Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

10^th July 2010 Issue No.: 204

1. A Question of Image

The official Chamber photographic Agency, Anton Images of Sandwich, has a range of photographs available from a selection of Chamber events during the past twelve months including the recent Business Breakfast with Laura Sandys MP and the Thanet Business Exhibition of last month. To view the collection, see the website at http://www.photoboxgallery.com/ddccand be prepared to wait a few moments for the ‘Image Not Available” badges to disappear. Visitors to the site can order simple photographic prints from as little as £0.05 each or have their favourite images printed on cards, stationery, T-shirts, mugs, calendars, glass, bags and cushions. This raises the possibility that with some judicious purchases you could wake up in the morning and see yourself on your shaving mirror, check the date on a calendar that features your physiognomy and have breakfast sitting down on top of your own image drinking your coffee from a mug with your face on it. On the other hand, you could just buy the prints to send to your mum.



2. Coastal Tourism

Tourism to British seaside resorts is definitely on the increase. “We can offer a unique product that will keep people coming” is the verdict of Professor Steve Fothergill of Sheffield Hallam's Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CSESR) which has just produced the report The Seaside Tourist Industry in England and Wales.  Our seaside industry in England is claimed to be “larger than the motor industry, aerospace, pharmaceuticals or steel”. The authors of the report are keen to dispel the myth that our seaside resorts are in terminal decline and they use historic employment data to justify the optimism that attends their conclusions. Their figures are based on “additional jobs in seaside resorts that are attributable to tourism.” Around 210,000 employees owe their jobs directly to seaside tourism at 121 resorts in England and Wales. Indirect employment tourism contributes even more. Blackpool is the undoubted star with 19,000 posts attributable directly to seaside tourism.  Some resorts have targeted tourism as being the main driver of regeneration. The Thanet & East Kent Insider’s own research reveals that  Southend-on-Sea Borough Council was given £25 million by the government of the day to spend on improving the built environment and promises “Big changes for a Better Southend“, see http://www.southend.gov.uk/info/200130/better_southend. The funding is dependent on the money being spent before March next year which should not create too many problems.  Southend attracts six million day trippers per year who bring in over £270 million into the local economy, according to the council. The CSESR figure for revenue direct from tourism for Southend in 2007 is a more modest £67 million. Thanet is recorded as receiving an annual injection of £100 million and Whitstable/Herne Bay £22 million Although Southend can boast the world’s longest pier, it does not have the concentration of blue-flag beaches enjoyed by visitors to Thanet. Peter Hampson, director of the British Resorts and Destinations Association, welcomed the publication of the CSESR report with enthusiasm. Speaking to the BBC’s Phil Lavelle at the end of June, he said: "People who follow the fortunes of the British seaside tourist industry have always known it is a myth that the industry is in terminal decline, but we have not had the comprehensive and convincing evidence to prove otherwise until now.” It shouldn’t need a Professor in Sheffield to highlight the charms of the East Kent coast. But, perhaps after all we should leave the last word to Steve Fothergill who surely qualifies for free ice-creams and his own stick of rock on his next visit as he declared to national television, “Who needs the Med when we have Margate? In 2010, the British seaside is the place to be.”



3. NIC Deadline

Jon Cleverdon Chartered Accountants, tel: 01843 866599,  has written to the chamber with a reminder about Class 1A National Insurance payments for the pay periods 6th April 2010 to 5th July 2010.  This Broadstairs-based accountancy firm looks after the books of many small and medium enterprises in the area. Their advice is: “As a small employer with income tax, national insurance and student loan deductions of less than £1,500 a month you are required to make payment to HMRC of the income tax, national insurance and student loan deductions on a quarterly basis. Where the payment is made electronically the deadline for receipt of payment is 22nd July 2010.” Penalties may apply for late payment.



4. Enterprise In School

Ramsgate was the scene for the Big Green Business Pitch, a Dragon’s Den series of presentations by students of Chatham House Grammar School organized by Jane Owen and her team at Chamber member, Connexions Kent & Medway, tel: 01795 439397 and 01843 593395. Joining the Chamber on the judging panel was Johnny Lewis who hosts the radio show Breakfast For Thanet each weekday morning on KMFM. Non-techies who have difficulty with a photocopier were not much in evidence as the four pseudo-companies put forward their ideas under the branding of Woodlock, Step Change, Keep Safe Industries and Shift respectively. The consummate ease with which the students handled their PowerPoint projections and promoted their Internet marketing plans would have undoubtedly impressed Messrs Bannatyne, Caan, Jones, Meaden and Paphitis who headline the popular BBC series. In a close contest, the winning Woodlock team just managed to finish ahead of its rivals with its proposal to produce custom-made guitars from recyclable timber. A distinguishing feature of the company’s plans was the attention given to existing competitors and a careful study of the targeted buyers. Chatham House is proud of its motto, Floreat Domus Chathamensis, which it translates as “May Chatham House Flourish”. Many former students have blossomed. It will be interesting to track the progress of the winning team to see if any of them can flourish to the same extent as Edward Heath, Prime Minister 1970-74, Sean Kerly, Olympic gold medallist, Frank Muir, author and humourist and a long list of distinguished senior figures in the armed services. If any locals on holiday in Buenos Aires get sick from too much corned beef and wish to repent for their sin, the current Bishop of Argentina, the Most Reverend Gregory James Venables, is an alumnus of Chatham House Grammar School and would doubtlessly wish to absolve you in return for the latest news on traffic flows at Westwood Cross.



5. Boost For East Kent

The World Cup will not be coming home to England this year, denying the Football Association considerable sums in sponsorship and image rights. By contrast, despite the efforts of some journalists and broadcasters, the English language in Britain remains the envy of the world and accounts for £1.5 billion in annual earnings from activities related to non-native speakers wishing to learn how to speak like we do. East Kent receives more than its fair share of revenue from teaching English to non-native speakers in public and private establishments. An extraordinary decision by the then Home Secretary banned non-EC students from studying English in the UK unless they had a level of English equivalent to B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages which is defined as “Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics”. Banks often hear criticism along the lines of “You only lend money to people who do not need it”, but to impose a condition on foreign students that they can only come to the UK to study English if they already speak it well is almost beyond logic. It seriously imperilled export revenue of £600 million, a proportion of which finds its way every year to host families in East Kent and a wide selection of traders supplying services such as coach travel, entertainment and facilities management. Fortunately, the new ruling which came into effect on 3rd March this year has been overturned in the High Court. In a Press Release by English UK earlier today, the organisation that represents British Council accredited English schools stated: “This judgement upholds our basic case that the Home Secretary was wrong to introduce a substantive change in the entry criteria”. Hero of the hour is undoubtedly Tony Millns, the Chief Executive of English UK who brought the case to the High Court “as a last resort”. He makes the point that border controls should prevent illegal entry and not bona fide students. He makes the offer to: “help formulate a more sensible policy which our members can support and which will contribute to immigration control”. The shops, businesses, state schools and independent schools that welcome foreign learners to East Kent give you their thanks, Tony.  Your Herculean efforts in uniting the public and private sector providers in 2004 has given English UK a voice in the corridors of power which will now save jobs here and bring a steady stream of revenue to East Kent retailers throughout the summer months.



6. Golf

Requests for places at the Chamber Golf Day at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club scheduled for Friday, 8th October 2010 have already exceeded the number playing last year. Members are reminded that teams of four are invited to take part in playing this prestigious venue which has hosted two Open Championships and been much appreciated in the past by great players such as Jack Nicklaus and Harry Vardon. Royal patronage dates back to 1910 and is continued today by Prince Andrew who in June 2009 took the trouble to attend the centenary of the first Open Championship by flying into Deal by helicopter from Windsor. The Chamber Golf Day has become East Kent’s premier corporate Golf Day. The prizes available to teams from the Thanet & East Kent and Dover Chambers of Commerce will include a new car and tickets for travel overseas.  For details, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Chamber Golf Day”.



7. Ronnie Corbett & Stonelees

Ronnie Corbett will be returning to Stonelees Golf Centre tomorrow to open the new clubhouse extension, fifteen years after inaugurating the first clubhouse. A report will be featured in next week’s edition of Thanet & East Kent Insider. Following his first visit to Stonelees after performing at the Winter Gardens Margate, Ronnie Corbett has been a firm friend of this enterprising golf club and will be as keen as the locals to see the wide range of golfing goods now on offer in the enlarged shop. Renown for his self-deprecating humour, Ronnie Corbett often refers to his short stature. In fact he measures, 5 ft 1½ in, which for readers born after 1970 is 1m 56cm. Read next week’s edition to see if he does indeed refer to his height in his speech.



8. Health Screening

Chamber member The Spencer Wing offers a health screening service providing comprehensive medical checks for senior executives and middle managers as well as those staff working in potentially hazardous surroundings. The Spencer Wing is experienced in tailoring a course of specific health and safety sessions as an integral part of a company’s occupational health programme. For details, telephone 01843 234555. 



9. Our Heart Is Like An Engine, Or Is It?

Perhaps thinking of the valuable services offered by the Spencer Wing, Thanet’s own private hospital, one member has contacted the Thanet & East Kent Chamber with this account of a meeting between a surgeon at the hospital and a garage mechanic. We have our doubts about this story, but we leave it to you to judge. The Thanet-based heart surgeon took his top of the range Lexus to his local garage for its six-monthly service. Admiring its sleek lines and luxurious interior, the garage mechanic cast his eyes towards the back wall of the workshop behind which his battered Ford Escort was parked, diplomatically hidden from public view. Peaked by the obvious disparity in wealth and noting the soft hands and expensive suit of his customer, he plucked up the courage to say:”Me and you, we are the same basically.” “Oh, yes,” said the heart surgeon, adjusting his gold cufflinks to show just the regulation two fingers of cuff below his expensively tailored jacket. “I guess so”, said the mechanic. “What I do is, I check how it’s running, open it up, adjust the valves and then put it all back together just like new. Now that’s what you do, isn’t it?” “Well almost, I suppose it is in a way”, replied the surgeon. “Well, if that’s so”, continued the mechanic warming to his theme: “How come I am getting paid 10% of what you get. I have my tools. You have your instruments. I do the same as you do”. “Ah yes,” said the surgeon, “But you try doing it all with the engine running”.  



10.  Our Sponsors

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 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.

Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

3^rd July 2010 Issue No.: 204

1. Chidren In Care, Children In Need

In last week’s Thanet & East Kent Insider, we asked readers for comments on the economic impact of foster care in Thanet. We have received a lively correspondence which emphasizes the benefits to local families and businesses of the increased income coming to the district. There has also been much criticism of some of the negative publicity that has recently been appearing in the local press. One correspondent referring to a local head teacher’s use of the word ‘dumped’ went so far as to write, “I really take exception to the use of the word ‘dumped’ and wonder what it might feel like, firstly to be a child who needs to be in foster care, secondly to be referred to as ‘dumped’ and thirdly to realise that you are unwelcome in the community that has been chosen to be your home.” Thanet and East Kent in general has a long history of offering a warm welcome to tourists, to visitors and to immigrant workers who are prepared to arrive on time and do a good job for their employer. The East Kent coastal business community will surely want to encourage inward investors with a more positive outloook. Readers may be assured that the Thanet & East Kent Insider will never refer to vulnerable children as being ‘dumped’.



2. What About Private Providers?

East Kent has some excellent private fostering agencies. One of the best is undoubtedly By The Bridge which was recently judged as “Outstanding” in all six key areas of Ofsted inspection. This private sector agency is the recipient of numerous accolades including ISO 9001 and Investor in People status and is an official sponsor of the Duke of Edinburgh awards. Despite its curious name, By The Bridge has acquired an excellent reputation for all aspects of its services. In a correspondence exclusive to the Thanet & East Kent Insider, Managing Director Nicola Tunbridge writes: “Kent is a centre of excellence when it comes to providing quality foster care. Hundreds of families earn an income from fostering and spend their money in the local community”. She praises unreservedly the “skilled parenting” offered by foster families “and the people who take on this incredibly challenging task” and offers strong words directed at one local press report that quoted a head teacher as saying foster children had been ‘dumped’ on his establishment. As she put it: “The statements in this article undermine the professional training undertaken by these families and the life-changing service they have provided to thousands of British children and young people. These children are not dumped and their foster families are not dump sites”. When an expert in fostering makes such a statement, we must treat it seriously, especially as she began her email with a decalration that “I always enjoy reading your Thanet business circular, the humour really strikes a chord with me along with the interesting content.” All the more interesting, Nicola, thanks to your contribution.



3. What Does The Council Think?

One Thanet District Councillor has kindly briefed the Chamber on the history of foster children in Thanet. We are most grateful for the background. The Councillor notes: “There has been considerable emphasis on the negative but what is needed is also an examination of  the financial benefits to Thanet of employment for foster parents.”. The Councillor continues; “In all of this we must not forget the tragedy of children who have been abused and let down by adults. Any of them who read in local papers that they are not wanted in schools and towns, where they have been sent for safety, must feel even more insecure.  A recent article in the Observer showed how well a young man did from being placed in Broadstairs after a traumatic start in life. I know of others.” We are happy to relate success stories and would welcome reports from Chamber members with news of any of their employees who have won against the odds.



4. Yet More On The Budget

Last week’s Thanet & East Kent Insider discussed the budget and its implications for businesses in the East Kent coastal business community. We welcomed the emphasis on the private sector and the need to address the national debt as a first priority. There has been reluctant acceptance by most companies contacted since last week that it is only fair that those on the lowest incomes should be taken out of the income tax system and that the changes in Capital Gains Tax could have been a lot worse. Similarly, no-one has objected too strongly to the rise in VAT on the basis that it impacts largely on discretionary spending and not on essentials such as children’s clothing and unprocessed food. Some anomalies remain. For instance, if you buy “Caramel or Millionaire’s shortcake” topped with caramel or chocolate,  Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs informs us it is zero rated for VAT. However, “Shortbread partly or wholly chococate-covered” is classified at the standard rate of VAT. Work that one out if you can. This may be an example of where  the “Millionaire” does actually profit from the budget, despite what the press reports have told us. .



5. Why is the South East Excluded From National Insurance Incentives?

We do not know the answer to this question. Readers will recall that start up companies are offered the powerful incentive of no National Insurance payments for the first 10 members of staff; a potential subsidy of £50,000. Companies in the South East and East are excluded. Powerful support has arrived from Roger Gale MP who writes: “I do not believe that it is right that “London and the South East”, embracing, as it does, areas of need such as East Kent, should be excluded in totality as “prosperous” from government concessions.” Neither do we, Roger, and we welcome your support.



6. Your Business News On The Air

Thanet & East Kent Chamber has reached agreement with 107.8 Academy FM to feature a local business each week in the Chamber news spot on Wednesday afternoons. Regular listeners to Kent’s newest radio station will have heard the Chamber’s comments on the budget, inward investment opportunities, property matters and the products and services available from Chamber members. There is now an opportunity for your company to be the main item in the Chamber business news broadcast from the Ramsgate studios. As a community radio station, 107.8 Academy FM is not allowed to accept advertising. However, companies will be allowed to be mentioned by name at least twice during the ten minutes or so of the session and your interviewer will take an understanding approach towards your operations. Pre-interview coaching is available from the Chamber if you have not appeared on the radio or television before. For more details, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Academy FM Chamber News Spot”.



7. News From Dover

Plans for a National War Memorial on Dover’s Western Heights have received a boost from a film by KETV recording the Dover Arts Festival on 15th May 2010 which was itself designed to raise the profile of the campaign. The film is available on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYBmDGOlZ8Y Lasting just seven minutes and sixteen seconds, the film also promotes Chamber members Cloudberry and Lovely’s Gallery. Lovers of traditional art, fine wine, patisserie and good music will find something of interest in the broadcast.  There is currently no single memorial in the UK to commemorate those who died in the service of this country in the first and second world wars. The campaign for a National War Memorial seeks to create a permament site to celebrate the sacrifice made by the 1.7 million British and Commonwealth service men and women, Merchant Navy personnel and civilians who perished in the two greatest conflicts of the twentieth century.



8. Question Time

Three Chamber members volunteered their services to appear alongside the Thanet & East Kent Chamber Chief Executive at a BBC style Question Time at St Saviour’s Junior School last Thursday. Questions from the 180 pupils of years five and six touched on the attractions of working in the private sector, memories of a first paid job and cultural differences in dealing with international clients. Meeting the challenge were Joanna Hunt of Cloudberry tel: 07980 920370, Warren Dunham of Sota Solution tel: 01795 413500 and Mary Campbell of Adecco, tel: 01843 609292. The Thanet & East Kent Chamber is keen to support an enterprise culture in local schools and looks forward to working with educational establishments of all types to promote positive messages about private companies. In a BBC radio exchange with Chamber members earlier this year, Lord Digby Jones made the point that too often business is portrayed in the media as an unsavoury refuge for scoundrels. He lamented that Coronation Street, East Enders and even the Archers seemed to portray businessmen and women as villains.  The Thanet & East Kent Chamber is happy to bring a more positive message to enquiring minds. Joanna, Warren and Mary were certainly able to do that and the Chamber is most grateful.



9. Credit Control

In the last few months, this Chamber has been assisting some members with their unpaid bills. Sometimes an unfriendly word from the Chamber can assist the debtors to appreciate the error of their ways. At other times, sterner action is required. The Chamber is fortunate in being able to recommend the services of first class legal brains at Girlings tel: 01843 220274, Robinson & Allfree tel: 01843 592361, Barnes Marsland tel: 01843 221466, Macalister White LLP tel: 01843 572789, Boys & Maughan tel: 01843 234000 and Brachers tel: 01622 690691. The costs of legal action may not be high and in many cases can be recovered from the other party. The aforementioned solicitors are all fully aware of the need to balance risk and reward and will assess every case on its merits.  



10. News From The House

This Chamber is continuing its campaign to review the exclusion of East Kent from the National Insurance incentive to start up companies accounced in the emergency budget of 22nd June 2010 and mentioned in item 5 above. Last Monday, the Chief Executive of the Chamber enjoyed a discussion of one hour at the House of Commons with an MP close to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In a wide-ranging exchange of views, this Chamber stressed the importance of considering the East Kent coastal business community as a distinct economic region that should not be confused with the needs and interests of  Kent as a whole or the Greater South East. Measures were discussed to bring a sharper focus on the private sector in our area so that economic development is promoted with more vigour and local companies are freed from some of the petty regulations that restrict growth and hinder operational efficiency.



11. Thanet District Council

In a lengthy meeting yesterday, the Thanet & East Kent Chamber enjoyed a fruitful dialogue with Cllr Roger Latchford, Deputy Leader of Thanet District Council, and Louise Askew, TDC Economic Development Officer. The discussions centred on strengthening the cooperation between Thanet’s largest business support organisation and its elected representatives at TDC. The Thanet & East Kent Insider will report on the results of these discussions and will keep readers informed of progress. Many Chamber members will be aware of the business-friendly support offered by the TDC Director of Regeneration Services, Brian White, who has been instrumental in solving seemeningly intractable problems relating to planning and development. Like his counterpart in Dover, Tim Ingleton, Brian is always able to see the issue in question from the point of view of the wealth creators.



12. Beat That

Since corporal punishment was abolished in state schools in 1987 followed by its obligatory departure from fee-paying schools in 1998, reports of domestic floggings have also diminished sharply. One Chamber member, aware of the Thanet & East Kent Insider’s abiding interest in the progress of Doncaster Rovers FC and our current focus on children in care, has sent us this story. We have our doubts, but readers must judge for themselves. “One poor child, the victim of a split home and abusive parents, was brought into court and was asked by the presiding magistrate: “Well, young Shane, who do you want to live with? Would you like to live with your father?”. “No”, said the eleven year old, “He beats me.” Unperturbed, the magistrate continued: “Would you like to live with your mother then.” “No”, said Shane, “She beats me as well.” “In that case”, continued the magistrate, “What about your aunty and uncle, I am sure they would like you to live with them”. “Certainly not”, cried Shane in alarm, “ They beat me too.” “Well”, said the magistatre somewhat at a loss for choices, “Who would you like to live with?” “Doncaster Rovers”, came the immediate reply. “Doncaster Rovers?”, said the magistrate. “That’s a football team. Why on earth do you want to live with Doncaster Rovers? “ Well”, said the child with a wisdom beyond his years, “The thing is your Honour. I would feel completely safe. Doncaster Rovers never beats anybody”.



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’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

26^th June 2010 Issue No.: 

1. The Budget

The emergency budget of 22nd June 2010 has significant implications for all businesses in the East Kent coastal business community. An initial telephone survey of members welcomed the broad outlines of the emergency measures announced by the Chancellor, George Osborne, although the broad brush approach over-painted some issues vital to the regeneration of our local economy. Firstly, companies of all sizes seem to welcome the common sense implicit in balancing the national account by 2015/16.   As one Chamber member put it, “Any school child will tell you that if you receive £5 of pocket money each week and continually spend £6, eventually your mum and dad are going to think twice about funding your prolificacy.” This is reasonable as without credible measures to reduce debt, the country would face potentially huge costs from increased interest payments. Also, anyone who can use the word ‘prolificacy’ at eight o’clock in the morning deserves to have his views treated with respect. Secondly, the emphasis on the private sector is good news for the wealth creators. After all, the simple truth is that the public purse contains only what is confiscated from the operations of the private sector or what the government prints for itself. A certain lady prime minister famously commented on the matter in a speech at Cheltenham Racecourse in July 1982, “ And we can't avoid one unchallengeable truth. The Government has no money of its own. All that it has it takes in taxes or borrows at interest. It's all of you, everyone here, that pays. Of course, there is another way. Instead of taking money from our people openly, in taxation or loans, we can take it surreptitiously, by subterfuge. We can print money in order to pay out of higher inflation what we dare not tax and cannot borrow. But that disreputable method is no longer open to us. Rightly this Government has abjured it.” The new government has obviously decided to do the same.



2. East Kent Pubs

Before getting carried away in post-Falklands euphoria, some of the specifics of the emergency budget deserve a close examination. The rejection of the proposed rise in tax on cider will please the apple growers in Kent, but offers little solace to the workers in our East Kent pubs and the entrepreneurs who continue to support them. Tourists from all over the world appreciate public houses as unique features of our British way of life. We know that pubs contribute an important element to the social cohesion of our towns and villages. East Kent has a magnificent tradition of first-class pubs providing a community focus and a warm welcome to visitors. No-one disputes that inefficient businesses should bear the consequences of their failure to meet the needs of their customers, but the imbalance in taxes between beer sales in supermarkets and those on licensed premises constitutes nothing less than a concerted attack on our local heritage. A rise of 26% in the last two years on the taxes on a pint of beer in a pub has been the final straw for many establishments. Most readers of the Thanet & East Kent Insider will know of a pub near where they live or work where no landlord will ever call ‘time’ again. In an exclusive interview with the Thanet & East Kent Insider, Frank Thorley, owner of 25 pubs, clubs and restaurants in East Kent said, “I welcome the decision to remove the proposed tax increase on cider, but the major issue is the cheap alcohol available from supermarkets where the tax the government charges on beer is so much lower than the tax on for bar sales on licensed premises.”   Frank has a good point and we look forward to this issue being addressed in the spending review scheduled for October 2010.



3. East Kent Employers

There has been a strong reaction from East Kent companies to the announcement by the Chancellor that: “For the next three years anyone who sets up a new business outside London, the South East and the Eastern region will be exempt from up to £5,000 of employer national insurance payments, for each of their first 10 employees hired.” The objection is to the phrase: “outside London, the South East and the Eastern region” as this puts start up companies in East Kent at a potential £50,000 disadvantage against a competitor starting up in, for example, the Cotswold. The broad brush that paints the whole of the South East as a rich area largely ignores the inherited plight of East Kent. By picturing Oxford, London and Sevenoaks in the same portrait as Margate, Cliftonville and Dover, the Chancellor has confirmed a prevailing prejudice in this part of the world that the views and status of West Kent, Sussex and Surrey predominate and East Kent suffers as a result. Despite the predicted success of the Turner Contemporary, the inward investment from wind farms and a resurgent Manston Airport, the government’s own figures suggest that the Chancellor may wish to review the strategy that subsidizes new companies in the Cotswold where unemployment is 1.7% and effectively penalizes start ups in parts of Margate and Dover where the jobless figures touch 14% and 10% respectively. The budget is certainly tough but not exactly fair to East Kent. Entrepreneurs looking to start a company here may well consider that they would be starting their match on a playing field with the slope against them.



4. What Is The Chamber Doing About It?

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber has always enjoyed a positive dialogue with the elected representatives of all parties. With our associates at the Dover District Chamber of Commerce, we will continue that tradition. The Chief Executive of the Chamber has a meeting arranged at the House of Commons on Monday 28th June 2010. A media campaign has already begun; see the ITV Meridian News video available for the next few days only at http://www.itv.com/meridian-east/give-us-a-break53773/ After the advert, fast forward to 00:55 to see an excerpt from the recording.



5. VAT

The Value Added Tax rate is scheduled to rise from 17.5% to 20% from 4th January 2011. The consensus from most Chamber members outside the retail sector and its suppliers is that this is the ‘least worst option’. In other words, even if the medicine tastes bad, it is in the patient’s interest to take it if a cure is to be effected. The measure suggests that trading in our shops over the Christmas period will be frenetic as shoppers scramble to make purchases before the deadline. Boxing Day is the busiest shopping day of the year in normal times. With record crowds likely on the sales floors this year, Boxing Day promises to offer many opportunities to assess the personal hygiene of your fellow citizens. Large stores will be limited to six hours of trading as 26 th December 2010 falls on a Sunday. Small retailers and independent traders should have no such restrictions. Remote shareholders of large chain stores may complain about a perceived injustice. The Chief Executives of Debenhams and Arcadia have already shouted loudly, but local shopkeepers who extend their opening hours on the day may find that for once they will enjoy a significant advantages over the large multiples.



6. A Selection of Comments

David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), stated: "The Budget presents a courageous and forceful plan to re-balance the UK economy towards productive private-sector businesses. Companies and policy-makers will all hope that it will help to secure sustainable medium-term growth". David Kern, BCC Chief Economist: “Additionally, the OBR's forecast that UK unemployment would peak this year at 8.1% appears much too optimistic given the high level of inactivity in the economy and the expected falls in public sector employment.” Chamber member Adecco, tel: 01843 609292, produced an official text from head office for the benefit of local Chamber members which reads as follows: "We are pleased that the Government has scrapped the planned tax on jobs.  A rise in National Insurance Contributions would have added cost to hiring temporary staff.  Now more than ever, we need measures which encourage employers to take on more staff to tackle unemployment.  The rise in the threshold will assist this." Jon Cleverdon Chartered Accountants of Broadstairs, tel: 01843 866599, notes: “ Many fundamental announcements have been made which affect the taxation of most individuals. These are in addition to changes already made by the previous government, such as the 50% tax rate and changes to the tax relief available for pension contributions.” and on VAT:  “An increase in the standard rate was widely forecast. Unsurprisingly, draft legislation has also been issued setting out anti-avoidance measures to deal with transactions aimed at forestalling the increase in rate.” Finally, the British Property Federation is not entirely happy. “ Good news for ports, but nothing for those struggling to cope with empty property rates, despite pre-election sympathy from leading Tories and Lib Dems”. Liz Peace, BPF Chief Executive, had already made her position clear in a statement released four days before the emergency budget which quoted verbatim the criticism of the empty rates legislation by Caroline Spelman, Eric Pickles and Vince Cable. As she put it then: “This tax was opposed by hundreds of MPs, including the current secretaries of state for Business, Communities and Environment. If they do not undo this damaging tax next Tuesday, questions will no doubt be asked.” The redoubtable Liz will be one of those asking questions.



7. A New Scam on the Scene

Martyn Young of Atlantic Business Resources, tel: 0781 353 7456, has contacted the Chamber with news of a scam that he states “may interest Chamber members”. Martyn points out that to his knowledge four companies have been contacted by the perpetrator and two of them have been entrapped. Here is the sad story as related to Martyn, “ You get a phone call from someone purporting to be from Microsoft or an agent for Microsoft saying that they have detected that you have a problem with your computer and who hasn’t or that you have reported a problem (Your computer might ask you to send an error report from time to time). They will then get you to look in your computer’s “Event Log” which nearly always shows errors or warnings. At this point they get you to connect to a website and agree to them taking possession of your computer – they will now operate your computer remotely. They get you to agree to download some software which will “sort out” all your computer problems. Your computer will now download some cheap and nasty anti-virus software which takes forever to download. To save time, whilst downloading, they ask for your credit card details to pay for the software (Freeware). They are so convincing that many people give them their details and are stung for at least £100. On top of that the software will either fail to download fully or if it does download it will conflict with your own Anti-Virus software and cause your computer to freeze and become completely inoperable. You will then have to pay for someone like me to come and sort it out for you.”  Of course, many readers will have received an email purporting to come from a lottery of one sort or another, but the Nigerian General or ‘419 Scam’ remains one of the most lucrative. According to CrimesofPersuasion.Com, ‘This particular scam targets middle class, middle age, business and professional men who would never be as easily deceived by a lottery scam. Estimates put the losses from these "Nigerian Advance Fee" operations at over USD 1 million "every single day" in the U.S. alone.’



8. A Picture of Good Mental Health

This Chamber takes a close interest in mental health issues. East Kent Mencap has a reputation for a practical approach to mental health in the workplace. We are pleased to highlight an exhibition by East Kent Mencap's award winning Photography Group at Broadstairs Library Gallery, Broadstairs, CT10 2BS from Monday 28th June to Thursday 22nd July 2010.  All works have been produced by adults with learning disabilities.  Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 6.00pm from Monday to Friday and from 9.00am to 5.00pm on Saturdays. Broadstairs Library is closed on Sundays.



9. Coming Soon

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber is looking at the economic impact of asylum seekers and foster children in East Kent. Shortly, we will feature comments received to date. All views are welcome at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 



10. England and the Cup

The dismal performance of the England football team against Germany in the World Cup this afternoon has put a damper on the merry quips from Chamber members that usually make an appearance in the Thanet & East Kent Insider. There is perhaps room for the mordant wit of one caller to our newsroom. After declaring his disappointment at the standard of refereeing, or words to that effect, he reluctantly admitted that Germany did have the better team. He lamented that his unswerving support for the national side has been unrewarded for the last twenty years. Finally, holding back the tears, he asked cheerily: “What is the difference between the England football team and a tea bag?” After briefly considering a comment along the lines of “Which is the wurst?” or something in similarly bad taste, we had to admit that we did not know the difference. He then replied with grim satisfaction; “A tea bag stays in the cup longer”.


 

11. Our Sponsors

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 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.

Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

19^th June 2010 Issue No.: 

1. Supporting Local Business

The Pegwell Bay Hotel was the venue for yesterday’s business networking breakfast organised by the Thanet & East Kent Chamber in liaison with the Dover District Chamber of Commerce.  The main speaker was Laura Sandys MP who gave an insight into the measures the new government is taking to reduce the deficit and stimulate the economy. Laura gave an assurance that a 1% increase in National Insurance Contributions scheduled for next year would be dropped. Careful not to pre-empt the budget speech due from the Chancellor of the Exchequer at 1230 hrs on Tuesday 22nd June 2010, Laura was nonetheless confident that measures would introduced to provide “an incentive to support jobs”. She also supports the aims of Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS), to reduce the burden of regulations on companies by abolishing one law every time a new one is introduced. Laura even speculated as whether two or more could be abolished for every one gained and thereby liberate companies from the “business policemen” and some of the barriers to efficiency that the relentless accumulation of rules has erected. Anyone who heard Vince Cable speak at the Cass Business School on 3rd June 2010 will recall that he began his speech with “Well, the first thing you may have noticed is that I am not Peter Mandelson. For one thing, I am a better dancer.” Simply in order to survive, some local companies have been nimbly dancing around the most oppressive rules. It will come as a mighty relief if the burden of regulation is to be officially reduced.



2. Don’t All Politicians Just Blame Their Predecessors?

Not all of them. Laura paid a rich tribute to her immediate predecessor, Dr Stephen Ladyman, the former Labour MP for South Thanet.  She mentioned how hard Stephen Ladyman had worked when in office, praised his care for his constituency and explained that she has a hard act to follow. As mentioned in the Thanet & East Kent Insider last week, Stephen Ladyman supported this chamber’s campaign for the abolition of the Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007 which has had such a damaging effect on commercial property in the East Kent coastal business community. Ably supported by his wife Janet, he helped many local companies with their trading and supply problems.



3. So Everything Will Be Wonderful From Now On?

Hardly. Laura stated that there is no disguising that there will be some harsh times ahead as the coalition government takes the actions necessary to balance the books. She continued that she is determined not to get involved in a popularity contest in the next few years but to back the measures necessary to restore the nation’s finances.



4. That’s Alright For Westminster But What About East Kent?

Laura envisaged a new green economy coming to East Kent. “We have the opportunity to be a leader in the field”. The imminent completion of Thanet Offshore Windfarm, the world’s largest, 12 km off Foreness Point, will be followed by The London Array which will be even bigger. In Laura’s estimation, local business could benefit enormously by establishing an eco-economic zone servicing one of the fastest growing sectors in the European and the global economy. She will be lobbying hard for her colleagues in government to ensure that the proposals become a reality. “We will be looking for specific support for this area to develop a green technology base”. With this in mind, she intends to put herself forward as a member of the Select Committee on Energy and Climate Change.



5. What’s This Got To Do With The Price of Eggs?

That’s an Americanism. Just because England drew a football match with the USA last week does not mean we should adopt their slang. We tend to say “price of fish?” As it happens, it might have a lot to do with the price of beer. Pubs in East Kent have suffered horribly from the huge tax rises on the price of beer served in pubs and the concomitant heavy discounting of alcoholic drinks sold in supermarkets. Just about everyone in East Kent lives near an establishment that has closed in the last few years, probably never to reopen as the valuable community resource that British pubs uniquely represent. Laura has joined the All Party Parliamentary Committee On Beer. In November 2008, this 400-strong group reported to parliament calling for stern action to halt the closure of our pubs. The committee noted that big stores were offering beer or lager for as little as 90p for four cans while a pint in a pub could cost drinkers seven times as much. An all-party coalition to support our local pubs cannot come soon enough in this part of the world. Janet Dean, the now former Labour MP, co-chaired the parliamentary committee in 2008 and is quoted at the time as criticizing the attempt at social engineering being administered through legislation inflicted on pubs. As she put it, “There are some extraordinarily committed licensees out there, delivering a remarkable array of activities, but they are labouring against the twin evils of cheap supermarket beer and a regulatory backlash from government seeking to curb alcohol disorder problems not of their making."  Chamber members who enjoy a quiet drink after work or at weekends will be looking for the new government to halt the decimation of our pubs with the same vigour that has been recently applied to the protection of urban back gardens.



6. Any Questions, Then?

Chamber members were keen to raise questions of local and general concern. Mike Newell of chamber member Compass Internet Ltd, tel 01843 855114, echoed the anxieties of many small companies by explaining how difficult he was finding it to raise finance. Laura explained that she was looking hard at the workings of the government-backed Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme and urged any company which feels it has been unfairly treated to write to her. Phil Bowman of Acorn Bowman Finance & Investment Management, tel: 01843 609365, raised the matter of the new pension scheme announced last January which replaced the personal account pension. Entitled the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST), the plan was for employers as well as employees to be obliged to contribute to a NEST pension, subject to certain conditions. Laura asked for more details which Phil Bowman will undoubtedly supply. Phil will also ask whether it is worthwhile proceeding with the plan announced last year to cap pension relief to raise £3.4 billion when it will cost £3.5 billion to implement. We have a feeling that Phil may have a good point. Jessica Berry of TNG, tel: 01843 570250, told the packed room of delegates that she was 23 years old. Having cleverly secured everyone’s attention, she then said that the major concern of people of her age was finding a local job. So many of her school friends are either unemployed or have been obliged to leave East Kent to find employment elsewhere. To nods of approval, she said that employment should be top of the agenda for young people.  Laura agreed fully with the accent on employment and will be working closely with schools to improve the chances of local school-leavers.   Phil Thorley of Thorley Taverns, 01843 602010, asked for a tip on imminent changes in VAT but expected that he would not get it. He didn’t. He was more successful in raising the profile of the Building Schools for the Future programme. Both as a resident, an employer and a school Governor, Phil viewed the quality of school buildings as being a key driver of improvements in our educational system. Laura explained that education had always been close to her heart. She declared that she will be liaising closely with Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, as well as Kent County Council to secure the best deals for Thanet and Sandwich.



7. What About Thanet College?

Karen Evans of Thanet College Business Services, tel:  01843 605040, asked a question on this very subject. She wanted to know how Further Education was to be supported following the cuts in Train To Gain and the Future Jobs Fund. Regular readers will be aware that the promised funding of £78 million to relocate Thanet College to a new site was suddenly withdrawn in April last year.  Our research reveals that a written question was raised in parliament on 15th June 2010, i.e. just three days before the chamber breakfast meeting: “What  criteria will be applied to decide on provision of additional capital funding for further education colleges”, to which the BIS Minster of State, John Hayes, had replied,  “The Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 24 May announced that £50 million of Train to Gain funding would be reallocated to support a range of capital infrastructure projects prioritising those colleges who have not previously benefited significantly from previous further education capital investment.”. Laura was obviously well aware of this answer, which is not surprising as she was the MP who had written the question. John Hayes’s final words that “The Skills Funding Agency will be inviting colleges to apply shortly with a view to successful projects starting on site as soon as is practicable” suggest that Karen and her team will be warming up their word processors to be first in with a bid. The business networking breakfast finished with an enthusiastic round of applause for the star speaker and a reminder from the chamber Chief Executive of an upcoming visit to the House of Commons, a deadline for advertising in the 2011 chamber diary and mention of a chamber business group visiting Calais



8. Apprenticeships

One of the subjects that seems to unite all the parties in the House of Commons is the importance of apprenticeships. At a regional level, Kent County Council has given unstinting support to increasing the number available and is anxious to publicize the opportunities for Kent companies to participate in the various schemes. The latest information from KCC can be found by telephoning 0800 098 8825 where you will be encouraged to speak to a Kent Apprenticeships adviser who will assist you to find a suitable apprentice. Support is offered during the recruitment process and there are arrangements to find an appropriate training programme. If you prefer to communicate by email, try This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You might like to mention that you read abut the scheme in the Thanet & East Kent Insider.



9. Chamber Diary 2011

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber Diary 2011 promises to be the definitive business directory that will sit on the desk of company owners, buyers, elected representatives and persons of influence throughout next year. All Chamber members with paid up subscriptions on 15th July 2010 will be featured with basic contact details listed both in alphabetical order and in a classified section by sector. Advertising in this prestigious publication will provide a continuing reminder to potential customers of your presence in the local market. For details of how you can promote your company, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Chamber Diary 2011 Info” and we will respond promptly



10. House of Commons Visit

The Thanet & East Kent Chamber is arranging a visit to the House of Commons, provisionally scheduled for Tuesday 2 November 2010. The intention is to enjoy a guided tour by the appropriate Member of Parliament and to communicate the views of East Kent companies direct to those who are responsible for making many of the key decisions that regulate our business lives. Further information will follow in later editions of the bulletin.



11. Thanet Business Exhibition

As promised in last week’s edition, here is some news on other exhibitors. Jeremy Bailey of Auditel, Ramsgate offers companies the opportunity to examine what they pay to suppliers with a view to reducing costs and increasing margins. Jeremy’s services are free of charge and he provides a written report following a health check on your business. Give him a call, tel: 01843 588776 or 07990 561616. Carol Peters Travel is Thanet’s premier coach company offering a comprehensive range of excursions, tours and holidays as well as providing transport for corporate travel and theatre trips. This is a family company based in Manston Road, Ramsgate that values customer satisfaction and enjoyment above anything else. Even the company’s website offers visitors the opportunity to try their hand at “Games for a rainy day”. For information on Carol Peters Travel, telephone 01843 591007. Claridge Upholstery offers quality to last a lifetime. If you require a chesterfield sofa or simply an easy chair this specialist manufacturer can make one to your specification. Visitors to their stand at the Thanet Business Exhibition were treated to a photograph of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh sitting comfortably on a sofa made by Claridge Upholstery.  The company offers a combination of quality, price and celebrity endorsement that no chain store can match.  Give yourself a treat that your grandchildren will appreciate, eventually. For details, call 01843 290855. ID Matters is a group of companies that offers a rainbow of support in business planning, design, websites, photography, print and embroidery. For details, call Nigel Stevenson at Oast House Media, tel: 01843 369440 or Martin White at Empowered Business tel: 07768 267515. Thanet College prides itself on offering “a dedicated, flexible service to employers with training that can be individually tailored for your business needs.” Listening and responding is a key element in the portfolio of programmes available. Thanet College promises to provide “a flexible delivery model to suit employer’s business needs”. What more can you ask? Give Karen Evans and her team a call and hear how Thanet College can help you, tel: 01843 605036. Mark Hurdman, a partner at Levicks Accountants, was behind his company’s stand at the Thanet Business Exhibition to answer questions on tax, national insurance, pensions and a wide variety of financial needs. Offices in Broadstairs, Canterbury and Maidstone ensure that an expert chartered accountant is available to companies throughout East Kent. For details, call Mark at the Broadstairs office, tel: 01843 862716. Quex Park has often featured in these columns, sometimes for its world class collections at the Powell-Cotton Museum, sometimes for the products from its extensive agricultural and farming interests such as the recently launched Quex Rapeseed Oil, “Ideal for Roasting, Stir Fries, Marinades and Dressings” What is not in doubt is that enterprise is at the heart of this fast-moving business which Managing Director, Anthony Curwen, is transforming into a major force in the East Kent business community. For more information on how the 2,000 acres of Quex Park can be of use to you, click on the website at http://www.quexpark.co.uk and be surprised at what Jungle Jims, the Falconry Centre, Quex Foods, the Hannah Dining Suite and the many departments of Quex Park can supply.



12. Manston, Flybe & Banana

Our friends at Flybe have received a warm reception from companies following the introduction of daily low cost flights to Edinburgh from Kent International Airport from 27th May 2010. One Chamber member who recently returned from a two-day stay commented on how much easier and more convenient it is to check in at Manston. Whether his reason for visiting Edinburgh was purely for business or for purposes connected to the sampling of single malt whiskies is open to question. We have no reason to doubt his sobriety. We do wonder about his anecdote but we leave it to readers to judge for themselves. “As we took off from Edinburgh, I noticed that the man sitting on my right had a banana in his left ear. I said to him, ‘Excuse me, I hope you don’t mind me mentioning it but you have a banana in your ear’. He didn’t seem to notice and so I said again a little louder, ‘Hey, you’ve got a banana in your ear’. There was still no reaction. By now some other passengers were beginning to take an interest. Not wishing to be seen to be giving up easily, I breathed in deeply and shouted at the top of my voice, ‘Oi mate, you’ve got a banana in your ear’. There were vague stirrings from my neighbour. After a few seconds and with the whole of the cabin looking on in expectation, he turned around slowly with a benign smile on his face and said mildly, “I’m sorry, you’ll have to speak up. I’ve got a banana in my ear’”. 


 

13. Our Sponsors

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 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.

Your Business Bulletin from Thanet & East Kent Chamber

Thanet & East Kent Insider

12^th June 2010 Issue No.: 

1.Thanet Business Exhibition

The Thanet Business Exhibition took place yesterday at G Casino, Westwood Cross, Broadstairs. The event brought together some of the area’s most successful companies who are eager to continue their growth curve by accessing new markets and making contact with more buyers.



2. Supporting Local Business

This is the last call for delegates to attend the “Supporting Local Business” networking breakfast scheduled for Friday, 18th June 2010 at Pegwell Bay Hotel, near Ramsgate. The main speaker will be the newly elected MP for South Thanet and Sandwich, Laura Sandys. Booking is essential for this popular event. A full cooked breakfast will be provided with a vegetarian option. Cost: £12 for Chamber members, £15 for non-members. To reserve your place, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Supporting Local Business Breaklfast”. 



3. Health Matters

The king of merchandising at Thanet Business Exhibition was undoubtedly the Spencer Wing which offered visitors to its stand a wide variety of give-aways from boxed thermal mugs to the more traditional pens and rulers. The Spencer Wing takes its excellent reputation for preventative health screening very seriously. As at the previous day’s Business Exhibition organised by our sister Chamber in Dover, the Spencer Wing staff provided a free blood pressure check which attracted many clients eager to see whether too many corporate lunches and too few trips to the gym posed any immediate risk to their corporate selves. Respected by health professionals throughout Kent for its zero percentage MRSA record, the Spencer Wing offers employers a comprehensive range of health packages available on site or as a mobile service including pre-employment screening and tests for “busy executives”. The Spencer Wing is well aware of the need to look for “the silent killers such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and cancers.” As their useful pocket guide states, “Early detection and prevention is key to good health in our later years”. For more details on Thanet’s private hospital, telephone 01843 234555.



4. Legal Eagles Flying High

Legal services were very much to the fore throughout the Thanet Business Exhibition. Chamber sponsor Girlings Solicitors offered a jargon-free zone fully justifying their claim to be “approachable, friendly and easy to deal with”. From six offices across East Kent, Girlings provides an all-encompassing service with specialists available in almost every aspect of business transactions, private arrangements, charity dealings and legal issues with Europe. Wherever you are in East Kent, the chances are that there is a Girlings office near you. The company welcomes telephone enquiries to any of the following welcome desks; Margate 01843 220274; Ashford Bank Street, 01233 664711; Ashford Station Road 01233 664711; Canterbury 01227 768374; Folkestone 01303 850100 and Herne Bay 01227 367355. Added power from the legal profession was supplied by Boys & Maughan Solicitors and Notary Public. Established in Thanet for more than 200 years, Boys & Maughan promises, “From private individuals to businesses large and small: you will be treated with the same attention, expertise and respect”. Offices in Margate, Birchington, Broadstairs and Ramsgate ensure a strong local presence. Boys & Maughan keeps clients up to date with initiatives. Yesterday’s posting on the comapny’s website will strike a chord with anyone who has sent out an invoice and not received prompt payment. “As anyone who has ever tried to collect a debt knows, there is a big difference between obtaining judgment and obtaining payment.” Too true. The Margate HQ will be pleased to take your call, tel: 01843 234000.



5. A Very Broadstairs Coup

The Sarah Thorne Theatre Club was a most welcome exhibitor. Readers of the Thanet & East Kent Insider of 1st May this year may recall the item headed “Superstar Patronage” which stated that “Sarah Thorne Theatre Club in Broadstairs has announced its first patron. The gasp from the arts establishment can probably be heard in John O’Groats.” The superstar in question was Judi Dench, or to be more correct, Dame Judith Olivia Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA. We speculated at the time whether she had a mantelpiece big enough to display her awards which include ten BAFTAs, seven Laurence Olivier Awards, two Golden Globes, a Tony Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and an Oscar. Not a bad friend to have for an out-of-town theatre near Broadstairs. The problem is that after such an outstanding coup, how do you follow that? Sarah Thorne Theatre Club Director, Michael Wheatley-Ward, continues to surprise the arts establishment with news of an additional actor patron which he revealed from his stand at the Thanet Business Exhibition. The actor in question went to school in Birchington. He is the brother of a television news presenter on Five News. He won the Best Actor accolade at the 2008 International Emmy Awards in New York for his portrayal of Robert Maxwell in a 2007 BBC drama. He was previously much celebrated for his role as Edward Teller in the 1980 BBC-US TV serial about the H-Bomb called Oppenheimer. To paraphrase Rolf Harris, “Can you tell who it is yet?” His most famous role is as Agatha Christie’s detective, Hercule Poirot. The new patron is, of course, David Suchet, currently appearing in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons at the Apollo Theatre, London. David Suchet will be joined by Orlando Bloom next month in Canterbury Cathedral to receive an honorary degree from the University of Kent. Michael Wheatley-Ward will not be drawn on an appearance at his theatre by Judi Dench and David Suchet, but Kent theatre-goers can undoubtedly expect more surprises from this mercurial director who continues to fill his commercially operated theatre week after week at a time when heavily subsidized competitors struggle to attract an audience. In an age of public funding cuts, there must be a lesson to be learned from this.



6. Premier Frameworks

Last week’s edition of the Thanet & East Kent Insider highlighted the valuable contribution to our economy by people who make things. Manufacturing in Thanet employs less than 10% of the workforce [Nomis 2008] and yet this country has a genius for invention and a practical approach to engineering. Framework Displays is probably the only significant UK manufacturer of exhibition displays. From its base at Lakeside International Business Park at Hersden, the company supplies large displays for blue-chip clients such as Kimberley-Clark as well as offering local one-man bands products such as the Premier Mini Wing banners for desktop use. Portability is one of the key advantages of Premier Framework displays. It is amazing how even the large structures made for international exhibitions abroad can be dismantled, folded and rolled to fit in the back of a small hatchback. For a demonstration, give this ‘exhibitor for exhibitors’ a call, tel: 01227 710104.



7. Training

Gary Player’s much quoted aphorism, “The more I practise, the luckier I get’ has a lesson for all local companies who wish to ehnance the skills of their workforce in order to increase production and retain their best staff. Profile Development and Training takes this to heart with a focus on flexible, demand-led courses that are designed to meet the particular needs of companies. As an example, the iTQ levels 1 – 3 qualification aims to increase IT skills through an “individual, flexible, work-based training programme” that leads to full OCR IT User NVQ. If these abbreviations are unfamiliar to you, let Profile Development and Training explain what they mean. If you want to sound knowledgeable, ask how many UVs (unit values) it takes for a level 1 qualification. All will be revealed by telephoning 01843 609300. Maximus Employment & Training also provide help with upskilling your workforce. Based in Ramsgate, Maximus is part of a an active network in the UK, Australia, USA, Canada and Israel which describes itself as a “welfare to work provider”. The success of its operations derives from working closely with candidates before they are presented to employers and ensuring that both the candidate and the interviewer are fully briefed on what is required. Increasing use of 4-week work experience trials also reduces the risk for employers and increases the success rate of candidates. Maximus  offers a “100% free of charge service” which helps to explain the rapid expansion of the company in Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Even your call to enquire about the service is free. For details, telephone 0800 028 3037.



8. Other Exhibitors

News of Thanet Business Exhibition stands by Auditel, Carol Peters Travel, Claridge Upholstery, ID Matters, Levicks, Thanet Business Network, Thanet College and Quex Park follow in a later edition.



9. Luftwaffe, Thanet & Pickles

At the despatch box in the House of Commons on the 10th June 2010, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Rt Hon Eric Pickles, said that under the previous government “more damage was done to the housing industry than the Luftwaffe did”. Property professionals in the East Kent coastal business community know that commercial premises have suffered more than housing as a result of the Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007. The Thanet & East Kent Chamber has campaigned relentlessly against this pernicious legislation which was conceived at a time when the economy was in a far healthier state. The Act is a piece of London-centric legislation that took no account of  the needs and interests of investors in the East Kent commercial property infrastructure. Thanet District Council was the first district council in the UK to pass a motion calling for the Act to be removed from the statute book. The economic case for a full repeal was very much in the minds of the then Thanet MPs in 2008, Roger Gale and Stephen Ladyman, who both wholeheartedly supported this Chamber’s campaign. The winning candidate for South Thanet in last month’s general election, Laura Sandys, had already given her solid backing to local business in a two-page article in Property Week on 31st October 2008; a synopsis is available at http://www.bdonline.co.uk/empty-rates-hit-kent/3126444.article Tom Stokes is the Managing Director of the UK’s largest provider of new premises for Small and Medium Enterprises, Evans EasySpace.  In an exclusive interview with the Thanet & East Kent Insider on 26th November 2008, he said, “I urge the government to conduct a proper review that will throw up how much damage has been done to the property sector and the unintended consequences of the Act”. In a press release that followed the Pre-Budget Report of that month, this Chamber wrote, “the Act promises to achieve what the mighty Luftwaffe did not manage throughout WW11”. It is curious that Eric Pickles should use the same imagery. We can only assume that he is an avid reader of the Thanet & East Kent Insider. A copy of this week’s edition is on its way to him.  Let’s hope that the Empty Rates legislation is also on its way; the sooner, the better. 



10. The Longest Match

In last week’s edition, we took account of World Cup fever but asked readers to “spare a thought for the true supporters of local clubs in Sittingbourne, Maidstone, Folkestone, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Canterbury, Margate, Ramsgate and Deal.” These columns have occasionally featured issues surrounding Doncaster Rovers which at first sight have llittle relevance to the economy of East Kent but might be of interest to die-hard football fanatics or to those who struggle for an answer to that difficult question at the end of a pub quiz.  If you have ever found your patience severely tested or if you were obliged to watch yesterday’s tedious draw between France and Uruguay, which did not even feature a contentious hand-ball or a chest head butting, then spare a thought again for the Doncaster Rovers supporters at a Division Three North cup game against Stockport County in 1946. It remains the longest professional football match ever played. After 30 minutes of extra time, the teams were drawing at two goals each. The referee decided that the match should continue until one team scored. After three hours and twenty-three minutes of play, the gathering gloom plus steam from locomotives returning to the nearby engine sheds forced the referee to end the match with the scores still tied. Stories abounded at the time of spectators going home for tea and returning to watch the end. One contemporary report quotes a miner who claimed to have completed a shift and produced two tons of coal during the added time. Penalty shoot-outs have mercifully put paid to such prolongued games. Long suffering supporters have noticed that good judgement and Doncaster Rovers have not always been close friends. This is the team that rejected Kevin Keegan as being not good enough. He later became European footballer of the year not once, but twice. The club sacked Lawrie McMenemy as manager. Almost inevitably, McMenemy went on to win the FA Cup as manager of Southampton. You could almost make the case that being rejected by Doncaster Rovers is a guarantee of success. In an incident on 12 September 2006, the club mascot, Donny Dog, was refused entry to the stadium and told by the police ‘not to reappear within 50 metres of the stadium’. Perhaps there is a message for East Kent business in all this. Do not despair, if your early efforts are rejected; it can even work to your advantage. After all, it will be no surprise to the long-suffering fans of Doncaster Rovers if the next list of Nobel Prize winners features a certain Donny Dog.

11. Our Sponsors

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 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.