< Previous50 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY CHRISTMAS Discover Bransby Come and visit our rescued horses, ponies, donkeys and mules! Enjoy a great day out for all the family at our award winning 9LVLWRU&HQWUH&DI« *Lɓ6KRS For more information on opening times, call, ̰QGXV online or follow us on social media. Charity No: 1075601 Find us at LN1 2PH 01427 788 464 BransbyHorses.co.uk DOGS welcome FREE entry Family Activities NOVEMBER Join Pudding on her travels around the ZRUOGWRVHHVRPHRIWKHWHDPVSOD\LQJLQWKLV\HDUȃV:RUOG&XS DECEMBER -RLQXVIRUDWUDGLWLRQDO&KULVWPDVDQGH[SORUHWKHPDJLFDQG ZRQGHURISDQWRPLPH(QMR\DIHVWLYHKRWFKRFRODWHDQGDVZHHWYLVLWWR 6DQWDȃV*URWWR ERRNLQJUHTXLUHGNHHSDQH\HRQRXUVRFLDOPHGLDFKDQQHOV All activities are £3.50 per child and includes trail sheet and prize. 1RERRNLQJUHTXLUHGXQOHVVVWDWHGVLPSO\DVNLQWKH*Lɓ6KRS and as the list of people who we haven’t gotten presents for shrinks, and then there is a huge sigh of relief when the last gift is purchased and there is nothing left to do. Finally, our work is done. It is something to be likened to that old adage of living easier once your affairs are in order, as if we’ve just arranged our wills, planned our funerals and can now finally enjoy our golden years, except that it’s Christmas and we’re supposed to be having fun. And really, we do have fun at Christmas, it has to be said. It’s the “getting there” part that is so stressful, in the same way that preparing a big meal for the family is a logistical nightmare designed to have loving couples trying to murder one another with cutlery but is then a happy feast filled with laughter 48-53.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2022 15:13 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 51 CHRISTMAS With larger indoor and outdoor shopping areas, visit us to find your trees, stands, lights, decorations and gifts. Hot and cold food and refreshments provided by ‘This Little Piggy’. Fancy meeting Santa? Come visit him in his Grotto, find all the information you need on our website. Castle Farm, Fillingham, Gainsborough DN21 5BX (Off B1398, 8 miles north of Lincoln) Call 01427 667014 or visit www.fillingham-trees.co.uk FRESH CHRISTMAS TREES We are open for fresh cut and pot grown Christmas Trees from Friday 25th November to Sunday 18th December 2022 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Saturday & Sunday and cheer (and drinking) after. We, as a species, hate preparing things; we hate the stress and the panic of not having things in order; we hate the uncertainty of a potentially lacklustre Christmas experience, and stress out trying to make sure everything is perfect. It’s no wonder then that when you consider all this, that so many people choose to outsource their Christmas experience to others. We can hardly blame them. Tis the season to be jolly, after all, and there isn’t much jolliness in slaving away in the kitchen or playing monopoly with the grandchildren. Much easier, and more relaxing, to take the kids out somewhere and let others entertain them, and maybe have a little fun yourself. Easier to have the Christmas meal out, enjoy some fine food and not have to worry about preparing it, or cleaning it up afterwards, or having to fight tooth and nail for your turkey at the supermarket - the deli counter at Tesco might as well be a re-enactment of the Battle of the Somme in some cases. Take a load off this Christmas and outsource some of the hard work. You’ll have earned it after dragging the decorations out the attic and setting them up and fixing the lights that break every year because you didn’t roll them up properly and shoved them in the box any way they’d fit instead. You’ll probably say you’ll store them properly this year, but you won’t, and that’s fine. It’s part of the experience. While we’re speaking of experiences, why not broaden your own this November and December by exploring some of what Lincolnshire has to offer? We have a wealth of gorgeous venues and attractions in every part of the county, from nature reserves to animal attractions, to museums to theatre, to picturesque walks or luxury shopping experiences. Just because it’s November doesn’t mean it’s too early to get into the spirit of things either and getting out and about can be a valuable way of sourcing some inspiration for gift ideas for family and friends who are otherwise difficult to buy for. For those with families and children to cater for, there are a wide range of choices. It’s pantomime season soon, and even if you’re not interested in that or © stock.adobe.com/Song_about_summer 52 Á 48-53.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2022 15:13 Page 452 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY CHRISTMAS your children are older, there are many other shows more suited to older audiences, and other experiences entirely. Many towns across Lincolnshire will be putting up their Christmas lights in the latter half of November as well, transforming streets with festive cheer and (luckily or unluckily depending on taste) carollers and bands will doubtless be playing some favourite Christmas jingles. At a time when many children have spent the last few years cooped up because of the pandemic, the lockdown and everything else, now more than ever is a time to get out and enjoy the freedom and ability to experience Lincolnshire in its fullest. It’s not only more fun than staying cooped up at home, but it’ll save all the stress of keeping everyone entertained as Christmas draws near. © stock.adobe.com/Mat Hayward © stock.adobe.com/Syda Productions 48-53.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2022 15:13 Page 5LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 53 48-53.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2022 15:13 Page 654 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FAMILY BUSINESS W ith the succession of King Charles III happening next year, and the UK’s oldest and most famous “family business” inheriting a new leader, it might be time for many family businesses in the region to put their own thought as to what happens when they want to step down. In many cases that is due to retirement, be it from old age or just wanting to pass the reins on to the next generation and give them a chance to run the business. King Charles III is obviously of a very advanced age himself, and it’ll be harder for him to make his mark on the country. It’s the same for a family business owner who clings onto the company until they are forced to retire, and then hands it over to children who have limited time themselves to make changes. It can be hard to think about stepping back from a company and handing over control, especially if the company is a family one. For most MDs retirement means leaving and being replaced, not having to worry about the business again, but family businesses will typically remain in the family, meaning a retiring MD will still see and interact with the company and its new leadership and may, whether they like it or not, disagree with how the new leaders are taking it. In a normal company this disagreement means little and won’t affect much, but it can obviously lead to large rifts in family dynamics if a parent who has handed over the company to their children comes wading back in to “fix the mistakes” they Handing over the reins In the wake of the passing of the queen and the succession of a new leader to England’s oldest family business, we look at the complexities and solutions of putting a new figure at the helm. 54-59.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2022 15:15 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 55 FAMILY BUSINESS believe their children are making. It harkens back to what we have spoken on before that is how difficult it can be to distance family and business. This is a strength of the family business model when it comes to customers because they know they can trust a family business to be more personal and honest, because the family suffers the reputational loss instead of some unfeeling corporation. It’s more a challenge than a weakness in this case as well, as watching something you have poured ten, twenty or even fifty years of your life into be changed and taken in new directions by someone else can be alarming, and doubly so if the one at the helm is the son or daughter you watched bumble around trying to stick their 56 Á © stock.adobe.com/goodluz 54-59.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2022 15:15 Page 256 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FAMILY BUSINESS © stock.adobe.com/bnenin fingers in electrical sockets as a child. Trusting children with responsibility has always been a challenge for the older generation, and even more so when that responsibility might be over a company with history and legacy older than the family combined. There are employees and staff who will be relying on steady leadership, and communities who have been used to the way a family business is run for decades now. That makes it hard for MDs to back away and allow a change to happen, which can in turn lead the younger generation to become disillusioned or feel they will never have their chance at the helm. This can lead to them leaving the business and seeking work elsewhere – which isn’t always a bad thing as it can help broaden horizons and bring valuable experience and outside ideas in, but it can be problematic if they do not want to come back. Succession, then, like inheritance, must be thought and talked about long before it comes to pass. The Royal Family certainly would have, and so too should 59 Á any business. Discussing expectations with the next generation is key both to find out what they want and when, but also to grant some peace of mind to the ones who will be stepping down. This can also allow for specialised training and advice, and preferably some delegated responsibility so that they can have some time to practice with the current owner there to offer advice, or step in if needed. Running a business is hard, and 54-59.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2022 15:15 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 57 KEVIN JOHNSON “For those times when you need a helping hand on farm or on land” 4 Church Road | Wittering | Peterborough | PE8 6AG Tel: 01780 782924 | Mobile: 07860 608825 enquiries@kevinjohnsoncontracting.co.uk www.kevinjohnsoncontracting.co.uk •Fertiliser Spreading 12m to 36m •Lime Spreading •Maize Drilling •Grass Mowing with Triple Mowers Horncastle Cake Art & Hobby House Everything for the Crafter Cake Decorations, Knitting, Crochet, Felt, Ribbons & more www.horncastlecakeart.co.uk 25 North Street, Horncastle, Lincs. LN9 5DX Tel: 01507 525926/522659 High quality Gold, Silver & Diamond Jewellery Main agents for Citizen, Lorus, Iron Annie and Zeppelin Watches Pre Owned Rolex Watches In-house Repairs & Engraving Ear Piercing Celebrating 40 Years Trading in Louth Butcher Lane, Louth Lincolnshire LN11 9JG. Tel: 01507 604029 www.striacroft.co.uk info@striacroft.co.uk For All Your Motoring Needs Rear of: 120 Daubney Street, Cleethorpes DN35 7NU T: 01472 240 800 E: johnsmithautos@live.co.uk www.jsmithautorepairs.co.uk • Servicing • Repairs • MOTs • Diesels • Catalysts • Specialist Engine Tuning Family run business for over 20 years LEAKE'S MASONRY Ltd Eve Street, Louth, Lincs LN11 0JJ Phone: 01507 604 828 leakesmasonry.co.uk • leakesmasonry@aol.com A Third Century of Stonemasonry Craftsmanship From Leake's Masonry A professional family-run business having been established in Louth for over 100 years. We were very proud to have been entrusted with the repairs and renovation to the damaged Louth War Memorial. CHARTERED CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANTS To find out how to get your business on the up visit www.dextersharpe.co.uk Offices in Boston, Bourne, Horncastle, Lincoln, Louth, Skegness & Spilsby We pride ourselves on providing a pro-active, friendly and accessible service. Experts in Accounts and Tax Returns Tax Planning and Book-Keeping Audits and Business Advice We’re here to get you in the right direction Keeping business on the up… T OCTOB£2.95 BER2022 Breat MarketT M TT Stl Autumn Awaren Cancer B l RiRecipes Hearty S COLNSHIRETODAYNETCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET WWWLINCWWW.LINC Lincolnshire Today’s gift subscription for only £27.55 with free delivery Call 01472 310301 or visit www.lincolnshiretoday.net/341 1st 3 £1 Looking for a great gift idea? 54-59.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2022 15:15 Page 454-59.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2022 15:15 Page 5it might be time to go back to the basics and treat it like the first time you had to teach your children to ride a bike. Training wheels, someone there to watch them and help, and plenty of time to practice in a safe environment before being given their first mountain bike or sent out on the roads. This can get much more complicated when there are numerous family members to contend with, all of whom might want to be in charge. At this point it comes down to sitting with them all, discussing what is best for the company and deciding. There will be a tendency to want to split things equally, but business is all about making the tough decisions and sometimes an individual just isn’t suited to run a business. In those cases, you can still split equity while leaving the decision-making power in the hands of someone better suited to it, but the final decision may cause strife. Still, it is better to face and deal with that strife in advance than leave your children to experience it after you are gone. LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 59 FAMILY BUSINESS Leake’s Masonry Ltd: a third century of memorialisation Percy Robson Leake brought the business to Louth in 1920 - and it is still adjacent to the original James Street premises today. Current owner, Diane Christopher, is Percy’s granddaughter who took over the business when her father, Peter Robson, died in 1991. The business was responsible for the Pilgrim Fathers memorial in Boston (1957), the massive Dambusters monument in Woodhall Spa (1987), and the Korean War Memorial in Horncastle (1999). Over 40 war memorials have been supplied and erected. The business has renovated three war memorials in Tealby, Louth and Legbourne, and a new memorial at Strubby has been made by Leake’s Masonry. Diane believes that it was her great-great-grandfather who was the first Leake to set up as a stonemason, in Hull in the early 1800s. Unfortunately, not too much of the history is known about this since much of the information was destroyed during World War II. She says: “It is extremely unusual for a business to remain in one family this length of time. Most people are really surprised to find there is still a Leake involved but I find that it gives them confidence. People prefer to come to us because they know our long tradition.” Along with famous memorials and landmarks, Leake’s Masonry also supply memorials and headstones for loved ones. For more information visit www.leakesmasonry.co.uk © stock.adobe.com/Pixel-Shot 54-59.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2022 15:15 Page 6Next >