International real estate company Savills has announced plans to buy rural property company Smiths Gore.
 
On Tuesday, Savills made public its intention to take over Smiths Gore, which was founded over 160 years ago and has 31 offices across the UK. Savills said that Smiths Gore’s staff and offices will all transfer into Savills Rural Energy and Projects (REP) division or its Country Residential Agency business. 
 
Smiths Gore’s Senior Partner Andrew Harle will also join the Savills UK Board following the take over. 

Harle said, “Merging with Savills is entirely consistent with our objectives of enhancing our offering in the rural market and developing our range of complementary agency and consultancy services. With Savills dedicated rural and residential divisions  together we will bring  a balance of strengths to boost existing teams with the ability to form new ones through Savills impressive agency and strong brand.”

On Tuesday, Savills UK’s Executive Director Philip Gready commented, “Founded on a rural management business, both Savills and Smiths Gore  have similar roots at the heart of our businesses.  Our existing clients will reap the benefits of specialist knowledge of the sector, a wider talent pool,  our investment in training, systems and research and access to a full range of services.
 
“Today, rural estates are multi-million pound businesses which require highly skilled management across all sectors if they are to achieve their potential. Rural land, with some of the highest capital returns achieved over the past decade, has become a truly international commodity and the  combined expertise of Savills and Smiths Gore will allow us to provide a full service offering  to all our clients.”