Seville Prefinished Oak Real American oak veneer 18mm solid wood lippings Solid core FSC certified Fire door option available Bespoke sizes available
Seville White Primed Ready for one-coat finish 18mm solid wood lippings Solid core Doors are heavy and robust Fire door option available Bespoke sizes available Prefinished Oak £99.00 (prices exclude VAT)
The Rhino Building team have recently looked after a self build client who was really happy with our service. If you’re considering a self build, please do read their interview with Jamie and Claire Hesketh to find out more about their journey in building an incredible home.
We know you have just completed a self build, what sort of build was it?
A 5000sq ft House with Garage Timber frame
How long did it take? The main house took 13 months but all outside including the driveway and landscaping took another 11 months.
What Challenges did you find along the way that you had to overcome? Raising finances and waiting for the banks. We had some money to start but didn’t have a specific self build mortgage they then wanted to check everything and this slowed everything down.
Tell us about your favourite things from the experience, what elements are you most pleased with from your build? Really pleased with the finish completely particularly the kitchen but generally all finished to a high standard.
Was it difficult to find quality tradesmen? No I found them through friends we found recommendation works well. Monk Services were brilliant and did what they said they would do for the drive and a bit more, really cracked on in his time here.
95% of your materials were purchased from Rhino Building & DIY Supplies from Acle, what made you choose them? They were very local to me and were recommended to me by a friend. I had used Craig before a while ago on a previous project.
How was your experience of Rhino and what made them exceptional? Craig from Rhino really helped us from the beginning even before we started the build with the planning of it. Craig was always on the phone to give advice and always got us what we needed, if they didn’t have it then he sourced it for us he puts himself out and is easy to talk to, knowledgeable and helpful and we have been really grateful for that.
Would you recommend Rhino to others doing a self build project? 100% yes to anyone they are a great merchant, local small business that really cares about their customers.
Finally what advice would you give to others considering a self build? I would advise anyone else considering to self build to get all their finances arranged prior, know what they want to use too for example bricks and tiles. Planning ahead is half the battle. We drove around looking at new builds and knocked on doors to find out what they used for things we liked.
High and consistent energy levels are crucial for personal and business success. This week James and Mark give 3 top tips to help improve energy levels drawing inspiration from motivational legend Jim Rohn, cycling hero Tommy Voeckler and Pavlov’s salivating dogs.
As people turn to accountants for advice and guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic, TaxAssist Accountants registers its highest ever number of July new business client leads.
In the most turbulent of times, small business specialists TaxAssist Accountants have proved to be an essential hub for local business communities as a result of unsurpassed levels of support and communication.
With over 230 franchises across the UK looking after more than 76,000 clients, TaxAssist Accountants has seen its services in demand like never before.
The Norwich-based Support Centre team is working tirelessly to ensure its franchisees have correct and up-to-date information to meet its network’s clients’ requests for help, and the timely advice and online and centralised email campaigns offered by TaxAssist Accountants during the pandemic have been very well received from clients who have praised the proactive help and advice offered.
James Mattam, Group Business Development Director at TaxAssist Accountants said: “July was an unprecedented month for new business client leads generated by the Support Centre, with over 800 qualified by our team of call handlers.
“All of our accountants have been incredibly busy supporting their clients through the COVID-19 crisis, with grant applications, funding and furloughing claims and cash flow advice. As a result of the quality, responsive service our network has offered, we are receiving a huge number of new business enquiries and referrals from existing clients, happy to recommend TaxAssist’s services. We are also receiving calls from businesses looking to migrate to our network who are feeling unsupported by their current accountant in these challenging times.
“All of our accountants are open for business and offer flexible ways to meet, either over the phone, via video consultation or safely in one of our shops or offices. We provide a full service offering to clients utilising the very latest online software solutions, taking the guesswork out of managing financial business records. We regularly hear back from clients that they enjoy the ease and clarity of the software, coupled with the personal, local service that our accountants provide.
“I’d encourage anyone wanting to find out more about TaxAssist’s services, or to request a free initial consultation to give the team a call on 0800 05 23 555.”
As part of our continued focus on providing a safe, clean and reliable service, we have announced further investment in train cleaning today. The key initiatives are as follows:
We are recruiting 28 extra cleaning staff to our train presentation team, to further increase our cleaning regime, to help keep passengers safe and prevent the spread of the virus.
Train cleaners can also now wear new cordless vacuum cleaners, designed like backpacks (see attached photo), which have been sourced so that they can nip onto trains between journeys and give floors and upholstery a thorough clean on an even more frequent basis. These new PacVac cleaners are very manoeuvrable so that cleaners can easily reach under seats, tables and luggage racks.
We are also buying special testing equipment to carry out random hygiene tests on trains, which quickly detects if surfaces have been cleaned effectively or need additional cleaning. This will enable the cleaning team to make sure that existing cleaning regimes are working and alter them if tests show they are not effective enough.
These new initiatives add to the extensive range of additional cleaning initiatives we are already undertaking in the fight against Covid. We are in the process of cleaning every single carriage with fogging guns – which disinfect all surfaces, including seats, arm rests, grab handles and windows – to supplement the extra cleaning already being implemented in these high contact areas. We’re also carrying out extra cleaning at stations, where the fogging guns come in handy for larger indoor areas, such as waiting rooms.
Travel update
We currently expect the timetable position to stay the same for the foreseeable future. As previously highlighted, we are running a full service on most routes, except on the Norwich to London intercity services – where most services are still operating (with our new, longer, 12 carriage trains), and the Stansted Express, which is running every 30 minutes. Where appropriate and practical we’ve been providing extra carriages or extra trains on coastal routes on the busiest days, whilst still encouraging customers to spread their journeys to quieter times, where possible. We will keep on monitoring customer numbers on a daily basis, to see if any adjustments or alterations are necessary, and be ready to make changes if appropriate.
It is mandatory for customers to wear a face covering when using public transport, in stations as well as on trains, to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. Children under the age of 11 and people with a disability or medical condition which means they cannot wear a face covering are exempt from wearing them. Most people are complying with the requirements, but the British Transport Police do have the power to impose fines of £100 for non-compliance, if necessary.
It’s still important to observe social distancing. We’ve introduced a wide range of measures to make it easier for customers to do so at stations and on trains – including floor markings, one-way systems, new signs and queuing systems.
We’re welcoming customers for any journeys, so please take the train wherever convenient. As outlined, we are doing all we can to ensure rail travel is safe, reliable and straight forward.
Performance
Despite the ongoing heatwave, we’ve delivered another good week of performance, with punctuality at 93% across our network which, given we have experienced one of the most sustained periods of really hot weather ever seen in the UK, is a significant achievement. This follows on from a fourth successive period of very good performance in July, with punctuality of 96.2% across our network.
New trains
It’s been another week of intensive testing for our new suburban trains, both on our network, primarily on the Southend Victoria line, and on the West Coast Main Line, where some additional testing is taking place to help us complete the commissioning and testing schedules as quickly and efficiently as possible. Things continue to progress well and we are looking forward to bringing the first ones into passenger service later this year.
And finally…
There’s more station investment underway. We’ve started work on a project to increase car parking at Attleborough in Norfolk from 30 to 86 spaces, with 5 motor cycle spaces, 20 bicycle spaces, provision for electric car charging, LED lighting and CCTV. The £500,000 scheme follows on from investment in restoring the station building with support from the Railway Heritage Trust. The station is set to see more passengers following the introduction of new trains and the extension of many of the Norwich to Cambridge services, which serve Attleborough, through to Stansted Airport, over the past 12 months.
Thanks again to everyone across Greater Anglia for delivering a very good service to our customers and communities across East Anglia again this week, with valuable support from colleagues at Network Rail, Siemens, Stadler, Bombardier and our other rail industry partners.
Our thoughts are also with colleagues at Scotrail and Network Rail Scotland, after the tragic accident at Stonehaven.
Global markets push higher on growing signs of recovery
Global equity markets largely pushed higher this week on positive economic data. The Nasdaq hit a new record high, as did the gold price, while the S&P500 is now less than 1% below its February peak of 3386. Global purchasing managers’ indices, which are used as a way of measuring how businesses are performing, showed improvements in most regions suggesting we are on the road to recovery.
Delia’s Canary Catering at Norwich City Football Club are delighted to confirm reopening plans for all conference and meeting spaces at Carrow Road from Thursday, October 1.
After a long period spent away from your team and colleagues, we are thrilled to be able to offer you the space to bring everyone back together for the first time.
We are so fortunate to have a wealth of space available, with 17 function rooms of varying sizes, and 41 executive boxes ideal for breakout sessions, small meetings, or even temporary office space.
Our unique venue means we have a suitable space for all requirements.
Across the stadium, we have four stands each with their own entrance which also allows us to offer you the opportunity to book a stand that is entirely self-contained, should you require it.
Following an investment in 2019, our rooms now feature state of the art technology to complement your meetings and ensure it is an interactive experience. This includes: HD projectors and screens, PA systems and microphones as well as the facilities for video conferencing, allowing us to host “hybrid” events.
We also must mention that under the Delia’s Canary Catering brand, all of our menus are created from Delia’s very own published recipes, and everything is freshly prepared in-house to ensure that dining at Carrow Road is not only a safe experience, but a truly memorable one.
The safety of our customer remains our number one priority, and as a result of government advice and guidance, we have put a number of procedures in place across our venue to ensure you are as safe as possible. For a detailed list of guidelines, click here.
We are really excited to be able to offer a really safe and unique environment for clients looking to hold corporate events such as training courses, meetings, away days, as well as private events such as family dinners, anniversary, wedding or birthday celebrations.
Big C has launched an online physical activity and wellbeing intervention programme ‘Get Moving with Big C’ to enhance the wellbeing of cancer patients who are spending more time at home due to the pandemic. All participants will be screened prior to taking part in the sessions which will consist of safe, low intensity mobility and stretch exercises including gentle exercise and stretch, yoga with mindfulness and gentle Pilates. The programme is being delivered by Simon Gooch, Big C’s Health and Education Officer, who has completed a Level 4 Specialist Course in Cancer Rehabilitation Through Exercise Referral and specialist coaches. Patients will be offered 12 weeks of weekly sessions, as this is the recognised duration to implement behaviour change. Following this they will receive a ‘Keep Active’ newsletter with links to pre-recorded sessions, wellbeing information and news of opportunities for keeping active, such as Big C challenges. It is hoped that going forwards it will also be possible to offer occasional meet ups, where those that have completed the programme can get together and exercise, for example with a session of Tai Chi in a local park, or a walking group. Dr Melanie Pascale, Director of Operations at Big C, said, “A physical activity programme is something we have wanted to add to our portfolio of support for some time. Increasingly, research is showing the important role that physical movement can have, before, during and after cancer treatment, with strong evidence of it being safe and providing improved recovery and patient wellbeing. * “The Covid-19 pandemic has brought additional need due to the effects on the wellbeing of those cancer patients who have needed to shield or self-isolate for long periods. The launch of our online physical activity sessions and telephone support will help service users maintain physical and mental wellbeing as the pandemic continues, in a safe and supervised manner. Looking ahead, we can also see the benefit of online sessions for those that live rurally and find it more difficult to access Big C centres.” Simon Gooch, said, “We are really excited about launching our ‘Get Moving’ programme and we have already had a lot of interest from people who may usually visit our centres. Grateful thanks also to the Norfolk & Norwich Hospitals Charity for their financial contribution to the project.” To find about more about Get Moving with Big C, please visit https://support.big-c.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Get-Moving-with-Big-C_Info_Sheet.pdf Email [email protected] or call 0800 092 7640.
The Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice award places the Norfolk Broads National Park-based venue in the top 10% of Hotels worldwide. Based on a full year of Tripadvisor reviews, prior to any changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic, award winners are known for consistently receiving great guest feedback. The Norfolk Mead has nearly 1,400 reviews on the travel website which every year collates reviews, ratings and shares from travellers to highlight the finest places to stay around the world. James Holliday, Owner of The Norfolk Mead commented: “We are very pleased to have received this award, which reflects the hard work our entire team put in to delivering a high-end experience for our guests across the Hotel, Restaurant and our spa Treatment Rooms. We consistently average a 5.0 ‘Excellent’ rating on Tripadvisor, reflecting the ratings our guests give us across our location, cleanliness, service and value. Knowing that the feedback comes directly from guests who have stayed with us means a lot and gives us a huge boost to keep doing what we are doing.” “Winners of the 2020 Travelers’ Choice Awards should be proud of this distinguished recognition,” said Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor. “Although it’s been a challenging year for travel and hospitality, we want to celebrate our partners’ achievements. Award winners are beloved for their exceptional service and quality. Not only are these winners well deserving, they are also a great source of inspiration for travellers and diners as the world begins to venture out again.” To see our guest reviews and popular features of The Norfolk Mead, visit our Hotel Tripadvisor page. Recent reviews include: Perfect “We have been here several times, for good reason. Post lockdown The Mead was better than ever. The food was faultless. Staff are genuine and attentive. Rooms, luxurious, homely and comfortable. They have hit the ground running and taken the Covid safety measures in their stride. We will be back (again…and, again….and…again!).” Absolutely fantastic! “We had a lovely stay last weekend, felt thoroughly pampered and absolutely loved the food as always. Best steak and best scrambled eggs I have possibly ever had! Thanks for making our stay remarkable as always even in this tough time!” Absolutely stunning and perfect in every way “We visited the Norfolk Mead a few years ago, and we always said we wanted to go back for another visit, and we finally managed to get back this weekend. It was every bit as awesome as we remembered it from last time. The staff are super friendly and helpful, the hotel and grounds are immaculately presented, and everyone there is more than happy to help, we had a slight problem with the hot water in our room, and literally within minutes, we were whisked off to another room. It was dealt with in record time and it was not a problem to them at all. The hotel have all the necessary safety precautions in place, which has quickly become the norm for us all, but we felt very safe there indeed, and you could see that the safety precautions have been thought through to make it as comfortable for guests as possible, and as safe as possible for all. We booked a suite which was large, clean and very, very comfortable. We got there quite early as we wanted to sit in their gardens and have a drink to set the mood, and the weather mostly behaved itself and we sipped our drinks while enjoying the peace and quiet. It was just what we needed. The restaurant is really good too, great food and service, and very enjoyable indeed. After dinner drinks in their intimate bar to finish the evening off.Breakfast was just as good as we remember, great choices and delicious too. All too soon, the stay was over, but we will be back, and we will stay for longer. Just what you need to switch off from our current harsh reality!! Thank you all at the Norfolk Mead, see you soon.” G and C Amazing from start to finish “My partner and I did an overnight stay. We couldn’t fault The Norfolk Mead, every member of staff was attentive, polite and made us feel extremely welcome! Probably the best service we have ever received. Everything was perfect from the cleanliness of the hotel, to the outstanding food, drinks and massage. It was a great escape from being mum and dad for a little while … just wish we stayed longer! We will be back to stay again! Thank you…during these current times The Norfolk Mead is doing a fantastic job to keep you safe but relaxed at the same time!”
Located in Hosham St. Faith, The Black Swan is just over six miles from the centre of Norwich and just a few minutes from the NDR. With ample off road parking and a full a la carte menu (also available for takeaway), coupled with ‘Cask Marque’ real ales, The Black Swan is the perfect retreat for couples and families to eat, drink and relax.
The Black Swan is part of the eat out to help out scheme whereby every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday throughout August you can take advantage of a 50% discount on all food and non-alcoholic drinks (maximum £10 per diner). With no voucher required, no limit on how many times you come, no reservation necessary and no limit on your spend, why not treat yourself, your loved ones and your family to a long overdue trip out to the spacious and welcoming atmosphere at The Black Swan.
In this week’s Impromptu Business Chat, Mark and James reflect on the importance of trust between leaders and their teams. Using the co-founder of Netflix, Feargal Sharkey, and Mark’s fashion sense, they come up with 3 great ideas to help build greater trust.
You can listen here, and catch up on all episodes in the series here.
You can also listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts!
South Norfolk Council still has government grant funding available to help qualifying local businesses who have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants are available to businesses that have not previously received COVID related grant funding, and the Council is keen to hear from you if support would help at this critical time. The scheme presents a number of support opportunities to help many of the businesses that are important to the local economy in South Norfolk. South Norfolk Council Cabinet member Lisa Neal said: “Supporting the local economy is a priority for the Council and it’s important that people get the help that they need. If you’re running a business in South Norfolk please go onto our website to see if you meet the criteria. Your business may be eligible for a grant.” Some of the businesses that may receive funding are:
Construction and associated industries
Manufacturing operations
Businesses reliant on providing services to premises in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors
Small businesses working from a shared space in business rated premises
Businesses classified as being in the Professional, Scientific & Technical Services” sector – e.g. law, accountancy, architecture, research, vets, photography, advertising, quantity surveying etc
Market traders
Applicants for the grant will need to check their eligibility against the criteria set out on the Council’s website. Businesses will be required to provide evidence to support their application and demonstrate a reduction in income due to the impact of Coronavirus.