Historic midlands estate agency Sheldon Bosley Knight (SBK) has bought Hawkins, which operates in north Warwickshire and was established by Roy Hawkins in 1989.

The deal gives SBK, which was founded in 1844, both the company’s sales division and its 450-unit rental portfolio of managed properties which will be run from Hawkins’ branches in Nuneaton and Bedworth.

All Hawkins’ 18 staff are also to be retained as part of the deal, which gives SBK its first foothold in the North Warwickshire property market. The acquisition has been completed for an undisclosed sum

SBK now has 11 offices and more than 100 staff following the deal across Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. Its director and co-owner, Mike Cleary (main pic, left) says: “We are delighted to acquire such a well-established company and we feel it is exactly the right fit for our business. Last year Cleary set up challenger portal WeAreTheMarket.com.

“Despite the challenges of the past two years, SBK has continued to push the boundaries and drive our business forward. This is a very exciting start to the new year for us and our aim is to grow the business further.

“We look forward to continuing to provide an excellent level of service and advice for buyers, tenants and landlords in and around Nuneaton and Bedworth.”

Dining table

Roy Hawkins (main pic, right), founder and senior partner at Hawkins said: “I started the business from my dining room table 32 years ago and I’m proud of all we have achieved.

“It’s with mixed emotions that I hand over to Mike and his excellent team at Sheldon Bosley Knight as I’ve seen the business grow from nothing. However, I feel the time is now right to take a step back.

“When thinking about the transfer of the business, I knew I wanted a safe pair of hands – for the clients and my staff. We treat our staff like family, so it was very important for it to be the right fit.

“SBK is exactly that. It has a great track record, it’s forward-thinking, we talk the same language and during negotiations, it just felt right. I am confident the business will be in safe hands.”