Earnings tumbled by 23% to £2.2m on a 1% fall in revenues to £56.4m in the half year to March 31.

However, group digital revenues rose 33% year-on-year and now represent 25% of group revenues while the sale of its UK rock titles in April for £10.2m strengthened its balance sheet to support continued investment in the transition to a predominantly digital business, it said.

Looking ahead Future said momentum was building for strong second-half despite the macro environment remaining challenging. New initiatives would add to revenues in the second half and beyond and its full-year results were on track to be broadly in line with expectations.

Chief executive Mark Wood said: “We experienced some difficult trading conditions in the first half, above all in the games market, which has been in a trough ahead of new console releases from Microsoft and Sony. However, the first half figures mask tremendous progress towards a predominantly digital business, reflected in a 33% growth in digital revenues.

“Our refocusing of the US business is on track to meet our commitment to return the US to EBITDAE profitability this year.

“Despite continued challenging conditions, and the impact of the Games cycle, we are seeing increased momentum on commercial revenues, contributions from new initiatives and bottom line improvements from cost efficiencies. These all point to a strong performance in the second half of the year, much as we saw in FY12, and we believe we are on track to achieve results broadly in line with our expectations.”

The club, launched next Tuesday at the nearby Royal Crescent Hotel, aims to raise £200,000 to sympathetically conserve the building’s historic paintings and prints, acquire period furnishings and dress the interior

Members can join the Club with easy-to-pay £50 monthly donations over two years. Membership benefits will include two annual champagne receptions and yearly lectures by specialist speakers and two years’ membership of Bath Preservation Trust (including free access to its four museums)

The No.1 Fan Club has already raised £32,000 through membership and the Trust now aims to bring it to a wider audience.

No.1 Fan Club is a key part of the Trust's ambitious £5m The Whole Story project, designed to give No.1 Royal Crescent a much-needed face lift, create a dedicated education centre and purchase and restore its service wing with its original Georgian kitchen. 

Once completed, the project will double the number of rooms on show to 10, provide improved access for people with disabilities and preserve the fabric and collection, amongst other benefits.  So far, the Trust has raised more than £4.5m towards its target, including funding from the Brownsword Charitable Foundation and the Heritage Lottery Fund, leaving a £500,000 to realise. 

Both roles have a strong emphasis on business development and HSBC is keen to talk to West businesses turning over £30m plus about their growth plans, particularly those with an international focus.

Veryan has been with HSBC for five years, most recently in a global relationship manager role in the Thames Valley corporate team. She grew up in Sidmouth, Devon, before leaving to attend school in Somerset and a career in London and Bristol. 

Georgina moves to HSBC from Ernst & Young, where she was an assistant director in the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) division in London and Bristol.

HSBC West and Wales head of corporate Mark Bennett, said: “Both Georgina and Veryan are fantastic additions to the team and bring strong corporate experience with them.  Veryan has managed customers with multi-national operations, while Georgina has worked on some of the region’s largest M&A deals and is well known to the Bristol professional services community.

“We are keen to talk to businesses in the region that are operating internationally or plan to because our global presence makes us an obvious banking partner.”

The re-development will transform the hotel into a leading four-star destination, and includes a sympathetic restoration and refurbishment of the original Mansion House and a total refurbishment of Bailbrook Court.

The project will be completed in July although the hotel will re-open in phases from early spring. It will then become part of the Hand Picked Hotels collection in autumn, bringing the total number to 18 hotels across the UK.

The hotel, set in 20 acres of private grounds with glorious views over Bath, was built as a private residence in the early 1790s and has had a number of uses over the years.

The Mansion House is being remodelled to create 13 prestigious feature bedrooms, many with stunning original features and will also offer a new fine dining restaurant, three large lounges and a conservatory bar.

Bailbrook Court, next to the Mansion House, will offer 81 classic and executive bedrooms, all refurbished to a high standard with meeting and event facilities, including boardrooms, training suites and syndicate rooms. The Brunel Suite is the largest function room, with a capacity of 160.

The hotel has re-opened with 27 recently refurbished bedrooms including classics and executives, with the newly refurbished Lansdown Restaurant offering a brasserie-style menu. There are also two new training suites with syndicates available for use from 8 April.

Bailbrook House general manager Jonathan Squire said: “We are open for business while the major restoration takes place in the Mansion House and look forward to welcoming guests for leisure and business stays. 

“We are attracting a lot of interest in our wedding offering. The hotel is in a stunning location overlooking Bath and also close to motorways and good transport links – so a great place to stay when visiting the city.”

Hand Picked Hotels chairman and chief executive Julia Hands, who created the business in 2001 from a collection of hotels bought with her husband, city financier Guy Hands, said:  “Bath is a beautiful city and first-class location with stunning architecture and a fascinating history, attracting visitors from all over the world.

“Bailbrook House Hotel has enormous potential and we will be using our extensive experience of working with listed properties to deliver a sensitive refurbishment that will enhance its heritage. Once this has taken place, Bailbrook House Hotel will become part of the Hand Picked Hotels portfolio.”

As part of the changes Thomas will lead the transformation of the firm’s personal injury (PI) practice into a separate business. The executive chairman role will give him responsibility for overseeing the management board.

He told The Lawyer website: “One of the things I’ll be doing is taking the PI business and leading that, still as part of Thrings, but as a separate legal entity, which should be in effect in the next 12 months.”

Thrings’ PI business employs 20 lawyers and accounts for between 10% and 15% of the firm’s £21m turnover.

Thomas, who has been managing partner for 10 years, said: “That is a long time in any job these days and to be working at something you enjoy for that length of time is a real bonus. There have been challenges and Thrings is a different firm from the one that I took on as managing partner – its growth, success and reputation being a testament to the hard work put in by all our staff, past and present.

“As head of a successful business, you know when the time is right for a change in leadership and that time is now. In my new role as executive chairman I will be able to support Thrings as it continues to change and grow under Simon’s watch.”

Simon, who has been with Thrings for 15 years and has been shadowing Thomas for the past 12 months in preparation for the handover, said: “I am extremely proud to take on this new role, especially at a time when the legal market is undergoing such exciting and challenging changes.

“Through Thomas’s leadership and hard work we have become a strong, commercial-focused, regional law firm with a national reputation and are well placed to take advantage of the accelerated pace of change in our clients’ expectations.

“My aim is to continue to build on the strong foundations that Thomas has put in place.”

Thrings also has offices in Swindon, Bristol, Marlborough, Reading and London.

Members of the Roman Baths team were officially presented with the silver award in the large visitor attractions category at the glittering awards ceremony held in Manchester on Monday.

The Roman Baths – managed by Bath & North East Somerset Council – were the only attraction in the South West to make it into the national final of the awards for large visitor attraction category.

It competed against the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in Hampshire (gold), The Cutty Sark (bronze) and Blenheim Palace (highly commended).

VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford said: “I would like to congratulate all those finalists in this year’s VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. We received 320 applications and the quality of submissions was higher than ever. It is therefore no small achievement for the Roman Baths to be a finalist and it can justifiably take credit and pride in earning a coveted place in the top four in its category in England.”

Council cabinet member for sustainable development Cllr Ben Stevens said: “We’re delighted that the Roman Baths have been recognised with a Silver Award at the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2013.

“This achievement builds on the Roman Baths winning gold in the South West Tourism Excellence Awards earlier this year and reflects the success of the team’s incredibly hard work. It shows the council’s continuing commitment to making this nationally important visitor attraction accessible and exciting for everyone to enjoy. I congratulate our Roman Baths team for all their dedication and devotion in going the extra mile to ensure visitors have a really enjoyable time.”

The Roman Baths made it into the national finals by achieving the highest scores in the South West awards for its “commitment to excellence in customer experience”, “sustainability” and “commitment to excellence in improvements”. The official report – based on the recommendations of the category judges and mystery shoppers – highlighted a number of positive aspects of the Roman Baths visitor experience, including: 

• It is an iconic building in a memorable setting.
• Following several years of major investment, the museum and baths are very well presented and interpreted. Audio guides with a range of commentaries for different age groups, interests and languages are easy to use and informative.
• Video presentations bring the various areas to life as they would have been in Roman times, with great effect.
• There are regular free guided tours with knowledgeable staff; and costumed characters entertain around the main bath.
• The new Roman Baths Kitchen café, opened in May 2012, offers a good range of food throughout the day, with good service, quality furniture and a changing menu.

The Roman Baths were among 19 finalists from the South West in the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence out of a total of 73 – meaning the region boasted more than a quarter of all contenders.

Other South West finalists included Fern Cottage Bed and Breakfast in Pucklechurch – a nominee from Bristol Hospitality Awards – which was highly commended in the highly commended in the bed & breakfast/guest accommodation of the year category, and At-Bristol, the science centre, which was highly commended in the sustainable tourism category.

For more information about Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Roman Baths visit www.romanbaths.co.uk or call 01225 477774.

Pictured, from left: Cllr Cherry Beath, cabinet member for sustainable development 2012-13; Katie Smith, visitor services manager; Stephen Clews, Roman Baths manager; Lady Cobham, presenting the silver award; and Stephen Bird, Bath & North East Somerset Council head of heritage services.

As provider organisations to the Health Service, foundation trusts such as Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust and Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, care for hundreds of thousands of patients each year in the South West. 

However, their broader impact on the economy has gone unnoticed. The new report sets out the economic and social value generated by the 17 foundations across the South West for the first time and reveals they contribute £2.7bn each year by supporting local businesses and providing employment for thousands of people. 

These figures include food and other goods bought from local suppliers, their world-class research, and construction work on new buildings and other projects.

FTN chief executive Chris Hopson said: “In the current economic climate, it has never been more important to capture and share the full value of the foundation trust model in local communities, including the economic investment made in local areas, the employment generated and the wider social benefits created by their services. 

“The research demonstrates that every trust in the NHS plays a vital social function by helping people improve their health and wellbeing, and by treating illness and injury safely and effectively.  I am delighted that this report celebrates and shares the added value trusts can play in every region by acting as responsible employers, reducing the environmental impact of the organisation and by delivering a range of long-term social benefits.”

Barclays Healthcare South West director Tony Kear added: “Foundation trusts are at the heart of their communities and this research, for the first time, values this contribution at £30b annually to the UK economy. Showcasing the foundation trust as a vital component of local lives, from the number of people they employ, to local community initiatives. 

“Any changes to the healthcare system must therefore acknowledge not only the clinical impact, but also the wider implications such changes could have. What is very clear is that the foundation trust model is about more than delivering care, it is also about the broader responsibility it has to its local community.”

CASE STUDY: The Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides acute hospital services at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and community health and maternity services across Wiltshire and parts of Bath and North East Somerset.

Staff are encouraged to attend regular staff briefings which are an opportunity to hear about the latest hot topics in healthcare, such as the recently published Francis Report. The briefings allow staff to discuss what the hot topics mean for the local healthcare community, share ideas and ask questions directly to the chief executive of the trust.

The trust recently hosted its own ‘Dragons’ Den’ where staff were able to pitch their ideas to improve patient experience. The event was a celebration of innovation across the trust and highlighted that the strongest ideas for improving patient care come from frontline staff.

Staff health and well-being is an absolute priority in the trust and employees are offered regular health checks and flexible working to support work-life balance.  There are also numerous personal development opportunities, including a range of training courses and a mentoring scheme.

Speaking at the annual Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) West of England dinner, he said whenever he spoke at schools and colleges the students were more interested in the tasks than the contests.

Swindon-born Nick, who also hosts Countdown, shared anecdotes about TV filming at the dinner, staged at Bristol’s Thistle Grand Hotel.

Nick has more than 40 years’ business experience – prior to his TV success he set up, ran and subsequently sold a PR firm in London whose clients included international business brands such as Securicor and, crucially for his future career, Sir Alan’s Amstrad.

Sponsored by West law firm Thrings, which has an office in Bristol, and Lloyds Bank, the ICAEW annual dinner is traditionally one of the high points of the region’s business calendar.

The ICAEW promotes, develops and supports nearly 13,000 chartered accountants working at the heart of West business in the professional services, manufacturing and industry.

INTERIMS
ITE Group

FINALS
Cranswick, E2V Technologies, Mitie Group

AGMS
Auhua Clean Energy, British Smaller Companies VCT 2, LMS Capital, Shanta Gold Ltd., TMT Investments

Q1
OAO Severstal GDR (Reg S)

Tuesday May 21

INTERIMS
Greencore Group, Paragon Group Of Companies, Renew Holdings, Zytronic

FINALS
Big Yellow Group, Bloomsbury Publishing, Burberry Group, Chamberlin, China Food Co, Intermediate Capital Group, JZ Capital Partners Ltd, Marks & Spencer Group, Telecom Plus, Vectura Group, Vertu Motors, Vodafone Group

AGMS
Alent, Cathay International Holdings Ltd., Chariot Oil & Gas Ltd., Concha, Escher Group Holdings, Glanbia, Hydrogen Group, Impax Environmental Markets, Instem, Invesco Perpetual UK Small Companies Inv Trust, JSC KazMunaiGaz Exploration Production GDR (Reg S), Kakuzi Ltd., Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust, Regus, Royal Dutch Shell 'A', St James's Place

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index  (09:30)
Producer Price Index  (09:30)

Q1
AFI Development, X5 Retail Group NV GDR (Reg S)

Wednesday May 22

INTERIMS
Innovation Group

FINALS
Cable & Wireless Communications, FirstGroup, Great Portland Estates, HICL Infrastructure Company Ltd, Hogg Robinson Group, Shaftesbury, UK Mail Group

AGMS
Advanced Medical Solutions Group, Aminex, Anglo Pacific Group, Bridge Energy Asa, Central Asia Metals, Churchill China, CSR, Henderson Global Trust, Legal & General Group, London Mining, Mecom Group, Mercantile Investment Trust (The), Michelmersh Brick Holdings, North American Income Trust (The), office2office, Optimal Pay, Panmure Gordon & Co, Pendragon, Roxi Petroleum, Serviced Office Group, Total Produce, Vernalis, W H Ireland Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BoE Interest Rate Minutes (09:30)
CBI Industrial Trends Surveys (11:00)
Internet Retail Sales (09:30)
Public Sector Finances (09:30)
Retail Sales (09:30)

Thursday May 23

INTERIMS
Mitchells & Butlers

FINALS
Aveva Group, Dairy Crest Group, Halfords Group, Helical Bar, Investec, Max Property Group, Mothercare, PayPoint, Pennon Group, QinetiQ Group, Quintain Estates & Development, SABMiller, United Utilities Group

AGMS
Afriag, Air China Ltd., Bank of Georgia Holdings, BG Group, Centamin (DI), Dunedin Income Growth Inv Trust, Empresaria Group, F&C Commercial Property Trust Ltd., Guinness Peat Group, Henry Boot, Hydro International, Immupharma, IS Solutions, Keller Group, Leni Gas & Oil, Lombard Medical Technologies, PV Crystalox Solar, Salamander Energy, SIG, Stilo International, Travis Perkins, UBM

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Index of Services (09:30)

Q1
Bridge Energy Asa, Wentworth Resources Ltd (CDI)

Friday May 24

FINALS
Global Market Group Ltd (DI)

ANNUAL REPORT
Vindon Healthcare
AGMS
Beacon Hill Resources, Essenden, HSBC Holdings, Kcell Joint Stock Co GDR (Reg S), Kings Arms Yard VCT, Longships, OJSC Pharmstandard GDR (Reg S), Robert Walters, S & U, Vphase

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BBA Mortgage Lending Figures (09:30)

The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) will distribute the money which comes from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund.

Businesses can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £1m to help in four areas – research and development, training, capital investment and recruitment of disabled or disadvantaged workers. It can also be used to support young, innovative firms and small businesses newly created by female entrepreneurs.

LEP chair Colin Skellett said the new fund marked an important landmark in giving removing the barriers to local businesses in accessing financial investment and support.

“One of our original aims was to encourage economic growth by removing obstacles. Often it is a problem accessing finance which stops businesses developing and creating new jobs. This Growth Fund will go some way to helping deal with that issue and I hope many businesses come forward to make use of it,” he said.

North Somerset Council deputy chairman and leader Nigel Ashton also urged businesses to make the most of the opportunity.

“We want to see job growth not only in a wide variety of sectors but also right across the West of England,” he said. “I have high hopes that there will be a big take up and also that existence of the grant leads to further investment which will have a real impact on economic development.”

Businesses have until the end of July to submit their formal applications but they can simply express an interest during May to learn more about the fund before deciding whether to apply.

Full details of the Fund, including how to apply can be found at www.goingforgrowth.biz