Business partners team up to deliver new retail destination
THE development of a retail destination which promises to deliver the “finest quintessential retail experience” in the North is underway in Harrogate.
Yorkshire business partners Graham Watson and Jason Clay recently purchased the trading companies Harrogate Antique and Auction Rooms and Brookside Nurseries on Leeds Road, with the intention of creating a retail destination for antiques, gardening products and home interiors.
Entrepreneur Watson and property developer Clay are now busy developing the two businesses, currently on neighbouring sites, into one retail business under the new name of Crimple Hall.
Watson said: “Our research showed that interest in the two businesses had been waning steadily, but since the acquisitions we’ve already given both the garden centre and antiques centre a new lease of life and that has been demonstrated by the increase in customers.
“This has been achieved by a variety of measures, including increasing stall occupancy in the antique centre by a third. Currently we now have 48 stalls holders selling everything from antique jewellery to ornaments, fine art and furniture, plus an outdoor reclamation area selling used items such as benches, tubs and wrought iron gates. From June 1st we will also be holding monthly live antique auctions.
“We have plenty more plans in the pipeline. Our overall aim is to create the North’s finest, quintessential retail experience which will feature a huge range of antiques outlets, retailers of gardening products, gifts, home interiors and really great food and drink offerings.”
The first phase of the development plans, due for completion by May 1 2014, will include a new cafe/bistro, a farm shop and gift outlets within the garden centre.
The second phase of the Crimple Hall development, aimed for completion by November 2015, will include replacing the existing antiques centre with a new rural-style building which will hold 85 antiques stalls, as well as Italian furniture specialists Harrogate Interiors, which is currently located in a separate building on the site.
Clay added: “People already travel from considerable distances to visit the antiques centre but we are confident we will attract even more people to not just the centre, but Harrogate itself, by making it the largest antique centre in the North.
“We also plan to join the garden centre and antiques centre with a ‘Victorian Street’ where we would hold a variety of regular entertainment. We’d even like to host events such as Christmas markets and family barbecues in the future. The whole development is bursting with fantastic opportunities, not just for inhabitants of the town, but for tourists and of course, for local retailers and job creation.”
Shulmans solicitors’ corporate lawyer Marcus Armstrong acted for the buyer’s acquisition vehicle, Crimple Hall, in connection with the purchases.
Marcus Armstrong of Shulmans, added: “Graham and Jason’s vision for Crimple Hall is an exciting one, and Shulmans has been delighted to work alongside such an ambitious duo. We feel that their plans will deliver a unique retail experience that will prove enormously popular with residents and visitors to Harrogate alike.”
