An expanding supplier of products to the rural community is the latest business to move into a thriving business park in Wiltshire.
Countrywide, which operates 53 country stores nationwide, has opened a trade store at Minton Distibution Park, London Road, Amesbury, by the A303.
The company, which has had a record financial half-year, signed a 10-year lease on 1,591 sq m (21,000 sq ft), creating five jobs.
Countrywide is the latest business to occupy Minton Distribution Park – Vitacress, Europe’s leading grower and packer of ready-to-eat salads, recently doubled its footprint on site with plans for a high-tech packaging plant.
Minton Distribution Park is owned by the Minton Group, which operates 25 commercial sites across England, with 150 people working for eight companies on site locally.
Countrywide’s trade store, on the right side of the main building, has been opened in association with H&C Pearce & Sons, one of the largest agricultural farm supply businesses in central and southern England.
Maureen Driver, Senior Asset Manager, Minton Group, said: “The arrival of Countrywide’s trade premises is the latest good news for the distribution park, which is thriving on the back of companies who continue to grow.
“They benefit from best-value rents and flexible space to accommodate further growth without having to go through the trouble and cost of relocation down the line.”
She added: “Countrywide is in a strong market – government figures show that nearly 10 million people live and work in rural places, which make up 86% of England.
“This is the first time we’ve had a trade outlet on premises, complementing the office, manufacturing and research and development facilities, and we anticipate strong footfall as word spreads.
“The park is becoming very much an employment hub, with valuable local jobs being created on the back of current occupiers expanding their products and services despite the difficult global economy.”
Mark Stephens, Countrywide’s regional manager, said: “Creating a trade and distribution hub here in Amesbury makes strategic sense as the site has excellent road links to and from the South-West, Midlands and South Coast.”
He added: “We’re grateful to Maureen for a warm welcome and ensuring the moving in process was a smooth one – they acted to the letter and have our best interests in mind.”
Countrywide, which has a 100-year heritage, stocks products spanning the farming, smallholder, equestrian, rural business and country home sectors.
The company already has office space at Minton House, which comprises nine suites over three floors at the main entrance to Minton Distribution Park.
Minton Distribution Park, which has eight companies on site, has flexible industrial, warehouse, distribution and office space available, with rents from £3.50 a sq ft.
Other occupiers include Hama, one of the world’s leading accessory companies in photo, video, audio, computer and telecommunications, NanoSight, an award-winning bio-tech company which specialises in break-through technology that allows the tiniest of particles in fluids to be seen, sized and counted in minutes, and data cleansing specialist CCR.
Salisbury-based commercial property consultancy Myddelton & Major is the sole agent for Minton Distribution Park.
Financial details of Countrywide’s lease were not disclosed.
