Successful franchisee opens third branch in Prescot

There are many routes into franchising, and one of them is for a former employee to work their way up through the ranks until an opportunity arises to take on the business. This is exactly what happened to Gail Roberts at Whitegates West Derby, who in 2001 became the brand’s very first Senior Manager to acquire a franchise. It proved to be a great decision for Gail, who later acquired Whitegates Huyton and in May 2025 opened a third branch as a cold start in Prescot.

“I have worked for Whitegates for a total of 36 years, starting as an office junior, and in 2001 when the West Derby office became available, I became the company’s first Senior Manager to take on a franchise,” says Gail.

In 2015 I acquired the Whitegates Huyton office, and used my industry experience in sales, lettings and financial services to develop both businesses.

I specialise in sales and lettings, and as a landlord myself, I fully appreciate the importance of seeing the process from both sides.

“This year I expanded the business again by opening a brand-new office in Eccleston Park, Prescot. We had been running the Prescot office virtually for some time, but with enormous investment and development in the area the time felt right for the business to have a physical presence. Whitegates Prescot will be managed by Joshua Cunliffe, who started with me as an apprentice six years ago and is incredibly professional and efficient. I am sure that under his management Whitegates Prescot will become very successful.

“I have always believed in giving young people opportunities, as someone did for me years ago at Whitegates West Derby. I currently have seven apprentices working across the three offices, and I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge and providing great training in all areas of the business to help them develop their careers. My own son, Ross, did an apprenticeship with us, and then went on to have a successful property career in Dubai although he is soon moving back to the UK and will start working for the family business again.

“I honestly would not be able to do what I do without the support of my fantastic team of 17 people, who are of all different ages and ranges of experience. Everyone is totally committed

to my philosophy of treating people as they would like to be treated, and I believe their values,

integrity and the training they receive is why Whitegates has gained such an incredible local

reputation. We don’t tell people we are the best; we just forward them links to view the amazing reviews we receive.

“Since I first started working for Whitegates I’ve seen many changes to the market. For example, back in 1989 interest rates were 15.4%, and then there was the property crash of 2007, followed more recently by the Covid-19 pandemic. It doesn’t matter what happens, as the business keeps coming back stronger and better.

“Whitegates is part of The Property Franchise Group (TPFG) and I think that the support that franchisees receive is superb. Opening a third office as a cold start might be perceived by some people as quite risky, but I’m very confident that with the help of my team, the wider Whitegates family, and the support of TPFG it will be a great success.

“Over the years a lot of independent estate agents have told me that I was wasting my money being part of a franchise. I don’t agree. I believe I’m in a partnership with the franchisor, and I don’t expect them to do everything for me. The marketing and legal support that we receive is superb, and the Senior Management team, including CEO Gareth Samples, Group MD Rob Smith, and Operations Manager Vicki Cullen, are all great.

“In addition, the training that is available to the apprentices is outstanding, and the staff have access to a portal on the TPFG website, where they can access courses to help develop their skills. One of the most beneficial aspects of being a franchisee is being notified of all the changes to legislation, and with the Renters’ Rights Bill coming through this is more important than ever. The compliance support we receive is second to none.

“In addition, the collective buying power of TPFG is fantastic for franchisees. For example, a new Privileges Package is being rolled out, which will reduce our costs considerably.

“When I look back to when I first started, there’s no doubt that it was challenging, as I was a young mother, and I am grateful for the support of my husband and friends. There were times when I was working 12-to-15-hour days, but because I’ve always loved what I do, it actually never felt like a job. Even now whenever I see an offer has been accepted on a house or a let on a property has been secured, I get a huge buzz. When a client chooses you to sell their house, or buys a house through your business, you know it’s a huge milestone in their lives and I always feel very privileged that they chose to work with us.

“Inevitably there were times when I wasn’t able to pick my boys up from school or attend events etc, but now they are older I’ve spoken to them about this, and they have said they fully appreciate all that I did and the opportunities it gave them.

TPFG Group MD Rob Smith says: “I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to Gail on the launch of the new Whitegates Prescot branch. Whitegates is a highly respected brand within TPFG,

and it is testimony to Gail’s professionalism and entrepreneurial spirit that not only is she one of Whitegates’ longest serving franchisees, but remains passionate and dedicated to her business, with a willingness to take full advantage of expansion opportunities. In addition, Gail’s commitment to helping young people develop their careers through her apprenticeship scheme is inspirational and I wish the team at Whitegates Prescot every success for the future.”