THE firm that collates figures for Essex’s top businesses has itself won a top award.

Grant Thornton was awarded the Global Firm of the Year title at this year’s British Accountancy Awards.

This is the second time in three years that the Chelmsford based firm has beaten other major accountancy companies to win the accolade.

Grant Thornton is well known in the Essex business community for its annual report on the county’s economy, which it prepares in coordination with the Essex legal firm Beckett Long. Now in its sixth year, the report is unique in surveying the Essex economy as a stand-alone entity.

Paul Dearsley, head of Grant Thornton, Essex, said: “There’s nothing quite so gratifying as awards that are voted for by those who work with us every day.”

Kevin Reed, editor of the magazines Accountancy Age and financial director said: “Grant Thornton should be proud, and rightly so, of scooping the Global Firm of the Year Award.

“The prize was given after a detailed survey of Financial Director’s readers.”