Featured News
Rural businesses encouraged to apply for tourism grants
Coventry and Warwickshire's rural businesses are being invited to apply for grants aimed at supporting tourism in the region’s rural areas.
Applications are invited from existing and new businesses in rural areas as well as communities, farmers and landowners who are seeking grant assistance to invest in visitor attractions, tourist information and recreational infrastructure.
Grants from £35,000 to £75,000 are available depending on state aid already received. The total funding available is £150,000.
The scheme is being administered by the Rural Payments Agency on behalf of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP). The grants are funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development through the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) allocated to the Coventry and Warwickshire area.
The aim of the grants is to encourage visitors to rural Warwickshire to stay longer, spend more and want to come back again. Applications are also welcome from organisers of sustainable events and festivals which attract overnight as well as day visitors.
Warwickshire County Council Leader and CWLEP board director Cllr Izzi Seccombe said: “The Local Enterprise Partnership is committed to the development of tourism to support economic growth and the creation of jobs. We welcome this additional funding and the opportunities it will create for local organisations and businesses.”
Catherine Mallyon, Executive Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, CWLEP Board Director and Chairman of CWLEP’s Culture & Tourism Business Group, said: "This funding could make a real difference to cultural and tourism businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire and lead to more visitors to our area. I would encourage companies working in this sector to assess the opportunity and apply.”
Guidance for applicants and the application process can be found at https://www.gov.uk/european-structural-investment-funds/tourism-call-in-coventry-and-warwickshire-06rd15to0002 or by calling the Rural Payments helpline on 0300 0200 301 or email GPEnquiries@rpa.gsi.gov.uk
The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 30th October.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub is also able to support businesses with a range of support and advice and is available on 0300 060 3747.
County Council-backed Procurement Charter boosting local businesses
Since the Federation of Small Business launched its “Small Business Friendly Procurement Charter” in 2013, Warwickshire County Council has been taking huge steps to ensure its procurement practices are even simpler and quicker than before – it’s all part of the council’s ongoing commitment to helping local SMEs.
The FSB procurement charter was developed in conjunction with the County Council and is designed to encourage local authorities to provide a seamless procurement process for local small firms.
This followed extensive research from the FSB which revealed that if all local authorities spent an additional five per cent of their budget locally - and committed just three per cent more of that to small local firms - an additional £788 million would have been generated for local economies.
An exclusive report by the FSB found that during 2013-2014 local authorities spent a total of £8.7 billion buying goods and services in their local area. The report highlighted how doing business locally is better value for money as it showed that, for every £1 spent with a small or medium-sized business (SME), 63p was re-spent in the local area, compared to 40p in every £1 spent with a larger business. In 2014 Warwickshire County Council contracted with 6,794 suppliers, 52% of which were small businesses employing 20 people or fewer.
So what steps have the county’s Procurement Team taken to help local SMEs? A whole collection of measures have been introduced to make procuring with the Local Authority as simple as possible. These measures range from:
- Revised and simpler tender documentation
- Developing the web-site warwickshire.gov.uk/procurement to improve the information and guidance available to potential tenders
- Using social media to promote WCC’s opportunities to local small businesses
- Running ‘Meet the Contractor’ events and pre-tender briefings
- Actively seeking quotes from local suppliers
- Reviewing insurance requirements to enable small businesses to quote when there is no need for high insurance
The county council has also led the development of www.csw-jets.co.uk, a joint e-tendering system (CSW-JETS) for the sub-region (Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull). Nine local authorities now use the system, providing a single platform for tendering which allows SMEs to access all the opportunities across the sub-region via a single sign-on and to receive automatic alerts of relevant business opportunities.
This also links directly to Warwickshire’s B2B portal - free to businesses - and encourages collaboration and local sourcing. Registration is partnered with ‘CSW-JETS’ and uses the same log-in details reducing the need for multiple registrations across sites by local businesses. To access B2B please visit: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/WarwickshireB2B/aspx/B2B_Home
Linsey Luke, Development Manager at FSB Coventry & Warwickshire said:
“The FSB has been working with Warwickshire County Council for a number of years to develop a more streamlined procurement process for small firms.
"The Council has always been a great supporter of helping local small businesses access contracts and, in 2013, helped the FSB develop a procurement charter that aims to encourage local authorities to provide a seamless procurement process for local small firms. This charter was adopted nationally and many other local authorities are now doing more business with small firms as a result.
"The statistics in this report prove that those steps being taken by Warwickshire County Council have ensured that small firms in general, but also those located in the area, are benefiting. This is great news for our small businesses. The FSB will continue to work with the Council as they build on this good work and we hope that many more local small firms will benefit as a result.”
To find out more information about the FSB’S Small Business Friendly Procurement Charter please visit: www.fsb.org.uk/policy/assets/local-procurement-2013.pdf
Pretty towns and attractive brandscapes - Vital share their take on local brands
Craig Spivey, Creative Director of Leamington-based design and marketing agency, Vital, looks at what he considers to be some the strongest independent brands in the area.
Pretty towns and attractive brandscapes
Warwickshire, and Leamington in particular, prides itself on the proliferation of independent retailers that rub shoulders with the big chains on the high street.
Maybe it’s the glorious Regency aesthetic of the main shopping thoroughfares, or the big city influences that come from being in commutable distance from London and Birmingham, or the mix of affluent locals, foreign students and the many workers that the area’s creative industries attract that has produced such a vibrant mix – though I imagine it’s a combination of the three that has resulted in such a high standard of design-led local brands.
But who am I to judge?
At Vital I have created branded communications for some of the biggest names on high streets up and down the UK – Vodafone, Timberland, Barclays and Marston’s pubs, to name just a handful – but there’s always a bit more of a thrill in developing an identity for a start-up or promoting a small ambitious company when you’re in a position to witness their successes in real time and watch them grow on your own doorstep.
As a Creative Director and a local bloke I am drawn to the region’s cool brands, sometimes out of passing professional interest, but mainly as a punter who likes to grab a coffee on the way to work like everyone else.
And in Leamington I’m spoiled for choice.
Coffee and cake to (lo)go
I’m sure the sheer competition in town must force the local coffee shops, bakeries and cafés to up their game in the design and branding stakes as exquisitely-badged eateries seemingly pop up on a weekly basis ready to impress the town with their own unique take on the fast/casual dining sector.
Top among these for me are Coffee Architects, Ginger Ace and The Larder, though I have a particular soft spot for artisan bakery Haddie and Trilby, who take their name from two circus elephants based in Leamington in the 1800s. A brand with a bit of a story will always elevate you from the competition and owner George Casey was keen to have something local ‘without being too obvious’, besides, the way elephants move reflect his approach to his craft. ‘We bake our bread very slowly’, he told me when I asked about his logo’s origins.
Artistic Licensees
The independent bar scene in any town is usually a hotbed of creativity as owners fall over themselves to out-quirk the competition in a bid to attract younger, more brand-savvy drinkers to their venues. And Leamington has a fair few bars that are getting it just right.
With its DB logo echoing the DC Comics’ logo of old, The Drawing Board on Newbold Street wears its geek culture heart on its sleeve as well as on the walls. With framed comics and piles of old annuals, the pub’s playful character is carried right through the bar.
Though branding of course is not just about the sign above the door or the knick-knacks on the on the shelves, pubs that rely heavily on chalk boards to convey their offers and social media to connect with their communities often adopt an appropriately chatty and sometimes irreverent tone of voice.
Take the time to read the A-boards outside the The Royal and Fat Pugs next time you’re passing. Invariably smile-raising (and occasionally cringe-inducing) they have nailed a tone of voice that carries right through their offer (one genius item on their menu is ‘Whoa Black Betty Bam-a-Lamb’) and are certainly a cool little pub chain to watch, though I do wonder how the brand will adapt once pugs inevitably fall out of fashion.
Top of the mom and pops
While Sarah Horne and Aubrey Allen have to remain Leamington’s benchmark brands, the streets that criss-cross their way around the Parade are packed with well thought-out and executed independent stores.
And a select few give my designer fancy an extra little tickle: Beryline (whimsical, crafty and backed up by events and blogs that bring their offer to life) and Lilac Rose (exquisitely curated and immaculately merchandised) spring to mind, though it’s the all-natural lotions and potions store Elixir on Regent Street who present their wares to the world so coherently I always assumed they were part of a larger group. From the clean and minimal store fascia and a tidy, user-friendly e-commerce website, right down to the friendly, knowledgeable staff, Elixir is one of a few local retail brands strong enough to support their own label products.
And it’s not our shops, bars and cafés
The independent spirit isn’t limited to the High Street. The vibrant games cluster has spawned a lot of small teams with strong brands essential for them to cut through in a competitive market. It’s all too easy (and forgivable) for a games company to be overshadowed by the strong look and feel of the games they produce but both Team Lumo and Monster and Monster stand out as developers with incredibly strong styles and personalities that mark their creations out like no one else’s.
Local voices, global reach.
Some local brands really come to life online too. Whether that’s the clear and timely instagrams of Chapter Clothing or the crowd funding success of Leamington Comic Con, to rise above your peers these businesses know you need to express your brand across all the channels at your disposal.
Our vital role
We have helped a number of great local independents get up and running, including an identity for Lear Fitness and business mentoring for Jenny Hudson at Sweet As.
A couple of years ago we created a brand for a Kenilworth-based start-up physiotherapy company, Halo, that founders Michelle Henry and Rachael Adams really got behind. With so much budget-bothering outlay when starting a new venture, it must be tempting to scrimp on a new identity for your company but Michelle and Rachael were adamant that they wanted something that set them apart from their competition. After some initial work defining their brand positioning we created them a logo and set of assets for them to roll out across all of their customer touch points. They now employ over 10 staff at their clinic in Camden House and are always quick to acknowledge the confidence their professional-looking, coherent brand gave them in their early days.
I always admire and take inspiration from these people building brands unhampered by risk-averse, big company behaviour and creativity-zapping sign-off procedures. All the companies I have mentioned appear to have got the basics right:
- They have considered who they are and what they want to stand for
- They have worked with professionals to create effective identities that bring their brand to life
- They apply their brand consistently right through their business and back it up with great products and services.
Their thriving businesses are proof that the investment in all that ‘fluffy design stuff’ has been very worthwhile.
These are my favourites; let me know yours at craig@thevitalagency.co.uk
Visit http://www.thevitalagency.co.uk
Showcasing Warwickshire at Retail Shopping event
Warwickshire County Council's Invest in Warwickshire team was busy this week at the UK's retail property event of the year in Manchester showcasing all that the county has to offer as a business base.
The annual conference and exhibition organised by the British Council of Shopping Centres (BCSC) is one of the great showpiece events in the retail calendar.
Attended by retail and property professionals from this country and around the world, the exhibition, which (this year) took place at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, comprises a brilliant shop window for local authorities to attract investment into their area.
The Invest in Warwickshire team was there, making contacts and spreading the word about Warwickshire. And their attendance at such events in the past has a proven record of success.
Contacts made at similar conferences have led to the arrival of new business and jobs in the area, including an outlet of London-based Gourmet Burgers in Leamington Spa and the Loungers café bar and restaurant group which opened the popular Bacco Lounge in Regent Street, Rugby, on a site which had been vacant for eight years.
During the two days in Manchester this week, the Invest in Warwickshire team held meetings with a range of independent retailers and high street brands. The team were also visited yesterday by local MP for Nuneaton, Marcus Jones.
Warwickshire County Council Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Cllr Izzi Seccombe said: “We want Warwickshire to be the business centre of choice for the region and our Invest in Warwickshire team does excellent work in promoting the message that Warwickshire is a great place to base a business.
"Events like the BCSC conference in Manchester this week provide a great opportunity to showcase our town centres and communities and I am delighted that our team was there sharing their expertise and telling people about how much Warwickshire has to offer.”
Cllr Philip Johnson, Chair of Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee, added: “We need to do everything we can to ensure that our town centres are competitive. It is very important that we have a presence at big retail events and keep working hard to keep Warwickshire on the retail map.”
The Invest in Warwickshire team offers businesses free and confidential information and advice. To find out more visit http://invest.warwickshire.gov.uk or contact invest@warwickshire.gov.uk
Digital employers urged to take part in Tech Nation survey
Coventry and Warwickshire companies are being urged to take part in the annual Tech Nation survey 2016 to promote the digital technology expertise of the area.
The launch of the new Tech Nation survey 2016 is devised to establish the strengths of digital clusters across the UK.
And the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership is looking for local companies to take part so the area’s capabilities are recognised at a national and international level.
George Gillespie, LEP board member, said: “This is a valuable opportunity to show the capabilities and advancement of the digital industry in this area.
‘’The digital technology industry is strong in Coventry and Warwickshire in areas such as design and gaming so this is the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on our achievements.
‘’We want to make sure that every technological advancement within our area is acknowledged so we can continue to grow and develop the industry.
‘’The more businesses that fill out the survey, the more likely it is that we will become one of the national clusters, which will boost our digital advancement and help companies expand further.”
The survey can be found at http://bit.ly/1M8MH7O
Arch Creatives success story continues with expansion
A co-working space for games developers in Leamington Spa continues to go from strength to strength following expansion.
Arch Creatives, based in Court Street, has doubled its office space to allow room for more developers.
The project, which received funding from Warwick District Council and Warwickshire County Council to initially get up and running, provides a base from which games developers and other digital creatives can work and receive training and business support.
The not-for-profit venture, based in a renovated Victorian railway arch in the south of the town, was launched in the spring of 2014. Since then it has helped its occupants to reinforce the district's reputation as 'Silicon Spa,' a leader in the games field.
Arch Creatives members include Modern Dream (creators of LA Cops) and Team Lumo (Lumo Deliveries), who recently received new investment which has been used to expand its art and development teams into the new space.
"The Arch collective doubling in the space of a year has exceeded even our expectations," said Arch Creatives co-founder Ollie Clarke.
"We are eternally grateful for the support provided by the Warwick District Council and Warwickshire County Council, along with industry bodies UKIE, BAFTA and industry games legend SEGA."
For more information on Arch Creatives visit http://archcreatives.com
Tourism and Culture celebrated at awards
The quality of the leisure and tourism offer across Coventry and Warwickshire will be highlighted at an awards ceremony next week.
The inaugural Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism and Culture Awards is being organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and Quidem, which owns Touch FM stations and Rugby FM, and will be hosted at the Ricoh Arena on Thursday, September 24.
Up to five nominees have been shortlisted for each of the 13 awards on offer, which promote the area’s best restaurants, hotels, attractions and experiences and the people behind them.
Among the titles up for grabs are The Bright Idea Award, Kids & Families Award, History and Heritage Award, Customer Service Award and Tourism Event of the Year. On top of that, there will be prizes for the Best B&B, Hotel, Experience, Pub and Restaurant Award.
There will also be awards for Best Venue, Arts and Theatre Award, Tourism and Culture Award.
The special guest for the night will be Lady Cobham, the chairman of VisitEngland.
She is heavily influential on the heritage and arts sectors through board membership of the Historic Houses Association and Birmingham Museums Trust, and is Chair of the Museum Prize Trust which has been responsible for running the UK’s largest arts prize, the Art Fund Prize for museums and galleries.
Lady Cobham was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2014 for her long service to English tourism.
Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council are also supporting the awards, which will showcase the diverse attractions, venues and experiences on offer in the region.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “Our arts, culture, heritage and leisure destinations create a vibrant tourism economy, which is the envy of many.
‘’It is a great pleasure to support the Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism and Culture Awards and celebrate the success of this vital local industry. We wish everyone well on the night.”
Coventry City Councillor Kevin Maton, Cabinet member for Business, Enterprise and Employment, said: “I’m delighted that there was such a good response and such an incredibly high standard of entries.
‘’The tourism sector has an important role to play in the economic prosperity of Coventry and the surrounding region and it is important that we celebrate all that’s great about it.
‘’As we strive to once again be a top ten city, tourism and how we celebrate our history and heritage will be a key part of our offer to visitors.
‘’Of course there are lots of local people to be proud of too and these awards will help to remind us all of the quality and range of what’s on our wonderful door step.”
Catherine Mallyon, Board Director and Chairman of the Culture & Tourism Business Group at the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), said: “The inaugural Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism and Culture Awards are a great way to celebrate the very best venues, attractions and activities in our area.
“The CWLEP recognises the importance of culture and tourism in improving people’s quality of life and the economic vitality of Coventry and Warwickshire.
“We are delighted to sponsor the Business Tourism category and pleased to see so many excellent organisations taking part. We would like to wish everyone who has been nominated the very best of luck.’’
Council's commitment to business reaps another award
Warwickshire County Council’s commitment to supporting and promoting local business has been recognised with an award from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
At the FSB’s annual award event, attended by local MPs, council leaders and key stakeholders from across Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire, the County Council won the Small Business Friendly Keep Trade Local Campaign award.
It is the third successive year that the council has gained recognition in the FSB’s Local Authority Awards, having won the Best All Round Small Business Friendliness accolade in the previous two years.
This year the recognition was for the council’s sustained work to support small businesses and local high streets. The FSB judges were particularly impressed by the council’s innovative and sustained support for Small Business Saturday.
Ian O’Donnell MBE, FSB Warwickshire and Coventry chairman said: “We selected Warwickshire County Council as the winner of FSB Keep Trade Local programme award as they highlighted just how a targeted, effective and locally delivered initiative can offer real value in promoting local businesses, particularly in the retail sector that we know is suffering.
“The council embraced the Small Business Saturday campaign and supported their local business-base over a long period to maximise the profile of the small business community via social media, events and marketing.”
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “Warwickshire County Council is committed to stimulating economic growth and this award recognises the diverse ways in which we continue to support the small businesses which are integral to strengthening our economy.
“To win awards in three successive years is testament to the council’s sustained support for the local business community.”
Cllr Philip Johnson, Chair of Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee added: “Warwickshire has a team of dedicated officers committed to creating growth and job opportunities within the county and I thank them for all their innovation and hard work.”
The council is already working behind the scenes on the Small Business Saturday Campaign for this year, to find out more about the national campaign visit https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com Information about the local campaign will be available in the coming weeks on www.warwickshire.gov.uk/keepitlocal
Training courses to get Rugby ready to offer warm World Cup welcome
Rugby businesses have been offered free Olympic-standard customer service training to boost the visitor experience offered by the town during and beyond the Rugby World Cup.
Warwickshire County Council has teamed up with workforce development charity People First to offer the prestigious WorldHost Ambassador training – the programme used to prepare staff and volunteers for the London 2012 Olympics.
Around 100 volunteers in and around Rugby have already undertaken the WorldHost Ambassador training in preparation for Rugby 2015, funded by Rugby Borough Council. Now businesses, such as Garden Gate on Regent Street, are enlisting for the programme.
Cllr Philip Johnson, Chair of Warwickshire County Council’s Communities Overview and Scrutiny, said: “The WorldHost Programme is internationally recognised and brings with it a sought after badge of honour. I hope as many businesses as possible will take advantage of the free training. This is just one of a number of measures that the County Council is delivering in support of the Rugby World Cup as we are keen to capture the economic benefits of Rugby being granted ‘Proud Home’ status by England 2015.”
Other county council initiatives include working with Rugby Borough Council and Rugby First to enable the installation of free public WiFi in the town centre and contributing to improvements in the town centre as part of the tourism ‘Better Welcome’ agenda.
Mark Pawsey, MP for Rugby, said: “This free training is a real coup for Rugby businesses and I hope that many will sign up to the Ambassador programme. As the birthplace of the game we can expect many visitors to our town as part of the Rugby World Cup celebrations and this will provide a fantastic opportunity for Rugby to showcase the many wonderful things that it has to offer.”
Cllr Yousef Dahmash, added: “As a county councillor and board member for Rugby First I am really pleased that we are able to offer this opportunity to front-line service staff in Rugby. Our town centre currently faces a number of challenges, which is why the county council is keen to support initiatives that directly assist High Street businesses to grow and prosper.”
Half-day Ambassador training sessions will take place on Tuesday September 22nd and Thursday September 24th from 9.30am to 1pm at the Benn Hall in Rugby. For further information visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/towncentres, call Rachel Baconnet, Town Centres Team on 01926 412818 or email: towns@warwickshire.gov.uk
Broadband voucher scheme has handed out more than £1million
The CSW Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme has now awarded over £1million to businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire since it was launched in February 2014.
Under the scheme, grants of up to £3,000 are available to SMEs, sole traders, social enterprises and registered charities to upgrade to superfast broadband.
Businesses are now being encouraged to make use of the voucher scheme while funding is still available.
The scheme, which is a partnership between Warwickshire County Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Coventry City Council, BT and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, has benefited businesses in numerous ways.
They have seen their download speeds increase, on average, from 8Mbps to 100Mbps, meaning that online tasks such as file transfers, sales, and video conferencing can be undertaken much more quickly and reliably.
Better broadband can increase productivity through the use of cloud computing and remote working by staff. The internet also opens up the opportunity to connect with new and existing customers through online communication channels, as well as accessing new markets through digital marketing.
The Scheme is administered by Coventry City Council’s Innovative Coventry Team, part of the Council’s business investment offer to drive economic growth and job creation. To apply, find out more about the scheme or see who the most active broadband suppliers are visit: www.coventry.gov.uk/broadband .
The team can also be contacted via email at broadband@coventry.gov.uk or phone on 024 7683 1833.
Apprenticeships on the rise in Warwickshire
Warwickshire’s Apprenticeship Hub is encouraging young people to consider apprenticeships as an option for the future.
In Warwickshire apprenticeship opportunities continue to increase with approximately 7,700 people currently on apprenticeships in the county, up 24% in two years.
Council Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, said: “As well as giving young people the chance to earn while they learn, apprenticeships are helping employers to increase productivity, improve the skill base and develop a committed and competent work-force for the future.”
Many top local companies, including Jaguar Land Rover, National Grid and IBM, are recruiting more school-leavers on their apprenticeship programmes and Warwickshire County Council’s award-winning scheme has opened doors for more than 80 young people in the last three years.
Cllr Seccombe says it is important that young people consider all options available to them: “Getting industry experience and professional qualifications could be the right option for young people wanting a head start in their career.
“Apprenticeships are increasingly being regarded as a respected route into the workplace. We value highly the benefits that apprentices bring to the county council and are committed to our apprenticeship programme.”
Tom Richman, aged 20, is a great example of the mutual benefit derived between apprentice and employer. Tom achieved good academic results and decided to join Warwickshire County Council’s strategic procurement team on a two-year apprenticeship in September 2013.
“I had never thought of the county council as a potential employer," said Tom. “But people have been so happy to share their knowledge and help me along. Everyone has been very patient and understanding as I learned but also happy to take my ideas into account."
Alongside his practical experience, Tom has undertaken an NVQ Level 3 in Business and Administration as well as the Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Business Administration. He was then asked to complete both a Level 3 and 4 Certificate in ‘Achieving Excellence in a Vocational Skill’.
A full case-study on Tom's apprenticeship can be found here in this issue of Warwickshire Means Business
There are a range of services at the county council offering apprenticeships with current vacancies ranging from public health to business support.
Find out more about how apprenticeships could help your business by visiting www.warwickshire.gov.uk/getanapprentice or calling the council’s Apprenticeship Hub on 01926 418040.
Cllr Philip Johnson, Chair of the Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee, added: “Apprenticeships can offer young people an excellent alternative to full-time education whilst training on the job. What’s more, these roles offer a salary which is helping people to avoid significant debt."
Stratford businesses urged to get on board with station improvements
Stratford businesses are being urged on to get on board with plans to revamp the town’s railway station.
London Midland and Warwickshire County Council have already secured £750,000 to transform the station, but a call is going out to local businesses to support the scheme.
The train company and the county council have joined forces with Business Supporting Stratford to appeal to local organisations to throw their weight behind the redevelopment of the station.
Proposals would see a new glass entrance and booking hall replacing the old ‘parcels cage.’ There will also be improvements to waiting areas including a new accessible toilet.
Councillor Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, said: “The station is a major gateway to a world-class tourist destination. It is the first impression almost a million people get of Stratford as they use the station each year. The improvements will make a big difference.
“Warwickshire County Council is committed to investing in the county’s transport infrastructure and I’m delighted that we are contributing to delivering these improvements, working with London Midland and Network Rail.
“However, there are further enhancements that can be made to the scheme currently proposed, but we need to secure some extra funds. We’re hopeful that some of Stratford’s major players will want to get involved.”
London Midland’s Head of Route, Brenda Lawrence, said: “The public reaction we have had so far has been very positive. There is a real opportunity here for local businesses to get on board and help us push this iconic landmark to the next level.”
Cllr Phillip Johnson, Chair of Warwickshire County Council’s Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said: “Warwickshire residents will see the value of these changes, which will make the Stratford-upon-Avon Rail Station a more enjoyable and lively place to be.
“Warwickshire County Council realises how important it is to make sure the railway stations in our region are the greatest they can be and I welcome the work that London Midland will be undertaking towards realising that in Stratford.”
Any business or enterprise which feels it could financially support the scheme can find more details on the Supporting Stratford website at http://www.supportingstratford.co.uk/Default.aspx?id=670608
Please get in touch no later than 31st October 2015, as the fully-funded scheme needs to be finalised by the end of this year in order to ensure your new station is ready by December 2016.
Apprenticeship was the perfect career pathway for Tom
Warwickshire County Council's Tom Richman is a perfect example of the two-way benefits of employers taking on apprentices.
Tom joined the county council's Strategic Procurement team on a two-year apprenticeship in September 2013.
And, those two years having elapsed, he has just started a permanent position there in a team from which he has learned much - and to which he already contributed plenty.
Tom, aged 20, is cogent proof that the value of apprenticeships is a two-way street. He has received the perfect grounding to his career while the council has recruited a talented employee whom they have been able to train and shape to be of maximum benefit.
"I didn't want to go to university," said Tom, who was born in Warwick and lives in Stratford-upon-Avon. "I couldn't see myself there and didn't want to spend three years and incur a debt on a degree that might have no relevance to my future. I wanted an apprenticeship because I knew that way I could gain hands-on experience while also pursuing qualifications.
"I had never thought of the county council as a potential employer but my careers officer called to say there was a vacancy. I went for an interview and started the apprenticeship a week later.
"It has worked out really well. I'm so glad my careers officer spotted that ad."
So is the council. Eager to learn and work hard, Tom was soon tapping into the expertise of his colleagues - and quickly became an asset to the department.
"Everybody was so helpful," said the former Stratford High School pupil. "People were happy to share their knowledge and help me along. In every session I learned something and I thank everyone so much for that.
"People were very patient and understanding as I learned, but also happy to take my ideas into account.
"For the first month I went on lots of training courses and did a lot of shadowing, but I was soon taking on responsibilities including managing email accounts and being the first point of contact for customers on the phone. I have good IT skills so, as time went on, I have taken on a training role and that is a big part of my job now. I have trained more than 140 people on our bespoke E-tendering system."
Alongside his practical experience, Tom has undertaken an NVQ Level 3 in Business and Administration as well as the Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Business Administration. He was then asked to complete both a Level 3 and 4 Certificate in 'Achieving Excellence in a Vocational Skill.'
Tom's commitment and quality has earned him recognition. He was among the finalists for the CWT Apprentice of the Year awards and the Warwickshire Business Awards while he has also been nominated in the apprentice category for the Warwickshire Star staff awards at the start of next month.
He is a young man of much promise - promise which has flourished in the great nurturing ground of an apprenticeship.
* The Apprenticeship Hub offers free support and advice to local firms who may be thinking of hiring an apprentice and helps them to find out whether apprenticeships could be right for their business. The hub has created more than 120 apprenticeship opportunities with small businesses across Warwickshire, in addition to creating 60 apprenticeship opportunities with the county council.
Find out more from the Apprenticeship Hub by emailing apprentice@warwickshire.gov.uk calling 01926 418040 or visiting http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/getanapprentice
Sertec expansion will bring 400 jobs to Coleshill
Up to 400 new jobs will be created in North Warwickshire within the next three years as a result of a £20million investment by automotive parts manufacturer Sertec.
The Coleshill-based Sertec Group is investing in new large-scale power presses to stamp its products, with support funding from Lloyds Bank.
The expansion continues an impressive year for the company. Last year it received the manufacturing prize at the Birmingham Post Business Awards, held at Edgbaston Stadium, and was visited by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne who described it as a 'great manufacturing company.'
The expansion of Sertec, one of Jaguar Land Rover’s top suppliers, in Gorsey Lane is a great boost for the Coleshill area. The company has agreed a 25-year lease on the site formerly occupied by telecoms business Greenwoods Communications.
An increase in demand from key client JLR has been the main driver of Sertec’s growth and the new premises has the potential to expand by a further 45,000 sq ft. Sertec’s existing manufacturing base in Gorsey Lane will continue to operate as a pressings factory.
Meanwhile there is more good news for the north of the county with the £15million equipping of the University of Birmingham and Rolls-Royce’s new High Temperature Research Centre in Ansty now under way.
Wates Construction is undertaking the project, which marks a significant milestone in the ongoing development of Ansty Park. The work will bring the installation of specialist research and development equipment for advanced manufacturing as well as all mechanical and electrical systems.
Area's largest jobs, apprenticeships and careers fair in October
Warwickshire County Council will be among the organisations providing advice at the area’s largest free Jobs, Apprenticeships and Careers Fair at the Ricoh Arena in October.
The Wasps-sponsored Jobs, Apprenticeships and Careers Fair, organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, will take place in Hall 3 at The Ricoh between 10am-6pm on Thursday October 15 to coincide with Work Experience Week.
And the broad range of companies and employers represented will include Warwickshire County Council with advisors from its Apprentice Hub on hand to talk to young people and parents.
The county council is a passionate advocate of apprenticeships, employing dozens of apprentices within the council and doing all it can to encourage businesses to consider that route into recruiting and honing young talent.
As well as the county council, companies in attendance at the Jobs Fair will be as diverse as Travis Perkins, NHS, BAM Construction and Willmott Dixon. Education-providers will also be well-represented by City College Coventry, Henley College Coventry, the Warwickshire College Group, Hereward College, Stratford College and North Warwickshire & Hinckley College plus Coventry University and the University of Warwick.
The event has again been organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership following its success last year when over 2,000 young people and 400 parents attended, leading to 500 apprentices being signed-up by local firms.
Rachael Stewart, of the CWLEP, said the fair was free to attend and free for exhibitors to come along.
“The Jobs, Apprenticeships and Careers Fair was a tremendous success last year,” she said.
“It is aimed at students in years 10-13 and their parents/carers and 30 employers have already confirmed they will be coming along which underlines just how useful they found it.
"It is great that employers make their stands as interactive as possible because that really engages with students and the CWLEP organises the fair to improve skills in the area.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for students to be inspired by the range of options and opportunities that are available for their future careers."
The Jobs Fair underlines the region's commitment to helping young people into constructive employment, a commitment on which Warwickshire County Council's Apprenticeship Hub team is working full-time. The event will take place at a time when the Government has set a target of three million new apprentices to be hired over the next five years.
There will be free parking in car park B at the Ricoh Arena and employers, colleges, universities and training providers wishing to attend should email contact@cwlep.com
* Warwickshire Apprenticeship Hub offers free support and advice to local firms who may be thinking of hiring an apprentice and can help them find out whether apprenticeships could be right for their business. The hub has created more than 120 apprenticeship opportunities with small businesses across Warwickshire, in addition to creating 60 apprenticeship opportunities with the county council.
Find out more from the Apprenticeship Hub by emailing apprentice@warwickshire.gov.uk calling 01926 418040 or visiting http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/getanapprentice
Businesses rally round to smooth the path for new bookshop owners
When you start your first business, it comes with plenty of anxieties and pressures.
So much to sort out, so much to learn.
Mog and Pauline Giacomelli-Harris discovered that when they took over Warwick Books earlier this year. There's a lot to get your head around.
But they have done it. And they have done it with more than a little help their friends. New friends, that is - the people who know exactly what it's all about, those with businesses already established in the town.
The owners of the bookshop, in Market Square, are gearing up for Warwick Words Literary Festival. The festival's array of authors will bring a welcome pool of potential customers into the town from September 30 to October 4. Mog and Pauline will be ready.
After a hectic summer they are settling into the demanding world of retail - and immensely thankful to their fellow business-owners in Warwick.
"They have been brilliant," said Mog. "Taking over was pretty daunting for us, having not run a business before but everybody has been so supportive with advice and practical help. That was a pleasant surprise and really appreciated.
"We are very passionate about books and totally committed to carrying on the great work that the previous owners Keith and Frances Smith did to establish Warwick Books, but of course there is so much to learn. So it's been great that everyone has been supportive, from the Chamber of Trade and Warwick Rocks to individual businesses - even WH Smith, our competitors in a way, suggest us if they can't help a customer."
Running a bookshop was quite a leap for Warwick-born Mog and Pauline who were working in France for a fruit and vegetable wholesaler and a charity respectively when they heard that Warwick Books was up for sale.
It's a quantum leap. But they have thrown themselves fully into it - and are full of ideas.
"We were very lucky to take on a strong business," Mog said. "Now we want to carry on the brilliant service Keith and Frances offered but also expand into new areas.
"We are keen to get involved with the community, working with schools and the library service. Books are a great help to people with dementia and that's something we would like to get involved in.
"We will also hold events different to the traditional 'author speaks/Q & A/signing format.' That's fine in some cases but we want to bring another dimension with theme-related events and are already working on a couple of ideas with local businesses."
A passion for literature is clearly a driving force for 34-year-old Mog and 28-year-old Pauline. That's great for bookshop owners, of course, but passion alone will not make a business thrive. That's why it's been priceless to be at the heart of a helpful community.
"It was a baptism of fire," said Mog. "All the admin involved is hard going so the support we have had gave us a real lift. We are new to this, but we are in it for the long haul, so all that help will have long-term benefit.
"It is great that Warwick has an independent bookshop. We are proud to be running it and just want to take it from strength to strength."
Chance to benefit from high-quality internships
Business-owners have an opportunity to benefit from high-quality internships as part of the Warwick Graduate Internships (WGI) Programme run by the University of Warwick.
WGI brings together SME businesses, charities and recent Warwick graduates in a series of 12-week internships.
The programme, part-funded by the University, the Santander Universities SME Internships programme and generous donations from Warwick alumni and friends, offers employers a high-calibre internship for a fraction of the normal cost.
Among benefits to employers are an opportunity to:
- Road-test a graduate for future employment
- Gain a new perspective and fresh ideas, as well as additional project resource
- Provide supervisory development opportunities for their team and contribute to Corporate Social Responsibility targets
Warwick Graduate Interns tend to hold a 1st or 2:1 and come from the Faculties of Science, Social Sciences and Arts, including the Warwick Business School.
The programme is run only once per year so business who would like to become involved are encouraged to meet the October 9th deadline for registering their interest and submitting their vacancy (guidelines apply, registration required).
For more information visit: www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/scs/experience/internships/wgi/employers
How do your employees get to work?
Warwickshire County Council’s 'Choose How You Move' campaign is encouraging people who work in Warwick district to think differently about how they travel from home to their workplace.
It follows a report which revealed that one in four journeys to work in the Leamington Spa and Warwick area are less than two kilometres, with a further one in five being in the two-to-five kilometre range.
The county council is urging employees of local businesses to walk, cycle or car-share or to choose rail and bus travel over single occupancy car journeys.
It’s quick, easy and cheap to travel between Leamington and Warwick by public transport, even during the rush hour. A Rush Hour Challenge organised by the county council recently, on a three-mile route from The Parade in Leamington to the centre of Warwick, saw a commuting duo walk to Leamington Rail Station, then from Warwick Rail Station to the town centre, in just over half an hour.
Commuter Katie, who took part in the challenge, said: “It is only £1.90 for a peak return ticket from Leamington to Warwick and takes just a couple of minutes. I’m sure we could get this commute to under 30 minutes with a weekly ticket, just being able to walk straight on.”
Businesses are being encouraged to help their staff get genned up on local knowledge, particularly if they are new to the area.
Employees may be surprised at how many bus and train services operate in their local area and how frequently they run. The Buses, Travel and Transport page on the Warwickshire Direct website (www.warwickshire.gov.uk/travel) is an invaluable source of information. There you will find links to the Traveline journey planner, which will plan your commute by bus; local cycle-guides and information on combining cycling and rail travel; details about rail services in Warwickshire including Warwick Parkway station; and much more.
For car sharing options, CarShare Coventry & Warwickshire has been launched to help encourage people to share their journeys to help cut congestion and save money. It’s free to join – visit https://carsharewarwickshire.liftshare.com or follow Choose How You Move Warwickshire on Twitter @ChooseMoveWarks or like the Facebook page www.facebook.com/ChooseMoveWarks for the latest news on WCC initiatives to help you and your employees Choose How You Move.
Have your say on Bermuda Connection Scheme
Business are being encouraged to make their views known about a major investment by Warwickshire County Council into the local Nuneaton transport infrastructure.
The proposed scheme - Getting West Nuneaton Moving: Bermuda Connection - aims to increase local highway capacity, reduce congestion and journey times and improve access to the new Bermuda rail station and the employment sites at Bermuda.
The scheme includes:
- Improvement and refurbishment of the existing bridge in Bermuda, connecting the bridge to adjoining highway at either side (St Georges Way and The Bridleway) and opening the bridge to all traffic
- Highway Improvements to mitigate the impact on the local highway network
- Pedestrian and cycle link enhancements – including better access to the new Bermuda Park rail station, employment sites, residential areas and George Eliot Hospital
- Provision of an off-street car park for the forthcoming Bermuda Park rail station.
The county council would like to hear views on the proposed scheme from all affected businesses and the consultation period will remain open until Friday 9th October 2015.
Consultation material, including the response form, can also be accessed online at: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/bermudaconnection
Letters of support or objection may also be submitted.
Exam success for Burgis and Bullock team members
Chartered accountants and business advisers Burgis and Bullock are celebrating after two members of its team became qualified while further employees also achieved success in exams.
The well-established firm, which has offices in Leamington Spa, Leicester, London, Nuneaton and Rugby, now has two newly-qualified accountants .
Aman Hayre, who joined the company in February 2012 as a trainee after obtaining a bachelor of honours in accounting and finance, has now passed the final stages of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualifications. Aman is part of the corporate services team based at the firm’s Leamington Spa office and his role includes supporting owner-managed limited companies with their accounting and taxation compliance requirements.
Troy Kashaya joined Burgis and Bullock in June 2014 as a personal tax assistant and has now also passed the final stages of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualifications. His other qualifications include a BSc (Hon) in Accounting and Finance, an Advanced Diploma in Computer Science (ACP) and he is also embarking on the Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA) qualification. Troy is a member of the specialist taxation team based at Burgis & Bullock’s Leamington Spa office.
In addition to Aman and Troy’s success, Daniel Smith is now part-qualified in accountancy after passing papers in performance management and financial management and Steph Charnell has also gained two papers in performance management and tax. They are continuing their work towards becoming fully accredited over the coming months.
Commenting on the successful results, Sean Farnell, partner at Burgis and Bullock, said: “We are incredibly proud of all of our students and to have gained another two qualified accountants together with further exam success within the team is testament to the hard work and dedication that all of our trainees possess.
"The partners and management team at Burgis and Bullock are always keen to develop talent and are committed to helping our people develop from trainees to fully qualified accountants."
Small businesses can save money by managing their waste
Warwickshire County Council’s Waste Management Team is saving small businesses money with its flexible Commercial Waste and Recycling ‘drop off’ services at eight recycling centres across the county.
All small businesses can benefit from one of three ‘drop off’ services:
* An annual Commercial Recycling Permit for a ‘one off’ fee (currently £40/for twelve months) which permits businesses to take a range of recyclables to participating centres as often as they like.
* Pre-paid Sacks 80 litres in size (20/pack @ £3/bag) which allow disposal of non-recyclable waste at any of the eight participating centres.
* A ‘Pay-As-You-Throw Service’ which allows the disposal of larger quantities of recyclable and non-recyclable waste such as green garden waste/soil/rubble, plasterboard, wood/chipboard and mixed/general waste.
To use Warwickshire County Council's commercial waste service, all users must be registered with the Environment Agency as waste carrier.
For further information including current charges and terms of conditions, please visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/commercialwaste
Business Centre Case Studies
'Can do' mentality makes Eliot Park a great place to do business
Eliot Park Innovation Centre is principally, as its name implies, a place of industry: a home for hard graft from people working away to power small businesses and, thereby, the economy locally and beyond.
The business centre, owned and run by Warwickshire County Council in Barling Way, Nuneaton, is full to capacity at the moment, housing 37 companies engaged in the business of making firstly a living and then, of course, a profit.
That's a serious business.
But it doesn't mean that Eliot Park is a dour or joyless environment.
There is a really positive vibe about the place - a tangible can-do mentality among both tenants and the four-strong staff team led by manager Duncan Haldane.
"I really do enjoy the variety of the role," said Duncan. "We have the whole gamut of businesses here - from a taxi company to aircraft software development, from healthcare design and build to automotive development, even nationwide six-a-side soccer leagues.
"We have great tenants, really talented, hard-working people full of enterprise and creativity, and it's really rewarding to see them succeed.
"There is never a dull moment because every day, and normally every hour, is different. The spread of companies is so broad that their needs differ and continually change so life is never dull.
"There is a no blame culture within the team. Although we like to think we run things pretty well, we are human and sometimes do make mistakes, so when that happens, we discuss how we can learn from the mistake and implement a solution to reduce the risk of a repeat. Remembering that few people go out of their way to deliberately make errors, we just get on with it, as a team. The only real mistake would be to keep making the same mistake.”
Duncan has managed Eliot Park, which opened in 2005, since 2008. Having always lived in Warwickshire and West Midlands, he knows the patch well and, with experience of running a business, he understands the needs and pressures it entails.
In fact, he is essentially still running a business. Eliot Park is owned by Warwickshire County Council, a local authority, but cannot be a drain on council resources. It operates tightly along business lines, rigorously monitored, with a healthy customer-base expected and a profit demanded.
"It is run very much as a business," Duncan said. "That always comes with a few worries but if you are consistent, offer good value and, most importantly, listen to your customers then there's no need to worry because people will recognise and appreciate the added value.
"It's the same with any business - if you focus on customer care and treat customers as you would like to be treated yourself, together with delivering the services they want, you will make money. It's a ‘win win’ situation.
"As manager here, it's my responsibility to deliver full value for the residents of Warwickshire, some of whose money went into setting up the centre, and to our tenants to whom we want to give the best possible service. We run our budgets very tightly and spend the centre's money as if it were our own.
"I remember, not long after I started working here, we had some contractors in and I could tell that they were thinking 'ah - local authority, we can charge what we like.'
"When I told them ‘you will need a sharp pencil to be competitive and offer good value to be successful’ you could see the colour drain from their faces. I think there was a time when local authorities were perceived as a bit of a soft touch - but that's no longer the case."
That ethos applies at all of Warwickshire County Council's business centres - Eliot Park, Centenary, Hammond, Bermuda, Church Lawford, Pool Road, Smallbrook and Sir Frank Whittle.
Eight business centres which Warwickshire County Council, through the likes of Duncan and his colleagues, are busy running to help small businesses become established, grow, prosper, provide employment opportunities and ultimately contribute to the economic growth of Warwickshire.
"We are proud of the service that we offer and the team works very hard to deliver it," Duncan said. "We are not here to interfere, and some of our tenants need minimal help, but most do take advantage of the broad range of business support available, from access to finance to manufacturing best practice and using social media to effectively promote your business and lots more.
"Basically, we are here to help when required - a user-friendly landlord offering non-onerous and very flexible business terms."
* For more information about Eliot Park Innovation Centre and all of Warwickshire County Council's business centres, visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/businesscentres.
Lisa sets the bar high at Centenary Business Centre
The first objective of Lisa Smullen, manager of Warwickshire County Council-owned Centenary Business Centre in Nuneaton, is to ensure the centre's tenants have everything they need to enable their businesses to prosper.
For Lisa, who has run the 63-unit centre on Attleborough Fields Industrial Estate since 2008, that is a very busy job. And it can be a challenging job.
So it helps that she loves her job.
"I was told at my interview that 'you'll never know what any day brings from one to the next,'" said Lisa. "And that's true."
"I love working here. The tenants are great. We have such a wide range of businesses here that something is always happening and something different is always required. Everyone looks out for each other and it is never, ever dull. On one occasion I was left literally holding the baby!"
With a background in retail, Lisa is well-equipped to understand the pressures and needs of people running small and medium-sized businesses. She does it well.
It is testament to the centre's current success that, of its more than 60 units, 91 per cent are currently occupied. In recent years, that figure has always hovered around 90 per cent, comfortably above the national benchmark of 85 per cent occupation-levels at business centres of similar size.
Built in 1989 with funding from Warwickshire County Council and the Coal Enterprise Board, Centenary Business Centre has twice been expanded and now includes longer-lease units. Its facilities now include a conference room, photography studio and cafe - excellent facilities underpinned by a great sense of community (there are regular tenants' meetings) and, above all, the support and expertise of Lisa and her staff.
No-one knows the centre's merits better than Stephen Harban-Bullock and Neal Evans, co-owners of graphic design and print company Nine Point High (www.nine-point-high.co.uk).
They are its longest-serving tenants, having arrived in July 1990 and ticked over very nicely ever since with a diverse and loyal client-base including SMEs, local authorities, education providers and museums including the fascinating Panacea Museum in Bedford.
"Starting from scratch here all those years ago was a very big decision for us," said Stephen. "But we are very pleased we did.
"It is a great base. When you start a business you can feel very isolated but here at Centenary there are a lot of other business people close by and the sense of community is great. In business you will always suffer highs and lows so it is really valuable to have people nearby who have experienced the same.
"The central location is terrific and being right among other business people brings so many connections. It is a great professional environment.
"We have always felt very happy working here but since Lisa arrived she has taken it to a different level. She really takes people's concerns on board and makes things happen."
* For more information about Centenary Business Centre and all of Warwickshire County Council's business centres please visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/businesscentres.
Conduce making a global impact from Eliot Park base
Every day, far and wide across the world, aircraft are travelling the skies with efficiency and safety enhanced by technology delivered from Nuneaton.
Conduce, based at Warwickshire County Council-run Eliot Park Innovation Centre, is a small team - just ten-strong under founders Steve Russell and Paul Boyd - having a big impact.
A global impact, in fact.
They specialise in mobile software solutions that ensure airline operational compliancy. Remarkably, in these days of galloping technology, 90 per cent of the world's aircraft still rely upon a paper version of the Aircraft Technical Log which records vital information about every flight.
There is an evident gap there to fill - and Conduce are on the case.
Having devised eTechLog8, their business, long-established, is now really taking off from the excellent launchpad of Eliot Park.
"We have devised a system which records flight info on an electronic device, rather than paper," said Paul who, like Steve, has more than 20 years experience in the aviation industry. "At Conduce we always feel that we are on the cusp of something great. This could be it.
"It is a native mobile touch application connecting to the back office via various means wherever the aircraft is in the world. The hardware solution is modern - but is also robust, which it has to be, and has been subjected to many physical tests including surviving a rapid decompression event.
"We are very proud of the product and Eliot Park is the perfect place for us to have developed it. It is a great base, a self-contained modern office facility with flexibility of space - we have moved within the park four times - good internet connection and meeting-rooms on demand."
Conduce, whose clients already include international commercial airlines and cargo operators, is a success story which looks set to grow and grow.
"We have 15 strong airline prospects across the world including Australia, the Middle-East, Singapore, Hong Kong and Brunei. It is a very exciting time for us and we are looking to expand.
"We have taken on apprentices in the past which is an ideal way for us to train people in exactly the skills we require. We have had a productive link with St Andrew's University but would love to recruit more locally in the future."
The Conduce story, you sense, is only just beginning.
SN Bookkeeping find the perfect base for expansion
When, seven years ago, Szymon Niestryjewski and Izabela Jutrzenka Trzebiatowskai set up SN Bookkeeping they already possessed most of the attributes needed to make a business succeed.
Talent. Drive. A passionate work-ethic. A gap-in-the-market idea.
They had all those - the idea being that of translating notoriously complex self-assessment tax forms (hard enough to fathom in your first language) for members of the Polish community.
Szymon and Izabela had done that informally for some years when they decided to formalise the arrangement. The response to an ad they placed on a Polish website, allied to the high volume of word-of-mouth recommendations, suggested that there was more than sufficient demand to support a business.
All they needed was an office. A base to work from.
So they moved into Eliot Park Innovation Centre in Nuneaton - and haven't regretted it for a moment.
They will leave it at some point. But only because, due in large part to the support of the centre and its staff, they will have outgrown it.
"The business is expanding," said Szymon. " We are on the list for a bigger space here and we want to keep expanding until perhaps we need to leave Eliot Park, but it has been the perfect base for us.
"It is ideal with good car-parking and easy access, excellent communications close to a town centre and all the facilities we need.
"The people are really friendly and helpful which is important because it means there is a really good atmosphere around the place."
SN Bookkeeping initially consisted of just Szymon and Izabela but the workforce is now four-strong and they would like to take on an apprentice.
And that positive atmosphere at Eliot Park is a great asset to people dealing with the pressures of running a small business with the inevitable stresses, deadlines and long, gruelling hours.
"Many people finish work at 5pm," said Izabela. "We usually clock off at about 9pm or 10pm. We sit down at the start of each month and pick which weekend we will try to have off!
"But we came to England because it offers such opportunities. We want to retire in ten years time and Eliot Park has been perfect for us, giving us everything we need to make our business grow."
Design flagship Eliot Park is perfect base for Society for the Environment
When the Society for the Environment was searching for a new base, it was attracted to Warwickshire County Council-run Eliot Park Innovation Centre for reasons beyond the facilities it offers.
As the Society's raison d'etre is to promote environmental excellence, it wanted to find a home which met all its own criteria.
Eliot Park does that.
"As an office-base, Eliot Park offers everything that we need," said Kerry Geldart, the Society's deputy chief executive. "But one of the key things for us is that the centre has good environmental standards, winning the ICE Sustainability Award in 2004 and achieving BREEAM Excellent at its design stage.
"When it was built it was one of the UK's most environmentally-friendly office-bases. Others have caught up since but, at the time, Eliot Park was quite a flagship and that is something to be very proud of."
The Society for the Environment is a non-profit body which received its Royal Charter in 2004. Since then, it has established a committed membership of 24 professional institutions through which the Society’s ‘Chartered Environmentalist’ qualification is awarded to professional individuals under licence from the Society. Over 8,000 individuals have now registered as Chartered Environmentalists.
The Society also organises seminars which bring together professionals from across different sectors to discuss environmental challenges such as fracking through to sustainable finance.
With much of its business conducted in the capital, good transport links are essential.
"We travel a lot visiting the different institutions and we host events in London and across the UK, so Eliot Park's location is great with its transport links for the rest of the country," said Kerry.
"Eliot Park is absolutely brilliant for us. It has great facilities for meetings and the staff are extremely helpful; it was an excellent choice for our business. It is great that, through Eliot Park and their other business and innovation centres, the county council continues to offer this great support to small businesses."
Chocolatiers happy at heart of CBC community
Stephen and Barbara Burgess's company D&D Chocolates has blossomed in the 15 years since they moved to Centenary Business Centre.
When they bought the business, which manufactures and supplies chocolate for customers with a dairy intolerance, from esteemed writer and food expert Michelle Berridale-Johnson, they inherited a strong business.
And they quickly set about enhancing and expanding it, establishing new lines of Carob and Dairy Free Chocolate - a subject in which they always had a particular interest as their son has a dairy intolerance.
From their small but intensely productive base in Nuneaton, D&D's team of four supplies its unique products to customers far and wide, many via its website www.danddchocolates.com.
Once or twice over the years Stephen and Barbara have thought about leaving, to accommodate potential expansion, but each time they decided that the Centenary Centre has all they need.
"Occasionally we have thought 'shall we move'," said Stephen. "But every time the advantages of staying here have won the argument.
"One of the great things about having a base here is being among other businesses. One of the big problems of running a small business, particularly in the early days, is the sense of isolation. Often you only talk to the bank manager (who you don't necessarily want to talk to!) and customers. But at Centenary you are very much part of a community and that is a real benefit.
"It is a belter of a base, really, and gives us everything we need. We are in a niche market and one that Barbara and I were always interested in because our son has a dairy intolerance and we saw him missing out at times like Easter and Christmas.
"Now with our range of Carob and Dairy Free Chocolate no-one has to miss out!"
JKE are sparkling at the Centenary Business Centre
Putting the sparkle into celebrations is what JKE (UK) Ltd, have been doing for nine years from their base at Centenary Business Centre.
Their unique products, which sell under the brand “Magic Sparkles,” are 100 per cent edible, jewel-like food decorations that are gluten-free and use natural colourings. Magic Sparkles have attracted a worldwide and, in some cases, high profile customer-base.
Some famous bakers feature among their client-list, which spans Europe, Asia and Australia.
Part of the challenge of running a global business, of course, is getting the goods delivered many thousands of miles safely and reliably. And that's where JKE benefited from the tight community of the Centenary Centre.
"We have two units at the centre - an office and a production room," said administrator Kim Wright. "It is very useful to be right in among other businesses because you can network easily and one of our neighbouring businesses, InXpress, now does all our shipping.”
"We ship our product worldwide so it is essential that we use somebody we can trust and to have them in the centre is perfect because, if there is a complication, or if we are sending to a new country, we just pop round and knock on their door."
JKE, which employs six people at the centre, is a great example of an innovative business taking flight and then, backed by commitment and hard graft, thriving.
The unique product itself, invented and developed by company founder Harish Patel, gives it an extra edge in the market place. Then comes all that further graft - the manufacturing, the shipping and the attracting and retaining of clients in an increasingly competitive market.
They are challenges that JKE have met. The company is sparkling itself, thanks in part to the support of Lisa Smullen, the centre manager and her team at Centenary Business centre.
"It is perfect base for us," Kim said, “the units we have are ideal and it is also very helpful that reception is always manned so if we are away at an exhibition or demonstration we know that deliveries will be signed for and kept secure.”