Jonathan Preece commercial agents

Jonathan D Preece Ltd are chartered surveyors and commercial property agents covering the Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire area. They are the experts in Ross commercial property.

'My core business is Herefordshire based, but I also do work for clients all over the country in connection with investment properties,' says Jonathan Preece.

He sold the residential sales and lettings part of his business three years ago to concentrate on and expand the commercial, professional and survey and valuation side of the business. 'That had flourished in recent years,' he says. 'I was also extremely fortunate to have two excellent managers in our Ross and Hereford offices who were keen to buy it, so it seemed a sensible course of action.'

The company, Jonathan D Preece Ltd, now has five staff and four core areas to the business - an active commercial agency selling and letting shops, offices, industrial premises and development sites; a professional department carrying out rent reviews, lease renewals and rating assessments for landlords and tenants; a commercial management service collecting rents and dealing with service charges, and a highly regarded valuation and survey department undertaking surveys and valuations on behalf of lending institutions, private individuals and as an expert witness for the courts.

So how is the commercial property market looking in Ross itself? 'With the increase in fuel costs I think people are focussing back on their local towns for their needs - they're less likely to drive 40 miles to some mega superstore now,' he says. 'People love going shopping and with the local tourist trade flourishing, I think market towns have a really good future.'

And what are the town's biggest selling points? 'It's a beautiful historic market town that's ideally situated with excellent roads to Birmingham, Bristol and London,' he says. 'Overlooking the beautiful Wye river and being surrounded by stunning countryside, I think it will attract even more tourists as air fares increase.'

He was born in Ross, where his father was an architect, and he obviously has a huge fondness for the town. 'I guess it's the quality of life,' he says. 'There isn't that anonymity you get in the bigger cities - you get to know people here, people smile at you and it's a very friendly and intimate place. If you're rude to someone you'll probably meet them the next day!'

So if he was still in the residential sales side of the property business would he see Ross as a good place to relocate? 'Absolutely - it's a great place to live and work. It's an ideal centre for communications, a safe place to bring up children and a beautiful part of the world to live in. There are so many activities on your doorstep, such as rowing and canoeing on the Wye, cycling and horse riding in the Forest of Dean, and beautiful walks everywhere.'