Developer Robert Hitchins Ltd gave its longest-standing tenant Stan Lane a VIP farewell when he left the Bond’s Mill estate in Stonehouse after 42 years.
The 84-year-old artisan printer has moved Gloucester Typesetting Services to new premises in Stroud – and has no intention of retiring.
Robert Hitchins’ Asset and Administration Manager at Bond’s Mill, Helen Hawke, presented Mr Lane with a montage of photographs at a party for all tenants at the business estate which sits on the A419 near Stroud, alongside the Stroudwater Canal and River Frome in a mix of refurbished Victorian mill buildings and modern commercial premises.
The event was attended by more than 100 people from 40 companies. It gave tenants a chance to meet up at the first social gathering since the pandemic.
Food and drink was prepared by caterers Le Tartistry who moved to Bond’s Mill earlier this year.
Mr Lane and his partner Katie Beard run one of the few businesses in the UK which prints limited edition books, carrying out the entire process from design and typeface selection to hot-metal casting and letterpress printing.
He entered the print business in 1956 as an apprentice compositor and trained as a Monotype hot-metal keyboard operator.
Moving from Bond’s Mill was a challenge: they needed space for five printing presses including a 1950s Heidelberg, seven casting machines and a huge quantity of type.
Robert Hitchins’ agent John Hawkins of Hawkins Watton came up trumps with new premises in Stroud High Street.
Bond’s Mill offers on-site management with 40 tenants in premises ranging from 100 to 15,000 sq ft and accommodates many start-ups as well as established companies such as UK Power Solutions, Staffline – Omega Resource and RSK Biocensus.
Robert Hitchins, based at Boddington in Gloucestershire, is one of the leading property developers and investors in the South West and South Wales. It provides the full development process from site acquisition and planning through to development and investment.
