The Insider
Thanet & East Kent Insider, 20th February 2010
1. Edinburgh in 80 Minutes
Kent International Airport at Manston has begun its much heralded expansion of passenger services with the announcement of flights to Edinburgh. In writing to the Chamber, the airport informed us that the tickets are now available for travel from 27th May this year at www.flybe.com at a price of £24.99 including taxes and charges. A quick check on the rail fare to Edinburgh from Ramsgate departing on Tuesday morning at 0656 hrs revealed that a single standard seat costs £158.50 and the journey takes 6 hours and 41 minutes - and that is using the new High Speed service to London. The Flybe service promises a mere 80-minute flight on its fuel efficient 78-seat Bombardier Q-400 turboprop aircraft which will depart Manston at 1245 hrs from Sunday to Friday and at 1645 hrs on Saturdays. The launch has already stimulated new business. The Thanet & East Chamber is liaising with one local company about to sign a lucrative contract with its Edinburgh counterpart. This is great news for the East Kent coastal business community we represent. Congratulations to KIA and Flybe and MORE OF THE SAME PLEASE SIR.
Thanet & East Kent Insider, 13th February 2010
1. The Bank of England
At the invitation of the Bank of England, this Chamber attended the bank’s HQ in the City to hear the latest Inflation Report from those in the best position to know. The invitation stems from our increasingly close cooperation with the Dover District Chamber of Commerce which has worked with central government since 1850. The Report reflects the deliberations of the Monetary Policy Committee under Governor Mervyn King and consists of a 52-page document which, as the foreword declares, ‘gives the best collective judgment about the most likely paths for inflation and output and the uncertainties surrounding those central projections’. The five chapters are headed Money and Asset Prices, Demand, Output and Supply, Cost and Prices and Prospects for Inflation. It is beyond the scope of the Thanet & East Kent Insider to repeat all the conclusions of the Bank of England, but every business in East Kent has an interest in the projections. Below is a selection of some of the main points of interest for East Kent businesses. As always in such matters, please read the disclaimer at the end of this email. This Chamber has written the comments in good faith but they are not endorsed by the Bank of England and include opinion. Chamber members can obtain the complete unadulterated text of the Bank of England’s full report by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with the subject line ‘Bank of England Inflation Report’.
Thanet & East Kent Insider, 6th February 2010
1. Predict & Prevent
If you register for VAT after 1 April 2010 or if your company has an annual turnover above £100,000, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, HMRC, will require you to file all your VAT returns online. Sage users are invited to attend a free Internet seminar offered by Chamber member Levicks Accountants. Taking just 45 minutes of your time, June Horne of Sage and Heather Threfall of Levicks are working together to offer you an exceptional opportunity to update yourself on your obligations and on how to prevent future problems and costs. Two seminars are offered; 1400 hrs on Monday 8th February 2010 or 0930 hrs on Friday 12th February 2010. To reserve your place and for further details, email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or telephone 01843 862716. Even if your company currently has a turnover below £100,000, you might find it well worthwhile investing three-quarters of an hour now. It is likely that HMRC will insist on online filing by 2012 for all VAT-registered businesses.
Thanet & East Kent Insider, 30th January 2010
1. New Radio Station
Although we are still waiting for final confirmation from Ofcom, Academy FM is preparing for a launch on 25 February 2010. Thanet’s newest media outlet will not only serve the local population but will make a serious contribution to raising skill levels for employers. Operations Director, David Atkey, and Marlowe Academy Principal, Ian Johnson, are determined that this community radio station will add value to the curriculum of all secondary schools in Thanet. Students will be fully involved in the programming and management of the station, giving them first class preparation for the creative industries. This Chamber fully supports Academy FM and will be taking an active part in representing the business community of Thanet and East Kent on the airwaves.
Thanet & East Kent Insider, 23rd January 2010
1. Reduce Your Costs
We are again grateful to Martyn Young of Atlantic Business Resources, tel: 08456 185088, for drawing our attention to regulations that came into effect on 18th January 2010 from Ofgem, which regulates the gas and electricity markets in Great Britain. The measures are designed to eliminate unjustified price differences and improve contract conditions while at the same time promoting greater transparency for price comparisons. Micro businesses stand to benefit the most from the new arrangements.
