MAY 2020 EAST MIDLANDS LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE www.blmgroup.co.uk WWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UK WWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UK £3.50 Finding the right fundingInnovation neededUpskill online 01.qxp_Layout 1 07/05/2020 10:30 Page 1 INTERN Food Food Foo NATION Drin Drin Dri AL nk nk n lf l ts On the shel uncFtional ingredient Cleaning an maintenan nd nceFor businesses that are serious about reducing their carbon footprint www.blmgroup.co.uk VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1 WWW.RENEWABLESANDENVIRONMENT.COM EAST MIDLANDS LEA EADING BUSINESS MAGA AZINE APRIL 2020 £3..50 ea Stopping the spr d thinkin Forwar ad A hea ng factores ficef althy of www.m EMPOWER Your Business rld o our guide to the pharmaceutical wY olume 8 Issue 1V o coron g na v net www .pbiforum.n yorkshire & lincolnsh hire’s leading business ma agazine april 2020 £3.5 50 safety Ensuring e e of factories The futur fices healthyf Keeping of employee VOLUME 35 ISSUE 4 .blmgroup.co.ukwww Often Imitated - Never Equalled www.blmgroup.co.uk 02.qxp_Layout 1 07/05/2020 10:32 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukEast Midlands Business Link 3 EDITORS NOTES As with any upending of the status quo, the coronavirus crisis has brought with it a range of buzzwords and terms. Chief among them is ‘new normal’ but, with any such terms, there’s a reason why they catch on. We’ve passed through the looking glass and, some six weeks into life under lockdown, we have all adjusted to this new normal. Thousands of workers are now set up from home, whilst thousands more are on furlough and have more free time on their hands than they know what to do with. Consequently, there’s been a spike in the use of online training. Whatever the situation, you can always trust that East Midlands Business Link to have its ear to the ground and its finger on the pulse. As such, our online training feature dives into this topic in more detail and provides you with plenty of training providers to start upskilling at home. With this new normal, our May issue is at once familiar, with all the usual trusted and valuable content, but also responds to the pandemic and providing advice and guidance from industry experts to help you navigate the crisis. Stay safe and good reading, as always, Michael Fisher Editor 03.qxp_Layout 1 07/05/2020 10:32 Page 1@BLMEastMidlands BLMEastMidlands Latest news 6 A round-up of the latest news from our region Commercial property 17 The coronavirus crisis is changing the commercial property landscape with demand shifting in some quarters and spiking in others. Here we explore the effect on logistics and warehousing and how the office market is holding its own. Tax 20 Getting back to business, a transition to the new order by James Pinchbeck, Partner at Streets Chartered Accountants Corporate finance22 Securing corporate finance can be a literal lifeline for struggling businesses, especially at a time when the entire economy is facing financial insecurity. We explore the ways in which businesses can unlock funding and weigh up the pros and cons. Breedon Consulting Q&A 27 East Midlands Business Link spoke with Nicki Robson, Managing Director of Leicestershire-based HR consultancy Breedon Consulting, about her experience of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and planning for post-lockdown. Online training 28 Over the last few months, there has been a widespread move online with training providers upskilling individuals, employees and apprentices from the safety of their own home. Networking32 Maintaining valuable business relationships at a distance and in times of crisis by Fiona Duncan-Steer, founder of RSViP Business Networking Agency. Pharmaceuticals spotlight 34 Historically, pharmaceutical companies have been accused as slow to adapt to change. However with threats like COVID-19, and acceptance of technologies like AI, the industry is accelerating innovation. Energy and environmental management 37 With the UK aiming to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050, and the climate emergency only intensifying, businesses must minimise their carbon footprint. Public relations40 Be honest - are you even READY to speak to the media? by Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR and Enterprise Nation Champion for Nottingham. Relocation and inward investment 42 East Midlands Business Link explores the many business benefits of moving office. Security45 Internet security has been forced to evolve in recent years, following an increased level of cyber-attacks targeting small companies. EAST MIDLANDS LEEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE MAY 2020£3..50 Finding the right fu WW Innovation neeundingUededpskill online wwww.blmgroup.co.uk Cover photographs courtesy: Shutterstock - welcomia • Marbury • fizkes • petrmalinak • pisaphotography Health and safety48 Personal protective equipment (PPE) is important in ensuring that your employees are safe in the workplace, but it is important to understand what exactly you need, the legislation that exists, and the new regulations that have come into place. Corporate hospitality50 As many of us work remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, team building can be left by the wayside. But the benefits of these activities should not be forgotten, especially if you want to return to the workplace with a cohesive team when lockdown ends. AutoLink52 We break down the startling new car registration figures and explore how major car makers are responding to the pandemic. Out of office56 All the leisure sector news from the last month And finally...58 Contents May 2020 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 07/05/2020 10:33 Page 122 Group Editor Steve Fisher s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Editor Michael Fisher m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Assistant Editor Dominic Cuthbert d.cuthbert@blmgroup.co.uk Journalist Tess Egginton t.egginton@blmgroup.co.uk Sales Director Angela Cooper a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310310 Accounts & Subscriptions Angela Sharman accounts@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311 Design & Production Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson studio@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310304 E-Mail: eastmidlands@blmgroup.co.uk Publisher Haychart Ltd, t/a Business Link Magazine Group, Huntingdon House, 278-290 Huntingdon Street, Nottingham NG1 3LY All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 07/05/2020 10:33 Page 26 East Midlands Business Link GENERAL NEWS COVID-19 Redundancy and Recruitment Service launched for Leicestershire A new service has been launched to support people in Leicester and Leicestershire who have lost their jobs due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), Leicester City Council and Futures (who manage local careers support for the National Careers Service) have teamed up to launch a new COVID-19 Redundancy and Recruitment Service. The service will help match people who are facing redundancy due to the impact of coronavirus with opportunities in sectors that have seen a surge in employment demand. The Government is already offering the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which is designed to help businesses retain staff during the outbreak by paying 80% of an employee’s salary while they are furloughed. However, redundancies are still being made, leaving people out of work. At the same time, demand for staff is increasing in sectors vital to the fight against the virus outbreak. These include food production and retail; logistics and distribution; and social care. The new service will work with local employers in these vital sectors to help those facing redundancy make a smooth transition into new work. This programme will also support the DWP, which is dealing with unprecedented demand for new claims for Universal Credit. SERCO, who manage a Skills Support for Redundancy programme for Leicester and Leicestershire through the European Social Fund (ESF), will further enhance the offer. Fiona Baker, Head of Strategy at LLEP, said: “Traditionally, responses to redundancy situations have been coordinated directly by the DWP. However, it is currently experiencing huge demand and is diverting its staffing resources to claims processing and payments. “In response, we will work with partners at Leicester City Council’s Employment Hub and Futures to provide this new, rapid response triage service. It will match redundancy situations to employment opportunities and provide additional support where required.” Derby City Council launches Coronavirus economic recovery task force A task force group has been formed by Derby City Council to lead Derby’s economic recovery from the effects of the Coronavirus crisis. The group will work together to understand the economic impacts facing Derby, and assess what businesses, sectors and investments are likely to be hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic; partnering with local agencies to offer short-term support, such as identifying opportunities for local contract sourcing, and sign- posting jobs and training options for displaced employees. The group will be supporting investors with existing planned developments in the city to ensure those schemes are successfully delivered. Derby’s City Centre Masterplan will also be revised, taking into account new commercial realities and changed priorities, to ensure Derby is well-placed to benefit from the economic bounce-back over the coming months and years. The task force is made up of representatives from both public and private sectors and is chaired by Derby City Council’s Chief Executive, Paul Simpson. As well as engaging with local businesses and other key economic stakeholders over the next few weeks, the group will be working closely with the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, East Midlands Chamber and Government departments in order to deliver its aims for the city. Members of the task force include; Rolls-Royce, Intu, the University of Derby, the Cathedral Quarter and St Peters Quarter Business Improvement Districts, Marketing Derby and Derby Renaissance Board. Paul Simpson, Derby City Council Chief Executive said: “It’s clear that many businesses – large and small – across the city have already been badly affected by the coronavirus crisis.” Derby City Council is supporting the city’s businesses through the Coronavirus pandemic with a £47 million financial support and relief package. A dedicated team have contacted around 3,900 businesses across the city, who will be eligible for grants of either £10,000 or £25,000 from the Government’s Coronavirus support packages. Automotive • Fashion • Commercial Events • Headshots Call or email for a quote 07506 998855 • steve@steveedwardsphotography.com steveEdwardsphotography.com Creating images for your business as individual as you are. 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 07/05/2020 10:38 Page 1Nottingham’s Uni2 Rent acquires counterpart Student lettings and management company Uni2 Rent has expanded its business with the acquisition of Full House Management, which traded as Nottingham West Lettings, for an undisclosed figure. Through the acquisition, Uni2 Rent – which was founded in Nottingham by an entrepreneurial student in 2012 – has acquired an additional 204 student rooms across 50 properties, expanding the number of student rooms under its management to over 1,200 across the city. The majority of the newly acquired properties are houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) located in Lenton – one of Nottingham’s prime student areas. Uni2 Rent worked carefully to provide a smooth transition process, successfully onboarding landlords to the company, letting all 204 rooms in just a few months and ensuring an excellent standard of service for its new clients. Uni2 Rent’s founder and Managing Director, Ed Henderson, said: “This strategic acquisition is a firm statement of how strong the student HMO market is and has allowed us to work with more landlords to further our investment in this sector. “Students remain at the heart of our business and the demand for our high-quality rooms and the transparent service we offer, enables us to grow and innovate. The acquisition of Nottingham West Lettings was a natural step for us as we look to further expand our business and presence in Nottingham. “Our strategy is to look at similar deals with other businesses in the near future – the June 2019 Tenant Fees Act coming into force has affected some small agencies and if any are looking to sell, we’re perfectly placed to take on further acquisitions. “Market-wise, we have seen a 5% rental increase across our portfolio over the last 12 months which illustrates that Nottingham continues to be a fantastic investment opportunity for landlords. We are lucky and proud to operate in such an amazing city and our letting figures outline the level of demand we continue to see for quality student accommodation.” Nottingham West Lettings’ former owner, Stephen Bristow, said: “With Ed’s forward thinking approach and proven track record of acquisition, I’m pleased that Uni2 Rent have taken our business to the next level. “The company has embraced our portfolio, used its expertise to increase landlord rental income and provided a team of specialists in each area of property lettings and management. Ed and the team will continue to guide landlords through the complex regulatory industry and I wish him and the team the very best.” The acquisition was facilitated by Fraser Brown Solicitors (recently acquired by Knights plc) and Butler Cook Chartered Accountants. The reason for the sale of Nottingham West Lettings was to enable the previous owner to explore other ventures. www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 7 GENERAL NEWS UK economy not expected to return to its late 2019 size until 2023 The EY ITEM Club Spring Forecast 2020 has significantly downgraded its near-term outlook for the UK economy, with predictions of a deep, short recession this year due to the impact of COVID 19. UK GDP is now expected to contract by 6.8% in 2020, before returning to positive growth of 4.5% in 2021. The forecast is based on the assumption that some lockdown restrictions will start to be eased in May, with even more in June. EY ITEM Club says that the substantial fiscal and monetary stimulus that has been enacted by the Treasury and the Bank of England should provide serious support to activity once the coronavirus impact starts to wane but, even with these measures, the UK economy is not expected to return to its Q4 2019 size until 2023. Howard Archer, chief economic advisor to the EY ITEM Club, says: “The UK economy is clearly in for a very difficult year with GDP expected to contract around 13% quarter-on-quarter in Q2. To put this into perspective, the largest quarter on quarter contraction suffered during the 2008/9 financial crisis was 2.1% in Q4 2008. Our report assumes that the Government’s measures aimed at supporting businesses and saving jobs will have a significant positive impact, which is absolutely crucial to limiting the potential longer-term damage to the economy.” Simon O’Neill, Office Managing Partner for EY in the Midlands, says: “I appreciate how difficult it is to look beyond the immediate challenges, but businesses need to prepare for a period of prolonged change. Based on the forecast for this year alone, around 44% of consumer spending – the major engine of UK growth over the last couple of decades – is at risk of either being delayed or lost completely.” Simon O’Neill, Office Managing Partner for EY in the Midlands Telephone 0800 009 6066 Email info@nnbcfinancial.co.uk Asset Finance, Leasing, Contract Hire, Sale & Leaseback • Property Development Finance • Commercial Property and Business Mortgages • Factoring and Invoice Finance Ed Henderson, founder and Managing Director of Uni2 Rent 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 07/05/2020 10:38 Page 28 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk APPOINTMENTS IoD appoints business voice for East Midlands The Institute of Directors (IoD) has appointed Natalie Gasson as its Policy Voice Ambassador for the East Midlands. Natalie is Head of Operations at the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, which supports and encourages economic growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. She will lead the IoD’s Policy Voice programme in the region, which enables directors to influence government ministers and policy makers through regular round tables and surveys. The IoD has helped to secure vital support for business leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic, including financial assistance for wage bills and changes to insolvency rules. Through Policy Voice, the IoD was able to provide the government with first-hand reports from members across the UK who are dealing with the fallout from the crisis. Natalie is also on the Board of Trustees at Nottingham Playhouse and spent more than eight years as development manager for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. She said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated why businesses, their directors and employees need strong representation in the corridors of power. We need to hear the experiences of East Midlands companies so that we can feed back their issues, challenges and successes to those who make decisions on our behalf. “Whether you run a large business that trades internationally or a start-up that is beginning its business journey, the IoD is here to support you.” Natalie Sykes, regional director for IoD East Midlands, added: “Policy Voice is a fantastic platform where we can work together as directors to share knowledge and deliver real change. Natalie’s LEP background makes her the perfect candidate to take Policy Voice in the East Midlands to the next level.” Leicestershire insurance specialist promotes three to Director roles A Leicestershire commercial insurance broker has promoted three senior managers to Director roles within the business. Anthony James Insurance Brokers, which is based in Loughborough, celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. Prior to the challenging circumstances of COVID-19 it was poised to expand into extra space at their Princes Court offices, a move which is on hold for now as the firm switches its operations to focus on an online and remote working support model. Whilst the office expansion is on hold, the promotions are firmly in place, with Leonie Rainbow, Liudmila Matvievskaia and Jacob Duckworth promoted to Director roles within the Operations, Finance and Client Services divisions respectively. Managing Director Steve Boorman says: “As we all face what is an incredibly difficult challenge personally and in business, it has never been more important to have a strong management team professionally. We were poised to announce these promotions but wanted to give everyone time to settle into our new operating procedures first. We have now successfully transitioned to the remote office, thanks in part to a prescient trial of the approach as the crisis escalated pre-lockdown.” The trio have been with the firm for nine, five and three years, with Leonie joining as an apprentice in 2011, Liudmila arriving in 2015 as finance manager and Jacob starting his role with the brokerage business in 2017 in a sales role – two of the newly formed board will be under thirty years of age. Steve Boorman continues: “It gives me an enormous sense of pride to see Leonie, Liudmila and Jacob doing so well in their careers and in the business. We’ve enjoyed growth across all of our sectors for the last few years but that is only achievable and indeed sustainable if you have a strong team across all of the management disciplines”. L-R: Steve Boorman, Liudmila Matvievskaia, Leonie Rainbow and Jacob Duckworth Natalie Gasson 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 07/05/2020 10:38 Page 3Howes Percival appoints new Chairman Howes Percival has elected a new Chairman. Partner and head of litigation, Geraint Davies, has taken over the role for a three-year term. Geraint joined the firm’s Leicester office as a solicitor in 1996 and helped to develop a large and experienced litigation team with a national reputation, before becoming the litigation practice group leader for the whole firm in 2012. He has been a member of the Howes Percival board since 2014. He replaces Tessa Haskey who steps down following two terms as Chairman. During her tenure, Tessa oversaw a period of sustained, strategic investment and growth, as the firm increased its presence across the East Midlands and East Anglia. Most notably the firm entered the Cambridge legal services market, re-entered the Milton Keynes market and partner numbers increased to 50. Geraint Davies said: “It’s a huge privilege to be elected Chairman of Howes Percival. The firm has an amazing history and a fantastic set of people with a real depth of experience and talent. “I want to thank Tessa for doing an outstanding job, leading the firm for the last six years. In that time, Howes Percival has seen significant growth and transformation. I’m hugely excited about taking over the reins, though to be honest, it’s been a bit of a baptism of fire. The outbreak of the Coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown has been challenging but our staff have been fantastic in helping us move our business quickly and seamlessly from office to home working. “Our teams have been working hard to help clients get to grips with the rapidly changing situation. We’ve worked with many of our clients for years, helping them grow their businesses – now it’s a case of helping them protect their people and their investments as best we can. These are unprecedented times and it remains to be seen what long term impact Covid-19 has on business in general and the professional services sector, specifically. But for now, we are working hard to provide our clients with advice, updates and guidance on how to navigate this period of huge uncertainty.” Property consultancy makes 13 promotions across East Midlands A property consultancy has made 13 promotions at its East Midlands offices – including two partners. Fisher German has made the promotions at its Ashby, Market Harborough and Newark offices as part of its career progression framework, which gives employees a clear pathway to advance In Ashby, Luke Brafield and Mark Gilkes have been promoted to partners, specialising in development and utilities and Agribusiness expert David Kinnersley, who works widely across the Midlands, has also joined the Partnership. Richard Gadd has progressed to associate director, Andrew Prideaux has been promoted to associate, Sarah Ellison has become a senior integrated systems analyst, Harry Fromant has become a senior surveyor and Karen Cunningham has become a senior administrator. Richard Benson, Ben Marshalsay and Richard Broome have also progressed within the partnership. In Market Harborough, Charity Shaw has become a farm consultant and Angela Williams has become a senior administrator. In the firm’s Newark office, Tricia Townson has been promoted to senior administrator. Fisher German has made a total of 32 promotions across its offices, marking its continuing success across a number of specialisms including planning and development, utilities and rural consultancy. They come following a strong period of growth for the firm, which saw it merge with Birmingham- based company Vine Property Management last June. Despite the unprecedented circumstances surrounding COVID-19, Senior Partner Tim Shuldham says there is still cause to recognise these professional achievements. He said: “I would like to congratulate all of those who have received promotions. While we never could have envisaged these unusual circumstances when we confirmed these appointments earlier this year, it is important that we take time to commend the individuals and recognise the hard work put in to achieve promotion.” EY invests in Private Middle Market growth with new appointment EY in the Midlands continues to build its capabilities in the Private Middle Market (‘PMM’) with the appointment of Tom Addyman as an associate partner. Tom has over 20 years’ experience in the retail, corporate and institutional banking sector, in the Midlands and London, as well as overseas in Dubai, working for Gulf Finance Corporation. He joins the EY team to spearhead its growth in PMM, having spent the last three years working at Santander Business, as its lead in the West Midlands. The main focus of Tom’s new role will be to lead the team to originate and build client relationships in the privately-owned business market connecting these clients with the expertise within the firm across all areas. He said: “I’m delighted to join EY as it builds its existing expertise in the PMM space. My banking knowledge and experience has given me invaluable insight in to the challenges and opportunities businesses face in this market. Combining this with local knowledge and EY’s existing expertise means we have a great opportunity to add value to local businesses, for new and current clients. “My appointment is part of a wider EY commitment to the PMM across the UK and Ireland, whilst also extending our focus and priorities in an area of the market that we feel has a multitude of opportunities. This also includes our ‘Advisors to the Ambitious’ campaign, designed to focus on supporting our client’s growth ambitions. I look forward to developing the local team and to working with clients across the Midlands now, next and beyond as we all manage our way through the current COVID-19 crisis.” www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 9 APPOINTMENTS Luke Brafield Tom Addyman Geraint Davies Photo courtesy of Steve Hodgkin / CHADWICKS 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 07/05/2020 10:38 Page 4Next >