News

Did you know – Chamber members can enjoy exclusive discounts at Smithfield Works, a managed workspace offering a mix of shared office spaces, hot desking, private workspaces and open space. The discounts include:

– 1 month free Hot Desk pass
– 20% off resident desks
– 20% office lets

Smithfield Works offers a mix of private suites ranging from 4 to 14 desks, hot desking facilities, shared working spaces and ancillary break out communal areas.

In addition, Smithfield Works members will be provided with many benefits including local offers to be redeemed at bars and restaurants around the city.

As part of the growing Smithfield neighbourhood in Hanley, Smithfield Works is a major component of the levelling-up agenda in Stoke. It’s a completely new and exciting offering for the city. With a top-quality fit-out, Smithfield Works will provide a new home to businesses, a space where they can flourish and grow.

For further information or to arrange a viewing please click here, or to discuss your offer, please email Charlotte Teece.

This new member benefit compliments the Chambers’ Virtual Office Service, providing businesses with a bespoke suite of office facilities including mailbox, virtual receptionist and access to our Members’ Lounge located at Commerce House, Festival Park.

Staffordshire Chambers CEO Sara Williams has been awarded an OBE in the 2023 New Year Honours list.

Sara, who has received the award in recognition of her service to the community in Staffordshire, said: “I am humbled and, at the same time, enormously proud to receive this honour.

“It is a source of constant joy and privilege to be able to support businesses and communities in Staffordshire and I want to thank my incredible team who help and inspire me every day.”

The King’s New Year Honours list recognises the incredible service and contribution of individuals across the UK and overseas for their work on areas including sustained public service, youth engagement and community support.

Sara added: “I have been involved with the Chamber movement for almost 25 years – with the past 11 years spent at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce.

“The time has flown by and I have enjoyed every minute, learning so much about Staffordshire and working with some amazing people who run and work in incredible businesses.”

Find the New Year Honours list in full, here.

Something exciting is coming to your inbox! Daily Focus is a brand-new business news service for Staffordshire delivered to tens of thousands of inboxes every weekday morning.

Replacing the current Chamber newsletter, Daily Focus will be a source of the most up-to-date business news and comment from across Staffordshire – supported by a team of journalists with a combined 110 years of industry experience.

With a changing local media landscape, Daily Focus, created in partnership with i.creation, will deliver a free daily business news service that’s constructive, impartial and champions the success in our area.

We need you!

To contact the news desk and submit your stories for publication, you can email the Daily Focus team on news@daily-focus.co.uk

To subscribe to Daily Focus, which will start to reach mailboxes between now and January, please click here.

Local businesses have helped Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce to raise £1210 for Chamber charities at their annual quiz that took place at Port Vale Football Club last night.

The highly competitive event, sponsored by DJH Mitten Clarke, saw teams of six compete for the coveted Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Quizmas trophy, with local team Beswicks taking home the top prize.

Delegates enjoyed a two course Christmas dinner and had the opportunity to play the Chamber charity raffle, with prizes such as England football tickets and a date night for two at Moddershall Oaks on offer that were kindly donated by the local business community.

The money will be added to Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce fundraising pot and will be split across the 29 charities at the end of the year.

Charities that will benefit include Douglas Macmillan Hospice and The Gingerbread Centre.

Stafford Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Chamber members can now access Shire Hall for meeting spaces and hot desking as part of their membership benefits.

Building on the popularity of our Members’ Lounge at Commerce House, our new Stafford Hub, based in the recently renovated Shire Hall, will be open from 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Declan Riddell, Stafford Chamber of Commerce manager, said: “We have settled in our new home in Shire Hall and are delighted that we can now welcome members here for meetings and hot desking.

“Shire Hall is placed perfectly in the heart of Stafford and has ample short and long stay car parking just a short walk away – and is also a walkable distance from Stafford station.

“There are tea and coffee making facilities available in the kitchen. I’d like to encourage

The BBC’s first-ever Technology Editor, Zoe Klineman joined local businesses at Commerce House on Thursday morning as she offered an insight into all things digital.

An experienced senior reporter covering business and technology news across BBC outlets, Zoe discussed a range of topics ranging from cybersecurity and hacking to artificial intelligence and driverless cars.

She also discussed the recent developments to Twitter and the Metaverse.

Ran in partnership with Wavemaker Stoke, the event also gave businesses the opportunity to find out about all of the digital support currently available across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

Find out more about the support available to businesses, here.

It is shocking news that inflation continues its upward trajectory reaching 11.1% with no sign of slowing – and research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that many SMEs find it almost impossible to absorb or pass on rising costs.

While the Bank of England seeks to control inflation through further interest rate rises, this fails to address the core drivers of inflation for most firms: soaring energy costs, global supply chain disruption and rising staff costs due to labour shortages.

So, we were looking to see a clear plan from the Chancellor to boost business investment and growth, as well as targeted measures that ease the specific causes of inflation. The UK economy otherwise faces a lethal combination of recession and runaway inflation.

The Chancellor has stayed true to his word in focusing on financial stability, growth, public services and targeting support for the most vulnerable in society. But in the teeth of a recession, this statement will not increase business confidence.

Businesses will look at Thursday’s announcements and welcome support with business rates, and retention of the employment allowance, though the reduction in the dividend allowance will impact many smaller firms.

Almost half of businesses tell us they will find it difficult to pay their energy bills once the Government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme ends on 31 March 2023. The sooner we get clarity on where future support will be targeted the better. We had hoped that there would be a timeline for looking at some of the energy intensive businesses earlier than this. It is good news to hear plans to improve energy efficiency across the economy, but we need to see greater urgency as firms battle with their bills in the here and now.

Windfall taxes are sometimes a bit of a blunt instrument, and it would have been more exciting to see the energy companies coming up with strong investment plans to help people with insulation and to turbocharge our race to net zero by investment in renewable energy.

The Chamber absolutely welcomes the National Living Wage increase, which is a vital support for people during the cost of living crisis, however, it does put more pressure on businesses wage bills, too. It’s not the level of the NLW but the impact it can have on the differentials within the pay structure. It doesn’t come into force until April but with pay negotiations and budgets being set now, this could increase inflationary pressure.

Sizewell C will proceed, and HS2 – of which Staffordshire Chambers has long been an advocate – and Northern Powerhouse Rail have not been cut further. These projects will provide a major boost to regional economies as well as improving national infrastructure and we will be working really hard to get more opportunities for local companies to be in these supply chains.

The Government must do more to improve conditions for businesses to invest and grow, otherwise we will be starting from a weak base to power our recovery once global economic conditions stabilise.

The Chancellor’s Statement is light on green innovation, does nothing to talk about how to address current labour shortages and is silent on boosting export led growth.

As always, please let us have your concerns, comments and anecdotal evidence on how all of this is affecting your business via the contact details below or by joining the debate in our Virtual Members’ Lounge.

You may have also seen on our social channels that it is Global Entrepreneurship Week this week. If you have an idea for a business and would like to talk it through contact start@staffordshirechambers.co.uk to speak to one of our experts.

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, including funding, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

The Dyer’s Den competition for start-up entrepreneurs in Staffordshire Moorlands, which is sponsored by Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, has been won by a vinyl record shop owner who started his business just a few months ago.

Will Madden, 24, owner of Smithfield Records based in the Smithfield Centre in Leek, beat off stiff competition and impressed the judges to scoop a prize package valued at over £4000.

Now in its fourth year, Dyer’s Den is the idea of Jed Eatough, director of Leek based LSGK Accountants Ltd and is supported by partners and sponsors Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Staffordshire Moorlands Chamber of Commerce, Tinsdills Solicitors, The Capture Factory, Churnet Sound Radio, Cathy Bower Photography and Mark Brammar Associates.

The first prize is made up of £750 in cash, mentoring, legal and financial help and advice, membership of the Chamber of Commerce, a website MOT, radio advertising and photography.

Competition winner Will Madden said: “I have had a passion for vinyl since I was a teenager and started to sell records online during lockdown. I was planning to open a shop a couple of years ago, but Covid and lockdown came along, and my plans were put on ice. Everything finally came together earlier this year, and I opened the shop in August.  There is a growing market for vinyl records, and I have customers from teenagers to pensioners who call in to buy, browse or have a coffee and a chat.

“I sell a range of new and used vinyl, CDs and cassettes at the shop and online and I have plans to run live music and DJ events soon. Winning the Dyer’s Den competition will provide me with the expert knowledge and practical tools to build my business. Dyer’s Den has put me in touch with people who have years of business experience, and I am really looking forward to tapping into their expertise.”

Jed Eatough added: “Will stood out from the competition due to his enthusiasm and determination to make his business work. The judges all agreed that he had made a great start to his business and that he would benefit tremendously from the prize package to take him to the next level.”

The runners up were Moorlands Lawn Care and Sam Hughes Counselling who receive £500 and £250 cash prizes respectively.