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BitesizeNews Kent history and heritage attractions star in national campaign Many of the county’s top visitor attractions are featuring in a national campaign highlighting the best places to explore the country’s history and heritage. Canterbury Cathedral, The Canterbury Tales, Leeds Castle, Hever Castle, Dover Castle, Kent Life, The Historic Dockyard Chatham and Penshurst Place are among the Kent attractions and places to stay starring in the VisitEngland’s Holidays through History marketing campaign. The campaign, supported by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, is part of the wider VisitEngland three-year Growing Tourism Locally initiative now in its final year. Growing Tourism Locally aims to create 9,139 tourism jobs nationally by March next year and boost visitor spending. Research shows that visitor spend for each new tourism job created currently stands at £54,000. Sandra Matthews-Marsh, Chief Executive for Visit Kent, said: “The VisitEngland marketing campaign highlights what a great destination Kent is for everyone, of all ages, wishing to have fun exploring our tremendous history and heritage.” HR GO Recruitment sees 11% rise in temp placements as Kent and Medway claimant count falls The number of temporary staff placed by Kent-based recruitment specialist HR GO Recruitment has hit an all-time high in the past three months. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics, published today (April 16), showing a countywide fall of just over 1,000. In the number of people claiming Job Seekers allowance, is underlined by HR GO Recruitment’s own figures. The long-established business with seven branches in the county – Ashford, Canterbury, Chatham, Dartford, Folkestone, Ramsgate and Sittingbourne – and a further 30 nationwide – has seen a steep rise in demand for temps between January and March, up 11% on the same period in 2013. Craig Vidler, Managing Director, based in HR GO plc’s Ashford head office, said: “We are delighted that the claimant count across Kent and Medway has fallen for the first time in three months. Our latest figures show an encouraging improvement in the jobs market and the economic signs suggest this may well continue.”
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ThinkingBUSINESS August-September 2014
Discovering the joys of Italy Cottages to Castles was founded in 1983 with the purpose of offering self-catering accommodation in Italy. All in pursuit of their ideal: to affirm the cultural value and warm hospitality in Italy. In the beginning, the founder, Claudio Magoni, started by offering homes to rent for holidays in Tuscany, and whilst it is still the most popular region, the programme has been extended and today there are around 200 units in fourteen regions across Italy.
website is a landmark in its place with a distinction that is never uniform or standard, each with its own personality, its own history. Cottages to Castles is now a true family run company with Claudio’s son and daughter, Jonathan and Daniela, now working for the company. As well as staff in both the UK and Italy, there are Agents working on their behalf in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and most European countries.
An increased number of destinations has been achieved without ever changing the company’s objective of being selective - they reject many more houses in a year than they actually contract. All in pursuit of their ideal: to affirm the cultural value and warm hospitality in Italy. Each apartment, cottage and villa featured on their
Mary Portas praises Ashford town centre Ashford has been singled out as a major success in the national Portas Pilot scheme - by Mary Portas herself. In her report to central government, Why High Streets Matter, retail guru Mary Portas reviews the first two years of her nationwide project to support and boost the nation’s high streets.
farmer’s market, transforming the town’s appearance through the Town Centre Action Team (T-CAT) and the creation of the LoveAshford.com website and ‘digital high street’.
Ashford was one of 27 UK towns to win Portas Pilot status in 2012 as part of the Government scheme to revitalise the nation’s high streets with the help of Mary Portas.
Ms Portas included a full case study of Ashford’s progress in her report – one of just five towns featured – and had many positive things to say about the town.
The town received a funding pot of £100,000, which was match-funded by the council using section 106 funding. Since then, the council and newly formed Town Team have forged ahead with numerous projects, including opening a PopUp shop, launching a food and drink festival and a new
She said: “There are strong themes that everyone can learn from in the case of Ashford. “Ashford had a clear strategy – so from the outset they had an agreed plan which they are implementing well.”
Prince Harry to visit Folkestone on 4 August News that HRH Prince Harry will be the guest of honour at the First World War Centenary event in Folkestone on 4 August has been warmly welcomed by all those involved in the project. The Step Short charity has been working on a programme of educational and commemorative events to mark the centenary for the past seven years. Prince Harry will visit the town to ‘unveil’ a commemorative arch being erected on the Leas in memory of the millions of people – men and
women, Red Cross nurses and soldiers - who passed through the port of Folkestone en route to or from the Western front from 1915 onwards. The charity has had support and financial backing from Shepway District Council and Kent County Council as well as funding from the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust and many others.