Aberdare chartered accountant celebrates 30 years in practice
Record sales surge to highest level in 25 years
A CHARTERED accountant who lives in Aberdare has watched his firm continue to grow and embrace technology over the decades is celebrating 30 years in practice.
January 2, 1987, will always be a special day for Huw Baker, because it was the day he joined James, Bushell & Partners at their small office in Church Street, Merthyr Tydfil.
Aged 26, these were the days before computers were used by small businesses and mobile phoned were just for the movies.
By the end of 1987, the office boasted one computer which was shared by seven members of staff at the firm.
The practice bought a local firm of chartered accountants in 1993, and later bought a larger firm of chartered accountants in October 1995 – becoming the largest practising firm in Merthyr and the Heads of the Valleys region – then known as James & Baker.
A growing business meant the firm’s base was relocated to larger offices - still in Church Street – in what Mr Baker said had become home to “professional” services at the time, for the area boasted four firms of solicitors, two firms of accountants and a firm of Chartered Surveyors – with the now-empty Charbonniers nightclub thrown in as well.
The business has continued to grow over the years, with the merger with a firm of chartered accountants in 2003 and the firm’s move to High Street, when it was known as btp Associates Chartered Accountants, where it remained until 2012.
It bought yet another firm of accountants in VINYL records enjoyed a staggering renaissance in 2016, with sales jumping to their highest level in 25 years as Millenials continued to discover the delights of listening to their favourite artists on 12inch. 2012 and finally settled at their current home in The Orbit Business Centre at Rhydycar Business Park.
The firm now employs 17 members of staff who act for more than 500 businesses and individuals, with some of those clients having stayed with the firm since 1987.
When he came to Merthyr in 1987, Huw, originally from Aberbargoed, was thought to be the youngest practising chartered accountant in Merthyr Tydfil – a title he says he held until 2016, when his son Gavin qualified with the firm.
Gavin has now moved on to London and the title is now held by Richard Knoyle, a director of btp, who was trained with James & Baker in the 1990s and qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant.
Richard then became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2016 so he is now a member of both major accountancy bodies in the UK
Huw, now 56 and living in Aberdare, said: “I don’t know where the last 30 years have gone.
“Much has changed within the accountancy profession in that time, fuelled by the introduction of technology and there is more to come with HMRC pushing their Making Tax Digital agenda.”
The btp director and golf fan added: “One thing that has stayed constant throughout is the firm’s philosophy of providing a top class service to its clients and the ongoing support of those clients, and my thanks go to all clients past and present.”
In what will be music to traditionalists’ ears, more than 3.2m LPs were sold last year, a rise of 53% on 2015 and the highest annual total since 1991, when Simply Red’s Stars was the best-selling album.
David Bowie’s death last January led to him becoming the best-selling vinyl artist of 2016, with five albums posthumously featuring in the top 30.
His Blackstar album, which was shortlisted for a Mercury Prize, was the most popular album of the year, while Bowie fans kept his music alive by buying The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory, Nothing Has Changed and Changesonebowie.
It marks the ninth consecutive year that vinyl . sales have grown, a far cry from the meagre 200,000 LPs sold in 2007.
While still niche products, LPs now account for nearly 5% of the albums market, according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).