Our popular party nights featuring Delia’s Traditional Christmas recipes are back for 2023, bringing you all together for the festive period. With stunning views over the floodlit pitch, the evening includes a welcome glass of prosecco on arrival, a 3-course dinner followed by coffee with homemade chocolates and mince pies. Then dancing til the early hours to our resident DJ. Tickets are priced at £49.50. These events are over 18’s only. Find out more here
These special themed days are hosted throughout 2023 by Delia and Chef Alex Mackay. Your day includes coffee and cake on arrival, followed by a live cookery demonstration from Alex. This is followed by a three-course lunch and a tutored wine tasting with our wine expert Jason Banner from Peter Graham Wines. Delia and Alex will be happy to sign books, both old and new. Delia, Alex and other specialists will also take part in a Q&A session and after that tea is served and there will be a goody bag to take home as a memento of your day. Our Food and Wine workshops are the perfect gift for anyone who loves food and wine and would like to learn more. Find out more here
You are invited to the world premiere of the anticipated blockbuster ‘Never Mind The Danger’ hosted at Carrow Road, October 28. After being invited to the illustrious premiere of new action thriller ‘Never Mind the Danger’ your seemingly elegant and prestigious red-carpet evening is thrown into chaos as it soon becomes evident that bitter rivalries within the industry are at work to derail the cinematic masterpiece and eliminate the star-studded cast. Old lies, new truths, foul play and a killer on the loose, can you help decide Whodunnit? The action starts the second you walk through the door. So have your detective senses on red alert and try to take in as much information as possible. Find out more here
These special themed days are hosted throughout 2023 by Delia and Chef Alex Mackay. Your day includes coffee and cake on arrival, followed by a live cookery demonstration from Alex. This is followed by a three-course lunch and a tutored wine tasting with our wine expert Jason Banner from Peter Graham Wines. Delia and Alex will be happy to sign books, both old and new. Delia, Alex and other specialists will also take part in a Q&A session and after that tea is served and there will be a goody bag to take home as a memento of your day. Our Food and Wine workshops are the perfect gift for anyone who loves food and wine and would like to learn more. Find out more here
A young student, from East Anglian accountancy firm, Larking Gowen, has won the prize for the highest mark in the CPI (Certificate of Proficiency in Insolvency) exam in England and Wales. Charlie Moss, who started his insolvency career in July 2020, joined Larking Gowen directly after his A-levels. “Taking the CPI exam was the natural progression in my career. It’s a well-regarded qualification and I thought it would expand my technical knowledge,” explained Charlie, whose study regime involved going back through five years’ worth of past exam questions. Learning the theory and making sure you practise how to apply it is Charlie’s single piece of advice for those considering the CPI exam. “There’s no point having knowledge/theory if you don’t know how to apply it,” he said. Andrew Kelsall, Larking Gowen partner, and one of the lead partners in the firm’s insolvency and recovery team, is full of praise for Charlie and his achievement. “Charlie is a young man with plenty of life experience. He’s an integral part of our great insolvency team at Larking Gowen. We’re delighted for him with his CPI result which is very well deserved, and we look forward to supporting him as he develops his career with us,” said Andrew. What’s next for Charlie? He says, “I have nothing planned but JIEB (Joint Insolvency Examination Board) will be on the horizon one day. Here at Larking Gowen, one of the partners, Lee Green, was a JIEB prize winner, so that’s a lot of pressure to deliver!”
Greater Anglia is showing its support for World Suicide Prevention Day, on September 10, by training more staff in suicide prevention and reintroducing Rail Pastors to the network, to help keep people safe on the railway. Already, Greater Anglia staff have helped to save almost 50 lives so far this year. Figures show that from 1 January to 31 August Greater Anglia staff have staged 48 interventions where they have helped vulnerable or distressed people at stations across the network. A total of 475 staff – more than 15% of the Greater Anglia workforce – have completed Samaritans’ managing suicidal contacts course, which is a one-day course tailored specifically to people working within the rail industry. It focuses on the benefits of a short conversation with someone who may be experiencing suicidal feelings and the techniques required to sensitively support that person and help begin their recovery. These emotional ‘first aid skills’ are also beneficial when responding to family and friends who may visit the location following a loved one’s death and when supporting a colleague affected by trauma. They are also valuable in our personal lives, listening to friends or family in need. The aim is to continue to increase the number of staff who have completed the course. Georgia Payne, Greater Anglia’s Safeguarding and Trespass Prevention Lead, said: “We work in partnership with Samaritans, British Transport Police and Network Rail to prevent suicides on the railway. For every life lost, six are saved and we’re very proud of our colleagues who have carried out interventions. “We are doing everything we can to keep people safe while using our rail network. More staff than ever before have completed Samaritans’ managing suicidal contacts course, which helps train rail staff to approach vulnerable or distressed people.” Rail Pastors are back patrolling the network from Shenfield to Southend Victoria, Shenfield to Colchester Town and Harlow Town to Cambridge after an absence of nearly three years due to the pandemic. Rail pastors, who returned to the network in June, patrol throughout the day and into the evening, visiting stations and boarding trains and helping anyone who is vulnerable, distressed, or in need of some assistance. Anyone who needs to talk can call Samaritans on 116 123.
Above: Screen shot showing the virtual tour of a Greater Anglia Intercity train (Norwich – London mainline). Credit: Greater Anglia Train operator, Greater Anglia, has launched online virtual tours for its entire new train fleet to help people travel with confidence. A first for the rail industry, the virtual train tours have been designed for all of Greater Anglia’s new train types to support journey planning, give customers a clearer picture of what they can expect on board and reduce anxiety about travelling. They are particularly aimed at helping disabled customers who are wanting to check how accessible their journey is. Virtual tours are available for Greater Anglia’s entire fleet of new trains and are available at https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/your-journey/virtual-tours on any device. Using the virtual train tours, people can find out where the toilets, accessible spaces and cycle spaces are located and ‘walk through’ the train using the navigation tools. Detailed 360-degree photography has been used to map each of Greater Anglia’s new train types, capturing all public areas, which people can navigate virtually. Members of Greater Anglia’s Accessibility Panel, a group of disabled customers who meet regularly with the train company, offered feedback during the development of the project and have been supportive of it. The web-based online virtual tour offers the option to navigate through the trains and an interactive map to see the entire train layout with ‘hot spot’ links to specific areas of the train. The technology was provided by The Virtual Tour Experts and the tours software has been designed to be accessible. It features an accessibility widget that enables the user to change to high contrast, large font size or audio transcribe. Future developments will look at incorporating British Sign Language videos as part of Greater Anglia’s commitment to improving customer information. Greater Anglia’s Accessibility and Inclusion Manager, James Bonehill, said, “In addition to our virtual station tours, I am delighted that the project has been extended to cover all types of new trains now running on our network. “This will greatly assist customers with their journey planning and reduce the anxiety about whether the station or train would create any accessibility barriers so that people can travel with confidence. “We are committed to making rail more accessible and providing quality information to enable more informed journey planning.” Neil Henderson, Managing Director of Virtual Tour Experts, said, “We’ve really enjoyed working on this project to create a number of industry firsts. The world of VR is developing fast but until now that development has not given due consideration to online accessibility. “This tour is the World’s first to incorporate an accessibility widget, guided tours, subtitled scene guides and there is much more to come. The user-first attitude of the team at Greater Anglia provided the perfect base for development and will ensure the platform continues to evolve.” 360-degree virtual tours are also available for 14 of Greater Anglia’s busiest stations – Bishop’s Stortford, Broxbourne, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ely, Harlow Town, Ingatestone, Ipswich, Manningtree, Norwich, Shenfield, Southend Victoria and Stansted Airport.
What a year we are having here at Byra; fresh from winning our second award of 2023, we are so grateful to be recognised for the success of our digital marketing endeavours. But, more important to us is the success we create for the Norfolk businesses we partner with. We proudly announce that we won Norfolk’s Best Small Digital Agency Award at the Southern Enterprise Awards 2023. Amidst the intensive competition, we were chosen as the winners by the panel at the Southern Enterprise Awards. But why did we win the award?
“Byra has delivered consistently high-quality digital initiatives for several Norfolk businesses in 2023. They have made a tremendously positive impact, reflected in their client retention rates, business growth and verified reviews.” Southern Enterprise Awards 2023
Best Start-Up Marketing Agency 2023 – East Anglia Here is another award we are very proud of winning earlier in 2023. The Secret to Our Success as a Multi Award Winning Digital Marketing Agency in Norfolk At the heart of Byra Marketing’s continued success is a blend of innovation, creativity, and an unyielding commitment to excellence. Our journey from humble beginnings to becoming a multi-award-winning agency showcases a few key factors that have propelled us forward: Strategic Vision Byra Marketing’s success story demonstrates the importance of having a clear and forward-thinking vision. Our ability to anticipate market trends and adapt strategies has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in our continued growth and success. Client-Centric Approach The hallmark of an exceptional digital agency is its dedication to understanding and fulfilling client needs. Byra Marketing’s emphasis on building strong client relationships and delivering tailored solutions has been a driving force behind increasing revenue for our Norfolk business clients. Team of Digital Marketing Experts Behind every successful agency is a team of skilled professionals. Our team of experts, each with unique skills, have collectively contributed to our innovative campaigns and groundbreaking strategies. Innovation and Adaptability Byra Marketing’s knack for staying ahead of the curve and embracing new technologies has set us apart from the competition. We meticulously track the results of our digital marketing campaigns and tailor them to deliver growth for our clients. Elevate Your Norfolk Business with Byra Marketing: Unleash Digital Success Look no further than Byra Marketing. Our award-winning expertise can revolutionise your online presence, from strategic campaigns tailored to Norfolk’s unique market to innovative solutions that captivate your audience. Let us help you with your digital marketing while you focus on your business. Contact us today
A considerable number of students have embarked on their journey in the professional accountancy training programme at East Anglian firm, Larking Gowen. Joining the firm on Monday, 4 September, the new intake is testimony to the firm’s commitment to nurturing future talent.
The thirty-four students include school leavers, university graduates and placement students, who will be working across the firm’s offices in Norfolk, Suffolk and north Essex. They will be working towards a variety of accountancy, taxation and other specialist qualifications.
Julie Grimmer, the Managing Partner at Larking Gowen, expressed her enthusiasm for this remarkable event, stating, “The 4 September holds special significance for me, as it marks 39 years since I joined the firm as a trainee. The landscape of training and accountancy has undoubtedly evolved significantly since then. We are immensely proud to offer an exemplary training programme for our students, and I extend a heartfelt welcome to our latest cohort of trainees.”
Julie added, “Our training programmes are not just about passing exams. Our employment proposition is a commitment to career-long training and development, offering a wide range of experience in the business. They will be supported and mentored by experienced professionals who will be looking out for them every step of the way.”
She continued, “Much like my own personal journey within the firm, I aspire to see our current group of trainees to forge long-lasting careers at Larking Gowen.
It’s been just over three years since Complete Commercial Finance, led by directors Karl Lanham and Michael Moore, opened its doors to help businesses across East Anglia secure finance. In that time, there has been an almost unprecedented period of disruption, initially working through the pandemic, followed closely by Brexit and the spiralling cost of fuel, energy, staffing and, most recently, interest rates. In July, the Government launched a cross-party inquiry into the challenges faced by small firms when seeking finance, examining regulation, innovation in business finance and how the government can potentially improve access. With the spotlight firmly on their sector, Karl and Michael reflect upon the inquiry and their experience of supporting SMEs over the past three years.
BARRIERS TO ACCESSING BUSINESS FINANCE
Working with clients across Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Suffolk and Essex, Complete Commercial Finance’s teams have seen first-hand how the economic climate has increased pressure on smaller firms looking for finance. “From the feedback we get from customers, banks are geared up to deal with larger SMEs in terms of providing a personal point of contact and some expertise behind that,” explains Karl.
“I think smaller companies tend to access finance via a manufacturer of whatever they need to buy for their business, be it a machine or vehicle, or through an intermediary such as ourselves. Few have much of a relationship with a bank manager anymore and the main barrier in accessing finance is simply finding a point of contact and actually speaking to somebody. Most micro or small businesses don’t know where to start or who to contact.”
“Another barrier is that customers don’t realise how many funders are out there,” adds Michael. “In some areas it’s got better, with organisations such as Funding Circle providing unsecured lending, but with commercial mortgages, development and asset finance, there are hundreds of lenders that companies are unaware of. Typically, a business owner will approach a bank for a loan and if they are turned down they think it’s a dead end and give up. Often they don’t know about working with a broker and, unless a professional adviser such as an accountant or solicitor points them towards us, they don’t explore an alternative solution.”
“We were talking to a customer recently who was looking at various options, one of which was going into insolvency. He said he’d spoken to an insolvency practitioner, but he didn’t know them or have a lot of faith in the advice they had given. I asked where he’d got their details and he said he’d Googled them. It’s a decent sized business which has previously turned over £10-15m. In the past, if you were in trouble you’d speak to your bank manager who would be aware of the situation and offer advice. Now customers are just picking a name off a Google search and I think that highlights that increasingly people are having to figure it out by themselves.”
THE LONG-TERM EFFECT OF COVID ON BUSINESS
One area which the inquiry will examine is the impact of the Covid Bounceback Loan Scheme (BBLS), followed by the Recovery Loan Scheme, on SME finance. While broadly welcomed by many companies as the UK went into a series of lockdowns which prevented them from operating, the long-term effect of the schemes has hampered growth for some. “The BBLS had an immediate impact as customers could borrow up to £50,000 fairly quickly and easily, and sensible businesses used this to replace asset or cashflow finance,” explains Karl. “We saw a drop in business of those kind of products for around 12 months, but once businesses started trading again, this reverted back to normal.”
“One thing many people probably were unaware of at the time was the impact that this borrowing would have on their future plans,” adds Michael. “The BBLS was designed to get companies through the pandemic, but its something banks now take into consideration when a firm is looking for funding. I think it’s a bit of a double-edged sword – it was helpful at a certain stage, but it’s now become a hindrance for those applying for a commercial mortgage who are being held back by their monthly £800 BBLS repayment. With rising interest rates, you probably need around £1,500 of available cash each month to arrange longer term debt.
“Even if a bank offers lending, it may insist that the BBLS is repaid which was borrowed at 2.5%,” says Karl, “and with mortgage rates topping 8%, you may end up refinancing cheaper debt at a higher interest rate.”
WILL REGULATION HELP BUSINESSES ACCESS FUNDING?
The inquiry will also examine whether increased regulation of the finance sector might help SMEs, considering the role of the Lending Standards Board, Financial Ombudsman Service, Business Banking Resolution Service, and whether SMEs should have the same level of protection as retail consumers. The Basel framework, developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) provides a set of banking standards and a proposed Basel 3.1 may further limit SME access to finance.
“With Basel, the banks retain a percentage of all lending as a contingency during a financial crisis,” says Karl, “but because SMEs are considered a higher risk, under the Basel framework, banks have to put more money aside to cover bad debts. With Basel 3.1, they are talking about removing specific extra SME support, which means for high street banks it will become more expensive to lend to a small business. As a consequence, banks will naturally shift their lending to larger businesses and companies under £10m turnover could become a cinderella market.
“On the point of whether SMEs should have the same level of consumer protection and deposit insurance as retail customers, this could significantly impact the market. When changes to the Consumer Credit Act came into force, the number of lenders in the market shrank. It sounds like a good idea to give smaller business more protection, but it could end up reducing choice and increasing costs.”
BUILDING A MODERN COMMERCIAL FINANCE BROKERAGE
No-one could have predicted the events of the past three years, but Complete Commercial Finance has helped many businesses to navigate these with a supportive ear and solid advice. “When we started the business, nobody had heard of Covid,” says Karl. “Brexit had happened, but nobody understood the impact. We had Liz Trust and Kwasi Kwarteng drop a hand grenade on the economy and interest rates have spiralled to 5.25 per cent, compared with 0.1 previously. We’ve had a war in mainland Europe – who saw that coming? Nobody knows what the future holds, but the thing that is consistent in successful businesses is that they always build in a contingency, finance themselves properly and keep cash available to trade through these situations. Businesses that do things on a whim, they’re at the mercy of events and finance, used effectively, can help many to create stability when navigating events outside of their control.”
“The service we offer has little to do with lending,” says Michael. “Our customers work with us because they get the best advice and have honest conversations around planning and structure, and I think that’s what has served us best through all of those events. At the start of Covid, we gave free advice and helped people deal with their banks. The vast majority of our clients have remained with us since and the advice we give, whether it’s directly or via their accountant or finance director, is what makes them want to continue to work with us.
“A lot of brokers fear regulation, but as long as you’re doing the right thing you have nothing to worry about and the guys who have joined us over the past three years are like-minded in this approach. We’ve always tried to create a company and brand that people, and the professional market, recognise. I genuinely want to be people’s first, second choice, so if someone has been to their bank and they have said no, come to us. We want to become as crucial to our clients’ businesses as their accountant.”
“I totally agree,” echoes Karl. “In fact I prefer it when customers have been to their bank first, because it means they have usually had bad customer service, received no help and realise that we provide a great service with good advice and support when they need it most. All of the team who have joined Complete Commercial Finance are a reflection of the culture that we have as a business and of us as people as well, and we’re looking forward to building on this for the future.”
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We are very much at a point where environmental concerns are at the forefront of most discussions in business, making conscious efforts to reduce our ecological footprint is crucial. Businesses, both large and small, have a responsibility to adopt sustainable practices that not only benefit the planet but also contribute positively to their brand image. One impactful way to do so is by making your business stationery printing more environmentally friendly. Why not opt for Recycled Paper? Choosing recycled paper for your business stationery is a great step towards reducing the demand for virgin materials and decreasing the strain on forests. Recycled paper options are widely available and come in varying levels of post-consumer waste content. Look for paper with high post-consumer recycled content to maximise your eco-friendly efforts. Minimise Bleaching Processes The bleaching of paper involves the use of chlorine or chlorine compounds, which can result in the release of harmful chemicals into the environment. Opt for papers that have been processed using chlorine-free bleaching methods, such as elemental chlorine-free (ECF) or totally chlorine-free (TCF) processes. Practice Efficient Design Design your stationery items thoughtfully to minimise waste. This includes optimising the layout to fit more pieces on a single sheet of paper, thus reducing the overall paper consumption. Additionally, choose fonts and sizes that are easy to read, as this can prevent the need for reprints due to readability issues. Another option is simple, minimalist designs which often require fewer resources and inks to produce. Additionally, they can lend an elegant and timeless look to your stationery, which can be beneficial for your brand’s image. Speak to your graphic designer to see how they can help. Bulk Printing Printing in bulk can reduce the energy and resources required for multiple print runs. By printing larger quantities at once, you not only minimise the environmental impact but also save on printing costs in the long run. Partner with Eco-Friendly Printers Collaborate with printing companies that prioritise sustainability in their operations. Many printers have adopted green practices such as using renewable energy, eco-friendly inks, specialist seeded paper and recycling programs. Research and choose a printing partner that aligns with your environmental values. Offer Reusable Options Consider creating business stationery items that serve a dual purpose. For example, you could design notepads with detachable sheets, allowing clients to reuse the base pad even after the initial pages are exhausted. Another eco-friendly option is to use specialist seeded paper, which is a great option for flyers and business cards to be used to grow wildflowers after their use. Making your business stationery printing more environmentally friendly is not just an ethical choice but also a strategic one. By adopting these eco-conscious practices, you contribute to preserving natural resources, reducing waste, and showcasing your commitment to a sustainable future. As the business landscape evolves, integrating sustainability into every aspect of your operations, including stationery printing, can position your brand as a responsible leader in your industry.