bk plus buys Riches and Co to expand South East footprint
Accountancy group bk plus has acquired the 45-year-old Cobham practice Riches and Co as part of a broader strategy to consolidate its national network for SME clients.
UK accountancy group bk plus has acquired Riches and Co. Accountants, a chartered practice based in Cobham, Surrey. Senior partner Richard Bolton and his team will remain in place at their existing office following the transaction. The deal underscores a continuing trend of consolidation among mid-tier accounting firms seeking broader geographic and service reach.
Founded in 1979, Riches and Co. delivers statutory accounts, audit, corporate and personal tax planning, VAT, and payroll services. Its client roster spans a wide revenue bracket, from private individuals to corporations with turnovers exceeding £60m. This diversity of revenue streams makes the practice an attractive bolt-on acquisition for a larger consolidator looking to cross-sell specialized advisory services.
Under the bk plus umbrella, Riches and Co. clients will gain access to higher-level corporate capabilities. "Our clients will notice very little difference in how we work. Same people, same approach, same level of service," Bolton said. "What they will have access to is a broader range of specialist support when they need it. Corporate finance, restructuring, complex tax planning, it is all there if a client needs it."
For bk plus, the acquisition is a deliberate move to deepen its foothold in the affluent South East market. The acquirer specifically targets long-standing, locally embedded operators that can preserve the partner-led relationships highly valued by owner-managed businesses. "Surrey and the wider South East remain important markets for us, and adding a practice of this calibre in Cobham strengthens our position there considerably," said CEO Shaun Knight.
"We have been in Cobham for over 45 years. We know our clients well, and they know us," Bolton added, emphasizing the careful deliberation behind the sale. "Joining bk plus was the right move, and we took our time to be sure of that before committing." This retention-focused approach mitigates the client attrition risks that often accompany professional services mergers.
The integration of Riches and Co. fits neatly into a wider growth trajectory for bk plus. The firm now boasts a national footprint of more than 58 offices and over 1,000 staff. Earlier this month, the company appointed Peter Herberts as director of its restructuring and insolvency practice, adding further weight to the specialized services it can now offer newly acquired firms.
