Leathes Prior is pleased to announce that we are sponsoring the Pedal Norfolk Cycling Festival, taking place at Holkham Hall on May 4th, 5th and 6th. Although centered around cycling this festival is being designed to attract all the family with activities and entertainment for a fun day out.
For more information please see:
As a leading full-suite property specialist, offering valuation, survey, lettings and property management services across the nation, we are excited to announce the acquisition of Westley & Huff, a well-respected brand known for top valuation and survey expertise based in Cambridge.
This strategic acquisition allows us to build upon our position in the Cambridgeshire residential and commercial property market and strengthens our offerings to a broad client and customer base across the nation.
Ray Smith, FRICS – Chief Executive Officer at Watsons Property Group Ltd commented:
Westley & Huff is renowned for reliable property valuations and expert witness services, alongside building surveys and consultancy in East Anglia. We’re confident this acquisition will be seamless for both our customers and Westley & Huff, merging the strengths of two accredited, and award‑winning RICS‑registered valuer practices with Watsons, established in 1890, and Westley & Huff, established in 1952.
Paul Muscutt BSc (Est. Man) MRICS – Chief Executive Officer at Westley & Huff added:
Together, Watsons and Westley & Huff will continue to deliver trusted, independent valuation and surveying services backed by decades of combined expertise. By uniting our knowledge, talent and regional insight, we remain committed to providing clarity and confidence for homeowners, investors, and property professionals nationwide.
If you have any questions about this acquisition or would like to discuss how our enhanced services can support your property needs, please get in touch. We’re here to help.
Email: survey@watsons-property.co.uk
Call: 0333 220 1234
This will be the 11th year of the annual Business Continuity Seminar run by Normit.
Presenters will share their experiences and practical case studies that can help Norfolk business owners improve their Business Continuity Management arrangements.
The seminar will be beneficial for any type or size of organisation. This is an ideal opportunity to find out more about Business Continuity, pick up some useful information and best practice in this area and use it to enhance the resilience of organisations in Norfolk. There will also be an opportunity to network and share your experiences with peers.
NORMIT Members are entitled to one free place, with additional places and non-NORMIT Members at £25.
Gary Doulas-Beet of the Business Shaper Group will be one of the keynote speakers at this event, bringing his experience of working as a management consultant with the UK’s fastest growing disaster recovery company, Tempest Restoration.
This event takes place at the Abbey Conference Centre, Norwich, NR1 2DD, on Wednesday 1st May 2013, starting at 10am and finishing at 4pm.
April is Autism awareness month 🦋.
To celebrate this and to support our Charity of The Year Thrive Autism our Pastry Chef Rebecca has created a Butterfly Afternoon Tea.
£2 of every Butterfly Afternoon Tea during April will be donated to Thrive Autism. If you are looking for a special treat this month please come and support this Autism awareness month with us, we’d love to see you!
Tom Bailey, a Barrister from Steeles Law’s dispute resolution team, will be joining the ranks of local competitors in this year’s London Marathon. The Marathon itself needs no introduction. On 21 April 2013 at 9.30am, 35,000 runners will begin a 26 mile course around the River Thames. Like thousands of other runners, who have together raised over £500 million for good causes since the race began in 1981, Tom will be competing in the Marathon in support of his chosen charity – Shelter (www.shelter.org.uk).
Tom has been involved with Shelter in a professional capacity in the past, working on pro bono cases in order to assist people who were either at risk of homelessness, actually homeless or in crisis need. The charity’s mission is to alleviate the distress caused by homelessness and bad housing. In its most direct form, this is by way of free advice and representation to those most in need.
Commenting on Shelter, Tom said: “I believe very passionately that the work they do is vital, particularly in difficult economic times and given the ever deepening cuts to legal aid, they provide a truly vital service to those in real need.”
At the time of writing, Tom was at 94% of his fundraising target (£1,700). Donations of any amount to help Tom reach his goal would be gratefully received, and can be made online at: https://www.justgiving.com/Tom-Bailey5.
We are proud to announce that Watsons has been awarded the respected title of Chartered Surveyor of the Year 2025 at the National LIS Awards in London. Being honored with this national award recognises our ongoing commitment to delivering tailored advice, technical expertise, and reports to the highest of standards to landlords, investors, and homeowners across the nation.
Celebrating excellence in Valuation & Survey
The National LIS Awards is organised by the founders of The National Landlord Investment Show, which is aimed at giving landlords and investors the education and information needed to start, grow, and retain property portfolios in an ever-changing market. The National LIS Awards have been created to celebrate the leaders and top talent of property services and the private rented sector. To be acknowledged at this level is an incredibly proud moment for Watsons, reflecting the dedication and expertise offered by our Chartered Surveyors.
At Watsons, our Survey & Valuation team collaborate closely with our Property Managers to ensure local landlords, investors, and homeowners can expect the best service possible.
What sets Watsons apart as national Chartered Surveyors includes:
Trusted for over a century: Founded in 1890, Watsons has a longstanding reputation for delivering reliable and accurate property services. Our heritage reflects sustained commitment to professional integrity, exceptional standards, and the delivery of tailored advice to our clients.
In-depth local knowledge: Our surveyors bring valuable first-hand knowledge of the communities in which they serve, with many having lived locally for decades. This regional insight allows us to conduct precise property inspections, with the valuable context of market awareness and region-specific trends.
Thorough and clear reporting: Our comprehensive reports are written in plain English, highlighting essential findings and enabling you to make informed decisions quickly and confidently. We also provide photographic evidence within our RICS Level 3 Homebuyer Survey and Bespoke Surveys, with additional Camera Pole and Drone imagery available.
Swift turnaround times: We recognise the importance of timely reporting within property transactions. Our processes are designed to ensure surveys and valuations are completed and returned promptly while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy.
National reach, local insight: With surveyors based across the UK, we combine national coverage with on-the-ground local expertise to deliver accurate, context-aware inspections to landlords, investors, homeowners, and more.
Winning Chartered Surveyor of the Year 2025 is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our entire team. This fantastic achievement reflects our commitment to professional standards as a full-suite property specialist and providing exceptional service to our clients, always striving for excellence in every aspect of what we do.
A commitment to our clients
Receiving this award reinforces our mission to remain a trusted partner for landlords, investors, developers, and beyond. Our survey and valuation expertise helps landlords and investors identify risks early, maintain compliance and safeguard the performance of their property portfolios. Landlords can also rely on Watsons to manage their properties with the highest levels of efficiency and care, while tenants receive a professional and responsive service that meets their needs, by collaborating with our Property Management team.
Conclusion
We are grateful to the National LIS Awards (The National Landlord Investment Show) for this incredible honour, to our team for their outstanding commitment, and to our clients for their continued confidence in the service we provide.
Together, we look forward to another successful year of delivering outstanding property services across the nation in 2026.
Our property specialists are here to support you through the property buying and selling journey, whilst enhancing and protecting your property investments.
Get in touch today to discover more about our award-winning property services.
Customer Service Team
18 Meridian Way, Meridian Business Park, Norwich, NR7 0TA
📞 Phone: 0333 220 1234
✉️ Email: survey@watsons-property.co.uk
Despite, or perhaps in response to our troubled times, employees and firms alike agree that dressing smartly is important at work. In a survey carried out by specialist recruitment company, Pure Resourcing Solutions, over 90% of candidates thought it important to dress smartly at interview and employers agreed.
Some of us will spend up to £300 on new clothes, or even ‘as much as it takes’ to get that job. And it wasn’t just the women who would dig deep. Three quarters of employers said that it is important for men to wear a tie, at interview, although a look around a modern office suggests that this is becoming a rarity for day to day work wear.
Even after that job has been landed, over half of workers felt that dressing smartly impacted positively on their work performance. Many of us have ‘dress down’ days at work, but of those that don’t, most people said they didn’t see the attraction, preferring to stay smart to be most effective. There certainly seem to be huge differences in what is acceptable depending on which sector you work in. For example, many R&D and Technology companies have a much more relaxed dress code, where the ‘norm’ is to wear casual clothes unless you are meeting external customers.
Bridget McIntyre of style consultants Dream On comments: “It’s good to see that people recognise the power of how clothes can affect performance and attitude. Clothing should highlight our best features, and that then makes us feel more confident.” “But”, warns Bridget: “Don’t just make an effort for the interview – carry it through for the day to day job.”
Gill Buchanan, Director of Pure Resourcing Solutions comments: “People clearly see it as an investment to spend a bit extra on interview clothes, and it is an investment in the future, affecting how we carry ourselves, how confident we feel and ultimately, how well we perform.”
Pure Resourcing Solutions carries out regular surveys into employment issues across the East Anglia region. Copies of the full survey findings are available from Anna Hill, Marketing Manager at the company.
Accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO LLP, has today announced that its merger with PKF (UK) LLP has completed. From today, the firm will operate as one, under the BDO brand and as part of BDO’s international network, the largest global accountancy organisation aimed at the mid-market, with revenues of over $6bn operating in 138 countries worldwide.
The firm has also announced its senior management team, including the partner responsible for Great Yarmouth and the 140 people working for clients across East Anglia via its former three PKF offices. Marilyn Martin will be heading up the Great Yarmouth Ipswich and Norwich offices from completion, leading business growth across East Anglia.
The firm also has a strong presence in the region across a further three BDO offices in Hatfield, Chelmsford and Cambridge.
Marilyn Martin, Lead Partner for BDO LLP in Great Yarmouth, said: “The announcement demonstrates both firms’ on-going commitment to East Anglia and local businesses in Great Yarmouth. The merger will provide broader and deeper expertise and international reach for many clients on a local basis, but will also allow staff to gain broader experience from working in an enlarged firm. My focus from today is on ensuring a smooth integration of the two firms and continuing delivery of exceptional service to all clients.”
Commenting on the merger, Simon Michaels, Managing Partner of BDO LLP, said: “It’s time for people to think again about BDO. The merger has transformed our market presence overnight. Senior leadership is a critical factor in making the merger a success but I know this team is the right mix to build on our ambitions still further and respond quickly to the domestic and international environment. We also remain focused on delivering exceptional service to our clients and creating the right environment for our people to develop and grow.”
About BDO LLP, the merged firm • 3,500 people, including 300 partners • Revenues approaching £400m • 24 office locations across London, South East, Southern, South West & Wales, East Anglia, Eastern, West Midlands, East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber, North West and Scotland • Mid-market sector leadership in almost all areas, including retail, natural resources, TMT and financial services • Leading adviser for AIM businesses • Within a $6bn global network, providing much-needed, greater choice in the market for larger businesses • A place where talented people can develop their careers and contribute to building the business
Week 8 from behind the scenes of the furniture. An elegant piece for a unique taste
Breaking News from a very proud Black Shuck Distillery
Black Shuck Distillery has earned the prestigious “VisitEngland” Quality Assured Visitor Attraction accreditation. The recognition places the distillery tour among the top visitor attractions in the country.
The 15 year old, family run distillery which moved to new premises in 2025 scored 96% in its first VisitEngland Quality Assured Visitor Attraction assessment, reflecting a strong foundation of operational excellence and visitor satisfaction.
These are just a few of the remarks the assessor wrote in the report.
· The tour experience at Black Shuck Distillery is outstanding. The tour experience is outstanding and memorable, clearly setting itself apart from many distillery tours currently on offer.
· Lasting over two hours, the tour offers excellent value for money and combines generous tastings, insight into the distillation process, and engaging access to the working distillery.
· The journey of Black Shuck from producing spirits for family and friends to the successful business seen today is fascinating, authentic, and delivered with genuine passion
· Engaging anecdotes, local folklore, and thoughtful explanations of flavour development ensure the experience feels personal and memorable.
· The warmth of the welcome, the depth of storytelling, and the quality of the experience ensure visitors leave feeling they have received far more than expected.
VisitEngland, the national tourism agency, plays a critical role in promoting England’s attractions and ensuring visitors enjoy a consistently high standard of service and experience. The Quality Rose Marque, which Black Shuck Distillery now boasts, is a symbol of excellence that visitors can trust.
At Black Shuck we are absolutely thrilled to be recognised in this way and we look forward to sharing the Legend of Black Shuck to even more visitors in 2026.
SAVE THE DATE : We look forward to celebrating our first anniversary and a hat trick of awards on April 10th between 2.30pm and 5.30pm. Invitations to follow.
Black Shuck Distillery, Sloe Barns, Hindolveston, NR20 5BP
Award : VisitEngland Quality Assured Visitor Attraction.
For Immediate Release…
Media Contact: Marketing +44 (0) 1603 420 650marketing@norwichinternational.comwww.norwichinternational.com
NORWICH, Thursday 11th April 2013 – Job boost at Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport is looking forward to a bumper summer in 2013, with a number of new routes launching in the next few weeks.
In preparation for the start of the summer season, over 20 new jobs have been created. The new staff will work in a number of passenger focussed areas around the airport. Their roles include working on the apron during aircraft turnaround, in the terminal on check in and customer care duties, in security and in the catering concessions.
Gary Blake, Customer Services Manager said: “We are delighted to be creating jobs in advance of our busy summer season. All of our new staff will be fully trained to ensure that the passenger’s journey through the airport is a pleasurable experience.”
Andrew Bell, CEO of Norwich International said: “Our staff work extremely hard to maintain high levels of service with the aim of being the airport of choice for friendliness and great customer service.”
Sarah Jones looks forward to looking after your corporate acccommodation and event requirements here at The Brook Hotel.
Sarah joined the hotel on Monday 8th April to help bring the hotel forward and make sure you are all thinking of the Brook Hotel for all of your accommodation and event requirements in the future.
If you would like any details or would like to speak to Sarah why not contact her today by email to sales@brookhotel.co.uk or on 07436162697.
Gareth Stone also joined the Hotel 6 months ago as General Manager, Gareth has already made lots of changes to bring the hotel standards to a high level and our event suites and bedrooms up too… Gareth looks forward to meeting you next time you use the hotel!
