Birmingham-based chartered surveyors Johnson Fellows said it is now the biggest specialist retail agency in the region after several of its competitors have been taken over.

The firm, whose clients include Tesco, Poundland and Boots, said its prospects for the next 12 months are looking promising in one of the most challenging markets witnessed across the whole country in the last two decades.

Johnson Fellows partner Nick Wint said: “Many of our competitors have been swallowed up by bigger practices so in terms of numbers, we are now probably the largest independent retail agency outside London.

“We feel our independence has been the cornerstone of our success.”

The practice, which operates from new offices on Newhall Street, is looking to bolster its position even further over the coming year with a projected turnover of more than £2.5 million.

Its overall workforce now numbers nearly 40 and Mr Wint said further recruitment is possible.

“We are expecting to do well despite the downturn in the economy and property market,” said Mr Wint, whose firm also represents One Stop, Claire’s Accessories, Threshers, Jessops, Connells estate agents, Phones4U and Blockbuster.

Many leading banks are also on the Johnson Fellows books.

“I believe that owning our own office building gives us the foundation to build for the future.”

The practice’s workload for Tesco has grown considerably over the past five years following its acquisition of T&S Stores plc, who were one of the major players in the convenience store market before being acquired by Tesco.

“We now deal with the majority of Tesco’s successful convenience stores nationwide and we are very proud to be associated with the UK’s leading retailer,” said Mr Wint. “Poundland is another great retailer which is buying up properties as fast as it can – the firm is riding the crest of the wave despite the credit crunch. It is certainly one of the success stories of the last few years.

“We are also fortunate that in the present difficult economic climate we are not carrying a large investment or agency department.

“In the past we were focused more on buying and selling but we have repositioned ourselves.

“This means we are not as exposed to this area of the market and the downturn many of our competitors have experienced.”

Johnson Fellows is also reaping the benefits of a merger deal with another firm of chartered surveyors.

Silk Rowson Plant, which was based in Shropshire and Walsall and for years has been one of the area’s leading chartered surveying outfits, joined forces with Johnson Fellows in a merger of two like-minded firms in June last year.

The firm, which has now taken on the Johnson Fellows name, has been the driving force behind a number of landmark projects in the West Midlands over the years.

Johnson Fellows did not have its own building surveying and commercial valuation departments previously, so Silk Rowson Plant was approached to provide the missing piece in the firm’s jigsaw.

“That building surveying and commercial valuation expertise has neatly bolted on to the Johnson Fellows operation to enable us to be a complete one-stop shop for clients – we are now able to offer a fully comprehensive service,” said Mr Wint.

The team has also brought other services to the Johnson Fellows stable along with its architectural and project management expertise.
It carries out residential and commercial building surveys, dilapidation and asbestos surveys, and expert witness reports.

“Having been taken on board at Johnson Fellows, one of our first missions was to revamp the firm’s new offices right in the heart of the business quarter in Birmingham,” said partner Andrew Rowson. “It has provided flagship premises for them.”