The Group's banking arrangements include the facility for the bank to provide a number of guarantees in respect of liabilities owed by the Group during the course of its trading. In the event of any amount being immediately payable under the guarantee, the bank has the right to recover the sum in full from the Group. The total amount of guarantees in place at 31 March 2017 amounted to £3.7m (2016: £3.9m).

The Group's banking arrangements are subject to a netting facility whereby credit balances may be offset against the indebtedness of other Group companies.