Business News

The Certificate of Excellence honours hospitality businesses that consistently deliver great service across the world. To achieve the accolade, restaurants must maintain an overall TripAdvisor rating of at least four out of five stars, and be listed on the website for at least twelve months.

Over the last two years, the restaurant and bar has held a five star rating on TripAdvisor, and is renowned for combining luxury and friendly service with a vibrant atmosphere.

Opened by Walsall College in 2015, the Littleton is part of its £11m business and sports hub. Headed up by AA rosette winning chefs, Steve Biggs and Paul Ingleby, the 40 seat restaurant offers a contemporary menu of British inspired cuisine, created using best-quality fresh food focusing on locally sourced ingredients.

During its first year, the Littleton was commended by ‘The Best of Walsall’ as being one of the best English restaurants in Walsall.

The restaurant has held a 5 star hygiene rating for the last two years, and has won two national Business of the Year awards.

The Littleton restaurant came second in the 'Restaurant of The Year' category and placed 51st in the whole of the UK.

Head Chef at The Littleton, Steve Biggs, said: "We are delighted to receive the Certificate of Excellence. Last year, we were ranked in the top ten of all restaurants in Walsall on the Trip Advisor website, and this year, we were named the best in the area. This is a testament to the hard work and efforts of all of our staff to ensure that we improve year on year, and give guests an outstanding dining experience.”

Littleton Supervisor, Emma Huckle, said: “We’ve received 5 star reviews since we opened in 2015. We’re delighted that diners are coming from all parts of the West Midlands and beyond. We see an eclectic mix of customers coming to the Littleton, from business people enjoying lunch and after-work drinks, to families and friends celebrating birthdays and evening meals.”

Trip Advisor commenters have described the food as ‘exquisite’, ‘beautiful’ and ‘well presented’. Staff could not be more helpful, and many say they have recommended the bistro to friends and family.

The Littleton, located in The Hub next to Walsall College’s Wisemore Campus, is also creating chefs of the future through its apprenticeship programme.

In addition, The Hub includes a 40-station gym, a multi-purpose sports hall, dance and fitness studios, spa, sports training and injury clinic, a business incubation centre for start-up businesses, as well as conference and event facilities.

Yesterday marked the official implementation day for GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which has been implemented to enhance privacy for all individuals across the European Union, including the EEA countries. Another primary motive of the implementation is to further the control that citizens have over their personal data and how it is used by data collectors.

The management and protection of sensitive data has been headline news in recent weeks, particularly with Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg facing questioning from the US Government and European Parliament on how Facebook harvest users data. Companies who are GDPR compliant must be able to prove that they only store data which is relevant and for a limited period.

Julie Cunningham, President of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, commented: “GDPR can appear extremely complicated for businesses. As a Chamber, we have received a high volume of enquiries from organisations across the region with regards to both the implementation and interpretation of GDPR.

“The multi-faceted nature of the regulations and their implementation means that specific questions for some sectors may not be included in general overviews. Therefore, Black Country Chamber members with specific questions around GDPR should contact their Account Manager here at the Chamber.”

The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) website has a practical section containing useful links and a rundown of changes for specific sectors, including expanded guidance on data protection. Please visit ico.org.uk for more information.

Investing in leadership and people management skills is key to businesses boosting productivity, according to a report released by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

The majority of respondents (98 per cent) to the Chamber’s Growth Through People: 2018 Campaign Outcomes report believe there is a clear link between investment in leadership and people management skills and improved productivity.

But 32 per cent do not feel their organisation has a clear strategy in place on investing in these skills.

The report, sponsored by South & City College Birmingham, was compiled on the back of the Chamber’s Growth Through People campaign – a month-long programme of workshops, seminars, panel discussions and thought leadership content designed to help businesses boost productivity through effective employee management.

Henrietta Brealey (pictured), director of policy and strategic relationships at GBCC, said: “Our research demonstrates that businesses in the region see a clear link between investment in leadership and people management skills and improved productivity.

“However, a significant proportion of employers are not making proactive plans in this space.

“Boosting productivity is a top priority for both local and national stakeholders. Our research suggests that improving investment in these skills should be high on the agenda in policy programmes such as the Industrial Strategy.

“It also shows that more individual businesses could benefit from investing in these skills.”

The report also identifies the main barriers preventing employers from investing in leadership and people management skills.

While budgetary concerns were a significant barrier for 31 per cent of respondents, the most commonly cited issue was lack of staff time (41 per cent).

Ms Brealey added: “For many of us, time is our most valuable asset. However, it is important for employers and employees to look beyond the short term cost of being out of the business.

“The right training and development activity can offer significant mid and long term gains in improved performance.

“We look forward to the return of our Growth Through People campaign in 2019 where we’ll be giving local employers access to opportunities to “try out” relevant training and professional development sessions free of charge.”

Mike Hopkins, Principal of South & City College Birmingham, said: “The Growth Through People campaign confirms the importance of effective leadership and management to our economy and its importance to the productivity agenda.

“The campaign also identifies the need for these skills to be constantly updated given the wide-ranging challenges businesses face.

“South and City College Birmingham has already recognised this challenge and has been working closely with the Chartered Institute of Management to provide a portfolio of high quality courses, online learning materials and Management Apprenticeships.

“The Business Services Team is ready to provide easy access support that can really make a difference.”

The 2018 Growth Through People campaign comprised 17 free-to-access workshops and thought leadership events, alongside informative content. It was attended by more than 450 delegates.

Delegate feedback demonstrated the impact the campaign had on participating employers:

·         9/10 learned something new that they intended to apply in their own organisation

·         95 per cent would be likely to attend future Growth Through People events

·         93 per cent felt the event they attended met their expectations

Recruitment continues to be a major concern for businesses across the West Midlands, a new regional survey reveals.

The newly-launched West Midlands Quarterly Economic Snapshot offers an up-to-date picture of business performance and is now the most comprehensive regular report of its kind in the region.

The findings are drawn from official statistics sourced from various bodies, including IHS/Markit CIPs and the Office of National Statistics along with data gathered from quarterly economic surveys by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, Black Country Chamber of Commerce and Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.

The surveys comprise information gathered from local businesses on key indicators such as sales, exports, recruitment plans and turnover projections.

In total, just under a thousand businesses completed the survey with 72 per cent of them operating in the services sector and 28per cent in the manufacturing sector.

The biggest problem concerned recruitment trends with 50 per cent of firms saying they faced difficulties. Broken down, 63 per cent of manufacturers and 45 per cent of service firms said they faced labour problems.

However, there was brighter news with 67 per cent of all firms expecting their turnover to increase in the next 12 months and 62 per cent predicting profit levels to rise.

Thirty per cent reported an increase in export sales whereas 11 per cent recording a decrease.  Fifty-nine per cent expected their overseas orders to stay the same for Q1.

Paul Faulkner (pictured), chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “The data from the Snapshot offers an interesting compliment to the official employment statistics for the West Midlands.

“Based on just under a thousand responses from businesses across the region, half of the firms surveyed faced recruitment difficulties and almost two thirds of manufacturers that attempted to recruit encountered problems– businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire were particularly affected.

“Once again, this points to skills shortages continuing to affect local firms’ ability to source the right people for the right roles.”

Corin Crane, chief executive of Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is good news that a relatively low figure of 11 per cent of firms reported a decrease in export sales in Q1 2018.

“With Brexit negotiations moving on to what a future trading relationship will look like between the UK and EU, the nitty gritty of trade specifics and the guarantee of a two-year implementation period, businesses can now benefit from genuine clarity from the Government.”

Louise Bennett, chief executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber, said: “It is good to see, throughout the Quarterly Economic Snapshot, that our West Midlands businesses are feeling confident and resilient, despite some economic and political uncertainty, notably Brexit.

“Confidence across the professional, financial and services sectors is less notable than the manufacturing sector, but relatively strong compared to other parts of the UK. In particular, these sectors have the opportunity to grow through investment in leadership and management and skills and looking at diversified export potential.”

Liv Garfield, Chief Executive of water company Severn Trent, was named Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year at a special ceremony last night.

The 42-year-old, who has been in charge of the company, which serves eight million people in the Midlands and north and mid-Wales, since 2014 was the FTSE 100’s youngest ever female CEO.

The judging panel outlined Liv’s strong customer-focused approach and business acumen as two reasons as to why she won the award.

Since taking over, she has ensured the business has a strong customer focus while also making sure she has championed diversity, inclusion and engagement. That focus has led to Severn Trent being named in the Social Mobility Index, taking a leading role in considering the needs of women entering, or in, menopause and also signing up to the Dying to Work charter to better help employees with a terminal diagnosis.

“This is an incredible honour, not only because I remember taking a huge amount of inspiration from some of the previous winners of this award but also because of the awesome story of Madame Clicquot herself, who was a strong role model at a time when women in business were almost unheard of,” said Liv.

“I truly am delighted but also a little humbled – I know I wouldn’t have been able to win this award without the help and support of absolutely everyone at Severn Trent who works to keep customers’ water flowing every second of every day, so this is as much a win for them as it is for me.”

Ruth Chapman, Founder, Matches Fashion was announced as the runner-up for the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award.

City of Wolverhampton’s new city centre market will open for business on Tuesday, July 17, with an official opening event four days’ later.

The city council is relocating the market from its current Market Square base.

Southside will be its new home, where it will boast 20 cabins and 48 stalls, fronting Cleveland Street.

It will offer the flexibility to trade from bigger cabins, event space, a secure site with measures in place to combat hostile vehicles while still allowing access for traders to load and unload, CCTV, integrated lighting and power, free WiFi, canopy-covered walkways, offices, customer toilets, and comprehensive parking and storage facilities.

The new market will also provide increased footfall from the Wulfrun Centre and transport Interchange, as well as situating the market in a student catchment area.

Councillor Steve Evans, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Environment, said: “We are delighted to confirm the new city centre market will open in July.

“The current market traders have been accommodated and based on the expressions of interest we’ve received, we expect occupancy at the new market to be close to 100 per cent once it is open.

“The addition of new traders will provide a more varied range of sales lines to differentiate it from a traditional market offer.

“The new market, partly funded by the sale of Market Square as part of the Westside scheme, has loads of potential – and we want this to be the people’s market, where events are also encouraged.

“It will prove a major asset to the city centre.”

The market move will see 48 tented stalls and 16 purpose-built cabins transferred from Market Square in phases.

The Market Square location is to be absorbed into the new £55 million leisure-led Westside development by developer Urban&Civic.

This will deliver a multi-screen cinema, restaurants, bars, hotel, multi-storey car park, apartments, and public realm to the heart of the city centre, in two phases, over five years.

The city centre market is one of three markets in Wolverhampton, with Bilston and Wednesfield markets also popular places to shop.

The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience, set up by leisure and attractions company, Little Lion Entertainment, is firmly focused on the future as it welcomes a new Managing Director, Glen Mintrim, to help further grow the brand and drive it forward.

Since opening its London site in 2016, following a successful crowdfunding campaign, The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience has only increased in popularity with those travelling across the country to experience the 90’s nostalgia. This surge in bookings led to the Crystal Maze LIVE Experience opening in Manchester on 1st April 2017 to enable more people to work against the clock to solve both mental and physical challenges to win crystals in each of the four themed zones.

Glen Mintrim, former managing director of STA Travel’s UK business, will take the helm with a focus on experience operations to exceed Crystal Maze LIVE’s commercial success, particularly in the competitive corporate event industry.

Keen to hit the ground running in his new role, Glen comments: “Being a part of such a unique company is a welcomed challenge; I’m ready to get stuck in. Seeing how quickly The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience has become so well-known indicates that there are only good things to come.

“In the 90’s I loved the TV show so it was a dream to race through the Aztec zone and try to grab those crystals! Unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough to make it onto the leaderboard - maybe next time!”

Having previously worked at companies such as Emirates, TUI and British Airways, Glen is eager to put down roots in Manchester after travelling around the world and studying in both Dubai and South Africa.

Welcoming Glen’s appointment, CEO Tom Lionetti-Maguire said: “We are excited to have Glen joining the Little Lion Entertainment Family. We are not a big faceless corporation, so one of our main focuses with That Crystal Maze LIVE Experience brand is that we are a team because every employee matters, and has such a key role to play, which is especially true in Glen’s case.

“As our Manchester site reaches its first birthday, it’s all hands on deck to ensure our growth continues so we look forward to Glen’s input, especially with his worldwide business exposure. We’re excited to see what the next year brings – be sure to expect unexpected news!’

Four full themed adventure zones, a crystal dome and over 30 maze masters at each site ensure the ultimate experience as groups of eight enter the maze every seven minutes. As of late, The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience has seen a growth in commercial bookings of both sites for corporate away days as more companies are searching for a unique experience to further team bonding.

More than 20 West Midlands companies have made their first steps towards trading with countries in South East Asia after meeting export experts who flew in from the region.

The Fast-Track Your Growth in South East Asia event saw more than 70 one-to-one meetings take place in Birmingham between a wide range of local companies and trade advisers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Organised by the ERDF SME International Growth Project and Britain in South East Asia (BiSEA), the event was hailed a success as the experts said a number of businesses were already in a good position to start – or grow – their exports in the next financial year.

Peter Rimmer, executive director of the British Business Group Vietnam, said: “It has been a really useful event, seeing a good selection of clients, some who are very ready to start trading, while others will need a little longer to begin.”

Olivia Widen, of the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore, said: “The UK’s key strengths are in areas such as education, technology, healthcare, aerospace and renewable energy. There’s a misconception about the difficulties of accessing the South East Asia markets, but it is far easier than China, for example.”

Andy Smith, International Relationships Manager for the ERDF SME International Growth Project, said: “Local businesses are really opening up to the possibilities in the South East Asia region, which is the fastest-growing in the world. We were pleased to see so many companies from many sectors who have the ambition to see what opportunities there are.

“There’s no substitute for speaking to the trade advisers from the regions because they have the expertise and contacts to help them get on the right route for exporting.”

VisitEngland and the National Autistic Society and England’s Inclusive Tourism Action Group are launching a web-based guide to help tourism businesses overcome barriers to welcoming autistic people.

Selling your home is one of the most stressful things we go through in life, second only to weddings and funerals. Not only do you have to organise your finances and pick a new place to call home, you also need to sell your existing home to make all of this possible.

Open House is becoming an increasingly popular way to sell your home among working professionals and busy parents. Inviting all prospective buyers to view your property on a single day means less inconvenience for you and creates a competitive atmosphere which often leads to buyers placing higher offers.

We wouldn’t want you to go to all the trouble of getting your home ready and have no one show up, that’s why we go above and beyond to market our Open House events.

We manage the Open House every step of the way, leaving you to get on with your property search.

Even if you don’t accept any of the offers placed on the day, an Open House provides a good indication of the level of buyer interest in your home, what they are prepared to pay so you can ascertain whether the asking price is accurate.

The process begins with the sending of post and email invitations to our extensive buyer database. We then telephone customers who we know are actively looking for properties like yours to notify them of the event. The local press will then be asked to feature your Open House to ensure we get as many attendees as possible.

Open Houses aren’t just open to Romans buyers but to the general public, meaning you can attract a wide range of buyers. As buyers don’t need to make an appointment you are also more likely to attract a wider range of people including those who just happen to be passing by.

On the day of the Open House, our agents run the show. They will guide the attendees through the property and answer any questions they may have. Whether you attend the event is completely up to you, but you can rest assured that your property is in safe hands.

The magic of an Open House is the competitive atmosphere it creates, much like a good clothing sale. It’s surprising how many buyers will make on the spot offers to ensure they can buy their perfect home. The agents on-site will look after all negotiations on your behalf, helping you achieve the best possible price for your property and often giving you a choice of buyers.

The Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) have welcomed Qasim Majid as their new president for 2018-19. Qasim takes over from Saqib Bhatti, who served as ABCC president for four years.

Originally from Manchester, Qasim has been an active member of the ABCC since moving to Birmingham in 2002 when he founded his digital marketing agency Wow Zone.

He has previously served as the ABCC’s vice-president and is currently the vice-chairman of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Birmingham.

Qasim said: “My message is a simple one, the ABCC, first and foremost is a business organisation. We are here to support our members get better connected to opportunities and build their networks.

“If we focus on building long lasting, meaningful relationships, and add value to one another, we won’t go far wrong.

“I thank our members, sponsors and partners for supporting our organisation over the years. The ABCC wouldn’t be where it is today, without your unwavering support.”

Qasim will be joined by Haseena Lockhat and Lakhbir Singh, as the Chamber’s new vice-presidents.

Haseena currently works as a consultant clinical psychologist at Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, serves as a panel member for the West Midlands Police Independent Advisory Group and is the chair of Mosaic Network.

Haseena said: “At such an exciting time in Birmingham, where growth and development of the Second City is on an all-time high, I am looking forward to stepping up my involvement within the ABCC executive committee, in my role of VP.”

Currently working as a relationship director for Barclays, Lakhbir has held a number of managerial roles in the finance industry, including regional and business manager roles at BCRS Business Loans and Barclays. This is his first committee position, having served on the ABCC board since 2015.

Lakhbir said: “It's a great honour to be elected to be vice-president at the ABCC. I've been involved in the ABCC for the past three years now and I look forward to the new challenge of the vice-president’s role.

“The Chamber offer great support for businesses and I look forward to being a part of this.”

The new executive committee also includes Aftab Chughtai MBE, Gurmeet Jakhu, Dr Nasir Awan MBE, DL, Neelam Afzal, Omer Simjee, Prithpal Saimbi, Ravinder Masih, Ruzwan Boota, Sunny Araf, Amandeep Hyare and Steve Brittan.

Andy Street, West Midlands mayor, said: “I congratulate the ABCC on the election of Qasim Majid as their new president.

“The ABCC have a great track record of promoting business across the region and giving a voice to the vibrant Asian business community.

“I wish the ABCC all the best and hope they continue the great work they have been doing in promoting business and enterprise, in particular in encouraging diversity and more women to start up in business.”

As part of the Black Country Business Festival, Walsall College are inviting local businesses to attend its Skills Summit panel discussion on Monday 30th April to discuss the skills gaps both within their organisation and across the region.

The event, which includes an expert panel, will take place at Walsall College’s Business and Sports Hub between 4pm – 6pm.

The aim of the panel discussion is for local business to network and share where their organisations have experienced skills gaps. Delegates will be given the chance to influence the direction of the skills agenda and find solutions to recruitment challenges.

During the event, Walsall College will share results from their independently commissioned report on local labour market workforce, which also reveals predictions for key growth occupations.

The Skills Summit is also an opportunity for local businesses to hear from those who have successfully identified and mitigated skills gaps in their businesses, and how organisations are using the apprenticeship levy.

Headed by James Norris, the College’s Assistant Principal, the expert panel includes a wide range of apprentice recruitment professionals from a local organisations that have been significant business growth through apprenticeships.

The panel composed of Mark Stone (Apprentice Recruitment and CSR Manager at Perkins Engine), Helena Baxter (Project Officer for Walsall Council’s Apprenticeship Programme) and Rachel Andrew (Head of Learning and Development at Dudley Group of Hospitals)

Laura Myatt, a former Walsall College student who is now an apprentice engineer at Perkins Engines, will also join the panel to talk about how an apprenticeship has helped her start a career in a field she is passionate about.

Business of all sizes can attend the event, and will be of benefit to those with responsibility for training, such as financial director and training managers.

James Norris, Walsall College’s Assistant Principal in Commercial Development, said: “In the Black Country, 66 per cent of employers report that they have skills shortages, indicating that technical, practical and job specific skills are an issue with skilled trades the most difficult vacancies to fill.

The Skills Summit is a great opportunity for local businesses to work together to address the skills gap across the West Midlands, and discuss the benefits of apprenticeships.

Responding to employer needs is one of our highest priorities here at Walsall College. The event is a chance for us to listen to employers about what they require from the next generation of workers. This will feed into our curriculum to ensure that students are equipped with the skills to not only build a successful future for themselves, but to also drive prosperity for West Midlands area.

A drastic fall in the number of people out of work and a surge in employment will hopefully signal the start of an upward trajectory for the region, business leaders said today.

The West Midlands unemployment rate fell by 0.5 per cent to 5 per cent between December and February – the largest decrease of any UK region.

During the same period, the employment rate increased by 0.5 per cent.

Nationally, unemployment fell by 0.1 per cent to 4.2 per cent, with employment rising from 0.1 per cent to 75.4 per cent.

New figures also revealed wage growth is up to 2.8 per cent, outstripping inflation for the first time in a year to ease the burden on households.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Paul Faulkner (pictured) said: “The regional labour market statistics this month are highly encouraging.

“We are proud to see that the West Midlands has had the largest decrease in unemployment rate estimates of any region between December and February, and we hope that the rise in our employment rate is the start of an upward trajectory.

“We are also pleased to see the national rise in nominal average weekly earnings surpassing February’s inflation figures, which will ease costs for those in employment.

“However, locally, employment rates trail behind the national figures, and there is still work to be done to ensure that employers have access to the skilled talent that they need, and that they are able to offer quality jobs that will drive increases in productivity and economic performance.

“Skills shortages in our region continue to affect employers’ ability to source the right people for key roles.”

Mr Faulkner said clarity from the government over funding for apprenticeships is vital to the region’s long-term prospects.

He added: “From the end of this month, apprenticeship-levy paying employers who are not using all of their levy funds themselves will be able to transfer 10 per cent of the funds to another organisation, and the Chamber hopes that this will boost apprenticeships and long-term, employment in the region.

“However, we are increasingly concerned by the caveats surrounding this and call on the government to address the growing complexity of apprenticeship funding.”

City of Wolverhampton Council and partners will help drive an exciting new Black Country initiative launching next week.

The Black Country Business Festival – an idea put forward by the Black Country Chamber of Commerce – will be held from Monday, April 23 to Friday, May 4.

It is based on an approach introduced in other parts of the country, such as Leicester and Coventry, and will provide a platform to showcase and celebrate innovation, culture and commerce across the Black Country.

The aim is to raise the profile of the strong investment opportunities the Black Country, including City of Wolverhampton, has to offer.

It will reach out to new business audiences, and encourage businesses and intermediaries, including sector and trade representatives, to visit the area and engage with partners and businesses.

City of Wolverhampton Council Head of Enterprise, Isobel Woods, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for city businesses to once again come together and showcase what they have to offer to a new audience.

“The council, supported by public and private sector partners, recently promoted Wolverhampton at MIPIM - the world’s leading property forum – as part of the Midlands Engine and people were impressed by what we have to offer.

“There is £3.7 billion of investment on site or in the pipeline in the city and an excellent support network to help businesses of all types thrive.”

More than 120 events across nine sectors are being held as part of the Black Country Business Festival. This includes over 60 events at City of Wolverhampton venues.

Examples are Black Country Growth Hub, WV Active, PLANit Global, and Wolverhampton Fairtrade events, plus forums such as ‘Master the Power of Influence’ at The Mount Hotel, ‘Protecting your Most Valuable Assets: Your Ideals!’ at Wolverhampton Science Park, and ‘Making Branded Merchandise Work’ at the Ramada Park Hotel.

City of Wolverhampton Council is staging its INVEST event at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, between 2pm and 3pm on Wednesday, April 25, to further promote opportunities for developers, investors and end occupiers that were showcased at MIPIM last month.