PROPERTY specialist Goadsby celebrated 60 years in business with a lunch event for clients and suppliers.

The company held a celebration at the Chewton Glen Hotel, New Milton.

Chief executive David Errington said: “It was a great day and a fantastic opportunity to thank our clients and valued suppliers that we have worked with for many years.

“With all the changes that we have seen within the estate agency business, we are very proud that we have achieved this milestone and the lunch was a great opportunity to thank many people.”

Other speakers included commercial managing director Paul Stewart, residential chairman Nigel Price and former group chairman Robin Long.

Mr Long told stories of how the business started as Goadsby and Harding in 1958, while Mr Errington thanked a number of suppliers who had been connected with the business for most of the past 60 years.

The business, founded by Anthony Harding and Aubrey Goadsby, now employs 270 staff. Mr Price said many of Dorset’s other long-established estate agents had been taken over by bigger groups.

“As an independent firm of estate agents, there aren’t that many left in our area that will have been around as long,” he said.

“We’re now 24 branches across Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire. We’ve got two commercial centres in Bournemouth and Winchester and residential lettings.”

He added: “We’ve seen good times and bad times and survived all those, which is great.”

He said the company’s strength was partly its diversity in the property field.

“While we see things come and go, like Brexit, I think we’re well spread,” said Mr Price.

“It’s not just about selling houses. We’ve got the commercial departments, property management, residential lettings, we have multiple disciplines,” he added.

“When one bit is down, something else is up”

He added: “We’ve got an awful lot of people we’ve dealt with over the years. We’re always very pleased with the return business that we get. It means we’re doing something right.”