Bishop Fleming strengthens footprint with Gloucestershire addition

By Nicky Godding

6 October 2022

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Bishop Fleming is to merge a Gloucestershire practice into its business as part of an ambitious strategy to double the firm's size over the next few years.

It will be integrating the business of Bespoke Tax Accountants, adding its Cheltenham base to its offices in Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Truro and Worcester.

The move comes on the back of impressive financial results posted in 2021-2022, which saw fees grow by nearly 19 per cent, and considerable growth by its Bristol and Worcester operations.

Bishop Fleming’s Manager Partner Andrew Sandiford, said: “It has been a long-term strategic ambition to strengthen our footprint between our 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.”

Cheltenham-based Bespoke is a specialist provider of tax advice, accounting compliance, and planning, for both business and individuals.

Neil Denniss, a founding partner of Bespoke said: “We started our business in 2011 with just five people. Eleven years on and our business has grown ten-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.

"Bishop Fleming will secure the future of our business and our people, whilst also introducing our clients to an enhanced range of services at a time when they need support the most. We look forward to joining their fantastic team.”

Bishop Fleming's additional headcount from Bespoke will take headcount to more than 480 people.

Andrew 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, and we encourage any interested people to contact us to find out more about our exciting plans.”

By Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe.

After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts.

She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.