New Hilton hotel planned for Norwich Airport site
Plans for a £10 million, 125 bed hotel close to Norwich International Airport which could create 45 new jobs have been submitted by a developer Appleby Leisure. The plans for a Hampton by Hilton’ hotel on Norwich Airport Industrial Estate would also be close to the proposed Aviation Skills Academy. Fiona Hunter, senior planner at consultant Ingleton Wood, who submitted the plans, said: “This significant investment by Hilton and Appleby Leisure is a real statement of confidence in Norwich and its airport.” If approved, work is set to start in the Autumn ready for Spring 2019 and the hope is that the project will act as a catalyst for further investment around the area.
Sophie Gregorios-Pippas of Appleby Leisure said: “The economic benefits that a hotel of this size will generate, together with the employment and training opportunities it will create for local people, and the excellent reputation of the Hilton brand, will bring meaningful benefit to Norwich.”
Jobs at risk as south Norfolk food manufacturer faces liquidation
South Norfolk-based specialist premium party food manufacturer Frank Dale Foods Ltd. has called a creditors’ meeting for 28 February to appoint a liquidator. Fifty seven jobs at its plant in Bunwell are at risk. Formed in 1994, the company traded successfully but faced a downturn in 2016 caused by production difficulties servicing sales after a period of significant growth. Trading losses put a strain on cash flow and efforts to refinance failed. The firm is an upmarket maker of savoury and dessert canapes, quiches and tartlets and has won national awards and supplied products for the Queen’s Jubilee. Chairman Nigel Cushion said: “Sadly time has run out for the company but we are hopeful that a buyer can be found for the business and assets so jobs can be saved and that is the board’s main focus now”. The company will continue to trade up to liquidation in the hope that a buyer can be found for the business and assets as a going concern. Andrew McTear of McTear Williams and Wood, said: “We are working with the board of directors to market the business and assets for sale and have already received serious interest.” 01603 877540
Offshore group expands in Lowestoft
James Fisher Marine Services, one of the high-profile tenants at the OrbisEnergy building in Lowestoft is moving on to larger offices in the town. The company, which won a £25million contract on the Galloper Wind Farm two years after moving into a small office in OrbisEnergy, quickly took over larger offices and is set to create over 100 jobs mostly in the area. It has now taken over the former AKD Engineering offices at Horn Hill in Lowestoft. Johnathan Reynolds, of OrbisEnergy, said “James Fisher Marine Services is one of the flagship companies at OrbisEnergy. It has made huge strides in a relatively short space of time with rapid expansion and an enviable profile in the industry. With the newly vacated office space, with impressive North Sea views, we are actively looking for those businesses and business leaders with high growth ambitions where we can add value and make a difference.”
North Norfolk enterprise centre planned
North Norfolk District Council is exploring plans for a new enterprise centre to support business growth and invest in skills in the area. A shortlist of eight sites has been drawn up and the council is looking at site options, design needs and operating models for a new facility. Cllr Nigel Dixon, North Norfolk DC cabinet member for business and economic development, said: “...we believe we have identified a suitable means of helping to support the development of local businesses, whilst opening the eyes of young people in the area to the wealth of exciting career opportunities that exist locally.” The proposed centre will focus on science, technology, and engineering-based industries.
Ground-breaking product showcased in Cambs
Cambs-based Domino Printing Sciences, a global leader in coding, marking and printing technologies, has showcased its latest ground-breaking product to customers at an open day at its Bar Hill hq. Domino unveiled the Ax-Series, a new range of continuous ink jet (CIJ) printers for the most demanding industrial packaging environments, designed and built by its team based at Bar Hill. Customers – including global and FMCG brands, industrial and machine manufacturers – were able to see a the new series. Chris Thorpe, UK marketing manager at Domino, said: “With the new Ax-Series, Domino can now offer a choice of CIJ systems that will set new benchmarks for consistent high quality printing, productivity and cost of ownership, making CIJ a future-proof investment.”
Photo: Oscar Lara, principal software engineer at Domino
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The Chancellor is expected to reveal lower borrowing projections and stronger gdp growth, says the EY ITEM Club in its Budget preview. Stuart Wilkinson, tax partner at EY in Cambridge, said: “The Government will be acutely aware of the need to offset the squeeze on household incomes caused by higher inflation, although we may need to wait until the autumn for these policy changes.”
Norwich Airport increased passenger numbers by 10 per cent to 506,00 in 2016, helped by the return of flights to Malaga and Alicante, served by Flybe’s E195 118-seater jet aircraft. Winter flights to Chambery, a year-round service to Exeter and flights to Gran Canaria and Cyprus also helped. Norwich Airport managing director Richard Pace said: “We’ve had a great year and every month saw passenger growth of between 4 per cent and 19 per cent.”
Prime office rents in Cambridge have risen to £37 per sq ft on the back of sustained demand and tightening supply, says a business space survey by Bidwells. Industrial rents have risen to £11 per sq ft in the Cambridge area. Industrial supply across the region is down to 4 per cent, the lowest level in more than a decade (Northampton, Norwich and Milton Keynes) and office supply is at its lowest for eight years.
Chris Baker has recently joined property and planning consultancy Rapleys in its business space team. He is relocating back to Cambridge after spending the past 9 years in Norwich. He will be based in Rapleys’ East Anglian head office in Huntingdon and will advise both landlords and tenants/occupiers on matters such as rent reviews and lease renewals for office and industrial units. He previously held senior positions at Barker Storey Matthews in Cambridge and Watsons in Norwich.
The Ipswich office of financial and business advisers Grant Thornton has appointed Lucy Golding as a tax manager. She has over 15 years’ industry experience, having previously worked as a lecturer for the UK’s largest accountancy and tax training provider, based in the Eastern region. See Profile Grant Thornton
Law firm Birketts has appointed a former Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency traffic examiner to help organisations manage their transport and logistics operations. Doug Grant has joined as a self employed consultant. He has an in-depth knowledge of how the regulator works and what it looks for, having spent several years in enforcement working for the agency. See Profile Birketts
Lark Energy, based in Bourne, Lincs, has revamped its senior management team as part of a long-term strategic plan. Current managing director of Lark Energy Commercial Neil Dallamore has been appointed joint managing director of Lark Energy and will work alongside Paul Adams.
