Yahoo News Handsome terrace renovated into 'high quality' apartments, restaurant and coffee shop
A handsome terrace has been renovated to provide "high quality" apartments, a restaurant and coffee shop in an upcoming area of Hartlepool town centre.
Key Property Enterprises purchased and has been renovating seven adjoining properties, numbers 15-27, in Scarborough Street, off Church Street. The street is home to several hip micro bars, providing food, drinks, cocktails and entertainment, that have become increasingly popular over recent years.
The properties have been converted into nine plush apartments, to be used as serviced accommodation and targeted at those visiting the screen industry production village around Church Street. The development will also feature four commercial units, one specifically built to be a bar/restaurant, and another a coffee shop.
Ashley Jones, from Key Property Enterprises, said: "Those four premises are very important because they bring that eclectic mix to the street. We'll have residential, we'll have businesses, bars and restaurants - all those have a place on the street to bring that vibrancy to the area which is needed."
The 64-year-old, originally from Port Talbot, added there is a "fantastic, proud history" in Hartlepool which they want to honour. He continued: "I feel a great deal of affinity with the people of Hartlepool and the area, it feels like home and I'd like very much to be an adopted son of Hartlepool one day. I see this development as something that's going to be my legacy for my grandchildren and for the town, I want to make a difference, I want to help develop the street."
Two of the apartments are now up for grabs, more are expected to be wrapped up shortly, with potential tenants showing interest in the commercial space set to be finished "in the next month".
Mr Jones extolled the virtues of the "community" of private investors pooling resources in Scarborough Street, predicting that once their plans come to completion they will have collectively doled out "almost £5m".
Additionally, he had words of appreciation for the efforts of Hartlepool Council and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, who recently graced the site with his presence. Chair of Hartlepool Development Corporation, Mr Houchen said: "It was brilliant to see the progress Key Property Enterprises were making to its building on Scarborough Street. Its new restaurant, coffee shop and lodging are bound to become true gems of the town.
"This clearly shows that people feel the impactful change in our towns, having the confidence and opportunities to pour investments into sectors like hospitality - which are only anticipated to expand."
