KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees1, June, 2010

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An EXAMINER publication

MouldingsuccessA COMPANY makingitems from plastic hasbeen demonstrating itsgreen credentials topotential investors.Crompton MouldingsLtd took part in anevent hosted byCO2Sense Yorkshire toshowcase the work ofnine firms from thesustainable sector and encourageinvestors to provideprivate equity of75,000 to 500,000.

Safe andsoundTWO Huddersfieldfirms are celebrating 15years in businesstogether.Haulage firm The PinkLink Ltd and BurtonSafes marked theirpartnership as Burtonsmanaging directorNorman Berry retires atthe end of this year.

Easilift takes the load for retail supplierA COMPANY providing loading bayequipment has ensured that a keycustomer is not left hanging around.Easilift Loading Systems Ltd, of

Kirkburton, has supplied a doubledeck scissor lift to allow TIC RetailAccessories Group to load and unloaditems more efficiently.TIC helps retailers by moving mer-

chandise back through the supplychain typically high-volumere-usable retail accessories such as

clothes hangers and security tags.TIC pioneered the idea of hanger

re-use, which is now being acceptedmore widely among retailers due to thefinancial and environmental costs ofsimply throwing them away.Easilifts system including solid

steel scissor lift and 6,000kg loadingplatform was fitted at TICs premisesin Sheffield and took under two daysto install.Easilift is one of the UKs foremost

loading bay equipment specialists and one of the first in its sector to gainSAFEcontractor accreditation anindependent assessment of the healthand safety record and competency ofcontractors.The company, which has its own

in-house design team and engineers,has supplied systems to customersincluding Tesco, Arla Foods, Instoreand Nisa-Today.Easilift sales director David Whyatt

said: We work in close collaborationwith all our customers, which enablesus to develop an in-depth appreciationof their business, processes and pro-cedures, so we are in an ideal positionto develop individually-tailored load-ing bay solutions.This approach is reflected in the

high levels of customer satisfactionachieved. As a result, 60% of neworders come from existing custom-ers.

Banks get beatingin business surveyBANKS have to work hard to restorecustomer confidence after the creditcrunch, suggests a survey by threeleading professional advisory firms inHuddersfield.Research by law firm Baxter

Caulfield, Robertson Baxter FinancialServices Ltd and chartered account-ants Wheawill & Sudworth, foundconsiderable dissatisfactionwith thelevels of customer service provided bybanks to the regions businesses.More than a third of local firms said

theywere disillusionedwith the servicethey receive from their bank, accord-ing to the research.Some 34% rated their banks service

as poor or below expectationswhile fewer than half felt that theirbank had helped them through aperiod of difficulty.Some 56% believed the recession

had been used as an excuse to increasebank charges, while 61% said theirbanks lending rates were too highcompared to the low base rate.Fewer than 10% of those polled said

their bank had promoted the govern-ments Enterprise Finance GuaranteeScheme designed to support lendingfor business growth.Some 43% felt that their bank had

scrutinised their business more sincethe credit crunch with 40% beingasked for greater security to supporttheir borrowing and 46% believingthat the bank was taking longer tomake lending decisions.Stephen Newman, senior partner at

Bax t e r Cau l f i e l d So l i c i t o r s,said: Customer care should be a pri-ority at any time, let alone during arecession in which banks are alreadyunder scrutiny.When we evaluated the results of

this research, it seems that few bankshave succeeded in keeping their cus-tomers happy.Greg Robertson, director of

Robertson Baxter Financial Services,said: While two-thirds said theirbanks overall service was good orvery good, only 20% of those peoplewent for very good.

This shows that four out of fivepeople are not receiving top notchservice from their banks. In any otherwalk of life we would not just sit backand accept this.David Butterworth, of Wheawill &

Sudworth, said there seemed to havebeen a major reduction in staff num-bers at local level, leading to delaysand fewer resources in the branch.

Lending authority had also been cent-ralised with credit teams who did notknow the businesses and their peopletaking longer to make decisions.He said: With all this in mind, it is

not surprising that businesses are nothappy with the service they get fromtheir bank but I believe that most ofthe blame for this lies centrally, ratherthan with local branches.

BANK STATEMENT: Stephen Newman (left), of Baxter Caulfield; DavidButterworth (centre), of Wheawill & Sudworth; and Greg Robertson, ofRobertson Baxter Financial Services Ltd

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS national Page 2

ALMOST half of all UK-listed com-panies facing takeover bids during thepast two years have been targeted byforeign firms, said a survey.About 44% of all merger and

acquisition deals targeting UK-listedcompanies have been backed by over-seas bidders, according to City lawfirm Wedlake Bell.The proportion rose to 53% in the

first quarter of this year nearlydouble the 27% of deals that involvedforeign backers in the first threemonths of 2008.Tim Bird, partner and head of the

corporate team at Wedlake Bell, said:There is a very definite pattern emer-ging here, which is that more andmore foreign companies see the UK

as a good place to invest and thequickest way is to acquire compan-ies.The return to growth of the UK

economy is boosting the confidenceof overseas investors who clearly viewthe long term prospects of the UKeconomy to be very good.The group said foreign companies

were taking advantage of the favour-able bid conditions in the UK, such asthe weak pound and the robust sys-tem of regulation.The group said the US remained

the main source of overseas bid forUK-listed firms, accounting for 30%of bids in the past two years.But there was also strong interest

from bidders in China and India.

COMEDY group Jongleurs hasannounced plans to launch six newclubs this year following a 2minvestment.The clubs, which will be opened in

Nottingham, Cambridge, Liverpool,Manchester, Sheffield and New-castle, are part of a joint venturewiththe UKs largest private bar and cluboperator Novus Leisure.The move means there will be 11

Jongleurs clubs around the UK bythe end of 2010, with plans for fur-ther rollouts in 2011.The latest expansion plans follow

the opening of three new clubsalready this year, including a flag-ship club at Sway, which is owned byNovus Leisure, in Covent Garden.

The group repor ted strongdemand for its new comedy pack-age, Jongleurs Posh, at its Swayvenue, which offers a three coursedinner, table service and fourstand-up acts for 40.John Davy, Jongleurs co-owner,

said: This fresh investment willhelp bring our unique offering toeven more customers and new audi-ences.The appetite for a complete com-

edy and entertainment experience isstronger than ever and we are exper-iencing unprecedented demandfrom corporate and larger groupbookings in particular who are look-i n g f o r a n e n t e r t a i n m e n tone-stop-shop.

THE services sector has failed to build onsigns of a recovery seen earlier this year with sales disappointing expectations dur-ing the past three months.Both the volume and value of business

carried out by firms involved in consumerservices, such as hotels, restaurants, traveland leisure, fell during the three months toMay, according to a survey by employersgroup the CBI.Just over a third of companies in the

sector reported a fall in business volumes,with just 14% seeing a rise, while a balanceof 5% of firms reported a drop in the valueof business.The fall came despite firms seeing a

slight rise in business levels during theprevious quarter and expectations thatthe increase would continue.The overall profitability of consumer

services firms fell to its lowest level since

August last year, with 34% more compan-ies reporting a drop in profitability thanthose that saw a rise.Th i s wa s p a r t l y d r i v e n by a

slower-than-expected rise in prices,coupled with a faster-than-expectedincrease in costs.Business and professional services

firms, such as accountants, solicitors andmarketers, did not fare much better withbusiness volumes remaining unchangedduring the period, while the value ofbusiness rose only slightly, with a balanceof 8% of companies reporting anincrease.The profitability of firms in the sector

has now fallen consistently for two years.The prices firms charged for their ser-

vices continued to drop, although they didso at the slowest rate since November,2008.

Ian McCafferty, CBI chief economicadviser, said: These figures for the UKservice sector show there is some way to gobefore the recovery gets up to speed, andfirms selling services to the consumer arefinding it tougher than those in businessand professional services.Consumers are still being cautious

about spending on discretionary activitieslike eating out in restaurants or bars, andleisure and personal services, such as hair-cuts or beauty. But it is interesting to seethat travel services firms are doing better,which suggests people still want to take awell-earned break.Firms selling business and professional

services are feeling slightly more optim-istic than three months ago, but are stillfinding it hard to make a profit as pricescontinue to decrease and costs acceler-ate.

Jongleurs spreading the laughs UK firms prove attractive

Service sector hitby fall in volumes

Beatingthe oddsA SEARCH to findinspirational men andwomen who have beatenthe odds to succeed inbusiness has beenlaunched with the fifthannual Barclays TradingPlaces Awards.Enterprising individuals

who have triumphed overpersonal adversity to turntheir business dreamsinto a reality have untilFriday, July 16, to tell thejudges their story andwhy they should win ashare of the 50,000prize package.This years awards will

also invite people tonominate someone theyknow who deservesnational recognition forovercoming some of lifes

greatest challenges torun their own business.Steve Cooper

(pictured, above),chairman of the judgingpanel and managingdirector of BarclaysBusiness, said: TradingPlaces is a celebration ofmen and women who,despite great personalchallenges, have takensteps to establish asustainable businessand in doing so changedthe direction of their livesfor the better.We are delighted to

have this opportunity torecognise theirachievements whilehighlighting anincreasingly importantsector of the businesscommunity whetherthey are sole traders orsmall businesses thattogether underpin oureconomy.Everyone entering the

awards will have accessto a range of businesssupport packagesfeaturing specialistadvice and expertmentoring.The overall winner will

get a cheque for 10,000with the runner-upreceiving 5,000.The awards will be

made at a black tie galadinner at The Savoy inLondon on Tuesday,November 30.Entry forms are

available in Barclaysbranches, by calling 02086732020 or by visitingwww.barclays.co.uk/tradingplaces

Conservatory cleaningfirm is a family affair!A FAMILY business is making a clearbid for success cleaning domesticconservatories.Deighton man Roger Patrice and his

sons Christopher and Nicholas set upCNR Conservatory Cleaning in 2007with advice and support from BusinessLink Yorkshire.Now the company is gearing up for

expansion having weathered the reces-sion.Mr Patrice: Last year was a pretty

tough time, but it is picking up now.Weare getting a lot of repeat custom,which is very encouraging and we arelooking to expand to cover not justKirklees but other parts of West York-shire.As well as conservatories, we are

looking to offer cleaning services forpatios, block paving and drives.Mr Patrice said forecasts for a hot

summer and the prospect of peoplemaking more use of their conservator-ies presented a great opportunity forthe fledgling business.At present, Mr Patrice and his sons

all have full-time jobs and work on theconservatory cleaning business mainlyat weekends.But the long-term goal is to develop

a business for Christopher, 25, andNicholas, 23, to run as their ownbusiness full-time.Said Mr Patrice: It all started when

wewanted to get our own conservatorycleaned and realised there was nobodyoffering the service.Its not like washing the windows.

Cleaning a conservatory properly including the guttering, pipework anddecorative features can take fourhours. And every conservatory is dif-ferent.

WASHING DAY: Roger Patrice (centre) with sons Nick (left) and Chris,who have impressed Business Link Yorkshire with their fledgling business

CAUTIOUS: CBI chiefeconomist Ian McCafferty

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3

Jamie Milner& MattTurner

TasteMarketingLtd

HENRYKZIENTEK

Roles: Joint man-aging directorsFirst job:Washingup in my local restaur-ant (Matt). Pizza deliv-ery driver for ChiniPizza in Skel-manthorpe (Jamie)Best thing aboutjob: Building a busi-ness from scratch andwatching tastelondongrow from nothing intoa well-recognised andwell-respected brandWorst thing aboutjob: The amount oftax we have to pay.We seem to get pun-ished for being suc-cessful! Also, its oftenhard to switch offafter workBusiness tip:Always follow your gutinstinct and focus onwhat you think willwork. Keep thingssimple and just do it.Move quickly and dontover-plan

Work: Diners clubSite: Viaduct Street,HuddersfieldEmployees: 25Phone: 08005677241Email: enquiries@tastecard.co.ukWebsitewww.tastecard.co.uk

Capitalplan isa realwinner

CONQUERING Londons livelyrestaurant scene has taken MattTurner and Jamie Milner just threeyears.Thats not bad going for two

guys who hit on the idea for theirsuccessful business venture whilesharing a few pints at a bar inHuddersfield.Matt, who hails from

Lancashires Ribble Valley, wasrunning 70 The Retreat at JohnWilliam Street with his wife Julia.A graduate in politics at Leeds

University with a masters degreein international marketing, Matthad set up the business afterworking as a broker in Leeds andSheffield.Leeds-born Jamie moved to

Huddersfield when he was eightand attended Shelley High Schoolbefore working firstly as a pizzadelivery man and later as a carsalesman for Dixon Renault atLeeds Road and Harratts Volvobefore joining an online auctionsite.Says Jamie: I used to drink in

Matts bar and we just got talking.We both wanted to get out of whatwe were doing and we came upwith the idea for tastelondon.Matt adds: I think we had a gut

feeling that it was going to work.The business plan just seemedright.We raised some money from

the Small Firms Loan GuaranteeFund and Yorkshire Forward.I think we drew up the cashflow

forecast on the back of a beermat although we printed it upproperly for our fundingapplication!The business was launched in

March, 2006. Despite theirconfidence in the concept, Mattand Jamie realised they weremaking a huge commitment.We re-mortgaged our houses

and sold our cars, says Matt.We didnt pay ourselves any

wages for six months so it had towork.Four years down the line, we

have 25 people working for us andwe are set to expand further.We are pleased by how far we

have come, but we count ourblessings and we know we have tostrive to do more. We never look

back and think that now wevemade it.Tastelondon is a diners club with

a difference. It provides customerswith a discount card offering up to50% off meals in more than 1,500bars and restaurants in return foran annual fee.Restaurants dont pay to be part

of the network, they simply offertastelondon customers a discount.The business model has been

phonemically successful. Matt andJamies company, Taste MarketingLtd, is now on course for turnoverof 3m this year and tastelondonhas 100,000 members.Says Jamie: The concept was

completely new for London,although it was adapted from alarge US company called TheEntertainment Book.Tastelondon was marketed as a

lifestyle club rather than a discountscheme, which would have giventhe impression of beingdown-market.We knew people did not want to

be seen in smart Londonrestaurants fumbling for voucherstheyd cut out of the paper, so we

adopted a diners card system.A lot of people raised their

eyebrows when we said we wouldbe running it in London but fromHuddersfield.In 2007, we had about 350

restaurants on the books. Now wehave 1,700. Our target is to recruitanother 3,500.Restaurant chains already signed

up for tastelondon range from CaffUno, Grand Union Bar and Grill,The Ivory Lounge and JongleursComedy Club to PizzaExpress,Prezzo and Tiger Tiger.In London, there is a tastelondon

restaurant on every street, saysMatt. In some streets we have twoor three.We chose London because

everyone eats out there. If you havea one-bedroom flat, you are goingto eat out a lot.London was the hardest market

to crack, but it is also the mostlucrative. There are 8m people inLondon and 8m in the HomeCounties thats 16m within a50-mile radius of the capital.Tastelondon markets its offers

through media based in the capital,including Time Out and Metro.Matt and Jamie also attend major

exhibitions such as the Good FoodShow and the Ideal Homes Show.Now the directors are re-branding

tastelondon as tastecard signalling an expansion of theconcept which will take them intoother cities, including Leeds andtheir hometown of Huddersfield.It will also mean recruiting more

staff at its 3,000sq ft premises inViaduct Street to join its existingteams of tele-marketers andcustomer service personnel.The company moved to Viaduct

Street just a few months ago thinking they would have plenty ofspace. While the unit under therailway arches is light and airy, it isalready filling up with staff.The firm also has two sales staff

permanently based in London.We go to London about once

every two months, says Jamie.Some clients prefer face-to-face

meetings to communicating byphone or email.Being in Huddersfield has its

advantages and disadvantages.We get invited to lots of VIPs

events such as restaurantopenings which we have toturn down because of thedistances we would have totravel.In truth, running Taste

Marketing Ltd leaves little timefor socialising in Huddersfield,let alone the great metropolis!Jamie finds time to ferry his

two children to riding lessonsand swimming sessions whileMatt plays football forHeywoods Irish Centre.Otherwise, they remainhands-on bosses.Expansion of the business

will mean devoting more time tostrategic planning, however.We have assembled a good

team, said Matt. We promotefrom within and as a marketingcompany we know our successis down to the quality of thepeople who work for us.And the business partners

reckon the concept is here tostay.People will always eat out

and people will always want tosave money, says Jamie. As aresult, we did not see too muchof an impact from therecession.

WINNING RECIPE: Jamie Milner(left) and Matt Turner, of TasteMarketing Ltd, have taken the capitalby storm

KIRKLEES BUSINESSlocal Page 4

Prepare for the worstTHE recent fire at a chem-ical works in Hudders-field should act as areminder to all companies toconsider: Could it happento us?While you may not operate a

chemical factory, what do yourneighbours do? And what couldhappen in your area that coulddisrupt your business?The Linthwaite fire was

brought under control by9.30am in themorning. If the firehad taken place during the dayrather than early in the morning,the disruption to local businessesand the surrounding road net-work could have been even moresevere.The site director responded

quickly by apologising for theincident to the local residentsand neighbours affected by thefire. People were warned to stayindoors and six local schoolswere closed for a day. It was alsostated that production was backat 90% by Tuesday so the busi-ness, customers and the jobs ofemployees could be protected.It appears that the immediate

response by the company and theemergency services were effectivein protecting life and bringingthe fire under control. Reportsindicate that the pollution to theriver and the wildlife resultingfrom the fire may lead to some

improvements when the site isrepaired.If your business suffers a

major event, you should ask thequestion: What next? when theimmediate emergency has beenresolved. What will employeesdo when they try to report forwork? What will your clientsthink when the phones arentanswered? Is this an opportunityfor your competitors?I was involved recently in the

annual Business ContinuityManagement review formy com-pany. Although we already had aBCM strategy in place we stillmanaged to identify furtherimprovements to our plans.Considering the What next?

question, we have plans in placefor the hours and days followingan event that would prevent ourbusiness operating normally.Our plans include alternativeoffices, information held off siteand pre-prepared messages tosend out to clients and suppliers.

I would advise all businesses tobe in the same position.When all else fails there is the

fall-back position of turning toyour insurance. Companiesshould check if they have busi-ness interruption insurance thatwill cover the costs and businesslosses when the business cannotoperate.However, you can always rely

on luck. After all it will neverhappen to us. Interestingly itwas on the same day that I readthe press stories and watched anonline video of the Huddersfieldfire, that I was watching the localTV news. The top story was a gasleak from a factory followingvandalism to a gas valve. Thesurrounding area, residents andbusinesses were evacuated forthree hours.So, where will luck run out

next? As Baden Powell said: Beprepared.

RISKYBUSINESSMark Dalton

MarkDalton is associate director atWilby Ltd

Creditors gettimely warningCREDITORS havebeen told to playby the rules andstop harassingdebtors who haveformal insolvencyprocedures underway.Figures frominsolvency tradebody R3 showthat 31% ofpeople in statutory insolvencyprocedures are still being contactedby creditors.That figure includes people who havefiled for bankruptcy and those whoare undertaking an individualvoluntary arrangement.Charles Brook (pictured),Huddersfield spokesman for R3,said: It is astounding thatindividuals continue to be houndedby creditors despite coming underthe protection of statutoryinsolvency procedures.The decision to file for bankruptcyis a difficult one, but once taken, ismeant to stop the endless contactfrom creditors.That such a large proportion ofbankrupts are not afforded the peaceof mind they are entitled to is ofgrave concern.And he added: Either creditors needto ensure their records are up to dateor they need to play by the rules.Mr Brook, a director with corporaterecovery firm Begbies Traynor, saidR3 wanted a single gatewayprocedure into personal insolvencyto stop a situation whereby debtorsstart off in one procedure only todiscover they were poorly advisedand better suited to another.We believe an assured moratoriumfrom the court for up to 28 dayswould provide a breathing space fordebtors to consider every option andenjoy a respite from creditorpressure, said Mr Brook. Duringthat period, they would be obliged toseek professional advice beforemaking a decision.The range of debt solutions isdeeply confusing for an individual inpotentially the most stressful periodof their lives. They should beapplauded for taking action to bringresolution to their finances and makea fresh start, not pressured by theircreditors once they have acted todeal with their affairs.

Getting thatFriday feeling!BUSINESS people in Huddersfieldtown centre are invited to enjoy adrink and a chat.The First Friday Club will meet from12.30pm to 1.30pm on Friday at TheCotton Factory in King Street.The regular event, which isorganised by Krishna Patel, ofaccountancy firm Revell Ward, aimsto enable members of the businesscommunity to meet up in a socialsetting without the usual networkingformalities or pressure to dobusiness.

Plastics fantasticformoulding firmA BRIGHOUSE firm making items from plastic wasamong companies providing sustainable products andservices to demonstrate green technologies to poten-tial investors.Crompton Mouldings Ltd took part in an event

showcasing the work of nine firms from the sustainablesector at the Green Technologies Investment Forum inLeeds.The event, whichwas hosted byCO2SenseYorkshire

and sponsored by Pinsent Masons, was organised toencourage investors to provide private equity ofbetween 75,000 and 500,000 towards businesses inthe sustainability sector.Potential investors were members of the Yorkshire

Association of Business Angels . They saw pitchesfrom nine companies looking for investment todevelop their products and services.These included recycled plastics, biomass, nuclear

waste research, electrical propulsion systems, lightingand recycled construction materials.Crompton Mouldings Ltd, based at West Vale

Buildings, Wakefield Road, manufactures items suchas grit bins, forecourt litter bins, water butts andcomposters. InMarch, it was a finalist in the Innovator10 Awards against competition from firms across theregion.

Barbara Greaves, YABA manager, said: Feedbackfrom potential investors has been very positive. Over100 people attended the forum to learn about theopportunities in the green technologies sector in theregion. Discussions are now taking place to moveproject ideas forward.CO2Sense hosted the event to highlight the value of

new environmental products and services that areemerging from this sector, but also increase the level ofprivate sector confidence and investment available tobusinesses in the sustainability sector in the region.Andrew Hartley, operations director at CO2Sense

Yorkshire, said: Partnerships with organisations suchas YABA are crucial to reach key businesses in theYorkshire and Humber region.Ideas presented at the event were a fantastic

example of how sustainable products and services are aformidable business proposition and I hope thatinvestments will be made.As a result, the sustainable products sector will

flourish and reduce all of our carbon footprints.CO2Sense Yorkshire is a business support and

market development programme funded by YorkshireForward and the European Regional DevelopmentFund.

PRODUCTS: Tony Douglas,commercial manager of Brighousefirm Crompton Moudings Ltd

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 5

SimonKaye is divisional director at RensburgSheppardsInvestmentManagement

CITYTALKSimon Kaye

Chamberprize moneyup for grabsKIRKLEES firms have been urged toenter a national awards and competefor 50,000 worth of cash prizes.The Chamber Awards, run by the BritishChambers of Commerce, is in its 150thyear and rewards business talent acrossthe UK.President Neville Reyner said: Everyyear we help thousands of energisedand determined businesses across thenation all playing a critical role indriving forward the success of the UKeconomy.Our awards are a great opportunity forcompanies to shout about theirachievements and gain the sort ofrecognition that they actually deserve.We want to hear from enterprisingbusinesses that are finding innovativeways to navigate the current economicclimate, building up trade despite thedownturn and above all, that arepassionate about what they do.Regional winners in eight categories gothrough to the national finals and thechance to collect the Winner of WinnersAward for Outstanding BusinessAchievement with a top prize of 25,000and runners-up prizes of 15,000 and10,000.The regional winners will be announcedin September.Go to www.chamberawards.co.uk oremail awards@chamberawards.co.uk.The closing date for entries is June 25.

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Restaurant haswinning recipeA RESTAURATEUR in Huddersfield hascooked up a winner.Barrington Douglas, who owns Discovery

Bay Restaurant in Huddersfield, is the latestwinner of the Business of the Month Awardrun by law firm Eaton Smith, the Mid York-shire Chamber of Commerce and BusinessLink Yorkshire.The award was presented to Barrington by

Eaton Smith partner Deborah Melluish at areception also attended byKirkleesmayorClrJulie Stewart Turner.Barrington has had a passion for cooking

since he was 12 watching his mother cookwonderful Caribbean meals using skills andfamily recipes passed down from genera-tions.At the age of 19, he began work in the

construction industry, saving 20 out of every100 he earned. After 21 years of saving, hewas finally ready to invest into his lifelongdream of opening a Caribbean restaurant.After just one month of opening in 2006,

Discovery Bay was awarded second place inYorkshires Best Ethnic Restaurant Awards.Barrington went on to win the YorkshireBlack Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 Award,which was presented by former athlete ChrisAkabusi.Barrington was also invited to a

once-in-a-lifetime trip working alongsideGary Rhodes while he filmed his new seriesRhodes across the Caribbean.This involved touring eight Caribbean

islands from Jamaica to Tobago and cookingwith some of the Caribbeans top chefs. On his

travels, Barrington picked up more than 200recipes which he now offers in Discovery Bay with his own twist of course!Said Barrington: Winning the Eaton

Smith Business of the Month Award meansthe world to me and all the staff at DiscoveryBay.As a black entrepreneur, Im not only

trying to be a role model for the younger

generation, but as a Caribbean restaurant Iam trying to get as many people as possible toindulge in Caribbean cuisine.This will then encourage more people to

buy produce from Caribbean islands to helpcreate a more sustainable economy.For details of the awards, go to www.eaton-

smith.co.uk or contact Ian Greenwood on01484 821389

MENU MASTER: Barrington Douglas (third right) and Richard Denis (second right), ofDiscovery Bay, receive the award from Deborah Melluish (fourth left) and Kirklees mayorClr Julie Stewart Turner (centre) with (from left) Janet Bebb, of Business Link; JaynePearson, of Kirklees Economic Development Service; Carl France, of SandersonAssociates; and Kathryn Shuttleworth, of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce

Eurozone learning its lessonsITS Friday afternoon, the FTSE100index has just fallen through the 5000level and the widely watched AmericanDow Jones index has breached 10,000to the downside.UK equity markets are now 14% from their

highs, having lost their gains for the year anda littlemore besides in the last fourweeks. Thebear watchers in the media are already onthe lookout ready to trumpet a confirmedsighting of the elusive beast should we fall by20%. It is time for a little perspective.Were it not for Europes fumbling response

to its first major test as a single currency, theoutlook todaywould appear far brighter thancould have been believed a year ago. Accord-ing to the International Monetary Fund,global GDP is forecast to grow by 4.2% in2010 and by a similar amount in 2011.Excluding the financial sector, the 2010 earn-ings of the widely followed Morgan StanleyWorld Equity index are projected to be over90% of previous peak levels. All has lookedset for solid self-sustaining growth to resumein the developed world.However, investors have been distracted

from this pleasant prospect by the EuropeanSovereign debt crisis. Prior to the end ofApril, no material impact was expected bey-ond the periphery of Europe.However, in the past couple of weeks

several political errors on the part of theEuropeans have meant that wider contagionis now inevitable.The question is how much could this be?With Europe and the UK representing

around 27% of global GDP, a 1% shortfall ingrowth here would impact global growthdirectly by only a quarter of one percent.Admittedly, indirect linkages through tradeto other economies may double that impactover time, but the important point is that itwould take a severe European recession toderail the strong global recovery a recessionthat we could only envisage if the Euro wereto fail.In spite of reports that during the heated

debates that finally led to a bail-out packagebeing agreed President Sarkozy threatenedto take France out of the Euro, we do not

think the Euro is in imminent danger ofbreaking-up.The most important evidence for this is in

the magnitude of the bail-out package.Around one trillion dollars of potential sup-port is a large number in itself, but fewappreciate that it is a greater ratio of Euro-zone GDP than has been lost in impairmentsin America from the sub-prime mortgagedebacle.Why have markets remained unimpressed?

Equities were certainly overdue for someprofit taking, but much of the blame lies withthe ECBs recently acquired gift for shootingitself in the foot. This has sowed doubt aboutthe practical implementation of the plan.We are optimistic that these fears will prove

unfounded, remembering the evolution of theUS Troubled Asset Relief Program, whichunderwent several changes of focus beforefinally gaining traction. Although marketsdoubted at the time the important thing inretrospect was not the design of the plan, butthe fact that monetary authorities showedresponsiveness, flexibility and commitmentto address the issues. The evidence is that theECB and European politicians have learntthese lessons.

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS property Page 6

Winnersin thespotlight

Building company winsa place in regional finals

Latest auctionrealises 5.3m

BUYERS: Eddisons auctioneer TonyWebber reported strong interest

A HOLMFIRTH building firm hasreached the finals of a West York-shire-wide competition.A E Haywood & Sons Ltd has been

shortlisted in the category for best newdwelling in the West Yorkshire LABCBuilding Excellence Awards 2010.The company is making its third appear-

ance in the competition, having won thecategory for best domestic extension in2007 and being a finalist for the bestrestoration and conversion category toyears ago.The competition is run by the five five

West Yorkshire local authority buildingcontrol officers, who cover Calderdale,

Kirklees, Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield.All finalists receive a certificate and the

winners of nine categories each receive atrophy. The finals will take place on June 9at the Village Hotel and Leisure ClubLeeds, Headingley, Leeds.A E Haywood and Sons Ltd was estab-

lished in 1957 by Albert Edward Hay-wood.The company is now run by sons David

and Michael who employ a team of highlyqualified craftsmen.Among its achievements, the company

was involved in a 12-month conversionproject which was filmed for Channel 4programme Grand Designs.

FORTY-FIVE ofYorkshires mostimpressive buildingprojects went head tohead in the 2010 RICSPro-Yorkshire Awards.The awards werepresented at aceremony staged atLeeds Uniteds EllandRoad stadium.This years eventattracted a healthy 77entries, from which thepanel of 12 judgesshortlisted 45.The winners wereannounced by TVnewsreader NicholasOwen.Eight category winnersincluded WakefieldsNavigation Warehousefor buildingconservation, theBroad Gatedevelopment in Leedsfor commercialproperty, the RegionalAgricultural Centre inHarrogate forsustainability and TheJunction in Goole forcommunity benefit.The Harrogate schemewas also namedproject of the year.Colin Harrop, head ofthe judging panel andchairman of the RoyalInstitution of CharteredSurveyors Yorkshireand Humbersideregional board,congratulated thewinners and paidtribute to all those whotook part.He said: The standardof entries this year hasbeen very high,.The nominationsranged fromsmall-scale schemes,through tomulti-million pounddevelopments.

Positiveoutlookfor rentsLACK of supply ispushing up rentsacross the north andsignalling a revival inYorkshires lettingsmarket, it is claimed.A poll by the RoyalInstitution ofChartered Surveyorsshowed the netbalance of charteredsurveyors in the northreporting rising ratherthan falling rentsduring April rose to20% from minus 13%in January.However, surveyors inthe region remaincautious about rentscontinuing to rise with net balance forfuture rentalexpectations fallingslightly to 12% in Aprilfrom 17% in January.Nationally, surveyorsin the UK areoptimistic that rentswill continue to risewith the rentalexpectations netbalance climbing to36% the highestfigure recorded in thesurveys 11-yearhistory.The RICS said themore positive outlookfor rents was partlydue to the continueddecline in the supplyof flats and houses inthe market, which hadhelped gross yieldsincrease in the northfor the first time in ayear.Demand for propertyto let remains strong,with 30% morerespondents in the UKstill seeing it rise thanfall the strongestreading since January,2009.Houses remainmarginally morepopular in the norththan flats but thesurvey said flats werestarting re-establishtheir appeal.RICS Yorkshire andHumber housingspokesman JonCharters-Reid said:There is clearly amarked increase inprospective buyerswho have moved intorentedaccommodation with aview to making achain-free purchasewhen their idealproperty becomesavailable.Hopefully, the newgovernment willencourage banks tohelp buyers more,which will go a longway to further improvethe market.

A PROPERTY auction has generatedproceeds totalling more than 5.3m.Sixty-six out of 90 lots offered were

sold at the two-day sale held by Eddis-ons in Leeds and Manchester.Eddisons reported strong interest in

good quality commercial and tenan-ted residential stock at the event which provides encouragement for arevival in the wider property market.Tony Webber, of Eddisons, said:

Buyers were attracted to sens-ibly-priced tenanted residential stockwhich could be funded without thereliance on external finance.It is clear these remain a popular

investment vehicle for investors look-ing for medium to longer-termreturns.On the other hand, with difficult

lending conditions prevailing, buyersare reluctant to speculate on lower

quality commercial stock.Among the highlights was a free-

hold development site in Lincoln,which sold for 295,000 off a guideprice of 195,000 plus.The site on Carline Road was

offered on the instructions of the jointLPA receivers and has planning con-sent for residential development.Mr Webber said: The interest that

this lot created suggests developmentland may be starting to find favouramong buyers once again.A retail property on Abbeydale

Road, Sheffield with four yearsremaining on a 25-year lease to PizzaHut (UK) Ltd at an annual passingrent of 12,500 sold for 169,000.The next Eddisons auction takes

place at noon on June 17 at LeedsUnited Football Club, Elland Road,Leeds.

Spring Ram offers home to retailerA LEADING trader has taken space atBirstalls Spring Ram Retail Park.Property consultancy Knight Frank

advised on the letting of a 11,400sq ftretail unit to Homesense, part of theUS-based TJX Group, which alsoincludes TK Maxx.Homesense, which specialises in

designer discount home furnishings, ismoving into the unit previously leasedby bookseller Borders. It has agreed arental of 32.50 per sq ft on a 15-yearlease.Spring Ram Retail Park, off Junction

27 of theM62, was bought by Leeds andLondon Investment in April last yearfor 8.1m from NPI, part of the PearlGroup. The retail parks other occu-pants include Habitat.Alex Munro, head of commercial

agency development at the Leeds officeof property consultancy Knight Frank,

advised Leeds and London Investmenton the acquisition and the subsequentletting to TK MaxxHe said: This transaction, involving

a new tenant at one of the M62sbest-known retail parks, proves thatdeals can be done in this challengingclimate if the product is right.In this case, the location is one of the

best retail warehouse locations in thenorth of England. The two tenants,Homesense andHabitat are both house-hold retail names and take up 22,000sqft of prime retail space.The retail park itself is adjacent to

Birstall Shopping Park and Junction 27Retail Park as well as being close toIKEA. This is a major retail destinationand a great move for Homesense.London-based retail warehouse spe-

cialists Morgan Williams advisedHomesense.

HOME FRONT: Spring Ram Retail Parkat Birstall is now home to discount designerfurniture retailer Homesense

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS property Page 7

Propertyteam hastall orderCOMMERCIAL propertylawyers in WestYorkshire havecompleted theacquisition ofManchesters tallestbuilding forGuernsey-basedBraemar Group.Lupton Fawcett helpedits long-standing clientto buy the BeethamTower, which houses theManchester HiltonHotel, 219 apartmentsand the Cloud 23 skybar.Braemar has bought thefreehold through itsChannel Islands-listedGround Rents Fund.Amanda Peace ledLupton Fawcetts teamof advisers, which alsoincluded CharlesJackson and AnnaBeaumont.David Coates, directorin commercial propertyat Lupton Fawcett said:Were delighted to haveassisted ourlongstanding client,Braemar, to completethis landmark deal,which we feel not onlysignals its intent for theyear ahead, but alsopoints towards therenewed level of interestin the commercialproperty market in thenorth of England.

Care homes comeonto themarketA GROUP headed by Batley-born tycoonLawrence Tomlinson has nine new carehome developments on the market.Property agent Christie + Co is acting on

behalf of Mr Tomlinsons LNT Group billedas the UKs fastest-growing developer ofcare homes in marketing the freehold sites,which will be located across northernEngland and the Midlands.The care homes, which total 479 beds, will

be located in Derby, Halifax, Huyton inMerseyside, Rotherham, Sheffield,Stockport, Sutton in Ashfield, WestBromwich and Wigan.They range from a 40-bed home in Wigan

to a 64-bedroom home in West Bromwich.Work has started on the new homes with allnine set to be completed during 2011.Andrew Long, commercial and

development director at LNT Group, said:These homes are the result of more than 25years experience working with operators todevelop a product that exceeds theexpectations of residents, staff, owners andinvestors.We are delighted to be working with

Richard and the team at Christie + Co, theUKs leading business agents in the caresector.Richard Lunn, director and head of Care

at Christie + Co, said: This is one of themost important care home developmentinstructions to come to the market in recent

years and will generate significant interest.The care homes will provide the highest

quality specifications including full en suitewet rooms, flat screen TVs and attractive dayspace features such as atriums andextensive lounge areas.

DEVELOPER: Lawrence Tomlinson, ofLNT Group

Award forKirkleeshousing schemeA CONSTRUCTION company has won an award for ascheme to transform a blighted part of Huddersfield.Southdale has completed a hat-trick of accolades by

triumphing at both the national Housing Excellence Awardsin Manchester and Constructing Excellence in the NorthEast Awards in Newcastle.The Halifax-based firm, which specialises in social and

residential housing and the public sector, added to itsglittering success at the Yorkshire Property Awards bywinning the regeneration scheme of the Year 2010 at theHousing Excellence Awards and the innovation award atConstructing Excellence in the North East Awards.The Housing Excellence award recognised one of South-

dales most innovative regeneration schemes transformingthe formerly blighted Deighton and Brackenhall areas into avibrant community of 520 newhomes for private sale and 100properties for housing association rental.The award recognised how Southdale, in partnership with

Kirklees Council, delivered the project on time and onbudget and completely regenerated two unpopular councilestates littered with poor and outdated accommodation.Southdales innovation accolade at the Constructing

Excellence in the North East Awards followed the firmssuccess in a 1.3m refurbishment of a sheltered developmentin Consett, Durham.The project, completed in partnership with housing associ-

ation, Derwentside Homes, converted a 1960s bedsit flatscheme into 21 contemporary apartments for older people.PaulMoore, managing director for Southdale, said: Win-

ning three major construction awards in the space of just twoweeks is a terrific achievement and again testament to thehard work of our dedicated team here at Southdale.Being recognised for our ability to innovate across a range

of schemes and regenerate entire communities demonstratesthe breadth of our technical skills and experience.

HOME WIN: Southdale commercial director Richard Greenwood (centre) and technicaldirector Trudie McCormick receive the award from Patrick Rafter, of Excel Publishing, at theHousing Excellence Awards

FORSALE NEWINSTRUCTIONRedDoles RoadHudderseld1 Large secure surfaced yard area1Approx. 0.24Hectares (0.60 Acres)1 Redevelopment potential1Allmains services available to sitePrice: On Application

TO LETThe CoachHouse& Stoneleigh39Halifax Road, Brighouse1 107.88 647.24m2 (1,161 6,967 sq ft)1Two detached ofce buildings1Open plan&private ofces1w/cs, kitchen facilities& allmains services1 Sufcient private car parking provisionRent: On Application

TO LETIndustrial UnitArmytage Road, Brighouse1Modernworkshop unit1 Ease of access to Junction 25 ofM62motorway1 511m2 (5,500 sq ft)Rent: On Application

FORSALEBraemar&Northfield HouseSnelsins Road, Cleckheaton1 Substantial detached period ofce buildings1 276.67m2&399.4m2 (2,978 sq ft& 4,299 sq ft)1 Potential redevelopment opportunity on site of0.7 Acres

Guide Price: On Application

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers Page 8

An efficientachievementAN employee atHuddersfieldengineering firmDavid Brown GearSystems has won aregional award.Ian Hemmingway

(pictured) receivedthe individual awardat the seventh annualYorkshireProductivity Awards.The accolade

came for his work toimprove production efficiency at theLockwood-based company.The awards, which recognise outstanding

productivity improvements amongmanufacturing firms in the region, werepresented before an audience of almost 200guests at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.Alastair Gladstone, divisional director of

Yorkshire Productivity, said: Themanufacturing sector has somethingsignificant to celebrate this year.We are experiencing growth in traditional

manufacturing sectors, in hi tech markets andgreen technologies with exports rising to theirhighest levels for some time.We have witnessed training being

embraced to an unprecedented degree duringthe downturn in the economy.The winners deserve their awards in

recognition of their resilience and commitmentto continuous development in the face ofadversity.Yorkshire Productivity is an Ilkley-based

training organisation which helps companies tooperate more efficiently and effectively.

Its thewinningcombination!TWO Huddersfield businesses are celeb-rating 15 years in business together.Netherton-based haulage firmThe Pink

Link Ltd has worked with Brockholescompany Burton Safes since 1996.They decided to mark their partnership

as Burton Safes managing director Nor-man Berry is to retire at the end of thisyear.Mr Berry founded Burton Safes in 1990,

working from his garage.Since then, turnover has steadily

increased and the company is now amajorsupplier of safes for the home and com-mercial premises such as shops across theUK and Ireland.The Pink Link has been its distribution

partner for the past 15 years.Said Mr Berry: We chose the company

back in themid-1990s because we were fedup with national carriers and their poorcustomer service.The Pink Link is a local company with

similar values and I believe it is importantfor local businesses to work together.He added: They are a very strong unit.

All the team know who you are and arehappy to help.Vicki Davenport, sales and commercial

director at The Pink Link Ltd, said: Ihave worked with Norman for 15 years, so

it will be the end of an era when he retiresat the end of this year.But the partnership will continue and I

look forward to continuing our successfulrelationship with Burton Safes operationsdirector Jeremy Elson.

DarrylGould

Institute ofDirectorsA HUDDERSFIELDbusinessman has beenappointed chairman of theSouth Yorkshire branch of theInstitute of Directors.Darryl Gould (pictured), a

chartered marketer, is a seniorpartner at Denby Dale-basedmarketing, sales andconsultancy firm DPAMarketing.He has been actively involved with the IoD in

Yorkshire and the Humber for several years,holding the position of South Yorkshire branchvice-chairman since 2007.Said Mr Gould: I am pleased to have been

appointed by the IoD to the role of SouthYorkshire branch chairman.This region has a dynamic and diverse

business population with a growing IoDmembership and it is important that the IoDassists this growth with relevant events and actingas a national voice for regional members as wellas helping to encourage Yorkshire businesses tosupport and trade with each other.

Sarah Devaney & andMatthewWilson

Horizon BSFSIGN manufacturer Horizon Signs has appointedSarah Devaney and Matthew Wilson (pictured) torun a new business focusing solely on supplyingthe educational market.Mr Wilson has joined Milnsbridge-based Horizon

to set up Horizon BSF and has taken on the role ofoperations director. Previously, he worked as asupervisor at Horizon before leaving to set up hisown business offering products to the educationmarket.Returning to set up Horizon BSF, Matthew will

focus on fixed furniture and equipment projectsassociated with the governments Building Schoolsfor the Future investment and renovation initiative.Ms Devaney has joined Horizon BSF as sales

director. She brings considerable experience of themarket, having worked in the education industry formore than 10 years, first as a buyer and then insales.

Barry Crowther

YPOTHE UKs largest public sectorbuying organisation hasappointed its first managingdirector.Barry Crowther (pictured) takes

up the post at YPO, whichincludes Kirklees Council as amember authority and providesprocurement services to localgovernment, education and otherpublic sector services acrossmore that 100 local authority areas.Mr Crowther has worked at YPO since 1970

when he joined as an order clerk in thepublications department. Since then, he hasworked in many aspects of the business.

SAFE AS HOUSES: Vicki Davenport, sales and commercial director of the PinkLinkl Ltd, with (from left) Burton Safes operations director Jeremy Elson, managingdirector Norman Berry, and Pink Link depot manager Roland Jackson

Firm backs Everest venture

ACCOUNTANCY firm Clough & Cohas welcomed the return ofCatherine Berry from her challengeof a lifetime to trek to the basecamp of Mount Everest in memory ofher late father, Keith Watmough, whoworked at the company for morethan 30 years before retiring asmanaging partner.The Cleckheaton-based firm was

Catherines main sponsor on herjourney, during which she raisedmore than 6,280 for the BritishHeart Foundation.Steven Gash, pictured (left) with

Catherine and managing partnerNigel Bullas, said: We are so proudof Catherine. Her determination andwill to succeed means she has beenable to complete an extremelychallenging task. We are delighted tohave contributed to the staggeringamount of money she has raised.

Her achievement was all thegreater because Catherine hassuffered with ME/chronic fatiguesyndrome for almost 10 years. Onher Everest trek, she walked for upto nine hours a day swelteringtemperatures during the day,dropping to minus 20 deg at night,climbing to 5,364 metres.She said: The effects of altitude,

the weather and the constant climbwere really tough, but we also got tosee some amazing sights and evenmanaged a snowball fight whichliterally took our breath away!To further endorse Catherines

sponsorship, Clough & Co hasrecently launched a new journeythemed marketing campaign thatincludes a new corporate brochure,quarterly newsletter and website.Go to www.clough.co.uk/blog.htm