A summer of wildfires and drought

22:23It goes to SMEs running independent shops. Our high streets are getting more and more generic as it's only the larger businesses and then you've got the vape shops and all of that issue. and the SME, the independent retailer, is being squeezed out in the middle.

22:42Will Bain:And has that impact, you know, I'm sure around you guys, certainly around me, you can see they're so obvious, aren't they, these pubs that have been turned into flats? They still look like pubs most of the time, don't they? Has that happened, Claire, as well with retail then? Because, you know, the rents have been ratcheted up. Perhaps you have three or four retail businesses go through a place and then they go, you know what, we can turn it into flats and make a load more money off this. Is the same thing happening for retailers? I'm not sure. I couldn't necessarily answer that question other than what I do see is more and more shops around us in our various locations are closing down and they're empty units.

23:25What I do see where we are in Swanage is sort of upstairs of shops premises being there is more housing being turned, you know, there is more residential in the centre. And sometimes you argue, well, that's good, that's keeping people in the centre. So it's a swings and roundabouts argument, isn't it? So you don't lose people living, but it's just the cost of running the business around them.

23:49Will Bain:Yeah, Zoe, exactly that, getting that balance right. I mean, how does it work around you, for example, getting that balance right? There's been a big push, hasn't there, to get more of us living in city centres because that's been seen as a way to rejuvenate high streets. And yet, if you turn lots of commercial premises, whether they be pubs or anything else, into those flats, obviously can be pretty detrimental too. Yeah, because I think if you've got people that are living in city centres and they've turned to, say, shops into residential areas, then there's less pool for people to live in the city centre because there's less things to do.

24:23But it's interesting what Claire's saying because I think I've been a guest in the show for years. And the one thing that's consistent is that small business owners are feeling the pinch right now. And it's the same kind of things. And I think something has to fundamentally be done to try and protect them because they're the lifeblood of the UK economy.

24:40Will Bain:Well, you're able to be perhaps one step back, given it's not your day-to-day business. So what are some of those things then, do you think? I think increased taxes. I think it's, as you say, squeezing margins. I think they've had again just a very volatile markets in certain situations depending on where they're operating but I think from the UK the UK economy thrives when small and medium businesses thrive so my hope is obviously the Chancellor does look at that and when they're trying to plan ahead and make sure that they are looking at these factors and the impact of increased taxes or increased anything that's going to impact these businesses because you want the high street to be thriving.

25:21You want small, medium companies to thrive as well because it's fundamental to a growing economy.

25:26Will Bain:The potential, though, for the government to do that from, again, your perspective, looking at the finance. We were talking to Justin Onyekusi about this on Friday. He was playing your role on Friday on the programme about the fiscal rules and all of those kind of elements as well. I mean, how would the market take it, I suppose, if the government started trying to reduce tax intake? Yeah, I mean, I think you're right. I think it's the magic that you would like in terms of the perfect scenario. But the reality is, as you say, it's difficult because if you start having tax cuts, then you're going to the market.

26:03And at the moment, with interest rates being higher and the cost of servicing the debt high, it gives the Chancellor and has given successive chancellors the headache of balancing the book. So it's something that you may wish to have, but the reality of it is it's much harder. But you hope that the Chancellor is able to do something because certainly if you have thriving businesses, then that leads to increased tax revenue just because of the fact that they are generating more revenue, etc. So there's always a knock-on effect on these things. But growth and a growing economy also leads to better tax receipts too.

26:39So it's maybe looking between the short term and the longer term.

26:42Will Bain:Yeah, and being brave perhaps actually at some point in some of that decision making. Text come in here on 85058. Do just stick, even if it's just your first name and whereabouts in the country you are for us on. It just gives people a bit of sense of where you're coming from. But this text says the pub protection sounds good on the surface, but actually it decreases our ability to increase housing for those that need it. Secondly, I've been hearing for at least a decade that two or more pubs close every day. And all I'm saying is we still have plenty of pubs in every town, every city, most villages.

27:10Will Bain:so maybe the market is saturated and we shouldn't open a new pub same as a new business wouldn't be opened if the market was too saturated already 85058 is the text number if you have thoughts on anything here throughout the program 08085 909693 the whatsapp if you'd prefer to get in touch with us that way plenty more from claire and from zoe in the second half of the program we'll return to a bit more of the impact of the heat wave on claire's business and others in that second half and we've also got the boss of the Trent Rockets on as the 100 comes to an end again this August. So how did it go, the first one, with this massive amount of external private investment in the 101st season that it's had all of that?

27:52Will Bain:We shall talk to the boss of, well, the champions of the women's tournament, the nearly champions of the men's tournament in the second half of Wake Up To Money. Pop quiz. What's in your kid's lunchbox? At Whole Foods Market, they've already done the studying. Over 300 food ingredients are banned from their shelves. No hydronated fats in the peanut butter and no high fructose corn syrup in the cookies. And for sandwiches, there are no synthetic nitrates or nitrites in any of their deli meat. So you can pack lunch boxes with peace of mind. Get back to school ready at Whole Foods Market. Wake Up to Money with Will Bain.

28:33Morning.

28:34Will Bain:Welcome back to Wake Up to Money on Monday, the 17th of August, where our panel this morning are Claire Burnett, co-founder of Chococo, Zoe Gillespie, wealth manager at RBC Bruin Dolphin. Do keep your texts coming in on 85058. We're going to explore, I guess, some of the impact the heat wave has been having on various businesses around the country. First of all, I guess, things on land, we've heard and seen a lot about, haven't we, some of the impact of those wildfires across the country. But we're also seeing a marine heatwave at the moment, a sector particularly under pressure, of course, the fishing industry as a result.

29:13Will Bain:And Paul Trevoluck is the managing director at W. Stevenson & Sons who runs Newland Fish Market, one of the biggest fish markets in England. And joined us, I think, live from the market this morning, Paul. Is that right? Morning, yeah, not far away. Yeah, we're just getting set up to start the auction at 6am we start. Wow, so you're a man who's up and about already. What does that involve, prepping for that? Well, the fish actually was most landed yesterday evening through the night, graded by size and species and laid out on ice for an online auction this morning. So what's been the impact of this heatwave on your business?

29:50I guess really it's been the change in species and volumes of those species we're seeing on the market. I guess the biggest example for a bit of context, octopus. This year so far we've seen 1 ,200 tonnes roughly cross the market floor. This time last year it was less than 100 tonnes, so a real shift in that. And alongside of that we've seen a lot less of the more traditional haddock and cod and those sorts of things. So, yeah, definitely seeing those changes.

30:21Will Bain:So what does that – practically does that have an impact on the business? um for for the market um there is a there is one an upside and a downside if you like um in terms of upside yeah that that's been for a value of um close to seven million pounds first sale value which is good for the auction but what what we've also seen alongside that is other fisheries other parts of the fishery in southwest shellfish in particular crabs and lobsters we're seeing less off so um what we're what we're seeing from um from fishermen and fishing businesses is that they're having to adapt in a very short space of time in order to make their businesses viable change how it can be changing type of gear um changing to the type of species so the the octopus are mainly caught in um in pots and traps um so people have to invest in that um looking at different fishing grounds to make sure we're catching those so um that those adaptations are having to take place you know traditionally fishermen have been um very good at adapting to environmental conditions but this is in a very um concentrated short time period so it's put a bit of pressure on guys i was gonna say interesting so it's had an added cost kind of already this summer rather than even into the future if you know what i mean oh sure yeah i mean there is definitely a bit of cost in terms of gear and vessel adaptations but um that that you know is offset slightly in the value in these species and as i say we are seeing a more uh general shift to what we would consider warmer water species octopus being the most obvious but we've got a new bluefin tuna fish we just started um in recent years and we're just coming into that season now So we're seeing eight to ten fish a day on the market.

32:09We're seeing a lot of species like red mullet and breens and sardines, which traditionally we've associated with perhaps our Spanish and French colleagues. But we're seeing more of those on this market and we have done for generations.

32:23Will Bain:Really interesting. I mean, does that for something like, I mean, octopus, I don't know what the guys think on the panel as well, but octopus, slightly acquired taste, I guess, compared to something like Haddock. So when you're having that swap across, is there a bit of kind of, I don't know, PR that's having to go on behind it as well? I think you're right. I think it's a different market and a different planet perhaps. At the moment, it is primarily going to export. So it's going to marketplaces, so Spain, Italy, France, places where they used to eat. But if this is a sign of things to come, And, you know, perhaps the UK consumer needs to pull us out too soon and get those octopus in there.

33:09Will Bain:What do you think, guys? What do you think, Zoe? Broaden that palette? A few more octopuses, a few less haddock and chips? Yeah, it wouldn't be my first choice in the menu. Claire? Well, yes, we're very, obviously we live in Swanage, so we're very aware from our local fishmongers and our local fishermen of the change and the speed of the change. and you know crab are the octopus eating the crab is that right because crab suddenly is way more expensive um so we're very conscious that pulpo is on its way absolutely they do seem to and this is new fishery for us as well but shellfish is the is the meal of choice for the octopus so crabs lobsters scallops those sorts of things um and where we see that the the high abundances of octopus we do see less shellfish that's for sure right which is where that is a real shame because i think we we you know we have a palette for that so it will be an education exercise to move folk across to the octopus to claire's point paul is it so what they're what are they doing to their habitat is it their habitat they're doing are they actually physically eating the shellfish what is it what is it they're doing i think we're we're seeing them eating eating the shellfish um they're seen in the same place so when we when we're when we're i'm seeing them coming up in crab and lobster pots we can see they're actually physically eating some of the shellfish that are there so we're um we're working on that assumption and that's what's attracting them the change in temperature and the abundance of of shellfish for them for them to eat so i think i think to claire's question then as well i guess long term that could be a bit of a problem couldn't it oh i think it's it's a it's definitely a change uh that's for sure and will be a challenge I think whether or not it stays long term, whether or not it's a short term thing and the impact on stocks like crab and lobsters around our coast, we're probably not 100 percent sure of yet.

35:03The thing we do know we are actually seeing is that the big increase in octopus and shellfish going down in the catch numbers at the same time. So there's definitely an impact there. and so that you know that that will be a challenge for for us or for fishermen catching it for us selling it and perhaps for the consumer trying to get hold of traditional favorites like the haddock maybe like some of the shellfish but um but hopefully um the adaptation isn't just for those who catch it it's with those who eat it and want it and that probably does require a little bit of education, awareness, PR, and hopefully people trying things because my experience sometimes is that people try these things when they're on holiday in Spain, in France, and then come home and revert back and maybe we can keep the holiday vibe, the holiday dream alive for a while.

36:00Will Bain:Well, that sounds like the first good bit of the PR move there, Paul. I think you're going to be signed up for a bit of that as well. Thank you so much for speaking to us this morning. Really appreciate it. And good luck this morning as well. Sounds like you're going to be a busy man in the next 20 minutes or so as well. So thanks so much for speaking to us. Paul Treblecock there, Managing Director at W. Stevenson and Sons Runs New Lynn Fish Market, where he was speaking to us from. I mean, there you go, Zoe. Changes already, you know, saying to people, you're going to have to get used to this, you know, from this summer, from next summer, actually, from some of the impacts of what are clearly, what almost all scientists seem to say, are climate-driven impacts?

36:43Yeah, I think these are things you don't think of. And I think it's really interesting that if we're going to have to change things like our food habits and things, I think these are things that we just never even considered, but it's a reality. So yeah, I think it's going to be interesting. I think as well for people that I was quite surprised about even eating bobsters and things, They're obviously better fed than some of us, but yeah, I mean, it's, yeah, but I think longer term, it's how we adapt. And look, everything, I mean, Claire's business as well, it just shows you that the heatwave can have impacts people just don't realise.

37:18Will Bain:We will move from the marine heatwave to heatwave on the land. We were talking about this on Friday and Thursday, weren't we, as well, on the programme. Residents evacuated during the Stourbridge fires in the West Midlands, beginning to return home after wildfires ripped through their homes and businesses. 19 properties across five streets were completely destroyed, another 18 severely damaged. Major wildfires still affecting parts of the UK with the fire service under what they're calling incredible pressure, so says the National Fire Chiefs Council. Daniel Pardo is from Ivory Park Farm in Stourbridge, one of those businesses and farms affected by the fires.

37:55Will Bain:Morning, Daniel. How are you? I'm not too bad. How are you? Yeah, not too bad, thanks. How are things looking this Monday morning then? It's pretty calm here now, to be honest, after last week's excitement. It sounded pretty extraordinary. I know my mum and dad still in Worcester were driving back down, actually from the Athletics up at Perry Bar, driving back to Worcester the other day and said he was lighting up the M5. It sounded like it was pretty spectacular. It was quite impressive, close up anyway. And the scale of the damage then, have you managed through the weekend to work out what that is?

38:37Well, our premises, we were very fortunate because of the wind direction and it didn't affect ours, but the neighbours where it happened. And there's over 200 acres of farmland burnt alone, let alone the property damage and the damage to the sports facilities and stuff like that. And, yeah.

38:58Will Bain:Yeah, and it comes, you know, we've had a few different farmers in different kind of sectors. On the programme in the last few weeks as well, Daniel, talking about already, you know, what just purely the dry weather, what the drought was having on you guys at the moment. What is it that you guys farm? We're an herbal unit. So we're barley, oats, tacos and maize, major crops, plus grass for forage for hay, for horses. And how much pressure has the hot weather pre these wildfires been having on you? Well, our yields are going to be what we have harvested already, which we shouldn't have done already.

39:43They are down again after last year's heat wave. And, yeah, we're down probably 40 % across the board again this year on yields.

39:55Will Bain:And what does that mean financially to you? Well, any chance of the profits disappear because the costs are up. We've had to put in extra effort and use extra products to maintain the crops and try and keep them going and alive in the hope that rain would turn up. so we've got increased costs this is on top of the fuel costs that have gone up we faced almost a doubling of fuel in the spring planting season with the problems in the east Middle East it's a very stressful and tight time really in the back end of last week we saw the Financial Times among others reporting that there might be plans afoot to provide some kind of financial support from the government How necessary is that?

40:44Well, I think that probably will be necessary. I mean, there's a lot of it from our books alone and what we do. It's starting to weigh on the pounds and shillings and pence. But we're quite fortunate on where we are. We're urban fringe, so we have a lot of opportunity for diversification. and bring money in through other operations. Like we operate a livery yard for, we've got over 50 horses here, which is a good thing. We want a dog walking park and arena hire. These are all things that are bringing in extra money outside of the core business settings, must we say.

41:33Will Bain:Yeah, well, good luck with it all. Thanks so much for speaking to us this morning. Yeah, thank you very much. Daniel Pardo there from Ivory Park Farm in Stavbridge just one of a number of businesses and farms in that part of the West Midlands that have been affected and of course those warnings still in place disposable barbecues taken off sale certainly don't seem to be out of the woods in terms of that Claire talk to us about some of the what it doesn't sound like mitigations yet because it sounds like you're still trying to sort of find your way through to how it works now but I mean what are you trying what are you what are you looking at?

42:06Well, I suppose for us as a business, if we kind of scenario plan for these, this kind of conditions being normal for future summers, we have to sort of look at our online business. How can we do insulation that doesn't involve ice that will then melt in transit, different delivery methods. But also really for us, it then becomes, well, actually, your chocolate business is much more seasonal. It's autumn through to spring. And then through the summer, it's very much our chocolate houses. It's all about the cafe experience and it's the gelato and the air conditioning, providing almost a service for people that work at home for whom their homes are too hot.

42:50We noticed that our store, especially in London, we opened a store in West Dulwich and it was busy for times when it was super hot because folk were coming in to work in our chocolate house, which was great. We could provide a service. But obviously at the same time, we hope that they will then buy an iced coffee or a milkshake or eat a gelato rather than just sitting and taking up seats. But it is a challenge because air conditioning, you know, in some – because there are kind of chocolate companies that operate in tropical countries. But the whole economy and the setup and housing and cars and everything is set up to be air conditioned.

43:36So it's sort of mitigated, whereas here in the UK, we're not really geared up for this kind of weather, are we? So a lot of shops and homes and everything aren't air-conditioned, so people are really struggling with the heat. And therefore, they are making decisions about what they're buying and what they're eating and where they're shopping and things, because who wants to sit in hot cars and then hot shopping centres or hot high streets if everywhere is boiling hot?

44:03Will Bain:Well, I was going to ask you exactly that. So it's not actually just the extra cost. It's actually that we just don't have – is infrastructure even the white word? I guess it is. Yeah, we're not used to a sort of Mediterranean climate, are we? So you could see longer term that we may be in a situation where we start to operate more Mediterranean, back to the reference to holidays and bringing your octopus that you're eating in Spain. You know, will shops then open in the evenings? Will we sort of have to think about how we adapt our opening times to cope with the heat? And so we've seen this in some of the financial results that you were talking about right at the start of the programme.

44:42Will Bain:certainly from the big retailers and the big hospitality businesses, I guess they're kind of almost the double-edged sword of this in that, yeah, it's great weather, occasionally makes people want to come out, buy, you know, clothes ready for their holiday, summer clothes, that kind of stuff, fans, all those kind of things. But actually it gets to a point where we've seen in some of the retailers' financial results it's been too hot and people just simply haven't bothered going out to the shops. Yeah, I think it has had an impact on that because, as you say, shopping habits change. and if it is too hot, people don't want to go to the shops.

45:13So Claire's right, we might need to look at, our retailers might need to look at later night openings or things just to adapt it. But yeah, I think with good weather, people like to enjoy outside. So going shopping is something that I think we use as a pastime and the weather's maybe not so good going shopping centres. So I think these things, just changing habits and how people adapt as well.

45:35Will Bain:Yeah, in the last few minutes, if you're changing your habits at all this year and what you see kind of going forward, 85058 is the text number if you want to get in touch with us for the last six or seven minutes here of the programme. Now, Cricket's 100 competition ended yesterday at Lourdes and the Trent Rockets were crowned women's champions and they nearly, nearly, didn't they? And those last few balls pipped the Manchester Supergiants to the men's competition and completed the double. Didn't quite manage to do so. Been a change this season, hasn't it? If you've been watching it a lot on the BBC or listening, perhaps to Henry Moran and the team on Five Live, you'll know lots of new names in there, lots of new kits, also lots more big-name players as a result of that massive investment that we talked about on the programme last year in terms of private investment coming into the competition, primarily from the Indian Premier League, but also from private equity groups from the United States and others as well.

46:28Will Bain:Well, Michael Temple is with us. Michael is the interim chief exec at Notts County Cricket Club. Of course, the majority owner is still of the Trent Rockets. Morning, Michael. How are you? Morning Will, nice to talk to you. It was tight there right at the end, wasn't it? Did you think they were going to do it, the men? Yeah, the men gave us hope. I mean, our women's team were dominant throughout their match yesterday and we did hope for that double Manchester Super Giants. Strong opposition. We had a sniff at the end, but they held out, so the double just wasn't to be. Yeah, how did you feel when it was the Phoebe Litchfield wicket, wasn't it, early on?

47:00Will Bain:Was that it you thought? All right, one's in the bag then here. I thought that we'd happily chase any target. our top five batters in the women's team have been extremely strong and with Matt Sibberbrunt, Beth Mooney and talent of that quality at our disposal I felt that we'd always be strong but the concentration of talent particularly amongst the women's teams is truly excellent and there are no easy games in this tournament. So that's been one of the big booms hasn't it the women's game in the six-year history of the 100 getting the crowds in the doubleheaders back-to-back women and men's games, crowds that we've never seen for women's cricket before.

47:39Will Bain:So that's been one of the big kind of pros in the hundreds box, hasn't it? What has changed this year? Has much changed for you, I guess, as someone really involved in it from having all this outside investment? I think the tournament continues to evolve and to change immeasurably. But our tact at Trent Bridge was to maintain a majority share and to find investors that would work with us that allow us to secure a coaching team and a management team with a Nottinghamshire flavour and to marry the best of that experience in the county game with the innovation and the ideas that come from private equity.

48:18So we had to form that marriage pretty quickly. And I think this year is always going to be a case of who settled first. We were able to do that with continuity with McNeill as our director of cricket, with an extremely experienced chief executive in Lisa Pursehouse and an investor group that are particularly passionate about cricket. So settled well out of the blocks quickly and to have both teams at finals yesterday was a very, very proud moment for us.

48:43Will Bain:Practically, what did it change? Did it change anything? Did you guys at Notts, for example, lose any control over, I don't know, how you market the games or plans? What changed practically, I suppose, if you know what I mean, from having those clearly you know when someone buys a 49 stake in something they want to have a bit of a say right and these are serious people your investors American investors right yeah well American and English investors are an Australian flavor in there as well in Kane and Aries but extremely experienced in their investments in sport they have stakes in a lot of major clubs around the world in including Chelsea FC here in the English Premier League but extremely passionate.

49:27They were in the hotel last night celebrating the women's win and there's certainly a huge interest in the playing side and the operational side as well as the commercial side that they've bought into.

49:38Will Bain:Crowds, been a bit of a talking point hasn't it? Seemed to be, just to my eye, just sort of looking on the TV down a bit this year. What did you put that down to? Yeah there's a lot of choice for those families in particular that want to come and watch the 100. Crowds have been extremely strong at Trump Bridge. And I do feel there's been a bit of a change in the flow this year and the manner in which we've had to integrate these new ownership stakes across the game. But I strongly believe that all eight teams will experience growth next season. There have been some new brands into the competition.

50:16There's been a lot of brain power across both the Indian Premier League ownership and the investor group that we have. Has that complicated things,

50:24Will Bain:though, do you think? You know, you lost to a team called the Manchester Supergiant who a year ago were called the Manchester Originals who five years ago didn't exist and were Lancashire. Has that been, you know, in something that's still quite a young competition? Has it confused people, do you think? Well, we're at the dawn of a period of change and there are new brands in this tournament, but I can only speak for Trent Rockets where our belief and passion for that brand and the continuity of the team and the talent and the support base that we have at Trent Bridge is there for all to see but there's an acquisition tool here a lot of people are watching professional cricket for the very first time and attending this competition it's designed for that next generation of cricket fans and they continue to play through the gates yeah and to that point what what's the kind of successes beyond obviously in and of itself we want the tournament to be good you want tv audiences to be high radio audience behind lots of people coming to Trent Bridge etc but is there a flow through as well are you seeing and are you hoping is there an aim to get some of those people to come and watch you know come and watch knots in the county championship or whatever go to trent bridge to watch a test match or one day international yeah that's happening already and i think the fact that our members here at knots who are um occasionally arch traditionalists watching championship cricket occasionally brand new fans attending for the very very first time have that choice and behind the 100 is a 50 over competition that's been extremely well watched and delivered at Outgrounds and we were very lucky at Nottinghamshire to miss out on the final in our game yesterday but cricket continues to adapt and evolve and there truly is a format for everyone if 100 is the format that can introduce lifelong cricket fans who are going to go on and watch test cricket and championship cricket that has to be a good thing.

52:04Will Bain:And very briefly how was the party in the hotel last night? Well yeah look there's an empty champagne glass in front of me here but I think after a period of time that's that intense you have to have your hair down and that well well done you getting up at 10 to 6 as well really appreciate it michael temple the interim chief executive at nottinghamshire county cricket club there wake up to money with will bain bbc radio 5 live patrick kilty stumbling your way into saturday mornings with great guests good morning jimmy nesbitt good morning a party You're terrible. Kids taking down commentators.

52:43You've wiped the floor with our commentator key. And how does it feel? It feels nice. Football chants from the gods. Take me home. I did wrong. And the less said about the host, the better. Patrick Kielsey. Saturdays from 9. Listen on BBC Sounds.

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