FINANCE
Tourism sector in East Anglia showing “a sense of cautious optimism”
More than half of tourism businesses in the east of England are anticipating turnover growth this year, according to Larking Gowen’s Tourism Business Survey 2025 published on 12 June.
The survey outlines a sector where 55% of businesses projected income...
What the Spending Review means for your business
The Spending Review 2025, presented by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in June, outlines how the government plans to spend its money, and the key improvements that can be expected.
The financial plans could have a huge impact on all types of...
Breckland’s market towns invited to apply for grants to attract more visitors
Projects to increase sales and footfall in market towns will be able to apply for grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 through an initiative being rolled out across the whole of Norfolk.
Organisations and businesses are invited to apply for...
Business and cultural community come together to celebrate Suffolks country town
Ipswich is gathering pace as a vibrant cultural, retail and experience-based destination, and members of the towns’ business community recently gathered at an event hosted by Larking Gowen at St Stephen’s Church, as part of Ipswich Borough Council’s Ipswich...
Streets gains a greater footprint in the East of England
A new accountants’ firm has been established in the region.
Streets Hackett Griffey LLP is the product of a merger between Hackett Griffey Chartered Certified Accountants, of Haverhill, and Streets Chartered Accountants, which has offices in Peterborough, Cambridge, Newmarket, Colchester,...
Warning for local businesses as public sector toughens up on debts
A monthly increase in compulsory liquidations - to their highest level in more than ten years - indicates a toughening stance towards company debt owed to the public sector, and the ongoing efforts of government to help balance their...
The very human face of banking
Traditional customer service still has an important role to play in our faceless digital age, says James Knapman, founder of Fenland Financial Planning.
What’s been the biggest single change in financial services during your career.
The move online. When I started...
Accountancy firm Larking Gowen Strengthens Presence in Essex with New Partner Arrival
Dawn Lay-Flurrie has joined Larking Gowen as Partner in the firm’s Colchester office with a remit to further strengthen accountancy and business advisory services on offer in the Essex region.
Dawn has more than 30 years’ experience in accountancy and...
Surprise dip in insolvencies but new hurdles await
There was a surprise fall in both the month-on-month and year-on-year corporate insolvency numbers, ahead of government plans to increase the national minimum wage and employers’ national insurance contributions in April.
This is according to the Eastern branch of insolvency...
Larking Gowen welcomes new partner to Colchester office
Dawn Lay-Flurrie has joined Larking Gowen as Partner in the firm's Colchester office with a remit to further strengthen accountancy and business advisory services on offer in the Essex region.
Dawn has more than 30 years' experience in accountancy and...
Capturing sustainability data puts businesses ahead of the game
Eastern region accountancy and business advisory firm, Larking Gowen, has launched a new service to help clients capture and use sustainability data to benefit short and long-term goals.
The firm has entered a strategic partnership with neoeco, a software platform...
Latest funding round open for agri-tech and food tech firms
Norfolk County Council is working in partnership with Innovate UK and regional partners Greater Lincolnshire LEP, Suffolk County Council and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority on the Launchpad with up to £7.5m to grow innovation in Eastern England's agri-tech...
SMEs warned against rise in impersonation scams
Businesses are asked to stay alert after a rise in impersonation scams.
Classic impersonation frauds include a phone call from your bank’s fraud team encouraging you to move your money to a “safe” account, or the police saying you need...
Back-to-back fall in insolvencies, but conditions still tough for local businesses
A back-to-back fall in the number of monthly company insolvencies in England and Wales is far more likely to be due to a seasonal lull than a significant improvement in trading conditions.
This is according to the Eastern branch of...
New grant open for applications
Voluntary organisations supporting people struggling with the cost of living in Norfolk can apply for a grant from Norfolk’s Household Support Fund.
£
2.15m of funding, from a combination of UK Government and Norfolk County Council sources, is on offer to...
Tourism & Leisure Business Survey shows half of businesses are reporting a fall in profits
The results of the 2024 Larking Gowen Tourism Business Survey showed mixed reviews about the future of the industry among business owners.
Leading Suffolk tourist attraction Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park was the setting for the official launch of the...
Emotional intelligence the key to business success
Opening their 2024 Business Breakfast series with a full house on the theme of ‘Practical Strategies for Success’, leading regional accountancy firm Larking Gowen welcomed high-performance coach, bestselling author and CEO, Ben Coomber.
Guests at Milsoms Kesgrave Hall, near Ipswich,...
COMMERCIAL Success is never accidental …
Lay strong foundations and growth will follow, say Robert Levett and Heather Tulloch, Associate Directors at Evelyn Partners.
As advisors to entrepreneurs and their businesses, we hold a unique position in the Cambridge market and East of England region. The...
East Anglia Agricultural Business Manager appointed
Virgin Money has appointed Suffolk-born Mark Schuurman as its new Agricultural Business Manager for the east of England, an area encompassing Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
In this newly created position, Mark joins Virgin Money’s growing team of specialist advisors supporting...
Cambridge & Counties Bank strengthens its sustainability credentials
Specialist lender Cambridge & Counties Bank has expanded its sustainability and ESG programme further through a new partnership with Sustainable X, a St Albans-based consultancy specialising in sustainable business practices.
The partnership will focus on evolving and refining the bank’s...
Start-up grant for medical device innovation
Springboard Pro has launched its 2024 Start-up Grant to help new medical device companies with the design and development of early-phase concepts.
The journey from concept to commercialisation can be daunting for start-up ventures, often impeded by financial constraints and...
How can digital accounting supercharge your business?
By Martin Bugg, Digital Partner, Larking Gowen
Have you migrated your accounts over to online accounting software yet? If not, what’s stopping you?
At Larking Gowen, we’re passionate about supporting our clients to make the transition to digital accounting, and make it...
Turnover of Suffolk’s top 100 privately owned firms up 15.8% to £6.7bn
The 22nd annual Suffolk Limited report, by Grant Thornton UK LLP, reveals how the county’s 100 leading privately-owned companies have thrived during a period of rising interest rates and broader inflationary pressures.
The Suffolk Limited report – produced in conjunction...
Funding deal helps shoemaker put best foot forward
A seven-figure funding deal from Reward Finance Group is helping Norwich-based Start-Rite Shoes polish up its range.
The funds facilitate the launch of a new ‘back to school’ product line, to catalyse business transformation and drive revenue growth.
The company, which...
FCA warns finance firms over AI fraud
Financial services firms in the region must be extra-vigilant against the threat of AI causing disruption in “ways and at a scale not seen before”, says the UK’s top financial regulator.
The Financial Conduct Authority warns they will take action...
Landlords and inflation: what you need to know if you’re selling up
With rising interest rates and inflation driving the costs of owning a rental property ever higher, many landlords have been downsizing their property portfolio or exiting the market altogether. What do landlords need to think about before selling a...
£7.3 billion in commercial property value at risk across region
A staggering £7.3 billion worth of commercial properties in East England are at risk of becoming unlettable, because of new energy legislation effective since 1st April 2023.
The legislation requires an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least E...
Credit union reopens successful Bond Offer to help combat economic crisis
Great Western Credit Union (GWCU) has announced the reopening of their recent successful Bond Offer, with a maximum target of £2m, to provide ethical, fair and affordable finance to thousands of people in the region over the next decade.
The...
Take on the Team Challenge at the Larking Gowen Ipswich Half Marathon
The Larking Gowen Ipswich Half Marathon is back for 2023, taking place on Sunday 17 September. Bookings are open for runners to sign up, but why not get a team of your colleagues, friends, or family together and enter...
Latest snapshot of our local economy
East of England is emerging as one of the country’s most successful export hubs and many firms in the region have high hopes for further international growth.
These are among the findings of the Norwich Economic Barometer by Norwich City...
