Still Looking Forward After 60 Years
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of opening for business, DB Roberts Estate Agents have been marking their continued success by looking back over the six decades during which they have helped thousands of local people buy and sell their home. In 1964, Dawley New Town was planned, but at that time the name there was no ‘Telford’ and the decision to encompass Wellington and Oakengates came later.
Leading the research is Company Chairman Bill Brookes who, having attended Wellington Grammar School, joined the firm in the 1960’s as a trainee at their first floor offices at 33 Church Street, Wellington over what was then the Britannic Assurance offices. Bill recalls that when Denis Blake Roberts first opened, the firm had a secretary, Beryl Finch, a typist receptionist and one telephone line. The original lease from 1964 shows an annual rent of £300, while Bill’s initial weekly pay was just two pounds; a modern three-bedroom house on the Brooklands in Wellington was then worth around £2,500.
Such was the early success of DB Roberts that within 12 months a second office opened at 6 Oxford Street, Oakengates where, sixty years later, the firm still occupies the same premises from which the Lettings and Property Management department look after several hundred rental properties across Telford. Bill has fond memories of the town, where he managed the branch in the 1970’s and 1980’s, and remembers helping to organise the annual Donkey Derby at Hartshill Park with local character Graham Peaceful on behalf of the local Chamber of Commerce.
The firm continued to grow as the New Town of Telford took shape and, with much of the development taking place around Madeley, in 1974 Bill was instrumental in acquiring premises at 72 High Street, Madeley opposite Lloyds Bank and taking on the agency with the Staffordshire Building Society.
As the 1980’s arrived, Telford Shopping Centre was identified by the Partners as the logical place for the firm to open its next branch but, at that time, the Centre would not accept estate agents as tenants inside the Shopping Mall. Not to be put off, in 1986 DB Roberts opened in a concession space at Debenhams, becoming the first estate agents to have offices within the Centre. The public response was extremely positive, so much so that more space was needed and so, still unable to rent shop space within the Centre, in 1988 the firm opened its ground floor property showroom in Hazledine House, Central Square, staying there for nearly 20 years. During this period, Jo Culley joined DB Roberts from Connell Estate Agents as Branch Manager at Telford Centre. Under her leadership, the Telford Office went from strength to strength and in 2007, DB Roberts were able to move back into the Shopping Centre where the firm’s flagship office is prominently located in Southwater. Having progressed to Telford Area Manager, Jo advanced to Sales Director subsequently becoming Managing Director and joint owner of DB Roberts in recognition of her contribution to the firm’s growth and success.
Over the years, DB Roberts expanded into many other towns and still have successful branches in Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton and Stafford as well as Head Office premises on Shrewsbury Business Park. But as Bill looks back over six decades of growth he recognises the importance of Telford to the firm’s success as he says, ‘Denis Roberts opened in Wellington, and we are still there today 60 years on, because that’s where our roots are’.
Pic: Db Roberts Telford Team, out side their Wellington Office on 30 Market Street
