Business News

The perfect night’s sleep is the ultimate quest for many - but is our growing love of Instagram-friendly mattresses with generous returns policies doing more harm than good?

In recent years, a glut of social media-savvy businesses have sparked a revolution of mattresses fit for the social media age. Bright, modern designs and lofty promises of space-age technology designed to provide a restful slumber have charmed thousands of buyers, especially thanks to their consumer-friendly returns policies.

“They turn up in a box, with next day delivery, and you can send it back if you hate it - and there are always voucher codes online so you never pay full price,” says Lara, 29, who purchased one such mattress this year. Other buyers agree that the appeal of these mattresses is in the ease of purchase and the generous returns policy, with 26-year-old Matt commenting: “If you’ve got to sleep on it every night, it has to be perfect. I wouldn’t spend hundreds of pounds on something for it just to give me backache and then not be able to return it.”

Many of these modern mattress firms offer long ‘no quibble’ return guarantees, giving consumers upwards of three months, some even 365 days to try out their sleep-giving properties before either keeping or returning the mattress. Divert.co.uk, a rubbish removal expert, say these policies are causing an unacceptable rise in landfill waste - and should be banned.

A spokesperson for Divert.co.uk, Mark Hall, said: “These returns policies might seem like a no-brainer for buyers - and some companies promise returns are refurbished and re-sold, appealing to the eco minded consumer. But the more sinister reality is that hundreds of these mattresses are returned each day and, in order to cope with demand, brands use cheap local waste removal firms who are taking them straight to the tip - destined for landfill.

“Firms should be required by law to limit their returns policies to a period which means most returned mattresses can be refurbished, cleaned, and resold - or face hefty fines for unnecessary pollution.

"We've been offered various contracts to collect these perfectly good mattresses and turned them down as we refuse to take them to landfill, which is what is demanded from the client"

Pollution is even more of a key issue with modern mattresses, Divert.co.uk warns, due to the rise in demand for memory foam mattresses.”

While comfortable and supportive to sleep on, memory foam is made from polyurethane, a type of plastic. While recyclable in some forms, once the material has been made into a foam, it can’t be returned to another form - diminishing its re-use potential. Additionally, many mattresses - while they do contain other, more easily recycled materials such as metal springs or fabric coverings - tend to be sent to landfill whole. This further worsens their environmental impact: a high price to pay, even for a peaceful night’s sleep.

Hall continued: “Even something as small as mandating that mattresses should be stripped to their constituent parts and recycled before disposal could have an enormously beneficial effect. The impact that this boom in mattress sales could have must be caught before it is too late - and it requires bold moves and truly environmentally-friendly thinking by legislators. Shortening return times and requiring any reusable material to be stripped is the very least we can do to avoid sending thousands of tonnes of useless plastic to landfill after just months of use.”

A British entrepreneur has launched a social impact company The HUG Agency in partnership with His Highness Sheikh Saqer Bin Mohamed Al Qasimi private office in Dubai.

"We are launching recruitment agencies globally which gift 100% net agency fees back to the worker and society" says their founder, Ian Seddon. "We can help countries strengthen their economy, reduce social tension and reduce inequality by giving families free financial assets.

“The more we can give to society, the more our impact investors are rewarded, so everyone benefits". The recruitment industry market exceeds $400 billion annually but rather than giving cash, HUG will give workers free financial assets (Tesla shares, Amazon shares, Bitcoin...whatever they choose).

The assets, worth on average $3,000 per job placement, are released gradually over 24 months, so the recipient builds wealth and security whilst receiving free financial education via a digital wallet. But it's not just workers who will benefit. Businesses won't pay higher fees and they will get happy staff incentivised to stay for at least two years (while their free assets accumulate). If the worker does leave, the hiring business gets a 50% refund of the remaining balance.

Businesses can promote their ESG credentials, proving they support society and in future HUG will help smaller firms administer staff incentive schemes. It's a great way for businesses to gain customers and to retain them, especially as we inject more free wealth into the next generations.

HUG never risks the investments they allocate to workers and have modelled how they can still produce a great, long-dated return for impact investors or philanthropists. "Basically, we're really a fintech which is taking stewardship of the recruitment market because they have failed to innovate for decades." says Ian.

"We're introducing better technology so users can control their own data and for every 250,000 jobs we place, we forecast $1 billion assets under management which will give $600 million to families and $400 million to society".

HUG are planning to launch in the UK, USA, Europe and Australia this year and their Sovereign partners in Dubai give excellent opportunities for growth in MENA. Businesses, families, governments, investors and the global economy... everyone benefits when we recapitalise society.

City of Wolverhampton micro and small businesses have started receiving specialist support as part of the first cohort of the Council’s new Relight Business Programme.

Applications are now also being invited for the second cohort, with a deadline of Wednesday, March 31. The programme went live last month, and the Council’s Business Development team is already working with 30 city businesses in sectors such as hair and beauty, health and wellbeing, photography, manufacturing, painting and decorating, retail and hospitality.

The programme provides financial management advice and digital guidance and is being run in conjunction with the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Small Businesses. Each business will receive at least £750 worth of professional support in the form of financial health checks, analysis of funding and cashflow, reviews of products and services, and ways to improve market awareness, with the aim to rapidly build their capacity to survive and grow in the Covid-19 hit economy.

Membership of the Federation of Small Business or the Black Country Chamber of Commerce is also included as part of the programme. One company that is being supported is photography, graphic design and print company, Image Squad Ltd.

Its Creative Director/Owner, Lee 'Bear' Guest, said: “It has been a breath of fresh air to be involved in something positive during this testing time. I’m finding that as a small business who is cut off from both clients and freelance staff that being part of this scheme is a positive beacon. 

“Too many people are struggling to see a way out of this pandemic, myself included.  However, I refuse to accept that today will be the same as tomorrow. I can start to make changes to ready my business for reopening, whenever that may be.

“The support I have had so far has been helpful and, as someone who is in their 50s, I am embracing both the education and advice available. I am a realist and I also know what I have built so far has a long way to go and grow.”

Councillor Stephen Simkins, Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “These are incredibly difficult times for our small businesses, and we are constantly looking at new ways we can support them and help them bounce back from the current crisis.

“Through our work in administering thousands of vital business grants during the Covid-19 pandemic we have identified where some small businesses need more than just financial support.

“The Relight Business Programme provides more tailored support from business professionals that will help some of our smallest, but most ambitious businesses, survive and grow.”

The programme is aiming to support up to 200 micro and small city businesses in total. Applications must show ambition and passion about the business and programme.

Virgin Media is today unveiling a comprehensive five year plan which sets out how the company will support and connect communities across the UK, reduce its impact on the environment and continue to become a more inclusive employer.

The ‘Meaningful Connections Plan’ is a bold and far-reaching strategy with ambitious five year goals spread across three key areas: people, planet and communities. As part of the strategy, Virgin Media will use its connectivity and presence in towns and cities nationwide to support projects which address loneliness and create greater community belonging. In addition, it will take steps to employ more people from underrepresented groups, and is committing to achieve net zero carbon operations (Scopes 1 and 2) and zero waste operations by the end of 2025. 

Virgin Media is also joining forces with the charity, Carers UK, for a five year strategic partnership which will use technology and innovation to address the loneliness experienced by eight out of ten unpaid carers, and will work together to connect more carers to each other and to their communities.

Lutz Schüler, Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Media, said: “With the country beginning to look towards recovering and rebuilding, we believe it’s vital to use this moment to bounce back in a better way. As a major UK employer and investor with a presence in communities across the country, we know that we can make a positive impact.

“Our Meaningful Connections Plan will use our purpose, people and products to create lasting change in the towns and cities we serve, drive greater diversity and inclusion into our business and see direct action taken to help tackle climate change. This plan spans across our whole business and is backed by bold and ambitious goals which set a benchmark and provide focus for what we want to achieve over the next five years, starting right now.”

The Meaningful Connections Plan

Virgin Media’s ‘Meaningful Connections Plan’ has been created following extensive research and insight from its customers, employees and experts around the role the company should play in society over the next five years. 

This highlighted that Virgin Media should use its purpose, people and products to bring communities together to address the issue of loneliness and the erosion of community belonging. This has been backed by further independent research of 5,000 people where more than two fifths of people said that the wellbeing of their community is more important to them following the pandemic. Almost two thirds say they feel lonely when they do not have time to connect with friends or family in person, while two fifths say they feel lonely when they do not have time to connect with their communities in person.

Virgin Media’s research has also found that more than one in five of its 5.6 million cable customers in the UK is an unpaid carer – the equivalent of around 1.2 million customers - with 58% saying they have felt lonely or isolated. An unpaid carer is someone who looks after a loved one, friend or neighbour who is older, disabled or seriously ill, offering practical, emotional support or hands-on care.

Virgin Media found that the issues of loneliness and isolation are exacerbated for the 6.5 million unpaid carers across the country – as they are seven times more likely to be lonely compared to non-carers. According to Carers UK, the pandemic has compounded these issues as carers now have little or no time for themselves or the opportunity to connect up with loved ones or their communities.

Communities: 1.5 million people more meaningfully connected

Virgin Media will use its people, brand and connectivity to help end the loneliness experienced by carers, and to bring communities closer together: its goal is to connect 1.5 million people to their communities and each other. Virgin Media will use digital technology, innovation and the power of its people to support carers and communities. This includes helping one million carers to access more digital services and platforms to build support networks and friendships; collaborating with community groups to provide skills, training or funding; and using Virgin Media’s network of local workers to support projects which create a greater sense of community belonging.

To ensure this goal is shared across the business, Virgin Media is boldly increasing the number of annual paid volunteering days for its people to five – the equivalent of around 450,000 hours per year across its 12,000 workforce. Employees will be encouraged to take time regularly to support projects – either in-person or digitally - which build meaningful connections in their own community, including micro-volunteering opportunities that have a more sustained impact on their local communities. 

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said: “Carers UK’s new five year partnership with Virgin Media is exciting and transformative, enabling us to connect with many more unpaid carers and critically raise awareness of the issue.

“We know now more than ever millions of people are looking after someone and through this partnership we aim to reach them sooner and create better connections so that they are supported, leading to a reduction in loneliness and isolation. As Carers UK also embark on our new five-year strategy this partnership really underpins our ambitious plans to make life better for carers – we can’t wait to get started!”

Lutz Schüler continued: “We’re supporting communities with a long-term plan to tackle loneliness and isolation. We know that our connectivity, combined with the power of our people, can have a lasting impact and bring people together. 

“With our new partnership with Carers UK at the heart of our plan, we will use digital technology and innovation to make life better for one million unpaid carers, creating meaningful connections to each other and their communities.”

Planet: reducing impact

Virgin Media is stepping up action to tackle climate change – with a goal to achieve net zero carbon operations (Scopes 1 and 2) and zero waste operations by the end of 2025.

Virgin Media will continue to reduce its impact on the planet by becoming more energy efficient, cutting emissions, sourcing renewable power supply and reducing waste by increasing reuse of materials across its products and operations. By the end of 2025, Virgin Media aims to achieve:

Net zero carbon operations

·         Reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 25%, sourcing 100% renewable electricity and investing in carbon removal offsetting schemes for remaining emissions from 2025 onwards

·         Transition fleet to electric vehicles with full completion by 2030

Zero waste operations

·         Ensure 95% of all operational waste is reused or recycled and that customer products, such as set-top boxes or routers, contain at least 75% recycled plastic content or be a refurbished product, which is expected to save more than 5,000 tonnes of materials

·         Reuse or recycle 100% of all returned customer equipment and mobile handsets

·         Use 100% recyclable customer packaging with no single-use plastic

TV content

·         Virgin Media has signed up to the Media Climate Pact, an industry-wide initiative where it will use its TV platform to promote programming which highlights the effect of climate change to help educate and inform viewers

People: creating a culture of belonging

Virgin Media is continuing to take steps to become a more inclusive employer so that the company represents the communities it serves and creates a culture of belonging where all of its people – no matter their background – can be themselves at work and achieve their potential.

This includes creating hundreds more employment opportunities for people from underrepresented groups, and ensuring projects and products are equitable and are developed with all of its people and customers in mind. This builds on the existing measures Virgin Media has introduced to become a more inclusive employer, such as launching five employee networks representing underrepresented ethnicities, gender equality, disability, neurodiversity, and LGBTQ+ communities, as well as rolling out specialist equity training across the business.

Lutz Schüler concluded: “A diverse business is a better business. It’s critical to our growth that we have a culture where no-one is left behind and all of our people feel valued, heard and can be themselves. We’ve already taken action to create greater representation across Virgin Media, and will use this momentum to drive further positive change to become a more inclusive company.”

With the introduction of the Bentley Mulliner Visualiser, it is now easier for customers to work with their retailer remotely to fulfil their personal commissioning requirements.

The Bentley Mulliner Visualiser is a digital application that allows customers to view images of bespoke hide, veneer and stitching options tailored by them – and ultimately to envision their own bespoke Bentley. Working with the retailer or Bentley’s own Mulliner designers, customers are able to configure up to three different colours to create their own interior design.

The digital application guides the customer, via their retailer, through the process and produces images of the final design in real time, providing feedback and confidence that their personalised design matches their vision and is part of the same on-screen experience.

The Mulliner Visualiser also allows customers to create or match a bespoke main hide colour and provides a reference code that can be sent directly to the craftspeople of Bentley Mulliner.

Bespoke choices do not finish on the inside of the car. Beyond the standard palette of Bentley paints, Mulliner has carefully curated their own exquisite range of paint colours; giving customers an additional 26 colours to choose from.

The additional palette contains a mixture of fifteen solid and metallic options, four satin finishes, and seven complex pearlescent three-layer paints. Hand spraying expertise, complemented by the latest robotic technology, delivers the best possible finish on each vehicle. Combining the art of colour with the science of paint, Bentley offers one of the largest ‘stock’ colour palettes of any luxury automotive manufacturer.

For the ultimate in exclusivity, the craftspeople at Bentley’s personal commissioning division can colour-match virtually any sample provided, using innovative colour recognition software to analyse the composition of the sample provided and reproducing it to perfection. The only limit is the customer’s imagination.

In addition, for those customers wanting to bring their exterior colour choice into the cabin of their grand tourer, Bentley now offers the luxury of choice through painted veneers – with the fascias and waistrails painted to the same piano-finish standard as the exterior, in any one of the scores of colours on offer.

Via the Bentley configurator, customers can visualise the new choices the extended palette offers. By selecting the different paints, the information panel will display the story and history behind the chosen colour.

Boris Johnson hoped to raise spirits with his roadmap out of lockdown yesterday, but small business owners weren’t riding the PM’s wave of optimism about the future. A new survey of small business owners around the UK suggests that, as the economy reopens in earnest, the Government’s handling of the pandemic has crushed our entrepreneurial spirit.

More than half (53%) of the 1,012 small business owners surveyed by the free small business PR platform, Newspage (formerly The Great British Bounce Back), said the treatment of small businesses, especially small limited company directors, would “discourage people from setting up their own businesses” in the future, and result in a decline in entrepreneurialism.

Just 31% of the respondents said the Government’s handling of the pandemic over the past year would “encourage people to set up their own businesses”, while 9% said it would likely have no impact on the number of people setting up their own businesses. 7% were unsure.

Asked how they feel as a small business owner nearly one year on from the start of the pandemic, many of those who responded expressed feelings of despair and anger. A selection of those responses are provided below.

Sarah Gatford, director of Derby-based Sarah Gatford Limited: “No doubt the Government roadmap will rely on small businesses, the backbone of this country, to drive the economy forward. And yet so many of us have been sidelined by an incompetent and arrogant Government that couldn't care less about small business, and which has crushed our entrepreneurial spirit. My resilience has been stretched to its limits just to keep my head above water and taking on debt in the form of a Bounce Back Loan is not support.”

Beverley Wakefield, co-founder of Derby-based Vibrant Accountancy: “It’s great the Government has announced a roadmap out of the pandemic, but I fear the Treasury may have burnt its bridges with a huge number of small businesses that it will rely on to reignite the economy. While the pandemic will force more businesses to start, for the simple reason that fewer people are in jobs, I’m concerned about the Budget update and whether small business owners will be penalised in new tax measures. After all, the Government has made it crystal clear it does not like how small business owners remunerate themselves. Let’s hope this isn’t the case given that small business owners are the lifeblood of our country.”

Trudy Simmons, founder of London-based The Daisy Chain Group: “The road out of lockdown will be strewn with the wreckage of many small businesses that have received zero support from the Government. And while many people could enter self-employment due to the uncertain jobs market, the lack of support for small company limited directors over the past year could discourage people from setting up companies. Clearly, this could have ramifications for the economy as companies are able to scale up in a way sole traders cannot."

Maddy Alexander-Grout, founder of the Southampton-based small business national discount scheme, MyVIPCard: "The UK has always been an entrepreneurial country but the lack of support for so many small businesses over the past twelve months could become a headache for the Prime Minister in the short-term because so many would-be entrepreneurs have become disincentivised. Government support has been very sporadic for small businesses and those trading less than one year have not received anything. As a result, I think a lot of people will be scared to take the plunge into self-employment in the months ahead, and certainly until the market is a bit more stable."

Denise Yeats, director of London-based Denise Yeats Creative Event Production: "The Government roadmap should take into account the mass disillusionment of so many small businesses. To say I feel hugely let down by this Government would be an understatement. I feel continually stressed, anxious and fearful of the future, and can only see my hard earned business disappear.”

Lynsey Pollard, founder of London-based kids’ books provider, Little Box of Books: “In economic terms, I’m optimistic about our planned exit from the pandemic as so many newly launched companies have just been through the most intense business boot camp ever. To run a business in any circumstance, for any length of time, you need resilience, courage and creativity — and emergency schooling, pivoting, stock problems, delivery problems and social distancing have tested all of these to the limit. If we can repeatedly think of solutions during a global pandemic, we can take on the world, at least after some sleep and a few weekends of childcare.”

Keisha Shah, founder of the Milton Keynes-based educational resources provider, Teddo Play: “Although the road out of the pandemic is likely to be bumpy, I feel positive about the future because of the way e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Amazon, Etsy and others have helped companies to thrive, enabling customers and businesses to interact with each other pandemic or no pandemic, lockdown or no lockdown. The wheels of the economy have continued to spin thanks to the internet, e-commerce, fintech and the cloud.”

Peter Marples, founder of the Leicestershire-based consulting business, Aquifer Solutions: “With the roadmap out of lockdown, opportunity dawns. For many, the risk of setting up a business reduces as individuals are in less secure employment, which creates opportunities for change.”

Vicki Lovegrove, founder of Staffordshire-based Seventy Three Design: “Roadmap or not, I feel completely abandoned. I’ve had my micro business for seventeen years, have always paid my tax on time and kept my accounts up to date. Yet as a company director I have been lumped in a group and essentially deemed a fraud risk by the Treasury and therefore only been given a loan. I am disgusted by our treatment.”

A Birmingham social enterprise that has made 2.5million macaroons for global brands, royalty and a host of celebrities is celebrating ten years in business this week. Miss Macaroon has grown from a desire to use macaroons to help people back into work into one of the City’s leading employability programmes and a destination food venue for local people and visitors.

Formed by pastry chef Rosie Ginday MBE, the business has received a perfect birthday present, with news that it has secured a £150,000 grant from the John Lewis Partnership’s Community Investment Fund. The financial boost will be used to pay the wages of the recent MacsMAD (Macaroons that make a Difference) graduates and support a further 20 graduates as they continue to overcome barriers, including anxiety and learning disabilities, to access paid employment and mainstream jobs.

In the last decade, it means that 82 young people, from 18 to 35-years-old, will have been assisted by Miss Macaroon, developing cooking, administrative, sales and marketing skills and experience along the way. “A lot has happened since I set the business up with £500 and a bit of kitchen space donated by University College Birmingham,” pointed out Rosie.

“In the last ten years, we have made over 2.5million macaroons in 50 different flavours, opened our own macaroon and prosecco bar in Great Western Arcade and had our products enjoyed by celebrity chef James Martin, TV and radio presenter Jeremy Vine and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as part of their engagement tour. “We’ve even built a complete wall of macaroons for Instagram and had Glynn Purnell from Purnells and Saturday Kitchen, the Wilderness’ Alex Claridge and Bake Off’s Daryl Collins support our MacsMAD trainees through mentoring sessions and work experience placements.”

She continued: “Like many businesses, Covid-19 has caused us lots of issues and things have been very tough, but we have been able to keep the MacsMAD course going during the lockdowns. This latest funding boost from John Lewis means we can extend the level of support we can offer our most recent graduates and some of the 60 young people we expect to support over the next two years. They are the people we set the business up for and they remain our main priority. The shop and our sales just go into funding the programme and the assistance we can give them once they’re graduating. They’re the real heart of our social enterprise.”

Miss Macaroon’s MacsMAD programme is run over ten weeks, five spent training and five covering on-the-job experience, with individuals able to choose between catering and retail.

Every new starter receives wellbeing at work sessions and access to a psychotherapist, who will support them to overcome barriers that have prevented them from working in the past.

Corporate partners, including Hotel du Vin, Marriott Hotels, McDonald’s Restaurants and Resorts World provide ‘Welcome to Work’ tours and mentor talks to inspire trainees to reach for a career in hospitality. The idea is to give them transferrable skills, self-confidence and the chance to gain valuable experience that will hopefully lead to full-time employment with the business or other mainstream employers.

Rosie went on to add: “In addition to the MacsMAD programme, we’ve got a host of other ideas planned to help us celebrate our 10^th birthday in style. These range from the grand reopening of our newly refurbished bar and launching new vegan macaroons, to extending our social enterprise drink providers and hosting a major party - of course when we’re allowed to do so.

“There has been a 195% increase in online sales during Covid-19, so our macaroons have been going further than ever before and this is something we’ll look to build on going forward. Ten years is a great achievement, but we’re already looking forward to how we can make the next decade even more successful. Every penny we make in profit is invested in helping unemployed young people gain skills that will change their lives and this will always be at the heart of what we do and the macaroons we make.”

Financial services and market intermediary-focused global consulting firm JDX has chosen Birmingham-based Sport 4 Life UK as its charity of the year for 2021.Under the partnership, JDX is to support Sport 4 Life UK, which provides sports-themed personal development programmes to young people across the West Midlands, by providing key personnel to work with the charity’s beneficiaries.

This will entail the delivery of mock job interviews, workshops and site visits when coronavirus restrictions permit, as part of Sport 4 Life UK’s employability programmes. With the recent Prince's Trust Tesco Youth Index finding that 60% of young people feel getting a job is “impossible now”, business support for youth employment has never been more important.

Of the partnership, Seamus Smith, CEO JDX said: “We recognise that if we want to improve socio-economic and racial diversity within the financial industry, then we have a responsibility to create opportunities for future talent, wherever it comes from. Our local partnerships with organisations such as Sport 4 Life UK are designed to support underprivileged young people by offering mentorships, help with CV writing, job applications, hosting mock interviews, as well as providing young people with more exposure to the industry through field trips and work experience.

“We can all play a part in diversifying the future workforce of the financial industry, and supporting the vital work of Sport 4 Life UK is one of many steps that we are committed to.”

Sport 4 Life UK Founder and CEO Tom Clarke-Forrest added: “The pandemic and economic downturn meant that young people have never faced such stark challenges. So partnerships with experts like JDX are critical in helping youngsters to develop the skills needed to succeed in the jobs market. I’m truly grateful to the team at JDX for backing Sport 4 Life UK in 2021 and look forward to building our relationship over the coming 12 months for the benefit of West Midlands young people.” 

Despite coronavirus lockdowns preventing face-to-face activities like sports coaching, demand for Sport 4 Life UK’s services continues to grow, with online mentoring now playing a key role in service delivery. In the year to June 2020, Sport 4 Life UK supported a total of 926 youngsters with on and offline mentoring, qualifications, and training programmes, in addition to structured sports sessions - activities which are all expected to grow in the coming years.

Birmingham-based contractor, Willmott Dixon, has collaborated with Offsite Solutions, the UK’s leading bathroom pod manufacturer, to maximise the time, cost, quality and sustainability benefits of offsite manufacturing during the build of its two plots worth £78m, as part of the wider £500m Perry Barr Residential Scheme. 

The development, commissioned by Lendlease on behalf of Birmingham City Council, will see Willmott Dixon create 430 apartments in the dual four to six-storey blocks, on the site of the former Birmingham City University campus. The two apartment blocks will make up a crucial part of the Perry Barr Regeneration Scheme’s plan to deliver 1,400 much-needed homes for north-west Birmingham - the apartments will be made available for rent and sale, with homes being occupied in 2023. 

Working in collaboration, the contractor and offsite manufacturer are completing two contracts totalling £3.5m, to supply 692 steel-framed bathroom and en-suite shower pods. The use of innovative offsite manufacturing not only provides programme certainty and increases quality due to factory conditions, but also increases time efficiency by 30%.

Dan Doyle, operations director at Willmott Dixon, said: “The recently launched Construction Playbook has put standardisation and the use of modern methods of construction at the heart of public sector building progarmes to enable us to build ‘better, greener and smarter’, and that’s exactly what we’ve done on this scheme. The benefits of using offsite manufacturing during a project of this scale are unmatched. In one day, we can install approximately 20 pods.

“Traditionally this would involve a number of trades across several weeks. For our customers, this means additional project certainty and added programme benefits, along with assured quality. The benefits don’t stop there. The use of the pods helps to reduce the project’s carbon footprint while also supporting the compliance of Covid-19 safety guidance on-site. 

“This project also features a lightweight steel frame and a unique brick-like Corium cladding – both of which further demonstrate our use of offsite manufacturing techniques to support with time and cost efficiencies for our customer, while also adapting to ensure our workforce remained safe on-site during the Covid-19 pandemic.” The bathroom pods feature contemporary grey floor and wall tiles, a wall-mounted D-shaped hand basin, heated towel rail and a bath with a hand-held shower on a sliding rail. The shower rooms are fitted out with a hand-held rain shower, a large shower tray and sliding glass door, with an accompanying single bar towel rail adjacent to the shower or bath.

James Stephens, managing director of Offsite Solutions, said, “We are very pleased to be working with Willmott Dixon on a project that will provide much-needed homes for local people. The use of bathroom pods will improve the programme by maximising work offsite. By moving the fitout of bathrooms into a factory setting, we offer much greater certainty of completion on time, on budget and consistency of quality”.

These dual housing blocks, designed by Corstorphine & Wright, were designed to be part of wider residential development that will create new activity and vibrancy for the area whilst providing much-needed housing provision. The steel-framed bathroom pods in these blocks support the ambitions of the design, offering a premium aesthetic with traditional porcelain wall and floor tiling and a high-quality finish.

Anna Evans, project director at Lendlease, said: “We’re pleased to see the innovative use of bathroom pods at Perry Barr. This is another excellent example of the work taking place to ensure this development will be completed efficiently, safely and sustainably.” 

Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council said: “We have an urgent need for new and high-quality housing in this city.

“The Perry Barr Residential Scheme is making a significant contribution to meeting this demand – so it is really pleasing to see the innovative approach being used to equip the homes on these plots with excellent facilities.

“The completion of the bathrooms for these homes represents another significant milestone for the wider regeneration of Perry Barr.”

As part of Willmott Dixon’s commitment to leaving a legacy in the local community, working in collaboration with Lendlease and other contractors on the Scheme, the business will be contributing towards delivering a wide range of community and economic activities that will benefit local people both during the development and in the future. These benefits include supporting community projects and engaging with local schools as well as the creation of 400 new jobs - 50 of which will be apprenticeships. 

Contractors operating on the Perry Barr Residential Scheme will be working in collaboration to support 1,000 pre-employment training places and contributing towards hosting 10,500 work experience hours during the development. The contractors' support of the local community will also see them working in collaboration with Birmingham City Council’s employment access team to promote jobs and training opportunities through a variety of initiatives including the Construction Skills Hub and the Women in Construction programme.

Nominations have officially opened for the Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards) ahead of its digital awards ceremony in October. Now in its eighth year, the BBBAwards celebrates the outstanding achievements of Black British professionals and entrepreneurs, identifies role models and mentors across a number of sectors and highlights the community’s commercial contribution to the UK economy.

Since 2014, the BBBAwards has been a driving force promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. As the Black Lives Matter movement swept across the globe in 2020, the fight against systemic racial injustice and for equality took centre stage in society. This year, it is vital the conversation continues. By spotlighting Black talent, the BBBAwards helps ensure diversity remains at the forefront of business and debate.

From managing partners to master tailors, commercial property entrepreneurs to creative producers, the BBBAwards champions talent in all sectors.

Melanie Eusebe, BBBAwards Co-founder said: “Amidst the unprecedented challenges we have all faced during the past twelve months, we are delighted to once again open the nominations for the 2021 BBBAwards. Building on last year’s increased public consciousness of racial equality, we are proud and will continue to be the leading organisation platforming Black talent, addressing racial disparity in the workplace and providing companies’ strategic solutions to improve the career experiences and representation of minority ethnic professionals at senior levels”.

Fellow BBBAwards Co-founder, Sophie Chandauka, addedd: “Reward and recognition is critical to retention of the best and brightest. The BBBAwards is the most prestigious programme in the UK that shines a light a on the very best of British talent in business from the Black community. We look forward to an avalanche of nominations in this seminal year because this is a community that has remained resilient and focused on contributing to the UK economy in the face of a pandemic, racial unrest and personal pain. This is our time to reward and recognise these unsung heroes”.

The six categories open for nomination for both rising stars and senior leaders include:

·         Arts and Media (includes media, design, fashion, performance art, publishing and advertising)

·         Consumer and Luxury (includes food, beverage, retail, travel, cosmetics and luxury goods)

·         Entrepreneur (business must have been operational for 18+ months prior to 12 April 2021)

·         Financial Services (includes banks, brokers, payment services, insurance and finance regulators)

·         Professional Services (includes law, accounting management consultancy)

·         STEM (includes health, industrial, telecoms, pharmaceuticals, construction, transport and energy)

In addition to the awards themselves, the BBBAwards has contributed to the progress of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic talent advancement in the UK through a range of important initiatives including the Talent Accelerator, Executive Sponsor Roundtables, BAME in the Boardroom, Action Research, Employee Network Leaders Series, and School of Uncertainty, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.

China is now the EU's biggest trading partner, overtaking the US in 2020 as it bucked a wider trend, as trade with most of Europe's major partners dipped due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Trade between China and the EU was worth $709bn (€586bn, £511bn) last year, compared with $671bn worth of imports and exports from the US.

Although China's economy cratered in the first quarter due to the pandemic, its economic recovery later in the year fuelled demand for EU goods. China was the only major global economy to see growth in 2020, stoking demand for European cars and luxury goods.

Meanwhile, China's exports to Europe benefited from strong demand for medical equipment and electronics.

"In the year 2020, China was the main partner for the EU. This result was due to an increase of imports (+5.6%) and exports (+2.2%)," according to Eurostat, the EU's statistical office.

The figures were similar to China's official data published in January, which showed trade with the EU grew by 5.3% to $696.4bn in 2020. The EU's trade deficit with China also grew from $199bn to $219bn according to Eurostat figures.

Although the US and the UK remain the EU's largest export markets, trade with both countries dropped significantly, the statistics showed. "Trade with the United States recorded a significant drop in both imports (-13.2%) and exports (-8.2%)," the data agency said.

Transatlantic trade has been hit by a series of tit-for-tat disputes that have resulted in tariffs on steel and products such as French Cognac or American Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In 2020, the US had a trade volume of $671bn with the EU, down from $746bn the previous year.

It's not year clear if new US President Joe Biden will re-evaluate the US approach to trade with Europe. The EU and China, however, are trying to deepen their economic ties, with both sides seeking to ratify an investment deal that would give European companies better access to the Chinese market.

Analysts are tipping global trade to turn around in 2021 after a lacklustre 2020. The real value of global trade is set to rise by 7.6% after an an estimated contraction of 13.5% in 2020 to $16.4tn, according to research firm IHS Markit.

Wolverhampton has welcomed the historic government announcement that it has chosen the city as the location to house the first ministerial department based outside of London.

Councillor Ian Brookfield, Leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, has welcomed the news that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is to create a new dual headquarters in the city, which will include the presence of ministers and senior civil servants. 

Cllr Brookfield said: “This is a huge vote of confidence in the City of Wolverhampton and we are delighted to have been chosen to host this historic move away from Whitehall. The kudos of being the first place outside of Whitehall to host a Government department will create a real buzz and interest in our city, attracting further investment which is exactly what we want to be able to ‘relight’ Wolverhampton after the pandemic.

“When the idea of MHCLG moving out of London was first discussed last year, the council, local MPs and other stakeholders lobbied hard to make it a reality and that has paid off. This move could even inspire the next generation of homegrown Civil Servants and I look forward to developing a long-term partnership with Government that can maximise our plans for the City Learning Quarter, potentially leading to an academy for the Civil Service.”

Wolverhampton is ideally placed to benefit from HS2 which will cut journey times to London and elsewhere dramatically. It is also becoming one of the most digitally connected cities in the UK, with 5G and gigabit speed, full fibre broadband being rolled out at pace. 

Cllr Brookfield added: “It wasn’t hard to sell Wolverhampton as the ideal location in the heart of the country, with enviable connectivity to the rest of the West Midlands and beyond, the city’s connectivity is being further boosted by the soon to be completed £150m single integrated city centre transport hub including a brand new railway station and creating an attractive commercial gateway to the city. 

“We are currently enjoying record levels of private and public investment with £4.4 billion pounds being injected into regeneration projects citywide, including a brand new 43,546 sq ft grade A office building in the heart of the city centre which would make a fantastic home for the new HQ. All things considered, we made a compelling case to Government and they have made the right decision to move from Whitehall to Wolverhampton.”  

More than 6km of railway track is being replaced across the West Midlands as the rail industry works together to build back better after the coronavirus pandemic. Network Rail is investing more than £3m to renew track along key routes to get the railway is in the best possible condition for passengers ready when coronavirus travel restrictions can be eased.

The work will take place during this latest period of national lockdown - when only essential journeys are permitted – so fewer passengers will be affected the railway closures needed for the new track to be built. As old track will be torn up and new modern railway lines laid, some routes will be shut and rail replacement bus services will be in operation instead. 

Dave Penney, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: “While passenger numbers are still low, we’re making sure the railway across the West Midlands is in the best possible shape ready to welcome passengers back when lockdown measures can be eased.

“For those who are still travelling by rail for reasons permitted by government, I’d urge people to check National Rail Enquiries before they set off on their journey so they know what to expect.”

Chair of the Grand Rail Collaboration, representing train operators across the West Midlands, Alex Warner, said: “This investment in the West Midlands rail network will allow us to welcome passengers back to comfortable and reliable journeys as soon as we’re able.” 

Those using the rail network for essential journeys should leave more time to complete their journeys and check before travelling.

Almost 2,000 privately-owned properties in Wolverhampton, that had stood empty for years, have been transformed into family homes thanks to the efforts of the city council.  The figures have been revealed during what is national Empty Homes Week, which runs from 15 to the 21 February 2021. 
 

City of Wolverhampton Council’s Empty Property Strategy, launched in 2010, has seen more than 1,900 houses which had been left unoccupied – often in poor condition – brought back into use over the last 11 years. The council aims to ensure that rather than the properties becoming a blight on their neighbourhood, they are either sold to new homeowners or rented out to tenants. 
 

Specialist housing improvement officers from the council’s private sector housing team have worked with the owners of properties left empty for a long period of time to encourage and support them to carry out any required works and get them occupied once again. If necessary and as a last resort, the authority can use enforcement action to ensure this work takes place. 

The council also offers grants of up to £500 to encourage more owners of empty properties to act. The grants either help owners with legal/agent fees to sell their property or provide an incentive to rent it under the Private Sector Leasing (PSL) Scheme - a hassle-free property management service run in association with Wolverhampton Homes. 

Councillor Jacqueline Sweetman, Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, said: “Our action on empty homes is providing more affordable housing to people in the City of Wolverhampton. The properties we have become involved with have often stood empty for many years and, as a result, the condition of them has deteriorated dramatically. 

“Our strategy is helping to put these houses back on the market – either to sell or rent – and this in turn is having a positive effect in the areas they are in. In addition, it means landlords are once again seeing rental income come in and the value of their properties increase, while local shops and services are benefiting from new residents occupying the houses – providing a significant boost to the local economy. 

“This ongoing work is the equivalent of us building hundreds of new houses across the city -and we’ll continue to focus our efforts on empty houses in Wolverhampton.”  The work to bring back into use empty properties in the city aligns with the City Housing Strategy’s three key objectives of more and better homes, safe and healthy homes and access to a secure home.  

A ‘super network’ of global connectors has been created by Victoria Beale, Founder and CEO of Business Live UK, now renamed Business Live Global. The group includes networkers, influencers and the super-connected across businesses both here in the UK and overseas. “The aim of the group,” says Victoria. “Is to really help businesses grow by exposing them to this ‘super network’ and their contacts and connections.

To that end we’re holding our first event on the 19th February from 12noon to 2pm and already have over 130 people registered to attend including our guest of honour, Jojar Dhinsa, a self-made, UK-based billionaire. That event has already attracted global sponsors including Tweebaa, Elite Live Group and Kylie Anderson.”

The ‘super network’ includes the seriously well connected:

• Sheila Smith of Your Business Expo
• Matt Youdale of Arch Communications
• Simon Cox of Poppy Design Studio and North Northants Business Network
• Lance Haggith of Sports Traider
• Rachel Hargrave of RDZ PR and The Awards People
• Philip Brooks-Stephenson and Stephen Goddard of KuKu Connect
• Samantha Poole of Mum 2 Mm
• David Johnson-Rayner of Koi Sports
• Tim Lee of Collaborate MK
• Kylie Anderson a Speaker and Entrepreneur

“Together these business owners have over 100,000 global connections and this event, the first of many, is an amazing opportunity for attendees to make new connections in new areas.” The event has proved so popular that Victoria has already had to extend the number of places available. “I absolutely expect this event to be a sell-out so if you want a spot book on soon.

Attendance is absolutely free for the first event and we have the amazing Kylie
Anderson speaking on how to monetise your knowledge. Having done through her VIP Experience Day I can say, wholeheartedly, that this is not a talk you want to miss!”
Plans for the ‘super network’ include the imminent launch of a brand new e-commerce shop providing products and services exclusively for business owners.

Azets, the UK's largest regional accountancy and business advisors to SMEs, is pleased to announce that its Corporate Finance team has advised the leadership team of specialist bi-fold door manufacturer, Slide and Fold, on its sale to acquisitive privately-owned business Orchestra Group.

Slide and Fold Limited, together with sister company Weathershield Limited, is a long-established Great British business specialising in the manufacture and supply of bi-fold doors and high-quality double-glazed windows. The family-owned business, led by husband-and-wife Darron and Eve Cooke, is based in Coventry. Under Mr and Mrs Cooke’s ownership, Slide and Fold has achieved substantial growth and become a leader in its industry. As a tech-enabled business, Slide and Fold has a significant online sales focus, which was a key enabler for attracting interested parties.

Azets was appointed by Mr and Mrs Cooke after Mark Selby, National Head of Corporate Finance at Azets, had provided initial advice on a sale strategy and timeline, building trust with the client whilst demonstrating Azets’ specialist expertise. Also advising from Azets was Corporate Finance Senior Manager, Simon Hopkin. Azets identified Orchestra Group as a potential buyer in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis was taking hold in the UK. All negotiations and project management through to completion was conducted during the pandemic, adding significant challenges to the multi-million-pound deal.

Commenting on the sale, Darron and Eve Cooke, said: “As a long-held family-owned business, it was important we were able to identify the right time to sell and the right buyers. We are thankful to Mark and the team at Azets for helping us achieve this. We appointed Azets to advise on the sale of Slide and Fold following a number of discussions with Mark, during which his openness, honesty and transparency filled us with confidence. We are pleased the deal is now complete and, despite the additional complication of a global pandemic, Azets maintained a personal and professional approach throughout.”

Mark Selby, National Head of Corporate Finance at Azets said: “’We are delighted to have assisted Darron and Eve with the sale of their business. Conducting this transaction under lockdown restrictions presented some highly unusual logistical challenges. However, the desire of all parties to get a deal done meant that we were able to navigate these successfully and achieve a great outcome for our client.”

Director at Orchestra Group, Steve Rhodes, added: “It was a pleasure to deal with Mark and Simon throughout the acquisition process. We found them to be extremely responsive and they were helpful in finding solutions to the inevitable hiccups that occur in the deal process. They were always looking to get the right deal for their client and were dedicated to making sure the deal got completed as quickly and smoothly as possible.

“We have worked with multiple vendor advisors’ and we found Azets to be amongst the most professional and easy to work with of any that we have encountered. If I am selling a business in the future, I would not hesitate to approach Azets as advisors.” Also advising Slide and Fold was legal and professional services business Knights plc.

Jon Start, Partner in Knights’ Corporate team, said: “This transaction marks the successful completion of another high-quality deal for our team during a disrupted year for many. It was a pleasure to support the sellers on this project alongside Azets, their accountants and corporate finance advisers, and we wish Darron and Eve all the best for the future.”