< PreviousRunning on emptyDear Sir,It’s usually annoying to hear that the Government has made yet another u-turn on a recentdecision, but I can’t help but be thankful that they’ve chosen to push back the fuel duty increaseto next year. It takes me an hour to reach work and an hour to get back home at the end of theday, and if prices kept increasing at the rate they have been, then I’d have been forced to considerrenting an apartment closer to work. That said, it really seems like we’re paying far too much for petrol here. Considering that someplaces like America pay less than a pound per litre I’m not sure what justification there is for ourown getting ever closer to the £1.50 mark. Is it the oil companies who are fixing the prices, or thesupermarkets? L HayesLouthLetters10www.blmforum.netLettersSomething to say? Write to: Business Link Magazine, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN31 2QE or email: letters@blmgroup.co.ukEasing us into itDear Sir,I can’t say that I’m a major economist in the industry, nor even a banker, but I can say I run abusiness and life is as difficult now as it ever has been since the recession started. This seems alittle ironic to me since we’ve had a few cases of “quantitative easing” in the past from the BoE.Now Mervyn King is unwilling to offer more QE, saying that it will not help the country recover,and yet on the other side he is “pessimistic” about the recover options we face. What I want toknow is why he seems to have no faith in our own recovery, and yet at the same time thinks wedon’t need help. But also where does any of this QE actually go? Because I don’t think myself orany of my colleagues felt our pressures easing.G WarnerYorkMysoftware’scompiling,honestDear Sir,There are only a few majorbanks which we can honestlychoose from for a businessaccount in this day and age, andgenerally you tend to trust thosewho have a global presence,which was why I chose to bankwith NatWest. Admittedly I wasas frustrated as everyone elsewhen the servers went down andI was unable to process a numberof payments, and I immediatelyrang up to find out what goingon.That said I can’t help but thinkI, and many others, have beenmore than a little unfair to thecompany. While they are a hugefirm who should be above suchmistakes, that does not makethese situations completelyavoidable. Sometimes thephones, or the internet, goesdown, and you just have todeal with it.I do find myself concernedabout my over-reliance on allthis technology though, forwhen I was cut off from it, Iwas almost completelyuseless! Go back ten years andI would likely have shruggedand carried on.S MetcalfeLeeds READER’S LETTERSBee in their bonnetDear Sir,As an employer I was not all that impressed with some of the suggestions given in the BeecroftReport, particularly the controversial one for no fault dismissals. However I did feel that there wereplenty of other interesting ideas raised, and not enough consideration given to them. By notenough consideration, I mean that the Government seem to have dropped the entire thing, in aneffort to distance themselves from the media outcry of a single suggestion!Employment law is a tired and muddy mire of information, regulations and case studies at thistime, and we desperately need something, or someone, to delve through it and propose somechanges. If those decisions are unfeasible or undesirable, we need to sit down and discuss them,not throw a fit of rage and throw the person from the room!M GriffithsLincoln City10:Layout 1 2/7/12 09:04 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 AREHERE11:Layout 1 2/7/12 09:04 Page 112www.blmforum.netRELOCATION / COMMERCIAL PROPERTYIn the current climate, it’s perhapseasy to think that potential candidatesfor positions within your companywould be able to see their own waywhen relocating But, there are manyadvantages to helping out when itcomes to that big move. Whether it’ssimply allowing enough time for a newemployee to make the necessaryarrangements to move closer to yourbusiness, or offering them the servicesof a relocation specialist, any gestureon your part is almost guaranteed tobuild loyalty. The importance of staff motivationand retention has recently been hintedat by several associations as beingimportant for businesses at themoment. Research from recruitmentspecialist Hays showing that theaverage cost of recruiting a seniormanager is £7500 and £2500 for otheremployees, so holding on to thatmember of staff is integral. The oldadage of first impressions lastingcarries a lot of weight here. Make thatemployee feel welcome in their newposition and the environment they areentering and you are likely to see agood return on efforts made.Depending on where your staff arerelocating from, you should match aservice that reflects your intent towardsthe way you will be treating themember of staff in the future. Goingoverboard and catering to a newemployee’s every whim is probably thewrong way to go about things unlessyou feel it is necessary. A helping handto find the most appropriate area tolive can be a much-needed boost forany new employee making a big move,particularly if they’re coming fromoverseas or from a relatively remotearea. In our region this is becoming more ofan issue, as investment pours intoglobally-facing industries such as therenewables sector and more greenconcerns. The standard of candidaterequired often means looking at a widerarea than Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Inparticular, for more specialised greenindustry roles such as planningconsultants or experts in newtechnology, an equally global reach interms of candidates may be needed.This comes fraught with even moreexpense and worry for the employee, sothis is where specialised recruitmentservices come in. Help with shipping,working visas and even dealing withfamilies and pets can be arranged. Oftencompanies will not have dealt with suchcomplex documentation before. To outsource this element is not onlywise, but frugal too. Spending time andmoney on finding out the correct wayto deal with such instances could bebetter spent on other elements ofrunning a business. Tracy Bush of Relocate2Sheffield, acompany specialising in relocationwithin the Sheffield City Region, says,“Companies these days are strugglingto attract candidates from within theirown regions and as a result arespeaking to the rest of the world.Relocation packages are no longersimply a lump sum to do with whatyou want. Often companies now willselect a portion of that to work withcompanies like ours.“The aim is to future-proofcandidates’ expectations of the area wesuggest for them, getting theminterested in the region. We try to getthem settled and ready for life in thearea before they even reach their desk.It is certainly a case of hand-holding inmany cases, considering everythingfrom schools in the area and culturalneeds. Sheffield has such a variety ofareas from the city living aspect tomore rural locations so we try and findout what people need before wesuggest anywhere.“If we get people settled, companiesare not then paying for hotels ortemporary accommodation.”When dealing with new employeeswith families, no matter where they areMaking thatall-important moveWith the need to relocate to get the best opportunities becoming more common, what canemployers do to make that move seamless?Left to right:Tracy Bush ofRelocate2Sheffield.Key to the door: Relocationthese days is much more thanfinding employees a house.York Science Park offersflexible office space withfacilities that include labs,testing facilities and officesuites as well as valuablenetworking opportunities12-15:Layout 1 2/7/12 09:08 Page 1www.blmforum.net13Relocate2SheffieldLtd offers a specialist service; helping businesses to attract, move and retain talented individuals.Recruiting the right person takes up a lot of your time and money. If that person or their family find it difficult to relocate or don’t settle in properly, then you could risk losing them! Relocate2Sheffield Ltd are willing to ‘go the extra mile’ and are renowned for their flexibility, offering several bespoke service level options to suit a client’s needs and budget. We’re passionate about our city region and our knowledge and expertise are instrumental in encouraging talent from outside the region to move here. 0114 360 0882lwww.relocate2sheffield.co.ukEmail l enquiries@relocate2sheffield.co.ukrelocating from, there are matters thatcrop up regularly that relocationspecialists can deal with. Locatingsuitable schools, childcare and leisurefacilities is important for those withchildren of any age. Those with pets,particularly those with pedigree dogsor rare breeds, will want adequate vetsor perhaps dog-sitting servicesimmediately following a move, so thestress can be met head-on withrelocation experts who are versed inthe area’s offerings. The best way to do business?When considering the ways in whichpeople work for you, location can havea big impact on motivation. As well asrelocation, there are other ways inwhich thinking about property can helpyou too. With some companies unableto offer generous relocation packages,remote working can often be thesolution. Whether this is working fromhome, or at a satellite location, there isalways a way round getting workersconnected. One example which is becoming evermore popular for companies wanting toextend their physical reach to new areasis the use of flexible office space. Bothshort and long-term contracts areavailable at office spaces across ourregion. Often newly-completed, therehas been a relative explosion inincubator-style office accommodationacross the region. Available in a varietyof sizes and uses, flexible office orindeed laboratory space offerssomething that traditional office leasescannot. One example which speaks volumesabout the concept as a whole are thefacilities available at York Science Park.Home to around a hundred science andtechnology companies, from small start-ups to divisions of large corporations, itoffers both laboratory and testingfacilities as well as office space. Oneadvantage of placing teams within thesekind of places is the collaboration thatcan take place. In such areas, facilitiesare often shared, common areas are setout in such a way as to encouragefreedom to network with otherbusinesses working in similar spheres.This is further explored by networkingand business events held in thecomplexes. Who knows, your project managercould bump into the perfect supplierthat could change the successes of anoverall goal, or a deal could be struckover a cup of coffee betweenneighbouring businesses. Flexible office space is also a greatway of initiating projects tied to aparticular geographical area. If aproject was taking place in a specificplace for only a few days, up to a fewweeks or months, it is possible to getincredibly flexible terms. Oftenoperations such as this include a raft offacilities, including video conferencing,broadband connections and a mannedreception, meaning incoming callsPHOTO: YORK SCIENCE PARK14 12-15:Layout 1 2/7/12 09:08 Page 214www.blmforum.netRELOCATION / COMMERCIAL PROPERTYrelating to your business are screened.This negates the need to lease out anexpensive and perhaps unfurnishedoffice space elsewhere, which wouldoften prove much more costly.The idea of collaboration withinshared or flexible office space is oneunderlined by the other facilities theynormally offer. Increasingly,educational establishments offer thiskind of space, complete with lecturetheatre-style meeting rooms orconference suites. This means workersbased in such accommodation canarrange meetings with clients and nothave to worry about making a negativeimpression in what is essentiallytemporary space.Whatever solution businesses makeuse of when it comes to recruiting andkeeping excellent staff, the advantagesmust work two ways. A businessmaking investments in a new candidatefor a position needs to be sure theprocess is of value, but equally,candidates must deliver on arrival if thebusiness has made the effort to maketheir welcome to the company special. Sidestepping the relocation processis another option, with working fromhome set to take off and the prices forflexible office space becoming morecompetitive, businesses are moreflexible to choose how they conductthemselves, those tied into long leaseson tired commercial property must bestraining to look into other options. Asten or twenty year leases signed in thenineties come to an end soon, thiscould have a dramatic effect on thesector as firms consider their positionsand futures. Of course, we’ll be keeping you upto date within the magazine, but youcan also keep an eye on commercialproperty news and wider businessnews across Yorkshire and Lincolnshireat www.blmforum.net too.PHOTO: GREENHOUSEFinding out about lifestyleis key to finding a suitableplace to settle for newemployees12-15:Layout 1 2/7/12 09:08 Page 3RELOCATION / COMMERCIAL PROPERTYwww.blmforum.net15Vantage Relocation offer unparalleled supportVantage Relocation is the region’s premier relocation company, offering corporate relocation services to businessesand individuals moving to and within Hull and Humber, Northern Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. By offering unsurpassedlocal knowledge and a personalised approach, Vantage provide unparalleled support to our clients. Relocating to a new area or country can be a daunting task for any employee. When partners and families areinvolved it becomes yet more complicated. Vantage’s comprehensive range of services ensures that every aspect of arelocation is successfully managed.Services include homesearch, look see tours, serviced accommodation, education assistance, visas, shipping andmuch more.Companies that offer employees relocation assistance provide a cost-effective and invaluable benefit which is provento reduce absenteeism, improve retention and enable employees to settle and become effective team members morequickly and easily.Vantage Relocation’s experience of working with a wide range of blue chip companies means they are ideallypositioned to become the supplier of choice for companies involved in sectors that drive this region’s prosperity, such asrenewable energy, oil and gas, chemical, petro-chemical, food, healthcare, ports, logistics and shipping.Tel: 01430 850008/07812 993146 Email: peterw@vantagerelocation.co.uk Twitter: @vantagerelo www.vantagerelocation.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.Peter Watson,ManagingDirector,VantageRelocation12-15:Layout 1 2/7/12 09:08 Page 416-17:Layout 1 2/7/12 09:10 Page 1SOUTH KESTEVENwww.blmforum.net17South Kesteven, in the picturesqueSouth West corner of Lincolnshire, isfast developing as a dynamic business-focused gateway in and out of thecounty. It has always had potential togrow because of its location on the A1,excellent east-west links, and a locationjust an hour from London thanks to theEast Coast mainline railway.On homes for the future, Grantham’sGrowth Point status has alreadyprompted a blueprint for housingdevelopment with seven thousandhomes planned over the next ten yearsto the North West and South of the town.Now, confirmation of a long-awaitedrelief road opens the way for a majordistribution hub with direct access to theA1. There are also big plans toredevelop the centre of Grantham with anew business incubation centre andtown centre public realm improvements.It’s part of South Kesteven DistrictCouncil’s determination to create avibrant and key economic centreproviding an increased choice of highquality retail, leisure, residential andemployment opportunities, explainsChief Executive Beverly Agass. Shesays, “The biggest piece of ourdevelopment jigsaw is the relief roadwhich the county council has agreed toforward fund with work starting withintwo years. This will not only removeheavy traffic and make Grantham moreattractive to investors but also allow usto develop an area of the town calledthe Southern Quadrant.”The Southern Quadrant, just a mileand a half south of the town centre,offers a key opportunity for a state-of-the-art distribution hub. Planningpermission exists at KiNG31 for threehigh quality industrial/distributionfacilities to suit requirements from 7,695sq m to 87,440 sq m. An adjoining siteof 29 hectares will allow development ofa prestige business park of small tomedium sized enterprises with ClassesB1, B2 and/or B8 use.In the centre of Grantham, StationApproach is an ambitious 5.3 hectareredevelopment opportunityimmediately next to Grantham railwaystation in a highly visible “gateway”position to the south of the towncentre. A new pedestrian boulevard willlink to the town centre and its historicmarket place.Close by, Wharf Place occupies aprominent position in the town centreand will provide opportunities for retailand leisure uses, supported byresidential and offices. The site couldattract larger format retail stores aimedat multiple operators and large leisureoccupiers.Typical of SKDC’s creative thought isits investment in the Gravity FieldsFestival, an eight day arts and scienceevent in September to honourGrantham’s most famous son, Sir IsaacNewton. Beverly says, “It’s an eightday event with a stellar programmeline-up representing serious science,arts, heritage, drama, poetry,astronomy and sheer fun to really putSouth Kesteven on the map.” Businessis not forgotten here either, with aBusiness Innovation Day co-ordinatedby De Montfort University and focusedon securing funding to ensure localbusiness can share the Festival’sdiscovery and innovation theme.For more information, visitwww.southkesteven.gov.ukwww.granthamforgrowth.co.uk andwww.gravityfields.co.uk or contactDavid Mather atd.mather@southkesteven.gov.uk.On the road to success –Chief Executive BeverlyAgass is making themost of the A1 roadlinks and a one hour raillink to the capitalSouth WestLincolnshireis open forbusinessCouncil masterplan opens up investment and development opportunitiesGrantham, apicturesquemarket townset for growth16-17:Layout 1 2/7/12 09:10 Page 218www.blmforum.netDONCASTERDoncaster has often felt adrift, lying where itdoes. It can often be overlooked in the shadowof nearby Leeds, Sheffield and even from townsclose by like Barnsley, Rotherham, Wakefield andScunthorpe. What separates it from the pack,though, is its unique transport links. Close to theA1, M1, M18 and other major routes, it is nosurprise to know that it prides itself on being adistribution hub. With rail being part of itsheritage too, it is the obvious choice for firms tolocate to if they have nationwide andinternational distribution chains. Two of the country’s biggest exhibitions oflogistics and supply chain management call thetown their home for their northern editions.Totally Logistics takes place at the Racecourseon 26th and 27th September and close rivalsLogistics Link run their northern leg at the V2 afew weeks later on 9th and10th October. Theseshows are a boon for Doncaster, showcasing thebest in supply chain management techniquesand innovative equipment developments. Bothevents last year worked in a way that showedthe best of Doncaster, with many seminars eitherbeing given by local firms or by council andGovernment representatives.Infrastructure change One major development that Doncaster isrightly getting excited about is the Finningleyand Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme,also known as FARRRS, which has moved amajor step forward after Doncaster Council’sPlanning Committee recommended the planningpermission for the scheme be granted.FARRRS will provide the required transportinfrastructure for a number of significant privatesector developments to start in Rossington andat the airport. A dual carriageway will lead fromthe M18 towards Rossington and support themuch-mooted Inland Port scheme. The link willcontinue as a single carriageway to the A638 atParrot’s Corner and a direct connection will beprovided into Rossington. The improvementswill no doubt transform access and journeytimes for people travelling to and from this areaand the airport.The new link road is scheduled to be fullyopen in 2014 and deliver social and physicalregeneration including the creation of thousandsof new jobs and homes. Mayor of Doncaster, Peter Davies, says: “Thisdecision is tremendous news for Doncaster andthe region. 2012 is becoming a monumental yearfor enhancing the economic prospects ofDoncaster. Improvements are going to planalong White Rose Way, the first phase of theCivic and Cultural Quarter is starting to open andplans for this new link road are motoring alongnicely. Plans forthe futureDoncaster is a town that is facing the future. Withplans for growth across infrastructure and jobcreation, we examine how it intends to do this.18-20:Layout 1 2/7/12 09:12 Page 1DONCASTERwww.blmforum.net19“Doncaster is ambitious, forward-thinking and one of the hottest placesin the UK for new investment. All ofthis is testament to our vision and ourability to work with private and publicsector partners to deliver.”This was also underlined by anotherplanning application submitted byHaworth Estates, the property andregeneration arm of UK Coal. Thecompany has submitted plans forredeveloping the former Colliery atRossington, which would see the newlink road running through it, acting as agateway for Rossington village itself.The developers envision a communityof 1200 new homes, facilities, leisureconcerns and even a primary schoolon the site. Encouraging growthIn addition to the developments toinfrastructure, comes support for localbusiness too. A new initiative tosupport start-up and early stagebusinesses in the town will give accessto support for their growth plans.Business Doncasterwas launched at theSuccess DoncasterBusiness ShowcaseExhibition held at theDome recently. Thisbrings together theSuccess Doncasterand Invest inDoncaster teams fromthe Council togetherwith investmentprovider Donbac,Doncaster College andDoncaster Chamber ofCommerce to providean amalgamatedservice for all forms of business andskills advice.Under the banner “Simplifyingbusiness support for you“, BusinessDoncaster provides support forbusiness start ups and establishedbusinesses, investment opportunities,funding, training and skills, careerdevelopment, apprenticeships, accessto government grants, exporting adviceand much more. The support is givenonline and over the phone and shouldlend some much-needed support inuncertain economic times.Supported by a decent network ofstart-up office space as well, Doncasteris perhaps one of the best places tolook into locating to at the moment.The enthusiasm on display from allsectors only cements this.PHOTO: TB MARKETINGLogistics Link North returns after agreat event last year, one of twomajor logistics exhibitions to takeplace annually in the town18-20:Layout 1 2/7/12 09:12 Page 2Next >