A CIDER manufacturer would seem a good place to hold a business event and that's probably why the West Midlands society of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales pitched up at Westons Cider for its latest business forum.

The factory at Much Marcle, near Ledbury hosted a meeting which debated a variety of accountancy-related topics and showcased the growth of firms across the county.

Chaired by the ICAEW’s West Midlands president Celia Adams, and ICAEW deputy president Andrew Ratcliffe, the event saw almost 50 business leaders attending from across Herefordshire and Worcestershire who were also given a tour of the Westons facility.

Mrs Adams said: “It was fantastic to bring so many of our members together. It was an opportunity to discuss the current market, any issues, and how we can help local members of the society more in the future. It was great to see so many local business people attending and we were thrilled to stage the event at the Westons factory. It really is an inspiring, successful business which has helped put the global spotlight on Herefordshire.”

Henry Weston, director at Westons added: “We were delighted to host the event. It brought many new people into this corner of Herefordshire so it was also a great opportunity for us to tell our story, how we are developing and what our plans are for the future.”

After 12 months as president, Mrs Adams, a chartered accountant who lives near Tenbury Wells, will step down from her role with the West Midlands society in May. At the same time, Mr Ratcliffe will take over as institute’s overall president.