This month (March 2026) marks ten years since Gary Cornwell took over the reins at Lewis & Co from Barney Lewis, who established the firm 40 years ago. Over that time, Lewis & Co has grown from Gary and David Southall, to also include Adam Bailey and Lorraine Kendall.
Gary first walked through our door in Southborough as a student on work experience! At that point, he had been thinking about becoming a chef and accountancy wasn’t on his radar at all – but Barney changed his mind!
“Looking back, I was really lucky with how Barney supported me during those two weeks,” says Gary. “I realise that work experience for many students means making the tea and filing but Barney took the time to introduce me to the world of accountancy.”
Gary obviously impressed Barney, as he was offered the opportunity to work at Lewis & Co during his school holidays. From then on, his growing interest in accountancy led Gary to studying it at the University of Northampton, alongside sports studies. Then, in 2003, he joined Lewis & Co full-time as an accounts assistant.
“It was a case of being in the right place at the right time,” says Gary. “More than 20 years later, I am in the unusual position of having never had a job interview or, indeed, needed to write a CV.”
Gary went on to study for his AAT exams, before moving onto his ACCA qualifications.
In March 2016, Barney retired from the business and passed the mantle of Managing Director to Gary.
“I was fortunate to take over a well-established and well-regarded business and we continue to be that friendly practice Barney created,” says Gary. “I am proud that we have recorded year on year growth over the past decade and have increased our client base. However, we are also pleased to still be acting for many clients welcomed to the firm by Barney, who have stayed with us over the years.”
Today, Lewis & Co’s four-strong team continues to focus on providing accountancy support to both individuals and businesses.
“My goal for the next ten years at the helm is ‘more of the same’,” says Gary. “However, we acknowledge that 2026 looks challenging for Sole Traders, with the roll-out of MTD (Making Tax Digital) and we will continue to support our clients, as they navigate this new world.”