DECEMBER 2022 EAST MIDLANDS LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE www.blmgroup.co.uk WWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UK WWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UK £3.50 Adapting to new times Old problemsHigh and lows 01.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:31 Page 1Armstrong house Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Superb Location - - Close to the ports of Grimsby & Immingham - Great motorway links - Close to the town centre Secure off street parking High speed internet availability A range of affordable office sizes 3 3 3 3 Last remaining office suites Prime location in Grimsby Offering a prime position in Grimsby, Armstrong House on Armstrong Street is ideally located. Close to the ports of Grimsby and Immingham, motorway links and the town centre, off-street parking is also available for all staff and visitors, meaning it’s convenient too. Our spacious, welcoming offices are located on the ground floor and are both secure and CCTV-monitored, giving you the ultimate peace of mind. At Armstrong House, when it comes to affordability and with a range of office sizes there are opportunities for all types of business. If you require virtual office services, prices start from just £15 per month. For more information, or to discuss your office requirements call 01472 310301. 02.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:32 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukEast Midlands Business Link 3 EDITORS NOTES When it comes to December we tend to look at the past year and do a sort of review on how it’s been. Those words alone probably fill many in the region with fear because let’s be honest: the past year has been rather awful. We came out of COVID with hopes for a recovery and we have become the only country in the G7 who has a smaller economy than it had during COVID. Every other country has recovered but for us. At the same time, the Government is on its third Prime Minister of the year and what is probably its fourth budget. The last one sent inflation rocketing and forced the Bank of England to step in. That’s not a good look for the Conservative party, and not a good look for the country either. On the other hand, it’s probably a good argument as to why the East Midlands should be looking forward to devolution – especially if we can erect a barrier between London and the East Midlands and pretend the former doesn’t exist. Quite frankly, the year has not been a good one for business, and there are plenty of excuses as to why that is. Some are blaming COVID despite the earlier fact of no other country in the G7 sliding back as we have. Others are blaming Brexit, including some former Brexiteer businessmen who are now calling for migrant workers to be allowed back into the country. Others are blaming the Conservatives. What is fast becoming clear is that instability and madness are fast becoming the norm in the country, and our region cannot do anything to change that. Instead, businesses are going to need to buckle up and look out for themselves and do what they can to weather the storm. The East Midlands needs to stay resilient, be cautious, and make the most of the strengths we have, because it seems unlikely that any meaningful help will be coming from the Government. Michael Fisher Editor 03.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:32 Page 1@BLMEastMidlands BLMEastMidlands Latest news 6 A round-up of the latest news from our region. Commercial property 16 The past month has seen positive progress for the rejuvenation of a number of disused sites across the region. End of year success stories20 Surrounded by economic and political uncertainty, rising costs and supply chain struggles, businesses have had to combat a multitude of challenges in 2022. But that doesn’t mean it’s been a year with no positive news for the East Midlands. Business Link highlights some of this year’s major boons set to create a brighter future for the region. Tax24 Luke Prout, corporate tax partner at Streets Chartered Accountants, offers a summary of the changes to Research and Development Tax Credits in the Autumn Statement. Health and safety 26 Health and safety in the workplace wasn’t so common a factor during the pandemic, but now that we’re back in offices and on sites, old habits are slipping into place. Networking 30 Fiona Duncan-Steer, founder of RSViP Business Networking Agency, reflects on her experience in the networking industry to share the different personality types to avoid invoking at events. Invoice and finance solutions 32 Late payments plague the business sector and our region is not immune to it. With the country sliding into a recession, companies may look to ways to offset the risk and uncertainty of their invoices and maintain a steady cash flow. Public relations36 Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, recaps some PR magic. Engineering 38 The world is changing and our region needs to become more self-sufficient and independent. With the engineer sector suffering from a heavy skills shortage, we take a look at what the sector is doing – and what it can do – to draw in more talent. Logistics 42 The East Midlands may be a key logistical region but that does not mean it’s free from the challenges faced by the industry – challenges that the Government is not helping with. AutoLink 46 There are many different cars around these days, so we figured it was worth looking at a few vehicles to tickle your fancy for the new year. DECEMBER 2022 EAST MIDLANDS £3.50 LEADING BUSINESS MA AGAZINE times Adapting to n oblemOld pr new High anms nd lows www.blmgroup.co.uk Cover photographs courtesy: stock.adobe.com/Leonid Andronov • Mose Schneider • Me studio • kokliang1981 • Egor Contents December 2022 Corporate hospitality 50 Christmas parties are designed to be fun and are important for maintaining staff, but there are a lot of things that can go wrong – it’s best to be aware of these in advance. Out of office54 Good news from across the region. Events56 A timely look at forthcoming business events around the East Midlands. And finally...58 Here’s Frazer’s collection of the weird and wonderful ‘news’ that came his way over the last few weeks. 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:33 Page 132 Group Editor Steve Fisher s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Editor Michael Fisher m.fisher@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 30/11/2022 09:33 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk GENERAL NEWS Agricultural Growth Zone created to support Lincolnshire and Rutland An Agricultural Growth Zone has been created to support Lincolnshire and Rutland’s agricultural sector. The Ag Zone will unite the work at Bishop Burton College’s Showground Campus, the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, the Lincoln Institute of Agricultural Technology (LIAT), Barclays Eagle Farm Lab and the cluster of agritech companies now being established on the Riseholme Campus. It will create a centre to support agriculture and a skills pipeline to attract the next generation into the industry, from schools engagement through further and higher education and on to postgraduate education and continuing professional development for the farming industry. The Ag Zone will continue the growth of collaborative research which has attracted over £60m of investment to the area since 2016 and supported the establishment of new agritech businesses such as Fruitcast and Agaricus Robots, both created at Riseholme in 2021. The long-term aim is to link the cluster of skills, innovation and business support to a network of commercial demonstration farms across Lincolnshire to trial new technologies. LLEP invests £90,000 in extending project to grow digital skills in Leicester and Leicestershire Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) and De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) will collaborate in extending a project to improve digital skills across Leicester and Leicestershire. DMU has been commissioned to lead the LLEP’s Digital Skills Partnership (DSP) in delivery of the latest phase of its Digital Leicestershire project. The University will utilise its experience to support the project vision of bringing people and organisations together to increase digital skills. The £90,000 project is the second phase of an original LLEP project which commenced during the pandemic to increase online inclusion as residents were locked down. Many services moved online as a consequence of the pandemic, yet ONS data showed that more than 11% of the East Midlands population were non- internet users and 9% had no digital skills at all. The new-look DSP will serve as a single portal for small businesses to access digital expertise and technical training. It will also signpost courses varying levels and lengths, as well as working to facilitate inclusion through device, skills and connectivity. Global Brands to expand distribution centre in £2m development Global Brands, the independent drinks company and distributor, are increasing their distribution capabilities with significant expansion to their warehouse facilities in Clay Cross, Derbyshire. The current Global Brands Distribution Centre has 152,000 sq ft of warehouse space, employing 80 members of staff. This expansion will increase the warehouse size to 180,800 sq ft, and add 30 members of staff to the production and distribution line at the facilities. The expansion will increase total storage capabilities at the warehouse from 30 million to 40 million bottles, across 17,000 pallets. Following extensive groundworks, the steel frame is being erected over the next two months, and a concrete slab base will then be poured and set. Works for the 28,800 sq ft extension will conclude in January 2023. The expansion follows a sustained increase in demand versus 2019 (the last year of undisrupted trading) for the company’s portfolio of drinks brands, including VK, Hooch, Franklin & Sons, All Shook Up, Shake Baby Shake, Beviamo, Kick Energy, Lustre, and Amigos Tequila Beer. © stock.adobe.com/ BullRun The Global Brands Distribution Centre, with groundwork underway for the expansion. 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:38 Page 1Franklin Ellis Architects becomes employee-owned Franklin Ellis Architects has transferred to an Employee-Owned Trust. Founded as a limited company in 1993 by David Franklin and Andrew Ellis, Franklin Ellis have grown considerably, now employing over 30 staff, with two permanent offices in Nottingham and Leicester. Matthew Branton, FE’s Managing Director and a founding member of the firm, said: “Taking the decision to become an Employee-Owned Trust is one we’re pleased to enact and feels like a natural progression for Franklin Ellis. “We aim to ensure the independence and continued success of FE and choosing an employee-owned model exemplifies the level of ownership our employees have in their work and the direction of the company. This change will solidify the confidence we have in our staff, our commitment to them and secure the future of FE, while preserving our culture and ambitions. “The Trust removes barriers of succession and places the future of the company into the hands of our employees. Our ambitious team are empowered to drive forward the Practice, providing the best possible service and results for our clients.” The day-to-day running of the Practice will continue to be controlled by Managing Director Matthew Branton and the leadership team. The newly formed Staff Council and Trustee Board, headed by founding director David Franklin, will support the development of the Practice. www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link GENERAL NEWS • Commercial • Events • Headshots • Automotive • Fashion CALL OR EMAIL FOR A QUOTE 07506 998855 STEVE@STEVEEDWARDSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM STEVEEDWARDSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM Creating eye-catching images to help businesses build their brands and engage with clients. New research to improve support for small businesses in the East Midlands The needs of small businesses in the East Midlands are being investigated in a new study by experts at the University of Nottingham, in collaboration with the East Midlands Chamber. Leaders of small businesses in the region are invited to help Academics from Nottingham University Business School build an understanding of what they want from business support and how they access it. Analysis from the project will help to inform the future of business advice and support available in the region. Dr Robert Wapshott, associate professor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Nottingham University Business School, said: “Effective systems of advice and support for small businesses can add value to ventures and the region. To achieve this, however, we need to focus on what small businesses really want and how they want to access advice and support. “We are very aware of the current economic climate and issues with international trade, so we are keen to make sure that the support on offer directly addresses and assists with the concerns that business leaders have. The growth of the region relies on this.” © stock.adobe.com/ PX Media © stock.adobe.com/ Mose Schneider 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:38 Page 2APPOINTMENTS Ideagen appoints chief corporate development officer Global expansion has led to Nottinghamshire software company Ideagen strengthening its leadership team with the appointment of Paul Carter as chief corporate development officer. With over two decades’ experience leading corporate development teams for several FTSE-100 and Fortune 500 companies, Paul will lead Ideagen’s acquisition strategy. Ideagen CEO, Ben Dorks, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Paul to the Ideagen executive team. He’s exactly the person we need to continue our growth trajectory and strengthen the Ideagen product portfolio for our customers. “Paul is a well-regarded strategist with deep industry experience at blue chip organisations. His proven track record of evaluating, negotiating and executing acquisition opportunities will play a key role in helping us accelerate faster, serve customers better and scale our business.” East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Award winning entrepreneur joins Purpose Media Award-winning entrepreneur Amanda Strong has joined full service marketing agency Purpose Media as a partnership manager. For 33 years, Amanda was the owner of Mercia Image Print during which she won entrepreneur of the year and outstanding female entrepreneur of the year. The company won Small Business of the Year and various printing industry related awards. She is a trustee at Children First Derby, an ambassador of Safe and Sound, and also on the committee of Derby’s Finest, which aims to support and inspire ladies in Derbyshire to gain the recognition they deserve. Having recently sold Mercia Image Print she intends to use her time, experience and connections to create business opportunities for other local businesses. In her new role, Amanda will be introducing Purpose Media to her network and explaining the benefits of partnering together for mutual benefit. BDO expands Midlands team with VAT partner hire Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP has strengthened its Midlands team with the senior appointment of Chris Rowe as VAT partner, following a raft of promotions across the region. Chris joins the Midlands Tax team and brings over 13 years’ experience to the position. In his previous role as director at EY, he led the automotive team nationally for Indirect Tax, and was also Tax lead on a number of key accounts. Chris also brings sector expertise across retail and manufacturing. At BDO, Chris will be responsible for helping to build the Midlands VAT team, both in terms of people and revenues. He will also utilise his sector expertise by adding value to the firm’s Midlands manufacturing hub, while working nationally in the automotive market. Kyla Bellingall, Midlands managing partner, said: “We’re delighted to welcome someone of Chris’ experience to the Midlands team, in what is an excellent hire for both our VAT and sector teams, as we look to solidify our presence in the regional market over the coming months and years.” Chris Rowe (centre) with Kyla Bellingall and John Rouse L-R: Matt Wheatcroft, Amanda Strong, Grace Golden 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:38 Page 3Trio promoted to leadership roles at Fluid Ideas Three members of staff at creative agency Fluid Ideas have been promoted to newly-created leadership roles heading key teams. Sarah Bowler has become the head of support and delivery, Michelle Hazelgrove has been appointed head of people and culture, and Jamie Hovell has taken up the position of head of image and motion. Joint Managing Director Phil Harvey said: “These are all new positions created through the expansion of the business and reflect the brilliant work that Sarah, Michelle and Jamie have been doing in supporting and enhancing the standards of creativity and service delivered to our clients. “All three are deeply protective of our culture and values, and they are the ideal people to take up these new positions as we continue to develop. “Our strategy is to always promote internally whenever possible to help our team progress their careers. We’re very proud of the fact that we have a 90 per cent employee retention rate, more than double the industry average, and our approach of nurturing and promoting our own people is ingrained in the fabric of Fluid.” Howes Percival strengthens East Mids commercial property team with senior appointment Howes Percival has strengthened its commercial property team in the East Midlands with the appointment of Michelle Woolston as a director. An experienced property solicitor, Michelle has re- joined Howes Percival where she trained and worked for a number of years, from Kemsley & Company. Michelle deals with all aspects of commercial property work, including commercial and residential development; advising landowners and developers in relation to options, conditional contracts and promotion agreements; dealing with landlord and tenant matters, including portfolio acquisitions and management; corporate support and secured lending. Lucy Lord, commercial property partner at Howes Percival, said: “We are delighted to welcome Michelle back. She first joined Howes Percival as a trainee in 2000 and worked from both our Leicester and Northampton offices for a number of years after qualifying. Michelle is a very accomplished property solicitor with a proven track record, a wealth of experience and a loyal client following. “The market remains resilient, and with the addition of Michelle we have strengthened our commercial property offering to support our clients.” www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link APPOINTMENTS New promotions at Paragon Law Niche Nottingham immigration law firm, Paragon Law has promoted two senior colleagues to directors. James Firman has been promoted to operations director. Firman joined the organisation over 15 years ago, initially joining as a general administration apprentice and since then has worked in finance, general operations, IT and HR. In 2021, he was named as Nottinghamshire Law Society’s Practice Manager of the Year. Senior solicitor Emma Okenyi has been promoted to a legal director. In September, Okenyi celebrated her tenth year with Paragon Law and in the same month she also became head of the firm’s Personal and Family immigration team. Founder and director Thal Vasishta said: “These promotions reflect the hard work, dedication, and talent shown by these individuals. Both James Firman and Emma Okenyi have been at Paragon Law for over 10 years and have since established themselves as amongst the best at what they do. “Paragon Law continues to demonstrate our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Emma is an example to all international graduates in the UK that you can reach the top of your field of work. 67% of our senior leadership are women and 67% are from a BAME background.” Michelle Woolston (R) with Lucy Lord L-R: Sarah Bowler, Jamie Hovell and Michelle Hazelgrove 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:38 Page 4Next >