The new owner of a market town business park said he would have lost his trade if he didn’t buy it.
Shaun Brooker from Downham Market is the new owner of Hempton Road business park in Fakenham. He owns RS Car Sales and Vehicle Hire Ltd and after the passing of the former owner of the site, Tim Wood, was planning to buy his part of the land.
Mr Woods’ relatives inherited the site and put it up for sale. Mr Brooker said during discussions for this, another business made them aware of their intentions to buy the land.
“I didn’t want to buy it but I had too or I would have lost my business,” he said.
“Having been here since 2006, and the car sales for the last 10 years, I have built up a good customer base and somebody else wanted to come in and cut my trade-in half.
“It was a decision I had to make, either buy or take what I had coming. I thought what do I do, call it a day or keep going?”
He was given 48 ‘sleepless’ hours to decide, in which he chose to take on the business park as its owner.
Now focused on making improvements to the site, by getting all their tenants new signs, installing an electric gate and tidying up.
He said if Mr Wood hadn’t fallen ill, he would have done the same.
The 53-year-old is now hoping to provide a space that benefits his tenants and the shoppers. He now has all the units full up, including a new street food business opening there in the coming weeks.
He said things are looking up for the businesses there, which include new openly Pets paradise.
“The number of customers that came on Saturday to the pet shop, even with the weather, was amazing and travelling from all over. Hopefully they have a look at the rest of us and it will be good for all.
“At the end of the day, all the businesses here are here to survive, and people are welcome to come down and have a look at what we have to offer.”
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