Worcester entrepreneur named as Entrepreneurial Spirit Winner at National Awards

Worcester based business founder Lorri Delahunty the founder of VEGAN Happy Clothing has been named as Entrepreneurial Spirit Winner for the Midlands at this year’s Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

In partnership with Starling Bank, the ceremony was held at Grosvenor House in London recently and saw 159 entrepreneurs across the UK recognised for their entrepreneurial stories and achievements over the last year.

Worcester tattoo shop opens with HSBC UK funding

West Midlands tattoo artist, Hanan Qattan, has secured a five-figure funding package from HSBC UK to open a new tattoo studio in Worcester town centre.

The entrepreneur has used the funding to purchase a two level 1,200 sq. ft. property located in Worcester’s Reindeer Court Arcade to launch Fox and Fortune Tattoo. The support from HSBC UK has also allowed Hanan to apply for planning permission to undertake renovation work to the listed building.

Worcestershire man, Ben Francis, crowned the UK's Youngest Billionaire

The net worth of the world’s wealthiest individuals–most of which is tied up in equities–is forecast by analysts to continue falling.

Word on the street: ‘graffiti hit squad’ launched to clean-up railway

A graffiti hit squad which will target tags and vandalism on the railway has been launched in the West Midlands. Network Rail and West Midlands Rail Executive are investing over £700k to clean-up lines, bridges and all things railway-related to improve the look and feel of tracksides for passengers and communities.

Graffiti can give the impression of an uncared-for environment as well as making people feel unsafe. The new hit squad's aim is to make the railway and surrounding areas more appealing.

Work begins on £2million Dolphin Centre project in Ward End

Work to improve the Dolphin Centre in Ward End is well underway and is scheduled for completion in March 2023. The £2million project is being delivered for Birmingham City Council by Building Services Now Limited and will bring a wide range of improvements to the facility, including:

Work begins to remove Ricoh signs from Coventry Building Society Arena

Work has begun to remove the large Ricoh signs from the roof of Coventry Building Society Arena. A huge 32 metre boom lift is being used to reach the four-metre-tall roof signs which can be seen clearly from miles around and on major roads near the Arena.

The signs, which have been in place for over ten years, are made of a canvas-type material stretched over metal frames and will have to be dismantled before they can be removed. Coventry Building Society Arena signs will take their place in a few months’ time and an indication of what they will look like was given last week when the new logo for the Arena was revealed.

Work set to start on £133m regeneration project

Work on a £133m regeneration project near the centre of Birmingham is set to start, with High Street Residential launching the first phase.

The Cording Real Estate Group, a member of the Edmond de Rothschild Real Estate investment management platform, has already agreed a £49.7m forward funding deal for a ten storey building on the 2.2 acre site, bounded by Bromsgrove Street, Gooch Street North, Kent Street and Henstead Street.

Workers at superstores throughout the UK handed ‘thank-you bonus by bosses.

Marks & Spencer is the latest store chain to reward their staff with an extra 15% pay rise. It follows Aldi, Tesco and Sainsbury’s who have already promised their respective staff members an extra 10% bonus.

Asda is preparing to give its staff an extra week’s pay in June, which works out as a 25% bonus for the month.

Bosses say that they are rewarding “dedicated, committed and outstanding work”.

Working capital vacuum threat as recovery continues

A severe shortage of working capital is set to cause a growing number of business failures as companies responding to the recovery become overstretched and insolvent due to a lack of cash, a leading Midlands-based restructuring expert is warning.

Working capital is the liquidity available to a business that is not tied up in its daily operations and is a key indicator of the health of a business. 

Working from home? Five tips to create the perfect home office

With many still working from home in light of recent events, Interior Style Advisor at Furniturechoice.co.uk, Rebecca Snowden, offers her top tips on how to create the most productive home office space. 

1. Keep it green 

Research shows that greenery is key when it comes to concentration, boosting mood and creating a calmer working environment. In fact, The American Psychological Association found that workers in spaces with plants showed 15% higher productivity than those without¹, so it’s definitely a good idea to incorporate plants and greenery into your home office. 

The best plants to incorporate into your home office space are:

• Peace Lily – they don’t need much light and help remove toxins from the air 
• Devils Ivy – these can adapt easily to a variety of conditions 
• Chinese Evergreen – offers visual variety and requires little maintenance 

1. Let the light in 

Poor lighting can make you feel tired, strain your eyes and give you a headache, all of which can take away focus and motivation. A study also found a direct positive correlation between daylight and productivity, finding that natural light improves alertness². 

This means that a well-lit room is crucial for a good home office space, so we’d advise setting up your desk near a window and staying away from harsh, electric lights. If this isn’t possible, daylight or SAD lamps that simulate natural light would also help.  

1. Use bright colours 

The colour of your room can drastically affect your mood and wellbeing. In fact, colour psychologists have confirmed that the colour of a room affects your behaviour, mood and concentration – so choosing the perfect shade for your home office is very important. 

Both blue and green have been said to encourage productivity, making these hues a popular choice for offices. Yellow has been shown to increase mood, positivity and happiness, making it a perfect hue for home working, especially among the current uncertainty.  

• Choose blue for wakefulness, clarity, productivity 
• Choose green for calm, reassurance, relaxation 
• Choose yellow for happiness, positivity, energy 
  
  

1. Experiment with scents 

Need an extra pick me up? Then try experimenting with some different scents in your home office. Many studies have shown that odours impact our mood, creativity and problem-solving skills³, and one Japanese study found that diffusing lemon oil through an office increased worker’s performance by 54%⁴. 

Be careful not to create an overpowering smell though and avoid artificial perfumes. We’d advise sticking with natural scents like lavender and essential oils instead, such as:

• Pine – for alertness 
• Cinnamon – for focus 
• Lavender – to relax 
• Peppermint – to lift your mood 
• Citrus (any) – for wakefulness 

1. Keep it cool 

Research has shown that productivity can dramatically suffer if the temperature of your working environment isn’t right for you. 

According to one review from the OSTI, the ideal temperature is between 21 and 25 degrees Celsius, with concentration levels dropping by 2% for every degree over 25⁵. To avoid a dip in concentration, make sure temperature levels stay constant. 

Bringing in a breeze, whether that’s via an open window or a small desk fan, can freshen up your workspace while reducing temperatures, helping to keep you comfortable and productive while working from home.  

Commenting on the research, Rebecca continues: “Working from home can be a difficult time for some and a great experience for others. Creating a productive environment that strikes a balance between comfy and clutter-free can be difficult, which is why we've created this set of home office layouts, to inspire people to make their home office as productive and enjoyable as possible in these trying times.”

WorkL founder comment on introduction of using AI for employee performance reviews

This week has seen a Wall Street business leader announce that AI will now be used to facilitate employee performance reviews, a move that has created an avid debate - will Line Managers be surplus to requirements in the near future?

Workloads fall but infrastructure offers Midlands’ construction new hope

Construction workloads across the Midlands have fallen for another quarter as the sector grapples with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but growth expected from upcoming infrastructure and private housing projects buoy the sector’s chances of a recovery.

While workloads at the all sector level fell by a net balance of -10% this quarter, it is less than the previous fall of -32% in Q2. However, when compared with last year’s industry average of +13% it shows construction in the Midlands is far from full recovery.

Breaking down across each sector, workloads fell the most across the private commercial and infrastructure categories, with net balances of -22% and -12% respectively. Alongside this, workloads fell once again, but to a lesser degree, across the private housing and other public works. This quarter respondents reported little change in workloads in private industrial, whilst public housing improved following the declines in Q2, as a net balance of +22% reported a pick-up in activity.

Respondents said that financial constraints and shortages of materials, coupled with insufficient demand, were the main reasons for the subdued activity. 31% more respondents also cited a deterioration in credit conditions, which is having a negative impact on the cashflows of some businesses.

Looking ahead, 39% more respondents expect infrastructure workloads to rise rather than fall in the coming year, closely followed by the private housing sector – offering the construction sector a glimmer of hope as it recovers from COVID-19. Anticipated changes to the planning system, an extension to Help to Buy as well as the stamp duty holiday look likely to support growth in construction activity.

However, despite fewer respondents reporting a fall in the number of new business enquiries across the Midlands, profit margins are envisaged to decline over the course of the next twelve months with a net balance of -16% of respondents expecting a fall.

Simon Rubinsohn, RICS Chief Economist, said: “With a new lockdown now underway, these are clearly very challenging times for the economy.

“The government’s commitment to delivering on its infrastructure programme provides a ray of light with the survey pointing towards a solid increase in workloads over the next twelve months which could play an important role in helping to drive a wider recovery in business activity.

“The private residential sector is also expected to see solid growth aided by the various policy initiatives that are still in play. However, commercial development is anticipated as being flatter in the face of the structural pressures facing both offices and retail.”

Works to begin on Sprint rapid bus route along A34 in north Birmingham

Construction work on new bus priority measures along the A34 in north Birmingham is due to start later this month.

The works will see bus lanes extended, junctions upgraded and new shelters installed between Birmingham City Centre and the Scott Arms junction in Great Barr. This will form part of the wider  Sprint bus route linking the A34 with the A45 to create one continuous route from Walsall town centre to Solihull town centre and Birmingham Airport via Birmingham City Centre.

The measures will benefit all buses using these routes and are designed to allow buses to bypass traffic congestion and as a result improve reliability of bus services and cut journey times.

Works on the A34 are due to begin on Monday, April 19:

·         Scott Arms Junction to Tame Valley Canal

·         A new inbound bus lane is being introduced between Booths Farms Road and Beeches Road. Outbound, a new bus lane will be introduced between Tame Valley Canal and Beeches Road, and an extended bus lane will be introduced between Booths Farm Road and the Scott Arms junction. There will also be an extended right turn at Scott Arms. Ten enhanced bus shelters will be installed with some shelters relocated.

·         Tame Valley Canal to Perry Barr Station

·         A new inbound peak time bus lane is being introduced from Church Road to Aldridge Road. Outbound, the existing bus lane is being extended between the Tennis Court bus stop and Rocky Lane. Eight enhanced bus shelters will be installed with some shelters relocated.

·         Perry Barr Station to Birmingham city centre

A new offside bus lane is being introduced on the approach to Six Ways Island and a new bus lane inbound from Pritchett Street to Coleshill Street. Six stops will be upgraded with some shelters relocated.

The works will require lane closures in each direction for up to six months. National Express West Midlands is operating extra buses on routes in the area to minimise disruption to customers.

Anne Shaw, director of Network Resilience at TfWM, said: “Improving our public transport infrastructure to make bus journeys more reliable is part of our plans to encourage more people on to public transport and help remove some traffic from our roads. 

“Whilst these works could cause some delays to commuters, especially at peak times they will help improve journeys when completed.

“We will be keeping residents and businesses informed of works near their properties and ensuring disruption is kept to a minimum through monitoring from the Regional Transport Coordination Centre and working with our local authority partners and bus operators. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience.”

A fleet of environmentally-friendly zero-emission buses run by National Express West Midlands will operate on the Sprint route offering direct services between Walsall, Birmingham and Solihull from May next year. These include 20 new hydrogen-fuelled buses funded by Birmingham City Council.

WRAP announces appointment of new CEO

Climate action NGO WRAP recently announced the appointment of Harriet Lamb as its new CEO.

Ms Lamb is an experienced CEO including having built the global movement Fairtrade which fights for better conditions and fair prices for smallholder farmers and workers across the developing world.

WTTC: Nearly 180,000 UK Travel Jobs Could Be Lost

Some 180,000 jobs could be lost across the UK Travel & Tourism sector this year, if travel restrictions are re-imposed this winter, according to alarming new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). 

WTTC, which represents the global private Travel & Tourism sector, made the warning after an analysis which showed the impact caused by a further tightening of borders.

WV Living announce contractor for ‘Hampton Park’

WV Living has appointed a contractor to develop new homes at its newest site in the City of Wolverhampton.

GreenSquareAccord has been selected as a partner to build 178 homes, including 29 affordable rent and 16 shared ownership homes on the site of the former Northicote School, Northwood Park Road, Bushbury.

Wyre Forest voted amongst the best places to retire in the UK

Research conducted by Hunters Estate Agents has revealed that the Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough is the best place to retire in the UK.

The estate agent ranked some of the most popular retirement locations in England based on factors like transport connections, air quality, crime levels, and average house prices to determine the best place for older people to live.

XPO Logistics announces Troy Cooper to step down as president

XPO Logistics, Inc. has announced that Troy Cooper has stepped down from his role as president, effective December 27, 2021. Mr. Cooper will continue working with the company as a senior advisor through June 30, 2022.

“With the spin-off of GXO earlier this year, and in light of the progress we’ve made transforming XPO into a pure-play transportation company, Troy and I agreed this was a natural time for him to step down,” said Brad Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer.

XPO Logistics Awarded LTL Carrier Partner of the Year by GlobalTranz

XPO Logistics, Inc., a leading provider of freight transportation services, has been awarded Carrier Partner of the Year for its less-than-truckload (LTL) performance by GlobalTranz Enterprises, LLC. This is the second year that XPO’s North American LTL business has been honored by GlobalTranz, a technology-driven, third-party logistics provider with extensive industry relationships.

XPO Logistics awarded VETS Indexes Employer status

XPO Logistics, Inc., a leading provider of freight transportation services, has been awarded VETS Indexes Recognized Employer status for 2022. The designation honors XPO’s strong record of hiring members of the military community.