Enterprise at the heart of Leamington Spa

Word on 10th anniversary
a partnership for the future
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issue 24
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October 2009
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Enterprise at
the heart of
Leamington Spa
Two exciting new projects boost
technology and creative industry sectors >
Developments
Business News
Enterprise News
And finally
> Council sets out its regional strategy
> Axminster opens new store in Nuneaton
> SMEs test their ideas in the Lab
> Holland and Barrett plans Nuneaton HQ
> Growing Your Own Business Show
> Professionals take a walking tour
> Forthcoming events
> Asda opens store in Rugby
> Pure opens its doors to business
> Local firm survives the Dragons’ Den
Infrastructure
> Ansty Park planning application
> Acutec Computime aims to double in size again!
> Super-fast broadband for Nuneaton
> CSW: Winning Technology
Event
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Word on Business
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Axminster Tool Centre has
WIP on hand to advise
opened its latest store in Nuneaton budding entrepreneurs
Axminster Tool Centre recently opened its
new store on Bermuda Park in Nuneaton.
The store, part of Bermuda Trade Centre
(just off Hamilton Way) opened on Monday
12th October and is the fourth retail outlet
for Axminster Tool Centre.
This new outlet is Axminster’s biggest store
yet: covering 12,000 square feet of retail space
with an enviable range of products.
Not only will the store stock the entire
catalogue product range, it also has certain
products from Festool and Mafell which
Axminster will only be selling through the
Nuneaton store.
The most exciting installation at the new store
is ‘Festool World’: this shop-in-shop is probably
the largest of its kind in the world!
Festool World Nuneaton will house the entire
Festool range and will cover a space of 1,000
square feet. Festool World, with its
unique display, will show the applications of the
tools with a test centre for you to get some
hands-on experience. In addition to this, a
representative from Festool will be visiting the
store every week to deliver expert advice.
Warwickshire Investment Partnership have
supported Axminster during their expansion
programme by providing employee relocation
and recruitment support. Axminster have
recruited 3 new staff for the new store, and plan
to recruit additional staff in the future.
Ian Styles, Managing Director of Axminster
Tool Centre said, ‘The Nuneaton store is a
new and exciting venture for the company. We
looked at several locations for our fourth store,
but Nuneaton’s excellent transport links and
accessibility made it the perfect location.’
For more information, please visit
www.axminster.co.uk
Axminster Group’s new building in Nuneaton
Cheryl Mann, Warwickshire Investment Partnership with Bobb Bahra of UC Mas.
Warwickshire Investment Partnership
exhibited at the recent Growing Your
Own Business exhibition, which was
held at the NEC.
Growing Your Own Business was
co-located with the National Franchise
Exhibition, and there was a tremendous
buzz about the hall from the moment the
doors opened on Friday 2nd October, to
closing time on Saturday 3rd.
Throughout the exhibition, the
many thousands of enthusiastic visitors
searched for new careers among the
latest business concepts, and found
out how to venture into franchising
successfully from the experts. Business
growth was also a key theme for the
show, with the Growing Your Own
Business conference theatre hosting
various seminars across the two
days, ranging from the importance of
networking for business owners, to
how to survive tough economic times.
With over 150 national and
international companies exhibiting at
the show, the exhibition provided the
ideal platform for entrepreneurs to
develop and progress their business
ideas.
The Partnership experienced an array
of visitors to its stand, and the team
met with eight companies who were
interested in locating their franchise
business in Warwickshire. These
included various retail franchises, as
well as diet / fitness franchises.
To continue the support programme
for new and growing businesses,
Warwickshire Investment Partnership
will be exhibiting at the Business Start
Up show at Olympia, London on
26th & 27th November 2009.
Word on Enterprise
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Launch of business enterprise
projects in Leamington Spa
Cutting the ribbon: Chris Elliott, Chief
Executive of Warwick District Council,
Angela Maxwell, AWM Board Member,
Cllr Norman Pratt, Chairman of
Warwick District Council and Cllr John
Hammon, Portfolio Holder, Economic
Development.
Far right: Colleagues gather in the newly
refurbished railway arches on Court
Street.
Two exciting new schemes in Leamington Spa – the Althorpe
Enterprise Hub and the Court Street Creative Arches – were
officially opened on September 9th 2009, by the Chairman of
Warwick District Council Cllr Norman Pratt and Ms Angela
Maxwell, award-winning businesswoman and member of
the Board of regional development agency Advantage West
Midlands.
The schemes are responding to the need for affordable office and
studio spaces in Leamington for new businesses in the technology and
creative industry sectors. The official opening and project launch was
celebrated in the newly refurbished railway arches with a lunch for 70
guests, including local elected representatives, senior officers of the
District and County Councils and business support agencies.
The two new projects are part of the £14million ‘Creative
Uplift Programme’ (CUP) – a public-private sector partnership
between Warwick District Council, Advantage West Midlands and
private businesses. The projects will contribute to the continuing
regeneration of the Old Town area of Leamington, supporting new
and growing businesses and helping to encourage graduate retention
in the area.
Councillor John Hammon, Warwick District Council Portfolio
Holder for Development Services, said: “The Council are delighted
that these projects are now officially open. We welcome partner
engagement in bringing much needed development to this area of the
District. I will look forward to seeing new businesses thriving in the
area and establishing a hub of creative activity.”
Led by the Council’s Enterprise Team, the programme aims to
capitalise on the rapid growth of creative industries in Leamington
Spa – home to more than 20 per cent of the UK’s gaming industry
and a high number of digital media graduates – by developing
affordable office premises and creative workspaces with specialist
business support services offered as part of the package.
Guest speaker Angela Maxwell, who is herself a very successful
entrepreneur and member of the Board of project funders Advantage
West Midlands, said: “This is an exciting development that will
support new innovative business, provide new flexible workspace,
attract inward investment and introduce new technologies.
“I am delighted Advantage West Midlands has been able to invest
close to £7million in the Creative Uplift Programme as a whole and
to be working with Warwick District Council and local businesses
to bring new jobs and improve the quality of life of people in
Leamington Spa by regenerating the Old Town.
“There is a fantastic opportunity here to build a powerful engine of
creative enterprise, which attracts and supports technical and digital
start-ups as well as growing companies.
“This will contribute to Leamington’s creative heritage and add to the
town’s appeal as a place to live and work, particularly for graduates.”
For further information on the enterprise projects in
Leamington Spa please visit the website
www.wdcbusinessenterprise.co.uk
Word on News
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Warwickshire County Council outlines
strategy to region’s professionals
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Mask-arade in Dragons’ Den
Around 60 members of Coventry and Warwickshire
First gathered at the Eliot Park Innovation Centre
in Nuneaton to hear Paul Galland, director of
environment and economy at Warwickshire County
Council, present the strategic aims of the Council.
Addressing a packed audience, Mr Galland explained
how the Council had reacted to the recession and how
it was preparing for the up-turn. However, speculation
surrounding inevitable public spending cuts dominated
the conversations within the room, as delegates
discussed where the cuts should be made and how they
would impact on local services.
Karen O’Donoghue, chief executive of Coventry
and Warwickshire First, commented: “I would like to
thank Paul for his interesting presentation. It is clear the
Council has done, and will continue to do, an enormous
amount to help individuals and businesses throughout
the county.
“With the clouds of cut-backs in public sector
spending looming, it’s more important than ever that
the professional services sector engages with the
Council, so that we can all work together to improve
the communities in which we live.”
The event took place on Thursday 17 September and
was organised by Coventry and Warwickshire First in
conjunction with Warwickshire County Council.
L-R: Paul Galland, Director Environment &
Economy, Warwickshire County Council, Karen
O’Donoghue, Chief Executive, Coventry &
Warwickshire First and Gavin Bates, Chairman,
Coventry & Warwickshire First.
They may not have received an investment from the Dragons,
but the Three ‘Mask’ateers from Mask-arade.com certainly
created an impression when they came face to face with
Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis, Deborah Meadan, James
Caan and Peter Jones on Dragons’ Den recently.
Viewers thought that they were seeing double when Ray Duffy,
Chris O’Nyan and Dean Walton walked up the famous stairs wearing
specially produced masks of Dragons.
“It was really nerve wracking” said Ray Duffy - Mask-arade
Director. “we only had to remember one minute each for our pitch,
but when you have the Dragons staring at you just a few feet away,
and cameras and lights everywhere, we all struggled to get our
words out.”
Mask-arade produce personalised party products including their
legendary masks, life-size stand-ups and face shaped greetings cards.
Personalised masks have now become an essential part of any stag
and hen night, they are also proving popular for weddings, birthday
parties, sports tours, product launches, corporate events and even
bah mitzvahs!!
Mask-arade now produce high-quality, machine-cut, fullyelasticated personalised masks from their recently opened new
premises in Southam, Warwickshire.
The past few months have been the busiest in Mask-arade’s short
history, in excess of 50,000 masks have been shipped including 6000
Ricky Hatton masks for his Vegas fight last May.
For further information visit www.mask-arade.com or
email info@mask-arade.com
Word on Investment
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Holland and Barrett plans new HQ in Nuneaton
Artist’s Impression of the proposed new HQ at Eliot Park for Holland and Barrett.
More jobs will be created when a national
company sets up its new £7.5 million
headquarters in Nuneaton. Health
product retailer Holland and Barrett is
set to move to a 35,000sq ft, three-level
office at Eliot Business Park.
The firm is the leading retailer of vitamins,
minerals and herbal supplements in the UK
with more than 550 stores.
It already employs 125 staff at offices in the
town, at Attleborough Fields. They would
move to the new HQ and up to another 125
people could be taken on once the site is up
and running.
The Coventry-based Deeley Group
submitted the planning application to
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council in
August.
Peter Aldis, chief executive of Holland
and Barrett, said: “We are delighted to
be involved in the proposed Eliot Park
development. This will secure Holland and
Barrett’s long-term future in Nuneaton and
continue significant job creation in the area.”
Nuneaton MP Bill Olner said: “This is a
major endorsement of what our town can
offer for large, national businesses.
“This new headquarters would create jobs
and give the business community a major
boost. I have stressed before how important
it is to continue investing in Eliot Business
Park and this is an exciting announcement.”
Eliot Business Park was begun in 2000
and its occupiers include the Department of
Work & Pensions and Warwickshire County
Council, along with several smaller businesses.
Peter Deeley, managing director of Deeley
Group, said: “We will be tailoring this site
to the needs of Holland and Barrett. Eliot
Business Park continues to grow and to have
an established high-street brand operating
from there will further establish Nuneaton’s
credentials as a prime location for business.
“We are confident that the planning
authority and residents will be as excited as
we are by the proposals.”
Word on Business
A thriving Warwickshire IT
firm wants to double in size
– again!
Coleshill company Acutec merged with Coventrybased Computime at the beginning of 2009 to create a
business with more than 300 clients and around 20 staff.
Now bosses at the firm, which offers a whole range of IT
services – from support to software solutions for business – is
looking to grow by further acquisition and organically.
Chris Roche, the managing director of Acutec, said the firm
had expanded during the economic downturn because of its
reputation as an expert in the field.
He said: “The business world needs IT – there is no doubt
about that. So much of what we do relies on it now.
“Companies do begin to think differently during a downturn
and many are starting to look to get more out of their
computer systems and want them to work smarter for them.
“I believe our expertise in this area has helped us to grow
our client base and, with the merger with Computime, we
have doubled in size in the past six months.
“But we are very keen to continue our expansion and are
looking at companies across the West Midlands with a view to
purchasing.
“That could be anything from one person businesses up to
those with 10 to 15 staff – it will just depend on the fit and
whether we feel the move would be right for all parties.
“On top of that, we are looking to grow organically too with
the addition of new clients and further staff.”
The firm’s client base is predominantly in the Midlands and
includes a range of companies – from traditional SMEs to large
corporations – as well as charities and public bodies. It also has
worldwide customers.
John Dixon, the founder of Computime, said: “Both
businesses were successful in their own right but we have
gone from strength to strength together.
“That is why we believe further expansion would be
very healthy for the company.”
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SMEs encouraged to discover the IDL
Innovative SMEs in the West
Midlands are encouraged to
discover the potential of the
International Digital Lab (IDL).
The Digital Lab is a state of the
art research centre based at the
University of Warwick, and aims
to increase the use of digital
technology in business by offering
access to cutting-edge expertise,
knowledge and technology to
improve businesses in the region.
Led by Dr. Mark Swift, the dedicated
Knowledge Exchange team at the
Digital Lab is the leading provider
of research driven digital innovation
for SMEs and is focused on helping
businesses in the West Midlands
innovate, grow and gain competitive
advantage.
Services ranging from seminars and
workshops on key technologies and
research, KTPs, assisting businesses
to find the right partners and access
to demonstrators are targeted to give
West Midlands SMEs a competitive
advantage:
“We can help SMEs in a variety of
ways,” explains Dr Matthew Hocking,
Knowledge Transfer Specialist. “We’ve
assisted some companies in the creation
of new products and processes and
helped others access new business
opportunities through the development
of digital channels or by improving
working practices. SMEs who are
interested in discussing their options
should get in touch with us.”
CASE STUDY: Digital Lab and ACTAtek
more customers. ACTAtek have also
sponsored a number of WMG students
and recently took on three graduates on
a permanent basis.
One example of how the Digital Lab
is working with a Midlands ICT SME is
its work with ACTAtek.
For further information visit
http://digital.warwick.ac.uk
ACTAtek receives ongoing support
through the Digital Lab Knowledge
Exchange programme, such as at the
recent eSecurity workshop, as well as
Dr. Jay Bal’s collaborative market place
project (WMCCM) where they received
advice and guidance on CRM (customer
Record Management), marketing and
Google Adwords campaigns to increase
their profile on Google listings to win
Above left: Inside the International
Digital Lab. Above right: Paul Hung, MD
of ACTAtek. Below: the International
Digital Lab SME team.
Word on Enterprise
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Region’s professionals take part in
a walking tour of Leamington Spa
More than 20 of the region’s business professionals joined
Coventry and Warwickshire First for a guided walking
tour of the enterprise projects in Leamington Spa.
The tour, which concentrated on the old town area of
Leamington Spa on the 14th October, showcased some of the
newly completed enterprise projects including the Althorpe
Enterprise Hub and Court Street Creative Arches.
After meeting at the Brunswick Healthy Living Centre, the
tour which was supported by Warwick District Council and
Warwickshire Investment Partnership, made its way round to
the Althorpe Enterprise Hub, Court Street Creative Arches
and then onto the Spencer Yard cultural quarter and the base
of the Station Area development site focusing on proposals for
the former Ford Foundry.
Karen O’Donoghue, chief executive of Coventry and
Warwickshire First, the professional network organisation for
Coventry and Warwickshire, commented: “I would like to
thank Warwick District Council for presenting on the various
enterprise projects which are going on in Leamington Spa. I
am pleased to see so many business professionals attended the
event. It is encouraging to see businesses engaging with the
public sector, to find out more about local enterprise projects.”
For further information about upcoming events or to
become a member of Coventry & Warwickshire First
please visit the website at
www.coventrywarwickshirefirst.co.uk or email
Karen@coventryfirst.co.uk
Pure opens its doors for business
New Pure Offices at Leamington Spa
Pure Offices in Leamington
Spa is now open and
welcoming businesses in need
of affordable serviced offices.
The contemporary office
building in Tachbrook Park has
shot up since work began in
November 2008, and is ready to
offer serviced offices at fantastic
rates on easy-in easy-out
monthly terms.
Managing Director Nick Smith
is excited about the quality of
the completed project, and is
looking forward to filling it with
a range of businesses. “Whether
you’re a new company starting
out, a small business, or a larger
company looking for extra
flexibility, Pure is the right place
to come. We’re really pleased
with the responses we’ve had
from prospective tenants, who
have been impressed by the
services we’re offering.”
Pure Offices Leamington Spa is
made up of 67 offices of varying
sizes, so there’s something to
suit everyone. Free car-parking
is included in the price, which
starts at £63 per week.
Moving in couldn’t be easier
- tailor-made high quality phone
and broadband packages are
ready to go, so there’s no stress
setting up.
Pure is also committed to
renewable technology, and the
new complex has been awarded
a ‘B’ energy performance rating.
Leamington Spa manager Roger
Thomas said, “Our energy rating
is testament to the sustainable
technology included in the
building, meaning we make less
of an impact on the environment,
which is so important to
businesses now”.
If you’d like more information
about Pure Offices
Leamington Spa, call Roger
on 01926 800456, or visit
www.pureoffices.co.uk
Word on Infrastructure
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Super-fast broadband
for Nuneaton
A new era of broadband services is
emerging – it’s no longer a case of one
size fits all as customers are expecting
broadband services to suit their individual
needs and lifestyles.
The ‘communications revolution’ has already
seen strong progress in the West Midlands
region. But much remains to be done to take full
advantage of the tremendous opportunities.
Across the region the foundations are being
laid for a new flexible approach to broadband
offering a mix of services to suit all tastes and
pockets.
BT has already enabled exchanges serving
40 per cent of UK homes and businesses for
copper-based ‘next generation’ broadband
services – delivering speeds of up to 24Mbit/s.
There are further plans to increase this to 55
per cent of UK homes and businesses in future
months.
Some customers want even higher speeds
and this is being catered for with BT’s superfast broadband services. Fibre to the premise
trials are already underway in parts of the
country and BT plans to roll out fibre-to-thecabinet broadband services to as many as
10 million homes by 2012. With download
speeds of up to 40 Mbit/s – potentially 60
Mbit/s – and upstream speeds up to 5Mbit/s
possible, fibre-to-the-cabinet broadband will
be appealing to homeworkers and gamers and
satisfy the predicted demand for simultaneous
entertainment services.
The Nuneaton exchange will be one of the
first exchanges to be enabled with fibre to the
cabinet. The BT exchange at Nuneaton serves
in excess of 20,000 residential and business
premises and the expectation is that the network
will go live in Spring 2010, with communications
providers and internet service providers able to
deliver their services to their customers over the
super fast network.
If small business owners want to grow and
prosper in the months and years ahead, they
will need to be ultra-competitive and look
and act as professionally as their larger rivals.
Nuneaton businesses have a track record
of being early adopters of new technology;
the very successful business assist project
called CW2000 ran in the area at the turn of
the century and proved that businesses can
extract competitive advantage from adopting
appropriate information and communication
technology (ICT).
The super-fast network is about everything
that everyone will need and want to do online in
the future. In fact, it is the future.
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Tomorrow’s Technology in Today’s Environment
Coventry, Solihull and
Warwickshire (CSW)
councils, collectively known
as ‘The Winning Technology’,
are bringing together senior
executives from the CSW
region to network and
generate business across
diverse industry sectors.
The Winning Technology
are hosting the ‘Tomorrow’s
Technology in Today’s
Environment’ event at the
region’s premier exhibition
venue, the NEC on Thursday
12th November from 5.30pm
to 8.30pm.
Guests will be treated to
exclusive presentations from
key industry experts, including
Chris Aylett of the Motorsport
Industry Association, who will
be discussing ‘Motorsport
Accelerating Energy Efficiency’,
Lee Cassidy of SD Voice &
Video Ltd who will present
on ‘Green Sky Thinking’
and Laura Frost and Nick
Mitchard of Arup discussing
‘Sustainability and Business:
The Opportunities and
Challenges’.
The theme of the
presentations will focus
on how to use innovation
and technology to sustain
your business in the current
environment while ensuring
the long-term future of your
company. For example, the use
of energy-efficient solutions
or the impact of virtual
technologies.
Attendees will be able to
network with colleagues from
the motorsport, aerospace,
medical, automotive and
ICT sectors as well as visit
the various exhibitors, which
include Envirowise, Dignitas Ltd,
the International Digital Lab,
HumanPerf Software and MIRA.
The event is sponsored
by Arup, providing the
ideal opportunity for local
companies to find out more
about the company. Arup
is a global firm of planners,
designers, engineers and
business consultants providing
a diverse range of professional
services to clients around the
world. The firm is the creative
force behind many of the
world’s most innovative and
sustainable buildings, transport
and civil engineering projects.
To register for the event,
contact the team on
01926 412823 or email
winningtechnology@
warwickshire.gov.uk
Planning application submitted for Ansty Park
Advantage West Midlands, the regional development agency, submitted plans in September
for a 1.3million sq ft technology and research centre at Ansty Park in Warwickshire.
The facility will house the government’s ‘Manufacturing Technology Centre’, which it estimates
will attract £130million of investment to the region.
There are already two similar centres at Strathclyde and Sheffield. Supported by big companies,
universities and the government, they provide high-tech research and development facilities.
The centre at the 100 acre site at Ansty will be backed by Advantage West Midlands and the
East Midlands Development Agency, as well as Rolls-Royce, Airbus and local universities. The
government is to invest £40million into the scheme.
The facility, close to junction 2 of the M6, is scheduled for completion by 2011 and will
create around 5,000 jobs over the next five years.
Word on and finally...
Events
Professional Motorsport
World Expo
3rd - 5th November
Cologne, Germany
BCSC Conference (British
Council of Shopping Centres)
home
Thousands of people checked out Rugby’s new Asda
supermarket when it opened this summer. The store is part of
a £25million transformation of the town’s Chapel Street area.
The remaining units in the Swan Centre, including a large Co-op
home electrical store, are due to open later this year.
Simon Leech, of the Rugby Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is
fantastic to see new businesses opening in the town despite the harsh
economic climate.
ICT Cluster Conference
“The opening of the new Asda is extremely positive news for Rugby,
it will attract even more shoppers to the town centre and that should
have a good knock-on effect for other businesses in the vicinity.
Medica
18th - 21st November
Dusseldorf, Germany
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Rugby’s Asda supermarket opens
9th - 11th November
Bridgewater Hall and Manchester Central,
Manchester
10th November
National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull
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“This news combined with the development of North Street, and
the creation of two new hotels in the area, sends out an extremely
positive signal and indicates a strong future for the town.”
The new store will create 350 new jobs for the borough and provide
residents with a brand new 24-hour supermarket offering a full range of
food and other merchandise.
The long-awaited redevelopment of the derelict area brings to an
end 30 years of failed blueprints and schemes.
Work included the demolition of a derelict 1930s Co-op,
archaeological investigations, the retention of a listed pub front and
the construction of an underground car park.
For more information about available retail units, contact the WIP
team on 01926 412140 or email wips@warwickshire.gov.uk
Below: Rugby’s new Asda supermarket opened for
business in the summer.
Technology World
23rd - 24th November
Ricoh Arena, Coventry
Business Start Up Show
26th - 27th November
Olympia, London
For further information on these events
visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wips
Contact us
For further information, or if you would like
to feature in our next newsletter, please
contact Katy Hunter on 01926 412140 or
email wips@warwickshire.gov.uk
Warwickshire Investment Partnership
Shire Hall, PO Box 43, Warwick, CV34 4SX
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