Newcastle-based sales training, outsourcing and consultancy firm, durhamlane, has been awarded an undisclosed training contract with Anglia Ruskin University.

durhamlane help companies become more commercial by improving the performance of their people and by managing outsourced sales campaigns on their behalf, creating new business opportunities.

The contract will contribute to the company pursuing its aims of generatng an extra £250,000 in turnover over the next 12 months, as well as the desire to recruit more staff and create 20 new jobs.

durhamlane are tasked with improving sales and business development skills of a Degrees at Work team at the university, consisting of 10 people, whose purpose is to offer training for employers.

Employers, such as the RAF and Harrods, use the team to develop and nurture skills of existing staff to meet their own workforce requirements, rather than follow the graduate route.

durhamlane undertook an initial review of the Degrees at Work team to assess effectiveness and areas for development, before delivering training to improve sales and team working skills.

Head of degrees at work for Anglia Ruskin University, Jan Skene, said: “I was impressed by the fact that durhamlane took time to understand our business, and the culture of the team and organisation.

“They saw the world through our eyes to ensure that the training is relevant, meaningful and ultimately beneficial in helping us to grow our business.“

Managing partner at durhamlane, Richard Lane, said: “Anglia Ruskin has recognised it must move with the times to remain a viable corporate training provider and has brought our external expertise to help.

“It is achieving the move to a better performing sales environment with our specialist training and is set to become one of the most ambitious and focused business within the commercial degrees business.“

Teesside University’s partnership with Dubai-based technology firm Clicksco, which formed an internship scheme giving students an opportunity to launch their own startup companies, has resulted in 11 students forming 3 new companies.

The three companies formed were GigAbout, a web platform for bands and venues, The Happiest Hour, an app matching customers to establishments with discounts and Randomizer, an app suggesting random places for people to visit on a night out.

Following completion of the 12 week ‘Clickscelerate’ programme, one of the teams is about to launch a mobile app on Apple’s App Store and another group is planning on forming their own company with the help of a DigitalCity Fellowship.

The programme was run by Paul Callaghan, director of TwentyThreeMiles, Clicksco’s investment fund for startups.

Josh Allan, who worked on the GigAbout app, is applying for a DigitalCity Fellowship which could offer him and the other members of the team up to £4,000 each to cover their living costs while they develop the app further.

The students, who have just completed their final year at the University, will retain any Intellectual Property (IP) which was developed over the course of the paid internship.

Throughout the programme, the students used lean startup business practices which use customer focused methodology to develop a business product or idea in minimal time.

They also benefited from guidance and mentoring by Clicksco UK and University staff, as well invited guests from major international technology firms including Google.

Paul Callaghan said: “In 12 weeks, the teams have come from nothing to develop three minimum viable products which are ready to be put in the hands of customers.

“It’s even more pleasing to see that one of those is about to be launched on the App Store and another group are looking to take their business further.

“This is a unique form of internship and Teesside was the obvious place to run it – the University has been massively supportive.“

BSc(Hons) Computing graduate, Josh Allan, said: “We’re thinking about using the Fellowship to develop the app for a further six months by which point it will be totally ready to push out.

“I’d never really contemplated starting my own business.

“Before doing the Clickscelerate programme, I was thinking about doing a master’s degree, but I’ve learned so much over the past 12 weeks I really want to take the business further.“

Figures from the German offshore wind and renewables sector are to visit the Humber this week on a trade mission to foster closer ties between the two countries.

Organised by Team Humber Marine Alliance (THMA) and supported by the region’s local authorities, the Chamber of Commerce and the Humber LEP, the three-day visit will take in many of the region’s offshore wind and renewables facilities on the north and south bank of the river.

Arriving on Wednesday, September 17, 15 delegates from the Wind Energy Agency (WAB), northwest Germany’s wind energy industry network, will tour Green Port Hull, including Siemens’ offshore wind manufacturing sites, Able Marine Energy Park, the CATCH training facility at Stallingborough, Port of Grimsby East, as well as THMA member companies in Grimsby, Hull, Scunthorpe and Immingham.

Ronny Meyer, managing director of Bremerhaven-based WAB, said: “As the Humber is one of the leading regions for offshore wind in the UK it is an absolutely key market for us.

“The mission will also allow us to share knowledge and come to a better, more transparent understanding of the issues that we both share, such as research, skilled workforces and the potential for business development.

“The UK and Germany are probably the most significant markets for offshore wind in Europe, if not globally, and it is a win-win situation on both sides.

“It will be interesting to see how the Humber is developing, as we have found that for wind energy to thrive it is essential to have a good political and economic support at a federal, but also at a local level.“

Companies and organisations on the trade mission include BTC, Bremen Economic Development, Eurogate Container Terminal Bremerhaven, Frauenhoffer IWES and Smulders Deutschland.

Mark O’Reilly, director at THMA, said: “Like WAB and German Wind we are faced with the same kind of challenges and relish the same kind of opportunities.

“We have actively worked for a number of years now to help create closer ties between the German and Humber offshore wind and marine sectors and to generally raise our profile abroad.

“The result has been some very real deals in Europe for Humber and Team Humber Marine Alliance member companies, more of which I’m sure we will hear about in the coming weeks and months.“

THMA patron, Hull West and Hessle MP, Alan Johnson, who is to give a welcoming speech at a dinner in Hull Guildhall on Wednesday, said: “When I first came to Hull 17 years ago any talk of a fully fledged offshore wind industry on the Humber would have been nothing more than a pipe dream, just hot air.

"That all changed about five years ago when we first heard that Siemens was genuinely considering a manufacturing facility in Hull.

“Now we are in the next phase, Siemens are here and specialist, lucrative offshore wind and marine related trade is increasing across the North Sea, of which this latest trade mission is another example.

"The marine expertise has always been here. Now the offshore wind expertise is also here, offering very real possibilities of a long and continued offshore wind industry centre of excellence on the Humber.“

One of those THMA member companies on the trade mission’s itinerary is Tata Steel, which has invested significantly to develop a dedicated wind energy hub at its Scunthorpe site.

Deirdre Fox, director strategic business development at Tata Steel, said: “We are very interested in closer ties with German business as we are looking to develop the market not just here in the Humber, but in Germany and other parts of Europe.

“This mission offers us a fantastic chance to show exactly what our facilities are capable of.

“In the future we are absolutely looking closely at how we collaborate and work with supply chain partners so that we can build maximum value for the Humber region and the wider UK economy.“

This inward trade mission will be followed with a delegation from the Humber heading to Germany the following week to WindEnergy Hamburg 2014 from September 23 to 26.sky business

On Monday 22 September some of Britain’s most innovative business brains will come together to share their secrets of success in creating a new market.

Innovative businesses are constantly disrupting the status quo and generating new ideas to gain a competitive advantage. Do the same and you could become the next big thing!

New markets are appearing all the time with changes being triggered in the way we communicate, the way we eat, the way we travel and the way we behave and this in turn has created completely new business opportunities.  

Michael Acton-Smith, founder of Mind Candy, shook up his industry when he created the Moshi Monsters phenomenon. With over 80 million users in over 150 countries, it has grown phenomenally with a film, music album, books, membership cards, soap, trading cards and figures, Moshi Monsters is now one of the biggest names in children’s entertainment.

Michael Acton-Smith will be sharing the stage in London with Blink Brow Bar founder, Vanita Parti and Bompas & Parr co-founder Sam Bompas who equally changed the landscape in their chosen industries.  The event will be webcast live to Newcastle City Library with the opportunity to network over a glass of wine with local entrepreneurs.

Live in Newcastle, Screach TV founders Paul Rawlings and Sam Morton will be sharing their story of how they focus on enhancing the way that people engage with the locations around them. Through ScreachTV and our Screach platform, they enhance the everyday world by giving customers better experiences through their mobile and with the screens in the venues they visit.

Screach TV provides venues with a simple plug and play device that gives the venue the ability to create their own branded and personalised TV channel that is more geared towards their customers. Venues, as well as uploading their own content, can access live content and interactive experiences from the Screach Marketplace that have specifically been designed for the screens by Screach Partners.

Take this opportunity to quiz all of our experts and find out how you can create a new market and take the UK by storm!

Find out more and book: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/newcastle-inspiring-entrepreneurs-screening-movers-shakers-tickets-12253491523

North East events manager, Heather Williams, is expanding her business knowledge by working in Italy for two months, on a cross border exchange programme.

Heather, from Stocksfield, is managing director of Talking Point Events and has joined the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Programme which will see her working in Florence, Italy to unlock new skills.

The North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) are the local contact point for the programme and have already witnessed five successful applicants develop working relationships with an EU business.

Heather is hoping that the experience will enhance her own skills and enable her to offer more to clients with her own business, Talking Point Events, where she organises events for a clients.

Heather will be flying to FLorence from October to December and will hope to make international connections during this time.

Heather’s business mentor Louise Hardy, said: “It is always exciting to see another client venture into the unknown to gain experiences that will ultimately help their own business.

The programme is a win win collaboration, acquiring knowledge about foreign markets not to mention the networking opportunities to be had in another country.”

Heather said: “I have always wanted to increase my awareness and knowledge of working in a foreign country and I am looking forward to seeing how their event planning differs.”

Image source: MiiiSH

Birtley-based business enterprise, Pinetree, is set to promote new funds to boost the number of startups across the region, to help accelerate growth among small firms.

Managing funds of more than £563,000, Pinetree is able to offer loans of up to £25,000 and grants of up to £2,500 to individuals or businesses.

Pinetree, previously known as Northern Pinetree Trust, has streamlined operations to put greater emphasis on an advisory team, providing support and finance to individuals and businesses who need help to grow.

With a seven-strong team of business advisers, working in tandem with a pool of coaches, Pinetree is now thought to have the largest team in the region of its kind.

The team’s services include business support, access to finance and managed office space.

Pinetree’s new focus coincides with significant investment in the Pinetree Centre, the organisation’s managed office space, along with a refresh of the name and corporate identity.

Based within the Pinetree Centre in Birtley, the enterprise agency has a broad remit to support businesses and individuals but particularly those with complex needs, living and working in some of the region’s more disadvantaged communities.

Since 1991, Pinetree has been working to help a range of clients that include students, unemployed individuals, ex-offenders, people with physical and sensory disabilities, ex-service personnel, people aged 50+ and those individuals and businesses who have been refused mainstream finance.

More than 3,000 individuals and businesses have received some level of support from Pinetree since 2010 although this will now be accelerated.

Chairman of Pinetree, Phil Shakeshaft, said: “We are entering an exciting time in the organisation’s development.

“We now have significant loan and grant funds in place to make a difference and really help start-ups and existing businesses as we emerge from the recession.

“While other financial institutions are reluctant to lend, Pinetree is very much open for business and wants to hear from people with a business idea and plan.“

Image source: Images_of_Money

Tech entrepreneur Chris Hancock is launching Crowd2Fund, a complete crowdfunding solution built to support five different funding models including debt and equity.

Hancock is benefiting from the consulting input of a team including Ebiquity founder and entrepreneur Sarah Jane Thomson and former HSBC Private Bank chief investment officer Nigel Webber.

Crowd2Fund focusing on giving businesses the best chance of gaining capital, and investors a flexible way of managing risk and building a portfolio.

Crowd2Fund brings together five different models of crowdfunding, of varying risk, in order to allow investors to build a diversified portfolio.

The company is also working to continue to innovate new funding models such as mini-bonds and crowd mortgages.

Chris Hancock said: “I have been fanatical about digital disruption since the early ages of the internet. I was first inspired by the power of Internet finance when I helped to deliver Richard Branson’s early social enterprise funding platform Virgin Unite in 2008. I have also been lucky enough to work on other landmark projects with brands such as the BBC and HSBC.

“Crowd2Fund has been two years in the making and the timing is right to enter the market with this new proposition. The UK is expected to see transactions top £1billion this year in peer-to-peer business lending, while globally the World Bank forecasts $95billion (USD) by 2025.”

“I believe this is the perfect business model for the Social Age: the Internet has democratised everything – Wikipedia did it for knowledge, Twitter did it for communication, and crowdfunding is doing it for finance."

Halifax entrepreneur Paul Hill has battled with redundancy and losing his eyesight to start his own video production agency, which worked filming London Fashion Week.

Paul had been in digital marketing for 10 years but lost his job not long after he lost his eyesight due to a degenerative eye condition, known as Myopic Macular Degeneration.

Unable to read properly or drive, and facing the job market as a blind person, Paul had even got to the stage of arranging a guide dog when his condition improved and he began to see again, baffling the medical profession.

Out of this adversity, his video production company, ManShed was born. The startup, rooted in Paul’s film hobby, has done work for Canon UK, Triumph International, John Smedley, Cancer Research UK and even celebrity weddings and top corporates.

Paul was placed on the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) scheme for advice and guidance from the West Yorkshire Enterprise Agency to help move his idea forward. 

His NEA mentor was always on hand questions or to talk things through, he says, and he believes the scheme is great for people who lack direction or need guidance.

On losing his sight, then dealing with redundancy Paul said:  "ManShed aims to produce commercial films with high production values and a creative cinematic look.

"With Canon UK, I didn’t really know what I was doing, but they loved it, and shared it."

His experience with guide dogs has led him to become a registered volunteer and he has even made a film for them with Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls.

He said: “You do or die. It’s very important for me to give something back, and anyway I always come away from their events smiling.“

Paul’s eyesight continues to remain good and he has started to expand into remote aerial film with his new business partner

Image source: Tim Swinson | http://timswinson.com

Leeds-based consultancy RPS has announced the acquisition of Point Project Management Pty Ltd, an Australian project management consultancy, for a maximum consideration of £17.6 million (AU$31.0 million)

Founded in 2006, Point is headquartered in Canberra and has offices in 7 other major Australian cities. The company, which employs over 130 permanent staff, works primarily on projects to deliver new developments for its clients, from inception, through planning and design, to completed construction.

It provides these services to the defence, transport, residential, retail, health and commercial property development industries.

The two director/vendors of the business are remaining with RPS, along with all other staff.

In the year to 30 June 2014, Point had revenues of AU$32.5 million (£18.5 million) and profit before tax of AU$6.2 million (£3.6 million), after adjustment for non-recurring items.  Net assets at 30 June 2014 were AU$1.6 million (£0.9 million). Gross assets at 30 June 2014 were A$10.3 million (£5.9 million).

Alan Hearne, chief executive of RPS, commented: "Point has an excellent reputation and track record, particularly in the Australian defence sector. Its skills will complement the services RPS currently provides in Australia and enable us further to rebalance our business towards the non-resources parts of the economy.  

"We anticipate Point will add to AAP profit in the second half of 2014 and make a significant contribution in 2015. The 2014 contribution is likely to be tempered at Group level by the reduced activity we are seeing in our Energy business in the Middle East as a result of political unrest in Kurdistan/Iraq."

The £6.5 million Beacon enterprise centre in Westgate Road, Newcastle is now home to the North East Arabic Language Academy (NEALA), the North East’s first professional academy that exclusively specialises in Arabic services - and general manager and head of academies, Abed Al-Zuweiri claims: “When you learn another language, you become a person of two souls.”

NEALA offers a wide range of services including specialised Arabic teaching, proof reading, translation and support for academic research and Abed emphasises “Our intention is not to please or satisfy our students and customers, our intention is to amaze them”

Today, NEALA stands on the shoulders of a team of experts, linguists, translators, and specialised Arabic teachers, to fulfil an ambitious mission of teaching Arabic to people from all walks of life and various motivations, in the hope of adding to multicultural harmony.

The courses offered by NEALA can be tailored to meet individual need depending on which national variant of the language is required and will benefit people from a range of backgrounds, including those with business interests in the Middle East and diplomats.

Modern standard Arabic and its variations will be taught in two-hour sessions over 10 weeks, with the first course starting on Monday, September 22.

Abed has built a six-strong teaching team made up of Middle East-born academics supported by an expert advisory panel. Abed, who has more than seven years’ experience of teaching Arabic and developing it in education programmes, said: “It’s taken two years of planning to get to this stage and we are confident there is demand.

“For example, there are lots of people who have established business connections with the Middle East and want to learn the language.

“The problem can be that people come to evening classes and study at Level 1 but then find there is not enough opportunity to carry the course forward.

“There are people around who are native Arabic speakers and who will teach those who ask, but being a native speaker doesn’t qualify them to teach it – just as speaking English doesn’t make you qualified to teach that language.

“You need a native speaker combined with someone who is qualified, and our NEALA team have all the necessary skills, experience and qualifications.

“By setting up the academy we are also contributing to the multicultural society – learning a language helps you to understand not just the people but their culture and beliefs, and so promotes understanding as well as enhancing interaction.”

And he added; “We chose to move into The Beacon due to its location in the heart of the multi-cultural part of Newcastle, its affordable rents and its flexible conference rooms and suites, where classes will be held.”

“After 20 hours of teaching Arabic on Intensive Courses, Arabic is no longer a code. By that time, people will have about 500 words and around 100 expressions.

“Be it Algeria, Jordan, Syria or Egypt, each country has its own type of spoken Arabic, though each will be understood by all. Modern standard Arabic is the language of education and the media. The written language is exactly the same everywhere.

“To learn Arabic is no different to learning any language, success depends on how keen each person is, as well as their motivation and attitude. With the opening of NEALA, there is nothing to stop them.

“The Beacon offers good support and backing for NEALA, and the facilities are excellent. It’s a great venue and I’m delighted to be hosting the first Arabic Academy here.”

Rhianne Dixon, Business Manager, of The Beacon which is owned and managed by two charities – ‘changing places, changing lives’ charity Groundwork South Tyneside and Newcastle and Centre West who work in the heart of the West End community, said: “The North East Arabic Language Academy is a great addition to the North East.

“By choosing to be based at The Beacon, Abed is placing his business in the heart of the region and within a very culturally diverse area.

“His is one of the many businesses and organisations that are benefitting from the expert help, facilities and support available at The Beacon. I wish him every success.”

Classes are expected to run daytime, evenings and weekends, with places limited to a maximum of 10 students.   Courses cost £160.  For more information contact 0191 242 5405 or visit www.neala.co.uk

Image source: Waka Jawaka

Confidence in the North West region tapering off, to the extent that it is now rising at the slowest pace of all the English regions according to new research in the FSB’s ‘Voice of Small Business’ Index (SBI) survey.

The latest SBI results highlight while the business environment is improving in the NW region, with confidence levels well up in Q2 of 2014 from the same period last year, the figures remain below the Index levels seen around the rest of the country’s regions.

According to the data, the North West has slipped further behind other parts of the UK, with only Wales faring worse.

The study, which polled almost 2,500 members nationally, suggests that for a long term recovery that is balanced between the South and the rest of the UK, a sustained uptick in business confidence in the North will be needed.

However, with regions in the North of England being disproportionately affected by further government cutbacks in the coming years that might be unlikely.

FSB regional chairman for Manchester and North Cheshire, Richard Gregg, said: “While it is encouraging business confidence in places such as Greater Manchester has grown significantly, it is clearly of concern that other English regions are more upbeat, such as in the North East where there seems to be a much more positive outlook.

“It could be that this is just a blip, so it will be interesting to see what the next SBI survey turns up. It would be concerning if this trend were to continue.”

He added: “All that said, the wider SBI research certainly paints a more rosy picture of the business scene, with the proportion of firms expecting to grow during the next twelve months standing at 61%, with 11% of those expecting to do so rapidly.

“And for the first time in our SBI survey’s history, credit has been reported as unaffordable by fewer than half (47%) of firms. While the figure is still too high, that’s a huge improvement compared to a year ago, which suggests the banks themselves may be starting to see sense.”

Its official – the North East is the best place in the UK to buy a house.

Durham has been named the UK’s most affordable city and the easiest place in the country to gain a first foot on the property ladder – despite lower regional wages.

The research, carried out by estate agents Knight Frank – which mapped average earnings for the under 40s against typical house prices - also named Newcastle in the UK’s top 10 affordable cities.

London was found to be three times less affordable than Durham.

A separate survey revealed investors looking for top buy-to-let yields are also better off buying property in the region, which boasts the UK’s highest average rental yields of 6.4% - despite figures from tenant referencing service Homelet indicating that rents in the region fell by 0.8% in August and have declined by 1.7% this year.

Property expert Ajay Jagota, founder and Chief Executive Officer of the North East’s most innovative sales and lettings business KIS, believes the figures showcase the North East’s appeal to renters, buyers and investors alike.

The 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, legal assistance and round the clock third party emergency home repairs.

Ajay said: “If you’re a first time buyer struggling to get on the property ladder or an investor looking to make a rapid return on rental properties the evidence is as clear as my advice: Look North.

“Even if you are one of the growing number of people who prefers renting to buying despite being able afford home ownership, our rents are literally almost half the UK average, and almost £1000 a month cheaper than London.

“The apparent easing in the rental market is an interesting one. August is a famously slow month in all areas of the property market, but it could be the case that the success of the Help to Buy Scheme has lessened demand for homes by removing renters from the market, lowering demand for rented homes, or it could be that we are witnessing a settling of the market.

“It will be interesting to see how our own monthly market intelligence report, KIS Property NOW, will fit in with these figures next week.

“Nonetheless, there is still clearly comparatively demand for rental properties, as demonstrated by the North East competitive yields and the fact rents are falling faster in other areas – by three times as much in the North West for example.

“One way or another, it’s never been clearer what I’ve been saying all along – whether you’re looking to put down roots or build a property portfolio, the North East is the best place to buy a home.“

KIS manage properties for landlords in every corner of the North East from branches across Tyne and Wear, and were named Letting Agent of the Year in the 2013 Landlord and Letting Awards. The firm expanded into residential sales in 2014.

Image source: JanetR3

In his announcement outside of Downing Street, David Cameron has promised a wave of new powers to Manchester, and other English regions, in time for next year’s general election.

The PM was "delighted" with the ‘no’ vote, saying that Scotland would get specific proposals for further devolution in November.

For the first time ever, he promised similar moves for the English regions - a pledge which he hopes will get cross-party support.

David Cameron said: “I have long believed a crucial part missing from this national discussion is England.

"We have heard the voice of Scotland and now the millions of voices of England must also be heard.

"The question of English votes for English laws, the so-called West Lothian Question, requires a decisive answer – so just as Scotland will vote separately on their issues of tax, spending and welfare, so too England as well as Wales and Northern Ireland should be able to vote on these issues.

"All this must take place in tandem with and at the same pace as the settlement for Scotland."

Lord Peter Smith, chair of Greater Manchester Combined Authority, said: "We welcome the Prime Minister’s words about the need to empower our great cities and look forward to discussions with central government about how we achieve this as soon as possible. Greater Manchester has the experience and capability to move quickly.

"The referendum process has highlighted the compelling case for greater devolution for English city regions. 

"Greater Manchester has a bigger economy than Wales or Northern Ireland, and a population of almost three million, yet we have considerably less freedom over our funding and spending priorities. As more and more powers and flexibilities are devolved to other parts of the union, the position of major English economic powerhouses such as Greater Manchester becomes ever more untenable. 

"We believe that our record of joint working, and the maturity of our institutions such as Greater Manchester Combined Authority, make this area uniquely well-placed to demonstrate the benefits of greater freedom to make the decisions and funding allocations which will help the region realise its full potential - maximising economic growth and job creation and reforming public services to improve results at the same times as reducing spending. But to be achieve that we need the freedom to make decisions on funding and priorities based on the area’s needs, not ‘one size fits all’ approaches handed down from Westminster and Whitehall."

Business Doctors launches Leeds, Breaking Big Strategy Seminar to celebrate a decade in business

National business support franchise Business Doctors has launched the Breaking Big event to help SMEs achieve their vision.

Business Doctors, which is celebrating ten years in business, aims to offer "hands-on” support to business owners enabling them to overcome their individual challenges and helping them to achieve their aspirations for growth.

The company, which serves many of the UK’s 4.8 million SMEs, was founded in 2004 by highly experienced businessmen Rod Davies and Matthew Levington.

Business Doctors has five advisers working across Yorkshire and Humberside, helping businesses with the development and implementation of growth strategies. There are currently over 40 Business Doctors operating nationally.

The Yorkshire and Humberside team has grown to five over the last two years and a sixth member will be joining in the near future

To celebrate the ten year anniversary, Business Doctors has launched "Breaking Big”, a no-nonsense guide to achieving breakthrough business growth.  

Jeff Long will be presenting a 30 minute seminar around the 10 steps business owners, no matter what stage they are at, can take to develop and implement their own growth strategy.

The event will be attended by many Leeds based professionals including Bankers, accountants and support agencies including  UKTi and Superfast West Yorkshire and so will provide a fantastic networking opportunity for business owners

A Jersey-based entrepreneur has chosen Chester as the first UK mainland location for his brand of Honeycomb office suites.  

Property investor Spencer Bourne has invested £2 million buying and renovating four units on the prestigious Chester Business Park.  

Honeycomb Chester features accommodation for up to 15 small and medium-sized businesses, and was officially opened this week by Chester MP Stephen Mosley.  

Formerly know as The Pavilions, the units have been significantly refurbished in line with Mr Bourne’s existing Honeycomb office suits.

The extensively renovated offices feature a contemporary colour-coded exterior, natural lighting on all four sides, suspended tile ceilings, LED lighting and full air conditioning.  

Two businesses have already signed tenancies and will move in over the coming months.  

Planning permission has also been granted for retail space at the Honeycomb, offering the potential for a coffee and sandwich bar to serve the business park for the first time.  

Mr Bourne, who operates three similar developments in Jersey’s capital, St Helier, said that Honeycomb Chester would be the first on the mainland as the brand is rolled out across the UK.  

Mr Bourne said: “I chose Chester because it has a buoyant economy and plenty of ambitious firms seeking to grow and relocate to bigger and better premises. Chester Business Park boasts an attractive working environment and is very accessible.    

“Honeycomb Chester offers the only small-scale accommodation of its kind on the business park. The honeycomb name really reflects the purpose of these offices – to provide a flexible office space for small business to grow together as a community.  

“We’ve extensively renovated what was a tired set of buildings to a very high standard, providing office space from 1,000 to 10,000 square feet.  

“Honeycomb Chester will be the first of a number of similar business community projects that we will open across the UK.”  

Honeycomb Chester is modelled on three successful developments on Jersey operated by Mr Bourne’s business, Palladium Group.  

The renovated units have an EPC rating of B, full low-energy air conditioning, fitted kitchen, LED lighting shower and WC facilities and a generous parking allowance.  

The business park also benefits from significant public transport links, including a bus service to Chester city centre every 12 minutes, and is a short distance from the A55 expressway.  

Stephen Mosley said: “These fantastic new offices will be of great value to the Chester business community.  

“Chester is home to many successful businesses and educational establishments, and having high-quality office space that is ideally suited to incubating new and smaller businesses will help keep newly-trained and qualified workers in the area.”  

Honeycomb Chester units are available to let through agents BA Commercial and Legat Owen.  

Fraser Crewe, Director at BA Commercial, said: “The park has a fantastic pedigree with HBOS, Bank of America, M&S Money and Tetra Pak also based here, and now ambitious smaller firms can join them at Honeycomb Chester.”  

Will Sadler, Associate Director at Legat Owen, said: “Office space of this quality is hard to find in the city, and Honeycomb Chester provides a fantastic opportunity for businesses to develop alongside similar sized enterprises.

Robyn Shepherd, Jonathan Smith, Rebecca Logan, Mincoffs Solicitors

Robyn Shepherd, has been appointed as a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution Team at Newcastle-based Mincoffs solicitors working alongside Partner Stewart Irvine and with Nick Smith in relation to Employment matters.  Originally from Darlington, Robyn studied Law at the University of Manchester and the Legal Practice course at the College of Law before training in a Manchester firm.  

Jonathan Smith, also joins as a solicitor after successfully completing his training contract at another Newcastle firm. Jonathan studied Law at Leeds Metropolitan University and an LLM in International Commercial Law and the Legal Practice course at Northumbria Law School. 

Northumbria University graduate Rebecca Logan joins Mincoffs as a Trainee Solicitor and is the first of three trainees who will join the firm in the next 12 months. Originally from Northern Ireland, Rebecca, 22 studied the Master in Law Exempting Degree at Northumbria University, graduating in the Summer.  

Tim Craig, Ward Hadaway

Tim Craig joins the specialist Construction and Engineering team at Ward Hadaway as a Partner after 20 years specialising in construction law.

He is an experienced advisor to the public sector, businesses and individuals on a comprehensive range of construction and engineering projects and disputes in the UK and overseas.

In the public sector, Tim has recently advised York St John University, the University of Lincoln, London South Bank University, the University of Northumbria at Newcastle and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in connection with the procurement and construction of major projects.

Tim said: "I have come across the Construction team at Ward Hadaway on a number of occasions in the past and I have always been impressed with their ability and willingness to get the job done so I am delighted to become a member of the team.

"Ward Hadaway has been involved in advising on some of the key flagship developments in the North East and further afield so it is terrific to be joining a team with such an established reputation for high quality work.

Lucy Johnson, McDaniel & Co

Jesmond law firm McDaniel & Co has appointed Lucy Johnson as trade mark agent. Lucy qualified as a UK and European trade mark attorney in March 2012 and is experienced across a wide range of trade mark matters.

Before joining McDaniel & Co she worked for a firm of patent and trade mark attorneys for almost eight years.

Niall Head-Rapson, who heads up McDaniel &Co, said:  “Lucy is a strong addition to McDaniel & Co as we seek to reinforce our reputation as one of the UK’s leading IP firms.  We are delighted to welcome her to the team.“

David Kaye, Activ Technology

Newcastle telecommunications firm Activ Technology has appointed David Kaye as sales director, to help the firm transform from a traditional mobile telecoms company into a full service technology provider.

Kaye, who was with Newcastle’s TSG for more than six years in roles including Sales Director and Head of Microsoft Sales and Subscription Services Director, more recently helped entrepreneur Peter Joynson set up Synergi Software Solutions on Tyneside.

Kaye, from Corbridge, Northumberland, said: “I have been working in the region for the last eight years and have known Ian for some time Over the last 12 to 18 months I have observed the business and the shift it has been making from purely mobile to technology.

“I have watched as they have rebranded and refocused and this move towards overall connectivity was very attractive.

"As connected computing becomes reality, the ability to provide the device, the comms and both on-premise and cloud technology from one provider is a unique proposition and a real opportunity for growth."

Carol Botten, VONNE

Carol Botten has been appointed into the newly created role Deputy CEO at North East charity support body VONNE.

VONNE is the regional support charity for the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector (VCSE) in the North East of England.

Previously she was the Director of Northern Architecture, the architecture centre for the North East region which aims to educate, inspire and involve all people in the development of places and spaces.

Carol said: “I’m delighted to join the team at VONNE and look forward to working closely with the staff team and board to drive the development of the organisation forward.  I hope that I can utilise my broad experience working within the voluntary sector in the North East to support VONNE’s continued development into a sustainable organisation so that we can continue to effectively promote and support the region’s voluntary and community sector.“

Clarion, Sadie Brook, Zoe Roberts and Grace Allison 

Leeds law firm Clarion is continuing to invest in developing young talent with the appointment of another three trainee solicitors.

Sadie Brook, Zoe Roberts and Grace Allison are the latest recruits to embark on a two year training contract with Clarion during which time they will gain experience in at least four departments. 

Managing partner, Mark Burns said: “It’s important that businesses continue to invest in developing young talent and provide the vital hands-on experience they need as they embark on their professional careers.

“It’s always a pleasure to see the enthusiasm and fresh thinking they bring to the firm as well as the satisfaction of watching their development.“

PwC (Sheffield) Andy Ward

PwC’s senior partner in Sheffield, Andy Ward, has been appointed as the new assurance leader for the Yorkshire region. 

Andy will now oversee the Yorkshire assurance practice. He will work closely with Graham Parsons, who has joined the practice from London to head up the assurance team across the six North offices. 

Andy Ward said: "Our Yorkshire assurance team has had a great year with iconic client wins and a number of new partner and director promotions, so it is an exciting time to be taking up this role.

"Competition remains fierce and in a new governance era, we will see more tendering activity and more companies switch auditor.

But market disruption brings new business opportunities to work with current and new clients according to their changing needs. Our business model will respond to capitalise on these opportunities.“ 

Langleys, Melissa Strong

Melissa Strong has been appointed as a Senior Associate in the insurance division at Langleys Solicitors LLP, York.

Langleys’ managing partner and head of insurance law David Thompson said: “Melissa is highly experienced in various aspects of insurance law and will be a strong addition to our team of experts.“

Melissa said of her appointment: “I’m delighted to be joining Langleys, which has a long-established reputation in insurance law. I’m looking forward to bringing my experience and knowledge to bear with a diverse range of clients.“

Irwin Mitchell (Leeds) Gary Clarkson

The Leeds office of national law firm, Irwin Mitchell, has appointed former Haines Watts Partner and tax investigations specialist, Gary Clarkson, as it continues to bolster its Business Legal Services team.

Gary has worked as a Director at Deloitte and a Tax Investigations Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

In his new role at Irwin Mitchell, he will be based in the firm’s Leeds office at Wellington Place.

Gary said: “HMRC continues to take an increasingly tougher stance on avoidance as well as evasion, and it is clear that there is demand amongst corporate as well as individuals for specialist advice.

"I’m delighted to be joining Irwin Mitchell and look forward to supporting the continued growth of the firm’s commercial team, whilst also helping to develop a market-leading tax investigations and disputes team.“

Andrew Walker, partner and head of Business Legal Service in the Leeds office, said: “We are delighted to announce Gary’s appointment. He is a very well-known expert in his field and adds another dimension to our growing business legal services team here in Leeds.“

Other recent appointments to Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office include real estate solictior, David Cowgill and Jenny Arrowsmith, who earlier this month joined the employment team as an Associate.

CBRE (Leeds) Ross Jackson

The Leeds office of CBRE has appointed Ross Jackson as graduate surveyor within its Valuation team.

Having completed a Commercial Real Estate Masters degree at the University of Sheffield, Ross will join the expanding team which has recently worked on large portfolios for RBS and HSBC as well as advising on major assets including The Pinnacle, Leeds and Thorpe Park.

Forde Recruitment, Jonathan Wright

Experienced deal maker Jonathan Wright has become a non-executive director of Forde Recruitment, the leading Yorkshire employment group. 

For 10 years he was chief executive of the Alexander Mann Group working with Dragon’s Den star James Caan to develop a broad base of recruitment businesses.

Managing director Paul Forde, who established the business in 1991, said: “This is an exciting and significant step forward for Forde. In discussions with Jonathan we quickly recognised that he would bring enormous amounts of experience in the recruitment and staffing sectors.

"As a non-executive director he will support our team to deliver exciting and strategic development plans for the company.”

Avant Homes, James Kaleda

Housebuilder Avant Homes has appointed James Kaleda to the role of group development training and delivery manager.

The company’s regional housebuilding brands comprise Bett Homes in Scotland and Ben Bailey in Yorkshire. 

Avant Homes’ group HR director, Alan McGilivray said: “Attracting, developing and retaining the finest employees at all levels is hugely important to us as a business. James’ breadth of experience and track record of success in talent management and employee development will be great assets to us. We are very pleased to welcome him to the team.”

Conroy Brook, John Rodda

Yorkshire based developer Conroy Brook has recruited one of the house building industry’s most respected Construction Directors to help deliver a number of major projects as the firm enters an exciting phase of business growth.

John Rodda joins Conroy Brook from Persimmon Homes where he worked for seven years following his previous position at Ben Bailey Homes. As Construction Director, John has delivered some of the country’s largest and most complex housing projects, leading teams across the UK.

John comments; “The regional house building sector is picking up its pace and Conroy Brook is well placed at the forefront of Yorkshire development.”

Richard Conroy, chief executive of Conroy Brook, continued; “Construction Directors with strong track-records and reputations are highly sought after in the industry so we are delighted that John has decided to bring this wealth of experience to the Conroy Brook team.  7

"Our policy to recruit the best people in the business in line with our sustained growth has proven successful and we now have a highly capable team to take the business forward over the next 5 years.”

Clough & Company

West Yorkshire based chartered accountancy firm Clough & Company has expanded its team with six new appointments across a number of its divisions.

Sam Batch joins Clough Management Services as a management accountant, whilst the Audit division has made two new appointments with Wei Song joining as an audit senior and Thomas Conway joins as an audit assistant.

Bethany Naylor joins as a trainee chartered accountant after graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University, as does Rebecca Dixon.

Lottie Smith has been appointed as a client administrator supporting Chartford Financial Management’s team of independent financial advisors, after previously working at a Huddersfield based financial services company.

Lesley Kendrew, staff and audit partner at Clough & Company, explains: “Since the start of the year we’ve seen a dramatic increase in business across all of our divisions and these appointments will help us to maintain the standards of service that we are renowned for. 

“Sam, Wei, Thomas and Lottie all bring a great deal of experience to their positions and both Bethany and Rebecca take a tenacious approach to their work, which is vital in this industry, and I’m sure they will enjoy long and successful careers.“

Eadon, Lockwood and Riddle, Lynsay Robinson and Diane Evans

Sheffield and Derbyshire based estate agents Eadon, Lockwood and Riddle have appointed two members of staff after opening a new branch on Oakbrook Road.

Senior lettings negotiator Lynsay Robinson and property manager Diane Evans have both joined the team at ELR’s new office, which specialises in property letting / management, as well as showcasing homes for sale.

Diane has over 20 years of experience working in the Sheffield property market, joining ELR after a previous appointment at Blundell’s.

Lynsay joins the branch on Oakbrook road after previously being part of ELR’s lettings office on Broomhill. She has 17 years of experience in property, having joined ELR earlier this year.

Chris Thomson, managing director at ELR, said: “We are delighted to welcome Diane as a new member of the team and to have Lynsay on board at our new office.

"We always employ our staff based on their experience and knowledge of the area and Diane and Lynsay bring a wealth of both.“

A group of Teesside-based entrepreneurs are being assisted with their business startup ideas, having enrolled on to an initiative called the ‘icreate programme’.

The initiative, which is backed by the Wilton Centre and the UK-wide BEST network of science and innovation parks, aims to help the participants to become investment ready.

In mid September participants that had shown an interest in the icreate entrepreneurs’ competition were invited to take part in a training programme at Wilton Centre called ‘From Concept to Commercialisation’.

The programme was devised and developed by business development consultant and technology entrepreneur, Peter W Smith.

Peter has provided business development, technology commercialisation and project management services to oil companies, government agencies and multi-discipline engineering contracting organisations, for over 30 years .

The seminar was reportedly carefully structured to provide more than a presentation of information on developing business plans, marketing and economic analysis which has been dealt with exhaustively elsewhere.

The group also heard from Colin Hewitt, a lawyer from Newcastle’s Ward Hadaway.

Colin’s insights into the legal issues associated with developing a new enterprise included an overview of relevant company law and potential legal issues.

Participants of the initiative will also have the opportunity to apply for funding.

Wilton Centre site director, Steve Duffield, said: “A scheme like the Launchpad initiative from Innovate UK (formally the Technology Strategy Board) is a perfect example of the backing that is available for innovative research and development projects.

“With up to £1 million earmarked by Launchpad alone for the cluster of manufacturing process businesses in the North East, grouped around Wilton Centre, Seal Sands and Billingham, our icreate programme aims to support entrepreneurs to access the funding they need.“

Peter Smith said: “The content provided a unique insider’s view of the many and complex steps needed to bring any idea to commercial success.“

Image source: wwarby

The North West Fund has passed another important milestone, having now invested over £100 million in more than 300 businesses.

The investments have been made across Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria.

Through the portfolio of over 300 businesses, The Fund has also created or safeguarded more than 2,500 jobs.

Private sector co-funding has contributed a further £50 million, bringing the total value of investments into North West businesses to £150 million.

This figure is expected to continue growing, as more than 20% of the investments made have been into new startups.   

The £155 million investment fund, which is supported by the European Investment Bank and European Regional Development Fund, provides debt and equity funding of between £25,000 - £2 million to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the North West of England.

Earlier this month The Fund announced the launch of its Micro Fund, a new sub-fund specifically tailored to smaller investments.

Cliff Maylor, chief executive of North West Business Finance, which manages The North West Fund, said: “We are extremely pleased to have reached this significant milestone. £100 million is an impressive figure but we are equally proud of the fact that this has been invested into more than 300 growing businesses in the region.

“For us, this shows that the appetite for growth in the North West is strong.  We know there is still a lot of work to do over the final year of this investment cycle and our fund managers are working hard to meet all of our output targets. We would encourage all business owners in the region to think about their growth plans and speak to their advisers or contact our fund managers directly.

“The final year of investing for this programme is hugely important. We must invest the remaining capital before 31st December 2015.

“Our funding is already having a positive impact on the region, in terms of economic growth, jobs and prosperity. We look forward to making investments into new and existing businesses into next year, as we approach the end of this programme and look ahead to future programmes.“        

Image source: avrene

Hackney-founded cleaning startup Mopp has been acquired similar US business Handy, as the two businesses hope to become the international market leader.

Entrepreneurs Pete Dowds and Tom Brooks founded Mopp last year as a £10-an-hour online cleaning service after seeing a gap in the market.

The pair have raised $49 million in capital to date and the acquisition is likely to be the first step in their expansion into Europe.

The services will rebrand as “Mopp powered by Handy” and users will now have access to existing Mopp cleaners as well as all those previously with Handy.

Mopp now takes 10,000 bookings per month through its website and app, making it a big challenger to mainly eastern-European run cleaning firms across the capital.

Customers will also now be able to book handymen and other services through London-based Mopp which will eventually be completely rebranded as Handy.

Details of the acquisition have not been disclosed but has been described as “multi-million pound deal."

The startup is expected to launch number of new features with the acquisition, which include user login and the ability to manage bookings online.

CEO and founder of Handy, Oisin Hanrahan, said that London was the “next logical stage” for the company.

The British have consistently embraced technology that makes their lives easier, and have an international reputation for being proud of their homes.

Dowds and Brooks will remain at the company to run Mopp and Handy operations from London.