Commenting on the opening of the Olympic Games and their potential impact on British business, John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
“The London 2012 Olympics is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the best of Britain and make it clear to visitors and spectators from across the globe that we are ready to trade the world.
“We believe the Olympics will provide a timely confidence boost for businesses, particularly in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, and for the UK economy as a whole. The “feel-good factor” surrounding the Games is especially critical in the wake of the very poor GDP statistics released earlier in the week.
“The relaxation of Sunday trading laws will help many businesses reap the benefits from the influx of tourists. This eight week period will serve as a useful trial to provide evidence as to whether the relaxation of Sunday trading rules on a permanent basis would provide a boost to the economy in the long term.
“However, we cannot be complacent and assume that the Olympics will be positive for all companies. There is a chance that productivity could suffer as a result of congested transport networks, staffing disruptions, plus delays and cancellations to key deliveries. Olympic organisers and government ministers must stay in close contact with business to minimise disruptions, and ensure that the Games are more of a help than a hindrance to the UK economy.
“Finally, we also must ensure that we present the best possible face to our guests, particularly at our airports. We need to be ready to welcome travellers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to demonstrate that our doors are truly open to tourism, investment and trade. Border delays put our reputation and future prosperity at risk.”
The Tour de France victory by Bradley Wiggins may have lifted spirits but, according to the fifth DHL/BCC Trade Confidence Index, that looks like the only encouragement exporters will get from the continent in the near future.
Produced by the leading logistics company and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), the Index is recognised as a measure of the UK’s exporting health. The latest edition reveals however that expectations for a “super summer” have been overshadowed by the Euro-zone crisis and concerns around currency fluctuations.
The report, which draws on a survey of over 1000 exporters and an analysis of export documentation (required of all companies exporting goods outside the EU) found 40% of firms stating that exchange rates were a concern.
A net balance of just +21% of firms felt profitability would increase in the coming 12 months, down from +30% the previous quarter, with falling profitability expectations across all firm sizes.
These results were in spite of the expectations of a summer of celebrations and high hopes for the economic impact of the Olympics and other events on exporters.
They are in stark contrast to research conducted in 2010 by DHL, which found that 56% of businesses anticipated that the focus on London over this period will create greater global demand for British goods.
Phil Couchman, CEO of DHL Express UK and Ireland said he remained confident that this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, putting British businesses firmly in the spotlight, could still present a fantastic opportunity to make inroads internationally.
He highlighted the fact that the Index showed an increase in the number of firms reporting an increase in export orders, up from +39% in the first quarter (Q1) to +49% in Q2.
“To sustain momentum,” he concluded, “businesses large and small should start thinking now about how best to serve this international audience once the events are over, by initiating an export programme for their goods and services to reach that target market.”
Cross County Networking, No Borders Networking Event with Norfolk Chambers of Commerce & Lincolnshire Chambers of Commerce
Business doesn’t recognise borders, especially since virtual working, so why should we?
Joining forces with neighbouring Chamber, Lincolnshire Chambers of Commerce, this structured networking session is designed to forge new business relationships across county boundaries and maximise your opportunity to build your network.
The event will take the following format;
A quick introduction from the Chamber teams
Attendees will join a breakout room for 15 minutes where each person gets 30-60 seconds to speak to the breakout room.
Come back to the main session where we will draw a business to talk about their business to all attendees at the event
Head back out into breakout rooms for more networking, then back to the main room
After the final speed networking session come back together for the final session.
Please note places are limited and available for Chamber members only.
Who’s it for?
Business owners, managers, entrepreneurs, start-ups, young businesses and anyone who wants to connect and engage with other businesses in the Norfolk and Lincolnshire area.
Due to this event being for members only, it has been set-up for manual approval, so event details will be received shortly after registering rather than immediately.
Norfolk Chambers of Commerce are handling the registrations and data for this event.
This week, I was privileged to attend the Broadland and South Norfolk Business Awards with some of my valued team members, as Big C had been named as a finalist in the Employer of the Year category.
As I sat there listening to stories of local success and endeavour, in such challenging times for many, I was struck by a sense of our Norfolk community and how together we are stronger. It’s not often I feel the need to quote a philosopher, but an expression attributed to Aristotle seemed apt “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
I would like to congratulate all the winners and finalists at this year’s Broadland and South Norfolk Business Awards and applaud the organisers for staging an event which demonstrated such diversity, energy, commitment and determination to establish a sustainable economy for our county. We didn’t win our category, but we were in esteemed company, alongside a world-famous organisation in the winner, Lotus, still firmly based in Norfolk and trade technology distributor and loyal Big C supporter, Midwich.
Such resolve made me reflect on our purpose at Big C to provide continuous and sustainable, ‘support for all’ whether that is meeting face to face with families facing the toughest of times, developing new cancer support services, or investing in world-class cancer research on our doorstep. I’m very mindful of the need to always reinforce that anyone affected by cancer can access Big C’s tailored, holistic support to achieve best outcomes and enhance wellbeing.
Our services are free to everyone, whether that is someone with a cancer diagnosis, their family or loved ones. Or their employer. Managing cancer in the workplace can be sensitive and challenging. We are here to help.
Our portfolio of services includes emotional and practical support, professional counselling, complementary treatments, nutrition programmes, bereavement support and welfare advice in partnership with Citizens’ Advice to help with the financial cost of cancer. We can also provide help for business owners or directors.
Big C’s free support can be accessed in several ways. Visit one of our Cancer Support Centres in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, King’s Lynn, Wells or Thetford, or call our free telephone support line on 0800 092 7640 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm). Alternatively email our friendly team on support@big-c.co.uk.
The developer behind Norfolk’s largest green energy projects hopes a deal with a local port would trigger major investment from the offshore wind power supply chain, potentially creating thousands of new jobs in the region.
As both approach a final commercial agreement that will cement a 25-year minimum residence in the port, both say today that an investment by Vattenfall to locate there could trigger major investment by the supply chain in Norfolk.
“We are making substantial progress with Peel Ports on an agreement to locate our operations base at the Great Yarmouth facility. If we build both wind farms, we expect to employ up to 150 skilled, local technicians to maintain our projects for a minimum of 25-years. But what we think is really exciting is that we know that a potential multi-billion-pound investment in our wind farms would encourage the supply chain to cluster around us and other operators off East Anglia.
“So, we want to work with other economic interests like EEEGR and Norfolk Chamber of Commerce to capture that benefit for the area and establish Norfolk as a world leading hub for offshore wind power.”
He added: “And it’s not only coastal communities that will benefit. We are also proposing significant investment in onshore infrastructure. The construction works alone would lead to securing 300-400 jobs in the region.”
Commenting on the negotiations, Neil Orford, President of Great Yarmouth Chamber Council said:
“Norfolk Chamber has been working closely with Vattenfall to ensure that the local supply chain opportunities are clearly visible to the local business community. A deal between Vattenfall and Peel Ports would signify their commitment and belief in Great Yarmouth as a key offshore energy hub.”
Richard Goffin, Port Director Peel Ports Great Yarmouth, said:
“Vattenfall’s intent to locate their operations base at Great Yarmouth is testament to the Port’s influential position in the wider offshore energy arena, which is complemented by a supportive County and Borough Council. This agreement will leverage Great Yarmouth’s position as the East of England’s most successful offshore energy hub and attract further investment in the existing world-class supply chain, bringing a host of employment and economic growth opportunities to the region.”
Both Vattenfall and Peel Ports expect to finalise their agreement by summer 2018
#SmartCities – what are they, where are they and how is technology shaping them?
We’re delighted to welcome three excellent speakers to this event, who are all experts in the field of sustainable urban development:
• James Cornford,Senior Lecturer at the UEA, specialising in organisational behaviour and urban development. • Mikele Brack,Founder and CEO of City Impact Challenge and an experienced sustainability consultant. • Michael Mulquin,Global Smart Cities Standards Expert,specialises in helping cities use technology to work better.
We will invite questions from the audience,for the panel to discuss after the talks. We will then finish with an hour of socialising over a glass of wine, kindly sponsored by theEconomic Development Team atNorwich City Council. There will also be the opportunity to try some delicious canapés prepared by The Feed, a social enterprise, and sponsored by Virgin Media Business.
Today (Tuesday 08 May 2018) Norfolk County Council launches a public consultation on whether there is a need to tackle transport issues to the west of Norwich. When it announced plans to build the Norwich Northern Distributor Road (A1270) north and east of the city, many people wanted the council to fill in what they saw as a ‘missing link’ between the Fakenham Road (A1067) and the A47. Now that the Broadland Northway is open and showing that it can reduce journey times, the Council is beginning the process of considering whether transport improvements are needed to the west of the city. While building a new road between the end of the Broadland Northway (at Fakenham Road) and the A47 is one potential option, the consultation asks people to identify any options which they believe could tackle transport issues in the area. These include improving public transport and improving existing routes as well as an option to do nothing.
Commenting on the importance of the consultation, Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber said:
“The successful delivery of the Broadland Northway is a clear signal that Norfolk is embracing growth and development in order to create the jobs and houses that our region needs and has been strongly welcomed by the Norfolk business community. However to maximise the potential for this region – the missing link from the A1067 to the A47 needs to be completed as soon as possible.
“The Norwich Western Link will further help to improve journeys into and around the west of the city, support potential housing and jobs growth; provide the infrastructure to manage the additional traffic this will create, and improve quality of life for people living in the area.
Martin Wilby, Chairman of the Council’s Environment, Development and Transport Committee, said:
“The Broadland Northway is already helping to make journeys quicker for thousands of people every day, which is fantastic.
“We have had lots of informal feedback, this is the first time we have carried out a public consultation about transport issues in this area and what, if anything, people think we should do about them. It’s absolutely vital people take this opportunity to tell us about their experiences and opinions on transport to the west of Norwich so we can use this to help us come up with the best possible solution.”
The consultation will be open for eight weeks from Tuesday 08 May 2018. During this time, people will be able to respond to the consultation online at www.norfolk.gov.uk/nwl or in person at nine staffed consultation events. The details of these are as follows:
• Ringland Village Hall, Thursday 10 May • Hockering Village Hall , Thursday 17 May • Hall for all, Weston Longville, Tuesday 22 May • Easton Village Hall, Thursday 31 May • Taverham Village Hall , Tuesday 5 June • The Forum, Norwich, Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 June • Costessey Community Centre, Monday 18 June • Hellesdon Parish Office, Tuesday 26 June All the consultation events will run between 10.30am and 8pm with the exception of the event at Taverham Village Hall which will finish at 7pm. The consultation will close at midnight at Tuesday, 3 July. The council will analyse the responses over the summer and let people know the results later this year and what, if anything, it proposes to do to tackle any of the transport issues identified.
Love wine and good food ? We have some lovely wine evenings planneed over the next few months. A taste of Paris Wednesday 9th September served with Roux brother inspired menu and some of the best wines from France Tickets £37.50pp to included a three course supper all wines and coffee .
UK GDP growth slows to six-year low as construction output falls and services output weakens.
UK real wage growth returns to positive territory as inflation continues to slow.
While US GDP growth slows in Q1, IMF upgrades its global GDP growth forecast expectations.
The UK economy grew by 0.1% in Q1 2018, the slowest rate of growth since Q4 2012 and slower than the growth of 0.4% recorded in Q4. In annual terms, the UK economy grew by 1.2% in Q1, down from the growth of 1.4% recorded in Q4. Overall, the first estimate of UK GDP for Q1 2018 supports our view that growth in the UK economy is becoming more subdued.
Pay growth is now outpacing price growth for the first time since early 2017. However, while the end of squeeze on real wage growth is an important moment, maintaining positive real wage growth could prove challenging without sustained increases in productivity and relieving the high upfront costs which restrict pay increases.
The first estimate of US GDP revealed that the US economy, the world’s largest, grew at an annualised rate of 2.3% in Q1 2018, the slowest rate of growth since Q1 2017 and lower than the growth of 2.9% recorded in the previous quarter. The slowdown was largely driven by consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of US economic output, growing by 1.1% in Q1, a sharp slowdown from the 4% increase in Q4 2017.
HRH The Prince of Wales’ Business Emergency Recovery Group is seeking 12 SMEs to join a workshop on the 1st October. The workshop will take place from 07:30 – 9:00 at Aviva, Norwich (address details to be provided to participating delegates). Breakfast will be provided.
Purpose: The purpose of the workshop is to understand what SMEs would like to help them prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies or crisis, such as flooding, extreme weather, cyber attacks and pandemic flu.
SMEs that have been both affected and non-affected by emergencies are welcome to join the session. We would like to learn about how businesses currently prepare for emergencies, understand the experiences of those affected by past events, and to share resilience resources being developed by BERG.
Why join?
It will help us identify gaps in current support, build the case for further support and ultimately provide tools to lessen the impact of emergencies on SMEs and the communities in which they rely on and operate within.
It will provide the opportunity for those businesses involved to be the first to test and take advantage of new tools and resources being developed by BERG.
RSVP: If you are an SME interested in attending or know a business who should, please send details by 18th September to Teresa Cannon, Emergency Planning Manager at Norwich City Council, (teresacannon@norwich.gov.uk) who will co-ordinate responses locally. If you would like any additional information, please contact Hannah Noble at Hannah.noble@bitc.org.uk