DQ Issue 4

DOWNTOWN QUARTERLY • SUMMER/AUTUMN • 2011

IN FOCUSNational Football Museum

THE COOL LIST

DQ ICONDAVID BECKHAM

DQ 30The Lancashire 10

SPONSORED BY

To achieve the elusive quality of timelessness, a brand needs to be absolutely true to itself, while moving relentlessly forward so that it remains

relevant to each new generation of clients. At least, that would be the Coutts formula for success.

Throughout the bank’s 300 year history, its fundamental values have never shifted. From the time John Campbell started his business as a goldsmith banker at the sign of the Three Crowns in the Strand, a tradition of personal service based upon trust, understanding and expertise has been continuously maintained - and appreciated by successive generations of clients.

Meanwhile, of course, the business itself has grown and evolved almost beyond recognition. But to this day, what we believe sets Coutts apart is the ability to provide clients with a truly individual wealth management service, reflecting an exceptional understanding of the worlds they move in, both personally and professionally.

Merseyside is home to many high net worth individuals and managing the wealth of such a broad range of clients requires a high level of expertise. Whether you are an entrepreneur selling a business, an executive

with substantial share options, a professional with little time to spare or someone who has inherited or won the lottery, the dilemma remains the same: Where are your assets best placed through this difficult economic climate? How, in this period of low interest rates, do you invest your wealth in order to provide you with the things you want or will need in the future?

A private banker’s first step is to win the client’s trust, understand their goals, and gain a real understanding of the world in which their client lives. They must be consummate listeners, and will analyse the facts and discuss possible solutions. They will look at a client’s time horizon and attitude to risk and then, with the support of a team of experts across a wide variety of fields, they aim to deliver the most appropriate investment management, wealth protection, estate planning and banking services.

Coutts investment philosophy is based on understanding our clients’ financial objectives in order to design an investment strategy to meet their wealth goals. We give them access to world-class investment managers, including specialist hedge fund managers, and provide expertise through our discretionary and advisory services. Underpinning our investment approach are the tactical adjustments we make to the asset allocation

which aim to improve the performance of our clients’ portfolios. We can also provide a range of structured products and liquidity management.

Coutts & Co. has been in Liverpool since 2003 and is part of the UK private banking arm of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. We offer a holistic service to clients, through a variety of products and services, covering sophisticated investment products together with expertise in trust and fiduciary service, and UK tax and banking services.

We are a dynamic and modern private bank which maintains its tradition of offering a very personal wealth management service to a range of diverse and fascinating clients.

The value of investments, and the income from them, can go down as well as up, and you may not recover the amount of your original investment.

For more information about becoming a Coutts client in Liverpool, contact David McNiven on [email protected] or 0151 471 8408 or visit www.coutts.com/liverpool. Calls may be recorded.

TAiLoRed WeALTH MAnAGeMenT in

MeRSeySide

ITS NOT WHAT YOU KNOW

ITS WHO WE KNOW

WWW.DOWNTOWNINBUSINESS.COM | [email protected]

TWITTEr: @DowntownBusines

LIVErPOOL ● MANCHESTEr ● LANCASHIrE

0800 294 4409For an informal discussion call:

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follow us @uksolicitors

solicitors

Congratulations from RSM Tenon to all the finalists in the Lancashire Business Awards.

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n Audit, tax & advisory

n Financial management

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n Risk management

RSM Tenon Group PLC is an independent member of the RSM International network. The RSM International network is a network of independent accounting and consulting firms each of which practices in its own right. RSM International is the brand used by the network which is not itself a separate legal entity in any jurisdiction. RSM Tenon Limited (No 4066924) is registered in England and Wales. Registered Office 66 Chiltern Street, London W1U 4GB. England. M21780811

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Selecting the best

WELCOME

DQ 5THIS MAGAZINE IS WRITTEN, DESIGNED AND PRODUCED BY THE DOWNTOWN IN BUSINESS TEAM, AND PRINTED BY ENTWISTLE. © DOWNTOWN IN BUSINESS.Downtown in Business can accept no responsibility for the veracity of the claims made by advertisers. The views expressed are not necessarily the views of the publisher (DIB).

Hello readers and welcome to our very special ‘football issue’.

The beautiful game kicked off a new season a month ago, and already we have witnessed much drama and excitement from the most watched competition on the planet, the Premier League. England look set to reach the finals of the European Championships that take place next Summer, and despite the recession attendances at football matches appear to be holding up well. Nonetheless, there is an underlying fear that the premiership ‘bubble’ could burst at any time, making the Leeds, Portsmouth and Southampton scenarios more common in the future. The issue of where the game is going, and how supporters can continue to feel engaged in what is now a global business is explored here, by fans, by critics and by those that help manage the game. I’m sure you will enjoy the varying views expressed.

For those of you who don’t like ‘footy’, do not despair. There are tips on HR from the award winning High Performance Consultancy. Leading law firm Kirwans give us the low down on the complexities surrounding motor law. We look back on Business Week’s held in Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire, and the spectacular occasion that was the City of Liverpool Business Awards. We also have the second in our DQ30 series, focussing on the Lancashire ten.

This jam packed DQ is complete with a feature on the Icon of Icon’s David Beckham. Please enjoy our latest offering, and don’t do anything Frank wouldn’t do...

Best WishesChris WilcoxEditor

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TOTALLY FRANK

LEGALLY SPEAKING

TOP TIPS

DQ ROUNDUPThe Beautiful Game: The Business of Football

IN FOCUSThe National Football Museum

DQ ROUNDUPThe Liverpool Business Awards 2011

HOT TOPICHas The Premier League Been Good For English Football?

LIFE IN THE LOWER TIERS

BE OUR GUESTKitbag

DQ ICONDavid Beckham

DQ 30The Lancashire 10

DQ ROUNDUPThe Business Week’s 2011

SPOTLIGHT ON

THE COOL LIST

DQ FEATUREThe North West Fund

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD

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TOTALLY FRANK

DQ 7

For many years now I have enjoyed a love affair with

a mistress that has provided joy, laughter, excitement, torment and tears.

She has broken my heart more than any other, but has always managed to win it back with a moment of magic or majesty that has, I will freely admit, left me drooling.

But of late, I have found myself losing interest in my mistress, my first love, the one that we call football or ‘the beautiful game’.

Whenever you begin to fall out of love with someone, you inevitably look for reasons as to why this may be the case, and whether it is you or your partner that is at fault.

Is my disappointment due to the lack of activity in the summer transfer window of my true love, Everton, the cause of my loss of interest? Unlikely, given that, as all Evertonians will know, the club regularly promises to take you all the way, only to slap you back to your senses long before the seasons climax, usually, as demonstrated by many performances last season, by failing to play away!

Is it the monotony of the Premier League, a competition which has become almost as predictable as its Scottish counterpart when it comes to picking a winner? Ironically, in the last campaign, the ‘big four’ of Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool has been shaken up, with Man City breaking this unhealthy cartel, and not before time.

And, even outside of the title race itself, there was good old

Blackpool and Ian Holloway - a breath of fresh air to keep the neutral entertained. The Goodison clash last season, which ended up 5-3 to Everton, was one of the best games I have seen for many a year.

In the Champions League, performances from Spurs, Arsenal and Barcelona were, at times, poetic, and there is possibly more talent, and certainly more opportunity for any football supporter to view that talent, than has ever been the case before.

And maybe, just maybe, that is one of the problems. An over- supply, an over exposure of the ‘beautiful game’ through football’s chief pimp, Sky, has me turned off more than turned on nowadays. I am resentful of the daft kick off times football matches now have to abide by. Liverpool started a European match at 5.30pm in the chaotic Europa Cup last term – how crazy is that?

Saturday, 3pm, is and should always have remained THE primary time for a football game to take place. How many times have Man United supporters enjoyed that particular luxury during the Sky years?

And although nobody can blame the principle entertainers within this once noble sport of earning in a week what most of us will be happy to earn in a year, could the players be any less gracious, anymore arrogant, pretentious, and aloof both on and off the field than the bunch of Muppets that are currently idolised by kids not just in this country, but all over the world?

I have seen once too often

FALLING OUT OF

LOVEWords: Frank McKenna, Downtown in Business

ShE hAS brOkEN my hEArT mOrE

ThAN ANy OThEr, bUT hAS ALwAyS

mANAGEd TO wIN IT bAck wITh A

mOmENT OF mAGIc Or mAjESTy ThAT hAS, I

wILL FrEELy AdmIT, LEFT mE

drOOLING.

Of course there are exceptions that prove the rule. Phil Neville, Jamie Carragher, Michael Owen and this month’s DQ Icon David Beckham for example. But they are becoming a dying breed, and the common denominator here is that they are all over 30.

Rooney, Barton, Tevez, Torres, Ronaldo, Fabregas, are all fabulous players, but you wouldn’t choose to have a pint with them would you?

There is even a lad at Everton who many of you will never have heard of, Victor Anichebe, who last year refused to sign a new contract with the club because he was only being offered £30K per week for his services!

The abuse of referees, the diving, the rolling around in agony like a big tart, and even the stupidly rehearsed goal celebrations must have guys like the great Dave Hickson shaking his head in despair.

I am still a season ticket holder at Goodison. I attended games at PNE and Anfield last season. But, more and more, I find myself going through the motions. Like all long term love affairs, I am finding it difficult to simply call it a day.

The mistress may well seduce me back with a trip to Wembley, or an exciting climax to the season that I have not yet experienced. But, the relationship is, without doubt, on the ropes. And, if I do end up walking away, I will have no hesitation in using those immortal words ‘It’s not me, it’s you!’

these so called super stars walk past kids in search of an autograph without a second thought; or walk in to a city centre bar expecting, indeed demanding, special treatment over and above the other clientele who are, let’s face it, mere mortals.

The sad thing is they get it, and worse they are encouraged by their clubs to act in this way. Indeed, I know of cases where players have had to ask staff within their club to go and get cash for them because they don’t know how to use a cash machine – I kid you not.

From finding a house, to getting laundry done, booking hotels, holidays or even ‘buying’ a car, these guys have it all done for them – and don’t even get me started on their tax arrangements. They make bankers look like saints.

8 DQ

LEGALLY SPEAKING

As one of the North West’s leading law firms, Kirwans

has launched a standalone brand dedicated to helping motorists accused of driving offences.

Just Motor Law provides specialist legal advice on all motoring offences and with a 24-hour hotline and an online live chat facility access to legal advice couldn’t be easier.

Simon Gibson, Kirwans’ Managing Partner, said: “This is an exciting departure for Kirwans launching our first ever standalone brand. We carried out extensive research among our clients and members of the public and decided it was important to have a clear and distinct brand separate to the firm’s core services.

“Our mission is simple – to provide an exclusive service to our clients who find themselves accused of motoring offences with direct access to a lawyer.

DQ Magazine speaks to Just Motor Law’s experts, Matt Reynolds and Natali Farrell.

Matt comments; “The range of potential motoring offences has never been greater. While the most common ones remain the likes of speeding and drink driving, today an increasing number of people are being accused of not being in proper control of their vehicle or driving without due care and attention because they are using a mobile phone while driving, drinking a bottle of water at the wheel and even fiddling with the Sat Nav.

“The impact of the recession has also led to a growing number of motorists driving without insurance in order to try and save costs.”

Here, Matt and Natali attack the most commonly asked questions in the world of motoring law and the popular topic of speeding: -

Q1. I have received a Notice of Intended Prosecution asking me to confirm who was driving at the time of an alleged offence, but I do not know who was driving at that time.

A. Where a driver of a vehicle is alleged to be guilty of certain motoring offences, a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) is sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle. This person is then required in law to provide details relating to the identification of the offending driver. In cases where the identity of the driver is not provided, the registered keeper of that vehicle can be prosecuted and if convicted, would receive 6 penalty points and a fine of up to £1000.

There are certain defences to the offence of failing to identify the driver and you will not be guilty of the offence if you can show that you did not know and could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained who the driver of the vehicle was.

These defences are normally used in cases where the NIP was never received or in cases when more than one person could have been driving the vehicle at the time and the registered keeper simply has no idea who was driving.

Just because you have not provided the identity of the driver when requested, this does not automatically mean you would be convicted. The Crown Prosecution Service must prove their case against you and in doing this they will need to produce evidence. If this evidence is not forthcoming your case could be dropped.

Q2. I think I have just been flashed by a speed camera. What happens next?

A. A NIP should be sent by the police to the registered keeper of the vehicle within 14 days of the alleged offence taking place. If the NIP is sent outside of this timescale and there is no good reason for this, it could mean that the NIP is invalid.

Once a valid NIP has been received, you would have 28 days to provide information to the police as to the identity of the driver.

Depending on the level of speed in which the police are alleging, would depend on whether you would be offered the option of participating in a speed awareness course, accepting a fixed penalty of 3 points and a £60 fine or in cases where the speed is significantly higher than the speed limit, the case would be referred to the Magistrates Court to deal with and a court summons would be issued to you.

Q3. I have received a Fixed Penalty for a speeding offence, shall I just accept the penalty or shall I challenge it?

A There has been an increase in problems with speed equipment and there is the opportunity to challenge the evidence, or lack of it. If people simply accept a speeding ticket and accept the punishment, the police will not have to produce any evidence to prove that those whom they accuse were actually speeding. Imagine if somebody accused you of shoplifting – would you simply accept the punishment without seeing any evidence first? Of course not! An allegation of speeding should be looked at in the same way, why accept your guilt without first seeing the evidence to prove it?

The list of things that can go wrong with speeding equipment is significant and it is not until we start to look into cases, do these errors and mistakes actually become visible. Don’t allow this to happen in your case by simply accepting it.

We know that not everybody wants to challenge the evidence of the police as in some circumstances you may accept that you were speeding. If you do accept that you were speeding then accepting the fixed penalty may be the best option for you.

The range of poTenTial moToring offences has never been

greater. While The mosT common ones remain The likes of

speeding and drink driving, Today an increasing number of people are being accused of noT being in proper conTrol of Their vehicle or driving WiThouT due care and aTTenTion

LEGALLY SPEAKING

DQ 9

Q4. I have been summoned to court for speeding but I do not believe I was speeding. What can I do?

A. First of all, you should check that the summons has been issued within the correct time limit, i.e. within 6 months of the date of the alleged offence taking place. If the summons has been issued out of time, then the summons could be invalid.

If the summons has been issued correctly, you should either attend court on the date on the summons or instruct a specialist solicitor to represent you. If you deny the alleged offence then it will be important to enter a plea of not guilty to the court.

If you deny the allegation it would be important for the relevant evidence to be obtained from the Crown Prosecution Service as there would be a number of issues that should be carefully examined. This would include issues such as whether the speed limit signs placed along the road were lawful, whether the speed recording equipment used by the police was working correctly and whether the police completed the correct records to prove the equipment was working correctly.

Speaking from experience, we know that speed detection equipment is not always 100% accurate and the

correct evidence to prove a case is not always available. It is not until we dig deep into a case does this become apparent, which suggests that anybody who genuinely believes they were not speeding, should challenge their case – there is the possibility that you may not have committed an offence.

Q5. I have received a fixed penalty for speeding but I already have 9 penalty points on my licence. Does this mean I will be disqualified from driving?

A. When a driving licence incurs 12 or more penalty points, the court must impose a mandatory driving disqualification of a minimum of 6 months.

Despite the above, if it can be satisfied on the balance of probabilities that exceptional hardship would be caused, the court will use their discretion not to disqualify. Such an argument can be submitted to the court in cases where you or those around you would be detrimentally affected by the loss of your driving licence. Loss of employment and business tends to be a more popular reason not to disqualify although this needs to be supported by the fact that a third party would also suffer, i.e. your family. Evidence would also need to be produced to support your argument.

If you find yourself affected by any of the above issues or any other motoring law problem, please get in touch with either Matt Reynolds or Natali Farrell and they will be pleased to chat through your case and provide advice on how you should proceed. Call 0845 688 0045 or email the team at [email protected]

T: 0845 485 1237

E: [email protected]

W: www.justmotorlaw.co.uk

South Harrington Buildings

182 Sefton Street

Brunswick Business Park

Liverpool

L3 4BQ

www.twitter.com/justmotorlawwww.facebook.com/MotorLaw

10 DQ

TOP TIPS

IMPORTANCE OF HR MANAGEMENT

The most important aspect of any business is its people. This is why HR should be treated as one the most important functions of your organisation. Significant changes have taken place within HR over the past two decades which have led to an increase in the types of activities carried out by this part of the business function. Getting it right when it comes to HR is vital. The smooth running of your operations relies on your staff. Hiring the right people, building lasting relationships, motivating, developing and engaging your employees and dealing with difficult issues and conflicts within the workforce are just a few of the basic tasks conducted by your HR team.

ABSENCE MANAGEMENT

Every organisation will deal with employee absence, some more often than others. Absence has a direct impact on your business operations and on your staff, so it is vital that it is managed and measured effectively with clear guidelines set out. Sickness absence is not just a matter of ill health. Medical conditions, combined with personal issues and/or problems within the workplace can all contribute to why members of staff take time off. Early intervention is essential and improves the chances of employees making a speedy recovery and returning to work in good health. Simple adjustments can facilitate a swift return to work, sometimes benefiting both employee and the company. It is the role of HR to ensure that employees are fully supported and monitored when returning to work from absence, especially when this has become a long term absence. Setting out clear policies and procedures allows employers to monitor and manage occasions more effectively whilst providing staff with guidance and support.

REDUNDANCY

Redundancy is a hot topic in the current economic climate and making reductions in staff numbers is not an easy decision for any employer to make. There are a number of factors that need to be considered when taking this course of action. Firstly, objective criteria must be used when deciding which staff will be placed under threat of redundancy to ensure that the selection is fair. The law requires employers to provide as much notice as possible and to find alternative employment were able. Where re-deployment is not an option, a sufficient financial settlement must be agreed on. HR is central to these negotiations and helps create a platform for employees to discuss their options and allow them to appeal any decisions made. It is vital that matters of redundancy are dealt with in accordance with employment law and a good HR manager will provide advice and guidance.

DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

A disciplinary issue generally arises when an employee’s actions have had a negative impact on your business operations. This could be anything from offences of misconduct to poor performance.

Employers should make employees aware of their disciplinary procedures and ensure the procedure is accessible to all members of staff. Any issues of poor performance or conduct must be managed proactively before any disciplinary action is taken. Once it has been decided that disciplinary action needs to be taken, it is essential that the disciplinary procedure is followed consistently and the application is fair. Effective communication is key throughout the whole process and employees should be advised that any decision reached can be appealed.

ThE MOST IMPORTaNT aSPECT OF aNY BuSINESS IS

ITS peOple. ThIS IS whY hR ShOulD

BE TREaTED aS ONE ThE MOST

IMPORTaNT FuNCTIONS OF YOuR

ORgaNISaTION

aBSENCE haS a

DIreCt IMPaCT ON YOuR BuSINESS OPERaTIONS aND

ON YOuR STaFF SO IT IS vITal ThaT IT IS MaNagED

aND MEaSuRED EFFECTIvElY wITh ClEaR guIDElINES

SET OuT

DQ 11

TOP TIPS

Tel: 0844 800 5932Fax: 0844 800 5936Email: [email protected]: www.highperformanceconsultancy.com

High Performance Consultancy23 Seymour StreetLiverpoolL3 5PE

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

HR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

In order for your organisation to offer a fair and consistent approach to managing staff, you will be required to implement a number of policies and procedures, including, Sickness Absence, Disciplinary, Grievance, No Smoking Policy, the list goes on. Clear guidelines need to be established and staff educated as to what behaviours are deemed acceptable within the organisation and also, what the implications will be should any of these company policies not be adhered to. A good HR team or department will be responsible for designing, writing and implementing such policies and providing support and guidance on how to handle difficult situations.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND MOTIvATION

Many businesses are beginning their slow road to recovery after the economic downturn. However this doesn’t mean that employers won’t still be facing certain challenges. Employee engagement, motivation and morale are at an all time low with many employees worried about pay cuts and job losses, so it is important that specific issues are addressed.

There are a number of ways to ensure that employees are happy and motivated within their role which most organisations can do. Firstly offering flexible or remote working options can help employees feel valued and supported. Staff training and development are also measures that can be implemented to ensure that staff are motivated and working well within the company structure.

Incentives are always a good way to boost morale, although with finances stretched within many organisations at this time, managers are struggling to create initiatives which are appealing to employees without the high costs. Internal training is ideal in this situation as you may have junior staff that are looking to progress their career, so providing them with the opportunity to shadow senior members of the team will be a great incentive to introduce.

10 TOP TIPS TO AvOID A TRIBUNAL

1 Ensure managers are fully trained in dealing with HR issues

2 Create company policies and procedures which are accessible to all staff

3 Keep staff informed of any changes to their contracts or working practices

4 Issue all staff with a Contract of Employment and ensure their full understanding

5 Ensure guidelines related to pay conditions are clearly outlined

6 Always take time to consider dismissals. Follow the ACAS guidelines.

7 Ensure the procedure is applied correctly

8 Consider recent medical advice before dismissing on the grounds of illness

9 Appropriate use of language and wording

10 Treat all employees fairly and consistently.

YOu wIll BE REquIRED TO IMPlEMENT

a NuMBER OF pOLICIES aND

pROCEDURES. ClEaR guIDElINES NEED

TO BE ESTaBlIShED aND STaFF eDuCateD aS TO whaT BEhavIOuRS aRE DEEMED aCCEPTaBlE wIThIN ThE ORgaNISaTION

INCENTIvES ARE ALWAYS A GOOD WAY TO BOOST MORALE

Words: Siân Peak, Downtown in Business

The Beautiful GameThe Business of Football

DQ ROUNDUP

As a new football season commenced, business leaders of Liverpool gathered

at the waterside Hilton Hotel on August 31st to join Downtown in Business Chairman, Frank McKenna in an aptly, frank, conversation on the business that is The Beautiful Game.

Football now adorns the front page as much as the back page. A far cry from the working class heroes of our childhood, today’s players are now celebrities in their own right, with the notion that you haven’t fully made it as a footballer until you have been linked with a glamour model, your own brand of cologne or an advert for designer boxer shorts.

But the hot question on everyone’s lips is: is football losing its roots? It would seem that the sport has become less about the action on the playing field, and more about the Monopoly board.

In association with City Talk 105.9 FM and TNT Post, Frank was joined by senior level professionals from the North West’s leading clubs, in a forum that saw them put the ball away and tackle the topic of the sport within the business arena.

Kicking off proceedings, Sir Phillip Carter, ex-Chairman of Everton brought a sense of nostalgia to the table, addressing the significant developments within premier league football since its birth in the mid 90’s; “None of us had any idea of the growth that would come”.

No-one imagined 20 years ago we’d have access to a World Wide Web, however in a modern world that ‘does business’, it’s today’s business-savvy society that sees more and more commercial opportunities brought into play.

Ian Ayre, MD of Liverpool Football Club roused a wave of concurrent nods, stating that football is now England’s biggest import and export. Though whilst the sport itself is internationally recognised and the most watched product on television, consideration of the sport as a business, is vital.

In a league where a vast proportion of revenue is being spent on wages, millions of pounds still remain to cover other business expenditures, including all operating costs and transfer budgets, proving that the operations model within the Premier League appears to have become a whole different ball game.

So with all eyes on the prize, the big dream is the Premier League. As stepping into the pearly gates of the Prem welcomes vast sums of money up for grabs for a clubs development, there’s never been more competition to get to the top. Though whilst we’re all fighting to get into the elite, there is naturally an aspect of gambling, posing the question of a cap on the

FooTBall is now EnGland’s imporT and ExporT. ThouGh whilsT ThE sporT iTsElF is oF mosT siGniFicancE; inTErnaTionally

rEcoGnisEd and ThE mosT waTchEd producT on TElEvision, considEraTion oF

ThE sporT as a BusinEss, is viTal.

12 DQ

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DQ ROUNDUP

high salaries paid to the UK’s top players. Phillip Wilson of UCFB suggested a simple;

“common sense regulation”, saying that clubs need to be allowed to make their own decisions. He added “It’s not the top players that are the problem, it’s the mediocre players on thirty grand per week that are causing the strain”.

So when the business starts to show cracks, is it time to turn to the fans for support?

Lorraine Rogers of Tranmere Rovers openly disclosed her club as “as poor as church mice” in comparison to their Premier League counterparts. However, she emphasised that lower league football is still very robust, indicative of our love and passion for the sport. With a significantly lower annual income than Premier League football clubs, visitor numbers indicate that communities take a very active involvement in support for lower league clubs.

Lorraine added; “We are eclipsed by bigger clubs but we’re lucky to be in an area where people eat, sleep and breathe football. Without the luxury of huge budgets, we simply have to engage with our supporters in a different way.”

Phil Wilson added: “Football is like no other business. The elasticity of demand is different – you can’t pick your customers from your competitors like Asda or Tesco”, further affirming the need for a stronger business acumen in modern day football.

Indeed, football today is a commodity. And with our prized commodities quickly climbing the social, financial and promotional ladder, footballers these days are more of the Selfridges variety than Tesco Express, and the economic impact of failure to see the bright lights of the Premier League becomes very real.

Before the newly printed fixture lists have cooled down from the press, city hotels are booked to capacity. And since we’ve become fond of our British ‘city-breaks’ and ‘staycations’ we’re now opting for between 2 and 3 nights when travelling the country to support our teams. If our teams don’t make it to the Premier League, this naturally has a wider financial impact.

So, in the 21st Century of footballers gaining more power through A-List lifestyles and six-figure salaries, it’s become more crucial than ever to look at the game through the eyes of an entrepreneur, than an entertainer. A far cry from 20 years ago, the beautiful game, is now a millionaire’s game. And an expensive one to lose.

in asociaTion wiTh:

FooTBall is likE BusinEss. ThE

ElasTiciTy oF dEmand is diFFErEnT - you

can’T pick your cusTomErs From your

compETiTors likE asda or TEsco

14 DQ

IN FOCUS

THE UK’S BIGGEST COLLECTION OF FOOTBALL MEMORABILIA WILL BE REVEALED TO THE PUBLIC IN NEW HOME IN 2012

TRANSFER TO MANCHESTER

NATIONAL FOOTBALL MUSEUM

MAKES £8.5MILLION

It has cost £8.5M, not a fortune by today’s inflated football transfer market prices, but it could be the best signing of the season for the millions of

football fans across the UK, and those living in the North-west in particular.

DQ 15

IN FOCUS

The National Football Museum is re-opening in Manchester in 2012 and providing a new world-class home for the greatest collection of football memorabilia ever assembled in the world.

The museum, which first opened its doors at Preston North End’s Deepdale ground in February 2001, currently has more than 30,000 pieces of unique football memorabilia in the collection with lots of new and exciting exhibits on the way to its new home – Manchester’s landmark Urbis building - right in England’s football heartland.

Highlights from the collection include a shirt from the worlds’ first international match, played in 1872; the oldest surviving FA Cup, dating from 1896; footballs used in the first World Cup Final in 1930; the 1966 World Cup Final ball and the shirt worn by Maradona during the 1986 ‘Hand of God’ quarter final match between England and Argentina.

And, of course, the nationally-recognised National Football Museum Hall of Fame will continue and be periodically updated with the induction of footballing legends.

With the move to Manchester, new donations are coming in all the time and objects never before displayed will see the light of day for the first time - though the details of these are a closely guarded secret until launch.

National Football Museum Deputy Director, David Pearson said: “It was recognised that the move offered this already highly successful museum the opportunity to become an international visitor destination and, by locating it in the landmark Urbis building in

the centre of a city with an impressive football heritage and strong visitor infrastructure, the full potential of the museum could be realised.”

Now, Manchester City Council has embarked on an £8.5million capital project to convert the entire Urbis building into the new National Football Museum. Once the project is complete and the doors swing open early 2012,

a staggering 350,000 visitors will walk through them every year.

Bosses rightly have high hopes for the National Football Museum’s future now it has made the move to Manchester.

And the registered charity already has the support of some of the sport’s biggest figures - Sir Bobby Charlton is Museum President, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Tom Finney, Sir Geoff Hurst and Sir Trevor Brooking are Museum Vice-presidents and respected former professional player and Match of the Day pundit Mark Lawrenson is museum special ambassador.

The headline-grabbing move to Manchester is

bound to re-focus public attention on its future

plans. And to this end, there will be a stronger emphasis on the commercial potential of the attraction too.

National Football Museum trustees understandably hope the move will go a long way to establishing it as a major museum of national and international status attracting a wide and diverse audience to a space – now across five huge storeys - that is fun and inspiring.

Entrance will remain free for all visitors, with some paid for interactives offering an enhanced experience. Visitors will also benefit from a distinctive retail, cafe and restaurant, which will compete with the best that Manchester has to offer.

The museum has a strong commercial focus with the venue aiming to engage the business and commercial sector by becoming a premier location for corporate events and to raise further income through sponsorship, fundraising and donations.

Head of Commercial Development at the museum, Michele Somers, said “The National Football Museum will be the most distinctive corporate venue in Manchester. We will offer a unique setting for prestigious events, including the permanent home for the Football Hall of Fame at Manchester’s newest and most exciting venue.

“There is the chance for businesses, large and small, to host their own unique events here at the best football visitor attraction in the world, or use the premises for hospitality.

“We are currently developing a range of attractive sponsorship packages and opportunities for businesses to become one of the first corporate members of the most talked about destination in the North West. All packages provide an exclusive private view of the museum amongst the icons of football history.

“The National Football Museum provides a rich and stimulating setting for our football heritage and offers distinctive opportunities for sponsorship and partnership with the corporate sector. In addition the museum is developing a creative range of temporary exhibitions, each of which offers its own sponsorship opportunity, with considerable brand exposure in the museum, the galleries and in promotional literature.”

Text TNFM12 £5 to 70070 to donate to The National Football Museum - Education within a game. Make a difference today. JustTextgiving by vodafone.

“HIgHLIgHTS FROM THE COLLECTION INCLUdE A SHIRT FROM THE wORLdS’ FIRST INTERNATIONAL MATCH, pLAyEd IN 1872; THE OLdEST SURvIvINg FA CUp, dATINg FROM 1896; FOOTBALLS USEd IN THE FIRST wORLd CUp FINAL IN 1930; THE 1966 wORLd CUp FINAL BALL ANd THE SHIRT wORN By MARAdONA dURINg THE 1986 ‘HANd OF gOd’ qUARTER FINAL MATCH BETwEEN ENgLANd ANd ARgENTINA.”

“THE REgISTEREd CHARITy ALREAdy HAS THE SUppORT OF SOME

OF THE SpORT’S BIggEST FIgURES - SIR BOBBy CHARLTON IS MUSEUM pRESIdENT, SIR ALEx FERgUSON, SIR TOM FINNEy, SIR gEOFF

HURST ANd SIR TREvOR BROOKINg ARE MUSEUM

vICE-pRESIdENTS ANd RESpECTEd FORMER

pROFESSIONAL pLAyER ANd MATCH OF THE dAy pUNdIT MARK

LAwRENSON IS MUSEUM SpECIAL AMBASSAdOR”

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DQ 17

DQ ROUNDUP

Over 250 people packed into the spectacular Sefton Park Palm House in July for Downtown Liverpool’s annual ‘City of Liverpool Business Awards’ gala evening. The glittering

ceremony saw Jaguar pick up the Business of the Year award , and other winners on the night included Hill Dickinson, Agent Marketing and city council leader Joe Anderson. There were contributions from Wirral MP, Esther McVey, and the Chief Executive of Liverpool Vision, Max Steinberg. The winners celebrated long into the night with a lively after show party at city centre venue Alma de Cuba.

Best Bar/RestaurantIl Forno

Best Green BusinessEco Environments

Best HotelHilton

Best Marketing CampaignEFC Kit Launch - Kitbag

Best NewcomerNovotel Liverpool

Business And Professional ServicesHill Dickinson

Creative Business of the YearAgent Marketing

Financial ServicesPwC

Property ServicesShepherd Construction

Social EnterpriseCan Cook

Business of YearJaguar

Services to LiverpoolACC Liverpool

Chairman's AwardJoe Anderson

WINNERS

1. Award winners gather for group photograph

2. Peter Lunt, HSBC; Councillor Gary Millar, Labour Party

3. Michelle Helsby & Stephen Helsby, Horizon; Max Steinberg, & Nicola Gleave, Liverpool Vision

4. Jenny Stewart, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce; John Sutcliffe, Sutcliffe; Sarah McDermott, Venmore

5. Fleet of Jaguar cars

3

2

1

5

4

>

18 DQ

DQ ROUNDUP

THE CITY OF LIVERPOOL BUSINESS AWARDS 2011 WAS SUPPORTED BY:

6

7

8

10

11

9

DQ 19

DQ ROUNDUP

THE CITY OF LIVERPOOL BUSINESS AWARDS 2011 WAS SUPPORTED BY:

6. Max Steinberg addresses the audience

7. Frank McKenna, Downtown Liverpool; Stephen Helsby, Horizon; Roger Jonas, Downtown Liverpool

8. The Grant Thornton team

9. Anne-Louise Bouffard & Jen Edwards, SK Events

10. Liverpool Business Awards 2011 guests

11. Esther McVey delivers the keynote speech

12. Ian Kilpatrick, Geason; Victoria Brown, High Performance Consultancy; David Wade-Smith

13. John Haynes, International Coaching Academy; Steven Broomhead, Liverpool Hope University

14. Alan Cross entertains the guests with ratpack music.

13

14

12

20 DQ

HOT TOPIC

has the premier league been good for

Peter Reid is my hero. The former Everton star has stuck with his Plymouth Argyle managerial responsibilities even though he

hasn’t been paid since Christmas because of our administration crisis.I hope Everton and Liverpool fans will forgive that snapshot of life at

the bottom, but I think it is relevant as I answer Frank’s question on “Has the Premier League been good for English football?”

I’ve lived in the North West for over 40 years. I chose my university to be near a cluster of top teams in the North West. I enjoyed the old First Division games played in Victorian stadia with hardly a blade of grass on the pitch at season’s end by players who’d had a good steak lunch before the match.

The Premier League has meant better stadia, fitter players, and the world’s best footballers lured to our shores by Sky high wages.

Overall my answer is no. The Premier League has also damaged the England team, created a breed of players (not all) who care little for fan or club, generated an obscene wages race that has led many clubs into reckless debt that would close down any normal business.

This has had a knock on effect in the Football League where Argyle paid silly money for journeymen chasing the dream of one season in the Premier League, a division where a tiny elite chase the big prizes and the rest languish in midtable mediocrity or struggle against the drop.

Maybe the Platini reforms will stop this madness, but I doubt it.

JIM haNCOCK | Journalist | Plymouth argyle Fan

The answer to that question lies in how you define 'English Football'. In terms of the quality of the football, undoubtedly; in terms of the money available to premier league clubs, of

course. But English football is a wider concept than those 2 things. The increased influx of foreign players has hindered the England football team, denying many players who may otherwise play for the top clubs the opportunity to do so; thereby ruling out the invaluable asset of consistently playing with the expectation and pressure that comes with playing for United or Chelsea, but which you would never get playing for, say, Fulham. And the increase in money is pricing fans out of the game. When I was young, my dad could afford to take me and my brother along to Turf Moor for a game for a relatively small amount. To do the same now would cost you upwards of £50 - £100; which many families cannot afford. Clubs cannot exist without the fans. Although the short-term effect of the Premier League may ultimately be a good one; the longer term could see a decline in attendances, leading ultimately to a decline in clubs, forced to spend above and beyond their means to compete. That can only be a bad thing.

JONaThaN hOlDEN | Forbes Solicitors | Burnley Fan

There is so much to dislike about the Premier League. It has had a pernicious and corrosive effect that invades every area of national life. Each week it seems there is something morally repugnant

to add to the charge sheet against the Greed League, a summary of the seven deadly sins – especially the lustful antics of some of the players who we all thought knew better. But the question referred to football, not society.

Football has never been more popular in this country, 29m tickets sold for matches, 16,000 people employed and £2.9bn of revenue generated in all of professional football. 580 million people can watch our clubs on TV. Globally, only Barcelona and Real Madrid challenge the reach of the English superclubs. In the 1980s the best British players (and Gordon Cowans) sought riches in Italy’s Serie A. The movement of talent is now in this direction. And if we are lucky enough to support a Premier League team, then we get to see some of the best footballers in the world (and Pascal Chimbonda). There is an argument that this influx of foreign talent denies opportunities for British players, but the Football League Championship is the sixth richest and most watched league in Europe (source: Deloitte). Faced with this evidence it is hard to construct a viewpoint that it has been bad for football at all.

And putting my junior grass roots football head on for a moment (I’m involved at Marple Athletic JFC) the structure and support network is unrecognisable from when I was a nipper, for which the FA get very little credit. Instead everything they are attempting to do seems to collide with a whole new set of problems created by the moral issues at the top of the game: cheating, diving, the sense of entitlement to question decisions, the lack of respect for officials and an obsession with kids being scouted by the top clubs, offering a world of riches. At the end of the day, Brian, it’s only football. But somehow it’s been elevated to something awfully important.

MIChaEl TaYlOR | Insider Magazine | Blackburn Fan

I think the Premier league has been heavily invested in, resulting in some of the best players in the world gracing the English grounds. Along with La Liga, the league is undoubtedly one of the best football

league’s to play in. This is great from a fans perspective but can only be detrimental towards young English players who are trying to push into the first team and make a name for themselves in the game.

If you look at last seasons top four for example; I think on average each team would have only fielded about 3 or 4 English players each game. The majority of English players in the premiership are likely to be warming the subs bench or trying to make it in a lower league. When compared to La Liga, Barcelona are able to field at least 7 or 8 Spanish players each game! I think Premiership clubs should be promoting young English talent more; As much as it pains me to say this being a devout Man Utd fan, it is encouraging to see the likes of Kenny Dagliesh starting to do this at Liverpool FC.

JIM RaINFORD | CBg group | Manchester united Fan

english football?

The Premier League has been good for football in England. Now the richest league in the world, it attracts TV rights, record sponsorship,

big money investment and the best players which bring benefits to those who enjoy the dizzy heights of success.

The downside of the Premier League is the handling and distribution of the cash. Since its creation in 1992, only four have won the title. The immense wealth provides an opportunity to benefit football in the UK - the money could be spent on improving our youth system, increasing interest in the sport, nurturing talent and helping local clubs remain the centre of their communities.

One consequence of the creation of the Premier League is the migration of fans. Many people don’t support their local club anymore – which is a total tragedy.

Despite the quality on show, it gets predictable to watch the results and tables on a Saturday only to see the same clubs at the top of the table. In the lower leagues, you could potentially pick the winner from a much bigger pool of clubs, making it a more exciting, even contest.

As a Preston fan always dreaming of joining the party, I think football should be managed much more effectively. If I was a Man Utd fan, I’d probably think the Premier League was fantastic for football as I tuned into the local derby on Sky from my pad in South London!

JulIE ChESTON | The write angle PR & Marketing | Preston North End Fan

The English Premier league is the world's most watched sporting league, being broadcast to over 600 million people in over 200 countries worldwide, it is undoubtedly one of England’s greatest exports. It attracts the best footballing talent from all over the world, and everyone wants a piece of the Premier league pie, Russian Oligarch’s and Middle Eastern Sheik’s alike. however, it is continually criticised for the increasing gulf between itself and the Football league. Is this a justified claim or is a successful Premier league only going to create a successful Football league? we asked some Downtown football fanatics ‘has the Premier legaue Been good for English Football?’ here is what they had to say.

DQ 21

HOT TOPIC

has the premier league been good for

Sunday, 16th August 1992; Teddy Sheringham cuts in from the left wing, shoots into the far corner and we score the first, televised, goal of the new “Sky Sports” era. At that time, I

thought the Premiership was fantastic!9 months later and we had been relegated to Division 1 and it didn’t feel so good. Since then,

we’ve only sampled the heady heights for 4 seasons and the drive to return has nearly bankrupted the club and seen us invest heavily (and very poorly) on a variety of “overseas stars” who came with bloated reputations, expensive tastes, high salary demands and in the majority of cases greatly exaggerated talent.

Over the same period, I’ve supported and followed England home and away – after the passion of Italia ’90 and the emotion of watching “one of us” shed tears for the cause, the national team has (with only one or two exceptions) underachieved, disappointed and caused tears of anger.

Has the Premier League been good for English Football? For me; “No”. I may be a traditionalist but I believe that sport and life are about having the chance to fulfil aspirations through talent, hard work and application. Aspirations that are bought can never be as rewarding.

STEvE BENNETT | Transition Plus | Nottingham Forest Fan

Ever since the inception of the English Premier League (EPL) in 1992, English football has reached an unprecedented level of popularity, wealth, and success. As the league continues to develop as a meritocracy, players, fans and

spectators alike are flocking to be part of the EPL from all around the world. Players have become heroes and as a result, role models for English children as well as children of all racial, ethnic,

and religious backgrounds from across the globe. The creation of the overpaid ‘celebrity footballer’, more concerned with his performance off the pitch than on it, is something that the Beautiful Game would be better off without. That said, many EPL footballers donate a lot of their time and money to good causes, thus putting their celebrity status to good use. Sadly not all footballers follow this ethos and display behaviours, both on and off the pitch, that we would prefer our children not to emulate.

Despite the fact that the growth of the EPL has been primarily driven by money, and there is an element of greed associated with it, the League has had an incredibly positive, indirect effect on the atmosphere and essence of English football by gradually eliminating hooliganism and violence from the sport, and racism, whilst still an issue, is far less prevalent than it was before its creation.

lauRa wOlFE | Journey9 | Manchester City Fan

When you look back at coverage of football in the 1980s you can see the impact the premier league has had. Stadiums are better and more welcoming for families, the game has a much higher profile and the coverage itself is second to none. This has come at a price however.

The cost of going to a game threatens to price lower income families from ever going and the wages are plunging clubs into unsustainable debt. Furthermore, whereas the likes of Alan Shearer started his craft as a YTS trainee giving him added desire to succeed, this is simply not the case nowadays with many youth players enjoying chief executive style salaries before they have ever even broken into the first team. These problems threaten the future of our game right down to grass roots level as clubs try and get the quick fix by importing rather than developing players. So to answer the question, yes I believe the premier league has been good but it has come at a price. This is not an irreversible problem to address but so long as it remains many fans will understandably question whether the premier league has been a price worth paying.

MaRC SChIMD | Blackburn & Darwen Council | Manchester united Fan

Even with some reservations about the gap between the top flight and the rest of football, the answer has to be Yes. The Premier League is unrivalled in its

money-making power and as a league is the envy of Europe.The broadcasting deals it has successfully struck with partners at home and

internationally, have made our league the most watched in the world. It is important not to forget, for all the criticism it receives, it is also the fairest in the world – as revenues are shared among all 20 clubs. In Italy and Spain the leading clubs such as Barcelona and Real Madrid negotiate their own rights leaving many other clubs struggling.

Looking ahead I think the PL needs to be more rigorous in its policies regarding debt and club ownership.

ChRIS BaRRY | TheBusinessDesk.com | Manchester City FanThere is so much to dislike about the Premier League. It has had a pernicious and corrosive effect that invades every area of national life. Each week it seems there is something morally repugnant

to add to the charge sheet against the Greed League, a summary of the seven deadly sins – especially the lustful antics of some of the players who we all thought knew better. But the question referred to football, not society.

Football has never been more popular in this country, 29m tickets sold for matches, 16,000 people employed and £2.9bn of revenue generated in all of professional football. 580 million people can watch our clubs on TV. Globally, only Barcelona and Real Madrid challenge the reach of the English superclubs. In the 1980s the best British players (and Gordon Cowans) sought riches in Italy’s Serie A. The movement of talent is now in this direction. And if we are lucky enough to support a Premier League team, then we get to see some of the best footballers in the world (and Pascal Chimbonda). There is an argument that this influx of foreign talent denies opportunities for British players, but the Football League Championship is the sixth richest and most watched league in Europe (source: Deloitte). Faced with this evidence it is hard to construct a viewpoint that it has been bad for football at all.

And putting my junior grass roots football head on for a moment (I’m involved at Marple Athletic JFC) the structure and support network is unrecognisable from when I was a nipper, for which the FA get very little credit. Instead everything they are attempting to do seems to collide with a whole new set of problems created by the moral issues at the top of the game: cheating, diving, the sense of entitlement to question decisions, the lack of respect for officials and an obsession with kids being scouted by the top clubs, offering a world of riches. At the end of the day, Brian, it’s only football. But somehow it’s been elevated to something awfully important.

MIChaEl TaYlOR | Insider Magazine | Blackburn Fan

I think the Premier league has been heavily invested in, resulting in some of the best players in the world gracing the English grounds. Along with La Liga, the league is undoubtedly one of the best football

league’s to play in. This is great from a fans perspective but can only be detrimental towards young English players who are trying to push into the first team and make a name for themselves in the game.

If you look at last seasons top four for example; I think on average each team would have only fielded about 3 or 4 English players each game. The majority of English players in the premiership are likely to be warming the subs bench or trying to make it in a lower league. When compared to La Liga, Barcelona are able to field at least 7 or 8 Spanish players each game! I think Premiership clubs should be promoting young English talent more; As much as it pains me to say this being a devout Man Utd fan, it is encouraging to see the likes of Kenny Dagliesh starting to do this at Liverpool FC.

JIM RaINFORD | CBg group | Manchester united Fan

english football?

22 DQ

LIFE IN THE...

My day job at The Mersey Partnership is to focus on economic growth in the

Liverpool City Region so when Frank asked me to write an article I was all set to explain how we are working on exciting plans to help generate 100,000 new jobs in the key growth areas of our economy.

But instead he asked me to write about one of my other passions....Tranmere Rovers and life outside the Premier League. I’ve been a Director of Tranmere since 1998 and I’m on the Board of The Football League which is the governing body for the 72 professional clubs below the Premier League.

Although approximately 16million people attended Football League matches last year, we’re the poor relations eclipsed by the big clubs. When you think about it, given the strength of the competition, it’s remarkable that so many clubs outside the Premier League have survived for so long. Tranmere is 127 years old and it’s still going strong. I guess we must be one of the oldest companies in the City Region.

If you don’t follow Tranmere, here are few facts about the Rovers – last season it had an average attendance of 5,500 and a players’ wage bill of about £1.3m. Tranmere employs 120 people; it manages a range of very successful community schemes; it owns the stadium and training ground nearby; and, has a reputation for nurturing local players. Many of our home grown players have gone on to play in the Premier League – last month one of our talented young stars, Dale Jennings, transferred to Bayern Munich.

Unlike the Premier League clubs which increasingly focus on developing their fan base in Asia and America, our focus is close to home – local players and local fans. At Tranmere, the manager and the Directors are all local. The two major shareholders (Peter Johnson and I together own 90%) are local. This local dimension is a feature of many clubs in The Football League. It’s part of our USP.

Owners aren’t unfamiliar, distant figures living in a different city or continent – they’re usually accessible and therefore directly accountable. I’ve been a Director/owner of Tranmere for 13 years

and, believe me, you can’t ignore the views of fans if you see them regularly in the street, at the supermarket, the petrol station, the pub, the

office, etc. There’s no hiding!Day to day, clubs below the Premier League

face all of the same issues as their wealthier competitors – nurturing talent; striving for excellence; dealing with discipline challenges; escalating stadium and match day costs; unscrupulous agents; tv deals and commercial challenges – but with fewer zeros and less intense media coverage.

In the same way that some people like to support local high street shops rather than the massive multi national homogenous supermarket chains or prefer to go to restaurants with a unique local connection than a national or global chain, there is something homely, quirky, special and very English about Football League clubs like Tranmere. The

Premier League is essentially owned by foreign billionaires and, by necessity, the clubs strive to be mass market global brands.

My heart is with Tranmere but in my day job at The Mersey Partnership I appreciate the very real economic benefits produced by all 3 clubs. The last research in 2008 shows the economic value of football related staying visitors to the City was approximately £16m a year. That’s now a little out of date. The real economic value of all 3 clubs is immense if you factor in, not just overnight staying visitors but, also the matchday spend of football fans in the City Region; and, the impact of the clubs as major employers and significant buyers of local goods and services.

If you’re a football fan, you’ll know how stressful it can be to support a club. As a champion for economic growth in the City Region, I want to see all 3 clubs do well. They’re significant employers and economic drivers.

LIFE IN THE

ALTHougH ApproxImATELy

16mILLIoN pEopLE

ATTENdEd FooTbALL

LEAguE mATcHEs LAsT

yEAr, wE’rE THE poor rELATIoNs

EcLIpsEd by THE bIg cLubs

dAy To dAy, cLubs bELow THE prEmIEr LEAguE

FAcE ALL oF THE same IssuEs As THEIr wEALTHIEr

compETITors...buT wITH fewer zeros ANd LEss INTENsE mEdIA covErAgE

Words: Lorraine Rogers, Tranmere Rovers FC

DQ 23

LIFE IN THE...

When FC United of Manchester was founded

in summer 2005, in the wake of the Glazer takeover at Old Trafford, one Manchester journalist remarked it would all be over by Christmas.

He couldn’t have been more wrong... FC United is now a well established non league club, co-owned by 3,500 supporters who each pay £12 per year for a one member, one vote share.

Regularly attracting more than 2,000 passionately vocal fans to home games at Gigg Lane, where the club groundshares with Bury FC, FC United has become a byword in football for supporter-ownership and is working alongside similar clubs to improve the lot of supporters across the game.

The club has won an award from The Co-operative Group for its work in the community, and is currently pioneering a groundbreaking Community Shares Scheme to raise funds for its own ground – a proposal for a stadium in Moston is currently with Manchester City Council for a decision likely to be made in September.

The club’s co-owners strive to avoid outright commercialism – ie not putting commercial interests before those of the club – to the extent that the logo of the club’s main sponsor, mx Data, does not appear on the players’ shirts (which mx Data actually

prefers, getting involved in the club in other ways).

While the club wants to do a lot of good, it’s clear its supporters are also having a whale of a time. They enjoyed an incredible journey last season watching the team beat League One club Rochdale in the first round of the FA Cup and then take Brighton to a replay in the second round, as well as reaching

the play-off final in the league.But it’s being involved and

having a say that supporters enjoy just as much as the football itself, said FC United’s general manager Andy Walsh.

“The strength of feeling among supporters about the leveraged Glazer takeover of Manchester United was such that we were able to build a successful club providing

affordable football, and have since proved it can be run by ordinary people, its supporters,” said general manager Andy Walsh.

“Even before the Glazer takeover, we were becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of supporter consultation at Manchester United and across top flight football in general, the price of tickets and the ridiculous

amounts of money being paid to players.

“At FC United, club members can be involved in all the decisions from ticket prices to the design of our team shirt. Many of them work as volunteers in the running of the club, not least on a home match-day when more than 100 gather at Gigg Lane from 12.30pm to ensure the afternoon runs smoothly.

“It sounds like hard work and it usually is, but supporters then reap the rewards – affordable tickets, a family and fun environment at the match where you can stand and sing with your friends if you want to, and mix with the players – who really get what we’re about and love playing in front of such large, noisy and good-humoured crowds.

“That’s what we’ve built at FC United and it’s why we’re still having so much fun in non league football.”

lower tiersWords: Andy Walsh, FC United of Manchester

AT Fc uNITEd, club members cAN bE INvoLvEd IN ALL THE dEcIsIoNs From TIckET prIcEs To THE dEsIgN oF our TEAm sHIrT. mANy oF THEm work As

volunteers IN THE ruNNINg oF THE cLub

24 DQ

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DQ 25

BE OUR GUEST

The complete flexibility that Kitbag is able to offer fans through its click and collect service is also a big advantage for clubs. Fans are able to order products online and collect them in-

store, similarly they can order in store and have them delivered anywhere in the world.Kitbag’s e-commerce partnerships have also continued to grow with Kitbag providing innovative

e-commerce and fulfilment solutions on a global scale for major football brands including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea. In addition, Kitbag continues to operate and manage the e-commerce website for The FA and has just agreed a four year extension to the deal which takes in the 2014 World Cup.

This year, Kitbag assumed responsibility for The PFA website, providing players with a place to get hold of performance boots and apparel with their professional allowance. In addition, a recent deal has seen Kitbag take on the official UEFA Champions League online store for Europe and Asia.

The team at Kitbag is undoubtedly the secret to its success; whatever the individual role, working at Kitbag is about playing as one team and there are few businesses that can boast such an enthusiastic and highly motivated group of 400 employees. From the 200 retail employees to the 200 personnel based at head office, every member of the Kitbag team is passionate about delivering a first class service to each and every customer.

Innovation, service and slick logistics have proven to be a winning formula that meets the ever increasing demands of some of the world’s most demanding football and rugby clubs and discerning fans. Kitbag has no intention of resting on its laurels and will continue with its ambitious growth plans.

A big growth story in the last couple of years is the success of Kitbag’s multi-channel division, which has seen multi-channel solutions delivered for leading football clubs including Everton,

Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.When Kitbag was appointed by Everton Football Club to manage its e-commerce, retail and

merchandise strategy in 2009, it marked a significant turning point for the company as this was the first time Kitbag moved out of online and opened bricks and mortar retail stores.

Kitbag successfully exceeded all expectations and delivered a multi-channel solution that took the Everton retail proposition to the next level, significantly exceeding financial targets.

In July 2010, Manchester City signed Kitbag as its official retail partner in a five year deal that gave Kitbag responsibility for City’s retail offering across all channels around the world. Manchester City wanted Kitbag to help it achieve its aspiration of becoming a global brand and drive interest in its retail and merchandise offer with fans around the world.

Again, Kitbag overdelivered – outperforming even Manchester City’s high expectations. A considerable investment created an exciting new e-commerce platform and three new state-of-the-art retail stores in Manchester city centre, at Eastlands and in Abu Dhabi, fulfilling the Sheik’s ambition to have a store in his own luxury shopping mall.

The success of Kitbag’s retail operations for some of the country’s biggest football clubs has not gone unnoticed by other sports and has recently seen Kitbag announce its first deal with a Premiership rugby club. The 10 year deal sees Kitbag become the official retail partner for Leicester Tigers, the nine-time English Rugby champions. Kitbag will manage all aspects of the Leicester Tigers retail business, including the complete product portfolio and operation of all retail channels, including a new club store and online store.

Kitbag can offer clubs an enhanced product offering through detailed product research and development. Its multi-channel clubs have benefited from exciting fashion lines and unique quality merchandise, offering supporters much more choice in product ranges.

Kitbag’s e-commerce partnerships have also continued to

groW with Kitbag providing innovative e-commerce and fulfilment solutions

on a gloBal scale for major football brands

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DQ ICON

DAVIDBECKHAM

Words: Craig Sergeant

a few years ago, halfway through a gruelling drive up the North

East coast of america from New York City to Boston, a radio advertisement caught my attention. In amongst the inanity of the then-current american hit Parade and rapidfire DJ-speak there was a promotional spot for a forthcoming sporting event: The visit of the la galaxy soccer (I know, I know - football to you and I) team to the New York Red Bulls. The reason the advert remains at the forefront of my memory is down to the energetic hype drummed up by the voiceover for the forthcoming match, almost in desperation to an otherwise non-plussed nation that a soccer match was soon to be played. however, they had one ace in the pack to generate interest - as the voiceover almost shouted “This is your chance to SEE David Beckham!!!”. You could almost hear the exclamation marks come through the speakers.

The two minute advert encapsulates almost every facet of the man. Beckham the (rather excellent) footballer, the cult of celebrity that surrounds him, the fact that he is the draw for the fans - not the sport itself, and Beckham the Brand (with a capital B). Not since the days of Pele during the first and ill-fated attempt to bring football to the US masses has a player stood so iconic. It must have been a successful pitch as part of me now wishes that I went to the match.There can be few faces so instantly recognisable across the globe than that of David Beckham. To some he’s a Manchester United legend, to others a Galactico in Madrid. Some remember the fresh-faced kid firing in free kicks for Preston North End while others can’t forget the day he became a Spice Girl’s other half and broke the hearts

of millions. In hindsight, that day might be seen as the very point, the singularity, the Big Bang that changed Beckham from merely a footballer into a bona fide global celebrity.

EARLY YEARS

Before going supernova, the story starts in Leytonstone, London on 2nd May 1975 when he was born to fanatical Manchester United supporting parents Ted and Sandra. His grandfather supported Tottenham Hotspur (providing the only footballing conflict of interest in the household) and young David wore a Tottenham shirt for his visits, but as soon as he left it was back on with the United shirt - the only team for him. Spotting his talent early on, his parents were always supportive and in particular Beckham has been thankful that Ted told him to always enjoy playing football. He'd look at the way other kids' parents would berate them and put so much pressure on them only for promising youngsters to turn away from the sport completely.

Soon enough, trials with his local club Leyton Orient and Norwich were followed by a two year spell at Spurs' School of Excellence - how differently things could have turned out had they never let him go. He attended one of Bobby Charlton's soccer schools which in turn led to the 14 year old David signing for Manchester United in 1991.

CLASS OF '92

After being part of the fabled FA Youth Cup winning team of 1992 he began his full career in what now seems an out of character, low key manner during the League Cup. It seems strange now but back then the lad was quite a shy, unassuming type. This would be a skin that would take a few years for him to shed.

A loan spell at Preston North End followed where he gained experience playing alongside future Everton gaffer David Moyes, notably

scoring direct from a corner and gaining a reputation of being something of a dead ball specialist. Sir Alex Ferguson has paid tribute to the hard work Beckham put into this part of his game, citing the endless extra hours he worked on the precision that became one of his many trademarks.

Back at Manchester United in 1996, it was this delicate accuracy that propelled Beckham to the forefront of the footballing world's attention as he scored that goal from near the halfway-line against Wimbledon, lobbing a hapless Neil Sullivan. Only the year before, pundit and former Liverpool FC defender had assessed the new-look United team after a schooling by Aston Villa and said those words which he will have to live with forever: "You'll never win anything with

kids". That season saw Beckham and co. feature in over thirty games. Oh, and they won the double.

A raft of silverware followed as United took over Liverpool's dominance in England and Beckham went on to win six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, an Intercontinental Cup and four Charity Shields. Not forgetting the (in this writer's view) second most dramatic Champions

League Final of all time in 1999. Trailing 1-0 to Bayern Munich with seconds to play, two United goals via a couple of assists from Beckham gave them the trophy after a 31 year gap - significant as it returned English teams to the top of the pile after exclusion from European competition led to them falling by the wayside somewhat.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

It was at Manchester United that Beckham started to become something else - a player just as likely to grace the front pages of the red tops as he was the back. If you had to pinpoint a day, it would be when his relationship with Spice Girls superstar Victoria Adams was made official. With Adams coming from a world where marketing is key, it can't be a coincidence that Beckham's non-sporting income greatly increased soon-after. No one can deny he's a good looking fella, so why not make the most of it while he can? Two words: Alex Ferguson.

Speaking as a United player in 2000,

Not sINCE tHE DAys of PElE DurINg tHE

fIrst AND Ill-fAtED AttEMPt to BrINg footBAll to tHE us MAssEs HAs A

PlAyEr stooD so ICoNIC

DQICON

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Beckham describes Ferguson as a man with whom you can "have a face-to-face blazing row with but it will be forgotten about twenty four hours later" and someone he could "to go to see about [his] problems" such as when the couple were expecting their first child. The overall impression was that Ferguson "liked to see his players settle down". Not this time. As Beckham's star rose to a height never before reached by one of his charges, tensions were rising and Ferguson stated that Beckham "changed when he got married".

And change he did. The installation of pop impresario (and Spice Girls svengali) Simon Fuller's 19 Management to look after his affairs meant there was a duel interest at work. The public appearances increased. The magazine features flooded the shelves. The endorsements were endless and soon enough Beckham's remuneration from sponsorships and other bespoke work soon dwarfed his earnings from football. Beckham was everywhere and Beckham became a brand. The ever-changing hairstyles were (and still are) front page news. His fashion faux pas such as pink nail varnish and skirts were as brave as they were ridiculous.

By becoming the highest of the high-profile footballers in England, Beckham was an open target for the thousands that filled the stands every Saturday. Taking to the pitch to volleys of abuse about himself and his partner Victoria, it is remarkable how little it affected his game.

THEY'vE ALL GOT IT INFAMY

I'd be willing to bet that those same abusive fans were ecstatic to have Beckham in the England team. The delivery from that right boot was unrivalled by anyone at another club so when he took to the field for the Three Lions, the whole nation had a piece of Beckham...sometimes with regrettable results.

After bursting onto the scene at United and being called up to the senior national team, Beckham made a belated entrance to the World Cup in France '98. The tournament has gone down in infamy for Beckham. Brought down

against Argentina in the quarter final, a rash moment of petulance saw Beckham kick out meekly against the calf of Diego Simeone... who naturally went down like a sack of... well, you get the idea. One red card later and Becks was the most hated man in English football. The worst since that Hand of God fella. The media went wild - the Mirror's front page displayed a dartboard with his face on; the fans even wilder hanging a Beckham-effigy outside a London pub.

Here in Britain we like nothing more than knocking down those we've built up. There's an almost perverse pride in seeing the most successful come crashing down to levels around or beneath us. Once out of the white of England and back into United’s and Hello! magazine’s red, Beckham had to take the abuse and try to rise above it. Knowing his level of commitment, there was no better man for the job.

Despite this World Cup notoriety, Beckham's draw as the face of many a company did not waver and the This Is Money website describe him as a "name [that] is as instantly recognisable as... multinational companies [such as] Coca Cola and IBM". Shirt sales soared, his clothing and fragrance ranges were successful, even a

golden Buddha statue of him was unveiled in Thailand.

In 1999 he was married in opulence to Victoria and the rights were sold to Hello! magazine for exorbitant amounts (the most notable pictures were of the couple sat on golden thrones). This move towards celebrity culture has largely been pinned on the motives of Victoria but as the man himself says on the decisions in the relationship: "We both wear the trousers". Perhaps it would have been more appropriate to say they both share the sarong.

There are numerous, possibly endless jokes about the couple's intellect but there is definitely something there to have been able to create and sustain the financial juggernaught that is Brand Beckham... and it's no mean feat to do so whilst dealing with such intense media pressure.

REDEMPTION

For England, Beckham played

his way back into the hearts of the nation. Unusual for a "big club" player and something increasingly less-common as time wears on, Beckham is England through and through. Made captain by stand-in gaffer Peter Taylor - a role continued under Sven - and so began the long road to redemption. Beckham showed that classic hallmark of the man which has become almost as famous as his free kicks and ever-changing appearance: The comeback.

Part one: That last minute free-kick against Greece at his home Old Trafford in the World Cup 2002 qualifiers, sent England on to the finals. Beckham was back... but he wasn't finished there.

Part two: Equilibrium was reached in the rematch against Argentina. Beckham converted the only goal of the game from the penalty spot to knock our old foes out of the competition.

England's inevitable and anti-climactic exit from the World Cup saw a fractious period for Beckham, his boyhood team and his manager. Increasingly irate at Beckham's celebrity lifestyle, things came to a head - quite literally - when the dreaded 'Fergie Hairdryer' resulted in a flying boot to Beckham's face and stitches above the eye. The end of this footballing chapter was nigh.

THE REAL THING

In 2003 he signed for Real Madrid in a deal worth £25 million for Manchester United. Quite what this deal was worth to Real we can only speculate, but one thing for sure is they made that money back... and some. As part of the Galactico experiment it is a universally known truth that he was signed for his marketability but it was also one in the eye for their fiercest rivals Barcelona (Joan Laporta's failed presidential campaign for Barca was based solely on signing him). Real picked Beckham over Ronaldinho for his commercial appeal. Barca got Ronaldinho, and gratingly for Real, success soon followed.

Life in the Spanish capital started well with a goal in the opening minutes of his debut but as a whole his stay there was not to be as successful as his time in Manchester. Of course he spent nowhere near as much time in Madrid as he did in Manchester but success for most footballers is measured in silverware. However, one thing that we can also measure Beckham's success on is the fact that during his four year tenure Real's commercial appeal vastly increased and he is recognised as the prime factor in merchandise sales topping the $600 million mark. Effectively, Beckham

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ensured Real reached and stayed at the top of the elite group of teams in Europe and therefore the world, despite the European titles drying up.

A change of president and the installation of Fabio Capello as manager of Real saw Beckham's playing time reduced. Negotiations on a new deal were stalling and a shock agreement to sign for MLS' LA Galaxy franchise was announced midway through the 06-07 season. Capello stated that Beckham had "played his last game for Madrid" as Jose Antonio Reyes took his place in the team. Time for another comeback.

Knuckling down, working hard, never ceasing his intensity for the game while training he continued to show the perseverance that Alex Ferguson lauded years ago. Capello couldn't ignore it and Beckham was back in the team, naturally showing his appreciation to the fans and manager by belting in a free kick against Real Sociedad. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Real pressed on under Capello and clinched the title, Beckham's first for the club in his final season. Though Real tried to reverse the decision to allow him to leave for LA, at the end of the season he was Tinseltown-bound as a La Liga champion and with a Supercopa de Espana medal also on the mantelpiece.

FROM GALACTICO TO THE GALAxY

The deal that took Beckham

to "Hollyweird" was announced to be around £250 million - this wasn't solely the transfer fee but in fact the whole financial package (Major League Soccer favours the more - whisper it - socialist stylings of American sport's trade and draft system). The official party line was that Beckham's move hoped to raise the profile of soccer in the US. One of the few countries in the world where football is a minority sport, there was nobody better than the most famous footballer on the planet to bring the game to the masses. Unlike when it was attempted in the 70s, this time the emphasis wasn't to pin the hopes of the sport on one man (looking at you, Pele). The sustainable infrastructure of the league was in place and Beckham's arrival made a statement that the league had arrived - much like in the '90s when the Premier League began its influx of the slightly ageing but excellent foreign contingent.

At this point, both the Beckhams' motives can be scrutinised. Victoria, by now no longer a Spice Girl is thought to have wanted to "break" America and it is almost as if playing for the Galaxy was a by-product of this desire. Two birds, one stone if you will. 19 Management's duel interest for its clients again rears its head. Hype and fanfare preceded their arrival, a reality TV show was aired, they unveiled popular clothing and fragrance ranges and yes, he made it to the silver screen appearing in the Goal! trilogy and an on-field cameo in I Love You, Man. To this day, the family - now bolstered by sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz as well as recent arrival and first daughter Harper Seven - have stayed Stateside.

Beckham's arrival has seen the Galaxy press on to win two MLS Western Conferences and

one Supporters' Shield though they have yet to win the play-offs. Accusations that Beckham's business acumen takes priority over his football may seem convincing on paper, but when you see how he has trained in the off-season at various points with Arsenal and Tottenham, as well as two successful loan spells with Serie A giants AC Milan just to keep himself in contention with England and fit for the MLS, one must doff thy cap.

One nostalgic moment in Beckham's career came whilst on loan from the Galaxy to AC Milan, playing in the Champions League against former club Manchester United at Old Trafford. Coming on as a second half substitute he received a rapturous ovation from the United faithful before comically getting booed the first time he touched the ball. Milan lost the tie 7-2 on aggregate but the night belonged to Beckham and was a fitting farewell as both the fans, the club and the player thanked each other for the golden years they enjoyed together.

A LION'S RETURN

Any new manager, owner or

player in football likes to make a "statement". They let the world know that they have arrived and things are going be like this from now on. In 2006, new England manager Steve McClaren was no different and to show who was boss did the unthinkable and dropped David Beckham from England duty altogether; although possibly to soften the blow advised that the door remained open for a return. Again the comeback... er, "kid" tenaciously fought his way back into the reckoning and by May 2007 McClaren made a U-turn and called him back into the set-up. Unfortunately, there was little Beckham could do to help England as they failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and McClaren was sacked. Comeback made, McClaren's replacement - ironically enough - was one Fabio Capello.

Under Capello, Beckham has been used as a bit-part player but became the most capped outfield England player ever against Slovakia in 2009, winning his 109th cap. Injury prevented his participation in World Cup 2010 but he travelled with the squad in an ambassadorial role, liaising between the players and the management (and to a cynic may have been used by the FA in an attempt to gain votes for their World Cup bid). His caps are currently frozen on 115 and due to his age he does not appear to be part of Capello's plans but Beckham is yet to officially retire from international football. In fact, he has expressed his desire to be involved with the 2012 GB Olympic

football team, not just in a coaching capacity but perhaps even as a player! For Beckham, there have been highs and lows in his England career but his commitment has never wavered. For that, and for all those moments of magic he gave us, he must be considered one of England's greats.

LEGACY Yes, he's won a lot. Yes, he's

earned a lot. He's also involved in an astonishing amount of charity work. To name but few: Unicef, Comic Relief, the Red Cross, Malaria No More, Help for Heroes, NSPCC and the Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust.

One of my favourite stories I've read was an email sent in to a football website where the writer said that after this, the guy could "do no wrong" in his eyes. He told the story of someone he knew who used to be a bit of a 'lad' getting into trouble, nicking cars, fighting and the like. With no qualifications or future he was struck down with leukaemia and his innings looked almost over. Whilst in hospital, with no media presence or aides in tow, in came one David Beckham who spent the afternoon chatting away about this young lad's future. Fast forward eight years and the same lad has qualified as a doctor and pinpoints that day as the turning point. Best of all for him was how Becks made Victoria sit in the waiting room all throughout. You've gotta hand it to the guy!

David Beckham is a fantastic footballer who has brought joy to millions across the globe. He has turned from sporting zero to hero in record time. He's a fashion icon, a humanitarian, a gay icon in a largely homophobic industry. He's the first and only Briton to become a genuine global sporting megastar. His commercial appeal may surpass his on-field talents but for him the game always comes first. He's capitalised on every Unique Selling Point he has and reaped the benefits, gaining every gift that football couldn't provide - and who can begrudge him that? Certainly not royalty, who gave him his OBE. Neither can the sporting community who awarded him the BBC Sports Personality Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 - and deservedly so. The epic ovation he received to collect the award almost reduced the man to tears but the heartfelt thanks he delivered in his speech almost made those watching do the same. He'd come a long way from the shy lad with the sweet right foot who avoided interviews and the spotlight.

All in all, as well as his off-field entrepreneurial success, on the field he still expresses himself beautifully and that is why David Robert Joseph Beckham is this edition's DQ Icon.

HE’s A fAsHIoN ICoN, A

HuMANItArIAN, A gAy ICoN

IN A lArgEly HoMoPHoBIC

INDustry. HE’s

tHE fIrst AND oNly BrItoN to BECoME A

gENuINE gloBAl sPortINg

MEgAstAr.

30 DQ

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In 2011, Downtown will be looking across the North West to find 30 of the best, brightest and most influential entrepreneurs, decision makers and business people that the region has to offer.

Whether it is someone who is running their own business; playing a key role in the public sector or progressing in one of our leading professional service companies, we will be selecting ten people from each Downtown area, Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire, who have demonstrated talent, innovation and the ability to succeed in the future.

Our objective is to create a unique ‘DQ30’ network that will grow annually, enabling our region’s most talented individuals to come together on a regular basis and form a powerful business forum.

In this edition we look at 10 of the most important and influential business leaders in Lancashire!

GeOFF DrIVer

County Councillor Geoff Driver, a Lancastrian, has had a long-standing career in Local Government Finance, starting as a trainee at Rawtenstall Borough Council and Eccles Borough Council.

His posts have included City Treasurer and Chamberlain at Plymouth City Council, Director of Finance at Kirklees Metropolitan Council and he ended his career as Town Clerk and Chief Executive at Preston City Council.

Geoff was elected to Lancashire County Council in May 2005 and became Leader of the Opposition Conservative Group in May 2008. He was re-elected to the County Council in 2009 when the Conservatives took control and he became Leader of the County Council in June that year.

DANIEL MINES

Daniel is a Partner and Head of the Business Law Department at Forbes. He has a wide range of experience advising new and established businesses of

all sizes, local authorities and charities on the full spectrum of business law issues. His areas of expertise include commercial contracts, public procurement, sports, intellectual property and IT, corporate finance, joint ventures and projects.

Daniel has been shortlisted for Corporate Lawyer of the Year and Dealmaker of the Year at the Insider Lancashire Dealmakers Awards, where the Forbes team has taken the Corporate Law Firm award in 3 of the last 4 years. Daniel has also been awarded ‘Best Business Advisor’ at the Lancashire Business Awards.

DaNIelle CrOwther

At 26, Danielle Crowther set up Clitheroe-based Promotional Merchandise & Corporate Gift Company, Love to Brand Ltd.

Within her first 18 months of business she gained a significant six figure turnover and boasts a client list of some of the most prestigious businesses in Lancashire. The company, unlike some has flourished through the recession, growing quickly but

organically and showing no sign of slowing down.

Success this year has been proudly acknowledged by being shortlisted for ‘Start-up Business of the Year’ at the Red Rose Awards, and, more recently being finalists at the prestigious ‘BIBAs Awards’ for New Business of the Year.

STEvEN BROOMHEAD

Professor Steven Broomhead, Director of Institutional Advancement Liverpool Hope University.

After eight years at the helm of the North West Development Agency, Steven Broomhead continues a varied and demanding portfolio of significant work across the North West region.

In his guise as Professor of Entrepreneurial Education at Liverpool Hope University, he implicitly builds strategic relationships with businesses and social enterprises and helps the University to deal with the challenges of an open, but rigid market.

Steven is also non-executive Chairman of RecyclingLives,

a £20m plus turnover social enterprise for profit, based in Preston; non-executive Chairman of Warrington Wolves RLFC and non-executive Chairman of Chester Renaissance, the company that will drive the future economic prosperity of the City of Chester.

Other roles include non-executive Chairmanship of training company 3 A’s, board membership of the Local Enterprise Partnership in Lancashire, trusteeship of the National Football Museum in Manchester, Governor of the University of Central Lancashire and chairman of the Health and Well-being board in Warrington.

NIKKI HESFORD

Nikki Hesford, Miss Fit UK.Nikki Hesford is a 25 year old

Award-Winning entrepreneur, single mum and ex-glamour model who now owns the Miss Fit group of brands that include clothing, lingerie and swimwear for big busted women. From starting her business in early 2008, the company has flourished to include several brands that are supplied to the high street as well as white-

THE LANCASHIRE 1DQ

SPONSORED BY:

Steven Broomhead, Liverpool Hope University

Danielle Crowther, Love To Brand

Geoff Driver, Lancashire County Council

Theresa Noblett, Conlon Construction

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label manufacturing of fashions for large chains.

Also a prevalent Speaker and Start-up Mentor, Nikki openly shares the peaks and troughs of her journey through various platforms. Her forthcoming business book is due to be published in December this year.

KIRSTY HENSHAW

Kirsty Henshaw, Worthenshaws.Kirsty’s impressive journey

into enterprise began when she discovered that her son Jake had some serious food allergies. With just an ice-cream maker from Argos, Kirsty set about scouring for ingredients that were not only allergen free, but also nutritionally superior to other similar products to make her own desserts to take to market.

The young mum managed to secure deals with Tesco and Booth’s supermarkets, as well as a place on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, winning the confidence and investment of entrepreneurs, Peter Jones and Duncan Bannatyne.

In the 12 months since the show, Kirsty continues to grow the business and develop new products for the Worthenshaws range.

BEDE MULLEN

Bede has worked in higher education in the UK and abroad for the past 25 years, and has been Director of Knowledge Transfer at

the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) since August 2004.

He has responsibility for all aspects of UCLan’s work with external organisations, including partnership development, employer engagement, entrepreneurship, intellectual property exploitation and the provision of UCLan products and services such as CPD, contract research and placements.

With more student start-ups than any other North West University it is no surprise that UCLan is often cited as an ‘entrepreneurial university’ and as testament to this is currently shortlisted in the 2011 Times Higher Education Awards in this category.

DENNIS G. MENDOROS

Dennis G. Mendoros OBE, DL, FRAes boasts over 30 years experience in the international aerospace industry. Based in Lancashire, he is the Owner and MD of Euravia Engineering which is involved with the refurbishment and testing of high speed turbine aero engines.

Qualified as an Aeronautical Engineer and UK Civil Aviation Authority Licensed Engineer, he trained with the Hellenic Airforce Engineering Academy and in Aeronautical Engineering in Scotland. A Fellow Royal Aerospace Society member and a senior member of the AIAA, Mendoros has, for over twenty years, been involved with regional aerospace initiatives to promote

innovation and investment to improve regional economy.

Mendores received an OBE in 2002 for services to the industry and was commissioned as Deputy Lieutenant for Lancashire in 2004. He was elected in 2008 as Fellow Royal Aerospace Society and he was appointed by Her Majesty as High Sheriff of Lancashire 2010/11.

THERESA NOBLETT

Theresa has been the Chairman and Managing Director of award winning Conlon Construction for 23 years. Despite the current challenges facing the property sector, Conlon recently reported a 78% rise in pre tax profits, with the company equally optimistic about their prospects for the remainder of this year. Theresa has driven the company forward in an industry not necessarily seen as ‘female’ friendly, not only producing outstanding financial results, but also advancing innovation in health and safety, design, and corporate social responsibility. Conlon have an excellent apprenticeship scheme, with over 10% of its 100 plus workforce made up of apprentices. Based in Bamber Bridge, Preston, the company undertakes construction projects for the public sector and private sector clients, and has built a reputation for reliability and an outstanding ability to deliver first class results during its 50 year history.

MATTHEW RILEY

Matthew Riley Chief Executive Officer – Daisy

Communications Ltd.Matthew began his career as

a sales executive at FH Brown, achieving rapid promotion to regional area sales manager and subsequently regional manager in 1997. He then joined German telecoms company DeTeWe AG, progressing to UK sales manager in 1999.

Matthew subsequently established and sold three start-up companies before founding Daisy Communications in 2001. Matthew’s achievements with Daisy Communications were independently recognised through the award of Ernst & Young’s UK Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2007. In the same year he was also the inaugural winner of the Bank of Scotland Entrepreneur Challenge, securing a £5 million interest free loan from Bank of Scotland and mentoring from Sir Philip Green. A further accolade, Matthew was a member of Sir Alan Sugar’s ‘advisory panel on the final of this year’s ‘The Apprentice’.

Over the past 10 years, Matthew has successfully led Daisy Communications Ltd through rapid growth to become one of the UK’s leading business communication providers to the SME and mid-market sector.

Nikki Hesford, Miss Fit UK

Kirsty Henshaw, WorthenshawsDaniel Milnes, Forbes Solicitors Dennis Mendoros, Euravia

Bede Mullen, UCLan Matthew Riley, Daisy Group

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DQ ROUNDUP

MANCHESTER9th - 12th May Business W

eek

The inaugural Manchester Business Week was held in April. Education, education,

education was the key theme to emerge from the opening session which focussed on women in business. Speakers Kate Vokes (Bruntwood), Lisa Morton (RDPR) and Marla Cunningham (Royal Exchange) all suggested that schools, universities and women in senior positions had a role to play in encouraging and promoting a positive female agenda, whilst the UK culture of ‘celebrity obsession’ was also highlighted as having a negative impact on young women’s aspirations. The issue of compulsory quotas was discussed, with the panellists and delegates split on how effective such government legislation would be.

The week also saw a woman who has needed little help in getting to the top, the Chief Executive of Salford City Council Barbara Spicer, in conversation with our Events Manager Roger Jonas, give a fascinating insight into her own career journey, the local economic environment and the challenges facing council’s in light of the government’s cuts agenda.

Frank McKenna was joined by the CEO of Kitbag Ray Evans, FC United’s Andy Walsh and David Tarry of Salford City Reds for the ‘Business of Sport’ breakfast event. The importance of sport, not just to supporters but to the local economy was discussed, and the success of Man United and Man City was seen as a huge plus for the city. Some on the panel and in the audience bemoaned the influence on football of Sky et al, though most recognised that the Premier League was a force for good.

The week ended with a celebratory ‘Sexy Networking’ evening at Bem Brasil – and even Roberto Mancini popped in for a cheeky pint!P

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DQ 35

DQ ROUNDUP

LANCASHIRE23rd - 27th May Business W

eek

Downtown’s series of business week’s continued in Lancashire during May and

kicked off with a lively discussion between Frank McKenna and the leader of Lancashire County Council Geoff Driver. The council boss pulled no punches in his assessment of the county and the damage political in-fighting and parochialism had caused to Lancashire’s economic development. However, with the Local Enterprise Partnership now established, he was more optimistic about positive co-operation and collaboration across the county in the future.

In other events, delegates benefitted from top tips about how to maximise value out of outsourced services and their staff from presentations by The Write Angle’s Angela Smith, Winning Pitch sales expert Peter Gaunt and HR guru Victoria Brown.

The challenges facing Lancashire in light of public expenditure cuts was the focus of the debate entitled ‘Arranged Marriage or Positive Partnership?’ LEP Board members Steve Broomhead and Dennis Mendoras were joined by Downtown’s Adam Hosker and PR man Richard Slater, who generally believed that though not an ideal set of circumstances, the existing climate may produce more genuine and innovative public-private sector projects than has been the case in the past.

As anticipated the ‘Here Come the Girls’ event which ended the week produced a vibrant discussion on the role of woman in business, with outstanding contributions from the Chief Executive of Preston City Council, Lorraine Norris, and local entrepreneurs Kirsty Henshaw and Nikki Hesford. P

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36 DQ

DQ ROUNDUP

June 2011 saw, what was arguably, one of the most successful Liverpool Business Week’s

in Downtown history.A week-long series of seminars and forums

prompted discussion and debate amongst the Liverpool business community, around a number of topical issues affecting business and enterprise.

Beginning with a focus on the women’s agenda, DLIB Chairman, Frank McKenna led an engaging panel including Maggie O’Carroll, Chief Executive of The Women’s Organisation and Victoria Brown, Managing Director of High Performance Consultancy,

The final member of the panel was Luciana Berger MP for Wavertree, who denounced the focus given to women’s appearance, saying, “It is an unhelpful distraction to the achievements of women”.

The week also saw an exclusive from Liverpool City Council Leader Joe Anderson on the Cruise Liner Terminal status, during an interview on his first year in post; and American enterprise expert and policy advisor to the Kauffman Foundation Jonathan Ortmans gave an important insight into the Global Entrepreneurs Congress.

Other speakers and facilitators throughout the week included the owner of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Redrow Chairman Steve Morgan, Local entrepreneur Natalie Haywood, Chief Exec of the council Ged Fitzgerald and Vision boss Max Steinberg.

The week finished in true Downtown style, with a social networking evening at Sakura in Exchange Flags, bringing together over sixty delegates to celebrate the week’s success.P

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About TNT Post

TNT Post is the largest challenger to Royal Mail in the deregulated postal market and has the resources to

deliver both addressed and unaddressed mail. Currently we are predicted to handle more than 3.2 bn items this year; roughly 1 in 6 mailing items that land through the letter box.

Since the liberalisation of the UK postal market on 1st January 2006, TNT Post has continued to impress businesses and public sector organisations in the UK with its innovative, sophisticated mailing services that bring unrivalled value and flexibility to clients.

TNT Post has developed a number of un-sorted and pre-sorted postal solutions for customers including Premier, Premier Sort, PremierSort Flex and now our latest arrival; FirstSort. FirstSort is a flexible, physical alternative to Royal Mail, allowing customers to benefit from next day delivery and so far has been adopted by both the public and private sectors. In addition, TNT Post’s best in class approach with product and service innovation has resulted in the delivery of a number of added value solutions, such as ‘yourStamp’, ‘3-DM’ and ‘adScents’ direct mail concepts.

What is TranSend?TNT Post has recently launched it’s hybrid mail solution,

named TranSend. TranSend revolutionises the way users send letters and documents; documents are now sent electronically straight from a PC, to TNT Post’s state-of-the-art print and fulfilment facilities. In seconds TNT Post receive, print, fulfill and inject mail into their nationwide network for delivery. It’s secure, easy to set up and offers track and traceability of documents.

Cost SavingsTranSend is the ideal integrated solution for any size of

business, posting any volume of mail, which is looking for a cost saving of up to 60% without mass disruption or implementation to existing postal processes. Additionally TranSend offers the perfect solution for businesses with fragmented mail production, or for smaller organisations that have no post room facilities. Whether mailing items are transactional or direct mail, TranSend is the efficient mailing platform. Many organisations use cost savings as a key driver in reviewing postal services. Our TranSend service doesn’t just reduce the cost of postage; it reduces the cost of the entire postage chain including print, production and fulfillment.

Time SavingTime as well as money can be saved by using TranSend.

TNT Post TranSend reduces the time required of an organisation’s staff to produce and fulfill mailings, allowing staff to spend more time on core activities. A typical mail piece can take up to 4 minutes to print, produce and prepare for postage individually. By saving 95% of the time spent on producing a mailing allows staff to concentrate on core business activities.

Brand ControlA common problem with organisations that send out mail

from multiple sites or those businesses that have limited marketing resource, is keeping control of the company’s branding.

Both the You-Send and Auto-Send drivers allow administrators to define templates and production requirements for users so that brand consistency is maintained and guidelines adhered to.

Using our mail-merge service allows customers to upload a mail shot and database quickly and easily with no ability to alter the document once uploaded to our system. Therefore responsibility for producing the mailings can be passed over to colleagues once approved by the brand owner.

Impact with SpeedReceiving an item of mail through the door still has an impact

electronic substitutes struggle to match. Email is commonplace and has certainly transformed the way the world communicates, but its widespread use and the proliferation of spam has served only to raise concerns of deliverability and read-rates. TranSend gives users the impact of a mail piece with the effortlessness of sending an email.

For more information contact 01628 816772 or visit www.transendit.co.uk/info.php

DQ 37

DQ MAILBOX

40 41

Playing the Insurance Game:The Importance of HavingComprehensive Cover

here’s been a lot of talk thisseason about how thePremier League is becoming

increasingly physical. Thisspeculation has been fuelled by thenumber of high-profile, seriousinjuries that have occurred sinceAugust, such as those suffered byBobby Zamora and Hatem BenArfa; concern has also been raisedby certain players gaining notorietyfor their rather combative playingstyle.

Danny Murphy added to the debate, byseemingly blaming managers for thisphysical approach. He said managersare sending out players so “pumped up”that it’s inevitable dangerous challengeswill happen, resulting in serious injuriesoccurring.

Paul Fielding, client services manager at

CBG Insurance Brokers – part of CBGGroup – says: “Players are always at riskfrom su�ering career-threatening injuryand this season’s no di�erent. Everyplayer knows each game they play couldbe their last. It sounds pessimistic, butplayers have to be aware that each gameplayed is a calculated risk. A career canquickly be ended, as the experiences ofMarco van Basten, David Buust and DeanAshton will testify.”

“When a player begins earning a decentwage and becomes accustomed to acertain lifestyle, having the correctinsurance is an absolute must. Youngerplayers in particular need to ensure theyhave the correct guidance and advice sothey’re covered appropriately.”

Although commonly known in the SportsWorld as a Career Threatening InjuryInsurance, the accurate insurance term is

Personal Accident & Sickness Insurance.This is because the policy covers players24 hours a day, across every country andwhen they’re away on international duty.The policy covers players on the pitch –and it also covers them o� the pitch.

Fielding continues: “Most players haveprotected themselves �nancially if an on-pitch disaster occurs, but they also needto take measures to ensure they’reprotected if they su�er injuries o� thepitch. Not all policies o�er that level ofcover.

“A player could have an accident in hiscar or his home and this may mean henever plays again and his livelihood isgone – players must ensure they protectthemselves against those circumstancesas well.”

Fielding played football at a semi-professional level, coached atManchester United’s Academy and alsoholds a Level 2 coaching badge. Hethinks that players – and advisers –always need to check carefully whatinsurance policies o�er.

“We work with over 100 footballers,providing comprehensive insurance foreach of them. Most of the policies o�eredby companies are similar – a lot of thewording will be the same – but we o�erbene�ts that other providers don’t.

“For example, if a player becomesparaplegic or quadriplegic due to aninjury, their policy will be paid out andthey’ll also receive a £50,000 lump sumto help cover the added expenses.”

A player will also receive an extra£10,000 in a training bene�t if theircareer is ended by injury. This extramoney can be used to pay for universityor a professional training course to helpa player acquire new skills.

When asked if the perceived spate of rashtackles and serious injuries this seasonwould a�ect premiums, Fielding says:“Costs don’t rise if there’s a player orteam that’s seen as ‘dirty.’ The cost of apremium rises each year as a player getsolder.

“If a player has previously su�ered aserious injury, this can mean exclusionsare applied to their policy. CBG is pro-active in working with players, club

doctors and the underwriter to regularlyreview any exclusions and ensure theseare removed at the earliest possibleopportunity, rather than leaving them onthe policy until the next renewal. Thisenables the player to get the best cover atall times.”

There are also steps players can take toreduce their costs. CBG o�ers a two-year�xed deal to Premier League playersaged 25 and under. Here, the premiumremains the same throughout the twoyears and the costs won’t rise during thatperiod, irrespective of injuries that mayoccur in that time and the fact the playergets older.

He adds: “Career-threatening injury hasalways been a risk for footballers, butthere are other hazards for modernplayers, as demonstrated by well-publicised burglaries at the homes ofplayers. We appreciate insurance isn’t ahot topic of discussion in dressing rooms,but players must ensure they take steps tocover all eventualities. If the issue’signored and corners are cut with cover,the player – and their families – couldsu�er.

“Insurance may not be the mostglamorous aspect of a player’s life, butit’s certainly one of the most important.”

T

“Insurance may not bethe most glamorous

aspect of a player’s life,but it’s certainly one ofthe most important.”

Paul Fielding

Insurance Focus

38 DQ

SPOTLIGHT ON

40 41

Playing the Insurance Game:The Importance of HavingComprehensive Cover

here’s been a lot of talk thisseason about how thePremier League is becoming

increasingly physical. Thisspeculation has been fuelled by thenumber of high-profile, seriousinjuries that have occurred sinceAugust, such as those suffered byBobby Zamora and Hatem BenArfa; concern has also been raisedby certain players gaining notorietyfor their rather combative playingstyle.

Danny Murphy added to the debate, byseemingly blaming managers for thisphysical approach. He said managersare sending out players so “pumped up”that it’s inevitable dangerous challengeswill happen, resulting in serious injuriesoccurring.

Paul Fielding, client services manager at

CBG Insurance Brokers – part of CBGGroup – says: “Players are always at riskfrom su�ering career-threatening injuryand this season’s no di�erent. Everyplayer knows each game they play couldbe their last. It sounds pessimistic, butplayers have to be aware that each gameplayed is a calculated risk. A career canquickly be ended, as the experiences ofMarco van Basten, David Buust and DeanAshton will testify.”

“When a player begins earning a decentwage and becomes accustomed to acertain lifestyle, having the correctinsurance is an absolute must. Youngerplayers in particular need to ensure theyhave the correct guidance and advice sothey’re covered appropriately.”

Although commonly known in the SportsWorld as a Career Threatening InjuryInsurance, the accurate insurance term is

Personal Accident & Sickness Insurance.This is because the policy covers players24 hours a day, across every country andwhen they’re away on international duty.The policy covers players on the pitch –and it also covers them o� the pitch.

Fielding continues: “Most players haveprotected themselves �nancially if an on-pitch disaster occurs, but they also needto take measures to ensure they’reprotected if they su�er injuries o� thepitch. Not all policies o�er that level ofcover.

“A player could have an accident in hiscar or his home and this may mean henever plays again and his livelihood isgone – players must ensure they protectthemselves against those circumstancesas well.”

Fielding played football at a semi-professional level, coached atManchester United’s Academy and alsoholds a Level 2 coaching badge. Hethinks that players – and advisers –always need to check carefully whatinsurance policies o�er.

“We work with over 100 footballers,providing comprehensive insurance foreach of them. Most of the policies o�eredby companies are similar – a lot of thewording will be the same – but we o�erbene�ts that other providers don’t.

“For example, if a player becomesparaplegic or quadriplegic due to aninjury, their policy will be paid out andthey’ll also receive a £50,000 lump sumto help cover the added expenses.”

A player will also receive an extra£10,000 in a training bene�t if theircareer is ended by injury. This extramoney can be used to pay for universityor a professional training course to helpa player acquire new skills.

When asked if the perceived spate of rashtackles and serious injuries this seasonwould a�ect premiums, Fielding says:“Costs don’t rise if there’s a player orteam that’s seen as ‘dirty.’ The cost of apremium rises each year as a player getsolder.

“If a player has previously su�ered aserious injury, this can mean exclusionsare applied to their policy. CBG is pro-active in working with players, club

doctors and the underwriter to regularlyreview any exclusions and ensure theseare removed at the earliest possibleopportunity, rather than leaving them onthe policy until the next renewal. Thisenables the player to get the best cover atall times.”

There are also steps players can take toreduce their costs. CBG o�ers a two-year�xed deal to Premier League playersaged 25 and under. Here, the premiumremains the same throughout the twoyears and the costs won’t rise during thatperiod, irrespective of injuries that mayoccur in that time and the fact the playergets older.

He adds: “Career-threatening injury hasalways been a risk for footballers, butthere are other hazards for modernplayers, as demonstrated by well-publicised burglaries at the homes ofplayers. We appreciate insurance isn’t ahot topic of discussion in dressing rooms,but players must ensure they take steps tocover all eventualities. If the issue’signored and corners are cut with cover,the player – and their families – couldsu�er.

“Insurance may not be the mostglamorous aspect of a player’s life, butit’s certainly one of the most important.”

T

“Insurance may not bethe most glamorous

aspect of a player’s life,but it’s certainly one ofthe most important.”

Paul Fielding

Insurance Focus

DQ 39

SPOTLIGHT ON

40 DQ

THE COOL LIST

ThE DOwNTOwN guIDE TO ThE COOlEST STuFF IN ThE DOwNTOwN uNIvERSE

Man About Town is Liverpool's first free bi-monthly magazine targeted at a professional male audience. The first, exciting issue will hit distribution points throughout the city in September 2011 and is already being hotly anticipated by Liverpool's finest.

Man About Town provides a guide to Liverpool life and

style. The magazine covers all aspects of Liverpool life including style & grooming, fitness & sport, food & drink, business & technology, interiors & property, motors and lifestyle & travel.

Man About Town's founder James Parry was inspired to launch the magazine in his home town after becoming frustrated with national magazines focusing on London lifestyle and shops. James says

“Whilst GQ and Esquire are brilliant magazines, I've always been frustrated by their London point of view. Liverpool has changed so much in the past 10 years and has so much to offer to its men that I thought a free magazine featuring interesting, useful editorial and local advertising would really help to connect Liverpool's men to the amazing city they live in.”

Alongside the printed magazine, Man About Town is using social media outlets Twitter (@Man_AboutTown) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/manabouttownliverpool) to connect readers to events and promotions across the city on a daily basis. Man About Town is also working in partnership with Liverpool's hottest public relations companies to create a professional men's community in Liverpool with partner benefits, exclusive competitions and events available to readers. For more information contact Man About Town through the website www.mat-uk.co.uk.

Lancashire’s exquisite Ribby Hall, a popular choice for business team building events and conferences, are to open a brand new spa at the end of summer 2011.

The Spa itself features an indoor hydro pool with bubble jet loungers and a terrace spa pool, aroma room, an aroma steam room, a saunarium, a Balinese salt inhalation room, a herbal sauna, an outdoor rustic sauna, Roman pededarium, tepidarium, ice fountain, monsoon experience showers, and a plunge bucket and rope shower and an elegant brasserie serving gourmet light lunches… Team away day anyone?

Manchesters’ latest uber cool dining spot has been a massive success since its opening in June this year. The bar boasts a unique list of expertly crafted, exclusive cocktails alongside all the classics and a wine list of impressive proportions. Service from the friendly and knowledgeable staff runs into the early hours against an eclectic backdrop of music created nightly by resident and guest DJs.

A menu of tempura, sushi and sashimi is available in the bar at all times and is open for drinkers and diners alike till 12 midnight Sunday to Wednesday, 1am on Thursday and 3am Friday and Saturday.

Christmas comes early for Downtown members at the ninth annual Downtown ‘Livercool’ awards on Thursday 17th November 2011 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

We are asking you to help us identify the key personalities and entrepreneurs that are at the heart of Liverpool’s business community.

Please nominate the individuals who you think have enjoyed a successful year, and who you believe have helped sustain Liverpool as a great place to work, live and play! Visit www.downtownliverpool.com/events/2011/21/nominate to make your nominations.

And, if you haven’t done so already, make sure you book your places at the biggest party in the Liverpool business events calendar. This ‘Livercool’, with a Winter Wonderland theme, is going to be the best one yet! Visit www.downtownliverpool.com to book your places. Don’t be disappointed BOOK EARLY!

AUSTRALASIA

MAN ABOUT TOWN RIBBY HALL TO OPEN NEW SPA

LIvERCOOL

DQ 41

THE COOL LIST

Are you looking for an attractive alternative to hospitality at sporting events? If the answer is yes then Platinum Entertaining is for you. The Empire Theatre offers first class entertaining facilities and a dedicated hospitality team ensuring you of the

highest level of service. This annual membership has proved to be a huge success and guarantees your clients, colleagues, employees and friends a unique opportunity to benefit from a truly memorable theatre experience.

ENTERTAINING10 Complimentary tickets per month (valid Mon-Fri)Personal and direct booking service for tickets, hospitality and

catering requirements. (catering supplied at additional cost)Access to private members suite where you can entertain your guests

before the show and during the interval – complimentary nibbles provided.Complimentary house programmes for you and your guests.Invitations to special theatre events, including Opening Night parties,

Press Launches etc.Acknowledgement of your company in every theatre programme

published by the Empire, which reaches an audience in excess of 500,000 per year.

Company name and logo displayed in the Platinum SuiteFor more information contact [email protected]

It’s certainly that time of year again, and what better to face the cold weather than with a mug of Gluvine whilst you peruse the Christmas trinket stalls. The best Christmas Market in the country returns on the 18th November. So wrap up warm, take the day off work and lose yourself in a world of Christmas cheer – there’s no better way to get in the festive spirit.

RBG, John Dalton Street are offering DMIB Members their exclusive conference facilities free of charge! The Private Room can host a multitude of events and functions on all sizes from an intimate lunch or dinner up to a standing Champagne reception.

The room boasts a wall mounted 60" plasma screen, all relevant network connections, CD player and iPod docking station to create a vibrant party atmosphere. A range of fantastic breakfast, lunch and evening catering menus are available from £25.

Downtown Liverpool in Business, in association with Liverpool Vision, will host a one-day conference at the start of UK Enterprise Week in November.

The event will celebrate Liverpool’s fantastic achievement in securing the Global Entrepreneurship

Congress in March 2012. There will also be an opportunity for Liverpool businesses to engage through a series of seminars and keynote addresses, presented by leading entrepreneurs, academics, decision makers and business experts.

Whether you are looking to boost sales, master social media and online technology, become more efficient, be inspired, or want to be a part of future city agendas, IT’S LIVERPOOL – THE BUSINESS CONFERENCE is a not to be missed event.

We recognise that time is one of the most precious commodities that business owners have, and that is why Downtown Liverpool in Business and Liverpool Vision have worked hard to create a one day event designed to help you achieve your ambitions.

The conference will not only focus on some key issues that affect businesses today, but will look ahead to the GEC and how Liverpool and its private sector can continue to develop an enterprise culture in the future. Successful entrepreneurs, including Steve Morgan, Tony Caldeira, Natalie Haywood, James Barton and Catherine Korich, will be joined by policy influencers and decision makers such as leading commentator Toby Young, Sir Howard Bernstein, Councillor Joe Anderson, Ged Fitzgerald and Max Steinberg, to discuss and debate how enterprise can be top of the regions agenda.

Mitton Hall is a 15th century manor house. The stunning interior design is perfectly complimented by the historical and architectural features that this magnificent property boasts, creating a truly unique ambience and atmosphere.

As difficult to describe as it is to forget this part chic, boutique luxury hotel is the perfect escape and hideaway. Offering somewhere to relax and unwind and to stimulate the taste buds as well as indulge the senses our Brasserie and Deli menus are a must for all visitors.

Most importantly Mitton Hall is a place to be enjoyed by everyone time and time again.Their aim is that your stay be as pleasurable as possible.

RESTAURANT BAR & GRILL – FREE MEETING ROOM FOR DMIB MEMBERS!

“IT’S LIvERPOOL” – THE BUSINESS CONFERENCE

PLATINUM ENTERTAINING

IDYYLIC MITTON HALL

MANCHESTER CHRISTMAS MARKET

Salford-born Manford returns to his hometown as part of his Off On Tour We Go UK tour. He will be playing November 16th at the MEN Arena adding his own brand of Mancunian charm and comedy genius. If that wasn’t enough, our favourite eateries ‘The Grill on the Alley’ & ‘The Grill on New York Street’ are offering 20% off food throughout November for a pre-concert bite!

JASON MANFORD

42 DQ

DQ FEATURE

dates for Your diarY

With the demise of Business Link, the impending closure of the Regional Development Agencies and the worst banking crisis in

living memory, many SME owners have been left asking what is available out there to help SME’s grow in the future? Fortunately, there are a number of schemes available to help; at the fore in our region is The North West Fund, helping businesses bridge the Gap in funding from their banks and gaining much needed investment.

The North West Fund have been taking applications since December 2010 to the £185 Million fund, to date active investments have already reached £5.1 Million, this is also couples with a further £6 Million plus from private investors. The lowest application are £50,000 with a maximum investment of £2 Million available, Andy Leach, CEO of The North West Fund, tells me that the average investments currently, are around the £200,000 marque.

The aim for the fund is to assist SME’s growth plans while being commercially viable enough for the North West Fund to deliver a financial return. “Working in partnership with other investors including banks, is key to what we do;” insists Andy Leach. Often banks find that they have reached their maximum available credit lines and that is where the North West Fund can come in to assist, taking the risk on the remaining borrowing that is required.

Andy Leach insists that while the future for slick well run SME’s bright, it is likely that the change in the financial landscape means that there will be little or no grant funding available in the future.

So who is the fund for? Well; as Andy stated, the main target is SME’s, with a focus on growth companies that can either safeguard or create jobs. There are a number of sections to the fund:

• VentureCapital• DevelopmentCapital• BusinessLoans• DigitalandCreative• EnergyandEnvironmental• Biomedical

I asked Andy why there was no specific Manufacturing subsection to the offering,

“We simply couldn’t have sections for everything, the NWDA made the final decision for the sections with special focus, for good reasons. Although Manufacturing along with other sectors is covered in our generalist funds, so there is a home for everything within one of the sections”.

Along with equity funding as an investor the fund managers are involved in giving support to the businesses invested in. Not just a capital investment “our fund managers all have their different ways of supporting businesses, this level of support will depend on what stage the business is at, in particular depending on which sector you are in, our fund managers may well have specialist knowledge. Although for businesses taking up the business loan fund the requirements and investment in time is different, it is not an equity investment and thus it will be nearer to a standard financial investment. All of our fund managers were selected because they have expertise, networks and skills that can bring to bear all of our investment portfolios.”

Banking changes have clearly altered the financial landscape, I asked Andy if this fund was there just to bridge the gap when banks can’t lend, Andy tells me that “a lot of company’s cannot raise debt funding, or early stage companies who are involved in early stage R & D can’t raise debt funding, these higher risk investments are something that we can look at”. So it is a broader spectrum of businesses that can be serviced by the fund than traditional routes.

Clearly The North West Fund is not the Knight in shining armor come to save the day for all North West businesses, but it certainly is the medicine that is needed to help bump start the economy. When I posed the question to Andy, “if you were running the country, what do you think would be the thing that needs to be done to really get the economy back on track?” Interestingly enough with the coming to prominence of 24 hour news and the doom and gloom in the papers day in and day out it is unsurprising that Andy’s opinion is; “the one thing that is going to pull everyone out of this is confidence, you can’t bottle it, it just happens, it’s about lots of SME’s and consumers moving forward, if we can start to move forward in small steps with investment and that will create the momentum.”

Essentially it is the equity gap that The North West Fund is taking the opportunity to bridge along with other schemes out there. They are essentially creating a sustainable fund for now and the future, reinvesting the profits from this fund and continuing for businesses of the future.

www.thenorthwestfund.co.uk

the north West fundLIvERPOOL - ECONOMY FORUM WITH THE MERSEY PARTNERSHIP

Date: Monday 17th October 2011Time: 4.00pm - 5.30pmVenue: Novotel

LANCASHIRE - ECONOMY FORUM WITH THE BANK OF ENGLAND

Date: Wednesday 19th October 2011Time: 8.30amVenue: Marriott Hotel Preston

MANCHESTER - PROPERTY & ENTERPRISE FORUMDate: Thursday 20th October 2011SAvE THE DATE

LANCASHIRE - MEMBER’S RECEPTIONDate: Monday 31st October 2011SAvE THE DATE

MANCHESTER - SEXY NETWORKINGDate: Thursday 10th November 2011Time: 6.00pmVenue: Viva Brasil Manchester

LIvERPOOL - IT’S LIVERPOOL: THE BUSINESS CONFERENCEDate: Monday 14th November 2011Time: 9.30am - 4.30pmVenue: Crowne Plaza Hotel

LIvERPOOL - LIVERCOOLDate: Thursday 17th November 2011Time: 6.30pm - 12.00amVenue: Crowne Plaza Liverpool

LANCASHIRE - ENTERPRISE FORUMDate: Tuesday 22nd November 2011SAvE THE DATE

MANCHESTER - ECONOMY FORUMDate: 29th November 2011Time: 8.30amVenue: RBS, Spiningfields

For regular updates visit www.downtowninbusiness.com or follow @DIB_Chris and @RPJonas on Twitter.

lIVerpOOl

ACC LiverpoolTel: 0151 703 7268Fax: 0151 475 7777Email: [email protected]: www.accliverpool.com

Alma De Cuba Tel: 0151 702 7394Email: [email protected] Web: www.alma-de-cuba.com

Bem BrasilTel: 0151 709 0044E-mail: [email protected]: bembrasilrestaurants.com

Bluecoat ChambersTel: 0151 702 5324E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.thebluecoat.org.uk

Crowne Plaza LiverpoolTel: 0151 243 8000Web: www.cpliverpool.com

Everyman Playhouse Tel: 0151 706 9115 Email: [email protected] Web: www.everymanplayhouse.com

Franklins DeliTel: 0151 227 5976E-mail: [email protected]: www.franklinsdeli.com

GustoTel: 0151 708 6969 Web: www.gustorestaurants.uk.com

Hilton Liverpool Tel: 0151 708 4200Email: [email protected]: www.hilton.co.uk/liverpool

Il FornoTel: 0151 709 4002Email: [email protected]: www.ilforno.co.uk

Liverpool Empire TheatreTel: 0151 708 3200Email: [email protected] Web: www.liverpoolempire.org.uk

Malmaison LiverpoolTel: 0151 229 5000Email: [email protected]: www.malmaison-liverpool.com

Merchants Bar & RestaurantTel: 0151 702 7897Email: [email protected]: www.62castlest.com/merchants-restaurant.php

Novotel HotelTel: 0151 702 5100Fax: 0151 7025110Email: [email protected]: www.novotel.com

Radisson BLU LiverpoolTel: 0151 966 1500Email: [email protected] Web: www.radissonblu.co.uk/hotel-liverpool

Royal Liverpool PhilharmonicTel: 0151 210 2921Email: [email protected] Web: www.liverpoolphil.com

Sapporo TeppanyakiTel: 0151 705 3005Email: [email protected]: www.sapporo.co.uk

Sir Thomas HotelTel: 0151 236 1366Email: [email protected]: www.sirthomashotel.co.uk

The Living RoomTel: 0151 236 1999Web: www.thelivingroom.co.uk

The Noble HouseTel: 0151 236 5346Email: [email protected]: www.thenoblehouse.co.uk

MANCHESTER

Bem Brasil - DeansgateTel: 0161 839 2525Email: [email protected]: www.bembrasilrestaurants.com

Bem Brasil – Northern QuarterTel: 0161 923 6888E-mail: [email protected]: www.bembrasilrestaurants.com

East Z East - RiversideTel: 0161 834 3500Email: [email protected]: www.eastzeast.com

East Z East – Ibis HotelTel: 0161 244 5353Email: [email protected]: www.eastzeast.com

Grill on The AlleyTel: 0161 833 3465Web: www.blackhouse.uk.com

Living RoomTel: 0161 832 0083Fax: 0161 8320082Web: www.thelivingroom.co.uk/venues/manchester

PiccolinosTel: 0161 835 9860Fax: 0161 834 9563E-mail: [email protected]: www.piccolinorestaurants.co.uk

Restaurant Bar & GrillTel: 0161 8320082Email: [email protected]: www.therestaurantbarandgrill.co.uk

Royal Exchange TheatreTel: 0161 833 9833Email: [email protected]: www.royalexchangetheatre.org.uk

RossoTel: 0161 832 1400Email: [email protected]: www.rossorestaurants.com

Sapporo TeppanyakiTel: 0161 831 9888Fax: 0161 839 4030Email: [email protected]: www.sapporo.co.uk

Tom’s Champagne BarTel: 0161 834 7788Email: [email protected]: www.champagnebars.net

pRESTON

Angelo’sTel: 01772 257 133Email: [email protected]: www.angelospreston.com

East Z EastTel: 01772 200084Email: [email protected]: www.eastzeast.com

Fusion RoomTel: 01772 880180Email: [email protected]: www.fusionroom.co.uk

Glovers BarTel: 01772 561410Email: www.facebook.com/gloversbarWeb: www.gloversbar.com

Holiday InnTel: 01772 567 000Email: [email protected]: www.hipreston.com

Invincibiles - PNETel: 01772 759 900E-mail: [email protected]: www.invincibles-pne.com

Legacy International HotelTel: 0844 411 9028 E-mail: [email protected]: www.legacy-hotels.co.uk/legacy-preston

Marriott HotelTel: 01772 864087Fax: 01772 861728Web: www.marriott.co.uk/preston

The Whalley Wine ShopTel: 01254 822581Web: www.thewhalleywineshop.com

DQ 43

WORKD HARDPLAY HARD

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