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IssueNineteenMonthlyWIN A PAIR OF FLIGHTSto anywhere in the world,in our exclusive competitionGOINGRECHARGING THEIR BATTERIES– Why Ever Ready’s girlsare still going strongPLACESLIGHTS...CAMERA...ACTION: Behind the scenes at county’snew cinemaDelivered to Shropshire’s successful business people • www.shropshirebusinesstoday.co.uk • @shropsbiztoday

“ Helpingour businesswork smarternot harder”Tony HoltonManaging DirectorARH Group“We’ve just resigned our mobile and fixed line account with Pure Telecom for the third contract term in arow. In the last four years our mobile phone estate has grown from 70 to over 230 Smartphones & Tabletswhich are used by our management team and field based engineers. By combining this with our landlines,Pure Telecom has delivered year on year savings coupled with unrivalled support which we rely on heavilyto help us work smarter not harder. A real pleasure to work with.”ServicesProvidedTalk to our friendly team about our services on01743 244 933www.pure-telecom.co.ukMobile Landline Broadband IT Solutions TrackingMorgan Place, Anchorage Avenue, Shrewsbury Business Park, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6FGinfo@pure-telecom.co.uk

SHROPSHIRE BUSINESS AWARDSAwards night truly acause for celebrationElite county businesses take a deserved step into the limelightChamber president Keith Winter; tables waiting to be taken by eager finalists; and Chamber chief executive Richard Sheehan.They came from all corners ofTelford-based Rockford IT won thethe county . . . From Oswestry,Managing Change award, having grownWhitchurch and Market Drayton in turnover by more than 20 per cent andthe north; Ludlow, Bridgnorth and Bishop’s evolved from a small owner-managedCastle in the south; and, of course, in business to a structured firm with 22 staff.huge numbers from Shropshire’s twoThe Technology, Enterprise andbiggest towns, Telford and Shrewsbury. Innovation prize also went to Telford, withThe 14th Shropshire Business Awards – victory for Aura Light UK. It has producedthe annual ‘Oscars’ of the local economy the world’s longest lasting fluorescent– proved to be another glitteringtube – capable of lasting up to 80,000celebration, reminding us that thehours.county remains a beacon of excellence,supplying quality products, services and Hotly contestedexpertise all around the world.The Hawk Group, a global force in the Shrewsbury-based Aubrey Kirkhamconstruction industry, was the biggest Funeral Directors lifted the Customerwinner, as it was crowned 2014 Shropshire Service award, always one of the mostCompany of the Year.hotly contested. And Stadco Automotive,It was a double success for the familyownedbusiness, based at Prees Green, and Telford, was named Manufacturingwhich has bases in both Shrewsburybecause it had earlier also taken the Excellence champion.International Trade title.Bridgnorth-based Grainger & Worrall,The rest of the awards werespread around the county.Best New Business was GWR SBT editor Carl Jones, master of ceremonies,Fasteners of Oswestry, which had a glamorous introduction to his duties.has an established factorymaking fasteners and precisioncomponents in a range oftrademark colours.The Best Small Business prizewent to Jesmonite Limited ofBishop’s Castle, whose uniquenon-toxic material is usedfor decorative architecturalprojects and mould-making.another manufacturing company whichmakes top-end castings for motorcompanies including Formula One cars,won the Apprenticeships award, andMarches Care in Shrewsbury took theBusiness In The Community prize, for firmswhich put something back into their localsurroundings.Rounding off the prizes, the BuckatreeHall Hotel at the foot of the Wrekin wonthe category for companies bringing jobsand visitors to the region in the Travel,Tourism and Hospitality industry.The awards, organised by ShropshireChamber of Commerce and producedby award-winning Shrewsbury eventmanagement company Yarrington, werestaged at Telford’s International Centre.They were supported and sponsoredby a host of local companies – includingShropshire Business Today, whose neweditor Carl Jones was the master ofceremonies.Escorted to the stage by atroupe of Brazilian-style sambadancers, he told the 600-plusaudience: “A lot has changedin our world since that firstbusiness awards competitionback in 2001 when we gatheredin a marquee in the grounds ofWeston Park.“The Bank of England hadset interest rates at 5.5 percent, you could buy a litre ofpetrol for 76p, and the averageShropshire wage was just over £14,000.“But one thing has remained constant. . . the stream of amazing Shropshirebusinesses who continue to put theirstamp of quality all over the world.”‘Ideas man’ Shed Simove, who hasworked on TV shows such as Big Brotherand The Big Breakfast and now has hisown successful online novelty gifts shop,stepped in as this year’s guest speakerafter passport problems left supermodelCaprice stranded in America, and forcedto stand down.Shropshire Chamber chief executiveRichard Sheehan said the night had beena huge success.RecordNot only had there been a recordnumber of entries this year, but theaudience helped to raise around £3,000for the Severn Hospice with a ‘Red Card,Yellow Card’ game.Mr Sheehan said: “It became veryevident soon after we launched the 2014Shropshire Business Awards that therewas a level of interest from the businesscommunity that we had not experiencedfor some considerable time.“The positivity that is surrounding theimproved economic climate carried overto the awards, with record levels of entriesthat were of a truly outstanding quality.The teams of judges really had their workcut out to determine a winner.“On the night itself the blend ofis certainly higher now than it has been incarnival and celebration of success recent years.produced a cocktail of excitement with “Events like the Shropshire Businessan audience of 640 people seeing the Awards help to raise the profile ofbest of what Shropshire has to offer. the business community and we are“While the event is a massive amount delighted to be a part of it.”of work for my team, I know they areShropshire’s new Euro MP Jill Seymouralready planning for the 15th anniversary was also at the event on her first officialevent on June 26, 2015, intent on making engagement since being chosen asit bigger and even better.”Ukip’s representative on the EuropeanAt the start of the evening, Chamber Union’s transport committee.president Keith Winter gave an emotional She echoed the sponsors’ comments,tribute to his predecessor John Clayton, a saying: “It was a fantastic evening. Youstalwart of the Shropshire business scene could see the hard work, determinationwho died earlier this year. He was a longtimecampaigner for the county’s direct The evening was full of ambiance,and talent the businesses have achieved.rail link to London.atmosphere, and entertainment.”Mr Winter revealed that aPhotos courtesy of Shropshirenew award, for Shropshireevent managementcompany Yarrington.business person ofwww.yarrington.co.ukthe year, was tobe created in MrClayton’s memory.David Battisby,managing partner of LanyonBowdler Solicitors which wasamong the sponsors, said:“We all know the economyhas been through a reallydifficult period, but all thesigns are that business is onthe up in Shropshire.“We deal with a wide variety ofcompanies, largeand small, across the ‘Ideas man’ Shed Simove entertained.county and confidence4 5

SHROPSHIRE BUSINESS AWARDS: THE WINNERSSHROPSHIRE COMPANY OF THE YEAR: THE HAWK GROUPTECHNOLOGY, ENTERPRISE AND INNOVATIONOUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICEAURA LIGHT UK, TELFORDAura Light UK specialises in energy-saving lighting products.It has produced the world’s longest-lasting fluorescenttube – capable of lasting up to 80,000 hours – and workedwith blue-chip firms such as Cadbury, Coca-Cola, VirginTrains, BP and Shell.Founded in 1930, the company says: “With a lifetime ofour light sources that is up to four times longer than standardproducts, maintenance costs and environmental impact arecut by 75 per cent. Our energy-saving lighting solutions canlower your energy consumption by up to 80 per cent. AuraLight helps to reduce both costs and carbon footprint.”AUBREY KIRKHAM FUNERAL DIRECTORS, SHREWSBURYAubrey Kirkham, based at Frankwell, is always looking fornew ways to make a difference. This respected business hasalready received a customer care award from the FuneralPlanning Services organisation in recognition of its efforts.Aubrey says: “At times of great personal sorrow, manypeople find themselves daunted by the prospect of havingto arrange a funeral. It’s not unusual to feel unsure of whereto turn. This is where Aubrey Kirkham Funeral Directors canprovide an outstanding level of care, guiding you throughregistering the death, and arranging the funeral, as well asoffering our support, at what is a traumatic time.”The Hawk Group, which has its headquarters at Prees Green innorth Shropshire, is made up of 11 companies covering everyaspect of the construction sector.It operates all over the UK, and internationally, employingover 700 people . . . but never forgets its local roots, supportingseveral Shropshire causes.It started trading in the 1960s, and has developed intoone of the largest construction equipment and agriculturalequipment hire companies in the UK, with a turnover of morethan £70 million.In the field of plant hire, Hawk is one of the leadingcompanies in the UK, providing customers with self-drive andoperated plant from a fleet of over 2,000 items both nationallyand internationally.On the contracting side, it helps customer with bulkearthworks, quarrying and remediation.And its Safety and Training division is one of the fastestgrowingcompanies in the Hawk Group, with its own trainingschool and facilities to carry out training throughout the UK.INTERNATIONAL TRADE THROUGH EXPORTIt is helping to fill a skills void in the construction industry,and changing perceptions about construction as a potentialcareer for school and further education leavers.Hawkins Motors, an established retail dealer which hasrepresented Ford for over 25 years, is also part of the HawkgroupMANAGING CHANGEROCKFORD IT, TELFORDRockford is a company which has seen major changes inthe past 18 months.It has evolved from a small owner-managed business toa structured firm with 22 staff.Turnover has grown by more than 20 per cent over thispast year.The company has 12 years of experience and specialisesin managed IT services, managed hosting, internetconnectivity, IT security and disaster recovery .It has two high-security data centres in Telford and one inLiverpool, and the Shropshire base is its head office.APPRENTICESHIPSGRAINGER & WORRALL, BRIDGNORTHEngineering firm Grainger & Worrall has grown massivelysince moving onto the Stanmore industrial estate.It plans to employ 10 apprentices this year to work acrossall levels of the business, making specialist castings forsome of the most famous motor car producers in the world,including Formula One teams.But this is nothing new. Apprentices have already playeda key role in helping the firm to double its headcount to 500in the last five years.Grainger & Worrall is the world’s leading provider of highquality, total castings for automotive, motorsport, energyand the wider transport market.Hawk Group’s second award on the night.6 7

SHROPSHIRE BUSINESS AWARDS: THE WINNERSTRAVEL, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITYBUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITYBEST SMALL BUSINESSMANUFACTURING EXCELLENCETHE BUCKATREE HALL HOTEL, TELFORDThe Buckatree sits at the foot of the Wrekin. Since returningto family ownership in 2011, it has invested more than £1million on a major refurbishment.And the investment is reaping rewards . . . latest figuresshow that its visitor numbers are up by around 15 per cent.The hotel’s Lakeside Restaurant offers a choice ofcomtemporary cuisine in addition to the stylishly decoratedLander Bar and lounge offering snacks and light meals.The hotel is known for successfully hosting businessconferences, private events, weddings and Christmasparties.MARCHES CARE LIMITED, SHREWSBURYMarches Care is at the forefront of the campaign to raiseawareness of dementia.It hosts the Age UK Diamond drop-in centre and raisescash for many local causes, including Severn Hospice.Based at The Uplands in Oxon, which it built in 2007,Marches Care has been owned by the same family whohave operated within Shropshire for over 25 years.The Uplands is a Gold Standard Framework commendedhome for end-of-life care, nationally recognised as a qualityprovider of nursing and dementia care.JESMONITE LIMITED, BISHOP’S CASTLEJesmonite Limited produces a unique non-toxic material usedfor decorative architectural projects, as well as mould-making.It is also a popular choice for production companiesseeking to build lightweight and flexible TV or movie sets.Jesmonite was invented in 1984 by Peter Hawkins whoremains at the heart of the company as technical anddevelopment director.The original compound was an Acrylic-modified gypsumcomposite, and is still sold to this day. It was conceivedas a safe alternative to Fibre Glass and as a lightweightalternative to cast concrete.STADCO, SHREWSBURY AND TELFORDStadco is at the cutting edge of the automotive industry.It supplies body parts to some of the UK’s biggest carmakers, and has invested more than £100,000 so far thisyear in training and development of its workers.With in excess of 80 presses within the group, Stadcohas the ability to stamp any cold-formed sheet-metal parton a vehicle, in either steel or aluminium, from the smallestbracket to the largest skin panel.It has more than 25 years of experience in the manufactureof aluminium stampings, and is one of the largest Tier 1 users ofautomotive grade aluminium in Europe.The Buckatree Hall is arenowned country house hotel sittingin beautiful Shropshire countryside,at the foot of the famous Wrekin.Conveniently located just off J.7 ofthe M54, it’s an ideal base for bothbusiness & leisure. With 62 rooms,including a lake & garden, itwon the Travel, Tourism &Hospitality title at the 2014Shropshire Business Awards.Travel Tourism & HospitalityHold a conference: Inthe Sir John Bayley SuiteTie the knot: With abespoke weddings packageWine and dine: In theLakeside restaurants, whichseats up to 80 guestsRelax and rewind:In the Lander loungeBEST NEW BUSINESSGWR FASTENERS, OSWESTRYGWR Fasteners was initially set up on eBay, but now has anestablished factory, making special fasteners and precisioncomponents.It uses a unique process which is capable of puttingcolour into stainless steel through its Colourfast range, whichoffers fasteners as black, blue, red, brass or copper.The company was started in 2009 by toolmaker GaryRobinson who has over 25 years of experience in theengineering trade, and it now has customers worldwide.BUSINESS AWARDS GUESTS PROVE IT’S NOT ALL WORK AND NO PLAY . . .Fun casino drew the crowds.Arriving at TIC.Samba dancers!Buckatree Hall Hotel,The Wrekin, Telford,Shropshire, TF6 5ALT: 01952 641 821E: sales@BuckatreeHallHotel.comW: www.buckatreehallhotel.comThe ‘red card, yellow card’ game raised funds for Severn Hospice.8 9

An SBT promotion STADCOSTADCO An SBT promotionStadco, the leading internationalsupplier of body-in-white products andservices to the automotive industry,won the ‘Manufacturing Excellence’category at the 2014 Shropshire BusinessAwards.The award, sponsored by Barclays, goes tothe manufacturing company that bestdemonstrates continuous improvement toachieve world-class manufacturing standards.The judges looked for evidence of:• an engaged workforce that hasdeveloped (or clearly developing);• a culture of continuous improvement; and• a company that clearly understandsproviding value to the customer.Stadco was challenged to demonstratethese attributes through showcasing itsleadership, manufacturing processes, newproduct introduction, development, salesand marketing, purchasing and all-roundbest practice.One of the judges said that receiving theManufacturing Excellence award goessomeway in recognising the fantasticachievements that Stadco have made insuch a short timeframe. What particularlyimpressed the judges was the cohesivenessdemonstrated throughout the whole of theorganisation.Managing director Chris Fisher said “Thewinning of this Manufacturing ExcellenceAward is a direct reflection of every person inthe organisation. Everybody engaged withthis business over the last few years hasplayed a part in winning this, and I thankeveryone. We can all be quite rightly proud.“We are in a process of creating a learningorganisation, a business that drives tocontinuously improve, learns from what wedid yesterday and commits to do it bettertomorrow.“This award is recognition of what we haveall achieved so far and should encourage usInvestment is keyto do even better tomorrow, we cannot able to stamp up to 3,200 parts per hour. Theafford to sit back on our laurels and become initial two presses are currently being installedcomplacent.”with volume production due to commencequarter 4 2014. Presses 3 and 4 will beAmongst the fascinating history of Stadco is following on 12 months later.the fact that it is one of the oldest companiesin the UK, celebrating more than 200 years Stadco has been involved in a range ofsince its incorporation in 1812. However, far recent high-profile programmes, includingfrom looking backwards the organisation has the Jaguar F-Type, for which it manufacturescontinually evolved and is now one of the the major panels and closure assemblies.largest suppliers of Body-In-White productsand services to the UK automotive industry. Recognising that its employees arefundamental to its success Stadco isIt is recognised as providing world-class committed to finding, recruiting and trainingcapability, particularly in the manufacture of the very best personnel. A high performancealuminium products – now widely used by culture is driven by a competency-basedcar companies to save weight and improve technical and behavioural framework whichfuel economy. Across its sites in Castleis linked to performance and development.Bromwich, Telford, Shrewsbury and Powys,Stadco produces some of the mosttechnically challenging panels andassemblies on a vehicle.Stadco is building upon the continuedsuccess of the UK automotive sector, havingcommitted £40m since 2011 in the lateststamping and assembly technology. It hasrecently won major new contracts which willinvolve work going into both its Shrewsburyand Telford facilities and see employeelevels exceed 1,100 during 2015. Stadco willhave created 400 new jobs in the UK since2010, of which 200 will be required during2014 and 2015.Shrewsbury’s investment will see the installationof flexible automated cells capable ofproducing 260,000 assemblies per year acrossa range of vehicle models with productiondue to start in the fourth quarter of 2014.Stadco’s Telford plant is installing four of thelatest generation transfer press lines. Eachline is capable of exerting a force of 2,000tonnes and combined the four press lines areto Stadco growthStadco has committed more than £100,000 days by 30%. Stadco is a licensed provider ofduring 2014 to training and development. IOSH managing safety. During 2014 everyThis includes initiatives such as; Institute of employee in the company will attend aLeadership Management training for 70 firstlinemanagers and an 18 month programme training programme.‘Don’t Walk By’ behavioural-based safetyof Six-Sigma training for employees. They arealso firmly committed to those starting their Stadco is also committed to its environmentalmanufacturing career too, with apprenticeship, profile and footprint, with annual targets forundergraduate and graduate programmes. energy reduction of 5%, and a 90% recyclingtarget on schedule to be achieved by theA priority for the organisation is the safety end of 2014.of its employees with a commitment tocontinuous improvement across itsContinued investment in its people and themanagement system, including training, very latest equipment will see Stadcoincident investigation and risk reduction continuing to grow and enhance its positionstrategies. A Zero Harm initiative has so far as one the UK’s leading suppliers to thereduced accident rates by over 25% and lost automotive industry.10 S H R O P S H I R E B U S I N E S S T O DAY S H R O P S H I R E B U S I N E S S T O D A Y 11

INFRASTRUCTUREA grounded approachdon’t have to tell me aboutthe qualities of Shropshire,” says“YouPaul Kehoe, the chief executiveof Birmingham Airport, as he gazes overthe runway from the giant panoramicwindow in his top-floor office.“The Iron Bridge, Shrewsbury and the RiverSevern, Much Wenlock and its Olympicconnections, the aerospace museum atCosford – I consider it all an important partof the product we are offering from here.”That no doubt comes as music to the earsof tourism marketing bosses, but lookingthe other way, just how strongly are thepeople of Shropshire connecting with thesecond city’s fast-growing airport?The answer is, not nearly as much asofficials feel that they should. Of the ninemillion passengers who passed throughthe terminals in the past year, fewer than200,000 of those came from the county.“That’s not enough,” Paul says bluntly. “Weneed to reach out to the Shropshire areamore, and improve that.” But he knows thiscould be easier said than done.The 55-year-old, who has been at the helmin Birmingham since 2008, acknowledgesthat travellers in many parts of Shropshireview Manchester as their first-choice hub.By CARL JONES“If you can avoid the M6 and go up theA49 or A41 through Whitchurch, it is asquick going that way as coming down tohere.“So Shropshire is tough for us. There’s theease of the M54, but when you get tojunction 10 you often find yourself stopped,or stop-start. It doesn’t help that it’s just southof the toll road. If it was the other side, wemight have more of a fighting chance.“It helps us that the railway network pointsin our direction. The new Shropshire-to-London service can certainly work for us,if it stops at Birmingham International. It’scertainly easier than getting a train up toManchester.”He continues: “What we’re selling fromhere are attractions and facilities whichare probably within an hour’s travel. It’sfair game for us to say that anything withina 60-mile radius can be claimed as aBirmingham product. So our leisure offeringwould include the likes of Ironbridge, TheWrekin, Shrewsbury, and Cosford aeromuseum.“But equally so would the i54, Telford newtown, and Donnington army base from abusiness point of view. We’re selling thateconomic engine that is one hour’s radiusaround Birmingham.”Trial flights from China are beingintroduced to Birmingham over thecoming months, and Paul believes it couldpotentially open up a huge new businessmarket for the region.“The likes of the Chinese think Englandand London are one and the same, sosomehow, we have got to get a point onthe map up here that they can relate to.“Much Wenlock might be famous asthe birthplace of the Olympic games,but on a map which hardly even showsBirmingham, how are we going to brandourselves? And so, even though some ofthe outlying districts don’t always like it, inthe end we just call it all Birmingham.“When I came here, I did think it wouldbe easier to sell to the 4×4 driving,Shakespeare-loving, chocolate-eatingperson because of the way the webcould help to connect those local brandstogether. But that has been the biggestchallenge, connecting with the worldusing the great brands that we’ve got.“We’ll keep trying on that one, but Ihaven’t cracked it yet.”Paul Kehoe has, however, ‘cracked’quite a lot in the six years since he tookover Birmingham’s top job, when the UKaviation industry was in the doldrums.He was no stranger to the aviation sector,having started his career as an air trafficcontroller, and recalls his early trainingintroducing him to Shropshire, throughstints at RAF Shawbury.He then worked for a variety of companiesin the industry, including British Aerospace,Serco, and TBI plc, before becomingmanaging director of both Luton andBristol airports.It’s difficult to ‘lose’ an airport the size ofGatwick, but that’s essentially what hadhappened within months of his move toBirmingham.“Yes, in the year 2009–10, about 35 millionpassengers stopped flying in the UKsystem as the recession began to bite,” hereflects. “That’s the number of passengerswho go through Gatwick.”“We’re currently in a growth phase, butthree or four years later we are still downfrom that point by an airport the side ofStansted, which has 18 million passengers.”Against that backdrop, it’s little wonder heconsiders his six-year tenure at the headof the West Midlands’ leading airport as achallenging period of his career.Mother nature hasn’t helped either. Hecasts his mind back to April 2010 whenthe eruption of the Icelandic volcano❝If you look at thegraph showingloss of airportpassengers . . . we’veactually been theleast affected of UKairports. So, wehaven’t done such abad job.❞PAUL KEHOEEyjafjallajökull closed airspace for ninedays. “We lost the best part of two millionquid in revenue through that,” he reveals.“We’re now at the back end of thelow-cost airline revolution phase. When itreally got going in the early 2000s, it wassomething Birmingham really didn’t reallytake a part in.“So, when we had our best year, in 2008–09, with 9.6 million passengers, it was whenRyanair turned up and put lots of trafficthrough. That was just before we had lotsof airline failures like Bmi Baby and othersthat came and went.“Ryanair, Flybe and Monarch have alldone reasonably well, and there is a boomat the moment, with Birmingham growingat about four per cent, but I still think themarket is incredibly challenging.“Although we’ve bounced back and justhad five months of growth, with both Apriland May this year being record months forus, I’m still a tad nervous of the market asa whole.Shock“The airport had a relationship with BritishAirways going back 60-odd years whichwas very fruitful, and we as a companykept other players out of the marketbecause we loved British Airways so much,so when they left us in 2007 and pulled outof UK regional markets, I think it was a bitof a shock to us.“The loss of BA was a psychological blowto the community and the airport, anda financial blow to the airport company.It was horrendous. We never went intoloss making, but we have been workingour way back to serious profitability sincethen on the back of low-cost traffic as werebuild our business.”So much of what happens at Birminghamis out of the control of the airport12 13

INFRASTRUCTURECounty’s hub reservationsSHOULD Shropshire businesses besupporting the planned expansion ofHeathrow Airport, and its controversial thirdrunway?That was the question posed at abreakfast briefing, ‘Heathrow Airport – OneHub or None?’, at the Buckatree Hall Hotelin Telford.Andrew Macmillan, the airport’sdirector of strategy, travelled to the countyto address the gathering, hosted byShropshire Chamber of Commerce.And the consensus in the room?A broad, but slightly reserved vote ofconfidence for the airport’s expansionplans.With Heathrow – the UK’s only ‘hub’ Andrew Macmillan (right), director ofairport linking us with the rest of the world strategy at Heathrow, with Shropshire– now operating at 98 per cent capacity, Chamber president Keith Winter.Mr Macmillan said expansion at the westLondon site was vital to prevent it losing touch with the rest of the world.“We have the busiest two runways in the world, with planes landing or taking off every45 seconds, and airlines unable to expand due to insufficient slots.“Our model is different to other UK airports. As a hub, we are not competing with otherUK airports, but with other hub airports such as Dubai, which is about to overtake us asthe busiest in the world, for the first time.“I am aware that some in Shropshire cannot understand why expansion should nottake place instead at the likes of Birmingham where there is spare capacity. But this isnot a choice between Birmingham or Heathrow. It is a case of saying do we want tohave one of these hub airports in the UK or not, because we can only have one of them,and Heathrow is clearly where the demand lies.”Not good enoughNic Laurens, managing director of Severn Diamond Limited in Shrewsbury, once took143 flights in a 12-month period, and while he said he backed Heathrow’s expansionplans, he added: “I still don’t believe it is good enough for the people of Shropshire.“We are going to have a rail link to London, but it still requires a change, so mostpeople are going to have to drive – and there is a suggestion of a congestion chargeonce you arrive, which immediately puts me off.”Mandy Thorn, head of Marches Care in Shrewsbury, agreed that the new-lookHeathrow would be “dead in the water from Shropshire’s point of view” if it imposed acongestion charge.Simon Macvicker, Shropshire Chamber’s chairman of policy and managing directorof Bridgnorth Aluminium Limited, said there was clearly more work to be done on theconnectivity side. But he said it was “tremendously heartening” that airport officials wereprepared to venture to the county to seek the views of the business community.Chamber chief executive Richard Sheehan said: “We want to see Birmingham Airportflourish, but we can also see there is clearly wider value in the Heathrow expansion.”company itself. Paul is responsible for aworkforce of around 600, but that’s barely10 per cent of the total number of peopleemployed on site.So, when French air traffic controllersdecide to strike, there are grumbles aboutpassport control, issues surrounding retailservices or delays over late arrival ofbaggage, he’s not the man in charge.And yet, it is Paul, the boss, whose head ishighest above the parapet when it comesto fielding the complaints.On my visit, there were a staggering370,000 minutes of delays in the Europeanairline system – many having knock-oneffects for Birmingham which Paul and histeam were powerless to address.Paul is broadly welcoming of chancellorGeorge Osborne’s latest pledge to createa northern counterweight to the Londonobsessedtransport system, with the help ofboth HS2 and HS3 rail links.Threat“We are supporters of HS2, but the thoughtof having a crossroads between HS2and HS3 at Manchester Airport is a realcompetitive threat to us.”Even without getting into the argumentabout whether Birmingham should builda second runway – another political hotpotato – the site has the capacity to morethan double its current passenger base ofaround nine million people a year.“The runway itself is now what’s called abalanced runway of 3,000 metres and itstheoretical capacity is around 30 millionpassengers a year.“It depends on many factors such as sizeand frequency of aeroplane, but there isno doubt that the capability is more thandouble the levels we are operating attoday. And that would represent doublingthe jobs at this airport too.”But for more big-name airlines to chooseBirmingham, they need to see a potentialbusiness customer base to fill the lucrativeseats at the front end of the plane.Paul says: “The most successful exampleof what can be achieved here is Emirates,which has gone from zero to being, possibly,this time next year, our most voluminousservice, possibly overtaking Dublin.”So what’s on Paul Kehoe’s ‘to do’ list overthe coming months? Have his prioritieschanged?“Well, it isn’t the job I thought it was, whenI agreed to first come. When I came here,I thought the job was going to be a silverbullet to be honest. I thought I’d just get inhere and sort it out. I was asked to transformthe business and that’s what we’ve done.“We’ve built a new pier, built a car park,put the two terminals together, built ahangar, built a control tower, lengthenedthe runway, downsized our staff, and weinsource rather than outsource activities,changing the culture.“The one thing that has eluded meto some extent, I think, is the marketpresence. We still struggle, but we havebeen doing all this in the worst aviationrecession in 60 years, so should I beatmyself up too much?“I don’t know, because if you look at thegraph showing loss of airport passengersin that time, we’ve actually been the leastaffected of UK airports. So, we haven’tdone such a bad job.“Most things that happen here are out ofour control, whether it’s a power outagein customs and excise, a fuel-tank failurewhich means we can’t get fuel here,a French air traffic control strike, or avolcano . . . it just goes on.”“But consumers are becoming more andmore intolerant. They want it now, theywant it perfect, and they deserve it.”Birmingham’s challenge is to persuade Shropshire fliers of the airport’s advantagesover rivals such as Manchester.Below: Events such as the 2010 volcanic eruption are among the ungovernablechallenges facing the industry.1415

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That’s what we are offering one luckyShropshire Business Today reader in this‘Going Places’ special offer, a partnershipwith the fast-growing team at Turkish Airlines.The company has just been named Best Airlinein Europe and Best Airline in Southern Europe,as well as being awarded Best Business ClassOnboard Catering, and Best Business ClassLounge Dining in 2014 Skytrax World AirlineAwards. It flies to more than 250 destinationsaround the world, using Istanbul as its hubfrom Birmingham ... and we have a pair oftickets to give away, to a destination of yourchoice. Please visit www.turkishairlines.com tosee all destinations that Turkish Airlines flies to.Skytrax has become the world leader in rankingaviation offers. With no outside sponsorship,advertising or influence, it is the most respectedglobal airline passenger study in the industry.This year’s awards were based on the results ofover 18 million passenger surveys, with morethan 105 nationalities participating, covering245 airlines. The awards mark a continuedperiod of success for the airline which hasseen passengernumbers rise by16.8% so far in2014compared to the same period last year.Selim Ozturk, General Manager for TurkishAirlines at Birmingham, said: “We are extremelyproud of what we have achieved atBirmingham Airport since we began operatingflights from here back in 2008. “The demandhas been incredibly strong from the verybeginning, which is why we decided toincrease the number of flights betweenBirmingham and Istanbul.”Turkish Airlines continues to consolidate itsposition as one of the world's leading airlinesby significant investments made in recentyears, the awards received, impressive growthfigures, large-scale aircraft orders, continuouslyexpanding route network and innovativeapproaches that constantly improved by itshuge family consisting of 40,000 employees.They all demonstrate its continued popularityamongst airline passengers.Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft,Turkish Airlines is a 4-star airline today with afleet of 256 (passenger and cargo) aircraftflying to 257 destinations worldwide with 214international and 43 domestic. It is a memberof the airline alliance, Star Alliance which wasestablished in 1997 as the first truly global airlinealliance to offer worldwide reach, recognitionand seamless service to the internationaltraveller. Its acceptance by the market hasbeen recognized by numerous awards.More information about Turkish Airlines can be found on the website: www.turkishairlines.comAbove: Dr Temel Kotil, CEO of Turkish Airlines,with the Skytrax awardsTurkish Airlines is going from strength tostrength at Birmingham Airport, offering morechoice and greater connectivity. . It saysforward bookings on routes to the MiddleEast, Far East and Africa have beenoutstanding as more and more people realisehow easy and convenient it is to connect viaIstanbul rather than taking long and stressfulcar journeys to other UK airports to catchdirect flights.HOW TO ENTER OURGREAT READER OFFERTo be in with a chance of winning thisamazing prize, simply answer this question:Which airline has been named The BestAirline in Europe in the 2014 Skytrax WorldAirline Awards?Send your answer, along with your name,address and daytime contact details, toeditor@shropshirebusinesstoday.co.uk.Entries must be received no later thanAugust 24, 2014. The prize comprises of twoeconomy class return tickets from Birminghamto any of the 257 destinations Turkish Airlinescurrently serves, subject to availability. Theticket is valid until July 30, 2015.Employees of Shropshire Business Today, Turkish Airlines andassociated companies are not eligible to enter. No cashalternative of the prize value is available. Subject toavailibility on requested dates and Turkish Airlines’ terms andconditions apply. The editor’s decision is final and nocorrespondence will be entered into.S H R O P S H I R E B U S I N E S S T O D A Y 17

NEWSTony taking a step backOne of the longest-serving volunteers on the Telfordbusiness networking circuit is stepping back from thefront line after nearly 30 years.Business leaders have praised Tony Jemmett, whose links withthe town’s business support scene began in the mid 1980s whenhe became a driving force at Telford Development Agency,helping to promote and nurture inward investment.Most recently, he has been serving on the board of directorsat Telford Business Partnership, where he is one of its foundermembers.“Having reached the grand old age of 60, the time has comefor me to give up some of my outside interests,” said Tony, whowill continue to run his firm of chartered surveyors, JemmettManley & Associates. He will also remain a TBP member.“I have announced that I will be stepping down from the TBPboard at the end of the current board year.“This brings to an end my full involvement with Telford, whichhas been truly fulfilling – from chairing Telford DevelopmentAgency breakfast events and opening up the membership, tochairing the larger TDA board which dealt with European moneyprocured for various projects.“I have also gained immense satisfaction from helping to setup the business leaders’ forum, providing a platform for largercompanies and major employers in Telford to have a voice.“And finally, I ensured that as I left the front line, the voice ofthe future would be heard by the creation of another networkinggroup for the town’s young professionals.”Robin Melley, who currently chairs Telford Business Partnership,said: “Tony has made an incredible contribution to both TBPand the wider business community in Telford over the past threedecades, and we would like to say a huge thank-you for thecommitment and the wisdom he has given over so many years.”As managing director ofJemmett Manley & AssociatesLtd, based at Burlington nearShifnal, Tony has been involvedin the property business for over40 years. He is a past chairmanof the West Midlands branchof the Royal Institution ofChartered Surveyors and hasbeen involved in some of thebiggest developments in theWest Midlands, and Telfordand Wrekin conurbations.Telford Business Partnership chairman Robin Melley (left)thanks Tony Jemmett for his commitment to the town.18

SOUTHWATER, TELFORDLeft: Cineworld’s Phil Jones in the IMAX projection room. Inset: Phil gives SBT editor Carl Jones a tour of the new building.Right: A construction worker checks the view in the new cinema complex.Coming soon to acinema near youEXCLUSIVEBy CARL JONESAn 11-screencinema complexis at the heart ofTelford’s ongoingdevelopment –and at last thecountdown toopening night isrunningAcertain web-slinging superheroonce said: “With great powercomes great responsibility…”And right at this moment, Phil Jones(pictured, right) probably knows exactlyhow Spider-man felt.The general manager of Telford’s newCineworld multiplex cinema is countingdown the days to its eagerly awaitedofficial opening.He may not be fighting off baddies withdastardly superpowers, but for the pastfew weeks he’s been juggling recruitmentand project management with the task ofmarshalling and marketing the 11-screencomplex.And he knows there’s a lot riding onthe opening few weeks of the building,which houses Shropshire’s first ever IMAXmovie screen and forms a pivotal partof the town’s £250 million Southwaterdevelopment.“We’ll have 80 or 90 people workingat Telford’s Cineworld IMAX and ourStarbucks coffee franchise when it opens,”says the Llandudno-born 29-year-old, whohas worked in the business since 2002.”Intense“Most of them are completely new to thecompany, so we’re currently in the middleof a pretty intense period of training. It’s abig challenge, and is going to be a franticfew weeks.“But first impressions are everything, andwe know we have to get it right from theget-go. People are really excited aboutSouthwater, and I’m hoping that we’vegauged the mood right about howkeen the people of Telford are on seeingShropshire’s very first IMAX cinema.”19

The scale of the project was highlighteda few weeks back when workmen werespotted transporting the giant IMAXscreen, piece by piece, through a gap inthe side of the new building.It’s 28ft high – the size of two doubledeckerbuses – and 50ft wide. IMAX is apatented crystal-clear digital projectionsystem with much larger, slightly curvedand tilted screens, delivering the actionthrough superior sound and high-definitionvisuals . . . taking the movie-watchingexperience to the next, full-on level.It’s a major feature in the cap of theSouthwater development to have an IMAXscreen in town – something which KateCallis, assistant director of developmentbusiness and employment at Telford &Wrekin Council, was keen to emphasisewhen she updated members of TelfordBusiness Partnership earlier this month.“The most exciting thing about Southwateris the fact that it is creating a night-timeeconomy for Telford, and getting an IMAXhere as part of that is a huge pull,” she toldthe quarterly TBP meeting, at the ValleyHotel in Ironbridge.“It is going to be a really fantastic facility.We are hoping that Southwater will createsomething for Telford which is akin toBrindleyplace in Birmingham.The Cineworld building will be transformedby the time of its mid-August launch.“As well as the cinema, there are already11 new restaurants signed up, which istestament to the way the market believesthere is real potential here in Telford.“The investment in our convention quarterhas already created 350 new jobs, andsafeguarded 350 more, and it should bea significant benefit to The InternationalCentre, which is already bringing in a hugeamount to the local economy.“What we are seeing now is theculmination of a huge amount of workfrom a huge number of people.”AmbitiousCineworld’s Telford site was originallydue to open at the end of May, butvarious recalculations of the timescale forphase one of the ambitious Southwaterdevelopment have pushed that dateback to mid August.When it finally opens its doors after a 20-week fitting-out period, moviegoers willfind 11 stadium-seated screens, varyingin capacity from 94 to 350, all on the firstfloor of the building, with the Starbucksfranchise below.Most of the auditoria have been kittedout with the capacity to be hired out forconferences or corporate presentations– an area in which Phil says he’s alreadyreceived strong interest.“We’re fully digital. There will be none ofthe old 35mm projectors. But that doesgive us the ability to show a diverse rangeof films.“Alongside the big mainstream releases,we’re planning to offer movies for juniors,live events such as opera and theatrewhich are becoming increasingly popular,and we’re also going to give Bollywoodscreenings a try.”It’s well known that the Telford site willbring IMAX cinema to Shropshire for thefirst time, but there’s a less trumpetedinnovation coming our way too.It’s called D-Box, and adds a fourthdimension to the movie experience.Sign up for a D-Box showing, and you’ll betreated to a chair which is synchronisedto the action. Subtle pitches, rolls orvibrations are capable of mimicking all theaction, from a punch to a skydive – andyou can turn the effects up, down, or offaltogether.Phil says: “I’m chuffed to bits to beinvolved in this. It’s been designed as oneof the company’s flagship sites, and reallywill take cinema in Shropshire to a differentlevel.”People are keen to work in the businesstoo. When Cineworld held two open daysto recruit the majority of its staff, jobcentreofficials warned Phil to expect hugecrowds through the doors. All in all, morethan 400 people applied for jobs.“It is a great career opportunity,” says Phil,who project-managed the opening on anew site in Gloucester last year.ListedCineworld has come a long way in the19 years since it was founded. Originallya private company, it re-registered asa public business in 2006, and has beenlisted on the London Stock Exchange sinceMay 2007. Of its 80-plus sites, it has four ofthe 10 highest-grossing cinemas in the UKand Ireland.SOUTHWATER, TELFORD❝Sign up for a D-Box showing, and you’ll be treated to achair which is synchronised to the action. Subtle pitches,rolls or vibrations are capable of mimicking all the action.❞Phil says: “The company is opening 11new cinemas across the country in thecoming year, including a five-screensite in Oswestry, so there are plenty ofopportunities for career progression forpeople with ambition and drive.”And his own plans? “I’m an ambitiousguy. I could have stayed at my previousCineworld site in Solihull where we havebuilt a terrific team, but I’m looking forchallenges.“I don’t want Telford to be run-of-the-mill.I want to bring regional film premieresto Shropshire, and I want to open upcommunication channels to make thecinema a part of the localcommunity.”2021

FUNDINGPowering-up potentialBusinesses lookingto expand cantake advantageof a welcomenew source offunding at a timewhen the banksremain reluctant tocommitBy CARL JONESWith confidence slowly seepingback into the Shropshireeconomy, companies areincreasingly turning their thoughts towardsexpansion.But word on the local industrial estates is thatthe ultra-cautious banks are still thwartingmany sound-looking business plans throughtheir continued aversion to risk.Help, though, is at hand in the shapeof a community development financialinstitution called Impetus.It has a staggering £4 million to give awayto firms in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, andHereford & Worcester over the comingmonths.Former Ever Ready staff at Ace-On.And there are just a few simple conditions:companies must have been turned downby other lenders, despite having crediblebusiness plans, and have to employbetween 10 and 60 people. As terms andconditions go, that’s about it.Impetus fund manager, Steve Williamsexplains: “If you own or you’re involved inan established regional business, you mayhave an opportunity or strategy for futuregrowth including a clear picture of thefinances you need for this.“However, as many businesses arediscovering, getting a development loannowadays to support perhaps a tenderbid, investment in new equipment or tocover recruitment costs, is not as easy as itonce was.“Many loan requests – even those thatshow clear progression to a profitablereturn – can still be turned down by banks,building societies and other lenders.“As a social enterprise, Impetus is here tofill that gap and we’re best able to helplocal SMEs in Herefordshire, Worcestershire,Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin with 10 to60 employees or even more.“We are very flexible and therefore wewelcome applications from just about anybusiness sector,” says Mr Williams.“This includes manufacturing, engineering,catering, leisure, computing, electronics,communications, energy, healthcare,procurement, recruitment and financing,to name just a few.”Order bookAce-On Group, at Stafford Park in Telford,is one of several Shropshire firms whichhave already taken advantage of theImpetus scheme. The company took overthe Univercell battery plant – a spin-offfrom the former Ever Ready factory inDawley – around 18 months ago, andthanks to a £100,000 loan from Impetus,they’ve already doubled the workforceand sent the order book soaring.It now employs 17 people, has opened asatellite office in Dubai, and is selling allover the world, from the Middle East toIraq, and across Europe.“Univercell came up for sale just as we,over in Solihull, were developing our solargenerators. We’d spent a lot of moneyon that development, but could see thepotential in buying the Telford business,which had been struggling,” says Ace-OnGroup managing director Mark Thompson.“And the guys from the council made us sowelcome when we spoke with them, that Iactually fell in love with Telford, to be honest.“We looked around Univercell andwe really wanted to go for it. But wedidn’t have the finance to make ithappen. When we asked for support, ouraccountant said no, our bank managersaid no, and I think that was a red rag to abull for me.“The council were the ones who told us totalk to Impetus, who stepped in to make itall happen for us.“We do everything from a cell thatyou would use in a watch to a bankof batteries that could power a wholehospital. We do batteries for pool tables,emergency lighting, or sewerage systems– if you see a ‘slow down’ sign in one ofyour villages with a solar panel on the top,there will be a battery pack in that.“I’m not saying we would not be herenow were it not for Impetus, but we’veleapfrogged 10 years in our developmentas a result of their support, making us amuch bigger player.“Impetus were brilliant for us, becausethey really believed in our vision. We wereonly a new set-up company ourselves, butwe have a two- to five-year plan for thecompany, and two years down the line,we are now seeing the benefits of whatImpetus put into us.Right: Mark Thompson, Ace-OnGroup MD was impressed by Telford& Wrekin Council’s advice.Below: An Armstrong UEN roboticarm.Below right: The Baron at Bucknell.“I really want to make Telford a solartechnology centre. We’ve got to exportour way out of trouble here in the UK overthe next 20 years.”Ace-On isn’t the only Shropshire businessto have been supported by Impetus.Armstrong UEN and Faction Bikes inShrewsbury, The Baron of Beef country innat Bucknell, and Funzone in Whitchurchhave received cash too.Armstrong is the only UK company todesign and produce industrial roboticarms to support manufacturing as well asmachinery for palletising and pick-andplace.The company needed a loan to helpcover the cost of bringing in new staff andbuying new machinery.Director Peter Richards says: “Impetus hasenabled us to expand at a far greaterrate than ever before. Through increasedworkforce we can now process robot armdesign and manufacture and facilitateorders much faster and more efficiently.”Could your business qualify for an Impetusloan? Call 01386 556000 or log ontowww.impetus-marches.co.uk22 23

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THE OUTSIDERA toast to those whoput the fizz into the festivalThe Outsider is one of Shropshire’smost successful businessmen, withvast experience both in the UKand overseas. His views are notnecessarily those held by ShropshireBusiness Today but are expressedto make all of us question ourcommercial actions . . .I’m sure that you must have heard aboutthe recent Shrewsbury Food Festival,which was quite simply brilliant!The weather was glorious on theSunday in particular. Crowds flocked inwith a happy bustle of anticipation andleft several hours later, having sampledall manner of locally produced food anddrink, and absolutely laden with bags ofproduce. A real triumph for all concerned.From the very first stallholder that Ipurchased from, to a very effervescentyoung lady who worked on one of standsfor a local restaurant – who not only oozedenthusiasm about the day but took thetime to describe some of the new ideasbeing launched at the restaurant in thenear future – the positivity of the day waspalpable, uplifting, and left me (and Isuspect many others) wanting more.The restaurant in question is one ofShrewsbury’s real success stories, andforms part of a local mini-empire. Whatstruck me about the enthusiasm displayedby the young lady was that she wasnot the first employee of that particularbusiness to impress me with a genuineinterest and passion for her job, but alsothe business as a whole. That is somethinginstilled by the management style of abusiness, in particular from the top!BanterAs the day progressed,the banter from stallholdersbecame part of the charmoffensive, which I suspectwill undoubtedly help enticerepeat visitors next year.Thousands more crammed inand the whole day carried aA cookery demonstration in progress at thereal buzz throughout.Market Hall during the festival weekend.The Market Hall alsoprovided some interestingstalls and events . . . indeed, I spied theeditor of this very publication playinghis part as the compère of some of thecookery demonstrations.Even the council played its part byallowing free parking on the Sunday – veryhelpful!Looking at the bigger picture for just amoment, as the thousands who flocked inwill testify, making the parking free reallydid encourage people who might nototherwise have bothered to turn up. So myquestion for the council is simple: Why notmake this a permanent arrangement andencourage more visitors into town, givingall traders a much-needed boost?SpecialThe foresight, workload and effortto book, cajole, organise, and deliveran event of the magnitude of thefood festival is immense. To deliver anoutstanding festival, using fully motivatedsupporters, participants and volunteers,and at the same time run an impressivesocial media presence, is something quitespecial indeed.So, to the organisers, Beth Heath – whomI witnessed buzzing around on a Segway atvarious locations on the day, organising allmanner of things – and Andy Richardson, Isalute your vision in bringing it all together.Furthermore, I think we can all learnfrom your experience. Who would havethought that two or so years ago, thatthe spark of an idea you had could havebecome such a great success in such ashort space of time?I suspect it didn’t come without monthsof preparation, the odd disagreement,sweat, and probably a few tears along theway. Nevertheless, it’s a real example of trueenterprise, spirit, and was very motivating.Congratulations to all concerned.Shrewsbury Food Festival is really goingplaces!25

JOHN HIPWOOD SITS DOWN WITH . . .MARK PRITCHARD mpWrekin onthe Right linesEurosceptic MP keen to understand theworld outside WestminsterWith David Cameron.John Hipwood has walked thecorridors of Westminster andWhitehall for 35 years, and is a pastchairman of both the ParliamentaryPress Gallery and the ParliamentaryLobby Journalists. He was alsotwice chairman of the NewspaperConference, the body of Londoncorrespondents of regionalnewspapers.He lives in Kent and his interestsinclude walking, birding, golf andwatching successive governmentsshooting themselves in both feet.Lord Nelson keeps an eye on us acrossthe Whitehall rooftops, and insidethe MP’s office several shelves arelined with photographs of foreign leadersand former UK prime ministers, includingMargaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and GordonBrown.The MP appearing in all the photos isMark Pritchard, leading ConservativeEuro-sceptic, security expert, wild animalcampaigner, dog lover – and lots more.Mr Pritchard is very clear about what hesees as the job of a Member of Parliament,and it’s not confined to dealing withcracked pavements in the constituency.“A good MP needs to be local, nationaland international,” said The Wrekin MP.In other words, MPs should be ‘going places’beyond their constituency boundaries andbreaking out of the claustrophobic villagethat is Westminster SW1.Mr Pritchard fiercely defends the rightof MPs to travel abroad with all-partyparliamentary groups, and criticisessections of the media for suggesting thatMPs only travel for personal pleasure, toenjoy ‘junkets’ or further their own ratherthan the national interest.“A small-minded and isolationist narrativehas developed that if MPs travel attaxpayers’ expense, it is wrong; when theytravel as a guest of a host government, itis wrong; when they travel at the expenseof the private sector, NGO or a charity, it iswrong – even when everything is publiclydeclared.“The shorthand is that MPs should remainin the Westminster bubble 365 days a year.MPs must have the political latitude to getout of that bubble and be better informedabout the world they live in,” said TheWrekin MP.QuestionedAn MP’s weekly journey – fromconstituency to London – should be easyenough, but Mr Pritchard isn’t altogetherhappy about his commute, and hasquestioned whether one of his train serviceproviders, London Midland, should have itsfranchise renewed.“London Midland has introduced somenew rolling stock, which is welcome.However, it still appears to be in a positionof not having enough drivers at weekends.“There is also a need for closer cooperationwith Network Rail. A lot ofpeople buy a ticket completely unawarethat engineering work is planned. Only atthe last minute do they find their servicehas been cancelled, which disrupts orcompletely ruins their schedule.“There is still often overcrowding on thetrains,” added the Conservative MP.“If London Midland is to have its franchiseextended beyond the current temporarysix months, it has to raise its game.Otherwise I will be campaigning to givethe franchise to somebody else who canprovide a better service.”Beyond Shropshire’s boundaries, MrPritchard believes Virgin services also needimprovement.“Traditionally Virgin has provided a verygood service to Shropshire customersvia Wolverhampton. However, in recentmonths the number of Pendolinos hasbeen reduced in favour of Voyager trainswhich are noisier and cramped. I havewritten to Virgin Trains saying that, in theirhunger to win the East Coast franchise,they should not take their eye off the ballin delivering quality services on the WestCoast line.”Mr Pritchard said he also wanted to seeuniversal free wi-fi on train services andbetter telephone connectivity.“The number of dropped calls is a barrierto business growth. Time spent on the trainshould not be wasted, and for many it isworking time.“With people nowadays able to makeThe member for The Wrekinwith Lady Thatcher❝The number of dropped calls is a barrierto business growth. Time spent on the trainshould not be wasted, and for many it isworking time.❞calls from aeroplanes, there is no excusefor dropped calls on trains.”For those who wish to, or have to, risk thevagaries of our motorways, there is still achance, he believes, of an improved linkbetween the M54 and the M6/M6 Toll.SpooksWhen the Shropshire MP does reachWestminster, much of his time is nowoccupied by his membership of the JointCommittee on National Security Strategy,which is chaired by former Labour deputyleader and foreign secretary MargaretBeckett, and is made up largely of formerministers and “spooks”.Prime Minister Cameron warned lastmonth that the crises in Syria and Iraqposed the greatest threat to security in theUK. Did Mr Pritchard agree?“Britain is certainly a less safe place todaythan it was even two years ago,” hereplied guardedly.“Many of the roots of this come out of theIraq invasion, but not entirely. They comeout of a sectarian war between someparts of the Muslim community which hasbeen running for hundreds of years.“And what happens over there in thisglobal world matters over here, whetherthat is in disruption to oil supplies, which willimpact on every household in Shropshire,or whether it is preventing genocide andmajor humanitarian crises.”Unlike some of his Conservativecolleagues, Mr Pritchard supports theCoalition Government’s decision to26 27

THE HIPWOOD INTERVIEWCameron’s successful attempt to reducethe Union budget.“We need to make the case for reform,working with our allies such as the Swedes,the Danes and the Dutch. We do have alot of supporters – even some in Germany– in wanting to see reform.“That’s what the people are saying if youlook at the European election results.”The Dalai Lama is welcomed to Westminster by Speaker John Bercow, asMark Pritchard looks on.Mr Pritchard wants to see liberalisation ofthe energy and insurance markets, and,given the importance to the Exchequerof the City of London, he will have notruck with any attempt by Brussels toplace restrictions on the capital’s financialservices.increase the budget of the Department forInternational Development.“It is less expensive for the British taxpayerfor the government to support fragilestates than it is to deal with a failed state,through military intervention, for instance.“We need to ensure that the money isspent more effectively and efficiently.This is a constant challenge, but we havemade progress.“But it is the right thing to do forhumanitarian reasons; it is right to stickto our international commitments; and itis right that we play a leading role in theinternational community.“We are saving thousands of lives everyday through disease control, diseaseprevention, feeding the hungry, housingthe homeless,” said The Wrekin MP.The argument about whether “in” or“out” of the European Union is best forBritish business will rage right up to anyreferendum.CreditAs a Euro-sceptic through and through,Mr Pritchard gives credit to the PrimeMinister for his efforts to reform the EUand repatriate powers from Brussels toWestminster.Along with his Tory colleague MarkReckless, he proposed in a 2012Parliamentary amendment to cut theamount the UK pays into the EU budget,a move which, although opposed by thegovernment at the time, was eventually,and not without irony, mirrored by Mr❝There has been a lot of banker-bashingover the last few years, some of it justified.But the success of the City has an impacton everyone in Shropshire.❞“There has been a lot of banker-bashingover the last few years, some of it justified.But the success of the City has an impacton everyone in Shropshire.“The large tax take from the City goestowards our public services, and a lotof our pensions are dependent on thesuccess, or lack of success, of the City.”The Shropshire MP is prepared to waitand see whether the Cameron approachbears fruit, but he’s in no doubt whatshould happen if Britain fails to recapturesome of its sovereignty.“I would go this far: I am pessimistic thatwe will get the powers back that I wouldlike to see returned. One of the reasonsI entered Parliament was to protect thesovereignty of our country and to getpowers back from Brussels.“My view is let’s hope for the best andprepare for the worst. If we don’t havesubstantial powers returned, I would voteand campaign to leave the EU.”Clear enough then. We know where theMP for The Wrekin stands on an issue whichhas troubled the Conservative Party (andthe others too) for so long.28

Speak to theexperts in logistics01743 443 043Aaron & Partners is one of the UK’s leadingfirms of logistics solicitors and honorarylegal advisors to the UK WarehousingAssociation.We are commended nationwide by the twoleading independent Legal Directories forthe advice we provide to the sector.So, whether you are a HGV or warehouseoperator, or both, we have the specialistknowledge your business needs.Simon EdwardsSenior PartnerSimon is honorary legal advisor to the United Kingdom WarehousingAssociation and a Fellow of the Association of Business RecoveryProfessionals. A persuasive and skilled negotiator and problemsolver, he is a creative and lateral thinker with a wide knowledgeand experience of the law, a clear focus and a practical and verycommercial way of dealing with his clients’ issues. Simon’s analyticalapproach identifies the client’s objective and generates a strategy toachieve it.e: simon.edwards@aaronandpartners.comaaronandpartners.com/logistics@AaronsTransportNick ClarkeCommercial PartnerThe commercial work Nick undertakes includes drafting, reviewingand negotiating warehousing and logistics contracts. Through thefirm’s connections with the UK Warehousing Association, Nick hasconsiderable experience of advising warehouse keepers in relation tothe impact of the insolvency of their customers and the use of liens insuch situations.e: nick.clarke@aaronandpartners.comTim CulpinHead of Transport LawSince 1994 Tim has advised on all aspects of regulatory law andcompliance management systems with a particular speciality in RoadTransport Law. Tim is an experienced advocate in both the Magistrates’Court and at Traffic Commissioners’ Public Inquiries. He has built upsignificant experience in dealing with regulatory authorities on behalf ofhis clients, reviewing existing compliance management systems andproviding practical advice on updating and improving those systems.e: tim.culpin@aaronandpartners.comaaronandpartners.com/logisticsLogistic legalities? Let’s talk.If your relationship with your current solicitor has come to the endof the road, consider getting things back on track with a move toAaron & Partners. As logistic sector specialists, we offer expertpractical, commercial and strategic legal advice to warehouseoperators, commercial vehicle operators and their staff.• One of the UK’s leading firmsof road transport solicitors• Member of the industry’s maintrade bodies, including theChartered Institute of Logistics& Transport, Confederation ofPassenger Transport and theHeavy Transport Association• Honorary legal advisors to theUK Warehousing Association• 24 hour Helpline01743 443 043Canon Court North,Abbey Lawn,Shrewsbury SY2 5DEenquiries@aaronandpartners.com@AaronsTransport

Training tips the scalesGOING the extra mile is a phrase manybusinesses will cite when looking to attainpremium customer service and positionitself as a leader.Martyn Rowlands, managing directorand owner of Pipekit, a specialist plasticpipe company based in Shrewsbury,certainly adheres to this and sees relevanttraining as the key.The business was set up three yearsago to plug a gap in the market for anindependent and dedicated plastic pipedistributor. From the beginning, Rowlandsbelieved that developing staff was pivotalto its success.Mr Rowlands said: “I earmarkedapprenticeships, ongoing personaldevelopment and manufacturer trainingas a prerequisite for all staff progressionin my original business plan. I feel verystrongly in giving people the right skillsto do their job and in particular seeapprenticeships as a key tool for anymodern business.”It is no surprise, therefore, that despite itstill being a new business, with six staff, 80per cent are involved in apprenticeshipsor ongoing training, selected to enhancetheir job responsibilities.This dedication was recentlyacknowledged by the ShropshireChamber of Commerce, when Pipekit wasa finalist in the Apprenticeships categoryShropshire Business Awards 2014 - FinalistsCOMMUNICATIONSat its 2014 Shropshire Business Awards.Jamie McQueen, who started thebusiness alongside Martyn Rowlands, hasserved two apprenticeships during thisperiod and offers a great example of howthey benefit both company and individual.Jamie has recently progressed from salesadvisor to area sales manager. The newposition was created for McQueen dueto the skills he has gained working as anapprentice over the last three years.Summing up, Martyn Rowlands says:“The investment in our staff has allowedus to grow locally, nationally andinternationally, by helping us to offer thebest advice and guidance when dealingwith our customers. This in turn has helpedus secure and grow our business and willhelp us to achieve our ultimate goal ofbecoming a leading independent plasticpipe distributor in the UK.”01743 860088; www.pipekit.co.uk;enquiries@pipekit.co.uk; tweet @pipekitGLASS, CHINA,AND REPUTATIONARE EASILYCRACKED BUTNEVER WELLMENDEDBenjamin FranklinTo find out how we could help promote, protect,or defend your reputation, do get in touch01743 453186admin@zen-communications.co.ukwww.zen-communications.co.ukYouth on their sideUnemployed Shropshire youngsterswho have become “trailblazing”business entrepreneurs with the helpof the TTC Group were recognised fortheir achievements at the first Young BritAwards.More than 100 aged from 15 to 30 arenow running their own businesses inthe rural county, with 85 signing off theunemployment register.They have opened shops, computer repaircompanies, web businesses, sports-andfitnessventures; set up fashion brands,design-and-media consultancies, andarts-and-crafts emporiums. One youngsteris even chopping down trees in alumberjack business.The awards ceremony at the Hadley ParkHouse in Telford, recognised the successof the fledgling businesses over the past 18months with the help of Young Britain andfinance from the Start Up Loans Company.Young Britain is a business supportprogramme and has been co-fundedby the European Regional DevelopmentFund to tackle youth unemployment inShropshire and help young people tobecome self-employed.County business duo Graham and JennyWynn, who run the TTC Group, a leadingUK road-safety education organisation,helped to co-finance the schemealong with Telford & Wrekin Council andShropshire Enterprise Partnership.Their TTC Group company head office isnext door to the Young Britain HQ at theHub in Hadley Park which Graham andJenny provide rent-free to help 18- to30-year-olds start their own business.“The Young Britain campaign would nothave happened without Graham’s andJenny’s generous support. Not only havethey provided the premises, they havealso given their backing with their time,advice and guidance,” said Young Britainco-founder Fay Easton.“These start-up entrepreneurs are nowgrowing their businesses, employing others,outsourcing to small contractors, openingshops in market town high streets andgenerally helping to regenerate the localeconomy as well as rebuild their own lives.“Their experience of self-employmentis life changing, and once they realisethat starting a business requires moredetermination than educationalqualifications then the sky is the limit formany who thought that setting up abusiness was not for them.“The boost to the economy is now evidentin our falling local unemployment figures,and nationally the Office for NationalStatistics shows that youth unemploymentis at its lowest for five years. Across allage ranges the biggest change toemployment statistics is the massive rise inself-employment numbers,” said Fay.Lord Young with Fay Easton (left) andTTC Group MD Jenny Wynn at thelaunch of Young Britain in Telford.NEWSTelford mayor Leon Murray openingNicknack Crafts in Wellington withBradley Hodson and partner NickyEntrepreneurs and volunteer mentorshave been advising the new generationof young start-ups, with 92 business andmarketing workshops hosted at the Telfordand Shrewsbury Enterprise Hubs and morethan £400,000 arranged in start-up loansthrough the government-backed financescheme.Tom Jones, 23, bought essential cateringequipment with a Young Britain start-uploan and opened the Cambrian CoffeeLounge in his stepfather’s antiquesemporium, just a short walk from OswestryHigh Street.Michelle Hallewell, 26, took redundancy asa deputy manager with New Look, for thechance to open her “dream” sweet shopin Newport. Shells Scrumptious Sweets isjust off the High Street and was launchedwith the help of Young Britain.And Bradley Hodson, 29, and his partnerNicky, opened Nicknack Crafts Co inCrown Street, Wellington in April offering“rent-a-shelf” to other artisans. They planto expand into other market towns andopen craft workshops for up and coming“one man bands.”www.youngbritain.com30 31

NEWSAn architectwith designsShropshire architect Matt Spinks is celebrating a decade ofservice by putting the finishing touches to his 200th project.Matt is celebrating ten years at Bridgnorth-based JohnsonDesign Partnership by working on a raft of contracts, ranging fromnew hospital developments in London to local sporting communityprojects and the next generation of home transformations.He has been involved in some of the company’s most high-profilecontracts, including a feasibility study for a footbridge joiningMolineux Stadium to Wolverhampton University and the city centre,and a proposal for a new hotel in Uganda on the River Nile.“It has been an exciting ten years, full of lots of challenges,changes in legislation and the great feeling of seeing yourdesigns come to life . . . some have taken longer than others tohappen,” said Matt.A NEW business club is being launched in Oswestry, basedat the town’s golf club.The Aston Park club, which is already a member ofShropshire Chamber and Oswestry Chamber, says it seesmutual benefits from the new venture.The package will allow member organisations to holdtheir own golf days and to entertain clients or staff in afriendly environment.Business Club members will also enjoy a presence on anew interactive website with links to their own sites.Colin Spicer, chairman of development at the club, said:“This new exciting concept will provide opportunities forbusinesses wishing to capitalise on this venture and we lookforward to working in partnership with them.”“Our industry has changed dramatically over the last decadeand there is now a greater appetite for more innovative design,not to mention changes in building regulations that createenvironmentally friendly buildings to live, work and play in.“The introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy andSection 106 for self-build homes are also having an impact.”Matt’s 200th project is fittingly the iconic Bishop Percy’s House inthe centre of Bridgnorth. JDP has been asked to transform the16th-century Grade-I-listed building into a tearoom, museum andsix holiday lets.Follow us on Twitter @FBCManbyBowdlerLegal advice andservice of thehighest quality tomeet the specialistneeds of ourindividual, businessand agriculturalclients…Services for IndividualsEmploymentFamilyMotoring OffencesPersonal InjuryResidential PropertyWills, Trusts & EstatePlanningServices for BusinessAgricultural & RuralBusiness CrimeCharitiesCommercial PropertyCorporateDebt RecoveryEmployment & HRIP, Technology & MediaLicensingLitigationTown & CountryPlanningMatt Spinks outside the Bishop Percy House in Bridgnorth. 01743 241551Juneau HouseShrewsbury Bus. ParkShrewsburyShropshire, SY2 6LG info@fbcmb.co.ukwww.fbcmb.co.ukFBC Manby Bowdler LLP is aLimited Liability Partnership.33

SHREWSBURY TOWN CENTREIn late 2013,the businesscommunity ofShrewsbury towncentre firmlybacked proposalsto establisha businessimprovementdistrict forShrewsbury,making it the firstand only BID inShropshire.More than threequarters ofbusinesses votedyes for the BIDand as a result£1.6 million willbe invested toimprove thecommercialenvironment formore than 500businesses.BID managerKIRSTEN HENLYexplains how, overthe next five years,the BID will bring areal change to howthe town centreis managed andhow it will have apositive impact onthose who live andwork in ShrewsburyAudacious BIDThis is an exciting time forShrewsbury. The businessimprovement district cameinto operation in April this yearand is already playing animportant role in uniting businesses,local government and privateinvestors with a common vision.The programme of activityfor our first year is ambitious, butfundamentally the additionalinvestment is being directed toKirsten Henlypriorities identified by the businesses themselves.Over the last few years, many businesses inthe town centre have been affected by thechallenging economic climate, which is why somany agreed that the time was right for a BID.Shrewsbury town centre competes with manyother destinations, such as Telford and Chester,and with the out-of-town office and retail parks,so there is a real need to work collectivelywith a united sense of purpose to focus on theactivities and projects that can make a positivedifference to doing business in Shrewsbury.BIDs offer a whole new way of deliveringthe projects that matter to a town or city, andbusinesses – as well as their customers andclients – benefit from the activities they deliverand schemes they run, whether that’s through afree parking initiative, a special Christmas event,or promotion of businesses’ views on issues thatmatter in the town.In Shrewsbury, car parking and access tothe town centre were identified as importantissues for a cross-section of businesses, and oneof our first priorities has been to champion freeparking on Sundays for the May and Augustbank-holiday weekends. This was somethingwe have been able to secure byworking collaboratively with thelocal authority and private parkingproviders.We were delighted to reportthat independent retailers andShrewsbury’s two principalshopping centres witnessed asignificant increase in footfall onSunday, May 25. Following thelaunch of free all-day parking– and alongside the success ofthe Shrewsbury Cycle Grand Prix – footfall at theDarwin Centre and Pride Hill rose by over a thirdcompared with last year.By gathering feedback from businesses abouttheir experiences of car parking in the town, wewere also able to submit a collective, businessfocusedresponse to government regarding theDepartment of Transport’s recent consultationon local authorities’ car-parking strategies andenforcement policies.EvolveWe are now holding regular senior-levelmeetings with Shropshire Council on town-centreparking and how it needs to evolve to bettersupport businesses and their clients and customers.We champion business issues, providingdirection in how the town centre is managed,and will be a credible voice at the decisionmakingtable. This includes working with thePolice, Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury TownCouncil, looking at operational and day-to-daymanagement priorities in the town, and securing‘Town Team’ funds to invest in footfall cameras.A vital priority is to deliver high-impactmarketing activity to significantly raise the profileof the town, increase footfall and improvetrading opportunities. Shrewsbury’s distinctivehistory and heritage, its cultural and leisureoffer, including its outstanding selection ofindependent shops, bars and restaurants, makeit a unique and appealing location to visit andstay, as well as a vibrant place in which to investand work. It really is a genuine one-off.We are already working with two localagencies to support the BID’s marketingobjectives, which are to position and promotethe town both commercially and culturally asa vibrant destination. Focusing on high-qualitymarketing, creating targeted campaigns andchampioning a strong and professional brandfor the town are all central to our priorities. Wehave also started work on enhancing the town’swebsite to ensure that it is fully representative ofShrewsbury’s offer, as well as being a key onlineresource for those visiting, working and living inShrewsbury. The website will be live this summer.CompetingWe are competing against local and nationaltowns as a place to do business, so Shrewsburyneeds to stand out from the crowd. We need tobe clever with our resources, and proactive inpromoting the town. We will be striving to helpreduce business costs through economies ofscale, and provide business intelligence and localinformation, as well as championing ideas andschemes to build occupancy and local consumerloyalty within the town.With a committed board of directors fromacross Shrewsbury’s business community, we willbe able to make a significant contribution anddeliver demonstrable change to Shrewsburytown centre.For more information visit www.shrewsburybid.co.uk, follow @OriginalShrews on Twitter, or findShrewsbury on Facebook: OriginalShrewsburyFrom top:● Few places can match Shrewsbury forits beauty – something the BID will helppromote.● The Market Hall helps give Shrewsburyits unique character.● Shopping and dining are a key part of thetown centre’s attraction.Below: The Quarry is a unique featurewhich helps make Shrewsbury so special.BID basics● On a national level,BIDs represent proactive,professional and innovativeplace management, and thisyear marks their tenth year ofoperation in the UK. Duringthis time, they have deliveredreal value to the businesscommunities they serve,representing over £100 millionworth of additional investmentbeing driven into towns andcities where BIDs operateevery year.● BIDs are democraticallyelected by businesseswhich work together toagree the improvementsthat will make a differenceto them. Ultimately, BIDsprovide leadership and givebusinesses greater influenceand impact on how their townis managed and developed.● From Solihull to Stratford,Lincoln to Liverpool, there aremore than 180 BIDs across theUK, representing almost 70,000businesses.● Shrewsbury BID is managedand led by the private sectorthrough a board of directorsthat represents the variousbusinesses and stakeholders inthe town.● A BID is funded throughthe BID levy, which is apercentage of a business’srateable value. Once a ballotis successful the BID levy ismandatory for all eligiblebusinesses.● Income from BIDs canonly be used to carry outprojects and services thatare additional to thosebeing delivered by all publicagencies including the localauthority and Police.● Shrewsbury BID has a fiveyearterm in which to deliverthe projects and priorities inits business plan, after whicha renewal ballot will be heldon a new business plan for afurther BID term.34 35

Arare opportunity to live, and work,in one of the most beautiful placesin Shropshire has arisen with the saleof Juckes Barn at East Wall, Much Wenlock.The five bedroom property in the ShropshireHills Area of Outstanding Beauty is on themarket with Berrys with a guide price of£525,000. It has modern, spaciousaccommodation, a work study and paddockland.There is also a large garden with hedgeborders, flowers and vegetable plot, adjacentlevel paddock (approximately 2.3 acres)and private woodland (approximately 2.7acres) totalling around five acres.Philip Robinson, agency manager at theShrewsbury office of Berrys, said: “It is set in oneof the finest landscapes in the country andhas well maintained, flexible accommodationfor family living along with a study for homeCRIGGION, NR SHREWSBURY4 Bedroom Country Home and Equestrian Facility,with detached one Bedroom annexe, two Monarchstables and tack room, workshops and 9 acresof level paddocks. EPC D.Guide price £590,000An area ofoutstandingbeautyworking or hobbies and paddock land tokeep a horse or other animals if desired.”The south facing property has part Calorgas under floor heating, part oil fired centralheating, private water, septic tank andmains electricity.The paddock adjoins the lawn and hasaccess to the private woodland at the farend, via a five-bar metal gate.An SBT promotion BERRYSViewing is highly recommended byappointment. Call 01743 271697 or email shrewsbury@berrybros.comYour Dream Home?MAESBROOK, OSWESTRYThe Old Barn is a superior family home and equestrianproperty situated in a private position.The propertycomprises detached 5 bedroom house • Stable Block •Manège • Extending to approximately 8 acres. EPC D.Reduced guide price £749,950SELLING COUNTRY PROPERTY SINCE 1890EAST WALL, MUCH WENLOCK5 Bedroom Country Home with adjacentPaddock and Private Woodlandtotalling 5 acres in an AONB. EPC D.Guide price £525,000Shrewsbury | www.berrybros.com | Tel. 01743 271697NEWSDavid Bishop, third from the right, with Sir Ben Ainslie and fellow organisers ofBart’s Bash.David makes a splashSHROPSHIRE web development specialistDavid Bishop is hoping to sail into theGuinness World Records with his latestonline venture.David, who runs Ninety One Consultingin Shrewsbury, has won the contract toproduce and manage the fundraisingwebsite for Bart’s Bash, a huge sailing racewhich has captured the imagination ofclubs all over the world.The event, on September 21, will joinREADER OFFERTHE Buckatree HallHotel, which won theTravel Tourism andHospitality prize at this year’s county businessawards, is invitingShropshire BusinessToday readers tosample its awardwinningfacilities.The hotel, which sits at the foot of the Wrekin, isoffering a free meal for two at its Lakeside Restaurant, whichhas stunning views over the hotel’s gardens.To be in with a chance of winning, simply send an email toeditor@shropshirebusinesstoday.co.uk, with ‘Buckatree MealOffer’ in the subject line. Remember to also include your fullname, address, and contact details.Employees of SBT, the Buckatree and associated companies are not eligibleto enter. The meal can be taken at the time of the winner’s choice, subject toavailability. Terms and conditions apply, and will be provided by the hotel. Theeditor’s decision is final, and no correspondencde will be entered into. Entries mustbe received by August 31, 2014, and the winner will be chosen at random, shortlyafter this date.together thousands of sailors worldwideat their local clubs in a race to set a newworld record, as well as raising huge sumsfor charity.The event is named in memory ofAndrew ‘Bart’ Simpson, the America’sCup sailor who tragically died in atraining accident in San Francisco baywhile preparing for the America’s Cupcompetition.Three Shropshire clubs, The ShropshireSailing Club, Colemere Sailing Club andChelmarsh Sailing Club, have alreadysigned up as race venues alongside over600 other clubs worldwide, hosting ananticipated 30,000 participants in well over2,000 different classes of boat.They include Sir Ben Ainslie, four-timeOlympic champion, America’s Cup winnerand team principal of Ben Ainslie Racing;double Olympic champion and ArtemisRacing team manager, Iain Percy obe; andtwice America’s Cup winner and skipperof Oracle Team USA, Jimmy Spithill.David said: “Bart’s Bash is going to be aphenomenal event – the engagement wehave seen from the sailing community onthe website is on track to make thousandsof participants Guinness World Recordholders and kick-start the foundation onits journey to inspire the next generation ofsailors. ”www.bartsbash.co.uk 36 S H R O P S H I R E B U S I N E S S T O D A Y37

APPOINTMENTSPIPEKIT, the specialist plastic pipeA FAMILY-run insurance company in Shropshire has expanded its services after takingon a new member of staff to cope with growing demand.Beaumont Lawrence, based in Shrewsbury, is pushing ahead with plans to developthe business – including launching a new website and social media network forclients.Daniel Butler, 34 (pictured left with managing director Ben Laurence) has joinedthe firm, the only company in Shropshire to have been awarded the prestigiousChartered Insurance Brokers title, as an account handler.Ben Lawrence said: “We hired Daniel because he is technically able and hasworked in the local area. We want to keep new blood coming through to keepmoving forward in the insurance world.”TWO new experts have strengthened the team of Shropshire law firm HooperBurrowes Legal.Consultant solicitor Phil Adam, specialising in commercial law and property, andresidential property conveyancer Alison Haughton together bring with them nearly 50years experience to the Shrewsbury-based practice.Phillip has worked both in the private and public sectors with a client base spreadacross the UK, while Alison is a long-estabished licensed conveyancer who hasworked within the Shrewsbury area for 17 yearsHUGH Strickland, who lives near MarketDrayton, is a new corporate partnerat regional law firm Aaron & Partnersllp. He joins the company, which hasoffices in Shrewsbury, Chester andManchester, after more than 12 yearsat Geldards in Nottingham.Hugh specialises in dealing withcorporate finance and banking, witha particular focus on pharmacies andfranchising. He also has a backgroundin engineering.Hugh has worked on more than100 pharmacy transactions, led bankpanel relationships and headed up theGeldards banking team. He has alsoled cross-border transactions spanningNorth America, India and Europe.He said: “I actually did my workexperience here after finishing mydegree. I’ve been following its growthever since and to be able to join atsuch an exciting time, and to returnto Shropshire after 12 years in the EastMidlands, is a dream come true.”distributor which was a finalist in thisyear’s Shropshire Business Awards, haspromoted its first apprentice, JamieMcQueen, to area sales manager inrecognition of the skills and experienceshe has gained working as anapprentice over the last three years.The position will see him visitingexisting and new customers across theUK and driving national sales on behalfof the firm, based at Annscroft nearShrewsbury.Managing director Martyn Rowlandssaid: “To progress further we nowrequire a more active and dedicatedpresence in our target markets.Introducing a field sales elementto the business will, through Jamie,allow us to develop stronger businessrelationships”.JAMES Wood, director at Shrewsburybased homebuilder Saxonby, hasbeen appointed to the board of theShropshire Association of ShelteredHousing. It also offers advice on anumber of professional support services,enabling clients to access an individualpackage tailored to meet their specificneeds.He said: “Housing and supportingpeople with mental health issues aretwo subjects I am passionate about.Therefore, I had no hesitation in saying‘yes’ when asked to join the boardat SASH. It offers an important serviceto the people it currently supportsin Bridgnorth, Craven Arms andShrewsbury.”IT’S never too early to set up in business. . . just ask 16-year-old Toby Wainwrightwho has just finished completing GCSEsat Burton Borough School in Newport.The keen business student has launchedRadical Style, an independent clothingcompany. “We have been trading fornearly 24 months now and more recentlyhave been sending items across theworld,” he said. “I set up Radical Styleone summer holiday after I believedthere was a gap in the market. Within fivePROFESSIONAL business managementfirm Jigsaw Business ManagementServices Ltd is expanding for thesecond time this year, taking onanother bookkeeper, doubling thenumber of staff in just three months.Leanne Miller has joined alongsideowner Julie Owen (both pictured),bookkeeper Isobel Haes, who hasworked at Jigsaw for about five years,and Natashia Smith, who joined earlierthis year.Ms Owen said the Wellington-basedfirm needed the extra staff to cope withdemand after developing a payrollbureau.Jigsaw started out with Julie simplyworking from home but the companycelebrated seven years of trading inMay.years, I’m hoping to have doubled thesize of the business, and have one or twostores open across the country. I want tobe turning over six-figure numbers and belooking at international stores.”The Radical Style Facebook pagealready has almost 19,000 likes.38 39

APPOINTMENTSGRAHAM Jones is back doing a job he loves, selling touring caravans at awardwinningShrewsbury-based dealership Salop Leisure.Graham, who lives in Mold, previously worked for Cheshire dealership Harringtonsat Delamere for 18 years before a change of ownership persuaded him to look forpastures new.He said: “It’s a magical industry to work in because buying a touring caravan is anaspirational purchase. It’s your home away from home.”A TELFORD solicitor has been made anassociate at a local law firm. As wellas her new title, Janet Hawley has alsobeen promoted to the role of deputymanager of the residential propertydepartment at Martin-Kaye Solicitors, inEuston Way.“I’m very grateful to the seniormanagement team for the chance toplay a more active role in the way thecompany moves forward,” said Janet,who joined the firm in 2007.DAVID Pugh has become a fullyqualified solicitor at Shropshire lawfirm Lanyon Bowdler. The 27-year-oldnow works in the private client team,dealing with wills, trusts and probatematters.“They have put me through mypaces during the training contract,”said Mr Pugh, who joined the firm inMarch 2012 as a legal assistant.AN insurance expert with nearly 30years of experience in the industryis the latest addition to the team ataward-winning Shropshire brokerHenshalls. Ratko Ugrinic, 49, was bornin the former Yugoslavia, but movedto Telford with his family at the age offive. His career in the insurance industrydates back to 1985, when he joinedTelford Insurance Brokers Limited.JANE Yardley has been appointedas the new senior consultant atShrewsbury based E4environment.Her responsibilities includeadvising on permitting and planningapplications for renewableenergy installations, environmentalmanagement systems for business, andassistance on implementing biodiversityand carbon offsetting.40

FURROWS MAZDA An SBT promotionCan you believe that the iconic,Mazda unveiled its new Mazda MX-5 25thgroundbreaking Mazda MX-5 is a Anniversary Edition sportscar at the New Yorkquarter of a century old?International Auto Show earlier this year. Anewly-developed SKYACTIV-Chassis will beMazda Motor Corporation chairman Takashi officially unmasked in a few weeks’ time too.Yamanouchi said: “The original concept behind Since its launch in 1989, the Mazda MX-5 has wonthe MX-5 was so simple; to offer the pure joy of a huge variety of fans from different countries,a lightweight sportscar that moves precisely as cultures and age groups. More than 940,000 unitsthe driver intends. While responding to increasing have been produced so the model continuessafety and environmental requirements, over to hold the Guinness World Record for the bestsellingtwo-seater sportscar.the 25 years since its launch wehave had to continuallyreinvent the MX-5 inIn Shropshire, theorder to stay true toapprovedthat originalMazdaideal.”dealer isMX-5 isstill makinghistoryFurrows: “For reliable performance, safety andstunning good looks, the brand-new Mazdarange is hard to beat,” the dealership says.“The network of authorised Furrows GroupMazda dealerships gives the manufacturer astrong presence in Shrewsbury, Telford andOswestry to support UK drivers.“A Mazda car makes a bold statement. Cometo us in Shrewsbury for a new or approved usedMazda car, or speak to our team in Telford forexpert Mazda servicing. If you’re not sure whichMazda will suit you, take a look at thespecifications and high quality images on ourwebsite first.” You’ll find it at www.furrowsmazda.co.uk41

DRIVE!Leader in a class of oneSYD TAYLOR drives a vehicle that comeswith social cachet as standardSend a grizzled explorer into thedeepest Brazilian rain forest. Chargehim to locate the most isolatedtribe known to man. Instruct him to asktheir leader a question: “What is a RangeRover?”I guarantee you will receive an informedresponse – for nowhere on the globe livesa breathing sentient creature that has notheard of the iconic Range Rover.This is a long-winded way of saying theRange Rover needs no introduction. It’squite simply the best of its kind – indeed asui generis motoring marvel that eclipsesrivals even before they are born.It’s the only big 4×4 today that combineseverything you need with a packageyou really must have . . . if only you couldafford it. But then – goodness! – manylucky people can, for given the qualityof its prestige specification it comes atsomething of a bargain price at £84,720.Undoubtedly it’s the best, and I wasdelighted to put through its paces thelatest lighter, stronger and more refinedLuxury Range Rover Vogue SE, secure inthe knowledge that it would take the strainand I would feel no pain.With 339PS the 4.4-litre SDV8 diesel canwaft you seamlessly through the eightgears to 135mph. “But think of the fuelconsumption!” I hear you cry. Amazingly, Igot an easy 40mpg-plus on a run and theofficial figure claimed of 32.5mpg overallis a very honest one. Drive in a statelymanner and you’ll get more.SuperiorOf course, the car has undergone manydesign modifications over the years, butit’s still unmistakably what it is: decidedlysuperior, eminently desirable, stylish,accommodating, powerful, poised – asensible car for those possessed of goodsense.Gratifyingly, during my stint at the wheel,I could tell that this big car ‘classiness’certainly rubs off. Almost without lookingI knew I was considered a prestigiousperson. Indeed, my sartorial unstylishnesswas explained away as eccentricbohemianism.as you step from the now even morespacious cabin, to deport yourself as anindividual of rare and fine breeding.In truth, you can’t beat the Range Rover’sluxury which is there in super-abundance.But it’s more than that. It’s luxury allied tosuperb utility, performance that’s not justfor show but which will go anywhere.It’s very easy when comfortably supportedin power-operated seats covered infragrantly scented leather to imagine thatyou are relaxing at your club and you halfexpect your man to present you with asilver platter of cucumber sandwiches. Butpoint the car to the open road, depressthe throttle and be amazed.The subdued woofle of this powerfulengine proclaims that this is a mightybeast, albeit an exquisitely mannered one.Whether you’re off to Ascot or easing yourway into Balmoral, the badge is an instantadmission ticke. So many ‘rough andready’ off-roaders forget that it’s not whatyou do but the way that you do it, and theRange Rover has no rivals.That’s why many who have owned thesecars for years couldn’t even consider analternative. For the simple reason thatthere is none.More than 40 years on since its launch,the Range Rover is still a recognisabledescendant of that first incarnation.Step out of a Range Rover and into aselect retail outlet and you are instantlycategorised as ‘someone what has’;approving eyes follow your movements42 43

BOARDING PASSAtlantis: the new legendFacing page: Atlantis, The Palm sitson a man-made island.Left: Fish-watching through floor-toceilingviewing panels.Above: Aquaventure, the hugelyimpressive water park.Bewitching, beguiling, andbewildering . . . there’s no place onearth quite like Dubai.Eastern traditions sit side by side withWestern opulence in this land of eyecatchingcontrasts on the sun-kissed shoresof the Arabian sea.It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, butone thing’s for sure: this resort is certainly‘going places’, poised to usurp Heathrowas the busiest airline hub in the world.When you’ve taken a trip to Dubai, youwon’t be short of talking points, or once-ina-lifetimememories. Because if a gravitydefyingidea lurks in someone’s vividimagination, chances are it won’t be toolong before it starts taking shape on thiscity’s skyline.Take Atlantis, The Palm, for example. Thismercurial, signature five-star hotel sits ona piece of land which, a decade ago,didn’t even exist.It dominates The Palm, a man-made,palm-tree-shaped island jutting from themainland, which is mind-boggling in itsscale and ingenuity. It was created frommore than 210 million cubic metres of rock,limestone, and sand dredged from thePersian Gulf, and is now home to legions ofrich and famous celebs.Modelled after its sister resort in theBahamas, Atlantis is almost a principalityof its own. Using enough steel to cover theGreat Wall of China nine times over, almosteverything has an underwater theme, andis big, bold and incredibly audacious.WonderBy CARL JONESYou can dine out at Michelin-starredrestaurants, swim with dolphins andsharks, wonder at one of the world’s mostamazing marine aquariums, shop at thefinest designer luxury stores, or simply letthe azure-blue sea lap over your feet on apowder-white sandy beach . . . all withoutsetting foot outside the hotel’s grounds.Each one of the 1,500-plus rooms havebeen designed with subtle oceanic andArabic influences, and have spectacularviews of either the azure waters ofthe Arabian Sea, the iconic Palm, themagnificent Dubai skyline – or, in manycases, all three.As a tropical desert destination little morethan six hours’ flying time away, Dubai’syear-round sunshine is a big appeal toBritish travellers.Summer is very hot and humid, averaging42C (108F) in the daytime. Even at thestart of October, when we visited, it wastopping 30C during the day – too hot tolounge around for long.But why waste time on a sunbed whenthere’s so much to do?The number-one Atlantis attraction isundoubtedly Aquaventure. Covering 42acres, it’s the most popular water park in theMiddle East, with speedslides, river rapids,private beaches and luxury cabanas, all setin a lush tropical landscape.Hotel guests have unlimited free access,and I made a bee-line for one of itsnewest attractions, an underwater walkthey ominously call the Shark Safari.Donning a clever pressurised helmet (notunlike a Cyberman’s head for any DoctorWho fan!), you’re led down a ladder intoa world inhabited by reef sharks, rays, andmany colourful fish.Take it from me, it’s completely safe; if thesharks showed no interest in my bloated,pale, British flesh, their priorities clearly lieelsewhere!Having then wound down with a gentle drifton an inflatable tube along the 2.3-kilometrelazy river and its lively rapids, we thencrashed out in one of the private cabanas– complete with a four-poster bed in themerciful shade. Five-star luxury, indeed.The marine theme continues throughout.A visit to The Lost Chambers – again free tohotel guests – is a must. The undergroundmazes and tunnels, built to resemble alost civilisation, are home to 65,000 marinecreatures, and the behind-the-scenes tour,including a chance to feed some of thetwo-foot-long grouper fish, is fascinating.The giant Ambassador Lagoon spills fromhere into the main body of the hotel, fillingseveral giant floor-to-ceiling viewing areaswhich become mesmerising. You’ve heardof people-watching . . . well at Atlantis,The Palm, grabbing a cocktail for a spot offish-watching through the 70cm-thick glassis far more de rigueur.Seafood, unsurprisingly, dominates menusin the hotel’s 20 eateries. But there’s aplate to suit any palate. Atlantis’s celebritychefs Giorgio Locatelli, Nobu Matsuhisa,and Michel Rostang hold six Michelin starsbetween them.TranquillityWe celebrated our wedding anniversaryin the resort’s signature restaurant Ossiano,where windows look into the marinelagoon. It creates an atmosphere ofpeace and tranquillity (not to mention anecho of Doctor No’s dining room).We also ate a magnificent feast inLocatelli’s warm and inviting Italianrestaurant, but our favourite meal of allwas at Seafire steakhouse, winner of TimeOut’s ‘Best Steakhouse in Dubai’ awardand, after my American Black Angus fillet,now also the proud holder of the ‘BestSteak Carl Jones Has Ever Eaten’ trophy.Dubai has become practicallysynonymous with shopping, with the bestdeals to be found in textiles, electronicsand gold. Atlantis is linked to the mainlandshopping malls by its own monorail station,but if you can’t tear yourself away, it has itsown piece of retail therapy, The Avenues,with ample opportunities to indulge inpremium brands such as Omega, Tiffany &Co, and Roberto Cavalli.So, 1,000 words written, and still so muchelse to tell. The tennis academy . . .dolphin lagoon . . . hi-tech kids’ club . . .and The Imperial Club, a 12th-floor privatelounge for those who choose to upgradetheir rooms to take advantage of privatesnacks, dining, and pre-dinner drinks.If Harrison Ford is ever tempted to dustoff the trademark brown fedora for a fifthtime, Atlantis, The Palm would be a perfectlocation for Indiana Jones and the Eye-Popping Underwater Kingdom.FACTFILEFor more details, log ontowww.atlantisthepalm.com.You can also follow Atlantis onFacebook at www.facebook.com/atlantisthepalm44 45

INVEST IT . . . OR BLOW IT!The walls cametumbling downJeremy Lamond of HallsFine Art on the internet’sall-encompassing reachAs the world shrinks andcommunications improve, theauction business has gone from alocal service selling to national buyers toa national service selling to internationalbuyers.In 20 short years, the internet has giventhe auctioneer on your doorstep thesame global reach as the traditionallyrecognised ‘big players’ such as Sotheby’sand Christie’s.What does this mean in practice? It meansthat the whole industry has been turnedon its head. Before the internet, andthe ready availability of information onany subject at the click of a mouse, theantiques business was a fairly private one.Local auction houses would clear homes,and sell to a room largely made up ofantiques dealers who would often sell toother antiques dealers in London, andprofits would be made along the way.Information was not readily available,and the inability to quickly see marketcomparatives meant that buyers wouldoften pay extraordinary prices for ordinaryitems.Fast forward to 2014, and London dealersare cutting out the middle man andbuying direct from regional auction housesover the internet.Ordinary antiques have been ‘outed’by their availability on internet auctionwebsites and everyone has wised upabout prices. The savvy collector andthe public in general participatemore regularly and moreconfidently in theauction process, andthe ‘mystique’ of theauction room has beendispelled as television hasbrought its cameras intowhat was once a rarified world.The ‘world’ has also arrived atauction houses all over Britainwith the advent of live auctioninternet bidding in real time.Buyers from what used to beconsidered ‘far flung’ places arenow buying furniture and objectson a regular basis in auctions thatmay previously have been considered‘general’.At any one event at Halls we might have60 or 70 people in the room, and between100 and 500 people actively biddingonline. There are no hiding places for theobscure object anymore, and everythingis photographed and picked up byspecialist collectors and dealers with ‘keyword’ searches.Australia, why the Americans likeWedgwood, which particularoil paintings get the Germansexcited, and which shade ofamber is favoured in Thailandcompared to Shanghai.All this knowledge is enhancedby specialist websites, Twitterfeeds, Facebook updates,practical seminars and, whentime permits, the good oldfashionedreference book.Does all this interest help theseller? A few years ago, weoffered for auction a George IIIoak and mahogany cross-bandeddresser, of traditional Shropshire type, withan open rack with cupboards and threedrawers to the base.Normally it would have sold to the localoak trade to be resold to the public.However, internet interest meant that thedresser sold for £2,000 and ended up ina smart New York department store as afurnishing backdrop for expensive clothessales.Clockwise from left:● An early-19th-century Italiancoral seal, 7.5cm long. Sold for£1,250 to an Italian buyer.● Two Coalport Japanese Grovepatternporcelain cabaret sets. Soldfor £680 to an Irish mainland buyer.● A Chinese export silver junk anddisplay case, c1895, by Guang Ji.31cm long. Sold for £1,550 to a NewYork buyer.● A letter from Chinese emperorHong Xiu Quan, c1860. 106cmlong. Sold for £12,000 to aTaiwanese buyer.● An Austrian cold-painted bronzekangaroo, early 20th century. 15cmhigh. Sold for £740 to a Belgian buyer.Being connected to world trends on aweekly basis gives the local auctioneera much broader view of the market thanhe had 30 years ago. He will now be ableto tell you, for instance, what the Chineseare buying, what porcelain is popular inWhoever made the dresser back in 18thcentury Britain could not have possiblyimagined this scenario . . .www.hallsgb.com/fine-art4647

Canny companies acrossShropshire are lookingoverseas to boost theirbusinesses. The continueduncertainty of local markets and thegrowth of foreign economies aredriving more and more firms onto aglobal platform.UK Trade & Investment is able tosteer companies, whatever their size,through the entire export process,including finding the right markets,opening doors to suitable customersand tackling protocol.Wide Horizons provides a snapshot ofthe work going on to sell Shropshireto the world.DO EXPORTS ACCOUNT FOR LESS than 25per cent of your turnover? Would you likethat figure to increase by selling more ofyour products or services overseas?Three Shropshire-based companieshave made it into the annual SundayTimes HSBC International Track 200league table, which ranks Britain’s privatecompanies with the fastest-growinginternational sales.Grainger & Worrall of Bridgnorth, MorrisLubricants of Shrewsbury, and Treadsettersof Telford are among 21 Midlandscompanies which make it onto the list.The Midlands firms have made asignificant contribution to the regionaleconomy over the last two years. Duringthis time they added 2,750 jobs and nowemploy a total of 11,240 people.Their combined sales are £3bn, andtheir international sales have grown by anIf the answer to both of those questions is yes, then Shropshire Chamber ofCommerce can help, because you’re eligible for the UK Trade & Investmentsflagship service, Passport to Export.The Passport to Export scheme provides tailored support that will help you identify,understand and make the most of your international business opportunities.Shropshire Chamber delivers the service in the county. Help includes:● An ‘international business review, to assess your company’s readiness to export.● Access to the full range of UKTI services including trade-fair support and marketresearch.● Funding to help finance your ‘passport action plan’.● Subsidised training in the specific skills required for exporting.● Financial support towards overseas market visits and exhibitions.● Specific industrial support from cluster experts.Want to know more? Call the international trade team on 01952 208200.Supported by Shropshire Chamber of Commerceand UK Trade & InvestmentWIDE HORIZONSBound for the big leagueaverage of 51 per cent a year over twoyears, to a total of £1.4 billion.Treadsetters of Telford (pictured),formed in 1999, has become one of theUK’s and Europe’s leading tyre wholesalersfor truck, bus, car, and earthmover tyres.It has partnered with a Chinese companyto buy a British car-parts maker for £20million last year.At Grainger & Worrall, which makesprecision metal works for top-end motorcars and Formula One vehicles, nearly 60per cent of its sales are now generatedoverseas, with key markets in Americaand Europe.And Morris Lubricants, the family-ownedfirm which has become one of Europe’sleading oil blenders and marketers, nowsees its products exported to around 80different countries.Just across the south Shropshire border,Tyrrell’s Potato Crisps of Leominster alsomakes it onto the list, having clinchedprivate equity finance to spearheadgrowth in France, Germany, theNetherlands and America.The Shropshire businesses feature onthe league table alongside companiesfrom around the UK, including folding bikemanufacturer Brompton, flight searchengine Skyscanner, bus manufacturerAlexander Dennis and lingerie retailerAgent Provocateur.CHARITIESBusinesses backing Severn Hospice: Paul Turner of Hatfield Jaguar; AdeleWhitehall of Reassure; Mark Freeman of Henshalls; Andy Tripp of Astec IT;Craig Petty of Hatfield Jaguar; Phil Gittins of Morris Lubricants; David Bickle ofCaterpillar; Tracy Scott and Richard Potts of Greenhous; Brian Taylor, Juliet Espand Tony Esp of Wilson Auctions; Julian Nicholas of Denso; Karan Teggin ofMaiden’s of Telford; and Ian Vickers of TJ Vickers.Supporters back themagnificent SevernBUSINESSES have shown their support for a Shropshire and Mid Wales charity bysigning up to its latest fundraising venture.Louis and Gabrielle de Wet generously opened their home for Severn Hospice tolaunch its new initiative for corporate supporters at a special drinks reception.The Lord Lieutenant for Shropshire, Sir Algernon Heber-Percy, also attended theevent and presented each business with a certificate of appreciation on behalf ofthe charity.The hospice has launched the Severn Silver Members project as part of its 25thanniversary, in a bid to expand the care it provides to patients in their own home.Norma Ross, appeals director at Severn Hospice, said: “Over the years, countlesslocal businesses have contributed to our cause by donating the funds needed toprovide specialist care or by helping us build our sites in Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury andApley Castle, Telford.“We consider ourselves to be very fortunate to have the support of so many localbusinesses.“We are delighted that so many of them were able to join us for the launch of ourfantastic new fundraising initiative for our corporate supporters.“I would like to thank everyone who joined us for a wonderful evening, and fortheir continued support.”A CHARITY BALL AT RAF MUSEUMCosford on August 30 willcommemorate the centenary of thebeginning of the First World War, andraise money for the RAF BenevolentFund and the RAF museum.A champagne reception under thewings of the mighty Vulcan bomberand other legendary aircraft will beheld in the museum’s National ColdWar Exhibition.Guests will watch a flypast during apoignant sunset ceremony with musicfrom a military band.UniqueA unique dining experience awaitsguests in the museum’s War Planeshangar, as they dine surroundedby some of the world’s most historicaircraft.Entertainment will be provided byShades of Blue from the RAF RegimentBand and other musical entertainment.Guest speaker for the evening is WingCommander Andy Green obe, an RAFfighter pilot and holder of the worldland speed record who broke thesound barrier in 1997, hitting 763mph.This is the fifth year the Gala Ball hasbeen organised in its present format.Recent events have raised thousandsof pounds for the two beneficiaries.“It is one of the outstanding black-tieevents of the year and will truly bea most memorable evening,” saidShropshire businessman GrahamWynn obe, a member of the organisingcommittee.For more information emailcosfordgalaball@rafmuseum.org, call01902 376200, or visitwww.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford48 49

By Andy BoroughsAndy Boroughs is a pioneer in everysense of the word, relocating to theregion from London and settingup a niche business to pursue hispassion for renewable energy. Thoseearly steps – taken long beforemost had even heard of renewableenergy – have now been rewardedwith a successful business and,equally importantly, a widespreadknowledge of the sector.This leading expertise has led toinvitations to speak and share hispassion with many in education,charity and industry.SHADES OF GREENWhy your vote shouldgive you powerWhen you consider the value ofdemocracy to our society, energysupply is not one of the first thingsthat comes to mind. We tend to associatedemocracy with our system of politics(however well you think that is workingthese days . . .) and perhaps with freedomof the press and an independent judiciary.All of that is true and it’s very important.Democratising energy supply, though,could be just as important. We can’t livewithout power in this day and age, and wehave limited choices in where we get thatpower and how much we pay for it.The generation and distributionprocesses used to be nationalised, so youcould say we all had a stake in how it wasrun through the political process. Now it’smarket-driven and, argue as much as youlike about supply and demand controllingthat market, it’s hard to look at the energysector and not come to the conclusionthat it’s dysfunctional in many ways –and mainly against the interests of theindividual consumer.What is exciting now is thedevelopment of technologies that couldallow us to resume control of our ownenergy generation (and perhaps evensharing) destiny. Renewable solutions canbe built at the hyper-local scale. Biomassboiler installations, small hydro schemes,wind and solar power are all affordableand scaleable. Thanks to a new push byparish and town councils, they could alsopossibly be within easier reach soon.As things stand, parish and towncouncils are not legally allowed to sellelectricity. This is a quirk, because theycan sell other services (burial plots, villagehall hire, etc) and their larger counterparts,local authorities, can sell renewableelectricity following a law change in 2010.Whether through design or oversight,smaller councils were not includedin this so, now, through their umbrellaorganisations, parish councils are pressingfor this to be corrected. If that happens,the possibilities are quite exciting.As an organising body withexperience of statutory situations andwith a professional clerk to keep threadstogether, parish councils are well placedto enable small-scale generation projects.My own company, Organic Energy,supplies ready-made energy boxescontaining connected wood-pellet boilerswhich would drop easily behind many avillage hall or cricket pavilion and, withtheir choices of cladding, would neverhave to look out of place. Think of thoseroof spaces on the same buildings I’ve justmentioned which could be sporting solarpanels and exporting power back to thegrid, with proceeds going straight into theimmediate community.OutdatedOf course mention of ‘the grid’ raisesanother issue. Currently it’s illegal to directlysupply power to individual customers – ithas to go through the national network –but in these times that too seems outdatedand should be addressed.If that happens we’re all free to putour efforts into supporting schemes thatwould make us independent of the big,international power generators anddistributors. That’s renewable power, atpredictable costs we set, with a directbenefit for our immediate surroundingsand without the threat of price hikesbecause of conflict somewhere thousandsof miles away.That sounds like real choice to me –and freedom to choose is the heart ofdemocracy.MARK WAUGHKeep up or drop deadIf the internet has taught us one thing,it is that the world can change at abewildering pace. One disruptivetechnology after another has come alongin the last decade and caught no end ofpeople by surprise, including those whoseresponsibility it was not to get blindsided.Technologywon’t wait foryou . . . so beprepared toadapt nowEntire industries have been ravaged. Just ask the music mogulsand the newspaper barons. Even the mobile-phone companies,who should have been at the forefront of this disruption, failedto get their act together before the likes of PayPal, Skype andFacebook came along and basically made them little more thanthe dumb pipe that delivers the services of the hot newcomers.Many of these happenings are, from the perspective of theconsumer, often for the better. Incumbents can be slow, lazyand costly, whereas fleet-of-foot fresh arrivals are desperate toinnovate and often enter the market with a “freemium” modelthat has something for everyone.What you don’t want to be is the one caught napping – andyou don’t have to be a multinational for that to happen to you.The place to be is where your customers want you to be. In otherwords, the old way of doing things – whereby you tell customershow it is and they accept it – won’t stand for much longer.FrustrateIf I want to stand in your shop and checkyour inventory using an app or a mobilefriendlywebsite it’s going to frustrate meno end if I can’t. That’s pretty obviousnow, though many businesses are still along way off delivering successfully on thatfront.What’s next though? Well, how moneyis actually taken off people is almostcertainly going to change before youreyes and it’s going to happen in a matterof months now.It’s bad enough to put up a sign saying“cash only” and not have gone to thetrouble of ensuring you have propermerchant services, but woe betide youif by some point in 2015 you can’t takepayment by mobile.The banks themselves are a primeexample of a behemoth industry that hasnot kept up with what people want, butthey are being pushed in that directionnow, by demand, by competition and, insome cases, by legislation. Money is going to move ever moreeasily. It’s a bit clunky, but already you can tap your card and, insome instances, your phone to make a transaction.We’re not really talking about that now though. We’re talkingabout you giving your mobile number in a shop and seeing thetransaction come up on your handset to approve. You cantransfer even small amounts in an instant to friends and familyalready, so we’re all going to expect that from businesses wedeal with in very short order.A few examples have reared their heads for me in recent daysalone which struck me forcibly. As a consumer with increasingchoice and reach, I’m going to interact with product and serviceproviders who do things the way that suit me – whether they area coffee shop, a car-tyre centre or a lawyer.This is business on the ‘quick and the dead’ principle now. Be thequick.www.vistasupport.com50 51

Matt Sandford is managingdirector of the award-winningPure Telecom based inShrewsbury, and has been inthe telecoms industry since1986 delivering cost-effectivetelecoms/IT solutions tobusinesses across the country.The company’s ethos is to helpbusinesses – however smallor large – work smarter, notharder, and deliver solutionsand support with real benefitswith a true concierge service.www.pure-telecom.co.uk01743 244933Wi-Fi networks allow devices suchas smartphones and tabletsto connect to the internetvia radio waves instead of cables, andthe increasing number of Wi-Fi hotspotsaround the UK makes this a popularchoice for workers on the move.Connecting to a network isstraightforward. If it’s an open network,simply hit connect. Some networks mayask for a password, which can usuallybe obtained from the venue staff. Andbecause connecting to a Wi-Fi network isusually free, you won’t end up eating intoyour data bundle every time you get online.And then there’s broadband. A decentbroadband connection is the backboneof every business. A fixed internetconnection in a single place, broadbandallows users to get online in a flash, safelyand securely.Broadband has come a long way sincethe slow, clunky days of dial-up, and cannow be roughly divided into two classes:● Standard. This does the job nicely formany businesses, particularly those relyingon less intensive tasks such as sendingemail, sharing files and managing theirweb presence.● Superfast. For businesses needing a littlemore oomph – designers sending largefiles, say, or big companies with lots ofemployees – superfast broadband mightbe a better choice. This uses fibre opticcables to provide blink-of-an-eye surfing– users can download a 720MB file in asingle minute!Superfast broadband is not yetavailable everywhere, but severalcampaigns, such as the Welshgovernment’s campaign to bridge thesuperfast broadband divide, are workingto fix this.Shropshire is benefiting from a £26million investment, and on a weekly basisnew roadside cabinets are springing upto supply superfast broadband. Manyrural villages and towns in Shropshire haveTECH-TALKWhy oh why oh Wi-Fi?come online in the last six months.The government has made £11.38million available to Shropshire and £1.42million to Telford & Wrekin to expandavailability of superfast broadband, butboth councils have to find pound-forpoundmatch funding.And broadband is set to get faster still.Just over two years ago, Google unveiledplans to roll out ‘lightning-fast’ broadband,codenamed Google Fiber, which wouldmake the internet frustrations of bufferingand load times a thing of the past. Cities inthe US are busy right now planning how toroll out the revolutionary technology on alarge scale.A dedicated broadband line foryour business means uninterruptedconnectivity, a choice of speeds (up toa mighty 10GBps), fuss-free uploads anddownloads, and the ability to keep yourbusiness flowing 24/7.Mobile broadband lets you access theinternet any time, from almost anywhere,via a wireless connection from yournetwork operator straight to your phone ortablet, or via a portable device (‘dongle’)that connects to your computer. Youcan also use your mobile to tether to yourlaptop.Mobile broadband is categorised byspeed. The first incarnation – 2G (secondgeneration) – has long been eclipsedby 3G – and 4G, the fastest mobilebroadband available, is becomingthe new standard. By 2016 broadbandprovider O2 will have 4G coverage of 98per cent of the UK’s population – indoors!Often faster and more convenient thanWi-Fi, mobile broadband provides flexibilityand increased productivity for employeeson the move.Send emails from a train, edit reportsfrom a park, make bank transfers from abar! Mobile broadband keepscolleagues connected, your customerscontactable and your business running24/7.THE HUMAN JUNGLEPlotting a map tokeep talent on tapArecent survey conducted by RightManagement, in which 2,200global HR professionals and seniorleaders participated, found that in 2014too many companies were facing talentshortages and skills mismatches, with onlyone in seven claiming to have confidencein the strength of their leadership pipelinesto fill critical openings.For some, talent management is viewedsimply as training current employees;for others it’s succession planning foremployees in key positions only.But talent management should not beone isolated project for an organisation;it is a strategic plan that helps companiesto focus on talent at levels throughoutthe organisation with a view of achievingshort-term goals without losing sight of thebigger picture requirements. It is integral tothe delivery of bottom-line performance.As with most tasks, however, there isn’t asingle ‘right’ way to manage talent. Hereare some tips to help you develop aneffective talent-management process1Begin with the end in mind! Whileit’s important to identify the skills,knowledge, and technical expertise yourequire to make the organisation succeedin the current economic climate, it’s vitalto focus on making sure the requirementsalso reflect the company’s desired oremerging culture/needs.2Find out the extent of your existingemployees’ talents and plot this ontoa talent map. This will show which skillsgaps can be filled by developing existingemployees, and which need to bebrought in from outside.3Utilise your organisation’s talents tomaximum effect – be prepared tomove talent so that specific skills arelocated where they are needed most.4Talent is dynamic and needs to becontinually developed. Use your talentmap to see how individual talents can beadded to, and provide the appropriatetools to do this.5Keep your talent map up to date.Maintaining an accurate picture ofexisting talent will enable you to quicklyand effectively adapt to changes in thebusiness environment.6Ensure that your talent-managementstrategy is linked to operationalperformance measures so you can clearlyidentify the value added.After climbing the corporate ladderwith a number of blue-chip and FTSE250 organisations, Teresa Boughey setup her own business transformationconsultancy, Jungle.Teresa has led a number of businesstransformation projects both in theUK and across Europe. She has alsocoached many senior executives toenhance their leadership effectiveness.As a qualified mediator, a member ofthe British Psychology Society and aChartered Member of the CIPD Teresaaims to help people and organisationsto be the best that they can be.www.junglehr.com52 53

Cleobury Mortimer firm Kudos Blends,a leading supplier of technicallydriven raising agents for the foodindustry, has completed a major exportdeal which will expand the company’sproduct offering in the United States.Brenntag North America has agreed tobecome the national distributor for theShropshire company’s products in the US.Brenntag will expand the reach of Kudos’slow-sodium solutions for baked goodsthroughout the United States and providequality local support to existing customers.Brenntag North America will be responsiblefor distributing potassium bicarbonate, aproduct developed as an alternative tosodium bicarbonate to aid bakers in reducingsodium content without removing salt.“As the demand for sodium reductionincreases across the globe it is importantfor Kudos to be able to meet customers’needs and provide them with the productsand knowledge they need on a localscale,” said Dinnie Jordan, CEO of KudosBlends.NEWSKudos raising thestakes for bakersbecause of their proactive approach andfocus on understanding their customers. Astrong and fruitful partnership is sure to bedeveloped with Brenntag and they are awelcome addition to our team.”“Brenntag is committed to bringinginnovative solutions to our customers.Kudos brings patented technology anda commitment to continuous innovationthat will bring technical expertise toour customers. We are excited for thispartnership and believe the Kudos productline is an excellent addition to our productportfolio,” said Leslie Darden, marketingdirector at Brenntag North America.“Kudos has a team of scientists and testbakers who ensure that products aredeveloped with the chemistry behindbaking in mind and the manufacture ofKudos products on-site ensures thatthe start-to-end process canbe monitored andtested.”PICTURE THIS!12 35SHROPSHIRE law firm Terry Jones hasexpanded its practice by launching anew branch in Bridgnorth.The Mayor and Mayoress of Bridgnorthattended a celebratory event to officiallyopen the Whitburn Street premises.The new branch is home to the firm’sexpanding conveyancing and businesslaw departments.Director Rachel Wood, who hasalways lived in the town and who willhave responsibility for the overall runningof the office, said she was delighted bythe success of the launch.“We are thrilled that the branch is nowofficially open to the public. The newoffice will incorporate the expansion ofour company’s growing client base insouth Shropshire.”Conveyancing executive Sarah Smithwill be at the office, joined by legalassistant Alex Hiscutt, and secretarialassistant Sue Simmonds.Commercial and corporate lawyerPeter Wilson is also providing assistancein the area of commercial property andOFFICE LAUNCHcorporate law.Managing director Terry Jones said:“We are all thrilled about the launch ofour new office. We have many existingclients in the Bridgnorth area whoseneeds will be better serviced by ourhaving an office on their doorstep.”1 Sarah Smith, Bruce Attwood,Charlotte Vale and Carl Jones.2 Suzanne Hill, Debbie Feasey,Arthur Hill and Rachel Wood.3 Hilary Jones, Eric Kirk and Sybil Kirk.4 Claire Shore, Terry Jones andRuth Farrell.5 Sue Fitzmaurice, Rachel Wood, TerryJones, Val Marshall (Mayoress ofBridgnorth), Edward Marshall (Mayorof Bridgnorth), Alex Hiscutt,Sarah Smith, Sue Simmonds andPeter Wilson.6 Robin Nettleton, Sue Fitzmaurice andGraham Taylor.“Brenntag was theideal choicefor us465455

PICTURE THIS!RESOURCEBANK CHALLENGE1 Richard Pearson of ResourceBankand Brian Jones.2 Emma Beaver and Hannah Walker.3 John Bowen, Tom Devey, AmyBould, Matthew Lloyd and DavidMacey.4 Claire Noakes, Jamie Doran andClaire Winson.5 Graham Mills, Mark Finucane,Felicity Wingrove and Fi Sen.6 Jon Simcock (editor, ShrewsburyToday), Stuart Dunn and Carl Jones(editor, Shropshire Business Today).7 Paula Flynn, Kirsty Davies andDympna Howells.8 Judy Bourne, Paul Marsden,Graham Taylor, David Heath, SteveMorris and David Perrin.9 Sue Fitzmaurice, GaynorGravestock, Anita Roberts andHelen Thomas.10 Toby Shaw.11 Alex Casewell and Hannah Falfoul.12 On-pitch action.13 Clemmie Radcliffe and AlistairHilton.14 Shropshire’s business communityenjoyed glorious weather to matchthe sporting action.15 Mark Wycherley, Siobhan Connor,Mike Bates and Andrew Jones.1 25 6834IT has become one of the jewels in Shropshire’s business hospitality crown, andthe sun shone on Wrekin College in Telford as more than 600 people enjoyed theShropshire County Cricket Club’s ResourceBank Challenge.Several former international test cricket stars, including pace bowler CoreyCollymore of the West Indies, all-rounder Abdul Razzaq of Pakistan, and former Indianopening batsman Wasim Jaffer, were among an invitational XI which claimed victoryover a youthful Shropshire team.Toby Shaw, chairman of Shropshire County Cricket Club, said it was a terrific day,with guests entertained by quick-witted compère Roger Dakin, a former Englandhockey international goalkeeper, and surprise after-dinner speaker Geoff Miller, untilrecently England’s chairman of selectors.A charity auction raised cash for Shrewsbury Drapers’ Company which is buildingnew almshouses.Mr Shaw said: “It was a tremendous day, a great success and everything wentvery well. The weather was glorious, the cricket magnificent, the speakers were verygood, the food was great and the feedback we have received has been excellent. Ithought the atmosphere in the marquee was lovely, a real summer party.“We are very fortunate that the Shropshire business community always support thisevent so loyally and in such good numbers. To have more than 630 guests this yearwas superb. It really has become the premier event of its kind in the county, one thatpeople look forward to.“Thanks also to Richard Pearson and ResourceBank for their continued support,which is much appreciated.”PICTURES: GAVIN DICKSON9 10 1112 13 1471556 57

PICTURE THIS!RETIREMENT PARTYBRITISH IRONWORK CENTRETHE senior partner at Wace MorganSolicitors, which has three offices inShrewsbury and one in Newtown, hasretired after more than three decadesof service.Madeleine Butcher, who startedher career with the firm in 1980, wenton to be the head of the firm’s familydepartment and was made seniorpartner four years ago.She was one of only a few legalprofessionals in the region to beaccredited by the Law SocietyChildren’s Panel.Madeleine said: “I have enjoyedworking for the people of Shropshirefor over three decades and it has beenexciting to see Wace Morgan grow intothe thriving practice it is now with morethan 80 employees.“I am pleased that Wace Morgan’shighly specialised team will continueto offer an excellent legal service toclients.”AWARDS ENTRANTS SHORTLISTEDThe Matrix team, based near Bridgnorth.Wace Morgan’s managing partner Diana Packwood, partner Jeremy Taylor,Edward Butcher and Madeleine Butcher.STAFF from a Shropshire financialplanning company have beenshortlisted for a national award.Matrix Capital, based nearBridgnorth, is in the running for theRetirement Adviser of the Year title atthis year’s Investment Life & PensionsMoneyfacts Awards. The winners will beannounced in September.Matrix chief executive Robin Melley,said: “We are delighted. Our companyhas been steadily growing, andinnovating, and it is great to see ourwork being recognised.”WORLD-renowned diplomat andhumanitarian Terry Waite called in atthe British Ironwork Centre in Oswestryen route to this year’s Eisteddfod atLlangollen.Mr Waite, former special envoyto the Archbishop of Canterbury,successfully negotiated the releaseof hostages from Iran and Libya andwas himself held captive by terrorists inBeirut between 1987 and 1991.Clive Knowles, British IronworkCentre chairman, said: “It was a realhonour for us to welcome Mr Waite tothe centre and to Shropshire.“Our discussions have beenextremely valuable and Mr Waite willbe working with us on a number offorthcoming projects to achieve ourshared aims. He has kindly agreedto host ‘An evening with Terry Waite’,which will be held locally and to whichwe will personally invite Shropshirebusiness people.”It’s been a busy time for the BritishIronwork Centre, which has alsohelped a local Brownie group to hold aspecial celebration event to mark theircentenary.A party of youngsters from St MartinsBrownies visited the company as part ofthe ‘Big Brownie Birthday’, a year-longcelebration of the 100th anniversary ofthe creation of the national Browniesorganisation.The Brownies had been invited byClive Knowles, to visit Shropshire’sfirst sculpture park where gazebos,activities and special treats wereprovided to ensure that the girlsenjoyed a memorable day.Mr Knowles said: “It has been a realpleasure to help them to celebrate theirspecial occasion.”Clive Knowles with Terry Waite.Big Brownie Birthday!DRINKS AFTER WORKMORE than 30 business leaders attendedthe launch of a new joint initiative byBridgnorth-based solicitors AndrewsRitson and Bamboo Wine Bar in LowTown.Jonathan Ritson, director of AndrewsRitson, said: “We have been discussingwith Debbie Smallman at Bamboothe idea of an event to provide localbusinesses with an opportunity to gettogether informally to have a chat and each other after the first gathering.get to know others working in the local The plan is for a similar event to bearea.held each month at Bamboo.“The idea of ‘Drinks after Work’seemed to work: the response was email kmckenna@andrewsritson.co.uk.fantastic and we have received lots ofpositive feedback.”Several businesses set up follow-up Pictured: Charlotte Wood,meetings with others attending to find Kimberley McKenna, Debbie Smallmanout more about doing business with and Jonathan Ritson.58 59

PICTURE THIS!MBE AWARDED1A SHROPSHIRE man has travelled inluxury and style to London to meetPrince Charles and collect his MBE.Peter Corfield, who was nominatedfor his services to the community inLudlow – particularly through his workas chairman of the town’s hospitalleague of friends group – decidedto hire a luxury car and chauffeur totransport him to London for the specialoccasion.The 73-year-old said: “It’s not everyday you get to go to BuckinghamPalace and meet a member of theRoyal family, so I thought I would pushthe boat out and hire a chauffeur tomake it an extra-special day.“It was the icing on the cake reallyto a hugely memorable day.”Peter Corfield and his wife travelled to London in style.2 3CHAMBER NETWORKING EVENTSHREWSBURY Business Chamber membersand other businesses attended a freemonthly networking event at SalopLeisure’s showroom and specialist plantcentre in Shrewsbury.The theme of the event was related totourism with Alison Patrick, Tourism Officerfor Shropshire Council, and EdwardGoddard, Managing Director of MorrisLeisure, presenting.Guests were reminded that tourists arelocal, national as well as overseas visitorsspending any amount of money on theofferings available. They focused on thebenefits of tourism to local communitiesfrequently overlooked.“It was another great evening fornetworking with other Chamber membershaving the benefits of Shrewsburybusinesses working together, whilesupporting each other to help resolvecommon issues,” said Peter Bettis,President of Shrewsbury BusinessChamber. “We are grateful to TonyBywater for offering to host our networkingevent at Salop Leisure, and for providingthe splendid barbecue and refreshmentsmanned by his staff.”1 Edward Goddard, Alison Patrick, PeterBettis, Claire Wild andTony Bywater.42 Martin Wood, Sue Wood,Jane Chesson and Brian Chesson.3 Richard Groome, Janet Groome, BenCoates, Trish Randles andMark Pembleton.4 Doreen Bosworth, Mark Bebb andMyrtle Bosworth.60 61

PICTURE THIS!A FORETASTE OF CHRISTMAS21COMMUNITY HOUSING EVENTShena Latto, chair of Shropshire Housing Group, with RogerBreakwell from Onibury, John Pickup from Neenton, andJake Berriman, chief executive of SHG.Lynnette Williams, hotel owner Lesley Casson, Georgia’s grandmother Jean Dayusand Scarlett Williams.A LADIES’ evening to raise funds for theGeorgia Williams Trust could becomean annual event after the inauguralnight collected about £2,000.The trust was founded shortly afterthe tragic death of the 17-year-old inWellington in May last year.Georgia’s mother Lynette Williams,who helped organise the event at TheBest Western Valley Hotel in Ironbridge,said it was a huge success and a nightthat Georgia would have loved.“We were not expecting to raise somuch, but more than 100 people cameand everyone was so generous.“I didn’t know everyone; people justcame to support and everyone got onand had a great time.The event on July 25 saw more than£500 raised on a raffle organised byGeorgia’s grandmother Jean Dayus.34Christmas came early at the The Park Inn by Radisson hotel inTelford, when it hosted a VIP festive showcase.More than 160 guests were invited to sample the hotel’sChristmas programme at the event, which had a winterwonderland theme. A three-course Christmas menu wasserved, including turkey and all the trimmings.Entertainment began with comedian Lee Lard as Peter Kay,the only Peter Kay tribute endorsed by Peter himself, followedby Baby Love, a trio who are supporting the hotel’s MotownChristmas party package.Hotel sales manager Sarah Dainty said: “We have alreadyreceived bookings for Christmas following the event.”DOZENS gathered at Ludlow Racecourse to learn abouthow parish and town councils can take the lead on housingdevelopment in their own communities.Community-led development, pioneered in the county byShropshire Housing Group, has seen a string of successful projectslaunched with the backing of residents, local authorities and thegovernment’s Homes and Communities Agency.Community-led projects begin by identifying what each town orparish needs in terms of new, affordable, homes and then workswith all partners to ensure that the properties delivered fit thatneed and are suitable for the area they stand in.Shropshire Housing Group has now created a separateorganisation, Marches Community Land Trust Services, with thebacking of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership.The Ludlow gathering was addressed by Matthew Dodd, the Ruraland Communities Manager from the Homes and CommunitiesAgency, as well as councillors from Neenton and Onibury – bothof which are benefiting from community-led schemes.CHARITY FUNDRAISING EVENT1 Alan Birkett, Lorraine Birkett, Clare Weaver and DannyWeaver.2 Kim Jones and Chris Jones.3 Carol Lovatt and David Lovatt.4 Ian Swift and Jocelyn Swift.Shropshire Housing Group chief executive, Jake Berriman, said:“This was a great opportunity to explain in straightforward termshow community-led housing can work really well, to share firsthand,warts-and-all experience of real projects and to ensurethat community representatives know what support and advice isavailable to them and how to access it.”62 63

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Cast offthepost-recession blues – it’s timeBe sure YourBusiness is partof the theme infuture issues...NEXT ISSUE...Good TimeGrowthFollowed by...•Issue 21: In Sickness & In Health...Here’s to the health, wealth & happinessof businesses & their staff – but it can’t beguaranteed, so what happens then?•Issue 22: Making Plans...Where it all should start•Issue 23: Unbeatable Branding...What does yours say about you?•Issue 24: Risk Takers ...Is it time to take agamble, and speculate to accumulate?•Issue 25: People Power...Why customer servicewill always be kingto celebrate success!WE COULD HELP YOUR BUSINESSContact editorial: editor @shropshirebusinesstoday.co.uk• Contact advertising: sales @shropshirebusinesstoday.co.ukAc t n o w ! L i m i te d s p a ceDon’tMiss TODAY Issue 3MADE IN SHREWSBURY FOR SHREWSBURY@shropsbiztodayAvailable FREE from more than350 outlets accross the countytown from early September!www.shrewsburytoday.co.uk

POWER.ACQUIRED.They say there’s a price to pay for power.But when it comes as seductively packagedas the new F-TYPE Coupé, it’s a priceyou’ll be happy to pay. The F-TYPE rangefrom £599 a month, plus deposit and finalpayment, will tempt you from the straightand narrow. Contact us to begin yourpursuit of power.HATFIELDS SHREWSBURYBRASSEY ROAD, SHREWSBURY SY3 7FAHATFIELDS.SHREWSBURY.JAGUAR.CO.UK01743 234 300REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLE †On the Road Price £51,250Customer Deposit £11,795Total Amount of Credit £39,455Purchase Fee (Included in final payment) £1036 Monthly Payments £599Final Payment £25,635Total Amount Payable £58,994Duration of Agreement (Months) 37Representative APR7.9% APRInterest Rate (Fixed) 7.66%HOW ALIVE ARE YOU?†Representative Example relates to an F-TYPE 3.0 Supercharged Coupé 340PS. Representative 7.9% APR available on new JaguarF-TYPE Coupé range registered between 1st July and 30th September 2014 at participating dealers only. We may receive commissionor other benefits for introducing you to Jaguar Financial Services. With Jaguar Privilege Personal Contract Purchase you have theoption at the end of the agreement to: (1) return the vehicle and not pay the Final Payment. If the vehicle is in good condition andhas not exceeded the allowed mileage you will have nothing further to pay. If the vehicle has exceeded the allowed mileage a chargefor excess mileage will apply – in this example 14p per mile for any excess mileage up to 4,999 miles and 28p per mile for any excessmileage exceeding 4,999 miles) (2) pay the Final Payment to own the vehicle or (3) part exchange the vehicle subject to settlementof your existing finance agreement; new finance agreements are subject to status. Representative example is based upon an annualmileage of 10,000 miles. Finance is subject to status and only available to applicants aged 18 and over resident in Mainland UK andN.Ireland. Indemnities may be required. This finance offer is available from Black Horse Limited trading as Jaguar Financial Services,St William House, Tresillian Terrace, Cardiff, CF10 5BH.Official fuel economy figures for the JaguarF-TYPE range in mpg (l/100km): Urbanfrom 17.8 (15.9) to 22.8 (12.4), Extra Urbanfrom 34.0 (8.3) to 42.2 (6.7), Combined from25.5 (11.1) to 32.1 (8.8). CO2 emissions from259 to 205 (g/km). The figures provided areas a result of official manufacturer tests inaccordance with EU Legislation. A vehicle’sactual fuel consumption may differ from thatachieved in such tests and these figures arefor comparative purposes only.