We played a lead role in the sale of Midlands estate agency firm Burchell Edwards to Connells.
Under the deal Connells acquired Burchell Edwards’ independent network of 16 estate agency branches in the Midlands including those trading under the Ashley Adams brand. We acted for the six directors and shareholders of Burchell Edwards.
Burchell Edwards employs 110 staff across its 16 offices throughout the West and East Midlands including operations in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. As well as residential sales, lettings and mortgage advice Connells has also acquired Burchell Edwards’ conveyancing firm Be Legal.
Michael Bruce, a director of Burchell Edwards, worked alongside us and accountants Michael Duffy Partnership in securing the deal. He said: “Connells are an excellent fit with our business offering the same services through a wider network which will provide better opportunities for our staff.”
“The advice provided through the Hawkins Hatton team was very proactive and commercial throughout the process.”
Colin Rodrigues, our corporate partner added: “We were delighted to be able to work with the team at Burchell Edwards in bringing about a successful sale of the firm given that we have worked with Burchell Edwards for a number of years.”
Photo caption: Michael Bruce (left), director Burchell Edwards, Kenny Bruce, Burchell Edwards (centre) and Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner, Hawkins Hatton.
Two sign manufacturing companies in Surrey are pointing in the same direction after joining forces in a deal which involved our firm taking a lead role.
Messagemaker Displays, the leading supplier of LED displays, has been sold to Stocksigns for an undisclosed sum. We acted for Guildford based Messagemaker who will be relocating to Stocksigns’ headquarters in Redhill following the sale.
As part of the deal our corporate team and Kate Jones from David Cutter & Co advised Paul Bubb, the chairman and financial director of Messagemaker, drawing up the heads of agreement and consultancy contracts for two of the company’s key employees.
Mr Bubb, one of the founders of the business, will be staying on in a consultancy capacity for the next 12 months, working alongside senior executives at Stocksigns Group which has a £7million turnover, employing more than 60 staff.
Since its formation 15 years ago Messagemaker has grown to become one of the leading providers of moving message LED displays serving customers throughout the UK and Europe.
Colin Rodrigues said the deal would enable the shareholders to realise their investment in the business, whilst giving Stocksigns the opportunity to grow further and diversify into new LED markets.
“This deal had all the signs of success as both parties will be able to move forward positively and realise their future ambitions,” he added.
Picture Caption: Karen Jones (left), David Cutter & Co and Ruth Murday (right), Hawkins Hatton.
Hawkins Hatton, the Dudley based corporate law firm, has advised on the sale of Clifford House, the specialist operator of residential children’s homes and schools in Herefordshire.
The business has been acquired by Advanced Childcare which will enable the merged operation to offer local authorities a wider range of high quality homes across rural, semi rural and urban environments.
Hawkins Hatton acted for the former owners of Clifford House John Brierley, Nick Nenadich and Linda Gresty who retain their existing fostering division which will continue to operate as an independent business.
Under the deal 14 residential homes in the Hereford and Leominster area will come under the Advanced Childcare umbrella. The business employed over 200 people who will remain working in the homes.
Hawkins Hatton worked closely with accountants Price Pearson, who take a hands on approach and so together were able to advise the directors on all aspects of the sale including due diligence and complex regulatory and legal issues.
Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner at Hawkins Hatton, said: “The enlarged business will be able to provide even more options and expertise to local authority social service departments requiring child care provision through both homes and fostering. It was a good strategic fit for our clients who will continue to operate an independent fostering business.”
Advanced Childcare has a team of behavioural management experts and operates 35 specialist children’s homes to meet a range of requirements. The company currently works with over 40 local authority partners.
Picture Caption: left to right, John Brierley, director, Clifford House Fostering, Linda Gresty, managing director, Clifford House and Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner, Hawkins Hatton.
Residentsline, the Wolverhampton based specialist provider of insurance solutions for blocks of flats and apartments, is poised for further growth in the UK following its acquisition by CHU, Australia’s largest strata insurance underwriting agency.
Corporate law firm Hawkins Hatton, whose head office is in Dudley, advised the directors of Residentsline on the share sale of the business.
Residentsline clients include residents management companies of blocks of flats, property management agents, right to manage companies and freehold owners who require an exclusive range of insurance products specifically designed for their needs.
Belinda Thorpe and Neil Abel the former shareholders, will remain in the business working alongside the new owners at CHU.
She said: “With additional investment we will be introducing new products and services to the UK market place as well as opening a new office in London. We will continue to offer innovative insurance solutions for the UK flats market, based on our combined understanding of the leasehold industry.”
Since its formation in Australia 30 years ago, CHU has consistently led the market by providing unrivalled knowledge and experience. In 1989 the firm started operations in the United States where it now writes over 15,000 polices across 35 states and more recently it set up an operation in the United Arab Emirates.
Commenting on the acquisition, a CHU spokesman said: “The deal with Residentsline marks our arrival in the UK and will enable us to provide customers with a unique point of difference based on our understanding of the unique complexities, risks and requirements of this market.”
Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner at Hawkins Hatton, worked alongside solicitor Dawn Sebbage and Terry Hitchen from accountants Garratts, advising Residentsline directors throughout every stage of the sale process. “The due diligence process was new to us, but Hawkins Hatton were always on hand to guide us and ensure we understood each stage of the process,” added Belinda Thorpe.
Photo caption: Left to right – Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner, Hawkins Hatton, Terry Hitchen, Garratts, Dawn Sebbage, Hawkins Hatton and Belinda Thorpe (front), Residentsline
Hawkins Hatton, the Dudley-based corporate law firm, has received a major boost with its appointment to HSBC bank’s West Midlands regional panel.
The appointment will enable Hawkins Hatton to act for the bank on client business and is a further indication of the firm’s growing stature in the Birmingham and the wider West Midlands corporate finance community, where it continues to develop its transactional work.
Founded in 2005, corporate partner Colin Rodrigues and managing partner Harminder Sandhu both have extensive experience of working in city centre practices and have played a key role in developing the firm’s fee revenues.
Over the last two years Hawkins Hatton has also developed a commercial property arm of the practice which has been an invaluable addition to its niche corporate advisory services.
Colin Rodrigues said: “The successful appointment to the HSBC regional panel should give us the opportunity to continue to increase our revenue stream and boost the commercial property department in its own right.
“We already share several large West Midlands-based clients with HSBC and are looking forward to developing our working relationship with the bank further, particularly as it is currently seen as one of the most pro-active financial institutions in the marketplace.”
Kevin Skym, area commercial director for HSBC Bank based in Wolverhampton, said: “Hawkins Hatton have built a good reputation in the corporate finance community and we look forward to developing our working relationship with Colin and the team.”
Photo capton: left to right, Dawn Sebbage, Hawkins Hatton, Kevin Skym, area commercial director, HSBC, Gary Riley, HSBC and Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner, Hawkins Hatton.
Corporate law firm Hawkins Hatton has helped the owner of Strykers Tenpin Bowling Centre in Wolverhampton strike a deal for the sale of the business.
The centre in Shaw Road, Bushbury has been acquired by the nationwide tenpin bowling operator Garland Leisure for an undisclosed sum.
Dudley based Hawkins Hatton acted for the former owner of Strykers Kulwant Samra, advising on the sale of the goodwill and assets. Garland Leisure is to operate from the premises which also features a bar, restaurant, function facilities, childrens play area and amusement arcade.
Garland Leisure, the UK’s third largest tenpin bowling operator, now runs 19 sites across the country and the acquisition of the 24-lane Strykers facility is the latest in the company’s fast growing empire.
Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner at Hawkins Hatton, said: “We were delighted to play a lead role in the sale of the business which brings a number of benefits for the parties involved. Our client has been able to realise the value of his investment in growing Strykers over recent years, whilst for Garland Leisure the acquisition is an excellent strategic fit with its plans to expand the tenpin bowling business.”
“Sometimes deals can go down a blind alley, but this one was a perfect strike!”
Pictured left to right, Kulwant Samra, Dawn Sebbage, Hawkins Hatton, Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner, Hawkins Hatton.
