Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

^30th January 2010 Issue No.: 

1. New Radio Station

Although we are still waiting for final confirmation from Ofcom, Academy FM is preparing for a launch on 25 February 2010. Thanet’s newest media outlet will not only serve the local population but will make a serious contribution to raising skill levels for employers. SWIFT Codes for all Banks in Australia Operations Director, David Atkey, and Marlowe Academy Principal, Ian Johnson, are determined that this community radio station will add value to the curriculum of all secondary schools in Thanet. Students will be fully involved in the programming and management of the station, giving them first class preparation for the creative industries. This Chamber fully supports Academy FM and will be taking an active part in representing the business community of Thanet and East Kent on the airwaves.

2. Did We Get It Right?

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber appears regularly on local, regional and national television and radio and we are constantly asked about trading conditions in East Kent. Last Wednesday, the Chamber Chief Executive was interviewed on the BBC Radio news about the announcement of a 0.1% growth in the UK economy in the final quarter of 2009. His interview followed that of Alastair Darling and George Osborne and preceded a spokesman for the Confederation of British Industries. Our CEO said that that one quarter’s figures do not constitute a trend. The year-on-year decline of 4.6% in GDP is a matter of grave concern, as is the reported 6% decline in output.  He continued that Thanet has much to offer tourists and listed the successes of Thanet and the many attractions for inward investors.  He called on the Chancellor to implement measures to boost tourism to East Kent, amend the pernicious tax regime for pubs and end the demolition of perfectly sound commercial property caused by the empty rates legislation. But did we get it right? All Chamber members are invited to give us their frank views so that we can continue to speak to the decision-makers and ensure that we represent your concerns to the people who make decisions on your businesses. Please send your comments to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. By the way, we promise to remain suitably humble and not be too embarrassed if you tell us that we did get it right. It is important to know that too.



3. How Are We Doing?

We are grateful to the ever excellent Research & Intelligence team at Kent County Council for sending us the unemployment figures for 2009. The data shows that unemployment in Kent increased in the last year by 42.6%. Thanet records a more modest 36%. Now you could argue that is because Thanet has always had high levels of jobless. After all, if you are already unemployed,  you can only be counted once. Perhaps that is true, but even in the most deprived ward, Cliftonville West, the decline is only 23%. The decline in the South East of over 46% suggests that Kent is doing marginally better than most neighbouring counties. The figures also reveal that Dover, Canterbury and Thanet are the East Kent districts that have declined the least in the past year.

4. Trains Again

Our members have asked us to present an updated list of the train times to St Pancras London.

Average Peak Journey Times to London on High Speed Train

5. CRM Explained

In last week’s edition of the Thanet & East Kent Insider, we promised to give our readers details of a fully featured Customer Relationship Management system (CRM) that has no license fees. It enables you to keep track in real time of your contacts, sales made, sales prospects and business dealings. It is a web-based service that requires no special installation but allows you to monitor activity at any time of the day or nightfrom any terminal in your office or while sitting in your most comfortable chair at home. You can email anyone or everyone on your database in the sure knowledge that your data is secure and your correspondence is confidential. This is a clever way of using modern technology to promote your business and improve the performance of your sales and marketing team. For details, contact Chris Maflin or Emily Milne at CARISS, tel: 01843 823 724 or email Chris direct to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. It’s simpler than you think.



6. Sales Leads

This item is of interest to any Chamber member manufacturing or supplying electrical equipment, generators, turbines, valves, uniforms, workwear, kitchen utensils, power tools or DIY products who wishes to export to the Middle East. An Egyptian firm is looking for a UK source of 66kv power transformers, circuit breakers and current and voltage transformers. For details, contact Mrs Eng Asmaa El Desouky of Electric Power Systems Engineering, Cairo. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: eps-egypt.com. Tel: 00 20 2 2266 9414. Another Egyptian firm is looking to import industrial steam turbines and related equipment such as boilers, valves, pumps, chains and pipes. The company supplies sugar factories, cement works, steel manufacturers and food processing plants. Contact: Mr Qassem Mounir at The Black Jaguars, Cairo. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 00 20 2 3587 3072. An established company in Kuwait is looking for a UK supplier of all types of high quality uniforms for medical and housekeeping purposes as well as for school pupils. Miss Gula Al Sharifi at the British Embassy in Kuwait has the details. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Web: www.ukinkuwait.fco.gov.uk Tel: 00 965 2259 4366. Quality manufacturers of generators are invited to supply a Kuwaiti company. Details are available from Mr Elvis Noronha, Trade & Investment Advisor at the British Embassy in Kuwait. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. A DIY chain in Tripoli, Libya is looking for suppliers of power tools, kitchenware, kitchen utensils and household cleaning materials. Currently, the company imports from USA, Mexico and China and is looking for a broader range of products. Contact: Mr Walid Safar of Alsaraya Retailing Services. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 00 218 21 360 9937.  We also have details of two companies in Saudi Arabia looking for UK suppliers of cardiovascular products and training in the field of biosimilars. For details, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Saudi Medical Sales”. This item is confidential to current members of the Thanet & East Kent Chamber. Please do not disclose to any third party.



7. Welcome Paul

Insider sponsor Express By Holiday Inn welcomes a new manager, Paul Etheridge, to the hotel at Minster, see item 12 below. A native of Framlingham in Suffolk, nobody can deny that Paul began his career in the hotel business with clean hands. As a student, he paid his way through university by washing dishes and waiting at tables.  After graduation he joined the De Vere Hotels group as a management trainee at The Bellhouse Hotel in Beaconsfield. After just 4 years, he was elevated to Front of House Manager. Successive promotions led to posts with the Crowne Plaza Marlow and the White Lion Hotel in Aldenburgh where he was Deputy General Manager. Paul moved to Kent to help open the Village Hotel. He joined the Holiday Inn Express group as a General Manager 18 months ago. At the grand old age of 30, he is now happily settled with fiancé, Louisa, and  one-year old son, Jack, who has yet to declare whether he will follow his father into the hotel business. As the new General Manager of the splendid 105-bedroom hotel at Minster, Paul is looking to develop warm links with the East Kent coastal business community and welcomes enquiries by telephone to 01843 824250 or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Chamber members have an open invitation from Paul to call in for a coffee. Google map addicts, SatNav users and first-time visiotrs to Thanet will have no difficulty in finding Paul’s place of work by inputting CT12 4AU and finding the hotel conveniently located on the main route into Thanet on the outskirts of Kent International Airport at Manston by the roundabout on the A299. Locals will just think “‘Prospect Inn”.



8. Silk Screen Printer Wanted

One Chamber member has contacted us with a vacancy for a silk screen printer. If you know someone who fits the bill, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Silk Screen Printer” and we will pass on the details to the interested party.



9. HSBC

We are grateful to Chamber member, HSBC, for informing us that figures released by the Office for National Statistics have revealed that 2.4% of the UK population has no wealth, or negative wealth, even after counting the value of all household possessions, clothes and other assets such as cars. The data shows that around 10% of tenants in social housing are facing retirement with assets worth less than £3,000. Those in the middle have assets worth £42,000 and the top 10% has £177,000 or more. The top 1% has a minimum of £665,000.



10. Planning for Recovery

Business Link has published a handy guide for companies looking to recover their markets and boost sales.

Under the four headings of Retaining and Motivating Your People, Keeping Costs Under Control, Planning for Growth and Marketing, the guide offers some commonsensical advice. You can find Planning for Recovery on-line here or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further details.



11. Fanatical Support

Liverpool football club is renowned for its fanatical supporters. Legendary manager, Bill Shankly, oversaw the club’s rise to world-wide prominence. He is also credited with alienating half of the local population with his oft-quoted remark that “There are two great teams on Merseyside, Liverpool and Liverpool Reserves." However, even the late Bill Shankley might have been surprised at the story reaching this Chamber about one Liverpool supporter who was allegedly sitting on the edge of his seat at Anfield Stadium eagerly awaiting the start of the derby match against Everton when a nearby fellow season-ticket holder said, “I can’t believe it. A home match against Everton and you’ve got an empty seat next to you”. “Oh”, said our supporter, “That’s for my wife. She sadly died last week.” “I’m sorry to hear that”, said the neighbour. Sensing that a devotion to Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish and Steven Gerrard might be subject to genetic transfer, he continued, ”But er-r-r  couldn’t you have given the ticket to a family member or a friend?”. “I thought of that”, said our supporter, “But they’ve all gone to the funeral”.



12. Our Sponsors

The Thanet & East Kent Insider is grateful for the support and sponsorship provided by Girlings, Express By Holiday Inn and Adecco. Girlings Solicitors has been managing the managing the legal affairs of commercial and private clients for over a century. Twenty-six partners and one hundred and twenty members of staff ensure a comprehensive range of services from the local offices in Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone, Herne Bay and Margate. Offices in France and Spain complement specialist departments for charities, individuals and companies. For details, telephone 01843 220274. Express By Holiday took on the daunting task of restoring the former Prospect Inn at Minster. The result is a spectacular hotel that combines the best of Oliver Hill’ s 1930s design with ultra modern facilities and technological support. Conveniently located for business guests and holiday makers in East Kent, the meeting rooms and 105 bedrooms are available at competitive prices throughout the year. For details, telephone 01843 820250. Adecco is the world’ s largest HR solutions company offering a comprehensive service of temporary and contract staffing, permanent recruitment, outsourcing, outplacement, career services, training and consulting. Officially designated as a 2009 British Superbrand, Adecco is represented in Thanet and Dover by its Broadstairs office, tel: 01843 609292.

Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

6^th February 2010 Issue No.: 

1. Predict & Prevent

If you register for VAT after 1 April 2010 or if your company has an annual turnover above £100,000, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, HMRC, will require you to file all your VAT returns online. SWIFT Codes for all Banks in Australia Sage users are invited to attend a free Internet seminar offered by Chamber member Levicks Accountants. Taking just 45 minutes of your time, June Horne of Sage and Heather Threfall of Levicks are working together to offer you an exceptional opportunity to update yourself on your obligations and on how to prevent future problems and costs. Two seminars are offered; 1400 hrs on Monday 8th February 2010 or 0930 hrs on Friday 12th February 2010. To reserve your place and for further details, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone 01843 862716. Even if your company currently has a turnover below £100,000, you might find it well worthwhile investing three-quarters of an hour now. It is likely that HMRC will insist on online filing by 2012 for all VAT-registered businesses. 

2. Business Rate Relief Form

We are grateful to Mrs Harvey, Operations Manager at Thanet District Council Revenues and Benefits Service, for supplying the Thanet & East Kent Chamber with the latest claim form for Small Business Rate Relief. The Secretary of State has introduced new regulations covering entitlement for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2010. It is in the nature of such legislation that it includes strange words framed and used by a select group of trained civil service linguists who do not get out very often. We are grateful to Mrs Harvey for supplying a translation. “hereditament” refers to a property on the Non-Domestic Rating List which does not include any residential property and is separately banded for Council Tax purposes. The main conditions for claiming rate relief remain the same and consist of three main issues. Firstly, relief can only be claimed on one hereditament. Secondly, additional hereditaments with rateable values below £2,200 are ignored. Finally, the total of all hereditaments must be less than £15,000. To obtain your claim form, Chamber members should email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “SBR Claim Form”. You can also take immense comfort in the knowledge that you are now probably the only person in your family who knows what hereditament means.



3. Margate School Reunion

Cllr Clive Hart has contacted the Thanet & East Kent Insider with news of a reunion for students at St John’s Secondary Modern School Margate in 1970. Following a KoS Media article by Tom Betts, there has been a remarkable response with the result that the reunion later this year on 5th June is hoping to recreate a school photograph taken in 1970. Details are available on the website at http://stjohns1970.co.uk/default.aspx Enthusiasts who download the 6mb photograph from 1970 are entitled to ask what happened to the one and only individualist student wearing a school cap. Also, we should be grateful for the improvements in hairdressing in the last forty years.



4. Opportunities for Young People at the BBC

Our friends at the BBC have informed us that school leavers from East Kent aged 18 – 24 are invited to apply for a Creative Trainee placement for eight weeks working with the production, on-line and events teams at BBC Radio 1 or one of the other stations. Successful candidates should have a “can-do attitude and a desire to work and learn in a professional media environment”. The BBC is also looking for ten “vocal young people aged 13 – 19” to join their nationwide Youth Panel. If you know of any young people unafraid to speak their mind and interested in helping the BBC shape its programmes, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber will be pleased to help. For details of both these opportunities, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line, “BBC Creative Trainee” or “BBC Youth Panel” and we will send you details. Completed applications need to be submitted before 22 February 2010.



5. Office & Storage

Readers looking for office space or storage in East Kent are able to choose from a wide variety of possibilities. From fully featured two-person offices to modern warehouses of over 20,000 sq ft, Chamber members have a solution ready and waiting for interested enquirers. To discuss your individual requirements, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will respond promptly with details.



6. Scrappage Scheme Update

Readers of the Thanet & East Kent Insider will probably have heard that the Government’s Scrappage Scheme has been extended until the end of March 2010. Although no new money has been allocated, the scheme has yet to reach its limit of 400,000 vehicles. It is likely that that VAT revenue to the Treasury from scrappage has exceeded the cost to the government giving the Chancellor every incentive to extend the arrangements. For anyone unfamiliar with the details, we understand the main points to be as follows. The vehicle you submit to the Scrappage Scheme must be a a car or small van not exceeding 3.5 tonnes, registered in United Kingdom on or before 29 Feb 2000 for cars or 28 Feb 2002 for vans and registered in your name with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) or Driver and Vehicle Agency in Northern Ireland (DVA). The vehicle must have been registered to you without a break for 12 calendar months before the order date of the new vehicle. There must be a UK address on the registration certificate and a valid current MOT test certificate before the date of order for the new vehicle. The tax disc must be up to date and the vehicle insured. The new vehicle you wish to buy must be a car or small van not exceeding 3.5 tonnes, first registered for the first time in the UK on or after the 18 May 2009, declared new at first registration in the UK without any previous keepers and must be of UK specification. The new vehicle must also be registered to the same keeper as the scrapped vehicle submitted.



7. Airport Transfer

During the recent icy weather, many readers will be thinking of their holidays. If you intend to fly from a distant airport, you may be faced with the awkward choice of paying for parking on-site at the airport with an unwelcome drive home on your return or the anxiety and worry of engaging with a taxi company to take you there and back and wondering if the driver will turn up on time. There is another way; do what our Chamber chairman did and engage Portcullis Transfers. With a fleet of vehicles on call, Portcullis offers a professional service with an immaculately dressed driver trained to take you to the airport or cruise terminal in maximum comfort and to meet and greet you on your return. For details, give Mark Roberts a call on 01843 808026. If it is a minibus or coach you require, Carol Peters Travel has the answer. What about a shopping day in Bruges on 22 February for just £22.00? As well as arranging travel for companies and clubs. Carol Peters Travel has a full range of excursions planned for the next few months including visits to Cité Europe, Paris, Portobello Market, Cambridge, Ostend, The British Museum, Ascot and Chelsea Flower Show. For details, give Carole or Peter a call, tel: 01843 591007. Male readers may be disappointed that the visit to Loose Woman at London Television studios on 9 March is fully booked.



8. Can you Believe It?

We are exhorted from all sides to spend less time in our cars and to use public transport more often. One Chamber member has contacted us with a story from a woman in the Midlands who may never travel by bus again. We have our doubts about this narrative, but readers can draw their own conclusions. “A woman clutching her young baby got on a bus and dug in her pocket to take out a five-pound note to buy her ticket. The bus driver collected the fare and, as he was dispensing the change, he remarked, ‘Lady, that is the ugliest baby I have every seen in my life’. Visibly upset by the interchange, the lady sat down at the rear of the bus and said to those passengers around her, ‘That bus driver really upset me.  I have never been so insulted in my life.’ A neighbour put down his paper and said sympathetically, ‘Well, lady. You just go back there and tell him what for. It just isn’t right. Here, I’ll hold the monkey for you.’”



9. Our Sponsors

The Thanet & East Kent Insider is grateful for the support and sponsorship provided by Girlings, Express By Holiday Inn and Adecco. Girlings Solicitors has been managing the managing the legal affairs of commercial and private clients for over a century. Twenty-six partners and one hundred and twenty members of staff ensure a comprehensive range of services from the local offices in Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone, Herne Bay and Margate. Offices in France and Spain complement specialist departments for charities, individuals and companies. For details, telephone 01843 220274. Express By Holiday took on the daunting task of restoring the former Prospect Inn at Minster. The result is a spectacular hotel that combines the best of Oliver Hill’s1930s design with ultra modern facilities and technological support. Conveniently located for business guests and holiday makers in East Kent, the meeting rooms and 105 bedrooms are available at competitive prices throughout the year. For details, telephone 01843 820250. Adecco is the world’ s largest HR solutions company offering a comprehensive service of temporary and contract staffing, permanent recruitment, outsourcing, outplacement, career services, training and consulting. Officially designated as a 2009 British Superbrand, Adecco is represented in Thanet and Dover by its Broadstairs office, tel: 01843 609292.

Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

20^th February 2010 Issue No.: 

1. Edinburgh in 80 Minutes

Kent International Airport at Manston has begun its much heralded expansion of passenger services with the announcement of flights to Edinburgh. In writing to the Chamber, the airport informed us that the tickets are now available for travel from 27th May this year at www.flybe.com at a price of £24.99 including taxes and charges.  A quick check on the rail fare to Edinburgh from Ramsgate departing on Tuesday morning at 0656 hrs revealed that a single standard seat costs £158.50 and the journey takes 6 hours and 41 minutes - and that is using the new High Speed service to London. The Flybe service promises a mere 80-minute flight on its fuel efficient 78-seat Bombardier Q-400 turboprop aircraft which will depart Manston at 1245 hrs from Sunday to Friday and at 1645 hrs on Saturdays. The launch has already stimulated new business. The Thanet & East Chamber is liaising with one local company about to sign a lucrative contract with its Edinburgh counterpart. This is great news for the East Kent coastal business community we represent. Congratulations to KIA and Flybe and MORE OF THE SAME PLEASE SIR.



2. Approaching Centenary

This is the 96th edition of the Thanet & East Kent Insider. The weekly bulletin has a growing readership of key decision-makers across Kent. Contributions from Chamber members are essential if we are to ensure that we meet the needs and interests of the East Kent coastal business community. In our 100th edition, we would like to feature some of your comments on the publication. If you have found any articles to be to your taste or have enjoyed any particular aspect of the bulletin, do let us know. We will not be annoyed at receiving frank criticism nor be embarrassed by effusive praise. We just want to know what you think so that we can serve you better.   



3. Margate in Focus

Last Thursday evening, Margate Town Partnership (MTP) celebrated its newly reconstituted board with an evening meeting in Margate Town Hall. Under the austere gaze of robed Margate Mayors of the past displayed in profusion on the walls, the invited guests gave voice to a deep-seated passion to see Margate flourish. The dynamic new Chairman, Terry Painter, orchestrated the meeting with his customary flair and ensured that all those present were included in his vision for a strong commercial future for the town. Fundamental differences in national politics were set aside in a shared enthusiasm to work together on local regeneration. Labour stalwart and board member of the Margate Old Town Action Group, Cllr Irish Johnson, joined forces with the Conservative Deputy Mayor of Margate, Cllr Mike Tomlinson, in promoting an agenda of responsible change. Lucy Tuson, Thanet District Council’s Economic Development Officer, was the main speaker and gave a succinct account of the Shop Local First Initiative targeted at retailers in Birchington, Broadstairs, Margate, Northdown Road and Ramsgate. Thanet & East Kent Chamber members John Harrison and Frank Thorley gave particularly lucid accounts of their own determination to raise income levels in Margate with property very much at the centre of the agenda. Rebecca Smith of Chamber member Thanet Gazette took careful note of the positive stories and the £2,500 available to prospective retailers willing to move into an empty shop in Margate or Ramsgate. The Turner Contemporary was well represented. There was unanimous agreement that the establishment of this world-class facility on Margate’s seafront will raise the quality threshold for all local traders seeking to benefit from the well-heeled visitors attracted by the £17.4m gallery.



4. Thanet Earth

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber hosted a well-attended presentation on Thanet Earth last year and these pages regularly chart the company’s progress. If world-class developments are a theme this week, then we must turn our attention again to this triumphant example of green science in action at the cutting-edge of hydroponics which expects to deliver 15% of the UK’s supply of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. An investment of over £80m is a wonderfully welcome addition to our local economy. Fresca provided 50% of the capital and three salad growing companies furnished the other half; Kaaij Greenhouses UK Ltd, Rainbow Growers and A&A. Newly installed Managing Director, Ian Craig, is looking forward to expanding the business. He brings with him extensive experience of senior decision-making roles in the fresh produce industry. In a letter to the Thanet & East Kent Chamber, Ian acknowledges the solid progress made in the last three years and relishes the challenge of bringing the company ‘to the next level of maturity and success’. With a strong and established management team in support, Ian is confident of building on the excellent platform provided by his predecessor, Steve McVickers. This Chamber thanks Steve for his first class backing and understanding of local businesses and looks forward to working with Ian in continuing the remarkable story of this world class business that has revolutionised greenhouse food production in the UK.



5. Predict & Prevent - Again

Chamber member, Jon Cleverdon of Jon Cleverdon Chartered Accountants tel: 01843 866599, publishes an excellent guide to help companies prepare for changes in legislation relating to accounting practices. With perhaps an acknowledgment of the rich maritime history of the East Kent coastal business community, he writes, ‘A sailor without a destination cannot hope for a favourable wind’. Jon recommends that every company should have a clear idea of its Key Performance Indicators and where it should be a year from now. In other words, if you do not know where you are going, you will never arrive where you should be. Jon also provides some helpful tips on how to generate new business from social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and My Space and offers some recommendations for ‘Useful IT Tools For 2010’. His list includes www.printanywhere.comwhich allows you print your documents on a remote printer anywhere in the world;  www.crossloop.comwhich connects computer screens for training and support; www.zhornsoftware.co.uk/stickies which offers electronic ‘post it notes’ and www.smart-survey.co.uk which allows you to offer satisfaction feedback and information request forms over the web. If you have ever wondered if the email you sent was ever read, check out the site at www.msgtag.com which allows you to deliver emails and not just send them. If you download the free software, you can arrange to receive an automatic acknowledgement when an email you send is opened.  This is all clever stuff which was not possible in the days of quill pens and leather-bound ledgers.



6. Monster Graphics

‘Making it big’ may be the dream of every start-up company but it is a daily occurrence at Monster Graphics, tel: 01843 853311. Specialists in producing large format designs, this Ramsgate company lives up to its name with a wide range of services for those advertising opportunities that require something to stand out from the crowd. Full colour reinforced PVC banners that resist the weather and displays for hoardings are all in the catalogue of products available from Damien and Chrissy Clarke. Add to these, roller banners, magnetic signs, digital wallpaper, textile flags and a 30ft x 10ft sign for that roadside splash and you can see why companies from as far away as Barcelona come to Ramsgate for their monster printing needs. With a minimum order value of £35 plus VAT and delivery, Chrissy and Damien are confident of meeting the needs of local companies looking for a quality solution at a reasonable price. We have also recorded excellent feedback from the following printers and signmakers able and willing to provide a level of service that only successful customer-focused traders can provide: Alphabet Signs of Cliftonville tel: 01843 229891; Framework Displays of Hersden tel: 01227 714830; Lanes of Broadstairs tel: 01843 861314; Oyster Press of Whitstable tel: 01227 772605; Seaward Color Copy of St Peters tel: 01843 602557; Sharp Printing Services of Broadstairs tel: 01843 600123 and Thanet Plastics of Ramsgate tel: 01843 590950.



7. Windfarm Benefits

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber is in discussions with the Windfarm operators to ensure that local companies receive the maximum benefits from the investment in East Kent. With a £2.5bn price tag on the London Array, companies of all sizes in East Kent will be looking to see if their products and services can interest the key buyers at E.On, Danish Oil & Natural Gas and Masdar. Following a series of meetings in Ramsgate and in London, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber will be working closely with the London Array on a Meet The Buyer event in April. Read your Thanet & East Kent Insider for details.



8. Art and Football Meet at La Loge

When managers speak to the press after a high profile game, their eloquence is sometimes in question. There was a marked improvement when some foreign managers arrived at our top clubs. Arsène Wenger is more likely to say, “There was Cartesian dualism evident in the concomitant mental acuity and physical ambition of the player” whereas Harry Redknap might content himself with “The boy done good”. Widely accepted as ‘the best manager England never had’, Brian Clough often expressed the simple truth in football. When the Swede, Sven Goran Eriksson was appointed England coach, Cloughie said, "At last they have appointed a manager who speaks English better than the players." A creative centre forward, manager and raconteur, even Cloughie could never be described as bringing fine art to football. However, there may be an exception. Between appointments in London last week, the editor of the Thanet & East Kent Insider called in at the Courtauld Institute to see the Impressionists, not Rory Bremner, John Culshaw and Harry Enfield, but the French painters. Among the ‘Loads of Monet’ is an undoubted star of the collection, a painting by Renoir, La Loge, known in English as “The Theatre Box”. Created in 1874 for the world’s first Impressionist exhibition, it is remarkable to note that this is a picture which speaks with a Geordie accent. The canny lass in the foreground is surely wearing a Newcastle United shirt. Judge for yourself in the image below… and isn’t that a young Jimmy Hill with the opera glasses? The art of football indeed.

A Box in Paris or at St James’ Park ?

9. Our Sponsors

The Thanet & East Kent Insider is grateful for the support and sponsorship provided by Girlings, Express By Holiday Inn and Adecco. Girlings Solicitors has been managing the managing the legal affairs of commercial and private clients for over a century. Twenty-six partners and one hundred and twenty members of staff ensure a comprehensive range of services from the local offices in Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone, Herne Bay and Margate. Offices in France and Spain complement specialist departments for charities, individuals and companies. For details, telephone 01843 220274. Express By Holiday took on the daunting task of restoring the former Prospect Inn at Minster. The result is a spectacular hotel that combines the best of Oliver Hill’s 1930s design with ultra modern facilities and technological support. Conveniently located for business guests and holiday makers in East Kent, the meeting rooms and 105 bedrooms are available at competitive prices throughout the year. For details, telephone 01843 820250. Adecco is the world’ s largest HR solutions company offering a comprehensive service of temporary and contract staffing, permanent recruitment, outsourcing, outplacement, career services, training and consulting. Officially designated as a 2009 British Superbrand, Adecco is represented in Thanet and Dover by its Broadstairs office, tel: 01843 609292.

Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

27^th February 2010 Issue No.: 

1. Dreamland Wakes Up

The new Dreamland Trust Project Director, Jonathan Bryant, will be outlining plans to restore Dreamland as “the world's first heritage amusement park” at a Thanet & East Kent Chamber business breakfast on Wednesday 24th March 2010. With the project already underway following the award last November of £3.7m by the Department for Culture Media and Sport, Jonathan will outline the latest details that promise to give a huge boost to in-bound tourism in Thanet. Widely viewed as the ideal man for the job, Jonathan brings with him senior management experience at Birmingham’s Thinktank Science Museum, the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, Dundee’s Contemporary Art Gallery and a host of community initiatives. He is convinced that the new Dreamland should be run ‘as a business that stands on its own two feet’. Local businesses are set to benefit significantly from the increased footfall and raised profile. The Dreamland Wakes Up business breakfast will start at 0730 hrs at the Fayreness Hotel, Kingsgate, near Broadstairs. Tickets cost £12.00 for Chamber members and £15.00 for non-members. Payment is accepted in cash or by cheque on the door. To book a place, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line ‘Dreamland Breakfast’ and the names of those wishing to attend. Non-members should give full company contact details.  



2. It’s Free and It’s Available Now

Chamber member, John Harrington of Harrington Associates, is offering Chamber members a free business health check to prepare themselves for the spring and summer season. As John puts it, ‘Every business that has made it this far should be making sure that it has the tank full and the resources to go the final mile; many will be faced with challenges they have not come across before and could, without taking the appropriate action, bring down an otherwise potentially successful company.’ In an email to the Thanet & East Kent Chamber, John offers to discuss any aspects of business in complete confidence and to produce a ‘a bullet point summary of the key aspects and what should be focused on going forward.’ This Chamber has heard first class reports of the assistance that John has given to local companies including reducing one firm’s inventory from £60,000 to £2,000 with significant associated cost savings. Reducing costs and increasing turnover for members are key objectives and of the Thanet & East Kent Chamber and we are happy to recommend John’s services. Chamber members are invited to drop him a line by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or give him a call on 07810 713023.



3. Cheque It Out

Our friends at the Federation of Small Businesses have drawn our attention to the possible removal of cheques from the banking system. Malcolm Bennett advises us that at least one bank is withdrawing cheque guarantee cards from 22 March 2010 which he feels will accelerate the departure of the paying facility on which many small companies depend. He advocates action now. Petitions on the Number 10 website require 500 signatures to pass the necessary threshold to generate an official response. If you feel strongly about this issue, you might like to add your name to some of the recognisable ones from the East Kent coastal business community who have already given their support by clicking on the link at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/KEEP-CHEQUES/You have until 12 April 2010 to register. At the time of writing, 77 signatures are listed.



4. Jersey, Bergerac and Wham! 

Fans of Bergerac the TV series that ran for ten years and eighty-seven episodes until 1991 will be delighted to know that flights to Jersey are available from 29th May to 11 September from Kent International Airport at Manston and every Saturday from 10 July to 11 September from London Ashford Airport at Lydd. Both of these East Kent airports offer easy access and on-site parking with few of the anxieties or delays associated with Gatwick and Heathrow. The Jersey-based C. I. Travel Group is convinced that the new service will find a ready client base. Managing Director, Robert Mackenzie, bases his conclusion on ‘many more holiday makers deserting the Euro-zone in favour of a holiday closer to home’. Jo Oliver of Lydd Airport sees the initiative as a ‘fantastic opportunity for both the airport and communities across Kent and East Sussex’ . Star of the Bergerac series, John Nettles, is more familiar today as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby in Midsomer Murders, but die-hard fans of his efforts in the lower ranks in Jersey will have no difficulty in recognisingSt Helier's Royal Square and the scenes where Jim Bergerac and millionaire Charlie Hungerford (Terence Alexander) enjoyed their humorous banter. Jersey is a small island measuring around nine miles by five. As a Crown Dependency, Jersey has a Lieutenant Governor, Andrew Ridgway. This former Colonel of the Royal Tank Regiment should not be confused with Andrew Ridgeley who sang in Wham! with George Michael. Early arrivals at the airport are not encouraged to sing ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.’ To book your flights to Jersey, telephone 0844 415 6653 for Lydd flights or 0871 282 08996 for Manston.



5. Bye-Bye Sick Notes

We have been advised by the Department for Work and Pensions that sick-note culture is due for a radical change. From 6 April 2010, sick notes will be replaced by fit notes with doctors instructed to advise if a patient may be fit for work and to offer advice on the effects of their health condition. We learn that ‘Doctors will have the option to advise that their patient would be able to work, subject to the employer’s agreement, if temporary changes such as reduced working hours or amended duties could be accommodated.’ The government estimates that the British economy will benefit by £240m over the next ten years. Doctors will be able to advise that a worker claiming to be sick may still attend the workplace with the agreement of the employer subject to certain conditions such as altered hours, amended duties, workplace adaptions or a phased return to work. For information on how the new system might affect your business, see www.dwp.gov.uk/fitnote for details.



6. How To Promote Your Business

The Thanet Business Exhibition, open to all East Kent Companies, will take place at Westwood Cross, Broadstairs on 11 June 2010. The 2010 Chamber Golf Day will be at the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club on 8 October 2010. For details of both events, contact the Thanet & East Kent Marketing & Membership Officer, Graham Rayner, by telephone to 078998 73535.



7. Save Energy, Save Costs

The British Chambers of Commerce has launched a partnership with the Carbon Trust to promote energy savings. Loans of between £3,000 and £500,000 are available for energy saving equipment that is intended to pay its way within four years from purchase. Details are available at http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/energysavinghub  The Thanet & East Kent Chamber membership includes a variety of specialists in cost reduction, all of whom offer a free initial consultation. For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line ‘Energy Cost Reduction’.



8. Pensions

Mick Rendell of Chamber member Acorn Bowman FIM Limited reminds us that there is no limit to the amount you can contribute to pensions but there is a limit on the amount of contribution that can benefit from tax relief and this will be the greater of £3,600 or 100% of your relevant UK earnings, subject to the new rules for higher earners. Mick is happy to advise on the level of contribution necessary to fund for specific pension and tax-free lump sum benefits. He notes that any personal contributions would be paid net of basic rate tax, with any higher rate tax relief being obtained via a self assessment tax return. Individual Savings Accounts limits will be raised to £10,200 from £7,200 from 6 April 2010. Anyone over 50 years old could have benefited from he higher rates since 6 October 2009. Mick would be pleased to discuss your particular needs and can be reached by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by telephone to 01843 609365.



9. Office Supplies Offer

David Burgess of Chamber member Eurostat Office Supplies has a special offer for readers of the Thanet & East Kent Insider. During the month of March 2010 he promises, ‘Buy 3 items from a long list of everyday products and you will get the cheapest item free of charge’. Too good to be true? Email David to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone him on 01843 580960 for the good news. You might like to mention that you read about the offer in the Thanet & East Kent Insider.


10. PAYE Up or Else

We are grateful to Mark Hurdman of Levicks Chartered Accountants for alerting our readers to the penalties that HM Revenue and Customs will start to charge for late PAYE payments. Mark writes that ‘The penalties will be a percentage of the amount paid late starting at 1% increasing to 4% depending on the number of late payments in the year. There will also be penalties of 5% if any of the PAYE due is still not paid after 6 months and again after 12 months.’ Mark continues by giving us chapter and verse on the payment deadlines which will be ‘22nd of the month when paying electronically, 19th of the month when paying by cheque. If, however, these dates fall on a weekend or bank holiday your payment needs to reach HMRC by the last working day before deadline. If the amount you pay is likely to average less than £1,500 a month you can opt to pay quarterly.’ Still confused? Give Mark a call on 01843 862716 for an explanation.



11. Vacancies for Jobs in Thanet

Jo Moore, Children’s Services Coordinator at East Kent Mencap, tells us of two vacancies following the award of £4.9m by the Big Lottery Young People’s Fund. There is a full-time post as Regional Coordinator and a part-time position as Regional Learning Disability Consultant. For details and job descriptions, see www.mencap.org.uk/jobs. Readers are reminded that the following Chamber members specialise in finding key employees with the right skills, experience and background. Adecco Recruitment tel: 01843 609292; Connexions Partnership Kent & Medway Ltd tel: 01622 607578; HRGO tel: 01843 591798; Maximus Employment & Training tel: 01843 808410; Medics on the Move tel: 01843 599918; Morgan Jones Recruitment Consultants Ltd tel: 01843 604890; ILM tel: 01843 861616 and TNG (Avanta Enterprises) tel: 01843 570250;



12. Flybe Flight Stimulator

The imminent prospect of £24.99 flights operated by Flybe to Edinburgh from Kent International Airport at Manston, as reported in last week’s Thanet & East Kent Insider, has stimulated a lively correspondence from the membership. This has included general comments on flying such as ‘it was an optimist who invented the aeroplane and a pessimist who invented the parachute’. Closer to the route in question was an email from a regular air passenger who gave a remarkable account of an announcement on an aeroplane landing in Scotland. Allegedly, a stewardess is reported to have said over the microphone, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Glasgow, we hope you enjoyed your flight and thank you for flying Easyjet. If you didn't enjoy your flight, thank you for flying Ryanair.’ Both these companies have featured in the news recently and not just in the travel section. The recent spat following the publication by Ryanair of an advert featuring Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannu as Pinocchio is perhaps unlikely to be resolved by Ryan Air Chief Executive Michael Ryan’s challenge to Sir Stelios to a race around Trafalgar Square or a bout of Sumo wrestling. Flybe may not appear in the gossip columns as often as some of its rivals, but it flies to more UK airports than any other airline. Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mike Rutter, contented himself with a relatively sedate comment on the new East Kent destination, ‘We expect our new route to be popular both with business travellers and with those planning their holidays or weekends away and wanting their budgets to go as far as possible and we’d advise people to book early to take advantage of the lowest possible fares.’ There’s no invitation to mud-wrestling there and not a word about racing around Ramsgate harbour in the nude. But then, as the former Group Marketing Director for Securicor and the UK Head of Marketing for Ray-Ban sunglasses, Mike Rutter knows how to stay safe and play it cool at the same time. The lad will go far.



13. Our Sponsors

The Thanet & East Kent Insider is grateful for the support and sponsorship provided by Girlings, Express By Holiday Inn and Adecco. Girlings Solicitors has been managing the managing the legal affairs of commercial and private clients for over a century. Twenty-six partners and one hundred and twenty members of staff ensure a comprehensive range of services from the local offices in Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone, Herne Bay and Margate. Offices in France and Spain complement specialist departments for charities, individuals and companies. For details, telephone 01843 220274. Express By Holiday took on the daunting task of restoring the former Prospect Inn at Minster. The result is a spectacular hotel that combines the best of Oliver Hill’s1930s design with ultra modern facilities and technological support. Conveniently located for business guests and holiday makers in East Kent, the meeting rooms and 105 bedrooms are available at competitive prices throughout the year. For details, telephone 01843 820250. Adecco is the world’s largest HR solutions company offering a comprehensive service of temporary and contract staffing, permanent recruitment, outsourcing, outplacement, career services, training and consulting. Officially designated as a 2009 British Superbrand, Adecco is represented in Thanet and Dover by its Broadstairs office, tel: 01843 609292.

Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

5^th March 2010 Issue No.: 

1. Edinburgh & East Kent Exclusive

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber is looking to develop commercial links with South-East Scotland following the announcement of £24.99 flights to Edinburgh from Kent International Airport from 27th May 2010. We are delighted to find strong fellow feeling from one of the most prestigious business support organisations In Scotland. In an exclusive message, the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce congratulates the Thanet & East Kent Chamber on our efforts to promote trade with our Northern neighbours. Ron Hewitt, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the announcement of Fly-be’s scheduled service from Kent International to Edinburgh airport.  He said, “With connections going back before the Battle of Britain when RAF Turnhouse (Edinburgh) joined RAF Manston (Kent) in the front line, it’s a great lift to see a new link being established in very different circumstances.  That this is the first scheduled service from Manston since 2005, joining existing international cargo, charter and maintenance business, is a great addition to Edinburgh’s hundred plus services.  It is no accident that Kent International wants to link with the UK’s second most successful financial centre, and we are keenly aware of the opportunities with the development of the High Speed Rail links and the value of Kent’s businesses from the Medway to the East Coast, that this is an important opportunity for both ends of the link to develop rewarding relations.  Our congratulations to Fly-be for their initiative and to Thanet & East Kent Chamber for their supporting role in joining the South-East of Scotland and England in this way.” We thank you warmly Mr Hewitt and we join you in the congratulations to Kent International Aiport and Flybe for what we hope will be the start of an increasing number of routes linking Manston to new trading partners.



2. Dreamland Business Breakfast

This is a reminder of the March Chamber business breakfast which should be of interest to any business or organisation interested in the regeneration of coastal towns. Amanda Cotterill, Chairman of Visit Kent, see item 6 below, tells us that tourism is the fifth largest industry in the UK. The advent of cheap holidays to Spain in the 1960s saw the beginning of a decline in traditional seaside holidays at East Kent resorts from which our coastal towns are only now just beginning to recover. Central to that resurgence are the new facilities such as the Turner Contemporary, a revitalised Dover Castle and the promise of a new Dreamland Heritage Park. Until 2002, Dreamland was responsible for 20% of the visitors to Thanet, see The Times of 3 February 2003. On Wednesday 24th March 2010, the new Dreamland Trust Project Director, Jonathan Bryant, will be speaking about the “the world's first heritage amusement park” at Dreamland, Margate. Local retailers and suppliers are set to benefit significantly from the increased footfall and boost to trade. The Dreamland Wakes Up business breakfast will start at 0730 hrs at the Fayreness Hotel, Kingsgate, near Broadstairs. Tickets cost £12.00 for Chamber members and £15.00 for non-members. Payment is accepted in cash or by cheque on the door. Booking is essential. To reserve a place, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line ‘Dreamland Breakfast’ and the names of those wishing to attend. Non-members should give full company contact details.



3. Our Schools, Our Future

Chamber Member King Ethelbert School is delighted with the success of its new building which opened last January. Pupils are benefiting from a new learning space that is proving ideal for art, creative design, ICT, music and food technology. With further developments promised, King Ethelbert’s in Birchington is heading for the future with confidence. Head of School, Ms K Grieg is justifiably happy with the response from staff and pupils and wrote recently, “I am always very proud to hear so many positive comments from the public when our students are in the community and I know they are a credit to our school. I would like to take this opportunity to thank staff for all the many activities they provide and to thank you for your much appreciated

support of everything we do.” Schools everywhere in the UK are being exhorted to be more ‘business-like’. Kate Greig’s words would have graced any corporate brochure.  Kate and Executive Head Paul Luxmoore are building a school that is rapidly gaining the reputation as one of the best performing high schools in the South East. The OFSTED report of 19 November 2009 included the comments, "King Ethelbert School continues to provide an outstanding quality of education for its students. It rightly describes itself as a school where 'everybody is valued and supported, everybody is important and everybody works together', making the school an excellent place to be. A shared sense of purpose exudes across the school, and mutual respect and understanding underpin all its work. Common goals and hard work towards them are the norm.” It doesn’t get much better than that.



4. Business South East

The Chamber is grateful to the Enterprise Europe Network for an update on business confidence in the South East.  We learn from their latest publication that that under a third of companies expect a measurable improvement in 2010. The Federation of Small Businesses reported that just under a half (48%) of companies experienced a fall in sales.  Despite this sobering analysis, there was an improvement in turnover from 30% of those surveyed. The outlook for exports is sunnier in almost every respect. The Confederation of British Industry declared last month that the volume of exports had increased in the previous quarter and is expected to increase by 8% in the following three months. 



5. Proposed Encampment in Hersden

The Chamber has received many enquiries for information about a planning application at Island Road, Hersden, Westbere for what is officially described as, “Proposed 25 plot gypsy caravan site including mobile homes, touring caravans and utility sheds”. Mindful of the sensitivities involved in this controversial proposal, one Chamber member declared recently, “I am deeply concerned for the security to my property, and the knock on effect of my hopefully growing business.” The Chamber will be making its own submission to Canterbury City Council and welcomes the view of Chamber members which should be addressed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Planning application CA//10/00232”. We also encourage all readers of the Thanet & East Kent Insider to submit their own opinion direct in writing by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by letter to Development Control, Canterbury City Council, Military Road, Canterbury, CT1 1YW. More details are available on the planning website at http://www2.canterbury.gov.uk/planning/acolnetcgi.cgi?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeResultDetail&TheSystemkey=76088   A list of associated documents can be found at http://www2.canterbury.gov.uk/planning/acolnetcgi.cgi?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeAniteDocs&TheSystemkey=76088 and six pages of maps are available at http://www2.canterbury.gov.uk/planning/anite/fetch.aspx?R=eAX7sMghONCRkUf1fNkgvmwTfvs9j8R1aX0ekx44c4tnFs23SGoEHhs600euL5eeB+o66/NloGGU3UP9tFRDP6CUMgiNoAetx3TZXz8sBBw= The South East England Regional Assembly, SEERA, has produced a fact sheet entitled “Meeting the needs of Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople” which is available for downloading at http://www.southeast-ra.gov.uk/documents/consultations/5/G&T%20factsheet%20(Feb09).pdf  Readers will note the following statement by SEERA: “However, racist representations need not be made intentionally or with malice, it is enough for a representation to be offensive to an ethnic group or make negative assumptions about them. A representation may therefore discriminate against Gypsies and Travellers, by assuming or implying that negative behaviour, such as fly tipping or criminal activities are typical of all Gypsies and Travellers and are ‘likely’ to occur if an authorised site is established. A comment stating or implying that all members of the Gypsy and Traveller communities partake in antisocial behaviour or have a propensity to violence is also discriminatory. It is also discriminatory to assume or imply, without supporting evidence that all Gypsies and Travellers do not pay council tax and constitute a financial burden on local authorities or society as a whole.”



6. Thanet Voluntary Sector

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber was a guest at the Thanet Voluntary & Community Sector Forum of 24th February which, as always, was organised with impeccable efficiency by Lisa-Maria Browning. Chairman Steve Ward thanked Chamber members Pfizer Social Club and Thorley Taverns for their support during the year. He was particularly pleased to report an increase in funds from a mere £600 in 2007 to a current much healthier £12,000. Among the speakers was Christine Jenkins of Pfizer Ltd who gave a most useful step-by-step account on how, why and when Pfizer makes funds available for local initiatives. With a brief to “improve the health of people in East Kent” Christine outlined to an attentive audience the exemplary community support Pfizer offers. Readers familiar with the impact this company has made on the East Kent will know that respect for the community in which it operates has been genuine, significant and very much in accordance with its corporate values which state, “Pfizer plays an active role in making every country and community in which it operates a better place to live and work, knowing that the ongoing vitality of our host nation and local communities has a direct impact on the long term health of our business” If you are one of the companies that has recently been besieged by unsolicited mail from companies or business support organisations purporting to be what they are not, you may take comfort from Catherine’s advice on the temptation to misuse office software, “Never send a round robin letter, it will go in the bin”.  So say all of us.



6. East Kent Area Reception

The Chairman of Kent County Council, John Davies and his charming wife hosted a splendid event at Thanet College last Wednesday evening. A metal detector on the door would have enjoyed few silent moments as the guests arrived wearing their chains of office and colourful badges. Speeches were short and praise for the resilience of Kent companies extensive. John Davies declared that his theme for the year was “Backing Kent business” and he was true to his word as guests were treated to produce from the Garden of England. Sue Buss, out-going Principal of Thanet College, took justifiable pride in the pre-eminence of the catering students that had graduated from the college to prestigious positions at Buckingham Place, Eastwell Manor and embassies overseas.   Sue also noted the many successes in other departments, including the warm relations with local companies which continue to inform and strengthen the college’s programmes for employers. The Chairman of Visit Kent, Amanda Cotterill, outlined her personal commitment to promoting tourism in East Kent and gave a rousing account of the opportunities available to local businesses in the next few years. Further contributions from Alex King, KCC Deputy Leader, and Kevin Lynes, head of KCC Regeneration and Economic Development, focused on the unique nature of East Kent and said much to change the minds of any remaining critics who perceive KCC to be unduly responsive to the needs of companies in West Kent rather than their county cousins in the East. Thanet & East Kent Chamber and Dover District Chamber of Commerce and the FSB were well represented as the leading business support organisations in East Kent. In a succession of informal discussions during the evening , the needs and interests of this Chamber’s members were cogently presented to the great and good among the public officials present.



7. Broadband

East Kent companies are suffering from slow broadband speeds. That is the conclusion from an informal Chamber survey of companies in Thanet and is supported by anecdotal evidence from enquiries. One Chamber member reports, “The low speeds available to my company restrict its future plans for development. It could be a deciding factor in relocating outside of Thanet in the future.” These words from the managing Director of a first-class media company represent a worrying development for all companies in East Kent. Internet usage will only increase as an increasing number of government departments move away from paper-based communication systems and the private sector upgrades to more memory hungry applications. Overseas competitors benefiting from ’leap-frog technology’ are able to build superfast broadband connections into the infrastructure of their business parks and urban developments. A little known fact is that there is a super fast cable running through East Kent, owned and operated by Chamber member, Sota Solutions. A total IT solutions company, Sota has put corporate needs at the heart of its progress over the last 15 years. Sota promises “to meet and surpass the expectations of the modern forward-thinking enterprise.” Find out more by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or give him a call to tel: 01795 413500.



8. KCA Ramsgate

The Chamber received late notice of the KCA's Psychological Therapy Service Centre Open Day, but we are still keen to bring this to the attention of any early birds who arrive in their offices on Monday morning with an open mind and an interest in ‘mild to moderate mental health’ and ‘substance abuse’. The KCA centre at 38 West Cliff Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 9NT begins activities with a formal welcome at 1030 hrs followed by briefings, short talks and workshops on issues such as Managing Anxiety and Feel Well. Lunch is offered to all delegates at 1230 hrs.



9. Cheque It Out Again

Our campaign with the FSB against the phasing out of cheques by UK banks has received positive support from many different sources. Feedback to date suggests that the main threat is to small businesses and voluntary organisations that do not have the electronic transfer systems enjoyed by larger organisations. Some may disagree with the view that “the decision-makers in London are so immersed in the big business world of multi-currency electronic bank transfers that they have no idea of what affects the lives of ordinary folk.” But many residents outside large conurbations will sympathise with the conclusion that “Many villages which have lost there post office have not only been deprived of a useful retail establishment but a welcome social market place where community values are strengthened and neighbourhood fellowship enhanced.” Perhaps the most heartfelt comment comes from Linda Durkin in Faversham who writes, “I have felt in despair recently since I heard about the suggestion of scrapping cheques. I work for [name supplied] in Faversham and quite frankly we work with cheques every day. There are certain complications with using on-line banking for us, not least dealing with the elderly.”   If you would like to join the campaign to retain cheques, there is still time to sign the petition by clicking on the link at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/KEEP-CHEQUES/  Fifty signatures have been added since we highlighted the issue in the last edition of the Thanet & East Kent Insider which amounts to just 2.5% of our readership. Come on key decision-makers in East Kent, start clicking.



10. Port of Dover

With our associates at the Dover District Chamber of Commerce, this Chamber is playing an active part in the Port of Dover privatisation proposals. The Chamber Port Advisory Group (CPAG) held its inaugural session at the County Hotel Dover yesterday and received submissions from large, medium and small companies as well as community groups. The sum of £400m is required to develop the port. Since the borrowings of the Dover Harbour Board were included in the Public Sector Borrowing requirement, any funding that leads to an increase in the UK’s deficit is likely to have to compete against the needs of a host of requirements from the public sector including hospitals, schools and the armed forces. The Dover Harbour Board concludes that “Strong indications have been given to the Board that such borrowing would be extremely difficult, if not impossible to achieve in the present climate and for the foreseeable future”. In such circumstances, the Board prefers to fashion its own future with a defined plan rather than have one thrust upon it. Given the strategic position of Dover and its unique position in the local regional and national economy, every East Kent company stands to be affected to a greater or lesser extent. The Board states in its proposals that, “The Port organisation itself employs around 350 staff; however, the Port activity supports some 20,000 jobs, directly, indirectly and induced. 6,000 of those jobs are direct. The 2008 Arup independent report, commissioned by Dover Harbour Board, stated that the Port of Dover contributes almost £500

million annually to the South-East economy in the form of employee and visitor spending.” The proposals submitted by the current management of the Port of Dover envisage the creation of a wholly owned operating company (Opco) as a company limited by shares through a voluntary scheme under the Ports Act 1991. This would be approved and confirmed by the Secretary of State for Transport. The Board would then transfer to Opco all functions, rights, liabilities and property of the Board. Staff would transfer into Opco. Opco would then own and run the Port operation. The Board’s shareholding in Opco would then be disposed of to three entities; Employee Share Ownership Trust (ESOT), Port of Dover Community Trust (PDCT) and Private Sector Investors. The Thanet & East Kent Chamber welcomes attributable views on the proposals. With our associates at the Dover District Chamber of Commerce we will be making a formal submission on behalf of the East Kent coastal business community. Details of the proposals for restructuring can be found at http://www.doverport.co.uk/_assets/client/images/collateral/Briefing%20document.pdf Details of the plans for the new Cruise Terminal are available at http://www.doverport.co.uk/_assets/client/images/collateral/Our%20plan%20for%20the%20next%20generation%20T2.pdf



11. Premises Wanted

The Chamber has been approached by an organisation which is looking to rent, lease or buy premises in Thanet which could be used as a café with a function room, kitchen facilities, disabled access and a toilet or space to install one.  The building needs to be on a public transport route, preferably on or near a busy high street. The organisations can undertake some refurbishment if required. Please email any suggestions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Premises available”.



12. Ministerial Visit

Last Thursday, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber was invited to Margate Media Centre to meet Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform. On a visit at short notice, the Minister was welcomed by Roger Latchford, Deputy Leader of Thanet District Council, Cllr Jo Gideon, Chairman of Thanet Works, Richard Samuels. TDC Chief Executive and Jacqui Ward Jacqui Ward - Integrated Employment & Skills Manager as well as board members of Thanet Works before joining some of the apprentices currently benefiting from the programmes funded by the Working Neighbourhoods and Future Jobs Funds. Accompanied by special Advisor, Catherine McDonald, the minister received a full briefing on the progress to date of Thanet Works and an unabridged insight into the local economy of the East Kent coastal towns.  As a former Minister for Schools and Learners, he clearly enjoyed the opportunity to meet participants in the Thanet Works programme and to learn of the progress being made in some of the most deprived areas of Thanet.     



13. In The End

During an average week, this Chamber receives many anecdotes, images and video links from members and associates for which we are most grateful. Some of them are entirely unsuitable for publication. Quite frankly, the one about the Scotsman and the hoover is probably also physically impossible, but decorum dictates that we cannot give you the details of this and anyway if he had bought an upright cleaner, it would never have happened. From time to time, we receive comments on a higher plane reflecting on the human condition and worthy almost of comparison with that great Thanet philosopher, the Venerable Elvis, whose words occasionally grace these columns. The Venerable Elvis is Kent’s only remaining hermit who lives in isolated contemplation emerging but rarely from his hovel and then only to comment on an exclusive basis to the Thanet & East Kent Insider. Thus, it is with especial pleasure that we treat readers to an insight from a Chamber member who owns and administers a considerable estate of commercial property in Thanet. He gives us a pithy statement on mortality as well as a warning to anyone offered a lift by the senior member of his family. “I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.” 



14. Our Sponsors

The Thanet & East Kent Insider is grateful for the support and sponsorship provided by Girlings, Express By Holiday Inn and Adecco. Girlings Solicitors has been managing the managing the legal affairs of commercial and private clients for over a century. Twenty-six partners and one hundred and twenty members of staff ensure a comprehensive range of services from the local offices in Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone, Herne Bay and Margate. Offices in France and Spain complement specialist departments for charities, individuals and companies. For details, telephone 01843 220274. Express By Holiday took on the daunting task of restoring the former Prospect Inn at Minster. The result is a spectacular hotel that combines the best of Oliver Hill’s 1930s design with ultra modern facilities and technological support. Conveniently located for business guests and holiday makers in East Kent, the meeting rooms and 105 bedrooms are available at competitive prices throughout the year. For details, telephone 01843 820250. Adecco is the world’ s largest HR solutions company offering a comprehensive service of temporary and contract staffing, permanent recruitment, outsourcing, outplacement, career services, training and consulting. Officially designated as a 2009 British Superbrand, Adecco is represented in Thanet and Dover by its Broadstairs office, tel: 01843 609292.