A MAJOR franchise business has taken over Besley Hill, one of the longest established estate agency networks in Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire and Bristol.

Hunters, a national estate agency network with over 200 branches, has acquired all 15 divisions of Besley Hill estate agents in a deal worth over £2.5million.

The Besley Hill branches, founded over 40 years ago, include offices in Chipping Sodbury, Thornbury, Kingswood, Wotton-under-Edge, Dursley, Downend, Stroud, Easton, Fishponds, Longwell Green, Whitchurch Village, Bedminster, Bishopston, Knowle and Bishopsworth.

Glynis Frew, CEO of Hunters Property Plc, said: “Becoming the UK’s favourite estate agent is our primary objective and increasing our presence across the country through good quality businesses is vital to achieving this.

“We are delighted to welcome the Besley Hill group of branches to Hunters as we share an ambition to grow our businesses by delivering first class customer service.

“The locality of the branches fit perfectly within our national expansion plans and gives us a significant platform in the South West property market”.

Adam Offer, Managing Director of Besley Hill, said: “Hunters’ national reach and reputation, combined with its strong focus on local ownership and local knowledge through its franchise model, is very exciting for us and represents great opportunities for the future.”

Adam Offer and Alli Firks-Matthews, Finance Director, have agreed to sign up their three offices to new franchise agreements with Hunters as part of the deal. Adam and Alli will continue to be involved in the day to day running of the business.

Hunters opened its first office in York in 1992 and its first franchising branch in 2006.

With a network of over 200 branches nationwide, its services cover residential sales, lettings, auctions, buy-to-let and investment, residential block management, land and new homes and other property related services.