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Why Energy Efficiency is Helping to Drive Commercial Removals
The spiralling price of energy is a real concern for many businesses. One leading accountancy firm, PwC, has just announced that it will be closing many of its offices for two whole weeks over Christmas. With the chance to save money on heating and lighting one of the key drivers in its decision. And, it’s no surprise, with some smaller companies having seen their electricity and gas bills go up by more than 300% in the past 18 months, according to the Federation of Small Businesses.
Hamiltons Removals provide high-quality commercial removals for the business communities of Norfolk and Suffolk, as well as overseas. Here we look at the reasons why a move from one office to another can often be the best solution to combatting the problem of high utility bills.
State of the Art Savings
A move to new premises can be a real boon if you want to save money. This is because you may have to retrofit existing premises if you opt to stay put. For instance, all rented commercial premises must have an Energy Performance Certificate of A or B (the two most energy-efficient categories) by the year 2030. If the building has a rating of F or G (the two lowest) then steps must be taken to improve it. This means you may have to spend money on features such as better-fitting windows (double or even triple-glazing), better-fitting doors, and add extra insulation, or risk breaking the law.
In addition, all the top tips for energy-saving such as ensuring all appliances are turned off when not in use, and limiting the use of the canteen (older fridges and cookers are big guzzlers of electricity) will only go so far.
In the long run, if you opt to move, you could benefit not only from the savings made possible with technological advances such as LED and energy-saving bulbs (pictured), automatic dimmer switches, smart meters and so on, but also from the higher energy and safety standards to which modern premises are built.
Small Can be Beautiful
There’s been a drive towards downsizing offices since the pandemic hit. Last year, according to a poll conducted by YouGov, more than one in four businesses were looking either to close, downsize or consolidate their office space. And the prediction is that this will continue for the next three or four years.
This is because of the increased drive towards working from home and hybrid working (being in the workplace for one or two days per week, then at home for the rest) for a better work/life balance.
All of this means companies don’t need as much physical floor space to accommodate their workers anymore, and they certainly don’t need to pay the extra energy bills for space they aren’t using.
It Can Save Money Elsewhere
A move to a more energy-efficient workplace can help you to avoid difficult decisions elsewhere in your business. For example, MakeUK, the country’s manufacturers’ organisation, says that 12% of firms have already made job cuts as a result of the increased energy bills, and are predicting further redundancies and office shutdowns without further government assistance. Therefore, moving to somewhere more energy efficient could help you avoid redundancies or complete office closures.
Commercial Removals in Norfolk from Hamiltons Removals
At Hamilton’s, we can help your business move, whether it’s to somewhere local or overseas.
We’ve moved all manner of businesses during our decades in the sector. So not only do we know how to handle laptops, PCs, printers and all the other electronics which come with the job, but also bigger items too, such as commercial vehicles and production machinery. And, if you need to move employees at the same time as your office, we will be able to offer a competitively-priced ‘all-in-one’ deal as well.
For more information on our commercial removals service, follow this link. There’s also an enquiry form you can fill in and submit on the page too.
And, if you can’t move everything in one go, or haven’t decided what to take and what to get rid of, then we can offer you self-storage at one of our locations in the heart of East Anglia. To learn more about our Safe’N’Stored storage services, click here.
Five Top Dishes to Try in North Cyprus
Cyprus is one of the most attractive of European countries to move to, thanks to its welcoming citizens, the warm climate, and comparatively low level of taxes and cost of living.
The delicious Cypriot food is one of the best reasons to live on this island. There are plenty of traditional dishes for expats to try, all made from the abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood available there. Hamiltons Removals, who offer international removals to Cyprus, identify five of the tastiest.
Starter – Halloumi Cheese
This piquant tasting cheese is often served as an appetiser or a snack in Cypriot homes and restaurants, where it’s eaten sliced, grilled or fresh.
Historians are divided on whether halloumi originated in Cyprus in the 16th century or if it has far more ancient Arabic roots.
Although rich in fat, halloumi is thought to be healthier than yellow cheeses, like Edam or Gouda, as it doesn’t contain any preservatives.
Main Course – Souvlaki
This popular dish is served on special occasions such as Bank Holidays and Greek Orthodox Church holidays. Made with pork or chicken, the meat is marinaded the night before, then threaded onto skewers and barbecued or grilled on an open flame. It’s eaten hot while still on the skewers.
Fast food restaurants also serve souvlaki; this is usually in pitta bread wraps, alongside salad, yoghurt and fried potatoes. It’s often accompanied by alcohol like ouzo or zivania, a traditional Cypriot spirit.
Main Course – Lamb Kofte
This is one of the staples of Northern Cypriot cuisine and the meat is ground or minced and then served as a meatball or a type of kebab (typically sheftali). Both of these dishes are accompanied by traditional herbs and spices. It’s also known as ‘kofta’ and has its roots in Balkan, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Alternatively, in many kitchens and dining rooms you’ll find that lamb, like souvlaki, has been skewered, grilled and served as a sis (shish) kebab.
Main Course – Calamari
As an island nation, Cyprus is blessed with a bounty of fresh seafood. Sea bream and sea bass are familiar fishes in most European cuisines. Cypriots like to eat these grilled, paired with a crisp white wine such as Chardonnay.
However, there are plenty of other more unusual seafood dishes which are Cypriot staples, such as calamari. This is a small type of squid and one of the common ways to serve it is to stuff a whole one with garlic, lemon, olive oil, mint and oregano, and then grill it. (See the picture above). This type of seafood has a mild, slightly sweet taste, and should be chewy to eat but never rubbery.
If you don’t fancy this seafood as a main course, then eat it as a snack instead. Fried calamari rings go well with a cold beer.
Dessert – Baklava
This delicious concoction is served at the end of a meal with coffee or tea. Drenched in honey or syrup, baklava is made from several layers of filo pastry dough and crushed nuts, like pistachios.
A popular dessert in all Middle Eastern countries, the Cypriot version is unique as it’s served with lemon juice and cinnamon to enhance the sweet, buttery taste of the dish.
International Removals to Cyprus with Hamiltons Removals
Hamiltons Removals can help if you are moving house to Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol, as well as all the other principal towns and cities in Cyprus. We also organise commercial moves to the country. For more information about our removal services to Cyprus, follow this link or call us on 01379 855203.