Each week Bath Business News gives a prominent member of the city’s business community the last word on its weekly e-bulletin. This week Richard Brooks, Bath-based partner at regional accountancy firm Monahans, answers our 10 questions.
What was the LAST 
Film you watched? It was a cartoon film called The Secret Life of Pets that my daughter wanted to see at the cinema. I usually go to sleep in films but with constant prodding I was kept awake.
Book you read? A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin. It took me months and I still have not finished it as I really only get time to read books on holiday.
Music you bought or downloaded? Now that is a difficult one to remember. I think it was The Best of the Specials, who were an early 1980s band.
Concert or play you went to? Jersey Live a couple of years ago. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds were the headline band and I remember spending nearly the whole day in a hospitality bar avoiding the rain.
Sporting event you attended? A rugby match which was Jersey v Worcester Warriors in the English Championship. I must get around to watching Bath soon and am looking forward to watching cricket at Taunton in the summer.
Holiday you went on? A couple of years ago now, but it was to Santorini, which is a spectacular Greek island and one I would highly recommend visiting.
Restaurant you ate in? I am still working my way through all the fine restaurants in the area, but The Mill at Rode was the last one and is a regular evening visit for us now.
Thing that annoyed you? All the recent traffic disruption in Bath. I have never seen traffic move so slow when you need to be somewhere quickly.
Thing that made you laugh out loud? That’s difficult to remember actually, but something always seems to come up every day which has is amusing.
Piece of good advice you were given? Although not advice, I was in a conference with a leading tax QC who used the excellent expression: “It is better to remain silent when you don’t know something and people might wonder whether you are an idiot, rather than open your mouth and remove any element of doubt”.
Richard Brooks is a partner at Monahans. He joined the firm in September after spending 16 years in Jersey, where he headed the largest private client tax advisory and compliance practice in the Channel Islands. He specialises in UK and cross-border personal tax planning and assisting clients with the impact of capital taxes, which if not managed correctly can seriously deplete family wealth.
