1999

Due to the client base growing at a significant rate, the business moved offices from Didsbury to Handforth. This ensured the firm had more space to be able to hire another adviser and Andy Clarey came on board to fulfil that role.

One of the big achievements of the year was having over 100 attendees at a seminar, an opportunity for clients and prospective clients to find out more about the services Applewood offered.

Key events

• Moved to larger office premises in Handforth
• Andy Clarey joined the team
• A successful events calendar saw over a 100 attendees at a seminar

What else happened in this year?

In finance…

Annual UK Inflation: 1.20% CPI

Bank base rate:

• 7 January 6.0000 %
• 4 November 5.5000 %

IHT threshold: £231,000
 

In the charts…

Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” was the best-selling single of the year with sales of almost 1.5 million.

On the screen…

The highest grossing film of the year was Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, grossing $924,317,558 worldwide.

Around the world…

• 1 January – The Euro currency is launched
• April 8 – Bill Gates’ personal fortune makes him the wealthiest individual in the world due to the increased value of Microsoft stock

In the UK…

• More than 20% of the UK population (over 12 million people) now have internet access
• May 6 – Elections are held in Scotland and Wales for the new Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales
• 27 September – The Midland Bank adopts the name of its owner HSBC, marking an end of the Midland Bank name after 163 years