Your Development Manager: or call

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1 Lancashire & Cumbria Your Development Manager: or call September/October 2016 FSB LEADS ON NEW CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT LOCAL BUSINESSES FSB Lancashire and Cumbria Region has launched a new campaign aimed at recognising the key role that independent businesses play in their communities. Under the banner of Streets Together, FSB and partners will be celebrating the role and will be helping to identify and publicise some of these excellent businesses to both local people and visitors to the area. The campaign is the brainchild of FSB Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Branch Chair Susanne Johnson, who is an independent retailer based in South Shore, Blackpool. Local authorities in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre have already been approached and FSB is also looking to connect with Chambers of Trade which link small businesses in many of our local towns. Blackpool North MP Paul Maynard is taking a keen interest in how the group s activities develop. Paul Foster, the local FSB Development Manager, said: There are two main reasons we are running this new and exciting campaign. The first is that we know many FSB members running fantastic small businesses who don t have the marketing budget to tell the world how good they really are, unlike many of their larger competitors. If FSB can do our bit to help REQUEST FOR RATES INFO FSB is in contact with Government after members questioned the details around plans for changes to business rates reliefs announced at Budget The Budget relayed that from April 2017 properties with rateable values of 12,000 and less would pay no rates, which will benefit many and is a key FSB policy win. However, potentially eligible businesses in rural areas may find they only get 50 per cent relief as currently rural rates relief takes precedence and we continue to push for this anomaly to be corrected. Send any relevant input to paul.foster@fsb.org.uk MARK YATES OF BROOKS COLLECTABLES, BLACKPOOL, PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER JEFFERSON, VISIONISTIC shine a light on these businesses then we will be pleased to do so. Secondly, we know that our part of the country gets a large number of visitors from other parts of the UK and abroad and we firmly believe that we need to link our specialist retail offer into the tourism offer. It will enhance a visitor s experience, increase visitor spend and potentially prolong their stay. To get involved paul.foster@ fsb.org.uk, follow us on Twitter streetstogether or view our Facebook page of the same name. FSB IN TRANSPORT TALKS FSB has attended a series of meetings to help shape the future of transport across the North of England. Meetings have looked at solutions to the heavily congested Manchester North West Quadrant which impacts northwards towards Preston on the M6 and options to improve East-West connectivity between Cumbria and North Yorkshire / the North East. Options for the latter include possible A66 or A69 upgrades. Projects are still in the scoping stage and we will keep members informed of progress. REGIONAL NEWS 2, 11, 14 BUSINESS UPDATE 3-10 REGIONAL CONTACTS 14 TO ADVERTISE CALL

2 PAGE 2 LEP FUNDS PLUG SKILLS GAP Almost 11m was recently announced by the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership to fund a significant expansion of training places and apprenticeships in key sectors of Lancashire s economy. The funding will contribute to nine projects worth over 34m and the LEP s aim is to support a network of modern, high quality educational and training facilities which will enable the county s workforce to improve its skill levels in key areas of the economy which are crucial to growth. Recipients of funding include Blackpool and the Fylde College, Lancaster University, Myerscough College, Accrington and Rossendale College, Edge Hill University and Runshaw College. The University of Cumbria s Lancaster campus and the new Lancashire Adult Learning College planned for Pendle also benefitted from the LEP funding. Dr Michele Lawty-Jones, Director of the Lancashire Skills Hub, said: Employers have told us that they will need more skilled employees in a number of key areas over the coming years if their businesses are to grow to their full potential. That is why the LEP is investing 30m in transforming our post-16 educational facilities. Over the next few years, thousands of local people will be able to learn new skills, progress in work and achieve economic well-being. FSB continues to feed information and views into the Local Enterprise Partnership through our surveys and involvement in LEP sub-groups, to ensure that the voice of small business is heard loud and clear and that strategies and plans take account of the small firms which make up the vast majority of our business base. EDITORIAL: This publication is produced by and published for the Federation of Small Businesses, Sir Frank Whittle Way, Blackpool Business Park Blackpool, Lancs, FY4 2FE. Copyright 1996 Federation of Small Businesses all rights reserved. Editor: James Connor. Tel: james.connor@fsb.org.uk. Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of this publication errors or omissions are not the responsibility of the Federation of Small Businesses and opinions expressed are those of the authors and are not necessarily the policy of the Federation. SIR VINCE GUIDES FSB ON POWERHOUSE FSB Regions gathered in Manchester to hear from speakers, such as Sir Vince Cable, on the post-brexit political and economic landscape and the plans for the Northern Powerhouse. FSB Regional LAKE CRUISE PREPARES TO SET SAIL INAUGURAL LAKE CRUISE A STUNNING SUCCESS STORY FSB s Windermere Lake Cruise in July was a great success with over 50 guests enjoying fine dining, a glass of fizz and glorious views of the local area. The Regional Summer Reception is a new event in the FSB calendar and contacts were made and old acquaintances renewed. Members and their guests travelled from across Lancashire and Cumbria to attend and the weather stayed generally fine to allow us to use all three decks of the boat. As well as providing a great social setting for networking, the event was held to help support communities affected by last year s flooding which is still impacting many residents and businesses over six months on. South Lakeland Branch Chair Brian Harrison has attended a number of flood forum events with partner organisations to provide on-going support FSB Regional Chairman Gary Lovatt and Development Manager Paul Foster attended a planning event to help Allerdale Borough Council take its economy to the next level. The broad Chairman Gary Lovatt said: It was interesting to hear what various experts thought of the Powerhouse plans. None believed they would be scrapped following the Referendum result and, encouragingly ranging discussion allowed us to input on a variety of topics. They included transport and infrastructure requirements, skills issues and specific support to assist growth, all of which for us, the message was that we need to ensure our political leaders get involved to ensure it is much more than about M62 corridor links and more about the wider Northern economy. for flood-hit communities. The cruise saw attendance from Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, Flood Recovery Foundation, Business Improvement Districts (BID), the Environment Agency and the Prince Charles charity, Business in the Community, supported the event by offering specialist advice on physical protection for properties against future flooding. Attendees with flood concerns were able to get the support that enabled them to go back to their businesses and implement changes and improvements to prevent future problems arising. While flood waters have long since disappeared, many buildings in parts of Cumbria are not yet habitable and some businesses are still awaiting repairs following a delay to full insurance payouts. The event raised funds for Lancashire & Cumbria Children s charity, Derian House. FSB BIDS TO LIFT ALLERDALE ECONOMY will enable the council to better support small businesses on their patch. FSB continues to develop links with councils across our area so we can create a better trading environment for all.

3 PHIL COLLIER WELCOMES GUESTS TO ABBEY HOUSE HOTEL FSB PLAYS MAJOR ROLE IN FURNESS BUSINESS BOOST The Furness Branch of FSB continues to cement its place as one the leading business organisations in the area, bringing SMEs together to meet, network and do business. The recent meeting saw around 60 people from the local business community attend the FSB Furness Branch Summer Social event at Abbey House Hotel. There they enjoyed a relaxed evening of drinks, canapés and good company, with the added pleasure of an informative presentation by the Manager of Abbey House, John Horton, on both recent and proposed changes to the hotel. Branch Chair, Phil Collier, said: It is great to see so many business people coming together at our events to meet and do business. With the huge levels of investment coming into our local area over the coming months and years it is so important to maximise local PRINT ENTREPRENEUR PRAISES FSB BUSINESS SUPPORT PACKAGE Young entrepreneur Jacob Knowles, Director of Empine Print Management, has attracted the attention of big names in UK business. Following a successful launch of the company in 2015, the business has seen promising early growth for commercial print and print management. The 21-year-old businessman opportunities. For FSB to be playing a major role in that is fantastic. Phil added: The key thing for me is that we do not restrict our events to FSB members only. It is vital that FSB members have the chance to meet and mix with other businesses, after all, FSB members don t only trade with other FSB members. Giving our members the platform to enhance their business connections is a big and important part of what we do here. The Furness Branch has a full programme of events throughout the year. For more details contact either Phil Collier at phil@philcollierassociates.com or Sarah Williamson at sarah@ulverstonnow.co.uk Events will be uploaded to our web pages and communicated via and social media. Please keep an eye out for more opportunities to get involved. said: FSB as a business support organisation is second to none. We have now gone from a start-up business to a scaling up business which throws up challenges such as employment laws, legal responsibilities and business generation. It is amazing to know at the other end of the phone there is a powerhouse of knowledge. JACOB KNOWLES OF EMPINE CUMBRIA FLOOD PROBE SPARKS MOVE TO PLAN FOR FUTURE The Environment Agency has published its draft reports into the flooding which damaged many areas of Cumbria late last year. Public meetings have taken place around the County to discuss the findings and plan a way forward. The reports are still being updated however the Environment Agency was keen to stress that unprecedented levels of rainfall over short periods had essentially meant that previous levels of flood prevention measures had been inadequate. Paul Foster, the local FSB Development Manager, attended one of the Kendal public meetings at Sandylands Methodist Church which had been at the heart of one particularly badly affected area. He said: Emotions ran high as many people had lost a home or a business while others had seen their properties and vehicles under water. With adverse weather likely to come again at some stage, the Environment Agency, South Lakeland District Council and Cumbria County Council will be developing plans to help to mitigate the likely impacts. These will need to include upgrading prevention measures and being quicker and more effective in getting warning messages out to allow communities to prepare, the latter of which is already underway in Kendal and is an area FSB is inputting to. Paul stressed that FSB was continuing to apply pressure and said: We continue to push at a national level for a flood insurance scheme which will cover all businesses. Our dossier from last year has been presented to the Government and we have also held talks with the insurance industry to try to find a solution. PAGE 11

4 DEVELOP YOUR sustainable business growth strategy The event for SMEs looking to grow, develop or diversify business 80+ free to attend seminars and workshops be inspired by business leaders 150+ SME friendly suppliers and service providers in the exhibition Conference hosting a speaker line-up of successful entrepreneurs and titans of industry Network with thousands of SME owners and decision-makers and dedicated drop-in areas Join the very best of the UK s small and medium sized businesses to secure growth and build a smarter enterprise. PRESENTING BUSINESS LEADERS & SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS, INCLUDING: LARA MORGAN MARK FOSTER OLI BARRETT MBE Register for your FREE ticket EliteBizEvent Elite Business Live

5 JOIN BIG AND GET YOUR BUSINESS OPINIONS HEARD Big Voice is FSB s unique, online research community and it s free for members to join. It s the place where our members can have their say on behalf of small businesses across the UK. Senior politicians, Government Ministers and the Bank of England regularly use the results of Big Voice research to help shape their work and policies. By commenting or responding to one of our surveys, members give us the evidence we need to take to politicians at all levels, across the UK and in Brussels. This evidence is used to support our lobbying and help shape the laws affecting small businesses. Join for free today and start making sure your voice is heard. FREE ROADSHOWS FROM FSB TO HELP, ADVISE AND SUPPORT FSB have announced they will be helping, advising and supporting smaller business owners by running a completely new series of Roadshows for These will run as one-day conferences, including: Free Seminars which are all aimed at giving you practical help and advice to help your business survive Network with business contacts from all over your region Exclusive offers and discounts. Exhibitors will be offering great value for money deals and exclusive offers Topics include new payment methods, encouraging female entrepreneurs, social media for business and case studies in innovation. The Roadshows are: 4 October at Leeds Royal Armouries, Leeds 2 November at Paintworks, Bristol 21 November at Beaumont Estate, Windsor For more information and to register for your free ticket go to events.fsb.org.uk/ Roadshows2016 FSB ROADSHOWS 2016 WHY ATTEND? Each roadshow will include: Free Seminars which are all aimed at giving you practical help and advice to help your business survive Network with business contacts from all over your region Exclusive offers and discounts. Exhibitors will be offering great value for money deals and exclusive offers And it s all FREE! WHY EXHIBIT OR SPONSOR? Don t miss out on this opportunity to market directly to this highly engaged, smaller business audience. Raise your profile and awareness Develop new business contacts Speak at the event and be positioned as a thought leader Win new business! There are a wide range of opportunities available at the FSB Roadshows which can be tailored to fit your marketing objectives. BRISTOL LEEDS Pick your nearest roadshow: LEEDS BRISTOL WINDSOR WINDSOR TUES 4 OCT 2016 WED 2 NOV 2016 MON 21 NOV 2016 PAGE 13 BOOK TODAY! For further details go to fsbroadshows.org.uk or Call

6 WINDERMERE GROUP IS UP AND RUNNING Businesses in Bowness and Windermere have taken a huge step forward with the formation of Bowness and Windermere Forward, a private sector-led group which aims to boost the economy of the area. Historically the two areas have not worked as closely as they could have, a fact recognised by attendees at the inaugural meeting held in the early summer. FSB South Lakeland Branch Chair, Brian Harrison, helped to kick-start the initiative and now local businesses are taking over the reigns and bringing forward plans to help increase visitor numbers. Importantly, existing visitors will be offered plenty of reasons to stay longer and spend more money in the area in the many independent shops, hotels, cafes, bars and restaurants. FSB Development Manager, Paul Foster, said: Working as a collective for their area will provide a greater sense of direction and, crucially, the group is private sector-led so businesses will have a genuine influence on the plans. FSB and South Lakeland District Council will be providing support to the group going forward. GOOGLE DIGITAL EVENT BOOSTS SMALL BUSINESS FSB recently held a Digital Garage event in partnership with Google and Cumbrian agencies to help boost small businesses awareness of the benefits of harnessing social media. The event, held at Carlisle Racecourse, saw close to 150 attendees hear from leaders in their respective business fields, as well as Google themselves, on how superfast broadband availability is proving a game-changer in the way that businesses operate, as well as being a real opportunity to level the playing field between firms large and small. Sally Fielding of Sally s Cottages explained how her firm had used Facebook to help generate an additional 230,000 of additional income per annum. For Sally, follower interaction is key. She said it is imperative to engage with customers and potential customers by responding to every message and FSB has been working with other agencies and organisations to add extra value for members across Lancashire and Cumbria. You may already have read about our event with Connecting Cumbria and SALLY FIELDING ADDRESSES GOOGLE EVENT ATTENDEES Google in this edition. We have also linked with Lancashire Business View, 1 Events Media, Downtown Lancashire in Business and others this year. Gary Lovatt, FSB Regional Chairman comment. Her business has seen individual posts or content shared over 200 times which has helped her reach out well beyond an existing client base. Representatives from Bruce and Lukes Coffee and DATAMAIT also shared their positive experiences of business growth through using online tools. All of the speakers suggested that users needed to choose their social media channel carefully and focus on that, rather than trying to use multiple platforms on a limited resource. Each spoke with clarity on the need to use good images and to have a clear message which customers would grasp. The event was organised by broadband agency Connecting Cumbria with CN Group as media partners and hosts and Carlisle City Council playing a key role. Further events are due to take place around Cumbria so go to www. connectingcumbria.org to find out more. PARTNERSHIPS ADD VALUE TO MEMBERS said: We feel we have a responsibility to help members access as much support as they can through their membership. Working with like-minded groups is therefore a no-brainer. REGIONAL OFFICE Paul Foster Development Manager Federation of Small Businesses Tel: Mobile: Just a few of the benefits of membership of the FSB LEGAL HELPLINE You need your membership number when you call. INLAND REVENUE In-depth Enquiries - Remember to call the help line immediately you have any indication of Inland Revenue enquiry. EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS Remember to call the help line before taking any action regarding staff problems. Follow the advice given and the FSB insurance cover will be valid if a tribunal results. LEGAL TAX CLAIMS To obtain a claim form telephone FREE BUSINESS BANKING Exclusive account with the Cooperative Bank. All standard transactions free, including unlimited cheques in and out, free cash deposits up to an agreed limit, free automated payments and more. VISIT FSB WEBSITE for national policy and other information. Click on Regions at the top of the page and then Lancashire & Cumbria for regional and branch information about future meetings. PAGE 14