226_1_Note_to_Chamber_Members_final_13_August_2021.pdf

226_2_Coronavirus_Report_Chamber_of_Commerce_13th_August-2021.pdf

226_3_Rose_Anton_obituary_final_13_Aug_2021.pdf

Bulletin on Manston Airport

20^th May 2020    

Dear Chamber member
We have just received the following statement from the Department for Transport:

*** START ***

Written statement to Parliament
Transport update: Manston Airport, extension of planning decision
A second extension of deadline for the reopening and redevelopment of Manston Airport has been made, the altered deadline is to 10 July 2020. From:
Department for Transport and Andrew Stephenson MP

I have been asked by my Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State, to make this written ministerial statement. This statement concerns the application of 17 July 2018 made by RiverOak Strategic Partners Ltd (“the Applicant”) under the Planning Act 2008 for the proposed reopening and development of Manston Airport in Kent.
Under sub-section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make his decision within 3 months of receipt of the examining authority’s report unless exercising the power under sub-section 107(3) to extend the deadline and make a statement to the House of Parliament announcing the new deadline.
The Secretary of State received the examining authority’s report on the Manston Airport development consent order application on 18 October 2019 and, following an earlier extension of 4 months, the current deadline for a decision is 18 May 2020. The deadline for the decision is now to be extended to 10 July 2020 to enable further work to be carried out before determination of the application.
The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant development consent.
Published 20 May 2020
*** END ***

© David Foley 30^th April 2020

________________________________

David Foley

Chief Executive

Thanet & East Kent Chamber Limited

Dover District Chamber of Commerce

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mob: +44 (0) 7967 284850

________________________________

It’s happening now, it’s happening in East Kent.

For details of membership, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Offices in Broadstairs, Sandwich and Dover.

For images from some recent events, see https://rosieantonphotography.co.uk/photos/chamber-of-commerce

Thanet & East Kent Chamber Limited (TEKC) is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 4518138. Correspondence address: Thanet & East Kent Chamber Limited, Kent Innovation Centre, Thanet Reach Business Park, Millennium Way, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 2QQ. Tel: 01843 609289. Registered Office: Innovation House, Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9FF. Important: This email may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient it may be unlawful for you to read, copy, distribute, disclose or otherwise use the information used in this email. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please telephone or email us immediately. Errors and omissions may occur in the contents of this email arising out of or in connection with data transmission, network malfunction or failure, machine or software error or malfunction, or operator error. TEKC accepts no responsibility for any such errors or omissions and you are advised to confirm the accuracy of the contents of this email before relying on it for any purpose. All the information in this email is written in good faith and believed to be correct at the time of writing. TEKC cannot be held responsible for any agreements, financial transactions or liabilities incurred in relation to any of the companies, organisations or events mentioned in this email. You are advised to seek the appropriate professional advice before undertaking any financial transaction or incurring any liability of any description. Our Privacy Policy is available at www.tekc.co.uk/privacy-policy   If you wish to stop receiving emails from us, please reply with the subject line "UNSUBSCRIBE".

Your Business Bulletin from East Kent Chambers of Commerce

30^th April 2020     Issue No.: 220

1. Recovery & Resilience Webinar for Companies 6 May 2020 at 1500 hrs

The Chamber is offering an expert briefing on how companies can respond and recover from a crisis. Horizonscan is a global leader in advising blue-chip companies on crisis management, winning a place in the CIR Risk Management Hall of Fame alongside Vodafone and Aviva for its pioneering approach to managing risk. Chief Executive Russ Timpson will offer advice and guidance to all participants. The webinar is free to all Chamber members as well as their associates, suppliers and clients. To register your place, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Recovery Private Sector 6 May 2020” and quote the email addresses of the participants. You will receive a prompt acknowledgement and full joining instructions will follow before 6 May 2020.

2. Recovery & Resilience Webinar for the Public Sector 7 May 2020 at 1500 hrs

The Chamber is offering an expert briefing on how public sector bodies in East Kent can respond and recover from a crisis. This webinar is open to East Kent councillors, council officers, NHS staff, government employees, care home managers and workers in the public sector. Horizonscan is a global leader in advising organisations in a wide variety of sectors, Chief Executive Russ Timpson will consider government best practice at home and overseas and offer detailed guidance on crisis management for public bodies. The webinar is free to all participants with an email address at a government-funded body. To register your place, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Recovery Public Sector 7 May 2020” and quote the email addresses of the participants. You will receive a prompt acknowledgement and full joining instructions will follow before 7 May 2020.

3. PPE Crisis in East Kent

We thank all those Chamber members who have contacted us with offers of support for our care workers in East Kent. Our doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, medical orderlies, carers, NHS staff and all front-line workers are battling above and beyond the call of duty in their efforts on our behalf. Many East Kent companies have responded generously with a range of skills and practical support and we thank them unreservedly for their whole-hearted commitment and community spirit. Offers of Personal Protection Equipment have been warmly welcomed. We have also received urgent requests for PPE from managers working in medical centres, care homes and hospitals. As a result, with other committed bodies we are looking to organise a scheme whereby the supplier and users are brought together on a local East Kent basis. This is intended to supplement and not replace any current channels.

4. PPE Crisis Response

The East Kent PPE (EKPPE) scheme seeks to break the logjam between PPE suppliers and PPE purchasers. EKPPE will not engage in financial transactions between parties nor will it invoice for goods, handle payments or engage in financial responsibilities of any description; these functions remain a commercial arrangement between supplier and purchaser. EKPPE will conduct some limited screening to monitor specifications, suppliers and purchasers but neither EKPPE nor the Dover District Chamber of Commerce can accept liability for any aspect of the service. EKPPE will make every effort to respond promptly to every request with goodwill and efficiency but it may not always be possible to provide a match between demand, supply and delivery. We ask that all communications should be sent by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the correct subject line and at a specified time period as follows:

PPE Requirement

Between 1700 and 1800 hrs from organisations needing PPE.

PPE Supplier

At any time of day or night. From organisations or individuals who can supply PPE.

PPE Transport

Between 0700 hrs and 1100 hrs. From organisations able to pick up and deliver PPE within East Kent.

PPE Volunteer

From logistic professionals able to offer administrative skills in support of EKPPE.

All organisations and individuals communicating with EKPPE agree that operations will conform to UK government advice and guidelines as outlined at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus. They also agree that their contact details and their emails can be shared with other EKPPE users. Without express written permission, EKPPE will not use the data for any marketing purpose other than to advertise the service and to communicate with other EKPPE users.

5. Why do we need EKPPE?

Given the current mismatch between PPE supply and demand, it is extremely difficult for the UK government to record and respond to the local need by a care home in Dover for 2 boxes of 100 large latex-free premium vinyl examination gloves or by a mental health charity in Ramsgate for 100 FFP face masks or a doctor’s surgery in Deal needing 50 x 500ml bottles of hand sanitiser. The skills and professional resources available to the East Kent Chambers of Commerce suggest that we have a reasonable chance of meeting some of those needs, thus reducing the pressure on the NHS and all that entails. We have already found a source of approved face masks at £1.10 each ex-works; similar products have been seen for sale retail at £10.00 per unit. EKPPE represents an opportunity for furloughed workers, skilled professionals, established suppliers and committed volunteers to join us in a short-term response designed to mitigate long-term damage to our East Kent community.

6. East Kent Chambers of Commerce Media Watch

Although managed and financed separately, Dover District Chamber of Commerce and Thanet & East

Kent Chamber are often asked to comment on business issues relating to companies trading in East Kent. Under the banner of East Kent Chambers of Commerce, we do our best with media organisations to reflect the needs and interests of companies operating in our East Kent coastal business community. Last year, we received much attention from overseas channels wanting to know local attitudes towards our imminent departure from the European Union. The importance of East Kent to many other non-EU members was illustrated by the visit to the Dover Chamber by a team from Dagbladet, Norway’s leading newspaper. Domestically, BBC Radio Kent, BBC Television, TRT World News, ITV Meridian and Sky News were all keen to hear the authentic voice of Chamber members.

7. That’s past history, what about this year?

All history is in the past, that is why it is called history. As for East Kent’s future, the year 2020 began in splendid fashion with some companies forecasting their best-ever returns. The promise of The Open in July 2020 and an expected growth in property, manufacturing and tourism had given cause for considerable optimism. Indeed, our foreword to the 2020 East Kent Business Directory made a specific request. “Let’s be especially nice to our visitors this year. They come here, they spend their money and they go away again”. Of course, since the beginning of the lockdown on 23^rd March, they stopped coming, they stopped spending their money and so many revenue-earning opportunities stopped too. Our feedback from Chamber members was featured on ITV Meridian News when we stated that: “If this goes on beyond the middle of June, then this will have a severe cascading effect on the whole of the local economy”. Some well-established companies such as George Hammond PLC of Dover and Shepherd Neame of Faversham can rely on their strong balance sheets, well-managed property portfolios and enlightened staff relations to have every confidence in retaining their customer base when travel restrictions are lifted. Shepherd Neame will certainly retain much goodwill after reopening its on-line shop earlier this week and promising a donation to the NHS for every transaction completed before the end of May. Other businesses of more recent vintage may not survive if the lockdown endures for longer than three months. Standing costs, interest charges and the potential consequences of wrongful trading may see some companies go to the wall however generous and understanding the government might be with small business rates relief, small business grant funds and guaranteed loans.

8. What can I do now to help me and my organisation?

The short answer is of course, to sign up for our webinar on Resilience and Recovery where you will hear practical, easy to follow guidance on how to safeguard your future and protect your ROI from being RIP. If you have difficulties in understanding your business continuity insurance, contact James Marrett at Ideal4U Insurance, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., who will be happy to explain the basics to you. Similarly, if your tax position requires a review or you need to extend your financial year without penalty, then one of the following will be pleased to advise: John Humphries at JHL Accountants Dover, tel: 01304 216296; Harry Kemp at Kemps Accounting Solutions Broadstairs tel: 01843 861188; Michael Whittaker at McCabe Ford Williams Herne Bay tel: 01227 373271; Mark Minus of MHA MacIntyre Hudson Canterbury tel: 01227 464991; Christopher Weston of Neville Weston Ramsgate tel: 01843 594571; Derek Read of Wilkins Kennedy Sandwich tel: 01304 249997.

9. Be Like Brian

If you are not free for one of our webinars and you have no elderly neighbours requiring medicines, shopping or help with their social-distancing arrangements, you may like to take a leaf out of the book of Brian Dale of Total Jobs Contracts Ltd. On learning of the lack of face shields at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, earlier this week he and fellow director Bradley Dale sourced, purchased and delivered 1,200 face shields with another 1,500 to follow. We salute you Brian and Bradley. You have been an inspiration to the founding of EKPPE and we will be doing our best to follow your example.

10. Update Your IT Skills

Not everyone is gifted at database management or setting up video conferencing for their staff and clients and not every computer whizz wears dirty jeans, manky trainers and an old t shirt. If you need to upgrade your on-line presence with the assistance of specialists wearing clean shirts and proper footwear, contact one of the following: Andrew Ward of ADM Computing Canterbury tel: 01227 473511: Martin Hynes of Business Computer Solutions Ltd of Ramsgate tel: 01843 572600; Chris Maflin of Cariss (ICT) Broadstairs tel: 01843 823724; Steve McManus of Coastal Data Systems Ramsgate tel: 01843 823324; Mark Styles of Communicate Technology PLC Sandwich tel: 01740 661066; Richard Salter of Think Big Tech Sandwich tel: 01843 570000.

11. Update Your Premises

Since acquiring the Charles Dickens pub in 1975, Thorley Taverns has expanded its network of pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels to include 22 premises on our East Kent coastline. Taking advantage of the absence of guests and customers, company chairman Frank Thorley is determined to use the unencumbered access to refurbish and upgrade many of the establishments. The UK pub and restaurant sector has been hit hard by the lockdown. Except for a few off-licence sales and take-away meals, our East Kent pubs have witnessed their revenue fall to near zero and they may be scheduled to be among the last to be fully accessible to the public again. Shepherd Neame and Thorley Taverns have been big investors in East Kent, as evidenced by the large sums spent recently on The Lord Nelson in Dover, The Minnis at Minnis Bay, the Bell Hotel in Sandwich, The George in Broadstairs and The Botany Bay in Kingsgate.

12. What are Bounce Back Loans?

On Monday of this week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, announced a new 100% government backed loan scheme for small business. In brief, we have been informed that from 4 May 2020, businesses will be able to apply for a loan on a simple, website form and be guaranteed a prompt response “within days” with no obligation to make any repayment for the first year during which period the UK government will pay any interest charges due. This initiative should address directly some of the cash-flow problems experienced by small businesses. Its success can be measured by how quickly the promised cash arrives in the applicant’s bank account. If it takes less than a week, we can expect a significant number of jobs to have been saved. Of course, the problem with a loan is that you have to pay it back eventually and Chamber members will have to consider carefully their latest business plan and likely revenues; not an easy task.

13. More on Grants, Loans and Cash

We have received many enquiries from Chamber members regarding their entitlement to financial support during the COVID-9 crisis. In most cases, the answer has been a resounding “Yes, you are” and the telephone call has ended with all parties happy. There is now a government checker website where you can be directed towards the financial resources to which you are entitled. Just log on to https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder/y, answer a few questions and you may get a pleasant surprise.

14. File Sharing

With so many people working from home, there has been an increase in file transfers over the Internet between staff members of the same company. We understand that on occasions large graphics files can get lost in cyberspace with potentially disastrous results in terms of data security and intellectual property. The same team at ProjectFusion that created the Digital Court Room and Client Portal for compliance-led industries now offers a file transfer service dubbed “safedrop” which can send and receive files of up to 10Gb in size in complete safety. Conforming to ISO27001, safedrop offers a range of pricing to suit different budgets and claims the Home Office, Hampshire County Council and prestigious solicitors among its many happy clients. For more details, see the website at https://www.safedrop.com or telephone 0207 739 4352. On the same theme of document safety, the GDPR police can also nab you and up to 4% of your global turnover for mislaying printed data. Turtle Document Management can spare you the embarrassment and financial loss by collecting your paper and metal waste and disposing of it all securely and in conformity with UK legislation. Based in an indubitably super attractive oast house near Cranbrook, Turtle Document Management operates throughout Kent, Sussex and the home counties and would welcome the opportunity to collect the waste from any company trading in East Kent. Managing Director Darren Townsend will welcome your email enquiry to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. but if you wish to speak to him on the telephone, he can be reached on 01580 388188.

15. Local Support

One of the encouraging factors that has emerged from the COVID-19 crisis is that people and companies in East Kent do really care for each other and understand the importance of a sustainable economy. Dover District Council, Canterbury City Council and Folkestone & Hythe Council have reached out to businesses in their area. The same is true of the Members of Parliament in East Kent and we will be ever grateful for the guidance, goodwill and practical advice offered by Sir Roger Gale MP, Craig Mackinlay MP, Natalie Elphicke MP and Rosie Duffield MP. There is probably not a lot we can do in East Kent to address the issue of the leadership succession in North Korea, but there is much that has been achieved and will be achieved at a local level where we see more closely and more vividly what our problems are and how they can be overcome. Anthony Curwen has managed Quex Parks Estates with conspicuous success over many years. How he looks after seven farms so well with just three members of staff is a lesson to us all. When Anthony said earlier this week that “over centralisation concerns me” he is in effect placing a vote of confidence in our own capacity to work together in East Kent for the benefit of the whole community.

16. …. And Finally

When it comes to using limited resources to maximum advantage, there can be fewer better exponents than Switzerland. Denied many raw materials and without a seaport of its own, it manages to strengthen its currency year after year and offer a comfortable lifestyle to its citizens and workers. The cost of materials in Rolex Oyster watches is not very great, yet by applying brain power and astute business sense, they retail for £5,000 or more. One Chamber member contacted us last month with a story about Switzerland. We were not convinced of its veracity, but we leave it to our wise Chamber members to decide for themselves. He related: “The thing is you see, I was given this fancy Swiss watch for Christmas. It looked absolutely beautiful and I felt like a millionaire whenever I wore it. It said on the casing it was shockproof, waterproof and scratchproof. You can just imagine my disappointment when it caught fire”. He continued: “I cannot criticise Switzerland though with all those lovely mountains and tasty chocolates and of course the flag is a big plus”.

© David Foley 30^th April 2020

________________________________

David Foley

Chief Executive

Thanet & East Kent Chamber Limited

Dover District Chamber of Commerce

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mob: +44 (0) 7967 284850

________________________________

It’s happening now, it’s happening in East Kent.

For details of membership, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Offices in Broadstairs, Sandwich and Dover.

For images from some recent events, see https://rosieantonphotography.co.uk/photos/chamber-of-commerce

Thanet & East Kent Chamber Limited (TEKC) is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 4518138. Correspondence address: Thanet & East Kent Chamber Limited, Kent Innovation Centre, Thanet Reach Business Park, Millennium Way, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 2QQ. Tel: 01843 609289. Registered Office: Innovation House, Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9FF. Important: This email may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient it may be unlawful for you to read, copy, distribute, disclose or otherwise use the information used in this email. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please telephone or email us immediately. Errors and omissions may occur in the contents of this email arising out of or in connection with data transmission, network malfunction or failure, machine or software error or malfunction, or operator error. TEKC accepts no responsibility for any such errors or omissions and you are advised to confirm the accuracy of the contents of this email before relying on it for any purpose. All the information in this email is written in good faith and believed to be correct at the time of writing. TEKC cannot be held responsible for any agreements, financial transactions or liabilities incurred in relation to any of the companies, organisations or events mentioned in this email. You are advised to seek the appropriate professional advice before undertaking any financial transaction or incurring any liability of any description. Our Privacy Policy is available at www.tekc.co.uk/privacy-policy   If you wish to stop receiving emails from us, please reply with the subject line "UNSUBSCRIBE".

Your Business Bulletin from East Kent Chambers of Commerce

25^th October 2019     Issue No.: 218

We are grateful to the many Chamber members who have expressed their views on the current negotiations regarding the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Although there are clear differences of emphasis, there is widespread agreement among our ambitious companies on some key aspects.

1. Infrastructure

Whatever the outcome of the current discussions at Westminster and in Brussels, we welcome the recently announced new investment in our infrastructure. East Kent already benefits from the UK’s fastest train service, High Speed 1, but we have not always been blessed with the best trunk roads.
A cursory examination of the Dover Chamber’s archives reveals that since the year 1850 there have been many pleas for an improved thoroughfare between London and Dover. We are told by our many members in the logistics sector that they can drive from the outskirts of Glasgow to Dover in around 8 hours. But if they take the A2 route, the only time they encounter a red traffic light or a single carriageway is on the approaches to Dover. The news that funding for road-widening of the A2 between Lydden and Dover has finally been given the green light suggests that the stimulus of Brexit has had at least one benign effect on our transport network.
Before we get too self-satisfied, we should look at the incentive to economic development produced by the A16 that links Dunkerque to Abbeville by way of Calais, Boulogne-sur-Mer and Le Touquet. The road link between the French Channel Ports is in sharp contrast to the country roads along our Southern coastal route.

Of course, we have the advantage of being free to admire the picturesque Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway as we trundle behind farm wagons; although it can be disconcerting to a hard-working HGV driver, harassed by the twin dictates of a seasoned transport manager and a heartless tachometer, to be overtaken by the side of the road by a ninety-year old third-size steam locomotive travelling at 25 mph. The Folkestone to Honiton Highway scheme, first mooted in the 1950s, has been postponed by successive governments. Hansard reveals that plans for a Hythe bypass were recorded in 1985 as “suspended pending further review”.

2. Media Watch

In the last year, the Chamber has been approached by media organisations at home and abroad for comments on our local economy. Not all of them are hoping for forecasts of doom and gloom to enliven their bulletins. The organisations that come to East Kent to talk to us have the distinction of wanting to hear the truth about East Kent business and not the manufactured accounts by office-bound experts from outside the area who seemingly have the remarkable talent of knowing what East Kent business owners think without ever having talked to them. We are particularly grateful to the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Jon Cunliffe, for the meeting in Dover when in roundtable discussions with local hauliers and transport professionals he took back to government a fully informed view. As we noted at the time: “Sir Jon was treated to an insight into the economic factors determining success in East Kent and the vital role that Chamber members play in supporting employment and business growth.”

3. Norway

In September this year, we addressed the concerns of our trading relations with Norway. In a series of interviews, the Chamber was asked to comment on potential disruption at our ports. Jesper Nordahl Finsveen of Dagbadet, Norway’s leading newspaper, declared that half of the fresh salmon eaten in Britain is imported from Norway and serious delays could be ruinous to the trade. Chamber Director Tony Thompson and Chief Executive David Foley pointed to the contingencies measures in place and the key role of East Kent in feeding the UK’s industry and commerce. They could find no recent record of British workers or companies blocking the traffic at Dover. It was agreed that it is not in the interests of French or Norwegian companies to prevent their UK trading partners from buying their products

4. Our East Kent Community

here is not a Chamber member in our network who does not a help a community organisation in one way or another. Pilgrims Hospice, East Kent Mencap, The Bay Trust and Dover Counselling Centre may get the highest profile, but they are not the only charities supported.

Some of our Chamber members are foster carers and willing volunteers at their neighbourhood centres. Others give their time freely to their local hospitals, health trusts and various helplines. We were asked by Sky News about business sentiment regarding the number of migrants arriving on our East Kent coast this Summer. We acknowledged that the prime duty of a government is to protect its citizens and to safeguard its borders, but we also emphasised this country’s honourable history as a safe home for genuine refugees from an area of the world where their lives are in jeopardy.

The Chamber cannot accept every invitation to comment on East Kent business issues, but we are mindful that our members have every right to expect that their views will be represented at all levels of government.

5. Tourism

We are grateful to our Chamber Presidents, Sir Roger Gale, MP, Craig Mackinlay MP and Charlie Elphicke MP for their prompt response to the threat to East Kent tourism from the M2 closure at junctions 7 to 5 in July and August this year. We accepted that some disturbance is inevitable if our roads are to be improved and renewed.
Our objection was to the short notice and the timimg at the start of the summer holiday period. As we put in our letter to Highways England: “You do not need a Nobel Prize in Economics to assess the damage the proposed closures will cause the Thanet resorts of Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs at the height of the tourist season”. We are pleased to report that the intervention of our Presidents and the belated recognition of the importance of seasonal tousrism to our East Kent economy helped to mitigate the worst effects of the closures and will assist in encouraging greater liaison between the Highways Agency and our Chamber members in the future.

6. BBC & ITV

The BBC and ITV currently have a sharpened interest in our corner of the UK as it is closest to mainland Europe. In speaking to our national media outlets, we are aware that potential inward investors and some key clients of our members could be deterred from business ventures by alarmist predictions about East Kent’s future which are not based on solid evidence.

We are keen to present a balanced picture that reflects the good news about East Kent as well as outlining the challenges. Disaster scenarios that will probably never happen do not brighten our day but can still present some commercial opportunities for an enterprising business. Michael Caine used to say that he had been in some very bad films but had lived in some very nice houses. Thus, we were pleased to quote to viewers of ITV News the Port of Dover’s claim that 17% of the UK’s goods by value pass through the Port of Dover and that the companies that nourish East Kent are worthy of the government’s best attention.

7. East Kent and China

On 14th October 2019, the Chamber was delighted to welcome a delegation from the Yunnan Design Institute (YDI) to our research office in Sandwich. Founded in 1951, YDI has 1,700 staff dedicated to working on civil and industrial projects.
Organised in harmony with the UK’s Institute of Construction Management (ICM), discussions centred on how ICM's Competence Registry™® project could be adapted and extended for suitability on Beijing’s multi-billion Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which is targeted at investing a minimum of £750 billion in establishing a 21st century silk road linking 71 countries. The “Belt” refers to the overland network and the “Road” describes the maritime routes.
As the projected investment could rise to over £6 trillion, we can forgive any temporary confusion over names and look forward to supporting our good friends at ICM in their efforts to establish a global headquarters in East Kent from where the register can be administered.

8. New Members

TWe have been delighted to welcome so many new members to the Chamber this year. Property, training, transport and healthcare have been noticeable growth sectors. It is always gratifying to be associated with large successful companies such as Nissan, Marks & Spencer and Stagecoach as well as with well-established enterprises like George Hammond PLC and Dover Marina Hotel & Spa which have all supported so many jobs and suppliers in East Kent.

9. Healthcare

Healthcare has shown particularly sharp growth recently. New members Kent Cardio and Wren Healthcare are already known to many members from their activities earlier in the year. Less familiar is LifeCells which had its official launch at Discovery Park Sandwich two weeks ago.
You do not have to understand precisely what LifeCell’s means when it marvels at the “miraculous resilience of neonates”; it is much easier to grasp that stem cell technology offers the genuine hope of treating hitherto hopeless cases. LifeCells stores and preserves cord blood and tissue from new-born babies for later use in adressing life-threatening diseases. Any prospective parent might conclude that the capacity of Lifecells to preserve a child’s future through stem cell banking is worth investigating. If any member of your family is expecting to hear the pitter patter of tiny feet shortly, you can email Managing Director Jeffrey Vernes direct to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information. If the noise is from a mouse, get a cat.

10. EVENTS

Our events have been well attended this year. We are grateful to our speakers and presenters: Dr Konrad Grosser of Kent Cardio, Sally-Anne Spicer of Dover Counselling Centre, Brian Urwin of Think Healthy Me, Simon Baxter of LKM Recycling, Rob Lilly and Melanie Rogers of Vattenfall, Tony Freudmann of RiverOak Strategic Partnership, Russ Timpson of Horizonscan, Dr Sally Dixon of Azimuth Associates, Gareth Doodes of Dover College and Sam Gurney of Taylor Gurney Town & Country Real Estate Agents. We are also thankful for the many seminars and briefings provided, notably from Sir Jon Cunliffe of the Bank of England, Nic Wood of Life Feed Pro, Gary Burgess of FUJIFILM Speciality Ink Systems, James Marett of Ideal4U Insurance Services and Dean Martin of Your Leisure.

11. WIN A NISSAN QASHQAI CONNECTA

Our 18th Chamber Charity Golf Day will again be at Royal St George’s Golf Club Sandwich. With a top prize of a Nissan Qashqai Connecta, the UK’s top selling SUV, Teams will be keen to do their best around this famous course which will host the 149th Open Championship in July next year. As we have more players booked this year than last, we ask for the names of all players to be declared on or before 29th October 2019. Tee-off times for all teams will be despatched on 30th October 2019 so that members can prepare their excuses for missing that three-foot putt on the 18th hole in good time for the Golf Day on Tuesday, 5th November 2019. Nissan has a range of vehicles to suit all pockets including the all-electric new Nissan Leaf which can park itself at the touch of a button, the Nissan X-Trail with 5 or 7 seats and the Nissan 370Z which can reach 60mph in just over 5 seconds. Full details of all Nissan vehicles are available from Justin Newton at Canterbury Nissan, tel: 01227 766777.

© David Foley 30^th April 2020

________________________________

David Foley

Chief Executive

Thanet & East Kent Chamber Limited

Dover District Chamber of Commerce

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mob: +44 (0) 7967 284850

________________________________

It’s happening now, it’s happening in East Kent.

For details of membership, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Offices in Broadstairs, Sandwich and Dover.

For images from some recent events, see https://rosieantonphotography.co.uk/photos/chamber-of-commerce

Thanet & East Kent Chamber Limited (TEKC) is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 4518138. Correspondence address: Thanet & East Kent Chamber Limited, Kent Innovation Centre, Thanet Reach Business Park, Millennium Way, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 2QQ. Tel: 01843 609289. Registered Office: Innovation House, Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9FF. Important: This email may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient it may be unlawful for you to read, copy, distribute, disclose or otherwise use the information used in this email. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please telephone or email us immediately. Errors and omissions may occur in the contents of this email arising out of or in connection with data transmission, network malfunction or failure, machine or software error or malfunction, or operator error. TEKC accepts no responsibility for any such errors or omissions and you are advised to confirm the accuracy of the contents of this email before relying on it for any purpose. All the information in this email is written in good faith and believed to be correct at the time of writing. TEKC cannot be held responsible for any agreements, financial transactions or liabilities incurred in relation to any of the companies, organisations or events mentioned in this email. You are advised to seek the appropriate professional advice before undertaking any financial transaction or incurring any liability of any description. Our Privacy Policy is available at www.tekc.co.uk/privacy-policy   If you wish to stop receiving emails from us, please reply with the subject line "UNSUBSCRIBE".

Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

7th February 2018   Issue No.: 217

1. Royal Harbour History Festival 2nd March 2018

David Gower, Henry Blofeld and other celebrities will be among the many well-known faces attracted to Ramsgate next June. Chairman of RHHF 2018, Victoria Nielson, will be joined at our Chamber Business Networking Breakfast by the owner of the Royal Harbour Hotel, James Thomas, to outline the benefits of heritage tourism to East Kent; a sector that adds over £20 billion a year to the UK economy. They will focus on the plans for the Royal Harbour History Festival, but Chamber members from across the region will find much of interest to help them promote their products and services in the next few years. The price of £15 for Chamber members includes a hot drink on arrival and a full English breakfast with a vegetarian option. Booking is essential. To reserve your place, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line: “RHHF 8 March 2018”. Full details of the venue near Ramsgate will follow with confirmation.

2. Healthy Workers, Healthy Profits 22nd March 2018

The Chamber is delighted to welcome Andy Scott-Clark as a speaker at our Chamber Business Networking Breakfast on Thursday, 22nd March 2018. As Director of Public Health at Kent County Council, Andy has a strategic and community leadership role in promoting good health. His job description includes the need for him to “understand the link between economic success and good health”. He does. Chamber members will find the evidence he presents to be of significant value in their commercial and personal lives.  Although ultimately accountable to Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Andy is mercifully free of any active political role and is widely respected as a trustworthy and independent professional dedicated to improving the lives of all workers and residents in Kent.  The price of £15 for Chamber members includes a hot drink on arrival and a full English breakfast with a vegetarian option. Booking is essential. To reserve your place, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line: “Healthy Workers Healthy Profits 22 March 2018” Full details of the venue near Sandwich will follow with confirmation. There will be plenty of time available to promote your products and services to other delegates.

3. Chamber Question Time 8th Match 2018

The ever-popular Chamber Question Time will take place at 1800 hrs in Dover on Thursday, 8th March 2018. Open to everyone with links to Dover, the panel of business experts will answer questions on a variety of pre-submitted questions. Organised along the lines of the BBC Question Time, it is expected that business rates and transport issues will be among the many topics given an airing. Entry is free of charge but reserving your place is recommended. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Dover Question Time” to receive a prompt response with confirmation of the venue in central Dover.  Questions should be submitted to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “CQT Question 8 March 2018”.

4. How Are We Doing?

As any Doncaster Rovers supporter will know, one of the great joys of being near the bottom of the league is that any win is greeted with delight. The marked year-on-year increase in registered unemployed in East Kent must foreshadow an improvement in the twelve months to December 2018. The lamentable figure of +37.5% for the Dover District is likely to reduce significantly before the end of the year. The opening of a large Lidl store in Whitfield should more than offset any redundancies by Tesco and of course the significant number of new jobs at the St James development will feed into the figures before 2019. Discovery Park, formerly occupied exclusively by Pfizer, now supports over 3,000 jobs in Sandwich and is set to attract more skilled employees as the dynamic new owners implement their plans to make these premises, “a global leader for science and enterprise”. Similarly, following an announcement last week, it is now official that the East Kent College Group will be the main and official provider of Further Education in Dover, Thanet, Shepway, Swale and Thanet. Building on East Kent College’s outstanding success in responding to the needs of companies across the area, we can now expect a coordinated approach to skills training that will serve to boost employment as the college leavers become better prepared for a more successful transition to the workplace. Medway outperformed Kent last year with the jobless total falling by 80, whereas every district of Kent increased its registered jobless in the year to December 2017; Maidstone suffering the least with just a 0.8% gain. Whether last month’s announcement by Shepway District Council that from April this year it will be rebranded as “Folkestone & Hythe District Council” [BBC News, 19 Jan 2018] will make any significant contribution to employment rates is open to speculation, but it will certainly help to attract inward investors. There is little doubt that Shepway is sometimes confused with Sheppey. The change will allow the local authority to sit neatly alongside other councils named after their principal population centres, as is the case with Dover, Canterbury, Maidstone and Ashford. Two areas remain a mystery to many from outside Kent. There are some who need to be convinced that Swale has nothing to do with a 1976 film featuring Clint Eastwood and that Thanet is not spelt with an initial “F”.

5. Give Us The Facts

Unemployment

   Based on the claimant count of jobseekers aged 16 – 64 years. Office for National Statistics (ONS) Jan 2017. See www.nomisweb.co.uk

6. High Speed May Be Medium Speed, But It's Ours

We are informed by Chamber members in East Kent that the High Speed railway line to London St Pancras has been a great asset, not only for fast rail travel to and from London, but as a unique selling point. Any company with a base near a High Speed station can justly claim to be accessible by train “via the UK’s only high speed train service”. With the delays to the construction of HS2 that advantage may persist for longer than was previously anticipated. Critics may complain that the HS1 domestic service did not become operational until 2009 and is High Speed in name only: the Shinkansen service was introduced to Japan in 1964 and the latest test version of JR Central’s Superconducting Maglev train has clocked 375 miles per hour while pulling seven carriages. If the SCMaglev were to replace the current Class 395 Javelin trains, such a service from the East Kent coast to London would barely leave time for passengers to read the headlines of a newspaper.  As the position stands now, Chamber members tell us that they are most interested in the fastest HS1 times to bring them to London between 0800 hrs and 0900 hrs on weekdays. As always, the Chamber is happy to oblige, see below.

7. Fastest HS1 Weekday Journey Times To London Arriving 0800 hrs - 0900 hrs

8. Media Watch

The Chamber welcomes opportunities to bring the views and interests of Chamber members to a wider public. We are often asked by printed and broadcast media for statements and interviews that have a bearing on the business climate of East Kent. Our good friends at the BBC South East and ITV Meridian are not alone in seeking to find out what is happening in the offices, warehouses and factories of our area. Although steadfastly apolitical in every aspect of our operations, the Chamber is inevitably asked to comment on matters such as Brexit, transport infrastructure and national policies. We do our best to support the local economy as a way of serving the best interests of our members. Comments on Tesco, Manston Airport, cross-channel bridge plans and corporate funding for charities can be found on the KMTV website at http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kmtv/video/chris-co-wednesday-24th-january-2018-11364/  With such a large trade imbalance with Germany, it is not surprising that the German national broadcaster should wish to access the thoughts of companies closest to the EU border. Das Ertse’s broadcast is available to view at http://www.daserste.de/information/politik-weltgeschehen/morgenmagazin/videos/brexit_2610nl_8000-100.html  Chamber members can make up their own mind if the interviewer’s questions on BBC Radio Kent were answered fairly on matters related to Dover retailers by listening to the broadcast of 27 January 2018. (Right click and save as to download)

9. Water and Business Stream

Many Chamber members will recall the presentation by Business Stream at our Chamber Business Networking Breakfast in February last year giving all those present notice of the imminent changes in the supply of water to commercial users in East Kent. Although the commercial water market in England was not fully opened to competition until April 2017, Business Stream has been operating in the deregulated water industry in Scotland since 2008 and can therefore claim more specialist knowledge and capability than any other UK water provider. The Chamber has been happy to introduce large users to key decision-makers at Business Stream who are able to offer competitive rates as well as advise on the significant savings that can be made by monitoring usage in greater detail. Sometimes the mere presence of Automated Meter Reading (AMR) meters can led to lower bills as well making leakages much quicker to spot and stop. Companies of all sizes can find more information on the website at https://www.business-stream.co.uk or contact the chamber by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for contact details of the appropriate Business Stream contact for your location.   

10. Water and Southern Water

The Chamber enjoys excellent relations with Southern Water and has been more than happy to represent the views of local companies at Southern Water Stakeholder workshops during the past year. Although its headquarters are firmly rooted in Worthing, Southern Water has made extensive efforts to forge closer links with East Kent firms and has reacted positively and quickly to matters raised by this Chamber. Extensive investment in new equipment at the Palm Bay Pumping Station has sharply reduced the risk of a repeat of the sewage dumping on the beaches that drew so much ire in the past from coastal hoteliers and retailers. As well as a concentrated focus on developing short and long-term plans for our area with a projected £6 million earmarked for investment in the main Thanet pumping station, Southern Water has also introduced many business-friendly initiatives designed to make it easier for developers and builders to work with them.  A prime example is the fixed cost schedule just introduced for charges to connect new homes to the existing network. For your copy of the new charges that come into effect later this year, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Southern Water New Connection Charges”. For a copy of Southern Water’s latest plans to the year 2050, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “SW Water Futures”. We will respond promptly.  

11. Thanet Earth

We have often celebrated the successes of Thanet Earth and its contribution to domestic food production. At a time when companies throughout UK are calling for more workers with STEM skills, i.e. skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, we have in East Kent an outstanding example of excellence in Thanet Earth. Another greenhouse at this country’s largest hydroponic facility is expected to harvest its first crop of cucumbers this month, doubling the production on the Birchington site and significantly reducing our dependency on cucumber imports. At the sharp end of technological innovation in food production, A&A Growers at Thanet Earth has equipped the 6.1ha greenhouse with sodium lights and diffuse glass, a UK first in large scale salad production. As well as A&A, Thanet Earth is home to Kaaij Greenhouses, Rainbow Growers and the Fresca Group. Thanet Earth can teach a few companies about productivity too. Tomato production has now reached 15% of the UK planted tomato area but, such is the efficiency of its growing system, that the percentage of UK tomatoes grown is just under 25%. These technologically advanced companies on site have each made significant investments in East Kent and provide a beacon of enlightenment for every school leaver with an interest in STEM subjects who resists the temptation to believe that a lottery ticket or an appearance on a Simon Cowell talent show are the best routes to success.

12. General Data Protection Regulation

The provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) scheduled to enter law in the UK on 25th May 2018 stipulate some frightening fines, up to 20 million Euros in some cases, for companies that fail to abide by the new legislation. Chamber members who attended the ‘Love Your Data’ Chamber Business Networking Breakfast just before Christmas were treated to a bravura presentation by Colin Smith of Brachers LLP. In the best BBC traditions that would have delighted John Reith himself, Colin proceeded to inform educate and entertain chamber members on a difficult subject that should be of vital interest to public and private sector bodies alike. The Information Commissioner’s Office has yet to provide detailed guidance which complicates the matter further. The ICO currently states that: “In the future, standard contract clauses may be provided by the European Commission or the ICO, and may form part of certification schemes. However at the moment no standard clauses have been drafted”. [https://ico.org.uk] With this in mind, Chamber members will be keen to seek professional guidance before 25th May 2018 this year. Colin can be reached by telephone at Brachers LLP, tel: 01622 776451. Other law firms able to provide expert legal advice are Mowll & Mowll in Dover tel: 01304 873344; Cripps LLP in Sandwich tel: 01732 224006; Boys & Maughan in Margate tel: 01843 234000; Barnes Marsland in Broadstairs tel: 01843 861595; Anderson Law LLP in Shilligford tel: 07970 627439 and Chatalkoy Arbitration Litigation Mediation in Deal tel: 07778 067749.

13. East Kent Business Directory

The East Kent Business Directory and Chamber Diary 2018 features a detailed list of leading companies trading in East Kent together with a classified section making it easy to find a supplier in nearly every sector of our local economy. Published by the Thanet & East Kent and Dover District Chambers of Commerce, all registered Chamber members are entitled to a free copy. If you did not attend any of our events at the end of last year or for some reason have not received a copy, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will respond promptly. Handsomely bound with brass corners and a commentary on the previous year’s trading conditions, the 2018 publication has a wealth of useful information to make it an attractive and useful resource on your office desk. 

14. More On Manston

No matter on which side of the great Manston debate your views lie, aviation or mixed development, you will surely find a wry smile to greet the following account for which we must thank Alan Saunders. Of all the pilots who have escaped from the elements and landed their aeroplane safely at Manston in the last 100 years, there is one who has more reason than most to regret his decision. Uffz Heinz Ehrhardt was cruising home happily enough on his flight back to Germany when he ran into dense fog over the Thames estuary.  The date was 20 May 1943. The aeroplane was a Focke Wulf 190. With fuel running low, he mistook the north Kent coast for the Pas-de-Calais coast line. Landing at what he thought was the Luftwaffe aerodrome at St Omer, he was somewhat startled when he came to a halt in front of a Hillman staff car and was then summarily escorted to the dispersal hut of RAF 609 squadron. A photograph of a distinctly sheepish Ehrhardt flanked by his RAF Typhoon pilot captors appears on page 147 of Alan Saunders excellent book “Arrival of Eagles: Luftwaffe Landings in Britain 1939-1945”.

15. Boys & Maughan

After more than two centuries of serving the population of East Kent, you could think that an accumulation of dusty documents could restrict the space available at Boys & Maughan. After winning five accolades at the ESTAS Conveyancing Awards, new display cabinets might be required at their offices in Margate, Birchington, Broadstairs, Canterbury or Ramsgate.  Winners of the prestigious titles of Best Solicitors in Kent 2017 and best firm with two to five offices in the country, Boys & Maughan benefited from a survey of over 500 of their customers which revealed that 99% would be happy to recommend the conveyancing team to any family or friends moving home. We have not heard if Phil Spencer, the Channel 4 Property celebrity presenting the awards, advised on the location, location, location where the awards should be displayed, but we can be sure that Robert Moulsdale, Andrew Baker and the other 100 or so staff at Boys & Maughan will be up for the challenge to beat the record haul of 2017.  What is the reason for such a successful year? Conveyancing Partner Richard Durrant puts it down to: “… the incredible hard work that everyone puts in day after day”.

16. All Drivers Take Note

Many chamber members are engaged in the transport industry. We are always grateful to the Road Haulage Association for its regular updates. A recent notice will be of interest to anyone with a driving licence. “From March, drivers who ignore smart motorway lane closures face a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence.”. Our good friends at the RHA have some pointed comments on the Foreign Secretary’s plan to build a bridge over the English Channel and note: “A similar proposal was rejected by the Government in 1981, and we think that we’re better off spending smaller amounts of money on improving our crumbling roads as well as opening more lorry parks. The Channel Tunnel and the ferry routes are working well within capacity, so it makes no sense to commit huge amounts of taxpayers’ money in an uncertain economic climate to a costly bridge project that we don’t need.” And so say all of us.

17. A Maritime Story

As established Chamber members will be aware, we end our business bulletins with a narrative which we are not always able to verify to the standards you have every right to expect from the leading business support body in the East Kent coastal business community. Although we are not able to confirm the following account from one of our distinguished Chamber members, you may well be curious about what we heard at our last Chamber business breakfast. “It was my great grandfather who was the musician. He took up the violin as a teenager and from the age of about 16, he was able to earn a few pennies playing popular tunes outside the North Western Hotel in Liverpool. He must have been about 18 when a gentleman emerged from the nearby Lime Street Station and paused to listen. That man was Frederic Cowen, the conductor of the Liverpool Philharmonic, who was so impressed he subsequently sponsored my great grandfather to study music seriously and he thus became a double bass player in the junior section of the orchestra. That must have been around 1910. Anyway, the White Star Line was based in Liverpool and one of its directors had a passion for the double bass and arranged for my great grandfather to join the orchestra of the RMS Olympic which was due to arrive in Liverpool on 31 May 2011. I don’t really know what happened immediately after that except that my great grandfather was on excellent terms with the captain of the Olympic who took him to Southampton in April 2012. It was there that he joined the musicians of the Titanic for its fateful maiden voyage. Of course, we all know what happened next. As to whether my great grandfather was a great player, all I know is that my great grandmother always said he was very popular and went down well with the other members of the orchestra.” 

© David Foley 7th February 2018