Audit & Assurance

Brampton Rural Housing Society (BRHS) is a small charitable housing association, but plays an important role in the community of Brampton and its surrounding villages. BRHS is managed by a Members Board represented by a range of professional disciplines, including Accountancy, Architecture, Banking, and Housing, supported by key staff with appropriate experience in the field of housing, finance and administration.

The Board and its staff seek to comply with the highest standards of governance and accountability to its tenants, contractors, regulators, and the community it serves. And most importantly the Board wants the discharge of its functions and services to be challenged and judged externally and independently against those high standards.

This has been achieved by the appointment of the premier regional accounting and audit practice, Armstrong Watson, as it auditors, for a period extending beyond the 30 years involvement of the writer. Throughout that period Armstrong Watson has brought genuine independence, rigour, professionalism and wise advice to the audit of the Society’s arrangements and its reporting to the Board and its membership at the AGM. Not just in respect of the statutory accounts, but also in respect of its management and compliance arrangements.

Principals and lead audit staff are rotated at appropriate intervals and there is a strong liaison at Director level between the Practice and the Society, with informed meetings preceding the audit and after its conclusion. The field work supporting the audit is carried out on site to a pre-agreed timetable with a prior and full understanding of the documentation required to be made available and which is prepared for inspection by the Society staff in advance of the audit.

As one who has been a Board member since 1989 and voluntary treasurer of BRHS from 1995 to 2017, I would have no hesitation in commending Armstrong Watson to any prospective client whose aspirations, ideals and principles on behalf of the community which it serves, are similar to those which the Society has adopted and benefited from over many years.

Douglas Thomas, Brampton Rural Housing Society

The service provided by Armstrong Watson, and in particular the support and advice from Karen, Lauren and their colleagues to support us through this process has been immensely helpful.

Their knowledge of charity sector financial regulations and reporting requirements, and the professional way in which they approached this important work made the whole process much less challenging for us than we anticipated. I would, without reservation, endorse and recommend your services.

Tynedale Hospice at Home

We brought Armstrong Watson in as auditors and tax advisors and have found them to be excellent. The teams are very professional, knowledgeable and approachable particularly where we have been conducting some complex transactions where advice on accounting and tax were required. A common sense approach to things has been most welcome and I have no hesitation in recommending them.

Stuart Slorach, Vice Principal (Resources), The Northern School of Art

We find Simon and his team very approachable and open to conversation on any accounting issues that arise during the year.  This means when we come to year end we do not see lots of swings in our numbers but also ensures we know what we need to do to make the audit run smoothly and to plan ahead of time.

Goodwin Development Trust

Since appointing Armstrong Watson in 2020 we have always felt that we matter to them as a client. We are impressed by the way they manage the audit process so that they always hit deadlines, and with the close involvement of the partner in the planning each year and dealing with technical issues as they arise during the audit process. The whole team clearly understanding our audit issues. This means we never have any surprises or unexpected challenges.

Kay Goodison – Chief Executive, North East Access to Finance Limited

Enkev Group is a producer of natural filling materials and our companies are spread through out Europe. The head-office is based in Volendam, the Netherlands where the Group management and owners are based. The consequences of that is that the group management highly depend on the support, accuracy and performance of the local auditors. In this case Armstrong Watson. Their work is the basis for the consolidating reporting of the Enkev Group. The groups auditors could always rely on their information, through auditing and excellent work.

Since the start of our activities in England, Armstrong Watson has supported us and never let us down. They gave us backup and advice, also in difficult times. The short lines and direct communication makes it efficient and pleasant to work with them.

Enkev Group BV

Armstrong Watson have performed a first-time audit this year and conducted a thorough and efficient process to a strict set of reporting timelines. They got to grips with the complexities of our business quickly and developed a strong and open working relationship with our finance team.

Sheffield Forgemasters International Limited

Ever since we were introduced to Matt and his team at Armstrong Watson, the process has been seamless from the outset. The initial handover was swift and was dealt with promptly and efficiently by Matt, while the audit itself has been an efficient, well planned and hassle-free process. The team have been a delight to deal with – thorough and robust, yet still pragmatic and helpful.

Symington’s Limited

For our 2020 audit we made a conscious decision to move away from the Big 4 and engaged AW as auditors. What we experienced with AW was a fresh, streamlined approach to the audit process underpinned by frequent communication. We were particularly impressed with their pragmatism in regard to disclosures within the statutory financial statements and most importantly, they exceeded the deadlines we agreed at the outset.

Explore Transport Limited

Following our move to Armstrong Watson in 2019, the Armstrong Watson team have given us the proof that we needed that having a Top 10 firm is not always the best option. I have been particularly impressed by their responsiveness and proactivity as well as their breadth of knowledge and expertise. They always respond quickly and expertly with technical queries. I found the audit process to be well structured and efficient and the team were a pleasure to work with.

Thomas Armstrong (Holdings) Ltd

We moved to Armstrong Watson after our previous audits constantly missed the tight reporting deadlines set by our parent company. Our previous audits were painful and seemed never to be focused towards the deadlines against which we are measured. This left us looking incompetent in the eyes of our parent. The service we have experienced since our move is worlds apart from previous years’ audits. Not only was the process actually enjoyable we were the first of the companies to report worldwide instead of being the last. We really look forward to more of the same in years to come.

You promised the Earth and you delivered it.

Hidrostal Limited

We made the move to AW from a Big 4 in the summer of 2019, we were essentially looking for a local business who could provide an efficient audit and professional advisory service but on a more personal level. Matt, Oliver and the team did not disappoint. The transition across was very straightforward, they assigned plenty of time and resources to get to know our business, systems and key colleagues making the year end audit very successful.

JZ Flowers Limited

Completing the audit against a COVID 19 backdrop, the Armstrong Watson team showed a pragmatic approach to auditing both going concern and impairment, giving clear communication on what information they needed and why.  This was done in a way that supported the management team and wider Board to have everything signed and delivered on time and within our governance structure.

Anthony Hill, CFO, iPortalis

Jim Lockhart has been working with Cricket Scotland Limited for over a decade. We have worked closely not only on the audit and tax services, but also when hosting major events such as the World T20 qualification competition in 2015. Jim and the team have consistently delivered and have provided valuable insight when needed.

David Johnson, Financial Controller, Cricket Scotland

When we set out to find a new audit provider in 2017, we were looking for a company that would not only get to know our organisation well but become a true partner in the process. Throughout the discussion and tender process, the team at Armstrong Watson really sought to understand our needs and to look at how our Trust operated. At all stages the quality of communication was first class. It made it a very simple choice to select them for a 3-year contract.

Armstrong Watson delivered a comprehensive audit service with dedicated and consistent staff. They worked closely to design audit schedules that didn’t disturb the day-to-day operation of the Trust and were able to provide additional service for DfE grant audits and VAT work. Each audit cycle was completed on schedule and had very clear outcomes. There was always a detailed report that the Trust Board could easily review and constructive actions that the Trust executive could lead on.

Our partnership with Armstrong Watson allowed us to have confidence in the audit process, clarity in what we needed to do next to further improve and a strong collegiate working relationship built on consistency and professionalism.

Peter Ashworth, CEO Cidari MAT

The Armstrong Watson team took time to understand the business, our background, sectors of operation, aims and objectives as part of their engagement with us. As a result, the audit was conducted with understanding in an extremely efficient and professional manner.

Nicola Lister, Financial Controller, NDL Software Limited

Asite are a technology business with a global structure and in 2020 appointed Armstrong Watson as auditor and advisor to our group of companies.

We were initially looking for a responsive and experienced partner to support us through the statutory audit process but we have found Armstrong Watson very proactive to support us on a much wider basis. From an audit perspective the team were very knowledgeable and great to work with, delivering the audit on time, in budget and completely remotely. However Armstrong Watson are really adding value with their strategic tax advice around areas such as company valuations, share options and R&D tax credits.

I would have no hesitation in recommending the team at Armstrong Watson

Tony Pickworth, Finance Director, Asite Solutions Limited

Having worked with Armstrong Watson for two years now one of the key things they have delivered upon is communicating in a way that suits our PE backers.  In particular their Audit Committee reporting and communication, including highlighting issues that may impact a future event so that we can address them now has been invaluable

Mike Holmes, Finance Director, Smart Search Limited

The relationship we have with Armstrong Watson is incredibly important to us. We’re fully confident that all compliance obligations are met and that our best interests are always front of
mind. They truly are our trusted advisers and their input and guidance has proven invaluable.

Craig McEwen, Chief Operating Officer, The Usual Place

Armstrong Watson are very knowledgeable of not for profit accounts which makes the audit process much smoother and discussions around organisational need and improvements much easier and applicable. We have been very satisfied with the service from Armstrong Watson.

Jo Collin, Finance Manager, Cumbria CVS

When changing independence rules in the Big 4 meant I had to outsource my consolidation I was nervous about using an independent firm. I needn’t have been. Simon has the experience of my audit lead in the Big 4 but the time to meet me face to face and work through it – he wasn’t just there at the end but with me on the journey.

Anne Caudwell, Head of Finance, Giacom World Networks Limited

The relationship between Armstrong Watson and Simpson was initially established prior to the Management buy-out of the Simpson business, which is now some 25 years since and has proved to be a long and lasting quality relationship, developed primarily with the Audit and Tax teams who have supported us well through our business growth and succession.

We have also been able to take advantage and drive improvements and success through our business operations with the help of the Armstrong Watson Strategic Business Advice Service, which has acted as a catalyst to release the potential within our management team, and triggered further business development opportunities.

Ron & Beryl Gatenby, Directors, Simpson (York) Ltd

We have been working with the team at Armstrong Watson for a number of years. They are proactive and responsive, blended with the appropriate level of sector specific knowledge and skills, resulting in a smooth and efficient audit process

I have always found them to be helpful, friendly and approachable and would have no hesitation in recommending them to any business

David Webster, Managing Director, The Label Makers Limited

It was a pleasure to work with the Corporate Finance, Tax and Audit teams at Armstrong Watson during our acquisition of Finlaysons Contracts. A proactive, pragmatic and collaborative approach ensured that the opportunity was presented in the best way for all parties and the skills of the Armstrong Watson team, along with their strict attention to detail, instilled great confidence in the process. While I don’t plan on buying another business for a while, I would certainly have no problem doing it all again with this team.

Tommy Cubby, Managing Director, Cubby Construction Limited

A high level of technical ability and a proactive, friendly approach has formed a firm basis for the trusted relationship we’ve developed with the Armstrong Watson team over the past 30 years. We continue to be impressed with the standards of the services we receive, including audit, corporate and personal tax, advisory and planning, and look forward to working together further as we grow.

Andrew Booth, Finance Director, Brook Taverner, Classic Tailoring

Andrew and Becky leading the audit and tax teams at AW have both provided excellent support to us over a number of years. Tax positions change regularly, so we always hold regular face-to-face meetings with Becky and the tax team to ensure we stay ahead of these changes, and the support is always up to date and proactive. Our audits are delivered flexibly, utilising technology to ensure the audit is completed in an efficient way as possible, and Andrew and the AW team have always flexed their approach as our capabilities have evolved. Importantly, we have continuity of relationship in both audit and tax, so the service always retains relevancy and we can stay focused on key issues.

Ben Humpage, CFO, NRL Recruitment

“Since taking over from a Big 4 firm, Armstrong Watson have been a breath of fresh air. We have been with a Big 4 firm for 34 years and we have had a lot better and closer working relationship with Andrew Kennon and Armstrong Watson. They impressed us from the outset with their sector knowledge and this has shown through in all the advice we’ve received. Helping make our ideas and goals reality. I would have no hesitation in recommending Armstrong Watson as anyone’s auditors and advisers.”

George Harrison, Harrison Leisure

Having been with a Big 4 audit firm for many years, we anticipated a drawn out audit handover in the first year as we transitioned to a new audit firm. However, Armstrong Watson (AW) have been great throughout the transition period by being clear on what we needed to do to manage the audit process. That way, the audit met our needs but with AW also being on time and transparent with what they deliver through the audit, it provided access to some new ideas and opportunities that we hadn’t considered before.

Daniel Burke, King Cole Ltd

Armstrong Watson have been the appointed external auditors for Cumbria CVS for the past 4 years. Throughout this time, we have always found them to be professional, knowledgeable and reasonable.

We have been able to meet all of our filing deadlines whilst they have been appointed.

Both the auditing staff and managers are friendly but professional and very understanding of organisational need. The staff possess good communication skills and have been very helpful and approachable giving advice, especially through times of transitions within our organisation.

Armstrong Watson are also very knowledgeable of charity accounts which makes the audit process much smoother and discussions around organisational need and improvements much easier and applicable.

We have been very satisfied with the service from Armstrong Watson.

Jo Collin, Finance Manager, Cumbria CVS

The relationship between Armstrong Watson and Simpson was initially established prior to the Management buy-out of the Simpson business, which is now some 25 years since and has proved to be a long and lasting quality relationship, developed primarily with the Audit and Tax teams who have supported us well through our business growth and succession.

We have also been able to take advantage and drive improvements and success through our business operations with the help of the Armstrong Watson Strategic Business Advice Service, which has acted as a catalyst to release the potential within our management team, and triggered further business development opportunities.

Ron & Beryl Gatenby, Directors, Simpson (York) Ltd

Gates are a global group with companies in various countries worldwide. In 2016 Armstrong Watson were awarded the audits of some of the UK entities in the group.   

As Armstrong Watson have a local team they are flexible and can pop in and out as required enabling an efficient audit process.  They have been friendly and professional in their approach and accommodating working with our timelines and requirements, and have delivered on their promises each year as well as being good value for money.

Financial Controller, Gates

We invited Armstrong Watson to submit a bid for our auditor tender.  They were one of the few organisations who made the effort to visit us before submitting their bid.  They were interested in getting to know us, understand our requirements and our strategic direction. Their written documentation was comprehensive and their presentation to the tender review panel was very professional  We were unanimous in our decision to appoint Armstrong Watson.

The first year of their audit was conducted in a thorough and effective manner, working well with our Finance staff.  Their presentations to Trustees and Annual General Meeting were well received by our Trustees and Members.  

All of the Armstrong Watson team who we have worked with are very knowledgeable, approachable, supportive and good to work with.  I have no hesitation in recommending their services.

Stephen Lester MBE, Chief Operating Officer, Changing Lives Learning Trust (previously West Lakes Multi Academy Trust)

Our family business has been supported by Armstrong Watson over the past 40 years, this alone is testament to the quality service and invaluable advice they provide us.  They are only a phone call away, whether it be about tax, pensions, payroll, accounts or personnel queries.

We know that we can pick up the phone and our queries will be promptly dealt with in a professional but friendly manner.  To be quite frank we would be lost without them.

Fontana's Fish and Chips

We have been working with Rohan and his team at Armstrong Watson for approximately three years and this has been an extremely refreshing and positive experience since we made the decision to change accountants.  I find Rohan to be very approachable, proactive and also responsive when we need advice from him or a member of his wider team of specialists. Rohan’s knowledge of the intricacies and complexities of the construction industry mean that we can always get the right advice in a very timely manner. The audit team are friendly, knowledgeable and efficient.  I would have no hesitation in recommending Rohan to any business that wants a trusted advisor who adds real value and he has been a pleasure to work with.

Norman Wooler, Managing Director of RN Wooler & Co Limited

Armstrong Watson have been our accountants and tax advisers for many years. We have an exceptionally good working relationship, so much so that we see them as another arm of our team here at The Lakes.  They not only deal with our accounts and tax affairs, they understand our business and the way we run it, which is so important when we talk through problems or opportunities. They have supported us throughout a period of significant growth and it goes without saying that their pro-active approach to business and tax planning has been invaluable. We would not hesitate to recommend them.

The Lakes Free Range Egg Co

Armstrong Watson are lead sponsors for the IFDA providing invaluable advice to our members and the wider sector. Recently supporting the IFDA Forum series which delivered expert advice on prominent themes affecting the sector. They have been on hand to talk to all our members, no matter what stage of their journey, advising on accounting, planning and auditing. Their work with IFDA member Bundobust and the accounting software Xero has proven hugely helpful to our members, setting a benchmark for accounting with Independent food and drink establishments in the city.

Anne-Marie Gallagher, Leeds Beckett University

Armstrong Watson have been extremely helpful in assisting Eureka secure a Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief claim. At the outset, Olivia came to visit the museum to see the exhibition space and to talk us through the claim, showing knowledge and enthusiasm. Throughout the process, Will kept me updated on the progress of the claim, advising us on the qualifying costs and accompanying narrative, to ensure all eligible expenses were included in the claim and our filing position was robust. Thanks to Armstrong Watson’s proactive advice, we have been able to make a substantial claim this year and have gained valuable insights which will allow us to maximise the available relief for future exhibitions.

Andy Forbes, Finance Director at Eureka! The National Children’s Museum

Following our move to Armstrong Watson in 2017, we have been delighted by the proactivity and service delivered by Rohan and the team.  Their approach is collaborative and friendly and they have provided clear practical advice to our business.  We look forward to working even more closely with AW going forwards as they assist us with our strategic plans.

Michael Feather, Bowman Riley

More than accountants, a genuine trusted adviser and they’ve proven over the years they can deliver.

William Whitaker, Whitakers Chocolates Ltd

Following a recommendation made to us, we have engaged the specialist Legal Sector team at Armstrong Watson for our accounts, audit and SRA Accounts Rules compliance requirement.  We have been impressed by the breadth of their specific knowledge of the sector and how that helps them to proactively advise us.  We greatly appreciate the consistent use of staff, and their interaction with our accounts team works very well indeed.  Their advance planning makes everything work seamlessly and they have already spotted and enacted improvements that have helped to simplify our accounts and save us money.

Philip Browell, Director, Browells Smith & Co Solicitors Ltd

As a manufacturing business a critical element of our MI is our stock, too much stock and we have cash tied up unnecessarily, too little and we run the risk of disappointing customers. After a number of strategic business acquisitions and attempting to integrate different types of stock into our system we realised that there was a danger that our stock recording system could be producing inaccurate results.

As a result we asked the team at Armstrong Watson to review the stock system.  Their review highlighted the areas of weakness and also the areas that were performing to expectations. With their assistance we addressed the areas of concern and amended procedures and practices accordingly. Their pragmatic common sense approach backed by their experience and knowledge enabled us to achieve the right result in a reasonable timescale.

We now have full confidence that our MI is accurate and reliable.

Stephen Widdows MD DJH Group Limited

As a family owned and managed manufacturing business we have the skills and experience to know what to do, when to do it and how to do it.

We have the day to day running and management of the business in hand.  That said, what we have never challenged ourselves on is the bigger picture, we all know our roles and responsibilities.

What the team at Armstrong Watson have done is to challenge how we work not in the business, but on the business.  Their input and knowledge has allowed us to stand back from the day to day operations and work on the business, looking at the bigger, more strategic plan, rather than the day to day operational issues.

We have found, and are still finding, their input challenging, insightful and of great value.  They have a wealth of knowledge and whilst we believe the issues in our family owned and managed business are unique to us, it becomes more apparent that the issues are common throughout many similar businesses.

Jon Ward Joint MD Kay Dee Engineering Limited

We used Armstrong Watson for the first time this year to conduct our SRA Audit.  I was impressed; not only with their thoroughness and professionalism, but also with the efficiency of the whole process.  The audit is an essential element of our compliance processes, but it also has the potential to be a major distraction for the business.  The Armstrong Watson team gave us very clear guidance from the outset and used technology well to deliver a highly effective audit with no unnecessary work for us.  We will be returning to them next year.

Nick Benson, Managing Director, Ortolan Legal Limited

Grant Smith from Armstrong Watson took over our Accounts last year and has been like a breath of fresh air. It’s easy as a business owner to get bogged down by the daily grind of running the business and sometimes you need to look to the bigger picture. I’ve found Grant to be invaluable in this sense. He is both insightful and practical and is a great asset to our continued growth.

Greg Kelly, Business Owner, Ultimate Security & Investigations Ltd

The specialist legal sector team at Armstrong Watson has been instructed by Burnetts Solicitors to prepare the firm’s financial statements, tax returns and SRA Accounts Rules reports as well as the partners’ personal tax returns since 2011.  I have been in a joint managing partner position since 1 January 2014 and have worked particularly closely with them since becoming sole managing partner on 1 January 2015. In that time, I have been impressed with their speed of response.  When we need something actioned, it is always done within the agreed timetable.  That is in part due to their attention to ensure that we provide them with everything that they need in order to help us.  Initiatives have been established to ensure that timetables are adhered to and all costs are agreed in advance.

We benefit from their pro-active advice and suggestions; particularly recently regarding our trading structure, law firm alliances and ways to reduce our costs.  In addition, they have presented to our people on cross-selling initiatives and improving their understanding of their impact on the success of the firm.  They have also offered one to one tax surgeries with each of our partners in order for them to plan their personal affairs, which we will benefit from this year.  Their benchmarking analysis of the firm allows us to have strategic conversations with them, and also with my partners internally.

All in all, they help us to improve our business.

Nick Gutteridge, Managing Partner, Burnetts

Armstrong Watson has been providing IBISWorld with audit services since we began operations in the UK in 2010.  More recently we have also engaged them to assist with our tax services.  Our experience throughout the relationship has been that of a very professional organization that provides a high level of expertise and comfort to ensure confidence in the end product.  Matthew, Helen and Zoe are responsive and personable, further making Armstrong Watson a pleasure to work with

Jody Scott, Global Finance Manager, IbisWorld

The most important qualities I value in my relationship with Armstrong Watson are trust, efficiency and knowing that when necessary. I am satisfied they can help with any personal financial matter, or business matter if required.

I am always very pleased with the manner in which my tax return is completed, on time and without any fuss, but knowing that they are always available for further help and advice if necessary. I would recommend Armstrong Watson to my friends.

Private client, Lochmaben

The biggest thing I value in my relationship with Ross Campbell at Armstrong Watson is the ease of contact, either in person, by e-mail, phone or letter. The staff at the Dumfries office are very helpful, friendly and welcoming. I feel that Armstrong Watson are very professional, and give good advice when I require it.

Dr David Frost

The team at Armstrong Watson combine technical ability, years of experience and a deep understanding of the business to add real value. The level of personal but professional service we get from Rohan Day has led to a strong partnership developing.

Rohan has acted for us for approximately 15 years and I consider him to be a key business partner and trusted advisor.

Stephen Brunton, Managing Director, Sematic UK Limited

Rohan and the team at Armstrong Watson have been a valued business partner and a continued part of our growth and development at KMF. They have offered constructive and commercial solutions when needed and are extremely approachable.

Their fee levels are extremely competitive across the key products, and service levels, in my opinion, exceed that of their peer group and that of the Big 4.

Jon Eeles, Finance Director, KMF (Precision Sheet Metal) Limited

When the company was sold to a private equity firm, Armstrong Watson was instrumental in assisting the purchase; formulating the financial models, cash flow analysis and pro forma profit and loss.  The team produced high quality results and provided an invaluable contribution in the post transaction.

The effective sale of the business was made so by having the right people with the right skills who really understood the business and our requirements, in particluar David Richmond. David has an excellent understanding of business finance reporting, his knowledge and the ability to understand different situations provided invaluable in developing the strategic direction of our business.  Armstrong Watson are a very professional outfit and without doubt their contribution has made the transaction exceedingly cost effective and we would highly recommend them.

John Williams, Managing Director, Ness Furniture

We have no doubt that many accounting firms could provide us with an audit service but I am certain that very few take the care and interest in  the company and the people behind it. Armstrong Watson has been our auditors and tax advisers for 10 years and has provided us with support when it was most needed.

Jim O’Connor, Kirklees Youth Training