Former leading independent estate agent dies
Charismatic businessman John Metcalf established an agency that dominated the Fylde Coast property market for many decades.
John Metcalf, who during his 50-year career as an estate agent became one of the leading lights within the North West of England, has died aged 85.
Born in 1935 in Blackpool and one of six children, he set up Metcalf’s Estate Agents & Auctioneers in 1963 and soon had a thriving business, moving to larger premises in 1995.
Metcalf’s was best known for its success with composite property auctions at which both residential and commercial property are sold together.
John retired during the early noughties and his former business partner Hamze Ballout carried on running hte business until it was snapped up in 2010 by a group of local businessmen.
They then opened a second office in Preston and re-launched the business as a ‘modern high street estate agency modelled on London agencies’, eschewing window displays.
Charismatic
John, who was one of the most charismatic estate agent figures on the Fylde coast, was also involved in politics for many years including as a councillor at city and county level.
“Throughout his life, he was always involved in his local church and was a dedicated member of the Knights of St Columba,” his family told local media.
“Above all, John was very much a family man and enjoyed walking, reading, and singing.”
What happened to his residential business after he retired is less certain – the company behind its estate agency was dissolved last year, Company House records show, and its website is no longer live. The Metcalf’s Estate Agents Facbook page hasn’t been updated since September 2019, and it does not list properties on the portals.