Business Tuesday, April 1, 2014 Argus Launching the breakfast club at Bacaro in Newport with owber David Pell, left, and chef Lyndon Bradford


£15m package is to cut business rates across Wales


BUSINESSES around Wales have been given a boost after Economy Minister Edwina Hart announced a £15m pack- age to cut business rates bills. This includes an £11.5m funding package to help cut rates bills for retailers and food and drink premises. TheWales Retail Relief Scheme will provide £1,000 discount on the business rates bill to all qualifying retail premises with a ratea- ble value of less than £50,000. Grant funding will be made available to local authorities to operate the scheme in their area in 2014-15. The minister has also announced an additional £3.5m fund for local authori- ties to provide additional,


By Jo Barnes 01633 777240 jba@gwent-wales.co.uk Twitter @SWABusiness


targeted rates relief. It will give local authorities


the flexibility to use their local knowledge to provide rates relief support to other businesses that have been negatively affected by the postponement of revalua- tion.


This ‘local need’ scheme is unique toWales. Businesses should contact their local authority for more informa- tion. David Russ, managing director of the SouthWales Chamber of Commerce, said the announcement of a £15m package to cut business rates was extremely welcome.


“It will not only bring our system in line with England but will also provide vital assistance to small business- es inWales. Traditional high streets


and central business districts are facing enormous chal- lenges and are fighting for survival within the British retail sector. In recent years, there has been a significant decline in towncentres and this package will help to regenerate those areaswhich have been hardest hit. The £11.5m of the package,which is aimed at retailers and food and drink premises, will help to stimulate growth in the local retail market, breathing life back into theWelsh high street and ultimately encour- aging people back into town centres for retail and leisure


activities. “Similarly the remainder


of the funding,which is being given to local authori- ties, is a positive step in sup- port of entrepreneurship and should help to stimulate new business start-ups, particu- larly atSMElevel.” Wales Retail Relief can be


provided in addition to Small Business Rates Relief and relief provided under the Open for Business Scheme as well as any hardship or dis- cretionary relief awarded by the local authority. The minister said:


“Together these support packages will provide assis- tance to many businesses during this current economic situation and also inject money into theWelsh econo- myand support jobs.”


prepares to welcome Nato


Business


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Cheers to healthy start to the day as breakfast club with a difference is launched in city


NEWPORT restaurant entrepreneur David Pell has launched a business breakfast club with a difference. Mr Pell, the owner of Newport res-


taurants The Ridgeway Bar & Kitchen, and also Bacaro, is creating bespoke business breakfasts. He said: “We’ve launched business


breakfasts at our Italian style restau- rant, Bacaro, at Celtic Springs Business Park, which will combine a meeting place for business people and a healthy and nutritious start to the day. “Breakfast is widely recognised as


being the most important meal of the day. “We’re combining that message


with a healthy meal tailored to meet individual needs.” He said they started the breakfasts


this week because as the clocks have gone forward, people might need an extra boost in the morning. University of South Wales senior


lecturer and nutritionist Teresa Filipponi said that ‘don’t skip break- fast’ was one of the eight tips for


healthy eating recommended by the National Health Service’s Live Well webpage. “Furthermore, starting the day with


the right food is key to achieving optimal performance, whatever your profession, it gives you time to reflect and plan for the day as well as providing the body with the nutri- ents necessary to function optimal- ly.”


Mr Pell said: “Depending on the


type of work you do, perhaps sat behind a desk looking at a computer or conversely running around the office all morning managing staff, requires different types of food deliv- ering a range of sources and levels of energy.” Bacaro Business Breakfasts are


served from 8am-11am Monday to Friday. l The first 20 business people to


enjoy a Bacaro Business Breakfast, between tomorrow and Tuesday, April 8, will receive a complimentary coffee and Danish pastry. www.bacaro.co.uk


Expansion ensures a safe future for security specialists


A MONMOUTHSHIRE-based security company is building on its success by expanding, opening a new office in North Wales and planning to open up to 17 more across the UK under franchise. The expansion by Select


Security Ltd, which is based in Llanfoist, near Abergavenny, is backed by £50,000 from the Wales Economic Growth Fund and will create six new jobs in North Wales and help the busi- ness expand its services and products, which are designed and made in Wales. The expansion is also being aided by the Welsh Government sup- port service Business Wales. Select Security Ltd, estab-


lished by entrepreneur Leon Window in 2010, has a strong focus on servicing and safe- guarding rural and agricultur- al properties, and its special- ist systems are designed to work in the most rural and remote areas. The company is now install-


ing around 30 systems each month across the UK, with many using Select Security Ltd’s 100 per cent wireless power free perimeter security system. It enables property


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owners to view and check on their premises from anywhere in the world. The new office in Denbigh


will meet the growing demand from clients across North Wales, northern England and Ireland and will become the company’s HQ for rolling out franchise plans across the UK. Economy Minister Edwina


Hart said: “It’s good news to hear how the Economic Growth Fund and our Business Wales service is helping and supporting an indigenous company grow, create jobs and take immedi- ate advantage of emerging market opportunities. The fund was established to sup- port SMEs across Wales and it is doing just that.” Leon Window said: “This


expansion is vital to secure new business and extend our reach. We have ambitious tar- gets for growth and are now in a position to make a real step- change to the business by adopting the franchise model. Between now and the end of 2016 I hope to have 10 sites open and operating at full capacity and 17 sites within five years.”


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