Katharine Jayne is an uplifting slice of fashion right in the heart of Newbury

It is nice to discover a fashion retailing success story at a time when the papers are full of news about shops closing down. In the past 18 months Newbury born businesswoman Kate Johnson has established her shop, Katharine Jayne in the Market Place as one of the friendliest places in the area to pick up the latest fashion looks.

Earlier today Morgan PR met with Kate Johnson (or Katharine Jayne Johnson if I were to give a clue to how this store came by its name!) and over coffee she revealed how a career in fashion, including a spell as a fashion and lingerie buyer at Camp Hopson, prepared her well for launching her own business.

"Some people would say it wasn’t a good time to start a new business but having my own shop was a long-held ambition of mine” says Kate. With over 20 years experience in the fashion industry and now buying for ‘Katharine Jayne’s ‘ fifth season, Kate has a clear idea of what works for her customers. “I was determined to appeal to all women, which is reflected in the portfolio of our brand mix so we keep everything wearable but interesting and within sensible budgets.

"We offer clothes that are well made and use quality fabrics so our customers look and feel good wearing them. Fabrics are very important to me and my customers. Many of the ranges are offered from a size eight to size 16 and if we do not have a particular size in store we will try and meet requests. I see one of my most important jobs is to bring in something new and exciting every season."

We were given the opportunity to meet Kate thanks to the Newbury Weekly News, for whom Morgan PR write many of the features that appear in Newbury Business Today, and you can learn more about Katherine Jayne in the edition out on March 12.

Also, keep clicking on the Katharine Jayne website - it is nearing completion and should be bursting into life any day now.

Newbury Business Not Today

One of Morgan PR's clients is the Newbury Weekly News Group and we write many of the profiles and features that appear in Newbury Business Today - which was due out with the main newspaper... today.

So you can imagine how our inbox filled when it was not published! It was published online and on the NWN's main website an article was published (pictured above) that explained production problems now mean that Newbury Business Today will appear next week.

Actually, I suspect advertisers will benefit from the double expsoure that comes from this split publication with some people seeing the features online and then again in print next week.

Newbury Business Today published today!

When it comes to that delicate blend of B2B and B2C business marketing in West Berkshire there are few publications better positioned than Newbury Business Today, which is published free today with the Newbury Weekly News.

The Newbury Weekly is one of Morgan PR's clients and we produce many of the advertising features that appear in today's edition and also online at the Newbury Business Today website.

Over the previous weeks we have previewed many of the businesses due to appear and already have begun work on the September edition of this publication - 'Getting ready for Christmas' no less! A couple of years ago I was sunburnt sat outside a pub discussing Christmas for just such a feature!

Morgan PR in sponsorship deal at Deanwood Park Golf Course, Newbury

If you happen to be playing golf at the Deanwood Park Golf Course do pause on the 8th tee and admire the sponsorship efforts of Morgan PR!

Pictured above is the sign that we came up with - or rather we thought of but it was graphic design guru Matt Lloyd who realised, while pictured below are all the companies who sponsored tees at the golf course near Newbury at a reception held to mark the gesture.

It is also the photograph that has today been published on the Newbury Business Today website, which explains how each company has designed an advertisement that will be displayed at their chosen tee for the next year, with the option to change their signs to promote specific events or to match the changing seasons.

Deanwood's General Manager, John Bowness said: “We felt the tees were the ideal location for such sponsorship as players will spend time on each tee before playing the hole and the deals have also raised money which we can re-invest in our continuous improvement of the facilities here.

“The response has been excellent and the opportunity to sponsor the tees was quickly snapped up by the various companies, many of who already play here at Deanwood – or are just about to start!”

The sponsors in addition to Morgan PR are ActionCOACH, Cameno, Dontex Systems, Kaizen Systems, Copy Shop Newbury, Speedy, Lewis Electrical and Horsey Lightly.

Together with the high profile among thousands of golfers, sponsors also enjoy preferential access to golf at the club or use of the conference facilities there.


Morgan PR director Diane Morgan commented: “Deanwood is a popular course among business owners and professionals and we are confident many of these will respond to a well crafted promotion on the tees. We pose the question to players about how they make sure they stand out against the competition?”

The Lifestyle Green-audit™ in West Berkshire

Rising fuel prices have brought energy consumption sharply into focus for many householders in West Berkshire and this has led to an increase in demand for the Lifestyle Green-audit™ offered by Newbury business Proport-EcoServices.

So will read the introduction to another environmental feature in the forthcoming Newbury Business Today edition out on July 10th.

It was fascinating meeting the company founder, Antony Straszweski explained: “More people than ever are grasping that you can save money by saving energy but don’t know where to start. If you look on Google for ‘home energy saving’ you will get millions of hits and not know where to start, which is why we launched our £175 Lifestyle Green-audit™.

“It is not just about saving money, if you're concerned about Global Climate Change, want to reduce your carbon footprint, reduce your impact on the environment then our Lifestyle Green-audit™ is for you.”

It is certainly a service that Morgan PR believes there will be demand for!

Antony Strazweski is pictured below inspecting a hot water cylinder on a return visit to a home and is clearly delighted to find it has been both insulated and fitted with a thermostat.

Vehicle recycling in West Berkshire

As part of the work Morgan PR carries out for the Newbury Weekly News, and more specifically Newbury Business Today, we have been writing up features on environmental companies across West Berkshire and beyond over recent weeks.

Earlier today I was at Padworth Vehicle Recycling and discovered just how outdated the concept of the 'scrapman' actually is, with this forward looking company fully licensed to dispose of 'end of life' vehicles and managing to recycle 85% of each car brought to them.

So forget the image of a scrap car dealer with rusting wrecks piled high and a yapping junkyard dog snapping at your heels; PVR are the far greener, cleaner 21st Century equivalent doing its bit to ensure there is a 22nd Century.

The location is strikingly different for a start. Not tucked away in some urban side street and upsetting the neighbours, PVR is in leafy Padworth, surrounded by trees as green as the principles guiding the company.

You will be able to read the feature when it is published on July 3.

Don't leave your profits hanging on the telephone

Morgan PR has been writing a double page feature on many of the businesses based in the Sterling Industrial Estate in Hambridge Road, Newbury, for the forthcoming edition of Newbury Business Today, out on May 8th

We have already written about many of the businesses here in the past, and it was good to see so many still thriving, not least as the estate has been earmarked for development for more than two years now.

The majority of the businesses are automotive or light industrial, but the exception is Datasharp, a company that is committed to lowering phone costs for its clients, through more competitively priced line rental, hardware and call charges.

With the current economic climate prompting some businesses to wonder how to haul in their belts a notch or two, your phones are probably worth consideration and especially so if you have not reviewed your charges within the last couple of years.

Morgan PR arrived to find Managing Director Michael Dixon addressing the troops, or to be more specific the sales team, so rather than contrive a photograph it was more a case of shoot first and ask questions later. There was no denying this company's commitment to serving its clients.

Newbury Business Today publicity for Morgan PR

Yesterday saw the announcement of a New Director for Morgan PR in Newbury Business Today, proof that public relations companies need PR too!

Diane has long supported the company and has been increasingly working with us more and more than her technically part time status might suggest. This article celebrates her joining Morgan PR full time. It can be found in the paper on page 8, for anyone looking for full text!

Appointments - and we are talking senior manager and director level here, not a new tea person - are a straightforward way to gain publicity for any business as such moving and shaking is a legitimate story.

Incidentally, there was a line about Diane, while being my wife, would be expected to work a lot harder than Parliamentary spouses apparently do - but that got cut out!