David Harrison (left) and Ian Parsons of Parsons Chartered Accountants

One of Wakefield’s oldest accountancy firms, Paylings which formed in 1949, has merged with Parsons, Chartered Accountants as part of the firm’s ongoing expansion plans.

The merger took place in August 2021, supported by Leeds law firm Clarion with a team led by Emma Spragg. Parsons has adopted the Paylings brand alongside its own, and welcomed six team members from the firm into its Wakefield office.

Parsons now has over 40 employees based across two offices and also working remotely, delivering a range of Accounting, Audit, Tax, Corporate Finance and Advisory services to a growing Yorkshire and national client base.

Managing Partner Ian Parsons said: “We are delighted to have welcomed colleagues and clients from Paylings. The expansion of our team gives us additional capacity and skills, particularly in the area of Financial Audit, needed to maintain our excellent quality of client service for existing and new clients whilst we continue to grow.”

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David Harrison, former Managing Partner of Paylings, will remain with the firm in a consultative capacity for the foreseeable future. He said: “Parsons is a secure and safe guardian for the clients we have serviced, in some cases for many years. I am confident that they will continue to receive an excellent level of service along with the benefits of a larger and incredibly dedicated team which offers a broader range of services including specialist in-house expertise in Corporate Finance and Tax Advisory.”

The merger forms part of a larger growth strategy which has seen Parsons double its headcount and turnover over the past two years. The firm recently recruited talent into its Senior Leadership Team to add Financial Audit and Tax Advisory services to its portfolio in response to market demand. Employee development remains high on the agenda and eight trainees are currently working within the team to support the firm’s succession plan.

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