South Coast estate agency Bernards has acquired local firm Eckersley White as part of ‘ambitious plans’ to increase its presence in the region, boss Daniel Byrne (pictured) has revealed.

Eckersley White was established 35 years ago and offers sales, lettings, and block management across Gosport, Lee-on-the-Solent, and the surrounding areas.

Moving forward, its estate agency name will be retained, but Bernards says it is planning on investing in both the brand and a complete refurbishment of the existing premises.

Admired

Byrne says: “Eckersley White is a business we’ve admired for some time. Their local reputation and customer service ethos align well with our own values. We’re excited to welcome their team and clients into the Bernards family, and we look forward to building on the fantastic foundations they’ve laid.”

And Chris Drake, former owner of Eckersley White, commented: “It’s been a privilege to work alongside Eckersley White’s fantastic team and to help shape and grow the business into the trusted name it is today.

I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

“As we move into this next chapter with Bernards, I’m confident our clients and team are in excellent hands. The shared values between our firms made this decision an easy one, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

The acquisition has been assisted by specialist brokers, Think Acquisition, and the company’s deal lead, Leon Gorman, said: “This acquisition demonstrates the power of alignment, two locally respected, independent firms coming together to build something even stronger.”

The Neg has asked Bernards about its plans for Eckersley White’s staff but has not yet received a reply.