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A long-standing Worthing firm of solicitors has officially launched its new offices following the retirement of the founder.

A R Brown & Co has taken over the former Santander bank in Goring, with Deborah Francis as managing director and Robert Kynan as director.

They welcomed clients and guests to the opening of the offices at 37 Goring Road on Tuesday, as well as Alan Brown, who set up the practice in 1986.

Deborah said: "We have gone from an established firm in property, both commercial and residential, and private clients, and we are planning to expand the services to include litigation.

Deborah Francis and Robert Kynan with A R Brown & Co founder Alan Brown and his wife Gillian

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"We are going to keep the personal service, so the client has a regular solicitor to talk to. The new premises are wheelchair friendly and accessible to all but home visits are on offer for people who are unable to come to the office.

The new A R Brown & Co offices at 37 Goring Road

"We want to keep our client base but bring in new clients as well. We have got a great team and we are well known in the local community. We decided to keep the name to build on the brand."

A solicitor with 17 years’ experience in dispute resolution, specialising in employment law and contentious probate, Deborah has been with the firm since the autumn.

She and Robert, who joined A R Brown & Co in April last year, have been friends since they worked together at Howlett Clark solicitors in Brighton in 2016.

Alan officially retired at the end of March but has still been involved in sorting and clearing the former offices in Chapel Road.

The old A R Brown & Co offices at 77-79 Chapel Road

He said: "I should have retired 20 years ago because of my age. It is sad to go but I can see it is a good offer here to carry it on. The team is the same team I had.

"I was in local government in Brighton from the age of 17 and always thought I could improve myself."

He became a solicitor in Brighton and moved to Worthing when he took on the role of senior solicitor, working at the Town Hall. It was there he met his wife, Gillian.

When premises down the road became available, Alan took the opportunity to set up his own business and ran it for 36 years.

He said: "We were very big at one time, a lot of staff have come and gone. We expanded next door and took over the premises at the back, so it is quite a big property."

Alan is yet to decide what will happen to the many models in the window, for which the firm was famous.

A R Brown & Co: Worthing solicitors launch new offices after firm's founder retires