KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees27, December, 2011

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● Full story - Page 4

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Themosttrustednewsbrandin thebusiness

RACHEL FOSTER

Fu l l i n te r v i ew - Page 3Fresh star t for 2012

Co lumn - Page 5

An EXAMINER publication

Firm hitshigh pointA LAW firm has ended2011 in style – with aclutch of awards.Ramsdens, with officesin Huddersfield,Halifax, Holmfirth,Slaithwaite, Elland,Dewsbury and Mirfield,was named BestCommercial Litigation,Commercial Propertyand Employment LawFirm of the Year for theNorth East in theDealmakers AnnualAwards.

ShiningexampleHUDDERSFIELDmarketing specialistThe Sharp Agency tooka coveted silver awardin the category for BestConsumer Direct MailCampaign at the 2011Direct MarketingAwards in London.

JP MORGAN

Funding boost forcreative companyA NEW enterprise which supportscreative decision-making has receivedcrucial financial support to help thecompany get off the ground.

Veracitix, based at the Media Centrein Huddersfield, is the brainchild ofserial entrepreneurs Ian Pringle andDavid Graninetti.

The company is developing a newonline platform technology to helpbusinesses from a variety of sectorsturn their ideas into a reality.

Init ial ly targeting sales andmarketing professionals, the techno-logy will be used on PCs, laptops,tablets and smart phones.

A prototype has been created andVeracitix will be working with keydevelopment partners to get theservice to market.

To support the development of thecompany Finance Yorkshire hasprovided a seedcorn investment.

Veracitix will use the funding tosupport the recruitment of a seniormanagement team.

Mr Pringle said: “The funding fromFinance Yorkshire will help us get the

company rolling. It will enable us torecruit key people such as a chairman,business development director andchief operating officer, before wepursue another round of funding intothe company.

“We are a very early stage businessand we are currently working ongetting the prototype into a positionwhere we can take it to market.

“We are aiming for this to be themiddle of 2012, so the support fromFinance Yorkshire has come at acrucial stage.”

Graham Davies, investment man-ager from Finance Yorkshire, said:“Both Ian and David have a successfulhistory in technology innovation andhave established a number of start-upcompanies in this sector. They knowthe process involved in creating asuccessful fledgling company and weare p leased to support the i rdevelopment with this finance deal.

“As they are a new start-up with ahigh growth potential, Veracitix fittedthe exact profile we are looking toinvest in from Finance Yorkshire’s

Seedcorn Fund. We see this being thestart of big things for the business.”

Finance Yorkshire helps a range ofsmall and medium-sized firms to meet

their funding requirements for growthand development through seedcorn,loan and equity linked investments,ranging from £15,000 to £2m.

■ SUPPORT: Veracitix directors (from left) David Graninetti, Ian Pringle andJuliann Tilley with Graham Davies, of Finance Yorkshire

Home for Christmas!

Time to make a New Year’s resolution

■ ALERT: Nick Brook

BUSINESSES should make anearly New Year’s resolution toavoid hefty fines, said a localtax specialist.

Small firms across Kirkleesshould ensure they completetheir self assessment tax returnsnow, said Nick Brook, whor u n s L o c k w o o d - b a s e dTaxAssist Accountants.

He said: “Local businessesmust submit their tax returnsby January 31 or face a fixedpenalty of £100 – even if theyhave no tax to pay or have paidthe tax they owe.

“If they’re three months late,an additional £10 a day penaltywill apply, up to a maximum of£900.

After six months, a further£300 or 5% of the tax due willbe imposed, whichever is thehigher figure. After 12 monthsa further £300 or 5% penaltyapplies and in very seriouscases, this could even be 100%of the tax.

“Missing the deadline meansyou needlessly lose a significant

amount of your hard-earnedincome to the taxman.”

Mr Brook, whose business isbased at Lockwood Road, said:“Christmas and New Year canbe a hectic time for smallbusinesses in the district, butwe’re urging local businesses tostart tackling the returns nowand enjoy peace of mind.”

www.chadwicklawrence.co.ukHuddersfield | Wakefield | Halifax | Leeds

Solicitors for business inYorkshire

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 2

AIM listings set to increaseTHE number of companieslisted on the AlternativeInvestment Market is set toincrease in the first half of 2012– for the first time since 2007,according to analysis bybusiness advice firm Deloitte.

The significant shake-out ofcompanies from the market overrecent years appears to benearing completion as the levelof de-listings has reached a sixyear low in 2011.

Rob Seldon, capital marketspartner at Deloitte in Yorkshire,said: “Since the number of

companies on AIM peaked at1,694 at the end of 2007, wehave seen an almost non-stopdecline in numbers to 1,150companies listed as at 30November, 2011 – a reduction ofabout one third. “Over this time,listed companies have departedthe market in droves, eithervoluntarily, if they don’t perceiveongoing value in their listedstatus, or involuntarily, generallydue to their financialcircumstances in these difficulteconomic times.

“However, to the end of

November 2011 the totalnumber of de-listings was just131. This is a fall of 55%compared with the peakrecorded in 2009, when 293companies delisted from themarket, and is the lowest levelof de-listings since 2005”

Mr Seldon said the nature ofAIM meant there was significant“churn” as companies joinedduring an expansion phase,used AIM to build their profileand access growth capital, thenleft to join the FTSE listings orwere taken over by a larger

player in the same industry.He said: “For several years, a

common refrain of AIMcommentators has been thatthere are too many companiesof dubious quality on themarket. This has beenperceived as the consequenceof the AIM boom between 2005and 2007 when a number ofunsuitable companiescompleted listings. However, webelieve that natural churn sincethen means that AIM iseffectively much changed nowand should be looked at afresh.”

Combat crime during the holidaysKIRKLEES businesses have beenwarned about the increased risk ofcrime during the festive season.

Bluefin Insurance, which has officesin Cleckheaton, said businesses wereat their most at his time of year – whenmany offices are empty or when thereare increased stock levels and extracash on the premises.

A spokesman said: “Crime duringthe holiday season can have adevastating impact on a business andits employees.

“With many offices left empty for afull week over the Christmas break,premises become prime targets forcriminals.

“It may seem like common sense,but we are urging all businesses totake sensible precautions whenleaving their premises unmanned aswell as checking that they have theappropriate insurance cover should anincident occur.”

The spokesman said firms shouldinvest in lights which can be left on a

timer to avoid the office lookingunmanned; check the CCTV camera isfunctioning and switched on to captureimages of any intruders; ensure thelast person to leave the premisesbefore the holiday checks all windows,doors and sensors; appoint trustedstaff members to be additional keyholders over the holiday in case anincident occurs when the main keyholder is unavailable; and havesomeone local call in at the office aover the Christmas week to ensure no

problems have arisen.Said the spokesman: “Another

cause of winter problems forbusinesses can be the effects of badweather when premises are leftunmanned over the Christmas period.Burst pipes can be a major headacheand cause extensive damage.

“Businesses can minimise the risk offrozen or burst pipes using simplepreventative measures such aslagging pipes with protective foam orusing a timed central heating system.”

Difficultiesmount fordigital anddesignDIGITAL and designagencies are facing thefallout of the UK’sfaltering economicrecovery, according to asurvey today.

The Design IndustryVoices survey of almost500 agency staff paints apicture of the squeezebeing experienced bysmall firms in the privatesector as public sectorbudget cuts begin to biteand economicconfidence fails torecover.

It found that 85% offirms have clients whoexpect more work fromagencies for less money,71% say clients morework in pitches for freeand(82%) say clientbudgets have beenreduced.

More than half ofagencies have cutpermanent staffnumbers and are makingmore use of freelancerswhile more thantwo-fifths are makinggreater use of unpaidinterns.

The survey bybusiness transformationspecialist Fairley &Associates also showedthat 58% of staff workingfor design and digitalagencies intend tochange job in the next 12months while more thana third have been withtheir agency less than ayear.

People working indigital and designagencies say they arefeeling the brunt of thelong, slow recovery.Fewer than one in fiverespondents considerthat their agency isperforming “very well” interms of helpingemployees to managestress, rewarding peoplefor extra effort orproviding “appropriate”workloads.

Rachel Fairley, leadauthor of the newresearch and managingdirector of Fairley &Associates, said: “Digitaland design agenciesappear to be running onempty.

“Clients expect morework for less money tomake up for budget cuts.Staff have disengaged –they are overworked,undervalued, and fed upof poor leadership. Moreof them than ever intendto change job withintwelve months withfar-reachingconsequences in thisuncertain economicclimate.”

Happy returns forDragon’s Den duo!A KIRKLEES couple are preparing to make theirreturn to hit BBC2 show Dragons’ Den this weekafter securing an investment of £80,000 earlier thisyear.

Liz and Alan Colleran, owners of Raskelf, theDewsbury-based memory foam product specialist,will feature on Dragons’ Den: The Hilary DeveyStory at 8pm on Thursday.

Hilary invested in the business back in the summerafter being impressed with Liz and Alan’s pitch fortheir award-winning Duvalay product, a zip-upmemory foam mattress and duvet combo aimed atthe caravan and motor home sector.

The special show focuses on Hilary’s rise toDragons’ Den stardom and catches up with some ofthe entrepreneurs that she backed in the last series.

Liz and Alan where filmed attending a meetingwith Hilary at Virgin Atlantic’s headquarters inCrawley to discuss potential business opportunities.The visit also involved a video conference with SirRichard Branson.

Commenting on the forthcoming appearance, Lizsaid: “2011 has been an amazing year for Raskelf andbeing invited back on to Dragons’ Den is the perfectway to end it.

“Since our initial appearance, we have been work-ing alongside Hilary and her team to look at newways of increasing our presence in the market andmaking Raskelf and Duvalay household names.

“As this new show demonstrates, Hilary hascertainly created new opportunities for us and we arelooking forward to what 2012 holds for ourbusiness.”

Liz and Alan began their search for a suitable“mattress topper” back in 2003 – after enduring yearsof back pain trying to get a comfortable night’s sleepwhile caravanning.

They tried numerous materials, thicknesses and

styles before perfecting the Raskelf Portable MemoryFoam mattress topper.

The business, which began in the front room oftheir home, now occupies premises at StaincliffeMills in Dewsbury and variations on the mattresstopper have been developed for use in boats, motor

caravans and the home.Early in 2005, the company took the ingenious step

of coupling the portable memory foam toppers witha shaped duvet to create the Duvalay, for which thecompany now owns the patent.

■ GROWTH: RobSeldon, capital marketspartner at Deloitte

■ COMFORT ZONE: Liz and Alan Colleran, of Dewsbury7-based Raskelf Memory Foam Ltd

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3

RachelFoster

HuntersHuddersfield

HENRYK ZIENTEK

Role: OwnerAge: 38Family: Daughter Ashleigh,16, and son Matthew, 15Holidays: Barbados,Florida and ski-ing in theFrench AlpsCar: Audi A5 convertibleFirst job: Office adminis-trator for a firm of solicitorsBest thing about job: Ifind that helping people isvery rewardingWorst thing about job:Long hoursBusiness tip: Do what yousay you are going to do andkeep your customers’interests at heart

Work: Estate agencySite: John William Street,HuddersfieldPhone: 01484 513777Email: huddersfield@huntersnet.co.ukWeb: www.huntersnet.co.uk

LIFE on the home front is fine forRachel Foster.

The owner of HuntersHuddersfield estate agency saysbusiness is brisk – despite thegeneral economic slump and theimpact that has had on thehousing market.

With 16 years experience inthe property field, Rachel hasseen several peaks and troughsand agrees that the industry isunder pressure.

But she says: “The market hasbeen quite stable for the past fewyears – and there is still a marketout there.

“As long as vendors price theirproperties correctly and peoplehave the motivation, sales can beachieved.

“Where the vendor is unable toreduce the asking price becauseof the price they face paying ontheir next property, we have beenable to agree a lot of sales bynegotiating chains, both up anddown.”

Rachel agrees: “The first-timebuyer market is tough – which iswhy our lettings business isbooming at the moment.

“Potential first-time buyers whocannot get a mortgage areseeking to rent.

“Our problem is that therearen’t enough landlords outthere. Property lettings go soquickly.”

Rachel says: “People areworried about job security.People are selling and movinginto rented properties rather thancommitting themselves to amortgage. But there is ashortage of property.”

Rachel believes more effortshould be made to get derelict,run-down or secondhandproperties back into goodcondition with governmentfunding to provide affordablehousing – rather than looking tobuild on green space.

Meanwhile, Hunters is enjoying“steady business”. She says:“You will get the one-off propertywhere 20 people want to buy andthere are areas of Huddersfieldwhich are always popular, such

as Edgerton, Lindley, Shepleyand Holme Valley.

“Most of our business doescome through recommendation.People come back to us time andagain.

“That’s nice because it meansthat although business is tough,you know you must be doingsomething right!

“It helps that I have a fantasticteam, who have been with me foryears and are incredibly loyaland hardworking.”

Rachel adds: “I am genuinelylooking forward to the new year,which I expect to be another yearof steady business.”

Rachel, who grew up inHopton, has been an estateagent for the past 16 years.

She insists that she got intothe profession “by accident” butadds: “I have never regretted itand I have never looked back. Ithoroughly enjoy my work – evenin the current climate!”

She attended Castle HallSchool and Mirfield High School,but admits that during her schooldays she did not know whatcareer to pursue.

She began work in sales and

marketing, working firstly fortextile firm J H Walker beforeswitching from a traditionalindustry to the cutting-edge worldof IT.

She got a job with a localestate agency through the adviceof a friend and began workingpart-time as a negotiator beforeprogressing to take exams inaspects of the business such asvaluation and law.

For some years, Rachelworked for an agency in Mirfield,covering that office and a branchoffice in Heckmondwike.

“I loved the work,” she says. “Iloved meeting people and beingable genuinely to help them.

“Moving house is so stressfuland people can get veryemotional about it. I try to look atthe needs of the vendors and thebuyers. They are never just ahouse number to me. Everyoneis different.

“Once I got a taste for it, myambition was to have my ownbusiness.”

A member of the NationalAssociation of Estate Agents,Rachel owns HuntersHuddersfield, with offices at John

William Street, under a franchisesystem which provides supportfor her and her team in areassuch as marketing and IT.

The agency has alsoundergone a rebrand in recentweeks.

It follows Hunters’ acquisitionof Countrywide Franchising Ltd,which traded as Bairstow EvesEstate Agents – a deal whichmakes Hunters the single largestindependent estate agencyfranchise operator with a networkof over 190 branches.

The re-brand also brings allthe new operations under theHunters umbrella, with companybranding and technologysystems put into place.

Hunters was founded in 1992in York and boasts interiordesigner Linda Barker as anambassador for the brand.

The support offered under thefranchise system means Rachelcan get on with focusing on hermain task – buying and sellinghouses.

“Running my own business iseverything I expected it to be,”she says. “I thoroughly enjoycoming to work. I am lucky inthat respect, Not everyone goesto work enjoying what they do.”

Rachel works six days a weekand admits to being “pretty mucha workaholic”.

As a result, she says: “I makethe most of my spare time. I likerunning and I like socialising andspending time with family andfriends. I’m also heavily intomodern art. I buy a few piecesand I enjoy visiting galleries.

“I like walking – there’s somelovely countryside aroundHopton.

“I also managed to do theThree Peaks twice in one year –once for charity. I didn’t do anytraining particularly.

“I’d like to do the LondonMarathon, but that woulddemand lots of training and Idon’t have the time at themoment!”

■ ENJOYING HER WORK: Rachel Foster, who owns estate agencyHunters Huddersfield, says she’s never regretted joining the industry

Lifeon thehomefront

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KIRKLEES BUSINESSlocal Page 4

Big boost foroverseas salesSMALL firms have made inroadsinto exporting, latest figures reveal.Average export turnover for smallbusinesses rose by 42% betweenthe second and third quarters of2011, said The Cashflow Barometera quarterly report from invoice andasset-based lender VentureFinance.Further export data suggests thatthe number of overseas customerhas increased by 17% since thesecond quarter and has risen by40% since the third quarter of 2010.

SME directors‘no better off’DIRECTORS of small andmedium-sized firms in the UK areno better off – and in some casespoorer – than they were five yearsago.The surprising financial positionof directors of SMEs – and thedifference compared with themuch-hyped FTSE 100 sector – isrevealed in a survey of more than3,200 jobs.The research, Directors’ Rewards,has been carried out by businessinformation, software andservices specialist Croner.It shows that the average 2011annual pay for directors of smallcompanies with a turnover below£5m a year has fallen by £5,000from the level of £87,500 fiveyears ago.In the past 12 months alone, theiraverage pay has fallen by 15% –or over £14,000 – taking their totalpay package to £82,500. In 2010 itwas £96,568.Directors of larger organisationswith a turnover of between £50mand £500m score marginallybetter with an increase of 2% overthe past 12 months in averageannual salaries to £174,287.Heads of medium-sizedorganisations with a turnover ofbetween £5m and £50m faredbest last year, although with a stillmodest 3% increase, taking theirpackage to £128,699.Vivienne Copeland, of Croner,said: “Despite recent reports thatFTSE 100 bosses have seen a49% increase in their pay, ourresearch clearly reveals this isnot the case for the majority ofdirectors in British boardrooms.“The average pay of all FTSE 350directors more than doubledbetween 2000 and 2010. Thefinancial position of peoplerunning small businesses istherefore a far cry from theirmuch larger corporatecounterparts.”

Late pay action neededA GROUP of businessorganisations have joined togetherto urge the Government to tacklethe growing problem of latepayment – in order to help smallfirms survive, grow and driveeconomic recovery.

The industry bodies, includingthose representing UK-basedsuppliers, have written to BusinessMinister Mark Prisk demanding aplan of action to address latepayment, which hits small firms’cash flow.

The group, which is supportingthe Government’s new ‘FinanceFitness’ campaign, believes anyplan to encourage better paymentpractices should ensure the EULate Payment Directive – making30-day payment terms mandatory inthe absence of any specified oragreed payment terms – is broughtforward to 2012 as originally stated.

The group, led by the Forum ofPrivate Business, also calls for aclampdown on large companiestaking “prompt payment discounts”and imposing retrospective changesto payment terms and conditionsthat are not contractually agreed.

The measures should also pledgeto continue with the UK’s publicsector 10-day and five-day paymentinitiatives and ensure they are

embraced by more local publicsector bodies across the countryand that prompt public sectorpayment is passed on down thesupply chain.

The group is calling for astrengthening of the PromptPayment Code, including requestingbusinesses to sign up to the Code

and wants the Government toconsider ways of making it an “optout” rather than an “opt in”arrangement.

It also wants rules to requireFTSE companies to report moredetailed information on theirpayment times.

A spokesman for the Forum ofPrivate Business said: “Under theprinciple of more open data, weshould work towards a culture ofmore transparency andstandardisation of financialinformation for firms and financialorganisations, including credit ratingagencies, in order to help smallbusinesses better establish theircreditworthiness and properlyassess the payment credentials ofcompanies with which they considertrading.”

A survey by credit referenceagency Graydon UK shows that76% of respondents believe theGovernment is not doing enough toprotect UK businesses from latepayment.

This is despite 51% reporting thatthe problem has become worseduring the past year, 45% that itcould threaten their ability to investin their businesses and 20% that itcould stop them trading.

Law firm capsa brilliant yearA LAW firm inHuddersfieldhas ended2011 in style –with a clutchof awards.Ramsdenswas namedBestCommercialLitigation,CommercialProperty andEmploymentLaw Firm ofthe Year forNorth East England in theDealmakers Annual Awards.The awards recognise a selectnumber of leading professionalfirms for their individual areas ofspecialisation, within theirgeographical location.These awards recognise thoseorganisations and advisors thathave performed to exceptionallevels during the most difficultperiod the global economy hasexperienced for decades.Paul Joyce (pictured), managingpartner, said: “2011 has been astrong year for Ramsdens in a verchallenging legal and businessmarket.“Our performance has gone fromstrength to strength in recent yearand I’d like to thank our clients andstaff for their contribution to ourshared success.”Greg Dolan, head of commercial aRamsdens, said: “We are delightedto have won this award and to berecognised as one of the leadingfirms in the North East.“We have a strong progressiveteam at Ramsdens committed toproviding our clients with anoutstanding responsive service andpragmatic, business focused adviceaimed at securing our clientsobjectives as efficiently aspossible. It is testament to thatcommitment that the team has beenrecognised in this way.”Ramsdens, which is based atEdgerton and has offices inHuddersfield, Halifax, Holmfirth,Slaithwaite, Elland, Dewsbury andMirfield, has already been namedLaw Firm of the Year in thecategory for 11 to 30 partners at theYorkshire Lawyers Awards and waslisted as a recommended firm inseven practice areas in the Legal500.

New look forfirm’s websiteAN accountancy firm inHuddersfield has a whole newlook online.Simpson Wood, with offices inMarket Street, has launched anew website. Following monthsof planning and development, thenew site aims to reflect the firm'scurrent approach and help onlinevisitors find relevant informationquickly.The site also provides details ofcase studies and testimonialsfrom clients. The company alsohas its own LinkedIn page with aFacebook page and a Blog to belaunched in the near future.Danny McAllister who managedthe relaunch, said: “We wanted tobe able to cater for the increasingnumbers of our clients andcontacts who use digital mediaas their main method ofcommunication. We also felt thesite needed a makeover to reflectthe kind of firm we are and theservices we provide.”

Conferencecall to firmsKIRKLEES business leaders havebeen invited to attend a major con-ference – and join calls for thegovernment to use its spring Budgetto spur industrial-led growth.

Local manufacturers are beingurged to drive home the messagewhen Chancellor George Osborne isspeaker at the EEF National Manu-facturing Conference in London onMarch 6.

Business Secretary Vince Cableand Opposition leader Ed Milibandare also confirmed as keynote con-ference speakers.

EEF chief executive Terry Scuolersaid: “The timing of the conference,just ahead of the Budget, is abso-lutely critical.

“It will be a powerful rally call togovernment to place manufacturingat the heart of its strategy for growthand to present a visionary Budgetthat bolsters economic recoverythrough bold measures to supportindustrial expansion and interna-tional trade.

“Our conference theme is ‘Com-petitiveness in the Global Economy’and it will be a rare opportunity forthe country’s manufacturing leadersto gather together to challenge polit-ical decision makers on the issuesthat matter most, share best prac-

tice, stimulate debate, solve prob-lems, and gain industry insights andconnections.”

Delegates will debate issues suchas UK manufacturing competitive-ness, government policies to pro-

m o t e g r o w t h a n d s u p p o r tmanufacturing and key areas suchas tax, skills, regulation and energy.

Go to www.manufacturing con-ference.co.uk

■ CHALLENGE: Terry Scuoler, chief executive of the EEF manufacturinggroup

■ DEMAND: Business MinisterMark Prisk faces calls formeasures to tackle late payment

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 5

overseas saleseal.

or small

ometer,oice and

tseas customers

ter of 2010.■ RECORD YEAR: John Waite

PEOPLE. RESULTS. VALUE. THEKEYTOMARKETINGSUCCESSJP Morgan

JP Morgan is a senior account manager at Fantastic Media

Fears over non-paymentputting firms off exportingFEAR of not getting paid for goods andservices is the biggest barrier toexporting, a survey had revealed.However the study by NatWest and RBSshows that 28% of non-exporting firms inYorkshire and the North East areconfident that their products andservices would sell abroad.The Eurozone crisis hasn’t stoppedbusinesses looking at Asia and emergingmarkets as attractive options – with 43%in Yorkshire and the North East claimingthey see opportunities in these regions.But 52% of all UK businesses surveyedclaim they are ill-informed of fundsavailable to support export.NatWest and RBS are providing a freehalf-day consultation to advise exporterson various forms of payments availableto them to successfully trade overseas.The event – Export 360 – will provide

a comprehensive review of their businessand assessment of their day-to-dayinternational arrangements.Experts will provide bespoke analysis ofbanking operations and offer solutionsthat could help maximise exportingpotential.Aidene Walsh, head of UK GlobalTransaction Services at RBS, said:“Despite economic uncertainty,businesses are still hungry to tradeoverseas and 65% of them feel it is vitalto economic recovery.“The lack of tools and knowledge areclearly a hindrance and we are here tohelp them to take a leap into theexporting market.”Companies can sign up to Export 360 byvisiting www.natwest.com/export360 orwww.rbs.co.uk/export360

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Driving to a recordA HUDDERSFIELD car dealer has reportedanother record-breaking year.

Longley Park Motors, based at Paddock,has celebrated its 30th anniversary with itsbest-ever year for used car sales in 2011 –following record sales for new car sales in2009 and 2010.

John Waite, managing director of the KIAdealership, said a combination of stylishmodels and industry-leading warranty hadgiven customers confidence to buy.

He said: “What has made our new cars sopopular with local drivers for the past threeyears is now proving an irresistible offer onour pre-owned cars too.

“In 1981 when the business started,motoring and standards of manufacturingwere a world apart from what they are now.

“We could not have dreamed of thequality, technology and reliability we nowoffer.

“Thirty years ago we set out to makebuying a car both a satisfying andcomfortable experience – and as long as Iam in charge that will never change.”

Marketingresolutions

SMALL businesses often leavemarketing planning to the last

minute and then are left scrambling toattract customers when times aretough.

The temptation is to just make it through2011, have a Christmas break and thinkabout 2012 later.

But for most small businesses thinkingabout how they spend their marketingbudget early will prevent costly errors injudgement.

Here are my top hints about where youshould be spending your budget in 2012:

● Make sure it can be measured or forgetit. If you can’t measure it then don’t bother.You need to ensure you know what thereturn will be on your investment everytime.

Coupon deals seem like a good idea espe-cially if you are a small business desperatelytrying to draw in new customers, but thesedeals are often very costly mistakes.

They can tie up your stock or staff in apromotion that rarely results in repeat cus-tomers. Think carefully and plan

● Online presence is essential. More of usare looking online to buy or review thingsbefore we buy.

Ensuring you have an online presence thatis integrated is important. It is more than a

well functioning website.A website is the hub of your communica-

tion, but an online presence where yourcustomers are is essential.

If your customers are on Facebook thenyou need a presence there. If they are more ofa LinkedIn crowd then go there. Whereveryou decide to invest you need to commit toupdating and providing information thatwill generate leads

● Map out the customer lifecycle of yourideal client or customer. By spending sometime really thinking about your ideal cus-tomer and the problems that you solve forthem you can make better decisions aboutwhere to spend your marketing budget.

Every touch point with your customer isan opportunity.

How can you be more useful to yourcustomers? How can you provide someinformation to your customers to show youcare and serve them better? This is moneywell spent

● Get some good marketing advice. If youare running your small business it is likelyyou already have some good ideas aboutwhat works to attract customers.

Some of the best money spent should beon getting the right advice to plan your 2012strategy so that you know it is based onsound reasoning.

Brussels popular with business fliersWEST Yorkshire’s major airport iscelebrating 10 years of flying to Brussels.Executive from Leeds Bradford Airportjoined colleagues at bmi Regional tomark the achievement.Since the launch of the route inNovember, 2001, more than 280,000customers flown on the route.Steven Griffiths, business director at bmi

Regional, said, “I am very proud that wehave served Brussels with our uniqueand stylish service for 10 years.“These two great cities are bothimportant business and tourism centresand following our recent events held inboth Leeds and Brussels it is great tosee that the route is still as popular asever.”

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property Page 6KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Spending cuts hit building firmsALMOST 90% of UK construction firmsexpect public spending cuts to act as a dragon operating conditions, according toemployers’ body the CBI.

The first CBI/Speedy Services nationalconstruction survey also showed thattwo-thirds of building sector firms see theUK’s planning system as an obstacle tobusiness, while four out of 10 have seen aworsening in the availability of finance overthe past year.

However, it said the Chancellor’s autumnstatement contained encouraging news forthe sector, including details of the FundedConstruction Pipeline and infrastructurespending.

The CBI said the survey portrayed a sectorwell-placed to boost skills and create jobs –with more than three-quarters of firmsplanning to maintain or increase spending

levels on training and investment inapprentices in the coming year.

Of the 635 construction leaders who tookpart, 40% said the availability of finance haddeteriorated in the past 12 months, 52%reported no change, and only 8% said theyhad seen an improvement – resulting in anegative balance of minus 32%.

Firms expect credit conditions todeteriorate further in the next 12 months, witha negative balance of minus 20%.

Over the next five years, 86% of firmsexpect public spending cuts to have asignificant or very significant impact on theirbusiness while 24% expect business todecline in 2012. While 42% predict growth,the vast majority of them anticipate growthwill be weak.

The UK’s planning system is seen as abarrier to their operations by nearly two-thirds

of survey respondents.Asked about the most significant barriers to

house building in particular in the past year,half of respondents identified mortgageavailability with 17% blaming consumerconfidence, 14% business finance and 10%planning.

Dr Neil Bentley, CBI deputydirector-general, said: “Construction firms arefacing tough operating conditions and theyare clear about what can be done to give thesector a boost. Firms want certainty and theyneed guaranteed infrastructure spending todeliver it.

“Now the sector has grounds for optimism.The Chancellor’s autumn statement outlinedthe Construction Pipeline and increased theGovernment’s commitment to housing, andspending on roads, rail, energy and othercrucial infrastructure.”

Consultant addspower to retailerAN energy consultancy has teamed up with aleading retailer to help it improve energyefficiency at its eight UK stores.

Brighouse-based Orchard Energy is work-ing with furniture company Barker andStonehouse.

Rising overheads have prompted theretailer to look at a range of measures,including meter downgrading, forward pur-chasing of energy and microgeneration.

Vince Lithgo, operations manager atBarker and Stonehouse, said the efficiencydrive was designed to counteract the risingcost of business overheads, particularlyenergy bills.

“Businesses aren’t immune from the risingenergy costs that are hitting domestic users atthe moment and we’re determined to findways to reduce the impact without passingthe cost on to our customers,” he said.

The independent family-run firm has beenworking with Orchard Energy to streamlineenergy contract renewals at each site andnegotiate with suppliers.

“The measures are helping us manage costsand protect our budgets from gas and electri-city price fluctuations in what is currently avery volatile energy market,” said MrLithgo.

“We are now working with Orchard onother efficiency measures, including meterdowngrading and as a business we’re lookinginto green alternatives such as solar power.”

Peter Bicchiri, of Orchard Energy, saidmultiple site retailers often spent toomuch on energy simply by having the wrong

size of meter fitted.“Retail sites commonly have half-hourly

metres which are bigger and more expensivethan they need,” he said.

“We’ve already completed meter down-grades at some Barker and Stonehouse sitesand at others we have been able to cap gasmeters to keep down costs.”

■ LIGHT WORK: Peter Bicchiri, left, of Orchard Energy, with Vince Lithgo, operationsmanager at Barker and Stonehouse, which has drafted in the energy consultancy to helptackle rising overheads

Retail plans‘still on hold’SHOPPING centre development remainson hold, despite “encouraging noises” inthe market, says a report.The newly-released Shopping CentreDevelopment Pipeline from ColliersInternational, says that more than 34.2msq ft of new shopping centre floorspaceis planned – but only 1.4m sq ft is underconstruction.Land Securities is behind the UK’slargest live construction project, the£350m Trinity Leeds scheme, which isscheduled to open in spring 2013,providing 1m sq ft of retail and leisure.In 2011, 2.45m sq ft of shopping centrefloorspace was completed.However, the total development pipelinehas fallen by only 256,200 sq ft sinceOctober 2010.This drop of 0.7% is the lowest annualdecline in the total shopping centredevelopment pipeline in over five yearsand is the result of an increase in theamount of floorspace being added to thepipeline by way of new retail proposalsor previously mothballed developmentsre-entering the fray.The report said: “Although it is positivenews that many of these schemes arenow being dusted down and reviewed, itis clear that it will be many years beforethese schemes actually come to fruition,if at all.“In total, only 4% of the shopping centrepipeline is classified as ‘underconstruction’. The majority – 53% – ofnew schemes are at the permissionstage and a further 43% are yet to applyfor or secure planning consent, meaningthey are some way off execution.”Sarah Banfield, associate director atColliers International, said: “Despitedevelopers’ insistence that schemes aregoing ahead, in reality much of thisfloorspace is effectively still on hold untilthe finances can be agreed.“And even where funding is in place, inmany instances there is now the issue ofexpired planning consents and CPOs(compulsory purchase orders) toovercome and the need to redesignproposals before schemes can get underway.”

Knight Frank completes ‘very positive’ yearPROPERTY consultancy Knight Frank hasadvised on office acquisitions totalling260,000 sq ft in Yorkshire during 2011.

Key deals included stockbrokers RedmayneBentley moving into Bond Court, Leeds; TPOrthodontics buying their premises inFountain Court, Morley; and wealth advisersTowry relocating to Highcross’ TorontoSquare in central Leeds.

Others included South Yorkshire Police

Authority moving to Carbrook in Meadowhallin Sheffield; Plusnet moving to The Balancein Sheffield; and Black Solicitors taking spacein Town Centre House in Leeds.

Ed Harrowsmith, of Knight Frank, said:“This has been a very positive year for bothour office agency teams in Yorkshire.

“We have been involved in some verysignificant deals, completed in challengingconditions for the property industry.

“All underline that deals can be doneprovided the price, the premises and thelocation are right.”

The agency said headline rents wereexpected to see limited growth over the next12 months. Incentive levels were expected tocontinue to harden – putting upward pressureon net effective rents as tenants competeagainst each other for increasingly limitedGrade A stock.

2011 review Page 7KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

THE meltdown in the eurozonewas felt by households and

businesses across Britain asthe nation faced up to whatBank of England governor SirMervyn King called the mostserious financial crisis “sincethe 1930s, if not ever”. Here is alook back at a dramatic year inwhich turmoil returned to finan-cial markets.

● January – Retailers were bracedfor a New Year hangover after VATrose from 17.5% to 20% under theChancellor’s austerity measures.Shoppers flocked to the high street tomake the most of the sales andlast-minute purchases ahead of theincrease.

Dixons, HMV and Next reportedlacklustre sales for the festive period,although there were better perform-ances from Marks & Spencer, Sains-bury’s and Morrisons.

Barclays chief executive Bob Dia-mond pledged to show restraint overbanker pay, but told MPs that bigbonuses were here to stay if the sectorwas to succeed.

● February – Britain’s pharma-ceutical industry was dealt a majorblow after drugs giant Pfizerannounced the closure of its leadingUK research centre at Sandwich,Kent.

The UK’s biggest energy supplierunveiled a record profit haul justweeks after it hiked bills amid thecoldest winter in 100 years.

BP suffered its first annual loss innearly two decades after revealingthat the Gulf of Mexico oil spill willcost it more than £25.2bn. Theenergy giant recorded a full-year lossof £3.1bn, but chief executive BobDudley said the embattled firmwould resume quarterly dividendpayments after they were suspendedin the summer.

● March – Damage caused byJapan’s massive earthquake andtsunami sparked fears of a majorslowdown in the world’s third largesteconomy, triggering a slump forshares worldwide. London’s FTSE100 Index fell for six sessions in a rowto its lowest level in four months.

The UK’s gas and electricity sup-pliers were accused by energy watch-dog Ofgem of failing “to play itstraight” with consumers. Ofgemsaid for the first time it had evidencethe “big six” firms had hiked bills inresponse to rising costs faster thanthey reduced them when expensesfell.

Thousands of John Lewis partnerscelebrated a bonus windfall worthnearly two months’ pay after theemployee-owned firm announced a20% rise in pre-tax profits to£367.9m.

● April – UK banking giantsshould protect their retail arms fromrisky investment banking and putmore capital aside to prevent futuretaxpayer bail-outs, the IndependentCommission on Banking said in itsinterim report.

As well as calling for retail businessto be ring-fenced from so-called“casino” banking to protect saversand borrowers in the event of a futurecrisis, Lloyds Banking Group shouldalso go further to address competi-tion concerns and sell off more thanthe 600 branches it has currentlyagreed with Europe.

Banks were under pressure to settlepayment protection insurancemis-selling claims after a High Courtruling left them with a potential£4.5bn compensation bill.

Marks & Spencer announcedplans to return to France, a decadeafter it pulled out of the country. Theretailer will launch a website inFrance and open a three-storey out-let on the Champs Elysees in Paris.

● May – Mothercare dealt a freshblow to the UK high street as itunveiled plans to close 110 outletsand focus on out-of-town super-stores.

Russian billionaire AlexanderMamut vowed to secure a “dynamicfuture” for Waterstone’s after strik-ing a £53m deal to buy the book shopfrom ailing HMV.

BP’s hopes of making the Arctic akey part of its recovery plan weredealt a major blow by the failure of ashare swap and exploration deal withRussian oil group Rosneft.

● June – The Government cameunder pressure to help end uncer-tainty over the future of thousands ofelderly residents and staff at Britain’slargest care homes group SouthernCross.

Lloyds Banking Group unveiledplans to slash a further 15,000 jobs by2014 in a bid to save £1.5bn a year.The huge round of job cuts wasunveiled by new chief executive Ant-onio Horta-Osorio as part of hisstrategic review for the tax-payer-backed lender.

Veteran bookmaker Fred Donesecured horseracing’s ultimate prize

by agreeing a £265m deal to buy theTote from the Government.

● July – Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorporation withdrew its bid forsatellite broadcaster BSkyB in thewake of the phone-hacking scandal.The owner of 39% of BSkyB saidcontinuing with the deal would betoo difficult in the climate, but that itplanned to remain a long-term share-holder.

British manufacturing suffered amajor blow when the last UKtrain-making company Bombardierannounced more than 1,400 joblosses after failing to secure a multimillion-pound order for 1,200 newtrain carriages as part of the £6bnThameslink main line rail project.

Airport operator BAA was told itmust sell two of its UK airports aftera ruling by the Competition Com-mission was upheld.

● August – Banking giant HSBCsaid it would cut up to 30,000 jobsover the next two years in a cull set toimpact more than 10% of its work-force. The efficiency drive, which willsave the bank up to £2.1bn a year,was the latest within an industrybattling to cope with reduced levelsof activity.

London’s FTSE 100 Indextumbled some 10% in two weeksamid panic that the eurozone will becrushed under the weight of its debtsand the US will lead the world backinto recession.

Cambridge-based A technologycompany Autonomy, set up in 1996,agreed to be taken over by Hew-lett-Packard in a £7.1bn deal.

● September – The Governmentvowed to ban the payment of referralfees in personal injury cases in a bidto tackle rising insurance costs.

Hundreds of pounds can some-times be paid out as lawyers claim thecost of referral fees back from thedefendant or their insurancecompany if they are successful.

Radical plans to ensure taxpayersare no longer on the hook forbanking failures were hailed byGeorge Osborne as a “decisivemoment” in the drive to overhaulBritain’s beleaguered banks.

he shake-up of the sector includesring-fencing banks’ high streetdivisions to protect them from riskierinvestment arms and setting asidemore cash to cushion the blow ofpotential losses or future financialcrises.

Retailer JD Sports Fashionrevealed that £700,000 of stock waslooted after 16 stores in London,Nottingham, Manchester andBirmingham were hit by disorder inAugust, with six in London suffering“very significant thefts”.

● October – Sir Mervyn King saidthe Bank of England’s surprise moveto pump £75bn into the UK economywas the right thing to do as thecountry faced “the most seriousfinancial crisis” ever seen.

BP said the story of North Sea oilstill had a “long way to run” after thecompany received the go-ahead for amajor £4.5bn project.

Energy companies were hit by anew storm over prices after it wasclaimed their average profit per cus-tomer had jumped to £125 a year.

● November – Taxpayers weresitting on a potential £400m loss afterNorthern Rock was sold to SirRichard Branson’s Virgin Money.The tycoon vowed to challenge theindustry’s “big five” after agreeingthe £747m deal for the business.

Shares in holidays giant ThomasCook plunged after it admitted diretrading had forced it back to itsbanks for more financial help.

Taxpayer-backed Lloyds BankingGroup was thrown into chaos whenc h i e f e x e c u t i v e A n t o n i oHorta-Osorioits boss took anunexpected leave of absence due toillness.

● December – Royal Bank ofScotland was brought to its knees by“multiple poor decisions” and its£50bn “gamble” on buying Dutchbank ABN Amro, a long-awaitedFinancial Services Authority reportsaid.

HSBC was handed a record Cityfine after a mis-selling scandalinvolving nearly 3,000 vulnerableelderly customers living in care.

Lloyds Banking Group named theCo-operative as its preferred choiceto buy the 632 branches it is sellingunder European competition rules.The sale update came as Lloyds saidc h i e f e x e c u t i v e A n t o n i oHorta-Osorio would return to his jobon January 9.

Banks, shops and theeuro in a year of crisis

■ LOOKING AHEAD: BP chief executive Bob Dudley, who said theembattled oil giant had reached a “definite turning point” following lastyear’s Gulf of Mexico disaster

■ MAIN EVENTS: Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond (left), Lloyds Banking Group chief Antonio Horta-Osorio(centre) and Chancellor George Osborne were among key figures during a turbulent year for business

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers Page 8

Bedtime storyis a bestseller!A MARKETING agency in Huddersfieldhas written the latest chapter in a successstory that began just two years ago.

The Sharp Agency, based at the MediaCentre, Northumberland Street, took acoveted silver award in the category for BestConsumer Direct Mail Campaign at the 2011Direct Marketing Awards in London.

Sharp, one of only a handful of northernagencies to figure in the awards, was recog-nised for an innovative summer campaignrun for Best Western Hotels – which wastargeted to achieve a 10% rise in bookings,but actually delivered a four-fold increase.

Mandi Taylor, a partner at Sharp, said thetwo-month campaign took “stories” as itstheme – based on the individuality of everyBest Western hotel and how each had its ownstory to tell.

A number of authors were commissionedto write short stories featuring hotels andtheir finished work was turned into a bookfeaturing a bookmark offering a discount forpeople booking at Best Western hotels.

The two-month campaign also involvedTwitter – with the hotel’s followers invited tocontribute towards a “chain” story.

Said Mandi: “Not many northern agencieswere represented at the awards. Many of theawards went to agencies that have beenlong-established and have large numbers ofstaff, so it was tremendous for us – an agencyless than two years old with 12 people – towin an award.”

New year eventIT’S just about the first businessget-together of the New Year.

Informal networking group The FIrstFriday Club will stage its first meeting of2012 between 12.30pm and 1.30pm onFriday, January 6, at The Head of Steampub in St George’s Square, Huddersfield.

The event enables town centre businesspeople to get together without the pressureof providing leads and referrals to discussareas of mutual interest.

For details contact accountancy firmRevell Ward by emailingenquiries@revellward.co.uk

Nick Donovan

FTPETRAIN operator First TransPennine Expresshas appointed Nick Donovan as the company’snew managing director.

Mr Donovan (pictured), 48, succeeds VernonBarker, who was appointed as managingdirector of First Group’s rail division inSeptember.

Having joined the company as new trainsproject director, Mr Donovan has worked forFTPE since the start of its franchise in 2004.

In this role he successfully managed theintroduction of a new 51-strong fleet of Class185 diesel trains to the trans-Pennine route,which links Huddersfield and Dewsbury withcities across the north.

Most recently, Mr Donovan has been thecompany’s engineering director, managingrelationships with train maintenance suppliers,leading on environmental initiatives to reducefuel consumption and carbon emissions andrunning some of the country's most reliabletrains.

He said: “I am delighted to be given thisopportunity to take on the role and to build onthe tremendous successes that have beenachieved.

“There are a range of infrastructure projectsupcoming and we are working closely with theGovernment to increase capacity and providemore carriages by 2014.

“My aim is to lead FTPE’s already successfulteam through these great opportunities andprovide an even better service to ourcustomers.”

Mr Donovan joined British Rail as anengineering management trainee in 1981. Heworked in project development and tendering inthe UK, Australia and Taiwan, working forAlstom from 1997 and joined First Group in2001.

David Colclough & Neil Inskip

BusinessGrowth FundBUSINESS Growth Fund – established to helpBritain's fast-growing smaller andmedium-sized businesses – has appointedDavid Colclough as investment director andNeil Inskip as investment manager to expandits presence in the North of England andNorthern Ireland.

Mr Colclough and Mr Inskip join regionaldirector Andy Gregory, based in Manchester.Their appointment brings the BGF team to 50people, working from six regional officesacross the UK.

Mr Colclough was formerly a director with 3iwith responsibility for the Manchester officeand has more than 13 years experience ofinvesting in SMEs across the northern region.Mr Inskip was an investment manager at ANZPrivate Equity in Sydney, and was previouslywith PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

BGF, launched in May, has a long-termobjective of offering equity investment to up to40 businesses a year once fully established.

It makes long-term equity investments tofund a requirement for working capital,strategic acquisitions, sales and marketing,exports or product development.

■ VOLUME SALES: Partners of the Media Centre-based Sharp Design Agency(left to right front) Richard Sharp, Darlene Sharp and Mandy Taylor with the DMA2011 Silver Award and staff (left to right) Reece Watt, Zac Chetwynd, Emma Marsh,Katie Holmes, Alice Buckley and Ian Dean

Hotel opens its doors

KIRKLEES Mayor Clr Eric Firth cut theribbon to open the second Travelodgehotel in Huddersfield.

The new 62-room hotel atSpindlegate, Leeds Road, representsa £2.2m investment and has created13 new jobs.

The new hotel has been built usinglocal Yorkstone to ensure it’s inkeeping with its surroundings. Localcontractors and manufacturers wereused to build the hotel – which wentup in record time of just 27 weeks inorder to meet demand for Christmas

trading.The hotel is one of seven new

Travelodge hotels to be opened in therun up to Christmas – togethercreating 150 jobs and representingalmost £30m investment.

The Huddersfield hotel team of 13have all been hired via the local JobCentre Plus with the exception ofmanager Greg Merrill.

Clr Firth said: “At a time of suchfinancial doom and gloom, it is veryencouraging to see a business likeTravelodge investing in Huddersfield.

■ CIVIC GUEST: Clr Eric Firth, Mayor of Kirklees, cuts the ribbon to officiallyopen the new Travelodge at Leeds Road, Huddersfield, with hotel managerGreg Merrill (right) and staff members

They wear it wellA CLOTHING supply firm is putting its shirton Huddersfield Town.

Wakefield-based Xamax Clothing is thelatest firm to partner the Galpharm Stadiumclub.

The company, which specialises incasual wear, work wear and sportswear,has worked closely with the Club for thepast two years, supplying several lines ofclothing sold in Town’s shops as well asone-off shirts, such as the “Pedal forPounds 2” cycle top.

Xamax Clothing now becomes titlesponsor of Town’s “Club Partnership”scheme.

Xamax business development managerMark Rogers said: “The Xamax team isdelighted to join forces as a partner withsuch a high profile club.”