CYCLING is described as the new golf in business circles these days.
Executives meeting in coffee shops on Monday mornings no longer discuss their performance in the golf club medal at the weekend, more likely their lycra-clad escapades on two wheels across the British countryside.
And this hobby is also big business now.
You only have to look at what the Tour de France Grand Depart did for Yorkshire.
Its legacy has seen the creation of the Tour de Yorkshire, the hosting of the 2019 Road World Championships and every weekend thousands of cyclists take to the region’s roads.
We organised a Business of Cycling event last week for Leeds-based finance search consultancy FDYL Woodrow Mercer and the clear message was that Yorkshire has a “massive opportunity” for future benefits.
The even gave the audience insights into the structure of the teams that drive the professional tier of the sport and the politics involved in the elite events, as well as greater understanding of the cycle retailing sector that generates many millions in revenue for a number of Yorkshire firms.
The panel of experts at the event was made up of Peter Dodd of Welcome to Yorkshire, Ribble Cycles commercial director David Stacey and the chairman of ONE Pro Cycling team Simon Chappell, who joined us at the Leeds Club.
From the opportunities Yorkshire has to continue to further capitalise on its Tour de France Grand Depart legacy to the current issues surrounding British cycling, the panel tackled everything with plenty of insight, honesty and a good dash of humour.
FDYL made it easy because they are such a laid back fun group of people to work with. They would rather create the environment for an interesting discussion than dominate the conversation themselves.
It is a refreshing approach and if you are in the market for a finance director or financial controller or indeed any other finance support roles, you will enjoy and benefit from speaking to them.
Neil Muffit, managing partner of FDYL Woodrow Mercer, said: “We knew from our clients that there was a lot of interest in the sector as it has become regionally very important for business as well as for tourism. It is vital to ensure that the momentum generated by the 2014 Grand Depart, the now annual Tour de Yorkshire and the forthcoming 2019 Road World Championships is optimised by business.
“There is a massive opportunity for the region to become the UK capital of road cycling for many years to come. There are many, many businesses here that can both help to cement the success of the events in the region, but also drive significant business benefit themselves from a hugely popular sport,” he added.
The invited audience of business leaders had plenty of questions for the panel.
Peter Dodd, marketing and sales director of Welcome to Yorkshire, who I described as Robin to Sir Gary Verity’s Batman, revealed that the Tour de France Grand Depart will return to the county.
Simon Chappell of ONE Pro Cycling said: “Yorkshire has been given a once in a generation opportunity to cement its place on an international sporting stage. I wanted to be part of the discussion because if businesses can come together to better understand the unique sector, and the commercial opportunities that drives the sport, the region will be better equipped to capitalise on its success.”
Ribble Cycles, which was recently acquired by a private equity business, is a client of FDYL Woodrow Mercer and David Stacey brought along one of their own bikes, an Aero 883 Disc – a mere three grand, which I’m told is pretty reasonable in cycling circles.
It certainly attracted the attention of plenty of people in the audience.
Indeed, I observed that I’ve not seen grown men staring at something like that since the last time I was in the Purple Door.
A couple of wags in the audience asked me to explain what the Purple Door is.
I said it was an exclusive venue a little like the Leeds Club, where stressed executives go to network and unwind.
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ARE you involved in a growing business that is already selling overseas or thinking about making that next step?
Opening the door to international markets is all about working with the right partners and getting real support
The Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) can provide that real support and will be bringing together some great examples of successful businesses at an event later this month.
Unlike some organisations, the LEP communicates with businesses in a way they understand, indeed, it is currently running a campaign called ‘Let’s Talk Real Business’.
It has canned the jargon – a sentiment I agree with, if someone else offers to “reach out” to me I’ll slap them – and is focused on truly supporting firms across the city region, which stretches from Barnsley in the south to Craven in the North.
Hosted by brand design agency Elmwood – which is based in Leeds but has studios in New York, Singapore, Hong Kong and Melbourne and a host of international clients – the speakers include Kevin Butterworth of Seabrooks Crisps, Victoria Hopkins of catering equipment manufacturer Hopkins, Robin Hilton of fast growing ResearchBods and Jonathan Sands OBE of Elmwood.
Even the lunch served will have a Leeds City Region theme, provided by Friends of Ham, Baltzersens, Northern Bloc and Tarte & Berry.
If you would like to join us for the event on March 29th, click here to book or email liz@copasummit.com for more information
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WHO is the angriest person you know?
I’ve got a couple of candidates.
Top of that list currently is Labour’s shadow education secretary Angela Rayner.
A woman who never sounds happy.
She’s the female equivalent of football manager Billy Davies, a man who combines the outlook of a demented wasp with the paranoia of a North Korean dictator.
Given that Ms Rayner spent her time as a paid official for the union Unison before entering Parliament, I’m sure she’s had plenty of practice at working herself into a frenzy about the terrible Tories.
But I can’t help thinking that a Conservative government in power is not the real source of her ire.
Being part of a shadow cabinet being led by a man that looks completely unelectable probably is.
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SOCIAL media was abuzz last week when the genteel town of Harrogate starred in Ant & Dec’s Saturday Takeaway.
Apparently celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was the subject of an elaborate wind-up by the Geordie pair when he visited his Jamie’s Italian restaurant in the North Yorkshire spa town.
Given that Oliver is as rare a visitor to his restaurants as a Eurasian Wigeon to these shores, you will have to forgive my cynicism.
I can’t help thinking that following the recent closure of six of his Italian restaurants, which Oliver blamed on “Brexit”, he will be keen to boost the fortunes of the remaining outlets.
So putting one of them front and centre on prime time Saturday night TV can’t have done any harm, particularly as the former Restaurant Bar & Grill across the street will soon be turned into a Gino D’Acampo Italian restaurant.
At least Gino D’Acampo turned up to the recent opening of his restaurant in Leeds.
Someone breathlessly informed me that they had secured an invite to the event which would be “full of stars” including Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.
Bless.
When Gino opens up in Harrogate, that’ll be two places serving bland, over-priced Italian food full of diners gormlessly looking for a celebrity chef in the kitchen, that will be well worth avoiding.
Have a great weekend.