

CROWE CLARK WHITEHALL HELPS BREW UP BUSINESS BUYOUT
After starting work at Reginald Ames during his school holidays back in 1997, Nick Gandon is now the proud owner of the tea importer-exporter and wholesaler following a management buyout. The half million pound management buyout, struck with the help…

PLANS SUBMITTED FOR NEW NEXT CONCEPT STORE FOR MAIDSTONE
Next have announced that following local consultation prior to Christmas, a planning application has now been submitted to Maidstone Borough Council to bring one of the company’s brand new concept Home and Fashion stores to Maidstone at Eclipse Park, close to Junction…

ECCE MEDIA CELEBRATES 13TH BIRTHDAY
This month sees leading web development agency Ecce Media toasting another successful business year and its 13th birthday. The brainchild of Brant McNaughton, Ecce Media was born out of hours of late night coding and serious hard work, leading up…

AWARD WINNING KENT INVENTION HELPS KENYAN FARMERS
Alexander K Bushell, Managing Director of Boundless Horizons, based at Kent Science Park, has just returned from Eldoret, Kenya – where he has successfully deployed the company’s Solar Grow 1 (SG1) system. SG1 is both an innovative mobile germination and…

THOUSANDS OF FREE MY KENT BIG WEEKEND TICKETS UP FOR GRABS
Thousands of free tickets to the county’s iconic attractions, hidden treasures and a wide variety of other visitor destinations will be up for grabs when the My Kent Big Weekend 2013 ballot website goes fully live on Monday, January 28.…

KENT TOURISM HOLDS ITS OWN IN TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES
Tourism is currently worth £3.4 billion to the Kent economy and supports more than 64,414 jobs, according to the most recent research into the county’s visitor economy by Visit Kent. The Cambridge Model, undertaken as part of the European Interreg…

LOCATE IN KENT WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBER
Investment promotion agency Locate in Kent has added Kent Science Park’s James Speck to its board of directors. James, who joined the Sittingbourne-based business park as Site Director in December 2007, was appointed to the board at a meeting today…

KSP HOSTS FREE WORKSHOP ON CLAIMING R&D TAX CREDITS
Over £1billion of R&D tax credits go unclaimed every year in the UK. In order to help companies access all of the support that they are eligible for, Kent Science Park has teamed up with R&D claims experts Jumpstart, to…

THIS YEAR END UP IN MARGATE, NOT MALAGA
Visit Kent, the county’s tourism champions, were pleased to learn that easyJet, the budget airline, had withdrawn its controversial advertising campaign with the strapline “This year end up in Malaga, not Margate”. Lynnette Crisp, head of marketing for Visit…

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR BROADBAND STOPS?
The alternatives to BT – keeping your business on-line. We all take our broadband for granted these days, OK we moan about the bandwidth and contention (especially in the evenings) but basically it’s a gimme along with gas, water and…

ECCE MEDIA – TOP 10 TIPS FOR EMAIL MARKETING
As we welcome in a new year, technology experts are armed with ideas about what will be the next big thing and 2013 is no exception. Hot tips for the year include augmented reality, mobile advertising, gamification, social television and…

KLM OFFERS PROMOTIONAL FARES TO MANSTON PASSENGERS
With the imminent arrival of twice daily flights from Manston to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, international business travellers can now book flights and connect to many of the 190 destinations served by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines at special introductory prices.…

STARS CHAMPION KENT’S ACTIVE COAST
TV Coast favourite Nicholas Crane and world champion sailor Sam Brearey are joining Visit Kent and Explore Kent at The Outdoors Show at London’s Excel. The two celebrities and outdoor enthusiasts will help launch the county’s Active Coast campaign.…

CLYDESDALE BANK IDENTIFIES COST CUTTING TIPS FOR SMES
The South East’s SMEs are throwing money away by failing to review their outgoings often enough, according to new research by Clydesdale Bank. The survey conducted by the Bank shows that more than half of SMEs in the region (56%)…

BUZZLINES LAUNCHES EUROSTAR HOLIDAY CONNECTIONS
Leading coach operator Buzzlines has introduced a number of luxury continental touring holidays to its diverse 2013 programme thanks to a unique road/rail travel alliance with Eurostar. Buzzlines’ new Eurostar Connection programme features relaxing summer vacations to scenic destinations across…

ECO VILLAGE LAUNCHES CUCUMBER CATERING IN SWALE
After being named Best Small Business at the 2012 Swale Business Awards, Kent Science Park-based Café EcoVillage are looking to capitalise on their success in 2013 and have launched the catering side of their business – Cucumber Catering. Looking to…

AN INSIGHT INTO BUSINESSMAN ALAN COOPER FROM DRAEAUK LTD
An Insight into local businessman Alan Cooper from Kent based DRAEAUK Ltd as he answers our Kent Entrepreneur Questions… Name Alan Cooper Age 49 Company name DRAEAUK Ltd Give us your business ‘elevator pitch’. You don’t have to change your engine to do your…

NO DISPUTING TALENT OF VERTEX LAW’S NEW RECRUIT
Vertex Law has bolstered its Dispute Resolution Team with the appointment of William Charlesworth, a solicitor with a track record in representing international clients. William, who lives in Tunbridge Wells, will advise clients in respect of all types of commercial…

MANUFACTURER RELOCATES JOBS FROM CHINA TO DOVER
Up to 50 new jobs are to be created after a UK-based company decided to bring part of its manufacturing back from China, and establish a new factory in Dover. Multipanel UK, a producer and distributor of Aluminium Composite Panel…

HMRC HOMES IN ON PROPERTY SECTOR
DSH Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors is urging those involved in the rental property sector in the South East to ensure they have their house in order ahead of the latest HM Revenue & Customs clampdown. The Maidstone-based firm’s advice…