THE FIRST WORD


A


fter more than three months of locked-down hardship and boredom, it was a pleasant surprise to see the sun glistening as pubs, restaurants and cafés reopened to outdoor customers on 12 April.


While there may have been worries a continuation of the wintry start to spring would keep


people inside, the warm weather that greeted stage two of the Government’s roadmap to recovery reflected the light at the end of the tunnel many businesses can now see. Businesses, particularly in hospitality, could hardly be blamed for feeling cautious about the


future but the Chamber, both via conversations with members and raw data in our latest Quarterly Economic Survey, has detected optimism for what summer and beyond will bring. Uncertainty continues elsewhere, not least for international travel, but there’s at least hope


this could create a domestic tourism boom among the region’s attractions. Given how well represented the region’s economy is by hospitality and tourism, these two


industries take the spotlight for this issue of Business Network. Chatsworth, the stately home and estate in the Derbyshire Dales, joins Leicester-based pub


operator Everards Brewery and Nottingham-headquartered coffee merchant 200 Degrees in our focus feature (p52), which takes a wide-angle view of the short and long-term prospects for viable businesses ravaged by the pandemic. But what often gets lost in this dialogue is the knock-on effects their closures have on the supply chain. Sanjay Foods, for instance, was riding the crest of a wave as it acquired a prestigious


conference centre in February last year, amid big plans for growing its business as a caterer for Indian weddings and other high-profile events such as car shows. Since then, the Leicester company lost 90% of its revenue and has largely slipped through the net of Government support – although CEO Atul Lakhani explains in the big interview (p22) how he’s stayed upbeat and worked harder than ever to diversify into new income streams. Optimism for the future can be found in other places, too. Leaders behind the successful


East Midlands freeport bid explain the next steps on p42, while there’s some exciting new images on p44 showing how key sites within the East Midlands Development Corporation vision could look. With so much going on, why not read up about it sat in a beer garden or outside a coffee shop?


Best wishes, Dan Robinson, Editor, Business Network


26 PATRONS The importance of language education


28 CHAMBER NEWS Get the right people at the right time


SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS 40 How to make lasting cost-saving changes


INTERNATIONAL TRADE 42 What a freeport means for the East Midlands


POLITICS


44 Landmark sites will unlock growth and new opportunities for the region


FEATURES


47 GROWING YOUR BUSINESS Researching your business


50 The fearless organisation


52 FOCUS FEATURE Hospitality and tourism bounce back


57 CONFERENCES & EVENTS Events – that feeling


58 Bridging the gap from virtual to live events


TRAINING & EVENTS 60 Leading remotely: What managers need to keep teams engaged


Editor Dan Robinson T: 07764 431028 E: dan.robinson@emc-dnl.co.uk


Contributor Jasmine Thompson


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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY 62 Customer relationship management software


BUSINESS SUPPORT 65 LEGAL Protect your family’s future


66 FINANCE Planning for currency risks


68 SKILLS Firms sign up to support degree apprenticeship


70 PROPERTY Derby shows ‘Cannes do’ attitude


72 MOTORING Nick Jones tests the Volvo XC90 T8


73 INFORMATION Communication and a successful return to the workplace


COMMENT 74 THE LAST WORD Chamber president Eileen Richards MBE on hospitality and leisure collaboration


business networkMay 2021 3


CONTENTS MAY 2021


NEWS UPDATE 4 MEMBER NEWS Acquisition secures jobs and growth


20 APPOINTMENTS New chair to lead tourism board’s recovery plan


THE BIG INTERVIEW 22 Atul Lakhani, CEO of Sanjay Foods


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