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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees1,
June, 2010
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CATHERINE BERRY LAWRENCE TOMLINSONCliffhanging adventure
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An EXAMINER publication
MouldingsuccessA COMPANY makingitems from plastic hasbeen
demonstrating itsgreen credentials topotential investors.Crompton
MouldingsLtd took part in anevent hosted byCO2Sense Yorkshire
toshowcase the work ofnine firms from thesustainable sector and
encourageinvestors to provideprivate equity of75,000 to
500,000.
Safe andsoundTWO Huddersfieldfirms are celebrating 15years in
businesstogether.Haulage firm The PinkLink Ltd and BurtonSafes
marked theirpartnership as Burtonsmanaging directorNorman Berry
retires atthe end of this year.
Easilift takes the load for retail supplierA COMPANY providing
loading bayequipment has ensured that a keycustomer is not left
hanging around.Easilift Loading Systems Ltd, of
Kirkburton, has supplied a doubledeck scissor lift to allow TIC
RetailAccessories Group to load and unloaditems more
efficiently.TIC helps retailers by moving mer-
chandise back through the supplychain typically
high-volumere-usable retail accessories such as
clothes hangers and security tags.TIC pioneered the idea of
hanger
re-use, which is now being acceptedmore widely among retailers
due to thefinancial and environmental costs ofsimply throwing them
away.Easilifts system including solid
steel scissor lift and 6,000kg loadingplatform was fitted at
TICs premisesin Sheffield and took under two daysto
install.Easilift is one of the UKs foremost
loading bay equipment specialists and one of the first in its
sector to gainSAFEcontractor accreditation anindependent assessment
of the healthand safety record and competency ofcontractors.The
company, which has its own
in-house design team and engineers,has supplied systems to
customersincluding Tesco, Arla Foods, Instoreand
Nisa-Today.Easilift sales director David Whyatt
said: We work in close collaborationwith all our customers,
which enablesus to develop an in-depth appreciationof their
business, processes and pro-cedures, so we are in an ideal
positionto develop individually-tailored load-ing bay
solutions.This approach is reflected in the
high levels of customer satisfactionachieved. As a result, 60%
of neworders come from existing custom-ers.
Banks get beatingin business surveyBANKS have to work hard to
restorecustomer confidence after the creditcrunch, suggests a
survey by threeleading professional advisory firms
inHuddersfield.Research by law firm Baxter
Caulfield, Robertson Baxter FinancialServices Ltd and chartered
account-ants Wheawill & Sudworth, foundconsiderable
dissatisfactionwith thelevels of customer service provided bybanks
to the regions businesses.More than a third of local firms said
theywere disillusionedwith the servicethey receive from their
bank, accord-ing to the research.Some 34% rated their banks
service
as poor or below expectationswhile fewer than half felt that
theirbank had helped them through aperiod of difficulty.Some 56%
believed the recession
had been used as an excuse to increasebank charges, while 61%
said theirbanks lending rates were too highcompared to the low base
rate.Fewer than 10% of those polled said
their bank had promoted the govern-ments Enterprise Finance
GuaranteeScheme designed to support lendingfor business growth.Some
43% felt that their bank had
scrutinised their business more sincethe credit crunch with 40%
beingasked for greater security to supporttheir borrowing and 46%
believingthat the bank was taking longer tomake lending
decisions.Stephen Newman, senior partner at
Bax t e r Cau l f i e l d So l i c i t o r s,said: Customer care
should be a pri-ority at any time, let alone during arecession in
which banks are alreadyunder scrutiny.When we evaluated the results
of
this research, it seems that few bankshave succeeded in keeping
their cus-tomers happy.Greg Robertson, director of
Robertson Baxter Financial Services,said: While two-thirds said
theirbanks overall service was good orvery good, only 20% of those
peoplewent for very good.
This shows that four out of fivepeople are not receiving top
notchservice from their banks. In any otherwalk of life we would
not just sit backand accept this.David Butterworth, of Wheawill
&
Sudworth, said there seemed to havebeen a major reduction in
staff num-bers at local level, leading to delaysand fewer resources
in the branch.
Lending authority had also been cent-ralised with credit teams
who did notknow the businesses and their peopletaking longer to
make decisions.He said: With all this in mind, it is
not surprising that businesses are nothappy with the service
they get fromtheir bank but I believe that most ofthe blame for
this lies centrally, ratherthan with local branches.
BANK STATEMENT: Stephen Newman (left), of Baxter Caulfield;
DavidButterworth (centre), of Wheawill & Sudworth; and Greg
Robertson, ofRobertson Baxter Financial Services Ltd
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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS national Page 2
ALMOST half of all UK-listed com-panies facing takeover bids
during thepast two years have been targeted byforeign firms, said a
survey.About 44% of all merger and
acquisition deals targeting UK-listedcompanies have been backed
by over-seas bidders, according to City lawfirm Wedlake Bell.The
proportion rose to 53% in the
first quarter of this year nearlydouble the 27% of deals that
involvedforeign backers in the first threemonths of 2008.Tim Bird,
partner and head of the
corporate team at Wedlake Bell, said:There is a very definite
pattern emer-ging here, which is that more andmore foreign
companies see the UK
as a good place to invest and thequickest way is to acquire
compan-ies.The return to growth of the UK
economy is boosting the confidenceof overseas investors who
clearly viewthe long term prospects of the UKeconomy to be very
good.The group said foreign companies
were taking advantage of the favour-able bid conditions in the
UK, such asthe weak pound and the robust sys-tem of regulation.The
group said the US remained
the main source of overseas bid forUK-listed firms, accounting
for 30%of bids in the past two years.But there was also strong
interest
from bidders in China and India.
COMEDY group Jongleurs hasannounced plans to launch six newclubs
this year following a 2minvestment.The clubs, which will be opened
in
Nottingham, Cambridge, Liverpool,Manchester, Sheffield and
New-castle, are part of a joint venturewiththe UKs largest private
bar and cluboperator Novus Leisure.The move means there will be
11
Jongleurs clubs around the UK bythe end of 2010, with plans for
fur-ther rollouts in 2011.The latest expansion plans follow
the opening of three new clubsalready this year, including a
flag-ship club at Sway, which is owned byNovus Leisure, in Covent
Garden.
The group repor ted strongdemand for its new comedy pack-age,
Jongleurs Posh, at its Swayvenue, which offers a three
coursedinner, table service and fourstand-up acts for 40.John Davy,
Jongleurs co-owner,
said: This fresh investment willhelp bring our unique offering
toeven more customers and new audi-ences.The appetite for a
complete com-
edy and entertainment experience isstronger than ever and we are
exper-iencing unprecedented demandfrom corporate and larger
groupbookings in particular who are look-i n g f o r a n e n t e r
t a i n m e n tone-stop-shop.
THE services sector has failed to build onsigns of a recovery
seen earlier this year with sales disappointing expectations
dur-ing the past three months.Both the volume and value of
business
carried out by firms involved in consumerservices, such as
hotels, restaurants, traveland leisure, fell during the three
months toMay, according to a survey by employersgroup the CBI.Just
over a third of companies in the
sector reported a fall in business volumes,with just 14% seeing
a rise, while a balanceof 5% of firms reported a drop in the
valueof business.The fall came despite firms seeing a
slight rise in business levels during theprevious quarter and
expectations thatthe increase would continue.The overall
profitability of consumer
services firms fell to its lowest level since
August last year, with 34% more compan-ies reporting a drop in
profitability thanthose that saw a rise.Th i s wa s p a r t l y d r
i v e n by a
slower-than-expected rise in prices,coupled with a
faster-than-expectedincrease in costs.Business and professional
services
firms, such as accountants, solicitors andmarketers, did not
fare much better withbusiness volumes remaining unchangedduring the
period, while the value ofbusiness rose only slightly, with a
balanceof 8% of companies reporting anincrease.The profitability of
firms in the sector
has now fallen consistently for two years.The prices firms
charged for their ser-
vices continued to drop, although they didso at the slowest rate
since November,2008.
Ian McCafferty, CBI chief economicadviser, said: These figures
for the UKservice sector show there is some way to gobefore the
recovery gets up to speed, andfirms selling services to the
consumer arefinding it tougher than those in businessand
professional services.Consumers are still being cautious
about spending on discretionary activitieslike eating out in
restaurants or bars, andleisure and personal services, such as
hair-cuts or beauty. But it is interesting to seethat travel
services firms are doing better,which suggests people still want to
take awell-earned break.Firms selling business and professional
services are feeling slightly more optim-istic than three months
ago, but are stillfinding it hard to make a profit as
pricescontinue to decrease and costs acceler-ate.
Jongleurs spreading the laughs UK firms prove attractive
Service sector hitby fall in volumes
Beatingthe oddsA SEARCH to findinspirational men andwomen who
have beatenthe odds to succeed inbusiness has beenlaunched with the
fifthannual Barclays TradingPlaces Awards.Enterprising
individuals
who have triumphed overpersonal adversity to turntheir business
dreamsinto a reality have untilFriday, July 16, to tell thejudges
their story andwhy they should win ashare of the 50,000prize
package.This years awards will
also invite people tonominate someone theyknow who
deservesnational recognition forovercoming some of lifes
greatest challenges torun their own business.Steve Cooper
(pictured, above),chairman of the judgingpanel and
managingdirector of BarclaysBusiness, said: TradingPlaces is a
celebration ofmen and women who,despite great personalchallenges,
have takensteps to establish asustainable businessand in doing so
changedthe direction of their livesfor the better.We are delighted
to
have this opportunity torecognise theirachievements
whilehighlighting anincreasingly importantsector of the
businesscommunity whetherthey are sole traders orsmall businesses
thattogether underpin oureconomy.Everyone entering the
awards will have accessto a range of businesssupport
packagesfeaturing specialistadvice and expertmentoring.The overall
winner will
get a cheque for 10,000with the runner-upreceiving 5,000.The
awards will be
made at a black tie galadinner at The Savoy inLondon on
Tuesday,November 30.Entry forms are
available in Barclaysbranches, by calling 02086732020 or by
visitingwww.barclays.co.uk/tradingplaces
Conservatory cleaningfirm is a family affair!A FAMILY business
is making a clearbid for success cleaning
domesticconservatories.Deighton man Roger Patrice and his
sons Christopher and Nicholas set upCNR Conservatory Cleaning in
2007with advice and support from BusinessLink Yorkshire.Now the
company is gearing up for
expansion having weathered the reces-sion.Mr Patrice: Last year
was a pretty
tough time, but it is picking up now.Weare getting a lot of
repeat custom,which is very encouraging and we arelooking to expand
to cover not justKirklees but other parts of West York-shire.As
well as conservatories, we are
looking to offer cleaning services forpatios, block paving and
drives.Mr Patrice said forecasts for a hot
summer and the prospect of peoplemaking more use of their
conservator-ies presented a great opportunity forthe fledgling
business.At present, Mr Patrice and his sons
all have full-time jobs and work on theconservatory cleaning
business mainlyat weekends.But the long-term goal is to develop
a business for Christopher, 25, andNicholas, 23, to run as their
ownbusiness full-time.Said Mr Patrice: It all started when
wewanted to get our own conservatorycleaned and realised there
was nobodyoffering the service.Its not like washing the
windows.
Cleaning a conservatory properly including the guttering,
pipework anddecorative features can take fourhours. And every
conservatory is dif-ferent.
WASHING DAY: Roger Patrice (centre) with sons Nick (left) and
Chris,who have impressed Business Link Yorkshire with their
fledgling business
CAUTIOUS: CBI chiefeconomist Ian McCafferty
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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS
profile Page 3
Jamie Milner& MattTurner
TasteMarketingLtd
HENRYKZIENTEK
Roles: Joint man-aging directorsFirst job:Washingup in my local
restaur-ant (Matt). Pizza deliv-ery driver for ChiniPizza in
Skel-manthorpe (Jamie)Best thing aboutjob: Building a busi-ness
from scratch andwatching tastelondongrow from nothing intoa
well-recognised andwell-respected brandWorst thing aboutjob: The
amount oftax we have to pay.We seem to get pun-ished for being
suc-cessful! Also, its oftenhard to switch offafter workBusiness
tip:Always follow your gutinstinct and focus onwhat you think
willwork. Keep thingssimple and just do it.Move quickly and
dontover-plan
Work: Diners clubSite: Viaduct Street,HuddersfieldEmployees:
25Phone: 08005677241Email:
[email protected]
Capitalplan isa realwinner
CONQUERING Londons livelyrestaurant scene has taken MattTurner
and Jamie Milner just threeyears.Thats not bad going for two
guys who hit on the idea for theirsuccessful business venture
whilesharing a few pints at a bar inHuddersfield.Matt, who hails
from
Lancashires Ribble Valley, wasrunning 70 The Retreat at
JohnWilliam Street with his wife Julia.A graduate in politics at
Leeds
University with a masters degreein international marketing,
Matthad set up the business afterworking as a broker in Leeds
andSheffield.Leeds-born Jamie moved to
Huddersfield when he was eightand attended Shelley High
Schoolbefore working firstly as a pizzadelivery man and later as a
carsalesman for Dixon Renault atLeeds Road and Harratts Volvobefore
joining an online auctionsite.Says Jamie: I used to drink in
Matts bar and we just got talking.We both wanted to get out of
whatwe were doing and we came upwith the idea for tastelondon.Matt
adds: I think we had a gut
feeling that it was going to work.The business plan just
seemedright.We raised some money from
the Small Firms Loan GuaranteeFund and Yorkshire Forward.I think
we drew up the cashflow
forecast on the back of a beermat although we printed it
upproperly for our fundingapplication!The business was launched
in
March, 2006. Despite theirconfidence in the concept, Mattand
Jamie realised they weremaking a huge commitment.We re-mortgaged
our houses
and sold our cars, says Matt.We didnt pay ourselves any
wages for six months so it had towork.Four years down the line,
we
have 25 people working for us andwe are set to expand further.We
are pleased by how far we
have come, but we count ourblessings and we know we have
tostrive to do more. We never look
back and think that now wevemade it.Tastelondon is a diners club
with
a difference. It provides customerswith a discount card offering
up to50% off meals in more than 1,500bars and restaurants in return
foran annual fee.Restaurants dont pay to be part
of the network, they simply offertastelondon customers a
discount.The business model has been
phonemically successful. Matt andJamies company, Taste
MarketingLtd, is now on course for turnoverof 3m this year and
tastelondonhas 100,000 members.Says Jamie: The concept was
completely new for London,although it was adapted from alarge US
company called TheEntertainment Book.Tastelondon was marketed as
a
lifestyle club rather than a discountscheme, which would have
giventhe impression of beingdown-market.We knew people did not want
to
be seen in smart Londonrestaurants fumbling for voucherstheyd
cut out of the paper, so we
adopted a diners card system.A lot of people raised their
eyebrows when we said we wouldbe running it in London but
fromHuddersfield.In 2007, we had about 350
restaurants on the books. Now wehave 1,700. Our target is to
recruitanother 3,500.Restaurant chains already signed
up for tastelondon range from CaffUno, Grand Union Bar and
Grill,The Ivory Lounge and JongleursComedy Club to
PizzaExpress,Prezzo and Tiger Tiger.In London, there is a
tastelondon
restaurant on every street, saysMatt. In some streets we have
twoor three.We chose London because
everyone eats out there. If you havea one-bedroom flat, you are
goingto eat out a lot.London was the hardest market
to crack, but it is also the mostlucrative. There are 8m people
inLondon and 8m in the HomeCounties thats 16m within a50-mile
radius of the capital.Tastelondon markets its offers
through media based in the capital,including Time Out and
Metro.Matt and Jamie also attend major
exhibitions such as the Good FoodShow and the Ideal Homes
Show.Now the directors are re-branding
tastelondon as tastecard signalling an expansion of theconcept
which will take them intoother cities, including Leeds andtheir
hometown of Huddersfield.It will also mean recruiting more
staff at its 3,000sq ft premises inViaduct Street to join its
existingteams of tele-marketers andcustomer service personnel.The
company moved to Viaduct
Street just a few months ago thinking they would have plenty
ofspace. While the unit under therailway arches is light and airy,
it isalready filling up with staff.The firm also has two sales
staff
permanently based in London.We go to London about once
every two months, says Jamie.Some clients prefer
face-to-face
meetings to communicating byphone or email.Being in Huddersfield
has its
advantages and disadvantages.We get invited to lots of VIPs
events such as restaurantopenings which we have toturn down
because of thedistances we would have totravel.In truth, running
Taste
Marketing Ltd leaves little timefor socialising in
Huddersfield,let alone the great metropolis!Jamie finds time to
ferry his
two children to riding lessonsand swimming sessions whileMatt
plays football forHeywoods Irish Centre.Otherwise, they
remainhands-on bosses.Expansion of the business
will mean devoting more time tostrategic planning, however.We
have assembled a good
team, said Matt. We promotefrom within and as a marketingcompany
we know our successis down to the quality of thepeople who work for
us.And the business partners
reckon the concept is here tostay.People will always eat out
and people will always want tosave money, says Jamie. As
aresult, we did not see too muchof an impact from therecession.
WINNING RECIPE: Jamie Milner(left) and Matt Turner, of
TasteMarketing Ltd, have taken the capitalby storm
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KIRKLEES BUSINESSlocal Page 4
Prepare for the worstTHE recent fire at a chem-ical works in
Hudders-field should act as areminder to all companies toconsider:
Could it happento us?While you may not operate a
chemical factory, what do yourneighbours do? And what
couldhappen in your area that coulddisrupt your business?The
Linthwaite fire was
brought under control by9.30am in themorning. If the firehad
taken place during the dayrather than early in the morning,the
disruption to local businessesand the surrounding road net-work
could have been even moresevere.The site director responded
quickly by apologising for theincident to the local residentsand
neighbours affected by thefire. People were warned to stayindoors
and six local schoolswere closed for a day. It was alsostated that
production was backat 90% by Tuesday so the busi-ness, customers
and the jobs ofemployees could be protected.It appears that the
immediate
response by the company and theemergency services were
effectivein protecting life and bringingthe fire under control.
Reportsindicate that the pollution to theriver and the wildlife
resultingfrom the fire may lead to some
improvements when the site isrepaired.If your business suffers
a
major event, you should ask thequestion: What next? when
theimmediate emergency has beenresolved. What will employeesdo when
they try to report forwork? What will your clientsthink when the
phones arentanswered? Is this an opportunityfor your competitors?I
was involved recently in the
annual Business ContinuityManagement review formy com-pany.
Although we already had aBCM strategy in place we stillmanaged to
identify furtherimprovements to our plans.Considering the What
next?
question, we have plans in placefor the hours and days
followingan event that would prevent ourbusiness operating
normally.Our plans include alternativeoffices, information held off
siteand pre-prepared messages tosend out to clients and
suppliers.
I would advise all businesses tobe in the same position.When all
else fails there is the
fall-back position of turning toyour insurance. Companiesshould
check if they have busi-ness interruption insurance thatwill cover
the costs and businesslosses when the business
cannotoperate.However, you can always rely
on luck. After all it will neverhappen to us. Interestingly
itwas on the same day that I readthe press stories and watched
anonline video of the Huddersfieldfire, that I was watching the
localTV news. The top story was a gasleak from a factory
followingvandalism to a gas valve. Thesurrounding area, residents
andbusinesses were evacuated forthree hours.So, where will luck run
out
next? As Baden Powell said: Beprepared.
RISKYBUSINESSMark Dalton
MarkDalton is associate director atWilby Ltd
Creditors gettimely warningCREDITORS havebeen told to playby the
rules andstop harassingdebtors who haveformal insolvencyprocedures
underway.Figures frominsolvency tradebody R3 showthat 31% ofpeople
in statutory insolvencyprocedures are still being contactedby
creditors.That figure includes people who havefiled for bankruptcy
and those whoare undertaking an individualvoluntary
arrangement.Charles Brook (pictured),Huddersfield spokesman for
R3,said: It is astounding thatindividuals continue to be houndedby
creditors despite coming underthe protection of statutoryinsolvency
procedures.The decision to file for bankruptcyis a difficult one,
but once taken, ismeant to stop the endless contactfrom
creditors.That such a large proportion ofbankrupts are not afforded
the peaceof mind they are entitled to is ofgrave concern.And he
added: Either creditors needto ensure their records are up to
dateor they need to play by the rules.Mr Brook, a director with
corporaterecovery firm Begbies Traynor, saidR3 wanted a single
gatewayprocedure into personal insolvencyto stop a situation
whereby debtorsstart off in one procedure only todiscover they were
poorly advisedand better suited to another.We believe an assured
moratoriumfrom the court for up to 28 dayswould provide a breathing
space fordebtors to consider every option andenjoy a respite from
creditorpressure, said Mr Brook. Duringthat period, they would be
obliged toseek professional advice beforemaking a decision.The
range of debt solutions isdeeply confusing for an individual
inpotentially the most stressful periodof their lives. They should
beapplauded for taking action to bringresolution to their finances
and makea fresh start, not pressured by theircreditors once they
have acted todeal with their affairs.
Getting thatFriday feeling!BUSINESS people in Huddersfieldtown
centre are invited to enjoy adrink and a chat.The First Friday Club
will meet from12.30pm to 1.30pm on Friday at TheCotton Factory in
King Street.The regular event, which isorganised by Krishna Patel,
ofaccountancy firm Revell Ward, aimsto enable members of the
businesscommunity to meet up in a socialsetting without the usual
networkingformalities or pressure to dobusiness.
Plastics fantasticformoulding firmA BRIGHOUSE firm making items
from plastic wasamong companies providing sustainable products
andservices to demonstrate green technologies to poten-tial
investors.Crompton Mouldings Ltd took part in an event
showcasing the work of nine firms from the sustainablesector at
the Green Technologies Investment Forum inLeeds.The event, whichwas
hosted byCO2SenseYorkshire
and sponsored by Pinsent Masons, was organised toencourage
investors to provide private equity ofbetween 75,000 and 500,000
towards businesses inthe sustainability sector.Potential investors
were members of the Yorkshire
Association of Business Angels . They saw pitchesfrom nine
companies looking for investment todevelop their products and
services.These included recycled plastics, biomass, nuclear
waste research, electrical propulsion systems, lightingand
recycled construction materials.Crompton Mouldings Ltd, based at
West Vale
Buildings, Wakefield Road, manufactures items suchas grit bins,
forecourt litter bins, water butts andcomposters. InMarch, it was a
finalist in the Innovator10 Awards against competition from firms
across theregion.
Barbara Greaves, YABA manager, said: Feedbackfrom potential
investors has been very positive. Over100 people attended the forum
to learn about theopportunities in the green technologies sector in
theregion. Discussions are now taking place to moveproject ideas
forward.CO2Sense hosted the event to highlight the value of
new environmental products and services that areemerging from
this sector, but also increase the level ofprivate sector
confidence and investment available tobusinesses in the
sustainability sector in the region.Andrew Hartley, operations
director at CO2Sense
Yorkshire, said: Partnerships with organisations suchas YABA are
crucial to reach key businesses in theYorkshire and Humber
region.Ideas presented at the event were a fantastic
example of how sustainable products and services are aformidable
business proposition and I hope thatinvestments will be made.As a
result, the sustainable products sector will
flourish and reduce all of our carbon footprints.CO2Sense
Yorkshire is a business support and
market development programme funded by YorkshireForward and the
European Regional DevelopmentFund.
PRODUCTS: Tony Douglas,commercial manager of Brighousefirm
Crompton Moudings Ltd
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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 5
SimonKaye is divisional director at
RensburgSheppardsInvestmentManagement
CITYTALKSimon Kaye
Chamberprize moneyup for grabsKIRKLEES firms have been urged
toenter a national awards and competefor 50,000 worth of cash
prizes.The Chamber Awards, run by the BritishChambers of Commerce,
is in its 150thyear and rewards business talent acrossthe
UK.President Neville Reyner said: Everyyear we help thousands of
energisedand determined businesses across thenation all playing a
critical role indriving forward the success of the UKeconomy.Our
awards are a great opportunity forcompanies to shout about
theirachievements and gain the sort ofrecognition that they
actually deserve.We want to hear from enterprisingbusinesses that
are finding innovativeways to navigate the current economicclimate,
building up trade despite thedownturn and above all, that
arepassionate about what they do.Regional winners in eight
categories gothrough to the national finals and thechance to
collect the Winner of WinnersAward for Outstanding
BusinessAchievement with a top prize of 25,000and runners-up prizes
of 15,000 and10,000.The regional winners will be announcedin
September.Go to www.chamberawards.co.uk oremail
[email protected] closing date for entries is June
25.
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Restaurant haswinning recipeA RESTAURATEUR in Huddersfield
hascooked up a winner.Barrington Douglas, who owns Discovery
Bay Restaurant in Huddersfield, is the latestwinner of the
Business of the Month Awardrun by law firm Eaton Smith, the Mid
York-shire Chamber of Commerce and BusinessLink Yorkshire.The award
was presented to Barrington by
Eaton Smith partner Deborah Melluish at areception also attended
byKirkleesmayorClrJulie Stewart Turner.Barrington has had a passion
for cooking
since he was 12 watching his mother cookwonderful Caribbean
meals using skills andfamily recipes passed down from
genera-tions.At the age of 19, he began work in the
construction industry, saving 20 out of every100 he earned.
After 21 years of saving, hewas finally ready to invest into his
lifelongdream of opening a Caribbean restaurant.After just one
month of opening in 2006,
Discovery Bay was awarded second place inYorkshires Best Ethnic
Restaurant Awards.Barrington went on to win the YorkshireBlack
Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 Award,which was presented by former
athlete ChrisAkabusi.Barrington was also invited to a
once-in-a-lifetime trip working alongsideGary Rhodes while he
filmed his new seriesRhodes across the Caribbean.This involved
touring eight Caribbean
islands from Jamaica to Tobago and cookingwith some of the
Caribbeans top chefs. On his
travels, Barrington picked up more than 200recipes which he now
offers in Discovery Bay with his own twist of course!Said
Barrington: Winning the Eaton
Smith Business of the Month Award meansthe world to me and all
the staff at DiscoveryBay.As a black entrepreneur, Im not only
trying to be a role model for the younger
generation, but as a Caribbean restaurant Iam trying to get as
many people as possible toindulge in Caribbean cuisine.This will
then encourage more people to
buy produce from Caribbean islands to helpcreate a more
sustainable economy.For details of the awards, go to www.eaton-
smith.co.uk or contact Ian Greenwood on01484 821389
MENU MASTER: Barrington Douglas (third right) and Richard Denis
(second right), ofDiscovery Bay, receive the award from Deborah
Melluish (fourth left) and Kirklees mayorClr Julie Stewart Turner
(centre) with (from left) Janet Bebb, of Business Link;
JaynePearson, of Kirklees Economic Development Service; Carl
France, of SandersonAssociates; and Kathryn Shuttleworth, of the
Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce
Eurozone learning its lessonsITS Friday afternoon, the
FTSE100index has just fallen through the 5000level and the widely
watched AmericanDow Jones index has breached 10,000to the
downside.UK equity markets are now 14% from their
highs, having lost their gains for the year anda littlemore
besides in the last fourweeks. Thebear watchers in the media are
already onthe lookout ready to trumpet a confirmedsighting of the
elusive beast should we fall by20%. It is time for a little
perspective.Were it not for Europes fumbling response
to its first major test as a single currency, theoutlook
todaywould appear far brighter thancould have been believed a year
ago. Accord-ing to the International Monetary Fund,global GDP is
forecast to grow by 4.2% in2010 and by a similar amount in
2011.Excluding the financial sector, the 2010 earn-ings of the
widely followed Morgan StanleyWorld Equity index are projected to
be over90% of previous peak levels. All has lookedset for solid
self-sustaining growth to resumein the developed world.However,
investors have been distracted
from this pleasant prospect by the EuropeanSovereign debt
crisis. Prior to the end ofApril, no material impact was expected
bey-ond the periphery of Europe.However, in the past couple of
weeks
several political errors on the part of theEuropeans have meant
that wider contagionis now inevitable.The question is how much
could this be?With Europe and the UK representing
around 27% of global GDP, a 1% shortfall ingrowth here would
impact global growthdirectly by only a quarter of one
percent.Admittedly, indirect linkages through tradeto other
economies may double that impactover time, but the important point
is that itwould take a severe European recession toderail the
strong global recovery a recessionthat we could only envisage if
the Euro wereto fail.In spite of reports that during the heated
debates that finally led to a bail-out packagebeing agreed
President Sarkozy threatenedto take France out of the Euro, we do
not
think the Euro is in imminent danger ofbreaking-up.The most
important evidence for this is in
the magnitude of the bail-out package.Around one trillion
dollars of potential sup-port is a large number in itself, but
fewappreciate that it is a greater ratio of Euro-zone GDP than has
been lost in impairmentsin America from the sub-prime
mortgagedebacle.Why have markets remained unimpressed?
Equities were certainly overdue for someprofit taking, but much
of the blame lies withthe ECBs recently acquired gift for
shootingitself in the foot. This has sowed doubt aboutthe practical
implementation of the plan.We are optimistic that these fears will
prove
unfounded, remembering the evolution of theUS Troubled Asset
Relief Program, whichunderwent several changes of focus
beforefinally gaining traction. Although marketsdoubted at the time
the important thing inretrospect was not the design of the plan,
butthe fact that monetary authorities showedresponsiveness,
flexibility and commitmentto address the issues. The evidence is
that theECB and European politicians have learntthese lessons.
61$&'($+.*1 "'(-21%) #(81$!+(-
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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS property Page 6
Winnersin thespotlight
Building company winsa place in regional finals
Latest auctionrealises 5.3m
BUYERS: Eddisons auctioneer TonyWebber reported strong
interest
A HOLMFIRTH building firm hasreached the finals of a West
York-shire-wide competition.A E Haywood & Sons Ltd has been
shortlisted in the category for best newdwelling in the West
Yorkshire LABCBuilding Excellence Awards 2010.The company is making
its third appear-
ance in the competition, having won thecategory for best
domestic extension in2007 and being a finalist for the
bestrestoration and conversion category toyears ago.The competition
is run by the five five
West Yorkshire local authority buildingcontrol officers, who
cover Calderdale,
Kirklees, Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield.All finalists receive a
certificate and the
winners of nine categories each receive atrophy. The finals will
take place on June 9at the Village Hotel and Leisure ClubLeeds,
Headingley, Leeds.A E Haywood and Sons Ltd was estab-
lished in 1957 by Albert Edward Hay-wood.The company is now run
by sons David
and Michael who employ a team of highlyqualified craftsmen.Among
its achievements, the company
was involved in a 12-month conversionproject which was filmed
for Channel 4programme Grand Designs.
FORTY-FIVE ofYorkshires mostimpressive buildingprojects went
head tohead in the 2010 RICSPro-Yorkshire Awards.The awards
werepresented at aceremony staged atLeeds Uniteds EllandRoad
stadium.This years eventattracted a healthy 77entries, from which
thepanel of 12 judgesshortlisted 45.The winners wereannounced by
TVnewsreader NicholasOwen.Eight category winnersincluded
WakefieldsNavigation Warehousefor buildingconservation, theBroad
Gatedevelopment in Leedsfor commercialproperty, the
RegionalAgricultural Centre inHarrogate forsustainability and
TheJunction in Goole forcommunity benefit.The Harrogate schemewas
also namedproject of the year.Colin Harrop, head ofthe judging
panel andchairman of the RoyalInstitution of CharteredSurveyors
Yorkshireand Humbersideregional board,congratulated thewinners and
paidtribute to all those whotook part.He said: The standardof
entries this year hasbeen very high,.The nominationsranged
fromsmall-scale schemes,through tomulti-million
pounddevelopments.
Positiveoutlookfor rentsLACK of supply ispushing up rentsacross
the north andsignalling a revival inYorkshires lettingsmarket, it
is claimed.A poll by the RoyalInstitution ofChartered
Surveyorsshowed the netbalance of charteredsurveyors in the
northreporting rising ratherthan falling rentsduring April rose
to20% from minus 13%in January.However, surveyors inthe region
remaincautious about rentscontinuing to rise with net balance
forfuture rentalexpectations fallingslightly to 12% in Aprilfrom
17% in January.Nationally, surveyorsin the UK areoptimistic that
rentswill continue to risewith the rentalexpectations netbalance
climbing to36% the highestfigure recorded in thesurveys
11-yearhistory.The RICS said themore positive outlookfor rents was
partlydue to the continueddecline in the supplyof flats and houses
inthe market, which hadhelped gross yieldsincrease in the northfor
the first time in ayear.Demand for propertyto let remains
strong,with 30% morerespondents in the UKstill seeing it rise
thanfall the strongestreading since January,2009.Houses
remainmarginally morepopular in the norththan flats but thesurvey
said flats werestarting re-establishtheir appeal.RICS Yorkshire
andHumber housingspokesman JonCharters-Reid said:There is clearly
amarked increase inprospective buyerswho have moved
intorentedaccommodation with aview to making achain-free
purchasewhen their idealproperty becomesavailable.Hopefully, the
newgovernment willencourage banks tohelp buyers more,which will go
a longway to further improvethe market.
A PROPERTY auction has generatedproceeds totalling more than
5.3m.Sixty-six out of 90 lots offered were
sold at the two-day sale held by Eddis-ons in Leeds and
Manchester.Eddisons reported strong interest in
good quality commercial and tenan-ted residential stock at the
event which provides encouragement for arevival in the wider
property market.Tony Webber, of Eddisons, said:
Buyers were attracted to sens-ibly-priced tenanted residential
stockwhich could be funded without thereliance on external
finance.It is clear these remain a popular
investment vehicle for investors look-ing for medium to
longer-termreturns.On the other hand, with difficult
lending conditions prevailing, buyersare reluctant to speculate
on lower
quality commercial stock.Among the highlights was a free-
hold development site in Lincoln,which sold for 295,000 off a
guideprice of 195,000 plus.The site on Carline Road was
offered on the instructions of the jointLPA receivers and has
planning con-sent for residential development.Mr Webber said: The
interest that
this lot created suggests developmentland may be starting to
find favouramong buyers once again.A retail property on
Abbeydale
Road, Sheffield with four yearsremaining on a 25-year lease to
PizzaHut (UK) Ltd at an annual passingrent of 12,500 sold for
169,000.The next Eddisons auction takes
place at noon on June 17 at LeedsUnited Football Club, Elland
Road,Leeds.
Spring Ram offers home to retailerA LEADING trader has taken
space atBirstalls Spring Ram Retail Park.Property consultancy
Knight Frank
advised on the letting of a 11,400sq ftretail unit to Homesense,
part of theUS-based TJX Group, which alsoincludes TK
Maxx.Homesense, which specialises in
designer discount home furnishings, ismoving into the unit
previously leasedby bookseller Borders. It has agreed arental of
32.50 per sq ft on a 15-yearlease.Spring Ram Retail Park, off
Junction
27 of theM62, was bought by Leeds andLondon Investment in April
last yearfor 8.1m from NPI, part of the PearlGroup. The retail
parks other occu-pants include Habitat.Alex Munro, head of
commercial
agency development at the Leeds officeof property consultancy
Knight Frank,
advised Leeds and London Investmenton the acquisition and the
subsequentletting to TK MaxxHe said: This transaction,
involving
a new tenant at one of the M62sbest-known retail parks, proves
thatdeals can be done in this challengingclimate if the product is
right.In this case, the location is one of the
best retail warehouse locations in thenorth of England. The two
tenants,Homesense andHabitat are both house-hold retail names and
take up 22,000sqft of prime retail space.The retail park itself is
adjacent to
Birstall Shopping Park and Junction 27Retail Park as well as
being close toIKEA. This is a major retail destinationand a great
move for Homesense.London-based retail warehouse spe-
cialists Morgan Williams advisedHomesense.
HOME FRONT: Spring Ram Retail Parkat Birstall is now home to
discount designerfurniture retailer Homesense
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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS property Page 7
Propertyteam hastall orderCOMMERCIAL propertylawyers in
WestYorkshire havecompleted theacquisition ofManchesters
tallestbuilding forGuernsey-basedBraemar Group.Lupton Fawcett
helpedits long-standing clientto buy the BeethamTower, which houses
theManchester HiltonHotel, 219 apartmentsand the Cloud 23
skybar.Braemar has bought thefreehold through itsChannel
Islands-listedGround Rents Fund.Amanda Peace ledLupton Fawcetts
teamof advisers, which alsoincluded CharlesJackson and
AnnaBeaumont.David Coates, directorin commercial propertyat Lupton
Fawcett said:Were delighted to haveassisted ourlongstanding
client,Braemar, to completethis landmark deal,which we feel not
onlysignals its intent for theyear ahead, but alsopoints towards
therenewed level of interestin the commercialproperty market in
thenorth of England.
Care homes comeonto themarketA GROUP headed by Batley-born
tycoonLawrence Tomlinson has nine new carehome developments on the
market.Property agent Christie + Co is acting on
behalf of Mr Tomlinsons LNT Group billedas the UKs
fastest-growing developer ofcare homes in marketing the freehold
sites,which will be located across northernEngland and the
Midlands.The care homes, which total 479 beds, will
be located in Derby, Halifax, Huyton inMerseyside, Rotherham,
Sheffield,Stockport, Sutton in Ashfield, WestBromwich and
Wigan.They range from a 40-bed home in Wigan
to a 64-bedroom home in West Bromwich.Work has started on the
new homes with allnine set to be completed during 2011.Andrew Long,
commercial and
development director at LNT Group, said:These homes are the
result of more than 25years experience working with operators
todevelop a product that exceeds theexpectations of residents,
staff, owners andinvestors.We are delighted to be working with
Richard and the team at Christie + Co, theUKs leading business
agents in the caresector.Richard Lunn, director and head of
Care
at Christie + Co, said: This is one of themost important care
home developmentinstructions to come to the market in recent
years and will generate significant interest.The care homes will
provide the highest
quality specifications including full en suitewet rooms, flat
screen TVs and attractive dayspace features such as atriums
andextensive lounge areas.
DEVELOPER: Lawrence Tomlinson, ofLNT Group
Award forKirkleeshousing schemeA CONSTRUCTION company has won an
award for ascheme to transform a blighted part of
Huddersfield.Southdale has completed a hat-trick of accolades
by
triumphing at both the national Housing Excellence Awardsin
Manchester and Constructing Excellence in the NorthEast Awards in
Newcastle.The Halifax-based firm, which specialises in social
and
residential housing and the public sector, added to
itsglittering success at the Yorkshire Property Awards bywinning
the regeneration scheme of the Year 2010 at theHousing Excellence
Awards and the innovation award atConstructing Excellence in the
North East Awards.The Housing Excellence award recognised one of
South-
dales most innovative regeneration schemes transformingthe
formerly blighted Deighton and Brackenhall areas into avibrant
community of 520 newhomes for private sale and 100properties for
housing association rental.The award recognised how Southdale, in
partnership with
Kirklees Council, delivered the project on time and onbudget and
completely regenerated two unpopular councilestates littered with
poor and outdated accommodation.Southdales innovation accolade at
the Constructing
Excellence in the North East Awards followed the firmssuccess in
a 1.3m refurbishment of a sheltered developmentin Consett,
Durham.The project, completed in partnership with housing
associ-
ation, Derwentside Homes, converted a 1960s bedsit flatscheme
into 21 contemporary apartments for older people.PaulMoore,
managing director for Southdale, said: Win-
ning three major construction awards in the space of just
twoweeks is a terrific achievement and again testament to thehard
work of our dedicated team here at Southdale.Being recognised for
our ability to innovate across a range
of schemes and regenerate entire communities demonstratesthe
breadth of our technical skills and experience.
HOME WIN: Southdale commercial director Richard Greenwood
(centre) and technicaldirector Trudie McCormick receive the award
from Patrick Rafter, of Excel Publishing, at theHousing Excellence
Awards
FORSALE NEWINSTRUCTIONRedDoles RoadHudderseld1 Large secure
surfaced yard area1Approx. 0.24Hectares (0.60 Acres)1 Redevelopment
potential1Allmains services available to sitePrice: On
Application
TO LETThe CoachHouse& Stoneleigh39Halifax Road, Brighouse1
107.88 647.24m2 (1,161 6,967 sq ft)1Two detached ofce
buildings1Open plan&private ofces1w/cs, kitchen facilities&
allmains services1 Sufcient private car parking provisionRent: On
Application
TO LETIndustrial UnitArmytage Road, Brighouse1Modernworkshop
unit1 Ease of access to Junction 25 ofM62motorway1 511m2 (5,500 sq
ft)Rent: On Application
FORSALEBraemar&Northfield HouseSnelsins Road, Cleckheaton1
Substantial detached period ofce buildings1 276.67m2&399.4m2
(2,978 sq ft& 4,299 sq ft)1 Potential redevelopment opportunity
on site of0.7 Acres
Guide Price: On Application
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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers Page 8
An efficientachievementAN employee atHuddersfieldengineering
firmDavid Brown GearSystems has won aregional award.Ian
Hemmingway
(pictured) receivedthe individual awardat the seventh
annualYorkshireProductivity Awards.The accolade
came for his work toimprove production efficiency at
theLockwood-based company.The awards, which recognise
outstanding
productivity improvements amongmanufacturing firms in the
region, werepresented before an audience of almost 200guests at the
Royal Armouries in Leeds.Alastair Gladstone, divisional director
of
Yorkshire Productivity, said: Themanufacturing sector has
somethingsignificant to celebrate this year.We are experiencing
growth in traditional
manufacturing sectors, in hi tech markets andgreen technologies
with exports rising to theirhighest levels for some time.We have
witnessed training being
embraced to an unprecedented degree duringthe downturn in the
economy.The winners deserve their awards in
recognition of their resilience and commitmentto continuous
development in the face ofadversity.Yorkshire Productivity is an
Ilkley-based
training organisation which helps companies tooperate more
efficiently and effectively.
Its thewinningcombination!TWO Huddersfield businesses are
celeb-rating 15 years in business together.Netherton-based haulage
firmThe Pink
Link Ltd has worked with Brockholescompany Burton Safes since
1996.They decided to mark their partnership
as Burton Safes managing director Nor-man Berry is to retire at
the end of thisyear.Mr Berry founded Burton Safes in 1990,
working from his garage.Since then, turnover has steadily
increased and the company is now amajorsupplier of safes for the
home and com-mercial premises such as shops across theUK and
Ireland.The Pink Link has been its distribution
partner for the past 15 years.Said Mr Berry: We chose the
company
back in themid-1990s because we were fedup with national
carriers and their poorcustomer service.The Pink Link is a local
company with
similar values and I believe it is importantfor local businesses
to work together.He added: They are a very strong unit.
All the team know who you are and arehappy to help.Vicki
Davenport, sales and commercial
director at The Pink Link Ltd, said: Ihave worked with Norman
for 15 years, so
it will be the end of an era when he retiresat the end of this
year.But the partnership will continue and I
look forward to continuing our successfulrelationship with
Burton Safes operationsdirector Jeremy Elson.
DarrylGould
Institute ofDirectorsA HUDDERSFIELDbusinessman has beenappointed
chairman of theSouth Yorkshire branch of theInstitute of
Directors.Darryl Gould (pictured), a
chartered marketer, is a seniorpartner at Denby
Dale-basedmarketing, sales andconsultancy firm DPAMarketing.He has
been actively involved with the IoD in
Yorkshire and the Humber for several years,holding the position
of South Yorkshire branchvice-chairman since 2007.Said Mr Gould: I
am pleased to have been
appointed by the IoD to the role of SouthYorkshire branch
chairman.This region has a dynamic and diverse
business population with a growing IoDmembership and it is
important that the IoDassists this growth with relevant events and
actingas a national voice for regional members as wellas helping to
encourage Yorkshire businesses tosupport and trade with each
other.
Sarah Devaney & andMatthewWilson
Horizon BSFSIGN manufacturer Horizon Signs has appointedSarah
Devaney and Matthew Wilson (pictured) torun a new business focusing
solely on supplyingthe educational market.Mr Wilson has joined
Milnsbridge-based Horizon
to set up Horizon BSF and has taken on the role ofoperations
director. Previously, he worked as asupervisor at Horizon before
leaving to set up hisown business offering products to the
educationmarket.Returning to set up Horizon BSF, Matthew will
focus on fixed furniture and equipment projectsassociated with
the governments Building Schoolsfor the Future investment and
renovation initiative.Ms Devaney has joined Horizon BSF as
sales
director. She brings considerable experience of themarket,
having worked in the education industry formore than 10 years,
first as a buyer and then insales.
Barry Crowther
YPOTHE UKs largest public sectorbuying organisation hasappointed
its first managingdirector.Barry Crowther (pictured) takes
up the post at YPO, whichincludes Kirklees Council as amember
authority and providesprocurement services to localgovernment,
education and otherpublic sector services acrossmore that 100 local
authority areas.Mr Crowther has worked at YPO since 1970
when he joined as an order clerk in thepublications department.
Since then, he hasworked in many aspects of the business.
SAFE AS HOUSES: Vicki Davenport, sales and commercial director
of the PinkLinkl Ltd, with (from left) Burton Safes operations
director Jeremy Elson, managingdirector Norman Berry, and Pink Link
depot manager Roland Jackson
Firm backs Everest venture
ACCOUNTANCY firm Clough & Cohas welcomed the return
ofCatherine Berry from her challengeof a lifetime to trek to the
basecamp of Mount Everest in memory ofher late father, Keith
Watmough, whoworked at the company for morethan 30 years before
retiring asmanaging partner.The Cleckheaton-based firm was
Catherines main sponsor on herjourney, during which she
raisedmore than 6,280 for the BritishHeart Foundation.Steven Gash,
pictured (left) with
Catherine and managing partnerNigel Bullas, said: We are so
proudof Catherine. Her determination andwill to succeed means she
has beenable to complete an extremelychallenging task. We are
delighted tohave contributed to the staggeringamount of money she
has raised.
Her achievement was all thegreater because Catherine hassuffered
with ME/chronic fatiguesyndrome for almost 10 years. Onher Everest
trek, she walked for upto nine hours a day swelteringtemperatures
during the day,dropping to minus 20 deg at night,climbing to 5,364
metres.She said: The effects of altitude,
the weather and the constant climbwere really tough, but we also
got tosee some amazing sights and evenmanaged a snowball fight
whichliterally took our breath away!To further endorse
Catherines
sponsorship, Clough & Co hasrecently launched a new
journeythemed marketing campaign thatincludes a new corporate
brochure,quarterly newsletter and website.Go to
www.clough.co.uk/blog.htm