60 seconds with......

 

Tanya Hemphill



Position: Senior Lecturer in Public Relations

Department: Business at the Warrington School of Management

Place of work before coming to the University: I was self employed for 10 years before joining the University last September. During this time I had set up and run three different businesses - a PR agency, a lifestyle magazine and an ecommerce company.

Biggest Career Achievement: Setting up my PR agency with a £3000 loan from the Prince's Trust and growing it in to an award-winning agency with clients such as John Lewis.

 

Favourite Place: Relaxing on a sandy beach.

Most memorable moment: Meeting Prince Charles after winning a 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year' award 18 months after setting up my first business.

Ultimate dream: To travel around the world with my family.

Most embarrassing moment: Forgetting to put on my car handbrake during a job interview and finding my car one inch away from hitting my (potential) boss' shiny new Ferrari. He was witness to the whole thing; and suffice to say, I didn't get the job!

Favourite song: It depends on my mood.

Favourite book: I belong to a book club, which means that I read a novel a month (on top of academic text books and journal articles for my MSc in Digital Marketing). Therefore, I've been lucky enough to read a few great new books that I wouldn't have normally chosen! My two (recent) favourite ones have been Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and Close My Eyes by Sophie McKenzie.

Favourite food: I love Italian food (which may be linked to the fact that my Grandfather was Italian!)

Describe your self in three words: Creative, inquisitive and focussed.

 

 

You can find out more about Warrington School of Management, our specialist courses and expert staff at our website , Twitter or contacting us by email.

 

 

 

Sport is not always the market for business

THE Rugby League World Cup contenders Samoa have arrived in Warrington and are using the university campus facilities in Warrington for training. Already their presence has been causing some excitement amongst students and staff and the photo opportunities and autographs are flowing.

 

The canteen takings have gone up too!

 

The events industry in the UK, which includes sports, conferences, exhibitions, trade fairs and festivals, is estimated to be worth over £35billion annually. As many as 500,000 people are employed in roles such as planning, security, logistics, catering, ticketing and car parking.

 

The Halliwell Jones Stadium was selected as a quality venue for the RLWC and it is quality venues, together with easy access which attract good events.



Warrington’s position; accessible from the motorway network and close to international airports make it ideally placed as an event-focused town. However sport and music festivals are not necessarily the market it should aim for.

 

Leading in logistics, the nuclear industry and with strengths in engineering the business of Warrington makes it ideal for strong trade shows and exhibitions.

However large capacity events venues, with heated auditoriums are required. In redeveloping areas such as the Stadium Quarter should such a venue be included?


Professor Lawrence Bellamy is Associate Dean at the Warrington School of Management, University of Chester, Warrington (Padgate) Campus. Follow @WSofManagement, @ProfLawrenceB

Warrington's New X-Factor

 Warrington’s Stadium Quarter is a priority development for the town.

A high quality mixed development of retail, offices, new homes and green spaces it is a proposal which will make the most of access opportunities to the railway station, bus interchange and by foot to the town centre.

It is an ambitious plan, but without this type of ambition Warrington will not gain the recognition it deserves as a great place to live and work.

As there are some green shoots of recovery for the economy now showing the chances of attracting investors to develop the area increases.

Since the economic downturn it has been the case that sites ripe for development, particularly those with retail and housing dimensions have been left without the financial backing to take them forward.

This is a matter of investor confidence and not necessarily an issue of affordability.

 

A bid has been submitted this week for a University Technical College (14-19 year old, specialist science, technology and engineering school) in the area, backed by more than 20 leading Warrington employers, all of them recognising the need for a future quality workforce. It would appear that the future is bright and it’s in Warrington.


Professor Lawrence Bellamy is Associate Dean at the Warrington School of Management, University of Chester, Warrington (Padgate) Campus. Follow @WSofManagement, @ProfLawrenceB