The High Sheriff of Kent, the Mayor of Ashford and a host of clients and business associates helped celebrate the first anniversary of Stafford Perkins Chartered Surveyors – with The High Sheriff George Jessel using his ceremonial sword to cut the ribbon at the firm’s new offices.
Property expert Richard Stafford held the event to mark the first anniversary of the business and to officially open his new town centre office. He told guests that Stafford Perkins had enjoyed a hugely successful first year thanks to “loyal clients, hard work, great staff and the benefits of being located in a dynamic business location”.
“In our first year we have sold and let more than 45,000 sq ft of space and we have over 50 instructions on our website. We have sold grazing land and just today we’ve taken on two acres of woodland, so it’s not just about commercial space and offices!”
Richard has taken a 90-year-old shop in Ashford and returned it to its former glory. He bought the freehold to number 11a in Park Street and has painstakingly restored the front of the building to its original design.
Guest of honour George Jessel praised Richard’s entrepreneurial spirit and hailed Ashford as a location where businesses could thrive and prosper. He then officially opened the office by cutting a ribbon with a swipe of his ceremonial sword.
Richard, a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, set up Stafford Perkins after 30 years working in Kent. His expertise earned national plaudits – commercial property magazine Estates Gazette recognised him as a top deal maker in Kent for four years from 2012 to 2015.
Richard says: “The past 12 months have been hard work but hugely satisfying. I started out on my own but now I have two fantastic members of staff and I’ll be looking to recruit more soon. We hit our turnover target in year one and business growth in year two is looking encouraging as we continue to expand.”
He has particular expertise in working with agricultural and rural business clients, assisting landowners to maximise their business interests across rural Ashford and surrounding districts. He is a former chairman of the Ashford Chamber of Commerce.
Stafford Perkins services include lettings, valuation, real estate development, property management, rent reviews and lease renewals, land acquisition and contract negotiations. Transactions have spanned a range of values, from small standalone retail units to large multi-let industrial estates.
A strong interest in planning also allows him to advise on local planning matters and make planning applications for basic change of use on behalf of clients.
