Guests celebrate the continued success of a leading independent real estate consultants at an exclusive lunch. Esther Leach reports
The facts speak for themselves. Knight Frank is an internationally acclaimed real estate consultancy and has been selling in Yorkshire for 100 years. It doesn’t harm to mention that its Harrogate branch celebrates its 10th anniversary this year too. Guests at an anniversary lunch hosted by Yorkshire Life and the White Hart Hotel, Harrogate raised their glasses to wish Knight Frank at least another century of continued success.
One hundred years is a great deal of experience in anyone’s book but Knight Frank partner in Harrogate, Tim Waring, said they were always learning and meeting change head on. He said: ‘Knight Frank continues to innovate with modern technology at the heart of our day to day operation. Our multi-lingual property search facility can now be viewed in over 20 languages and our network in London has expanded dramatically in the last two years and now has more than 25 offices.
‘After 100 years of selling in Yorkshire and founded in London in 1896, Knight Frank continues to grow both in the UK and abroad. While we now have representation in over 370 offices across 55 countries, we remain a privately owned partnership.
‘Our unique culture allows us to put our clients at the heart of what we do; we are driven by our clients’ needs, and not simply external shareholders. As such we like to think we give the best advice, indeed the sort of advice you’d give your family!
‘Furthermore we pride ourselves by having experienced partners leading our offices across the UK, continuing a longstanding marketing motto “local knowledge-global network”.’
It’s worth picking up Knight Frank’s Little Book of Big Facts for a fascinating insight into the company’s history and continued success. Did you know, for example, that Edward III, on his abdication, instructed Knight Frank to value Sandringham and Balmoral castles to help establish his settlement?
Nothing fazes the business not even 200 head of poultry which featured along with 26 head of Lincoln Red cattle, 30 pure bred Exmoor horned ewes and ram, two horses and six porkers, in the sale of Sir Albert Bennett’s Nottinghamshire farm in 1930. A request to find a home for a 4ft iguana as part of the sale of a certain TV celebrity’s property didn’t disconcert Knight Frank either.
Nearer to home, Knight Frank sold historic Fountains Abbey, which dates from 1132, for £1million in 1974. Today it is part of a World Heritage Site. Believe it or not Knight Frank was also instrumental in the sale of Stonehenge in 1915 to Cecil Chubb as a gift to his wife, who just three years later, gave it to the nation. Knight Frank sold Crystal Palace to Lord Plymouth in 1911 for £210,000.
Owners of landmark properties around the UK and the world continue to turn to Knight Frank for the kind of service and expertise only a company with so much experience are able to offer.
Menu
First course
Ballotine of poached and smoked salmon
Main course
Loin of spring lamb, salsa verde, morels, fondant potato, pan juices
Dessert
Summer fruit pudding, clotted Cornish cream
Tea and coffee
Knight Frank, 24 Albert Street, Harrogate HG1 1JT, 01423 530088,
www.knightfrank.co.uk/harrogate
Our special thanks go to the White Hart Hotel, Harrogate and its chef Richard Ferebee for their wonderful hospitality. White Hart Hotel, 2 Cold Bath Road, Harrogate, HG2 0NF 01423 505681 www.whitehart.net
