Wealth manager and Financial Planner Evelyn Partners has acquired Leathers LLP, a firm of Chartered Accountants and tax specialists with offices in Newcastle and Harrogate.

Evelyn says the deal will help expand its presence in the North.

Leathers advisers high net worth individuals, families, business owners and corporates.

The firm has been acquired for an undisclosed sum.

The firm, founded by Michael Leather in 1990, has expertise in personal and business tax planning, succession planning and property and business structuring. It also offers audit, accountancy, tax compliance and corporate finance services.

Evelyn has acquired a number of Financial Planning and other financial firms in recent times including a number of single angle advisers who have brought their clients to Evelyn. In January Evelyn appointed highly-experienced Financial Planner Gavin Tansey to its Liverpool office and absorbed his Wirral-based firm Gavin Tansey Financial Services.

Michael Leather, senior partner and founder of Leathers LLP, said: “Forward planning, client service and development of the team have been at the forefront of our success but in a changing environment, it is time for the business to gear up, extend the resources available to clients and to further develop the client service offering.

“Identifying the best way to do this has been challenging, but Evelyn Partners’ clear commitment to developing the business and their range and depth of resource have been key to the decision we took.”

Andrew Wilkes, chief professional services director of Evelyn Partners, said: “We are delighted to have acquired Leathers LLP. Michael Leather has built a highly respected firm with a great client base and one which is a very complementary fit with Evelyn Partners both in terms of expertise and culture.

“Strategically this acquisition will further develop our professional services presence in the North of England, supporting our ambition of being able to provide our range of professional services to private clients and businesses right across the UK. I look forward to welcoming Stuart Wright and Ryan Harrison to the partnership group where their expertise and experience will be a great asset to us in developing our professional services offering in the North of England.”

Evelyn Partners  was created following the merger of Tilney and Smith & Williamson in 2020 and has £53bn in assets under management (December 2022).