YORK-BASED solicitors Guest Walker & Co have appointed two new commercial property solicitors as the team continues to grow.

Alison Munro has specialised in property law since qualifying as a solicitor in 2001.

She worked in Manchester for international commercial law firms for five years, has been based in York since 2006 and her commercial property caseload will include business lease work and the buying and selling of properties with business elements. Alison studied economics and philosophy at Nottingham University before completing her law conversion at the College of Law, York.

Mark Clayton joins Guest Walker & Co from a substantial law firm in Darlington and will be working across the full range of commercial property transactions.

He studied law at Durham University and qualified in 1990 at a major Newcastle firm. He has been working within the commercial property sector since 1997 and has developed particular expertise in agricultural property work. He will help the firm develop this side of the business whilst also continuing to deal with ‘mainstream’ commercial property matters.

John Walker, senior partner at Guest Walker & Co, said: “There is a strong demand for our services in this area, and with over 30 years’ experience between them, our clients will be in incredibly capable hands. We feel that there is a gap in the Yorkshire commercial property market for a local firm that can provide real expertise without the expense and inconvenience often associated with using very large practices based in the bigger northern cities.”

HARROGATE Water Brands, the company behind Harrogate Spring and Thirsty Planet, has further strengthened its sales and marketing team with three new appointments.

Greg Hatton has been appointed export and new business development manager to drive sales in new overseas markets. He was previously national account controller within route to market for Remy Cointreau and also brings industry knowledge from 11 years with drinks giant Diageo, where he was business sector controller within route to market.

Adam Poppy has been appointed regional account executive based in London. Adam has a wealth of practical experience from eight years in hotel management and will be working as brand champion to expand sales of Harrogate Spring within the hotel and restaurant sectors.

Elatia Sharkey has joined the Harrogate head office team as customer service manager after three years in client management for Capita, the international business process outsourcing specialist. Before this she spent 21 years with Lloyds Bank, working in client relationship management.