Two Winkworth branches in south London have been acquired by a well-established estate agent already operating under the franchise.

Charlie Mitchell, who has run the Tooting office franchise for several years, has taken over from Mark Wiehe, who has retired after nearly 30 years with Winkworth.

Mitchell said: “After the great success of running Tooting for six years, this is an incredible opportunity to take on the Streatham and Herne Hill offices, taking advantage of the huge synergies. The two offices offer an excellent opportunity to build a thriving business, while delivering first-class service to our clients.

“In Herne Hill, there is a supply shortage of family homes, particularly around the Poets Corner area, which is a conservation area with roads named after Shakespeare, Spenser, Milton and Chaucer. The area is hugely popular with families, as there are some excellent state and independent schools. With Winkworth offices at Crystal Palace, Dulwich, West Norwood, Herne Hill, Streatham, Tooting and at Kennington, we offer substantial coverage of the South London market and I look forward to working with my colleagues across the network.”

Dominic Agace, chief executive of Winkworth, commented: “Charlie ran the Tooting office with tremendous success, first as a manager and then building equity. His acquisition of the franchises for Streatham and Herne Hill will give him the opportunity to own and build a business across two flourishing areas of London. We are always looking to recruit talented new franchisees from inside the network, as well as those who have built their careers elsewhere and are looking for a new challenge.”