A business which has become a leader in the sale and lease of commercial and residential property is poised for further growth a year after moving to new premises and expanding its services.
Doncaster-based Barnsdales has recruited across all areas of its operation on the way to exceeding turnover expectations by 20 per cent during 2016. Managing Director Jason Barnsdale forecasts growth of 15 per cent this year, with more recruitment also imminent.
Jason said: “We had a storming year and as a group we achieved turnover of £1.2 million, which is way ahead of target and 20 per cent more than we expected.”
Key to the success of the company, which dates back to 1905, was the move just over a year ago from the office which it had occupied in Thorne Road, Doncaster since 2010 to a modern new home at Sidings Court.
Jason also repositioned the business by creating Barnsdales Living to handle the residential side of the operation from a town centre unit in Hallgate and by launching Barnsdales FM, a facilities management branch of the group which has led the recruitment drive.
Peter Rothery, who leads the residential team, said: “Our knowledge of the Doncaster area and in particular the property market has always been our big selling point, but we have to get people to recognise that and the decision to give Barnsdales Living a presence in the town centre has definitely paid off. It has helped us raise our profile generally and we are certainly getting more people walking into the office.”
Barnsdales FM has expanded from a one-man operation to a team of nine during the last 12 months. Clive Chippindale, the Managing Director who launched the division, said growth has been fuelled by contracts with clients including Camphill Village Trust and the Science Museum Group.
Clive said: “We set out in January 2016 with a forecast of around £90,000 and the aim of keeping our heads above water, but we have more than trebled that target and as a result we’ve hired eight more people in roles ranging from electricians and plumbers to a national account manager.
“That has given us a good platform for further expansion during 2017. We want to grow with our existing clients and we are also working with the chartered surveying side of Barnsdales to offer out services to property investors.”
The commercial property team got off to a strong start this year by being appointed to invite bids for the proposed West Moor Part East industrial site, which occupies more than 150 acres across the M18 from the existing West Moor Park. The bidding process will close at 5pm on Tuesday 28 February and Barnsdales report strong interest.
Jason said: “West Moor Part East will be a regionally significant development and another huge step for Doncaster’s economy. The town is definitely on the up and we are sharing in that success, although because of our contacts we are still working more at a national level than locally and we see ourselves as ambassadors for Doncaster.
“Most of our recruitment has come in the FM division but we have also made some key appointments to the surveying team and we will be bringing in some more people very soon. The move to Sidings Court gave us a lot more space than we had at Thorne Road and we now have the capacity to build the business. We started 2016 with 17 staff and the new arrivals will take us to nearly 30”
