Martin & Co Widnes acquired by existing franchise owners, expanding their presence across the North West

Existing Martin & Co Franchise Owners Peter Mahoney and Craig Wicking have expanded their presence across the North West with the acquisition of Martin & Co Widnes, marking their third office within the network.

The pair first joined the Martin & Co network in October 2023 through the resale acquisition of Martin & Co Rochdale. They later expanded again with the launch of Martin & Co Leigh in July 2025 following an acquisition and have now added Widnes to their growing portfolio.

Speaking about the resale, Wicking comments: “Widnes felt like a natural fit for us. It’s a similar type of market to Rochdale and Leigh, with strong rental demand, a solid base of landlords, and somewhere we could build on what we have already built. It also helps from a coverage point of view. Having Rochdale, Leigh and now Widnes gives us a better spread across the North West, which makes it easier to keep things consistent operationally across the offices.”

Reflecting on their growth journey within the network, the pair said their experience with Rochdale gave them the confidence and operational foundations needed to scale further.

“Rochdale gave us a really good grounding,” Mahoney adds. “It showed us what works, where we could improve and how we wanted to run the business day to day. The second office was probably the key step though. We had to ensure we had a robust management structure in place that didn’t rely on us being involved in everything directly. Once that was working, it made the decision to expand again a lot more straightforward. At that point, it becomes about adding to a structure rather than building from scratch each time.”

The acquisition of Widnes represents another milestone for the business as it continues to build a scalable multi-office operation.

“Our growth is a sign that the model works,” comments Wicking. “A big part of that is the team we’ve built. The management structure we’ve put in place over the last year is what has allowed us to take on another office without things becoming stretched. Personally, it’s good to see that coming together. Professionally, it gives us confidence we can keep building in a controlled way.”

The pair have said their immediate focus in Widnes would be on continuity and integration.

“First priority is stability,” says Mahoney. “Making sure the team feels supported, landlords and tenants see continuity, and everything carries on as it should. Beyond that, it’s about integrating Widnes into the wider structure we’ve built. The management team we now have in place plays a big role in that, making sure standards are consistent and the office is properly supported as it beds in. And then over time, building a strong team culture across all three offices.”

Discussing the opportunities within the local market, the Wicking highlighted the importance of consistency and long-term support for landlords.

“There’s already a good base in Widnes,” he said. “The opportunity is really in building on that, supporting landlords properly as the market becomes more regulated and bringing a bit more structure and consistency to how things are managed. We’re not looking to change things for the sake of it. It’s more about strengthening what’s already there and making sure it holds up over time.”

They also pointed to the operational synergies between Rochdale, Leigh and Widnes.

“The main benefit is consistency,” adds Mahoney. “Same standards, same approach to management, same level of oversight across all three. For landlords, that means things are clearer and more predictable. For tenants and buyers, it should just feel more straightforward to deal with. Behind the scenes, it also allows us to be more joined up in how we handle compliance, maintenance and day-to-day management.”

The Franchise Owners credited the Martin & Co network with helping facilitate their growth.

“Having the framework there makes it easier to focus on the operational side,” Wicking comments. “It gives you a solid base, but there’s still plenty of scope to shape how you run things locally and put your own structure in place on top of that.”

Looking ahead, the pair said they remain open to future opportunities within the network.

“We’re open to further growth, provided it is the right fit. We’re not looking to grow just for the sake of it, only where we can see it working long term and where we are confident that we can maintain the same standards,” adds Wicking.

Toby Phillips, Managing Director of Martin & Co, commented: “Peter and Craig have demonstrated a clear and disciplined approach to growth since joining the network in 2023. Their focus on operational structure, consistency and long-term service standards has enabled them to scale successfully across multiple territories. The acquisition of Martin & Co Widnes is another positive step for the business, and we look forward to supporting them as they continue to strengthen their presence across the North West.”