Member News

Now in its fourteenth year, the annual Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Business Survey asks all East Anglian based businesses from across the sector to join forces and take part. The survey was launched today by MHA Larking Gowen, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors, at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure, Norfolk. 

All businesses in the tourism, leisure and hospitality sector including restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions as well as retailers in the tourism hotspots are being encouraged to participate in the independent survey.

Speaking at the launch, Chris Scargill, Tourism Partner at MHA Larking Gowen, said, “Interesting times lie ahead; the collapse of Thomas Cook and financial uncertainty in other carriers, combined with a greater call to go green, make a UK stay even more appealing. I’m confident that by working together, businesses in the region can make the most of this and ensure our region develops further into the holiday destination of choice in the UK.

“Understanding how we are doing and sharing views will help business. Once again, we’re undertaking the largest independent survey of its kind for your region and we need the help of the sector to do this. The information we gather helps to provide representative and accurate data about the sector. The survey covers many key aspects, creating a useful benchmark. Feedback indicates how welcome this data is. We are grateful to those who participate and also to others in the sector who encourage people to take part”

You can take part in the 2020 Tourism, Leisure & Hospitality Business Survey online at

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/TBS2020/

Many of the businesses that provide services to this sector fully support the annual survey and this year the survey is sponsored by Adnams, Camplings, Howes Percival, Lloyds and Purcell.

Joanna Nicholls, Partner at Howes Percival LLP, said, “We are delighted to be involved in MHA Larking Gowen’s Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Business Survey once again. All businesses across the sector based in East Anglia are strongly encouraged to participate in the Survey to make their views count. It provides a great insight into what is happening within the sector and helps to support the growth of the vibrant and diverse businesses across the region.”

Those who fill in the survey remain anonymous in the published report, which provides an annual snapshot of the sector across East Anglia. The survey includes questions about the short and long-term impact of issues like Brexit, the National Living Wage (NLW) and the National Minimum Wage (NMW), and delves into questions around the use of plastics, profit margins and, more generally, how businesses have performed in the last year. The results are published as an annual brochure which will be launched on 28 April.

The MHA Manufacturing & Engineering Report, now in its seventh year, is a go-to report when it comes to understanding the sector, its opportunities and challenges.

MHA benchmarks SMEs across the UK to paint a national picture of the Manufacturing and Engineering sector. To broaden the content of this report and make it more useful as a benchmarking exercise, MHA has changed it’s methodology this year. In addition to collecting responses to a client survey, they’ve compared them to in-depth quantitative analysis which has been done in conjunction with its data insights team. 

A copy of the report can be downloaded here. If you would like to discuss any of the issues raised in the report in more detail, please email John Atkins, Manufacturing lead, MHA Larking Gowen.

With the tax year-end drawing closer, accountants at Mapus-Smith & Lemmon recommend now is the time to plan financial strategies for optimum tax efficiencies.

Samantha Melton, chartered certified accountant at the Downham Market office, says: “Across the board, both on a business and personal level, we are encouraging tax payers to make financial planning a New Year priority for the 2019/20 year end on 5 April 2020 and beyond.  We can devise strategies for minimising tax liabilities, increasing business profitability and maximising personal wealth.”

The firm’s checklist includes making the most of personal tax allowances, enhancing capital allowances, holding on to more profit, planning ahead for retirement, utilising ISA allowances and minimising inheritance tax.

In the current tax year, each individual is entitled to a personal allowance of £12,500 tax-free income.  Within a family, it might be appropriate to make the most of this by transferring income to a spouse, partner or child as a gift. Also worthy of consideration are the Marriage Allowance, pension scheme contributions and Gift Aid donations.

For business owners, the Annual Investment Allowance has increased from £200,000 to £1 million for plant and machinery expenditure (except cars) incurred from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020 and there is the Enhanced Capital Allowance for energy-saving equipment and low carbon emission cars as well as Writing Down Allowances and the Structures and Building Allowance.

Beyond managing corporation tax to best advantage, it is beneficial to look at ways of holding on to more business profit whether it be through dividends or taking a salary; pension contributions, incorporation of a partner, personal tax allowances and personal income from property rental used for business purposes.

For tax-efficient savings there is now a range of ISAs including the Lifetime Isa, Help to Buy Isa and Junior Isa and then there are benefits of putting savings into pension schemes.  Each saving option has its own characteristics.

Finally, inheritance tax (IHT) receipts have reached a record high and for those whose estates will exceed the existing nil-rate band, forward planning can help to minimise the impact of IHT.

For help regarding these complexities and any other accounting queries, please contact Samantha Melton on 01366 383300.   

Norwich hearing and vision centre wins National Award Coleman Optician Hearing and Vision Centre have won a prestigious national award. The independent practice, which is based in Norwich, have been announced as winners in the category of Health & Wellbeing Initiative of the Year in the AOP Awards 2020, which is organised by the Association of Optometrists (AOP). Helen Hillis, Director at Coleman Optician Hearing and Vision Centre, said: “Health and wellbeing has always been high on our agenda, but we kick started 2019 with a much more focussed approach for our staff, our practice ethos and our outreach activities in the community. “We have seen a happy and healthy return on staff fitness, attitude and teamwork, and we have also made a really positive change by raising money through fundraising, as well as offering volunteers to a range of local charities, increased awareness on sustainability and the environment. Being recognised for these achievements by the AOP is an incredible accolade for us within the industry.” The Awards, now in its ninth year, recognises the highest levels of achievement in UK optics. The Health & Wellbeing Initiative of the Year accolade celebrates those who understand the important role that health and wellbeing can play in job satisfaction. AOP Chief Executive, Henrietta Alderman commented: “The AOP Awards shines a spotlight on the extraordinary individuals and teams who are propelling the profession forward with their knowledge, expertise, dedication and passion. This year is no different – with all the winners, and indeed finalists, giving an impressive account for optometry, I wish them every success in the future.” The winners of the AOP Awards 2020 were announced on 26 January at a national awards ceremony in London. View the full list of winners on the AOP’s Awards pages: www.aop.org.uk/awards. 

Do you need a hi-vis coat or pink scrim within your business?

At Rhino Building & DIY Supplies, we have a special offer on for our hi-vis orange bomber coats, orange motorway coats and plasterers pink scrim for the month of February.

Please get in touch if you are interested on 01493 751762 and ask for Zoe or Jon.

Commercial property firm Arnolds Keys has sealed a multi-million pound retail property deal for a Beccles-based private property development and investment company – the second multi-million pound deal it has negotiated on behalf of the client in a matter of months.

The Suffolk-based firm secured the purchase of the Haverhill Retail Park on behalf of Barsham Securities Ltd.  The newly-developed 2.4 acre retail park was brought to the market in October by London based firm JonesLangLaSalle.  The Park comprises 27,167 sq ft of retail space and is fully let to Home Bargains, Pets at Home and Pure Gym.

The deal comes just months after Arnolds Keys negotiated two other deals for Barsham Securities Ltd, including the off market purchase of an office investment on the Norwich Business Park.

“This is a well let modern scheme to a mixture of financially strong national operators in a prominent position in a strong market town,” said Mark Mayhew, Associate at Arnolds Keys.  “With all of the units let on long leases, it represented a good investment opportunity and we are pleased to have secured the purchase on behalf of Barsham Securities, against significant competition.”

Stuart Holmes, director at Barsham Securities, added, “We are delighted to have secured this high-profile, new retail property for our investment portfolio.  The strong tenants, being the only retail park in Haverhill and situated in a prosperous and growing Suffolk town, made this is an investment opportunity we wanted to secure, and in line with our investment and portfolio strategy.  We are very grateful to Mark and his team at Arnolds Keys for all their hard work in helping us secure the scheme.”

Barsham Securities were represented by Sally Challinor of Ashtons Legal.  Following the purchase of the Haverhill Retail Park, the Asset Management department at Arnolds Keys has been retained by Barsham Securities to manage the retail park on their behalf.

The awards, organised by Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council, celebrate the excellence, innovation and best practice shown by businesses across the combined area and are proudly supported by Radio Norwich.

The Visitor Economy Experience category, sponsored by Adnams, celebrates customer focused businesses.    We were able to demonstrate our excellence in hospitality approach at our boutique Hotel, Restaurant, Event Venue and spa Treatment Rooms across: 

• Promotional activity as a luxury visitor destination including our work with the English National Park Experience Collection, our Norfolk Photography Tour Experience package, and our strong relationships with local networks including Visit Norwich, Visit Norfolk and the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
• Evidence of positive feedback from satisfied customers and visitors including recent customer reviews from TripAdvisor and Facebook
• Our innovative approach to enhance the visitor experience including welcome packs for room guests with fresh homemade brownies on arrival, to bespoke spa treatments, anniversary and birthday cards and dessert slates, and freshly made food for all dietary requirements
• A significant increase in the number of visitors to the business following our ongoing investment and promotion
• Evidence of a robust business plan to support continued growth to match customer expectations with the offering at The Norfolk Mead 

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 26 March at OPEN Norwich.

The OPEN Youth Trust (OPEN) are looking for sponsors for this year’s Norfolk Youth Awards 2020.

OPEN has been working alongside young people for fifteen years now and these awards are designed to highlight young people’s astonishing achievements and to give them the recognition and encouragement they deserve.

Nominations for these awards will be aimed at young people in Norfolk aged between 11-19 years of age (or up to 25 years for those with additional needs), with the exception of the Hero Award which will be for young people to nominate an adult who in their eyes is a ‘hero’ or champion, will open on Friday 14th February. 

The awards will be judged by an independent panel of judges and Joe Crowley, Ambassador for OPEN and presenter of The One Show and Countryfile will host the Awards ceremony which will take place on Wednesday 10th June 2020.

To make these awards “super exciting”, “the very best they can be”, “go with a bang” – take your pick – OPEN is calling for sponsors to support them. 

As sponsors you will be joining media partners the EDP and Evening News, main sponsors City College Norwich and Norfolk County Council, as well as the following organisations who have already signed up as category sponsors:

• Community – sponsored by East of England Co-Op
• Sport (individual) – sponsored by Jarrold Intersport & NCFC Club Hub
• Team of the Year – Regency Security Group
• Charity – sponsored by Price Bailey
• Entrepreneur – sponsored by MHA Larking Gowen
• Momentum Volunteer – sponsored by the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner for Norfolk
• Education – sponsored by Hugh J Boswell
• Perseverance – sponsored by A Plan (Norwich)

Plus

• Hero – recognising an adult who in the eyes of young people is their ‘hero’ or young persons champion – sponsored by Norfolk Constabulary
• Outstanding Achievement – this award will be given to the most outstanding nomination received from the above categories – sponsored by Spire Solicitors

We are looking for another main sponsor for the awards as well as a further sponsor for the remaining category:

• Arts 

Protima Sikdar-Wood from Spire Solicitors and sponsor of the Outstanding Achievement award said:”  Sponsoring the Norfolk Youth Awards is without question a rewarding and highly beneficial experience for Spire Solicitors LLP, for us to continue to recognise and appreciate what we love about Norfolk – emerging talent. We were proud to be sponsors of the awards, as well as celebrate the success of all the individuals nominated.”

Charlene Girling:  Head of Youth Services for OPEN Youth Trust said:  “This is an amazing opportunity to honour the future generation for the region, and we are inviting anyone interested to join us in championing these young people by sponsoring these awards”.

Anyone interested in getting involved should contact Angela Brett [email protected]telephone 01603 252117

For more information about these awards visit:https://opennorwich.org.uk/awards/norfolk-youth-awards/

Photo caption:  Winners and sponsors from Norfolk Youth Awards 2019 – credit Simon Finlay Photography

With companies all over the UK racing to reduce their carbon footprint and plan how they can contribute to the Government’s recent announcement to pass net zero emissions into law, one organisation has been helping hundreds of the UK’s biggest businesses to prepare for this step-change.

The UK’s biggest carsharing platform, Liftshare, has just hit an incredible milestone. It has prevented 1 billion miles from being driven by encouraging people to share their journey, matching commuters and also working with employers to find smart transport solutions.

Liftshare.com was founded over 21 years ago by Ali Clabburn, a student in Bristol who was looking to get home to Norfolk, having spent his money on going out. He posted a note on the student union pinboard and the rest is history.

The platform recently welcomed it’s 1 millionth member, with each of its regular sharers saving on average £1,000. Every day, these sharers are saving around 1 million miles. 

While the first billion took 21 years to achieve, the rate of growth for Liftshare means that it will take less than 3 years to achieve its next billion miles. Liftshare’s work could be saving 10% of all commuting miles in 5 years time.

A video of how Liftshare have achieved a billion miles can be viewed on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/LeaYOIexaFE

But it’s not just the miles saved that is significant. That translates into 192,574 tonnes of CO2 not being released into the atmosphere. Too much CO2 in the atmosphere is a major contributing factor towards climate change. The average carbon footprint for a person is around 20 tonnes per year.

Alongside the public network, where anyone can sign up and find matches going their way, Liftshare also offer private schemes for businesses to help their staff travel more sustainably. This is where the majority of its growth has come from, with some of the biggest employers in the UK (such as Amazon, Ocado, BT and Heathrow) setting up schemes to help their staff travel more sustainably.

A company’s potential savings by using the platform can be enormous, with it currently saving businesses a combined £20 million per year. This figure comes from reductions in parking requirements and the associated costs of leasing spaces or land. With initiatives such as Workplace Parking Levies now being considered by local authorities, reducing the amount of private parking on-site could become an urgent priority for businesses in the near future Liftshare can also save businesses money by aiding the recruitment and retention of staff. A car-sharing scheme enables people to get to work cheaper and easier, but sharing also helps make the commute less stressful and you have someone to talk to.

Ali Clabburn, Founder and CEO, said, “I never imagined when I set up Liftshare over 21 years ago that we could have reached this incredible milestone. It feels like Liftsharing has finally gone mainstream and it’s now completely normal to share your journey. A million people can’t be wrong!

Liftsharing gives people the options that they need to travel sustainably. What most people don’t realise is how flexible carsharing can be. You don’t have to share every day, do what works for you. A lot of people are making a conscious effort to help the environment and be greener. Liftshare is one very easy way that you can help the planet, ease congestion in your local area and save a bit of money at the same time.”

Brewin Dolphin, one of the UK’s leading wealth managers, has opened an office in the heart of Norwich.

The modern, agile, working environment on St Andrews Hill enhances the services that Brewin Dolphin provides, offering wealth management services to private clients, corporates, trusts and charities, working closely with local Independent Financial Advisors (IFA) and other professionals.

The opening reinforces Brewin Dolphin’s commitment to East Anglia, which is underpinned by continuing support for local events and charitable causes, including the Royal Norfolk Show, and the Norfolk & Norwich Festival.

Andrew Wheeler, Head of Brewin Dolphin East Anglia, said: “The business has come a long way over the last five years, and through improvements in our technology we are able to operate more flexibly in the heart of Norwich.

“We can use this agile workspace to focus our time, hosting meetings with our clients and building our professional service relationships and contacts.”

He adds that neighbouring businesses have been “extremely welcoming”. “The location is in the heart of the business community in Norwich, so a stone’s throw away from companies who we have built our relationships with.  We are certainly seeing a pick-up in enquiries from business owners and employees around pensions and tax-efficient investment, post the election” he said.

Brewin Dolphin’s offices in East Anglia have strategic partnerships with many professionals from the region, building on the firm’s more than 250 years of heritage. The team includes experienced investment managers who are focused on delivering individual advice tailored to their clients’ personal ambitions and attitude to risk.

The value of investments and any income from them can fall and you may get back less than you invested.

Please note that this article was prepared as a general guide only and does not constitute tax or legal advice. While we believe it to be correct at the time of writing, Brewin Dolphin is not a tax adviser and tax law is subject to frequent change.  Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances; therefore, you should not rely on this information without seeking professional advice from a qualified tax adviser.

The information contained in this publication is believed to be reliable and accurate, but without further investigation cannot be warranted as to accuracy or completeness. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views held throughout Brewin Dolphin Ltd.

Spaces are now available to book on our Emergency First Aid At Work Training Courses, on;

• 12th February 2020
• 11th March 2020
• 15th April 2020

Courses are held at Rossis Leisure Centre, North Walsham. Prices are £62.50 (+VAT) per person, Refreshements & Lunch are included;

https://shepherdshsltd.co.uk/first-aid-training-courses/

Every winter you hear the same stories about the pressures on the NHS. 

So how can we help to alleviate that pressure? We’ve been asked by the NHS in South West London to produce a series of awareness commercials to educate the public. Topics include the importance of getting the flu jab and the often overlooked services that pharmacists can provide.

The JMS Group was founded nearly 40 years ago to produce commercials for the burgeoning commercial radio industry. People’s listening habits have changed greatly over the decades and this campaign reflected that. The commercials have been booked to run on both a traditional local radio station (Radio Jackie, one of the original pirate stations) and a modern streaming service (Spotify, targeting users in south west London).

Even though people’s listening habits have changed, they are still listening! And we’re still reaching them with effective advertising campaigns!