The freehold interest in Buchanan House, 3 St James's Square, SW1, owned by the WEL Property Limited Partnership which is majority owned by the West End of London Property Unit Trust in which Benchmark has an effective current interest of 55.3% has been sold to a private property company for £36 million ($58.6). The property is an office building of 53,000 sq ft and is let in its entirety to a wholly owned subsidiary of Diageo Plc for a term expiring on 23 June 2014 at a passing rent of £2.5 million ($4.1 million) per annum. Michael Elliot acted for Benchmark and Stiles Harold Williams for the purchaser.

The long leasehold interest, with 166 years unexpired from the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and a ground rent payable to them of £131,447 ($214,000) a year, in 158-164 Bishopsgate, EC2 owned 100% by Benchmark Group PLC has been sold to Warburg-Henderson KAG, a joint venture between Henderson Global Investors and M.M. Warburg & Co, Hamburg for £19.8 million ($32.3 million). The property is a mixed retail and office building of 41,000 sq ft let on various leases to tenants including Tesco plc and Balls Brothers at a total passing rent of £1.3 million ($2.1 million) per annum. Ingleby Trice Kennard acted for Benchmark and Drivers Jonas for the purchasers.