Vancouver’s Bench Accounting abruptly shuts down [Video]

Vancouver-based bookkeeping service Bench Accounting has announced its sudden closure, putting hundreds of staff out of work and forcing clients to seek alternatives just days from the end of the year.

The company that has described itself as North America’s largest bookkeeping service for small businesses posted a “notice of service closure” on its website.

It said that as of Friday the platform was “no longer accessible.”

“We know this news is abrupt and may cause disruption, so we’re committed to helping Bench customers navigate through the transition,” it said.

Bench has previously said it had more than 600 employees, more than 12,000 U.S.-based customers and had received investor funding of US$113 million.

It said it moved to Vancouver and changed its name to Bench in 2013, having started out in 2012 as 10sheet Inc in the U.S.

Calls to Bench’s Vancouver office went to voice mail and did not …