2019 was an exciting year for Scottow Enterprise Park (SEP). The site welcomed a number of new tenants onto the park, bringing the total sum of businesses on SEP to 112. As a result, more workers are based on the site than ever before, with over 600 professionals calling SEP home, a number of whom work in the site’s ever-burgeoning film community. It proved a busy year for the SEP team, also, with several events attended throughout Norfolk which championed enterprise and innovation, particularly amongst the younger generations. With new initiatives launched throughout the year to bring those who work on the site even closer together, 2019 saw SEP reinforce itself as a leading light for local business.
Welcoming New Tenants
Throughout each month of 2019, SEP opened its arms wide to welcome new tenants onto the site. These included tenants who operate their business within SEP and those who use the site’s wide variety of storage facilities. During 2019, the park attracted a high number of STEM businesses- 60% of non-storage tenants are classified as STEM enterprises. SEP has long promoted the STEM industry, with Swift Aircraft, Raptor Aerospace and Carbinium Engineering joining the park over the past few years.
600 and Growing
New tenants arriving to the park means that over a hundred new talented professionals have joined the SEP family, with over 600 individuals now working on SEP. To fuel the workers, Java Bean opened their cafe onsite in May, 2019. Selling delicious, hand roasted coffee, lunch meals and a selection of beautifully indulgent cakes, the Java Bean cafe has been a popular hit for those who work onsite.
A Home for Film and Photography
2019 saw SEP continue to become a popular location for filming and photography. Over the course of the year, the site was used regularly to film scenes for TV and shoots for still photography. In the summer, the site hosted a group of students from the National TV and Film School, who used SEP’s historic backdrop to create short films.
Visual effects specialists, Lexhag, moved into Building 295 on SEP in October 2019. The business now has offices in London and Norfolk, bringing with them a renewed interest in using the county as a convenient film location outside of the M25. With over 600 acres of space and a wide range of period properties to film in, it is no wonder that SEP is an attractive setting for filmmakers and photographers.
Promoting Innovation in the Community
Scottow Enterprise Park has always prided itself on being much more than an enterprise park, offering business support services as well as an environment for businesses to thrive in. Thanks to its links with Hethel Innovation, SEP’s managing company, the SEP team were active throughout 2019, promoting enterprise and innovation around the local area.
First up came a STEM themed event taking place at Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form in Norwich. SEP’s Business Support Coordinator, Arthur Allen, attended the event, helping students take on bio-tech challenges, such as building an agri-tech robot.
Later in the year, Arthur represented Scottow Enterprise Park as a judge for an event that took place at North Walsham High School. Part of the Design Museum’s initiative ‘Design Ventura’, pupils in Year 9 and 10 were asked to design a prototype for a product which improves everyday life. With the top 10 design ideas in the UK being shortlisted and invited to a pitching day in London (and the winning idea being manufactured and sold in the Design Museum’s gift shop), the competition was fierce. From towel hooks made from sustainable materials, to aromatherapy stress balls made from a recycled pair of tights and rice, the student’s conjured an interesting array of innovative design ideas.
The final event of the year promoting growth and innovation was Sync the City, taking place at The Open, Norwich. SEP’s Arthur and Hethel Innovation’s Jordan Sharman joined forces with fellow experts, including SEP tenant, David Clover of Vision IO AS, Erika Mizun-Moller of tea agency, Adam Prentice and Paul Sparkes from Earthware, David Crawford of Scale and Philip Watson from Akendi. In only 54 hours, the team brought together their collective talent in technology, design and marketing to create Frigga. Frigga was made into a prototype app which helps businesses to promote their sustainable practices to consumers and reward customers for the sustainable choices they make. The group demonstrated what amazing and innovative ideas can be brought to life in only a matter of days.
Creating a Community
SEP launched The Jaguar Journal in mid-2019, a monthly newsletter emailed to tenants promoting activities on and off the site. A new community message board was created in December on Facebook, encouraging businesses onsite to share their growth and achievements. Along with other events taking place on SEP to raise money for charity and the profile of small businesses, 2019 saw SEP continue to develop its growing community atmosphere.
So, overall, it was a busy and successful year for Scottow Enterprise Park in 2019! 2020 is shaping up to be no different, with even more planned for this year.
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