The team at Derby-based estate agency Hannells recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the company first opening its doors.

Joint founders Alison and Michael Brain, who still run the business, launched the agency in 2003 with no prior experience after they found themselves on the receiving end of poor service when trying to sell their own property.

Having started out from a “small but cosy” office in the Derby suburb of Hilton, the pair said the business had “grown from strength to strength”, becoming an established brand in Derbyshire and winning a number of industry awards, including Best Residential Estate Agency in the UK at the 2019 EA Masters Awards.

Michael Brain, joint founding director, said: “We knew we were onto something when we first started because of the amazing response we received from local sellers, but I don’t think either myself or Alison, my business partner, could have anticipated what Hannells would become, what the brand stands for today and the rollercoaster ride of a journey it’s been.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the team that we’ve built and the fact that 20 years later, we’re still an independent, family-run business that echoes the exact same values we worked so hard to instil in the business from day one,” he added.

Joint founding director Alison Brain echoed her business partner’s pride in the business and labelled its success a “team effort”.

“From recessions to pandemics, we’ve stayed true to our values and our amazing team have pulled together to make Hannells the success that it is today,” she said. “We look forward to continuing to serve the people of Derby for the next 20 years!”