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Transcription

VOL 22 NUMBER 9 APRIL 2013
PUBLISHED IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE FOR THE COUNTY’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY
BUSINESS TIMES
Flexible
meeting
space
Page 52
Investing
in staff
training
Page 7
From strength to strength
Innovation
Centre tenders
T
ENDERS
are
currently being
prepared for the
of
University
Northampton for
a £7.5m Innovation Centre in
the Northampton Waterside
Enterprise Zone.
Standing six storeys high,
the landmark will provide office
accommodation and support
services for up to 55 small
businesses in the Social
Enterprise sector.
The university is delivering
the project in partnership
with West Northamptonshire
Development Corporation. It
is the third time the two
organisations have collaborated
on an Innovation Centre.
It follows the expansion of
the university’s very successful
Portfolio Centre in 2009 and
the completion of Daventry’s
award-winning iCon Centre in
2011.
TEN years ago, Mark Lyon (left) and Ben Fountain joined forces to launch Midshires
Electrical and Lighting Ltd in Northampton. A decade on, despite a difficult economic
climate, the company is going from strength to strength. Read the full story of Midshires’
success in our feature, starting on Page 31.
© Business Times
Shirt sponsorship deal agreed
N
O RT H A M P TO N
Town Football Club
and the University of
Northampton are delighted
to announce a major new
partnership that will see the
university become the club’s
new official club sponsor for
the next three seasons.
The partnership, which will
begin in June, is Northampton
Town’s biggest ever shirt
sponsorship partnership and
will include the club’s Football
in the Community scheme and
will see the University of
Northampton name on the
front of all Northampton Town
shirts from the under-nine
academy side through to the
first team.
“I am delighted to welcome
the University of Northampton
on board as we embark on a
major partnership to work
together for the benefit of
Adding the
personal
touch
Page 39
Northampton,” said Cobblers
Chairman David Cardoza.
Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Northampton,
Professor Nick Petford, said
“This partnership will continue
to build on our links with the
local community and enable
us to offer our students even
more workplace opportunities
and internships.”
Gala Casinos will remain the
club’s back of shirt sponsor.
For a competitive contract hire quotation
on any Volvo or Kia call
Bells Motor Group
08444 707636
(local call rate applies)
[email protected] www.bellsmotorgroup.co.uk
● Full service
CO2 = High mpg = Lower cost
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01604 531025
After receiving initial
expressions of interest last
year, the university has invited
six shortlisted contractors to
bid to construct the flagship
A
3,750 sq m building.
The successful contractor
will be announced in May,
prior to work starting on site
in the summer.
The perfect fit
FTER a long business
partnership, ACS is
delighted to announce
its acquisition of training and
recruitment company Starting
Off.
Starting Off is a longestablished
and
hugely
successful company specialising
in the development of young
people. The business will be
integrated into the ACS
Recruitment Solutions part of
the group but will continue to
trade as Starting Off, headed up
by founding director Dale Willis.
Starting Off has provided
ACS with many young people
over three years and ACS has
experienced first hand the
benefits their service brings to
the local community. In addition,
synergy between the two teams
and business values makes
the acquisition a perfect fit.
ACS is passionate about
getting local people into work,
whether it’s for their first job or
someone looking for progression.
If you are looking for great
people or a new challenge
yourself, contact ACS on
01604 704058 or visit
www.acsrecruitment.co.uk.
BUSINESS TIMES APRIL 2013
2
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C
HELTON Brown, the
letting and property
management agency, has
appointed Rachel Neeham as
the new manager of the
Daventry branch.
Having worked in the
Northampton branch for two
years as a valuations
negotiator, she proved to be
the ideal candidate, with her
enthusiasm, experience and
passion for lettings, combined
with her Technical Award in
Residential Lettings and
Property Management.
Another appointment at the
Daventry branch is that of
Louise Harrison as a new
lettings negotiator. She joins
from a letting agent that has
recently closed its office in the
town and will be in charge of
viewings and helping with
property management queries.
Meanwhile, Julie Bryan
has been promoted to valuations negotiator at the
Northampton branch. She has
over 30 years’ experience in
the property industry and has
been with the agency for four
years where she will now be
in charge of increasing
Northampton’s management
portfolio.
A
S a direct result of
expansion in the Debt
Recovery and Commercial
teams, QualitySolicitors Wilson
Browne has announced two
internal promotions.
Former Paralegal Victoria
Bowers has been promoted to
Trainee
Solicitor
while
Rebecca Taylor moves on
from her post of Office
Assistant to become a
Paralegal.
Victoria and Rebecca are
based
at
the
firm’s
Commercial Law office
in Kettering and deal
with commercial disputes,
Rachel Neeham.
Julie Bryan.
Daniel Owens.
debt recovery, commercial
agreements, property and
employment matters.
on social media sites.
appointed Kim Parry to
Associate Partner and promoted
Karl Hobbins to Manager.
A Middlesex University
graduate in accountancy and
management, Kim qualified
as a chartered certified
accountant in 2007.
She joined CFW in 2007,
became a Fellow in 2012 and
her specialities are audit,
company formations and new
business start ups, Sage Line
50 training, and Solicitors
Accounting rules.
ACCA qualified Karl joined
CFW in 2011, following a
decade of accounting and
auditing experience in both
manufacturing and independent
practice in the East Midlands.
A
F
ULL Support Healthcare
Ltd in Wellingborough
has recently made two key
appointments - Lisa Morris
and Emma Trainor.
Lisa has joined as Marketing
Director, bringing with her a
wealth of experience from
organisations
such
as
Glaxosmithkline and Eli Lilly.
Emma is a Marketing
Executive and previously
worked for Grandstand Motor
Sports
as
Marketing
Coordinator in Leicester.
WARD-winning journalist
Daniel Owens has been
recruited to head up Orange
Juice Communications’ social
media section and focus on
helping businesses in the
Northampton area achieve
maximum publicity.
The pioneering PR and
marketing firm is based in
Market Harborough and
already covers Kettering,
Corby and Wellingborough.
Daniel has worked in the
local media for more than a
decade and has a first class
knowledge of what works
C
Lisa Morris.
Emma Trainor.
FW, the Loddington firm
of chartered accountants
and business advisers, has
Kim Parry.
Conversion process
goes through smoothly
F
RIDAY Legal Solicitors
LLP has advised a
group of three Church
of England faith schools in
their conversion to academy
status.
St Mary’s Church of
England Primary School in
Burton Latimer, St Mary’s
Church of England Primary
School in Kettering and
Freeman’s Endowed Church
of England Junior School in
Wellingborough all achieved
academy status from 1 April
2013.
The team at Friday Legal, led
by Partner, Duncan Crowther,
advised the governing bodies
of all three schools to achieve
academy status as a chain of
academies which have all
committed to work together
within an overarching trust
arrangement designed to benefit
each academy by sharing
best practice and exploiting
economies of scale, for example.
Duncan Crowther said: “We
have worked with these three
schools since the very early
days of their proposal to
convert and we are delighted
to have assisted them in
achieving academy status.
“These conversions were
particularly challenging because
although each school has
converted to an academy in
its own right, the Diocese
of Peterborough required
additional provisions to ensure
that the academies committed
to support one another as part
of the wider family of church
schools.
“There were also significant
land-related issues to resolve
Duncan Crowther (second left) and Emma Robinson of Friday
Legal with the headteachers (l to r) Janis Zakis, Jonathan
Gardiner and Tony Collins.
© Business Times
along the way, which arose
from the historical ownership
of the school sites by the
church. The property team
here at Friday Legal did a
sterling job of resolving these
issues in time for the planned
conversion date.”
Tony Collins, Head Teacher
of St Mary’s Primary School
in Burton Latimer commented:
“This has been a complex
process due to the numerous
issues which our legal team
needed to resolve both with
the local authority and the
Peterborough Diocese.
“Duncan Crowther and his
team at Friday Legal have
guided us through the entire
process, which can seem quite
daunting to those not familiar
with the conversion procedure,
and have always provided us
with clear, no-nonsense
commercial advice as to how
we should proceed.
“These
collaborative
conversions are a real milestone for the three schools
concerned and we fully expect
additional Church of England
faith schools to follow suit in
the near future. Indeed, the
collaborative arrangements
that have been implemented
for us permit additional
schools to join our initial
group in the future thereby
enhancing the framework of
mutual support.”
Friday Legal can be
contracted on 01536 218888
or email duncan.crowther@
fridaylegal.com
FREE Responsible Recycling*
All Northamptonshire businesses,
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For a quick easy solution and collections Telephone
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ESS Recycling UK Ltd is sponsored for growth by
NEWS
The county’s
engine of growth
I
N March, the Government announced that it
will award £1.2m of the
Regional Growth Fund
(RGF) to NEP.
This associated flagship
programme - The Northamptonshire High Performance
Investment
Technologies
Programme - will help unlock
over £3m of direct business
investment and create 300
sustainable, private sector jobs.
This exciting development
for the county as a whole
means that high performance
technology companies looking
financial
help
to
for
develop and make a reality
their next project will have
a genuine opportunity to do
so.
The programme is focused
on supporting new technology,
new product development and
company growth.
of
up
Applications
£100,000 will be considered
by the fund and applicants
must demonstrate their own
and strong additional sources
of funding and demonstrable
job creation emerging from
the proposed project.
Northamptonshire has over
1,000 high performance
technology companies that
specialise in the design and
manufacture of innovative
technologies, engines and
products, incorporating lowcarbon engineering and the
3
By
Tim Bagshaw
Head of Investment
Northamptonshire
Enterprise Partnership
application of advanced
materials and composites in
sectors such as automotive,
motorsport, aerospace, energy
and defence.
The RGF will only go to
further cement the county’s
enviable position as a forwardthinking and highly successful
industry player in these
sectors.
For companies interested in
finding out more and applying
for the RGF, I urge you to
contact my colleague, Julia
Schumacher on 01604 609393
or email julia.schumacher@
northamptonshireep.co.uk
Right at the centre of
world-leading technology
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE is at the centre of the UK’s world
leading high technologies cluster:
■ World-leading design and manufacture of performance
race cars and engines
■ At the forefront of low carbon engineering in vehicles,
renewable energy and sustainable construction
■ Advanced development and application of lightweight
materials and composites
■ Supported by a range of industry focused business and
creative services
4
LEGAL BRIEFING I
Break clauses - New faces at firm
W
is a notice valid?
T
HE High Court
decided in the recent
case of Canonical
UK v TST Millbank
[2012] EWHC 3710 (Ch) that
a tenant had not effectively
broken its lease as it had not
complied with the conditions
in the break clause.
The tenant was, therefore,
unable to break the lease and
as such was locked in for
another four and a half years
at a rent of almost £400,000.
In this case, the break
clause provided the tenant
could terminate the lease on
six months’ notice provided it
satisfied various conditions,
which included the payment
of rent up to and including the
break date and in certain
circumstances the payment of
an additional reverse premium
of one month’s rent.
The case considered those
two particular conditions in
much detail and in the end
held in favour of the landlord.
A couple of years ago I wrote
an article about the High Court
case of MW Trustees Ltd v
Telular Corporation, where an
invalid notice became valid
because the error was such
that it would not confuse the
recipient. That was obviously
a key case as it highlighted the
need for landlords to seek legal
advice before responding to a
break notice.
More recent cases, such as
By
Tom Warrender
Associate Solicitor
QualitySolicitors
Wilson Browne
Canonical, are now highlighting
the need for a tenant to obtain
legal advice before serving a
break notice to ensure that there
are no questions as to its
validity. This is of particular
importance in the current
economic climate.
The Canonical case once
again emphasises the need for
both landlords and tenants to
seek reliable legal advice and
to be abundantly clear as to
their position when dealing
with the issue of break notices.
Landlords ought to seek
legal advice where they receive
a break notice to ensure that
they do not inadvertently
prejudice their position, while
tenants ought to seek legal
advice before serving a break
notice to ensure that they do
not miss an opportunity to break
their lease. No matter how
straightforward a break clause
may seem, recent cases such
as Canonical emphasise that
the courts are unlikely to
sympathise where break
conditions have not been
strictly adhered to.
The Commercial Team at
Wilson
QualitySolicitors
Browne has experts in
both contentious and noncontentious property fields
and can advise on all aspects
of commercial property, from
the initial drafting of the lease
through to break notices or
lease renewals, together with
sound advice should a dispute
arise.
For further information
contact Tom Warrender, who
specialises in both commercial
property and non-contentious
housing association work, at
the firm’s Commercial Office on
Kettering Venture Park on 01536
410014, email twarrender@
qswblaw.com
or
visit
www.qswblaw.com
ITH the beginning
of the new financial
year Tollers has
reinforced and strengthened its
Commercial Services team
with the arrival of Mark Archer.
Mark’s specialisms lie within
the banking sector. He has
extensive experience dealing
with mergers and acquisitions,
banking and finance, regulatory
and capital markets. He has
worked with clients such as
Santander and NatWest.
Mark previously worked for
Tollers before joining MAB,
where he worked on highprofile transactions, including
the sale of the Giga group of
companies for £37m, which
was nominated for deal of the
year at the Dealmakers Awards
for the East of England in 2012.
He has built up a substantial
profile and many valued clients.
With his expertise and
commercial knowledge Mark
will inject a new dimension of
clients to aid Tollers’ continual
growth and success.
Mark said he endeavours to
‘add significant strength to our
offering of corporate services
to clients and professional
referrers, particularly given my
strong reputation within the
banking and regulations sector’.
Karon Walton returns to
Tollers’ growing Personal
Legal Services Trust and Estates
team to take responsibility for
elderly and vulnerable client
work. Karon is a Chartered
Legal Executive with 13
years of experience dealing
with elderly client law
which includes wills, probate,
care home funding and
local authority/NHS financial
assistance.
Karon’s speciality is Court of
Protection law, which aims to
protect vulnerable people who
may have capacity issues. Karon
assists her clients or their
families in making decisions
for financial, property and affairs.
Mark Archer and Karon Walton have both returned to Tollers.
Karon said: “I am really
pleased to be returning to
Tollers to rejoin their highly
regarded Trust and Estates team
and to help the most vulnerable
in society receive the advice
they and their families so
badly need.”
She is also East Midlands
Regional Co-ordinator for
Solicitors for the Elderly, a
national organisation promoting
expertise and standards for
professionals in elderly client
law. Karon’s knowledge and
affiliations will enhance the
services Tollers offers through
its established Elderly and
Vulnerable Client team.
With the two members joining
the firm, Tollers continues to
express the importance of
investing in staff to be able to
provide the best service for
clients. Offering a specialised
service ensures Tollers can
achieve an optimal and
effective outcome for all those
involved.
Tollers can be contacted on
01604 258558 or visit
www.tollers.co.uk
Colleagues’ fond farewell
T
OLLERS Solicitors said
a sad farewell to Senior
Partner
Christopher
Saunby, as he retired after 38
years of continuous service with
the firm.
Chris joined the firm on 1
August 1974 as an articled
clerk after spending 12 years in
the Royal Air Force as a pilot.
Having qualified as a solicitor
in 1977, Chris has served the
company in a number of roles.
During his time with the firm
Chris has advised on many
major contracts including
NHS Hospital trusts in relation
to allegations of personal and
professional misconduct.
Chris has affiliations with a
number of organisations; he is
also a Non-Executive Director
of Kettering General Hospital
Chris Saunby - recently retired.
NHS Foundation Trust.
Chris has been with the firm
for such a long time he has
become a real asset. He will be
sorely missed by all.
Martin Hill will become
Senior Partner following
Chris’s departure.
Plans for village greens
A
B E C A U S E E MP L O Y M E N T
I S D Y N A M I C
THERE’S
LAW
TOLLERS
Our employment law team will remove any confusion when trying to keep
up to date with legislation.
Providing the specialist knowledge you need to cope with all areas of
employment law.
CORPORATE • BANKING • COMMERCIAL • INSOLVENCY • EMPLOYMENT LAW • PROPERTY
DISPUTE RESOLUTION • PERSONAL LEGAL SERVICES
WWW.TOLLERS.CO.UK
TELEPHONE 01604 258558
NORTHAMPTON • MILTON KEYNES • CORBY • KETTERING
S part of its aim to
simplify planning and
encourage development,
the government is proposing
new legislation that affects the
registration of land as town
and village greens (TVGs).
TVGs are areas of land that
are used by a local community
for sport or other pastimes,
including picnics, fêtes, dog
walking and other similar
activities. Currently, people can
register an area of land as a
TVG if they are able to prove
that it has been used by local
people for at least 20 years
without being secretive,
forcing their way on to the
land or obtaining permission
from the landowner.
Once a piece of land is
registered as a TVG it is
unlawful to build on the land
or interfere with the local
community’s right to use it.
Housing developers have
claimed that TVG applications
are being misused to stop
them
developing
land.
Councils have also claimed
that improper applications to
register land as TVGs are not
only costing taxpayers a great
deal of money, but are
preventing the development of
affordable housing and the
creation of local jobs.
Under current legislation, a
development that has been
granted planning permission
or is undergoing a consultation
can be delayed while a TVG
application is considered. It is
possible to make a TVG
application several years after
an area of land has been
By Lucy Lord
Partner
Commercial
Property Team
Howes Percival LLP
fenced off and local inhabitants
have been prevented from
using it.
It is even possible for houses
to be built, bought and lived in
before an application is made.
If a TVG application is
successful, a landowner may
have to demolish any buildings
already constructed on the
land. Opposing a TVG
application can be very costly
and time consuming and the
costs of opposition cannot be
recovered.
The government introduced
a new Bill in October 2012
that intends to put a stop to
improper applications and
reduce red tape.
The Bill proposes to allow
landowners to make a statement
that will protect their land
from registration as a TVG. If
the Bill becomes law a piece
of land will no longer be
able to be registered as a
TVG if developers have
already applied for planning
permission to build on the
land or it has been identified
for development as part of a
local or neighbourhood plan.
The Bill is currently being
considered by the House of
Lords and the government
hopes it will be passed in
April 2013.
While the government’s
plans are likely to be welcomed
by
developers,
some
campaigners have expressed
concern that the proposals will
prevent communities from
protecting their public spaces.
Whether the government’s
proposals will strike the correct
balance between preserving
green space and encouraging
development is yet to be
seen.
To discuss this or any other
property matters, contact
Lucy Lord on 01604 230400.
NEWS
Major changes
A
CAMPAIGN fronted
by Vita Whitaker of
Whitco in Thrapston
is now gathering
momentum in its bid to assist
and protect those living with
food allergies and intolerances.
Combining her position as a
Director of one of the UK’s
leading catering and bakery
equipment suppliers with her
own recently completed Masters
degree studies into food
allergies, Vita established Food
Allergy Management Europe
(FAME) Ltd.
The aims and objectives
of FAME are to educate
commercial catering establishments in food allergens and
intolerance to meet the new
European legislation on
allergen management which
come into force in December
next year.
She said: “While eating out,
I became acutely aware of the
lack of knowledge, attitudes
and inabilities of some
commercial caterers to serve
customers with special dietary
requirements. Globalisation,
changes in eating habits and
J
progress in the food industry,
have all contributed to the
availability and variety of a
wide range of foods, and, as
a consequence, the allergic
population is a growing
minority, with the risk posed
to them increasing as they are
exposed to more food allergens.
“New legislation came into
force in December 2011 and
businesses were given three
years to fully adapt to the
changes, which means that by
the end of next year, they will
have to comply fully.”
The new directive introduces
allergen labelling on foods
sold unpackaged or “open” and
means that all items, open or
pre-packed will have to make
it clear if they include any of
14 listed allergens as stated in
the new rules.
Vita said: “This is a major
change, it helps us to implement
FAME’s main objectives of
educating catering establishments by providing training,
guidance and advice on food
labelling and signposting to
consumers. We would like to
create a new accreditation that
shows the establishment’s
commitment to good service
for those with food allergies
and help people be confident
when they are eating out. We
would like those in the
hospitality industry to get in
touch and tell us what they are
doing with regard to offering
alternatives to guests, so that
we can let people know.”
For more information about
FAME Ltd, telephone 01834
737205 email [email protected]
or
visit
the
website
www.fameltd.eu
Pair receive awards
at House of Lords
ceremony
B
O S W O R T H
Independent College is
a member of CIFE
(Council for Independent
Education) - an organisation
made up of 18 independent
colleges in the UK, dedicated
to pursuing excellence at
GCSE and A Level.
Every year an awards
presentation is held at the
House
of
Lords
in
London, which is hosted by
Baroness Perry of Southwark
(former Chief Inspector of
Schools).
Nataliia Kondratii received
the Bosworth Independent
College CIFE prize for her
success in Humanities and
English Literature.
Intensive
Nataliia joined Bosworth
Independent College in
September 2009 to take a
one-year intensive GCSE
course.
She had previously been
educated in her home city of
Kiev.
She successfully completed
GCSE examinations and went
on to sit her final A level
exams in June 2012.
Nataliia achieved A* in
English Literature, History
and Russian and A grades in
Mathematics and English
language. English is Nataliia’s
third language and the staff
at Bosworth were in awe
of her deep understanding
and enjoyment of an eclectic
choice of literature.
John McKay, MOT Tester, at work at JD Garage. © Business Times
She is currently studying
English language and literature
All aspects of car and light offered include:
commercial vehicle servicing
■ General servicing and at Kings College London.
Gloria Olatunji received
is undertaken by the JD repairs
the Bosworth Independent
Garage team of experienced,
■ MOT
College CIFE prize elected by
helpful and friendly technicians
■ Engine diagnostics
the teachers and this year it
to provide an easy and hassle■ Brakes and clutches
free experience for customers.
■ Car air conditioning
A pick-up and delivery service
■ Car electrics
can be arranged.
“We aim to give 100 per
JD Garage is based in cent customer satisfaction and
Stafford Place, Moulton Park, are always happy to provide
gala
CHARITY
Northampton, and is open references upon request,” said
dinner in aid of blind
Monday to Friday from 9am Joe. “We always welcome
and partially sighted
to 6pm and from 9am to 4pm customer feedback.”
on Saturday.
For further information children will be held next month.
The event, at the Kettering
MOTs can be arranged by telephone 01604 495900,
appointment from 6pm to email [email protected] Park Hotel, is being organised
10pm.
or visit the website www. by NAB (Northamptonshire
Association for the Blind) and
The range of services jdgaragenorthampton.co.uk
High-quality auto services
D Garage has established
a reputation as one of the
most trusted suppliers of
auto services in Northampton
by combining a high level
of vehicle expertise with
exceptional customer service.
Company and private
customers alike receive an
equal level of dedication and
attention to detail so that
whether the vehicle problem
is big or small a satisfactory
result will be achieved to suit
all parties.
“We are always ready to
find the solution to customers’
car problems, no matter how
complicated those problems
might seem,” said JD Garage
owner Joe Meskauskas.
“Our professional advice
and high-quality service is
backed by our extensive
expertise in the auto industry
and we always offer our full
attention to our customers’
concerns.”
The day-to-day operations
of several major delivery and
transportation
companies
depend on the exceptional
services provided by JD
Garage,
while
private
customers receive an equal
level of service.
5
Gloria Olatunji with John Bromilow, Director of Studies at
Bosworth Independent College.
was a very tough field, which
highlights how exceptional
Gloria is.
She achieved A* in Maths,
Further Mathematics and
Biology and A grades in
Chemistry and Physics at the
age at which most students are
taking GCSE exams.
Fun
Nataliia Kondratii received
Bosworth’s CIFE prize for her
success in Humanities and
English Literature.
Gloria joined Bosworth
College aged just 14 to take a
two-year A level programme.
She achieved A grades in 30
of the 31 units she sat with no
resits.
The
31st
unit
was
Mechanics 5 which she took
as an extra for ‘fun’.
Gloria also achieved a
silver award in the Biology
Olympiad.
Gloria previously attended
school in her home city of
Lagos. She is currently
studying biomedical engineering
at Imperial College London.
Bosworth Independent College,
contact 01604 235090 or visit
the
college’s
website
www.bosworthcollege.com
Charity night planned
A
will take place on Saturday 4
May.
Tickets are £45, or a table
of eight is available at £320,
and the price includes a threecourse meal and a drink on
arrival.
There will be live Sixties
and Seventies music and a
charity auction and raffle.
The event starts at 6pm and
the meal will be served at 7pm.
For more details, contact
Olga Ivannikova on 07725
2555996
or
email
[email protected]
Culture of Achievement
Co-Ed Independent
Independent College
yrs) offering
offering GCSE
GCSE and
and A
A Level
Level courses
● Ranked
third in third
the County
•● Co-Ed
College (14-19
(14-19yrs)
• Ranked
in the
and top and
non-selective
school ●school
72% of• 78%
2012of
A 2011
LevelAstudents
gained A*-B
grades
● 48% of our 2012
Level students
gained
A*-B grades
County
top non selective
oneleavers
of the entered
Russell one
Group
Universities
● Average class sizes of 8 students ● Tuition
•leavers
50% ofentered
our 2011
of the
top 25 UK
Universities • Average class sizes of 8 students
● Call us to book an appointment ● Find us on Barrack Road, Northampton
•scholarships
Tuition scholarships
• Call us to book an appointment • Find us on the Barrack Road, Northampton
www.bosworthcollege.com
Call 01604 235 090
6
MONEY MATTERS I
Investment team
performance
wins top award
A
FTER previously
making the short
list for a prestigious
investment performance award in 2012, Cave &
Sons’ respected Investment
Management team has gone
one better in 2013, winning a
Platinum Award in the
inaugural Portfolio Advisor
Wealth Manager Awards.
The winners in the hotly
contested categories were
announced at an invitationonly event in London, attended
by the great and the good of
the UK wealth management
world.
event
included
The
representatives from the full
spectrum of client propositions
and representatives from both
large firms and those with a
boutique offering.
The awards aimed to
reward investment firms for
excellence in running private
client portfolios, with an
independent panel of 12
industry experts asked to
assess the merits of the
entrants with rigorous analysis
of each firm’s portfolio
performance.
The team of judges assessed
the performance of Cave’s
Totus Discretionary Portfolio
Management service, an
offering open to clients with
as little as £10,000 to invest.
This service features ongoing
professional management,
access to institutional funds
and reduced transaction costs.
It can be utilised for direct
personal investment as well as
for ISAs, pensions and trusts.
process that is now the core of
our business.
“Many people still think of
Cave’s, the stockbrokers, but
we are much more than that
these days.”
Cave’s has a highly
qualified team of both
investment managers and
financial advisers and provides
advice to a wide range
of customers, from private
individuals to companies,
trusts and charities.
Advice
Andrew Cockerill - the
investment management process
is now the core of the business.
Andrew Cockerill, Cave’s
Chief Executive Officer,
commented: “We are delighted
to have been recognised in
two national industry awards
in quick succession.
“This is a real vindication of
our investment management
The award-winning investment management service is
complemented by an offering
which enables the firm to
offer its clients advice on a
wide range of general financial
matters, from savings, ISAs,
pensions and life insurance to
school fees and inheritance
tax planning.
Further information on the
Totus service or the firm’s
full range of services can be
obtained by visiting www.
caves.co.uk or by contacting
the firm’s head office on
01604 621421 or emailing
enquiries@caves. co.uk
Cave’s can also be followed
on Twitter for up to the minute
market
commentary
at
@caveandsons
Iceberg warning
where there is
personal debt
T
HE personal insolvency
statistics have been
un-newsworthy of late.
Numbers are lower than
general feelings about the
state of the economy would
have most believe.
Debt Relief Orders (DRO)
are replacing smaller bankruptcies. Bankruptcy numbers
are, partly as a result of DROs
being introduced, falling, and
Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVA) are losing favour
in some quarters.
These three processes are
the
recorded
personal
insolvency alternatives - but
the fear is that they are just
the tip of the personal debt
iceberg.
Below the waterline, off the
radar, lurk Debt Management
Plans (DMP). A DMP may be
formal or informal, based on
standards or bespoke. Their
authors may adhere to the
rules of various Forums or
Associations, but there is no
requirement that they do so.
Insolvency practitioners,
more particularly those whose
main focus is the personal
insolvency
market,
are
concerned that while their
work continues to become
ever more regulated, they see
DMP, and some organisations
administering them, being far
less regulated. DMP numbers
dwarf the formal alternatives.
All well and good, you may
say. People should, and many
want to, repay all they can.
Should those in difficulty
By Peter Windatt
Director
BRI Business Recovery
and Insolvency
live under the sword of
Damocles for years, even
decades? We have seen
examples of DMP expected to
run for in excess of 20 years.
With no rules regarding
duration the length of a DMP
is subject to agreement. We
have met some unfortunate
people in DMP who believed
they were in an IVA.
Dealing with members of
the Debt Resolution Forum
and
Debt
Management
Standards Association means
you should be rebuilding your
financial life on firm
foundations.
However, the man in the
street is unlikely to understand
who is who and what the
merits of one DMP relative to
another may be.
Are formal insolvency
options being considered?
Are the consequences, on
the family and beyond, being
looked into?
Best advice is what should
always be given. It should be
the best advice for the person
seeking it, not what is best for
the adviser.
In case of need a Licensed
Insolvency Practitioner should
be consulted. The earlier they
are called the greater the
number of options available to
the individual.
Peter Windatt is a Licensed
Insolvency Practitioner and
can be contacted on 01604
754352 on any insolvency or
debt related matter for best
advice.
Payroll Real
Time Information
Calling all employers!
Major payroll changes are coming and now is
the perfect time to consider outsourcing to an
experienced, local payroll bureau.
CALL YDP ON
01933 358080
Let us take the stress out of payroll
processing and submission.
Alternatively YDP produces payroll software
tailored to your needs and supported by a
hotline manned by experienced payroll operatives.
Stamp out stress and keep costs down.
NO BUSINESS TOO LARGE
OR TOO SMALL
YDP Ltd 1 Shirley Road
Rushden NN10 6BY
[email protected]
NEWS
Underinsurance
- is your
business at risk?
A
CCORDING to the
Royal Institute of
C h a r t e r e d
Surveyors, 80 per
cent* of commercial properties
indicate various levels of
underinsurance.
It is also estimated the
average commercial property
in the UK is underinsured by
49 per cent**. This can have a
severe impact on the amount
of money received in the
event of a claim.
There is a little known
insurance condition known as
the average clause, which
could mean you’re left out of
pocket when you come
to make a claim on your
commercial property insurance.
Your insurance policy is
there to provide you with
protection should disaster
strike.
Imagine, however, that your
policy fails to provide you
with the cover you expected.
It all boils down to the
information you provided to
your insurer. Was it definitely
accurate and, if you’re not
sure, could you afford to be
out of pocket when you need
your insurance most?
The principle of underinsurance is best explained
using the following example:
Your property is insured up
to the value of £500,000. You
need to make a claim for
£5,000 due to a small fire (it
could be for any type of claim
though). During the course of
the claims process, an insurance
assessor estimates that your
property is in fact valued at
£1,000,000.
By Andrew Askham
Accounts Executive
Towergate Risk
Solutions Kettering
Because you have underestimated the value of your
property, in this case by 50 per
cent, the insurer is only
obliged to pay out 50 per cent
of the amount you claimed
for. That means that the
£5,000 compensation you
need to put everything back
the way it was, will not be
forthcoming.
Instead, you would only
receive £2,500 - leaving you
to make up the difference. In
some instances of significant
underinsurance, the insurer
could reject your claim entirely.
Broker top tips:
■ Make sure you speak to
your broker when seeking
cover for your commercial
property. Without adequate
advice and cover your
business may not be protected.
■ Don’t guess. Get a
professional valuation so an
accurate sum insured is
declared at inception.
■ Review your sum insured
regularly, so your policy
keeps pace with your business
needs. For instance, at renewal
time, let your broker know of
any changes to the business
since your last review - like
the purchase of new outdoor
play equipment.
The entire staff at ESS Recycling has completed the QCF training in Sustainable Recycling.
■ Undertake a reinstatement
© Business Times
cost assessment for insurance
purposes every three to five
years. This will also identify
over-insurance to avoid
paying excessive premiums.
For further information on
the above or any other general
insurance enquiry contact
Andrew Askham on 01536
ESS provides recycling Director of ESS Recycling,
HE UK’s longest
486721 or email andrew.
established recycler of services for local small said: “We take great pride in
[email protected]
waste electrical and businesses, the health and our loyal workforce and we
electronic equipment has education sectors as well as see our training policy as a way
Towergate Insurance is a implemented a 100 per cent national retailers and blue of reinvesting in our people
trading name of Towergate policy of QCF training for all chip organisations.
for their personal development
Underwriting Group Limited staff at its Wellingborough
The firm was founded in and that of ESS.
registered in England with recycling facility.
“Our site is a fully licensed
2001, and is handling increasing
company number 4043759.
At ESS Recycling, in volumes of all electrical and Authorised and Approved
Authorised and regulated by association
with
Waste electronic waste streams at its Treatment Facility (AATF) so
the
Financial
Services Management
Assessment recycling facility on the that our customers can
Authority. Registered address: Services Ltd and funders the Leyland Trading Estate in demonstrate that their waste
Towergate House, Eclipse College of West Anglia, all Wellingborough. This has items have been dealt with in a
Park, Sittingbourne Road, production, sales and adminis- recently resulted in the compliant and environmentally
Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN. tration staff have completed expansion of its existing site and friendly manner.”
For full details, contact ESS
the QCF WAMITAB Diploma a further capital expenditure
* Based on Gleeds Durden training for Sustainable programme.
Recycling on 01933 222826
data 2012
Phillip Wright, Managing or visit www.essrecycling.co.uk
Recycling.
**Based on Gleeds Durden
data compiled from building
reinstatement values undertaken up to 2009.
Training for staff helps
firm stay out in front
T
RTI fines avoided but
it’s still best to
register immediately
R
TI has arrived and
hopefully you will by
now have filed your
first RTI payroll successfully.
Unfortunately, this may
not be the case for every
employer.
Surveys by the Revenue
have revealed that as many as
50 per cent are still unaware
of this major change. As a
result, the Revenue has
announced that there will be a
year’s moratorium on fines
for employers struggling
to
become
compliant.
Nevertheless, the only way to
report pay, PAYE and
National Insurance is via RTI
and employers must master
the new system.
As a payroll bureau YDP
has been working to ensure
the transition to the RTI
system runs as smooth as
possible for all our clients
that the following steps have
been taken.
All payrolls must have been
registered for online filing
with the Revenue. This can
take some time, so if you have
not yet registered, get this
done today.
Secondly, details such as
full name, home address, date
of birth, national insurance
By
Tom Dormer
For you and your business
YDP
Kettering:
number and gender of every
employee must correspond
with the data held by HMRC.
Any discrepancy could lead
to the rejection of the entire
payment submission.
It is no longer possible to
pay new employees who
arrive with gaps in their data,
so the complete information
must be available before any
new employee is paid.
Employers who use payroll
software must have ensured
that it is compatible with the
Revenue by installing new
software or by employing a
payroll bureau such as YDP.
While struggling to get to
grips with all these requirements,
7
it might be very easy for
employers to overlook the fact
that the end-of-year returns
for 2012-2013 still have to be
completed by 19 May or they
risk being fined.
Employers have faced a
difficult time over the past
few months exacerbated by
HMRC’s own problems
implementing the new system.
This cloud does, however,
have a silver lining. This
year’s end-of-year return is
the last you will ever have to
do.
Contact us on 01933
358080 or at [email protected]
if you need any help and
advice on RTI.
01536 486 700
[email protected]
www.trskettering.co.uk
Northampton:
01604 887 300
[email protected]
www.trsnorthampton.co.uk
Towergate Insurance, Towergate Risk Solutions Kettering and Towergate Risk Solutions Northampton are trading names of
Towergate Underwriting Group Limited Registered Address: Towergate House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone,
Kent ME14 3EN. Registered in England No. 4043759 Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
Calls may be recorded to help improve standards of service and monitor accuracy of information.
8
NEWS / LEGAL BRIEFING II
W
ITH the everincreasing
global demand
for
energy,
investment in the renewable
energy sector will continue to
grow.
It is said that by 2030, the
world’s energy demands will
have increased by 50 per cent,
so whether from wind, sun,
water or waste, the way in
which we generate energy has
to change from our reliance
upon fossil fuels.
What are the challenges
businesses face when seeking
to move into this sector?
Anybody wishing to build a
renewable plant generally has
to raise significant project
finance. To do so, you have to
be able to demonstrate that
what you are building is going
to work and generate sufficient
energy to repay any borrowings.
Given the current economic
climate and with an industry
still, in effect, in relative
infancy, solutions need to
be found to encourage
development.
A way of incentivising
investors is to view renewable
projects from an insurance and
risk management perspective.
Anyone wishing to invest in
renewable energy needs an
insurance solution that protects
both the physical and financial
Facing the
challenges
By
Richard Davies
Corporate Director
O’Connor and Company
(Insurances) Ltd
assets through each phase of
the project, from planning,
throughout the life of the
plant through to its safe
decommissioning.
Solutions are available. It’s
just a question of how
businesses source the skills,
knowledge and expertise to
assist in this dynamic and
sometimes complex sector.
O’Connor & Company asks
the right questions to advise
and discuss the many risks a
renewable energy project
must consider. The vast
majority of risks are common
to any construction project but
there are some that are
completely different and
require careful consideration.
The sector owes almost all
of its differences, whether
actual or perceived, to the
nature of its technology and
the way in which it operates.
It is wise to consider a number
of questions when planning a
project, including:
■ Is the technology new or
untested? Insurers may have
difficulty in understanding
new technology and will
require information on the
research and development
work undertaken.
■ Can you build supply
chain resilience into your risk
management programme? A
must to achieve a sensible
insurance premium.
■ Can component parts be
restocked quickly? To avoid
loss of revenue through delay
during the construction phase
or as a result of operational
downtime.
As the renewable energy
sector continues to develop,
the ability of businesses to
partner with specialist brokers,
such as O’Connor & Company,
and insurers has been central
to the industry’s success.
Without a deep understanding
of the needs of the business,
projects can fail at the first
hurdle.
The partnership between all
the stakeholders, working to
develop insurance and risk
management solutions is
essential to the continued
growth of this sector.
contact Richard Davies on
01604
630003,
email
richard.davies@oconnor
insurances.co.uk or visit
www.oconnorinsurances.co.uk
Are you eligible for R&D tax credits?
O
NLY around 8,000
SMEs claimed R&D
Tax Credits last year
according to HMRC, and many
more should be benefiting
from this Government initiative.
By Jaime Lumsden
Vision SME
Let’s see whether you
should be claiming an R&D
Tax Credit.
Here’s a check list of typical
SMEs activities which will
qualify:
■ Do you manufacture a
product?
■ Do you create softwarebased products or services?
■ Do you provide a
bespoke service that involves
integrating hardware components, integrating software or
integrating a mix of hardware
and software?
■ Do you provide a
Any business that is doing research or constantly trying to
improve a product should check its eligibility for tax credits.
It could be a new or
professional service and use a
software-based product, such enhanced software product, a
as an intranet or departmental better hardware design,
business process, to run the constantly improving and
more competitive bespoke
business?
Just ask yourself if your engineering systems or a
business is under competitive professional service that has
pressure and are you constantly been enhanced by using a
trying to improve your product clever software package in the
or service using science or back office.
technology.
Who can qualify?
It doesn’t have to be about
rocket science or men in white
coats. You could be an equipment manufacturer making
mechanical or electronics
instruments, or a web-based
application designer developing
ecommerce applications, or a
supplier and assembler of
bespoke engineering solutions
like conveyor systems, or an
estate agent using internal
software based systems to
track your clients.
The key question is: “Do
we use science or technology to
make our products or services
more competitive or to
improve them or to create new
ones.”
If the answer is yes, then
you should seek an assessment from an R&D Tax Credit
specialist.
Most reputable specialists
will not charge for the initial
assessment and you can
readily find out whether
you’re leaving cash on the
table by not claiming.
Vision (SME) is an associate
of RandDTax, a specialist
R&D Tax Credits consultancy,
contact 01536 790907, email
[email protected]
or
visit
the
website
www.randdtaxcredits.net
Town sees footfall grow
due to marketing scheme
T
HE Hidden Gems
campaign to shop local
in Wellingborough has
resulted in a record week of
footfall in the town centre.
Launched by the town’s
Business Improvement District
(BID), a scheme bringing
together retailers to encourage
town centre trade, the promotion
saw 24 shops offering special
deals during the month-long
initiative.
The number of people who
visited the town centre during
the launch week, the second
week in February, represented
a three-year high - 108,582 up
from 105,340 in 2011. Four
weeks before the footfall had
been at a three-year low of just
over 80,500.
John Cable, Wellingborough
BID Manager, said: “Hidden
Gems showcased some of the
fabulous, quirky and unique
goods on sale in our town centre.
“With
free
parking,
independent shops, plenty of
green spaces and an abundance
of history, Wellingborough is a
great town. You just need to
remind and tell people about
what’s on their doorstep and
that’s what we did with
Hidden Gems through an
integrated and coordinated
marketing campaign.”
The traders were able to
collect shoppers’ details
through a series of boxes,
where people filled in cards
for a chance to win £150 and
posted their information.
Supplied
by
marketing
specialists Activate Business
Development, the devices will
allow the shops to keep in
touch with their customers
through newsletters, event
details and offers, while four
shoppers have won vouchers.
Five tips to
help avoid
an expensive
divorce
1
Invest in a prenuptial agreement - it can’t hurt to know
what your intended’s attitude towards money is before
you get married. Arguments about money are, after all,
cited as one of the major reasons for divorce.
A good prenuptial agreement will set out how the
matrimonial assets should be divided on divorce thus
minimising expensive legal wrangling after the event. It is
essential that if you do enter into such an arrangement
that you review it regularly to take account of changing
circumstances such as the birth of children.
2
Understand the family finances - make sure you are
fully aware of the family assets - and the liabilities.
Without that information, an unscrupulous spouse may
try to hide assets and you risk being involved in a
prolonged and expensive search for the truth. Or you may
have an inflated idea of the assets available and spend
legal fees chasing assets that just aren’t there.
It is essential that each of you knows exactly what’s in
the pot and co-operates fully with the disclosure process.
You will be asked to give all sorts of financial information
including bank statements, wage slips, pensions and
business valuations. It’s really only after this information
Stephanie Howe,
Associate in the
Family Law Team at
Howes Percival,
offers five helpful tips
to ensure that, should
a marriage fail, the
resulting divorce is as
pain free and
inexpensive as
possible.
is complete that your lawyer can fully advise you and
the process of negotiation can start.
3
Consider getting help from a divorce counsellor experts can help you keep lines of communication
open as well as help you deal with the effects of the
break up on the family. If you are able to remain amicable
not only is it more likely you will salvage your
friendship with your spouse after divorce - no bad thing
if you have children together - but you will spend less of
the family fortune on legal fees.
If your relationship breaks down so far that you can’t
discuss anything at all with each other, that leaves your
lawyers as the only line of communication between you
and this can be expensive, especially when you’re using
your lawyer to make complicated arrangements about
who’s seeing the children when.
4
Try collaboration not litigation - don’t be like the
hapless Kavanaghs, recently in the news - both
practising lawyers they spent almost all their assets on
lengthy and bitter litigation involving the finances and
the children.
Collaborative lawyers agree with their clients not to
go to court and negotiations take place in a series of
face-to-face meetings with each of you supported by
your own lawyer throughout. Collaborative law is for
you if you want to avoid the animosity that can be generated by court litigation, not to mention the costs. At
Howes Percival, our lawyers are specially trained in
collaborative law.
5
Invest in a good family lawyer - a good family lawyer
will encourage teamwork with you and with your
spouse’s solicitor to ensure your matter is managed
proactively. They will consider throughout the benefit to
you of any action against the costs of such actions emotional as well as financial. Above all, they will add
value, negotiating practical and creative solutions.
The team of family lawyers at Howes Percival has a
wealth of experience in helping individuals with a
wide range of family concerns. Contact Stephanie
Howe on 01604 230400 or email stephanie.howe@
howespercival.com
NEWS
9
10
MONEY MATTERS II
Child benefit keep it in
the family
T
HE
new
rules
clawing back child
benefit from housewhere
a
holds
member has income in excess
of £50,000 came into effect on
7 January.
Anyone caught by the so
called high income charge
will need to file a tax return
after 5 April and pay over to
HMRC the excess benefit
received.
To recap, the benefit is
clawed back at the rate of one
per cent for every £100 by
which the highest earner’s
income exceeds £50,000.
Those who wanted to avoid
the charge completely could
have elected, before 7 January,
to disclaim their entitlement to
the benefit.
Given HMRC’s failure to
contact all recipients affected
by the new rules, many
missed the opportunity to
disclaim. However, the start of
a new tax year on 6 April
presents another opportunity.
But what can be done for
those whose income is high
enough to be caught by the
charge, but wish to preserve
the child benefit?
A special definition applies
to determine total income and
a number of reliefs can be
claimed to determine whether
the £50,000 threshold has
been exceeded. For example,
pension contributions and
Gift Aid payments may be
deducted.
John earns £52,000 pa and
he and his wife have two
children. If John takes no
action he will need to repay 20
per cent of the child benefit
received to HMRC, but if
he pays a gross pension
contribution of £2,000 this
would reduce his income to
£50,000 and preserve all the
benefit for his family and, at
the same time, secure income
tax relief at 40 per cent.
John is a philanthropist and
regularly gives to charity. He
could achieve the same result
by making a Gift Aid payment
By Keith Weston
Tax Partner
Smith Hodge and Baxter
to his favourite charity of
£2,000 gross.
John also runs a machinery
business and his wife
regularly helps him with his
record keeping etc. If he pays
her a wage relevant to the
duties she performs this could
reduce his income below the
£50,000 threshold and again
preserve the benefit entitlement - all this without
reducing the total income of
the family unit.
If you would like any
advice on the new child
benefit high income charge,
contact Keith Weston on 01536
514871, email kweston@
smith-hodge.co.uk
Director gains prestigious
financial planning
award for third year
M
Caunt,
ANDY
C h a r t e r e d
Financial Planner
and Director of Kingston
PTM Ltd in Northampton,
has once again been awarded
ISO 22222 Personal Financial
Planning certification by
Standards International
(www.standardsinternational.
co.uk).
This is the third year
Mandy has achieved this
standard.
ISO
22222
is
an
internationally
agreed
benchmark that assesses and
awards financial planners
who can demonstrate that
they have the knowledge,
skills, experience and ethical
values to deliver a firstclass service to their clients.
The service that Kingston
PTM Ltd provides to clients
is of the utmost importance
and in order to benchmark
the firm’s service and
internal processes against
the international standard
Mandy Caunt is one of only
a handful of financial
planners in the UK that have
achieved this prestigious
award.
of best practice, Mandy and
the business entered into
a rigorous process of
assessment.
Mandy is one of only a
handful of financial planners
in the UK that have
achieved this prestigious
award and this, added to
her Chartered Financial
Planner status, is a
testament to her and the
firm’s commitment to the
standards
in
highest
independent
financial
advice.
The needs of Kingston
PTM Ltd clients are at the
heart of the business and
this is why the firm is
committed to a process of
ongoing assessment, which
ensures that processes and
services are continually
assessed by an independent
certification body on an
annual basis.
If you have any questions
with regards to the above
and would like to know
more about the ISO 22222
certification or, indeed,
discuss your own or your
business financial planning,
contact Mandy Caunt on
01604 636345, email mandy.
[email protected] or
visit the website www.
kingston-solutions.co.uk
Annual manufacturing survey pinpoints progress
T
HE manufacturing and
engineering
sector
remains upbeat about
2013 following a highly
successful 2012.
This optimistic forecast
comes from the 2013 SME
Manufacturing Survey carried
out by Northampton-based
chartered accountants MHA
MacIntyre Hudson.
The survey of 295 SMEs
from a variety of sub-sectors
within manufacturing and
engineering found that growth
predictions for the sector
remain strong.
Last year’s survey saw 78
per cent of the industry
predicting growth and 33 per
cent anticipating growth of
more than 10 per cent.
The 2013 benchmarking
survey revealed that these
predictions were accurate - 67
per cent of respondents
reported growth in 2012 and
33 per cent reported growth of
10 per cent plus.
The outlook remains positive
for 2013, further illustrating
the industry’s resilience in
spite of the current economic
climate, with 75 per cent
predicting growth in 2013 and
more than 30 per cent
anticipating growth in excess
of 10 per cent. However, the
survey also highlighted a
number of important issues
and consistent trends, which
cannot be ignored if the sector
is to rebalance the UK economy.
Overall findings:
❐ Intent to invest in
research and development
has increased by as much
as 10 per cent versus 2012.
❐ Research and development spend remains low
for the majority of respondents although there is
evidence to suggest that
companies in the sector
do not fully understand
the definition of R&D
(research and development).
❐ Exporting remains key
with 71 per cent of the
sector already exporting to
a number of destinations.
❐ Perceptions of bank
funding have improved;
however, there is still a
Richard Powell works closely
with many local companies
in the manufacturing and
engineering sector.
perceived lack of access to
grants.
“Early expectations for
2013 are optimistic, with
SME manufacturers and
engineers anticipating growth,
which is vital if the sector is to
play a role in reinvigorating
and re-balancing the UK
economy,” said Partner,
Richard Powell, who works
closely with many local
companies in this sector.
Exports remain essential to
industry profitability with the
Eurozone being identified as
the most popular destination
followed closely by Asia,
(including China), with North
America proving the third
most popular.
A total of 71 per cent
of
respondents
already
take advantage of export
opportunities.
Investment in R&D is
critical if the industry is to
achieve long-term competitiveness. The number of
businesses investing in R&D
in 2013 has increased from 37
per cent in 2012 to 47 per cent
and they are aiming to invest
up to two per cent of turnover
in R&D in the coming year.
Richard
Powell
said:
“Despite increased spend in
R&D, there are still too few
companies making the most
of tax benefits. Just 46 per
cent intend to make a tax
credit claim. Only half of the
businesses we surveyed are
aware of how Patent Box
could benefit their business.
“There is huge value in
schemes like Patent Box and
this missed opportunity
reduces overall spending on
R&D with only 12 per cent
indicated the scheme would
be advantageous to their
business.
“HMRC must do more to
help companies understand
tax credits. The revenue has
acknowledged that there is
uncertainty from businesses
about what they can claim for
and when. We can encourage
our own clients but HMRC
could do better to encourage
the sector to take advantage
of the higher rates of relief
available.”
For further information or
to request a copy of the report
contact Richard Powell on
01604
624011,
email
[email protected]
or visit the website www.
macintyrehudson.co.uk
NEWS
In pursuit of
more customers
T
Gary Burgess with Environmental Energies Commercial Manager Zara Glew and Operations
© Business Times
Director Simon Glew.
An enlightening rental deal
A
NYTHING that reduces
energy costs and carbon
footprint is very
welcome - and anything that
makes it straightforward and
simple to do that is even more
welcome.
The team at Environmental
Energies in Clipston, near
Market Harborough, offers a
Rent-a-LED scheme that
provides easy access to
reduced energy costs and
delivers low-carbon lighting
for businesses.
LED (light-emitting diode)
lighting is a light source that
is efficient, eco-friendly
and the cleanest source of
illumination,
offering
a
digital light that is a durable
alternative to incandescent
bulbs, strip lighting, and
floodlighting.
The advantages of LED
lighting over conventional
technologies is its long life,
energy efficiency and durability
- significantly reducing energy
costs,
maintenance
and
replacement cycles.
Gary Burgess, Sales Director
at Environmental Energies,
said: “The benefits of LED
lighting are endless, and we
can instantly install them for
you, replacing T4, T5, T6 and
T8 fluorescent tubes with a
safe, reliable, efficient and
economic light source for
your business on our unique
loan-to-own scheme.
“With rental plans available
from three to five years, lifetime
HE credit control
process is being
made simpler than
ever for businesses
thanks to a new software
solution released by developers
Kamarin Computers.
KC Credit Pursuit was
officially released at the end
of 2012 but in 2013 Kamarin
has seen a huge demand for
the product as word has
spread across the country.
Neil Bedford, managing
director at Kamarin, began
demonstrating the product at a
number of business seminars
late last year and immediately
began to get interest from
small and medium-sized
organisations who wanted to
improve their cash flow.
He explained why there
was such an interest: “Credit
control is really important for
all businesses so finding a
solution that can help to make
the process much easier is
very appealing.
“KC Credit Pursuit shows
users how they can chase
debts as effectively as possible,
which means that businesses
get the money which is owed
to them in faster, avoid bank
charges and improve cash
flow.”
The interest in the software
meant that 2013 has already
seen a number of businesses
implement KC Credit Pursuit
and begin using it to manage
their credit control process.
This early success has been a
massive endorsement of the
software which is the latest of
Kamarin’s solutions to be
released.
time guarantees, and our
replacement fitting service,
now is the time to change to
LED lighting and make the
savings pay.”
Environmental Energies
provides expert advice on
renewable technologies, as
well as the supply, installation
and maintenance of solar
panels, wind turbines and
biomass systems.
Companies investing in
green technology gradually
see their investment offset by
the use or sale of the power
generated.
Environmental
Contact
Energies on 01858 525407
environmentalenergies.co.uk Neil Bedford, managing director of Kamarin Computers has
been demonstrating KC Credit Pursuit.
for more information.
11
The software works as an
add-on for accounting packages
used by many small and
medium-sized
businesses
including Sage 200, Pegasus
Opera 3, Pegasus Opera II,
Exchequer
and
IRIS
Kamarin’s own accounting
package KC Back Office
Accounts, so it can be
implemented and used by a
huge number of organisations.
Furthermore, the reseller
network which provides these
accounting packages across
the country is also beginning
to partner with Kamarin
Computers to sell the solution.
Danny Gill, sales director at
Kamarin, has been speaking to
many of these resellers and
has been encouraged by their
first impressions of KC Credit
Pursuit.
He said: “The reaction has
been great so far. For several
of the accounting packages no
add-on like this exists at all so
it’s adding real value to the
software solution as a whole.
We’ve already got some of the
resellers trained up to sell and
support KC Credit Pursuit and
have even more plans to roll it
out across the country in the
coming months.”
Kamarin Computers and its
range of software solutions,
including KC Credit Pursuit,
visit www.kamarincomputers.
co.uk
Success has been
clear for all to see
for almost a century
A
It has its own laboratories within the building,
T Sheinman Opticians, success in the
eye care and eye wear business stems manufacturing standard or complex prescription
from a clear focus on what’s best for the items in any one of thousands of frames and
styles available, to the highest industry standards.
consumer.
The recent refurbishment has added a
Those who know the imposing building and
facade at the top of Abington Street will be well sunglasses centre at the front of the building,
aware of the longevity and outstanding reputation offering non-prescription sunglasses in famous
brands, as well as
of Northampton’s landprescription glasses and
mark opticians, but few
specialist sportswear, for
will realise the centre of
example, for golf, diving
excellence that lies behind
or shooting.
the new glass fronts and
John Sheinman is
welcoming interiors.
proud of the respected
Since it was founded
position the practice
nearly 100 years ago by
holds in optometry not
AE Turville, the son of a
just locally but nationally
jeweller with an interest
and internationally. He
in sight and gold-rimmed
said:“From the beginning,
spectacles for many years
clinical excellence has
before in Wellingborough
been paramount and
Road, the company has
that’s more important
been run by just two men
than ever today as
- AE Turville himself and,
there are relatively few
since 1964, by John
independent practices
Sheinman.
still around able to
Both men put the
devote the time required.
emphasis not just on
“But meeting clients
building a successful John Sheinman - proud of the respected
and getting to know
business, but in providing position the practice holds.
© Business Times
them is still the best way to
the very best in eye care
care for them. And anyone who comes to us, for
and eye wear.
Today, the practice prides itself on being at private or NHS treatment, gets the same quality
the forefront of the eye care profession, whether of service, backed up by the formulative work we
that is in examination and treatment methods, do to maintain our level of clinical excellence.
“That, combined with an understanding that
preventative healthcare, remedial therapy, vision
correction and health assessments, and for people want to be at the forefront of fashion,
clients requiring spectacles, contact lenses or means that we can provide the best possible care
and the best possible outcome for our customers.
laser treatment.
12
MONEY MATTERS III
File a tax return New system will
speed up Gift Aid
to avoid
repayments
further penalties C
H
MRC has reported
a
record
that
9.61 million people
submitted their self
assessment tax return on time
this year, according to tax
experts at Harris and Co in
Northampton.
Statistics show that of the
10.34 million people in self
assessment, 92.9 per cent of
taxpayers met the return
deadlines of 31 October 2012
for paper and 31 January 2013
for online returns.
Of the 9.61 million on-time
tax returns, 7.93 million (82.5
per cent) were sent online,
which is a record number. The
remaining 1.68 million (17.5
per cent) were sent on paper.
Phil Harris, of Harris and
Co, said: “Anyone who hasn’t
yet sent their 2011/12 tax
return to HMRC will have
already incurred a £100 late
filing penalty. To avoid any
further penalties, they should
Phil Harris - anyone who
hasn’t sent their 2011/12 tax
return to HMRC will have
already incurred a £100
penalty.
send their return as soon as
possible, as well as paying
any outstanding liabilities for
the 2011/12 tax year.”
The penalties for late self
assessment returns are:
● an initial £100 fixed
penalty, which applies
even if there is no tax to
pay, or if the tax due is paid
on time
●
after three months,
additional daily penalties
of £10 per day, up to a
maximum of £900
● after six months, a
further penalty of five per
cent of the tax due or £300,
whichever is greater; and
after 12 months, another
five per cent or £300
charge, whichever is
greater.
There are also additional
penalties for paying the
liability late of five per cent of
the tax unpaid at 30 days, six
months and 12 months
respectively.
To speak to tax experts at
Harris and Co about submitting
self assessment tax returns
telephone 01604 660661,
email [email protected]
harrisandco.biz
A
Where the provision
of high-quality, personal,
timely and proactive
service and advice to our
local, regional and
international client
base, really matters
SOLID VALUES STRATEGIC THINKING
wind on the night to
the Marriott Hotel in
Northampton.
After a couple of hours of
intense competiton, the Phipps
Henson McAllister team
pipped Cobley Desborough I
by a single point while the
runners-up defeated their
own second team, also by a
point.
Quizmasters Peter Windatt
Chartered Accountants, Tax and Business Advisers
When it comes to business we’re
here to support and guide you.
With an office in the heart of
Northamptonshire, we’re here to help
you maximise your business and
personal goals and will advise and
support you every step of the way.
To find out more contact:
[email protected]
01604 624 011
[email protected]
www.smith-hodge.co.uk
Partner
Hawsons Chartered
Accountants
Only individual donations
from a donor of £500 or more
shown on individual sponsor
sheets will need to be separated
out and listed individually on
the claim form.
Sponsored events don’t
have to be listed in this way: if
the way you keep your records
makes it easier to list each
individual donation separately,
then that’s fine.
In the past HMRC has
agreed with some charities
that certain other claims
could be included under this
modified claims basis, (also
known as ‘special modified
claims’) and the limits for
aggregated donations have
changed, so it is worth getting
advice as to the best way for a
charity or community group to
proceed with regard to
reclaiming Gift Aid from
donations.
Information is available at
www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities
online, or call Hawsons
Chartered Accountants on
01604 645600 or email richard
[email protected]
and Ian Cooke, Director and
Manager from BRI Business
Recovery and Insolvency in
Northampton, were assisted
by 10 markers, runners and
recorders from BRI to ensure
the smooth running of the
event, while the Marriott team
served food and drinks to the
150-plus attendees.
“A great time was had by
all and BRI is grateful to those
firms who braved the weather
for supporting the quiz as the
firm embarks on its 31st year
of assisting the town
and region with all things
business
recovery
and
insolvency
related,” said
Peter Windatt.
BRI Business Recovery and
Insolvency can be contacted
on 01604 754352 or visit the
website www.briuk.co.uk
Short on Time?
Wouldn’t it be nice to go to one place
for all the advice you need
about your financial affairs?
Well now you can!
We offer a one stop fully
integrated, joined up approach
to Financial Planning, Accountancy
and Taxation for Individuals,
Trusts and Businesses
For your Free initial
consultation visit
Thorpe House, 93 Headlands
Kettering NN15 6BL
01536 514871
By Richard Burkimsher
Annual quiz goes down a storm
C C O U N TA N T S
Phipps
Henson
McAllister beat 38
other teams from a variety of
Northampton’s professional
service firms and the weather
to win the tenth annual BRI
Business Recovery and
Insolvency Quiz.
All but one of the teams
Peter Windatt (left) of BRI presents the winning Phipps Henson
McAllister team of (l to r) John Wright, Kevin Roberts and that had registered to enter the
quiz battled through snow and
Martyn Smith with their prize.
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS,
TAX & BUSINESS ADVISORS
LAIMING Gift Aid
repayments will be
quicker and easier
from this month after HMRC
announced a new system to
help charities and sports
clubs.
HMRC is writing to 110,000
charities and community
amateur sports clubs advising
them that, from 22 April, they
can enrol to make repayment
claims online, via the HMRC
website using a new service,
called Charities Online.
Claiming online is faster,
can prevent delays and save
postal costs. The new service
will have built-in checks that
will tell groups about any
mistakes before a claim is
submitted, reducing the need
for claims to be sent back to
be corrected.
For claims made using
Charities Online, all donations
for someone taking part in a
sponsored event can be put as
one entry under the name of
that participant, removing the
need to list every individual
donor who sponsored the person.
www.kingston-solutions.co.uk
macintyrehudson.co.uk
MHA MacIntyre Hudson is the trading name of MacIntyre Hudson LLP, a limited liability partnership, registered in England with
registered number OC312313. MacIntyre Hudson LLP is an independent member of MHA, a national association of UK accountancy
firms and a UK member of Morison International. The term “partner” or “partners” indicates that the person (or persons) in question is
(or are) a member(s) of MacIntyre Hudson LLP or an employee or consultant of its affiliated businesses with equivalent standing and
qualifications. Further information can be found at www.macintyrehudson.co.uk/information.html
or telephone us
Northampton 01604 636345
Employee benefits
for a small business
M
ANY small business
owners may not be
aware of some
employee benefits schemes
available; it’s not just larger
companies who can offer their
employees a death in service
style benefit, but one of the
issues may have been finding
a group-type scheme which
would be cost effective for the
smaller employer.
Relevant life cover is
available to companies with
fewer than five employees and
can pay the employee’s family
a lump sum if they die while
employed by your firm.
Death in service benefits
may not suit all of your
employees, with higher
earners contributing to larger
pension pots which may take
them over their tax-free
lifetime allowance.
A relevant life policy is a
tax-efficient way for your
employees to benefit from
T
Lee Harrison
BH Brokers
much higher
■ It is not a retirement
benefit, and so doesn’t
affect employees’ lifetime
allowance
■ There are possible tax
advantages for both employer
and employee
Lee Harrison is a Mortgage
& Protection Adviser at BH
Brokers Financial Services.
Contact [email protected]
or call 08435 570347
Team’s efforts for a worthy cause
HE
team
at
Underwoods Town and
County, which has
offices in Northampton and
Wellingborough, has pledged
to raise £5,000 for this year’s
charity, Cynthia Spencer
Hospice.
Leading the way is Director
Laura Hawthorn who completed
a fire walk in February, while
last month, Directors Lee
Bosley and Ben Mitchell had
their chests waxed.
Still to come is Karen
Southcott’s abseil down the
Lift Tower next month, while
other members of the team are
going to cycle 100 miles
(around eight hours of cycling)
in the office later this year.
Laura Hawthorn said: “We
13
Trio of diverse
building projects
D
By
cover. Your business purchases
a policy for your key employees
and, just like death in service,
can pay a lump sum benefit if
they die while employed by you,
but there are subtle differences
to a death in service benefit
because:
■ They can be arranged on
an individual basis - employers
can offer different benefits to
different employees
■ Lump sum benefits are
NEWS
URING the past 12
months, Parkway
has diversified into
a number of design
and build contracts outside its
core business which is industrial,
warehouse and commercial
projects.
The following three design
and build projects are currently
on site.
Charter House, Milton
Keynes - This project
comprises the complete
refurbishment of a threestorey office block which was
built in the 1980s. Works
include the complete strip out
of all the internal finishes,
ceilings, carpets, partitioning,
electrical installation, air
conditioning,
ventilation,
toilets and garden areas.
Each of the three floor plates
will have the new services
installed to ensure maximum
flexibility for the future. This
will enable the building to be
sublet into six zones should it
be required.
Redbourne Upper School
and Community College,
Ampthill - A true design and
build project, this 10,000 sq ft
extension to the existing
technology block was on site
in less than eight months.
Parkway entered into negotiations with the school’s
business manager, agreed the
scope of works, budgets and
were then instructed to
appoint the design team,
produce detailed drawings and
submit for planning.
Extensive ground modelling
works were required to
prepare this site for the
construction, with all the
arisings used to construct a
noise attenuation band around
the school’s existing MUGA
sports pitches. Advanced works
included services diversions
and adoptions to the escape
routes to maintain the everyday
function of the existing
school.
Grafton Court, Winterhill,
Milton Keynes - This project
comprises the design and
build construction of 50,000
sq ft retail building subdivided
into two units.
Following the production
of the design phase site
waste management plan, an
opportunity was identified to
remodel the construction
thickness to utilise the existing
concrete slab and foundations
once crushed to Type 1
specification.
The use of this recycled
‘site-won’ material is helping
to enhance the environmental
benefits of this scheme to the
tune of some 10,000 tonnes of
aggregate. This equates to
nearly 1,000 vehicle movements
through Milton Keynes that
have been avoided, thus
helping to reduce the congestion
and associated CO2 impact
of this scheme on the
environment.
The contract will be registered
the
Considerate
under
Constructors Scheme
contact Parkway MK Limited
on 01908 395000 or visit
www.parkwaymk.com
The Underwoods Town and County team is aiming to raise
£5,000 this year.
are determined to reach our families of patients.”
goal, we’ve already raised
Anyone who wants to
£2,500, which we are delighted donate can go to www.just
with, and there’s plenty more giving.com/underwoodstown
to come. It’s such a good andcounty
or
contact
and
Town
cause, they do phenomenal Underwoods
work, and I’ve heard so many County on 01604 232400 or Grafton Court in Milton Keynes comprises the design and build of 50,000 sq ft of retail space.
personal stories from the 01933 270360.
NBE 13
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
BUSINESS EVENT
KETTERING CONFERENCE CENTRE
11TH APRIL 9.30am - 4.30pm
The area’s biggest business event, NBE 13
is one occasion you won’t want to miss. It’s
an opportunity-packed day for businesses,
not only with the exhibition, but also speed
networking, free seminars, keynote
speeches and more - all on one day and
under one roof!
Register online to exhibit or visit at
www.northamptonbusinessevent.co.uk
0116 240 2330
[email protected]
14
NEWS
I
The growing team at TekNet.
© Business Times
Trio join an
expanding firm
T
EKNET, a UK provider
of computer support
services continues to
buck the national trend by
employing additional staff
to support its increasing
customer base.
“We are delighted to have
brought an additional two
senior network engineers and
a helpdesk supervisor onto our
growing team,” said Director
Becky Stronnar.
Joining the team in the past
six months are John Pointon,
Steve Scott and Ann Earl.
John is an experienced
senior network engineer with
a wide and versatile range of
skills in network fault
diagnostics and virtualisation
technologies.
He complements the existing
team’s breadth of skill and
professionalism. Living with
his long-term partner in
Corby, he has two young
children and enjoys jujitsu in
his spare time.
Steve Scott is a very recent
addition to the team, having
just completed his first month
with TekNet. Possessing great
all-round skills in networking
and Windows technologies,
Steve has already made a
valuable contribution to the
team and to customers. In his
spare time, Steve enjoys being
a successful captain of his
local pool team.
Joining TekNet in the position
of helpdesk supervisor is Ann
Earl. Having worked in busy
office environments for the
majority of her working
career, Ann comes to TekNet
with a great understanding of
good customer care. Married
with two children and three
grandchildren, she manages to
fit in a passion for horse riding
and keep fit.
Contact TekNet on 01604
497600 or visit the website
www.teknet.co.uk
A sound
decision
N becoming a prospective been established for 125 years.
We help with every aspect
landlord, you have made
a sound decision. After of promoting and maintaining
all, there are few better your property portfolio, from
investments than bricks and marketing to price negotiation,
as well as engaging the services
mortar.
Achieving capital growth of our trusted, long-term
within a few years is a realistic contacts in the legal profession.
Our marketing packages are
possibility. Regardless of
bespoke
and
whether you are
designed
to
a first-time landattract the kind
lord, or have more
of tenants you
experience, you
are
seeking.
will still have
Your property
questions:
is assigned a
■ What sort of
dedicated lettings
properties
negotiator, who
should you buy
will
work
to achieve your
p r o a c t i v e l y,
objectives?
seeking all the
■ Where are
time to let out
the best locations?
your property to
■ What finansuitable tenants.
cial yield can
When we find
you expect, and
By Mark Manning
prospective
those
how soon?
Partner
At Howkins Howkins and Harrison tenants, we won’t
present them to
& Harrison, we
you until we
are in a powerful
position to advise you, have obtained references and
because we have unparalleled completed extensive backexperience, qualified expertise ground checks.
Our legal team will draw up
and detailed knowledge of the
a detailed, in-depth tenancy
regional market.
Our managers can talk in agreement that protects yours
comprehensive detail. They and your tenants’ interests.
Once they move in, our
will advise you on the best
types of property in which to commitment doesn’t end. We
invest, and help you assess also provide a full property
aspects such as occupancy management service.
rates, and what sort of percentage
return you are likely to receive. contact Mark Manning on 01604
It’s why our long-term 823445, email mark.manning@
landlords entrust their portfolios howkinsandharrison.co.uk or
to us, and just one of the many visit www.howkinsandharrison.
reasons Howkins & Harrison has co.uk
Students show off business acumen
S
TUDENTS
from
Northampton College let
their creative juices flow
at a fun one-day enterprise
event delivered by social
enterprise Working Knowledge.
The 17 and 18-year-olds were
given a unique opportunity to
develop new business ideas
with the support and advice of
volunteers from a range of
locally based employers
including Milton Bayer
Communications, Salesforce
and Design by Pope.
Students from a range of
courses worked in teams to
create innovative new products
or services, develop their
business plan and present it to
Taking care of all your vehicle
servicing needs
a panel of volunteer business
experts for a chance to win
cash prizes or be spotted as
an ‘outstanding individual’
in the eyes of the local
employers.
One of the winning teams
created an innovative new
product called Style You (a
mobile phone app which
offers style advice and outfit
ideas based on the weather,
occasion and current trends)
which really impressed the
business experts.
Employers have often
offered jobs, work experience
or apprenticeships as a
result of meeting young
people at Working Knowledge
events.
Simon Stewart, Head of
Enterprise at Northampton
College, said: “It was a fantastic
day, full of energy, our students
learnt a great deal and were
able to enhance their employability skills.”
All students attending the
event will receive a NCFE
Level
1
Award
in
Employability Skills.
Communications - IT and Telecoms news and views
Broadband plans
THE UK government wants at a minimum of 2Mbps broadband
speed available to everybody in Britain and superfast
connections for at least 90 per cent of properties across the
country.
Certain councils have awarded contracts to BT, funded by
taxpayers’ money, held by Broadband Delivery UK, to roll out
broadband across rural counties to meet these targets, but BT
Openreach, BT’s engineering arm, who own, upgrade and
maintain the UK’s telecoms and broadband infrastructure,
has said the work won’t be completed until 2016.
Working with businesses, the government is driving a
transformation in UK broadband services with an extra
100,000 homes and businesses gaining super fast broadband
availability each week, this is already taking shape. Providing
much faster broadband speeds, and enabling millions more
homes and businesses to enjoy these speeds is vital for driving
investment and equipping the UK to compete in the global race.
So, what is the relevance of this to Northamptonshire?
As it stands, two of the largest industrial estates in the county
currently do not have the facility to provide businesses on
By Brian Kingston
Director
DBfB Communications
& IT Services
their estate with superfast connectivity. With the communications
industry moving rapidly towards relying heavily on broadband
to support many of the services available to business, this is
having a huge impact. A number of our clients and prospective
clients cannot have certain services they wish to use due to not
having the relevant connectivity capability to do so.
Is Apple losing its crown?
It’s that time of year when the battle of the ultimate smart phone
really starts to heat up. All of the main manufacturers have
released their contenders into this heavyweight competition.
Sony was the first out of the blocks with the Xperia Z.
Featuring an impressive five-inch full-HD display, 13
megapixel camera and a heavy duty Snapdragon quad-core
processor this entrant should earn Sony the respect they crave
in the business, smart phone market.
More recently, Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S4 which
appears to be ready to pick up the mantle from where the
award winning Galaxy S3 left off. Pushing the boundaries, the
S4 will allow you to flick through your photos without touching
the screen and will automatically scroll the screen up and down
as you read an email by analysing where your eyes are looking.
This all leaves the iPhone 5 looking slightly dated and lacking
in features, which makes the next instalment from Apple even
more intriguing, whenever it’s due, as it’s going to have to
receive a major overhaul just to keep up with the competition.
DBfB’s Top Tip: Keep an eye out for the HTC One.
Combining numerous advanced features into a rather good
looking, well-made handset, in our opinion, this is the must
have handset of 2013.
For further information, contact
Brian Kingston on 01604 673320,
or visit the website www.dbfb.co.uk
Take a closer look...
NOW WITH NEW MOT
TESTING FACILITY
Opening times: 9am to 6pm and
6pm to 10pm for MOT by appointment only
Saturday: 9am to 4pm
Unit 18, Stafford Place,
Moulton Park, Northampton NN3 6NN
01604 495900
[email protected]
www.jdgaragenorthampton.co.uk
LEGAL SERVICES FOR BUSINESS
WITH EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
01536 21 88 88 | [email protected]
www.fridaylegal.com
NEWS
A taste of the Mediterranean
THE Stuffed Olive in Wellingborough Road,
Northampton, opened in 2006 and in the intervening
seven years has established itself as the leading
Mediterranean restaurant in the county serving a
refreshingly different menu of high quality food using
fresh and, where possible, locally sourced and organic
ingredients in an enjoyable, family-friendly atmosphere,
while it is also ideal for business lunches or dinners.
The Stuffed Olive delights in welcoming diners to the
restaurant and prefers to refer to them as guests in a house
rather than a business. The talented and experienced
team of chefs from around the world start early in the
morning preparing and creating the dishes that feature
the flavours and concepts from a number of
Mediterranean countries including France, Italy and Spain.
The restaurant
THE decor of the restaurant includes a natural stone floor, antique brick and natural wood walls, oak tables
and leather and, when the weather is good, the full-length feature windows can be fully opened to create
a real Mediterranean feel. All the furnishings have been sourced from local companies.The restaurant was
extended last year and can now accommodate more than 80 diners who are welcomed with a
complimentary serving of bread and olives while perusing the menu, which features a wide selection of
meat, fish and poultry as well as vegetarian options. All meats, vegetables and salads are locally sourced
and the beef has been hung on the carcass for three days and then wet aged before being marinated
prior to being grilled to order and the chefs always cook with live oil and butter. The dessert menu
features mouthwatering homemade options, and there is a selection of coffees and teas to round off
meals. Diners should take into account that the chefs prepare all dishes to order and the portions served
are generous.The restaurant is open seven days a week from noon until late and there is also a lunch and
sandwich menu served between noon and 5pm.
The function room
THE upstairs function room is ideal for small business lunches and dinners, social and family
celebrations.The private room has an oak floor and oak table and is attractively decorated.
The Wine Cellar
THE purpose-built, temperature-controlled wine cellar underneath the restaurant holds an extensive
collection of red, white, rose, sparkling and dessert wines, including a selection of vintage wines, from
France, Italy, Australia, Chile, South Africa, Spain, Argentina and New Zealand.The Stuffed Olive sources
its wines from two Northamptonshire companies, but mainly from Edward Beers in Leighton Buzzard,
and always endeavours to serve the best vintage currently available. The wine list carries a detailed
description of each wine. Prices range from £13.95 for Baron D’Arignac red and white wines from the
South of France to £130 for a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne. A recent wine tasting proved
successful and a champagne tasting is planned in the near future. House white and red wine is also
served by the glass, together with a selection of white, red and rose wines. Also available are beers,
spirits and soft drinks.
The entertainment
REGULAR live music evenings are held on Friday and Saturday evenings at
The Stuffed Olive featuring guitarists, a saxophonist and professional opera
singers. These evenings are popular with diners who, as well enjoying
superb food, are treated to first class entertainment. Guitarist/vocalist
Chris Parker (pictured) is a regular performer at the restaurant playing
jazz, blues, rock, country, folk and classical.
188-192 Wellingborough Road
Northampton
NN1 4EB
01604 631631
www.thestuffedolive.co.uk
15
16
BUDGET REVIEW 2013
DAVID WILLIAMS IFA
CHANCELLOR George Osborne’s fourth Budget speech
lasted 54 minutes and, as usual, contained a raft of measures
as well as data about the state of the economy. There were
some positive measures for businesses, and smaller companies
in particular, such as the reduction in the new £2,000
employer National Insurance contributions, the cancellation
of the fuel duty rise and the proposed Growth Vouchers
scheme, while for all companies the swifter reductions in
Corporation Tax and improved incentives for investment and
research and development. Over the next four pages, experts
from some of Northamptonshire’s leading financial companies
look at the finer details of the Budget on behalf of Business
Times readers.
CHARTERED FINANCIAL PLANNERS
UNVEILING his fourth Budget since the coalition came to power, Chancellor George
Osborne promised that this would be a Budget for an ‘aspiration nation’ which
recognised that Britain had to work its way to economic recovery, saying: “We are on
your side.” Addressing MPs in the House of Commons, Mr Osborne announced a
range of measures, including tax breaks for businesses, help for homebuyers and
billions of pounds for infrastructure projects.
Summary of the main proposals
● Corporation Tax to be reduced by one per cent to 20 per cent by 2015.
● New employment allowance to reduce National Insurance bills by £2,000 for every
employer from April 2014, meaning 450,000 small businesses will no longer pay
National Insurance.
● Tax-free personal allowance to be increased to £10,000
from April 2014, a year earlier than planned.
● Single flat-rate pension of £144 a week to be brought
forward to 2016, a year earlier than planned.
● New ‘Help-to-Buy’ scheme offering equity loans worth
up to 20 per cent on newly built homes for anyone looking
to get on the property ladder, while a new mortgage
guarantee worth £130 billion will help those who cannot
afford a large deposit.
● Cancellation of September’s planned rise in fuel duty,
while the planned rise for all alcohol duty will remain, with
the exception of beer duty which will be cut by 1p from 24
March 2013.
David Sparrow
● Tax-free childcare vouchers worth £1,200 per child to be
introduced.
Personal Allowances
THE tax free personal allowance is increased to £10,000 from April 2014 a year
earlier than planned. For the new tax year it is £9,440 but the level at which 40 per
cent tax is paid reduces to £32,010 bringing more people into 40 per cent taxation.
Above £100,000 a marginal tax rate applies of 60 per cent up to £118,880 caused by
a reduction in your personal allowance. You can avoid higher rates of tax with
careful planning.
Duty
MR Osborne announced that September’s planned rise in
fuel duty has been cancelled.
There was good news for beer drinkers, with the
Chancellor announcing that April’s planned 3p rise in beer
duty was being scrapped. In addition to this, beer duty
would also be cut by 1p. The duty escalator will remain in
place for wine, cider and spirits, however.
Business and enterprise
CORPORATION Tax will be cut by one per cent to 20 per
cent by April 2015, with the Chancellor saying that this
Ian Lowe
would show that ‘Britain is open for business’. This
reduction will be offset by increasing the bank levy to 0.142 per cent. A new employer
allowance will be introduced in April 2014, reducing National Insurance bills by
£2,000 for every employer in the country. Mr Osborne said this would result in
around 450,000 small businesses paying no National Insurance at all. This may help
towards the cost of the new auto enrolment pension schemes all employers will
need to establish for employees.
Pensions and benefits
MR Osborne announced that a single flat-rate pension of
£144 a week would be brought forward a year to 2016.
Legislation will be included in the Finance Bill 2013 to
increase the private pension drawdown limits from 26
March 2013. This will help those individuals who chose to
draw income from their pension funds rather than
purchase a pension income at the current historic low
pension rates
Rewarding working families, the Chancellor also
announced plans to introduce tax-free childcare vouchers
worth up to £1,200 per child.
Nick Beal
He also announced that social care costs for the elderly
will be capped at £72,000 from 2016.
The government is looking to reduce the contributions that companies and individuals
pay into pensions to increase the taxes collected. As one of the few ways of legitimately
avoiding higher rates of tax, a pension should always be part of an individual’s
retirement plans.
Homes and infrastructure
ONE of Mr Osborne’s key announcements in this area was
the launch of a new £3.5 billion ‘Help-to-Buy’ scheme,
which would offer equity loans worth up to 20 per cent on
newly built homes to anyone who can put down five per
cent of the deposit from their own savings.
The Government is also launching a new mortgage
guarantee scheme.
Contact our free mortgage service for independent advice
on the best schemes available.
Contact David Williams IFA Chartered Financial Planners
for independent advice on investments, pensions and
mortgages.
Phillip Cox
Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority
t: 01604 621302
e: [email protected]
Do savers exist?
W
ITH inflation
set to rise over
the
coming
months, savers
are concerned about the
erosion of their assets in real
terms. Unfortunately there was
very little to help savers in the
Budget.
National Savings certificates
- hopes dashed
In 2011 the government
launched tax-free, index linked
bonds which were hugely
popular because they guaranteed
that the real value of savings
is not eroded by inflation.
Unfortunately, the announcement
was that none would go on
sale for at least another year,
dashing hopes of savers.
Concession for Child Trust
Fund savers
CTF were set up with a gift
from the government for
babies born between 1
September 2002 and 2
January 2011. Up to £3,600 pa
could be added to these and
interest would be tax free.
However, they haven’t been
popular because of poor
returns and high fees.
Their replacement, the
Junior ISA, is more popular
because of better returns, lower
charges and greater investment
choice. Mr Osborne announced
that he would consult to allow
the transfer of funds from
CTC to Junior ISAs.
It’s getting bad if this has to
be item two of my report.
ISA allowances - increased
by 2 per cent-3 per cent
Stocks and shares ISA
allowances increased to
£11,520 from £11,280, cash
By Carl Elsby
Proprietor
Elsby & Co
Chartered Accountants
ISAs to £5,760 from £5,640
and Junior ISAs to £3,720
from £3,600.
Other investment incentives
Enterprise Investment Schemes
still offer 30 per cent income
tax relief on investments up to
£1m pa plus inheritance tax
relief, capital gains tax deferral
relief and tax free growth.
Venture Capital Trust
investments also offer 30 per
cent income tax relief as well
as tax-free dividends and tax
free investment growth.
Overall conclusion
It was as if the saver did not
exist. Absolutely nothing new
- I guess the Chancellor has
other priorities. I’ll end with
some good news for pensioners
who may have lost out some
years ago.
Equitable Life - a little cheer
for pensioners
When Equitable Life collapsed
in 2000, many investors lost
considerable amounts of
money on their pensions and
investments. Up to now,
compensation had only been
available to those who bought
policies after 1 September
1992.
Now, those who bought
policies before that date will
also be eligible for an award
of £5,000 with an additional
£5,000 for those on lower
incomes who receive pension
credit. These payments will be
made in 2014 and are expected
to benefit fewer than 10,000
people. Anybody who thinks
they may be eligible can visit
www.equitablelifemembers.
org.uk
contact Carl Elsby on 01604
678470, email carl@elsby
andco.co.uk or visit the website
www.elsbyandco.co.uk
Making the most of allowances
T
HE Chancellor of the
Exchequer made no
substantial changes to
Capital Gains Tax (CGT).
It is perhaps worth just
looking at the basic CGT
reliefs and allowances.
The annual exemption has
been increased to £10,900
from £10,600. The rates of tax
are unchanged - 18 per cent
for a 20 per cent basic rate
taxpayer and 28 per cent for
those paying income tax at 40
per cent or 45 per cent in
2013/14.
A rate of 10 per cent is
applied to gains qualifying for
entrepreneur’s relief. Transfer
of assets between married
persons or civil partners are
ignored for CGT. Some assets
are exempt from CGT, such as
the home (when there is only
one home), loan stocks and
betting winnings.
Often, CGT liabilities can
be reduced by planning in
advance, preferably earlier
than the week before the sale.
A transfer between spouses or
civil partners can maximise
the use of exemptions, lower
rates of tax or entrepreneur’s
relief.
The tax consequences
should be considered before
an investment is made as well
as when a sale is planned. A
loan to a child for a property
purchase might be more tax
efficient than buying a
percentage of that house.
Investment in a trading company
could qualify for enterprise
investment relief, which exempts
the eventual capital gain from
tax, if set up correctly.
Last year, the Seed Enterprise
Investment Scheme (SEIS)
was introduced. This is similar to
the well-established Enterprise
By Sue Leathem
Partner
JR Watson & Co
Investment Scheme but the
income tax relief is given at 50
per cent rather than 30 per cent
on investments up to £100,000.
This relief continues.
Capital gains realised in
2013/14 or 2014/15 can be
reinvested in SEIS investments
and will get some relief from
CGT but at 50 per cent instead
of 100 per cent. Gains on
shares that qualify for SEIS
relief are still exempt from
CGT. So money put into SEIS
investments can attract valuable
reliefs.
Confirmation that the
individual contribution for
social care will be capped at
£72,000 will help tax planning.
It is quite common for people
to divest themselves of assets,
in the hope of avoiding care
fees, only to find that the CGT
and inheritance tax bills have
increased. With a cap, the
alternatives can be costed and
evaluated, against the £72,000.
Combatting tax evasions
remains a priority. The HM
Revenue & Customs publication
No Safe Haven details the
success to date with tackling
offshore tax avoidance and the
plans to go forward, especially
in relation to the agreements
with the Isle of Man and the
Channel Islands.
Some people use complicated
offshore arrangements to hide
income which has not been
taxed and this attack is aimed
at them. To make sure you do
not inadvertently fall foul of
the
law,
make
sure
that you understand the UK
tax consequences of your
continental holiday home,
offshore bank account or
investment bond.
Overall, not much change,
little excitement but no
despondency.
Sue Leathem can be
contacted on 01604 630745.
G
Key points that could
help businesses
Osborne
EORGE
chose the day of this
year’s Budget to post
his first Tweet.
In it he promised a Budget
‘that tackles the economy’s
problems head on helping
those who want to work hard
and get on’.
So what did he have in his
red box that would do this?
Certainly the 1p off a pint of
beer was not going to solve
the country’s problems, so we
have gone through the full
Budget statement and picked
out the key points that could
help your business:
■ New £2,000 per year
employers’ allowance to reduce
employers’ NIC contributions
for all businesses from 6 April
2014.
■ The main rate of corporation
tax will be reduced to 21 per
cent next April and again to 20
per cent in April 2015, bringing
it in line with the small
companies rate.
■ Confirmation that the
Annual Investment Allowance
is to be increased to £250,000
for two years on qualifying
plant and machinery purchased
after 1 January 2013.
■ 100 per cent first year
allowance for low-emission
cars extended for a further two
years from 6 April 2013.
■ VAT registration threshold
is increasing from £77,000
per year to £79,000 and the
deregistration threshold is
increasing from £75,000 to
£77,000.
■ New income tax cash
accounting scheme for small,
By James Sweeney
BKS Accountants
unincorporated businesses
with receipts of less than
£79,000 per year.
■ Employment related loans the statutory threshold for
taxable cheap loans which can
be made to employees
(including directors) without
giving rise to a tax charge will
be increased from £5,000 to
£10,000.
■ Employee shareholder
status: as announced in the
Autumn Statement 2012, the
Government will introduce a
new employee shareholder
status giving individual
employees a stake in their
employer’s business.
Legislation will be introduced
in the Finance Bill 2013
exempting from CGT any
capital gains on the disposal
of employee shareholder
shares up to a maximum of
£50,000. Provisions will also
be included to reduce the
income tax and NI due on
the acquisition of employee
shareholder
shares
(by
introducing
a
deemed
payment of £2,000 for the
shares). Businesses will also
benefit from being able to
claim relief against the
acquisition of the shares by
the employee shareholders
where appropriate.
If you would like discuss
any of the above points, or
you would like discuss in
more detail how the Budget
will affect your business over
the coming year, please feel
free to contact me for a
free no-obligation meeting,
email jamessweeney@bks
accountants.com or call 01933
277432.
Positive measures, but some
big issues were left out
F
URTHER to the reaction
statement immediately
after the Budget 2013,
Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive
of Northamptonshire Chamber,
has studied the measures
announced and responded in
more detail.
“Northamptonshire Chamber
of Commerce realises that the
Chancellor of the Exchequer
faced a difficult task in the
Budget, given the need to
maintain fiscal discipline
while attempting to shift
resource toward growth.
“The Chamber was pleased
to see a number of positive
measures that local businesses
will cheer. For smaller
companies in particular, the
new (and automatic) £2,000
employer’s National Insurance
Contributions (NICs) reduction,
the cancellation of the fuel
duty rise, and the British
Chambers of Commerce
(BCC) proposed Growth
Vouchers scheme will stand
out. For all companies, swifter
reductions in Corporation Tax
(falling to 20 per cent in 2015)
feature strongly, as do
improved incentives for
investment and R&D.
“The Chamber is also
pleased that the Chancellor
heeded the accredited Chamber
network’s call to re-prioritise
expenditure, up to a point. The
moving of £15 billion from
current to capital spending is
good news, although this only
kicks in during 2015/16 – the
start of the next Parliament.
“There was no immediate
shift towards road maintenance
or house building, both of
which could have boosted
construction and business
confidence quickly. Also,
there was no large-scale action
to boost business access to
finance.
“While the Budget was
more pro-business than it has
been for a few years, the
Chancellor neglected to even
mention the big issue of
business rates or offer
incentives or further support
to help businesses to export.
“Northamptonshire Chamber
is also concerned that many of
the measures announced do
not come into force until
2015, which is just too far
away. Businesses, and our
economy, need help urgently.”
BUDGET REVIEW 2013
Little room to
manoeuvre
17
M
R
Osborne’s
fourth Budget was
on 20 March.
The parlous state
of the public finances that he
inherited from the previous
Labour government left him
little room for manoeuvre.
Consequently, we did not
expect very much in the
Budget, and we were not
disappointed. On the positive
side, there was some good
news on the income tax front.
Mr Osborne announced:
■ No new personal tax
increases
■ Personal tax allowance to
rise to £9,940 in April 2013,
the largest cash increase in its
history
■ Personal tax allowance to
rise to £10,000 in April 2014
The new 2013-14 personal
allowance will save £200 a
year in tax for an estimated 24
million people and will take
two million of the lower paid
out of tax entirely.
The new £10,000 personal
allowance in 2014-15 will
mean that three million of the
lower paid will be taken out of
tax entirely.
Cap on income tax reliefs
From 6 April 2013, individuals
will be capped at either
£50,000 or 25 per cent of their
income, whichever is the
greater, for a number of income
tax reliefs.
Tax avoidance
The Chancellor announced
measures to tackle tax avoidance
through the use of a new, wide
ranging general anti-abuse
rule. It is the first time that we
have had a general rule. The
new rule will be very wide
ranging and potentially could
catch a huge number of every
day arrangements.
By
Phil Harris
Principal
Harris & Co
higher rate of tax.
Child benefit charge
The Child Benefit charge
came in on 7 January 2013
and now charges the benefit to
tax for anyone earning more
than £50,000 a year.
Fuel duty
The planned fuel duty increase
in September has been scrapped.
Contracting out of NIC
If you have previously
contracted out of NIC, then
this will cease in 2016 and
your NIC contributions will
increase.
So it’s official. The business
community is facing a crisis.
The Budget has made one
thing clear for all small and
medium-sized businesses - it’s
time for every business to take
action to ensure their own
survival and prosperity. It’s a
worrying future for many
businesses.
Harris & Co has decided to
take an unprecedented step to
help their clients and the local
business community through
the tough economic times
ahead.
Following the Budget we
have created a 7 Point
Business Survival Action Plan
which details the key actions
any business must take to not
only survive, but to prosper in
this new economy.
There is no doubt we are
still in an economic crisis and
that can be either a threat or an
opportunity for any business.
We are determined that all our
clients and the local business
community, not only survive,
but take action to make it an
opportunity, that’s why we’ve
taken this step to create a
simple and easy-to-implement
Business Survival Action Plan
that will deliver real results as
long as the business owner
takes decisive action.
to request a free copy of the 7
Point Business Survival
Action Plan, contact Harris &
Co on 01604 660661 or visit
www.harrisandco.biz
Residence
The new statutory residence
tests come in on 6 April 2013.
Higher rate tax threshold
for 2013-14
The threshold at which the
higher rate of tax (40 per cent)
comes in is reducing from
£34,370 to £32,010, bringing
in even more people into the
Chartered Accountants, Tax and Business Advisers
How will the 2013 Budget
affect your business?
We’re here to advise and support your business
decisions. For advice on all aspects of this
year’s Budget and the implications for your
business contact:
Rachel Nutt on 01604 624011 or
To find out more visit
www.macintyrehudson.co.uk/budget
MHA MacIntyre Hudson is the trading name of MacIntyre Hudson LLP, a limited liability partnership,
registered in England with registered number OC312313. MacIntyre Hudson LLP is an independent member
of MHA, a national association of UK accountancy firms and a UK member of Morison International. The
term “partner” or “partners” indicates that the person (or persons) in question is (or are) a member(s) of
MacIntyre Hudson LLP or an employee or consultant of its affiliated businesses with equivalent standing and
qualifications. Further information can be found at www.macintyrehudson.co.uk/information.html
18
BUDGET REVIEW 2013
Nil rate band
freeze will fund
care costs cap
T
HE announcement
that inheritance tax
nil rate band will
remain at £325,000
until 2017/18 was made by the
Chancellor in his Budget.
The reason for the freezing
in the nil rate band is to fund
the reasonable care costs cap
of £72,000.
This, briefly, means that
the costs for long-term care
are capped at £72,000 if
your assets are below
£250,000.
The government is limiting
deductions of liabilities from
the deceased person’s estate in
certain circumstances.
Changes
The changes will bring
about new rules for the
deduction of liabilities to be
allowable or will restrict
the deduction so that tax
advantage resulting from
schemes or arrangements does
not arise.
Inheritance tax is changing
for spouses and civil partners
domiciled overseas.
This measure will increase
the amount that a UK
domiciled individual can
transfer to their non-domiciled
spouse or civil partner. This
By Andrew Robins
Proprietor
Robins and Co
Accountants
will increase from £55,000 to
£325,000, the same as the nil
rate band.
The non-domiciled spouse
or civil partner married to a
UK domiciled individual can
elect to be treated as UK
domiciled for inheritance tax
purposes.
Domicile is the place where
your father was born and for
inheritance tax purposes you
are deemed domicile if you
have been resident in the UK
in at least 17 out of 20
tax
years
of
income
assessment.
The rate for inheritance tax
is still 40 per cent.
All other reliefs remain the
same. There is still business
property relief, agricultural
property relief and the annual
exemption of £3,000.
If the annual exemption is
not used in the previous year
this can be carried forward as
well under all the normal
provisions.
If you are concerned about
paying inheritance tax, contact
Andrew Robins at Robins and
Co to discuss how to arrange
your circumstances to avoid
paying inheritance tax.
Telephone Andrew on
01604 769119 or email
[email protected]
Accounts Registered Auditors Taxation
Bookkeeping
Preparation of VAT returns
Business Development
Self-Assessment
Financial Planning
PAYE
Mergers and Acquisitions Inheritance Tax Planning
Company Secretarial
Capital Gains Tax
Services
Payroll Bureau Services
For a free
initial consultation,
please contact us at:
STERLING HOUSE 31/32 HIGH STREET
WELLINGBOROUGH NORTHANTS NN8 4HL
TEL: 01933 277432 FAX: 01933 272541
[email protected]
Some better news for
road users with fleets
W
ELL, to ‘aspirational
nation’ should we
add the rider ‘being
choked by a cash shortage’.
Although there were no great
surprises in the Budget, there
was some better news for road
users and those with fleets.
Fuel duty staying the same
is a welcome action, but with
the inexorable rise in fuel
prices we may not notice the
effect in our budgeting period.
It is forecast to cost the
government £1bn, but that is
likely to be recouped through
VAT on higher oil prices.
Vehicle Excise Duty - no
change. This maintains the
advantage for users with low
CO2 and hybrid vehicles.
The omission of any
comment on this in the budget
was not unexpected as many
commentators suggest that the
consultations on new road
prices models, tolls to you and
me, are well under way,
further confirming the widely
held view that road users pay
well over the odds in taxes
when compared to the
amount spent on the roads
infrastructure.
A welcome announcement
for all small businesses from
2014 was that there will be no
payment for our first £2,000
By Rob Higgins
Director
Green Motion
Northampton
of employers’ NI. It is forecast
that a third of all employers
will pay no Employers NI.
If you are in the fortunate
position to have to pay
corporation tax that will fall to
20 per cent from April 2015.
The budget has made some
positive moves towards small
business, but many people,
and I’m one of them, think
that a greater stimulus is
required, and that must be
combined with bank lending
being freed up.
The budget is more of the
same at headline level which
is where the criticisms fall on
George Osborne who insists
we will not have a triple dip
recession,
although
the
growth forecast has been cut
to 0.6 per cent, so no help there.
Vince Cable went on the BBC
to say that the government
can’t forecast how long
austerity will last, which is
rich when SMEs are regularly
asked to forecast for their
banks and explain all the
variances. If the government
can’t forecast, how can SMEs
be expected to?
If this is of no solace to you,
beer is going down and the
escalator has been scrapped
and we have more tax-free
income to spend on beer, but
we have to wait till 2014.
Rob Higgins can be
contacted on 01604 531025,
email robhiggins@greenmotion.
com or visit the website
www.greenmotion.co.uk
Positive aspects for the county
R
OB
Purdie,
the
Executive Director of
Northamptonshire
Enterprise Partnership, believes
one of the most significant
aspects of the budget for the
county is the acceptance of
almost all of the Heseltine
Report.
“For Northamptonshire,
what is most significant is the
acceptance of almost all of the
Heseltine Report,” he says. “If
these recommendations are
realised at a local level, to the
extent recommended, then we
will be able to achieve huge
amounts in terms of supporting
local business growth.
“The promotion of national
economic development at a
local level will make a great
difference.”
On the Budget as a whole,
Mr Purdie says: “We wanted
to see a budget that would
give greater confidence and
Rob Purdie - good news for
Northamptonshire businesses
in the Budget.
certainty to the business
community and, broadly, I
think that’s what we’ve got.
“The planned £3bn increase
for infrastructure spending is
very positive. There is also
! Company Taxation
! Personal Taxation
! Corporate Finance
good news for Northamptonshire businesses in terms of
the cancellation of the fuel
duty increase, some welcome
reforms to making planning
laws
simpler
and
a
cut to employers’ national
insurance.
The
Northamptonshire
Enterprise Partnership offers
essential guidance, practical
assistance and a range of
funding opportunities for new
and established businesses as
well as supporting the creation
of better quality private sector
jobs for the county.
It works with partners to
promote Northamptonshire
as a place of prosperity.
Targeting internal and
external audiences is a key
objective and markets the
county as a competitive location
for business investment and
promotes development and
sustainable growth.
! Payroll Services
! Audit and Advisory
! Wealth Management
“Clear thinking where it counts”
Jubilee House, 32 Duncan Close,
Moulton Park, Northampton, NN3 6WL
Tel: 01604 645600
Fax: 01604 670076
[email protected]
www.hawsons.co.uk
BUDGET REVIEW 2013
Cuts to drive
UK economy
I
N A move that sees
George Osborne continue
in his plan to make
Britain as attractive as
possible for business the
higher rate of Corporation Tax
will fall to just 20 per cent by
2015, leaving UK companies
with a single rate of tax.
This was one of the real
positive messages to come out
of this year’s Budget. With the
higher Corporation Tax rate
falling to 23 per cent from
April 2013, 21 per cent the
following year and 20 per cent
from April 2015, the incentive
By Rachel Nutt
for owners of businesses to
Tax Partner
locate in the UK has never
MHA MacIntyre Hudson LLP
been stronger.
Compared to the rest of
As the rates fall, the options
Europe, which has an average
rate of 22.78 per cent, the UK for business owners in how
will continue to be a major they extract funds from their
companies will need to be
centre for entrepreneurs.
There are also other reviewed, especially when
benefits from the changes, considered alongside the other
and with change comes changes included in this
year’s Budget.
opportunity.
Over 100 specially invited guests,
including
current
clients
and
representatives from business, industry
and local government, attended MHA
MacIntyre Hudson's Budget seminar
where guests were able to mix business
with pleasure in the luxury of Aston
Martin's showroom at Newport Pagnell.
Pictured right: Kingsley Riding-Felce,
Managing Director Aston Martin (left),
and Richard Powell, MHA MacIntyre
Hudson Partner, stand by as Rachel
Nutt and Alison Horner, VAT Partner,
try out a six-litre DB9 Volante for
comfort.
In addition, having a single
rate will remove much of
the complexity in calculating
corporate tax liabilities.
As ever though, with
opportunity comes potential
downside. With a falling rate
of Corporation Tax, reliefs
such as Research and
Development Tax Credits will
be less, and there is also some
uncertainty as to how these
changes will interact with the
payments on account regime
for larger companies.
Again, careful planning will
be needed to avoid these
issues.
If you would like to discuss
any of these issues in more
detail Rachel can be contacted
on 01604 624011, email
[email protected].
You can also obtain a copy
of MHA MacIntyre Hudson’s
Budget Summary online at
www.macintyrehudson.co.uk/
publications or by email to
[email protected]
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
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“Grow your sales
& profits.....
...... & pay less tax.”
Head over to www.harrisandco.biz now
to find out how we can help you
Harris & Co
Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors
2 Pavilion Court, 600 Pavilion Drive, Northampton , NN4 7SL
01604 660661
[email protected]
www.harrisandco.biz
Help to buy scheme is
important incentive
for house buyers
19
T
HE major property
issue in the 2013
Budget was the ‘Help
to Buy’ scheme. Although not
a tax it is an important
incentive to house buyers,
presumably designed to
stimulate the construction
industry and the housing
market.
The new scheme is
available to all, not just first
time buyers, but only applies
to newly built homes worth up
to £600,000
Purchasers have to put
down a minimum of a five per
cent deposit, which is much
less than many lenders are
currently demanding.
The government will then
lend a further 20 per cent of
the value of the property
through an equity loan. So the
buyer will only need a
mortgage from the bank or
building society for 75 per
cent of the property value.
The government loan will
be a shared equity loan, which
means that the value of the
loan is linked to the property’s
value, so if the property
doubles in value then the
repayment will double too.
However for the first five
years the loan is interest free.
The scheme will be
available from 1 April 2013
for three years.
A further scheme will be
available from January 2014
By David Cairns
Partner
Hawsons
that will cover new and
existing properties. In this
scheme the government will
make guarantees to lenders on
a proportion of a mortgage to
encourage lenders to offer
mortgages with low deposits.
The main property tax issue
is the penal tax charges for
UK residential property worth
over £2 million, which are
held by ‘non-natural persons’,
such as trusts and companies.
These were announced last
year and although the stamp
duty land tax charge at 15 per
cent on the purchase of these
properties came in last year,
the annual tax and the capital
gains tax on their disposal are
both effective from April
2013.
The annual charge is a
significant issue, with the
charge ranging from £15,000
for a £2 million property up to
£140,000 for a property
valued in excess of £20
million.
There are a number of
reliefs available including
property development, investment rental and trading
businesses, properties owned
by charities or open to the
public, working farmhouses
etc.
The capital gains tax charge
will ensure that non-UK
resident companies and trusts
will pay tax in future on
valuable UK residential
properties. Owners of such
properties should review their
existing structures as soon as
possible.
Contact Hawsons Chartered
Accountants on 01604 645600
or
email
davidcairns@
hawsons.com
20
NEWS
A
ERIAL video and
photography services
are available through
CoptermotionUK to
clients anywhere in the UK.
Its multi-rotor helicopters
use sophisticated electronic
control systems to provide a
stable and level camera
platform. Even in windy,
turbulent conditions, the
helicopter is held accurately
in position with the help of 34
sensors including GPS and
electronic stabilisation. High
power digitally controlled
electric motors drive eight
propellers
contra-rotating
designed to cancel out
vibrations.
The cameras are mounted
on stabilised gimbals that
automatically maintain their
set attitude or horizon no
matter how the helicopter is
flying. From a joystick on the
remote control, the gimbal can
also be tilted to film vertically
downwards for spectacular
shots. Coptermotion can also
supply a machine that can
pan through 360 degrees
independently of the helicopter
under control of an independent
Aerial video at
its very best
The Coptermotion team of (l to r) Chris Gleave, Neil Simons and
© Business Times
Andy Greaves get ready for a shoot.
operator for ultimate flexibility. to enable a client to give
Live images from the on- direction.
board camera are transmitted
Still photographs and
directly to the pilot’s remote broadcast-quality, full-HD
control, enabling the desired video using the latest full-size
shot to be easily and quickly digital SLR cameras and
framed. An additional video video cameras can offer a
display can also be provided stunning perspective simply
not possible from ground
based systems.
Quick and simple to deploy,
the Coptermotion team can be
in the air and filming within
minutes of arriving on site,
keeping production costs to a
minimum.
Whether it’s video content
for a corporate presentation or
a website, still images for an
archaeological dig or a building
survey, or smooth panning
clips for a documentary,
CoptermotionUK is able to
offer the very best in aerial
video, for a fraction of the
cost of using manned aircraft.
contact CoptermotionUK on
01604
211360,
email
visit www.coptermotionuk.
com
Honesty and
Truck stop for rugby
integrity go a long team to meet sponsors
way in business T
T
HE Wellingborough
RFC Under 13s team
met their new sponsors,
Knights Of Old Group to be
presented with their new
training tops and jackets
before getting the chance to
sit behind the wheel of an
articulated truck.
The team, which consists of
18 players, four coaches and
two team managers met with
Paul Curtis, Air & Ocean
Director at Knights Of Old
Group who used to play for
Wellingborough RFC.
Emma Cooper one of the
Team Managers said: “We are
very grateful to Knights Of
Old Group for sponsoring and
supporting us this year.
Having such a recognised
local name on the jerseys is an
honour and being invited to sit
behind the wheel was a real
treat for the team. The team is
having a good season so far
and with this support and a
little more hard work from the
lads we hope to do our new
sponsors proud.
“The under 13s have had
many changes this year with
the team making the transition
from mini rugby to junior
rugby and playing on a fullsize pitch. The players have
adapted well and have enjoyed
this season’s battles with the
local teams. The highlight of
the season so far was making
it to the East Midland semifinal and they hope to take that
success on tour to The
Bournemouth Festival”.
Ian Beattie, Managing
Director of Knights Of Old
Group said: “Sponsoring a
local rugby team means a lot
to Knights Of Old Group. We
have an important role to play
within our community and as
a company which employs
local people we are hoping to
introduce the transport industry
to the next generation and also
use this relationship as a
platform to highlight the
dangers that HGVs can bring.”
Wellingborough RFC has a
thriving mini-junior section
from ages six to 16. All age
groups welcome new players
to the club on Sunday
mornings from 10am to 12
noon.
HE old adage that person who came up with the
people buy from people original idea, as with the
is so true, even more so Stephen Covey reference
in this economy, with trust and above.
My job, as your coach, is to
integrity playing a huge part in
create the awareness that helps
the relationship process.
Stephen Covey in his book you to learn and implement
The Seven Habits of Highly the key areas that will help
Effective People talks about you to improve. The worst
the emotional bank account thing I could do for my own
and how doing the right integrity would be to say ‘This
things, little special moments is my idea, or something I
developed’
and being a
because the
good person,
information
put in positive
is
readily
deposits to the
available, and
emotional
if I was found
bank account.
out it would
The withaffect
my
drawals are
credibility.
caused by not
The lesson I
doing the right
would
like
things, such
you to take
as being late,
away
from
not returning
this article is
phone calls and
that the way
poor service,
you conduct
etc.
yourself
in
The balance
Coach’s Corner
business,
is the strength
with Brian Wrigley
reflects upon
of
your
MP Growth
how people
relationship
expect you to
and the likelihood of a long-term relation- treat them and their business.
If you get information and
ship.
I am always reading, studying inspiration from someone
and looking at success books else, give them the credit they
and audiobooks, as well as deserve, it will reflect well on
studying successful people, you and show that you are
because it is important to learn someone who learns, grows
what works, what doesn’t and shares, instead of someone
work and what will help speed who leeches and takes where
they can.
up the process of success.
Call Brian Wrigley on
The important thing for me
is that when I share these 07736 112359 to find out
nuggets of information, I more or visit the website Wellingborough RFC Under 13s take delivery of their new kit
always give credit to the www.mpgrowth.co.uk
and get a chance to sit at the wheel of a Knights of Old lorry.
Guests get a taste of restaurant’s wine offering
A
Guests enjoyed trying the premier wines.
ROUND 25 invited
guests assembled at
The Stuffed Olive
restaurant in Northampton for a
tasting of premier Chilean wines
hosted by Concha Y Toro and
represented by Matthew Nutt.
The successful Mediterranean
restaurant, in Wellingborough
Road, has built an enviable
reputation over the past six years
for serving fresh, high-quality
© Business Times food, and the complimentary
hors d’oeuvres accompanying
the wide choice of full bodied
red and fragrant white wines on
offer reflected the restaurant’s
diverse and creative food choices.
Owner George Ozboyaci
said: “This event was very
successful and enjoyed by
those who attended. We are
planning to hold a champagne
tasting in the near future and
further similar events throughout the year.”
Gerald Larcombe’s
Aspers Diary...
April 2013
YOU can imagine the shock I received when
my marketing team started talking to me
about Christmas last week!
It’s only just turned spring and we’re
already discussing turkey breast and all the
trimmings.
With all credit to the team, forward
planning is key to our strategy. Within our
big plans for 2013 is a sportsman’s dinner,
which we hope will bring in new faces especially those that perceive a casino to be the
old stereotype. On Thursday, 2 May, we are
delighted to welcome the legendary Liverpool
and England footballer, Robbie Fowler.
Christened ‘God’ by the Kop, Robbie Fowler
is one of the most revered players in
Liverpool’s history, notching 183 goals in
an Anfield career that stretched over 369
games.
He is without doubt one of the most
natural goalscorers England has ever
produced and we are delighted to welcome
this superstar to Aspers for a night to
remember. We are offering two different
packages starting from just £59 per person
plus VAT.
For further details please call our
Hospitality Team on 01604 623580 or email
[email protected]
Also, if you’re reading this before 6 April,
you still have time (just) to enter our Easter
£10,000 giveaway competition. Just pop in
and see us and enter for free. Good luck!
Lastly, our Clary’s offer for April is buy a
main course and get a second one for 99p!
So, whether it’s for Robbie, to win £10k, a
bite to eat or just to say hi, I truly hope to see
you soon.
Until next month,
Gerald
Aspers is membership free and open to those aged 18 or
over. Photo ID is required if guests look under 21 and
to join Aspire Loyalty Club.
Aspers encourages everyone to play responsibly - visit
www.gambleaware.co.uk
For more details visit www.aspersnorthampton.co.uk
NEWS
A luxury a business
can definitely afford
F
EW firms can afford the luxury of their own IT
department staffed by experts in everything
from building computer systems to troubleshooting should things go wrong.
But that’s exactly the level of service available in
the form of Dufeu IT Solutions, a company that
offers outsourced IT support to firms across
Northamptonshire and beyond, backed by
accreditation with some of the leading organisations
in the industry.
About to move into larger office and workshop
space within its current home at The Old Pump
Station in Finedon in order to cope with increased
workload, Dufeu IT Solutions has marked its
expansion by gaining Microsoft Silver accreditation
and a Business Trustmark from IT trade association
CompTIA.
Founded by Greg Du-Feu three years ago, the
company specialises in providing a wide range of
services to firms of all sizes, allowing them to
concentrate on their business without the headache
of running and dealing with issues within their IT
systems.
The company also offers managed print services,
Voice Over IP telephone systems, broadband and
connectivity and business continuity solutions - a
full package for a small business, allowing it to save
money and time by sticking with a single provider.
Greg said: “Every business now, however large or
small, relies on computers and IT systems and that’s
fine as long as you are using the right system for
your needs and as long as nothing goes wrong.
“What we provide is what an internal IT department
would provide within a large company - support
and advice at all times and fast response if things go
wrong - but without the overheads of extra
members of staff. Between the team members at
Dufeu IT, we have specialist knowledge in a wide
range of IT services, and our clients have access to all
of that expertise every time they call us.”
While troubleshooting and data protection is an
important part of Dufeu IT Solutions’ work, clients
also call upon the team to advise when they are
installing systems, adding hardware or software, to
back up data, and to train their own staff members
in using systems.
Benefiting from the in-depth understanding the
Dufeu IT Solutions team has, many clients find that
their existing systems are able to work more efficiently,
without large capital outlay.
“It’s not just about installing and maintaining
systems,” said Greg.“Sometimes, we find that a client
already has a perfectly good system installed, but
they maybe don’t understand what it is capable of,
and so they aren’t using it as effectively as they
could be. We can show them what their systems can
do, how they can use technology to streamline
processes, and so save them time and money
without large investment in additional technology.”
The Dufeu It Solutions team (l to r) Neil Catterill, Callum Baker, Ben Etherington and Greg Du-Feu.
© Business Times
The Microsoft Silver accreditation and the
Business Trustmark each demonstrate Dufeu IT
Solutions’ commitment to offering the best possible
service. The Microsoft award involved completing
various exams and assessments, and is awarded to
those offering services to small businesses.
Greg Du-Feu - set up the company three
years ago.
The Business Trustmark is awarded to those
demonstrating best practice within the IT sector.
“There is no governing body in our industry and,
within reason, anyone could set up an IT company,
regardless of their qualifications and expertise,” said
Greg. “It is important to us to show our clients
that we are reliable and trustworthy, that we know
exactly what we are doing and have the skills to
help them. We have chosen to do the training and
exams needed to get these accreditations because
we think if customers are putting their IT into
someone else’s hands they need to be able to trust
them.
“Your whole business is at risk if your IT system
fails - so it’s important you’re dealing with someone
you can rely on.”
21
22
NEWS
Popular event could go monthly
L
ADIES Nights at Urban
Tiger, the Northampton
gentlemen’s club, are
becoming so popular that the
management is considering
staging one every month.
“The most recent Ladies
Night, at the beginning of last
month, sold out a week in
advance,” said Karim Ayoubi,
the club’s general manager.
“Currently, Cabaret Nights
and Ladies Nights are held on
alternate months, but with this
amount of interest and the fact
that we are having to turn
away customers for Ladies
Nights, we may soon be staging
them every month.
“Ladies Nights and Cabaret
Nights are ideal for office
groups or just a crowd of
friends getting together for a
night out and with the events
attracting full houses there is a
terrific atmosphere in the club.”
Urban Tiger caters for all
types of events - office parties,
client entertaining, stag or
birthday parties. Group deals,
which must be booked in
advance, are available for a
minimum of eight people.
The luxurious surroundings
of the club in Abington Square
provide the perfect backdrop
for celebrating special occasions
or those just wanting to
relax with a drink and some
entertainment.
“We always look forward to
welcoming regular visitors as
well as new ones to the club
and helping them have a great
night out,” said Karim.
Urban Tiger is open
Tuesday to Thursday 10pm to
3am and Friday and Saturday
from 9pm to 4am.
about Cabaret and Ladies
Nights and other events at
Urban Tiger, visit the website
www.urbantiger.co.uk
A
The party to
be seen at
FTER many months
of
imaginative
refurbishment
work,
Sheinman
Opticians is proud of its new
bright and contemporary look
and invited a host of guests
along to a launch party last
month so that they could see
for themselves the work that
has been done.
Guests enjoyed a fashion
show with a 50s and 60s travel
theme, with clothing provided
by Bohemian Finds in Market
Walk. Saints stars Dylan
Hartley and Paul Diggin joined
the party, as did the Mayor of
Northampton, representatives
from the local Councils,
customers and representatives
from the optical sector.
The most recent work is the
fourth major refurbishment to
take place at Sheinman’s
premises, Turville House, in
Abington Street, named after
the company’s founder AE
Turville, who started the
company in 1915.
In harmony with the
Members of the Briggs and Forrester team, joined by Pam Nock
of Cynthia Spencer Hospice (front left), Macmillan’s Diane aspirations of those early
Saunderson (front right) and Saints coach Jim Mallinder (back days, today Sheinman utilises
some of the most innovative
right) with their Biggest Team shield.
technology in ophthalmology,
services firm Briggs and will take place at Althorp on
Forrester picked up the shield Sunday, 22 September. For
for the biggest team, having details on how to enter,
fielded a 144-strong contingent including as a business team,
or to pledge your support, visit
of pedallers,
Cycle 4 Cynthia 2013, www.cycle4cynthia.co.uk or
which offers riders the choice call Sue Bownass at the
of five, 25 and 50-mile routes, hospice on 01604 678088.
Businesses prove their pedal power
S
the
UPPORT from
business community in
Northamptonshire’s has
helped the county’s favourite
annual bike ride, Cycle 4
Cynthia, set yet another
fundraising record.
Last September’s event
raised an incredible £55,000
for its two benefiting charities,
The Friends of Cynthia Spencer
Hospice and Macmillan
Cancer Support in the county.
The news was announced at
the launch of the 2013 event at
Franklins Garden’s with
Saints coach, Jim Mallinder,
who participated in the 2012
ride at Althorp, presenting the
prizes.
Among those companies
which leapt into their saddles
were Carlsberg UK, British
Pepper & Spice, Cotters
Insurance and Mainland while,
for the second year running,
Northampton-based building
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John Sheinman with Saints players Paul Diggin (left) and Dylan
Hartley.
© Business Times
from retinal laser scanning
which has long since
superceded retinal photography
at Sheinman, through to optical
dispensers. iPad programming
allows customers to “try on”
virtually
from
glasses
Sheinman’s range of thousands
of frames and styles, replacing
the former video systems used
to aid the difficult yet absorbing task of choosing the right
frames.
John Sheinman said: “We are
very proud to be welcoming
everyone along to see our
premises and, as we near our
first centenary, we really do
feel ready to get the next century
of the practice under way.
Everything we do is based on
providing the best possible
outcome for our patients and
clients, whether that is in
clinical excellence, our customer
service or the range of services
and products that we offer.”
Sheinman Opticians is at
106-110 Abington Street,
Northampton, telephone 01604
626161 or visit the interesting
and informative website
www.sheinman.com for more
information.
Go now, while you
still have the chance
H
ERE’S the thing!
When I first started
in travel, one of my
ambitions was to fly on
Concorde. Time went by,
and I left it and left
it, always expecting the
opportunity to crop up at
some point. And then it
wasn’t there any more...
So, that led me to create
the Endangered List. A list
of places and experiences
that needed to be done
sooner rather than later, or
the opportunity could be
missed forever.
Top of this list is Cuba.
The biggest island in the
Caribbean, Cuba is famous
for its cigars, salsa music,
1950s American cars and
the revolution that gave us
Che Guevara and Fidel
Castro.
However, there is a
problem with Cuba. Right
now, it stands apart from
the rest of the Caribbean,
free of (contemporary) US
influence. There is no
McDonald’s, no Starbucks,
and no KFC. There are no
American tourists. The
economic blockade, first
imposed by the US
government back in 1957,
has left the country in a
virtual time warp. Those
1950s Chevrolets and Buicks
are often powered by the
engine from a Lada, courtesy
of the USSR’s patronage in
the late 20th Century. But
the Russians have left now,
and the country stands
alone and unique. Sure, it
struggles with certain
aspects, particularly with
regard to infrastructure
and a basic shortage of
consumer goods. Despite
this, Cuba’s tourist economy
is fairly robust and the
island offers a host of holiday
By Chris Bailey
Bailey’s Travel
possibilities, whether you
seek adventure, culture or
that perfect Caribbean
beach.
But, and this is the rub, it
will change, and soon. Under
the more enlightened regime
of Barack Obama, the USA
is making conciliatory noises.
However, I doubt the
Cubans will engage in any
meaningful dialogue while
Fidel Castro is still around.
Respect for the revolutionary
leader pervades every
aspect of Cuban life. He is,
having said that, a very old
man, and not in the best of
health.
So, at some point, the
Americans and the Cubans
will settle their differences.
The old Chevys will find their
way back to the mainland,
to be replaced by Toyotas
and Hondas. The US multinational brands will spring
up on every street corner,
and Mr and Mrs Wally
Wide from Spotweld,
Nebraska, will overrun the
island, turning it into “just
another Caribbean holiday
destination”.
Go soon, I say. Enjoy the
faded Spanish Colonial
splendour of Havana. Sip
on a Cuba Libre cocktail
and watch the sun go down,
while the Buena Vista
Social Club plays in the
background. Go soon,
while the soul of Cuba
remains unsullied, while
the spirit of revolution and
resilience still burns bright.
Believe me, within the
next five years, it will
probably change beyond
all recognition.
The
rest
of
the
Endangered List makes for
interesting discussion, but
that will have to wait for
another time. If you have
somewhere or something
that you’d like to add to the
list, feel free to email me the
details.
6 Pebble Lane, Wellingborough,
Northants, NN8 1AS
01933 441919
[email protected]
www.baileystravel.co.uk
NEWS
E
All aboard
MPLOYEES from
across Brackmills
climbed on board in
March to celebrate
the estate’s new bus service.
The newly extended bus
service - designed to increase
transport options, to encourage
staff to leave their cars at
home and to enable those
without their own transport to
seek work on the estate - is
part of a five-year, £450,000
investment by the county
council into estate bus
provision.
To support the new service
the estate, through its Business
Improvement District (BID)
Team building ensures everyone is working efficiently and happily together and, this month, pot of funding, has invested in
Teamscapes is holding a prize draw to win a team building event at Highgate House.
new bus stops, signage and an
W
improved road infrastructure.
Sara Homer, Chair of
Brackmills BID, said: “Since
becoming a BID people have
been asking us for better buses
and more transport options so
we are delighted to launch this
new service and to be working
with the council and Stagecoach
to do this.
“We are committed to being
as ‘green’ as possible and
consider this new service
essential if we want to encourage
as many people as possible to
leave their cars at home and
reduce carbon emissions. We
are also confident this extended
bus service will help people
across the county access
employment at our 150
23
businesses on the estate.
Ultimately, our aim is to
provide people on the estate
with travel choices and
options.”
David Farquhar, Assistant
Director
of
Highways,
Transport and Infrastructure at
Northamptonshire
County
Council, said: “We have been
working with Brackmills for
several years in a bid to
introduce more sustainable
transport. We have come
across obstacles, including the
withdrawal of Government
funding, so this is a milestone
and an exciting development.”
For details about the bus
service log on to www.
brackmillsindustrialestate.co.uk
Build on that team spirit
businesses
ITH
running
leaner
teams than ever
before and with employees
feeling increasing pressure to
deliver, it’s never been more
important to ensure that
everyone is working efficiently
and happily together.
Teamscapes is a national
team building company that
has been helping hundreds of
businesses do just that.
Teamscapes specialises in
experiential learning (learning
by doing) to inspire selfdiscovery and help individuals
learn how they can become
fully effective members of
their team.
This month, Teamscapes is
running a free prize draw
giving people the chance to
win a fully facilitated half-day
Teamscapes event for up to 12
people (minimum five people)
at Highgate House in Creaton,
as well as use of a fully
functional meeting room
and complimentary lunch
in the restaurant at the
venue.
As part of Sundial Group,
Teamscapes has been creating
bespoke programmes for
clients with great success for
many years and is one of the
few team building companies
that can prove to deliver a
return on a company’s training
investment.
Here are just a few things
some of the clients say about
Teamscapes:
- “The best team building
activities I’ve come across.”
- “Very professionally run
and hugely beneficial.”
- “Tremendous fun and
deliver
robust
learning
outcomes that translate back
into the workplace.”
- “The effectiveness and
simplicity of Teamscapes
never ceases to amaze me.”
If you’d like to hear about
how Teamscapes can impact
both your team and business,
call 01604 731790.
To enter the free prize draw
to win a free Teamscapes team
building event and meeting
package, register your details at
w w w.s undia lte a ms c a pe s .
com/times before 30 April Representatives from Stagecoach, Northamptonshire County Council and the Brackmills Estate
trying out the estate’s new bus service.
© Business Times
2013.
What’s happening at
Wellingborough School
A
LEVEL art student, Brogan North has been shortlisted for the
Saatchi Gallery/Sunday Telegraph Art Prize for Schools - one of
only 20 shortlisted from more than 13,000 students in 22 countries.
Sponsored by Deutsche Bank, the prize is part of the Saatchi
Gallery’s education programme which is committed to introducing
contemporary art to younger audiences. More than 4,000 school
groups have visited the gallery since it opened in October 2008.
The Saatchi Gallery will hold an exhibition of the 20 shortlisted
works from 16 to 23 April, there will be an opening night where the
winner will be announced.
Julia Hennessy, Head of Art said:“Brogan is a very talented student
and the Art Department feel that the achievement of being
shortlisted from such a vast entry means she is already a winner in
the School’s eyes. Obviously, if ultimately she won we would be
elated but we are all extremely excited about attending the opening
night and seeing Brogan’s work displayed in the Saatchi Gallery. This
is the first year we have entered the competition so we are very
proud of Brogan’s achievement.”
Garry Bowe, Headmaster at Wellingborough School, said:“Brogan’s Brogan North has been shortlisted for the Saatchi Gallery/Sunday
immense achievement in being shortlisted is testament to not only Telegraph Art Prize for Schools.
her own exceptional abilities but also to the inspiration gained from with the recent opening of the impressive facilities of the new Art
Centre and those planned in the Prep School this summer.”
the School’s Art Department.
The 20 shortlisted works can be viewed at www.saatchi-gallery.
“Brogan’s individual success reflects the growing reputation of
Wellingborough School art which has attracted even greater publicity co.uk/portfolio
01933
222427
www.wellingboroughschool.org
Cyclists aiming to fund new path
BETWEEN 2 and 5 April, led by the Headmaster, Garry Bowe,
a group of 12 teachers and parents from Wellingborough
School will be cycling the 300-mile route from London to
Paris to raise money for a new cycle path for the disabled
young adults who attend Hinwick Hall College.
Assistant Head Co-curricular Allen Ramsden sees the
venture as an example of how the School works with the
local community to mutual benefit.
He said: “Hinwick is one of the local organisations that
provide
opportunities for our pupils to volunteer their services
Allen Ramsden with some of the young people who will benefit
to the wider community. We need to help Hinwick in return
from the new cycle route at Hinwick Hall.
and, having ridden with the young people at the College,
there’s no doubt about the value of what we’re trying
to do .”
The School has developed its cycling activities in the
recent past, including cycle tours through East Anglia and
across the Brecon Beacons and the North Yorkshire Moors as
part of its Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.
Every penny raised will go to the charity because the
group are paying all their own expenses. Anyone wishing to
support the event can do so at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.
com/team/wellingboroughschoollondonparispedalpushers
24
BUSINESS PROFILE - PARKER’S DECORATING
Keeping it in
the family
W
Andy Parker with one of the company’s fleet of vehicles outside the
William Street premises.
Photographs © Business Times
HEN you’re looking for a name you can trust,
one that’s been around for 30 years is not a bad
place to start. Three generations of the Parker
family have been involved in building Parker’s
Decorating into what it is today, one of the best known names
in Northamptonshire.
Founded in 1983 by Roy Parker and his son, Barry, the firm
has grown into a workforce of 17 decorators, working on
projects from domestic decorating jobs to large-scale projects
for local councils, care homes and commercial premises.
Today, Roy is enjoying his retirement and Barry’s sons Andy
and David are part of the company, carrying on the family name,
with Andy taking on much of the day-to-day running of the
business. In the office, Barry’s wife Jenny works alongside Nikki
Haynes on the administration side, while his sister Julie Cowan
looks after the payroll.
Barry said: “It really is a family business and people all over
Northamptonshire know the Parker’s Decorating vans. We
have a couple of guys who’ve been with us almost from the
start and we have customers who ask for them by name now,
they’ve done such a good job in the past.
“When you’re letting people into your home or workplace,
you want to know they’re trustworthy and reliable and we’ve
built up a reputation, mainly by word of mouth, for the standard
of our work and our customer service.”
Parker’s Decorating offers the complete range of decorating
services - holding a large stock of materials at its base in William
Street, Northampton - including painting, wallpaper hanging,
paint effects, coving and Artexing. It recently invested in a high-
Andy Parker in the company’s well-stocked store room.
rise cherry picker so that it can carry out work at height on the
exteriors of buildings. Before that purchase came about, the
firm would have to hire a machine, increasing costs and often
adding to the time a job would take to complete.
“Now that we’ve got our own unit, we know that whenever
we need to work at height, we’re ready,” said Andy.“It was a big
investment, but it’s worth it and saves the customers time and
money. All the decorators are being trained in using it, training
is something we’re particularly proud of. Not every company
ensures that everyone they employ has learned their trade
properly the way we do, but we think it’s important.
“We’ve obviously been doing something right for the past 30
years, and long may it continue. I’ve got four sons of my own
now, so maybe they’ll be the next generation of Parker’s
Decorating.”
Congratulations to Parker’s
Decorating on 30 years in business.
We are proud to be associated with
the company and look forward to
continuing to work together for many
years to come
Andy, seated, with (l to r) Barry Parker, Jenny Parker and Nikki Haynes.
LEE WARREN
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
45 Lichfield Drive, East Hunsbury, Northampton
[email protected]
www.leewarrenelectrical.co.uk
Congratulations to
Parker’s Decorating on
30 successful years
in business
Harvey Reeves Road, St James,
Northampton, NN5 5JR
01604 755600
[email protected]
WE OFFER A COMPLETE
ELECTRICAL SERVICE
PART P GOVERNMENT COMPLIANT
CALL FOR A FREE QUOTE
OR FAST SERVICE NOW
MOBILE: EMERGENCIES 24 / 7 - 07968 083387
OFFICE: ENQUIRIES / QUOTES - 01604 701146
ALL ELECTRICAL WORK COMES WITH AN NICEIC CERTIFICATE
FOR YOUR PEACE OF MIND
WE’RE LOCAL, SO WHY PAY MORE?
FOR A TOP, PROMPT, CLEAN, EFFICIENT, QUALITY
ELECTRICAL SERVICE CALL NOW
FROM A BLOWN FUSE TO A TOTAL INSTALLATION –
WE DO IT ALL
Congratulations to all at
Parker’s Decorating on your
30th anniversary
from the team at
Barry Johnson Financial Services
9 PROSPECT COURT, COURTEENHALL ROAD,
BLISWORTH, NORTHAMPTON, NN7 3DG
Tel: 01604 879929 Fax: 01604 859063
www.johnsonfs.co.uk
NEWS
Be ready for
any eventuality
H
AVE you planned
your escape? I have,
in the past, touched
on
‘emergency
planning’ and the above
question is something we
should all know in our place
of work when a serious
incident such as fire occurs.
Anyway let’s focus on
planning your escape and the
role of a fire warden.
Our building only has one
exit - many shops and offices
do, do not be alarmed. There
are several factors to consider
and, again, your up-to-date
fire risk assessment will tell
the full story. Here are some
of the considerations:
■ How large are the premises
/number of floors/footprint
travelling distance?
■ Are there protected areas
created by fire doors?
■ What are the sources of
ignition?
■ Is there adequate warning
to fire (smoke detectors
throughout)
Complete a fire drill - this is
an opportunity to practice how
occupants would react in an
emergency such as fire.
Record in the site fire log
book, if issues occur, now is
the right time to find out.
Block or tape off one or
more escapes (make people
think differently).
Ensure occupants carry out
their ‘normal’ activities leading
up to the drill (we don’t want
a scene similar to Fawlty
Towers).
Monitor behaviour positive, quick, decisive action
where room checks and good
communication is evident - as
well as the not so good ponderous individuals, lacking
communication, drinking coffee
By
Mark Palmer
Director
Help and Safety
at Work Ltd
The Northamptonshire Business Event is the perfect place to network and meet new businesses.
and hanging around by the
exits - (this must be covered in
your report and the guilty
persons informed).
Could everyone hear the
fire alarm?
Were there any persons needing ‘assisted evacuation?’.
How long did it take everyone to arrive at the assembly
point?
Emergency
and
NonEmergency Role of a Fire
Warden
General duties in a nonemergency situation:
■ Check escape routes are
clear
■ Ensure escapes are clearly
marked and general signage is
in good condition
■ Complete weekly bell tests
■ Complete monthly emergency light flick tests
■ Check extinguishers have
not been used, moved or tampered with
■ Keep log book up to date
■ Stay on top of general
housekeeping
■ Ensure electrical appliances are not left on or stored
too close to combustible material
■ Ensure first aid kits and
general emergency equipment
is replenished/ in good order
■ Co-ordinate fire drills and
record findings
■ Help form emergency
plans for those needing
assistance
Emergency Role
■ Raise the alarm
■ Alert others
■ Ensure the fire services
are called (provide as much
information about the incident)
■ Turn the power off
■ Attack the fire if safe to
do so
■ Sweep the building (or
designated area) check toilets,
kitchens, stores rooms
■ Close doors and windows
■ Implement the predocumented plan for those
needing assistance
■ Proceed to assembly point
■ Liaise with the fire service
*Many of the roles listed in
the emergency role rely on
staff working together so good
team work and communication
are crucial.
Need help with emergency
plans, drills or training? For a
free visit and review, Mark is
taking April bookings, call
08000 838114 or email
[email protected]
Gala dinner marks centre’s
new commercial enterprise
A
N inaugural gala
dinner in March in aid
of Northampton Hope
Centre raised over £6,000.
Over 150 guests and
supporters, including MPs and
regional business leaders,
attended the black tie event,
25
at
the
University
of
Northampton’s Park Campus
restaurant in aid of the centre,
which provides support to
more than 2,000 homeless,
disadvantaged or vulnerable
people
from
across
Northamptonshire every year.
Vita Whitaker of Whitco at the gala dinner, with Mark Ferguson
of More Fire PR.
The occasion marked the
official launch of the Hope
Centre’s new commercial
subsidiary, Hope Enterprises,
which provides business and
consumer services including
catering, electrical PAT testing
and garden tool refurbishment.
Hope Centre Chair, Adrian
Pryce, said: “The Hope Centre
is taking on the challenge of
helping people in need
move from dependence to
independence. With our
supporters’ help we are asking
people
to
buy
Hope
Enterprises’ services, as by
doing so they help us to give
our clients the skills and
confidence they need to
re-enter the workplace through
training and apprenticeship
programmes.”
Vita Whitaker, Director of
catering equipment firm
Whitco and a Hope Centre
board member, said: “ Whitco
has supported the Hope
Centre for 18 years and we
have been thrilled to see it
grow from a soup kitchen to a
day care centre that not only
provides food, warmth,
accommodation and advice,
but also skills training and
assistance to help many back
into work.”
T
The time is right for
networking
HEY say timing is the
true art of comedy - but
the same could be said
for business, where everyone
benefits from some timely
advice, especially in tough times.
Which
is
why
the
Northamptonshire Business
Event at Kettering Conference
Centre this month, is likely to
hit the spot with so many
businesses, both those taking
part and those attending.
Taking place on 11 April,
the Northamptonshire Business
Event brings together a range of
top speakers, sparky seminars,
enticing exhibitions and vital
tips for SMEs together under
one roof.
Elaine Vandelli, Managing
Director of Northamptonshire
Business Event, said: “It is
more important than ever that
businesses are networking in
person with prospects and
customers. Exhibitions and
conferences are the ideal
opportunity for this.
“These are many activities
planned for this packed event,
and when you work in all the
networking potential, we’re
talking about a cracking event
which can directly help SMEs
survive and even prosper,
even in difficult times.”
The event is free to visit and
offers a full day of networking,
education, innovation and
face-to-face business, as well as
access to information to help
visitors grow their businesses.
The exhibitors will include a
range from across many sectors
and both exhibitors and visitors
can attend the workshops and
speed networking sessions.
to book a stand or register to
attend telephone 0116 240
2330, visit www.northampton
businessevent.co.uk or email
[email protected]
26
BUSINESS PROFILE - WELLINGBOROUGH GOLF CLUB
New look
for a
historic
golf club
M
EMBERS and visitors at Wellingborough
Golf Club are now enjoying the new
facilities of the refurbished ground floor
bar area in the clubhouse at Harrowden
Hall following months of planning and work.
As a Grade I listed 18th Century Georgian property,
The main lounge area at Wellingborough Golf Club has
been refurbished.
© Business Times
The imposing Georgian building has undergone careful renovation and refurbishment.
it was important that the interior design met the
stringent requirements of English Heritage while
allowing the club to modernise its facilities in line with
21st Century expectations, while making it a more
welcoming place to visit and socialise.
The refurbishment work has included new carpeting,
chairs and curtains, as well as the whole area being
repainted and the main bar being extended together
with a second bar being installed in the main lounge area.
A state-of-the-art coffee machine has also been installed.
Managing Director David Waite said: “We are very
proud of our wonderful Georgian building, but were
aware that certain parts of the ground floor were in
need of modernisation. The board took the decision
that, with a thriving membership, now was the best
time to make the capital investment in its own facilities.”
Another recent change at the club has seen the
catering return in house after being franchised for the
past 20 years. Executive chef Peter Hall joined the team
at Wellingborough from Woburn Golf Club and he has
been delighted that business is flourishing by wordof-mouth and the positive feedback from visiting diners.
Photographs © Business Times
“As well as our golf-playing members enjoying the
newly refurbished bar area, we anticipate that it will
also encourage new social members in to enjoy the
charm,character and ambience of the period property,”
said David.
Although a private members club, Wellingborough
Golf Club offers its facilities for conferences, seminars
and a variety of functions, including weddings - the
venue holds a civil wedding licence - anniversaries
and private parties at the spacious hall set in superbly
maintained grounds.
For conferences and seminars, the dedicated team
at the club can tailor a package to suit individual
needs for up to 80 delegates. All rooms have natural
daylight, with large windows overlooking either
the well-maintained gardens or course and are
equipped with mains sockets, flip charts, screen and
pc projector.
Wedding celebrations can range from small,
intimate, informal family wedding breakfasts to a large
event for up to 200 people in a customised marquee
within the grounds.
Pro Shop
PROJECT CO-ORDINATORS &
CHARTERED QUANTITY SURVEYORS
Proud to be associated with Wellingborough Golf Club
We are pleased to
be associated with
Wellingborough
Golf Club
Here’s to another 120
successful years
Tel: 01933 223307 Fax: 01933 442210
email:[email protected]
14-18 Hardwick Road,
Wellingborough,
Northants NN8 5AB
Spencewood - The Interiors Specialist
Creating stunning designs for your bar, restaurant or hotel.
From the floor to the ceiling, complete design and installation.
Our dedicated designers will listen carefully to you; so the space
we design, with your input, will accentuate your taste and style,
completed expertly, on time and budget
For a no obligation quotation, please phone or email
Assuring you of our best attentions at all times
Visit our showroom, telephone or email us
St James Mill Road, Northampton NN5 5JP
01604 753223
[email protected] www.spencewoodinteriors.co.uk
The well-stocked
shop caters for all
golfing needs, help
and advice.
There is an exclusive
Ladies Golf Studio on
the first floor where
visitors can
browse through the
extensive selection of
golf wear from Green
Lamb, JRB, Valerie
Herman and many
more.
Lessons may be
booked by
appointment with
professional staff.
Individuals, pairs or
groups are catered for.
Buggies (advance
booking advisable),
electric trolleys and
pull carts are all
available for hire.
IT solutions for businesses large and small
Installation, maintenance
and disaster recovery
Proud to be associated
with Wellingborough Golf Club
01933 426162
dufeu IT Solutions Ltd
[email protected]
www.dufeu-it.co.uk
S
BUSINESS PROFILE - WELLINGBOROUGH GOLF CLUB 27
Course that meets the
highest standards
ET in over 160 acres of quiet, secluded private
grounds, Wellingborough Golf Club’s 18-hole,
par 72 rolling parkland championship course
extends over 6,721 yards and is a test for golfers of all
abilities among the club’s 1,000-plus members as well as
visitors.
Back in 1999, the club made a £500,000 investment
to provide new greens, bunkers, drainage and an
irrigation system that included building a five and a
half million gallon reservoir. This resulted in the club
having the facilities to host year-round golf on greens
that meet USGA standards.
Access to the first tee is through the formal gardens
at the rear of the clubhouse. The 338-yard, par 4 first
hole is named The Gazebo - after the summerhouse
that stands in the middle of the fairway.
There are two par 3 holes - the 176-yard fourth called
Water Splash and the 163-yard 11th called The Bowl.
The club’s website highlights three key holes on the
course - the above mentioned fourth, along with the
335-yard par 4 eighth (Rookery) and the 295 yard, par 4
18th (The Hall).
In fact the 18th featured in a Today’s Golfer article on
great finishing holes last year. It read:“A driveable par 4
is always an interesting way to finish. The chance to
cover yourself in glory with an eagle or tap-in birdie
must be balanced with the potential for embarrassing
and destructive dropped shots if you’re errant off the
tee. With water protecting the green short and left and
no shortage of trees on both sides, a bash at the green
might be a little ambitious off the tips, but any solid
driver of the ball will be faced with a real decision from
the yellows. Harrowden Hall is the stunning backdrop
to the green and simply adds to the atmosphere.”
David Clifford is the club professional and, through
the well-stocked pro shop, can provide for members’
golfing needs and offer help and advice when
required. Lessons can be booked by appointment with
the professional staff, with individuals, pairs or groups
all catered for on the 10-acre practice ground.
The refurbishment work has retained the ambience of the
18th Century Grade I listed building.
Harrowden Hall
Great Harrowden
Wellingborough NN9 5AD
Catering is now back in house, providing bar snacks and
meals for members and their guests to enjoy.
Wellingborough
Golf Club
01933 677234
[email protected]
www.wellingboroughgolfclub.com
Proud advisers to
Wellingborough Golf
Club for the last century.
At Grant Thornton, we’ve always gone
about our business in a very different way.
Delivering a bespoke service to all our
clients is our primary concern and we
won’t offer you or your clients an ‘off the
shelf’ financial and tax solution. Far from
it. Our advisers take the time to understand
a clients’ individual circumstances and
aspirations. We believe it’s important to
provide flexibility to meet our clients’ needs,
to tailor our solutions accordingly and to
dedicate the right people to the job in hand.
For further information on our services or to arrange
an initial consultation, please contact:
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Director
T 01536 315426
E [email protected]
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28
BUSINESS PROFILE - WELLINGBOROUGH GOLF CLUB / TIME2DINE
Tony Rowen went along to find out what’s new at a favourite dining spot
Even more on offer
at country pub
The 15th hole at Wellingborough Golf Club.
Royal links to club
with a long and
varied history
W
ELLINGBOROUGH Golf Club was formed in
1893 by seven gentlemen who invited others
who might be interested to meet at 8pm on
Friday, 3 November in the Wellingborough Drill Hall.
In all, 29 men attended the meeting, and old Tom
Morris was engaged to lay out the first course on three
fields belonging to Nest Farm - what is now the Finedon
Road Industrial Estate. In 1923, a new nine-hole course
was constructed by Tom Williamson of Notts Golf Club
at the Bushfield Waterworks site - the present
Gleneagles Drive area of Wellingborough - and it
remained there until 1975 when it moved to its present
home at Harrowden Hall.
Work on the new course began in 1972, and it was
opened in 1975 with Harrowden Hall itself being
purchased for use as a clubhouse.
There has been a house on this site since the 15th
Century, owned by the Vaux family, who were created
barons by Henry VIII in 1523.
Over 100 years later, during the Civil War, Charles I was
a frequent visitor to Harrowden to play bowls with Lord
Vaux. A quaint old summerhouse (gazebo) close to the
bowling green is where he and his courtiers used to
refresh themselves after their games. The restored
summerhouse now stands proudly in the middle of the
first fairway.
Thomas Watson Wentworth, a son of Lord
Rockingham of Rockingham Castle, bought Harrowden
Hall in 1695, but two centuries later, the 7th Lord Vaux
was able to buy back the hall. He left the estate virtually
untouched apart from a chapel he had built in the
grounds. Lord Vaux died in 1935 and his daughter
became Baroness Vaux of Harrowden. She was married
to William Gordon Gilbey, the owner of a wine and
spirits group. On her death in 1958 the ownership
passed to her eldest son, Father Gabriel Gilbey, a
Benedictine monk.
In 1975 Harowden Hall was bought by
Wellingborough Golf Club to be its new clubhouse after
it had been saved from almost certain demolition by
Mr. A.J. Macdonald Buchanan.
Many congratulations to
Wellingborough Golf Club
on your special anniversary
Distributors of Beers,
Wines, Spirits
and Soft Drinks
01604 750040
www.middletonwholesale.com
T
HE Red Lion at Brafield-onthe-Green has, over the
years, been a regular port of
call of mine.
One memorable visit, 20 years ago
this year, resulted in my becoming
Editor of Business Times following
an interview with Publisher Alan
Spooner.
The paper, Alan and I are still
going strong, as is The Red Lion,
now part of the McManus Pub
Company empire.
Today, The Red Lion provides a
bistro pub dining experience while
still retaining the charm of a
traditional country pub, and back in
January launched its new Steak,
Chops & More menu, together with
a couple of Two For £15 offers.
This new menu offers a much
broader range and variety of dishes
and introduces a superior range of
local steaks, meats and chops to
complement the pub’s existing
favourites.
The menu is available from noon
to 10.30pm Monday to Saturday
and 9pm on Sundays, and is proving
particularly popular with lunchtime
diners, so my friend Anita and I went
along on a Thursday lunchtime last
month to discover its appeal.
Manager Gary Ha Yeung is
delighted with the response to this
new menu and the current Two For
£15 offers - two main lunch plates
for £15 between noon and 6pm, and
two courses for £15 for dinner after
6pm - and is recommending people
to book as he had to disappoint
drop-in diners on more than one
occasion last month.
No such problem for Anita and
me. Although we weren’t the first
arrivals, there was plenty of room to
accommodate us and the other
diners who arrived at regular
intervals throughout our visit.
Gary explained to us that the new
menu came about after talking to
customers and listening to their
thoughts over the past year, resulting
in the introduction of the new dishes
alongside
the
classics
and
The Red Lion provides a bistro pub dining experience.
favourites from the old menu that
have won many fans over the years.
With all the recent controversy
over meat products, The Red Lion is
able to reassure diners about the
meats in all the dishes on the menu.
“Our beef is sourced from local
farms where animal welfare
and husbandry is of paramount
importance,” said Gary. “This helps
to ensure a consistent tenderness
and delicious taste. Our beef has
been hung for a minimum of 28
days before being expertly chargrilled to customers’ liking by our
talented chefs on our new grills and
to our very exacting standards.”
The Steak part of the new menu
features flat iron, rump, sirloin,
air-dried rib-eye, fillet, air-dried Tbone and chateaubriand (for two to
share) ranging in price from £12.95
to £39.95. The Chops element is a
free range pork chop, apple sauce
and crackling (£12.95) and trio of
lamb chops (£14.95) marinated in
rosemary, thyme and garlic, and the
More aspect features surf and turf
(£24.95) and kitchen-pressed beef
(£10.50), lamb bhangra (£11.95) or
chicken (£11.95) burgers.
All grills are served with thricecooked chips, grilled vine tomatoes
and salad.
Not normally a lunchtime diner, I
felt duty bound to thoroughly road
test The Red Lion, and decided that
we should have starters and a main
course.
I chose haddock, cockle, lemon
and black pepper fish cakes (£6.50)
off the specials board followed by
the pork chop, while Anita opted for
red pepper, spring onion and
parmesan arancini with basil and
mayonnaise (£5.50), also off the
specials board, followed by roast
baby spatchcock chicken (£13.50)
with lemon, rosemary and garlic off
the main menu.
The portions of both the starters
and main courses were generous
and Anita and I agreed our meals
were delicious and good value for
money. Neither of us could mount
an assault on the puddings menu tempting though the selections
were.
The Red Lion has proved that it
pays to listen to customers, who, in
turn, have responded positively to
the introduction of the Steak, Chops
& More menu.
Evening diners can also enjoy the
delights of the new menu, while
Sunday roasts (beef and pork with
all the trimmings) are always popular.
Twenty years ago my visit to The
Red Lion was memorable for securing
a job. My memory of this visit will be
for the superb food, service and
ambience.
It has long been popular with diners, and now The Red Lion is offering something even more tempting with
its new Steak, Chops & More menu.
The Red Lion
Full menu service
Monday to Saturday: Noon to 10.30pm
Sunday: Noon to 9pm
Weekend Brunch
Saturday and Sunday
10am to 1pm
Brafield-on-the-Green
Northampton, NN7 1BP
01604 890707
[email protected]
www.theredlionatbrafield.co.uk
NEWS
29
Ensuring you MP salutes creation of 100 jobs
mark your place P
W
HAT’S in a
trademark?
I m p o r t a n t l y,
how does it
affect you and/or your business?
In reality, it could affect
your business quite a lot.
The simplest way to
describe a trademark is a word
or logo or even a sound or
smell (and if you are BP, even
a colour) that makes your
business stand out from its
competitors. It is the device
that makes your business
recognisable to the world at
large.
Trademarks are all around
us. You probably know and
recognise many companies
from their branding alone, for
example, the Golden Arches
(McDonalds), the bitten apple
(Apple Inc.), the Every Little
Helps of Tesco or the sound
associated with Intel Inside.
These companies spend millions
upon millions each year making
sure that we remember their
brands. Why? Simply because
we associate a particular quality
of product or service with
these companies and that, in
turn, persuades us to buy their
products or services. Those
purchases help generate the
goodwill associated with the
products or services, making
them more valuable and that,
in turn, generates more wealth
for the owners.
It follows, therefore, that if
you have a distinctive mark of
some kind associated with
your product or service and it
is valuable to your business, it
is worth protecting.
So, how do you protect it?
Trademarks are one element
of intellectual property. You
can simply tell the world that
the word, logo or sound is
associated with your company,
but there are significant benefits
to having a registered mark.
By
Stuart Southall
Chartered Legal Executive
Borneo Martell Turner
Coulston
The successful registration
of a trademark allows the
mark to become an asset of
the company. Like all other
assets it can be mortgaged,
loaned, licensed or sold, all of
which generate revenue for
the company. A registration
also assists you in protecting
the brand in circumstances
where an unscrupulous trader
tries to piggy back on to your
goodwill and reputation. It
also means that if you believe
that someone else is using
your trademark, it is down to
that person proving to the
court that they have not
infringed your rights rather
than you having to prove that
they have, as the registration
provides you with a prima facie
case without the necessary
burdens to prove.
Trademarks are defined by
the classes in which they are
registered. For example whether
they are particular goods or
services such as alcohol or
sportswear or professional
services.
As a result, it is possible, in
some circumstances, to have a
similar trademark registered
in different classes by different
owners. This in no way
diminishes the value of your
mark but it is important to get
advice on this.
Whether you register your
mark or are not, be aware that
a competitor (new or old) may
have a similar idea on branding
and apply for protection
through registration before
you do. If they get it, that may
cause difficulties for your
business going forward.
The general rule is that if
you register first you are the
owner (until someone can
prove you are not). If someone
copies your mark you do not
have to prove it is yours. All
you have to prove is that
someone has copied it.
In short, if you feel that you
have a trademark that is worth
protecting, get advice from a
specialist intellectual property
lawyer.
(Of course there are also
registered designs and even
copyright and depending on
the services you offer, patents
that can protect your business
and its ideas, too)
Stuart Southall is a
Chartered Legal Executive
and a part-qualified Trademark
Attorney working within the
Commercial Business and
Dispute Resolution department
of Borneo Martell Turner
Coulston LLP. If this subject
is of interest to you, please do
not hesitate to contact the
office on 01604 622101.
Centre closure leaves
firms seeking new homes
A
LTERNATIVE sites
are being sought for a
Wellingborough business centre after the landlord
gave all resident companies
three months’ notice.
Tresham College, which
hosts the Wellingborough
Innovation Centre at its
campus in the town’s Church
Street, sent the 10 firms based
at the hub letters on 18
February telling them it would
be closed by May.
The Innovation Centre
opened in 2002 after grants
from Wellingborough Council,
the now-defunct East Midlands
Development Agency and
Northamptonshire Partnerships
(now the Northamptonshire
Enterprise Partnership) funded
a complete refurbishment of
four floors of the Tresham
tower block. Oxford Innovation,
which runs the centre, and
Wellingborough Chamber president Alan Piggot describes the
loss of the Innovation Centre as a severe blow. © Business Times
Tresham also contributed cash
towards the project.
Almost 50 people are
employed by the 10 companies
located at the centre, while 11
other firms use the centre’s
meetings rooms and callhandling facility.
Alan Piggot, president of
the Wellingborough Chamber
of Commerce, said: “We
believe this facility has been
of immense benefit to
the business community,
providing
much-needed
accommodation for small
businesses and a centre for
young entrepreneurs to launch
their ventures.
“The loss of this facility
will be a severe blow not only
for the businesses and 45
employees that are located in
the centre, but also to the
wider community.
“We understand there
are other sites being sought,
but the very short notice
that has been given does not
give much opportunity for
Oxford Innovation or the
businesses to arrange alternative
accommodation.”
ETER
Bone,
the
Wellingborough MP, met
with local businessman
Mark Darnell recently to
congratulate him on the
creation of 100 jobs at Home
Instead Senior Care in
Higham Ferrers in the past
two and a half years.
Mark established Home
Instead East Northants with
Elaine Lomax in 2010 to
provide non-medical care for
older people plus support for
people living with disability.
“Demand for our services,
which are provided in the
elderly or disabled person’s
home, are on the increase,”
said Mark. “With a rapidly
ageing population and social
care funding squeezed, care at
home, which allows people to
remain in their own familiar
surroundings, leading a relatively
independent life, is going to
become more common. It’s
what the majority of people
and their families want and
with services such as ours,
they can now have it.
“Peter officially opened our
business and has taken an
interest in it ever since. He
was really interested to hear
how our business has created
so many jobs in such a short
space of time.”
Mark and Elaine are
extremely proud of their
dedicated and hardworking
team of caregivers who
provide a range of services
which can include helping
around the home, meal
preparation, personal care and
respite provision, as well as
specialist assistance with
Mark Darnell (left) welcomes Peter Bone MP to the Home
Instead offices, where 100 jobs have been created in two and a
half years.
dementia and Alzheimer’s care.
The
caregivers
also
accompany clients to medical
appointments, shopping trips,
errands and even social visits
to family and friends or days
out to places of interest.
The Home Instead service
is very different to the taskbased short duration care
visits so often featured in the
national media.
“All too often we read
about rushed visits but our
service is very different,” said
Mark. “Our minimum call
duration is one hour and we
match caregivers and clients
so that they share interests.
This is hugely beneficial for
our clients but means the care
work is far more interesting
for our care staff and
we attract excellent quality
caregivers.”
For more information on
Home Instead Senior Care,
call 01933 358708 or visit the
website www.homeinstead.
co.uk/eastnorthants
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30
NEWS
H
EYGATES Flour
and Animal Feed
has become the
fourth new sponsor
of this year’s Carlsberg UK
Northamptonshire Food and
Drink Awards joining the
previously announced Aspire
Hospitality, Collins Fresh
Produce and Newlands Farm.
The quartet join headline
sponsors Carlsberg UK, Booker,
British Pepper & Spice, Whitco,
Whitworth Bros Ltd, Explore
Communications and Electrolux
for a total of 13 awards,
including a new category this
year, the Independent Café/Tea
Room of the Year.
The awards, devised by
Northamptonshire Enterprise
Partnership (NEP), celebrate
the county’s food and drink
industry and recognise the
excellence of the dining venues
and reward those who work in
the culinary sector in
Northamptonshire.
Launching the fifth year of
the awards at Carlsberg UK’s
Northampton headquarters,
NEP Executive Director Rod
Purdie said: “Food and drink
is worth £1.5bn to the
Northamptonshire economy
and the industry employs
almost 50,000 people,” he
told an audience of some of last
year’s winners, sponsors, judges
and competition partners. “Its
value, therefore, speaks for itself.
“For us, the awards are about
securing and creating jobs and
businesses in the sector.
They’re also about safeguarding
the future of the county’s
young people as the industry
is great for entry-level jobs.”
David Bodily, of Carlsberg
UK, gave an insight into why
T
New names join
impressive line-up
the company is lending its
support again this year. He
said: “This is a fantastic initiative
that recognises the very best
Northamptonshire has to offer.
As a prominent drinks producer
in the county, we are delighted
that the awards are being
launched here, in the heart of
the brewery.”
Duncan Evans, of The
Saracen’s Head at Little
Brington which won last
year’s Pub or Bar Restaurant
of the Year title and whose
chef, William Mountain, was
named Young Chef of the
Year, spoke of the significant
impact that success in the
competition is having.
“In the week after the results
were announced, we were
getting seven times as many
daily hits to our website as we
had previously and that raised
profile was demonstrated by
the increase in the number of
people coming through our
doors. Even today we’re trading
around 20 per cent up on last
year, so winning the awards
has made a really positive impact
on our business and I would
urge anyone to take part.”
Awards’ co-ordinator, Rachel
Mallows of The Mallows
Company, thanked those who
have enabled the expansion of
the competition. She said:
“We are most grateful not
only to our existing sponsors
but also to those who have
joined us this year, and the past
four years have demonstrated
that this competition is
Artisan Local Product of the
Year - sponsored by Heygates
Flour and Animal Feed with
Image magazine
Artisan Local Drink of the
Year - sponsored by Newlands
Farm with Image magazine
New Local Product of the
Year - sponsored by Whitworth
Bros Ltd with BBC Radio
Northampton
New Local Drink of the
Year - with BBC Radio
Northampton
Restaurant of the Year sponsored by Whitco with
Business Times
Booker Food Pub of the Year sponsored by Booker with
Great Food Club
Independent Café/Tea Room
of the Year - sponsored by
Explore Communications Ltd
Aspire Chef of the Year -
Herald & Post
Young Chef of the Year sponsored by Booker with
Northants Herald & Post
Spice Chef of the Year sponsored by British Pepper &
Spice in conjunction with
Northampton College and
with WOW magazine
Community Pub of the Year Town - sponsored by Collins
Fresh Produce with the
Chronicle & Echo and the
Northamptonshire Telegraph
Community Pub of the Year Rural - sponsored by Collins
Fresh
Produce
with
the Chronicle & Echo and the
Northamptonshire Telegraph
Local Food Hero of the Year with Northamptonshire CPRE
and with Aspire magazine
The awards and their sponsors
sponsored
by
Aspire
Hospitality with Northants
Students rise to the challenge
HE County Schools
Challenge, a countywide partnership which
aims to raise awareness and
understanding where people
maybe targeted because they
look different or dress or
present in a unique way to
express their individuality, has
been launched in local schools.
The launch day at Huxlow
Science College began with
an introduction from Chief
Inspector Gary Ashton of
Northamptonshire Police, who
gave a brief history of the
County Schools Challenge.
Fire officer Mick Rodden,
from the Northamptonshire
Arson Task Force, then
showed two powerful and
emotive DVDs to illustrate
this year’s project, which is
based on the story of Sophie
Lancaster - a young girl who
tragically died through an act
of hate crime.
Sergeant Nickie Deeks
from the Northamptonshire
Police Hate Crime Unit gave
an overview of their work and
how involvement in the
Chief Inspector Gary Ashton with students embarking on the
County Schools Challenge.
campaign will help to increase unique product or service that
people’s awareness of the can help promote an important
issue.
message to help raise awareBen Thomas, Media Partner, ness.
Business Times, talked to
Finally, Sam Letts, head of
students about how local careers education at Huxlow
businesses can help them Science College, outlined the
develop a business plan and schedule for the rest of the day
encouraged them to think and showed the students a
creatively about producing a video of last year’s winning
Chef Steven Saunders with the awards’ sponsors.
invaluable in promoting our
excellent food and drink sector
here in Northamptonshire.
“We are very confident that
this year’s awards can only
build on that great work and
we simply can’t wait for those
entries and nominations to
start flooding in.”
To tempt the taste buds,
guests enjoyed some special
Comic Relief Awards biscuits
and a cake in the shape of a
giant slice created by the team
at The Stables Tea Room at
Canons Ashby.
Guests were also treated to
a cookery masterclass from
award-winning chef Steven
Saunders of Aspire Hospitality.
He created a healthy option
dish to pair with Carlsberg UK’s
Tuborg beer. With ingredients
provided by awards sponsors
Booker, Steven cooked up his
chicken skewers, satay sauce
and papaya salsa before inviting
guests to sample the finished
dish.
For more details on all 13
categories in the Carlsberg
UK Northamptonshire Food
and Drink Awards 2013/14
visit www.northamptonshire
foodanddrink.co.uk or contact
Rachel Mallows on 01933
664437 or email rachel@
rachelmallows.com
Career is starting
to blossom
A
N announcement was
made in the House of
Commons on 19 March
confirming
that
Moulton
College student Chloe Woolf
has been selected to represent
the UK in the Worldskills
competition to be held in
Leipzig in May.
To gain the selection, Chloe
has undergone a rigorous
process in which her
exceptional talent has been
thoroughly tested. The route
to the final has involved many
heats across the UK against
some very determined and
talented competition.
Chloe said: “It has been a
difficult few months but I am
overjoyed that I have been
lucky enough to beat so many
excellent competitors. I am
really proud to be representing
my country in the finals and
will be doing my utmost to be
awarded the winner’s medal.”
In her quest to be the very
best, Chloe has travelled far
and wide to enhance her skills
including a training session
with world renowned floral
designer Gregor Lersch.
Floristry tutors at Moulton
College are extremely proud
and delighted for this home
grown star; Annette Claybrooke,
curriculum leader for floristry,
said: “During my career I have
had the privilege of helping
many floristry students achieve
their career goals but the
exceptional talent of Chloe was
obvious from the beginning. I
am, along with everyone else
at the college, wishing her
every success in the final.”
Contact Moulton College
on 01604 491131 or visit
www.moulton.ac.uk
project to inspire them for this
year’s challenge.
The students then formed
into groups to discuss their
ideas and to think creatively
about producing a winning
concept. Local business experts
mingled with the groups to
encourage the creativity and
business capability in the
students and to offer advice on
marketing, presentation and
finance.
Isaac Woolls, Alex Daly,
William Parker and Jack
Pontin from class 8RAE beat
off the competition to become
the winning team and take
their exciting idea to the
county
finals
at
the
Lighthouse
Theatre
in
Kettering on Thursday 4 July.
Ben Thomas said: “This is a
fantastic initiative which we
and many local businesses
applaud. The youth of today
are the managing directors of
tomorrow and this experience
will show the entrepreneurial
spirit in each school so I am
really looking forward to the Talented young florist Chloe Woolf hones her talents ready for
the Worldskills competition next month.
final on 4 July.”
BUSINESS PROFILE - MIDSHIRES ELECTRICAL & LIGHTING
31
Bright idea has paid off
T
EN years ago Ben Fountain
and Mark Lyon left jobs
in the electrical wholesale
business to start their
own venture.
They believed that they could
put their in-depth knowledge of
the business to good use, creating
a local firm with a good local
client base and offering the best in
products and service, as well as
advice and guidance in an everchanging industry.
Midshires Electrical and Lighting
Ltd was formed, working from a
makeshift office in the unit in
Hartburn Close, Crow Lane
Industrial Estate that still houses
Midshires today - using the rest of
the space to store goods ready for
delivery or collection. In those
days, it was just Ben and Mark and
two members of staff, one in stores
and one delivery driver, working to
build the company gradually.
Things have changed rather
since then, and today Midshires
has a team of 20, with a fleet of
delivery vehicles and a warehouse
team, as well as a sales team, a
busy trade counter and, more
recently, an online store that
benefits customers both locally
and nationally.
In addition, the company is
about to expand into the unit
next to its existing warehouse,
doubling its capacity and giving a
Managing Director Ben Fountain
Mark Lyon.
clear statement of intent for the
coming years.
Managing
Director
Ben
Fountain believes the key to the
firm’s success is in reacting quickly
to changes in the electrical industry,
something that isn’t always typical
The Midshires Electrical and Lighting sales team - part of a company that is
constantly working to meet customers’ changing needs.
© Business Times
(right) and Operations Director
© Business Times
of that particular sector.
“It’s been 10 years and we’ve
built the company up from scratch
and we are delighted with how
successful it’s been, but it’s also
been 10 years in which the electrical
sector and customer needs have
changed dramatically, and we
have responded to that.
“Everyone is far more aware of
energy saving products now, that
includes the homeowner who
wants to install energy saving light
bulbs, right through to vast
warehouses where intelligent
lighting systems can save so much
energy and, of course, money.
We’ve made sure we’re ready to
meet those changing needs and it
has paid off.
“And, at the same time, we’re
always looking ahead to what we
can do to continue to help our
customers, and will go the extra
mile to come up with a solution or
a product that meets their needs.”
Excel Insurance
wish to congratulate
Midshires Electrical on 10 years in business
Shops and Retailers
Cafes and Takeaways
● Restaurants and Public
Houses
● Offices and Surgeries
● Commercial Property
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Manufacturing and
Distribution
Motor Traders Combined
Motor Trade Road Risks
Building and Construction
Goods in Transit
●
●
●
●
●
Public and Products
Liability
Employers Liability
Contract Works
Professional Indemnity
Directors and Officers
01604 250625
7 Bradshaw Street, Northampton, NN1 2HL
email: [email protected] www.excelinsurance.co.uk
Congratulations to Midshires
on 10 successful years
in business
You can proudly place your company at the
forefront of an industry which is more often
than not – challenging!
We are pleased to be associated with
Midshires - supplying their
communications and we are confident
that the company will continue to be
as successful for many more years to come!
From all at Davison Communications
218-220 Wellingborough Road,
Northampton NN1 4EQ
01604 634888
Any make and model of car and light
commercial bodywork undertaken
We can cater for private, insurance and fleet work
We are also able to provide a free courtesy car
or van from our range of vehicles, all included
with the service.
01604 784466
www.paulcoxpanelandpaint.co.uk
[email protected]
Unit 6, 8 Hartburn Close, Crow Lane
Industrial Estate, Northampton, NN3 9UE
BUSINESS TIM
32
BUSINESS PROFILE - MIDSHIR
Serving a range of custo
M
We congratulate Midshires Electrical on their
achievement of 10 years’ successful trading
Computer Software for Electrical Wholesalers
With 400 UK merchant users large and small our software
system controls their trading with:
■ Trade Counter and Account Sales
■ Sales Purchase and Nominal Ledgers
■ Stock
■ Pricing
■ Buying
■ Management Reporting and much more
We look forward to many years more of a warm
partnership with Midshires Electrical
IDSHIRES’customer base consists of
anything from large commercial
contractors and original equipment
manufacturers right down to the
DIY enthusiast who needs a new light fitting
for a newly decorated room.
Among its larger clients, it lists Billing
Aquadrome and St Andrew’s Healthcare, but
no order is too small and the trade counter is
busy all day with customers calling in to buy items
over the counter or to pick up pre-ordered goods.
A fleet of delivery vans keep the orders flowing,
with same-day delivery available on orders
placed before 2pm and next-day delivery for
all other orders, as long as goods are in stock.
A wide range of items are stored at
Midshires’ 6,000 square foot warehouse in
Hartburn Close, from cables and wiring
accessories to smoke detectors, electric hand
dryers and electrical testing equipment.
The sales and warehouse staff are trained so
that they can offer advice and guidance in all
products, their use and installation, so that the
customer knows they are receiving the best
possible service.
Director of Operations Mark Lyon said: “We
have a policy of taking on staff at a very basic
level and starting them off in the stores or out
on the vans, so they get to know the products
and what the company does. From there, they
have excellent o
through the ran
and senior mem
straight from sch
training and pro
within the compa
Ramtac Computer Systems Ltd
R & R House, Northbridge Road,
Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 1EH
01442 878879
[email protected]
www.ramtac.com
●
24-hour emergency call-out
service, 365 days a year
● An
engineer on site within 2
hours (often sooner)
secured or repaired on
the first engineering visit - or
you don’t pay a penny
● Doors
● Intruder
● Access
alarms
control systems
● CCTV
systems
Left, Quotations Manager Karl Skalabrin. Centre, customers include The Co-op. Right, a customer’s order being picked from
● Security
Shutters/Grilles
Congratulations to Midshires on 10
successful years. We look forward to
working with you for many more years
to come
Tel: 01536 482187
Fax: 01536 411799
[email protected]
www.stanair.co.uk
Tel: 01536 410483
Fax: 01536 412631
[email protected]
www.shiresecurity.co.uk
Unit 2, Henson Way, Telford Way Industrial Estate,
Kettering, Northants, NN16 8PX
LITHO
& DIGITAL
PRINTERS
Wylex, the UK market leader in
domestic circuit protection, would like
to congratulate Midshires Electrical
on achieving 10 years of electrical
wholesaling success and we look
forward with appreciation to the
ongoing stockist support of
Midshires Electrical & Lighting Ltd.
For more information or to request a
visit from Wylex, please call our office
on 01543 455000 or speak to
Jonathan Roberts on 07771 958607
Proud to be associated
with Midshires Electrical.
Congratulations on 10 successful years in
business and all the very best in the future.
ke
Relax & let uurs ta
care of yo
printing needs...
Orion Way Kettering Business Park Kettering Northamptonshire NN15 6NL
Tel: 01536 411008 Fax: 01536 411859
Email: [email protected]
Many Congratulations
Midshires Electrical on your
10th anniversary and we look
forward to many more
sucessful years working with
Ben & the team
visit www.adventuregraphics.co.uk
give us a tinkle on
0121 354 1010
MES APRIL 2013
RES ELECTRICAL & LIGHTING
33
omers
The trade counter
and warehouse
team with
(second right)
Purchasing and
Stores Manager
Mark Stockman.
© Business Times
opportunities to move up
nks, we have sales managers
mbers of staff who joined us
hool and who have done their
ogressed to good positions
any.”
m stock.
Last Christmas, Purchasing and Stores Manager Mark Stockman (left) and Dean Barrett
from Midshires’ client Rolec, presented a cheque for £500 to Maggie Doust from Keech
Hospice Care .
© Business Times
E
All for a good cause
VERY year, Midshires chooses a
charity to support with a donation
around Christmas rather than
spending money on corporate gifts to
say thank you to clients.
Over the years, a number of cancer
charities, hospices and children’s charities
have benefited, each good cause chosen
from those suggested by customers.
“We decided a little while ago that
while it’s a nice idea to send out bottles
of wine or whatever as Christmas gifts,
no one is really too bothered about that
and we thought it would be better to
ask our clients to suggest a good cause
and say we’d make a donation to charity
instead,” said Ben Fountain.
“The response has been great, we’ve
managed to support some causes very
dear to people’s hearts and it seems
to make so much more sense than
spending money on token gifts.”
Midshires also supports a number of
local football teams, is a sponsor of the
Northampton Town youth academy,
local boxer Ashley Lane and a speedway
rider.
“We are a local company and
although we have a client base that
reaches across the UK, we are proud to
be part of the Northamptonshire
business community and so we think it’s
only right that we should put something
back wherever we can,” said Ben.
For a free
quotation
01604
637910
Suppliers of Intruder Alarms,
CCTV, Door Access Systems
● Installations
● Maintenance
● Monitoring
Suppliers of security systems to
Midshires Electrical and Lighting Ltd
43 Roseholme Road, Abington,
Northampton NN1 4TQ
01604 637910
www.beeteealarmsltd.co.uk
[email protected]
Laptops
Car, van & commercial service and
repair centre
Desktops
Servers
Networking
Problem Solving
All aspects of Build and Supply,
Installation, Upgrades, Repairs
and Problem Solving
Best wishes to Midshires
for continued success for
another 10 years
176 Towcester Road, Northampton, NN4 8LW
01604 700357
[email protected]
MOT Class 4,5 and 7.
Services for all makes with a
12,000 mile, 12-month nationwide guarantee
Congratulations to all at Midshires
on your 10th anniversary
Calmac Tyres Ltd
85, St. James Mill Road, Northampton NN5 5JP
Tel: 01604 757538
Fax: 01604 752061
www.calmactyres.co.uk
Working in Partnership
with Midshires
Exceptional People
Exceptional Customer Service
34
BUSINESS PROFILE - MIDSHIRES ELECTRICAL & LIGHTING
Intelligent ways of working
I
on 10 successful years
256 Wellingborough Road, Northampton
01604 633900
[email protected]
www.gianbiaz.co.uk
NTELLIGENT Energy Saving
Lighting (IESL) is a division of
Midshires, specifically set up to
help businesses make the most
of advances in technology.
It was set up to offer tailor-made
solutions to clients, combining
cutting-edge technology with
on-site testing that proves beyond
dispute how switching to intelligent
lighting systems will benefit both
CO2 emissions and energy costs by
up to 90 per cent.
The product range has been
developed with manufacturing
partners who are among the most
advanced and experienced in the
business.
Site surveys can be carried out to
assess existing lighting levels and
energy costs - taking into account
how many hours the building is
used - and compare that to the
savings that can be made.
Where a client shows interest, a
trial area can be installed so that the
client can see for themselves the
performance and actual energy
savings that are possible. If they are
happy, then the entire project
can be rolled out to individual
requirements.
The Sales and Accounts team (l to r) Jamie Faulkner, Daniel McElhinney, Marie
Barnes-Judd and Richard Asten.
© Business Times
Improvements to the lighting and
its performance make for a safer
and healthier working environment,
offering reduced glare, more uniform
lighting and specialised lighting
when and where required.
IESL can also help clients understand the help that is available for
small businesses from energy groups
such as the Carbon Trust and from
the Enhanced Capital Allowance
Scheme.
Both schemes offer financial
incentives to businesses looking to
cut carbon emissions and IESL helps
clients apply for and make the
most of the loans or allowances
available.
[email protected]
01604 644777
Private - Commercial - Industrial New Builds - Alterations - Extensions
We offer a Professional Service for all
your Planning and Building requirements
From Inception to Completion
Congratulations to Midshires on
10 successful years in business
Left, intelligent lighting sytems save companies money and energy,
and offer safer working environments. Above, the busy internal
sales team.
© Business Times
N. M. E.
SERVICES
Electrical Contractors
Specialist installers of electric
vehicle charging systems
Electrical Installation
■ Maintenance
■ Testing & Inspection
■ Healthcare, Education, Industrial
■
on your 10th Anniversary
01604 810343
[email protected]
www.thornelectrical.co.uk
Over 400 companies across Northamptonshire use
Starting Off to recruit and train their Apprentices,
trainees and graduates.
We are proud to have been associated
with Ben and Mark from Midshires
Electrical for many years and wish them
all the best on their 10th anniversary
Contact Starting Off:
01604 622855 l 01536 417373
on your 10th anniversary
We wish you continued
success in the future
30 Chartergate, Moulton Park
Northampton NN3 3QB
Tel: 01604 790254
BUSINESS PROFILE - MIDSHIRES ELECTRICAL & LIGHTING 35
Looking
back and
looking
forward to
a bright
future
L
OOKING back, Midshires can see
quite clearly the growing success of
the company, despite difficult
economic conditions for much of the
time it has been trading.
One of the things it is most proud of is
the longevity of a lot of its customers and
suppliers.
“When we get the sales ledgers out
from 2003 and we look at who we were
doing business with back then, there are
so many names that are still with us
today,” said Ben Fountain.
“Of course, customers and suppliers
come and go, sometimes they choose to
go elsewhere, sometimes, sadly, they’re
not around anymore, but the core of
both suppliers and customers is solid
and that suggests to us that we must be
doing something right - offering a service
they appreciate and a product range that
meets their needs.”
Another major factor in the success of
the company has been it’s proactive
approach to sales, particularly through its
online store.
Developing its website from an
informative site explaining carefully
what Midshires was all about into an
efficient portal through which customers
can check out the product range and
place orders online has been a major
project over the past couple of years.
A website and marketing team has
worked on streamlining the system so
that Midshires’ reach now extends well
beyond the county and surrounding
area, to customers across the UK and, in
some cases, within Europe.
“From the start we wanted to be at the
forefront of the business, embracing new
equipment and advances in technology
and ensure that we bring those to our
customers,” said Ben Fountain. “If we’re
asked a question we can’t answer, we ask
for a bit of time to look into it and
we endeavour to come up with an
answer that will meet that customer’s
needs.
“Things have changed dramatically in
our business over the past decade or so
but it’s up to us to stay one step ahead
and make sure we’re giving the best
product advice we can, making sure our
knowledge is good enough to be of
assistance to our customers.”
36
NETWORK NORTHANTS
One of the cornerstones of the Northamptonshire business scene is networking. Groups meet regularly to interact, improve their business links and socialise, from early morning
sessions to those held in the evening. But there is also another aspect to networking. Many companies advocate keeping services and suppliers local and calling on local expertise
whenever possible. By looking close to home for a service or supplier, businesses find the help they need, and in turn help their neighbours as well as providing a boost to the local
economy. Over the next seven pages, Business Times celebrates the firms in the county who are working together, networking and supporting one another to the benefit of both large
and small businesses.
Networking is the Getting the message
across for all to see
smart thing to do P
F
OR over 200 years,
Howes Percival has
been part of and has
made it its business
to look after Northamptonshire’s business community.
If longevity is any standard
against which to judge the
success of a business, then
surely working with other
businesses in the county has
stood the test of time.
Having personally worked
in
Northamptonshire
at
Howes Percival since 1986, I
think that the smart business
decision is to look to source
suppliers locally wherever
possible.
Why? There are some
obvious wins: being close to
your suppliers and customers
geographically makes it much
easier to work together to find
solutions when things need to
change or go wrong.
This is particularly applicable
in the service industries.
While much can be achieved
via email and phone communications, sometimes it is
crucial still to be able to meet
up to discuss a problem and
find a solution.
I know from experience that
having some real human
By Gerald Couldrake
Head of Corporate Law
Howes Percival LLP
contact will, somehow, produce
a better solution for a
client than a long-distance
communication.
My local clients appreciate
being able to phone up to ask
if they can pop in to chat
about an issue on their way in
to work or their way home. It
is something I encourage
because I know it produces a
better result for the client.
The significant benefits of
exploiting contacts that are local
to you rest in the softer areas.
Knowing the local bankers,
accountants, surveyors and
the like can be an enormous
help to achieving a favourable
outcome, it smoothes the
process, potential pitfalls can be
discussed and talked around.
ROMOTING a business
can be done in many
different ways, but few
are as striking as the new large
roller blinds now on offer
from Northampton company
Saxon Blinds.
Last year saw the launch of
Saxon Blinds’ new redesigned
website, complete with easy
to navigate sections with
dropdown and sidebar menus.
Since its introduction the
company has added even
more products, features and
services to the business,
including large commercial
Although that can happen digitally printed roller blinds
during a phone conversation that can incorporate a
with someone in London or corporate message or logos.
Birmingham, in reality you
Popular
are much more likely to get a
good result if you are dealing
The blinds have quickly
with someone who you have become one of Saxon Blinds’
got to know, and have a most popular products.
relationship with, a rapport
Mark Grainger, Managing
with, on a very basic human Director of Saxon Blinds, said:
level.
“Retailers, hotels, football
So,
networking
in clubs, car dealerships, motor
Northamptonshire? It is what racing circuits, theatres,
we do every minute of every museums and libraries have
day. If you want your business all seized the opportunity to
to still be around in 200 years raise brand awareness either
time then, to me, it is the through shading of a window,
smart thing to do.
dividing a room or screening
Howes Percival can be of a specific area.
contacted on 01604 230400 or
“We offer our customers the
visit the website www.howes flexibility of manual or electric
percival.com
remote controlled options on
these products. So, if you are
considering adding blind
systems to your new offices,
shops, or public buildings,
take a look at the opportunity
to raise brand awareness
through
your
window
coverings.”
Saxon Blinds manufactures
bespoke blinds for the
domestic and commercial
markets, from a simple roller
blind to a complete system for
schools, universities and
industrial premises.
In addition, it is the UK
outlet for both Wienor and
Brustor awnings systems.
For more information,
contact Saxon Blinds on
01604
601888,
email
visit the website www.saxon
blinds.co.uk
Mark Grainger has added more products, features and services
to the business in the past 12 months.
© Business Times
Celebrating 39 years in business
●
24-hour emergency
call-out service
● Personally
manned 365
days a year
● An
engineer on site within
2 hours (often sooner)
● Doors
secured or
repaired on the first
engineering visit - or you
don’t pay a penny.
● Intruder alarms
● Access control systems
● CCTV systems
● Fire
alarm systems
● Fire
extinguishers
● Nurse
call systems
● Security Shutters/Grilles
Unit 2, Henson Way,
Telford Way Industrial Estate,
Kettering, Northants,
NN16 8PX
Tel: 01536 482187
Fax: 01536 411799
[email protected]
www.stanair.co.uk
Tel: 01536 410483
Fax: 01536 412631
[email protected]
www.shiresecurity.co.uk
NETWORK NORTHANTS
M
AKING
the
most of what’s
on your own
doorstep works
two ways and Hitec Lift
Trucks is a company that
believes not only in serving
the local business community,
but also ensuring that it uses,
wherever possible, a supplier
close to home.
The company supplies a
vast range of products in the
materials handling sector,
from fork lift trucks to electric
and diesel access platforms
and warehouse racking, and
services include new and
used truck sales, driver
training, planned maintenance
programmes, a replacement
parts service, breakdown and
call-out service.
its
base
in
From
Wellingborough, the company
has built a reputation for
excellent customer service,
fast response times and
outstanding after-sales support.
Managing Director Prospero
Girardi said: “We supply the
best machines in the industry,
F
INDING the tastiest
and
most
treats
delicious drinks in
Northamptonshire has just
become as simple as
breaking eggs thanks to the
launch of the county’s new
food and drink directory.
The free book, which
contains more than 70 listings
of everything from sausage
and cider makers to bakers
and micro-breweries, also
details the farm shops and
farmers markets across the
county.
The directory, funded by
Northamptonshire Enterprise
Partnership (NEP), is the
creation of the Made In
Keeping it local
when possible
Joint managing directors Prospero Girardi (left) and Andrew Selbie
have placed great importance on local suppliers and services since
starting their company more than 25 years ago. © Business Times
from all over Europe, but we replacement unit where there’s
know how important it is for extra work or a problem with
our customers to have a good, another machine, or just
local supplier who can getting someone out to carry
respond quickly to their out a repair.
needs, whether that’s a
“For the same reasons, we
try to use local services
whenever we can, because
that way you build good
relationships and come to
know and trust your suppliers,
and it helps the local economy
at the same time.”
More information about
Hitec Lift Trucks is available
via its Facebook page, which
has been designed to include
not just news from the world
of lifting equipment, but
also to add a personal touch
and introduce visitors to some
of the people behind the
company.
More details about the
company are also available by
calling 01933 228127 or via
the website www. askhitec.
co.uk
Food and drink directory launched
Northamptonshire group,
the network established
by The Mallows Company
to support local producers,
retailers,
pubs
and
restaurants.
Speaking at the launch
event at The Saracen’s
Head in Little Brington,
Roy Crutchley, of Hoggleys
Brewery at Litchborough,
said he hopes that it will
prove to be a great way to
promote the very best that
Northamptonshire has to offer.
“The county has so many
fantastic food and drink
makers and outlets to shout
about and anything that
helps potential customers to
find us more easily, and
therefore support our
businesses, has got to be a
good thing,” he said.
Rachel Mallows, from The
Mallows Company, believes
the directory will be a further
boost to the sector, already
worth more than £1.5 billion
to the local economy.
“Thanks to the success
of the Carlsberg UK
Northamptonshire Food
and Drink Awards, more
and more people are aware
of the fabulous local offering
we have,” she said. “Now
there’s no excuse but to source
such wonderful quality items
as cakes and oils, biscuits
and apple juice right here in
the county.”
The free directory is now
available from farm shops,
delicatessens, country parks
and county attractions.
For more details, including
how to join the MIN group,
contact Rachel on 01933
664437 or email rachel@
rachelmallows.com
37
Firms thrive on
working closely
with neighbours
I
T’S good to be among
friends and, after nearly 40
years, it’s not surprising
that a business has made its
fair share of contacts.
Martin Wall, of Shire
Security and its sister
company Stanair Industrial
Doors, feels that Business
Times is the place to catch up
with a few familiar faces.
“It’s right to promote
networking between local
companies because it is so
important to support those
within your own area and
use their services wherever
possible,” said Martin. “I read
Business Times and I see so
many names that we regularly
do business with.
“Businesses thrive on working
closely with their neighbours
in the county, whether they are
providing services to those
local companies, or calling on
them for the services they
require, and interaction like
that is what makes the county
strong.”
Stanair is one of the leading
suppliers of security doors in
the region, offering customers
a guarantee that it will have a
door secure and operable on
the first engineering visit, or
the company will not charge
for the work.
Shire Security provides a
complete security package,
from emergency response to its
security systems to the design,
Martin Wall believes it is
important to support companies
in the county and use their
services wherever possible.
installation and maintenance
of alarms, CCTV and access
control systems.
“Networking, whether it’s
going along to meetings, or
just getting to know businesses
within the county is important
to us,” said Martin Wall. “It
helps us to promote the
business and makes us known
to potential clients, but at the
same time, it allows us the
opportunity to put something
back.”
Stanair Industrial Door
Services and Shire Security
are based on the Telford Way
Industrial Estate in Kettering,
telephone 01536 482187 or
visit the website www.stanair.
co.uk or www.shiresecurity.
co.uk
For the life you live
Our mobile showroom is now in your
area with a fantastic choice of blinds!
free measuring!
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
free fitting!
■
Venetian
Roller
Vertical
Pleated
Roman
Curtains and Shutters
Wooden
Awnings
Putting the finishing touch
to your home and office
01604
720793
beautiful showroom
www.first4blindsnorthampton.co.uk
112 Kingsley Park Terrace,
Northampton
NN2 7HJ
38
NETWORK NORTHANTS
Cutting car fleet costs
A
NYONE involved
in owning and
running a car or van
will be acutely
aware of the cost of fuel,
insurance, road tax and
servicing - none more so than
fleet managers who are
having to ensure they are
getting real value for money
for their motoring costs.
This is where Northampton’s
largest independent garage,
Superior Cars Ltd, can play a
key role in helping companies
to get a grip on their motoring
costs by offering sensibly
priced fleet maintenance
packages.
Superior Cars Ltd, based on
St Peter’s Way, has been
established for more than 22
years with the business being
built on customer recommendation and based on an ethos
of customer service and
satisfaction.
Superior Cars offers a wide
range of services including
servicing, MOTs, tyres, fourwheel alignment, all mechanical
repairs, electrical diagnostics,
air conditioning and so much
more, as well as used car or
van sales including warranty,
finance and part exchange,
but a growing side of the
operation is maintaining
fleets for a number of
companies.
“Compared with main
dealerships, our overheads are
considerably lower and we
are able to pass the savings
on to customers without
compromising the quality of
service we offer,” said Paul
Gosling of Superior Cars.
“Fleet customers have been
impressed with our service.
We are big enough to be
able to offer a complete
maintenance package for fleet
operators but are also small
enough to provide the
personal touch.
“We have no desire to
overcharge or do work that
doesn’t need doing. Trust is a
major factor. We have fleet
arrangements where the
drivers just drop in if there’s a
problem.
“They know it doesn’t have
to be authorised and booked
in through the company,
I
because I will only do the
work when it is necessary. I
won’t try to take advantage.”
Superior Cars has a 12bay workshop with nine
inspection ramps and some of
the most up-to-date diagnostic
equipment on the market.
As motoring costs continue
to soar, Superior Cars is
attracting new customers
from
in
and
around
Northampton for its fleet
maintenance service.
about the full range of
services offered by Superior
Cars,
telephone
01604
601601 or visit the websites
www.superiorcars.co.uk (a
new site will be coming soon)
and www.scsn.co.uk
Service rings the right numbers for clients
N a world where
communication is of
utmost importance, but
can also seem bafflingly
complicated, it’s good to
know there’s a friendly and
approachable local company
ready to make everything clear.
Dialect Telecom provides a
complete telecommunications
service, from installing a system
into new offices for a client,
through to double checking a
client is getting the best
possible value for money on
Dialect Telecom founders Debbie Tear (left) and Helen Ryan an existing service.
Founded by Helen Ryan
(right) with Emily Askew (Customer Services) aim to get clients a
better deal on their telecommunications services.© Business Times and Debbie Tear, the company
has recently moved into
Whitworths Chambers on
George Row in Northampton
and is finding its new home is
bringing a wealth of benefits.
“Telecommunications can
be very complicated and a lot
of businesses are not getting
good value for the services
they are paying for,” said
Debbie. “We aim to get them
a better deal and help them see
how, through transparent
billing and clear explanations
of our service, they can save
money.
“We take care of everything,
from installation of a new
Our people will
always go the
extra mile. At
Howes Percival,
it’s the law
● executive
coaching
● personal development
● independent guidance
● tangible results
Call 01933 664437 for more
details on coaching and
training services or email
[email protected]
Paul Gosling in the spacious and well-equipped workshop at
Superior Cars.
© Business Times
system to switching over to a
new provider or sorting out
problems should they arise,
and we do that efficiently and
with minimum downtime which is always a big worry
for businesses.
“Being based in Northampton
means that we are close to our
clients and get to know them,
so they can trust us and rely on
us to deliver what we promise.”
Taking that one step further,
Debbie and Helen have set up
the George Row Business
Club, a networking group that
meets once a month, usually
on Thursday evenings. The
April meeting, however, will
be on Wednesday, 24 April to
fit in with the availability of
the guest speaker, Business
Growth specialist Ben Kench.
“Organising a networking
event gives us the chance to
build contacts in the local
business community and
offers them the chance to meet
and socialise and, hopefully,
do business together,” said
Helen.
Contact Dialect Telecom on
01604 212258 and for
networking bookings, email
emily.askew@dialecttelecom.
com
FORWARD THINKING
PROVIDERS OF EXPERT
LEGAL ADVICE
01604
230400
www.howespercival.com
[email protected]
Whitco – helping you create the perfect kitchen
One of the UK’s leading specialist catering equipment companies, Whitco has
become one of the most respected names in the business. Our catering trade
customers value us for our broad expertise, wide portfolio and above all, our
dedication to ensuring every project runs smoothly from beginning to end.
Whitco Catering & Bakery Equipment Ltd, Cottingham Way, Thrapston, Northants, NN14 4PL
Tel 01832 735007 Fax 01832 734433 www.whitcoltd.com [email protected]
NETWORK NORTHANTS
Firm powers to
export success
F
OAM
Techniques
based
in
Ltd,
We l l i n g b o r o u g h ,
created much interest
amongst global generator set
manufacturers at the recent
Middle
East
Electricity
(MEE) Show in Dubai with
new acoustic insulation
products.
Blythe,
Joint
Neil
Managing Director at Foam
Techniques said: “I have
attended MEE for the past
four years, developing trade
links and networking with
strategic partners.
“This has contributed to
export orders to both Africa
and Lebanon, and generated
wider interest in Foam
Techniques as the company is
being recognised as a
market leader in the power
co-regeneration sector.”
Vinay Relan, Managing
and
Executive
Director
Chairman of Foam Techniques,
added: “We also supply to a
large number of the UK’s gen
set manufacturers and are
keen to work with local
companies.
“Buying from a local
company with an international
reputation means that you
have
convenience
and
accessibility combined with
the expertise and infrastructure
of an international organisation.
It makes good business
sense.”
Foam Techniques is a leading
Vinay Relan (left) and Neil Blythe head up an international
operation but are keen to work with local companies.
© Business Times
supplier of acoustic insulation
components to the power
co-regeneration sector.
It provides a wide range of
foam products in different
densities and specifications to
reduce noise levels at different
frequencies.
Foam Techniques assists in
the design process to ensure
that the components are
effective as possible at noise
reduction and manufactured in
the most cost efficient way.
Foam Techniques supplies
acoustic and thermal insulation
products for a wide range
of markets, as well as
manufacturing products for
filtration, medical, cushioning
and sealing applications.
For more information call
Foam Techniques on 01933
email
sales@
400096,
foamtechniques.co.uk or visit
www.foamtechniques.co.uk
39
Customers appreciate
the personal touch
W
ITH more customers
looking for a more
personal service these
days, independent retailers
like First4Blinds are finding
their share of the market
growing.
First4Blinds on Kingsley
Park Terrace in Northampton
is more than a blinds store,
it is an Aladdin’s Cave of
interior design ideas, full of
samples and displays that
show off its materials,
wallpapers, curtains and
accessories that finish off a
whole new look for the home.
And where the company,
run by Beverley and Allen
Houghton, has seen its
customer base grow in recent
years is in people who are
looking for the advice and
customer service that the
Houghtons and their team can
offer, while the commercial
contract side of the business is
also seeing signifcant growth.
“The past year has been
excellent for us, we’ve been
very busy and the soft
furnishings side of the
business has really taken off,”
said Beverley. “A lot of the
bigger furnishing stores and
national retailers have found
the recession difficult and
some
have
disappeared
altogether, and so we have found
that smaller, independent
retailers like us are where
people are turning when they
want expert advice and good
service.”
“People are spending
Beverley and Allen Houghton have seen significant growth in
their business as people turn to smaller independent retailers
© Business Times
for expert advice and good service.
money on blinds and home people are looking to spend
furnishings, but they want money, they are impressed
to know they are getting enough by First4Blinds to
good quality, not only in come along and see what we
material terms, but with have to offer.”
measuring, fitting and afterFirst4Blinds is at 112
sales care.
Terrace,
Kingsley
Park
“It’s a great position to be Northampton, telephone 01604
in, knowing that despite 715105,
email
info@
everyone finding it rather first4blinds.com or visit the
tough out there, that when website www.first4blinds.com
We understand
IT support and
IT maintenance
and how to make it work
for your business
Unit F31, Moulton Park Business Park,
Redhouse Road, Moulton Park, Northampton, NN3 6AQ
40
NETWORK NORTHANTS
New-look website demonstrates
diversity of the business
V
ARIETY, they say, is
the spice of life and if
proof were needed that
The Mallows Company’s
offering is as varied as
business life gets, look no
further than its new website,
marking 25 years in operation.
A visit to www.rachel
mallows.com shows that while
founder Rachel Mallows set
up the Bozeat firm in 1988
providing secretarial services
to local companies, its
expertise is now as diverse as
executive coaching, event
management, charity administration and media training.
“I’ve always been proud of
the way the company has
developed and grown over the
years and how we’ve never
been afraid to take on new
challenges,” explained Rachel.
“And it was when I came to
re-design the website that I
was pleasantly reminded of
the myriad services we offer.
“Now the pages aptly
E
VERYONE is looking
for a little bit of added
value these days, and
two of the most popular
networking groups in the
county are pooling their
resources to not only bring
Rachel Mallows is proud of the
way the company she started
25 years ago has developed
and grown.
reflect our work in improving
job-seeking skills among the
unemployed, public relations
and training in everything
from marketing to management.
“I’m also delighted about
our valuable role in promoting
the county’s food and drink
sector, so two sections are
dedicated to our more recent
successes in coordinating both
the annual Carlsberg UK
Northamptonshire Food and
Drink Awards, which we
launched last month for its
fifth year (see Page 30), and
the Made In Northamptonshire networking group (see
Page 37) which offers free
help and support to those in
the sector.
“In its own way, the website
is not only a great way for
potential clients to find and
access our many services, but
is also a virtual calendar of
our evolution across two and
half very happy decades in
business.”
For more details of the
range of services offered by
The Mallows Company, visit
www.rachelmallows.com or
email rachel@rachelmallows
.com or call Rachel on 01933
664437.
A cool service
W
ITH
warmer
fast
weather
approaching, a
Burton Latimer
business
is
ensuring
Northamptonshire organisations
are ready to keep employees
and computer server rooms
cool and working efficiently
as temperatures rise.
Griffiths Air Conditioning
provides regular service visits to
clients throughout the county,
ensuring air conditioning
systems are clean and working
as well as possible, but many
older systems, installed before
2003, still run on R22
refrigerant gas that will soon
be banned from use during
maintenance. These systems
need to be replaced with
modern energy efficient air
conditioners as soon as
possible.
Business
owner,
Ian
Griffiths, said “If air
conditioning systems are not
serviced, filters and coils
become blocked, restricting
air flow, which in turn uses
Ian Griffiths servicing a Daikin compact cassette air
conditioning unit for a customer.
© Business Times
more electricity than they
need to. Mould will also begin
to grow on the damp surfaces
of the indoor unit, which, if
not treated, will start to
produce unpleasant odours.
It’s also a legal requirement to
check for refrigerant leaks
Networking groups pool resources
people together but offer
much more besides.
The Business Club, run by
Mike Willis, and The Best of
Mike Willis and Vicki Masters are now working together to offer
even more to members of their organisations. © Business Times
Northampton, run by Vicki
Masters, are both popular
groups and each offers, in its
own right, added value to its
members.
But now the two are
working together to give
members even more - pooling
resources that perfectly
complement one another to
provide social media activity,
training courses and mentoring.
Mike Willis said: “We’ve
always offered great value for
money, for a small company it
works out to about £15 per
week, for which they get to
attend up to four meetings a
month, sales training, a
membership database and
business mentoring.
“What I’m not great at, by
my own admission, is social
media and Vicki is very good
at that. She also has a much
wider training portfolio, and
we’ll be offering more
courses as well.”
Although both organisations
are members of one another’s
groups, they are not formally
merging, merely working
together for the benefit of
both sets of members.
Vicki Masters said: “There
is so much networking going
on in Northamptonshire and
both of our groups are busy
and growing, but it’s important
to give something in addition
to networking meetings.
“We intend running courses
in all aspects of business
practice, holding workshops and
social events and marketing
through social media. There
will be some extra charges for
training courses, but other
than that, members will get all
this added value from the
same membership fees they
pay now.
“Both Mike and I are very
excited about this, we are
passionate about networking
and helping people grow their
businesses and hopefully this
is the start of something very
special.”
Contact The Business Club
on 01604 529173 or visit www.
thebusinessclubnorthants. co.uk.
For The Best of Northampton,
call 01604 626116 or visit
w w w. t h e b e s t o f . c o . u k /
northampton
which, if not identified early
and repaired, could result in a
compressor failure as well as
the leaking refrigerant gas, in
most cases, adding damage to
the world’s ozone layer”.
Current clients of Griffiths
range from large international
concerns with county-based
premises through to small
businesses with maybe just
one single air conditioning
system. Most air conditioning
manufacturers recommend
that maintenance is carried
out at least every six months
but Griffiths can organise
each individual service
contract to suit a client’s
particular requirements.
Service intervals in dusty
atmospheres
will,
for
example, need to be more
regular.
For a competitive quotation
on a new or replacement
air conditioning system or a
quotation for a service
contract, contact Griffiths
Air Conditioning, telephone
01536
420666,
email
[email protected]
griffithsaircon.co.uk
SATRA INNOVATION PARK
Affordable workspace for
new and growing businesses
All inclusive rent –
no minimum sign-up period
24-hour access
Car Parking
please contact Cathy Armstrong
01536 526400
Small Fleet, Vans and
Private Cars
Are you looking for a garage you can trust to maintain your
fleet of cars or vans? We are the independent garage that puts
the customer first. We have built our reputation for over 22
years on honesty and trust.
Shared desk facilities - ideal for
start-up businesses
Flexible agreements and
all-inclusive rents
We offer fleet & private customers a service that allows
you or your staff to deal directly with us. We already do this
for many of our fleet customers who love our old fashioned
values as they save them time and money.
Centralised telephone/broadband systems
This said, we are one of the largest and most equipped
garages in the area offering MOT Class 4 & 7, Servicing,
Brakes, Clutches, Tyres, Wheel Alignment, Dealer Level
Diagnostics & Electrical Repairs, Recovery,Courtesy
Vans & Cars + so much more
Dedicated and professional team
provide a range of support services
01604 601601
Rockingham Road, Kettering NN16 8JX
Fully serviced and air-conditioned
office space - 144 to 2,000 sq ft
www.superiorcars.co.uk
Conference and Meeting Rooms
for up to 40 people
For further
information
contact
Cathy Armstrong
01536 526403
NETWORK NORTHANTS 41
Passionate about New stockist display is
perfect finishing touch
growth in county P
I
T IS estimated that 18
per cent fewer Britons
are holidaying abroad
these days, and with
warmer seasons and day light
savings fast approaching; the
UK will once again be
collectively grabbing its sun
cream and heading out for
some much-needed outdoor
living.
Catering for people who
wish to get out and about is
what White Arches Caravans,
a family-run business based in
Rushden, does best. Started by
husband and wife team Peter
and Norma Sharpe in 1972,
White Arches has managed to
turn what was once a hobby
into what is now regarded as
the region’s premier caravan
dealership.
With 40 years’ experience
under their belt, White Arches
retails new and used caravans
and every accessory you can
think of via their extensively
stocked superstore. Benefiting
from dedicated heated showrooms, customers are able to
view caravans in comfort
while taking advantage of the
on-site coffee shop and
children’s play area.
Northampton-based web
design firm in.house.media
has worked with White
Arches for many years
supplying them with their web
design services and recently
developed a brand new site for
the caravan dealership
“Their existing site was fit
to bursting with content, such
was the extensive range of
products they wanted to
advertise,” explains in.house.
media’s Gavin Hills. “Our
challenge was to redesign the
site and make all of that
content as accessible and
ETER Crisp Design
Studio of Church Street,
Rushden has been
appointed stockists of Charles
Yorke kitchens.
The new display from
Charles Yorke will complement
the other 11 English bespoke
kitchens available at the
studio. The addition of beautiful
granite or Corian worktops to
grace the surfaces of the
kitchen will add the finishing
touch.
Peter Crisp offers full
project management of room
refits from re-plastering to
small building works, underfloor heating, electrics, gas,
plumbing, tiling and decorating.
As a main distributor for
Siemens and AEG, Peter
Crisp Design Studio offers in-
house cookery demonstrations,
when customers are invited to
watch the home economist
demonstrate the appliances
and get helpful tips to perfect
their cooking.
The next in-house demonstration will be on Saturday,
18 May when Siemens will be
demonstrating the benefits
of the induction hob, multifunction oven and a combisteam oven. To reserve your
place, contact the Design Studio.
As well as demonstrations,
Peter Crisp Design Studio
offers a bespoke service of
one-to-one
training
for
customers in their own home
once an appliance has been
installed.
On the first floor, there are
lots of ideas for an imaginative
and individual bathroom from
traditional bathrooms to wet
rooms, cloakrooms and shower
rooms.
As stockists of Sottini, Ideal
Standard, Imperial and Aqata
sanitary ware, the choice is
endless. Built-in furniture by
Mereway and Utopia gives
much-needed storage and
provides the benefit of hiding
unsightly plumbing.
Fitted bedroom and office
furniture are also featured in
the studio.
The Design Studio is open
from 9am to 4.30pm Monday
to Saturday and there is a free
customer car park at the rear
of the studio. For further
information telephone 01933
356424 or visit the website
www.petercrisp.co.uk
Gavin Hills (left) discusses the new website with White Arches
Caravans managing director Steve Sharpe.
© Business Times
engaging as possible.
focusing our growth and
“We’re proud to work with service
provision
in
local businesses such as White Northamptonshire.
We’re
Arches Caravans. They’re a always looking to work with
big name in the county local companies, and that’s
with customers and caravan something we’ve done since
enthusiasts travelling from all we started,” said Gavin.
over the UK to buy their
White Arches Managing
products. It was, therefore, Director, Steve Sharpe, was
important we provided a delighted with the new site.
website which effectively He said: “Gavin’s team did a
communicated their offering fantastic job redesigning our
and the indoor facilities they website. They’ve managed to
have that most other caravan keep the personal, family-run
dealers cannot offer.”
image we want to maintain
Established
in
1998, but not lose the detail on our
in.house.media, has success- extensive product range.
fully maintained a key focus What’s more, we can update Managing Director Julia Roberts in the Peter Crisp Design Studio.
on supporting and working the website ourselves quickly
with local businesses in and easily.”
Northamptonshire. Originally
To find out more about
based in Wellingborough and White Arches Caravans, visit
now
in
Northampton, www.white-arches.co.uk
in.house.media has built
Contact in.house.media on
customer advocacy throughout 01604 790007 to find out how
the county.
they can help your business
“We’re passionate about online.
© Business Times
42
NETWORK NORTHANTS
D
OING business with
the companies closest
to us is always good
for the local economy, and at
The Business Exchange in
Kettering, that is often taken
to the extreme.
Within the centre, on
Rockingham Road, there are
35 work spaces, offering
serviced
business
fully
accommodation to a wide
range of companies.
Over the 12 years it has
been operating, it has been
proven that companies within
the centre often do business
Centre for business
with one another - putting
networking to its best possible
advantage.
Centre Manager Cathy
Armstrong said: “The Business
Exchange is the perfect place
for businesses that may have
been started at home but
which are growing and need
more space, or for small
companies that are developing.
Flexible space options mean
that companies can grow
within the centre, moving to
Office space ranging from 100 sq ft to 700 sq ft is available at
The Business Exchange.
© Business Times
bigger space as and when they
need it.
“Because most of the
businesses here are relatively
young, they benefit from
being in a busy environment
and find that they build good
with
their
relationships
neighbours and often call on
each other’s services.”
The Business Exchange has
spaces ranging from 100 sq ft
up to 700 sq ft with realistic
rental rates that includes
heating, lighting and rates.
There is no minimum signup period and tenants benefit
from general maintenance, a
centralised telephone system,
broadband, conference and
meeting facilities and a shared
kitchen.
about accommodation available
at The Business Exchange,
contact Cathy Armstrong on
01536 526400 or email cathy@
thebusinessexchange.co.uk
59
Social media war
room set up in
rapid time
T
EKNET, a local UK
provider of computer
support services, is
used
to
pretty
receiving requests from
clients that require quick
turnaround, but every now and
again, they receive something
that is so extraordinary that it
really stands out from the
crowd.
“When social media experts
Chapel PR called us up and
requested that we spec, supply
and build their new social
media war room, we were
pretty happy that they had
selected us,” said Michael
Drury, Sales Director, “but the
challenge was to have this
implemented within a fiveday timeframe.
“The social media war
room is a place dedicated
to members of staff who
constantly monitor traffic
from social media websites,
Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn,
etc in order to focus
customer marketing efforts
and advertising campaigns
and ensure positive brand
awareness,” explained Jonathan
Roberts, Managing Director,
Chapel PR.
“TekNet were chosen to
provide these services to us,
due to their highly diligent
efforts in understanding the
business brief, positive input
into the project, and their
flexible can-do attitude.”
Timing was everything with
this project, the customer had
one of its largest clients’ US
board team in the UK and
before they would be
Bringing Northamptonshire’s
businesses together for:
Networking
● Training
● Mentoring
● Social Media
● Contacts database
● Workshops
● Social Events
●
The Business Club
01604 529173
www.thebusinessclubnorthants.co.uk
The Best of Northampton
01604 626116
www.thebestof.co.uk/northampton
Are you missing
valuable customer calls
when your landline doesn’t
get answered?
Do you know how
productive your staff are?
Do you wish you were
paying less for your
existing lines and calls?
Ready for action - the social media war room created by the
TekNet team in just one day.
willing to sign up to such a entire infrastructure was
large project, needed to see installed and operational, giving
a war room up and Chapel PR an additional full
functioning before they day of testing and perfecting
their demonstration.
returned home.
“It was an exciting and
“The pressure was really on
to see this project come to highly rewarding project to be
fruition in really tight involved in,” said Steve
deadlines,” said John Stronnar, Corns, Senior Infrastructure
Managing Director of TekNet. Engineer, “but the best thing
“We are not in the habit of of all, is that on the back of
letting customers down and everyone’s hard work and
Chapel PR had invested effort, Chapel PR successfully
significantly in us as their won their project.”
If you would like to know
partner.”
With the aid of its suppliers, more about this project or how
the TekNet team arrived on TekNet can help you with
site nice and early on the your technology and IT needs,
Wednesday of the week and telephone 01604 497600 or
by the end of that day, the email [email protected]
Rare chance to secure
laboratory space
A
RARE opportunity to
take laboratory space
in one of Kettering’s
busiest business centres has
arisen.
The space is available at
SATRA Innovation Park on
Rockingham Road after a
dental technician relocated to
new premises.
It would suit any company
carrying out research and
development work and comes
with all the benefits the Park
offers to its resident businesses.
Cathy Armstrong, Manager
of SATRA Innovation Park,
said: “Laboratory space doesn’t
become available that often
but our tenant has moved on
and this space would suit any
small business that needs such
space.
“While there’s usually office
space available, laboratory
space is at a premium and so it
will be a great opportunity for
the right business.”
SATRA Innovation Park
offers fully serviced office
space, from light and airy
offices to modern, shared
workspaces, with prices starting
from £150 per month. There is
no minimum rental period.
The accommodation also
includes meeting rooms for
both residents and outside
clients - perfect for those
working from home, or who
are on the road a great deal of
the time but who occasionally
need space to meet up with
colleagues or clients, or for
smaller businesses who don’t
have space for larger gatherings.
Space includes a conference
room for up to 40 people, a
boardroom for up to 12 people
and a smaller meeting and
training room.
There are on-site catering
facilities as well as broadband
and wi-fi and a range of
training equipment is available
to hire.
For further information,
contact Cathy Armstrong
on 01536 526403, email
visit the website www.satra
innovation.co.uk
Dialect Telecom Ltd
Whitworth Chambers, George Row,
Northampton NN1 1DF
Tel: 01604 212258
[email protected]
www.dialectdirect.com
The laboratory currently available at SATRA Innovation Park.
© Business Times
BUSINESS INSIGHT - CARE FERTILITY NORTHAMPTON
O
Delivering the future
of IVF today
VER the past 10 years, CARE Fertility Northampton has
become one of the most successful fertility clinics in the UK,
priding itself not only on excellent results, but also on its ethos
of understanding patients’ emotional as well as physical needs.
A strong team of highly experienced fertility professionals
work closely together to achieve one goal, finding the most appropriate
treatment that will give all patients the very best chance of a pregnancy. But
throughout the clinic, every member of staff is also trained to understand the
emotional intensity of trying to have a child and is ready to provide support
through guidance and counselling every step of the way.
Judith Byrne, who heads up CARE Fertility Northampton, part of a national
group that provides fertility services to private and NHS patients, said: “By
coming to CARE, patients are placing their trust in us. It’s a responsibility we
don’t take lightly. As well as being able to offer more treatment options than
any other UK clinic, a crucially important element of our approach is that we
have a team of experts who have experience in all treatments working closely
together to achieve a positive outcome.”
At CARE, investigations and tests are individual to each patient, ensuring
that treatment plans are tailored to give everyone the best chance of a
pregnancy, and that all couples are treated uniquely according to their own
individual circumstances and conditions.
CARE Fertility also runs a very successful Donation Programme. Patients
who need treatment with donor eggs now don’t have to go abroad for
treatment as the clinic has a wide choice of donors available with no waiting.
The CARE Fertility Northampton team (l to r) Ann Johnson (Office Manager), Jeanette
Robinson (Nurse Manager), Judith Byrne (Unit Manager) and Teresa Carr (Appointments
Secretary).
© Business Times
Cutting edge techniques and technologies
Chromosome screening
It is well established that chromosome anomaly is by
far the largest single cause of implantation failure or
early miscarriage. Approximately 70 per cent of
embryos produced either through natural conception
or IVF, are lost before birth. CARE has developed two
distinct approaches to chromosome screening testing the polar body of the egg; a Day 3 embryo
biopsy or a Day 5 or 6 blastocyst biopsy - to guide
patients on the different scenarios and which is most
likely to produce the best result for the individual
situation.
Gene screening test to identify risk of
miscarriage and implantation failure
Very recently a new genetic marker has been found
which predisposes couples to risk of early or late
miscarriage. If patients are found to carry this genetic
lettings specialists buy to let
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variation, there is a very high risk that any early
established pregnancy may miscarry. There is also a
potential risk for the early implanting embryo to fail.
This is an important test for patients who have had
recurrent miscarriage or failed implantation. The test
is available exclusively at CARE Fertility in the UK
Reproductive Immunology
For a successful pregnancy to occur, the woman’s
immune system must allow it. The embryo must
escape the usual immune surveillance. If this special
immunity fails, then the process by which the embryo
implants and is not rejected falters. Successful
implantation may therefore not occur and if
implantation starts, the risk of miscarriage may
increase.
Special tests may identify couples are at risk of these
problems. Treatment which stimulates the proper
immune response (immuno-modulation) in the mother
Medical Training Company Working
With Healthcare Professionals
Up-to-date, flexible and creative training to
meet your organisational needs, desires and
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Proud to be associated with
CARE Fertility Northampton.
Best wishes from all at Nigel
Davis Property Services
Proud to work with
CARE Fertility Northampton
01933 272292
ECG Training
Paddock House, The Stocks, Cosgrove
Milton Keynes, MK19 7JD
Beeswing House 31 Sheep Street
Wellingborough Northants NN8 1BZ
www.nigeldavislettings.co.uk
0845 423 8993
[email protected]
www.ecgtraining.co.uk
may then improve the chances of a successful pregnancy.
Timelapse embryo imaging
The very latest time lapse embryonic imaging
technology gives a powerful approach to the selection
of the embryos predicted to have the highest chance
of implantation in the womb.
CARE uses unique incubator technology that allows
embryos to be cultured without disturbing them to
check on their development.
This incubator has a built-in microscope and camera
system allowing ‘continuous monitoring’ of embryo
development using time lapse microscopy in multiple
focal planes.
CARE has now performed hundreds of IVF
treatment cycles with this new technology and the
team has developed algorithms, totally unique to
CARE, which have been proven to improve embryo
selection.
67 The Avenue
Cliftonville
Northampton
NN1 5BT
01604
601606
[email protected]
www.carefertility.com
43
44
FOCUS ON DAVENTRY DISTRICT
Daventry and the surrounding area is proving remarkably resilient in the tough economic climate of recent years. One of the reasons for this is the town’s central location which,
combined with the good access to the major road network, makes all parts of the county accessible. Another factor that helps the town to continue to thrive and grow is the huge
variety of companies that have made Daventry their base, from traditional manufacturing businesses to those involved in property, finance, recruitment and leisure. Over the next seven
pages, Business Times reports on some of the firms in Daventry and the surrounding area that are helping to make it such a buoyant region.
T
HE
commercial/
industrial market in
Daventry has proved
remarkably resilient,
despite the tough economic
conditions that prevail.
While the politicians in
Europe and the USA keep
kicking the can down the
road, the rest of us have no
choice but to get on with it keep calm and carry on.
The market in Daventry is
much more buoyant than
might be expected and,
having analysed our Deals
Done for the whole of 2012,
I was pleasantly surprised to
discover that, just in
Daventry, we have been
involved in no less than 53
separate transactions, including
lettings and freehold sales.
That represents a total of just
under 250,000 sq ft of floor
space.
Prospering
As has been said before, the
economy
is,
Daventry
undoubtedly, prospering and
has such a broad economic
base including manufacturing,
service industries, automotive/
racing teams, distribution/
logistics, commerce etc that it
has coped exceedingly well
during the economic volatility
of the past few years.
Long may it continue and
well done to all the strivers
and entrepreneurs for their
resolution and business skills.
Despite the dearth of bank
finance, there have been
quite a number of freehold
transactions, including units
of 10,618 sq ft in Alvis Way,
8,455 sq ft in Broad March,
6,437 sq ft in Lamport Court
and other smaller units in
the 2,000 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft
range at Stephenson Close,
Rutherford
Way
and
elsewhere.
The letting market has also
A pleasant surprise on the
number of lettings and sales
By Tony Drake
Director
Drake Commercial
performed, with deals on units
ranging from 1,800 sq ft
at Brunel Close up to 12,000
sq ft at Faraday Close and
at Crick.
While new leases still need
to be relatively short term and
flexible, e.g. three or five
years, it is apparent that the
incentives being offered have
slowly reduced as the market
has improved.
For example, rent-free
periods are usually down to
no more than about two or
three months and, in some cases,
have disappeared altogether.
Occasionally, competition
emerges for the same
building, which is very
encouraging.
Plans for the long-awaited
Daventry town centre scheme
by Henry Boot have just been
submitted
to
Daventry
District Council, to comprise
100,000 sq ft of retail and
leisure, 80,000 sq ft of food
store and 40,000 sq ft of non-
Two of the 53 transactions in Daventry by Drake Commercial in 2012 were separate lettings in
Magellan House, a 6,000 sq ft prestigious office building on the Heartlands Business Park.
food sales. Fingers crossed.
contact Drake Commercial on the website www.drake
For further information 01604 620616 or visit commercial.net
representative, Adam Seamark,
to focus specifically on the
sports and clubs market,
offering its range of more than
40,000 promotional products
to
teams
and
groups
throughout the county.
Tailor Made has its own
professional designer, Paul
Clements, whose strengths are
not just in the initial design
concept but also in the
production, to ensure the most
successful result is achieved.
Tailor Made also regularly
invests in new machinery to
meet customers’ needs and
has now added 3D CNC
rendering services to its
portfolio.
Clubs and organisations can
take advantage of the firm’s
comprehensive print or
embroidery services to add
logos to clothing, as well as
stocking up on promotional
items such as pens, key rings
and stationery.
Tailor Made has an
interactive weblink that
allows clients to view the
complete range, and create a
business is growing strongly
and we took on Adam to
concentrate on and support
those customers. We’re also
enjoying success in the
business sector because of the
wide range of items we can
produce.
“So when a company wants
its branding on its buildings,
its staff uniforms, stationery
or cars, we can do all that for
them, so everything is done in
one place and the branding is
consistent.
“It also helps to keep costs
lower by having everything
done in one place.
Established 12 years ago,
the family company offers
a comprehensive in-house
service for embroidery, printing, signage, vehicle livery,
workwear, personal protection
equipment,
design
and
engraving.
With a sports showroom
covering all the leading
brands, and offering a full
range of training equipment
for all sports there is no other
place locally that can offer
Keeping companies and clubs looking consistently good
W
HEN a business
looks good, it
creates a good
impression - whether that’s in
its building, its staff, its
vehicles or its marketing
materials.
At Tailor Made Signs and
Embroidery in Daventry, the
team can take care of all of
that, helping your company
not only look good, but keep
the
message
consistent
throughout yourbranding.
It’s not just businesses,
either, the company has
recently taken on a new sales
Adam Seamark has recently
joined Tailor Made to focus
specifically on the sports and
clubs market.
profile of bespoke products to
suit their needs. This gives
customers confidence to see
exactly what the finished
product will look like.
Joanne Pawlett, owner of
Tailor Made, said: “The sports
and clubs sector of our
We are pleased to offer a full range of facilities for the discerning user:
❑
❑
❑
❑
❑
Boat sales
Moorings
Chandlery
Dry & wet docks
Pump out &
launderette
❑ Calor gas & diesel
❑ Finance
❑ Engine repairs &
servicing
❑ Painting
❑ Signwriting &
decorative painting
❑ High pressure hull
wash & grit blasting
❑ DIY facilities
❑ Joinery & refits
❑ Upholstery & soft
furnishing
For full information contact Tim Coghlan at:
BRAUNSTON MARINA LTD.
Braunston, Nr Daventry, Northants. NN11 7JH
Telephone: 01788-891373
Fax: 01788-891436
Website: www.braunstonmarina.co.uk
this one stop shop facility.
Tailor Made is a DHLapproved supplier, supporting
national supermarkets, Fortec
Motors Sports - covering
racewear and vehicle wraps and supplies the local teams
Daventry Town FC, and
Daventry RFC, and many
more.
Tailor Made also looks after
bigger clients like Cummins,
and has great offers for
smaller companies right down
to one-man bands.
“We pride ourselves on
being
able
to
react
accordingly to everyone’s
needs,” added Joanne. “Our
effective management systems
mean that the job is fully
controlled and progressed in a
manner which saves time and
money both for us and our
clients.”
contact Tailor Made Signs and
Embroidery
on
01327
311125, email sales@tailor
made-online.co.uk or visit
the website www.tailormadeonline.co.uk
PN*P. *LP *N*
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45
46
P
Tradition will be
followed at rally
Golden business
opportunities
OLAND, a country
located in north-central
Europe,
has
a
population of 38.2 million.
Most of the country is a plain
with no natural boundaries
except
the
Carpathian
Mountains in the south and
the Oder and Neisse rivers in
the west.
The main exports of the
country are cars and car spare
parts, ships and furniture,
while the main imports are
raw materials, pharmaceuticals
and cars.
Business negotiations in
Poland adopt a reserved and
contemplative approach to
settling deals. Extended
periods of silence are not
uncommon and are an
essential part of negotiating.
Therefore, you should try not
to fill the silences with
unnecessary talk and avoid
pressing your Polish counterparts for final decisions.
Try to learn some basic
Polish words and greeting
phrases, for instance ‘hello’,
‘goodbye’ and ‘thank you as
well as using personal titles
where possible, or the basic
courtesy titles, Pan (Mr) and
Pani (Mrs), followed by a
surname. Wait for the other
party to initiate the move to
A
Doing Business Abroad
By Euan Temple
Temple & Co
Commercial Solicitors
Daventry
first names.
Polish
business
Your
contacts will welcome your
efforts and perceive them as a
gracious gesture.
When entering the meeting
room in Poland, if there are
present people you do not
know, wait for a third person
to initiate introductions. Smile
and maintain direct eye
contact during conversation
with your Polish counterparts.
It helps to develop a feeling
of trust with the people you
are meeting. The Polish are
particularly perceptive to nonverbal cues. Be open and
honest at all times.
Every prudent business
carries out market research
and evaluation before attempt-
ing to break into a market.
Acquiring knowledge of local
laws, regulations and trading
practices is an important element in order to obviate
potential risk and maximise
opportunity.
Peter Nielsen & Partners,
lawyers of Warsaw www.pnplaw.pl - work closely
&
Co
Temple
with
Commercial, Solicitors in
Daventry, in inward investment work into Poland, as
well as in employment, distribution, corporate acquisitions,
and joint venture issues.
Contact Euan Temple on
08452
414045,
email
[email protected] or visit
the website www.templesols.
com
CTORS and canal
enthusiasts Timothy
West and Prunella
Scales will officially
open the 11th Braunston
Historic Narrowboat Rally, to
be held on 29 and 30 June.
The couple will wear
traditional boatmen clothing
and in the now wellestablished tradition, at 11am
on the Saturday of the rally,
Timothy West will steer
President into the marina,
towing its butty boat Kildare,
steered by Prunella Scales - as
working boatmen and their
wives did in the past.
Their entry before crowds
lining the quayside, will be
fanfared to the sound of
Braunston’s church bells, and
music on the quayside from
the Bedford Salvation Army
band - to acknowledge the
organisation’s great works in
times past in serving the poor
working boatmen.
Tim Coghlan, the Marina’s
Managing Director, said: “The
popularity of the annual
Braunston Historic Narrowboat
Rally and Canal Festival, has
never ceased to amaze me. It
was first organised with our
co-sponsors Canals Rivers
and Boats in 2003, with the
intention of being a one-off.
“The inspiration was to
celebrate the relaunch of the
last surviving steam narrowboat, President, which had
been out of action for some
years due to major repairs.
That first rally attracted 29
boats and that after much
work and a lot of armtwisting. But everyone wanted
to do it again, and then again,
and each year it has gone from
strength to strength.”
Due to water shortages and
lock restrictions, the 2012
rally attracted only 62 historic
narrowboats - as officially
certified by the Historic
Narrow Boat Owners Club well down on the record 113
that attended the 2011 rally,
which was the largest
attendance of such narrowboats at any rally since the end
of the working days on the
canals.
The
organisers
are
expecting close to 100 boats
this year.
The rally has now become
something of an international
event. Over 6,000 visitors
attended in 2012, some
travelling from as far afield as
Australia and New Zealand,
Canada, the USA and South
Africa.
For more information visit
the website www.braunston
marina.co.uk
Commercial & Personal Legal Advice On…
• Business Law
• Employment Law
• Conveyancing
• Personal Injury
• Matrimonial
• Wills & Probate
• High Court &
County Court Work
First Consultation Is Free
01327 311213
Or Visit Us At Offices At:
5 Brook Street,
Daventry NN11 4GG
For all your office
furniture and computer
stationery supplies
SPRING SPECIAL OFFERS
ON ALL RECEPTION FURNITURE IN A WHOLE NEW VIBRANT COLOUR RANGE
Delivery in TWO WEEKS
anywhere in the UK
YOU’LL LOVE THE SER VICE
01327
349400
www.directoffice.co.uk
FROM
£99 PER
UNIT
Direct Office Consumables
Royal Ordnance Depot,
Weedon, Northants NN7 4PS
Boats galore at the 2012 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally. In all, 62 attended, causing chaos
outside the marina’s entrance. With good water supply and no lock restrictions, many more boats
are anticipated this year.
It’s vital to get
the right advice
G
REAT news! A 1p
cut in the rate of
beer duty, instead
of an increase;
although it may be hard to
notice an extra penny in the
change from the price of a
round.
Apart from that, the
Chancellor’s 2013 Budget
Speech had very little good
news to share: borrowing is
up, growth is down, and
rectifying the country’s deficit
will take longer than anyone
had hoped.
In such difficult times
getting the right advice, when
you need it, is vitally
important to all businesses,
whether it’s a start-up business
or a one that’s more
established.
Cottons
Chartered
Accountants in Daventry
specialises in providing not
only accountancy services but
financial advice covering all
Client relationships are very important to Partner Lisa Malone.
© Business Times
aspects of running a small
business.
In a competitive world,
with ever-changing taxation
legislation, getting the right
advice can significantly
impact on the success of a
business.
Cottons is a leading
accountancy practice offering
a comprehensive range of
services. Its aims are simple:
to provide clients with the best
business and financial services
possible, giving positive and
profitable solutions, to obtain
a thorough understanding of
its client’s business and be
proactive in seeking ways to
make it successful.
Lisa Malone, of Cottons in
Church Walk, Daventry, said
“It can be a struggle for
businesses to stay on top of
new legislation such as PAYE
Real Time Information which
comes into effect this month.
But our clients can be assured
that we will ensure their
compliance through our payroll
bureau service.
“Our client relationships are
very important to us. We see
ourselves as part of their
team to deal with not only
compliance but also planning
and problem solving.”
full
details
of
For
the services offered by Cottons
Accountants,
Chartered
visit the website www.cottons
accountants.co.uk
BLACKLEE SMITH
!
Branch manager Rachel Neeham (seated) with members of her team (l to r) Nadine Lindsay
(Property Manager), Kim Batchelor (Administrator/Negotiator) and Louise Harrison
© Business Times
(Negotiator).
Substantial growth in market share
A
T Chelton Brown, we
have watched with
interest as the lettings
market has changed and our
market share in Daventry has
grown substantially.
We strongly believe that the
main reason behind this shift
is the change in attitudes to
letting. Tenants and landlords
are becoming more aware of
the need to ensure that their
monies are protected and that
the property is appropriately
managed by a qualified local
letting agent.
Letting agents are not
required to be regulated, but
you can volunteer to do so and
Chelton Brown has been
ARLA regulated for many
years.
Additionally, we know it is
important to our clients that
we have a local office which
adheres to Daventry town
values of ‘keeping it local’
and having the ability to pop
into a local branch to discuss
any queries with a friendly
face.
We have some positive
changes happening within our
Daventry branch. Andrea
Butterworth has decided on a
career change. She has been
exceptional in running the
Daventry branch and we wish
her the very best.
By Sali Brown
Managing Director
Chelton Brown
Rachel Neeham is the new
branch manager. She has been
working in our Northampton
branch for two years as a
valuations negotiator.
Chelton Brown likes to
promote from within and
Rachel showed enthusiasm
and a passion for lettings, in
with
her
combination
Technical
Award
in
Residential Lettings and
Property Management and her
experience made her the
perfect candidate.
Due to the increase in our
portfolio, we have recruited a
new Lettings Negotiator Louise Harrison. Louise has
experience in the industry and
has joined us from a letting
agent that has recently closed
its office in Daventry.
Some things do not change.
Nadine Lindsay (Property
Manager), Kim Batchelor
(Administrator) and Hayley
Davis (Weekend Negotiator,
who has been with us from
our start in Daventry) remain
key staff members within our
Daventry branch who consistently work hard for the good
of our tenants and landlords.
Service up, hassles down.
Chelton Brown is at 15
Market Street, Daventry, and
can be contacted on 01327
879431, email lettings@
cheltonbrown.co.uk or visit
the website www.chelton
brown.co.uk
Hellidon Lakes
Golf & Spa Hotel
CHARTERED SURVEYORS
T O LET/FOR SALE
UNIT 19, COTTESBROOK PARK,
DAVENTRY, NN11 8YL
Tailormade room hire packages
● Modern B1 Office Building
Established Business Park location
● Air conditioned
● 139.29 sq m (1,499 sq ft) on two floors
Available as a whole or to let as single floors
● 9 Car Parking Spaces
●
●
01604 635400
www.blackleesmith.co.uk
47
Hellidon Lakes Golf & Spa Hotel is the ideal venue for your conference, meeting,
training day or team building session, in fact it’s the perfect venue for just about
anything you have in mind.With 24 flexible meeting rooms holding up to 300
delegates and team building outside space for up to 1000 delegates, our team can
work with you to deliver an event of any type. Not to mention our fantastic leisure
and spa facilities including a 27 hole golf course and our very own 4 lane ten pin
bowling alley for something a bit different.
Day Delegate Rate from
£29.00
per
person*
*subject to availability
For more information
contact 01327 262 550 or
48
Pressing ahead Perfect venue to mix
business with pleasure
with growth plans H
H
AVING outgrown
their premises after
15 years, Orchard
Print Services in
Daventry found the perfect
place for them just along the
road at 58 High Street.
With increased capacity in
production Orchard Print
Services are set to continue
their success in supplying
high-quality print solutions
to an increasing number of
customers.
Janet Head, who founded
Orchard Print Services just
over 20 years ago, said: “Due
to continued expansion we’d
outgrown our former premises
and that growth has continued.
We now have somewhere
that is more welcoming for
clients, where they can see
exactly what we do here and
what we are capable of.”
Orchard Print Services have
a range of Xerox digital presses,
as well as a full range of
finishing equipment Digital
print is one of the fastest
developing areas in the print
industry, the advances in digital
technology have meant that the
quality, speed and improved
range of media compare
favourably with traditional
printing.
Digital print allows clients
to benefit from shorter print
runs, personalised and variable
data, reduces costs and gives
companies the opportunity to
keep their marketing current
ELLIDON
Lakes
Golf and Spa Hotel,
part of the QHotels
chain of 21 four-star properties across the UK, can offer
organisers and delegates a
unique conference and team
building facility.
The hotel is situated in
beautiful Northamptonshire
countryside, yet has easy
access to major motorway
networks including the M40
and M1.
The Hellidon Lakes team
works hard to make sure that
every conference, meeting,
training day or team-building
session goes smoothly and
completely to plan.
The team has years of
experience running these
events, so can assist with
Sarah Baker (left) and Janet Head in front of the Xerox 1000 every aspect of the planning
press.
© Business Times
by only printing what they
need.
Sarah Baker, Creative
Director said “We work with
companies that regularly
communicate with their
customers, and need a fast
reliable turnaround. Training
and product manuals, brochures
and newsletters are a large
part of the business and with
the most recent addition to
production of a Xerox 1000
press, we are ideally placed to
continue to provide our high
level of service, and on-time
delivery.”
The new machine also
prints in clear ink, which adds
and execution of the event.
QHotels has recently won
the No. 1 Brand 2012 award in
Venue Verdict’s Large Groups
category. The award, which is
based on rigorous research
conducted
by
BDRC
Continental, the UK’s largest
independent market research
agency, and feedback from
over 27,000 customers across
just under 400 venues looks
at how likely guests are to
recommend the venue.
The facilities at Hellidon
Lakes include 24 flexible
meeting rooms with a maximum
capacity of 300 delegates, free
wi-fi for all guests and
visitors, free parking, and 110
spacious bedrooms for 24hour delegates.
And to make sure it isn’t all
work and no play, the hotel
also offers superb leisure and
spa facilities including six
treatment rooms, an 18-hole
golf course (perfect for
corporate golf days), a golf
simulator and a four-lane tenpin bowling alley for
something a bit different perfect for bringing out the
competitive spirit in teams.
For anyone looking to hold
a team-building day, there is
outside space at Hellidon
Lakes for up to 1,000
delegates that can host almost
any activity organisers dream
up. The large lake provides
the perfect place for waterbased team building activities.
telephone 01327 265610, email
hellidonlakesevents@qhotels.
co.uk or visit the website
www.qhotels.co.uk
an effect similar to spot
varnish, giving the ability to
incorporate a watermark
effect - perfect for items
where security is an issue,
such as certificates or
tickets as they cannot be
duplicated.
“Our growth has been
steady over 20 years, but with
the new premises, we are
really pushing forward and
very excited about the future,”
said Janet.
Contact Orchard Print
Services on 01327 878863,
email jan@orchardprintservices.
co.uk or visit the website Hellidon Lakes Golf and Spa Hotel has 110 spacious bedrooms and 24 meeting rooms with a
www.orchardprintservices.co.uk maximum capacity for 300 delegates.
DAVENTRY DISTRICT COUNCIL
Lodge Road, Daventry,
Northants, NN11 4FP
01327 871100
Brunel Close, Drayton Fields Industrial Estate, Daventry
Royal Oak Way South, Royal Oak Industrial Estate, Daventry
4,300 sq ft unit
5,000 sq ft unit
Offers in region of
£18,000 per annum
Offers in region of
£17,000 per annum
High March, Long March Industrial Estate, Daventry
Austin Way, Royal Oak Industrial Estate, Daventry
5,000 sq ft unit
Offers in region of
£17,000 per annum
For enquiries, contact Dawn Hewitt or Jason Low
www.daventrydc.gov.uk
1,250 sq ft unit
Offers in region of
£7,000 per annum
C
RC Recruitment,
based in Market
Square in Daventry,
has been supporting
local businesses with tailored
recruitment solutions for over
10 years.
While a majority of CRC’s
clients are still local to the
Daventry office, the firm now
provides temporary staff and
permanent recruitment services
to businesses located all over
the UK.
Being independent helps
CRC to deliver a variety of
bespoke recruitment solutions
to clients who appreciate and
value the flexibility, attention
to detail and the honest, open
approach they receive.
Clients vary from small
family-owned businesses to
multi-national corporations
who have all benefited from
using CRC to source quality
employees for both short-term
temporary bookings and key
permanent positions.
CRC is able to recruit
quickly and effectively for
clients whenever the need
arises.
The website - www.crconline.
Tailored solutions
The CRC Recruitment team (l to r) Julia Conway
(Administrator), Paul Harris (Operations Director), Sean
Tapping, Naomi Spears (both Recruitment Consultants) and
Stephanie Theobald (Senior Consultant).
© Business Times
co.uk - provides vacancy new job.
information on a real-time
Sound, honest advice will
basis and useful advice for job enable those seeking employseekers on CV presentation, ment to make good, informed
interview preparation and decisions.
even key tips when starting a
All clients at CRC have
dedicated consultants who
manage and oversee all
their recruitment for them permanent, temporary, contract,
interim, and across skill sectors.
This enables clients to have
one key contact who builds
up a thorough understanding
of their business and its
needs.
Whether you are looking to
recruit an important member
of staff or thinking about a
career move - speaking to an
experienced and knowledgeable
recruiter is invaluable.
This is something guaranteed
at CRC as the current team
of recruitment consultants
possesses
many
years’
experience recruiting at all
levels - both regionally and
nationally.
contact CRC Recruitment
on 01327 878737, email
visit the website www.crc
online.co.uk
Students question panel on plans and prospects
T
HE Daventry Centre of
Northampton College
offered students the
opportunity to speak their
mind and ask questions to a
panel of local councillors and
business experts at a Question
Time event last month.
In line with the BBC1
programme, students were
given the opportunity to ask
panel members questions
which relate to political issues
of relevance to them such as
what the council’s plans
are for regeneration within
Daventry and the future job
prospects for young people
within the county.
College Principal, Len
Closs took the chairman’s role
and was joined by local
councillors including Chris
Millar, Allan Hills, Chris
Over, Chris Long and Sam
Fitzgerald, business engagement
manager for SWAN (10
secondary schools in south west
area of Northamptonshire).
Over 50 students from a
range of courses joined in
the debate.
When talking of the regeneration plans and opportunities
for young people within
Daventry, Councillor Chris
Millar said: “Young people
in Daventry are in a great
position at the moment as
we have some fantastic regeneration plans including new
shops, leisure facilities and a
water way which will not only
bring about new jobs but will
also create a vibrant centre.”
He also spoke about the
things Daventry has going for
it, such as the award-winning
country park, great transport
links, the iCon Centre, leisure
facilities and youth centres.
Ellen Butler, Head of
Centre at Daventry said: “This
was a fabulous opportunity
for our students to have their
say with key contributors to
local and national policy and
for councillors to see what
bright young people we work
with.”
49
Raising finance is
not magic but
it can be hard
M
Y own belief is that
no one should be
allowed to become
an MP until they have had at
least five years’ experience in
commerce or one of the
professions (including medical,
social services etc).
Maybe then we would get
people governing the country
who truly understand how
commerce works and what
is needed to support the
development of both business
and the economy.
So, now that I have got your
attention, what I really wanted
to talk about is support for
SMEs. It is painfully obvious
that the various initiatives
launched by the Coalition over
the past couple of years have,
in general, failed to provide
the level of funding and
support that small businesses
require if they are to grow.
As a result, many owners/
managers of SMEs have to
spend a disproportionate
amount of time fundraising
with all the emotional traumas
that brings.
Part of the art of running a
successful business is to know
what your limits are and not be
afraid to call in professional help
before you hit those limits.
The important thing is to
concentrate on those aspects
of the business that you know
and understand. Do not to be
afraid to ask for professional
help where you are struggling.
One of the biggest problems
By Peter Douglas
Director
Business Finance
Services Ltd
we come across is clients who
leave it until the very last
minute to ask for our help.
There are sources of finance
out there if you know who to
approach and how to speak to
them, which we do.
Why
waste
valuable
management time on a task
that can be done more
efficiently by specialists?
Whether you need help with
a business plan, raising a
commercial loan, freeing up
funds for cash flow or finding
investors, talk to us at
Business Finance Services.
We can save you both time
and stress.
Call us on 01327 349779 or
DAVENTRY
COURT HOTEL
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
D
AVENTRY
is
delivering on its
reputation as one of
the UK’s leading
locations for companies with
industrial, warehousing and
distribution requirements.
Agents
at
LSH’s
Northampton office have
recently completed several
deals resulting in companies
moving into industrial units in
the town, leading to business
investment and creating new
jobs for local people.
Joe Smith, of the industrial
and logistics team, said the
level of enquiries from
companies looking for property
in Daventry remains strong.
“Daventry is traditionally
good value in comparison
with other towns in the area
and occupiers realise there
is a lack of good-quality
properties in most size
ranges,” said Joe.
“Major reasons occupiers
are attracted to locate in
Daventry include a goodsized labour pool and
excellent road networks to
Northampton, Rugby and
beyond. There is very limited
new build stock on the
market.
“Egerton Close is the only
new-build stock to come to
market in the past few years.
S
Town delivers as a leading
industrial and logistics hub
Overall there is limited
supply, and most of which is
secondary. While there is a
reasonable demand, properties
need to be priced competitively
in order to be let or sold, as
demonstrated with our recent
activity at Drayton Fields
Industrial Estate which had
two deals completed inside
two months of initial
marketing.”
Daventry deals completed
recently include:
●
Stephenson Close,
Drayton Fields Industrial
Estate - Red Arch
Engineering signed a fiveyear lease on a refurbished
4,373 sq ft industrial unit.
The
transaction
was
completed inside six
weeks of first viewing.
● Baird Close, Drayton
Fields Industrial Estate Tester Engineering signed
a six-year lease on a 3,553
sq ft unit within two
months of marketing.
Joe Smith - level of enquiries
for property in Daventry
remains strong.
● Egerton Close, Drayton
Fields Industrial Estate Manic Motorsport signed a
five-year lease on a 3,444
sq ft unit.
● Alvis Way, Royal Oak
Industrial Estate - Rico
Engineering signed a lease
on a 1,095 sq ft unit.
● 5 Brindley Close,
Drayton Fields Industrial
Estate - under offer freehold within four weeks of
marketing the unit.
Meanwhile, despite the
Daventry
office
sector
continuing to see limited
interest in what is a very
insular market, LSH continues
to provide professional advice
and support to clients with
properties located in the town.
Senior surveyor David Grove
said: “Despite the limited
demand in what is an
immature office market, we
have recently had two David Grove - recent lettings
good results for clients and have allowed local businesses
occupiers alike. These lettings to continue to grow.
have allowed local businesses locations on buildings that are
to continue to grow even in of a similar age and in some
these difficult economic times. cases a superior specification
“Daventry as a location and fit out.”
The recent office lettings
offers excellent links to
the surrounding motorway were:
● 3a Brunel Close - 3,374
and road networks with
sq ft of offices to a mobile
competitive
exceptionally
technology company, let
rents when compared to other
on a new full repairing and
insuring lease for a term of
seven years.
● First floor of Unit 1,
Cottesbrooke, Heartlands
- 1,162 sq ft of offices to
an IT company, let on
a new effectively full
repairing and insuring
lease for a term of three
years. The ground floor
offices within the unit have
also just gone under offer
measuring 1,013 sq ft
resulting in the building
being let as a whole. This
is the first successful letting
within Cottesbrooke Park
by an agent for some time.
For more information on
the Daventry industrial and
logistics market contact
James Hill, Adam Haley or
Joe Smith, of LSH on 01604
664366 or email jasmith@
lsh.co.uk and for offices
contact David Grove on
01604 664366 or email
[email protected]
Get a new look to impress
PRING is here, so what
better time to celebrate
with a bright and
cheerful new look for the
office.
Simple touches, like new
updated chairs for the office
or a bright new look for your
reception area, in vibrant
colours, are often enough to
give everyone the boost they
need once the days start to
become lighter and brighter.
Four years ago, Direct
Office
Consumables
in
Weedon added a range of
office chairs and furniture to
its already vast portfolio of
products - and customers have
been thrilled by this new
exciting range and the
exceptional quality, made
locally to order. It’s already
one of Direct Office’s leading
lines.
Impress
Mary Smith, who set up the
company 24 years ago, said:
“The fabrics and colours have
a real wow factor and
customers can choose something bright and cheerful, or
maybe something that matches
their corporate branding, so
they are creating a stunning
Commercial Solicitors
We specialise in giving Added Value to
business, through our positive and
clear legal advice.
• Business Contracts
• Business Transfers
• Commercial Mediation
• Commercial Property Transfers
• Cross-border Trade within Europe
• E-commerce / Trading on the Internet
• Commercial Agency and Distribution
Agreements
• Commercial Disputes
• Employment
Visit our website at www.templesols.com
Telephone Euan Temple on Tel: 08452 41 40 45
Email on [email protected]
Natwest Bank Chambers, 46 High Street,
Daventry, Northants, NN11 4HU
look that will impress both
their own staff and visitors to
their premises, all made to
order within two weeks.”
As well as furniture - Direct
Office has a comprehensive
range of stationery, consumables
and office machines - all at
competitive
prices
and
backed up by energetic and
personalised customer service.
contact
Direct
Office
Consumables at Unit 78,
Royal Ordnance Depot,
Weedon, telephone 01327
349400 or visit the website Mary Smith (seated) with Susan Foley (left) and Theresa Henderson with a selection of the new
www.directoffice.co.uk
© Business Times
range of office furniture available from Direct Office Consumables.
w w w . c o t t o n s a c c o u n t a n t s . c o . u k
50
Offering a high
quality, value
for money and
professional
service.
As well as traditional audit, accountancy
and taxation services, we provide a full
range of additional services to meet the
individual requirements of each of our
clients.
Call Richard Wilch or
Lisa Malone for a free initial consultation
• Individuals • Self Employed
• Limited Companies • Established businesses
• New Businesses • Sage Training
• Payroll Bureau • Corporate Finance
The Stables, Church Walk, Daventry, Northants NN11 4BL
T: 01327 879090 F: 01327 300829
Also with offices in Northampton, Banbury, Rugby and Southam
11a Low March
Daventry
TO LET
> KS(.O AE -?
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Egerton Close
Daventry
FOR SALE/TO LET
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16 Gresley Close
Daventry
TO LET/FOR SALE
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DEALS DONE
DEALS DONE
Alvis Way,
TO
Royal Oak Trading Estate, Daventry
LET
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> /HC4 \H6'N!H !HPAH ?HCÀ
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2 Stephenson Close – LET
3/14 Baird Close – LET
1 Egerton Close – LET
Alvis Way – various – LET
High March – LET
5 Brindley Close – UNDER OFFER
3a Brunel Close – LET
5 Cottesbrooke Park – LET
MORE PROPERTIES REQUIRED!
Bishop Crewe House
Daventry
TO LET
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> =[^?PL?" David Grove J+C[:HD!A)RL[R<#
www.parklands-exchange.co.uk
1 James Watt Close
Daventry
TO LET
> 18[ A?[CH4 [-_LHA [- ISOM* AE -?
> =H^?CP! 3HLHF?'[^ PCHP
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Station Road
Watford Village
TO LET
> M.S*IO AE -? ]MSI,$ AE `Z
> 1[?P! A'?H PCHP"MR$MI PLCHA ]OR(( )PZ
> WPC+H AHL<CH L[^LCH?H A<C-PLHJ 4PCJQFPC#'^+ PCHP
> K -<!!4 CH-<CN'A)HJ JH?PL)HJ 8PCH)[<AH N<'!J'^+A
Parklands
M1 J18, Dirft East, Northants
>
>
>
>
>
TO LET
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18[ A?[CH4 )'+) E<P!'?4 [-_LHA
K J[L# !H:H!HCA P^J I !H:H! PLLHAA ![PJ'^+ J[[CA
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=[^?PL?" James Hill %)'!!D!A)RL[R<#QAdam Haley P)P!H4D!A)RL[R<#
2
SE OON
A
PH NG S
I
M
CO
3 Riley Close
Daventry
TO LET
> &S(MI AE -? ]&O$ AE `Z
> WPC+H AHL<CH 4PCJ
> T[?H^?'P! -[C H6FPÂ'[^
> 7!H6'N!H ?HCÀ P:P'!PN!H
1 Eldon Way
Daventry
TO LET
> MMSO,. AE -?
> 2<NA?P^?'P! AHL<CH 4PCJ PCHP ?[ -C[^? P^J CHPC
> K A?[CH4 [-_LH PLL[``[JP?'[^
> =![AH ?[ YM& [- VM `[?[C8P4
www.lsh.co.uk
Axis 43
Towcester
>
>
>
>
>
TO LET
;HA'+^ P^J N<'!J [-_LHA -C[` KSKK$ AE -? <F ?[ IOSOOO AE -?
7[C 2P!H [C 1[ WH?
7!H6'N!H JHA'+^
U^ A'?H LPC FPC#'^+
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51
52
BUSINESS PROFILE - ICON CENTRE
T
HE iCon Centre
in Daventry has
exceptional conference
and meeting facilities
that cater for events large and
small. From a meeting for two
people to a conference for
250, the iCon provides a professional and inspiring venue
for an event.
As well as a selection of
tasteful rooms, the iCon offers:
on-site event support, free
delegate parking, free wi-fi
access, on-site catering, an
element of audio visual equipment installed in each area,
environmental cooling system,
a town centre location and event
spaces.
A flexible auditorium with
audio visual facilities along
with a fully adaptable seating
configuration creates a bespoke
event layout to cater for
individual requirements. The
auditorium is ideal for conferencing, exhibitions and award
ceremonies and can hold up to
Flexible space
250 people, with tiered seating
holding 199 people.
There are easily accessible
break-out areas located outside
the auditorium with smaller
meeting rooms opposite. The
benefits of the auditorium
include fully adaptable seating,
24-hour power supply, data
ports, audio visual equipment,
large screen, hearing loop,
free wi-fi and meeting rooms.
The iCon’s meeting facilities
cater for events from two
to 64 people, providing a
professional and affordable
venue for your event. The
meeting rooms offer flexible
event layout to suit event
requirements, 24-hour power
supply, data ports, projector
and screen, free wi-fi, flip
chart and pens.
The ‘Street’ provides a unique
and memorable event space
Looking to the future
F
ROST EV Systems Ltd
an
engineering
is
company that specialises
in the design and development
of electrical systems for future
low CO2 emission vehicles,
developing products and
technologies for electric
vehicles, hybrids, hydrogen fuel
cell vehicles and low-carbon
motorsport race cars.
With six members of staff,
and rapidly expanding, Frost
EV works on innovative
Marketing and Events Co-ordinator Kristie McFarlin in the
solutions for both small
© Business Times
iCon Centre’s auditorium.
businesses and large automotive
manufacturers. The main areas
of expertise include electrical
systems design, electronics
design, high voltage systems
Electric Vehicle Integration Specialists
design, software development,
testing, power distribution and
on-vehicle support.
Frost EV is also launching an
online web store in 2013 for
the distribution and supply of
future vehicle components.
These include high voltage
Innovating Future
Low CO2 Emission Vehicles
Pure EV Technology
Hybrid Systems
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies
W: www.frostevsystems.co.uk
E: [email protected]
T: 01327 304 936
that is perfect for exhibitions,
trade fairs and networking
events. It runs through the
centre of the building, and is a
key feature of the iCon’s
eco-friendly design.
It has an ETFE roof - akin
to the Eden Project in
Cornwall - and helps the
natural temperature regulation
of the building. Weather
conditions and time of the year
need to be considered as it has
been designed as an outside
space.
For full details of space
available at the iCon, call
Kristie McFarlin on 01327
304800 or email kristie.
[email protected]
connectors, high voltage cabling,
DC2DC converters, electric
motors, inverters, vehicle
chargers, electronics, batteries,
high voltage contactors and
fuses and is also working on its
own products for the electric
vehicle market.
Frost EV Systems founder
and CEO Richie Frost studied
engineering at Northampton
University and his company is
now based at the iCon
Innovation Centre promoting
low-carbon innovation.
He said: “Frost EV is
passionate about engineering
future vehicle technologies and
at the same time having a
positive impact on our
environment. We believe it is
a privilege to be able to do
both.”
Contact Frost EV Systems
on 01327 304936, email
[email protected].
uk or visit the website
www.frostevsystems.co.uk
Ozofresh Director Kevin Bullman believes his products are an
effective answer to infection control and deep cleaning.
© Business Times
Fresh new ideas
A
S the problem of
infection in hospitals,
care
homes
and
children’s nurseries increases,
an iCon Centre company is
working hard to show how
efficient and cost effective its
innovative product can be.
Ozofresh offers a range of
cleaning solutions that eradicate
heavy smells and bacteria
from the air in a short space of
time and with the least amount
of disturbance.
Ozone is distributed into the
air by machines that range
from those that are safe to use
in rooms while they are being
used, for low-level cleaning
such as removing cooking
smells, to those that can be
used in rooms that have been
cleared for deep-cleaning
purposes.
The machines have proven
successful with all common
infection problems, significantly
reducing the spread of bacteria
such as e-coli and norovirus.
When deep cleaning is carried
out, the room is ready to use
almost immediately, compared
with anything up to five days
when chemical cleaning is
preferred.
Kevin Bullman, Director of
Richie Frost (standing) of Frost EV Systems, with Integration Ozofresh, said: “We are working
Engineer Phil Dunn.
© Business Times hard within the healthcare and
nursing home sectors to show
the benefits of these machines.
Certain models can be
installed on corridor ceilings or
plug into the walls to keep the
air fresh and get rid of
unpleasant odours and bacteria
often associated with such
places.
“Where infection is present,
they offer a quick and effective
solution. Where an organisation
needs a regular odour control
cleaning solution, buying a
machine is far more cost
effective than having to use
chemical cleaning units such
air fresheners. Some machines
can be permanently fixed for
use in short bursts in complete
safety, larger units require the
room to be unoccupied, but it
would be quite safe to enter
within a few minutes of
completing the treatment.
Compared to closing a room
or a communal lounge for five
or six days for deep cleaning,
a lot of time and money can be
saved.”
contact Ozofresh on 07903
742373,
email
kevin@
ozofresh.co.uk or visit the
website www.ozofresh.co.uk
where there is information on
the systems and how they
work.
THE PLUG IN OZONE GENERATOR
REMOVES
ODOURS
IN OFFICE ENVIRONMENTS
£44.99
NOW JUST
INC VAT
REMOVES:
Cooking Smells
Cigarette Smells
Body Odour
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Plus Many More!
Neutralise any odours
in your office today,
Leaving no trace!
CALL US NOW:
0844 248 0107
HTTP://OZOFRESH.CO.UK
[email protected]
*Print only - from print ready PDF. Contact us for full details.
BUSINESS PROFILE - ICON CENTRE / FOCUS ON DAVENTRY DISTRICT
Outstanding support
Ideal venue for events
D
Adam Lane (seated, centre) with (l to r) Dave Howard, Jamie
© Business Times
Williams and Daniel Hyde.
P
URPITAL is an IT
support company that
provides IT services to
businesses of all sizes on a
pay-as-you-go basis.
With Purpital, clients know
that the best possible assistance
is at hand. The company grew
out of eAutomotive, an IT
support company specialising
in the automotive sector and
listing Volkswagen Group (UK)
Ltd among its customers.
eAutomotive was founded
by Adam Lane, who set up
Purpital with Dave Howard,
Daniel Hyde and Jamie
Williams.
“We had built a reputation
of quality IT support in the
automotive sector but from
that were getting requests
from other businesses to help
with their systems and provide
assistance should problems
occur, and so we launched
Purpital,” said Adam.
Purpital offers a complete
IT support solution, acting as
an in-house IT department for
those who don’t want or need
to employ their own team.
“We have a massive skills
set between the four of us and
our clients get the benefit of
that, whether they are
installing a new system, or
need staff training on a new
system, or when problems
occur,” said Adam.
Purpital is a Microsoft
accredited
partner
with
certified support technicians
who also specialise in Apple
operating systems and hardware.
“Support doesn’t have to be
expensive, everything we do is
on a pay-as-you-go basis so
there are no hidden costs or
high monthly fees,” said
Adam. “When we’re needed,
we respond, and when we’re
not, our clients don’t have to
worry about it.”
Contact Purpital on 01327
206002 or email info@
purpital.co.uk
Meeting all print needs
AVENTRY Court
Hotel, a member of
the 21-strong Puma
Hotels Collection,
is a perfect venue for meetings
and events, with the capability
of accommodating up to 600
delegates.
Samantha Dunion, who has
a wealth of experience in the
hospitality industry, was
appointed General Manager at
the hotel earlier this year
having previously held at
managerial roles at the
Holiday Inn Corby-Kettering
and in Brighton in recent
years.
The four-star hotel in
Sedgemoor Way has good
access to both the M1 and the
M40 motorways and has an
excellent range of facilities
including 155 bedrooms, with to suit all types of events.
All the bedrooms, which
four adapted for wheelchair
are ideal for
use, restaurant,
business and
bar, a fully
leisure use, have
equipped health
a full range of
indoor
club,
amenities
swimming pool,
including wi-fi,
beauty rooms,
flat
screen
hair salon and
television, CD
complimentary
players
and
on-site
car
DAB
digital
parking.
radio, while the
The modern
modern
and
hotel
boasts
stylish FUEL
some of the best
Restaurant has
conference and
panoramic views
banqueting
of
Drayton
suites in the
area with the Samantha Dunion has a Water and offers
purpose-built wealth of experience in the a versatile space
for semi-private
suites capable hospitality industry.
of seating from six to 600 dining, intimate or group
people with tailored packages occasions.
The FUEL Bar has a wide
selection of drinks from beers
and spirits to wines. It is ideal
for casual meetings, social
gatherings or relaxing in
comfortable surroundings.
The health club has stateof-the-art equipment and
facilities including technogym
equipment, swimming pool,
spa pool, sauna and steam
room are available to all hotel
guests as well as health club
members.
The hotel’s central location
makes it an ideal venue for
business events as well for
leisure guests who want to
explore Northamptonshire and
the surrounding area.
visit www.puma hotels.co.uk
Agent gets vote of confidence
F
OLLOWING its success
in letting a number of
smaller units at the
Abbey Retail Park in
Daventry, Hadland Chartered
Surveyors has received
instructions to market further
units within the main scheme.
Recently, one of the
gateway units fronting Abbey
Street has been let to a
hairdressing business and
there is strong interest in the
two remaining units.
As a result, owner
Threadneedle Investments has
instructed Hadlands to market
a larger unit within the park.
Peter Castle, Managing
Director of Hadland, said:
“This is a real vote of
confidence for us from a top
commercial asset manager.
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with the smaller units,
and because Threadneedle
One of the gateway units at Abbey Retail Park in Daventry has recently been let and there is strong
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54
PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
Business rates appeals the saga goes on
F
O L L O W I N G
Herculean efforts over
the past three years by
a consortium of firms of
chartered surveyors headed by
Underwoods, approximately
one-third of industrial space
on the main industrial estates
in Northampton have been
awarded reductions of between
five per cent and 15 per cent in
the level of their business rates.
These benefits, which will
continue for between five
and seven years, will yield
significant savings to local
businesses and have come
about solely as a result of the
appeal process.
Andrew Boulter, Head of
Rating at Underwoods, said:
“Ultimately, the rateable value
of a property is an opinion of
value - it is not an exact
science.”
Many ratepayers have been
put off making appeals by the
activities of cold calling
consultants who will make
exaggerated claims and false
statements in order to secure
an instruction to appeal.
In most cases, they will do
nothing more than take what is
on offer from the Valuation
Office and make no attempt to
prosecute the appeal in any
professional way.
Local firms of chartered
surveyors, such as Underwoods,
have been undertaking rating
appeals for over 23 years since the current rating system
came into force - resulting in
significant and very welcome
rates savings to their clients.
As we enter the fourth year
of the current rating list, there
are thousands of appeals still
I
Andrew Boulter - Underwoods
has been undertaking rating
appeals for over 23 years.
outstanding and many more
properties in respect of which
appeals have never been
made.
There is a right to appeal
following a change in circumstances such as roadworks or
the opening of a competing
development - any physical
changes which would reduce
the value of the property itself.
Andrew Boulter said:
“There have been frustrating
delays in processing rating
appeals but they will eventually
be dealt with and any reductions
fully backdated. I would
encourage ratepayers who
have not yet taken professional
advice on this matter to
contact me or one of my
colleagues and we will gladly
have an initial chat free of
charge.”
contact Andrew Boulter on
01604
404060,
email
the website www.underwoods.
co.uk
Prime development
sites to the fore
N the Corby feature in
last month’s Business
Times, I confirmed the new
instruction and marketing
initiative for 20 acres at
Genner Park near Asda which
we are promoting on behalf of
Mulberry Developments, and
now Gorell Barnes can confirm
another prime development
site instruction.
On behalf of Northamptonshire County Council, Gorell
Barnes has been favoured
with disposing of a 3.5-acre
site at Park Farm Way on the
edge of Park Farm Industrial
Estate in Wellingborough,
The roughly triangular
shaped site has a long
frontage to the A509 and is
immediately accessible off the
southern Park Farm roundabout opposite Bannatyne’s
Leisure and Rutherford Drive.
The site is suitable for a
number of uses including
residential, roadside, such as a
Costa Coffee, a drive through
restaurant or, potentially, the
land could be a suitable
amenity and service for Park
Farm by way of a convenience
store or/and a pub or restaurant.
Alternatively, it would
make a prestigious location
for an office occupier or
multiple representation or a
mixture of these outlined uses.
This is all subject to planning
permission, which is currently
being worked up.
Initial interest prior to
marketing would suggest that
By John Barnes
Gorell Barnes
the site will receive a high
level of demand from its
flexibility of use.
Talking of prestigious
locations and sites, Gorell
Barnes has been favoured
with instructions on Corby
Road in Weldon by Haverhill
Property Management for
either the letting or disposal of
the former Audiotel offices,
amounting to 11,340 sq ft and
sitting on 1.5 acres.
Audiotel has been represented in this very functional
office building for a great
number of years and has
now relocated to Earlstrees
Industrial Estate requiring more
R and D workshop space and
less office space.
Audiotel’s former building
provides for a mixture of open
plan, individual and two to
four occupier office suites,
some with inter-connecting
rooms and is, therefore, very
functional and flexible.
The property has excellent
natural lighting due to the
offices being long and thin
with a full bank of windows
on each extensive elevation.
The property has a beneficial
system to the external internal
walls to provide all data
cabling, telephone points etc to
all the office accommodation.
The property also benefits
from a most attractive boardroom with lovely parquet
flooring, good natural lighting
and modern presentation
equipment including a built-in
projector. It will be suitable
for an office owner/occupier
although the building is
suitable to be divided into
four freehold self-contained
suites which could be flexible
in size but ranging from, say,
2,000 sq ft.
The property is available
freehold in parts or in its
entirety or as a lease, again in
parts or in its entirety. In view
of its configuration, the
property would make excellent
service offices for all sorts of
businesses.
For further information on
these propositions contact John
Barnes on 01536 330100 or
The former Audiotel offices in Weldon are now available following the company’s move to the
Earlstrees Industrial Estate in Corby.
PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
THE Northamptonshire Property Specialist:
!
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!
!
!
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Sales & Lettings
Development
Acquisitions
Rent Reviews
Northampton: A1 Retail Property
To Let
1 Abington Square
Investment
Hospitality/Leisure
Valuations
!
!
!
!
Rating
Building Surveying
Property Management
Strategic Land Assembly
Northampton: Modern Office Building
To Let
To Let
Northampton: Town Centre Offices
To Let
2 Saxon Court, Freeschool Street
1 Duncan Close
•Former Jessop store
•Total retail area of 940 sq ft plus upper floors of 712 q ft
•Town centre location
•Good frontage
•Available immediately on a new lease
•Contact: Charles Church / Chris Williams
Northampton: Prominent Retail Unit
Lease Renewals
•Net internal office area of 2,918 sq ft (271.10 sq m)
•Courtyard development, located on popular Moulton Park
Industrial Estate
•Ample allocated car parking
•Attractive incentives available
•Rent £25,000 per annum exclusive
•1,932 sq ft (179.49 sq m)
•Fully refurbished office accommodation
•Situated close to Northampton town centre and railway station
•Flexible office space with allocated parking
Wellingborough: Industrial Unit
Wellingborough:Refurbished Shop Unit
For Sale (May Let)
ToLet
24 Market Street
321 Wellingborough Road
9-11 Denington Road
•Prominent busy location
•Ground and first floor sales/office space totalling 1,815
sq ft (167.60 sq m)
•Available to let on a new lease
•Rental incentives available
•2 private off road parking spaces
•Prominently located on Denington Road
•17,406 sq ft (1,617.07 sq m)
•Generous office/training/reception facilities
•Immediately available
•Freehold offers invited in excess of £500,000
•May let at offers in the region of £2.20 per sq ft
•Contact: Stephen Battersby / Chris Williams
Wellingborough: Modern Workshop/Production Units To Let
Earls Barton: Modern Business Unit
2 Enterprise Court, Park Farm Industrial Estate
To Let/For Sale
For Sale
Northampton: Industrial/Warehouse Unit
Northampton: Industrial/Warehouse Unit
To Let
60 Main Road, Far Cotton
11 Mallard Court, Earls Barton
•24,592 sq ft (2,284.90 sq m)
•Secure yard and parking
•Close to M1 motorway and town centre
•9m (approx) eaves height
•Flexible new lease terms available
•Rent from £2.95 per sq ft
•Approximately 1,792 sq ft (166.5 sq m)
•Eaves height of 5.75m rising to 6.95m
•Single storey production/warehouse with WC and kitchenette
•All mains services including 3phase electricity
•On site car parking
•Freehold / leasehold price on application
•Approximately 985 sq ft (91.51 sq m)
•Busy industrial/business estate
•Integral offices
•Ample parking
•To let on new flexible lease
•Rent £7,968 inclusive of maintenance rent/service charge
Northampton: Clinic/Offices
•Busy town centre
location
•Approximately 702 sq ft
•Good frontage
•Ground and first floor
•One car parking
space
•Rent £10,750 per
annum exclusive
•Contact: Stephen
Battersby / Chris
Williams
To Let
Wellingborough: Industrial/WorkshopUnits
To Let
322 Wellingborough
Road
•Prominent period
three storey building
•1,609 sq ft (149.5 sq
m) NIA
•Established D1 Clinic
use
•Would suit alternative
uses
•Rare opportunity to
acquire freehold with
vacant possession
•Contact: Andrew
Boulter
26 Rothersthorpe Crescent
•GIA 6,835 sq ft (634.97 sq m)
•Situated close to the town centre and A45
•Flexible lease terms available
•Rent £27,500 pa exclusive
www.underwoods.co.uk
Trojan Centre, Finedon Road Industrial Estate
•Units available of 320, 600 and 1,500 sq ft
•Modern workshop units on busy industrial/business estate
•Ideal starter units
•To let on new flexible leases
Northamptonshire’s
most active regional agent
As recognised by EGi
55
56
PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
Deja vu in commercial
property industry D
Partner celebrates
30 years at practice
A
S A teenage boy,
like many others, I
was - and if I’m
honest still am fascinated with supercars. I
used to avidly read all the
magazines dedicated to highperformance sports cars - the
stuff of dreams being priced
out of reach for the vast
majority, the playthings of
rock stars and tycoons.
As the world’s economy
boomed through the start of
the new millennium, easy
finance brought these dream
machines within reach of
more and more people.
Today, the cost of these
supercars has now returned to
a pricing structure that puts
them back out of reach of
mere muggles, reinstating
their dream status.
A similar story can be told
of the commercial property
industry.
When I first started working
for commercial surveyors and
valuers Wilson & Partners
back in 1987, the majority of
occupier enquiries/deals done
were for leasehold properties.
Renting a building was more
common by far.
The reality of owning a
property was rare - pension
funds/property companies,
developers or local councils
owned
most
of
the
commercial stock.
Again, as finance became
more readily available and
By Simon Toseland
Director
Prop-Search
private pensions more common,
with regulation changes being
relaxed, more and more people
and companies found that
they could buy their business
premises.
The recent collapse of
the financial markets has
effectively made commercial
mortgages virtually impossible
to secure - whether for property
purchase or development. At
the same time, we have seen
building costs continue to
increase as a result of more
onerous building regulations
(especially with regard to energy
performance/sustainability),
the cost of raw materials
(steel) and other general
development costs. While
land values have fallen
considerably over the past
four years, this has done little
to compensate for the
combined effect of the above.
The effect of all of this is
that we have seen a gradual
increase in the number of
leasehold
deals
being
transacted and the terms upon
which leases are being agreed
are becoming less tenantbiased and more fairly
balanced between landlords
and tenants.
As such, like the supercar
analogy, we are beginning to
see a return to occupiers taking longer leases rather than
owning their business property.
Back in the late 80s and
early 90s, it was not uncommon
for tenants to take 25-year
leases without break, or a
break at 15 years and we are
now seeing a gradual return to
longer leases.
In many ways, it makes
sense - businesses used to
adopt the view that their
money was better invested in
the business rather than the
property it occupied and that a
long-term lease not only gave
them stability but also the
ability to assign their lease if
required - trying to assign a
short-term lease didn’t give
the assignee much future
RUSHDEN
stability - whereas taking on
the remaining 10 or 15 years
of a longer lease did.
During this period, when
the market did begin to see
growth, tenants even began
to trade leases subject to
premiums.
Imagine you occupied a
building where the open market
rental value of the property
was higher than the rent you
were paying - in that case, you
could sell your lease to a third
party for the difference
between the rental values.
If history continues to
repeat itself, which let’s face
it, it has a habit of doing, then
not only will we continue to
see more long-term leases
being signed, but maybe even
a return to premiums being
paid.
As this cycle begins to
evolve, funds will begin to
buy back into the market,
banks will start to lend
more willingly and on less
prohibitive terms, and the
commercial property sector
will return to being a major
part of the UK’s financial
make up.
They say what goes around
comes around - your wife will
be glad she kept those old
shoulder pads... and I’m off to
dig out my Filofax...
Prop-Search
can
be
contacted on 01933 223300 or
visit the website www.propsearch.com
WELLINGBOROUGH
AVID Allsop, who is an
architect and partner at
GSSArchitecture, this
month celebrates his 30th year
at the practice.
During this time he has
been involved in many
projects and is currently
President of the Northamptonshire Society of Architects.
David has been a partner at
GSS since 1985, and has
designed a number of significant
buildings in Northamptonshire
and around the country.
These projects have included
the masterplan of The
University of Northampton,
which included the design of
the restaurant situated at the
heart of the campus.
This project won a national
Civic Trust Award, while a
model of the building was
displayed at the Royal
Academy’s Summer Exhibition.
Other projects at the
university have included the
£11 million refurbishment and
remodelling of the Grade II
listed Newton building, the
Cottesbrooke building, Senate
building and the Leather
Conservation Centre.
There are also many
projects around the county,
including Northamptonshire
County Cricket Club, Laxton
Junior School, Brooke Weston
Academy’s new library and
The Masque at Latimer
School and, just over the
border into Rutland, Oakham
School’s new library.
The latest projects David
has designed include Oakham
School’s new Business School
David Allsop has designed
many projects in Northamptonshire and around the country
during his 30-year career.
as well as many projects for
universities
at
Oxford,
Leicester, Reading, Cranfield
and Durham.
David said: “I have
thoroughly enjoyed past 30
years at GSSArchitecture and
have had the opportunity to
work on many projects with
terrific clients and, of course,
a great team.
“The practice has developed
substantially over this period,
having been founded in 1879
by John Alfred Gotch. We are
now a national practice
working in the south, north
and heart of the country.”
The practice’s newsletter and
website - www.gssarchitecture.
com - are available for further
information, or for regular
news and updates, visit the
company’s Facebook page or
follow @GSSArchitecture on
Twitter.
FINEDON
Industrial Warehouse Unit
Total GIA 132.18 sq m (1422 sq ft)
Warehouse Area, Office, Mezzanine Floor,
Cloakroom, Small Kitchen Area. Parking for 4
vehicles. EPC: F - 128
Town Centre Location
Industrial Warehouse Unit
GIA 250.37 sq m (2695 sq ft)
L-Shaped Warehouse with Store Rooms. 2 Storey
Admin Block with 4 Offices, Storage, Kitchen and
Cloakroom. Parking for 3 cars. EPC: G - 234
Offices in Rural Location
NIA 58.16 sq m (626 sq ft)
Modern End of Terrace Unit in Secure Gated Yard.
Office, Kitchen, Cloakroom. Open Plan Office on
First Floor. Parking for 4 vehicles. EPC: E - 119
TO LET – NEW LEASE - POA
TO LET – NEW LEASE – POA
KETTERING
WELLINGBOROUGH
EARLS BARTON
Secure Open Storage
0.16 Acres ( 0.06 of a hectare)
Hardcore Surface, Palisade Fencing, Garage with
Single Phase Electricity, Good Communication
Links.
Town Centre Retail Lock-up Shop Unit
NIA 89.48 sq m (963 sq ft)
Prominent Town Centre Position, Large Frontage,
Private Parking. EPC: F - 129
2 First Floor Office Suites
Prominent Corner Position on Sheep Street. Private
Parking, Central Heating, Incentives Available.
EPC: D – 99 & F - 129
TO LET – NEW LEASES – POA
Contact either Andrew Woods FRICS or Duncan Woods
21 Silver Street, Wellingborough NN8 1AY
01933 441464
www.harwoodsproperty.co.uk
Will changes trigger
a property boom?
F
REE planning permission.
Do what you like for
three years. It sounds
great. In fact, it is a set of
new measures introduced by
the Coalition Government to
extend permitted development
rights for a temporary period
with the aim of stimulating
economic growth.
It makes sense. Make it easier
to carry out development, or
change the use of buildings
without planning permission
and development is more likely
to occur, with the end result
that people are employed to
build, fit out and eventually
staff the new accommodation.
Opportunity
In theory, it may even
give some developers the
opportunity to avoid the
Community Infrastructure Levy
thus making development
more profitable and more likely
to go ahead at the margins.
So far, so good. In practice,
only a small percentage of
businesses will be able to
extend their buildings but the
government is encouraging
under-used office buildings to
be converted to residential for
the next three years and this
may well be something we see
happening
more
in
Northampton.
We recently sold 14,000 sq
ft of offices for use as a school
at Stirling House and several
offices at Saxon Court have
received consent for residential
conversion within the past
Proposed changes to
permitted development
rights have featured
extensively in the press over
several months and are
being promoted by the
government as a means of
kick-starting the economy
and the commercial property
market. Stephen Chown of
Chown Commercial asks if
this means Northampton is
about to experience a boom.
year.
While agricultural buildings
will not be permitted to be
converted to residential use,
there will be provisions to
allow some conversions,
potentially to office uses,
shops, restaurants and leisure
uses
without
planning
permission.
Early indications are that a
size restriction will apply, so
small offices in a barn are
probably more likely than a
new Heart of the Shires.
So let’s consider the theory
of change of use for a
temporary period. What happens
at the end of this period? If it
is going to revert back to its
original use what incentive is
there to spend money on the
fit-out and what happens to
the people employed there in
the meantime?
It proves the government is
PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
Deals done on wide
range of premises
A
CTIVITY within
the Northampton
area has been
encouraging over
the past few weeks, with deals
done on a wide range of
premises, and with businesses
ranging from healthcare to
tanning.
In Kingsthorpe Hollow, the
Coliseum building, which was
formerly occupied by the Loft
Shop, has been let to a
company offering innovative
tanning systems.
The new salon will offer
thinking about the importance standing and lying sunbeds
of high streets but the that are thought to be the first
practical implications will need in the town to meet the new
sunbed regulations.
to be carefully considered.
For a small number of
Factor
specialist situations, where the
Billing
Road, Nurses’
On
funds are available, business
may feel that one impediment Friend, a nursing agency has
to development has been taken a new lease on 2,000 sq
lifted and this could trigger a ft of space in a converted
mini boom in some locations. Victorian town house. The
Keeping an eye out for such close proximity of the
opportunities is obviously the premises to both Northampton
way forward and may make General Hospital and the town
some potential deals look centre was a key factor in
more attractive. Where the securing the letting.
Restaurant premises in
possibility of alternative use
introduces a more positive Derngate, have been secured
future for a property, higher by Haycock and Tailbar as a
cocktail and supper restaurant.
prices may be justified.
For more information Derngate is popular with
contact Stephen Chown on diners looking to eat either
01604 604050, email src@ before or after shows at the
chowncommercial.co.uk or nearby theatre.
On Moulton Park Industrial
visit the website www.chown
Estate, Hadlands have secured
commercial.co.uk
ft2 (752m2)
sLocated near Jct 7 of the A14
on TelfordWay Industrial
Estate
sWarehouse, mezzanine
storage and first floor
offices
sFreehold at £350,000
FOR SALE
the letting of 69 Tenter Road,
formerly a windows and
The former Multiyork premises in Abington Street, Northampton,
now available to let, would be suitable for a number of uses.
Unit 1, Everitt Close
Robinson Way
INDUSTRIAL UNIT
By Peter Castle
Managing Director
Hadland Chartered
Surveyors
conservatory showroom to
tool hire specialists Brandon
Hire on a 15-year lease at
£25,000 per annum. The firm
reported that they were
attracted to the premises by its
prominent corner position on
a busy industrial estate.
Still available to let is a
substantial retail unit on
Abington Street. The former
Multiyork showroom offers
5,000 sq ft of open retail space
plus 5,000 sq ft of storage
with loading doors, in a
prominent position and would
be suitable for a number of
uses (subject to planning
consent).
contact Hadlands Chartered
Surveyors on 01604 639657
hadlands.co.uk
WELLINGBOROUGH
KETTERING
sTotal space approx 8.096
INDUSTRIAL UNIT WITH
OFFICE SPACE
sTotal space approx 4,778 ft2
(444m2)
sOnDeningtonRoad
KETTERING
Industrial Estate
sSecure gated yard with
parking for 10 vehicles
sStarting rent £12,000 pax
TO LET
KETTERING
Baron Avenue
BNE,
3 Cherry Hall Road,
Kettering Business
Park, Kettering,
Northants NN14 1UE
Tel: 01536 517777
Fax: 01536 517778
[email protected]
RCI House
Sales & Lettings
Development
Landlord & Tenant
Building Surveys
TRADE COUNTER/
WAREHOUSE
sTotal area approx 5,776 ft2
(537 m2)
sSingle span portal frame,
5.4m eaves height
sProminent position on
Telford Way Industrial Estate
sAvailable leasehold on
flexible terms
TO LET
57
PART 1ST FLOOR OFFICE
SUITES
sTotal area approx 3,759 ft2
(349 m2)
sProminent iconic building
located at Jct 9 of the A14
sGenerous car parking
allocation
sAll-inclusive rent
Land Acquisition
Valuation
Rating
TO LET
Investment
58
PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
Prestigious unit
on the market
B
U D W O R T H
Hardcastle has been
instructed to let
prestigious 19,300 sq
ft industrial/warehouse premises
located on Tenter Road,
Moulton Park, Northampton.
The building was formerly
occupied by Matrix Polymers,
who vacated just before
Christmas. Subsequently, the
unit has been refurbished and
re-roofed, and now offers
quality warehouse/industrial
accommodation with fantastic
two-storey offices, all on a site
of approximately one acre
with a secure self-contained
yard area.
Mark Brown at Budworth
Hardcastle says: “We are
delighted to receive instructions
to market this property on a
sole agency basis.
problem
in
“The
Northampton presently is that
most of the good-quality
industrial buildings have been
let or sold over the past few
years, and given the economic
climate, nothing new has been
constructed.
“Therefore, we are pleased
to have this excellent-quality
building available to let on
competitive terms.”
Interested parties should
contact Budworth Hardcastle
on 01604 604070.
The former Matrix Polymers building on Tenter Road, Moulton Park, Northampton, has been
refurbished and re-roofed and is available to let on competitive terms.
01604 838761
838761
TO LET
TWO RETAIL UNITS AVAILABLE IN PROMINENT TOWN CENTRE
SHOPPING PRECINCT
11 ABINGTON
SQUARE
Town centre night
club/bar
● Ground floor 100
sq m (1078 sq ft)
● 1st & 2nd floors
112 sq m (1200 sq ft)
● £17,000 pax
● Flexible lease terms
●
60 ST GILES
STREET
72 ST GILES STREET
Town centre retail unit
● Double fronted corner unit
● 82.5 sq m (890 sq ft) retail space
● £22,500 pa exclusive
●
44 BRIDGE STREET
Town centre hot food takeaway/
A1 retail unit
38 sq m (375 sq ft) ground floor
space
● 1st & 2nd floor storage/living
accommodation
● £9,000 pax
●
●
Town centre A1 retail unit
● 42.2 sq m (455 sq ft) retail space
● £12,500 pa exclusive
●
BILLING ARBOURS HOUSE
Starter units available
Various offices and workshops
● Flexible lease terms/
easy in-easy out
● £1,200 - £3,300 pax
● Parking included
●
●
LAND AT GREAT
RUSSELL STREET
Potential car parking use
1,070 sq m (11,517 sq ft) area
● 5-year lease
● £4,000 pa
●
●
LIGHT INDUSTRIAL UNITS
AT BLACKTHORN DEPOT
● Units measuring 72, 32 and
16 sq m
● B1 industrial use/storage
● Rents from £1,400 pa/flexible
terms
BONDFIELD AVENUE
Two light industrial units available
● Small storage/light industrial use
● From 17 sq m internal floor
space
● Rents from £1,300 pa
●
13 GUILDHALL ROAD
For Sale/To Let
540 sq m (5,812 sq ft)
● Prominent town centre building
● £22,000 pa or offers for freehold
● Uses that enhance and promote the
cultural quarter of the town
●
●
COMMERCIAL
OPPORTUNITY
●
●
●
CAFE FACILITY AT
NORTHAMPTON SKATE PARK
Located at Midsummer Meadow
Net area 48 sq m
Leasehold: offers in excess of
£7,000 pa exclusive
PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
Strong demand
for freehold
continues
T
HE economic background continues to
remain subdued and
while the announcement of plans to inject an
extra £2.5bn for housing and
infrastructure projects is
welcome, this falls way short
of what is required to kick
start the economy.
The
first
National
Infrastructure Plan, produced
in October 2010, recognised
the need for a more joined up
approach to infrastructure and
aimed for £200bn to be spent
by 2015.
This was supposed to happen
through smarter use of public
funding improving private
sector investment models,
encouraging new sources of
private capital and addressing
the failures that stand in the
way of greater private sector
investment.
During the current downturn,
around 250,000 construction
jobs have been lost with massive
repercussions throughout the
economy. While the local
commercial market remains
fairly robust, any boost to
infrastructure projects, however
small, will be welcomed.
Following the flurry of
deals over the last few months,
we have been fortunate to
secure a number of new,
quality instructions.
At John Clare House, 69
The Avenue, Cliftonville,
Northampton, our clients have
instructed us to sell a modern
6,000 sq ft office building with
11 car spaces. The property is
on four floors ranging from
By Ben Coleman
Ben Coleman Associates
1,180 sq ft to 1,747 sq ft and
features include lighting,
trunking, double glazing, gas
fired radiator central heating,
carpeting and partial air
conditioning.
The property is well located
on the outskirts of the town
centre with easy access to the
A45 and Junction 15 of the M1.
The property would make
an ideal owner-occupier
investment or alternatively,
subject to planning consent,
would also benefit from
other uses including D1 and
residential. The property is
available freehold with vacant
possession for £425,000 or
alternatively to let at £50,000
per annum exclusive.
In the town centre, we’ve
been
marketing
32/34
Derngate for a month or so on
a to let basis. However, much
of the interest has come from
prospective purchasers and
we have now received
instructions to sell.
The four-storey attractive
period buildings comprise
around 3,000 sq ft gross and
benefit from up to five car
parking spaces. Subject to
planning, they would make an
ideal residential conversion
project. Our clients are seeking
unconditional offers in excess
of £325,000.
At 28 Charter Gate,
Moulton Park, in conjunction
with our joint agents PropSearch, we’ve been instructed
to sell an end of terrace hybrid
unit comprising approximately
2,234 sq ft.
The property comprises a
modern two-storey building
MILTON KEYNES:
01908 726022
NORTHAMPTON:
01604 604070
KETTERING:
01536 483400
PETERBOROUGH:
01733 209480
UNIT J, TENTER ROAD
MOULTON PARK
Instructions have now been received to sell these attractive four-storey period buildings in
Derngate, Northampton, following interest from prospective purchasers while they have been on
the market to let recently.
with ground floor workshop/ offers modern two-storey one of the floors.
At 6 Pavilion Court,
storage accommodation and offices providing a mixture
of open plan and cellular Northampton Business Park,
first floor offices.
we have also been marketing
The ground floor comprises space.
The office benefits from an the property to let and now
a predominantly open-plan
area with some internal excellent specification including have instructions to dispose
partitions forming offices. comfort cooling, suspended of the freehold.
Comprising approximately
There is an up and over ceilings, recessed LG3 lighting,
loading door (3.11m wide and carpeting and fitted kitchens. 2,700 sq ft with an extremely
2.46m high) and a set of stairs The current tenant vacates high car parking ratio - 15 two-storey
modern
leading to the first floor this autumn and we are now the
instructed to find a purchaser property benefits from raised
offices.
floors, air conditioning and
These are predominantly for £825,000.
This equates to only £162 attractive metal tiled ceilings.
open plan with suspended
ceilings, inset lighting and an per sq ft, (substantially below Now available for £399,000
the cost of a property if it plus VAT (equating to £148
air conditioning unit.
At
3
Queensbridge, were to be built today) and per sq ft).
As more purchasers take
Bedford Road, we have now offers excellent value for
the view that the market has
received instructions to sell money.
The building offers flexibility dropped as far as it will go,
the
property
freehold.
Comprising approximately in that it could be divided on a we anticipate continued
5,090 sq ft together with 22 floor-by-floor basis - we have strong demand for buyers
on-site car spaces, the property tenant interest in respect of through the rest of the year.
www.budworthhardcastle.com
NORTHAMPTON
NORTHAMPTON
NORTHAMPTON
Property Consultants
TO LET
HARROWDEN ROAD/ LYVEDEN
ROAD, BRACKMILLS
TO LET
MONARCH COURTYARD
BRACKMILLS
FOR SALE
D
CE 0
0
DU
RE 50,0
E
1
IC
£
PR VER
O
BY
• High quality industrial/
warehouse units
• Last two units
• 7,269 sq ft - 14,538 sq ft
• Fully refurbished
• Eaves height approx. 7.7m
Joint Agent: Underwoods
• Good loading access
• Dedicated parking
Contact Mark Brown/Oliver Thompson 01604 604070
WELLINGBOROUGH
• Modern industrial/warehouse unit
• 19,296 sq ft (1,792.62 sq m)
• Fully fitted first floor office accommodation of
2,219 sq ft (206.12 sq m)
• Minimum eaves of 6m
• Fenced self-contained yard
Contact Mark Brown
01604 604070 | [email protected]
59
Industrial units ranging in sizes of:
• 2,944 sq ft (273.51 sq m)
• 12,503 sq ft (1,161.6 sq m)
• 12,512 sq ft (1,162.4 sq m)
• 19,943 sq ft (1,851.9 sq m)
• Larger units have two storey offices & dedicated
yards
Contact Mark Brown/Oliver Thompson
UNITS 4, 5, 13 & 14 FLEMING
CLOSE, PARK FARM
TO LET
• Modern Industrial/
warehouse units
• 3,098 sq ft, 6,200 sq ft 9,910
sq ft and 19,800 sq ft
• Smaller units have single
storey office
• Larger units have two storey
offices
• Generous parking and
loading
• Fully fitted with heating and
Contact Mark Brown 01604 604070 lighting
Sales, lettings & acquisitions | Rent Reviews | Lease Renewals | Development
Management | Valuations | Business Rates | Building Consultancy | Investment
60
PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
C
HANCELLOR
George Osborne is
slowly squeezing
the life out of
the speculative development
market, according to leading
national commercial property
consultancy Lambert Smith
Hampton (LSH).
His reference in December’s
Autumn Statement to the
effect of Empty Property
Rates (EPR) on the motivation
of the speculative property
developer at least demonstrates that he is listening to
the concerns of the property
market.
By referring to the issue
in public in this way, he
effectively acknowledges that
EPR presents a serious problem
Chancellor is paying
lip-service to empty property
for owners and landlords, said
LSH rating specialist and
associate director, Graham
Heilbuth.
“However, by continuing to
tax the owners of empty
property during this period of
austerity, the case is being
made for investors to abandon
the commercial property asset
class in favour of alternative
investment opportunities,” said
A5 TAKEAWAY
AVAILABLE
Freehold
■ Income producing
■ £74,950
■
Contact Kevin O’Dell
[email protected]
3 Cherry Hall Road,
Kettering Business Park,
Kettering
NN14 1UE
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SURVEYORS
Graham.
“The Chancellor is wilfully
squeezing the life out of
the speculative development
market, and by delaying any
easing of the effects of EPR
for speculative development
until October 2013, and failing
even to acknowledge the real
world impact of EPR on
today’s beleaguered owners
and landlords, the Chancellor
has also made clear to the
industry that it has lost the
battle to appeal to his better
judgement.
“The deeply held opinions
of industry experts, at pains to
persuade the Chancellor of his
folly, have been ignored in
favour of headline grabbing
initiatives and the deft
B
Graham Heilbuth - the
Chancellor is wilfully squeezing
the life out of the speculative
development market.
massaging of the numbers,”
he added.
The Chancellor may have
underestimated the determi-
nation of landlords, developers
and investors, who are clearly
listening to the market and
considering their options. The
executives of respected UK
plcs now regularly put their
heads above the parapet to
complain about the effect of
EPR on their businesses, and
some are going as far as to
challenge the application of
the law as it currently stands
in the courts.
Graham added: “Each case
is likely to turn on its own
facts. Historically, rating has
been primarily a tax on the
occupation of property, and
recent attempts by the
authorities to apply empty
rates charges to properties
which have been subject to
limited forms of occupation
have been defeated.
“The position in respect of
empty rates that the government
is currently seeking to
maintain is not working.
“What is also clear is that
local authorities, with much to
lose, are also preparing for the
fight.
“When a fiscal risk
threatens business survival, it
is clear that businesses will
take the government on in the
courts. Is this really what
the Chancellor wants to
achieve?”
contact Graham Heilbuth
on 01604 664366, email
the website www.lsh.co.uk
Factory sale
completed
LACKLEE
Smith
Chartered Surveyors
report the freehold
disposal of factory premises
situated at the Sanders Lodge
Industrial Estate in Rushden
on behalf of landlord clients.
The premises were built
during the 1960s and comprise
a detached former shoe
manufacturing premises with
two-storey offices totalling
approximately 10,000 sq ft
(929 sq m).
The premises have been
sold to T R Lawman (Holdings)
Ltd for an undisclosed sum.
The purchaser has occupied
the premises as tenants
for the past five years and
this acquisition consolidates
their future occupation and
proposed improvements to the
property.
For further details of this
and other recent transactions
contact Steve Smith on 01604 The premises at Sanders Lodge Industrial Estate in Rushden
were purchased by T R Lawman (Holdings) Ltd.
635400.
T
HE role the property
industry plays in the
economy is often
overlooked. It’s not
just a service industry but a
significant contributor to
employment, taxes generated
and wealth created.
Let me first of all impress
you with some statistics,
taken from a recent Royal
Institution of Chartered
Surveyors report:
and
●
Commercial
industrial property in
England and Wales is
valued at £801 billion and
comprises over 575 million
sq m, i.e. over six billion
sq ft.
●
Real estate (both
commercial and residential)
accounts for £120 billion
of annual economic output
and employs 471,000
people.
● 12 per cent of govern-
PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
Property in the economy
ment tax receipts come
directly from property,
including business rates,
council
tax,
stamp
duty and Section 106
contributions. This figure
would be substantially
increased if property related
income tax and corporation
taxes were also included.
So, knowing how important
the property industry is to our
well-being and how desperate
our revered leaders must be to
improve upon the flat-lining
economy, you would expect
them to be as helpful as
possible towards the property
industry, wouldn’t you?
But no, our government
does absolutely nothing as it
continues with the unfair
By Tony Drake
Director
Drake Commercial
charging of full business rates
on empty properties; has
recently postponed the 2015
rating revaluation knowing
that values will fall; persists in
charging SDLT (stamp duty
land tax) which inhibits
mobility of labour; imposes
ever more stringent building
regulations which increase
construction
costs
and
delay/confuse the estimation
process; continues to increase
landfill taxes; and so it
depressingly goes on.
But we’re not downhearted,
Town’s last remaining trade counter available
B
NE, Kettering’s principal
firm of chartered
surveyors and their
joint agents, Frankis Porter,
have been instructed to
dispose of a 5,770 sq ft at
Baron Avenue on Telford Way
Industrial Estate.
Baron Avenue is widely
recognised to be the first and,
indeed, the best trade counter
development in Kettering and
is currently home to Screwfix,
Howden’s Joinery, Topps
Tiles and PTS among others.
BNE is offering the
property either as two units of
2,850 sq ft or, alternatively
one single unit of 5,770 sq ft
on very competitive terms
with rents from £2.50 per sq ft
per annum.
Andy Griffiths of BNE
said: “This property comprises
the only available recognised
trade counter unit in Kettering
and is likely to attract considerable interest. Add to the fact
that the initial rent is just
£2.50 per sq ft per annum
makes the property a bargain
for any operators that have a
warehousing or trade counter
requirement.”
The availability of this
property follows the successful
letting of another unit of 2,800
sq ft at Baron Avenue to
Novel Events.
Any interested parties are
encouraged to speak to Andy
Griffiths at BNE on 01536
517777 or email ag@
bne.co.uk
as locally there is much more
encouraging news.
Northamptonshire County
Council/Northamptonshire
Enterprise Partnership have
not only demonstrated a
positive impact on the local
community but have won
accolades for generating
economic prosperity across
the county, having come top
in a recent poll.
In addition, the WNDC’s
consultants have recommended
that a new tax, the Community
Infrastructure Levy, is to
be set at 0 per cent for
61
most commercial and industrial
developments, recognising, the
extreme difficulty of making
such developments a viable
exercise.
Setting this new tax at 0 per
cent has been well received in
the industry.
So, on a local level,
common sense and enterprise
are alive and well, but
nationally - oh dear!
contact Drake Commercial
on 01604 620616 or visit
the website www.drake
commercial.net
Refurbished office, workshop & warehouse
units from 500 sq ft to 5,000 sq ft.
Available refurbished to order & to your
particular specification.
Also larger units of 30,000 sq ft plus
available from time to time.
Hangarage available for aviation
related activities.
Ring Mr. Bletsoe-Brown
for further details on 01604 491112
SYWELL AERODROME LIMITED, SYWELL, NORTHAMPTON NN6 0BN
BNE is offering this property in Baron Avenue, Kettering as
either a single unit of 5,770 sq ft or two units of 2,850 sq ft.
REGISTERED OFFICE: 01604 491112. FACSIMILE: 01604 671798
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL: 01604 644917. AVIATOR HOTEL: 01604 642111.
62
AUTO SELECT
D
Just the job
for company
car drivers
ESIGNED with the
company car driver
in mind, the Volvo
Business Editions
can be ordered from Bells
Motor Group’s dedicated
business advisers.
Available in the S60, V60
and V70 line-ups, the
Business Editions are ideal
company car choices with
features such as integrated
satellite navigation system,
high performance multimedia
audio system, Bluetooth
connectivity and rear park
assist as standard.
The Business Editions were
developed following extensive
feedback from the Volvo
dealer network, corporate
sales clients and residual
value setters.
A high specification along
with the Benefit in Kind
(BIK) advantages of low
CO2 emissions and fuel
consumption, already places
the Business Editions high on
the lists of companies who turn
Dedicated business advisers Dawn Souster and Marc Tilling can provide information and book
test drives at the Bells Motor Group Bedford Road dealership in Northampton for the Volvo
Business Editions.
© Business Times
The on-the-road price for the Volvo S60 Business Edition starts from £19,995.
to the corporate team at Bells
Motor Group in Bedford
Road, Northampton, for help
when choosing company cars.
The S60 Business Edition
on-the-road price starts from
£19,995 for the T3 version
and from £21,195 for the
comparative model in the V60
line-up; while the V70 D2
Powershift Business Edition
starts from £24,995 on the
road.
The S60 and V60 Business
Edition comes includes City
Safety technology, 16-inch
Oden alloy wheels, DSTC
(Dynamic Stability Traction
Control) system and rear
park assist, electronic climate
control, cruise control and an
integrated satellite navigation
system with seven-inch
colour display screen and
Bluetooth.
The V70 version adds front
fog lights, supportive seats
with Sundby Textile/T-Tec
upholstery aluminium trim
and an eight speaker high
performance multimedia audio
system.
City Safety works by
keeping watch on vehicles in
front with the help of a
laser sensor built into the
windscreen at the height of
the rear-view mirror.
The technology works at
speeds of up to 18.6mph and
will make the car automatically
brake if the driver does not
respond in time when the car
in front slows down or stops or if the driver is driving too
fast towards a stationary
object.
manager
John
Sales
Peasland, who heads up the
business team, comments:
“The business community
is vitally important to us and
the Business Editions have
been designed specifically for
company car drivers which
takes away the hassle of
choosing the next company
vehicle.”
The S60 D2 (115bhp), D3
(136 bhp) and D4 (163 bhp)
Business Edition versions all
deliver CO2 emissions of just
114g/km giving them a
Benefit in Kind banding of 17
per cent 2013/14.
The V60 and V70 D2
(115bhp), D3 (136 bhp) and
D4 (163 bhp) Business
Edition versions have CO2
emissions of 119g/km and a
BIK banding of 18 per cent
2013/14.
Seminar
As part of its drive to
deliver the highest levels of
service to local companies,
Bells Motor Group is
exploring the idea of hosting a
free, no-obligation seminar
session where the team will
provide in-depth information
on the benefits of choosing to
run Volvo models as part of
the company car fleet and the
tax implications of different
funding methods.
If you are interested in
registering your interest
in attending a seminar
or would
like
more
information on the Volvo
range or to book a test drive,
contact Bells Motor Group
on 01604 621363 and speak
with Marc Tilling or Dawn
Souster in the business
team or email n.corporate@
bellsmotorgroup.co.uk
ALL
MODS
NO
CONS
THE VOLVO BUSINESS EDITION RANGE from Bells Motor Group
S60 D2 (115hp) Business Edition
£275 a month*
V60 D2 (115hp) Business Edition
£295 a month*
V70 D2 (115hp) Business Edition
£349 a month*
BOOK A TEST DRIVE WITH BELLS MOTOR GROUP NORTHAMPTON TODAY
You can enjoy the perks of Integrated Sat Nav, Bluetooth, High Performance Audio and Rear Park Assist as standard and with a low retail price keep the BIK down.
Fuel consumption for the Volvo Business Edition range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 28.5 (9.9) - 57.7 (4.9), Extra Urban 47.9 (5.9) - 74.3 (3.8), Combined 38.2 (7.4) - 65.7
(4.3). CO2 Emissions 171 - 114g/km.
* Business users only. Examples exclude VAT and are based on non-maintained contract hire with an initial payment of 3 monthly rentals, followed by 35 monthly rentals, with a mileage of 10,000 miles per annum –
excess mileage charges will be applied. Subject to availability at participating dealers for vehicles registered and delivered by 31st March 2013, or while stocks last. Not available with other offers. Volvo Car Leasing
Contract Hire is provided by Lex Autolease Ltd, trading as Volvo Car Leasing, incorporated andregistered in England with company number 1090741 and registered office at 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN.
Image for illustration purposes only.
Bells Motor Group, Northampton 01604 621363
www.bellsmotorgroup.co.uk
AUTO SELECT 63
Short cuts
❐ THE new Jaguar XFR-S made its global debut on the famous
Goodwood Hill last month. Finished in Italian Racing Red, the
prototype version of Jaguar’s fastest ever sports saloon was
driven in front of a media audience by 1988 Le Mans 24-hour
race winner Andy Wallace.
First shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November last
year, the stunning XFR-S was joined at Goodwood Festival of
Speed press day by heroes of Jaguar’s sporting past. A 1962
Jaguar Mk. II prepared by Jaguar Heritage Racing, and a 1954
short nose Jaguar D-Type - chassis No. 1 and itself a
development prototype - were also on display.
The new XFR-S is capable of sprinting from zero to 60mph in
just 4.4 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds), and up to the
electronically limited top speed of 186mph (300km/h). The
XFR-S builds on the performance of the acclaimed XFR to
create an even more focused product. With an increase of 40PS
and 55Nm over the XFR in power and torque from its 5.0-litre
supercharged V8 engine, the XFR-S produces an astonishing
550PS and 680Nm, yet with with no impact on fuel consumption
or CO2 emissions.
The new Jaguar XFR-S is available to order now, priced in the
UK at £79,995.
❐ ONE of the new vehicles Nissan will be showcasing at the
13th annual Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC
Birmingham this month will be he eNV200, Nissan’s first 100
per cent electric van, will make its UK debut at the show.
It has already won praise with fleet operators for zero CO2
at the point of use, driving comfort and generous carrying
capacity and payload. With prices at the pump continuing to
rise, one of the biggest benefits of the eNV200 will be the
long-term cost savings that can be made by charging the van
with electricity rather than filling up with diesel.
The show runs from 9 to 11 April.
❐ THE all-new Mercedes-Benz CLA is available to order now,
with prices starting from £24,355 on the road. A cool, compact
four-door coupé, the innovative CLA balances fresh style with
practicality.
Despite its alluring lines, the CLA is capable of carrying five
people and even has a large, practical boot. The range in the UK
is split into two model lines - Sport and AMG Sport - paired with
a choice of two efficient and refined engines.
The CLA is the most aerodynamically-efficient car on sale
today - allowing the choice of four-cylinder petrol or diesel
engines to deliver the highest possible economy while retaining
the levels of refinement and performance expected of a
Mercedes-Benz. The powerful CLA 220 CDI is capable of
accelerating from rest to 62 mph in 8.2-seconds yet can return
62.9 mpg.
❐ A SPORTY new exterior design, lowered suspension for a
dynamic ride and an exciting reinterpretation of the familiar
interior are highlights of the new MINI Paceman.
Styled as a coupé interpretation of the Countryman, five
versions are available from launch, including the MINI
Cooper S Paceman, which has a 0-62mph of just 7.5 seconds.
The seventh unique member of the family, it sells alongside
the Hatch, Clubman, Convertible, Countryman, Coupé and
Roadster.
Packed with MINI character and obvious design cues
which tie it to the rest of the range, the three-door Paceman’s
unique exterior styling is what immediately catches the eye.
With a contemporary and expressive body shape, the
Paceman has been created to appeal to a new type of designconscious customer. The prominent horizontal lines and dynamic
curved surfaces give the promise of sporting performance, yet
there is an elegant simplicity to the overall form of the car.
The MINI Cooper Paceman starts at £18,970 on the road.
❐ VOLKSWAGEN is writing a new chapter in mobility in
presenting its first fully electric production vehicle - the new eup! The four-seat car - which operates with nearly zero noise impresses with its driving range of 150km and excellent
everyday practicality.
The styling of the e-up! is subtle and expresses high quality.
One distinctive exterior feature is the curved layout of the LED
daytime running lights in the front bumper. In addition, the front
end, sills and underbody have been aerodynamically optimised.
The vehicle’s interior features e-up! light-grey seat covers with
blue top-stitched seams. Special leather and chrome accents
have been used to convey a puristic impression that matches the
vehicle concept of a full-fledged urban electric car.
In the autumn, the e-up! will make its show debut at the
International Autoshow in Frankfurt. First UK customer
deliveries are expected to take place from early 2014.
❐ AUDI has just produced its five millionth quattro allwheel-drive-equipped model – an A6 allroad. The rugged,
air-suspended Avant is just one of over 140 variants across
the Audi range currently benefiting from this invaluable allweather grip enhancer, which made the pioneering transition
from rally stage to road courtesy of the Vorsprung durch
Technik brand back in the Eighties.
❐ THE all-new Audi A3 is already famed for offering the finish
and feel of an executive class car and, as if to emphasise the
point, it now has the boot to complete the impression. The new
A3 Saloon range will be closely followed by the 300PS, quattro
all-wheel-driven S3 Saloon.
Full UK pricing and specification for all variants are to be
confirmed nearer to that point. The first A3 Saloon models will
reach UK customers in the autumn of 2013, and the first
examples of the S3 Saloon in early 2014.
B
Executive reaches a
motoring milestone
RITISH Aerospace
launched a takeover
bid for the government-owned Rover
Group, plans were unveiled
for Europe’s tallest skyscraper
to be built at Canary Wharf in
London, Mike Tyson scored a
second round knock-out win
over Tony Tubbs to win the
world heavyweight boxing
title and David Chard joined
the Doddington Road Service
Station Peugeot dealership in
Wellingborough.
That was in March 1988, so
he is now celebrating his 25th
anniversary with the company
that has become Broad Green
Peugeot and is now based in
St John’s Street in the town
and is part of the Grosvenor
Group.
David started his career in
the motor trade as a trainee
parts assistants and worked in
the parts department at
Doddington Road, while in
his spare time he was a
retained firefighter for eight
years.
In 1995 he transferred to
sales as a trainee and has
worked in the department ever
since and is now a sales
executive.
“When I started in sales, the
iconic car in the Peugeot
stable was the 205 GTi and a
quarter of a century later we
are all excited about the
launch of the new jewel of
Tax-saving
offerings
S
OME of the very
latest low-carbon, budgetbeating new models,
including Renault’s first
bespoke 100 per cent electric
car, the ZOE, Vauxhall’s sub120g/km Mokka SUV and
Volvo’s ultra low emission
V60 Plug-in hybrid, will be
available for test driving for the
first time at Fleet World’s Fleet
Show at Silverstone this month.
With the Chancellor having
already indicated that Benefitin-Kind taxation on company
cars is set to rise by six per cent
over the next four years, fleet
decision-makers will be keen
to see the latest tax-saving
offerings from the leading
motor manufacturers at the
show on 24 April.
They include the most
powerful Volvo to date, the
V60 Plug-In Hybrid, which
reaches 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds,
has a top speed of 141mph, but
produces CO2 emissions of
just 48g/km with an official
range of 155mpg, is a hugely
attractive proposition for
business drivers, while the
Renault ZOE has an official
range of 130 miles and an on the-road price from £13,650,
and the Vauxhall Mokka has
already racked up 90,000
orders across Europe.
The new vehicles form just
part of a 200-model line-up
from 21 manufacturers that
will be available for driving on
the Silverstone Grand Prix and
Stowe circuits and on test drive
routes in the area, as well as
providing an opportunity to
properly assess their taxsaving capabilities for fleets.
David Chard (foreground) with Richard Reynolds outside the dealership in St John’s Street,
Wellingborough.
© Business Times
the GTi era, the Peugeot
208,” says David. “From
what we’ve seen and heard,
this new generation of the
French manufacturer’s hot
hatch will put Peugeot back
on top of the podium.
“We are all really excited
about it.”
Over the years, David has
gained a wealth of knowledge
about the Peugeot range from
the 107 to 508 executive car
as well as the customers of the
dealership
Dealer Principal Richard
Reynolds says: “Having someone of David’s experience is
a tremendous asset to the
dealership not only for the
customers but for other
members of staff who know
he can be relied upon to share
his knowledge of the Peugeot
range.”
about the services provided by
Broad Green Peugeot, call in
at the dealership in St John’s
Street, or telephone 01933
276759, or visit www.dealer.
peugeot.co.uk/broad-greenwellingborough
64
THE BACK PAGE
PC HOWARD LTD
DISTRIBUTION & WAREHOUSING
PC Howard, Palletways Platinum Award
winners four years running
● Your
Professional Distribution Partner
Logistical Services For Palletised Goods
● Delivery Solutions
● Warehousing Solutions
● A Palletways Member
●
For further information telephone Andrew Howard
on 01780 444444, email [email protected] or
visit the website www.pchoward.com
Happenings . . . April
The Business Club Northants - Tuesday, 9 April: Question Time
- a panel of experts answer members’ business questions. Sunley
Management Centre, Northampton, 6pm for 6.30pm; Monday, 15
April: The Three Tenners - Liz Newell, Simon Neath and Philip
Walding. Kettering Park Hotel. 6pm for 6.30pm; Wednesday, 17
April: Induction training - getting the most from the Business Club.
Presented by Mike Willis. Regus, Pavilion Drive, Northampton,
9.30am to 1.30pm; Thursday, 25 April: You have to break it down
before you can build it up. Guest speaker: Mark Whitehead.
Campanile Hotel, J15 M1, Grange Park, Northampton, 6pm for
6.30pm. To book a seat at meetings telephone 01604 529173 or visit
the website www.thebusinessclub northants.co.uk
The Kettering Business Breakfast Club (www.kbbc.org.uk).
Networking breakfast at Kettering Conference Centre on Tuesday,
16 April, 7.45am for 8am. Guest speaker: Phillipa Steele, of Detox
Wisdom, on reviewing your business and improving this year’s
results. Full English breakfast, waitress service. Cost £15 per person.
To book email [email protected]
Name Droppers - business networking. Next meetings: Friday, 5
and 19 April at Brampton Heath Golf Club, 7.30am. To book, call
Sheila Smith on 07809 635181, email [email protected]
or Chris Dyer on 07808 063183, email [email protected]
Breakfast@Beckworth -a networking event for large and small
companies at Beckworth Emporium, Mears Ashby. Next meeting:
Wednesday, 24 April, 8am to 10am. Cost £10. To book or for further
information email [email protected]
La Rocca Business Lunch (www.facebook.com/laroccabusiness
lunch) - third Wednesday of every month at La Rocca Restaurant in
Wellingborough. Contact Brian Wrigley on 01933 201104 or 01604 563063.
Papa Cino's Business Lunch (www.facebook.com/papacinos
businesslunch) - fourth Wednesday of every month at Papa Cino's in
Northampton. Contact Brian Wrigley on 01933 201104 or 01604 563063.
NN coNNect: - focusing on helping you grow your business. April
events: Kettering - Tuesdays 9th and 23rd; Stanwick Wednesdays 10th and 24th; Northampton - Wednesday 3rd
and 17th; Wellingborough - Thursday 4th and 18th. Meetings
start at 7.30am and finish at 9.30am. Investment is £15, includes full
English breakfast. For more information visit www.nn-connect.
co.uk/networking or contact Paul Green on 01933 375300 or 07949
703137.
Takemylead - business networking. Group 1 meets second and
fourth Tuesday of every month at Verve Workspace Ltd, Duston at
7.30am, and Group 2 meets second and fourth Wednesday of every
month at Verve Workspace Ltd, Duston at 7.30am. Cost £5. For
information call Steve on 08450 697989 or visit www.takemylead.co.uk
They said what?
“The millions of people up and
down the country who support
the aid budget expect this to
be spent on schools and not
soldiers.” - Matt Lawson of
Oxfam on David Cameron’s
suggestion of funnelling
overseas aid money to the
armed forces.
“There have been moments
of joy, but also moments that
were not so easy. I felt like St
Peter with the Apostles in the
boat on the Sea of Galilee.
Sometimes the sun shone,
there was a gentle breeze and
an abundance of fish, but
there were times when the
sea was rough and the wind
against us, as in the whole
history of the Church - and
the Lord seemed to be sleeping.” - Pope Benedict XVI
reflecting on his papacy.
“They get one hour for breaks
and lunch, talk for three
hours and work for three.” Maurice Taylor, the American
industrialist, explaining why
he wasn’t prepared to help
French workers save their jobs
at the Goodyear tyre factory in
Amiens.
“If you don’t give your child
a middle name, how are they
ever going to know when you
are cross with them? Vivienne Clore, the showbiz
agent, offering a novel view
on family life.
“There is nothing you can
do that isn’t observed. The
pressure on you when things
go wrong is great, and it isn’t
me.” - Michael Gove, the
Education Secretary, explaining
why he doesn’t fancy
becoming Prime Minister.
“There are people who will
be very abusive about the
Iraq war. It remains
extremely divisive and very
difficult.” - Tony Blair, the
former Prime Minister,
marking tenth anniversary
of the conflict.
“I still believe in the jury
system. But then I still believe
in Arsene Wenger.” - Clive
Anderson, the presenter,
former barrister and Arsenal
fan, defending the British
justice system and the underfire Arsenal manager.
“Trust arrives on foot but
leaves in a Ferrari. The
Ferrari screeched out of the
parking lot in 2008.” - Mark
Carney,
the
incoming
Governor of the Bank of
England, warning that banks
must regain public faith in
them.
“You guys are just standing up
because you feel bad that I fell
over.” - Jennifer Lawrence, the
Best Actress winner at the
Oscars, after taking a tumble
on her way to the podium.
“Is this the way you’re
meant to interact with
other people? It’s kind of
emasculating.” - Sergey Brin,
the Google boss, saying
he is tired of people
constantly playing with their
smartphones.
VSH Law
Do you need practical advice,
offered in a professional manner?
4Networking - Northampton (Sixfields) every other Tuesday;
Daventry (Daventry Town FC) every other Tuesday; Kettering (Telford
Lodge) every other Thursday. Contact Neil Slinn on 0784 177 9181, email
[email protected] or visit the website www.4networking.biz
Business for Breakfast - two groups meet fortnightly.
Northampton on Fridays at Holiday Inn, Bedford Road and Kettering
on Wednesdays at the Royal Hotel. Meetings run 6.45am to 8:30am.
For more information or to reserve a place contact local franchisee
Ryan Tobias on 0845 803 8336, email [email protected]
FSB Breakfast Club - (Northampton): business networking
meeting. Meets second Friday of every month - 7.15am to 9am at
Westone Manor Hotel, Ashley Way, Northampton. Networking
opportunity and guest speaker. Book online at www.fsb.org.uk/leicsnorthants-rutland or for further information contact Stephen Miller
on 07963 346556 or email [email protected]
East Northants FSB Breakfast Club - supported by the Federation
of Small Businesses. Meets third Friday each month at Kettering Park
Hotel. Full English breakfast, interesting speakers and networking.
From 7am to 9am. Further details from Alison Hadley on 01933 413222.
BNI - business referral organisation with breakfast groups
throughout the county. Meet 6.45am to 8.30am every week.
Tuesdays - Collingtree (Northampton) at Riverview Restaurant;
Wednesdays - Stanwick at Stanwick Lakes; Thursdays - Kettering at
Kettering Masonic Hall and Sterling (noon to 1.30pm) at Holiday
Inn, Bedford Road, Northampton; Fridays - Lighthouse at Sunley
Management Centre, Northampton and Wellingborough at Hind
Hotel. To reserve place contact BNI Executive Director Duncan
Webster on 0845 224 4041 or visit www.bnibreakfast.co.uk
PC HOWARD LTD
Tel: 01604 883516
Fax: 01604 883572
Units 1 & 2, Scaldwell Road Industrial Estate,
Ferro Fields, Brixworth, Northampton NN6 9UA
Web: www.pchoward.com
“Lager, Aga, Saga, Viagra,
Gaga.” - Virginia Ironside,
The Oldie’s agony aunt,
describing the new five ages of
man.
“I haven’t decided where to put
it yet. I want it to be somewhere where I’ll see it every
day. The bathroom, bedroom
or somewhere like that.” Adele, the singer, after winning
an Oscar for her Skyfall song
for the latest Bond film.
“Never mind his fans, it’s past
his bedtime, isn’t it?” - Al
Murray, the comedian, after
teen pop star Justin Bieber
kept his young audience
waiting until 10.30pm for him
to take the stage for his O2
concert in London.
“Even Jesus Christ capped it
at 12.” - Lord Prescott, the
Labour peer, expressing
astonishment that Lib Dem
leader Nick Clegg has 15
advisers.
“I was deeply misled by Lady
Chatterley’s Lover, which
seemed to suggest running
naked through damp undergrowth was the closest thing to
heaven.” - Julian Barnes, the
author, recalling the pitfalls of
reading DH Lawrence as sex
education.
Solicitors
Oaktree Networking - Meets third Friday of each month at
Campanile Hotel, Grange Park, Northampton. To book, call 0845 618
2902, email [email protected] or visit
www.oaktreenetworking.co.uk
The Creativity and Sense Network - meets twice per month
(second and last Wednesdays) at Mangiamo Restaurant, Market
Street, Kettering. 12noon to 2pm. Ideal for small business owners
and aspiring entrepreneurs. For more information, visit www.
creativityand sense.com/network.html
“If more men were homosexual,
there would be no wars. Wars
and armies and nuclear
weapons are essentially heterosexual hobbies.” - Morrissey, the
former Smiths frontman, blaming
conflict on straight society.
“Don’t worry about having a
bacon sandwich. But don’t
have four bacon sandwiches
every day of your life.” - Karol
Sikora, the cancer specialist,
after warnings on the dangers
of eating processed meat.
“I never do a double moi-moi.
Too euro. Full on lips, me.” Michael Fabricant, the Tory
MP, saying he dislikes ‘euro
kissing’.
“It’s not gross or witchcrafty.” - January Jones, the
Mad Men star, who ate her
placenta in capsule form
after the birth of her son,
Xander, saying it relieved
depression and fatigue.
“My wife Rebecca has lived
with some very strange men.” Daniel Day-Lewis, the triple
Oscar winner, praising his wife
for tolerating his obsessive
preparation for his film roles.
“I just don’t know where
people find the time.” - Danny
Alexander, the Chief Secretary
to the Treasury, on the
revelations about the love life
of former Lib Dem MP Chris
Huhne.
“I always see things that I
would like to do differently.”
- Dame Maggie Smith, the
Downton
Abbey
star,
explaining why she has never
watched a single episode of
the drama.
“It is good for the Coalition
that the Coalition was able to
retain the seat.” - Sarah
Newton, the Tory deputy
chairman, putting on a brave
face after the party was beaten
into third place in the Eastleigh
by-election behind the winners
Lib Dems and second place
UKIP.
PERSONAL
OR BUSINESS
Law For The Individual
Property Sales & Purchases Mortgages Equity Release
Disputes Wills Administration of Estates Tax Planning
Powers of Attorney Elderly Client Services
Law For Business
Acquisitions & Disposals Restructuring Commercial Agreements
Employment Contracts Recruitment & Termination Transfers
Commercial Property Leases Development
For more information about our comprehensive legal
services, please visit our website
www.vshlaw.co.uk
Montague House, Chancery Lane, Thrapston, Northamptonshire NN14 4LN
T: 01832 732161
F: 01832 733701
E: [email protected]

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