IQ-Magazine-Issue-13

Issue 13: JUNE - August 2015

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IQ contents 

in this issue 

08 Business overview 

11 Is access to finance still the real issue? 

13 Business Succession Planning 

17 Protecting your most valuable assets 

18 Grants 

21 A Tax on Justice? 

23 Conflict at work 

25 When Apprenticeships are the Answer 

27 Health check up at the HQ 

28 A Great Place to Work 

30 Creating a Personal Brand for the Digital Age 

33 Event Marketing 

34 The Forgotten Audience? 

37 Mobilegeddon 

40 How to market a business when the road sign says “Closed”! 

43 Where does the tourism competition lie? 

47 Best of Old and New 

59 Adapting To Change 

64 Transforming an idea into a successful business 

THe TEAM 

John Treby Creative Director | Gemma Treby Editor | Georgia Watson Editiorial & PR Assistant | Emma Ward PR 

& Marketing | Rachel Cracknell PR & Marketing | Becca Plaxton Publication Sales | Jess Pack Designer 

Matt Cockerton Designer | Eugene Hector Designer | Emma Sheppard Designer | Steve Parr Designer 

Sean Brkovic Designer | James Willcox Designer Expert Contributors - Glyn Mon Huges 

Cambridgshire Chambers of Commerce | Jacqui Kemp | James Pinchbeck | Steve Elsom | Sarah Brereton 

David Donnan | Philip Turner | Ben Ramsey | Sam Sales | Ben Cole | Alan Cowie | Ben Fox | Andrew Webster 

Cubiqdesign | Goodwin Business Park | Newmarket | CB8 7SQ | 01638 666432 | www.iqmag.co.uk 

issue 13 | page 5

IQ welcome 

welcome to the Thirteenth edition of iq business magazine, 

a quarterly publication that offers insight and inspiration 

to sme business owners in cambridgeshire and suffolk 

FOLLOW ON US TWITTER 

@IQBusinessMag 

FACEBOOK PAGE 

www.facebook.com/ 

IQBusinessMag 

CONTACT US 

01638 666432 or email 

info@iqmag.co.uk 

Quite often I am asked how 

we come up with different 

ideas for editorial features each 

issue. It’s a good question, 

especially as IQ isn’t the only 

publication I edit. The most 

exciting challenge that I face, 

along with my team, is deciding 

which businesses to feature. Our 

criteria predominantly revolve 

around inspiration and how 

other businesses can learn from 

the companies, and indeed, the 

people behind those successful businesses we feature. In 

our diverse region, we don’t suffer from slim pickings, 

quite the reverse! When I started IQ, I was very keen to 

keep the magazine positive and not to infiltrate negative 

sentiment. Over the past three years, even when faced 

with austerity and a recession, my inbox remains full of 

good news stories. Meeting Guy Robinson, from Absorb 

Nutrition, gave me the content for a particularly inspiring 

editorial; read about his journey on p64. I am excited by 

the concept of engineering thoughts into reality, and, in 

this case, how a man simply noticed a gap in the market 

and brought to life that product which now proudly sits on 

the shelf of nationals like Superdrug. 

Please feel free to flood my inbox with your good 

news stories. gemma@cubiqdesign.co.uk. 

Gemma Treby 

to receive your free issue of iq 

Visit www.iqmag.co.uk and sign up to the IQ database to receive your free copy of IQ each quarter. 


IQ business overview 

BUSINESS 

OVERVIEW 

Iq magazine discusses the recent 

General Election results, and 

how the new government may 

influence business in our region 

Before the election, all the pundits said that the weekend 

which followed would be a frantic couple of days of comings 

and goings, wheeling and dealing, plotting and planning. In 

the end, it was no such thing, with the Conservatives winning 

an historic, if not wildly unexpected, victory. 

But if we thought things were tough before the election, this 

really could be where the fun – a word used totally ironically, 

of course – will start. Immediately 

after the election, one of the 

Sunday papers had a picture of 

David Cameron with two trays 

on his desk. In the out tray was a 

series of papers saying UKIP, 

Labour, Liberal Democrats... 

all dismissed. In the in tray 

was a miniature Nicola 

Sturgeon angrily making her 

demands known. 

And that is exactly what has 

happened. The Scottish Independence question is being 

asked again, this time with a ferocity which almost implies 

that the Scots are going anyway, and it’s just a matter of time. 

With the landslide the SNP gained in Scotland, one could 

hardly blame them. 

So what happens to the rest of England? And to East Anglia 

in particular? 

What is probably going to make life challenging for the 

Government is not only the Scottish problem, but also the 

fact that a small majority can make backbenchers that much 

more fractious. It’s what happened to John Major almost 

from the very week in which he won his surprise victory 

in May 1992. 

In some ways that could be good for regions like East Anglia, 

as there will be more of an opportunity to draw attention to 

the problems, and those in government will be duty bound to 

listen. As a result, the infrastructure improvements which so 

many business leaders have talked about over the last couple 

of years could well be pushed up the agenda. 

Regional devolution was something of a hallmark of the 

previous Coalition. Greater Manchester, for instance, will 

be running its own NHS services, transport and regional 


IQ business overview 

For a region whose businesses have done quite well, despite a ravaging recession, 

there could well be golden times ahead. 

investment. Could the same happen for East 

Anglia, with decisions being taken at a much more 

local level and cash targeted at the areas which 

most need it? That certainly remains to be seen. 

Apprenticeships were spoken about during the 

campaign, and now there’s a real chance that 

young people will be given the choice as to whether 

to go into higher education or whether to take up 

an apprenticeship with, if the present trend of job 

creation continues, every chance of finding a good 

job in a solidly-founded business. 

There are dangers, of course. The Scottish First 

Minister has been quick to make her demands 

for more devolution known. Apparently, there 

have been moves from across the Channel, 

too, with Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the 

European Commission, saying in the immediate 

aftermath of the election that he would work with 

David Cameron on negotiations over the UK’s 

membership of the EU. That’s a considerable 

change of heart from someone who appeared to 

rule out any concessions over the UK’s relationship 

with Europe. All this could bog down efforts by the 

Government to keep the economy improving. 

The CBI recently suggested what it would like to 

see in the new Government’s first 100 days in office. 

In addition to keeping economic growth on track 

and boosting investment, it urged the Chancellor 

to stay on top of public finances, tackle the housing 

crisis and press ahead with reforms to the European 

Union. It also urged that a comprehensive spending 

review should be launched. Perhaps most radical 

was a call to set up a review of education for 14 to 

18-year-olds in which, it suggested, GCSEs could 

potentially be scrapped and vocational A levels be 

created. While that might lead to a scrap with the 

teaching unions, it does appear to be something 

which would be widely welcomed by the business 

community across the country. 

A number of small business owners suggested that 

Labour did badly because they stigmatised profits, 

almost demonising those businesses which did well. 

Others welcomed the Conservative pledge to triple 

the number of start-up loans available to business. 

Some were critical, though, with Conservative 

support for small businesses paying mere lip service, 

the reality being that micro-businesses with just one 

or two employees were being sidelined. 

With the dust settling on what was a whirlwind of a 

result after one of the dullest election campaigns of 

recent times, and with the City perhaps going back 

to business as usual after the Footsie practically 

went into orbit after the Cameron election win, 

there’s a lot at stake in East Anglia. 

For a region whose businesses have done quite well, 

despite a ravaging recession, there could well be 

golden times ahead. A high price has been paid 

in the last decade or so. Now the dividends should 

start to be seen. Time will tell. 

With the dust beginning to settle on 

what was a whirlwind of a result after 

one of the dullest election campaigns of 

recent times, and with the City perhaps 

going back to business as usual after 

the Footsie practically went into orbit 

after the Cameron election win, there’s 

a lot at stake in East Anglia. 


IQ finance 

Is access to f inance 

still the real issue? 

By Steve Elsom, Area Director for SME Banking at 

Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking in the East of England 

It’s probably fair to say that, as recently as two years ago, 

we were still confronted with the challenges around whether 

banks were lending to small and medium-sized enterprises 

(SMEs). Bank of England figures show that net lending to 

SMEs decreased by 16% across the industry since 2011, whilst 

at Lloyds Bank our lending to SMEs has grown 19% net in 

the same period. 

Today, having spoken to business agencies and politicians 

from across the region, it’s pleasing to hear that businesses 

believe that widespread access to finance has improved. 

Certainly, at Lloyds Bank we have made commitments to 

businesses through our SME Charter and ‘Helping Britain 

Prosper’ Plan. Most notably, we have pledged to grow our 

lending by at least £1billion in funding for SMEs each year 

until 2017, and to help 1,000 start-up businesses become £1m 

turnover businesses within three years. 

We are pleased to say ‘yes’ to 80% of all loan and overdraft 

requests. And, where we can’t say ‘yes’, we look to find an 

alternative way of supporting the business and to help it 

succeed in securing finance. Our local relationship managers 

have personal lending discretions and are supported by a 

team based here in the region. These factors have played a 

key part in addressing many of the issues that businesses felt 

were hindering them. 

Politicians and agencies now tell me that ‘confidence’ is the 

main issue affecting business growth. Admittedly, confidence 

levels are higher now than they were three years ago, but there 

is fragility in this confidence – in many ways due to global 

and local issues that we are all very familiar with. It is still 

too early to say what impact the outcome of the General 

Election will have in the short and medium term, so the key 

to building these confidence levels is to further strengthen the 

partnership between the banker, the professional advisor and 

the customer, and to work towards a more sustainable and 

‘value added’ relationship. 

Discussions that I have observed in this format have helped 

a business make better informed decisions, and arrive at the 

‘tipping point’ where the business owner could make a decision 

that would impact on the future direction of the company, in 

the knowledge that those involved were fully prepared and in 

possession of all the facts, and had the opportunity to cover 

any questions and issues with professional advisors, prior to 

making the decision. Our ambition is to become a trusted 

partner to the business, to help it achieve its ambition, and 

these forums are certainly playing their part. 

An area that we are constantly looking at is exporting – 

currently one in five companies in the UK exports their 

products and services, and, through our work with government 

agencies, we are trying to move to a point where UK PLC is 

generating £1trillion income from exports by 2020. 

Lloyds Banking Group has committed to support 75,000 

businesses to trade internationally over the next three years 

as part of the Group’s 2015 Helping Britain Prosper Plan. 

Support will include helping businesses with an export strategy, 

delivering regional workshops for businesses considering 

exporting, providing assistance to investors to set up bank 

accounts in the UK and offering advice and solutions relating 

to working capital and foreign exchange risk management. 

Throughout the region there will be plenty of opportunity 

for us to support local businesses in conjunction with UKTI, 

UKEF and the business agencies. We see exporting as a 

key lever to further strengthen the regional economy, and, 

alongside the partners I have just mentioned, we are positive 

and enthusiastic that we can ‘help make a difference’. 

More Information 

Lloyds Bank, Endeavour House, Chivers Way, Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9ZR 

steve.elsom@lloydsbanking.com t@steveelsom1 



Business Succession Planning 

the devil is in the detail 

In the third in our series of four articles, Websters discusses the need 

for succession planning and the options available to business owners 

With the growing number of small and medium-sized businesses, the 

issue of succession and exit strategy planning is on the increase. In a 

nutshell, succession planning is a process a business should follow when 

the current business owner or owners are seeking to retire or move on 

to other things. As is often the case, the detail and success of such a 

significant change lies in the planning. There are a number of options 

open to business owners: 

Sale of a business 

The business owner may want to sell the entire business - if the 

business is held via a company, this would involve a share sale. 

Alternatively, the assets of the business are sold and following 

proceeds of sale, the business is dissolved. In some cases, the 

current business owner may stay on board for a short period 

to ease the transfer for staff and clients. A consultancy contract 

often works best in this situation rather than full employment. 

There are tax implications for the selling business owner who 

will most likely require professional advice to make the best of 

their sale. 

Transferring a business upon death 

In the event of the death of a business owner who has not had an 

opportunity to plan, his/her executors/personal representatives 

will manage the sale of the business. Inheritance tax (IHT) is 

most likely to be an issue in this situation. However, business 

property relief (BPR) may provide relief from IHT, provided 

the business or company carried on a qualifying trade. It is 

important that the business owner’s personal representatives 

obtain advice as to all the options that are available to them. 

Taking on a partner 

The business owner may take on a partner with the aim of 

the new partner taking over the business over a set period of 

time. The current owner will remain in the business in the short 

term, and may keep their partnership share well into their 

retirement. This is a tax-efficient option for both the new and 

existing partner; however, a high degree of trust and confidence 

is required on both sides. 

Management Buy Out 

A management buyout (MBO) is a form of acquisition of a 

corporate business where the company’s existing managers 

or employees acquire all or a large part of the company from 

the existing business owner or majority owner. On occasion, a 

phased form of an MBO is appropriate, but this does often bring 

about some issues with the transfer of control and shares. Often, 

Enterprise Management Incentives (EMIs) can be implemented 

to gain initial participation from employees. 

Keeping it in the family 

This really is a type of MBO and it is often the natural form of 

succession for a family business. Claiming business asset relief 

may need investigating with this format, to ensure both parties 

get the best benefit. 

In summary, with regard to succession planning for the business owner, 

there is no set package and bespoke planning is the best option. 


Contact Websters on 01223 507080 or go to www.tax.uk.com 

issue 13 | page 13

IQ election 

Election Update 

Can the Conservatives really ensure we become the 

most prosperous major economy in the world by 2030? 

From packing boxes, to forming the government, to becoming the most 

prosperous country in the world, in less than 7 days. James Pinchbeck, 

Marketing Partner at Streets Chartered Accountants, 

provides his post-election thoughts 

When asked to write a few words post-election, 

I wouldn’t have been alone in thinking that much 

of the focus of such a comment would be about 

the possible make-up of a coalition and perhaps 

even a minority government. However, taking 

into account the YouGov exit poll, the night of the 

election soon revealed an unexpected result, with 

the Conservatives winning more seats than their 

closest rivals. By the morning it was clear that the 

Conservatives would be able to form a majority 

government, even if this was by a small margin. 

Free of the requirement, as no longer part of 

a coalition government, to consider another 

Coleraine 

party’s agenda or manifesto, and with a Omagh 

Belfast 

mandate from the electorate, the Prime 

Minster, along with the Cabinet, can now 

deliver their plans in accordance with their manifesto. 

Certainly, if you haven’t read it, you might find it a worthy read 

in terms of the economic, social and political direction of travel 

for at least the next 5 years. Whether from an EU or even a 

global perspective, the results do give a message of stability 

and clarity, providing re-assurance and confidence in the 

financial markets at least. 

Inverness 

Glasgow 

Dumfries 

Blackpool 

Hereford 

Aberdeen 

Edinburgh 

Shrewsbury 

Oxford 

York 

Hull 

Grimsby 

Cambridge 

Luton 

Political map 

of Britain 2015 

Conservative 

Labour 

LibDem 

Green 

UKIP 

Scottish National Party 

Plaid Cymru 

Democratic Unionist 

Social Democratic & 

Labour Party 

Sinn Fein 

Alliance 

Ulster Unionist 

Newcastle 

Independent 

Norwich 

Clacton 


Contact Streets Chartered Accountants 

www.streetsweb.co.uk 

St Ives 

Cardif 

Brighton 

Bournemouth 

Plymouth 


IQ election 

What then can we expect over the coming months and years? 

A second Budget for 2015 

There is likely to be a second Budget for 2015, not 

least that the Chancellor has already promised to 

legislate within 100 days, a ban on putting up Income 

Tax, Value Added Tax or National Insurance in the 

new Parliament. Whether this second budget will 

include the raise in the 40p Income Tax Threshold 

to £50,000, who knows… Equally, we will have 

to wait and see if it includes the proposed limit on 

pensions tax relief for those earning over £150,000, 

along with the reduction in the annual allowance for 

investing in your pension from £40,000 to £10,000 

once an individual’s income reaches £210,000. 

We also wait with baited breath to see if such a 

Budget will set, as promised, a new and higher, 

permanent level of the Annual Investment 

Allowance and changes to the Inheritance 

Tax Threshold. 

A Referendum on Europe 

In terms of business, most welcome the trading 

opportunities offered by a single market, but hate 

the red tape imposed by politicians in Brussels. With 

at least France and if not other leading EU Member 

States due to have a General Election in 2017, it is 

likely we will see not only the Referendum, but our 

relationship, involvement and status within Europe 

being decided during 2016. 

Tax Avoidance 

We can expect to see a further clampdown on 

avoidance and widening of the scope of antiavoidance 

activities, including the exchange of 

information with foreign tax authorities, which starts 

in 2017. 

Changes to welfare and 

reduction in Government 

waste 

In terms of welfare, it would seem the focus is 

to encourage and reward those want to work, or 

who are in work, with reductions in Income Tax, 

tax-free child care support and a cap on overall 

welfare spending. 

Whilst the manifesto refers to cutting 

Government waste, and this may be achievable 

in some areas, many unitary authorities and 

public sector bodies will be required not just to 

cut out waste, but to make service lines cut back. 

In part, this may be achieved through a shift to 

authorities commissioning rather than delivering 

services, whilst at the same time creating new 

business, even self-employment opportunities for 

providers. 

The most prosperous 

economy in the world! 

With investment in infrastructure projects 

including road, rail and broadband and 

support for start-up businesses - including those 

seeking to grow their businesses - along with 

work opportunities for apprentices alike, the 

manifesto of our newly-elected Government sets 

out its stated aims for the UK to ‘become the 

most prosperous major economy in the world by 

2030’. This is a stretch target and a challenge. 

Although it is a bold move, is it enough to satisfy 

those in the business community who think that 

the Prime Minister and his government could or 

should be more aspiring in their vision? Let’s 

wait and see... 



Protecting 

Your Most 

Valuable Assets 

Ben Ramsey, Director at Fairfield Financial 

Solutions, asks if you understand the 

importance of your key personnel 

It’s commonplace to insure the offices we work in and the 

equipment we work on, but protecting the people who play 

a vital role in the running and success of our organisations, 

isn’t always deemed a priority. We all have people within 

our organisations who help to contribute to our success, be 

they brilliant sales managers, IT gurus or financial geniuses. 

Have you considered the devastating effect it could have 

on the business if one of them suffered a critical illness or 

passed away unexpectedly? 

In the short term, this event could affect income and cash 

flow, the work load on your remaining staff might have to 

increase, and, as a result, negatively impact on morale and, 

potentially, profitability. You may also need to replace your 

staff member; either temporarily or on a more permanent 

basis – this can take up a lot of your time as well as be an 

additional expense. All of these outcomes have a significant 

impact on your company, be that from a loss of vital 

income or an increase in expenditure. There could also be 

some impact on your reputation if you are unable to meet 

commitments you have made to clients. 

Key person protection provides a financial safety net that 

can cover the loss of those profits, cash flow and staff 

replacement costs. It’s a policy taken out and paid for by the 

company, with the individual you nominate as the ‘insured 

person’. The cover can be paid out as a lump sum, and 

some providers will allow you the option of taking the pay 

out as monthly income. While the policy cannot replace 

your valued team member, it can certainly go a long way to 

making sure that their absence doesn’t have too many other 

negative impacts on your organisation. 


Fairfield Financial Solutions Ltd, 

ben@fairfieldfs.co.uk 

Tel: 01284 624042. Mob: 07557 342564 


IQ showcase 

finance 

Grants 

What's available, who are they 

for, and how to access them 

Alan Cowie, Communications and Events 

Officer for the New Anglia Growth Hub, 

gives IQ the low down on the support 

available to SME’S 

You read about them in the paper all the time. 

“Company X gets thousands to grow business”. But 

where does this money come from and how can I 

get it? Firstly, it is worth considering what a grant 

actually is. Some people are under the impression 

that it involves a man with a suitcase full of money 

turning up at your door. In reality, it is an amount 

of money awarded to a business to help them do 

something that the grant supports. For example, a 

grant could be there to support employment and job 

creation, or it could be given to install equipment 

to support a reduction in energy consumption. 

Typically, these grants are match-funded, which 

means the business pays a portion and the grant 

provider pays a portion. The amount the grant 

pays towards the total project spend varies, but it is 

usually between 20% and 50%. 

It is best to think of what you are doing as a project 

– it will have a start and an end, and will cost a 

certain amount of money. There is normally at 

least one form to fill in to describe the project and 

how the grant supports it. Grants can only be paid 

for projects moving forward, they can’t be applied 

retrospectively. 

Some sectors are more difficult to support than 

others. Primary agriculture and retail are often 

ineligible sectors under the rules. The agricultural 

sector is generally considered to have sufficient 

support in terms of grants and funding from 

alternative sources such as Defra and local 

authorities. Grant support for the retail sector is a 

contentious issue, as many bodies have the view that 

retail spending is stimulated by other parts of the 

economy. In other words, creating jobs elsewhere 

leads to more disposable income and this money 


IQ IQ showcase finance 

can be fed back into the retail sector. The aim 

of the grant is to support the business and 

to grow the economy. If the grant helps 

one business to the detriment of 

another, then it isn’t helping anyone, 

so the grant won’t be given in that 

case. This is called “displacement” and 

certain rules apply. 

The New Anglia Local Enterprise 

Partnership’s grant funds are now open for 

applications, and the Growth Hub handles the initial 

eligibility assessment. The Growing Business Fund 

offers grants of between £5,000 and £500,000 

for Norfolk and Suffolk companies embarking on 

capital projects or investments. These grants are 

up to 20% of the total project cost. For example, to 

qualify for the smallest grant of £5,000, the business 

must be investing a minimum of £20,000. The 

projects should lead to job creation and usually, one 

job must be created per £10,000 of grant funding. 

Note: the grants cannot be used to pay for salaries, 

only capital investment. 

Anglia Ruskin University administers a grant called 

Low Carbon KEEP. Unlike the New Anglia LEP 

grants, the main purpose of grants such as this is 

to support improvements to efficiency or carbon 

reduction, and job creation is not a prerequisite. 

Between £1,000 and £8,000 is available, and this 

is 40% of the project cost. For example, to qualify 

for a £2,000 grant, the total project spend would 

be £5,000, and the business would put in £3,000. 

Retail, agriculture and the care sectors are not 

eligible. The business must obtain three quotes for 

the purchases, although you don’t necessarily have 

to pick the cheapest one. The programme is open to 

SMEs in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, 

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. 

To support staff training, there is the Employer 

Some people are under the impression 

that it involves a man with a suitcase 

full of money turning up at your door. 

In reality, it is an amount of money 

awarded to a business to help them do 

something that the grant supports. 

Training Incentive Pilot which gives you 25% 

cashback for additional training that would 

develop the business, or 30% towards the cost of 

an apprentice. This covers non-accredited training, 

although it cannot support mandatory training such 

as essential Health and Safety at Work qualifications. 

Up to £1,000 is available per learner, and the 

application for this is very straightforward. It is only 

open to SMEs in Norfolk and Suffolk which employ 

less than 250 people. 

It can be tricky to navigate through these 

programmes. Yes, there are rules and 

application forms, but the Growth Hub is there to 

assist and, hopefully, to make the process as easy as 

possible. In addition to the aforementioned grant 

programmes, some of the local authorities offer 

small grants; vouchers are available in some areas 

to improve broadband connectivity, and specialist 

organisations such as the Manufacturing Advisory 

Service and UK Trade & Investment offer subsidies 

to support manufacturing development and 

exporting respectively. 

The easiest way to access this support is to make 

an appointment with a Business Growth Adviser 

at the New Anglia Growth Hub. The hub supports 

new and existing businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk, 

offering free face-to-face support and guidance to 

help grow your business. 

For more information about grants or any other business-related topic, call 0300 333 6536 or email growthhub@newanglia.co.uk. 

The hub is delivered by Suffolk Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership. 


IQ legal 

A Tax on Justice? 

Ben Fox of Greene & Greene Solicitors discusses 

the huge increase in the cost of enforcing claims 

One issue that could perhaps have been discussed 

more thoroughly in the run up to the recent General 

Election is the implementation of the Civil Proceedings 

and Family Fees (Amendment) Order 2015. 

This Order brought into force significant increases in 

court fees and with it potentially another barrier to 

access to justice for individuals and small and medium 

size businesses. The Order came into force on 9th 

March 2015 and, in some cases, will increase fees by 

over 600%. For claims with a value between £10,000 

and £200,000, including interest, the court fee will be 

5%, with a maximum fee of £10,000 for claims with 

a value greater than £200,000. These are significant 

increases compared with the fees that applied prior to 

9th March 2015, but what will their effect be? 

The Government has said that the principal reason for 

the increase is to ensure that the courts are properly 

funded given the crucial function that the courts play 

in our society. The irony is that the fee increases will 

have the very opposite effect to the stated underlying 

purposes. Fewer cases mean fewer fees and higher fees 

mean higher barriers to access to the justice system. 

Small and medium sized businesses and individuals 

are likely to be deterred from going to court even 

when they have genuine claims because of the 

upfront costs in doing so, in some cases £10,000. The 

larger companies which they may be pursuing for 

the purposes of enforcing contractual rights, such as 

unpaid invoices or late delivery of goods, will be even 

more inclined to deny liability in the knowledge that 

the small business may not be in a position to fund 

expensive court fees. In some cases it could even lead to 

small business insolvency, as unpaid invoices inevitably 

lead to cash flow problems and stretched overdraft 

facilities. The unscrupulous debtor is even less likely 

to pay up if they suspect their creditor cannot afford 

the court fees. 

We are all too familiar with the mantra of the need 

for “efficiency savings”, but should the axe fall on 

the justice system? It remains to be seen whether the 

increase will result in a more effective and efficient 

court system, but it seems likely that small businesses 

and individuals will be disproportionately affected by 

the changes. In the meantime, the Law Society has 

sent a letter before claim to the Ministry of Justice for 

judicial review to challenge the increase in court fees. 


For more information or advice in relation to a dispute 

that you may have, please contact Ben Fox, a Solicitor in the 

Greene & Greene Dispute Resolution Team on 01284 717 442 

or benjaminfox@greene-greene.com. For more information 

on Greene & Greene go to www.greene-greene.com and 

follow on Twitter @greenegreenelaw. 


IQ human resources 

CONFLICT AT WORK 

Jacqui Kemp, from Namasté, explores the impact of conflict at work and offers 

advice on how to manage it 

A recently published report from 

the CIPD, the professional body for 

HR, found that one in three UK 

employees have experienced some 

sort of workplace conflict during the 

previous year. 

The report ‘Getting Under the Skin 

of Workplace Conflict’ found the cost 

of ignoring conflict at work includes: 

• Reduced productivity 

• Increased sickness 

• Higher employee turnover 

36% identified that conflict existed 

between individuals and their 

superiors, as against 10% in conflict 

with colleagues. 

Common causes of conflict at work 

include: 

• Personality clashes 

• Differences in working style 

• Target setting 

How does it go so wrong? While the report does not specifically look at this aspect, my experience of working with employee 

wellbeing and management development is that managers are often inadequately trained to manage people. This role is 

seen as an ‘add-on’ to their work by some, and as such, people issues become relegated during the busy working day. 

Management development helps managers recognise that looking after their people is looking after their team, their 

business and the success of the organisation. Managers need training on how to recognise and deal with conflict between 

team members too. 

Here are some steps they can take: 

• Recognise there is a problem. Being visible and 

available to your people means that you can identify when a 

conflict arises, or when it could arise. 

• Ask questions. When you spot a problem ask 

people to tell you what is going on. Listen for what the 

real issue is; is someone being bullied, overlooked or ignored? 

Or is it really that they want recognition, opportunities for 

promotion, fair treatment, or any number of other things. 

• Ask for ideas. Ask those involved in the conflict for three 

possible solutions, before you meet them together. 

• Acknowledge different perspectives. Get them 

together and help each to understand the other’s perspective. 

• Continually check your understanding. Summarise 

what is being said. 

• Keep control. Talk about the issues, not the personalities. 

Look to find common ground. Maybe those involved have 

identified a similar solution, or together they can work to 

find one. 

• Summarise the discussion. Ensure everyone agrees 

on the way ahead, especially if actions are assigned to an 

individual and a review point. If no resolution is reached, 

you may need to meet again, or bring in conciliation. 

• Plan monitoring procedures. Agree how and when 

you will check progress. Let everyone know you are 

interested in a permanent solution to stop things slipping. 


Jacqui Kemp is a trainer and therapist at Namasté, working with organisations to improve wellbeing. 

For more information call 01954 267640 or email jacqui@namasteculture.co.uk 


IQ apprenticeships 

When Apprenticeships 

are the Answer 

Emily Dawson, of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, highlights the importance 

of communication between companies and local apprenticeship education providers 

Businesses are increasingly identifying 

shortfalls in the education system 

and the skills young people are 

equipped with as they seek to 

enter the world of work. For some, 

traditional qualifications and training 

programmes simply aren’t providing 

the skills needed to drive companies 

forward. 

Increasingly the answer is to 

‘grow your own’, working with 

apprenticeship training providers 

and employing apprentices who 

receive training tailored to the needs 

of the business. Companies work 

with organisations like Cambridge 

Regional College to provide 

apprentices with a suitable study 

programme that complements onthe-job 

training. Crucially, businesses 

are increasingly encouraged to shape 

the apprenticeship programme 

to ensure that the course content 

truly reflects the changing needs of 

their business, allowing employers 

to identify and address future skills 

shortages before they begin to prohibit 

growth plans. 

The varied apprenticeship programme 

encompasses traditional vocational 

courses, including plumbing and 

hairdressing, through to less obvious 

subjects including supply chain 

management, science technician 

and digital marketing. The growing 

programme means that businesses 

from all sectors can get involved and 

the benefits are extensive. 

It’s not the only way that businesses 

are becoming empowered to take 

the lead in identifying changing 

skills requirements and ensuring that 

learning environments increasingly 

fit the needs of business. West Anglia 

Training Association has recently 

taken an innovative step towards 

tackling the construction industry’s 

skills crisis by securing funding to 

create a 100m replica of the A14 on 

its Huntingdon campus. Highways 

apprentices will end up spending 18 

weeks there during their two year 

course, experiencing the construction 

process from end-to-end, and it’s 

a project that major highways 

contractors are eager to engage with, 

so that they can shape the programme. 

It’s a powerful example of learning 

environments diversifying to meet the 

needs of large businesses shaping the 

educational programme. 

Even those who have been delivering 

apprenticeships for many years 

are still captivated by the benefits 

they deliver to both individuals and 

employers, as senior managers from 

the College of West Anglia discovered 

when they joined apprentices for a day 

on the shop floor as part of National 

Apprenticeship Week 2015. 

However involved businesses choose 

to be as we move towards a more 

relevant educational framework, 

it is clear that continuing dialogue 

between companies and local 

education providers is the most crucial 

component, and requirements and 

issues continue to evolve. 


To find out more about the apprenticeships that are out there and the 

help and financial support that is available to your business, visit 

www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/employer 

www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk 


IQ health & safety 

HEALTH 

CHECK UP AT THE HQ 

Article by Gemma Treby 

MVC pays a visit to Cubiqdesign to assess its Health and Safety needs 

Health and Safety, what springs to mind? As far as I’m 

concerned, it’s something that you have to comply with, 

notably the Health and Safety Act 1974. However, a visit 

from Miles Vartan of MVC Consultancy changed all that. 

In his capacity as a Health and Safety specialist, Miles 

visited our company to carry out a risk assessment. As 

we are a marketing agency, things tend to be pretty calm; 

there are no fork lift trucks, and you certainly won’t find a 

graphic designer scaling the scaffolding! However, there 

are still guidelines, and indeed laws, that are in place to 

protect our staff and visitors. Miles explained, “One 

of my biggest challenges is to keep people’s attention 

and encourage them to put into place the suggestions I 

make. The best way of doing this is to make the situation 

emotive, not scaremongering, just real.” 

Miles asked me to imagine calling my colleague’s partner 

to tell them their loved one had hurt themselves. In 10 

years, I have not had to do this, and, in answer to Miles’ 

question, I could not imagine doing so. It became much 

clearer why it is important to see Health and Safety not 

just as a ‘must do or you will get in trouble’, but as an ‘I 

really want to do what I can to ensure that my colleagues/ 

friends are kept out of harm’s way’. 

On the other hand, I do champion the old common sense 

argument. I do think we are adults, and at work we should 

all take responsibility for our own actions and wellbeing. 

Should we really have to remind staff to look right and left 

when crossing the road outside the office? 

“Health and Safety needs to be proportionate and 

understood in the context of your business. That’s why 

there is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” explained Miles, 

putting at bay my suspicions that I would have a long list 

of seemingly unnecessary to-dos. 

The majority of the meeting took place at my desk. 

However, Miles did ask for a tour and was able to point 

out a few areas for improvement, such as a First Aid Box 

stock take, and a No Smoking sign. After the meeting, 

which lasted for just under two hours, I felt confident 

that our Health and Safety compliance was in capable 

hands. The following day, the risk assessment arrived, 

with my action points and welcome recommendations for 

trusted suppliers. The process has really opened my eyes 

and highlighted the potential problems that can happen 

in a seemingly safe office environment. There is a great 

You Tube clip which I would encourage you all to have 

a look at as it highlights the dangers that can occur in a 

seemingly safe environment! 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5qHLPbvI5I 

“Health and Safety needs to be proportionate and understood in the context of 

your business. That’s why there is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” explained 

Miles, putting at bay my suspicions that I would have a long list of seemingly 

unnecessary ‘to-dos’. 

For more information 

For more information on MVC visit www.milesvartan.co.uk 


IQ people 

A Great Place to Work 

We ask Sam Sales, of Cambridge Interim HR, what 

it takes to make a business an outstanding place to work 

Can you honestly say you have 100% satisfied employees? This is not easy to 

achieve, but some companies, small or large, are making good strides to achieve it. 


IQ people 

What difference do satisfied employees make? Firstly, we 

know it has an impact on productivity... in fact 8% more. 

They also generate greater profit margin, 16% more. Add 

to this an increase in customer advocacy... 12% more. That 

is without considering that 87% of employees are less likely 

to leave if they are feeling satisfied in their work! 

So, what do great places to work have in common? 

Great Leadership 

This is key to setting the standard of how you want others 

to behave. Effective leaders are able to create productive 

teams, encouraging employees to pool their talents and 

come up with creative solutions. 

Develop Employees 

Your people give a lot to your organisation, so help them 

be successful. Great places to work develop employees by 

providing training and opportunities to work in different 

areas of the organisation. This does not mean you have 

to spend lots of money, but it does mean giving people 

opportunities. 

Demonstrate Fairness 

People must be treated fairly, and this includes paying 

people appropriately. This does not mean you have to pay 

top-level salaries, but it does mean ensuring that people 

understand their pay and reward in relation to your 

organisation’s current situation. 

Show Trust 

You have recruited talented people to your 

organisation, so trust them to get on and do 

the job you employed them for. Treat people 

like adults. Share information about the 

purpose and direction of the organisation. 

Be active in seeking out and acting on their 

ideas, to drive continued success. Ensure 

everyone knows what their role is and 

how they contribute to the success of the 

organisation. 

Show Flexibility 

The way we live our lives means that having 

a home-work divide is often a nonsense 

theory! There are times when our home lives 

will interrupt the attention that can be given 

to work. It is important to understand this, 

and respect the situations that your people 

may be dealing with at home; it is about give 

and take. Failure to do so will only mean 

losing good people and spending more time 

and money on recruitment. 

In summary, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution when 

working towards making your organisation a great place to 

work. However, if you are in touch with how your employees 

are feeling and talk to them about what improvements can 

be made, you will be demonstrating the right attitude and 

your journey has already started. 


www.cambridgeinterimhr.com 


IQ PR 

Creating a Personal Brand 

for the Digital Age 

Cubiqdesign discusses what it takes to create an identity that will stand the test of time 

Branding evolves. How we define ourselves will 

continue to evolve, as long as consumer behaviour 

and technology moves forward. As far-reaching as 

that may sound, it is possible to create an identity that 

people can connect with, in spite of constant market 

changes and requirements. 

As technology advances and our busy pace of life 

shows no signs of slowing, we are seeing a growth 

in demand for a ‘personal experience’. As more and 

more transactions take place independent of human 

interaction, it seems we haven’t lost our appreciation 

for ‘the personal touch’. 

Being human...it’s the new black 

We’re hard-wired to respond to human traits, which is 

why it should come as no surprise that leading brands 

from all sectors incorporate this into their marketing. 

It would be hard to imagine the Virgin brand without 

its CEO, Sir Richard Branson, as one has grown from 

the other. 

“To me, business isn’t about wearing 

suits or pleasing stockholders. It’s about 

being true to yourself and your ideas.” 

Sir Richard Branson, CEO Virgin. 

This approach is successful, not because Virgin has 

loads of money, but because they know who they are, 

and how to talk about it. 

Know yourself 

Successful brands with personality have identified 

what they stand for and built their identity around 

what makes them special. It’s not enough to have 

staff photos of the managing director on the 

website, a personal brand goes further. 

Defining who you are can be complicated and 

time-consuming, but it’s what’s going to enable 

you to be more than a logo and a name on a 

business card. 

How to get started 

• Have a group workshop about who your 

customers are and what matters to them 

• Jot down what makes your brand special, what 

your mission is and how you want people to feel 

about you 

• Involve your customers and learn what really 

matters to them 

Bring all of this together and you’ll have an 

overarching mission for the business that defines 

who you are and what you want to do. 

Spreading the word 

Once you’ve defined the personality of your 

business, it’s time to get the message out there 

in the right way. It’s not enough to talk the talk, 

you have to walk it too. By that, we mean your 

personal brand should extend to every corner of 

your business. 


IQ PR 

Your brand includes everything from your tone of 

voice on your website, to the way your staff answer 

the phone. Customers will find it hard to buy into 

your personal brand if it’s not communicated evenly 

throughout the business. It’s important to practice 

what you preach because people will know if you’re 

just pretending. 

Getting the word out 

• Make sure everyone in your organisation is aware 

of your brand attributes 

• Create a consistent look and feel for your marketing 

collateral, including everything from icons on social 

media to your personal email signature 

• Establish some do’s and don’ts for the ongoing 

application of your branding to keep everyone 

pulling together. 

Seeing the difference 

Personal brands are generally considered to be more 

agile than faceless organisations. They’re often more 

entrepreneurial in spirit and can adapt more quickly 

to market changes. 

We have found that brands that have taken the 

personal approach have far better retention statistics 

when it comes to keeping customers engaged, and 

are also considered more trustworthy than the more 

corporate competitors. 

Local case study: Indy the Expert 

Dr Indy Singh took a bold approach when it came 

to marketing Cathedral Dental, his practice in Bury 

St Edmunds. He wanted a complete move away 

from the traditional ‘dentistry style’, to humanise 

his branding in a way that would emphasise his 

expertise, the expert team, and the ‘off the wall’ 

personality of the brand as a whole. 

With a personalised microsite and a campaign 

depicting these everyday dentists as superheroes, 

Cathedral Dental’s marketing has been a hit with 

new and existing patients alike. As a result, the brand 

stands head and shoulders above the competition, 

and the practice has never been so busy. 


To learn more about branding, visit www.iqmag.co.uk for regular, exclusive articles to help you and your business. 


IQ marketing 

Event Marketing 

Ben Cole, of live communications agency Inspired, 

gives advice on marketing your event via social media 

Although events are often seen as one of the best 

ways to engage people with your brand, it can be 

difficult to attract the right audience. In recent years, 

social media has provided an alternative way of 

identifying and reaching out to prospects, via the 

adage that “content is king”. 

Whilst that’s certainly true, many event organisers 

and meeting planners still don’t exploit the power 

of social media to its fullest potential. To successfully 

engage and build an audience who will not only 

want to attend, but who will derive real value from 

doing so, social media needs to be seen as central to 

the event’s marketing activity – not just as an addon 

tool. 

Part of the problem comes from not addressing 

social media early on in the planning process – at 

the point when the key messages and objectives 

of the event are being defined. If you’re planning 

a conference for customers around a hot industry 

topic, why not canvas opinion and ask for input from 

potential invitees? Not only will this help shape your 

agenda into something interesting which addresses 

the needs of your audience, it will also build levels 

of engagement with a potentially fresh community 

of individuals, who will be open to hearing (and 

sharing) more. 

When your programme is starting to take shape, 

try to begin sharing headline information whenever 

possible. For a conference, this might be by asking 

guest speakers to share a 140 character “elevator” 

pitch about their presentation. For a launch, sharing 

teaser imagery or short videos about the benefits 

of the product or service can create intrigue and 

improve reach through sharing. 

At the event itself, beyond the natural benefits of 

bringing an audience together for face-to-face 

engagement, the main aim is to ensure that the 

messages delivered through the experience reach a 

wider community – be they people who were not 

able to attend, or those who can identify with the 

brand, idea or product being promoted. Whilst many 

attendees will relay comments and quotes from the 

event itself, a curated content feed has the potential 

for a much bigger reach. By pulling together unique 

insights, observations and key trends from across the 

experience, and tailoring content around a number 

of sub-themes or interests, the curated feed can 

serve to amplify your brand messages even after the 

event itself has finished. 

Having a clear event content strategy, that includes 

effective use of social media at its core, will 

help you attract, engage and maintain a wider 

audience, creating a great platform for all future 

communications activity. 


Cubiqdesign www.inspiredlive.co.uk 


IQ communication 

The Forgotten Audience? 

Sarah Brereton, of Limewash, discusses the benefits of an internal 

communications strategy 

Under starters orders... 

In the race to communicate your products and services to the 

outside world of prospects and customers, many companies overlook 

or completely disregard the importance an effective internal 

communication strategy. It ensures those internal to your organisation 

– ie your employees and stakeholders – understand, connect with and 

are able to effectively outwardly communicate your latest offerings in 

their day to day interactions. 

Successfully dovetailing your external and internal communications 

results in a smooth, logical and hopefully engaging end to end 

experience for your customers and prospects. Failing to do this 

can leave that same customer or prospect wondering whether the 

piece of external communication they have responded to, and the 

interaction they’ve just experienced with one of your employees, 

actually came from the same source. At best, this is rather irritating 

and, at worst, leaves a feeling that sticks with them for the longer 

term, turning them off to the idea of engaging with you again 

anytime soon. 

Power of the people... 

Every individual within your organisation is a 

reflection of your brand - what you do, how 

you do it and how well you do it. It is therefore 

imperative to provide them with the knowledge 

and means to accurately play their part in 

communicating your brand values, products and 

services to the various external audiences they 

will come into contact with. The way in which 

they engage with your customers and prospects 

will go a long way to defining the relationship 

and will influence whether you become a trusted 

partner or just some company they used once or 

possibly twice but didn’t quite gel with over the 

longer term. 

Leaving your internal teams out of the loop is a 

risky strategy when trying to build a trusted and 

respected brand. 


IQ communication 

How to do it... 

Consider the following key points to ensure your internal communications do what you need them to do: 

Understand your audience 

Your employees are as important 

an audience as your prospects and 

customers. Understanding their 

aims, objectives and considerations 

will help you develop an internal 

communications strategy that is 

pertinent to their requirements which 

ultimately allows them to become 

confident brand ambassadors for your 

organisation. 

Confident, happy staff will engender 

trust and engagement from your 

prospects and customers. A Gallup 

employee engagement Poll endorses 

this view: 70% of engaged employees 

said they have a good understanding 

of how to meet customers’ needs, 

whereas only 17% of disengaged 

employees would say the same; 

78% of engaged employees would 

recommend their company’s products 

and services, whereas only 13% of 

disengaged employees would agree. 

Develop compelling internal 

communications, appropriate 

to your audience 

Whilst your external prospects 

and customers may respond well 

to intelligently placed advertising 

and a direct mail campaign, 

your internal audience will 

likely need a different approach. 

Consider the possibility that you 

may need to create an entirely 

new and unique campaign just 

for them to engage, educate 

and inspire them. For example, 

video testimonials from happy 

customers to showcase the 

effectiveness of your product or 

service can be a very engaging 

way to show your internal teams 

the difference your organisation 

makes to the day to day lives 

of its customers, rather than 

presenting them with a leaflet 

highlighting the ‘benefits’ of the 

product or service. 

Empower team leaders 

and managers to 

effectively deliver 

internal communications 

Equipping your team 

leaders or brand advocates 

with the appropriate skills 

and tools with which to 

deliver effective internal 

campaigns is key to 

success. Brand advocacy 

is built from within 

and it is important that 

everyone throughout your 

organisation buys into your 

ethos and understands 

their part in delivering 

against it. Supportive, 

well-informed team 

leaders, who are available 

not only to launch, but 

also onwardly support 

your internal messaging, 

will be a key component to 

sustained engagement. 

Crossing the f inish line... 

At the end of the day, your people ARE your brand. Treat them with respect, keep them 

informed and give them the tools with which to present your organisation, its products and 

services in the way you want, and they will reward you for it. Leave them out in the cold and 

your business will feel it. 


To explore this further, contact Limewash on 01223 813557. www.limewashmedia.com 


IQ technology 

Google’s latest algorithm update rolled out on 21st April. Designed to give more prominence to 

mobile-friendly pages in mobile search results, it is a significant change for website owners. 

First announced in December last year, Google has 

launched its algorithm, and, while it won’t be the same for 

everyone, we expect a huge number of companies in our 

region to be impacted by this update. Search marketers 

have coined it as ‘mobilegeddon’ and, as with any Google 

update, it is causing quite a stir. 

Those without a mobile-friendly website will find that 

they may lose out on search traffic from mobile devices, 

as mobile-friendly pages will be returned ahead of nonfriendly 

ones in search results on smartphones. 

Although significant, this page-by-page update may not 

be the ‘end of the world’ for websites that aren’t mobilefriendly. 

There are a few things to keep in mind when 

considering your next move following this update. 

• Websites will only be demoted for non-branded search 

queries (searches that don’t include the name of your 

organisation). If someone searches for you using your 

company name, you should still appear near the top, even 

if you’re not mobile-friendly. 

• ‘Mobile-friendliness’ is a signal Google uses to judge 

the quality of the user’s experience on your website. It is 

relevant to where your website will rank in search engine 

results, but it is one signal among many (the quality of your 

content is another). You should be driven by your users’ 

needs first and foremost, and make your website a place 

where they will find helpful and relevant information. 

• This update is on a page-by-page basis, so if you can’t 

afford, or are not ready to make your whole site responsive, 

any page you do adapt will benefit. 

• It’s a real-time update, so you should see fairly speedy 

responses to any positive changes you make, so all is not 

lost. 

You can’t be partially mobile-friendly 

to Google though, so it’s important to 

find out where you stand before moving 

forward. Visit www.google.com/ 

webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly and 

enter your web page URL to see how 

it’s classified. 

If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, we recommend 

you start thinking about how to improve the way mobile 

marketing comes into your wider strategy, as it is really 

important now, and this won’t change. Even if you’re 

a small B2B or professional services firm, you should be 

thinking about improving your user experience, and 

making your website mobile-friendly will help you do this. 


Contact cubiqdesign www.cubiqdesign.co.uk 


IQ gadget update 

Gadget Update 

David Donnan, of Igentics, road tests the latest gadgets 

The Lazy Arm 

£8.95 from Genie Gadgets 

I mean, seriously, I get some 

rubbish to review but this 

thing is just pointless. I’ve had 

it for over a month and the only 

actual use I found for it was to 

hold a microphone in front of a 

speaker. It was really good at that; 

much better than the device I 

bought to do it. 

This is probably not a fair 

reflection of the actual Lazy 

Arm. It does what it was designed to do very 

well. If you need to hold a phone in a certain 

position and have something you can clamp 

it onto, then it does the job perfectly. Which 

is all great, but I just cannot for the life of 

me see why anyone would actually need one. 

According to the box it is ‘Perfect for 

streaming videos & music’. I think they mean 

that it is perfect for holding a device that is 

streaming videos and music. I tried watching 

‘Jaws’ using it to hold my phone and found 

a flaw. The jaws of the lazy arm clamped 

the volume of my phone meaning the classic 

Jaws music and Captain Quint’s gruff voice 

either came out as a whisper or boomed 

across the office, causing bemused looks from 

the rest of the team. 

All in all, a solution for a problem that does 

not exist, unless of course you are in a band 

and want to mic up your speakers. 

Panoramic Pod 

£15.99 from IWoot 

Smartphones are great and they have turned us all into 

completely brilliant photographers. One of the things 

that brilliant photographers do, after they become 

bored with Selfies, is to try the ‘Panorama’ option. 

In the olden days, creating a Panorama was a bit of 

a faff. You actually had to take several pictures 

and then knit them together using something like 

Photoshop. Modern smartphones (and some 

cameras) have a ‘Sweep Panorama’ facility 

whereby the user presses a button and then 

moves the phone in a sweeping motion across 

the subject. The phone does the processing and 

the panorama is created. 

It generally works really well. The issues are, however, that people 

tend to hold their arms out when they do it, so the geometry of the 

final picture is usually a little wrong and also they wobble a bit. 

This is where the ‘Panoramic Pod’ comes in. A brilliantly 

simple device, it clamps the smartphone onto a rotating clockwork 

platform. The user then turns it anticlockwise to start, presses 

the button on the camera and, a bit of whirring later, you have a 

lovely panorama. 

There are a few issues. The device is not very sturdy, so the phone 

moves about a little as the clockwork mechanism unwinds. This does 

not seem to impact the final image. The supplied mini tripod is, 

frankly, rubbish and lacks a simple spirit level which would actually 

make it have some value. The whole thing feels a little fragile. 

One thing to note, during my extensive testing I tried to take a 

panorama of my chickens. I set the Panorama pod up and sprinkled 

some corn in front of it. As soon as the clockwork motor started 

whirring the chickens went mad and attacked it. This is not a chicken 

friendly device. 

For more information 

Contact Igentics - www.igentics.com 


IQ business profile 

The Rupert Brooke 

How to market a business 

WHEN THE ROAD SIGN SAYS “CLOSED”! 

Article by Philip Turner from The Chestnut Group 


The Rupert Brooke, 2 Broadway, 

Grantchester, Cambridge, CB3 9NQ. 

Tel: 01223 841875. 

www.therupertbrooke.com 

The Packhorse Inn, Bridge Street, 

Moulton, Newmarket, CB8 8SP. 

Tel: 01638 751818. 

www.thepackhorseinn.com 

I would like to share a recent experience; a challenge which as a businessman I had 

not anticipated, but one which has actually taught me some valuable lessons. This 

case highlights the importance of signage in all its forms, as well as the recognition 

that your competition does not have to be your enemy, it can be your ally. 

To give you some context, I established Chestnut with a strategy to identify hospitality 

freehold sites in the region which were not delivering their full potential. The first, 

The Packhorse Inn near Newmarket, opened in October 2013. The second, The 

Rupert Brooke in Grantchester, was ready for business by October 2014. 

The timing of The Rupert Brooke launch in the beautiful village of Grantchester 

seemed perfect; ITV very kindly launched a TV series both filmed in and named after 

the village, which coincided with the start of the new business. All seemed well with 

our projected plans to be ready to make the most of the peaks of the summer trade 

and the influx of visitors with the sun. 

As a rural business without the footfall of an urban location, we worked pretty hard, 



within a modest budget, to make 

sure that we signposted customers 

via the website, social media, 

traditional print advertising and 

press. However, we had not counted 

on these efforts being compromised 

by a simple road sign. 

In February, the Brasely Bridge, 

probably the main artery connecting 

the village to the wider Cambridge 

community, was closed for necessary 

repairs. Quite reasonably, roads 

approaching Grantchester had the 

necessary diversion signs, so that 

drivers were rerouted to the Coton 

Road access. However, on arriving at 

this one remaining point of access, 

they were greeted with the stark 

message of “Road Closed”. 

Grantchester residents, knowing 

that the village was actually totally 

accessible as far as the bridge, 

perhaps smiled. Who could blame 

them? They could expect a more 

peaceful summer. But the village’s 

four businesses - three pubs and 

a tea room - watched their visitor 

numbers decline and stoically 

scaled back on staffing and 

financial projections. 

Perhaps it was because I was the 

new boy on the block, but I couldn’t 

accept that this was it. It was time 

to forget that we were competitors 

and remember instead that we were 

businesses with much in common. 

With the true spirit of collaboration, 

all the businesses got together, along 

with the Parish Council, to put 

forward a “class action” style proposal 

to the Council, which they could 

not ignore. 

By April our proposed new road 

signs, making it quite clear that 

Grantchester’s businesses were indeed 

still open for business, were in place. 

A welcome helping hand came from 

the local landowner, Trumpington 

Estates, allowing the four of us to 

advertise on a roadside hoarding. 

In a business where “location, 

location, location” is the mantra, 

I can’t say that the road closure is 

having no impact. However, I have 

come to appreciate the importance 

of a community, especially one of 

small businesses, pulling together in 

times of adversity. Grantchester is 

undoubtedly a better food destination 

because there are four of us, all with 

very different strengths and offerings. 

By collaborating together we have 

established the important premise 

that we have more in common than 

not, and have earned a degree of 

respect in that we didn’t let the need 

to be different divide us. I even 

believe that Grantchester residents 

might be a little impressed that 

their village is not likely to lose 

the community hubs of its pubs 

without a fight! 


Chestnut Inns

IQ topical 

Where does the tourism 

competition lie - locally, 

regionally or nationally? 

article by Rachel Cracknell , PR and Marketing Executive at Cubiqdesign 


Go Behind the Scenes 

Have a 

Bespoke Tour 

or join our 

Public Tours 

Prices from 

£11 per person 

Discover Newmarket offers 

a unique opportunity to 

go behind the scenes at 

racing’s headquarters to 

learn about the fascinating 

history, heritage and 

culture of the town. 

Exclusive tours 

for groups and 

individuals 

visit www.discovernewmarket.co.uk call 0844 748 9200 

email admin@discovernewmarket.co.uk t@DiscoverNkt

IQ topical 

Only a short journey north of the capital, 

East Anglia, a region of bustling market 

towns, chocolate-box cottages, rolling 

countryside and impressive coastlines, is 

growing as a top destination hotspot. 

According to a recent study by Larking Gowen, 55% 

of tourism-related businesses have seen an increase in 

their profits in 2014, compared with 48% in the previous 

year. Other research suggests that, in Cambridge alone, 

tourism generates over £351 million to the local 

economy. Similarly, in Suffolk, the value of tourism now 

tops £1.8 billion, only £2 billion behind the nation’s 

creative corner, Cornwall. So what can this mean for 

your business? How can tourism businesses continue to 

increase their profits? Are there any challenges in the 

tourism industry and can we overcome them? 

It goes without saying that the tourism industry in East 

Anglia is growing, but this could all change. Of the 

European Union’s 28 member states, 25 have reduced 

the rate of VAT for tourism businesses, while those in 

Britain have to apply the full rate of 20%. This means 

that many businesses in our region are unable to 

compete against cheap European holidays. If VAT for 

this sector was to reduce in the UK, tourism businesses 

would generate an extra £4 billion a year for the UK 

economy, resulting in a £335 million boost for the East’s 

economy. The tourism industry is fighting back with the 

‘Cut Tourism VAT’ campaign, but unfortunately, only a 

handful of MPs across our region support it. With the 

Government’s decision to end Air Passenger Duty for 

children travelling abroad from May, and the increasing 

weakness of the Euro against the Pound, a cut in tourism 

VAT is crucial for the industry’s growth. 

In addition to the high VAT rates, despite its close 

proximity to the capital, the accessibility of our region 

needs to improve. Before holidaymakers even reach a 

destination, the journey time and pressure of travelling 

can affect their perception of their chosen getaway. 

With regular engineering works and cancellations along 

the 90-minute Greater Anglia rail journey between 

London and Norwich, and continued delays along the 

A14, coupled with the need to improve the major links 

between the A11 and the A14, those who visit the region 

are exposed to constant alterations in transport times. 

In the run-up to the General Election, business leaders 

in our region have developed a campaign to improve 

these issues, but more commitment is needed by Central 

Government to improve the accessibility of our region. 

Despite these challenges, our tourism sector has 

seen economic growth. Destination Management 

Organisations such as Visit Suffolk and Visit East 

Anglia are working hard to improve the awareness of 

our region, and to attract visitors to it all year round. 

However, more of these organisations are needed to 

continue growth locally and to further development. 

OurBuryStEdmunds, which delivers the Business 

Improvement District (BID) for Bury St Edmunds, is 

investing in a Destination Management Plan with St 

Edmundsbury Borough Council, which will discover 

how to deliver tourism growth in the town. This is the 

type of investment which is needed in order to compete 

with other areas in the UK. 

It is essential that all tourism businesses, sectors 

and organisations continue to work together. The 

competition for East Anglia lies with UK and European 

holiday destinations, and not with other businesses. 

Tourism is a vital economic contributor to East Anglia, 

and it is important that businesses do all they can, 

not only to promote what we already have, but also to 

enhance the offer of our region even further. 


IQ local 

Best of Old and New 

As we welcome in a new Conservative government, we’re all looking to the 

future and hoping for growth and prosperity. Nowhere is this feeling more 

salient than in the market town of Newmarket in Suffolk. 

Within the town’s boundaries, there exists a delicate 

balancing act between old traditions and new 

money. This relationship will soon be tested to the 

limit as an upcoming decision on the 400-strong 

housing development at Hatchfield Farm could 

re-shape the very core identity of the town. 

Conflicting pressures of preservation and growth 

aren’t uncommon in our area, with more and 

more small towns and villages taking the strain. 

We look at the landscape in Newmarket and how 

it can move forward without biting the hand 

that feeds. 



A Historic Centre For Business 

Newmarket & District Chamber of Commerce 

represents over 100 local businesses. It’s often 

cited as a major local business cluster, with annual 

investments rivalling its neighbouring Cambridge 

Science Park. The town has the largest economy 

in the south of the Forest Heath District and serves 

several of the surrounding Cambridgeshire villages. 

According to the Enquiry By Design Workshop 

Report by The Prince’s Foundation, Newmarket’s 

combination of attractive rents, rates, land prices 

and its strategic position on the A14 corridor, makes 

it a competitive offering for companies looking to 

move into the area. 

As a result, a number of hi-tech industries have 

avoided the expense of Cambridge and sited 

themselves alongside the town’s service industry 

cluster. With support, this little pocket of modest 

activity could continue to grow into a significant 

sector of business. 

The vacancy rate of the town’s High Street has 

consistently been lower than the national average, 

with retailers facing the same problems that afflict 

many market towns. Competing with online 

retailers, charity shops, chain stores and a nighttime 

economy aren’t issues that are especially unique 

to Newmarket, which is interesting as it’s often 

described as a town with a unique proposition. It’s 

important to remember that sometimes, this historic 

town has more in common with its neighbours than 

one might think. 

Despite the importance of horse racing in 

Newmarket, there is an argument for balancing 

the needs of this industry with the demand for a 

more diverse and sustainable local economy. 

Many skilled workers outside the racing industry 

are known to commute to Cambridge or further 

afield for more specialised and higher paid jobs. If 

this continues, the future development of the town 

will be stifled as people, and eventually, businesses, 

will go elsewhere. 

Hatchfield Farm 

Development targets from government and a 

growing demand for new, affordable housing 

are symptoms of this imbalance, with groups 

championing the need to diversify the town. 

The Hatchfield Farm development proposal 

has been approved by Forest Heath District 

Council and includes the building of 400 

homes. Accommodations have been made 

within the proposal for affordable housing, 

improvements to road infrastructure, a new 

school, open spaces and financial contributions 

to improve the overall social and physical 

infrastructure of Newmarket. Despite efforts 

to integrate it into the existing fibre of the town, 

the development has met with fierce opposition. 

Newmarket Horsemen’s Group (NHG) and 

Mayor Rachel Hood opposed the plans “out 

of genuine concern for the good health of a 

nationally important industry.” Landowner 

Lord Derby has tried to placate protestors 

by assuring that this is “unarguably the most 

sustainable settlement for additional housing 

growth” in the area. 

Opponents believe that the development has the 

potential to cause permanent harm to the racing 

industry, with many high profile racing names 

threatening that they may leave the town should 

the plans be approved. Those in the ‘no’ camp 

also believe that Newmarket would become a 

hollow, dormitory town for Cambridge, which 

would be a huge loss to the region on many levels. 

A planning inspector has been appointed to 

assess the impact of the development in terms of 

economic growth and meeting housing needs. A 

three-week enquiry into the development closed 

on Friday 1st May, but it may be months before a 

final decision is published. 



The Numbers 

It would be foolish to try to deny the 

importance of horse racing to Newmarket as 

a town, or the area as a whole. A report in 

January 2014, which focused on the impact of 

horse racing concluded, “it is quite definite that 

the horse racing industry makes a very major 

contribution to the economy of Newmarket 

and the surrounding area.” 

The sum is believed to be around the 

£200million mark, with over 30% of 

the area’s workforce being employed in a 

racing-related profession. Investors in the 

area building up stud farms are accredited 

with the industry’s growth, as well as attracting 

other businesses. 

A supporting industry around horse racing has 

emerged in the town, ranging from specialist 

veterinary practices to manufacturers of 

equestrian clothing and horse wear products. 

The resilience and growing vibrancy of 

the racing industry in Newmarket has also 

attracted significant support from overseas 

investors. The promising feeling of future 

growth is strengthened by the ongoing financial 

injections from Dubai, Qatar, Saudi Arabia 

and Hong Kong. 

The Economic Impact of British Racing 2013 

report by Deloitte is a stark reminder of the 

jaw-dropping sums of money that flow through 

this town. 

Moving Forward 

Gemma Treby, director of local marketing and 

design agency Cubiqdesign, said: 

“We are big supporters of the future of racing 

in Newmarket. Although we’re not trainers or a 

bloodstock specialist, our business is closely linked 

to the health and prosperity of the backbone of 

our town. Many of its associated businesses are 

our clients, but so too are the other organisations in 

the area. We work with people from all industries, 

and champion the belief that we will only grow 

our town if we do it together, in a sustainable and 

inclusive way.” 

Nothing can stay the same forever, and nor should it. The people and businesses of 

Newmarket share a belief in the importance of working together for the good of the 

town, whether in the racing industry or not. This open dialogue involves people from 

all backgrounds, who debate, lecture, discuss and listen to each others’ views and seek 

to find ways to move forward, together. 

Article by Emma Ward, PR & Marketing Manager, Cubiqdesign 


Advert

BUSINESS DIARY 

IQ business diary 

BNI 

Welcoming people who are 

serious about building business 

relationships. 

Date: Every Thursday 

Time: 6.45 - 9.00 

Venue: David Lloyd, Ipswich 

Booking Details: 

bnisuffolkandcambridge.co.uk 

The Coffee Morning, 

Newmarket 

At these weekly meetings, with 

a guest speaker, join other 

businesses in Newmarket for a 

coffee and a catch up. 

Dates: Every Thursday 

Time: 10.00 - 11.00 

Venue: The Rutland Arms, High St, 

Newmarket 

Organiser: Newmarket and District 

Chamber of Commerce. 

Booking Details: www. 

newmarketanddistrict.co.uk/events 

CamCreatives, Creative 

Industries Group, 

Cambridgeshire. 

CamCreatives provides creative 

stimulation, new friends, business 

opportunities and skill sharing 

for those working in graphic and 

web design, media, literature 

and publishing, visual arts, 

multimedia and performing arts. 

Date: The last Wednesday of each 

month, 27th May onwards 

Time: 19.30 

Venue: Hot Numbers, Gwydir Street, 

Cambridge 


www.meetup.com/camcreatives/ 

Cambridgeshire Chamber 

of Commerce Informal 

Networking Evenings 

These popular evenings continue 

to attract businesses of all sizes 

from a wide range of industry 

sectors. Ask staff about the 

benefits of membership. 

Huntingdon: 

Dates: 2nd June, 7th July 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: Holiday Inn Huntingdon 

Racecourse, Thrapston Road, 

Brampton, PE28 4NL 

Ely: 

Dates: 8th June, 13th July 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: The Lamb Hotel, Lynn 

Road, Ely, CB7 4EJ 

Cambridge 

Dates: 18th June, 

16th July 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: Holiday Inn Cambridge, 

Lakeview, Bridge Road, Impington, 

Cambridge, CB24 9PH 

St Neots 

Dates: 10th June, 

8th July 

Time: 17.00 – 19.00 

Venue: Waterfront Bar, Wyboston 

Lakes, Great North Road, Wyboston, 

MK44 3AL 

Peterborough 

Dates: 17th June, 15th July 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: Park Inn by 

Radisson,Telephone House, Wentworth 

Street, Peterborough, PE1 1DH 


Call Peter Watts, the Chambers’ 

Membership Development Officer, 

on 07545 697799 or email 

p.watts@cambscci.co.uk 

A Growing Business? Taking 

on Staff? 

This course will cover the 

essentials of employment law, as 

well as recruiting, training and 

managing staff. 

Date: 3rd June 

Time: 09.30 - 12.30 

Venue: 5 Eastern Way, Bury St 

Edmunds, IP32 7AB 

Organiser: Menta, The Suffolk 

Enterprise Agency 


www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/agrowing-business-taking-onstaff-bury-st-edmunds-tickets- 

14754076841?aff=erelexporg 

Fee: £25 

Cambridge Alternative 

Networking 

This group’s sector-exclusive 

meetings connect members with 

its contacts to help find each 

other new business. 

Dates: 4th & 18th June, 2nd, 16th 

& 30th July, 13th & 

27th August 

Time: 06.45 - 8.30 

Venue: Cambridge Quy Mill Hotel 

and Spa, Church Road, Stow-cum- 

Quy, Cambridge, CB2 9AF 

Organiser: email networking@ 

cambscan.co.uk, tel: 07889 364 348 

Fee: £15.95 incl breakfast 



Business over Breakfast 

(BoB Club) Cambridge 

Become a BoB Club member 

and take your business to the next 

level, making it more profitable, 

more effective and more 

successful. 

Dates: 4th & 18th June, 2nd & 

16th July, 16th & 20th August 

Time: 07.00 

Venue: Arundel House Hotel, 

Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 

3AN 

Booking Details: Contact Tony 

Miles on 0779 9623028 or 01487 

800032 

Organiser: Business over Breakfast 

Clubs www.bobclubs.com 

Fee: Members: £11, Visitors: £12 

Bury St Edmunds First 

Friday Club Breakfast 

Guest speaker Warren Smyth 

CEO of Abbeycroft Lesiure. 

Date: 5th June, 3rd July, 

Time: 07.30 - 09.00 

Venue: Best Western Priory Hotel 

Fee: £13.75 (exc. VAT) 

Organiser: Bury St Edmunds 

Chamber of Commerce 

Contact: Clare Harding, 

Membership & Events Coordinator, 

clare@burystedmundschamber.org, Tel: 

01284 700800 

Booking Details: Book on line at 

www.suffolkchamber.co.uk/events/ 

suffolk_chamber_events/bury_st_ 

edmunds_first_friday_club_breakfast_ 

friday_05_june_2015/ 

Fee: £13.75 (exc. VAT) 


A14 Coffee Morning Meet Up 

A relaxed environment where 

business owners and professionals 

can meet and informally network 

over coffee every Friday morning. 

Dates: From 5th June onwards. 

Time: 09.00 

Venue: The Taproom, 23 Bridge St, 

St Ives 

Booking Details: www.meetup. 

com/A14-Coffee-Morning-Weekly- 

Business-Networking-in-St-Ives/ 

events/221833419/ 

Ladies Afternoon Tea 

at Nancy’s with Claire 

Martinsen 

Come along and share a cup of 

tea and slice of cake with Claire 

Martinsen, founder of Breckland 

Orchard. 

Date: 11th June 

Time: 15.30 - 17.30 

Venue: Nancy’s Tea Rooms, 

Newmarket 

Organiser: Newmarket and District 

Chamber of Commerce 


www.suffolkchamber.co.uk/events/ 

suffolk_chamber_events/afternoon_ 

tea_with_ndcc_claire_martinsen_of_ 

breckland_orchard_thursday_11_ 

june_2015/ 

Fee: £16 (members) £20 

(Non members) 

Business over Breakfast 

(BoB Club) Bury St Edmunds 

Become a BoB Club member 

and take your business to the next 

level, making it more profitable, 

more effective and more 

successful. 

Dates: 11th & 25th June, 9th & 

23rd July, 6th & 20th August 

Time: 07.30 

Venue: Bury St Edmunds Golf Club, 

Tut Hill, Fornham All Saints, IP28 

6LG 

Booking Details: Contact David 

Rhodes on 0751 001 3851. 

Fee: Members: £11.00, Visitors: 

£12.00. 

B2B Networking Hub 

An event atking place in a 

purpose built business centre. 

Enjoy a complimentary buffet 

lunch. 


Time: 12.00 - 14.00 

Venue: Basepoint Business Centre, 

The Haven, Ipswich 

Booking Details: Alison Morrissey, 

tel: 01473 722700 

Coffee Means Business 

Relaxed, informal networking 

with local businesses. No 

membership fees. 

Date: 11th June, 9th July, 6th 

August 

Time: 09:30 - 11:30 

Venue: The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 

Suffolk, IP33 3FD 

Organiser: Menta Business Events 


www.menta.org.uk/training/ 

suffolk-business-networking 

Fee: £2.00 




The Bury Breakfast Club 

This independent, self-governed 

networking group enables 

business people to meet, learn 

and exchange business ideas, 

and network business to business 

in a relaxed but structured 

atmosphere. It generates 

significant business for its 

members. 

Dates: 12th & 

26th June, 10th & 24th July, 

14th August 

Time: 06.45 - 08.45 

Venue: The Active Business Centre, 

33 St Andrew’s St South, Bury St 

Edmunds, IP33 3PH 


www.burybreakfastclub.co.uk/index. 

php/join-us-for-breakfast.html 

Making the Most of 

Cambridge Network 

Membership 

An informal seminar and 

networking lunch. Help improve 

the profile of Cambridge as a 

source of high technology ideas. 


Time: 11.00 - 13.00 

Venue: Hauser Forum, 3 Charles 

Babbage Road, Cambridge, CB3 0GT 

Organiser: Cambridge Network 

Contact: Becky Dodds, 

becky.dodds@cambridgenetwork.co.uk, 

01223 341064 

Bury St Edmunds Breakfast 

Business Networking 

This successful business 

networking club, which meets 

fortnightly on a Tuesday, 

concentrates on quality referrals. 

Dates: 23rd June, 7th & 21st July, 

4th & 18th August 

Time: 08.00 - 10.00 

Venue: Bury St Edmunds Golf Club, 

Tut Hill, Fornham All Saints, IP28 

6LG 

Organiser: 4Networking 


www.4networking.biz/Events/ 

Details/56743 

Fee: £12.00 

Marketing Your Business 

on a Small Budget 

This one day workshop will 

give small business owners 

an understanding of simple 

and effective marketing 

techniques which are either 

free or low cost. 

Date: 23rd June 

Time: 09.30 - 16.30 

Fee: £20 

Venue: 5 Eastern Way, Bury 

St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7AB 

Organiser: Menta, The Suffolk 

Enterprise Agency 


www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/marketingyour-business-on-a-small-budget-buryst-edmunds-tickets-14699932895?aff 

=None&aff=erelexporg 

The Cambridge Roar B2B 

Exhibition 

The Cambridge Roar B2B 

Exhibition will encourage 

businesses to make new 

connections and cultivate 

relationships. 


Time: 10.00 - 16.00 

Venue: Cambridge Quy Mill Hotel 

and Spa, Church Road, Stow-cum- 

Quy, Cambridge, CB25 9AF 

Organiser: The Cambridge Roar, a 

non-profit making company set up solely 

to raise funds for Charity 


To exhibit please contact 

sales@thecambridgeroar.co.uk, 

tel: 01223 378112 and ask for Tony 

B2B Stands: £250+VAT; 

Early Bird Offer: £200+VAT 

Purchase tickets at 

thecambridgeroar.co.uk/events-cp/ 

business-to-business-exhibition 




Bury St Edmunds Young 

Professionals 

Launched in April, the purpose 

of this group is to allow likeminded 

people from across town 

to meet regularly in a relaxed 

environment. The following 

events are planned: 

After work drinks 

Date: 28th May 

Venue: Ivory Bar, 2 Abbeygate Street, 

Bury St Edmunds IP33 1UL 

Garden Barbecue 


Time: 18.30 

Venue: Greene and Greene, 80 

Guildhall Street, Bury St Edmunds 

IP33 1QB 

Bowling 

Date: 23rd July 

Venue: TBC 

Organiser: Oliver Squirrell, 

bseyoungprofessionals@yahoo.co.uk 

Visit: bseyoungprofessionals.org 

Cambridgeshire Export Club 

– Cambridge 

An informal networking event for 

exporters or those considering it. 

Dates: 30th June, 28thJuly 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: The Moller Centre, Storey’s 

Way, Cambridge, CB3 0DE 

Organiser: Cambridgeshire 

Chambers of Commerce 


Helen Bosett, Sector Co-ordinator, 

h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk, 

tel: 01733 370809 

Link4Coffee 

These monthly informal drop in 

sessions provide an opportunity 

to connect with others in your 

local community. 

Dates: 30th June, 28th July, 

27th August 

Time: 10.00 - 11.30 

Venue: CB2, 5-7 Norfolk St, 

Cambridge CB1 2LD 

Organiser: Link4Growth, 

Cambridgeshire District 

Visit: link4growth.biz/14g/ 

cambridgeshire/ 

Business Planning and 

Cash Flow Forecasting 

You’ll get expert advice, help and 

encouragement in writing a good 

business plan, sourcing finance, 

managing cashflow, taxation and 

VAT. 

Date: 2nd July 

Time: 09.30 - 15.00 

Venue: 5 Eastern Way, 

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, 

IP32 7AB 

Organiser: Menta, 

The Suffolk Enterprise Agency 


www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ 

business-planning-and-cashflow- 

forecasting-bury-st-edmunds-tickets- 

16575607087?aff=None&aff=er 

elexporg 

Fee: £10.00. 

Human Resource 

Management for 

Beginners 

This one day event, aimed 

at start ups, provides an 

introduction to the essentials 

of HR. Delegates will receive a 

helpful tool kit of sample policies 

and letters for use back in their 

workplace. 

Date: 13th August 

Time: 10:00 - 16:00 

Venue: Acas House, Kempson Way, 

Suffolk Business Park, Bury 

St Edmunds, IP32 7AR 

Booking Details: Call Acas on 

0300 123 1150, email events@acas. 

org.uk or visit www.acas.org.uk 

Fee: £192.00 per person 


IQ showcase 

Article by Georgia Watson 

BOOK REVIEW 

Startupland: How Three Guys Risked 

Everything to Turn an Idea Into a Global 

Business, published by Wiley and available to 

buy on Amazon. www.startupland.com 

Bio 

In Copenhagen in 2007, Svane and two 

friends co-founded Zendesk with the aim 

of creating a simple, yet elegant, customer 

support product for an industry which had 

been neglected for years. 

No stranger to startups, he began his twentyyear 

technology career in the early 90s 

creating and selling 3D image software, 

before founding Caput, a company producing 

software for community building and online 

networking. 

Whilst working for the consulting group, 

Materna, Svane saw a gap in the market to 

invent a new generation of customer service 

software that was easy to use, beautiful, yet 

inexpensive; the idea for Zendesk was born. 

Now a global public trading company with 

customers in 150 countries, Zendesk has 

revolutionised the customer service industry. 

Following the journey of Svane and his 

cofounder from a loft in Copenhagen 

to Boston, and thence to California, the 

book explores the challenges, pitfalls and 

achievements of the author, with advice along 

the way. 

Review 

Startupland, like Svane’s business 

Zendesk, is very much a personal 

journey. For those seeking a step by step 

guide to business success, this is not for 

you; however, this autobiographical 

read is captivating and perfect for those 

planning (or dreaming) of starting their 

own business. 

Telling it like it is, with all the hurdles, 

failures and successes described honestly 

and with heart, you will learn from 

Svane’s mistakes and triumphs as you 

travel with him through his career. 

Adding in sections such as ‘How To 

Work From Home’ and ‘How To Ask 

Your Friends For Money,’ you will 

glean gems of knowledge from his own 

experiences that will stick in your mind 

as you go through yours. 

Rating 

One for those committed to finding 

out everything they can about startups 

before beginning their own venture, 4 

out of 5. 



Adapting 

TO CHANGE 

Article by Georgia Watson 

With the current UK farming climate 

looking unstable, we reveal how one 

family estate has adapted to create a 

successful business venture within the 

events and hospitality industry… 

It is well known that the UK 

farming industry is unstable. 

With a turbulent exchange 

rate, rising input costs and 

unexpected weather conditions 

impacting upon their income, it is 

understandable that 25% of full-time 

farmers in England have diversified. 

This has been the case for one local 

land owner, Guy Taylor, who has 

converted his farm outbuildings to 

become an incredibly successful event 

venue, The Granary Barns. 

Having already opened the 

Dullingham Polo Ground as a location 

for wedding receptions and outdoor 

entertainment, it was his sister’s 

wedding reception in one of the barns 

that sowed the seed for the renovation. 

“Converting our barns into a wedding 

venue had been talked about for years, 

but it wasn’t until my sister’s wedding 

reception that I really appreciated its 

full potential,” explained Guy. “In 

2012 the renovation of the flint barns 

began. With the help of Cubiqdesign, 

we named it The Granary Barns, 

the two venues being known as The 

Granary Estates.” 

Before restoring the barns, Guy had 

been renting it out to other businesses, 

including an equine storage company 

and a second hand car dealer. 

“Today, with the current farming 

climate, farmers have to look 

elsewhere to continue to grow their 

businesses. Diversification is all part of 

modern farming,” said Guy. 

Asked about the advice he would 

give to others in a similar situation, 

he replied, “I would say to conduct 

plenty of market research. Ensure 

that what you’re proposing is unique; 

with The Granary Barns we made 

sure that there was nothing like us in 

the area, and then we planned our 

venture thoroughly.” 

Recently expanding his portfolio to 

include the purchase of The Three 

Blackbirds country pub and restaurant, 

also located in Woodditton, Mr Taylor 

and his dedicated team have restored 

the village pubs character, and has 

already become a popular food 

destination. 

“With the continual success of The 

Granary Barns, and with the new 

kitchen team settled and exceeding 

expectations at The Three Blackbirds, 

the next step is to bring the catering 

in house at our luxury wedding and 

event venues” Guy revealed. “I had 

been thinking about this concept for 

a while, and when the Three 

Blackbirds came up for sale last spring, 

I saw this as a massive opportunity 

to expand the business. The two 

properties complement each other 

and will be able to work together 

in the future. It’s been wonderful to 

revive our village pub and inject some 

extra community spirit.” 

With the launch of The Granary 

Barns, an extension in farming 

operations and the purchase of The 

Three Blackbirds, the future 

certainly looks bright for this estate. 

“We are nearing completion of our 

new office barn renovation to 

house our ever-growing team, along 

with another busy year ahead at all 

three of the establishments. I think 

it might be time to focus on the 

continual success of what we have, 

although I do like to push myself, so 

who knows what might be round 

the corner!” 


The Granary Barns, Woodditton. Tel: 01638 731230. www.thegranaryestates.co.uk 

The Three Blackbirds, Woodditton. Tel: 01638 731100. www.threeblackbirds.co.uk 


IQ business conferences 

Down To Business 

IQ Magazine discovers what makes the perfect business meeting... 

Finding a place to bring potential 

clients can be a daunting task. You 

want to pick somewhere impressive 

yet hospitable, comfortable but 

business like; somewhere that is 

discreet, conveniently situated, and 

it must have the latest technology 

and top speed internet. 

Situated within the Bury St 

Edmunds Farmers Club is the 

Northgate Business Centre ideal for 

those who require meeting rooms, 

corporate facilities, conference 

venues or a place to take potential 

clients for a delicious business lunch. 

Giving your clients a great lasting 

impression of not just your business, 

but also the atmosphere in which 

it was delivered, is key. For that, 

you need somewhere versatile, with 

the capacity to go the extra mile to 

fulfil your expectations and those of 

your clients. 

The Bury St Edmunds Farmers 

Club, centrally located in the heart 

of the town, has a history dating 

back to 1947 when it first opened as 

a members-only club. The Farmers 

Club is no longer just for farmers, 

and can now be hired by members 

and non-members alike for business 

meetings and corporate events. 

Its refurbished conference rooms 

now include The Northgate Suite, 

fully updated to meet the growing 

need for additional business 

facilities. Here you’ll find the latest 

equipment, LED lighting, integrated 

AV and free wifi, all housed in a 

characteristic oak-beamed room of 

the Medieval building that gives an 

added wow-factor. 

Whether you require a small meeting 

arrangement for up to 10 people, or 

a theatre-style conference for 50, 

the Club’s selection of rooms offers 

a versatile solution. Use the Grade 

1 Listed Lower Lounge as a breakout 

area for a light lunch platter, 

or opt for the Regency Restaurant 

for a more extensive choice before 

heading back to the Northgate Suite 

to seal the deal. 

For those needing a helping hand in 

planning their conference, a bespoke 

package can be organised to ensure 

that all runs smoothly. Always 

on hand to help you maximise 

your business, the Farmers Club 

can provide secretarial services, 

incubator desks, or promotion of 

your business to their extensive 

business database. 


Bury St Edmunds Farmers Club, 10 Northgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1HQ. Tel: 01284 750969. www.bsefc.co.uk 



A BRIGHT OUTLOOK 

IQ Magazine speaks to Edward Burgess, founder and CEO of 

The Burgess Group, about what it takes to build a successful business. 

In just 20 years, The Burgess Group has grown from a small office in Felixstowe 

to one of the region’s leading prestige window and door providers, with showrooms 

in Suffolk and Essex. IQ Magazine caught up with the company’s founder and 

CEO, Edward Burgess, to uncover his formula for business success. 



In less than two decades The 

Burgess Group has gone from a 

small office in Felixstowe to three 

showrooms across East Anglia. 

How have you achieved such a 

rate of growth? 

Our success is down to the service we 

provide – excellent products supported 

by first class installation. Early on, we 

realised that timber was the product 

of choice, so we focused on that, 

working closely with manufacturers to 

ensure that we have the products that 

customers want. We’ve also always 

been extremely careful in who we 

employ. We’re still a relatively small 

business (20 staff), everybody knows 

each other quite well, and team spirit 

runs through the company, which I’m 

convinced shines through. We continue 

to get a significant proportion of our 

business through customer referral, so 

we must be doing something right! 

Did you face any tough challenges 

as your business was expanding? 

And how did you overcome them? 

Very much so. Opening our second 

branch in Bury St Edmunds, which 

was actually the first timber window 

showroom in the UK, represented a 

huge risk; fortunately, we hit the ground 

running. Once our manufacturer saw 

our growth in sales, they were very 

keen we opened a further showroom 

to cover the Essex market. Whilst this 

was somewhat easier because we had 

the backing of the manufacturer, we 

still took a risk by expanding again so 

quickly. The Ingatestone showroom 

took a little longer to build a strong 

customer bank, perhaps because of 

the close proximity to London and the 

fact many potential householders were 

impacted by the recession. Seven years 

later, we are fortunate to have a healthy 

order book with plans to continue to 

grow our presence in this area. 

Have you seen a big change in 

the industry since starting the 

company? 

Yes. Quality has become more and 

more important. There has been less 

emphasis on price, and more on finding 

the right product to suit customers’ 

needs. Customer expectations are also 

far higher than they have been in the 

past, perhaps due to the popularity 

of home improvement shows on 

television, some of which provide 

sensible advice and inspiration, with 

others being totally unrealistic! 

What makes your business stand 

out from the competition? 

Product range, value for money, 

accreditations (British Standard 

Kitemark for example), local 

showrooms and customer experience. 

We urge people to pop in to one of the 

showrooms and see for themselves. 

How do you choose the suppliers 

of your products? 

Carefully. We now work with three key 

suppliers and, having built excellent 

relationships with them over a number 

of years, are very unlikely to move from 

them. Each manufacturer has research 

and development departments and we 

often work with them in helping to 

develop new and better products. 

When you create a new 

showroom, what do you look for 

in terms of location and style? 

They have to be easily accessible with 

plenty of visitor parking. In terms of 

design, each showroom is different, 

but it’s essential that each of them is 

bright and airy, with enough space to 

enable customers to browse without 

feeling intimidated. We refurbish our 

showrooms regularly to ensure that 

they reflect the latest colours and 

trends. 

And how do you design your 

showrooms to appeal to your 

target customers? 

We try to include products that are 

likely to work well with the local 

housing. We always incorporate some 

alternative options too, for people 

looking for something that’s a bit 

different and unique. 

How do you choose which 

product a home will require? 

It depends whether a homeowner 

wishes to restore original features or 

not. Often, we will research how a 

house may have looked when new, 

especially when we are removing 

poorly-designed windows that replaced 

the originals. Otherwise, we may make 

suggestions and produce sketches 

so that we can work closely with a 

customer to work out what’s right for 

them. 

Do you have a business motto? 

‘Enduringly beautiful windows and 

doors’. It’s about installing something 

that looks wonderful and that lasts. 


The Burgess Group, 8 Fornham 

Business Court, Hall Farm, Bury Drift, 

Fornham St Martin, Bury St Edmunds, 

IP31 1SL. Tel: 01284 760222 

Notcutts Garden Centre, Ipswich Road, 

Woodbridge, IP12 4AF. 

Tel: 01394 386666 

The Old Forge, 53 High Street, 

Ingatestone, Essex CM4 0AT. 

Tel: 01277 350950 

www.burgess-group.com 



Transforming 

an idea into a 

successful business 

Rachel Cracknell interviews Guy Robinson, 

to find out about the success behind the 

start-up business. 

Creating a compelling concept, idea 

or product and taking it to market is 

a daunting but exciting experience 

for many business owners. In 2011, 

Guy Robinson, Business Development 

Director of Absorb Nutrition, based 

in Newmarket, did exactly that. Guy 

and the team created a product that 

they were extremely passionate about 

and developed a successful business, 

rivalling their competitors to become 

one of the best on the market. 

Absorb Nutrition is a sports nutrition 

company that supplies the industry 

trade, including gyms and personal 

trainers, as well as consumers, with 

quality, well-balanced nutritional 

products. The adult nutritionals are 

specifically designed to assist fitness 

and health enthusiasts in reaching their 

performance and physique goals. The 

sports nutrition market is a complex 

and very competitive market, but Guy, 

with his expert and dedicated team, has 

been able to find a competitive edge 

against other brands with a product 

that delivers on excellence. 

Rachel Cracknell interviews Guy, 

to find out the success behind the 

start-up business. 

How did the idea for the business come about? 

I was working for a supplement company at the time and was approached 

by Dale Cole who is the Managing Director of CDC Export. Dale had 

some contacts in the US that distributed major nutrition brands and 

together we recognised an opportunity to take on a brand and bring it 

to the UK market. In short, after investigating the opportunity further, 

we decided we liked the idea of being in control of our own destiny and 

decided to create our own brand, Absorb Nutrition. 

Was the product an idea you have been 

wanting to develop for years? 

Dale and I had both worked for a number of 

businesses where we brought various products 

to market and we have both seen the value of it. 

After investigating the opportunity, we realised 

the huge potential for a nutritional brand in the 

UK and since then we have never looked back. 



When launching the business, did you have 

an ultimate goal? 

The goal has always been the same; to create a 

premium, honest brand that will reach a wide variety 

of consumer types. We wanted to create a product 

that would help people to reach their training and 

performance goals and improve their well-being. 

What sets the business apart from other sports 

nutritional companies? 

We don’t compromise on the quality of the product, we 

create high-end high quality nutritional products for 

the consumer. We don’t just see our market as sports 

nutrition, we want to take our products to a number of 

markets, appealing to a range of customers all aimed at 

improving their health and well-being. 

Can you give our readers a piece of advice for 

setting up a business? 

You need to know your market inside out, so do your research 

properly. In terms of a budget and the amount of time you 

need to dedicate to your business, well, think of a figure and 

triple it! 

Can you tell us what’s next? 

Now that we have started the business, built loyal and 

strong relationships with our manufacturers, grown a 

solid supply chain and purchased bigger premises for 

the growing demand of the product, we are now 

focused on raising brand awareness, enlisting the 

help of Cubiqdesign. In the next 12 months, we 

want to put our product in the hands of more 

sporting and health enthusiasts up and down 

the country, make Absorb Nutrition the goto 

brand for well-being and sports nutrition 

and aim to double the product range. 


www.absorbnutrition.co.uk 


IQ business IQ showcase profile 

KlÖeber: SECURED BY DESIGN 

Innovative manufacturer of glazing solutions, Klöeber, has not only achieved Secured by Design 

status, but has secured its own expansion through its well received designs... 

As our economy slowly gets back on 

track, our local businesses are finding 

opportunities to grow and develop in 

this hopeful financial climate. One 

company that has seen growth within 

the last year is innovative glazing 

manufacturer, Klöeber. 

Formed in 2006, the business was 

originally aimed at the domestic 

glazing market, offering high end, 

bespoke timber products. Quickly 

becoming a market leader, winning 

awards and expanding to include 

a client base of some of the largest 

house builders and developers in the 

UK, the past year has seen a rapid rate 

of growth for the business. 

“In the last 12 months our policy of 

constant improvement, development 

and recruitment has seen us expand,” 

said Sales Director, Matt Higgs. 

“Klöeber has recently invested in 

growing its resources to respond to the 

expanding home improvement and 

house building market. We’ve seen 

an organic growth in sales to 

both trade and retail customers and 

have spread our distribution 

network significantly, which now 

includes national developers, builders’ 

merchants and companies within the 

self-build sector.” 

Supplying and manufacturing high 

performance timber, aluminium, 

composite and UPVC glazing 

solutions, Klöeber was the first to be 

awarded Secured by Design status 

in the UK for timber folding, sliding 

doors. Through its mix of high quality 

materials and excellent standards of 

service, it is no wonder that Klöeber is 

going from strength to strength. 

Recruiting 13 new team members 

across the sales, technical, purchasing 

and warehouse departments, the 

company has been creating new jobs 

in the local area, as well as further 

afield with the opening of a brand new 

showroom in Grendon Underwood, 

Buckinghamshire. 

Now with three nationwide 

showrooms (the others being in 

Cambridgeshire and London), 

Klöeber chose a prime position for its 

new site, next to the biggest self-build 

project in the UK, Graven Hill, where 

1900 self-build plots will be available 

over the next few years. Here, Klöeber 

will be right in the viewpoint of its 

target customers. 

A new showroom and more staff 

equates to the need for an increase 

in vehicles, and Klöeber has already 

gained the biggest fleet of Mini 

Clubman vans in the entire country. 

“We love the functionality and style of 

these cars and feel they are a correct 

fit for the Klöeber image. We get 

feedback all the time from people who 

have passed them on the roads!” 

Having already exhibited at Build It 

Live, Grand Designs Live and The 

National Homebuilding & Renovating 

Show this year, the future looks bright 

for this local company. 

Matt Higgs revealed 

“Our 

“Our 

range 

range 

of 

of 

bespoke 

bespoke 

doors 

doors 

and 

and 

windows 

windows 

is 

is 

also 

also 

increasing 

increasing 

and 

and 

improving, 

improving, 

with 

with a 

new 

new 

lift 

lift 

and 

and 

slide 

slide 

door 

door 

introduced 

introduced 

in 

in 

2014 

2014 

and 

and 

an 

an 

increased 

increased 

specification 

specification 

to 

to 

our 

our 

Secured 

Secured 

by 

by 

Design 

Design 

FunkyFront 

FunkyFront 

entrance 

entrance 

doors 

doors 

and 

and 

timber 

timber 

Folding 

Folding 

Sliding 

Sliding 

doors. 

doors. 

After 

After a 

year 

year 

of 

of 

defined 

defined 

focus 

focus 

on 

on 

the 

the 

development 

development 

of 

of 

our 

our 

resources, 

resources, 

we’re 

we’re 

now 

now 

in 

in a 

position 

position 

to 

to 

deliver 

deliver 

our 

our 

long 

long 

term 

term 

growth 

growth 

plans.” 

plans.” 


Klöeber, West Newlands Industrial Estate, Somersham, Cambridgeshire, PE28 3EB. Tel: 01487 740044. www.kloeber.co.uk

IQ-Magazine-Issue-13

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