Nightingale Racing and Dame Kelly Holmes – Brands Hatch, 13 June 2009

Double Olympic Gold medal winner Dame Kelly Holmes was the special guest of Nightingale Racing at the third round of this season’s ‘Fun Cup Endurance Race’ series.

Having the former BBC Sports Personality of the Year on hand at the world famous Brands Hatch circuit on Saturday 13 June seemed to have brought good fortune to the team.

In only its third event Nightingale Racing climbed onto the podium for a well deserved third place finish in the petrol engine class.

Michael Lockyer, Managing Partner of Nightingale Associates, the financial services arm of Mercer & Hole chartered accountants said, “It was a real thrill to have Kelly join Nightingale Racing for this showcase event. Some of her magic must have rubbed off on all the drivers because to achieve a podium finish was a superb team effort.”

Grid positions for the Fun Cup series are drawn by ballot which proved to be ironic. Acting as draw master Dame Kelly Holmes drew the grid positions on behalf of all teams in the race and promptly drew Nightingale Racing in last position out of the 26 car entry.

Michael commented, “If ever there was a day to hope luck would be on our side with the draw it was today. Starting at the rear of the field on a small and tight circuit like Brands Hatch can be a real disadvantage.”

The event lasted four hours with each driver taking two forty minute driving stints. Michael was joined by co-drivers Peter Flynn and Stuart Ramsay. It was Peter who started the race and drove a superb first stint to ensure the team moved from last place on the grid to third in class and 13th overall by the time the car was handed over to Michael. A solid second stint to consolidate the position followed.

Michael, still in only his third ever race, said,
“I felt some pressure in trying to keep the car in such a good position but concentrated on getting the basics right. The other two guys are very experienced and I’m pleased to say, I did not let them down.”

The remaining rounds of driver changes and refuelling stops followed without major incident and apart from a slightly damaged front body section, which was replaced at the last pit stop, the team held its podium position to the end of the race.

Michael summed up,
“To be on the podium at the end was a fantastic reward for a hard race. To have our guest Dame Kelly Holmes presenting the trophies and sharing our success made the whole day complete.”

Nightingale Racing now moves on to Spa in Belgium for a 25 hour test of endurance. Europe’s longest motor race features cars from a number of other European countries. With an expected entry of over 150 teams it will prove a real challenge for both man and machine.

Fun Cup Racing Series (http://www.funcup.co.uk)
Brands Hatch circuit http://www.motorsportvision.co.uk/brands-hatch
Mercer & Hole Chartered Accountants (http://www.mercerhole.co.uk)
Nightingale Associates 0845 8281000 (http://www.mercerhole.co.uk/services/overview/C54)
Universal Vehicle Services 02392 595349

Nightingale Racing and the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust in pole position

Nightingale Racing lead by Nightingale Associates Michael Lockyer will be at Brands Hatch on Saturday 13 June 2009 for the next race of the Fun Cup 2009 season. The team are thrilled that double Olympic gold medal winner Dame Kelly Holmes will also be there to support the team. Former BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Dame Kelly Holmes will be on hand to draw the teams’ grid lane positions for the afternoon’s Fun Cup race and present the winners with their trophies.

Lockyer, a supporter of the former athlete’s charity, the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, and her host for the day, said: “I am delighted Dame Kelly is joining Nightingale Racing at Brands to meet my co-drivers, mechanics and other crew that make our entry to the Fun Cup possible.”

For further information and a timetable of the event at Brands Hatch please click here.

Follow Michael Lockyer and Nightingale Racing on Sky Sports

Michael Lockyer and Nightingale Racing were featured in Sky Sports motor racing programme ‘Race World’ back in April and additional dates have now been released for the show and will feature the Snetterton Fun Cup race that took place on the 2 May.

If you want to tune in and watch the programme the dates and times are as follows:

Thurs 25th June: 5.30pm (Sky Sports 3), 10pm (Sky Sports Xtra)

Fri 26th June: 2am (Sky Sports Xtra), 6.30am (Sky Sports 3), 1pm (Sky Sports 3)

Sat 27th June: 7am (Sky Sports 2)

Sun 28th June: 11am (Sky Sports 3)

Bulletin - May 2009

Mercer & Hole’s latest Bulletin is now available to view, please click here to download your electronic version.

Fun Cup 2009, Snetterton - May 2, 2009

Nightingale Racing continued its 2009 campaign with the second round of the Fun Cup endurance race series held over the early May Bank holiday weekend at Snetterton race track in Norfolk.

Michael Lockyer, Managing Partner of Nightingale Associates, the financial services arm of Mercer & Hole continued his racing season as lead driver. Ably supported by fellow team mates Stuart Ramsay and Peter Flynn, Michael was competing in only his second race following an impressive debut earlier in the season at Rockingham.

Michael commented, “When we created Nightingale Racing the aim was to be competitive from our first outing and ensure we fought hard for the best results possible.”

Unfortunately throughout the Friday practice sessions the car was plagued by a minor electrical problem, which ultimately appeared to have been remedied for the race.

Michael goes on, “It’s the first time I have seen the Snetterton circuit, let alone driven on it, so it was important that we had a decent practice session. Sadly the electrical gremlins crept in and we only managed a handful of laps. However, the car ran well in the qualifying session, which raised our hopes for Saturday’s race.”

Grid positioning for the Fun Cup series is decided by ballot, not times, so the car can be placed anywhere for the start. As luck would have it Nightingale Racing drew 24th out of the 27 car field! With a bright sunny afternoon in prospect for the five hour event, Peter Flynn started the race. After just four laps the electrical gremlins crept back in and Peter was momentarily stranded on the circuit. With some luck the car was coaxed back to the pits, where thankfully the problem was cured once and for all. However, the team rejoined in last position.

Michael explained, “Electrical problems can be extremely hard to trace and we owe a big thank you to our race engineers, who managed to cure the problem within ten minutes. It meant we could continue to race, albeit ten laps down.”

Despite the handicap, Michael and his team mates drove with real commitment and finally finished the race in 16th position. Given it was Michael’s second ever race, his last stint saw his pace and confidence improve considerably.

Michael appeared happy with the weekend’s efforts and summarised, “Despite our problems, the weather was good, we had some real fun playing catch up and our guests had a unique insight into how a race team is run.”

Nightingale Racing will continue to compete in the Fun Cup series with the next round at Brands Hatch on Saturday June 13th. Highlights of the Fun Cup series are shown on Sky Sports and Motors TV.

Fun Cup Racing Series (www.funcup.co.uk)
Snetterton Race Circuit (www.motorsportvision.co.uk/snetterton)
Mercer & Hole Chartered Accountants (www.mercerhole.co.uk)
Nightingale Associates 0845 8281000 (http://www.mercerhole.co.uk/services/overview/C54)
Universal Vehicle Services 02392 595349

Practical tips for recession and recovery - a presentation by Robert Jamieson

There has been a considerable rate and depth to changes made by the Government on tax and business issues over the last 12 months. Our view at Mercer & Hole is that this activity signals the Government’s intention to alter significantly the way UK tax operates and the Chancellor’s Budget statement on 22 April 2009 confirmed this.

With these changes in mind and during this period of challenging economics, Mercer & Hole in association with the Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a business seminar titled, ‘Practical tips for recession and recovery’ on Tuesday 30 June 2009.

Our principal speaker will be Robert Jamieson MA FCA CTA (Fellow), partner with Mercer & Hole and past President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. Robert is an expert on tax planning issues and a respected lecturer on this topic, well known for his informative and entertaining lectures to business audiences. His presentation will explain the ramifications of the Finance Bill 2009 on businesses and their leaders, and will offer tips to mitigate the impact of the new regime.

The evening’s event, which will include presentations, an opportunity for delegates’ questions and networking, will conclude by 8.00 pm. Robert and his fellow Mercer & Hole partners will be available to answer questions over drinks, following the presentation.

BOOKING INFORMATION:

To book your free space, please send an email including your name, company name and contact details to

DETAILS:

Practical tips for recession and recovery
Jurys Inn Hotel
Tuesday, 30 June 2009, 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Practical tips for recession and recovery - a presentation by Robert Jamieson

There has been a considerable rate and depth to changes made by the Government on tax and business issues over the last 12 months. Our view at Mercer & Hole is that this activity signals the Government’s intention to alter significantly the way UK tax operates and the Chancellor’s Budget statement on 22 April 2009 confirmed this.

With these changes in mind and during this period of challenging economics, Mercer & Hole in association with the Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a business seminar titled, ‘Practical tips for recession and recovery’ on Wednesday 10 June 2009.

Our principal speaker will be Robert Jamieson MA FCA CTA (Fellow), partner with Mercer & Hole and past President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. Robert is an expert on tax planning issues and a respected lecturer on this topic, well known for his informative and entertaining lectures to business audiences. His presentation will explain the ramifications of the Finance Bill 2009 on businesses and their leaders, and will offer tips to mitigate the impact of the new regime.

The evening’s event, which will include presentations, an opportunity for delegates’ questions and networking, will conclude by 7.30 pm. Robert and his fellow Mercer & Hole partners will be available to answer questions over drinks, following the presentation.

BOOKING INFORMATION:

To book your free space, please send an email including your name, company name and contact details to

DETAILS:

Practical tips for recession and recovery
Northampton Saints Rugby Football Club
Wednesday, 10 June 2009, 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Tax Plus - Budget 2009 special

The latest Tax Plus is now available to download. Please click here to read our analysis from the Budget Report 2009, announced by the Chancellor Alastair Darling on 22 April 2009.

Fun Cup 2009, Rockingham - April 4, 2009

Michael Lockyer, Managing Partner of Nightingale Associates the financial services arm of Mercer & Hole and Stuart Ramsey of Universal Vehicle Services ensured that Nightingale Racing got off to a solid start to the Fun Cup 2009, securing thirteenth place at the seasons opening race at Rockingham.

An eventful weekend began early with the Nightingale Racing team arriving at an overcast Rockingham race track the morning of Friday 3 April 2009 to register and complete practice sessions. With the team’s third driver Pete Flynn missing the race, responsibility for leading the team fell to drivers Michael of Felbridge, West Sussex and Stuart of Emsworth, Chichester. Despite only having two drivers for the six-hour endurance race the team were full of optimism and confidence going into race day on 4 April.

Race day on 4 April began with another practice session in the morning and included a few shaky moments as the team tried to get to grips with the track. There was a spin onto the grass and a trip into a gravel bed for Michael, and Stuart was responsible for the loss of a front splitter whilst having a fight with a grass bank. However, the team remained composed and rallied well, qualifying fifth on the grid out of twenty seven cars.

At approximately 11.55am the race started with the team adopting a strategy of one-hour stints in the car to coincide with the hourly ten-minute fuel stops. Stuart drove first and made a good start and after an hour the driver change was quick with Michael managing to hold team position in the race.

As the race progressed the car and both drivers were performing well, without incident and jockeying for position. Over the course of the race the team moved up and down the leader board, however, the final two hours of the race saw Michael and Stuart do their best driving. They managed to move up to twelfth position and after six gruelling hours on track, eventually hit the chequered flag finishing a respectable thirteenth place.

Considering this was Michael’s first competitive race, the team were delighted with their performance.

Steady and consistent driving were key to the Nightingale Racing performance, as well as being ably assisted by the team’s mechanics Ian and Dan. Guests of both Mercer & Hole and Nightingale Associates were there to offer rousing applause throughout and were present to greet the team as the car returned to the pit lane.

After a promising start to the season Nightingale Racing is now preparing for its next outing on May 2nd at Snetterton in Norfolk.

Fun Cup Racing Series (www.funcup.co.uk)
Rockingham Race Circuit (www.rockingham.co.uk)
Mercer & Hole Chartered Accountants (www.mercerhole.co.uk)
Nightingale Associates 0845 8281000 (http://www.mercerhole.co.uk/services/overview/C54)
Universal Vehicle Services 02392 595349

Mercer & Hole sponsor Nightingale Racing

Mercer & Hole is to sponsor the ‘Nightingale Racing’ entry in the Fun Cup 2009. Nightingale Racing will be led by qualified racing driver, Michael Lockyer who is the Managing Partner of Nightingale Associates – the Financial Services arm of Mercer & Hole.

It is the first time Mercer & Hole has involved itself in motorsport, although as a hobby Michael has driven on numerous track days throughout the United Kingdom and raced his own MK1 Lotus Elise around the Hethel test circuit. Having passed The Association of Racing Drivers Schools (ARDS) test in 2008 he is now ready for the challenge of taking part in the Fun Cup 2009.

What is the Fun Cup?

Originally conceived in mainland Europe in 1997, the Fun Cup is a motor racing series with capacity grids often in excess of 30 cars. The racing is wheel to wheel and the Fun Cup is now the most successful one make endurance series in Europe.

The races are all endurance, typically 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 hours in the UK, complete with pit stops and all the drama of such an event. Teams vary from 2 – 6 drivers in the UK and thanks to carefully formulated rules, however many in a team, your chance of success is exactly the same. The car is a VW Beetle-style Fun Cup endurance race car and has a superb power to weight ration, weighing only 760kg and powered by an 1800cc, 130bhp VW/Audi petrol engine, mid-mounted for optimum balance.

The first glimpses of the Nightingale Racing Fun Cup car were seen at a practice day held on Saturday 28 February 2008 at Rockingham race track.

2009 race calendar

*April 4, Rockingham – Northampton (6 Hour – Race report to follow the event)

*May 2, Snetterton – Norfolk (5 Hour – Race report to follow the event).

*June 13, Brands Hatch – Kent (4 Hour – Race report to follow the event).

*September 12, Donnington Park – East Midlands (7 Hour – Race report to follow the event).

To keep abreast of Nightingale Racing’s progress over the course of the season, look out for our race reports, which will be posted on the Mercer & Hole website.

Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust

Nightingale Racing is proud to support the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust.

Charities and the Not-For-Profit-Sector leaflet available to download

Mercer & Hole is delighted to announce that the new Charities and the Not-For-Profit-Sector leaflet is now available to view, please click here to download your electronic version.

VAT update - January 2009

Mercer & Hole’s latest VAT Update is now available to view, please click here to download your electronic version.

Scaling the heights…Michael Lockyer completes his biggest challenge to date

By day he is the Managing Partner of Nightingale Associates, the financial services arm of Mercer & Hole Chartered Accountants, but in November 2008 Michael Lockyer had plans on a much grander scale – the size of Himalayan mountain Ama Dablam to be exact.

The intrepid walker completed a gruelling climb of Ama Dablam in Nepal, a technically challenging mountain standing 6854 metres high. In the 1950s the mountain was declared, ‘impossible to climb’ and many who plan to climb Everest use Ama Dablam as a warm up, as there is nothing more technical on Everest than Ama Dablam.

Commenting on his climb, Michael states: “It took a month in all to travel, walk and climb to the summit. Acclimatisation was the biggest problem and I was very fortunate that I had no real illness on the mountain, however, I did get frost nip in my left foot on the summit day. I still have a sore foot and toes but feel a tremendous sense of achievement having successful completed the climb!”

A seasonal celebration

Mercer & Hole held a Christmas reception for friends of the firm’s London office at Haberdashers’ Hall on Monday 8 December 2008. The venue, modern yet retaining its traditional roots, was designed by celebrated British architect Sir Michael Hopkins.

An enjoyable evening was had by all that attended and the venue proved a popular backdrop to toast the holiday season!

Mercer & Hole appoint Paul Webster as joint Managing Partner

Mercer & Hole have appointed Paul Webster as joint managing partner – effective from 24 November 2008. Paul has worked for Mercer & Hole for over 30 years becoming a partner in 1981. Having worked closely alongside Senior Partner Howard Wilkinson during this time, he is well placed to implement Mercer & Hole’s strategic plans moving forward.

Pre-Budget Report 2008 - Tax Plus Special

The latest Tax Plus is now available to download. Please click here to read our analysis from the Pre-Budget Report 2008, announced by the Chancellor Alastair Darling on 24 November 2008.

Pre-Budget Report 2008 - Date Announced

Chancellor Alistair Darling will deliver the 2008 Pre-Budget Report on Monday 24 November 2008. The Pre-Budget Report comes amid the gloomiest economic situation for more than a decade, with volatile financial markets, a credit crunch and falling house prices.

This has fuelled speculation that Mr Darling is considering tax cuts to help people through the economic down turn. When Mr Darling presents his Pre-Budget Report, we will of course be blogging on SME Plus Blog and Tax Plus Blog, providing analysis on the key highlights.

To ensure you get our comment and analysis as and when it happens, make sure you subscribe to our blogs by clicking here for SME Plus blog or here for Tax Plus blog.

If you already subscribe to our blogs, then watch this space as announcements are made on the 24 November.

Mercer & Hole announce Milton Keynes office move… and have a drinks reception to celebrate!

Mercer & Hole’s Milton Keynes staff have moved office…but they haven’t gone very far. The firm remains at 420 Silbury Boulevard but has moved from the 3rd to the 1st floor.

The new office space equipped with advanced technology features and resources, is a demonstration of the firm’s commitment to better serving its clients. The move accommodates recent staff growth and enables the firm to provide the highest level of professional services.

To celebrate the move, Mercer & Hole hosted many of the prominent business leaders and its clients in the Milton Keynes area on Tuesday 11 November 2008, for a drinks reception at their new office space. The jovial mood was enhanced by the hired entertainment in the form of a close up magician who kept the firm’s guests both bewildered and amused.

Commenting on the office move Senior Partner, Howard Wilkinson comments: “It is testament to the growth of our firm in the Milton Keynes area that we needed to acquire bigger office space to meet the needs of our clients, as well as improve the working conditions for our staff. We look forward to welcoming all of our firm’s friends, old and new, to our new office space”.

TIAG makes it into the Top 30 Accounting Networks and Associations 2008

In a recent Accountancy Age survey (November 2008) The International Accounting Group (TIAG) made it into the Top 30 Accounting Networks and Associations 2008. This illustrates rapid growth for the network, which was only conceived 10 years ago, rightfully taking its place amongst some of the most esteemed accounting networks and associations in the world.

Mercer & Hole is a founder member of TIAG giving links to like-minded accountancy firms, typically with 5–25 partners, in almost 90 countries across the globe. TIAG works closely alongside its sister network, TAGLaw, providing seamless access to strong local law firms in over 120 jurisdictions.

Local Business Professionals Brave the Rain to Claim Golf Victory

The heavens may have opened more than once but representatives from the local branch of Allied Irish Bank battled the elements on Wednesday 15th October 2008 to reign victorious at this year’s Mercer Hole Golf finals day.

Competing against 7 other teams of banks and solicitors from St Albans, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London the St Albans based Bank scored the highest points on the day winning a special trophy for their achievement.

The Mercer & Hole Golf Society tournament has been running since 2001 with matches taking place throughout the year and culminating in a finals day each October. The annual Mercer & Hole Golf Finals day took place at Harpenden Golf Club, Hammonds End Hertfordshire on Wednesday 15th October 2008 and was concluded by a 3 course dinner in the clubhouse.

Another employee from Mercer & Hole receives prestigious Charity Diploma

A second member of the Mercer & Hole audit and assurance team is celebrating the awarding of the prestigious new Diploma in Charity Accounting from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) – the new charity sector qualification. Wendy Bambrick, like Louise Giles before her, has successfully completed the diploma via the study route and has become one of a select few to have achieved this new charity sector qualification.

This high level qualification has been specifically designed by the Institute for Chartered Accountants for professionals working in the Charity and Voluntary Sector. The diploma is being promoted to recognise the work carried out by employees, supporters and professional advisers to charities. Wendy will now be eligible to use the letters DChA after her name, denoting her understanding of the implications of charity accounting.

Wendy, who is a manager within the firm’s busy audit and assurance department said of her achievement: “I am very pleased to have been awarded the diploma, especially given that the Charity sector is an important part of Mercer & Hole’s work. It is a particularly enjoyable sector to work in as you feel a real sense of service to the community – gaining the qualification is an excellent way of demonstrating formal recognition of this.”

Bulletin - October 2008

The majority of our clients will have received our latest version of the Bulletin. However, if you have not received your copy and were expecting to, then please let us know. Alternately, download an electronic pdf version today here.

Mercer & Hole announce the promotion of Julian Dobbin to Transaction Services Partner

Mercer & Hole is delighted to announce the promotion of Julian Dobbin to Transaction Services Partner, effective from 1 October 2008.

Julian, who only last year was promoted to Director, has rapidly progressed through the Mercer & Hole ranks, having joined the firm in 1999. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has a degree in Accounting & Financial Management and previously worked in the accounting department for a UK subsidiary of a listed multi-national.

Julian has an extensive technical knowledge on company acquisitions, and spends the majority of his time undertaking Financial Due Diligence. He is also involved in company valuations and the preparation of financial projections and writes articles on the SME transactions market in the local business press.

Commenting on his promotion, Julian said: “I’ve worked with Mercer & Hole for nine years and the working environment is very supportive to both the firm’s clients and its team members, which is important to me. I am looking forward to this exciting, new challenge and the opportunity to continue providing our clients with exceptional service and solutions”.

Howard Wilkinson, Senior Partner at Mercer & Hole comments: “Julian’s promotion rewards his strong contribution to Mercer & Hole, as his expertise and experience have been instrumental in raising the reputation of our Transaction Services offering. His promotion is well deserved and we wish him every success as a partner within our firm”.

Restructuring & Insolvency

Mercer & Hole’s Restructuring & Insolvency department has changed its name from Rescue, Recovery & Insolvency to emphasis the nature of the work it undertakes.

Specialising in corporate restructuring and insolvency, the department is known for saving businesses, reputations and livelihoods. This has never been more pertinent than during the current period of economic downturn when having the necessary business restructuring and turnaround skills has become even more important.

Steve Smith, Partner, Restructuring & Insolvency, comments: “We always review how we present ourselves in the market place and felt that the rebrand was necessary to enable us to clearly define our position and the services we offer within the market”.

Commenting further he states: “We have built up a strong reputation as a trusted name in the business turnaround and insolvency sectors. Implicit in this is a continuing commitment to delivering advice of the highest quality and maintaining and developing our existing business relationships and strategic partnerships with our many professional contacts”.

Restructuring & Insolvency is just one of the service areas offered by Mercer & Hole. The firm also provides audit and accountancy, taxation, transaction services and a wide range of niche services to businesses and private clients.

Mercer & Hole acquires Steward & Pellant

Mercer & Hole are delighted to announce its second acquisition of the year.

Effective from 8 September 2008, two partner practice Steward & Pellant will become part of Mercer & Hole’s London office.

Based in Croydon, south-east London, Steward & Pellant have been established for over 40 years and provide a wide range of services far exceeding the normal audit and tax compliance work including trusts and specialist advisory work on a wide variety of matters.

As part of the merger their Croydon office will close and both Steward & Pellant partners will join the Mercer & Hole team. Helen Cain will be joining as a partner and Keith Hubbard-Brown will remain available to the firm as a consultant.

Speaking of the acquisition Howard Wilkinson, Senior Partner at Mercer & Hole comments: “We are delighted to be merging with a firm that shares our commitment to client service. We look forward to welcoming Helen Cain and Keith Hubbard-Brown to our team and know they bring a wealth of experience with them which will only strengthen the service we offer to our clients.”

CAPITAL GAINS TAX – A NEW ERA BEGINS

In association with the Northamptonshire Chamber, Mercer & Hole Chartered Accountants will be hosting a business seminar on Wednesday 18 June 2008.

The seminar ‘Capital Gains Tax (CGT) – A New Era Begins’ will be presented by Robert Jamieson a partner at Mercer & Hole and past president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and will take place at The Heroes Suite, Northampton Saints, Franklin’s Gardens, Weedon Road, Northampton NN5 5BG at 17.15.

BOOKING INFORMATION – CAPITAL GAINS TAX A NEW ERA BEGINS:
Wednesday, 18 June 2008 @ 17:15 – 19:30 (followed by drinks and light snacks)

The Heroes Suite, Northampton Saints, Franklin’s Gardens, Weedon Road, Northampton NN5 5BG
If you would like to book your free space, please send an e-mail including your name, company name and contact details to Palak Patel at marketing@mercerhole.co.uk.

Prestigious charity diploma awarded to Louise Giles

Mercer & Hole are celebrating the awarding of a prestigious diploma to Louise Giles. Louise was recently awarded the new Diploma in Charity Accounting from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) – the new charity sector qualification. She successfully completed the diploma via the study route and has become one of only 175 people to have achieved this new charity sector qualification via this method of study.

The Diploma in Charity Accounting is a leading qualification in the charity finance field and will become a benchmark for success in charity accounting. The diploma is being promoted to recognise the work carried out by employees, supporters and professional advisers to charities and Louise will now be eligible to use the letters DChA after her name, denoting her understanding of the implications of charity accounting

Louise, who works in the busy audit and assurance department of Mercer & Hole and has been with the firm for 8 years said of her achievement: “I had to write seven essays, each covering a different topic, detailing my work with a charity, the advice I had given them and how I had helped them.”

Offering further comment she added: “I’m personally very happy to have achieved the diploma as it’s satisfying to have recognition for the specialist knowledge that I have acquired but also it’s a way too give our charity clients confidence in Mercer & Hole’s ability to be able to advise them.”

Howard Wilkinson, comments: “The diploma is a top award in the charity accounting sector and we are delighted for Louise and know her achievement is the result of a lot of hard work. This award means that any charity or not-for-profit organisation will now know that we are qualified and have the knowledge and expertise to provide services of the highest standard.”

Bulletin - May2008

Mercer & Hole’s latest Bulletin is now available to view, please click here to download your electronic version.

Mercer & Hole and The MK Chamber host a business seminar…

In conjunction with the MK Chamber, Mercer & Hole Chartered Accountants hosted a business seminar for their professional contacts and MK Chamber members last Monday evening (07/04/08).

The seminar ‘Capital Gains Tax (CGT) – A New Era Begins’ was presented by Robert Jamieson a Partner at Mercer & Hole and past president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and took place at the De Vere Venues, Harben House, Milton Keynes.

Robert’s presentation touched upon the key issues relating to CGT, which were amplified by the Chancellor’s announcement in October’s pre-Budget report where he abolished taper relief and indexation for capital gains tax purposes and brought in a flat rate of 18%. After much lobbying he subsequently acceded to demands for a relief to ameliorate some of the worst effects by announcing the introduction of the new “Entrepreneurs’ Relief”.

These changes have necessitated a radical re-think of tax planning strategies for the disposal of family and owner-managed businesses in particular. Robert’s presentation explained the ramifications of the proposals introduced by the Finance Bill 2008 and provided a number of tips and techniques to mitigate the impact of the new regime.

Mercer & Hole acquires Nightingale Associates

Mercer & Hole are delighted to announce the purchase of financial services business Nightingale Associates based in south-east London. The firm has acquired the bulk of the business which is currently run by Michael Lockyer. Mercer & Hole will form a limited liability partnership (M&H LLP), which will trade as Nightingale Associates.

This purchase will significantly expand and improve the financial services department at Mercer & Hole. Mercer & Hole’s existing financial services team in Milton Keynes will work alongside Michael’s current office staff in Bromley. Michael will maintain a minority stake in the LLP and be its Managing Partner, responsible for day-to-day operations.

Mercer & Hole announce the promotion of Helen McKie to Private Client Partner

Mercer & Hole is delighted to announce the promotion of Helen McKie to Private Client Partner.

Helen, who was promoted to Director of Mercer & Hole Trustees Limited (the firm’s Trust Corporation) in 2007, has rapidly progressed through the Mercer & Hole ranks, having joined the firm’s graduate training programme in July 2003. Her areas of specialism include private client work, with particular emphasis on high net worth individuals, their families, and dealing with the taxation, administration and accounting of their trusts.

Helen became a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation in July 2006, having achieved the highest mark in the specialist paper on the taxation of individuals, trusts and estates and was awarded the prestigious Institute’s Spofforth Medal, for the May 2006 sitting. Helen also has an Economics & Statistics degree from Exeter University.

Howard Wilkinson, Senior Partner at Mercer & Hole comments: “Helen’s rapid progression from graduate trainee to partner is testimony to the firm’s commitment to developing and nurturing talent from within and demonstrates the significant achievements Helen has made since joining us.”

For details of all the partners of Mercer & Hole please click here.

Tax Plus - Budget 2008

Chancellor Alistair Darling delivered his first Budget on Wednesday 12 March 2008. An overview of the key measures announced are available in our Tax Plus – Budget 2008 special.

To find out more, please click here.

Tax Plus - January 2008

The Pre-Budget Report on 9 October 2007 made reference to changes to the remittance basis of taxation for non-UK domiciled individuals who are resident in the UK, and also to a change in the way that the days test for determining an individual’s residence status in the UK would be applied. Although an outline of the new provisions was set out in press notices at the time, we have only now received the specific detail.

To find out more, please click here.

Mercer & Hole’s partner Chris Laughton hits the news again!

You may recall that back in November we blogged on Chris Laughton’s interviews with BBC Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live regarding Northern Rock. We are delighted to report that Accountancy Age have also tapped into Chris’s knowledge of insolvency issues and have added comment from him in their article titled: ‘Retailers protected from impact of trident ruling’.

Accountancy Age approached Chris having read his recent blog titled: ‘Will retail insolvencies start the year – again?’

To find out more about Insolvency Blog visit www.insolvencyblog.com where you can subscribe free!

Mercer & Hole add Transaction Services to their portfolio of business services

Mercer & Hole is delighted to announce that it has added Transaction Services to its portfolio of business services offerings. The Transaction Services team will be lead by Mercer & Hole Director, Julian Dobbin.

The world of business transactions (sometimes referred to as Corporate Finance) is a fast paced, stressful and often mysterious environment. Our aim is to ensure you receive the best possible advice and that each transaction is processed quickly and efficiently.

For further information regarding Mercer & Hole’s Transaction Services, please visit our website.

Mercer & Hole on Northern Rock - AT BBC RADIO FIVE LIVE

We talked about Northern Rock in September on our insolvency blog (Northern Rock – illiquid or insolvent?).

Chris Laughton, the Mercer & Hole insolvency partner who wrote the blog post, will be speaking about Northern Rock on BBC Radio Five Live’s Breakfast programme at 7.45am tomorrow, 20 November 2007.

Listen in to find out more – or visit www.insolvencyblog.com tomorrow!

STOP PRESS: New corporate tax partner David Mansell joins Mercer & Hole

Mercer & Hole is delighted to announce the arrival of a new corporate tax partner, David Mansell.

Based principally in the Northampton office, David will work closely with fellow corporate tax partner, Cathy Corns and the business tax specialists within Mercer & Hole’s tax department.

David is a qualified Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser, who specialises in working closely with business owners and managers and their companies and in finding tax efficient solutions to the issues facing them. He has a broad range of experience in advising on such matters as succession planning, employee retention and incentivisation, business acquisitions and disposals, business structuring, and company and group re-organisations.

Mercer & Hole is a modern firm but with roots established in 1905 by the founding partner, William Mercer.

The firm started by providing accountancy and tax services to a small client base but over time it has changed and developed as the client base has grown. Now with a broad portfolio of business clients spread across a range of industries and a strong base of private clients including over 600 trusts, Mercer & Hole has the expertise to address many varied aspects of a client’s financial affairs. The firm offers, for example, specialist Audit and Assurance services, Business Development, Corporation Tax and Due Diligence services, Taxation and Trust services, Financial Services and Recovery & Insolvency services.

For details of all the partners of Mercer & Hole please click here.

...end stop press.

Mercer & Hole’s finals day proves to be a swinging success

Mercer & Hole’s golf final’s day once again proved to be a massive hit as they hosted some of the leading businesses in the area, with local bank HBOS eventually swinging their way to victory in this year’s finals.

The Golf Finals day took place on Friday 5 October 2007 at Harpenden Golf Club, Hammonds End, Hertfordshire. Eight teams of passionate golfers from top banks and solicitors could not resist the chance to demonstrate their golfing prowess. A challenging but thoroughly enjoyable day was topped off with a 3 course dinner in the clubhouse.

Competing against 7 other teams of banks and solicitors from Milton Keynes, Northampton, St Albans and London, the St Albans based arm of HBOS took home the coveted Mercer & Hole trophy for 2007.

Robert Kerr and Richard Gann at HBOS said: “We had a great time at the Mercer & Hole Golf Finals Day and winning a prize was just an added bonus to what turned out to be a very enjoyable day.”

Howard Wilkinson, Senior Partner at Mercer & Hole comments: ‘We always enjoy hosting this event and unlike last year the weather was fantastic. Although there were a few stray balls here and there, a successful day’s golfing was had by all in the usual friendly yet competitive fashion. The Golf Tournament is a great way for Mercer & Hole to get to know key firms from the local business community and is a great opportunity to forge lasting business partnerships.”

Tax Plus - Pre Budget Report 2007 special

Alistair Darling delivered his eagerly awaited first Pre Budget Report on Tuesday 9 October 2007. Amongst the highlights the Chancellor announced that growth forecasts would be cut, as would inheritance tax for couples and that there would be a crackdown on the non-domiciled rich.

To find out in more about how the Chancellor’s decisions might affect you, please here.

Pre-Budget Report 2007 - News Update

On October 9th 2007, Alistair Darling, Chancellor of the Exchequer, revealed his first term of office Pre-Budget Report 2007 and Comprehensive Spending review.

Sweeping changes became apparent from the outset and whilst some were to be expected, others caught the attention of the city and the business world alike.

Issues covered in the Pre-Budget Report 2007 included:-

• Personal & Employment taxes.


• Taxation of non-UK domiciliaries.


• Inheritance tax changes and tax-related pension savings.


• The realigning of Income tax and National Insurance contributions.


• Corporation tax.


• Stamp Duty land tax (SDLT).


• Indirect tax (VAT).



Mercer & Hole’s partners and team of experts have already issued a statement of initial response and continue to discuss the issues and the burning questions raised on their live business blog journals www.smeplusblog.com and www.taxplusblog.com.

In-depth coverage includes:

Initial Response.
Capital Gains Tax.
Car Fuel Benefit.
Residence & Domicile.
Inheritance Tax implications.

Please click on any of the highlighted links above to take you directly to the latest reports.

Continued coverage can be maintained by subscribing to the relevant blogs here, both email and RSS feeds are available for your convenience.

New VAT expert further strengthens Mercer & Hole’s tax department

We are delighted to announce that Jane Stacey joined the Mercer & Hole VAT team on 17 September 2007. Jane has taken up the position of Senior VAT Manager within Mercer & Hole’s, St Albans office.

Jane brings a wealth of VAT experience spanning over 17 years. Her career started with HM Revenue & Customs, followed by moves to Touche Ross & Co and Coopers & Lybrand, and latterly working for Deloitte at both their London and St Albans offices. Jane holds the Chartered Taxation Advisor (CTA) qualification via the VAT route and has an MA in French from Glasgow University.

Jane will be working closely with Mercer & Hole’s other VAT expert Roger Bell and will be assisting clients on a wide range of VAT issues, including VAT planning, transaction support, VAT compliance and ad hoc advice on a wide range of issues including partial exemption, property transactions, and international supplies of goods and services.

Latest Mercer & Hole brochure

We are delighted to announce that the new Mercer & Hole firm brochure is now available and can be viewed online. The brochure offers a fresh new look which we believe will effectively communicate our message and services over the coming years.

Moreover, we have updated our partner profiles offering a brief synopsis of their areas of expertise and background, as well as highlighting their interests outside of the firm.

To download our pdf version (2mb) click here.

Jones v Garnett (Arctic Systems) - Victory for the taxpayer

Breaking News

Earlier than expected the House of Lords decided in favour of the taxpayer in this monumental case of Jones v. Garnett (Arctic Systems Ltd).

Mercer & Hole’s Tax Partner, Cathy Corns has already provided this report on her SME Plus Blog for further reading and include links to the decision reports and industry comment.

end. News Flash

Mercer & Hole tops female partner league table

The latest top 50 survey from Accountancy Age magazine puts Mercer & Hole at the top of the female partner league tables with almost a quarter of it’s partners being female compared to the UK firm average of 9.7%.

The Accountancy Age Top 50 and Accountancy magazine Top 60 survey also saw us move up the general league tables to positions 44 and 45 respectively as well as featuring in the Accountancy Age fastest growing mid-tier firms for Tax, Corporate Finance and Insolvency. So good news all round!

Overall the surveys show the accountancy industry as a whole to be in good health although firms are falling short in the quest for diversity. To find out how Mercer & Hole have fared in all areas of the surveys visit the sites linked above.

So what’s in store for us in 2008?

Well watch this space and maybe next year’s results will include even more good news.

Local accountant to reach his ‘peak’

There is a common myth that accountants are boring? Well… intrepid accountant Paul Brindley of local accountancy firm Mercer & Hole has certainly ‘thrown the rule book out of the window’. Paul is jetting off to Italy this summer in an attempt to conquer Gran Paradiso, one of the most impressive mountains in Europe.

Gran Paradiso is the friendliest 4000m peak you will ever meet and is also the country’s highest summit. It is located in the Aosta Valley region of north-west Italy and the peak is close to Mont Blanc on the nearby border with France.

As a fully qualified Chartered Accountant with over 20 years experience, Paul is based across the firms’ Milton Keynes and Northampton offices, where he is a Manager within the Rescue, Recovery and Insolvency Department. However, this July he will be leaving the two offices behind, lacing up his climbing boots and preparing himself for the biggest physical challenge of his life. In the process, Paul is hoping his climb will raise significant funds for Willen Hospice and has been training hard to help deal with the conditions he is likely to face during the climb.

Stop Press - New Private Client Partner arrives in London

Today we welcome Simon Tremblett as our new Private Client Partner. Simon will be based in our London office and he brings a wealth of specialist knowledge to the firm’s private client team.

Mercer & Hole is a modern firm but with roots established in 1905 by the founding partner, William Mercer.

The firm started by providing accountancy and tax services to a small client base but over time it has changed and developed as the client base has grown. Now with a broad portfolio of business clients spread across a range of industries and a strong base of private clients including over 600 trusts, Mercer & Hole has the expertise to address many varied aspects of a client’s financial affairs. The firm offers, for example, specialist Audit and Assurance services, Business Development, Corporation Tax and Due Diligence services, Taxation and Trust services, Financial Services and Recovery & Insolvency services.

For details of all the partners of Mercer & Hole please click here.

...end stop press.

Tax Plus - Summer edition out now

The majority of our clients will have received their personal copy of our latest version of Tax Plus in the last few days. However, if you have not received your copy and were expecting this please let us know. Alternately, download an electronic pdf version today here.

If you currently do not receive our free business publications then please take this opportunity to sign up here today and be the first on the list everytime.

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In April we produced our ever-popular Spring Bulletin. This is a long established publication and from the feedback we get it is well received by our clients and professional contacts.

This latest edition included articles on:

The Budget 2007 and
Our international Network – TIAG

It is our intenton for all future newsletters and bulletins to be sent direct to your inbox rather than by post. If you are not already on our mailing list and you would like to continue to read the latest news from Mercer & Hole either contact us at webmaster@mercerhole.co.uk or subscribe by email below.

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