A regional specialist in bathrooms and plumbing supplies has relocated to a trade park within south Hampshire.
In a deal through Southampton-based industrial and logistics specialist Hughes Ellard, Pipescenes signed a 15-year lease on a 4,500 sq ft unit at M3 Trade Park at Manor Road, Eastleigh, at £10 a sq ft.
The family-run firm moved from Portswood, Southampton, where it had been based since starting out in 1982, the year Britain got its fourth TV station with the arrival of Channel 4.
Pipescenes invested £200,000 in kitting out the premises, which is owned by a private landlord, with a high-quality showroom.
Russell Mogridge, a director at commercial property consultancy Hughes Ellard, said: “Our industrial agency team is struggling to meet demand because there is such a low supply of available units in Southampton.
“Eastleigh is sought-after as well, with the M3 Trade Park fully occupied. The site opened 10 years ago and the market is crying out for similar, well-located trade counter sites across south Hampshire because supply is so limited.”
Melissa Goodwin, sales director and co-owner, runs the business, which employs six staff and supplies bathroom installers and plumbers, with husband Roger and son Sam, 17.
She said: “M3 Trade Park is popular with trades, given its convenient access to the M3 and M27 and the conurbations of Southampton, Eastleigh and Winchester.
“Our regulars are getting used to our new trade counter address and many of them now prefer it because of location ease. We’re also receiving a growing number of orders from hotels.
“We’d like to thank Hughes Ellard for the professional and courteous manner in which the firm conducted negotiations on behalf of the landlord.
“Indeed, Russell liked our range so much he bought a bathroom suite from us, having first seen what was on offer following our £120,000 investment in a lovely showroom.”
Other occupiers at M3 Trade Park are City Electrical Factors, Abel Ceramic & Marble, Hendy Group, Finishing Touches Intl & Test-Rite Intl, Imagewrite, K A Watts Plumbing and Heating, Richard Flooring Supplies and Kaisertech.
The property deal is the latest for Hughes Ellard, which has 28 staff and covers the Solent region.
In July the independent was named Commercial Property Consultancy Firm award at the inaugural South Coast Property Awards 2016. The accolade related to deal volumes, and total square footage in the office sector across the region in 2015.
