A LONG-SERVING member of a Suffolk accountancy firm has retired after 35 years.Alan Grant joined Ballams Chartered Accountants, based in Ipswich, in 1972 and was made a partner the following year.

A LONG-SERVING member of a Suffolk accountancy firm has retired after 35 years.

Alan Grant joined Ballams Chartered Accountants, based in Ipswich, in 1972 and was made a partner the following year.

In 1995, he became senior partner and held this position until 2002 when he stepped down and handed over the reins to present senior partner Simon Marriage.

Since then, he has been a part-time partner, taking direct responsibility for the firm's administration.

Mr Grant, now aged 60, has retired as a partner but will be retained for four days a week on a consultancy basis. He will continue to look after a number of clients and will also be involved with the firm's administration.

“It is company policy that partners retire at the age of 60 and I'm relishing the opportunity of having a little more time for trips to the gym and getting the garden up to scratch, something I have been planning to do for the last 20 years,” he said.

Part of Mr Grant's role will be taken over by Marc Howes, who joined the firm as a trainee in 1993 and qualified as a certified accountant in 1999. He was made partner in 2005. As well as managing a number of client accounts, his direct responsibilities include overseeing IT systems.

Mr Marriage thanked Mr Grant for his “tremendous contribution and commitment” to the business, and said they were pleased he would be staying with them on a consultancy basis.