Countrywide is one of the UK's largest integrated property services group including residential property

surveying Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the land, terrestrial Plane (mathematics), two-dimensional or Three-dimensional space#In Euclidean geometry, three-dimensional positions of Point (geom ...

, a collaboration of estate agents, and corporate services. It employs circa 8,500 personnel nationwide, working across 650+ estate agency or lettings offices operating under 50+ brands. Countrywide is a wholly owned subsidiary of Connells Group.

History

In 1986,

financial services Financial services are service (economics), economic services tied to finance provided by financial institutions. Financial services encompass a broad range of tertiary sector of the economy, service sector activities, especially as concerns finan ...

company Hambros plc, having de-merged its banking arm, acquired two estate agents, Bairstow Eves and Mann & Co, to form a new company called Hambro Countrywide plc, which was listed on the

London Stock Exchange The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange based in London, England. the total market value of all companies trading on the LSE stood at US$3.42 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St Paul's Cath ...

. In 1988, the company created Hambro Assured, then the UK's largest

life insurance Life insurance (or life assurance, especially in the Commonwealth of Nations) is a contract A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typical ...

broker. The group then grew through acquisition, buying Nationwide estate agents and surveyors from

Nationwide Building Society Nationwide Building Society is a British mutual financial institution and the largest building society in the world. As of 2024, it serves over 16 million members and operates entirely for their benefit, without shareholders. The society was e ...

in 1994, Spencers from National and Provincial Building Society in 1995 and London firms Faron Sutaria, PKL and John D Wood & Co. in 1997. In 1998 the business was renamed Countrywide Assured plc and demerged from Hambros plc. After creating a franchise opportunity under the Bairstow Eves brand, the group then restarted its acquisition trail acquiring Friends Provident estate agents and surveyors (in return for a long term licence to resell Friends Provident financial products) in August 2002. Friends Provident Estate Agencies operated 104 offices across the South of England, trading as: Fulfords, Chappell & Matthews, Palmer Snell and Carson & Company and had been acquired by Friends Provident as an 80-strong chain in 1998 as part of their takeover of London and Manchester Group plc.Cicutti, Nic. "Friends set for pounds 750m L&M takeover". The Independent, 18 August 1998. Available online a

Accessed 4 June 2019."Friends Provident plc Secures Exclusive Distribution Agreement with UK's Leading Estate Agency Group". RNS Press Release, 22 August 2002. Available online a

Accessed 4 June 2019. The life assurance business was demerged as Chesnara plc in May 2004. In 2004 it acquired Freeman Foreman group as well as the estate agency business of Bradford and Bingley Building Society. This business had been originally formed as Black Horse Agencies Group by

Lloyds Bank Lloyds Bank plc is a major British retail banking, retail and commercial bank with a significant presence across England and Wales. It has traditionally been regarded one of the "Big Four (banking)#England and Wales, Big Four" clearing house ...

in 1982, and purchased as 370 strong chain (including TSB Property Services and Slater Hogg & Howison) by Bradford and Bingley from the then owners Lloyds TSB in April 1998."New Stable for Black Horse". The Argus, 3 April 1998. Available online a

Accessed 28 April 2017. Slater Hogg & Howison had been acquired by TSB Scotland in 1988Thickett, Robert. "50 years in finance". Mortgage Strategy, 12 November 2012. Available online a

Accessed 28 April 2017. having been established in 1975 by Roy Slater, Iain Hogg and Geoff Howison."Founder calls for buyout at Slater Hogg Howison". The Scotsman, 23 May 2004. Available online a

Accessed 28 April 2017. The Black Horse name was dropped by Bradford and Bingley in 1999."Bradford & Bingley to modernise image". Design Week, 8 May 1998. Available online a

Accessed 28 April 2017. In 2007, Countrywide was 100% acquired by Apollo Management for a sum over £1bn, and de-listed from the London Stock Exchange. Following

debt restructuring Debt restructuring is a process that allows a private or public company or a sovereign entity facing cash flow problems and financial distress to reduce and renegotiate its delinquent debts to improve or restore liquidity so that it can continu ...

, the owners included Apollo Management, Oaktree Capital Management and Alchemy Partners. In March 2013, Countrywide plc was re-listed on the London Stock Exchange. In November 2013, Countrywide acquired national commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH). Countrywide acquired the southwest Wales estate agency John Francis in 2015. In January 2018, an unscheduled profits warning sent Countrywide's share price plummeting by nearly 19 per cent, and CEO Alison Platt stepped down, to be replaced by Peter Long, appointed executive chairman until a new CEO is found. In August 2018, the share price fell by 60% after an emergency cash call (in the form of a rights issue), and after having downgrading profit forecasts four times in eight months. In December 2020 Connells Group agree to buy the company at a valuation of circa £82 million. On 8 March 2021 Connells Group acquired Countrywide Plc.

Brands

*Abbotts *Accord Lets *Alan de Maid *Andrew Reeves *Ashby Lowery *Ashton Burkinshaw *Austin & Wyatt *Bairstow Eves *Beresford Adams *Bridgfords *Blundells *Carson & Co. *Chappell & Matthews *CityLets York *Clive Watkin Partnership *Country & Waterside Prestige *Countrywide North *Cryers *Dixons *Entwistle Green *Finders Keepers *Frank Innes *Freeman Foreman *Fulfords *Gascoigne-Pees *Geering & Colyer *Hamptons International *John Francis *John D Wood & Co. *King & Chasemore *Lambert Smith Hampton *Lighthouse Property Services *Mann *Miller Countrywide *Morris Dibben *Palmer Snell *R.A. Bennett & Partners *Regal Residential Lettings *Slater Hogg & Howison *Spencers *Stratton Creber *Sutton Kersh *Taylors *Tucker Gardner *Urban Spaces *Watson Bull & Porter *Wilson Peacock *Woods

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Apollo Global Management companies Real estate companies established in 1986 Property services companies of the United Kingdom Companies based in Chelmsford Companies listed on the London Stock Exchange 1986 establishments in the United Kingdom