CREATIVE SWINDON Cheats Death on Still a Magnet for Special Report on the Up-And-Coming Mount Kilimanjaro Logistics Businesses That Are Creating a Buzz
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County Business Publishing £1.50 Volume 29 Number 8 July 2011 01793 615393 www.swindon-business.net [email protected] Loads of Lucky to be alive. opportunity. Swindon lawyer Why Swindon is CREATIVE SWINDON cheats death on still a magnet for Special report on the up-and-coming Mount Kilimanjaro logistics businesses that are creating a buzz Pages 12 & 13 PAGES 8 & 9 Back page News Brief Apprentice star visits town and says ‘You’re hired’ Swindon-born Nick Hewer, Lord Sugar's right-hand man on The Apprentice, returned to his roots to help celebrate Plan 500’s success. The plain-speaking PR man-turned reluctant TV star, pictured right , gave his backing to the scheme, which is creating 500 work-related opportunities for the town’s jobless youngsters, at an event at the STEAM museum. Representatives from around 140 companies attended the high-profile breakfast event - and many are now considering signing up to take part in the scheme Plan 500 has now surpassed the 400-opportunity mark and is on course to hit 500 soon, gaining recognition from the Government along the way as one of the best projects of its kind in the country. August Green Special Full story, p3 Swindon Business News goes a shade of green next month with a special edition devoted to all things environmentally-sustainable, low- Demolish old industrial carbon and waste-reducing. Features will focus on Green IT and how firms can use it to drive down costs, low- estates, council is told carbon buildings, alternative energy, waste and resource management, Pressure is growing on Swindon against the advice of the council’s environmentally-sensitive transport, Council to tear down some of the planning officers who had said the and the easiest ways to 'green up' your town’s outdated industrial estates and scheme could meet part of Swindon’s business - saving money and the redevelop the sites for housing while growing need for new employment planet. To find out more contact the allowing other areas to be reclassified land and new homes. advertising team on 01793 615393. as employment land. Talks have since taken place with The trade off is being put forward council chiefs to urge a rewrite of the Brunsdon Westinsure acquired by by leading figures in the town’s draft strategy to re-zone areas such as insurance giant Swinton business community as a way of the Cheney Manor industrial estate for heading off a potential showdown housing. Many of the former factories Swindon-based independent between the council and business on the estate, which was built in the commercial insurance broker groups over its controversial Draft Core 1960s, stand empty with property Brunsdon Westinsure has been Strategy. agents in the town saying they are acquired by insurance giant Swinton Swindon Business News revealed unlikely to be re-let. for an undisclosed sum. last month how the Draft Strategy, “It would be better to knock the Established in 1957, Brunsdon which will shape the town’s estate down and re-class it as housing specialises in business and personal development for the next 15 years, had land,” said one. “At the moment the insurance and risk management. provoked a harsh response from some council insists it stays for employment Its commercial team will continue members of the business community. land while saying the number of new to operate from its office at Dammas They feared it would send out a signal homes in the town must be reduced to House Old Town while the smaller that Swindon, which once prided itself avoid encroaching on greenfield sites." personal lines team will move to on being Europe's fastest-growing Chamber of Commerce president Swinton's branch in Swindon. town, was now closed to business. Gary Mealing said the council needed Rod Alcorn of Brunsdon, said “We A key part of the strategy is a to revise the Draft Core Strategy as it carefully considered a number of reduction from 36,000 to 25,000 in the “lacked ambition”. offers for our business and were number of new homes planned for the “It is based on one projection and impressed by the enthusiasm of the town between now and 2026 - which there are no alternatives. Our concern commercial team at Swinton." critics say is not enough to attract new is if you lack ambition in this document industry to the town or generate and in your vision, history tells us you economic growth. lack in delivery. If you plan low you get Criticism from the business low or lower.” community - including a hard-hitting Meanwhile Swindon's attempt to go joint report from Swindon Chamber of it alone and set up its own Local Commerce and GWE the Initiative in Enterprise Partnership (LEP) appears to Swindon - coincided with the shock have fallen foul of ministers, who said rejection by councillors of the 74.5- it was too small. The town is now likely hectare mixed-use development near to link up with Wiltshire to form a joint Coate Country Park. The decision went LEP. AFL seals Nigeria cable deal More than 3,000km of fibre optic cable has been supplied to Nigeria by Swindon firm AFL to form the backbone of the country’s first open access communications network. AFL’s pioneering SkyWrap cabling and installation equipment enabled operator Dancom Technologies to build the network at a rate of between five and nine km a day. For more go to www.swindon-business.net People Events • Malcolm Poynter is the • Using Humour to Develop your Business! new managing partner of When: 12 July, 7:30am-9:00am Swindon law firm Charles Lucas & Marshall. He Where: Chiseldon House Hotel, New Road, takes over from Peter Graham who is retiring Chiseldon SN4 0NE on July 31 after 42 years Contact: [email protected] with the firm, the last 12 26 Wood Street, Swindon spent as managing Wiltshire SN1 4AB partner. Malcolm Malcolm Poynter Poynter joined Charles • Swindon Mindful Employer Network Telephone: 01793 615393 Lucas & Marshall in 1986 and has been involved When: 14 July from 2pm in various aspects of running the business, most Fax: 01793 610553 recently as head of commercial property. He will Where: Thrings, Penny Lane, Swindon Email: [email protected] be chiefly responsible for development of the firm's strategic objectives and will continue to Contact: david.latham@ Web: www.swindon-business.net provide legal advice to landowners and richmondfellowship.org.uk commercial clients. Directors of Monahans Financial Services, Editor: Robert Buckland Steve Missen, Simon Ewings, Mervyn • Simon Pook becomes sole head of Charles Osman and Roger Perry. Advertising Manager: Ann Freegard Lucas & Marshall’s residential property team, • Royal International Air Tattoo Production Editor: Owen Fishwick who stood down from the post after serving for following Peter Graham's retirement. When: 15-17 July Administrator: Jackie Hall two years. Sales Executive: Claudia Carr •Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce has Where: RAF Fairford, Goucestershire welcomed Suzanne Gore as new president and • Monahans Financial Services has built on its Lis McDermott as vice president at the annual recent success by appointing Simon Ewings as a Contact: 0800 107 1940 Controlled circulation: In excess of meeting at Cafe Italian in the town. Suzanne is a director. Simon joins from Francis Clark Financial 8,000 copies per month local independent mortgage advisor with 18 years’ Planning, having been a senior consultant with experience of working in the financial industry. them since 2002. He has Chartered Status, the • Vox Academy - Making the Media Work for You © Copyright 2011 Born in Wootton Bassett and having lived in the highest qualification for Independent Financial Published by County Business Publishing Ltd. town for many years, Suzanne has extensive Advisers, and at the time he gained it, was one of and Social Media for Business seminars Printed by Acorn Press the youngest people in the country to do so. knowledge of the area and numerous local When: 20 July, 9:30am-12:30pm and 2pm- contacts within the business community. She Throughout his career Simon has advised County Business Publishing also publishes a range currently runs her own mortgage advice business, individuals and corporate clients on a wide range 5pm of business leads newsletters: Swindon Business Newsletter; Bristol Business Newsletter; and South Only Mortgages. Suzanne joined Wootton Bassett of subjects including Pensions, Investments, West Business Media, as well as Estates West Chamber of Commerce committee 18 months Trusts, Taxation and Personal and Corporate Where: 3 Little London Court, Swindon Bulletin, a property deals newsletter. Protection. He also has a strong background in If you are interested in receiving a free sample ago, serving as vice president. She has taken over Contact: 01793 511990 please call 01793 615393. from previous resident Paul Dunn of video building relationships with professional production connections such as solicitors, property agents, Email: [email protected] company accountants, stockbrokers, investment houses BizView.tv, and employee benefit consultants.” • Wessex Environment Business Network When: 21 July, 11am-12:00pm Contacts Where: Village Green, Methuen Park, Forward Swindon Bristol Airport Chippenham 01793 429250 0871 334 4344 Contact: 01225 355553 GWE Business West Swindon Council 08458 505066 01793 445500 • Swindon Business Breakfast Business Link Wiltshire Council When: 22 July, 7:30am-9:30am 0845 600 9966 0300 456 0100 Where: Swindon Marriott Hotel SSEP Chamber of Commerce Contact: 01753 870500 01793 429259 01753 870500 Fast Forward Train2Gain • Swindon Business Lunch 0808 178 3657 0845 600 9006 When: 19 August, 12:30pm-2:30pm First Great Western Visit Wiltshire Where: De Vere Hotel (Shaw Ridge) 08457 000 125 0845 602 7323 Contact: 01753 870500 July 2011 Page 3 Business News Trio of awards added to Vox’s Plan 500 - trophy cabinet Public relations and marketing consultancy Vox is celebrating after crafting a succession of successful now it’s just award entries for its clients.