CONFUSION reigns over the future of two Oxfordshire estate agency branches, because of a rebranding exercise.

Four branches of long-established Oxfordshire estate agency Buckell & Ballard, in Headington, Cowley, Wallingford and Bicester, have been rebranded as Taylors.

But that still leaves two Oxford branches, in Summertown and St Clement’s, using the Buckell & Ballard name.

Andy Gower, regional manager of Taylors’ western region, said: “Four have been rebranded and the other two will be soon.”

However, Shella Ali, a spokesman for parent company Countrywide, said: “They will continue to trade as Buckell & Ballard.”

Three staff from the Summertown office recently left the company after rejecting offers of other jobs within the group. And some staff from Hamptons, which has an office further along Banbury Road, have now moved into the Buckell & Ballard office in Banbury Road, Summertown. Hamptons, which was bought by Countrywide in June last year, has been hunting for a central Summertown office for some time. It dropped a plan to move into the old Ripples bathroom showroom in Banbury Road in February.

Countrywide owns Taylors, Buckell & Ballard, Hamptons, John D Wood and Barstow Eaves.

The company made a £13.3m pre-tax loss last year, a result it described as “strong in a declining market”.