Firm goes it alone with property centre

Wakefield's The Beaumont Partnership has shunned national property schemes by investing £300,000 in its own property centre.

The centre offers an all-in-one home buying service under the banner Beaumont Residential. It employs three estate agents and one financial adviser while the conveyancing is handled by members of the six-partner firm.

While over 700 firms have signed up to Solicitors Property Centres (SPCs) and 100 are committed to the Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre (ESPC) in the North East, Beaumont Residential is not keen to buy into a franchise or team up with neighbouring firms.

Conveyancing partner Philip Smith said: "We didn't feel like jumping into bed with other local firms. We didn't think it would be viable."

He said that the firm had gained conveyancing work, rather than losing referral work from rival estate agents.

The centre carries the slogan: "Imagine an estate agency with Alan Shearer's speed, Bill Gates' vision and Richard Branson's attitude."