CooperBurnett advises vendors in the sale of three Kent-based care homes

The corporate team at Tunbridge Wells-based law firm, CooperBurnett, has advised the vendors in the sale of Hythe Care Homes to Integrum Care Group. The deal involved three care homes based within a mile of each other in Hythe, Kent – Saltwood Care Centre, Hythe View and Balgowan House – which together provide 143 bedrooms.

CooperBurnett has acted for Tony Barnes from Hythe Care Homes for 20 years, when he purchased his first care home. He was latterly joined in the business by Phil Barker and together they developed the Hythe Care Homes group.

The entire issued shareholding of Hythe Care Homes, jointly owned by Tony Barnes and Phil Barker, was sold on 23 August to Integrum Care Group in a deal through special business sales adviser Christie & Co. Martin Gould, Head of Brokerage – Care at Christie’s, led their team.

Over the years, Hythe Care Homes has built a good reputation for the standard of its care and all three homes boast a CQC ‘Good rating’.

“Having worked with Tony and Phil for a number of years now, we know how much they care about their residents and that it was important that this deal, while paving the way for their retirement, would also offer residents the ongoing support and caring home they were used to,” says Victoria Sampson, Partner and Head of Corporate and Commercial Services at CooperBurnett. “With Integrum Group as the buyer, our clients believe this has been achieved.”

Victoria led the deal alongside Associate Solicitor, Katie Hilsdon, and fellow Partner, Tom Lumsden, a corporate property lawyer who boasts particular expertise in the care home sector. Also involved with the deal on the vendor side was Gary Sargeant and his team from chartered accountants, Sargeant Partnership.

“In 1999 CooperBurnett was recommended to us when we purchased our care home business,” says Tony Barnes. “Over the last 20 years we have been hugely impressed with their knowledgeable advice and their professional approach. Throughout the recent sale of Hythe Care Homes, Victoria, Katie and the team efficiently steered us through the whole transaction which contributed greatly to the successful outcome. We would not hesitate to recommend CooperBurnett.”

Adds Victoria Sampson: “It really was a fantastic deal to be involved with, as everyone pulled together to make it happen. We’d like to wish Tony and Phil all the very best in the next period of their lives.”