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‘Why we signed lease for a 10,000 sq ft new branch in middle of pandemic’

Exclusive: Cardiff firm Jeffrey Ross tells The Negotiator it may be a risky move but it's part of a long-term plan to expand the 13-year-old business.

Nigel Lewis

jeffrey ross

As most estate agencies hunker down during the Coronavirus lockdown, one company in Wales has taken the brave decision to lease a 10,000 sq ft new headquarters.

Sales and lettings agency Jeffrey Ross, which has was established in 2007, has 56 staff and four branches across the Welsh capital.

Earlier this week its boss Ross Hooper Nash (pictured) picked up the keys to the property, which was until recently occupied by international accountancy firm Grant Thornton.

The building is also a first in the UK – once it has been refurbished the office will be the first purpose-built Covid-compliant facility in the property industry with facilities to enable staff to interact with each other and clients safely.

The new office is nevertheless described by Nash as a ‘risky decision’ given the current economic climate, but part of strategy to expand and take more market share as the number of local agents thins, including the recent purchase of local property firm Seel & Co.

“People said I was mad to start an agency in 2007 during the financial crisis and it’s a bit like that now with this new office – first the tenant fees ban and now Coronavirus,” says Nash.

“But these challenges haven’t dimmed our vision, which is to have one large office where our sales, lettings, block management, valuation, insurance, auction, architectural and surveying teams can work together as a multi-disciplinary team. But we’ll be keeping all our existing Jeffrey Ross branches.”

The new Pontcanna office will eventually have room for 150 staff, a gym, plus a co-working space and a café for the local community.

April 30, 2020

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