About Smethurst & Co
Since 1946, Smethurst & Co has been Grimsby’s trusted accounting partner. We’re in our 80th year and combine traditional values with modern expertise to deliver plain-speaking advice you can rely on.
Rooted in tradition, focused on your future
In the heart of Grimsby, amidst the economic fluctuations of post-war Britain, Smethurst & Co opened its doors in 1946. What began as a small accounting practice has grown into a respected institution, standing firm through decades of change while never wavering from our founding principles.
For 80 years, we have witnessed the transformation of accounting from ledger books to cloud computing. We’ve guided businesses through countless economic cycles and regulatory changes. And throughout it all, we’ve maintained what matters most: genuine relationships with the people behind the numbers.
2026 marks 80 years in Grimsby
As we celebrate our 80th birthday in 2026, our commitment remains unchanged -to provide exceptional accounting services delivered by real people who care about your business as much as you do.
We remain fiercely independent, and whatever the business climate, we will stay true to our roots and the values that have defined us for generations.
Making accounting accessible, not intimidating
We believe in traditional values, but also embrace new technologies, such as cloud accounting, that are transforming accountancy, bookkeeping and payroll.
Our approach is built on these core principles:
Plain-speaking expertise
We don't bamboozle you with jargon, just plain-speaking expertise. Our job is to translate the complex financial stuff so you can make better business decisions.
Direct access to decision-makers
Senior accountants and partners work directly on your business and oversee the full team. The same faces will help you year after year. We pick up the phone when you call. We answer your emails.
Working in partnership
We believe that a partnership approach to working with our clients gets the best results. We are looking out for you and your business, helping and advising on best practice and ways to improve efficiency, and, of course, we are always here to answer any questions or queries you may have.
Seamless scalability
As your business grows, our services adapt with you. We provide the right level of support at each stage of your journey, from startup guidance to funding preparation to expansion strategy.
Meet the faces behind the figures
At Smethurst & Co, our people are our greatest asset. A good indicator of a company culture is their turnover of staff, and we are proud to say that our team sticks around. In fact, our 22 team members have over 350 years of combined experience at Smethurst & Co.
For our clients, this means the person who works on their business, learning its intricacies and quirks today, will likely be the same person advising them years from now.
All our team is based in our office in Grimsby at 12 Abbey Road, where we have been for the last 50+ years. So you know exactly where to find us!
OUR PARTNERS
Lee Brown
Partner
More about Lee Brown
Lee is a true company man – he’s spent his entire career at Smethurst & Co, starting as a trainee “a lifetime ago” and working his way up to partner over thirty-something years.
That experience has been invaluable, giving him expertise across all types of clients, from personal tax and subcontractors to large companies, with particular specialisms in agriculture, the motor industry, construction, and hospitality.
What Lee loves most about his work is the people – “everyone has a story to tell!” he says. A self-described “simple northern lad,” Lee is practical and takes pleasure in life’s smaller things: good food, nice beer, and good company. When he’s not advising clients, you’ll find him playing guitar (badly, by his own admission!), watching rugby, enjoying a pint at the pub, walking in the countryside, or indulging his love of music and reading.
His philosophy? “Common sense is instinct, enough of it is genius” – a George Bernard Shaw quote that perfectly captures his down-to-earth approach.
Chloe Tams FCA
Partner
More about Chloe Tams
Chloé has been with Smethurst & Co since her A-levels, working her way up to become a chartered accountant in 2012 and partner in 2017. She oversees all departments and works with an incredibly diverse range of clients – from sole traders and owner-managed businesses to charities and all things construction.
What she loves most about the job is meeting such a variety of people and being part of what she describes as a “robust team that feels like a second family.”
When she’s not thrashing out business plans with Lee and Helen (often leading to hysteria!), you’ll find Chloé at home with her partner, two children, and their Westie, Frank. She’s passionate about camping, day trips, and feeding people – including herself.
Her motto? “I’ve been thinking” – which probably explains why she’s always full of ideas, even if there aren’t enough hours in the day to implement them all!
Helen Spauls FCA, CTA
Partner
More about Helen Spauls
Helen has been with Smethurst & Co since 2000, joining straight from A-levels and working her way up to become a partner in 2017.
Over 25 years, she’s built up expertise across all areas of general practice, but her real passion lies in helping people navigate the complex world of tax – from VAT and corporation tax to personal tax matters. She works with a diverse range of clients, including medical practices, property businesses, retail businesses, and engineering firms.
What drives Helen is working with people and making the tax minefield more manageable while keeping everyone on the right side of the law.
Outside of work, she’s always busy – serving as chair of governors at Waltham Leas Primary Academy, organising events, and enjoying family time with her husband and children.
You’ll find her on the tennis court, in the stands cheering on Grimsby Town (she’s a lifelong supporter!), or glued to Formula 1 races. She loves trying new foods and experiences on family holidays.
Meet the Smethurst team
SENIOR ACCOUNTANCY TEAM
Christopher Ward FCCA
Senior Accountant
More about Christopher Ward
Christopher joined Smethurst & Co when the firm merged with Wilson Sharpe & Co, where he originally trained.
He specialises in preparing accounts and tax returns for a diverse range of clients, including limited companies, sole traders, partnerships, charities, and clubs.
What Christopher loves most about his role is the variety – working with different types of clients across various trades and industries, each with their own accounting systems, means he’s doing something different every day.
He enjoys the continuous learning aspect too, keeping up to date with changing regulations through ongoing training and research. His particular areas of expertise include limited company accounts, business tax, and charity accounts.
Outside of work, Christopher has a passion for travel and loves exploring new places whenever he gets the chance.
Emma Brown ACA
Senior Accountant
More about Emma Brown
Emma is a true Smethurst & Co success story – she joined the firm at 18 with no accounting experience and worked her way up, completing her Level 3 and 4 AAT qualifications and then her chartered accounting qualification, all while working here.
Her role is wonderfully varied, from helping with practice management one day to putting together accounts and tax returns the next. She works with all types of clients, particularly subcontractors and taxpayers, with specialist expertise in CIS and farm accounts.
What gives Emma the biggest satisfaction? “Balancing an account when it’s been really complicated and taken a while” – there’s nothing quite like that moment when everything finally clicks into place!
A Grimsby girl through and through, Emma secretly loves the quiet life of living in a small town and describes herself as “a home girl at heart.” When she’s not working, you’ll find her enjoying long walks with her dog, husband, and baby girl, or planning the next holiday or weekend break.
Her motto? “Woohoo, it’s FRIDAY!”
Hannah Kearton ACA
Senior Accountant
More about Hannah Kearton
Hannah has been with Smethurst & Co for 19 years, joining straight from college and building her entire career with the firm.
She prepares annual accounts and tax computations for a diverse range of clients, including sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, and individuals, with a particular specialism in agriculture.
Hannah also has become the go-to person for training clients on online software, helping them navigate any issues they encounter.
She’s passionate about mentoring too, having trained new staff members through their AAT qualifications. What Hannah loves most about her job is that every client is different – she gets real satisfaction from taking a client’s records and organising them into something truly useful.
A hardworking perfectionist who always puts others first, Hannah is a new mum to her amazing little boy. When she’s not working, you’ll find her enjoying computer games, crafting (crochet, knitting, and cross-stitch), reading, or spending precious time with her family.
Tom Howden ACA
Senior Accountant
More about Tom Howden
Tom has been with Smethurst & Co since leaving college and completed his ICAEW Chartered Accountancy exams in 2021.
He’s built up expertise in preparing accounts for all types of businesses, from limited companies and sole traders to partnerships, individuals, and charities. He also works in tax and VAT in an advisory role and regularly meets with clients to help them set up and learn their accounting software.
Tom has developed particular specialisms working with medical professionals, retail businesses, and charities, plus he’s become something of an expert in partial exemption VAT. What he loves most about his job is the variety – “no one day is the same, every day you learn something new.”
When he’s not crunching numbers, you’ll find Tom cheering on his teams: the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL and Manchester United in football, or enjoying quality time with friends and family.
Mark Siddle MAAT
Senior Accountant
More about Mark Siddle
Mark is a Kaplan Financial Scholar from 2014 who brings a unique mix of precision and personality to his work at Smethurst & Co.
His role spans accounts preparation, bookkeeping supervision, and personal and business tax for sole traders, partnerships, and limited companies across various sectors, with a particular specialism in the motor trade.
Beyond client work, Mark is passionate about training junior staff and loves getting involved in recruitment. What he loves most about his job is mentoring trainees, developing professional relationships with clients, and enjoying the variety of tasks that keep every day interesting.
Mark believes his humorous side brings out the best in himself and those around him, creating a friendly, positive, and productive working environment.
When he’s not at work, you’ll find this dedicated Grimsby Town season ticket holder following the team home and away, coaching junior football, or indulging his passion for F1 and Superbike racing.
ACCOUNTANCY & BOOKKEEPING
Sophie Manders MAAT
Accountant
More about Sophie Manders
Sophie is an AAT qualified accounts assistant who plays a vital role in helping put accounts together, along with preparing VAT returns and personal returns.
What she particularly enjoys about her work is the repetition of some areas of the job, finding satisfaction in the familiar rhythms and processes that come with experience and doing a job well..
Sophie’s personal motto is “You can do this” – something she often says to herself for motivation. Her positive self-talk approach shows her determination to tackle whatever challenges come her way, making her a reliable and essential member of the Smethurst & Co team.
Jean Mumby MAAT
Accountant
More about Jean Mumby
Jean brings four decades of experience to her role as an AAT qualified accountant, and she genuinely loves what she does.
She prepares client accounts, VAT and tax returns from client information, working with a diverse range of businesses, including landlords with rental properties, tradesmen, fishmongers, retailers, and hospitality businesses. Her main specialisms are rental properties, subcontractors, sole traders, and ‘one-man’ limited companies.
What Jean finds most satisfying is seeing the finished result – “after collating various pieces of information together, the ‘jigsaw’ is complete.”
Family-oriented and happily married with two grown-up children and a grandson, Jean’s happy place is Belmullet on the west coast of Ireland, where she spent all her childhood holidays.
When she’s not working, you’ll find her at music festivals, watching football, going to the cinema and theatre or hunting for bargains at car boot sales.
Her philosophy? “Dance like nobody’s watching, love like you’ve never been hurt, sing like nobody’s listening, live like it’s heaven on earth.”
Mandy Overy
Bookkeeper
More about Mandy Overy
Mandy has been with Smethurst & Co for an impressive 35 years, starting in reception and the general office before taking on bookkeeping and Sage courses to advance her role.
She handles all aspects of maintaining client records, including entering purchase and sales invoices, bank information, and preparing MGD returns and VAT returns on a quarterly basis. Her diverse client portfolio includes retail businesses, car garages, hospitality venues, Clubs and associations, pubs and hotels, fish merchants, butchers, construction and groundwork companies.
Mandy loves a challenge and has a special ‘soft spot’ for complex VAT coding alongside MGD workings, and fishermen with their multiple vessels.
She loves the process of taking all the information, entering it, putting it all together, and seeing the final product.
Outside of work, she enjoys family gatherings, walking with her dog and family, attending concerts, listening to music, and getting out for a run and exercise
Denise Chase
Bookkeeper
More about Denise Chase
Denise has been with Smethurst & Co for 19 years, bringing valuable experience from her previous 10 years in credit control.
She completed her AAT qualification in July 2010 and now handles the daily essentials of bookkeeping – inputting sales and purchase invoices, reconciling bank accounts, liaising with clients, and producing VAT returns.
Her diverse client base includes window companies, roofing companies, funeral directors, arcade suppliers, farms, veterinary surgeries, and removal companies.
What gives Denise the most satisfaction? “When everything balances” – that perfect moment when all the numbers align.
A mother of two grown-up, married children, Denise’s greatest joy comes from spending time with her two grandchildren. She’s very involved in her church, working in Sunday school and greeting at the door. When she’s not working, Denise enjoys many crafts, walking and has recently discovered a passion for cruise holidays.
Her philosophy? “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
Sarah Watson
Bookkeeper
More about Sarah Watson
Sarah has been with Smethurst & Co for 7 years, bringing extensive experience from maintaining her husband’s company books for many years prior.
She’s skilled across various platforms, including Sage, Xero, and QuickBooks, handling everything from maintaining financial records and preparing VAT returns to CIS deductions and partial exemption work.
Her diverse client base spans contractors (plumbing, electrical, window firms, joinery), farms, cleaning companies, GP surgeries, hospitality, retailers, seafood merchants, butchers, and bakers. Sarah thrives on variety – “it makes every day different”.
What she loves most is organising: “I like to see how the jobs I do come together and are all in order and correct when I finish.”
Sarah is very much a family person who admits she never thought she’d enjoy office work until she discovered bookkeeping. She can honestly say she loves her job and the company she works for. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys travelling, reading, spending time with family and friends, looking after her grandchildren, and going to music concerts.
Her motto? “Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you will land among the stars.”
Georgina Durrant
Trainee Accountant
More about Georgina Durrant
Mandy has been with Smethurst & Co for an impressive 35 years, starting in reception and the general office before taking on bookkeeping and Sage courses to advance her role.
She handles all aspects of maintaining client records, including entering purchase and sales invoices, bank information, and preparing MGD returns and VAT returns on a quarterly basis. Her diverse client portfolio includes retail businesses, car garages, hospitality venues, Clubs and associations, pubs and hotels, fish merchants, butchers, construction and groundwork companies.
Mandy loves a challenge and has a special ‘soft spot’ for complex VAT coding alongside MGD workings, and fishermen with their multiple vessels.
She loves the process of taking all the information, entering it, putting it all together, and seeing the final product.
Outside of work, she enjoys family gatherings, walking with her dog and family, attending concerts, listening to music, and getting out for a run and exercise. At 22, Georgina moved home from university in Leeds to start her accounting career with Smethurst & Co. While her key role is assisting in the production of accounts, she’s also become heavily involved in client communication and office organisation – helped by the fact that her desk is in reception, so she gets to converse with all clients.
Having grown up around hospitality, she finds those accounts particularly interesting and relatable, though she enjoys seeing a variety of companies and is happy working with any sector.
Georgina is working through her AAT qualification and what she loves most about her role is learning new things and seeing her progress from one set of accounts to the next.
Working alongside her training makes the learning easier, as she’s able to implement what she’s studying and develop her understanding further through real-world application.
Mackenzie Welton
Trainee Accountant
More about Mackenzie Welton
Mackenzie has completed his AAT Level 3 and is now working towards Level 4 while gaining hands-on experience completing accounts for companies, sole traders, and partnerships.
He also handles bookkeeping and VAT returns, primarily working with limited companies. His particular areas of interest include property companies and dealership/car sales companies – sectors that clearly capture his attention.
What Mackenzie enjoys most about his role is the problem-solving aspect, tackling the challenges that come with each unique business situation.
Outside of work, he’s interested in new technology and enjoys playing video games.
His approach to work is guided by a Henry Ford quote that resonates with him: “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking” – a philosophy that reflects his commitment to maintaining high standards even when nobody’s watching.
OUR PAYROLL TEAM
Tina Major
Payroll Manager
More about Tina Major
Tina heads up our payroll team and is responsible for processing employee wages and ensuring compliance with payroll regulations for a wide range of clients, from retail businesses and GP medical centres to fish merchants and many more.
She organises clients’ payroll records, addresses all payroll-related enquiries, calculates pension deductions, and keeps up to date with Pension Regulator guidelines.
What Tina loves most about her job? “The colleagues I work with.” She describes herself as “gobby, opinionated, bossy” but would always put herself out to “do anything for anyone.”
Her family are her world and take up a lot of her time outside of work, but she also loves being at the beach, hiking, going on holidays, and enjoying a good book. One of her favourite things is “a lunch on a mountain with a view” – especially if there’s a beautiful sunset to watch.
Her philosophy? Oscar Wilde’s wisdom: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
Lauren Hoe
Payroll Processor
More about Lauren Hoe
Lauren handles the essential payroll functions at Smethurst & Co, processing wages, dealing with client queries, and managing pension assessments and declarations for a variety of clients.
Lauren has a wonderfully grounded approach to life, focusing on taking things one day at a time and finding happiness in the little moments – a perspective that brings positivity and authenticity to everything she does.
Her outlook is guided by an optimistic philosophy: “Everything will be ok in the end. If it’s not ok, it’s not the end.”
Rebecca Elliott
Payroll and CIS Processor
More about Rebecca Elliott
Rebecca is an AAT qualified payroll specialist with over 20 years’ experience in the industry. She’s responsible for processing employee wages and ensuring compliance with relevant payroll regulations, as well as handling subcontractor payments for contractors and making the necessary CIS submissions to HMRC.
Working with a wide range of clients from sole traders to limited companies, Rebecca brings extensive expertise to every payroll challenge. What she loves most about her job is working with a great team – something that clearly energises her daily work.
Rebecca is kept busy with her family and describes her house as “crazy, and I love it.” She’s always on the go, ticking off the endless jobs on her task list, but finds time to unwind by getting out with her dogs while listening to her latest favourite podcast.
Her philosophy reflects her positive outlook: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
HOLDING US ALL TOGETHER
Charlene Charlton
Office Manager
More about Charlene Charlton
Charlene is the friendly face you’ll meet when you visit Smethurst & Co, handling all the general office work that keeps everything running smoothly.
She works with all clients, answering phones, greeting visitors, and taking care of the essential tasks like sending out client correspondence. She also handles the broader company office administration work that ensures the business operates efficiently behind the scenes.
What Charlene enjoys most about her role is the variety – no two days are quite the same, and she gets to interact with the full range of clients who come through the door. Charlene brings a warm, professional approach to her role as the first point of contact for clients visiting the practice.
As a busy mum, her time outside work is mainly dedicated to kids’ activities, keeping her on her toes both at work and at home.
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Our pricing promise
We don’t promise to be the cheapest, nor are we the most expensive.
What we are is fair and competitively priced. Fair in our pricing, fair throughout the work we do for you, and fair in genuinely investing time to support you and your business.