A MAJOR stockbroking firm has closed its Abingdon office with key staff moving to a rival.

The Stert Street office of Redmayne Bentley has now shut with investment managers Helen Merrington-Rust, John Shelvey and Sara Anscombe moving to Charles Stanley in St Aldate’s, Oxford, doubling its team.

Charles Stanley branch manager Simon Scott-White said: “We have been working on this for about 18 months and it is a really good match for us. The possibilities to expand and service more clients in and around Oxfordshire are significant.”

There have been no redundancies as a result of the Redmayne Bentley branch closure, with broker Ann Lillies deciding to retire.

Company spokesman Paul Fitzjohn said: “All clients have been notified and given the option to move their accounts either to our head office in Leeds or to the Henley branch.”