The Worthing Dome Free Room Hire In December & 50% Off Room Hire In January!

Green Light for Major Shoreham Office Development

A groundbreaking development led by Adur District Council to safeguard local jobs and generate a return for the taxpayer has got the go-ahead.

Last night (Monday November 13), councillors on the local authority’s planning committee approved a proposal to create a four-storey office block on the former Adur Civic Centre car park in Ham Road, Shoreham.

Work on the development, which has been supported by £1.8 million of funding from the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, will start in the coming months.

With planning approved, Adur leaders can now reveal the site will be used by Focus Group, a Southwick-based communications company, which has outgrown their current premises.

Brian Boggis, Adur District Council's executive member for regeneration, said: "This is a prime example of a council doing everything it can to provide a platform to drive forward development.

"In these straightened times, many local authorities across the country are having to cut back on putting money into their communities. But as a council we realise that sometimes you have to invest before the wider community reaps the rewards.

“By maximising the potential of council land and using public money prudently, we are safeguarding local jobs while generating a return for the taxpayer.”

The development will bring back into use the car park site which has been largely vacant since the Civic Centre closed in 2013.

The 2,780m2 of commercial space will be designed for flexibility and spread over four floors.

The scheme will also incorporate 70 car parking spaces, some of which will be underneath a wing of the four-storey building.

Planners admitted it would form a significant new feature on Ham Road, and would ‘plug the gap’ in the streetscape between Glyndebourne Court and Dunelm Mill.

Ralph Gilbert, managing director of Focus Group, said: “I’m delighted to announce this link-up with Adur District Council. It is a great example of a council helping local businesses grow.

“Over the last ten years we have gone from two staff working from a home office to a respected company operating across the UK with hundreds of staff.

“We are really excited to be staying locally at a fantastic new office which will help us to keep on growing - that’s good news for us, the council and the community as a whole.”

The development is part of a wider revamp of the Civic Centre site.

Across the road to the south, the former red-bricked council headquarters has been demolished and the site has been fenced off.

Adur District Council has earmarked the land for a mixed-use site with the plot set to be marketed in the New Year.

Jonathan Sharrock, Chief Executive of Coast to Capital said: “Shoreham is a great place to live and work and protecting IT skills is vital to the success of the area.

“We are thrilled to be part of a project that will not only safeguard existing local jobs but help provide improved facilities which will benefit a large number of employees, the rewards of which will be felt across the wider community.”

Click here to view the development plan

Adur & Worthing Business Awards Press Release

On Friday 10^th November the winners of the 10^th Adur & Worthing Business Awards were announced at The Pavilion Theatre, Worthing.

The sell-out event was attended by over 370 guests all representing local businessesand included the town’s Mayor, Alex Harman and Mayoress, The Rt Hon, Baroness Virginia Bottomley as well as other distinguished guests and Council delegates.

The Adur & Worthing Business Awards is one of the most prestigious events in the local business calendar and over 750 entries and nominations were received, making this a record breaking year.

Now organised under the umbrella of the Adur & Worthing Business Partnership (AWBP) as a not-for-profit organisation, the Adur & Worthing Business Awards are organised by a committee of successful local business people from organisations including Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd, JSPC Computer Services, Seagull Travel, Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce and Adur & Worthing Council.

James Stoner, Managing Director of JSPC, commented “This has been a special year as it marks the 10^th anniversary of the Awards and the first year that the event has been run for the businesses by businesses. The calibre of entries was of a particularly high standard which gave the judging panel a tremendously difficult task. However, after careful deliberation, we knew the right winners had been selected.”

This year Sue Dare MBE was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work within the Further Education sector for more than 35 years.  This accolade is awarded to an individual who has had a major impact on their business and the area over a number of years. Sue held the title of Principal of Northbrook College from November 2009 until March this year and under her guidance it has become England’s third highest performing college. Over the years Sue has also been involved with the Sussex Learning Network, Adur & Worthing Business Partnership and was integral in setting up the Greater Brighton Economic Board.

In addition to recognising some of the top business talent in our local area, this year’s awards also supported Love Your Hospital, a dedicated charity for Western Sussex Hospital NHS Foundation Trust who raise vital funds Worthing, Southlands and St Richard’s Hospitals.   A fundraising raffle courtesy of Darren Crabb was held during the awards ceremony resulting in £ 1,925 being raised for this fantastic cause.

Peter Webb MBE,

Managing Director of Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd commented; “I would like to personally congratulate all of the award winners, runners up and finalists, for their exceptional achievements over the past year. The Adur & Worthing Business Awards & Gala dinner is an unmissable event for local businesses and I’m delighted that the evening was such a great success”

A full list of winners can be found below:

• ·         Start-Up (Sponsored by: Adur & Worthing Council)

Freedom Works Ltd

• ·         Small Business, up to 9 employees (Sponsored by: Adur & Worthing Business Partnership)

Wall Bros Carpet & Flooring

• ·         Medium Business, 10 to 49 employees (Sponsored by: Allergy Therapeutics)

5 Rings Group & Spicer International Ltd

• ·         Large Business, 50+ employees (Sponsored by: Worthing Pier Southern Pavilion)

The Gemini Print Group

• ·         Business Personality (Sponsored by: The Martlet Partnership)

Sharon Clarke

• ·         Manufacturing & Engineering (Sponsored by: Carpenter Box)

Allergy Therapeutics

• ·         Young Achiever (Sponsored by: Lancing College Preparatory School at Worthing)

 Ben Griggs

• ·         Customer Service (Sponsored by: Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce)

 Prosperon Networks

• ·         Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure (Sponsored by: Southern Water)

South Downs Leisure

• ·         Innovation (Sponsored by: Kreston Reeves)

The Protein Ball Co

• ·         Training & Development (Sponsored by: MET - Greater Brighton Metropolitan College)

Egalite Care Ltd

• ·         Green Business (Sponsored by: Sussex Transport)

Proto Restaurant Group

• ·         Retailer (Sponsored by: Worthing Town Centre Initiative)

Gardner & Scardifield Ltd

• ·         Place to Eat and/or Drink (Sponsored by: Bennett Griffin Solicitors & Notaries)

 CrabShack

• ·         Building & Construction (Sponsored by: Gardner Scardifield)  

ECE Architecture

• ·         Business in the Community (Sponsored by: Bowers & Wilkins)

Whitebox UK

• ·         Lifetime Achievement (Sponsored by: JSPC Computer Services)

 Sue Dare MBE

• ·         Overall Business of the Year (Sponsored by: Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd)

Gemini Print Group

Blueprint revealed for one of the biggest regeneration projects in the South-East!

An ambitious 15-year plan for the renaissance of Shoreham Harbour has been published which could see 1,400 riverside homes built and hundreds of jobs created.

The docklands revival plan could provide a much-needed boost for the area, transforming it into a vibrant, thriving neighbourhood.

Restaurants, shops, office space and cycle ways are also planned together with a new multi-million pound flood defence scheme.

With the area stretching across three local authorities, it is one of the biggest regeneration projects across the south east.

Already one proposal from Southern Housing Group has been unveiled for Free Wharf opposite the former Adur Civic Centre which could see 540 new homes built alongside new work places.

The overall scheme called the Shoreham Harbour Joint Action Plan has been developed by Adur District Council, Brighton & Hove City Council and West Sussex County Council, as well as the Shoreham Port Authority.

Adur District Council leader Neil Parkin claimed the proposals could lead to a stunning revival for the area, saying:

“This has taken five years of hard work but I think it has been worth it.

”It sets out a blueprint for the Harbour which will transform it into a destination of choice providing quality homes, jobs and a fantastic waterside environment for everyone.”

“The joint efforts alongside the other councils toward making this ambitious project sustainable will have a big impact on improving the entire area for the wider community”.

Among the proposals in the 120 page blueprint are;

·  New waterfront walking/cycling route from Shoreham to Kingston Beach.

·  1,400 new homes, including affordable housing

·  23,500 sqm new employment floorspace, including offices

·  Green corridor alongside A259 - improving environment, air quality, reducing noise pollution

·  District heat network - providing affordable, low carbon heat

Port operations will be concentrated in the eastern end of the harbour, freeing land for redevelopment. This scheme is set to repurpose this underused as an integral part of the revitalisation of the area.

Emphasis has also been placed on enhancing the waterfront’s natural appeal as a watersport destination with big plans to create a safe place to get active on the River Adur.

Bob Lanzer, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, said:

“This is an exciting plan which will bring about long-term regeneration and support economic growth on the West Sussex coast for existing and new residents, ports users, and visitors alike.”

“It will help to maintain capacity for transporting minerals alongside redevelopment and investment in transport and other community infrastructure.”

Cllr Julie Cattell, lead member for planning at Brighton & Hove City Council, said:

“This regeneration scheme will see the transformation of Shoreham Harbour by creating a vibrant, exciting hub for this popular but all too often neglected area.

“The scheme will also bring much-needed jobs, housing and office space to Shoreham, and shows what can be achieved when different local authorities work in partnership.”

The plans will be available for public view from November 10 to December 22 with an invitation for comments on its overall legal compliance.

Both hard copies and digitised documents will be available during these dates at the Shoreham centre in Pond Road, Hove Town Hall, Norton Road and Bartholomew House in Brighton as well as libraries across the area.

Click here to view the aerial shots of the Harbour and click here to view the Joint Area Action Plan with Aerial map.

See Whats Happening at the Colonnade House This Month!

Click here to see more

Father Christmas is back, and this time he's had three helpings of sprouts…
 
Father Christmas returns to the stage in Worthing this festive season as TaleGate Theatre present their latest stage adaptation. Following their previous sell out production of Nicholas Allen’s Father Christmas Needs A Wee, the company now present the children’s author’s highly anticipated sequel, Father Christmas Comes Up Trumps, as the musical tours to Worthing’s Connaught Theatre on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th December.
 
As he tries to deliver the presents, his tummy rumbles, gurgles and groans, but Father Christmas knows he must keep it in – he doesn't want to wake anyone up. TaleGate Theatre Productions combine witty humour, festive music and the extra sparkle for which they have become known in this funny and bouncy musical adaptation.
 
TaleGate Theatre Artistic Director, James Worthington comments “We are very excited to tour our new festive musical across the UK. It promises to beat our own high standard and really pack a tuneful punch. We are really lucky to be working with Nicholas Allan again on another of his books as they are perfect for cheeky children everywhere. When even the title makes you laugh you know you are in for a good time!”
 
Tickets for Father Christmas Comes Up Trumps are priced from £11.50-£12.50 and are available from the Worthing Theatres box office on 01903 206 206 and online 

Frankly Sinatra

Direct from Las Vegas, the iconic music of Frank Sinatra is brought to life once again his way. Featuring the swing, the swagger and the velvet vocals of Stephen Triffitt, backed by the big band in concert, live at the Assembly Hall on Wednesday 20th December.

LISTING INFORMATION 
Frankly Sinatra
Date:   Wednesday 20th December 2017
Time:   7.30pm
Venue: Assembly Hall, Stoke Abbott Road, Worthing, BN11 1HQ
Price:   £25.50, Concessions £24.50, Groups 10+ £22.05
Box office: 01903 206 206 or online at https://worthingtheatres.co.uk/frankly-sinatra/

Investment Solutions Newsletter

In this months Investment Solutions Newsletter:

• Automating tax returns
  
• Cash ISAs
• Pension sharing (divorce)
• Pensions annual allowance
• Lasting Powers of Attorney

Local Manufacturers Focus on ‘Industry 4.0’

Sussex manufacturers will need to focus on upskilling and digitisation to reap the benefits of ‘Industry 4.0’ – the so-called fourth industrial revolution.

The latest meeting of METALL (the Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology Alliance), a forum for south coast and Gatwick diamond businesses in the sector, heard that while robotics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence offered potential for productivity gains, there were structural barriers to overcome.

Speaking at the event, Philippa Oldham, Head of Manufacturing and Transport for the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), said nine in 10 manufacturers were aware of developments in robotics, but that industry’s skills gap remained a significant challenge.

“We need to get more people excited about engineering, from apprentices through to Phd graduates, so that we are equipped as a sector to optimise the value of the fourth industrial revolution,” she said. She estimated that manufacturing needed to find 182,000 new technicians and engineers every year until 2022 to meet demand.

This skills gap was underlined in the latest MHA Carpenter Box manufacturing and engineering report, which showed that 84% of manufacturing businesses in the south east were struggling to recruit people. Despite these challenges, the survey found that the majority of local businesses remained optimistic about the future which perhaps reflects the fact that engineers, by definition, solve problems.

Innovate UK's Emerging and Enabling Round 3 to close November 8th at 12:00

Innovate UK will invest up to £25 million in innovation projects that inspire new products and services.

The aim of this competition is to help UK businesses broaden their innovation activities, disrupt existing markets and find new revenue sources.

Projects must show significant innovation in one of the following priority areas:

• emerging technologies
• digital
• enabling capabilities
• space applications

Projects will range in size from total project costs of £35,000 to £2 million. Projects must last between 3 months and 3 years.