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Issue OnePlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
Issue two • Spring 2014
EXPOS EXPLAINEDShow off your businessPages 7 and 15
INTERNATIONAL EDGECustomise your websitePage 19
LOCAL IS BEST Even for buying insurance! Page 5
“Redundancy was my springboard” Sue Larrett Thomas pages 12 and 13
Welcometo the region’s newest and best
businessmagazine
Increasing VelocityNew funds for firmsRead our report on page 5
Take controlRun your company or it will run youTurn to page 9
mAIN FeATURe
It’s our busIness to InspIre your busIness
3
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
4 Richard Cooper column
6 Mediation is better than litigation
7 Time to enter awards
10 Dunstable’s looking up
11 It’s not all about the internet
12 Sue’s inspiring story
16 It’s all in the image
21 Luton’s time to shine
welcome
In this issue4
12
Green shoots in need of nurturinG and Inspire business MaGazine is here to helP
What a fantastic time to be in business. in 2013 more than half a million new companies were formed, and that trend is continuing apace.
it’s a social revolution of gigantic proportions. some people are thrown into working for themselves through redundancy or family circumstances. others decide to take the plunge and go it alone. they can do it better than their old companies.
Many will fail, dust themselves down and, as the song goes, start all over again. they will be better for the experience.
but help does exist to support and inspire people in their businesses, to lessen the chance of failure and heighten the chances of success.
World famous scientist albert einstein is quoted as saying “everybody is a genius. but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Some people know about marketing, others finance, printing, commercial law. To be successful in business you need to know specialists who can advise. Who knows about the Growth accelerator programme, for example? free money to help companies grow. or local authority procurement. or the plethora of networking groups. Or the benefits of being a member of the Federation of Small businesses.
It’s Inspire Business Magazine’s stated intention to “inspire your business”. We see ourselves as networking on paper, bringing together the best advice and inspiration from our brilliant expert advertisers and expert columnists.
inspire business Magazine is new itself. We are learning, too and want to know how you have overcome issues and gone on to succeed.
here’s to an inspiring and successful future.David Tooley, editor.
folloW us on tWitter@INSPIReBIzmAG
Publisher:Community Communications, 12 Alexandra Avenue, Luton Beds, LU3 1HG
Editor:David [email protected]
Advertising: Mostaque [email protected]
Design:Heather [email protected]
Cover Photograph:Jane Russell Photography www.jarphoto.co.uk
Printed by:Bartham Groupwww.barthamgroup.com
DisclaimerAny views expressed in Inspire Business Magazine are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the publisher.No part of the magazine should be copied or distributed without the prior consent of the publisher and remains the property of the publisher.
Page kindly sponsored by Telephone: 01582 608601
we arelistening
We want to hear from you: perhaps your expertise would be of help to others, or our advertising opportunities are perfect for you or you simply
want to give us some feedback.
We’re listening.
welcome
4
Spring 2014 Editorial and advertising enquiries: [email protected] | 07931 973967
Break down thebarriers withGrowthAccelerator
advice
a little-known but valuable service is available to help ambitious businesses step up to the next stage and go for growth.
GrowthAccelerator is aimed at successful
companies that have passed the start-up
stage and are now thriving and raring to go
to the next level.
Leading private sector business growth
experts, Grant Thornton, Pera, Oxford
Innovation and Winning Pitch, backed by
Government, have teamed up in the unique
GrowthAccelerator service to help firms find
new connections, new routes to investment
and the new ideas and strategy for your
business to achieve its full potential.
Richard, a registered and approved Growth
Coach for the GrowthAccelerator, said:
“Whatever your business size or status you
need to have a comprehensive strategic plan
that identifies the key steps that you need to
take to achieve your business and personal
goals.
realistic“It is important that you understand the
key characteristics of your business, the
market opportunities and threats. Creating
a business, strategic or tactical plan does
not have to be a difficult process. It needs
to be realistic and achievable but more
importantly... you need to believe in it!”
GrowthAccelerator is set up to help firms
get to the heart of the barriers holding them
back and work alongside them to identify
the critical steps needed to achieve the next
phase of growth – rapidly and sustainably.
As part of the GrowthAccelerator high-
growth community, business leaders meet
and network with other liked-minded people
and growth experts who have already
experienced the successes achieved and
challenges faced.
So what are the necessary qualities for
businesses to enter the programme?
They’ve got to be experiencing or aiming
for high growth and they must have the
potential and determination to get to the
next phase.
A bespoke package of help is drawn up
to focus on specific needs with exclusive
access of up to £2,000 match funding for
senior managers to hone their leadership and
management skills. In return, business owners
will need to give time; it’s not a half-hearted
process.
empowerRichard warns businesses looking to engage
the service not to expect an easy ride. He
said: “Your coach will act as an advocate and
catalyst for business growth and improved
performance.
“He will clarify and challenge the status
quo, empower your business to reinvent
its future and open up new pathways and
possibilities.
“That is not necessarily an easy process but
the rewards will be significant.”
CommunityWhen the coaching ends firms remain
part of the GrowthAccelerator community,
with the connections to network and
share experiences with other high growth
businesses.
To be eligible for GrowthAccelerator, a
business must be registered in the UK and
based in England, have fewer than 250
employees and have a turnover of less than
£40m. The cost depends on the size of the
business.
To find out more call Richard Cooper of
ASA Business Consulting on 01582 665651
or [email protected] or visit www.
growthaccelerator.com call the helpline 0844
463 2995 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or email
your business is ready for the next stage of growth but something is holding you back. Richard Cooper, of AsA business Consultancy knows a service that can help
5
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
Velocity aims to get business support up to speed
success
a new growth hub in the south east midlands will act as a single point of contact and support for 141,000 companies from March.
The online portal called Velocity Growth
Hub, is made possible by a £1million grant
from the Government’s Regional Growth
Fund. Velocity Growth Hub is being set up to
enable businesses to maximise their growth
potential. The growth hub, also funded
by South East Midlands Local Enterprise
Partnership’s (SEMLEP) Growing Places Fund,
will attract more than £2million of private
sector investment and aim to engage with
around 15,000 businesses by June 2015.
SEMLEP will also seek to support the
creation and safeguarding of a minimum
of 300 jobs among small to medium sized
enterprises in the South East Midlands
during this period. SEMLEP’s patch includes
Bedfordshire and Luton, Buckinghamshire
and Northampstonshire.
successful programmesSEMLEP Chief Executive Daniel Mouawad
said: “Our Velocity Growth Hub will manage,
roll-out and deliver successful programmes
that create new jobs and catalyse business
growth across the South East Midlands. It
will support entrepreneurship and growth
with targeted support and will be open to all
businesses across our geography.
“In addition we will have tailored and
subsidised one to one support for businesses
in our target sector areas which are
Advanced Manufacturing, High Performance
Technology, Logistics, Creative and Design,
Financial and Business services and
Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare.”
Velocity Growth Hub will consist of four key
elements:• An information portal on the web• Six Growth Hub Business Advisors• Revenue Grants for business support of up
to £3,000• A programme of business workshops and
events
Velocity Growth Hub has been created
in line with SEMLEP’s Business Plan and its
role to ‘create the right environment for
businesses and social enterprises to grow’.
Today’s businesses are faced with a massive choice of how to buy insurance. Many of these will involve either using a
computer or dealing with a call centre in some far-flung place but there is another option: shop locally. Businesses that buy insurance locally enjoy advantages over using a distant supplier.
put a face to a name The first advantage is obvious
- you can see the person with whom you are dealing. Pop into the offices, or have them visit you and talk through the insurance you need, instead of trying to pigeon-hole yourself into an online questionnaire or talk long distance on a crackling phone line. if you need to claim there is someone who can talk you through what you need to do, handle the claim for you and fight your corner with the insurer
and when it comes to renewal instead of stating your search from scratch, your local insurance broker will know you can look out for good deals for you in the run-up to your policy renewal date.
Inside knowledge Your local insurance broker will
know the issues which can make an area more or less attractive to an insurer and will know which insurers are keenest to accept business that may be rejected elsewhere. If you use an online site you may find that your location or circumstances mean that you are not accepted for insurance which in itself can make it harder to find cover elsewhere a broker will know the market and can shop around on your behalf.
Act Local! To find out more about how
your local insurance broker can help you call A-Plan insurance on (01582) 733757 and benefit from local insurance advice that could save you money and protect your business.
Inspire business magazine takes a look at a new support scheme for small and medium sized enterprises
Nice to do business with you! think local when it comes to arranging insurance
says Martin blower of a-Plan insurance.
6
Spring 2014 Editorial and advertising enquiries: [email protected] | 07931 973967
How to achieve aresolution without the costs and risks of a trial
the resolution of commercial disputes rarely occurs in the court room, with approximately 5 per cent of claims issued in the County Court or high Court actually ending in a trial, writes Pictons’ solicitior oliver richbell.
This means that the people involved in
commercial litigation disputes are choosing
mediation as the most cost effective way of
resolving them.
Communication
Mediation offers the warring parties a
process specifically designed to encourage
communication between them in order to
agree to a formal settlement.
It is widely recognised that 8 out of 10
disputes referred to mediation either agree
settlement terms on the day or shortly
afterwards. That’s an impressive 80% success
rate.
The Civil Procedure Rules encourage the
parties to consider resolving their disputes
before going to court because it’s such a cost
effective and time efficient resolution.
It is generally accepted that mediation
should occur as soon as possible.
Pictons conducted a number of mediations
in 2013, including several relating to
construction and breach of contract disputes.
The advantage of hiring an experienced
mediation practitioner in a dispute is that
there is more likelihood of a successful
outcome at mediation.
Instructed
Pictons were instructed by a client who had
commissioned the design and fitting of a
bathroom and had paid a significant deposit,
in accordance with the company’s terms and
conditions.
When the bathroom fitting design and
work was not able to commence at the
agreed date the client asked for the return of
his deposit.
The bathroom company denied repayment
of the deposit and referred to their terms and
conditions stating that deposits were non-
refundable.
The client had never been provided with a
copy of these terms and conditions.
Dispute
A complex dispute began over a contract
deposit versus part payment.
The litigation became highly contentious,
involving several legal aspects and looked
likely that a court would be required to
determine the contractual position of the
parties.
The claim value was under £10,000 and
as such both parties were potentially facing
legal fees that could vastly outweigh the
value of the matter.
The defendants were seeking to
counterclaim against our client for breach of
contract and the balance of the quotation
price minus the non-refundable deposit.
To solve the dispute Pictons invited the
defendant and his legal team to refer the
dispute to a mediation practitioner and this
was agreed.
Pictons undertook and prepared a
Mediation Position Statement and agreed
with the defendant’s solicitors that theirs
would be simultaneous exchanged prior to
the mediation.
The mediation enabled the client to achieve
a resolution of their dispute without incurring
further and potentially disproportionate legal
expenditure.
Knowledge
Pictons, through its knowledge and
understanding of the mediation process, was
able to achieve a several thousand pound
payment to the claimant in full and final
settlement of the action.
The mediation concluded with the parties
exchanging handshakes and apologising that
it had been necessary for the commencement
of litigation and that they looked forward to
potentially entering into a future relationship.
Pictons understands the nuances and
processes, enabling us to advise clients
on how and when to get the best out of
mediation and how to achieve a final dispute
resolution without a prolonged legal process
and a costly trial.
Pictons’ solicitor Oliver Richbell tells inspire business magazine that mediation is being chosen instead of litigation in commercial disputes
legal
7
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
The rewardsof an award
beds eXpoawards
entering awards could be the cheapest way to market your business this year, says the fsb in hertfordshire and bedfordshire.
The FSB Hertfordshire Business Awards were launched at The
George, in Harpenden, on February 5 and Bedfordshire’s got
underway at Basepoint in Luton on February 12.
Awards organiser Damian Cummins, who runs Events & PR in
Stony Stratford, said: “Our awards remain free to enter and are
easier to enter than ever.
“We’ve streamlined the whole entry process this year, adding
helpful hints to our entry forms to help busy entrepreneurs make
the best entries possible.
“For small businesses looking to market their goods and services to
a county audience, it could be the most effective marketing exercise
this year. Awards are also a fantastic networking opportunity.”
Damian, who is also vice chairman of Bedfordshire branch of the
FSB, urged all businesses to consider awards as central to their
marketing.
Enter the Hertfordshire awards at www.fsb.org.uk/hertsawards
and the Bedfordshire Awards at www.fsb.org.uk/bedsawards
business owners from the bedfordshire and Milton Keynes area can put their companies in top gear for growth in 2014 at the beds sMe expo.
Bedford International Athletics Stadium, in Barkers Lane, Bedford,
will be taken over by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on
Thursday, March 13, 2014.
Business leaders will be
able to meet for face-to-
face networking as well as
have guaranteed footfall
around their stalls.
Beds SME Expo is
organised in association
with the Federation of
Small Businesses (FSB) and
is sponsored by the Beds Times & Citizen, Bedford Borough Council
and Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce.
Doors will open to visitors from 9.30 am to 1pm and this year’s
event is set to top the 2013 Beds SME Expo, when 60 businesses
from Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes and beyond took exhibition
stands.
There’s lots going on for free, including entry for visitors, tea and
coffee, speed networking and ample free parking. There will also be a
networking breakfast and a networking lunch.
For more information visit www.bedssmeexpo.co.uk
8
Spring 2014 Editorial and advertising enquiries: [email protected] | 07931 973967
Business good sports get socialin Milton Keynes a business lunch club merges networking with sport, Inspire takes a look
business awards
every few months roger and sally fennemore take over Jurys inn, in Central Milton Keynes and fill it with hundreds of business leaders from companies large and small with the intention of raising as much as possible for sportsaid, a charity that helps put young people on the path to olympic glory.
Milton Keynes Sporting Lunch Club is a
great example of businesses giving back to
the community – in this case to help talented
young people make it to the top in their
chosen fields. But there are other examples,
like Business In The Community in Luton and
Milton Keynes, and Connect Dacorum, in the
Hemel Hempstead area, that put businesses
in touch with local good causes.
One of the recent Sporting Lunch Club
events saw the Jurys Inn filled with a
glittering array of sports stars, including
Olympic long jump champion Greg
Rutherford and Olympic
silver and world gold
badminton medallist
Gail Emms. Golden
Greg handed over a
SportsAid cheque to
Izzy Ferrada, winner of
the 2013 British BMX
Championships.
She also won the
Greg Rutherford Milton
Keynes SportsAid Athlete
of the Year Award,
sponsored by Milton
Keynes College.
Down the M1 in Hemel
Hempstead, Connect
Dacorum promotes
the active involvement
of local businesses to
improve their Corporate Social Responsibility
activities within the local community.
Businesses also get a lot back, in the form of
positive publicity and exposure at events.
Many times however, companies make
direct contact with good causes and engage
their staff in choosing their charity of the
year.
More than 90 staff at Mercedes-Benz of
Milton Keynes voted unanimously to continue
supporting Willen Hospice in 2014 for the
ninth consecutive year. The company also
generated positive publicity in the local
papers by providing a Mercedes-Benz A-Class
car for essential Hospice work. Staff are
also planning greater involvement through
personal volunteering.
For more information:
MK Sporting Lunch Club
www.mksportinglunchclub.co.uk
Connect Dacorum
www.connectdacorum.org.uk and
Business In The Community
www.bitc.org.uk
9
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
Unless you run your business, it will run you!Planning and communication are key elements to success, says Charles Little of Keens shay Keens in bedford in the course of my work as a Chartered accountant,
i have worked with hundreds of directors.I have assessed the workings of their
companies and how they drive them. In this time I have witnessed both excellent and very poor performers.
The very best example of director performance was an aluminium processing company in Bletchley. Here the Managing Director was totally focused on forward planning. With a 31st December year end he would always hold a two- day conference for the six members of his senior management
team (SMT) on the 1st and 2nd of December, where he would lay out the most comprehensive plans for the forthcoming year.
He would go through it in fine detail such that everyone knew exactly their individual role in achieving the required outcome. I always likened the event to a military campaign where he was the General summarising his heads of staff to engage the regiment in its activities for the next year!
The company was financially successful and within 5 years of his appointment as Managing Director turnover grew from £1.5m to £3.75m! It was not a surprise to me when a major public company purchased the company in 1990 and then within 2 years he became the CEO of the acquiring company.
So what were the main elements of his business strategy?1. He set down a detailed plan.2. Each member of the “SMT” knew their own roles.3. It was a team effort.4. There was a financial reward for achievement.5. Most importantly he provided strong and respected leadership.
rewardFor those who say, well look at his resources and the size of the business,
no wonder he succeeded, I would say sure, but nevertheless look how you run your business? Is there a plan? Are you looking to how you can improve your business? Do you delegate enough? Do you reward financial success? You can always improve your business performance and the minute you think you cannot then you are in trouble!
So what is the other side of the coin? Rather than quoting horror stories I am going to set out my main criticisms of proprietors:
1. Owners who do not provide leadership and do not react quickly enough to events.
2. Owners scared of charging the correct level for their goods and services.
3. Owners who meddle in day to day operations and do not let staff get on with what they are supposed to do.
4. Businesses being under capitalised with far too much emphasis on borrowed monies.
5. Owners spending too much time on troublesome customers who very often are their worst payers whilst not properly looking after their most profitable customers. This is a very common problem!
So what happens to those in charge of businesses with these weaknesses? If you are not very careful it is a downward spiral which once started is very hard to reverse. You start to lose control, morale starts to ebb away, customer dissatisfaction starts to creep in and financial pressures soon emerge as the business starts to run out of money. In most cases the business pressures then spill over to family life with sometimes very sad consequences.
Fully focusedThe truth is that you have to run your business, you have to be in
charge of what happens, and you have to spend time looking ahead and planning. For sure in today’s financial climate it is a tough call but you have to be fully focused and not get distracted by anything else that takes away your valuable time. Be assured that if you don’t run your business, it will certainly run you.
Keens Shay Keens has offices in Bedford, Luton, Biggleswade, and Letchworth. Visit www.ksk.co.uk
business management
10
Spring 2014 Editorial and advertising enquiries: [email protected] | 07931 973967
There’s something about Mary...
some locals refer to it as dead-stable or dump-stable. Ye Gods, even self-styled retail guru Mary Portas, on national tV, said a map marked with x’s showing closed town centre shops resembled a cemetery.
It was a PR disaster. If Mary Portas thinks Dunstable is a basket-case economy, there can’t be much hope, can there? Well actually plenty of people would beg to differ with Mary and they’ve been shouting about it, trying to get their voices heard, ever since Mary dissed Dunstable in 2009.
As a journalist I started my career with the local paper, the Dunstable Gazette, and now I still feel an affinity with the place and its traders.
The town has been through tough times, with major industries closing, shedding thousands of jobs. There’s also a busy road, the A5, clogging it up. But there are flickering signs that life is stirring once again in a place steeped in history, including a close association with royal head chopper-in-chief, Henry VIII.
David Ashlee, town clerk and chief executive of Dunstable Town Council, is one of the modern day defenders of the faith. He was the guest speaker at a meeting of the relatively new Dunstable and Houghton Regis Business Group. It’s organised by Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce. I popped along for the networking opportunity as well as old times’ sake!
David told the meeting that the town’s 18 per cent retail vacancy rate is skewed by an array of empty units in the Quadrant Shopping Centre. It’s a 1960s-built centre with no roof. But within the centre there’s a Costa Coffee that always seems
to be full, a Next that’s reportedly one of the best performers per square foot and a relatively big branch of Boots. Trading in Dunstable can work, if the offer is right, is the message.
Doing something with the Quadrant is one of the keys to the regeneration of Dunstable but even if that doesn’t happen immediately, there are other big strategic things happening.
The government has confirmed to local MP Andrew Selous that the long-awaited A5-M1 link road work will start soon. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander confirmed it in public in the House of Commons. The link should take traffic away from town and provide fast direct access from Leighton Buzzard and Linslade to the national motorway network at a new junction 11a of the M1 north of Dunstable.
That’ll mean more roadworks on that section of the motorway but local MP Mr Selous believes it will be good in the long run. Mr Selous said: “That is excellent news for the whole area and will give businesses and local people even more confidence that South West Bedfordshire is a good place to live, work and grow a successful business.”
I have my doubts about how effective it will be but the link road is a crucial part of the redevelopment jigsaw. On on a strategic level, along with a new link road from the Woodside Industrial Estate to the M1, the plan is to de-trunk the A5 to get the big trucks out of town. With less traffic, the town centre should become much more pleasant. That’s the theory, anyway.
Then there is the controversial Luton Dunstable Busway, built at the cost of a whopping £91million. People like Nigel Young, a battle-hardened local councillor who hails from the north of England, believe by providing a link for
employees in the area, including new housing allowed to the north of Houghton Regis, to Luton Airport and beyond, makes the town more attractive to inward investment.
For Mr Ashlee the “jury is out” on the busway even though he believes it will prove to be successful in the longer run. But he added that hundreds of millions of government and private sector investment, it makes for a positive future for the town.
Among the investments are Prologis UK developing a new distribution centre, with the creation of an estimated 550 new jobs, a multi-million pound investment in Central Bedfordshire College and a new business centre, called Incuba, to the north of the town.
Dunstable Town Council is also putting £500,000 a year into supporting business-friendly initiatives.
It has taken over the running of town centre toilets, gives money to Central Bedfordshire Council to get free parking days and gives business rates reductions.
The council spends £100,000 on big events and £25,000 on its Christmas lights when it really doesn’t have to by law. It also supported the PopUp Dunstable initiative, designed to give small businesses the chance to get a foothold on the high street. There are also longer term plans to relocate the outdoor market which is currently tucked away between a big Methodist church and a Wilkinson and regenerate a shopping centre called Eleanor’s Cross.
So there’s plenty going on and perhaps its time for sourpuss Mary Portas to pay a return visit, eat her words and realise that the crosses on the map aren’t signs of a cemetery but indicators of where the treasure has been buried.
in your town
Many people associate Dunstable with decline but things are rapidly changing. David tooley investigates
11
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
Social media is not the be all and end all of marketing
some people believe the internet is the only game in town when it comes to absolutely anything and everything.
They happily hand over their credit card and bank details to people they have never met for vital business services. They believe everyone is always online and will see your posts on social media. Some experts believe this is because the internet lives in your home. You don’t live with sales people all the time but that is what the internet is when it comes to quality print services.
At Bartham Group we believe there is quite simply no substitute for quality design and high production values. A great brochure, leaflet or poster is vital to your image.
And unlike posts on social media sites, a great quality leaflet or brochure is always around.
You shouldn’t shirk from top quality print and production values as a part of your marketing mix. Top quality is in our DNA.
Internet printing services are often advertised as being really cheap but that is not always true. We are confident our print prices and turnaround time cannot be beaten.
Crucially we’re proud that our customer service is second to none.
If you’re not sure when print may be better than something posted online, we’re happy to advise.
If you’re new to print services, don’t know how many leaflets, brochures or business cards to order, let us help. We will also help with queries on leaflet distribution or the most effective places to display posters.
Our highly satisfied print customers include Luton Town FC and Wembley Stadium. Also takeaways, theatres, charities, major corporations and everything in between.
We’re proud of what we do and are always happy to advise and help.
Contact Bartham Group by emailing [email protected] , phoning 01582 573471 or visit www.barthamgroup.com
marketing
We’ll help you leave a rather more lasting impression
Sometimes it’s not about the right here, right now. Sometimes it’s about creating something that will stay in the mind and make a lasting impact.
When that’s what you need, we’re the people to talk to. Always reliable, ever professional with the passion and expertise to deliver a more enduring product.
Call us today to find out more.
simon Kemp of bartham Group tells inspire business m agazine why top quality print is vital to your company’s marketing
12
Spring 2014 Editorial and advertising enquiries: [email protected] | 07931 973967
redundancy ended up being a stepping stone to a better lifestyle for former journalist sue larrett thomas.
But at the time it didn’t feel like that – in fact it felt as if her world was turned upside down. A reliable income was taken away and Sue had to rebuild her life.
No matter that your employer says it’s just a ‘numbers’ game, it feels like a very personal rejection says Sue.
She should know, it happened three times during her career as a journalist.
Confidence“If there’s even a whiff of it in the air where
you work, start planning an alternative, she advises. “Redundancy knocks your confidence and having a new plan for the next stage of your life is the start of building yourself up again.”
Sue, 55, is now her own boss, setting up a new venture, Threads from The Shed, making children’s clothes in a shed at the bottom of her garden in Newport Pagnell, near Milton Keynes.
“I’d had enough of someone else being in charge of my life. The first time I was made redundant, I was in my 30s, you bounce back. The second time was a huge blow, coming as it did just after a divorce.
“Both produce feelings of grief, anger, resentment - and a sense of freedom. But you can’t give in to life’s hard knocks. Put a smile on your face and get back out there!
being made redundant for the third time was a big blow for sue Larrett thomas but she dusted her self down and got going with a new business
feature
Picking up the threads
Photograph byJane Russell Photography www.jarphoto.co.uk
13
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
“My third redundancy was when I was editor of a lifestyle magazine. I was in my 50s by this time and the joys of the menopause had also hit me with all its angst, pains and personal sauna trauma.
“But I am a firm believer in positivity. I took a gap year – that’s 12 months of more holiday than work! I got married again to a wonderful man and when my step-granddaughter was born – it inspired me to start sewing.
“I rediscovered how satisfying a craft could be. Threads from The Shed was born. Designing, making, PR and marketing, networking – and making tea – I do everything - with support from loving family and friends.
“I know that sound advice is to never turn a hobby into a business, but timing is everything and the current trend for all things handmade and vintage is proving to be perfect.”
Sue recently had a stall at the quarterly MK Handmade and Vintage Craft Fair at the Milton Keynes Shopping Centre, organised by vintage
furniture businesswoman Jacqui Lewis. There were 120 stalls – and many more crafters on the waiting list, wanting access to the city’s shoppers.
networking“The importance of networking with like-minded people, not just on social media, but face to face is
essential for your sanity, ” said Sue.“I’m not aiming to be a millionaire, I just want a happy life. I have it. I love working in my shed watching
my vegetables grow.”[email protected]/ThreadsFromTheShedwww.threadsfromtheshed.com
Mobile phones are increasingly important for business.
They aren’t just text and voice communication machines, they are powerful handheld computers.Mobile phones now are a huge database of information about us, our businesses, our customers
and our contacts.But how many of us pay as much attention to security on our phones as we do to our PCs,
laptops and tablets?
DefenceFree antivirus apps like Avast! can provide a first line of defence against mobile data breaches.
Phones and tablets with internet connection are just as vulnerable to hacking attacks as desktops.Phones can also be made more secure by setting a password to unlock the screen. And there are
also tracking apps for mobiles which can locate them if they are lost or stolen. Better safe than sorry!
feature
Picking up the threads
Photograph byJane Russell Photography www.jarphoto.co.uk
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Spring 2014 Editorial and advertising enquiries: [email protected] | 07931 973967
Businesses find avoice in the north of Luton
Companies in north luton have agreed to come together once a month to network in a different kind of way following the launch of a new business forum.
A diverse group of businesses gathered
at the Marsh Farm Futures building in the
middle of the sprawling but, according to
government indicators, a socially deprived
estate for the second time on Wednesday,
January 29.
The building itself sits in The Moakes, a
stone’s throw from the Purley Centre, which
contains shops and businesses in a setting
which can at best be said to have gone well
past its sell-by date. At worst it is grim.
There are plans to demolish the Purley
Centre and replace it with something a lot
more modern.
It sits in stark contrast to the gleaming,
multi-million pound Marsh Farm Futures
building on the other side of the road.
Marsh Farm Futures looks a bit like the side
of one of those luxury ocean liners and has
a mixture of businesses and service providers
calling it home.
GemThere are 32 offices and three retail units, a
café and conference facilities.
It’s a gem of a place that many still don’t
know exists and the first meeting on
December 4, 2013 was intended to help
businesses to grow. Perhaps eventually they
would move in and help the area regenerate.
That’s the theory, anyway.
Companies at the meeting included a
couple who have set up a care business to
look after challenged children, a printing
company, lawyers, people who run businesses
elsewhere but who live in the area and
people who are doing it for themselves in the
patch.
I do not live in the area but with this
networking lark you’ve got to get yourself
out and about to all kinds of meetings and
offer yourself to customers.
To some this may be heresy but I don’t
believe doing business is all about marketing
online.
There has got to be an element of actually
meeting people face-to-face and finding out
what makes them tick.
As well as the usual speeches, including
from a team from Luton Borough Council
outlining the support available and the
fact there is a procurement portal on the
authority’s website, there was a brave
attempt to listen to what the people there
wanted a business group to actually do.
CollaborationPeople want to network with people in
what was called a “real way” by forming
loose associations and collaboration to make
their own businesses much stronger.
I like that kind of capitalism, it’s a caring,
sharing kind of business where people aren’t
in it just for themselves.
Obviously everyone wants to make a living,
to pay the bills, but this was deeper than that
and I like it.
Local authority procurement also raised its
head, as it usually does in business meetings.
But this forum, by discussing issues, actually
came up with what could be a solution.
If businesses can be informed of local
council contracts with enough time, perhaps
they could collaborate in putting forward
bids. What a great idea!
business-focussedThe usual business bugbears arose, like
rate relief, red tape reduction and support,
shortage of skills, business rates. Interestingly,
people also raised issues of difficulties over
planning and building control and the need
for an information checklist for start-up firms.
Business-focused training was also on the
agenda, things like the use of social media.
The organisers say the feedback from
delegates has been “very encouraging and
positive to set up the business forum”. Now
the “challenge to begin the process and
address priorities and issues” has begun.
networking
Inspire business magazine takes a look at the formation of futures business Voice in a deprived part of luton
15
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
Huge expo in Milton Keynes aims for national status
anyone who has visited a good business expo will be amazed by the buzz of constant chatter and flap of business cards being exchanged.
To compare a business expo to a church fete does them a bit of a disservice but not much. Mrs Miggins on the bric-a-brac stall can be much pushier than a solicitor at a business expo!
You can get a good idea how businesses are doing at expos. OK, so nobody who’s going to one is going to stand there saying “business is so gloomy, I feel awful” because the visitors would soon give them a wide berth. But the positivity of a good one does rub off; it’s genuinely exciting.
And these days a business exhibition is much more focused on added value, unlike the church fete.
networkingThe events give a chance for
businesses to do a bit of networking, over breakfast, lunch, or both, as well as attending seminars on motivation, sales, marketing etc. And they don’t drag on all day, either. The organisers of business events are much more focused on what their customers want.
Business Expo 3.0 on Thursday, March 6, 2014, is likely to be the biggest expo in the area this year. Last year’s event saw 100 exhibitors and 1,500 delegates visit Stadium MK, Milton Keynes. The organisers have ambitions to create the largest business show outside of London and Birmingham.
Victoria Beale, CEO of Rapid Sales Solutions LTD and founder of the Business Expo 3.0 said: “We could never have imagined the response we received to the first expo in 2013. We attracted national and international businesses to Milton Keynes including easyJet, Silverstone, Experian, but it was also a powerful platform for
local businesses such as Mirus IT, David Lock Associates and Julia Charles Management.
There will be inspiring key speakers as well as 16 workshops on topics from ‘lead generation’, ‘social media’, to ‘auto enrolment’ and ‘finance’.
AmbitiousLeader of Milton Keynes Council, Andrew
Geary is typically ambitious for what is often called the new city. He said: “We will once again be stressing the value delivered by local MK businesses on an international scale, and the strategic location that Milton Keynes provides to serve the global marketplace.
“Milton Keynes is always referred to as the place to be – and there are many, many good reasons for that.”
Among the exhibitors at Business Expo 3.0 will be the Buckinghamshire Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
Another expo will be held in Milton Keynes on Friday, April 25. Called the MK Expo it will be held at The Hilton Hotel, Timbold Drive, Kents
Hill, Milton Keynes. The FSB across the county boundary in
Bedfordshire is supporting another expo, the Beds SME Expo, at Bedford International Athletics Stadium, in Barkers Lane, Bedford, on Thursday, March 13, 2014. See page 7 for more details of that.
Beds SME Expo is organised in association with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and is sponsored by the Beds Times & Citizen, Bedford Borough Council and Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce.
These aren’t the only expos going on across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire this year. Keep an eye on these websites for more details and opportunities to promote your business – without the pressure of buying from Mrs Miggins at the church fete!For more details on Expo 3.0 visit:www.national-expo.co.ukThe Beds SME Expo: www.bedssmeexpo.co.uk Best Business Expo: www.bestbusinessexpo.co.uk/shendish-manor-hemel-hempstead-march-2014/ Dacorum Borough Council expos:www.dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk/homeThe Hertfordshire Business Expo:www.thehertfordshirebusinessexpo.co.uk/The MK Expo: www.mkexpo.co.uk
business exhibitions can be compared to the church fete, at least in the mind of inspire business magazine’s david tooley
expo
Expo 3.0’s Victoria Beale, Milton Keynes South MP Iain Stewart and Len Beale at a House of Commons dinner
16
Spring 2014 Editorial and advertising enquiries: [email protected] | 07931 973967
A picture says a thousand words
if a picture says a thousand words... if they are blurred, copied or picked off a website everyone else uses that won’t say much positive about your business.
Potential clients develop a first impression of you within three seconds of viewing your marketing materials.
Whether you like it or not, potential clients immediately decide on the quality of services you likely offer, based on the quality of images you use to represent them.
That goes for everything from cups and saucers to financial products.
Everyone needs to be cost conscious but using the ‘guy in the warehouse’ with his new digital camera, might not be the best value photography if it’s losing you business.
Most people’s shop window these days is through a website which potential customers find on Google. What happens when you find a website with low-quality, poorly composed and ill-lit images on their pages?
You probably, as most would do – close the website, go back to Google and move to the next option.
The same applies if you pick up sales literature and the images do not grab your attention, you move on to the next leaflet / flyer or brochure. Decisions are made instantly and often subconsciously.
Great images are extremely important when establishing any brand as professional and high quality. Professional photographers are trained in how to put people, products and buildings in the best possible light. That is a must to convey the quality of products, service, staff and business and should be first choice.
Your clients want to see who they’re really working with, so professional team headshots are ideal.
We regularly see clients wanting to use images they have saved from the Internet without permission, to use in their marketing materials. Even if you’re pretty sure you won’t get caught, don’t ever do this.
It’s copyright infringement, which is illegal and unethical, so don’t even consider it. There are companies and software programs out there, whose sole purpose is to find and take legal action on any illegally, used images. It can be very costly!
While it will take a bit of an investment up front, using quality images is non-negotiable if you want to establish your business as credible and professional.
In our nine years of trading we have developed the 4Ps as this covers all aspects of commercial
photography – products, people, premises and process. The first three speak for themselves, but an area we are particularly passionate about is ‘process’.
Every company has some kind of process in order to function and create the very product or service they supply. We regularly find this is ignored as many companys presume their clients only want to see the final product.
The process can offer some great images and complete your story.
Great imagesMundane manufacturing tasks to you,
seen everyday can create great images – sparks, splashes, speed, volume, ingredients, components, knobs, buttons, displays, and engineering are all potential for great images.
And a customer might want to see what goes into the product being purchases, especially if there is a choice of yours and any competitors!
Contact AC Photography by phoning 01582 600123, emailing [email protected] or visit www.acpclick.com
marketing
Professional photographer Dave pickering of
aC Photography looks at issues about images
17
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
Lifting the lid on start-up funds
all enterprising individuals of any age looking to access finance and mentoring support to start a business can now apply for a start up loan.
The Start Up Loans Company has confirmed the extension following a recommendation from Lord David Young early in 2013.
It makes everyone across England, Northern Ireland and Wales eligible to apply for a Start Up Loan for business funding.
The government’s Start Up Loans scheme recently awarded its 10,000th loan of £10,000 to a budding entrepreneur from Cornwall. Allen Martin, a Royal Navy veteran, runs Eclipse Property Cornwall, which manages properties on behalf of landlords.
MentoringThe thousands of businesses that have been backed by Start Up Loans
have all received help putting together their plan and pitch, have secured start-up funding and are now all undergoing mentoring.
Start up Loans has now lent more than £50 million to entrepreneurs and aims to support 30,000 new businesses with £151 million by 2015.
James Caan, chairman of the Start Up Loans Company said: “Providing this vitally needed funding and support for fledgling businesses is exactly what our country requires, creating jobs, and strengthening the economy, improving enterprise.
“There is still much work to be done; now we have lifted the age cap our focus has to be on helping all entrepreneurs of all ages come forward to start their business.”
Invented by Lord Young, the Prime Minister’s Enterprise Advisor, Start Up Loans was created within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
£14 million of the funding announced by the Prime Minister in September is designed specifically to support new participants in the Department of Work and Pensions’ New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) scheme from October 1, 2013.
LifebloodPrime Minister David Cameron said: “New businesses are the lifeblood
of a healthy, expanding economy: a symbol of aspiration and a source of jobs, that’s why Start-Up Loans matter to me - and it’s why they’re a key part of my plan for Britain.”
Following the lifting of the age cap, The Prime Minister announced that The Start Up Loans Company will also work towards providing Sharia compliant finance.
Visit – www.startuploans.co.uk.
a decision has been made to
open up applications for a
new business loans scheme
BUSINeSS ISBoomING!Make sure you’re part of it.Advertise with Inspire.
business funding
18
Spring 2014 Editorial and advertising enquiries: [email protected] | 07931 973967
Thinking ahead is key to tax planning
With the 2013 personal tax return deadline having passed, now is a good time to consider ways in which you can minimise your tax liability for the current tax year ending on april 5 2014 and also plan further ahead.
The following checklist covers some areas to consider:Family• As a family, are you using your personal allowances and basic rate tax
bands effectively? For example, married couples and civil partners may be able to transfer income-producing assets to their spouse to save tax overall.
• Check that you are claiming the correct amount of tax credits.• Review your current PAYE notice of coding to ensure that you are being
properly taxed.Pensions• Have you considered your pension contributions? These are very tax
efficient payments, although are subject to limits. • Do you have an up-to-date State Pension forecast?Charitable Donations• Higher rate tax payers can reduce their tax liability by making
donations. Have you made all your intended donations in the year?
Investments• Take advantage of tax free investments. Have you reviewed your ISA
allowances for the current year!• Review your investment portfolio. Is it tax efficient? Higher risk
investments made under the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) or via a Venture Capital Trust (VCT) can provide generous tax breaks.
Businesses• Owner-managed businesses might consider whether they can gain from
transferring their business into a Limited Company.• Consider bringing forward any intended capital expenditure so that it is
made prior to the year-end rather than after.Capital Gains Tax• Have you used your annual exemption for the year, currently £10,900?• Consider transferring assets with built in gains to your spouse or civil
partner if they have unused capital losses and/or annual exemption.Inheritance Tax• Have you fully made use of the annual gift exemption of up to £3,000?• Do you have an up-to-date will?
Not all of the above measures will be suitable for everyone, and it is essential that you take advice in the context of your own specific circumstances. At Stoten Gillam, we offer an initial free consultation and shall be pleased to meet with anybody concerned with minimising their tax liability.
John WrIGht sets out a
CheCKlist of Vital issues
to Consider
finance
19
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
Giving your website an international edge could do wonders for your business
did you know, asks david tooley, that there are nearly twice as many internet users in asia as there are in europe?
Or in terms of languages used, some 70 per cent of searches are not in English?For those reasons attendees at a seminar in Buckinghamshire on January 14 were told that UK
companies not attempting to communicate with international audiences are missing a massive opportunity.
Russell Fowler, of FuelDefend Global Limited, in Gerrards Cross, said his company, which employs six people and exports fuel anti-siphon equipment to 100 countries, had seen his business improve no end by implementing an international strategy.
Russell told the Simply Exporting – Customise Your Website event that investing in a UKTI export communications review would be the “best £250 you’ll ever spend”. But he advised people to invest in good translation services to make sure the vital wording is correct.
UK Trade & Investment export communications consultant Notburga Preining told the seminar at Holiday Inn, Weston Turville, near Aylesbury, that it was “highly likely” that Chinese would soon overtake English as the most used language on the internet. The country with the biggest population on the planet alone had 538,000,000 internet users in June 2012, she said.
Notburga said potential customers stay for twice as long on a website if it has elements in their own language. And crucially they are four times more likely to buy from a website in their own language
LanguageMaking websites look more than a parochial UK portal can be achieved with
country pages, language pages and agent and/or distributor websites. Higher level domains were also available in non-Latin alphabets.
In terms of the language used, Notburga said it was important to invest in good quality, well explained international English, containing no acronyms or cultural references. The copy must not contain typos and should be professionally copywritten and proof read. It can then be translated into other languages. But she added that many pieces of copy, when translated, can be much longer than when in English. The use of Google translate was also a subject of discussion and while there was agreement that it is a “very good thing” it will have errors.
Seminar attendees also heard how the principles of good search engine optimisation held as true in the international arena as they do in domestic dynamic websites. That includes updating content, including tags on images, good questions and answers and in sitemaps.
Austrian-born Notburga, who also speaks basic French and Italian, added that it is also important to remember that Google, although dominant in many markets around the world, holds much less of a grip in Russia. In the USA, Bing and Yahoo are major players. She added that every day Google answers more than one billion questions from people around the globe in 181 countries and 146 languages. Yahoo attracts more than half a billion consumers every month in more than 30 languages.
The message from the Buckinghamshire Business First event was for companies to raise their sights and start to think on a global basis but not just for manufacturers, companies in the service sector can be in there, too!
For more information contact UKTI www.ukti.gov.uk
Inspire business magazine attended a seminar near Aylesbury to find out more
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20
Spring 2014 Editorial and advertising enquiries: [email protected] | 07931 973967
Firms win shareof £2.5millionGrants4Growth
a luton-based manufacturing company has secured £20,000 and been crowned bedfordshire’s first company to win a share of the new £2.5million Grants4Growth funding pot.
Islebest Ltd, which employs 32 people is
using the grant to help purchase a Trumpf
laser cutting machine.
Paul Burchmore, managing director of
Islebest, said: “The Grants4Growth funding
will enable us to actively pursue a 15per
cent annual sales increase and create four
additional jobs.”
A second Bedfordshire firm, Wootton-
based engineering company Model
Products, has also received support from the
Grants4Growth programme and has been
awarded a grant of almost £2,000 to invest in
cutting edge equipment.
The business, which employs six craftsmen,
has its origins in the production of fine
detail models although in recent years it has
concentrated on larger, prototype assemblies
for research establishments, the oil, aerospace
and civil engineering industries.
Managing director Ben Lyons explained:
“Advances in technology have increased
customers’ expectations for accurate
miniaturisation and the grant has helped us
to invest in a Formlabs 3D printer and a laser
profiling machine to be able to secure work
in these markets.
“The equipment allows us to produce very
small parts to a very high accuracy and we
will also be employing a draughtsman to
ensure that we take advantage of the extra
capabilities it gives us and to handle all of the
extra work which we will get”.
Grants4Growth provides finance for growth,
helping businesses invest in new technologies
and equipment, creating and safeguarding
jobs, improving their efficiency and reducing
their carbon footprint. The programme is
being managed by the South East Midlands
Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP), with
Business Broker James Stancombe co-
ordinating the local programme.
James aims to help at least 100 local
businesses over the next 24 months, which in
turn will help to generate at least 40new jobs
and safeguard many others.
Grants4Growth is a free grants programme
for small and medium sized businesses; it
includes both capital and revenue grants. The
grants are available for business wanting to: • Invest in technology or processes that
facilitate growth, improve resilience or create/safeguard jobs
• Put in place efficiency initiatives in the form of waste, water or energy efficiency, recovery or reduction
• Invest in technology and processes to reduce the environmental impact of operations
• Revenue grants are available to businesses seeking specialist consultancy advice, support and studies to promote, market or maintain low carbon and environmental goods and services.
Find out more by talking to Business Broker
James Stancombe on 01234 436100, 07920
246813 or via email [email protected].
Grant awarding body aims to help at least 100 local businesses over the next 24 months, Inspire takes a look
How do you
a whole
Maximise your reach and your budget. Get the attention of a wider audience and let your
message be heard loud and clear.
inspire business Magazine and Community Magazine.
sometimes two heads are better than one.
www.communitycommunications.co.uk
business funding
21
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
Opening up the economic regeneration of Luton area
When transport minister norman Baker officially opened the £91 million luton dunstable busway in september 2013 it was welcomed as a key part of the regeneration of the sub-region.
For the first time there is a sustainable public transport link from Toddington, Houghton Regis and Dunstable via Luton to London Luton Airport. At the time of writing the airport was waiting for final approval for a £100m investment.
And overall there are exciting things happening in the town. Money is pouring into the area with improvements to the M1 junction 10a and, finally, the final stage of the town’s much-needed inner ring road is being constructed.
The Luton Dunstable Busway is the second longest guided busway in the world and the longest in an urban environment. Supported by the Department for Transport, the busway has been pioneered by Luton and Central Bedfordshire Councils to give people a high-quality real alternative to the frequent and frustrating traffic queues between Houghton Regis, Dunstable and Luton.
Local bus companies Arriva, Centrebus and Grant Palmer are running four new routes that together provide core services between Dunstable and Luton up to every eight minutes at peak times.
Journey time between the two town centres on the traffic-free guideway is just 15 minutes.
Although the investment has been controversial, it has been supported by two councils and businesses as opening up a wealth of opportunities for speedy and hassle-free journeys to work, university, college or school, shopping, the theatre or just catching up with friends.
Via the new bus-rail Interchange at Luton Station and London Luton Airport there are onward connections available to London together with regional, national and international destinations.
Luton town Centre schemeAfter a wait of 40 years, work is finally
underway to complete Luton’s inner ring road. The £24 million Luton Town Centre Transport
Scheme aims to tackle congestion issues by removing through-traffic from the town centre, and also providing additional improvements for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.
An inner ring road for Luton was started in the 1970s but only the southern section was completed. Hucklesby Way was then opened
in 2003. With demolition works having already begun, the previous Transport Minister Norman Baker formally marked the start of on-route works during his visit to Luton to open the Luton Dunstable Busway and Luton Station Interchange.
The Government is supporting the Town Centre Transport Scheme with £15.8 million funding from the Department for Transport.
At the centre of the project is a new two-way single-carriageway ‘Gateway Link’ road which will run from the junction of Hucklesby Way and Old Bedford Road as far as a new signal-controlled junction with Church Street and Hitchin Road. This section of the route runs between Midland Road and the railway line and passes under the station multi-storey car park.
The route then continues into Crescent Road to another new signalled-controlled junction with Crawley Green Road, and from there the next section will be dual carriageway as far as St Mary’s roundabout. The scheme includes two new bridges, to cross the mainline railway and the Luton Dunstable Busway, and also a shared cycle/pedestrian route.
A new access road will run from Gillam Street to serve Midland Road while Guildford Street will be closed to through traffic to enable an improved pedestrian connection between the new railway-bus interchange and the town centre via a proposed new public square.
The Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme is being supported as having the potential to deliver major benefits for Luton’s retail sector and greatly improves prospects for the delivery of major regeneration, including the proposed mixed-use developments at Power Court and High Town Village and extensions to The Mall shopping centre. It could also help release much-needed funding for the improvement of Luton station.
Junction 10a scheme Preliminary works on long-awaited highway
improvements at M1 Junction 10a have begun
following the Department for Transport’s confirmation of final permission for the £30 million scheme. The scheme will tackle significant queues and congestion experienced at the junction by removing the existing roundabout and widening the M1 spur road to three lanes in each direction between Junction 10 and Capability Green.
The scheme is vital to securing jobs and business growth in Luton and this is said to be fantastic news for the town.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announced provisional funding of £19.5 million for the project in October 2011, and this year confirmed a further award of £5.3 million from its Regional Growth Fund.
The full scheme will see two new roundabouts built to allow road users to join and leave both the widened M1 spur and a realigned London Road, with pedestrian and cycle routes also provided.
The Council will be working hard to minimise impact on the environment and any additional delays for motorists during construction, and to advise people to allow extra time in particular for their journeys to and from London Luton Airport.
community news
22
Spring 2014 editorial and advertising enquiries: [email protected] | 07931 973967
the Vice-Chancellor of the open university, Martin bean, has been appointed as a business ambassador by the uK Government.
He joins a group of leading figures from a
range of sectors, selected to help strengthen
the UK’s overseas business networks and
promote the UK on the international stage.
Martin Bean has been the Vice-Chancellor
of the UK’s largest university since 2009. In
that time he has been invited to join the Prime
Minister on several overseas trade delegations,
the latest being to China in December
last year. His appointment as a Business
Ambassador means he will have a role in
promoting the UK abroad and raising the
country’s reputation as a place to do business.
Trade and Investment Minister Lord
Livingston said: “Exports to high-growth
markets like China, India and Brazil are at
all-time highs and the UK is the number one
destination for foreign investment in Europe.
However there is still more to do to.
support“This means more support for medium-
sized and small companies looking to export,
more determination to attract industry from
around the world to our shores and a resolve
to make sure that British firms benefit from
trade deals that are being negotiated.”
Central bedfordshire Council is proposing a local development order (ldo) that will relax some planning restrictions to help businesses on the Woodside estate in dunstable to make changes and expand.
As part of the council’s drive to boost economic growth in Dunstable
and help businesses grow, it is consulting on a LDO that covers the
Woodside Estate, Nimbus Park, Foster Avenue, Arenson Way, Apex
Business Centre and Eastern Avenue.
The consultation will run to 28 February.
Cllr Nigel Young, Executive Member for Strategic Planning and
Economic Development, at Central Bedfordshire Council said: “The
sort of things we are talking about are certain changes of use, new
windows shutters and doors, new mezzanine floors, sub division of
units, installation of solar panels and new fencing.
“It will also allow them to extend existing buildings up to 25 per
cent of their current footprint or 1200sqm (whichever is the greater)
provided they stay within their current plot and even allows new
builds of up to 1200sqm.”
In the newsBusiness top Bean
Planningrelaxation
Advertise yourvacancieswith Inspire
in the news
23
Issue TwoPlease mention Inspire Magazine when responding to advertisements.
Milton Keynes Council, bedford borough and Central bedfordshire Council are working in partnership with bduK (the Government’s superfast programme) and bt openreach to introduce new superfast broadband infrastructure to their areas.
The £9.24 million joint superfast broadband programme will build
on the existing fibre networks already provided by BT’s commercial
investment.
on targetCentral Bedfordshire Council is on target to deliver high-speed
broadband (24Mbps) to approximately 90 per cent of premises in
Central Bedfordshire by the end of 2016, with all areas set to receive
services of 2 Mbps or more.
The arrival of superfast broadband is an important investment that
can completely transform the way people live and work. For businesses,
it can help deliver a competitive edge, which will help them attract
new customers and find new, more efficient ways of working. For
households, it’s ideal for quick and efficient online access to public
services, education, research, entertainment, shopping and social
networking.
bedford borough Council has secured grant funding totalling nearly £16million to deliver the final section of the Bedford Western Bypass and is publishing Compulsory Purchase orders to secure the land required for construction.
The council has confirmed it is now in a position to fund the
construction of the final section itself and is no longer relying on
financial contributions from the adjacent housing development.
Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said: “A completed
Bedford Western Bypass will deliver new investment and jobs, ease
congestion and get Bedford moving.
Clear case“The case for a completed western bypass has been clear for more
than 30 years and securing the money required means we have taken a
major step forward to turn this pipe dream into a reality.”
The Council has secured £4million in Growth Area Funding,
£4.975million from the Homes and Communities Agency, £4.5million
from the Department for Transport and the principle of a £2.5 million
allocation from the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership.
It is expected that it will take 18 months to complete.
Superfast broadband
Council findsMissing link
in the news
Step forward...
AWARDS2014
Entering its fifth year, the Luton & Bedfordshire Community Awards
is now the area’s premier celebration which honours the outstanding
achievements and commitment of local voluntary and charity
organisations, of individuals and of local businesses who put something
back into the area rather than simply trading for profit.
We’re inviting businesses to be part of the awards by becoming a sponsor.
It’s a fantastic way to demonstrate your faith and commitment to the area
and the whole community who work hard to make a difference.
If you’re interested in hearing how sponsoring an award can benefit your
business, please get in touch.
Contact Mostaque Koyes on 07931 973967 or email [email protected]