Cumbria Growth Hub Podcast

McMenon's Business Director, Scott Castlehow, joins our Business Engagement and Policy Manager, Richard Miller, to discuss the company's history and growth, as well as providing insight into their recent success with Sellafield.

Budget analysis from Suzanne Caldwell of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and Amy Johnston and Sue Jeffrey of accountant David Allen.

What every business needs to know about Coronavirus. In this podcast, lawyers Frances Cameron and Luke Donockley, of Muckle LLP, set out the obligations and risks facing employers and outline steps to take to minimise damage to your business. Keep up to date with the latest information with the Chamber's Coronavirus Toolkit, which is updated regularly. Click here . Cumbria Chamber of Commerce memb...

This podcast replaces our Budget Breakfast with RSM, which we cancelled because of the Coronavirus outbreak. RSM tax partners Stephen Hunter and Anthony Cox talk through Budget tax changes and provide valuable pointers as to how your business should respond. Click here to download RSM's Budget 2020 checklist.

Chamber Chief Executive Rob Johnston and Armstrong Watson tax  partner Graham Poles discuss the Budget. Understand what it means for your business.

Cumbria Business Growth Hub has been a phenomenal success story. Since its launch in 2012, the Growth Hub has worked directly with 7,500 businesses and 2,700 individuals looking to start a business, boosting the county's economy by an estimated £252m in GVA. In this podcast, the Chamber's Deputy Chief Executive Suzanne Caldwell explains what the Growth Hub is, what it does, and how businesses can...

Find out how Lancaster University Management School can help your business develop and prosper. Pete Cornwall from LUMS discusses programmes specifically for SMEs in Cumbria covering leadership, productivity, digital technologies for manufacturers, innovation and – new for 2020 – family businesses. Many of these programmes are available to qualifying businesses free or at reduced cost through Cumb...

We look at the prospects for 2020 and beyond with Councillor Robin Ashcroft, the economy, culture and leisure portfolio holder at South Lakeland District Council. The conversation covers recruitment difficulties, boosting productivity, greening the economy, revitalising town centres, proposals for a Morecambe Bay barrage and a possible Morecambe Bay Growth Deal.

What SMEs need to know about working with ENGIE, which has won significant contracts to build extra care housing in Cumbria. Operations Manager Paul Young discusses the opportunities, ENGIE's procurement criteria and what it looks for in suppliers and sub-contractors. To find out about how Cumbria Business Growth Hub can help SMEs get work with ENGIE and other large businesses, click here .

The Labour candidate for Workington defends her party's plans for spending and taxation and set out plans for a £400bn National Transformation Fund. We challenge her on Labour's nationalisation proposals and ask if its Inclusive Ownership Funds will deter business investment.

The Conservative candidate for Carlisle on trade and immigration after Brexit, tackling skills shortages and escalating costs for business. We ask him if the North is getting a raw deal on infrastructure and why the Conservative manifesto makes no mention of nuclear new build.

The Lib Dem candidate for Westmorland & Lonsdale predicts the outcome of the General Election and takes questions on Brexit, business rates, lifelong learning and other policies. We ask him why nuclear power doesn't get a mention in the Lib Dem manifesto and why the party wants to axe one of the submarines being built by BAE Systems in Barrow.

Employment lawyer Nigel Crebbin, of Burnetts Solicitors, looks at what businesses can do when winter strikes. Are you required to pay staff who can't get to work? Can you insist that they work from home? What if your premises have to close because of flooding? This podcast covers all these issues and more.

Lawyer Luke Donockley explores why businesses should prepare for no deal and outlines a seven-step process to put in place. He also touches on the impact Brexit might have on commercial contracts.

Understand what Brexit will mean for data handling and intellectual property rights including copyright, designs, trade marks and patents. Lawyer Alex Craig, of Muckle, outlines the changes and the likely impacts for UK businesses.

Mark Rowbotham, a consultant in international trade, explores what a no-deal Brexit would mean for exporters and importers. Understand what you need to put in place to ensure that trade continues to flow smoothly.

The implications of Brexit for EU nationals already in the UK, those looking to work here and for UK nationals who need to work in the EU. Lee Petts, of Seekly Recruitment, sets out what employers need to be doing to ensure they can retain and recruit the people they need.

Simon Hart and Richard Arnott from the accountancy specialist RSM explore last-minute Brexit preparations and the likely impact of Brexit on Cumbria and the wider economy. Simon is RSM's national lead Brexit partner, who spends his days analysing Brexit risks and advising clients how to manage them, while Richard is a consulting director based in Cumbria.

Luke Christian of Lakeland Mues tells the story behind the business and how persistence earned them a listing at Booths supermarkets – with help from our Supply Chain Opportunity Club. Lakeland Mues' luxury muesli blends are now available in Booths' stores in Windermere , Penwortham , Ulverston , Penrith , Ilkley, Longton, Keswick, Lytham, Garstang, Ripon and St Annes. To find out how the Growth H...

One of the UK's top economists outlines the prospects for the UK economy as the October 31 Brexit deadline approaches. Suren Thiru is Head of Economics and Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce. We recorded this podcast when he visited Cumbria to speak at a joint event with the Bank of England. He considers the implications of a no-deal Brexit and the outlook for growth, interest rates,...

One-in-five businesses are affected by cyber crime in any one year. Don't be the next victim. In this podcast Jon Hill, a detective with Cumbria Constabulary's new Cyber and Digital Crime Unit, and Peter McCall, the county's Police and Crime Commissioner, look at how businesses can protect themselves. Click here for a training video, links, tools and advice on the Cumbria Chamber of Commerce websi...

Hear how Cumbria Community Foundation helps businesses in the county to make a difference to disadvantaged people. The charity, set up in 1999, has made grants totalling £44m so far. In this podcast, Chief Executive Andy Beeforth sets out how the Foundation channels donations from businesses and enables them achieve their corporate social responsibility objectives. For more information, click here...

In this podcast, organisational development specialist Hazel Lowndes and Suzanne Caldwell, of Cumbria Business Growth Hub, explore ways to boost productivity. UK productivity – measured in output per worker – lags behind that of Germany, France, the US and most other developed economies. This podcast asks why that is the case and looks at what we can do about it. Contrary to popular myth, boosting...

Kirsty Mahoney of the charity Imagine Independence explains how she works with businesses to find employment for people with disabilities. Low unemployment and a shrinking working-age population are making it harder and harder for Cumbrian companies to recruit. In this podcast, Kirsty urges employers to embrace the talents and potential of disabled staff who, very often, can be accommodated in the...