It was celebration time last night for Cheltenham-based property and planning consultants Evans Jones who marked 50 years in business with a party.

Staff, families and clients descended on St George's Place for the party hosted by former England rugby player Phil Vickery as an outdoor space between his No. 3 Restaurant and Evans Jones' offices.

Punchline editor Mark Owen was there to chat to director David Jones whose father Prys Jones founded the firm in 1972 along with his partner Eric Evans.

Now run as a second generation family business by Mr Jones and co-director Ian Eggleton, the firm has gone from strength to strength.

Mr Jones said there were property developers, landowners and business owners in attendance, as well as staff and families, including his mother .

"She was here on July 1st 1972 when the business was set up by my father and Eric Evans. They made a massively brave move of coming out of the public sector into private practice and set up the company."

Mr Jones said 1973-74 was a particularly difficult year with the Yom Kippur War, a four-fold increase in oil prices and the Miners' Strike and the three-day week.

"One of my first memories was coming into the practice and seeing my father work with a 12 volt fluorescent light over his drawing board.

"But the company has thrived despite world events over the past 50 years and continues to grow today, not only with this office but operating nationally from offices in Reading and London.

"It's great to be here celebrating with those clients who we wouldn't be here 50 years on without, and great staff. We are celebrating a staff member who has been here for 40 years who started aged 16 on a youth opportunity scheme and is still with us now and a really valued member of the team and that makes me so proud."

Evans Jones has many long-standing clients, none more so than Cheltenham Ladies College who they have been advising for 38 years

As for the staff, Mr Jones said: "Our average is about 10 or 12 years longevity with the practice and that really counts for something. It gives our clients the trust that we are not here today, gone tomorrow. We are here for the long term.

"We are about building relationships and giving good, trusted advice through all the sectors we work in - planning, quantity surveying, building consultancy and access consultancy - and that's part of what longevity gives you.

"What a fantastic thing it has been to have the opportunity to celebrate with all of these people who start as clients often but ultimately end as friends - and here's to the next 50 years."