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Property surveying company Up Connect are delighted to announce that they have been nominated for Best Business Services to the Fibre Community award at this year’s prestigious UK Fibre Awards.

Best Business Services to the 

This award category celebrates the very best in service support to UK altnets and fibre providers. Up Connect have drawn upon their numerous testimonials from key players in the industry to demonstrate how they are delivering tangible results for fibre providers. They have also demonstrated a proven track record in meeting client briefs, providing excellent project support, while delivering outstanding customer experience.

The Directors, Scott Curtis and Charles Thomas said, “We’re especially thrilled to be nominated in this category, as we’re passionate about providing best in class services to the fibre community. This nomination is testament to the dedication and outstanding work of every member of the Up Connect team!”

The awards reflect an excellent period of growth and momentum for the company, who are working with significant names across the telecoms, property, sustainability and utilities sectors.

The awards take place on the 6^{th of} June at London Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel.

From Saturday 25th May until Sunday 2nd June 2024, Chantry Place Norwich will be hosting a free self-led ‘Game On’ trail as part of the Norwich Games Festival.

Visitors can collect a free trail map from The HMV Shop on the lower ground floor of Chantry Place and then collect the letters on the posters throughout the Centre to spell a word, while enjoying the designs created by Rudey Ratcliffe, creative enterprise student at East Norfolk Sixth Form College, and finding out games-related facts. Once complete, enter your details via a QR code on the map to be in with a chance of winning a £200 HMV Shop voucher.

Paul McCarthy, general manager at Chantry Place, said: “Norwich Games Festival is returning to Norwich this year after a four-year break and we’re delighted that they asked us to host this trail for them. The ‘Game On’ trail is something free for families to enjoy in May Half Term as part of a day out in Norwich. It’s suitable for families and we think ages 6+ will really enjoy the trail.”

Ellie Buchan, Event Producer for Norwich Games Festival said: “It’s a real pleasure to be working alongside Chantry Place, and bringing a special Norwich Games Festival trail to the Centre. We’re thrilled to have worked with a local illustrator to create bespoke drawings that celebrate games in all their forms! This family friendly trail sits alongside a fantastic programme of events, workshops, and free activities that will be taking place at The Forum from Thursday 30 May – Sun 1 June as part of Norwich Games Festival. It’s well-known for its creative and welcoming events and part of NGF is about supporting other businesses and raising awareness of what is in the city – trails are a great way to do this, whilst also encouraging people to get out and about, do some exercise and engage with people and places in the city. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to showcase the work of local illustrators; it highlights the amount of talent in the area and gives them a platform to see their work appreciated”.

Norwich Games Festival returns on Thursday 30th May to Saturday 1st June. The Festival has amazing events, workshops, talks, and free interactive activities for everybody to enjoy! Norwich Games festival is presented by The Forum, with lead partner Norwich University of the Arts, and features lots of hands-on game play, including retro arcades and VR experiences, as well as industry events.

For more information on Chantry Place, visit www.chantryplace.co.uk/news

Take a look here for latest vacancies.

Martin Murray has opened a new walk-in tax and accountancy shop on 7 Memorial Road in Walkden, Worsley.

FCCA-qualified Martin Murray has been incredibly busy over the past six months assisting clients with furloughing claims, grant applications and advice from his home. He is now pleased to advise that he has opened a new TaxAssist Accountants shop servicing the Manchester, Bury, Salford and Wigan areas.

Martin explains: “It’s been challenging to finalise the shop fit out during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it looks fantastic and I’m pleased to be able to welcome new and existing clients to the shop, which is in a central location with parking close by.

“We provide a comprehensive tax, accountancy and advisory service and can talk through a range of software solutions to help clients select the right package for their needs.

“In the shop we provide hand sanitiser and wear masks for face-to-face client meetings, although we also offer telephone and online meetings for those clients that would prefer this method at this time. I’d encourage anyone interested in finding out more about our services to contact us for a free initial consultation.”

A COVID-19 hub has been created on the TaxAssist website with all of the latest news and guidance, and clients are kept up-to-date via text messages, emails and webinars, explaining the latest government announcements and how it affects them.

For more information about Martin’s services, visit his website https://www.taxassist.co.uk/walkden

Lovewell Blake Partner, James Shipp

For existing non-UK businesses looking to set up a subsidiary or branch in the UK there are a number of key considerations to be understood in advance. At Lovewell Blake we have broad experience of assisting overseas entrepreneurs and corporate groups with the initial set-up and ongoing administration. Here are the main aspects to be considered.

Company or Branch?

Typically a UK company is the chosen structure when setting up a business in the UK. The separate limited company allows risk to be ringfenced and registration for UK taxes and bank accounts is simpler with a UK company number and registered office address. UK tax is likely to be payable on UK operations if the UK business is truly managed and directed from the UK. Our tax experts can set out the key differences between a company and a branch. If the subsidiary route is chosen, we can advise on the initial shareholding structure, incorporate the UK company on your behalf, host the registered office address and deal with ongoing local administration.

Bookkeeping and payroll administration

Once your business is established, you will be required to maintain accounting records and potentially file quarterly VAT returns electronically with HMRC. We work with our clients to establish a suitable bookkeeping system and will generally maintain and oversee the day-to-day accounting functionality. A Cloud Accounting system can typically work well so that access is available to Directors from any location. Our services can range from complete outsourcing of the entire accounting function to the provision of training and set-up services to your staff. Where staff are to be employed in your UK business, our payroll team can set up and maintain the UK payroll or indeed an overseas payroll if required. Our HR department can also prepare employment contracts and help deal with disputes.

Annual Compliance

UK companies are required to prepare and file annual accounts and a corporation tax return. UK corporation tax is payable annually. Larger companies, or those who are a member of a larger group, may also require a statutory audit. Our accounting, tax and audit teams can undertake all the required compliance work and report to the Directors in an efficient and timely manner. Where your business is undertaking Research and Development activities, our expert R&D team can also prepare your annual R&D claim for submission to HMRC and deal with any queries or enquires. Where the cost of a tax enquiry is a concern, we also offer a very competitive Tax Investigation Service which covers our costs for dealing with HMRC enquires.

Tax Advisory Services

Whether the shareholders are UK resident, overseas nationals or corporate entities, our tax advisory team will work with you to design a profit extraction strategy which suits your needs. Where businesses offer benefits to staff such as company cars it is also important to consult a tax specialist so that tax reliefs and incentives are maximised. Capital Investment attracts tax incentives in the UK and planning your expansion strategy is important. Where UK tax rules change or are capped by thresholds or allowances it is important to ensure you are maximising the opportunities for tax relief each year. We pride ourselves in providing a complete and joined up service so that tax advice can be seamlessly implemented into your accounting policies and practices.

International support

Your UK business may not be exclusively trading and hiring staff in the UK. There are complex areas to be aware of when international aspects are relevant. Since Brexit, the laws and rules around importing, exporting and VAT have changed and can be challenging. Our VAT experts can guide you through best practice and help you avoid common pitfalls. Bringing overseas staff to the UK or sending UK based staff to work overseas also requires consultation and our tax experts can help. From a compliance focus, where you have group auditors or a central accounting function, our teams are experienced in providing required information and documentation in line with the most challenging timescales.

To discuss your specific requirements in detail please get in touch and we can set up an online meeting with our experts.

Following the results of The State of Content Survey 2019, which provided a fascinating insight into public attitudes towards content, Method Marketing has launched an updated question set for 2020.

The first survey, which kicked off in August 2019, was designed to find out how people felt about the quality of written content across a range of platforms.

Covering topics such as spelling, punctuation and grammar, the survey investigated the impact of textual errors on consumer trust and spending behaviours.

The 2020 question set will reveal whether attitudes have changed over the past year, as well as the potential impact of Covid-19 on content marketing in 2021.

Take a look at 2019’s results

Says Method Marketing founder Lucy Mowatt: “Last year’s results gave us a great insight into people’s feelings towards content.

“The majority of respondents said they would be less likely to spend money with an organisation that has mistakes on its website, especially those that operate in the education, financial services or legal sectors. This has obvious ramifications for sales and profitability. We want to know if the trend holds true in 2020.

“This year, we’re also asking marketing professionals whether investment in content marketing will change in the light of coronavirus. We want to understand the potential impact of the pandemic and recession on the discipline.”

Take part in the survey here.