NEWS
PUBLISHERS LAUNCH COVID
BOUNCEBACK BUSINESS MAG
Aycliffe Today’s sister publication Wear
Business launched a Covid recovery issue
of its publication after a short delay.
Resolution Media and Publishing, owned
by Aycliffe Business editor Martin Walker and
his business partner Dave Allan, published
the second issue of the business magazine
seven months after officially launching the
new publication at Ramside Hall in Durham
earlier this year.
The impact of Covid meant they had to
shelve the Wear magazine temporarily due to
its infancy.
But they significantly increased their online
presence during lockdown and since, with a
series of weekly webchats going out on their
Facebook page involving business leaders
from around the Sunderland Durham regions.
And they launched a weekly e-news which
is now sent to more than 1,600 business
subscribers every Thursday.
They eventually published the second issue
of Wear Business in August – with the printed
magazine being circulated to businesses in
the Sunderland, Washington, Houghton-le-
Spring, Durham, Chester-le-Street, Peterlee
and Seaham areas.
They’re also investing heavily in social
media ads to boost online views of the
magazine.
Wear Business is published by Resolution, in
partnership with Sunderland-based PR man
Graeme Anderson and freelance writer Colin
Young, who’s based in Durham.
Martin Walker said: “It’s been a difficult
time for publishing – both in terms of
advertising, but also the logistics around
distribution.
INEOS LAUNCHES GLOBAL SANITISER FIRM
AFTER SUCCESS OF AYCLIFFE PLANT
Wear Business –
the second issue
was published
after a delay due
to Covid.
“We’ve managed
to keep Aycliffe
Business going
strong, despite the
obvious challenges,
and our Tees Business
magazine has performed exceptionally well over
the summer.
“But with Wear Business being so new and
not as established as our other publications, it
was impossible for us to get an issue out until
businesses started returning to their offices.
“But we sense businesses are ready to get back
out there and start promoting their products
and services in what are hugely challenging
times.
“While we’re working hard to increase our
online presence – across all our titles - we still
passionately believe there’s an appetite from
businesses for printed publications.
“We all love to read about good news – and
we see it as our role to spread positive news
through our magazines to businesses across our
circulation areas.”
Wear Business’s cover story and exclusive
interview is with the Leighton Group’s Paul
Callaghan and the exciting progress being made
in developing Sunderland’s Cultural Quarter.
The summer issue is also supported by Great
Annual Savings, Sunderland City Council,
Business Durham, Ramside Hall, Dominos,
Durham Business Club, DurhamWorks,
Jacksons Law Firm, FW Capital, First Choice
Labels, Savvy Media, Creo Communications,
the Tavistock Group and Smart Outdoor.
The magazine can be read online at wear.
business.
INEOS is launching a new global healthcare
firm following the runaway success of hand
gel plants including Newton Aycliffe.
The chemicals giant has produced millions
of hand sanitisers for the NHS at the height of
the coronavirus crisis.
George Ratcliffe, son of INEOS’s billionaire
owner Jim Ratcliffe, who will oversee the
newly-formed INEOS Hygenics, says the
pandemic will make “people treat hygiene
differently from now on”.
INEOS Hygienics will produce hospital
grade hand gels, sanitiser sprays and surfaces
and sanitiser wipes for sale to the public.
INEOS is Europe’s largest producer of ultrahigh
purity ethanol and isopropyl alcohol
(IPA), which are the two main ingredients
used in sanitiser products.
The Newton Aycliffe plant had shifts
running round the clock during the spike,
focusing on the needs of frontline medical and
care services as well as making “pocket bottle”
hand sanitisers for personal use.
Around 40 new jobs have been created in
the UK by the new business, but Mr Ratcliffe
said he hopes that number will increase in the
coming months.
Read about Stiller Warehousing and
Distribution’s deal with INEOS on page 27.
BUSINESS
BRIEFS
LEGAL Q&A
Greystone Legal partner Paul Humble
answers some key employment law
questions for businesses…
Do employers have a legal duty to
provide references for employees?
No. The general rule is that it is a moral
obligation only.
Are there any exceptions to that
rule?
ADVICE
Yes, there are some fields in which there
is a legal duty to provide a reference,
including in financial services and the
education sector. Occasionally, there might
be a contractual obligation to provide
a reference, and a failure to provide a
reference can amount to discrimination or
victimisation in certain circumstances.
Is there any liability if I provide an
adverse reference?
Yes. The case law suggests that, where a
reference is provided then an employer
must take reasonable care in giving the
reference, and in verifying the information
upon which it is based. A failure to do so
might amount to a negligent misstatement
which is actionable. The reference
must not give an unfair or misleading
impression when looked at as a whole.
Is there any duty to the recipient of
the reference?
Yes, there is a duty to act reasonably to the
recipient of the reference. In other words
not to provide misleading information to
the prospective employer.
If I want to provide a reference, how
do I best protect my position?
Firstly, have a clearly stated disclaimer
in place upon the reference which will
protect you against any action brought by
the recipient of the reference (although
not necessarily against any claim brought
by the subject of the reference). Secondly,
if providing a detailed reference ensure
that you can evidence any information
provided that is less than favourable. The
other approach is simply to provide a bare
factual statement of dates of employment
and positions held, and to be consistent in
following that approach.
Paul Humble
Partner, Greystone Legal
The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 23