Firms shed jobs at faster rate despite pick-up in growth
Firms in the East are shedding jobs at the fastest rate of any UK region despite a pick-up in growth in the area. Workforce numbers across the East of England’s private sector fell for the twelfth month running in August and at the fastest rate since February, according to a key survey of purchasing managers from NatWest. It says companies continued to link job cuts, hiring freezes and the non-replacement of leavers to greater cost pressures due to increases to the minimum wage and employer national insurance. Lisa Phillips, regional managing director, Midlands and East, commercial mid markets, said: “A renewed rise in new business helped to lift expectations, which were the strongest since last October just prior to the autumn budget….But the fallout from the rise in employer national insurance contributions continued to be felt among private sector workforces….” The NatWest East of England growth tracker business activity index rose to 54.6 in August, from 53.4 in July and above the long-run trend. Firms were increasingly optimistic on growth on the back of lower inflation and interest rates, more stable markets, new products and recovering consumer confidence. The rate of input price inflation at private sector firms in the East of England eased to the lowest in 2025 so far.
Region’s companies embrace AI to cut costs and drive innovation
A quarter of businesses in the East of England plan to create new jobs linked to artificial intelligence and almost a third (30 per cent) have already seen ‘improved decision-making’, according to a Barclays survey. It says a similar share of firms are looking to harness AI to cut costs over the next two years and each business in the East has already invested slightly over £250,000 in AI and emerging technologies. Despite global economic challenges and rising energy costs, the Barclays Prosperity Index says UK firms are accelerating AI adoption and upskilling their workforce to drive innovation and growth. In a mark of confidence, it notes that 91 per cent of East of England businesses remain confident in their own prosperity and 58 per cent plan to increase investment over the next 12 months. But nationally, over half of firms are delaying investment decisions until the autumn budget, with many expecting to increase investment on the back of it. Abdul Qureshi, MD of Barclays Business Banking, said: “Despite economic and energy challenges, UK businesses are pushing ahead with AI and skills investment to unlock productivity and growth. Firms are showing resilience by adapting quickly to new technologies and equipping their people with the tools they need to thrive.”
Suffolk-based accountancy firm acquired by international group
Ensors, the chartered accountancy firm with offices across Suffolk and Norfolk, has been acquired by Azets – a UK and international provider of accounting and advisory services. Azets is seen as a strong cultural and strategic fit for Ensors and as part of the wider group, the East Anglia firm will be able to offer a broader range of services and specialist expertise. Ensors has been operating for more than 130 years and has a staff of more than 300 with offices in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge, Huntingdon, Norwich and Saxmundham. The firm will have a dedicated regional leadership team, led by David Scrivener as regional managing director, East. It will continue to trade under the Ensors name as ‘part of Azets’ for around 12 months, during a phased integration. David Scrivener said: “This is a proud and exciting moment for Ensors. We’ve built a strong and trusted business by focusing on our people, our clients, and our communities. Joining Azets marks the next phase of our growth, enabling us to offer even more to the clients we serve and the people we employ.”
Peter Gallanagh, UK chief executive officer at Azets, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Ensors to Azets. The firm has an outstanding reputation in East Anglia, a talented team, and a strong track record of growth. This marks an important milestone as we expand into a new region of the UK, and we’re excited about the opportunities it creates for our clients and our people.” Azets was formed in 2018 in response to the digitalisation of financial compliance processes and is one of the largest tech-enabled providers in the sector. It acts for more than 100,000 clients, operating in the UK, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Romania and Estonia and has made more than 100 acquisitions to date.
Aspiring accountants start training with East Anglian firm
A new generation of aspiring accountants has joined accountancy firm Larking Gowen. The intake includes school leavers, graduates, and placement year students, who will be based across the firm’s offices in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex and working towards qualifications in accountancy and taxation, alongside other specialist certifications. Managing partner Julie Grimmer (photo centre with the 2025 student cohort) said: “Our trainees benefit from hands-on experience, coaching and support from experienced professionals, and exposure to a wide range of sectors. We’re committed to helping them grow into confident, capable professionals who will shape the future of our firm and the wider industry.”
Law firm appoints 29 new trainees
Law firm Birketts has appointed 29 new trainee solicitors to its teams across its offices in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, Norwich, London, Bristol and Sevenoaks. The intake includes 26 new faces and three internal candidates. Each trainee will gain hands-on experience across Birketts’ sectors and services, supported by its multi-disciplinary approach and commitment to professional development. Sonya O’Reilly, partner, head of independent schools and Birketts’ training principal, said: “Birketts remains fully committed to nurturing future legal talent through our comprehensive training programme, and we’re thrilled to welcome such a talented and diverse group of trainees. We look forward to supporting them over the next two years as they develop their skills and contribute to the continued success of the firm.”
Historic Cambridge events venue reopens after major upgrade
The Pitt Building in Cambridge has reopened following a major upgrade, with increased capacity, new flexible layouts, and state-of-the-art technology. The historic building is available to book for conferences, meetings, panel discussions, corporate events, and public launches through Meet Cambridge, the city’s official venue-finding service. The building’s largest space, the Newton Room, has been reconfigured to offer significantly greater capacity. Advanced AV infrastructure has also been added. Andrew Bell, head of Meet Cambridge, said: “The Pitt Building is a stunning example of how historic venues can evolve to meet modern needs. We’re proud to feature it in our portfolio, helping organisations from Cambridge, across the UK and around the world find the perfect setting for their events in the city.” The reception area (photo) has also been restored, removing a partition wall to reveal clear views through to the courtyard.
New £32 million Peterborough building shortlisted for national award
A new building at ARU Peterborough, The Lab, has been shortlisted in the Education Estates Awards; a second accolade since its recent official opening. The £32 million facility (photo) the third phase of ARU Peterborough’s growing city centre campus, is a hub for teaching, research and community engagement. In April, it was judged the Best Building in Britain at the Pineapple Awards 2025. Designed by Cambridge-based MCW architects and built by Morgan Sindall Construction, The Lab officially opened last November. It features laboratories, engineering workshops and flexible learning spaces, Professor Ross Renton, principal of ARU Peterborough, said: “Being shortlisted for the Education Estates Awards is fantastic recognition of the vision, hard work and collaboration that brought this building to life.”
Cambridge company creates new global role to strengthen partnerships with manufacturers
Cambridge company Domino has created a new senior role to focus on its global original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners. It has appointed Josie Harries as global business development director – OEM with a remit to strengthen collaborative relationships with OEMs, identify growth opportunities and simplify working together. Top of the agenda for Domino is helping manufacturers to reduce waste, improve sustainability and deliver value through reliable solutions and advanced printing expertise. Josie Harries (photo, right) joined Domino in 2005 after completing a PhD in chemistry and over the last 20 years has worked in many different areas of the business including R&D, where she led the development of inks for a variety of applications and printing technologies. Nick Stanbury, market development director, said: “Josie comes to this role with an excellent track record of delivering change in complex environments and will apply her creative and collaborative leadership style to advance this strategically important initiative.”
- Discover more insights in Brown Shipley’s latest market and investment update: Harvesting Profits – Counterpoint September 2025
- Investing puts your capital at risk
