Colors: Purple Color

As the country comes to terms with the outbreak of COVID-19 and weeks, if not months, of uncertainty in everyone’s business life, the Black Country Chamber of Commerce has set up a series of ‘Business Webinars’ alongside a ‘Business Support Hotline’, for those organisations needing to discuss the latest guidance, access the Chamber’s business support, receive answers to their COVID-19 questions and to discuss the impact these unprecedented times are having on their business.

Corin Crane, Chamber Chief Executive said, “These are unprecedented times and we need to help and advise the business community in order for them to steer their way through this in the best possible way over the coming weeks.”

The Chamber will also host regular online webinars which will run on a weekly basis from 10.30am every Friday over the coming weeks and are inviting business across the region to join them.

The Coronavirus Business Clinics will run:

FRIDAY MARCH 20th

Details: https://www.blackcountrychamber.co.uk/events/20032020/coronavirus-business-clinic/

Black Country Chamber Coronavirus Business Clinic
Fri, Mar 20, 2020 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (GMT)Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://www.gotomeet.me/BlackCountryChamber/coronavirus-business-clinicYou can also dial in using your phone.
United Kingdom: +44 330 221 0097
Access Code: 616-938-141

FRIDAY MARCH 27th

Details: https://www.blackcountrychamber.co.uk/events/27032020/coronavirus-business-clinic/

Black Country Chamber Coronavirus Business Clinic
Fri, Mar 27, 2020 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (GMT)Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://www.gotomeet.me/BlackCountryChamber/black-country-chamber-coronavirus-business-clinicYou can also dial in using your phone.
United Kingdom: +44 20 3713 5028
Access Code: 345-693-533New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/345693533

FRIDAY APRIL 3rd

Black Country Chamber Coronavirus Business Clinic
Fri, Apr 3, 2020 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (BST)Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/316257677You can also dial in using your phone.
United Kingdom: +44 808 178 0872
Access Code: 316-257-677New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/316257677

Meanwhile the Black Country Chamber have set up Coronavirus Business Helpline, abusiness and employee dedicated helpline to support businesses with the outbreak of COVID-19. 

Midlands businesses affected may wish to consider support being offered by Black Country Chamber of Commerce

 

A GP and an entrepreneur frustrated by the lack of high-quality CBD products on the market have launched their own brand.

Dr Peter Naylor and Ian Craggs launched CBDDIRECT2U to sell a range of flavoured CBD oils direct to customers via their website.

The range has been developed by the company’s Medical Director Dr Peter Naylor who has over 20 years of experience in the health industry. He took CBD after suffering a neck injury.

CBDDIRECT2U’s range of guaranteed premium CBD products include 4% and 10% strength pure oils and are all made in the UK.

The oils are made using a luxury MCT (medium chain triglyceride) coconut oil for maximum flavour and a broad-spectrum hemp extract oil with naturally occurring CBD. The company sources its oils from Oregon in the United States.

The range comes in seven exceptional flavours and is independently tested to guarantee quality.

Flavours include Pure Chocolate, Mixed Berry, Peppermint, Lemon & Lime and Orange plus a Natural CBD oil and a Lavender Night Oil. 

Dr Naylor said: “All our products come with a guaranteed CBD concentration and have been rigorously tested giving our customers total confidence.

“We wanted to make products that people could trust what they read on the pack was what they were actually getting and we also wanted to create something they could actually look forward to using.

“We’re proud to have created an excellent CBD product range both in terms of flavour and the science behind it.”​

Ian Craggs, CEO and founder of the DIRECT2U Group, said: “People are becoming ever more conscious of their health and wellbeing, but they also want to know they are buying high quality products that have been developed by industry experts.

“By launching a series of direct to consumer ecommerce websites we are also making it easy for customers to buy products when they want them.

“We also offer a subscription service allowing people to have their favourite products delivered to them on a regular monthly basis.”

With reports of supermarket shelves clearing of toilet paper, Severn Trent is encouraging its customers not to flush potential substitutes like wet wipes or kitchen roll down the toilet.

Severn Trent’s sewer blockages lead, Grant Mitchell, says: “We know just how worrying it is for everyone at the moment and we want to reassure our customers that we’re working really hard to keep our essential service running as usual.   

“Flushing the wrong things down the toilet is probably very low on everyone’s list of priorities right now, but by flushing the wrong thing down the toilet, you could end up blocking our sewer pipes, which could cause issues for you, or for your neighbours or out in the street, and no one wants that during this difficult time.

“So we’d just like to remind everyone that anything other than toilet roll shouldn’t be flushed down the loo in case it causes any problems.”

Sewer blockages across the region are still around 45,000 per year, three quarters of which are caused by people putting things down their toilets and sinks which they’re not supposed to.

Grant continued: “Sewers are only designed to cope with toilet paper and human waste.  So some of the things people throw down the toilet, like wet wipes and kitchen roll, can easily snag on the inside of a pipe and block it.  And, because some of the sewer pipes are only a few inches wide, any fats or oils you throw down your sink can build up on the inside of it, clogging it up – even if you rinse it off with boiling water.

“Then, when a sewer is blocked the waste has to go somewhere.   This means it usually comes out of a drain and can flood roads, or even your home with sewage.  And, during times like this, this is the last thing anyone wants. 

“But all this can easily be avoided, by people disposing of items in the bin, and not the toilet or sink.”

 

Hotel du Vin Stratford-upon-Avon has appointed all-new manager Natalie Heath ahead of its third year. The new general manager brings over 20 years of hospitality experience, and a full suite of new ideas to the boutique hotel.

The hotel, which took Stratford-upon-Avon by storm in 2018, has had a successful two years since opening in the former registry office building, and with new manager at the helm more successes are yet to come.

Newly appointed Natalie will be focussed on driving sales and strategy for the hotel, having studied hotel management and training at The Savoy and built her wealth of experience working at the likes of Q Hotels, Hyatt, Marriott, in most recent years Natalie was the Operations Director for a local independent groups.

One of her passions while in post is to support the progress of women in hospitality: She will oversee the hotel team of 50, where 70% of the Head of Departments are women.

Mentoring and developing the management team will be just one of her responsibilities in her new role, along with taking the lead on raising awareness of the hotel, increasing sales and profitability and maintaining an excellent quality in service.

Commenting on her appointment, Natalie says: “The Hotel Du Vin name has always been held in such a high regard to me, as its consistently high performing results are well-respected in the industry.

“I am really excited to be appointed as the General Manager here in Stratford.

“The quality of the team, food and service are already fantastic, so I’m delighted to have been appointed to steer the way with such a great product already. I have lots of ideas to take the hotel to the next level of excellence.”

Since her appointment, Natalie has set the tone for 2020 with new plans to open the courtyard overlooking Rother Street, whilst launching a new co-working space within Bistro du Vin.

Hoping to make Hotel du Vin Stratford-upon-Avon the go-to venue in town for locals and tourists alike, Natalie Heath has new developments on the horizon for the boutique hotel this summer.

Analysis published by the TUC reveals that the average woman has to wait more than two months of the calendar year before she starts to get paid, compared to the average man.

The current gender pay gap for all employees stands at 17.9%. This pay gap means that women effectively work for free for the first 65 days of the year, until they begin to get paid on Women’s Pay Day.

Regional gender pay gaps

The analysis published today – which is also the first day of the TUC’s annual women’s conference in London – shows that in some parts of the country gender pay gaps are even bigger so their Women’s Pay Day is later in the year.

  • In the East of England the gender pay gap is 20.3%, so Women’s Pay Day in that part of the country won’t fall for another 9 days (Friday 15 March).
  • Women in the South East (19.3% pay gap) and the East Midlands (19.2%) have to wait until Monday (11 March) for their Women’s Pay Day.
  • And women in the West Midlands (18.3% pay gap) had to wait until March 7.

Regional variations in the gender pay gap are likely to be caused by differences in the types of jobs and industries that are most common in that part of the UK.

Industrial gender pay gaps

The analysis also shows that in a number of key industries – even in those dominated by female workers like education and social work – gender pay gaps are even bigger. In these sectors women get paid much less on average than men, both because they are more likely to be in part-time jobs and because they are in lower-paid roles.

  • In education the gender pay gap is currently 25.9%, so the average woman effectively works for free for more than a quarter of the year (95 days) and has to wait until the 4 April 2019 before she starts earning the same as the average man.
  • In information and communication, the average woman waits 77 days for her Women’s Pay Day on 18 March 2019.
  • The longest wait for Women’s Pay Day comes in finance and insurance. The gender pay gap is the equivalent of 130 days, meaning its more than a third of the year before Women’s Pay Day finally kicks in on 10 May 2019.

TUC Regional Secretary Lee Barron said: “The UK still has one of the worst gender pay gaps in Europe. Women effectively work for free for two months of the year – and at current rates of progress it’ll take another 60 years for this gap to close.

“Making employers publish information on their gender pay gaps is a start but it’s nowhere near enough. Employers must be legally required to explain how they’ll tackle pay inequality at their workplaces and advertise jobs on a more flexible basis.

“Women in the UK will only start to get paid properly when part-time jobs are better-paid and jobs are flexible from day one. And we need higher wages in key sectors like social care.

“Workplaces that recognise unions are more likely to have family-friendly policies and fair pay. So a good first step for women worried about their pay is to join a union.

Women’s Pay Day by region, sources the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2018.

Region

Gender Pay Gap

Number of days women work for free

Women’s Pay Day

East of England

20.3%

74

15 March 2019

South East

19.3%

70

11 March 2019

East Midlands

19.2%

70

11 March 2019

South West

18.7%

68

9 March 2019

Yorkshire and the Humber

18.6%

67

8 March 2019

West Midlands

18.3%

66

7 March 2019

UK average

17.9%

65

6 March 2019

North East

17.0%

62

3 March 2019

London

16.7%

60

1 March 2019

North West

16.4%

59

28 February 2019

Scotland

15.0%

54

23 February 2019

Wales

13.6%

47

18 February 2019

Northern Ireland

9.6%

33

4 February 2019

Women’s Pay Day by industry, source the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2018.

Industry

% gender pay gap

Number of days

Women’s Pay Day

Transport and storage

4.8%

18

17 January 2019

Accommodation and food services

4.8%

18

17 January 2019

Admin and support services

8.2%

30

29 January 2019

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

6.8%

25

24 January 2019

Arts, entertainment and recreation

12.1%

44

13 February 2019

Real estate

14.9%

54

23 February 2019

Public admin and defence

15.4%

56

25 February 2019

Construction

16.3%

59

28 February 2019

Human health and social work

17.3%

63

4 March 2019

Wholesale and retail, motor vehicle repair

17.8%

63

5 March 2019

All employees

17.9%

65

6 March 2019

Manufacturing

20.3%

74

15 March 2019

Information and communication

21.2%

77

18 March 2019

Professional, scientific and technical

22.7%

83

23 March 2019

Education

25.9%

95

4 April 2019

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning

26.8%

98

7 April 2019

Financial and insurance

35.7%

130

10 May 2019

- The gender pay gap 

 OakNorth Bank – the UK bank powered by OakNorth – has provided a £9.4m loan to Care Concern Group, one of the UK’s most highly-regarded care home operators for dementia and general nursing to enable Care Concern Group to acquire Willowbrook Care Home in Birmingham – a purpose-built home with 75 units spread across two buildings. The care home improved its rating from “Good” to “Outstanding” in 2018 and experiences higher-than-average occupancy rates - 99% vs between 87-93% across the rest of the West Midlands.

To-date Care Concern Group has borrowed C. £40m from OakNorth Bank to support its expansion. Established in 2005, Alpha Real Capital is an investment services group focused on income security from real assets. It invests in assetbacked income from real estate, infrastructure, and lending, with an emphasis on long income and inflation protection, and has over £2 billion of assets under management.

Manpreet Johal, CEO of Care Concern Group, said: “We’re excited to work with Deepesh and the rest of the OakNorth team for a second time this year. They have once again been incredibly supportive, working closely with Alpha Real Capital to ensure we were able to take advantage of this exciting opportunity to acquire a leading care home in Birmingham. With this purchase we’ll be able to provide an even higher standard for dementia and general nursing care facilities in the city and help reduce its 240-bed footfall.”

OakNorth Bank Senior Director of Debt Finance Deepesh Thakrar, said: “The West Midlands’ supply of care homes is lower than most other regions in the UK which is why it experiences such high average occupancy rates.

“The deal represented the opportunity to once again support a brilliant business and management team who have been able to build a portfolio of over 80 sites with an average of 87% occupancy across them.

“This is a sector we understand and are keen to support more deals in, so it’s great to have a returning customer in the Care Concern Group.”

Nearly one in three people retiring this year plan to use their property wealth to help boost their retirement income highlighting the growing importance of property in retirement planning, new research from the UK’s leading over-55s specialist adviser Key shows.

Its unique study into the finances and ambitions of over 1,000 people expecting to finish full-time work in 2020 shows they own property worth more than £142.5 billion with an average of £388,900 each.

Key’s “Retirement Class of 2020” research shows 30% of people retiring this year will use their property wealth in retirement. Nearly half (46%) will look downsize to a smaller property while 23% will consider equity release or remortgaging.

 

But the nationwide study found just two out of five (40%) property owners say they are happy with their expected retirement income and do not need to consider their property wealth.

The biggest reason for not using property wealth in retirement is the desire to leave an inheritance to family – 16% of homeowners want to leave the house to their family. However, 15% are worried about borrowing money and a further 15% do not want to move.

 

Other reasons for not using property wealth in retirement include concern about the reputation of equity release (8%) and fear of making a mistake (6%), the research found.

Over-65s have more than £1 trillion pounds worth of unmortgaged housing equity and Key has launched a major new marketing campaign to encourage people to get answers to questions they may have around equity release.  The campaign which is running across TV, press, digital and social aims to inform and educate older homeowners to ensure that unanswered questions are not the reason that they are failing to consider all options.

Will Hale, CEO at Key, said: “Property wealth is established as a major factor in retirement planning with one in three people retiring this year looking to the money invested in their home as a way of supplementing their income.

“With people retiring this year owning homes worth an average of £388,900 and total property wealth of £142 billion there clearly is a lot of wealth that could be used in retirement. Many will not need to use their home as part of retirement planning, but it is worrying if people are not taking property wealth into consideration due to a lack of awareness of the options available to them or as a result of myths or misconceptions about products.

“Our research shows many are worried about borrowing money or moving to a new house while others are concerned about making mistakes. These customers could benefit from information and advice when assessing their options for using property wealth and, while equity release is not right for everybody, modern lifetime mortgages with low rates and flexible features such as the ability to service interest or repay capital mean that they offer potential solutions for a wider range of customers than ever before.”

Around the country

 

People expecting to retire in London are the most likely to use their property wealth in retirement and have the most wealth on average at £661,900 each followed by homeowners in the South East, whereas people in East Anglia are the least likely to use property wealth to boost retirement income – around 17% will consider it even though they have average property wealth of £426,400.

REGION

AVERAGE PROPERTY WEALTH

HOW MANY WILL USE PROPERTY IN RETIREMENT

London

£661,900

40%

South East

£540,900

31%

East Anglia

£426,400

17%

South West

£386,600

33%

West Midlands

£342,300

28%

Scotland

£314,500

30%

Wales

£275,300

23%

North West

£274,600

26%

East Midlands

£264,700

36%

Yorkshire & The Humber

£263,900

30%

North East

£258,200

29%

GREAT BRITAIN

£388,900

30%

We have been informed that the event that the advertisement placed on page 16 of the February 2020 edition of The Phoenix Newspaper relating to an African Regional Awards and Seminar in Ghana is under investigation as it may not be happening.

This advertisement has been removed from the online version of the February 2020 edition of the newspaper, but will obviously still be in the printed copies.

Work on a £133m regeneration project near the centre of Birmingham is set to start, with High Street Residential launching the first phase.

The Cording Real Estate Group, a member of the Edmond de Rothschild Real Estate investment management platform, has already agreed a £49.7m forward funding deal for a ten storey building on the 2.2 acre site, bounded by Bromsgrove Street, Gooch Street North, Kent Street and Henstead Street.

Business leaders in Greater Birmingham today urged the government to “cut the dithering and start delivering” on HS2.

Paul Faulkner (pictured), chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said a new report published today by the National Audit Office (NAO) was welcome but added nothing new and would be used to stop the “most important infrastructure project in a generation”.

As it’s the Chinese New Year, Severn Trent, along with contract partners ECAS would like to thank all of the Chinese food outlets in the Midlands who they’ve been working with to prevent sewer blockages from happening. On behalf of the water company, environmental inspectors from ECAS have been visiting food service establishments to educate kitchen staff about what they shouldn’t be putting down sinks and drains – plus advising them on what grease trapping equipment they might need to install.

Applications are now live on the Black Country Business Festival website for anyone who wishes to run an event in the nine-day programme. Anyone can apply – events can be about anything and be run in any format, as long as they contribute positively to the business community and champion innovation, creation and culture.

 

The Black Country Business Festival will take place on the 11 May – 21 May, it is run in partnership with the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and is managed by Associate Events. The 2020 Festival will celebrate it’s third consecutive year and is the region’s largest business showcase. Events must highlight the region’s diverse investment prospects.

 

It is also a unique opportunity for local businesses and companies to engage with potential customers, demonstrate skills and build a client database. It is free to host an event and the Festival works with a variety of venue partners, who offer up building space and rooms to businesses.

 

Corin Crane, chief executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce said, “One of the Chamber’s main functions is to introduce businesses and companies to new  business platforms and encourage partnerships and collaboration. The Business Festival is one of the ways we manage to do this, business is done better together.

 

“The Festival has seen tremendous appreciation and interest from people and companies within the Black Country and we are very excited to see what this year holds. I would encourage businesses to host events this year, as the Festival only seems to get bigger and better!”

A new awards programme has launched in the West Midlands and is on the lookout for the region’s most inspiring property professionals who have made a significant positive contribution to the built environment and communities, making them highly deserving of a new Lifetime Achiever accolade.

RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) – a leading professional standards body for those who work in land, property and construction – is seeking entries for the national Lifetime Achiever title as part of its new Social Impact Awards which celebrate the positive contribution the built environment has on people’s lives for the first time.

Nominees for the Lifetime Achiever award will be judged across strict criteria, including how their professional advice has helped to change lives, transform communities and positively impact the environment. RICS Judges will also be looking for evidence of how candidates – of all ages and backgrounds - have embraced innovation, creativity, new approaches and technology to help deliver smarter built projects and initiatives that are having a positive impact on society.

Matthew Howell, RICS Managing Director, UK & Ireland said: “We’re delighted to have launched a new Lifetime Achiever accolade as part of our newly refreshed annual awards programme. Chartered Surveyors play a vital role in creating and maintaining our built environment to ensure it has a positive impact on communities and people’s lives, so this award will recognise and celebrate the champions in our industry who are making a remarkable difference to society.”

The esteemed title will be presented to the winner at the RICS Social Impact Awards Grand Final held in November 2020, where the project category winners from the West Midlands’ regional heat will go head-to-head against other regional winners – from all 12 UK regions - to compete for the national accolade in their respective category.

Nominations for the Lifetime Achiever are free to enter via www.rics.org/awards and can be submitted by co-workers, former colleagues or candidates themselves (providing they are RICS accredited).

The deadline to apply is 31 January 2020.

Project category entries for the 2020 RICS Social Impact Awards, West Midlands - which include; Commercial, Education, Healthcare, Heritage, Infrastructure, Land & Rural, Leisure, Residential and Student Accommodation – must also be submitted by 31 January.

The regional ceremony will be held in April 2020.

New job market data has revealed a downward spiral for the retail sector, with available vacancies in the retail sector plummeting by -25% in the last 12 months.

According to data from Adzuna, a leading job search engine, the retail industry has lost a quarter of all vacancies in the past 12 months (a loss of 7,298 jobs) with a -13% decrease of jobs month-on-month. August 2019 shows the largest month-on-month decrease since May 2017.

Splitting this loss out into different roles, the data reveals vacancies for management positions in retail have fallen by 30% compared to this time last year, with vacancies for retail apprentices dropping by 55% and retail operatives dropping by 23%.

The average salary across the industry (£26,284 pa), has only seen a 0.7% increase in the last three years, despite the average inflation rate being 2.62%¹. The current average sits 23% below the national average of £34,164.

The top five companies hiring for retail jobs in the UK are:

1. Tesco - 1,275 jobs 2. Dixons Carphone - 952 jobs 3. Halfords - 401 jobs 4. Greggs - 351 jobs 5. Sainsbury’s - 334 jobs

The data also looked at the job market at a whole, revealing that across all industries, the North East of England saw the biggest loss in job vacancies (-46.3% year on year) in the last 12 months.

The table below shows the cities with the biggest decrease in job vacancies since 2018:

Jul-18 Aug-19 % 12m vacancy change 1,121,754 1,005,603 -11.6%

Eastern England 108,748 93,123 -15.5% East Midlands 61,239 52,383 -14.2% London 251,977 240,049 -6.7% North East England 26,279 15,716 -46.3% North West England 98,059 87,516 -12.1% Northern Ireland 10,274 8,619 -13.2% Scotland 45,633 40,272 -10.7% South East England 183,524 162,507 -12.2% South West England 88,408 78,275 -11.2% Wales 22,288 20,904 -7.6% West Midlands 82,469 69,672 -16.3% Yorkshire and The Humber 56,656 58,615 6.6%

Doug Monro, co-founder of Adzuna, comments: “The possibility of a no deal Brexit continues to unsettle the job market. We have seen the biggest annual decline in vacancies in almost three years, with the retail sector taking one of the biggest hits.

“The recent Thomas Cook closure has definitely highlighted the struggle that bricks and mortar businesses are facing in the age of online shopping and our data shows that there is cause for concern. The retail industry in particular is showing little to no signs of recovery, following the closure of several high profile retailers. The threat of online shopping, automation and Brexit means it will be a difficult flight back for this industry and we anticipate we’ll see the high street continue to struggle in the coming years.

“Aside from retail, the number of available roles in construction is also plummeting. These two sectors combined are often an indicator of what direction our economy is heading in, so these figures aren’t promising.”

Chiswick Auctions is offering six of the most important Chinese paintings ever to come on to the market. From the Imperial collection, the paintings were believed to be lost until now, when they were identified by Lazarus Halstead, Head of Asian Art at Chiswick Auctions, as the original works.

The set of six ‘chicken’ paintings were in the private collection of the most powerful Chinese Emperor to ever have lived. The Kangxi Emperor (1654-1722) was the fourth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the second Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign spanned 61 years, making him the longest-reigning emperor in Chinese history and one of the longest-reigning rulers in the world.

The Emperor commissioned the esteemed court artist Jiang Tingxi (1669–1732), to create the works, which were missing from the Imperial Collection, until now.

Speaking about the discovery, Asian art specialist Lazarus Halstead, said: “This is a really exciting discovery and a true treasure, which transports the viewer one step closer to the Kangxi emperor himself, who together with his grandson, the Qianlong emperor, held these works in the highest esteem.”

The Emperor’s interest spanned mathematics, sciences, astronomy, music, geometry, physics, botany and zoology, as well as art in China and the West. It is this, combined interest in science and art that led him to commission a Compendium of Birds from the leading court artist, depicting 360 different species, including the six chicken paintings in the upcoming sale.

The chicken is considered a symbol of fidelity and punctuality in Chinese culture and is one of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals. The chickens depicted in this set are therefore painted as part of an encyclopaedic natural history project, rather than for purely decorative purposes, making the paintings historically important and completely unique.

The project was considered so important at the time that Kangxi’s grandson, the Qianlong Emperor, commissioned a detailed copy of the album to be made, by the Imperial Court artists Zhang Weibang (張維邦, 1725 – 1775) and Yu Sheng (余省, 1692 – 1767). This later version is considered one of the great treasures of the Palace Museum in Beijing and the complete album was lavishly reproduced in hardback and published as ‘Classics of the Forbidden City: Catalog of Birds Collected in the Qing Palace’ in 2014.

The original Jiang Tingxi set had been missing from the Imperial Collection, with its whereabouts unknown, until now. A careful comparison of the present versions with those in the Palace collection reveals that the Palace copies are derivative and the current works are vastly superior in quality, brushwork and details.

Only a limited number of album leaves from the original set have ever come on to the market and a set of six works is exceptionally rare. Another album by the Imperial artist Jiang Tingxi (1669 – 1732) sold for 173 million RMB ($25 million USD) in 2016, to legendary collector Liu Yiqian and has since been exhibited at the Long Museum in Shanghai. The works were formerly in the collection of Charles Blair, a tea planter in Ceylon.

They are estimated to fetch £20,000 – £30,000 when they are offered in the Fine Chinese Paintings sale at Chiswick Auctions Asian Art sale on November 11, 2019.

Lot 20. Jiang Tingxi (1669 – 1732), Chickens, ink and colour on silk, six album leaves framed. 40 x 41cm. Provenance: from the collection of Charles Blair (1856-after 1943), tea planter in Ceylon. Estimate: £20,000 – 30,000

Business leaders across the West Midlands are urging employers to reduce their exposure to risk in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

A report, based on responses to the Business Brexit Health Check, has been designed to produce bespoke information for businesses, highlighting areas of their operations that are exposed to Brexit-related change, tips on preparing and information on support available.

This Saturday (31 August) marks two months until the Brexit deadline of 31 October. Unless an alternative is agreed, such as a further extension to negotiations, a no-deal Brexit is the default outcome.

The ‘Business Brexit Health Check’ is delivered by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), Black Country Chamber of Commerce (BCCC) and Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce (C&WCC).

Analysis of responses to the Health Check between 28 May and 31 July 2019 revealed that businesses selected an average of eight areas where they could be impacted by Brexit. However, only 52 per cent reported discussing the potential implications of Brexit at board and senior management level and only 38 per cent report having undertaken a thorough Brexit risk assessment on their operations.

Key findings include:

• Manufacturers scored higher on the Brexit readiness Index, indicating that they believe they have undertaken slightly more in-depth preparations than services sector firms. • However, manufacturers scored between a 3.4 and 2.5 out of a possible 5 on the Brexit Readiness Index indicating that they do not feel “significantly” prepared for Brexit. • Manufacturing sector firms were exposed to Brexit-related change in more than twice as many areas as services sector firms. • Over a quarter of manufacturing sector firms export services to the EU and a quarter of services sector firms buy goods from the EU. • Over a third of all firms report exporting goods or services to one or more of the c.50 nations that the EU has existing trade agreements with. • Across each of the most frequently reported areas, manufacturers are significantly more likely to have taken steps to prepare for Brexit than services sector firms. • Over four fifths of manufacturers report buying goods from EU nations and over three quarters report selling goods to EU nations. While a high proportion of manufacturers say they have undertaken a thorough Brexit risk assessment or reviewed their major suppliers and/or customers, a lower proportion report having adapted import and/or export strategies. • While almost a third of services and over half of manufacturing sector firms report employing EU nationals, just over one in ten services and over a third of manufacturing firms say they have undertaken proactive communication and engagement with key groups – including employees.

Paul Faulkner, CEO, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce said: “It’s clear from these results that there are a lot of firms that could be impacted by a no-deal Brexit who aren’t yet taking practical steps to prepare.

“While we will continue to lobby against a chaotic Brexit, it makes good business sense for all employers to ‘take a look under the hood’ of their business, identify any potential risks arising from a no deal Brexit and take steps to reduce their exposure to those risks.

“Many businesses are put off starting to prepare by thinking it’s going to be overly time-consuming and complicated. That’s why we created the Business Brexit Health Check, to make it as quick and easy as possible for businesses to get the information they need on how they might be affected and what they can do about it.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands and the former CEO of John Lewis, said “The West Midlands is the exporting and advanced manufacturing heartland of the UK and our economy is growing as fast as any other region.

“That means we rely heavily on importing materials and exporting products and that makes us more vulnerable to a no deal or disorderly Brexit than other parts of the country.

“With that in mind it is vital that, with the clock ticking towards October 31, businesses across the region are prepared in the event of a no deal.

“To help with this preparation, I would urge companies to take advantage of the practical help and support offered by the Business Brexit Health Check if they haven’t done so already.”

Corin Crane, CEO, Black Country Chamber of Commerce: “We know from conversations with our members that Brexit preparedness varies across sectors and businesses in the Black Country. What we can see from the latest data is that manufacturers have taken slightly more in-depth preparations than those in the service sector but are still not ‘significantly’ well prepared.

“This is clearly due to manufacturing respondents being twice as exposed to Brexit-related change. We know that the West Midlands has an EU-born manufacturing workforce of just under 15% and that our top 10 export destinations are filled with EU countries, so there is an urgent call for clarity for manufacturers in the West Midlands.

“Working with our partner Chambers in the West Midlands, we will continue to promote our Brexit Health Check and ensure that businesses across the region understand how we can support them.”

Louise Bennett, chief executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Whilst it is encouraging that manufacturers are more advanced in their Brexit preparations, we know that there is still a long way to go, particularly given the exposure of such firms to Brexit-related changes.

“The latest results emphasise more than ever the importance of planning for Brexit, particularly for Coventry and Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands with our proud manufacturing heritage.

“The volume of trade with the EU and countries with which we have trade agreements through our EU membership shows how important it is that government heed our call to avoid a messy and disorderly Brexit.”