NOVEMBER 2015 £3.50YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE’S LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINEwww.blmgroup.co.ukVOLUME 30 ISSUE 11CONSTRUCTIONAND ENGINEERING Leading by exampleENERGY ANDRENEWABLESSaving on energyCOMMERCIALPROPERTY Refurbishing thefutureTHE ROADAHEADTHE ROADAHEAD01_Layout 1 28/10/2015 09:00 Page 1We have a choice of Single, Double, Twin, ExecutiveFamily or 4 Poster Rooms plus a Luxury Suite eachwith a King-Sized Bed and En-Suite Bathroom withshower as well as benefitting from Freeview TV,Wireless Internet, Direct Dial Telephone, a RadioAlarm, Hot Drinks Facilities, a Hair Dryer and anIroning Board and Iron. Guests can also enjoy freeuse of our Fitness Suite and Classes, Squash Courts,Sauna and Steam facilities.Bargate 53 Restaurant, brasserie and bar areaoffer residents and non-residents a choice offreshly prepared dishes using locally sourced,quality ingredients. Whether you are in the moodfor a quick light bite, satisfying steak or traditional Sunday roast, we have a fantasticchoice plus great wines and ales to accompany your food.With 27 well appointed Bedrooms, a Restaurant with aSeafood and Grill Menu and a Bar offering a range ofGuest Ales and Bar Meals as well as a Gym withSauna, Wireless Internet Access and Free Onsite CarParking, Millfields Hotel is always a great choice forBusiness or Pleasure all year round.Millfields Hotel, 53 Bargate, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN34 5ADTel: 01472 356068 • www.millfieldshotel.co.ukStage Sound Lighting ProductionEvent SpecialistsHPSS Event AssociatesHPSS Ltd www.hpss.co.ukinfo@hpss.co.uk01482 221810Contact us01482 309321info@hpssevents.co.ukwww.hpssevents.co.ukHPSS Event Associatescombines the skill required toproduce top class events,using experience and artisticinterpretation of client’sneeds.Whether the client is a MarketingCompany looking for a whitelabel production team or a clientin need of help getting their eventsafely off the ground with style,we can helpHPSS Ltd www.hpss.co.ukinfo@hpss.co.uk01482 221810Help with Catering and décorMarketing Companies who needexpert event help for theirclientsTraining and studentopportunities.Getting you past the maze oflegal needs.02_Layout 1 27/10/2015 14:01 Page 1The Shadow Chancellor couldn’t have done more damage to his party, last month,after performing a shock U-turn on his pledge to support the government’s new fiscalcharter. Clearly what McDonnell was trying to achieve was to show his concern forOsborne’s plan and the effects it would have on families who’s tax credits would becut, not to mention the inflexibility the policy might cause. However, critics even fromhis own party, were quick to point out that by publicly pledging support and then not doing so, theShadow Chancellor has single handedly managed to demonstrate the Labour party remain as indecisiveas ever.He may be right, in that the policy reduces the fiscal flexibility that UK plc. needsas the target for a budget surplus includes capital spending - not just currentspending on goods and services. By 2020, public-sector net investment as a shareof GDP will be more than a third lower than it was in 2010-11.However, surely any Chancellor worth his salt would’ve seen this from the start,and it is this that has caused yet more fragmentation in the Labour Party.Thankfully, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire’s businesses have long recognised thatclear leadership is key to making the most of the burgeoning business economy.Uncertainty and a lack of appetite for risk have no place in our vocabulary as thisonly serves to lower investor confidence. As we all know, money likes stability andthat is precisely why so many companies choose our region to invest in. And as the voice for industry and commerce in this region we draw attention tosome of the biggest issues in the industry, with a dedicated feature looking at the intricacies ofemployment law, as well as a health, safety and hygiene feature aimed at the food and chemicalindustries. Within Lincolnshire and Yorkshire the freight and transportation sector is as big as ever – asour feature demonstrates, and to top things off we have an industry expert shedding light on just whatenergy procurement is, and whether it’s right for every business. Along with our regular commercial property and motoring pages, we hope you enjoy this month’smagazine, in what is to be the penultimate issue of the 2015 year. What will 2016 hold? We’ll find out inthe December issue of the Business Link magazine. Good reading as always.W S FisherEditorThe magazine that caresWE CARE because we want to leave our world a better place than we found itBusiness Link believes that being socially and environmentally responsible is the key to maintaining a flourishingbusiness that our customers will be pleased to use and our staff will be proud to be part of.Community-From a very local point of view, we strive to be a ‘good neighbour’. We also extend that into themuch broader local community, through financial support of local causes and charities. Environment-Our actions extend to: conservation of energy and natural resources, minimisation of waste andensuring our trading partners do likewise.From theEDITOR…Osborne has beenquick to point out,the Labour partycontinue to: “lurchfrom chaos toincredibility”03_Layout 1 27/10/2015 14:02 Page 16NewsCatch up with news from around theregion9TaxationNew Tax Partner puts Streets ahead for taxadvice10Shooting StarAs a multi-skilled PR and marketingagency Shooting Star offers a wide rangeof services, from traditional PR and mediarelations to copywriting, social media,branding and marketing strategy11LettersReaders’ letters and replies12Commercial propertyAs the austerity of the credit crunch movesfurther into the past, businesses across theregion are opting for more genial officespace, whether that’s listed buildings oreco-friendly refurbishments15Business sceneOctober’s Sportsman’s Dinner saw AlexStepney ex-Man Utd Footballer inattendance16Ports and logisticsThe sheer wealth of freight, storage andtransport options available to companies inthe Yorkshire and Lincolnshire region istransforming the way businesses movetheir goods20Construction and engineeringStriking an accord between the necessityof construction and the duty tosustainability isn’t easy but, as companiesacross our region prove, it’s far fromimpossible24Food, chemicals and process industriesA core aspect of health and hygiene isdetermining a product’s origin andauthenticity. Whether it’s food, beverage orchemical, the attention to detail remainsthe same28Business growthConstant changes are being made to thestatute book, and it is vital that employersand employees are aware of their currentobligations32Meet the expertsThe average networking session lets youpitch your company to a handful ofbusiness owners. This month we’ve inviteda number of our region’s leading businessnames to get their message across to oversixty thousand!4220CONTENTSNOVEMBER 2015www.blmforum.net35Energy and renewables Energy procurement is a way ofdramatically reducing energy costswithout any large-scale investment inrenewable energy generation40East Yorkshire Business Expo The East Yorkshire Business Expo tookplace recently, and Business Link werethere to find out how it went down41QR CodesQR codes are a quick and effectiveway to engage with your customers42AutoLinkOkay, so it only happens once everytwo years, but the Frankfurt MotorShow is a significant date for usmotoring journalists. It’s one of thebiggest of its kind and reveals what wecan expect to see in the region’sshowrooms in coming months46EventsWe take a look at business eventshappening around Yorkshire andLincolnshire49Classified50And finally…04-05_Layout 1 27/10/2015 14:03 Page 1EditorSteve Fisher (s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk)JournalistsMichael Fisher (m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk)Stuart Pearcey (s.pearcey@blmgroup.co.uk)Dominic Cuthbert (d.cuthbert@blmgroup.co.uk)Editorial contactnewsdesk@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310305 Fax: (01472) 310317Sales DirectorAngela Cooper (a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk)AdvertisingPaul Simpson (p.simpson@blmgroup.co.uk)Christine Jewitt (c.jewitt@blmgroup.co.uk)Tel: (01472) 310310Accounts & SubscriptionsAngela Sharman, John DownesTel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311Design & ProductionGary Jorgensen, Mark CassonTel: (01472) 310304 Fax: (01472) 310314(studio@blmgroup.co.uk)E-Mail:yorks-lincs@blmgroup.co.ukWebsitewww.blmforum.netAddressHaychart Ltd, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street,Grimsby, N.E. Lincs., DN31 2QE.ISSN No:1462-2092All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without expresspermission of the copyright holder, for which application should beaddressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care istaken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents acceptliability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies,negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to thispublication. The views expressed in this publication are notnecessarily the views of those held by the publisher.This magazine is now fully recyclable. By recycling magazines,you can help reduce waste and add to the 5.5 million tonnes ofpaper already recycled by the UK paper industry each year.Before you recycle your magazine, please ensure you removeall plastic wrapping, free gifts and samples. If you are unable toparticipate in a recycling scheme, then why not pass yourmagazine onto a local hospital or charity?Yorkshire-Lincolnshire-Business-Link @blmforumblmforum.netCOVER PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM - WWW.BILLIONPHOTOS.COM • SASINT • STOCKPHOTO MANIA • FILIP FUXA • KNIGHT FRANK38PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/VACLAV VOLRAB04-05_Layout 1 27/10/2015 14:04 Page 2Paragon signscontract with DubaiParks and Resorts Paragon Creative Ltd, based in North Yorkshire, has announced that ithas entered into a contract with Dubai Parks and to work on elements ofthe DreamWorks zone within the motiongate™ Dubai theme park – oneof three theme parks within the destination. Paragon started working on this £5 million project in September and isfocused on five show set areas within the park which will takeproduction into 2016. The projects that Paragon have started working onare based on the films Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar as well as anumber of other setworks areas and activations. Commenting on the deal, Mark Pyrah, CEO of Paragon Entertainmentsaid: “We are delighted to be working with Dubai Parks and Resorts tocreate the very best quality thematic and show set works to support thisincredible and world class project. Dubai Parks and Resorts has createda team comprising of some of the best Industry talent and it’s a privilegeto be part of the delivery line up. We look forward to an exciting, fruitfuland rewarding relationship.” 6Business Link www.blmforum.netNEWSLincoln’s Internationalhotel brand invests inthe futureThe Owners of the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel on the Brayford Wharf havesubmitted plans to extend the luxury hotel, which includes a new state-of-the-artconference and banqueting suite, an additional 39 luxurious guest bedrooms andover 30 additional parking spaces. The multi million pound investment will create an entire new bedroom wing atthe back of the property using land recently purchased on Newlands, additionalparking and direct access to the hotel will also be a key part of the development,reducing traffic on the congested Brayford Waterfront.The existing Ballroom will be extended to cater for over 350 guests for dinner and an additional large size Function Suite will be added on the 4thfloor with a skyline terrace with views of uphill Lincoln, the Castle and the Cathedral creating a truly memorable venue for future brides and grooms ofLincolnshire.The additional bedrooms and event space will play a vital role in attracting large out of town events and conferencing which will help drive the localeconomy and cement Lincoln as a truly International business destination.UK sitting on £7billion of unused‘natural capitol’ Landowners could be sitting on an aggregated £7 billion worth ofunderutilised land in the UK due to not optimising its natural capitalpotential, according to the latest analysis from AECOM. The global, integrated infrastructure services firm has developeda ground-breaking evaluation tool to help organisations assess thevalue that could be created for the public and for private ownersfrom land that is otherwise underused. By assessing land’s ‘naturalcapital’ and building a business case to manage it differently,landowners can embark on a programme of using land in the mostproductive manner and in a way that can measure the benefits overa 30-year period. Through this pilot study, undertaken at two sites in SouthYorkshire and Derbyshire, AECOM and National Grid found that anestimated £9,000 of natural capital improvements could be madeper hectare on the land they assessed, driving a benefit-to-costratio of 8:1 over 30 years.The project recently won the National Grid Chairman’s Award forEnvironment 2015.06-10_Layout 1 28/10/2015 09:47 Page 1www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 7We will help make Yorkshirecapital of the NorthernPowerhouse, says HMLThe North ofEngland’s largestmortgage administratorhas promised to helpmake Yorkshire thecapital of a new‘Northern Powerhouse.’ George Osborne, theChancellor of theExchequer, hasdescribed his vision for aNorthern Powerhouse as“not one city, but a collection of northern cities sufficiently close to eachanother that combined they can take over the world.” With over 1,200 employees, approximately 650 of which are based at itsheadquarters in Skipton, HML is one of the biggest employers in the area,which it says can play a central role in realising the government’s vision ofa globally-competitive region. Andrew Jones, CEO at HML, pictured, said: “The creation of a NorthernPowerhouse will help a strong and vibrant region realise its potential – andboth Yorkshire and HML have a great deal to contribute. “Yorkshire and our fellow Northern counties have the talent to make thePowerhouse a reality, and HML will continue its substantial investment inexisting staff members and the specialist training of new recruits to helpour region grow and prosper.” Young entrepreneurs leadthe growth chargeYoung entrepreneurs aged under 35 are on average twice as ambitiousabout their company’s growth prospects and four times as likely to hirenew staff than older generations of business owners, according to a newreport launched by Albion Ventures. The third Albion Growth Report, designed to shed light on the factorsthat both create and impede growth among over 1,000 SMEs, showed that14 per cent of under-35s predicted their firm would grow dramatically overthe next two years compared to just 8 per cent of 45 – 54 year olds. By revealing how under-35s are choosing to deploy new capital theReport shows them to be far more focused on growth than the oldergeneration: for example, under-35s are more likely to seek finance toinvest in R&D (14 per cent versus 5 per cent), hire new staff (13 per centversus 3 per cent) and to bring about a change of ownership (13 per centversus 6 per cent). While the younger generation is more ambitious, they admit that theirskills shortages are holding them back. BUSINESSLINKMULTI-PLATFORM MARKETINGIN PRINTBusiness Link is theregion’s leadingbusinesspublication,reaching decisionmakersthroughout the region.Often imitated but never equalled.ON LINEWith over 200,000visitors per monthvisiting our website,Business Link gets youradvertising message infront of the peoplethat count.FACE TO FACEBusiness Link hostsmany corporateevents bringingtogether theregion’s topbusinesses todiscuss hot topicsand provide valuablenetwork opportunities.GAIN AN UNRIVALLED ADVANTAGEThe region’s leading companies and mostprestigious brands promote themselvesthrough Business Link.You can too, just call Angela Cooper orSam Trott on 01472 310310 foran informal chat.www.blmforum.netLinkingbusinesstogetherPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/SYDA PRODUCTION06-10_Layout 1 28/10/2015 09:47 Page 28Business Link www.blmforum.netNEWSWordsandSpacesLtdtel:01724 352156 mob:07736 952885 fax: 0871 989 5784 email: stuart@wordsman.co.uk twitter:@stuartpearcey Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 2QEI’ll write blogs, websites, ads, articles, leaflets, news releases and newspapers; I’ll design print and buy it. I’m Stuart Pearcey. How can Imake your life better today?www.wordsman.co.ukWhere goodcopywritingmeans businessLeeds Big SleepoverDelivers Style &CultureLeeds Hotels andVenues Association(LHVA) hosted thebiggest multi-venuefamiliarisation tripin Leeds last week.Leeds BigSleepover ran from8th – 10th Octoberand welcomedrepresentativesfrom corporateorganisations, venue finders and event planners from all over thecountry.The event was a showcase of all Leeds has to offer for businessand leisure tourism with a particular focus on the arts and culturaloffering in the city and the unusual spaces that are available forconferences and events.LHVA worked with two key partners to deliver the eventincluding the newly re-launched ConferenceLeeds, the officialconference desk and destination management programme for thecity, and Leeds BID, a not for profit, business led organisation thataims to invest in events, marketing and promotions to raiseawareness of the city.Stairlift Company helpsVictoria Wood stage play’snationwide tourWest Yorkshire-basedAcorn Stairlifts has beenpraised by Victoria Woodfor supporting hernationwide show, which iscoming to Bingley inNovember. The creator of themuch-loved 80s spoofsoap opera ‘AcornAntiques’ has thanked theWest Yorkshire-basedcompany, one of thelargest manufacturers ofstairlifts in the world, forsupplying more than 30 stairlifts to feature in the musicalproduction of the show which tours theatres across the country. Company Secretary, Dave Belmont said: “Supply stairlifts to a show called‘Acorn Antiques’ seemed a perfect fit for us – especially when they leadcharacter, the much-loved Mrs Overall, makes a grand entrance on an AcornStairlift at the end of the show.”The comedienne has even changed the words of one of the show’s songsto incorporate the Acorn name while gently mocking a rival brand, leaving theaudience in no doubt of her approval of the Yorkshire firm’s generosity. 06-10_Layout 1 28/10/2015 09:47 Page 3www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 9TAXATIONNew Tax PartnerPuts StreetsAhead for TaxAdviceStreets Chartered Accountants, a leadingregional accountancy and tax practice, isdelighted to announce that Krista Fox hasjoined the firm as a Tax Partner.As a Chartered TaxAdviser, Krista,pictured, has a well-established trackrecord of advisingbusinesses and theirowners on taxationand tax planning. Shejoins Streets havingoccupied senior andinstrumental roles inthe development ofboth tax advice andservices within anotherregional firm, as wellas that of a nationaltop ten practice.Looking forward toher new role with Streets, Krista said: “There has never been abetter time to talk to businesses and their owners about taxplanning. The days of more aggressive ‘packaged’ tax planningare behind us and this is welcomed as such planning was adistraction from focussing on tax planning strategies aligned tobusiness and personal objectives.” Commenting on her appointment, Streets CharteredAccountants Chairman and Managing Partner, Paul Tutin, said:“Krista’s appointment, along with those made in the field of VATand personal tax, are very much a part of our strategy to ensurewe respond to the changing, and if anything a more complex,environment for tax compliance, legislation and planning.” Krista will look after clients from across the firm’s eleven officescovering Yorkshire, the East Midlands, East of England andLondon. She will work closely with her fellow tax andaccountancy Partners and the Corporate Finance team to providespecialist tax advice and support.For more information on Streets, visitwww.streetsweb.co.uk, alternatively you cancall on 01482 225399 or e-mailinfo@streetsweb.co.uk.Mum’s the word for SouthYorkshire EntrepreneursAn initiative aimedat helping womenand returning mumsin South Yorkshireto embrace digitaland cloudtechnology, hasbeen announced.The £67,000 ClickTogetherprogramme is aseries of freepractical workshopsdelivered inRotherham, Barnsley, Sheffield and Doncaster between now andChristmas, designed to specifically support women who want to turn ahobby or talent into a money-making business, learn new skills in a bidto return to work post-children or boost their digital know-how for thosealready running a firm.The initiative is being delivered by small business network EnterpriseNation on behalf of Enterprising Barnsley and is being funded by theWomen and Broadband Fund from the Government Equalities Office. Itis part of a nationwide programme of education to help communitiescapitalise on the opportunities offered by a faster internet service.Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, explained: “This series ofsimple workshops is aimed at demystifying the digital world for womenwho have had a gap in their working lives through child care or taking acareer break for other caring duties.”Leeds business growthsurges ahead of nationalaverageThe latest growth data from the Office of National Statistics showsthere are now 119,000 businesses in Leeds City Region, representing anincrease of 9 per cent from 2014. The new figures demonstrates thatthe City Region is home to 5 per cent of all businesses in England, yetcontributed 6 per cent to total national growth last year. The data is said to highlight that economic growth has come fromsmall and medium businesses, with the number of large businesses inthe region remaining steady. This significant growth outpaced that forthe UK as a whole, which has seen as increase of 7 per cent. LEP ChairRoger Marsh commented: “I’m delighted to see this extremely positivedata which demonstrates the incredible power of our city regioneconomy and the level of ambition and entrepreneurial zeal that existshere.“Of the now 119,000 businesses in our City Region, 99 per cent areSMEs. If they grow, our economy grows and our LEP ambition is tohelp these companies fulfil their extraordinary growth potential.” 06-10_Layout 1 28/10/2015 09:47 Page 4Next >