With new Coronavirus lockdown restrictions in force until 02 December, what support is available to businesses affected by these restrictions.
Business Grants
Business premises forced to close in England due to local or national restrictions will be eligible for the business grants as outlined here.
Loan schemes
Application deadlines have been extended to January 31 2021 for the following schemes:
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is set to end on 31 October 2020 and in recognising the ongoing impact Coronavirus is having on businesses, the UK government announced the launch of the Job Support Scheme (JSS) to take affect from 1 November 2020 to last for 6 months. The JSS applies to current staff whether previously been on furlough or not and requires them to be retained on shorter hours by agreement.
The criteria for this scheme significantly differs from the CJRS and on 22 October 2020 the UK government announced new JSS Open and JSS Closed schemes.
JSS Open will help reduce the financial cost to the employer in employing employees who would otherwise be at risk of redundancies and thus increasing the cost to the UK government. It is aimed at the protection of viable jobs in businesses who can operate safely but are facing lower demand over the winter period due to Coronavirus to avoid mass redundancies
JSS Closed will apply where the employer has been legally required to close the premises as a direct result of Coronavirus restrictions set by one or more of the four UK governments
Norfolk Chambers along with our colleagues at Quest, have developed Job Support Scheme (JSS) FAQs which will be updated as further information becomes available.
The Quarterly Economic Survey is significant piece of economic data, used by many organisations and the country’s decision makers to help shape economic policies for the UK.
The Bank of England recently worked on the latest round of Quantitative Easing and they used data supplied by the Chambers Quarterly Economic Survey to help inform those decisions.
With England in its second round of Covid-19 restrictions and the UK Government putting lots of energy into ‘levelling up’ the UK – it is more important than ever to hear from businesses based in Norfolk on how they see the local economy.
Without this vital local and regional knowledge the decision makers cannot make informed choices and put in the right support mechanisms that ultimately may impact on you and your company.
The QES is anonymous, open to anyone and only takes a couple of minutes to complete online.
We need your input, if you only take one survey, then please make it the QES
Most commecially run kitchens do not have the benefit of a bespoke suppresion system to protect the kitchen appliances, staff and ongoing business continuity. These notes are for the benefit of those in catering who run a commercial kitchen or for those management staff who are responsible for a business where a commercial kitchen is a key and fundamental part of the daily activites for the business
The dedicated system linked to the main house fire alarm will extinguish a canopy fire and orevent re-flash to minimise damage in the kitchen and reduce the risk to the staff working within
Canopy protection systems should be considered in all of the following environments as part of the overall fire safety program.
Hotels, Schools state and private, Care Homes, Pubs, larger Sports Centres , larger manufacturing plants with an in house catering provision for staff should all be assessed correctly to look at both the life safety and consequential loss issues for having canopy protection.
Whilst the building regulations are a little vague as to the use of a canopy packages and most risk assessors don’t request it as they defer to the BCO, the use of canopy protection must be given far more serious consideration for a variety of reasons. From a life safety position a canopy package for a commercial kitchen that carries as a typical layout x 2 chip fryers with 25L of fat, plus a 6 burner grill and griddle and salamander grill, an automated suppression system is far more appropriate than expecting staff to try and tackle a chip fire with a wet chemical extinguisher.
What do you do when the extinguisher is empty ? and what do you do if, after the extinguisher has been exhausted there is an issue of reflash.
From the position of the clients insurance provider, they will not want staff trying to put out anything more than a small bin fire due to the potential for an employers liability claim being made in the event that a member of staff tries to put out a fire and ends up with injuries.
Furthermore looking at things from the insurance providers position they will also look at the potential for a large and costly consequential loss claim for kitchen damage that prevents the kitchen being used for what might be several weeks following a relatively small fire.
For the client to consider the the potential costs of hiring in a portable kitchen, or trying to bring in food from an outside source will run into many thousands even for only a few weeks.
There is a clear life safety issue within a commercial kitchen environment for the use of automated suppression and that FRA’s do not make references to its application are really not giving the client the very best guidance.
Best practice and diligent design would have a canopy package included within whatever the L or P system was being installed with interface links for its connection to the main “house” system, not to do so is both weak in terms of the assessment and taking a to narrow view of the issues specific to the site in terms of both potential staff injury’s and a very large insurance claim in the event that the kitchen is written off before the brigade arrive and can deal with it.
Within the kitchen areas there are 2 other issues which will also need to be addressed 1. Enhanced escape lighting in what the assessment should deem a hazardous area 2. VAD units for the fire alarm under EN54 Part 23 with a validated DB test to assess the ambient noise
Cost effective and tax friendly funding is available to cover these types of projects (subject to the usual acceptance) so please feel free to contact me be you a contractor or end user to discuss in confidence where and how Veritas can help you
Transport for Norwich is looking for feedback on plans to improve the area and the consultation for the All Saints Green and Brazengate proposals for are now open. Norfolk County Council and Norwich City Council are looking to provide better infrastructure for cyclists along the yellow pedalway, and to make it easier for pedestrians to move freely, thereby enhancing this part of the city centre for everyone. It builds on the recently completed changes around Westlegate, which have significantly reduced traffic levels in All Saints Green and now mean the next proposed design changes can be put forward. Features of the scheme include a continuous footway on Surrey Street across its junction with All Saints Green; removal of traffic signals on all arms of the same junction and conversion of existing advisory cycle lanes on Brazengate to wider, mandatory lanes. Councillor Mike Stonard, Norwich City Council’s cabinet member for transport and vice-chair of Norwich Highways Agency Committee, says: “Changes around Westlegate have already transformed the way people are using this part of the city so we’re looking to extend these benefits further. We’d like to hear from anyone who uses the area regularly to help shape the final details of the project.” Funding for the project is from the Department for Transport’s Cycle City Ambition Grant. For more information on the details of the scheme, along with plans and how to respond to the consultation, please visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/brazengate.
There are a number of ways to submit your feedback:
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 0344 800 8020
In writing:
Brazengate/Grove Road and All Saints Green Area Consultation Transport for Norwich – Floor 2 Norfolk County Council County Hall Martineau Lane Norwich, NR1 2DHThe deadline for comment is Friday 7 July 2017.
Feedback on the project is due to be reported to the Norwich Highways Agency Committee in September. If approved for construction, work is expected to start early next year.
Commenting on the government’s net zero plan to tackle climate change, BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
“As business communities restart and rebuild after the pandemic, Chambers are clear that the transition to net zero must be measurable, credible and fair.
“The Prime Minister’s announcement is a step forward on this journey, but more detail and even higher levels of both public and private investment will be needed to ensure that we are able to meet the shared ambition of government and our business communities.
“Business communities in our coastal regions will benefit significantly from a greater emphasis on offshore wind. Integrating local firms into supply chains will be vital in supporting investment and jobs of the future.
“Decarbonisation remains crucial to our future economic recovery, but businesses will need to see more detail in the long-awaited Energy White Paper if we are to boost investor confidence. And if we are to build the supply chains needed to meet these ambitions here in the UK, clarity on the future of industrial strategy is also required.
“While the impact of the pandemic has not diminished business communities’ desire to become greener, the pace of change will mean many firms will need support in the transition to cleaner technologies. Government should consider incentives to help businesses make the change without losing out, including business rates exemptions for green investments and compensation schemes for phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles.”
Providing an initial response to the Prime Minister’s plan for Coronavirus restrictions after the second lockdown ends in England, BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
“It is helpful that the Prime Minister has heeded our call to give businesses at least a week’s notice of the rule changes that will affect firms across England from December 2nd.
“Businesses across England now need to see the detail – and will judge the latest set of Covid rules on whether they are easy to understand and based on clear, transparently-presented evidence.
“They need to know that the new rules will be accompanied by commensurate support, by a significant expansion of mass testing, particularly to workplaces across the country, and by a plan to get the economy fully open again.
“The reduction of time in quarantine for international passengers will help to re-establish connections to key markets and trade partners across the world, helping businesses that depend on the UK’s connectivity and preserving industries and livelihoods.
“Ministers can’t simply keep switching businesses on and off like a light switch without expecting severe consequences. Covid-secure businesses will be looking to the government for a plan that keeps them, and the economy, open throughout winter and beyond.”
There has been an update to the UK Governments Border Operating Model, this contains all details on how our border with the European Union will work and will be introduced on 01 January 2021.
Explaining the importance of the new model, Liam Smyth, Director of Trade Facilitation at the British Chamber of Commerce, said that the “announcement of a revised Border Operating Model provides some more of the detail that was missing from the version published less than 12 weeks ago. Duty deferment accounts and postponed VAT accounting will both help firms’ cash flow as we enter a period of huge change at our borders. However, as highlighted in our recent unanswered questions document, businesses still have many areas where they urgently need more certainty, such as how the border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain will operate, clear guidance on rules of origin, which will only be done by ramping up government engagement with business.”
Elizabeth de Jong, Policy Director at Logistics UK, commented: “Clarification on the arrangements for the UK’s borders with the EU at the end of the Transition Period is welcomed by our members, the organisations charged with moving goods and services to and from our nation’s largest trading partner. It is imperative that businesses seeking to sell their goods to companies in the EU make the most of this guidance to speed up their preparations and ensure that their paperwork is in order on 01 January 2021. Logistics organisations need their customers to prepare if they are to maintain the smooth flow of goods to and from the EU” She also called for greater clarity over the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, describing detail as necessary so that “businesses can plan and logistics operators avoid delays”.
For the latest guidance on the Border Operating Model go to www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-border-operating-model
Below is a recap list of the Charities we shared last week, along with links to the post we made on LinkedIn:
1st December – Break Hatty Christmas
2nd December – The Matthew Project
3rd December – Leeway
4th December – Norfolk Hospice
5th December – Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve – Hawk and Owl Trust
6th December – Blickling Estate
7th December – Soul Church
Be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages leading up to Christmas to find out who our daily Charity highlight will be!
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.
See photos from the event: https://www.facebook.com/pg/NorfolkChamber/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1525027050860520
The next Norwich breakfast is Thursday 25th May, to book your place: https://norfolkchamber.co.uk/events/norwich-business-breakfast-2
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:
8th December – Norfolk Blood Bikes
9th December – Build Charity AND The Well
10th December – Big C
11th December – Norwich Puppet Theatre AND St Eds Society
12th December – Norfolk Community Foundation
13th December – Norfolk Scouts
14th December – National Centre for Writing AND Hopestead
Be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages leading up to Christmas to see which other Charities will be featured!
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.