Entries Rolling in for 27^th Sussex Business Awards

Entries are rolling in from across the county for the 27th Sussex Business Awards.

Open to businesses of all sizes and sectors, these prestigious Awards are the longest established scheme of its kind in Sussex and widely considered to be ‘the one to win’.

Past winners have included inspirational entrepreneurs such as Gary Peters, LoveLocalJobs.com; Alan Margetts, The Kitchen Store and Kevin Byrne of Checkatrade.com. As well as established international companies Qualifa, Cash Bases and Aspen Pumps Ltd and successful public sector departments such as the RSPCA and Chichester College.

Last year Burgess Hill-based International Logistics Group Ltd, a leading provider of fulfilment services, international couriers and outsourced warehousing solutions, was named Responsible Business of the Year - and managing director Mike Stephenson has no doubts about the value of the award.

Mike said: “Winning the award for Responsible Business gave our managers and staff the recognition that they deserved and a reason to celebrate what we had achieved as a team.”

Other winners from 2014 include Tracy Smith of Homes Partnership in Crawley who has gone from strength to strength, proving just how much clout being an award winner can bring.

Tracy comments: “Winning Sussex Businessperson of the Year was such an honour and has helped my business in so many ways with the use of timely and appropriate promotion of the Award. The response from customers and industry colleagues has been amazing and it has reinforced our credibility as a great company to work with.”

Brighton-based Preston Insurance Brokers, a specialist commercial insurance broker, was also named Most Promising New Business - and managing partner Noel Preston has no doubts about the value of the award.

Noel said: “Winning a Sussex Business Award confirmed our credentials with local businesses, our clients and staff alike. Our client retention levels are over 98% and new enquiries have been rolling in ever since, helping to grow our business to the next stage.”

Caraline Brown, organiser of the Sussex Business Awards, commented: “The quality of businesses that have entered so far is outstanding, and the standard of entries is very high. The aim is to make this year’s Awards the best yet, and we are certainly on target for that. To anyone considering entering, my advice is to take the plunge – as soon as possible.”

There are fifteen trophies up for grabs this year so there is sure to be something for everyone – from the prestigious Sussex Company of the Year and the award for the Most Promising New Business, along with special awards to recognise innovation, customer service and hospitality.

There is a small admin fee of £50 (ex vat) to enter one award or £100 (ex vat) for up to three entries. You can also make nominations for the Healthiest Workplace, Best Boss and Outstanding Contribution to Sussex Charity free of charge. 

To enter simply go online at www.sbawards.org.uk to review all of the categories available and determine which are appropriate for your business.

The deadline for entries is 9 September, with winners announced at a prestigious ceremony at The Grand Brighton, on Thursday 3 December, 2015.

The Awards are sponsored by Morgan Sindall, HSBC, Domestic & General, Mazars, Sussex Innovation Centre, Checkaprofessional.com, Wealden District Council, Thomas Eggar, Vantage Professional Risks, Checkatrade.com, Sussex Chamber of Commerce and Basepoint Business Centres. Media partners include The Argus, Heart FM, Title Sussex and Sussex Business Times.

Next Tuesday, we will be launching #StartUpTuesday. A campaign dedicated to sharing information, advice and guidance to new start up businesses, small start up businesses and those that are simply thinking about starting up their own business. This will be leading up to the launch of The Innovation Hub, due to open on Broadwater Road in Worthing later on this year.

Keep your eyes peeled for regular updates every Tuesday!

(Starts Tuesday 1st September 2015)

​FIRMS across the Sussex and Hampshire are in the spotlight once again, with the launch of the 6th Johnston Press South Business Awards.

The awards celebrate the best in business across the south, bringing together winners from Johnston Press titles’ own award winners.

Winners​ only​ from awards run by The News in Portsmouth, the Worthing Herald series, the Chichester Observer series and Littlehampton Gazette, and the Eastbourne Herald are already short listed​, They will be joined by those from the ​Sussex Express’ ​​Lewes & Wealden Business Awards, ​Hastings Observer series’ 1066 Business Awards and West Sussex County Times’ Business Matters awards.

Headline Sponsor:

The headline sponsor JSPC Computer Services are the awards’ headline sponsor for the fou​r​th year running. JSPC Computer Services work with businesses across the south, delivering a wide range of IT solutions to meet the needs of both small and large corporate clients. The company also support more than 200 primary and secondary schools across Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire.

​Join us for the 2015 Johnston Press South Business Awards​ at The Grand Hotel, Brighton on 2nd October for a superb three course dinner with wine.

Just some of the shortlistings include.......

• Andrew Swayne (Ricardo UK Ltd)​ (Worthing)
• The Health & Beauty lounge​ (Worthing)​
• ETI Ltd​ ​(Worthing)​
• Darren Crabb Wealth Management (Worthing)
• Pixel by Pixel ​(Worthing)​
• Worthing Piers Southern Pavilion​ (Worthing)​
• Silcotec Europe UK Ltd ​ (Worthing)​
• Littlehampton Book Services Ltd ​(Worthing)​
• Tosca Ristorante ​(Shoreham By Sea)​
• Creatiques Bridal Boutique​ ​(Portsmouth)​​​​ 
• Panic Plumbing & Electrics ​​(Worthing)​​
• Flare Audio​ ​(Worthing)​​
• Sian Panton (Sussex Transport)
• Northbrook College ​​(Worthing)​​
  
  

Dress code: Black Tie

​The evening’s itinerary​
​6.30pm – Welcome drinks
7.​30pm – ​Seated for dinner
9.​00pm – Awards ceremony
11.00pm – ​​After-Show Party
01.00am – Carriages​

For more information contact jeanette.hockley@jpress.co.uk or call 07841 800401

 A very warm welcome to our new August members!!

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Annabel Ursu-Brown from Brownie Design Ltd                 

Mary Hughes from Affinity Funeral Services

Kate Michaela from Glam Beauty

Martin Nash from Peachy Publishing Ltd

Jeremy Ramsden from Abbotts Advertising & Sponsorship Limited

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The Quarterly Economic Survey for Q3 is now online.

To take part in the survey please visit:

www.britishchambers.org.uk/qes

Remember your participation helps provide the following:

The QES is Britain's biggest, and longest-running, private business survey.

It has provided consistent data since 1989, and regularly receives more than 7,000 business responses. Compare that to the average business survey, which garners a few hundred responses.

It's a leading indicator – often picking up big changes in the economy long before other surveys or official statistics.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee uses the QES as one of its key benchmarks when setting interest rates.

HM Treasury and the independent Office for Budget Responsibility use the QES to put together their forecasts for the UK's economic performance.

The European Commission uses the QES to assess the health of the UK economy when it makes policy recommendations for both Westminster and Brussels.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) use the QES when comparing the UK to competitors worldwide.

The QES is a clear example of how being part of a local Chamber of Commerce means you're part of something bigger. Together, we are the economy

Those wishing to obtain a more detailed survey of economic conditions in a particular nation or region as perceived by individual businesses are invited to contact the representatives listed on the closing page of this survey report. Historical data for each nation and region is available on the website www.economicsurvey.org.uk.

The deadline to complete the survey is: 14th September 2015

Martin Randall: in partnership with local business

When Martin Randall left his role as Head of City Planning & Development at Brighton and Hove City Council in June to become Head of Place and Investment at Adur and Worthing Councils it was a bit of a homecoming: Martin has lived in Shoreham for the last 25 years. But more change was to follow. In no time at all, weeks in fact, Martin took up the bigger role of Director for the Economy, filling the gap left by Scott Marshall.

So what is the role of Director for the Economy? Martin displays a refreshing clarity and succinctness when he describes his role: “To drive economic growth by supporting our existing businesses.” Martin describes this as the modern way of managing the local economy. “Supporting our established local businesses is a more sustainable approach and a vibrant local business community is an attractive proposition for new investors in Adur and Worthing.”

This emphasis on local businesses is refreshing to hear but it also dovetails nicely with one of Martin’s other areas of responsibility: land development. This is no easy job and he has major schemes to deliver, Teville Gate for example. “Part of my role is to make these projects happen,” he says. If anyone has the experience, tenacity, and skills to see these major projects through it’s Martin, having played a key role in delivering both the Amex Stadium and Amex HQ in his previous role in Brighton.

Martin firmly believes that the Worthing and Adur region is set to take off but also knows there is much work to do to make that happen. He has four areas in his sights: “We have to support local businesses, promote tourism, drive the cultural economy, and get the seafront strategy right,” he says. “Driving the local economy and supporting local businesses is central to what local government is about. To be a trusted local authority you have to prove you are a partner to businesses, not a barrier. A big part of this will involve working in partnership with our local Chamber of Commerce.”

Sounds good. But what does this all look like to the local business owner? Listening to Martin you quickly realise that he firmly believes in not only talking to local businesses, but actually engaging them in the wider strategic investment strategy. Martin also points out the great work going on in partnership with the Chamber and Northbrook College culminating in the new business incubator units in Broadwater.

And the Chamber of Commerce? Martin believes it is in good health and has a big part to play. National government has recognised the importance of the Chamber movement too. “Our Chamber is a terrific vehicle for promoting and sponsoring the Worthing and Adur area,” he says. “I saw this at the Chamber’s AGM when I was struck by the members’ enthusiasm. If we build a strong working partnership between our Councils and our Chamber of Commerce, then the outlook for business in Worthing and Adur is bright.”

CHAMBER members were

out in force supporting the

StreetVelodrome event, which was

praised as busiest of the series.

Worthing and Adur Chamber

members including haulage firm

Sussex Transport and Electronic

Temperature Instruments (ETI) were

headline sponsors at the event, so

we asked for their feedback as to

the value of supporting these types

of events.

A spokesman for ETI said: “As

a Worthing-based business we

believe sponsoring local events

supports both the community and is

a great opportunity to promote our

business.

“Our cycling team thought the

Street Velodrome was a great new

experience – it was also good to

see the public of all ages getting

involved riding the track. We hope it

will be back next year.”

Sussex Transport was delighted

to be one of the key sponsors,

commenting: “We took two of

our brand new Mercedes Actros

lorries to the event, which were a

real crowd puller – and there was

a constant queue of interested

spectators waiting to climb into the

huge vehicles all weekend!

“This was especially of interest

to cyclists and allowed members

of the public to get a lorry drivers

view of the world – as well as photo

opportunities for proud parents!”

Worthing was praised for drawing

the largest audiences to date when

the inaugural visit of the Asda

StreetVelodrome Series landed in

Beach House Grounds.

A NEW confederation of British

Industry survey has shown SME

optimism has improved in the past

three months. But how do we turn this

confidence into growth? The answer is

alternative finance.

The rise of alternative finance has

been spectacular – the crowdfunding

sector is growing at over 400 per cent

per year, invoice finance use has

reached record levels and peer-topeer

lending in the UK stands at over

£3bn – but there needs to be more, and

raising awareness of these services is

a key part of the growth stage.

The government is embracing

alternative finance to a degree, such

as through the British Business

Bank (british-business-bank.co.uk)and

so are traditional banks, some of

which are recommending alternative

finance providers to SMEs that fail

their lending criteria. However, this

needs more impetus if small business

owners are going to benefit from the

full range of lending options available

to them and the much-highlighted

optimism is to be turned into growth.

The announcement of the UK’s first

small business funding exhibition,

the Business Funding Show

(businessfundingshow.com) demonstrates

this goal is being worked towards.

The exhibition will take place in

London in February and its aim is

to connect entrepreneurs and small

businesses with key finance providers.

The event has been backed by

Innocent Drinks co-founder Richard

Reed. The show will hopefully act

as a catalyst for other initiatives to

promote the availability of alternative

finance services.

On Friday, September 25, Worthing

and Adur Chamber will be hosting

a Networking Breakfast to discuss

funding opportunities, alternative

finance and support available in these

areas. Come along and join us at Field

Place, Worthing for what promises

to be an interesting, informative and

valuable meeting. To book, please visit

www.worthingandadurchamber.co.uk

Written by Tony Hedger, A&T Business Associates

Deadline looms for you to grab a slice of capital cash

DON’T miss the deadline for Coast

to Capital Business Growth Grants.

Coast to Capital Local Enterprise

Partnership, in partnership with

West Sussex County Council, has

launched the Business Growth

Grants programme and is looking

for small and medium-sized

businesses that are looking to

expand and create new jobs.

Coast to Capital has been

awarded £9.5m for business finance

across the next six years.

The money comes from central

government’s Local Growth Fund,

which is a capital grant, and the

aim of the funding is to support

economic development through the

creation of new jobs, homes and

employment space.

Some £1m is available for

Business Growth Grants for the

2015-16 financial year.

Applications are welcome from

businesses that are in one of the

Coast to Capital priority sectors

and/or be able to demonstrate

strong medium term growth plans.

Retail is not an eligible sector.

Start-ups, existing businesses

and social enterprises are invited

to apply, the proposed new activity

must be additional to existing

business activity.

Businesses must be able to incur

the grant in full by March 31, 2016,

and the grant may be used only for

capital items.

Expenditure incurred means

that the goods, works or services

have been received by the

business within that period and

an invoice has been approved for

payment.

Applications for expressions

of interest are now open and

will remain open until 12pm on

September 15 – or before if the

amount of funding available is

awarded before this date.

n See more at www.coast2capital.org.

uk/helping-business-growth/49-grantfunding/

450-coast-to-capital-businessgrowth-

grants.html#sthash.l9srSbLR.dpuf