CLA Finance: Building resilience - the value of expert advice in challenging times

It’s halfway through 2026, and a good moment for businesses to take stock of the goals they established at the beginning of the year, in what felt like different times.

Few of us will have been able to predict the turbulence that took place in the first half of 2026. The ongoing military conflict in the Middle East has resulted in a tense political environment characterised by shifting border warfare and volatile ceasefires. Restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz have prompted massive disruptions to global trade and spiked fuel prices worldwide.

The backdrop of political upheaval and rising costs has created an environment of uncertainty that has the potential to undermine investor confidence, and this could make it even harder for businesses to achieve their goals for 2026. However, this should not deter you from pursuing your ambitions.

We work with several well-established rural businesses, all of which are trying to achieve goals that were put in place in less turbulent times. Rather than abandoning their objectives due to the hostile political climate, they are strategically investing in the services of external experts, who can use their in-depth knowledge to help the business achieve its aims. Engaging the services of external professionals, such as lawyers, finance advisors and estate managers is an efficient way of pulling top-level expertise into your team quickly and strategically.

Few rural management teams have the breadth of experience or the detailed knowledge of financial markets that are required to drive sustained business development at times like these. Recruiting new talent or upskilling in-house take time and often prove a bigger expense than calling in external expertise. In addition, finance advisors often have access to more favourable terms than their clients could achieve if they approached lenders independently.

One of our existing clients is Wadworth Brewery. A family-run independent brewer and pub company based in Devises in Wiltshire, the company has a good relationship with the banks but did not have the time or manpower to devote to planning and executing a recent refinancing project. By enlisting our help, they were able to take advantage of our deep expertise and market knowledge to secure sustainable refinancing and help them grow their business.

CLA Finance, provided by Ashbridge Partners, offers finance advice and funding solutions to members of the CLA, particularly those with farms, estates and rural businesses. Get in touch to talk to us about how we can help your business achieve its goals for 2026. clafinance@cla.org.uk