< Previous© Shutterstock /Atstock Productions One of the most important business services is employment law. This umbrella term covers a variety of different branches of law, including intellectual property (IP). Solicitors specialising in IP can offer a range of services, whether that’s IP disputes or strategy, or management and protection for patents, trademarks, domain names and designs etc. There are three steps recommended by government in the event a company needs to defend its IP and take action if it’s being infringed. Firstly, a company is advised to get the other party to stop using their IP or come to an agreement, such as a license. Secondly, a company can use mediation or another type of dispute resolution, or, lastly, take legal action should these preceding steps fail. Advice can be sought from solicitors at any stage, though they are only legally required for the third. As IP disputes fall under injunction-based law, they must be handled by a specialist IP dispute lawyer supported by commercial litigation colleagues. Disputes are handled in separate courts whose rules and expectations have little in common with those of other courts, and IP disputes often involve associated contractual disputes and specialist applications requiring the input of commercial litigation colleagues into the team. business Supporting East Midlands Business Link explores three service providers that businesses depend on the most, especially during the pandemic. webeyeTM webeyecms.com sales@webeyecms.com 0115 714 9990 60 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk BUSINESS SERVICES 60-63.qxp_Layout 1 09/11/2020 14:17 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 61 BUSINESS SERVICES Protect and monitor empty properties and vulnerable sites easily from home with reliable cloud technology from Webeye Where IP law refers to a company’s branding and products, data protection and privacy law issues have an impact on most HR activities from recruitment and employee record keeping, to performance monitoring and references. But it’s also becoming an increasingly hot topic in business with the rapid evolution of digital technology. Consequently, changes in legislation have occurred in order to keep up. In May 2018, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force and replaced the previous Data Protection Act 1998. GDPR affects how organisations gather, store and use data and individual rights over access to information. Augmenting this legislation is the forthcoming ePrivacy Regulation which will provide greater regulation of electronic communications within the European Union. Once it comes into law, it will replace the EU’s existing ePrivacy and Electronic Communications Directive 2002 which was implemented in the UK back in 2003. Despite the European focus of the legislation, Brexit is unlikely to have much of an affect. Experts say this is because UK companies will likely want to continue to do business in EU countries and will therefore adopt these regulations either fully or in part. For now, all adopted EU regulations continue to apply in the UK until the end of the Brexit transition period on Thursday December 31 2020. Since lockdown, many businesses have been more cautious and have made cost- saving measures – such as searching for cheaper suppliers or letting go of some suppliers altogether. Elsewhere, companies have lost contracts and longstanding clients as other companies seek to reduce overheads or have been forced to shutter their operations in the wake of the outbreak. On its own, this weaker cashflow would be a major hindrance, but it comes amidst an already established culture of late payments that has pervaded the corporate world for years. However, there are ways in which a company can secure funding to cover the gap in cashflow posed by late invoices. Chief among these is invoice finance. This is the simplest means of releasing cash tied up in a businesses’ outstanding invoice. It sees a business sell its invoices to a third party who will advance some of the funds it is worth up front for a cut. Thousands of businesses already rely on this kind of financing to maintain a healthy cash position, whilst others use it to take back control of cashflow issues that arise from late and unpaid invoices. Perhaps the biggest draw is that businesses can be paid most of an invoice within forty-eight hours instead of the typical thirty-day period specified on most invoices. Of course, this is far from the only finance solution businesses can draw from. Asset-based finance is a specialised method of providing companies with working capital and term loans that use accounts receivable, inventory, machinery, equipment and real estate as capital – essentially, any loan to a company is secured by one of that company’s assets. This option is commonly used to pay for expenses when there are gaps in a company’s cashflow, but it is also frequently used for start-up financing as well as refinancing existing loans, financing growth, mergers and acquisitions, as well as management buy-outs and management but-ins. Although it’s not suited to meet every business requirement, it can prove useful for those that have stretched their credit limits with vendors and reached lending capacity at the bank. Companies can also take out loans to fill the gap and bolster cashflow, though some companies may already be at their limit with their banks or otherwise don’t meet the requirements for securing loans with traditional lenders. In these situations, companies can turn towards alternative lenders and finance providers. Private equity, for example, is where investors provide long-term equity capital investment in a company in return for either shares, a percentage stake in the business and/or, sometimes, a seat on the board. Although many businesses might be loath to dilute their ownership, private equity does offer a good option of raising capital for businesses that © Shutterstock /Andrey_Popov 63 Á 60-63.qxp_Layout 1 09/11/2020 14:17 Page 2Karen Bower-Brown, who heads up the firm’s Commercial Litigation Team, said that landlords had faced restrictions on taking action against tenants which have now been eased. “We are acting for a number of landlords of residential and commercial properties seeking to recover rent arrears and obtain possession of their properties. The stay on possession proceedings in relation to residential properties has ended. Courts are dealing with a significant backlog of cases, but with the widespread use of remote hearings, hopefully we will see Court proceedings move forward. While the ban on forfeiture of commercial premises remains for non-payment of rent, it is now possible to forfeit commercial leases for breach of covenant. While the Courts are behind in terms of processing paperwork relating to claims and fixing hearings, a number of which were vacated or adjourned in the early stages of the pandemic, we have also seen mediations taking place remotely. This is not a process many people had experience of prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, but we are finding that remote mediation can work just as successfully as it does face-to-face, potentially saving significant time and costs as compared to Court proceedings.” Whatever their size, type or sector, it is a period of uncertainty for businesses - the impact of the initial four month national lockdown is now becoming more measurable, notwithstanding new restrictions being imposed. The team at Sills & Betteridge are committed to proactively assisting clients to meet the challenges they face and their view is that businesses who respond and adapt quickly and practically to changes being imposed as a result of Covid-19 will be better placed to face the future. The firm has offices in 14 locations with over 300 partners and staff across the East Midlands, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire. The firm’s Nottingham team have recently moved across town to 4 George Street, Hockley. For clients who prefer not to meet face to face, they are holding telephone or virtual meetings. James Conduit, a Partner in the firm’s Corporate Team explains how his team have been advising shareholders. “We’ve seen a real increase in the number of shareholder disputes in small and medium sized companies. For example, we recently dealt with a case where an employee/shareholder was not pulling their weight at a time when everyone else in the company was doing their utmost to navigate the storm caused by Covid. Fortunately, they had a shareholders’ agreement which provided a relatively straightforward solution, but where the parties don’t have a well drafted shareholders’ agreement often everyone loses out unless a resolution to the impasse can be found quickly.” Stephen Britton, the Head of the Firm’s Employment Team told us how employers are dealing with being unable to open for public health reasons, operating at a reduced capacity due to social distancing, and home-working. “Although redundancies are an inevitable consequence of the business response to the Covid 19 economic downturn many employers are also considering changes to terms and conditions that might avoid redundancies and/or better enable their businesses to survive in the Covid 19 era. The most obvious being pay reductions and other cost cutting measures in response to the loss of revenue. However, there are also many other contractual measures that employers might consider in response to the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. Our Employment Team are assisting employers to relocate and/or redeploy existing staff, introduce flexible working arrangements and, in some cases, they are reducing working hours.” Why businesses are seeking legal advice as they respond to Covid-19 0800 542 4245 info@sillslegal.co.uk sillslegal.co.uk Following its recent ranking as a Top Scoring firm for Client Service in the East Midlands by The Legal 500, we interviewed the Corporate & Commercial team at Sills & Betteridge LLP to understand how they have been helping local business owners face the risks and opportunities caused by the pandemic as they re-strategise for the future. These have included businesses that are downsizing and need advice on redundancy programmes, companies experiencing disagreements at senior management level and property disputes - as well as companies who have experienced an unprecedented opportunity for growth and need to raise funding, relocate and restructure. 60-63.qxp_Layout 1 09/11/2020 14:17 Page 3www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 63 BUSINESS SERVICES aren’t ready to list on the stock exchange. Another form of private finance is an angel investor – a high net worth individual who makes use of their own personal disposable finance and makes their own decision about making an investment. Angels would normally take an equity stake in a business in return for providing equity funds. As well as capital, angels can also provide their experience, knowledge and contracts, making them especially attractive to early stage businesses. Every investor is different and will therefore provide differing amounts, but typical investments range from between £10,000 and £500,000, though deals of up to £2 million are becoming more commonplace as angels group together in syndicates. Although angels are one of the most significant investors in start-ups, that shouldn’t deter more established firms from making enquiries. It’s important to keep in mind that securing an angel can be a difficult and protracted process, as well as being harder to research and contact compared with a private equity firm. But raising capital is a hard task without the advice and guidance of an accountant – an indispensable asset to businesses. Moving with the times has been a mantra for the accountancy sector these last few years as a number of shakeups have been introduced to streamline and simplify matters and bring the sector and its clients into the digitally-focussed modern world including the aforementioned GDPR. There was also Making Tax Digital (MTD), the government’s initiative to streamline the tax return process for businesses that came into effect this year. More recently, one of the biggest accountancy challenges to overcome has been related to coronavirus. Any business owner will already be aware of the necessity and importance of financial statements. These financial statements are used by banks and financial lenders, regulators, investors and credit bureaus and ratings agencies, and these statements inform the financing decisions that can literally make or break a company. However, with the pandemic having seriously impacted many companies’ revenues, assets, expenses and contracts in one-way shape or form, businesses have bene left in a precious position where financial statements are concerned. The issue is that, given a global pandemic took the global economy by surprise, there is a dearth of official advice and guidance regarding the financial reporting of the pandemic’s impact on a company. The issue is in how companies can report their financial statements to correctly and clearly convey the impact of coronavirus on their business. That’s a concern for the present but future statements will need to show true growth in revenue and profitability rather than just a recovery from a year in which the pandemic struck. These are major obstacles that businesses have been forced to contend with. Unfortunately, there’s no one source a company can turn to that has all the answers. The good news, however, is that businesses can find support, guidance and advice from the service providers they depend on in the present and moving forward. The changing needs for commercial property With the second lockdown upon us, it is of great concern to many businesses in how they continually operate and use their occupied property, as Daniel Hawkins, Managing Director of CPA and Associates, explores. During the previous lockdown, many commercial office occupiers adapted to staff home working and are more than likely considering changes to their business occupancy. We believe that many businesses will look to relocate to smaller offices and reduce longer-term liabilities, with staff working from home. This does raise other issues with relocation, the pitfalls to be aware of when exiting a commercial lease. The first being the cost of relocating. Most businesses will have to factor in standard moving costs, telephone changes, fit-out costs, broadband and stationary, but there are other costs to consider from exiting the current property – one of which is dilapidations. There are often times where a business will be paying more than is necessary for dilapidations. In the same token for landlords, sometimes they can miss out if a proper schedule of dilapidations is not served correctly. Other considerations for tenants are current rent levels. Due to the current climate, there are several new lettings being done, mostly with lower rents than 18 months ago, and this can be good news for businesses with upcoming rent reviews. If you have a rent review in your lease, you need to check whether it is an upwards only open market rent review. If this is the case, you have a good argument for the rent to be maintained at the current level. Businesses with a simple open market rent review could be better off and should seek advice when entering a renegotiation. I have seen several tenants who have been victims of landlords putting their rents up without a review in their agreement. A rent increase must be in line with the lease terms. If you are unsure, seek advice. Given the current situation, I am asked to advise on whether a business should relocate or hold tight and wait. It really all depends on the lease agreement, the financial position of the business, the landlord’s position and future intentions. I would often advise to have that conversation with your landlord dependent on that position; you may find that they might even have another property suitable for your needs and the cost of relocation will be greatly reduced. We are working throughout lockdown and if you need any help or advice, please contact me daniel@cpa-a.co.uk © Shutterstock /NESPIX 60-63.qxp_Layout 1 09/11/2020 14:17 Page 464 Business Link www.blmforum.net AUTOLINK The new Continental GT Mulliner coupé Bentley Mulliner’s Continental GT Mulliner coupé is clearly unique from the get-go. The vehicle features a new ‘Double Diamond’ matrix grille up front, said to “define” its style, which is complemented by matching vents mirroring the silver and black design and with chromed Mulliner branding. The car sits on 22” wheels with self-levelling Bentley badges, keeping upright at all times. Inside, eight different three-colour combinations are available, while luxury prevails as diamonds take over with “Diamond in Diamond” quilting brought to the seats, doors trims and rear quarter panels, with contract and accent stitching running through the diamonds design. Bentley say that almost 400,000 stitches are required to deliver the quilting across the cabin of the car, with each diamond containing 712 individual stitches. Seats are finished with embroidered Mulliner logos, while floor mats are edged with micro-piping to match the rest of the colour theme of the interior and chrome Bentley ‘B’ retention caps feature. The roof of the cabin is trimmed along its full length with indented hide, or smooth hide to match the seat backs if the fixed glass roof is selected. A new diamond milled technical finish covers the centre console, flanked by Grand Black walnut veneer with chrome overlays. A Breitling clock sits in the centre of the console. Available with either the 6.0-litre W12 (which has an output of 626bhp and 900Nm of torque, and holds a 0-60mph time of 3.6 seconds) or 4.0-litre V8 Driving in style We take a look at some of the latest luxury motors on the market. The new Continental GT Mulliner coupé 64-66.qxp_Layout 1 09/11/2020 14:40 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 65 AUTOLINK engine (which has an output of 542bhp and 770Nm of torque, and holds a 0- 60mph time of 4 seconds), top speed is said to be 207mph for the former engine and 198mph for the latter. Bentley’s 48V electric active anti-roll technology is fitted as standard for marvellous body control and stability during cornering and a relaxed ride when cruising. The new Jaguar XF The new Jaguar XF is an attractive saloon featuring a slick exterior and new interior supported by luxury materials and connected, future proof technologies. The car has three 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine choices. One is diesel and features Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle technology. The 204PS diesel produces 430Nm and powers the XF Saloon rear wheel drive variant (there is also a four-wheel drive variant) from 0- 60mph in 7.1 seconds and produces CO2 emissions from 130g/km and up to 57.2mpg. For those selecting petrol models there are two options, the 250PS and 300PS producing 365Nm and 400Nm. The 250PS petrol engine delivers fuel economy of 35.2mpg, CO2 emissions from 181g/km and 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds for the XF Saloon rear wheel drive model. The 300PS XF Saloon, available exclusively with four-wheel drive, achieves 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds. All engines are paired with Jaguar’s eight- speed automatic gearbox. The exterior holds a new front bumper with larger and lower air intakes for increased visual width, enhanced by a wider front grille featuring a mesh design detail inspired by Jaguar’s heritage logo. The side fender vents meanwhile feature the Leaper emblem. The XF also has new super slim all-LED quad headlights with ‘Double J’ Daytime Running Light signatures. At the rear is a wider bumper and body-coloured rear upper valance, which lower the car visually. While the exterior has been enhanced, the interior hosts key advances that transform the XF’s driving experience. A sporty centre console sweeps up to the dashboard incorporating an optional wireless device charger with phone signal booster. A central 11.4-inch curved-glass HD touchscreen in a magnesium alloy casing controls the new Pivi Pro infotainment system, which Jaguar claims is three times brighter and 48% larger than the XF’s previous screen, while a simplified menu structure enables drivers to access 90% of common tasks from the homescreen in two taps. The XF also features a 12.3-inch HD Interactive Driver Display with head-up features, enhanced graphics and a configurable layout that can show full screen navigation mapping, digital dials, media, contact list or infotainment details. The system also provides clearer calls due to an external aerial. Furthermore, the car includes Software- Over-The-Air capability, ensuring the vehicle always uses the latest software, and segment-first Active Road Noise Cancellation technology monitors vibrations from the road surface and calculates the opposite phase sound wave needed to remove the noise heard 66 Á The new Jaguar XF 64-66.qxp_Layout 1 09/11/2020 14:40 Page 266 Business Link www.blmforum.net AUTOLINK by occupants. The new XF also benefits from the latest generation of driver assistance technology, including Clear Exit Monitor, which alerts to the presence of an approaching car when exiting the vehicle, while Optional Adaptive Cruise Control maintains a set distance from the vehicle in front. The cabin hosts aluminium, wood, and laser-etched speaker grilles. New door casings meanwhile feature a 360-degree grab handle, offering easier access and increased storage. New seats hold wider cushioning, optional massage functions and enhanced coverage of the heated and cooling areas. Another optional intriguing feature, Cabin Air Ionisation improves interior air quality through Nanoe technology, which helps remove allergens and unpleasant odours. The new BMW 128ti Designed for “exceptional driving enjoyment,” and reviving the ‘Turismo Internazionale’ badge, the BMW 128ti comes with M Sport specification as standard. The front-wheel-drive hot hatch meets its sporting promise with features including the Torsen limited-slip differential (increasing traction, agility and stability, the limited-slip differential also gives the car excellent cornering ability), lowered suspension, optimised eight- speed Steptronic Sport automatic transmission and a 2.0-litre, 265hp turbocharged petrol engine. Peak torque of 400Nm is available from 1,750- 4,500rpm and the BMW 128ti can reach 62mph in 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. A model specific steering setup has been designed to minimise torque steer, to create sharper driving dynamics. With an advanced drivetrain that includes the anti-roll bars and brakes of the BMW M135i xDrive, it also holds a sporty exterior and driver-focused interior that features exclusive details. The anti- rollbars are stiffer than the standard 1 Series’, as are the springs, which help the stop the car leaning in tight corners. It is also 80kg lighter than the BMW M135i xDrive, which contributes to its sporting performance. Making the car stand out are red trims around the air intakes, in the front bumper and on the side skirts, and ‘ti’ badging below the back doors. Furthermore the vehicle has exclusive exterior features including its extended Shadowline trim with a black BMW kidney grille and dual 90mm diameter black chrome tailpipe finishers, as well as 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, red accents contrast the black headlining. A ‘Race Red’ surface embellishes the front centre sections of the standard Sensatec/cloth sport seats. A red ‘ti’ is stitched into the centre armrest which – like the door armrests, door panels, instrument panel and floor mat edging – also features red contrast stitching. The steering wheel rim and airbag cover of the standard M Sport steering wheel also feature red stitching. Remaining practical, the car has 380 litres of boot capacity. Electric tailgate operation is also optionally available, and folding mirrors, heated seats and cabin ambient lighting are included as standard. Considering infotainment features, the car has BMW’s latest Operating System 7.0, accessed via a 10.25-inch touchscreen and optional BMW Live Cockpit Professional. Gesture control and a 9.2inch head-up display can be specified as options. The new BMW 128ti 64-66.qxp_Layout 1 09/11/2020 14:40 Page 3FEATURES End Of Year Round Up Invoice & Finance Solutions Health & Safety Ports & Logistics Engineering REGULARS Commercial Property Corporate Hospitality Motoring Watch out too for the latest news from across the region in every sector Next month in December 2020 - Deadline 11th November Visit us at www.ea stmidlan dsbusine sslink.co .uk where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscrib e to our newslett ers so you can have. the latest news emailed to your inbox 67.qxp_Layout 1 09/11/2020 14:42 Page 168 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk and business leaders seeking support in the current challenging climate. The informal roundtable will present the opportunity for guests to discuss views with likeminded business owners and help shape the future of SME support for female led businesses. Four questions will be focused on in the webinar, aimed at understanding experiences during the pandemic and the challenges for women in business. For more information visit www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/events/women -in-business-roundtable/ Practical Marketing Skills for SMEs Thursday 19th November Online After its successful first session, Nottingham Business School has revealed further dates for its Practical Marketing Skills course for SMEs. Delivered over four sessions, the course explores the role and function of marketing within SMEs, the factors influencing customer behaviour, and the application of marketing in different An Employers Guide to Winter 2020 Thursday 12th November Online This webinar aims to provide everything you need to know as an employer about how COVID-19 and the EU Exit can impact your business. The virtual lunch break will offer a chance to get up to speed on the latest information about support available to businesses in relation to staff - such as furlough schemes, job retention, support in Tier 3, and the restrictions upon certain types of businesses. The event will also look at the impactful consequences for businesses in leaving the EU. For more information visit www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/events/an- employers-guide-to-winter-2020/ Women in Business Roundtable Thursday 19th November Online This event is for female entrepreneurs events settings. Aimed at everyone from business owners, to managers and frontline staff, delegates will attend four weekly sessions, starting on 19th November, which look at discovering marketing, the marketing environment, the marketing mix, and review and action planning respectively. For more information visit www.ntu.ac.uk/about- us/news/news- © Shut terstock/lovelyday12 IoD Midlands - Director of the Year Awards Thursday 12th November Online This interactive virtual awards event will bring together great leadership and talent from across the Midlands region in an evening of celebration. The year’s top directors from business, public and third sectors will be recognised across 13 categories, from family business to innovation to equality. For more information visit www.iod.com/events- community/events/event- details/eventdateid/24493 © Shut terstock / tomer tu 68-69.qxp_Layout 1 09/11/2020 14:44 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 69 articles/2020/10/practical-marketing- skills-for-smes-november-dates- available-following-successful-launch Maximise Working from Home Monday 23rd November Online While homeworking is the norm for many of us this does not mean it is everyone’s first choice, with the challenges of juggling home life and work commitments in the same space. This webinar aims to help attendees work productively whilst managing distractions. It will give hints and tips on how you can get through your ‘to do’ list and focus on your priorities. It will also consider the importance of wellbeing and how both mental and physical health can be considered to enable better productivity. For more information visit www.emc- dnl.co.uk/supporting-growth/business- growth-events-and-workshops/d2n2- growth-hub/maximise-working-from- home/?VariantID=3683 East Midlands Energy Summit Thursday 19th November Online A sustainable and low-carbon economy is at the top of the agenda at the East Midlands Energy Summit. The event will explore how Government, businesses, academia, and civil society can come together to ensure clean growth can underpin the local economy in the post-Covid era. It will look at the potential of the region to play a central part in the Government’s ‘Build Back Better’ plans. Topics to be explored include how energy giant Uniper, which owns the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, plans to transition to climate- neutral energy generation by 2035. The event will include keynote presentations, panel discussions and Q&A sessions, on topics like national policy driving change, regional opportunities, and innovation and pivoting to create new energy-efficient products. For more information visit www.emc- dnl.co.uk/connecting-you/conferences-and- expos/sustainability- conference2/?VariantID=3682 investment opportunities in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire. Providing updates on sites across North Derbyshire, there will also be keynote speakers discussing the high street, rail opportunities in the region and the future of office space. For more information visit www.chesterfield.co.uk/events/chesterfield -investment-summit/ Chesterfield Investment Summit Wednesday 25th November Online The Chesterfield Investment Summit will ensure attendees are on track with the © shut terstock / Ivan Mar c Brexit Conference - Business Preparedness: Where Are We Now? Thursday 26th November Online While the Government has been prepping for Brexit since the EU referendum in 2016, much is left to be done. The Brexit Conference will review what sweeping changes 1 January 2021 will bring for UK businesses, the measures that can be taken to prepare for those changes, and dive into what future trading conditions might look like. With the latest updates, tips and take-aways, this year’s Conference is vital for those looking to continue, or prepare, to trade overseas. For more information visit https://www.emc-dnl.co.uk/connecting- you/conferences-and-expos/brexit-conference/?VariantID=4011 68-69.qxp_Layout 1 09/11/2020 14:45 Page 2Next >