Was Aberdeen's financial planning arm ever going to work?

Aberdeen's financial planning arm, which has historically always held a rather confused position within a rather confused group, has been sold to Ascot Lloyd. 1825, as it was then called, was launched in 2016 by what was then Standard Life. Only a couple of years earlier, Standard Life had sold down stakes in a few advice brands, just to make sure that, as a provider, it wasn't in competition with planners. No matter how often providers say this, IFAs rarely believe it. Meanwhile, I'm sure potential clients all instantly recognised the number 1825 as a not-at-all-niche reference to ...