Category: News

Two entrepreneurs with a thirst for success have launched the next phase of their mission to champion independent coffee culture across the region – this time in Coventry.

Friends Rob Oakley and Alex Baker, from Leamington, teamed up to create Kuppso Coffee Club, a unique game-changing subscription app which is set to inject a huge boost to the area’s independent café culture as well as its economy.

The app, which the pair hope to eventually take UK-wide, is rooted in their shared passion for community, enticing more footfall away from national chains and into local independent coffee hotspots.

Simple to use, Kuppso allows customers to either subscribe or buy coffee packs, giving access to a range of hot drinks from a selection of independent partner venues with options for four, eight or 12 coffees a month – and by doing so users are rewarded with great coffee for as little as £2.50.

Additional to the 16 partner businesses in Leamington and Warwick, participating coffee shops in Coventry so far are: Shortland Coffee Co, Warwick Row; Baxter Baristas sites at Herbert Art Museum, Jordan Well and The Transport Museum, Hales Street; Kitchen at the Courtyard, Jordan Well; Gorety Portugese Café, Canal Basin and Myrtles Coffee Shop, Albany Road, with more being added each week.

Rob said: “The launch aligns with Coventry’s cultural energy and its growing appetite for independent, creative, and social experiences.

“Coventry has so many great independent coffee shops and cafes but the city also has a huge number of chains. We’ve spoken to lots of people in Coventry who admitted that coffee from little independents is so much better than the big coffee chains, but habit and convenience kept them going back to the likes of Costa and Starbucks.

“This model not only ensures affordable, high-quality coffee for our customers but also drives footfall, revenue and visibility for local businesses.

“When you have an app like Kuppso that helps you to find these little gems and rewards you for visiting them instead of the chains, it makes it so much easier to create new habits and start supporting the little guys.

“It’s been really well received in other areas so far, we’re just over a year in and have over 1,800 users just in Leamington and Warwick and have coffee shops contacting us all over the country to join.”

Longer term, the pair hope to continue the successful rollout to other areas in the region, including Stratford and Rugby, before eventually taking it across the country.

The price point is attractive to the customer who can expect to pay just £2.50 per standard 12-ounce drink. Everyone who downloads the app is gifted a free coffee and, in line with Kuppso’s sustainability ethos, a complimentary reusable cup, worth £25, is delivered to all new subscribers.

Many local employers are now also adopting Kuppso as a perk, rewarding staff while also supporting local independent businesses.

Rob added: “The employee perks side of Kuppso has been quite interesting. Local employers really like the fact that using Kuppso as a perk not only rewards their staff and gives them a reason to step away from their desk, but also helps local independent businesses too. It’s a real win-win.”

To download the Kuppso Coffee Club app visit HERE.

A local accountancy firm has been acquired by Nuvo, marking the company’s arrival in Warwickshire.

In a seven-figure buy-out, Pentlands Accountants and Advisors, in Warwick, has become the 34^th acquisition in 21 years by the Derby-based firm which was last year ranked #73 in the UK Top 100 Accountancy Firms.

The deal is said to be a perfect fit for both businesses whose core client base is SMEs and micro businesses.

And it marks a watershed moment for Elinor Perry who last year celebrated her 20^th anniversary in charge of the 28-year-old business where nine full and part-time staff servicing the needs of more than 250 loyal clients from their Pegasus Court offices.

She said: “This acquisition brings strength to our ability to deliver services to clients. We are now part of a much bigger organisation that has lots of skills and resources which we can tap into to help clients with their growth plans. We were very good at doing that but now we can do it on a much bigger scale.

“Nuvo aligns seamlessly with our values and culture. By joining the Nuvo Group, we will be able to further enhance our ability to assist our clients in growing their businesses. This partnership will also enable us to offer new services and support, ensuring our clients’ continued success.”

Elinor, who remains a Partner, added: “As part of the sale three key long standing team members exercised their share options and all the team have moved over to Nuvo’s four-day working week contract resulting in a better work-life balance, along with a 5% Employee Benefit Trust, designed to reward everyone in the shared success of the company”.

“We told all the clients personally over several weeks. Personal relationships are what we built the business on, so it was really important to reassure the clients that it’s business as usual.

Nuvo was named the fastest growing accountancy firm in 2025, this latest acquisition is part of Nuvo’s growth plan to become a top 25 UK firm by 2030.  The teams offer expertise in accountancy, tax, audit and advisory.

Founder and CEO Steve Sharp said: “It’s great to welcome Elinor and her team to the Nuvo Group. From our first conversations it was obvious the alignment between the businesses especially in terms of the culture, values and the way Pentlands position themselves as a people focused, modern firm. Pentlands has a strong brand in the region which is why we will be co-branding”.

“Our message to the Pentlands clients is that it really is business as usual, it’s the same team delivering the same services from the same office and the same service levels that they’ve been used to just with the benefit of having a larger group behind Pentlands, which offers them access to additional services where they’re needed.”

It’s a momentous personal chapter for Elinor who, in 2005, aged 34, did a management buyout from the existing owners of the business – eventually also going on to buy out her business partner in 2010.

Reflecting on the acquisition, Elinor said “Having guided many business owners through this journey over the years, I understand the process well. However, you never truly appreciate it until you experience it firsthand. The emotional attachment is significant; this business has been my foundation for two decades. Therefore, it was crucial to find the right home for the team, the clients, and myself as I transition into a new role within a larger organisation.”

A group of inspiring professionals will be in the spotlight in more ways than one during an event at a local iconic landmark ahead of International Women’s Day.

For one night only Warwick Castle will be lit up with IWD colours in honour of the special event organised by Ladies First Professional Development Network Group.

The event, which celebrates female resilience, will feature a line-up of speakers all sharing their personal stories, insights and journeys to success, offering motivation, empowerment and inspiration. And companies are being invited to sponsor tickets for those who would otherwise be unable to attend.

Ladies First Director Tracey McAtamney said: “We are seeking support to ensure this event is accessible to women who would otherwise be unable to attend. This includes women facing financial hardship and schoolgirls who would benefit from exposure to positive role models and empowering messages at a formative stage in their lives.

“We are inviting companies to sponsor a ticket or tickets to enable these women to attend. In recognition of your support, all sponsoring companies will be acknowledged on the night, featured in our event brochure and promoted across our social media platforms.

“Your support will help provide guidance, inspiration and hope to women who need it most.”

She added: “My focus has always been to create a supportive community that offers mentorship through both the good times and the challenging ones.

“Over the years, I am proud to say that we have worked alongside many charities, raising funds, helping to shine a light on the incredible work they do and amplifying their impact.

“On a personal level, this journey has introduced me to some truly remarkable people – many of whom I now call friends. It has reinforced my belief that choosing your ‘tribe’ and your business network carefully is essential, not only for professional success but for personal growth and resilience.”

The occasion is also raising funds for Leamington-based organisation The Esther Project – a gender-specific initiative dedicated to supporting women experiencing domestic abuse, recovering from addiction, transitioning from prison or facing homelessness, incorporating Esther House – a seven-bed supported living accommodation.

Founder Lianne Kirkman said: “We are so grateful to Ladies First for choosing to support The Esther Project through this International Women’s Day celebration. When women stand together, transformation happens.

“Ladies First’s support through this event will fuel our work to give the women we work with, the safety, stability and empowerment they deserve. We’re proud to walk alongside such a dedicated community of inspirational women.”

The evening is being hosted by TV presenter and producer Arti Halai and the speakers are: broadcast journalist Suzanne Virdee; Chief Superintendent of The West Midlands Kim Madill; Sarah Hosking MBE; former MP Colleen Fletcher OBE and Elinor Perry, MD of Pentlands Accountants & Advisors.

Arti Halai has spent 15 years in TV as a presenter, reporter and producer for BBC and ITV and over 15 years as an entrepreneur and public speaker.

She said: “I’m truly delighted to be hosting International Women’s Day with Ladies First. This evening celebrates women’s voices, stories, and achievements – and the power that comes when women support one another. When women speak with confidence, the impact ripples far beyond the room, creating stronger communities and lasting change.”

Award-winning TV news anchor and freelance journalist, Suzanne Virdee has been a passionate supporter and mentor to women starting out in journalism. And as a published author of A Girl’s Guide To Being Awesome and the best-selling A Teenager’s Guide To Being Fabulous, she empowers young girls with advice on navigating the difficult teenage years.

She said: “I am thrilled to be a speaker at the Ladies First lnternational Women’s Day Event. Warwick Castle is such a beautiful venue. I’m looking forward to meeting some incredible women and celebrating our achievements, both personal and professional.

“For me the event is also an opportunity to discuss the barriers that still exist and how to tackle them to ensure future generations feel empowered to succeed too.”

Kim Madill’s experience spans over 30 years, including leading teams in Public Protection, Intelligence and Neighbourhood Policing.

In 2004 she was pivotal to the creation of West Midlands Association for Women in Policing and is currently the strategic female lead on the West Midlands Police Superintendents Association.

She said: “‘It’s a privilege to have been asked to speak at the Ladies First Professional Development event on International Women’s Day. The theme for IWD 2026 ‘Give to Gain’ reflects policing values—when we invest in supporting women at work and in our communities, we strengthen our collective response to violence against women and girls.

“I look forward to sharing some of the work I have done to support female colleagues and women and girls in our communities and hopefully inspire you to think about how you can also make a difference.”

On her retirement from the NHS in 2000, Sarah Hosking MBE, from Stratford, founded The Hosking Houses Trust which gives residencies to older women writers and others who need a period of protected time for personal work. Since 2002, she has hosted 200 creative women free for between two weeks and two months and is herself an author of four non-fiction books.

She has a master’s degree in renaissance history from Birmingham University, became an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2023, was awarded an MBE in 2024 and won a Times/Sternberg Active Life award in 2025.

She said: “Aged twenty, I read Virginia Woolf’s 1928 polemic ‘A Room of One’s Own’ and resolved that, on day, I would make it happen by giving the idea bricks and mortar, and a credited bank account.

“I kept this crazy ambition alive throughout a mongrel career of forty years during which I learnt the skills necessary for the undertaking. Aged sixty, I set about raising the money, achieving charitable status, assembling a team, finding a site and obtaining property. We are set for an expanding future with a recent, considerable financial endowment.”

She added: “The relevance of The Hosking Houses Trust to International Women’s Day is simply that any or all organisations that seek to empower women of any age and from anywhere, help achieve its basic tenet of women’s protection and promotion.”

Colleen Fletcher OBE is a retired councillor of 14 years and Coventry North East MP of nine years including Opposition Whip. Among her many other roles, she was also Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Blood Cancer; Cancer; Homelessness; Mental Health; and Pancreatic Cancer.

She said: “For me it is a day when we can come together, to give and to share, and to talk and to listen, in the hope that we can inspire other women and so advance the cause of gender equality here and around the world.”

Elinor Perry is the founder of Pentlands Accountants and Advisors in Leamington, which marked its 20^th anniversary last year.

In 2005, aged 34, she did a management buyout from the existing owners of the business – eventually also going on to buy out her business partner in 2010. And last year was awarded a Ladies First Professional Development Lifetime Achievement Award.

She said: “As a Ladies First Ambassador, I’m honoured to speak at this year’s International Women’s Day event at Warwick Castle. It’s a privilege to stand alongside so many inspiring ladies and celebrate the achievements and potential of women in our region whilst raising vital funds for The Esther Project CIC.”

Ladies First Professional Development Network is a national networking group which organises events and awards for inspirational female achievers across the UK.

Its director Tracey McAtamney is being supported on March 4th by sponsors Alsters Kelley Solicitors, Chalmers News PR; Bia’s Marketing, Production & PR and Visually Virtual Photography  as well as contributions by Warwickshire Gin Company.

Tickets and further information about sponsorship are available from Tracey at: tracey@ladiesfirstnetwork.co.uk or via HERE.