What better way to start your holiday or business trip than relaxing in the 51° Lounge at Cardiff International Airport. Here you can simply unwind and relax or complete that last bit of paperwork before your flight.

Membership usually costs £18 per person per day and entitles users to:

■ Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
■ Newspapers and magazines
■ Telephone, fax and photocopier facilities
■ Fresh fruit
■ Light bites
■ Satellite TV
■ Wireless internet access
■ Access to private washrooms
■ Flight information before other passengers

The lounge is open from 05.00 until 21.00 with the exception of Saturdays between November and April, when the lounge closes at 17.00. The lounge is also closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Dress code is smart-casual and the lounge is not open to children under the age of twelve.

Special Assistance facilities are available.

 After express fast track security screening, my fellow passengers and I were able to enjoy a hand prepared eggs and smoked salmon breakfast in the Prunier Caviar house lounge as we watched the Avro RJ45 80 seater (the quiet jet) arrive. 20 minutes later we were in the air on what felt like a private jet. The Avro really is a marvelous aircraft, agile, fast, quiet and well equipped considering its size, perfect for the euro city hops.

A little more than an hour later we were on the train from the basement in Brussels airport for a 20 minute journey headed to the capital. Brussels Airport was recently praised for its layout and ease of transfer. It’s well laid out, functional and makes an integral part of the journey seamless.

With the return flight to Bristol at 19.30, there is more than enough time to enjoy lunch, have the important meeting and be home by 20.00 (remembering that Brussels is one hour ahead). We were lucky enough to enjoy a stay at the luxury Hotel Amigo and catch the flight back the following evening.

A 10 minute walk from the station and literally a stones throw from Grand Place, the medieval market square and cultural heart of the city, the 5 star hotel Amigo is part of the Rocco Forte group and offers everything you would expect from a world class leader. Often the preferred stay for rock stars and dignitaries the hotels mission statement boasts how important it tries to second guess its patrons every need and the level of service was truly exceptional.

We enjoyed a guided walking tour around the capital and I soon wondered why I had never visited before.

Brussels is a beautiful city, dripping in history and oozing cultural charm and diversity, with narrow cobbled streets full of beautiful boutiques, chocolate bazaars, cafes and restaurants all coming to life just after dusk when the atmosphere becomes even more enchanting under the soft glow of neon. The Grand’ Place is the focal point and famous meeting point under the clock where lovers would meet and still do …and the gothic architecture takes on a new dimension after dark as striking lighting shower the buildings in a warm glow.

The cafes and restaurants are full of business men and families alike. I just love that. Our euro counterparts are brilliant at dining with children and children are certainly welcomed wherever you go. Just off Grand Place is the most fantastic small street full of cozy seafood restaurants, all with fresh, mussels, lobster, clams, crabs, scallops, basically more seafood than a varedeo at dawn enticing you to enjoy the set three course menu from just twelve Euros “Croquettes de Crevettes Grise to start, Moulles Mariniers et frites and desert” just delicious and common to many European cities.

Gastro purists will be happy too in the city that boasts the highest density of Michelin star restaurants in Europe and with over 400 different beers to sample you might think this would be a pub crawl heaven, but that’s not the way it works in Brussels, it’s a sophisticated and cosmopolitan city which embraces café culture at its best.  Couples chat, families interact, businessmen decide the shape of our bananas and it all works very nicely indeed.

We were fortunate to enjoy Nouvelle cuisine at its finest in La Veirge Noire restaurant a short walk from the hotel in Beurs. The opulent art deco surroundings provided the perfect setting for what I can only describe as a wonderfully unique dining experience, several courses, or creations, from Carpaccio of scallops,to the Trilogie of sorbets perfectly presented and cooked with passion, from the heart.

The following day after enjoying a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit muesli, warm granary breads and the best coffee this side of Columbia, we headed out to take in a few more famous landmarks including the Mannekin Pis (the peeing boy statue to you and me! ), the chocolate and waffle houses and the ever popular market stalls with their mulled wine and roast chestnuts. I took time to learn about Edith Cavell, a British nurse, who was sadly executed in the city during world war one because she helped allied soldiers to escape to the Netherlands. It struck me that despite being soaked in marvellous history going back several hundred years Brussels also enjoys a fascinating constitutional place in relatively modern European history particularly since the Second World War. Throughout the city are constant reminders of this and statues to those who helped liberate and plaques for the fallen heroes.

Sadly it was time to leave. The train took us straight into the airport terminal in less than 20 minutes. The check-in was again brief and we enjoyed fast track security with our B-Flex tickets. The Brussels airlines lounge gave us the chance to check email, make some phone calls, check the papers and have a light snack and a coffee before boarding our flight back to Bristol. As we sat and reflected we all agreed that Brussels vastly exceeded our expectations and what better way take enjoy the city than with the people who do it best-Brussels airlines. My only regret is I didn’t have enough time to visit Bruges so at least now I have the perfect excuse to return and I can’t wait.

Enormous thanks to Lynne Mc Grath (Brussels Airlines), www.brusselsairlines.co.uk 

James Gore (Bristol Airport) www.bristolairport.co.uk

and Flanders Belgium (www.visitflanders.co.uk).

COWBRIDGE
Vale Marketing Group Christmas event



The Vale Marketing Group Christmas event at Crossways Manor went very well with about 45 attendees representing accommodation providers, restaurants, shops, attractions and activities and local tourism council associates, tourism representatives from Wye Valley, Monmouthshire, Churches for Wales, Cardiff & Co and many more.

There was an excellent address by Dan Clayton-Jones, leader of the Heritage lottery fund for Wales and executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, who spoke on local history and heritage and it’s importance for tourism. Incidentally, did you know that Beaupre Castle was the venue for King John and his entourage for two weeks, whilst they hammered out the creation of the Magna Carta. From there they went to Runneymede for the signing.

There were exceptional performances by both Nathan Shearer who achieved four A* grades and seven A’s and from Natalie Dawson. Natalie last year gained an A* whilst in Year 10 and this year added to this by achieving two grade A’s and a further eight A*s

Our very own Society and Special Events photographer Derek Naylor recently joined Brussels Airlines on a trip to Belgium’s capital city.

VALE
Rebranding could be the key to success



One of the things many successful businesses do when times are tough is to get themselves talked about.

One of the best ways to create a buzz about your business is to change the way it looks. Mark Roberts, from Rhoose, has over thirty years experience in branding and logo design.

Mark says, “This is the perfect climate for rebranding. Many businesses are apathetic at the moment, so the ones that are rebranding can often gain a big advantage. You really notice the new or updated shop fronts in a recession. A new look says you’re moving forward - it’s confident and that attitude instills confidence in customers. The green shoots of recovery may be small but I’ve had a big increase in enquiries and business since Christmas. It seems business people have finally stopped treading water and are starting to swim.”

Mark designed and sold his first logo design at the age of fifteen and, in a thirty year career, has worked with a hundreds of businesses from sole traders to global blue chip companies in a wide variety of sectors. Mark says, “What I do makes a difference - it’s tangible, you can write a cheque against it.”

....................................................................................................................

BARRY
Recession depression?
Get a new lease of life!



The worsening recession has put the brakes on new car sales. Vehicle transporters groan under the weight of unsold cars, car manufacturers’ production lines are in darkness, the workers have all gone home. The government pouring money into the industry is like pouring water into a sieve!

If you think that’s bad news, it gets worse! The true cost of running your car or van is climbing... why? Because that gleaming car on your drive is losing money faster than RBS!

So what is the true cost of running your family car? Well, there’s the obvious purchase price, fuel costs, maintenance costs, insurance for a start but, more significantly than ever before, there’s the resale value or RV (residual value).

If you own a Saab, you have my sympathy. A friend of mine from Barry bought a beautiful Saab convertible with 16,000 miles on it just over a year ago for £17,500. One year and 6,000 miles later, the best she can get for it is £7,500. That’s £1.60 a mile on depreciation only!

Now, the good news. There’s never been a better time to lease a car. Manufacturers are bending over back wards to shift their stock-piles and they have two methods of disposal: Big discounts. Looks like the most obvious route, but the manufacturers know that heavily discounted new cars mean that used values get slashed too. Very bad news… remember what happened to Rover? Leasing Company Bonuses. The manufacturers offer the incentives to leasing companies in a manner similar to cashbacks. So, the leasing company pays the higher price for a car, but gets a massive cashback for doing so. The end result is the same as discounting, but without stressing residual values.

In this economic climate everyone needs to find a way of saving a few quid. If you’re a business user you will need to include accurate transportation costs in your forecasting. Even if you’re not in business you need to budget. For instance, a new model Ford Fiesta 1.25i 3 door Style Plus would cost about £11,000 from a dealer. With a bit of haggling you might get it down to £10,000 to buy it outright. If you borrowed that sum using a personal loan from any of the High Street lenders the monthly repayments would be approximately £319.

A three year lease from Purple in Barry would cost around £150 plus VAT per month, with their new No Deposit option. That’s equivalent to 18p per mile! This allows you to drive 10,000 miles per year. Contract Hire (or Personal Contract Hire) is the ONLY way to guarantee the running cost, and the true cost, of running a vehicle. The monthly cost is fixed... you will never pay any more, or less, than the monthly cost of the contract.

Stephen Paul, Sales Manager at Purple Contracts said, “No more queueing at the Post Office... there is no need to tax the vehicle - we do it for you, for the whole term of the lease! If you choose the optional maintenance pack we even service it for you (which includes a full valet!) and we’ll include unlimited tyres. You’ll never need to worry about selling your car or its future value. At the end of the contract, we will come and get the old one and replace it with a new one, if you wish.”

Tim Ranson, heating engineer and owner of ABR Heat Team in Cardiff was fed up losing so much money when he came to sell his vans. It cost a fortune to advertise them and he would take calls from timewasters and agencies. Not any more. Mr Ranson now leases his vans from Purple Contracts, he pays £159 plus VAT per month for each of his VW Transporters. Best of all, at the end of the lease a delivery lorry turns up with his new vehicle and takes away the old one. Although Mr Ranson is delighted to be saving around £1000 a year per vehicle, for him the main advantage is the convenience.

Glen Newman, owner of Purple Contracts said, “Leasing a vehicle makes perfect sense during the current economic conditions. Leasing provides you with fixed monthly costs and protection from falling vehicle values. Be careful, when comparing lease quotes. Make sure you are comparing like-for-like, as many leasing companies will not advertise the fact that they charge a hefty Documentation Fee, or an Administration Fee.

Glen Newman, owner of Purple Contracts said, “Leasing a vehicle makes perfect sense during the current economic conditions. Leasing provides you with fixed monthly costs and protection from falling vehicle values. Be careful, when comparing lease quotes. Make sure you are comparing like-for-like, as many leasing companies will not advertise the fact that they charge a hefty Documentation Fee, or an Administration Fee.

Lease your next car and you will never buy another car again!

...................................................................................................................

VALE
Maximise your kerb appeal with an awning



More and more we are embracing the café culture with people enjoying a coffee or glass of wine as they chat, work or watch the world go by. With more and more advertisements and signs on busy streets, businesses need to stand out from the crowd.

What better way for a business to catch the eye of a customer than with a large, colourful awning. Solar of Bridgend and Barry have over thirty years experience designing and fitting awnings and blinds and can also offer custom signwriting on the awning to help further establish your business identity, and offer help and advice on your choice of colour and style to convey the ‘mood’ of your business to your customers.

Special effects are also available such as backlighting which can be very effective in catching a customer's eye at night, integrated heating and lighting systems and side screens, and all at the touch of a button.

To find out more about how you can maximise your outdoor space and gain a greater return on your investment, please call Solar Sunshades on Freephone 0800 980 4810.

...................................................................................................................

BARRY
The Business Centre networks with BNI



The Vale of Glamorgan’s BNI Victory Chapter is now holding its weekly networking breakfast in their conference room every Thursday morning from 6.30 am.

BNI is a 24 year old business and professional organisation that allows only one person from each trade or profession to join a chapter. With over 5,291 active chapters, and 111,733 members, it is the world’s most successful business referral organisation.

...................................................................................................................

BARRY
Recession fear increases use of
serviced offices



With the financial markets suffering from the fall out from the credit crunch and with growing acceptance that 2009 will be tough for all sectors, some businesses in the Vale of Glamorgan are taking precautions to ensure they can minimise exposure to risk where they can.

Taking out traditional ten, fifteen or twenty year leases does not allow you much flexibility, which is why so many companies are looking to a more flexible and risk adverse route. In addition, from April 2008 companies had the added motivation to avoid having unused office space on their books as they now have to pay full business rates on office space left empty for more than three months.

One way they can avoid this is to operate their business from The Business Centre in Barry as they can expand and contract to reflect market conditions.

One company that did just this is Purple Contracts. Owner, Glen Newman said, “We wanted to take some new staff on in January, but our office was too small to accommodate them. No problem… we simply moved to a slightly larger office in The Business Centre. Then, if our situation changes again and we need to downsize, we’ll just move to a smaller one. It means we are only ever paying for the exact size of office that we need. Brilliant!”

The Business Centre is an ideal option. Low move-in costs, short lead times and access to the latest specification IT and telecoms equipment and services, which can be rented by the week with no capital outlay.