John Horton (left) celebrates with Paul Cooney, Director of the new Chiswick branch of Horton and Garton
The great and the good gathered to mark the 10th anniversary of estate agents Horton and Garton as hundreds attended an open-air party at the Hogarth Health Club, Stamford Brook.
Burgers and salads were served, and the fizz flowed as founder John Horton greeted guests from local business and the wider community to the Crucial Cafe in the club in Airedale Avenue.
“It was a great success,” he declared as the final stragglers made their way home late in the evening on 10 May. “Opening an independent estate agency in what was the worst moment for the London property market in this century appeared daft to some. Apart from serving our local clients, which is always a joy, I’d have to say the best part of our success has been the ability to support a variety of local charities.”
A giant anniversary cake, surrounded by themed cupcakes, was cut, and speeches recalled the changing housing marketplace in west London over the past decade.
Set up in 176 King Street in 2008, opposite the town hall, the agency has expanded to include a second office in Chiswick, at 18 Turnham Green Terrace.
Sales Manager Martin Clements, who was with John on the first day of trading, mused: “We’ve gone from assembling our own IKEA furniture on day one to the top spot for sales agreed in Hammersmith, Shepherds Bush and Chiswick.”
While Lettings Manager Ashley Clements who joined in the first year of trading, said: “I owe a debt of gratitude to John Horton for many reasons. Without him, I wouldn’t have met Honor who also worked with the company. I’m thrilled to say she’s just agreed to be my wife.”
Horton and Garton began accidentally. In 1996, returning from a year and a half’s backpacking round the world, John dropped into a Hammersmith estate agent’s office looking to use their fax machine to send off a job application.
It turned into an impromptu job interview, and two days later he had a company car and was valuing houses. Eleven years on, he struck out on his own, and Horton and Garton was born.
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