Thanet & East Kent Insider

26th February 2011 Issue No.: 145

1. Manston Airport
Last week, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber was invited to a meeting with senior staff from Flybe to discuss the local economy and the airline's plans for expansion. There is no doubt that the daily flights to Edinburgh introduced last year have been a great success with bookings exceeding expectations. The addition of Manchester last September increased the attraction of the airport as a departure point for businesses in the South East seeking to increase sales in the North West region. Having seen the sales figures, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber can understand why Flybe is seeking to build on its success by offering more routes from Manston with connections for international flights. As mentioned in the Thanet & East Kent Insider of 5th February 2011, one of the keys to growth is matching the travel wishes of residents and workers with the dates, times and destinations available. With this in mind, Flybe offered readers of the Thanet & East Kent Insider the opportunity to state their preferences. If you have not already completed the on-line survey, please do so now. It takes just a few minutes. If you do not, then you can hardly complain if any new low cost flights from Manston go to Alicante, Belfast and Newquay rather than to Lyon near your posh brother's place with its extensive cellar and swimming pool or to Faro where your neighbour has offered you the free use of his holiday villa. This is your opportunity to tell the airline where to go. The survey can be found at www.surveymonkey.com/s/MSEchamber

Places are still available for the Life After Pfizer Business Networking Breakfast on Friday 11th March in Sandwich. Speakers include the leading light behind the proposed Manston Parkway Station. 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 "Life After Pfizer Breakfast". Tickets cost £12 for Chamber members and £16 for non-members.

Grants of £500 are available for Owner Manager and Directors interested in improving their skills on approved courses. Nearly, 7,000 business owners in the South East have benefited from the funding since its launch in April 2009. A further £500 can be claimed if matched by the company. The grant is subject to some terms and conditions, but the initiative is worth investigating if you would like to improve your leadership skills. Among the most popular selections to date are General Management, Planning, Budgeting and Marketing. For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line "TEKC Leadership & Management Grant".

4. A Greener Economy
Augustine House in Canterbury was the venue for a conference and exhibition last Wednesday organised by our good friends at Canterbury4Business. Skilfully chaired with good humour by Clive Relf of Reeves & Co LLP under the tile "'A Greener Economy: Time for Change?", the morning brought together expert speakers who outlined their views of a sustainable economy where green issues were at the top of the agenda. John Atkins, of CE Murch, scorned the use of PowerPoint but gave a fascinating account of how he converted from conventional farming to being a producer of woodchips for use as biomass in commercial boilers. The resulting Combined Heat and Power systems have been adopted by Amery Court and Canterbury City Council. Keith Gwilym of Canterbury Christ Church University explained some of the principles that guided the university's construction of Augustine House on the site of the former Clarkson Insurance premises in Canterbury. Geo-thermal power supplies 25% of the heating and cooling needs of the building. In brief, this system is based on piles driven deep into the ground that have a constant temperature at their base, let's call this 'C Temp'. When the building is hotter than C Temp the heat is transferred below which thus cools the building. When the building is colder than C Temp, the reverse occurs. Clever stuff. The presentation from David Reed of Canterbury City Council showed why he has a first class degree from the University of London; delegates knew that already as it was printed in the programme. Adam Lacey of Streetcar said that his company runs a successful scheme for short term car hire that reduces pollution, costs and congestion. The minimum car hire period is just 30 minutes. Streetcar has been particularly successful in London and Cambridge and now has two sites in Kent, both in Maidstone. Green credentials feature strongly in the company's publicity which states: "Every Streetcar on the road replaces, on average, 26 privately-owned cars." Vattenfall's Project Director, Goram Loman, gave an elegant and concise account of the environmental and engineering qualities of his company's installations at Thanet Offshore Windfarm and at Kentish Flats. He outlined the plans to add to the 30 turbines off the coast of Whitstable which together with the 100 turbines now off the coast of Ramsgate make a major contribution to the government's target of 15% of UK electricity to be generated from renewable sources by the year 2015.

We are grateful to Marie Hamm of East Kent LSP for sending details of a social enterprise event entitled Financing A Sustainable Future to be held at The Pines Calyx at St Margaret's Bay on 9th March 2011 from 1000 hrs to 1600 hrs. The sessions will focus on the current and future financing models available to companies. Speakers will include representatives from Big Invest, the Charity Bank and the Community Development Finance Association. Tickets at £25 each and further details are available from Marie Hamm by email to marie@eastkent;sp.org.uk.

In the last few weeks, the Thanet & East Kent Insider has brought to the attention of Chamber members the opportunities to open a UK Sales Office for a Finnish manufacturer and to supply a 6MW power station for export to Africa. This week we highlight investment opportunities in a hi-tech software company with a unique product for Tour Operator Reservations and a Thanet-based company specialising in complementary research and medicines looking for sales agents in the UK, USA, India, Canada, Spain, China and Singapore. Any enquiries should be addressed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with a short explanation of your interest.

7. Fair Fuel
Roger Gale, Member of Parliament for Thanet North, is one of a growing number of MPs to be listed as supporting the campaign for fairer fuel prices. Regular readers of the Insider know that the Thanet & East Kent Insider has long campaigned to end the Thanet Surcharge of at least 3p on a litre of unleaded petrol which residents and workers in Thanet are obliged to pay and their counterparts in Canterbury do not. The additional surcharge on petrol is an unfair cost that cannot be justified. The current petition at www.fairfueluk.com is targeted at raising support at Westminster for the planned April fuel duty increase of up to 5p a litre to be scrapped.

8. Inflation
The Office of National Statistics has revealed that Consumer Price Index for annual inflation rose from 3.7% in December 2010 to 4.0% in January 2011. Fuels and lubricants are listed in the official report as being a major source of the rise due to "increases in VAT, fuel duty and in the price of crude oil all contributed to prices increasing between December 2010 and January 2011 by more than between the same two months a year ago. The price of petrol stood at £1.27 per litre in January 2011, a record high". Not all prices rose. Consumers benefited from lower prices on CDs and DVDs. Reduced overdraft charges from many banks and building societies also provided some mitigation. Sadly, pubs, clubs and restaurants, a significant sector in the East Kent coastal business community, suffered a record monthly price increase of 1.4%. Alcoholic beverages sales were also hit by the VAT increase leading to another record monthly price rise of 6.7%, whisky and vodka suffering particularly badly.

Cheryl Ezekiel of Thanet District Council has kindly informed the Thanet & East Kent Insider of a Charity Greek Night scheduled for the evening of 10th March 2011 at the Greek Taverna in aid of the Mayor's Fund. Tickets priced at a modest £12 are available from Cheryl by telephone to 01843 221704 or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

10. News From Dover
A town meeting has been called at Dover Town Hall on Thursday 3rd March 2011 at 1800 hrs. The supporters of Dover People's Port Trust Limited (DPPTL) will present their case to the people of Dover as to why the citizens of the town should back DPPTL's current offer made to the government to purchase the port of Dover. A referendum will follow later in the month at which Dover residents will be invited to back or reject the proposal. A partnership is promised between the town, port and ferry companies resulting in an immediate £50 million being available for regeneration and investment in Dover.

11. The Things They Say
Footballers are not renowned for their fluency or philosophical insights. Nevertheless, a few managers have distinguished themselves with illuminating comments on the human condition. The pages of the Thanet & East Kent Insider have featured in the past contributions from Brian Clough, Bill Shankly and others. The Insider's most closely monitored team, Doncaster Rovers, does not have an entry in the Oxford Book of Quotations, although its current manager, Sean O'Driscoll, got half way there when lamenting another loss. SWIFT Codes for all Banks in Australia He said in a post match interview: "I'd go home and kick the cat if I could – but I haven't got one". He may not always choose the best tactics, but you cannot fault the logic. Grim reality is the cause of some pithy statements such as that of Paul Jewell, another lamenting manager:"Up front we played like world beaters, - at the back it was more like panel beaters". Sometimes the basic instinct of British managers to 'cut out the fancy stuff and just kick the ball or the man as hard as you can' surfaces in their criticism of foreign players. George Graham, hard talking, tough-guy manager from Bargeddie in North Lanarkshire was not overly impressed by the Swedish player Tomas Brolin whom he found on the club's payroll when he arrived as manager at Leeds United. This is a club whose fans had been treated to the simple approach of Norman Hunter and others of "Get your retaliation in first". It was no surprise when George Graham said of Brolin: "I can't imagine him jumping for the ball. One of his false eyelashes might come out". But perhaps we should leave the last word to one of the greatest managers of British football, Bill Shankly. When he was having his hair cut in his beloved Liverpool and the barber asked; "Anything off the top, sir?", he replied simply: "Yes, Everton.".

Thanet & East Kent Insider

19^th February 2011      Issue No.: 144

1. Life After Pfizer

Bookings are pouring into the Chamber for our Business Networking Breakfast scheduled for Friday, 11^th March 2011 from 0730 to 0900 hrs at Pfizer Sports & Social Club. A series of five-minute talks from senior figures in the East Kent economy will address the opportunities for business with the overriding theme of “Life After Pfizer”. Thanet District Council Leader, Cllr Bob Bayford, will be joined by key decision-makers in the private sector who will advise delegates of commercial opportunities in the East Kent coastal business community. Bookings can be made by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “Life After Pfizer Breakfast”.  The event is being organised jointly by the two largest business support organisations in the two districts most affected by the closure of Pfizer in Sandwich, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber and the Dover District Chamber of Commerce.

2. Maritime Sales Opportunity

Following our recent meeting with senior officials from Finland, we have been approached by a Finnish company looking to establish agency arrangements in the UK. Any Chamber member interested in promoting sales of Ballast Water Treatment Systems might like to consider a new opportunity in a market that is expected to increase significantly as new legislation comes into effect. We are advised that the ideal agent will have “good contacts to shipyards and ship owners, will know how to do technical sales/assess suitability and have good references, i.e. represent well recognised brands.”  The company has built an excellent reputation for its products over the last 30 years and has strong ties to Man Diesel, Rolls Royce, Yanmar and Wärtsilä as well as good links in South Korea and China. Any Chamber member “experienced in mechanical marine components” who would like to know more should email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.copied to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “Finland Agency Enquiry”.

3. What’s All This About Finland And Ships?

Regular readers will know that it was a Finnish shipyard that built the world’s two largest cruise ships, Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, both listed at 225,282 Gross Tonnage (GT). To give a point of reference as to how big these ships are, it is worth noting that the QE2 is listed at 70,327 GT. A report from November 2010 by the University of Turku shows 500,000 people working “in the sphere of the employment effects of the Finnish Maritime Cluster”.  Out of a working population of under 2.5 million this is a significant element in the economy of the country. Employment prospects in East Kent would benefit significantly from a greater emphasis on the development of our ports and exploiting our coastline heritage.

4. Fairtrade

“No man is an island entire of itself” wrote John Donne nearly 400 years ago, but then he did not live in Thanet. Although no longer a geographical island, Thanet is a FairtradeIsland and in many respects has led the way in the UK in presenting the case for Fairtrade goods from the undeveloped world. Under the spirited direction of the ever-enthusiastic Tammy Stewart-Jones, Thanet Fairtrade has made remarkable progress since it opened for business in 2005. The support of Thanet District Council and local schools has raised the profile of the organisation in East Kent to the extent that it is expecting a large turnout for its annual tea party next month. Scheduled to begin at 2.00 pm on Sunday, 6^th March visitors and supporters will be treated to a Japanese Tea Ceremony and a variety of activities including a Cake Competition. If you are wondering if the Fairtrade bell is tolling for you, go along to Northdown House in Cliftonville on the first Sunday in March. Entrance is free.

5. Travel & Leisure Show

We are grateful to Paul Spree of Canterbury City Council for reminding the Chamber of KoS Media’s third Travel and Leisure Show 2011 which is due to take place at Dover Cruise Terminal on Sunday 13th March 2011. Visit Kent will be out in force and will many Chamber members such as Carol Peters Travel, one of the stars of last year’s event. Details are available on the website at http://www.kentexpo.co.uk/thetravelandleisureshow?req=91. 

6. How Are We Doing?

In previous editions of the Thanet & East Kent Insider, we have reported extensively on unemployment figures. Our view has been consistent. We have advocated the need to look at the annual trend rather than the month-to-month figures which have a tendency to give a misleading impression of the state of our economy at a local, regional and national level. However, we admit to some concern at the figures released last week which show a monthly increase in Thanet unemployment of 5.2%. The annual reduction in the jobless for the district has now fallen to a worryingly modest 2.0%. This compares unfavourably with improvements in Tonbridge & Malling where a 19.9% fall puts this central Kent area just ahead of Sevenoaks which has registered a reduction of 18.0% since January 2010. Of the wards in Thanet, Garlinge residents may have the best justification for increasing their mortgages as the place again tops the improvement statistics in Thanet with an annual fall in unemployment of 16.4%. What worries this Chamber is that Cliftonville West and Margate Central show more monthly increases with unemployment rates of 15.1% and 13.9% respectively; just 3 out of 20 Thanet wards show a monthly fall in unemployment. The figures for East Kent appear below.

7. What Can We Do About The Jobless Figures?

We might borrow an epitaph from one social activist more celebrated in North Korea than in Western Europe: “The Philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways - The point however is to change it". It is indeed one thing to write about unemployment data, it is quite another to do something about it. One happy circumstance that has arisen from the announcement by Pfizer of the closure of its Sandwich site is a new collective determination to improve transport links to East Kent. Readers will recall that the “Growth Without Gridlock” plan launched by Kent County Council on 1^st December 2010 envisioned a Manston Parkway Station to bring our largest regional airport in Kent within a magic ‘golden hour’ of London. This would require a new line from Ashford. It also makes sense to extend the current high speed link from London St Pancras-Dover to Deal and Sandwich in the expectation that the current average speeds on this track will increase. For HS1 to stop at two stations in Folkestone within one mile of each other is wholly unacceptable to residents and business further down the line.

8. What Else Can We Do?

Established Chamber members will know that the Thanet & East Kent Insider reported on the first Maritime Energy Summit which took place in November 2009, see Thanet & East Kent Insider edition no. 84 of 13^th November 2009. Organiser Laura Sandys, now MP for South Thanet, said at the time: “‘It was really important today to show-case Thanet as an area of the country at the cutting edge of wind energy development. We have so much to offer in terms of further developing the sector.” This remains just as true today now that Thanet Offshore Windfarm is established and construction of the London Array is under way.  A boost to the maritime sector can be expected following any changes in the ownership of the Port of Dover. The Dover People’s Port Trust is bidding to purchase Dover Harbour. Championed by local MP, Charlie Elphicke, the business plan envisages considerable support for local business. In an article in the Independent on 9^th February 2011 under the headline “Big Society: innovation or slogan?”, Phillip Blond makes the case for change and quotes the dividend that local companies could expect. “For example, the business plan provides for £100m to be invested in the port over the next five years with some £50m directed into local regeneration – something no wholly private bidder would offer.” Ramsgate and Whitstable could be natural candidates to follow suit if a successful template can be established in Dover.

9. What About the Empty Rates Campaign?

Recent discussions with property specialists in East Kent confirm that the Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007 remains a serious disincentive to inward investment. The Thanet & East Kent Chamber is continuing its campaign to have this pernicious law repealed in its entirety. Often described as ‘the empty rates legislation’, the Act was introduced in April 2008 and was roundly condemned at the time by senior figures in East Kent of all political parties. Here is a selection of the texts we received at the Chamber following its introduction: “Empty rates make it too costly to continue to provide cheaper older property - it simply makes more economic sense to demolish these buildings altogether, thereby actually reducing the amount of lower cost space available to businesses - the reverse of what was supposedly intended” Ian Coull, Chief Executive, SEGRO. Note: SEGRO develops and managed £5.1 billion of property assets, encompassing around five million sq m of business space in ten countries. “This has stopped us developing new centres in England & Wales” Tom Stokes, Managing Director, Evans Easyspace. Note: Evans Easyspace is the UK's leading provider of new, quality small business units specifically catering for the small and medium sized enterprise (SME) market. The company owns 32 units at Lakesview, Hersden. “Unless they have a pre-arranged tenant, private property developers are shelving plans to build or refurbish the offices, warehouses and factories that the country sorely needs” Alan Caldicott, Group Property Manager, PolarKold Ltd. Note: PolarKold is part of a group with extensive property interests that include areas of Margate Industrial Estate.  “Now if a building were to go beyond the 6 month period and have empty rates put on them we would demolish it immediately” Sarah London, Manager, Ramac Holdings. We have many more such declarations. One potential investor informed the Chamber last week that he would love to invest in Thanet, but as long as the empty rates legislation remains, Estonia is a much more attractive proposition as no such law exists there.

10. Cat Or Catastrophe

Of the most popular five stories on the BBC News website last Wednesday, two concerned the new cat installed at 10 Downing Street. We learned that Larry, the latest in a line of unelected incumbents, is “a good ratter” and a worthy successor to Wilberforce, Humphrey and Sybil. At a time when Egypt has just experienced a revolution, Libyans are challenging the rule of Colonel Gaddafi and large areas of the Middle East, on which the oil hungry West depends, are facing unprecedented threats to their stability, it is perhaps comforting to note that as a nation we find the domestic cat to be of such prime importance in the life of our nation. Perhaps if Pfizer researched medicines for cats rather than for humans, we locals might take to the streets in protest. As it is, we confine ourselves to law-abiding dialogue through the media and our local politicians. Makes you think, doesn’t it?

11. No Entry Without A Tie

If,  as is believed in some quarters in Westminster, an increase in tourism is the main answer to boosting employment in the East Kent coastal business community, then of course providing a warm welcome should be very much part of every local citizen’s duty. One Chamber member reports that his staff did their very best with one late night reveller who appeared at the door of the company’s night club. As our good-natured Chamber member put it in a call to the Chamber last week: “They were only doing what I told them. All our bouncers know that we are a quality establishment. No blokes are admitted without a tie. They had one problem with a local solicitor. SWIFT Codes for all Banks in Australia We know him well and he is a bit of lad, but the staff called me down to see him. It doesn’t pay to fall out with the legals, if you see what I mean. Anyway, he were at the door and obviously on a bender, but no tie. I says to him. ‘Sorry, but rules is rules.’ He says: “No worries, I’ve got something in the car.’ He comes back five minutes later with a pair of jump leads around his neck. I’m not kidding, a pair of jump leads with bright brass clamps. He says: ‘Go on. You know me. Let me in.’ I says, ‘Ok just this once, but don’t start anything.’” We have our doubts about this story, but readers must judge for themselves.

Thanet & East Kent Insider

12^th February 2011      Issue No.: 143

1. Life After Pfizer

The next Chamber business networking breakfast will take place from 0730 to 0900 hrs at Pfizer Social & Sports Club Sandwich on Friday 11^th March 2011. Entitled “Life After Pfizer”, it will feature a series of short talks from senior figures who will advise on the business opportunities in East Kent following the announcement of the closure of the Pfizer site in Sandwich. We expect a large number of delegates to attend this event. More details will be available in the next week’s edition of this bulletin. Bookings will open on Wednesday, 16^th February 2011. Cost: £12 for Chamber members, £16 for non-members. To reserve your place, telephone 01843 609289 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The event is being organised jointly by the two largest business support organisations in the East Kent coastal business community, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber and the Dover District Chamber of Commerce.

2. Wanted 6 MW Power Station

An associate of the Thanet & East Kent Chamber is looking to purchase a 6MW power station for export to East Africa.  The ideal generator might consist of daisy chained caterpillar 1.5 MW 3516 engines, V16s. The buyer is particularly interested in any generator that has been used on stand-by applications with low hours completed. SWIFT Codes for all Banks in Australia If you are able to assist, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “TEKC 6MW Power Station”.

3. Dramatic Profits

Chamber member Sarah Thorne Theatre Club reports a 28% increase in paid admission receipts for the year to 31^st December 2010. Director Michael Wheatley-Ward must be the envy of heavily subsidised public theatres which have mostly struggled in recent years, despite considerable public subsidies. What’s his secret? It must be to balance artistic taste with commercial knowledge. Of course, it helps if you are supported by Sarah Thorne’s official patrons, Dame Judi Dench and David Suchet. Anyone who can call on the services of the redoubtable M and the mercurial Hercule Poirot is not going to have much trouble with sponsors changing their minds or anyone sneaking in without paying.

4. Public Lecture By Sports Minister

CanterburyChristChurchUniversity will be holding a public lecture on Friday 11^th March 2011 at 6pm at the Old Sessions House at the Canterbury Campus. Entitled “London 2012 and the opportunity for British Sport” delegates will hear the Minister for Sports and Olympics, Hugh Robertson MP, outline the benefits of the Olympics for Kent. Free parking is available on site in North Holmes Road after 5.30 pm. For more details, telephone 01227 782266.

5. More About Petrol

One topic which has exercised those little grey cells of members more than any other in the past year has been the price of petrol. The Thanet Surcharge remains at 3p per litre of unleaded. This means that the cheapest litre of unleaded petrol still costs 3p more in Thanet than in Canterbury. There may be no imminent prospect whatsoever that motorists and business in Thanet will take Egyptian-style umbrage at this injustice. We note however that on the last day of February the Facebook group ‘Keep Fuel Below £1’ is planning a Go Slow procession through the Dartford Tunnel to protest at the rising cost of fuel. The Thanet & East Kent Chamber could not possibly support any illegal activity of this nature and advises members not to join the group which is meeting at 8.00 am on 28^th February 2011 at A2/M2 Farthing Corner Moto Services in Medway.

6. News From Dover

What Is The Big Society? It seems as if everyone who defines The Big Society has a different definition. But how about this one from Philip Blond in The Independent of 9^th February 2011?  “The Big Society agenda is still not as widely grasped or realised across all departments as it should be – one important indication of the government's vision will be if the proposal from the Tory MP Charlie Elphicke to mutualise the port of Dover is accepted by the Department of Transport.” Does this matter for the rest of East Kent? It does when you consider that Ramsgate and Whitstable are also publicly owned ports. The Dover mutualisation plan involves establishing an immediate fund of £50 million to be invested in the local economy with another £50 million to follow. This would surely help to fulfill some of the holes in the commercial landscape occasioned by the withdrawal of Pfizer.

7. Energy Costs

We are grateful to Chamber member Martin Young of Atlantic Business Resources, tel: 08456 185088 mob: 07813 537456, for information on energy costs and trends. The latest E.ON Market Report comments on changes in the 12 month period to 31^st January 2011. The average front month power contract price increased by 25% over the twelve months. For gas, the increase was even higher at 36%. Oil prices over the year also rose sharply with the average front month contract price up 21% since January 2010. Civil unrest last month produced a spike of over USD 100 /bbl. There was little comfort for coal users. The average forward coal contract price was 25% higher last month than one year previously. E.ON informs us that: “more than 70% of UK power stations use coal or gas”. In a government publication, we learn from HM Revenue & Customs that “Suppliers of taxable commodities and others” are liable to account for Climate Change Levy (CCL). The increases will come into effect on 1 April 2011. For details of the new charges call the HMRC helpline tel: 0845 010 9000 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “TEKC HMRC CCL Changes 2011”.

8. Thinking Of A Holiday?

Kent Trading Standards regularly reminds us of the deviousness of man, with the occasional woman joining in to complete the picture of infamy, or as Kenneth Williams put it in Carry On Cleo: “Infamy, infamy! They’ve all got it in for me”. To avoid anyone deceiving you over free health care during your next holiday in Europe, you might like to keep well away from any dubious websites offering to charge you for a European Health Insurance Card. Medical treatment in EU countries is available for free or at reduced cost to UK residents visiting European Union countries or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland if you have an EHIC card. To apply for your free card, visit www.ehic.org.uk.More details are available by telephone to 0845 606 2030 or from your local Post Office. For greater peace of mind, you might prefer comprehensive travel insurance cover to take account of a much wider range of eventualities. Contact Terry McDowell at A Class Insurance of Hersden tel: 0844 5449855 or Phil Day or David Brown at Millards of Sandwich, tel: 01304 613072.

9. Golf In April

Bookings for the Chamber Spring Golf Day at Prince’s Golf Club, Sandwich on 1^st April 2011 are arriving steadily at the Chamber. Teams of four players are invited to join the group of over 50 players already registered for this inaugural event which complements the established and now international Chamber Golf Day at the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club on7th October 2011. For details, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or telephone Graham Rayner direct, tel: 07899 873535.

10. A Class Insurance

Terry McDowell a partner at Chamber member A Class Insurance would like to advise all readers of the Thanet & East Kent Insider that as from 14^th February 2011, the company’s new address will be Unit 30, Evans Business Centre, Sparrows Way, Hersden, Canterbury, Kent CT3 4AL. Terry welcomes enquiries from clients new and old by telephone to tel: 0844 5449855 or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

11. Have Your Say

Thanet & East Kent Chamber members are not famous for keeping quiet when their interests are at stake. If you live or work in Thanet, here is an opportunity to make your views known on crime to those in a position to do something about it. The Chief Inspector of Kent Police and the Community Safety Enforcement Manager invite you to one of a series of evening meetings to find out all about local crime and what you think should be done about it. All four events start at 1830 hrs and are scheduled to finish at 2000 hrs. We are grateful to Louise Askew of Thanet District Council for confirming the following dates and venues:

More details are available direct from Thanet District Council, tel: 01843 577120.

13. Young Sports Leaders

We are grateful to Roz Franklin, the super competent cricket administrator and sports centre manager at Kent County Cricket Club for sending the Chamber details of a course for future sports leaders. Designed as leadership training for young people interested in organising team activities, the programme will take place from 0900 to 1500 hrs on Monday 21^st and Tuesday 22^nd February 2011 at Kent Spitfires Study Centre at the Kent Cricket Ground in Canterbury. There is a charge of £25 for the two days. For more details, contact Hannah Ladd, Programme Manager; by telephone to 01227 473619 or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “TEKC Young Sports Leaders”.

14. Happy Union

One Chamber member has related to the Chamber a story of a happy union at his hotel. We have our doubts about this account, but you must make your own judgement. As this hotel manager put it: “Funnily enough a similar thing happened in Dublin a few years ago when I was looking after a 4-star in the city centre. A couple, both called Leslie, got married. He was a Leslie O’Reilly and she was called Leslie Shaughnessy, if I remember correctly. Of course, weddings are big business for all of us in the trade these days. Anyway, I was still surprised when I read that the engaged couple had made a booking, but there it was written in our register for the first Saturday in January, ‘Wedding of Mr Ariel Abrahams and Miss Ariel Worthington’. Anyway, the marriage went ahead as planned in our main ballroom. The ceremony was not up to much, too much modern music for my taste; but, as you can imagine, with two Ariels, the reception was terrific”.

Thanet & East Kent Insider

29^th January 2011      Issue No.: 141

1. Hartsdown Technology College

At the invitation of Connexions Partnership Kent & Medway, Thanet & East Kent Chamber was invited to speak yesterday to pupils of HartsdownTechnologyCollege. Eight classes in succession heard the Chamber’s presentations on the acceptable face of business and the importance of wealth-generation in a modern society. Responding to the invitation to start a business, pupils produced some innovative ideas that included multi-coloured furry footballs and new-age mascara to be sold in pyramid-shaped packaging. The Thanet & East Kent Chamber is receiving an increasing number of requests to speak to schools and colleges. We welcome the opportunity to encourage young minds that hard work, good presentation and an entrepreneurial spirit can produce a satisfying and successful career. We offer a range of initiatives at all levels from primary school to university including formal speeches and BBC Question Time style presentations. For more information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “Enterprise in Education”.

2. All Men Are Equal But ....

We are grateful to Vanessa Wolfman of VisitKent for news of a short course on the Equality Act 2010 which will replaces the existing anti discrimination laws in October 2011. The new legislation is expected to remove some inconsistencies and make the provisions easier to be understood by hard-working business people without the need to refer to a legal dictionary. The changes include new provisions on direct and indirect discrimination as well as dealing with disability and harassment.  Any business with a tourism element will have particular obligations under the Equality Act 2010. SWIFT Codes for all Banks in Australia Starting at 0930 hrs, the course runs until 1630 hrs and will take place at The Village Inn Maidstone on Wednesday 9^th February 2011. All delegates are invited for lunch. At the time of writing, there are still some places left. To book or for more details, call Vanessa tel: 01622 696936 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “TEKC WelcomeAll One Day £25”

3. Prince’s Golf Club

Prince’s Golf Club is scheduled to host the first Chamber golf event of the year on Friday 1^st April. General Manager, Michael Lovett, is looking forward to showing players and visitors all the changes and improvements at the Club. The renovation work on all bunkers on the Shore/Dunes course is now completed and is receiving excellent reviews. The new Lodge development is expected to open later in the year, an update will be available at the Prince’s Chamber Golf Day.. There will be a firm focus on Sandwich golf this year with the Open Championship being played at Royal St Georges next July. Prince’s is offering Chamber members the opportunity to host corporate events during the week. The team at PGC can create bespoke packages which promise an exciting day in close proximity to the entrances to Royal St Georges. For more details about Prince’s, please call David Holder on 01304 611118 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Chamber Golf Enquiry”. For details of the Chamber Golf Days, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “Chamber Golf Days”.

4. Thanet Youth Strategy

It will not have escaped data watchers that Thanet is officially ranked as the most deprived district in Kent. The future of our local economy will depend very much on retaining the best school leavers and improving the skill levels of our workforce. If you have an interest in the Thanet Youth Strategy, Sarah Phippin invites you to send your comments to her before 31^st March 2011. For a copy of the consultation papers email Sarah to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “TEKC Thanet Youth Strategy” or you can call her or her line manager Nedine Watson-Cutts, tel: 01227 284408.

5. Young People Today

Do you ever hear anyone describe young people living near you with these words: "The children now love luxury; they show disrespect for their elders and betters, they chatter instead of exercising. Children are tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer get up when their seniors enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up their food at the table, cross their legs and tyrannise their teachers”. Thus spoke Socrates over 2,400 years ago. If you did hear these words at the time, you have obviously made the most of your pension contributions. On the other hand, if you are under retirement age, you might like to contact one of our Chamber pension experts. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “TEKC Pension Consultant”.

6. Turner Contemporary Update

Chamber member the Turner Contemporary has announced details of its opening exhibition which runs from 16^th April to 4^th September 2011. As previously mentioned in the Thanet & East Kent Insider, the show will be centred on JMW Turner’s extraordinary painting The Eruption of the Souffrier Mountains, in the Island of St Vincent, at Midnight, on the 30th April, 1812, from a Sketch Taken at the Time by Hugh P. Keane, Esq 1815. It depicts a volcanic eruption. The Turner Contemporary tells us that the exhibition will also feature new commissions with an overall theme. “The works in the exhibition play at the borders between what we can see and know and the truly fantastic. This dynamic relationship between imagination and reality also reflects the process of realising our long-awaited new gallery, starting from ideas and drawings to a physical building.” The Turner Gallery is expected to play a central role in the regeneration of Margate. All Chamber members will surely be wanting to see a successful future for this iconic building located at end of Margate’s Harbour Arm in front of the house where England’s greatest artist lived from the age of 11 years when he started at a school in Love Lane, Margate.

7. How Are We Doing?

Here is some core data relating to the district of Thanet collected from the latest available public sources. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) information is reproduced under the terms of the Thanet & East Kent Chamber Click-use License no. C2010000980. All rights reserved. Note: NOMIS is a service for ONS operated by the University of Durham since 1981.

8. Choose Your Margate

Louise Askew, Economic Development Officer at Thanet District Council, has contacted the Thanet & East Insider to ask readers to choose their favourite typeface to be used to promote Margate. There are three options presented. Your vote will count if it registered by close of play on Friday 4^th February 2011. To view the choices and have your say, click on http://www.thisismargate.co.uk/culture/this-is-margate-toolkit/public-vote-for-margate-typogr.aspx Further details on the overall approach can be found at http://www.thisismargate.co.uk/culture/this-is-margate-toolkit.aspx. These are exciting times for Margate. There will always be cynics who are only too willing to criticise any development that does not accord precisely with their recollection of the seaside town of their youth. But, Margate is at last promising to burst out of the torpor that has bedevilled its recent past and the majority of local business will be keen to be part of the transformation.

9. London Array Update

The London Array welcomed the Thanet & East Kent Chamber to a closed briefing at the Royal Temple Yacht Club last week. We were delighted to receive confirmation of the twenty-five local suppliers engaged by the company. One Chamber member recently awarded a contract for over £600,000 has a particular reason to welcome the London Array to Ramsgate, but readers can be assured that we will be promoting the products and services of all our Chamber our members with equal vigour.

10. Website for £99

If you want to know how you can have a website to promote your organisation for as little as £99, then prepare one page of text with your logo now and read next week’s edition of the Thanet & East Kent Insider to find out. The edition of 5^th February 2011 will also feature an item on branding and what Starbucks can do for you.

11. Thanet Local Board

Thanet Local Board met last Tuesday evening in Westgate-on-Sea. Seated under instructional posters intended to guide the growing minds of St Saviour’s Church of England Junior School pupils, the Kent County Councillors of Thanet presented an update on local matters and answered questions from the floor. After the obligatory procedural items, Thanet Youth Council outlined its activities. We learned that there are 60 elected Youth Councillors, 4 from each of the 12 districts plus 12 community members. More details are available on the website at www.thanetyouthmatters.co.uk. Next on the agenda was Kent Savers Union when loan sharks received the sharp end of the tongue of Chief Officer, John Fowler. Annual Percentage Rate interest charges in excess of 2,000 are apparently not uncommon. The unwary and the vulnerable in our community can acquire a huge debt through the precipitous signing of a loan agreement with nationally advertised providers. Credit Unions offer an alternative where modest rates of interest and professional counselling can provide a fast track back to financial probity. Mr Fowler gave the floor to Dr John Pritchard, President of the Isle of Thanet Credit Union, who outlined the credit and savings regime at Wantsum Savers located at 1 Duke Street, Margate. With a characteristic fluency and oratorical mastery that betray his background as an international lawyer, Dr Pritchard gave a brilliantly incisive account of the work of Wantsum Savers. When your public supporters include the Archbishop of Canterbury, you can fairly claim to have good long-term prospects.

12. What’s The Point Of Thanet Local Board

TLB provides an opportunity for KCC Councillors to explain to the local community what County Hall is doing, funding and providing. The voluntary sector received some welcome attention. Nigel Furley gave a fulsome account of the work of Funding Buddies and the support available to charities and allied bodies in Thanet. The audience also received details of the grant recommendations for 2010/11. Questions from the floor included undiluted comment supporting the expansion of ManstonAirport and the ensuing prospects for job creation; this and the prospect of a Manston Parkway Station in the next few years received warm enthusiasm from the KCC Councillors. Dry matters of public finances and second homes were somewhat overshadowed by the entertainment provided by the Platform Theatre Company. A thoroughly professional performance of the short play “Shakers” delighted everyone in the hall. There was even a suspicion that a smile crossed the lips of the religious figures in the posters on the wall. We understand that Kent Community Organisation supplied the secure environment for the actors to flourish and Cllrs Chris Wells and Mike Jarvis of instrumental in arranging the public funding. As Michael Wheatley-Ward has demonstrated for many years, theatre can provide a positive force for good among young people

13. More On Retirement

Thanet & East Kent Chamber member, John Harrington, has some sound advice to add to our recent articles on retirement. Here are his words: “No doubt we have all read the reasons why the age limit on retirement has been removed and like the article points out there are a number of organisations that benefit from an older workforce. However, in these organisations there will be a professional HR department dealing with the policy and management of staff following the change. In the majority of SME’s that department does not exist and is normally left to the owner. When staff have decided to retire it can be a major step in their life and it should be a time to remember, pleasantly. With this change there is a risk that staff who decide to continue will be forced to leave if their employer decides to dismiss on the grounds of capability as the employer may not have an alternative if the person concerned has not been performing but the employer has “lived with it” as they were approaching retirement age. An employer can, of course, have a discussion with the employee to understand what their future plans are. In my experience consultations do not take place as a matter of course and where no formal appraisal scheme is in place it can make a discussion of this type even more difficult. As you would expect there are guidelines on what can be addressed in the meeting with the employee to avoid a claim on age discrimination grounds. If handled correctly this can be a time where that valued member of staff can retire feeling good about the business having given many years of good performance both prior and post the previous retirement age. I do however feel that we will see an increase in claims as employers mismanage the consultation and execute the termination outside of the guidelines. I hope I am wrong. “So do we, John. John Harrington can be contacted direct by telephone to 07810 713023 or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “TEKC Enquiry”.

14. Do You Know What Ethics Is?

This week’s end piece is sent from Chamber member Jon Cleverdon of J Cleverdon Chartered Accountants of Broadstairs, tel: 01843 866599. He proves to doubters that accountants do have a sense of humour, unless of course, they live near Chelmsford. Why is that? You can see for yourself in the following contribution. “The managing partner in an accounting firm is very annoyed with one of his employees and calls him in to reprimand him. Managing Partner: ‘How could you possibly advise the client in the way you did? That was completely unethical. We are always conscious of Ethics in this firm. You do know what Ethics is, don’t you?’ Employee: ‘Of course, I know what Ethics is. It’s a county in southern England.’”

Thanet & East Kent Insider

22^nd January 2011      Issue No.: 140

1. Finland Calling

In liaison with our sister Chamber, the Dover District Chamber of Commerce, we will shortly be meeting senior officials from the government of Finland. If any Chamber member has had commercial relations with a Finnish company, is currently working with a Finnish company or would like to work with a Finnish company, please email urgently the details of your interest to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.with the subject line “Finland”. The UK is the fourth largest trading partner of Finland after Germany, Russia and Sweden, comfortably ahead of the United States and China. Although blessed with a population of just 5.35 million, there is an affluent market of domestic consumers and a comparatively flourishing electronics sector headed by Nokia; a key reason perhaps why the statistics reveal more than one mobile telephone per inhabitant. The percentage of manufacturing companies is approximately twice that of the UK. Thanks in part to generous reparations received after WWII, the native shipyards have taken full advantage of the decline in UK shipbuilding and now lead the world in building cruise ships. The world’s largest passenger ship, Allure of the Seas, left Finland for her home port in Florida last October and began her maiden voyage last month.   She joined her sister ship Oasis of the Seas in the fleet of Royal Caribbean International. Each vessel measures just less than 362 metres in length. SWIFT Codes for all Banks in Australia It was discovered recently that Allure is in fact five centimetres longer, not a lot between two sisters listed at 225,282 gross tonnes apiece.   

2. How Are We Doing?

The ever excellent Research and Intelligence Unit at Kent County Council informs us that unemployment in Thanet has fallen by 5.6% over the last year. Any jumping for joy should be restrained by the realisation that Great Britain enjoyed a 10.6% fall in the twelve months to December 2010 and the South East an even better 19.4%. Against the trend, unemployment in Margate Central ward increased by 6.2% and in Cliftonville West by an even more disappointing 11.1%. Of the Thanet wards with at least 100 registered unemployed, the star performer was Garlinge where daytime television has lost 27% of its available daytime television audience compared to a year ago. Good news for Garlinge, bad news for Jeremy Kyle. The full picture for East Kent is listed below.

3. Railing Against Rail?

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber has received much comment on the High Speed link. Most Chamber members appreciate the comfort of the carriages and welcome any investment in our transport infrastructure. There are nonetheless some serious concerns about many aspects of the service. As the High Speed link has now been operating for over a year, the Thanet & East Kent Insider is reviewing the case for and against. Since our mission in life is to boost the businesses within our membership, we cannot be regarded as an independent authority. But, as the largest business support body in the area, the Chamber is duty bound to reflect the views of the private sector in our corner of East Kent.

4. Give Me The Facts

 Here are the weekday journey times from selected East Kent stations for High Speed trains arriving at London St Pancras between 0800 hrs and 0900 hrs.

Fastest Weekday Journey Times To London Arriving 0800 – 0900 hrs.

See Southeastern Trains Timetable for period 12 December 2010 – 13 May 2011

5. Who Is The Operator?

The High Speed train service is operated by Southeastern Railway Company.

6. Who Is The Real Owner?

Southeastern Railway Company is owned by the Govia franchise.

7. Yes But, No But, Yes But Who Is The Real, Real Owner?

The Govia franchise has two shareholders; the Go-Ahead Group 65% and Keolis 35%. Govia describes itself as “ It's a unique franchise, bringing together under one operator the existing classic rail network and the new high speed domestic services on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Which were fully launched in December 2009.” See http://www.govia.info/.  The poor grammar may betray the non-native speaker background of Keolis, described elsewhere on the website as: “currently owned by AXA, through AXA Private Equity, and the Caisse dépôt et placement du Québec (52%), SNCF (45.5%) and key Keolis managers (2.5%).”   Voilà, there are quite a few French speakers in that lot which makes it a pity perhaps that there is not a restaurant car on the line from East Kent to London St Pancras.

8. What Are The Good Points?

We rely on Southeastern Railway to tell us the main advantages of the service. In a press release to coincide with the first anniversary of the service, Southeastern’s Managing Director Charles Horton expressed his satisfaction with the performance of HS1 over the previous twelve months: “The overall success of the service is testament to the strong industry partnership working with Hitachi, HS1 and Network Rail. The first year has been very encouraging and we are looking forward to more and more people discovering the benefits of travelling by High Speed.” This view is shared by HS1’s MD, Paul Chapman, who adds: “It is only with positive cooperation between HS1, Southeastern, Hitachi and Network Rail (CTRL) that we can offer passengers such high levels of performance and reliability on the high speed line.” The same press release continues: “Passenger feedback is extremely positive and reliability performance is strong and continues to grow.”

9. How Big Is Southeastern?

The company has a workforce of 3,500 people serving 179 stations carrying 400,000 passengers a day on 400 trains producing 156 million passenger journeys a year.

10. What Do The Critics Say?

There is much concern about the rise in ticket prices and the benefits of HS1 for the citizens in Thanet, Deal and Sandwich. Roger Gale MP for North Thanet has stated publicly that he is very much in favour of improving transport links to his constituency but finds great difficulty in supporting HS1 under its current management. As he put it recently: ” I really would like to applaud High Speed One but I suspect that I shall be pushing up daisies before any real benefits accrue to those whose interests I try to represent.” In a statement issued just before the first anniversary, he wrote: “A year on, then, my view is that High Speed One has been brought about at inordinate cost and waste, to the benefit of a very few and to the detriment of the many who are paying for it but who wish to use other services.  Dick Turpin would have been amazed.” A subsequent meeting with Charles Horton did not satisfy his objections as he wrote later: “I questioned Mr. Horton as to the justification for a wholly unacceptable 12.8% fare increase heaped on top of three years of already above average increases.  The response appears to be that ‘we have to take a market judgement’ which seems to me to be a euphemism for ‘We`ve got a captive clientele in East Kent so we are holding them to ransom to pay for the “High Speed” trains and for reductions in subsidy’”. He added subsequently for good measure: “I have made it clear to Southeastern that I will, personally, oppose any renewal of their franchise.  Whether that view will find support in the House or within the DfT I know not but one thing is certain: we cannot continue in this climate of “more for less” payment.”

11. Are Thanet Towns Well Served?

Another way of looking at the table in 4 above is to list the data by journey time.

Fastest Weekday Journey Times To London Arriving 0800 – 0900 hrs.

Is the East Kent coastal business community well served by comparison with Ashford, Sittingbourne and Canterbury? You can decide.

12. What About The Performance?

The performance of Southeastern in the period from 12th December 2010 to 8th January 2011 shows an average punctuality of 72% or to put it another way, 28% of the trains did not arrive on time. The annual average punctuality is quoted by Southeastern  as being 82.6%, fractionally above a less than demanding threshold of 82% below which refunds have to be paid to season ticket holders. By international standards, such performance is unlikely to win any accolades from those in the know. The performance statistics of Central Japan Railway Company on the Tokyo/Osaka line show an average delay of just 30 seconds “including delays caused by uncontrollable reasons such as heavy rain, typhoons and heavy snowfall”. Bearing in mind that this company has been operating High Speed services across an earthquake zone since 1964 with no fatalities or injuries from crashes or derailment, there might be a reason to doubt the assertion by Govia that “ it's reassuring to know we're directly linked to the best in the world”, see www.govia.info/doc/keolis/index.html. 

13. Can Southeastern Provide A Station At Manston?

There is undoubtedly an anxiety among local companies that Manston Parkway Station may not materialise in the near future. Cllr Clive Hart, Leader of Thanet Labour Party, wonders how even the current 81 minute journey time to Ramsgate can be maintained if Manston Airport gets the station the local economy so badly needs. As Clive puts it: “ Basically we cannot understand how an extra station can be inserted into the route, with all the delay that slowing down, stopping, restarting and speeding up again, can possibly save ten minutes in the journey from London to Ramsgate.” The airport station is a key element in the Growth Without Gridlock plans of Kent County Council and provides a ready solution for objectors to Boris Johnson’s plan for an airport in the Thames estuary. This particular island of eccentricity resurfaced again last week before it was swamped with waves of criticisms from business leaders who know better. Cllr Rodney Chambers, the Leader of Medway District Council, was quoted by the BBC as saying: “ "It has already been rejected by the government and the aviation industry - with nine out of 10 air carriers saying they oppose the scheme.”  With colourful imagery, he continued: “I believe it is time that Boris Johnson realises that his pie-in-the-sky Thames Estuary airport plan will never get off the ground.” By contrast, the expansion of Manston presents seems to attract widespread support from the business community.

14. Can I Take A Train From Ramsgate to Beijing?

The short answer is “Not yet”. There are indeed the bare bones of a plan to link London King’s Cross to Beijing by rail with optimists quoting two days for the 5,000 mile journey. Asia News reports that work is to start shortly on the building of the first stage, a rail link from Yunnan province to neighbouring Burma. Starting at Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, and ending in Rangoon, Burma's largest city, the track will be 1,200 miles long. According to Wang Mengshu of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at Beijing Jiaotong University, the line is part of a project to boost cooperation between China and Southeast Asian nations with the stated objective to “enhance the economic development of China's western regions.” China is also looking for a more efficient way of transporting the raw materials required by its rapidly expanding manufacturing industries. Earlier this year in a statement of intent with implications for anyone in the shipping industry, Mr Wang said: “ We are aiming for the trains to run almost as fast as aeroplanes." In a hint about financing arrangements, he said: “We would actually prefer the other countries to pay in natural resources rather than make their own capital investment." There is no reason to book your rail ticket yet, but we will keep readers fully informed.  

15. Final Word On Trains

We are grateful to one Chamber member who relates an account of a recent encounter with a ticket collector on a train travelling to London Victoria. We have our doubts about this story but we leave it to you to judge for yourself. “I was feeling frustrated as the train was at least fifteen minutes behind schedule and I had an important meeting in the City which I just couldn’t afford to miss. When the ticket collector came into our carriage, I remonstrated with him and said finally: ‘What on earth is the use of having a timetable if your trains never follow it?’ With a weary smile on his face that must have betrayed at least twenty years of dealing with every type of awkward passenger, he turned to me slowly and said: ‘But look at this way, sir, how would you even know the trains were late if we didn’t have a timetable?’   I could hardly argue with that, could you?”.

16. Our Sponsors

Girlings Solicitors has been 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 Inn 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 . CARISS design, install and support education and business computing systems as East Kent’s leading specialist company in Open Source Software.  To lower your carbon footprint, reduce your power consumption and adopt a thin client system, call CARISS, tel: 01843 823724 . Mach Associates are the high-fliers in providing Internet technologies and specialist software solutions with a particular expertise in servicing the travel industry. A Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and with ISO9001 accreditation, Mach Associates also offers reduces telecom operating cost through VOIP/PBX phone systems. tel: 0870 321 9986.  Sota Connect offers a comprehensive IT service covering best-value voice, data and Internet services for companies of all sizes as well as public sector organisations. The company operates two state-of-the-art data centres of over 10,000sq ft. Sota Connect owns and operates a unique 200km fibre network from London to Ramsgate with high bandwidth Internet access giving superfast Internet connections, tel: 0800 072 2420 .

© David Foley January 2011