Exeter accountants celebrate 60 years in business

One of Exeter’s longest standing chartered accountants, Bush & Co based in Barnfield Crescent in the heart of the city’s professional services district, is this year celebrating 60 years in business.

Founded in 1955 by Paul Bush, the accountancy firm has grown in size from just one man to a team of 4 directors and 25 staff, with clients across the South West.

Specialising in a range of services for both individuals and businesses, Bush & Co offers everything from help with business start ups, to business advice for owner managed businesses and high growth companies. Its services also include succession and exit planning, advice on inheritance tax and capital gains tax and much more. In addition its dedicated payroll bureau offers a full payroll service for several hundred clients, and it also provides services to charities, which include many of the region’s leading charitable organisations such as Headway, MIND and RSPCA South, East and West Devon.

Commenting on the anniversary Roger Carne, Managing Director at Bush & Co, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating our 60th anniversary. When our founding partner Paul Bush first started he was based in Newton Abbot and worked with small local businesses such as farms, pubs, shops and contractors. He soon relocated to offices in Exeter where we put down strong roots as a business.

“Today we work for clients ranging from individuals and small businesses to multi-million companies such as Stormfront Retail Limited, who we helped set up in Exeter in 2008 working with their MD Mike Fleming. Since then the business has grown to 23 Apple computer stores around the UK turning over in excess of £50m and employing 230 staff. Its head office is still based in Exeter.”

“Most of our business comes directly from private and professional referrals. We like to think that tells you a great deal about the quality of our service and the fact that because we are independent we can be much more flexible and more personable than the big national players.”

Roger added: “We pride ourselves on our professional standards, technical excellence and strong client relations, which may be why many of our clients have remained with us since the early years. It’s not uncommon to work with businesses that have been with us for three generations of the same family.”

Commenting on their relationship with Bush & Co Mike Fleming MD of Stormfront Retail Ltd, said: “The all round service of Bush & Co in the early days was invaluable and they have been with us through all the stages of our fast growth helping us to raise finance and recruit staff as we have become more mature as a business.”

Among Bush & Co’s longest standing clients is Reedy Supplies Limited, which trades as Compass Tools. Having acted for the business for over 30 years Bush & Co has worked with the original founders of the business Don and Eileen Winter, their daughter Karen and her husband Christopher Greenman and now their son Adam Greenman.

Commenting on their working relationship Karen Greenman said, ‘Three generations of our family have been working with Bush & Co since Reedy Supplies Ltd was started in 1972.

“They are a very professional company who have advised, helped, and encouraged us enormously as our firm has evolved and grown over the years. They have seen our children and grandchildren grow up and we consider them to be friends of the family rather than just another company we work with. We look forward to further generations of our family working with them.”

Even restaurant Circa 1924 in Northernhay Place, one of its most recent clients, has connections with Bush & Co that go back decades as James Waddington, owner of the popular restaurant, has family links that go back years.

Commenting on his relationship with the business James said: “Bush and Co are the only choice for us as accountants. They provide refreshingly honest advice that was invaluable to us when we were launching our new venture. We couldn't recommend them more highly.”

Paul Bush, who set up the firm and is now retired, commented: “A great deal has changed over the 60 years since I started out as a sole practitioner, but one thing that remains the same is Bush & Co’s approach to doing business. Throughout we have remained consistent in delivering a comprehensive, skilled, friendly and personal service underpinned by a wonderful team of loyal and devoted professionals. I’m very proud to say that the care and attention that we devoted to clients from day one remains at the heart of Bush & Co’s approach to client relationships today.”

About Bush & Co

Bush & Co was established in1955. Over the years the business has developed strong commercial connections in the City, giving it a wealth of knowledge and experience of the region’s business community.

Bush & Co’s clients range from multi million pound companies to smaller businesses in a broad range of sectors and also include not for profit organisations and individuals who need help with personal tax returns.

Bush & Co is a medium sized practice of 4 directors <http://www.bushaccountants.com/about-us/meet-the-team <http://www.bushaccountants.com/about-us/meet-the-team> > and 25 staff. The practice is committed to ensuring that all staff undergo continual training and technical updates .