From Funfair to Leading VAT Specialist

Every June since 1882, Europe’s largest travelling funfair, The Hopping’s, lights up the Town Moor in Newcastle upon Tyne. Its dazzling rides, cheerful hook-a-duck stalls, and enticing aroma of candy floss and hotdogs draw millions of visitors. Amid this whirlwind of sights and sounds, it’s hard to imagine that the vibrant fairground was once home to Jane Deeks, the founder and director of Deeks VAT Consultancy Ltd.

Born into a family steeped in the traditions of the fairground, Jane was the fourth generation to live and breathe the life of a showman. Her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents travelled with the fair, ensuring its thrilling spectacles reached towns across the country. For Jane, this meant spending her childhood immersed in the buzz of the funfair, working alongside her family to keep the wheels turning, literally and figuratively.

But life as a “fairground child” came with unique challenges. With the fair only closing for three months each winter, Jane’s education was anything but conventional. Between the ages of 5 and 12, she attended school for a total of just 21 months. Yet the fairground itself became her classroom. Her parents taught her practical skills essential to running the family business: welding, repairing engines, and maintaining amusement machines in their traveling arcade. By her early teens, she was even a whizz at Space Invaders video game.

Despite this hands-on education, Jane’s curiosity stretched beyond the fairground. At 17, after devouring countless books about the law, she made a bold decision to change her path. Against the odds and advice to start with basic literacy course, Jane enrolled directly in GCSEs. What followed was a whirlwind of academic success: GCSEs, four A-levels, and a Law degree with honours and a commendation Legal Practice from the University of Birmingham.

While studying for her legal qualification, Jane was approached by PwC, who recognised her potential and encouraged her to apply for a graduate traineeship. In 1999, she joined their ranks as a trainee tax advisor, specialising in VAT, a field as complex and ever-changing as the fairground itself. Over the years, Jane rose through the ranks of the “Big Four” accountancy firms, became a Chartered Tax Adviser, and gained invaluable experience setting up VAT departments for mid-tier firms, including one for the UK’s fastest-growing accountancy practice.

Yet, the entrepreneurial spark Jane inherited from her parents never dimmed. Inspired by their self-employed success and membership in the Showman’s Guild of Great Britain, she dreamed of building something of her own. In 2018, she turned that dream into reality by founding Deeks VAT Consultancy Limited.

Today, Jane leverages her 25+ years of expertise to provide bespoke VAT advice to accountancy firms, law practices, businesses, property investors and developers. Her firm specialises in everything from land and property to international transactions and corporate reorganisations. Known for her approachable and down-to-earth style, Jane offers tailored solutions that simplify even the most intricate VAT challenges.

Jane’s journey from the fairground to VAT is nothing short of remarkable. It’s a testament to resilience, determination, and the courage to carve a new path while staying true to her roots.