Tag: small business

Rebel Florist Offers Tips For The Perfect Valentine’s Day

By on 1st February 2016in Lifestyle

A North East florist is helping out northern Romeos with a guide to buying Valentine’s blooms, which are an alternative to roses…

14th February is one of the busiest days of the year for florists, as shoppers splash out on bunches of traditional (and sometimes very expensive) red roses for their loved ones.

However, Susie Griffiths of the Rebel Flower Company at The Village, intu Metrocentre, Gateshead, has devised a number of romantic ways of ‘saying it with flowers’ on Valentine’s Day which offer a contemporary take on the traditional bouquet of roses.

Susie said: “Red roses may have become a firm favourite, but in fact there are many flowers and plants associated with love, whose links with romance go back even further.

“For example, orchids have been linked with love for centuries. Potions made from orchids, once drunk, were said to result in hopeless infatuation and Cymbidium orchids, in particular have an alluring honey fragrance, mythically believed to aid fertility.”

Having managed florists in England and Ireland, Susie started her own floristry business at intu Metrocentre at a stall outside House of Fraser. She was so successful that she was able to move into her very own store in the centre’s Village for independent retailers.

With a wealth of experience and the ambition to help those stuck for inspiration, Susie has come up with five tips for romantics against roses:

  1. Go for fragrance. Pick a bloom that not only looks beautiful, but smells beautiful. Every time your Valentine smells the bouquet, they’ll think of you.
  2. You don’t have to go for the biggest bouquet. Choose three or five flowers (an odd number is always best), and add a few sprigs of lavender or rosemary for fragrance. Tie them with an elastic band and cover the band with a length of ribbon.
  3. As an alternative to a bouquet, try a corsage. It’s a lovely, old-fashioned way to present flowers to your date, and it should be a small spray, consisting of a single flower with maybe some fern or gypsophila that would be attached to clothing or a handbag.
  4. If you’re keen to stick with red, the colour of passion, then opt for a single exotic bloom. Perhaps an amaryllis? Consider a simple bunch of red tulips or spring blooms, tied raffia, and a label asking ‘will you be my Valentine?’
  5. If roses are a must, consider a soft pink, yellow or cream. They’re possibly even more beautiful than the blood red ones, and did you know that pink roses are actually symbolic of elegance and romance, whereas a yellow flower signifies friendship?

“I think the thing to remember is that you can always be creative,” said Susie. “There is so much variety out there, and if you make your blooms stand out then you’ll definitely make the right impression with your Valentine.”

For more information, visit www.rebelflowercompany.co.uk.

North East Marketing Agency Expand Into Central London

By on 1st February 2016in Local Biz

A North East design and marketing agency has opened the doors of a brand new office in London, looking to expand on a successful 2015…

Jak Inc has taken up a second residence within a thriving Central London business community, which is the first stage of an extensive business expansion plan created by Managing Director Andrew Knowles.

The Chester-le-Street based company, which last year celebrated its ten-year anniversary, has plans to take their brand further across the UK, and eventually into Europe.

Andrew Knowles said: “Since rebranding our business in 2014, Jak Inc has become a uniquely modern and exciting company, and one that suits the cutting-edge business hub of London perfectly.

“The services we offer are highly sought after across the country, but by being based in the North East, we’re able to provide top quality and efficiency, but without the London price tags.”

Jak Inc’s new office is suitably fresh, with open-plan space for collaborative work, and smaller glass booths for working privately. Volcano Coffee is available on a whim, plus beer on tap for chilled evenings, and table tennis for periods of down time.

 

Andrew said: “The environment is perfect for us, especially as it places us constantly in the midst of other businesses and like-minded creatives. For example, we’re only a stones throw from the likes of Skyscanner and BlaBlaCar.”

The expansion into London follows Andrew’s completion of a three-year Business Growth Plan under the guidance of Goldman Sachs.

As a part of the growth plan, the company is also looking to recruit a Business Development Manager. Enquiries can be sent to a.knowles@jakinc.uk.

Jak Inc is one of the North East’s leading design and marketing agencies, with the unique ability to provide extensive printing solutions as well. To find out more, visit www.jakinc.uk.

Creative Fuse North East Project Set To Spark Economic Growth

By on 31st January 2016in Local Biz

A major new project is being launched to explore how the creative, digital and IT (CDIT) sector in the North East can be developed in order to play a leading role in the region’s economy…

The new £3m ‘Creative Fuse North East’ project will involve all five of the North East’s universities – Northumbria, Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland and Teesside – and is funded jointly by the universities and the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

The universities will work with the 12 local authorities in the North East, businesses, artists, cultural organisations and partners to research how the CDIT sector can ensure it has the right skills for a sustainable future. The project will also look at how the skills within the region’s CDIT sector can benefit the wider regional economy, for example by exploring opportunities for placing creative practitioners in businesses in other sectors as a way to increase innovation, along with how to develop more entrepreneurial graduates.

The 30-month project will begin by mapping the creative, digital and commercial landscape of the North East in terms of the mix of skills, knowledge and support available. This will be followed by work to identify opportunities for more effective use of resources and best practice in workforce development as well as highlighting ways in which the region’s universities can support the sector more effectively.

The project will draw on expertise from more than 40 academic and business support staff from across the five institutions, from creative arts, cultural heritage and digital humanities to business schools and cloud computing.

Northumbria University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor George Marston, said: “Creative Fuse represents a real opportunity to sustainably build innovation and growth across the creative, digital and IT sector by bringing together the unique expertise of the North East’s universities, local authorities, businesses, artists and cultural organisations.

“Northumbria’s recent achievements in the Research Excellence Framework 2014 and our reputation for world-class research, design innovation, business engagement and award-winning partnerships, puts us in an excellent position to contribute to this exciting, collaborative project.”

Professor Eric Cross, Dean of Cultural Affairs at Newcastle University and the project’s Principal Investigator, said: “To ensure that the North East’s CDIT sector can realise its full potential, businesses and creative practitioners need to be able to connect with, and benefit from, the best that our universities have to offer in terms of research, training and talent.

“Creative Fuse North East will work hand-in-hand with the CDIT sector to discover and promote best practice, join up support, and drive creativity and innovation across the North East’s economy.

“By bringing businesses, artists and academics together, this project will create value – both in economic and cultural terms – regionally and nationally.”

Creative Fuse North East builds on a similar project in Brighton launched in 2011. A report published in November 2015 highlighted that, as a result of the Brighton Fuse project’s evidence that was used to lever European funding, Brighton and Hove’s digital and creative economy is now worth more than £1 billion to the city each year. Research carried out by Brighton Fuse also showed that ‘fused’ businesses grow three times faster than unfused businesses.

Professor Andrew Thompson, CEO of the Arts and Humanities Research Council said; “Creative Fuse North East combines the research strengths of the region’s five universities with a range of local authorities, cultural, creative and digital sector partners in ways that will facilitate new interactions between researchers and businesses, education and entrepreneurship.

“A multi-disciplinary range of subjects are involved from the initial scoping work, business analysis and networking through to potential platforms for deeper engagement between creativity and economic growth.”

Northumbria offers a range of courses across the arts and humanities. In the Research Excellence Framework 2014, Art and Design was ranked in the UK top 10 for research power while English and History were rated 15th and 20th respectively for the quality of their research publications. To find out more click here.

For more information about Creative Fuse, email info@creativefusene.org.uk.

First Turkish Restaurant Opens In Alnwick

By on 28th January 2016in Lifestyle

A former Alnwick Indian restaurant is getting a new lease of life, after being transformed into the town’s first Turkish eatery…

 

Mezze opened its doors on January 20th, at the former site of Veranda, Clayport Street, and offers diners a selection of classic BBQ grills and other popular Turkish dishes.

“Mezze offers something completely different to the other restaurants in Alnwick,” said Dilman Abdullah, who is the restaurant owner and has previously run The Med, Westgate Road, Newcastle.

“A lot of work has gone into revamping the venue and putting together a great menu, so we’re really excited to see it all coming together.

“We hope people will come a long and help us to celebrate the opening.”

Guests at the restaurant will be able to choose from a wide range of cold starters, such as peppers, potatoes and aubergine fried in olive oil and served with tomato and garlic sauce, crushed bulgar wheat with chopped onions, celery, peppers, tomato and walnuts dressed in olive oil and vine leaves stuffed with rice, pine kernals, onions, sultanas and a blend of herbs.

There will also be a number of hot starters served at the restaurants, including deep fried filo pastry filled with feta cheese, and fill and diced lamb’s liver lightly coated in flour and paprika, fried and served with onions.

The menu also offers diners a whole host of main courses, including traditional Turkish BBQ dishes such as Shish Kebab, lamb cutlets marinated with herbs and chargrilled, mixed grill and chargrilled chicken wings.

All of the menu’s BBQ dishes are served with rice, salad and chilli.

There is also a selection of other main courses including moussaka, Kleftiko – a slow cooked lamb shank served with rice – chargrilled chicken breast filled with cheddar, onion and peppers served in a creamy sauce, and tender lamb shoulder served with special sauce and rice.

Prices start from £2.95 for a starter and from £7.95 for a main course.

Sunderland Car Parking Prices To Rise In February

By on 24th January 2016in Local Biz

Car parking charges at Sunderland’s The Bridges are set to rise next month…

From February 1st, the shopping centre’s roof top and multi storey car park will be £1.30p an hour – an increase of 10p.

Thursday nights will continue to be free from 5.30pm to 9pm, and a flat rate cost will remain in place on Sundays.

Andy Bradley, Centre Director at the Bridges, said the decision to make the small increase had not been taken lightly.

“We have had to introduce this slight increase to ensure that we can maintain the level of quality and services in the Bridges’ car parks, while having to also take into account rising staffing and operational costs,” he said.

“However, with a number of new retailers already taking up space in the Bridges, and with hopefully further announcements to come, we believe that we continue to offer great value and great choice to our shoppers.”

Annie’s Truck Shop: A Volkswagen With A Difference

By on 22nd January 2016in Local Biz

Every now and then, a truly unique and exciting new business comes along…

Allow us to introduce you to Dolly.

Dolly is a 1978 Volkswagen Bay Window Pick Up, born in Hannover Germany. Some time in the early ’80s, she was exported to Switzerland, and then to Poland. Now, her proud owners are Ann Marie and Jonathan Stoker from Darlington.

And what’s so special about Dolly?

Following a drastic restoration, she is now a mobile sweet shop, carrying thirty varieties of traditional and contemporary sweets. The business goes by the name of Annie’s Truck Shop, and trades in and around the North East, serving a host of different events from private parties to weddings.

Jonathan says: “A friend of ours has a VW Wedding Transport business, and had bought Dolly as a restoration project. At the time, the van was little more than a box of lego!

“Dolly was fixed up and painted, but our friend was too busy to do anything with her, so we ended up as the new owners. We then worked out a whole new image, coming up with the idea of the shop area on the back, and sent her off for the frame, cover and canopy to be fabricated.”

Customer experience is everything at Annie’s Truck Shop, which is why all of the sweets are weighed using traditional scales, and served in classic paper bags.

Ann Marie says: “We really didn’t know how we’d be received, or where we’d end up. Dolly was completed four days before our first event, and by the time it was over, we’d been invited to two more!”

It was at one of these events that Dolly and the Truck Shop team met the VW community, who welcomed them with open arms. Seeing the gleaming paintwork and unique brilliance of their van, it’s not hard to see why.

Annie’s Truck Shop is available to hire, and details can be find on their Facebook page. To find out more, give them a call on 07941188965, or email anniestruckshop@gmail.com.

Is your business as unique as Annie’s Truck Shop? Email online@inandaroundmag.co.uk to have your business featured!

Want to share something else? Visit the Write For Us page.

North East Music Label Looks To Revitalise Jazz Scene

By on 21st January 2016in Entertainment

Laura Tindall, music teacher and Radio Tyneside host, catches up with Jamie Toms – founder of North East label Jazz Sound Records…

Jamie Toms, like many other creatives I know, is all about the artistry. He’s in it for the love of it, for the music, and to bring recognition to talented people.

As a musician and teacher with a life-long involvement in jazz music, performing and composing, Jamie recognised that original jazz music in the Newcastle area doesn’t always have an outlet.

He said: “I set up Jazz Sound Records to help promote people who are writing original jazz. People here in the North East would otherwise have to release their material independently or go elsewhere to a bigger label.

“There are bands doing original stuff that are being overlooked, or the bands are backing away from writing original material because of a difficulty in getting events. There are a lot of talented musicians, but the scene is going a bit quiet.”

The idea for the label came as a business idea for part of Jamie’s recent MA in Music Management, but he realised there was a demand for the label to continue after discussions with different musicians and bandleaders.

 

“I believe the music these bands are creating is high quality, and I will eventually push the bands to be gigging further afield, arranging gigs in other parts of the country, and even into other European countries where the jazz scene is strong.”

The bands currently represented by the label are Not Now Charlie, Uncle Oswald, Slowlight Quartet and After Dark Fonksters – all of which hold strong ties with the North East.

The ultimate driving force behind Jazz Sound Records is original music.

“A lot of places book bands to play trad. jazz and standards, but it can put the nail in the coffin of people writing original jazz music if there’s no outlet or any venues to play it at.”

Jamie is putting his money where his mouth is, and in February will be putting on a gig with his band Not Now Charlie at the Jazz Café in Newcastle. The gig will be entirely original jazz, and the band’s sound can be described as melodic, groove-based jazz, which is catchy and partly improvised. There will be a live recording of the gig, and the EP will be released by Jazz Sound Records later in the year.

Jamie agrees that there is often quite a discerning audience at jazz gigs, and enjoys that it’s often other musicians in attendance. However, he wants the gigs promoted by Jazz Sound Records to be of wider appeal, especially to those people who think they might not like jazz.

“I want a fresher approach to the scene. I want a jazz band to be able to put on a gig in the same way that a pop band would do. I want to expose more people to original music that they might not otherwise seek out.”

Not Now Charlie, made up of a group of five musicians in their 20s and 30s, were brought together by knowing each other from different jazz bands and from studying Music at university. While Jamie writes most of the material, the band’s unique sound comes from the interpretation that the band members bring to the material.

“I have an idea of the harmonic structure in my head, as well as riffs, or sometimes particular rhythmic ideas. We also have set solo sections within a piece, and we improvise around an idea. If I write all the parts out exactly, then it sounds like my voice, but I like to leave it as open as possible so people can interpret it and bring their own sound to it.”

If you have ever wanted your clapping and cheering preserved on a jazz album forever, then now is your chance!

Jazz Sound Records are presenting Not Now Charlie with support from The Saxophonics playing at the Jazz Café, Pink Lane, Newcastle, NE1 5DW on Friday 12th February at 9pm. Tickets are £5 in advance, or £3 on the door.

 

Not Now Charlie play original groove-based jazz. They are Jamie Toms – Saxophone, Pawel Jedrzejewski – Guitar, Richard Campbell – Keys, Liam Gaughan – Bass, Dave McKeague – Drums.

Saxophonics are a local saxophone quartet playing original jazz compositions and arrangements.

Photographs by Ken Drew and Jamie Toms.

Lumley Castle Host A Programme Of Tudor Themed Events

By on 19th January 2016in Entertainment

One of the North East’s best loved venues has unveiled a programme of Tudor treats for the coming weeks…

On Friday 12th and 26th February and 4th March, four star Lumley Castle Hotel, Chester-le-Street, is turning back the clock to 1595, with its famous banquets – giving diners and partygoers a fun-filled night, Elizabethan-style.

On arrival at the castle, guests are led to the dungeons before being piped into the opulent Baron’s Hall and seated on benches for dinner, which is served by Ladies of the Court and eaten with a dagger instead of cutlery.

To accompany dishes, such as sticky pork ribs and honey-baked chicken, diners are served red wine and mead in earthenware goblets.

Meanwhile, in between courses, the Castle’s Lord Chamberlain entertains diners with tales of yore and local legends – including the sorrowful story of Lily of Lumley, who was thrown into the castle’s well by priests, and whose ghost has been seen by countless visitors and staff over the years.

Throughout the evening, the Lords and Ladies of the Court, dressed in period costume, perform sketches and a variety of songs, from traditional North East folk ballads to a rousing finale of more popular tunes, with diners encouraged to join in when they can.

Finally, guests can round off the evening by dancing to a disco in the dungeon, with a special price package also available for those wishing to extend the evening with an overnight stay in one of Lumley’s 73 bedrooms.

Along with its Elizabethan Banquets Lumley Castle Hotel hosts regular murder mystery dinners, while its renowned Black Knight restaurant can cater for formal or buffet lunches and dinners, and can also offer private dining.

Lumley’s Elizabethan Banquets cost £35 per person, and the Banquet Bed and Breakfast package is priced from £87.50 per person, based on two people sharing a Courtyard room.

On 26th February alone, the package is on offer at a reduced price of £79.50 per person.

For more information, or to make a booking, call 0191 389 1111, email info@lumleycastle.com or visit www.lumleycastle.com.

Durham Biz Aids Environment And Boosts Profits With 500 Solar Panels

By on 19th January 2016in Local Biz

Precision plastic injection moulding firm Icon Plastics has extended its commitment to the environment with the installation of 500 solar photovoltaic panels…

The company, based at Durham Lane Industrial Estate, Eaglescliffe, already has a keen focus on making its operations as green as possible.

Its moulded scrap plastic is granulated and remoulded into steel girder foundations used in the construction industry and waste cardboard packaging, paper and polythene bags are all bailed and sold on to a specialist recycling company.

During the last 12 months, Icon has halved the amount of waste going to landfill saving thousands of pounds, and the sale of recyclable material is generating additional income for the business.

The panels, which have been installed on Icon’s main factory roof by Advantage Energy Ltd, of Darlington, will enable the company to generate its own electricity during the week and benefit from the Feed in Tariff at weekends, when the factory is not operational.

Icon’s latest investment, totalling £120,000, will reduce its impact on the environment as well as cuttings its annual running cost by about £30,000.

Under the Government’s Feed-in-Tariff scheme, businesses are paid a tariff for the electricity they generate, and a tariff for the electricity they export back to the national grid. Due to Icon receiving this tariff for the next 20 years, the project is expected to pay for itself in four years.

The company has a robust environmental policy, which was scrutinised as part of the independent validation carried out in advance of it being awarded the prestigious TS16949 industry accreditation.

Icon, which has customers in a range of sectors including electronics, agricultural, healthcare and medical, construction, defence and automotive, has now invested more than £1m since it moved to Durham Lane Industrial Park in 2014.

It operates around the clock five days a week and has 24 moulding machines. While Icon’s marketplace is predominantly the UK, it does some business overseas, and exports to Malaysia, Austria, and Eastern Europe. Its clients include Veolia group, and Sepura.

Venture Properties Co-Owner Celebrates 20 Years In The Industry

By on 17th January 2016in Local Biz

Twenty years after selling his first house, a successful North East estate agent says he still gets the same excited feeling when a sale goes through…

This year will see Venture Properties’ co-owner, Carl Jenkinson, start his 21st year in the industry, and over the last two decades, he has stayed as enthusiastic as the day he began in 1995 – when a three bedroom house could be sold for £35,000.

“It’s surreal how the time has gone so fast, and so much has changed in my 20 years in the industry, but I am still 100% passionate and committed to what I do,” said Carl.

“When I first started, we had no internet and no emails, everything was photocopied and stuck on photos.

“Now we are so much more advanced with technology, which is fantastic, however the job is still the same and still requires the same hard work and dedication.

“When I became an estate agent, I was told good communication, listening to your clients and sound knowledge are the attributes you need to be a success, and this is what I have gone by every day.”

Originally from Darlington, Carl had a passion for houses from a very young age. He found properties intriguing, and realised working in the estate sector was the career for him. As most young starters did in those days, Carl started off as a YTS, and since then has done every job possible in the industry.

Remembering the first house he sold isn’t hard for Carl, as it was a house he has come to know all too well.

He said: “My first sale was in a street close by to our office, and funnily enough, I’ve sold the home many times since over the years.

“The feeling I had back then was amazing, but what’s great is I still get that now. There really is no better feeling than making someone’s dreams come true in helping them secure the home they want.”

In 2008, Carl became co-owner – along with Michael O’Connor – of Venture Properties, which is considered one of the leading estate agents in County Durham, with offices in in Darlington, Cockerton village, Chester-le-Street, Crook, Bishop Auckland and Durham City.

This was one of the personal highlights of his career, despite objections at the time from people around him, due to the state of the economy.

Carl said: “I worked for a corporate from school, and felt there was always more I could do, but had my hands tied.

“I decided to open my own agency in the town, and had already dealt with Michael on sales, and he was in the lettings arm so we decided to collaborate and open a fresh agency.

“People thought we were crazy doing this as the recession had hit, however we had great success in such a short period of time and continue to be on the up.”

With the arrival of 2016, Carl is excited about what the future has in store for both himself and Venture Properties. He is looking forward to more exciting ventures and celebrating his next milestone, surrounded by the team of family and friends who have been with him every step of the way.

For more information about Venture Properties, visit www.venturepropertiesuk.com, or follow them on Twitter.

ADVERTISERS