Lincoln chartered accountancy firm, Saul Fairholm, has made the first donation of its sponsorship of the city’s Boultham Park Capital Appeal.

As a major sponsor, Saul Fairholm, based on Tentercroft Street, has pledged £5,000 towards the £250,000 target set by learning disability charity, Linkage Community Trust, and City of Lincoln Council towards the restoration of the 50-acre park.

The project, which will cost £3.7 million, is being grant-aided by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund Parks for People initiative.

As previously reported, Linkage Community Trust aims to restore a former coaching house/stable block and to turn it into an education centre, cafe and shop in the park.

Work will also restore the fountain, bandstand and lake, as well as improving lighting pathways and seating on the site.

The Appeal target of £250,000 will meet the remaining match-funding required by the Heritage Lottery Fund which awarded the project a £2.7 million grant.

Saul Fairholm is one of four companies supporting the appeal as major sponsors and joins Mundys estate agents, Sills and Betteridge solicitors and Active8 Managed Technologies.

At a cheque presentation event, the company handed over the first tranche of its donation, £2,800, raised through a golf day in 2014.

Associate Neil McDowall said: “It’s a park that I knew from my youth and we like to support local communities and the efforts of Linkage. We raised the money through an annual charity golf day and a quiz.”

Appeal Chairman Philip Barnatt added: “I’m indebted to Saul Fairholm for their generous support. Like Neil, I have fond memories of the area from childhood and it’s great to see more companies becoming involved.

“The restoration of the park needs plenty of community support and we’re planning a number of events over the year to help raise more money.”

Chalking-up 25 years in business and creating a £40 million construction company is impressive and certainly worth celebrating – but what happens after the back-slapping and applause fade away?

This feature interview was first published in issue 21 of the Lincolnshire Business weekly magazine, now available to read at www.lincsbusiness.co. Subscribe to the email newsletter to receive the latest edition in your inbox this Friday.

It was in anticipation of this glorious July 2013 milestone that, brickie-turned-Chief Executive Officer, Steve Gelder realised that the Gelder Group was about to hit a major crossroads.

And, after driving the nine-division group this far– which has six offices and employs 300 staff –, and welcoming Royal visitors to its Sturton-by-Stow headquarters in 2004, 2007 and 2014, Steve knew Gelder’s next chapter could not be left to chance. But, despite his entrepreneurial streak, and the fact that he is an avid reader of business manuals and tycoons’ autobiographies, he decided he needed help when it came to charting the group’s future.

What he needed was an injection of fresh-thinking, an “outsider’s” perspective, another pair of eyes – or has it happened, two pairs of eyes.

Fortunately, Steve had been introduced to Paul and Dawn Barron of Human Alchemy a couple of years ago and, when it became imperative that he needed to plan for future growth, that’s who he turned to.

“After 25 years in business, I had not only achieved my early ambitions, I’d gone much further. I’d got my house with its adjacent tennis court, was used to parking my S Class Mercedes in my driveway and had hit the £40 million mark,” said Steve.

“I remembered being impressed with Paul, (who I call ‘The Oracle’), and Dawn when I met them. A few months later I was sat down at my dining room table with a blank piece of paper, about to start writing up my vision for the next 25 years.

“Amazingly, at that exact time, Paul dropped me an email to say that he imagined that I was preparing to write up my new vision, just as I did the last one, and suggesting that there might be a better way. It’s for reasons like this that I call him ‘The Oracle’.

“I then met up with Paul and Dawn, who helped me approach the task from a completely different angle. They advised that, at this stage in the company’s development, I should be working on a three-year plan. The end of the second year would be the right time to start thinking about the next one, and that I should involve my senior management team and the staff to set the vision, not just write it myself and hand it out.”

Read the full story in issue 21 of Lincolnshire Business magazine here.

The Lincoln branch of Autoglass on Tritton Road will be closed, resulting in two job losses.

The company says this is part of national plan to move away from being branched-based, focusing on a mobile repair model in order to cut costs.

All 100 branches will close as part of the plan by the end of June this year, totalling 180 jobs lost.

According to research by Autoglass, around 95% of their customers chose to have their windscreen work done at a time and place which suited their needs.

In the future, customers will be able to call Autoglass and arrange an appointment for a member of staff to come and make the repairs required.

Through this decision the company has cut costs, but it says it is able to run the business more efficiently.

A spokesperson from Autoglass said: “We strive to constantly evolve our business model to ensure that we continue to offer the best possible service to our customers.

“We are now beginning a rolling programme of transitioning to a fully mobile operating model, which we expect to be completed in all regions by the end of June.

“At the same time, we are significantly increasing the number of stock points for our mobile technicians across the UK. As part of this process, we can confirm that the Lincoln branch is scheduled for closure.

“Regretfully, this means the loss of two branch-based roles through redundancy. We are providing appropriate support to them as they leave the business.”

Plans to build a new 275-home estate in a Lincoln village will be discussed by West Lindsey District Council later this week.

Applicants Chestnut Homes Ltd propose to build the new estate on land between Lincoln Road and Honeyholes in Dunholme, to the north of Lincoln.

The small village currently has approximately 2,000 residents. It is close to the village of Welton-by-Lincoln and some of the services in Welton such as the Health Care centre are used by both villages.

Of the 275 houses, a quarter would be affordable homes, with 54 of those being rented social housing, and the remaining 14 to be shared ownership properties.

The new homes would be a mix of one bedroom apartments, two bedroom starter homes, two and three bedroom bungalows, and three, four and five bedroom family homes.

Parking spaces would be created for residents and visitors.

The developers have been asked by the council to make a number of financial contributions to the area, as well as ensuring the provision and maintenance of open spaces as part of the proposed development.

A financial contribution of £657,393 will be compulsory to pay towards education provision, with a further £116,875 for healthcare.

An additional £483,050 will be required towards highway improvements, bus stops, speed limit reductions on Lincoln Road, a contribution to weekend and evening bus services and junction improvements at the A46/Lincoln Road, Welton junction by Centurion Garage.

The site, to be renamed Dunholme Meadows, has been an agricultural field for over a century.

Access to the development will be from Lincoln Road on the A46 side of the village and from Honeyholes Lane.

Improved footways will be provided on both of these roads as part of the proposed development and a new water pumping station and electricity substation will be constructed.

Chestnut Homes has said that the site is “a good choice for development”, arguing that it is a logical extension to the village without joining it up with nearby Welton, which has recently seen an application to build 350 new homes approved.

The applicants added that the development will improve services in the village in a sustainable way, while introducing much-needed affordable housing and recreational facilities.

The development has generated sizeable interest, with local residents split over the proposal. Of the respondents, 19 support the application while 24 are opposed to it.

The district council has recommended that outline planning permission be granted, subject to the applicants signing and completing the financial contributions within six months.

A planning meeting is being held at West Lindsey District Council on Wednesday April 1, starting at 6.30pm.

Plans to regenerate the Cornhill Quarter in Lincoln have so far been supported by 80% of residents and businesses as part of a £70 million commitment by Lincolnshire Co-Operative.

The Co-op launched a public consultation and revealed the plans for phase one of the new-look Cornhill Quarter on February 26.

Four out of five shoppers, residents and traders have said they would support the phase one proposals in a week long consultation which closes on Friday, March 6.

The Lindongate scheme, which has been developed by major landowner Lincolnshire Co-op, includes 30,000 m²  of new shops and restaurants, a 1,000 space car park and Transport Hub.

The planning application will be submitted in March, with work expected to start on site by early 2016.

Lincolnshire Co-op say the Cornhill regeneration would be completed by 2020 after a phased process of development.

The scheme will in large part be funded by the Co-op, however the City of Lincoln Council has allocated its own funds and secured a grant for the Transport Hub element.

Phase one of the project, which will cost around £12 million including land and buildings, will introduce five new units within the Corn Exchange, three new units within the stretch from 30a to 35 Sincil Street, and new kiosk units behind 34 and 35 Sincil Street.

Modern extensions to the existing Grade II listed Corn Exchange building will be stripped away and City of Lincoln Council is developing proposals for its Market Hall.

Lincolnshire Co-operative has reassured market traders concerned about the future of a market in Lincoln through the commitment made to Eunice Porter, head of the local branch of the National Market Traders’ Federation.

Businesses and market traders will undergo relocation under the plans and a freeze has been agreed for new market pitch applications to Central Market.

All of Lincolnshire Co-operative’s traders have been invited to individual meetings at which they will have the opportunity to specify their requirements and work will begin to find a suitable alternative location that all will be offered.

Lincolnshire Co-operative Chief Executive Ursula Lidbetter said: “We’re encouraged that our phase one proposals for The Cornhill Quarter scheme have prompted this level of response, with so much being positive.

“The scheme is the result of a huge amount of work, in which consideration has been given to many factors, particularly the likely impact upon our local residents, visitors and traders.

“We look forward to reviewing the final responses at the end of this week, before understanding and considering all the feedback as we take the next steps with the scheme.”

He may let his two daughters talk him into spending money on holiday extras like flight upgrades and a high-end hotel in Mexico, but the Lincolnshire Chef Steven Bennett, 38, is no push over in the kitchen and business. He believes that by treating each supplier like a customer, a business can go a long way. Proving this system has worked for him, since creating The Comfy Duck at The Oaklands Hall Hotel near Grismby in 2012, Steven has more than tripled the turnover.

This feature interview was first published in issue 22 of the Lincolnshire Business weekly magazine, now available to read at www.lincsbusiness.co. Subscribe to the email newsletter to receive the latest edition in your inbox this Friday.

Steven has always had an interest in cooking the old fashioned way, just like his granny taught him. “My granny was a keen cook, and she was a cook where nothing would get wasted. We learned from a very young age that you don’t waste anything. Watching my granny when we were growing up, she wouldn’t even waste the veg water. She would save that water to make her gravy.”

The passion for food was passed on in the family. Steven’s mother owned a bakery and his uncle owned the local butchers, but even though he helped out when he was at school, he didn’t want to go into the family business.

Instead, he went to college for a GNVQ in hospitality and catering management. “Part of my work experience was going to The Brackenborough in Louth to do a month’s placement and learn all aspects of the hotel, and from there I got offered a job in the kitchen. That’s where I started my career path.”

He worked in a few other places to broaden his experience, becoming a head chef at 22, getting his first rosette at 25 and then returning to The Brackenborough to become an Operations Director at 26.

Having already changed the fortunes of one hotel and helping it to achieve a turnover of just short of £1.3 million, Steven seemed like the ideal person for the job of taking the reins at The Oaklands Hall Hotel in Laceby to pull them back from the brink.

Read the full interview on the cover of Lincolnshire Business magazine now. 

WM Morrisons PLC has submitted an outline planning application for six new retail units including a gym, adjacent to its current Lincoln supermarket on Tritton Road.

The proposals made to the City of Lincoln Council would deliver around 3,901 square metres of retail space, along with a 1,672 square metres of leisure space and a 1,672 square metre trade counter area.

At this stage, no potential occupiers have been identified. The timescale will depend on the initial planning process.

The proposed site is on a brownfield area of land within the existing Morrisons supermarket site; the vacant site is made up of disused land formerly occupied by an industrial building, which was demolished in 2010.

One building will contain retail space and a gym, with an additional four smaller trade counter units included in the plans. An extra 145 parking spaces would also be created on the site.

Customer vehicular access into the site would be via Centaur Road, which links into a signalised junction at Tritton Road.

The precise layout and design of the units is yet to be decided, however it is anticipated that they would align with the supermarket, with the leisure unit situated on the first floor.

Morrisons say the scale of the proposed buildings has been carefully considered in order to relate to existing buildings on the Tritton Road retail park.

The retail and leisure unit would be the equivalent of three storeys in height and located towards the front of the site.

Morrisons added the the development would be in accordance with best practice principles of sustainable development.

Completing phase one of the £50 million Lincoln Science and Innovation park off Tritton Road, work will begin on the Boole Technology Centre in August.

The £6.75 million centre, part of the partnership scheme founded by Lincolnshire Co-op and the University of Lincoln, will be the next addition on the site after securing a £3.38 million Single Local Growth Fund grant through the Greater Lincolnshire LEP.

Work on the 3,000 m2 development is expected to take around nine months to complete (a May 2016 finish), and will be a combination of labs, workshops, officer technical equipment and shared working space.

The building will mainly target engineering and manufacturing businesses, and will house between 100 and 200 skilled employees.

Project partners are predicting the capital investment will generate a minimum of £38 million for the local economy over the next six years.

Director of the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park Tom Blount said: “We’ve designed the building to be incredibly flexible. Around 50% of it can be used as category one laboratories.

“The centre is a very speculative build, and the reason we’ve designed it as we have is because we think in Lincolnshire there is a real absence of what are called ‘champion firms’. These are firms of 25-50 employees who are highly innovative, but if you look back over the last 15 years have been responsible for creating some 50% of the private sector jobs in the UK. We need to attract those types of firms and build small firms like that, and that’s what the Boole Technology Centre is designed for.

“There’s about 15,000 square metres set to go up over the next 10-20 years. The way Boole sits on the site, it actually acts as a gateway to phase two, and that’s really important.

“The whole building is designed to be the kind of high tech facility that currently doesn’t exist in Lincolnshire right now, but also to be a springboard from which we can talk about the rest of the site.”

The project follows the opening of the £14 million Joseph Banks Laboratories, formerly Minster House and Becor House.

The laboratories, which welcomed the first 1,000-strong cohort of students in September 2014, were named in honour of the Lincolnshire-born botanist Sir Joseph Banks.

More than 5 hectares of land is available for single occupancy, bespoke developments ranging from 10,000 to 65,000 sq ft in phase two of the project, which will be an equal-sized investment to that of the last three years.

Read more about the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park vision from its director Tom Blount in Issue 23 of Lincolnshire Business magazine.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information after offenders broke into a phone shop in Lincoln, making off with gaming and audio accessories.

At around 4.20am on April 3 at a Wragby Road shop, close to the Tesco supermarket, a side door was smashed before a number of items were stolen from display cabinets.

Police are asking for anyone who may have seen or heard anything unusual or suspicious in the area at the time to come forward and assist with information.

People are being asked to contact Lincolnshire Police on 101 quoting incident 67 of April 3. Alternatively, they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Local traders and businesses were present as The Strait archway was finally unveiled by the Bishop and Mayor of Lincoln on April 7.

The archway, which connects Lincoln city centre with Steep Hill and the cathedral quarter, was developed over a four-year period by the Bottom of the Hill Traders Association with Lincoln Business Improvement Group (Lincoln BIG), at a cost of £10,000.

Bishop of Lincoln Christopher Lowson, who gave a blessing to welcome visitors to The Strait, said: “The archway is a great addition to the streetscape of this part of Lincoln which is one of the historic parts of the city and it celebrates all our beautiful independent shops which add real character to the centre of Lincoln.”

Mayor of Lincoln Brent Charlesworth added: “The archway is all part of the experience from when you get off the train, you walk up the high street, you come to The Strait, then Steep Hill, then the Cathedral. It’s a lovely experience for visitors to one of the most attractive cities in the world.”

John Shipton, member of the Bottom of the Hill Traders Association for the last four years, said: “We hope that people will come and see the archway, and we think it will help people notice that there are independent shops here such as my wife and daughter’s one, Mono Boutique, so they come up and see what’s on offer.

Lincoln BIG Chief Executive Matt Corrigan said: “Public art helps to enhance the experience of the city centre for visitors.

“Features like this reinforce Lincoln’s unique identity and story and help to make our city stand out from the crowd, by encouraging visitors to explore our many attractions and find out more about our history.”

Lincoln artist Lea Goldberg created the design – which features James Usher’s Imp, the Magna Carta and a hare, goose, amphora and fish (symbolic of the city’s ancient markets) – after winning a competition inviting concepts.

The arch was manufactured by Sleaford-based blacksmith Anwick Forge and is 2.7m high and 2.9m wide.

Funding for the project, which was completed on March 22, came from grants and events held by local businesses.

Small business owners from Lincoln and the surrounding areas were able to put some of the city’s parliamentary hopefuls through their paces at an election hustings hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

The event, held at the Bentley Hotel on April 7, saw a number of business leaders and interested observers question the Conservative candidate Karl McCartney, Labour’s Lucy Rigby, Liberal Democrat candidate Ross Pepper and Helen Powell from the Lincolnshire Independents.

Tony Wells deputised for UKIP’s candidate Nick Smith and TUSC’s Elaine Smith was unable to attend due to illness.

Unlike the Punch and Judy politics voters have become accustomed to, a lot of common ground was agreed on by the candidates at this event.

Most said that the current structure for business rates was hampering small businesses in the city, with the situation described by them as “intolerable, crippling and devastating.”

Other issues where a broad consensus was reached was on cutting red tape for firms, improving links with educational establishments, and taking action on late payments to small businesses.

The most heated debate came over what the candidates would do to tackle cybercrime and telephone scams.

Phil Morris, who has run a haulage firm in Lincoln for 36 years, was the recent victim of business fraud where he was contacted by someone posing as an officer of Nottingham Crown Court who said that they were a debt collector seeking a winding-up order against his business.

He expressed his frustration to the candidates at what he perceived to be inaction from the banks and police to this type of crime.

“I think that they were all shocked at the lack of action by the bank, particularly as the major shareholder of the bank concerned is the government,” he said.

Phil also raised the issue the impact of fuel costs on small businesses such as his own.

He added: “I think Karl McCartney was correct in saying that the abolition of the fuel escalator and the freeze on fuel duty has been a major help. I hope that will continue and I just hope that the lower oil price does not tempt a cash-hungry government to up the duty on fuel again.”

Another key point raised was what the candidates would do to lobby the City Council into changing the current parking charges in the centre of Lincoln.

Emma Olivier-Townrow, who raised the question, said: “I think that Lucy Rigby seemed to get the point more and was quite realistic in her response. We’ve got to recognise that Lincoln is set to double its tourist economy and if we want visitors to walk around the city, then there needs to be more than just an hour’s free parking.

“Personally I think that there were two candidates that spoke the greatest amount of sense. Both Karl and Lucy seemed to understand the city’s needs and aspirations and had the most sensible answers.

“But because of their educational stance and how they will improve the Careers Service, my vote will probably go to Labour on May 7.”

The story of Lincoln’s declining south west industrial quarter is being rewritten, and the man in charge of filling its pages is sitting on the brink of a chain reaction of innovation. Tom Blount, Director of Lincolnshire’s first science and innovation park, is not only predicting a county-wide industrial renaissance, but is also creating a sustainable supply chain for the wider Lincolnshire economy.

This feature interview was first published in issue 23 of the Lincolnshire Business weekly magazine, now available to read at www.lincsbusiness.co. Subscribe to the email newsletter to receive the latest edition in your inbox this Friday.

For the first director of the £50 million Lincoln Science and Innovation Park (LSIP), bringing a 10-20 year masterplan to fruition, creating a pool of skilled university graduates and working to provide local businesses with a creative, stimulating hub from which to innovate, is all in a day’s work.

“On a basic level, I’m running a site which has, up until this point, been relatively run down,” explained Tom. “So we’re having to bring the whole site up to not only good enough, but world class standards.

“Lincoln is a really fascinating marketplace. It’s one that has perhaps not seen the booms of the rest of the county, but nor has it been as badly affected by the downs as some other places, and I think that’s a testament to the strength of the engineering and manufacturing companies that are here. It’s one however that hasn’t really kept up with the investment that’s been going on in the rest of England for the last couple of decades. This meant there was a huge opportunity for creating the kind of infrastructure that businesses need to grow.”

The project is based on an 11-acre site off Tritton Road which shares a history of plant and turbine development and has claim as the home of the original tank before WWI. It was founded by partners Lincolnshire Co-op and the University of Lincoln, who initially invested £14 million. Work began on the site in August 2013, and Tom started in post in February 2014 with a brief to drive forward the city’s scientific and industrial legacy.

“The fact that the Co-op and the university were presenting a first director of the science park with a blank canvas in many ways was incredibly exciting, and remains incredibly exciting. We’re very fortunate in that we have an already developed building here with the Think Tank, and we had the university as our anchor tenant going into the next step, the Joseph Banks Laboratories. It meant that from the moment we opened our doors we were already a profit making business.”

Read the full Lincolnshire Business cover story in issue 23 now, and find out what’s in store for the next phase of development in the park. 

An application to extend Whisby sand and gravel quarry near Lincoln was approved by Lincolnshire County Council on Monday, April 13 – safeguarding 26 local jobs.

Sustainable construction company, Lafarge Tarmac plan to progressively restore the quarry by removing the aggregate, which will encourage greater biodiversity through the creation of wildlife areas and provide improved public access.

The project is expected to add around seven years to the life of the site situated between Eagle and Whisby.

Sand and gravel is extracted mechanically, processed and supplied by lorry for various construction needs locally and also for use in the onsite readymix concrete plant.

Aggregates have been supplied to the recent improvements of the A46 near Lincoln, which in turn have enabled important links with the Teal Park business development.

Construction projects at the University of Lincoln, Doddington Hall and new house building in the area have also been supplied by the quarry.

The additional aggregate made available by the expansion will be extracted using the site’s existing processing plant, and quarry traffic will continue to use highways routes regulated by the county council.

Lafarge say traffic volumes will not be increased as a result of the extension.

As part of the plans, the company will plant marsh grasses and reed beds, which they say will create habitats attractive to mammals like water voles and insects such as dragon fly.

More than 35,000 native trees will be planted, including oak and birch, to form woodland areas. Improved public access will also be built into the scheme.

Lisa Pickford, Estates Surveyor for Lafarge Tarmac said: “We are delighted with the committee’s decision as it means we can extend the life of our operations to continue to be an important local supplier of construction materials which through employment and buying in services contributes nearly £1.4million a year to the local economy.

“As part of our engagement with our neighbours we shall continue to keep the community fully informed of progress through regular exchanges of information with the quarry liaison committee.”

North Kesteven District Council has put forward its £2 million application for 19 industrial units on Teal Park in North Hykeham.

The 19 units, if approved by the council’s planning committee, would be grouped with five detached blocks; they would be occupied by industrial, warehouse or distribution uses.

The scheme would build on the council’s £21 million capital programme for supporting business growth.

The developments have been designed as ‘start up’ units and comprise a range of floor spaces from 500 to 2,000 sq ft. The overall size of the developments is 20,075 sq ft on a site that totals 1.44 acres.

The reserved matters plan has been drawn up with local contractor Lindum Group, with them in mind to construct the units on Blackwood Court off Teal Park Road.

There will be 29 parking spaces on the site, of which six could be used for disabled persons.

The development site forms part of the Teal Park allocated employment site, which was granted outline planning permission in 2011, for a total of 133,720m2 of employment, floorspace, a hotel, public house, leisure and trade showroom floorspace.

The site sits in an area initially identified as ‘Phase 2′ of the Teal Park development and is at the boundary with the Phase 1 part of the site.

Recommendations include a commence date of no later than June 1, 2017.

The council’s planning committee will consider the proposals at a meeting on April 22.

The land is currently owned by Lincolnshire County Council and the park is shared by companies including Siemens’ turbine servicing plant and Lincolnshire’s Energy from Waste Facility.

On March 2, Taylor Lindsey was also awarded planning permission for 26,700 sq ft of new business space at its Teal Park site.

Doing ‘business unusual’ has become a way of life for Karen Lowthrop after taking on the challenge to turn Hill Holt Wood near Lincoln into a thriving social enterprise. Producing an eco-friendly, self-sustaining business has not been an easy task but it is exactly what she has aspired to and achieved.

This feature interview was first published in issue 24 of the Lincolnshire Business weekly magazine, now available to read at www.lincsbusiness.co. Subscribe to the email newsletter to receive the latest edition in your inbox this Friday.

Being a social entrepreneur has not always been a priority in Karen’s life. As a high-end business woman in Dublin, she worked for a multi-national drug company where the main mission was the bottom line.

“That was a really good grounding that I got in business acumen. They were an innovative company. My job within that was Executive Assistant to the General Manager. I learned a huge amount about standard operation procedure and running a business.

“It wasn’t until I met my husband on a blind date that I realised there was a different way of doing business. Business unusual.”

In 1991, Karen’s husband Nigel told her on their first date that he was going to buy a wood in England and she believed him. Seven weeks later the couple had set up a company, Economic Conservation. In 1994 Karen took a leap of faith, leaving Dublin behind and moving into a caravan in the 34-acre Hill Holt Wood, where they had their son, Harry.

“I am a city girl, so coming to live in a Lincolnshire 34-acre woodland without water or electricity was quite a challenge, but one that I rose to and thoroughly enjoyed.”
They looked forward to what they could do starting their adventure into a socially minded business, which is now supporting a turnover of £1.2 million. “Since 2002, we have never failed to turn a profit, which for any business is quite applaudable.”

Read the full cover interview in issue 24 of the Lincolnshire Business magazine, and get the next issue in your inbox this Friday by subscribing to the newsletter.

Over 150 businesses gathered at the University of Lincoln’s new £11 million Joseph Banks Laboratories on April 16 for the Doing it Differently conference, just two days after its official opening.

Entrepreneurs were inspired as key speaker Rob Law, Creator and CEO of Trunki explained the trials of his labour to be the most successful Dragons Den reject yet.

Delegates were greeted by Mary Stuart, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lincoln as she announced that, together with the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, they will be creating a new Innovation Board for local businesses to join and share their experiences.

By bringing businesses together, the Innovation Board will be able to tap into technology and skills available in the county. Ursula Lidbetter, Chairman for the Greater Lincolnshire LEP said: “The LEP is setting up an innovation board and we want lots of businesses to get involved in that, whatever state of development their at.”

A panel of four experts advised budding entrepreneurs to find an alternative route to success. Ursula said: “You have to believe in yourself. It will be your determination that sees it through.”

Andrew Stevenson, Director of Research & Enterprise at the University of Lincoln, said that the way to succeed was to keep taking a step back to think about strategy and the direction the business is going.

There was a consensus between the panel members that it was hard to find good people with the skill set required in the county, but it was important to use the university as a source for fresh talent.

Key speaker Rob Law said: “The biggest challenge for me was learning how to meet people, so I hope that people have left knowing how to rally the troops and succeed in business. All too often, innovation happens behind closed doors. You have to interact with your target end users, show prototypes, show different ideas and be open to other people’s thoughts.”

Andrew Stevenson, Director of Research and Enterprise at the University of Lincoln added: “I am hoping that people have been challenging the way that they have been thinking and doing things and that they have gone away enthusiastic, determined to do something new and different.

“Today hasn’t been about telling them what to do, it has been about empowering them and encouraging them in a different way.”

There is a new look for The Demon Barber of Lincoln, who relocated sooner than expected when The Mall shopping centre was earmarked for redevelopment.

Phil Walters has made a slick expansion move after the centre on upper High Street was sold at auction late last year.

Now he is attracting more passing trade, is open longer hours and has employed another member of staff at his new property at 333 High Street.

Phil was planning on moving in about a year, but due to the unforeseen events, his plans were brought forward.

Banks Long & Co Surveyor, Harriet Hatcher helped The Demon Barber to find the new premises – a former gift unit at Whitefriars Business Park next to Tentercroft Street Car Park.

As part of the negotiation process the former gift shop, which used to be based in two units, has been amalgamated into one next door and Phil has ended-up being the proud tenant of a barber’s shop four times the size of the one he had previously.

With the traditional red-and-white barbers’ pole outside the door, the shop is not only serving Phil’s regular customers, but attracting good passing trade because the car park is linked to the High Street by a passageway. In fact, Phil has the ambition to name it “The Demon’s Passage.”

Phil said: “I have only just re-opened, but I’ve been getting some good comments from customers.

“From May, I am looking to open late on Thursdays (until 8pm). I’ve also created a working station for an apprentice and I’m looking to take on someone who is really passionate about barbering and keen to make it their career.”

Adrian Trevelyan, who lives just outside of Lincoln, has been a customer of Phil’s for the past 18 months. He said: “Visiting Phil’s shop is a truly exceptional experience of joyous wonder. The décor is amazing and he is a barber of supreme quality who puts you at your absolute ease. It’s how life should be.”

Banks Long & Co Surveyor Harriet Hatcher said: “We were very pleased to be able to find Phil alternative premises within the City centre. The shop looks fantastic and I am sure he will be very successful in his new location. We wish him the best of luck.”

When you meet recruitment specialist Amanda Watson in her office setting, it doesn’t take long to figure out that she is someone who people enjoy working with.

This feature interview was first published in issue 25 of the Lincolnshire Business weekly magazine, now available to read at www.lincsbusiness.co. Subscribe to the email newsletter to receive the latest edition in your inbox this Friday.

The proof of that is underlined by the fact that a colleague nominated Amanda for the recent Angels Bring Business Awards in Lincoln, and her members of staff were delighted when she was named Business Woman of the Year.

As the Managing Director of Ambitions Personnel, Amanda was equally thrilled – but she is quite happy to dodge the spotlight, preferring instead to put her success down to a passion for what she does, hard work and the support of a great team.

It’s a good job there are a few useful “numbers” to bring Amanda’s success into sharper focus. 2015 sees Ambitions Personnel celebrating 25 years in business. The company now boasts 12 branches, places 4,000 temporary workers into jobs every week, and has an annual turnover topping £45 million.

Getting this far is no mean feat, but Amanda was single-minded about making her mark from the outset, and she established herself by making some timely cold calls and being blessed with a helping of good luck.

Today, her love of working within a “people industry” remains as strong as ever, but she also juggles it with enjoying time with her husband Stephen and children Amy (28), Luke (26) and Harriet (22); not to mention her two dogs. Somehow Amanda also fits in the gym.

“My first job within the employment sector was when I joined the recruitment agency Reed in London,” said Amanda. “My mum’s family is originally from Newark, but I grew up in Essex. When I decided to set-up my own business I knew the market in the South was very very competitive.

“My solution was to come to Newark and thoroughly research what was available in an area stretching from Lincoln to Nottingham. It quickly became obvious that there was an opportunity to launch a recruitment business in Lincoln.”

Amanda, who recently relocated Ambitions Personnel from the Cornhill in Lincoln, to the former DVLA office on Firth Road, originally launched her venture in premises off Dixon Street.

“I started off by taking space in a business centre off Dixon Street and getting stuck in. Basically it was just me and a telephone,” said Amanda. That may sound low-key, but Amanda used the experience she had learned whilst working in London. She set her sight high and got off to a flying start when two companies in Lincoln responded and said they were interested in her services.

“My first client was the forerunner of today’s Siemens, which asked me to supply commercial staff, and Anglian Water asked me to provide people for the customer service side of its business.

“I obviously arrived in the city at a good time. It was the beginning of a recession and every time I advertised a job opportunity, staffing-wise I had jobseekers queueing up outside my office,” said Amanda.

Read the full interview and the latest county business news in issue 25 of Lincolnshire Business magazine.

A rise in Lincolnshire Co-op’s profits in the first half of the year means its members will benefit from a healthy dividend and staff will receive a bonus.

Between September 2014 and March 2015 the company were up on last year to £143 million, with growth across most areas of the business including food stores and pharmacies.

Despite tough conditions, food sales rose by 2.3%. Popular products from local suppliers saw demand for the Society’s Love Local range go up by 22 per cent.

Prescriptions dispensed in the Society’s 48 pharmacies went up 4.3%, while sales in Lincolnshire Co-op’s 13 travel branches climbed by 7.2%.

The Society’s 18 funeral homes remain a trusted service for people in times of need and the newly opened £2m funeral home on Tritton Road in Lincoln is being used by many.

After relocating to the Birchwood Centre in Lincoln, the Society’s Florist has also seen business bloom.

Group trading surplus before payments to members was up £1m to £10.1m and the Society has been able to invest £10m in improving services and supporting community projects.

The successful results means Lincolnshire Co-op is able to share its profits with its 241,000 local members who own the business.

More than 10,000 new people signed up to join the society and already this half year, £2.2m has been paid out to members in dividend and member benefits. In addition, each of the society’s 2,700 staff will receive a bonus of 75% of their weekly wage.

Loyal customers have enabled the Society to support more than 160 local groups in the last six months via its Community Champions scheme. The initiative sees money donated to good causes every time a member shops and Lincolnshire Co-op has given more than £356k to local groups since the scheme began in 2013.

A joint venture to create a Science and Innovation Park with the University of Lincoln has seen the first students begin their studies at the new School of Pharmacy, which represents an £8m investment by Lincolnshire Co-op.

Chief Executive Ursula Lidbetter said: “We’re pleased to report a positive trading result and must thank our members and colleagues for their valued contribution.

“By working together we’ve attracted 10,000 new members and grown our sales and profits in nearly all areas of the business. This business success is what enables us to continue to reward members with dividend and provide important services and support for our communities.”

The green light has been given by North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) for a £2 million business development at Teal Park, near Lincoln.

The council’s plans for 19 industrial units, were approved unanimously April 22, and around 100 jobs are expected to be created as a result.

Work will start by June 1 on the units, which range from 500 – 2,000 sq ft, with an anticipated completion of November.

Once built, NKDC expect that over the next 25 years, they will be able to support 98 businesses and create/safeguard around 280 jobs.

The scheme would build on the council’s £21 million capital programme for supporting business growth.

The council recognised there is a continuing need for new units to support new fledgling and expanding businesses, without the increased risk of committing to too long a lease.

Members of the committee were happy with the plans for NKDC to support new businesses in a rapidly growing area. However, recommendations for the development included renewable energy sources such as solar panels and to make sure that the area is built with security in mind.

There will be 29 parking spaces on the site, of which six could be used for disabled persons.

The development site forms part of the Teal Park allocated employment site, which was granted outline planning permission in 2011, for a total of 133,720m2 of employment, floorspace, a hotel, public house, leisure and trade showroom floorspace.

The site sits in an area initially identified as ‘Phase 2′ of the Teal Park development and is at the boundary with the Phase 1 part of the site.

At 87.2 acres, Teal Park is the largest new Employment Park in the East Midlands. The adjacent A46 Lincoln bypass has undergone a comprehensive upgrade and now provides a direct dual carriageway access off Whisby Road into the development which the committee members also felt was ideal for the area.

Teal Park is also home to Siemens industrial gas turbine service business which occupies a 135,000 sq ft facility.

Lewis Cove of Hodgson Elkington, who assisted in the sale, said: “It was recognised that there is a continuing need for smaller flexible industrial space in the South East of Lincoln and it is hoped that the combination of modern premises in an excellent location and on flexible lease terms will provide much needed supply for an obvious gap in the market.

“These units will have B1, B2 and B8 use class consent so we envisage they will attract a whole mix of different uses from general storage to and distribution to business and general industrial.”