A REGIONAL law firm has merged with one of Southampton's oldest solicitors.

Dutton Gregory, continues its expansion plans with a merger with Page Gulliford & Gregory, which was founded in 1789 – the year of the French Revolution.

Andrew Tilley, managing Partner at Dutton Gregory, will head the new merged company which will be known as Dutton Gregory incorporating Page Gulliford & Gregory.

Fiona Coulter, managing partner for Page Gulliford & Gregory will be stepping down to pursue her other business interests, said a spokesman for Dutton Gregory.

Page Gulliford and Gregory have around 25 staff and the new company will have 160 employees.

The firm, which has offices in Cumberland Place, has a strong commercial and private property department.

The offices at Cumberland Place – which have parking and overlook West Park – will stay open for the next two years at least and some members of the existing Dutton Gregory team will move into help with the integration.

Andrew Tilley said: “We are always open to approaches by firms and people who fit with the Dutton Gregory culture. Page Gulliford and Gregory was, for us, a perfect fit and enables us to have a prime Southampton location from which to offer support and services to our clients.

Fiona Coulter said “We are proud of our long established loyal client following and with the addition of Dutton Gregory we are now able to offer those clients a far wider range of services than we ever could before.”

The merger takes effect from May 1.

This is the second firm Dutton Gregory – which has office offices in Chandler’s Ford, Winchester, Poole and Bournemouth – has taken over this year.

In January the firm announced a merger with Turners solicitors, a near neighbour in Poole Road, Bournemouth, who were founded in 1898.