Back in black: Sanderson Young returns to form after a difficult five months
Following a financial saga that nearly saw the company bought by rivals after an HMRC winding up order, business is back to usual.
Leading North East estate agency Sanderson Young has officially opened its new flagship branch and hired extra staff just five months after being put up for sale following financial difficulties over an unpaid tax bill.
“The future of our Alnwick office looks particularly bright,” says the company’s founder Duncan Young.
The launch event at its new Alnwick branch marks the end of a saga that started with the non-payment of a £240,000 corporation tax, VAT and National Insurance bill due to an administrative error.
Sanderson Young then faced a winding up order from HMRC and was initially offered for sale. A bidding war subsequently broke out between local rivals Pattinson and Bradley Hall to buy the business, which was eventually acquired by Duncan Young’s wife.
A new company, DG Young Estates, now operates the business and all 50 of its staff kept their jobs at its three branches.
Smaller branch
The business has now moved to a permanent, refurbished but smaller branch in Alnwick opposite the town’s theatre.
It has also struck several new homes development deals including most recently with The High Street Group and Lindisfarne Homes, and hired an extra member of staff.
“We were so lucky to secure these attractive premises, downsizing our interior office space whilst keeping the most important aspect, a large window frontage, that’s so visible to the public,” says Alnwich branch manager Gillian Greaves told The Chronicle.
“We are now able to provide outstanding window display space for our new homes clients as well as our private vendors selling throughout mid and north Northumberland.”
