Manufacturers add 10,000 new jobs in the region as output climbs by a fifth
Manufacturing companies in the East of England have added 10,000 new jobs in the past two years as output has recovered to stand more than a fifth higher (21 per cent) than in 2019, before the pandemic. The latest Make UK/BDO Annual Regional Manufacturing Outlook report highlights the significance of manufacturing to the East’s economy; the sector accounts for 11 per cent of the region’s total output and 228,000 jobs, seven pc of the region’s employment. Chris Corkan, region director for Make UK in the East of England, said: “Industry remains critical to the growth of the East of England economy, providing high value, high skill jobs and aiding the process of creating wealth across the UK. The government has made a welcome bold statement of its intent to tackle the UK’s anaemic growth at national and regional level with its industrial and trade strategies. This should now be allied with the local growth strategies and priorities of each region, including infrastructure and innovation…” Manufacturing in the East is broadly based – the largest sector, pharmaceuticals, accounts for only 15 pc of industrial output, followed by food and drink at 13.5pc and machinery at 12pc. Meanwhile, the East of England accounted for almost a tenth (9pc) of the UK’s total goods exports to the EU.
Cambs zoo invests in facilities in bid to double visitor numbers
Hamerton Zoo Park near Huntingdon is upgrading its play facilities and is aiming to double the number of annual visitors to 200,000 helped by a £150,000 finance package from Lloyds. Opened 35 years ago, the 30-acre park is home to a wide range of animals, including birds, reptiles, big cats, bears and marsupials. A new all-weather structure will allow the playground to stay open during the winter months, helping it to attract more visitors off-season. Last year the park used a £150,000 clean growth finance initiative package from Lloyds to invest in its renewable energy infrastructure. Andrew Swales, director at Hamerton Zoo Park, said: “We want to build the most important zoo in the region that is fit for generations to come. And key to this is our commitment to protecting and conserving nature and the environment around us which is why we’ve been keen to invest in a renewable energy infrastructure alongside upgrading our facilities.”
Business start ups bounce back but late payments on the rise
Business start ups in East Anglia jumped by 11 per cent in June compared to the month last year but the number of local companies facing late payments has also risen, according to the Eastern branch of insolvency and business rescue group R3. After a steep fall in the number of businesses set up in the region in April and May, its figures show there were 7,268 businesses set up in the region in June, up from 7,161 in May and 6,538 in June last year. But the number of companies in the region with late payments on their books rose sharply in June to 67,217, the highest monthly total for the region over the past year and up from 64,172 in May. R3 Eastern chair Hayley Watson (photo, right), a director at McTear Williams & Wood in Norwich, said: “It is encouraging to see East Anglian entrepreneurs rallying against the effects of a very uncertain economic outlook, which includes tax rises, tariffs and spiralling fuel and energy costs. At the same time, however, it is concerning to see the rise in the number of local companies with invoices on their books which are overdue for payment.”
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Property investors attracted to East of England
The East of England ranks as the UK’s second most attractive region for property investment according to new research from Handelsbanken’s Property Investor Report 2025. Behind only London, the East was named by 42 per cent of respondents as the second target region for property investment over the next 12 months. It reflects growing confidence in the region, particularly in areas like Dacorum – an area in Herts, centred on Hemel Hempstead – which are seeing where strong buyer demand. Sarah Dean, district head, East of England, Handelsbanken, said: “It is no surprise that the East of England is a magnet for investors, as it is an area offering massive potential for growth, whilst still offering a diverse economy and with affordable areas ripe for development.”
Government-backed bank lends over £10 million
The government-backed British Business Bank has delivered over £10m in funding to entrepreneurs in Cambridgeshire since its programme began in 2012. Nearly 900 founders in the county have taken out a start up loan to launch or grow their early-stage business. One in ten loans in the region has gone to entrepreneurs based in Cambs. The average loan value is £11,313 and one in three loans have been taken out by people aged 30 or under and more than 40 per cent have gone to female founders.
Forecourt operator upgrades Peterborough site with ultra rapid EV chargers
Motor Fuel Group, the UK’s largest independent forecourt operator with over 1,200 sites, has upgraded EV charging facilities at its Morrisons-branded Peterborough Service Station. It now has eight, 300kW ultra-rapid EV charging bays and an expanded range of facilities to support petrol and electric motorists. The Peterborough investment forms part of the firm’s nationwide EV rollout aiming to combine high-performance EV charging with quality retail and vehicle services. Martin Symes, EV director, MFG, said: “Peterborough is a fantastic location—serving the regions motorists while also being embedded in a vibrant local community. As we expand our EV network across the country, urban sites like this are critical to ensuring everyone has access to convenient, reliable and future-ready charging solutions.”
Insurance group’s charitable trust reaches £3 million milestone
A charitable trust set up by Norwich-based insurance company Alan Boswell Group has reached a major milestone: over £3 million donated to charitable causes. For over 30 years the group had maintained a ‘charity of the year’ before setting up the Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust in 2019 to distribute a percentage of company profits to local charitable causes. The trust supports causes in the areas where it operates across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambs and Lincs. Over the past six years, it has supported more than 450 charities and community organisations, funding projects that support the arts, community sports and leisure, nature conservation, health and medical care, animal welfare, and vulnerable communities. Employees are encouraged to take part in the charitable initiatives. “Reaching £3 million in donations is a testament to the generosity of our people and the strength of our partnerships with local charities,” said Alan Boswell, executive chairman of the group. “It’s important to invest in our communities, and we’re pleased that the trust has been able to make a positive impact.”
Photo (l-r): Alastair Drew (trustee), Sarah Lusher (trustee), Alex Bartram (trustee) and Abbie Hammond (committee member)
See Profile Alan Boswell Group
Cambridge company delivers ‘egg to pallet’ coding for happy hens in Portugal
Cambridge company Domino is partnering with one of Portugal’s largest egg producers to deliver a range of its coding and marking technologies to ensure strict quality assurance processes, traceability and compliance with global food safety standards. Domino, based in Bar Hill and a long-term supplier to the egg industry in the UK and further afield, is providing shell-to-shelf coding for Grupo CAC. Manuel Sobreiro, chairman of Grupo CAC, said: “With Domino as our partner, we are confident we can maintain our position as market leader in the European and international market. Domino’s technology ensures secure and lasting identification across our entire value chain, making traceability and quality control effortless.”
Photo: Tiago Ribeiro, head of the technical department at Grupo CAC shows Domino’s egg coding.
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