Stockton units and Norton toilet block receive boost from Wells team

Two empty units in Stockton town centre have been transformed into a purpose-built, modern retail space as part of regeneration work in the town.
It is the latest project Wells Commercial Refurbishment Specialists (CRS) have completed for Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council with further work in the pipeline.
Teesside’s Wells CRS has carried out the transformation of Units 8 and 9 at Wellington Square shopping precinct following a tender process, in readiness for a new tenant moving in.
Everything was stripped back to a breeze block shell, delivering a full dilapidation. Two staircases were taken out, the areas infilled and then Wells engineers relocated a staircase to the client’s requirements.

The units were transformed as part of the Council’s plans to tackle the oversupply of retail floorspace in which tenants from Castlegate Shopping Centre in Stockton have been relocated into vacant units across the town centre.
David Murphy, the co-owner of Wells, said: “There was a huge dividing wall between the two units and that had to come out. We have relocated the stairs and, after infill, we cut open a new opening for the staircase and lift shaft.
“One side of the floor was concrete and the other was timber, so there was an 80mm difference. We have had to do an 80mm pour and the job has been completed to a high standard – something we always pride ourselves on at Wells.

“We have a fantastic relationship with the Council and we hope this latest work is a sign of how the relationship can flourish.
“We first started to work with Stockton when we helped Elizabeth Embroidery relocate into a new unit in Wellington Square last year. It was an empty unit there, had no staircase, so we put a new staircase in to provide access to the floor above for them.
“We also boarded a walkthrough from the entrance of Castlegate Shopping Centre so artists could paint on them for the Stockton International Riverside Festival.
“There were 160 boards, framed and panelled, ready for the artists within four days in the summer.”

The Middlesbrough-based Wells CRS have also recently refurbished public toilets in Norton for Stockton Borough Council behind Norton High Street on Maybray King Walk.

David added: “Those are located close to the new Lidl. It is part of the Norton regeneration and we’ve been carrying out that work alongside working on the units at Wellington Square.
“The toilet block was a prefabricated building. It was a full strip out, re boarded & refit of walls, floors, ceilings, new lighting, new doors & all new anti-vandal sanitary wear. It is an important facility for the popular High Street and the new store.”