Background Since the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995, there have been many changes in agricultural processes as well as a growing need for farmers to prioritise environmental as well as farming outputs as well as the introduction of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Farm diversification has been essential to secure the sustainability of the farm. Since the outbreak of Foot and Mouth and the Policy Commission on the Future of Food and Farming, there has been [...]

”At the end of a recent rowdy annual meeting of shareholders for a public listed company, an alderly woman turned to me and said ”This board of directors is like a group of badly behaved teenage boys in their mid-60s.” Understandably, she was perplexed. When visiting a lawyer, medical practitioner, architect, the expectation is that the person sitting opposite is thoroughly trained and has satisfied the full requirements of an esteemed professional body. Company directors [...]

‘Copyright Yours2Share.com’ Weekday lodgings are increasingly popular with people working away from home or as an alternative to a lengthy commute. So how do the actual costs of commuting compare with a weekday letting? Below we’ve worked out the comparative costs for two relatively common long distance commutes: Bristol to London and Norwich to London. For the rail comparison, to make the comparisons conservative (ie favour commuting rather than renting), we’ve assumed the work place [...]

‘Copyright LandLordZone.co.uk’ The Private Rented Sector (PRS) and buy-to-let has become an important, if not the most important, sector of the UK housing market; certainly as far as tenants, sellers, letting and estate agents are concerned. The young wait in rented accommodation until they can afford to buy, which suits their mobile lifestyles, the old downsize and some move into a rental retirement, owners rent out their homes when they move away, or when they [...]

Introduction Crisis such as foot and mouth outbreaks, fire damage, illness of key staff or computer failure could make it logistically very difficult to carry on “business as usual”, especially for small businesses. With a little forethought, you can minimise the potential impact of a disaster – and sometimes prevent it from happening in the first place. This guide helps you to identify potential risks, make preparations for emergencies and test how your business is [...]

Here comes the sun – employers get ready for an inundation of holiday request forms from your employees, as staff begins to prepare for their holidays. Although a lot of businesses have a workforce structure that enables adequate cover during holiday season, there are some that struggle due to the lack of staff and or financial resources to provide cover, during the holidays. It is therefore important that employers know their rights and authorise holidays [...]

A new study suggests that cost and a lack of awareness are the two main barriers faced by small companies when looking at the issue of Intellectual Property (IP). The study, undertaken by Said School at Oxford University, for the ACCA, offers recommendations for entrepreneurs and smaller businesses to improve their IP awareness, while also recommending that professionals dealing with SMEs – including accountants – also raise their own awareness of IP. Rosana Mirkovic, Senior [...]

The motto of the The Four Musketeers, ‘All for one and one for all’.. sits well with the concept of fractional ownership in today’s economy. Solidarity, unity and loyalty are important characteristics to be had in 2009. Bearing in mind the implications of the GEC (I promise I’ll mention it only once), it is a good time to consider, or reconsider whether you really need that Nissan GTR / Custom made super yacht or Mallorca [...]