July 2012 Archives | North Somerset Business Leader

Archive for: July 2012

Cribbs Causeway expansion plans ‘a wake up call’

Jul. 31 Columnists, Features no comments

James Edwards 199x300 Cribbs Causeway expansion plans a wake up call

James Edwards from Colliers International discusses the Cribbs Causeway expansion. He is widely regarded as one of the West’s foremost commentators on planning and heritage issues.

Here he argues that small towns across North Somerset shouldn’t waste their efforts trying to curb the expansion out of town shopping centres – but re-double their efforts to improve their own unique shopping experience.

Cribbs Causeway expansion

Expansion plans at the Mall at Cribbs Causeway are a wake up call for Somerset towns struggling to preserve the viability of their High Streets, according to Colliers International planning and heritage specialist James Edwards.

The controversial proposals to expand Cribbs Causeway by two-thirds are presently being discussed by South Gloucestershire Council and the planning inspectorate.

The plan has triggered angry reaction across the West with objectors claiming the planned expansion would result in reducing trade in Weston-super-Mare by 11 per cent and in Bristol by 10 per cent.

But James Edwards said smaller town traders could not simply cross their fingers and hope the Cribbs Causeway scheme is thrown out.

He said: “The typical town in Somerset should not be distracted by what might happen twenty miles away. Out of town shopping centres such as Cribbs Causeway will continue to lure shoppers away from our local high streets, whether this particular plan is approved or not.

“Towns should be focussing on what they can do to increase the appeal of their own high street retail experience rather than worry about the expansion of centres like the Mall, which are largely out of their control.”

Mary Portas

The Bristol-based planner was a vocal campaigner on behalf of the five Somerset towns bidding for their share of the Mary Portas Town Centre funds.

Chard, Wellington, Taunton, Wincanton and Burnham made unsuccessful bids for their share of the £1.2m ‘Town Team’ pot while Bedminster in Bristol and Liskeard in Cornwall were among the 12 successful applicants.

But James Edwards admitted the £100,000 cash injection on offer may not be enough to halt the decline of Somerset’s High Streets – even if the bids had been successful.

Niche offering

He said: “Town councillors and traders across Somerset must develop their niche offering with visitor-friendly strategies including regular markets and a strong range of independent shops to create a personable shopping experience if they were to compete with the larger out of town centres.”

The recently released Colliers International Midsummer Retail Review revealed that our of 36 West towns surveyed prime rents were stable in 20 and dropping in 14.

But he said there had been a small rise in rents in Taunton and a dramatic 45 per cent rise in Wells.

“Wells enjoys both geographic and demographic advantages over some of the Somerset towns which did not perform anywhere near as well. It is able to draw upon a fairly wealthy population who would find the drive out to Cribbs Causeway something of a challenge given the poor motorway connections from that side of the county.”

He said the fact many of the North Somerset towns surveyed enjoyed excellent motorway connections had proved to be a disadvantage, drawing trade out of the local centres and away to the out of town precincts.

Double whammy

Their High Streets had faced a double whammy – coping with the effects of the downturn as well as strongly performing and highly accessible out of town centres.

James Edwards said: “The fact is that if it’s not Cribbs Causeway it will be somewhere else – Bristol city centre, Cardiff, Gloucester and Swindon all have popular shopping malls and small town traders must ask themselves why customers are going elsewhere?”

“I believe their best course would be to look at the success of Wells and replicate the shopping experience there as far as possible, concentrating on offering a range of interesting independent shops set in a characterful and relaxing setting.”

Plans under discussion for the Mall include almost 115,000 sq ft of additional floor space in order to ‘safeguard its long term future.’

But Bristol City Council claimed the owners had not considered the likely impact of the expansion plan across high street shopping centres.

The Dolphin Square shopping centre development in Weston-super-Mare along with Cabot Circus and the Mall in Broadmead, Bristol, have also objected to the plans.

To find out more about Colliers visit: http://www.colliers.com/en-US To find out more about Cribbs Causeway visit: http://www.mallcribbs.com/

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Skyburst fireworks light up both ends of the UK

Jul. 31 Latest News, Leisure no comments

The Skyburst team

A West Country company, with its headquarters in Upper Langford, has lit up both ends of the United Kingdom at once – in what has been described as a unique achievement.

Skyburst The Firework Company was called in to provide a spectacular firework display at Stromness Shopping Week in Orkney and at the same time a team was despatched to provide an evening of fireworks at the opposite end of the country Land’s End.

A team from Skyburst travelled to Orkney island to present a display that was designed on specialist software at Skyburst’s HQ in Upper Langford

At the same time another Skyburst team was at the Land’s End tourist attraction producing their In The Skies firework show.

Alan Christie, Managing Director of Skyburst said: “We have firing teams all over the country but it was very special to think that we had displays going on at the same time at completely opposite ends of the country.

“We have lots of displays in Scotland this summer and have just delivered all the fireworks to a secure storage facility in Scotland so our teams can then simply pick up the displays when they are ready to fire them.

“Fireworks provide a spectacular finale to so many events and help to keep tourists in areas later in the evening, spending money on food and drink, so they are remaining popular with the top tourist destinations.”

To find out more about Skyburst please visit: http://www.skyburst.co.uk/

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Celebrity guest opens new store

Jul. 31 Charity, Latest News no comments

Weston Hospicecare Celebrity guest opens new store Points West anchor and local celebrity, Alex Lovell, officially opened the doors of Weston Hospicecare’s High St shop recently.

Other guests at the ribbon cutting included The Mayor and Mayoress, Weston Hospicecare employees, volunteers and customers.

Alex Lovell, who is BBC Points West anchor commented: “The Hospice is close to the hearts of so many people in and around Weston-super-Mare. It was an honour to open their newest store and meet the staff and volunteers who run it. I wish them the very best of luck.”

Linda Kelly, Retail Manager at Weston Hospicecare said: “Although we’ve been open for a little while, this was the perfect official opening event for this shop. It’s one of our biggest and we’re in a great location on the High Street.”

The charity’s store on the High Street in Weston-super-Mare is not only the newest, but one of its largest; boasting an extensive book selection to rival the very best of second-hand book stores. It also sells seasonal clothing, homeware and electrical items.

For more information and locations of all the Weston Hospicecare shops visit www.westonhospicecare.org.uk or call 01934 423900.

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The North Somerset Marketing Lab

Jul. 30 Columnists no comments

Ascot Group’s Sophie Priest

The Ascot Group is a North Somerset based full-service marketing agency.

Here its Marketing Services Manager Sophie Priest discusses current issues and trends in the North Somerset Marketing Lab– a collection of short snippets from her regular marketing blog.

We all block out many of the sales messages we receive on a daily basis.

We have all become numb, in one way or another, to many forms of advertising that is directed as us.

The problem - built in human spam filter

Advertising though, is an important part of any marketing strategy and should never be overlooked.

But considering the average consumer is bombarded with over 3,000 marketing messages per day, it may not always get past the built-in ‘spam filter’ in our heads.

People are too busy. They have all the products they more or less need. You have to impress them with an advert and something else.

The solution?

So how can you best compliment the message you have in your advert, and get somebody to pick up the phone.

Direct mail

Targeted direct mail is certainly one way.

It demands attention – we generally open a professional looking letter that is personally addressed to us.

And even if If we don’t, the flier or sales letter may stick around the office or home for a few days, being looked at by more than one person.

When was the last time you sent out a well designed, succinctly worded direct mail that really showcased your company?

Done properly, and in co-junction with advertising, direct mail is incredibly effective.

Results

Here at the Ascot Group we find that time and time again direct mail = results.

To find out more about direct marketing visit here: http://www.ascotgroup.co.uk/direct-marketing.html To talk to us about Direct Marketing please call on: 01934 422 672

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North Somerset Council leader Cllr Nigel Ashton

Jul. 27 In Your View no comments

The North Somerset Business Leader interviews North Somerset Council leader Cllr Nigel Ashton.

What is North Somerset Council doing to attract inward investment?

We are already ahead of the game in this respect and are working with our three neighbouring councils on a one billion pound investment package, from central government, which has come about by our being business friendly and having a proven track record of delivering.

We’re already attracting businesses and inward investment – just look at all the developments that are happening around the town and the increase in new businesses, supermarkets and major retailers investing here.

The new Tutto restaurant, for example, has been made possible because of the work done by North Somerset Council. It is an iconic attraction but ironically many were saying it shouldn’t be erected and that it would be an eye-sore.

But I fought for it to be built because it fits in with the new and exciting vision for Weston and the investment drive we are pursuing. Such developments represent the future of the town.

How successful an event was the Weston Showcase in communicating what the Council is doing?

It’s really exciting times here in North Somerset and the investors and business people who came to the Weston Showcase in March realised that this is a place where you can do business.

We’re welcoming business and investment here in what is a superb place to set up and prosper. We have access to a fast-growing and successful international airport, access to some fine educational establishments that are second to none, and super-fast broadband is on its way as well. We are doing far more than other areas and the work being done to improve the area is not “child’s play”.

For example we are looking at twenty million pounds worth of work on JCT21 and significant improvement in the rail service. The Weston Showcase was a good springboard to communicate that we’re open for business.

Do you feel there is too much focus and expectation pinned on the Tropicana?

I do not blame people for being interested in the Tropicana but a small number of people seem to be focused on it from a negative point of view, and you have to question their motives and why they’re involved.

All North Somerset Council is doing is tidying up an out of date, crumbling eye-sore that hasn’t been open for 12 years. If anybody had come forward with a viable plan I would have been delighted, and that can still happen, if such a plan exists.

Recent suggestions for the Tropicana are not based on reality and the public shouldn’t have to subsidise a failing project that hasn’t been making any money for years. As you know the courts have refused the application from Mr Mead to go to judicial review so we can stop wasting public money on court cases and get on and improve Weston seafront even further.

Why have no developments east of the motorway been pursued by the Council?

We have not pursued developments east of the motorway, as if we allowed this, it would take away much of the investment that we’re trying to attract into Weston-super-Mare. We need to regenerate parts of WSM before we allow expansion that would suck investment out of the town.

What certain people have failed to mention is that the land they want to develop east of the motorway is all in their own ownership, which is understandable from that land owners point of view, but not in the best interests of the town.

Have the current economic conditions held back any of North Somerset Council’s plans for the region?

We have had substantial financial resources taken away, 45% of our entire budget to be precise and we have to face this economic reality.

We also have a 3 per cent year on year growth in the elderly population amidst a critical shortage of resources. But we have a clear direction and a dedicated staff that knows what we have to achieve.

We have put in place directives and policies which will enable the Council to successfully carry out its functions and services in circumstances we’ve never experienced before.

So do you feel the recession is as bad as the media portrays?

We are in a serious situation and the worst hasn’t even happened yet. But I do think the media have a lot to answer for in that they are dwelling on the worse aspects.

We will not really realise how bad it is until local jobs and services start to suffer. Business is being cautious at a time when they ought to be investing in the future – which can be a problem and can be made worse by the media because it stifles confidence.

We have six years of cuts in funding and we are only at the start of the second year, so there is much more to come.

Another big project that has re-surfaced recently is the Severn Barrage. Would you like to see these plans become a reality?

I understand it would be a huge generator of power and a huge engineering feat in itself, but my concerns are the affect it would have on Royal Portbury Docks which is a huge employer in the area. They have invested a lot of money to become one the biggest docks on the West Coast.

There is also a call for moving the Severn Barrage project further upstream together with a lagoon, as this would generate just as much electricity and not have an effect on areas of natural beauty, flooding and would not lead to a silting up of a fairly narrow channel for shipping.

If it does go ahead it would of course provide scope for local jobs and we’d work hard to ensure the local college is involved and that the local economy benefits primarily from the scheme. We’d be looking to have a big share in the 40,000 plus jobs it is suggested the barrage would create.

Do you feel there is enough positive coverage of the work North Somerset Council is doing?

Frankly, no, and when I hear people say that we’re not investing in the area, and especially Weston-super-Mare I think to myself what a ridiculous comment this is.

To be honest I am deeply disappointed in the Weston Echo itself, for previously sanctioning articles with quotes from third parties that didn’t accurately present the work North Somerset Council is doing and contained personal slurs against me and my colleagues.

I think it is really sad when people result to personal abuse like this – I do not intend to step down to their level.

When you consider the investment in Weston in what are such difficult economic times it is something that should be reported positively but there seems to be a desire to focus on the negatives.

Take Locking Parklands for example – this is a self-contained village not just a faceless urban extension and is a development we can be proud of and where people want to live. What we’ve been conscious of is not creating just another blanket development – that is just houses covering a green area. This is much more than that.

And look at all the other developments and projects – the Knightstone development, junction 21, the seafront enhancements and high-street developments that we should be talking about.

Moving to a broader national question, do you feel there has been too much of an obsession with school leavers going to University?

While everybody should have the opportunity to go to university the benefit of a working scholarship or apprenticeship needs to be recognised.

I have been very impressed with the apprentices we have had working at North Somerset Council in various roles and I want to increase awareness of the very good work that is being done in this area.

I have spent time with the apprentices who have been here and they have told me what needs to improve and what has been beneficial about the scheme and what hasn’t.

I feel that apprenticeships need a re-branding and re-marketing and parents need to be educated about the benefit of them.

We also need to face up to the fact that there are too many meaningless degrees – how many more media degrees can we have when you consider that there isn’t enough media jobs being created.

Plumbing and electrical apprenticeships are well established but what about professional working scholarships for jobs in banking, finance and the digital world – people need working experience in these sectors and apprenticeships can be equally as valuable, if not more so, than degrees in doing this in some sectors.

As a footnote what would you like to say to the residents and business people of North Somerset?

I am absolutely dedicated to North Somerset and we as an organisation have instrumented enormous change to become the number one performing council in the UK.

All I want to do is steer North Somerset Council through these difficult times as best as possible. I am excited about what I see coming in the next few years and I am not going to stoop to trading personal insults, but get on with the important task of securing investment for this region.

These really are exciting times for the area. We have had the Prime Minster David Cameron, the Chancellor George Osborne, Transport Secretary Justine Greening and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander all come to see the investment and growth that is happening here. This speaks volume for what we are achieving in the region.

* Please note – all views expressed are those of the interviewee and do no reflect or represent the views of the Weston & North Somerset Ech0 – which is an independent online business news portal.

Cllr Nigel Ashton is the leader of North Somerset Council – http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/

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Ken Simpson’s Make More Margin retail bulletin

Jul. 26 Columnists no comments

: Make More Margin’s Ken Simpson

Exclusive to the Weston and North Somerset Echo, retail expert Ken Simpson, of Make More Margin, collates and presents the latest retail related news.

Forget facebook

Forget Facebook. Retailers are turning to Facewatch instead – a free to use national system that allows businesses to report a crime over the web with CCTV footage. You can find out more about this service by contacting me direct.

Ageing population

More people in the UK are over the age of 65 than under it. But a report by AGE UK revealed that many retail stores are failing the ageing population with narrow and cluttered aisles, a lack of toilet facilities and nowhere to sit.

So what can retailers do? On a study tour to Germany recently I saw magnifying glasses secured to each fixture run and a door bell system where less able customers could call for help in reaching high or low goods. Just two measures being taken to help the elderly population.

The key is to imagine it is your mum or grandma trying to do their shopping – you can make a difference that the BIG 4 will struggle to match.

Green is good

Green really is good. Bargain Booze retailers are reaping the rewards of green initiatives introduced across 100 of its stores. They have saved a whopping £500,000 in the first year, including a 41% saving on energy bills. If you too would like to cut your energy bills don’t hesitate to drop me a line for a free consulation.

Local goods

The news that a regional bakery in Wales has won a contract to supply 35 Tesco stores with bread and morning goods is good news for all retailers. The rise in popularity of local goods provides a huge opportunity for all local suppliers to get their products on the shelves of the giant retailers. If you don’t ask you won’t get so go for it.

Post Office rival

A new rival to Post Office and Collect+ has emerged. Home delivery specialist Hermes has recruited 500 stores for its new parcel service, and are looking to extend the service to a further 500 stores by the end of the year.

No Pin? No worries

No PIN? The Payments Council has released important advice to help retailers overcome the issue of customers who don’t have a PIN number. Many people are unable to use a PIN for a variety of reasons including mobility, dexterity, sight or memory. The cards look identical to a CHIP & PIN card but will request a signature when inserted in to the terminal. More information can be found at www.paymentscouncil.org.uk

Carrier bag levy

Free Carrier bags have hit the headlines again. Despite the big four trying to drive down the number given away there has been a significant rise in the volume used.

Prompting government to take another look at imposing a levy on the issue of bags at the checkout. Iceland has reported a 77% fall in the number of bags issued at its stores in Wales, where the 5p per bag levy was introduced last October.

Consultation has begun in Scotland on a similar scheme and Northern Ireland introduces their scheme in 2013. It is going to happen in the UK so why not get ahead of the government levy and start charging for bags. You can donate the cash to a local charity and get media coverage from the donation.

Retail awards

And to end on a positive note. I was recently involved in the judging of the Retail Industry Awards. The short list was published recently and we have several contenders for prizes here in Somerset. Congratulations go to:

Budgens Wells – on the shortlist for the Indpendent Forecourt of The Year

Budgens Wells – on the shortlist for most sustainable store of the year

West Country Ales of Cheddar on the short list for best Beer and Cider retailer of the year

Yatton News in Yatton on the short list for best Independent Newsagent of the year

Jason Tamplin of Budgens Wells on the short list for best store manager of the year – Independents

To get in touch with Ken email him on info@makemoremargin.com or visit www.makemoremargin.co.uk

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Cadbury House fitness club first to go virtual

Jul. 26 Retail no comments

Jason Eaton with new equipment

theclub, which is based at Cadbury House has become the first in the South West to install the very latest in virtual fitness bike technology.

theclub has now taken delivery of four, state-of-the-art Trixter X-dream training bikes representing an investment of £24,000.

Replicating the true motion of riding a bike outdoors, the Trixter X-dream bike has been proved to burn 55% more calories as opposed to a standard fixed wheel indoor bike.

With riders feeling real gears, brakes and handlebars the bikes’ resistance accurately depicts the terrain gradients, track surfaces and conditions.

The four bikes also include virtual screens which shows the rider where they are in relation to users on the other bikes. It means they can race against each other making the workout more fun or competitive.

The reason for the Trixter’s impressive performance is due to the unique X-Bar mechanism. With its realistic movement and seven levels of resistance it helps work the core and upper body, areas normally missed by other exercise bikes.

With four different terrains to choose from including Parkland, Semi Arid, Desert and Highlands, users will start on the easier green trails moving up through the blue, red, black and finally onto the toughest white graded routes.

Jason Eaton, manager at theclub said: “These new bikes really are the next generation in terms of health club fitness. They are also really good fun and once members get underway they’ll soon forget they’re exercising.

“Here at Cadbury House, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve our members’ experience and is why we have invested in these new bikes. It’s what sets us apart from all other health clubs.”

For further information on theclub at Cadbury House please call T: 01934 834343 or visit www.theclubandspabristol.co.uk

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Holiday let owners could be losing thousands says tax expert

Jul. 26 Economy, Latest News no comments

Robert Stone

The tax rules for furnished holiday lets have changed and chartered accountant Robert Stone from Ilminster is concerned that too many North Somerset holiday let owners are potentially missing out on tax savings worth thousands of pounds.

“HMRC has made some important changes to the furnishing holiday lettings (FHL) tax rules, which holiday let owners in the UK or the EEA (European Economic Area) need to be aware of,” said Robert Stone, “plus there are two major expenses, interest on property loans and capital allowances, which are constantly overlooked by holiday home owners.”

“The tax office has updated its system for losses made by FHL’s. Previously someone could use a holiday let loss to reduce their other taxable income, now you can only offset it against future letting profits of that holiday home.

“Plus, HMRC differentiates between UK holiday homes and EEA holiday homes, so you can only use the losses of a UK holiday home against the future profits of that UK holiday let. The same applies to EEA holiday homes. You cannot use a holiday let loss to reduce your other taxable income.”

Interest on property loans is on the list of allowable expenses for FLHs and yet Robert finds that many people believe that if the loan used to buy their holiday home is secured on their own house, then they cannot claim the interest as an expense against the letting income.

“If the loan is used to fund the purchase of the holiday home, then interest can be claimed – it actually doesn’t matter what property is used as security.”

Because there are many holiday let businesses who struggle to meet the eligibility criteria year on year, from April 2012 HMRC will be introducing a period of grace.

This will enable businesses, such as those whose letting income is reliant on the summer months and who are forced to do six month winter lets, to continue to qualify, giving them time to get on their feet.

For more detailed information about tax claims for furnished holiday lets, please contact Robert Stone, Robert Stone & Co on 01460 55661 or email robert@robert-stone.co.uk or visit: www.robert-stone.co.uk

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Job club to further tackle low rates of North Somerset unemployment

Jul. 26 Employment no comments

Kerrie Flier

Alliance Homes has recently launched a job club to help further tackle the already low rates of North Somerset unemployment.

The job club will mean Alliance Homes residents can find out about new training, apprenticeship and employment opportunities as soon as they
are released.

The National Office for Statistics recently released figures which revealed the South West has an unemployment rate of 6.1 per cent, compared with 8.4 per cent across the UK.

In North Somerset the rate is even lower, with just 5.4 per cent out of work, well below the national average.

Alliance Homes will keep its residents up to date by utilising its partnership with organisations such as westonworks in Weston-super-Mare, Weston College and Learn Direct and can offer residents the chance to learn about job searching, CV writing, filling in job application forms and interview techniques.

Kerrie Filer is just one person who has been able to get invaluable work experience through Alliance Homes.

She joined the social enterprise as an apprentice. Kerrie comments: “Starting my apprenticeship was great as I had no previous experience in administration work so it gave me the opportunity to start something new and gain a qualification at the end of it.”

Michael Williams, Business Enterprise Manager at Alliance Homes, comments: “From the feedback we get from residents, we know that there is a real need for a service like this.

“In this tough economic climate, finding work can be an uphill struggle, especially if extra training is required. We want to help people get the confidence and the skills to get back into work.”

By registering with the job club,residents will get regular alerts on new vacancies and training programmes. To find about more about tackling North Somerset unemployment interested residents can call Alliance Homes on 03000 120 120 or email recruitment@alliancehomes.org.uk to find out more and register with the job club.

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On-street parking in Weston town centre a step closer

Jul. 25 Latest News no comments

pay and display On street parking in Weston town centre a step closer Plans to introduce an on-street pay and display parking scheme in Weston town centre have moved a step closer, following the end of the statutory consultation period.

According to North Somerset Council the scheme is intended to answer concerns by traders, shoppers and disabled drivers over parking congestion and unauthorised on-street long stay parking by making spaces more easily available.

With the plans set to make spaces more available to shoppers- raising the economic vitality of the town and improving traffic flow and disabled parking.

In the consultation period, which ran from June 14 to July 13, 40 individual comments were received, including 20 from the 1,100 residential addresses within the scheme area. Of the 40 comments only 15 people in the zone actually objected, with others either agreeing with the scheme or providing constructive suggestions.

In addition to the official consultation an unofficial survey by local ward members among the residents was received, with a 24% response from 500 surveys reportedly sent out. Over 50% of these responses were in favour in principle of the scheme.

The consultation results were released in a week in which plans to introduce car parking charges in Clevedon, Nailsea and Portishead were given a knock-back after North Somerset MP Dr Liam Fox showed his support – story here - for traders and campaigners protesting against the intorduction of car-parking charges.

The Weston & North Somerset Echo welcomes any comments from traders in the area as to whether they support or don’t support the scheme and why?