On Thursday 23rd February over 100 Norfolk Chamber members joined us at Norwich City Football Club for a morning of networking with a delicious breakfast and a presentation from Paul Britton, Google Maps Advisor.
Caroline Williams MBE hosted the morning, Members started off the morning with an ice breaker quiz. This quiz involved members guessing the top Google searches of 2016 about Norwich. Following the quiz a delicious breakfast was served and members got a chance to speak to the people they were sat with.
To introduce more networking before we had the Google presentation we mixed the members up with a safari move swapping them to different tables to make more connections.
Paul Britton took the floor after breakfast to show us how we can change our Google Map views of our businesses to give people a better understanding of where a business is placed and an inside view. Paul also showed us how he has started to use 3D technology to bring parts of the business to life.
Following Paul’s presentation Caroline started a Q&A between the delegates and Paul to help them get a better understanding of how they can use these tips within their own businesses. After this had finished many delegates stayed and networked with their existing contacts and also the new ones they had made that day.
For December we are running our Christmas Countdown of Charities here at Norfolk Chambers, where throughout the month we will be sharing stories and updates from a variety of Norfolk Charities.
Below is a recap list of the Charities we shared last week, along with links to the posts we sent out on LinkedIn:
There’s no doubt that many business owners and managers will have hundreds of questions and concerns about the direct impact of Brexit on organisations. But what about the effects on the end consumer? It’s essential that businesses understand how buying trends and consumer rights may be affected to help you plan ahead.
Through our Brexit Hub, we offer support on a business-to-business basis to ensure you are trading under new rules and regulations. However, below are some areas where your customers could be impacted. These areas are purely predictions and possible scenarios and are not certainties, but hopefully they can provide some clarity for your business.
Consumer rights
Many EU-based consumer rights have been incorporated into UK law so there shouldn’t be much difference whether there is a deal or no-deal. These unaffected rights include refund protection.
As of the 1st of January 2021, if you buy goods from Europe to sell to your customers with a refund policy, it would be a good idea to speak to your supplier about if this will change and update your own policy to reflect any updates. If consumers wish to seek legal action against EU based traders, enforcement from a UK court may be more difficult to achieve.
Tariff increases
Some tariffs could increase – your business may be in a position to absorb some of these costs, or you might have to adjust the prices of your products which could alter your customer’s buying habits.
Product delays
It’s possible we could see logistical delays as we approach the transition date. Especially in the instance of a no-deal, many goods including fresh food imports could be in short supply. It may be worth exploring a strategy on how to manage your customer’s expectations if you are worried about shortages.
Pound to euro
It’s difficult to say whether the pound will rise or fall following the transition date if we get a deal. And it’s possible that with a slight drop in the pound, this won’t have a significant impact on consumer prices. However, a no-deal scenario could amplify this impact considerably and costs could rise if you import certain goods.
With the deadline for the end of the Brexit Transition Period fast approaching and Prime Minister Boris Johnson warning there is a “strong possibility” of no deal, Norfolk Chambers of Commerce wishes to assure its members and the wider Norfolk business community that we are here to provide guidance and support through the potentially troubled waters ahead.
01 January 2021, are you ready?
A question posed across the media and all government departments to the business community throughout 2020.
Whilst there are things you can prepare for, many will ask “Prepared for what?” as they try to disseminate the tangible actions amongst the barrage of information.
We would like to assure you that as soon as further information becomes available, we will strive to cut through the jargon and bring you clear advice.
The EU-UK Joint committee have come to an agreement in principle on the Northern Ireland protocol. Whilst this is a positive step forward, we are awaiting the conversion of this agreement into crystal clear guidance for the business community moving forward.
Commenting on the introduction of ‘Tier 4’ of Coronavirus restrictions in England, with many businesses once again forced to close their doors from 20th December, BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
“Christmas was already cancelled for many businesses, but even more will now suffer as a result of this last-minute decision.
“While Government must act on public health concerns, it must also address the economic consequences of its actions. Will there be more help for firms being forced to shut their doors – and for those who have paid for stock they now can’t sell? What support will there be for companies whose cash flow projections have once again been thrown into chaos?
“The introduction of an additional tier without warning or additional help is a huge blow to businesspeople who wanted nothing more than to be able to trade safely through the holiday season and beyond.
“It is clear ministers across all four nations are now considering even tougher measures. With huge numbers of firms already on the edge, it would be unconscionable for further restrictions or closures to be announced without a more comprehensive package of support in place that gives businesses the confidence that ministers will stand by them through an uncertain year ahead.”
Commenting on GDP figures for November 2020 published today by the ONS, BCC Head of Economics Suren Thiru said:
“The latest figures highlight the continued damage being done to the UK economy by coronavirus.
“The decline in output in November was largely driven by the drag on activity from the second lockdown, with consumer-focused services firms, who are most exposed to lockdown restrictions, enduring a particularly difficult month.
“With any post-lockdown rally in output in December constrained by the tougher tiered restrictions, including the introduction of tier 4 measures, the UK economy is likely to have contracted in the final quarter of 2020.
“A third lockdown means that a double-dip recession in the first quarter of this year may be inevitable, particularly if the current post-Brexit disruption persists through the quarter.
“A clear and comprehensive plan is urgently needed to support the economy throughout this year. This should include closing the current gaps in government support and providing more significant grant funding to support cash strapped businesses. A fit-for-purpose Test, Trace and Isolate system remains critical to keeping the economy moving once the current lockdown ends.”
Commenting on the Prime Minister’s announcement of a new, national lockdown in England, and following the implementation of a lockdown in Scotland, BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
“Businesses will understand why the Prime Minister has felt compelled to act on the spiralling threat to public health, but they will be baffled and disappointed by the fact that he did not announce additional support for affected businesses alongside these new restrictions.
“The lockdowns announced in England and Scotland today are a body blow to our business communities, hard on the heels of lost trade during the festive season and uncertainty linked to the end of the Brexit transition period. Tens of thousands of firms are already in a precarious position, and now face a period of further hardship and difficulty.
“Billions have already been spent helping good firms to survive this unprecedented crisis and to save jobs. These businesses must not be allowed to fail now, when the vaccine rollout provides light at the end of this long tunnel. The financial support for businesses needs to be stepped up in line with the devastating restrictions being placed on them. Otherwise, many of these firms may simply not be there to power our recovery when we emerge once again.
“Enhanced support for businesses, a turbo-charged vaccine rollout, and delivery of existing promises on mass testing must be delivered to enable the UK to restart, rebuild and renew.”
Norfolk County Council have released their business ratepayers consultation for 2021/2022. With a very challenging year for everyone last year, the budget for the coming financial year had to make allowances for the continuing response to the Covid-19 pandemic; dealing with Brexit and reducing carbon.
There is major uncertainty about government funding beyond 2021-22, including uncertainty linked with impact of COVID-19 and leaving the EU. As well as significant uncertainty around impact of COVID-19 on council tax and business rates income 2021-22. Therefore Norfolk County Council are proposing to increase council tax by 3.99% in 2021-22 (including 2% Adult Social Care precept), with a further 1% increase in Adult Social Care precept deferred to 2022-23.
A Capital Programme of £537.660m is proposed for 2021-25+ reflecting significant capital investment in major projects including:
Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing.
Long Stratton bypass.
Programme to improve SEND school provision
The County Council have also provided a presentation to outline key spending decisions, which can be viewed here.
They are very keen to hear from the Norfolk business community. Please give your feedback via: [email protected] by 31 January 2021.
As Coronavirus continues to impact the day-to-day operations of businesses across the UK, the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce stand ready to support you. We have created a range of resources to help address your concerns which can be found on our website.
Since March 2020, thousands of businesses across the UK have contributed to the Coronavirus Business Impacts Tracker. Your views have gone directly to the highest levels of Government and have formed one of the most important datasets shaping the economic response throughout the crisis.
In this 5 minute survey, please feel free to give your views on business conditions, Coronavirus business support schemes, and possible changes flowing from the introduction of the EU-UK trade agreement on 1 January. A link to the survey is below: COVID-19 and Brexit Survey
Your views have never been more important for both your own business and all others within the business community.
On Thursday 10th January I had the absolute pleasure of spending the evening at City College Norwich’s Debut restaurant for a Cyber-Security themed dinner. It was an intimate affair with the option of a mojito mocktail or prosecco on arrival, I opted for the prosecco of course. With around 20 people in the room it was easy to speak to a number of different people most of whom had never been to the restaurant before and were looking forward to it as much as I was.
Reception part of the evening over we were called to our seats for dinner to begin, I have to admit I was rather excited by the prospect of a mystery dinner and it did not disappoint. The food was absolutely outstanding, especially given that the entire thing was executed by the college’s Hospitality Apprenticeship students. It was a four-course affair with a pea and mint soup amuse bouche; crispy goats cheese, beetroot texture, and French salad starter; duck breast with parsnip, red cabbage, and potatoes; and a salted caramel and chocolate tart for pudding. Every single course was outstanding and presented to a very high standard, the students serving us were very professional and I’m sure will go on to have fantastic careers in the hospitality industry. I had the pleasure of being seated next to one of the degree apprenticeship officers from the college who explained that many of the students go on to work on cruise ships, in high level kitchens, and private yachts and I can certainly see why! Before the speakers took their place on the stairs (in lieu of a stage) we were presented with truffles and tea, which went down an absolute treat. I even joked to some of the people on my table that I have had worse food and service in a restaurant!
The evening was focused on cyber-security and made possible with the help of Cyberfen so after we had finished our outstanding dinner came the presentation portion of the evening. First up with Peter Cubbin who’s main message was for us to forget the technology, something you don’t expect to hear at a cyber-security evening, or at least I certainly didn’t. He highlighted that often when organisations experience disruption to their processes it’s usually because they are collateral damage of a larger attack, his example was the Wannacry virus which put large swathes of the NHS on lockdown in 2017. He argued that this could have been avoided if organisations had updated their systems to take on a security patch released by Microsoft in the months running up to the attack.
Next up was Deborah Cubbin who explained to the room that businesses need to be considering the wider repercussions of an attack on the business as a whole. She said that too often the onus is put on the IT and Security team to fend off an attack whereas business leaders should in fact be involving themselves in security. When a business experiences an attack it can have a detrimental impact on their reputation and therefore should be considered a business issue as opposed to a technical issue.
Finally Paul Maskell took to the stage with the message that organisations need to be taking people’s data more seriously. He used the hypothetical situation of me asking to borrow his car, he would be happy to lend it to me but he had previous experience of doing so to Kieren who had not treated it very well and in turn leant it to his friend who had taken it for a jolly down to London. His point was that when I asked to borrow his car, where he previously would have agreed, due to his negative experience with Kieren he would be less inclined to do so. He said the same is true for customer’s data, they trust us as businesses to look after it and do the right thing when they give it to us, companies that betray this trust make customers more wary of sharing it in future. We should be protecting data as if it is the most important thing to us.
The evening closed with a short introduction to the new Information Technology and Computing, Level 3 City College are running from September 2019. The course has been designed alongside employers and teaches students both the technical and soft skills they need to succeed in the workplace.
I was absolutely delighted to be invited to such a great evening and will definitely be attending the next one, assuming I get an invite of course!
With over 125 years in business, Norfolk Chambers of Commerce places emphasis on supporting more Norfolk businesses by embracing digital communities.
As Norfolk’s largest business membership network, Norfolk Chambers of Commerce is aiming to give local businesses even more opportunities to connect, engage and collaborate.
With a mission of Connecting, Supporting and Giving Voice to Every Business in Norfolk, the non-profit organisation is turning up the volume on how and where businesses can get advice and support.
Norfolk Chambers has already launched two new exciting digital platforms – Norfolk’s Voice – a members only e-zine, and the first stage of Norfolk Knowledge Hub, a knowledge and skills sharing platform that is free to use for all.
The move to become a Digital Chamber has been a long time in the planning. Last year Norfolk Chambers introduced Vice Chairman of the Social Media Council at the DMA and director of award-winning digital marketing and social media experts SocialB, Lynsey Sweales, as its President. With over 16 years’ experience in digital marketing working with clients such as Google and Aston Martin, Lynsey brings in a wealth of experience to help encourage companies to embrace digital innovation and grow their business online.
There has also been a change to Norfolk Chambers’ senior management team. Nova Fairbank who was previously Head of Policy, Governance & Public Affairs has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, and Paul Vincent, previously Financial Controller has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer.
Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chambers said: “This investment in change is part of the development and growth of the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce. As a Chamber we provide networking opportunities, share knowledge, offer business advice and support, signpost to business opportunities and inspire innovative thinking to enable companies to do better business. These new digital platforms and new roles within the Chambers will enable us to remain relevant and help support many more Norfolk businesses in their quest to get ready to grow.”
Commenting on the announcement of the fund, Nova Fairbank, Chief Operating Officer for Norfolk Chamberssaid:
“This is a welcome first step in dealing with some of the major issues that small businesses trading with the EU are facing. With their finances already under a significant squeeze firms, particularly those which export, are inevitably encountering difficulties in adapting to the complexities of the new arrangements.
“It is now crucial that the grants provide sufficient funds to make a real difference and the government should stand ready to increase their size if needed. We will continue working closely with government to make sure this scheme is delivered as quickly and smoothly as possible for firms still adapting to the new EU trading arrangements and the impact of the pandemic.
“The Norfolk Chamber will also continue to offer as much direct support as we can to SMEs especially through ChamberCustoms and our other International Trade Services.