Surge in new foreign direct investment into the region
Brexit has not dented overseas groups’ healthy appetite for investing in the region so far although the country's appeal to foreign investors may be set to dwindle. The East of England secured 39 foreign direct investment projects in 2016, up from 28 in the previous year and the highest number since 2008. Over half were announced after the EU referendum last June, according to EY’s annual Attractiveness Report. Peterborough attracted four FDI projects last year, Cambridge three and manufacturing accounted for 25 projects in the region with six in the food sector and four in energy/ utilities. The US was the biggest investor in the East of England with 11 projects, followed by France and Germany with four each. In all, foreign direct investment into the region came from 15 countries. However, the report says investors predict a decline in the UK’s future attractiveness as a destination for foreign investment. Nick Gomer, managing partner at EY in Cambridge, said: “It’s been an outstanding year for inward investment, with the region attracting 39 per cent more FDI projects than in 2015. With a new mayor in position to deliver on our regional growth strategy to promote Cambridgeshire and Peterborough on a global stage, it’s crucial that we find ways to share the benefits of FDI more evenly across the country.”...Read more
Truck & van dealer opens new £1 million centre in Ipswich
Mercedes-Benz dealer Orwell Truck & Van has opened a new £1 million sales centre at Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich. Managing director Neil Jacob said: “The very substantial investment we have made in this outstanding facility underlines our determination to provide light commercial vehicle operators with the very finest customer service. It also demonstrates our confidence in, and commitment to, the future of the Mercedes-Benz Vans brand.” Orwell Truck & Van’s Ipswich team has also secured Mercedes-Benz Van ProCenter accreditation. Orwell Truck & Van employs 200 people across branches in Ipswich, Colchester, Newmarket and Norwich and sold 1,252 vans last year, up 16 per cent on the previous year. The new centre is the latest in a series of investments made by parent company Imperial Holdings since it acquired the manufacturer’s franchised partner for East Anglia in 2013.
New executive jet centre at airport
London Southend Airport has launched a new executive jet centre at the Geneva Palexpo business aviation exhibition this week. The Stobart Exec Jet Centre provides newly upgraded facilities and a helicopter transfer service to Canary Wharf or Battersea through a partnership with Apollo Air Services as well as ‘executive boat’ transfers to Canary Wharf. Stobart Group CEO Warwick Brady said: “….with the formidable capacity issues in the UK’s South East airspace, and the level of service and facilities we offer...we are perfectly positioned to become a serious player in the London market.”
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SMEs are missing out on an estimated £1.6 billion by not accepting “next generation” payments technology, says research from Barclaycard. Nearly a third of East of England millennial shoppers (18-34 year olds) are using a “next generation” payment methods with 14 per cent having abandoned a purchase if they couldn’t use them. Invisible and conversational payments, such as online ‘one-click’ ordering and digital personal assistants, are now used by almost half of millennials.
A premium office suite at Newton House is the first space to become available at Cambridge Business park in almost two years. Totalling 5,430 sq ft, it provides newly refurbished open-plan office space on the ground floor. Exising occupiers for the space, which is being marketed by Savills and Carter Jonas for The Crown Estate, include Qualcomm, Oracle and Hewlett-Packard.
GTC it is underway with work on the latest of 18 contracts for the utilities connections for more than 4,800 dual-fuel plots for new homes at the former RAF Alconbury in Cambs for Urban & Civic. The release of MOD sites for housing is part of a policy to reduce the department’s estate by 30 per cent, creating 55,000 new homes.
Diy and building trade supplier Screwfix is the first confirmed occupier at Brookfield Park, a new industrial location of three units in Werrington, Peterborough, according to agents Barker Storey Matthews. Construction at Brookfield Park has started with occupation set for the end of this year. A new Lidl supermarket has gained planning approval on a nearby site.
Law firm Mills & Reeve has been appointed to the new London Universities Purchasing Consortium framework for legal services. Gary Attle, partner and head of education and governance at the firm, said : “The LUPC framework provides a flexible mechanism for universities, research institutes and cultural bodies to obtain the best legal services to suit their needs. We are delighted to continue providing advice and support to our clients on the renewed framework."
Sustainable recipes for Cambridge college tasting session
St John’s College, Cambridge has strengthened its commitment to sustainability by holding a cook-in featuring Daniel Creedon from the Archipelago Restaurant in London - who is famous for creating dishes using insects - as guest chef to produce a range of recipes for the tasting panel. Gourmet treats included a Leafcutter Breakfast and a Pecan Pie made with wheelworms, crickets and locusts. Served in the Wordsworth Room at St John’s, the first course featured the ‘Leafcutter Breakfast’ which provided a sustainable alternative to the popular cooked breakfast and comprised Queen leafcutter ants, Black pudding, Quail egg, Thyme roasted tomato sauce, Mushroom ketchup and Fried slice (made with cricket flour). Main courses were: Falafel hashara, Buffalo worm and cricket falafel, Zataar flatbread (made with cricket flour), Tzadziki and Tabbouleh. A 'Pecan pie' made with mealworms, crickets and locusts in cricket flour pastry, with Wild black ant creme Chantilly rounded off the tasting. Bill Brogan, catering and conference manager at St John’s College, said: “A few months ago we held an insect tasting and now we have taken this further with the creation of specific dishes using a selection of insect ingredients. The feedback from the tasting panel was very positive and we will be doing it again next year.”
Photo: Bill Brogan, catering and conference Manager, St John’s College; Kevin Keohane, catering manager, Christ’s College; Alex Downer, account director, Foodbuy and Charlotte Payne, PhD student.
Lunch to raise dementia awareness
Bar Hill-based Domino Printing played its part in raising awareness of dementia by holding a special session for staff during this year’s Dementia Awareness Week in May. Domino Printing invited members of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), which it partners with, to talk on ‘Living In A World With Dementia’. Carla Brown, strategic partnership manager at ACT highlighted Domino’s ongoing partnership and support for the charity. Sharon Viccars, internal communications executive at Domino, said: “This awareness session was aimed at everyone – whether they have been touched by the condition directly, know someone who has or simply want to learn more."
Photo (l to r): Sharon Viccars and Anastasia Petrovskaya, Domino; Maria Da Costa, Addenbrooke’s Hospital; Carla Brown, ACT; Julie Cross and Mark Durrant, Domino.
