The South West’s fastest growing independent accountancy firm has taken over another company adding 14 more staff to its Plymouth base.
Thomas Westcott Chartered Accountants has taken over longstanding Plymouth-based accountancy practice Riley Chartered Accountants, after two years of negotiations, as part of its continued growth across the South West and the ongoing success of its Plymouth office.
This has grown rapidly since its merger with Plymouth’s Parkhurst Hill in 2016, which saw Thomas Westcott’s Plymouth -based staff move from the firm’s Queen Anne Terrace location to Parkhurst Hill’s offices in Plym House, Marsh Mills. In 2009 Thomas Westcott merged with Plymouth-based David Rice and Co.
Now Riley’s 14 team members, including three partners and a director, will relocate from the North Hill office to Thomas Westcott’s office, creating a 55-strong team in Plymouth and bringing together considerable experience and expertise within the two firms for the benefit of existing and new clients.
Thomas Westcott managing partner Shona Godefroy said: “Joining forces with Riley Chartered Accountants represents our continued growth and investment in Plymouth.
“It is an exciting opportunity for us to enhance our team and grow our client base in and around this vibrant city.
“Riley is a very well established firm and we already have a strong relationship with the team. Our firms are very like-minded in ethos and approach and, like us, Riley serves a diverse client base.
“Both firms are passionate about offering an outstanding personal service to all our clients, as well as being forward looking, embracing new technologies and innovation. Combining our teams enables us to combine our strengths and skills to continue to offer our clients a truly first class service.”
Riley Chartered Accountants partner Jon Stacey said: “For 40 years, Riley has been serving business clients across the South West. However, in the modern business world it is necessary to build a depth of resources and skills to wrap our clients with a professional service team.
“Being small and niche means that this is much more difficult and therefore for our clients, the team and our partners, we are better off becoming an influential part of a bigger business.
“A business where our modern ideas, knowledge and skills can benefit clients and the bigger team and where change happens because it is right.
“A business that really cares for its people, strives to be on your side and is involved in building success for clients and for the firm.
“This is a merger that has been carefully planned for more than two years and we are really looking forward to the benefits that come from combining the two teams and being able to offer a really caring service to our clients.”
Thomas Westcott is one of the largest independent accountancy practices in the South West, with 17 offices across Devon and Somerset.
With 30 partners and 220 staff, the firm acts for a wide variety of clients ranging from individual tax return cases to businesses operating in local, national and international markets.
