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Lewis Craig Blog

Trailfinders Worcester Store Opens

This has to be one of the most historically interesting properties that we have had the pleasure of being involved with.

Originally a house believed to be of early 17th century origins, then becoming a shop at some point in the mid 1700’s, recently purchased and beautifully restored to an exceptionally high standard by our client Trailfinders, for their 33rd stand-alone Travel Centre in the UK and Ireland.

This latest store, is one of several listed buildings of special architectural and historic interest in Trailfinders growing freehold portfolio, with other examples being in Canterbury, Chester and St Albans, all designed by Graeme Lusted of interior architectural design consultancy Lusted Green.

Located in the heart of the prime pedestrianised section of the High Street, the property arranged over ground, basement and three upper floors offers 1,400 sq ft of ground floor sales space, with around 1,600 sq ft of ancillary accommodation.

Client-facing desks are arranged exclusively on the ground floor, with the rear section sitting beneath a restored glass atrium and benefitting from a flood of natural light. Upstairs, full staff welfare facilities are provided, along with the meeting room which enjoys the aesthetic quality of the large stained-glass feature window.

We could not resist a little historic research on previous known occupiers, this is what we found:

In 1790 May Wilson ran a toy shop

In 1796 a bakery run by Mrs Mary Nelmes who became ‘pastry cook to their Majesties’ following a visit to Worcester by George III in 1788

In 1815 it was Henry Mountford’s bakery

In 1861 it had become Samuel Hooper Mountford’s ‘Grand Luncheon and Dining Rooms’

In 1885 John Gee sold glass and china here

In 1921 it became The Shakespeare Café

Having been a shop since the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the mid 1700’s, the property is now fully transformed for the Information Age! In trying to project forward 200 years who knows what activities will be undertaken from here, but in the meantime we wish Trailfinders many years of successful trading.

Lewis Craig, property advisers to Trailfinders, acted in sourcing the opportunity and negotiating for the freehold acquisition from a client of Mat Green of Mason Partners.

Contact Richard Grossman for further information on this property and on Trailfinders continuing acquisition requirements.

Next to Bath for store #34 opening early Summer.