44 THE RIVER MAGAZINE | Autumn 2017 | E D U C A T I O N | community. In that time, they have been involved in many of the key developments that make Bermondsey, Borough and Rotherhithe what they are today. Their office, on the corner of Shad Thames and Jamaica Road, is a beautifully refurbished wharf and illustrates just how much the area has changed since KALMARs arrived. Back in the days of black and white photography the building was previously a mill and warehouse, most recently occupied by shipping agents. Now the area is a home to some of the world’s most exclusive and sought-after apartments. The Chandlery on Westminster Bridge Road is a typical development that has benefitted from their full experience and skill sets as they handled the initial sale of Webber Street School, its conversion into apartments and then the subsequent individual apartment sales thereafter. Adam Rosan, Residential Consultant, said of The Chandlery, “This is a typical example of our role in the full cycle; from developer to end user, to re-sales.” The agency has remained stable throughout the decades with a steadily expanding workforce who typically O ver the last five decades KALMARs Estate Agents have seen recessions come and go, financial crashes, property booms and the market slowdowns that inevitably follow. As a family business, those experiences have been passed down from father to son, to grandson - giving them an unprecedented insight into the South London property market. Since the late 1960s KALMARs have continued to successfully trade, watching the local area develop and transform into a world-class business and residential 50 Years Young Young Y | P R O P E R T Y | Half a century in the property business makes KALMARs the longest-standing agency in Bermondsey The team who have made Tower Bridge home for KALMARs and for many others that have successfully moved to the area Then The old warehouse buildings on the corner of Jamaica Road and Shad Thames