Accountants, business and financial advisers, Armstrong Watson, has moved into a new home in Newcastle’s multi-million-pound smart office One Strawberry Lane.
Following the acquisition of the long-standing accountancy practice Joseph Miller in January the firm has operated two locations in the city - at Waterloo Square and from the Joseph Miller offices in Milburn House, Dean Street. The move will bring the Newcastle team together under one roof and is the result of sustained growth for the 155-year-old firm in the North East.
The new office – housed within a £30m, six-storey building in the Gallowagate area of the city next to St James’ Park - has been designed by the housing association Home Group, which has moved its head office there.
Expanding on long-established offices in both Hexham and Northallerton, Armstrong Watson opened its first Newcastle practice in October 2018 and within two years had outgrown its original Quayside base. The team moved to larger premises in Waterloo Square in 2019. Since then Armstrong Watson has continued to grow across the North East, and made two of its largest acquisitions – Patricia J Arnold & Co in Hexham in 2021 and most recently Newcastle-based Joseph Miller.
The move to One Strawberry Lane continues extensive investment in Armstrong Watson’s northern stronghold and comes just months before the relocation of the firm’s head office in the centre of Carlisle to a new purpose-built site on the outskirts of the city.
Paul Dickson, CEO and Managing Partner, said: “Our growth in the North East over recent years has been rapid, and following our most recent acquisition, we needed larger premises for our growing team. We acknowledge the importance of investing in our teams, and of equal priority is the need to invest in the right environment for them to work in, and provide our clients with the best possible service.
“We now have a full-service proposition in Newcastle, with strong accounting, payroll and tax teams. This gives us an incredibly robust foundation to build on our ambitions to grow further in the North East as we continue to aim to be recognised as the go-to firm for family and owner-managed businesses across the north.”
The Newcastle team is now led by Tax Partner Hydeam Sulton, who joined Armstrong Watson in May last year and who also leads the firms’ VAT and Indirect Tax practice nationally.
He said: “The opening of our new office is a key element of our future growth and delivery plans in Newcastle and the North East. One Strawberry Lane is a landmark development and reflects our ambitions in the region.
“With the recent acquisition and now a state-of-the-art new office, this is a really exciting time. I’m really looking forward to the benefits this will bring to colleagues and clients.”
Partner David Gold added: “Apart from benefiting from a superb modern working environment, the move to the new office enables us to pool our resources more effectively, bringing our teams together to offer a comprehensive range of services to clients.”
