Heathrow expansion plans are being backed by government following an announcement by Chancellor Rachel Reeves this week.
In a speech delivered yesterday, the Chancellor said a third runway would “unlock further growth, boost investment, increase exports, and make the UK more open and more connected”.
The government, she added, invites proposals to be brought forward by summer.
In response, Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: “We recognise the crucial role ofย Heathrow airport in supporting employment for Surrey residents, generating investment in the Surrey economy and in attracting and retaining major businesses to locate in the county.
“Our goal is to work constructively with the Government, the airport, relevant national agenciesย andย other local authoritiesย onย proposals for a third runwayย in order to protect and promote the interests of Surrey residents and businesses.
“Despite this, we remain strongly of the view thatย expansion requires the environmental and surface access issues involved to be satisfactorily addressed.
“Any expansion will only be a success for Surrey residents and businesses and for the wider South East if there is a clear and agreed framework for the necessary infrastructure, including southern rail access, together with appropriate mitigation measures and commitments to address environmental impacts in place before any new runway comes into operation.
“We call on the Government to take the lead in developing such a framework.”
What are the Heathrow expansion plans?
Heathrow expansion plans include a new, full length, runway to the north-west of the airport and several new facilities both on and off the airfield.
Heathrow is currently consulting with investors, government, airline customers and regulators on next steps.ย Proposals include:
A new terminal building to the west of Terminal 5 and the eventual demolition of Terminal 3 to make way for a series of new satellite terminals
Creating new public transport interchange points and consolidating parking facilities
Adding surface access capacity to the airport, taking advantage of planned future railway upgrades in the area
Significant community compensation schemes and impact mitigation measures
Increasing capacity for an additional 260,000 flights per year
Further details – including a series of FAQs – are available on the Heathrow website.
Copyright:ย Photo ยฉ BAA Airports Limited
Dos and Donโts to scale your business: strategic lessons for sustainable growth
Published 21 January 2025
Advice and support
Scaling a business is both a challenge and an opportunity. It requires a sharp strategy, adaptability, and an unwavering focus on your customers. At its heart, sustainable growth is about creating value and fostering trust. While no two businesses are the same, there are clear dos and donโts businesses can follow to scale successfully.
In this strategic guide, our Specialist Adviser Roya Croudace looks at how you can scale your business while keeping your customers at the centre of your journey. Roya is a skilled Commercial Director, Founder, and Non-Executive Director with over 25 years of expertise in driving business growth, especially for SMEs.
The Dos: building a scalable foundation
1. Define your customerโs purpose and needs
Understanding your customers is the cornerstone of sustainable growth. Customers donโt just buy products or servicesโthey seek solutions that align with their goals, purpose, and aspirations.
Do: Use customer feedback, market research, and data from CRM (customer relationship management) systems to build detailed profiles of your audience. Identify their pain points, motivations, and desired outcomes. Continuously update this knowledge to ensure your offerings remain relevant as your business evolves.
2. Build relationships over transactions
Winning and retaining customers requires more than just making a sale. Building trust and meaningful relationships creates loyalty and generates invaluable word-of-mouth referralsโkey drivers for growth.
Do: Listen actively to your customers, personalise your interactions, and deliver consistent value. Show genuine interest in helping them achieve their goals. When customers feel understood and valued, they are more likely to become long-term advocates for your business.
3. Develop a scalable value proposition
Your value proposition must clearly articulate how your product or service solves customer problems, delivers measurable value, and stands out from the competition. As you scale, ensure it evolves to reflect market changes and expanded capabilities.
Do: Focus on benefits over features. Use customer-centric language and provide proof through case studies, testimonials, or ROI (return on investment) data. Test and refine your value proposition to resonate with different market segments.
4. Leverage technology for growth
Technology is a vital enabler for scaling SMEs. From automating workflows to delivering data-driven insights, the right tools can streamline operations, improve decision-making, and enhance customer engagement.
Do: Invest in tools like marketing automation, analytics platforms, and AI-powered CRM systems. Ensure your team is trained to utilise these technologies effectively so you can maximise their potential and ROI.
5. Align your team for success
Scaling a business demands cohesion across all functions. Misalignment between sales, marketing, finance and operations (the 4 pillars of any business) can create inefficiencies and harm the customer experience.
Do: Foster a sales culture that simplifies collaboration through shared goals and transparent communication. Regularly review performance metrics, train and upskill team where necessary and adjust strategies to ensure everyone is working towards the same objectives.
The Donโts: pitfalls to avoid while scaling
1. Donโt prioritise transactions over relationships
Focusing only on short-term sales can stunt long-term growth. Customers are more than numbers; theyโre your partners in success.
Donโt: Treat customers like one-off transactions. Prioritise trust-building and nurture relationships that encourage loyalty and advocacy.
2. Donโt lose sight of adaptability
Markets are dynamic, and scaling businesses must be prepared to pivot. Resistance to change risks leaving your business behind more agile competitors.
Donโt: Cling to outdated strategies. Stay open to innovation and use market trends, customer feedback, and data to inform strategic decisions.
3. Donโt underestimate the value of simplicity
As you scale, complexity can creep into your messaging and processes. Overcomplicated communication risks confusing potential customers and diluting your value.
Donโt: Use jargon or overwhelm your audience with unnecessary details. Keep your messaging clear and focused on how you solve their problems.
4. Donโt operate without a clear plan
Trying to scale your business without a structured plan can lead to wasted resources and missed opportunities. A robust strategy ensures focus and direction.
Donโt: Assume growth will happen organically. Develop a roadmap with SMART goals, clear priorities, and actionable steps.
5. Donโt ignore customer feedback
Your customers are your most valuable source of insight. Ignoring their feedback risks missing opportunities for improvement and eroding trust.
Donโt: Overlook feedback. Actively seek input through surveys, interviews, and reviews, and use this information to refine your products, services, and processes.
Your Call to Action: build, scale, and thrive
Scaling your business requires clarity of vision, strategic focus, and a relentless commitment to your customers. By understanding their needs, building relationships, and leveraging the right tools, youโll create a foundation for sustainable growth.
Whatโs your next step? Reflect on these questions:
How well do you understand your customersโ goals and challenges?
Are you building relationships that foster loyalty and trust?
What strategies and tools will you adopt to help you scale your business through your next stage of growth?
Once you’ve reflected, it’s time to take action – do it today. Every decision you make is a step closer to realising your businessโs potential!
Business support in Surrey
Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service providing free and accessible support for all businesses in Surrey, to help you scale your business and thrive.
Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on range of issues. Contact the team for free via our Business Support Form.
Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.
Not sure what you need help with? Get in touch by completing ourย Contact Us form.
New Skills Bootcamps for Creatives to boost small businesses in Surrey
Published 20 January 2025
Advice and support, Skills and workforce
Surreyโs creative community has a new opportunity to thrive with the launch of Skills Bootcamps for Creatives, designed to provide essential business skills for freelancers and small creative businesses.
Delivered by Mastered Studios, this program offers a practical and accessible way to develop the tools necessary to win clients, grow your brand, and do more of what you love.
With a strong focus on supporting smaller businesses, this Skills Bootcamp is ideal for freelancers and entrepreneurs seeking to sharpen their competitive edge in the creative industries.
The course is fully-funded – meaning it is free to freelancers and creative SMEs in Surrey.
Whatโs in the Skills Bootcamps for Creatives?
Participants will benefit from 60 hours of training, mentoring, and coaching spread over 8 weeks. This will cover:
Developing a robust business plan
Effective marketing and branding strategies
Growing your social media presence
Pricing and fee negotiation skills
And much more!
The course runs for one day a week online, making it flexible and accessible to fit around your busy schedule.
Upon completion, learners will also receive monthly mentoring calls for six months. This ensures ongoing support as they implement their new skills.
Connecting creatives
Running a small business or working as a freelancer can sometimes feel lonely, with the complexities of managing clients, finances, and growth often falling solely on your shoulders.
The Skills Bootcamp for Creatives not only equips you with practical knowledge but also connects you with like-minded professionals, creating a supportive network of peers who understand your challenges and share your ambitions.
Why join?
Small businesses are the backbone of Surreyโs creative economy. This programme is tailored to help you overcome common challenges. It makes it perfect for those looking to scale up, navigate pricing with confidence, or build a compelling brand presence.
Sign up today
Donโt miss this opportunity to take your creative business to the next level. Visit the Mastered website for more information and to register for upcoming sessions.
Our team of experts can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.
You can also register to receive our newsletter. This is packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.
Magical Mushroom Company – a Surrey Success Story
Published 20 January 2025
Innovation, Surrey Success Stories
Magical Mushroom Company is the latest of our Surrey Success Stories, a collection of video case studies of businesses โ large and small โ that are putting our region on the map. Click on the video below to discover how Surrey is harnessing nature to help it grow.
Magical Mushroom Company: growing from nature
Meet the Surrey company harnessing the power of nature to tackle plastic pollution.
Magical Mushroom Company launched in Esher in 2019. Since then has grown from startup to a scaling business producing millions of pieces of packaging for a huge range of companies across Europe.
The company harnesses the natural flexibility and strength of mycelium, the material structure of fungi, to grow protective packaging by combining it with agricultural waste such as hemp, cork and sawdust.
This offers a safe, sustainable and totally home-compostable alternative to plastic foams. Clients include Selfridges, Lush and drinks company Seedlip.
As well as packaging it has grown chairs, beehives, hampers, and even funerary urns!
Growing in Surrey
Magical Mushroom Company continues to grow from its Surrey roots.
Its base in Esher has provided a strong foothold for business in the capital while able it to recruit top local talent. It also provides employees a great quality of life.
Magical Mushroom Company continues to evolve- and now the only firm in the world mass producing mycelium products.
Since 2020, the company has produced millions and millions of pieces of Mushroomยฎ Packaging, effectively removing thousands of tonnes of plastic packaging from landfill.
Thanks to a ยฃ1.1 million loan from Innovate UK, it has opened a UK-based raw materials plant so it can ramp up production.
With factories in Nottingham and Sofia, its capacity has grown to 200,000 units per week.
All this means it has about 50 full-time employees and on track to turnover ยฃ6 million in 2024.
Looking to relocate your business to Surrey?
Thanks to our desirable location, reputation for innovation and collaborative business ecosystem, Surrey is a top business location of choice.
As part of Business Surrey, Surrey County Council can assist companies looking to invest and grow in Surrey via the Invest in Surrey service.
Whether youโre a start-up, SME or international company, you can benefit from specialist expertise, local knowledge and business support.
Events and courses – February roundup of Surrey events
Published 17 January 2025
Events and awards
After a quiet January, the Surrey business community is gearing up for a busy schedule of events in February, with both online and in-person events covering a wide range of subjects, including a few that are a little out of the ordinary.
Surrey County Councilโs free business decarbonisation courses in Surrey Heath and Woking in early February offer to help you calculate your carbon footprint and drive down emissions.
For early birds who like to do their business networking before starting the workday, there are a range of in-person breakfast networking events taking place in February, including Surrey Chambers’ Guildford Business Breakfast on 4th February, and the regular FSB Hogs Back Business Breakfast on 12th February.
Workforce, jobs and careers
If you’re a Tandridge business looking to connect with local talent, or looking for a new role yourself, why not take part in the Tandridge Jobs Fair being held at Tandridge District Council offices on 13th February? And if your CV needs a bit of a polish before you can start your jobsearch in earnest, this online CV workshop on 7th February could be just the ticket.
Events with a difference
Looking for a business event that’s a bit different? Surrey Chambers are holding a pottery and paint networking social for Business Women In Surrey at the Fired Frog Pottery Cafe in Camberley, with nibbles and fizz included.
Submit your own event
Donโt forget, our events directory is a great way to promote your own business events to a wider audience. If your organisation is hosting or sponsoring a business event in Surrey, you can submit it for inclusion in the directory by completing this simple form.
Free support for Surrey SMEs
Business Surrey offers free and accessible support for all businesses in Surrey.
Our experts are on hand to provide tailored advice to help your SME grow and succeed. Get in touch with a member of the team via our business support form.
The importance of sustainability skills in business: empowering Surreyโs future through Skills Bootcamps
Published 16 January 2025
Skills and workforce
In today’s changing business landscape, sustainability is no longer a peripheral concern, it is a core strategy for long-term success.
With increasing regulatory requirements, consumer demand for ethical practices, and the impacts of climate change, businesses are rethinking their approaches to growth and operations. In Surrey, the focus on sustainability has never been greater, and equipping the workforce with the right skills has become a pressing priority.
This is where Surrey County Councilโs Sustainability and Carbon Management Skills Bootcamp, delivered by Activate Learning, plays a pivotal role. By fostering local talent and providing essential sustainability training, this initiative is bridging the gap between business needs and workforce readiness.
Why sustainability skills matter
Sustainability isnโt just about environmental stewardship; it is a business imperative that drives innovation, enhances reputation, and improves financial performance. A significant majority of executives recognise the importance of sustainability but many feel their organisations are not adequately prepared to address it*.
Key sustainability competencies for businesses include:
Carbon management: understanding and reducing carbon footprints to meet net-zero targets
Circular economy principles: designing processes to reduce waste and promote recycling
Sustainability reporting: communicating progress transparently to stakeholders
Regulatory compliance: navigating an increasingly complex legal landscape.
These skills not only help companies meet their environmental goals but also position them as leaders in a competitive market where sustainability is a key differentiator.
Skills Bootcampโs role in developing local talent and supporting Surrey businesses
Offering a flexible and blended course has enabled those learners already employed to apply their learning quicker, through the development of bespoke sustainability action plans for their organisations.ย The real-world expertise from industry leaders, including organisations such as Oxfordshire Greentech and Siemens Healthineers, combined with networking and career support from Activate Learning, has boosted the learnersโ confidence and employability.
For businesses in Surrey, the Skills Bootcamps offer numerous benefits:
Access to skilled talent: With a growing pool of trained professionals, companies can find the expertise they need locally, reducing the costs and time associated with recruitment
Enhanced competitiveness: In this case, sustainability-trained employees drive innovation and efficiency, giving businesses a competitive edge
Community impact: By investing in local talent, businesses strengthen Surreyโs economy and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Albury Vineyard, located in the Surrey Hills, recently hosted the graduation for learners of the first Sustainability Skills Bootcamp. Nick Wenman, owner of Albury Vineyard, said
โSkills Bootcamps are really great because what they mean is we are not just hiring people with theoretical knowledge – itโs people with real understanding of what that means in a business environmentโ.
A brighter, greener future for Surrey
As sustainability becomes integral to business success, courses like this Skills Bootcamp are vital for preparing the workforce and supporting local businesses. By developing the skills needed to tackle environmental challenges, Surrey is not only meeting the demands of today but also securing a resilient and prosperous future.
Whether youโre a business looking to strengthen your sustainability efforts or an individual eager to make an impact, find out more about Skills Bootcamps.ย
Also remember to check-out our Business Surrey events page, which features a number of sustainability-related events.
Support for Surrey businesses
Our team of experts can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.
You can also register to receive our newsletter, packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.
Event Alert – Unlock the potential of apprenticeships for your Surrey SME!
Published 15 January 2025
Events and awards, Skills and workforce
Are you a Surrey-based small business facing a skills gap? Do you find it difficult to find staff with the right skills to meet the needs of your business now and in the future?
Discover how apprenticeships can be the perfect solution for your business success at the latest in our series of free webinars!
Join us for this informative one-hour session, led by apprenticeship expert Laura Kerry, from Surrey County Councilโs careers team. Laura will guide you through the benefits of apprenticeships, explain more about how they work, and uncover just how straightforward the apprenticeship hiring process can be.
Why should you attend – what will you learn about apprenticeships for Surrey SMEs?
By attending this webinar you will learn:
How you can benefit from the Apprenticeship Levy by using it to fund your apprenticeโs training
Real-life success stories of apprenticeships in action
Access to resources and support to help you hire your apprentice immediately
Donโt miss this opportunity to enhance and future-proof your workforce’s skills base with skilled apprenticeships for your Surrey SME.
Register now and take the first step towards bridging your skills gap!
Free support for Surrey SMEs
Business Surrey is Surrey County Council’s service providing free and accessible support for all businesses across Surrey.
Our experts are on hand to provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch with the team viaย our business support form.
Runnymede businesses open doors to the workforce of tomorrow
Published 15 January 2025
Skills and workforce
During the month of December, a number of Runnymede-based businesses generously opened their doors and gave their time to groups of secondary school students as part of Runnymede Open Doors programme.
The Open Doors programme allows students to engage with local employers at their workplaces, offering insights into the types of roles available and the different entry paths into the business or industry sector. Open Doors visits provide young people with a valuable chance to explore potential career paths in different industries, learn about the skills employers are looking for, and enhance their own employability skills.
Runnymede Borough Council, Business Runnymede and Surrey Careers Hub worked in partnership to design and deliver the Runnymede Open Doors programme in 2024-2025, supported by the governmentโs UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The program kicked off in earnest in November with approximately 180 young people from six secondary schools taking part in 15 experiences at 7 business locations across Runnymede. More experiences are planned over January and February 2025.
Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth said: โWe are delighted to be able to run Open Doors in Runnymede to enable young people to gain first-hand experience of differing workplaces and have genuine conversations with local employers.
โProgrammes of this type, investing in the workforce of tomorrow, are vital in ensuring the long-term success of our regional economy, and we appreciate the time and energy the participating businesses have invested into the success of the scheme.โ
A total of 10 Runnymede businesses have signed up for the scheme, offering to give their time and support to the programme by hosting students at their premises. Each business devised their own unique itinerary to help the students experience a little of what it would be like to work there and hear more about the career pathways available. At Avery Healthcare the students met several of the homeโs residents, toured the premises and watched an exciting match of Balloon Tennis. They also had the opportunity to ask staff and residents for their own views.
Groups of students who visited Kick-X were first able to let off a bit of steam and understand the customer experience by trying out the various hybrid football facilities at the venue. They then took part in an interactive workshop where they brainstormed solutions to real-life challenges and opportunities faced by the business โ offering some unique perspectives the business may otherwise not have heard.
The experience was a great success, as this teacher remarked, โWe all absolutely enjoyed todayโs visit to Kick X. Max has been fantastic. The session was very well planned, delivered. Max was enthusiastic, well-spoken and captured the studentโs attention. He talked about the business, jobs, skills and values in a very exciting way and the students have got a lot from the session. They not only enjoyed the practical part but also the theory where they were taking part in some business ideas, offering advice and creativity. All our learning objectives were met thanks to Max. We are very grateful for this valuable opportunity.โ
The young people visiting Thorpe Park were tested on their knowledge of the theme parkโs history and heard the career stories of several key members of staff before undertaking an eye-opening behind-the-scenes tour of the park.
Almost every student who completed an evaluation form responded that the visit had helped them to understand more about the jobs and careers available with that employer, and 100% said theyโd like to attend more employer visits in the future.
The program will run until the end of March 2025 with planning underway for Open Day experiences for college students in the borough still to take place.
Participating schools and businesses:
Businesses
Thorpe Park
Avery Healthcare
Kick-X Football Arena
Geek Retreat
Stanhope-Seta
Snap Fitness
Achieve Lifestyle
Egham Orbit
Chop & Change Hair Salon
Page Personnel
Schools
Chertsey High School
Phillip Southcote School
Magna Carta School
Walton-Leigh School
Jubilee High School
Fullbrook School
Play your part
There are lots of ways Surrey businesses can support Surreyโs future workforce.
Want to support the work of the Surrey Careers Hub? Weโre looking for professionals from all sectors and business of all sizes to work with Careers Leaders and Education Leaders asย Enterprise Advisersย to shape their careers education strategies. Get in touch viaย our contact us formย for further details.
Sell online with confidence with free product safety courses from Trading Standards
Published 10 January 2025
Advice and support
Does your business sell online products which are regulated for product safety? If the answer is yes, then you can accessย FREEย product safety courses to boost your knowledge and improve how you do business.
Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards is working with the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) to provide the offer.
It is available to all Surrey businesses who sell via websites or social media until the end of March.
Those taking part will boost their knowledge and understanding of product safety. It will also improve how you do business and boost customer confidence.
Businesses who’ve already taken part have reported:
increased awareness and education
building a relationship with the regulator,
improving future business with plans for future actions
What does free product safety courses involve?
The product safety training is open to all businesses that sell products online – from sole traders and SMEs to multi-nationals. You may also have retail premises or sell only a few items on social media.
It has three elements:โฏ
An initial conversation with a Trading Standards Officer to discuss your approach to product procurement. This includes your understanding of product safety and online trading requirements.
Free training workshops delivered by the CTSI, plus access to online materials and guidance.
A final conversation between you and a Trading Standards Officer. This establishes the impact of the training and it it has improved your understanding of consumer product safety and online trading.
No personal data or information provided by a business will be reused for any other purposes outside of the training.
And the discussions with Trading Standards officers are simply to establish if you have benefited from the training. They will not be discussing individual products or specific compliance related issue.
Or you can contact Trading Standards direct by calling 0300123 2329.
If you need more general support then the Business Surrey team can also provide free support. Get in touch via the Business Support Form.
Tech start-up Finchetto wins three awards for driving innovation
Published 9 January 2025
Innovation
Tech start-up Finchetto rounded off 2024 in style after scooping three awards for innovation.
The company based at Surrey Research Park in Guildford is developing the worldโs first fully-optical passive Ethernet switch for data centres.
This could transform the energy efficiency of data centres across the globe – making them more sustainable and freeing up energy to advance the roll out of artificial intelligence (AI).
The work is being recognised globally with various awards. One of which singles the Guildford-based company out as potential new Spotify or Deliveroo.
Who are tech start-up Finchetto?
Finchetto is run by CEOย Mark Rushworthย and CTOย Michael Pearcey. The focus is developing alternatives to traditional electronic switches, which are energy-intensive and generate excessive heat, requiring costly cooling systems.
Currently data centres consume 2% of all global electricity. And traditional electric network switches are the workhorses of every data centre, accounting for 20% of a centre’s total energy use.
Finchetto’s design could reduce this power requirement by up to 26 times. This means it has the potential to transform the efficiency and sustainability of data centres worldwide.
And, with powering sufficient compute is the single greatest challenge for AI today, its work could be key in the roll out of new technologies.
Since being incorporated in July 2020 Finchetto has steadily grown. And 2024 was an important year in its development as it secured high-profile funding and a new home.
In October 2024, Finchetto moved into Surrey Research Park, one of the UKโs leading hubs for innovation and home to over 170 companies at the forefront of technological and scientific advancement.
Since then it has made waves in the tech industry, winning three major awards for its revolutionary work.
In November, Finchetto earned top honours at the Deep Tech Demo Day 2024, a competition involving 170 companies across Europe. Judges praised the companyโs photonic computing innovation for its transformative potential in networking and AI performance.
The startup also scooped โHottest Pre-seed Startupโ at The Europas Tech Startup Awards. They are joining the ranks of previous winners include Spotify and Deliveroo.
Most recently, Finchetto received a TechWorks Award for Technology Breakthrough, which recognises the best in UK tech.
Mark Rushworth, CEO of Finchetto Ltd said: โBy using light to send and switch data, we aim to revolutionise datacentre efficiency. Joining Surrey Technology Centre has been instrumental in our progress, and we are proud to have our work recognised with these awards. We look forward to advancing this transformative technology.โ
Caroline Fleming, Director, Surrey Innovation District ecosystem, University of Surrey said: “Congratulationsย to the Finchetto team! Their cutting-edge research positions them as leaders in photonic computing, tackling the challenge of growing AI processing demands while reducing environmental impact. By supporting companies like Finchetto, Surrey Research Park continues its 40-year tradition of fostering innovation and supporting award-winning businesses.”
Start up support in Surrey
Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service providing free and accessible support for all businesses in Surrey, including startups.
Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on range of issues. Contact the team for free via ourย Business Support Form.
Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.
Not sure what you need help with? Get in touch by completing ourย Contact Us form.
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