Beware Farm Scams

Fraudsters continue to be active. Here’s the details of three scams that have come to our attention recently.

These schemes are very clever and some farmers have lost thousands of pounds even where they have taken precautions.

Second Hand Machinery

A piece of machinery will be advertised for sale either online or in a farming magazine.

Making Tax Digital – an update

We have covered Making tax Digital (MTD) in previous editions of Agrimatters, but with major changes less than a year away we make no apology for returning to it again.

HMRC has announced that they are concentrating their resources on changes which will arise from Brexit. As a result, other policy changes including parts of MTD reforms will be put on hold until at least 2020. Crucially, the changes to the way VAT returns are submitted will go ahead as planned.

Dreaming BIG at All Saints Primary

Richard Askew from Armstrong Watson and Sarah Glass from the Primary Business Partnership played hosts at the 'Dreaming Big' event at All Saints Primary School bringing careers and job titles to life. This school’s Careers and Aspirations day and it was a roaring success, helping light ambition in young minds while also underlining the hard work needed to achieve success in any field.

7 Funding Options Your Law Firm Could Consider

As first appeared on the Law Society’s Small Firms Division website 

An important consideration for all businesses in planning their growth, and managing cash flow in the process, is what, if any, suitable funding can assist them.

What sources of funding are available for law firms, and how readily available are they? Andy Preece, commercial funding director at Armstrong Watson LLP, lists seven options your firm could consider.

The benefits of engaging with an external party to provide the equivalent of a finance director function for your law firm

What are the benefits of engaging with an external party to provide the equivalent of a finance director function for your law firm?

Administrators Appointed over Escubed Limited

On Tuesday 19 June 2018, Escubed Limited was placed into Administration and Rob Adamson and Mark Ranson, Insolvency Practitioners at Armstrong Watson LLP, were appointed as Joint Administrators.

The Company provided research and development services in material and powder technology across a wide range of sectors from premises in Wetherby, North Yorkshire. The Company ceased trading prior to the appointment and regrettably all employees were made redundant.

Lead Administrator, Rob Adamson of Armstrong Watson LLP said:

Business Owners and Leaders Forum - Keeping Your Business Relevant: Innovation and Change

Our second in the series of breakfast events took place at Carlisle Racecourse on 14th June with speakers David Brass, Chief Executive of The Lakes Free Range Eggs Company, Professor Malcolm Franklin, Managing Director of AGMA Ltd and Frank Peck, Research Director for Centre for Regional Economic Development and University of Cumbria.

Expanding Team at our Hexham Office

Armstrong Watson LLP, accountants, business and financial advisors, continue their growth in the North by welcoming Arlene Atkinson to the Hexham team in the role of Audit and Assurance Director.

Making Life Easier for Your Customers: The Value of Customer Satisfaction

Ensuring that your customers' needs are met and that they are satisfied is invaluable for the success of your business. Nick Palmer, Strategic Business Advisor for Armsrong Watson, highlights the need to ask your customers for feedback in order to improve customer satisfaction.