A BASINGSTOKE business has moved out of its Basing View offices relocating all its staff to Reading or Southampton.

RSM, which was based at Springpark House, in Basing View since 2002, decided to close its Basingstoke office to “consolidate its national office network”.

The audit, tax and consulting firm, which has more than 57,000 employees in offices across the world, said all 60 employees at the Basingstoke office have relocated.

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The news will come as a blow to the town after Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council invested money to regenerate Basing View to boost the economic recovery of the borough.

RSM, which is a sponsor of the 2023 Basingstoke Inspire Business Awards despite no longer being in the town, was previously known as Baker Tilly.

The firm merged its two Basingstoke offices in 2014, when staff based at its Vantage offices, in Victoria Street, moved to the firm’s base at Springpark House.

It then rebranded to RSM following a merger of Baker Tilly and RSM Tenon.

A statement from RSM UK said the company “took the decision to close its Basingstoke office to help further consolidate its national office network”.

It added: “The office employed 60 people, including four partners and two directors, all of whom were offered, as part of an extensive consultation process, the choice to relocate to the firm’s Reading or Southampton offices.

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“RSM maintains a strong presence throughout the UK’s southern counties. This, coupled with the agile working practices and remote technology that the firm has deployed since the start of the pandemic will help ensure RSM’s relocating team continues to provide the same high-quality services to clients as part of the consolidated practice.”

The Basingstoke office closed on January 31.

It comes after Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council decided to end an agreement with Muse Developments for the £500m regeneration of Basing View.

The council and Muse partnered for more than a decade, delivering significant improvements to the Basingstoke town centre business area including enhanced shared open space and landscaping and a new 45,000 sqft headquarters for Eli Lilly and Company with the hope of boosting the economic recovery of the borough.

However, RSM is the second business to have moved out of Basing View in recent months after Desklodge shut in September 2022.

The AA has also put Fanum House, its headquarters in Basing View, up for sale after deciding the 47-year-old building no longer meets its needs.

Leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council Cllr Simon Minas-Bound said: “We understand that organisations have to take these decisions from time to time for specific business reasons. It is not something that we can control or influence.

“Financial and professional services are one of four high-growth clusters in the borough, we continue to work to attract more companies and we are keen to support the development of this sector of our economy.

“Our borough is a great place to do business and this is reflected by the high levels of employment and business start-ups, and by the many businesses which are thriving, expanding and creating more jobs locally.

“We will be looking at other interesting opportunities for this property in Basing View.”