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Rural Business Survey 2010

Sample survey covering parts of Coastal, and Babergh

September 2010

Prepared by the Research & Intelligence Group, Transformation and Performance, Suffolk County Council

For all enquiries and more information regarding the contents of this report, please e-mail: [email protected]

RURAL BUSINESS SURVEY 2010

1. Background: Work on the Local Economic Assessment in Suffolk has revealed the limitations of data sources in identifying businesses, especially small ones in rural Suffolk. Many of these are micro, self employed businesses illustrating the creativity of local people to find niche activities or services and provide valuable local employment. Suffolk County Council and Mid Suffolk District thought there would be value in looking at what was actually in a sample area of Suffolk even though it would not be possible to gross information up to generalise about an area. It could however form the basis of a longitudinal study, whereby the area is revisited in future years to see what has changed.

2. Purpose: To identify the range of small businesses on a selected sample of routes in rural Suffolk.

3. Method: Two staff from Suffolk County Council drove down selected routes and stopped at businesses to ask questions on the questionnaire attached at Appendix 1. Where dialogue with an owner was not possible (due to size of business and no appointment, lack of obvious access to a reception) basic details of the nature of the business was collected from sign boards etc. A note of any public sector activities was made. Farms were not visited but were noted if they had a shop. Photographs were taken of each business.

4. Routes: These were agreed with Mid Suffolk District Council as routes or villages of mutual interest. Routes through rural Suffolk were selected, rather than whole village surveys to give a cross section of businesses reflecting farm diversification and service distribution (e.g. only hairdressers or pub for 10 miles) .

Selected routes Miles B1079 and B1077 Woodbridge to Eye going through Clopton, Otley, Helmingham, Framsden, Debenham, Aspall, Rishangles, Occold 21.8

B 1113 Stuston to Old Newton Going through Finningham, Cotton and Rickinghall 18.0

B 1115 Great Finborough to via 14.0

B1078 Bildeston to Going through , Great Bricett and Barking 7.9 Total 61.7

The survey was undertaken on 18 August 2010.

2 5. Survey results

5.1 Introduction: A total of 160 businesses were noted on the survey date over 61.7 miles following the routes set out above. Only 6 questionnaires were completed following interviews with owners/employees. This was because places were not open, too busy (retail activities at Cotton), or not set up with receptions for the public (e.g. Hubbard Refrigeration, Huntingdon Life Sciences). A full survey of the businesses (list of name and activity and photographing what was there) was undertaken in Debenham because this followed the main street. Even just taking photographs and writing down business names drew attention in Debenham, resulting in people stopping us in the street asking what we doing. A full survey of Eye was not undertaken mainly due to time and the thought that a survey of the industrial estates would be helpful. The questionnaires completed were of a range of businesses and gave an insight into employment levels. It was thought better to cover the miles to get a good sample, noting down company names and activities so they could be checked out back at the office.

In the office the company names were entered into a spread sheet and the web used to get exact addresses to allow mapping plus descriptions of activities to enable them to be assigned to a Standards Industrial classification (1997). If companies had their own web sites these were noted. This was time consuming taking 2 days to get the basic details of 160 businesses. It was clear that more time would enable more of the questionnaire questions to be answered, for example how long the firm has been established. However company web sites do not usually divulge much about employee numbers. A check was started as to whether companies were traceable on the FAME company database.

The outputs we now have is a spreadsheet of businesses along the roads set out in (4) with their address, postcode, web site if they have one. This can be used to examine change at a later date. Also a series of maps showing the distribution of businesses colour coded by sector with photographs of the front of businesses have been produced.

Findings 5.2 By Route: Table 1 sets out the findings by route, looking at the distribution of the businesses across the 1997 SIC order. Overall 36% of the businesses were in retail, 14% manufacturing; 12% accommodation and food (mainly pubs) and 9% in the motor trade (mainly garages). There was a good range of businesses though as only the only sectors with no business were Information and Communication and Finance. Schools were not included in the survey but it should be noted that Helmingham Primary school is on the B1078 located next to the Old School House Nursery.

Some of the interesting findings were:

The big companies not on industrial estates: Employing 100+ Hubbard Taylor Products refrigeration solutions at Otley – design and manufacture of commercial cooling equipment for vehicles and supermarkets.

Clearly a link to freight and Port of Felixstowe and offering a range of skilled and professional jobs. It is the largest single employer in the Otley area. Huntingdon Life Sciences Occold Research Centre – Chemical testing facilities with high security, controlled entrance. These companies would employ a range of professional and skilled people.

3 Table 1 Number of Businesses by route Woodbridge Stuston – Gt Bildeston Total % - Eye Old Newton Finborough to B1079 A143 & - Gt Barking B1077 B1113 Waldingfield B1078 B1115 Miles of road 21.8 18 14 7.9 61.7 1 : Agriculture, forestry & 5 2 7 4% fishing (A) 2 : Mining, quarrying & 1 1 0.5% utilities (B,D,E) 3 : Manufacturing (C) 16 2 5 23 14% 4 : Construction (F) 4 1 1 6 4% 5 : Motor trades (Part G) 3 3 3 5 14 9% 6 : Wholesale (Part G) 2 3 5 3% 7 : Retail (Part G) 26 19 10 2 57 36% 8 : Transport & storage (H) 2 2 1% 9 : Accommodation & food 4 3 10 2 19 12% services (I) 10 : Information & communication (J) 11 : Finance & insurance (K) 12 : Property (L) 3 3 2% 13 : Professional, scientific & 4 3 1 8 5% technical (M) 14 : Business admin. & 1 1 0.5% support services (N) 15 : Education (P) 16 : Health (Q) 1 1 2 1% 17 : Public admin & other 2 3 2% (O,R-U) 18: Other 4 2 3 9 6% Total 78 35 24 23 160 Businesses per mile 3.6 1.9 1.7 2.9 2.6

Figure 1: Type of businesses

18: Other 17 : Public admin 16 : Health 15 : Education 14 : Business admin. & support 13 : Professional, scientific & technical 12 : Property 11 : Finance & insurance 10 : Information & communication 9 : Accommodation & food services 8 : Transport & storage 7 : Retail 6 : Wholesale 5 : Motor trades 4 : Construction 3 : Manufacturing 2 : Mining, quarrying & utilities 1 : Agriculture, forestry & fishing 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

4 Specialisms: Herbs at Eye – a group of businesses prepare and market fresh herbs. Two are located on the Mid Suffolk Business park at Eye, Fresh Herbs Ltd and Rosemary and Thyme involved in packaging and distribution whilst linked to the latter is other another location at Chestnut Farm, Eye where Camstar Herbs is also located who’s main business is growing parsley (350ha) and other herbs and processing the crops. Also at Chestnut Farm is Stark Naked Foods , producer of pesto. A further possible link to the group is Steng Ingredients – Symrise on the Mid Suffolk Business Park , manufacturers of fragrances and flavourings but the large unit did not look as if it was in active use. Brown and May a fresh fish supplier and Langton Ltd, makers of fresh desserts are also on this business park and involved in food preparation.

Jewellery tool importing on the Tollemache Business Park at Often in Babergh. There were two companies involved in the importing of precision tools, EMC services and ASIC of Switzerland, sharing a unit.

Savill Cases - specialist bag manufacture located on Rickinghall Business Park centre Willow Farm

SRL Sound Research Laboratory at Great Waldingfield –this is a specialist sound testing company with a big testing unit located in a converted barn.

Linked to the land/agriculture: businesses growing things – in addition to the herb companies mentioned above Grainseed Ltd at Langton Green advertised themselves as maize and oil seed rape wholesaler suppliers, involved in growing crops. Howard Nurseries at Rickinghall grow over 2 million plants annually and provide them wholesale to independent retailers, nurseries and local authorities. Bacton Potash Nurseries is a smaller business specialising in growing fushias.

Tools/equipment businesses related to agriculture included PG Horticulture Ltd on the Mid Suffolk Business Park provides wholesale crates and pots etc to the horticultural industry; Permastore tanks and silos manufacture glass-fused-to-steel tanks and silos for farm, municipal and industrial waste, potable water and bulk solid storage. An interesting link to this activity is the need for specialist warning vehicles to patrol the roads to enable the large tanks to be transported.

Country sports: Saddlery at Grange Farm King Saddlery & Country ware; Boundary Farm Equestrian centre at Framsden offering a cross country course and accommodation ; Horse box and trailers Agroco Trailers at Great Bricett; Firearms at Workwear Ltd on the Eye Airfield.

Pro cessing food: Aspall Cyder; Eye Airfield Abattoir; Vion, Eye in addition to the specialist ones mentioned above

Small – one person: Cane workshop – Rishangles came to our attention as a questionnaire was completed (see below)

Manufacturing: There was a large range not just linked to agriculture on the Mid Suffolk Business park: KPS Petrol Pipe system making fuel pipes; Wrightfield, Engineering

5 design of bespoke food processing equipment and integrated conveying solutions; Garward Engineering – metal machining and fabrication.

Creative: Few examples of what you would call creative activities were found along the 61 mile route. This is not a single SIC order but things we thought would be classified as creative were the Cane workshop at Rishangles; Carters Ceramic designs, a pottery at Debenham ; Spiral gallery, selling contemporary jewellery ; Stuston Signs and designs; AVW Controls Ltd on the Willow Farm Business Centre at Rickinghall – this produced rigging and scenery motion control design and manufacture; Lucy Art gallery at Finbow’s Yard, Cotton. Notably nothing “creative” like an Art gallery was found on the routes in Babergh but some activities linked to creative activities were found on the small industrial estates. Located on the Crowcroft Road estate at Nedging Tye Calypso is Roast and Sons ltd , a basket ware, zinc ware and glassware wholesaler supplying florists and plant growers; on Tollemache Business Park at Offten was EMC Services and ASIC of Switzerland supplying precision tools to jewellers and watch makers and also Philip Stamp wholesalers of haberdashery, textile linings to retail, manufacturing and education.

Oddities: Great Bricett business park – this was signed to the public from the main road but when you got there was a gate and sign saying no public access. Research in the office revealed that the green corrugated hanger buildings were owned by Endex Archives who provide Document storage facilities. The buildings were purchased from the MOD some time ago and the company markets secure storage. No advertisement of the company was evident and it gave the impression it was still in military ownership with signs all round the perimeter of the park saying No public access.

Vacancies: It was not possible to do a full survey of the numbers of empty units seen on industrial estates. A review of the companies advertised on the Rickinghall Business Centre Willow Farm entrance sign in Mid Suffolk revealed many could not be found in the units – in some cases others were found but back in the office no record of 5 of the companies named could be found: • IW Moody Book services • Clover leaf Ram services Ltd • Legal Library services • St James Place Partnership • The Woodturner

Whilst the following are on the web but have another location address: Leisure –tek (East Anglia) Ltd Malthouse Security Services Of the 17 units on the estate only 3 companies appeared to be present although some occupied more than one unit.

6 Four large units were clearly vacant on the Mid Suffolk Business Park.

Microbusinesses: There was not a lot of evidence of micro business. The Cane Workshop is an example in Rishangles and Curtains by Cristina, obviously based at a home, in Cotton.

Tourism: There was not much evidence of specialist tourism linked businesses with the exception of where at Bridge Farm Barns, there is a group of 5 businesses very much orientated to all year round tourism type trade: Tea room Corn Craft Gift shop; Wildflower shop; Black Barn Toys and Games; The Summer House; and Marlborough tiles. In Mid Suffolk Boundary Farm Equestrian Centre at Framsden also has 2 holiday cottages.

5.3 By District : Table 2 looks at the businesses by District.

Table 2 Number of businesses by District Total Suffolk Mid Babergh Coastal Suffolk Miles of road 61.7 6.2 33.6 21.9 1 : Agriculture, forestry & fishing (A) 7 7 2 : Mining, quarrying & utilities (B,D,E) 1 1 3 : Manufacturing (C) 23 1 17 5 4 : Construction (F) 6 5 1 5 : Motor trades (Part G) 14 1 5 8 6 : Wholesale (Part G) 5 2 3 7 : Retail (Part G) 57 6 40 11 8 : Transport & storage (H) 2 2 9 : Accommodation & food services (I) 19 8 11 10 : Information & communication (J) 11 : Finance & insurance (K) 12 : Property (L) 3 3 13 : Professional, scientific & technical (M) 8 7 1 14 : Business admin. & support services (N) 1 1 15 : Education (P) 16 : Health (Q) 2 1 1 17 : Public admin & other (O,R-U) 3 2 1 18: Other 9 1 5 3 Total 160 9 106 45 Businesses per mile 2.6 1.5 3.1 2.0 Excluding Debenham (26) 2.3

There was a noticeable contrast between Districts, particularly Babergh. It was very clear there were far fewer businesses along the roads in Babergh and these were largely confined to pubs offering food and garages. Although the survey is small, even including the business parks there seemed to be a lower density of business in Babergh and a smaller range that did not include much linked to agriculture. As already seen above there were some quite interesting companies operating including 5 involved in manufacturing:

TMJ interiors - Corporate, financial, residential tailor made joinery interiors near Bildeston

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Kuda (UK) Ltd - Fibre glass skills making aerodynamic hoods for HGVs, at Crowcroft Road Industrial estate, Nedging Tye

Landfill Systems Maintenance ltd - designs, manufactures, installs and commissions landfill gas extraction, pumping, venting and flaring systems also at Crowcroft Road Industrial estate, Nedging Tye

Barking Forge – an old forge metal specialist

Sandblasting sign co - Sandblast timber panels, granite sign production also in Barking.

There did seem to be a poor range of businesses in Bildeston. Although much smaller than Debenham, the lack of shops made it appear to lack vibrancy. Travelling along roads in Babergh gave the impression of extremely tight planning control over business activities and their location, with the preference to them going on Industrial estates.

In contrast Finbow’s Yard, Cotton in Mid Suffolk was a much more organic development. It contained a range of different size and shape units offering a broad range of retail activities – 11 in all ranging from fireplaces, café, Art Gallery, building suppliers, garage, domestic appliances, furniture, gas and boiler maintenance, cycle shop and mobility and care equipment. Immediately opposite was plant centre, hair salon and gift shop. It certainly operated as a local service centre, busy, popular and flourishing.

Finbow’s Yard Cotton

In Suffolk Coastal on the B1078, the outskirts of Woodbridge there did seem to be an over spill of land hungry activities e.g. Wyevale that had extensive car parking, Brafe Engineering and the Vehicle Surgeon with 6 bays for working on cars and extensive car parking. Clearly these were servicing the needs of Woodbridge residents and providing

8 jobs for local people. Wyevale is well positioned for passing trade from the A12. Grange Farm shop just a bit further up the road also mentioned visitor trade.

5.3 Questionnaire findings: The responses to the 6 questionnaires are summarised in Appendix 2. The key points emerging were: • Surprising numbers of part time employees in the farm shops. Grange Farm Shop all 18 employees are part time covering 7 day opening. King Saddlery employee 6 part time and Otley village store and PO 7 part time. • No internet coverage at Grange Farm means the businesses do not have their own pages and rely on local advertising. • All of the shops visited were aware of the attraction of local produce but some were far more proactive offering a wider range than others. • Conversation with the owner of the Cane workshop suggested that setting up your own business could run in the family. • The shops had been on their sites for long periods of time – over 50 years. They have expanded their selling ranges in most cases.

5.4 Maps: The maps show the distribution of businesses along the roads covered by the survey plus some photographs illustrating different types of activities.

6. Conclusions and possible future actions

6.1 Good range of business types found distributed through all 3 Districts areas surveyed. Some are very large and could be encouraged to engage more in their local communities for example sponsorship for sports teams, be asked to be honorary members of Parish Councils to engage in integrated community development, join up on recycling activities – very relevant to developing the new localism agenda.

6.2 Differences between Districts have been noted and could have implications for future policy as District Councils merge services. There are good examples of the vibrancy of rural communities due to the range of activities that have been permitted. Service honeypots like Cotton clearly help reduce the length of trips to larger shopping areas.

6.3 Small business/micro run in the family. The long running existence of family businesses demonstrates that entrepreneurial spirit can run in the family and has potential to spawn more new small businesses. However things change over time and new start ups need current advice on how to set up. Targeting information to existing businesses with this in mind could help kick start more activity.

6.4 Target creative? The Local Economic needs assessment workshops with Districts during 2010 suggested there was a lot of hidden creative activity out in the rural areas. Not many creative activities were found on the routes surveyed. Perhaps artists, craft specialist etc are hidden away in private housing not advertising their existence from their homes but exhibiting in specialist venues. There may be scope for more creative activity particularly linked to tourism that could be encouraged thought community development.

9 6.5 Manufacturing. We already were aware that manufacturing was important in Suffolk and this survey of rural routes illustrates the range, diversity and world class nature of what is there. On average 12% of jobs in Suffolk are in manufacturing. Our rural survey picked up a higher proportion (14%), often in very specialist activities, linked to agriculture, food processing but also in more generic activities such as pipe manufacture and metal machining. At the moment these companies appear to have weathered the recession. The importance of manufacturing in rural Suffolk locations should be more widely acknowledged and thought given to how Local Authorities can be seen to be supportive and encouraging as it provides skilled jobs.

6.6 Celebrate the unusual? The collection of companies working with producing and processing herbs on the Mid Suffolk Business Park is worthy of wider acclaim and is something Suffolk can be proud of.

6.7 Sustainability. There was a definite contrast between shops although all seemed to acknowledge and value local food sourcing. Grange Farm is outstanding and has a lot it could teach other shops. Clearly there is a turnover of shop owners and those new to the area could be targeted with local ideas for food products by EDOs, shop associations or the Chamber of Commerce to help them build up their businesses and reduce food miles.

6.8 Rickinghall Business Park Centre Willow Farm sign. This would appear to need updating to reflect the businesses that are actually operating on the Business Park. This could be passed on to TWgaze to action.

6.9 Encourage new business by targeting existing to help support the next generation, just graduating from university etc. This could be considered through the Chamber of Commerce as they have links to existing businesses and knowledge of advice sources.

6.10 Internet coverage in rural areas. Much is already being done to raise the profile of broadband needs in rural areas. The implications of not having access to the internet means that work has be done on setting up pages off site (this is what is happening for large companies with foreign owners) or there is no internet advertisement and different modes of advertisement has to be employed. King Saddlery rely on the Suffolk Show and the Cane Workshop leaves details with antique shops. Some are doing very well without having the internet access but in the short term micro businesses could be discouraged from setting up unless some co-operative advertising mechanism is available.

10 Appendix 1 Rural business survey 2010 Name of business:

Address:

Tel: Activity:

How long on this site?

Why did you locate here?

Do you have Internet access here?

How many do you employ? Full time Part time Who are your main suppliers and what do they supply?

Where are your main markets? Local people Suffolk Elsewhere UK Abroad

What is the main mode of business transport? Own car Own Delivery vehicle Post

Name of respondent:

11 Appendix 2: Questionnaire responses How Why Business Post- Web Internet Main Business SIC Employees Address Comments long on locate Suppliers Name activity code site access markets transport site? here?

Saddlery Owner King Local, and clothes lived in Saddlery & Grundisburgh IP13 Advertise by word of mouth 23 Suffolk, for horse Retail 6 part time Hasketon No No area & no Various None Country Road 6HN and Suffolk Show years Essex, riding, Kings of stables ware Beccles pet food locally Grundisburgh apples; Bread Woodbridge; Use local advertising and food This meat various tasting event (in Aldeburgh Food owner Cratfield, Food and Drink Festival produce, 15 Took over Worlingworth Local, Own car - Grange Grundisburgh IP13 24/9/10 to 9/10/10 Local painted Retail 18 part time Hasketon No No years; established & Brundish; Suffolk, deliver to Farm Shop Road 6HN suppliers cont.Cakes Wickham furniture farm farm shop Cherries Visitors elderly Market; St Peter's Brewery; commissions shop 50 Sudbourne; Chickens Sutton Hoo; Coffee years Veg Ufford Earl Soham small holder; Local potatoes In converted barn. Working out Various. Wood Kitchen The old Barn, IP6 back of barn. Spoke to owner. Bought 2 liveried Farm design and Retail 4 Otley Yes Yes 3 years Suffolk Wood Farm 9NS Moved to Suffolk from Essex granite from vans Kitchens fitting 2003. Originally in Debenham China Hot pies, make own rolls, wine & Otley Own spirits, food, This Local, Village Not that much local produce Shop Londis cash delivery birthday IP6 owner passing Store, PO Retail 7 part time Chapel Road Otley http://www.rural-shops- Yes already and carry in vehicle cards, PO, 9NT 11 trade, and garden alliance.co.uk/images/otley.pdf established for older garden years builders supplies people plants & seeds. Grows seeds Cane, Started in Debenham at Deben Wholesalers seagrass Rush Weavers. They closed & Fred Alders Suffolk 16 Moved seating moved. Got Enterprise crafts. Advertise Own car - Cane Manu- Nuholme, IP2 No years here 1982 renovating 1 Rishangles allowance scheme start up for Yes Rushes from with deliver to Workshops facturing Eye Road 3JZ page Since when got old chairs & 1 year. Daughter looking to Holland; cane Antique elderly 1984 married anything start up in creative music and from Kuala dealers cane needs help. Lumpa Fresh bakery This from Palmers owner 3 Rural area Old Village shop, Bakery days like Own car Newton fresh bakery 2 plus Old Newton IP14 Limited amount of local Haughley; Retail No No previous previous Local older Village products, paperboys 4EQ produce. Cash & carry owner place in people stores newsagents Bookers; 10 Cambridge Specialist years salesmen 12

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