Chess is Osborne again

Telecoms specialist drafts in chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne to open its new offices after strongest ever financial performance

Chess showed George Osborne how to balance the books in style after the chancellor opened its new Alderley Edge offices.

The telecoms provider has moved to larger offices and celebrated its strongest growth performance in its 19-year history, becoming one of the area's largest employers with 180 staff serving 28,000 customers.

It moved offices after a continued period of sustained growth to more than £40m turnover. Chess has also completed more than 60 acquisitions over the past eight years.

Osborne first visited Chess in 2005 when he was shadow chancellor. Since his last visit, Chess has gained a wealth of accolades for excellence, innovation and service, including being listed as one of the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For, for the past three years; the Sunday Times Fast Track 100; Profit Track 100 and Tech Track 100.

David Pollock, chief executive of Chess, said: "Chess moved into telecoms following the deregulation of the market. Since then we have enjoyed rapid growth. The key to our success has been our people, who have made us one of the UK's Best Companies to Work For and to be a customer of."

Pollock added that the firm has ambitious growth plans for the future.

"[Osborne] was pleased to hear we are taking advantage of the government's growth stimulation package ‘Funding for Lending’ to secure an additional £5m funding through Barclays, which will further boost our acquisition strategy and see more employment created. This year alone we have created 37 new jobs."

In a statement, Osborne said: "Chess is one of Alderley Edge’s great success stories. I opened their existing office seven years ago and in that time they have more than doubled the number of people employed by them to become one of the most advanced companies in the country. Opening these new offices points to an even better future and the enthusiasm, energy and optimism of all the staff is infectious.”