Testimonials

Great Central Railway

Brian Carruthers and Sharon Scott of Thomas May with Lynn Hill and Robert Crew of GCR

Accountancy advice from Thomas May & Co has been helping Great Central Railway stay on track for more than 30 years.

We can trace our links with this historic railway back to 1976, with the firm undertaking its audit, attending AGMs and providing general financial advice to the board.

Robert Crew, general manager, commented that Thomas May has played – and continues to play – an important role in Great Central Railway’s journey.

He added: “We have a long standing relationship with the firm and are delighted to work with partner Brian Carruthers and his team.

“We are most grateful to Thomas May, not only for the firm’s help and support on general accounting matters but for the strategic business advice it provides to the board.”

Brian Carruthers added that Thomas May has been pleased to act for Great Central Railway, and to have been involved in its success, from the beginning.

He added: “Providing accountancy and tax advice to charities and not for profit organisations is one of our firm’s specialist areas. We can also assist with the formation of charities.

“Helping organisations like Great Central Railway with pro-active advice as they grow and develop is an extremely rewarding part of what we do.”

The original Great Central line – which ran express rail services from Manchester and Sheffield via Nottingham, Loughborough and Leicester to London’s Marylebone station - closed in the 1960s when rail services were transferred to the Midland Main Line.

Being the only double track heritage steam railway in the country, Great Central Railway continues to exist today with the help of 600 volunteers, 300 Friends of the Great Central Mainline and the support of the David Clarke Railway Trust.

The railway - with stations at Loughborough, Quorn, Rothley and Leicester North - also generates funds by running popular events for all the family throughout the year.

MTE (Leicester) Limited

Steve Eversfield and Brian Carruthers

Business and accountancy advice from Thomas May & Co is assisting timber frame specialists MTE (Leicester) Ltd to go from strength to strength.

MTE - Midland Timber Engineering Limited - was founded 11 years ago and has been advised by Thomas May, since it commenced trading.

Originally based in Bagworth and employing a team of five, the business now operates from two sites in Scudamore Road, Leicester and has a workforce of more than 60 people.

It also employs a similar number of people on a subcontract basis and is currently undertaking several major projects around the UK for large developers and house builders.

Managing director Steve Eversfield - who with wife and fellow  director Gill Eversfield and technical sales director David Bamford  has more than 30 years’ experience of the timber frame industry - said Thomas May’s advice has been, and continues to be, invaluable.

He said: “We decided right from the start to choose a well-known, well-respected firm of chartered accountants with corporate experience.

“Thomas May has not only assisted us with our general accounting and taxation needs but has helped us with our business planning every step of the way.”

MTE, which has seen its turnover grow steadily year on year, is also benefiting from increased demand for eco-friendly homes, but has seen competition in its market sector increase considerably since the business was first founded.

Steve added: “More and more developers and housing associations want to build environmentally friendly homes with sustainability, which are energy efficient, long lasting and offer design flexibility.

Its clients include well-known developers such as SOL Construction, Taylor Woodrow, Bellway Homes, William Davis, Linden Homes, as well as a large number of small to medium sized builders nationwide.

MTE is committed to high standards of quality and training and employs several graduates from local universities in the areas of project co-ordination and contracts. It also helps trainees advance their careers and has forged strong links with the Construction Industry Training Board and Leicester College.

A member of TRADA, the Timber Research and Development Association, MTE holds the UK Timber Frame Association’s Q mark for quality manufacturing.

Local ethnic food businesses serve up success

Kaushik Bathia, Pushpa Pankhania and Suraj Pankhania

High demand from both UK and overseas customers is assisting the growth of Leicestershire’s ethnic food producers - many of whom are long established clients of Thomas May & Co.

Among the success stories is award-winning Mayur Foods Limited which has just won a major contract to supply its specialist breads to a leading retail chain.

The company, which has seen steady sales growth over the years, makes a range of naans and chapattis as well as pappadums, chutneys and kulfi desserts. Such is the demand for its branded products that the company is now planning substantial investment in new plant and machinery and considering a move to larger premises.

Mayur Foods, which was started by Suraj’s father Laxman Pankhania in 1990 now lists Morrisons and the Lloyd Grossman brand among its clients as well as supplying its own-brand products to other stores. It also recently won the Cereal Exporter of the Year title at the annual Food from Britain Export Awards.

Similar success is reported by Leicester Bakery Limited in Kent Street, Leicester. The business was started by the Sabat family in 1984 and produces mainly pittas and naan bread for the wholesale and retail food sectors. Employing over 20 people, it too is looking for new premises in which to expand and has seen turnover grow in each of the last few years.

General Manager Faiz Desai added: “The market is competitive but the trick is not to put all your eggs in one basket but to widen your customer base. We now export to Spain and Gibraltar and are continuing to look at other export opportunities as well as new markets at home”.

Simton Food Products, which operates out of premises on the Merry Lees Industrial estate near Desford - is yet another local ethnic food producer which is breaking into new markets.
The business, which has been trading since 1977, makes a range of Indian pickles, chutneys and pastes as well as ready to use sauces which it primarily supplies to the catering sector. Some of its products, however, are currently being rolled out in selected branches of Asda - including the supermarket chain’s Leicestershire stores.

All three companies strongly believe in retaining the authenticity of their products and ensuring that they stay ahead of the competition by introducing new ranges and finding new markets. In addition, they also regard good quality accountancy advice as being a key ingredient of their success.

Thomas May partner Kaushik Bathia, who advises all three businesses, said he was delighted the firm was playing its part in supporting and advising these highly successful family businesses as they continue to expand and develop.

Chartwell Press Limited

Bill Langley (left) and Brian Carruthers

Chartwell Press, the Leicester-based printing company, is pressing ahead with expansion plans which will see the creation of new jobs and relocation to larger premises.

The firm, a general commercial printer based on the Hamilton Industrial Estate, moved from Wigston in 2000 and has now outgrown its existing site.

It is currently looking for new industrial space and is in the process of recruiting two printers - bringing the total number of employees to 12.

Bill Langley, the company’s managing director, said Chartwell Press needed to expand to keep up with demand for its print services.

The company, which prints stationery, catalogues, brochures and even hard bound books for customers throughout the UK, is grateful for the sound financial and taxation advice from Thomas May & Co.

Mr Langley added “We operate in a highly competitive marketplace which is currently suffering from overcapacity.

“Our sector is capital-intensive, but to keep pace with demand, we need to invest in equipment, a skilled workforce and premises.

“Thomas May & Co have been our accountants since inception and we have always sought their advice on investment and tax planning issues at every stage of the company’s development which included advice on a management buy-out a few years ago.

The company is on target to increase its turnover again this year and I am optimistic that we will soon be able to progress with the next stage of our expansion plans.”