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Manchester Central CEO named chair of national events sector organisation

Appointments

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26/09/2022

Manchester Central CEO named chair of national events sector organisation

The CEO of Manchester Central, Shaun Hinds, has been named the Chair of national organisation, the Association of Event Venues (AEV), and is set to also play a pivotal role in an umbrella organisation which touches all corners of the industry.

Hinds was voted as the Chair at the trade body’s AGM on Wednesday 21 September and will hold this role for two years. As an industry expert with more than 25 years of experience across travel, hospitality, property and business, he has been on the board of the AEV for several years.

Alongside this new role, Hinds is also the incoming Chair for the AEV’s umbrella organisation, the Events Industry Alliance (EIA), which represents the AEV, AEO and ESSA. This means that he is involved with all corners of the events sector bodies – venues, organisers and suppliers. He is due to start this one-year tenure in mid-October. These combined roles will see him support and lead the wider industry.

It comes at a time when the events industry has bounced back well from the pandemic only to be faced with major issues including the energy crisis facing businesses right now. Hinds regularly lobbies for greater recognition for the £70bn events sector and the role that it plays in underpinning national economic performance.

Hinds, who has been CEO at Manchester Central since 2017, said: “It’s a privilege to be able to work alongside esteemed colleagues from across the events industry as chair of the AEV and EIA. I’m proud that I can play my part in helping to support and shape things over the next couple of years and raise the voice of the sector’s fantastic achievements alongside lobbying on crucial topics to alleviate pressures as much as possible.

“Events are a huge part of the Northern economy and their continued success hosting large-scale, memorable occasions is essential to helping level up the country as they attract wide investment for areas and create thousands of jobs. I’ll be looking to represent the views of events professionals and businesses strongly from right across the North, to ensure that they are well represented in the national conversation.

“There have been severe headwinds in the last few years, which have been navigated so well by the industry as a whole thanks to collaboration. Now we are entering a time of worry for many as the fluctuating global situation drives up costs. I intend to do all I can to put forward solutions and support the sector to reduce impact.”

Another topic that Hinds is keen to drive forward is ensuring a sustainable future for the sector. He added that this is a huge challenge for the industry but one that businesses have to be on the right side of, at the risk of losing out further down the line. “We’re facing so many competing priorities right now, but we can’t lose sight of where we need to be for the longer term, not just in relation to our environmental commitments but the need to nurture our talent pool and ensure our entire ecosystem is positioned well for growth,” he added.

Rachel Parker, AEV director, welcomed Hinds as the new chair of the association. She added: “It gives me great pleasure to welcome Shaun as the new AEV chair. His insight and experience have been great assets to the AEV board, and his unstinting work in support of the industry over the last few turbulent years has been an example to us all. I look forward to Shaun bringing his strategic insight and vision to the role, continuing the excellent work by his predecessor, Max Bull, executive director of the BDC.”

Manchester Central is one of the UK’s largest and most versatile event venues. Earlier this summer, it reported that it had completed its first normal trading quarter since the pandemic. During the lockdowns, Manchester Central invested in high quality hybrid solutions to continue hosting interactive events for a variety of audiences. In an average year, Manchester Central attracts over half a million visitors to the city and brings approximately £150m into the Greater Manchester local economy.

Image: Shaun Hinds, CEO of Manchester Central

New Fintech Startup, Cheddar, Announces First Expansion of its Offering | TOMORROW

Growth

Sam Allcock

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26/09/2022

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New Fintech Startup, Cheddar, Announces First Expansion of its Offering | TOMORROW

Cheddar, the bank account-enabled instant payments platform, has announced the launch of its new cashback feature. From today, Cheddar users will be paid cash straight back into their bank account as they spend with partnered retailers.

Following a trial debut at the UK’s biggest food and music festival tour, Pub in the Park, the new feature will allow users to earn up to 50% when making purchases at their favourite retailers both in-store and online. Already a variety of well-known retailers are onboard including Ocado, Joe & The Juice and Sports Direct.

Anyone can sign-up to the app effortlessly for free and use their existing debit or credit cards, Apple Pay or Google Pay to start earning cash back instantly. Once signed-up, users will have access to hyper-personalised offers based on actual spend behaviour from retailers with any eligible cards they’ve linked to the app.

Luke Ladyman, Chief Operating Officer & Co-founder at Cheddar says:

‘As the UK economy heads deeper into recession with inflation soaring to record highs not seen in 40 years, consumers’ shopping and spending habits are changing. At Cheddar it’s important to us, now more than ever, to make everyday spending as easy as possible and our new cashback feature will help our users save money effortlessly while they spend during these challenging times.’

‘For our retail partners, it will help to attract new high-intent customers, increase the loyalty of existing ones, and re-engage lost customers at a time when retail spend is expected to struggle. We’re extremely proud to offer this new win-win solution for both consumers and businesses and are excited to see them reap the benefits.’

Cheddar’s open banking-enabled platform uses customer spend data, via first-party consent, to personalise its cashback offerings for users. The app will track where they spend and how often in order to provide tailored offers from retail partners and ensure maximum benefit for both the retailer and the customer.

As the cost of living crisis deepens, consumers are spending much more cautiously to make ends meet and save money. Cheddar’s new cashback feature will help retailers increase customer loyalty, encouraging them, with monetary incentives, to purchase more frequently.

According to ‘The Tipping Point of Loyalty’ report’ it only takes 13 spends per year, on average, to create a loyal customer which are worth 22x more to retailers than non-loyal customers.

After launching in March 2022, this announcement marks Cheddar’s first expansion of its payments platform offering. Cheddar is also bringing the new cashback offering to Fresher’s Week for students to enjoy at several universities including; University of Bristol, University of Leeds, University of Manchester, University of Nottingham and University of Birmingham.

The new feature is live in the Cheddar app today, which can be downloaded from the Apple and Google Play stores.

The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter welcomes FM Outsource

Featured Businesses

Sam Allcock

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26/09/2022

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The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter welcomes FM Outsource

Bury-based FM Outsource, an outsourced customer service provider, has joined The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, as it continues to invest in improving its employee experience.

The Charter is a voluntary membership and assessment scheme which has been created to help deliver good jobs with opportunities for people to progress and develop, alongside a thriving and productive economy. It aims to improve the employment standards across all GM employers regardless of size, sector, or geography.

FM Outsource, a provider of tech-led high-quality customer care, has committed to following the practices of the charter to become an engaging and supportive employer. This includes providing secure work, excellent recruitment practices, flexible work, Real Living Wage, evidence of improving workplace engagement and voice, improving people management, and fostering employee health and wellbeing.

Joining the charter is the latest development in the business that aims to develop highly skilled customer service advisors for its impressive client roster of top UK brands. The business helps a wide range of clients to improve their customer experience and boost loyalty and sentiment by providing 24/7, multilingual, and omnichannel customer care, powered by cutting-edge proprietary technology.

Martin Brown, CCO at FM Outsource, said: “We have been a trusted local employer for more than 10 years, and we continue to contribute to the thriving and productive economy of the city region. Joining the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter provides us with an opportunity to further develop and progress our people strategy.

“By joining the charter, we are ensuring we provide the best customer service advisors for our clients. They rely on the effectiveness of our team for their business success, therefore ensuring that we are nurturing the best workforce is essential. After all, a happy workforce is a productive one.

“Particularly as we approach the peak retail quarter, businesses will be seeking trusted partners to support their customer service throughout the period. Businesses that work with us can feel confident that we are a trusted employer that supports its team to deliver high-quality service for all clients.”

Set featured imageTo find out more about FM Outsource visit: https://fmoutsource.com/

Image: Martin Brown

NEW APPOINTMENTS SUPPORT GROWTH FOR MANCHESTER’S LICHFIELDS

Appointments

Sam Allcock

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26/09/2022

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NEW APPOINTMENTS SUPPORT GROWTH FOR MANCHESTER’S LICHFIELDS

Manchester planning and development consultancy Lichfields has announced several new appointments to support growth and meet strong demand for its services.

Alexandra Gavin and Josh Woollard join as senior planners at Lichfields King Street office while Harry Russell, Abigail Knowles and Clover Long start as planners. They are joined by economics consultant Tom Harrison, who will be part of the office’s economic team. All six appointments will be working on a range of commercial, industrial, housing and leisure development projects alongside progressing business development initiatives across the Manchester and the wider North West of England region.

Now employing 22 at its Manchester office, the move comes as Lichfields continues to mark its 60^th anniversary year and target fees around the £25 million milestone by the end of 2022.

Simon Pemberton, senior director and head of Lichfields Manchester office, said: “The new appointments reflect our continued success and organic growth alongside the opportunity for career progression at Lichfields.

“Alexandra, Josh, Harry, Abigail, Clover and Tom will all be great additions to our team. They have some excellent experience, bringing even more depth to our services as we continue to grow off the back of a diverse, high quality client base and exciting portfolio of work.”

Founded in 1962, the company offers a broad range of planning and development consultancy services including development management, consultation, economics, EIA, heritage, neighbourly matters and urban design. Its clients include developers, landowners and operators in the housing, retail, leisure, commercial, waste and recycling and infrastructure sectors; as well as local authorities and government bodies.

Image: Manchester planning and development consultancy Lichfields has appointed (l-r) Clover Long, Tom Harrison, Harry Russell, Abigail Knowles, Josh Woollard and Alexandra Gavin

HYSSOP RESTAURANT IN GLOSSOP CALLS ON COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOLLOWING A DEVASTATING FIRE

Sam Allcock

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26/09/2022

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HYSSOP RESTAURANT IN GLOSSOP CALLS ON COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOLLOWING A DEVASTATING FIRE

The much loved Hyssop restaurant in Glossop was devastated by a fire recently, and now the owners of the popular venue are looking to the local community for support as they rebuild the space and support staff.

The fire started on Wednesday 14^th September in a freak tumble drier accident. The incident has completely gutted the space on High Street in the centre of Glossop, forcing the venue to immediately close. Owner Jessica Hine explained: “We are absolutely devastated at what’s happened – experiencing possibly the worst day of our lives.

“The restaurant sector has been a turbulent environment for the past couple of years; the pandemic and increasing costs have made trading challenging, but we were had such a positive outlook as we looked forward to a bustling autumn and festive season.

“I am heartbroken that’s gone; I am heartbroken for my incredible colleagues, and for our customers whose bookings we can no longer honour.”

Jess and her team are now focusing on rebuilding the restaurant and maintaining some operations while repairs are undertaken. She is hoping to call on the support of local tradespeople and handy men who can help in any small way and has launched a crowdfunding campaign; she continued: “We now face the monumental task of rebuilding the space and bringing Hyssop back to life when we can.

“As we wait to get the ball rolling, we have to come up with a way to keep the finances afloat to pay the bills and staff going forward in the coming months. Just as many other businesses operate in this current economic climate, Hyssop survives week by week, and any loss of earnings will be catastrophic to our future.

“We are trying to raise some funds to enable us to make part of our space functionable in order to trade in some way, shape or form, in order to keep things ticking. We are so grateful for everybody’s kind words and offerings, we are completely overwhelmed. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Anyone wishing to contribute can visit: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/hyssop-fire-devastation To find out more about Hyssop visit: https://www.hyssopglossop.co.uk

New premium office operator launches at 11 York Street.

Property

Sam Allcock

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26/09/2022

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New premium office operator launches at 11 York Street.

Gilbanks, a Leeds-headquartered luxury serviced office provider, is to service new offices in Manchester. The company’s second site follows the success of its work on Park Row in Leeds city centre.

Gilbanks has been appointed to launch 22,000 sq ft of new serviced offices at 11 York Street by Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva plc and the building’s landlord.

It is the only new-build Grade-A building in the central business district, having recently been named the best new build outside of central London and has already attracted Rolls Royce as an occupier.

The flexible office space offers 12-month terms to support tenants’ business requirements. In
addition, it is designed for task-based and hybrid work, designed to inspire younger workers back to the office. Members at 11 York Street will benefit from an events space that will host regular yoga sessions and a sky suite on the eighth floor to host events with views over the city.

Gilbanks specialises in helping SMEs to large corporates maximise efficiencies for their office space.

Commenting on the launch, Alex Duckett, managing director of Gilbanks, said: “We have ambitious plans for Gilbanks and are always looking for the best sites and commercial partners for our offices. Aviva Investors has developed a fantastic building at 11 York Street, and we believe we have the potential to develop a thriving business community in the shared space that will create synergies for all tenants.

“We design productive workspaces for professional people. It’s an approach that appeals to our partners and customers. Our customers have come to expect a level of product that sits apart from the competition, and we believe that our new Manchester offices will raise the bar in the city.”

Julian Cobourne, head of regional offices at Aviva Investors, said: “11 York Street is a building that typifies our portfolio in Manchester, a City with all the attributes we expect will enable it to thrive into the future as one of Europe’s top creative hubs. We believe that by working alongside Gilbanks, we can offer resident firms facilities that put them front-of-mind, benefit the way they work, and that encourage collaborative working.”

Andrew Cowell of OBi, who brokered the deal, said: “There is a lack of suitable space offering a premium full-service flexible service in Manchester. It means professional services firms and large corporates looking to benefit from this way of working may be forced to look elsewhere or settle for a compromise. We are confident Gilbanks new offices will meet that demand.”

Start-up provides online access to more than one hundred workplace coaches

Blog

Sam Allcock

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26/09/2022

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Start-up provides online access to more than one hundred workplace coaches

Manchester based start-up myonlinecoach provides expert-led workplace coaching online to businesses and organisations with their new quick and easy-to-use platform.

Founder, Lesley Calland, teamed up with The Start Up Factory in Manchester to develop the new on-demand technology. The platform gives access to more than 100 of the UK’s leading workplace coaches, helping to support all employees and employers with self-development and any challenges they might be facing in the workplace.

With many companies now operating hybrid or remote working models, myonlinecoach gives workplaces a fast and effective means to connect, strengthen and grow. The company’s mission is to make coaching more accessible to working individuals and boost what they call the 3 P’s, performance, progression and purpose. Believing they can enormously benefit the increasing number of hybrid and remote workforces, myonlinecoach is also keen to work with high-growth companies experiencing the additional challenges brought by fast change.

Founder of myonlinecoach Lesley Calland said” During the pandemic, there was such a demand for me to coach online that I needed to identify a scalable solution to support more people. I wanted a platform that would be there for employees when they needed it, and for their employers, who wanted to be supportive.

“Helping people develop their own level of workplace happiness and success is one of the key aspects to supporting mental wellbeing and creating a less stressful, yet focused and productive environment.”

Based in the centre of Manchester, myonlinecoach can support any type of business or organisation located anywhere in the UK and overseas via the online platform.

Bespoke, a digital agency in Chorley recently used myonlinecoach for their core team of twelve people. Bespoke CEO Steve Brannan said about the platform:“It was quick and easy with no fuss, our team could set up their sessions to suit their schedules by logging in and arranging their own appointments. Being remote meant they could hold their sessions confidentially on a day they were working from home.”

myonlinecoach has also partnered with Thomas International – a global leader in psychometric assessments and is now offering DISC profiling, also online and on-demand. Designed to support teams embarking on a mission to change, the profiling helps leaders make smarter decisions by providing valuable insights into an employee’s performance. This can be offered as part of a complete package with coaching sessions.

To find out more visit www.myonlinecoach.io or visit the LinkedIn page for latest news, articles and insights.

Manchester City Council: Hefty fine for trader who sold toxic jewellery

Legal

Sam Allcock

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26/09/2022

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Manchester City Council: Hefty fine for trader who sold toxic jewellery

A routine Trading Standards inspection has resulted in the prosecution of a business which sold potentially toxic products.

On January 16, 2020, officers from Manchester City Council Trading Standards carried out an annual inspection of Vavachi Ltd, in Sherbourne Street.

During this visit samples of products which were being sold were taken away for analysis. Items taken included a children’s jewellery set and a separate pair of earrings.

When examined it was found that the children’s set contained more than 6,000 times the legal limit of Cadmium, a natural element which has been known to cause cancer.

The other earrings were also found to contain more than 3,000 times the legal limit of lead, another harmful metal which is toxic to humans if exposed to it over a prolonged period.

Following this examination, Trading Standards returned to this business on February 7, 2020 and seized the remaining pieces of stock, totalling 277 items of jewellery.

The limited company and its director, Amindin Ataie, 47, of Grundy Avenue, Bury, were interviewed under caution during which Ataie stated the offending items were bought from the businesses previous owner and he was not aware of legislation governing jewellery safety.

At a hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court held on Thursday, 22 September 2022, Vavachi Ltd and Ataie pleaded guilty to three offences under the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) Enforcement Regulations 2008.

The company was ordered to pay a fine of £1,998, costs of £1,000, and a surcharge of £66.

Ataie was sentenced to a 12-month community order which must comprise of 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay costs of £1,000 and a victim surcharge of £161.

Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods said: “This prosecution highlights just how important our inspections of city traders can be. While the vast majority trade ethically and within the law, in cases like this it shows that our diligence pays off.

“Safety regulations are in place for a good reason, and I am pleased we’ve been able to take these dangerous products out of circulation. As ever, I am incredibly grateful for the hard work of our Trading Standards officers and legal team.”

Sean Williams from Together takes on the Chair role at pro-manchester

Appointments

Sam Allcock

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23/09/2022

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Sean Williams from Together takes on the Chair role at pro-manchester

Thursday was a momentous day for pro-manchester as Sean Williams, head of professional sector at Together, was voted in as Chair at the company’s AGM. Sean takes over the position from Anthony Morrow, founder of OpenMoney who has been in post for the past 18th months. Anthony will stay on the board as immediate past chair.

Reflecting on his own term as chair the Anthony Morrow said “Being involved with an organisation that has worked so hard over the last few years in pretty trying circumstances and to see it today with a growing, loyal membership and very robust finances, makes me very proud. It’s in really good hands and I’m sure that the incoming chair Sean Williams and vice-chair Danny Simpson FIOD will help the team take it even further.

Sean has always been a huge ambassador for pro-manchester and is excited for the opportunity to work with the Board and membership to continue to further the ambitions, aspirations and potential of this great organisation.

Sean joined Together in January 2020. Prior to this he was Head of Customer Banking at Yorkshire Bank in Manchester, responsible for leading customer-facing staff as well as the strategic direction of the banking operation and relationship management team.

When talking about his reasons for putting himself forward for the Chair position Sean said: “I’m a passionate believer in investing in people and investing in your network – I really enjoy the diversity of the people, teams and clients that I work with on a day to day basis. And for me pro manchester emulates that.”

In his first address as pro-manchester chair, Sean outlined his plans for the year ahead.

“As members of pro-manchester you are supported by an excellent team, with boundless positive energy and I’ve had first hand experience of seeing how they have worked so creatively through a turbulent couple of years to further pro-manchester’s mission of bringing new opportunities to Manchester businesses.

I’m looking forward to working with all our members and continuing to champion the important role that pro-manchester plays in Greater Manchester, both locally, within the wider region and on the national and international stage.

pro-manchester is an organisation built around enabling people to connect and network. Collaboration – between us, between businesses and across the city and the wider region is the key to driving success – it is what makes Manchester a great place to live, work, and do business.

In support of his commitment to communities Sean has also appointed Forever Manchester, a charity that solely raises money to fund community activity across GM, as his charity of the year.

Of Sean’s appointment, pro-manchester CEO, Sam Booth said: “We’re delighted that Sean is taking up the role of pro-manchester Chair for the next year. Sean brings with him a wealth of experience in the Manchester business community and we’re looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together over the next 12 months.”

Nicola McCormick – pro-manchester COO said “Sean, is so passionate about Manchester and that enthusiasm rubs off on everyone he meets. We are really excited to be working with him over the coming year and ensuring pro-manchester delivers the best service possible for its members”

Amna Khan from Manchester Metropolitan University, Zoe Wallace from Agent Academy and Stephen Hughes from Five Wealth were also voted in as board members and will further strengthen the existing board of directors.

Image: Sean Williams

Manchester-based sustainable fashion brand launches following £250k seed round

Featured Businesses

Sam Allcock

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23/09/2022

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After two years of self-funded research into the most premium, sustainable materials available, the Manchester-based women’s athleisure brand SHIBUI has launched its first collection after widening its shareholder base and closing a £250k seed round.

Founded in 2020, SHIBUI is a sustainable athleisure brand based in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, with the first collection focusing on activewear, athleisure-wear and knitwear. The brand has curated a mix of essential pieces including: sports bras, leggings, jersey sets and tracksuits – even extending to more style-led garments such as tennis dresses.

The SHIBUI team has attracted a total investment of £250,000 from former senior executives at The Hut Group, as well as seasoned e-commerce and fashion investors from the North West and London.

Speaking of the business’ eco credentials, Co-Founder Jaimin Lakhani says: “With Manchester being renowned for fast fashion, we want SHIBUI to help shift towards a greener economy.”

“It’s common knowledge that the next generations view sustainability as a key purchase driver, particularly in such an environmentally damaging industry as fashion.”

“We’ve launched SHIBUI with the vision of the brand becoming a global leader in the industry, pioneering style-led clothing which has been created using the most sustainable materials and practices possible to help reduce impact and continue to spark change in the industry and consumer attitudes.”

The first collection is priced between £25 and £60, providing premium quality garments at affordable prices, providing younger consumers a viable alternative to fast fashion.

The brand has taken a unique approach to manufacturing its products by founding three of its own dedicated micro-factories across Pakistan and Indonesia to support the local economies; investing in infrastructure and providing jobs for local unemployed men and women to earn a living for their families.

Working closely with its factory partners, SHIBUI is committed to working with the highest quality, most sustainable materials available, selecting the likes of organic cotton, recycled polyester, and choosing to only use eco-friendly dyes to achieve the bold colour range. Each garment is also fitted with a swing tag made from 100% plantable seed paper.

The sustainability metrics of each garment can also be found on each product’s page on the SHIBUI website, including the amount of CO2 emissions avoided and plastic bottles diverted from landfill, to inform shoppers about their positive impact.

SHIBUI’s first collection launched in August 2022 and is available to browse now on its website at shibuifashion.com

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