We are a leading firm of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers in the North of England. We have offices based in Darlington, Durham and York.
Whilst our services include traditional accountancy services such as audit, accountancy, payroll and tax compliance, we have developed on these core services over the last 36 years to become one of the largest and most trusted professional firms in the North. Our services and proposition extends to advice in respect of grant applications, tax and wealth planning, corporate finance, IT and managed services.
Highlights and features
- Tax Planning, Grants, Audit, Corporate Finance, Payroll, IT, Managed Services
Associations and certifications
- ICAEW
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Services
Tax Expertise, Corporate Finance, Grants, Audit, IT, VAT, Payroll
Report
We are an independent and commercially driven regional accountancy firm providing value added services to corporate/commercial, public sector and private clients.
The firm has developed a position over the past thirty five years as one of the largest and most trusted professional firms in the North East. This has been achieved through a relentless focus on the needs and aspirations of our clients – hard working people in regional businesses of all shapes and sizes.
The firm has developed a position over the past thirty five years as one of the largest and most trusted professional firms in the North East. This has been achieved through a relentless focus on the needs and aspirations of our clients – hard working people in regional businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Clive Owen LLP is recognised as one of the leading independent firms of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers in the region. Our philosophy is to work with our clients to ensure they achieve their commercial goals and objectives. By listening to our clients and understanding their particular industry we provide tailored business solutions that will meet the demands of today's fast moving business environment.
We fully understand that success of any business requires financial discipline and that's vital to help you progress. By engaging with us, we will work closely with you throughout the year to deal with any problems as they arise, which will provide you and your business a peace of mind. Commitment to ensuring all your needs are met, together with statutory deadlines and procedures.
It is important to know where a business is heading financially within a fast changing world. Management teams have opinions about the short, medium and long term operations of their businesses. However, very few are able to formalise their thoughts. Sooner or later, a business plans a project requiring significant expenditure.
Our size means that we are big enough to have experts with a range of multi disciplinary skills, whilst retaining our reputation of supporting clients with very personal, tailored service to meet their individual needs. Over the years our large, multi disciplinary team has developed expertise in a number of sectors enabling us to provide unique insights through our expert knowledge. We have a high calibre of staff who understand our clients' needs and work closely with them acting as a sounding board.
People
Lee Watson
Partner
I qualified with a medium sized firm in Sunderland in 2006 and went onto work for international and national firms in the North East in managerial roles.
I joined Clive Owen in 2014 and I was promoted to director in 2017.
I have extensive experience in a variety of taxes and work closely with owner managed businesses to help them reduce their exposure to taxes now and plan for the future.
I joined Clive Owen in 2014 and I was promoted to director in 2017.
I have extensive experience in a variety of taxes and work closely with owner managed businesses to help them reduce their exposure to taxes now and plan for the future.
Kevin Shotton
Partner
Qualified with Clive Owen LLP in 2005 before moving to Ernst and Young in 2006 to ‘experience’ the Big 4. Missing the close client interaction, I returned to Clive Owen in 2012 as a Director and was made Partner in April 2015.
I head up the firm’s audit department as the Audit Compliance Partner. I ensure that clients receive a high quality, efficient service for their compliance work, whilst also ensuring I act as a sounding board for any issues clients are facing. I work with clients in a variety of sectors including retail, oil and gas, education and technology.
I head up the firm’s audit department as the Audit Compliance Partner. I ensure that clients receive a high quality, efficient service for their compliance work, whilst also ensuring I act as a sounding board for any issues clients are facing. I work with clients in a variety of sectors including retail, oil and gas, education and technology.
Ian Jarvis
Partner
Ian studied at the University of Leeds where he gained a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Computing and worked in Software and Database Development before deciding to study Accountancy in 2006. He became a Chartered Accountant in 2010.
Ian worked with SME and fast-growth businesses as an auditor with the big 4 before joining Clive Owen LLP in 2015, having experienced all aspects of owner-managed business accounting. His affinity for and interest in management accounting and financial systems led to him developing his unique expertise in this field.
Ian has a unique blend of accountancy and programming skills which complement each other perfectly in the digital age with technology once reserved for large corporations now more freely available.
He has created a specialist department within the firm to install and train clients in new systems. The team can then further support all aspects of managed services enabled by those systems.
Ian worked with SME and fast-growth businesses as an auditor with the big 4 before joining Clive Owen LLP in 2015, having experienced all aspects of owner-managed business accounting. His affinity for and interest in management accounting and financial systems led to him developing his unique expertise in this field.
Ian has a unique blend of accountancy and programming skills which complement each other perfectly in the digital age with technology once reserved for large corporations now more freely available.
He has created a specialist department within the firm to install and train clients in new systems. The team can then further support all aspects of managed services enabled by those systems.
David Baggaley
Partner
I joined EY straight from University in 2007 and qualified as a chartered accountant and chartered tax advisor. After qualifying I spent time in different EY offices including India and Edinburgh. Upon returning to Newcastle, I became an Associate Partner and led our Private Tax team across the North East and Yorkshire working with entrepreneurial businesses and their owners, advising on a full range of taxes.
I joined Clive Owen in 2022 as a tax partner.
I’ve spent my whole career working with owner managed, entrepreneurial clients advising both the corporate and the key shareholders/directors. I love to spend time with my clients to understand what’s really important to them commercially, and work in a collaborative way to help them find the right tax answer that helps to deliver their commercial goals.
I joined Clive Owen in 2022 as a tax partner.
I’ve spent my whole career working with owner managed, entrepreneurial clients advising both the corporate and the key shareholders/directors. I love to spend time with my clients to understand what’s really important to them commercially, and work in a collaborative way to help them find the right tax answer that helps to deliver their commercial goals.
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Clive Owen - J.MAC testimonial
See what Luis from J.MAC had to say about working with Clive Owen LLP.
Reviews (10)
Jl M.
Jul 24, 2021
I have used their services for over a decade. Since I work as a self employed GP in two different countries it is vital for me to have my accounts done accurately and timely and these people have always delivered a high standard of sevice. I would definitely recommend them to anybody in my situation.
Jenni Parker
May 17, 2021
I'm the Founder & Director of Humanly, an award-winning design studio specialising in human-centred design for social impact. We engaged Clive Owen LLP to help us access an Innovate UK grant during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a difficult time for many businesses, and we were concerned about the paperwork which initially looked quite daunting. We dealt with Carl Wright who was great from the start.
He took the time to talk us through the project, so we had a good understanding of what was required from the outset, which was very reassuring. In fact, Carl made the whole process simple and his experience and expertise were invaluable. After the first call he provided me with a useful template to capture all our expenditure in one place and this turned out to be an indispensable resource for us.
If you are looking for grants support, I highly recommend Clive Owen LLP. They were efficient, supportive and went above and beyond to help us with the project. They are also nice people to deal with.
He took the time to talk us through the project, so we had a good understanding of what was required from the outset, which was very reassuring. In fact, Carl made the whole process simple and his experience and expertise were invaluable. After the first call he provided me with a useful template to capture all our expenditure in one place and this turned out to be an indispensable resource for us.
If you are looking for grants support, I highly recommend Clive Owen LLP. They were efficient, supportive and went above and beyond to help us with the project. They are also nice people to deal with.
Rich Greensmith
Mar 14, 2021
Jenni Parker
Nov 17, 2020
I’m the Founder & Director of Humanly, an award-winning design studio specialising in human-centred design for social impact. We engaged Clive Owen LLP to help us access an Innovate UK grant during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a difficult time for many businesses, and we were concerned about the paperwork which initially looked quite daunting.
We dealt with Carl Wright who was great from the start. He took the time to talk us through the project, so we had a good understanding of what was required from the outset, which was very reassuring. In fact, Carl made the whole process simple and his experience and expertise were invaluable. After the first call he provided me with a useful template to capture all our expenditure in one place and this turned out to be an indispensable resource for us.
If you are looking for grants support, I highly recommend Clive Owen LLP. They were efficient, supportive and went above and beyond to help us with the project. They are also nice people to deal with.
We dealt with Carl Wright who was great from the start. He took the time to talk us through the project, so we had a good understanding of what was required from the outset, which was very reassuring. In fact, Carl made the whole process simple and his experience and expertise were invaluable. After the first call he provided me with a useful template to capture all our expenditure in one place and this turned out to be an indispensable resource for us.
If you are looking for grants support, I highly recommend Clive Owen LLP. They were efficient, supportive and went above and beyond to help us with the project. They are also nice people to deal with.
Rich Greensmith - BPP Visual Ltd
Sep 29, 2020
Andrew Keyes
May 12, 2018
Alasdair MacConachie OBE DL HonDBA FRCA – Sherwoods Group
Nathalie Carter – Director and Consultant, LA Linguistica
I have worked with Clive Owen since I started my business and they have encouraged and supported me at every stage of my journey. I had high aspirations for growth from the start, including internationally. Clive Owen LLP were recommended to me because of their breadth of expertise and experience. The added value services and resources they offer in terms of VAT expertise, tax knowledge and grants support have proved invaluable to my business.
If you are considering starting a business, don’t underestimate the value of working with a well-established firm of accountants and business advisers. The initial investment will reap rewards in supporting your growth, and providing proactive insight and direction at key stages of development. I highly recommend Clive Owen LLP and have nothing but praise for Kevin Shotton and the team. They are extremely professional, highly responsive and passionate about what they do. They are really nice people to work with.
If you are considering starting a business, don’t underestimate the value of working with a well-established firm of accountants and business advisers. The initial investment will reap rewards in supporting your growth, and providing proactive insight and direction at key stages of development. I highly recommend Clive Owen LLP and have nothing but praise for Kevin Shotton and the team. They are extremely professional, highly responsive and passionate about what they do. They are really nice people to work with.
Kathryn Parkman
I would like to start off by thank you Lee, you made me feel at ease from your very first email, this continued throughout our many emails and in to our first meeting. Even though I was feeling overwhelmed at times, you explained the processes and need for information in a way that I could understand. I feel completely supported and valued as a customer and I’m so glad I found an accountant I feel comfortable with.
Ben you are an absolute pleasure to work with, thank you for all your help around the accounts and creating the yearly rental spreadsheet for me, I’m sure it will make my life 100% easier and it will for sure make your life easier going forward .
Thank you both so much for all the work and dedication you have provided me throughout the disclosure, I can’t thank you enough. You are both professional and supportive a great combo.
Ben you are an absolute pleasure to work with, thank you for all your help around the accounts and creating the yearly rental spreadsheet for me, I’m sure it will make my life 100% easier and it will for sure make your life easier going forward .
Thank you both so much for all the work and dedication you have provided me throughout the disclosure, I can’t thank you enough. You are both professional and supportive a great combo.
Andrew Keyes