Yorkshire firms come to agreement

BHP, which is Yorkshire’s largest independent chartered accountants and has an office in Centurion Way, has joined up with Sheffield-based gvt Chartered Accountants.

Following BHP now has more than 300 employees across five offices in Sheffield, Leeds, Cleckheaton, Chesterfield and York.

Gvt’s team will now relocate from its Nether Edge office to BHP’s Rutland Park headquarters.

This move follows the death of Melanie Viner, gvt’s key relationship partner, after joining the firm in 1991.

Following her diagnosis with cancer, she wanted to secure gvt’s future for its staff and clients and agreed to the completion of the merger shortly before she lost her battle in November last year.

Her business partner Mark Goodband has retired from the partnership and after a brief handover period, will pursue other opportunities.

John Warner, managing partner at BHP, said: “It was hugely important to Melanie that both gvt’s team and the firm’s client base would continue to thrive after her death.

“Gvt has always had a strong, well-established team and a reputation for offering a high standard of service to its clients, which fits with BHP’s culture and customer centric approach. As a result, we were delighted to agree to this merger proposal.”

Mr Warner added: “We’re now looking forward to welcoming our new colleagues into our business and continuing to provide gvt’s clients with the level of service and expertise that they have come to expect, which will form an important part of Melanie’s legacy.”

This announcement follows Clough & Company merging with Sheffield firm BHP in 2015.

The merger coincided with the planned retirement from Clough & Company of partners Steven Gash, practice chairman, and tax specialist Nigel Westman.

The deal placed it within the top 40 largest accounting firms in the UK.

Clough & Company was founded in 1953 by Harry Clough in a small office in the Majestic Hotel in Manchester Road, Bradford.

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