Here are 12 of our photographic highlights from the East Anglian business world in 2017.

Eastern Daily Press: Doug Gordon, left, and Geoff Dunk, directors of G&D Transport Services at Great Ellingham, with their new business vehicles to hire. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYDoug Gordon, left, and Geoff Dunk, directors of G&D Transport Services at Great Ellingham, with their new business vehicles to hire. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2017)

A business class ride

Want to know what a business class taxi look like? Geoff Dunk and Doug Gordon launched their own chauffeuring service this year, G&D Transport, offering clients an upgraded ride for their business outing or airport run in luxuriously-furnished people carriers.

Eastern Daily Press: The warehouse at Orchard Toys at Wymondham. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe warehouse at Orchard Toys at Wymondham. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant, Norfolk 2017)

Not playing around

See inside the warehouse of Orchard Toys in Wymondham. Directors at the firm – whose products are already sold in 50 countries – think they can double the amount of sales which exports currently account for in the next three years by tapping into markets like the US and China.

Eastern Daily Press: Emma Watson with her two-year-old daughter, Harriet, wearing one of Emma's sunhats, with temperature regulating, mosquito and UV protection, and antiglare, UV protection sunglasses she designs under the label Little Hotdog Watson. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYEmma Watson with her two-year-old daughter, Harriet, wearing one of Emma's sunhats, with temperature regulating, mosquito and UV protection, and antiglare, UV protection sunglasses she designs under the label Little Hotdog Watson. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2017)

Hats off to designer

Emma Watson, founder of Little Hotdog Watson, began designing her range of fashionable yet practical headgear for children to fill a gap in the market she found while shopping for her daughter Harriet. The two-year-old often models her mum's products, which include sun hats and sunglasses.

Eastern Daily Press: The Royal Norfolk Show seen from the top of the Anglian Demolition scaffolding. Picture: Ian BurtThe Royal Norfolk Show seen from the top of the Anglian Demolition scaffolding. Picture: Ian Burt

A jolly good show

While there were no royal visitors this year, there was no shortage of stand-out moments at the 2017 Royal Norfolk Show. The first day may have been a wash-out but businesses across all sectors enjoyed a bumper crowd despite the conditions.

Eastern Daily Press: Bill and Deb Jordan at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve. Picture: Ian BurtBill and Deb Jordan at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve. Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant 2017)

The country life

In August we visited Pensthorpe Natural Park near Fakenham to meet its owners, Jordans Cereals magnate Bill Jordan and his wife Deb. For more than a decade they have managed the 700-acre reserve as a tourist attraction, which now welcomes 100,000 visitors a year.

Eastern Daily Press: A CGI image of the new three-bedroom waterside lodges at Center Parcs Elveden Forest, which are due for completion in summer 2018. Picture: Center ParcsA CGI image of the new three-bedroom waterside lodges at Center Parcs Elveden Forest, which are due for completion in summer 2018. Picture: Center Parcs (Image: Supplied)

Holidaying in style

These pictures of the riverside accommodation currently being built at Center Parcs Elveden Forest caused a stir in the summer. The new waterside lodges, nine executive lodges and 51 waterfront apartments are due to be completed in summer 2018 and are already available to book.

Eastern Daily Press: Kettle Foods factory. Picture: ANTONY KELLYKettle Foods factory. Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2017)

On the production line

We went to the Kettle Foods factory in Bowthorpe in October to see how it makes its eponymous potato snacks. The factory processes more than 50,000 tonnes of potatoes a year, to produce an average of 3.6 million bags of crisps a week. One in three UK households buys a Kettle Chips product each year.

Eastern Daily Press: Workers from 3D Creations in Gorleston putting finishing the set for the London Palladium panto. Picture: Nick ButcherWorkers from 3D Creations in Gorleston putting finishing the set for the London Palladium panto. Picture: Nick Butcher (Image: Archant © 2017)

Oh yes they are!

These are shots of the pantomime set for the London Palladium, designed and produced by 3D Creations in Gorleston. It was the second year the firm has worked with the theatre, after designing the award-winning set for its production of Cinderella – the first large-scale panto held at the theatre in three decades – in 2016.

Eastern Daily Press: The Dudgeon offshore wind farm, situated just off Cromer. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe Dudgeon offshore wind farm, situated just off Cromer. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

Powering up

November saw the opening of the Dudgeon offshore wind farm, 20 miles off the coast of Cromer. The 67-turbine farm, owned by Statoil, Masdar and Statkraft, is capable of powering up to 410,000 homes and its construction has led to the creation of 70 full time jobs.

Eastern Daily Press: Apple pressing at the Harleston Cider Company, based at Palgrave. The juice runs as the wrapped pomace is pressed. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYApple pressing at the Harleston Cider Company, based at Palgrave. The juice runs as the wrapped pomace is pressed. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2017)

Trickling tipple

Making cider is done the old-fashioned way at the Harleston Cider Company in Suffolk – but the young business is not afraid to investigate new products. Its luxurious ice cider, three years in the making, hit the shelves this winter.

Eastern Daily Press: Robert Paul who has launched a business making items out of bamboo. Picture: ANTONY KELLYRobert Paul who has launched a business making items out of bamboo. Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2017)

A bamboozling business

Robert Paul is making a business out of bamboo. Travels in south-east Asia, and seeing how resourceful its residents were with the material, inspired the former Broads boatyard owner to start importing and selling bamboo in Britain. Touch wood, we'll be hearing more from him in 2018.

Eastern Daily Press: EDP Business Awards 2017. Picture: Simon Finlay Photography.EDP Business Awards 2017. Picture: Simon Finlay Photography. (Image: Copyright 2017)

A night to remember

The EDP Business Awards 2017 saw 11 businesses (and one businessman) crowned in a glittering event at the Norfolk Showground in November. The night's keynote speaker was Reggae Reggae Sauce creator Levi Roots, who encouraged all attendees to seize their own 'Dragon's Den moment'. See more pictures from the business awards here.