If a business is above the VAT threshold (currently £85,000) it will be required and responsible for maintaining digital records for VAT purposes.

From 1 April 2019, affected businesses will no longer be able to use the Government Gateway website. Instead, they will have to submit their VAT returns via MTD-compliant software. They will also need to maintain their records digitally.

Some companies/sole traders, etc. might be under the impression that if they have an accountant, they do not need to do anything as MTD will be their accountant’s responsibility; however, this not the case.

With the start of MTD less than five months away, the Reepham Chamber of Commerce event will feature a qualified accountant who will help guide businesses and organisations through the steps they need to take to prepare for the change.

The meeting will be held at 6 pm on Tuesday 27 November at Reepham College, Whitwell Road, Reepham, and is open to all local businesses, whether they are a Chamber member or not.

To book your place at this free event or for further information, contact Judy Holland on 01603 308158 or email

See our earlier story:

• Making tax digital – how will it affect your business?

The post Free seminar on Making Tax Digital appeared first on REEPHAM LIFE.

Businesses with a turnover under the threshold will not have to use the new Making Tax Digital (MTD) system, but have the option to do so voluntarily; however, all businesses may in future be required to use the MTD system.

Affected businesses will no longer be able to use the Government Gateway website. Instead, they will have to submit their VAT returns via MTD-compliant software; they will also need to maintain their records digitally.

Reepham Chamber of Commerce is organising a free event where a qualified accountant will help guide businesses through the steps needed to prepare for the change. The meeting will be open to all businesses in the Reepham district – whether they are a Chamber member or not.

The event is planned for 6 pm on Tuesday 27 November, venue to be confirmed dependent on numbers.

Any businesses interested in attending should contact Judy Holland on 01603 308158 or email with your name, the name of the business and the number of people attending.

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The prize of £50 to be spent in Reepham was awarded to Ben Sharred, a volunteer with Whitwell & Reepham Railway. He not only solved all of the anagrams, but was also closest in the tie-breaker question.

Ben was delighted to receive his prize from Chamber treasurer Claudia Lowe, which took the form of “Reepham Fivers” – ten £5 vouchers that can be spent in participating shops, eateries and businesses in Reepham.

Aged 19, Ben became involved with Whitwell Station through his grandfather who lives in Reepham and attended the All About Reepham event to help out on the Whitwell Station stand. He said that his £50 will probably be spent at Reepham Home Hardware.

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Robert Clarke of Almary Green will be explaining the preparation involved for employers who will be reaching their staging dates during 2016/17 and will point out some of the pitfalls to avoid.

He comments that “many smaller businesses mistakenly believe they have nothing to do, but even if you have no eligible employees you may have to set up a scheme and you will certainly have to complete a declaration in order to comply with the rules”.

Mr Clarke will also be giving information to employers who have already put schemes in place and who may have encountered difficulties along the way.

“Auto-enrolment is not something you do once and then forget about,” he said. “There are ongoing responsibilities and you must continue to assess your workforce at every pay period.”

• To attend this workshop, please email jholland@reephamlife.co.uk or call 01603 308158.

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The Market Place-based self-catering holiday company came to a financial arrangement with Norfolk County Council (NCC), which owns the School Road site and had earlier rejected TOCC’s original proposal, arguing that the initial amount offered was far below the market value for use of the space for car parking.

Reepham Town Council agreed to provide the £500 shortfall, which was the difference between NCC’s final valuation (reported as £3,500 at the Town Council’s April meeting) and TOCC’s final offer.

The Town Council argued that this would help free up spaces in the Station Road car park, which was often overflowing with vehicles of town centre employees and residents.

The “one-off” funding was made to Reepham Chamber of Commerce, which paid this to NCC.

James Ellis, a director of TOCC, which is the town centre’s largest employer with around 40 employees, stressed that the parking arrangement behind the fire station is for TOCC employees only and permits are required.

He added that the company had received thanks from local residents, who appreciate TOCC’s gesture and have already noticed the difference it has made to the parking situation.

• Has parking improved in Reepham? Log in or register below to post your comments or send an email

See our earlier story:

• County Hall snubs plan to ease town centre parking problems

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If you have a project that will benefit Reepham or the surrounding area, then it may be suitable for funding.

There is around £15 million available to support projects in Norfolk over the next four years. This is public money coming from a number of government and international funding pots and is being channelled through what are known as Local Action Groups.

If you represent a local group, run a business or are thinking of starting a business, you are invited to drop in to find out more over tea or coffee as part of an informal open session on Tuesday 19 April from 4.30–8.30 pm in the foyer of Reepham College, Whitwell Road, Reepham.

This event is specifically designed to be informal; you are welcome to take as long or as little time as you like talking to us. Members of the Reepham Chamber of Commerce and Town Team will be available to discuss ideas with you on a one-to-one basis: we want as many local businesses and community groups as possible to benefit.

Whether you need £1,000, £100,000 or more, the funding will be distributed in the form of a grant in return for a business or group providing some level of “match funding”.

This event is being run by local people with no strings attached or incentives. They just want Reepham businesses to be able to make the most of this opportunity.

• For more information, contact Reepham Chamber of Commerce reephamchamber@gmail.com or Judy Holland 01603 308158

See our earlier story:

• Brewery gets funding for new bottling line

The post Drop-in and find out more about funding for local businesses appeared first on REEPHAM LIFE.

The display of small Christmas trees around the Market Place, which are provided by the Reepham Chamber of Commerce and erected by the Reepham & District Rotary Club, has delighted both residents and visitors for several years, bringing a magical atmosphere to the town.

The Chamber of Commerce was able to access grant funding of £1,000 from Broadland District Council’s Community Activities Fund, as well as receiving an Almary Green Award of £1,000. In addition, Reepham Town Council donated a further £500 to the project.

Chamber chairman Brenda Gostling was delighted with the success of the fundraising campaign. “We are very grateful for these substantial grants,” she said. “The support of both the Town and District Councils has made this project possible.”

Mrs Gostling further reported that the shortfall of approximately £1,000 would be met by a number of initiatives.

“The Chamber will be making a contribution and we have been promised further smaller donations from a number of individuals and organisations,” she said. “We are also planning to have collection buckets at the Festival of Light on 3 December and hope that all of Reepham will contribute.”

• Any commercial business, community group or private individual wanting to make a donation can contact: Claudia Lowe, Treasurer, Reepham Chamber of Commerce. Tel: 01603 871071 or email: claudia@clbas.co.uk

See our earlier stories:

• Reepham benefits from IFA charity awards
• More donations needed for Christmas trees and lights

The post Market Place rewired for Christmas lights appeared first on REEPHAM LIFE.

The Norwich-based independent financial advisers recently handed out £10,000 to East Anglian charities and good causes. This brings the total number of good causes to benefit since the annual awards were inaugurated in 2011 to 89.

Cheques were presented to the 15 chosen applicants for the 2015 awards at receptions in Norwich and Cambridge.

Successful nominations were selected from applications received during the summer by a panel including the firm’s managing director, Carl Lamb.

“It is always difficult to decide who should be granted an award as there are so many good causes out there,” he said. “We have tried to select a range of charities and community projects so that our help can bring tangible benefits to people of all ages and abilities across the region.”

Reepham Chamber of Commerce treasurer Claudia Lowe said: “Organising the lighting for Reepham’s historic market place has given us problems every year in the past.

“This grant will enable us to put something in place that can be used again and again, and will ensure that we can continue to provide a magical Christmas atmosphere in the town. It really will make a difference.”

Other Norfolk awards went to the Griffon Area Partnership in North Walsham, the Bawburgh School, Norwich’s Holy Trinity Pre-School Playgroup, Norwich’s Chermond Trust, Great Yarmouth Haven Rotary Club, Norfolk & Norwich Scope Association (NANSA), Wymondham Fire Cadets, the Norwich Dragons Trampoline Club and Norwich Foodbank.

Awards were made at the Cambridge event to the Sick Children’s Trust, the Carers Trust Cambridgeshire, the Cambridge Family Mediation Service, the 1220 (March) Squadron ATC and the Woolverstone Project from Ipswich.

The post Reepham benefits from IFA charity awards appeared first on REEPHAM LIFE.

There have been many challenges with the small tree lights over the past few years; this has meant looking for a permanent cabling solution together with purchasing new lights.

The Chamber of Commerce, which will be making a contribution from its own funds, has been fortunate to have been awarded a grant of £1,000 from the Almary Green annual charity awards programme, as well as receiving £1,036 from Broadland District Council and £500 from Reepham Town Council.

However, this still leaves a shortfall of £1,000. To raise the difference the Chamber is organising collection buckets at this year’s Festival of Light event on Thursday 3 December, when it is hoped everyone will be generous enough to make a small donation.

The Festival of Light is a free event owing to the generosity of local community groups and businesses, Reepham Town Council and Broadland District Council.

Around 2,000 people attended last year’s event, so if everyone donated £1, there would even be enough left over to go towards the 2016 event.

The Market Place at Christmas time is a very special place and the lit Christmas trees help bring more people to shop in this beautiful market town.

• Any business wanting to make a donation can contact: Claudia Lowe, Treasurer Reepham Chamber of Commerce. Tel: 01603 871071. Email: claudia@clbas.co.uk

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The application on behalf of Muhammed Karakus of Norwich is for a change of use from A1/A3 (shop and restaurant) to A3/A5 (restaurant and hot food takeaway).

If approved, the new business proposes to employ two full-time staff with opening hours of 11 am – 10 pm, seven days a week.

It is further proposed to turn the upper ground floor into restaurant seating, with the lower ground floor housing the kitchen and retail counter.

The premises – Unit 1, Sun House, Market Place – have been empty for several months after the latest owner of the Reepham Diner was forced to close owing to ill health.

Some nearby residents and businesses say they will object to the planning application owing to environmental and traffic management concerns, particularly cooking odours, the possible increase in litter and the lack of parking on the busy road junction.

Others are concerned about the potential appearance of the new business, especially in terms of commercial signage, which they feel should be appropriate to a conservation area.

Having discussed the application, Reepham Chamber of Commerce said it will not oppose the plans, but added that it will raise these concerns with Broadland.

The planning application will be discussed at the next meeting of Reepham Town Council at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 14 October. Members of the public will be invited to speak on this or any other issue affecting the town.

You can also comment on this planning application (20151564) by 18 October 2015 HERE

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