Harrogate chartered accountancy firm Lithgow Perkins is celebrating its 60th year, making it one of the oldest businesses of its kind in the town.
The independent practice has been helping individuals and companies with all aspects of taxation and accounts since 1958.
Tony Hallinan, a former partner who began his career at Lithgow Perkins at the age of 16, said:
One of the reasons why the business continues to thrive after 60 years is the personal service we provide. From the outset, the partners always endeavoured to give the best bespoke advice possible, and that ethos is still maintained by the current partners and staff. We genuinely take pleasure from looking after our clients and supporting them as they develop and prosper, and that’s why many of our clients have remained loyal to us for over the years.
Lithgow Perkins was formed in June 1958 when John Perkins joined founder Gilbert Lithgow. They began with a modest suite of offices and just a handful of clients. Today, the business has more than 1,100 clients.
Although Gilbert Lithgow retired in 1963, the firm continued to flourish under the leadership of John Perkins. He ran it as a sole practitioner with about 15 staff until 1975, when Dale Watler became a partner. They were later joined by fellow partners Mike Broadway, Tony Hallinan and Robert Horner.
A defining moment came in the 1980s, when the opportunity to expand throughout Yorkshire presented itself. But, in the end, the partners decided the business should remain very much a part of the Harrogate district business community, and kept Lithgow Perkins as a single practice based in the town. This meant they retained all their expertise under one roof and cemented their standing as one of the best independent accountancy firms in the area.
In 2002 Lithgow Perkins became a limited liability partnership, one of the first accountancy practices to opt for that status. John Perkins retired in 2012 and Dale Watler in 2016, and the firm is now led by partners Robert Horner, Mike Briggs and Joe Taylor, with Tony Hallinan still involved as a consultant following his retirement in 2015.
Robert Horner said:
We’re delighted to be celebrating 60 years of Lithgow Perkins in Harrogate. Thank you to all our staff for continuing to provide excellence in all that we do, and to our clients for their loyalty and allowing us the privilege of working with them throughout the development of their business.
