North East Times Magazine

C O N T E N T S

February 2014BUSINESS NEWS – 8

SAVE THE DATE – 10Business events – mark them on your calendar.

NORTH EAST VIEW POINTS – 12Thoughts from the region’s business community.

10 QUESTIONS FOR... – 14Vinay Bedi, UBS.

ONE TO WATCH – 16Katharine Paterson, Kare Kot.

ON THE MOVE – 18New executive appointments.

COVER STORY – 30Mincoffs’ perfect partnership.

THE LONG GAME – 58Steve Nelson, Calibre.

STATE OF THE ART – 62

BUSINESS LUNCH – 82Sabatini

INTERVIEW – 92Jason Donovan.

MOTORS – 98

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C R E D I T S

Editorial:Contributions should include a fully stamped addressed envelope. No responsibility is accepted for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission, or while in the

Editor’s or Printer’s hands. Editorial must be received by the 12th of the month or no responsibilty is accepted for errors. Advertisements: Although every care is taken to ensure accuracy,the Publishers regret that they cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage caused by an error in the printing or damage to, or loss of artwork, transparencies or photos. Complaints:

regarding advertisements will only be considered for up to a week after publication. Advertising must be received by the 15th of the month. No responsibilty is accepted for errors.© 2013 Published by North East Times Ltd.

Directors: Mike Grahamslaw, Mick O’Hare

Commercial director: Martin Stout

Editor: Alison Cowie

Sales: Luccia Graham

Editorial: Jessica Laing, Elise Rana Hopper

Senior designer: John Haxon

Feature photography: Chris Owens

Office: 11 Causey Street, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 4DJ. | t: (0191) 284 9994 | f: (0191) 284 9995

www.northeasttimes.co.uk | @NETimesmagazine

Front cover: Emily Frankish and Lyn Rutherford, by Chris Owens.

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B U S I N E S S N E W S

Newcastle reaches the top 20 Research identifies towns and cities outside London set to drive the regional recovery.

Newcastle upon Tyne has beennamed 14th fastest growingcity in the UK, according toresearch by national

commercial property consultancy,Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH).

The research identified towns andcities best placed to drive the regionalrecovery, ranked 65 of the largest townsand cities outside London.

Cambridge topped the table withGuildford and Brighton in second andthird place.

Tom Leahy, associate director ofResearch at LSH, said: “We set out tocreate an annual guide that will track thevitality and performance of the major UKtowns and cities, across a range of socio-economic measures. It can be used as aresource for occupiers and investorswhen choosing where to locate or invest.

Commenting on the Newcastle result,Darron Barker, head of LSH’s Newcastleoffice, said: “It is pleasing to see thatNewcastle is sitting comfortably within thetop 20 UK cities at 14th position because

the region offers a great platform foreconomic growth with its five universities,its increasing number of successfulbusiness start-ups and the general ‘cando’ attitude of the average northeasterner.

“We are also fortunate in having alarge amount of developable land in thewider North East region, backed by thewill to bring it forward, so if the indicatorsare correct, I feel we should soon beseeing a positive uplift in the commercialproperty sector.”

SMEs are reluctant to expandoverseas, with only a quarter

planning to increase their internationalsales over the next year, according to thelatest survey by Baker Tilly. In Yorkshireand the North East the figure was justone in five.

The survey of 750 UK SMEs found thatthe main reason holding businessesback is perceived cost, with 90 per centof respondents indicating thatinternational expansion would be too

expensive, while 70 per cent said theyfeared a loss of control.

Neil Sevitt, Baker Tilly’s Head of SMEServices said: “Coming out of a toughrecession, it’s understandable that someSMEs in Yorkshire and the North East arehesitant about expanding internationally.But companies would do well to find outmore about export opportunities throughthe UKTI, and consider other options suchas cross border M&A, which can providea low risk route into new markets.”

SMEs reluctant to become international

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Recycling company hired by colleges

J& B Recycling has been appointed tohandle all waste produced at both

Hartlepool College of Further Educationand Cleveland College of Art and Design(CCAD). The Hartlepool-based businessalready manages waste forMiddlesbrough College and a number ofschools and is keen to expand itsinfluence within the education sector.

Business backs airport development

North East Chamber of Commercehas backed plans to revamp

Durham Tees Valley Airport.Members in the south of the region

briefed on the DTVA Masterplan,supported proposals to maintaininternational air links from the airport andsee services to Schiphol and Aberdeen asvital for the local economy.

Boost for Mumpreneurs

Derwentside’s Enterprising Women(DEW), a project to help women in

business, is celebrating after thementorship of enterprise agencybusiness coaches helped severalwomen from Consett back fromunemployment to establish their ownsustainable businesses.

Moving Times

Accent Magazines Ltd, incorporatingNorth East Times, Accent and

L’Mamita magazines, has moved offices.The long-standing independent

publishing company has relocated fromGosforth to the i4 Quayside building onAlbion Row in the Ouseburn area.

One of the city council’s NewcastleEnterprise Centres, the high quality officeand workshop accommodation of the i4 isset in a striking converted Victorian schoolthat overlooks the River Tyne.

Director Mike Grahamslaw said: “TheOuseburn is very much the creative hub ofthe city and the team and I are very excitedto now be part of this thriving community.”

Awarding UK’s Asian women

As the Asian Women of AchievementAwards mark their 15th anniversary,

the nationwide search to find 2014’sbreakthrough Asian females has begun.

Held in association with the Royal Bankof Scotland, the awards were founded byentrepreneur and women’s championPinky Lilani OBE, with the aim of celebratingAsian women who are pushing theboundaries across a range of industriesand sectors – from the arts, media andculture to business, sports and publicservice. Nominations are open athttp://awa.realbusiness.co.uk/ untilMonday, March 17, 2014.

Accapi Group is top dog

The Accapi Group has become theexclusive distributor of premium

American dogwear firm, Ruffwear – across21 countries in Europe.

The deal, worth £5million to the Durham-based SME, sees the expansion of Accapi’scurrent position as the exclusive distributorof Ruffwear to the UK, France and Lithuania.Used by outdoor enthusiasts wanting totake their dogs on activities like trekking, trailrunning, sailing or skiing, Ruffwear productsinclude a range of technical harnesses,jackets, collars, leads, boots andbackpacks.

New creative course

Darlington College has launched aunique diploma in production arts

for people interested in working behindthe scenes on everything from TV totheatre. Aimed at those wanting towork in theatre, television, or events,concerts and festivals, it gives studentsa formal qualification in sound andlighting, staging and stagemaintenance.

Door-to-door service

Award-winning Newcastle and Teesside-based Parkers Executive Chauffeurs,

has announced a national network ofpartners to meet the growing demand ofthe corporate sector for high quality, door-to-door transport in the UK. No matterwhere a client is travelling, everything canbe co-ordinated, managed andorganised by the Parkers team, usingaffiliate companies.

Launch of youth trainee programme

ANorth East charity is expanding its rangeof programmes for young people with a

new traineeship scheme. The Foundation ofLight’s new six month workforcedevelopment course, running in partnershipwith Newcastle College, will give 16-24 yearolds the opportunity to receive nationallyrecognised qualifications, as well as hands-on experience working in one of the UK’spremier sporting environments.

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D I A R Y

Save thedate

Charity balls, business dinnersand seminars.

Email [email protected] with your events

LADIES LUNCH WITH CHERYL HARDING

Rockliffe Hall, County DurhamTel: (01325) 729 999

Web: www.rockliffehall.com/whats-on/Email: [email protected]

Price: £22.50 per person

Guests are invited to this motivating ladieslunch, where Cheryl Harding, Rockliffe Hall’sexercise coordinator, will be sharing her weightloss secrets and fitness tips on maintaining ahealthy weight and lifestyle. Attendees will enjoya sparkling wine reception, followed by a two-course lunch in the hotel’s Orangery restaurant.

MANUFEX 2014

Quorum Business Park, NewcastleTel: 07960 113 456

Web: www.manufex.co.ukPrice: Free

Businesses which supply to, buy from or workin the manufacturing, engineering orconstruction sectors, are urged to exhibit, meetbuyers and promote their services at Manufex2014 – an exciting tradeshow and conference,during which over 80 of the region’s finestbusinesses will gather under one roof toshowcase their skills and talents, as well asnetwork, learn and develop.

ON-SITE WITH RINGTONS

Algernon Road, NewcastleWeb: www.entrepreneursforum.netEmail: [email protected]

Price: Free (members) £15+VAT(non-members)

Hosted by Nigel Smith, great-grandson ofRingtons founder, Samuel Smith, this on-sitevisit to Ringtons HQ will take members on ahistorical journey through the iconic North Eastcompany, learning how it has adapted andexpanded over more than a century. Guests willvisit the company’s custom-built factory in NorthTyneside and enjoy a lesson in tea making.

VALENTINE’S GREAT HALL BALL

Jesmond Dene House, NewcastleTel: (0191) 212 3000

Web: www.jesmonddenehouse.co.ukEmail: [email protected]

Price: £55 per person

Those looking for a lively way to celebrateValentine’s evening are invited to JesmondDene House for a night of food and music inthe hotel’s Great Hall. Guests will receive adrinks and canapés on arrival, followed by athree-course dinner and live music from NorthEast band, Laughing Jacks.

THE NECC EXCHANGE

Village Hotel, NewcastleTel: 0845 269 9862

Web: www.necc.co.ukPrice: Free

This relaxed networking event will provideNECC members with the opportunity to buildnew contacts, exchange ideas and sharesuccesses in a round table setting, led byNECC staff and partners. Alongsideopportunities to mix and mingle before andafter the event, delegates will also have thechance to take part in a trading board, makingoffers and posting ‘wanted’ ads.

MARKETING AND BRANDING ADVICE

BIPC, Level 3, Newcastle City LibraryTel: (0191) 277 4100

Web: www.bipcnewcastle.co.ukEmail: [email protected]

Price: Free

Those looking for marketing and brandingsupport are invited to a one-on-one consultationsession with Andy Ditchburn from Perro, aNewcastle-based marketing and brandingcompany which has helped many businesses invarious sectors to build brands and increasesales. Andy will be offering advice on everythingfrom naming and brand development to digitalmarketing and online strategy.

WINSTON’S WISHGREAT BRITISH BREKKIE

Tel: (01242) 515 157Web: www.greatbritishbrekkie.com

Email:[email protected]

Price: Free

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Feb10-16

Leading childhood bereavement charityWinston’s Wish is asking schools,households and businesses to join themin raising £30,000 for bereaved familiesin the UK by hosting a Great BritishBrekkie breakfast. The free, week-longevent will involve participants putting oncharity breakfasts big and small - frommuesli and muffins to champagnebreakfasts – and donating what they can.All money raised will go towards anumber of the charity’s services,including its helpline, which allows it toanswer around 13,000 calls from parents,teachers and health care professionals.Celebrities supporting the event includeRichard and Judy [pictured], Ruby Waxand The Fabulous Baker Brothers.

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O P I N I O N

Local business people sharetheir thoughts. ANDY HUNTER

TECHNICAL DIRECTORITPS

The growth in fingerprintreaders on laptops and phones,

combined with increasingly complexpassword construction, could see passwordsdisappearing altogether and being replaced withbiometric devices such as fingerprints, facialrecognition software or even DNA recognition.While most people would probably rejoice at thepassword’s demise, this brave new world couldcome with surprises such as increased costs,locked out accounts and the feeling ofdescending into an Orwellian world whereeverything you do is monitored and recorded.

Whattechnology

do you thinkwill becomeobsolete inthe next five

years?

PHIL CAMBERSCOMMERCIAL DIRECTORSITS GROUP

It’s actually very rare fortechnology to become obsolete

– instead, it tends to evolve and refineover time. Take the telephone, for instance.Modern mobile phones bear no resemblance tothe instrument invented by Alexander GrahamBell in 1876, but the concept remains the same.That said, I do think the growing rise of tabletswill have a direct impact on laptop computers. Idon’t think laptops will become obsolete but I dothink their market share will fall.

CHRIS DURANTHEAD OF TECHNICAL

OPERATIONS SAGE GATESHEAD

The digitisation of informationand media is the biggest changeaffecting the conference and events market.

DVDs and CDs are being replaced by onlinedistribution, delegate information is being sent

electronically and online conferencing isreplacing actual attendance. Smartphones are a

diary, music player, contact list and camera (andmore) in one. The challenge is for the

conference industry to harness this opportunity toimprove and enhance the delegate experience,

for example through new generation app’s.

PAUL LAIDLER MANAGING DIRECTOR

NATURAL TECHNOLOGYDEVELOPMENTS (NTD)

Good product design requiresthat some form of future proofing is

built in to avoid products becoming obsoletewithin a very short timescale. These products can

then be upgraded as improvements in newtechnology and materials become available. We

have achieved this with Solar Angel as thefundamental design concept allows for new

improved materials, such as new semi-conductorsand Graphene, to be incorporated into products

as they become commercially viable.

North East view points

MIKE O’BRIENCEO

OPENCAST SOFTWAREAND A DYNAMO MEMBER

Much more than previousgenerations, younger people use

technology and expect the most from it. Soon,books and newspapers will die. TV stations willsplinter. I expect antiquated banking systems to

disappear and for us to go cashless – eBay, Google,Apple and Amazon can do transaction processing

better and probably will! Email will evolve tobecome less congested and flakey. There is no end

to human ingenuity and, with the internetopening up global markets, innovations will sweep

through. The challenge is to ensure the regionleads these technological advancements.

ROB CHARLTONCEO _SPACE GROUP

Space group has invested intechnology for the construction

industry for the last 15 years. Thisindustry has traditionally been very slow to reactto change, however now in conjunction with theUK Government there is a push to change.Traditionally the design of buildings has beenachieved via computers using 2D software, ineffect an electronic version of the drawing board.This approach is now very dated with buildingsbeing designed in 3D, using an approach calledBuilding Information Modelling or ‘BIM’. Thisallows the designer to build a virtualrepresentation of the building and test itsperformance in advance. With this in mind, 2Dsoftware platforms will be gradually phased outacross the construction industry.

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E V E N T

Alan ShearerFoundation Ball

Shearer event raises over £200,000for Foundation.

Alan Shearer OBE and chart-topping popstar Olly Murs teamed up for the second

annual Alan Shearer Foundation Ball, held atHilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel.

Olly performed some of his latest charttopping hits to a delighted audience helpingto raise thousands of pounds for The AlanShearer Centre for disabled people and theirfamilies.

The dinner was attended by leading NorthEast businesses, celebrities and supporters ofthe Foundation, who helped raise over£200,000 for the specialist facility for profoundlydisabled people from across the region.

Alan Shearer OBE said “To raise over£200,000 on the night is quite staggering andI just can’t thank enough everyone whoattended the dinner and who all dug deepinto their pockets to raise such a fantasticamount of money.

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What was your first breakin business?

The only thing I ever had anythought of doing was beinginvolved in business, but hadno idea how. So I would haveto say that my first break wasactually getting a job! I did thisby befriending a majorrecruitment agent inManchester who eventually,after many nights buying himbeers, found me a great jobwith a major US company.

What attracted you toyour current role?

Quite simple really, UBS‘get’s it’. UBS has seen howthe financial sector and theregulation of our industry haschanged. The company hasadapted and changed to meetmodern standards ofregulation and investmentand provides its clients withthe sort of top class servicethat serious investors expectand require.

What has been yourcareer highlight?

I ought to say being involvedin the flotation of ManchesterUnited, but that was early onand doesn’t sound quite sogood at the moment! Sittingnext to Elle Macpherson at anEntrepreneurs Forum eventwas a day I won't forget either!

And your careerlowlight?

Discovering how quicklyloyalty can be quickly brushedaside to get ahead.

What do you enjoy mostabout your role?

Providing results. This canrange from great investmentperformance to creating asolution that puts a client'sgoals first.

I N T E R V I E W

10 questions for ...

Vinay Bedi Vinay is well known in the investment world having

enjoyed, in particular, a close involvement with many ofour region's leading PLCs over the last 25 years. He recently

made the move to UBS Wealth Management where heplans to remain heavily involved in the business community

as well as continuing to provide top class financialadvice for his clients.

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What's your biggestchallenge?

I look after a lot of pensionfunds and charities and thetrustees really do need tounderstand how the last fiveyears have changed both ourindustry and how their moneyis invested so dramatically.Helping with this process isnow a major challenge.

Who are your heroes, inand out of business?

Anyone who starts a businessbuilds it up and develops itinto a major success. Thereare lots of such examples inthe North East (Sage beingthe biggest and best … so far)and entrepreneurs are thenumber one factor inensuring our society growsand thrives.

What is the best piece ofbusiness advice anyone

has ever given you?

None that I can actuallyremember, maybe if I did Imight have been moresuccessful! One general rulethat I do follow – never beafraid of original thinking andchange.

What does the futurehold for UBS Wealth

Management?

The recently strengthenedteam here in the Newcastleoffice is probably thestrongest, highest qualitygroup of individuals I've everhad the privilege to work with.The level of experience,knowledge and understandingthese guys possess is beyondparallel outside of the City ofLondon. How can I beanything other than extremelypositive?

What do you doto relax?

Ideally go on holiday but ifthere is no time for that then Iam very happy watching theChampions, Durham, playcricket or spending a day atthe races.

www.ubs.com/ukThe views expressed in this article are the personal views of Vinay Bedi and not the views or opinions of UBS AG.

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P R O F I L E

One to watch

Katharine PatersonIn a series of interviews with talented

people set for major things, Alison Cowietalks to a Northumberland-based mum

on a mission to protect sleeping littleones with her innovative bed system.

Tired of her baby daughter bumping herselfand getting her arms and legs stuck in hercot bars, Katharine Paterson fromCapheaton in Northumberland, set about

creating Kare Kot, an innovative three-stage bedsystem for babies to toddlers.

She has since been developing her inventionfor the market and was recently shortlisted for anational Rattles to Riches award, organised byThe Baby Show.

“I’m the most unlikely entrepreneur thatyou’ll ever come across,” says Katharine. “I hadno experience of business when I started, nevermind of designing or manufacturing something.”

Originally from Oldham, Katharine moved tothe North East in 1988 to complete her post-graduate studies in Town and Country Planningat Newcastle University. She has remained inthe region ever since, working mainly in highereducation.

She met her husband and had daughter Eviewhen she was 42 years old.

As a new mother, Katherine faced a problemcommon among parents – that of preventing arestless sleeping baby from injury in their cot.

Katharine tried everything to prevent Eviefrom bumping herself on her cot’s hard surfacesor getting her limbs stuck in the bars.

She bought cot bumpers but then realisedthey were unsuitable because of the possiblesuffocation hazard to Evie, who was under sixmonths old at the time.

“I was amazed and even rang themanufacturer of the cot bumper to check I hadgot it right,” reveals Katharine. “When they saidyes I thought, ‘blimey, I’m solving one hazardand creating another’.”

That night Katharine sat down and made amodel of her perfect cot; the Kare Kot was born.

Inspired by travel cots, which Katharine hadfelt more comfortabe using for Evie at night, theKare Kot has washable fabric mesh sides with allsolid surfaces external to the fabric and padded.

The cot has an elevated position for childrenunder six months, then once a child can situnaided, an extra piece of fabric is added tocreate a deeper space.

Katherine adds: “The opportunities for anadventurous child to climb out are severelyreduced as the cot is deeper than mosttraditional wooden barred cots and it is harder toget any purchase for little feet on the mesh andfabric sides.”

Another interesting feature when the cot is atthis stage is its drop side mechanism.

“Rather than being based on a vertical dropwhich has been banned in the USA because ofsafety concerns, it’s based on a rotational hingeat the back of the A-frame which is external tothe bag and cannot be accessed by the child,”explains Katharine.

When the child is ready to go into a bed(around two to two-and-a-half years), the cotthen converts into a stylishly designed toddlerbed by removing the A-frame and adding twoextra legs.

Once Katharine had conceived her idea, sheknew she needed help to get it to market. Thiseventually came from Newcastle Science City.

“They helped fund some initial marketresearch on the cot,” explains Katharine. “Andthey put me on a series of six workshops abouthow to develop an innovative business.

“I managed to get another bit of money fromNorth East Access to Finance, and along withsome financial help from my mum, I was able toget my prototype made.

“I was then able to apply for capital funding

which enabled me to resign from my part-timeconsultancy job.”

That was in the autumn of 2011 and theintervening months and years have been amassive learning curve for Katherine who has, attimes, become frustrated by the slow progress – asituation exacerbated by her inexperience.

“Each stage has taken so long but I knoweverything has to be right,” she reflects.

“I’ve often had people giving mecontradictory advice and having no experienceof business, I haven’t been in a position to knowwhich advice was right.

“You learn to rely on your intuition which sofar hasn’t let me down.”

Endless delays have had financialimplications and Katharine has now returned towork – but she remains committed to her dream.

Katharine is currently in talks with oneprominent high street department store whichcould see the Kare Kot available in its stores thisyear. She is also seeking private investment.

Katharine has the full support of her friendsand family, including Evie who is now four yearsold.

“My family thinks it’s amazing that I’m stilldoing it and I haven’t given up,” she says. “ButI’m on a mission to save children from injury.When you put your children to sleep you wantto know that they’re safe.

“I chat to other mums and they always seemsto say, ‘oh yes, my child has bumped themselvesor got their arms and legs stuck in the bars.’ “Ifind it incredible that, until now, parents havehad to put up with that.”

To contact Katharine [email protected] orcall 07733308519.

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A P P O I N T M E N T S

On the MoveYour monthly guide to

appointments and promotions.

SHAUN PHILLIPS

Newcastle ICT services firm, Calibre SecuredNetworks Ltd, has appointed Shaun Phillips astechnical director. In his new role, Shaun, whohas more than 15 years’ IT experience in theprivate and public sector, will be responsiblefor providing network and technical designexpertise to the company’s growing portfolio ofclients and will focus on designing anddelivering flexible Cisco, NetApp and Merakisystems with built-in security.

IAN MORRISON

PwC, a network of firms that deliver assurance,tax and advisory services worldwide, hasappointed Ian Morrison as Yorkshire and NorthEast regional leader. In his new role, Ian, whohas been with PwC since 1992 and has been apartner for the last eight years, now leads thefirm’s Yorkshire and North East business,which includes more than 1000 partners andstaff across its Newcastle, Hull, Leeds andSheffield offices.

ERIN FORREST

Newcastle-based property investment anddevelopment group, The Hanro Group, hasappointed Erin Forrest as property assetmanager. Erin is an experienced charteredsurveyor in the world of property and joins theprivately owned company – which has aninvestment portfolio in excess of £150 million -from Virgin Money, where she worked asestates surveyor and managed a wide portfolioof its property assets.

PAUL JOHNSON

Leading provider of tax, accounting andbusiness services across the UK, Baker Tilly,has appointed Paul Johnson as head ofcorporate finance for the Yorkshire and NorthEast. Paul, who joined Baker Tilly in 2002,specialises in financial due diligence for privateequity investors, banks and corporates and hasexperience in cross border transactions. Themove comes as part of a restructure of BakerTilly’s corporate finance service line.

WILL BROWNE-SWINBURNE

Planning and development specialists, RuralSolutions, has appointed Will Browne-Swinburneas associate director. Will, a highly experiencedmarketer, brings 18 years’ experience to the job –most of which he gained through his director-level roles at two of the country’s leadingadvertising agencies. Will’s role at Rural Solutionsis to support its continued expansion across theUK and in the North of England, working closelywith the company’s managing director.

JULIE SKEVINGTON

GrowthAccelerator, a government and privateenterprise-led service that provides businesseswith bespoke training and support from growthexperts, has appointed Julie Skevington asbusiness development manager. In her newrole, Julie – who previously worked as abusiness banking manager – plans to demystifywhat GrowthAccelerator is and how it can helpbusinesses in the North East get to where theywant to be, faster.

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Aguiding light and the voice of reason, amine of information and the font ofknowledge - the Board of any businesshas quite a responsibility in steering a

successful path for their organisation.Giving their time altruistically, the Board of

the Entrepreneurs' Forum has collectively set thevision and strategy for this unique membershiporganisation to make the North East the numberone region in the UK for entrepreneurship.

Over the last 12 years its members have also beenthe voice of business owners, championing the NorthEast across the region and beyond and, critically,been the inspiration for many aspiring entrepreneurs.

Led by chairman Nigel Mills, chairman ofThe Lakes Distillery Company, hotel owner andfounder of Mills Group, the Forum wasestablished by entrepreneurs for entrepreneursand having entrepreneurs at its heart - setting thevision, monitoring its relevance and sharing theirfirst hand experience - makes it unique amongbusiness organisations.

The Board embodies the core purpose of theForum. They are entrepreneurs who have beenthere and done it, weathered the storms andenjoyed the successes, and are now in a positionto share what they've learned with bothestablished entrepreneurs and emerging talentwhose road to success can be shortened throughaccess to others’ contacts and knowledge.

Each has a lifetime of experience runningsuccessful businesses that have been integral tothe North East and, in some cases, nationalbusiness landscape.

The cross-sector Board includes:

Lorna Moran: chief executive and founder ofNorthern Recruitment Group who was recentlybestowed with an OBE to add to her previousMBE.

Paul Walker: the former chief executive ofsoftware giant Sage Group plc;

Alastair Waite: a director and former CEO ofbusiness continuity and disaster recoveryspecialists Onyx Group.

Brian Jobling: executive chairman ofEutechnyx Group, one of the world’s leadingindependent video game developers.

John Waterworth: chief executive ofParkdean Holidays.

Graham Robb: a former Parliamentarycandidate and founder of Recognition Marketingand Public Relations.

More recently they have been joined byrepresentatives of the newer generation ofentrepreneurs who have built on a foundation oftheir own skills and talent to grow a team andbecome world-class leaders in their particularsector:

B U S I N E S S

The entrepreneursbehind the Forum ...

Meet the inspiring people whomake up the the Entrepreneurs’

Fourm Board.

Nigel Nills, chairman of theEntrepreneurs’ Forum.

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Julie Drummond: founder of strategicmarketing, creative and digital agencyDrummond Central;

Lisa Hart Shepherd: the CEO of Newcastle-based Acritas, a leading provider of specialistresearch programmes to the legal industry acrossthe world.

And now the Forum's board is growing as fourmore of the region's most innovativeentrepreneurs have accepted an invitation tojoin.

Representing property development, energy,manufacturing and the digital sectors, the newmembers will each bring a different perspectiveto ensure a range of ideas and voices on theboard.

Ian Baggett: the Forum’s Entrepreneur of theYear in 2007. From an inheritance of just £2000,which he invested in a house in Bowburn torefurbish and rent to fellow students, theAdderstone Group has grown into one of thebiggest property businesses in the North East. Ianserved in the Royal Navy and did a Phd inpolitical geography, before joining North Eastagent Sanderson Townend & Gilbert reignitedhis love of property. With a £30 milliondevelopment portfolio and more than £100million assets under management, theAdderstone Group comprises investment,development, residential and commercialproperty management, block management,construction and trading divisions.

Rob Mathieson: leader of one of the region'sfastest growing digital agencies, Gateshead-basedAYO Digital, and is the Entrepreneurs' Forum'sEmerging Talent of the Year 2013. Established

just five years ago, investment worth £400,000from FW Capital will see the business developtwo new innovative business software productsthis year with plans to double the workforce to atleast 60 by 2016. Rob, who worked for FuseboxDesign and TH_NK before joining with twopartners to establish AYO, is aiming for it to bethe biggest manufacture of digital systems in theUK.

Rob said: "The digital, software andtechnology sector is seeing an influx of newbusinesses and there are a lot of programmes outthere to support them, but the sector needsleadership. I want to be involved in drivingdigital in the North East and, as a Forum boardmember, can do a lot to advise and share myexperience with new businesses entering thesector.

“Even though we are in the exciting, earlystages of our business, we have learned a lot infive years about building a business which we canuse to help others and hopefully inspire themthat it can be done successfully."

Pamela Petty: the daughter of John ElliottMBE, the founder of Ebac, a market leader inEuropean production of water coolers. Pamelahas worked her way up at Ebac after joining in1986. She went on to head the company’s ITprojects and was appointed manufacturingdirector in 1997. As group managing director ofthe £15m turnover business since 2003, Pamelais overseeing its expansion to a new £7mmanufacturing facility at Newton Aycliffe anddiversification into air source heat pumps,freezers and a revival for the UK of washingmachine production, a move that is expected tosee the workforce double to 400.

Geoff Thompson: a former managementconsultant who held a number of management

positions in industry before launching Utilitywisein 2006 with two colleagues and his eldest son.

The business acted as intermediary betweenenergy suppliers and their commercialcustomers, helping the latter to get more valuefrom their energy contracts, and turned over£100,000 in the first year.

Rapid growth led to a successful listing onAIM in the 2012 with the business valued at thetime at £37m. It now services nearly 20,000customers and employs over 700 people acrossthe Group with turnover approaching £50m anda market cap approaching £200m.

Geoff said: "Statistics show that the North Eastis some way behind the rest of the country forstart ups per capita. Clearly while no singleindividual can change that, I think that those ofus already in business, who have learned a lotand have experience to share, can support, helpand mentor others to get started and build theirorganisation.

"I'm not saying I've got all the answers. I'm aworking class, North East lad whose had someluck and, together with a great team, workedextremely hard to build a business that's seeingsome success, albeit the job has only just started.

"Like many people in business I've faceddifficulties and had setbacks but now I'd like touse that experience and give something back byputting in time and effort to help others. I believethis can be best achieved through myinvolvement with the Entrepreneurs’ Forum.

“When I think back to when I started inbusiness, having someone who could havehelped me, been a confidante or reference pointwould have been of huge benefit."

For more information and to find out how youcan get involved with the Entrepreneurs’Forum, call (0191) 500 7780, or visitwww.entrepreneursforum.net

21

B U S I N E S S

Aartoft seeks guidancefrom Oxford Innovation

with its new pre-fabricatedbathroom pod.

Pre-fabricated bathroom manufacturerAartoft is targeting an emerging UKmarket after becoming the latestNorthumberland firm to receive

specialist business coaching.The Business Northumberland High

Growth Programme is being delivered byOxford Innovation and it is available tosupport the expansion plans of eligible firmsacross the county.

Aartoft managing director, Niels Sandah,says: “l turned to Oxford Innovation to providea route to the UK market for our range oflightweight concrete bathroom pods.

“Our concept has been a feature of theScandinavian construction industry for manyyears but we have recently seen an increase inUK demand due to the flexibility anddurability of our pre-fabricated bathroompods.”

Niels continues: “For Aartoft to become thesupplier of choice in this country, I knew weneeded a permanent manufacturing facilityhere and a very specific UK marketingstrategy. In 2013 we started production at oursite in Ashington and having worked withOxford Innovation I am confident we are nowwell-placed to achieve growth in the UK.”

Niels estimates demand for around 2000lightweight concrete pods per year in the UKwith the majority coming from developers ofsocial housing, hotels and other multiple-occupancy buildings. To date, this demandhas been met by imports from manufacturers

based in mainland Europe.Aartoft's end product is a bathroom custom-

made to British Standards featuring tiledwalls, flooring, sound reduction technology,ventilation, electrical and water connectivity.

Oxford Innovation business coach GillHall, who has supported Niels in thedevelopment of a route to market strategy,says: “This was a fascinating assignment asNiels was looking to make the transition fromwell-established exporter to the leadingsupplier in an emerging UK market.

“The strategy we have produced takesadvantage of Niels’ vast experience andcombines it with the creation of a corporateidentity, message and set of core values thatwill resonate in the UK construction sector.“The outcome not only establishes Aartoft inthis country but it also takes the company full-circle as it looks to retain its customer base inEurope but in future as a UK exporter.”

From its base on the site of the former RioTinto Alcan Lynemouth aluminium smelter,Aartoft currently provides employment for 25people but Niels believes he can double theworkforce if the business reaches its fullgrowth potential.

“I consider North East England my homefrom home now and I am incredibly excitedby what we can achieve in a region where thework ethic and manufacturing culture are sostrong,” said Niels. “This has been a verychallenging period for Aartoft and I amextremely grateful for the support I have

received from the Business NorthumberlandHigh Growth Programme, especially theexpert advice from Gill and the team atOxford Innovation.”

The High Growth Programme forms part ofBusiness Northumberland which offersestablished and start-up businesses in thecounty free support in reaching their fullgrowth potential.

It is a free service that provides advice andsupport to anyone thinking about starting abusiness and also offers coaching to existingbusinesses with growth ambitions.

Business Northumberland is jointly fundedby Arch, The Northumberland DevelopmentCompany, Northumberland County Counciland the European Regional DevelopmentFund (ERDF).

Oxford Innovation’s methods have provedsuccessful elsewhere in the UK, where theorganisation has worked with over 2500 highgrowth businesses. And despite thechallenging economic circumstances of thelast three years, Oxford Innovation has helpedits clients across the UK access over £100million of funding, creating or safeguardingmore than 1600 jobs.

To find out more about the BusinessNorthumberland High Growth Programmeand how Oxford Innovation can help yourbusiness call (01670) 528403, [email protected] or visitwww.businessnorthumberland.co.uk

Tapping into growth

Gill Hall (Oxford Innovation) and Niels Sandahl (Aartoft).

22

23

B U S I N E S S

Area director of GrowthAccelerator, Colum Smith, welcomes business development manager,Julie Skevington, to the GrowthAccelerator team ...

GrowthAccelerator is an exclusive andbespoke service, aimed at businesseswith the potential to achieve highand sustained growth.

GrowthAccelerator will get to the heart of thebarriers that are holding businesses back andhelp them identify the critical steps they need totake to achieve their next phase of growth. Byinvesting in GrowthAccelerator, businesses willhave access to a specialist business growth coach,as well as funding, to help develop its leadershipand management teams.

Briefly, how goes GrowthAcceleratorwork?

Colum - Once a business customer comes onboard, they will work with one of our growthmanagers, who will discuss the business’aspirations, capacity and opportunities to achievehigh growth. They will also identify the mainbarriers holding the business back and start tobuild a tailored growth plan. The next stage isselecting the best growth coach; someone who ismatched to the business’ aspirations and whohas the right experience and skills to support theimplementing of the growth plan.

Why should a company seekexternal support and what are thebenefits of doing so?

Colum - GrowthAccelerator gives access toexperienced, professional coaches, who can beinvaluable to any type of business. According toresearch by the government body BusinessInnovation and Skills (BIS), businesses that seekand use external advice and information are 50per cent more successful than those who don’t.

What kind of companies doesGrowthAccelerator work with?

Colum - We will support any small andmedium size enterprises (businesses with lessthan 250 employees and £40 million turnover).Currently, we have a varied mix of industrysectors using the service, from manufacturing,business services and IT to retail and the foodindustry.

What does a typical growthpackage include?

Colum - There is nothing typical, as each andevery customer receives a bespoke service. Itvaries, as no customer needs the same thing.The key, though, is matching the business withthe best coach to support the business’ growthambitions. The majority of our customers alsoinvest in high level leadership and managementtraining programs for their senior teams.GrowthAccelerator gives up to £2000 per personmatched funding for Leadership andManagement training.

What makes GrowthAcceleratordifferent to other business coachingservices?

Colum - The fact that we are not a coachingservice: we are a partnership betweengovernment and private sector businesses, set upto assist small and medium size companiesachieve their high growth plans. We work withover 30 business coaches in the North East todeliver the GrowthAccelerator service.

What do you think is the biggest

challenge, at present, forcompanies looking to grow andhow does GrowthAccelerator helpwith this?

Colum - According to our client research,strategy and management, sales and marketingand access to finance are their barriers togrowth. GrowthAccelerator can assist with allabove areas of concern, from businessdevelopment to innovation and access tofinance, with workshops and training available.

What do other business leaders,who have worked with GrowthAccelerator, say about the service?

“GrowthAccelerator really got under the skin ofour business. Their enthusiasm was soreassuring and having that third party there tomediate and provide external perspective wascrucial. The whole service – in particular theOrbit Diagram process, which was pivotal – hasbeen really good for us.”- Ian Chapman, director, Traveller

What are your ambitions for GrowthAccelerator in 2014?

Julie: My mission is to demystify whatGrowthAccelerator is; I want to explain tobusinesses that want to achieve rapid growth inthe North East, how amazing the support andexpertise available is.

Colum: I want North East-based businesses toutilize the GrowthAccelerator service to drivegrowth, wealth and create jobs for the region.

Accelerating confidence in the North East

24

Ihad an experience the other day that mademe think about the different approachesbusinesses take towards customers and howmuch value in them they actually place. I think most people understand the Henry

Ford quote that, "it is not the employer whopays the wages. Employers only handle themoney. It is the customer who pays the wages."

However, how many businesses put thatprinciple into practice and adopt a customerfocused strategy.

The business I dealt with recently certainlydidn’t. I will save their blushes but essentially Ientered an open shop with two assistantsbehind the counter to buy two mugs aspresents.

As I opened the unlocked door to step insideone assistant barked, “Oh no, no, no, I’mterribly sorry we are shut.”

She had an unfortunate manner but itstruck me that everything was present for atrade to take place: a customer with cash,goods, staff and a till point. But I got theimpression the paperwork in front of theassistants was more of a priority.

What is a customer-focusedstrategy?

The assistant did explain that she could sell methe mugs if it was an emergency – when wouldbuying a mug ever be an emergency? Thissuggested that it wasn’t an inability to sell but alack of desire – or a lack of a customer focus. Iwas so shocked that the whole exchange tookplace without me uttering a word and I leftcertainly feeling undervalued despite being aregular customer.

Many businesses would do well to adopt a

customer-focused strategy but what does thatentail? Essentially it means a business that putscustomers at the centre of business decisions.

Customer-focus is quite literally and quiteobviously, focusing on the customer. That isnot just at the point of sale but when decisionsare made, policies are implemented, andemployees are trained. It is cultural and mustencompass the entire business. Customer-focused businesses think about what they cando to make customers feel valued and theirexperience better. This is very easy to talkabout but the best companies put the strategyinto practice.

How do you put it into practice?

There are various steps to take to put acustomer focus into practice. The first is toevaluate the goods or services you provide toyour customer base. Is it what they want and ina manner with which they want to engage? Iheard one sport club owner bemoaning thelack of fan response to his investment. It mademe wonder when he had asked the fans if thatis what they had wanted.

Part of that process is the second stop, whichis getting customer feedback, but this shouldbe ongoing. I also think it is important to talkto non-customers or those that have rejectedthe product. If you only talk to existingcustomers then you will hear mainly positivestories and will miss the opportunities.

The third step is probably where thebusiness I experienced went wrong, and that isstaff training. The entire workforce, and notjust the senior team, should buy into the ethos.They should understand their roles inapproaching the business with a customerfocus and the need to pay attention tocustomers, anticipating their needs and valuingtheir input. That might include offeringincentives or seeking negative feedback withthe intention of acting on it and not justjustifying your actions.

Finally, it is important to review the entirecustomer journey and product journey toensure that the culture is embeddedthroughout. This might be your marketingmaterial, the product packaging or how yourreceptionist engages with clients.

An outsiders’ viewpoint?

Most businesses naturally find it difficult to beobjective and honestly appraise whether or notthey are customer focused. Also, humans tendto self justify and when incidents happen it isagainst our natural inclinations to accept thatour approach was wrong. That is why manybusinesses employ mystery shoppers orconsultants to provide an independent view. Ifyou have attempted to adopt a customerfocused strategy is it worth checking outwhether or not it works in practice?

B U S I N E S S

Are you acustomer focused

business?Asks Rod Findlay, consultant at Your Sport Consulting.

EXPERT VIEWRod FindlayConsultant

Your Sport ConsultingEmail:

[email protected] on @rodfindlay

26

L E G A L & F I N A N C I A L N E W S

Acquisition forRowlands

Rowlands Accountants hasconsolidated its business inHexham with the acquisition of asecond practice in the town.

The firm has taken over Tax Assist inHexham. The office in Battle Hill has beenrebranded as Rowlands and the two staffwho are joining the firm as part of the dealwill be moved to the Rowlands branch inGilesgate once the lease on their currentbuilding expires.

The acquisition expands the team inNorthumberland from 12 to 14 specialists.The company, which was established in1924, also has branches in Ponteland,Sunderland, Yarm, Crook and Birtley inaddition to Hexham.

Rowlands’ partner Alan Hynd was thedriving force behind the deal to acquire TaxAssist from Anna Beadle, who decided to

The North East accountancy firm acquires Tax Assist in Hexham.

BHP sees double

North East-based BHP Law is celebratingafter its residential conveyancing has

doubled in the past 12 months. The firm hassecured panel work from national lendersthat has led to significant growth in thenumber of cases it is receiving both locallyand nationwide.

The law firm's conveyancing teams inStockton, Darlington, Durham and Newcastlehave all seen growth through their links withlocal estate agents as well as panel referralsfrom banking groups and brokers,

Partner and head of conveyancing atBHP Law Sally Hare said: “It’s very positivenews for BHP Law and the region as we areputting the North East on the map forprofessional conveyancing services.”

Bond Dickinson adviseson £44m sale

Real Estate lawyers at Bond Dickinson,which has offices in Newcastle and

Stockton on Tees, has advised long-standing client Rockspring UK Value Fundon the sale of Gateway House in Richmond,London for £44.1 million to a private clientof Cushman & Wakefield. Gateway Housewas the final asset owned by Rockspring ofthe five office properties in the former StMartin's South East office portfolio.

Bond Dickinson advised Rockspring onthe acquisition of Gateway House as partof the portfolio in February 2011 for £22million and also worked on the subsequentasset management exercise to increasethe value of the property.

Accountants prescribe theright advice

Tyneside accountancy practice RobsonLaidler has expanded into the

healthcare sector, attracting a number ofdental and medical clients.

Andrew Robson said: "We havea dedicated team here that reallyknows the medical profession inside out.We have recently been awardedmembership of AISMA, the Associationof Independent Specialist MedicalAccountants.

“This is a small national network ofaround 75 accountancy firms who provideexpert advice to medical practices, locumGPs and hospital consultants and we aredelighted to be members."

Alan Hynd (right) with the new recruits from Tax Assist.

sell up in advance of a move to Scotland.Anna said: “I was looking for somewhere

with a similar client base to me. While

Rowlands are a bigger firm, they deal witha lot of small to medium sized businessesso have been a perfect fit.”

28

C O V E R S T O R Y

When Lyn Rutherford, the eminent family lawyer,returned to work three years after retiring, hewas soon to form a prolific partnership with

young aspiring solicitor Emily Frankish. Lyn and Emily joined Jesmond-based Mincoffs Solicitors

17 months ago, attracted to the firm’s potential and itspersonal approach.

They were tasked with developing Mincoffs’ familydepartment.

Lyn and Emily have since attracted a number of highnet worth clients to the firm.

While Lyn brings his knowledge and tactical strategygathered from a successful career – in which Chambersand Partners described him as “the divorce lawyer ofchoice for business people”, and The Legal 500 as,“acclaimed by his peers as a highly accomplished andfearsome opponent” – Emily brings a strong work ethic,fresh approach and a first class law degree fromNorthumbria University.

Mincoffs’ chief executive, Andy Woodhouse, reflects:“Lyn and Emily complement each other perfectly in termsof skills and experience and are a formidable team andan integral part of the firm.

“They have played their part in the firm’s increase inturnover of 30 per cent in the last two years.”

Their special working relationship is something that Lynand Emily do not take lightly:

“I literally wouldn’t be working if it wasn’t for Emily,”says Lyn. “It sounds extreme but it’s true.

“Emily is brilliant when it comes to detail, doing theresearch, finding the cases and putting the documentstogether. It’s also great to have someone to bounce ideasoff.”

Emily in turn benefits from Lyn’s vast experience: “Ifthere’s anything I’m unsure of I know I can speak to Lynand get the answer,” she says.

The talented solicitor has also been given theopportunity to work on many high profile cases.

“I’ve had the exposure to the calibre of work that Iwould never have been given for ten to 15 years on myown,” Emily reflects. “I’m getting the chance to deal withsome really high end, complex matters.”

Lyn adds: “Emily has been fast tracked in many waysand has had a steep learning curve. I’ve put her underpressure at times but she has handled everythingsuperbly.”

Another reason why the partnership has flourished is ashared ethos toward family law, as Lyn explains:

“You have to be determined and be willing to fight foryour client. Many are embittered and disaffected by theirsituation. They have to feel as though you’re doing yourbest for them within the legal system.

“Emily has the same philosophy as I have. Unlessyou’re deeply concerned and committed to getting clientsthe best deals, it doesn’t work. If she didn’t have thatattitude then I wouldn’t want to work with her.”

Lyn and Emily aim to see potential clients as quickly aspossible, arranging an initial meeting free of charge.

“We understand how people with family law issues arefeeling and we try and see them as early as we can toprovide some comfort,” Emily says.

The pair is also keen to stress that family law is not justabout divorce but incorporates a number of matters,including co-habitation agreements, child care andadoption proceedings and pre and post-nuptialagreements.

Both Lyn and Emily advocate the importance ofplanning when it comes to family law.

“Anyone entering a relationship who has assets shouldreally talk to a lawyer so that they can make informeddecisions,” says Lyn. “If you decide to live with someone,there are consequences; if you have children together oryou have children from previous relationships, there areall sorts of implications.”

Emily adds: “It doesn’t have to been seen as a flaw inthe relationship. It’s just about planning. If there arechildren involved, it’s about protecting them.”

Mincoffs Solicitors has enjoyed a successful 2013 withmost areas of the business growing significantly, thanks toinvestment in the right people and an expanding clientbase.

Lyn and Emily agree that they are delighted to be at thefirm and are committed to its future.

“It has huge potential,” Lyn says of Mincoffs. “Therehave been a lot of talented people joining the firm overthe last year or so and Emily and I have found everyoneto be hugely informed.”

Andy Woodhouse concludes: “2014 should be anexciting year with further growth expected across the firm.

“Recent successful appointments in litigation,commercial property and commercial services, alignedwith substantial investment in infrastructure, underpin theplans which have already been developed.”

For more information on Mincoffs Solicitors call(0191) 281 6151 or visit www.mincoffs.co.uk

Distinguished family lawyer Lyn Rutherford and promising solicitor Emily Frankish onlymet in 2010 but they have become a formidable team, joining Mincoffs Solicitors 17 months ago todevelop its family department. Here, they talk to Alison Cowie about their working relationship and

how they have played their part in the Jesmond-based firm’s recent growth.

PERFECTPARTNERSHIP

30

Emily Frankish andLyn Rutherford

31

An important deadline is rapidlyapproaching in respect of lifetimepensions allowances. Over the pastfew years the Government has been

gradually reducing the maximum amountanyone can invest into their pension over theirlifetime and benefit from tax relief.

In the March 2013 Budget, the Chancellorof the Exchequer confirmed that from April 6,2014 the amount anyone will be able to saveinto a pension each year will fall from £50,000to £40,000 and the most they can save over theirlifetime without incurring tax penalties is beingreduced from £1.5m to £1.25m.

This lifetime allowance is a considerableamount for many savers, but it will not be a caseof having actually invested £1.25m but whetheryour entire pension pot, including its growthover the years, is valued in excess of thatamount on retirement.

For example, if a wealthy saver has a selfinvested personal pension (SIPP) of £900,000five years before retirement and it grows at sevenper cent a year, the limit may be breached.

Someone ten years from retirement withpension pots worth a total of £700,000 willexceed their allowance if their money grows atseven per cent a year, even if they make nofurther contributions.

Final salary schemes promise income infuture rather than having a capital value, soHMRC assess these very differently.

On retirement HMRC calculate the ‘value’by multiplying the annual income payment by20, and adding the value of any tax free lumpsum.

As an example, a pension of £50,000 per

year, plus a £150,000 lump sum on retirementwould be valued as £1.15m, and so would beunder the threshold.

But, if an AVC (additional voluntarycontribution) pot of £100,000 had also beenbuilt up, then the total would be valued on thethreshold of £1.25m.

This restriction can creep up on some saverswithout knowing – especially where someonemay have accrued more than one pension intheir career.

If your pension savings are worth more thanthe limit, then when you take your benefits youwill have to pay the lifetime allowance taxcharge on the excess. You could face a 55 percent tax charge on any lump sum taken fromyour pension scheme, or a 25 per cent chargefrom any fund used for income.

Fortunately, HMRC is allowing a transitionalperiod for people who may breach theallowance to protect their retirement plans.

HMRC is allowing for two types ofprotection: Fixed Protection 2014 (availableuntil April 5 2104) and Individual Protection

2014 (available from April 6 2014).Fixed Protection enables any pension saver

to take pension savings worth up to £1.5mwithout paying the lifetime allowance charge ifthey apply for Fixed Protection by April 52014. But no further pensions contributionscan be made; if they are the allowance will belost.

Individual Protection will give a lifetimeallowance equal to the value of your pensionrights on April 5 2014 over £1.25m and up toan overall maximum of £1.5 million, and,importantly, further pension contributions areallowed.

There is the possibility for people to sign upto both forms of protection and utilise the onethat best suits their circumstances at retirement.

There are two further considerations here aswell. First, automatic enrolment into aworkplace pension scheme will mean thatFixed Protection is lost, because no furthercontributions are allowed after April 2014, so itmay be worthwhile opting out of the scheme.

Secondly, there is the possibility that thismay not be the final restriction applied by theGovernment. Over the past three years thelifetime limit has reduced from £1.8m to£1.25m – if in the future the limit is reducedfurther – it has been suggested down to £1m –then many more people could be caught in thetrap.

If you are considering the best way to planyour pension contributions, or you believe yourpension savings may breach these allowancesthen you should contact a firm of charteredfinancial planners as soon as possible to discussyour options.

L A W & F I N A N C E

Know yourpension funding

limits... warns Ian Lowes, managing

director of Lowes FinancialManagement.

EXPERT VIEWIan Lowes

Managing directorLowes Financial Management

Tel: (0191) 281 8811Email: [email protected]

Web: www.lowes.co.uk

32

33


Is thereanother way?

... when it comes to divorce? Asks Joanne Major of Major Family Law.

January’s media has been full of theusual post Christmas divorce talk,claiming an increase in the habitualJanuary spike in the divorce rate

following the strains of the festive period. Many of those who have been through a

family break-up may agree that there is nosuch thing as a ‘good separation’. And therehas been much attention paid recently to theeffect on children, with some turning todrink, drugs and self-harm as a result.

To some, these findings will come as nosurprise. After all, our world is bombardedwith data, media, and preconceptions of theacrimonious nature of divorce and separation.Courts and lawyers did not create thesituation; rather, the system developed as aresponse to the need to deal with suchsituations arising.

Somewhere between hostility and lawyers,however, there is a route that can lead to amore empowered, reasoned, and fair end to amarriage end. This route is called LawyerSupported Mediation, and combinesnegotiated agreement with technical andlegal support from a senior family lawyer.

The key to the concept lies in both partiesto the marriage actively opting to negotiatewith each other, without resorting to courtproceedings, and supported in those

negotiations by an independent professionalmediator. The whole process is backed byindividual expert legal advice for each partyfrom locally selected family solicitors.

Family mediation is a proven space toreach an agreement that each party will beprepared to abide by. It beats the uncertaintyof going to court, not least because over two-thirds of people who began mediation in2012/13 went on to reach agreement.

People are often unsure of what mediationactually is, confusing it with marriageguidance and attempts at reconciliation. Onthe contrary, what family mediation actuallydoes is to help couples come to an agreementfor the arrangements of their children and/orfinances in a constructive and structured way.

It is a voluntary and confidential processwhich gives the parties a chance to explaintheir issues, hopes, concerns and needs toeach other in the presence of the mediator,providing a safe environment, which canhelp to reduce hostility and improve thechances of long term positivecommunication.

With Lawyer Supported Mediation, theprocess is enhanced by each party having thesupport of their own solicitor.

Initially, the solicitor can explore the issuesand possible options with their client and

advise on appropriate courses of action.When the mediation process has concluded,the parties’ solicitors can work together todraw up the necessary documentation to givelegally binding effect to the agreement, and ofcourse, the solicitors can also process thoseaspects of the separation not covered bymediation, such as the divorce itself.

What the process does is combine theadvantages of both existing options to offer anon-acrimonious and cost-effective routethrough divorce. The whole process is subjectto prescribed fixed fees, paid in instalmentsby the client, offering certainty and value formoney. And even if the mediation processshould break down, the parties are in thefortunate position of not having to start fromscratch, leaving them free to explore a fullrange of options with their existing lawyer,including, if necessary, court action.

Major Family Law we are so confident inthe Lawyer Supported Mediation model thatwe became the first solicitors in the NorthEast to champion the process and we are nowproudly the lead suppliers in this area forLSM.

To find out more, visitwww.lawyersupportedmediation.com orcontact Major Family Law.

EXPERT VIEWJoanne Major

Principal and Collaborative Lawyer Major Family Law

Tel: (01661) 824582 Web: www.majorfamilylaw.co.uk

Twitter: @majorfamilylaw

34

E V E N T

Bibby FinancialServices drinks

receptionNorth East professionals celebrate a

record year for the financial specialist.

Invoice finance specialist Bibby FinancialServices hosted its annual Christmas

drinks reception at Tokyo Bar in Newcastleon December 19. It was the second yearin succession the event was held and hadmore than 100 North East basedprofessionals in attendance.

Last year saw Bibby Financial Servicesincrease lending to businesses in the regionby more than a quarter (27 per cent) yearon year from £11.6m in 2012 to £14.7m in2013, and the company is looking to buildon this in 2014.

If you would like to discuss fundingrequirements please contact PeterCromarty on (0191) 516 5925.

35

The New Year is always a time for makingresolutions in pursuit of improvedbehaviour. However in investing, it canoften appear that there is widespread

disagreement on what constitutes ‘good’behaviour. Should one invest more or less?Invest now, or wait for more certain times?

To help with constructing sensible investingresolutions to follow, we at Barclays have goneback to fundamentals to extract what webelieve are seven core truths that all investorscan subscribe to.

Of course these are broad principles, andthere may be odd exceptions, but build yourresolutions around these, and you can beconfident your investing behaviour will bebetter as a result.

Work out what you can afford to invest

Successful investing requires a safeenvironment – above all it requires sufficientfinancial liquidity and/or insurance to ensurethe investor gets to choose when to sell (is notforced to sell).

Put it to work

Getting fully invested as early as possible, at thelevel of risk appropriate to your risk profile,rather than leaving available capital unutiliseddelivers the best financial outcomes over time.

Diversify to reduce unnecessary risk

Over time diversification delivers the bestreturns to all investors for the amount of risktaken regardless of investment amount.

Reduce costs wherever possible

The most certain drags on investmentperformance are costs, fees and taxes. Makesure you know what you’re paying for and why.

Do less than you’re inclined to

Inaction delivers better financial outcomes

than frequent buying/selling – investmentreturns are about time in the market, nottiming the market. Stock picking, currencyspeculation and market timing are usuallycostly over time and best left to professionals (ifat all).

Focus on the long term

Short term investment outcomes involveconsiderable luck and it is almost impossible todifferentiate luck from skill in the short-term*;in the long term, however, good investmentprocess is likely to pay off.

Reduce your anxiety

Long-term investment success requires beingsufficiently emotionally comfortable with yourportfolio through the investment journey tostick with your plans and follow a goodinvestment process.

Of course, you should bear in mind that, nomatter what principles you follow, investmentrequires taking risk, and risk means investmentsthat can fall in value. You may get back lessthan you invest.

*This is not to say that skill doesn’t exist, just that it can only begenuinely discerned over relatively long time periods.


What investmentresolutions should

you make?Richard Clark, private banker atBarclays Wealth and InvestmentManagement, offers seven tips

for investing in 2014.

Barclays Wealth Management is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is a member of the London Stock Exchange.Share prices and the income from them can go down as well as up. Readers are advised to seek professional investment opinion before entering intodealings in securities mentioned in this article, which may be unsuitable in their personal financial circumstances.

EXPERT VIEWRichard ClarkPrivate banker

Barclays Wealth and InvestmentManagement

Web: www.barclays.com/wealth

36


Why restructurea healthycompany?Asks Andrew Cawkwell of Muckle LLP.

The economy in the North East is showingpositive signs of recovery but businessowners still need to minimiseuncontrolled business risks and protect

themselves for the future.There are specific ways that risks can be

managed for a legal entity company that hastwo or more businesses operating within it.

It is not unusual to have a number ofbusinesses operating within one limitedcompany, as a result of previous acquisitions.However, continuing to trade as one limitedcompany might not be the best way forward.

If one business within a company has issuesthat pose a threat, this could be a good reasonto restructure.

Potential issues could include the threat ofcommercial litigation if a company owner fearsa breach of contract claim could be madeagainst them.

There could also be product liability issueslooming or a work force in one part of thecompany that has the potential to bring moreemployment claims, creating risk to thecompany as a whole.

Whatever the circumstances, the ‘risky’business has the potential to impact on the

‘good’ one – threatening the company as awhole.

We can help healthy companies to separatetheir ‘good businesses’ from the risky elementusing a Section 110 Reorganisation, which ispart of the Insolvency Act 1986.

The Act’s name suggests the legislation isonly relevant to businesses whose short termtrading is no longer viable, but that is not thecase.

Section 110 allows healthy companies tosplit their businesses to protect themselves. Thelegislation can also be used to split a companywhere business owners want to go their separateways – rather like a commercial divorce,splitting the company assets.

At Muckle LLP we take a holistic approachto supporting businesses and will alwayscollaborate with accountancy practices toensure our clients receive the most applicabletax advice and support for HMRC clearance.

Any company owners or intermediariesworking with SMEs who are aware of issuesthat have the potential to create unacceptablerisks, should explore this option as a means ofremoving the risk and enabling companies tothrive.

EXPERT VIEWAndrew CawkwellPartner Muckle LLP

Email: [email protected]: @CompanyRescue

37

Surreal, a successful North Eastbranding consultancy, has establishedits first overseas base after opening anew office in Portugal’s industrial

heartland.More than half of the work undertaken by

Surreal over recent years has been focused oncontinental Europe, with internationalbusinesses including Sonae, Nike and Strykeramong its client base.

Surreal’s new premises in northern Portugal’slargest city, Porto, on the Iberian Peninsula, islocated close to the headquarters of many ofthe country’s leading manufacturing businesses,and the agency is aiming to use its new positionwithin the local marketplace to expand the

range of work it undertakes both nearby andfurther afield in Europe.

Long-term advisor Stephen Slater of RMTaccountants and business advisors, with whomSurreal have chosen to work since the businesswas set up in 2007, worked on the project withthe Surreal management team, while assistancewas also provided by UK Trade & Investment(UKTI), the Government body which supportsBritish businesses’ exporting efforts.

Surreal managing director Ian Smith says:“We chose to work with RMT from the off aswe wanted to be able to grow into the range ofservices they provide as the business evolved,and their support on this project is just thelatest example of how they’ve facilitated our

development at every turn.”Stephen Slater adds: “Ian is realising his

long-term vision for Surreal by executing astrategic development plan that is bothexpanding the company’s capabilities andsignificantly widening its focus from the NorthEast onto new markets.

“The commercial success that the firm isenjoying comes down to a willingness to keepsearching for and acting on the nextopportunity, and we’re very pleased to becontinuing to play our part in Surreal’sevolution.”

For more information on Surreal, please visithttp://whysurreal.com/


RMT helps company move into EuropeThe accountants and business advisors works with Surreal as they open an office in Portugal.

Tinsley buys Tanfield

Dozens of North East jobs have beensaved after a buyer was found forone of the Tanfield Group plc’sdivisions.

Tanfield Engineering Systems Ltd was placedinto administration in November last year by itsdirectors after posting substantial losses in theprevious financial year.

The Recovery & Insolvency team at RMTAccountants & Business Advisors was appointedas administrators for the Tanfield-based businesswith a view to trading the business to protect itssubstantial debtor book, marketing it andattempt to sell it as a going concern.

Interest was shown by a number of potentialbuyers, and after the suitability of eachinterested party was assessed, a deal was agreedwith specialist heavy transport industrymanufacturer Tinsley Special Projects Ltd,which has premises in Eaglescliffe and Peterleein County Durham.

Linda Farish, head of Recovery & Insolvencyat RMT, added: “Continuing to trade TanfieldEngineering Systems and fulfilling existingorders while we looked for potential buyers wasabsolutely essential in order to protect thecompany’s debtor book and increase returns tocreditors, and the staff have made a crucialcontribution to ensuring we could achieve thisgoal.

“We had a lot of interest in taking on thebusiness from a number of different parties, andconducted visits to Tanfield’s premises withseveral of them to help identify the mostappropriate buyer.

“Tinsley Special Projects offered the bestoption for the transaction, and we’re verypleased that an agreement has been reachedwith them.”

For more information, please visitwww.r-m-t.co.uk

Ian Smithand Stephen

Slater.

38

Following Pensions Minister Steve Webb’srecent suggestion that pensioners shouldbe given the power to switch annuitiesand the campaigns launched recently by

the Financial Services Consumer Panel andThe Sunday Times – to name only two, wealthmanager Brewin Dolphin hugely welcomes allinitiatives to find a better deal for savers.

Brewin has underlined the importance ofshopping around and seeking professionaladvice when choosing your annuity. Havingspoken to four of the major pension providers,Brewin Dolphin has found considerabledisparities between the best and worst annuitiesquoted for the same typical 65-year-old singlemale.

Brewin surveyed Canada Life; Legal &General; Standard Life and Prudential, for thisstudy and they all quoted for the same client*

Life companies rates do change almost daily– hence the need to get good professionaladvice with deep industry knowledge.

George Slack, head of Financial Planning atBrewin Dolphin in Newcastle, says:

"Anything and everything should beconsidered in the quest to improve the returnsfrom Annuities or to find an alternative. Sincethe banking crisis and the advent ofQuantitative Easing – Annuity rates havedropped to pitiful levels – and we have advisedvery few clients to purchase annuities in the lastfew years, instead recommending drawdown.

“So Steve Webb's idea of a secondary marketshould not be dismissed out of hand. We mustall think hard about improving returns frompensions for an ageing population, and hisinnovative idea is full of good intentions.

“Deciding whether to buy an annuity is oneof the biggest financial decisions most of us willever make, and in the meantime it is essentialto get professional advice and to shop around,since your annual income from your annuitycould vary hugely depending on whichprovider you choose. The real tragedy in the

example below is that you could be over £100kworse off just by accepting the first offer andnot seeking advice, which of course issomething we can all do something about”.

“With regard to the Annuity Directoryconcept as a way to avoid the cost advice;looking at the differential quotes below fromthree major annuity providers for the sameclient – we can’t stress enough the falseeconomy this would be and the need forprofessional guidance – even if it is the onlytime you ever pay for it.

“You wouldn’t perform open heart surgeryyourself, and this could be a life and deathdecision – or certainly the difference between acomfortable or a miserable retirement.”

For more information about the FiancialPlanning Services Brewin Dolphin offers,contact George Slack [email protected] or(0191) 279 7370.


The end topension ‘rip-off’?

George Slack, head of FinancialPlanning at Brewin Dolphin talks abouthow discrepancies between the best

and worst annuity deals on offer couldcost you as much as £100k.

*

PensionPot Best Worst Difference per

annumTotal differenceover 18. years

£300k £17,769 £14,378 £3391 p.a. £62k

£500k £29,638 £23,986 £5652 p.a. £103k

The difference between the best and worst annuities available for the same 65 year old single male with 18.3 years life expectancy

40


UNW advises TDXThe accountancy firm helps a

Gateshead manufacturer completea shareholder buyout.

Gateshead manufacturerThermodynamix ThermoformingSpecialist Services Limited (TDX)has completed the buyout of

retiring shareholder Harry Reed.The company, which employs 90 members

of staff and a turnover of £20 million, wasadvised on the deal by UNW managingpartner Andrew Wilson, UNW tax partnerDavid Ward and Sintons' commercial andcompany department partner Matt Collen.

The company has also signed a new fundingdeal with Barclays which will provide workingcapital facilities and term funding through theGovernment-backed ‘Enterprise FinanceGuarantee’ scheme, enabling TDX to moveforward with confidence under its newownership.

TDX, based at Team Valley trading estate,Gateshead, specialise in assisting businessesoperating in the Thermoformed packagingindustry and offer products and services bothdomestically in the UK and overseas intomainland Europe, India, the Middle East andAmerica.

UNW’s Andrew Wilson said: "UNW hasbeen working with Mark and the managementteam at TDX for a period of time now,ensuring that they found the right fundingpartners for this transaction and to secure

future growth of the business. TDX is a longstanding UNW client so the deal wasconsidered from all angles, including tax, andit's great to see a smooth transition ofownership from one management team toanother and the creation of an exciting futurebusiness opportunity.”

The company was originally established as asupplier of Thermoforming packaging designservices, prototype samples and toolmanufacture, however, in 2006 they diversifiedinto Extrusion and created a new divisionmanufacturing recycled plastic film forconversion into packaging items.

Mark Prinn, chief executive at TDX said:“The management buyout will enable us togrow the business to the next level – buildingon our existing relationships and targeting newmarkets and new clients.

“While negotiating on the buyout we feltthat the time was right to find a new financialpartner to support us in the next phase of ourgrowth strategy and Barclays has provided asuite of banking products which will providethe flexibility for us to grow with confidence.”

Left to right: Matthew Elliott (Barclays),Matt Collen (Sintons), Andrew Wilson (UNW)

and Mark Prinn (TDX).

41

Your property is probably the mostvaluable asset you own. It can be soldand mortgaged to raise money and istherefore an attractive target for

fraudsters. Property fraud happens in many ways. Most

commonly fraudsters impersonate the registeredowner and either sell or mortgage their homewithout their knowledge, disappearing with theproceeds.

For over 20 years the title of all registeredproperties has been open to the public forinspection, providing a great aide for fraudsters.For £3 anybody can establish the name of theowner of a registered property and if they have amortgage.

Solicitors, professional conveyancers, the LandRegistry and mortgage lenders all have safeguardsto minimise the risk of a fraud being successful.

However, it is important that property ownersdo what they can to help prevent fraud andprotect their home in the same way that theyprotect other assets they own.

Between September 2009 and April 2013 theLand Registry stopped 136 fraudulentapplications on properties worth an estimated£60 million.

Anyone owning an interest in property can bethe victim of property fraud, however there is anincreased risk of fraud occurring when:

• The property is empty or has been bought-to-let

• The property owner spends time abroad oraway from the property

• The property has no mortgage• The owner is infirm or in a nursing home• The property owners’ relationship breaks

down

Four simple acts can help protect you againstproperty fraud:

• Ensure your property is registered• Ensure your contact details are up to date• Register a restriction• Subscribe to Property Alert

About 20 per cent of land in England andWales remains unregistered. Registrationprovides an up-to-date official record of whoowns the land, gives you greater security andyou may be compensated by the Land Registryif you are an innocent victim of fraud.

When ownership of your property isregistered, an ‘address for service’ is provided tothe Land Registry. This is the address to whichthe Land Registry and other parties will sendletters and notices if they need to contact you,so this must be kept up to date. If your contactdetails are not correct it is unlikely that anyparty will be able to contact you, which couldbe instrumental in preventing fraud.

Up to three different addresses, including anemail address and/or an address abroad can be

provided to the Land Registry for any property.Restrictions are an important additional

security measure introduced by the LandRegistry reducing the risk of property fraudoccurring by fraudsters impersonating aproperty owner or submitting a fraudulentpersonal application to the Land Registry.

Registering a Form LL restriction with theLand Registry ensures there will be no dealingswith your property unless a solicitor or otherprofessional conveyancer certifies they havechecked the identity of the person who hasexecuted the documents submitted forregistration and that they are the registeredowner.

The Land Registry has also just announced anew free service to help protect against propertyfraud called Property Alert. This is a freeproperty monitoring service aimed at anyonewho might be concerned that their propertycould be at risk of property fraud.

Once registered with Property Alert, propertyowners will receive email notifications whenofficial search requests and applications againstmonitored properties are received, allowing theowner to take necessary action againstsuspicious activity.

If you are concerned about property fraud andwould like to register your property or registera restriction against your property’s title,contact Paul Illes.


Is your propertysafe as houses? Hay & Kilner’s Paul Illes reveals the steps you should take to avoid

becoming an innocent victim of property fraud.

EXPERT VIEWPaul IllesSolicitor

Hay & KilnerTel: (0191) 227 6798

Email: [email protected]: www.hay-kilner.co.uk

42

How buoyant is the healthcaresector and what are its greateststrengths?

While parts of the healthcare sector haveexperienced a difficult time throughout therecession, demand for healthcare services hasremained constant or grown. With an ageingpopulation this will only continue, creatingopportunities for those who supply productsand services to the industry.

A big strength is the sector’s highlycommitted and trained workforce, some ofwhom have seen their wages diminish whilstthe demand for their services has increased.Despite this the operators of GP practices,nursing homes, dentists and pharmacists havecontinued to work tirelessly to provide thecaring services that their patients require.

What challenges do the healthcaresector face?

The Government has introduced major costcutting measures to the NHS. Wage freezeshave impacted workforce moral and managershave seen a stream of Government initiatives toreduce demand on the public purse whilstbeing directed to deliver better and morecomplex healthcare solutions.

One example is GPs being made responsiblefor the purchase of healthcare solutions andcomplex financial decisions to which they maynot be ideally suited.

The need for efficiencies has beencompounded by the introduction of increasingaccountability and compliance procedures

across the sector. Professionals are aware of theincreasing public scrutiny of their activities andthe impact of litigation where patient andclient care is involved.

A big concern to NHS professionals is thereducing levels of pension that they mayreceive when the Pension Lifetime Allowancereduces to £1.25 million this April. This isworrying for those who have accumulated goodpension relief and funding which may now besubject to clawback by HMRC.

What should healthcare companiesbe doing in order to expand andgrow?

With all expanding markets there areopportunities for growth. Clinical andoperational activities have been put out totender to improve efficiencies and ease theadministration burden on the NHS, givingprivate providers a chance to capitalise.

Pharmacies face significant opportunities asschemes previously provided by GPs moveacross and this revenue stream should helpcompensate for decreasing revenue from drugdispensing despite the increases in dispensingnumbers.

Many dentists’ practices have taken theopportunity to provide their services privatelyand could benefit from expansion via mergersor acquisitions. Whilst the number of NHS-only practices diminish, the requirement fortheir services remain strong and despite theneed to reapply for contracts and the increasingcompliance issues, many students are stilllooking to enter the profession.

The nursing home industry has seen areduction in acquisition activity due to lack offinance but a fragmented market offersopportunities for smaller local operators togrow.

Ultimately any opportunities need to becarefully considered and planned. Thankfullybanks are now more prepared to fund viablehealthcare proposals than in recent years,which is very positive.

Rowlands works a lot within thehealthcare industry. How has thissector specialism developed withthe practice?

Rowlands has, for years, worked with largenumbers of organisations and individuals rightacross the healthcare industry, from nursinghomes and pharmaceutical companies todoctors, dentists, pharmacists and those in thesupply chain.

We have strong links with Local PharmacyCommittees and our work has led to clientsbeing able to increase their market shares andexpand even during this period of recession.

As well as commercial expertise we providetax planning assistance to ensure everyorganization and individual is best placed interms of their financial position. Many in thecaring professions are not ideally suited tofinancial management and we aim to providethat interface to the business, positioning themto achieve the greatest success.

For more information, please visitwww.rowlandsaccountants.co.uk.


Growing healthybusinessDavid Nairn, partner at Rowlands Accountants, looks at how the healthcare

sector is faring in the current economic climate.

44


Corporate finance briefing... with Mark Irving, director at Irving Ramsay Limited.

During the course of January IrvingRamsay Ltd has had several meetingswith business owners who areconsidering selling their company so

I thought I would use this month’s column todocument some thoughts on the subject.

The sale of your business is a major event inyour life so it must be planned for, closelymanaged and effectively executed.

The starting point, inevitably, is identifyingyour objectives; what do you intend to do postsale? If you are looking to retire from businesslife and your business is the largest asset onyour personal balance sheet, it is critical thatyou crystallise enough money from the sale(post tax) to maintain the standard of living yourequire and to do all the things that you want toin retirement. We will come back to this figurelater.

Moving on to the planning process itself, it isdifficult to generalise about how an ownershould go about preparing a business for salebut it is important to identify areas of yourcompany where a buyer may perceive there tobe risk and take what action you can to negateor minimise such risk. Resolving potential

issues before the sale process begins canenhance the price achieved.

Timing is another key factor to consider.From an internal perspective, are there factors(whether financial, commercial or otherwise)that impact on when it would be mostadvantageous to take your business to market?Externally, you should identify, analyse andinterpret the nature and extent of mergers and

acquisitions occurring in your sector.Reviewing the market takes us neatly onto

potential acquirers. This is such an importantpart of the process and it is imperative that youand your adviser undertake research of asufficient breadth and depth to ensure that youidentify all credible potential acquirers. Youmay well then prioritise those that you feel aremore likely to buy than others (using evidenceof previous acquisition activity) and deliver apremium price (where there is the greateststrategic fit).

Having identified how best to position yourbusiness for sale and having appraised themarket place you should now reconsider yourinitial objectives. Does the work you have doneand data you have collected lead you to believethat you will be able to crystallise the amountyou need from the process? The answer to thisquestion is critical and I will pick up this pointin next month’s column.

If you are thinking about selling yourbusiness in 2014 contact Mark [email protected] orcall 07730 437 617.

46

47

ClicTimes, which licenses anddistributes LEGO and Star Warsmerchandise globally from its basein the North East, has expanded into

premises more than three times the size of itsprevious home.

The company is the exclusive global licenseefor LEGO watches and clocks, and also has adual Lego license with Warner Bros and LucasFilm, which allows the manufacture anddistribution of LEGO Star Wars and LEGODC Superhero clocks and watches worldwide.

The business has now expanded into 3369sqft premises in Blaydon, South Tyneside – morethan treble the floor space of its previous base inPonteland – to give its 11-strong design teamthree storeys of modern open-plan office anddesign space, plus a large stockroom andmarketing department.

ClicTime, which distributes its Legomerchandise throughout the UK, as well as in8000 retail outlets across North America and inmore than 20 countries on four continents, hasalso taken on two new people at its new NorthEast office.

The company has made significantinvestment into its new base, converting it into athree-floor creative space for its design teams todevise future ranges of iconic products forglobal sale.

Along with ClicTime, owner and managing

director Jim Richardson also owns several otherbrands, which are designed and managed fromthe premises, including Skewjack.

And with the impending launch of a newLEGO movie and range of watches for adultsamong the many developments planned for2014, the year ahead holds significant potentialfor the business.

The new Blaydon site is the UK headquartersof ClicTime, a global company, which also hasoffices in New Jersey in the United States, andHong Kong. It was established in the North Eastin 1999 by Jim Richardson, and has been aLEGO licensee for over 12 years.

Robert Palmer, group finance manager atClicTime, said: “We have always held a strongrelationship with LEGO and in recent years wehave seen a rapid increase in turnover globally.The new space in Blaydon is perfect for ourbusiness and we envisage being here for manyyears. We are excited for our new productlaunches for 2014 and expect the business tocontinue to grow into the future.”

ClicTime has been supported in its officemove by Newcastle law firm Sintons, withHelen Warren, an Associate in the firm’sCommercial Property team, carrying out all ofthe property work. Donna Hunwick, a solicitorin Sintons’ employment team, also works withClicTime, supporting the business with itsemployment work.

ClicTime also donated hundreds of itswatches and clocks to Sintons’ charity of theyear for 2013, Down’s Syndrome North East, aswell as for the law firm to give to local childrenin a local hospital.

Donna Hunwick, employment solicitor atSintons, said: “While a relatively small andlocally-based operation, ClicTime works withhuge brands on a global scale, establishing astrong reputation in the process. From their verydiscreet new premises, they design iconicproducts that are sold and loved around theworld.

“The team at ClicTime is hugely creativeand so passionate about their designs, and theirenthusiasm is infectious. We are very pleased towork with them and to help support them asthey continue to grow and develop in the regionand beyond.

“Furthermore, we are sincerely grateful toJim and the team for their generous donationsto our charity of the year. These watches andclocks have been raffled to raise money, othersgifted to children who are helped by Down’sSyndrome North East, and have also made lotsof children smile at the Great North Children’sHospital at Newcastle’s RVI.”

For more information about ClicTime,visit www.clictime.com or Sintons visitwww.sintons.co.uk


Buildingon its successA LEGO and Star Wars merchandise company expands

its creative space, with the help of Sintons.

Left to right: Helen Warren (Sintons), Ross Clark (ClicTime) and Donna Hunwick (Sintons)

48

Law firm Sintons has raised over £12,000for a charity that supports people withDown’s Syndrome, following a year offundraising activities.

The Newcastle law firm chose Down’sSyndrome North East (DSNE) to be itscharity of 2013, and raised a record totalthrough a series of staff events over the courseof the year.

DSNE – which celebrated its tenthanniversary last year -– works across the wholeof the North East region to offer support,networking opportunities, events andsubsidised leisure activities to people withDown’s Syndrome and their families andfriends. It is run entirely by parent volunteers.

It was chosen as Sintons’ annual charityafter being nominated by one of its employees,whose young son has Down’s Syndrome and

whose family has benefitted greatly from thesupport of DSNE.

The final total of £12,384 was raisedthrough events including a Halloween Ball,quizzes, taking part in the Great North Run,bake sales and dress down days.

Amanda Maskery, partner at Sintons andchair of its CSR Committee, said: “DSNEdoes such brilliant work and helps so manyfamilies across our region, and we aredelighted to have raised so much money tosupport them in the vital role they play. Wehave been impressed and inspired by the workDSNE and its team of volunteers does to helpso many people.

“This is the largest sum we have ever raisedfor an annual charity, and are so pleased it isgoing to help such a fantastic cause.”

Anne Webster, chair of DSNE, added:

"DSNE was delighted to be nominated andchosen by the staff from Sintons as theircharity of the year for 2013 and what a year ithas been! As well as raising such a magnificentsum for DSNE, Sintons has also supported usin other ways to raise the profile of the charity.

“It has been a pleasure and a privilege tohave worked alongside them over the year andwe would like to say a huge thank you to allthe staff at Sintons from all the families thatDSNE support. We intend to make good useof the money raised by subsidising the trip to‘Disney on Ice’ for more than 40 of ourfamilies and helping to fund activity andleisure breaks for our members."

For more information on Sintons visitwww.sintons.co.uk or on DSNE visitwww.dsne.org.uk


Thousands for DSNESintons donates over

£12,000 to Down’s SyndromeNorth East.

Left to right: Charles Penn, Sophie Brocklebank, Anne Webster (DSNE), Danielle Dale, Garry Jennings and Julie Fawcett

49


The value ofinternships

Gordon Brown Law Firm, which hasoffices in Newcastle and Chester-le-Street, has worked closely withlocal school Excelsior Academy to

shape an internship, which will add value to itscourses and help students understand howbusinesses operate.

The tailor-made internship provides a stronggrounding in all areas of Gordon Brown withinthe law, marketing and HR departments, acrosstwo half days per week.

This allows the intern to experience a realbusiness environment while continuing studiesat the academy.

Habeeba Haque from the West End ofNewcastle has recently taken up the firstinternship at the law firm alongside studying forher AS Levels at Excelsior Academy, for whichthe 17-year-old also receives a wage.

Habeeba reveals: “I began my role at the endof November and I feel I’ve already learnt agreat deal. It’s exciting being able to establish

myself independently in both a professional andacademic sense.

“I’ve enjoyed working across differentdepartments and in particular, so far,specialising in family law. For example, bycarrying out research into changing a birthcertificate, I was able to support on a family casewhich I found really interesting – it’s certainlysomething I can see myself pursuing a career infurther.”

Martin Farrar, specialism lead at ExcelsiorAcademy, says: “Gordon Brown has provided awonderful opportunity for Habeeba to developher workplace attitude and knowledge tosupport her ambitions to work in the legalprofession.

“Excelsior is always working with businessesto help our students gain the skills they need forsuccessful careers and we are grateful to GordonBrown and the Asian Business Connexions wholaid the foundations for us to make the initialcontact for Habeeba’s internship.”

Deb Tweedy, HR manager at Gordon BrownLaw Firm, adds: “We are very proud to havedeveloped a unique internship programme withsuch a forward-thinking organisation asExcelsior Academy, who are right on ourdoorstep in Scotswood.

“The result is a rewarding, self-sufficientinitiative that will provide young people likeHabeeba with an invaluable insight into thecommercial workplace and the wider legalindustry – ultimately improving their futureemployability.

“We’re committed to addressingunemployment figures in the North East andwill continue to forge strong links with localschools and colleges to upskill young peoplefrom an early stage so that they are able to fulfillreal industry roles – ultimately, achieving theirfull potential.”

For further information on Gordon Brown,visit www.gblf.co.uk

A North East law firm is backing the region’s youngsters with the developmentof a unique work placement to build their professional skills.

Back row, left to right: DeborahPercy, Wendy Peffers and AmyWhyte. Front row, left to right:James Godden, HabeebaHaque and Deb Tweedy

50

C H A R I T Y

The Fairtrade mark is now the most widely-recognised ethical label globally. It has 78per cent brand recognition amongst theUK public, with sales of £1.5bn in 2012,

growing at 18 per cent per year. These would have been staggering figures to

some of the pioneers of the fair trade movementwho planted a small seed 40 years ago, and havewatched it blossom.

The impact of sales of Fairtrade products issignificant. Last year, purchases in the UK raisedover £23 million in premiums which have beenspent on projects which benefit thecommunities from which those productsoriginate. More important still are the fair prices,decent working conditions, local sustainabilityand fair terms of trade for farmers and workers inthe developing world that the Fairtrade marksignifies.

The North East can be proud of its role inpioneering development of fair trade in the UK.Back in 1979, before the Fairtrade mark hadbeen established, Traidcraft began trading fromNewcastle city centre, importing goods fromdeveloping countries and ensuring producerswere paid a fair wage, using the strapline Peoplebefore Profit. With offices now in Africa, Asia andLondon, Traidcraft continues to manage itsoperations from its headquarters in the NorthEast, and has helped establish other well-knownFairtrade brands such as CaféDirect.

In 2003, Newcastle was announced as theworld’s first Fairtrade Metropolitan Borough. TheNewcastle Fairtrade Partnership now co-ordinatesa range of fair trade related activity, along withNewcastle and Northumbria Universities, both of

which have Fairtrade status. And in 2010, theregion scooped another first, with Hadrian’s Walldesignated as the first Fairtrade World HeritageSite.

It is perhaps not surprising then that the NorthEast should be home to Shared Interest Society –the world’s only 100 per cent fair trade lender.

With almost 9000 members across the UK,Shared Interest Society uses investments ofaround £30 million to enable fair tradebusinesses to grow in some of the world’s poorestcommunities. It’s a model that has improved thelivelihoods of thousands of farmers and handcraftproducers over its 24-year history.

Shared Interest Foundation was established byShared Interest Society 10 years ago to assistbusinesses in developing countries to grow,providing increased incomes and more jobs –enabling people to work their way out of poverty.In those 10 years, we have improved thelivelihoods of over 10,000 individuals.

Individuals like Nonpumelelo Dlamini wholives in Swaziland with her school age daughterand her orphaned granddaughter. She also

supports an orphaned boy. Nonpumelelo is an active businesswoman

selling bags and purses, along with baby productsfor the local market. However, when she startedher business almost two years ago, she didn’tknow how to sell, or price her goods, or generallywhere to begin.

Initially, Nonpumelelo was making schooluniforms, which meant the majority of herincome was restricted to the beginning of a newschool year. As a result, she was struggling tosurvive.

Since starting training with a Share InterestFoundation-supported initiative, she has madegreat progress. She was inspired to createproducts for the tourist market, which tell of hercountry’s heritage.

Nonpumelelo is positive about the future andis passing on skills she has learnt to others in herfamily.

Profits have improved and she plans to expandher bag business, and employ a new member ofstaff. She is even considering a side-line venture,raising pigs.

This Fairtrade Fortnight we can all do our bitby putting more Fairtrade products in ourshopping basket. But if you’d like to make yoursupport for disadvantaged communities morethan a fortnightly affair, then why not support theentrepreneurs of today to become the fair tradeemployers of tomorrow.

Find out more or donate atwww.shared-interest.com/foundation To get involved in Fairtrade Fortnight visitwww.fairtrade.org.uk

Fair for allAs Fairtrade Fortnight (Feb 24-Mar 9) gets underway, head of Shared Interest Foundation Chris Pay

reflects on the role played by the North East in pioneering fair trade.

Chris Pay

NompumeleloDlamini.

5151

New Year, new job. It’s often aresolution that sees employers spendvaluable time and money onrecruitment, only to see it falter at the

offer stage. While no one should be blamed for

changing their mind, with a little more timespent thinking things through at the beginning,I’m sure a lot more people would find whatthey’re really looking for a great deal quickerand easier.

Should I stay or go?

There are lots of reasons that trigger the searchfor a new job. It could be to gain moreexperience or broaden knowledge; to find a newchallenge; perhaps personal circumstances havechanged; or it may simply be for greaterfinancial reward.

Whatever the catalyst, when working outwhat’s best, the first thing to do is understandwhat truly motivates you.

We spend half our waking life at work, sogetting satisfaction should be the priority. If youaren’t happy then maybe it really is time toweigh up your options.

It’s important to be honest. Start by askingyourself a few questions along the line of: Whatare you good at? What are you passionateabout? What do you like about your current

job? What is important to you?You need to work out what matters to you

most in the longer-term; and if you’re luckyenough to match this with your strengths, thenit should become a lot easier to figure out whichdirection leads to your goals.

Things to consider

People can grow out of even the best jobs overtime. Sometimes you need a change or a newchallenge to reinvigorate yourself, but beforeyou begin searching make sure you take time tothink about your current role, your employerand your future prospects.

Does your company’s ambition match yourown? Do you get on with your colleagues?What does your boss think of you? What do youthink of your boss? There’s a lot to be said forbeing appreciated and trusted in the work place.If you feel empowered and have autonomy youneed to make sure that will remain if you decideto move.

Your work-life balance is a key ingredient. Doyou have flexibility at work? Are you supportedwhen you need it? How long is your commute?What is your work-life balance like? These areall things that affect your level of jobsatisfaction.

While it isn’t all about money, it pays to beaware of how competitive your total package is

in respect to your peers. Think about holidayentitlement, pension payments, bonuses andimportant HR policies like maternity cover andsickness.

If you’re thinking long-term, consider theexperience you’re gaining, the networks you’reexposed to and the kudos you get from workingwhere you do. This should all help youunderstand what to do next.

Is the grass always greener?

The short answer is no, but if you’re not happyyou do need to make a change of some kind -life’s too short to live with regret.

The decision to stick or twist comes down toknowing what you want and understandingwhat your employer can offer; so don’t forget tospeak to them and give them a chance tochange things.

It could simply be that you’re stuck in a rutand it’s not as bad as it seems once you adopt amore positive approach, but whatever youdecide be confident and don't be put off by fearof change.

Once you’ve considered all the pros and consyou'll probably know in your heart what to donext. If you do go for it, make sure you’removing for the right reasons and commit whole-heartedly, because the rewards from finding ajob you love can be life changing.

B U S I N E S S

Is the grass always greener?Bryony Gibson, managing director of Bryony GibsonConsulting, shares her thoughts on what you should

consider before changing jobs.

EXPERT VIEWBryony Gibson

Managing directorBryony Gibson Consulting

Tel: (0191) 375 9983Web: www.bryonygibson.com

Twitter: @bryonygibson

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T E C H N O L O G Y N E W S

_space secures funding for BIM

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

North East based _space Grouphas secured funding fromInvestment for Growth todevelop the high-tech, web-

based platform to host Building InformationModelling (BIM) – a process that enablesbuilding designers to create virtualbuildings in 3D.

BIM brings together electronicconstruction information into a singledatabase, encouraging a more integratedapproach to design and constructionprocesses.

The second phase of BIMstore.co.uk,developed by _space Group, follows theinitial site that was developed internally, totest the market.

Projections are that BIMstore.co.ukturnover will exceed £1million in 2014. As aresult, the group has generated new jobopportunities, and has set up a specialistintensive training programme for graduates,to retain skills in the North East region.

Company prepares to launch its second phase of 3D modelling software.

New merger

Two North East technologycompanies have merged to form

Adept Communications andTechnology.

The new enterprise is the brainchild ofWay 2 Communicate, providers oftelecommunications services and NomisSystems, an IT support company.

Adept Communications andTechnology offers synchronisedcommunications and IT to small andmedium sized businesses fromManchester to Scotland, streamliningcompanies’ technical connectivity to asingle platform where previously IT andtelecommunications would exist inseparate systems.

Onyx’s new offering

Data Centre & IT Infrastructure providerOnyx Group has revealed the details

of its re-launched Business PartnerProgramme. The specialists in datacentres, cloud backup, cloud hosting andconnectivity solutions is offering a newbusiness partner programme for resellers,referral partners and companies wishingto create their own white-labelled product.John Toal, the sales and marketingdirector at Onyx, said: “With our secure ISO27001 accredited facilities, accreditedand experienced engineers, 24/7 Supportand continuously investment in ourinfrastructure, businesses can feel safe inthe knowledge that the service we areoffering is the very best.”

SITS Group oncloud nine

Cramlington-based SITS Group, whichprovides cloud computing solutions

to private and public sector clients, hasbeen been awarded UK Small BusinessPartner of the Year at the fifth annualVMware Partner Recognition Dinner, heldat The Mayfair Hotel, London last month.SITS Group was also shortlisted in the EndUser Computing Partner of the Yearcategory.

SITS commercial director Phil Cambers,said: “We are delighted to win thisprestigious award for the second time andwill now concentrate our efforts on ensuringwe achieve a hat trick.”

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I N T E R V I E W

The long game

PASTIn the beginning there was no internet oremail, no mobile phones or mobile devices (it

makes you wonder how we coped back then).As for networks, they were a rare thing – andthose that did exist were difficult to manage,clunky and certainly had none of the usefulfeatures we have in today’s systems that businessand commerce so desperately relies on. Therewas no such thing as server engineers or thebreadth of IT roles and specialities that existtoday. Most businesses, if they had any kind ofIT infrastructure, had basic technology in theshape of a terminal with some access to amainframe.

FUTUREThe future is very exciting. We will see the

consolidation of devices used in the home toaccess systems, data and information – the useof smart TVs to enable the family to accessonline and email services. Landlines within thehome will disappear and clever interfaces thatare controlled by human movement andgestures, even eye movement, will begin to findtheir way into people’s lives. Businesses willbecome more trusting of technology and themuch heralded paperless office will have trulyarrived. However, one thing will remain aconstant: IT security of business assets willbecome an increasing priority as cybercrime iscovered more and more in the world’s mediaand criminals evolve ever more clever ways toattack the technology that drives business andpersonal life.

North East Times asks successful men and women with more than 25 years’ experience in their field, what their industrywas like when they started, how it has changed and where they see their sector going?

1987: Systems programmer, West Midlands Travel 1991: IT manager, Hedley Purvis

1996: Network manager, Knowledge IT2002: Independent consultant

2008: Technical operations director, Calibre Secured Networks Ltd

TIMELINE

PRESENTToday, the IT landscape has changed beyond

all recognition and things continue tochange rapidly month to month – it’s difficultto encompass as so much has changed, even inthe last five years. Businesses rely so much onIT, to be more productive, increase ROI,safeguard assets and information whilenetworks, which are accessible from almostanywhere, at any time, have become the normeverywhere. And the security of these networksis now a priority for businesses to protect data,information and assets along with corporatereputation following the advent of cybercriminals. Dedicated IT budgets have emergedfrom general financial budgets and even thesmallest firms and organisation have dedicatedfunds to pay for new technology as they try tostay ahead of their competitors. We have seen amassive change through the rise of mobiledevices while work is no longer a 'place' – itcan be wherever you are in the world thanks tosecure access to work platforms – and IT is lessabout 'what can I do with IT?' and more 'whatcan IT do for me?'

Steve NelsonTechnical operations director, Calibre Secured Networks Ltd

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59

Big data is changing the way we dobusiness. It’s not a new phenomenon, wehave been supporting our clients’ bigdata strategies for a decade, but it has

gradually become a buzzword as organisationshave tapped into its revenue-generating potential.

Experts say that more than 2.5 quintillion bytes(a quintillion is one followed by 18 zeros) of dataare generated daily, but it’s worth nothing if itcannot be used. As big data drives storage,hardware and network infrastructuredevelopments, it is the underpinning technologysolution that holds the key to success. And itfollows that choosing an expert partner is essentialif the IT infrastructure is to be fit for purpose.

Our team at ITPS manages many petabytes(that’s quadrillions, to you and me) of data onbehalf of our clients, and we have years ofexperience in developing infrastructures capableof evolving alongside the business.

For example, our client Clarity Informatics isan internationally renowned centre of excellencein creating worldwide healthcare networks basedon real life data and analytics that improvepatient care and outcomes.

To give Clarity a high capacitycommunications hub we created a 10G ringnetwork sitting across three secure data centres.This is the fastest connection in the North Eastand gives Clarity rapid and large bandwidthconnectivity to transmit large volumes ofinformation to and from its global clients.

When you choose your big data IT partnerthere are several key factors to consider:

Communications: Speed is key, which iswhy we invested £750,000 in ourcommunications network. Companies using bigdata need dedicated rather than shared

bandwidth, a structure with no single point offailure, and no latency so they are always dealingin real time data. Check the upload anddownload speeds you are offered. Your promisedupload might be fast, but download speed isequally important. If you have downtime or adisaster and your systems and data take severaldays to restore, you could be out of business bythen.

Security: The safest place to hold your data isin a Tier 3, ISO27001-certified data centre. Therise in remote working and ‘bring your owndevice’ means organisations have never beenmore at risk from accident, attack and simplehuman error. Make sure you choose a partnerwho can balance security with opportunity, andsafely accommodate ’anywhere, anytime andfrom any device’ access by your staff.

Storage: This is the most crucial element ofbig data strategy planning. Your storageenvironment should be scalable and flexibleenough to cope with large volumes and ever-increasing data loads. Leading vendors such asIBM and NetApp have developed enterprise classbig data platforms that address pain points, giving

clients the ability to start with one capability andeasily add others, reducing implementation timesand costs. A high capacity solution that is all orpartially cloud-based will drive down costs andgive you a platform that can simultaneouslyhandle large amounts of data from a range ofsources.

Backup: Make sure your partner can offer arange of options, from on-site traditional tape,direct or disk backup to a cloud-based solution.Even if you never suffer a major crisis, you couldstill fall prey to the consequences of unplannedoutages. Several of our clients are in the freight,shipping and blue light emergency servicessectors, where data unavailability would bedisastrous.

Business continuity and disasterrecovery: You should expect to be offeredbusiness continuity planning and designworkshops, supported by disaster recoveryarchitecture planning. Having proactive andreactive plans in place will help you avoid acrisis, and ensure you can access your data in theevent of disaster.You also need full workspacerecovery facilities in place, so that in the event ofinterruption, your people can continue workingin an environment that offers them access to alltheir usual systems and data. This prevents longoutages and means you can have your businessup and running within hours.

Big data strategies need not mean big headaches.But choosing the right partner to implement theplanning and design of your IT infrastructurecould be the difference between success andfailure.

T E C H N O L O G Y

Big dataneedn’t mean

big headaches Says Garry Sheriff, Managing director of ITPS.

EXPERT VIEWGarry Sheriff

Managing directorITPS

Web: www.itps.co.uk

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T E C H N O L O G Y

State of the ArtWhat’s new in the world

of technology and gadgets ...

Apple’s latest Mac Pro has beendesigned around an unified thermalcore and packs impressiveperformance into an aluminium

enclosure an eighth of the volume of theprevious generation. The all-new Mac Profeatures four, six, eight or 12-core processorsrunning at Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9 GHz

and two workstation class AMD FirePro GPUsthat deliver up to eight times the graphicsperformance of the previous Mac Pro.

PCIe-based flash storage delivers sequentialread speeds up to 10 times faster thanconventional desktop hard drives, and ECCDDR3 gives the new Mac Pro up to 60GBps ofmemory bandwidth for seamlessly editing full-

resolution 4K video while simultaneouslyrendering effects in the background. And withsix Thunderbolt 2 ports, each with up to20Gbps of bandwidth per device, the new MacPro remains the must-have tool for the creativecommunity. Prices start from £2499.

www.apple.com/uk

MAC PRO

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GALAXY NOTEPRO & TABPRO

Samsung unveiled its range of 12.2-inchtablets at the recent Consumer Electronics

Show 2014, held in Las Vegas last month. TheGalaxy NotePRO and TabPRO tablets boast theworld’s first 12.2-inch WQXGA widescreen HDdisplays with four million pixels and MultiWindow function that enables users to split thescreens into four. Release date TBC.

www.samsung.com

QOD

QOD is the world’s smallest electric golftrolley, measuring just

27cmx30cmx42cm. Its lightweight constructionand telescopic design makes it easy to use andtransport, and the quiet 180-watt motor featuresa 25-to-1 gear reducer to ensure constant speedup hills and a three-option distance controlfunction. RRP £595.

www.qodgolf.com

MODEL M WIRELESS

Acclaimed Swiss designer Geneva’s latestmodel is the Model M Wireless. Boasting

a refined acoustic design and a discreet systemof tweeter/woofer pairs and four class A/Bamplifiers, the compact sound system alsoincludes dock-free wireless capabilities,Bluetooth and a DAB/DAB+ radio. RRP £499(gloss red, white or black); £549 (walnut).

www.genevalab.com

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Renewing or simply upgrading an ICTsystem can be one of the biggestinvestments an organisation makes. Getit right and the benefits can last for years

but get it wrong and you can find yourselfhaemorrhaging a lot of money on a system that’snot working and, worse still, locked into acontract with a ‘solutions’ provider which isdriven more by profit than working as a trustedadvisor.

Shaun Phillips, technical director forNewcastle-based Calibre Secured NetworksLtd, offers advice on choosing and working withthe right supplier.

“We regularly get called in to review designsfrom customers about to invest huge sums ofmoney who have been given a network designfrom their incumbent supplier that does noteven follow industry best practice - or a kit listthat will leverage maximum profit for thesupplier without really looking at whether it willmeet the customer’s existing and future needs.”

So how do you avoid getting into this positionin the first place and ensure you are able tomove forward with a contract, and ICT system,that works for you.

It should be a straight forward process andstarts by working with a trustworthy partner likeCalibre to help you make the big strategicdecisions about technology, budget and thefinancial commitment you wish to make.

A reputable ICT provider will discuss themany options available to you and ensure thatyour investment is future-proof – so that youwill not need to re-invest heavily every couple ofyears.

Any good contract should start by outlining

the scope of the ICT services framework: what’sincluded and importantly what’s not. Thebenefits of a framework agreement areunequivocal and will clarify and define for youclear service level agreements (SLA), contractterms and how performance will be monitored.It also enables you to assess before gettinglocked into any potential costly agreements, thefinancial stability of the supplier, the quality oftheir work, project management capability andprocesses and mechanisms for dealing withcomplaints and remedies – and even necessarypenalties and financial reparations.

When it comes to awarding the contract,value for money will of course be an importantconsideration but also uppermost in your mindshould be considerations such as ‘”…is this aquality supplier who understands my needs?”and “…can I work with these people long term- and will they be proactive”?

Even if you are locked in to a contract withan incumbent supplier it will pay dividends toget their proposals, designs and kit listsindependently reviewed to ensure you aregetting value for money and the right ICTSolution. A good ICT supplier can work closelywith you to help prepare the frameworkagreement, which should define costs -everything should be transparent - the durationof the contract with options to terminate after acertain period of time or if service levelagreements are consistently missed.

Contract management should also beconsidered and made clear, so that both partiesunderstand what’s involved from the outsetregarding the formalities of performancemonitoring, when and how reviews will take

place and preparing for contract renewal.Customers undertaking performancemonitoring should base it on an agreed set ofkey performance indicators while regularreviews with a service supplier will identifyconcerns early or acknowledge satisfactoryprogress.

And what defines whether or not yourcontract is pricey or good value-for-money. Askyourself is the supplier doing what’s expectedand responsive to your needs? Are costs such aslabour, equipment, repairs and updatesreduced when compared with the previouslevel of output or service provider? Are youreducing the volume of resource in the shapeof people, property and material s needed tosupport ICT? And perhaps most pertinent of allis whether or not output has increased andquality improved e.g. extra service orproductivity for the same cost as previously?

Shaun adds: “Never be afraid to talk to yoursupplier’ and ensure you understand what theyare doing and which critical factors like SLAsand costs are totally transparent andunderstood. After all, getting locked into apricey contract is the easiest thing in the worldbut get out of one can prove very difficult,almost impossible, and may cost you for yearsto come.”

Calibre provides ICT solutions for publicand private sector organisations, working acrossthe UK and Europe.

For more information call Calibre on 08455576355 or email [email protected]. Alternatively visit www.calibre-secured.net

T E C H N O L O G Y

Avoid costly ICT mistakesShaun Phillips, technical director for

Calibre, on the importance of getting anICT supplier that’s right for you.

Shaun Phillips

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M E D I A N E W S

The future of PROcademy event looks at the emerging trends in communication.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH ITPS

Newcastle communicationsagency OPR held its latestOcademy event recently at the

Digital Lounge at Tyneside Cinema.The event looked at the changing face

of the media landscape and the future ofPR in a digital world.

Ocademy is OPR’s quarterly event seriesfor its clients and partners to shareknowledge on all aspects of emergingtrends in communications.

At the event, specialist experts coveredthe growth of mobile media consumption,emerging social media trends,transparency and trust in business, and thepower of Google.

Managing director Kari Owers said, “Weare lucky to work in one of the world’s mostexciting and fast paced industries, yet thechanges in the way we all communicate inthe modern world can be confusing,challenging and even frightening for

Awards on the horizon

Horizonworks has once again beenappointed by Bionow to organise

and deliver its annual BiomedicalAwards.

The awards, which are taking place onApril 24 2014 at the Baltic Centre for

Contemporary Art, will celebrate thestrength and depth of the cluster and thediversity of the companies within thebiomedical sector across the North ofEngland.

Horizonworks will be fully managing the

event on behalf of Bionow including the PRand promotion of the awards evening,attracting sponsors and companies toattend, managing the nomination andjudging process and organising thelogistics of the full event.

businesses if they don’t understand what itmeans to them.

“The Ocademy brings some of theinsights we learn and the ‘think tank’

attitude we have at OPR to a wideraudience. The events hopefully inspire,challenge and motivate them to embracewhat’s coming in communications.”

The search for local life

Two North East actors are facing a raceagainst time to source a significant

real-life story and create a short film in just28 days.

Philip Mathews, of Gateshead, andGemma Nichols, of Gosforth, are the co-

creators of the aptly named venture The 28Day Project, which will premiere in London.

Members of the local community areurged to get in touch if they have a lifeexperience which bears significance toFebruary 28. If their idea is chosen they will

attend the premiere in London on that day.With filming due to start February 1,

anyone interested in helping out with theproject should contact Phil or Gemma on020 3371 0995 or [email protected]

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Just as an orchestra is made up ofdifferent sections all following the samepiece of music, each element of yourmarketing should work together in

harmony and follow a clear strategy. Integrated marketing is a way of developing

and implementing marketing activity across arange of channels in a way that is co-ordinatedand consistent.

It’s a term that was coined in the lateeighties, and essentially means making surethat all the different elements of yourmarketing activity are working together tocreate greater impact.

We have never had so many marketing toolsat our disposal. The number of places whereyour marketing messages can reach your targetaudiences is greater than ever and as a result,audiences – and, arguably, their attention spans- are becoming increasingly fragmented. Thechallenge is to understand what role differentmarketing channels can play in your marketingstrategy and to ensure that they are allintegrated to provide a consistent, holisticmarketing drive.

Integration has become an increasinglyimportant concept in marketing becausetechnological advances have changed howcustomers and businesses interact.

For example, if someone reads about you asa result of your PR activity or sees yourbrochure, they could then go to your websiteto find out more or start following you onTwitter.

All of these need to be seamless in terms ofwhat they’re saying about your brand. And thisshould continue right through to when the saleis made and beyond – providing your customerswith a positive and helpful experience, andmaking sure your product is conveniently

accessible (and nowadays that is likely to meanonline accessibility via smartphones andtablets) all play their part in ensuring there’s aconsistent brand promise running through yourentire marketing effort.

This consistency is key in making sure thatconsumers understand your product, yourcompany and how you can help them.

It ensures the most effective use of yourmarketing budget too, since all your investmentis going on communicating the same message,not in creating confusion in the minds of youraudience with different, and potentiallyconflicting, messages.

Successful integrated marketing relies onhaving a clear strategy and a compelling brandidentity. It also requires time and effort to roll itinto every aspect of your business – not just theobvious ones like your marketing and salesactivity, but right through to customer serviceand the way you train your staff. Regardless ofwhich marketing tools you use, your brandtouches everything you do and say as anorganisation. It is the impression that you, yourproducts, your adverts, your website, yourtweets, even your staff, leave on others. Yourmarketing activity should deliver a consistent

message as a result of every element workingtogether to create a positive perception of yourcompany and build a powerful and crediblebrand.

In this day and age more people areconnecting with brands in many different ways.So one thing that can help to ensure yourmarketing is integrated is to map the range ofchannels and locations where your customerscould potentially come into contact with yourbrand. A communications audit can help withthis – as well as helping to understand howeffective your communications are and whatthe current perceptions are of your businessamong a sample of your customers, suppliers,employees and partners.

Businesses (and audiences) are not static,and neither should your brand be. You shouldregularly review your marketing strategy toassess what’s working well and what needs to berefined.

The feedback from a communications auditcan help you spot if all elements of yourmarketing activity are singing from the samehymn sheet and is essential in the ongoingdevelopment of your marketing strategy.

To get your marketing hitting the right notein 2014, we’re offering a free MarketingHealthcheck. This includes a review of yourmarketing strategy and feedback on whatimprovements to consider in order to improvethe effectiveness of your marketing and helpyou achieve your business objectives.

Whether you want to increase your profile,improve communication with your customersor gain a better understanding of yourcompetitors, combining a strategic approachwith creative thinking we will providerecommendations and ideas that will makeyour business stand out.

M E D I A

Marketingmusic to your ears

How a well tuned integrated marketingstrategy can help your business, by Horizonwork’s

Samantha Davidson.

EXPERT VIEWSamantha DavidsonManaging director

HorizonworksTel: 08450 759955

Email: [email protected]: www.horizonworks.co.uk

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Those of you who saw it may have noted Ihad a lazy start to the year, placing anadvert in January’s North East Timesrather than my usual column. The

content was important though, being areminder of the ever-increasing role digitalplays in the marketing mix. As the copy stated,savvy businesses are using the appropriateonline platforms to communicate directly withcustomers, employing cross-channel planningtechniques to ensure this activity is supportedby traditional media relations and paid foradvertising to achieve the greatest brandreach.

If you’re one of the businesses still to take aleap into digital, it may feel frightening but itneedn’t be -– there are methods that can beused to break the process down into bite-sizedchunks.

Taking things step by step ensures you canbe confident the approach is right andminimises the risk that always comes withtrying something new.

As with anything, the starting point is todefine what the long-term goals are. You needto be clear what you want from your digitalengagement, how the planned activity willsupport your wider organisational objectivesand what the company needs to do to makeyour efforts a success.

With the latter, for example, you’ll need aprocess in place that sees any data andfeedback from online activity cascaded backinto the business, you may need a dedicatedcustomer care team handling online enquiriesduring the day, evenings and at weekends (not

forgetting there should always be a crisisprovision), and there is a definite necessity forsocial media guidelines to be put in place forstaff from the outset too.

Working on the assumption that as abusiness you can easily define andcommunicate your unique selling points, thenext job is to be clear on who your audiencesare.

These should of course include your loyalcustomers but also those you’d like to convertinto clients and key influencers.

Understanding the specifics of these groupsand how they behave means you shouldquickly be able to work out which channelsyou will use to share content.

To illustrate, if you want to target teenagers,there is no point developing a page onFacebook – Twitter, Instagram and messengerapp’s such as Snapchat are currently muchmore popular with this bunch of earlyadopters.

Just setting up a brand presence on therelevant channels is not enough. Havingdecided which technologies, media and toolsyou will use, significant time should be spenton agreeing what the content will actually be– just pushing out a sales message will get younowhere. Engaging with people meansdelivering relevant information in visuallyappealing and shareable formats, includingimages, infographics and video, not tomention ensuring you are giving them ways toget involved with your brand. This could beby asking them to share their own images orstories, vote for their favourite product or by

entering a competition. Co-creating contentwill help to build your own community andshould also result in customers becoming anactive advocate of your company. Third partyendorsement and word of mouth are two ofthe most powerful ways to generate newbusiness, after all.

Finally, there is one other key area thatmustn’t be forgotten – the metrics that willallow you to monitor and report progress.

Before activity starts you will need to decideon what your key performance indicators areand what success looks like. How else will youknow that what you are doing is working, be ina position to swiftly change direction if theneed arises and convince the managementteam to allocate more to the marketingbudget?

If you’re working with people who thinkdigital activity is madness, you need to be ableto show the method in it!

Hopefully this has helped as a starting pointand there is plenty more information out thereif you look. For a great visual reference, it isworth visitingwww.digitalengagementframework.com - pinit by your desk, you’ll be glad you did.

Contact Sarah on 07702 162704,email: [email protected],Twitter: @hallmeister or visitwww.sarahhallconsulting.co.uk

For more PR and marketingrelated news and articles, please visithttp://blog.sarahhallconsulting.co.uk

M E D I A

Turn your attention todigital

engagement Sarah Hall, managing directorof Sarah Hall Consulting Ltd,

the PR and marketing consultancy,looks at why digital engagement

is key for businesses andwhere to begin.

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S T Y L E

John Lewis,£45

Primark,£10

River Island,£18

Dr Martens,£110

Next,£28

H&M,£39.95

Get the lookFashion and accessories for men.

By Jessica Laing.

It may only be February, but spring has welland truly sprung on the catwalks – andaccording to the likes of Prada, Gucci andDries Van Noten, it’s going to be blooming for

not only women, but the manliest of men, too.Described as ‘the print of the season’, floralmotifs are set to take the world of menswear bystorm this spring, adorning everything from theclassic suit to casual wear [as pictured]. If prettypetals aren’t to your liking, don’t fear, as many ofthis year’s hit prints – including micro flowersand the infamous Hawaiian hibiscus – have beengiven a dark, masculine makeover. Ideal forbusinessmen who want to bring personality totheir work attire, not only are SS14’s dark florals(think navy blue, earthy browns and shades ofgrey) subtle enough for the office, they’re alsoincredibly easy to wear on an evening. No time tochange before drinks after work? A brown floralshirt underneath a black, tuxedo-style blazer issmart and effortlessly stylish.

MODEL ATTIREFloral printed t-shirt, £18

Skinny bleach printed wash jeans, £32Retro sports trainers, £28

All from Burton

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WORKSPACE & CONSTRUCTION NEWS

Getting resultsNaylors office agency team secures 150,000 sq ft of new instructions.

The UNITE Group plc, the developer andmanager of student accommodation,

has exchanged contracts to acquire astudent accommodation development

project in Newcastle city centre, subject toachieving planning consent. The 200,000sq ft scheme will have a total developmentcost of £31 million.

The site will be transformed into a homefor approximately 600 students, close to thecity’s two universities and is targeted to openin 2016.

UNITE acquires Newcastle site

Left to right: Bill Naylor,Sam Elliot and SimonTaylor of Naylors.

Naylors Chartered Surveyorshas acquired over 150,000sqftof new office instructionssince appointing new office

agency head, Simon Taylor.Since Simon joined Naylors in October

2012, the office agency team hasexperienced a significant increase in thenumber of instructions and are marketing

new properties including; The Quadrant atNewburn Riverside, Maingate and DigitalHouse at Team Valley, GainsboroughHouse and 2 Collingwood Street inNewcastle city centre, Kingfisher Court inStockton and Teleport House at DoxfordBusiness Park, Sunderland.

Simon commented: “Despite thedifficult market conditions of the past few

years it is clear that we are now seeing areal improvement in office occupierdemand. We are currently experiencing anotable increase in enquiries andviewings.

“Naylors has the capacity to offerclients an excellent level of service and weare actively working to expand our offeringof quality office instructions.”

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ADVERTISER’S ANNOUNCEMENT

Keeping the UK cleanSouth shields-based Newlife Cleaning Systems celebrates its national clientbase.

With over 30 years in operation,Newlife Cleaning Systems has builtup a wealth of experience and animpressive portfolio of well over 200

commercial contracts, nationwide. Boasting an extensive range of cleaning

solutions and specialist services, Newlife aims toensure its clients receive seamless, cost effective,quality cleaning services at all times.

As a privately owned company, Newlife aimsto work for its clients. Never forgetting that as partof the service industry, the quality of servicedetermines future success, Newlife guaranteesthe safety and peace of mind of their clients byproviding full CRB checking wherever necessary.

Specialising in office, extraction unit andkitchen deep cleaning, Newlife cleaning systemsensure that each of its 312 staff fleet are fully

NVQ trained and regularly assessed, so that eachof its clients are provided with an unrivalledlevel of professionalism and customersatisfaction.

With extensive knowledge, experience and afirst rate reputation, Newlife is proud to work inpartnership with high profile organisationswithin both the public and private sectors.

Providing a perfectly tailored cleaningschedule, Newlife offers high quality andsustainable solutions to fit your requirements.

Regardless of size or value, each contract istreated with the same attention.

Never outsourcing any of their cleaningoptions, Newlife offers both internal andexternal services; from the supply of toilet rolls towindow cleaning, and the sourcing of their ownproducts and equipment, Newlife’s operatives

fully integrate as part of your company’smaintenance team.

Newlife is pleased to offer a complimentary,no obligation cleaning services quote to assessyour needs, address your requirements andprovide an entirely tailored package. Simplyemail [email protected] orcall 08000 189 099.

As a market leader, Newlife regularly testscutting edge technology in conjunction with anumber of national clients, working inpartnership to reduce pollution and energydemands on our planet and to ensure that anoptimum level of services is maintained.

To find out more about Newlife visitwww.newlifecleaning.com, alternatively, follow@NewlifeClean on Twitter.

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A revolutionaryrefurbishment

Newcastle cocktail bar, Revolution,received a six-figure renovation last

month, in the hope of enhancing its offer asone of the city’s premium drinking anddining venues. Following its makeover, thebar, which is located on Collingwood Street,now boasts hostess table service, plushfurnishings and elegant finishings. A re-launch party, including live music andentertainment, canapés and cocktails,marked the opening on January 18.General manager, Timmy Jessop, said: “Weare looking forward to welcoming backexisting customers and hope the new lookwill also encourage new custom.”

L E I S U R E & H O S P I TA L I T Y N E W S

Leading the way inbusiness

Rockliffe Hall, County Durham, hasreceived BDRC Continental

VenueVerdict’s Highly CommendedAccreditation for its outstanding facilitiesand services. BDRC, a client satisfactionmeasurement system that carries out ayear of independent, in-depth research, isused widely in the UK conference venueand hotel industry, enabling venues tocollate and manage feedback from clients.VenueVerdict’s Highly CommendedAccreditation, meanwhile, is awarded to avenue to highlight its ability to deliverconsistently outstanding customerexperiences.

£43 million investmentprogramme

Family-run leisure, property and carecompany, The Malhotra Group, has

invested in a £500,000 cosmetic overhaulof its two Scalinis restaurants, as part of a£43 million investment programme.Designed by brand specialists, DakotaInternational, the restaurants – one locatedon Osborne Road, Jesmond, and the otherat The Three Mile Inn in Gosforth – featureintimate booth areas, wider areas forfamilies and a Milan-inspired themethroughout. The venture follows the recentannouncement that all of the Malhotraholdings have been consolidated into oneformal group.

County Durham-basedmicrobrewery, Sonnet 43 BrewHouse, has announced plans toexpand, following its first

successful year in business. Themicrobrewery, situated in Coxhoe, hasproduced 1500 barrels of craft beers andsold thousands of bottles online and invenues since opening its doors in late 2012.Its core beers – including Steam Beer,American Pale Ale and Bourbon Milk Stout –have already been sold in more than 200pubs across the North East, with regulardeliveries now being made in York, Harrogateand Leeds. Work to expand brewingcapacity will begin later this year, allowing formore deliveries outside the North, theintroduction of craft kegging and a visitors’centre, offering workshops and tours.

Sonnet 43’s founder, North Eastrestauranter, Mark Hird, hopes to launchmore venues serving Sonnet 43 beers during2014, as well as a range of complimentaryfood and drink. He said: “It has been alandmark first year for us and we’redelighted that our beers have been well-received by people across the North Eastand Yorkshire.”

Microbrewery toaststo success

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With January neatly tucked away,now is the ideal time to etch a fewplans into the diary for the specialpeople in your life – and perhaps

even for yourself, whether it’s a day, a night oreven a little longer.

Romance at Rockliffe - for the oneyou love

Whether you need time to catch up, time awayfrom the hustle and bustle of life or maybe youjust want to show that special person that youcare, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to plansome quality time together. And where betterthan the North of England’s only five star resortwith its choice of restaurants, world-class golfcourse and blissful spa?

Rockliffe Hall’s 50,000 sq ft spa includes a20-metre leisure pool, a thermal bathing suitewith a tepidarium, caldarium, Roman and heatsaunas, tropicarium, hydropool and icefountain, sound wave therapy beds and anextensive range of signature treatments usingsome of the most luxurious products availablefrom names such as Murad, Comfort Zone andOrly.

Spa for the day

If you only have a day to spare, what could bebetter than a dedicated Couple’s Catch-up? Aswell as indulging in the award-winning spafacilities, you’ll be treated to a bespoke warmoil massage and a Rasul steam and mud ritual.Then it’s time to enjoy a glass of wine by thepool followed by lunch in The Brasserie beforeyou leave feeling relaxed and revived.

Spa and away

For a longer visit, Rockliffe Hall’s Valentine’sbreaks have been specially designed to let youenjoy all of the resort’s five star facilities. Ahighlight for 2014 is the Couple’s MassageTuition where, as well as enjoying a massageeach, you can also learn how to soothe oneanother’s aches, pains, stresses and strains. So aswell as enjoying a weekend break together,you’ll take a little piece of heaven away withyou to enjoy again and again.

Food of love

Rockliffe Hall is offering a plethora of breaksfor food-lovers whether you want to bask in theGothic glory of the Old Hall and The Orangeryor sit back and enjoy The Brasserie or TheClubhouse.

The Old Hall celebrated its 150thanniversary at the end of 2013 and is thebeating heart of Rockliffe Hall.

Its quintessentially English charms make

it the ideal place to enjoy everything from alight lunch or afternoon tea, to cocktails,dinner and wine tastings.

Whatever you choose, the Old Hall’sambience will offer you a day to rememberhowever relaxed or formal your mood chooses.

This year, Rockliffe Hall is offering a specialOld Hall Valentine’s break- with a host ofromantic treats throughout your stay includingchocolates, flowers and Champagne on arrival,dinner in the multi-award winning Orangeryrestaurant and breakfast in bed the next day. It’sthe ultimate treat for lovers of luxury.

Just for Mum - special treats on herspecial day

It’s coming up to that time of year to really spoilanother special person in your life: Mum.

The Simply the Best spa day includes fulluse of the blissful spa facilities, an exclusiveOrly manicure, a special gift for Mum andChampagne afternoon tea.

Alternatively, the Head Over Heels spa daybeautifies Mum from top to toe. Arrive in themorning for teas, coffees and treats, put yourfeet up in the spa and then enjoy an Orly GelFX manicure or pedicure.

And of course there’s also afternoon tea,served in the Old Hall, a host of sumptuousdining options and gift vouchers to let Mumchoose her own special day.

Make this the year you treat your loved oneswith memorable moments at Rockliffe Hall.

For more details, reservations or to buy giftvouchers, visit www.rockliffehall.com or call(01325) 729999

L E I S U R E & H O S P I T A L I T Y

Treat your loved onesFrom top dining to spa and golf days and breaks, Rockliffe Hall has a host of new events coming

up in 2014 - and where better to start than with Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

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Many readers will remember KhalidMiah from his days at Vujonwhere he won the prestigiousCurry Chef of the Year award.

His expertise was gained from his formativeschool years when after class, he would sneakinto the kitchen of his local restaurant wherehis father worked.

He was, and remains, fascinated, intriguedand inspired by the ingredients, colours andaromas of all the herbs and spices.

From that day, he knew exactly what hewanted to be, a top chef, and worked tirelesslyto achieve recognition for his culinaryexpertise. This accolade was bestowed uponhim in 2011 and buoyed by the success, he leftto open ZYKA, his own restaurant in Hexham.

I was a huge fan of his cooking and style inNewcastle but inexplicably lost track of him inthe last couple of years so thought it was hightime I dropped by to see how he was getting on.

ZYKA is a very impressive modern boutiqueIndian restaurant complete with its ownChampagne Bar.

The dining areas are on two floors in threedifferent areas so whether you are looking for abusiness venue to impress, a quiet romantic

dinner for two, a family meal or just some reallygood food to share between friends, there is asuitable ambiance for all occasions. Along withhis brothers, Rachid and Mushuk, who run thefront of house with great style, Khalid offers acomprehensive menu influenced by many ofIndia’s top chefs in every region of the country.As with every great chef, he adds his own twistsand refinements with amazing results.

My wife, Lisa, chose Royal Hansch to startwhich consisted of pieces of duck breast, spicedinto a terrine, mustard potatoes and a crispysalad with a twist, followed by Shahee MurghTurka, Khalid’s signature dish. This superb dishconsisted of a grilled marinated chicken breastwith a natural honey glaze cooked in aKashmiri spiced mild to medium sauce. Aftermuch deliberation for a starter, I opted forMahi Salmon, pieces of specially spicedsalmon served on a grilled pepper. It was asimple but outstanding dish. I followed thiswith Naga Jhol Murgh, a flavoursomeBangladeshi dish of marinated bonelessbarbecued chicken cooked in a fairly hot garammasala sauce using naga chillies. This tooreally hit the spot.

With so many other unique traditional curry

dishes on the menu from Goa, Hydrabad andthe Punjab, this is a restaurant that you couldreturn to every week for a year and still notexhaust all the choices.

ZYKA is no ordinary curry house. Khalid andhis brothers know exactly what it takes todeliver a fine dining experience and theyexceeded my expectations. It providesauthentic Indian cuisine with delicatelybalanced flavours. You don’t get the searingheat that some other Indian restaurantsprovide – with food this good, it would besacrilege to mask its true flavours withunnecessary heat. In addition, Kahlid will alsowillingly create any customers favourite dishnot on the menu as long as he has theingredients in stock.

The venue is well worth the taxi fare or thedrive to Hexham. Everything is cooked fresh sodon’t expect instant service as good food isalways worth waiting for. Those looking forinstant pre-cooked food should look elsewhere.This is a true Indian dining experience and oneto savour rather than hurry.

For bookings or to check out ZYKA’sextensive menu visit www.zykahexham.com


Spice and bubblesMike Grahamslaw visits Hexham-based Indian

restaurant and Champagne bar, ZYKA, co-ownedby the former head chef of Vujon.

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While Newcastle Quayside’s popularityhas fluctuated over the pastdecade or so, one family-run Italianrestaurant has continued to thrive.

Sabatini, located in a strikingly ornate buildingoverlooking the river, has been serving authenticSardinian cuisine for the over 20 years.

It has remained popular with diners looking fora genuine taste of the Mediterranean in asophisticated – yet informal – environment. It hasalso proved to be a favourite with businessmenand women during the day, thanks also toconvenient central location.

I visited the restaurant last month with twocolleagues and received a warm welcome onarrival.

During the day there is a choice of the lunchmenu (two courses for £11.95 or three courses for£14.95) or the main restaurant menu that offersan abundant choice of hot and cold starters,pizzas, pastas and specialist meat, fish andvegetarian dishes.

I opted for the two-course lunch menu andfound both my starter and main course to beplentiful and well executed. My sea bass, inparticular, was full of flavour and comprised twogood-sized fillets of fish.

Both of my dining companions picked fromthe main restaurant menu. The selection ofmeats, cheeses, picked vegetables, olives andbread of the Antipasta Sardo proved a little toomuch and most was returned to the kitchen. The

other dishes, however, were more manageableand much enjoyed – especially the lovely bakedcalzone packed with a mouth-wateringcombination of mozzarella, tomato, and salami,flavoured with fresh oregano.

Two of us chose a third choice and while thelemon sorbet was lovely and refreshing, it was theheavenly tiramisu that was to be the highlight ofthe meal.

Providing the right combination of elegantsurroundings and authentic, yet good value, food,I’m sure Sabatini will continue to be a popularhaunt – day and night – for years to come.

For bookings call (0191) 261 4415 or visitwww.sabatinis.co.uk


Business lunch

SabatiniAlison Cowie visits the Quayside

ristoranté, bar and pizzeria

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Marinated baby squid with garlic, chilliand olive oil

Fresh and zingy salad with beautifully cooked squid.

Part of £11.95 (two course) lunch menu

Pan-seared sea bass with cucumberand mushroom sauté

Flavoursome dish with delightful sea bass,served with saffron potatoes.

Part of £11.95 (two course) lunch menu

Tiramisu

A delightful version of this ubiquitous dish, it was ahighlight of the meal.

£4.95

Antipasto Sardo

The abundant platter of Sardinian meats, vegetables,cheeses and bread proved too much for one.

£8.95

Calzone Rustico

Packed with mozzarella, tomato, ham, salami andoregano, this baked classic hit the mark.

£9.50

Gamberoni All’aglio

Succulent butterflied prawns: no complaints here.

£7.90

Pollo Allo Zafferano

Succulent corn-fed chicken, wild mushrooms andpancetta with velvety saffron and cream sauce.

£13.50

Cappuccino

Special blended coffee, served the Italian way.

£2.25

Lemon sorbet

Well presented and refreshing.

£3.50

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E V E N T

Hay & Kilner’s ruralseminar

The North East solicitorshosts its first seminar for the

rural industry.

Hay & Kilner Solicitors hosted itsinaugural rural seminar recently.

The rural team has extensive experienceof working with landowning clients andtheir professional advisers. Five topicalareas of advice were covered with someresulting New Year’s resolutions on how tokeep agricultural or rural businesseshealthy in 2014. Following the presentation,guests enjoyed some lively chat withrefreshments.

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Left to right: John Luke (Hay & Kilner),Bruce Murray (PFK Land Agency) andNeil Dwyer (Hay & Kilner)

Left to right: Philip Scrope (Smith Gore), Bruce Howorth (Hay & Kilner),Richard Marshall (Hay & Kilner) and Lucy Gray (Hay & Kilner)

Left to right: Adam Barrass (Vickers & Barrass)and David Jackson

Left to right: Charlotte Rogerson (George FWhite) and James Reynolds (Smith Gore)

Left to right: Kirstin Cook (Hay & Kilner),David Johnson (Johnson Tuker) and

Martin Soloman (Hay & Kilner)

Left to right: Sarah O’Hare (Hay & Kilner)and Theresa Kendall (Baker Tilley)

The MV Queen Victoria is a Grand shipwith a capital G. It embodies Cunard’straditional English style of eleganceand graceful splendour, which is very

evocative of the great liners of yesteryear. At 90,000 tons and 294 meters long, it is

not one of the biggest cruise ships in servicebut what it lacks in size is made up for withits style and grace of a bygone era.

This unique quality is totally overlookedby some of today’s ‘pile ‘em high, sell ‘emcheap’ floating leviathans.

It features 12 decks that comfortablyaccommodate more than 2000 passengers ona two-to-one guest to crew ratio, ensuring thatservice is always of the highest order.

At a cost of £300 million, it was built in2006 and entered service in 2007 after anaming ceremony by HRH Camilla, Duchessof Cornwall.

The Queen Victoria retains the sameclassiness of its predecessors (QE2) but forobvious reasons, it has a very atmosphericVictorian, almost Dickensian, feel.

Try to think traditional luxury as in theblockbuster film Titanic but with everymodern day facility (including icebergdetecting satnav, of course!) required bytoday’s increasingly sophisticated cruisepassengers.

Relaxation, dining and sophisticatedentertainment are its forte.

West-end style shows in the Royal CourtTheatre even offer individual private boxes toview performances.

If you are a foodie, the five-course menusin its two-floor Britannia Restaurant arereally something to behold.

No wonder the Queen Victoria passengersget through a mind-boggling 350,000 bottlesof wine/Champagne, 1.5 million eggs,13,000lbs of smoked salmon, 59,000lbs ofcoffee and a million tea bags a year.Exclusivity also has its place on board and forthose requiring more private surroundings,suites and cabins that include dining in themagnificent Queen’s and Princess Grills arealso available. These come with access to

separate guest lounges.As with everything in life, you only get

what you pay for and your cabin gradedecides which dining room and guestlounges you can use during your cruise.

This is no hardship though as all publicareas are simply quite superb. It’s all aboutchoice and your budget. I paid a bargainprice (£599pp, which guaranteed an outsidecabin as a minimum and was extremelypleased with the spacious balcony cabinallocated to us on checking in atSouthampton.

Non-smokers should be aware thatsmoking is allowed on starboard decks andstarboard stateroom balconies and cigarettesmoke does drift down all starboard balconiesso when booking, try to get a cabin on theportside if you wish to avoid this.

We sailed out of Southampton in earlyDecember for a ten-night cruise on anIberian and Moroccan Highlights cruisevisiting La Coruna, Casablanca, Cadiz andLisbon before returning just beforeChristmas following 2800 miles at sea.

There were four themed formal nightsranging from a Masquerade Ball, a Black andWhite Ball, a Victoriana Ball and a RoyalAscot Ball.

I was so taken with my gold half-facemasquerade mask that I didn’t take it off untilthe following morning!

Practically everyone observes the dresscode on these formal nights and I can fullyunderstand why.

This is an elegant ship and ‘looking thepart’ is all part of the Queen Victoriaexperience.

On casual nights, a jacket with optional tieis expected and again, this was mostlyadhered to.

Even those choosing to dine in theinformal Lido Buffet Restaurant on anevening still wore a jacket.

Our fellow passengers appeared to be well-travelled, reasonably affluent British peoplebut some Americans and Japanese were alsoin evidence. The age group on board was

mostly 55+ and I don’t think that anyoneunder the age of 40 would find much tooccupy them on the QV unless they are intoballroom dancing, string quartets, harpists,flautists and classically trained pianists.

The shows in the Royal Court Theatre aremostly aimed at a senior audience andalthough there is a disco on board, muchdad-dancing was in evidence which wouldn’tgo down well with most of today’s youngergeneration.

This is a ship for seasoned cruisers thatembrace tradition, style and grace. If youwant something racier, I suggest you lookelsewhere.

The only exception to this was Synergy, aninternational Caribbean fun-loving banddying to play reggae but mainly stuck withsing-along classics.

The highlight of the cruise wasundoubtedly guest speaker Malcolm Nelson,a customs officer for 40 years who gave atruly amazing insight into what customsofficers look for in smugglers and why theyonly select certain people to search goingthrough the green channel.

He was signing his book, Forty YearsCatching Smugglers, but such was thedemand, it sold out after the first of his fivelectures.

As you would expect from such aprestigious cruise ship, both food and serviceon board were exemplary. The hugeinternational service crew ensure it is aconnoisseur’s experience. All the crewdelivered a very attentive and professionalservice that could not be faulted.

The white-gloved waiters servingtraditional afternoon tea in the Queen’s roomwere also a nice gentile touch. Tip: Pre-ordera wine package on-line before you sail. Theserange from three to twelve bottles and cansave you up to 15 per cent on on-boardprices. I saved around £40 on my Captain’spackage.

Check out the Queen Victoria for yourselfat www.cunard.co.uk

T R A V E L

A cruise for thetraditionalist

Ken Spearen takesa ten-day trip aboard the

MV Queen Victoria.

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E D U C A T I O N

Principle Dr John Hind reflects on recent achievements.

Honours atDame Allan’s Schools

Iam proud to record that three Allanianswere honoured at the turn of the year. Twoof the Schools’ governors were awardedMBEs in the New Year’s Honours List.The chair of Governors, Elliott Ward,

received the award for his outstandingservices to education and the Newcastlecommunity.

The Schools have undoubtedly benefittedfrom Elliott’s vast professional experience inproperty, most notably in the Queen’sBuilding and the new Junior School.

His vision and drive have helped us tocreate an excellent building, which ismatched only by an excellent staff to producea Junior School and Nursery that is admiredacross this region.

Elliott Ward said: “I am deeply honouredand feel very humbled to receive this award.This is a great honour for the Schools as wellas for me.”

At the same time Canon MargaretNicholson received an MBE for her servicesto education in the North East.

Margaret was a head teacher beforebecoming director of education for theDiocese of Newcastle. She retired in 2010and has been a valuable member of theSchools’ governing body since then, playing akey role on the education committee andadding her particular expertise to thedevelopment of the new Junior School.

Both governors in their own way havehelped to shape the continuing commitment

to excellence here at Dame Allan’s, where,more than 300 years later, we continue tocarry out our founder’s vision of a ‘propereducation’ for boys and girls, preparing themfor today’s rapidly changing and challengingworld.

Dame Allan’s can be characterised by ourcurrent advertisement: Excellence, Stability,Happiness - and the third person to behonoured was renowned for his happinessand exuberance.

At the end of last year around 300 formerpupils, staff and friends of the Schoolsreturned to the Dame Allan’s to celebrate theinaugural Richard Holmes Memorial TrophyRugby match.

Allanian Richard Holmes sadly diedfollowing a brain tumour last July, aged just24. Richard played rugby for Dame Allan’s,his university, and for Northumberland andhad planned to use his experience to helpyoung players achieve their own ambitions bystudying for a Masters in Sport Science afterhe graduated with a degree in Sport Scienceand Coaching from Northumbria University.

It was a spirited match played between anUnder 25 team captained by MatthewCannon, who played with Richard at schooland for Northumberland, and the Over 25steam led by Philip Ludford, a formerNewcastle Falcons A team player. Both teamsplayed with great spirit but the Over 25s lostout on the day to the physically moreimposing Under 25 team.

Players and spectators joined Richard’sfamily for an entertaining lunch and charityauction. Auctioneer John Bentley, the formerBritish and Irish Lions player, encouragedguests to raise over £3000 for Marie CurieCancer Care, who looked after Richard in hisfinal days, and the Pecanwood EducationalTrust in South Africa, which Dame Allan’shas supported for the last eight years.

It was indeed a memorable day, whichreminded us all of Richard’s exuberance andenthusiasm and the special place he has inthe Dame Allan’s family.

Meanwhile our current students have beenwinning their own honours in recent sportingevents.

The Boys’ School Cross Country squad ishaving an outstanding season.

In a remarkable feat, Dame Allan’s Boys’teams are city champions at three levels: Year7 boys, Junior boys (Years 8 and 9) andIntermediate boys (Years 10 and 11).

An astonishing 18 boys from Dame Allan’shave now qualified to represent the City inthe forthcoming County Championships.

The Girls’ School squash squad has alsomade an excellent start to their season, withthe Under 15 and Under 19 teams bothwinning through to the second stage of theNational Schools’ Competition. They have ahigh standard to maintain, having won silverand bronze medals at last year’s nationalchampionships. This year they are joined byan Under 15 team from the Boys’ School.

Elliot Ward. Dame Allan’s Cross Country squad.

The Richard Holmes Memorial Trophy Rugby match.

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At Eothen Homes you recognise theimportance of reminiscing forresidents – what does this meanand what type of thing do you do?

Reminiscing activities are extremely importantfor engaging with residents – they always evokean extremely positive response and people loveto discuss their shared memories. This year wecreated a 1950s sweet shop and café within asmall lounge that isn’t used very often. We havea small shop counter with scales and a phoneand we built and decorated the units ourselves.

I went and did research about old fashionedsweets and stocked up the shop with the mostappropriate treats. Residents can go in withvisitors or their family and it’s really well used.We’ve even built in reminiscing games in theroom, using old products they can handle andtalk about. It’s lovely to see them so happy andto go back in time.

We hope to get the shop up and running fulltime with volunteers. Students from localschools help out and we also have trainees withthe NHS coming in regularly. In addition tothe technical skills they need, this helps themdevelop the interpersonal, softer skills that arerequired for a patient-facing, healthcare role.

How important are things like theshop to residents?

This type of activity is very important. It’sabout lifting people’s spirits and telling andshowing people that care can be great, and thatliving in a residential care home can be asgood as living in your own home – if notbetter.

How do you plan to develop thispart of your offer further?

Long terms plans are to potentially open acorner for different types of reminiscences andchange the scenery every month. Our currentprojects involve looking at foods of the world,during which we ask residents to think aboutdifferent countries, such as places they’ve beento, and we have a day eating food from thatcountry.

How important is work with thewider community for the home?

We like to do things out in the community. Weare involved with the local cat and dog shelterand we fundraise for them, as well as shareanimal re-homing posters on their behalf.

In return, they come in with animals to dotherapeutic work with the residents. Someresidents have pets and it’s at our discretionwhether they can bring them in – the decisionis usually based on whether they are able to

look after them. We have a budgie calledBobby and the residents have taught him tospeak. One gentleman takes charge of cleaningout his cage.

There are a lot of dog lovers among theladies and gentlemen here, and the cat anddog shelter recently brought in a puppy.Residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia reactin a totally different way when they come intocontact with an animal.

The other week, they brought a rabbit inand we’ve also had a tortoise. They have a pigat the cat and dog shelter at the moment, butwe’ll have to see if that can come in!

It must give you a real feel goodfactor too?

For me, the priority is the residents andfulfilling as many of their ambitions anddreams as we can. Just seeing them smile andbe happy makes me happy. I hope if I have togo into a care home, people will look after mein the same way.

Eothen Homes is a charity established in1950 to provide Christian care for theelderly. As well as the Gosforth residentialcare home, Eothen Homes has sites inWhitley Bay and Surrey. For furtherinformation visit www.eothenhomes.org.uk.

W E L L - B E I N G

Activities for everyoneJulie Robinson, manager at Eothen Homes in Gosforth. talks about

the reminising activities on offer for residents.

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I N T E R V I E W

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Scott and Charlene’s wedding on Neighbourswas a moment I was proud of because it was partof a very influential time in my life, but I don’t tendto look back – it’s the press that do that.

Musical theatre embodies all the things I like todo – sing, act, entertain and perform. Luckily I’vebeen at the top end of this and I’ve built up afollowing in musicals – if my name’s attached to it,people know they’re going to get quality, andthat’s important.

I think Priscilla is a great Australian story – we’renot all a bunch of drag queens, but Australia is aquirky, young society and this is a very modern storyabout misfits and adversity. The music adds thecolour but the reason the show works is because itis a good story.

I never set out to be a musical star and I neverset out to be a pop star either, but I certainlywanted to be an actor. That’s always been thebackbone of what I do, and it’s where I feel themost comfortable. But in all the work I’ve done overthe years I’ve committed 100 per cent. When I getinvolved in a project I have to feel good aboutwhat I’m doing.

I had a good head start in life, but I don’t believein luck – you create your own luck. Certainly youcan get lucky but you have to have the tools torise to that when it happens, and that meansinvesting in your talents.

Two shows a day, that’s when it becomes tough.You need to approach it a bit like an athlete. I walk,I swim, I try and eat well, I don’t drink during theweek – you know, I take it seriously. There’s been alot of times in my life when I didn’t take it seriously –but I sort of burnt myself out on a number of levelsbut I’m now a lot more mature when I approachthings on a professional level.

Keeping fresh can be difficult, I’m not going tolie. On a Saturday matinee or the second show ona Friday night when you really might not feel likedoing it. But that’s part of the art as well. There’ssomething about a live audience where you justhave to pick up your game. You can’t bluff it.

I don’t know what it’s like for the pop starscoming up today but what I would say about thecurrent climate is that it’s not about the sprint, it’sabout the long distance run. Let’s see where someof these people are in twenty years’ time - that’swhen you’re judged.

I sometimes think there’s a lot of currency in nottweeting about getting up in the morning, havinga cup of coffee or whatever, but information ispower and the great thing about Twitter is that itputs the user in control. From a celebrityperspective it’s killed journalism. You never hear ofa press release any more. I just tell the world directlywhat I want to say. All that ambiguity has gone.

I’d like to do more television; more straightdramatic roles. I love great films but I think I mighthave left my run a little bit too late for that. I’vecarved out a different career and some peoplemight want to be a star in musicals! It’s swings androundabouts.

I like to work, I like to keep busy, and I’mcertainly ambitious but I do have a lot ofresponsibilities and I feel that. I’ve seen people bevery successful but lose their families becausethey’re so obsessed about themselves. There’s aprice for everything, but the key is balance,integrity, having some fun – and enjoying yourwork, that’s important.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical is atNewcastle Theatre Royal Feb 3-15. For ticketscall 08448 112 121.

As Priscilla Queen of theDesert:

The Musical comes toNewcastle�s Theatre Royal,soap star and pop pin-upturned stage stalwart, Jason

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Ihave always been a keen gardener and had abig old house in Gosforth with a big oldgarden that I had always tended. Losing mygarden was one of the biggest concerns about

leaving my home. So when I walked in toLinden Road and saw the beautiful garden, I wastaken by it.

The house manager June said I could take onan area of the garden as my own. Whilst I’munable to do what I used to in the garden, I stillhave my own little rose garden where I growflowers that we cut for vases in the house and Ihave been able to share my knowledge withgardener Jim.

The central location of the house is justperfect for me, as I still like to get out and about,visiting friends and the garden centres.

I love classical music so regularly attend

shows at Sage Gateshead, which I can get toquite easily in the car, taxi or by public transport.

I love the fact I have my own front door keyand my own door bell, yet have the reassurancethat June and the others are there should I needthem. I needn’t worry about making meals andhouse maintenance; I can simply get on andenjoy my latter years.

To find out more about Abbeyfield Newcastleupon Tyne, its two care homes and twosupported sheltered houses, visitwww.abbeyfieldnewcastle.org.ukor call (0191) 285 7174

W E L L - B E I N G

A home fromhome

Joan Baker reveals why she is so happy at Abbeyfield Linden Road,a supported sheltered house for six elderly residents.

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North East dealership Lloyd BMW isto be the support partner ofLIONRA – the British IrishBusiness Network based in the

North East – for 2014. As part of this, it willbe the main sponsor of the LIONRAShamrock Ball which takes place onMarch 15.

LIONRA and Lloyd BMW announced thesponsorship deal last month with MauriceDuffy, CEO of Blackswan and founder ofLIONRA. Also in attendance was StuartLong, Lloyd Ltd of Throckley with HondaMiimo, a Robotic Lawn Mower for green-conscious homeowners, and BMW’s newBMW i3 an eco-friendly all electric car.

The Shamrock Ball will be supporting twogreat charities: The Percy Hedley Foundation& PSPA. Sheila Coltman from The PercyHedley Foundation joined LIONRA tocelebrate the Lloyd BMW sponsorshipannouncement.

LIONRA is sensitive to environmentalissues, and welcomes green energy sponsorsand partners. Along with Lloyd BMW, othersponsors include Aer Lingus, Diageo, Craband Lobster, Vattenfall, Sanderson Young,Bang and Olufsen and the Hilton Hotel.

This year’s LIONRA Shamrock Ball will

have its own green – not red – carpet using aunique Easigrass green lawn.

The British Irish Business Network hasgrown rapidly since it launched in March2013, raising over £10,000 for charity to date.

Its aim this year is to build relationshipsbetween Ireland, London and the North Eastby creating local networking opportunities forlike-minded people, bringing togetherindividuals and companies.

Keith Watson, dealer principle of Lloyd

BMW said: “With its visionary design, theBMW i3 defines the car of tomorrow. It isperfect for urban mobility and providesenvironment friendly driving.

“The green theme is the perfect platform tohighlight how sustainable energy is not justabout the future; it’s been delivered righthere, right now. We are very proud to be asupport partner and will be working very hardto highlight the good work of LIONRA.”

LIONRA staged its first New Mindsets ForNew Times workshop in November, which isnow being made into a book.

Maurice Duffy conducts these interactiveworkshops and uses his extensiveinternational contacts, to attract innovativeand transformational speakers adding muchvalue to these well attended evenings.

The next major LIONRA event will be theShamrock Ball at the Hilton NewcastleGateshead which will feature top Irishdancers and musicians Celtic Sprit, flying indirectly from Dublin, courtesy of Aer Lingus.

It’s set to be an evening not to be missed!

To book a table forthe Shamrock Ball [email protected] call (0191) 293 1660.

M O T O R S

New driving force of LIONRALloyd BMW joins forces with British Irish

networking organisation LIONRA.

Left to right: Keith Watson(dealer principal, Lloyd BMW),Maurice Duffy (CEO Blackswanand founder of LIONRA), SheilaColtman (Percy Hedley) andRichard Skinner (Lloyd BMW).

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M O T O R S

Behind the wheelby Jessica Laing.

F.Y.I.Max power: 431hp starting

from 1850rpmMax Torque: 550Nm

Max Speed: 250mphAcceleration: 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds

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BMWM4 COUPE

Bringing the experience of the racetrack tothe open road, BMW sets new standardsfor performance road cars with the newBMW M4 Coupe. Described by BMW

as ‘the one with the machine’, at the heart of themodel is a redeveloped and roaring six-cylinderM TwinTurbo petrol engine, which boastsexcellent fuel economy (with CO2 emissions aslow as 194g/km) and delivers instant throttleresponse across the entire rev range. The modelis also infused with adapted motorsporttechnologies – such as Active M Differential – toensure maximum safety and controllability, andits low centre of gravity, partnered with the use oflightweight materials (including a carbon-fibreplastic roof) means that it is surprisingly nimble,too. Externally, striking features include front airinlets and an extended bonnet, while inside youwill discover newly-developed shell-shaped seatsand a motorsport-inspired instrument display.

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Jennings Mazda, part of the JenningsMotor Group, has reported an increasein the number of retail and businesscustomers taking advantage of the

award-winning Mazda6 model, thanks toimproved fuel economy, lower CO2 emissionsand advanced car safety performance.

Customers looking to purchase Mazda’ssecond sixth-generation model, from thegroup’s Cargo Fleet Lane dealership inMiddlesbrough, are offered a choice of 36saloon and tourer models with threeequipment levels including SE, SE-L andSport (with or without Satellite Navigation)and four high-efficiency SKYACTIV diesel andpetrol powertrains. Prices range from £19,595to £28,295 (on-the-road).

Emission levels on the SKYACTIV-D 2.2-litre diesel saloon models, with its powerful150ps four-cylinder engine and manualgearbox, have been lowered by four per cent,from 108g/km to 104g/km.

The improvement in fuel economy takesthe combined cycle figure from 67.3mpg to aremarkable 72.4mpg.

James Chorlton, franchise manager atJennings Mazda’s Middlesbrough dealership,says: “The Mazda6 has always been a popularcar for both private and business users, butfollowing the improvements made to fueleconomy and CO2 emissions which wereintroduced last year, in addition to its five-starsafety rating, the model has undoubtedlybecome even more appealing to customersseeking economy, coupled with goodperformance and safety.”

As a result of emissions on the new Mazda6tourer with the same powertrain having alsobeen reduced by five per cent to 110g/km from116g/km and economy improving from64.2mpg to 67.3mpg, customers now benefitfrom a lower road tax band, from C to thelower band B.

In addition to this, customers can relax inthe knowledge that the Mazda6 is one of thesafest cars in the world having received thehighest possible five-star safety rating fromEuro NCAP, endorsing the effectiveness of theSKYACTIV body and Mazda’s comprehensivesafety concept.

Business users are currently takingadvantage of the 2.2D 150ps Mazda6 SEmodel available with payments of only £199per month plus VAT on Mazda Contract Hire.Subject to terms and conditions set out byMazda.

According to staff at the dealership, it’s notjust the fuel economy, lowered CO2 emissionand advanced safety features making theMazda6 model an attractive proposition forretail and business users.

Since its launch in January 2013, the all-new Mazda6 has also been crowned ‘BestLarge Family Car’ (saloon) and ‘Best EstateCar’ (tourer) – from the Carbuyer website,linked to the weekly Auto Express Magazine. Itwas also named Eco Car Award at the ScottishCar of the Year awards.

In addition to the Mazda6 proving to besuccessful, the start of the New Year also sawan influx in car sales following the launch ofthe all-new Mazda3 model at the dealership.

Unveiled at the beginning of 2014, the 36-strong all-new Mazda3 range features 21hatchbacks (including eight diesel models) and15 saloons, five of which offer a diesel option.

Customers can take their pick from fivehigh specification levels, including SE, SENav, SE-L, SE-L Nav and the range toppingSport Nav.

Jennings Mazda, which achievedoutstanding performance for 2013, sells theentire new Mazda model line-up including theMazda2, all-new Mazda3, Mazda5 MPV,Mazda6, CX-5 and MX-5 models, which areon display and available to test drive at theMiddlesbrough dealership.

The dealership also caters for customerswho are eligible to lease a car through theMotability programme, with a dedicatedMotability expert at the dealership who cansee to individual needs and requirements.

James adds; “The Mazda range offers avariety of models to suit everyone’s needs andcircumstances, whether it’s for private orbusiness use.”

Customers can also choose from a variety ofquality used cars at the dealership, which alsocaters for customers after sales needs with aservice, accident repair centre and partsdepartment on site.

Retail or business customers wanting moreinformation about the Mazda6 or the rangeof products and services available at JenningsMazda, can call in to the Cargo Fleet Lanedealership, call (01642) 256655 or visitwww.jenningsmotorgroup.co.uk

M O T O R S

Hit for six Customers are taking advantage of the economical Mazda6 model at Jennings

Sales controller/businessmanager, Adam Price

with the Mazda6.

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Benfield’s new multi-million poundAudi dealership on Scotswood Road,Newcastle, is beginning to take shapeand is already gearing up for its

opening in the summer.The £6.8 million two-story development is

being built on the former Mary TrevelyanSchool site on Scotswood Road and willdouble the size of the present Newcastle Audidealership.

Construction is due for completion byearly summer 2014 and the state of the artAudi development will include an impressivetwo-storey, glass fronted, 17-car showroom

and also feature a 17-bay workshop, 79 usedcar display area, valeting bays and 163 carparking spaces.

Set over a massive 16,500 square meters,the new dealership will help transformBenfield’s North East Audi business, dwarfingthe current dealership on Scotswood Road.

In keeping with Audi’s retail requirements,the impressive design of the building willhave sloped glazing and internal walls andwill provide a great view point for passingtrade and traffic travelling up and down thebusy Scotswood Road.

Benfield chief executive, Mark Squires,

says: “This is great news for Benfield and ourNorth East Audi business.

“The new Audi site will not only provide ahuge increase in retail and salesopportunities, but also create localemployment opportunities in the process.

“We have been working with designers andplanners over the past year and the new Audidealership will be an amazing example of theBenfield and Audi brands working together toprovide a world-class retail experience withunrivalled customer service.

Find out more at www.drivebenfield.com

M O T O R S

New Audi showroomtakes shape

Work continues on Benfield Audi’s new 16,500 square metre,state-of-the-art showroom, set to open this summer.

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After the excess of the Christmasholidays, it’s ‘back to school’ againand time to shed a few of thoseunwanted pounds.

Bodyguards offer a ‘complete’ fitnessservice from a state-of-the-art facility onClayton Road in Newcastle.

Our high quality personal trainers willcreate a bespoke exercise routine for you sothat you adopt a healthier lifestyle andimprove your dietary habits.

At Bodyguards we work with clients toimprove body composition, strength,muscular endurance, cardiovascularendurance, and flexibility as well as helpingclients with physical dysfunction, back,neck, knee, hip and shoulder issues, andmedical conditions such as IBS, diabetes andangina.

To find out how Bodyguards can help youcall (0191) 239 9000.

W E L L - B E I N G

If you’re struggling to get backin shape after the indulgences of

Christmas then Bodyguards, a privateone-to-one personal training facility,can help, as owner and personal

trainer Tony Douglass explains.

Get back in shape

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Iam always surprised when travelling howhard it can be to get good nutrition. Unlessyou want a sub standard piece of fruit or a‘low calorie’ snack that tastes like

cardboard, it’s always best to be prepared.Airports and train stations are stocked

mainly with gluten and sugary snacks. Thesedays when travelling, I take my own stuff. Imake little snack packs of raw vegetables, nutsand chicken, etc.

People may think that I am mad, as I eat mypack of mange tout or a chicken leg. However,I would rather arrive at my destination alertand full of nutrients. Good food doesn’t haveto be rabbit food!

At Be-fit, we train a lot of executives. Manyhave early morning meetings, train beforework or need to be on top form all day.Nutrition is the first thing to address to keepalert. Many bio-signature clients tell us thatthey ‘need’ a sugar fix at 11am and feel thatthey could fall asleep around 2pm. This isnormally down to the foods that we choose forbreakfast and what we snack on.

As simple as it sounds, what we put into ourbodies affects our moods and how wefunction. Your gut is like a second brain.Scientific research has shown that the many

‘happy chemicals’ such as serotonin anddopamine are influenced by gut health.Therefore, if you feel lethargic or down, yourdiet is the first place to start.

Carbohydrate-rich foods (breads, pasta,rice, potatoes and also sugar) make us feelgood when we eat them. The body uses carbsfor energy however the energy spike isfollowed by an energy crash. Carbs increasethe release of the hormone insulin andreduction of the stress hormone cortisol,hence the term, comfort food’. Peaks andtroughs of these hormones result in a stressedbody and increased body fat around ourmiddles.

The last time I travelled to London, I satopposite the inspiration for this article. Thegentleman ordered a coffee with semi-skimmed milk, a muffin, a sandwich and apack of crisps. Within 20 minutes he waswriting at the speed of sonic the hedgehog. Hetapped away vigorously on his laptop, read thepaper like a tornado and then fell asleep andsnored! Hour later he woke up, went to getanother coffee and a piece of cake tocounteract his sugar coma.

Vegetables, proteins and fats are also brokendown by the body and used as fuel. Choosing

these foods over snacks makes a hugedifference to productivity. The interestingthing about eating good lean protein (fish,meat, eggs etc) and vegetables is that theyactually keep us fuller for longer. When thatbody feels nutritionally satisfied, we are lesstempted to snack. Snacking on raw vegetablesis a wonderful way to keep focused, alert andhealthy. At Be-fit we like to focus on gettinglean as a side effect of being healthy. Thebody stores fat if it is stressed, cut down thesugar, cut down the stress on your system!

Many people eat the majority of their leanprotein and vegetables in the evening, perhapsa salad at lunch. In effect, you are eating themajority of good nutrients to go to sleep. Iprefer to use my food as fuel throughout theday, so that I can be on top form for myclients.

If you are interested in your nutritionalintake and want to find out easy ways to makechanges, Be-fit can help. We offer bio-signature consultations, individual nutritionalassessments and group seminars. We can evencome to your offices and run seminars for youand your employees. Good food can be theanswer to less sick days and increasedproductivity.

W E L L - B E I N G

Be-fit’s Antonia Cliffordon why you should ditch thesugary snacks when you’re

on the move.

Stayhealthywhen travelling

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E V E N T

Diamonds andIce Ball

Nursery has a ballfor Tiny Lives

Ponteland Private Nursery has hosted aDiamonds and Ice spectacular at the

Marriott Gosforth, with more than 430guests supporting the Tiny Lives charity.

The evening featured a range ofentertainment, from fundraising gamesthrough to a gigantic ice sculpture and funphoto booths.

Over £30,000 was raised which will gotowards supporting the work of the SpecialCare Baby Unit at the RVI.

Organisers would like to thank the manysupporters and donors involved in theevent.

Anyone wanting to find out more aboutthe work of Tiny Lives can visit its website at:www.tinylives.org.uk

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North East Times Magazine - February 2014

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