Business 22 April 2015

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www.bristolpost.co.uk

CREATIVE THINKING

Key Bristol sector is buoyant butneeds more talent – see page 4

ELECTION JITTERS

Fear of instability promptsslowdown in construction – p3

LIFE’S A BREESE

We talk to one of the most wellconnected men in Bristol – p6

INSIDE BRISTOL’SHAPPIEST OFFICEThere are more ways to motivate your workforce thanmoney (although it doesn’t hurt) – see pages 8&9

BECAUSE WE’RE HAPPY...

222015APR

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2 Wednesday, April 22, 2015www.bristolpost.co.uk

● Nash Partnershiphas taken a 1,300

square foot office inKing Street, Bristol

Drink

Brewer toastsexpansion asdemand rises● BREWER and drinks wholesalerSt Austell Brewery is expandingits sales team and its distributioncapacity as its Bristol businesscontinues to grow.There is has been increasing

demand from pubs, restaurants,hotels, clubs and bars throughoutthe Bristol and Avon area to besupplied by St Austell Brewery’swholesale division which hasprompted the brewery to grow theteam and its distribution capacityover the past 12 months.The wholesale business in

South West England saw turnoverexceed £58 million in 2014. Alarge part of this growth camefrom the new Bristol depot wheresales have now reached nearly£5 million per annum.Sales of St

Austell’s ownbeer brandsincreasedby 13.8per cent in2014whilesales ofover100,000brewer’sbarrels (over 25million pints) were recorded lastyear for the first time.Sales development manager

Lee Jasper, above, has lived inBristol for 36 years. “Since Istarted working for the brewerythere has been a massive changein the presence and the reputationit has in the city,” he said.“Tribute is popular but Korev

Lager is the real growth brand.The Tobacco Factory is thecompany’s biggest free tradecustomer, so it’s travelled reallywell.”

Design

Move to bigger office as designfirm wins more projects in city

A DESIGN agency is bringingits own plans to fruition aftera growing portfolio of workmeant it needed a bigger of-fice.

Nash Partnership has moved toKing Street, Bristol, taking a 1,300square foot office.The architecture, urban design,

planning and regeneration practiceretains its bigger Bath office, where ithas been based for 27 years, but isexpanding its presence inBristol as itwins more work in the city and na-tionally.It gained a foothold in Bristol four

years ago with a serviced office inWine Street and quickly started win-ning more local business.This prompted the strategic de-

cision to move to a bigger office inBristol, which opens next month.Among Nash’s local projects are a

new-build at the University of Bris-tol’s Burwalls House Estate, 14 new

homes in Novers Hill as part of theregeneration of Knowle West and anumber of conversions in Clifton,Redland.Nash is expanding partly thanks to

support from the West of EnglandGrowth Fund, which is helping withthe costs of fitting out the premises,buying software and creating newjobs.Senior partner Edward Nash said:

“We are delighted to have signed thelease for our new office in Bristol,which symbolises an important stagein the growth of our business.“With a very healthy number of

Bristol projects on the books, the timeis right for us to up our presence hereby taking more space in this greatcity location.“Having a convenient, permanent

base in the city will enable staff towork more closely with our Bristolclients, ensuring they receive the bestquality of service.“Our mix of skills is normally only

available through the geographicspread of largermulti-national firms,so we have something unique to offerBristol and we look forward to thelocal, regional and national oppor-tunities this will present.”

Offices

Creative agency finds ideal ‘laid-back’ new homeACREATIVEagency ismoving out ofClifton and to new offices in southBristol, partly due to parking restric-tions.Taxi Studio has taken 5,562 sq ft at

the iconic Bath Road Studios build-ing on a ten-year lease and is car-rying out a major fit-out which willsee the space become a New York loftapartment-style office.The company hopes the new space,

which is around double the size of itsexisting office, will help it grow, withplans to become a team of 60.Founder and creative partner

Spencer Buck said: “We are burstingat the seams in our current office andparking has always been an issue inClifton, especially now with the res-idents’ parking zone in place.“Acknowledging we needed to find

bigger premises, Bath Road Studios

presented us with everything weneed andmore; it is a unique, creativespace that truly fits the culture andvibe of our business.“It is laid-back and unpretentious –

just like us! Plus it has ample parkingand great cycling facilities which arean added bonus.”

The refit has been designed to com-plement the industrial look and feelof the building and uses materialsthat work well together in a modernoffice environment, such aswood andsteel.Once complete, therewill be a large

breakout space, full kitchen withtrestle tables, meeting pods and afully stocked bar.London-based Cube Real Estate,

which asset manages the building,has transformed the former ITVbuilding following a £1.35 million re-furbishment project.Current occupiers include ITV

West Country, Friska, HurricaneMedia, Films@59, Wattle, PUMA andColour & Thing.Spencer said: “What we love about

Bath Road Studios are the potentialopportunities to collaborate with

other businesses in the building.We’ve already worked with Hur-ricane Media and look forward tomeeting some of our neighbours oncewe’re in.“We were also very pleased to be

offered flexible terms and reasonablerates, even at a time when the cre-ative office market is as saturated asit is. All in all, we’re extremely ex-cited about our upcoming move!”The company hopes to relocate to

Bath Road Studios in early May oncethe refit has been completed.Ruari Laidlaw, asset manager at

Cube Real Estate, said: “We are de-lighted to welcome Taxi Studio toBath Road as we think their bold,stand-out creative work matches thebright contemporary spaces we haveat the building; they complementeach other very well.”

Businessman takesfull control of hotel● A BUSINESSMAN who had avision to transform four-star hoteland health club Cadbury House isnow the owner.Nick Taplin, who lives in

Wrington, North Somerset, hasbought out Sanguine Hospitality,taking full control of theDoubleTree by Hilton hotel.Nick, below, and business

partner Caroline Wilce, withcontinued backing fromDowning Invest-ment, will nowoperate theCongresbury-based venueunder Black& WhiteHospitality.Previously

owned bySanguineHospitality, ofwhich Taplin is still adirector, the deal has seen theentrepreneur buy out the stakeheld by the specialist hoteldevelopment company. CadburyHouse has undergone a£26-million redevelopment sinceNick got involved back in 2003.He said: “It’s been an incredible

journey and to effectively ownCadbury House is an amazingfeeling. The hard work will now goon to make sure Cadbury Houseremains one of the leading venuesin the South West.”

HospitalityAssistant Editor (Business)[email protected]

● Bath Road Studios

Edward Nash, above

“With a very healthynumber of Bristolprojects on the books,the time is right for us toup our presence here bytaking more space in thisgreat city location.

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3Wednesday, April 22, 2015 www.bristolpost.co.uk

GROWTH in the construc-tion sector is being held upby jitters over the closerace in the General Elec-tion, according to industry

experts.And they say if the outcome

doesn’t see a stable government –whether coalition or majority party– that effect could continue.

Gary Higgins and Ben Milsom,who are directors at GBRS Recruit-ment based in Weston-super-Mare,say they have seen a slowdown in thenumber of house builders, commer-cial builders and civil engineers re-cruiting for new staff.

The firm recently hired an inde-pendent market research firm tocarry out a report into employmentintentions and regularly trackgrowth and performance in the in-dustry.

Their most recent findings regard-ing a slowdown echo a recentMarkit/CIPS construction PMI re-port which said the sector had “lostsome of its swagger” with the rise innew orders easing in March com-pared to February.

Gary said: “We’re at the coal facewhen it comes to the constructionindustry as we are a major supplierof labour to firms operating in thissector.

“Whilst not dramatic we have no-ticed a slight dip in hiring intentionsand a slowdown in the number ofnew homes being built; and fromfeedback we are putting this down tosome clients delaying investmentand build decisions until after theelection.”

Ben added: “Despite this slight dipin employment and growth, our re-cent survey shows that companiesare buoyant going forward and con-fidence among UK builders and con-struction companies is high.

“Post-election, unless a disasterensues, we anticipate a return tonormality.”

But the construction companiesthemselves believe the slowdownshould be temporary once stabilityreturns to Government.

Gary Sheppard, chief executive ofHelm Construction based in Aust,said: “As long as we get a stableGovernment following the electionthe construction sector will pick upagain.

“Activity might have fallen off alittle as developers await political

outcomes, but pent up demandshould get the sector moving againby the middle of the summer.”

Gary said the sector hoped to getcontinued support from whoever isin power come May 8.

He said: “The decision toextend permitted devel-opment rights for homeextensions, unwantedagricultural build-ings along with stor-age and distributionpremises demon-strated the previousGovernment’s determ-ination to build up theeconomy through the con-struction sector.

“We believe this is likely to con-tinue whatever colour government isvoted in next month.”

“The message seems to be under-lining what you can do rather thanwhat you can’t. Rather than trig-gering the free-for all some peoplewere predicting PDR has resulted inperfectly good but under-used build-ings and sites being brought back

ConstructionCity firms among themost tech-savvy● BRISTOL’S business owners andentrepreneurs have been named assome of the most tech savvy in theUK – outside of London.A survey of small business owners

carried out by Appsme.com, foundthat one in 13 entrepreneurs whohave developed an app for theirbusiness are based in Bristol,placing it comfortably ahead ofother major cities such asManchester (one in 25) andLiverpool (one in 33).The number of start-ups in cities

outside of London is increasingyear-on-year and according to NickBarnett, CEO at Appsme.com, thesebusinesses are now closing in onthe capital when it comes toembracing new technologies.The survey also found nearly two

thirds (61 per cent) of smallbusiness owners say having an appboosts their monthly revenue.One in five also say the extra

revenue driven directly by theirbusiness app is more than £500 permonth.Nick said: “These figures speak

for themselves and show thatbusiness apps significantly boostrevenue for even the smallest ofbusinesses.“It’s great to see business owners

in Bristol embracing this technologyas a tool to increase customerengagement and grow their monthlyrevenue.”London topped the poll with 31

per cent of small business appshaving been created in the capital.Followed by Birmingham, Bristol,Glasgow and Southampton.

Demand for servicedoffice space soars● DEMAND for serviced officespace in Bristol is up by a third,according to a specialist searchengine.Office Genie found searches for

such space which is often popularwith start-ups due to the loweroverheads and commitments, rose33 per cent in Bristol.Peter Ames, head of strategy at

the firm, said London remained theUK’s start-up hub but other citiessuch as Bristol and Birminghamwere on the up. “Praised as the‘happiest’ place to live in the UK lastyear, Bristol has far more to offerthan cider and tractors, and is fastbecoming the tech hub of the WestCountry,” he said.The average cost of serviced desk

space in Bristol is £230 a month,much cheaper than the £512 inLondon but higher than £222 inBirmingham.

Digital

Desk space

Uncertainty Slight dip as jitterybuilders await election outcome

Assistant Editor (Business)Gavin Thompson

Call 0117 934 3336Email gavin.thompson

@b-nm.co.ukTwitter @gavin_thompson1

Get in touch

Advertising RobertRodgersonCall07584 003229Email [email protected]

Advertising JaneChapman

Call 01179 343025Email jane.chapman

@b-nm.co.uk

into the public realm.”Helm Construction specialises in

the regeneration of brown-fieldsites.

Gary added: “The increasing num-bers of planning approvals we

saw in the early part of theyear will pick up again

once the election is out ofthe way, helping buildersdeliver the homes peopleneed.”

Gemma Day, directorof Dowlas construction

firm which is developingthe Weston Gateway site,

agreed.“Running up to an election

there will always be a degree ofuncertainty but from the enquirieswe are fielding at our commercialdevelopment sites, things look pos-itive,” she said.

“The decision to extend permitteddevelopment rights for home exten-sions for example is a good move forhouse building and will most likelycontinue, whatever colour the gov-ernment.”

Assistant Editor (Business)[email protected]

Property

Former Post print hall to house 270 studentsTHIS is the first look at what thestudent flats to be built on the site ofthis newspaper’s former printingpress will look like.

Alaska and Helix Property Ad-visors has been granted planning per-mission for The Print Hall – a studentresidential scheme on the corner ofTemple Way. The scheme, designed byRuss Drage Architects, will create 270student beds in three separateblocks.

The development will include an11-storey high-rise block. It will con-tinue to change the nature of the area,from largely offices to a mix withresidential. Student accommodationprovider Unite has a large block offlats across the Old Market round-about.

Work is due to start on site in early2016 and be finished in mid 2017.

Chris Moore, director of Alaska,the developer of The Print Hall, said:“There is great demand for studentaccommodation in the city.

“We have worked closely with localstakeholders and are extremelypleased with the decision.”

The print works building was de-molished in 2011 but the Bristol Postremains based in the adjoining officebuilding.

The development is part of a widerregeneration plan for the TempleWay and Jacob Street intersectionbeing developed by Alaska on behalfof a UK Pension Fund client of HelixProperty Advisors, the asset man-agers behind the scheme.

● Gary Higgins, left, and Ben Milsom; below, Gary Sheppard and Gemma Day

● Anartist’simage ofwhat thestudentflats willlook likeon thecornerofTempleWay

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BRISTOL’S creative compan-ies came out of the recessionleaner and hungry for suc-cess but a talent shortagecould begin to slow growth.

Those were among the findings ofthe annual Barometer Survey byBristol Media, which representsmany companies in the sector.More than half (53 per cent) of

businesses surveyed said theyplan to employ more peoplein the next 12 months.However, 88 per cent

said it was as hard orharder than this timelast year to find theright staff, with over aquarter (28 per cent) cit-ing the increasing num-ber of people who arefreelance or self-employedas the reason for this. Thiscould be one of the reasons why com-panies are working more closely to-gether.Almost half of member agencies

surveyed (45 per cent) said they col-laborated with other agencies oftenor very often with 67 per cent agree-ing that Bristol’s creative communityis quite or very open to collaboration.And of those that do collaborate, 53per cent have worked with betweentwo and five agencies in the past yearalone.As well as working together, those

surveyed share a collective optimismwith 66 per cent feeling more con-fident about their business prospectscompared to this time last year.Many members also reported that

the recession had forced them tostreamline their business models,and that with the economy improv-ing, they are now stronger than everto benefit from new opportunities.Bristol Media chairman Paul Ap-

pleby, pictured, said: “As an organ-isation that has long lauded thecollaborative nature of the SouthWest’s creative industry, it comes asno surprise that this year’s Baro-

meter reinforces that belief.“I think it’s fair to say thatwe are one of the most col-laborative creative sec-tors in the country, if notinternationally, and thisplays a huge part in thehigh quality of creativework coming out of theregion.”He added: “The South

West creative sector shouldbe feeling confident. Our star is

set to continue rising with bigger,better opportunities ahead for all. InJanuary this year, Bristol was namedone of three cities outside Londonwith the best growth prospects by theCreative Industries Council. ”Another hot topic tackled by the

Barometer is research and develop-ment tax credits. Despite potentiallybeing able to claim thousands ofpoundsbackonqualifyingR&Dactiv-ities as a repayment from the HMRC,many creative businesses are miss-ing out due to a lack of awareness.

Creative sectorOur star is setto go on rising

Global success earns Kinneir Dufort royal reward

THE biggest carrier at Bristol Air-port has pledged to continue invest-ing locally after another five newroutes launched at the weekend.The move means easyJet now has

12 aircraft based inBristol, taking thenumber of permanent crewand pilotshere to 480.The new flights and plane will also

support more jobs indirectly at theairport, based in North Somerset.The airline’s commercial manager

Ali Gayward told Business the newroutes would cater for a mix of busi-ness and leisure travel.The routes fly direct to Bilbao,

Porto, Gibraltar, Lanzarote and Isle ofMan and are expected to carry 185,000passengers a year.In total, the airline flies 3.4 million

passengers from Bristol each year.The city is its biggest base outside ofLondon and has even more destin-ations – 53 – than the firm’smain baseat Luton.Ali said the company had grown its

presence because the airport hadproved popular with passengerschoosing to fly from the city ratherthan schlep to London, particularlyfor two to three hour flights withinEurope in which easyJet specialises.

Five more routes aseasyJet backs Bristol

Bristol Media Barometer Survey

Aviation


The Bristol MBAFind out moreTaster session 29 April, UWE, Frenchay Campus, Bristolwww.uwe.ac.uk/bristolmba

“Each timewe investmore, we get agreat level of return,” she said. “Weget great support from the com-munity.“Bristol is a star performer for us.

We have other airports keen to ex-pand easyJet’s presence but we willfocus our growth here in Bristol be-cause that’s where our customers saythey want us to fly from.”Two more routes, to Zante and

Catania, launch next month.Bristol Airport aviation director

Shaun Browne added: “Not only willthe new destinations provide an im-proved route network for passengers,the continued growthwill bring extrajob opportunities and economic be-nefits to the region.”

● easyJet UK Commercial ManagerAli Gayward, MEP for South WestEngland and Gibraltar Ashley Foxand Bristol Airport Aviation DirectorShaun Browne at the launchPic: Dan Regan

● ONE member of Bristol’s thrivingcreative industries isn’t content withgrowing its business at home.Kinneir Dufort was one of a numberof local firms this week given theQueen’s Award for Enterprise.The difference is that most of the

others are in engineering ormanufacturing, while Kinneir is acity centre design agency.Creative industries are not

traditional exporters, but the awardproves it can be done and suggestsothers could be well placed tosucceed overseas.

The company, which employs 75people, has had success with itsambition to bring together beautifuldesign and problem solvingtechnology in fields as diverse asmedical instruments and saucebottles, or clocks and cookware.Managing director Jim Orkney

said: “Design and technology arefields where Britain leads the world.By integrating the two together andcombining these with user researchand advanced proto-typing, KinneirDufort has developed a rare andsought-after design capability that’s

in demand globally.“We aren’t just exporting design,

we’re taking an entire process out tothe world; one that blends enquiry,creativity and technical delivery – it’sa completely joined up way ofthinking about user and brandexperience.“Certainly, international

companies have been beating apath to our development facilitieshere in Bristol for a number of years,and the Queen’s Award is afantastic recognition of the skillsand achievements of our team.”

● Kinneir Dufort staff have received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise

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Steaking a claim Restaurant bosscounting on his recipe for success

OPENED in November 2013,Steak of the Art aimed toredefine what eating outmeant in Bristol. Thebrainchild of entrepreneur

and trained chef Steve Bowen, theHarbourside venue has proved sopopular with foodies and art enthu-siasts from across the city that Stevehas already opened a second venuewith more in the pipeline.It’swhySteve is entering this year’s

Bristol Post Business Awards in theStart Up Business of the Year cat-egory.Pitched at those looking for pure

foodie pleasure, the restaurant,which is on the Harbourside, looks tocombine an artistic atmosphere withsome of the best steaks served any-where in the South West.The restaurant itself is a living

gallery including a selection ofbooths which can sit up to six people.This includes anAlice inWonderlandthemed booth carved from a singletree trunk and a Brit Pop inspiredtable complete with spilt paint!A Parisian themed private dining

area is suited to family celebrations,get-togethers or meetings while themain restaurant aims to be one themost inspiring places to eat in Bris-tol.Steve said: “The success of theBris-

tol venue in its first year surpassedour expectations.“Since opening in Bristol we have

grown a steady base of repeat cus-tomers as well as attracting visitorsto the city. It goes to show that byproviding simple but quality foodwith friendly and excellent service is

a winning formula.“The best critiques are by far your

customers and it seems the people ofBristol like what we’re doing here.”The importance of sourcing the

very best ingredients is a real labourof love for the team and is reflected in

the quality of the meat and fish all ofwhich comes from the South West.All steak served in Bristol comes

from Warson’s farm in Launceston,Devon,while the fish is supplied fromFish for Thought in Bodmin, Corn-wall. The venue also serves local beer

THE Broadmead Business Improve-ment District (BID) works with re-tailers to promote Bristol ShoppingQuarter and to ensure that the area issafe, clean and well-maintained.Broadmead had been a BID area

since 2005; in 2013 businesses voted‘Yes’ to the third BID which will rununtil 2018.Retailers pay a levy which is

ring-fenced to carry out projects ap-proved by the retailers – currently theBID focuses on a variety of marketingcampaigns as well as enhancedcleansing initiatives for the Broad-mead area.

Keeping area safe and clean for shoppers

including the ever growing rangefrom the Bristol Beer Factory.The art gallery is separate to the

restaurant area so people can come inand look around the paintings, whichare all for sale.Deliberately combining different

Sponsor profile

Bristol Post Business Awards 2015


THE CATEGORIES

● Innovator of the Year,sponsored by Aon● Export Award, sponsoredby Mazars● Marketing Campaign ofthe Year, sponsored by JeffWay Electrical Services● Best Creative orTechnological Business,sponsored by NextGeneration Data● Young Entrepreneur of theYear, sponsored byRenishaw● Lifetime achievementaward, sponsored by PunterSouthall● Retailer of the Year,sponsored by BroadmeadBristol BID● Family Business of theYear, sponsored by BOMGroup● Large Business of theYear, sponsored by Smith &Williamson● Small Business of theYear, sponsored by LloydsBank● Start-up Business of theYear, sponsored by Jordans● Environmental BusinessAward, sponsored byNuffield Health● Contribution to theCommunity, sponsored byFirst Great Western● Customer Service Award,sponsored by DestinationBristol● Leisure and TourismBusiness of the Year,sponsored by QBE

styles and artists, it is a thought-pro-voking and exciting mix showcasingindividual artists, genres and localtalent.Steve added: “Harbourside was the

ideal location as it was nearing com-pletion and was starting to attractmore people,workers andpleasure, towander through the pedestrianboulevards and walkways.“We’ve invested close to £2 million

in the past 18 months employingnearly 60 people and at a time whenbusiness investment in the UK is indecline makes our success evenmorenotable.“Looking forward we now plan to

open more venues with an invest-ment programme of around £7.5 mil-lion over the next five years.“Bristol howeverwill always be our

spiritual home as this is where it allstarted.”

● Steve Bowen, owner of Steak of the Art, says the success of the restaurant has surpassed expectations

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The Big Interview

IT’S A BREESE... FROM DINNER PARTIESIf you’ve attended anetworking event inBristol, there’s a goodchance you’ve metJamie Breese. GavinThompson catches upwith the man behindthe city’s biggestbusiness exhibition

Name: Jamie BreeseAge: 42Born: West LondonEducation: Came to Bristolto study design at UWEFirst job: Washing cars whenI was 12 or 13, I used to findit therapeutic. I would putflyers on windscreens and goround West London on apush bike charging £1.50 acar. There’s an entrepreneurialstreak in my family.Title: Broadcaster, antiquesand collectibles columnist,business events organiserand charity auctioneer.

Vital statistics

The Lord Mayor of Bristol Charity Gala Dinner● Bristol’s leading businesspeople are supporting The LordMayor of Bristol’s Charity GalaDinner through sponsorship,auction donations and bybooking tables.

The event, held at the BristolMarriott Royal Hotel on April 30,is supported by the Bristol Post.

It provides the city’s ‘movers andshakers’ with the idealopportunity to entertain clientsand to network, whilst raisingmoney for The Lord Mayor ofBristol’s Children Appeal.

There is a drinks receptionfollowed by a sumptuousthree-course dinner, world-class

entertainment,Director of BusinessSouth West Jamie

Tickets areplease go togaladinner2015.eventbrite.co.ukfor the [email protected] of support

FOR most of us, if we tired ofpicking up the drinks tabfrom having friends roundfor dinner, we’d either askthem to bring a bottle or

politely suggest we went to their’snext time.

Instead, Jamie Breese decided toturn his social occasions into aninformal networking event. Withineight years what started as a fewfriends around for drinks hasevolved into a two-day businessshow with 91 exhibitors and up to3,000 people.

“I would host barbecues on myroof terrace in Clifton. I realised‘these are becoming quite busy andI’m paying for the Pimm’s so I de-cided to make them non-commer-cial parties,” said Jamie.

“Cool people were coming along

with a story to tell, a few rela-tionships were springing up and Ithought, ‘wow this is cool’, so Idecided to hire out a venue andinvite everyone to bring along oneother person.

“It was the start at the beginningof the recession. I realised thatwhen people are battening down thehatches in an economic down-turn, they really valueface-to-face contact.

“It’s not just becausemarketing budgets arestretched but becausethey feel like part ofthe community whereevery business hasbeen affected by the re-cession.”

The events grew intobigger networking events,often black tie and with what hecalls “a bit of sizzle” and last yearJamie held the first Business Show-case South West.

The all-day event staged at Col-ston Hall was big and bold, it sawKaren Brady headlining, along witha strong line-up of other business

while others liked to go and explore.We’ve listened and made changes.We’ve game-ified delegation, if yougo to each of the five zones and get astamp there’s a prize draw. We’regoing to print a map this time tooand there are lots of signs pointingpeople to the different zones.

“I’ve struck several stands whichwe discovered were sub prime andcreated a seminar room instead.”

He certainly has no plans tochange the venue. “Colston Hall isbrilliant,” said Jamie. “It’s an icon-ic building mixing old and new. It isunique, built with epic environ-mental credentials, it’s in Bristol,which is the capital of the SouthWest and it has parking and goodbus access. Everything points tousing that venue.”

The event is free to delegates, therevenue comes from exhibitors andsponsors. But with a big venue andbig name speakers, did it make anymoney?

“The event was very well receivedwith delegates and sponsors,” said

Jamie. “For me it was a learningcurve and I’m pleased to say thatthis year I am making a profit. Andthat’s not bad in year two.”

Jamie is a big networker, not justat his own events he’s a regular atothers too. Some people have ques-tion the value of such events in adigital age.

“Someone said to me, why are youdoing a big business event, isn’t thatwhat Linkedin is for now?” said

Jamie. “But even with that digitalconnection people still want tomeet. People trust people they havemet and more likely to do businesswith people who they have met.

“I suspect the future of large busi-ness to business events will involvea large element of digital and socialmedia.”

Perhaps one reason Jamie enjoysnetworking is that his own careerhas been so varied, so he has plenty

to talk about.nist on antiquesnational newspa15 years, appearshows, beene-Bay and istioneer.

That’s a rthe Lord MDinner at thegiving awaychance to be

figures and entrepreneurs.It was certainly a risk, partic-

ularly as it was funded with his ownmoney – “I sold a few bits and bobsto make it happen” he says, but oneJamie was prepared to take.

“We’d come out of recession,” hesaid. “I thought now is the time

to do a live event using theinvitation list I’ve built

through other eventsbut reach out furtheracross the SouthWest.

“It worked so well itgave me the confid-

ence to make it a twoday event, which allows

me to have more speakersand more exhibitors over-

all.”Colston Hall is a tricky venue. It’s

not a big open hall but lots of roomsof different sizes connected by whatcan be confusing corridors.

“Feedback was divided,” admitsJamie. “Some people said theyprefer a big venue all in one place

● Jamie Breese, inset, and with Ajith Jayawickrema at Business Showcase South West 2014 at Colston Hall; below left, Karen Brady

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PARTIES TO SHOWCASEMy working dayWorking day: I work flexihours so a quiet day couldbe a few hours then if it’s asunny day I might go for adrive to see some friends inBristol. Or a busy day couldbe 12 to 18 hours long. I didthat for most of last year tobuild a new business.

My downtimeDowntime: I mix businessand pleasure. I host anon-commercial dinner partywith friends about once amonth. Somewhere like theLido or Steak of the Art, youget great mix of people.We’ve had the Lord Mayor ofBristol come along. I don’tenjoy holidays. I’m not aworkaholic but I get tooexcited about what I’mdoing to enjoy holidays. Forme the perfect day is gettingon motorbike or in the car,driving to Clevedon forcoffee or the Brecons orCotswolds. A day on a roadtrip is all the holiday I need.

TV: I bought a TV three yearsago. Previously I didn’t haveone! I’ve started to engagewith documentaries, theworld comes to you. TheHouse That I Live In aboutthe war on drugs was a realeye opener.

Hero/inspiration: FilmmakerDavid Lynch, below. My lifechanged when I saw theElephant Man. I would loveto have met AlfredHitchcock, full ofcontradictions but a greatfilmmaker. I’m also inspiredby the character of Bristol,the richness, variety andsense of independent spirit.Karen Brady, who spoke atlast year’s Showcase.

THATCHERS Cider is embarking on a trip toChina to explore the potential for introducingits Somerset cider to the market.With help fromUKTrade and Investment and

the China Britain Business Council, Thatcherswill be taking a three-week trip around thecountry, with visits to retailers and distributorsin seven major cities including Schenzhen,Shangai, Qingdao and Beijing.

Managing director Martin Thatcher said:“China already enjoys wine and beer importedfrom Europe. We feel that the time is now rightfor us to look to introduce Thatchers Somersetcider to them too. China represents a hugeopportunity for us; working with the CBBC andUKTI has given us valuable insight into themarket and has helped us to understand thedeveloping tastes of the Chinese consumer.”

Cider maker Thatchers eyes China move

DWINDLING empty space for industrial anddistribution businesses has led to the return ofspeculative development in the sector.That’s according to the latest Industrial In-

telligence, Spring 2015 report from commercialproperty adviser Bilfinger GVA.The first signs of speculative development

have begun to appear, with a 37,000 sq ft de-velopment by St Modwen at Access 18 in Avon-mouth, as a direct result of the lack ofavailability. There is also a new 40,000 sq ftdevelopment in Yate and projects in Warmleyand Longwell Green have been completed.Gloucester has also seen significant activity

around J12 of theM5, and Swindon has followedsuit at Westlea.Paul Hobbs, director, industrial and distri-

bution, at Bilfinger GVA in Bristol, said: “Thelast six months of 2014 and early 2015 werenotable for steadily increasing occupier de-mand and falling supply, it is not surprising thatonce again speculative development is back onthe agenda in a bigway for the first time in eightyears.“The South West has an excellent supply of

‘oven-ready’ sites such as Central Park, Avon-mouth, where we recently built a new 176,000 sqft facility for Farmfoods distribution.“The issue is the 12-month delay to provide a

building, and occupiers will have to comprom-ise on quality with ageing stock until the mar-ket catches up.“Businesses need to act quicklywhen they see

something new to themarket that they like, as itmight not be around for long.”

Demand sparks speculative developmentCommercial property

Drinks

entertainment, and auction withBusiness ShowcaseJamie Breese.e sold out, buthttps://

galadinner2015.eventbrite.co.ukwaiting list and email

[email protected] withsupport for the charity.

out. He has been a colum-antiques and collectibles in

wspapers for more thanppeared in various TV

been an ambassador foris a regular charity auc-

a role he’ll be reprising atd Mayor’s Appeal Charitythe end of this month,ay prizes including thebe editor of the Bristol

Post for a day.“When it comes to Bristol, the

business community has absolutelycome through,” he said. “I was hav-ing sleepless nights in Januaryabout this but we sold out of ticketsin about a week. and we’ve got araffle like you wouldn’t believe.“The event committee has

reached out more to the businesscommunity this year and the hopeis that this event has a legacy andwill get better and better.”Jamie volunteered to join the

committee after hearing about the1,700 children in Bristol who gowithout things like a Christmaspresent each year. His involvementgoes beyond the event itself onApril30 – he has been using his businesscontacts to secure sponsors andraffle prizes.Then the Business Showcase

South West, which is free forpre-booked delegates (www.show-case2015.com) takes place at ColstonHall in Bristol on May 14 and 15.What comes after that?

“Maybe a rest, but I’m no good atholidays,” says Jamie. Then I’llhave a really seriously think aboutthe Showcase South West. Couldthis be twice a year, could it bebigger, could I hire staff ? Is it asustainable business?”Whatever the future holds, it will

no doubt be interesting. And, ifnothing else, will give Jamiesomething else to talk about.

● Central Park,Avonmouth

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IS a pay rise the way to a happyworkforce? DanPrice, the boss ofGravity Payments, clearlythinks so. He recently raised thefirm’s minimum wage to $50,000

and pledged to bring the lowestearners up to $70,000 (£47,000) by2017.You can be pretty sure there were

plenty of smiles in of theSeattle-based tech company when hemade the announcement.Certainly a well-paid workforce

will help you hang onto experiencedand talented people.But if you bankrupt the business in

the process, it won’t do anyone anygood. How else canwe keep our work-ers smiling?Design agency IA Wylde wanted to

find out how our environment canimprove office life, so ran a com-

ing, a light airy building, sociablepeople, a ping pong table and a bonusscheme.Some of those will be more achiev-

able than others. If you’re based inClifton, free staff parking is a pipedream and if your office is an oldbuilding it won’t be light an airy, butitmight have character you canmakeinto a feature. You need to use whatyou have.Runners up in the contest were

magazine publisher ImmediateMedia and Aardman Animations.The latter’s entry, submitted by Jo

Jo Johnson said: “After 14 years atAardman, I still look forward to com-ing to work in the morning. Iwork on reception and I stillget a buzz from the look ofdelight on faces of visitorsas they first enter the build-ing and spot Wallace &Gromit.“I feel very

lucky to workfor a companythat is held sodear in thehearts of the general

public. Regardless of what depart-ment anyone works in their input isalways valued by the owners, makingus all feel part of the bigger picture

and making us all happyambassadors for the com-pany. Plus There’s alwaysseems to be some veryvalid cause for celebrationat Aardman, requiringmass gatherings for cakein reception, there’s noth-ing like a cupcake to draw

a crowd!”Not every company has

| ’

A happy workforce is aproductive one. GavinThompson talks to a numberof successful Bristolbusinesses about how theykeep the team smiling

petition to find Bristol’s happiestworkplace.Director Maxine Bennett said the

resultswere illuminating. “This com-petition has flagged up all kinds ofreasonswhy staff are happy at work,”she said.“Company ethos, respect and social

activities rank alongside beautifullydesigned, creative spaces.“These two aspects of working life

tend to run hand in hand to providethe, almost, perfect formula for acontent and productive workforce.”She added: “We’ve had a fantastic

selection of different organisationsenter including several big namecompanies that are real Bristol in-stitutions. We’re delighted compan-ies have engaged with ourcompetition and the response paystestament to the fact theSouthWest isa hotbed of happy, creative teams!”The winner was Shiner, a skate-

board manufacturer based in AztecWest, Bristol.What makes this family business

special?Karen McMahon, who submitted

the application said: “Shiner is afamily business and they tell you thisfrom the get go. I thought initially itwas to warn me that if you’re notfamily, then you’re not anyone. In-stead they were telling me that I wasnow part of the Shiner family. We’relistened to, genuinely.“We can grow in this business from

Keeping talent

HAPPY TALK COMPETITION REVEALS

Karen McMahon

“We can grow in thisbusiness (Shiner) fromthe warehouse to thehead of a department.There are smiling facesthat greet us daily.

the warehouse to the head of a de-partment. There are smiling facesthat greet us daily.“We drive from all over the South

West because we want to be here. Wework in teams but we all work for thecommon good of the business andwe’re rewarded for it in variousways.I’m proud to be here. “Other positive aspects listed at

Shiner, which employs 70 people, wasa good training and induction pro-gramme, the chance to progressshown by the fact one of the directorsstarted in the warehouse, free park-

● Shiner operations director Rich Staite with the Happiest Workplace award Pic: Dave Betts

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WHAT CREATES HAPPY WORKPLACE

the motivational talents of Wallace &Gromit to call on. Immediate Media’sentry highlighted more accessibleelements such as having a day off onyour birthday, good communicationwith bosses and three days each yearworking in another part of the busi-ness to broaden experiences.

A good working environment isbecoming something more bosses areconsidering. There’s a trend for com-panies which want to emulate thesuccess of Google to do that with somefunky office furniture. A pool table,video games and so on can change the

feel of an office. But it takes morethan that.

IT recruitment firm People Sourcehas both those things but crucially,they don’t just sit in the corner un-loved. Founder Jason Baker can befound on the Sega rally game andlikes to challenge new staff membersto a race as something of an icebreaker.

Jason said the key to motivatingthe team was about culture, thegames are just a tool.

“The culture has always existedand runs deep throughout the whole

of the organisation,” he said. “Mov-ing to a new, bigger office gave us theopportunity to cement that further bycreating better break out spaceswhere people would have fun togeth-er, develop closer relationships andhelp integrate new people quickly.”

Similarly many firms aspire to beJohn Lewis, forgetting that the corevalue behind the success of the de-partment store is not its price-matchpolicy but its shared ownershipmodel, which makes its “partners” apart of the business.

The annual profit share announce-ment is the biggest day in the store’scalendar.

Lucy Ramseyer, the head of thestore’s Cribbs Causeway branch,said: “Because we are employ-ee-owned we are a long-term busi-ness.

“We don’t have to think just abouttomorrow but we have to make surethe business is fit for future gen-erations of partners and customers tomake sure that bonus envelope is stillthere to open in 15 years.”

Jeremy Gumbley is chief techno-logy officer at Creditcall, anothersuccessful and growing Bristol com-pany, which specialises in paymenttechnology.

“For me a good working environ-ment means you get great people andgive them a sense of purpose,” hesaid. “People get really invested whenthey see the product they are workinglate or giving up their weekend for isgenuinely changing things.

“In our case when they can see itbeing used around the world.

“If you nurture talent and showthem their value, then they can createamazing things.”

Whether it’s purpose or ping-pong,the key would seem to be people, andfinding out what makes them tick.

Though a whopping pay rise won’tdo any harm, just in case the boss isreading this…

● PeopleSourcechairmanJason Bakerand MD TimAllenplaying therally gamein theiroffice

● Staff at interior design firm Wylde IA, which ran the happy workplace contest, from left, Rob Grace, MaxineBennett, Lavra Benito and Amy Stone; left and below, happy staff at Shiner

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In pictures Bristol Distinguished Address Series - Arnolfini

State of the art Arnolfini link withUWE really exciting, says Sir Peter

Business diary

Email your business events [email protected] are sometimescancelled without us beingnotified so please check withorganisers before travelling.

20 Ways to Grow YourBusiness: Seminar on how tostructure a business forsustainable and profitablegrowth. Ashton Court Mansion,BS41 9JN, 7.45am today.Contact Mazars.

Bristol PA Network:Communicate with clarity withPA trainer Lindsay Taylor at theBristol Hotel, 5.30-8pm, today.Tickets via Eventbrite.

Financial Planning Clinic:One-to-one advice on financialissues and questions fromchartered accountant TonyJames at The Hive, Weston-super-Mare. Free to pre-startbusinesses and those tradingless than a year or £40.Tomorrow. Book atwww.northsomersetenterpriseagency.co.uk.

Bristol Connected: The BristolPost’s regular networking eventtakes place in the Top Bar atColston Hall. Hosted bycommunications agency JBPwith speakers including JimHutchinson from FusionProcessing and informalnetworking. Sold out!

Financial Planning Clinic:One-to-one advice on financialissues and questions fromchartered accountant TonyJames at The Hive,Weston-super-Mare. Free topre-start businesses and thosetrading less than a year or £40.Thursday, April 30. Book atwww.northsomersetenterpriseagency.co.uk.

The Business Case for Agileand Flexible Working: Flexibilityand Agile – just buzz words oractual good business practice?Expert panel shares insights andtips. Organised by NearDesk atColston Office Centre, ColstonAvenue, 4-6pm on Thursday,April 30. Register via Eventbrite.

The Lord Mayor’s CharityDinner: Business leaders willenjoy a drinks reception followedby a three-course dinner,entertainment and an auction, inaid of The Lord Mayor ofBristol’s Children Appeal, onThursday, April 30. Add yourname to the waiting list athttps://galadinner2015.eventbrite.co.uk and [email protected] forsponsorship opportunities or todonate auction and raffle prizes.

Eat Drink Bristol FashionSustainability Summit: 150delegates will come together inthe tipis in Queen Square todiscuss how the food industrycan strive to operate moresustainably and position the cityas the UK capital of sustainablecatering. Wednesday, May 6.Tickets from www.eatdrinkbristolfashion.com.

Young Enterprise West ofEngland Area Final: May 7,3.30-8pm. Eight finalists fromWest of England schools vie torepresent the area at the SouthWest final on June 19. To attend,contact Caroline Tarbuck,[email protected].

A NEW partnership betweenUWEand theArnolfini couldbenefit both the local eco-nomy and quality of life inBristol.

That’s the view of Sir Peter Baza-lgette, chair of Arts Council England,who gave the most recent talk at theBristol Distinguished AddressSeries, which was delivered at theArnolfini.The agreement will see UWE arts

students working within the galleryas the two organisations share re-sources.Sir Peter said the deal was one of a

number of “really exciting partner-ships” being developed around thecountry between arts and educationorganisations. “Universities arebroadening the definition of whatthey do,” he said. “They are saying‘we are placemakers, we invest in ourcommunity.“UWE will have students in the

Arnolfini, doing their graphic designstudy, mixing with artists and thepublic, while the Arnolfini will be-nefit from the injection of young en-thusiasm and talent. This is anexample of that strategic alliance.”Sir Peter said Bristol deserved a

quality arts space, which the agree-ment had helped secure.“It’s no secret theArnolfini has had

problems,”he said. “It has anew teamnow and this partnership means the

university is helping to perpetuate aquality gallery in this is city. It’simportant for the city that theArnolfini doesn’t just survive butprospers.“The creative students who work

here will be inspired and set up cre-ative businesses here that will notjust benefit the economy but improvethe quality of life.”

Arts Council England is the de-velopment agency for arts and cul-ture. It receives about £650 millionfrom taxpayers and theLotto to investin big and small arts organisations.“It’s a lot ofmoney in one sense and

very little in another,” said Sir Peter.“We spend £112 billion on the healthservice.”Money is given out through com-

petitive applicationsmadeagainst setcriteria. Three-year funding agree-ments are made with larger organ-isations and one off lottery grants tosmaller ones.But Sir Peter says it’s not subsidy.“I don’t like the word subsidy,” he

says. “It’s a passive word. Investmenthas dynamism, it expects an output, aresult. We are investing.”

● Sir Peter Bazalgette, chair of Arts Council England, third from left, with guests Pictures: Michael Lloyd

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In pictures Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors South West Awards 2015

Grand designs Some of the buildings inrunning for surveyors’ regional awards

THESE new or restored build-ings are in the running forawards from the Royal Insti-tute of Chartered Surveyors.The new Keynsham Civic

Centre, the Hive Business centre inWeston-super-Mare and the SimplyHealth office on the edge of CliftonDown are among the new buildingsnominated.

Restoration projects up for gongsinclude the Art Deco Pegasus House,which has been brought back into useby Airbus as a base for hundreds ofthe plane-maker’s engineers.

Eight category winners and a Pro-ject of the Year will be selected fromthe 42 shortlisted entries to the SouthWest awards.

The winners from the BuildingConservation, Community Benefit,Infrastructure, Design through In-novation and the Regeneration cat-egories will then be invited torepresent the region andcompete against projectsfrom across the rest ofthe UK, at the overallRICS Awards in Lon-don.

The 2014 South WestProject of the Year titlewent to PorthmeorArtists’ Studios and Fish-erman’s Cellars.

Lynn Robinson, regional dir-ector RICS South, said: “The qualityof entries received this year is trulyoutstanding and clearly demon-strates the fantastic work being car-ried out by property professionals.

There is a wealth and variety ofinspirational new projects and re-

THE AWARDSSHORTLIST

Building Conservation✔ Pegasus House, Bristol✔ Poulet Memorial Chapel,Hinton St George✔ Restronguet BartonBarns, Falmouth✔ South Quay, Hayle✔ St Giles House,Wimborne St Giles✔ Swindon Designer Outlet,Swindon✔ The Mowhay, Withiel✔ The Walronds,Cullompton

Commercial✔ Simply Health House,Bristol✔ The Hive, Weston-super-Mare✔ Treleigh Business Park,Redruth✔ Latchways Warehouse,Distribution and ProductionFacility, Devizes

Community Benefit✔ Fisherton House,Salisbury✔ Lanhydrock Cafe andCycle Club, Bodmin✔ Roberts Close.Mevagissey✔ South Quay, Hayle✔ The Lantern CommunityCentre, Ringwood✔ The Lee Centre, Bath✔ Design throughInnovation✔ Edge O’Cliff, St Ives✔ Bristol Airport, Bristol✔ National CompositesCentre, Bristol✔ Royal William YardStaircase, Plymouth

Infrastructure✔ Preston School ASD Unit,Yeovil✔ Walham 400KV ElectricitySubstation Flood Defence,Gloucester

Regeneration✔ Keynsham Civic Centre,Bristol✔ South Quay, Hayle✔ Marine Station, Plymouth✔ Junction 3 Baptist MillsCourt, Bristol

Residential✔ Edge O’Cliff, St Ives✔ Bury Road, Poole✔ Green Tree Court, Exeter✔ The Old Gasworks, LowerSlaughter✔ Cargo 2, Plymouth✔ Dawson Close, Plymouth✔ Roberts Close,Mevagissey

Tourism & Leisure✔ Godolphin Arms,Marazion✔ River CottageHeadquarters, Axminster✔ Welcome Building,Westonbirt Arboretum✔ Lanhydrock Cafe andCycle Club, Bodmin✔ Haynes Motor Museum.Sparkford✔ Royal William YardStaircase, Plymouth

generated developments, I am sure itwill be a challenging judging pro-cess.”

The South West Awards ceremonytakes place at the Bristol MarriottHotel on Thursday, May 21, hosted byBBC presenter Alex Lovell.

● Above, Simply HeathHouse, on the edge ofClifton Down; inset, BBC

presenter Alex Lovell

● The Hive, Weston-super-Mare

● The National Composite Centre (NCC) phase two

● Bristol Airport reception

● Keynsham Civic Centre

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The back pagePeople● Four months after reopening tothe public following an extensiverefurbishment, Clevedon Hall hasappointed James Matthews to itsgrowing staff as operationsmanager.Since starting his hospitality

career in Concierge, James hasworked in all areas of hotels,specialising in events before takingon full venue and operationsmanagement roles.James, below, said he is looking

forward to creating somethingspecial at the Victorian mansion.He said: “I’d been aware of the

developments at Clevedon Hall froma distance over the past year so as Isaw the role advertised, I proceededto research the property and after aninitial telephone discussion withPeter, I was hooked.“I have overseen many projects,

mobilisations and newopenings and it is always aspecial time in the historyof any property, but thereal excitement lies inthe journey ahead aswe look to achieve allour shared aspirationsand create somethingtruly special not just inthe South West, but alsonationally.”

● Law firm Ashfords has increasedits trainee solicitor intake thanks tocontinued growth.The firm is now looking for five

additional trainees to start inSeptember 2015 and in September2016, and 15 in total to start inSeptember 2017.It has invested in an internal

learning and developmentprogramme, the AshfordsAcademy, to help staffexpand theirknowledge and skillsbase.Ruth Murray, partner

of the firm, said: “Weare delighted to be ableto offer additional traineeintake places for Ashfords,as it reflects our continuedsuccess and growth within thefirm. We have always regarded ourtrainees as our future partners, sothis is an investment in the firm’sfuture.”

● Law firm Clarke Willmott,meanwhile, is growing its privateclient services with the appointment

of Gillian Kennedy-Smith who hasbeen appointed as a seniorassociate.Gillian, pictured right, who will be

based in Bristol, qualified in 2006and joins from Carey Olsen inGuernsey, where she worked in oneof the largest private client teams

in the Channel Islands.She specialises inadvising trustcompanies, directorsand business ownerson the best ways toprotect wealth acrossgenerations, especiallywhere foreign assets orother internationalaspects of their estates

are concerned.Anthony Fairweather, partner

and managing director of the privateclient team said: “Gillian will lead theinternational estate planning acrossour team, which is a growing part ofour portfolio.“She undoubtedly strengthens our

client focused approach which hasled to a 65 per cent growth in

turnover in the last three years,making us one of the largestprivate client teams in theSouth West region.”

● Businessman MikeBeesley has beenannounced as the newchair of The Prince’sTrust South WestLeadership Group

(SWLG), which bringsbusiness leaders together to

support the next generation ofaspiring entrepreneurs.Mike is the CEO of Bristol-based

recruitment organisation ResourceSolutions Group (RSG).He takes over from previous chair

Mark Mason, boss of Bristol-basedapp development companyMubaloo.

We need urgent action to end our housing crisis

THERE’S a housing crisis hap-pening across the regionwhichmeans people and fam-ilies are struggling to find thehomes they need to rent or to

buy at a price they can afford.With theGeneral Election looming,

it’s a critical time to remind voters inour South West heartland that hous-ing should be a major concern forthem – whether they are owners,potential buyers or renters.The scale of the housing crisis,

nationally and on a local level in theregion, is out of control.Escalating house prices are pricing

many people out of the home own-ership market altogether and risingprivate sector rents make it hard for

people to increase their disposableincome at a time when wages arerising more slowly, if at all.Statistics from the National Hous-

ing Federation (NHF) reveal thatsince 1980, property prices have risenon average by 6.9 per cent a year –outstripping averagewages andmak-ing that first step onto the propertyladder much more difficult.Many are renting a home while

they save for a deposit, which is typ-

Opinion

ically 19 per cent of the value of ahome.At the same time the demand for

homes is rising – the result of agrowing population and shrinkingaverage household size.The region is being hit incredibly

hard by the housing crisis.According to the NHF: Over the

next 20 years, 439,000 new householdsare expected to form in the SouthWest. At the current rate of housebuilding, this would leave a shortfallof almost 200,000 by 2025.The average house price in Bristol

is now close to £230,000, with ruralareas commanding a premium.While the average house price in

the region is now close to £230,000,

earnings are among the lowest inEngland, making house prices on av-erage nearly ten times annual in-comes.This has a knock-on effect on

renters, too. Private sector tenantspay an average of 40 per cent of theirincome on housing costs.The housing crisis is getting pro-

gressively worse. The very nature oftowns, villages, communities andfamilies are changing as youngpeople andkeyworkers are forced outof the area by spiralling houseprices.The General Election provides an

opportunity for voters to help puthousing back on the political agenda,and begin the work to fix the housing

The role is to work closely withThe Prince’s Trust team to raiseawareness of the charity’s enterpriseprogramme.The chair is also responsible for

helping to grow membership, seekout events and opportunities andgenerate interest in the group’sactivities.For most, the primary reason for

becoming a member is to invest inyoung people and inspire them torealise their business dreams.Sally Mabbutt from The Prince’s

Trust, said: “We are delighted towelcome Mike into this role as hehas been an active and energeticsupporter of The Prince’s Trust.“He is passionate about helping

young people and getting them intomeaningful employment so that theycan fulfill their ambitions.“We are looking forward to

working with him and know he willbring a great deal of expertise andbusiness savvy with him that ouraspiring team of entrepreneurs willthrive on.”All funds raised through the SWLG

go towards The Prince’s Trust’sEnterprise Programme – a tailoredscheme that helps unemployedyoung people set up in business.Mike said: “The overall aim of The

Prince’s Trust SWLG is to practicallyprovide support for those youngpeople who are ambitious and wantto do well but who, for one reason oranother, need a bit of financial helpand business advice.“By doing this, I believe we will not

only help these individuals and thepeople around them but invest in thefuture of our region, its continuedinnovation, entrepreneurial spiritand, in turn, economic welfare.”

● Meade King has appointed seniorsolicitor Alex Lyttle to their disputeresolution team.“I’m delighted to be joining Meade

King, a firm with a longstandingreputation in Bristol and an excellentrelationship with many dynamic andsuccessful business people,” saidAlex.“I look forward to developing my

expertise in commercial litigationand employment law and being partof such a talented legal team.”Bristol firm Meade King

specialises in commercial law aswell as a range of services forprivate individuals. Its recent moveto larger offices on Welsh Back hasenabled it to expand.John Vasey, partner and head of

dispute resolution, said: “Ourcommercial expertise, strong trackrecord of delivering winningresults and high level ofclient care has meantthat we will be lookingto recruit further thisyear in order to meetdemand. Having Alexon board will mean wecan engage with moreclients and continue todeliver an excellentprofessional service.”

Deals● Bristol-based chartered surveyorand property consultancySanderson Weatherall has won acontract to provide valuationservices on the Friars Walk retail andleisure destination in Newport, oneof only three major UK shoppingcentres opening this year.The firm’s valuation specialist

retail and development departmenthave been appointed by NewportCity Council for the 390,000 sq ftdevelopment in the city centre,which is under construction and dueto open in November.Mark Sheridan, associate partner

at the firm’s Bristol office, said hewas delighted.

Your digest of the week in business

“Our multi-disciplinary team,encompassing valuation, retail anddevelopment consultancy has awealth of experience in schemes ofthis nature, which we feel gave usan edge on our competitors,” hesaid.

Places● Real estate firm ColliersInternational has secured newpremises for its south west regionalhub in Bristol, moving toTempleback, close to both TempleMeads station and the shops ofCabot Circus.Tim Davies, head of office, said:“As a major international realestate adviser it wasimportant that we operatewithin a building thatreflects our position inthe market.“This statement

building fuses moderndesign with traditionalVictorian architecture toprovide the perfect

solution for ourrequirements.

“As strong supporters of Bristol’sEuropean Green Capital we areespecially pleased that the design ofthis building ticks so many boxes interms of its environmentalcredentials.“Having a sustainable approach to

the way we operate continues to bea key factor in many of our businesschoices and our move toTempleback reinforces this ethos.“This policy will ensure we have a

great working environment andattract the best possible employees.Moreover our clear commitment toworking sustainably is in line withthe philosophy of all our majorclients.”The building is owned by Benson

Elliot.

crisis.We alsowant tomake sure thatvoters understand that this crisis canbe fixed if politicians choose to.We want their help to show politi-

cians that we need more homes builtin the region and action taken untileveryone, everywhere, has a decenthome.We need more people to add to that

growing voice, by calling on theirlocal parliamentary candidates tomake housing an election priority, orby tweeting support with the hashtag#HomesForBritain.The time has come to end the hous-

ing crisis. We’re calling on the nextgovernment to publish a long-termplan within a year of taking office,which sets out how they will do this.We believe everyone should be en-

titled to a home.OnMay 7, before casting your vote,

please take a moment to considerwhich party really is committed toending the housing crisis.

Chief executiveKnightstone Housing

● Law firm Ashfords has increased its trainee solicitor intake

Documents

Business 22 April 2015