Yesterday my colleague Daisy and I spoke to the Dorset Chamber Future Leaders group about employee ownership as an emerging industry trend, how we’ve embraced it at Grapevine since 2023 and some of the other initiatives we’re supporting to explore what ‘good’ business means in our changing world. Image credit: Dominic Arthurs For us, andContinueContinue reading “Future Leaders guest talk”
Author Archives: Liam
Collecting Star Wars IV: Farthest From
Kicking off a trilogy of articles about the ‘go to’ events for Star Wars collectors, we begin in the unlikeliest of places: Fordingbridge, Hampshire (or is it?)
The proud, the few, Descendents
This week I got to see the iconic punk band, Descendents playing in Bournemouth. They were more or less done with regular touring when I got into them around the time of their 2004 release Cool To Be You. The idea that they’d be playing 20 minutes from my house, 21 years later was inconceivable. ThisContinueContinue reading “The proud, the few, Descendents”
Marketing team of the year
This week our business partner Gamma, presented Grapevine with the award for ‘Marketing Team of the Year’! As a small business, our marketing budgets are limited. In recent years we have adopted a more relationship building based approach to our marketing and communications activity that leverages our most important asset as an employee owned business,ContinueContinue reading “Marketing team of the year”
March 2025 Mixtape
Tracklisting: 01. The Knocks & Dragonette – Revelation02. DE’WAYNE – highway robbery03. Death By Unga Bunga, Slotface – Starchild04. L.A Exes – Love Bomb05. Cazzi Opeia, Eagle-Eye Cherry – 29 days06. Post Sex Nachos – Walk Away07. carolesdaughter – Virginia Slims08. Japanese Breakfast – Mega Circuit09. Housewife – Work Song10. Samia – Lizard 11. The MidnightContinueContinue reading “March 2025 Mixtape”
2nd anniversary of employee ownership
Today marks two years since Grapevine transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust. We celebrated last Thursday, with our annual ‘Co-owners’ meeting, looking back on our last financial year and sharing plans for 2025, followed by drinks and pizza from Da Mario.In addition to the experience in-house as an employee owned business, a big part ofContinueContinue reading “2nd anniversary of employee ownership”
Collection hunting at Barry Potter toy fairs
As a vibrant UK toy fair scene bubbles to the surface from the underground, one event organiser has been in the game for over 30 years.
A hangover you do deserve
February was a busy month and included three gigs, running at almost one per week, bringing the 2025 total to a respectable five so far. First up were Bowling For Soup at the BIC. A venue almost four times the size of the one I saw them play at their supposed height 21 years ago. We spentContinueContinue reading “A hangover you do deserve”
Collector Road Trip: National Film and Sci-Fi Museum, Milton Keynes
Our third stop in a series of intriguing places for everyone to visit, from the curious traveller to the seasoned collector.
February 2025 Mixtape
Tracklisting: 01. Momma – I Want You (Fever)02. Circa Waves – Like You Did Before03. Inhaler – A Question Of You04. Bad Suns – Communicating05. Hank Heaven – Gracie06. Maja Ivarsson – Kamikaze Life07. Dear Boy – Combat Baby08. Ally Evenson – Cross My Fingers09. Orla Gartland – Three Words Away10. Permanent (Joy) – IContinueContinue reading “February 2025 Mixtape”
Hall & Woodhouse visit
I don’t need an excuse to visit a brewery… I have an archive full of them, but I’ll always welcome one, even if it’s first thing in the morning, as was the case yesterday for the latest Dorset Ambassadors event. I’ve been over to Hall & Woodhouse’s Blandford Brewery before, but this was my first timeContinueContinue reading “Hall & Woodhouse visit”
Help to Grow guest talk
Thank you to Rachel Clarke and Martyn Polkinghorne for inviting me to join a session with the ‘Help to Grow’ management course cohort and talk about my personal experiences with developing, vision, values and company culture at Grapevine.I had to share this great quote from Javier Bajer at the EOA Annual Conference which has beenContinueContinue reading “Help to Grow guest talk”
Liam Toms 