Property Cafe moves into Little Common

The estate agency is taking over what was Ward's in Cooden Sea Road and plan to open towards the end of June following a six-week refurbishment.

Director Darran Cohen said: "We are genuinely excited about this opportunity. Little Common is a great little town which has got everything that one would need. It is just a nice little office to start expanding the network, and this is a town where the public likes to see an agent there working for them. There is that village feel."

He and co-director Scott White will take charge of the decoration of the shop which has been vacant since the end of last year and are planning the same simple and contemporary look and relaxed atmosphere as at their branch in Sackville Road.

They employ 12 staff in Bexhill at present, including their mortgage advisors, and will promote personnel from within to take over the Little Common Property Cafe.

"The opportunity came up and we really wanted to take it.

"I know with present market conditions a lot of people are erring on the side of caution - or even closing offices, if we are being honest. So we thought - what a fantastic message to send out, that we are expanding.

"We have done a lot of business in Little Common and feel it is time to expand into the village. "We feel we are like nothing else - we think the formula we have set up as worked. It has proved a popular formula, and the Property Cafe is now a signature trademark, in my opinion.

"So, although things are much tougher than they have been, we still think there is a fantastic opportunity there.

"It is incredibly tough at the moment but it is media driven too. Everybody likes to have a logical reason why things are happening and the media is reporting what the general feeling is...There is a huge amount of concern about the credit crunch and within the banking industry, and a huge amount of pressure.

"But we have just had a great month and we recorded 27 sales. The public still needs to buy and sell, and we are still recording high level of sales. We are very busy - of course, it is quieter than it was."

Darran moved to Bexhill 10 years ago and is in the process of buying a new home in Little Common while co-director Scott is also local and grew up in Hastings.

"I think Little Common needs us - there are empty shops down there so this is a shot in the arm for the village. It is disappointing to see shops shutting so I think this is going to be a good thing.

"Hopefully when you drive down Cooden Sea Road it will be a beacon and something to be proud of."