Dunstable family, independent businesses: S R Wood & Son
By Cllr Peter Hollick, past Town Mayor of Dunstable.
A commercial property consultant and agent’s presence in the town centre is essential when there is much movement on the ‘High Street’.
The Wood family moved to Dunstable and Cookfield Close in the early 1970s when their Wimpey house was built. Stephen Wood (Jnr) lived there until 1975. His first school was Lancot. He then moved to Harlington - and many places thereafter
Stephen (Jnr) traces the firm’s development, “My father, Stephen Wood (Snr) moved from Healy & Baker, Hanover Square, London to Connell Commercial, Luton. He established S R Wood & Son in 1981. I joined in 1989 and the eldest of my three sons, Jacob, joined five years ago. S R Wood & Son now has presence in many places within south/central Bedfordshire, Luton Borough and beyond.
Some nine years ago, following the retirement of the late Geoff Alexander, principal of Alexander & Co., Stephen (Jnr) was fortunate enough to take over their commercial property files. S R Wood & Son now transact an estimated 95% of all Dunstable town centre commercial buildings; letting, sales, rent reviews, lease renewals, shops, offices etc.
Stephen (Jnr) continues, “Since taking over the commercial files from Alexander & Co., we have managed to increase the occupancy rates in the town centre to a likely all time high, representing many of the local business owners as well as Central Bedfordshire Council.”
S R Wood & Son is proud to grow year on year, remaining a family owned and operated company across south/central Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.