John Middleton-Walker has a long-standing relationship with Sagars. Not only did the family firm retain Sagars in its previous incarnations (Victor Walton & Co, Victor Walton & Croudson, Sagars Croudson and finally Sagars), he also trained as a chartered accountant at the firm.

These days, he runs the family-controlled business set up by his father in 1948. What was initially a quarrying operation grew into a group that has two builders merchant depots, two active quarries, one landfill site and a haulage business. There is also a commercial property company, set up with the help of Sagars as a means of managing the group’s property assets. The group also had a skip hire business and a waste-recycling company, both recently sold.

Middleton-Walker joined the business in 1979 as a chartered accountant. ‘In those days, we were only in quarrying. With Sagars’ involvement, we’ve expanded,’ he says. ‘It became apparent that there was no place for a small quarrying company. It is a hugely capital-intensive business, with difficult planning permission processes that are non-refundable if unsuccessful.’

In 1980, the company set up a builders merchant, Miltons, which now has two depots, turnover of £7m, employs 50 people and is the largest independent builders merchant in the Leeds area. ‘That has gone very well,’ says Middleton-Walker. ‘It’s really the bedrock of the company.’

The company continued to diversify, going into waste disposal ‘because we had holes in the ground’. It still has a landfill site, but has disposed of the waste-recycling business. Sagars advised on both sales and Middleton-Walker says both had successful outcomes.

In more parallels with its advisers, Middleton-Walker’s business has depended on organic growth. ‘We’re an old-fashioned – Yorkshire company. We never borrow money. If we can’t afford it, we don’t do it. My remit was to expand organically.’

Over the years, Sagars has provided a cradle-to-grave service, encompassing advice for the businesses and family members. ‘I deal with John Beevers and we now have a long history with each other. Sagars has covered company formations for us, a major group restructuring and the sale of companies. It has been proactive on corporate tax planning, personal tax for members of the family, probate, IHT planning for the family and trust work for myself. Apart from making tea, I can’t think what else it could do. It understands us inside out.’

The firm is currently involved in a demerger on our behalf – an important part of our forward plans. Having previously dealt with one of Sagars’ retired partners, Ian Longman, Middleton-Walker has witnessed the firm’s succession process close up. ‘We knew five years before Ian Longman retired that John Beevers, who wasn’t even a partner at the time, would be taking over the relationship. We had a long lead time and it was handled very well.’

As a client, Middleton-Walker appreciated the gradual way that retiring partners scaled back their work and introduced the new partners, while continuing to have some involvement with the firm.

He also appreciates that Sagars is no run-of-the-mill firm. ‘Having been both inside and outside the profession, I know there is a broad spectrum of accountancy firms out there. There are plenty that just do bread-and-butter stuff. But I have always wanted a firm that will be more proactive than the norm.’

That’s not to say that the relationship is unchallenging or cosy. Middleton-Walker is not afraid to have frank discussions about service and fees, but says the firm is likewise at ease with those type of conversation. Before the last audit, Middleton-Walker and Beevers talked through the format it should take, with both parties looking to save the business time and money.

Professional qualities

Expertise
Sagars has strong technical abilities and a well-deserved reputation for its expertise – particularly in taxation.

Proactive
‘Sagars will come to us with ideas. I don’t have to go to them and say, “Can we do this?” They will come to me and ask, “Have you thought of doing this?”’

Intellectual relationship
‘I enjoy dealing with Sagars. It’s always a pleasure. They are happy to help and I frequently spend time with them dreaming up schemes and testing ideas.’