< Previouscorporation taxes, potential enterprise loansand enterprise zone rate allowances areincremental in the face of an anticipatedbusiness rate yield of £26 billion in 2012/13.The Enterprise Zone allowances are limitedby European competition rules and will notextend beyond £50,000 per annum at thebehest of the local authority.The shortage of good new supply to themarket, in the absence of any incentive fordevelopers to borrow and build, is storing upshortages of grade A stock which will hindereconomic recovery over the next eighteenmonths.With the bombshell of the UK’s industrialwasteland, post recession, there is an urgentneed to reignite the development andregeneration of urban areas with realincentives to build grade A accommodationfit for the 21st Century. Developers need tobe encouraged to build high quality spacewithout fear of a lengthy 100% rate chargesif they fail to secure a letting.John Cawdell FCA, Director of Business &Resources Trent Valley Academy: My reaction was to look at the strategyrather than the tactics announced in thebudget.I welcome the consultation to integrateincome tax and national insurance.Successive governments have spent thepension provision made today and ignoredthe actuarial liability to be inherited by futuregenerations of workers.There will be debate, and rightly so, on thefairness of particular measures. In the daysto come, as yet undiscovered glaringanomalies may well be revealed. It must,however, be right to reduce high marginalincome tax and attack the scandalous use oftax avoidance schemes such as placinghouses in offshore companies to avoidstamp duty. 10www.blmforum.netHOT TOPICformed well against the tough backdrop of re-cent years can plan their exits properly andavoid rushing to sell up and sail off into thesunset. The growing momentum in privatesales and improved multiples stems fromdeals which have been well planned bybosses who have meticulously groomed theirbusinesses for purchase while boosting prof-itability. Thorough preparation will reap thedesired rewards. Simon Rubinsohn, RICS Chief EconomistRICS is pleased to see the Chancellormove to get small businesses building andgrowing again. The National Loan GuaranteeScheme, more money for the Get BritainBuilding Fund and streamlining the planningsystem are all welcome measures thatshould combat the growing scepticism in theconstruction sector and the view that SMEsare being squeezed.The Chancellor has tried to addressimproving access to the mortgage marketwith NewBuy but amidst cracking down onstamp duty avoidance and introducing a newrate of Stamp Duty, he has missed anopportunity to reform the whole stamp dutysystem rather than just tampering at theedges. By replacing the slab structure with amarginal system, he could have ensured thatthose at the top end of the market contributefairly as well as helping those struggling toget onto the property ladder.London is still the only region where moresurveyors are reporting price rises than fallsreflecting the growing north/south divide.Progress on projects in the NationalInfrastructure Plan, particularly the forty‘shovel ready’ projects, needs to take placeas quickly as possible to begin to attract theinfrastructure and the homes needed todeliver growth across the country.Whilst credit-easing and the Get BritainBuilding Fund will take effect immediately,other initiatives like infrastructuredevelopment will take longer to feedthrough. RICS would have liked to have seena reduction in VAT to 5% on all home,maintenance and repair work and areinstatement of empty property rate reliefup to £18,000 as immediate measures togenerate jobs and growth now.The reduction in borrowing from currentlevels of a staggering £120 billion to aforecast of £21 billion in 2016-17 must beapplauded.The economy is said to be growingslowly and not receding. Inflation andinterest continue to be planned to be atpleasingly low levels.All of this may be wishful thinkingbecause The Office for BudgetResponsibility has stated that the situationin the euro zone poses a major risk to oureconomy. There is a deafening silence fromthe folks who wanted Britain to adopt theEuro ten years ago!Richard Bosworth, What If ForumsThe budget held no surprises for the busi-ness owners and leaders I work with. Theirview is that the Government did as much asit could with the little it had to work with andthat the 1 per cent cut in Corporation Taxsweetener was counterbalanced with an im-minent 5.6% hike in business rates fromApril. For them it was a political budget as pre-dicted as opposed to an economic one, andthe first of a series of similar budgets instore for the years of flat growth ahead. Rather than sitting out the protracted waitfor consumers to regain confidence and forbanks to get their balance sheets right, for-ward-looking companies are making theirown destinies by drawing on internal cashreserves to fund growth and keep innovat-ing. They are, however, remaining cautiousbecause, while they may be sitting on astash of cash, the stash is invariably not bigenough to sustain them in the medium term- particularly if an investment in new prod-ucts and services goes belly up. With no changes to entrepreneurs reliefand capital gains tax in the budget, ownermanaged businesses which have not per-65%60%55%50%45%40%35%30%25%20%15%1983 1987 1992 1997 2001 2005 2010 201243.13%39.14%26.70%41.92%30.57%33.81%52.25%59.56%National debt (% of GDP)Stamp Duty (top rate)1983: 2% of £40,0001987: 1% of £30,0001992: 1% of £30,0001997: 2% of £500,0002001: 4% of £500,0002005: 4% of £500,0002010: 4% of £500,0002012: 7% of £2mWhy not visit us online atwww.blmforum.net/budgetand join the debate08-10:Layout 1 30/3/12 10:35 Page 3COMMERCIAL PROPERTYwww.blmforum.net11The commercial property market hasbeen experiencing a difficult few yearsacross the country, with only 50% ofthe usual rental take-up beingexperienced in our region. Desperateto find the golden egg, many firms andindividuals have been extolling thebenefits of the Olympic Games, andthe impact this event will have on thecommercial property market. At the time of writing, many of theOlympic buildings are close tocompletion, and it seems unlikely thatany further developments could beplanned and completed before July.On top of that, the OlympicDevelopment Authority’s fund forconstruction was just over £7 billion.This may have initially sounded quitelarge, but over five years averages atjust £1.4 billion - which to put incomparative terms was only 1% of thenational construction output. How will Yorkshire and Lincolnshirebenefit from the event? The main issueis that the Olympic Games alwaysseem to follow a certain trend. That is,that economic growth accelerates inthe months leading up to the event, isabout middling during it, before takinga sharp downturn for the followingquarter or two. So while the Olympicswill undoubtedly cause a largeballooning distortion in the nationalGDP, it is doubtful it will have anysignificant effect. So if the Olympics are not the answerto the commercial property sector’stroubles, what is? Well for many, theuplifting news is the forecasts for thecoming year. Though rental rates stillremain in the negative, the figures aresuggesting that the drop is beginning toeven out, and the UK is expected toavoid a technical second recession,with the Eurozone might still fall into. The 2012 Budget has also gone astep towards relieving individuals inthe industry, with the proposedchanges to SDLT being limited toresidential properties, and the lowerrate of corporation tax offering somefiscal benefits to many propertycompanies. The New Planning PolicyFramework will also offer hope tomany, although it is still in the planningstages at this time. The main thrust ofthe draft paper seems to be to ensurethat planning decisions will beobjectively made based on the nationalgoals of the UK, be it towards theircommitment to climate change, toreduce unemployment or improve theeconomy, rather than what manymight deem the whimsical decisions oflocal councils. Altogether the prospects for thefuture look quite bright for the industry.The NPPF should streamline theplanning process as well as offeringmore discernable guidelines andreducing denied applications. TheOlympics, though not the total solutionfor the industry as it was firstsuggested, should help keep theeconomy from a double dip recession,and ensure rental stability leading in tothe latter quarters of 2012. Business Link takes a look at the forecast for the commercial property sector. Cloudy with a chance of sunThough attractive, the London AquaticsCentre offers little to the industry,despite taking such a large chunk ofthe Olympics construction fund11:Layout 1 29/3/12 15:17 Page 1GROUND FLOOR OFFICESTO LET - PRIME LOCATIONIN GRIMSBYTELEPHONE 01472 310302From 27.5m2(296ft2) to 199m2(2142ft2) approx. availableRecently refurbished to a high standardEasy access to motorway, ports and towncentreSecure off street parking for staff andvisitors Negotiable terms WE AREHERE12:Layout 1 29/3/12 15:20 Page 113:Layout 1 29/3/12 15:21 Page 114:Layout 1 29/3/12 15:22 Page 1YORKSHIRE BUSINESS MARKETwww.blmforum.net15The Yorkshire Business Market is thelargest business exhibition andnetworking event in the region. TheBusiness Market is a proven successfulformula, now in its eighth year,benefiting from its status as a low costbusiness-to-business promotionopportunity for any Yorkshirebusinesses seeking Yorkshirecustomers.Last year, a final total of 152exhibitors filled all the available space,and as we go to press, already overtwo thirds of the space – taking up allfive rooms at Pavilions of Harrogate –has been booked with many regularexhibitors taking larger stands thisyear. Harrogate Chamber’s ChiefExecutive Brian Dunsby says heexpects a rush of late applications, asthey have recently been in touch withalmost ten thousand businesses acrossNorth and West Yorkshire andadjoining areas. The event offersexceptional value for its exhibitors with2012 prices beginning at £296 for asmall stand. The Worshipful the Mayor ofHarrogate, Councillor Les Ellington, willwelcome all exhibitors and visitors at11am on Monday 30th April then inviteAndrew Jones, MP for Harrogate andKnaresborough to speak and formallyopen the eighth Yorkshire BusinessMarket. Two thousand visitors expected arethe event, predominantly seniormanagement and professionals. TheYorkshire Business Market is a low-cost all-day business-to-businessnetworking event with many interestingdisplays of various products andservices available to help localbusinesses of all types. There will alsobe free Business Seminars. Last year,speakers in these seminars includedrepresentatives of Lloyds TSB, theChartered Institute of Personnel &Development and Linked2Success whospoke on social media, and equallyimpressive names are being lined up totake part this year.Visitors will also be able to attendthe free Ask the Experts Clinic, whilethere will also be free refreshments allday and free car parking – and freeentry for all business owners andmanagers.Entry is free for all business ownersand managers but pre-registration is recommended to save delay atcheck-in. For more information on the event, visitwww.yorkshirebusinessmarket.org.Another full house expected atYorkshire Business MarketThe eighth Business Marketorganised by HarrogateChamber of Trade &Commerce looks like beinganother full house onMonday 30th April atPavilions of Harrogate on theGreat Yorkshire ShowgroundBerwins Solicitors and Mrs Energy won prizes forthe best stand in 2011CCF Accountancywere amongthose making abig impressionlast year15-16:Layout 1 30/3/12 10:36 Page 1Investors in the EnvironmentInvestors in the Environment (IIE) isan established not-for-profitenvironmental scheme which rewardsyour hard work with an officialaccreditation that doesn’t “cost theearth”. It’s quick and simple toimplement, with three levels ofaccreditation and support from anaccount manager every step of the way. IIE offers something to suit everybusiness - whether you’re just starting outon your “green journey” or if you already have an environmental management system in place.Reduce your costs, boost your green credentials and attract new business through promotingyour IIE accreditation. Investors in the Environment – for a leaner, greener business.Tel: 01904 554406 www.iie.uk.com16www.blmforum.netYORKSHIRE BUSINESS MARKETTIG – The Inter GroupWith over forty years’ experience, TIG is a leadingprovider of marketing communications, with anexcellent reputation for quality, service and strongcustomer relationships.TIG continually invest in new technology, toensure they deliver the highest quality product at acompetitive price. The range of services includecreative graphic design, professional photography,innovative digital media, quality print solutions andmailing services. Uniquely, all these services arecontrolled and managed under one roof from theirsuperb location near Harrogate.The team are highly skilled, knowledgeable andexperienced and able to tailor their approach to meetyour needs.ISO9001 quality assurance, together withBenchmark Q Diamond award-winning customer service accreditation demonstrates acommitment to excellence and a strong focus on each and every customer.It’s an exciting time for TIG, offering a great range of innovative services and they wouldwelcome the opportunity to help drive your business forward.Tel. 0800 975 7514 Email. sales@tig.uk.net www.tig.uk.netHethertonsSolicitorsHethertons Solicitors are looking forward to theirregular springtime slot at Yorkshire Business Market.It’s a great opportunity to see some new faces andcatch up with some more familiar ones. Thecompany is a short hop away in York andBoroughbridge and they have been helpingbusinesses and individuals in the region for oversixty years.Hethertons say, “For the Yorkshire BusinessMarket, and you canny Yorkshire audience, wethought we’d make you a very Yorkshire offer.Contrary to the belief that you don’t get owt for nowt,we’re offering a free interview to businesses.Whether you need some help fire-fighting or youneed some longer-term strategic input, get in touchand quote YBM2012. Property issues,sales/purchases of businesses, employmentproblems – whatever you need, we can help.”Hethertons look forward to seeing you on 30thApril – or get in touch beforehand.Tel: 01904 528200Email: bsu@hethertons.co.ukFinance YorkshireFinance Yorkshire is a £90 million fund set up to provide businessesacross Yorkshire and Humber with funding to start and grow.Finance Yorkshire provides seedcorn, loan and equity linkedinvestments, ranging from £15,000 to £2 million, to help small andmedium businesses raise the funding they need alongside investmentfrom the commercial market.The Fund will boost business growth throughout Yorkshire, the Humberand North and North East Lincolnshire particularly in manufacturing andnew technologies. The investment packages are suitable for mostbusiness sectors, the main exceptions are retail businesses, primaryindustries and some property development. The project is supported financially by the EU. It has attracted £30million investment from the European Regional Development Fund as partof Europe’s support for the region’s economic development through theYorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme, £15 million from YorkshireForward’s Single Programme and £45 million match funding from theEuropean Investment Bank.Tel: 0845 649 0000 Email: info@finance-yorkshire.comwww.finance-yorkshire.comLady Links Initiative –THE mag for your bagBe Inspired, promoteyourself, enjoy and indulgein the ‘mag for your bag’.The Lady Links Initiativemini-MAG is the must-haveaccessory for every ladieshandbag. It’s packed full ofinspiration and support withbite-sized features fromthree areas of commoninterest: Business, Creativityand Lifestyle.Gayle Edwards (also known as The Breakthru Diva) says, “The first time Icame across Lady Links Initiative mini-MAG I was almost speechlessbecause I could not believe something so innovative had not been donebefore. It is beautifully put together and the articles are interesting andrelevant. There is an old Chinese proverb that says ‘When the womenawaken, mountains move’ and Lady Links Initiative is surely helping tomake the mountains move.”Lady Links Initiative is produced by FLAIR Creative –www.flaircreative.netTo discover lots more and pre-register for Lady LinksLoyalty, visit www.ladylinks.co.uk15-16:Layout 1 30/3/12 10:36 Page 2SHEFFIELDwww.blmforum.net17Like Rome, Sheffield is built on seven hills and is often referred to as‘the biggest village in the UK’, often compared to immediate neighboursLeeds and Manchester, what separates Sheffield from the competition isits relative calm. For those who want the city life coupled with a senseof the country, Sheffield is perfect. The only UK city with a national parkwithin its borders, it can feel cosmopolitan as well as rural at the sametime. With a base in such breath-taking surroundings, what does thebusiness landscape look like?Retail has always been an impressive weapon In the city’s arsenal,with the nationally-renowned Meadowhall still going strong after yearsof trading and a city that boasts big brands alongside a healthy amountof independent retailers and a legal sector tucked behind the city’sCathedral. Quality of life is high in the Steel city, from entertainment venuesranging from small bars and cafes, to luxurious restaurants with classand a revered theatre line-up there seems to always be something todo. Keeping fit is also a classy affair, International-standard fitnessfacilities and an Olympic-size swimming pool at Pond’s Forge meanstandards are high.Where the city has struggled due to the global financial crisis is stilteddevelopment, with great inroads made with the multi-million poundredevelopment of the city’s transport interchange pre-recession and theincreased building of student and city apartments has been mired bystalling of city centre projects. Hitting a funding wall means shoppingarea The Moor which leads to one of the city’s shining beacons ThePeace and Winter Gardens has been left half-demolished and18 Sheffield has long been associated with the steel industry, but following that sector’srelative demise in Yorkshire, the city has reinvented itself on a more academicapproach. So, what are the attractions of doing business in the Steel City?Steelingitself forthe futureSteelingitself forthe future17-19:Layout 1 30/3/12 14:47 Page 118www.blmforum.netSHEFFIELDdowntrodden.However, the long-awaited legalagreements that will deliver majorregeneration on The Moor have beensigned off by the City Council recentlywith its commercial partners ScottishWidows Investment PartnershipProperty Trust. Councillor Helen Mirfin-Boukouris,the Council’s Cabinet Member forBusiness, Jobs and Growth said: “Thisis a real boost of confidence in TheMoor and Sheffield City Centre in thesedifficult times. We are now lookingforward to a dramatic transformation ofThe Moor over the next two years.” The deal means that SWIPPT willprovide a site for the Council to buildthe new indoor market on the corner ofThe Moor and Earl Street and developeight new retail units. They will alsofund a complete refresh of the UpperMoor to the same high standard as theLower Moor, which was completed bythe Council in 2010. Home to two Universitys, SheffieldHallam University and SheffieldUniversity, both establishments haveproved a coup for the city, particularlyin recent years as both universitieshave enjoyed exceptionally highnumbers of applicants. One fact alwayscalled upon by the city is that Sheffieldhas a high retention rate of graduates,enabling the city to keep high levels oftalent . The University of Sheffieldenables engineering undergraduates inparticular to gain meaningfulemployment through their SheffieldEngineering Gateway project, a long-standing partnership with businesses inthe area and the industry in general.This not only allows undergraduates towork on real projects and gain up-to-the-minute practical experience in theindustry, but also allows companies togain a better understanding of potentialemployees’ skills. It could also ofcourse, prove useful to the Universityto know what companies expect ofgraduates, the ever-present demandfor relevant skills, particularly in thisarea is important and schemes like thisenable the knowledge to be passed onin a mutually-beneficial way.Plans to build a £21 millionEngineering Graduate School on BroadLane in the city by Sheffield Universityhave recently been confirmed, withGraham Construction taking the projecton, with completion due in Septembernext year. The project is said to be partof a 15-year project to update andexpand the Faculty of Engineering tomeet demand in the future. The projectwill also create a further link betweenthe research and teaching carried outwithin the city centre campus and thefaculty’s expanding facilities at theAdvanced Manufacturing Park inCatcliffe, where research is carried outat the university and used in relevantindustrial applications.More than 4,000 students studyengineering at the university at presentand the department employs 900 staff,which makes it one of the largestdepartments in the country. It attractsover £50 million in research fundingevery year from government, industryand charity sources, making it worldfamous. The faculty also has a longtradition of working with industryleaders including Rolls-Royce, NetworkRail and Siemens.With the recent Budget seeinginvestment pledged for videogamesand the interactive arts, Sheffield isplaying host to a schools videogamefestival in July. Games Brittania istaking place from the 2nd to the 6thJuly at the Magna Science Park nearRotherham. It aims to give children aninsight into what skills are required toenter this ever-growing industry andalso gives teachers the chance to pickup some ideas too. Ian Livingstone, oneof the UK’s leading lights in the worldof interactive entertainment and fictionis speaking at the event along with ahost of entrepreneurs, game designersand digital experts. This is encouragingto see, the skills needed for crafting themedia of the future are as important asthose taught to potential engineers,namely maths, science and technology,but as Ian Livingstone has said, writingand good English skills are alsoneeded, thanks to the industry'sleanings towards decision making andinteractive experiences within games.Sheffield is a varied and excitingplace to do business of any kind andwith a forward-thinking attitude, couldwell be one of Yorkshire’s beacons ofsuccess for years to come, here’shoping.17-19:Layout 1 30/3/12 14:47 Page 2Beaumont &CowlingRenowned architects’ practice Beaumont &Cowling has spent over 160 years offeringsolutions to the city of Sheffield and the rest ofthe UK. The business, established in 1850, hasdeveloped over the years to become a leading national RIBA-chartered architectural practice.With a broad range of individual expertise, the company specialises in the automotive, healthcare, media,commercial, retail, industrial, regeneration and historical restoration sectors.While its client base spans the UK, the practice is proud to serve the Sheffield City Region, where it hasrecently completed a number of major projects. The company believes that a project’s success is underpinned bycollaborative partnering, encompassing all stakeholders connected with their designs. This approach has beenrewarded with a number of recent high profile consultant framework agreements for architectural, CDMcoordination and interior design services for Sheffield Children’s Hospital, BUPA, Spire Healthcare and BarnsleyNHS Trust.Tel: 0114 266 3001 www.beaumontandcowling. co.ukSHEFFIELDwww.blmforum.net19SVSMultimedia LtdSVS Multimedia Ltd’s mission statement is“The answer is ‘yes’, now what’s the question?”This is how Sonia and the team at SVSMultimedia Ltd in Sheffield approach theirprojects with some thirty years’ experience inproviding video, AV and multimedia solutions.In recent years, they have been engaged toprovide multimedia, AV, sales and hire servicesfor a large event for the BBC and a prestigiousgathering for the House of Commons. Theyhave also carried out a great deal of work forlocal councils, health authorities and blue chipcompanies in and around South Yorkshire.SVS Multimedia Ltd can offer solutions to suitevery taste and budget, from small-scaleconferences and seminars to huge corporateevents, along with sales and installation. Their success is almost entirely down to wordof mouth and continual repeat bookings, such is the high quality and flexibility of theirwork.Tel: 0114 255 5000 Email: enquiries@svsmultimedialtd.comwww.svsmultimedialtd.comAffinity ITAffinity IT provide IT services and support to businessesthroughout Sheffield and the rest of Yorkshire. Affinity IT’ssupport services are client focused and their IT systemsindividually designed to meet the needs of all organisations.Affinity IT’s approach is entirely business focused. Thecompany never lose sight of their core belief that IT shouldbe used first and foremost to improve their clients’businesses – to increase productivity and efficiency, and toreduce costs. Whether your requirement is based around ITservices, IT consultancy or anything else that may affect thesmooth running of your business, rest assured you’re insafe hands with Affinity IT.Businesses have become increasingly reliant upon theiruse of IT not only as a way to support the day-to-dayrunning of the business but also as a way of gaining a vitalcompetitive advantage. Affinity IT can help you gain thisadvantage – and maintain it.Tel: 0114 362 7000Email: info@affinityit.co.ukwww.affinityit.co.uk17-19:Layout 1 30/3/12 14:47 Page 3Next >