Basingstoke surveyors play to their strengths as they unite (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Basingstoke surveyors Simmons & Sons and Shackleton Blackmore play to their strengths as they unite

7:00am Friday 3rd August 2012 in Business By Richard Garfield

TWO businesses that have enjoyed a strong working relationship have now become a united firm.
Simmons & Sons – Basingstoke’s oldest chartered surveyors and specialist estate agents, established in 1802 – has acquired Shackleton Blackmore Chartered Surveyors.
Here in Basingstoke, the new partnership will trade for the next year as Simmons & Sons incorporating Shackleton Blackmore.
Set up 20 years ago by Mike Shackleton and Marc Blackmore, the chartered surveyors specialise in development land and new homes, based in Chequers Road, in Basingstoke.
It is hoped that the acquisition will expand Simmons’ influence in the Basingstoke area and in Henley and Marlow where Simmons also has offices.
Delighted with the deal, Marc said he and Mike were formerly directors at Poulters before going it alone.
“We set up our own business just dealing with land and new homes – we’ve acted for most of the big housebuilders over the years,” explained Marc.
“We’ve joined Simmons & Son because Mike has reached an age where he wants to retire, but he will still work as a consultant, while I am now a partner.”
“We thought joining together with Simmons would be good as they are strong where we are not, and we are strong where they could do with a bit of help.”
Simmons’ partner Fergus Hodge is also delighted with the deal. He said: “We’ve had a great working relationship in the past, but we felt it was time to spread our wings so to speak. We’re now able to offer a fuller range of services to all of our clients.”
Fergus, who has recently been promoted from being an associate at Simmons & Sons to partner, having worked for the firm for 12 years as a surveyor, said: “Our rural business is strong, but still very diverse, ranging from the management of farms through to planning work and evaluation.
“We deal with large land owning estates in the area to small farmers and small holdings and everything in between.”
Fergus, who is secretary of the South Berks Agricultural Association, is passionate about the business and the farming sector in general.
The Royal Agricultural College graduate comes from a family of dairy farmers based on the Englefield Estate, which is owned by the Benyon family.
The West Berkshire estate is the home of Newbury MP Richard Benyon, who is Minister for the Natural Environment and Fisheries.