Editing Norfolk (section)

==Economy and industry==
In 1998 Norfolk had a [[Gross Domestic Product]] of [[pound sterling|£]]9,319&nbsp;million, which represents 1.5% of England's economy and 1.25% of the United Kingdom's economy. The GDP per head was £11,825, compared to £13,635 for East Anglia, £12,845 for England and £12,438 for the United Kingdom. In 1999–2000 the county had an unemployment rate of 5.6%, compared to 5.8% for England and 6.0% for the UK.<ref>Office for National Statistics, 2001. [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_compendia/regional_trends_2001/rt36.pdf Regional Trends 26] {{webarchive |url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20031222031333/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_compendia/regional_trends_2001/rt36.pdf |date=22 December 2003 }} ch:14.7 (PDF). Accessed 3 January 2006.</ref>

Data from 2017 provided a useful update on the county's economy. The median hourly gross pay was £12.17 and the median weekly pay was £496.80; on a per year basis, the median gross income was £25,458. The employment rate among persons aged 16 to 64 was 74.2% while the unemployment rate was 4.6%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.norfolkinsight.org.uk/economy-employment |date=1 July 2018 |title=Norfolk's economy and employment |publisher=Norfolk Insight |access-date=13 January 2019 |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114100536/http://www.norfolkinsight.org.uk/economy-employment |url-status=live }}</ref> The Norfolk economy was "treading water with manufacturing sales and recruitment remaining static in the first quarter of the year" according to research published in April 2018. A spokesperson for the
Norfolk Chamber of Commerce made this comment: "At a time when Norfolk firms face steep up-front costs, the apprenticeship system is in crisis, roads are being allowed to crumble, mobile phone and broadband 'not-spots' are multiplying, it's obvious that the key to improved productivity and competitiveness lies in getting the basics right". The solution was seen as a need for the UK government to provide "a far stronger domestic economic agenda ... to fix the fundamentals needed for business to thrive here..."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/business/norfolk-economy-stalling-chamber-commerce-1-5475930 |date=13 April 2018 |title=Norfolk economy shows signs of stagnation in latest Chamber survey |publisher=EDP 24 |access-date=13 January 2019 |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114153303/https://www.edp24.co.uk/business/norfolk-economy-stalling-chamber-commerce-1-5475930 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2017, tourism was adding £3.25&nbsp;billion to the economy per year and supported some 65,000 jobs, being the fifth most important employment in Norfolk. The visitor economy had increased in value by more than £500&nbsp;million since 2012.
<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/business/visit-norfolk-tourism-industry-2017-record-breaking-1-5700487 |date=18 September 2018 |title=Norfolk tourism breaks records in 2017 for visitor numbers and economic value |access-date=13 January 2019 |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114153236/https://www.edp24.co.uk/business/visit-norfolk-tourism-industry-2017-record-breaking-1-5700487 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Important business sectors also include energy (oil, gas and renewables), advanced engineering and manufacturing, and food and farming.

Much of Norfolk's fairly flat and fertile land has been drained for use as [[arable land]]. The principal arable crops are [[sugar beet]], wheat, [[barley]] (for brewing) and [[oil seed rape]]. The county also boasts a [[saffron]] grower.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.norfolksaffron.co.uk/ |title=Home |publisher=Norfolk Saffron |access-date=13 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615092112/http://www.norfolksaffron.co.uk/ |archive-date=15 June 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Over 20% of employment in the county is in the agricultural and food industries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.investinnorfolk.com/industry/display.jsp?dyn=industry_sector.20030625100834 |title=Welcome to Locate Norfolk " Locate:Norfolk |publisher=Investinnorfolk.com |access-date=13 June 2015 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060512163227/http://www.investinnorfolk.com/industry/display.jsp?dyn=industry_sector.20030625100834 |archive-date=12 May 2006}}</ref>

Well-known companies in Norfolk are [[Aviva]] (formerly [[Norwich Union]]), [[Colman's]] (part of [[Unilever]]), [[Lotus Cars]] and [[Bernard Matthews Farms]]. The [[Construction Industry Training Board]] is based on the former airfield of [[RAF Bircham Newton]]. Brewer Greene King, food producer Cranswick and feed supplier {{Ill|ForFarmers|nl}} were seeing growth in 2016–2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/business/the-top-100-the-power-list-of-norfolk-and-suffolk-s-biggest-companies-is-revealed-1-5031918 |date=24 May 2017 |title=The Top 100: The power list of Norfolk and Suffolk's biggest companies is revealed |publisher=EDP 24 |access-date=13 January 2019 |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114153249/https://www.edp24.co.uk/business/the-top-100-the-power-list-of-norfolk-and-suffolk-s-biggest-companies-is-revealed-1-5031918 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

A [[local enterprise partnership]] was being established by business leaders to help grow jobs across Norfolk and Suffolk. They secured an [[enterprise zone]] to help grow businesses in the energy sector, and established the two counties as a centre for growing services and products for the [[green economy]].

To help local industry in Norwich, the local council offered a wireless internet service, but this was subsequently withdrawn as funding had ceased.<ref name="archive1">{{cite web |url=http://www.ucs.ac.uk/SchoolsAndNetwork/Ourcampusnetwork/UCSGreatYarmouth/UCS%20Great%20Yarmouth.aspx |title=UCS Great Yarmouth |date=24 September 2013 |access-date=18 May 2016 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130924203006/http://www.ucs.ac.uk/SchoolsAndNetwork/Ourcampusnetwork/UCSGreatYarmouth/UCS%20Great%20Yarmouth.aspx |archive-date=24 September 2013}}</ref>

The fishery business still continued in 2018, with individuals such as John Lee, a fifth generation crabman, who sells Cromer Crabs to eateries such as M Restaurants and the Blueprint Café. The problem that he has found is attracting young people to this small industry which calls for working many hours per week during the season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cromer crab fisherman shortage as young people 'won't stick at it' |date=28 August 2018 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/29/cromer-crab-fisherman-shortage-young-people-wont-stick/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/29/cromer-crab-fisherman-shortage-young-people-wont-stick/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Telegraph |access-date=12 January 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Lobster trapping also continued in North Norfolk, around [[Sheringham]] and [[Cromer]], for example.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.visitnorfolk.co.uk/inspire/a-z-lobsters-and-crabs.aspx |date=1 March 2018 |title=L IS FOR LOBSTERS AND CRABS |publisher=Visit Norfolk |access-date=13 January 2019 |quote=the chalk reef – which is just 200 metres off the shoreline and up to 20 miles long – is so important |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114153324/https://www.visitnorfolk.co.uk/inspire/a-z-lobsters-and-crabs.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Management of the shoreline===
Norfolk's low-lying land and easily eroded cliffs, many of which are composed of chalk and clay, make it vulnerable to weathering by the sea. The most recent major erosion event occurred during the [[North Sea flood of 1953]].

The low-lying section of coast between [[Kelling]] and [[Lowestoft Ness]] in Suffolk is currently managed by the British [[Environment Agency]] to protect the Broads from sea flooding. Management policy for the North Norfolk coastline is described in the "North Norfolk Shoreline Management Plan" published in 2006, but has yet{{when|date=May 2024}} to be accepted by local authorities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/coastal/default_5265.asp |title=Shoreline Management Plan |publisher=north-norfolk.org |date=22 February 2008 |access-date=15 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608020113/http://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/coastal/default_5265.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=8 June 2008}}</ref> The Shoreline Management Plan states that the stretch of coast will be protected for at least another 50 years, but that in the event of [[sea level rise]] and [[post-glacial rebound|post-glacial lowering]] of land levels in the South East, there may a need for further research to inform future management decisions, including the possibility that the [[Coastal management|sea defences]] may have to be [[managed retreat|realigned]] to a more sustainable position. [[Natural England]] have contributed some research into the impacts on the environment of various realignment options. The draft report of their research was leaked to the press, who created great anxiety by reporting that Natural England plan to abandon a large section of the Norfolk Broads, villages and farmland to the sea to save the rest of the Norfolk coastline from the impact of any adverse [[climate change]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3642929.ece |work=The Times |location=London |title=Climate change: surrender a slab of Norfolk, say conservationists |first=Valerie |last=Elliott |date=29 March 2008 |access-date=14 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601124846/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3642929.ece |archive-date=1 June 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>