Two Cumbrian businesses played key advisory roles in the sale of a major family-owned portfolio of petrol stations.
Saint & Co Chartered Accountants and legal firm Burnetts, both headquartered in Carlisle, worked collaboratively to guide long-term clients Hills of Corby Hill Group through a deal which resulted in the £28.6 million sale of 12 petrol filling stations to Roadside Real Estate PLC.
Saint & Co and Burnetts have provided professional guidance to the Hills family and shareholders of the group for years, and they were delighted to play important roles in the sale of the business which included sites in Corby Hill, Carlisle, Whitehaven, Ambleside, Penrith, Workington, Coniston and Stainburn.
To facilitate the sale, managed by Christie & Co, the team at Saint & Co provided vital financial and accounting advice and the professionals at Burnetts were appointed to lead the legal aspects of the transaction.
Saint & Co had been involved with the deal since March 2025 and prepared figures and information for the business ahead of it going on the market and helped the shareholders select a suitable buyer.
Following that, the team advised on accountancy and tax aspects of the sale, including due diligence.
Lindsay Farrer, of Saint & Co, said: “Playing a role in such a major sale in our home county was a big moment. It was a huge undertaking over a long period of time, and our teams provided the key financial and accounting guidance required to ensure the deal was able to be completed.
“To be appointed to work on such a high value project is a clear endorsement of the standard of work our teams across all sites carries out, and it has been a great pleasure to use our expertise to enable a smooth transaction.
“Working alongside the expert team at Burnetts has been really fulfilling and it underpins the exceptional talent among Cumbria’s professional services.”
Burnetts’ corporate team advised on the legal aspects of the sale. Their role was instrumental as they advised on heads of terms, legal due diligence and all legal aspects of the sale.
Michael Walby, head of corporate, said: “Transactions of this scale, involving multiple sites, require significant effort and careful management and negotiation of complex legal issues. Our team at Burnetts worked tirelessly and diligently to deliver a successful outcome for our clients.
“Hills Group has been a long-standing client of Burnetts, and we have developed a strong relationship with the family and shareholders. We were delighted to advise them on this transaction and to support them in achieving a successful sale of the business.
“The success of the deal reflects the high level of collaboration between all advisers, and we valued the opportunity to work closely with the team at Saint & Co, who provided excellent advice on all accounting and tax aspects throughout the process.
“It demonstrates that first-class legal, accountancy and tax advice is available within Cumbria for transactions of this scale.”
The selling shareholders of the Hills Group praised the combined efforts of Saint & Co and Burnetts, emphasising the strength of the long-standing relationships and the collaborative approach taken to delivering a successful outcome.
They said: “Having worked with Saint & Co and Burnetts for many years, we had complete confidence in their ability to deliver this important and complex transaction for us. Both teams demonstrated a consistently high level of professionalism, working in a fully co-ordinated and collaborative manner throughout.
“Their combined commercial insight and technical expertise on the accounting and legal side, together with their joined-up approach and good humour, made what could have been a challenging process significantly more straightforward for us.
“We are extremely grateful for their guidance and their clear commitment to achieving the best possible outcome for us as sellers.”
