New owner of iconic Tunbridge Wells building reveals shop is to open in months

Kash and Roshni Patel in front of the new building they have bought in Tunbridge Wells
-Credit:Kash Patel


An iconic building in Kent which has stood empty for years is set for a new lease of life as it has been bought by a well-known town businessman. The large property in the centre of Tunbridge Wells was for sale through Clive Emson land and property auctioneers, and the sale completed on Tuesday (January 14).

It will mark an end to the long-empty store with large windows on the busy corner where Crescent Road and Calverley Road meet and opposite Carrs' Corner roundabout. It's also near the council-run multi-storey car park.

The new owner is Kash Patel, who owns The International Shop on Grosvenor Road in Tunbridge Wells. And he will be opening World Food at his new property within three months.

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Mr Patel said he had been looking for some time for a larger store and this will mean he can increase the stock he sells, and add clothes to his range. He will also include the produce of even more countries from around the world.

He will stock food from India, Japan, Korea, Africa, the Philippines, China, Poland, Turkey, Thailand, Italy, Mexico and more. Stock will be similar to what is offered at his current grocery shop, so everything from fresh food and spices, to dried goods and cupboard items. He will also have freezer sections.

The stand-out building in the heart of the town centre in Kent now has a new owner who was exciting plans
The stand-out building in the heart of the town centre in Kent now has a new owner who was exciting plans -Credit:Google Street View

Mr Patel said there was a lot of work to do inside the new building, which is across town from his current shop, but the advantages of his new site include a basement and a first floor, with Mr Patel still deciding what to do with that floor.

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He told KentLive: "We're planning to open within three months' time. It is an iconic building. At the new place, there's a lot of work to do. It's been empty for a long time. We'll change the floor.

"There will be more variety, more stock. We'll have food from all around the world. We bought The International Shop in 2016. It won't be viable to keep both open."

He said: "We got a good deal. We are quite happy what we paid for it. It was £200,000 less than the guide price."

As KentLive reported, a sale at auction to another customer fetched £602,000, exceeding the guide price of £400,000, but it almost immediately fell through. Mr Patel then bought the property.

The building was once the furniture and stationery shop, and restaurant Baldwin's, a significant part of Tunbridge Wells' history. More recently it was furniture store Wesley-Barrell which left in 2018, relocating to small premises in the High Street.

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It is commercial on the lower ground floor, ground floor and part of the first floor. There are seven self-contained flats, all of which have been sold on 150-year leases from January this year.

The company was founded in 1895 but sadly administrators were appointed in 2019. Based near Witney in Oxfordshire, the business shut its factory and 10 remaining showrooms.

Further back in time, the building housed furniture shop, Multiyork. When it was Baldwin's, there was a busy restaurant upstairs and many people in Tunbridge Wells have fond memories of going there.

It had a picture of Queen Elizabeth on the wall, and was one of the most popular places to go for breakfast, lunch and tea in the afternoon. On the ground floor it sold stationery, ornaments and things for the home.