally...58 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 12:12 Page 138 Group Editor Steve Fisher s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Editor Michael Fisher m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Assistant Editor Dominic Cuthbert d.cuthbert@blmgroup.co.uk Journalist Tess Egginton t.egginton@blmgroup.co.uk Sales Director Angela Cooper a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310310 Accounts & Subscriptions Angela Sharman accounts@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311 Design & Production Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson studio@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310304 E-Mail: eastmidlands@blmgroup.co.uk Publisher Haychart Ltd, t/a Business Link Magazine Group, Huntingdon House, 278-290 Huntingdon Street, Nottingham NG1 3LY All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 12:12 Page 26 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk GENERAL NEWS City Council agrees action plan for Robin Hood Energy Nottingham City Council councillors have agreed a series of actions to improve governance arrangements at the council as well as for Robin Hood Energy and other council companies. The Action Plan addresses recommendations made by the council’s external auditor in a Report in the Public Interest into the council’s governance of Robin Hood Energy Ltd, the energy firm it set up in 2015 to tackle fuel poverty. The council held an extraordinary full council meeting to discuss the Action Plan, just over two weeks after the auditor issued the report which made 13 recommendations to the council. The recommendations included urgently determining the future of Robin Hood Energy, with options properly evaluated and risks assessed; a review of how councillors are best used and supported on the boards of companies; ensuring that all board members have required knowledge and experience to challenge the management of companies; and ensuring that risks relating to the council’s companies are considered for inclusion in its overall risk management process, with appropriating reporting, rather than being seen in isolation. Ahead of agreeing the Action Plan, the council has already carried out measures, including suspending senior staff at RHE, appointing industry experts and a new management team, setting up new arrangements to strengthen governance of RHE and starting a strategic review to consider all options for the company’s future. City Council Leader, Cllr David Mellen, told the meeting: “I want to make it clear that Nottingham City Council fully accepts the findings of this report which, despite our setting up of this energy company with good intentions to reduce fuel poverty in the city, reveals failures in the council’s governance of Robin Hood Energy. “We very much regret those failings but we are here today to present a clear and robust approach as to how we will not only review our current approach to company governance, but also build on the changes that have already been put in place over the last year, and demonstrate our resolute commitment to do what’s right for Nottingham people.” East Midlands firm appointed on Procure Partnerships Framework East Midlands-based civil and structural engineering firm BSP Consulting has been appointed to the four-year Procure Partnerships Framework (Professional Services) Agreement. BSP won a place on the Procure Partnerships Framework (Professional Services) Agreement to cover both structural engineering, and civil and highways engineering, in the East Midlands. This latest appointment brings to 16 the number of framework positions that BSP Consulting is currently on. Business development director at BSP Consulting Jef Todd said: “BSP is very pleased to have been appointed to this new framework to offer our services in civil, highways and structural engineering via the Procure Partnerships Framework. “Our teams are highly experienced, and the company is one of the largest independent civil and structural engineering firms in the East Midlands, so we look forward to bringing our expertise to key projects on this framework. “Our sales and marketing team is also looking forward to aligning our marketing activities with the Procure Partnerships team and increasing our social value offering by giving back to the local community throughout the duration of the framework.” Telephone 0800 009 6066 Email info@nnbcfinancial.co.uk Asset Finance, Leasing, Contract Hire, Sale & Leaseback • Property Development Finance • Commercial Property and Business Mortgages • Factoring and Invoice Finance WWW .NNBCFINANCIAL.CO.UK East Midlands business confidence improves for third month Business confidence in the East Midlands improved for the third consecutive month during August, rising 15 points to - 10%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. Companies in the East Midlands reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on- month at -12%. When taken alongside their views of the economy overall, this gives a headline confidence reading of -10%. The Business Barometer questions 1,200 businesses monthly and provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide. When asked about the impact COVID-19 was having on their business, the majority of firms continued to see demand negatively affected during August, but with the picture improving month-on-month. 60% experienced a fall in demand for their products and services, down five points on the month before. Meanwhile, 6% experienced an increase in demand, up one point on July. Amanda Dorel, regional director for the East Midlands at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “It’s promising to see business confidence improve for the third consecutive month. “The region’s hospitality businesses will have benefitted from the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme and VAT cuts, while areas like the Peak District have seen an influx of staycation visitors and day-trippers, bringing business to the area. In Leicester, it’s also encouraging to see more businesses are being given the greenlight to reopen.” Business development director at BSP Consulting Jef Todd Amanda Dorel, regional director for the East Midlands at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 12:17 Page 1Nottingham Business School to help boost business resilience Nottingham Business School (NBS) has launched a virtual challenge to enable organisations to become more resilient and benefit from the bright ideas of soon to be graduates. #NBSBright – Business Resilience and Innovation Graduate Highlight – will see final year NBS students offer fresh perspectives to real challenges, helping organisations of all sizes to prosper in an uncertain climate and successfully navigate major issues such as the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit. Organisations are invited to submit one or more business challenges, which could involve students conducting market research or addressing business issues including project management; staff well-being; recruitment and /or retention; home-working; corporate social responsibility; cutting costs or growing profits; finance and budgeting; or creativity and innovation challenges. Groups of students, supported by NBS academics, will work on the live challenges throughout the Autumn. Later in the term participating organisations will receive succinct analysis, findings and recommendations in the form of a PowerPoint presentation with voiceover, supporting notes and a costed action plan. “NBS has a strong track record of supporting organisations and this initiative come at an opportune time. It will help organisations to adjust to a new normal in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic and support them to innovate and become more resilient longer term,” said Amanda Thompson, head of Personalisation and Experiential Learning at NBS, part of Nottingham Trent University. “We’re looking forward to seeing how our students apply what they have learned on their degrees and so contribute to organisational success in this new virtual challenge.” www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 7 GENERAL NEWS Amazon to create 1,000 jobs in East Midlands expansion Amazon has announced plans to create 1,000 permanent jobs at a new fulfilment centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield as part of its expansion in the East Midlands. Construction on the 550,000 sq ft warehouse began last year. It has been built on Summit Park, located off the Mansfield and Ashfield Regeneration Route (MARR). It will be the fourth fulfilment centre in the region after opening sites in Chesterfield, Kegworth and Coalville. The online retail multinational will begin recruiting for a range of roles, including engineers, HR and IT professionals, health & safety and finance specialists, and operations managers. Responding to the announcement, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) deputy chief executive Diane Beresford said: “We all know the challenges facing the employment market right now so this is exactly the kind of positive announcement the region needs with high-quality jobs offering salaries well above the National Living Wage. “The latest figures by the Office for National Statistics this week showed that the unemployment rate for April to June had risen by 0.6 per cent to 4.3 per cent compared to the previous quarter. Finding alternative employment for these people whose livelihoods have been affected by the economic crisis we find ourselves in is so important. “As the world continues to shift towards online shopping, our region’s position in the centre of the country makes us a very desirable location for companies to invest in their logistics operations. We see this growing and innovative industry being a really key part of our economy as we come out of COVID-19 that should be wholeheartedly embraced by people in the East Midlands.” • Commercial • Events • Headshots • Automotive • Fashion CALL OR EMAIL FOR A QUOTE 07506 998855 STEVE@STEVEEDWARDSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM STEVEEDWARDSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM Creating eye-catching images to help businesses build their brands and engage with clients. © Shutterstock /PoohFotoz 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 12:17 Page 2APPOINTMENTS New MD amongst six appointments at motor specialist Lincoln-based Dack Motor Group is celebrating a decade in business by recruiting six new members to the team. Bucking the disruption that COVID-19 has caused, the group has also recorded three record months during the recent lockdown measures introduced by the Government. Among the new recruits are a new Managing Director Phil Kelsey, Financial Director Simon Meakin, Marketing Executive Rachael Flower, Sales Manager Darren Hunns and two technicians. Leo Dack, CEO and founder at DMG, said: “After a decade of success, we felt the best way to fight through this current economic challenge, but stay focussed on our growth plans, was to invest into our structure and strengthen our offering. “We’ve managed to stay profitable and safe during the ongoing pandemic as we made a decision to operate the business as socially- distanced and as safely as possible. “We believe that staying open and available to customers, we’ve been able to retain customers in a time where others in our industry are struggling as a result of doing the opposite.” Dack Motor Group is also planning on expanding its headquarters and offering with the addition of a new 6,000 sq ft van workshop later in the year. Morningside welcomes two senior executives to Board of Directors Leicestershire-based Morningside Pharmaceuticals Ltd is growing its Board of Directors by creating two new roles as part of the business’s growth plans for the future. The new Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) report directly into the Chief Executive and will become members of the company’s Board and Governance committees. The business is a manufacturer and supplier of generic and branded medicines to the United Kingdom and international export markets. Morningside’s growth plans include launching new generic medicines from its Research & Development (R&D) pipeline, registering products in international export markets and further growing branded and generic medicine market share and ranges in the UK. Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, Chief Executive of Morningside Pharmaceuticals, said: “I am very pleased to welcome both Cliff and Monica onto the Board of Directors. We are beginning an exciting new chapter at Morningside, where the skills, experience and expertise of both individuals will be critical to delivering our ambitious future plans.” Cliff Fung joins Morningside as the company’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Cliff has over 25 years’ experience of working in senior finance roles within the pharmaceutical sector. He comes to Morningside from multinational pharma manufacturer and supplier Aesica Pharmaceuticals, where he was the UK Finance Director. Prior to this Cliff has worked in senior positions for PCI, Catalent and Knoll Pharma. Cliff said: “I’m delighted to have joined Morningside Pharmaceuticals at this exciting time and I’m very much looking forward to working with my new teams, as well as the Executive Board, to take the business to the next level.” Monica Huang has been promoted into the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). Straight after she received her MSc degree, Monica started her career at Morningside Pharmaceuticals more than 12 years ago as an Administrator, progressing to General Manager and then Operations Director in 2017. Throughout her career Monica has worked tirelessly behind the scenes, and guided by Morningside’s Chief Executive Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, has helped build an operational structure that has grown Morningside into one of Leicestershire’s top 100 companies today. Monica said: “I was very fortunate to start my career with Morningside and to be part of its journey, as the company has grown into one of the Midlands’ leading pharmaceuticals businesses.” COO Monica Huang & CFO Cliff Fung 8 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Andy Voce (Head of Commercial & Rental), Simon Meakin (Finance Director), Leo Dack (CEO, Founder), Phil Kelsey (Managing Director) and Will Barber (Service Manager). 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 12:17 Page 3New leadership team for IoD Leicestershire and South East Midlands The IoD has unveiled a new leadership team for Leicestershire and South East Midlands, with experienced lawyer and dual accredited mediator Sarah Canning named as branch chair. Sarah will work alongside built environment and sustainability expert Dr Shamir Ghumra, who has been appointed as branch vice-chair. Sarah and Shamir will provide a voice and influence for directors across the region, raising the profile of a diverse membership base that includes leaders of large firms, SMEs, the public and third sectors. Sarah Canning is head of dispute resolution and partner at Franklins Solicitors LLP, working across the firm’s Northampton and Milton Keynes offices. She specialises in commercial and property litigation covering contractual, director, shareholder, construction and franchise disputes as well as contentious probate, trusts and inheritance claims. Sarah chaired the IoD Northamptonshire branch prior to a regional reorganisation and was instrumental in the development of IoD East Midlands’ Young Directors’ Forum. Sarah said: “I’m delighted to be appointed to this key role as we emerge from one of the most challenging periods that directors have ever faced. The IoD has secured vital support for business leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are here to offer connections, personal development and influence as we look to not just recover but build back better.” Shamir is director at BREEAM, the sustainability rating scheme for the built environment with a presence in over 85 countries and more than two million registered buildings. He is a former board member and co-founder of the Supply Chain Sustainability School, a Chartered Environmentalist and a Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). PLC’s infrastructure head moves to Nottingham firm planning for growth Nottingham-based civil and structural engineering consultancy BWB says it is planning for growth after revealing a flagship hire from a major PLC. The former head of Capita’s infrastructure business has taken a senior role at the firm, which is part of the rail systems giant CAF Group Graham Sant joins BWB as an Executive Director with a remit to strengthen the firm’s delivery of major infrastructure and regeneration projects. His 30-year career includes spells managing and delivering significant schemes for a number of high-profile clients, including HS2, Network Rail and Highways England in the UK, and the Mecca-Medina high-speed rail project in Saudi Arabia. He also has extensive senior experience working with major utility companies, the Environment Agency, central and local government and place-based partnerships across the UK. Graham said: “BWB is an incredibly entrepreneurial business and it’s a real pleasure for me to join a team which has the culture to think innovatively, act responsively and get things done for clients. It has immense technical expertise but is also a really agile organisation. “These are challenging times, but we can see some real opportunities to lever BWB’s expertise in new markets, to build on its reputation for major projects and to work alongside colleagues at CAF.” Graham, who will operate nationally, added: “There is a range of substantial opportunities for BWB across the UK, including some significant potential here in the Midlands. We’re particularly keen to see how the proposals for a development corporation in the East Midlands evolve as this seems to be very well aligned with the government’s levelling-up agenda.” www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 9 APPOINTMENTS John Stables Graham Sant Sarah Canning Top adviser joins Lawson-West Solicitors as Non- Exec Director Leicestershire-based regional law firm Lawson- West Solicitors has welcomed a new non-executive Director to the Board, John Stables BA, BFP, FCA. John Stables, who lives in Oakham in Rutland, replaces non-executive Director Paul Bonnett, who is moving to Liverpool to be nearer his family and new grandson. The firm waves a fond farewell to Paul Bonnett under whose 6-year directorship tenure saw 30% growth of the practice, expansion of the employment, commercial and dispute resolution teams, two office moves to larger premises in Leicester and Market Harborough, merger with Brown & Co solicitors in 2018, and the firm’s nomination in 2020 as ‘Small Law Firm of the Year’ in the Leicestershire Law Society’s annual legal awards. John Stables is an experienced chartered accountant, qualifying at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is former FD of Smith & Williamson’s Tax and Business Services Division and former FD of Solomon Hare LLP in Bristol. He joins Lawson- West’s main board of directors from September 2020, alongside Managing Director David Heys, Ashley Hunt, Vicky Jones, and James Haworth. In his career, John Stables was the CFO of Openfield Group Limited until 2016, the largest farmer-owned grain marketing mutual in the UK. Since 2017, he has been a non-executive director on the Board of The Earl Shilton Building Society and a member of the Nominations Committee and Chair of that company’s Audit Committee. In 2019, John joined the Royal Agricultural University as an Independent Governor, where he is Chair of the Finance & Estates Committee. 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 12:17 Page 4Next >