BLACKMOOR_INVESTMENT_PART - Accounts

The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 30 September 2021.

The company's activities consist of identifying potential investments, assisting with the acquisition of those investments and assisting with monitoring their performance.

The results for the year are set out on page 7.

Profit on ordinary activities after tax for the financial year increased to £77,850 (2020: £34,852).

The net asset value of the company as at 30 September 2021 increased by £77,850 against 2020 to a net asset value of £240,799.

The directors have considered the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union and have deemed any likely impact to be immaterial to the company's operations.

The company made no political donations or incurred political expenditure during the year.

Generally, in its capacity as a provider of routine investment management services, the company accepts minimal risk. The directors consider the company to be in its formative or start-up phase and as such inherent risks to the company exist and continue to be monitored. As covered in more detail in accounting policy 1.2, whilst the directors have prepared forecasts which they consider to be conservative, that indicate the company's ability to operate as a going concern, due to these inherent risks and uncertainties these matters create uncertainty with regards to this position.

Furthermore, the company has exposures to two main areas of risk:

• Foreign exchange transactional currency exposure - The company is exposed to the currency exchange rate risk due to substantially all of its turnover being denominated in EUR and not its functional currency, GBP. This structural exchange rate risk is monitored by the directors.

• Liquidity risk - The company seeks to ensure sufficient liquidity is available to meet the foreseeable needs and to invest cash assets safely. Accordingly, the company only invests working capital in short-term instruments issued by reputable counterparties. The company continually monitors rolling cash flow forecasts to ensure sufficient cash is available for anticipated cash requirements.

The company expects continued progress as the investment performance of the fund remains robust.

The key performance indicators are considered to be:

• Operating profit margin (operating profit/turnover): 2021: 12% (2020: 10%)

• Net profit margin (profit for the financial year/turnover): 2021: 8% (2020: 5%)

Section 414CZA(1) of the Companies Act 2006 requires the directors to explain how they considered the matters set out in section 172(1) (a) to (f) of the Companies Act 2006 (‘S172 (1)’) when performing their duty to promote the success of the company. When making decisions, each director ensures that they act in the way that would most likely promote the company’s success for the benefit of its members as a whole, and in doing so have given regard to the following, as well as other matters:

1. The likely consequences of any decision in the long term

   The directors understand the business and the evolving environment in which the company operates, including the challenges of operating in a regulated sector. The strategy set by the board of directors is intended to strengthen the company’s position and create an attractive proposition for prospective investors into the Fund.

2. The interests of the company’s employees

   The directors recognise that the success of the business depends on attracting, retaining and motivating high quality employees. The directors take into account the implications of decisions which may affect their perception as a responsible employer, on determining remuneration and benefits, and on providing a healthy and safe workplace environment. Continuous professional development opportunities are offered to all employees together with periodic training to ensure that all regulatory changes are adhered to. In addition, the directors understand that a cornerstone of the company is the physical and mental wellbeing of all employees and as such comprehensive private health care is provided.

3. The need to foster the company's business relationships with suppliers, customers and others

   The directors seek to promote strong mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers, customers, the regulators and authorities. Such general principles are critical in the delivery of the company’s strategy. The directors engage in a periodic review of key suppliers and business relationships which allows the company to foster an environment with counterparties that encourages transparency and is beneficial to both parties.

4. The impact of the company's operations on the community and the environment

   The company is committed to understanding the interests of their stakeholder groups. The directors receive information on these topics on a periodic basis to provide relevant information for specific board decisions. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is a key component in the diligence undertaken by the company in composing the Fund’s portfolio and is monitored throughout the investment lifecycle.

5. The desirability of the company maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct

   The directors recognise the importance of acting in ways which promote high standards of business conduct. The board periodically reviews and approves clear operating frameworks, such as the employee handbook and compliance manual to ensure that its high standards are maintained both within the company itself and the business relationships the company has with stakeholders.

6. The need to act fairly as between members of the company

The directors aim to act fairly between the company’s members when delivering the company’s strategy and consults its members as appropriate.

On behalf of the board

The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2021.

The principal activity of the company continued to be that of providing investment management services.

The results for the year are set out on page 8.

No ordinary dividends were paid. The directors do not recommend payment of a final dividend.

The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

As referred to in note 20, the company took out a £250k loan from the UK Government Recovery Loan Scheme in October 2021 to assist with cash flow over the next twelve months.

HW Fisher LLP were appointed as auditor to the company and in accordance with section 485 of the Companies Act 2006, a resolution proposing that they be re-appointed will be put at a General Meeting.

As the company has not consumed more than 40,000 kWh of energy in this reporting period, it qualifies as a low energy user under these regulations and is not required to report on its emissions, energy consumption or energy efficiency activities.

So far as each person who was a director at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of all relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

•     select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

•     make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

•     state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

•     prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

We have audited the financial statements of Blackmoor Investment Partners Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 30 September 2021 which comprise the statement of comprehensive income, the balance sheet, the statement of changes in equity, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

•     give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 30 September 2021 and of its profit for the year then ended;

•     have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

•     have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Emphasis of matter

We draw attention to note 2 to the financial statements which states that there is an uncertainty over the recoverability of amounts due to the company from the directors. Our opinion is not modified in this respect.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

• the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report and the directors' report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

•     adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

•     the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

•     certain disclosures of remuneration specified by law are not made; or

•     we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

As part of our planning process:

• We enquired of management the systems and controls the company has in place, the areas of the financial statements that are most susceptible to the risk of irregularities and fraud, and whether there was any known, suspected or alleged fraud. The company did not inform us of any known, suspected or alleged fraud.

• We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks applicable to the company. We determined that the following were most relevant: FRS 102, Companies Act 2006 and compliance with the regulation of the Financial Conduct Authority.

• We considered the incentives and opportunities that exist in the company, including the extent of management bias, which present a potential for irregularities and fraud to be perpetuated, and tailored our risk assessment accordingly.

• Using our knowledge of the company, together with the discussions held with the company at the planning stage, we formed a conclusion on the risk of misstatement due to irregularities including fraud and tailored our procedures according to this risk assessment.

The key procedures we undertook to detect irregularities including fraud during the course of the audit included:

• Identifying and testing journal entries and the overall accounting records, in particular those that were significant and unusual.

• Reviewing the financial statement disclosures and determining whether accounting policies have been appropriately applied.

• Reviewing and challenging the assumptions and judgements used by management in their significant accounting estimates, in particular in relation to accrued expenses and depreciation policies applied to tangible fixed assets in the accounts.

• Assessing the extent of compliance, or lack of, with the relevant laws and regulations.

• Testing key revenue lines, in particular cut-off, for evidence of management bias.

• Obtaining third-party confirmation of material bank and loan balances.

• Documenting and verifying all significant related party balances and transactions.

Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. The primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of irregularities and fraud rests with the directors of the company.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

The profit and loss account has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

Blackmoor Investment Partners Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 35 Dover Street, London, United Kingdom, W1S 4NQ.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

The directors have considered the effect of the trueon-going Covid-19 outbreak. The directors consider that the outbreak has caused some significant disruption to the company's business to date and the directors consider that the prolonged outbreak may cause further disruption due to the volatility in performance of global financial markets and the subsequent impact on the company's management fee revenue. The company is also subject to the capital adequacy and liquid resources requirements as set out by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which authorises the company's activities. The company’s compliance with those requirements and ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon future fee income, new equity financing, and on the recoverability of loans owed from certain directors of the company.

The company has taken out a £250,000 loan under the UK Governments Recovery Loan Scheme to support cash flow over the next twelve months.

The directors have prepared forecasts for the period to 31 January 2023, which indicate that on reasonable assumptions the company can continue to operate as a going concern for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Turnover arising from the provision of investment management services is recognised in the period in which the services are provided. Performance fees are recognised in the period in which they crystallise.

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is credited or charged to profit or loss.

At each reporting period end date, the company reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the company estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs.

Cash at bank and in hand are basic financial assets and include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the company's balance sheet when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Financial assets are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.

Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. If an asset is impaired, the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount and the present value of the estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.

If there is a decrease in the impairment loss arising from an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed. The reversal is such that the current carrying amount does not exceed what the carrying amount would have been, had the impairment not previously been recognised. The impairment reversal is recognised in profit or loss.

Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the company transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.

The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.

The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the profit and loss account because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The company’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all timing differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the timing difference arises from goodwill or from the initial recognition of other assets and liabilities in a transaction that affects neither the tax profit nor the accounting profit.

The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each reporting end date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow all or part of the asset to be recovered. Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the period when the liability is settled or the asset is realised. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the profit and loss account, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when the company has a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and the deferred tax assets and liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same tax authority.

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the lessees. All other leases are classified as operating leases.

Assets held under finance leases are recognised as assets at the lower of the assets fair value at the date of inception and the present value of the minimum lease payments. The related liability is included in the balance sheet as a finance lease obligation. Lease payments are treated as consisting of capital and interest elements. The interest is charged to profit or loss so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability.

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leases asset are consumed.

Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation in the period are included in profit or loss.

In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

Recoverability of debtors

As stated in note 21, there are amounts due to the company from the directors at the year end. It is the directors' opinion that these amounts are fully recoverable from the relevant directors but this cannot be certain.

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:

Included within other debtors are amounts of £296,881 (2020: £229,477) due from directors. The balance is repayable on demand and incurs no interest.

The long term bank loan is for a term of 6 years from the draw down date of 13/05/2020. The rate of interest for the fixed rate loan is 2.5% per annum. The loan is repayable in monthly instalments.

Finance lease payments represent rentals payable by the company for certain items of office equipment. The lease does not include purchase options at the end of the lease period, and no restrictions are placed on the use of the assets. The average lease term is 3 years. All leases are on a fixed repayment basis and no arrangements have been entered into for contingent rental payments.

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.

At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

The company took out a £250,000 loan from the UK Government Recovery Loan Scheme in October 2021 to assist with cash flow over the next twelve months.

Advances or credits have been granted by the company to its directors as follows:

During the year, advances to directors totalled £90,410 (2020: £137,883) of which £22,756 (2020: £59,502) was repaid by the directors. At the year end, the amount due to the company by the directors was £296,881 (2020: £229,477).

The Company is controlled by D Smith.