Town Centre Securities director departs

PROPERTY firm Town Centre Securities has parted company with long-serving director James Crawford.

While the Leeds-based company said that Mr Crawford, who has been with TCS since 1994, had left “by mutual consent” chief executive Edward Ziff admitted that the changing property market now presented new challenges to the firm.

“We are not buying any property and we haven’t bought anything for 18 months and we are trying to do a fair amount of selling,” said Mr Ziff.

“James is a good friend and I feel a bit bereaved by the whole thing. He is a quality operator and loyal and hard working and it is a shame our business has changed around us.

“There is no feelgood factor any more and we are doing a bit of restructuring,” he added.

Mr Crawford joined TCS 14 years ago and was appointed to the board in 1996 with responsibility for the property investment portfolio.

A statement from the company said that he had left “to pursue other business interests”.

“The board expresses its thanks to James for his contribution during a period of significant growth and success for the company,” it added.

The 46-year-old, who is married with two children, graduated from Sheffield Hallam University and qualified as a chartered surveyor in 1986 working in London before a move back north to join TCS.