Bull Ring, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8

Historic freehold property totalling 5,300 sqft comprising of ground floor retail (circa 1,500 sqft), two storeys of accommodation (circa 2,500 sqft), separate courtyard building (circa 1,300 sqft) and a cellar.

An exciting opportunity to acquire an attractive period property set within the charming historic heart of Ludlow, with huge potential for a range of uses (subject to planning) including a coffee shop, wine bar, holiday lets, residential apartments...and more.

LOCATION
No. 6 & 7 The Bull Ring lies at the end of the medieval market area which stretches eastward from the entrance of Ludlow Castle. The Property sits within the main shopping area of Ludlow as well as one of the primary vehicular through routes off Corve Street.

HISTORY
Heber Rickards established Rickards at No. 6 & 7 The Bull Ring in 1864. It has been a much loved hardware shop for over 150 years serving the local community. The Property is of nineteenth century construction and extends to 3 storeys with a cellar. The shopfront benefits from glazed double doors and canted windows, elsewhere, the windows are predominately wooden sashes and leaded casements of Regency and Victorian style. The Courtyard Building is located to the rear of No. 6 & 7 and is connected by way of an open courtyard.

NO. 6 & 7 GROUND FLOOR
No. 6 & 7 The Bull Ring is occupied as a single retail enterprise. Rows of wooden drawers run along the back walls with a 19th-century cash desk protected by a sliding glass window in the centre. Beyond street level, an open plan retail area overlooks The Courtyard with a separate room utilised as a kitchenette and WC. A further room is occupied as an office and benefits from a curved window overlooking The Courtyard. The floorspace surrounding The Courtyard includes one store and three further rooms, one of which is presently utilised as an AGA sales room. The Cellar is accessed directly from No. 7 by way of a staircase.

FIRST FLOOR & SECOND FLOOR
The first floor is accessed by a staircase from No. 7. On the first floor there are once elegant rooms which served as the Rickards family accommodation for over twenty years. The original dining room has a well preserved ceiling rose with a large feature window overlooking Corve Street. Above, on the second floor, the majority of the rooms enjoy views onto Corve Street and The Bull Ring, whilst the room to the rear looks onto St Lawrence’s Church. The wallpaper in the rooms suggests their original use as bedrooms. Both floors predominately feature exposed wooden floorboards and benefit from electrical light fittings.

COURTYARD BUILDING
The Courtyard Building is accessed from The Courtyard through either No. 6&7, or through a gateway to a side passage leading onto Corve Street (B4361). The Courtyard Building served as a rear warehouse to Rickards & Son Ltd and is typical of an early nineteenth century storage building. Access is from a staircase off The Courtyard which leads to the first floor which has two rooms annotated as Store 4 & 5 on the floor plan. The second floor is accessed from a wooden staircase which leads into Store 6 & 7. Access into the Attic is reached by way of a steep wooden staircase. There is a fine view looking across to The Readers House and St Laurence’s Church. The flooring throughout is predominately exposed wooden floorboards and there are a number of feature beams visible throughout.

FIXTURES & FITTINGS
The shop counter & drawers will remain.

SERVICES
The Property is connected to mains water (metered), mains drainage (Severn Trent), mains electricity (Western Power) and mains gas. There is no central or storage heating. The only form of heating derives from fan heaters, the AGA (ran off mains gas) and a gas fire in the office.

TENURE & POSSESSION
Freehold available on completion. Although this sale is solely for The Property and not the business, the vendor is willing to enter into discussions should any purchaser be interested in buying the retail arm of Rickards & Son Ltd. RATES £15,469 (2021-22) per annum. Currently subject to Government grant reduction scheme. EPC RATINGS Exempt due to Grade II listing status.

LOCAL AUTHORITY
Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, SY2 6ND

HEALTH & SAFETY
Please take care when viewing the property and be as vigilant as possible when making an inspection for your own personal safety.

WAYLEAVES EASEMENTS & RIGHTS OF WAY
A right of way granted by conveyance allows for access between No. 9/10 The Bull Ring and No. 7 The Bull Ring. The access passage is obtained through a locked pedestrian gate off Corve Street allowing for access into the side doors of No.7.

LISTING STATUS
Grade II listed

DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL
The benefit of the property is that the upper floors and the courtyard building both have an independent access and are not reliant on access through the retail frontage.
There is development opportunity for a range of uses (subject to planning) including a coffee shop, wine bar, holiday lets, residential apartments and more. A pre-application enquiry was undertaken with Shropshire Council. The presented proposal included the retention of the retail floorspace on the ground floor, with storage provision in the cellar. A complete renovation could then allow for two apartments on the first and second floors, both of which provided two bedrooms with spacious living accommodation. A further separate two-bedroom apartment was proposed in The Courtyard Building. The proposals received positive feedback from Shropshire Council.

METHOD OF SALE
The Property is offered for sale by Private Treaty at offers over £595,000

VIEWINGS
Viewings are strictly by appointment with the selling agent. Interested parties are not permitted to view the property without a prearranged appointment with the selling agent. Under no circumstances should contact be made with Rickards' regarding viewing appointments.