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Join us at the Thomas Paine Hotel for a murder mystery night and 3-course meal on Saturday 15th April. Tickets are £40 per person.

Advanced booking is required to secure your table.

Get in touch today to book!

T: 01842 750372 | E: enquiries@thethomaspainehotel.co.uk

JOHN PETRUCCI BREAKS HIS WORLD TOUR TO POP INTO FAWCETT HQ

World renowned Grammy Award winning rock star, John Petrucci, made time to jump on the train to King’s Lynn, Norfolk before his sold-out Dream Theater show at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith.

In April 2022, Richie Finney, founder of Norfolk based Gentleman’s Grooming company Captain Fawcett Ltd, was invited to London, along with members of the Fawcett crew, as John Petrucci’s VIP guests. This year they were absolutely thrilled to return his hospitality at Captain Fawcett’s Norfolk HQ.

Richie Finney said ‘It’s an absolute delight and extraordinary honour to welcome John Petrucci to Fawcett HQ. Not only is he veritable Rock Royalty, he is surely one of the world’s most charming gentlemen to boot. And his beard is truly a wonder to behold – simply magnificent. All Hail the Hirsute!’

In 2021 Captain Fawcett worked in close collaboration with John Petrucci to create a majestic Signature Series Gentleman’s Grooming Gentleman’s Grooming range. Called ‘Nebula’, the range launched with a Beard Balm, Beard Oil and Moustache Wax, distinguished by a delectable smoky fragrance and sumptuous purple and silver branding. Each 50ml ‘Nebula’ Beard Oil currently includes a Limited Edition ‘Nebula’ Guitar Flow Pick, designed and created by John Petrucci in collaboration with Jim Dunlop USA.

John Petrucci, who won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance with ‘The Alien’, is in the UK with the millions-selling progressive music titans Dream Theater. On 21^st February 2023 they’ll play the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith on the second London leg of their ‘Top of the World’ tour, before heading back to the US, then on to Japan in April.

John Petrucci said ‘I have a giant beard so my wife, Rena, bought me a Captain Fawcett Gift Set. I was so impressed by how well the products worked and how they smelt, but also the great storytelling, the lore and voice of the mysterious Captain Fawcett. I thought this company is awesome. I love everything about it, to the extent of partnering with the Captain to release a Beard Balm, Beard Oil and Moustache Wax…so far! It’s called the ‘Nebula’ range so I guess you could say this partnership was written in the stars.

Captain Fawcett is so in my wheelhouse. The packaging, the beautiful artwork, the incredible writing, and the fact you’re transported into this world just with Beard Oil! It’s crazy, it completely intrigued me. There are parallels with the way Dream Theater develops an album, through music, lyrics and artwork, we try to create a new world. It’s a sensibility Captain Fawcett has in common, orchestrating elements to make a beautifully crafted whole. We work with the great artist Hugh Syme. He’s amazing at creating visual, whimsical worlds we carry into our live performances. We try to keep everything consistent and tied into that vision, the stage set, the video, so when you walk into the venue you’re walking into this world. And that’s exactly like Captain Fawcett HQ. Richie has created a complete world. The place is absolutely unbelievable. Get to King’s Lynn and visit. And if you can’t take the online tour!’

For further information and images please contact jenna@captainfawcett.com

???? Photo credit…Ian Ward or Bryony Grainger 

Naked have designed and delivered a brand new website for Carrow Road, home of Norwich City Football Club, to bring the post Delia’s Canary Catering transformation to life.

From legacy brand to modern experience

The Carrow Road rebrand needed a digital experience worthy of its ambition. This wasn’t simply a website redesign, it was about rethinking how a wide range of events could be discovered, booked, and enjoyed online. Naked was brought on to lead the creative direction, user experience and interface design with Bigfork handling the technical build and support.

The new Carrow Road website needed to position it as Norfolk’s premier venue while recreating the sense of possibility guests feel when stepping into the stadium itself. Every part of the user journey was created to mirror the experience of visiting in person, clear, welcoming, and full of inspiration. The result was a digital experience that didn’t just inform, but evoked the excitement of planning something special in such an iconic setting.

The design team at Carrow Road had created the foundations of a beautiful new brand, our job was to translate it digitally and get it out there for the world to see.

Perfect planning

Naked began by stepping into the shoes of Carrow Road’s audiences. From local businesses looking for flexible spaces, to couples dreaming of a wedding with a city landmark as their backdrop, each journey was mapped with clarity.

We developed detailed wireframes to give structure to these journeys, ensuring the site would deliver not only engaging content but also effortless navigation across devices. With our research and advice, the wireframes gave the team at Carrow Road a structure to follow when creating new SEO rich descriptions of the events, rooms and venue details.

The new site was built on WordPress with a content block system to give the Carrow Road team freedom to create and edit pages easily, while maintaining consistency and design quality.

The “Find a Room” feature enables visitors to filter by event type or guest numbers and instantly see tailored recommendations, making event planning quicker, easier, and more enjoyable.

The project wasn’t only about what users could see. From day one, SEO was baked into the build: keyword research, optimised metadata, structured data markup, and integration with Google Analytics 4 and Tag Manager ensured the site would perform as well as it looked.

A new era for Carrow Road

The result wasn’t just a new website. It was a complete digital transformation, one that honoured a legacy while pushing a new brand firmly into the future. Today, Carrow Road’s online presence serves its entire community, whether that’s a couple planning their big day, a company hosting a conference, or university hosting a graduation ceremony.

Fifty HR professionals from across the Eastern region attended the latest HR Energy event hosted by Pure and Mills and Reeve.

The HR Energy breakfast sessions, founded by Pure’s Senior Managing Consultant Becky Wilson and Mills and Reeve’s partner James Kidd, provide learning and networking opportunities for those in the HR sector.

The latest session, held on Tuesday 10 March at Mills and Reeve’s offices in Norwich, was based on the topic of Relationship Intelligence.

The aim was to explore how HR professionals can enhance alliances across organisations by building stronger relationships and how to maximise the impact and influence of HR to positively influence people and engage action.

Guest Speaker Joe Mills, MD and Founder of consultancy firm The Tree Academy, helped to bring the subject of Relationship Intelligence to life. Joe explained how Relationship Intelligence is the applied awareness of people’s motives and strengths to communicate in the right style and achieve goals faster.

Becky, who specialises in HR recruitment, said: “This was another fantastically inspiring event and Joe was a really engaging speaker. Understanding people’s emotional responses and their main motivators is a powerful tool for maximising the impact of HR. It builds more effective communications, as well as helping to create and maintain a culture of psychological safety and trust which increases employee engagement. This resonates even more in our current challenging times.”

Joe explained how understanding the motivations and reasoning behind someone’s decisions enables people to communicate more effectively, and more emotionally, leading to faster results and stronger relationships. Delegates also explored the three main motivators which influence people’s emotional responses; people and wanting to help others, performance and wanting to achieve results or process and wanting to establish order.

For more information about future HR Energy events contact Becky Wilson on becky.wilson@prs.uk.com or 01603 216 450.

• New all-electric Lotus Hyper-SUV – Eletre – wins prestigious award from world’s leading fashion and lifestyle publication
• GQ’s judges cited Eletre’s power, range and styling among attributes which set it apart
• Advanced ‘digital cockpit’ cabin with Lotus Hyper OS usher in new era of in-car experience
• Available in Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R variants, flagship Eletre R is world’s fastest dual-motor electric SUV

The all-new Lotus Eletre hyper-SUV has claimed victory in GQ magazine’s Car Of The Year awards, winning the prestigious ‘SUV Of The Year’ title. Selected annually by GQ’s panel of design, lifestyle and automotive experts, the awards honour vehicles from a diverse range of categories which are ‘inspiring, interesting, have automotive integrity and get the pulse racing.’

As both the first SUV and the first production EV in Lotus’ 75-year history, the Eletre marks the start of an exciting and electrified new chapter for the business and brand. Its newcomer status proved no hindrance in a crowded field of contenders, with the Eletre seeing off stiff competition from many of the world’s well-established SUV manufacturers.

In summarising the Eletre’s winning traits, the GQ judges concluded: “The premium electric SUV sector is filling up faster than you can say ‘recession-proof’ with all the automotive big beasts vying for attention, but none have grabbed our attention like Lotus.”

Ben Payne, Chief Creative Officer, Lotus, said: “From the very first discussions about what the Eletre should be, our vision was to deliver a unique and highly desirable car that would demonstrate to the world what the EV future of Lotus would stand for. As an SUV, it will bring a completely new audience to the brand – a lifestyle customer. To be recognised for that by GQ, a globally renowned lifestyle publication, is a great honour.”

Matthew Hill, Head of Interior Design, Lotus Tech Creative Centre, with GQ magazine’s ‘SUV of the Year’ award for the Lotus Eletre.

The all-new, all-electric SUV is set to hit roads later this year, with thousands of customers around the world having already placed their deposits to secure a car. Three different versions are available – Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R – with a choice of two powertrains.

Eletre and Eletre S both feature a 603hp (450kw) single-speed unit producing 710Nm of torque to deliver a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds and a maximum range of 373 miles. The flagship Eletre R comes equipped with a 905hp (675kw) dual-speed set-up boasting 985Nm for 0-62mph in just 2.95 seconds, making it the world’s fastest pure electric dual-motor SUV. Maximum range for this performance-oriented variant is 304 miles, while the 112kWh battery found in all versions can be charged (10%-80%) in just 20 minutes using a rapid charger.

Inside, the Eletre’s premium cabin sets a new standard of desirability for Lotus interiors. The Eletre comes with 12-way electrically adjustable front seats, four-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless phone charging and much more. Its advanced ‘digital cockpit’ features server-level computing power, enabling a billion-colour OLED touchscreen to display the cutting-edge Lotus Hyper OS for next-generation real-time 3D content.

Immersion is further enhanced by a 15-speaker KEF Premium Audio system. Customers can upgrade to KEF Reference, a 2,160-watt 23-speaker system with Uni-Q and 3D surround sound technology. KEF Reference also features Uni-Core, a pioneering new approach to speaker and subwoofer design, and the Eletre marks its debut in the automotive world.

The Eletre also comes with renowned immersive audio experience Dolby Atmos, a new way to enjoy music that takes listening to new heights through unparalleled depth, precision and clarity. Together, Dolby Atmos and the Eletre’s KEF speaker system combine to elevate music listening to new levels. Driver and passengers will feel like they’re sitting in the middle of the recording studio alongside the artist. The Eletre is the world’s first car to combine Dolby Atmos and KEF Audio.

In the UK the Eletre is priced from £89,500, with a standard spec including five drive modes, active air suspension, torque vectoring, matrix LED headlights, active front grille and 10-spoke 22-inch forged wheels.

Fosters Solicitors is delighted to confirm the appointment of Paige Gouldthorpe as head of its Lowestoft branch.

Paige joined Fosters two years ago and during that time has become deputy head of their Wills, Trusts & Probate team and the firm’s Court of Protection specialist. Through this additional role, Paige will help drive initiatives and focus on Fosters’ services available in Lowestoft and help them continue to be a key contributor to the town.

Commenting on the news, Paige Gouldthorpe, said: “I am thrilled to have been appointed as Head of Lowestoft at Fosters Solicitors and look forward to helping support and drive our reach in the area. We have a great team of people who are based at our Regent Road branch, and many more of our wider colleagues who provide additional support from our Norwich and Wymondham offices. We are also privileged to have such a loyal base of clients and partners within the town, who I look forward to working closely with.

“We are hugely excited for the year ahead buoyed by us building new relationships, as well as cementing established ones. Last year, we celebrated a decade of partnership with Lowestoft Town FC, which we’re hugely proud of – and we are in the process of planning several activities with them and other partners in the town.”

Fosters Solicitors has had an active presence in Lowestoft for over 15 years, and just ahead of the pandemic moved to new premises in the town at 14 Regent Road. Members of its Residential Property and Wills, Trusts & Probate teams are permanently based at this branch, but as an all-service law firm, all of its wide-ranging legal services for both individuals and businesses are also available through its Lowestoft office.

The firm is also a community partner of Lowestoft Town FC, with the club’s ground named the Fosters Solicitors Community Stadium and the firm organising with the Blues some community activities for the coming year. Fosters’ Lowestoft office are also seasoned participants in the town’s annual pumpkin trail and pancake day race.

Chris Brown, Chief Executive of Fosters Solicitors, added: “The pandemic unfortunately frustrated the official launch and development of our new Lowestoft office on Regent Road. We are therefore excited about Paige’s appointment and that her natural drive and enthusiasm will add extra focus on us increasing our presence and reach in Waveney and throughout Suffolk.”

Image credit: Fosters Solicitors

Carole, Charlotte and the whole team at MAD-HR are delighted to share the news that we have been recognised with a prestigious Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award.

The accolade is an independent seal of excellence, which is awarded to businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.

It comes just months after we received the Suffolk Business Award for ‘Customer Excellence’, which again acknowledged our high level of client service.

Carole said: “We’re delighted to receive a Platinum Trusted Service Award from Feefo.

“Ensuring our customers are happy with our service is very much a priority in all we do at MAD-HR. We live up to our name in wanting to ‘Make a Difference’.

“The fact this award is based on feedback from real customers gives us confidence we are providing an exceptional level of service, and this has of course been recently highlighted in a different way – by us winning the Suffolk award for Customer Excellence.”

She added: “The award also recognises just how hard our entire team have worked under fresh challenges, with both rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis affecting both consumers and businesses alike.

We will continue to be working very closely with our clients throughout 2023 and listening carefully to how the landscape is changing for them, and what adaptations they may need to ensure our service is as perfect a fit as it can be, for their unique needs.”

Congratulating MAD-HR, Tony Wheble, CEO at Feefo, said: “This year has been a difficult one for so many businesses. I’m delighted to recognise thousands of our clients that have overcome various challenges to provide such high levels of customer service and satisfaction.

“The Trusted Service Awards have always been about recognising companies that go way beyond the norm in customer service and in turn receive great feedback from delighted customers.

“A particular congratulations to MAD-HR for winning a Platinum Trusted Service Award by providing great customer service consistently over a number of years. I look forward to seeing them continue to achieve next year and beyond.”

Feefo established the Trusted Service Awards in 2014 to recognise brands that use the platform to collect verified reviews and receive exceptional feedback from their customers. The awards are unique because they truly reflect a business’s dedication to providing outstanding customer service by analysing feedback from real customers.

Working with over 6,000 brands, Feefo is the world’s largest provider of verified reviews, helping brands understand customers by analysing verified reviews and providing insight into trends, needs and habits.

If you’d like to know more about our team, and what it is which ensures our stand-out level of customer service, please visit our website or drop us an email.

This text was originally written by MAD-HR Ltd. Copyright © 2023 MAD-HR Ltd. All rights reserved: https://www.mad-hr.co.uk/blog/celebrating-a-prestigious-accolade-to-start-2023-feefo-platinum-status

Image provided by MAD-HR

Maintaining a positive cashflow within your company can be a challenge – it is something most financial leaders are managing regularly, always looking for ways to help ensure consistency. A negative cashflow situation can be caused by a variety of factors, particularly in the current economic environment. Overdue payments, higher overheads and fewer clients can all affect cashflow.

Forecasting

Planning and budgeting are the best ways to ensure your cashflow stays healthy. Of course, unforeseen circumstances occur, but budgets can be updated to keep control.

Make sure cashflow is monitored and tightly controlled, as this will provide a better outcome.

Keep accounts up to date, including bank reconciliations and prepare monthly or quarterly management accounts to ensure you always have meaningful up to date figures to work with.

Payment terms

Many companies often have generous payment terms, but there is nothing to stop these from being amended. Your business could encourage faster payment terms if longer ones are beginning to cause a problem. Online invoicing also helps with cashflow as it encourages faster online settlement and issues automated reminders.

Adjust accounts payable

If your company needs more time to settle its supplier accounts, you could request extended payment terms. This isn’t ideal for the other suppliers’ cash flow of course, but generally if your cashflow is under extreme pressure, they would rather be paid slower than see you go out of business. It’s worth making contact to try to establish more flexible payment terms.

Conserve company cash

One of the biggest expenditures for a business is its staff bill. Regarding salaries and pay incentives, consider non-cash benefits for employees. Offering additional holiday entitlement and flexible working arrangements doesn’t add to the wage bill but might be highly valued by employees and will therefore help reduce costs.

Increase expenditure controls 

It’s perfectly reasonable and in fact, necessary to review expenditure controls to maintain cashflow.

Consider increasing expenditure control procedures and reducing limits. Ensure there are clear budgets set while maintaining some flexibility. Often, just the introduction of a process will usually reduce unnecessary expenditure.

Build up reserves

It might sound like a cliché, but there is a lot of value in ‘fixing the roof whilst the sun is shining’ and ensuring that you do not overspend when cash is flowing well. Try to retain cash within the business to ensure there is a rainy-day fund, because there will always be hurdles to overcome in the future. Remember, a regular customer could go out of business, another pandemic could occur, or an inflation hike might happen.

Retaining funds can limit the risks to your business overall. If you do have a rainy-day fund, make sure you are receiving the best rate of interest available.

If you need help managing cashflow in your business, please contact a member of the Beatons Group by calling 01473 659777 or by visiting the Beatons website.

This text was originally written by MAD-HR Ltd. Copyright © 2023 MAD-HR Ltd. All rights reserved: https://www.mad-hr.co.uk/blog/how-to-keep-a-healthy-company-cashflow

Image provided by MAD-HR

Leading regional accountancy firm Larking Gowen has announced that one of its partners is to retire at the end of March.

Richard Proctor, who joined the firm over eight years ago to head up the Tax Advisory Group, qualified as a chartered accountant in 1985. He started his career in tax with KPMG at their Norwich, London and Cambridge offices, and then moved to Grant Thornton in Norwich where he became a partner in 2000.

Richard said he had enjoyed his years at Larking Gowen, both for the positive working culture and the professionalism of the firm. “When I arrived, I found a very professional but friendly working environment. Although I was a relative outsider, I was immediately welcomed into the ‘family’. From day one I felt my personal values were closely aligned with those of the firm,” he said.

“One of the first things I discovered at Larking Gowen was that no one has a monopoly on good ideas; everybody gets a chance to contribute. We all acknowledge that every day is a school day, and we’re all continually learning.”

During his time here, he said he’d seen the firm grow and develop. “The way we’ve managed our business hasn’t changed a great deal, but we’re seeing better use of technology, which is a work in progress, and perhaps we’re dealing with some more interesting clients,” he said.

“The quality of the Tax Advisory Group is as good as it’s ever been. We’re a very strong team and well set up to take advantage of the opportunities into the future.

Dominic Carter will be taking over as head of the Tax Advisory Group, and says Richard has been something of a mentor to him over the years.

“He’s regarded as quite an authority on taxation, and has brought in a number of us to work with him reshaping the team. In the last 12 months, we’ve all been working hard, making sure we get a smooth transition with our clients,” he said.

“Richard’s dry sense of humour has been a real asset. In the last couple of years’ COVID-related difficulties, challenges and frustrations, it’s been very helpful to have him at the helm.”

Charlie Savory, Head of Corporate Audit and Advisory at Larking Gowen, who oversees the Tax Advisory Team, said: “Richard is hugely respected with a very long-established and admired career, both in Norwich and throughout East Anglia.

“He’s built a strong tax practice which he leaves in the very capable hands of Dominic Carter, who’s one of the best operators in the region. With a talented team that includes our VAT Director Gillian McGill and Ben Greves, a Senior Manager and Corporate Tax Specialist, our clients can be assured it will be business as usual”.

Image provided by Larking Gowen

We’re back, and avid listeners to the pod will know that Mark loves a challenge, especially when it comes to following rules, and in the first episode of series 3 he discusses the relevance of workplace dress codes and workplace etiquette with our fabulous new co-host Becky Ames.

The lockdowns of 2020 brought about many changes in how we work, least of all what we wear whilst we’re doing it, but has it changed the meaning of ‘dress for success’? Becky and Mark discuss if dress codes even matter anymore, and if they’re in place, what they represent and the expectations, restrictions and pitfalls that can come with them. Should we advocate for more individuality and personality at work? What does ‘dress for success’ really mean? And are you really what you wear…

GET IN TOUCH! We would love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode, email us at podcasts@larking-gowen.co.uk.

We would also love it if you could rate us 5 STARS on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, this really helps people find us!

You can now watch us on YouTube! Click here

You can listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcast, or click below to listen now! 

Listen here!

Thank you to our sponsors Larking Gowen, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors – check out their website to see how they could help your business www.larking-gowen.co.uk

© Larking Gowen LLP

• Lotus-developed track bike will be used by Great Britain Cycling Team athletes in summer 2024
• Core Lotus values at the heart of project – pioneering spirit, optimised aerodynamics, advanced lightweight materials and world-class manufacturing
• Builds on hugely successful Lotus-developed bike from Tokyo 2020
• Watch the announcement film on YouTube

Lotus and British Cycling have confirmed they will continue their hugely successful collaboration in the world of elite track cycling, and are developing the bike that home-nation athletes will use at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

It will be based on the innovative Hope / Lotus track bike created for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. A global audience of billions of sports fans watched riders from the Great Britain Cycling Team (GBCT) win seven medals at the Games on the bike. The haul – which included three gold medals – put Great Britain at the top of the Games’ track cycling medal table.

Jess Roberts, GBCT women’s podium endurance rider

Lotus and British Cycling have released a short film to celebrate the announcement they are continuing to work together on a track bike for the Paris Olympic Games, which start on 26 July 2024. Development work – which is overseen by Lotus Engineering, the consultancy division of the business – is already well-advanced, though remains confidential until closer to the Games.

As with the Tokyo bike, its successor will focus on the core values of all Lotus products, including a pioneering spirit, optimised aerodynamics, high performance, advanced lightweight materials and world-class manufacturing.

Joe Truman, GBCT men’s podium sprinter

Matt Windle, Group Vice-President and Managing Director, Lotus Cars, said: “We are thrilled to be continuing this unique and successful partnership with British Cycling. Being involved in the development of such a high-performance machine, and having GBCT athletes win so many medals riding it on a global sporting stage like the Olympics, is fantastic as we transform the Lotus brand.”

Lotus is transforming from a UK sports car company to a global performance business and brand. The journey is guided by Vision80, a comprehensive strategy which defines what Lotus will be in 2028, when it celebrates its 80th anniversary.

Stephen Park CBE, Great Britain Cycling Team Performance Director, said: “Over the last Olympic cycle we have developed a fantastic relationship with Lotus, combining their expertise with our in-house team, constantly striving to find the most innovative solutions to give our track riders the best possible chance when the get to the start line.

He added: “Having brought back seven track medals from Tokyo, we are excited to see what we can go on to achieve together as we work towards further refining our bike, which is just one part of the world-class support we are able to offer our riders as we set our sights on Paris 2024.”

The new film features a number of GBCT athletes and coaches explaining why they #lovemybike. It is part of British Cycling’s ongoing #cyclinglove campaign to celebrate all the things to enjoy about life on two wheels.

Featured riders include Joe Truman, GBCT men’s podium sprinter, who said: “When I first saw the bike, I knew it was something special. Since I’ve been riding it, it has helped me win a silver medal at both the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 UEC European Championships, and is now helping me qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games.”

Jess Roberts, GBCT women’s podium endurance rider, added: “I love my bike because it makes me feel strong and empowered. Every training session it gives me a little extra boost that I get to ride such a special bike. I’m chasing my dreams on a bike that rides like a dream.”

Lotus has a highly successful history in cycling through its Lotus Engineering division. In the Nineties, Lotus was instrumental in the design and development of LotusSport bikes, including for cycling legend Chris Boardman at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Riding the iconic Lotus Type 108, he won gold in the Men’s Pursuit and followed it up in the 1994 Tour de France – riding the Type 110 – winning the Prologue time trial to take the famous yellow jersey.

Images provided by Lotus