The true star of the show: the stunning Devon farm you can visit for a holiday
The home of the hit TV show, “The Simpler Life” is a beautiful farmstead, Libbear Barton, in North West Devon that you can visit for a holiday.
The property comprises four luxury, self-catered holiday lets accompanied by a beautiful, heated indoor pool, soft play and playground. Set in 40 acres of the stunning rolling hills of North Devon that viewers fell in love with, the stunning Georgian farmhouse and barn conversion cottages sleep up to 40 people.
Max Manners, Libbear Barton’s General Manager said: “Tuesday night’s premier of The Simpler Life on Channel 4 left viewers in no doubt that living in the countryside is not for everyone.
“But even the most city-centric of us still love to occasionally escape there on holiday. We specialise in family friendly holidays for those who enjoy the outdoors but want to know that there is plenty to do indoors too should the weather not be perfect…which it occasionally is not!”
But if you are looking for the “simpler life” experience you won’t find it here. Having undergone a recent refurbishment, viewers would have difficulty recognising the accommodation.
Gone are the sparse, candlelit bedrooms and stripped back furnishings you would find in an Amish community. Instead, you can expect to find stylish, modern, country homes offering the highest level of comfort.
Despite the departure from the Amish tradition of eschewing modern life, Max and Alex Manners, who run the site, still aim to create a business that is as sustainable as possible. Solar powers a large proportion of the sites’ energy requirement with the rest supplied through green renewables.
The water supply is delivered from an on-site borehole and windblown trees provide fuel for heating in the winter months.
The couple also aspire to a level of self-sufficiency.
“We have been inspired by what the contributors were able to achieve in a short time”, explains Alex Manners. “We aim to continue to cultivate the land for vegetables and raise our own meat much like they did on the show.
“Holiday guests will be able to collect eggs and pick veg for the table during their stay – hopefully inspiring them to live in a way that minimises their impact as much as possible.”
For the first time since the financial crisis, NatWest Group plc (formerly Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc) is no longer under majority public ownership following a £1.2 billion sale of part of the government’s shareholding back to NatWest.
This is the government’s fifth sale of its NatWest shareholding bringing its level of ownership down from 50.6% to 48.1%. This is a landmark in the government’s plan to return to private ownership the institutions brought into public ownership as a result of the 2007-2008 financial crisis.
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury authorised the sale of approximately 550 million shares in NatWest at 220.5p per share raising a total of £1.2 billion. The shares were bought back by NatWest and the process was managed by UK Government Investments.
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen said: “This sale means that the government is no longer the majority owner of NatWest Group and is therefore an important landmark in our plan to return the bank to the private sector.
“We will continue to prioritise delivering value for money for the taxpayer as we take forward this plan.”
NatWest chief Alison Rose said the share buyback is an “important milestone” for the bank.
Ms. Rose said: “The deal is a good use of capital for the bank and our shareholders. Reducing government ownership below 50% is an important milestone for NatWest Group and a further demonstration of the progress we are making as we continue to deliver for our customers and shareholders.”
Cyber security expert explains how to bolster your defences
Worried about cyber warfare? You’re not alone. With the threat of imminent attack from overseas malware and state-sponsored hacks increasing, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is calling for UK businesses of all sizes to “strengthen their cyber resilience” in response to the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
But what does cyber resilience mean, and what actionable steps can businesses take to bolster their defences? Anthony Green, CTO and cyber security expert at FoxTech, discusses:
“Intelligence suggests that cyber warfare will target critical infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and energy supply chains. However, the real risk for the majority of businesses is collateral damage, and it’s never been more necessary for UK services and businesses to make cyber resilience an urgent priority.
“The goal of cyber resiliency actions is to give your organisation the best chance of preventing an attack and making a quick recovery if it does happen. Many organisations don’t even have basic cyber hygiene controls in place, which means that cyber education is vital and could have a potentially huge impact on the UK’s overall resiliency to cyber threats.”
FoxTech has provided its guide to the practical steps that businesses can take from today to strengthen their cybersecurity defences:
Stay informed
Can your IT strategy be summed up with the phrase ‘ignorance is bliss’? Businesses who are not fully aware of the extent of the threat and the actions they need to take will be the most vulnerable to attack. So, it’s vital to get informed.
As part of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the NCSC website is frequently updated with the latest guidance, making it one of the best resources for UK businesses to get accurate, up-to-date advice to protect their IT ecosystem from attack. Brief your wider team on the heightened threat to ensure that your whole organisation is on board with the further security actions you may need to take.
Protect your devices
It’s vital to protect all devices that connect to your network, including those that are used remotely.
Ideally, make sure your employees are using company devices. If you do not provide company devices, ensure that all personal devices that connect to your network are secured
Ask employees not to conduct personal business on their company device
Ensure that all users’ laptops, desktops, and mobile devices have been tested and patched (patching is a process that repairs security vulnerabilities)
Turn on automatic updates and always install new updates as soon as possible
Practise password security
User accounts are a common entry point for attackers – make sure yours are not an easy target.
Install two factor authentication
Disable frequent password updates that encourage employees to write down their password as a reminder
Protect against password spraying by ensuring users choose uncommon passwords. The NCSC guidance recommends disabling complexity requirements which encourage password re-use, and instead use three random words, such as phoneradiuswhile or yelljamdistance
Secure your third-party software
All your third-party software needs to be secured and any vulnerabilities should be patched. If you don’t have the expertise to do this in-house, it is highly recommended that you consult cyber security experts who can conduct vulnerability scanning and implement remedial measures for you.
Check that any third-party software such as browsers, office productivity suites, firmware and cloud-based services are patched
Make sure your firewall, endpoint security and anti-virus is properly installed and correctly configured (if it’s configured incorrectly then you may not be protected)
Review what you’re showing the internet
It’s essential to review all your internet-facing data, as you might be displaying more than you realise.
Get a low-cost or free attack surface map to discover what you have exposed to the internet
Get an expert to conduct vulnerability scanning on your internet-connected services and patch any vulnerabilities
Secure your domain registration data by implementing a strong password on your registry account
Protect against phishing
Phishing emails are by far the most common form of attack, with 83% of UK businesses experiencing a phishing attempt every week.
Take advantage of the NCSC’s free cyber security training which has a useful module on spotting and reporting phishing emails – remember that employees are the first line of defence against phishing attempts
Instil a ‘no blame’ culture to encourage employees to report when they suspect they have clicked a phishing email
Only allow necessary access
Restrict access to your systems to only those who need it and ensure that all access is secured.
Delete any inactive accounts
Check your administrative access and ensure that only those who need to are enabled to access the network to make changes
Anyone not authorised to make changes should be set to view-only
Implement strong multi-factor authentication to all administrative accounts
Get a handle on any third-party organisations who have access to your IT estate. Understand what they do, who is allowed access and what privileges they have. Remove any access that is no longer required
Create an incident response plan
If the worst does happen, you need to have a comprehensive incident response plan in place. Only 31% of companies have an agreedcyber attack response plan set up, so this step will be an urgent action for many businesses.
If you don’t have a cyber security incident response plan, see the NCSC’s guidance on creating one
If you do have a plan in place, ensure all information (especially contact details) are correct
Make sure that your plan details who has the authority to make decisions, and what will happen if the attack occurs out of office hours
Ensure your plan includes information on how you will communicate if your normal systems are down
Make sure data is regularly and securely backed up in a safe place that is unconnected to your network
Contact cybersecurity consultants
If you don’t have cyber security expertise in-house, then consulting a cybersecurity expert can help you implement the steps above. They can also carry out more advanced actions to find and fix any other vulnerabilities that are particular to your organisation.
Get an expert security assessment to scan for any remaining vulnerabilities in your network, programmes, and cloud-based services
Join a security operations centre, which can constantly monitor your system and analyse any abnormalities against the latest threat intelligence to identify and block breaches before the attacker is able to steal anything.
Undergo penetration testing (also known as ethical hacking) to understand how an attacker is likely to gain access
Get a free CyberRisk score from FoxTech (it operates like a credit score for your cyber security) to get an immediate indication of your security posture.
The consequences of falling victim to a cyber attack can be dire, so in the current threat landscape, cyber security should be at the forefront of any business’ strategy for 2022.
Businesses have less than a week to prepare for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Value Added Tax (VAT) becoming mandatory for VAT-registered businesses on 1 April, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said today.
MTD helps taxpayers get their tax returns right by reducing common mistakes as well as saving time managing their tax affairs and is a key part of the overall digitalisation of UK tax.
Evidence shows MTD is succeeding in its central aims of reducing errors, while also making it faster to prepare and submit returns, and boosting productivity for businesses.
New research, conducted by HMRC and peer reviewed by independent academics, shows MTD is likely to have generated increased revenue through reducing errors in both 2019 and 2020.
Nearly 1.6 million taxpayers had joined MTD for VAT as of December 2021 with more than 11 million returns successfully submitted. Around a third of VAT-registered businesses with taxable turnover below £85,000 have voluntarily signed up to MTD for VAT ahead of April 2022, and thousands more are signing up each week.
VAT-registered businesses that have not yet signed up to MTD for VAT should do so now. All VAT-registered businesses must use MTD for VAT for their first VAT return starting on or after 1 April 2022.
Businesses should use the time left to choose the software that is right for them, whether that is one of the simple free options available, or a more advanced product for those with more complex affairs.
Lucy Frazer, HM Treasury’s Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: “Businesses using MTD are saving time on their tax affairs, streamlining their processes and boosting their productivity as a result.
“Our first move towards a modern, digital tax service – MTD makes it easier for businesses to get their tax right first time.”
There is a range of support and information available for those that need it – including accessible online content such as YouTube videos, GOV.UK help pages and HMRC’s Extra Support service.
Agents can sign up on behalf of a business, although businesses remain responsible for meeting their VAT obligations. Those who do not join may be charged a penalty for failure to do so.
There are a range of compatible software products available for MTD for VAT, allowing businesses to choose which tools they use to run their business and tax affairs. A list of software compatible with MTD for VAT, including free and low-cost options, can be found on GOV.UK.
HMRC understands that some businesses will find it easier to comply with MTD than others. For those who need more help and support on signing up for MTD, HMRC is running a series of webinars.
Some VAT-registered businesses may be eligible for an exemption from MTD, if it is not reasonable or practicable for them to use digital tools for their tax. If a business has previously been granted an exemption for VAT online filing, this will carry over to MTD VAT requirements. Go to GOV.UK for more information on whether an exemption may apply.
Example MTD case studies from businesses who are currently benefitting from MTD for VAT can be found on YouTube.
To sign up to MTD VAT, businesses, or an agent on a businesses’ behalf, need to:
Step 1: Visit GOV.UK and choose MTD-compatible software Step 2: Keep digital records starting from 1 April 2022 or the beginning of their VAT period Step 3: Sign up and submit their VAT Return through MTD
Starting Monday 25th April. If you live in Leith, have at least one child under the age of 5 you can sign up to some of our fantastic groups. If you would like to know more information or sign up, please drop us an email at info@dbfc.org.uk
Our new programme is live Starting Monday 25th April. If you live in Leith, have at least one child under the age of 5 you can sign up to some of our fantastic groups.
If you would like to know more information or sign up, please drop us an email at info@dbfc.org.uk
A BRAND NEW four-bedroom townhouse on the capital’s enviable waterfront has transformed a man hailing from the west of Wales into a Leith local.
John Evans, stumbled across the Waterfront Plaza development by Cala Homes (East) when out on a walk and decided it was the best location for him to start a new chapter.
John moved to Edinburgh more than 25 years ago and has since fallen in love with Leith and everything it has to offer. He made the move to the highly desired Waterfront Plaza from his previous home in Trinity last year.
The Welshman has grown a close affinity to Leith, starting the charity LeithGives during the first lockdown with the aim of providing support to those in need during the pandemic – through local business, charity and community partnerships.
John said: “I love spending every day in the heart of Leith. I have everything I need around me and wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s so sought after for a reason.
“To now live exactly where I want to live and in the perfect home has been absolutely brilliant. I knew about Waterfront Plaza from my work on the board of the Leith Trust, however I never considered it as a potential home until I stumbled across it on a walk one day.”
November 2021 saw John make the switch from a five-bedroom Victorian house in Trinity to one of Waterfront Plaza’s modern four-bedroom townhouses. The townhouses at the development feature an expansive terrace, well designed interiors and Cala’s signature high specification and contemporary style.
One of the bedrooms in the four-bedroom property has been converted by John to a study from where he works from home and he is also in the midst of transforming his garden space into a bee-friendly area.
John says: “The home has been so easy to change and adapt to exactly what I am after. It’s been ideal to have my own study whilst the world gets used to hybrid working. I’m also keen to start my own bee-friendly garden and Cala were very helpful with all of that.
“There have been loads of other nice touches from Cala along the way. The team on site have gone above and beyond to help us transition into our new home.”
John has two sons who have also been enjoying their new home. Rhys, 21 works at the local pub, The Malt and Hops when he’s home from university and Bryn, 17, has been making full use of Leith’s transport routes to school and the city centre.
The family of three have been making the most of having Leith’s vibrant food and drink scene on their doorstep too – regularly visiting the range of local bars, cafes and restaurants.
John added: “I’m surrounded by options which makes daily life so much better. As well as great food spots like Café Domenico’s and everything Leith Shore has to offer, I’ve become a keen local of The Malt and Hops which has great music during the Leith Jazz and Blues Festival.
“It is a great feeling to be part of such a thriving, vibrant community.”
Ranging from £305,000 — £540,000, there are still a host of different home types available at Cala’s Waterfront Plaza development for homebuyers seeking both life by the water and the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
Ranging from stylishly designed two and three-bedroom apartments to penthouses and spacious townhouses, Waterfront Plaza has a number of options available for homebuyers seeking a capital life in Leith.
To watch John talk about his new townhouse, click here.
To watch John talk about life at Waterfront Plaza, click here.
For more information on Waterfront Plaza please visit:
Research commissioned by SFE has revealed that almost half (47%) of people living in Scotland who have a will haven’t updated it for more than five years, meaning nearly half of wills made in the area are likely to be out-of-date.
Of those, nearly a third (30%) haven’t updated it for over 7 years, and a fifth (20%) haven’t dusted it off in more than a decade.
Having an up-to-date and well drafted will is crucial in ensuring your wishes are carried out in the way you’d like when you die.
This year, SFE, a membership body representing over 1,600 solicitors specialising in working with older and vulnerable people, has launched “Update Your Will Week” (28th March – 3rd April) in a bid to raise awareness of the importance of updating your will regularly.
Regional SFE Director for Scotland and Head of Personal Law at Gibson Kerr in Edinburgh, Lindsay Maclean recommends that a will be reviewed and updated every five years, or when a major change in your life occurs that impacts you or your loved ones, such as divorce, marriage, a new birth or even death in the family.
SFE’s research has revealed that almost a third (31%) of people in Scotland with a will have had significant changes to their lives and circumstances since they drafted it.
Lindsay Maclean has warned that an unchecked and outdated will could cause severe implications for your loved ones after death – including missed inheritances and higher inheritance tax fees: “Many people assume that once you have drafted a will you don’t ever have to review it, and that your wishes will be carried out as you wish them to be posthumously – but unfortunately, that’s far from true.
“If you remarry, for example, a previous will may remain in place which doesn’t include your spouse. Or if you marry into a family and have stepchildren that you’d like to inherit your assets – this won’t happen automatically unless you stipulate it in a new will.
“All these details are crucial to ensure your assets pass to the beneficiaries of your choice and to try to avoid family disputes – which we know can be very distressing for your loved ones.”
In fact, SFE’s research revealed that:
Almost than a third (31%) of people realise stepchildren won’t be included in your will unless you stipulate that separately.
17% of people think you can update your will by making changes on the original document and initialling them. This may be possible, but a court would need to accept that the changes were validly made by you, and it can leave loved ones having to argue in court.
The findings have also revealed that 52% of people in Scotland don’t have a will in place at all – a worryingly steep figure. Lindsay Maclean has highlighted that one in ten British families (11%) have been caught out by a ‘bad will’ – a will that is out of date or badly drafted – for example missing out on inheritance or their childhood home being sold without their knowledge.
Lindsay Maclean: “It’s great to see that many people living in Scotland have a will in place – but we need to see a higher will uptake, and for those that have a will in place, it’s paramount that they review these regularly.
“I’d strongly recommend that people look for their local SFE accredited solicitor to assist them with their will.”
To find out more, or to find your local SFE accredited solicitor, visit: www.sfe.legal
Communities and individuals will soon have access to information to enable them to find out who has a controlling interest in Scotland’s land.
As part of its long running commitment to improve transparency of land ownership, the Scottish Government is introducing a new Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest (RCI) in land on 1 April 2022.
This public register provides key information about those who ultimately make decisions about the management or use of land, even if they are not necessarily registered as the owner, including overseas entities and trusts.
The information will enable individuals and communities to identify and engage with those who make decisions about land that affects them.
Environment and Land Reform Minister, Mairi McAllan said: “The launch of this new register marks a significant milestone in making land ownership in Scotland more transparent.
“I want to ensure that there can no longer be categories of landowner or tenant where, intentionally or otherwise, control of decision-making is obscured, including in or via overseas trusts or entities.
“Scotland has a long history of land reform and this journey to make the ownership and use of our land and assets fairer marches on.
“The new register will make Scotland a frontrunner in Europe and deliver greater transparency than any other part of the UK. It enables the public to look behind land ownership and identify those who ultimately make decisions.
“We have committed to bring forward a new Land Reform Bill over the course of this parliament which will further tackle Scotland’s historically iniquitous patterns of land ownership and use.”
Keeper of the Registers of Scotland Jennifer Henderson said: “Registers of Scotland are delighted to have been given the responsibility to establish and maintain the Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land.
“The register will become a valuable source of information and bring greater transparency of who makes decisions about the country’s land and property.
“It will deliver valuable insight to citizens and communities across Scotland.”
Isotope analysis of ‘bodies in the bog’ found at Cramond reveals several crossed a politically divided Scotland, meeting their end hundreds of miles from their place of birth.
For decades, the skeletal remains of nine adults and five infants found in the latrine of what was once a Roman bath house in Cramond have fascinated archaeologists and the public alike.
Discovered in 1975 they were originally thought to be victims of the plague or a shipwreck from the 14th century.
Then radiocarbon dating showed them to be some 800 years older, dating to the 6th century, or early medieval period.
New bioarchaeological work led by the University of Aberdeen has brought to light more details of their lives and has revealed that several of the group travelled across Scotland to make Cramond their home.
Their investigations change our understanding not only of this important site but of the mobility and connections of people across Scotland in the early medieval period, when the country was broadly divided between the Scotti in Dál Riata to the west, the Picts in most of northern Scotland and the Britons in the south.
The researchers examined the bones and teeth of the group unearthed from what was once the latrine of a bathhouse in a Roman fort, leading to them being coined ‘the bodies in the bog’.
Using isotope analyses they were able to look at the diet and origins of each of the adults in the group.
Professor Kate Britton, senior author of the study, said they were surprised to discover that despite being buried in close proximity to each other – leading to assumptions that they were one family – some were brought up hundreds of miles apart.
“Food and water consumed during life leave a specific signature in the body which can be traced back to their input source, evidencing diet and mobility patterns,” she added.
“Tooth enamel, particularly from teeth which form between around three and six years of age, act like little time capsules containing chemical information about where a person grew up.“When we examined the remains, we found six of them to bear chemical signatures consistent with what we would expect from individuals growing up in the area local to Cramond but two – those of a man and a woman – were very different.
“This suggests that they spent their childhoods somewhere else, with the analysis of the female placing her origins on the West coast.”
“The male instead had an isotopic signature more typical of the Southern Uplands, Southern Highlands or Loch Lomond area so it is likely he came to Cramond from an inland area.”
The findings, published in the Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences journal, provide one of the first insights into early medieval population mobility in Scotland.
Dr Orsolya Czére, post-doctoral researcher and lead author of the study, added: “This is a historically elusive time period, where little may be gleaned about the lives of individuals from primary literary sources. What we do know is that it was a politically and socially tumultuous time.
“In Scotland particularly, evidence is scarce and little is known about individual movement patterns and life histories. Bioarchaeological studies like this are key to providing information about personal movement in early medieval Scotland and beyond.
“It is often assumed that travel in this period would have been limited without roads like we have today and given the political divides of the time. The analysis of the burials from Cramond, along with other early medieval burial sites in Scotland, are revealing that it was not unusual to be buried far from where you had originally grown up.
“Previous studies have suggested that those buried here were of high social status, even nobility. What we can say from our new analyses was that these were well-connected individuals, with lives that brought them across the country”
“This is an important step in unravelling how these different populations of early medieval Scotland and Britain interacted.”
Despite evidence for geographical mobility, social tensions may still have been high. Several of the skeletons at Cramond indicate that some of the individuals may have met with violent ends.
Osteoarchaeologist and co-author Dr Ange Boyle from the University of Edinburgh said: “Detailed osteological analysis of the human remains has determined that a woman and young child deposited in the Roman latrine suffered violent deaths.
“Blows to the skulls inflicted by a blunt object, possibly the butt end of a spear would have been rapidly fatal. This evidence provides important confirmation that the period in question was characterised by a high level of violence.”
John Lawson, the City of Edinburgh Council archaeologist, co-author and lead archaeologist on the investigations at Cramond, says the new findings further underline the importance of the Cramond site.
“This paper has been the result of fantastic collaboration between ourselves and our co-authors from Aberdeen and Edinburgh Universities. The final results from the isotopic research have confirmed the initial 2015 results giving us archaeological evidence and a window into the movement of elite society in the 6th century.
“In particular it is helping us to support our belief that Cramond during this time was one of Scotland’s key political centres during this important period of turmoil and origins for the state of Scotland.
“Whilst it has helped us answer some questions about the individuals buried in the former Roman Fort’s Bathhouse, it has also raised more. We hope to continue to work together to bring more findings to publication as these have a significant impact on what is known about the history of Scotland and Northern Britain during the Dark Ages.”
The study was funded by Edinburgh City Council and the University of Aberdeen and research by Professor Britton and Dr Czere is supported by the Leverhulme Trust and AHRC respectively.
Scotmid Funerals has partnered with Ecclesiastical Planning Services, which will take on the financial management of all the Scotmid Co-Operative’s funeral plans, on behalf of its existing customers.
The move comes ahead of the introduction of new industry regulations, which will come into effect at the end of July by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The aim of the regulations is to provide greater protection of – and clarity around – funeral plans, for the benefit of consumers.
James Blackburn, Head of Funerals at Scotmid Funerals, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Ecclesiastical. As we transition into a regulated environment, we wanted to select a partner who shares our values and seeks to ensure the best possible service for our clients.
“We are confident that the extra protection this relationship will provide will be welcomed by our plan holders.”
Scotmid will continue to manage and oversee the physical aspects of funerals and their arrangements, as the customer facing business, allowing them to carry on providing the first-class, personal service they are known for. Ecclesiastical will assume responsibility for the overall management of the plans, including all financial elements.
Chris Clark, Managing Director of Ecclesiastical Planning Services, said: “With regulations fast approaching, it’s essential that funeral director’s partner with planners who share similar values and professionalism.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with Scotmid Funerals to ensure clients feel supported throughout the funeral process.”
