Regional accountancy and advisory firm Bishop Fleming is to bring a specialist Gloucestershire practice into its business as part of its ambitious strategy aimed at doubling its size over the next few years.
Integrating the business of Bespoke Tax Accountants will add a base in Cheltenham to its existing seven offices, including Bath, while increasing its total headcount by 50 to just over 480 people, including 37 partners. 
Bespoke is a specialist provider of tax advice, accounting compliance and planning for business and individuals.
The move, effective from 7 October, comes on the back of a near-19% increase in fee income at Bishop Fleming during its 2021-2022 financial year, taking its turnover to £33.2m – with much of the growth accounted for by expansion in its Bristol and Worcester operations.
Also, earlier this month the firm was ranked fifth in the UK in the Accountancy Age Mid-Tier Power Index.
Bishop Fleming manager partner Andrew Sandiford, pictured, said it had been a long-term strategic ambition to strengthen the firm’s footprint between its Bristol and Worcester offices, not only as a platform for further growth, but now also to meet the economic challenges that lie ahead.
“Integrating Bespoke as our new Cheltenham office provides the perfect foundation to support and grow our clients in the Three Counties of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire,” he added.
Bespoke founding partner Neil Denniss said: “We started our business in 2011 with just five people. Eleven years on and our business has grown 10-fold.
“We have been looking towards future succession and have been seeking the right partner to take our business on the next stage of its journey.
“With our shared focus on owner-managed businesses and individuals, there is real synergy between us.
“Bishop Fleming will secure the future of our business and our people while also introducing our clients to an enhanced range of services at a time when they need support the most.”
The addition of Bespoke’s Cheltenham office to Bishop Fleming’s recently refurbished Worcester base creates a team of nearly 100 people covering the Three Counties. The firm has plans to increase this further.
Andrew Sandiford added: “We look forward to welcoming the Bespoke team into our business and we are excited for the opportunities this move will bring.
“But we won’t be standing still. We will immediately be recruiting more roles from partner to apprentice, including in Cheltenham.”
Bishop Fleming, whose other offices are in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay and Truro, is currently one of the largest independent accounting and advisory firms in the UK.
It was ranked 14th in the recent UK’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers rankings and earlier this month was awarded the Investing in People award at the Accounting Excellence Awards.
