The new hires include two team leaders: Anne Cerexhe, who works between the firm’s Kelso and Berwick offices, and tax specialist Marie Gilmour, who is based in Melrose.

Joining them are Anna Hutchison and Carina Tait in senior accounts, who will be based at Rennie Welch’s Berwick and Kelso offices respectively. The firm has also recruited payroll assistant Cheryl Storie and trainee accounts assistants James Crombie and Jamie Finnen, who are all based in Kelso.

In addition to these new recruits, the firm has also welcomed Ailie Herbert, who joins as receptionist in the Kelso office.

The firm, headquartered in Kelso, said its new staff have joined amid a significant growth spell and new client wins for the firm as the UK economy emerges from the impact of Covid-19.

Rennie Welch has a long-established reputation as an agricultural accounting and taxation specialist and, in recent years, has also built a strong client base within retail, manufacturing, hotel, construction, catering and service industries.

The firm’s current growth spell follows its 2019 merger with Berwick-based accountants Optimus Accounting Limited and subsequent move into a larger premises in town’s Ramparts Business Park. The Melrose office was opened in 2014.

Managing partner Gordon Chisholm said: “We’re delighted to welcome seven new recruits to the firm, covering a range of levels from trainees to team leaders.

“While the early stages of the pandemic were a challenge, we are now seeing a real upturn in business and significant economic growth. We want to ensure we have capacity to maximise the opportunities this offers to our clients.

“We are also investing in the longer term by bringing on new talent to ensure we are able to further grow our client base, primarily across Scotland and the north-east of England, into the future.”