GVA Grimley has bought Glasgow-based agency Alan Watt Consulting (AWC) to strengthen its commercial presence in Scotland.
It is believed Grimley has paid around £700,000 for the firm which was established by property entrepreneur Alan Watt in 1975. AWC clients include Lloyds TSB, City Site Estates and Kilpatrick Property Group.
‘The acquisition of Alan Watt Consulting will really strengthen our office agency team as well as support our industrial, retail, investment agency and property management teams through the extra strength that the Alan Watt team brings,’ said Keith Aitken, regional senior director at GVA Grimley in Scotland.
‘This news comes at an exciting time for GVA Grimley – we have recently passed the 100-staff barrier and as a result of the growth of the Glasgow office during the last six months we are seeking new office premises.’
The deal was signed just before Christmas and today all fee-earning staff from AWC moved to Grimley’s Glasgow office at 149 St Vincent Street.
Taking it to the next level
‘After operating as a small independent consultancy for over 30 years, we felt the time was right to take the business to a new level,’ said AWC managing director and Alan Watt’s daughter Alison Taylor.
Taylor now takes up a new role as director based in Glasgow specialising in office and business space. Alan Watt will be employed as a consultant.
AWC director’s Paul Hamilton and Guy Strachan become GVA directors in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Last year Grimley converted from an LLP into a limited company. As a part of the restructure it secured £40m from Lloyds TSB to fund the next stage of its strategic growth plan.
