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Please click onto the document to read this week’s market summary. 

TOOLS WANTED

Due to changes imposed by social distancing requirements Saint Edmunds Society are urgently seeking tools to supplement present levels.

If you or anyone has any knowledge of hand tools, ie saws, chisels etc that they would be prepared to donate we would be extremely grateful.

We are also seeking old motor bikes and petrol lawn mowers, working or not for mechanic students Please call 01603 623035 and we will arrange collection.

To celebrate Import Export Support’s sixth anniversary, I’ve been looking back at the events which have had a big effect on our line of work – it’s been a tumultuous six years! 

2014   

July: Oil prices crash.  What goes up can come down. At the beginning of the month oil costs over $100 a barrel but after OPEC stops supporting the price, it drops to $50 or less and there is a glut of cheap oil. Prices remain well below 2014 levels. August: Ebola declared an international health emergency  Trade and economic activity across West Africa is affected by the “largest, most severe and most complex Ebola epidemic” in history, according to the World Health Organization. 28,000 people are infected and 11,000 people die. 1st September: Launch of Import Export Support I take a deep breath and launch IES, with the objective of offering professional expertise to importers and exporters in East Anglia.

2015   

August: China devalues the Renminbi Beijing sends shock waves through global financial markets when it devalues the Renminbi or yuan against the dollar and investors take it as a sign that the Chinese economy is in trouble. The Shanghai stock market plunges, China reports lower than expected growth of ‘only’ 6.9 percent and economic growth around the world slows. In the UK, importers worry that trade with China may never return and start to review their sourcing strategies October: TPP finally gets done. After seven years of negotiations, the US, Canada, Australia and nine other countries finally agree the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the largest regional trade deal in history. However, in 2017 new US President Donald Trump takes the US out of the agreement. Undeterred, the eleven other countries negotiate their own deal which incorporates most of the old TPP but excludes the US.

2016   

May: The EU launch the Union Customs Code In a major change for UK businesses who trade in the EU, the UCC is the result of years of planning to streamline and simplify trade across the single market. By bringing most of the EU’s customs legislation into one package and clarifying rules of application, it is designed to make trade between EU based businesses simpler, quicker and less of a burden. June: The EU referendum Treat poll results with a grain of salt. That’s the lesson of Britain’s referendum on leaving the EU. Despite the predicted victory for Remain, Britons vote 52 to 48 percent for Leave. The vote highlights Britain’s fundamental divisions, ends the career of David Cameron and throws our political system into turmoil. Theresa May emerges from the resulting Conservative Party scrum to become the new prime minister. In East Anglia, importers and exporters look on with either leaver’s optimism or remainer’s pessimism at an unexpected future outside the EU.

2017   

March: Britain triggers Article 50 Prime Minister May signs  Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. The move “from which there can be no turning back” gives Britain two years to negotiate the terms of its departure.  June: Theresa May tries to shore up a weak negotiating position by calling a snap election. Her decision backfires, the Conservatives lose 13 seats and May now has to manage a hung parliament.  December: Britain and the EU reach agreement to a payment of up to £60b to settle Britain’s debt to the EU. The two sides now focus on negotiating their future relationship. For importers and exporters the possibility of a hard Brexit is increasing. The clock is ticking. October: Global growth picks up Ten years after the Great Recession the IMF reports global economic growth is hitting record highs. “The outlook is strengthening… The Eurozone growth was at a ten-year high… The U.S. economy grew 3.3 percent in the third quarter… China beat its target of 6.5 percent growth.”

2018   

January: Trump starts a trade war.  “I want tariffs,” Donald Trump tells his advisers and he gets his wish. In January the US administration imposes import tariffs on washing machines and solar panels, in March on steel and aluminium, and in July on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports. However, despite the President tweeting that “Trade wars are good, and easy to win,” US tariffs hurt more than help Americans. Trump has second thoughts about just how easy trade wars are and in July, the US strikes a deal with the EU to stop any further tariffs and start trade talks. In November, a trade truce is agreed with China.

2019   

March: Brexit upends British politics.  As the March deadline for leaving the EU looms, Prime Minister Theresa May can’t persuade the House of Commons to approve the deal she has struck with the EU. The sticking point is the so-called backstop, designed to avoid a customs barrier in the Irish Sea. May delays Brexit until October 31, and after MPs vote down her deal for the third time, she resigns.  July: The Conservative Party elect Boris Johnson to be prime minister. He strikes a new deal with the EU that includes a customs barrier between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. Saddled with May’s hung parliament he employs controversial tactics to push the deal through, without success. Johnson, forced to extend the withdrawal deadline to January 2020, calls a snap election. British voters reward him, the Conservatives win their biggest majority in three decades, and, finally on December 20, MPs approve a deal to exit the EU. May: The US – China trade war reignites Further negotiations between the US and China are interspersed with tit-for-tat tariffs until in October a tentative agreement is reached. Both sides claim victory, however major disagreements between the two economic superpowers remain unresolved.

2020   

31 January, a red letter day for business in Britain The European Council lowers the Union Jack, signalling that Britain is no longer a member state. Britain’s importers and exporters, having had a three year roller-coaster ride through many trade scenarios, can now look forward with more certainty, and there are signs that confidence is rising in Britain’s business community. Ominously, 31 January is also the day when the BBC reports “Two people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK”. As we now know, Britain’s first COVID19 cases forewarn us of a situation where, for importers and exporters, the events of the previous six years pale into insignificance.

Carrow Road is set to re-open for Conference, Meetings and Events from Tuesday, October 1.

Head of Conference, Meetings and Events Helen Gooch and Head of Catering Stuart Cox explained how these facilities will be opening safely and what to expect from the venue.

What saftety measures have been put in place?

 

From October 1 we’ve been given the go ahead to open up for our conference, meetings and events business. We’ve looked at the guidance in great detail and introduced quite a few things with that, which are temperature checks for all of our staff on a daily basis and we’ve also created a health questionnaire for them to complete, which gives us track and trace availability if need be. We’ve also risk assessed all of our venue with the new COVID-19 guidelines and we’ve then drawn up our own safety policy regarding that, so we’re all ready from that point of view to be open from October 1.

What’s available in terms of technology provided?

In the South Stand, particularly where we are today, we’ve got the Top of the City here, alongside 15 executive boxes just down the corridor and Club 101 just on the next floor down. Just as an example, guests could have Top of the City for a conference, but actually have delegates in some of the boxes or Club 101.

The screens we have around the stadium can be linked to the presentation, so no matter what room you were in, you could still see the content and feel joined up, but still have social distancing in mind and being in different spaces, if that works.

Last summer, we spent an awful lot of money on revamping everything we had from an audio-visual point of view, we spent close to about £400,000, really bringing it up to modern day requirements for clients. We’ve also now introduced a live-streaming ability from one of our conference rooms, so you could hold a conference, an AGM or something like that where it can be broadcast live from there and then.

What else can the Executive Boxes be used for?

We have within the stands 17 main meeting spaces and also 41 executive boxes ranging in sizes. Within in the South Stand’s 15 boxes, there’s two double boxes that can open up to hold a maximum capacity of 20. Although lower at a social distance capacity, there is flexibility if you have a small meeting to hold and want some extra space, the double boxes are good for that.

Tell us about the USPs of the venue itself.

We’re lucky to have our renowned Delia’s Canary Catering team on site, where everything is sourced locally if possible and we can adapt and change things as need be for our clients, so we’ve got a real unique selling point.

We can host different companies’ events in different stands, knowing if they want to, they can be the only one in anyone given stand. The great thing is we have lots of different entrances and exits throughout the stadium, lots of washrooms, so wherever you are within the stadium there’ll be a selection of facilities guests can use whilst they are here. It’s really unique in that way that we have got that to help people feel safe and secure when they’re here.

Fete smiles on Hillington Square

The summer fete is back again at Hillington Square this Saturday, 15 July 2017, from 12 – 3pm.

The Square will be packed with food and fun for all the family, with music and games on offer throughout the afternoon.

The Mayor of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, Councillor Carol Bower, will also be in attendance to support the fete and take part in some of the activities on offer.

Flukes ukulele band will be providing music, whilst face painting, a bouncy castle and a number of crafts and activities will be on offer to keep young and old entertained.

Freebridge Director of Housing, Robert Clarke, said: “The Hillington Square Fete is one of the highlights of the summer for Freebridge, and this year looks set to be better than ever.

“The work of our Providence Street Placeshaping Team has meant that we can offer a wider range stalls and activities and we are looking forward to welcoming the wider community into Hillington Square.”

The largest free to use long range wide-area network (LoRaWAN) deployment in the UK is set to be launched here in Norfolk.

Norfolk County Council is officially launching the Norfolk and Suffolk Innovation Network on Tuesday 15 September with a free online event aimed at businesses in the county to encourage them to make use of the innovative new technology.

Tech experts including Norfolk County Council’s Chief Technical Officer Kurt Frary will explain how the technology works, with Leader Andrew Proctor and Cllr Tom FitzPatrick outlining the council’s ambition for connectivity in Norfolk.

Once finished, the network will be made up of 120 ‘gateways’ that are located across the county. These receive data from small sensors which can be programmed to measure things like temperature, sound and movement. The network has been built in partnership with Suffolk County Council and funded by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership.

Businesses can buy their own sensors, adapt them to measure different things like visitor numbers, weather data and temperature, and tap into the gateways for free. Norfolk County Council will help them get set up and begin receiving data to help them make decisions about their business.

Cllr Tom FitzPatrick, Cabinet Member for Innovation, Transformation and Performance, said: “Our Innovation Network is already helping kickstart innovation here in Norfolk, with industry leaders including Ben Burgess using it to help farmers and agriculture companies measure rain and weather data.

“We’re already using sensors to measure road surface temperatures for gritting runs, humidity levels in our storage archives, and visitor numbers on our trails. But the only real limit with this technology is your imagination, so we’d like to see as many businesses as possible attending. Come get involved, help us continue our drive to make Norfolk better connected than ever, and take advantage of the benefits offered by this digital innovation.”

Businesses and individuals are encouraged to sign up to the event for free on the Eventbrite page.

Around half of the gateways have been completed, with the rollout to new locations prioritised according to where businesses interested in using the network are based.

Before the network, sensors would need memory and could cost upwards of £1,000. But with the new gateways, people can use cheaper, low power sensors that can cost as little as £10 and focus more on gathering and then transmitting data over a long distance, rather than storing it.

Gateways are being extended across Suffolk, with an official launch planned over the coming months to encourage Suffolk businesses to get involved and make use of the network.

Please click onto the document to read this week’s market summary.

Inspired by a recent conversation with a listener, this week’s podcast makes reference to Austin Powers, Tony Robbins, Michael Heppell and Ghandi, as James and Mark provide 3 top tips on how to reclaim your mojo in business and in life. Yeah baby!   Listen here. 

Work to develop a plan for King’s Lynn that could bring £25M in funding into the town is moving forward.

The Town Investment Plan is being developed by the Town Board, which brings together representatives from the private and public sector, and will set out the vision, priorities, and interventions that could significantly enhance the town.

The plan’s development comes after the government allocated £25m for King’s Lynn in 2019 through the Town’s Fund, which was set up to drive economic regeneration.  The plan must include projects focused on the themes of urban regeneration, planning and land use; skills and enterprise infrastructure, and connectivity.

Consultation has been taking place to gain insight to help to shape the plan. This has included business and consumer confidence surveys that ran earlier this summer and a workshop for town centre businesses, taking place on 9 September. The workshop saw themes such as opportunities and challenges and investment in the public realm discussed and also provided an update into progress on the Town Investment Plan.

Further opportunities for people to feedback on the plan and its projects will be offered on a regular basis.

Graham Purkins, Chair of the Town Board and Chief Technology Officer with Merxin Ltd commented: “The consultation which we have been carrying out gives us a really useful insight into some of the needs and priorities for businesses and consumers going forward.

“It is clear that Covid-19 has had an impact in the town, but the resilience and adaptability of businesses and consumers has also been revealed by our research.

“The plan that we are developing will form part of the recovery and renewal of King’s Lynn and so the feedback we have received, at the workshop and in the surveys, is extremely useful. I am really grateful for everyone who took the time to have their say.”

Earlier this summer, the Vision King’s Lynn consumer and business surveys aimed to understand confidence in the town, in light of Covid-19. 276 consumers and 72 businesses gave their views in the consultation which ran just prior to the reopening of non-essential retail. The research found:

Consumer Insight Survey

• At the time of asking, there was a great deal of uncertainty about coming back to the town centre with 46% of consumers feeling confident but 36.8% of respondents stating that they felt unsure.
• The big concern was feeling safe, and the public needed reassurance around social distancing and the measures that have been taken.
• The main purpose people had for coming in was non-essential shopping.
• There has been a big shift in online use in the preceding months, including online banking. This has been through necessity as well as choice.

Business Insight Survey:

• Covid-19 had had a negative impact on most (86.7%) of the businesses who took part in the survey – but 63.5% of respondents said that they are confident that they can recover.
• Businesses have adapted over the last few months, with implementing social distancing measures the main change that has been made.
• The key challenges for businesses in the coming months is retaining and attracting customers, and financial pressures. Businesses would like financial support and help with marketing the town and bringing footfall in.
• There is uncertainty in the future.

The respondents in both surveys stated that they would like to see outdoor seating areas and short-term pop-up shops in the town.

The most recent consultation follows on from previous Vision King’s Lynn surveys which aimed to understand satisfaction with the town as well as needs and ideas. The insight gathered through Vision King’s Lynn consultations will help to inform the plan which will be submitted to government by 31st October with the Town Deal expected to be agreed with government by end of March 2021.

Graham Purkins commented: “This is a once in a generation opportunity for King’s Lynn, to deliver a plan of activity that can bring huge benefits for the town.

“We have much to be proud of in King’s Lynn and with this investment, and through our plan, we can make the most of our very many assets and enhance the town to be a place where people want and aspire to be.”

Through the Town Investment Plan, the aim is for King’s Lynn to be a thriving place where people and businesses want to be, where aspiration is inspired and met, and where potential is fulfilled, now and for generations to come.  The plan will enhance the town centre experience for all, providing cultural and leisure opportunities, a new residential offer, and a revived waterfront. The plan will support business innovation and collaboration, and increase access to learning, skills, and employment. The plan will provide for improved and sustainable connections, and will help with the town’s recovery and renewal from the impact of Covid-19, ensuring the long-term success of King’s Lynn.

Follow Vision King’s Lynn on Twitter @vision_lynn Facebook: Vision King’s Lynn or visit www.visionkingslynn.co.uk for updates and further information.

*The winners of the Vision King’s Lynn prize draw were Marc Melton, Adam Knight, and Aga Munns.

Overview

Indigo Swan is an energy consultancy based in the centre of Norwich. They are looking for a passionate Account Manager to work as part of the Energy Contract Enthusiast Team who negotiate and manage electricity and gas contracts for our business clients.

Job Purpose

To provide excellent customer service to existing and new business clients, assisting them with their energy contract management needs. To ensure clients feel well supported and informed at all stages of the electricity and gas contract negotiations. To be trusted and respected by colleagues, clients and suppliers.

Main Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of clients by regular contact throughout the year to build strong relationships and help with any queries
• Manage and renew contracts based on our high service levels
• Ensure client contracts are renewed at the most appropriate time
• Carry out wholesale pricing data entry and analysis
• Professionally liaise and negotiate with energy companies to get the best prices for clients
• Generate pricing reports and present recommendations to clients
• Ensure contract administration is compliant with internal and external processes
• Keep up to date with energy industry developments
• Regular communication with clients about upcoming industry or contract changes that may affect them
• Support Indigo Swan’s continued growth by achieving personal and team sales targets
• Support the Client Services team with any complex account management queries
• Cross sell our full product range to existing and new clients
• Represent and promote Indigo Swan at Industry and Client events and meetings
• Support the Client Discovery team with campaigns
• Develop your own prospects converting them to new clients
• Work with business introducers – answering their queries, reporting on the progress of their prospects & assisting with the decision-making process and preparation of the contracts

To find out more about the benefits, tools and support availble visit their website here.

Please email [email protected] for an application form, or if you have any questions please call Aimee Konieczny on 01603 625522 to discuss the position further.

Hatch Brenner Solicitors is delighted to welcome the Clinical Negligence, Personal Injury and Professional Negligence team from fellow Norwich Solicitor firm Morgan Jones Pett into the Hatch Brenner Solicitors team.

Following the retirement of David Jones as a Director in Morgan Jones Pett, the entire Clinical Negligence team from Morgan Jones Pett are transferring to Hatch Brenner Solicitors on Theatre Street, Norwich.

From 1 October 2020, top Clinical Negligence Solicitor Sara Westwood will be appointed as a Partner at Hatch Brenner Solicitors. She will be joined by her Morgan Jones Pett team comprising experienced Chartered Legal Executive Simon Bransby, along with their assistants Donna Wright and Hayley Harbord.

Colin Cook, Hatch Brenner Head of Dispute Resolution commented: “We would like to extend a very warm welcome to the Morgan Jones Pett Clinical Negligence team as they join the Hatch Brenner Solicitors Dispute Resolution team. Having known Sara and Simon for many years via the Personal Injury community, it is very exciting to have their talent and nationally-recognised expertise within our team. We admire their practical and professional approach to cases and they have a first-class reputation.

“Clinical Negligence, Personal Injury and Professional Negligence legal support are specialist areas, and we are delighted to be offering a heavy-weight provision of experience, accreditation and expertise to our clients. We feel the two teams complement each other, and it will be great to be able to offer a much broader clinical and medical negligence, personal injury and professional negligence practice alongside our existing services, under the Hatch Brenner Solicitors banner. We will continue to champion access to specialist rehabilitation services and family support alongside compensation.”

Sara Westwood, Clinical Negligence Specialist Solicitor added: “Simon, Hayley, Donna and I would like to extend our thank you to the entire Hatch Brenner team for the warm welcome we have received. We are delighted to be joining such a friendly firm with a broad spectrum of legal services, which also has national reach within Clinical Negligence thanks to the combination of our specialist knowledge and experience.”

Solicitor Sara Westwood is amongst the select few specialist solicitors in the UK to be appointed to both the AvMA panel (Action Against Medical Accidents) and Law Society Panel of Clinical Negligence Specialists. She is also a Senior Litigator member of APIL (the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) and has over 15 years of specialist experience. She has a particular interest in gynaecological and obstetric claims, orthopaedic cases and A&E errors. In her spare time she enjoys badminton, boating and enjoying meals with friends.

Simon Bransby is a Chartered Legal Executive with over 30 years experience specialising in personal injury and clinical errors across a wide range of injury law cases. Outside of work, Simon enjoys cycling, running, music and cooking.

Sara and Simon have both been listed in the Legal 500 and Chamber and Partners Legal Directories as clinical negligence and personal injury specialists for the East Anglia region. They both regularly volunteer as legal advisors to the Norfolk Community Law Service (NCLS) and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Their experience complements Colin Cook’s impressive accreditations which include being APIL accredited as a Senior Litigator Personal Injury Specialist and Brain Injury Specialist, a Law Society accreditation for Personal Injury and being listed in the Spinal Injuries Association list of accredited Personal Injury Solicitors for 2019/20 and the Headway Solicitors Directory since 2015. Colin is also on the board of trustees for Headway Norfolk & Waveney and is a member of the Norfolk & Norwich Medico Legal Society, Eastern Region Brain Injury Forum and the Norfolk Area Brain Injury Forum.

It’s not too late to get a 2020 date!

Please see the PDF file below for more information of the current packages on offer for our exciting Corporate Golf Days.

Upgrades available. Must be booked a minimum 72 hours in advance. Terms and Conditions apply, subject to availability.

Call Sarah Jones, Business development manager on 07449 805801 or email [email protected].