Accountant hangs up calculator after 40 years’ service

A WELL-KNOWN Preston accountant has announced his retirement from the firm he joined straight from college in 1967.

Peter Metcalf has bid farewell to the Preston office of Moore and Smalley Chartered Accountants after 43 years, but will still remain advising some of the firm’s charity clients.

Peter, aged 62, who lives in Fulwood, joined Moore and Smalley from Preston Catholic College as an articled clerk and qualified in 1973. He was made a partner in 1977 and had a varied client portfolio of commercial and not for profit organisations.

He developed a reputation for his work with charities and holds a Diploma in Charity accounting. Peter now occupies a number of official roles for various charities including The Harris Museum, The Harris Charity, Preston Relief in Need, Gift92 and Galloways. In his leisure time Peter has been treasurer of Great Eccleston Cricket Club for over 35 years and two years ago was appointed chairman of the Palace Shield cricket league, of which Moore and Smalley are longstanding sponsors.

Peter, who will continue to work with charities following his retirement, said: “I have enjoyed a wonderful career with Moore and Smalley but I won’t be retiring in the general sense for a while given my charity commitments.

“The business world has changed enormously with tighter financial regulation and technology, but both have been for the better. Moore and Smalley has grown substantially since my early days, but our culture of working closely to our clients remains the same today.

“We’ve always been committed to investing in youth and our current graduate training programme has been recognised at national level so I think the partnership have a bright future ahead. I’ll be sorry to leave the firm, but I will enjoy sitting on the other side of the fence through my various roles with charities.”

David Ingram, managing partner at Moore and Smalley, said: “Peter has made an immense contribution to Moore and Smalley and we thank him for this. Some of the clients Peter has advised have been with the firm for over 100 years so it highlights how committed Moore and Smalley is to long-term relationships.”