Chamber highlights music’s contribution to UK economy
The massive contribution to the economy made by the music industry was the theme of this year’s Leeds Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner.
The theme of the Business of Music was chosen by the Chamber owing to its sitting President Chris Black being MD of Sound Leisure, a world-leading manufacturer of jukeboxes.
Mr Black praised the contribution that music made to the city and country, not only in terms of delivering economic output, but also in bringing joy into people’s lives and the benefits it brings to people’s health.
He said: “The music industry generates around £6.7 billion to Britain’s economy every year. It has been one of our principal cultural exports for decades and music produced from our country is listened to and loved all over the world.
“And our great city of Leeds has made an enormous contribution to this heritage and achievement. Whether it is Corrine Bailey Rae, Marc Almond, Mel B, the Kaiser Chiefs or the Utah Saints we remain a factory for brilliant music.
“But music does something more important than make money and encourage trade. There are fewer things in this world that can impact our mood than music. It touches us in ways that nobody can describe. The songs you loved as a child stay with you your whole life. Whether listening to music at home or alongside thousands at a gig is a wonderful experience.
“But it also has an impact on peoples’ mental state. It brings people together and creates a common sense of purpose and joy.
“As a city, Leeds has it all and represents the UK economy in one destination. Financial and professional services, tech, property development, food and drink, hospitality – we have got it all here and we are first class in every department.
“We have much to be proud of but also much work still today. The scrapping of HS2 was a bitter blow for us following years of warm words and promises. As a Chamber we continue to press for the transport connectivity we need to raise our productivity and attract inward investment.
“There will almost certainly be an election this year and we will making it known to whoever wins power on their first day in office is made clearly aware of what is needed.”
Princes Quay chosen as venue for inaugural Hull Business Expo
The Business Culture Hull and East Yorkshire is organising its first ever Hull Business Expo, which will take place inside Princes Quay Shopping Centre on Wednesday 10th April this year.
It will be held in the shopping centre’s 7,690-square-foot ground floor event space as well as the downstairs foyer.
Tony Bowler, MD at The Business Culture HEY, said: “Our newly launched expo has been in the pipeline since our organisation was founded in 2016. We believe now is the perfect time to bring it to life and what better venue than Princes Quay. The event’s focus is to bring together businesses from across the region to raise brand awareness and create valuable relationships in vibrant surroundings.”
The Hull Business Expo will host 60 exhibitors from various sectors promoting their products and services. The event has been designed to facilitate pure networking and collaboration, without any distractions or time-sensitive agendas. Visitors can simply turn up any time between 10am and 4pm to explore what the region’s business community has to offer and have a chat with local business owners.
Mt Bowler added: “Princes Quay has multiple large-format promotional screens on the ground floor and inside the event space that we have access to on the day,” said Tony. “We’re looking for local businesses who are interested in advertising on these screens during the event. Simply get in touch at hello@thebchey.net and we’ll create a bespoke advertising package to suit your marketing strategy and budget.”
First of its kind partnership to help employers support sustainable commutes
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is to partner with sustainable travel organisation, Modeshift, in a first of its kind partnership.
The two organisations will work together to support more people to walk, wheel and cycle and take public transport as part of their journey to work and help to create a happier, healthier, and wealthier South Yorkshire for all who live here.
As part of the partnership Modeshift will work across the region to help employers support employees to travel differently to work, with a specific focus on healthcare settings – the biggest employers in South Yorkshire.
Organisations who sign up will benefit from support on how they can best influence a travel and transport behaviour change within their workforce; easing congestion, increasing individuals’ health and wellbeing and lower carbon emissions.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “We’re building a happier, healthier South Yorkshire. That means giving our communities more and better choices about how to travel and move. That’s why this partnership with Modeshift, because we’re helping people live healthier lives through everyday physical activity.
“I’ve taken a leading role on tackling health inequalities in our region as part of my role as the chair of South Yorkshire’s Integrated Care Partnership. And this new partnership is just another step on our journey to making South Yorkshire the healthiest region in the country.”
The programme will also help individual authorities to make informed decisions on planned and future travel and transport infrastructure developments.
Any workplace organisations based within the region regardless of size or complexity are eligible for the programme.
Tom Murray, Modeshift STARS Programme Manager (Business), said: “What a great time to be working with SYMCA. Together we’ll provide workplaces across the region with the chance to develop, deliver and monitor effective travel plans.
“This programme will provide employers with the opportunity to support their employees to travel more effectively; helping to create happy, healthy, and motivated individuals. It will contribute to lowering the carbon emissions produced by regular vehicle commutes across the region too.”
The travel plans will be Modeshift STARS accredited, which is part of the national travel plan scheme.
Flexible office provider expands at Wellington Place
Flexible office provider Cubo has expanded its offering at Wellington Place after seeing high demand for space.
After achieving 100% occupancy 12 months after opening, Cubo has taken an additional 7,613 sq ft at 6 Wellington Place.
Cubo offers private office spaces of different sizes, as well as hot desks and designated desks in its coworking space. It provides flexible memberships on short or long terms to smaller companies right up to larger corporates, meaning they can meet the needs of a variety of organisations.
The expansion takes its total space at the building to 27,423 sq ft, giving it greater flexibility to meet demand, welcome more businesses and offer additional space as required to existing occupiers.
It currently hosts a range of businesses at 6 Wellington Place including global automotive technology provider Keyloop, multi-campus summer school Summer Boarding Courses and technology talent acquisition specialists SPG Resourcing.
Chief Executive of Cubo Marc Brough said: “Since opening at Wellington Place last year we have seen high demand resulting in this expansion. The Leeds office market is positive, and the expansion has given us the opportunity to welcome even more exciting businesses and entrepreneurial talent.
“This move to increase our footprint at Wellington Place is reflective of our wider growth as we continue to roll-out the Cubo brand to major cities across the UK.
“It reinforces our commitment to being based in the very best locations with excellent proximity to transport connections and like-minded organisations for the thriving businesses based in our co-working spaces.”
Paul Pavia, Commercial Director at MEPC, the developer and asset manager behind Wellington Place, said: “Cubo has enjoyed great success since opening at Wellington Place and we are pleased the business has committed its future in Leeds with us.
“The confidence businesses have displayed by committing to workspace at Wellington Place demonstrates our belief that the office remains an absolutely key part of the economy and society.”
Efforts aim to attract more women to roles in industry
Fewer than one in ten women opt for the roles available in manufacturing, engineering, digital and renewables, according to apprenticeship stats from the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
The Women into Manufacturing and Engineering initiative was developed to encourage more women and girls to consider a STEM based careers in manufacturing, engineering, digital and renewable industries with regular careers events taking place across the Humber region where attendees get the chance to chat to women working at local organisations.
WiME’s next careers event takes place at Grimsby Town Hall on Monday 4th March between 4.30pm and 6pm. More than 20 local employers are attending, many with current job, apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities available, and will be discussing how to get a foot on the ladder and build a great new career. Dr Kirsty Clode, Chair of WiME, said: “Our events are designed to showcase the amazing opportunities in our region and dispel any misconceptions about careers in engineering, manufacturing, digital and renewables. Today many roles call for innovation, problem-solving, adaptability and collaboration – all of which women are great at. “Across North East Lincolnshire there are a wealth of rewarding roles – from supporting renewables and clean energy to designing new IT solutions. Women are already playing essential roles in many of these companies and we would love to encourage more. We are keen for parents/carers to come along with their daughters to learn about the routes into these industries including apprenticeships. “There is a wealth of roles available to women that may not have existed when they left education. So we are eager for women thinking of switching careers or returning to work to attend too. The women at our Grimsby careers event will tell you all about their roles, what’s it’s really like being a woman in these industries, and which routes you can take to get the skills and experience you need to get there – it might be easier than you think.”Efforts to preserve access to cash could go further, says FSB
Proposals from the Financial Conduct Authority to protect and widen access to cash are a good start, but could go further, according to the Federation of Small Businesses.
That’s the FSB view in a response to theFCA’s consultation on access to cash, which closed yesterday.
Martin McTague, FSB’s National Chair, said: “A small business must be free to choose which payment options it wishes to accept, including cash. To enable this, it’s vital for the infrastructure required for cash to remain available in all areas.
“Cash access is too important to be left to innumerable individual commercial decisions which, taken together, represent a significant threat to people and businesses’ ability to withdraw, process and deposit cash.
“The FCA’s consultation rightly recognises this – it’s a good start, but could go further. We’re concerned that the FCA’s proposals won’t be enough to pause the trend seen in recent years towards fewer free cashpoints and bank branches.
“Cash is vital as a competitor to other forms of payment, and as a payment option when digital systems go down, or in areas with poor reception. Many vulnerable groups, from elderly people to those fleeing domestic violence, rely on being able to use cash, and it is also a key payment method for many visitors to the UK who are wary of high bank fees when paying by card.
“Now is the time for the FCA to shore up and defend a flexible payments ecosystem which can not only support small businesses and vulnerable communities with cash, but can also help to prepare the infrastructure for a diverse range of payment options including a digital currency.
“The proposals should look to the future, too. Banking hubs and other solutions to access to cash may well also be the best opportunities for building digital currency infrastructure in the future.
“As a country, we need a flexible and diverse payments ecosystem that is ready for changing consumer behaviour and needs.
“The FCA should work with the Treasury to safeguard the cash ecosystem, taking a more holistic and comprehensive view of the issue. Now is the time to be ambitious, in order to build the payments infrastructure needed by small businesses and consumers now and into the future.”
The FCA was given the task in the Financial Services and Markets Act from last year of “seeking to ensure reasonable provision” of cash deposit and withdrawal facilities, for business and personal customers.
The FCA’s proposals include:
- Developing a more comprehensive cash assessment process that is more responsive to a wider range of local needs
- Publishing assessment outcomes and making processes transparent
- Responding to a wider range of trigger events to undertake a cash assessment in a local area
- Meeting set timeframes for delivery of additional cash access services identified by cash access assessments. This will prevent unreasonable delays, reducing the cost burden on consumers and businesses that can arise from limited access to cash in their local area.
- The FCA to broaden its focus beyond ATMs to include comprehensive support for cash deposit services and face-to-face assistance
- FCA powers to be leveraged to expedite the development of banking hubs, ensuring they include SME banking and deposit services. Despite the partnership with cashpoint provider LINK identifying the need for over a hundred hubs, progress has been slow, with only 33 opened so far
- Efforts to maintain consumer cash withdrawal access to consider as well the necessity of local cash management infrastructure for SMEs to offer cash payment options. Cash infrastructure should be considered a public good, meaning that concerns about competition sensitivities do not fully apply. Banks must be held to higher standards when considering the impact of their closures on access to cash.
Corporate Games could boost Leeds’ economy by £2m this year, say organisers
Sport and business was hailed as a winning combination for Leeds at the launch of this year’s UK Corporate Games – Europe’s largest multi-sport festival for businesses.
The build-up to this summer’s celebration of team spirit, tenacity and togetherness began in style with a launch event attended by more than 100 businesses representatives at the Cloth Hall Court building on Quebec Street in the city centre.
The Games are held in a different city each year, with thousands of competitors from large numbers of businesses coming together to test their sporting mettle and enjoy a wide range of networking opportunities.
Running from July 25 to 28, the Games are expected to deliver a £2m boost for the local economy while also showcasing Leeds’s credentials as both a sporting and business heavyweight.
Participants from companies large and small will be able to compete in more than 20 sports, from badminton and basketball to tennis and ten-pin bowling.
The list of venues, meanwhile, includes the John Charles Centre for Sport, Leeds Dock and the Brownlee Centre.
Triathlete and double Olympic gold medallist Alistair Brownlee was announced in November as the official ambassador of the Games, with the Brownlee Foundation acting as the event’s charity partner.
Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “Anticipation for the UK Corporate Games has been growing steadily in the months since we were confirmed as hosts and, following Tuesday’s launch, I’m sure more and more people will be signing up to take part.
“Leeds is not only a great place to do business, it is also – as shown by recent events such as the AJ Bell World Triathlon Championship Series and the Westfield Health British Transplant Games – a city with a proud tradition of successfully staging major sporting occasions.
“We’re determined to use the expertise we have gained during previous big events to produce a sustainability strategy that will make these the most eco-friendly Games yet.
“We can’t wait to welcome everyone involved to Leeds for what promises to be a really exciting and memorable few days. Roll on the summer!”
Doug White, director of the UK Corporate Games, said: “It was fantastic to welcome over 100 representatives to find out more about the benefits of getting involved in the Games and the economic impact they will bring to the city.
“We will welcome thousands of participants from over 100 companies to the city and look forward to making it a memorable event.”
A string of local organisations are already committed to this year’s Games, including AMT Auto, Burberry, Luxury Flooring, Pure Retirement, Arla Foods, New Balance Teamsports, John Lewis & Partners, Nexus Leeds and Hatch.
Senior banker advises firms: Get on board with AI, offer flexible payment options, and invest in store environment
Businesses that succeed in the year ahead are likely to be those who start to incorporate AI into their operations, offer flexible payment methods and invest in their store environments, as well as those with clear fundamental mission.
That’s the view of James Sawley, HSBC Corporate Banking’s head of retail and hospitality, who met representatives from York’s retail and hospitality sectors at City of York Council’s HQ for an industry forum.
He guided business leaders through an in-depth look at the brands and market shares which have grown and contracted over the past two years, and shared his predictions for high street businesses over the next 12 months.
Pointing to the strengths of York’s independent business community, James identified independent businesses with a focus on customer experience as one of the most promising areas of the nation’s retail economy.
The event also featured presentations from The Retail Institute and York College, who discussed the skills and intelligence support schemes they offer for retail and hospitality businesses in our region.
Olga Munroe, Director of the Retail Institute at Leeds Beckett University, spoke about how the retail and hospitality sectors can benefit from academic research into changing social, political and environmental factors. This approach can help businesses understand the bigger picture of the complex factors influencing their operations, and help them create an evidence-based plan for the future.
York College also shared insights into workforce and skills, presenting the wide variety of qualifications they offer to help businesses understand how a diverse workforce equipped with in-demand skills. They also spoke about the close relationship the College has with the city’s business community, working together to understand the type of education and skills that are most needed by these sectors.
Mr Sawley said: “It was great to meet with retail and hospitality operators in York and share my experiences as a major lender to this important sector to the UK economy and the thousands of communities it serves.”
New advice aims to help Lincolnshire SMEs on Net Zero journey
A new initiative called Low Carbon Lincolnshire has been launched by Business Lincolnshire offering tailored workshops for SMEs keen to shift to sustainability.
A series of fully-funded workshops and supporting materials will be delivered by the business support team at PECT, an environmental charity based in Peterborough, which already works with more than 300 organisations on sustainability and decarbonisation projects.
Says Councillor Colin Davie, Executive Councillor for Economy & Place at Lincolnshire County Council: “Business Lincolnshire’s Low Carbon Lincolnshire programme offers vital support to our local SMEs. These fully funded workshops are a gateway for small businesses in Greater Lincolnshire and Rutland to embrace sustainability and contribute to the broader Net Zero mission. A crucial initiative for a greener and more resilient business landscape in our region.”
The UK has set an ambitious goal of becoming Net Zero by 2050, and many large businesses have pledged to bring their target forward to 2030. Whilst there is guidance for larger organisations, the national objective requires the involvement of all sectors, including small businesses, which constitute 99% of the UK’s enterprises and employ 60% of the workforce.
Introductory webinars:
- Energy Management – Wednesday 21st February 2024,1pm-2pm
- Supply Chains – Thursday 29th February 2024, 9am-10am
More than 30 businesses attend Market Rasen breakfast briefing
More than 30 business delegates have attended a West Lindsey District Council breakfast briefing at Market Rasen Golf Club tolerant about the latest initiatives and support packages available to them.
The council’s Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities at West Lindsey District Council, Sally Grindrod-Smith said: “We recognise the vital role that local businesses play in driving our economy forward, and ensuring they have access to the necessary support is paramount. By fostering collaboration and providing resources, we empower our business community to thrive and contribute to the prosperity of our district.”
James Makinson-Sandars, Economic Growth Team Manager at the Council, said: “The breakfast briefing served as a valuable platform for local business to gather insight, make connections, and explore avenues for growth and development. With ongoing support and collaboration, the business community in West Lindsey is poised for further success.”
Nicky Brooksbank from The Bistro Bar and Kitchen in Market Rasen, shared her experience of receiving business support. She explained how her business had benefited and improved since engaging with the support available from Clare Bailey via West Lindsey District Council‘s bespoke business support offering.
Hayley Wallis from the Cross Keys Gastro Pub and Tearoom at Stow said: “The networking element of today’s session has been the most useful to us and I have been able to make new contacts and start to explore collaboration opportunities whilst here today.”
Liza Williams from Andy’s Hospice added: “I’ve found this morning a great opportunity to highlight the work we do. This is the first West Lindsey District Council business breakfast I have attended and I am already looking forward to the next one.”
