KENDAL-BASED accountants and business advisers have enjoyed a record year.

Moore and Smalley have revealed its best financial year for turnover and employee numbers.

The firm has seen turnover rise 11 per cent, from £12.8m to £14.2m, and staff numbers has risen from 246 to 277.

Moore and Smalley welcomed 31 new employees to its regional offices including Jon Pinder, who joined as partner, and Andrew Selby who arrived as an employee benefits expert in the financial planning team in February from Finch.

Graham Gordon, who was elected managing partner in 2013, said: "Our accountancy and audit services continue to perform well but we’ve seen major growth in specialist departments.

"Our tax team is now one of the largest in the region and our corporate finance team has seen a rise in deal transactions."

Graham says the firm’s investment into its employer credentials has helped it attract the right people through its growth.

He added: "People are naturally at the heartbeat of our service and we have a very strong HR team that has positioned Moore and Smalley as a firm of choice for bright talent."

In Moore and Smalley’s recent annual client satisfaction survey, the firm scored highly across key areas with 95 per cent of the respondents saying they would recommend the firm.

Graham added: "When I was elected managing partner, I wanted our foundations to be based on outstanding service, people development and close relationships between our clients and our people.

"Everyone has really embraced these powerful principles and we are seeing progress across the practice as a result. More importantly, clients are receiving the advice they need to manage their business and financial affairs in what are still challenging times."