Accrington picks up

[GEaston]

I visited Accrington for the first time in probably 6 months yesterday. Came to see how Warner Street turned out, look for other opportunities in and around the street and to chat to tenants / prospective tenants. I also acquired a building in the town last week so got to see that and start working on it.

My observations are as an occasional visitor to the town (since 2009). Maybe it was the sunshine yesterday but I thought the place was looking good, relative to any previous visit. Warner Street in particular looked great - 26 and 28 completed a few months back and what a transformation that is. Warner Arms also transformed back into the building it always should be helps the street no end. In fact there's almost nothing left to buy/renovate on this street, just No 42 but that's overpriced to be viable. There's even some work going on at that Victorian Arcade although the quality of what they are doing looked dubious. Arguably better something than nothing.

There remain a few really nice buildings in the centre that I'd love to take on but too expensive for me right now so I will stick to Warner St size projects as they work well. I've also had a good experience so far with tenants who seem to appreciate quality work when they get to move into it. My ream of Accy Builders expanded, work had and do a great job. Combo of local knowledge and living in the town makes them extremely effective.

While I may not be popular with the locals on this board, I like your town and will continue to develop it.

Graham.

[jelly baby]

Originally Posted by GEaston

I visited Accrington for the first time in probably 6 months yesterday. Came to see how Warner Street turned out, look for other opportunities in and around the street and to chat to tenants / prospective tenants. I also acquired a building in the town last week so got to see that and start working on it.

My observations are as an occasional visitor to the town (since 2009). Maybe it was the sunshine yesterday but I thought the place was looking good, relative to any previous visit. Warner Street in particular looked great - 26 and 28 completed a few months back and what a transformation that is. Warner Arms also transformed back into the building it always should be helps the street no end. In fact there's almost nothing left to buy/renovate on this street, just No 42 but that's overpriced to be viable. There's even some work going on at that Victorian Arcade although the quality of what they are doing looked dubious. Arguably better something than nothing.

There remain a few really nice buildings in the centre that I'd love to take on but too expensive for me right now so I will stick to Warner St size projects as they work well. I've also had a good experience so far with tenants who seem to appreciate quality work when they get to move into it. My ream of Accy Builders expanded, work had and do a great job. Combo of local knowledge and living in the town makes them extremely effective.

While I may not be popular with the locals on this board, I like your town and will continue to develop it.

Graham.

Good for you, we need investment in the town. Pity someone doesn't try cleaning up Blackburn Rd, from the viaduct into the town centre.
JBx

[Restless]

Originally Posted by GEaston

While I may not be popular with the locals on this board

Wonders why

[US Angel]

Good for you
Why don't some like you I must have missed that post?

[Restless]

Posts. Plural.

[Bob Dobson]

It's a pity that you didn't come to the town a few years back - you could have bought a pub with your name on it. The Great Eastern stood on Arnold St/Dowry St, off Burnley Rd

[Gremlin]

I hope you noticed the Blind Welfare shop mr Easton. We have a lot of work done on the front. The front window frames and doors have all been tidied up and re varnished and it is the best looking shop on Bank street, it crosses warner street.
The properties opposite are a disgrace and have smashed or boarded up windows, why don't you have a go at getting hold of them and doing the same as we have had done.
I wonder if it is you who has a property on the corner of Bank and Warner street, it is a fashion shop or something and I think your name is on it somewhere.
Pop in sometime and ask for the I.T/ Braille embosser/photographer and have a brew with me, I will give you a discount and for a cake, biscuit and brew it's 30p.
Just a bit off subject but if anybody ever needs a letter or document doing in Braille I am your man. You could email it to me if you want or bring it in and if possible I will do it while you wait, free service for the blind.

[GEaston]

hi Gremlin,

I'm very familiar with Bank Street, seeing as it is around the corner from Warner. In fact some of those properties you note in disrepair back onto my Warner shop (26 Warner). I'm 26, 28 and 28a, but not the dress shop.

I note your neighbour 25 Bank Street was, and maybe still is for sale. Let me know if it is as I would be interested in fixing it. I saw it in an auction but missed it. I see the chimney is coming down, and it needs a new roof, but I'm not averse to a large project and have the builder skills on hand to do it. Looks like it sold in March for £17k but then the owner put it up for sale trying to flip it for 20. Would have been far better if they'd invested the £50k it needs to return it to a viable building.

Graham.

[Gremlin]

i will check on Thursday, we close on Wednesday.
there has been a white van parked outside on the footpath recently and men looking around it, they looked like builder types.

[magpie]

Originally Posted by jelly baby

Good for you, we need investment in the town. Pity someone doesn't try cleaning up Blackburn Rd, from the viaduct into the town centre.
JBx

Love what you have done on Warner Street... next time your around please call in our shop Pink Magpie Vintage Emporium number 9 next to the copper kettle restaurant :-)

[GEaston]

Thanks Magpie, I will call in. I don't though expect to be back in the uk for quite a while, not until next year.

I'm very happy with the way those buildings turned out. They were solid structures to begin but they turned out better than expected. I know the tenants are very happy because the buildings were as new when handed over. That's rare in Accy, and I'm not charging more than anyone else. I've no plans to sell any of them, except possibly to the current tenants if asked.

As I said above I think Warner St is looking better than it has for many years, there's only one building for sale but it's overpriced for one in need of overhaul.

Bank St, now that's a different proposition. Fix the buildings and I think the people will use it, but there's a lot of dereliction and those across from the blind shop (which is the only cared for building on the street) look good as condemned. I would buy and fix no 25, next to the blind shop but that month (last month) I had already bought one on Alice Street. Hopefully it'll come up again, soon.

[Gremlin]

Originally Posted by magpie

Love what you have done on Warner Street... next time your around please call in our shop Pink Magpie Vintage Emporium number 9 next to the copper kettle restaurant :-)

I called in today, I came back later with some things for you from the Blind Shop. Nice to meet you again.

[Gremlin]

The empty premises next to the Blind Welfare shop is up for auction Mr Easton.
The name on the board has Maple and somebody else as estate agent.

[gpick24]

Originally Posted by Gremlin

The empty premises next to the Blind Welfare shop is up for auction Mr Easton.
The name on the board has Maple and somebody else as estate agent.

Eafield and Maple?

http://www.eafield-maple.co.uk/

[GEaston]

It was up for auction so the sign is probably old. It's not up at that link either. No matter I will do some digging, it's a nice prospect, though needing a lot of work.