Former Scotland rugby international part of team heading new Rettie & Co division

Edinburgh property agency Rettie & Co has launched a rural asset management division led by a new team that includes a former Scotland rugby international.

Left to right: Fergus Thomson, Hugh Rettie and Lucy Murray of Edinburgh-headquartered Rettie & Co. Picture by Stewart Attwood

The move brings together the firm’s rural, estate and farm services with the new operation’s remit including farm and estate management, agricultural landlord and tenants, planning and development opportunities, and sales and lettings. The new team is being led by Fergus Thomson and Lucy Murray.

Thomson, a former Scotland rugby international who played for Glasgow Warriors, is a qualified chartered surveyor and joined Rettie from Davidson and Robertson as an associate director in 2021. He is based at Rettie’s Berwick-Upon-Tweed office. Rural Consultant Murray is also based at the Berwick branch, working with clients and partners across the country, while collaborating with the firm’s other divisions.

The rural management division is also advising landowners on a series of renewable energy developments across onshore and offshore wind, solar, and battery storage, totalling in excess of four gigawatts of installed capacity. Rettie & Co was founded 30 years ago and is headquartered in Edinburgh with some 180 staff across 11 offices - Edinburgh, Glasgow city, Glasgow west end, Bearsden, Shawlands, Newton Mearns, St Andrews, Melrose, Berwick, Newcastle and London.

Director Simon Rettie said: “From day one, rural and farm advisory services have been an integral part of our offering, many of our own people are involved or closely connected with farming and estates, and we’re pleased to see a renewed focus via the rural asset management division. It’s great to have Fergus and Lucy in place to head the team, while working with clients nationwide.”

Meanwhile, associate director Hugh Rettie has moved to head up the firm’s Borders office in Melrose, following eight years in the Edinburgh lettings team. Alice Brown, branch manager, and Nicola Crombie, senior sales consultant, are also based at the Melrose operation. Hugh Rettie said: “The Borders has always been a big part of my family life. I studied rural business management at the Scottish Agricultural College, and it’s pleasing to come back full circle in professional terms. And it’s a busy time, with over 1,000 active applicants looking to buy in the region.”

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