The Hounds Gate building which used to house a Peppers hair salon has been placed up for sale on Rightmove. It is unclear how long the business has been vacant with some locals suggesting it may have been closed for two years.
The dark green salon still has the gold lettering above the door but the store is empty with tubs of hair products on the floor. It is still fully fitted with hairdressing fixtures.
The building is being offered as an ideal location for a barber or hairdressing salon as it retains some of the fixtures from Peppers. The street is a mixture of residential and businesses just around the corner from Wheeler Gate, off Old Marker Square. The rental agreement is being offered with a long-term lease which would secure the site until 2028.
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Despite this, local businesses would like to see it being used for something exciting and independent. They are also hoping whatever happens with the former Broadmarsh shopping centre site will create a buzz in the area again.
Businesses on the street are keen to see footfall flowing on the street which they feel is a bit quiet. Nearby Wheeler Gate has been earmarked for improvement work concerning the appearance of the street.
Will Baxter, supervisor at the Effy coffee shop, in Hounds Gate, said: "We have a couple of coffee shops and it's mostly independent down here. We feel it's a real hot spot as a street and there could be a stretch of independent businesses instead of being 'whoever can afford the cheap rent because it's quiet'; it could be a real showcase street."
He added: "If we pedestrianised the street then it opens up a lot more space for outside furniture. We are good for cafes, but we could use something that offers niche retail. Hockley has the hold on the independents because of the coffee places, bars and record shops. This side of town has been hit heavily by the closure of retail stores and that creates an opening for lifestyle shops, bars or bakeries to be down here."
"It would be great to have individually selected items going into a nice shop that someone has spent time on like homeware. There is a lack of homeware stores in the town as everyone seems to just shop online."
Gigi Keflay, who works at takeaway Super Smash Burger, in Hounds Gate, said: "It's quiet here not like Wheeler Gate. We would like a hairdressing salon as there isn't one here. Although offices would probably be better as it's so quiet."
The advert on Rightmove says the location is 'prominent' in the city centre. They note that it is heavily pedestrianised and a number of major multiple retailers are represented within close proximity such as Clarks and Sainsbury's which are on Wheeler Gate.
The agents wrote: "The property is offered as a fully fitted operational hairdressing salon. Within the front area, there are fitted workstations with cupboards beneath incorporating three sink units with hot and cold water. There are three barber chairs and fitted mirrors. Within the rear area, there are fitted workstations with cupboards beneath incorporating two sink units with hot and cold water. There are two additional barber chairs and fitted mirrors."
