- "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
UK economic growth shrinks by 0.2%
UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) shrank by 0.2 per cent in the last quarter of 2011, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed.
This is the first time the economy has seen negative growth since the last quarter of 2010 when GDP shrunk by 0.5 per cent. Two consecutive quarters of negative growth is the UK's definition of recession.
According to the statistics, the contraction was driven by a 1.2 per cent decrease in output of the production industries, and a 0.5 per cent fall in construction sector output.
Commenting, John Maltby, group director, Commercial, Lloyds Banking Group said: "Small businesses were reporting slower growth in the last quarter of 2011, so this contraction in GDP is not unexpected. However our most recent figures, from December's Purchasing Manager's Index, show that there was a slight upturn in business activity at the very end of last year.
"Clearly economic conditions remain challenging, but there is strong evidence that some businesses are more worried about the economy than is justified by their own performance. The reality is that there are still opportunities open to small and medium sized enterprises, not least those connected to London 2012 and through resilient export markets. If the economy is to recover, and if confidence is to be restored, these are opportunities that businesses must grasp quickly."
Meanwhile, UK sovereign debt surpassed the £1 trillion mark for the first time in history, despite the fact that the Treasury is making good progress on reducing the deficit.