THE HILLYER McKEOWN

MAGAZINE

all of a twitter:social media savvy for business

poetry in motion:the new bmw 7 on test

currying flavour:meet mowgli founder nisha

in it for the long haul:how edge deliver the goods

leader of the pack:steve lloyd lifts the lid

travel:captivating copenhagen

Unrivalled client service.

www.hillyermckeown.co.uk

chester • liverpool • wirral • north walesBusiness AND Personal Law

Richard Burnett , Partnerm: 07983 637149 • dd: 01244 616635 • e: rhb@law.uk.com

Every business is different – not just interms of what it does, but also the way itgoes about things, the people who run it,the ambitions and aspirations and theculture it seeks to breed.

The second issue of HM magazineshowcases some of the North West’smost exciting and very differentbusinesses. They include family haulagecompany Edge Transport, fast-growth

technology business ITS, the recentlyrebranded Grange Packing Solutions andthe Wirral’s oldest independent funeraldirector Charles Stephens.

We also have our usual mix of businessadvice and tips as well as some greatideas to help you escape the challengesand pressures of business life.

I hope you enjoy HM.

I love talking business and particularly finding out what makes goodcompanies in our region tick.

Steve HarveyManaging PartnerHillyer McKeown

welcomeCelebrating business success

HM magazine is published by HM Creative.

Editors: Nick Mason and Lucy Mason

HM writer: Sarah LoweDesign: Tom BakerPhotography: Adam Kenrick

Email: nick@hm-creative.co.ukPhone: 0151 239 5050

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we loveMadam SecretaryYou’re missing out if you’ve not seen Tea Leoni starring as ElizabethMcCord, a former CIA analyst forced to juggle international crises and herfamily life after being made Secretary of State. Watch now on Sky Living.

Bee happyJust Bee is the UK’s first range of honeywater drinks. The range of spring waterdrinks each enriched with a single dropof honey has been created by twoNorth West entrepreneurs who wereinspired to turn their love for bees andhoney into a business. We likeBlueberry best and love that you canrequest free wildflower seeds via theirwebsite www.justbeedrinks.co.uk

Brighten upSpruce up your office with the

Ogilvy Task Table Lamp with itscool industrial matt soft grey and

copper finish. £69 fromMade.com, now in the

Met Quarter, Liverpool.www.made.com

Happy feetAdd some fun to your wardrobewith a pair of stripy socks. Welike that this Swedish brand is ona mission to turn everydayaccessories into something a bitmore fun. Stripe socks £8.www.happysocks.com

Radio headIs work crazy busy? No time to listen to theradio? Sign up to Radio 2Mail for a handyweekly email to your inbox of all the bestbits. www.bbc.co.uk

Brilliant coffee – Roberts Coffee specialists Roberts & Co have been roasting greattasting coffee since 1891. Their roastery and espresso bar isat Cedar Farm in Mawdesley, Lancashire, a former pig farm.We love the noise and aroma of their vintage EnglishWhitmee coffee roaster machine. www.e-coffee.co.uk

1936It’s the postcode for Verbier and just

happens to be Richard Branson’sfavourite lager. The perfect antidote

to a busy working week, enjoy thisSwiss lager in tall glasses at Ginger

in Northgate Street, Chester, theonly bar with it on draught.www.gingerchester.com

The Babygrow AppealIt was launched to raise £3 million to build a newNeonatal Unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.We salute you for all your hard work to providebetter facilities and a more spacious environmentfor patients and their families. Get involved atwww.justgiving.com/COCH-babygrow

Escape in the heart of ChesterA tranquil haven right in the heart of Chester City Centre, The Spa at TheChester Grosvenor is the ultimate way to unwind after a busy week at work.

Tucked away inside the 5 star Grade II listed building, The Spa offers a wholehost of relaxing treatments as well as a Thermal Suite complete with astriking Salt Grotto containing mineral salt mist.

We tried the fabulous Aromatherapy Back Massage (£50 for 30 minutes)which focuses on the back, neck and shoulders.

A relaxing massage using aromatherapy essential oils, it promises to stimulateyour senses and relieve stress and tension – which is just what you need aftera busy working week. www.chestergrosvenor.com/spa-gym

Designer G&THandcrafted from scratch in limited,numbered batches and featuring onlypure certified organic botanicals, thefinest coriander, angelica, citrus andhandpicked juniper berries, LiverpoolGin is proving to be a huge success.

The brainchild of Mark Hensby,managing director at Liverpool OrganicBrewery, and successful Liverpoolpublican John O’Dowd, it has collecteda clutch of international spirits awards.

Drink manufacturer and distributorHalewood International recently addedthe brand to its portfolio.

We love their Valencian Orange withFever-Tree tonic.www.liverpoolgin.com

Good loyalty schemesNot only do they sell delicious Yorkshirepudding sandwiches with crackling, butthey also have a great loyalty schemetoo. Check out the York Roast Companyin Bridge Street, Chester.www.theyorkroastco.com

Patchwork LiverpoolNorth West designer Steph Dekker finds inspirations in all sortsof areas such as nature, retro and vintage fabrics and craftbooks from the 70’s. We love her colourful Patchwork print ofLiverpool’s iconic Liver Building, £22 from Utility in Liverpool.www.utilitydesign.co.uk

Edge Transport embodies everything that is great about afamily business.

Today’s business is run by four members of the family – brotherand sister Jonathan and Jenny Edge (MD and CommercialDirector respectively) along with Jenny’s husband RichardPridding (Operations Director) and Jonathan’s wife Nikki Edge(Financial Director).

Transport was not Jonathan or Jenny’s first calling. Jonathanhad ambitions to be a police officer while Jenny initially workedas a careers advisor.

But when their father, Peter, became ill and subsequently diedat the age of just 57, both of them felt a responsibility to carryon the work he and their grandfather Alfred had begun.

That was 1999. Seventeen years later, Edge Transport is one ofthe most respected names in the haulage industry employing67 people and with turnover this year forecast to exceed£6.3million.

It has come a long way since 1933 when Alfred and his singlelorry would make deliveries from his base in Handbridge inChester. Peter took the business forward, initially from a semi-detached house in Hoole Lane with a large orchard and then, asthe industry became more regulated, relocating to a muchlarger site in Llay.

A transformational moment came in 1992 when Peter wasapproached by a new organisation called Palletline, the firstcooperative of UK hauliers.

Palletline revolutionised the way pallets are transported withsome of the industry’s leading hauliers being responsible forcertain regions and operating in and out of four major hubsaround the UK.

The Edge Transport fleet grew significantly to meet demand.Today, the company’s 32-strong fleet comprises everythingfrom a Sprinter van to 44 tonne articulated wagons.

Last year the company, supported by Yorkshire Bank and HillyerMcKeown, made its latest move, this time to the DeesideIndustrial Park.

Jenny says: “We had simply run out of space at Llay but it wasalso annoying that our drivers had to negotiate 14 roundaboutsbefore they got on to a proper road!

“We were getting an increasing number of warehousingenquiries and Llay could not meet our needs. Finding the rightplace with a mix of warehousing and yard space was tricky.

“Eventually we had a slice of luck when one of our clients saidthey were looking to sell their six and a half acre site. Everythingabout it was perfect. We started to build in November 2014 andmoved there in June last year.”

Business has gone from strength to strength with a number oflarge companies at Deeside including Japanese snack foodmanufacturer Calbee, breakfast producer Dailycer andWestbridge Furniture Designs becoming customers.

Jenny says: “Being on Deeside has definitely raised our profile.The site includes a purpose built 100,000 sq ft warehouse andundercover transhipment area as well as office block andextensive trailer parking. The move has enabled us to expandour operation considerably without compromising service.”

Jonathan and Jenny hope the family business will continue toprosper into a fourth generation. Jonathan has two young sons,aged two and four, while Jenny has a 14-year-old daughter.

She says: “We would like to see it pass to the next generation.Losing dad at the age of 57 puts everything into perspective. Itwould be great to have the choice of when we could step awayfrom the day-to-day management and let someone else takethe reins.”

This is for the future. For now, the current family members havefurther expansion on their minds which includes a phase twowarehousing which would add a further 50,000 sq ft.

Alfred and Peter would be very proud to know that EdgeTransport is in good hands.

www.edgetransport.co.uk

KEEP ON TRUCKIN’

Brother and sister Jonathan and Jenny Edge

As a location for a business HQ, ITS Technology Group’soffice is about as good as it gets.

Earlier this year, the company relocated from the HeathBusiness Park in Runcorn to the picturesque Cheshirevillage of Saighton on the Eaton Estate.

While the building may look like any other rural barnconversion, inside it houses the technology and peoplebehind one of the UK’s most exciting technologybusinesses.

ITS provides faster internet, proactive IT managed andtelephony services for hard-to-reach rural and urbanbusinesses, communities and regions.

The client list is an impressive one including numerousNHS Trusts, local authorities, universities and a collectionof household names including JCB and Holiday Inn.

This year the company will achieve a turnover of£10million and will soon have more than 2,000customers.

It is busy updating its business strategy to prepare for thenext chapter in the ITS success story.

The driving force behind ITS is CEO Roy Shelton whodrew up his vision for the company six years ago as he layin a bed on Ward 5 of the Royal Liverpool UniversityHospital.

Roy had been diagnosed with acute pancreatic necrosisand told he may not survive. He missed the birth of hisyoungest son Charlie because he was too ill to leave hishospital bed. Eventually, after a series of operations, Roybegan his remarkable recovery during which time he puttogether his business plan for ITS.

Roy had previously held a number of senior corporateroles in IT and telecommunications working extensivelyoverseas including Latin America and the Middle East.

He says: “I had an idea about the business I wanted tocreate and my illness made me appreciate that you onlylive once. A lot of businesses in the UK are underservedby the big telecoms providers.

“I wanted to enable businesses and organisations toaccess fast, reliable, cost effective broadband and thenoffer a range of additional services. Our first client was a20-year contract with Oldham NHS. Since then wehaven’t looked back.”

Roy’s business partner and chairman is Paul Ruocco, avastly experienced corporate financier who is responsiblefor identifying funding and acquisition opportunities.

Roy says: “We are currently closing our latest fundinground to help us achieve the continued planned andcontrolled growth we are seeking. We knew we wouldgrow but not quite as fast as we have. Building your ownnetworks around the country is an expensive business.Broadband has become the fourth utility – businessesexpect and deserve superfast connectivity.”

Roy is also committed to developing the best possibletalent at ITS. As the business has grown, so he has beenable to attract strong candidates from within the UK andEurope. He is also developing something he calls the ITSUniversity providing an ongoing employee programme oflearning and sharing of knowledge.

Like other successful entrepreneurs, the 49-year-old isalso driven by his own tough upbringing. He says: “I wasbrought up by a single parent in a Yorkshire mining village.We lived hand to mouth, week to week. I wanted to givemy family a better start in life and to create somethingclose-knit that involved family and friends.”

the man who moves at 1000mph

“We have a very creativeand entrepreneurial culture.We move at 1000mph withour hair on fire!”

Roy’s 3 Business Tips

Expect to work hard. Business isn’t easy.

Trust your gut feeling.

Surround yourself with good people – peopleyou can trust and who are better than you.

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With thanks to ME + EMwww.meandem.com

You have a global following on your YouTubechannel, have hosted a radio ‘Curry Clinic’ as wellas cookery workshops locally and now you are anestablished author. What was the thought processbehind your ‘Pimp my Rice’ book?

Rice is the most precious ingredient to Indians because it is so versatile.My book came about because I was researching how other culturescook it around the world and saw there was a gap in the market toshowcase this remarkable grain.

Brown rice, red rice, white rice, there are so many ways to bring it to life than simply boiling it in a pan!

Mowgli is going from strength to strength, with a second restaurant in Manchester and another inLiverpool just announced. What does the futurehave in store?

I’m so proud of the Mowgli team and what we have achieved. We’reopening a restaurant in Leeds later this year and we’re also consideringa London launch.

There is no voice for Indian food nationally and this is what I am striving to change. Ultimately, I want people to come to Mowgli, love what we do and feel inspiredto go home and cook it for themselves.

Address: 69 Bold St, Liverpool L1 4EZTel: 0151 708 9356www.mowglistreetfood.com

Why did you leap from the law to opening yourfirst restaurant?

I’d been working as a barrister for 20 years but spent my weekendsrunning curry cookery classes at the likes of Wirral’s Claremont Farmand on my YouTube channel. I also wrote my first book featuring all myoriginal recipes.

Food is my passion so when the Bold Street site came up it was toogood an opportunity to turn down.

People think Indian food is heavy and not very healthy but I’m on amission to change that perception. How we eat in Mowgli is howIndians traditionally eat at home: really light and healthy, often veganand gluten-free and everything is packed with fresh zingy flavours. With good recipes, it’s also much easier to cook than you think.

What inspires you?

My father was a Hindu and believed in the importance of vegan cuisineand eating more vegetables to encourage good health.

I like helping people and I feel I can do this through my food and myrecipes. Inspiring people to try something different is half the battle.

For example, if you have a packet of minced beef in your fridge itdoesn’t always have to be turned into a spaghetti bolognaise. You onlyneed six key spices and you can transform your kitchen and your foodlife overnight. It’s so simple.

What’s on the menu at Mowgli?

I opened Mowgli so that people can understand how we Indians eat athome and replicate it. I want it to feel like a home from home – I walk inand it smells like my mum’s house. Only once I’d created the menu did I realise that it’s mostly vegan, gluten-free and low-fat.

Our food is classed as street food, making it ideal for sharing and it’squick, convenient and cheap too.

I love that it has an informal vibe. People come as they are, order whatappeals to them and can have a bit of a taste of everything if they like.

Our vegan dishes are best sellers - the Dahl is so popular. But peoplelove our meat dishes too – Mowgli’s sticky chicken wings fly off themenu as does our sticky honey and ginger chicken, which my childrendevour.

With a career spanning 20 years as a barrister,Mowgli founder Nisha Katona took the plungeand opened her first restaurant, Mowgli, onLiverpool’s Bold Street, followed closely by asecond in Manchester.ofQUEEN CURRY

Nisha’s Ginger, Tamarind & Honey Chicken WingsPreparation Time: 6 mins

Cooking Time: 15 mins

Tamarind is the ultimate sweet and sour ingredient. Thesweetness of the honey and the pretty floral notes of the ginger& coriander powder are a perfect foil for the rousing tamarind.

Ingredients:

6 large chicken wings2 tablespoons of Tamarind paste3 tablespoons of honey 1 level tablespoon of ground coriander

1 teaspoon of chili powder (optional for heat)1 level tablespoon of garamasala powder3 tablespoons of olive oil3 tablespoons of water1 tbsp chopped coriander and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds forgarnish

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together using thewater to lubricate the marinade. Rub the mixture into thechicken breasts. If you can, leave them to steep but otherwisethey will absorb the flavours pretty quickly. Skewer/griddle andbbq until the breasts are cooked through and garnish with thecoriander and sesame seed.

Serves 4

Husband and wife team Andrew and Sajmira Cairns are on a bit of a fruitycrusade.

After launching their award-winning premium preserve brand MammyJamia’s six years ago at a Cheshire market they are now creating newproducts.

First off the production line is a range of innovative fruit dressings whichhave been snapped up by Waitrose and have caught the eye of Morrisons.

Available in three unusual flavours - Balsamic & Strawberry, Plum & Gingerand Balsamic & Fig, each have their own distinct qualities and are soversatile that they can be used as a dressing, dip or marinade.

“We’re delighted that the dressings are selling well,” grins Andrew.“We wanted to shake up the salad dressing category which was looking abit tired.

The couple, who live in Huntingdon, Chester, have recently been joined inthe business by Andrew’s brother Matt and his wife Sophie. Former hookerMatt retired from a distinguished career playing rugby for Harlequins andwas also capped by England in 2007 against South Africa.

Sophie, a talented baker, heads up Mammy Jamia’s Product Developmentteam with Sajmira and the duo have plenty of ideas for future products.

Such is their success, Mammy Jamias’ is now available around the worldwith listings in Lula Hypermarkets and Spanish department store El CorteIngles.

And they are getting noticed. Their Fig and Plum preserves received Goldstars in the prestigious Great Taste Awards 2013.

And they have had praise from top chefs. MasterChef’s John Torode said ofthem: “I love rhubarb and Mammy Jamia’s Rhubarb Preserve is fantastic ontoast or in a Victoria sponge. The Pear and Fig preserves are great too.”

So what else are they up to?

“We want to extend our range of premium products under the MammyJamia’s brand and we are determined to grow our listings not just in the UKbut across the world,” says Andrew. “It’s a really exciting time and we havelots of other ideas we are working on.”

Top tip: Try Mammy Jamia’s Balsamic and Strawberry Dressing as amarinade for chicken or steak. Or splash it on a feta cheese salad for adelicious fruity touch.

www.mammyjamias.co.uk

HM talks to the entrepreneurs behind the Mammy Jamia’s food brand

dressed for success “Our dressings are fruity anddifferent and can really give thewow factor to everything from a humble salad to a meatymarinade.”

From left Sophie, Matt,Sajmira and Andrew

During working hours, Welsh speaker Sian Bithell is asolicitor in Hillyer McKeown’s busy Commercial PropertyDepartment acting for clients on commercial sales andpurchases, commercial mortgages, transfers and leases.But when she heads home to Flint Mountain, she andher fiancé Gareth, a primary school teacher in Wrexham,put on their wellies and tend to their growing smallholding.

Before starting work every morning it’s not unusual for me to have had arun-in with Charlie the cockerel.

He’s an aggressive fellow and the only way to stop him barging in to me isto protect myself with a couple of dustbin lids. I think he sees me as a loverival as he doesn’t treat my fiancé so appallingly.

My grandparents bought the 12 acre farm in Flintshire in the Seventies andit has been in our family ever since. Gareth and I love living there and areslowly building up a menagerie of farm animals, many of them with bigpersonalities.

Jasper and Bobby are two young Welsh Cobs who we are trying to break inso we can both ride them in the future. But they are proving a bit of acheeky handful.

In fact, we are convinced they used to work in a circus in a previous lifebecause they are full of tricks.

We have given them horse training balls to play with and every time wethrow them they fetch them straight back and wait for a treat, just like adog would.

If I walk through their field wearing a hat they trot after me and whip it offmy head. And if we ever forget to pick up a lead rope, they will gently scoopit up and bring it over to us.

Jasper is particularly naughty and if he’s not feeling in the mood for goingfor a walk, he thinks nothing of flopping to the ground in protest. Thiswould be most disconcerting if we were trying to ride him.

We have two white goats – Annie and Belle – who think they are dogs andgrandly aspire to being invited to come and live with us in the farmhouse.

We found them wandering on a mountain and called the police to reportthem missing. They said, chuckling, that there was nothing they could doabout ‘missing goats’ and suggested we took them on, which we did.

They are complete escape artists and can be regularly found in ourneighbour’s garden tucking into fruit from their pear trees.

We’ve also rescued former battery hens and given them a life outdoors intheir retirement, took on two lambs last year called Rosie and Rodney toadd to our small flock of four sheep and gave a home to Daisy the cat afterspotting her on a Preloved classified advert.

Then there’s Ellie the springer spaniel and Diesel the Doberman, who webought as a guard dog but has ended up being a big softy to visitors and acomplete menace to all the animals.

Running a smallholding is a huge learning curve but it’s such great fun. We enjoy growing fruit and vegetables and harvesting our own hay.

Sometimes trying to be self-sufficient doesn’t go to plan – such as the ‘cider incident’. We’re getting married soon – the wedding day will have a rustic theme, of course – and we decided to make our own cider using apples we’d grown ourselves.

We were really pleased with ourselves until Gareth did a taste test and was violently sick. Needless to say, I think we will be stocking up on wine for the big day.

get#savvyHow social media savvy is your business?

Do you know what your employees are saying about you online?

Develop a social media policyMake clear whether employees are permitted to use personal social mediaaccounts for business purposes and, in particular, whether they arepermitted to add business contacts to their personal accounts. Also make itclear what should happen to this information on termination ofemployment.

The policy should list the types of social media, name who is responsible forimplementing the policy and explain prohibited use. It is also good practice to give guidelines for responsible use of social media and the repercussions of breaching the company’s policy.

Offer trainingEmployers may want to provide training to employees on the appropriateuse of social media and then monitor it for compliance.

Check privacy settingsEmployees should be encouraged to regularly check their privacy settings on their social networking pages as they can change. They should alsocheck if they want co-workers to see their profiles.

Add a clauseIt is advisable to include a clause such as “This policy does not form part ofthe contract of employment and may be amended at any time” due to thenature of social media changing and advancing every day. It is then easier toadapt to the changes that may arise.

Take careTo help promote a good work-life balance, employers should be careful not to impose unnecessary restrictions on employee use of social media.

What happens when it goes wrong?There have been a number of high profile occasions when employees haveposted derogatory content online.

Tribunal judges have decreed that the date of when a derogatory comment is posted is irrelevant. Last year, British Waterways dismissed an employee for making comments on Facebook two years previously.

Abuse of colleagues or cyber bullying is an increasing problem which canbring an employer’s reputation into serious disrepute and be seen as abreach of an employer’s policies. If sufficiently serious, it can justify dismissalfor gross misconduct.

Sending inappropriate emails from a personal email account outsideworking hours can also lead to dismissal even if the recipient of an email hasforwarded it on to other people.

The impact of social media in the workplace is increasing which makes it allthe more important for organisations to know how to promote and controltheir reputation.

According to reports, misuse of the internet and social media by workers iscosting our economy billions of pounds every year and many employers arestruggling with issues including time wasting, defamation and online bullying.

Justine’s tips

Justine Watkinson is a Partner and Head of Employment at Hillyer McKeown

Email Justine at jw@law.uk.comfor information on her workshops.

investing inthe future

Jeremy Stephens didn’t expect to be a funeraldirector. And neither did his daughter Gemma.

“I started my career as a chemical engineer at Shellwhen I was 17,” chuckles Jeremy. “But a few yearslater my dad’s manager died and I had to come intothe business to help out.

“It was the best thing I’ve ever done. I love meetingpeople and being in a position to help them at adifficult time in their lives.”

And he still does, often conducting funerals on therequest of families who have known him and thecompany for years.

This year, the Wirral’s best known independentfuneral directors, Charles Stephens, will celebrate 120years of serving the local community with thefounding family still very much at its helm.

Six years ago, Gemma Stephens took over asManaging Director of the family business after asuccessful career as an accountant at Ernst & Young.She is the fourth generation to run the familybusiness.

She says: “My dad said I could come into the businessas long as I did something else first. It was greatadvice, not only giving me a different skill set butallowing me to learn about another business first.”

Gemma is putting her mark on the company. She hasbegun a major programme of investment across thebusiness on a number of different levels and recentlyopened a new branch in West Kirby.

During the next 18 months, the remaining sixbranches – Heswall, Rock Ferry, Neston, Little Neston,Bromborough and Claughton – will also undergorefurbishment.

She is keen to see the industry modernise and isencouraging apprenticeships and more femalefuneral directors.

“I’m extremely proud of our company’s history ofproviding people in Wirral with a dignified funeral,”she says.

“Our staff are committed to the traditions ofproviding the very best funeral services while, at thesame time, ensuring we meet the requirements oftoday’s families.

“We believe passionately in the importance ofinvesting in our people through apprenticeships andby ensuring that all our funeral arrangers have passedprofessional qualifications recognised by the NationalAssociation of Funeral Directors.

“As an independent family business, we have moreflexibility than the larger national brands whichmeans we can more readily adapt funeralarrangements to meet the specific requests offamilies.”

Charles Stephens is finding that an increasingnumber of people are purchasing pre-paid funeralplans. The plans provide people with a caring, costeffective way to put their arrangements in place.

It also means a family member’s wishes will becarried out with the greatest care, respect andattention to detail.

And what of the future?

“I’d love to see it continue to a fifth generation,”smiles Gemma, who has twin 18-year-old sons and adaughter, aged 13. “But, like I did, I’m keen for mychildren to have their own careers before theyconsider it.”

www.charles-stephens.com

TOWER

ING TEMPEST

We recently opened our first Liverpool office.

Located on Tithebarn Street in the heart ofLiverpool’s central business district, Tempest is a quirky and unique building.

Completed in 2015 by developer Capital & Centric,which carried out a £6m refurbishment of thederelict Tithebarn Street space, you simply can’tmiss this building.

With its stunning 21 metre tall mural, an originalartwork created by world-renowned female streetartists The Nomad Clan, Tempest is home to ourfast growing Liverpool team.

At the bottom of the building are Tempest’sminimalist meeting rooms. Housed in floor-to-ceiling glass they are a contradiction of bare wallsand bright hues. Up top you’ll find the spectacularroof garden which is home to 180,000 bees in abeehive installed to assist with the country’sfalling bee count.

Tempest looks to the past and points to thefuture. Awash with 1970s architecture, it’s strikingyet it’s refined, old yet modern but ultimately astunning contradiction. Just like us.

TOWERING TEMPEST

When the UK’s leading canned fish brand came up with an innovativenew product serving suggestion they knew who could turn a greatidea into reality.

They called Steve Lloyd, CEO of Grange Packing Solutions inWarrington.

Established in 1992, the specialist packing company works withleading food brands and entrepreneurs offering cutting edgeinnovation and product development to meet the needs of itsdiverse customer base. And they love a challenge.

Steve says: “John West asked us to help them launch their SteamPots, each one a combination of tuna infusions and perfectlyseasoned couscous which can be made in minutes.

“We worked with them, came up with the solution and invested inthe machinery to make it happen.

“It has allowed John West to launch an innovative new product into anew area of the supermarkets which is helping them to attract a newyounger audience. And we were able to show them how flexible we

are as a company, how we can deal with volumes at the right costand have all the strict quality processes they required.”

They have also helped fast growing brand Fuel10k with productpacking solutions, packing their Protioats instant porridge pots.Fuel10k says: “It’s like having our very own production team.”

Problem solving is one of their core values says Steve and they pridethemselves on being able to listen and respond quickly to the needsof their customers.

Being reliable and having stringent quality requirements are vital too,and something that the co-pack operations manager at BurtonsBiscuit Company has recently praised them for.

Steve, who has worked for Nestle and Cott Beverages, tookownership of Grange Packing Solutions in December 2014.

He says: “I learnt a lot from former owner Peter Nichol who formedthe company but recognised that there was a need to change theculture to a ‘can do’ mentality and invest in some new people to driveit forward.

packed withgood ideas

www.co-pack.co.uk

Our values Problem Solvers:Being able to listen and respond quickly to the needs of our customers is a key to our success.

Agile and Capable:Our team learns fast, shares knowledge and understands theimportance of exceeding our customers’ expectations.

Strict Procedures:At Grange, we focus on a first right time approach which means our customers get the results they want, every time.

Extremely Competitive: We run a deliberately lean business so we can pass on cost savings to our customers. Yield monitoring is carried out throughout thebusiness daily and all staff play a role in this.

Reliable: We never hit the panic button. In fact, we make sure there arecontingency plans in place for all possible situations. Our trainingworkshops even identify staff who are great at keeping calm andcarrying on.

“Over the past year, we have focused on what we do best, invested inspecialised packing machinery and made sure we maintain strongpartnerships with our customers.

“We have introduced clean rooms to our portfolio so we can now packnon-food products and recently launched WAone, our own range ofexciting new products.

“We have a great team working for us right through from production topayroll and we have an exciting business growth plan.”

The company has rebranded – from Grange Packaging & Distribution to thenew more focused Grange Packing Solutions - and unveiled a new website, all with the help of HM Creative.

Did you know? Steve Lloyd was a promising goalkeeper until injury curtailed his career. He has also managed Eccleshall Football Club.

what i’ve learnt is...

“to not feel you have to make all thedecisions! Ask the team what theythink and then on most occasions youwill endorse their recommendations.”

Robert Ellis, Principal, Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants

“business communities must unite indemanding regional economicinvestment and development vital tosustaining a fertile environment forgrowth.”

Askar Sheibani, Owner, Comtek Network Solutions

“don’t be afraid to ask for advice – aproblem shared is a problem halved.”

Zoe Sheppard, CEO, Cheshire Community Foundation

“the easiest word in the world to say is yes and the hardest is no. Don't be abusy fool.”

Jamie Kimpton, Owner, Pollards Inn

“I never stop learning in business and in life.”

Andrew Donaldson, Serial entrepreneur

“to listen to other family members. Youneed to trust and respect them and notgot in their way.”

Jenny Edge, Commercial Director, EdgeTransport

"to grow your company you need tosurround yourself with talented peopleand learn how to delegate and trust."

Stephen Hankinson, Group ChiefExecutive, Hankinson Group

“that if you lead from your values,making the right decisions in life andleadership becomes easier and morefulfilling.”

Joelle Warren, Founding Director,Warren Partners

“look after your good staff. They arethe key to the success of your business.”

Marlon Armstrong, Partner Mitchell Charlesworth

“cash is king! Without strong workingcapital it is very hard for a business tomove forward.”

Phil Bates, Principal, Phillip Bates & CoChartered Accountants

“diversity in your business, client baseand markets is essential for long termsuccess and prosperity.”

Richard Freeman, Managing Director,AFGlobal UK

"to get to the point of the pain. Don'tprocrastinate in tackling hard issues -they won't go away."

Nicola Palios, Vice-Chairman Tranmere Rovers FC

Step off the world and escapeto Cumbria for the weekend

It’s hard not to find somewhere fabulous toeat in the Lakes because there’s so muchchoice.

Fancy combining pizza with the latest film?Try independent cinema Zeffirellis inAmbleside where you can enjoy a two coursedinner and any film showing for £20.75.

Take a walk through the wild garlic woods ofElterwater and you can end up at Chestersby the River at Skelwith Bridge. There youcan sit on the terrace overlooking the riverand consider the huge dilemma of which oftheir show stopping home-made cakes tochoose from.

You will have the same foodie dilemma atLucy’s on a Plate in Ambleside, famed for its puddings.

If fine dining is your thing, there’s the famous gastronomic restaurant L’Enclume in Cartmel withits menu of locally sourced, seasonal fare from Chef Rogan. If you’re in Cartmel, pop into Cartmel Cheeses in Unsworth Yard for the most incredible walk-in larder cheese experience.

www.zeffirellis.comwww.chestersbytheriver.co.ukwww.lenclume.co.ukwww.cartmelcheeses.co.ukwww.lucysofambleside.co.uk

Visit Honister Pass and take the FerrataXtreme challenge … if you dare.

Winner of the Visitor Experience of the Year,this mountain experience attraction is not forthe faint hearted.

After vertical climbs, cliff edge ladders plus a Burma Bridge and Cargo Net crossing youtake in one of the finest views the LakeDistrict has to offer across Buttermere,Crummock and Loweswater.

If you’re feeling a little less brave, the FerrataClassic is suitable for most ages and abilities.Following the original miners routes to thetop of the mountain, this makes for amemorable day out.

An All Day Pass is available which gives youan underground Mine Tour,lunch and the Via FerrataClassic or Xtreme. From£43.50 for children and£56.50 for adults.

Honister Pass, Borrowdale,Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5XN.Tel: 017687 77230.www.honister.com

If you want to stop the clock for 24 hoursthere’s no better place to do it than RandyPike, a luxury boutique bed and breakfast onthe outskirts of Ambleside.

Once a Gentleman’s Hunting lodge on theWray Castle estate, today it is run by thedelightful Andy and Chrissy Hill who havetransformed it into three amazing suites.

Expect a super king vi-sprung bed, Yewwood bathrooms and large walk-in showers,complimentary drinks on arrival and themost incredible views across rollingcountryside. The latest suite, the Dawson,has a fabulous double-ended Nickel bateaubath.

Rooms cost from £200 per suite per night.

Top tips: Don’t leave without trying theRandy Pike Breakfast Trifle and ask Chrissyabout the lovely walk that starts from theterrace. The couple also run the award-winning The Jumble Room restaurant inGrasmere – even better, Andy can run youthere and back.

Randy Pike, 2 Randy Pike, Outgate,Ambleside LA22 0JP. Tel: 015394 36088.www.randypike.co.uk

The Jumble Room, Langdale Road,Grasmere LA22 9SU. Tel: 015394 35188.www.thejumbleroom.co.uk.

STAYDOEAT

Ben Barden courtesy of www.golakes.co.uk Dave Willis courtesy of www.golakes.co.uk

For a start, it has one of the highest living standardsin the world. It’s also a happy place. The Danes rankas the happiest people on earth, according to theUnited Nation’s World Happiness Report. It’s nothard to see why.

Apart from great television dramas, the food isinnovative and exciting, transport links are excellentand Danish design is famous worldwide for its clean,simple lines and classic designs that never go outof style.

Stay hereCentrally located with an impressive view of thelakes and Copenhagen lifestyle, Scandic is the firstDanish hotel chain to offer its guests unlimitedreading access to thousands of internationalnewspapers and magazines online during theirstay. www.scandichotels.com

Drink thisDanish-brewed beer is excellent. Try Royal Unibrew’snew Vienna Note Pils inspired by the plants andflowers found at the city’s famous Tivoli Gardens,the second-oldest operating amusement park inthe world.

Visit WarPigs, a big, hip brewpub in Copenhagen’sbuzzing Meatpacking District and the place to go if you are looking for a beer experience out of theordinary. A brewpub is a restaurant that featuresan on-site brewery, and in this case the brewpub isestablished by two internationally recognizedbreweries. www.warpigs.dk

Eat thisBased in a converted 19th century warehousebeside the harbour in Christianshavn is the famousnoma. Rated by some of the world’s top chefs,noma’s chef René Redzepi creates excitingexperimental dishes using the finest Nordicingredients sourced from Iceland, the Faroe Islands

and Greenland. Sea urchin and hazlenuts, slicedraw squid and kelp and roasted wild duck are justsome of the specialities on the menu.www.noma.dk

A popular place to eat is The Meatpacking Districtin Vesterbro which has become the new trendyplace to hang out with its nightlife and broad rangeof high quality restaurants.

Try Nose2Tail, a restaurant where the focus is onsustainability, and where chefs use everythingfrom the animal from nose to tail. The menu issimple and changing. There is always a today'smeat, a today's fish, and a today's offal, a fewstarters, some snacks, and desserts.www.nose2tail.dk

Go shoppingShopping in Copenhagen is fun. From classicDanish design to modern day ceramics andcolourful furniture, there’s lots to browse.

We like Made in Denmark, a small shop in TivoliGardens that sells Danish designed andmanufactured products including posters, scarvesand chocolate. www.dk-made.com

Top TipsGet a Copenhagen Card. This is a 24 or 72 hourcard covering the city and giving free entrance to75 museums and attractions plus free transport bybus, train and Metro. www.copenhagencard.dk

The city is small and easy to get around by foot,bike or by metro. It’s very bike friendly – 55% of all Copenhageners commute by bike.

A beer costs around DKK 30-40, a coffee aroundDKK 25-35, a sandwich around 40-50 DKK andthe bus/metro 24 DKK. At time of going to press £1 = 9.61 DKK.

cool copenhagen

It gave us The Killing and Borgen but there’s so much more toCopenhagen than political dramas and captivating Scandi crimes.

by Lucy Mason

A striking profile, innovative eDrive and self-parking, there havebeen high expectations of the new BMW 7 series. As a minidriver, it’s a much bigger car than I’m used to driving day-to-day,so I was slightly nervous stepping into BMW’s newest model.

I needn’t have worried. Although a long and wide car, it’s not aheavy one – the body shell of the 7 series contains no steelbecause it is made of lightweight aluminium and carbon fibre,increasing its efficiency.

I picked the car up from Halliwell Jones, Chester during theevening rush hour, but once I was nestled inside it was alltranquillity. Luxurious, elegant and sophisticated, the outsideworld seemed insignificant.

I tested it out on the M53 and it was a dream. Sturdy andpowerful it was a stunning drive.

A cold Spring evening, I loved the electronically-adjustableheated seats and the spectacularly comfortable headreststhroughout. A real treat.

In the back there’s an impressive entertainment hub with 4Gcapability making it perfect for grumpy bored children.

But one of the best things about the car is its snazzy technology.I loved the new BMW Gesture Control which lets you controlcertain elements of the car with simple movements of yourhand. Want to reject a call? Simply swipe left across the screenand it’s gone. Turn the music up? A small rotation of your indexfinger does the trick.

I couldn’t resist sending a Snapchat to my green with envyfriends.

Next up was the Wirral. I whizzed along country lanes and it waslovely to control around tight corners. It was dark when I gothome so I tested out the car’s Laserlights – high-beam, lasertechnology which gives a great light intensity and stops yourunning over cats.

I’d highly recommend the new BMW 7 Series and score it 10/10.Its attention to detail is second to none. This car is the ultimatein luxury.

LUXURY IN MOTIONHailed as the ultimate in luxury and with limitless technological advances, the new BMW 7 Serieshas been positioned as a car in a league all of its own. HM’s Sarah Lowe tried it out…

Price £58,075 - £103,115

20” Double-spoke alloy wheels

Electric glass sunroof

Sun protection glass

Surround-view

BMW Gesture Control

BMW Touch Command

With thanks to Halliwell Jones,Parkgate Road, Chester. Tel: 01244 393600

www.halliwelljoneschesterbmw.co.uk

events calendar

8 – 18 June

CHESTER MUSIC FESTIVALCHESTER TOWN HALL

19 JuneMERSEY TUNNEL

10K RUNQUEENSWAY TUNNEL

19 JuneSECRET GARDENS OF OXTONOXTON, WIRRAL

1 July – 21 AugustGROSVENOR PARKOPEN AIR THEATREGROSVENOR PARK, CHESTER

5 July – 27 AugustMOONLIGHT FLICKS(OPEN AIR CINEMA)ROMAN GARDENS, CHESTER

21 July – 24 JulyLIVERPOOL INTERNATIONALMUSIC FESTIVAL (LIMF)SEFTON PARK, LIVERPOOL

29 July – 30 July

GIN FESTIVAL LUTYENS CRYPT, LIVERPOOL

1-4 September

FESTIVAL NO.6PORTMEIRION, GWYNEDD, NORTH WALES

16-18 September

THE GOOD LIFE EXPERIENCEHAWARDEN ESTATE,FLINTSHIRE

17-18 September

LIVERPOOLFOOD & DRINKFESTIVALSEFTON PARK, LIVERPOOL

16 October

BEAR GRYLLSECHO ARENA LIVERPOOL

7 SeptemberECHO ARENA LIVERPOOL

ACT I ON !

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contact: nick mason // e: nick@hm-creative.co.uk // T: 0151 239 5050

1. If you see a penguin keeper with scratches and bruises up their arms and wrists, they’ve not been in a scuffle in a pub. It just means the penguins are breeding.

2. The Zoo looks after more than 20,000 animals - but this doesn’t include ants; our keepers count them by the colony (two) rather than ant by ant.

3. Did you watch Channel 4’s Secret Life of the Zoo? The observational documentary series helped make last year a record year for us for visitors.

4. Our work is global. We’re saving endangered song birds in Indonesia, frogs in Madagascar, tigers in Nepal and even butterflies in Lancashire.

5. To a zoo keeper, getting a shiny new rake, shovel or hosepipe is even more exciting than Christmas.

6. We love our animals – even the naked mole-rats – but we see it as bad luck to name them after a friend or relative.

7. Boris is our oldest chimp and will be celebrating his 50th birthday this year.He arrived at the zoo from New York at the age of three.

8. Islands is the largest ever Zoo development in Britain and recreates six tropical South East Asian environments.

9. Our popular new orphan sun bears Milli and Toni have been helping out atnetworking events – they were star attraction at our recent ‘Breakfast with the Bears’ business event.

10. Get closer to our animals by becoming a corporate supporter. Watch out for Hillyer McKeown staff cutting grass in the summer months for animal feed.

a magical zoo

by Chester Zoo’s keeperswww.chesterzoo.org