Post by Kurt Jacobs

I ran a breakfast discussion today looking at the challenges and opportunities that face Worcestershire. A packed house at the Worcester Whitehouse. A full write-up in next month's Insider. However, as a taster, I interviewed the bosses of two of the county's great success stories - Matt Hole at carmaker Morgan Motor Company and Dale Parmenter at marketing agency DPR GROUP — and how they see being based in Worcestershire as a positive asset in taking each of their businesses to £100m turnover. I also talked to three very different investors in the county - Mark Martin of building design business ONE Creative environments (ONE); James Morgan of MiTek, the construction technology business that has just relocated to the Worcester Six park, bringing scores of jobs - and Paul Vezolles, CFA, who has invested £25m turning the listed manor Dumbleton Hall into a five-star hotel. Do they see the county as a good spot to start or move a business: spoiler alert - they do. Meanwhile, Stoford Developments Ltd's Jo Russell, and GJS Dillon Commercial Property Consultants' Andrew Lewis MRICS looked at the challenges and opportunities for development in the county: why it needs more quality business parks that are actually pleasant to work in, why it needs more space for SMEs, and why there must be more development outside the usual hotspots like Worcester Six and the Science Park. We also had heartfelt comments on the challenges that Worcestershire faces in improving skills and training from Kidderminster College's Cat Lewis — more funding, more engagement from the business community, compounded by it not being part of a combined authority. Clare Lang of mfg Solicitors LLP noted the challenges that SMEs face in getting funding, while Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership's Gary Woodman observed how the county's diverse economy is a strength in giving it resilience but a challenge when promoting it as an investment and work destination. As said, more in next month's Insider, but key takeaways for me are: *Worcestershire is a natural home for globally ambitious businesses - Morgan, DPRG, QinetiQ, GTech. The county can sustain world-class enterprises. *Skills are Worcestershire's most urgent issue. *The costs of employing young people deters businesses from hiring them: legislation has compressed pay gaps between entry-level and experienced workers, reducing incentives to hire. *Worcestershire needs to accept some development will be on green belt, which it needs an adult conversation. *Worcestershire is under-served with growth funding. It needs to look more at the private sector particularly angels, than to public funding. *It needs more quality office space, particularly on business parks, and more space for SMEs. *Quality of life is one the county's biggest assets in attracting and retaining people, investment and funding.