Member Article

Former Mail newspaper offices to be auctioned

The former offices of the local Mail newspaper on Abbey Road in Barrow are to be put up for auction next month with a £500,000 guide price.

The 15,000 sq ft ‘Newspaper House’ building, which features in the next online Pugh property auction on 20 September, has planning consent from Barrow Council for conversion into apartments.

The historic three-storey building has planning permission for conversion into 11 residential apartments and three ground-floor business units or workshops. Under current plans, the residential element of the redevelopment plans would include seven one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom apartments, along with a rooftop terrace and parking.

There is also a 40-space car park next to the property, which is let to NCP at £12,000 per year, and generating £8,000 additional income from local permit holders.

The prominent two-and-three-story building was used as offices of the Mail newspaper for many years but owner Newsquest Cumbria decided to sell the property in 2020 when it became “no longer suitable” for its needs.

Edward Feather from property auction house Pugh said: “The former newspaper offices are a well-known property in the town and in a great location on Abbey Road. With planning consent already in place to convert the building into apartments and business units, this is a really compelling investment opportunity.”

He added: “The recent government announcement marking out Barrow as a ‘powerhouse for the north’ with new homes and business space that will tap into the region’s scientific and technical expertise, highlights the town’s huge potential, with the Dreadnought programme already bringing in hundreds of new jobs. Barrow is undoubtedly a really good place to invest right now.”

Next month’s Pugh auction, which includes Barrow’s Newspaper House, has new lots added daily and will be held online on 20 September.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Kilmurray .