Kent Business Newsletter - Issue 15

Hello Kent Business Community

Welcome to this week’s Kent Business Newsletter

Kent firms are making big moves this week. Stantons Solicitors strengthens its presence across North Kent with two major acquisitions, while Ego brings Mediterranean sunshine to Gravesend with its newest restaurant. Furley Page celebrates 80 years of farming heritage at the East Kent Ploughing Match, and Azets boosts R&D expertise with new hires across the South. Meanwhile, Margate’s Red and White Media scoops national copywriting awards, and the search begins for the South East’s best heating installers. Plus, local adviser Louise Fitzgerald helps residents uncover lost pensions, and Furley Page warns of the dangers of unqualified will writers.

Got a business launch, win or story to share? Send it to [email protected] and we’ll help spread the word - for free!

If you missed previous editions you can catch-up here.

🌟 This Week’s Kent Business News 🌟

Stantons Solicitors, a trusted Gravesend-based family law firm, has made bold moves in 2025 by acquiring two established local practices - Sharpe & Perl of New Ash Green and King Prior MacDonald Bridge in Gravesend. These takeovers expand Stantons’ reach across North West Kent and deepen its expertise in family law, property, and probate.

The firm now operates from multiple sites across Gravesend, Meopham, and New Ash Green, offering clients seamless access to legal support from a larger, united team. How will this growing network shape the future of local legal services in Kent?

👉 Discover how Stantons’ expansion could redefine client care across the county Click to read the full story. 

Ego has opened its latest Mediterranean restaurant and bar in Gravesend, transforming The Copperfield into a warm, stylish dining space full of rustic charm and coastal flair. Inside, guests can enjoy everything from stone-baked pizza bread to scallops in rich cheese sauce, finished off with decadent desserts like raspberry tart or crème brûlée.

With cocktails, mocktails, and a scenic view of the Thames Estuary, this is a taste of the Med right on your doorstep. Could this be Gravesend’s most tempting new escape?

👉 Book your table now and discover what makes Ego at The Copperfield so irresistible. 

Furley Page joined hundreds of supporters at Quex Park as the East Kent Ploughing Match marked its 80th anniversary in style. Blessed with sunshine and crowds, the event brought together the best of Kent’s rural community.

Guests enjoyed local flavours from Floc Brewery, Ropers Farm and Gusbourne wines, while Furley Page’s marquee buzzed with conversation and fundraising for Pilgrims Hospices. Two major anniversaries made it a truly memorable day - but what does the future hold for this much-loved countryside tradition? Read in full. 

Azets has expanded its South region R&D tax team with two new senior appointments, signalling major growth ambitions across Kent, London and beyond. The firm plans to double its R&D revenue by 2028, backed by new technical and tax expertise.

With recruits from HSBC Innovation Banking and Leyton, plus a senior promotion in London, Azets is reinforcing its mission to help innovative businesses unlock complex tax reliefs. What’s driving this rapid investment in R&D talent - and what could it mean for the region’s most inventive firms?

👉 Click to read how Azets is reshaping R&D tax advice across the South. 

A Margate-based communications company has achieved double recognition in just two months. Red and White Media Limited, founded in 2023, was crowned ‘Copywriting Service of the Year’ in the South England Prestige Awards and saw its director, Vikkie Richmond, highly commended as ‘Copywriter of the Year’ at the Digital Women Awards 2025.

From small local businesses to global hospitality clients, the firm is proving that clear, strategic communication can transform results. How did a start-up in its second year achieve such national acclaim so fast?

👉 Discover how Red and White Media made its mark - click to read the full story. 

The Heating Installer Awards 2026 are back, calling on the South East’s best heating experts to showcase their skills and creativity. Now in its 11th year, the competition highlights the UK’s most talented installers who have gone above and beyond to deliver clever, effective heating solutions.

With categories from Best HVAC Installer to Rising Star, the awards offer national recognition, big prizes, and career-changing exposure. Could your project impress the judges and make you the next big name in heating?

👉 Entries are open now – find out how to enter before February 2026! 

🌟 Kent Expert Insights 🌟

Thousands in Lost Pensions? Local Financial Adviser Helps Kent Residents Reclaim Forgotten Retirement Funds

Independent Financial Adviser Louise Fitzgerald shines a light on the UK’s £27 billion pension black hole – and how individuals can track down what they’re owed

A Tunbridge Wells-based financial adviser is urging residents to take action over lost and forgotten pensions – with an estimated £27 billion sitting unclaimed across the UK. With many people having worked multiple jobs over the years, it’s becoming increasingly common for individuals to lose track of old workplace schemes, especially those from the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s.

Thanks to auto-enrolment and job mobility, the average person in the UK will now have 6 to 11 different pensions during their working life. But with company mergers, rebrands, and outdated contact information, many of these pots are never accessed – potentially costing individuals tens of thousands in missed retirement income.

The issue is particularly common among those who moved jobs frequently, changed addresses without updating providers, or worked for employers whose pension schemes have since changed administrators or been sold to new providers.

Even those with a rough idea of their pension history often struggle to trace their old plans, with outdated paperwork or missing policy numbers. Without guidance, many give up – assuming the pension is gone forever.

However, IFA Louise Fitzgerald is helping people track down missing pensions using official tracing services, provider networks, and industry knowledge – and the results can be life-changing.

“People often come to us thinking a pension has been lost forever, but with a little detective work, it’s amazing what we can uncover,” says Louise. “We recently worked with a client who thought their pension was worth £5,000. It turned out to be closer to £50,000.”

To raise awareness, Louise is offering free initial consultations throughout autumn, helping residents pull together their pension histories and explore next steps – whether that’s consolidating, switching funds, or simply understanding what’s already in place.

Individuals who believe they may have a lost pension are encouraged to gather any old paperwork, payslips, or employer information, and book a call to get started.

Louise Fitzgerald is an Independent Financial Adviser with Sterling & Law Tunbridge Wells, supporting individuals, families and business owners across the South East. With a focus on clarity, care, and personalised service, she helps clients make confident financial decisions – from pensions and investments to protection and inheritance planning.

 Contact Details
Name: Louise Fitzgerald
Business Name: Sterling & Law Tunbridge Wells
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07891 039 256
Website: www.sterlingandlaw.com/locations/financial-advice-tunbridge-wells
Instagram: www.instagram.com/louise.fitzgerald_ifa

More people have wills than ever before but the High Court issues warning about the use of unqualified will writers

The case of Tedford v Clarke & Ors (2025) EWHC 816 (Ch) highlighted the significant risks of using unqualified will writers. Before her death Veronica Clarke used an unqualified individual to draw up her will. This created numerous major problems for the Executor of her estate as the will included so much ambiguity and a lack of clarity, that it became unclear how Veronica intended her estate to be distributed between her beneficiaries.  

The Executor attempted to interpret the will and seek agreement between the beneficiaries, but the potential outcome for each beneficiary was so dramatically different depending on how the will was interpreted that in the end the Executor had to apply to the court for guidance on how to distribute the estate. 

The Judge, HHJ Cadwallader addressed all the ambiguity and inconsistencies with the will, including whether the use of the phrase ‘my estate’ constituted the whole of the estate, or just the proceeds from the sale of the house. The contradictions in the will were extensive, and the Judge concluded by issuing the stark warning that the case “demonstrates the perils of trying to save expense by using the services of unqualified persons to write wills.” 

Aaron Spencer, Head of Private Client at Furley Page, said: “While it is very encouraging to see that more people are writing wills, this case clearly demonstrates the importance of using qualified professionals to do the will writing. This case didn't involve a particularly large estate, with the proceeds of the house sale amounting to £147,592, but the way the will had been written made it impossible for the executor to do their job.” 

While a majority of people still turn to a solicitor to write their wills, there is a growing industry of unqualified will writers in the UK, along with many people taking up the challenge of doing it themselves. 

Aaron Spencer continued: “If people recognise the importance of having a will to make sure their estate is managed in accordance with their wishes, then it is imperative that a professional is used when drafting that will to ensure their wishes are actually carried out. An initial investment in legal advice to protect the future will pay dividends in the long term and the value of that investment will be appreciated by executors and beneficiaries alike. 

“In the Tedford v Clarke & Ors case there may well have been an initial saving in having the will written, but the subsequent need for legal expertise and direction from the Court will have made a large dent in the estate, as well as causing unnecessary family disagreements.” 

If you would like to know more about writing a will, please contact Aaron Spencer or a member of the Private Client team at Furley Page on 01227 763939, or email [email protected] 

For more information about Furley Page please visit www.furleypage.co.uk. You can also follow the firm on LinkedIn and Facebook. 

🌟 Kent Networking Events 🌟

Connecting with fellow entrepreneurs, potential partners, and customers is vital for business growth. Kent offers a variety of networking opportunities (you could literally go to a different one every day if you wanted!) to help you expand your professional circle and enhance your business prospects.

Prepare Questions That Impress
Avoid generic questions like “What’s the company culture like?” Instead, ask: “What’s the biggest challenge your team is trying to solve right now?”

🌟 Business Events & Shows In Kent 🌟

🌟 Kent Business Radio Show 🌟

The brilliant and highly entertaining Paul and Jules brought us another cracking show this week, full of banter and the latest business news and events from across Kent!

On the show this week was Stephen Jenner & Andy Antell of Fortress Guarding Services, telling us how their business started and what they do to help protect folks around Kent.

To listen to this week’s show in full visit Kent Business Radio

Kent Business Community, before you go… 
➡️ Do you have exciting news to share about your business?
➡️ Would you like to advertise to an audience of decision makers in Kent?
➡️ Would you like to feature in the Entrepreneurs Deep Dive section?
➡️ Do you have a job vacancy you’d like us to post?

Contact us today - [email protected]

If you enjoyed this edition of the Kent Business Newsletter, please share it! Here’s the link so others can subscribe https://kentbusinessnewsletter.co.uk/subscribe