An accountancy firm has announced plans for further expansion after relocating to Bradford city centre.

Carringtons, an accountancy and business advice firm, has moved into new offices at a former woollen mill in Mill Street.

Today partner Keith Ratcliffe said the move showed the firm, which employs 30 staff, had faith in the city as a good place to do business.

It had previously been located in Ilkley Road, Otley, but Mr Ratcliffe said the move was needed to enable the firm to attract new staff.

He said it was hoped to increase the workforce by around 50 per cent in the next two years.

"We are getting more and more clients and the offices in Otley were rented and were simply not big enough. When we were looking at new premises, Bradford seemed ideal," he said.

"The move will give us a better opportunity to attract new people of all calibres. It was very hard to recruit staff in Otley and I think this gives us a much bigger catchment area."

The company has invested heavily in restoring the historic building and transforming it into four floors of office space.

And Mr Ratcliffe said the firm was now reaping the rewards of returning to the city, where it was formerly based in Manor Row.

"At first I was a bit dubious about going back to Bradford from Otley, but now I think the move is the best thing that we have ever done," he said.

"The building looks tremendous now. We have faith in the and city its future which is why we naturally looked to Bradford." The long-established firm boasts partners with specialist expertise in tax affairs, auditing, insurance and computing.

And Mr Ratcliffe said he believed the practice's success was due to its proactive philosphy.

"I think there is always a niche market for a company that is doing things a bit differently," he said.

"I think the traditional accountants practices tend to offer the same services as their father's generation and I don't think that can continue."