Member News

Additional investment in train cleaning

As part of our continued focus on providing a safe, clean and reliable service, we have announced further investment in train cleaning today. The key initiatives are as follows:

• We are recruiting 28 extra cleaning staff to our train presentation team, to further increase our cleaning regime, to help keep passengers safe and prevent the spread of the virus.
• Train cleaners can also now wear new cordless vacuum cleaners, designed like backpacks (see attached photo), which have been sourced so that they can nip onto trains between journeys and give floors and upholstery a thorough clean on an even more frequent basis. These new PacVac cleaners are very manoeuvrable so that cleaners can easily reach under seats, tables and luggage racks.
• We are also buying special testing equipment to carry out random hygiene tests on trains, which quickly detects if surfaces have been cleaned effectively or need additional cleaning. This will enable the cleaning team to make sure that existing cleaning regimes are working and alter them if tests show they are not effective enough.

These new initiatives add to the extensive range of additional cleaning initiatives we are already undertaking in the fight against Covid. We are in the process of cleaning every single carriage with fogging guns – which disinfect all surfaces, including seats, arm rests, grab handles and windows – to supplement the extra cleaning already being implemented in these high contact areas.  We’re also carrying out extra cleaning at stations, where the fogging guns come in handy for larger indoor areas, such as waiting rooms.

Travel update

We currently expect the timetable position to stay the same for the foreseeable future.  As previously highlighted, we are running a full service on most routes, except on the Norwich to London intercity services – where most services are still operating (with our new, longer, 12 carriage trains), and the Stansted Express, which is running every 30 minutes.  Where appropriate and practical we’ve been providing extra carriages or extra trains on coastal routes on the busiest days, whilst still encouraging customers to spread their journeys to quieter times, where possible.  We will keep on monitoring customer numbers on a daily basis, to see if any adjustments or alterations are necessary, and be ready to make changes if appropriate.

It is mandatory for customers to wear a face covering when using public transport, in stations as well as on trains, to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. Children under the age of 11 and people with a disability or medical condition which means they cannot wear a face covering are exempt from wearing them. Most people are complying with the requirements, but the British Transport Police do have the power to impose fines of £100 for non-compliance, if necessary.

It’s still important to observe social distancing. We’ve introduced a wide range of measures to make it easier for customers to do so at stations and on trains – including floor markings, one-way systems, new signs and queuing systems.

We’re welcoming customers for any journeys, so please take the train wherever convenient. As outlined, we are doing all we can to ensure rail travel is safe, reliable and straight forward.

Performance

Despite the ongoing heatwave, we’ve delivered another good week of performance, with punctuality at 93% across our network which, given we have experienced one of the most sustained periods of really hot weather ever seen in the UK, is a significant achievement.  This follows on from a fourth successive period of very good performance in July, with punctuality of 96.2% across our network.

New trains

It’s been another week of intensive testing for our new suburban trains, both on our network, primarily on the Southend Victoria line, and on the West Coast Main Line, where some additional testing is taking place to help us complete the commissioning and testing schedules as quickly and efficiently as possible.  Things continue to progress well and we are looking forward to bringing the first ones into passenger service later this year.

And finally…

There’s more station investment underway. We’ve started work on a project to increase car parking at Attleborough in Norfolk from 30 to 86 spaces, with 5 motor cycle spaces, 20 bicycle spaces, provision for electric car charging, LED lighting and CCTV. The £500,000 scheme follows on from investment in restoring the station building with support from the Railway Heritage Trust. The station is set to see more passengers following the introduction of new trains and the extension of many of the Norwich to Cambridge services, which serve Attleborough, through to Stansted Airport, over the past 12 months.

Thanks again to everyone across Greater Anglia for delivering a very good service to our customers and communities across East Anglia again this week, with valuable support from colleagues at Network Rail, Siemens, Stadler, Bombardier and our other rail industry partners.

Our thoughts are also with colleagues at Scotrail and Network Rail Scotland, after the tragic accident at Stonehaven.

Global markets push higher on growing signs of recovery

Global equity markets largely pushed higher this week on positive economic data. The Nasdaq hit a new record high, as did the gold price, while the S&P500 is now less than 1% below its February peak of 3386. Global purchasing managers’ indices, which are used as a way of measuring how businesses are performing, showed improvements in most regions suggesting we are on the road to recovery. 

Please here to read this week’s market summary in full.

Delia’s Canary Catering at Norwich City Football Club are delighted to confirm reopening plans for all conference and meeting spaces at Carrow Road from Thursday, October 1.

After a long period spent away from your team and colleagues, we are thrilled to be able to offer you the space to bring everyone back together for the first time.

We are so fortunate to have a wealth of space available, with 17 function rooms of varying sizes, and 41 executive boxes ideal for breakout sessions, small meetings, or even temporary office space.

Our unique venue means we have a suitable space for all requirements.

Across the stadium, we have four stands each with their own entrance which also allows us to offer you the opportunity to book a stand that is entirely self-contained, should you require it.

Following an investment in 2019, our rooms now feature state of the art technology to complement your meetings and ensure it is an interactive experience. This includes: HD projectors and screens, PA systems and microphones as well as the facilities for video conferencing, allowing us to host “hybrid” events.

We also must mention that under the Delia’s Canary Catering brand, all of our menus are created from Delia’s very own published recipes, and everything is freshly prepared in-house to ensure that dining at Carrow Road is not only a safe experience, but a truly memorable one.

The safety of our customer remains our number one priority, and as a result of government advice and guidance, we have put a number of procedures in place across our venue to ensure you are as safe as possible. For a detailed list of guidelines, click here.

We are really excited to be able to offer a really safe and unique environment for clients looking to hold corporate events such as training courses, meetings, away days, as well as private events such as family dinners, anniversary, wedding or birthday celebrations. 

To book, visit the Delia’s Canary Catering website or call 01603 218704.

Big C has launched an online physical activity and wellbeing intervention programme ‘Get Moving with Big C’ to enhance the wellbeing of cancer patients who are spending more time at home due to the pandemic. All participants will be screened prior to taking part in the sessions which will consist of safe, low intensity mobility and stretch exercises including gentle exercise and stretch, yoga with mindfulness and gentle Pilates. The programme is being delivered by Simon Gooch, Big C’s Health and Education Officer, who has completed a Level 4 Specialist Course in Cancer Rehabilitation Through Exercise Referral and specialist coaches. Patients will be offered 12 weeks of weekly sessions, as this is the recognised duration to implement behaviour change. Following this they will receive a ‘Keep Active’ newsletter with links to pre-recorded sessions, wellbeing information and news of opportunities for keeping active, such as Big C challenges. It is hoped that going forwards it will also be possible to offer occasional meet ups, where those that have completed the programme can get together and exercise, for example with a session of Tai Chi in a local park, or a walking group. Dr Melanie Pascale, Director of Operations at Big C, said, “A physical activity programme is something we have wanted to add to our portfolio of support for some time. Increasingly, research is showing the important role that physical movement can have, before, during and after cancer treatment, with strong evidence of it being safe and providing improved recovery and patient wellbeing. * “The Covid-19 pandemic has brought additional need due to the effects on the wellbeing of those cancer patients who have needed to shield or self-isolate for long periods. The launch of our online physical activity sessions and telephone support will help service users maintain physical and mental wellbeing as the pandemic continues, in a safe and supervised manner. Looking ahead, we can also see the benefit of online sessions for those that live rurally and find it more difficult to access Big C centres.” Simon Gooch, said, “We are really excited about launching our ‘Get Moving’ programme and we have already had a lot of interest from people who may usually visit our centres. Grateful thanks also to the Norfolk & Norwich Hospitals Charity for their financial contribution to the project.” To find about more about Get Moving with Big C, please visit https://support.big-c.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Get-Moving-with-Big-C_Info_Sheet.pdf Email physicalactivity@big-c.co.uk or call 0800 092 7640.

Luxury venue The Norfolk Mead is delighted to have picked up a coveted Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Hotel Award for 2020.

The Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice award places the Norfolk Broads National Park-based venue in the top 10% of Hotels worldwide.   Based on a full year of Tripadvisor reviews, prior to any changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic, award winners are known for consistently receiving great guest feedback.   The Norfolk Mead has nearly 1,400 reviews on the travel website which every year collates reviews, ratings and shares from travellers to highlight the finest places to stay around the world.    James Holliday, Owner of The Norfolk Mead commented: “We are very pleased to have received this award, which reflects the hard work our entire team put in to delivering a high-end experience for our guests across the Hotel, Restaurant and our spa Treatment Rooms. We consistently average a 5.0 ‘Excellent’ rating on Tripadvisor, reflecting the ratings our guests give us across our location, cleanliness, service and value. Knowing that the feedback comes directly from guests who have stayed with us means a lot and gives us a huge boost to keep doing what we are doing.”   “Winners of the 2020 Travelers’ Choice Awards should be proud of this distinguished recognition,” said Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor. “Although it’s been a challenging year for travel and hospitality, we want to celebrate our partners’ achievements. Award winners are beloved for their exceptional service and quality. Not only are these winners well deserving, they are also a great source of inspiration for travellers and diners as the world begins to venture out again.”   To see our guest reviews and popular features of The Norfolk Mead, visit our Hotel Tripadvisor page.   Recent reviews include:   Perfect “We have been here several times, for good reason. Post lockdown The Mead was better than ever. The food was faultless. Staff are genuine and attentive. Rooms, luxurious, homely and comfortable. They have hit the ground running and taken the Covid safety measures in their stride. We will be back (again…and, again….and…again!).”   Absolutely fantastic! “We had a lovely stay last weekend, felt thoroughly pampered and absolutely loved the food as always. Best steak and best scrambled eggs I have possibly ever had! Thanks for making our stay remarkable as always even in this tough time!”   Absolutely stunning and perfect in every way “We visited the Norfolk Mead a few years ago, and we always said we wanted to go back for another visit, and we finally managed to get back this weekend.  It was every bit as awesome as we remembered it from last time. The staff are super friendly and helpful, the hotel and grounds are immaculately presented, and everyone there is more than happy to help, we had a slight problem with the hot water in our room, and literally within minutes, we were whisked off to another room. It was dealt with in record time and it was not a problem to them at all. The hotel have all the necessary safety precautions in place, which has quickly become the norm for us all, but we felt very safe there indeed, and you could see that the safety precautions have been thought through to make it as comfortable for guests as possible, and as safe as possible for all.   We booked a suite which was large, clean and very, very comfortable. We got there quite early as we wanted to sit in their gardens and have a drink to set the mood, and the weather mostly behaved itself and we sipped our drinks while enjoying the peace and quiet. It was just what we needed.   The restaurant is really good too, great food and service, and very enjoyable indeed. After dinner drinks in their intimate bar to finish the evening off.Breakfast was just as good as we remember, great choices and delicious too. All too soon, the stay was over, but we will be back, and we will stay for longer. Just what you need to switch off from our current harsh reality!! Thank you all at the Norfolk Mead, see you soon.” G and C   Amazing from start to finish “My partner and I did an overnight stay. We couldn’t fault The Norfolk Mead, every member of staff was attentive, polite and made us feel extremely welcome! Probably the best service we have ever received. Everything was perfect from the cleanliness of the hotel, to the outstanding food, drinks and massage. It was a great escape from being mum and dad for a little while … just wish we stayed longer! We will be back to stay again! Thank you…during these current times The Norfolk Mead is doing a fantastic job to keep you safe but relaxed at the same time!”

Located in Hosham St. Faith, The Black Swan is just over six miles from the centre of Norwich and just a few minutes from the NDR. With ample off road parking and a full a la carte menu (also available for takeaway), coupled with ‘Cask Marque’ real ales, The Black Swan is the perfect retreat for couples and families to eat, drink and relax.

The Black Swan is part of the eat out to help out scheme whereby every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday throughout August you can take advantage of a 50% discount on all food and non-alcoholic drinks (maximum £10 per diner). With no voucher required, no limit on how many times you come, no reservation necessary and no limit on your spend, why not treat yourself, your loved ones and your family to a long overdue trip out to the spacious and welcoming atmosphere at The Black Swan.

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

In this week’s Impromptu Business Chat, Mark and James reflect on the importance of trust between leaders and their teams. Using the co-founder of Netflix, Feargal Sharkey, and Mark’s fashion sense, they come up with 3 great ideas to help build greater trust.

You can listen here, and catch up on all episodes in the series here. 

You can also listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts! 

South Norfolk Council still has government grant funding available to help qualifying local businesses who have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants are available to businesses that have not previously received COVID related grant funding, and the Council is keen to hear from you if support would help at this critical time. The scheme presents a number of support opportunities to help many of the businesses that are important to the local economy in South Norfolk. South Norfolk Council Cabinet member Lisa Neal said: “Supporting the local economy is a priority for the Council and it’s important that people get the help that they need. If you’re running a business in South Norfolk please go onto our website to see if you meet the criteria. Your business may be eligible for a grant.” Some of the businesses that may receive funding are:

• Construction and associated industries
• Manufacturing operations
• Businesses reliant on providing services to premises in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors
• Small businesses working from a shared space in business rated premises
• Businesses classified as being in the Professional, Scientific & Technical Services” sector – e.g. law, accountancy, architecture, research, vets, photography, advertising, quantity surveying etc
• Market traders

Applicants for the grant will need to check their eligibility against the criteria set out on the Council’s website. Businesses will be required to provide evidence to support their application and demonstrate a reduction in income due to the impact of Coronavirus.

Visit www.south-norfolk.gov.uk email businesssupport@s-norfolk.gov.uk or call 0300 790 6290

Global share markets were mixed last week, with China outperforming the rest of the world as its economic recovery continues. US indices were flat or marginally up thanks to some extraordinary results from the US tech giants, but equities in the UK and Europe have fallen on poor economic data, rising coronavirus cases and a “wall of worry” about theeconomic outlook later this year. 

Bond yields broadly fell again with yields on US Treasuries hitting record lows, while gold and silver prices rose as investors looked for safe havens. Meanwhile, the US dollar suffered its worst month in 10 years against a basket of currencies. 

Please here to read this week’s market summary in full.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council is making a final call to any eligible local businesses which haven’t yet claimed their Covid-19 Government Business Rates Grant, as the scheme is due to close on Friday, August 28.

Since March 2020, the council has encouraged eligible businesses to complete the simple online form as swiftly as possible in order to get their grants, with just over £30m so far paid out to assist 2,722 businesses in the borough.

With the Government closing its scheme on Friday, August 28, the council is making a final call for completed forms from businesses which might be eligible for either:

• A Small Business Rate Relief Grant of £10,000
• A Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant of either £10,000 or £25,000, dependent on rateable value.

For the link to the online form, information and support about the grants, eligibility criteria and further business advice:

CLICK HERE

Under the Government’s rules, the claim must come from the ratepayer, and they must have been trading on March 11, 2020 to be eligible.

A business may be eligible if they are in receipt of small business rates relief, or have a rateable value under £51,000 and their business is within the retail, hospitality or leisure trade. Even if a company’s liability is already covered through small business rate relief, they may still be eligible for a grant. 

Hatch Brenner Solicitors is supporting Norwich Theatre as they prepare to launch INTERLUDE – their six-week programme of live performances in Chapelfield Gardens in association with Lost in Translation Circus.

Between 10 August and 20 September 2020, a big top will descend upon Norwich, and present live performance including comedians Jimmy Car, Arabella Weir and Karl Minns, plus circus performances from Lost in Translation Circus, and music from Joe Ringer Band.

Dawn Parkes, Hatch Brenner Managing Partner commented: “We would like to applaud Norwich Theatre on their launch of this fantastic initiative. The arts sector has been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and the loss of live performance whilst the city’s venues remain closed continues to be a huge blow to the entire county.

“The innovation and collaboration demonstrated by the launch of INTERLUDE is just fantastic and proves there are options allowing businesses to continue within the new normal, Covid-secure guidelines. Chapelfield Gardens is set to come alive during the six weeks of INTERLUDE, and we cannot wait to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the performances. Having worked closely with our neighbours at the Theatre for many years, we are very proud and pleased to continue to support their important work.”

Stephen Crocker, Chief Executive of Norwich Theatre said: “We are enormously grateful to our neighbours and long-standing supporters Hatch Brenner Solicitors for coming on board to support INTERLUDE and standing by us whilst our doors sadly remain closed. If the past few months have taught us one thing then it is the importance of community spirit and civic pride. This is what INTERLUDE encapsulates and what has always underpinned the long and successful partnership between Norwich Theatre and Hatch Brenner Solicitors.”

All tickets will be available online at norwichtheatre.org or via Norwich Theatre Box Office on 01603 630 000.

More people in East Anglia say losing their broadband for a day is more frustrating than their fridge, boiler or car breaking down, new research by Essex-based County Broadband shows.

When asked which of a list of incidents would be most inconvenient, some 9% of those surveyed in the East of England said their broadband going down would be the most inconvenient over a 24-hour period, compared to 8% for the fridge not working, 5% for the loss of central heating, and 3% for the car failing to start, according to the survey*.

The loss of electricity (76%) was the most common inconvenience for those surveyed in the East of England.

It comes after the coronavirus lockdown highlighted the importance of fast, reliable broadband with the region attempting to work from home, carry out school remotely, or simply keep in touch with loved ones during the pandemic.

Lloyd Felton, CEO of County Broadband, based in Aldham near Colchester, said: “The fact that fridges, central heating and cars – food, warmth and travel – have been overtaken by simply staying online suggests how our primeval instincts might be rapidly changing in the 21st century, and no doubt exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“From Zoom conferences and virtual work events, to 4K streaming and video gaming at home, we are not surprised by these findings which reveal just how vital fast and reliable broadband have become in our daily lives.

“These changing modern habits are set against the lockdown exposing East Anglia’s rural poor digital infrastructure and urgent need for new Hyperfast full-fibre networks.

“We’re playing our role in making our region a true flagbearer for world-class digital infrastructure by rolling out Hyperfast full-fibre broadband. We’ve catapulted thousands of residents and businesses overnight into the UK’s top 10% for digital connectivity and look forward to welcoming many thousands more to our growing network this year.”

Meanwhile, the study revealed 59% of those surveyed in East Anglia are often left frustrated by poor internet. Some 28% said they need better broadband now, with the figure rising to 67% predicting it will need to be better by 2023.

County Broadband’s Hyperfast full-fibre network is being built in over 50 rural and remote villages in Essex, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, with plans to connect 20,000 premises by Christmas 2020 following a £46 million private investment from Aviva Investors.

Speeds up to 1,000 Mbps are available – 18 times faster than the UK average and 10 times faster than copper-based superfast broadband that dates back to the Victorian period.

Residents and businesses can visit www.countybroadband.co.uk and enter their postcode to see if the network is available in their area.