Exclusive by Alan Quick

IT has been announced this week that following its purchase of land at Wellparks in Crediton, Mole Avon Trading has completed the sale of its existing site on Mill Street in Crediton to local business, The Bike Shed.

Already with five locations throughout Devon, the Crediton Bike Shed was born out of MRS Motor Spares in 1994.

“It has been great to have found a local growing business to be able to sell our existing Mill Street site to, furthering their base as a business here in Crediton where they were first established, just as we have been able to do in the acquisition of the land at Wellparks near to Tesco,” commented Mike Haines, Managing Director of Mole Avon Trading.

He added: “We are also fortunate that we will be able to continue to trade from our existing Mill Street store whilst the process of building the new store is completed, something we are now devoting much time and energy to complete at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Mike Sanders, owner of The Bike Shed, said: “We have no firm plans but lots of ideas on what we will do with the Mill Street site.

“We have taken the opportunity to purchase this prime piece of land from Mole Avon with an open mind as to its future use.

“With the changes in the political and economic landscape upon us at the moment who knows what the situation will be in two years time but for the time being we are delighted to be able to allow Mole Avon to continue to trade from its existing site whilst they progress their new development.”

Mole Avon engaged the services of Vickery Holman Property Services as advisors on the disposal of the site some time ago.

Whilst a variety of options were reviewed along the way, the sale has resulted in a solution for both parties that fits their immediate business needs.

They say that these are exciting times for Crediton and the local population with two local businesses looking to invest significant sums of money into the town for the benefit of its population and that of the surrounding communities.

Mole Avon Trading’s multi-million pound Mole Avon Town and Country Store will be built on land adjoining the roundabout at Wellparks, Crediton.

Wendy Stevens, manager of the Crediton store and some of her team recently went to the site to celebrate along with Mole Avon’s chairman of the board of directors, John Lee and managing director, Mike Haines and some of the board of directors and staff from the support centre and Town and Countrywear in Crediton.

Work on the new access road and associated works are planned to be underway during the autumn.

Mole Avon Trading has operated from its Mill Street site in Crediton since 1973 and has been keen to move to a suitable local site for many years.