Are we right to be Optimistic About the UK Economy?
19-08-2021Is the glass half full or half empty? It’s one of the oldest questions (and clichés) there is. But right now you could be forgiven for thinking that as far as the UK economy goes the glass is not just half full, it’s completely full. The last few weeks have brought us a steady stream…
England Vs Your Workplace
09-07-2021England Vs Your Workplace “Good times never seemed so good” – Sweet Caroline echoed around Wembley stadium in support of the England football team. Heading into the Euro 2020 final, we have certainly come a long way from Wayne Rooney saying ‘Nice to see your own fans booing you’ in the 2010 World Cup and…
Buy Now, Pay Later?
30-06-2021Buy now, pay later schemes are becoming increasingly popular as firms such as Klarna and ClearPay partner with large online retailers ASOS and JD Sports, as well as many others. According to Statista, the usage of the Klarna app more than doubled between March and July of 2020, hitting over 460.000 monthly active users in…
How Quickly Will Economies and Markets Bounce Back?
15-06-2021At time of writing, the UK’s FTSE 100 index of leading shares is at 6,882 – up 7% on where it ended 2020. In the US the Dow Jones index is up 11% for the year at 33,821 with other major markets around the world also making significant gains in the first four months of…
Our VouchedFor ‘Top Rated’ Financial Advisers 2021
12-04-20212021 VouchedFor Awards VouchedFor published their ‘Top Rated’ advisers on Saturday 10th April in The Times newspaper. We are delighted to announce that both James Richards and Paul Glover have been recognised as Top Rated Financial Advisers by VouchedFor, for the second year running. VouchedFor is an independent service that lets you find, rate and…
Can the British High Street be Saved?
15-02-2021Back in 2018 Mike Ashley, owner of Sports Direct and other high street brands, famously declared that ‘the British high street will be dead by 2030.’ The targets of his anger were MPs in general and the then-Chancellor Philip Hammond in particular. Any more taxes on the high street, Ashley argued, and it would collapse…
4 Financial New Year’s Resolutions for 2021
28-01-2021The beginning of a new year is a great opportunity to get on top of some of the tasks you’ve been putting off for a while. For some people that means a good detox after a Christmas cake binge, picking up the exercise routine that didn’t quite make it out of last february, or committing…
Worrying about saving enough for retirement is more common than you may think
07-01-2021Determining how much you need to save for the retirement you want can be difficult enough without actually having to save the money. Your requirements and desires will change over time in the same way that your income is likely to fluctuate. You can’t be expected to know exactly what you’ll need in 5 years…
How will retailers have to adapt to Christmas under Covid?
23-11-2020Our first, and hopefully last, Christmas period to be directly affected by the pandemic will present new challenges. With all non-essential retail prohibited until the 2nd of December, this will be a Christmas defined by online sales. The reduction of footfall to zero is a challenge in itself and other stumbling blocks are likely to…
Three of the best Autumn holiday destinations in the UK
07-10-2020After quarantine measures were imposed during August for returnees from several European countries including France and Spain, many will be looking to stay closer to home for their autumn breaks. While the UK doesn’t offer the 30 degree October sunshine that you can find in the Algarve or Costa Blanca, there are plenty of stunning…
Britain’s stunning National Parks you might not have visited
07-10-2020Considering how small and densely populated the UK is, we are blessed with some amazing natural beauty. There are 15 national parks in total: 10 in England, three in Wales and two in Scotland. Each national park has its own distinct beauty and character, drawing visitors from around the globe. From the Cairngorms’ rugged mountains…
House prices have rebounded, but is it a “false dawn”?
07-10-2020At first glance, recent figures from the housing markets appear wholly positive. During July, Nationwide reported a 1.7% leap in prices. However, the country’s largest building society warned of a “false dawn” when they announced these figures. They highlighted that much of the rise can be attributed to pent-up demand and people deciding they want…