TV crews and historic banks – a good start to the year for auctioneers

TV crews and historic banks – a good start to the year for auctioneers


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It’s been a buoyant start to the year for the auction market, with SDL Auctions’ sales being accompanied by TV crews and Clive Emson celebrating its 30th anniversary with the sale of a historic former bank.

With six room auction sales, 24/7 online auctions and three bumper catalogues, SDL Auctions is back on the road for another year of property sales – and this time, TV crews have been on hand to capture the action on camera.

The first of 40 room auction sales in 2019 began this week, with the SDL team welcoming back lead auctioneer Rory Daly, who took the rostrum in Birmingham on Valentine’s Day after making a full recovery from bowel cancer.

Alongside Daly’s return, the Homes Under the Hammer crew filmed in the auction room, ready for their next BBC1 TV series. They also filmed in Derby on Wednesday.

“I’m really pleased to come back to work after a long period of recovery,” said Daly. “Auction day is the most exciting day of the whole auction sales process. Being able to achieve the best price for our sellers and see the happy faces of our buyers who have just secured their new purchase is what I love.”

Andrew Parker, managing director at SDL Auctions, added: “It’s fantastic to be back in the auction room again, and it’s always exciting to have the TV crews along, as they highlight the speed, efficiency and transparency of the auction process to a wider audience.”

As well as the Homes Under the Hammer cameras in Birmingham and Derby, a crew from Channel 4 attended the Leicester auction on Tuesday to film a new TV series called the Great House Giveaway, which will be aired in the autumn.

Highlights of the sale taking place this week and next include a luxury apartment block in Solihull, a former nightclub in Hinckley, a prestigious seaside penthouse on Anglesey and a 400-year-old Jacobean house in Derby. There are also dozens of terraced houses, which make excellent buy-to-let properties, as well as family homes, commercial properties and many development opportunities – including building plots.

Parker continued: “After a successful 2018, we’re looking forward to another strong year of achieving great results for our vendors and allowing buyers to complete on their purchases within the month, rather than risking a potentially drawn-out process that can occur when buying and selling through private treaty.”

The sales have already taken place on Tuesday 12 February at Leicester’s King Power Stadium, Wednesday 13 February at Derby’s Pride Park Stadium and Thursday 14 February at Villa Park in Birmingham. The rest of the February auctions take place at the following venues:

  • Friday 15 February – Nottingham Racecourse
  • Thursday 21 February – Cheshire & North Wales, Chester Racecourse
  • Thursday 21 February – North West, AJ Bell Stadium, Manchester

Elsewhere, Clive Emson Land and Property Auctioneers also saw a successful sale at its most recent auction, with particular interest in a historic former bank.

The old NatWest premises in Chard, Somerset – said to have stored the Crown Jewels during the Second World War – saw fierce bidding before eventually going under the hammer for £211,000.

Its underground, bombproof vaults measuring a massive 383.63 sq metres (4,000 sq ft) are bigger than the whole of the three storeys of the bank itself. They are said to have also stored vital documents and the Bank of England’s reserve supply of banknotes.

Clive Emson’s February auction – the first sale of 2019 – took place across five days in five venues and raised £18 million from 116 lots catalogued, achieving a sale rate in excess of 70%.

James Emson, managing director of Clive Emson, said: “The sale of the former bank is just one example of the incredible range of lots we offer on a regular basis across the south of England. This variety has given us an excellent start to the year and we now look forward to March when our service to clients will be further augmented by new technological innovation.”

“Strong bidding in all our salesrooms was evidenced by the excellent sales achieved on many of the lots, proving that the auction process is a fantastic way to balance both buyer and seller expectations.”

Other highlights of the February auction included:

  • A Grade II Listed commercial investment property in Canterbury city centre occupying a prime location and housing retail premises and ancillary space which sold for £2.1 million.
  • The former Kings Head pub on the outskirts of Ore, Hastings – offered with planning permission for 12 flats – sold for £410,000 freehold.
  • Five houses on the Isle of Wight with letting or owner-occupation potential in a cul-de-sac setting in Niton village, which sold for £655,000 freehold.
  • An overgrown parcel of land with potential extending to 0.14 hectares (0.36 acres) in Grays, Essex, attracted strong interest to sell for £450,000.

Clive Emson holds a regional auction at five locations every six weeks. The second sale of 2019 starts at 11am at the following venues:

Essex & North and East London – Monday, March 18 at the Chelmsford City Racecourse, Chelmsford.

Kent & SE London – Tuesday, March 19 at the Clive Emson Conference Centre, Detling, Maidstone, Kent.

Sussex & Surrey – Wednesday, March 20 at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, Brighton.

West Country – Thursday, March 21, at the St Mellion International Resort, Saltash.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight – Friday, March 22, at the Solent Hotel at Whiteley, near Fareham. 

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