IT’S going to be all change at the Castle Douglas NFU Mutual office – but don’t expect any difference to the high standards of service from this long-time insurance agency.

From July 1, 2020, the Stewartry branch agency – which is run by long-time servants of the Mutual, Michael Coutts and Scott Lang – will be merging with the Dumfries agency. Though it’s a business that majors on rural insurance, it has also built up an enthusiastic semi-urban clientele in recent years and so, with a long eye on ‘succession planning’, the pair intend to retire at the end of February, 2021, and have joined with the Dumfries operation run by Sally Heggie and Louise Graham, assisted by latest recruit, Innes Carruthers.

The Stewartry pair have amassed more than 65 years of experience in the business between them and their King St HQ in Castle Douglas also serves as the branch secretary-ship for a vibrant NFU Scotland local branch.

Mr Coutts said: “Scott and I have been keen to put in place a succession plan and importantly maintain NFU Mutual’s presence in Castle Douglas which will ensure that our many clients that have been loyal to us over the years will be comfortable with the changes we’re planning

"We’ve been here a long time. I started with NFU Scotland and NFU Mutual in 1985 and after assisting my father for six years, I fully took over on his retirement in 1991 and was joined by Scott at that time. It’s a business that has faced many challenges, but it’s been rewarding and we are confident that what we are planning will not only maintain, but improve our customer service.”

The plan is to merge the two offices’ administration from now, with the aim of a full handover of the Castle Douglas business early in 2021. The business will continue to operate from both Castle Douglas and Dumfries offices.

Sally Heggie and Louise Graham, farmers’ daughters and experienced NFU Mutual agents, who currently run the Dumfries office with recently appointed agent Innes Carruthers, from new premises at Brasswell Business Park, on the eastern outskirts of Dumfries, will operate between the two centres getting to meet the Stewartry clients during that time. Innes will be known to many local farmers from his time with JCB in agricultural sales.

“We want to assure all clients of the Stewartry branch that we intend to keep it as the busy hub for the area that it is,” said Ms Heggie. “We’re proud of the business that we have in Dumfries-shire and along the Solway Coast, and the Castle Douglas business is a thriving one that we are proud to have been asked to take on.

“In this business, continuity of service and local knowledge goes a long way. It’s our intention to maintain the high standards that Michael and Scott have set and so we’re really looking forward to working with both of them prior to the ‘big handover’ at the end of February next year,” added Ms Graham. “They’ll be a hard act to follow!”