A North East business park has attracted a full complement of tenants after being bought by property investor and regeneration entrepreneur Geoff Hogg for a six-figure sum.

Brighouse Business Village, in Middlesbrough, only had 21 tenants, but in the six months since Mr Hogg purchased the site, all 35 units have become occupied.

Mr Hogg, who has more than 20 years’ experience in the property sector, has built a strong mixed portfolio of retail, office and residential schemes, having invested more than £15m across the North East.

Refurbishment work has been carried on the units at Brighouse Business Village, which range from 729 to 4,750sq ft, with the aim of giving the site a more “business community” feel.

The company, which moved into the last two units available on Brighouse Business Village, was StS Resources & Technology, a supplier of technical personnel, including riggers, rope access technicians, inspection personnel, and of equipment to the oil and gas industry.

StS Resources & Technology, which has been based at the site since 2007 and now occupies three units, decided to take on additional space following the recent investment at the site by Mr Hogg.

Mr Hogg, who owns Linthorpe Developments, said: “My ambition when I bought the site was to ensure it was modernised in to an attractive business location, where it was cost effective for firms to start-up, relocate or grow.

“When we were handed the keys there were 14 empty units, and now six months later all of them are occupied, which I believe is a reflection, not only of the quality of the properties, the business park’s environment and the rental terms, but also an upturn in the Tees Valley economy.“

Paul Hancock, Managing Director of StS, which since 2007 has employed 740 people on various different contracts internationally, said: “The amount of improvement works that have been carried out at Brighouse Business Village meant that when we wanted to expand into additional space, we had to look no further than where we already were.

“It is a prime business location not only in the terms of the quality of the site, but the fact that our business premises can be seen from the main road.“

Brighouse Business Village is home to a broad range of firms including offshore engineers, technology companies, a model railway firm and a bed retailer.

The 50,000 sq ft Village, which is covered by 24 hour manned CCTV, is located on Riverside Park Industrial Estate, fronting on to Riverside Road, and is approximately one mile north of Middlesbrough town centre. It has good connections, via the A66, to both the A19 and the A1M.

Established in 2007, StS Resources & Technology provides highly skilled personnel from the UK primarily for StS gruppen contracts but also for tenders and work that they have been awarded. StS Resources & Technology also has a number of other clients that it provides with sector specific skilled technicians.

Its parent company, StS gruppen was established 40 years ago, and is one of the most experienced company of its kind in Norway. Founded in 1972, it is today a leading supplier of insulation, scaffolding and surface treatment services.

North East entrepreneurs Steve and Sara Heath have announced expansion plans for their skydiving business, after securing new equipment with funding from Barclays.

Skydive St George was established in 2011 by owners Steve and Sara Heath and is based at Durham Tees Valley Airport.  

The Business is the UK’s newest and fastest growing skydiving facility and the professional team of current and ex-military instructors specialise in helping their customers experience something truly remarkable.  

Whether it is to push their personal boundaries, to raise money for a worthy cause, or simply the gift-of-a-lifetime from a loved one, a skydive with the company is an unforgettable and unique opportunity.

Funding from Barclays has enabled the purchase of static line jumping equipment. This will increase the number of skydiving opportunities the business can operate and also enable the business to run a training school for skydiving licenses.

Sara Heath, joint owner of Skydive St George said: "An opportunity arose to grow the business and really take things to the next level. Purchasing the static line equipment is a large commitment for us but we believe the time is right to expand what we offer and will allow us to really strengthen our position in this exciting niche market."

Skydive St George business partner Steve is a decorated RAF pilot with over 3000 hours of flying experience and has ensured the company only uses state of the art equipment, which is meticulously maintained to the highest standards required by the British Parachute Association.

Ian Kirk, Business Banking Manager at Barclays said: "The adventure sport industry is clearly an exciting and rapidly expanding sector. This fantastic business brings adrenaline sports to the masses in a safe and professional way. It really has been a pleasure working with Steve and Sara to support their growth plans and I look forward to seeing the business develop a great deal this year."

Anyone entering the world of business will want to know how to become successful, and of course this takes a lot of dedication, intelligence and persistence, but is it harder for women to achieve such goals?

Well to answer this question, Victoria Tomlinson, a well-established businessman from Harrogate, carried out extensive international research into how more women can achieve senior and board positions.

Throughout the course of her research, Victoria, a chief executive of Northern Lights which also operates in the UAE, interviewed more than 1,000 female leaders to uncover the key ingredients of success for women.

Earlier this month, Victoria and Northern Lights’ vice president in the UAE, Vania Henry, delivered the findings of their research at initiative for female leaders during a lunch for 60 of the UAE’s most senior women, hosted by Lubna Qassim, executive vice-president and group general counsel of Emirates NBD, the largest banking group in the Middle East.

The duo revealed that successful women need strong personal brands to identify their expertise, make more impact in meetings and to be a recognised thought leader around their expertise.

In response, Northern Lights has now developed a range of services for leaders including personal branding, how to have impact in meetings and presentations and to become a recognised thought leader through blogging and social media.

As Victoria founded Northern Lights 25 years ago and started operating in the UAE three years ago, she is no stranger to finding success in the boardroom, but what prompted the Yorkshire-based businesswoman to conduct such a lengthy investigation now?  

“Two years ago, the BBC asked me to become one of their 100 expert women, commenting on social media on TV and radio. I travel between the UK and UAE for business and people in Dubai kept saying ‘we need this here, more women should be in the media’.  At the time I was looking to develop a new strand for our business around social media and leadership – for the UK and the UAE.  And I saw this as an opportunity, particularly helping women into leadership positions for both countries,” she told me.

“As I listened to women, it wasn’t really the media profile they wanted but to be recognised for their expertise by government bodies, board directors and so on – and to make more impact in meetings.  As a result, we have developed an initiative to help leaders – men and women, in the UK and the UAE - focused on three areas.  Identifying and packaging their personal brand – do colleagues and their industry know what they are expert in; how to use this brand for impact in meetings and presentations; and promoting their expertise using thought leadership blogging and social media.”

Due to her own position as a female leader in business, Victoria knew exactly who to contact to achieve the most concise results.

“I do a lot of guest speaking and workshops on LinkedIn and social media for businesses.  I am also regularly invited to speak at senior women’s events.  So I got a lot of feedback at all these events and then I used my network and LinkedIn to meet women on an individual basis,” she explained.

“I focused on senior women who were looking for non-exec positions; directors on boards who wanted to make more impact personally and for their organisation; and directors who were clearly thought leaders but not recognised as such.”

Victoria first founded Northern lights PR in 1989 after working for Ernst & Young as a director, and when she became a woman in a senior business position, Victoria though “being a woman in a man’s world has been a fantastic advantage.”

She said: “You stand out, men are curious to know you.  The biggest challenges are the same as those facing men – strategic direction, how do we get our team behind us, what do customers want and how do we deliver that?”

And for anyone trying to become successful in business, regardless of your gender, Victoria would advise you to “focus on your customers and watch your cashflow. Be passionate about your customer, understand what they need and make sure it is niche, deliver great service, motivate your teams, understand and manage the finances.

“We’ve kept many of our clients for years – several have been with us more than 20 years. That is hugely rewarding on all levels, to know you are making a difference.”

More than three-quarters of the jobs attracted to Kent and Medway by Locate in Kent in the past year resulted from investment by foreign companies.

After being set a target to create or retain 3,310 jobs in Kent and Medway during 2014-15, the investment promotion agency achieved 3,325 from 46 successful projects.

Of those, 1,934 were new, 619 were jobs indirectly created by the companies’ investment in the area, and 772 were safeguarded roles. It is the highest number of direct jobs created for more than five years. 

In total, foreign investment contributed 2,297 jobs (72% of all jobs) to the Kent and Medway economies, compared to 820 (30%) in 2013-14. Some 1,480 of the new jobs (77% of all new jobs) came via Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), up from 16% in 2013-14. Another 917 indirect and safeguarded jobs were from overseas companies.

Seven successes came from the USA, three from Germany, two from France and there was one each from India, Spain, Japan and Ireland.

Paul Wookey, chief executive of Locate in Kent said: “The FDI successes of the past year highlight the attractiveness of Kent as a business location,“

“The key to those successes lies in the retail distribution sector, where significant investments by Asda, Lidl and Aldi brought a combined total of 1,518 jobs.

“The sector is changing the way it works, moving towards smaller warehouses rather than large regional distribution centres. Kent, with its connectivity to the UK motorway network and Europe via the M2 and M20, is proving highly desirable for those sort of operations.“

Paul added that each investment was large in terms of jobs ¬ and each went to a different part of Kent, he said: “It highlights that foreign investment is important as each success tends to result in more jobs than UK-based companies investing in Kent – an average of 79 jobs per success for overseas companies compared to 35 for UK companies this year,“

Alongside retail distribution, the high value life sciences sector also proved important, with five successes, three of which were from overseas, including US healthcare technology company Quvium, which became the 100th tenant to sign up at Discovery Park, Sandwich.

Warwick Morris, chairman of Locate in Kent, said: “Life sciences is a crucial sector for us and we have benefitted greatly from having modern, flexible premises such as Discovery Park in Sandwich and Kent Science Park in Sittingbourne.

“They have played a crucial role in establishing a growing cluster of companies in the county, which in turn can prove a decisive influence when others are considering investment.

“Especially welcome has been the amount of new investment in East Kent, partly through the attraction of Discovery Park, and partly thanks to financial incentives available through the Regional Growth Fund. These factors contributed to the attraction of 20 investments in 2014-15.“

Locate in Kent came into 2015-16 with 292 active projects in the pipeline, with the prospect of 13,766 associated jobs. Of those, more than 80 successes are expected to come to fruition by the end of the year, producing more than 3,000 jobs.

A Yorkshire family have launched a new men’s lifestyle website that provides luxury products for the well-groomed modern man.

The entrepreneurial family have already invested £80k in avaj.co.uk, which currently has 41 product lines ranging from grooming, clothing, homeware and accessories.

Over the past twelve months, the product range has been designed, developed and procured, and there are also plans to expand the product lines further over the next year.

Products currently sold online include the brand’s own label underwear and contemporary grooming products, all of which are designed in their Bradford office.

The new lifestyle website is committed to supporting the UK manufacturing industry, as 90% of the company’s current product lines are made in the UK, including the firm’s grooming products range which is manufactured entirely in Yorkshire.

Supporting the website launch is a £24k marketing drive, which includes SEO, public relations and social media campaigns.

Tracey Denison, managing director, said: “We launched the website with the vision of providing a sophisticated, non-sexualised online environment in which gay men, their family and friends can buy gorgeous products beautifully wrapped  for themselves and others which truly reflect their lifestyle, we wanted to create a shopping experience that made buying from avaj special.

“Whilst shopping online for presents for my gay son, Joe, we discovered there was a gap in the market for a sophisticated lifestyle products website which catered to this audience, moving away from the overt sexualisation often associated with designated web based retailers targeting gay men.

“The brand was conceptualised and created with our philosophy and ethics in mind, reflecting a more accurate understanding of our target audience, and with Joe, avaj operations director designing the entire clothing range.

“We are proud that 90% of the avaj product range is manufactured in the UK, and we aim to support the UK manufacturing industry wherever possible. This includes our grooming product range which is made entirely in our home county of Yorkshire, and contains popular products such as our Sandlewood Spray Mist Body Moisturiser and Mr Bright Eyes cream.”

Image source: ell brown

A flooring firm, The Reclaimed Flooring Company (RFC), has announced that it has relocated its operations to larger new premises in Stockport to accommodate its ongoing growth thanks to a six-figure funding deal from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

RBS has supported the relocation with a £100k package including a £75k commercial loan to fund the refit of the new business premises and purchase of new equipment and a £25k overdraft facility to support working capital.

The move has seen the company move from a unit on Gorsey Mount Street, where they have been based since 2008, to a 15,000 square foot facility on Whitehill Industrial Estate.

New staff members in both administrative and production roles will also be recruited as a result of the move.

Established in 2006 by brothers Tom and Rob Henry, RFC manufacture bespoke flooring from authentic reclaimed, replica reclaimed and specialised new wood.  

The company hit targeted turnover of £1.2 million for the year ending February 2015 and is looking to exceed £1.6 million turnover by 2016 year end and £2.25 million by 2017.  

Director of The Reclaimed Flooring Company Limited, Tom Henry, said: "Ongoing business successes meant that we had outgrown our previous premises and needed a larger facility to cope with production demands.

“The new site has given us five times the amount of space than we had before, allowing us to maximise production efficiencies and giving us plenty of room to grow.

"Switching to RBS has been excellent.  

“The process couldn’t have been simpler and the package that the team has put together has been fantastic in assisting us with the costs of expansion.

“Their support been instrumental in securing this move."

Relationship manager at RBS Corporate Banking, Mark Faulkner, said: "We are pleased that RFC decided to switch their banking facilities to RBS and that we could support their growth plans with a suitable funding package.

"Their growth strategy is excellent and Tom and Rob have developed a strong company and a desirable product offering.  

“We are looking forward to working alongside them in the future and to helping them achieve their growth objectives."

Drop-in business lounge and meeting rooms open for today’s flexible workforce

Regus, the global workspace provider, has opened the doors to its first Regus Express location on the M1 motorway, at Watford Gap motorway service area.

The new generation workplace is designed to cater for the growing needs of mobile workers, local home-based professionals and business travellers.  It features a drop-in business lounge with free, secure Wi-Fi and refreshments, as well as high-specification meeting rooms which are bookable by the hour. 

Based on the experience of other Regus Express sites already open on the motorway network, Regus expects the facility to be popular with local professionals seeking an alternative to the home office or looking for a convenient location for meetings, as well as those who work on the move.

Regus comments: “We’re delighted to announce the opening of our latest innovative Express location at Britain’s oldest motorway service area.  This marks the latest step in the expansion of our Regus Express network, which offers flexible, professional workspaces for those who work on the move. 

“Notions of ‘the office’ are changing rapidly and we increasingly need places to connect to work, wherever we are. As a company, we are leading a revolution in the way we work and striving to make modern business easier by extending our network of Express locations at leading transport and retail hubs across the globe.”

Regus Express Watford Gap is the latest milestone in the roll-out of Regus’ Third Place concept - professional workspaces and office facilities at places where business people and mobile workers pass through in daily life.  In the UK, Express locations can also be found at shopping centres, retail parks, airports and hotels.

There are two ways to access Regus Express centres:

• Pay-as-you-go access priced at £5 per hour or £10 per day.
• Regus Businessworld membership at £35 per month, which provides drop-in access to the business lounges at each of Regus’ 320 UK locations including Regus Express. 

A brand new family-run bathroom business has now opened its doors for business in one of Sheffield’s most famous former entertainment venues. 

iBath, established by Jane Hunter and her sister Isabella, specialises in selling British made bathroom products and is the only showroom in the region to stock brands from this country alone.

The new company is located on the site of the former Attercliffe Non Political Working Men’s Club on Effingham Road, which in the 1960s and 70s hosted some of the city’s biggest entertainers, including Bobby Knutt, Marti Caine, Paul Shane, Charlie Williams, Lynne Perrie and her brother Dougie Brown.

The renovated building is now the home to a newly developed bathroom showroom, which stocks high quality brands such as Be Modern, Roman, Alliance, Silverdale, Tavistock, AKW and Ideal Standard. 

Customers will be able to choose from a range of products including bathroom suites, showers, taps, fitted furniture, mirrors and matching accessories along with the latest range of wall cladding.

iBath is also planning to open its own dedicated mobility showroom, which will be the only one of its kind in South Yorkshire.

The showroom will offer specialist products including walk-in baths, height adjustable baths with powered swing seating, wet rooms, raised height toilets and newly launched wider toilets.

Jane Hunter, managing director of iBath, said: "We are incredibly excited to bring our brand new business to Sheffield. Our philosophy is based on selling British made products at affordable prices, which is unique to this area and something we pride ourselves on greatly.

"We have worked tirelessly to create a modern, appealing showroom which showcases the quality products that we have on offer. Customers are able to come to us with a range of requirements, from needing a complete bathroom to just few accessories, and we can meet their needs.

"We are lucky to have acquired such a unique building to house iBath. It is steeped in history, from its time as a working men’s club to becoming a nightspot, and is certainly a talking point for customers.“

Image source: Effervescing Elephant

Gateshead Council has become the first of fifteen specialist organisations across the UK to help get a local business off the ground, under a scheme providing advice and support to unemployed people.

Marking the second of two ‘firsts’ for the council, Gateshead Council became the only public sector organisation in the UK to win one of the Department of Work and Pensions £1.7m contracts last year, beating off stiff competition from private sector providers.

The work is part of the Government’s New Enterprise Allowance scheme which helps people who are unemployed get advice and support to develop a business idea, following a referral from their Job Centre Advisor.

Gateshead has been providing a similar service since 2011, when it became the lead authority for the NEA in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.  From 2011 until 2014, 2,000 people from the area were helped to set up their own business. Then the Council won a national bid to provide the scheme across the whole of the North East region.

The first business start up of the new scheme, which began in January, is a nursery based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. With the ever rising demand for quality childcare, the business already has 11 children on the register.

Gateshead Council subcontracts out to a number of local enterprise agencies who deliver the NEA scheme and it was South Durham Enterprise Agency who provided the service to this new start-up.

The business coaches at each agency provide support and practical help with a wide range of subjects including that issue most people starting a business fear - taxes. All participants on the scheme get help writing a business plan over an eight week period and can gain access to additional volunteer mentor support from the local business community.

Once the business plan is approved, the business starts, supported by 26 weekly payments, which have proved helpful to many while their businesses are in the early stages of development. Participants can also apply for an enterprise loan via the Government’s ‘start up loans’ scheme, so a full programme of both financial and practical support is provided.

Business coaches supporting participants continue to offer help even after the businesses have started, for help and encouragement.

Andrew Marshall, Service Director for Economic and Housing Growth at Gateshead Council said: “We are absolutely delighted to be the first organisation nationwide to have the first business start under this new programme.

“This contract win was hugely significant for us. It demonstrates the ability and skills of our experts and shows the quality of the offer that we can provide to local unemployed people.

“Having helped 2,000 people during the last contract, we’re looking forward to working with our partners to help thousands more local people to set up their own business in the North East.

“We are particularly grateful to our partners in Job Centre Plus, who are the key to helping with the success of this programme.

“They are the first point of call for anyone on benefits who is interested in setting up their own business. They signpost those people to us and the whole process begins – hopefully towards business success.“

Image source: CaesarJB

In the third week of our Election 2015 regional coverage, we approached businesses in Surrey to give comment on the biggest date in the political calendar. 

In the company’s ‘Manifesto for Innovation in the United Kingdom’, Jack Bedell-Pearce, managing director of Byfleet-based hosting provider, 4D-DC said:

"Providing apprenticeships is not just a matter of recruiting young people and leaving them to learn on the job. For apprenticeships to have a real impact on the UK economy, the apprentices need to be properly trained both within the workplace and in many cases supported with outside specialist courses. 

"Many start-up businesses are an ideal training ground for apprentices but in the early years of a business, losses will be incurred. Although external training costs are an allowable expense, most SMEs in the start-up phase will not pay Corporation Tax in the early years when cash flow is critical."James Wyatt partner of Surrey-based estate agent Barton Wyatt, said: "Non-dom abolition. This is a good headline grabber for Labour. Tax the naughty rich who hide their vast piles of money overseas. 

"The reality is rather more complicated, if only because no-one knows what the overseas income and assets of the UK based non-doms consists of. Least of all, how non-doms might react to this proposal. 

"An upside of £1bn extra to the treasury is one estimate, but if enough non-doms pack up are leave the UK, there could be a net loss.

"By their very nature, non-doms are well advised, and there are plenty of measures they could take to avoid paying UK tax. But will they leave? Yes, plenty will.

"Mansion tax. There is generally misunderstanding about this proposal. Labour wants us to believe this is a tax on the stinking rich. But in fact, it is a tax on the wealthy, many of whom don’t roll around in piles of cash. For example – wealthy Home Counties family in a heavily mortgaged house worth £5m. Kids not burdening the state by being privately educated. Annual holiday might stretch to a couple of weeks in Devon. Mansion tax of £23,000 (let’s say) out of taxed income? Impossible.

"However, Mr ‘Russian’ who owns £10m house, as well as 3 others, mansion tax of £83,000 – not a problem. He is wealthy AND rich! But how many of these type of people are there? Not many.

"50% tax rate. The evidence is all there. A lower ‘top’ tax rate will encourage entrepreneurial types to invest in business. We have 0% inflation. We need investment and jobs. Not extra taxes."

Jill Pinner, chairman and founder of Fizz, a Dorking-based field marketing company, said: "As a business owner I would like to see some integrity from a political party. I think it’s time that the government realised the importance of honesty. 

"Small and medium sized businesses pay numerous types of tax and employ lawyers and accountants to ensure they are on the right side of the law. However it seems that large corporations get off lightly when found to be avoiding their responsibilities on this front. I would like to see a fairer system put in place so that SMEs are not punished for doing the right thing."

Richard Morley, director of European Development at Epsom-based Liquid Finance, said: "At Liquid Finance, we specialise in helping UK micro businesses grow & prosper, by providing quick & flexible business finance. The forthcoming election is therefore hugely pertinent and at present, looks very unpredictable. We are seeing some nervousness from our customers in the run up, specifically in relation to the UK economy and where it might be headed. 

"Overall, we want the new government to stop neglecting millions of UK micro businesses. Micro businesses continue to be the powerhouse of the UK economy, playing a crucial role in leading the country out of recession. They demonstrate tangible economic recovery providing real jobs, real wage growth and entrepreneurialism. We believe more attention needs to be paid to the genuine ‘Small Business’ community. 

"These businesses run into the millions, but in truth, are not represented within the various initiatives being run for the so called ‘SME sector’. Micro businesses represent the shopkeepers, hair dressers, publicans, restaurant owners, MOT garage owners and more. These businesses form the backbone of our local communities, yet are constantly neglected by governments, regardless of who, because individually they are not considered vote winning."   "In the forthcoming election we would like to see:

• A reduction in red tape and a recognition of the importance of micro businesses to communities and local trade. We would also welcome support enabling micro businesses to join the digital economy, benefiting from all it has to offer.  A reduction in business rates would help that journey.
• Improved tax relief on all forms of business investment, as well as on research and development, would provide real incentives to invest and grow. The application of improved taper relief and an increase in the inheritance tax threshold, would provide even greater impetus for micro businesses to take a longer term view of their business investment, as well as promoting a sense of being valued. In addition, allowing enhanced pension provision through the business assets would be a real driver of change."

Casey Bowden, MD at Woking-based Harvey Water Softeners said: "The number one thing I want from the election is stability. Being able to rely on that would give peace of mind to business owners like me in the medium and long term. 

"After that, I’ll be hoping for a continued focus on improving infrastructure, growing the economy and reducing the deficit. I think that the Conservatives will be the best people to deliver on these aims."

Director at Faith Recruitment in Woking, Nikki Formella, commented: "Regardless of how close to call the forthcoming election may be, what is certain is that the next five years will be a period of changes for businesses here in Surrey, no matter which party gets the keys to Number 10."First there is the question of whether the UK remains a member of the EU or not. This will create a certain degree of uncertainty over the next 12-18 months or so, with most of the UK’s exports going to Europe. So any move to break ties with the EU could negatively impact on Surrey-based businesses that export goods overseas.

"Secondly, the question of Europe goes hand in hand with the issue of immigration – it remains unclear whether EU nationals will continue to have the right to work in the UK.

"We have only recently recovered from the recession but there remains an element of nervousness – should Mr Miliband get into power, we will see changes to the minimum wage (Labour wants to raise it) and temporary workers. This could put pressure on SMEs – the greatest source of employment opportunities in Surrey.

"However, away from the doom mongering, the good news for small businesses in the region is that each of the main three parties recognise the importance  of SMEs to the wider regional and UK economy and their role in creating jobs and stimulating growth. So we are likely to see greater support for and ensuring access to government schemes.

"Access to finance is expected to be increased and the issue of late payments, which have been the bane of local businesses since time immemorial, will be addressed with a series of clamp down measures introduced which will inevitably see fewer local businesses shut up shop”

Image source: sdhansay

Bdaily is continuing to ask businesses from each area of Yorkshire about what they want and expect from the forthcoming general election, in a weekly roundup.

As mentioned earlier this month, more than 100 of the country’s most senior business figures, a number of whom are based in Yorkshire, signed a letter to back Conservatives over the economy.

Therefore Bdaily is trying is uncover if Labour is losing significant support from the region they are so used to dominating.

After asking businesses in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire for their thoughts, Bdaily wanted to delve deeper into the hopes and expectations of different companies in the region, therefore having a more specific view in a range of sectors.

As it is just under two weeks until the most important day in British politics, Yorkshire businesses share their thought about the ever-changing property market, which has been hotly debated during the runup to election day.

Nick Masheder, Managing Partner at Yorkshires largest conveyancing firm, Wakefield’s Beaumont Legal, said:

“The run up to the general election is always full of promises where each party tries to please everyone and, whoever gets into power, it’s impossible to know which policies will actually get implemented and which are just there as vote winners.

“The property market is going well at the moment, both in the commercial and residential sectors, and it’s important that this continues. A healthy property market makes a large contribution to the economy, not just with estate agents and solicitors but also builders, decorators and other industries so any future government needs to ensure the momentum remains. There have been several good initiatives such as Help to Buy and recent changes in Stamp Duty which have benefitted the residential market so hopefully this will continue with any future government.

“There has also been a lot of talk lately about how Scotland could benefit from the election but we need to make sure The North stays firmly on the agenda. We’ve had speculation about investment in high speed rail linking Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester but the next government needs to make this actually happen if we’re going to strengthen and grow commerce in the region and make sure that quality young people stay in the region.”

Paul Johnstone, Collingwood Legal

Specialist North East employment law firm Collingwood Legal has boosted its senior team with the recruitment of Paul Johnstone.   Paul, who has joined has joined Newcastle-based Collingwood after previously being a partner with Muckle LLP, boasts more than 20 years’ experience of resolving complex and challenging employment-related disputes.

A graduate of Newcastle and Northumbria Universities,  Paul worked in both public and private sector organisations before embarking on his legal career.    

Paul Johnstone said: “The exciting vision of how Collingwood Legal is going to build on its successes to date made the decision to join the firm an easy one for me.   

"Modern law firms have to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of their clients’ operations, business strategies and the commercial realities their clients face if they are to successfully deliver the high quality, expert advice that those organisations need to prosper and grow.  

"It’s exciting to have the chance to contribute to the continuing development of a fresh, dynamic and innovative modern law firm like Collingwood Legal which has the core values of skill, knowledge, transparency and excellence at the heart of the services it provides to its clients. "   

Collingwood Legal founder and principal Paul McGowan adds: “I’ve known Paul for many years, and he is passionate about providing an excellent service to clients on all aspects of employment and equality law.   

"He has a first class reputation for fighting conscientiously to always achieve the best results for clients, and bringing him into the Collingwood team is a real coup for us  

"Our industry reputation and client base is continuing to grow both inside and outside the North East, and having Paul on board will further enhance the quality and breadth of services we’re able to offer."   

Laura Turner, Barnard Castle School  

Barnard Castle School has appointed North East-born Laura Turner, who has worked in education for 13 years, as its new preparatory school head.   

Laura, who is also an inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate, moves up from her role as head of pre-prep at Barnard Castle’s Preparatory School.   

After seven years leading the highly successful and oversubscribed classes of pupils from age four to seven she will now lead pupils to the age of eleven.   Laura graduated with a first class honours degree in Primary Education in 2002 and completed a Masters in Early Years Education.

She then secured senior management positions at Polam Hall Junior School and Barnard Castle Prep School respectively, gaining experience as ICT co-ordinator and director of studies.   Alan Stevens, headmaster at Barnard Castle School, said: “The competition for this position was immensely strong and good candidates applied from all over the country.   

“I am delighted by Laura’s success, she was our unanimous choice and she is an outstanding teacher and leader.  During the appointment process Laura stood out as the person who had the experience, skills and approach not only to maintain, but also to develop the high academic standards, breadth of education and outstanding pastoral care that Barney Prep is known for.

“I am confident that it will continue to flourish as she guides it into a new and exciting phase of its development.”

Laura said: “I am absolutely delighted and honoured to have been appointed as head of Barnard Castle Prep School.  On my very first visit here seven years ago I was immediately struck by the friendliness, warmth and confidence of the pupils.

“I believe that children thrive in a warm and welcoming atmosphere where there is always a ‘buzz’ of activity and where learning is a pleasure.  That is the Barney way and I am excited to have the opportunity to contribute to it and lead us forward into the next phase of the school’s development.”

Neil Jarvis, Able UK

Neil Jarvis, who has over 30 years’ experience in the engineering and construction sector, has been appointed as special projects manager at Able UK.

Working with the company’s Property and Development team on developments in both the North East and the Humber, Nick joins Able UK after having held senior management and board positions in a number of major companies, including the A&P Group and Heerema Fabrication Group.

Able Group’s executive chairman, Peter Stephenson said:  “We are delighted to have Neil bringing his deep knowledge and expertise of the various business areas in which we are involved, including, of course the energy and offshore sectors.

“Over the next few years we will be moving ahead with a range of major projects, including the Able Marine Energy Park on the Humber, and the upgrading and expansion of our facilities at Able Seaton Port and we are sure that Neil will make a significant contribution in their development and implementation.”

Able Humber Port, which encompasses the Able Marine Energy Park, covers around 2,000 acres of river frontage land on the South Humber Bank with planned developments that will service the offshore wind, logistics and port sectors.

Gareth Edwards, Maersk Training

Maersk Training has announced the promotion of two staff members at its Newcastle based head office.

Gareth Edwards has recently been appointed to the new role of Chief Instructor in Newcastle, including Health, Safety, Environment, & Quality responsibility, and will report directly to the managing director Stuart Cameron.  This role will drive all matters relating to training development and delivery.

Gareth joined Maersk Training in May 2014 as a Health and Safety Instructor; delivering Health & Safety related courses before becoming became HSEQ Manager MT UK in October 2014.

Before joining the leading global training provider, Gareth has worked in a range of health and safety roles after a successful career in the armed forces.

Tessa Assadian has also recently been promoted to head of Business Administration and Finance in Newcastle from her previous role as finance manager. Tessa’s role will head up all matters relating to finance, admin, HR and IT.

Managing director Stuart Cameron said “Gareth and Tessa have brought a wealth of knowledge and experience since joining the company in May 2014 and has played an instrumental part in helping with the expansion of the business and ensuring we offer the highest quality courses to delegates. The whole Maersk Training team would like to congratulate both Gareth and Tessa on their well deserved promotions. ”

Megan Christie, Linder Myers Solicitors

Linder Myers Solicitors has boosted its nationally recognised court of protection team with the appointment of a new solicitor in its Manchester office.

Megan Christie joins the department from Irwin Mitchell and will be assisting with managing the property and financial affairs deputyships of vulnerable clients who have lost mental capacity ranging from young children with acquired brain injuries and cerebral palsy, to elderly clients suffering with dementia.

Simon Heapy, court of protection partner at Linder Myers Solicitors said: “Megan is a very welcome addition to the team and will be assisting with our growing client base. She brings solid experience in court of protection, personal injury and industrial disease having previously worked at Irwin Mitchell and completing her training at Pannone prior to that. Court of protection is a highly sensitive area and we work with our clients in both an empathetic and non-judgemental manner and Megan proved to be a great fit with our values.”

John Beard, Vantage Motor Group

Vantage Motor Group has appointed a Hyundai Business Specialist to lead the growth of the brand in the North West fleet market.

John Beard from Oldham, joins Vantage with fifteen years of sales experience after working in various roles with Fiat, Citroen, Kia and Hyundai.

John will be responsible for introducing the Hyundai brand to businesses across Manchester and the North West, forming relationships with them and familiarising them with their local Vantage Hyundai dealerships in Oldham, Manchester, Preston and Stockport.

John will be based at Vantage Hyundai Stockport, the first Hyundai dealership in the UK to rollout the manufacturer’s new corporate identity in 2014, part of the brand’s plan to sell 100,000 cars in the UK within the next two to three years.

John said: “I’m really looking forward to building on existing relationships with businesses in the local area, forming new ones, and advising them on what Hyundai can offer. The Vantage team has been incredibly welcoming and great to work with. This is a very exciting time to join Vantage as its relationship with Hyundai strengthens.”

Mark Robinson, Managing Director of Vantage Motor Group said: “John has significant experience in the sales industry as well as strong local knowledge, and so I’m confident that he will be able to advise local businesses and communities on what Vantage and Hyundai can bring them.

“At Vantage we have a passion to please, and I’m sure that John will be an asset to the company as he embraces our customer ethos.”

Duncan Firth, Walker Sime

Walker Sime, with offices in Manchester and Liverpool has strengthened its team with the appointment of Duncan Firth as Director to lead and develop its project management service offering.

Duncan joins Walker Sime from Deloitte Real Estate in Manchester. With over 20 years’ experience within project management across the property industry in a variety of senior positions, Duncan has been involved in the project management of many large and complex developments both in the UK and overseas including, sporting venues for the London Olympics in 2012, City of Manchester Stadium, MediaCityUK and various projects in the Middle East and Europe.

Mr Firth said: “Walker Sime has established itself as a reputable, professional and trusted consultancy who work on exciting projects throughout the North West and beyond with high profile clients. I recognised it as an excellent opportunity as the company enters a new phase in its growth.

“I am looking forward to the challenges ahead and being able to contribute to further strengthening the project management team at Walker Sime.”

Derek Walker, founding director of Walker Sime said: “We are delighted that Duncan has joined us at such an exciting and important time in our growth. His skillset, industry reputation and ambition to drive our Project Management Service will be another huge boost to our talent pool.”

“As we continue to compete and consistently beat some of the top national consultants, it is great that we have the ability and profile to attract key talent here in the region.”

Walker Sime is working actively with Peel Holdings on a number of projects in the Liverpool Waters and Wirral Waters Master plan. Other clients include BAE Systems, Keppel Seghers, ENW and MUSE.

Carl Rhodes, Rob Scovell, Shannon Duncalf,Plastic Card Services (PCS)

Plastic card manufacturer, Plastic Card Services (PCS), has made three new appointments in its business, administration and printing divisions following a 31 per cent increase in its year-to-date turnover.

The recruits follow several new wins for the company, including Wyevale Garden Centre, Gourmet Society and Danish company, Matas, all of which total more than £4.5m in revenue.

Recent Philosophy, Politics and Economics graduate, Rob Scovell, who previously worked at communications agency Fishburn, joins PCS as a data administrator. Rob will be working alongside newly recruited Macclesfield College student, Shannon Duncalf, who is joining the team as a business administration apprentice.

Completing the trio of recruits, Carl Rhodes joins the Macclesfield-based company as a lithographic printer. Carl has a wealth of printing and production experience, having worked in the likes of Pillans & Waddies, Walkers Instore and most recently St Ives Direct.

PCS is further demonstrating its commitment in developing the skills of their staff by offering a range of training programmes, covering areas such as business telephone selling, negotiation skills and presentation skills, all of which are endorsed by the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM).

Rob Nicholls, managing director of PCS, said: “Following several big business wins and exceptional year-to-date growth, it’s most definitely the best time to be investing in our team and ensuring we are adding new talent to each area.

“We pride ourselves in developing new talent and recruiting experienced people, so we’re looking forward to welcoming new faces to the team and making the most of the skills they will bring.”

Chris Austin, Brewster Bye

Brewster Bye, a Leeds-based architecture firm established 23 years ago, has appointed a new managing director.

Chris Austin, who has been an integral part of the Brewster Bye team for 22 years, is taking over the role from founding partner Keith Brewster. Keith will take up a new position as a consultant in the business and continue to support the board of directors as well as overseeing a wide range of projects in the residential and community sectors.

Chris will work alongside fellow directors and shareholders Mark Henderson and Nathan Wilkinson to continue growing the firm, which is based in Headingley and employs 23 staff.

The firm is currently working on the luxury residential conversion of St. Leonard’s Place in York for Rushbond PLC, the redevelopment of the Leeds Girls High School site in Headingley for Stonebridge Homes and three regeneration sites in Doncaster of over 300 houses for Muse Developments.

Keith, Brewster Bye’s founding partner, said: “Since founding the business with David Bye in 1992, our team of directors have ensured that Brewster Bye has earned an enviable reputation in both the public and private sectors for delivering visually striking and highly functional quality projects that are managed to the highest level. I am really looking forward to my new position and seeing the business continue to thrive under Chris’ leadership.“

Commenting on the appointment, Chris added: “It’s a privilege to accept this new role and I will be continuing to work closely with Keith and the rest of the team to grow our business. It’s a very exciting time for us as the improving economy presents a wide range of opportunities across all sectors, with both new and existing clients.“

Mark Wilkinson, Dawn Carlisle and Rob Lucas, Shulmans

Corporate law firm Shulmans has promoted three associates to the position of partner.

Mark Wilkinson, head of Insolvency and Credit Management Services, has extensive experience in this field and has been the driving force behind the rapid growth of the department. He will play a key part in further enhancing its reputation as experts in business recovery. Mark joined Shulmans two and a half years ago having previously worked at Lee & Priestley and Lupton Fawcett.

Dawn Carlisle joined the firm in 2011 from Gordons. A highly experienced commercial property solicitor operating within the firm’s Real Estate team, she specialises in mixed-use developments, retail and industrial parks, relocations and solar panel development. Dawn is also a member of Shulmans’ international team.

Rob Lucas, head of the firm’s Intellectual Property team, joined Shulmans in 2008 and is recognised in the Legal 500 for his work in the field. Rob also developed Shulmans’ international IP profile, assisting multinational clients and has recently worked on matters in Brazil, Canada, USA, India and Europe.

Tim Halstead, managing partner at Shulmans, said: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of three new partners.

“Our recent breaking through the £10million turnover barrier could not have been achieved without the talented people that make Shulmans an award-winning firm.  In the past five years we’ve created 65 new jobs, attracted a high calibre of recruits from outside the firm, and also promoted from within.  These new, senior appointments underline our ambitions for the future and demonstrate that we have the right people in place to move forward into what we predict will be very exciting times for the firm.”

Sara Blannin, Ecus Ltd

Ecus Ltd, an environmental consultancy based in Sheffield, has boosted its board and management team with the appointment of a new finance director.

Sara Blannin has joined Ecus Ltd, which assists clients through the planning process including ecology, landscape, geosciences and environmental management services, and will divide her time between the firm’s Cheltenham office and its Sheffield headquarters.

Sara previously worked as an associate director at environmental, health and safety support services firm RSK, where she had divisional finance role and also headed up the ecology business.

Nick Birkinshaw, Ecus managing director, said: “Sara has a proven track record in delivering results and we are really pleased to welcome her to the team.

“Thanks to a combination of her wealth of experience in accounting and her background in and knowledge of environmental planning and ecology, I am sure her appointment will enhance the team here at Ecus even further.”

Commenting on the appointment, Sara said: “Both the variety of the role and the ethos here at Ecus really appealed to me. It is a company that is very client-focused and remains committed to its core values, despite enormous growth in last few years. Often when companies get bigger, they lose sight of those values but, while Ecus delivers professional services to an expanding client portfolio and has ambitious plans for further growth, the culture remains down to earth and welcoming.

“It is something I am very excited to be a part of, hence becoming a shareholder as well as a director.”

Glen Judge, IGEM

Northern Gas Networks (NGN) operations manager Glen Judge, has been appointed Chairman of the North East and Yorkshire section of IGEM (Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers).

Glen was the regional secretary for IGEM for several years and now takes up the leading position of the organisation for this region for the 2015/2016 financial year.

IGEM is a professional body for people working in the gas industry, both in the UK and around the world, with regional sections across the country.

As part of his new role, Glen will be responsible for managing the numerous networking and social events which take place each year as part of the IGEM calendar.

Commeting on the appointment, Glen said: “It is a real honour to be appointed Chairman this year and I hope to help deliver a great programme which has something for everyone.

“My appointment was made formal at IGEM’s most recent regional innovation and networking event, which took place in Harrogate on 7th April. This year’s theme was ‘innovation for customer excellence’ where our Head of Customer Experience, Eileen Brown, was speaking on the subject. The event was really well attended as always and it was a great opportunity for guests to hear about the latest technologies and techniques in our industry.”

NGN delivers gas to 2.7 million homes and businesses across the North of England and provides the region’s rapid response service for customers who smell gas at home or work.

In an open letter to the Daily Telegraph, the owners of 5,000 small businesses have urged voters to back the Conservatives in the General Election.

The business leaders,  who employ 100,000 people between them, said: "We work hard, make sacrifices and invest our own money to help our businesses grow and succeed.

"It was tough during the recession, but we kept going. We would like to see David Cameron and George Osborne given the chance to finish what they have started."

"A change now would be far too risky and would undo all the good work of the last five years."

According to Sky News, the backing comes as the Prime Minister prepares to give a speech later setting out his plans for helping small firms that form the "backbone" of the UK economy, he will say: "Labour think it’s government that creates jobs. We know it’s the people who take risks, start out on their own, wake up at the crack of dawn to open up their shop and do their books on the kitchen table at midnight who create jobs,"

"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy - and Conservatives are behind them 100%.

"We are the party of the grafters and the roofers and the retailers and the plumbers. We get them, we respect them, we understand them, we back them. While Labour sneer, we cheer."

Mr Cameron will make a speech in in central London laying out plans to see 600,000 new businesses started every year by 2020.

To read more of Bdaily’s Election Coverage, visit our dedicated page.

Blackpool and The Fylde College (B&FC) has named employer engagement as a key factor to student success rates after it was ranked as the highest performing general FE and tertiary college in the country for 2013/14.

With a 92.9% overall success rate, B&FC tops the table of 218 other colleges and is significantly ahead of the 83.6% national average in England.

The College’s career-focussed professional and vocational qualifications are actively supported by industry, and  business partners can be equally proud of their contribution to the success its students have achieved.

Bev Robinson, Principal and Chief Executive at Blackpool and The Fylde College, welcomed the news:

"We are delighted to be named as the highest performing GFEC in England for student success. At B&FC, quality is at the heart of everything we do. Our exceptional success, retention and achievement rates mean we can supply high-achieving, work-ready, motivated students who will have a positive impact on businesses. Employer partners are also invaluable in ensuring that the provision which we offer directly meets the needs of industry.”

The College has an excellent graduate to employment record and says partnerships with employers are fundamental to shaping and delivering curriculum to develop home grown talents with the skills, knowledge and experience to drive forward the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s vision for the region.

More than 2,000 businesses choose B&FC to deliver education and training programmes to their staff including BAE Systems, Ford, DONG, The Wood Group, Morrison’s, Jaguar Land Rover, Merlin Entertainment, Rolls Royce and the NHS.

B&FC is recognised as one of the UK’s leading colleges with Grade 1‘Outstanding’ from Ofsted, double commendation from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) and STEM assured status giving it a unique quality position and offering businesses a first rate choice of partner in workforce development.

The full table can be accessed here

The Dog Walker, Yorkshire’s largest pet care service, is experiencing even more growth with the opening of a new franchise in Castleford.

Lisa Porter, a former customer, was so fond of the service that she has decided join the team to launch a new dog walking franchise servicing Castleford, Pontefract and Knottingley.

For a two year period, Lisa regularly used The Dog Walker to mind her two dogs Charlie, a Labrador, and a Westie, Whisper, whilst she and her husband were at work.

The Dog Walker provides a more intimate alternative to kennels with a range of services for busy pet owners, including dog walking, pet sitting/boarding and taxi services.

The company has recently been shortlisted for the Harrogate Business Awards, has previously won the regional Local Business Accelerator Award in Yorkshire and was named as a finalist in the Small Business of the Year categories at both the Yorkshire Post’s Excellence in Business awards and the York Press Business Awards.

Lisa said: “My husband and I have always loved animals and our dogs are important members of the family. It was my husband who suggested taking on the franchise so that I could not only work from home and spend time with our dogs but also do something that I would really enjoy.”

Richie Womersley, managing director of The Dog Walker, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Lisa to our team.  It’s a real endorsement for our business to have a former customer realise the potential of owning their own franchise with us. I am confident that Lisa will quickly settle into her new role and be able to expand the business in Castleford, Pontefract and Knottingley.”

Following a divorce, with just £200 in the bank, Liz launched her own company, Liz Taylor Associates, in 1985. 

She later joined forces with industry colleague Dianne Lynn to form the Taylor Lynn Corporation in 1995 creating a successful team until 2008, when Liz managed an amicable partnership buy-out.  

Based in Manchester, the company’s turnover for 2014 pushed the £4m marker and is celebrating 30 years of being in the businesses.

Today TLC works with top corporate and celebrity names with clients such as X factor judge Gary Barlow, retail guru Mary Portas, football star Gary Neville, Manchester City FC player Yaya Toure, actress Sally Lyndsay and a host of Coronation Street stars.

Liz Taylor’s time in business has witnessed the bombing of Manchester, the rebuild and reinvestment in the city, the Commonwealth Games, recession and in spite of economic challenges in the corporate market, the company continues to grow.  

She has witnessed many changes in both the city, the region and the country as a whole, but also in how the business world for women has altered and how the way in which we conduct business has become far more ‘relaxed’.

Liz spoke exclusively to Bdaily she said: “We achieve the impossible.

“It doesn’t matter what the client’s budget level, they choose TLC because we constantly break down technological barriers, use our creative depth to propel our events to a new level of fun, and where other companies may feel something is not possible with an event, we find the solutions.

“I love my work – that makes getting up at 5am every day and heading to the office or an event easy for me.  

“Still having huge passion for my work after 30 years is a huge motivator.

“My first year was incredibly successful, so I invested it all back into the business and didn’t take a wage from the company for two years.  

“It was all about re-investing to grow my client base.”

What is the biggest challenge you face?

“Our biggest challenge is staying ahead of the competition and we do this by continuous innovation.  

“It is key to always look ahead at what is going to be popular and on-trend with our clients, never to deliver what is popular now.  We lead and others follow."

Is there anything unusual about your company that you would like to share?

“People think that we employ hundreds and hundreds of people.  

“We don’t.  It’s me and five other people.  

“We work with a huge bank of suppliers but on a day-to-day basis it’s just the six of us which is how we manage to keep the quality and consistency of our events so high.  

“I am very hands on, and still roll up my sleeves and get stuck into whatever job needs doing – whether that’s setting tables, sound checking or greeting guests on the door, I’ll do it.”

How has your industry changed since you first set up the business?

The events market was a fledgling industry 30 years ago so as you can imagine it’s changed a great deal.  

“Companies/individuals didn’t employ event companies and I helped to pave the way for that to happen in the north-west. 

“At that time, it was an uphill battle to help corporate business understand the merits of using an events planner and just how much I could add to their marketing.

“The sheer scale of the industry, on a worldwide level now, still astounds me and its continued growth means this will is only set to expand further.

Hassle.com has cleaned up in Manchester, the online marketplace for cleaners, has created hundreds of jobs in Manchester since launching in the city eight months ago.

Over 15,000 hours of cleaning and approximately 7000 Manchester bookings have been made on the site so far indicating a vacuum for cleaners in the city.

All cleaners on Hassle.com run their own micro business, allowing them to choose when and where they work and each earn above the minimum wage and industry standard.

Hassle.com’s top cleaner in Manchester has carried out almost 1000 hours of cleaning.

Elaine Abimbola, has been using Hassle.com to find customers in Manchester for eight months. “I like Hassle.com because it’s easy to use, I’m paid a good wage and everything is so flexible,” says Elaine.

“Hassle.com matches me with potential jobs but I’m the one who chooses when I want to work and who I work for.”

Co-founder Hassle.com, Jules Coleman, says, “I first thought of the idea behind Hassle.com whilst I was working in Manchester.

“It’s an exciting hub for tech companies and early adopters.  

“Hundreds of cleaners are signing up to find customers in Manchester and thousands of customers are logging on to book cleans.

“We’ve had an extremely busy year expanding and getting our Android and iOS apps off the ground.

“We’re excited to see what we can bring to Manchester next.”

Two Brunel students have secured £20k investment from the national Direct Line "Everyday Fix" competition for their tiny emergency phone charger.

The Nipper turns ordinary household batteries from AAA to D into a source of emergency power using a device.

Led by Final-year design students Doug Stokes and Chris Tait, Impulse hopes the product will be as small as a couple of Polo mints by the time it hits the shops.

Doug said: “The working prototype is already pretty small – we’re pretty certain it’s smaller than anything else on the market.

“We wanted something that you can always have with you as almost everyone has had an issue with a phone battery on its last legs when you are nowhere near a mains socket.

“But you can pick up batteries almost anywhere. With the Nipper you pop in any round battery and from a single AA you’ll get around an hour’s talk time or as much as seven hours on standby.“

Doug and Chris will now get professional mentoring and support as part of their prize before the Nipper is crowd-funded via Kickstarter. They beat teams from some of the UK’s leading design consultancies in the close-fought contest which went to a public vote.