Accountancy practice merges with top 40 UK company

BRISTOL accountancy firm Steele Financial has merged with Streets Chartered Accountants, a top 40 UK accountancy practice.

The merger will see the establishment of Streets Steele Chartered Certified Accountants, a mid-tier multi regional practice.

Ben Steele, now managing director of Streets Steele, said: “Having started Steele Financial only six years ago we have experienced significant growth and as such, in line with the advice we give our clients, we recognised the need to develop our practice to service growing demand. In particular it would seem our approach to run a true cloudbased and digital accountancy practice along with providing clients a virtual finance office, certainly has made us an attractive proposition for many entrepreneurs and businesses alike.”

The Bristol firm, which offers online accountancy packages, said it recognised a need to provide a greater breadth of services and sought to join with a larger practice to better support its clients with services such as private client tax planning, international advice and personal financial planning.

Streets Chartered Accountants’ managing partner Paul Tutin said: “We are delighted and excited to have Steele Financial become part of the Streets wide practice.

“Ben and his team, including fellow director Ryan Saward, are a truly inspiring practice and have earned an enviable reputation, not just in Bristol, but also in London and further afield, for their progressive approach and innovative use of technology to look after the needs of clients.

“Such an approach has seen them successfully grow a broad client base as well as particular sector specialisms in hospitality, food and drink and media and entertainment.

“We are looking forward to working with Ben and his team on enhancing and developing a practice wide virtual finance office and our respective sector specialisms. This recent merger comes on the back of an earlier one this year, with Streets Eadie Young in Banbury, Oxfordshire, and this time last year with Streets Whittles in Colchester, Essex.

“With Streets Steele in Bristol, we now have 23 offices from Burnley in the north to Brighton in the south.”

Mr Tutin said: “Whilst many large firms have moved to more regional models, Streets remains committed to and focused on looking after clients that live, work and operate businesses in the local area.

“This approach is very much at the heart of our strategic focus for growth, which is likely to include further mergers of like-minded firms.

“Our aspiration is to become a top 20 UK practice by 2030.”