Business in East Anglia

Monday 27th June 2022

Work starts on region's largest hq-style building at University of Essex

Work has got underway started on a new £10.7m office development for SMEs on the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus which is the largest headquarters-style office currently under construction in the Eastern region. The new Grade A building at the Parkside Office Village on the Knowledge Gateway research and technology park at the university involves almost 42,000 sq ft of new space and will be ready for occupation in 2023. The new building will provide opportunities for businesses to move to the campus and take advantage of links to the university’s researchers, graduate and ...

Business activity slows but firms remain upbeat

The growth in private business activity in the region slowed to a five month low in May but firms still saw a moderate rise in new orders and many remain upbeat on the outlook for the next 12 months, according to a key survey of purchasing managers.

The NatWest East of England PMI business activity index fell from 57.1 in April to 51.7 in May; the second month running the growth rate has slowed. Although confidence weakened as economic concerns mount, a future activity index for the region covering the next 12 months registered well over 60 (where 50 denotes growth).

Firms linked optimis...

Foreign direct investment in the region proves ‘resilient’ over the pandemic

The East of England secured 40 foreign direct investment projects last year, the same number as the pre-pandemic level of 2019 but below the total of 54 attracted to the region in 2020. The key sectors for inward investment across the region were agri-food (seven projects), health, life sciences and social work (seven) and transportation manufacturers and suppliers (seven).

The digital sector, which was the leading sector for investment into the East in three of the last five years, had only six projects in 2021, down from 12 in 2020. But the 40 projects secured in the East was well abov...

Gt Yarmouth set for £15 million investment in fast broadband

Digital infrastructure group CityFibre is set to invest £15m in a new full-fibre network in Great Yarmouth which it says will bring fast and reliable internet services within reach of nearly every home and business in the Norfolk seaside town. Construction on the town’s full fibre network - which carries data at light speed - will begin this winter and will give users speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps for upload and download, near limitless bandwidth and connectivity. CityFibre area manager Charles Kitchin said: “The next chapter in Great Yarmouth’s story starts here. Our builders will...

Food group plans UK’s largest ‘vertical farm’ in Newmarket

Plans have been unveiled to build the UK’s largest indoor ‘vertical farm’ on a disused warehouse site in Newmarket which will be able to grow up to 415 tonnes of food for local people annually. Construction on a first phase involving up to 6,400 sq of growing area in nine-metre-high growth towers will start later this year. A second phase of the private and publicly funded scheme is planned to increase capacity to 13,000 sq m and production to over 1,000 tonnes of crops pa. Food producer OneFarm will work with indoor agritech specialist, IGS as well as Suffolk County Council an...

Firms urged to watch for signs of distress as corporate insolvencies double

Directors of the region’s businesses need to be alert to signs of financial distress after the number of firms going into insolvency across the country doubled in Apr...

Property & Construction

Thriving tech sector drives record investment in Cambridge office and lab market

Investment in the Cambridge office and laboratory property market reached a record of over £1 billion last year - more than seven times the five-year average - drive...

Technology

Suffolk-based cloud telephony company acquired

X-on, a cloud telephony company founded in a Suffolk barn 20 years ago which has grown to a £10 million turnover business with 70 staff in Woodbridge, has been acquire...

Regional Economic News

Region’s major cities fare well in index of ‘economic wellbeing’

Norwich, Luton, Ipswich and Cambridge have been ranked among the top 20 best performing cities in the annual Demos-PwC Good Growth for Cities Index . Norwich ranked sixth of...

Finance/Legal/Deals

Surge in equity investment into region’s smaller businesses as VC deals increase

Small businesses in the East of England have seen a surge in equity investment over the past year as the number of deals has increased and the region has attracted a gr...

Transport

EV charging points installed at Bury superstore

Glasswells Home Furnishing Superstore in Bury St Edmunds has unveiled four newly-installed electric vehicle charging points at its site on Newmarket Road. They form par...

New Media, Marketing & Advertising

Agency lands new renewables contracts

Communications agency Pier has won two new renewables sector appointments; for an autonomous wind turbine inspections firm, Perceptual Robotics and the East of England...

Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality

Busy times at Ipswich Marina as leisure boaters return to the water

Associated British Ports has seen strong growth in the number of leisure boats using its Ipswich Marina and the outlook is buoyant for 2022. Leisure craft use at ABP’...

Other news . . .

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Business Profiles

PEM Corporate Finance LLP

Our team of corporate finance specialists works closely with business owners, helping them maximise value and achieve their financial and commercial objectives. We work with owner managed businesses across a range of sectors in Cambridge and the surrounding counties on: company disposal corporate acquisition MBO and MBI succession planning raising debt and equity finance business valuation For more information about our services please visit www.pemcf.com. A specialist team with extensive resources With over 75 years' combined experience delivering transactions,...

Greene & Greene

Greene & Greene is a long established firm of solicitors based in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk and is recognised by independent legal directories as one of the best law firms in East Anglia. The firm advises individuals and businesses based all over the UK and has been growing steadily year on year since the 1990s. Many clients, who were previously using firms in London, have transferred their business to Greene & Greene after realising the improved cost efficiency and personal service on offer. Many existing clients have remained loyal to the firm over several decades, which is testament...

Barclays

At Barclays, we are fully committed to supporting our clients, in particular, helping them to fulfil their growth potential. In this Brexit era many businesses will be reassessing their plans for growth and may need to re-plan or increase the resilience of their finances. It's in times like these when strong banks should stand tall and help ensure the stability in our economy by continuing our commitment to lend – and that is exactly what Barclays is doing. We continue to enjoy working with existing and new clients and aim to ensure they are at the heart of everything we do....

Prettys Solicitors

Prettys Solicitors is one of the Eastern region's leading law firms with extensive experience in providing legal services and advising on law for businesses, public sector, social enterprises and individuals. Our firm offers trusted legal assistance across East Anglia, London, the UK and overseas. Our client service is second to none and we draw on our legal expertise to deliver great results and peace of mind on every occasion. Providing expert advice in every area Our business clients benefit from exceptional legal advice on corporate and commercial law, employment law, health and care, commercial property, dispute resolution, transport and logistics, tech and retail....

Penn Commercial

Since its launch 12 years ago, Penn Commercial has grown to become one of the most respected commercial property agents in the east of England. The team of six, which is based in Fox's Marina, offers a wide ranging and award winning service to clients in a variety of sectors. The team is made up of negotiators, property managers and administrators and supported by consultants providing additional specialist services. Managing director, Vanessa Penn, said: "One of our key strengths is that we have a finger on the pulse of what is going on locally. We know where the demand is and how to...

Jaynic

Property developer Jaynic concentrates its development activities throughout East Anglia with a focus on the A14 between Cambridge and Felixstowe with 7.39m sq ft of warehouse and business space under development or in the pipeline. In a joint venture with Mid-Suffolk Council it has just won planning consent for 2.45m sq ft of business, high-tech and warehouse space at the Gateway 14 site adjacent to Junction 50 of the A14 at Stowmarket. This site was further buoyed earlier in the year by the Government’s decision to award it freeport status and there is already strong interest from both business...

Ingleton Wood

Ingleton Wood is one of the leading multi-disciplinary property and construction consultancies in the East of England. An award-winning Practice, that provides architecture, building surveying, civil and structural engineering, building services engineering, project management, quantity surveying, planning, interior design, CDM and health & safety and sustainability services. What we do Working across both the public and private sector, Ingleton Wood deliver functional, high quality building solutions where the work is tailored to meet our clients’ individual needs and aspirations. With offices in London, Colchester, Cambridge, Norwich and Billericay, we cover the entire Eastern region and beyond, delivering projects in a number of...

Scrutton Bland

Scrutton Bland is a leading provider of financial services to both business and private clients. From our offices in Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, we have been providing tax, accountancy, insurance and independent financial planning advice to clients throughout the UK for over one hundred years. With so many specialists working together, we can deliver a broad range of professional advisory services to our clients, but our approach is more than that. Our philosophy is simple: we believe in delivering clear, jargon-free advice and in finding effective solutions for our clients. Jason Fayers Managing Partner Tel: 0330 058 6559 Email: hello@scruttonbland.co.uk Web: www.scruttonbland.co.uk...

Larking Gowen

At Larking Gowen, we’re here for the long term. Whether you’re a large organisation or an individual, we take the time to get to know you, your business and your goals. We forge long-term relationships, often through generations of families, so we’ll deliver timely advice whenever you or your business needs it. We'll work with you as your business grows, helping you make the right decisions along the way. Our values are about service and commitment, both to our clients and our people. We build strong, dedicated teams that share knowledge and expertise for the benefit of all our clients, delivering a friendly one-to-one...

Sackers Waste and Recycling

Sackers started as a traditional scrap merchant in the 1920’s. In today’s offering we’ve expanded to commercial waste disposal solutions and skip hire. With more and more pressure on businesses to take ownership of their environmental impact, we are offering a free waste audit to Suffolk businesses to identify where they can improve efficiencies, improve recycling ability, reduce carbon footprint and reduce vehicle movement. More often than not we can reduce costs too and we aim to reduce vehicle disturbance on your premises and ensure as much is recycled as possible. Our own business goal is to recycle over 90% of what...

Rogers & Norton

Rogers & Norton is an established and successful law firm based in Norfolk, with offices in Norwich and Attleborough and meeting facilities in London, as it expands its services and client base. We offer a specialist range of legal services to both businesses and individuals and are committed to offering excellent service to all our clients. It is important to us that we ensure that all legal matters are dealt with the personal attention to detail and efficiency that they deserve. We use our proven, specialist expertise in all areas of the law to achieve the best possible outcomes. Rogers and Norton...

Thompson Smith and Puxon

The firm: Thompson Smith and Puxon can trace its roots back to 1879 and has since grown to be one of the leading law firms in Essex, with 12 partners, some 70 employees, and offices in Colchester and Clacton. It offers a range of legal advice to businesses and individual clients. Its specialist practice areas, with accredited lawyers and attentive support staff, ensure clients receive the most professional and practical advice available. Business services team: TSP looks after the business issues that matter to its clients whether they are large or small. The corporate and commercial team includes a number of...

Fisher Jones Greenwood

FJG is the Essex law firm with deep-rooted ethical values and cast-iron integrity, committed to providing expert legal advice and exceptional client service. FJG’s ethos is to work hard every day to make FJG the preferred choice for anyone requiring legal advice from a law firm with a conscience. Respected by clients and peers alike, FJG are committed to giving back to the locality in which we work, truly wanting to make a difference for you, your business and our shared communities. Together, our employees are driven by a desire to build a law firm for future generations where clients continue...

Forward Corporate Finance

Based in Bishop’s Stortford, we are a small team providing independent, tailored corporate finance services to our clients in East Anglia. At Forward, we help owners and managers of businesses to plan for and achieve their goals. Whether that is a business sale, structuring and completing a management buy-out or making a strategic acquisition, we are committed to delivering success for our clients. We are with you from the start to completion, ensuring your transaction is properly planned and efficiently executed. Planning, thinking and moving you FORWARD. Please visit us at www.forwardcf.co.uk How can we help? We focus only on transactions, helping business...

Meet Cambridge

Meet Cambridge is the official conference and events bureau for venues at the University of Cambridge, the Colleges, hotels and other unique properties in and around the city. With a choice of over 50 spaces in and around Cambridge, from ancient Tudor College halls to contemporary lecture theatres, the Meet Cambridge portfolio has a venue for every type of event and budget, both in-person and hybrid. The service is free of charge, saves you time and there’s no obligation. With one quick enquiry the team at Meet Cambridge can check availability at all suitable venues for you. Versatile spaces There’s huge versatility, with many...

Inform Direct

Based in Ipswich, Inform Direct is a creator of award-winning company secretarial software which helps both business owners and accountancy practices to meet statutory obligations for limited companies. The software currently supports compliance for more than 200,000 companies throughout the UK and is regularly reviewed and updated to meet emerging requirements. For business owners If you are an entrepreneur or director, Inform Direct makes it easy for you to manage statutory company records, including Companies House filings and updates. This means you no longer need to manually maintain paper records or struggle with complex, outdated software which gives you more time to focus...

Wyboston Lakes Resort

While Wyboston Lakes Resort is well-known for its superb conference, training and leisure facilities, it also offers a wide choice of first class workplace solutions designed for today’s way of working. Wyboston Lakes Resort has developed Landing Pad, a multi-faceted workplace solution offering serviced offices, branded space for training and coworking options. With ‘adaptability’ at the core, the Wyboston Lakes Resort’s experienced team is committed to creating and maintaining a space that works for the business, its owners and their teams, and is flexible for their changing needs. The serviced office proposition also includes a new build opportunity of 11,000 sq...