Keller Williams’ Gatwick market centre, established in 2020 by Lars Evans as operating principle, in partnership with KWUK CEO, Ben Taylor, is set to close, as the brand continues to struggle in the UK.
Keller Williams Xceed, which operates the Keller Williams Gatwick operation, is to close imminently after running into financial difficulty.
This is the latest blow for KWUK, which will see its London Bridge market centre shut its doors for the last time tomorrow, after failing to agree terms over a license renewal with its operating principal, Chris Buckler.
Several UK franchises established by franchisor Keller Williams have closed over the past 12 months, and this latest closure will come swiftly off the back of the insolvency of Keller Williams’ Evolve Market Centre.
Companies House documents reveal that TBF Centres, which operated Keller Williams’ Evolve Market Centre, entered voluntary liquidation last month.
EYE understands from several well-placed sources that at least three other market centres are on the verge of closing, owed primarily to a lack of profitability.
Several investors in the Keller Williams UK business are said to be disgruntled.
Keller Williams UK first launched here in 2013 and has been managed by Ben Taylor since 2017 but has failed to gain much traction. A number of high profile senior leadership personnel have fled the business in recent times including Nicky Stevenson (EA Events, Fine & Country), Simon Leadbetter (Knight Frank, Countrywide, Fine & Country), Russell Quirk, Anthony Quirk, Gaven Swan (Countrywide), Wayne Albutt (KW South Africa, EweMove), Jason Cannon (Spicer haart), Will Clark (Knight Frank) and Matt Thomson (Foxtons and D&G) – some of these names are very high profile property industry people and none of which lasted even a year at the UK headquarters of the US based entity.
Keller Williams Xceed’s business is now expected to be managed by KW Advantage in Bromley, South London.
KWUK CEO Ben Taylor has been approached for comment.
