< Previous20www.blmforum.netHULL & EAST RIDINGTRAINEDHETAAPPRENTICES AVAILABLEAcross 2 sites, Hull and Grimsby Pre-selected through the renowned thorough HETA selection processExcellent level of industry standard training – currently completing the 1st year of their apprenticeshipApprentices available in Multi-skilled, Mechanical, Electrical, Welding, Steel Erecting, Pipefitting and InstrumentationWe have some apprentices who are available immediately, others who are ready to go in company from August 2012.FOR MORE DETAILS ON AVAILABLE APPRENTICES CALL:JAMES McINTOSH 01482 372677 / 07889 723462EMAILjames.mcintosh@heta.co.ukUniversal Lifting & Moving ServicesUniversal Lifting & Moving Services is a mechanical and electrical plant removaland installation company who can also offer crane hire, teleporter and poweredaccess hire.With over fifteen years experience, ULMS is well-established in plant andmachinery installation and removal services. ULMS delivers a safe and practicalsolution to all of your machinery and heavy equipment moving requirements. Theypride themselves that their machinery installation teams comprise of experienced,dedicated and highly motivated individuals who excel as team players. ULMS candeliver this service on a national or international basis for every requirement.ULMS specialises in factory relocation services including plant removal, installation and turnkey projects, and can also offer bespokecontract lifting services and all aspects of powered access.ULMS takes Health and Safety at Work very seriously. The Health and Safety manual is updated regularly and they have recently beenaccredited by CHAS and Safe Contractor. All employees are fully trained and qualified, including possession of CSCS cards, along withMEWPS and PALS licenses.For more information, call 01482 562654 or visit www.ulms.co.uk.Tel: 01482 325676 Email sales@kingston-engineering.co.uk www.kingston-engineering.co.uk.Kingston EngineeringKingston Engineering are specialists in precision engineering basedin Hull. As one of the regions leading companies in their sector,Kingston Engineering can provide specialised power screw products, specialist leadscrew and ex stock power nuts and screws. In addition, Kingston Engineering can provide expertise and guidance in factory and production machinery installation, commissioning as well as maintenance and repair.The company’s proficiency in specialised precision machine components and componentreclamation and enhancement, also enhances their excellent reputation for providing a premium service.Furthermore, Kingston Engineering extends its services to providing solutions for corrosion prevention and expertise inbalancing. If you’re looking for the best in the business and experts with experience in the industry, Kingston can providethe perfect solution to your precision engineering needs. 18-21:Layout 1 27/4/12 14:41 Page 3much greener place to live and work. This shows Hull’soverall vision is quite forward-thinking, intent onproducing a future which considers the environmentalaspects, not only of the domestic market, but thebusiness world too.The wider pictureHull is not the only place enjoying success at themoment. Continuing investment in the tourism industryin Beverley, Bridlington and the rest of the East Riding ofYorkshire means it is a great place not only to visit, butto live as well. Beverley enjoys not only a beautifullocation in which to live, surrounded as it is by historyand an enviable nightlife and range of places to whileaway the hours, but also offers a raft of events thatattract thousands of visitors a year. People come from acrossthe world to see Beverley Minster of course, but every yearmany are making the journey to see one of the distinguishedand unique festivals the town boasts. Included among theseare the Beverley Festival itself, a celebration of roots, folk andacoustic music, Beverley Literary Festival which brings world-famous authors and publishers to the area and the Beverleyand East Riding Early Music Festival, which showcasespeople playing historic music on a range of long-forgotteninstruments. Not to be outdone, Hull has always been known for itstheatrical flair - the Hull Truck theatre showing some of thebest drama and musical productions all year round - but twofestivals have taken precedence recently. The FreedomFestival, taking place in September, includes music, fireworksand public entertainment on a previously unseen scale in thecity. The launch of a week-long comedy festival is alsobringing the biggest names in stand-up to the city too, thisyear’s festivities include stars such as Kevin Bridges, RossNoble and Stuart Francis among others. Tourist attractionsHULL & EAST RIDINGwww.blmforum.net21Hull’s FreedomFestival hasbeen a realsuccess for thecityPHOTO: FREEDOM FEST HULLSam Pick of theRenewables Network.The Deep in Hull has been a realdraw for familiesPHOTO: THE DEEPlike The Deep, the large-scale aquarium also bring families intheir droves as well as an increased and growing retailoffering, including the huge St Stephen’s shopping centreand the dockside Princes Quay, which also includes a cinema.The traditional seaside resort of Bridlington is an oldholiday favourite for many, but an active music scene ismeaning it has cross-age appeal too, extending its appeal formany. This all means that any business looking to relocate to theregion has a fantastic quality of life to offer prospectiveemployees and means staff retention will be likely given thecost of living still remaining rather low in these areas too. Hulland the East Riding have had their share of manufacturingsuccess in the past and there is no reason why this might notreturn, with the ports still very much a part of the businessinfrastructure in the area, it is in an enviable location. It wouldbe wise to keep an eye on the area over the next few years,we may well be on the cusp of a business-led spread ofsuccess.18-21:Layout 1 27/4/12 14:41 Page 4Saltend Chemicals Park,located just a few milesfrom the centre of Hull,nestled on the side of theHumber Estuary, hasundergone over £400million of investment inrecent times. With anillustrious past, it now hasits sights set on acollaborative and innovativefuture.First established in 1925 by HerbertGreen as a distillery which processedmolasses to ethanol, the park has grownthroughout its history and has come fullcircle to become one of the world’s mostdiverse chemical and biofuel productionsites. Growing to world scale by the late1980s with the addition to the then BPsite of a third party ammonia producer andindustrial gas specialists, the site hassince seen closure of redundant assetsand further inward investments. Thismeans it has an infrastructure in place thatis both mutually beneficial to its residentcustomers and is enviable to the widerindustry.Business Development Manager DianaTaylor says: “With the Humber LEP andnominated Enterprise Zones playing sucha significant role in the area, we seeourselves at Saltend Chemicals Park atthe forefront of the renewables future.Investment from major companies willenable the Humber region to promote toplocations for the essential associatedsupply chains and we aim to securecustomers who will add not only to thepark and its integrated infrastructure, butalso the region as a whole.“We are very much open for businessand want the wider business community toknow how beneficial it can be to integratewith the Saltend Chemicals Park and thatwe are aiming to be a central character inthe growth of the region.”Current site customers include: AirProducts Ltd , BP Chemicals Ltd –European Acetyls, BP Chemicals Ltd - HullResearch and Technology Centre,Kingston Research Ltd, Ineos, InternationalPower, Nippon Gohsei, Vivergo FuelsLimited and Yara.Due to continued success and a desirefor mutual growth, the park is in a positionto offer several investment plots within itsborders for development by newcustomers and potential partners. Thebenefits are myriad; services available onAn environmentto thriveand growThe 370-acre park offers completeintegration of a world-class infrastructure,comprising nine site operators. Theseinclude utility and feedstock suppliers, jointventure companies and world scalechemical companies offering a range ofintegrated manufacturing alongside aglobal technology and analytical researchcentre. The site is rapidly becoming acentre of excellence for renewabletechnologies too, with the latest operatorsbuilding plants for the production andresearch into biofuels.22-23:Layout 1 26/4/12 15:28 Page 1To find out more information about the development opportunities at Saltend Chemicals Park, please contact the Business Development Manager,Diana Taylor on 01482 894185 or email diana.taylor@uk.bp.comSaltend Chemicals Park, BP Chemicals, Saltend, Hull, HU12 8DS.site include emergency services, security,product storage, road and jetty loading, afull range of facilities management, projectand maintenance engineering. Feedstocksare also available from partners at the site,a pipeline of ethylene exists as well asstocks of methanol, acetic acid and otherchemicals, industrial gases includingnitrogen, hydrogen and natural gas andalso utilities in the form of steam, power,condensate, demineralised water andtowns water.International shipping is very much apart of the operations at the park. Jettyloading at the site provides the opportunityto ship globally, with regular lines travelingto Antwerp and Rotterdam. With enviablelinks by rail and road nearby too, it is well-placed for logistics to the rest of thecountry and beyond. cusp of a bright, optimistic era.The Chemical Park’s mission statementsums up succinctly what potential partnersand site customers can expect: “We willdeliver value for our partners through thesupply of safe, cost-effective and reliableinfrastructures, utilities and services. Ourcustomer-focused team will provide anenvironment where it is easy to dobusiness, succeed and grow.“We will be the people you want to workwith, because your success is oursuccess.” With a dedicated support team in place,new businesses and operations can beseamlessly integrated with the rest of thepark. Saltend Chemicals Park is theenvironment where you can thrive andgrow.The park is looking for a partner tointegrate within the existing community, toaugment the park’s vision of collaborationand mutual benefit. With an alreadydistinguished reputation for value andservice, the time is right to initiatedevelopment and look to the future.The evolution of the site has created amomentum for change; the previouslymentioned £400 million invested in thepark has seen the construction of a world-scale biofuel plant and an upgrade of theBP reformer. Development is continuing,with a new, larger visitor reception beingbuilt as well as a VMA (Vehicle MarshallingArea) to further manage the increasedamount of works traffic to the site. Thisalso improves safety standards, separatingpedestrian walkways from a busy trafficflow of tankers and articulated lorries, theincrease reflecting the amount of businesstaking place. The extensive rebranding of the site hasbeen executed to ensure a new way ofworking, meaning customers are workingwith a mutual partner in a supportiveenvironment. The site combines highquality values, excellent safety standardsand decades of experience to create aprofessional, world-class site in which todo business. Plans are also in prospect tofurther expand and improve the powerinfrastructure, steam delivery systems andmuch more besides. All of which further cements SaltendChemicals Park’s future and its intentionsto be a permanent fixture in a region on the22-23:Layout 1 26/4/12 15:28 Page 224www.blmforum.netHULL & EAST RIDINGWe work closely with our clients in order to fully understand their needs and to deliver practical programme's thatwill give tangible results. Our team can also provide recognised qualifications such as those provided by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).Our fully qualified and certified Driver Trainers cover all aspects of thetraining required for a modern day Professional Driver. LGV, DriverCPC and SAFED courses are all available. Training may be delivered ei-ther on site or at your premises. We also carry out external driver assessments for pre employment or yearly reviews.Total Training Solutions, Suite 4, 6 Redcliff Road, Melton, HU14 3RST:01482 229 568 www.totaltrainingsolutionsgb.combusiness development leadership & management coaching & Mentoring driver CPC/NVQ skillsAble to tailor a solution to any client,Total Training Solutions GB are basedat Hull University Business Schoolaccommodation, where most of theirmanagement training is delivered.Dealing with Chartered ManagementInstitute qualifications for managersand a vast range of driverqualifications, they are the perfecttraining provider to take your staff tothe next level.Running courses in business startupand development, leadership andmanagement, coaching and mentoringand one-day courses in sales, timemanagement, negotiating skills,presentation skills, recruitment andtrainer skills, almost any level ofmanagement advice and training canbe arranged. As a CharteredManagement Integration Centre, TotalTraining Solutions GB can provide youwith the hallmark of being aprofessional manager, putting yourstaff on equal footing with establishedprofessions such as accountants andengineers. Chartered status shows amanager is delivering results as well asknowing the management theory.Having secured funding to provide CMIlevel 3 training, TTSGB should surelybe your first choice for training.For drivers, a range of qualificationsare available, including LGV training,the Driver Certificate of ProfessionalCompetence which is a EuropeanUnion-wide training directive, driverassessments and SAFED, whichpromotes safety and best practicethroughout the freight industry. Drivertraining can run from owner drivers tomedium-sized and large fleets.TTSGB can either host courses at itsHull base, with top class facilities andtransport links or travel to companieswith the necessary means. TTSGB alsooffer 20% discount on any open courseif booked within 8 weeks of attendanceon one of their training courses.For more information, call 01482 229568 or visitwww.totaltrainingsolutionsgb.com.Working closely withclients to get resultsTotal Training Solutions GB are management and drivingtraining specialists. With courses to suit SMEs to bluechip companies, they could have the solution for you.24:Layout 1 26/4/12 15:27 Page 1Visit Chamber Expo 2012!Chamber Expo is essentially an exhibition andrepresents a huge networking opportunity, offering thechance to build up contacts and to gain business.This year Chamber Expo 2012 is again part ofBusiness Week. This consists of forty business eventscovering many areas of commerce and held atnumerous venues on both sides of the Humber.Business Week is a unique concept, designed toencourage and enable business, and several other regions andcities are considering copying the idea – proving our area can beat the forefront of commerce and industry – imitation is the bestform of flattery!The Bonus Arena is the ideal venue for Chamber Expo 2012,featuring huge car parking space, plenty of catering and withroom for all the stands to be located on one floor.There will be three Speed Networking sessions – one on theTuesday and two on the Wednesday. These alone attract aroundthree hundred business people. There is also a network lunchover at the KC Stadium with around a hundred guests on theTuesday. The opening ceremony takes place at the mainentrance at noon on Tuesday 12th June, with the Exporemaining open until 6pm that day. The event is open forbusiness on Wednesday 13th June from 9am to 5pm. Just turnup any time between these hours on either or both days.Stands are also available for hire. These give you theopportunity to showcase products and services and enhance thenetworking with the other stand-holders and visitors, giving youa sound base and meeting point for the two days.The Chamber is very grateful to its sponsors, The One Point(Communications Sponsors), John E Wright (Exhibition andDisplay Sponsors) and Mail News & Media (CampaignSponsor). Their valued support allows the Chamber to provide afirst class event which helps significantly to promote commerceand industry in our region.To visit, registration is not necessary and car parking andentry are free. For further information, please contactBruce Massie on 01482 324976 oremail b.massie@hull-humber-chamber.co.ukVisit Chamber Expo 2012!For the sixteenth successive year, Chamber Expo 2012 returns to Hull. This is the largest business eventin the region, with a hundred exhibition stands and around two thousand business people visiting overthe two days at the Bonus Arena, on Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th June.Visit Chamber Expo 2012!Build Up Your Contacts and Gain BusinessBonus Arena, Hull, HU3 6GA Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th June 2012For the sixteenth successive year, the Chamber is hosng Chamber Expo 2012. This is the largest business event in the Humber region, with 100 exhibion stands and around 2000 business people in the building over the two days.Chamber Expo is essenally an exhibion and represents a huge networking opportunity, offering you the chance to build up your contacts and gain business.This year Chamber Expo 2012 is again part of Business Week. This consists of 40 business events covering many areas of commerce and held at numerous venues on both sides of the Humber. The Bonus Arena is the ideal venue for Chamber Expo 2012, featuring huge car parking space, plenty of catering and with room for all the stands to be located on one floor.There will be three Speed Networking sessions – one on the Tuesday and two on the Wednesday. These alone aract around 300 business people. There is also a network lunch over at the KC Stadium with around a hundred guests on the Tuesday. The opening ceremony takes place at the main entrance at 12noon on Tuesday 12th June,with the Expo remaining open unl 6pm that day. The event is open for business on Wednesday 13th June from 9am to 5pm.Just turn up any me between these hours on either or both days.Stands are available for hire. These give you the opportunity to showcase your products and services and enhance the networking with the other stand-holders and visitors, giving you sound display base and meeng point for the two days.The Chamber is very grateful to our sponsors, The One Point (Communicaons Sponsors) , John E Wright (Exhibion and Display Sponsors) and Mail News & Media (Campaign Sponsor) . Their valued support allows the Chamber to provide a firstclass event which helps significantly to promote commerce and industry in our region.To visit, registraon is not necessary and car parking and entry are free. For further informaon, please contact Bruce Massie on 01482 324976oremail at b.massie@hull-humber-chamber.co.ukCHAMBER EXPO 2012www.blmforum.net2525:Layout 1 26/4/12 15:29 Page 126www.blmforum.netREMARKABLE EAST YORKSHIRE TOURISM AWARDSOver 350 guests attended the galapresentation evening, hosted bycomedian Steve Frost, who made awelcome return to the region afterplaying at last year’s annual celebrationof the arts, Freedom.Forty finalists competed to bewinners in one of the night’s thirteencategories, designed to recognise thebest individuals, attractions andhospitality businesses in the area’stourism industry. Winners werepresented with uniquely designedawards, created by talented ceramicsstudents at Hull College.The REYTAs honour the brightestand best in the region’s tourismindustry, celebrating the enormousachievements of businesses acrossHull and East Yorkshire. Tourism is avital part of the area’s economy,contributing over £615 million annually.The REYTAs help to support this vitalindustry, raising awareness of thesuperb quality on offer to visitors.Janet Reuben, Chief Executive ofVisit Hull and East Yorkshire, says,“Congratulations to all our REYTAwinners and finalists! The quality andvariety of the finalists was exceptionaland reflects the strengths of thetourism industry in Hull and EastYorkshire. The standard of finalists wasso high that the judges had an almostimpossible task in choosing the overallwinners.”The REYTAs are self-funding thanksto ticket sales and the generoussupport of sponsors. Leadingorganisations that sponsored theREYTAs include Ambience VenueStyling, Take One Media, The CountryPark Inn, The Moffat Centre for Travel &Tourism Business Development,Guestlink by NVG, The Deep, First HullTrains Business Travel, St Stephen’sShopping Centre, Strawberry andHumberside Airport.Business Link sends itscongratulations to all the winners!Tourism’s finest revealedThe roll of honourRemarkable Breakfast – Drewton’s, SouthCaveRemarkable Night’s Sleep (serviced)–Newbegin House, BeverleyRemarkable Night’s Sleep (non-serviced)–Estate Escapes, HothamRemarkable Welcome– Jonathon Williams,LazaatRemarkable Fayre– Wold Top Brewery, WoldNewtonRemarkable Cuppa– Millers Tea Room andFarm Shop, RaywellRemarkable Taste– The Star @ SanctonRemarkable Pub– The Star @ SanctonRemarkable Conference Venue– The Spa,BridlingtonRemarkable Newcomer– High Barn Cottages,SewerbyRemarkable Day Out– Burton Agnes HallRemarkable Tourism Event– East YorkshireEvents and Beverley Festival of ChristmasRemarkable East Yorkshire Passion–Dr David Neave for his outstanding personalcontributionThe third Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards,held at the Country Park Inn in Hessle, illustrated againthe very best in local hospitalityThe REYTA trophies were created byceramics students at Hull CollegeEast Yorkshire EventsEast Yorkshire Events are celebrating yet another fantastic achievement after scooping the top tourismevent award at this year’s annual REYTAs. This highly successful events team for East Riding of YorkshireCouncil organise and deliver a number of high profile National and International events every year,including the widely acclaimed Beverley Festival of Christmas.Already recognised as the largest one day event in the region and attracting over 60,000 people toBeverley, the Victorian-themed Festival of Christmas continues to receive plaudits and media coveragefrom all over the UK. East Yorkshire Events manager Paul Roggeman says, “This is a fantastic accolade andI am delighted for all the EY Events team and the festival committee. Winning the award is greatrecognition for the many months of hard work and effort that goes into organising such a high profile event. “It also acknowledges the brilliant work that we’ve achieved throughout the year, not just with the Festival of Christmas but also the other 38 events thatwe plan, organise and deliver.”Tel: 01482 391668 Email: info@eyevents.co.uk www.eyevents.co.uk26:Layout 1 26/4/12 15:30 Page 1Desert Island CruisingTel: 01724 712884www.desert-island-cruising.comIntroducing the ultimate way to see the Maldives. TheYasawa Princess is a bespoke boutique cruise ship for amaximum of 66 guests, ensuring an intimate, relaxed andinformal cruise. They aim to provide a desert island escapefrom everyday life. Itineraries offer a close up and intimate view of the ‘real’ Maldives. Each day will bringa new adventure, new experiences, and new friendships.Doubletree by Hilton Sheffield ParkChesterfield Road South, Sheffield Tel: 0114 282 9988www.sheffieldpark.doubletreebyhilton.comA four star contemporary Hilton hotel with 95 bedroomsand eleven conference and banqueting rooms, facilitatingevents for up to five hundred people. The hotel boasts a stylishrestaurant, full leisure facilities and parking spaces for 260 cars.The hotel is located four miles outside the city centre and hasexcellent road links to the M1. Excellent location for South Yorkshire and North EastDerbyshire.Casa HotelLockoford Lane, ChesterfieldTel: 01246 245999 www.casahotels.co.ukCasa’s eleven meeting rooms are purpose-built. Withspace for up to 280 delegates, all meeting rooms have floorto ceiling windows, air conditioning, complimentary highspeed WiFi and data projection.Located six miles from junction 29 of the M1, Casa offers free parking for all guests.Delegate meals are prepared by rosette-awarded chefs who use the finest locally sourced,organically reared ingredients, and the deluxe bedrooms have super king-sized beds.Rustons Sport and Social ClubNewark Road, Lincoln Tel: 01522 882111Email: enquiries@rustonsclub.co.ukwww.rustonsclubs.co.ukRustons Sports and Social Club is situated only fiveminutes from the A46 Lincoln bypass. It has free parking for180 cars and a variety of rooms to hire at competitive rates,making it the ideal place to hold your conference, training day or meeting.Conference, training and meeting rooms available to hire for groups from six to 150,all with IT and WiFi facilities.Park Inn by Radisson SheffieldBlonk Street, Sheffield Tel: 0114 220 4000Email: reservations.sheffield@rezidorparkinn.comPark Inn by Radisson is located just five minutes fromSheffield City Centre and 10 minutes from junction 33 of theM1.The hotel offers 111 guest rooms with high-speedinternet access, two fully equipped ground floor conferencerooms with air conditioning and natural daylight,accommodating up to forty delegates. Picasso Restaurant serves fabulous food. Combinedwith this, the hotel offers exceptional service and value for money!Picture your venue& event specialistsNorthern CollegeWentworth Castle, Stainborough, BarnsleyTel: 01226 776000 Email: business@northern.ac.ukwww.northern.ac.ukNorthern College is a perfect venue for yourorganisation, which offers excellent facilities forconferences, seminars and exhibitions. They also offerample free parking, high quality catering and new purpose built residentialaccommodation.Day Delegate Rates start from £18.50. Don’t delay... book your event today!www.blmforum.net27Elsham Golf ClubBarton Road, Elsham, BriggTel: 01652 680291 www.elshamgolfclub.co.ukElsham Golf Club’s restaurant and meeting room areperfect for business seminars and for functions with highquality catering. The Elsham Room will seat around forty theatre style andtwenty plus boardroom style. The restaurant looks out on the golf course and can caterfor up to 120 covers. There is plenty of free parking and it is conveniently situated justfive minutes from Junction 5 of the M180.Sheffield United FCBramall Lane, Sheffield Tel: 0114 221 3197Email: events@sufc-sales.co.ukwww.sheffieldconference.comBramall Lane is a fantastic multi-purpose venue. Therange of facilities encompasses five quality suitesranging from small and intimate to large and luxurious with 29 private boxes.The brilliant range of suites, location and huge free parking capacity make BramallLane an excellent choice. Whether you’re planning a large corporate function, or gettingmarried, the experienced team can put the right package together for you.The Golden FleeceMarket Place, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 1LL Tel: 01845 523108Email: reservations@goldenfleecehotel.com www.goldenfleecehotel.comOne of England’s oldest coaching inns with 25 comfortableensuite rooms. Thirsk is halfway between the business centresof Yorkshire and the North East, on the main London toEdinburgh and Sunderland lines, just two miles from the hotel.Conference facilities for up to 75 delegates theatre style andthirty delegates U-shaped or boardroom style. Also on offer isfree WiFi and free Parking, plus daily delegate rates.Leopold HotelLeopold Street, Leopold Square, SheffieldTel: 0845 0780067Email: events.sheffield@leopoldhotels.comFormerly the Sheffield Central Technical School, this historicbuilding offers a stylish base for both business and leisure. Linked to major business parksby tram and close to the Town Hall and Law Courts, it’s an ideal location.Four meeting and event suites blend together contemporary and traditional interiordesign. Each offers natural daylight and air conditioning making them comfortable andfunctional – with a little added Leopold class.Best Western Premier Mount Pleasant HotelGreat North Road, Doncaster Tel: 01302 868696Email: reception@mountpleasant.co.uk www.mountpleasant.co.ukSet in 100 acres of beautiful woodland, the four star BestWestern Premier Mount Pleasant Hotel makes the ideal placefor a luxurious retreat. Whatever your requirements, they willhappily accommodate you.If you require a modern conference room, there are sixfully air conditioned function rooms and four private loungesplus a dedicated team to ensure meetings run smoothly and clients are happy.The Chimney HouseKelham Island, Sheffield Tel: 0114 2767885Email: info@thechimneyhouse.comwww.thechimneyhouse.comThe Chimney House is a premium and independentlyowned meeting and events space in Sheffield. They play hostto a wide range of companies and brands looking for an inspiring and professional spacefor away days, training, meetings, conferences and events from four to 55 delegates.By night, the main room is transformed into the acclaimed Private Dining Hall, asrecommended by The Guardian for chic corporate hospitality.The Fox & Goose InnPudding Pie Hill, Wigley, Chesterfield S42 7JJTel: 01246 566335 Email: info@thefoxandgooseinn.comwww.thefoxandgooseinn.comThe Fox & Goose is situated on the edge of the Peak District,with panoramic views of Chesterfield and Sheffield.The Monks Refractory Suite can cater for up to a hundreddelegates and The Priory is ideal for up to ten delegates. The outdoor garden area is idealfor outdoor teambuilding and BBQs. Facilities include flexible catering options, WiFi anddisabled access.The Venue650 Manchester Road, Stocksbridge,SheffieldTel: 0114 283 8692The Venue in Stocksbridge offers twolarge conference halls, along withexhibition areas, an IT suite and bothlarge and small meeting rooms. It alsobenefits from extensive free parking.27:Layout 1 26/4/12 15:33 Page 128www.blmforum.netBUSINESS BANKINGIt’s probably fair to say that, in recenttimes, bankers have taken their placealongside traffic wardens and estateagents as the UK’s least popularprofessionals. Whether this is justifiedor not, businesses in our region wouldappear to have a further bone ofcontention as many find the banksconsistently uncooperative when itcomes to acquiring funding.This wasn’t supposed to be the case,however, as Project Merlin waslaunched to make it much easier forsmall businesses to acquire funding,committing the banks to increasinglending. However, a recent survey ofmembers of the Federation of SmallBusinesses found that only 35% ofmembers used an overdraft in 2011,11% a secured bank loan and 7% anunsecured bank loan.This is a drop of -8, -3 and -4%respectively since 2009 and seems toemphasise the disaffection those in ourregion feel with the banks. Certainly,the FSB are comparing the currentstate of the British market to that ofoverseas – citing a 24% fall in thenumber of successful loan applicationsfor small businesses in the UK in thefour years up to 2012, compared toonly a 9% decrease in Germany.As Gordon Millward, the FSB’sChairman in Yorkshire points out, “TheProject Merlin figures show that overallthe banks have missed their lendingtargets to the smallest of firms –although some of the banks havealready said they met their individualtargets. We have long said that targetsare the wrong instrument to encouragelending and growth. Even thoughoverall lending is above target, thisshows money is going to biggerbusinesses and not new and fledglingfirms that need it to take advantage ofgrowth opportunities that are thereeven in these challenging times.”Around now we should have beenfinding out about the government’splanned reforms for the banking sectorwith a white paper due for release inMay based on the findings of theIndependent Commission on Banking,but this has now been delayed untillater this summer due to apparent“technical” issues. When it’s finallypublished, it should contain proposalsto force lenders to form barriersbetween retail operations and riskierinvestment banking arms to protectordinary customers better in any futurecrisis. Although the delay won’t helpmatters, it’s still expected that thechanges will be on the statute book by2015 and the banking system will looksuitably different by the end of thedecade.While we wait for the white paper,the major banks do, however, look tobe addressing the issue of assistingmore SMEs in finding funding. Forexample, Santander recently hosted itsBreakthrough Live event at theUniversity of Leeds to introduce itsBanking on changeSMEs in our region arestill finding it hard toacquire finance andevents such as theFinance Yorkshireconferences inSheffield, York, Hull andLeeds highlighted thefunding opportunitiesavailable to small andmedium businesses.Finance Yorkshirechairman JamesNewman and chiefexecutive AlexMcWhirter presentedthe eventsBig changes are afoot for British banks – with potentially huge advantages for SMEs28-29:Layout 1 26/4/12 15:34 Page 1BUSINESS BANKINGwww.blmforum.net29new initiative which has made up to £200 million ofgrowth capital available to fast-growth companies with anannual turnover of £10 million and a demonstrated historyof high year on year growth. Santander estimate thatthere are over eight hundred businesses that fit thisdescription in the region, and Steve Pateman, Santander’sHead of Banking, says, “Access to funding is imperative tothe SME sector as it continues to reinvigorate the UKeconomy. We do however, recognise that it is not justfinancial support that will help fast-growth companiesreach their potential, which is why we are providingaccess to a comprehensive package of support anddevelopment programmes.”Many businesses who don’t make use of funding fromthe banks suggest that the financial system is simplyunsuitable for their needs – being dominated by a smallnumber of one-size-fits-all London-based banks that havelocal SMEs as a low priority. Business organisations havebeen offering numerous ideas for greater competitionamong the banks, including making switching easier andimproving pricing transparency, which do appear to havebeen considered in the forthcoming reforms, and in themeantime, businesses do at least now have more banksto approach while looking for new funding options.Unfortunately, despite campaigning, the new GreenInvestment Bank is based in Edinburgh rather than Leeds,but by the autumn businesses throughout Yorkshire andLincolnshire should be able to obtain funding forenvironmental projects. Meanwhile the new banksAldermore, Metro Bank and Shawbrook have been set upspecifically to target small businesses starved of creditfrom the larger banks, with the latter seeing its credit baseboosted with its recent takeover of Singers Asset Finance.It remains to be seen whether these new banks will takeon a completely new approach. Certainly it seems that theexisting banks have been slow to adapt to the new waysin which customers wish to make use of their facilities,with a recent report by PriceWaterhouseCooperssuggesting that, by 2015, the majority of customers willchoose to interact with their bank digitally rather than faceto face. The PWC research showed that most consumersare willing to pay up to £10 a month for digital bankingservices offering convenience and value, such as socialmedia notifications, as opposed to the rather limiteddigital offerings that are still being offered up. PWC pointout that banks are passing up on a valuable revenuesource by not expanding the choice available.The quality of financial advice offered up by the banks,meanwhile, should be heightened by the imminent launchof a new standard. Developed by the British StandardsInstitution with industry experts and consumer bodies, theBS 8577 standard on financial advice and planningservices is aimed at helping firms and banks alike operateefficient and fair financial planning and advice services.Bankers have become something of a convenientscapegoat in recent years, but with the forthcoming whitepaper bringing about a sea change in the sector, andother initiatives to make lending much easier for SMEs,it’s hoped that business banking will become far moreeffective.The forthcoming shake-up of banks shouldmake it easier for businesses to obtain cash28-29:Layout 1 26/4/12 15:34 Page 2Next >