Kings Elite Snacks, the York based sports nutrition company, has launched a brand new range of protein-packed products that will offer consumers an array of tasty and healthy gourmet snacks.

The company, established by former England rugby internationals Mike Tindall and brothers Charlie, Mark and James Simpson-Daniel, will provide a new range that includes a Biltong recipe, BBQ Beef Jerky flavour, and a brand new Pulled Pork Jerky flavour – the first ever British pork jerky launched in the UK.

Acquired by New World Foods Europe in November 2014 for an undisclosed sum, Kings Elite Snacks wanted to secure nationwide grocery listings to become the No.1 brand in the UK biltong and jerky market.

The continued growth of the brand has been supported by the agreement with New World Foods Europe, which has enabled the production of Kings Elite Snacks be integrated into its York headquarters. Here, the brand has benefited from its state-of-the-art facilities, received a full brand refresh and brand new product launch.

Specialising in producing low-calorie high-protein cured meats, full of natural goodness, the new products in the Kings Elite Snacks range are an ideal supplement for training or for healthy snacking.

Available to purchase online from £1.99 per 40g pack, each product in the Kings Elite Snacks range is made from the finest and leanest cuts of 100% British & Irish beef or pork.

Marinated and seasoned in carefully selected secret seasonings, each product in the range is expertly cured to give each flavour a unique soft texture.

Charlie Simpson-Daniel, Kings Elite Snacks founder and director, said: “We set up Kings Elite Snacks in response to the bland, high calorie protein bars, that as professional athletes we had to eat everyday as part of our planned diets.

“We are incredibly proud of what we have created as we see our product range as somewhat revolutionary in its approach to the UK snack category. As we are able to offer consumers natural and delicious snacks that have superior nutritional values to sports supplements making snacking a completely guilt free experience!”

A vintage clothing entrepreneur has transformed his small student venture into a global Barnsley-based business.

After selling charity shop purchases on eBay about 12 years ago, John Hickling now runs a company that employs 14 people and operates a 23,000 sq ft warehouse and distribution centre, which supplies more than 200 wholesale customers with recycled, upcycled and remade clothes.

Over the past six years, sales at Glass Onion Vintage have seen major growth and are expected to continue to rise as John and his team expand their customer base and court new suppliers in the USA.

The expansion at Glass Onion Vintage is now receiving support from Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC) through the Enterprising Barnsley programme, which is funded by Barnsley Council.

The company, established by John in 2006, moved to its new HQ at Strafford Industrial Park, in Stainborough last year, after outgrowing its previous premises at Barugh Green.

High Street giants Urban Outfitters, River Island  and Lush cosmetics, are among Glass Onion Vintage’s existing customers.

Furthermore, the company sources over 20,000 kilograms a month from major recycling companies across the UK and Europe. John and the team have gone into these partner companies and trained staff to spot potential vintage items.

Glass Onion then processes – recycles, upcycles and remodels - vintage jeans, jackets, dresses and skirts and sells them on in ten kilo bulk packages to a range of vintage clothing retailers and market traders.

As well as selling clothing via the company’s website to Japan, Sweden, Holland and Chile amongst others, exports represent about ten% of sales today and John aims to double this figure in the next couple of years.

John created Glass Onion Vintage in 2006, and now there are plans to create two or three new jobs in the next few years as sales increase.

Kevin Steel, Enterprising Barnsley’s business development manager at BBIC said: “Glass Onion Vintage have identified a niche in an international market for recycled goods and very quickly maximised the specialist know-how and contacts they have under their belt.

“They are vintage clothing pioneers and we look forward very much to seeing this Barnsley company grow further with the recycling industry of the future.”

John also commented: “I am off to the States next month to try and develop relationships with clothing recycling companies over there as new US legislation is about to make it illegal to put unwanted clothing into landfill; so they expect much more to enter the recycling industry process.

“Recycled clothing is becoming big business globally – vintage has evolved over the years and interest in good quality rescued or re-fashioned garments has become more mainstream.

“Plus, I think the impulse to reduce waste, make the best use of resources and develop a greener economy is becoming integral to all aspects of our lives.”

Image source: Martin Hesketh

Polling Day has finally arrived in the UK, and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg insists that we will see another coalition government formed before the week is out. 

In an interview with the Evening Standard, Clegg claimed that a Lib Dem coalition would be the best option for the people of London.

“Be under no illusion," he said, "The direction of travel for Miliband and Cameron is that they will put people in government, either directly or indirectly, who don’t give a damn about London,”

Clegg believes the SNP, which could potentially make a deal with Labour, has complete disregard for London, seeing the capital as “nothing other than something to denigrate and attack in order to burnish his credentials north of the border”.

Meanwhile he believes that David Cameron may seek to form a deal with UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who would cause havoc with London’s economy by leaving the EU.

“So the only guarantor of stability for London in my view is a stable, coalition government with us in it,” he said

As for other parts of the South East, the BBC reported earlier this week that the parties have laid out plans to rescue the NHS across Kent and East Sussex, where many hospital trusts are struggling. 

David Cameron said the government is playing the long game and he is hoping voters will trust his party to continue its work on the NHS despite less-than-ideal results since the last election, he said: "Under this government, we have seen hospitals going into special measures when they have problems but coming out the other end with better management and better results."

Miilband promised 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 more doctors for the region, funded by the £2.5bn raised from mansion tax on properties above £2m as well as money raised from tobacco companies and hedge funds.

"It is a real rescue plan," he said, "It is big money. The money will flow within months of a Labour government."

Along the road in South Thanet, Nigel Farage is fighting a battle which is both political and personal. The UKIP party leader has seen his profile rise significantly since his party failed to win the seat in 2010. 

The battle for South Thanet will be a symbolic one, as Farage strives to prove his party’s legitimacy despite UKIP’s magnetism for controversy.

All in all, this is expected to be the closest election in decades, with no clear majority emerging from the polls. In order to win by a clear majority, a party must gain 326 seats in the House of Commons. If there is no clear majority, the party with the most seats could form a minority government. Alternatively, we could see a repeat of 2010, in which the party leaders with a combined majority will spend Friday snd the first part of next week negotiating a deal to form a coalition government.

Whether the results are announced on Friday, or we see negotiations move into next week, Bdaily will be continuing its comprehensive coverage of the General Election and how it will affect small businesses across the North East, North West, Yorkshire and South East.

Today is the day, time to go and put your vote to good use, the latest polls have suggested no party will win outright and one in seven voters are still undecided according to the BBC news.

There is no doubt that it is going to be an exciting election,  but what does the election mean to business in the North West?

The main party leaders have been travelling across the UK in a last ditch attempt to bring in support from the undecided voters.  

So are businesses leaning towards a particular party?  When asked to comment many have declined to say who they want in power, and have instead focussed on what they would like to see as outcomes or areas focussed on.

Businesses in the North West have raised many concerns and given their opinions each week over the last month, with issues such as property supply and demand; internet connectivity; the need to focus on SMEs; skills shortages; the need for stability and the need for stability within energy prices all being raised by our business leaders over the last few weeks.

The Conservative pledge for the Northern Powerhouse where cities in the North of England have greater self determination is a major political issue.

The move to give Manchester control over its NHS budget and the planned HS3 route to strengthen ties between major cities in the North are two examples of the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ plan.

The NHS in the North West has been in the news this week because of its budget deficits with millions of pounds not met by their incomes.

Labour have called it a ‘financial time bomb’ while the conservatives have said  that they are committed to increasing NHS spending ‘every year’, UKIP have said it would fund the NHS by getting rid of what it calls  NHS tourism, while the Liberal Democrats have said that they have committed to a ‘fully costed plan’ to allow for the £8bn a year that the NHS will need by 2020.

While the election takes place today UKFast’s Lawrence Jones MBE reminds businesses to think carefully about why they are voting, he said: “What concerns me with this election is the possibility that, as a nation, we will be instigating change for change’s sake, not because there is a real need for it.

“From a business point of view, the coalition government we currently have has been positive, and I think we need to stay the course in order to continue to grow Britain’s economy.

“There’s never been a better time to start up in business, but whether this will be the case by next week remains to be seen.”

Conrad O’Neill, director at Canning O’Neill said: "Whichever way the vote goes, the commercial property industry needs a Government that will implement policies to ensure a solid and stable economy, which allows sustainable, controlled economic growth. The commercial property sector is reliant on a strong economy but what we don’t want is irresponsible economic policies that encourage boom & bust. This way, commercial developers and landlords are able to create the offices that thriving businesses need, at affordable rents and sensible lease terms.

"We also need the Government to treat the North of England fairly. Although the long overdue business rates revaluation is now in hand and will spread the burden of rates more equitably across the country, we don’t want to see any more policies that protect the South East at the cost of the North. The Northern Powerhouse and DevoManc initiatives set in motion by the Coalition Government must not be allowed to lose momentum. The ability for the Regions to have more control over transport, planning and local finance is essential for a fairer and more efficient local economy."

For more views pre-election have a look at our weekly election round ups:

Election 2015: North West businesses give their opinions

Election 2015: Merseyside businesses give their opinions

Election 2015: Lancashire businesses give their opinions

Do you want to comment on who you are voting for and why?  Feel free to comment below or email sophia.taha@bdaily.co.uk

Image source: michaeltk

Today is the day when the UK will find out who will be governing the country for the years to come, but as the votes are being counted there still isn’t a clear favourite among the main parties.

As for Yorkshire, the Labour party still appears to hold more parliamentary constituencies, but this number will have dipped after the release of a business letter signed by more than 100 of the country’s most senior business figures, many of whom are based in Yorkshire, which backs the Conservatives over the economy.

Over the past four weeks Bdaily has tried to discover what businesses in the region are hoping to happen in the 2015 general election, and to see if the they want a government that caters for the working people or the rich and powerful.

As well as looking at the turbulent property market in Yorkshire several weeks ago, there has been an overwhelming response about from business owners who want to see a government support small businesses and budding entrepreneurs.

As Deborah Stock, Direct Carers Ltd in Beverley, Humberside, told Bdaily: “The make-up of an entrepreneur can be as diverse as the products and services they sell and without the “get up and have a go” spirit of these type of people our world would come to a grinding halt!!“

And Carolyn Frank, owner of Libby Butler Jewellers in the market town of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, said: “Small businesses are creating economic recovery in the UK and it is important that we receive practical help from the government, that helps us to grow.  They should listen less to their spin doctors and more to organisations like the Federation of Small Businesses to develop policy, and do less electioneering and more listening to voters.“  

However, one thing the region’s SMEs can seemingly rely on is seeing the benefits of the government’s pledge to double the country’s export value, therefore as the export market place is such an important asset to Yorkshire businesses, it is vital that this pledge continues.

Furthermore, the HS2 rail network between Leeds and London has been hotly discussed amongst business leaders in yorkshire as well as throughout the north of England, with many believing the entire programme should be scrapped to concentrate on creating a Northern Powerhouse, which can compete with the big cities of the South.

Successful entrepreneur, Shane Quigley, CEO of Earth Bathrooms, told Bdaily: “The government should be investing in joining up northern cities with more efficient rail and road infrastructure…If we were to super-connect the North, we could foster a second London that would seriously boost not just the North but the UK’s economic position globally.“

Whatever the outcome is of the 2015 general election, Bdaily will continue to examine how the next government will affect Yorkshire SME’s.

Image source: Shinsuke JJ Ikegame

There have been 150 successfully shortlisted companies on the Pitch to Rich competition with 8 of the companies coming out of the North West.  

The 150 shortlisted companies are then taken down to 30, and then those 30 need to get voted for to get further selected into the next stage.  

The 30 semi finalists are announced on the 19th May.

In the meantime let’s have a look at our successful pitches from the North West:

Cheshire:

UniBulkBuy The bulk buying essentials website for students started by a student. Their claim is that you will never fight over essentials again.

Lancashire:

AudioScratch The new social network site for musicians and its fans. It allows you to discover new music and create responsive pages for your band, solo act or dancing group.

Pinnacle It is a local advertising agency that wants to work with local business to help them reach consumers via mobile.

Chairzam Fitness  It aims to change the approach people have to fitness, working with groups of people often marginalised in society and putting the emphasis on personal goals instead of competitiveness.

Merseyside:

ArtTutor  It is an existing online community, which hopes to help people learn to draw and showcase their work, it is looking to gain funding to grow their presence.

Love Me and My Secret  Its vision is to become a leading brand in post surgery bras.  The company aims to help women look and feel great and is aimed at women who have undergone surgery post cancer treatments.

Toddler Fun Learning It is passionate about educating children in a fun and accessible way via youtube.  The company allows millions of children to access their content for free and makes its revenues via advertising.  

Wicker Wings The bag brand with a charitable twist, for each wicker bag they sell a bag full of books is donated to a child in Asia. The bags are fashionable and have already got a dedicated following of bloggers.

We have our fingers crossed for all our Pitch to Rich shortlisted North West companies.

The founder of Sheffield-based Approved Food has made a major development in receiving a funding boost from Virgin boss Richard Branson as part of the Virgin Media Business Pitch to Rich competition.

After generating 6,299 votes online from supporters in Yorkshire and across the UK, former market trader Dan Cluderay, who established Approved food in in 2008, one step closer to delivering his ‘dream pitch’ to Mr Branson.

The business gained the most support out of all he 500 companies competing in the Virgin Media Business Grow category according to unofficial “league tables” and is now one of only 50 shortlisted businesses being considered for the £250k prize fund.

After urging supporters from across the region to ‘get voting’, yesterday evening Mr Cluderay and his business partner Andy Needham were informed that they have reached the next stage of the competition.

Mr Cluderay and Mr Needham, who both unsuccessfully appeared on Dragon’s Den in May 2014, specialize in selling surplus stock, as well as products that are nearing or past the best before date. Since it was founded seven years ago the business has saved in excess of 36 million items from going to landfill.

Now through to the next stage of the Virgin Media Business Pitch to Rich competition, Approved Food’s business submission will now be considered by a panel of judges before learning whether they have been included in the semi-finals.

By entering the competition Approved Food could receive part of the £1m prize fund  to grow the business further.

Commenting on getting through to the next stage, Mr Cluderay said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we are included in the shortlist and extremely grateful for all of the public support we have received. It’s been quite overwhelming.

“I think most people know by now that Sir Richard Branson is a true inspiration to us, and to have the opportunity to deliver a pitch to him – showcasing what makes Approved Food so unique – is a real dream come true.

“Thank you so, so much to everyone who voted for us. We’re one step closer meeting the man himself, and one step closer to winning the funds that will help us continue to grow.“

Bundeep Singh Rangar has launched PremFina, a new player bringing innovation to the traditional UK premium finance market with its white-label premium finance solution.

The London-based entrepreneur, who has more than 18 years’ combined experience in banking, consultancy, technology and media, has transformed the traditional premium finance model, which sees brokers facilitating rather than managing the issuance of premium finance agreements, by providing them instead with their own-branded premium finance facility.

Mr Rangar believes businesses will see better returns, better retention and greater autonomy for insurance brokers with PremFina.

PremFina’s white-label solution offers brokers a combination of market-leading software to manage the sale of broker-branded insurance policies to consumers and businesses as well as the financing to enable their customers to pay policy premiums via monthly instalment plans, allowing the brokers to keep everything in-house.

PremFina, like Uber, is in the business of cutting out the middleman with its disruptive technology, Mr Rangar said: “We’re really excited to be going to BIBA this year. It couldn’t be a better timing for us with PremFina launching just in time for the event,

“If you want to have a drink and a chat about what we do, or just want to say hi, we’ll be at stand C58.”

Image source: conner395

A survey of firms in Greater Manchester & North Cheshire conducted by the Federation of Small Business (FSB) reveals that nearly two thirds believe police overlook crimes against small business.

Asked the question, ‘do you feel business crime is often overlooked by the police?’, 64% said ‘yes’,  16% said ‘no’, while a further 20% indicated ‘unsure’.

The same survey revealed while just over half of small businesses (53%) had not been victims of crime in the last 24 months, 38% had been between one and three times; three per cent between 4-5 times, and five per cent six times or more.

Of those victims, 57% said they always reported the crime to police, 29% said they never did, and 14% cited some but not all incidents were logged with officers.

The member survey also revealed that 57% of survey respondents said the government should invest more on policing during the course of the next parliament, while 30% said spending should remain about the same.

Only 13% thought police budgets should be reduced.

FSB regional chair in Manchester & North Cheshire, Simon Edmondson, said: “The perception of small business owners is the police too often overlook crimes against small firms, and could well explain why some businesses owners are now choosing not to report crimes, as our survey suggests.

“This needs to be addressed.

“The FSB urges all businesses to report crimes – however small or petty.

“Officers can’t tackle a crime problem if they don’t know about it.

“Failing to report a crime only benefits the criminals committing them, who are then free to carry on breaking the law.

“Our members on the whole believe the government must invest more in policing over the course of the next parliament.

“The notion that investment in policing should be cut as part of ongoing austerity is clearly not popular with small business owners, who rely on a safe and stable environment in which to operate.”

12 years from selling charity shop purchases on eBay, vintage clothing entrepreneur John Hickling is now aiming to take his Barnsley-based business, Glass Onion Vintage, into the international market place.

Today the company employs 14 people and operates a 23,000 sq ft warehouse and distribution centre, and this continued success shows no signs of slowing down as John and his team expand their customer base and court new suppliers in the USA.

Glass Onion Vintage, established in 2006, is also expected to see significant growth now  support has been offered from Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC) through the Enterprising Barnsley programme, which is funded by Barnsley Council.

Being able transform a small student venture into a global enterprise shows John to be a great example of a young entrepreneur transforming his passion into a successful business, and how Yorkshire SMEs utilizing the export marketplace to their advantage.

Therefore, Bdaily spoke with the local Barnsley lad to find out the story behind Glass Onion Vintage, and his own journey as the boss of the vintage clothing wholesaler.

What made you initially decide to sell vintage charity shop clothes on eBay?

“Getting paid for doing something I love to do was the reason I decided to sell clothing on ebay.

I loved rummaging through thousands of garments to find hidden treasures. I would find 1980’s football shirts, band t-shirts and 1970s Levis denim jackets. My wardrobe was busting at the seams so I decided to sell a few of the items which I no longer wanted to wear. To my surprise people seemed to like the selection as every piece sold. This gave me a few hundred pounds, so rather than replenish my wardrobe I used the money to start a small business.“

When did you realize this could become an actual business?

“We realised Glass Onion could become an actual business when we started getting interest from high street fashion buyers and when we started to see 1-2 thousand people enter our “kilo sales” every weekend (Kilo sales are pop up events we do nationwide –this month we are in East London, Oxford, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh, Brixton and  Birmingham).

“Until that moment, it was just a hobby; I earned enough money to pay the business bills and to travel. I worked in London every weekend, I travelled around Europe buying clothing and meeting people, it was just a fun thing to do that I have been lucky enough to develop with the team.“

As Glass Onion Vintage will celebrate its tenth anniversary next year, what were the early years of the company like? When did you start seeing significant growth?

“The early years were very difficult. We were very “hand to mouth”, we had no cash and I didn’t have a clue about how to run a business. I learnt a lot of lessons, the hard way, which wasn’t fun at the time but I believe these experiences have helped create a stronger foundation for the next stage of our development.

“Our initial growth period came around 2010, we moved into a small 3000sq ft. warehouse from our “lock up” and we started proactively looking for new ways of attracting the customers we wanted to work with. Once we met these customers we focused on our relationships with the buyers and delivering a good product, that’s when the growth started.“

As Glass Onion Vintage is already exporting clothing to Japan, Sweden, Holland and Chile amongst others, what does the future hold for the company in the international market?

“Export only represents around 7% of our current turnover. There is so much more we can do with our existing wholesale business in the international market. We did a one-off kilo sale in Amsterdam which I would be keen to develop further.

“The next stage of our business will be manufacturing our own garments from recycled materials. There is a big demand for British made clothing overseas, we want to be part of a recycled fashion movement which uses South Yorkshire manufacturers and recycled fabrics. I believe that high street “fast fashion” is great but there is no reason why it can’t be environmentally friendly, ethical, sustainable and profitable.“

Image source: Matt From London

In what was expected to be one of the closest election days in recent history, is most definitely going to turn out to be a landslide victory, which will see the Conservative party return to government with a majority.

Yorkshire has been at the forefront of this unpredictable election day so far, which first saw the former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg retain his Sheffield Hallam seat with 22,215 votes.

But after the Liberal Democrats its the worst ever showing at the polling stations, Mr Clegg, who called the election a "punishing night" for the party on a national scale, has stepped down as the leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Furthermore, one of the most astonishing moments of the 2015 general election happened at Leeds’ First Direct Arena when it was revealed that shadow chancellor Ed Balls lost his Morley and Outwood seat by 422 votes to the Tory candidate Andrea Jenkyns, who won with with 18,776 votes.

As Labour were unable to attain as many seats as the party had hoped, and, quite frankly, were crushed by the Tories, Ed Miliband has also decided to resign as leader of the Labour parrty. 

As the results of the general election begin to settle in, Bdaily wanted to find the thoughts of businesses in Yorkshire.

Elizabeth Ward, principal at Leeds-based Virtuoso Legal, said: “It is great news for my clients that the Conservatives have been returned with a majority in Westminster. They have a clear agenda for businesses and I hope they will carry on with initiatives such as Growth Accelerator and tax reliefs for IP rich businesses. Their policies have helped many UK businesses including many of Virtuoso Legal’s clients. A hung parliament would have lead to uncertainty which is never good for companies.”

Paul Brown, managing director at Cars on Demand in Wakefield, said: “I am as surprised as most people about the scale of the increase in Conservative seats. I did expect another coalition with the Liberal Democrats, as I felt that would be a good result from an economic point of view. I think the result is positive from both a business and UK economic perspective, and hopefully we will see businesses starting to invest again now that there is a clear result.”

Stefanie Hopkins, director of Faith PR in Brighouse, added: “Small businesses will hope that many of the positive measures that have been put in place in recent years, such as the reduction in corporation tax and the small business rate relief, are both continued and extended by the new Conservative government. Before this General Election, the Party promised to support growing businesses such as ours and we look forward to seeing what measures they, as a majority government, are now able to put in place in the weeks, months and years ahead.”

Andy Tuscher, Yorkshire and Humber Region Director at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, stated: “During the campaign we called on party leaders to build on the foundations of growth, with continuity and stability in business policy. That is now what we expect the newly-elected Government to deliver. There is a real opportunity to properly rebalance the economy and ensure a strong focus across government on investing in and building on our industrial strength as a manufacturing nation.

“There are many issues to tackle for a new business and industry secretary, which is why we need a really big-hitter in that role. He or she will have an in-tray which will include the need to tackle some of the issues which will help Britain embed and build on the recovery. These include reversing the trade deficit, tackling an energy policy which remains a mess and redoubling efforts to deal with a creaking infrastructure by getting on with important projects, especially building a new airport hub.

“The biggest threat to our long-term economic well-being, however, remains the prospect of leaving the EU. Mr Cameron will be under pressure to call a referendum as soon as possible, possibly bringing it to next year. The new administration must move quickly and campaign on the back of a strong and positive case for Britain’s continued membership. Any drift or dithering will mean uncertainty for British businesses, which would be very unhelpful for the long-term prospects of the economy.”

Alex Grace, Managing Director of Banana Moon, commented: “We’re happy with the outcome of the election and a Conservative government. It provides some continuity to the progress being made over the past few years. As a small business which carried on spending through the recession, it’s nice to be finally coming out of the other side of that with a much more positive outlook. My confidence in the Conservative government continuing to balance the books, gives me confidence as a business owner to continue investing in the growth of my business.”

Image source: shearings

North Easterners are more likely to live close to where they grew up than anyone else in the UK

New research reveals that 63% of people in the region live within 15 miles of their family home – three times as many as in London.

Property Expert Ajay Jagota of North East-based sales and lettings firm KIS described the phenomenon as “good for both the North East property market and for the wider local economy”.

The research, carried out by mortgage and loans provide Ocean Finance shows 47% of people in England and Wales live within 15 miles of their parental home – a quarter less than the North East - with the figure falling to just 23% in London.

The figures come as research from estate agents Your Move showed rents in the North East to be on average 33% lower than the rest of the country and 54% lower than London. The research also showed that North East rents are rising seven-and-a-half-times more slowly than the rest of the UK, and even fell by 0.5% last month.

Property expert Ajay Jagota, founder and Chief Executive Officer of the North East’s most innovative sales and lettings business KIS, responded to the figures.

The property firm is famous for being the first letting agents in the UK to abolish deposits, replacing them with a one-of-a-kind landlord insurance policy offering guaranteed rent, deposit replacement, legal assistance and round the clock third party emergency home repairs

Ajay said: “There really is no place like home for nearly 2 in 3 North Easterners, and who can blame them. I was born in the Midlands and have lived all over the country, but the North East was the place I decided to build a business and which has always felt like home.

“These figures are not just a sign of local people’s pride in and love for their communities though, they’re good for both the North East property market and wider local economy.

“Traditionally a lot of people have left the North East in search of better jobs and a better standard of living. These figures suggest that less and less people are doing that and that we are holding onto more of our most talented younger people by offering them a great quality of life and great companies to work for.  

“A lot of our communities are quite small and even within larger towns and cities people tend to stay pretty loyal to the same areas. In fact, roughly a third of people won’t look more than five miles from their current home when house-hunting.

“This leaves a comparatively small amount of homes available to buy or rent, driving up demand and leading to a fast-moving property market and a buoyant rental market.”

Image source: Matt From London

In what was expected to be one of the closest election days in recent history, is most definitely going to turn out to be a landslide victory, which will see the Conservative party return to government with a majority.

Yorkshire has been at the forefront of this unpredictable election day so far, which first saw the former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg retain his Sheffield Hallam seat with 22,215 votes.

But after the Liberal Democrats its the worst ever showing at the polling stations, Mr Clegg, who called the election a "punishing night" for the party on a national scale, has stepped down as the leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Furthermore, one of the most astonishing moments of the 2015 general election happened at Leeds’ First Direct Arena when it was revealed that shadow chancellor Ed Balls lost his Morley and Outwood seat by 422 votes to the Tory candidate Andrea Jenkyns, who won with with 18,776 votes.

As Labour were unable to attain as many seats as the party had hoped, and, quite frankly, were crushed by the Tories, Ed Miliband has also decided to resign as leader of the Labour parrty. 

As the results of the general election begin to settle in, Bdaily wanted to find the thoughts of businesses in Yorkshire.

Elizabeth Ward, principal at Leeds-based Virtuoso Legal, said: “It is great news for my clients that the Conservatives have been returned with a majority in Westminster. They have a clear agenda for businesses and I hope they will carry on with initiatives such as Growth Accelerator and tax reliefs for IP rich businesses. Their policies have helped many UK businesses including many of Virtuoso Legal’s clients. A hung parliament would have lead to uncertainty which is never good for companies.”

Paul Brown, managing director at Cars on Demand in Wakefield, said: “I am as surprised as most people about the scale of the increase in Conservative seats. I did expect another coalition with the Liberal Democrats, as I felt that would be a good result from an economic point of view. I think the result is positive from both a business and UK economic perspective, and hopefully we will see businesses starting to invest again now that there is a clear result.”

Stefanie Hopkins, director of Faith PR in Brighouse, added: “Small businesses will hope that many of the positive measures that have been put in place in recent years, such as the reduction in corporation tax and the small business rate relief, are both continued and extended by the new Conservative government. Before this General Election, the Party promised to support growing businesses such as ours and we look forward to seeing what measures they, as a majority government, are now able to put in place in the weeks, months and years ahead.”

Andy Tuscher, Yorkshire and Humber Region Director at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, stated: “During the campaign we called on party leaders to build on the foundations of growth, with continuity and stability in business policy. That is now what we expect the newly-elected Government to deliver. There is a real opportunity to properly rebalance the economy and ensure a strong focus across government on investing in and building on our industrial strength as a manufacturing nation.

“There are many issues to tackle for a new business and industry secretary, which is why we need a really big-hitter in that role. He or she will have an in-tray which will include the need to tackle some of the issues which will help Britain embed and build on the recovery. These include reversing the trade deficit, tackling an energy policy which remains a mess and redoubling efforts to deal with a creaking infrastructure by getting on with important projects, especially building a new airport hub.

“The biggest threat to our long-term economic well-being, however, remains the prospect of leaving the EU. Mr Cameron will be under pressure to call a referendum as soon as possible, possibly bringing it to next year. The new administration must move quickly and campaign on the back of a strong and positive case for Britain’s continued membership. Any drift or dithering will mean uncertainty for British businesses, which would be very unhelpful for the long-term prospects of the economy.”

Alex Grace, Managing Director of Banana Moon, commented: “We’re happy with the outcome of the election and a Conservative government. It provides some continuity to the progress being made over the past few years. As a small business which carried on spending through the recession, it’s nice to be finally coming out of the other side of that with a much more positive outlook. My confidence in the Conservative government continuing to balance the books, gives me confidence as a business owner to continue investing in the growth of my business.”

Lindsay Texel, Clarion

Clarion has boosted its property team with the appointment of Lindsay Texel, who joins from Squire Patton Boggs, as partner.

With 17 years experience as a commercial property lawyer, Lindsay first trained at Eversheds in Leeds, qualifying into the property team in 1998 before joining Hammonds, now Squire Patton Boggs, two years later and becoming a partner in 2007.  

Lindsay has also completed secondments to Lloyds Banking Group and has dealt with several high value real estate finance transactions for Lloyds and for other major banks.

Clarion’s nine-strong property team provides a full range of property expertise from development, investment, asset management, corporate occupier work through to care homes, leisure and secured lending.

Martin Grange, partner and head of property at Clarion, said: “With a strong track record as a leading specialist in the property sector, Lindsay has worked with a number of high profile clients and is a welcome addition to the team, helping us to cope with increased client demand as the market continues to pick up.  Having been recognised in Chambers UK 2015 for being ‘pragmatic and commercial’ and noted for her ‘great client relationships’, Lindsay will fit well with the Clarion ethos.”

Lindsay added: “Clarion has a great reputation and a refreshing approach as a law firm that invests in building long term client relationships and getting close to their business in order to add value by acting as a trusted adviser.  I hope that my skills will further boost the growing property team.”

Simon Pallett, Carter Jonas LLP

Property consultancy Carter Jonas LLP, which has offices in Leeds, York, Harrogate and Boroughbridge has appointed Simon Pallett as the new chairman.

Mr Pallett, who is a partner of the firm, takes over from John Henniker-Major who has been  chairman since 2007.

Mark Granger, chief executive of Carter Jonas, said: “John Henniker-Major has successfully overseen much of the change that has brought us so far in the last ten years. This is an exciting time for the firm and we have an ambitious growth strategy in place in order to attract excellent people and to continue to provide the very best service for our clients. I very much look forward to working closely with Simon to realise our exciting plans for further expansion over the next five years.”

Simon Pallett added: “It is a great honour to be elected by my fellow partners to head the firm, which has grown exponentially over the last decade in order to offer a more complete service to our larger and increasingly varied client base.”

“A combination of organic growth and a series of mergers and acquisitions has seen Carter Jonas expand the breadth of its operations across its planning and development, commercial, residential and rural teams. The firm now has over 700 people working from 35 offices nationwide.”

Lauren Maloney, P&A

Sheffield’s P&A, an independent professional and financial services group, has Lauren Maloney has joined the firm as a Commercial Finance Broker.

After working in the banking sector for 9 years, Lauren will bring a wealth of experience to P&A’s Lender Services team.

Lauren started her career as a Clerical Assistant at Independent Lending, aiding both the mortgage and financial advisors in their day-to-day duties. In 2007 she joined NatWest Private Banking as a Relationship Directors Assistant, where she adapted the role of coaching and developing members of staff to increase the quality of leads generated which was down to her own outstanding performance.

In 2009, Lauren became a Relationship Manager at Lombard Business Direct Royal Bank of Scotland. In 2010, she was selected for a group of 5 from 35 individuals for the RBS Lombard Talent Programme, where she gained a certificate in Credit and Business Appraisal 1 & 2.

Steve Dunwell, Lender Services Divisional director, said: “2014 was a challenging year for many businesses. However, now in our 9th year, we feel 2014 was the best year for Lender Services in terms of finance deals being completed.

“This momentum has continued into 2015 and we feel that now is the right time to strengthen our team. Lauren’s appointment will allow us to maintain and, hopefully, improve our service levels whilst allowing us to source even more deals!

“Her achievements clearly show her endeavours for excellence in supporting her clients and we are delighted to welcome her to our team.”

Julian Bannister, Calbee UK

Calbee UK, the first European subsidiary of Calbee Inc, has appointed Julian Bannister as Business Development Manager.

Mr Bannister will support the brands profile and securing listings within the out of home and on the go sales channels.

With more than 8 years of experience working with a leading UK brand in a consumer facing position, Julian is confident that he can use his experiences to build relationships and introduce a completely new product to the UK market.

With the brief to gain widespread distribution of the Calbee product, which will launch in June, Julian is currently liaising with independent and network retail outlets such as cafes, forecourts, health clubs and vending suppliers to secure interest in the new snack.

Commenting on the appointment, Julian said: “The opportunity to be involved in a start-up business in the UK, albeit a major global snacking company from Japan, brings some exciting challenges. The product is a revolutionary concept for the UK but it is tasty and innovative so people have been really receptive. I look forward to the day that we are stocked throughout the UK in all out of home channels.”

Working from the company’s headquarters in Leeds, Julian will join the growing team that are working on the launch of Calbee’s first product which is expected to hit shelves from June.  

Julia Caiger, Watson Burton LLP

Leeds’ Watson Burton LLP has retained a junior solicitor who qualified much earlier than previously expected.

Julia Caiger, from Leeds, has completed her training contract with the Newcastle-headquartered law firm after just one year and eight months.

Previous in-house experience at retailer Mamas & Papas Ltd meant that she has been able to qualify early into Watson Burton’s corporate and commercial department.

Julia first worked for Watson Burton in 2011 when she undertook a work experience placement in the firm’s Leeds office.

Julia gained experience working across Watson Burton’s key practice areas of employment, corporate and commercial and commercial litigation. She also completed a secondment to one of the firm’s key clients, Bellway plc, where she worked with the commercial director on a strategically important transaction.

Duncan Reid, head of corporate at Watson Burton, said: “As a firm we have been lucky enough to attract trainees that demonstrate real talent, commitment and loyalty year-after-year. Julia has consistently impressed us with her drive and positivity, and I am pleased that she has chosen to stay with us after qualifying. She will be a real asset to the team.”

Juila added: “Unlike other placements, at Watson Burton I was given the chance to gain experience on real cases. All of the staff were really encouraging, and took the time to explain the relevance of the work I was doing. I found the whole experience invaluable, and knew that I wanted to pursue a career with the firm in the future.

“Two years later in 2013 I relocated to the North East to start my training contract in the Newcastle office.”

Jo Ratcliffe, Ruth Bamforth and Tamsin Tinkler, Walker Morris LLP

Walker Morris appoints new Head of Pensions and expands team to meet growing demand in high value, complex pensions work.

Law firm Walker Morris has appointed Jo Ratcliffe as its new Head of Pensions and has expanded its pension team with the appointment of pensions barrister, Ruth Bamforth, to reinforce its specialist expertise in high value, complex pensions legal matters to meet the growth in demand.

Pensions partner, Jo Ratcliffe, is being promoted to Head of Pensions taking over the role from the Firm’s Chairman, Andrew Turnbull.   

The highly experienced Pensions Team at Walker Morris has also promoted Tamsin Tinkler to Director.

The Walker Morris team provides pension law advice to a number of blue chip clients such as the Capita and Pensions Life Assurance Scheme, the Capita International Retirement Benefits Scheme, the Russell Hobbs Pension Schemes and Leeds Building Society.  

The Team advises on all types of scheme, from Small Self Administered Schemes to large occupational pension schemes with asset values in excess of £800 million.

Ian Gilbert, managing partner at Walker Morris, said: "These appointments are driven by the fact that we are winning more and more, high value, complex pensions work where our expertise and experience is able to add real value.

"The Pensions industry is going through the biggest legislative change for many years, with radical amendments to the rules on the use of members’ defined contribution benefits.  Our ability to provide a focussed and experienced team to provide advice on these issues has won favour with a number of our clients and as a result we’ve grown our business in this sector.

"Jo and Tamsin’s promotions are testament to the hard work and client commitment they’ve shown over the years and I would like to congratulate them on their success.  Ruth’s appointment will reinforce the experience and resources of the Team and I look forward to welcoming her to the Firm."

Rob Jewell, Land Securities

Rob Jewell has been appointed as Portfolio Director at Land Securities, overseeing the company’s Leeds shopping centres – Trinity Leeds and White Rose – as well as Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow.

Jewell joined Land Securities from ING in 2011, where he acted as an Investment and Asset Manager.

Prior to working on the shopping centre portfolio, Jewell was a Portfolio Director to Land Securities’ West End portfolio in London, overseeing the first ever expansion and complete digitalisation of Piccadilly Lights at Piccadilly Circus.

Trinity Leeds, which recently marked its second anniversary, is one of the UK’s best known centres. It continues to introduce premier brands and experiences to Leeds including new food concepts like Basque-culture dining, Pintura, which opened at the end of February, and award-winning Trinity Kitchen which will celebrate its second anniversary this October.

Meanwhile, Rob is also responsible for White Rose Shopping Centre and Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow – both with plans for widespread extension and redevelopment works.

Ailish Christian-West, head of shopping centres at Land Securities, said: “Rob is an asset to the Land Securities team, and will continue the great work in Leeds and Glasgow. Leeds is especially important given that Trinity Leeds and White Rose have achieved so much for the city and its regional economy. His energy and fresh outlook complements our contemporary and loyal catchments in the region.”

Jane Parry, PM+M

PM+M, the Blackburn based chartered accountancy, business advisory and wealth management group, has confirmed that Stephen Anderson – its managing partner of 10 years – is retiring and that he will be replaced by Jane Parry, currently lead tax partner, on 1st May.

The firm has also announced that David Gorton, head of the Corporate Services, will assume the newly created role of senior partner.

His promotion will see him focus on marketing and business development strategies as well as client servicing.

Although Stephen will be stepping down as managing partner, he will be continuing as a partner for a further 12 months.

This is to ensure there is a smooth transfer of both leadership duties and client relationships.

In her new position, Jane will manage the practice, drive its growth and develop its people and culture. Both she and David will maintain their existing client portfolios.

Stephen said: “My entire working life has been spent at PM+M and it’s been an incredible 31 years. However, I feel that now is the right time for me to move on and I know the firm will be in great hands. Both Jane and David are passionate about its success and have worked closely with me to forge its identity and culture.  I know I’m passing the mantle onto a talented leadership team who will build on what we’ve already achieved together.“

Jane Parry commented: “Stephen’s departure undoubtedly marks a new era for PM+M. Under his leadership, we have grown our services, increased our turnover and consistently delivered an outstanding level of service to our clients. His style of leadership has made a huge impact on the business and it’s an approach that we will be building on and taking forward.

"He has been an inspirational colleague and we are all delighted that he will be part of the PM+M family for the next 12 months. Our aim is to ensure that there is a seamless handover for both our clients and team.“

Jane concluded: Everyone at PM+M would like to thank him for his focus and dedication. We wish him all the best for the future and a happy retirement, but not quite yet!"

Aimee Clark, de Winter

PR, digital and design agency de Winter has welcomed Aimee Clark to its Chester team.

Travel enthusiast Aimee joins the agency as a senior account executive and will bring her expertise to the award-winning consumer PR team, delivering creative campaigns to a growing client base including the latest prestigious account win, Royal Crown Derby.

Aimee, 27, has travelled extensively across Europe, Asia, Australia and the USA and brings with her four years’ in-house and agency experience working with brands including Peugeot, The Body Shop, Unilever and Sport England.

Aimee said: “de Winter is a great brand and I’m delighted to be part of such a high-achieving and ambitious team,“

Managing director, Kate Cox said: “Aimee is a fantastic addition to team de Winter,

“Her skills and experience will help us achieve some of the ambitious growth plans for 2015.“

Christine Dilly, SureCare

Care franchise company SureCare has appointed Christine Dilly as business development manager for the North with the additional responsibility of rolling out the SureCare Local micro franchise offer.

Christine previously worked as a service team manager with Housing & Care 21, while Clare was formerly a bid specialist with Sevacare (UK). Clare has significant experience in the areas of childcare and domiciliary care tendering.

Managing director Gary Farrer said: “SureCare is an entrepreneurial, ambitious business which is committed to helping people start up and grow successful franchise businesses.

“During the past 12 months we have introduced a number of new care and home services which have created a range of new income streams for our franchisees.

“We recognise that the care sector is changing and businesses like SureCare have to be responsive and flexible to ensure that we are providing the type and quality of services that people require.“

Sarah Clarke-Nevett, Corporation Pop

Corporation Pop has recruited a Technical Project Manager in response to increased demand for app and software development work.

Sarah Clarke-Nevett joins the Manchester-based digital design company from Magma Digital in Preston.

She started her career as a software engineer specialising in PHP and database development before moving into project management and is now a qualified Scrum Master – a specialist in agile software development.

In her new role, Sarah will manage the delivery of complex software projects for desktop, mobile and web devices.

Corporation Pop has also recently welcomed Caius Eugene and Marta Niemczynska to its digital team.

Dom Raban, Managing Director at Corporation Pop said: “We are working on increasingly complex projects that demand dedicated teams with very specialist skills. In the last year we’ve seen our team double in size and our latest recruits will be invaluable in helping us to deliver some of the very exciting projects that we’re currently working on.“

Melissa Moore & Ellena Franklin, Juice FM & Rippleffect (respectively)

Melissa Moore, 23, Preston, and Ellena Franklin, 22, Loughborough, both graduates of Agent Academy CIC’s first programme, have secured permanent roles with businesses as a result of their experience with the marketing academy.

Melissa joins popular Liverpool radio station, Juice FM, as a member of its commercial support team, while Ellena settles at digital agency, Rippleffect, as a sales and marketing executive.

The young professionals and their Agent Academy cohort developed their raw talent through hands-on engagement and project-based learning. Students also interacted with influential figures from across the city region to benefit their understanding of the marketing industry during the 12-week programme.

Melissa Moore, commercial support executive at Juice FM, said: “Agent Academy has offered me so many opportunities and opened the door to an industry that I always dreamed of joining.

“The contacts and marketing experience that I gained on the programme were invaluable and contributed to me securing my new career.

“For anyone looking to learn more about marketing whilst working with a real client, I can wholeheartedly recommend the academy!“

Ellie Franklin, sales and marketing executive at Rippleffect, added: “Agent Academy was a chance for me to understand and explore the fundamentals of marketing; not through academic theory but in an enjoyable, vibrant working environment. I was also fortunate to share this experience with nine amazing young people  - we still keep in touch and support each other.“

Director of Agent Academy CIC, Paul Corcoran, said: “My team and I are delighted for Melissa and Ellie, their appointments are of course a testament to their own quailities, but also reference the hard work invested into Agent Academy CIC by its contributors, partners and the business leaders that helped shape their learning."

Helen Mills, McLintocks

Chester-based chartered accountants McLintocks have appointed Helen Mills as Senior Audit Manager with a view to growing and developing their audit practice.

Helen began her training with KPMG in Manchester and now boasts nine years of experience working for top ten accountancy firms.

Most recently, she worked within the Manchester office of Grant Thornton where she was responsible for a portfolio of audit clients including subsidiaries of international groups; owner managed and private equity backed businesses; and not-for-profit organisations across the North West.  

Helen has a wide range of skills across a number of sectors including general manufacturing, retail, distribution and food and beverage.    

One of her specialisms includes the provision of audit and advisory services to the further education sector where Helen previously held roles on the Audit Firms Education Panel, a national advisory board influencing sector guidance and best practice.

Helen commented: “I am proud to have the opportunity to join McLintocks and contribute to the continued development and growth of the practice.  As an individual I am pleased to work for a firm whose ethos of ‘the client comes first’ mirrors my own personal values. I am looking forward to building relationships with my clients and becoming their trusted advisor, helping them with all aspects of their business.“

Welcoming the appointment to the team, McLintocks director Caroline Blake said: “Helen’s vast experience and expertise with many leading companies will further strengthen our growing audit business.“

Nichola Coles, Hallidays Accountants

Hallidays Accountants has announced that Nichola Coles has been promoted to director from 1st May. Nichola previously worked as a client manager within Hallidays.

Nichola joined the Warrington firm in 2006 and qualified as an accountant with them in 2010.

She has been with Hallidays for over 9 years, and during this time has gained experience working within a range of sectors including SMEs, credit unions, and financial services as well as helping a number of start-ups.

The move sees Hallidays expanding from seven to eight Directors and means they can boast that five of their top team trained within the firm. 

Speaking about the promotion Nichola said: “I’ve always loved working at Hallidays; we really are nothing like your usual accountancy practice. Our mission as a firm is to support and grow our clients and ourselves and I’m looking forward to helping drive Hallidays to achieve this as their newest Director.“   

Emma Edwards, Asons Solicitors

Asons Solicitors has welcomed Emma Edwards to their Clinical Negligence department.

Emma is a qualified solicitor and brings a wealth of legal sector experience after spending the last seven years at CM Solicitors of St John Street in Manchester.

She will be dealing with a range of medical negligence matters including errors and delays in treatment, incorrect treatment, delays in diagnosis, misdiagnosis and injury or death from treatment.  

Emma said: “I’m looking forward to working with my new colleagues in this often complex and challenging area of law.“

When discussing her commitment and motivation towards her chosen field, Emma added that: “it is rewarding to help individuals by guiding them through the legal process after an often traumatic event, enabling them to improve the quality of their lives by putting in place the rehabilitation and support they need through compensation.“

She also believes in being a keen networker and she regularly attends events as part of her association with the Manchester Young Solicitors Group and The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

Asons are currently on an expansion drive with requirements for new legal executives and a plan to double their workforce to 600 in 12 months time.

Image source: Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine

HSBC, the UK’s largest bank, has announced a new national fund worth £8bn, which will be allocated in 43 local tranches across the country.

The bank will also be running more than 300 workshops nationwide with the aim of supporting 10,000 businesses - from startups to established firms looking to grow.

In addition to the fund, a loan promotion will waive arrangement and security fees on all business loans worth between £1,000 and £300,000.

The funding package will be accessible to SMEs in:

• Manchester (£400m fund)
• West Yorks (£400m fund)
• Birmingham (£400m fund)
• Tyne Tees (£150m fund)
• Liverpool and Cheshire (£150m fund)
• Scotland (£400m fund)
• Bristol and Bath (£150m fund)
• Cambridge (£150m fund)
• London (£2.1bn fund)
• Kent and Thames Gateway (£150m fund)

According to HSBC, 85%of business loan applications filed with the bank are approved. While it sees  5,900 SMEs who open accounts with HSBC each month (2014).

Ian Stuart, HSBC’s head of UK commercial banking, told the Telegrah he had seen a rise in business applications last year:  “We want to make it as simple as we can for businesses to take their next step and that’s why we’ve taken out fees and charges.

“It’s open to any business, although we’re always keen to help out firms that manufacture here, as it’s important to the UK economy.”

However, HSBC has recently discussed proposals to move its head office out of London and relocate main operations abroad. Chief executive Stuart Gulliver said: "It’s going to take us a few months [to decide], not years,"

"It’s quite hard to hire people in Guangzhou and explain to them why their compensation has to be constrained [by what happens in the UK], particularly when US and others don’t have to,"

Last year, HSBC was censured by competition authorities for wrongly requiring SMEs to open a current account in order to secure loans. The bank also faced an investigation from the FCA surrounding its forex habits and its involvement in ‘currency rigging’

ACCA has announced plans to relocate its London headquarters from its current location in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn, London, to newly refurbished office space within the historic Adelphi building, John Adam Street, London.

Commenting on the move, Helen Brand, ACCA’s chief executive said: “Since 1996, our London operations have been spread across a number of locations in Holborn. Over time, this arrangement has become increasingly unfit for purpose.“

According to Helen Brand, central to the move is creating an efficient, collaborative, future-proof workplace designed to enable ACCA people to fulfil their potential which in turn will help ACCA achieve its ambitious strategy for the future.

“This historic building will be undergoing a complete refurbishment over the coming months to provide us with the mix of heritage and modernity that defines the ACCA brand.

“Our new home will provide us with a dynamic, inspiring and sustainable workplace to which we will be proud to welcome our staff, students, members, partners and other stakeholders from around the globe – a world class London headquarters that befits our world class organisation.“

On 8 May, ACCA signed a lease for two floors at The Adelphi, John Adam Street, London. The move will take effect in December 2015, with staff being welcomed into the new building in January 2016.

Jayshree Patel, founder and director of Lily Lyn has developed a premium range of affordable handbags after receiving a £10k loan from BFS Start Up Now, the North West arm of the government’s national £150m Start Up Loans programme, delivered by Business Finance Solutions.

Jayshree, who is based in Bury, has worked for the family business since she was 13. Now she is striking out on her own in a bid to capitalise upon the UK’s appetite for luxury handbags, with the 2012 Word Handbag Report identifying the UK as the second largest handbag market globally with 11.43% of the total market.

The Lily Lyn debut collection of five designs are available online, each of which can be provided in a choice of two colours.

The complete range, which starts are £200, is manufactured out of premium leather with a 100% silk lining.

For Jayshree, this has been a lifelong ambition, she said: “My passion for handbags began when I was just 5 years old and, growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, I went on to spot an opportunity and a gap in the market for an affordable range of handbags that are made using the exact same premium quality materials used to manufacture the most expensive leather goods.

"We’ve already had a great response to the range and are already in the process of developing a secondary range, which will be a selection of clutches to match the existing handbags.

“Getting the Start Up Loan has really helped to move Lily Lyn along and we used the loan to invest in products and advertising. Being able to tap into the BFS team’s business development expertise has also been invaluable in helping me to plan for the growth of the business and to explore different sales opportunities and networks.”

Paul Breen, director of Business Finance Solutions said: “Jayshree has identified a real demand in the market for quality products at affordable prices and we’ve been delighted to be able to provide the loan she needed to get her business up and running.  

"Her research and planning have been meticulous and she has brought together world-class manufacturing facilities, top end design, photography and branding to enable her to create her first collection.

"As well as retailing online we are also working with Jayshree to enable her to nurture relationships with high street and independent retailers to stock her current and future collections.”

BFS Start Up Now will see £15 million allocated to new start-ups across the North West over the next two years, creating around 3000 new businesses and over 5000 new jobs in the region. Over 1000 BFS Start Up Loan recipients in the North West are now running their own businesses, creating employment and economic opportunities across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria. BFS Start Up Now is available to everyone over the age of 18 in the North West.

Leeds based digital marketing agency, Enjoy Digital, continues to see significant growth in 2015.

After doubling staff numbers earlier this year, Enjoy Digital moved into a brand new premises at 23 The Calls, Leeds, to cater for future growth, which appears to be happening at this moment.

The agency has appointed Tom Rigden, the former account director, as client services director after he played a key role in the rapid growth of the business.

In addition, Enjoy Digital has also expanded its team with three new members of staff; Hannah Gibson, account manager, Ian Fiddler, studio and production manager and Mark Currass, business development manager. 

Commenting on the expansion Jonathan Filewood, managing director of Enjoy Digital, said: “We are continuing to invest in our client services team to ensure our customers enjoy industry leading levels of service. Our insight driven approach to digital marketing has fuelled our growth, and recruiting the best talent is fundamental to our continued success.

“We are recruiting both creative and client services talent to support our expansion, and have put in place a culture and remuneration package to attract the best.”  

Enjoy Digital currently works with a range of brands throughout the region, including the University of Leeds, Bank of Ireland and Costcutter.

Chris Cant, Metnor Construction

Metnor Construction has confirmed the appointment of Chris Cant as managing director following the retirement of Alan Greenwell.

Chris, the company’s commercial director, has taken over the role from Alan, who held the post for 10 years.

He joined Metnor Construction, part of the Metnor Group, as commercial manager in 2004 and was promoted to Commercial Director in 2012.

With responsibility for all aspects of the company’s commercial operations, Chris has worked with a number of blue chip clients including the De Vere Group, Care UK, BUPA, Hotel du Vin and Colt Telecom.

Over the past 18 months, he has also taken responsibility for the firm’s business development in the North East, focusing on supply chain relationships and customer service.

Speaking of his appointment, he said: “I am delighted to take on the role of Managing Director and wish Alan all the best for his retirement. Alan announced his plans to retire in March last year and we have been working together since then to ensure as smooth a handover as possible.

“I’m looking forward to the new challenge and to continuing Alan’s good work over coming years. My main aim is to make Metnor Construction the first port of call for the North East’s construction professionals.“

In his role as commercial director, Chris has worked on a number of high profile projects undertaken by Metnor Construction, including the recent redevelopment of the Hampton by Hilton project opposite Central Station, and a 338-bed student accommodation project near the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle.

Keith Atkinson, managing director of Metnor Group, said: “Chris has built up a first class team around him and I am sure he will continue to enhance the company’s growing reputation both within the region and further afield.  

“I’d like to take the opportunity to thank Alan for a magnificent job, not just in his 10 years as managing director of Metnor Construction, but also in the 22 years he has spent with the wider Metnor Group. We wish him all the best in his retirement.“

Chris Cant took over the role of managing director on 1st May.

Wendy Edwards, Archers Law

A Teesside woman has taken the next step on the legal ladder after being appointed as a partner at a top law firm.

Wendy Edwards has moved in to the role of partner at Archers Law having initially joined the firm in the Wills, Probate and Trust team nine years ago.

Wendy graduated from the University of Teesside with an honours degree in Law in 2005 and was taken on by Archers within a year.

She went on to study with The Institute of Chartered Legal Executives, which requires the student to obtain both academic qualifications as well as five years’ full time experience working in a specialist area of law.

On completion of that she then went on to study the Legal Practice Course with the University of Law in York at weekends whilst working full time to qualify as a Solicitor..

In 2014 she was made an Associate Solicitor, and her rise to the position of Partner is the next stage of her development at the Stockton-based firm.

Wendy said: “It has taken a lot of hard work to get to this stage, but I’m absolutely delighted to be made a Partner.

“This is something I have always had ambitions to do, and I am very much looking forward to being a bigger part of this dynamic and successful firm.“

The firm’s Wills Probate and Trusts team consists of five solicitors, two legal assistants and six legal secretaries, and Wendy’s new role will see her take on the management of this department.

She added: “We pride ourselves on giving high quality, specialist service.

“In the Teesside area there are just six solicitors who are registered with the organisation Solicitors for the Elderly, and three of those work in the Wills Probate and Trusts team at Archers Law.“

Lorna Beckett, Newcastle Racecourse

Newcastle Racecourse has bolstered its customer facing team with the appointment of a new customer service executive.

Lorna Beckett from Cramlington has joined the 60 strong team at the Gosforth Park venue with a responsibility as the first point of contact for customers coming into the venue which welcomes over 200,000 guests to 29 racedays and 250 events across the year.

The role involves answering queries about forthcoming events and race meetings and taking bookings, co-ordinating schedules for all of the venue’s staff as well as a wide range of administrative duties.

Lorna brings a wealth of experience to the new position having worked as a Conference and Events Sales Agent at the Holiday Inn Newcastle Gosforth Park for seven years.  Responsibilities included managing wedding bookings from the initial enquiry through the day itself and taking room reservations for leisure guests as well as hotel residents.

Lorna said: “I am really enjoying the variety that my new role at Newcastle Racecourse offers.  Every day there is something different and new challenges to overcome.  

"I also enjoy getting to know the staff as well as the regular customers and Annual Members.  It’s also a pleasure to come to work in High Gosforth Park, the surroundings are fantastic.“

David Williamson executive director at Newcastle Racecourse, said: “We’re delighted to have Lorna on board as her experience in customer service, sales and organising events is second to none.  

"As the first port of call for guests coming to the racecourse Lorna has a responsibility to have a handle on everything happening on site and she is certainly rising to the challenge.“

Karen Boswell, Hitachi Rail Europe

Hitachi Rail Europe today announces the appointment of Karen Boswell as managing director and Nick Hughes as sales director, with effect from 1st June 2015.

With the company’s Rail Vehicle Manufacturing Facility in Newton Aycliffe becoming fully operational later this year, Hitachi Rail Europe’s focus is shifting towards delivering trains to existing UK customers and driving new European sales.

Karen comes to Hitachi Rail Europe from East Coast Trains where she spent five years as managing director.

On joining Hitachi Rail Europe, Karen said: “It is an exciting time to be joining such an innovative organization like Hitachi Rail Europe. I was attracted to Hitachi by its excellent record of customer delivery as exemplified by the 395 Javelin fleet.

"I look forward to bringing into service a new generation of trains, which will deliver a step change in the experience for passengers and greater reliability for operators.

“I believe people are the key ingredient and I am looking forward to working with the wider Hitachi Rail Europe team, developing our people, creating new and exciting opportunities for all whilst at the same time raising the bar in the customer experience.“  

Nick Hughes joins Hitachi Rail Europe with over 20 years of senior level experience in the UK and EU rail markets. He joins from Ansaldo STS where he is currently Chairman in the UK. Prior to that, Nick held senior business development roles in Alstom Transport and Jarvis.

Nick said: “I am delighted to be joining such a dynamic and expanding business as Hitachi Rail Europe.

"Following in the footsteps of my predecessors, I will focus on steering the business towards new sales and opening new markets here in the UK, Europe and worldwide. I am really excited about joining the sales team and I am inspired and driven to take this business forward at what is a very exciting time for HRE.“