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Far from being beaten by recession, businesses in East Kent have been taking off – some literally, like Stephen Burt’s Action Stations! From exporters of English cheese to France to Marnie Summerfi eld Smith’s ghost writing, companies around Canterbury have never looked so creative. Here’s to success in 2012! Jules Serkin, Business Editor


Entrepreneur honours Spitfire heroes LITTLEBOURNE


The Spitfi re Memorial from the air


Sixty-six years after Britain’s Spitfi res and Hurricane bombers saw off German raids over the white cliffs of Dover, entrepreneur Stephen Burt has found an innovative way to take up Sir Winston Churchill’s call to remember the “few’’ – the 3,000 air crew who fought in the Battle of Britain, of which 500 made the ultimate sacrifi ce for our freedom. Stephen, 60, from


Littlebourne, near Canterbury, is the originator of the Fly with a Fighter Experience, in which passengers fl y in a helicopter accompanied either by a Spitfi re or Hurricane performing an aerial display. “I realized that if we were going to pass on the story of the Battle of Britain, this was going to be achieved more


readily if we could show the sights and the sounds of these aircraft in the same airspace as the battle,’’ said Stephen. Stephen’s venture, called Action Stations, centres on the National Monument to the Battle of Britain at Capel-Le- Ferne, near Folkestone. The memorial has a statue of a lone pilot sitting in the middle of an 80 metre-radius three-bladed propeller. “The view is striking from the ground, but even more so from the air,’’ said Stephen. “One cannot be but overwhelmed by the task facing our front line fi ghter pilots in 1940. They were only seven minutes fl ying time from the French coast – any minute they could be fi ghting for their lives. They wouldn’t know if they were going to live or die before the day was out.” Action Stations is also


providing free Spitfi re air displays, drawing crowds of thousands to the memorial. The increased visitors have generated revenue for the shop and its new educational centre, which is seeking to raise £1.5million.


Stores Scores BLEAN


Binny Amin and his wife Reena have taken over Londis Blean Stores and scooped two awards organised by the National Federation of Retailers. They were judged the


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winner of the category for the top confectionery display and runner-up in the off-licence retailer category.


For information about


the stores see www. bleanvillagelondis.co.uk


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“On a fl ying event we have drawn over 3,000 people to the memorial,” said Stephen. “On a typical day the shop and café would take a couple of hundred pounds. They quadrupled that on the days we fl ew.”


Stephen employs up to 25 people on a fl ying day, including three pilots and ground crew. “We are living in very


uncertain economic times, and I started this venture in the depths of the recession,” said Stephen. ”Our customers travel mainly from outside the area and need accommodation and food. My estimate is that during this season we have created the demand for over 1,000 overnight stays in East Kent, and probably 3,000 meals.” To book or order vouchers: 01227 721929 or www. fl ywithafi ghter.com


Good will


hunting FAVERSHAM


Tassells, the Faversham- based law firm, reports a disturbing trend of people being telephoned and given inaccurate “advice” about Wills. Ann Astbury, family law specialist at Tassells, explains: “The caller might say, your will is over three (or any number of) years old, that it is invalid and will not be effective. “That is not correct. Age does not invalidate a will, it may be out of date, but that is a different thing. She recommends that people ask for and note the caller’s name and company. “Will writing in itself, is


not yet a regulated activity, and that is why will writers can cold call.” She warns the public: “Anybody can earn money by writing wills. Anybody can frighten you into seeking their services rather than those of a qualifi ed professional. And they do not have to know anything about the law.”


The INDEX magazine December 2011


Steve Burt and pilot, Charlie Brown.


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