From regional auction brands to a national platform

Property auctions in the North have changed significantly over the last decade. Volumes are higher and the demographic of sellers has widened, while buyers arrive far better informed than they used to. What was once a largely regional, relationship-led market is now a national one, operating at pace and under greater scrutiny, writes Andy Thompson of BTG Eddisons Property Auctions.

Against that backdrop, scale and consistency matter just as much as local knowledge.

In recent years, many of the North’s most established auction brands have found themselves working with similar types of clients. Local authorities disposing of surplus assets, landlords rationalising portfolios, lenders and receivers, all of whom are placing greater emphasis on speed, transparency and certainty of outcome.

Online auctions have become the default route to market but they’ve also raised expectations around process, clarity and consistency.

A market that has outgrown fragmented delivery

Historically, there was a time when strong regional brands were not only logical but essential, and from that approach came some very successful businesses: Pugh in the North West. SDL Property Auctions in the Midlands and beyond. Mark Jenkinson with deep Yorkshire roots. Each built its reputation and credibility by understanding local markets and delivering results.

What has changed is the nature of the instruction. Today, a housing association instruction might span Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and the North East. Corporate sellers often need a single auction approach across multiple regions, while buyers are operating nationally and expect consistency wherever an asset sits.

In that environment, having one, seamlessly connected business to communicate with brings greater clarity, while having regional bases maintains the regional, local market and area knowledge.

This sentiment reflects that the market has not lost its regional character, but it has outgrown siloed operations.

Why we brought the brands together

That is the context behind the move to bring Pugh, SDL and Mark Jenkinson together under one platform as BTG Eddisons Property Auctions.

The aim was to create a single national auction business that still benefits from regional expertise, but delivers it through shared standards, shared systems and one clear route to market.

In practice, that means one catalogue, one buyer audience and one set of processes – no matter where the lot is located. Clients with stock in Leeds, Manchester, and Newcastle deal with the same structure and receive the same reporting. Buyers access a broader range of assets in one place instead of tracking multiple brands.

Local knowledge remains critical, the difference is that it now sits within a joined-up national framework.

What this reflects about the wider market

This consolidation reflects what’s happening more widely in the property sector. Agency and professional services firms have moved toward larger, integrated platforms. This strengthens and delivers services more consistently.

In the North, this change has been particularly noticeable. Instructions are more complex than they once were, often involving mixed-use assets, larger portfolios or generally difficult client circumstances. These are the types of disposals that require depth of resource as well as local knowledge.

Transparency is now non-negotiable. Buyers expect clear legal packs, consistent information and predictable timelines. Sellers expect accurate reporting, meaningful feedback and certainty around process.

Those expectations are harder to meet when businesses operate through legacy brands and disconnected systems.

Looking ahead

For sellers, the shift toward unified auction platforms should mean clearer advice, broader buyer reach and fewer moving parts. For buyers, it should mean better access to stock, better information and a more consistent experience.

For the North’s auction market as a whole, it reflects how the sector now operates.

Regional identity still matters, but it now sits alongside scale, governance and delivery. The strongest businesses will be those that can balance both.

BTG Eddisons Property Auctions is our response to that reality – not a change in what auctions are, but an acknowledgment of what the market has become.

• Andy Thompson is director at BTG Eddisons Property Auctions