HUNTINGDON-based property agents Barker Storey Matthews have won the Estates Gazette award for the most active regional agent in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk in 2009. The award, announced at an event in Cambridge on January 22, is given to the regi

HUNTINGDON-based property agents Barker Storey Matthews have won the Estates Gazette award for the most active regional agent in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk in 2009.

The award, announced at an event in Cambridge on January 22, is given to the regional agent who has concluded the most transactions in the year throughout the three counties.

Barker Storey Matthews had submitted details of more than 270 agency deals excluding rent reviews and lease renewals concluded during 2009.

Savills won the award as most active national agent in the same area, having concluded around 170 transactions.

Alan Matthews of Barker Storey Matthews, which also has offices in Peterborough, Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds, said: "2009 actually turned out to be better than we thought it would be at the beginning of the year. Market activity was slow to begin with but picked up as the year progressed.

"We also saw a steady improvement in values across all sectors as the year progressed. Contrary to popular belief, there is not an over-supply of commercial buildings and, with new speculative development activity at a standstill, we expect stock levels to continue to reduce and values increase throughout 2010".

ESTATE OF GRACE: The winning BSM team, left to right, is (front row) Alan Matthews, Mike Sumpster, Richard Adam; (middle row) Tim Redfern, Andrew Smith, Wendy Burcham, Mark Critchley; (back) Michael Storey, Michael Beardall.