Employee numbers in the region plunge by over 15,000 as payroll cutbacks bite
Cuts in payroll numbers at companies in recent months have reduced the number of people employed in the East of England by over 15,000 during the past year. After falling for the tenth month running in July, the number of people on payrolls in the region stood at 2,899,080, a reduction of 15,639 jobs compared to the month a year ago according to data from WageSight. Meanwhile, the median average wage in the region rose by 5.11 per cent, an increase of £126 to £2,590 per month. Paul Hebden, director of WageSight, said: “The last few months have seen a sharp increase in the rate of cuts to payroll in the region, which largely reflects the picture nationally, with companies seemingly cutting back everywhere in the UK.” He added: “However, the picture on wages remains better with salaries for those still in employment just managing to outpace inflation which stood at 4.1pc in June.” The figures, based on ONS statistics, show that the 0.54 pc fall in the payroll in the East compared to a 0.49 pc fall in the overall UK payroll which stood at 30,285,820; a loss of 169,987 roles.
Farmland prices under pressure as buyers become ‘increasingly discerning’
Average farmland prices price paid per acre have dropped across all land types in the region in the first half although significant variations remain, according to research from Savills. In all, 12,263 acres of farmland have been publicly marketed in the East of England in the first half – a fall of 16 per cent on the period last year. Prime arable land trades at an average of £9,368 an acre in the East of England – a fall of 5.5 per cent from £9,914 an acre seen at the end of last year. Across Britain, the price paid for an acre of prime arable farmland has dropped by an average of 1.2 pc to £10,100. Grade 3 arable, land has fallen by 2,5pc to £9,061 per acre in the East, slightly above the national average. Oliver Carr, who leads the rural team for Savills in Cambs, said: “The strength of competition and prices achieved continues to significantly vary depending on location, the quality of land in question and its buildings. The presence — or absence — of high-quality infrastructure is also playing a more prominent role in determining the strength of buyer interest. Recent sales have shown us that there are some very well-funded buyers for ‘the right thing’, but they have become increasingly discerning.”
He added: “Looking ahead, the dry weather has led to an early harvest, and although yields have been affected, early reports suggest they are often exceeding expectations, so sentiment may improve.” Policy changes such as the IHT reforms could also affect the farmland market.
Photo: Carter’s Bridge Farm in Chatteris, Cambs, a 1,167 acre commercial arable farm for sale with a guide price of £13.5m.
Suffolk-based ceramics maker plans to double turnover after acquiring its own hq
A family-owned ceramics manufacturer is aiming to double its turnover to £5m after acquiring its own hq in Newmarket. Almath Crucibles has used a £787,500 finance package from Lloyds to buy a site in the Suffolk town which it was previously renting. It includes the 10,000 sq ft unit where the firm’s 15-strong team of engineers and scientists is based and an additional 10,000 sq ft unit, which it currently leases out. Founded in 1996 by Alan Misson, Almath Crucibles has become a leading manufacturer and a global exporter of ceramic products. It has grown under his son Michael, and now supplies 500 different ceramic products such as crucibles, fasteners and fibre blankets. The firm’s products can withstand higher temperatures and are more resistant to abrasion than most metals. Customers include the University of Cambridge, CERN and MIT, and last year the firm won the King’s Award for Innovation. The business is looking to double its current turnover of £2.5m within the next four years. Director Michael Misson said: “Owning our own home now gives us a strong platform to continue to innovate and build on the great progress we’ve made in recent years.”
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Suffolk and Cambridge AI start-up wins support from government service
Quick Brew Content, a Suffolk and Cambridge-based AI start-up backed by Barclays Eagle Labs, is being supported by Innovate UK Business Growth, a government-funded service that helps SMEs scale up. Founded in May 2024, QBC is an online platform that enables firms and professionals on LinkedIn to create and post ‘high-quality, industry-specific content’, in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. “With 96 per cent of company pages on LinkedIn failing to post enough content, SMEs miss out on the opportunity to grow their audience, establish credibility, and gain industry recognition. We solve this problem by providing a simple, affordable, and fast way to create and schedule thought leadership content….” said founder and CEO Jonathan Laker.
Photo: QBC founders (l-r) Jonathan Laker, Bart King and Donald Hyndman
Construction group appointed to build new hospice in Norfolk
Ipswich-based, Barnes Construction has been appointed by St Elizabeth Hospice to build a new community hospice facility at Gorleston in Great Yarmouth. The development includes a community café and an inpatient facility capable of hosting up to 16 beds. Over its 45 year history, Barnes Construction has built numerous healthcare scheme including the Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridge and East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice in Ipswich. Barnes’ joint managing director Mark Hart said: “Along with our fellow project team members, LSI Architects, Castons and Create, we are thrilled to be supporting St Elizabeth Hospice in delivering this new facility; an important milestone in the hospice’s development.”
Building materials acquisition at Colchester-based group
Prism Corporate Broking has supported growing Colchester-based investment company, Milbank Grou on its acquisition of a Winchester-based distributor of lintels and other structural building materials, London Lintels. Milbank Group chairman Sean Milbank said: “London Lintels is a great fit for the construction products part of our group. … Prism have now guided us through eleven acquisitions and we are very happy to continue working with their M&A experts on future deals.”
Financial advice firm renews business standard certification
Suffolk-based financial advice firm, Kingsfleet has renewed its B Corp certification, a benchmark for ethical and sustainable business practices. Colin Low, founder and managing director of Kingsfleet, said: “Becoming a B Corp is hard – staying a B Corp is even harder. The standards are high, and rightly so. We welcome that challenge because it keeps us accountable to our clients, our team and our community. Our recertification shows that we’re not just resting on past achievements – we’re continuing to push ourselves to do business in a way that truly balances people, planet and profit.” Today, 22 businesses in Suffolk hold B Corp certification and 8,000 are certified worldwide.
Cambridge company supports customers meet CSR goals
Cambridge company Domino has published a corporate social responsibility report highlighting its key achievements and goals to customers on the environment, people and society. The group’s CSR Report 2025 has been written in line with Global Reporting Initiative standards and outlines the company’s next steps on sustainability and how it plans to track improvements. Thomas Guerriero (photo), group CSR customer manager at Domino, said: “Sustainability expectations have stepped up in recent years, and our customers – particularly large multinational corporations – are under increasing pressure from regulators and consumers to demonstrate responsible business practices across their value chains….our customers need a clear view of how their suppliers are performing, and this helps them see exactly where we stand as a business.”
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