³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Scottish accountancy firm Campbell Dallas has expanded its business in Ayrshire and the south of Scotland by acquiring Kilmarnock firm W White & Co.

The deal will see 14 staff transfer with immediate effect, including founder Bill White, who becomes a consultant.

Campbell Dallas expects to gain about £1m in turnover from the move.

The firm said its new Kilmarnock office would give it a permanent base from which to develop the Ayrshire market.

Campbell Dallas already has 180 employees across four offices in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Perth and Stirling.

Managing partner Chris Horne said: "Ayrshire is an area the firm is keen to develop further and my fellow partner, Donald Boyd, has advised a good number of existing clients within the area for many years.

"There is a band of really high quality businesses in this market, and we think there is demand for our entrepreneurial approach to advising clients."

Meanwhile, East Lothian-based accountants N C Campbell & Co have announced a merger with Berwick-upon-Tweed firm Greaves West & Ayre.

The combined firm will consist of 11 partners and 104 staff and will operate from existing offices in Haddington and Berwick-upon-Tweed.

The expanded firm will be called Greaves West & Ayre (incorporating N C Campbell & Co).

The companies said the move would allow the new entity to provide a "consistent base for expansion in each location for the foreseeable future".

N C Campbell & Co partner Ewan Millar said: "In Greaves West & Ayre we have found a like-minded organisation that shares the same traditional values of quality client care to businesses of all sizes across all sectors.

"We can more effectively safeguard the future of our employees in Haddington and the relationships with our clients in the long term.

"Being part of a larger organisation, we will have increased capacity to help our clients with any issues they may have."