Oldfield at 50: Standing Beside Business Owners Through Every Chapter

Reaching 50 years in business is more than a milestone. It is a reminder of how much can change over time.

One recent client retirement brought that 50-year journey into sharp focus. The client had started in business after leaving school, and John Brewer was his first accountant. Decades later, Oldfield was still alongside him as he brought that chapter of his working life to a close.

"It was my dad John Goodwin who suggested, nay insisted, if I was going to work on my own and become self-employed it was Mr John Brewer to who I should go to as my father himself had and was using Oldfield Services. I'm guessing around 1979 was around when I first went to Mr Brewer's small office in Earlsdon and recall was not a lot larger than a broom cupboard upstairs above a unit and full of folders and boxes.

An uninterrupted business relationship with Oldfield continued, following them through all their moves and watching them grow. Always proud to be part of their custom, from Mr Brewer who seemed endless in his knowledge and needing so much help in my early start-up days continued with Mark and Joe who have led me through the remaining business years, and then to the third generation as I entered my retirement a year or so ago. They continually helped me through all my good times and bad always at the end of a call to put any of my continuous problems right.

From start to finish over nearly 50 years. I can only thank you all at Oldfield for your relentless help over my business journey. I have so many fond memories of Mr Brewer and will always remember that association both my father and I had in those early years. Thank you all."

Guy Goodwin (Restoration Ltd.)

That kind of relationship says more about 50 years than any timeline could. It is not simply about how long the firm has existed. It is about the businesses, families and decisions Oldfield has been trusted to support through different stages of life.

Over five decades, business owners have faced repeated change. Some years have brought growth, opportunity and expansion. Others have tested confidence, cashflow and resilience.

The 2008 financial crisis showed how quickly events in the wider economy could affect lending, demand, debtor behaviour and day-to-day decision-making. More recently, businesses have had to navigate COVID, inflation, rising interest rates, wage pressure, tax change, supply chain disruption and global uncertainty.

The specific challenges change, but the questions facing business owners often remain familiar.

• How strong is our cash position?
• Are margins still protected?
• What happens if costs rise again?
• Are we seeing pressure early enough?
• Do we have the right information to make decisions before problems become visible in the accounts?

“Our focus has always remained the same. This was never just about reporting what had already happened; it was about helping business owners plan and build the business they actually wanted. Growth, profitability, cash, the value of the business itself, all of that matters. But what matters most is the financial freedom it gives them as individuals. Fifty years on, that's still what we do: helping people lead their businesses, not just run them”

Kevin Brewer, Managing Partner (Oldfield Advisory)

That same approach remains relevant because the pressures facing business owners have never stood still. The issues may look different from one generation to the next, but the commercial impact is often familiar: pressure on costs, confidence, cashflow, supply chains and decision-making.

Today, risks such as disruption around the Strait of Hormuz may feel far removed from a UK owner-managed business, but global events can still work their way into fuel prices, shipping costs, stock availability, supplier pricing and customer delivery. For some businesses, the impact may be direct. For others, it may appear gradually through margin pressure, delayed supply, tighter working capital or reduced customer confidence. That is why clarity matters. Business owners cannot control global events, but they can control how well they understand their own numbers, risks and options.

We have explored some of these current pressures in more detail in our guidance on supply chain risk in 2026, rising costs, forecasting and cashflow, and how geopolitical disruption could affect UK businesses. These are modern issues, but they reinforce a long-standing point: reliable information matters most when conditions are uncertain.

Good advice is about helping business owners understand what is happening now, what might happen next and what action can be taken. That may mean reviewing cashflow, testing forecasts, protecting margins, planning for tax, preparing for succession, improving management information or making difficult decisions at the right time.

“The challenges facing business owners today are different to those of 50 years ago, but the need for clear, accurate, and informed advice is just as important. Whether it is rising costs, cashflow, tax change, succession or wider economic uncertainty, we understand the owner, not just the business, and lead on the decisions that matter.”

Joe Brewer, Consulting Partner (Oldfield Advisory)

Rising costs are not always easy to manage because the pressure often builds across several areas at once. Employment costs, raw materials, energy, insurance and compliance can each move upward gradually, but together they can quickly erode margin and tighten cashflow. For owner-managed businesses, the key is not simply knowing that costs are rising, but having timely financial information, rolling forecasts and cashflow visibility that help directors make decisions before the pressure has already affected profit.

As Oldfield looks back over 50 years, there is much to be proud of. The firm has grown, moved, changed and evolved. It has developed from its early roots in bookkeeping and VAT support into a specialist award-winning accountancy and advisory firm working with owner-managed businesses nationwide. But the real measure of those 50 years is found in the relationships. It is found in clients who have trusted Oldfield from the founding of their business through to growth, change, succession and eventual exit. It is found in team members who are still with us today, including those who joined when the firm had fewer than ten employees, and who have helped shape Oldfield across different generations. And it is found in the business owners who have allowed Oldfield to stand beside them at important moments, not only as accountants, but as trusted advisers through the decisions that matter.

Reaching 50 years is something to celebrate, but it is also something to be grateful for. The next chapter will bring new challenges for business owners. Tax rules will continue to change. Technology will continue to reshape how businesses operate. Global events will continue to affect costs, confidence and supply chains. But for owner-managed businesses, the central questions will remain the same. Oldfield’s role is to keep helping clients answer those questions for their own situation with clarity. Fifty years on, the purpose remains the same: Helping business owners lead a better life by creating financial freedom.

How can we help you?

Whether you are growing, reviewing your cashflow, planning for succession or thinking about the next chapter of your business, our team can help you understand your options with clarity. If you would like to see how we can help, please contact us via the form below and we will be happy to advise on the best solutions for your business. We are here to support you.

Please note: This publication is for general information purposes only and was correct as at the time of writing (02/07/26). No responsibility for loss occasioned by any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the material contained herein can be accepted.