Thanet & East Kent Insider

12^th May 2012    Issue No.: 185

1. Business Networking Breakfast

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber again joins forces again with our sister body the Dover District Chamber of Commerce (est. 1850) in announcing our June Business Networking Breakfast on the theme of Tourism. Of interest to anyone interested in improving relations with their customers and clients, the session will include speakers with a profound knowledge of the East Kent coastal business community and a desire to help all delegates to improve their bottom line. There will be excellent networking opportunities along with a full cooked breakfast with a vegetarian option. Scheduled for Friday, 8 ^th June 2012 from 0730 hrs to 0900 hrs at a venue in Sandwich, the event is expected to attract a wide range of companies and interested parties. Tickets cost £12 for Chamber members and £16.00 for non-members subject to availability. 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 “Business Networking Breakfast 8 June 2012”.

2. Manston Airport Update & BBC

Following the publication last Wednesday of Thanet District Council’s draft response to Manston Airport’s night flying proposals of 27^th October 2012, BBC Radio Kent featured a spirited debate yesterday morning between the leader of Thanet District Council, Cllr Clive Hart, and the Chief Executive of Thanet’s leading business support organisation, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber. Cllr Hart made the point that the Council was against night-time flights as this was the majority view expressed in a recent survey it had conducted. He also emphasized that cross-party groups had been fully involved in the processes leading to this conclusion. Cllr Hart added that the economic benefits of airport expansion have been over-estimated and the environmental anxieties were paramount in the council’s rejection of two night flights in the period 2300 hrs to 0700 hrs. David Foley countered with a quotation from the council’s own consultants which largely validated the promised boost to the local economy. He reminded the audience of the high unemployment in Kent and said that Thanet could learn from the business-friendly approach of Southend Council. He also promised a warm welcome to investors keen to imitate local successes such as TV One, Carol Peters Travel, Hornby, Flying Fish (hovercraft), Westwood Cross and Thanet College. The discussion can be heard for the next six days at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00rfbym fast forward to 1:07:30.

3. What’s All This About Southend?

When looking for best practice in Council support for its local airport, Southend Borough Council stands out from the crowd.  Demonstrating a warm welcome to inward investors, the local Council has shown unswerving backing for Southend Airport since its purchase by the Stobart Group on 2 ^nd December 2008.  The massive employment opportunities presented by a successful airport have been recognised by both the elected members and some business-minded officers, notably Scott Dolling, Group Manager for Enterprise & Tourism at the Council, and Emma Cooney, Inward Investment & Enterprise Manager. Southend Borough Council managed to avoid the planning delays and red tape that bedevilled Heathrow Terminal 5 which took 20 years to come to fruition from its genesis in 1982 to the beginning of its construction in 2002. Scott and Emma’s seminal Southend-on-Sea Hotel Investment Fact File published in March 2010 foresaw Southend Airport increasing passenger numbers to 2 million with a view to creating 4,900 related jobs and another 1,000 at a nearby business park; targets that are now well within sight. Southend Airport Railway Station opened on 18th July 2011 and a new passenger terminal received its official blessing from the Secretary for State for Transport on 5^th March 2012. Nine days later, at the Local Government Chronicle Awards, Southend Borough Council was voted Council of the Year 2012.   Not surprisingly, two days ago Cllr Nigel Holdcroft was re-elected as Leader of Southend Borough Council. The new extended runway at Southend Airport is 5,902 ft. long. The runway at Manston Airport measures 9,029 ft.  Thanet has the highest youth unemployment in the South East. Southend doesn’t.

4. Three Job Vacancies

An international mobile telephone consortium has contacted the Chamber with a request for a Research Analyst to work in Nairobi for three months starting in June 2012. The same company also has a temporary post for a research position in London for two months starting in July 2012. This latter post would be suitable for an undergraduate. If you know of any suitable candidates, Chamber members are invited to email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Research Post Vacancy Kenya” or “Research Post Vacancy London”. Nearer to home, one of our Chamber members has a vacancy for a part-time post of around two hours a day for five days a week. No special skills are required. There is a possibility of working off-site. This position might suit a disabled person. For more details, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Part-time Packing Post”.

4. Energy Procurement

During the last month, public bodies in Kent have received a reminder about how important it is to keep a sharp eye on procurement procedures when buying energy. Fortunately, companies in East Kent are able to call on the services of tried and tested specialists who are able to negotiate the best discounts with suppliers and keep your accountants and auditors happy. For more information on how you can reduce your energy costs, the following experts will be pleased to help you. Martyn Young of Atlantic Business resources tel: 0781 353 7456, David Batten of Auditel (UK) Ltd tel: 01843 581322 and Jeremy Bailey of Auditel tel: 01843 588776.

5. Commercial Energy Costs

Japan faces energy supply problems in the wake of the tsunami disaster of March 2011. Following the closure for inspection of its last operational nuclear power plant on 5 ^th May 2012, Japan is now facing the prospect of power shortages in the Summer months. Until the Great East Japan Earthquake, as it is known in the Far East, 30% of Japan’s power generation was from nuclear sources. Happily, we are currently facing a brighter prospect in the UK. We are grateful to E.ON for the May 2012 market report which shows welcome falls in commercial energy prices of between 2% and 16% in the last twelve months with at least a 5% decrease in commercial energy prices across the board in April 2012. Although domestic gas prices are expected to rise again before the Winter months, at last our energy advisors have some better news for companies about to review their energy contracts.

6. Big Companies, Big News in Thanet

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber hosted a meeting of the Thanet Business Forum last Thursday at its Broadstairs offices at the Kent Innovation Centre. A small grouping of larger companies, the Thanet Business Forum focuses on some of the issues faced by bigger enterprises. Although some of the discussions must inevitably remain confidential, members will want to know that the development of Primark at Westwood Cross shopping centre is progressing on schedule. The former Antolin warehouse of some 70,000 sq. ft. is expected to host around 250 staff when it opens later in the year. The development of the new Sainsbury’s on the other hand is reported not to be going ahead for the moment pending a review. The premises formally occupied by Peacocks will be taken by Poundworld, a competitor to Poundland, an established retailer already in residence across the road from Westwood Cross.

7. Charles Dickens

In contrast to the depressed pub sector as a whole where doom and gloom are still the order of the day, the Charles Dickens pub in Victoria Parade Broadstairs has been flourishing since its recent complete refurbishment. The upstairs rooms are now open for business and it is clear that the business has benefited from the magic touch of new owners, Thorley Taverns.  

8. Turner Update

The Turner Contemporary on Margate’s seafront can claim over 500,000 visitors since its launch in April 2011. An independent assessment of its economic impact on Margate and the surrounding area estimates that £6.2 million has been spent locally as a result of the new gallery. Last week alone saw 13,000 visitors pass through the doors. The successful Turner and the Elements exhibition finishes tomorrow. The next blockbuster show entitled “She lay down deep beneath the sea” opens on 26 ^th May 2012 and features the works of Tracey Emin. The gallery advises: “This exhibition contains work of an adult nature. Please use your discretion when visiting with children.”

9. Late Bookings Expected

Manston Airport reports an increase in freight traffic of 18% and is looking for a boost in aircraft movements as we approach the opening of the London 2012 Olympics on 27^th July 2012. Advance bookings at the airport and at local hotels for the London 2012 Olympics have been below expectations suggesting that we can anticipate a rush of last minute reservations as overseas and domestic customers make late decisions on their travel and accommodation plans.

10. Locate in Kent & HS1

The ever-excellent Locate in Kent is as busy as ever encouraging inward investors into East Kent at a series of exhibitions overseas and in the UK. LiK is liaising closely with Kent County Council and London Metropolitan on securing the future of the Discovery Park at Sandwich. We now know that the first phase of upgrading of the fast rail link from Ashford to Canterbury should reduce journey times by 3 or 4 minutes. The second phase to take place in the years 2014 to 2017 is awaiting approval but is expected to focus on improvements between Canterbury and Ramsgate with a reduction of a further 10 minutes. By the end of the second phase, it should be possible to claim a Ramsgate to London Stratford journey time of 59 minutes. We currently have no more information about the proposed Manston Parkway Station.

11. New Car Sales And Arsenal FC

Paul Everitt, the Head of The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders since 2008, has strong family connections with East Kent. He was happy indeed this past week with news of a 3.3% rise in new car registrations. Following a fall in private sales last year of 14%, Paul is widely quoted in the national press as saying: “We are seeing a steady increase in consumer confidence with growth in private demand, boosted by the arrival of a raft of new products. SMMT has increased its full year forecast to 1.95 million units, putting the market marginally ahead of 2011, indicating a period of relative stability". This will be good news for motoring suppliers in East Kent and a welcome sign of recovery in a key market for all commercial media organisations, printers, ferry companies and a myriad of small firms involved in the motor trade. Paul Everitt joined SMTT in January 2008 with the industry in crisis after a 60% fall in production. At the time, he said how much he admired Arsène Wenger, the manager of Arsenal Football Club.   “He is somebody who has set out a strategy and worked that out over a long period of time. He has remained committed to some clear principles". Since then, Paul seems to have done rather better than the Arsenal team which has won nothing in the last four years despite finishing in the top four places in the Premier League. Still, he can at least be pleased with himself that he did not model his management strategy on Doncaster Rovers FC, the subject of past comment in these columns. The South Yorkshire Club that has at least two supporters in East Kent was indeed first in one respect this season. It was the first club in all the professional leagues to be relegated. Doncaster Rovers fans can look forward next season to travelling to the exotic climes of Crawley, Walsall and Hartlepool.

12. Top Selling Cars

Can you guess the ten most popular cars sold in April 2012? The Ford Fiesta tops the list with 8,780 cars sold.  Petrolheads and car fanatics may find a few surprises in the list that follows: Vauxhall Corsa 6,184 sales, Ford Focus 5,491, Vauxhall Astra 4,684, BMW 3 Series 3,737, Volkswagen Golf 3,600, Volkswagen Polo 3,579, Nissan Qashqai 2,990, Vauxhall Insignia 2,751 and Fiat 500 2,600. Readers are invited to discuss their own motoring needs with A Class Insurance Solutions of Canterbury tel: 0844 544 9055; BSB GB (Ltd) of Broadstairs for car paints tel: 01843 604995; D P Lead & Sons of River tel: 01304 824155; Kent Car Craft of Broadstairs tel: 01843 587376; Millards Insurance of Deal tel: 01304 613072 and Walmer Adamson Motors of Deal tel: 01304 381300.  

13. Thanet Jobs Fair

Following a meeting yesterday with the Thanet & East Kent Chamber’s Co-Presidents Sir Roger Gale MP and Laura Sandys MP, the Chamber will be working with Job Centre Plus, Thanet College, government bodies, Thanet District Council, Thorley Taverns and others in organising a Jobs Fair in Thanet on 26^th June 2012. Of interest to recruiters and job-seekers alike, the event will focus on boosting the job market in Thanet, Dover and beyond and on bringing companies of all sizes up to date on the incentives available for apprenticeships and training. The Thanet & East Kent Chamber looks forward to working with our members and associates in promoting the event to the business community and ensuring that local companies can benefit to the maximum from the opportunities presented.

14. Thanet District Council

Following a series of meetings with Thanet District Council, we are pleased to report that TDC has revised its procurement policies. We are grateful to Cllr Clive Hart for his prompt responses to our entreaties on behalf of Chamber members and welcome the changes to the “Thanet District Council Contract Standing Orders” and the “T hanet District Council Purchasing Guide, Supplementary guidance to the application of Contract Standing Orders” which now state that for works, supplies and services of a value between £10,000 and £74,999 “Consideration to be given to suitably qualified Thanet Supplier/s, if available.”. We see that as an important step towards redirecting locally generated public funds towards local companies. Regular readers will be aware of this Chamber’s long-standing campaign to end the ridiculous position whereby Thanet District Council is contractually obliged to buy its printing from companies in Northampton and elsewhere. We look forward to working with Thanet District Council on implementing further business-friendly policies which will not only benefit our Chamber members but will help to address the severe unemployment in Thanet. The latest figures show that in the Cliftonville West ward, one in five adults of working age are now claiming unemployment benefit. [NOMIS March 2012]

15. Beware Of Imitations

We have been advised that some Chamber members have been harassed by unsolicited telephone calls and emails purporting to be from a Chamber of Commerce claiming to represent Thanet and the surrounding area and making wild claims about membership status. If you are worried about any such communications, please make this known to the Thanet & East Kent Chamber and we will take the appropriate action. We should make it clear that our good friends at the Federation of Small Businesses, the BNi, the Institute of Directors and the Kent Invicta Chamber in Ashford have not been the subject of any complaints and we look forward to working happily with them in the future as we have in the past.

16. Can We Expect a David Cameroon & An Ed Millibank?

The BBC, world-class broadcaster, paragon of media virtue and upholder of the highest standards in international journalism does occasionally make mistakes. If you have ever missed out an apostrophe, misspelt a word in an email to a customer or, perish the thought, written to an elected member of parliament and got the name wrong, you can take a large measure of comfort from knowing that you are not alone. It appears that the BBC is after all staffed by humans. A report yesterday on the BBC News website stated: “In April, transport minister Theresa Villagers suggested Manston could be used to increase airport capacity in the south east of England.” It is not known whether this young and good-looking Minister of State for Transport is happy with the beeb’s rechristening from Theresa Villiers to Theresa Villagers, but as a former barrister and lecturer at King’s College London, she will know what to do if she isn’t.  See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-18031552

17. Forewarned Is Forearmed: London 2012 Olympics

Thanet & East Kent Chamber member Stonelees Golf Club will be the setting for a meeting on the evening of Thursday 24^th May 2012 when our good friend Cllr Sue Chandler of Dover District Council will be joined by Martyn Cassell of Thanet District Council and Ian Parkes, 2012 Business Lead for South East England for a full briefing on how to minimise disruption to your business during the period of the London 2012 Olympics. Organised in conjunction with our good buddies at the Federation of Small Businesses, the session incurs a small charge of £6 to cover the cost of the buffet and refreshments. The evening begins at 6.00 pm and is expected to finish at 9.00 pm. To book your place, contact Sue Waldock by telephone to 01622 688134.

18. Making Time To Succeed

Chamber member Philip Tilston of Polylink Solutions, tel: 01 07875 924191, has submitted one of what we expect to be a series of short articles on different aspects of management written exclusively for the Thanet & East Kent Insider. We know that readers will find much of interest in the words from this experienced Finance Director. We start with two paragraphs on Time Management. Phil writes: “In the words of William Penn: ‘ Time is what we want most, but what we use worst’. We can use our time better by utilising some simple techniques detailed below. They may not be rocket science, but time management is one of those areas where we all get into bad habits and a quick refocusing on a few techniques can yield great benefits. Perform a time audit. I know, you don’t have time to log your activities for a day, let alone a week. However, just logging how you spend your time for one day is a real eye-opener. Once you see the amount of unproductive time spent then it helps give focus to improvement. Set Priorities each day. Rank items on a daily ‘to do’ list in order of importance by using A, B or C rankings. Make sure to clear all the A items each day. Determine what is your most effective time. Some people are really effective first thing in the morning while for others it is later in the day. Tackle your A items when you are at your most effective. Set aside blocks of time when you will not be disturbed. Use this time for A tasks. If you have an office, then shut the door and put up a ‘Do not disturb’ sign. If you work in an open plan office you can still use a ‘Do not disturb’ sign on your desk when you want to focus on a key task. Yes, people will make comments at first but once they get used to it then they will treat is as normal. Remember that an Open Door policy is not the same as allowing anyone to walk into your office and talk to you whenever they want to.”

19. Delegation

Phil concludes his master class on time management with a few comments on delegation. “Delegate Effectively. You don’t have time to do everything yourself. Also, don’t do the work of subordinates that you have just delegated to them. It is now their responsibility. Don’t let them put it back onto your shoulders. Voicemail is your friend. Let it take messages while you are in your ‘Do not disturb’ time. Make all the return calls at a more appropriate time for you. Procrastination can be caused by not wanting to do certain tasks or by not knowing where to start on large tasks. There is little option but to grit your teeth and start on those irritating jobs. If there are a lot of small ones, it is often best to set aside one hour and deal with them all in one go. For larger tasks it often helps to break them into smaller pieces. Once a start has been made, it often creates a momentum that makes it easier to keep going. In the words of Jean de la Bruyère, an astute lawyer and acute observer of life across the Channel in 17^th century France: ‘Those who make the worse use of their time are the first to complain of its shortness’”. Thanks Phil. We look forward to more sage advice in the next edition, assuming you have time to write it.

20. Dame Carol Black Speaks

Lynn Marchant of Kent Mindful Employer has sent the Chamber details of the Kent Wellbeing Symposium scheduled for 3^rd October 2012 at Detling, near Maidstone. Headline speaker for the day is Dame Carol Black, t he UK National Director for Health and Work. Billed as “a unique mix of expert speakers, idea forums, sounding platforms and networking opportunities”, the event is open to private and public bodies. Tickets are available at £149 each. For more details, click on www.kentwellbeingsymposium.co.uk or telephone 01622 684407.

21. DWP Advises

We are grateful to Tony March of the Department of Work and Pensions at Palting House, Folkestone for drawing our attention to the new government packages designed to encourage young people into joining the workforce. A range of wage incentives are available. There is a neat summary of the national scheme on two pages of text, see http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/youth-contract-employer-factsheet.pdf . Also available is a toolkit for employers to acknowledge the issues around the removal of the Default Retirement Age. 'Working Longer - A Guide for Employers' is an online resource which offers guidance and support, including links to case studies that illustrate how other businesses are managing without a fixed retirement age. The DWP informs us that: “ The default retirement age (DRA) has been abolished. This means you can no longer retire staff unless retirement notifications were appropriately sent out before 6 April 2011. You can only retire workers if you can objectively justify it in your specific circumstances.” So now you know. For more information, see http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1097353348&type=CAMPAIGN&furlname=workinglonger&furlparam=workinglonger&ref=&domain=www.businesslink.gov.uk

22. Hartsdown Helps Alzheimer Sufferers

We are grateful to Peter Barnett of Hartsdown Technology College for informing the Chamber of the £500 raised for Alzheimer charities by three walkers from Margate who made the long journey on foot from home base to the new Olympic Stadium at Stratford. We offer our congratulations to Grant Roswell aged 16, head of college Kerry Boyd aged 18 and college governor Richard Boyd, father of Kerry and a former student himself. We do not know how old Richard is but he is clearly fit enough to walk for the best part of two days. Joined for the last six miles from the Cutty Sark by teachers Ryan Gardner and Alan Cadby, Kerry said afterwards: “It was a really tough challenge and I felt like quitting when the tiredness and pain got too much. But I struggled through because it was for a really worthwhile cause.” Public understanding of dementia in its common forms of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia has progressed considerably in the past thirty years. Early diagnosis is critical for effective treatment. The Alzheimer’s Society informs us that a recent survey revealed that nearly 60% of suffers remain undiagnosed, causing considerable distress to their families and friends.

23. Will, Will, Won’t

Mick Rendell of Acorn Investments reminds us of the importance of making a will. As he puts it: “We should all know how important it is to have a valid will, yet millions of us put off writing a will and, in doing so, run the risk of the state determining how our assets should be distributed on our death. If someone dies without making a will, they are said to have died 'intestate'. If this happens, the State sets out who should deal with the deceased's affairs and who should inherit their estate i.e. property, personal possessions and money.” Mick outlines the current legal position as: “If you are married or civil partners, there are surviving children, grandchildren or great grandchildren of the person who died and the estate is valued at more than £250,000, the partner will inherit all the personal property and belongings of the person who has died, the first £250,000 of the estate plus a life interest in half of the remaining estate. This means that if you are entitled to the life interest, you cannot get rid of or spend that part of the estate. You can, however, have the benefit of it during your lifetime.” We share Mick’s view that the writing of a will is something that can never be done too soon, no matter how young you are. Specialists offer the best advice and we recommend contacting one of the following Chamber members: Barnes Marsland tel: 01843 221466; Boys & Maughan tel: 01843 234000; Girlings tel: 01843 220274: Macalister White 01843 572789; Venado tel: 01843 591791.

24. A Car Story

This edition of the Thanet & East Kent Insider has mentioned an upturn in the motoring trade. It has not stopped one Chamber member from reminding us of his experiences as the proud owner of a Lada. We have our doubts about this story, but we leave it to readers to judge for themselves. “It was in the early nineties and I suppose I must have been around 24 years old at the time. I was as proud as punch of my Lada Riva and it was something of a mystery to me why no-one else shared this enthusiasm. Of course, the car was basically a 1966 Fiat 124, made in Russia without the benefits of modern machinery or design. It was heavy on fuel, slow and had a marked tendency to break down often. My particular model blew smoke out of the exhaust like a steam train and various parts of the exterior kept falling off. But, in other ways it was an ideal vehicle. I mean I often forgot to lock it at night and it was never stolen. I expect that the main dealership was in Russia or St Petersburg or somewhere which made spare parts something of a problem. Anyway, one day I found that I needed a new rear light bulb. Thinking that this might be a common part, I went to my local garage in Ramsgate. On arrival at reception, I said: “Excuse me, have you got a new rear light bulb for my Lada?” The owner of the garage disappeared for a few moments and then returned with the bulb. Grabbing my ignition keys, he said; “A new light bulb for your Lada. Mmmm. I suppose it’s a fair swap, but only if there is some petrol in the tank”.

© David Foley 12^th May 2012

Thanet & East Kent Insider

21st January 2012     Issue No.: 178

1. Business Networking Breakfast

This is a reminder that the Thanet & East Kent Chamber is hosting its January Business Networking Breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express at Minster on Friday 27^th January from 0730 hrs to 0900 hrs. The main speaker will be the Managing Director of Manston Airport, Charles Buchanan, who will outline the latest news regarding the airport and the potential opportunities for suppliers and for future employment. The meeting will be attended by the Chamber's Co-President, Sir Roger Gale. Booking is essential. To book your place, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Business Breakfast 27 January 2012”. Tickets include a cooked breakfast and cost £12 for Chamber members and £16 for non-members.

2. Free Business Advice Clinic

Thanet & East Kent Chamber in liaison with the Dover District Chamber of Commerce offers a free monthly Business Advice Clinic. Subject to space available, any private sector company or social enterprise may book a 40-minute session and benefit from free guidance from a senior lawyer, a chartered accountant and business leaders with outstanding records of success. Launched last March with the objective of replacing the regional Business Link service, the clinics have already attracted over 70 clients including start-ups, established companies and voluntary groups. The next Business Advice Clinic is scheduled for 3 ^rd February 2012 in Broadstairs. To book your place, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Business Advice Clinic” or telephone 01843 609289.

3. Pfizer Update

On Friday, 27th January 2012, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber will be announcing the name of a buyer of part of the Pfizer site. Following extended negotiations with the parent company in the United States, the successful purchaser is now in possession of the freehold and will be making a further significant investment in the premises. Full details will be announced next Friday. Chamber Chief Executive David Foley said: "This sale marks an important vote of confidence in East Kent and will undoubtedly encourage other companies to consider investing in the Discovery Park at Sandwich”.

4. Fire Rescue & Safety Precautions

We are grateful to the Kent Fire and Rescue Service for a dramatic account of a rescue in Dover. Thanks to a smoke alarm, no lives were lost. Sacha Taylor informed the Chamber that: “A smoke alarm proved its weight in gold for an elderly woman in Dover when it sounded and alerted her to a fire in her home. When fire crews arrived at the house in Salisbury Road at around 5.40pm, the woman had already been led to safety by a neighbour, having heard her smoke alarm sounding and realising her kitchen was on fire. It appears that a pan left on a hob had overheated and started the fire, which set light to the basement kitchen of the property. Crews in breathing apparatus extinguished the fire and also rescued the woman’s pet dog from the property. It was given oxygen therapy at the scene.” To ensure that you, your business and indeed, your dog, escape in a similar fashion contact Safety & Management Solutions based at Manston. This company offers: “a complete fire risk assessment service providing you with a simple and cost effective process to manage fire risks at your business or event which meets the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Order) 2005.” For more details give Paul Sadd a call, tel: 01843 821406 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .Paul also informs Chamber members that a few pounds spent now might save a lot more later, or as he puts it: “ As of April the HSE will undertake visits to businesses where some form of intelligence or information indicates that there may be a problem. This includes accident reports, previous information or tip offs from other agencies or the public.

Introduction of Fee For Intervention (FII) in which the HSE will be charging Directors of Companies £124 p.h. should they visit a business and find a material breach. From the information we have, a conservative estimate of fees in respect of an enforcement notice could be in the region of £1,500 or in respect of a prosecution the costs could be as much as £100,000.”

5. Energy Prices

At last some good news about energy prices. Martyn Young of Atlantic Business Resources joins several members in welcoming the recent announcements about lower costs for electricity and gas. In an email to the Chamber he writes: “ The mild weather has been the major factor in keeping prices low for the UK as there has been no call on the storage for power generation. As the days are getting longer and the forecast to the end of January is for mild weather it is unlikely that the weather will drive up prices for the rest of the winter period, and I cannot foresee a major increase in global manufacturing in the first half of 2012, so I believe we may be in for a few months of relative price stability barring wars and natural disasters.” For more information on how you can reduce your energy costs, the following experts will be pleased to help you. Martyn Young of Atlantic Business resources tel: 0781 353 7456, David Batten of Auditel (UK) Ltd tel: 01843 581322 and Jeremy Bailey of Auditel tel: 01843 588776.

6. Commercial Energy Costs

Anyone with an oil-fired heating system at home or in the company will be less happy with recent price movements than those with gas or electric systems. We are grateful to E.ON for the January 2012 market report which shows the price movements below.

7. Chamber at House of Commons

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber was represented at the House of Commons on 12^th January 2012 at a meeting chaired by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Mike Penning MP. Regular readers of the Thanet & East Kent Insider will have little difficulty in guessing the main subject of the discussions at which the interests of East Kent business received a fair hearing.

8. Some Economic Indicators

The CPI annual rate of inflation fell to 4.2% in December 2011, reflecting the fall in energy prices and discounted clothes in the critical pre-Christmas retail sales. To put this in context, in the period from 1989 until 2010, the average UK inflation rate was 2.72% with a peak of 8.50% in April 1991 and a trough of 0.50% in May 2000. Any local store managers with shares in their business will know that volume is not necessarily the best guide to increased margins. The well-worn saying that “Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity” will be familiar to clothing retailers contemplating their trading figures from the last two months. Nevertheless, the Office for National Statistics tells us that we spent £42.1bn in the retail sector in December, considerably more than the £29bn in November 2011 and the £39bn in December the previous year.  There is less reason for good cheer in viewing the unemployment figures for December 2011. Thanet again posts the highest unemployment rate in Kent with the latest figures showing 6.0% of the workforce looking for jobs. Most worrying of all is the rate for youth unemployment which shows a jobless rate in Thanet for 18 to 24 year olds of 14.2%, the highest in the South East and a distinct contrast to the scene in Canterbury where just 3.3% of young people in this age band are registered as unemployed. District unemployment figures for East Kent appear below.

9. How Are We Doing?

Here are the unemployment figures from the Office for National Statistics, culled from the latest publication of the ever-excellent Research & Evaluation team at Kent County Council.

10. Hartsdown Lifts Our Hearts Up

Hartsdown Technology College has some answers to youth unemployment with imaginative programmes that engage their students in business. Pete Barnett informs the Chamber that the college is living up to its name.Manufacturing and product design students are currently making an exhibit for display in reception that demonstrates the steering and brake mechanisms on a car. Students at Thanet Skills Studio will be giving the design a thorough test. Progress in film technology from Super 8 to digital light projectors will also be the subject of an exhibit. Retailers are not being ignored. Pete writes that McDonalds has been particularly helpful to Hartsdown students.   “Sean Barber, who is the franchisee for two outlets in Dover, discussed various aspects of McDonald’s with them, including industry sectors, competitors, how the recession has affected disposable income of families, and how this, in turn, has affected different businesses. In a question and answer session he passed on important advice about preparing for job interviews and he outlined what employers look for in job seekers. He talked about the motivation and enthusiasm to work as among the most critical aspects of what he looks for in potential employees.” Many Chamber members will applaud these words. The soft skills of punctuality, being polite to customers and dressing appropriately are much valued by employers.

11. Funding Alert

We are grateful to Cara Thorpe at TVCSF for keeping the Chamber updated on the Kent Big Society Loan Fund targeted at social enterprises in the county. The scheme is funded by Kent County Council (KCC) and managed in partnership with the Kent Community Foundation (KCF). We learned that £3m will be available over three years, with the first £1m allocated to KCF to provide loans from January 2012. KCC will top up the fund by £1m each year until 2014. The deadline for the first round Loan Enquiries is 15th February 2012. Some charities and voluntary bodies may not be overwhelmed by the 4% administration fee which raises the interest rate charged on a typical £30,000 loan over three years to 12.4% APR. Full details are available at http://www.kentcf.org.uk/loan_funding.html .

12. Digital Switch Over

Thanet Community Networks is hosting a useful information session on the Digital TV switchover which will begin in Kent on 20^th May 2012. Margate Media Centre will host an information session starting at 1000 hrs on Tuesday, 7^th February 2012. The BBC is offering a scheme that provides “full support for to elderly, disabled and disadvantaged people.” Our good friends at the Thanet Citizens Advice Bureau will also be on hand to advise individuals on how to reduce their fuel costs.  For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call in at the Margate Media Centre, 11-13 King Street, Margate, Kent CT9 1DA.

13. Summer Dates

We are grateful to Roger Gabriel of the Kent Economic Board for a list of key dates this summer from the start of the Olympic Torch Relay in May to the closing ceremony of the Paralympics in September.

14. Avoidance Before, Evasion Now

We thank Jon Cleverdon of Cleverdons Chartered Accountants for notifying the Chamber of an immediate change in taxation legislation. Remembering for the moment that tax avoidance is a legal initiative that reduces your firm’s payments to HM Customs & Excise whereas tax evasion is an illegal measure that could see you face a big fine and a prison sentence, make what you will of the following change in tax liability: “ The legislation blocks a tax avoidance scheme involving post-cessation trade relief, after the Government heard of an avoidance scheme that seeks to generate post-cessation trade relief for set-off by users of the scheme against their other income or capital gains.” If you are not an accountant and you understand every nuance of that sentence then you probably don’t get out as much as you might and you should consider taking up a hobby such as stamp-collecting to bring some relative excitement into your life. For the rest of us, we are happy to leave the explanation to one of the following experts: Acorn Bowman Finance & Investment Management of Broadstairs tel: 01843 609365; J Cleverdon Chartered Accountants of Broadstairs 01843 866599; J W Accountancy Services of Shepherdswell tel: 01304 830229; Kemps Accounting Solutions Ltd   of Broadstairs tel: 01843 861188; KJA Bookkeeping Services Ltd of Canterbury freephone: 0800 804 8952; Levicks Chartered Accountants of Broadstairs, Canterbury and Maidstone tel: 01843 862716; Michael Martin Partnership Ltd of Whitstable tel: 01227 770500 and Neville Weston Chartered Certified Accountants of Ramsgate tel: 01843 594571. Advice on pensions is also available from County Financial Services of Birchington, tel: 01843 265070.

15. Venerable Elvis Speaks

Given the current high unemployment in Thanet and the challenge employers throughout the UK are finding in recruiting workers with the right skills, we looked again at the Review of Skills by Lord Leitch published in December 2006 which found that: “ In OECD comparisons of 30 countries, the UK lies 17th on low skills, 20th on intermediate and 11th on high skills. 7 million adults lack functional numeracy and 5 million lack functional literacy. 17 million adults lack Level 1 numeracy – equivalent to a low level GCSE. The proportion of people with low or no qualifications is more than double that in Sweden, Japan and Canada.” Surely, this has improved in the last five years? When faced with a matter of such national importance, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber traditionally turns to Thanet’s resident hermit, the Venerable Elvis. Thought to be at least 230 years old, this wise man lives in a humble dwelling located in the hinterland between the disused power station at Richborough and the abandoned quarry in Manston. His whereabouts are unknown to everyone except our intrepid reporter who always notes carefully the words of wisdom emanating from the great man’s lips. Who could forget the Venerable Elvis’s comments on the demise of Pfizer and the lack of innovation in the Sandwich pharmaceutical sector? As we recorded in the Thanet & East Kent Insider edition of 6 August 2011, the Venerable Elvis said “I often find that others pinch my ideas, sometimes even before I have thought of them myself.” Thus it was with some hope and expectation that one misty morning last week, our reporter took the secret path to the Venerable Elvis’s cave and asked him: “Why are we so poor at maths in the UK?” Thanet’s esteemed hermit stroked his long grey beard and said in that thin voice characteristic of many spiritual figures down the ages: “There are ten types of people in this world; those who understand binary and those who do not.” We are indeed blessed to have such a wise man in our midst.

© David Foley, January 2012

Thanet & East Kent Insider

26^th November 2011      Issue No.: 175

1. Media & Business with BBC, ITV and KRN

The December Chamber Business Networking Breakfast for December will take place on Friday 16^th December 2011 and will feature speakers from the BBC, ITV, Kent Regional Newspapers and a private network. The speakers will outline their own experiences in the media and will advise on how businesses can best interact with television, radio and the press. The event will take place at the Pegwell Bay Hotel, Ramsgate from 0730 hrs to 0900 hrs. Booking is essential. Tickets cost £12 for Chamber members and £20 for non-members. To reserve your place, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone 01843 609289.

2. Darren Clarke & Co in Kent

The Chamber was the guest of Dover District Council at a meeting last Wednesday with Peter Dawson, the Chief Executive of the R&A, and his team to review the impact of the Open Golf Championship at Sandwich last July. During a concentrated analysis, traffic management, ticketing, accommodation, merchandising and other aspects were examined in detail. There was heartfelt relief that there had been no ‘incidents’ to test the emergency services and general agreement that Darren Clarke had proved to be a popular winner. Some concern was expressed by traders in Sandwich regarding access and footfall, but the overwhelming success of the tournament was acknowledged by all. Indeed, the economic impact on the East Kent economy in Thanet, Dover, Canterbury and Shepway was the main focus of the afternoon. During the whole session, not one person committed the heinous crime of referring to the “British Open”. As all patriotic golfers will know, the Open Championship was the first in the world and we leave it to others to add a few adjectives in an attempt to catch up.

3. Don’t You Just Invent Some Fancy Numbers?

Not at all. The economic impact figures were compiled by Sheffield Hallam University according to strict criteria following over 2,000 surveys with spectators. Further desk analysis drew on the data relationships established during the 2010 Open at St Andrews in Fife. The revenue listed refers uniquely to new money that is event-specific, which means that it originated from outside the host economy. In other words, spending from locals who would have spent their money one way or another during the week of the event was specifically excluded from the calculations.

4. How Many People Attended?

Most of the press reports list 180,000, but we can be more precise than that. On the practice days from 10^th July to 13^th July 2011, there were 31,222 spectators. During the four days of the competition proper, the crowds were as follows: on Thursday 14^th July 31,545; on Friday 15^th July 42,846; on Saturday 16^th July 36,471 and on Sunday 17^th July 38,007. Anyone with a calculator, spreadsheet or a just a good head for arithmetic will know that the total visitor number is 180,091. It is interesting to note that the most popular day was the Friday. The practice days amount more or less to an effective fifth day in terms of attendance.  

5. Where Did They All Come From?

There were some slight differences in the survey results, but the overall picture is as follows: East Kent 12.4%; Rest of Kent 12.3%; Rest of UK 65.5%; International 9.8%. The data reveals that the event attracted just under a quarter of its spectators from Kent, showing just how popular golf is in the county.

6. What Did They Spend Their Money On?

We can trace the direct spending from spectators on services and products in East Kent and Kent. The following figures show the total amount spent by spectators during the period of the 2012 Open. The figure for Kent as a whole includes East Kent.

7. Is That All?

No it isn’t. We can add all the other spending and add a mysterious “multiplier” which experience has suggested contributes to producing an accurate assessment.

8. Is That All Now?

Nearly. There is something to add which is called the Media Equivalency Value. In brief, all the television exposure over the course of the week would cost a huge amount on national television networks. The Open Championship was broadcast in 196 territories reaching 458 million households over 3,676 broadcast hours. For the sponsors at Nikon, HSBC, Doosan, Rolex and Mercedes-Benz as well as for East Kent tourism, this has an estimated value of £52.6 million. In summary, we can calculate that the 2011 Open Championship at Royal St George’s Golf Club in Sandwich had an economic impact of around £77 million of which £24.14 million came directly to Kent and £21.18 million to East Kent. Thank you very much, Mr Dawson, sir. Please come back soon.

9. Business Directory

The 2012 Chamber diary has now been published. If any Chamber member has not received a copy by Friday, 2^nd December 2011, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to arrange for delivery. The publication serves as the official business directory for the East Kent coastal business community from Whitstable around to Dover and will be used by a wide variety of private and public bodies to inform their purchasing decisions. The companies listed include almost every sector of the economy and we urge all Chamber members to consult their diary before they buy.

10. Exports to France

We are pleased to note strong interest from East Kent companies looking to find new export markets in France. So Now, the English-speaking French agency near Lyon that specialises in promoting East Kent companies in the Eurozone, reports enthusiastic interest from local suppliers and service providers who are looking to increase their sales into Europe. With a currency advantage of over 20% since 2007, an increasing number of suppliers are finding that their products and services are competitively-priced in France and neighbouring countries. Offering marketing studies, business plans, mailshots, designs, website translations and a host of ideas to assist your exports, So Now welcomes enquiries from Chamber members keen to boost their sales in the Eurozone or to enter European markets for the first time. For details without obligation, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and expect a prompt reply.

11. Thanet College Update

Last Tuesday, Chamber member Thanet College hosted its second annual Star Awards to recognise exceptional contributions during the year by staff members. Chairman of the governors, Professor Michael Wright CBE DL, joined Principal, Graham Razey, to congratulate the winners. Although not at last week’s awards evening, some of the biggest winners in the past year have been those Chamber members who have benefited from the College’s “Buy Local” policy. We are delighted to report that in the year to 31^st July 2011, a total of £1,362,608 was spent with local suppliers. This represents a record amount and provides an example to other Further Education colleges in the UK who are seeking closer ties with their local business community. Capital spending with local companies rose from 21% of budget in the year ending 31^st July 2010 to 93% of budget for the quarter to 31^st July 2011. There is nothing a company should like more than a customer and Thanet College has given the local business community every reason to like its own products and services. In a letter to the Chamber, Graham Razey writes: “There may be further developments in the future and so I would like to reassure you and the Chamber’s members that the College is continuing its commitment to ‘Buy Local’”.  Graham and his team are well supplied with the Chamber 2012 diary.

12. Surely Not More About Golf?

Just a little. The Thanet & East Kent Chamber in liaison with our sister Chamber in Dover is in the pleasant position of considering the many offers it has received to host our Golf Days. We will be reporting to members on the results of these negotiations. The Chamber Autumn Golf Day is the biggest corporate golf event in the East Kent business community and we look forward to even more teams entering in 2012. Readers are reminded that images of the 2011 Golf Days at the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club and Prince’s Golf Club can be found on the official image website at http://www.photoboxgallery.com/DDCC

13. Unemployment

As always in presenting employment data, we look at the year-on-year trends rather than examine any monthly changes which can fluctuate widely and give a misleading impression of the state of our local economy. We are grateful to Kent County Council’s Research & Evaluation department for sending us their ever useful digest of the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. Sadly, all 12 districts in the KCC area show an annual rise in unemployment. In just 3 districts is there less than double digit growth: Dartford +8.3%, Sevenoaks +9.8% and Tunbridge Wells +4.8%. For the purposes of this report, we write a “+” sign before all increases. There is no relief for job-seekers within the county boundary in Medway which shows +17.6% more registered unemployed in October 2011 than one year previously. The highest annual increase is in Gravesham at +21.9%, but Dover at +20.1% and Canterbury at +20.0% are not far behind. The recent announcement by government of measures to stimulate employment among the 18-24 year olds cannot come soon enough for KCC’s school leavers and resident graduates. This group has experienced a year-on-year increase in unemployment of +27.1%. Also not to be ignored are the 60-64 year olds where the data shows a +42.0% increase over the year in unemployment benefit claimants. The message to the county’s workforce might be: “Don’t fall out with your boss”. The data for East Kent is listed below.

14. How Are We Doing?

15. Regional Growth Fund

We are grateful to our Chamber Co-President, Laura Sandys MP, for supplying members with the official summary of the current state of the Regional Growth Fund. Details are in the attached RGF Fact Sheet and RGF Intervention Rates. We will advise members as soon as the application procedure has been finalised. We are assured by Laura that UK Trade & Investment, UKTI, will be promoting East Kent at every opportunity. In her words: “We will never be better promoted internationally”. UKTI will focus on attracting “Big Players” so that local suppliers can play a full part in the supply chain. In particular, Laura identifies engineering companies, life science innovators and service companies with the ambition and drive to meet the needs of international firms.

16. Business Advice Clinics

The Chamber Business Advice Clinics were well-supported this month. Regular readers will be aware that we hold sessions on the first Friday of the month in Broadstairs and on the first Wednesday of the month in Dover. Attendance is free of charge and open to companies and start-ups of all sizes which trade or seek to trade in the districts of Thanet or Dover. The Chamber has been successful in securing the backing of benign investors who are willing to consider applications for development projects. There is £1 million of funding available, subject to reasonable prospects of a good return over 5 years. Currently, four projects are being considered for investment sums ranging from £25,000 to £135,000.

17. Waste Not, Want Not
TW Services has launched a new website which has raised the bar for all UK waste processing and recycling centres. Featuring full social media links and on-line trading services, the website offers full access to the company’s domestic and commercial product range including skip hire, hazardous waste disposal and house clearances. Such are the advances that TW Services has made in recent years that even the keenest ecologically-minded critic will be impressed by its “Zero to Landfill” policy, embraced with enthusiasm by all the 80 or more staff members. Still in family ownership, the company can rightly claim to be the leading independently owned waste management company in Kent and has the resources, equipment and experience to process 750,000 tonnes of domestic and commercial waste every year. For more details, see the website at www.tw-services.co.uk or telephone head office in Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, tel: 01304 626364.

18. Boys & Maughan Expands

Confidence in the future of Ramsgate is very much in evidence at Boys & Maughan Solicitors which is welcoming three new members to its Ramsgate legal team. Lorraine Smith, Wills & Probate, Tom Moulsdale, Litigation, and Dawn Sahathevan, Residential Conveyancing, are joining Managing Partner Andrew Baker in strengthening the company’s presence in Thanet. Tom represents the third generation of the Moulsdale family to work at Boys & Maughan. Andrew Baker said: “With the high speed train link to London, the upgrading of the A256 and not forgetting the country’s only Royal Harbour, Ramsgate continues to be one of the shining jewels in Thanet’s crown.” For more details, contact Robin Evans by telephone to 01843 234000 or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

19. Ramsgate Tunnels

Predict and prevent must have been words very much in the mind of Ramsgate’s ‘Mad Mayor’ ABC Kempe and Borough Engineer, R D “Dick” Brimmell when they first drew up plans for tunnels under Ramsgate. The Home Office repeatedly rejected requests for such an extensive network of bomb shelters but finally relented in the spring of 1939 after Hitler’s troops had marched into Czechoslovakia on 16th March 1939. The letter conveying the decision of the Lord Privy Seal Sir John Anderson arrived in Ramsgate on 20^th March 1939.  Working around the clock, Francois Cementation Co Ltd completed the project in time for the Duke of Kent to be guest of honour at the opening ceremony on 1^st June 1939. Capable of sheltering 60,000 people, the tunnels were an engineering marvel that were soon to prove their worth in saving the lives of Ramsgate citizens in the air raids of 24^th August 1940 which saw the Luftwaffe drop over 500 bombs on Ramsgate damaging 800 houses. Last Thursday evening, the Old Customs House in Ramsgate was the venue for a celebration of Kempe and Brimmell’s foresight and an update on the plans on how to spend the £53,000 recently awarded by the Jubilee People’s Millions Fund to help restore the tunnels. Introduced with consummate professionalism by the actor Clive Holland, an invited audience heard from Ramsgate Mayor Cllr David Green, Project Manager Peter Borrough and other committee members about some of potential uses for the tunnels and their undoubted impact in attracting visitors to Thanet. For more information, see the website at http://ramsgatetunnels.org   

20. Customer Service

Canterbury Christ Church University is offering a networking breakfast at Hall Place Enterprise Centre, Harbledown near Canterbury on Tuesday 6th December 2011 entitled “Customer Service, how can it set you apart from your competitors?”  Delegates will be invited to explore their own experiences of good customer care and service and will learn the different techniques required to meet the demands of businesses as well as the general public. Tickets cost an eminently reasonable £12 for the 0745 hrs to 1015 hrs session and include breakfast and coffee. For more details, contact Jenny Overy direct by telephone to 01227 782672 or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

21. Manstonians Vote “Yes”

We learn from our good friends at the Isle of Thanet Gazette that the villagers of Manston have voted to support the airport and its plans for development. Manston Parish Council vice-chairman Bill Bell is quoted as saying: “I suppose people feel as if they are part of the airport, it is part of their history”. The villagers of Manston could teach the failing economies of the Eurozone a thing or two. Well done, Bill Bell & Co. If we are to maintain our schools, emergency services, social services, defence commitments and all the heavy demands we place on government at all levels, Chamber policy dictates that it is essential that we support the businesses that fund the public sector. The airport at Manston represents our best bet to create sustainable, worthwhile jobs in Thanet in the medium and long term. Successful airports breed development and industry, creating opportunities for school leavers and mature workers alike. We should cherish the airport owners, Infratil, and remind the doubters that Manston Airport has been in operation since 1915. See http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Villagers-airport-s-plan-flying-night/story-13884772-detail/story.html

22. A Rounded Judgment

With all the serious local firms of solicitors in the Chamber membership, it is perhaps not surprising that we hear so many stories relating to justice and its various manifestations.  We have our doubts about the following account, but we leave it to readers to judge for themselves. “There are many reasons a divorce might be granted: adultery, a two-year separation by consent, a five-year separation without consent and, of course unreasonable behavior; but, we all have different ideas as to what is unreasonable. One recent case concerned a wife who still rather liked her husband but found his breakfast habits to be insurmountably distasteful. The main cause of her extreme distress was his habit of making coffee and then failing to clean the coffee machine properly. It appears that he ground the beans himself and always left a residual amount of coffee grounds in the electric grinder which infuriated his spouse who felt obliged to clean up after him. The accumulated stress of over 1,500 mornings of such anxiety had reduced her to a state of frenzy which eventually prompted her to seek a divorce. When the case came before the judge, he enquired of the wife’s lawyer just exactly how much coffee was habitually left to be cleaned. After much consideration and detailed discussions with the petitioner, the reply was given: “Around a level teaspoonful, my Lord”. The judge duly considered the new fact in the light of all that had been presented to him. In giving his final judgement, he first expressed his sympathy with the wife. He continued that had the excess coffee amounted to a dessertspoonful or more, his decision may have been different, but on the balance of the evidence before him, he had no option but to conclude that there were insufficient grounds for divorce.”  

© David Foley, November 2011

Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

12^th November 2011 Issue No.: 174

1. Queen and Duke of Edinburgh

Her Majesty The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh visited Thanet yesterday, putting a new focus on two development projects which can now claim royal patronage. The Turner Contemporary received the ultimate blessing when our sovereign unveiled a plaque commemorating her visit. Spirited  applause and smiles from the audience must have warmed the hearts of Cllr Mike Hill, Cllr Paul Carter, Turner Chairman John Kampfner and gallery Director Victoria Pomeroy who saw all their hard work crowned with success as the royal couple followed in the footsteps of over 300,000 others who have visited the gallery since its opening last April. Chamber member Hartsdown Technology College fell under the appreciative royal gaze in the Clore Learning studio. The royal party had landed at Kent International Airport proving again that Manston is at the centre of developments in East Kent.

2. Remembrance In Kent

It is calculated that at the 11^th minute of the 11^th hour of the 11^th month of this year 2011, the royal party was flying over Dover, which is a fitting tribute to this country’s premier passenger port as the White Cliffs of Dover provided the final vista for many soldiers departing for the trenches in WW1 and was at the front line in WW2. A young Princess Elizabeth trained as a driver and mechanic in the ATS in the final year of the last war. Prince Philip joined the Royal Navy in 1939 and served throughout the conflict with great distinction before ending his career as a Commander in 1952.

3. Department For Transport

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber in liaison with our sister body in Dover accepted an invitation from the Department of Transport to brief the government on the local economy in the East Kent coastal business community. The Chamber Chief Executive spent just under two hours last Thursday at the DfT Headquarters at Great Minster House in London in discussions with the Director and Deputy Director of Maritime Commerce and Infrastructure. The views of Chamber members were communicated in detail together with an outline of proposed reforms to boost East Kent businesses.

4. Managing Our Ports

We are continuing to receive excellent reports of our Business Networking breakfast at the Fayreness Hotel which featured the genial Chief Executive of the New York-based Global Institute of Logistics, Kieran Ring. Delays at our ports add cost and reduce the competitiveness of British companies seeking to take advantage of currency advantages and buoyant niche markets overseas. The Chamber Chairman, Dr Bill Moses, advises that sometimes we overcomplicate the management strategies required to ensure that our ports are efficient and reflect best practice. He advises that there are three key factors in port operations which should remain central to all management decisions: Speed, Cost-effectiveness and Safety. Isn’t that the truth? Or as Aleksandr Orlov the Russian meerkat might say: “Simples”.

5. More On Margate

There is more to Margate than sand, sea and the Turner Contemporary. The Embroidered & Printed Clothing Company continues to lead the way as one of the country’s leading suppliers and manufacturers of promotional clothing and workwear. Over the last twelve years, the company has refined its production and upgraded its technology to the point where it can compete with domestic producers throughout the UK and Europe. If you are looking to give your employees an edge in the marketplace or are considering some seasonal gifts to reward your employees, follow the example of happy customers Vodafone, VW, Coca Cola and Jaguar and make that call to the The Embroidered & Printed Clothing Company sales team; tel: 0845 180 1008. A full range of products can be viewed on-line at www.embroidered-printed clothing.co.uk .

6. My Big Kent Weekend

My Big Kent Weekend is planned for 17^th and 18^th March 2012. Delphine Houlton of Chamber Member Maxim PR informs us that destinations and event organisers taking part in the weekend are asked to offer a number of free tickets for local people to visit their venue over the weekend. Visit Kent’s dynamic Managing Director, Sandra Matthews Marsh, notes that the programme has become an important element in the local tourism industry that contributes over £3.2 billion to the Kent economy. Sandra said “Six years ago we launched the Kent Big Day Out and it has exceeded all our expectations. This year we took the event over two days and received more than 51,000 applications for tickets during the month that the website was open. On average people spent nine minutes browsing 25 pages of the site, and there were more than 812,000 page views during the ticket application period. It is a tremendous showcase for all the attractions and experiences Kent has to offer going far beyond our iconic castles, cathedrals and historic houses to include many hidden gems such as art galleries, theatres, museums, sporting venues, creative experiences, hospitality venues and even the whole centre of a village. This year we were able to give away 18,000 free tickets to 120 different venues and I am optimistic that in 2012 more businesses will be able to take part and share in the fun and the long term marketing benefits that this event offers. Our research shows more than 85 per cent of attractions taking part in 2011 thought it was an excellent event for them and, in total, participating attractions received more than £150,000 in secondary spend.” Perhaps the biggest accolade the My Kent Big Weekend Out can claim is that 80% of local residents with free tickets said they would visit the attraction again and 98% said they would recommend it to their friends and family. For more details, telephone Kelly Sharp at Visit Kent, tel: 01227 812912 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

7. New Salon In Broadstairs

The Chamber Co-president, Laura Sandys MP, Broadstairs Mayor Cllr David Saunders, accompanied by his charming wife Cllr Mave Sanders, and the Chamber Chief Executive were all guests of the Indulgence Health & Beauty Salon last Friday evening to celebrate its grand opening at 135 High Street, Broadstairs. Salon Manager Stacy Shearer and her team have transformed these premises to a high standard for clients who wish to be “relaxed on the inside and radiant on the outside”. Responding to a growing market in and around Thanet, the salon is offering a “Pre-Christmas Pamper” where the cheaper of two treatments is offered free of charge. The Indulgence Health & Beauty Salon is open from Monday to Friday from 0900 hrs to 1900 hrs and on Saturdays from 0900 hrs to 1730 hrs. If a waxing, manicure or pedicure is your fancy or you want to know what is meant by “a Hollywood eyelash extension and a minx and trendy wrap”, give Stacy a call, tel: 01843 586236.  As a qualified beauty therapist for 13 years, she knows how to “relax, restore and revive” you.  So far as we know, Stacy has not been invited to the current discussions over the Euro. We suspect her skills could be very useful in reviving the spirits of the Greeks or in sharpening the nails of the Germans.

8. Supplier to Vattenfall

Chamber members seeking to access the £15 million pound budget of Vattenfall earmarked for local suppliers to the Kentish Flats Extension off the coast of Whitstable are advised to complete and return the attached Expression of Interest Form, if they have not already done so. Chamber member Vattenfall is serious about using local suppliers. Please ensure that you state your ‘Business Category’ with the exact wording of one of the categories listed below. Return the completed form to the email address indicated on the form using the subject line “EoI Form Kentish Flats TEKC”.

9. Vattenfall Supplier Categories

The following categories are recognised by Vattenfall for its supplier list: Accommodation Business and Personnel (Hotels and B&Bs); Building and onshore site maintenance; Car/bus hire; Cable installation companies. Cable joint suppliers; Cable Jointers; Caterers; Cleaners; Composite material suppliers; Condition monitoring systems; Couplings and fasteners; Courier services; Cranes; Divers; electric/fibre optic cables; Electrical equipment suppliers; Environmental response service and materials; Equipment /tool hire; Equipment hoists and lifting gear; fall arrest system services; Facilities management; Fire and ; security protection systems; Fork lift truck suppliers and maintainers; Handtool suppliers (For rigging etc); Hazardous waste collection; Health and Safety equipment – onshore, offshore; equipment and lifting equipment; Helicopter Services; HSE training providers; HV and LV electrical engineers; Hydraulic equipment suppliers; Industrial rope access suppliers; Jointing systems incl specialist adhesives; Lift servicing; maintenance and inspection; Lifting equipment suppliers; logistics/haulage; Lubricant suppliers; Marine Engine Workshops; Marine facilities - harbour; bunkering; general supplies; Marine logistics and consultants; Marine operations and management; Marketing/PR agencies; Materials and tool suppliers; Mooring and navigation system suppliers and installers; Noise monitoring specialists; Office supplies including communication; Paint and protection systems; Portside logistic support and haulage; Printers; Recruitment- office admin; general and offshore operatives; Recycling collection; Safety equipment suppliers and workwear; Scaffolding; Security Services; Shackles and lifting tackle; Sign makers; Slings; Standby generator suppliers; Steel suppliers; Tools (general); Training-  offshore; first aid and health and safety; Transport - airport transfers and local area; Vessels; workboats and barges; Waste management services; Welders; Workwear suppliers; Workwear Laundry services.

10. Changes at Pfizer

The latest developments at the Discovery Park, the former Pfizer site, were examined in some detail in the BBC Inside Out South East programme broadcast on 7^th November 2011. It featured the Chairman of the Sandwich Economic Development Task Force, Kent County Council Leader Paul Carter, who promoted the opportunities available for inward investors. He was joined by a somewhat geeky academic, Dr Tim Leunig, who gave a rather brutal assessment stating that “jobs are basically ugly” and that Kent must choose between being “beautiful and bucolic” or sacrifice the countryside “in order to provide lots of industrial premises”. The academic rather ignores the extensive brownfield sites currently available in Kent. He is perhaps not as well researched as he might be. Paul Carter emphasised the hi-tech facilities in Sandwich and pointed to the success of the former ICI site at Runcorn where there are now more people employed than when ICI was in residence. Dr Leunig disagreed, but when asked the question: “Have you been to Runcorn, Tim?” had to admit “I have not been to Runcorn for many years”. This suggests that the academic is perhaps not as well researched as he might be. The programme continued in a similar vein covering Enterprise Zones, intellectual capital, Regional Growth Fund, Infrastructure and Manston Airport. When the discussion turned to education and skills, Dr Leunig informed the audience that he had attended Oxford University but many children in Kent schools from poor families underperform. On green technology and wind farms, he suggested that the case for job creation is weak, perhaps not realising, as Paul Carter pointed out, that Kent has “the longest coastline regions of any county in the country”. The academic is perhaps not as well researched as he might be. See for yourself at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b016yvj1/Inside_Out_South_East_07_11_2011///www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b016yvj1/Inside_Out_South_East_07_11_2011/

11. News From Dover

Plans for a National War Memorial on Dover’s Western Heights received a boost this month with the launch of a website at www.nationalwarmemorial.co.uk and a film posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiInhoAmFfE. Older Chamber members will have noticed increased respect in the last thirty years for those who died in the two largest conflicts of the twentieth century. The objective of the National War Memorial is to provide a permanent physical reminder of the names of the 1.7 million people who died in the service of our country in WW1 and WW2. The proposed white granite walls sitting on the White Cliffs opposite Dover Castle total 1.7 kms in length. Thus, each pace of one metre will represent 1,000 deaths. As visitors pass by seeking their own surnames, there will be an increasing realization of the losses sustained by Britain and the Commonwealth. If we are to demonstrate to young people the human cost of war, then a trip to the National War Memorial could provide a much needed reality check to a generation raised on computer simulations of war games and the hero-worshipping of X-factor contestants. As one Lieutenant-Colonel, a veteran of Northern Island and the Falklands, said last week when visiting the Chamber: “War is not glorious”.

12. Kent For Business

Last Wednesday, Locate in Kent organised a seminar at Darwin College Conference Centre at the University of Kent on the theme “Kent as Business Location”. Delegates were asked to consider what attracts investors to Kent and what might deter them. The general conclusion was that Kent is indeed attractive to companies. Being at once close to London and at the same time benefiting from its proximity to EU, which despite its currency problems, represents the largest market in the world, Kent has many advantages over its competitors elsewhere in the UK. Although Dr Tim Leunig might not agree, see item x above, Kent schools are generally perceived as providing a good education preparing students well for with a wide range of choices in Further and Higher Education. As so much of our exports and imports pass through Kent, this Chamber proposed a slogan “Kent Is Crucial”. We also suggested that unlike the crowded cities elsewhere in England, there are plenty of brownfield sites available where expansion can be accommodated much more easily than in London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester or Glasgow. With wage costs at a reasonable level in the East Kent coastal business community, we also suggested “Fashion Your Future In Kent”.  Copywriters will know that the word ‘Kent’ is delightfully short and lends itself to alliteration in phrases such as “Kent Can Do”.

13. More On Manston

Whatever the linguistic niceties, ambitious companies looking at East Kent will take account of the infrastructure developments in our road, rail and air connectivity. The future of Manston Airport will play a large part in these considerations. The night-time flying policy proposed by Manston recommends a limited number of flights between 2300 hrs and 0700 hrs; fewer than two flights per night on average during the restricted period. This level of activity would represent less than 3% of the arrivals and departures during the year and must represent a reasonable offer that might safeguard the airport’s future and the 150 jobs currently directly dependant on its operations. Of the 110 staff employed at the airport, two-thirds live In Thanet and receive the majority of the £2.2 million annual salary bill. If the Airport is to reach its target of over 2 million passengers a year by 2018, it will need to attract an international airline. An enlightened response by Thanet District Council to the night-flying proposals could be of significant value in stimulating the economy and encouraging firms to locate in East Kent. The full text of the proposals can be seen at http://www.manstonairport.com/userfiles/files/Night-flight-policy/Night-time-Flying-Policy-Submission-271011.pdf

14. Energy

A mild October following a warm September has produced an equitable balance of supply and demand for energy. Lower prices for gas have contributed to lower electricity costs and a more encouraging outlook for companies heavily dependent on power. Uncertainties over European economies may drive down prices further, although prices for oil continue to rise in the short and long term. The year on year price increases for all the main power sources are having a negative effect on trading margins and must remain a key source of concern in efforts to reduce both the CPI and RPI indices of inflation. We are again grateful to Martyn Young of Atlantic Business Resources for supplying the latest Market Report from E.ON which is summarized below. Now that October is behind us, the new annualized prices are based on April 2012 start dates.

15. Commercial Energy Costs

16. Yet More About Manston

The Chamber is delighted that an international Airline is taking a close interest in establishing links with Kent International Airport at Manston. The success of the recent Open Golf Championships and the publicity surrounding the 2012 London Olympics have put a new focus on Manston's prime location near London. Easy access to the Channel ports and the  award of Enterprise Zone status to the Discovery Park at Sandwich have confirmed Manston’s status as a viable alternative to the overburdened points of entry at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. The encouraging visitor figures at the Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate and the promise of additional attractions opening in the next few years should produce a sustained increase in incoming tourists. Business traffic will benefit from the turnover growth at Hornby, Cummins, Fujifilm Sericol and Silent Gliss. Better access to more international destinations will encourage companies to locate in this part of the UK where logistical advantages for exporters to the continent complement a currency advantage against the Euro which has grown by over 20% since 2007.

17. Care Home of the Year

We are grateful to Cllr Clive Hart for drawing our attention to the Key Retirement Solutions’ Your Caring Stars of the Year Awards. The winner of the Care Home of the Year for 2011 is Yoakley House in Margate. Michael Yoakley was a Quaker businessman from Margate who made his name and fortune trading with the newly discovered America. The charity in his name was established in 1709 with the proceeds from the kindly man’s will. Executive manager of Yoakley House and the 46 surrounding almshouses is Julie Wickenden who said: “We treat all the residents as if they were members of our own family.” Clive adds: “It really is a wonderful place, an oasis of peace and tranquillity right next to the QEQM that most people wouldn't even know was there. Lovely homes surround beautiful gardens where elderly residents can live securely and in peace and quiet. Good news for Margate!” Good news indeed and another feather in the cap of Margate which has been uncommonly blessed in the past few weeks.

18. Pensions

As stated in previous editions of the Thanet & East Kent Insider, legislation concerning compulsory pension arrangements will come into force in October 2012. Initially targeted at large companies, the full provisions will be introduced over the following few years. Penalties for non-compliance are severe ranging from up to £50 per day for companies with 1 – 4 employees to £10,000 per day for firms with 500 or more workers. The Chamber will be organising briefings on the new arrangements with a view to keeping members  fully informed of their obligations and the options available.

19. The Venerable Elvis & The Euro Crisis

In times of trouble, the Thanet community turns to the one person whose advice has guided successive generations throughout the isle. When the fate of Britain was in the balance through inadequate funding for Wellington’s forces during the Napoleonic Wars, it is reported that it was the Venerable Elvis who directed the government towards the Rothschild brothers whose loan financed the campaign that ultimately defeated the French and preserved our freedom to drink beer in pints and drive on the left. With the financial stability of Europe currently in question, we turn our attention again towards Thanet’s celebrated hermit who lives in a secret dwelling between the disused power station at Richborough and the abandoned limestone quarry at Manston; his whereabouts known only to the Thanet & East Kent Insider. Thus being careful to ensure he was not being followed, our staff member braved the early morning mists last week to make his way to the cave where the great man lives and ponders. The source of the Venerable Elvis’s remarkable knowledge of modern business and current affairs has always been a mystery, but his words continue to inspire leaders in every field. Mindful of Bloomberg’s comment this week that: “Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis stirred political turmoil across the region” and The Guardian’s headline: “Osborne describes situation in Europe as ‘dangerous’”, our reporter asked the Venerable Elvis for his thoughts on where a local businessman could find development capital in these troubled times. After stroking his long grey beard in silent contemplation, Thanet’s spiritual leader finally commented in his thin, aged voice: “Always borrow from a pessimist, he isn’t expecting to be repaid”. We are indeed blessed to have such a sage in our midst.

© David Foley, November 2011

Thanet & East Kent Insider

3^rd September 2011      Issue No.: 169

1.  Business Networking Breakfast

We are delighted to welcome Kieran Ring as the main speaker at our Business Networking Breakfast on Friday 9^th September 2011 at the Fayreness Hotel, Kingsgate. Kieran is the Chief Executive of the Global Institute of Logistics. A seasoned traveller, Kieran will give delegates the benefits of his extensive experience in moving goods from A to B. Based in an office in Fifth Avenue, New York, Kieran spends much of his professional life visiting ports of entry around the world and advising them on best practice procedures. Having worked as a printer, publisher and Executive Director of the European Institute of Transport, he is as much at home talking about the best way to get your business card noticed as he is about global standards at container terminals. To register for the Business Networking Breakfast, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or telephone 01843 609289. Booking is essential. Cost: £12 for members, £16 for non-members including a cooked full English breakfast with a vegetarian option. Booking is essential.

2.  Herald Of Free Enterprise

The East Kent coastal business community was represented on 26th August 2011 on the BBC in the programme The Reunion, repeated several times on Radio 4. The broadcast brought together some key figures from the Zeebrugge Ferry disaster of 6^th March, 1987. Many of our members will recall the chilling developments as news seeped through during the following few days to reveal 193 fatalities from among the passengers and crew.  The Chairman of Thanet & East Kent Chamber, Dr Bill Moses MBE, speaks movingly of the effect on the surviving seafarers, many of whom could never again go to sea. Bill also chairs Dover Counselling Centre which continues to minister to the families who lost loved ones on that terrible night. Presenter Sue MacGregor handles the panel discussion with great sensitivity and insight. The recording lasts 45 minutes and can be accessed by clicking on http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b013fk5s, fast forward to 0:2:20. Any Chamber members new to the area may find that the broadcast will give them an insight into an event that that is still very much in the minds of anyone in East Kent at the time. The subsequent inquest under the expert direction of Kent Coroner Richard Sturt returned verdicts of unlawful killing. The sinking of the Herald of Free Enterprise led to significant developments in maritime safety and was a significant factor in subsequent public liability legislation and the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

3.  Sue MacGregor And The Facts

In The Reunion broadcast featured above at item 2, Sue MacGregor says: “This was the worst British peacetime maritime disaster since the sinking of the Titanic in 1912”.  It wasn’t, or at least it wasn’t if you consider that the First World War ended on Armistice Day on 11^th November 1918. On 1^st January 1919, HMY Iolaire sank off the coast of Stornaway with the loss of 205 lives, mostly servicemen who had survived the horrors of the Western Front or the U boats that menaced the Atlantic convoys, see www.adb422006.com/iolaire.html. It can be argued that WWI did not formally finish until the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on 24^th July 1923. Sue MacGregor, one of the brightest stars of Radio 4, is excused; after all, her father did serve with the 14^th Army in Burma. Chamber members will have their own corporate policy on whether to allow their workforce to respect two minutes of silence at 1100 hrs on Friday, 11^th November 2011. It is worth remembering that 1.7 million people died in the service of Britain in WWI and WWII. Two minutes of our time is not a lot to ask, is it SWIFT Codes for all Banks in Australia ?

4. Thanet District Council

The Chamber Chairman and Chamber Chief Executive enjoyed a full discussion at a meeting last week with Thanet District Council’s Cllr Bob Bayford and Sue McGonigal. The matters under review covered a wide range of subjects including planning and support for local business. It was agreed that the meeting between Thanet’s largest business support body and TDC’s Leader and Chief Executive had been most useful. Both the Chamber and TDC look forward to future meetings where support for local business will again be at the top of the agenda.

5.  Hornby Hobbies

The Chamber was a delighted guest of Hornby last week and treated to a personal guided tour of its latest development at Westwood, Margate by its inspiring Operations Manager and Monckton Parish Councillor, Nick Cole. Anyone who doubts the commitment of Hornby to Thanet’s economy should see the new Visitor Centre in Margate. The stunning displays on offer will delight visitors of all ages, from the grandparents who will recognise the toys of their youth to the youngsters who will relate to models from their favourite films and television programmes. Make no mistake; this is a world-class company that posted a turnover in the last financial year of £63.4 million. Readers will be familiar with many of its proprietary brands such as Scalextric, Corgi, Humbrol and, of course, Hornby. Less familiar to those who do not scan the Financial Times or European toy catalogues are Electrotren, Riverossi, Joeuf, Lima and Arnold. Spotting the differences in manufacturing processes between the models of the toy makers in the Hornby group is one of the joys for the visitor. An unexpected delight for many will be the Cathedral Models Exhibitions. Constructed on a scale of 60 feet to one inch, they were built at the behest of royal composer and organist Sir Herbert Oakley (1830-1903) by the somewhat mysterious architect, William Gorringe. If in the next six months you are not able to visit Lincoln, Exeter, Chester, Hereford, Westminster Abbey, Cologne, Rome’s St Peter’s or any of the twenty other cathedrals on display, then you should see this magnificent collection while it is still at the Hornby Visitor Centre. Proving its community credentials to a wider audience, Hornby restored and refurbished the Cathedral models prior to an exhibition at the Sir John Sloane’s Museum in London. It is not only the owner of the collection, Canterbury Cathedral, that is grateful to Hornby for its exemplary commitment to East Kent. A wide variety of schools, community organisations and charities have benefited from this Chamber member’s patronage. As one American conglomerate departs from Sandwich, we should perhaps learn to appreciate more the contribution being made to our local economy and to our in-bound tourism sector by this famous British brand. 

6. Visit to Copy Shop

Also on the Chamber visit roster last week was Seaward Color Copy Shop in St Peters. It is difficult to believe that the youthful Tim Seaward has been in business for over 25 years. Either he has discovered the elixir of life or there is something in the ink of his printing machines that stops the clock. You can see for yourself by visiting this family-run company at Church Street, St Peter's, Broadstairs CT10 2TU. As well as state-of–the art printing, Tim and his team offer a wide range of office supplies such as rubber stamps, paper, printed t-shirts, mouse mats and branded gifts. If you can’t leave the office, give Tim a call, tel: 01843 602557 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Other quality printers in our membership include The Embroidered and Printed Clothing Company Ltd of Margate tel: 01843 209555, Lanes Limited of Broadstairs tel: 01843 861314, Media House UK Ltd of Margate tel: 01843 229111, Monster Graphics of Ramsgate tel: 01843 853311, Oyster Press of Whitstable tel: 01227 772605, Sharps Printers of Broadstairs tel: 01843 600123 and RG Print of Whitstable tel: 01227 264663. Premier Framework Displays of Hersden, tel: 01843 710104, make exhibition stands and banners at eminently reasonable prices.

7. Chamber Planning Symposium

Recent decisions by the Thanet District Council Planning Committee have been the subject of much concern among local companies looking to attract inward investors or to expand their business. Chamber Co-President, Roger Gale MP, made his position clear with customary decisiveness in his popular Roger’s Views. Although not a golfer himself, he understands how important it is to support the development of leisure facilities in Thanet where the appropriate environmental concerns are addressed and the transport links are in place, see http://www.rogergale.com/content_manager/page.php?ID=103213&dbc=0a245c51e92fe251a3ea49ec1dbbdcae. The rejection of the Golf Academy has caused some potential investors to turn their thoughts towards locations which offer a more welcome reception. With the words of the North Thanet MP firmly in mind, the August Chamber Planning Symposium brought together some of the key figures involved in supporting more business-friendly policies in Thanet. ‘Planning delayed is planning denied’ was a phrase that often occurred in the discussions that united local companies, land owners and surveyors in Thanet. Submissions from frustrated investors highlighted the need for a more enlightened planning regime along the lines of neighbouring councils where creating jobs and opportunities for school leavers take greater precedence in planning decisions.

8. Live Theatre

Forget the video. Switch off the telly. Leave your iPod at home and get out to the theatre. That must be the message from two of our Chamber members who offer live theatre for your entertainment. Michael Wheatley-Ward and his team at the Sarah Thorne Theatre Club in Broadstairs report a 20% increase in bookings this year for its Summer Repertory programme; a great result, Michael, of which Andrew Lloyd Webber and Bill Kenwright would have been proud. Coming up on the weekend of 17^th and 18^th September 2011 is a production of Dick Barton Special Agent when thehero of the BBC’s 1940s radio meets his arch enemies, Baron Scarheart and Marta Heartburn. Just like a day in the office? Give the theatre a call and find out, tel: 0845 262 6263 between 1000 hrs and 1400 hrs. The much-loved Theatre Royal in Margate is the venue for a production of West Side Story which opens on Wednesday of this week and has an extra afternoon performance on its final day, Saturday 10^th September 2011. Billed as “an unforgettable tale of young love set against a backdrop of 1950s American gang culture”, the show offers dancing and singing to warm the coldest heart. Invite your stern aunty and see the miraculous change at your next birthday. Make sure you book first, tel: 0845 130 1786. 

9. News From Dover

We are grateful to Howard Holt, formerly Head of Corporate Affairs at Dover Harbour Board and now head of his own maritime consultancy, Seeports.  Howard has focused attention on the campaign by the UK Cruise Ports Alliance to uphold the conditions of a £20 million public grant to Liverpool to build the City of Liverpool Cruise Terminal (CLTC). A condition of the funding from the EU and the British tax payer was that CTLC would not operate as a turnaround port, i.e. where cruise ships start and end their journeys, but would be a port of call. It is understandable that the ports operator at Liverpool, Peel Ports, together with Liverpool City Council should seek to change the conditions of the funding. It is very much in their interests for this to happen. But, in these times of public sector cuts, it is difficult to accept that the shareholders of Peel Ports should receive such a gift when deprived areas of our community in East Kent suffer. The offer to repay £5 million of the funding over 15 years is somewhat derisory. How many companies can borrow £20 million and pay back just a quarter over such a long period? The government rejected a previous attempt in 2009 with the words: “To allow the change of use would have an unfair and adverse effect on competition with other cruise terminals”. Businesses in and around the top two UK cruise terminals, Southampton and Dover, are following events closely. A petition has been raised at http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/ukcpa. The issue is likely to feature in next week’s television and radio news. In our view, it is unlikely that the Treasury will sanction the dodgy financial dossier being put forward by Liverpool.  This is not a case of “We can work it out”. The government may well decide that Peel Ports should pay back the full £20 million of development capital rather than allow it to divert custom unfairly from its Southern competitors. The view from this corner of England is that the Treasury should follow the advice of those most famous Liverpudlians and just “Let it be”. 

10. Empty Rates

Owners of commercial property in our area will be interested in a useful overview of the current provisions of the Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007 which can be added to the extensive documentation produced by this Chamber over the past four years. Written by Charles Partridge of Lambert Smith Hampton, which has 27 offices in England, the article quotes chapter and verse on business rates liability and changes in the thresholds for rate relief, see www.estatesgazette.com/tenant-advice/business-rates/relief-for-businesses/. We understand from an article dated today by Nick Whitton of the Estates Gazette that: “The latest CLG figures also show that there are now 269,000 non-domestic empty properties in the UK - equivalent to 16% of the country's total stock.”

11. A Sign Of The Times

We have often commented on the curious signs that seem to flank our everyday movements as we travel around East Kent and beyond. In the past, Chamber members have generously sent their own particular favourites. We very much welcome further contributions. Here is the latest offering from one Chamber member who recently took his first trip on the High Speed train service from London St Pancras. “When wandering through this magnificent station, a picture of modernity in a 19^th century frame, I noticed a sign on the escalator between the East Midlands platforms (1-10) which go down to the underground gallery. If any of you are ever there, please could you send me a photo of it. It reads ‘Stand on the right and walk on the left’.  I tried this and fell over. So much for health and safety.” He does have a point, doesn’t he?

 © David Foley, September 2011