- "In the last 20 years our business has changed considerably…and as the focus of our business has changed, Bird Luckin have moved with us."
Alex Tanner, George Tanner (Shalford) Ltd - "Bird Luckin has looked after us incredibly well for over 60 years, they are pro-active and innovational - meeting all our needs to help us achieve our aims."
Richard Stubbings, Cliffords Limited - "I can honestly say that Bird Luckin are the best firm of accountants and auditors I have ever dealt with - and I don't say that lightly!"
Colin Webb, Walthamstow Stadium - "It's important for us to know that we will always be able to contact the right people to give us the right advice and support."
Jane Bennett, Bennetts Funeral Directors - "Although we deal mainly with one Partner … we also know that if we need to contact someone else who is a specialist in another area, we can get the advice we need quickly and easily"
Jeremy Ruggles, J.S. Wright & Sons Ltd - "Bird Luckin got us to a stage which would have taken us months - if not years - to reach on our own, and they got us there in a matter of weeks"
Matthew Sullivan, SNC Ltd - "You can be a good accountant, but if you don't have an understanding of the industry it can be very difficult. "There are two or three people we have regular contact with at Bird Luckin who know our business well, and it makes a difference.""
Robert Church, W A Church (Bures) Ltd - "The work which Bird Luckin has done for Boddingtons over the past few months has helped shape our future direction for the better."
John Warner, Chief Executive, Boddingtons Ltd - "Bird Luckin has acted for us since our inception 10 years ago. They have a very 'can do' yet highly professional attitude - we are very appreciative of their support and advice over the years."
Marlon Fox, Outlook Property Ltd
Network upgrades to push energy bills up £11 a year
Plans to upgrade Britain's gas and electricity networks could push household energy bills up by £11 a year, the energy regulator Ofgem has said.
It warned that bills could initially increase by £7 this year, and by £15 a year by 2021, to help pay for the essential £22 billion upgrade and renewal.
Ofgem said the investment would 'ensure that Britain's networks remain among the most reliable in the world.'
Around £15 billion of investment will be needed to upgrade both the high voltage electricity and high pressure gas networks across the UK, and could include the construction of new sub-sea electricity cables linking England, Wales and Scotland.
It estimated the new projects could create around 7,000 new jobs.
A further £7 billion of investment would ensure low pressure gas networks, which deliver gas to homes and businesses, 'remain safe and reliable'.
The money would also fund maintenance across the network and enable companies to connect 80,000 new households to the gas network.
Ofgem chairman, Lord Mogg said: "As Ofgem's Project Discovery set out, Britain faces an unprecedented need to invest to replace ageing infrastructure, meet environmental targets and deliver secure supplies.
"This needs to be carried out at a time of global financial uncertainty, which makes attracting investment difficult but possible."
Ofgem, however, said it would reduce companies' requested funding by 20 per cent. National Grid, which operates the UK's electricity and gas networks, commented that this would not adequately reflect the increased scale of investment needed to carry out the upgrades.
National Grid is restricted by Ofgem as to what it can charge consumers under 'price control' regulations.
Speaking to The Telegraph, National Grid said: "While the information currently available is limited, we believe that these initial proposals will not appropriately incentivise the essential investments necessary to provide safe, reliable networks for the UK consumer and avoid delays to the achievement of the UK's environmental targets."
A consultation on the ways companies can deliver investment while providing value for money for consumers will open from 27 July until 21 September. Ofgem's final proposals will be published in December 2012.