The Business

Elephant & Castle estate agents were launched into the Coventry market place in 2006 and instantly became one

of the fastest growing independent estate agencies in the city. Initially operating from a small rented office space in Holbrooks, the service included industry leading glossy brochures, floor plans, all accompanied viewings and were the only agent to advertise floor plans of properties in the Newspaper adverts (a practice now often copied). The first year of trading was far more successful that could possibly have been hoped for and in 2007 the company relocated to it’s state of the art flagship office on Cannon Hill Road. Also in 2007 First Time @ Elephant & Castle was launched, providing expert help and advice to First Time buyers and sellers, giving a dedicated “Personal Move Manager” to each client, and making the whole move easier and less stressful. In 2008 the Elephant & Castle deposit assistance scheme was set up making it easier for first time buyers to get on the property ladder, which at a time when 100% mortgages are becoming harder to obtain is proving a very successful method of selling properties and keeping people moving.

Rob Shields

Rob has lived in Leicestershire since the age of 9 after his family moved down from Yorkshire. He was educated in Leicester and has a background in accounting and financial services.

He has worked in various housing markets since 1988 in both financial services and estate agency roles, moving into the Coventry & Warwickshire areas in 1995.

Rob has gained a wealth of experience and helped many local people move home over the years and recalls how much the area has changed since he first arrived.

“When I first came to Coventry, I felt as if I had come home. I found the people very friendly and welcoming and the City itself extremely vibrant and progressive.

Work on the Skydome had just started, the A444 was still under construction , Coventry City Football Club were still playing at Highfield Road & the site where the new arena now stands was still the Foleshill gas works. There have also been many improvements to the City centre including the Lower Precinct and Priory developments.”

Steve Bell

Born in Coventry and spending much of his formative years in Coventry and Kenilworth, Steve takes a pride in his position of trust, and always strives to provide the most professional and friendly service available in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Originally a trained engineer and dancer, Steve entered the Housing market in 2000, when a bad experience with a letting agent made him so cross that he set out to provide a better service himself. He joined a large corporate chain of estate agents where he learned the ropes and won many awards for customer service and sales results, he later left the corporate world to gain a taste of life at a independent firm. His success at that company lead to him being Head Hunted by a large Corporate chain.

It was whilst working for that large company that Steve became increasingly frustrated with the demands of senior management who were even advising some valuers to overvalue and tie people in for long sole agency periods.

Rob and Steve met when working for the same company in 2004 and decided that it was time to put together a business plan for a whole new bread of estate agency, and one which would pride itself on delivering the highest standards on customer service at a reasonable, honest and competitive cost to the consumer. And so Elephant & Castle was born.

The pair came up with the name Elephant & Castle because of the pride that all Coventrians take in their cities history, and as everyone will know the Elephant & Castle are the main part of the Coventry Coat of Arms dating back to the medieval times when the Black Prince ruled the city and the city’s motto “Camera Principis” meaning prince’s chamber was created.