Connells Group has quietly acquired a well-established estate agency in recent days, without announcing the purchase to the public.
According to accounts filed with Companies House in recent days, Connells Group has purchased Walmsley, a well regarded mid-market agency in the upmarket village of Caversham, just over the River Thames from Reading.
So far no information has been published by Connells Group or Walmsley on either of their websites.
Simon Walmsley and Janet Burns remain listed as lead directors on the Walmsley website. But a quick search on Companies House show that they had their positions terminated on 28 February 2025.
The pair were replaced as directors on the same day by Christopher Ashley Rosindale and Richard John Twigg – both of Connells Group.
As chief finance and commercial officer, Twigg is responsible for Connells Group’s finance, procurement and premises teams, as well as overseeing all corporate activity.
Meanwhile, Rosindale, as the chief operating officer, has overall responsibility for operations across the group’s estate agency, lettings, mortgage services, new homes and conveyancing businesses, as well as the firm’s central contact centre.
An additional filing update also provides ‘notification’ of Sequence (UK) Limited as ‘a person with significant control on 28 February 2025’.
It was not initially clear which of Connells Group’s brands, and that includes the likes of Roger Platt, Hamptons, and John D Wood, will take over Walmsley.
EYE approached Connells Group yesterday for further information, and Chris Rosindale, chief operating officer at Connells Group, confirmed this morning that Walmsley will operate under the Roger Platt brand.
He told EYE: “This strategic move marks a natural extension for Sequence (UK) Limited as we expand into the Reading area, complementing our leading Roger Platt brand. We extend a warm welcome to the Walmsley team as they join Connells Group.”
This is the firm’s first acquisition since key leadership changes were announced at the end of January.
* This article was updated at 6.35am to include comments from Chris Rosindale.
Well that’s cocking a snook at those who were dissing Helen Charlesworth when she landed the role and who’ve bemoaned every changed that’s been announced since David left.
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That feels like a comment from someone wearing a blindfold…
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Buying a well established business and changing the name from one with market loyalty doesn’t seem to very sensible at all actually.
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I agree. This is a well-known brand with good customer awareness and loyalty, so changing it is sheer madness!
We have all seen these mistakes by the corporates again and again over many years.
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Well that’s a shame. Walmsley levels of business (under the Roger Platt brand) will now deplete and eventually the branch will close.
Simon & Janet will do well to just take the money from the sale and run! Run now, quickly!
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I’m not sure that’s fair. While I understand concerns about change, becoming part of a larger company can be a great way to stay in the business without the constant pressures of ownership. Being an independent business owner means worrying about every detail—staffing, compliance, cash flow—things that keep you awake at night.
With a corporate structure, you get regular hours, holidays, and the ability to focus on the job without the stress of running everything yourself. Yes, things will be different, but in many ways, they’ll be better different
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With a corporate structure, you get regular hours, holidays, and some idiot area/regional manager telling you what to do and how to do it
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100% agree with this.
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I agree with 91 Walmsley is the biggest, most visible agent in Caversham, Roger Platt will diminish it and the business will disappear. This is a huge gift to the other Indies in the village.
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Yes, this is correct, you have predicted the future of this branch!
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If it’s an exit, which I would presume it is, then absolute congratulations to them. Run a strong business as one of two market leaders in the area for a number of years making Caversham a really tough place to break. Thoroughly deserved pay out.
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Agreed. Take the money and run! Do not hang around to see all your hard work over many years be diminished by some idiotic area manager who mishandles the business.
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Acquisitions and takeovers continue at a pace and with increasing costs and tougher legislation in the sector to come expect more takeovers as well as business closures. The ‘bigs’ will only get bigger and can afford to pick and choose their next targets and in just a few years time we’ll be left with just a handful of high street names controlling the sector as well as hedge funds.
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