Hunters has announced the acquisition of its franchise businesses in Scarborough, Bridlington and Filey by Sam Lakin and Pete Croft.

New franchise partners have purchased the businesses from previous owners Nicola Simmonds and Iain Simmonds who are now looking forward to retirement.

Croft has worked in the property industry for the last 10 years, including as a letting manager for Hunters, where he then moved up to an operations manager role for the Hunters group.

Lakin has worked in the property industry for the last 10 years, most recently as an operations manager for the Hunters Group.

Croft commented: “We look forward to operating the Hunters Scarborough, Bridlington and Filey businesses, building on Nicola and Iain’s hard work to establish such a strong reputation in the local area.  This is an exciting next step in our careers and has been an ambition for some time now, having previously supported the growth of other franchisees.

“With the support of The Property Franchise Group, including access to market-leading ongoing training and development opportunities, we look forward to sustained success in the future.”

Hunters, which is part of The Property Franchise Group (TPFG), currently operates over 140 offices across England and Wales owned by franchise partners.

Jayne Twiddle, national operations director at Hunters, said: “The continued growth of our people is a core pillar of our business, with Sam and Pete embodying this ambitious spirit. We look forward to the continued success of the Scarborough, Bridlington and Filey businesses under new stewardship, building on the fantastic roots created by Nicola and Iain Simmonds

“Our franchise offer is market-leading, evidenced by the success and growth of our network. We welcome new franchise partners that share our vision, as well as continuing to support those already in the network with their growth ambitions.”