issue13April

2011

Jennie Bond – Britain’s best loved

Royal Correspondent

JENNIE BOND

£2.95

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Ayot Green : The Waggonners I Cole Green : Panshanger Flying Club

Baldock : Jester Hotel, Baldock Station, Ashwell Station I Cockfosters : Tube Station

Harpenden : Harpenden House Hotel, Gleneagles Hotel, Harpenden Station

Hertford : Hertford North Railway Station I Hertingfordbury : Whitehorse Hotel

Hitchin : Hitchin Railway Station I Knebworth : Knebworth Station

Letchworth : Letchworth Hall Hotel, Goldsmith Centre, Bizspace Letchworth, Business Centre West

Little Wymondley : Redcoats Farm House

Potters Bar : Wenta Potters Bar, Regus Potters Bar, Potters Bar Station, Wyllyotts Centre

Radwell : Days Inn Baldock I Redbourn : Ramada Jarvis

Royston : Murketts, Royston Station I St Albans : Quality Hotel

Stevenage : Roebuck Hotel, Specialist Cars, Merc Stevenage, Premeire Inn Stevenage, BTC Centre,

Cromwell Hotel, Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage Station

Tewin : Tewinbury Farm I Turnford : Cheshunt Mariott

The Business Club : West Herts Ware : Hanbury Manor I Watford : Ramada Jarvis I Welwyn : Welwyn North Station

Welwyn Garden City : Weltech Centre

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Terry Banister

Robin Cooper

&EDITOR’S WELCOME

£350K ENTERPRISE BOOST FOR REGION’S ENTREPRENEURSBudding entrepreneurs across Hertfordshire received a welcome boost after the go-­ahead was given to expand the support available to the region’s start-­up businesses.Local enterprise agency Wenta joined forces with strategic partners to secure more than

£350,000 funding to develop new ‘My Incubator’ centres in Potters Bar and Watford.

The new centres will form part of a strategic support network providing access to multiple

business advisors across the region. Wenta currently runs two other My Incubator centres, in

Stevenage and Luton.

‘My Incubator’ will offer a full range of support for pre-­start, new or early stage businesses and

social enterprises that require workspace and facilities, with an advisor on hand to ‘mentor’

through the early stages of start up.

Chris Pichon, Wenta’s Chief Executive, said: “In such uncertain times ‘My Incubator’ provides

a much needed beacon of light for start ups who are working hard to make their venture a

success but need expert, ongoing guidance on the best way forward. These funds will trans-­

form the prospects for start-­up businesses in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire and create true

centres for enterprise rather than just managed workspaces.”

.

HERTFORDSHIRE MAN HELPS SMES EXPAND INTO ASIAA new service to help British businesses break into Asia has been launched by a Hertfordshire business

system into India, using Singapore as a hub. The company will help British businesses capitalise on the generous Singapore business land-­

cent, and a low personal tax rate.

Doug says it’s not just the low taxes and government incentives that make Singapore an

attractive place to do business: “The country has a very familiar environment for British

and a strong British business network,” he said.

this increase consolidates the country’s position as the major gateway into the Asian region

for British business, especially SMEs and start-­ups.

“Singapore is strategically located between China and India and already has a low corporate

privately owned start-­ups”, he said.

earned, and 20 per cent tax for every additional £1 earned thereafter. In contrast to the UK,

remains much lower.”

The good news about Singapore as a gateway is spreading fast in the UK. The British Chamber

of Commerce in Singapore has seen its membership double over the past four years to well in

For more details see www.cfoasia.com.sg

April is a busy month this year. Not only are we making preparations for the Royal Wedding and the upcoming extended holidays, but also last month’s Expo went with such a success that we are still feeling the after-­math! See our special on page 20 for the latest news and photos.This month we caught up with BBC Royal Corre-­spondent, Jennie Bond who spoke to us about her personal achievements to fit in with our Royal Wedding issue. We also take a look at some of you

day. Let us know what your plans are too!If that wasnt enough, while wedding preparations

quite patriotic. It got us thinking about what made us proud to be British and looked up some of the best brands we have to offer. Read all about it on page 18.

someone has to do it!

Jenna

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NEW HEAD POST AT KPMG -­

ance and Technology Practice in Hertfordshire.

based in Hertfordshire and North London on complex business issues including cost optimisation,

Alliances practice. Prior to this, he worked within commercial and operational roles for eight years,

following over a decade spent serving as a pilot in the armed forces.

Commenting on his new challenge, Simon Hammerschmidt said: “These are interesting times for

businesses. Even with the short-­term outlook for the economy looking uncertain, growth is starting

to appear on the agendas of many management teams. Companies are increasingly turning to

us for help and advice to manage the issues they face and we expect demand for our services

will only increase further.”

KPMG’s national Performance & Technology business has grown to employ over 1,000 people

JUBILEE HOUSE ‘JUBILANT’ AT SUPPORT Adults with severe learning disabilities

Austin’s. The independent funeral directors

have handed over a cheque for

Jubilee House Care Trust.

The money will be used to refurbish

a sensory room at Jonquil Close – a

purpose-­built bungalow which is home

to six residents with severe learning

Austin’s, which has eight branches

throughout Hertfordshire, already

donated £2,000 in September 2010 to

get the project off the ground.

Claire Austin, Managing Director of

Austin’s said: “We are delighted to

have been able to help Jubilee House

which does such a wonderful job at

providing care and support for adults

The Austin’s Charitable Fund raises

money in a number of different ways

including through the generosity of

bereaved families who donate to it in

memory of a loved one;; from dona-­

tions made at the annual Christmas

carol service at Harwood Park

Crematorium and from a percentage

each year and since its inception in

for local organisations.

DONATION HELPING TO CREATE GREEN CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL hospital buildings by donating all its winnings from a national customer service competition towards the redevelopment of Great Ormond Street Hospital. The Hertfordshire-­based company, which provides green and renewable electricity

to homes and businesses across the UK, won Cisco’s Customer Kings competition for

outstanding customer service, netting a £5,000 prize.

This donation forms part of a huge investment by the hospital to provide world-­class facilities

The redevelopment, due to be completed in May 2012, will see 20,000 square metres

cleared for brand new buildings to house operating theatres and outpatient wards,

allowing more children to be treated.

cleaner, greener combined heat and power (CHP) unit providing the hospital’s heating and

cooling as well as its own green electricity. Additionally, many of the new buildings will have

green roofs, encouraging biodiversity in the city.

“We feel we won the award for simply doing what our customers expect of us, so we wanted

to donate the money to a deserving cause,” said Green Energy UK founder and Managing

Director, Doug Stewart. “I know from personal experience what a great organisation Great

“Alongside its pioneering research to provide future generations with preventative medicine

as well as cures and remedies, it’s trying to build the greenest facilities around, so it’s

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the world’s leading centres for paediatric care and research.”

the remaining £300,000 towards a new £4m neurosurgery operating theatre. You can help

www.gosh.org/donate.

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NEW AWARDS LAUNCHED An exciting new business awards scheme was launched in the East of England this week in front of an audience of leading local business men and women.Unveiling the brand new awards at a business networking

event hosted by The Business Club, organiser Damian

Cummins said the British Business Champions awards would

recognise the success, innovation and talent of British

companies. A number of leading business groups are spon-­

soring the awards including The Hertfordshire Business

Business Club, BNI, 4Networking, Women in Business and

Business Scene.

Initially run as regional awards, the winners of the 11 regions

will go head to head to compete for the prestigious national

titles at a glittering awards ceremony in November. There are

a total of 15 categories including service excellence, business

innovation and employee of the year which are open to three

sectors: small, medium and corporate businesses.

Ian Cording, FSB Regional Chairman for Beds, Herts and

Cambs, which is one of the key sponsors of the East of

England regional awards, hosted the launch ceremony and

urged local businesses to enter: “The British Business Champions

Awards 2011 are all about having a platform to celebrate the

success of businesses in the East of England. They will increase

both business and visibility for those who take part.”

Damian Cummins added that winning awards is not only

about the feel good factor: “Research has shown that 82 per

the term ‘award-­winning’. It is also great PR and does wonders

for staff morale.”

British Business Champions is the only truly independent

organisation to host a national business awards scheme and it

has already generated huge interest amongst the business

community.

The closing date for entries is May 31 2011.

HERTFORD MUSEUM BIDS FAREWELL TO CURATOR

nine years to support her husband in his photography business.Helen Giles, who oversaw the £1.2m refurbishment of the Bull Plain

building, had her last day on March 4.

She said: “It’s really sad to be leaving – Hertford Museum is like one

big family to me and I will miss everyone greatly. It’s been much more

than a job to me – I am emotionally attached to the place and I

have thoroughly enjoyed my time here.”

Among her highlights are leading the redevelopment project and

working with a wide range of people, including staff, volunteers,

trustees and supporters. The museum has recently had help from

members of the Hertfordshire Regiment Association and the Royal

Anglican Regiment, which donated £1,000 and two pieces of

regimental silver.

The model of a First World War soldier, which was presented to the

Hertford detachment of the regiment by the Hertford branch of the

will be added to the museum’s collections. Major Richard Gould,

the assistant regimental secretary of the Royal Anglican Regiment,

said: “The Royal Anglian Regiment is your local county regiment and

greatly values its links with the counties and their former regiments.

The donation has been made to foster and strengthen those links by

helping to fund the Hertfordshire Collection and the stories it tells to

the greater public.”

The museum still needs votes to win the prestigious £100,000 Art Fund

ST JOHN AMBULANCE OFFERS ON-­‐SITE TRAINING FOR AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

training to farms and agriculture-­related industries in Hertfordshire in

a bid to cut the number of deaths and serious injuries in the region.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, agriculture has the

highest rate of fatal injuries of all industries in the UK as well one of

the highest rates of major injuries*. Falls from heights and slips and

trips were the two main causes of major injuries in agriculture-­related

industries, with handling incidents by far the most common cause

of injuries that affected workers for more than three days. A high

number of injuries were also caused by moving machinery, falling

objects and unsurprisingly, by animals.

St John Ambulance has a range of courses that can be delivered

on-­site to help farmers and other agriculture-­related businesses in-­

handling and a new health and safety basics course.

Sue Skoyles, Regional Training Manager for St John Ambulance’s

Commercial Training Division in the East of England, said: “The

statistics for agriculture-­related injuries make worrying reading. There

is no doubt that having people on farms and in the workplace who

a life lost and a life saved. Recent research has shown that two out

of three people wouldn’t know what to do in an emergency so it is

important that farms and other workplaces have people trained to

because staff won’t be getting injured and taking time off.”

St John Ambulance trainers are fully equipped to offer training courses

on the farms themselves, if the client can get a group of six people or

more together. For more information on St John Ambulance courses

please contact 0844 324 5535 or visit www.sja.org.uk/training.

* Taken from Health and Safety Statistics 2008/2009

see www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/agriculture/index.htm

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Budding entrepreneurs in and around the Harlow area are being given the chance to enlist the help of top industry professionals in a new business competition.The Initiative Award, which was launched in March, is aimed at people with

innovative ideas who want the chance to win a six-­month business support

package which will include business accommodation, mentoring and support.

The competition is the idea of local businessman Robert McGowan, a director

of Harlow Business Centre owners REM Properties Ltd, who said: “Getting a job in

a new business. We thought that if we could help someone to set up a business

which in turn would employ more people, then we could really create something

good in the area.”

and they will be invited to present their business plans to a judging panel who will

select the overall winner. The winner will receive the specialised services, support

and mentoring of local industry experts from a range of areas including legal

advice, accountancy, business accommodation, IT, banking and marketing.

home business, had no previous name and offer an innovative service or product

to the market place.

email initiativeaward@harlowbusinesscentre.co.uk.

Application forms can be downloaded from

www.harlowbusinesscentre.co.uk/.initiativeaward

NEW BUSINESS COMPETITION LAUNCHED IN HARLOW

LETCHWORTH COMPANY EXPANDSELECTRONIC DESIGN SERVICES

DataSound Laboratories (DSL) is expanding its specialist custom design services to

The Letchworth based company, a leading provider of electronic computing

solutions, is expanding its engineering teams and moving into brand new premises

at Aylesford Court in May, with purpose-­built design studios and large research

labs. In addition, DSL has established strong relationships with leading vendors such

as AMD, Microsoft Windows Embedded, Insyde and XJTag.

don’t have, or want to invest in the in-­house skills and design tools to deliver

state-­of-­the-­art custom design. Increasingly they prefer to work with a UK-­based

managing director at DSL.

development services that remove on-­going design overheads from our customers

and provide a cost-­effective, risk free approach to resolving

project overload or resource shortages.”

A LOOK AT WHAT SOME

ARE SAYING ON TWITTER...

@KatrinaSargent – So proud to have been part of team of Herts Expo. I have spent the day reading all the fab comments from delegates and exhibitors alike!

@britbizchamp – Thanks to all of you who came to see us at the Business Growth Show.

@gladlib – Love books? Stay in a library! We have great rates available for our beautiful 4* accommodation

NEWS IN BRIEF PAY DEALThousands of staff at banking giant Santander are being urged to accept a pay deal worth 3.1 per cent, union leaders have announced.

paid employees would receive higher increases,

over the next few weeks. NEW LOOK HITPrivate equity owners of New Look have slashed the value of their stake in the retail chain after tough high street conditions caused a fall in sales. The blow comes after New Look revealed falling sales over Christmas and January with a 9.1 per cent drop. Investor group SVG Capital which owns a 27.7 per cent stake in the retailer, revealed it has almost halved the value of its holding in the fashion group. PIZZA SLUMP

its record of double digit sales growth came to a halt in January. This marks a sharp drop on the rate of 10.3 per cent seen in the previous quarter when the snow and hit TV shows such as The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing kept customers at home. The slow down in sales growth was met with disappointment in the City after the 11 per cent rise in the same period a year earlier. TV DEAL

its interactive reality control game format,

show sees eight contestants enter a “lab” for 21 days, during which their every move is controlled by viewers and they have to score ‘life-­points’ to win.

AN INTERVIEW WITH

With the Royal Wedding in full flow, who better for The HBI to interview than Britain’s best loved former royal correspondent Jennie Bond! We caught up with

and unveil the secrets to her successful career.

no authority over the pupils -­ preferring to befriend them -­ and found the whole business absolutely exhausting. Then a couple of my

Uxbridge Evening Mail. Did you always have high ambition and determination to

me to an interview. The editor sat behind a desk, with his feet up -­ no shoes -­ and eating a raw onion. He had long, dark hair and a big

a general reporter covering anything from plane crashes to politics or court cases, and had no desire to specialise. However -­ it was of-­fered -­ and I reluctantly agreed to do it for one year. 14 years later I was still doing it because the royal story became so important and fast moving.

JENNIE BOND

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Out of the 14 years you were the Royal Correspondent, what was the toughest

was born at the start of my tenure as royal correspondent and it was hard on family life to be called away so suddenly and so frequently. I could not have managed without my husband, who

peace of mind whenever I marched out of the house at 3 in the morning or was away on a long royal tour.

An

I went round the world several times with various members of the royal family. We -­ the rat-­pack -­ worked hard and played hard.

You were the BBC Royal Correspondent for 14 years and left to spend more time with your family, is this something you

Devon as a family -­ and it became impossible to try to be a wife

covered the very best of that story -­ everything from toe-­sucking

because I still get involved in big royal stories, but have the huge pleasure of being able to say “No” if someone asks me to take part and I’d rather go for a walk on the beach! I am no longer on call, my life is my own and I am in control.

series of the reality show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, in which

making it the most watched programme on ITV and BBC One that week. As a result of this, you managed to

Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Is this charity something you are still

I still support the Devon Air Ambulance and managed to win a further £10,000 for them on Family Fortunes. I’m a Celeb was brilliant fun, it changed the public’s perception of me and allowed

Did you ever think that it would have

We never imagined it would turn out to be such a huge show -­ but we were an interesting cast ... Jordan and Peter Andre, Johnny Rotten, Kerry Katona and Lord Brocket…. to name but a few.

You are one of the most well known

I think Joanna Lumley is a real star. She’s so accomplished and clever, a talented actress and presenter, a vehement campaigner -­ absolutely fabulous in every way!

Being an inspirational woman yourself, do you feel there are enough responsible and inspiring women around at the moment that women can

Women are now at the forefront of many businesses -­ it’s no longer noteworthy that a CEO is female. The newsroom has changed a great deal over the years and quite often women are in the

two women ever to present Radio Four’s Today programme together (and a newspaper sent along a photographer to record the event). How absurd! I now look forward to the day when gender shouldn’t even be worth discussing.

Your career spans from a reporter on the Richmond Herald to regularly fronting on BBC Breakfast News, BBC One O’Clock News and BBC Six O’ Clock News to being the BBC Royal Correspondent. What do you think

I have always been very conscientious and believe that if you

in my career -­ and I’m sure I have had a bit of luck along the way. I wish I had taken more risks and believe THAT is the key

-­somely in all sorts of ways.

Do you have any secrets or top tips to

To be successful I do not believe you have to be ruthless -­ in fact I think a little humility along the way helps a great deal. But if you are going to do or say something -­ try to do it with some authority. This

-­cow on an historic visit by the Queen, I raced to the Kremlin without any accreditation, and simply swept past the guards saying loudly that I was from Buckingham Palace. It worked wonders and got me

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Have you got anything else coming up

Lots of Cash in the Attic, a new consumer affairs series called Rip

Aim for the stars -­ and you might hit a lamp-­post is the motto that has always worked for me!!

NEWS INTERVIEWS MONEY LEGAL IN FOCUS BUSINESS SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY PROPERTY COMMUNITY OUT OF HOURS FEATURES DRIVE NETWORKING & EVENTS

DON’T MISS AN ISSUE -­‐ SUBSCRIBE NOW

12

and contacts – all invaluable.”

Mundy Cruising started the scheme in 2002 as a way of sourcing fresh ideas and talent for the business. The business pays Hayley £1,000

a year towards her studies, plus a salary while on her one-­year placement.

Managing director Edwina Lonsdale said: “It’s fantastic to have new blood in the company and get new ideas. It’s important that we

never think we know it all. We consider this an investment back into our industry.”

said Andy Harmer, sales and marketing director for Mundy Cruising’s The Cruise Portfolio, general sales agent for four luxury cruise lines.

Hayley has already spearheaded a project on Facebook to see how The Cruise Portfolio’s brands could make use of social networking sites.

Harmer added: “With the growth of social media, someone Hayley’s age is more likely to have an insight into how it works. That insight

is really important.” Hayley, who is in her third year of a four-­year International Tourism Management BA honours degree, already has

her heart set on working in travel, particularly in marketing. “This one year of experience is equal to three years’ study – if not more,”

she said.

HOW A SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME COULD HELP YOUR BUSINESS

AGENCY HIGHLIGHTS VALUE OF SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME

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HOW TO STAY WITHIN THE LAW

has a duty to ensure that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees are protected. A breach of this duty of care, by either the employer or the employee could result in a civil case, or a criminal prosecution by the HSE inspector. As the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is written in general

in various other Regulations, which are approved by Parliament and have the force of law.

THE MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH AND SAFETY

The management regulations require every employer to make a

which they are exposed while at work, and

employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by them.

THE WORKPLACE (HEALTH, SAFETY AND

These regulations address common factors in workplace acci-­dents such as the maintenance of the workplace, ventilation, the temperature of indoor workplaces, lighting, cleaning and waste

or slippery, and must have effective means of drainage where necessary. They must also be free from obstructions.

facilities, escalators and doors and gates. THE MANUAL HANDLING OPERATIONS

The regulations specify that so far as is reasonably practicable, each employer must avoid the need for his employees to under-­take any manual handling operations at work which involve a risk

avoid the need for manual handling, a suitable risk assessment must be carried out of all manual handling operations. The risk assessment in question must take into account the nature of the task, and the nature of the load being handled, the working environment and also the capabilities of the individual. THE PROVISION AND USE OF WORK

These specify that work equipment must be suitable, maintained

that proper information, instructions and training are provided to employees, and that

health and safety.

THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AT

These regulations state that every employer shall ensure that suitable personal protective equipment is provided to employees who may be exposed to risk to their health and safety while at work. Such personal protective equipment that is provided must be assessed as being suitable and must be properly maintained. The employer must also take all reasonable steps to ensure that any personal protective equipment provided to employees is properly used.

a written health and safety policy, which must be brought to the notice of all employees. The employer must also ensure that the health and safety of persons other than employees who use the premises are protected.

LEGAL COLUMN

Bob Fahy, Solicitor

Matthew Arnold & Baldwin LLP

www.mablaw.com

CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER

An organisation is guilty of corporate manslaughter if the way in which its activities are managed or organised causes a death and amounts to a gross breach of a duty of care to the person who died. A substantial part of the breach must have been in the way activities were organised by senior management.The criminal offence of corporate manslaughter was introduced in

-­

(£385,000, payable over 10 years). Sentencing guidelines suggest a

Company (which only had one director) but it is still considerably more

than the Company’s annual turnover. The Company’s director would

also have faced trial on a charge of gross negligence if he hadn’t

A geologist working for the Company was investigating soil conditions

in a 3.5 metre-­deep trench when it collapsed. He was left working

the day. Shortly afterwards the trench collapsed, burying him up to his

head. The owner of the land climbed into the trench and removed

some of the soil to enable the victim to breathe, but more earth fell

quickly into the pit covering him completely and despite the landowner’s

best efforts, he died.

In convicting the Company, the jury found that the Company’s system

of work was wholly and unnecessarily dangerous. Hazards associated

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tions more than 1.2 metres deep). The Company would, or should

have known that an open, unsupported trench is likely to collapse, but

it ignored guidance and required employees to enter into and work in

unsupported trial pits, typically from 2 to 3.5 metres deep.

This conviction is a reminder of the need to follow the advice and guid-­

ance which is available, for example on the HSE’s website at www.

hse.gov.uk. The penalties for the offence of corporate manslaughter

who fails to ensure that they use safe working practices runs an enor-­

mous risk. Even a very small company was ordered to pay £385,000,

minimum suggested by the sentencing guidelines.

For advice on health and safety law, contact

or email robin.cooper@hrjlaw.co.uk

email abigail.bearne@hrjlaw.co.uk

We are experienced in handling a broad range of disputes. Specialisms include professional negligence, contentious probate and disputes relating to partnerships and shareholders, IT & software and employment, as well as considerable experience in property disputes.

Offices in Harpenden, Luton and St Albans.

Disputes Damage BusinessWe provide solutions

Effective Solutions for BusinessCall 01582 731161 or visit www.taylorwalton.co.uk S O L I C I T O R S

Taylor Walton 16x4:aa Master 18/1/11 14:22 Page 1

Hitchin Offi ce: 7/8 Portmill Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1AS

Tel: 01462 628888

Business Law

Gate House, Fretherne Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL8 6RD

Tel: 01707 887700

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FOR RICHER, NOT POORERBUSINESS SET TO GAIN THANKS TO ROYAL WEDDING

The Epiphany Platinum Clad Diamonique Oval

sold by QVC for £32.42. After the engagement was announced, overnight sales of the imitation were increased by over 800 per cent.Sue Leeson from QVC said, “The huge demand for Kate’s replica ring shows that she is blossoming into a real trend setter. She has an impact on British style.”The ring cost £28,000 when it was bought by Prince Charles for Diana Spencer in February 1981. In today’s prices the oval 18-­carat blue sapphire

period last year,” she said.

of the announcement this was up over 100 per cent compared to the year before.” H. Samuel has also seen sales of sapphire and diamond rings rise by 30 per cent.

THE SUPERMARKETIt’s the copycat dress that sparked a fashion frenzy: the

midnight blue engagement dress, costing only £16.The lookalike – based on the £349 Issa silk wraparound,

company’s best ever selling dress online.We tracked down what seemed to be one of the last remaining dresses in Hertfordshire, at the Baldock branch, a black version of the dress in a size 16.A customer rep from the branch said there was a huge interest in the ‘Kate’ dress and has sold really well, even without any advertising.

never seen a dress sell out so fast. It seems many wom

look and I have no doubt that she will become the next style icon on the high street.”

graphs has been exchanging hands on eBay since De

However, it is the choice for the big day that still has still has the fashion industry guessing.Carole Wilding, directing manager of Expressions Bridelwear in Hitchin said Kate’s wedding dress will give Britain a chance to highlight designers while the wedding gifts will showcase our outstanding craftspeople, potters, glass and textiles.“I personally would like to see her in something that

wedding will encourage couples to get married. Once they announce the designer, the dress will be copied in seconds. I anticipate girls will come into the shop and ask for the ‘same style gown that Kate had.’”

THE NEW WEB PAGESimon Wandsworth had 20 years of experience with web agencies before he created his specialist site. Within weeks of the royal couple announcing their engagement, www.theroyalweddingwilliamkate.com was up and running.“We sell literally everything and anything to do with the royal nuptials, even ‘Prince William’ champagne and insurance for street parties” Simon said. “We keep everyone up to date with news and gossip and have huge numbers of people making enquiries with us everyday.”By February 1, the site was the number one hit for royal wedding products on Google. “Demand has gone ballistic since then,” Simon said. “We’ve supplied to countries all over the world. We’ve had requests from all over North America, Canada, South Africa and Hong Kong.”Simon hopes the business will still remain lucrative after the wedding weekend: “We aim to move into more of a memorabilia site, but there will still be loads of revenue we can sell;; DVDs, copycat dresses, prints. We work closely with the Press Association and we will resell their collection of wedding photos.”“This kind of business couldn’t have happened in Charles and Diana’s time. Kate and William are the 21st century wedding. I was in a fortunate position to launch this site at the time. I couldn’t have done it three years ago.”

THE TOURIST AGENCIES

Over 30 million overseas tourists visited Britain last year, bringing

research from Visit Britain shows the monarchy pulls in a fair

for William and Kate’s nuptials. The tourism revenue could

top £620 million.

wedding is ‘a pivotal event’ for leveraging interest from

emerging markets where monarchy and royalty are big

draws, in particular Brazil, Russia, India and China.

“The time of the wedding is an important asset for London,”

she said. “Generally speaking, the additional bank

holiday is good for both inbound and domestic markets.

An additional 280,000 people are expected to arrive in

are expected to visit London at this time, they could

provide a £160 million boost to the capital’s visitor economy.”

After the big day, Will and Kate are moving to North Wales where

the Prince is serving with the RAF. Property prices in the area are likely to sky-­rocket,

and tourist hotspots like the Dee Valley, the market town of Llangollen, the Snowdonia National

Park and the medieval fortress Caernarfon Castle will see a sharp uplift in visitors.

“The Royal Wedding is set to deliver a welcome boost across Britain,” says Visit Britain chief executive Sandie

boost for Scotland. They will live in Wales which has fantastic scenery and awe-­inspiring castles. William and

Kate are a modern couple, which gives us the chance to talk about them to overseas visitors. It is the most

wonderful publicity boost for the country.”

plans to screen the event in 3D, it is almost vital it succeeds as a niche product in itself. If ordinary weddings

are big business, then a royal wedding is an unstoppable commerical monster.

THE SUPERMARKETIt’s the copycat dress that sparked a fashion frenzy: the

midnight blue engagement dress, costing only £16.The lookalike – based on the £349 Issa silk wraparound,

company’s best ever selling dress online.We tracked down what seemed to be one of the last re-­maining dresses in Hertfordshire, at the Baldock branch, a black version of the dress in a size 16.A customer rep from the branch said there was a huge interest in the ‘Kate’ dress and has sold really well, even without any advertising.

never seen a dress sell out so fast. It seems many wom-­

look and I have no doubt that she will become the next style icon on the high street.”

-­graphs has been exchanging hands on eBay since De-­

However, it is the choice for the big day that still has still has the fashion industry guessing.Carole Wilding, directing manager of Expressions Bridelwear in Hitchin said Kate’s wedding dress will give Britain a chance to highlight designers while the wed-­ding gifts will showcase our outstanding craftspeople, potters, glass and textiles.“I personally would like to see her in something that

wedding will encourage couples to get married. Once they announce the designer, the dress will be copied in seconds. I anticipate girls will come into the shop and ask for the ‘same style gown that Kate had.’”

THE WATERING-­‐HOLES

in England and Wales will be able to extend their opening hours for the wedding

weekend without needing permission from local licensing authorities. This decision to

serve until 1am not only lets the revelers keep on celebrating but allows the till to keep ticking over.

and the “modest relaxation” of the licensing hours would allow the public to continue

drinking, play live music and continue the festivities.

Ross Turner, who runs the Lower Red Lion in St Albans, hasn’t decided whether to

pub owners. “I think it would be a very good idea for business, certainly as a one off.

People will want to celebrate,” he said.

The Three Horseshoes in St Albans will be taking advantage of the extended and Princesses over that weekend.”

THE MANUFACTUERS Companies are cashing in on everything that can bear the couple’s image;; from key rings to coasters, from baby bibs to commemorative coins, with

Castle Rock in Nottingham has created special real

at the brewery and other local pubs all this month. A limited amount will be available in bottles for collectors.Castle Rock’s head brewer Adrian Redgrove says it’s the ideal way to toast the couple’s future

British to the core.”Souvenir sellers are able to breath a sigh of relief when a royal tea towel commission was given the go-­ ahead. Buckingham Palace initially refused to give the item the seal of approval in January, labeling it ‘disposable’ and in ‘poor taste’. Asda supermarkets spokeswoman Clair Hufton said: “Demand for our Kate and Wills celebration merchandise has so far been unprecedented, with online orders for mugs from as far away

china. Each item is exclusively hand made in Stoke-­on-­Trent using methods that have

come from oversees, with greatest demand from American and Commonwealth countries. It really has caught us all unaware. The factories are thrilled. They are employing more staff. We anticipate this demand is going to continue now right through to the summer.”

PATRIOTIC PRODUCT

-­

rating the market, with manufacturers and retailers cashing in at every opportunity. The

Centre for Retail Research estimates the royal wedding will provide a £515.5 million boost to

retailers, with souvenirs bringing in £222 million.

ROYAL WEDDING GNOMES

set to go on sale from mid-­April and will be priced at £12.98 each, or £20 for the pair. “We

expect demand for the gnomes to be very high as royal items are always sought after as a

collectible item,” said Tom Kuhr, Garden Equipment Buyer at B&Q.

“While some people may turn their nose up at gnomes thinking they’re a little kitsch, we

feel there is room for humour in everyone’s lives, and the garden should be no excep-­

tion. However, with the interest in the royal wedding and the number of collectors of royal

memorabilia, I wouldn’t be surprised to see our gnomes popping up on Antiques Roadshow

in the future.”

SID AND NANCYPrince William and Kate Middleton have been transformed into the infamous punk couple

Sid and Nancy in the latest piece of artwork inspired by the royal wedding.

Artist Rich Simmons, 24, a Prince’s Trust ambassador, has created a mural on London’s

both wear leather jackets, and Kate is in a miniskirt while holding a cigarette and the prince

WASHING UPProcter & Gamble is launching a commemorative Fairy Liquid bottle to mark the wedding.

The FMCG giant has obtained royal approval to produce a commemorative bottle of the

household product to celebrate the royal wedding. The company is already a royal war-­

rant holder.

brand “out of courtesy” for approval of the product, which has been granted.

SPECIAL EDITION SICK BAGLydia Leith, a graduate from the Edinburgh College of Art has designed a sick bag, similar

to those used on airlines, to mark the upcoming royal wedding. The bags, which cost £3,

come in a choice of red or blue, are decorated with a crown, a drawing of Prince William

and Kate Middleton and the slogan, ‘Throne Up’. Even more bizarrely, the limited edition

-­

ess of designing more.

LITERATUREMr Men has introduced a new character, Little Miss Princess, to mark the 40th anniversary

of the popular children’s book series created by Roger Hargreaves, and also to coincide

with the wedding.

The new Little Miss will appear in two new books – ‘Little Miss Princess’, the 34th Mr Men title

storybook, available from 4 April.

David Riley, managing director of Egmont, admitted the new character had been

commissioned in spring last year, before Prince William proposed, but said he was

“delighted” with the tie-­up.

get to an important wedding on time, but is hindered by Mr Men mishaps along the way.

UNOFFICIAL WEDDING PLATES-­

-­

ern Britain and gently puncture the sense of reverence around the royal engagement of

William and Kate. Interest in the plates has gone global, with a surge in sales from Canada,

America, Germany and Japan.

are a bit straight-­laced. They don’t have much humour in their announcements or how they

treat themselves. They are very reverential so we wanted to treat the royal wedding with

a bit of irreverence. We felt that it would engage a little bit with the British population if we

had a little bit of fun with it.”

NO VAT INCREASE ON ‘OFFICIAL’ BRANDING

To help hard-­up Britons, the Queen

decided not to pass on the higher rate

-­

chandise celebrating the marriage

of Prince William and Kate Middleton

reached ‘phenomenal’ proportions -­

30 times greater than anticipated.

A notice was posted in the windows of

the gift shops at Buckingham Palace,

Windsor Castle and Holyroodhouse in

Edinburgh announcing its prices have

been frozen.

The sign, sitting alongside a portrait of

Wills and Kate, states: “The Royal Col-­

lection will not be increasing its prices

It is understood that tens of thousands

(£35) and pill pot (£25) have been sold

Royal Collection Trust, which maintains

the Queen’s art collection.

We asked some residents in Hertford-­

freeze on the merchandise.

Sam Barrs, 30, said: “Hardcore royalist

fans will buy the goods whatever the

price.”

Tom Hipwell, 22, says: “That sort of

souvenir stuff tends to be rubbish,

promote sales. It’s not really a matter

of debate is it? You can’t stop people

spending their money on tat.”

to realize some people do want to be

part of the experience. I’m really glad

this decision has been made, as I am on

a budget and would like to have some-­

thing to remember the occasion by.”

17

THE ROYAL WEDDING DATE

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce believes the date of the

nuptials isn’t a bad thing and says there will be winners and losers

in business.

Chief Executive Tim Hutchings said manufacturers will be the ones

to lose out the most: “It will be a massive inconvenience for them

to keep starting up and closing down machinery over the holiday

period, but pubs and bars will be delighted. It is disruptive to the

normal run of things, but businesses should look to how they can

take advantage of the situation, even if it just means knowing

employees will come back from the break rested.”

Tim doesn’t want to take a negative line: “There are too many

people who look to the gloomy side of everything at the moment.

The wedding will raise the morale of the country, a time when we

could really use a boost.”

Not automatically – and many employers, especially those which

operate on a seven day week basis, will have no option but to

keep staff working as usual.

Conditions on extra public holidays can be found in employees’

contracts of employment. If they specify particular days, then

employees have the right to take these off, but any additional

time off will normally be at the discretion of the employer.

Yes, you can – and this might be a good way of avoiding

additional costs if your business would struggle to afford to pay an

extra day’s holiday.

If your business will remain open on the public holiday, you could

tell staff that if they want the time off, then they should request

holiday as usual through your holiday request procedures.

served”) and would be taken from their annual holiday

entitlement.

If you feel you need to close the business on the additional public

holiday, but will not be making payment for the additional holiday,

you should notify all staff that they must take a day’s holiday from

their entitlement on that day. You should do this in writing as soon

as possible, but by law you must give employees at least two clear

days’ notice of your requirement before each public holiday.

For some businesses, especially small businesses, it will not be an

easy decision whether to ask staff to take holiday from their

entitlement or simply to take the line of least resistance and pay

for the extra time off. However, in tight economic circumstances,

paying an extra day’s holiday for no extra work might mean the

difference between breaking even and making a loss – so you

should not take the decision lightly.

You also need to be aware that if you grant an additional day’s

holiday for the Royal Wedding in 2011, you will be setting a

precedent which implies you will grant an additional day’s holiday

for the Queen’s Jubilee in 2012 as well.

You have the right to manage who takes holiday and when and

your employees’ contracts of employment will normally state this

quite clearly. However, it’s best to be prepared for the rush of

holiday requests and to be clear about your staffing requirements

and on how you will handle holiday requests.

If you don’t intend to give employees the extra time off, make sure

you tell them and the reason why.

BEST OF BRITISH BUSINESSBY LINDSEY AGNESS

EATING OUT: J D WetherspoonsJ D Wetherspoon is a pub chain, founded in Watford in 1979, and currently own 797 sites across the country. Wetherspoons pioneered non-­

under their Lloyds No. 1 brand, and a string of hotels across the country.

charities and local good causes. Their fundraising efforts helped raise over £190,000 in 2009 alone for 3,000 children undergoing treatment

in the morning”, serving breakfast and coffee as well as other meals and drinks.

tonnes of CO2 emissions. Their recycling efforts received national recognition in 2009, when they were awarded the ‘Environmental Hero’ from David Bellamy OBE. TECHNOLOGY: Dyson Vacuum CleanersIf you’re planning on having a last minute spring clean before the Bank Holiday, then why not rely on one of Britain’s best built machines, a new limited edition Dyson?

remained one step ahead in its engineering development. Rumour has it, he got his inspiration whilst visiting a local saw mill. He noticed how saw dust was removed from the air by large industrial cyclones and adapted the process to his vacuum cleaner’s technology. James Dyson is now estimated to be worth £700m and Britain’s 37th richest man.

-­cently brought out a range of hand-­dryers, the ‘AirBlade’. CARS: Rolls Royce/Bentley

1931 saw the introduction of its rival, Bentley. The two car brands were pratically identical apart from the radiator grille and other minor details. Founded in 1919, Bentley is a British manufacturer of automobiles and was previously known for its rotary aero-­engines.

Bentley cars became famous thanks to the James Bond novels, as the car that he drove throughout his career but unfortunately it changed

SHOPPING FOR THE OUTDOORS: John Lewis and Waitrose. John Lewis Partenership has a rich history and maintains its place in the heart of many British people. Founded

Waitrose was founded in 1904 by Wallace Waite, Arthur Rose and David Taylor.

HBI, WE ARE FEELING VERY PATRIOTIC. WE THOUGHT WE’D CELEBRATE A LITTLE AND CHAMPION SOME OF THE BEST

GET IN TOUCH : editor@businessindependent.co.uk

19

JD WETHERSPOONS

Taylor left after two years and the Waitrose was adopted. In 1937 the company was taken over by John Lewis Partnership. Waitrose attempts to differentiate itself from its competitors by offering high quality food and placing emphasise on a stand-­ard of customer service. As a result, it has the reputation of being more expensive and is popular with the middle classes. The company has a royal warrant to supply groceries, wines and spirits to the Queen.

which boast all the best of the British seasonal produce. Some of these recipes are endorsed by well known chefs, Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal. SHOPPING AL FRESCO: M & S.

the brand has started turning out furniture, home appliances and technology. The business made its reputation in the early 20th century on a

a few years later it fell into a crisis, due to a loss of customer

from their well know British high quality goods. 2001 brought many changes to the company due to the in-­

of credit cards which made it more of a variety from children to adults. The credit crunch brought a constant struggle to the com-­pany a few years ago which meant that they lost some of their

to strengthen the company’s overall brand image and target-­ing sales of between £800m and £1bn for which they will in-­

three years.

DYSON

ROLLS ROYCE / BENTLEY

well past 4:00pm, when Kriss Akabusi could still be seen amongst the business owners, chatting, laughing and above all inspiring us all to “get Jiggy with Change!” “Cause it’s the only thing in life and business that is guaranteed”.

and Steve Clarke.

(sic)

BUSINESS BUZZED BUT FERRARI HAS LITTLE TO WORRY ABOUT!REPORT FROM THE HERTFORDSHIRE BUSINESS EXPO

SPEAKERS : STEVE CLARKE, DEXTER MOSCOW & PENNY POWER

19

It was a pleasure

seeing you at the Expo,

please do take the tim

e to visit our site

:

www.digitalstudio.co.uk/promo/expo11

0208 446 772 I 07802 219752

YOUR LIFE RAFT

IN A SEA OF DEBT

Kriss Akabusi was the keynote speaker of the afternoon and the roars coming from the main event auditorium might have made by-­passers believe there was a football match going on whilst the assembled businesses were treated to a rerun of

Olympics. This time however, the au-­dience were treated to a live com-­mentary from Akabusi who, through the build-­up, shared the trials and tribulations of his career, a fine lesson to any business suffering from the strains of recession. The message was clear -­ it’s not how many times you win but how often you get up after a fall, dust yourself off and put yourself back in the arena.

22

PUTTING VAT AT THE HEART OF YOUR BUSINESSCAITRIONA HUNT : KPMG

collect it from your customers then you will have an additional funding issue to deal with and many busi-­nesses do not plan for this, or look to improve their position in this respect.There is also a huge potential advantage to be made from exploring whether or not your item should be zero rated for VAT rather than standard rated, as a 20 per cent lower price point can mean many more sales if your products are ultimately bought or used

That was an argument that Innocent, the company that produces a popular range of smoothies, recently

fruit salad” rather than a standard rated “beverage”.Because the raw ingredients would normally be zero rated as fruit, Innocent argued that simply whizzing them up into a smoothie should not make the resultant product liable for a 20 per cent VAT charge, but a tax tribunal disagreed. The dispute began in April 2007, when Innocent tried to claim back the VAT charged on each bottle of

running into many millions of pounds but ended in an

British consumers currently pay no VAT on “essential” foods and drinks, but pay the full amount on other

It’s a complex area and one that can be worth a lot of money to a business if the decision goes the right way for the company involved, so keeping a very

in managing VAT effectively.

that VAT is essentially a European tax, although the way VAT law has been interpreted across the various

The zero rating that keeps down the cost of things like children’s clothes, most foods and newspapers in

there is a variety of rates for such products.

clients to ensure any new rulings coming from Europe are quickly applied in this country, much of our day-­to-­day work is much simpler and involves helping clients make VAT work better for them in everyday terms.There are a number of ways in which we can help companies make sure that the interface between

We can also give advice on risk management. VAT is a tough tax to control and if a business makes an error it needs to demonstrate it took ‘reasonable care’ or it may face a penalty. The fact that there is

means companies have to have the right processes and controls in place in order to mitigate the risk of a penalty being applied.The rules around VAT, which are already complex, tend to change as a result of individual cases that are then enacted into law. This means that change is dictated by the timing of key cases and not necessarily by Budget announcements.

companies who don’t have an in-­house specialist –

study of organisations across 27 countries found that despite the global shift towards indirect tax, VAT remained under-­resourced, under-­measured and under-­managed in many businesses. This creates

Caitriona Hunt can be contacted via e-­mail atcaitriona.hunt@kpmg.co.uk

British consumers currently pay no VAT on “essential” foods and drinks, but pay “ ... ”

FINANCE SPECIAL

THE BANK THAT LIKES TO SAY

NATWEST

Your assets and how you will secure the loanPast three years’ accounts for any previous businesses you have run

References and testimonials from previous employers and customers. Show solid evidence that your business has the means to pay the funds back

Step One: Plan

forecasts and accounts are a big part of a robust business plan and including contingency plans for dealing with potential problems and uncertainties will help, especially if you can show how you have plans for an unpredictable future.Step Two: Seek advice

Step Three: Explore your options

business opportunity, introduce you to their own equity team.

BARCLAYS

-­

plan.

Stick to your budget -­ Staying on top of your bookkeeping will help you achieve this. If you’re not sure how to do this, Barclays offer a service to help you do this.

Keith Watson, HSBC’s Area Commercial Director for Hertfordshire and South Bedfordshire said: “Ensuring that your business plan is up to date is crucial if you are looking to apply for funding in the

have an up-­to-­date and detailed business plan. This is essential both for businesses that are established and seeking funding for

-­senting alternative scenarios for the business in the event that trad-­

make sure you can explain anything unusual.”

The HSBC Knowledge Centre is also a great source of advice for people looking to start a business or for those who are already up and running www.knowledge.hsbc.co.uk.

YES!

-­

risk, but funding the business yourself means you have no one else to

-­expected costs.

simply asking your suppliers if they could wait to be paid, thereby allowing you time to get the business open and generating cash. If you

Development Finance Institutions: www.cdfa.org.uk It brings together a list of independent institutions which provide loans to businesses

Grant agencies will usually only provide a portion of your requirement and they will want to see a contribution from you as evidence of your

facilities they may provide.

based businesses are more likely to go down this path.

ALTERNATIVE FUNDING FOR SMEsYES!

MANAGEMENT CENTRE

and passionate in helping businesses become more successful. Our innovative approach helps organisations of all sizes and stages of growth -­

ment presents. We pride ourselves of having curious minds not only understanding what’s behind the numbers, but also being commercially

and good forecasts, allows strategic conversations with our clients to drive for growth.

that really excites them.

E A S Y M O N E Y !££ £

££

££

THE HBI LOOKS AT SOME OF THE WAYS YOU CAN FREE UP YOUR CASH FLOW

CAPITAL INVESTMENT

LEASING VEHICLES

LEASING IT

return the equipment at the end of the term, or purchase for a nominal fee. You can also opt for insurance under the leasing scheme to

protect against any damage. It’s also worth remembering that outlets like Staples offer business store cards which enable you to purchase

items and pay nothing for 30 days, giving you an extra buffer should you need to invest but are waiting for invoices to be paid!

VIRTUAL BUSINESS ADDRESS

Call answering services such as AllDayPA.com answer calls 24 hours a day for over 23,000 clients in the UK. They provide a telephone answer-­

ing service that caters for all needs from small reception desk answering to handling round the clock customer support queries. Centres such

as these are useful tools to free up staff time but are also useful to help handle any advertising calls that may be incoming.

GET SMART!

PIGGYBACK YOUR ADVERTISINGAccording to J. Donald Weinrauch, co-­author of The Frugal Marketer, entrepreneurs are missing a trick when it comes to advertising mate-­

rial. Don’t be afraid to include it in other mailings, such as in invoices, and not only will this help you spread the word about your business and

to keep your details in front of any customer, it will also save you postage and other costs. Likewise, make the most of your point-­of-­purchase

It is free to spread your good reputation around just by telling others what your existing customers say about you. Ask for a testimonial, or ask

for a personal view of what they’ve gained from using your products or services in presentations or informal conversations, your sources can

encourage others to use your products or services.

BUY RECYCLED PRINTER CARTRIDGESCheck Google or your Yellow Pages for a local recycled printer cartridge supplier. There are literally hundreds of places you can pick these

they have run out.

SHOP AROUND FOR AN OVERNIGHT COURIERsave.

BE RELUCTANT TO GIVE CREDITclient’s credit background. For less-­than-­creditworthy accounts, Collins advises considering the following actions: Collect cash in advance;;

send partial shipments;; request letters of credit, personal guarantees and a pledge of assets;; take out credit insurance;; or think about fac-­

toring.

GO GREEN!

E A S Y M O N E Y ! ££

££

££ ££

THE HBI LOOKS AT SOME OF THE WAYS YOU CAN FREE UP YOUR CASH FLOW

CHECK OUT VOIP

STOP PAYING FOR SOFTWARElimited versions. Also check manufacturers’ websites for free trial downloads.

BUY YOUR OFFICE FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT SECOND HANDIn turn, why not help out another small business and pass anything on when you no longer need it?

TURN OFF EQUIPMENT WHEN IT’S NOT BEING USEDThis can reduce energy consumption by 25 per cent;; turning off the computers at the end of the day can save an additional 50 per cent.

LIGHTEN UPhangings to reduce the amount of energy you use.

TAKE A PACKED LUNCH

-­

member: a sandwich is just some bread with some stuff in between. And for the price of a small pension, does the coffee really taste that good?

REPAIR THINGSNot only is this great for the environment, it is great on the wallet too.

CONSIDER YOUR TRANSPORTCould you share a lift with somebody, take the bus or even walk to work? Avoiding the car will save on petrol and could even keep away

any expensive parking costs.

GET MORE CASH!

OFFER EXPERT ADVICEWhy not set up a networking group, or for the more adventurous try teaching a class, speaking at a community meeting, or writing an article

for a local paper. This may mean investing a little cash in some resources, but in the long term it will help to establish you as an expert and

people will be more keen to buy from you. This can also be a fairly low cost way to get attention for your business.

GET MOBILEAre you staying in one place too long, and are you able to move around a little more than you do? If you can afford to go mobile then

this could be a much more cost-­effective way to run your business. The costs of establishing a permanent retail location can be steep, with

leases spanning three to ten years-­carts, kiosks and temporary spaces can be an easier way to get a foot in the door with a lot less risk. If not,

further customer base. Mobile arrangements make it easy for entrepreneurs to come in, try it out for a month, and if their product isn’t work-­

ing, shift to a new product line or close up shop and move to a new location.

PRODUCTISE YOUR KNOWLEDGE know and package this into short courses, online webinars, e-­books and training programmes. Productising your knowledge gives you the

opportunity to start making money out of what you do every day and the great thing about the web is that you can be selling these prod-­

ucts and making money whilst you sleep!

STRETCH YOUR BUDGET WITH A GOOD OLD BARTERSwapping one product or service for another is a good way to avoid cash outlays-­and unload slow-­moving inventory. If you’d rather not bar-­

gain with other businesses directly, hire a commissioned barter broker (listed in the Yellow Pages under “Barter”), or join a Barter club or group.

-­ed an associate director to head up its expansion into the Northern

Aldermore is a new name in British banking and is one of the most

Alternative Investment Partners and operating from nine regional of-­

sized businesses.

continues that impressive growth.As a British bank, Aldermore is regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is registered under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which means customers’ savings are protected up to the

Advisory, will be responsible for developing Aldermore’s offering in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, including the busi-­ness centres of Watford, St Albans, Stevenage, and Luton. Paul has

also spent time at Fortis and Lloyds Bank. Commenting on his appointment, Paul Levy said: “Aldermore has an enviable track record of completing great deals and I look forward to continuing this work in supporting the growth ambitions of businesses in Hertfordshire as the economy picks up its recovery.”

to access. Paul has a great deal of experience working with Hertfordshire businesses and will be a valuable contact for those looking to secure alternative funding lines to fuel organic and acquisitive growth.”

ALDERMORE ON ROUTE TO SUCCESS WITH M1 APPOINTMENT

SALES COLUMNQR CODESTHE SMART REVOLUTION...

This fancy looking monochrome bar code is a QR code, (Quick Response Code). All you need to do in order to unlock the code is download a QR code reader app to your smart phone.I use “i-­nigma 4” – it’s incredibly quick -­ and it’s free. Down load it and scan this code...Activate the app – point it at the QR code and bingo!It takes you straight to the page of my website I choose to send you to. Youcan view the text, watch a video -­ navigate around my website all on the goand on your smartphone.

Chances are -­ you were thinking like so many people -­ “What are those all about. Just another fancy manufacturers type of bar code?”... well you were not too far wrong, but get ready -­ things have changed.A QR code is a two dimensional barcode which can now be read

-­era. Quick Response indicates that the content of the barcode can be quickly and easily decoded.

initial usage was for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing.

We’ve moved on!During the last few years the QR code has slowly found its way into the marketing world due to the connection with mobile phone applications -­ and now it’s set to explode!

materials over the coming months -­ if they haven’t already.It strikes me that the use of QR codes is only restricted by your

like snapping a photo. Voilà:the browser on your phone launches, directing you to the web-­

again can easily be done via a free web site -­ without any knowl-­edge of coding whatsoever.

pointing you to websites...

QR codes can be used (and are being used!) for;;* Special offers and promotions* Coupons and competitions

* How to guides* Promotional video* Sending photographs

* Event bookings and registration* Name badges at seminars* Estate agent signage... the list is endless.

You can create QR codes for phone numbers, contact details, emails, data lists, or for whatever your mind creates the need for.

I was told by a client of mine recently that they thought this would be going mainstream very soon as they had spotted one on a lamppost in Bishops Stortford. I don’t know about you, but sounds like it’s mainstream alright!!

As with all good marketing you must be able to measure the re-­sults. With QR codes you can very simply measure the data -­ based on the number of scans, the number of responses, the dates and

the effectiveness of this exciting new marketing channel.

This is relatively new to lots of people -­ so as you add this to your arsenal of marketing materials -­ be prepared to do a little explaining

Like I said, these are cropping up everywhere. Here’s one of the most fun applications I’ve seen so far -­ “Geek Couture” -­ go ahead and scan it -­ it’s not half as frightening as you might imagine.

What are QR codes, how do they work and what can they

make sure you can explain anything unusual.”

As ever -­ Just ping me an email if you’d like to

this code and join me on Facebook. there’s lots of

talk on there about all things sales and marketing

THE RESILIENCE OF BRITISH AGRICULTURE

“There are so many ongoing changes in the current agricultural climate and our company assist clients with the restructuring of their businesses to improve profitability and tax efficiency.”Now a partner at the company, Jonathan provides guidance to most areas of the business, from investment in machinery,

share farming and co-­operation agreements to sale and acquisition of land.

Hardcastle Burton LLP also provides extensive management support including targeted benchmarking comparisons, sophis-­

ticated forecasting and advice on farm diversification.

They also compile an annual post harvest survey, which measures the crop yields from their regional farming clients and

provides an analysis of the results with a commentary on significant business issues.

“We deal with a broad range of business, from tenant farmers to large traditional farming estates,” Jonathan said. “The busi-­ness opportunities are vast.” Jonathan says agriculture is in its own bubble in comparison to the rest of the economy. “It is a buoyant time for the arable farming industry,” he said. “But we must not forget that milk and pig production is faring less well.”The outlook for arable farmers in 2011 looks good, although the weather over the next few months will have an important

effect on arable harvest volumes and business profits.

“Agriculture isn’t part of the ‘Boom Britain’ consumer culture. The well known statistic in the marketplace is that only around seven per cent of the agricultural industry’s net worth is borrowed money. This business is a remarkably low risk area.”Farming went through its own recession for a number of reasons between 1998 and 2004, but is historically an extremely

resilient marketplace. People will always need food, but for farmers, there is quite often far more to their business than simply

food production. The credit appetite of the sector for example, is constant and consistent, being mainly based on machinery

which is highly specialised and in need of regular replacement – and thus well suited to finance and leasing.

Another recent trend that could be the saviour of the farming industry is the falling value of sterling – making British products

cheaper than those imported from the continent. “A weak pound has given us great meat export prices. People still need to eat and the weather is promising a good return,” says Jonathan.

In some areas the exchange rate will work against farmers, with inputs such as fuel and fertiliser both imported and therefore

subject to the volatile currency markets. “Fuel is a huge expense at the moment,” says Jonathan. “The price of fertilisers is constantly increasing through imbalanced marketing.”Farming, per se, can survive even a long recession, but one worry is for those who have invested in developing farm buildings

to bring in a rental income. They could find their revenue dries up as tenants become increasingly scarce.

“One consequence of recession is a contraction in the number of start-­up companies and the knock-­on effect from that is there are fewer and fewer businesses looking to rent premises. So in the best case scenario, rental values go down, while, in the worst case scenario, farm buildings sit unused and with no prospective tenants,” said Jonathan.Despite the headlines of banks raising interest rates, halting lending and cutting overdrafts, the major agricultural lenders

have been keen to stress they are still open for business. “Banks do want to see that new debt is affordable;; revenue must continue coming into the business to make the repayments,” stresses Jonathan. “However, while the Bank of England is generally reducing the amount of credit available, it has not frozen loan applications. Agricultural lending is bucking the nationwide trend.”Jonathan says, on the whole, his clients are happy in their industry. “The long-­term outlook for agriculture is positive. There is far greater risk to our clients these days when it comes to understanding when to sell, buy or lease. Our company helps to mitigate the risk of the market going against them and our customers are very happy with the service we offer. “It’s very important farmers understand their cost structures and the cost of producing their crops. Then they can make informed decisions. The market is constantly reacting;; we can help you stay on top of it.”

For more information: jonathant@hardcastle-­burton.co.uk

Are you a farmer living in Hertfordshire? Send us your views: editor@businessindependent.co.uk

Armed with a strong farming background, thanks to growing up on a

small arable plot in Hertfordshire, and a degree in Agricultural

Management from Wye College in Kent, Jonathan Tulloch

joined Hardcastle Burton LLP in 2002.

“LIVE IN YOUR WORLD. PLAY IN OURS” -­‐ PLAYSTATION 2.

Unlike today’s mobile games,

which usually have to be pur-­

chased, this came pre-­installed

on a variety of Nokia phones

and could not be copied off or

removed. ‘Snake’ and varients

like ‘Tetris,’ became the most

played mobile games on the

people had never even thought

of buying a game on their mobile

phone.

Flash forward over a decade and

total global revenues from mobile

games are now estimated to rake

according to Futuresource Con-­

sulting, an analyst group special-­

ising in the mobile industry. In fact,

in 2010 alone, the iPhone was

billion in app sales, three times

more than what Android was

expected to bring in.

Not bad for a market that a few

years ago, was about as niche as

you could get.

Sony Ericsson has really been un-­

der pressure to reinvent its mobile gaming platform, which launched

unchanged. In recent years, sales of the Playstation® console have

previous year.

Enter the company’s strategy to bring PSP gaming to mobile phones.

The Xperia™ PLAY, formally dubbed the Playstation® phone, is one of

three of the latest launches by the global brand and the only phone

The launch of PLAY has been the ultimate corporate tease. The build

up to this new device has been so tantalising and with details just

out of our reach, we’ve chewed all our nails down to the quick in

frustrated anticipation. Names of networks who would stock the

phone were only released in mid-­ February and when we spoke to

they will offer on it. The Xperia™ PLAY will be available on a total of

Johnny Minkley from Eurogamer.net said: “I think this is a very smart

move for Sony Ericsson. It shows that they are taking seriously the

threat that Apple poses to them in the mobile gaming market.”

BUT CAN THE PLAY TAKE ON THE

Essentially, it’s a touch-­screen smart phone with a slide-­out control

pad. It’s not as techno-­lust svelte as the iPhone, but it comes pre-­

loaded with games and the controller has the well-­known Sony PSP

layout. The handset sports a best in class 4” screen and superfast

chipset, to give users the same feel as a portable games console with

their mobile phone. The touchpad in the center is apparently multi-­

touch. With a front-­facing camera, users can instantly upload their

pictures to social networking sites.

According to Sony Ericsson’s ‘gaming ambassador’, Jonas Berg, the

controller is designed to free up the display for game viewing, so that

players don’t need to use an onscreen ‘virtual joypad’. “When playing

games on a smartphone device, you’re actually covering up part

of the experience... we’ve added the next layer of gaming,” he explained.

While it’s thought that as many as 50 games will be available at the

launch, including Guitar Hero, Sims 3 and Assassin’s Creed, the

be the PS1 platformer, Crash Bandicoot.

Boasting Google’s Android 2.3 system (aka Gingerbread), along

with a custom Sony Marketplace, you can purchase and download

games designed for the new platform, have faster internet browsing

know that there’s no Memory Stick slot here, but there is support for

micro SD cards.

Sony Ericsson did divulge a bit of a clue as to the Xperia™ PLAY’s UK

RRP. In a European competition, in which winners can win one of the

and $400 in the US. It’s likely the UK price will be somewhere

between £400 and £500. Frankly, it would be very surprising if it was

less than £400, given the past pricing of mobiles and smartphones.

Hope springs eternal, though.

The Xperia™ Play is widely seen as an attempt to breathe new life into

the platform in the face of competition from games-­capable smart-­

phones, but it’s seems there has been more of a tightening of the

chest for Sony Ericsson. In late February, Play.com posted full pricing and

stated that the phone was available to pre-­order and was due for

release on 28 March. The handset would cost £519.99. The Xperia™

PLAY also popped up on ‘unlocked-­mobiles.com’ pegged with a

A spokesperson from Sony Ericsson told us they were unaware of this

-­

ability, the Xperia PLAY will be available globally in selected markets

from March 2011. Pricing wise, it’s a premium smartphone and various

retailers will be pricing it accordingly.”

The Xperia™ PLAY is a fantastic idea, but some might say it looks a bit

dated. Is a controller really needed now that we have touch screen

phones? However, some ‘traditionalists’ would argue the phone

could bring back the success of Playstation® and it will enable you to

feel more ‘in touch’ with the game.

We think the range of Playstation® 1 titles and Android underpinnings

may endear it to some gamers, though it’ll be interesting to see how it

fares against rival mobiles: Nintendo’s imminent 3DS, and Sony’s own

NGP, due out at the end of the year. As a stand alone gaming

device, it should make happy the consumers who want to bring a

little nostalgia into their lives.

THE NEW GAMING MOBILE

DECLUTTER YOUR OFFICE

WHETHER YOUR OFFICE IS AWAY FROM YOUR HOME, IN A SHED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN OR, SIMPLY A CORNER OF YOUR HOME, MAKE SURE YOU MAKE THE BEST OF THE SPACE YOU HAVE.CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH

NETWORKING

Events over the last few months have served to provide a counter argument, in favour of the power of professional networks and the strength of the genuine friendships built within. On Sunday 19 February I received first an email and then a call from

colleagues in the Professional Speaking Association to break the dreadful news that one of our colleagues, Clive Gott, had suffered a fatal heart attack the previous day. Despite it being a Sunday, people across the PSA were calling each other to break the news and console each other. The response on social networks was equally powerful with people posting blogs, status updates and tweets with their memories of Clive. Clive’s Partner, Elaine, who he met through the PSA, was inundated with genuine good wishes and support through-­out the period after his death.

people whom Clive had helped as a mentor or speaker. The affection in which people held him was genuine. Effective networking is not about visiting event after event and simply swapping business cards and elevator pitches. Strong networks become communities where people build long-­term friendships. At the risk of being clichéd, they are there for each other through good times and bad and, in cases such as this, provide personal support as well as professional. If you have one goal in your networking, make it to build strong, long-­term relationships with people you meet. If you provide that true support and friendship, no one can claim that your efforts are insincere, manipulative or anything other than genuine. Happy Networking! -­ Andy

Amazon.co.uk bestselling book ‘and Death Came Third! The Definitive Guide to Networking and Speaking in Public’. For more information visit www.lopata.co.uk

VISIT OUR WEBSITE, www.businessindependent.co.uk FOR A FULL ROUND-­‐UP OF THE REGION’S NETWORKING EVENTS.

BY ANDY LOPATAWhenever I ask groups in training sessions for their preconceptions of ‘networking’, there will often be a number of negative views, particularly among larger businesses. Participants often see networking as manipulative, insincere people using others to their own ends or unnatural. Many also see professional networks and social contacts as very separate areas of their lives.

NETWORKING EVENTS IN MARCH

Watford -­ Every Friday, Southern Cross Hotel St Albans – Every Thursday, County ConstitutionalLetchworth – Every Thursday, The Art Placewww.brxnet.co.uk

www.the-­businessclub.org

VIVA:12-­‐2PMWatford – 7 April, Indoor Bowls Club

Berkhamstead – 28 April, Pizza et PizzaSt Albans – 6 April, The Black Lion Hotel

Ramada Jarvis Hotelwww.viva-­networking.co.uk

Hemel Hempstead – 8 April, Ramada Jarvis Hotel

www.4networking.biz

OUT OF THE GARAGE AND INTO THE REALMS OF AUDI AND VOLKSWAGEN :

HAS FINALLY DITCHED ITS BUG-­‐EYED, JOKER-­‐MOUTHED DESIGN.” BBC1 – TOP GEAR

Many decades ago, Peugeot’s cars were known for being a modest but critical cut above Citroens, Renaults and also Vauxhalls, but in the past few years, the styling has become more and more challenging on the eye, with overgrown grilles and odd proportions. Of the big three

find an identity.However, THE FRENCH CAR MAKER IS HITTING THE RESET BUTTON

eye for detail. Gone is the guppy face of the 407, gone is the bland rear end and the gap-­ing grille that is synonymous with Peugeot has been notably shrunken. The front looks like a close relative of an Audi, with its sculpted aluminium bonnet and the overall shape gives

impact on the visual satisfaction. The cabin is easily the best in its class and does have that certain French élan: attractive butter-­soft seats, an elegant dashboard, sharp instrumentation and high quality mouldings. There are all kinds of toys including colour head-­up display, 4-­ zone air conditioning and heated massage seats on top spec models. The body structure feels exceptionally robust and the car is comfortable too.There’s storage space and headroom to spare in the comfy front or rear seats and plenty

internal dimensions are on a par with those of the outgoing 607 with a big boot and easy-­fold rear seats. We particularly like the long glass sunroof and the head-­up windscreen display in front of the driver is discreet and useful. So what’s it like to drive? The Daily Telegraph says the new model feels like “a mature, well sorted executive rather than something destined to be a taxi in two years’ time.” The driv-­

composed with quick and accurate steering, comfortable brakes and the supple chassis

Engines include the 2.2, 2.0 and 1.6 litre diesel – all naturally aspirated and turbo charged versions of the 1.6l petrol. The down-­sized 2.2 diesel prodcues 33 per cent less CO2 than its

They’re all quiet, which is what you really want from a car like this. Top spec GT models get more sophiscitcated duel wish-­ bone suspension but you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference.

this year will be even more attractive to those who struggled with the effects of British snow this past winter. Even better, the low carbon emission makes this model completely tax free.

tackling its problems at the most basic level and starting again from the ground up, produc-­

chaper than the VW Passat.

overall appeal of the range and only time will tell if Peugeot’s efforts have been a success. It does have a long way to go before it matches Japanese standards.

for similar money.

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE

Following last year’s hugely successful UK tour – where he played to 60,000 – Amos is back with his special of brand of melt-­‐in-­‐the-­‐middle comedy, to cheer us up, make us forget the

best medicine! Stephen K Amos, star of his own BBC2 series The Stephen K

returns following his sellout dates last year to the Grove

with Stephen before his trip down–under to the Melbourne

comedy Festival.

WHAT WOULD YOU DESCRIBE AS YOUR

Auto –biographical and observational.

Well everybody I worked with said I was funny so I decided to

give it a try (one of my first gigs was in Hertfordshire in Hemel

Hempstead) and I found that I really enjoyed being on stage

and entertaining people.

I have just done Comic Relief then I am off to take part in

the Melbourne Comedy Festival for the month of April. I then

return to the UK to finish the tour till end of May. I also have

a new BBC standup show in the planning stages so it’s a busy

time ahead!

EARLIER THIS YEAR YOU WERE IN THE

That was a boyhood dream come true as I have always been

interested in magic so I really enjoyed it!

WILL YOU BE RELEASING A DVD OF THIS TOUR FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF

Yes, we will be recording during the tour in May for a pre -­

Christmas release.

WHAT DO YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING IN 10

I’d love to still be doing the job I love doing. I would also like

to do a chat show.

DO YOU HAVE ANY UNFULFILLED

Yes -­ 2. I would love to be a pilot but need to have some flying

lessons first! I’d also love to be a Dad -­ either a son or daughter

would be wonderful.

IN 2007 YOU PLAYED THE DOCTOR IN EASTENDERS -­‐ WHAT WAS THAT LIKE AND

Even though it was only

for two episodes, working

on Eastenders was great

as it is an institution. I’d

love to do a bit more act-­

ing if I could find a good,

‘meaty’ part or the lead

role in James Bond or Dr

Who would be fantastic if

it became vacant!

DO YOU ENJOY PLAY-­‐ING TO SMALLER CROWDS OR DO YOU PREFER THE

I enjoy the intimacy of the

smaller venues where you

can interact with the audi-­

ence -­ I think you will lose that

in the big arenas like the 02 in

London.

You can see Stephen K Amos at the Grove Theatre, Dunstable

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