CHARTERED surveyor Michael Westlake has decided to retire at the end of this month after a career spanning 57 years.

He left Ermysted’s Grammar School in 1964 and was articled to John Smallwood at Dacre, Son & Hartley in Keighley and as a precocious 20 year old, I persuaded the Partners that it would be a good idea to open an office in Skipton which we did in January 1967 with John Padgett.

After 23 very successful years, he set up on his own account in Gargrave specialising in commercial and licensed property.

He said: “For many years, I was a Member of the RICS President’s Panel of Experts dealing with property-related disputes across Northern England.

Now, in my 75th year, I have decided to quit whilst I am still ahead but will continue to advise a handful of clients on a low key consultancy basis.

Westlake & Co. Will cease to trade and my co-Director, Alastair McDowell, is re-locating with Atkinson Associates based in Ilkley.

After over 40 years of working with me, my long-suffering secretary, Diana Lynan, is now relieved to be able to retire.