thebusiness · 2016-03-09 · earlier last year the dorset local enterprise partnership announced...

Business cover - 25 years.indd 16 16/04/2013 17:43

THEBUSINESSTHE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR DORSET, WEST HANTS AND SALISBURY

No. 169 MAY/JUNE 2013 Established 1994

F o r t h e l a t e s t n e w s v i s i t t h e w e b s i t e a t w w w . b i z m a g . c o . u k

Could your business survive a fine of 112% of turnover?ALSO INSIDE: BUSINESS NEWS | FINANCE MATTERS | LAW LINES | SPECIAL FEATURES

Opinions expressed within this publication are those of the contributors and not necessarily of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of The Business, but legal responsibility cannot be accepted for errors, omissions or misleading statements. The Business is fully protected by copyright. Nothing contained within this magazine may be reprinted or reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher.

© The Business (Dorset) Ltd 2013 All rights reservedISSN 1354-3806

The Business magazine is mailed free-of-charge to named business people within Dorset, West Hants and Salisbury. Recipients are occasionally contacted to maintain correct mailing details and to provide information regarding special features. Contact us to receive the magazine or to be removed from the mailing list on 01425 471500.

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ContentsOn the frontSummerhouse celebrates 25 years of business. 0.

2 people on the move

4 business news

11 financial advice - 12 questions to ask your financial adviser

16 special feature - social media

18 network news

20 Summerhouse - The team take a look back at the 1980s

22 the consultant - Are your clients A, B, or Cs?

23 techno times

24 law lines - Could your business survive a fine of 112% of turnover?

26 special feature - tasty business

30 Rowan White Photographic - Telling stories in pictures and words

32 employment talk

33 Salisbury business

34 property & home improvements - Sign-up to Architect in the House

37 wheels

Editor: Gill Bevis

Tel: 01425 471500E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.bizmag.co.uk

Published by

The Business (Dorset) Ltd9 Gainsborough Road,

Ashley Heath, Ringwood BH24 2HY

Work with Dorset LEPThe Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership is looking to recruit two dynamic new business individuals to join its board. The role of the board is to provide strategic leadership and create the conditions for economic growth and new jobs.To date the Dorset LEP has secured millions of pounds of investment for the county, including £38m for superfast broadband, £9m from the Government’s Growing Places Fund for investment and regeneration, and has helped obtain £21m from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund to improve connections across Dorset. The Dorset LEP is now seeking two business people who are committed to champion and work for the prosperity of Dorset. Potential candidates must be entrepreneurial, innovative, strategic and engaging.Would you like to make a real and positive impact for Dorset?For more information visit www.dorsetlep.co.ukGill Bevis

New MD in the picture

After many years working for Kodak in the UK, USA and Switzerland, setting up a number of successful businesses, Peter Boyce has joined Cumulus Outdoors as Managing Director.

New bus stop

Andy Collins has been appointed Workshop Manager for the Eastleigh-based bus refurbishment and repair company Hants & Dorset Trim Ltd after 18 years of engineering experience with Brighton and Hove Buses.

New-generation

Charlotte Richards has been appointed a Director of her family’s horticultural business – Golden Acres – which her father Paul started in 1980.

New president

After five successful years as President of BCTC Nigel Hedges steps down and hands the presidency and chain of office to Mandy Payne.

Golden boy

As Wessex Group celebrates its 50th anniversary, one of its managers has been named in the top 50 ‘rising stars’ in the UK’s sustainable construction sector.Thomas Mortimer is Manager of Wessex Renewable Energy and has been named in the influential Building magazine’s sustainability league table, which recognises the sector’s freshest new talent.Award winner

L-r: Theresa May; Ram Solanki CBE Editor in Chief of Eastern Eye and the Asian Media Group; Annette D’Abreo; Nina Wadia and Ravi Sidhoo Head of Global South Asian Bank at KBL.

Annette D’Abreo the Managing Director of Bournemouth-based Ceuta Healthcare, has been named Asian Business Woman of the Year at a glittering ceremony in London. The award, sponsored by private bankers Brown Shipley, was presented by the Home Secretary the Rt Hon Theresa May MP, and introduced by TV star Nina Wadia. Expanding team

L-r: Marie Wright and Helen Davies

Local funeral director, Tapper Funeral Service, has appointed two new part-time recruits to its team, Marie Wright and Helen Davies. Marie joins as funeral assistant and Helen joins as receptionist.

Music eventTravis is the latest act to be confirmed to play at Wave 105 Live! on Saturday 25th May at the Bournemouth International Centre. The chart-topping Glaswegian Brit-pop act, will join Paloma Faith, Loveable Rogues and Union J on stage for the one-day music event. Visit www.wave105.com

Business adviser

Helen Fraser has joined Inspire, the business and tax advisers based in Poole.

Helen Fraser with Director, Andrew Singleton.

On the ball

Solvwaste has announced the arrival of Andy Ball as Business Development Manager. When Andy isn’t working with people’s waste he’s involved in a number of clubs working with youth and children. He is also a trustee of Southampton City Mission charity.

1st class degree

Coles Miller has appointed Abi Fletcher as a newly qualified Solicitor.

iConexx callingFerndown company iConexx welcomes Lisa Downes to its marketing team. Lisa has a long established career in telephone marketing.

TEAM workJobshop UK has joined forces with The Employment Agents Movement (TEAM) one of the fastest growing associations of recruitment and employment businesses in the country. The move will enable Jobshop UK and its sister company, Engage Executive Jobs, to extend their demographic reach.

Property peopleGoadsby has announced two new appointments within the Property Management Department. Andrew Hancock has been appointed to the role of Manager, and Darren Stewart joins as a Management Assistant.

Business cover - 25 years.indd 16 16/04/2013 17:43

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business news

‘WINGS AND WHEELS’ EXPERIENCE

Vintage Classics and Compton Abbas Airfield have teamed up to offer an experience package that claims to be unique in the UK. ‘Wings and Wheels’ is available from now until September and includes a day driving a classic car and an opportunity to take to the skies in a choice of aircraft.

Prices range from £159 (includes hire of a Morris Minor and a 30 minute flight in a light sports aircraft) to £665 (includes hire of an Austin Healey 3000 or a Jaguar E-type, with an hour’s flight in a Tiger Moth), with many options in-between.

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Family run businessCompetitive prices

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Unit 26 Newtown Business ParkAlbion Close • Poole • Dorset BH12 3LL

Launch date revealed for 2013 Dorset Business Awards

Rockley refurbishment Members of Rockley Park will benefit from outstanding new facilities this season, thanks to Greendale Construction. The company has completed an extensive refurbishment contract, which included a new owners lounge, ancillary accommodation and spa relocation, creation of a large external BBQ area, refurbishment of toilets and changing rooms, and a new beer cellar.

Headed up by Greendale Project Manager, Simon Copping and Contracts Director, Andy Musselwhite, the project was completed to schedule in just sixteen weeks, and was the first contract awarded to Greendale by Rockley Park owners, Bourne Leisure Ltd.

Businesses from all over the county will meet in the historic grounds of 11th century Deans Court in Wimborne on Wednesday 12th June for a reception to mark the launch of the 2013 Daily Echo-backed Dorset Business Awards, organised by Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The launch event, sponsored for the second year running by Tower Park-based motor dealership Breeze Volkswagen, will celebrate the achievements of past winners and reveal this year’s award categories.

Entry to the 2013 competition opens on Tuesday 18th June, and businesses of every size from across the county and from all industry sectors are encouraged to put themselves forward for one or more of the prestigious accolades.

The awards close for entry on Tuesday 10th September and the campaign will culminate in a prestigious gala dinner ceremony on Thursday 28th November at the Lighthouse in Poole.

Companies interested in finding out more about the 2013 awards should contact Shirley Ewart on 01202 714812.

l www.dorsetbusinessawards.co.uk

Final move for Maidman’s Bournemouth’s Maidman’s Removals & Storage has reached the final for the 2013/14 British Association of Removers (BAR) Domestic Mover Of The Year competition. The winner will be announced at the annual Gala Dinner on Saturday 18th May.

Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership drives growth at PortlandA major regeneration site in Dorset has been awarded financial backing from the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership.

Determined to generate economic activity by investing in infrastructure and boosting jobs and housing, the Dorset LEP Board unanimously voted to invest £500,000 in Castle Court Osprey Quay, Portland, development which will see expansion of employment and residential units.

The new scheme will provide 39 new homes, 1,000 square metres of workspace and a new public square. The new investment will transform a formerly derelict area into an attractive new site to attract new business and residents to Portland.

Earlier last year the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership announced six projects in Dorset to be considered for major investment and regeneration following the cash injection of almost £10m from the government’s nationwide £500m Growing Places Fund.

L-r: The cheque being presented on behalf of the Dorset LEP by David Ramsden who leads the Dorset LEP’s Growing Places fund group, and Councillor Michael Goodman, MBE from Weymouth & Portland Borough Council.

Poole PiratesThe Dolphin shopping centre, Poole, will be lining-up on the starting grid alongside the Poole Pirates throughout the 2013 speedway season by sponsoring two of the club’s leading match officials, Nigel Leahy and Gordon Day.

The UK’s biggest business exhibitionThe Business Show has now evolved into the largest event of its kind in the UK, and is a hive of activity for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

It hosts over 250 seminars delivered by business experts, 350 exhibitors offering the latest products and services to help you progress your business, 12 interactive workshops and four networking features.

l www.thebusinessshow.co.uk

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business news

Accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO LLP, has announced that its merger with PKF (UK) LLP has completed.

Following the successful merger of Synergy Housing with Aster Property’s parent company, Aster Group, in November 2012, Dorset-based property maintenance and repairs business Synergy Works has changed its name to Aster Property.

BH Live is improving the public Café and Bar facilities at Queen’s Park for local residents, visitors and golfers to enjoy! Under new management, BH Live Hospitality is now operating the Café and Bar at the Queen’s Park Golf Course Pavilion in partnership with Bournemouth Borough Council.

The 2013 Wave 105 Cash for Kids Easter egg appeal ended on a high with the station’s listeners donating 2,010 chocolate eggs, worth £10,000.

Retail footfall levels across the UK rose by 3.8% in March over February, but were 6% down on last March, according to the latest monthly Retail Traffic Index which is compiled by Ipsos Retail Performance.

A flash poll conducted by a money saving website in the UK has found that the majority of Brits, 48%, would prefer Boris Johnson to be prime minister rather than David Cameron.

Basepoint Bournemouth recently presented a cheque for over £4,618 to Autism Wessex from money raised at a series of charity events including a designer handbag auction and a quiz night.

Croner, a leading expert in HR and health & safety, part of global information services business, Wolters Kluwer is partnering with the National Business Awards to find and celebrate the UK’s best employers. l www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk

The ‘Village’ is a new luxury lifestyle magazine for Dorset. The publication is the product of collaboration between strategic marketing agency Cre8ive Wisdom and advertising sales and distribution specialist, Mogul Media.

Parley Under 8s football team has a brand new kit, thanks to sponsorship from DWP Housing Partnership.

Sandy Balls Holiday Village has invested more than £100,000 in its new-style Premium Lodges to provide extra comfort, luxury and convenience – and has seen its figures increase to 97% occupancy for the first quarter of 2013.

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Digital agency chooses ‘Charity of the Year’

L-r: Martin Edwards, Julia’s House and Dominic Yeadon, TMB.

Poole-based digital agency The Marketing Bureau (TMB) has chosen children’s hospice Julia’s House as its charity of the year. TMB will help the charity to raise funds towards its 2013 target of £3.4m.

Julia’s House will receive support with all aspects of digital marketing and design, including refreshing the charity’s logo, website and online communications. TMB is working closely with designer Neil Stevens from DeShok to achieve an updated visual look for the hospice as it celebrates its 10th birthday.

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The Langtry Manor Venus Awards Dorset After over 1,000 nominations and applications for the Langtry Manor Venus Awards, those lucky enough to have made it through to the finals will be invited as a guest of their sponsor to the Grand Award Ceremony at the Langtry Manor on 5th June 2013 when the winners will be announced.

Queen’s Award for Enterprise

BMT Defence Services Ltd (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, the leading international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, has been recognised with the honour of a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category.

BMT Defence Services is an independent maritime design and consulting engineering company based in Bath, and with offices in Weymouth and Fareham. Drawing on its long history of customer-focussed delivery and innovative design, the company has been successful in securing a number of overseas contracts in countries such as South Korea, Turkey and Australia.

There’s going to be a hole lot more to Parley Golf CentreParley Golf Centre has been granted permission to develop farmland to extend the popular course to a full 18 holes – 19 if you count the bar.

The £250,000 investment will mark the completion of the project that began in 1991 when the centre began life as a 27 bay, floodlit driving range. A nine hole course followed along with a putting green, café-bar, mini gym and corporate meeting room.

The latest application prepared by planning consultants Tanner & Tilley to add a further nine holes has been approved by Christchurch Borough Council. The project will bring at least three greenkeeping jobs as well as other positions within the clubhouse.

The project is set to be completed within three years and will turn the club into a golfing centre of excellence.

L-r: Hugh Dampney, owner of the golf centre, and Matt Holmes from Tanner & Tilley.

Industrial output to pick up Manufacturers expect output to accelerate sharply in the next three months, according to the CBI’s latest monthly Industrial Trends Survey.

The survey of 398 firms found that output growth over the last three months remained steady but subdued.

But the outlook is much brighter for the next quarter, with output volumes expected to rise rapidly – the strongest expectations since April last year – with the anticipated pick-up in particular marked in the food, drink & tobacco and mechanical engineering sectors.

Exports orders are also at their highest level for three months, while total orders are broadly flat. Meanwhile expected price inflation has fallen back to levels last seen midway through last year.

Celebrating 50 years A-Plan Insurance celebrated its 50th birthday on 6th April. The Bournemouth branch at 20 The Triangle opened in 1999 and has been a continuous presence on the high street along with 70 other branches throughout 19 counties. Also celebrating locally is the Parkstone branch (opened in 1985) and the Poole branch (opened in 2010).

A-Plan has already opened two new branches in 2013, another is confirmed for the spring and there are still further new branch plans in the pipeline.

Family theme park chooses Dorset agency Home to the world’s first and UK exclusive Peppa Pig World, Paultons Park has appointed Poole-based Liz Lean PR as the theme park’s retained public relations consultancy in a competitive pitch.

Liz Lean PR has already been fundamental in raising awareness of the Park’s new attraction for 2013 – a state-of-the-art, 150-seat 4D effects cinema, which the agency helped launch with an exclusive VIP red carpet premiere. With an investment of £1.5m, Paultons 4D cinema and 1930’s Hollywood-themed Show Street scene is a great new addition to the park providing fantastic indoor entertainment.


OPTICIANS WIN TOP UK AWARDI J Brown Opticians are celebrating after winning the ‘Vision for Life Award’ at this year’s glittering Opticians Awards ceremony held at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Birmingham. The awards, one of the most prestigious events in the optical industry, were staged in front of 600 plus guests to honour the best in the industry, nationwide.

business news

ARE YOU A SMALL COMPANY LOOKING FOR MORE CLIENTS?Achieve UK is a small “boutique” company specialising in Quality Sales Lead Generation & Appointment Setting for small companies with high value/complex propositions.

For more information,Call us today on 0118 934 4119or visit www.achieveuk.com

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What makes a great recruitment

consultant?

B e i n g a gre a t re c r u i t m e n t consultant involves combining both professional and personable skills in order to build rapport, and expertly assign the most suitable candidate to a client, in order to build a strong and trusting, mutually respected relationship. An ability to cultivate and build relationships is one of the most paramount skills in choosing a recruitment consultant.

Great recruiters have the ability to look at the ‘bigger picture’ and to see how candidates fit into an organization; the potential value they can bring, as well as keeping an eye on future trends, technology, rival companies, and staying informed as to what is on the horizon.

A great recruiter acts as advisor to both their candidates and clients, and shows themselves to be relentless in their search for the ideal candidates, calling upon their knowledge and expertise to use a myriad of platforms to do so. When choosing a recruiter, make sure they demonstrate all these qualities and that you can trust them to attract the best talent for your company.

Jobshop UK and Engage Executive Jobs pride themselves on being the best independent recruiters for temporary, permanent, senior and executive level positions across all sectors.

An example of PV panels used in a solar power farm.

Planners give go-ahead for one of UK’s biggest solar farms

Plans to site one of the UK’s biggest solar energy farms on the outskirts of Christchurch have been approved by councillors.

Work has now started on building the 118 acre (48 hectare) farm at Parley on land operated by Eco Sustainable Solutions. The area involved is the equivalent of 65 football pitches or just under 1,900 tennis courts.

The £15m scheme will use photovoltaic (PV) panels capable of directly converting sunlight into electrical current. It will generate approximately 20 megawatts (MW) of low carbon ‘green’ electrical power, meeting the electricity needs of about 5,000 homes.

Currently used for turf cultivation, the Chapel Lane site has been specifically chosen for its screening with established hedgerows or woodland surrounding the proposed farm.

The planning application was submitted by Solar Power Generation Ltd which builds, operates and maintains large-scale solar PV parks across the UK.

Lucy York, Engage Executive Jobs

The Pod at CastlepointManagement at popular Castlepoint Shopping Park receive over 25 requests a month from businesses and charities in the region to promote their products or fundraise for their good cause. To make life easier for the promoters, a dedicated Pod, has been installed by the top entrance of Marks and Spencer where the east and west shopping malls meet.

Sarah Ryan, Castlepoint’s Business and Marketing Manager, says that as the pod is equipped with lighting and electric sockets to power heating or powered display devices, counters with leaflet dispensers and wall mounted changeable poster frames, promotional people from organisations will find it more comfortable and much easier to present their services to the 30,000 people who visit Castlepoint each day

‘The Pod is large enough for up to 3 people to work in comfort,’ said Sarah. ‘Businesses will be required to pay a fee to rent the pod but charities are given the opportunity to use it for free. We will also use the pod to promote events and activities organised at Castlepoint.’

It’s estimated that charities raise over £25,000 each year thanks to the generosity of Castlepoint visitors. The first local charity to enjoy the pod’s convenience and comfort will be the Dogs Trust.

Sarah Ryan

UK’s creative industries urged to make waves in The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise The Institute of Export (IOE) is calling on the UK’s vibrant creative industries to enter the prestigious Queen’s Awards for Enterprise which launched on 21st April.

With creative industries accounting for around £1 in every £10 of the UK’s exports and worth more than £36bn a year to the national economy, the IOE’s Director General Lesley Batchelor is urging them to take part so their significant contribution can be recognised.

Says Ms Batchelor, who is a judge in The Queen’s Awards’ International Trade category, ‘The UK’s creative sectors generate £70,000 every minute for the British economy and it’s vital their success is reflected in the awards, which are the UK’s highest accolade for global business success. ‘

Entries to this year’s Queen’s Awards for Enterprise close on 30th September. Representatives of winning firms are invited to a reception with HM The Queen at Buckingham Palace.

l www.queensawards.org.uk

Great endorsement for water companySembcorp Bournemouth Water is celebrating after being awarded the prestigious Investors in People gold standard.

The company, which supplies drinking water to approximately half a million people in parts of Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire, joins only 3.2% of organisations in the UK to ever have achieved gold accreditation.

The Employment team at Lester Aldridge comprises 5specialist employment lawyers across Dorset andHampshire. In this issue, Susan Evans, a leading individualin Chambers legal directory, helps you get to grips with theuse of social media.

Like it or hate it, social media is becoming more widespread. Whilstit undoubtedly brings benefits to a business, particularly sites suchas LinkedIn which can help raise your company’s profile, it alsoposes risk. An employee may post derogatory comments about thecompany, colleagues or even clients! Recent news storiesdemonstrate that this is an issue which employers need to graspand deal with appropriately.

How can I protect my business?Introduce a policy which sets out acceptable use of social mediaand then communicate this policy to staff. Give examples ofunacceptable practices, such as causing reputational damage tobusiness, disclosing confidential information or harassingcolleagues.

The policy should set out whether staff are permitted to use socialmedia during working hours or concerning work related matters. Itmay be that you do not impose a complete ban on all usage as it canbe good for business. However, you do need to control what goesout into the digital world!

It is important that your disciplinary and grievance procedures,discrimination, and bullying and harassment policies are alsoupdated to include social media abuse.

What if the comments are made in the employee’s free time?An employee should not have any expectation of privacy oncetheir comments are in a public domain and your policy shouldmake that clear.

Can I discipline employees for social media abuse?Yes, if it is contrary to your policies. As always, ensure that a fairdisciplinary procedure is followed when dealing with allegations ofmisconduct. Consider carefully the contents and the impact of thepost before determining the appropriate outcome.

We can assist you in drafting policies and procedures anddealing with disciplinaries. For further information, or to findout about our upcoming employment law and HRworkshops,please contact:

Susan Evans, [email protected] 786310

Visit our blog atwww.lesteraldridge.com/blogfor the latest employment lawnews.

Dealing with the

“FacebookGeneration”

The Business Ad May 13 FINAL:Layout 1 19/04/2013 14:30 Page 1

Vision for life award 2013.

Bournemouth 7s Festival

Having firmly cemented its place on the sporting and music calendars, the Bournemouth 7s Festival kicks off the festival season over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. From the 24th - 26th May 2013, 20,000 people will descend on Bournemouth Sports Club.

With over 300 rugby, netball and dodgeball teams competing in a range of competitive and social competitions, the festival is an action packed weekend of sport, music and entertainment.

l www.Bournemouth7s.com

CeX store Technology and entertainment goods recycling specialist, Complete Entertainment Exchange (CeX), has opened a new store in the Sovereign Shopping Centre, Boscombe. Shoppers will now be able to buy and sell second hand mobile phones, games, computers, iPods, DVDs, CDs and digital electronics.


business news

Single business guide launched

At the Business South reception are (l-r): Hannah Payne and David Fletcher from Hampshire County Council; Hampshire Chamber Chief Executive Jimmy Chestnutt; and guide publisher Denise Barlow.

An innovative guide to support thousands of Hampshire companies has been launched through a partnership between Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Hampshire County Council.

It follows an agreement between the pair to merge their respective annual guides and directories into a single source of information.

The 124-page Hampshire Business Guide will have a 68,000 print run and is complemented by an online directory.

To request a free copy of the guide, contact Hampshire Chamber at [email protected] or Hampshire County Council at [email protected]

l www.hantsbusinessdirectory.co.uk

financial advice

The 12 questions everyone should ask their financial adviser

Changes in regulation of the financial sector now provide greater transparency for customers. Nick Lee of business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP in Southampton considers the key areas of change and suggests the questions that should be asked by The Business magazine readers dealing with financial advisers.

1. Do you provide independent or restricted financial advice? (does your adviser begin with you in mind and help you identify your needs?

2. Can I see your Keyfacts document? (this will help you understand what you will be charged)

3. What services are you providing to me? (you can then judge what you are getting for your fees)

4. How can I pay your fees? (helps you to identify and understand the options available to you)

5. What are the initial and ongoing charges for the services you provide?

6. What is the total price for the advice, service, product and fund management charges that I will pay for?

7. What makes the products you recommend the most suitable ones for me?

8. How do you select the providers that you recommend?

9. How do you help me understand and decide upon my attitude to risk?

10. How do you determine which assets I should invest in?

11. How often will you review my investments?

12. How will I know how my investments are performing?

There have been several changes to the financial advice landscape since the turn of the year. Now advisers must clearly state the type of advice that they are offering. This can be either independent, restricted, simplified or basic. Nick Lee says, ‘This is important for people to know, since it indicates the limitation on any advice that they might receive.’

In addition, new regulations stipulate a minimum level of professional qualifications that an adviser must hold before being authorised to give advice.

Also, changes have been made to the way advisers work with product providers and advisers are no longer allowed to receive commission for the sale of retail investments and pensions.

Nick Lee says, ‘We welcome this new regulation and the part it plays increasing client confidence in financial advice. We provide independent advice, which means we will advise on all products and services suitable for customers’ objectives and circumstances.’

Nick Lee

LOOKING FOR ACCOMMODATION ON A BUDGET?Look no further than Hotel Celebrity in Bournemouth. This successful and unpretentious 3 star hotel provides a friendly service and offers great value for money, especially if you book direct.

With its high client satisfaction levels and low prices it is the ideal solution for local companies seeking to find hotel accommodation for staff and contractors.

TripAdvisor rates Hotel Celebrity as the 24th best hotel in Bournemouth, (and that includes little B&Bs) and it is rated the best Value for money within the Eastcliff area.

This centrally located hotel boasts free Wi-Fi throughout, flat screen TVs in every room, 24 hour bar, complimentary car park and an all you can eat cooked breakfast.

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You can extend your stay over for the weekend for an extra charge of just £10 a night per person. To get these rates and also receive a 10% discount off food and 20% off drinks quote the promotional code BM020.

Book direct with the Hotel Celebrity on 01202 316316.

Ward Goodman expands further into DorsetWard Goodman Chartered Accountants and Financial Advisers has announced its expansion into Gillingham. The expansion sees the integration of Hudson and Co into Ward Goodman and allows the Gillingham-based firm to better serve its clients in the north Dorset region.

The new office in Gillingham is an exciting development for Ward Goodman and will bring its full range of accountancy, business support and financial planning services to this local high street. Teresa Hatcher will continue to work in the Gillingham office alongside the Ward Goodman team. Clients of Hudson and Co can therefore expect to continue to receive the same excellent, local service and value for money that they are accustomed to, with the added benefit of being able to access the full range of services on offer as part of Ward Goodman.

Contact the Gillingham office on 01747 835435.

L-r: Graham Ball, David Lapthorn, Ian Rodd, Teresa Hatcher and Bob McGuire.

Promotion for VAT man

L-r: Simon Anslow is congratulated on his promotion by Mark Johns, Managing Partner.

Forum responds to news of first phase of the business bank Small businesses struggling to access finance received a boost as the Business Secretary Vince Cable recently launched the first phase of the new business bank.

£300m will be invested alongside private investors to address gaps in the SME finance market. This money is the first deployment from the £1bn of capital allocated to the business bank in the 2012 Autumn Statement.

Head of Policy at the Forum of Private Business, Alex Jackman, said, ‘There’s no doubt the money is desperately needed in the economy right now, so we urge the government to get the cash out to where it’s needed most, by working with organisations to ensure bids are successful.’

Simon Anslow has been made a Partner with Princecroft Willis (PcW), the Dorset and New Forest independent chartered accountants and business advisers.

The promotion comes four years after he joined PcW as Director of VAT Services.

To fi nd out more, visitwww.theglobalgroup.uk.com or call 01202 727070

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Global calling for creativesThe Global Group is creating a new working environment for like-minded professionals… called Studio76.

After expanding its studio space next door, Global is now ready to share it with other creative businesses and freelancers. By bringing together the area’s most talented creatives, the company intends to establish a community that thrives and grows off one another.

Darren Mooney, Creative Director says, ‘For our part, we’ll help Studio76 members with our 16 years’ industry knowledge on creative thinking and print production, as well as offer trade rates on our high-end print facility.’

Set in the centre of Boscombe and designed to inspire and impress, perks include a meeting room with presentation facilities, large open plan studio and – for those more laid back ‘meetings’ – an in-house bar…

If you’d like to become part of one of Dorset’s largest and most thriving creative hubs, please contact either Darren or Niki on 01202 727070 or [email protected]

Reception

Presentation room

Studio space


NEW REFORMS TO CHANGE INSURANCE CLAIMS PROCESS

Stewart King

Local insurance specialist Alan & Thomas Insurance Group is warning businesses that any insurance claims from 1st August this year will need to be notified to insurers as quickly as possible, due to a reduction in timescales set out by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ).

The reforms, implemented by the MOJ following a review by Lord Justice Jackson in 2010 on civil litigation, are intended to bring more balance to the civil litigation system by making lawyers’ costs more proportionate, combating the compensation culture and creating an environment where insurers can pass on savings to customers through lower premiums.

Stewart King, Chief Operations Officer at Alan & Thomas, explains, ‘The reforms will impact on businesses two-fold. They may well see a financial impact with savings being driven by fixed and reduced legal costs, but there will also be a significant operational impact, as the timescales for notifying insurers of a potential claim will be reduced. Business owners and managers will need

to ensure they have effective systems in place to expedite the notification of a claim to give the insurer as much time as possible, to investigate and respond within the timescales set out by the MOJ.’

As well as applying to motor personal injury claims, the reforms will also include employers’ liability (EL) and public liability (PL) claims up to £25,000 in value. The number of working days to admit or dispute liability will be reduced from the current 90 days to 30 days, for employers’ liability claims and from 90 days to 40 days, for public liability claims.

‘These reductions mean that businesses will need to quickly supply their insurance broker with all relevant information relating to the incident, so that they can liaise with the insurers on their behalf to determine liability and

agree settlement more quickly.’EL and PL claims will also have

to be processed through the government’s online portal which, set up in April 2010, was originally for RTA motor personal injury claims with a value between £1,000 and £10,000. Use of the portal is designed to speed up the settlement of claims due to the strict timescales and fixed legal fees for the various stages of the process.

Up to now, as the portal has been used for motor claims only, in most instances claimants have been able to establish insurer details from the Motor Insurance Database. As employer and public liability claims will also be included, there will be instances when claimants will not be aware of the appropriate insurer.

‘In view of this, businesses may well receive a claims notification form at their registered address. We would urge business owners that if they receive such a form, they will need to contact the claimant immediately to acknowledge receipt of the notification and confirm that it

is being sent to the insurer. If the timescales are not adhered to, this will impact on the costs the claimant solicitors can apply,’ concluded Stewart.

Alan & Thomas, Dorset’s only independent insurance broker with chartered status, has offices in Poole and Gillingham and specialises in insurance and risk management for a wide range of businesses. Its in-house claims department works on behalf of clients to report, process and settle claims.

financial advice

Ian Govier

PERSONAL ALLOWANCE TRAP

Inspire is warning about a nasty tax trap that is likely to affect more individuals with the recent rise in the Personal Allowance.

If an individual’s taxable income exceeds £100,000, their personal allowance (the amount that can be earned without any tax being paid) is gradually withdrawn via

It is important to recognise that for this purpose, taxable income includes salary, benefits in kind, dividends and any income from other non-business sources such as rental income.

Ian Govier, Director at Inspire, says, ‘Reviewing how owner managers withdraw profits from their business can lead to deeper discussions on matters such as business direction and long term strategy. As such, a review of business owner remuneration themselves can provide more benefit than the simple preservation of a personal tax allowance.’

Inspire’s team are experts in tax and business advice for owner managed businesses.

Contact Inspire on 01202 717867.

a reduction of £1 of allowance for every £2 of taxable income above £100,000.

Now that the 2013/14 tax year has begun, the trap potentially applies to even more taxpayers with the rise in personal allowance to £9,440:

Taxable income Marginal rate£100,000 to £118,880 60%£118,881 to £149,999 40%£150,000 + 45%

For 2014/15 the trap will be even wider with the proposed increase in personal allowance to £10,000.

Owner managed businesses need to be ever more careful in respect of planning how to extract profits from their business.

Prepare for new national minimum wage rates The government has announced an increase in the national minimum wage from October 2013. The following rates will come into effect on 1st October 2013: �� The adult rate will increase by 12p to £6.31 an hour

�� The rate for 18-20 year olds will increase by 5p to £5.03 an hour

�� The rate for 16-17 year olds will increase by 4p to £3.72 an hour

�� The apprentice rate will increase by 3p to £2.68 an hour.

�� The accommodation offset increases from the current £4.82 to £4.91


Date: Wednesday 22nd May 2013

Venue: Crane Valley Golf Club, Verwood, Dorset BH31 7LH

Time: 8.30am Coffee and light Breakfast, 9.00am Start, 12.30pm Q & A Session, 1.00pm Buffet Lunch, 2.00pm Finish/Networking

Our fi rst ‘Business Bootcamp’ is a FREE half day event. Join us and give your business an injection of energy and ideas.The team will be joined by guest speaker Russell Payne to explore the best business ideas to push your business on into 2013 and beyond. During the day we will explore:

• 10 Golden Nuggets

• The only four ways to grow your business!

• How to grow your business... guaranteed!

• Sticking your head above the parapet

• 6 star customer service

• What’s the difference that makes the difference?

• Being brilliant at the basics

• The Ribbon of Life

• Critical non-essentials

• Windows of opportunity

BUSINESS BOOTCAMP!

Visit www.businessbootcampdorset.co.uk to book your FREE places

0742_GS_bootcamp_A4_ad_aw.indd 1 27/03/2013 17:02

Ward Goodman host Annual Dorset Charities Conference

financial advice


On Tuesday 9th April, Ward Goodman Chartered Accountants, advisers to the charity sector hosted their annual Dorset Charities Conference at the Lighthouse in Poole.

The event brought together charities and suppliers to the charity sector to discuss ideas and opportunities for collaborative working. Charities and businesses were invited to bring trade stands to showcase and raise awareness of their charity or service. Throughout the day a number of expert speakers delivered presentations relating to collaboration and working together to over 125 attendees.

The event enabled Ward Goodman to present Diverse Abilities Plus, its charity of the year for 2012, with a cheque for money the Ward Goodman team had raised in the final quarter

of the year and to announce its charity of the year for 2013, Julia’s House. Chosen by the staff at Ward Goodman, Julia’s House will benefit from the fundraising efforts of the team throughout the coming year.

Speaking about the event, Jen Richardson, Audit and Accounts Manager and charities expert said, “Once again we are delighted that from the feedback so many charities and sector suppliers have benefitted from presentations by this year’s excellent speakers and, judging from the buzz of chatter in the room, had lots to talk about with each other.”

If you would like to register your interest in next year’s event or would like a free initial meeting to discuss charity matters, please contact Julie Keen on 01202 875900 or via email at [email protected].

Liam Wyatt, Coleman Insurance, Christopher Beale, Poole CVS, Jen Richardson, Ward Goodman, Ian Rodd, Ward Goodman, Rosie

Parr, Lancaster Parr, Mark Ward, Trussell Trust and Dr Dylan Bright, Westcountry Rivers Trust

Tel: 01202 875900wardgoodman.co.uk

discover how we can help you with...Wealth ManagementAccounts & AuditsStrategic Tax PlanningSmall Business Growth



The event enabled Ward Goodman to present Diverse Abilities Plus, its charity of the year for 2012, with a cheque for money the Ward Goodman team had raised in




The event enabled Ward Goodman to present Diverse Abilities Plus, its charity of the year for 2012, with a cheque for money the Ward Goodman team had raised in the final quarter

of the year and to announce its charity of the year for 2013, Julia’s House. Chosen by the staff at Ward Goodman, Julia’s House will benefit from the fundraising efforts of the team throughout the coming year.

Speaking about the event, Jen Richardson, Audit and Accounts Manager and charities expert said, “Once again we are delighted that from the feedback so many charities and sector suppliers have benefitted from presentations by this year’s excellent speakers and, judging from the buzz of chatter in the room, had lots to talk about with each other.”


Liam Wyatt, Coleman Insurance, Christopher Beale, Poole CVS, Jen Richardson, Ward Goodman, Ian Rodd, Ward Goodman, Rosie

Parr, Lancaster Parr, Mark Ward, Trussell Trust and Dr Dylan Bright, Westcountry Rivers Trust

Tel: 01202 875900wardgoodman.co.uk

discover how we can help you with...Wealth ManagementAccounts & AuditsStrategic Tax PlanningSmall Business Growth

the final quarter of the year and to announce its charity of the year for 2013, Julia’s House. Chosen by the staff at Ward Goodman, Julia’s House will benefit from the fundraising efforts of the team throughout the coming year.

Speaking about the event, Jen Richardson, Audit and Accounts Manager and charities expert said, ‘Once again we are delighted that from the feedback so many charities and sector suppliers have benefitted from presentations by this year’s excellent speakers and, judging from the buzz of chatter in the room, had lots to talk about with each other.’


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PENSIONS COMPULSION – is your business ready?Here comes pensions compulsion, ready or not?‘AE’ has become the latest acronym in the world of pensions and financial services. It stands for Automatic Enrolment; a process EVERY employer must undertake to help their workforce save for retirement by automatically enrolling them into a pension scheme.

To help employers and the industry manage this massive change, the Pensions Regulator has provided a series of staging dates by which each employer must have assessed and enrolled their workforce. These dates are determined by the size of the company’s payroll. The regulator will write to every employer informing them of their staging date.

For some employers this has caused panic but for the majority it seems too far away to worry about now. Don’t be fooled; to be fully compliant for AE each employer should start the planning process at least 12 months before their staging date.

AE has presented a challenge to the pensions industry where no one system or software package will do everything, which means clear lines of communication

Promotion at SAFFERY CHAMPNESS Saffery Champness has appointed Roger Wareham as a Partner in the firm’s Bournemouth office, based in Midland House, Poole Road.

Roger, who has been a Senior Manager with the firm for four years, is a qualified accountant and a Chartered Tax Adviser. He is already responsible for managing a significant portfolio of SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) clients in the Bournemouth area and across Dorset.

Roger specialises in the areas of audit and financial reporting for a variety of corporate and commercial clients with particular expertise in property and financial services, including large groups with international aspects. He advises on corporate finance activities, tax planning and supporting entrepreneurs/owner-managers in developing their businesses to reach their long-term goals.

Roger’s appointment comes just eight months after Andrew Alder joined Saffery Champness in Bournemouth as a Partner. The firm now has a team of 30 in Bournemouth, led by six partners.

Roger Wareham

and ownership must be established between all relevant parties.

The cost to an employer is two-fold; first they must foot the bill for meeting the new contribution limits imposed by legislation and second they must pay the professional fees for advice and administering the new requirements. It is therefore vital that the most cost effective approach be determined.

Mazars Employee Benefits can offer a joined up solution that helps you understand your responsibilities and how best to meet them. Mazars can build a financial model and review existing contribution structures which will enable you to manage your costs in a positive way. In addition, Mazars will provide you with advice on potential cost saving strategies, for example saving National Insurance Contributions via the use of salary sacrifice.

For a free no obligation meeting or telephone call, contact Renny Wickham at Mazars on [email protected]


social media

The art of social media

Painting by Brian Freelander

British businesses admit that they don’t engage customers with social media...but over half believe that it will surpass the telephone by 2020, according to new survey from Aspect Software

Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies (by Jan Zimmerman and Deborha Ng, RRP £21.99)This bestselling guide to social media marketing has been completely updated to cover the newest vehicles such as Groupon, location-based services like Foursquare, and new social networking sites like Google+ and Pinterest. Checklists, case studies, and examples will help the reader decide the best places to spend their marketing budget, and learn about valuable social media tools and analytics methods that can help assess the success of their efforts. This is the perfect guidebook for the social media strategist, website manager, marketeer, publicist, or anyone in charge of implementing and managing an organisation’s social media strategy.

Can British employees be trusted? One in three British employees spends time on social media or prints private files on company printers instead of working, one in four searches for other employment from the work computer and 12% take company files home...

Safetica, a provider of employee monitoring and data protection software, has commissioned research in the UK – carried out by TNS Omnibus– which would help understand employees’ work habits and activities that might have an adverse effect on their productivity and the integrity of their company’s data.

The risks that irresponsible use of computers at work brings are two-fold. First there are the obvious work-hours lost and unnecessary costs involved, but there is also the heightened level of potential data security threats. According to a 2011 Ponemon Institute study 63% of company IT staff think that employees’ use of social media in the workplace represents a serious security threat to their organization. In addition to that, Verizon’s 2010 study showed that 48% of data breaches in 2010 were caused by insiders, while Ponemon Institute’s 2012 study has shown that 78% of organizations experienced data breaches as a result of negligent or malicious employees and that 56% of data breach incidents were only discovered accidentally.

So, how did the British employees do? We asked 663 of them a multiple-answer question with two modifiers, to see if knowing that there is a company policy in place changes their attitude. Of all those asked, between 43% and 54% said they do not use a computer in their line of work, but the rest gave the following results.

A positive finding of this research is that at least having a policy in place reduces the (admitted) levels of undesirable activities by about one third (and in our research also shows an increase in the number of those that say they haven’t done any of these as they do not work with a computer). So even such a small step as explaining to the employees what they can and cannot do in the workplace already has a beneficial effect.

l www.safetica.co.uk

I have printed personal files on company printers

I have used social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) during work hours

I have browsed for other employment from my work computer

I have taken company files (Word texts, Excel spread sheets, customer lists, etc) on a CD or USB stick or printed them out and took them home or e-mailed them to my private e-mail

A new survey from Aspect has found that a minority of UK businesses (40%) claims to use social media as a two-way conversational tool for customer engagement, instead admitting that networks such as Twitter and LinkedIn are prioritised as a mass broadcast tool.

Speaking to 100 business and IT professionals*, the study from customer contact and workforce optimisation technology provider Aspect, aimed to find out how respondents saw the position of social media within their organisation, how it is or will be used, and how closely it is integrated with other forms of communication with customers and prospects. Currently, almost three quarters of businesses (72%) say that they use social media within their organisation, with a further 8% implementing it over the next 12 months and an additional 16% seriously

considering using it in the long-term.

‘The customer conversation is changing; no more are we restricted to using the telephone when we speak with companies we buy from,’ commented Mark King, Senior VP Europe and Africa at Aspect. ‘Although it is fair to say that most organisations now recognise that being present on the most popular social media networks is a necessity, as that is where their customers are, it should be much more than just another way of talking about how great your brand is and not developing that conversation. Business leaders just don’t know where it sits in the organisation, who within the business should own it, and the ever-increasing importance of harnessing the unstructured content derived from that conversation.

More than 6 in 10 businesses (62%) say that social media does or will have some form of integration with other business processes and communication channels. Respondents were

closely divided when asked whether this was a purely manually-driven integration on a strategic level or full technical integration with 33% and 29% respectively stating this. 28% said that social media is not or will not be integrated at all, and stood alone within the business.

King added, ‘6% of those we asked prioritised pushing out messages and company updates as the primary function of social media, and 32% admit that they do take customer queries, but it is not a one way channel. With 52% of professionals admitting that they see social media as surpassing the telephone as the main method of customer engagement by 2020, there is this disconnect that needs to be addressed by shifting from

broadcast to a dialogue. This will only be achieved by aligning social media with existing metrics and processes proven to work in the contact centre infrastructure in terms of business culture, strategy and technical integration.’

In terms of ownership, 40% of respondents feel that in the main, responsibility for social media within the organisation lay with the marketing department, but over a quarter (26%) believe that this was the job of senior management. 20% say that social media is, or will be, owned by the contact centre. Only 2% stated that social media was the responsibility of everyone within the organisation.

*Survey conducted in March 2013 of 100 business and IT decision makers by Aspect Software.

Most artists prefer to paint rather than spend valuable time marketing themselves and using social media, claims Tim Saunders of creativecoverage.co.uk.

‘This is the reason why my wife and I established Creative Coverage and now we promote our members and utilise social media on their behalf,’ he says. ‘We have Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter accounts, all with growing numbers of followers. But Twitter is by far our most effective means of communication. It enables us to communicate highlights of a day with our members such as press coverage that we’ve generated, new galleries we’re working with, exhibitions or new members that have joined. It’s a bit like an online diary; the feed is posted on the homepage of the website playing an integral part in its design. It is very worthwhile for the field that we operate in and the 140 character limit ensures succinct relevant messages.’

Did you ever do the following… … knowing it was unrelated

to work.

… knowing it’s against

company policy.

32% 24%

32% 22%

23% 16%

12% 7%

Do you work in bed? Almost a third of Brits do!Can’t sleep? Are you one of the 29% of people who look at e-mails and catch up on work whilst lying in bed? These are the statistics released by Infosecurity Europe who polled 1,000 commuters in London and found that almost a third of people work in bed with 15% tapping away at their computers or smartphones at the same time as their partner. Three quarters of those that work in bed admit to spending more than 30 minutes a day, that’s three and half hours a week on work and 22% spend more than two hours a day working in bed – amounting to an extra 14 hours a week.

Claire Sellick, Event Director for Infosecurity Europe said, ‘When people cannot sleep the most popular activity was to watch TV (23%), followed by a fifth who start reading a book, a sixth go online and a 10th turn

to social media or check e-mails. Having a cup of tea was the least popular option.’

Infosecurity Europe commissioned a street survey of 1,000 people conducted in London 25th-28th March 2013.


Next edition JULY/AUGUST - copy date 11th June

Call 01425 471500 or e-mail [email protected]

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You are the expert that your team can turn to... in all matters to do with the direction and management of your business.

Because it’s your business. Your baby. You’re the boss.

But you know it’s smart to turn to experts in their own fields for some things: your dentist fixes your smile, your GP diagnoses and prescribes medication, your accountant calculates your P&L, and your sensei teaches you how to become a black belt in karate.

So does a good marketing consultant feature in your plans for 2013/14?

If he/she fixes the way your business looks, improves its health, gets good ROIs on marketing campaigns and teaches you how to hone your marketing instincts - that would be a valuable investment in your own success.

Only bring in a marketing consultant who:

Choose a good marketing consultant to help you achieve your business goals. Being guided by an expert is not only easier but more time efficient and therefore quicker – remember, they’ve done this before. Successful marketing grows businesses like nothing else can.

So next time you’re considering going it alone with your marketing, remember, you wouldn’t try to cure yourself of appendicitis would you? You’d want someone who had done it before and was an expert!

MARKETING MASTERY

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About the author: Dom Yeadon, e-marketing consultant of 18 years, heads up digital marketing agency TMB in Poole and specialises in increasing revenues through improved marketing communications.

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can show you how to increase the results you get from your marketingcan create new marketing plans, packed with new marketing campaigns that take advantage of the best in digital marketing techniques: email marketing, a dynamic website, mobile marketing, SEO and social mediacan list many successful businesses who bought their expertise over the years

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recruitment

Standing out from the crowd in business On the back of last month’s SOS Business Breakfast we thought we would take this opportunity to remind readers about the power of networking and the benefit it can have to your business and staff.

person that will hook the listener in to impress with what you do, and how you do it. In essence an elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that sparks interest in you and/or your company. Elevator pitches should be interesting, memorable, and succinct. They need to explain what makes you or your organisation, product, or idea, does as well as why it’s unique. The latter is incredibly important.

Once you have your elevator pitch ready use it to introduce your company to potential clients and customers. Make sure when drafting your pitch you identify your goal, explain what you do and practice! The art is in the delivery too.

The recent SOS Business Breakfast as mentioned above saw over 100 business professionals attend at The Cottonwood Boutique Hotel to share common interests and swap business ideas. Guests also heard the Dorset Chamber of Commerce present as well as the Leader of Bournemouth Council on business and enterprise in the area.

Master networkers are individuals who realise that networking is a life skill. Networking events seem to be everywhere nowadays so take advantage of the plethora of events that take place across Dorset each month. These are opportunities to raise your game, stand out from the crowd and be noticed as a professional mover and shaker. Great networkers realise these occasions are about connecting with different cultures, ages, special interest groups and networks to advance themselves in the business community. This is about making strong connections, identifying synergies, sharing interests and how you can align yourself to make contact with spheres of influence, and forming win–win strategic alliances and mastermind groups.

Developing your personal ‘elevator pitch’ is also a must for these occasions. This is something that very successful, global leaders and company founders speak strongly about. In a nutshell this is a 30-60 second overview of yourself as a business

network news

BMF South West invites businesses to networking event

South west business news programme goes ‘live’ The south west is now the first UK region to have its own business radio programme. Available online, the new radio programme is focused on exploring major issues that affect every business in the seven counties of the south west region.

According to Christopher Slade (former presenter of BBC TV’s ‘Spotlight’ programme), ‘Our aim is very simple - to produce a radio programme that explores issues of importance to every business in this region, and to deliver it to BBC Radio 4 quality standards.’

Listeners can add their suggestions for future topics to be examined, and people to be invited for interview, by joining the South West Business group on the LinkedIn social media site.

l www.southwestbusinessnews.co.uk

MERIDIAN LIFTS PARTY MOOD

L-r: Jane Jones, JJ PR and Joanne Tomlin, Meridian Lifts.

Women 1st Conference

Women 1st has announced that Ernst & Young’s managing partner - people for UK and Ireland and ambassador for diversity and inclusivity, Liz Bingham, is to speak at its 2013 conference to highlight the importance of gender diversity for the UK’s hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism industries.

The Women 1st Conference is the only event dedicated to women working in the UK’s hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism industries. It will be held on 19th June at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square. Liz will share gender balance best practice from other industries and demonstrate the tangible business benefits of diversity.

Women 1st is the brainchild of sector skills council People 1st, which set up the initiative in 2009 after it found that whilst almost 60% of the hospitality workforce is female, only 6% of board director positions are held by women. To date it has supported over 1,000 women through its training and mentoring programmes.

l www.women1st.co.uk/conference

Liz Bingham

The south west region of the British Marine Federation is holding a business networking event on Tuesday 11th June. Open to BMF members and non-members, the event offers a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes at Plymouth University’s Marine Institute wave tank and navigation suite.

Attendees are welcome to join BMF members at its quarterly board meeting starting at 1pm, followed by the tour of the Marine Institute starting at 5pm. Those wishing just to attend the tour and networking are recommended to arrive at 4.30pm. The event will finish at 8pm.

Plymouth University’s Marine Institute represents a £19m investment and is recognised as a centre of excellent for research, teaching, training and engagement with enterprise and businesses in the marine and maritime sectors. The tour includes the COAST laboratory, which combines wave, current and wind power to create a dynamic ‘theatre’ suitable for device and array testing, environmental modeling and coastal engineering through its cutting edge wave tank technology; and the Marine Navigation Centre with its state-of-the-art ship simulator with

full mission bridge and 270° screen, ability to generate and control virtual vessels in a range of environments, electronic charting laboratory and CAD modelling facility demonstrating the latest in marine navigation technology.

Numbers are strictly limited to 40, so booking is essential at www.bmfsouthwest.co.uk and at www.amiando.com/PlymouthUni.html

The countdown to Poole’s own Party in the Park 2013 organised by JJ PR & Events has started.

Last year the event coincided with the Bournemouth Air Festival, and this year the organisers have opted for the weekend after so that way guests won’t have to choose which event to go to.

Jane Jones, event organiser announced, ‘We are delighted to welcome onboard our new title sponsor, Meridian Lifts and also for the first time ever in its 12 year history, we are extending Party in the Park to a whole weekend being Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th September the weekend after the kids go back to school!’

2013’s family orientated event will offer as always an eclectic mix of stalls selling a variety of merchandise, bars offering an array of food and drink as well as barbecues and hog roasts along with some great entertainment for the children. Supported by some high profile local businesses in addition to Meridian Lifts being Frost & Co, HK Law and The Cow, the event promises to deliver a fantastic time for all the family and most importantly a great band line up including local bands such as the Butcher Blues Foundation and the Empire Affair.

Every year the event organisers choose to support a different

local charity and for 2013 Wessex Cancer Trust has been given that honour.

Jane Jones says, ‘Tickets, like last year will be released on the day of the summer solstice and once again will be £3 for the day and £5 for the weekend with kids still going free. We know this will take a lot more man hours to organise but it will be well worth it and we like to think we are offering a mini festival in the heart of Ashley Cross.’

For more information on Party in the Park, or for sponsorship and pitch space contact Jane Jones PR on 01202 770160.

l www.partyintheparks.co.uk

Visit www.bizmag.co.uk2013 May/JuneVisit www.bizmag.co.uk May/June 201318 19R e g i s t e r y o u r b u s i n e s s c l u b s a n d e v e n t s a t w w w . b i z m a g . c o . u k18

The team at integrated marketing agency, Summerhouse, have been taking a nostalgic look back at the 1980s recently as they celebrate their 25th anniversary. Summerhouse was set up by enthusiastic art college graduates Jeremy Thorne and Debbie Jenkinson.

‘We started the business in a summerhouse at my parent’s house way back in 1988. Kylie Minogue had just released “I should be so lucky” and “Rain Main” was a box office hit. We also had really big hair back then!’ comments Jeremy.

In the early days, Summerhouse was fortunate to benefit from a Prince’s Youth Trust loan, which helped to establish the business by providing some much-needed initial funding. Jeremy and Debbie also benefited from business mentoring provided by the Trust.

Summerhouse celebrates 25 years of business‘As we started to grow and become successful I was invited to join the

regional board of the Prince’s Youth Trust and was able to return some of the encouragement and knowledge that I was given in the early days. I’m very grateful for the help we were given and I’m enormously proud of what Summerhouse has become.’

Today, Summerhouse works with a diverse group of long-term clients including Haskins Garden Centres, Hobbycraft, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, British Car Auctions, HPI and Oak Telecom.

‘In 2010 I took the decision to broaden our offering beyond just graphic design and so we strengthened our team with additional skills to offer a full agency service to our clients. As well as our core design offering, we now make TV commercials, plan and buy media and build websites, but most importantly we now have in-house communications planning skills, which means we can offer our clients a complete service without the big bills usually associated with traditional advertising agencies.’

Offering good value for money has been a guiding principle at Summerhouse over the years and with the economic downturn Summerhouse has seen a real benefit from this ethos.

‘Offering good value has never been more important. Everyone in business nowadays is under real pressure to cut costs. The traditional “advertising agency” model usually involves a large head-count and big overheads, but we don’t have either of these. I’ve deliberately kept a close eye on costs, while at the same time investing in talented people to ensure that the service we deliver is always first-class.’

Clients certainly seem to agree that Summerhouse is getting it right. Lisa Looker, former Brand Director of Hobbycraft comments, ‘With Summerhouse there’s a shared enthusiasm and passion for everything that Hobbycraft stands for. They consistently produce great work and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.’

Anthony Brown, Head of Marketing at BSO, also speaks equally highly of them: ‘I have always been impressed by both the quality and service given by Summerhouse over many years of working with them.’

Looking to the future, Jeremy is optimistic about growth and sees a clear business position for Summerhouse.

‘We’ve built a great team here. We seem to be liked and respected by our clients, and we’re doing some of our best work ever, despite the challenging economic climate. Even after 25 years of running Summerhouse I still get a buzz from making a positive impact on a client’s business by developing clear, compelling advertising cost-effectively.’

To find out more about Summerhouse, call Jeremy on 01202 826629.

l www.summerhouse.co.uk

Above: Jeremy and Debbie in 1988and below: with HRH The Prince of Wales.

Visit www.bizmag.co.uk2013 May/June 21Visit www.bizmag.co.uk May/June 201320

I was delivering a talk to a group of CEO’s of large professional services businesses on how they can change their behaviours to help them move out of the recession ahead of their competitors. One of the CEO’s asked me a question during the talk which took me off on a slight tangent, a tangent which I would like to share with you as I think you might find it helpful.

The question posed to me was as follows. ‘it is all very well sharing with us what we need to do to change but we just don’t have the time, the customers expect more and we as a business are running leaner now than we were before the recession. We make less margin and I find I am having to be more hands on with the business so have little time to work on new things. What advice can you give me about creating more time in my day?’

In response I asked everyone in the room how well they knew their client base, most said they understood the demographics of the clients but did not know each one personally. I asked then next if they knew how much margin they made from each client, the response was sporadic.

I drew three boxes on a flip chart and in the middle of each one wrote the letters ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ and proceeded to explain the following categories of clients.

A. Clients you love, you might call them ‘perfect clients’. They pay you the right amount of fees at the right margin. These are the people you love to get a phone call from and they probably have bought more than one product from the business. You as the CEO know them and they probably have multiple touch points within the company. These clients are very loyal to your business and a joy to do business with.

B. Characterised as good clients. You make a reasonable margin from them. Some can be difficult at times but in general terms they are what you might call a typical client. The relationship with your company will most likely be at an operational level. Some have the potential to become A’s if you had more time to work on them.

C. Clients that you would probably rather not have. They screwed you on price-cutting the margin you make from them. They

Consulting the consultant

Jessica Mott, Rubicon People

Today’s business is fast paced, high energy and high demand. The competition is fierce and time management has never been more important than in today’s business world. Bringing it back to ground level, a business is only as good as its staff. At Rubicon People, the team of REC certified consultants are there to ensure that they consistently deliver the right staff for any workplace environment.

Recruitment is time consuming,

there’s no way you can argue with that but what Rubicon can do however, is help ease the load. Giving you more time to focus on the business at hand and leaving the process of finding your teams new perfect fit, to them. This is where the consultant becomes the crucial cog in the business machine. The consultant has a host of contacts, skills, resources and time to focus on finding the right person for the job. Rubicon People’s team do just that.

are demanding always expect the biggest bang for their buck and never seem satisfied. You as CEO may have received a communication from them usually to complain never to praise. These clients sap the energy from your business.

I asked the room to consider their own client base and do a rough calculation on how many of their clients fall into each category. I then went on to explain to them what we typically see in a professional services organisation. Typically most of you will find that approximately �� 20% of your clients will be ‘A’s and ‘B’s, 80% will be ‘C’s�� 80% of your businesses time will be spent servicing the ‘C’s, 20% servicing ‘A’s and ‘B’s�� 20% of your revenue will come from the ‘C’s, 80% from ‘A’s and ‘B’sAfter a short while for this to sink in I asked them to tell me what they

could do to create more time in the business to move their company out of the recession ahead of the competition.

What would be your answer?If you had 100 clients made up of 20 ‘A’s and ‘B’s and 80 ‘C’s and you

could replace that with 30 clients who were ‘A’s and ‘B’s what would happen to the profitability of your business? What would happen to the energy in the business? What would happen to your own personal energy and time? What would happen to your competitors business if you gave them the ‘C’s? What kind of new business would be drawn to you if you just had ‘A’s and ‘B’s? What would your marketing spend look like if you were just looking for ‘A’s and ‘B’s?

The understanding I was trying to convey to the CEO’s was that seeing success as the volume of clients is OK if they are the right type of clients. Having lots of clients who take up all of your time who do not realise the desired levels of profit for the business hamper your growth.

The task of a CEO is to concentrate on creating business value for the shareholders not spending all of their time on running a profit and loss. The recession has certainly made most leaders of all types of business become more profit and loss focussed, those that can get out of that mindset the quickest will do best. If you have sufficient cash-flow in the business you can change this situation by replacing the ‘C’s with ‘A’s and B’s, easing the pressure in the business and on yourself enabling your business to get ahead of the competition.

the consultant

Recruitment encompasses so much more than just filling a position; it takes much more to track down the perfect candidate than just knowing if they can do the job. Using Rubicon’s unique ‘TEC’ approach; Talent, Experience & Culture fit, the team are able to do just that. The time of the consultant is well and truly here, with the current economic climate, business is tough and you need the edge. Let Rubicon’s team of qualified consultants help

you take the next step in the right direction.

l www.rubiconpeople.co.uk

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Bournemouth crowned a leading UK e-commerce townBournemouth scoops eTown Award as one of the UK’s most internet friendly towns

Conor Burns MP receiving the eTown trophy from Dan Cobley.

Bournemouth has been crowned one of the UK’s top eTowns in e-commerce, Google has announced. The Google eTown Awards are designed to recognise those towns whose businesses are most actively embracing the web, and at a time when the internet is spurring economic growth Bournemouth has won sixth place.

The award builds on the recent success of Bournemouth’s small businesses in 2012, in part due to extra tourism during the Olympics and the close proximity to London 2012’s sailing venue. The town’s vibrant economy has seen a 19% increase in the number of businesses starting up over the past five years despite the economic downturn, according to the latest ONS statistics. It is clear that many of those are taking advantage of the internet economy.

According to the Boston Consulting Group, companies with an online presence grow at least four to eight times faster than those companies without.

To provide a snapshot of this vital economic activity, Google worked with Ipsos MORI to break the UK into its 12 regions and analysed the online strength of local businesses across 1,300 towns. Those towns with the highest scores in each region were awarded eTown status.

Dan Cobley, Managing Director at Google UK, said, ‘The internet is going to contribute massively towards our future economic growth, and many businesses rely on the web to grow. These eTown awards are designed to recognise and reward those areas leading the way forward in e-commerce, and Bournemouth should be extremely proud to be one of the UK’s top e-commerce towns.’

Bournemouth company expands data centre footprint

C4L, a UK leading colocation provider has announced its recent data centre footprint expansion, providing customers with increased choice when choosing a data centre location. C4L can now provide businesses with access to 100 UK colocation facilities and over 300 globally.

C4L has reacted to increasing customer demand for global data centre locations by dramatically expanding its portfolio. At each of the data centres C4L can offer a range of colocation options including; cages, suites, full, half and quarter racks, as well as connectivity and cloud solutions.

Simon Mewett, CEO at C4L comments, ‘We’re always striving to stay at the forefront of our industry, and being able to offer our customers unlimited choice is

imperative to C4L. By having access to over 300 data centres globally we can be completely flexible around the needs of our customers.’

He continues, ‘Over the course of the year we will be expanding our network reach even further.’

Simon Mewett

World class experience for InnovatePoole-based Innovate, a leading IT solutions provider, has strengthened its team by appointing Adrian Pitt as Sales and Marketing Manager.

A new role introduced to Innovate, Adrian joins with more than 20 years’ sales and marketing experience within world-class companies including Duracell and Energizer as well as FTSE 100 company Bunzl Plc. Following this Adrian developed an interest in human resources and took a master’s degree in human resource management and went to Libya in 2004 to set up the first training and HR consultancy to provide a service to several oil and gas companies, including Shell and BP, and returned to the UK in 2011 to establish his own UK consultancy.

Reporting directly to Managing Director David Pape, in his new role Adrian will be responsible for defining the sales, marketing and customer relationship management strategies which support Innovate’s overall business objectives. He will also focus on new business growth and have an active involvement in new product development, including Innovate’s own dedicated cloud computing package, Cloud9, which is to launch imminently.

Adrian Pitt

SAVE TIME by categorising your clientsThis anonymous article has been submitted by an experienced business consultant with the sole aim of growing the cultural and commercial prosperity of Businesses and life in Hampshire and Dorset.


Frettens Solicitors has announced that Clare Hallett has re-joined its Commercial Property Team as an Associate.

Clare trained at Frettens and qualified as a solicitor in 2005, focusing on commercial property. She left Frettens in 2009 to join a Ringwood firm and establish a specialist property service.

Oonagh McKinney, a Partner at Frettens and head of the firm’s commercial property team, says, ‘Clare is a terrific solicitor and a valued member of our team. She re-joins us during a sustained busy period for our commercial property team, so it is wonderful for us and our clients to know that she will be able to hit the ground running.’

Taking Care of Business Contact our business law team:

T: 01202 525333 E: [email protected]

sponsored by:law lines

Clare Hallett

Returning solicitor for Frettens

New status

Steele Raymond LLP, with offices in Bournemouth and Southbourne, has announced that it has promoted Richard Smith in the Private Client department to Partner.

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Expanding firmColes Miller Solicitors LLP, one of Dorset’s most prominent law firms, has opened its fifth office in the county, this time in Wimborne. The new office can be found at 21 Eastbrook, Crown Mead, Wimborne, BH21 1HN.

Ellis Jones reclaims over £1m for victims of bank mis-selling

A law firm which is handling over 50 cases involving the mis-selling of interest rate hedging products has already successfully reclaimed more than £1m for clients.

Ellis Jones Solicitors also saved one of its clients a break fee of around £2.4m. The clients have not been named but are local to the Dorset area. The identity of the banks has also not been revealed.

William Fox Bregman, Associate, who heads Ellis Jones’ specialist banking litigation department, said, ‘As each day goes by the scale of this banking scandal becomes ever more apparent.

‘We have many other cases currently progressing through the High Court and are hopeful of achieving further successes for our clients in the near future.’

The cases currently being handled by Ellis Jones involve care home owners, caravan park operators, hoteliers, pub owners and property developers.

The mis-selling involves interest rate hedges, a complicated form of derivative sold to small and medium sized businesses. Often known as ‘interest rate protection’ they were sold by the UK’s biggest banks on the basis that they would act as a hedge or a form of protection against a rise in interest rates. However, due to the complexities of the structured product, the customer often did not appreciate - or was not even aware - of the significant risk they were taking on.

Ellis Jones’ specialist banking department is advising on cases where the client’s exit fee under the swap regularly exceeds £600,000 and in some cases several millions. The exit fee can be triggered simply by the sale of the business and/or repaying the loan.

William said, ‘Many businesses may still not be aware that they have such a product in place. There are also strict deadlines for claims against banks to be issued in order to avoid being time-barred so we would urge businesses to take professional advice as soon as possible.’

Ellis Jones has recruited a fifth member of staff to its banking litigation department in order to cope with the number of cases being handled by the firm.

Paralegal Theresa Hancock previously worked for the private client department of a Poole law firm before joining Ellis Jones.

l www.ellisjones.co.uk

Nigel Smith, Managing Partner (centre, back) and William Fox Bregman, Associate, join members of Ellis Jones’ specialist banking litigation department to toast the first £1m reclaimed for clients.

Could your Business survive a fine of 112% of turnover?The number of new corporate manslaughter cases opened by the Crown Prosecution Service jumped by 40% last year as prosecutors stepped up their use of recent legislation and it’s reported to be the tip of the iceberg!

Since the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, large, medium and small companies can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter for deaths arising from management failures, which constituted a gross breach of a duty of care with fines now set at a minimum of 112% of annual turnover, this will see the death of some businesses in the future.

Brian Thompson from Uneedus Fleet Risk Support commented, ‘Companies that cut health and safety expenditure within their business to survive the recession could leave themselves liable to prosecution in the event of an incident.’

The same could be said for companies that have not extended their policies to cover the inclusion of work related vehicle use.

All businesses know that they need to have robust health and safety procedures in place, but how many company owners are fully aware of the implications of not acting on this now.

It is a commitment that the corporate manslaughter act covers any vehicle used for business, ie company car users and also even an employee’s private car should it be used for work purposes

Brian commented that, ‘Many companies do not recognise a company car or employees using their own car as a risk. I am finding many companies think that they do not come under the act, but they do.’

Driving is the most dangerous work activity that most people do. Research indicates that

approx 20 people are killed and 220 seriously injured each week in incidents, involving someone who was driving, riding or otherwise using the road for work. (Source avsm.org.uk)

This is why all company owners should be more aware of this area of their Health and Safety policy for their business.

Brian from Uneedus Fleet Risk Support comes from a strong background of driver awareness, risk assessment and risk aversion having recently left Hampshire Constabulary to set up his business. His motto is that he has no hidden agenda, his business is not trying to sell you anything apart from an awareness as to where your risks lay and possible remedies to protect you and your assets from potential prosecution. He would be more than happy to visit your business to assess your risk, can you afford not too!

For more information please contact Brian Thompson on 01258 445045.

Top accoladeKitson & Trotman is the first firm of solicitors in the Bridport/Beaminster area to be awarded Lexcel accreditation.

New partner

Hampshire-based law firm Warner Goodman LLP has announced that Private Client Lawyer, Jane Cox, has become a Partner.

Make a Will FortnightSouth coast law firm Lester Aldridge LLP has offered to waive its fees and write basic wills free of charge in return for a suggested donation to local children’s hospice Naomi House and Jack’s Place, as part of the charity’s Make a Will Fortnight.

From 13th – 24th May, individuals can contact Lester Aldridge to arrange a mutually convenient appointment to either make or update their will. The scheme highlights how gifts in wills can make a huge difference to the work of the hospice, which provides support to children and young people with life limiting illnesses.

Why not take the opportunity to update your affairs, at a reduced cost, whilst at the same time supporting Naomi House? Please call 01202 786161, quoting ‘Naomi House Make a Will Fortnight’, if you would like to participate.

We’re here to help you

01202 882456 Wimborne

commercial property

LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY

WILLS & PROBATE

FAMILY MATTERS

INJURY CLAIMS

MOVING HOME

EMPLOYMENT

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INVESTMENTS

www.dibbens.co.uk


Dorset’s first and only authentic Indian restaurant

Lovely relaxed atmosphere

“Come and try the best curry in town”

Open 5pm to 11pm Monday – Sundays

Lunchtimes only Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays 12 – 2pm

Telephone: 01202 848445

tasty business

Special lunchtime menusfrom £4.95

Choice of two course party menus Business groups welcome (From £13.50 per person)

www.lagondola-bournemouth.co.uk9-10 Christchurch Road Bournemouth BH1 3JP

Tel: 01202 558079

HOUSE WINE

£9.50 per bottle

May & June only

May and June special deals:-

Any VEAL, CHICKEN or PORK main course -

£5.00 discount per dish

30 year anniversary celebrationsAward winning Slug and Lettuce Slug and Lettuce has won a national award for its menu. The 71-strong bar group, which is owned and operated by Stonegate Pub Company, scooped the highly coveted Menu Masters Award for City and Bar Dining category which was judged by its industry peers at the prestigious Menu Innovation and Development Awards. The trophy was presented to Simon Blunt, Slug and Lettuce’s Food Development Manager for the brand’s outstanding menu and in recognition of its innovation and industry-leading kitchen team development.

GODMINSTER’S ORGANIC OAK SMOKED CHEDDARWith smoked foods predicted to be a key trend in 2013, sales of Godminster oak-smoked cheddar are set to soar.

Godminster’s organic oak-smoked cheddar, which uses the same vintage cheddar as its famous ruby waxed truckles, has been cold-smoked over oak chippings sourced from sustainable woodlands before being hand-wrapped in a muslin cloth to keep the cheese at its peak.

Godminster’s 200g oak smoked cheddar which retails at approx £7, can be bought from delis and farmshops throughout the UK; alternatively it can be bought from www.godminster.com

Can we keep trade local?

A selection of 150 dishes for lunch and at least 250 dishes for dinnerVegetarian Dishes Curry Thai Sushi Teppanyaki Tandoori BBQ Pizza Chef’s Specials Dim Sum Salad Noodles

Fruit Chocolate Fountain Desserts

INTERNATIONAL CUISINE COOKED TO PERFECTION

St.Peter’s Quarter 68 Old Christchurch Road Bournemouth BH1 2AD

T: 01202 318888

Buffet Restaurant

EAT AS MUCH AS YOU WISH

www.daysrestaurant.com

Join in the celebrations at La Gondola in Bournemouth where you will not only receive a warm welcome at this family run authentic Italian restaurant but also get to enjoy fantastic food in a relaxed atmosphere.

Luca, the proprietor, is very proud to celebrate 30 years service at La Gondola this year where he cooks with all fresh ingredients.

La Gondola offers a varied menu of meat and fish to choose from, including Luca’s specialities of sea

bass with mussels, tagliatelle with smoked haddock, veal marsala and many other mouth watering dishes.

La Gondola Restaurant is an ideal place for a business lunch, and also a perfect venue to host parties for all occasions.

The recent horsemeat scandal has provided a welcome boost to independent high street butchers. It has also brought back into focus the urgent need to support local traders, and to shop locally.

In the current economy, with buying decisions even more focussed on price, communities

need to understand that they must use the high street or face losing it for good. There are a number of independent retailers who offer a unique or bespoke service for their customers, and consumers are being urged to think small first, when setting off

to the shops or when needing to employ a service, or perhaps visit a cafe? The greengrocer and the butcher, are not always more expensive than the supermarket, and they can offer a personalised service. Sadly, the case is that if we don’t use our independent

businesses we will lose them. The FSB wants to see people

using all of the independent businesses on the high street, and to join in and celebrate the uniqueness, and flavour, that they bring to their individual communities.

9 Church Street, Wimborne, BH21 1JH

RESTAUR ANT


On pack Ashes promotionWestons Cider has launched an on pack Ashes promotion on its Stowford Press 440ml cans as part of a major marketing investment for 2013. The promotion gives consumers the chance to win a set of Ashes

tickets every day, as well as opportunities to win Stowford Press Ashes supporters packs.

Ian Lewis, Head of Marketing, comments, ‘As the ‘Official Cider of England Cricket’ this promotion is part of a very exciting sponsorship deal between Stowford and the England and Welsh cricket board. With 29 million UK adults interested in cricket, and

10 million defining themselves as cricket fans (ECB Research) we see the Ashes as an opportunity not to be missed for retailers, and as such will be running the Ashes promotion until 21st May 2013.’

tasty business

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Call 01202 316316 and book your room now!!!LOOKING FOR ACCOMMODATION ON A BUDGET?

With its high client satisfaction levels and low prices it is the ideal solution for local companies seeking to find hotel accommodation for staff and contractors. We offer free Wi-Fi, flat screen TVs in rooms, 24 hour bar,

free car park and an all you can eat breakfast. Treat yourself to a scrumptious 3 course à la carte dinner for only £16.95 or 2 courses for £13.45, both offers include tea or coffee. Book your table in advance and we will offer you a free drink!!!**

May 2013 Sunday–Thursday Rates• Single rooms for £37 B&B (*£31)

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*Save 15% by paying for your room at the time of booking!These bookings are not refundable or amendable. You can extend your stay over for the weekend for an extra charge of just £10 a night per person. To get these rates and also receive a 10%discount off food and 20% off drinks quote the promotional code BM020.

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CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE OPPORTUNITY fOR EXPORTERSThe Food and Drink Federation (FDF) invites UK food and drink manufacturers to capitalise on export opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe by attending its exports workshop on 6th June at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London.

Many markets in the region are importing increasing levels of food and drink, with exports to Bulgaria alone up 53% on 2011. Over the past 12 years, food and drink exports to Eastern Europe have delivered high, sustained growth, with ice cream, butter and spreads, savoury biscuits and chocolate amongst the sectors leading the way.

Tickets cost £50+VAT for FDF members; £80+VAT non FDF members.

l�www.fdf.org.uk

Dorset Oysters was born in 2009 when Pete Miles, owner of Storm fish restaurant in Poole, cook and fisherman, couldn’t source local oysters for his own restaurant – a perplexing problem considering the area has some of the biggest oyster beds in the country.

Taking matters into his own hands, Pete built up an alliance with Othniel Oysters, whose oyster farm in Poole Harbour now provides Pete with the high quality pacific oysters that go straight to Dorset Oysters’ depuration plant just 3 miles away, where they, along with local clams, cockles and mussels, are purified and sent to some of the top restaurants in the UK.

Dorset Oysters uses the U.V. method of purifying its shellfish, ensuring their superior taste and texture are not compromised. This outstanding quality has led to them being the shellfish providers of choice for top restaurants and chefs such as Mark Hix, Bentleys, River Cafe, Sheekys, Wright Bros Wholesalers and The Chewton Glen. However, you don’t have to be a top chef to experience the best; through the website.

Storm Hails ‘The Cruel Sea’www.dorsetoysters.com anyone can order small or large quantities of oysters and shellfish, delivered to their door.

With the success of Dorset Oysters firmly under his belt, Pete has now decided the time is right for launching a new venture, which will merge his passion for great food and the best shellfish, accompanied by a selection of fine wine, champagnes, cocktails and premier beers.

The venture, aimed at drawing together these key elements, is ‘The Cruel Sea Bar,’ based in cosmopolitan Penn Hill. During the day, the bar doubles as a bespoke fishmonger, where you can buy reliably fresh oysters, fish and shellfish, and by lunchtime turns into a friendly atmospheric bar, where lovers of great food and drink can come together to relax or do business, whilst enjoying a simple taster menu of tapas style dishes.

‘During the day, we want to offer people the opportunity to buy the best and freshest seafood in the area,’ explained Pete Miles. ‘It will be prepared by our experienced staff however the customer wants - be it simply half a dozen oysters or fruits de mer for

two, or the catch of the day prepared with a recommended sauce all ready for you to take away and just pop in the oven back home. By lunchtime our set up transforms into a place where people can come to enjoy oysters, lobsters and fish; tapas style, with a glass of wine and a good ale.’

The Cruel Sea, 5 Banks Chambers, Penn Hill, is set to open at the end of June.

Pete Miles

Take the risk out of buying wineOne of the UK’s leading Masters of Wine (MW) and an ex-Tesco retailer has launched a business they say takes the risk out of buying exceptional wine.

The initiative, which was recently unveiled in London, is a joint venture between wine expert John Hoskins and Cambridgeshire-based marketing specialist John Valentine. With the strapline ‘Three Masters of Wine, 100 Incredible Wines’, WineTrust100 is a retail website stocking 100 of the best wines for their price, from all over the world. The wines are selected by Hoskins and two other Masters of Wine – Nick Adams MW and Sarah Abbott MW.

l winetrust100.co.uk

Award winning oysters and seafood

“Super quality we uSe them in our reSturantS”

Mark Hix

Look out for Poole’s newest restaurant. Combining fresh shellfish, fine wine, porterhouse & fishmongers. Website coming soon thecruelsea.co.uk

Shop online at dorsetoysters.com

Providing outstanding quality shellfish for top restaurants and chefs;

Mark Hix, Bentleys, River Cafe, Sheekys, Wright Bros Wholesalers and

The Chewton Glen.

food bar & kitchen

COMING SOON

is an exclusive lounge bar experience

Opening times Tuesday – Saturday 4pm to 11.30pm (over 25’s only)

Telephone 01425 483572www.themetrolounge.moonfruit.com

The Metro Lounge R I N G W O O D

Live entertainment Saturday nightsCocktail happy hour 5-7pm every evening

Sat 25th May - Rat Pack 3Advance tickets £6 | On the night £10

Or book a sofa & platter £12

1st Floor | 17 Market Place | Ringwood | BH24 1ANEntrance at rear via George Mews

Business support guides route to market for food producersFood and drink producers in the south of England now have the opportunity to get the skills needed to grow their business with the launch of a new practical training and support package that identifies the best route to

market for their products.The Routes to Market package

will initially offer training and support to businesses in Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Sussex.

l www.routestomarket.org.uk


Get yourself noticed ... if you have a story to tell, tell everyone!Rowan White Photographic telling stories in pictures and words for 26 yearsFor all your photographic requirements from Architecture to Web, from Conference to PRA coffee and a chat will cost you nothing... ‘One call to me and I’ll come to you.’

Contact Noel White on 01202 518618 or e-mail: [email protected]

R O WA N W H I T E P H O T O G R A P H I C t e l l i n g s t o r i e s i n p i c t u r e s a n d w o r d s

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31

Exceptional value... and a great day out

Studioworks celebrates with Buy Dorset

Twin Sails… Best Bar none Just four months after opening, the Twin Sails Wharf bar and restaurant is taking on a life of it’s own.

Performance development

Lesley Walford

To arrange a confidential, no-obligation FREE half hour consultation, please phone Lesley Walford on 01202 739249 or e-mail [email protected] You can find out more about Consensus by visiting www.consensusemploymentlaw.co.uk

Resigned, not dismissed… Lord Sugar winsEmployment Law has been brought sharply into focus in recent months due to the, now resolved, ‘constructive dismissal’ case brought against Lord Sugar by Stella English. Lord Sugar countered this by claiming that Stella English had resigned.

As we now know Lord Sugar was the victor, with the tribunal saying: ‘There was no dismissal of the claimant - the claimant resigned. Therefore the complaint of unfair constructive dismissal contrary to section 95 Employment Rights Act 1996 fails and is dismissed.’

Lesley Walford of Consensus Employment Law comments that, ‘The implications of who pays for what in cases like this need to be fully understood before bringing such action, especially as significant changes to the tribunal process are imminent.’

Following are some factors to consider:�� Currently the Employment Tribunal system is free of charge�� Fees are being introduced in July 2013 in order to: encourage the parties to try to settle their dispute without the need for litigation, eg through mediation; reduce the £84m per annum cost to the taxpayer of running the Tribunal system

�� The government’s aim is that Employment Tribunals will be the last resort for more complex cases�� A 2-stage fee is being introduced with the first part payable when the claim is lodged and the 2nd part payable for the final hearing�� Level 1 claims, eg unpaid wages, will incur a fee of £160 to lodge the claim and £230 for the hearing. Level 2 claims, such as unfair dismissal will incur a fee of £250 to lodge the claim and £950 for the hearing�� Fees will also be payable for various applications�� People on low incomes may not be required to pay the full fees, under the same remission system which already exists for court users who pay fees to use the civil courts’ services. �� Currently, each side pays its own legal fees�� Under the new system, Tribunal judges will have the power to order an unsuccessful party

to reimburse the successful party’s legal fees. Therefore, if an employer loses a Tribunal claim they may be ordered to pay not only compensation to the employee but also to repay the fees the employee has incurred in bringing the claim.�� The introduction of Tribunal fees may reduce the number of claims going through the Tribunal system, to the benefit of employers. Certainly, it may deter those employees with weaker claims from pursuing them.�� However, the impact may not be so widely felt in relation to unfair dismissal claims where employees are out of work and in receipt of benefits, as this may mean they fall within the

remission scheme and will not be required to pay the relevant fees.

These pointers clearly illustrate that good advice is going to be more important than ever. Yes, the number of spurious claims may be reduced, but for many, access to justice may also suffer.

The conference/event suite is now licensed for up to 300 people, a new chef has taken the helm in the kitchen with all food being freshly prepared on the premises, and a new hot spa suite has been installed.

The Twin Sails can now cater for everything from a birthday party to a wedding, it’s even licensed to carry out

blessings, and from a coffee morning to a full training seminar/conference. For ladies wanting to organise a pamper evening or hen night, they can now book the hot spa suite, where manicures, beauty treatments, eye-brow threading etc are all part of the offering.

The bar area is spacious and modern, but still retains a comfortable relaxed atmosphere with comfy sofas, and coffee tables, allowing for plenty of space between seating. Food from the à la carte or lunchtime menu is served in

the feature conservatory which adjoins the bar area, with fish and steak being particular specialities, and Thursday night is Steak Night.

Sally Pyle, owner of the Twin Sails, comments, ‘The first few months have been hard work, and not without teething problems, but we now have something unique to offer and are beginning to reap the rewards of our efforts.’ There is no-where else that offers such a diverse, yet professional, range of services.

If you would like to find out more about what Twin Sails Wharf has to offer, please visit www.twinsailswharf.net or to make a booking call 01202 237456.A 20% discount is available on all food orders until 31st May 2013 if you present the downloadable voucher which is available from the website.

The large, modern bar

The conservatory

10th June will see the next Buy Dorset Minterne House Exhibition take place. Now in its 3rd year, the event has established itself as a must for businesses that believe in the importance of supporting the ‘Dorset Pound’. This is the ethos on which Buy Dorset was founded, companies within Dorset buy from each other in order to promote and develop the local economy.

Malcolm Scott Walby, Co-founder of Buy Dorset, commented, ‘This year we are offering twelve months membership of Buy Dorset, as well as exhibition space at Minterne House, all for only £75, there is nothing else that can match this kind of value.’

Other events hosted by Buy Dorset members during 2012/2013 have been at, Stainers Shoes, The Colour Works, JobShop UK, and most recently at Studioworks, a digital solutions provider. Rad Dougall, founder and Director of Studioworks stated, ‘Buy Dorset has been of great benefit to us, we have recently undergone a complete re-brand with everything being sourced locally to facilitate this.’

For more information about Buy Dorset, including how to exhibit at the Minterne House event, contact [email protected] or visit www.buydorset.co.uk Alternatively you can contact Sophie Cort, Events Co-ordinator, on 01202 611171.

Nicky Donnelly, of Aspasia Consultants Ltd, has been running a series of workshops with the specific aim of helping clients, firstly, to understand the importance of, and secondly, to develop methods of improving, all matters relating to employee performance.

The third seminar in the series takes place on 23rd May, and will cover Performance Development specifically. Nicky comments, ‘The Hays Report of 2010 stated that 85% of the world’s most admired companies believe that efforts to engage employees have reduced employee performance problems.’ She continues, ‘It therefore seems obvious that at least part of the solution to maintaining staff morale is to help them feel valued.’

The seminar will be delivered by Nicky in conjunction with Jane Coshan, of Connect HR, at a cost £125+VAT and will run from 9.00am-12.30pm at the Captains Club Hotel in Christchurch, on 23rd May. A USB with all seminar materials included will be supplied, as well as a follow up review from Nicky and/or Jane.

Only four places are left so it is advised to book early. To book or for further information, please contact Nicky on 07710 212587 or e-mail [email protected] or contact Jane Coshan on 07704 168224.

July Event… Wednesday 10th July, 5.30pm hosted by Suttle Quarries, Worth Matravers

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If you are studying for any other Financial Services examinations and would like help, please contact us. We run a number of other training courses such as; sales skills,sales management, customer service skills, complaint handling and many more.

For more information or a chat about how we can help you or your organisation please contact Tricia 07917887868 or Nicky 07710 212587 email: [email protected]

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employment talk

Private sector hiring intentions reach 19-month high

Malcolm Thixton, Lead Partner, BDO Southampton LLP

But despite job sector resurgence, economic growth remains elusive BDO’s Employment Index has hit a 19-month high, indicating a resurgence in private sector hiring intentions, according to the latest Business Trends report by Southampton based accountants and business advisers BDO LLP.

The BDO Employment Index, which measures businesses’ hiring intentions over the next two quarters, reached 96.0 in March, the highest since August 2011. This is the third consecutive month that the index has been at or above the crucial 95.0 level that indicates employment growth. This suggests that businesses will help to offset the effects of expected public sector job cuts, providing a timely boost for our ailing economy.

Despite this, businesses still do

not anticipate economic growth in the next two quarters. BDO’s Output and Optimism indices - which predict short-run turnover expectations and business performance a quarter and two quarters ahead - sit at just 93.0 and 92.2 respectively. These figures remain well below 95.0 (the level that indicates growth) which suggests economic conditions will remain tough until at least mid-2013.

More encouragingly, service sector confidence moved up substantially this month, with optimism increasing to 93.2 from 89.6 in February and output rising to 93.2 from 91.5 last month. While these March indices are still below the 95.0 mark, these increases are a welcome sign

as the services sector makes up roughly three quarters of the economy. Optimism in the sector is now at its highest point since October 2012.

By contrast, the manufacturing sector’s data continued to decline. Optimism for manufacturers plummeted from a reading of 94.5 in February to 88.2 this month, while the BDO Output Index also fell, from a reading of 94.1 to 92.4. The depreciating value of Sterling coupled with weak demand from domestic consumers and struggling Eurozone import partners is likely to be weighing on manufacturers’ confidence.

Aspire Jobs helps candidates make a Fresh Start

Local businesswoman and owner of Aspire Jobs, Helen Stacey, has extended the services she offers her candidates, by teaming up in a professional capacity with Lucy Windsor of Fresh Start, to offer candidates a professional CV writing service.

Helen commented, ‘As part of my service I continually offer free advice to candidates on their CV’s and the layout of covering e-mails and letters. This isn’t something that most recruitment agencies take the time to do. The quality on the CV often isn’t there or candidates aren’t selling themselves in the best possible way. Knowing Lucy from working together a number of years ago I have recommended a large number of candidates to her fledgling business “Fresh Start” who offer a completely private and confidential service advising on CV’s, covering e-mails, Linked In profiles and job application forms helping to re-write these in a format that employers find interesting and that makes them stand out from the crown.

‘Lucy charges a very modest fee for her service and has had some excellent results.’

For more details contact Helen at Aspire Jobs on 07974 429217 or visit the partner pages of her website – www.aspirejobs.co.uk

Helen Stacey

BOURNEMOUTH RECRUITMENT SPECIALIST ACHIEVES RECORD INCREASE IN JOB PLACEMENTSBond Williams, the Bournemouth-based recruitment specialist, recorded a 35% increase in job placements during November 2012 compared with their previous ‘record month’, reflecting an increase in business confidence amongst local employers.

This positive trend has continued into January 2013 with the firm reporting that job placements were again up a significant 10% on last November’s figures.

The Bond Williams business has enjoyed in excess of 30% year-on-year growth since 2008 demonstrating real resilience in the face of what’s been described as a tough economic climate.

This increase in job placements can be seen across the business with office & commercial, accounting & finance, IT, HR and temporary worker teams all recording big improvements.

There was noteworthy contribution by the office & commercial and accounting

& finance recruitment teams, both of which have new team members in Clare Dear and Deborah Appleford as Senior Recruitment Consultants.

Robert Bond, Director of the Bournemouth-based agency, said, ‘At the end of last year we achieved a record increase in work placements in our firm’s history. Sustained into the beginning of this year, it provides very welcome evidence of renewed business confidence.

‘We are particularly delighted

with the performance of our office & commercial and accounting & finance teams. They have benefited enormously from the arrival of Clare Dear and Deborah Appleford, who are well respected amongst the local business community.

‘They have a reputation for understanding our clients’ requirements and sourcing candidates that are relevant to their culture and needs. We’re very excited to have them both on board.’

Clare Dear Deborah Appleford

Coffee and mediationKaren Campbell, family mediator, will be the guest speaker at the Ambassadors Business Breakfast meeting on 21st June. The informal Salisbury-based club meets at 7.30am on the first and third Friday of every month at The Grassmere House Hotel. To go along or for more information e-mail Chris Huffam [email protected]

Going for goldAllum and Sidaway has been shortlisted in three categories of the 2013 Jewellery Awards, including a personal nomination for Salisbury Store Manager, Abigail Stradling.The awards acknowledge the UK’s best jewellers and jewellery designers and winners will be announced at the Natural History Museum on 4th July.

Major new exhibitionTwenty pieces by one of Britain’s leading contemporary sculptors can now be seen in Salisbury Cathedral and its surrounding close. Messenger of the Spirit, by Helen Blumenfeld includes six monumental works in marble and bronze and is best seen Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm and Sunday noon – 4pm.

French styleFrench bistro brand Café Rouge will open in Salisbury’s Old George Mall this summer. Café Rouge boasts over 100 branches across Britain and hopes to open in Salisbury in July following an extensive refit of the Millets camping and outdoor unit.

Rooms with a view150 new hotel rooms could soon be available to Salisbury visitors if plans for hotels in Southampton Road and Castle Street go ahead.

First for NHS TrustSalisbury NHS Trust has become the first in the country to sell its own products with the online launch of My Trusty Little Sunflower Cream. The trust, which is looking to commercialise to generate additional funds for patient care, has other products in the pipeline.

l www.mytrustylittlesunflower.co.uk

Schools back ‘Kit for Kigali’ project Schools across Salisbury and the Plain are getting behind a project to ship a fully loaded container to kit out a newly established secondary school in Rwanda’s capital city of Kigali.

As Sarum Academy prepares to move into its new building in September, resources that will no longer be needed are being recycled through an initiative to send them to East Africa.

The container will be shipped to Rwanda in late July as Salisbury’s academic year comes to an end.

l www.justgiving.com/Kit-for-Kigali

A significant change is coming to the way that the Diocese of Salisbury communicates with the appointment of a Communications Director.

Gerry Lynch, currently working as a political, polling and media consultant in Northern Ireland, is to take up the new post.

Lucky seven for Phoenix 2

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Phoenix 2, the Salisbury-based PR and publishing specialist, has recently produced its seventh annual review for the British Deer Society (BDS), the UK’s leading wild deer organisation. The annual review is one of several projects Phoenix 2 has undertaken for the charity which include the creation of a series of leaflets, posters and high-end calendars.

Helping organisations communicate with customers and keep their name in front of

key journalists is what Phoenix 2 does best, whether through effective PR, well-written publications or eye-catching design.

In recent years the company has developed something of a niche in the wildlife, horticultural and environmental markets with clients including Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Knoll Gardens and Trehane Nursery. Projects range from national press days and sales brochure production to event management and writing feature articles.

But its work is not restricted to outdoor themes. Phoenix 2also has experience in marketing schools, colleges and tourist attractions, as well as communications for business development organisations such as the Design Council and WSX Enterprise Ltd.

‘Our USP is personal service, high-quality words and pictures, and design at affordable prices,’ says Partner, Amanda Walker. ‘With over 30 years experience we also have an exceptional contact list, both locally and nationally. It helps us to get our clients, or their individual projects, in front of key media representatives and opinion-formers.’

For more information e-mail [email protected].

l www.phoenix-2.co.uk

Churchfields Industrial Estate, Salisbury SP2 7PH372.7 sq m (4,012 sq ft)

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Householders in leasehold properties across Dorset could be facing a looming payment time bomb according to residential property lawyers.

Battens Solicitors is advising people who bought leasehold flats in the property boom of the late 1980s to be aware that the costs of lease renewal

can skyrocket as their lease grows older and the lease term declines. Some high street lenders will refuse a mortgage application if the

number of years left on the lease is too low, which can obviously affect the value of the property if the lease is sold on.

Any holder of a long residential lease has the right to extend it by 90 years but the costs rise markedly where the unexpired term falls below 80 years. With many leases granted on a typical 99-year basis, those dating from the 1980s and early 1990s are now coming into this category. Under the so-called ‘80-year rule’, once only 80 years remain any attempt to renew the lease - for example to optimise a sale price or negotiate a new mortgage - is subject to what is known as ‘marriage value’.

This is a legal term defining the potential uplift in the value of the property because of the proposed extension. The calculation is

property & home improvements

Sarah Ford

Improve rather than move with the help of Architect in the HouseTV architect George Clarke is offering homeowners in the south west a unique opportunity to improve their home by signing up to Architect in the House 2013. The scheme matches homeowners with local RIBA architects, while raising money for housing charity Shelter.

New research has shown that nearly two-thirds of homeowners have lived in the same home for at least ten years*. With more of us staying put while our families grow or our work life changes, home improvements can be the best option in making sure our homes fit our changing needs. A consultation with an expert can help those with homes of any size to make the most of the space they have, whatever their budget.

Whether it’s creating an open plan living

space or designing an extension, Architect in the House helps homeowners to develop their ideas with an RIBA chartered architect while raising money for Shelter’s work with families who are in housing need.

Run by Shelter and the Royal Institute of British Architects, Architect in the House provides free one hour design consultations with RIBA Chartered architects for a suggested donation to Shelter of £45. Homeowners across the South West can register until 21st August at www.architectinthehouse.org.uk.

George Clarke, Architect and Shelter ambassador, says, ‘With the current state of the

Condor spreads its wingsA prominent office near Southampton has been acquired by a regional photocopier dealership through commercial property consultancy Hughes Ellard.

Condor Office Solutions bought three-storey Cando House at Chandler’s Ford for an undisclosed freehold sum. The 951 sq m (10,239 sq ft) detached premises on Bournemouth Road is close to Tollgate Business Park, Chandler’s Ford Industrial Estate, and previously served as offices for DIY chain B&Q. Cando House, directly opposite the front of hypermarket Asda, will be extensively refurbished throughout this year.

housing market, we’re staying in our homes for longer, but life doesn’t stand still and simple changes to your home can make a big difference. Whatever the project, big or small, architects offer invaluable advice. Architect in the House can really help people unlock the potential in their current homes and create more space, from a simple internal change to developing an attic space or designing an extension.’

* Nearly two-thirds of homeowners have been ‘in their home for at least ten years’, with many put off by the crippling cost of moving up the ladder. English Housing Survey.

George Clarke

Memorial set in stone for industrial legend

A stonemasonry competition for the memorial of local industrial legend, David Jones founder of the Granby Industrial Estate and DJ Property was held at the Dorset Skills Centre on Wednesday 17th April.

David’s son, Mickey Jones, Chief Executive at DJ Property, wife of the late David Jones, Kate Jones, and family friend

Richard Paisley of Paisley Plant Hire, Portland judged the eight designs based on three themes in his life: stone, steel and maritime.

First place winner was full-time stonemasonry student, Yasmin Impson who designed a memorial, which depicted the three themes of David’s life, whilst being practical and aesthetically pleasing. It will be placed at the entrance of Link Park on the Granby Industrial Estate in Weymouth.

Leaseholders ‘in for nasty surprise’ on renewal costs, warn Dorset lawyers

important because the landlord will be entitled to compensation for any loss of rent based on this figure plus payment for the freehold or the new lease.

Battens Solicitor Sarah Ford, who advises clients in the residential property sector, said there were several areas in Dorset where property development in the late 1980s involved a growth in leaseholds. She said, ‘A typical location will be where large Victorian or Edwardian houses have been split into flats. There were many such property conversions by builders and developers in the 1980s in towns such as Weymouth and Bridport. There is a ticking timebomb here and many people only know they are in for paying a premium when they come to try and sell the property with fewer than 80 years remaining on the lease.’

Sarah said it was important for lessees to take appropriate legal advice when seeking to extend their lease. She explained, ‘Where the unexpired term is less than 80 years, we know that leaseholders seeking to buy the freehold or secure a renewal are being told by their landlords that because of marriage value the cost may run to thousands of pounds. Marriage value is calculated in a very formulaic and mathematical way as regards yield and interest. Without expert help, you won’t know if what the landlord or their management company is asking for in continuing rent or a freehold price is fair and reasonable. You could be in for a nasty surprise.’

Sarah added that tenants in multi-occupancy leasehold properties could negotiate voluntary schemes with their landlords under which they can share costs.

Nuffield Industrial Estate, Poole BH17332.1 sq m (3,575 sq ft)

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property & home improvements

Malcolm Pitcher and Allan Tofield with the newest addition to the Richmond fleet.

Top safety accreditations awardedRichmond Home Improvement Co has been awarded three accreditations from leading SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) quality standards organisations.

Working closely with Malcolm Pitcher of MSP Business Services, Richmond has received accreditation from Safecontractor, Constructionline and CHAS for its commitment to achieving excellence in health and safety.

Allan Tofield of Richmond Home Improvement Co said, ‘Our applications for these endorsements were driven by the need for a uniform standard across the business. They will enhance the company’s ability to attract new contracts and its commitment to safety will be viewed positively by clients, our staff and our insurers.’

Richmond has been run by Allan Tofield since January 1999 and is now a well established and respected company, taking the safety of both staff and clients very seriously with comprehensive Health & Safety and Environmental policies in place. The company is also licensed by the Environment Agency therefore ensuring all waste is disposed of responsibly.

Call Richmond Home Improvement Co on freephone 0800 614102.

l www.doubleglazingdorset.co.uk

£450,000 Sembal House revampSouthampton City Council has awarded Mountjoy a short-term contract to give Sembal House, a resource centre for adults with physical disabilities, a £450,000 facelift. Mountjoy’s refurbishment programme at Sembal House, located on Handel Terrace, Southampton, will include internal alterations and redecoration, door and window replacements, rewiring and other electrical works as well as external decoration. The project is due for completion at the end of June 2013.

Seat Toledo by Tim SaundersWe live in extremely straitened times where most countries including the UK continue to

accumulate debt. The prospect of a career for life has become virtually non-existent. UK house prices have risen to such an extent that first time buyers are now nearly 40 years old. In fact when my father was my age he borrowed three times his salary to purchase our family home - a beautiful four bed detached property in need of updating with two acres of land in a picturesque part of Dorset. That would barely get me a one bed house in a rundown part of the next county now. Why has life become such a struggle? Most of us feel that there’s less money with which we have to do more.

Consequently, the hard up motorist craves a good deal and Seat, realises this. It has responded with its Toledo, the family hatchback priced from under £13,000 to just below £18,000. And its diesel model also happens to be super economical. Thank goodness – perhaps life is not so bad after all.

road test

Seat Toledo (2013 onwards)New price range: £12,495 - £17,840Economy: 64mpg 0-60mph: 10.1secsTop speed: 118mph Power: 103bhp

wheels

BUS STATIONS TO BE SOLDBus operator Wilts & Dorset has confirmed that Lymington bus station is to be sold. The company’s Operations Director Ed Wills says that as bus services have been forced to be reduced in recent years due to government and local authority subsidy cuts, combined with the increase in fuel duty, a dedicated bus station is no longer viable. The station will close the moment a purchaser is confirmed. Staff have been informed and consulted.

Last November Wilts & Dorset announced that the Salisbury and Amesbury bus stations were also to be sold.

forgotten when realising that this little gem returns over 50mpg at 70mph. Engine stop/start helps this model easily cover 700 miles on a tank of fuel. It’s pretty gutsy, too, hitting 60mph from standstill in just over 10 seconds. The five-speed box is as reasonable as you might expect; I don’t have a bad word to say about it.

Families need a massive boot and they won’t be disappointed with the 550 litres of luggage space as you can see in the video at testdrives.biz. If more room is required the rear seats fold down and the centre rear armrest conceals a hole for long, awkward objects such as skis or piping. Luxuries include electric front windows, electrically adjustable wing mirrors and air conditioning.

‘Seat will be hoping that the Toledo can help dent the sales figures of popular established hatchbacks like the Ford Focus while pinning back newer entries in to this market such as the Volvo V40,’ writes Parkers, the car experts. While it may have the appearance of a saloon, this latest version of the Toledo comes with a large, wide-opening rear hatch.’

The Toledo, just like the Skoda Rapid, makes an ideal family proposition.

Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz

Sustainable transportSiemens Industry UK has appointed Jeremy Wilkinson to the position of Business Manager for Hybrid Drives for Commercial Vehicles in the UK and Ireland.

Jeremy has 21 years experience in the variable speed drives industry, working for a number of leading manufacturers. He has specialised in advising on energy efficiency, harmonics and EMC best practice.

Jeremy WilkinsonRestoring former gloryThe 4-star Hallmark Hotel & Spa in Bournemouth is receiving a face lift. This busy hotel was due for a face lift in 2014, however, owners Hallmark Hotels Ltd felt that they could re-invest earlier than planned.

With stunning décor throughout and a well equipped health club and spa, it’s a great choice for business and leisure guests alike.

Consumers buying less fuel In the last 10 years, average fuel prices have almost doubled, rising from 73.68 p/l to 136.26 p/l for unleaded petrol, and 75.57 p/l to 142.39 p/l for diesel. The latest Retail Marketing Survey, conducted by the Energy Institute, shows there are more registered UK vehicles on the road than ever before, yet total fuel sales have dropped by 6% since 2002.

A cutback in fuel sales suggests improvements in engine performance and fuel economy, combined with changes in driver behaviour. This is supported by diesel sales out-performing petrol for the second year running.

Named after the historic Spanish city, this is an extremely sensible car for our times. With its clean lines it’s one to be proud of; the 1.6TDI SE test model significantly helped by its rich burgundy finish.

Sharing the same chassis as the Skoda Rapid, which I tested only a few weeks ago both models clearly share a good deal. This comes as no surprise as Spain based Seat is owned by Volkswagen, which also owns Skoda. The rear wash/wipe on both models has been borrowed from the Audi A1. The washer is built into the wiper and effectively projects a jet of spray across the window unlike any other wiper I have come across. Buyers pay a premium for such innovative features on the Audi, too. Inside, the dashboard is very similar to the Rapid with the same layout and controls. Then there’s the good build quality and the hardwearing interior trim. Its seats could do with being more supportive, especially over longer journeys. Generally it has a competent if bland ride. There’s a folding armrest in the centre of the cabin, which is useful for long motorway jaunts when gear changes aren’t required. At speed the Toledo does buffet a bit in the wind but this is quickly


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The Wallisdown Road dealership operates a bespoke programme for businesses no matter what their size, with terms tailored to suit the individual requirements of each company. Even small organisations (which don’t always qualify for other manufacturers’ concessions because

of their limited fleet size) will find their bottom line requirements met. Monthly contract hire rates start from just £119, allowing business users to affordably lease a brand new Toyota.

‘Many of our vehicles bring real financial benefits

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BUSINESS1 Business deal means the cost of the handset on the specified business tariff. Offer subject to receiving proof of a valid quotation for a new handset offer linked to a legitimate business tariff. Quotation must be in writing and generated in the last 30 days. Identical phone and tariff combination only, through the same purchase channel (ie in person, online, over the phone). new and upgrading Business Pay Monthly customers only. Quotation must not include any staff or loyalty discount. The offer does not include cashback, special gift offers. We reserve the right to verify the offer prior to honouring a lower price. Excludes retail, Wholesale or Discount Clubs requiring membership, Inetrnet or mail order companies, and other offers made by Carphone Warehouse trading entities.

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WESTOVER TOYOTA … DORSET’S ONLY OFFICIAL TOYOTA CENTREWestover Toyota – Dorset’s only official, award-winning Toyota centre – has recently recruited Andrew Temple-Edwards to assist with the showroom’s increasing number of corporate sales, generated thanks to a fuel efficient product range that continues to appeal to local business owners. Andrew’s new role sees him based in the dealership and entirely focused on business and commercial clients, delivering a first class service to anyone keen to find out more about vehicles suitable for their business needs.

to company car drivers - not only because of the contract hire offers we currently have but also because of the fuel and tax savings the vehicles can bring,’ says Andrew. ‘Companies reviewing their fleet have a real opportunity to make their mileage as clean, green and efficient as possible with Toyota. We’re good news for the bottom line too - the Prius, for example, can now deliver an impressive 74.3 miles per gallon and it’s 100% deductible against taxable profits in year one.’

Newer to the Toyota fleet are the Auris and Yaris hybrid models, both excellent choices for companies needing smaller vehicles for local journeys. The iQ - available in a choice of petrol engines – brings a big attitude despite its easily manoeuvrable size. Factor in low emissions and it’s a practical commercial choice for urban businesses. Any company seeking a vehicle capable of tackling tougher

terrain can opt for a RAV4 or the indestructible Hilux.

Westover Toyota operates a support and maintenance package, designed to keep businesses on the road 24/7. The dealership on Wallisdown Road is one of the UK’s largest Toyota franchises and has the infrastructure and capacity to offer a fast and flexible turn-around on all after-sales requirements – from out-of-hours servicing to complex body work. There’s also the option to have company cars liveried with logos and slogans if required.

Contact Andrew on 01202 974047 or visit the showroom on Wallisdown Road, Bournemouth

l www.westovergroup.co.uk

Toyota Prius

Toyota Hilux

*Contract Hire offer available to business users only on model shown when ordered, registered and financed through Toyota Financial Services, KT18 5UZ on a 3 year non-maintained Toyota Contract Hire agreement between 1 April 2013 and 30 June 2013 at participating Centres. Based on 10,000 miles per annum, excess mileage charges apply. Other finance offers are available but cannot be used in conjunction with this offer. Terms and conditions apply. Indemnities may be required. Finance subject to status to over 18s only. Subject to availability. E&OE.

Westover Toyota SalisburyBrunel Road, Churchfields, Salisbury Tel: 01722 441157 e-mail: gary.tranter@westover-salisbury.toyota.co.ukwestover.toyota.co.uk

Westover Toyota Bournemouth516 Wallisdown Road, Bournemouth Tel: 01202 974949e-mail: [email protected] westover.toyota.co.uk

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Aygo Fire 1.0 5DrInitial rental (+vat) £714 35 monthly rentals (+vat) £119(BUSINESS USERS ONLY)

Yaris Hybrid T4Initial rental (+vat) £1,104 35 monthly rentals (+vat) £184(BUSINESS USERS ONLY)

NG Auris Icon HybridInitial rental (+vat) £1,284 35 monthly rentals (+vat) £214(BUSINESS USERS ONLY)

Prius T3Initial rental (+vat) £1,470 35 monthly rentals (+vat) £245(BUSINESS USERS ONLY)

Avensis T2 2.0 D-4D 4DRInitial rental (+vat) £1,302 35 monthly rentals (+vat) £217(BUSINESS USERS ONLY)

Avensis T2 Tourer 2.0 D-4D 5DRInitial rental (+vat) £1,344 35 monthly rentals (+vat) £224(BUSINESS USERS ONLY)

RAV4 XT-R 2.2 D4-D 150 AWDInitial rental (+vat) £1,662 35 monthly rentals (+vat) £277(BUSINESS USERS ONLY)

Hilux Invincible 3.0 D-4D D/Cab ManualInitial rental (+vat) £1,554 35 monthly rentals (+vat) £259(BUSINESS USERS ONLY)

Yaris TR 1.33 5DrInitial rental (+vat) £1,014 35 monthly rentals (+vat) £169(BUSINESS USERS ONLY)

WO10290 Contract Hire 297x210Clr_DB.indd 1 29/04/2013 11:35

Visit www.bizmag.co.uk May/June 201338

Do you want all the benefits of Infrastructure as a Service but wouldprefer to own or lease your own dedicated hardware?

Blue Chip are offering businesses the opportunity to physically movetheir in-house IT infrastructure into Blue Chip’s datacentre, where youcan benefit from all the advantages of the Cloud whilst owning your ownequipment. Benefits include extensive network connectivity and 100% guaranteed infrastructure uptime - whilst substantially reducing your business operating costs. Our highly secure datacentre also increases your infrastructure protection with features including Fire Suppression systems, CCTV and biometrics.

For further information on Blue Chip’s co-location offering, please contact [email protected] or call 0845 034 7222.

0845 034 7222www.bluechip.uk.com

High Performance. Business Continuity.The Power of the Cloud.

The BusinessIndependent_datacentre_juggler.indd 1 09/04/2013 17:04

thebusiness · 2016-03-09 · earlier last year the dorset local enterprise partnership announced...

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