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businessupdate News…


Motordealerup fortopaward


ANEWPORT-based motor dealership has been nominated foraMotor Trader Industry Award. Wessex Garages has been


selected as afinalist for the Dealer Website of the Year Award and will be attending the awards ceremony in July.


Keith Brock, managing director at


Wessex Garages, said: “We are delighted to have been nominated for this award. “It is open to all franchised


dealers, independent retailers and car manufacturers and recognises the best customer facing website in the motoring trade.


“Judges look out for excellent


functionality, ease of use and regularly refreshed content, all features we believe our website comprises of.Wefeel it’s agreat achievement to have received this nomination.” The Motor Trader Industry


Awards 2012 will take place on Wednesday, July 11 at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane in London. Wessex Garages is aprivately


owned company with outlets in Bristol, Cardiff, Gloucester and Newport. It specialises in new and used car sales across South Wales and the South West.


Mayoronhand toopennursery


The new home of Two Counties Nursery has been officially opened by the Mayor and Mayoress of Torfaen.


Councillor Philip


Seabourne congratulated the new owners Rick and Sue Longford on the successful relocation. The Cwmbran nursery,


originally based in County Hall, had to move to new premises in Croesyceiliog because of the closure of County Hall. The building was originally a school dating back to the 1870s and was last used as offices for the probation service. Owner/manager Sue


Longford said: “We are really


Rick and Sue Longford with the Mayor and Mayoress of Torfaen


pleased to be able to provide affordable childcare to hard working parents. Our new setting has taken months of hard work to complete, but it’s worth it to hear the children laughing and playing.”


Lawfirmseesfurther growthwith partnership


this is another step in the firm’s expansion programme as it offers additional services to its clients in the Chepstow area. Barnes Rutter Richards Solicitors, based at


S


Beaufort Square, Chepstow, hasaworkforce of seven. That number will grow under the new arrangements with the addition of corporate, commercial, Legal Aid and family and crime lawyers available in the Barnes Rutter Richards office.


Partner Paul Rutter said: “The link with Keith


Evans&Company is welcome, very good for the business and for our clients who will now be able to benefit fromawider range of legal advice and support. “Our existing lawyers and staff will be part of


our plan to grow the practice in Chepstow and surrounding areas by injecting afresh, new vibrancy into the business and our services.” Elliott Evans said: “The legal services market


is changing and consolidating at anational and local level and our form has already expanded in Newport. Tredegar, Chepstow, Monmouth, Abergavenny and Cwmbran with further expansion planned. “Keith Evans has ayoung and highly-


regarded team of family, crime, trust, wills- probate commercial and corporate lawyers and an extensive team of conveyancers all with modern IT and work systems and proven track record of partnership established law firms. “Our office at St Maur House in Beaufort


Square is abuilding with an impressive history and is now open for the future to existing law firms that add value to our current client services.


Legal partners: ltor(front) Keith Evans, Jessica Good, Paul Rutter, Simon Richards; (rear) Scott Bowen, Kristie Oliver, Amie Hunt, Elliott Evans and Samantha Cavendar outside St Maur House, Chepstow


“The Keith Evans partnership was awarded


the Lexcel practice management standard by The Law Society in 2009 and is one of the 35 law firms in Wales to hold the prestigious quality mark. These standards and work systems will be introduced to the new office in the next few months and as we build our legal and crime service and offer Legal Aid family expertise. “Barnes Rutter Richards will be the only law


firm to offer Legal Aid support of family matters in the Chepstow area. Keith Evans’ commercial and corporate law work team can provide ‘city service’ with local charge rates and is another


welcome addition to what Chepstow law firms can offer the town and region. “Barnes Rutter Richards has agood long


standing reputation in the area, deep local roots and acommunity focus. The office will continue with the personal service that have always delivered as will the new lawyers who will support the existing staff.” Keith Evans and Company, Solicitors,


established in 1990 has its head office at Clytha Park Road in Newport city centre, and now employs fifty lawyers, legal executives and administration staff in Abergavenny, Cwmbran, Monmouth, Tredegar and Chepstow.


outh Wales law firm Keith Evans& Company hasanewstrategic partnership with Chepstow-based Barnes Rutter Richards. Managing partner Elliott Evans says


Tuesday May 15, 2012


Help to giveyour business the edge


Aseries of masterclasses, organised by the University of Wales, Newport, will help asmall group of local businesses to gain anew understanding of arange of issues facing their firms this summer. All taking place at the university’s business-focused City Campus, the series includes aclose look at corporate manslaughter and health and safety, a move to international accountancy standards and the way that psychological reactions to distractions in the workplace, could be costing you money. As well as the Masterclass series, on


May 16, Jim Eastwood, afinalist from the last series of The Apprentice, will explain how his time on the show is now helping him to persuade people across the UK to consider acareer in business. On May 30, Alexandra Dobson, from


the university’s Business Accountability and Responsibility Research Centre, will look at how new developments in corporate manslaughter and health and safety is driving arapid increase in the number of company directors facing prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The Masterclass will focus on understanding this and helping businesses to meet their requirements. The 2010 CIM Canmol award-


winning marketer, Suzanne Cole will lead aMasterclass on June 27, looking at how some businesses stand out from the crowd for seemingly unclear reasons. Looking at how, by viewing abusiness of whatever size from the customers’ viewpoint, can lead to atransformative change in business success. The Masterclass is essential for identifying a way to get ahead of the game. From 2015 it is proposed that British


Accounting Standards will be brought in line with international standards. On July 11, these hugely significant changes for businesses of all sizes and shapes will be explained in the third in the Masterclass series.


Interruptions and distractions are


pervasive in almost all modern workplace and business environments, particularly with the proliferation of increasingly sophisticated communicative technologies. Such productivity losses can cost


businesses millions of pounds per year and can even lead to accidents or fatalities in more safety-critical work settings. Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Dr Philip Morgan, whose own PHd thesis looked at how such distractions can be mitigated, will lead the final Masterclass of the series on July 25. All of the Masterclasses, held at the


beginning of the day, last no more than around two hours. To book visit newport.ac.uk/brighterbusiness or call 01633 432432.


Business Support Line/Llinell Gymorth Busnes: 01633 432400


Newport Business Services/Gwasanaethau Busnes Casnewydd business@newport.ac.uk www.newport.ac.uk/businessservices


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