Keith Andrews

Keith Andrews is a real estate Partner in the Ipswich office specialising in transactional property work.

With extensive experience across the occupational market, Keith advises landlords, tenants, buyers, sellers, lenders and borrowers. His broad perspective across all sides of transactions enables him to anticipate the priorities of each party, guide clients toward realistic negotiating positions and move deals forward efficiently. Keith’s client base spans individuals, large corporates, and organisations in both the public and private sectors.

Retail has been a core part of Keith’s practice for more than 15 years. As a key member of Birketts’ retail team he supports established multi-site retailers such as Radley and UGG, growing operators including Belstaff, Byredo and Playmobil and new UK entrants such as Alohas, Izipizi and Hoff.  His work covers new leases, renewals, assignments, regearing, relocations and rationalisation programmes. He has acted on transactions across a wide range of high street and out of town locations including prime London sites and major destination retail centres. Keith has particular expertise in advising international retailers entering the UK market for the first time, helping them navigate a letting process that often differs significantly from what they are used to in other countries.

Beyond retail, Keith advises across a number of other key sectors:

• Real estate finance: Serving as the Ipswich office lead, he collaborates with property and banking teams on single‑asset and portfolio financing. His clients have included most of the traditional clearing banks alongside several challenger institutions.
• Offices: Recent highlights include acting for a landlord on the multi‑million‑pound acquisition and letting of three office buildings in Chelmsford, and advising a tenant on agreeing a lease at Paternoster Square in central London involving a complex multi‑landlord structure.
• Industrial: His experience includes acting for Gousto on the management of manufacturing and distribution sites and supporting a long‑standing client with lettings at its Tomo Industrial Estate in Stowmarket.
• Entrepreneurial Ventures: Keith regularly helps entrepreneurial clients diversify their interests.  For example, assisting a clothing manufacturer in establishing a padel business and advising a motor retailer on the speculative acquisition of land for a new Starbucks development.
• Asset Management: He is entrusted with the ongoing asset management of mixed‑use portfolios held by several family trusts and partnerships.
• Healthcare: Keith advises NHS bodies on property matters, including serving as the long-term property adviser to a local NHS Foundation Trust.

Keith is known for building collaborative, long‑standing relationships with clients and professional advisers. He recognises that transactions can be demanding and strives to minimise the burden on his clients wherever possible. At the outset of every instruction, he takes time to understand his client’s objectives and establish clear transactional milestones to keep matters on track. Clients value Keith’s responsiveness, proactive approach and ability to provide pragmatic solutions when challenges arise.

Experience & education

2020 Partner at Birketts

2011 Joined Birketts

2006 Qualified as a Solicitor