Each week Bath Business News gives a prominent member of the area’s business community the last word on its weekly e-bulletin. This week Tim Lerwill, head of commercial at accountants and financial planners Old Mill, answers our 10 questions.
What was the last:
Film you watched? I went to see Shaun the Sheep with my wife Amanda and our kids Maisie, 11, and Jake, six. As a family we have always loved all the Aardman films and programmes, and this didn’t disappoint – it was really funny. The whole Aardman concept is fantastic. I love the fact it is based right here in the West Country. 
Book you read? The Art of Running. I am training for a half ironman triathlon – the race is at Wimbleball Lake in Exmoor in June – so I am getting my hands on anything I can to help me with that. I am finding I can plod along but I don’t seem to be getting any quicker, so hopefully this book will help!
Music you bought/downloaded? The last thing I bought wasTake That III for my wife. But the last album I bought for myself was the latest Ministry of Sound annual – I buy it every year, it is a bit of a habit. My wife thinks it’s terrible and I should act my age!
Concert or play you went to? We all went to see Jack and the Beanstalk at the Queen’s Theatre in Barnstaple, Devon. We try and catch a pantomime or play every Christmas – last year we went to the Theatre Royal in Bath. It is a great way to get into the festive spirit.
Sporting event you attended? I went to watch Bath rugby play Wasps in January. Old Mill has season tickets and we take clients and potential clients along to matches. It was a great day, not only because Bath won, but also because it’s an always a very enjoyable afternoon out.
Holiday you went on? We went to Center Parcs in Longleat. We go every year. The kids love it – we are in the pool every day. It's great fun, a really good family holiday.
Restaurant you ate in? The Fox at Broughton Gifford. It’s a real hidden gem. I only found out about it through a friend, but now I go there all the time – with colleagues, clients and my wife, although not all at the same time! I love it because it has a great atmosphere and the food is really really good.
Thing that annoyed you? Telecommunications. I live in a rural village in Wiltshire and although I have paid for superfast broadband and a mobile phone, they are either unbearably slow or fail to get a decent connection. Not only is it incredibly frustrating but could really hold back the rural economy.
Thing that made you laugh out loud? We had an Old Mill commercial meeting recently and as part of a teambuilding exercise we had to do the haka, like the All Blacks and it was hilarious. Some of the guys (mentioning no names . . . Stuart Grimster!) got really into it – it was a really good laugh.
Piece of good advice you were given? Prance more! I was told by my triathlon coach to start forefoot running – I have always been a heel striker – and apparently it will make me faster! You basically have to run like you are cycling but it is very weird – so we were all prancing along the track at Millfield! I am finding it very strange to be taught how to run all over again. But it’s all good advice and hopefully it will improve my results.
Tim Lerwill is head of commercial in Wiltshire at West Country accountants and financial planners Old Mill. A Bristol University mathematics graduate who qualified as a chartered accountant in 1999, Tim, started his career at HW Fisher in London, and also worked at KPMG in Bristol before joining a local Bath firm of accountants 10 years ago, where he made partner. Now an equity partner at Old Mill, Tim specialises in helping and assisting small and medium-sized businesses, particularly in the creative and technology industries, along with charity and professional practices. In his spare time Tim writes children’s books. The Farmer Tim stories are based on his knowledge and experience of life growing up on his parent’s farm in North Devon.
