PwC announces closure of 40-strong Hull office
Big Four professional services firm PwC has continued its period of altering regional presences with the news that it will close its Hull office in 2020. The Humberside office currently employs 40 staff, who are expected to be merged with PwC’s larger centre in Leeds.
With the UK facing a potentially turbulent few years on the back of continuing Brexit uncertainty, many firms are seeking external advice on their business plan for the coming period. To better match this morphing regional need, PwC has been working to expand or consolidate its operations across the UK to better match the demands of clients in each area.
Earlier in the year, the firm said it would grow its presence in the UK’s second city in 2019, moving to a new office in Birmingham. However, the firm is expected to close six regional offices: two internal memos leaked to the British media revealed PwC’s intent to close offices in Sheffield, Plymouth, Liverpool, Norwich, Swansea and Dungannon, in Northern Ireland. Sheffield, in particular, was a surprise member of the list, having only been opened in 2014.
Now, the auditing and advisory giant has confirmed it is closing its Hull office in 2020. The company employs 40 people at its Humber Quays offices in the Marina, and has announced that it will now merge these roles with its larger regional branch in Leeds. According to PwC, no jobs will be lost as a result of this manoeuvre, and clients will continue to be served across the region. The move is forecast to complete by 2020, having already begun in the spring. This has seen around half of the staff at PwC in Hull already relocate.
PwC said the move would “bring people and technology together to deliver a broader range of services to clients.” The firm further clarified that the announcement reflects the firm’s continued investment in a number of regions across the country, including its Reading technology industry hub, and expansions in Bristol, Belfast, Edinburgh and Manchester. Meanwhile, Hull has not entirely lost its PwC presence, as the firm has stressed that some of the staff will be working remotely from home, and could still be based in the city.
Commenting on the news, a PwC spokesperson said, “This relocation of staff from our Hull office reflects a dynamic client and market environment, which means we’re constantly reviewing the way we deliver services to our clients. We are committed to supporting our clients across the UK and will continue to provide a broad range of advice to clients on their issues and opportunities, ranging from Brexit and developing export markets to cyber security and exploiting the potential of technology.”