OPEN Business Network meeting – This Thursday, January 15, 2015 from 9am – 10.30am at The Spread Eagle Hotel, Cornmarket, Thame, in the AJR Room at the rear of the Restaurant.
Booking details HERE:
Category: Business News
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Invitation to The Late Breakfast, Thame
The Late Breakfast – Monthly networking -
Exhibitors wanted for Henley House and Garden Show
PLANS for the Henley House and Garden Show on February 28, to March 1, 2015, are well underway, with some very high profile celebrities involved (We can’t say more than that at this stage!) and the organisers are now looking for exhibitors – companies involved in high end interior design, furnishings, objects d’art etc.
Anyone from the local area who would like to exhibit at the event can find out more by visiting the website: LINK to blog and then contacting Niki Schafer via: admin@thehenleyhousegardenshow.com
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Chancellor has listened to business, says FSB
RESPONDING to the Autumn Statement delivered today by the Chancellor, David Knowles Leak, Thames Valley FSB Regional Chairman said: “The Chancellor has listened to the needs of business, despite tight public finances. The focus must be on reducing the deficit not just for this Government but whoever holds the keys to Number 11 next year.
David Knowles Leak “The FSB is delighted to see the double small business rate relief remain for another year and a full review of the outdated business rates system, something we’ve long argued for.
“The £400 million released to back the British Business Bank and an extension to the Funding for Lending scheme will provide much needed cash for small businesses.
“For our long-term growth, the Chancellor is right to support young people via apprenticeships and to spend on infrastructure. Our roads and rail urgently need updating. The £15 billion he has allocated for roads will upgrade our network and boost growth in our regions.”
Commenting on specific measures, David Knowles Leak continued:On the proposed business rates review and reliefs: “This urgent review of the business rate system is critical to supporting small businesses. The current system is out of date and needs to be put out to grass. It’s complicated, opaque, regressive and unresponsive to changes in economic conditions. Many of our members tell us paying business rates is their third biggest cost after rent and wages, yet the tax is poorly targeted and not based on ability to pay.”
“All businesses will be grateful for this review, but let’s be absolutely clear on what businesses want – fundamental reform of the business rate system. The announced package of renewed reliefs, will also be essential, as they will help bridge the gap until fundamental reform can deliver the change everyone agrees must now come.”
Supporting better small business finance:
“Despite signs of recovery, there has been only limited progress in increasing lending to small firms. The extension to the Funding for Lending Scheme, set alongside new money to further back the British Business Bank, are prudent steps to makes sure these gains are sustained and extended.
“Only half of small business applications for finance are successful. Better targeting of small business loans is essential to focus banks on meeting the needs of firms looking to hire staff, export, and grow their businesses.”
Infrastructure:
“New and renewed road and rail infrastructure will be the backbone to any future growth, particularly outside of London. Small businesses are disproportionately reliant on our road network, above all rural businesses and those in the North of England. The promise of £15 billion of investment will be very welcome and businesses will strongly support putting this money to good use as soon as possible. Also very welcome is the sustained freeze in fuel duty.”
Research and development:
“Small businesses are well known to be the engine of innovation. Today’s measures to support the science base and increase to the small business research and development (R&D) tax credit are welcome and will help our innovative firms to remain at the cutting edge.
“However, business take-up of R&D tax credits remains low, with just one in 50 FSB members claiming them. Many members still claim that the process is too complicated. We therefore welcome that the increase in this credit will be accompanied with measure to make it easier businesses to claim.”
Apprenticeships:
“Small businesses have been responsible for the majority of the jobs created in the last few years. But many of our members tell us they struggle to find young people with the skills they need. The National Insurance relief for businesses taking on apprentices under the age of 25 will encourage businesses to take on even more young people and tackle the UK’s skills gap head on.
“However, this will need to be supported by a reformed apprenticeship framework and funding mechanism that does more to encourage small businesses to invest in developing their workforce through high quality apprenticeships. We look forward to working with the Government to ensure this happens.“
SOURCE: Press release
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What do Thame businesses think of Tesco plan?
MOST businesses in Thame are probably aware by now of the planning application that Tesco is intending to submit in January 2015, for a supermarket, offices and a petrol station, on the site which Tesco owns and where DAF is currently located in Howland Road.
A recent Tesco store in Newmarket If you’re a local business, and haven’t already made up your mind about whether you support the application or not then Thame4Business would like to encourage you to visit the Thame Barns Centre on either November 28 or 29 (this Friday and Saturday) when there will be an exhibition of Tesco’s proposals for the site.
Thame4Business spokesperson, Sue Martin-Downhill, appealed to local businesses to let her know their feelings, and explained: “Once we know the opinions and concerns of local businesses, Thame4Business is willing to represent a “business voice” at any meetings on the issue.
Some people have already made their views known at: https://www.thame.net/archives/17808 and https://www.thame.net/archives/17654 – including some from local businesses.
Sue continued: “To comment from a Thame business perspective please can you comment via this article.
“Thame Town Council will organise a meeting at the town hall for all the businesses, if this would be worthwhile, and a representative from Tesco could be invited to answer any questions or listen to your opinions.
“The representatives of Thame4Business who are so far involved in this are Sue Martin-Downhill (of Racquets Fitness Centre) and Sonja Francis (of Thame.net). We hope that other businesses will become involved to ensure that the voice of local businesses is heard during the application process.
“If you would like to email us direct then please do so via suedownhill@gmail.com.”
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Thame butchers strike gold
A top-notch ‘Q Guild’ butcher from Thame has struck gold in the prestigious Smithfield Awards.
Tom Newitt, of Newitt & Sons, with Matthew Fort M Newitt & Sons, of High Street, Thame, won four gold awards – for their Green Back Bacon, their Smoked Back Bacon, their Long Crendon Black Bacon and their Steak, Ale & Stilton Pie.
A total of 479 products from 54 Q butchers nationwide, virtually half of the national membership, were entered for the eight categories in this year’s Smithfield Awards, the annual national product evaluation competition. They were judged by independent panels of food and meat industry experts.
Awards were announced and presented last Thursday (13/11) at the Butchers Hall in Smithfield, London, ancestral home of the Q Guild, by Matthew Fort, the food and drink editor at the Guardian for over a decade, author of several award-winning books on food, and one of the expert judges on the popular TV series, The Great British Menu.
Mathew Fort spoke of his life-long admiration for butchers, adding: “There’s something about the skill, watching butchers break up a carcass with their calm assurance; it’s like watching a magician at work; it’s like the finest theatre. The knife coming down, even sharpening the knife – the noise and the crunch when the cleaver comes down with such precision. To someone like me this is absolute magic.
“I’ve spent many hours watching butchers going about their business and every time there’s something to be learnt. I’ve never had a serious conversation with a butcher where I haven’t learnt something from that conversation.“I think the future can be extremely positive for the Q Guild butchers; the emphasis on quality, precision and wisdom – you can’t put too high a price on that.”
Q Guild national chairman, West Yorkshire butcher, Brindon Addy, said: “Smithfield Awards are among the meat industry’s most esteemed and cherished accolades, recognising and rewarding both product quality and innovation, at the same time reflecting the skills continually demonstrated by our members – Great British butchers one and all.”
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Small firms spinning over music rights says FSB
THE Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is critical of the progress made by copyright collecting societies and wants to see a more transparent service for small firms wanting to play music. Collecting societies protect the rights of intellectual property in industries such as music, the media and design but the FSB suggests many small businesses are confused by the way the rules and regulations work.
New research from the FSB found as many a quarter of FSB members with a relationship with a copyright collecting society (24 per cent) had made a complaint of some sort. The findings also show the lack of progress towards achieving greater transparency and simplicity of charges over the past 12 months. Without such progress, trust amongst small businesses in the current system will be undermined.The firms questioned also thought that copyright collecting societies had not improved their understanding of the needs of small businesses. However, small firms did acknowledge some improvement to joint working between PRS for Music and Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL). Businesses also welcomed improvements to the accuracy of information used by collection societies.
Later this month collecting societies are expected to publish a response to an independent review of their codes of conduct as laid out by their self-regulatory body the British Copyright Council.
Previous FSB surveys have indicated most small businesses who have a relationship with collecting societies are licensees of both PRS and PPL. Two per cent of FSB members have membership of other collecting societies, including of PRS, the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS), the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS).
David Knowles Leak, Thames Valley Regional Chairman of Federation of Small Businesses, said: “An unexpected demand for licence payments to allow you to play music in your business can be a very unpleasant shock to some small businesses, and the industry should be sensitive in how they approach the issue. For trust to be built, they need to make sure they are very clear on why a licence is needed and completely transparent on how charges are calculated.
“Although collecting societies have a strong code of conduct in place, we are not convinced they are making enough progress in meeting their own standards. This research should be seen as a warning sign that without faster change, small business will start seeking stronger regulation of the industry.”
SOURCE: Press release
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How does Thame Livestock Market impact your business?
SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council has commissioned a survey relating to the Thame Livestock Market, and Thame4Business is asking that all retailers in Thame complete the survey, which will help SODC to consider the future of the site.
Thame4Business Co-ordinator, Sue Martin Downhill asks: “If you are Thame retailer, please take a few minutes to download the pdf at http://www.racquets-fitness-centre.com/wp-content/uploads/manual/Economic%20Benefit%20Survey-%20Local%20Businesses.pdf“If you would print it, complete it and then drop it into Racquets Fitness Centre, behind the Cattle Market, or send it, that would be much appreciated. Alternatively, you could complete it and email it direct to vicky.phillips@bidwells.co.uk“Any questions should be directed to Vicky.”
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Managing conflict in business – networking invitation
HAPPY Healthy Conflict – is it possible? This is the title of a presentation to be give by from Melanie Greene of Inspire Transformation, at November’s Late Breakfast business networking event.
Melanie’s view is that some level of conflict is inevitable in life, whether it is due to differences of opinion, personality clashes or lack of rapport. However, ‘does it always have to be destructive?’ She askes. Is there a way of managing conflict which can make it a positive and constructive process?
Melanie Greene is an Occupational Psychologist who works as a coach and trainer in a wide variety of businesses, specialising in communication issues in the workplace. She is writing her second book titled: Happy Healthy Conflict, and will share some of her ideas with Late Breakfast guests during her interactive talk.
For more information about this event in Thame, and to register, visit: http://www.thelatebreakfast.co.uk/
The Late Breakfast – Monthly networking -
Right to put business banking under the microscope says FSB
COMMENTING on the Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA) decision to launch a market investigation of the small business banking sector, David Knowles Leak, FSB Thames Valley Regional Chairman said: “The CMA is right to put business banking under the microscope. As the CMA’s initial report showed, the market has a number of unwelcome features. It remains worryingly concentrated, with just four banks controlling 85 per cent of business current accounts, with low levels of switching between providers compounded by a lack of price transparency.
“There are a range of structural issues that have long been identified that potentially restrict competition and choice for small firms seeking much needed finance and other banking services. While we recognise there are some initiatives in place to address some of these issues, this is the opportunity to resolve any outstanding issues once and for all, and put in place the conditions for a thriving, dynamic banking sector fit for the 21st century.”
NB The FSB is the UK’s leading business organisation with around 200,000 members. It exists to protect and promote the interests of the UK’s Real-Life Entrepreneurs who run their own business. More information is available at www.fsb.org.uk and follow on twitter @fsb_policy
Chair Thames Valley Federation of Small Business, David Knowles Leak -
FSB says holiday pay ruling leaves many questions unanswered
REACTING to a far-reaching ruling from the UK Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT), David Knowles Leak, FSB’s Thames Valley Regional Chairman said: “Today’s ruling leaves many questions unanswered. It has the potential to be very damaging to small businesses, presenting a real risk of small firms being forced to close down if faced by retrospective claims.
Image courtesy of personeltoday.com “Clearly it would be desperately unjust to expect businesses to pay retrospective compensation for how they calculated holiday pay when they were fully compliant with the law as it was understood at the time.
“The FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) has been appointed to a Government task force to examine this issue and will be fighting hard for small businesses to be insulated from the uncertainty and legal risks this ruling brings.”
A recent survey of FSB members found that a third of small businesses with employees (31 per cent) paid staff for voluntary overtime. One in 10 (11 per cent) of small firms with staff also offered some form of commission.”