Dan Bowden is a Partner and Chartered Surveyor at with Barbers Rural, who operate throughout Shropshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire. Having grown up on a dairy farm on the Shropshire/Cheshire border, Dan has always had a strong connection to the countryside — something that continues to shape both his work and personal life. He specialises in a wide variety of agricultural valuations, expert witness work, planning advice, and helping clients access agricultural grants and schemes. With a practical background and a straightforward approach, Dan works closely with farmers, landowners and rural businesses to provide clear, honest advice. His moto is ‘committed to promoting rural prosperity’. Outside of work, Dan is married with two young children and enjoys spending time outdoors — whether it’s on the farm, in the field, or just getting stuck into anything rural.
Roy has worked with our Farming and Landowning Rural clients for over 25 years and is committed to developing our team to enhance both client service and experience. Roy’s background and knowledge in the rural sector has been built over many years’ experience working with rural families across all sectors of Agriculture. His drive for understanding how families and businesses wish to move forward and finding solutions to help them, dovetailed with his tax expertise and farming knowledge fit with Roy’s role as a Client Partner in our Rural Services Team. Roy has a determination to see clients achieve their objectives and offers strategic advice on succession planning, relating to their businesses, properties, non-business assets and family trusts. Roy’s specialisms also include advising on Diversification, Renewables, Partnership and Company business planning, Development land, Contract and Share Farming Agreements. He also has a particular interest in estate and capital taxes: including Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax. Roy advises clients across Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Wales.
Married for 62 years, with 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 2 granddaughters. Born in Lincolnshire, from farming stock, Retired livestock farmer, beef and sheep in Devon Aberdeenshire and Shropshire. Contributor to Shropshire Star farming pages for 20 years. Past member of Scottish Young Farmers, Member of several WIs for 50+ years, including as President and Secretary. Part of a software based dairy consultancy business - TotalDietManagement with my late husband, interacting with farmers to help them improve cow health and efficiency. Husband was also animal husbandry lecturer at Craibstone College (part of Aberdeen University Agric School) and Head of Dept at Harper Adams in the 70s and 80s, we had many happy years interacting with and supporting students. Committee member of local Horticultural Society.
Richard farms in partnership with his wife Sally, owning 400 acres at Middleton Scriven and renting a further 450 acres on the Apley Estate. His farming enterprise comprises 80 suckler cows and a flock of 600 ewes on the livestock side, finishing all progeny. Arable operations include 400 acres of cereals, beans, maize and fodder beet. The farms have been in environmental schemes for over 25 years and Richard has a farm shoot.
Richard is a graduate of Aberystwyth University, holding a BSc (Honours) in Agriculture. A former Chair of Burwarton Show and Shropshire NFU, Richard has for the last 4 years represented Shropshire on the national NFU Council. He is the current President of the Shropshire Chamber of Agriculture and contributes a weekly column in the Bridgnorth Journal.
Matt is head of the firm’s Property Litigation Support team and has extensive experience acting as an Expert Witness, Independent Expert and dispute resolver in complex rural property disputes. He graduated from the University of London with a BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Business Management, and then from the University of Reading with a Postgraduate Diploma in Surveying. He is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Agricultural Law Association and a fellow of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV). Matt held the position of Managing Partner of Berrys from 2008 – 2024. In 2009, after successfully passing the required assessments, he was appointed by the President of the RICS as one of only 25 Rural Arbitrators and in 2021 was also appointed as one of 18 rural arbitrators on the CAAV panel. In 2025 he passed the required assessments in Evaluative Mediation, to become an RICS accredited Mediator. Matt has over 35 years’ experience in providing advice to landowners and farmers, in particular in connection with the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986, and Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995. In addition, he has extensive experience in providing valuations for loan security, tax planning and sale/business re-organisation. He is an experienced business consultant, providing strategic advice to farm businesses including asset restructuring, business structures, contract farming, alternative land tenure arrangements, financial planning, cash-flow and balance sheet analysis, forecasting and business plan preparation.
