What could you buy in the 31 January £85m shopping spree? by Phillip Venn, Commercial Director, Boox on 31-Jan-2013

According to data from Boox and HMRC, last year 850,000 Brits racked up an avoidable £100 fine for submitting their self-assessment tax return after the 31st January deadline, contributing £85m to Government coffers. With this year’s deadline approaching, Phillip Venn, Commercial Director of Boox takes a tongue-in-cheek look at what £85m might buy if penalty fines were spent differently.

If the sea is your thing you could buy the latest super yacht, the Sovereign. This huge yacht is so lustrous you'd almost be forgiven for mistaking it for a floating limousine, a snip at £85million. Perhaps social networking is more your style, for £85m you can pick up 0.3% of Apple. If you don’t have sea legs then maybe you would be better suited to the air. For £63m, you can kit yourself out with your own private Boeing 747.

"I wouldn’t mind relocating our office to the Sovereign or a luxury jumbo jet," says Phillip. "The £85m shopping list could be endless, but it highlights a serious issue that an enormous amount of money is paid in penalty fines for missing the 31st January self-assessment deadline. £100 is a lot of money and in this economy families will want to avoid unnecessary costs. We provide an online accountancy service for the self-employed that ensures returns are submitted accurately and on time - so no surprise bills in early February."

From taking Necker Island off of Richard Branson's hands to buying a Wayne Rooney / Luis Suarez striker combo, you can tickle your £85m taste buds in the list below:

1. Boeing 747 – £63m. The jumbo is favoured by the superrich such as the Sultan of Brunei, who is reported to have spent over £63m on a former Lufthansa aircraft and fitted it with an extravagant interior, including features such as solid-gold sinks and Lalique crystal fittings which should bring you up to budget.
2. Necker Island is reported to be worth a staggering £60m. Richard Branson’s holiday home and luxury tourist destination has to be at the top of anyone’s list.
3. Pick up 2.25 metric tons of gold for £85m.
4. Sovereign Super Yacht £85m. Join the exclusive Sovereign owner’s club. The luxury yacht is based on the design of a limousine and comes with furniture designed by Armani, a swimming pool and golf green. You’ll also find a glass helicopter pad, 10 guest suites, a private cinema and a nightclub on board. Alternatively, you could have your own built based on Roman Abramovich’s old one, the Pelorus – worth a reported £82m in construction costs.
5. 0.3% of Apple. If you fancy owning a part of the world’s most influential company you can buy you 266,932 shares for £85m.
6. Why not bolster your favourite football team’s strike force? You can pick up Wayne Rooney and Luis Suarez, according to tansfermarkt.co.uk, for £57m and £25.5m. Alternatively, you could buy the entire Stoke City squad.
7. The world's most expensive painting, Edvard Munch's The Scream sold at auction last year for £74m – time to make an offer.
8. All 198 apartments at the Grand Plaza, Hyde Park £85m. The serviced apartments will give you the independence and catering flexibility of your own home, with the comfort of a 4* hotel.
9. Purchase the DeBeers Centenary diamond for £63m. The De Beers Centenary Diamond was classified as D-level by the Gemological Institute of America. It’s the highest grade of a diamond: colourless and internally and externally flawless. The diamond itself is 273.85 carats (54.77 grams) in weight and is the third largest diamond ever produced by De Beer’s Premier Mine.
10. Make a sequel to your favourite blockbuster movie. Why not spend the money to produce Prometheus 2 - Ridley Scott spent £80m on the original.

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