Business Award judges say quality entries mean they’ve had the toughest year yet

Stuart Pearcey
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Business Award judges say quality entries mean they’ve had the toughest year yet

Judges in the Hull & East Yorkshire People in Business Awards say they’ve had the toughest year yet in developing a shortlist for this year’s glittering ceremony, saying that the quality of talent in the region has never been higher.

Lucy Gray from the Hull and East Yorkshire LEP leads the judging panel, and said: “This year we received a record number of entries. The standard of entries was incredible and just amplifies the sheer talent we have across the Region. As judges this made our job even harder, there were so many inspirational stories and examples, this made for some very difficult decisions. Having been part of the judging panel for PIBA since 2019, it makes me so proud that a Region we have so many great people to celebrate.” Fellow Judge Lee Solway of Harrison Solway added: “Along with my fellow judges, we had a fantastic but very difficult day in comparing opinions and notes on all nominees, but ultimately and collectively, we decided on the worthy winner and finalists for each of the 16 categories which were far from simple. “This year seemed even more difficult than 2022 due to the unbelievable calibre of the candidates, there were some inspirational nominations for sure, a lot of which resonated with me personally in my own business journey, which proves that we have so many reasons to be proud of the Hull and East Riding area and the people and businesses which reside in it.” The awards ceremony will take place on Friday 30th June, at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in Hull and will see businesses recognised in sixteen categories along with an evening of food, drinks, and entertainment. The 2023 PIBA Awards Shortlist: Rising Star – sponsored by Bondholders
  • Oliver McWilliam – Lexus Hull
  • Chelsea Taylor – Hudgell Solicitors
  • Graham Wildridge – Transwaste
Above and Beyond – sponsored by HBP Systems
  • Susan Fellows – Innovations In Care
  • Kelly Bugg – Chameleon Business Interiors
  • Graham Precious – Caremark
Apprentice of the Year
  • Jack Fullard – Cloud Design Box
  • Heidi Donnison – Visit East Yorkshire
  • Sonia Kopacz – Alessandro Caruso Architecture & Interiors
First Class Service – sponsored by Nu Architects
  • Green & Green Mortgage Protection
  • Graham Precious – Caremark
  • Lana Grisina – Smart Temps
Customer Hero of the Year
  • Penelope Hadgraft – Clear Skin Pending
  • Andy Craggs – Doubletree by Hilton Hotel
  • Kaylee Carver – Gymophobics
Start-up Entrepreneur – sponsored by Hull City Council
  • Paul Longley – Think Mental Health
  • Cassandra Custus – Karinya Yoga
  • Kim Bunn & Janice Hakeney – Boutique 187
Entrepreneur of the Year – sponsored by Forrester Boyd
  • Michelle Millar – And Marketing
  • Susan Fellows – Innovations In Care
  • David Lipton – Consortium Professional Recruitment
Inspiring Contribution – sponsored by The Edge Hub
  • Alan Raw – Koru Consulting
  • Brian Cammack – Hull Truck Theatre
  • Evalynne Charmer – Child Hypnotherapy Institute
Innovator – sponsored by the University of Hull Business School
  • Wayne Key – Key Campers & Key Racking
  • Simon Jones – Top 30 Under 30
Mentor
  • Lisa Harvey – Diony Creative
  • Joe Bannister – Cloud Design Box
  • John Cuss – Hudgell Solicitors
Team Impact < 10 People
  • HEYMIND – Humber Peer Support Team
  • Hudgell Solicitors
  • Cloud Design Box
Team Impact >11 People – sponsored by Cobus Communications
  • Sowden And Sowden
  • Caremark
  • Transwaste
Grit
  • Kaylee Carver – Gymophobics
  • Dawn Parker – Consortium Professional Recruitment
Manager
  • James Emmett – Cloud Design Box
  • Vicky Richardson – Hudgell Solicitors
  • Paul Savage – Bonus Arena

Tennis academy signs three-year sponsorship deal with Hull firms

Stuart Pearcey
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Tennis academy signs three-year sponsorship deal with Hull firms

Forrester Boyd Chartered Accountants and Williamsons Solicitors are to sponsor a new three-year programme at Nuffield Tennis Academy in Hull.

As a Lawn Tennis Association accredited performance centre, the academy offers both excellent facilities and experienced coaches who provide a junior programme which is recognised as being one of the best in the country with multiple international players emanating from the centre. Forrester Boyd Chairman and Partner Mike Beckett said: “I am delighted to be able to support this fantastic initiative alongside Williamsons. Nuffield Tennis Academy has such a great reputation for nurturing some of the region’s top tennis stars. This schools outreach programme will help to introduce tennis to children at a ‘grass roots’ level. The health and mental wellbeing benefits associated with sporting activities cannot be under-estimated and are hugely important now, more than ever, which is why Forrester Boyd was really happy to be involved with this project. I really hope that the Academy can encourage more children into taking up tennis or other sporting activities.” Neil Waterhouse, Operations Director & Company Secretary at Williamsons Solicitors, added: “Williamsons has a long history of supporting local charities and community ventures, and so were delighted to team up with Forrester Boyd in supporting Nuffield Tennis Academy in this important local initiative. “This is an excellent opportunity for school children across the area to try something new, which they would perhaps not normally have access to.” The sponsorship of the three year programme will enable coaches at the tennis academy to deliver free tennis coaching sessions to Key Stage 1 pupils across the region of Hull and East Riding. David Kitchen, who is leading the programme at the academy said: “We are extremely grateful to Forrester Boyd and Williamsons for their support of our schools outreach programme. “Their support means we can achieve our long-term goal for the programme which is to ensure that every primary school pupil in Hull and East Riding has had a taste of tennis.”

Bradford signs deals to create thousands of new homes

Stuart Pearcey
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Bradford signs deals to create thousands of new homes
Three major partnerships have been agreed at the UKREiiF real estate conference linking Bradford Council to Homes England, English Cities Fund, and UK Infrastructure Bank. Bradford Council is set to collaborate with Homes England and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to support the delivery of over 7,000 potential new homes across the district, after an MOU was signed at UKREiiF. The new agreement will help unlock infrastructure, resources and support to deliver affordable, good quality housing in major regeneration areas across the district and beyond. The Council also signed a pre-development agreement with Muse Places/English Cities Fund to begin the detailed preparation work to deliver the development of the City Village Regeneration scheme providing up to 1,000 further new homes in the heart of the City Centre, including at the former Kirkgate and Oastler Centre sites. A third partnership has been agreed with UK Infrastructure Bank which will see UKIB provide technical assistance and strategic advice on the delivery, finance and options for the proposed new rail investments and landmark Southern Gateway regeneration. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said: “Bradford is very much open for business, we’re one of the country’s biggest regeneration opportunities and attracting a range of major national partners to help us achieve our commercial ambitions along with a quality housing pipeline to support Bradford’s future growth. “This is a really exciting time for the District, we are enabling a number transformational projects which will boost the energy and vibrancy of the city centre and position it perfectly for the future. Many of these projects are now nearing completion such as Bradford Live, One City Park, Darley Street Market and North Parade public realm improvement schemes and we are preparing for Bradford 2025 which will further strengthen our investment offer. “Through this Strategic Place Partnership – only the third of its kind to be launched in the country – Homes England has demonstrated its support for our vision and ambition to transform prime sites across the district.” Kersten England, CEO of the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council said: “City Village is one of our most significant developments, it will help set the tone for the future city centre residential offer and we are delighted to have secured this partnership with ECF to now take the scheme forward to delivery of 1,000 new homes in the City Centre. “Housing plays an important role in the Bradford offer, and WYCA’s work with Homes England will go some way to helping us deliver the homes that we will need to shape a brighter future here in the district. “Our collaboration with UKIB will help us look at investment options, funding models and the practicalities of market and state finance to realise our regeneration ambitions. Bradford has a pivotal role to play across the whole of the North of England – a successful North needs a successful Bradford!”

NFU calls for multi-sector collaboration to boost food and farming

Stuart Pearcey
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NFU calls for multi-sector collaboration to boost food and farming
Food, farming and hospitality sectors should work together to mutual benefit, according to National Farmers Union President Minette Batters. Launching a new report based on research with consumers and businesses, the report showcases the British food and drink story and how farmers and the supply chain working together can add value to businesses.
She said: “Whether it’s grabbing a bite to eat on the go, discussing business over lunch or celebrating an important event, eating out is central to everyday life, with iconic products and brands playing a huge role in keeping the nation fed. “Hospitality in the UK is recognised as one of the finest in the world, but the sector, like British farming, has faced huge challenges over the past 18 months against a backdrop of record levels of inflation, coupled with the cost of living crisis, and coming just months after struggling through the pandemic which impacted so many hospitality businesses. “British farming, food, and hospitality are intrinsically linked, and this report sets out our vision on how British food can add vale to hospitality brands, and why they should build the farming story into their businesses. “Developing relationships between the out of home sector and British farmers and growers will create even more opportunities to serve up local food that is safe and fully traceable, providing the provenance the public increasingly appreciates – as well as helping to strengthen our domestic food security.
“The NFU will continue these conversations by holding further roundtable discussions in order to engage with all aspects of the UK’s diverse hospitality sector.” The NFU brought together industry leaders and operators for a roundtable discussion to launch the report and to hear how sustainability and “supporting local” holds a firm place in the public’s buying choices. Organisations represented at the roundtable included: UK Hospitality, the Royal Society of Culinary Arts, Green King, Hawksmoor, the Zero Carbon Forum, WRAP, Peach2020, AHDB and NFU Cymru. The discussion acknowledged the multiple benefits of purchasing British food and drink and working more closely with Britain’s farmers and growers. The discussion also focussed upon how we can showcase British food production standards, create more relationships between businesses, farmers, chefs, and consumers, alongside how we can tackle big issues such as sustainability ambitions and supply chain challenges.

Hull Trains wins top award at Women in Rail event

Stuart Pearcey
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Hull Trains wins top award at Women in Rail event
Hull Trains has won the biggest prize at the Women in Rail Awards by being named Top Employer of the Year. The award was in recognition of the operator’s inclusive culture that specifically focuses on female talent attraction and retention. Hull Trains was praised for the way it fosters a new generation of female leaders in rail, and for the commitment it demonstrates to equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The Women in Rail Awards are seen as the benchmark for the railway industry and aim to showcase companies that are making significant contributions to improving gender balance, diversity, and inclusion within the UK railway industry. Hull Trains is proud of its record of 32% of drivers being female – the highest percentage in the UK rail industry where the average currently sits at 6.5%, according to 2021 statistics. Alongside this, the company benefits from a 50/50 gender split across its executive board and 48% of its whole workforce are women. Following their 2022/23 colleague survey, the company’s team engagement levels also sit at an industry high, currently celebrating an 83% overall engagement score, 16 points above the industry average. Company MD Martijn Gilbert said: “We’re extremely proud to be recognised as Top Employer at the Women in Rail awards. This recognition feels like a seal of approval for the work we’re doing to create an inclusive and diverse work environment. “Just to be shortlisted and recognised for our efforts was amazing, but to win is a really special accomplishment and our team is without a doubt at the heart of this success.” Shona Clive, Vice-Chair of Women in Rail and Project Lead for the Rail cluster project and the Forth and Tay Offshore project, Scottish Engineering said: “The calibre of this year’s nominations was truly exceptional. We received over 430 entries from – and in respect of – a wide range of individuals, teams and companies in the railway sector, many of them from male allies nominating their female co-workers. The judges admitted having a very difficult task selecting who should be shortlisted and ultimately win. Congratulations to everyone who was nominated – and of course to our winners, Hull Trains – who continue to promote and improve EDI across the sector.”

Business adviser offers free guidance to new businesses in Bradford

Stuart Pearcey
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Business adviser offers free guidance to new businesses in Bradford
Bradford Metro Bank will host the city’s Local Start-Up Business Adviser Katrina Moody at its Market Street Store on the afternoon of Wednesday June 7th from 1pm – 4pm. Any Bradford business less than three years old is welcome to meet Katrina who can provide practical support, as well as advice and guidance to any start-up business from any sector, including social enterprises, cooperatives and businesses selling directly to consumers. As an independent adviser, she can also help individuals with an idea for a new business or support growth for existing businesses, including business planning, marketing, and financial management. There were over three quarters of a million new companies created in the UK last year – the second highest number on record. That’s more than one company every minute. However start-ups are vulnerable and whilst just over nine out of ten survive the first year (92%), just over a third make it to year five and beyond. “Anyone is welcome to come along for free advice and support about starting or managing a new business,” explains Bradford Metro Bank’s Local Business Manager Lizzie Jowett. “Whilst in store, if you have not yet opened a business account, this can be done in store in under two hours, with your internet banking set-up the same day and your debit card printed in store.’’ To guarantee time with Katrina at this complimentary event please reserve your spot here.

Building industry payroll firm sees emerging new HMRC tactic for policing building site employment

Stuart Pearcey
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Building industry payroll firm sees emerging new HMRC tactic for policing building site employment
The MD of Bridlington-based Hudson Contract says HMRC appears to have adopted a new tactic for policing employment status on building sites. Ian Anfield says the tactic leading to late backdated bills for tax they may not owe. He said his firm has seen two letters in recent months in which HMRC had issued determinations to protect its position against companies before reaching the end of time limits on compliance checks. He said: “The six-figure judgements were made on the assumption that all self-employed subcontractors should be treated as employees unless appealed and proven otherwise. “This is an aggressive new tactic that shoots first and asks questions later of people who are trying to run their businesses and stay compliant. There is a danger that companies will feel pressurised into agreeing settlements without any legal justification.” He said HMRC had indicated it is stepping up compliance work after switching its priorities to support businesses during the pandemic. “HMRC’s approach to compliance is becoming more difficult for individual companies to manage. Five or six years ago, a tax inspector would visit a firm, interview the directors, review the documentation and then make judgements about status and other compliance breaches on the day. “Then we saw less experienced inspectors coming out purely to gather information. Their job was to feed back their findings to a higher authority at HMRC who would decide whether there should be any further investigation or reclassification. This obviously dragged out the entire process. “Now checks are dragging on even further, sometimes for years with a number of different HMRC keyboard warriors involved over time, usually working from home, none of whom seem to have the ability to conclude a case or gather the correct information for a higher-up to reach a verdict. “With strict time limits in place for how far back HMRC can go, the end result in the protracted cases we have seen has been, ‘we have run out of time asking questions and swapping inspectors so here’s your tax bill, if you don’t like it, appeal’.” Ian said: “For decades the taxman has taken an overly aggressive and unfair position on self-employment to the extent that companies find it difficult to trust the correct outcome without specialist help and this latest tactic makes things worse. With our employment status indemnification, our clients are protected from this nightmare experience.” • MEANWHILE, Hudson Contract has also seen early signs that HMRC is starting to ask questions about off-payroll workers in the construction industry after concluding some longstanding cases involving IR35 legislation. Ian said: “The taxman has investigated the celebrities Lorraine Kelly, Eamonn Holmes and Gary Lineker with a mixed set of results and has now started to look at limited company freelancers in construction. The new IR35 legislation is likely to catch the more senior people who cross the line between being consultants and senior employees. Lots of construction firms use highly skilled consultants behind the scenes and in project management so no doubt HMRC will yet again see construction as a rich vein of potential income.”

Design agency gets new look at its HQ in Caistor

Stuart Pearcey
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Design agency gets new look at its HQ in Caistor
Design, print and marketing business Systematic has launched a new design agency oodle at its headquarters in Caistor, Lincolnshire. Previously part of its existing company, the design studio has now been given a new identity and will operate as a separate brand while remaining under the Systematic umbrella. Director James Walker explained: “We’ve been offering graphic design services for over 20 years and we’re proud of how the Studio has grown both in terms of people and skills. Our designers are keen to put their collective skills and expertise to the best possible use for the benefit of our clients, which is why we’ve decided to do something completely different and launch oodle – the new name for everything creative at Systematic!” Graphic designer Steve Goy, who has been working at Systematic for over 13 years, said he hopes the new brand will help them attract more high calibre design-led projects. “The Systematic brand has a great heritage, but it also has connotations of systems and processes rather than free-flowing thought and creativity,” said Steve. “With that in mind, we have created a new brand for the Systematic design service, oodle, which has positive connotations, linking to ‘oodles’, which means ‘lots of’. It is also a warm, friendly and playful word, which characterises the team’s personality.”

Legal&General agrees final buy-in policy with British Steel Pension scheme

Stuart Pearcey
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Legal&General agrees final buy-in policy with British Steel Pension scheme
Legal & General Assurance Society Limited has agreed a fourth and final buy-in policy with the British Steel Pension Scheme, totalling £2.7 billion, under which the remaining 40% of liabilities were insured. The move makes the scheme the largest in the UK to have fully insured all its members’ benefits. Legal & General has now insured £7.5 billion of the Scheme’s liabilities, securing the benefits of about 67,000 retired and deferred members, many of whom are in North Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. The announcement marks the Scheme’s fourth transaction since November 2021. Through a series of phased buy-ins over this 18-month period, the Scheme has now insured all its liabilities with Legal & General and becomes the largest scheme in the UK to have secured full insurance. By completing this transaction, the Scheme has now reached a funding level that will allow the Trustee to make additional payments (referred to as “restoration”) to members under the agreement reached when the Scheme was set up. To insure benefits at this scale, Legal & General worked in partnership with the Trustees, Sponsor, the Scheme’s in-house teams and advisors. This included establishing an umbrella contract with the Trustees in 2021, which allowed them to complete each transaction quickly and easily on pre-agreed contractual terms. It also saw the Scheme’s in-house investment management transfer to Legal & General Investment Management in 2022 to implement a strategy to improve the Scheme’s funding level by aligning investments with L&G’s pricing.

Packed house will hear from Debbie Robinson in Humber Business Week highlight

Stuart Pearcey
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Packed house will hear from Debbie Robinson in Humber Business Week highlight

One of the highlight events of Humber Business Week has already confirmed a full house after tickets were snapped up weeks in advance.

It’s The Elevenses chat between Biz Week founder Paul Sewell and Debbie Robinson, which will be streamed on the Humber Business Week website on Tuesday 6 June.

However, the live session at Sewell Studio on Tuesday 30 May is at capacity with spaces now only available in the event of cancellations. Paul said: “It says everything about the calibre of this guest that every seat was booked weeks ahead. “As Central England CEO and European Vice President of the Co-op, Debbie has to  be in Dubrovnik for their conference and that clashes with Biz Week, but she’ll come to us the previous week and I’m looking forward to having a natter with someone who demonstrates that you can have it all – a good marriage, great family, mother and grandmother, athlete and successful businesswoman. “Many women have to choose at some point in their life between career, home, fitness but Debbie has achieved on all fronts.” Debbie comes from Burnley and is a passionate retailer with over 40 years’ experience in the retail sector. Prior to taking on the role at Central England Co-operative in April 2019, Debbie was the UK Managing Director at SPAR. Earlier in her career she has also worked at the Co-op, Marks and Spencer and W H Smith and she is also a board member of the British Retail Consortium, Vice-President of Euro Co-ops, and a member of the advisory panel at Diversity in Retail. Paul brought the Yorkshire International Business Convention (YIBC) to Hull and founded Humber Business Week in 2005. As chair of Sewell Group he works across sectors including construction, property, investments, filling stations and convenience stores. He met Debbie earlier this year during a retail industry visit to Japan and South Korea. He said: “I found her to be a fabulous role model with a wonderful story to tell. She stepped into a role leading a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 people and working in food, funeral services, and property investment, with over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties. “Debbie has driven change through her belief in co-operative ethics and values and her advocacy of all aspects of inclusion. She has championed sustainability and Fairtrade, implemented improvements in diet and health including food pack nutritional information, and developed higher standards of animal welfare in the food industry. “Debbie was heavily involved in campaigning which led to better protection for retail workers. She also instigated the launch of a Co-operative International Development Fund to help move global communities out of poverty. “It will be fascinating to talk about how you do these things in an organisation which dates back to the days of Charles Dickens, and how you also find the time to complete 20 consecutive London Marathons!” Elevenses was launched at the 2021 edition of Humber Business Week as a series of informal chats with key figures from business, politics, culture and sport. Guests have included political heavyweights Alan Johnson, Alastair Campbell and Baroness Warsi, broadcaster Steph McGovern and playwright John Godber. Paul said: “I don’t go out looking for guests. I bump into people as I do my day job and if I think they’re right I ask them to come to Hull. We’ve had a lot of fun, illuminating chats over the years. Debbie Robinson has a much lower profile than you would expect. She also has some strong views on all sorts of issues.” The stream will be posted at 11am on Tuesday 6 June. To register visit https://www.humberbusinessweek.co.uk/
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