IT all began to add up today for Garbutt & Elliott, one of North Yorkshire's biggest firms of chartered accountants and business advisers, as its 80 staff moved out of their historic York base in Monkgate and into modern premises at Arabesque House in Monks Cross, Huntington.

Apart from computer equipment, they moved masses of boxed files and office equipment into their new two-floor 10,000 sq ft home - former York outpost of Sara Lee, which recently crashed when new owner Hibernia Foods went into administration in January.

And nobody shirked their removal duties - not even managing director David Dickson, who led the procession with, fittingly, some of the heaviest burdens, including a file server.

The practice was transferring from Monkgate House, the period property which was once the home of rail magnate George Hudson.

The move has freed up the Georgian buildings for a sale worth potentially millions of pounds through Blacks property consultants in Main Street, Fulford.

Individual former partners at Garbutt & Elliott stand to benefit.

Mr Dickson said: "At the moment, interested parties are being shown around Monkgate House and an invitation to tender will be completed this month.

"Without exception interested people are looking to convert the building back into residential use and to convert its car park into residential use as well.

"We are selling without any consents for housing and the buyer will have to make appropriate applications to the council. It is an unconditional offer."

The Arabesque House offices, with numerous swish client meeting areas and huge open plan air conditioned offices will allow the organisation room to expand.

For Mr Dickson, there are other advantages. In the same Arabesque House quadrangle is Business Link York and North Yorkshire of which he is a director and the Pension and Benefits Services Ltd, one of his clients.

"So I'll have no excuses to be late for meetings at either of these buildings. Nor will I be able to claim mileage expenses against my tax!" he said.

Updated: 10:45 Friday, July 09, 2004