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A unique opportunity to acquire a considerable grade II listed Georgian property with a substantial business opportunity currently being run as a Chinese restaurant. This most handsome building is steeped in history and has retained many original features inside including some ornate ceilings, sash windows with casement shutters and some beautiful carved panelled doors. The main house itself is split over three floors with the first and second floor forming the living accommodation currently for the vendors whilst running the business to the ground floor. The ground floor is considerable in size, having an original dining room and sitting room which leads to a former ballroom used as a seating area for the restaurant which in turn leads to the main restaurant conservatory dining room. There is a fully equipped restaurant kitchen available by separate negotiation and we recommend viewing to gain a full appreciation and understanding of this complex building. Potentially the first and second floors could offer up to eight bedrooms and two bathrooms should one require. The bathrooms are also of a substantial size which could easily be split to form ensuite facilities should one wish. Once again we recommend viewing of this building to see exactly the opportunity on offer and irrespective of its current restaurant status, any number of businesses could easily be housed in this area being so close to the town centre and offering the rare facility of private parking. The property also has an enclosed rear garden with vehicle access possible.
WISBECH Wisbech is an attractive and historic market town commonly known as the Capital of the Fens. Near the bridge is a monument to Thomas Clarkson, an active opponent of the slave trade. Also of interest are the two market places and the parish church of St Peter and St Paul, which has a fine 16th century tower. The Norman Castle has long since disappeared, but there is a house built from its stone by Thomas Thurloe, Cromwell's Secretary of State. Adjoining it is a great museum, one of the oldest in the country, which counts among its treasures the original manuscript of 'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens. In the area there is very good walking and cycling, farm shops nearby, theatre - amateur and professional, a swimming pool, library, good schools- including the highly thought of Wisbech Grammar School, and a Salvation Army hall. The town is only 20 minutes from King's Lynn with its direct rail link to Kings Cross via Cambridge approx 1 hour 40 minutes. Peterborough is 35 minutes away with its national rail links.
ACCOMMODATION COMPRISES Original solid timber front door to...
ENTRANCE PORCH Half glazed door to...
RECEPTION HALLWAY 13' 5" x 4' 11" (4.1m x 1.5m) French doors to reception room, door to dining room and half glazed door to...
MAIN HALL 15' 8" x 10' 5" (4.8m x 3.2m) Door to rear of property, door to kitchen door to storage cupboards, former double doors to inner hallway and original Georgian turning staircase to first floor with door to cellar under. Radiator.
CELLAR Staircase down to dry cellar with lighting, ideal as a wine store.
KITCHEN 21' 7" x 11' 9" (6.6m x 3.6m) Wood laminate flooring, door to storage cupboard, double aspect glazed window to rear of property, fitted kitchen, space for cooker, wall mounted gas fired central heating boiler, radiator and plumbing for utility.
DINING ROOM 15' 5" x 13' 5" (4.7m x 4.1m) Two sash window to front of property with window shutters and decorative casement surrounds, beautiful original ornate ceiling, former fireplace and radiator.
SITTING ROOM 22' 3" x 14' 1" (6.8m x 4.3m) Recessed fireplace, two sash windows to front with window shutters and decorative casement surrounds, panelled ceiling timbers, original ornate door to inner hall giving access to the WC and former access to main hall.
FAMILY ROOM 21' 11" x 16' 8" (6.7m x 5.1m) (3.5m ceiling height) We expect this to have been a former ballroom, it is superb and versatile and recently used as a seating and relaxing area of the restaurant. Dado rail, picture rail, original ornate timber surround, radiators, door to side entrance and large formed arch to the restaurant dining area
RESTAURANT ENTRANCE Accessed via the side of the property, this side entrance has access to the seating area, WC's for the restaurant and staircase to loft room.
RESTAURANT DINING AREA 27' 2" x 26' 2" max (8.3m x 8.0m) Substantial space beautifully and naturally lit by large sealed unit glass lantern light in the ceiling, three double doors to side of property, two doors to rear entrance and kitchen area, radiators and large formed opening to...
BAR AREA 14' 5" x 14' 5" (4.4m x 4.4m) Additional seating and bar area for the restaurant with exposed brick wall and ceiling timbers, access to side entrance area and access to...
REAR ENTRANCE 20' 0" max x 9' 6" (6.1m x 2.9m) Double glazed doors to rear of property with matching side panes, additional window to side aspect, in and out doors for restaurant and opening to...
RESTAURANT KITCHEN 13' 9" x 13' 9" (4.2m x 4.2m) Quarry tiled floor and tiled walls, currently equipped with fully fitted catering kitchen all available by separate negotiation. Water points and door to...
KITCHEN STORE 13' 9" x 5' 10" (4.2m x 1.8m) Currently used as a store and refrigeration room for the restaurant kitchen with door to outside for deliveries, window at high level, wall mounted Worcester Bosch gas fired central heating boiler providing central heating and hot water to the restaurant area and formed opening to…
WASH ROOM Water points, stainless steel sink unit and window to side.
LOFT ROOM Pitched roof, WC and ceiling height restricted in part 14' 1" x 13' 5" (4.3m x 4.1m) at floor level.
FIRST FLOOR LANDING 14' 5" x 10' 9" (4.4m x 3.3m) Original staircase rises to first floor landing with original sash Venetian window overlooking the rear of the property. Landing gives access to four bedrooms (one of which is currently used as a sitting room for the property) and the bathroom.
SITTING ROOM/BEDROOM ONE 18' 4" x 14' 9" (5.6m x 4.5m) Due to restaurant taking up the ground floor this room is used as a sitting room for the owners, two original sash windows to front of property, storage cupboard, radiator, wall light point, television and satellite points and door to bathroom.
BEDROOM TWO 14' 5" x 14' 1" (4.4m x 4.3m) Two sash windows to front of property with window shutters, wood laminate flooring and a former fireplace.
BEDROOM THREE 22' 7" x 12' 1" max (6.9m x 3.7m max x 3.1m) Sash window to rear of property and double doors to two fitted wardrobes.
BEDROOM FOUR 14' 5" x 4' 7" (4.4m x 1.4m) Sash window to front of property, wood laminate flooring and radiator.
BATHROOM 14' 9" x 9' 10" (4.5m x 3.0m) Window to rear of property, slate effect flooring, fitted bath, washbasin and WC. Extremely spacious room which could be divided to create an ensuite for the front bedroom should one wish, subject to relevant planning consents.
SECOND FLOOR Original staircase continues to the second floor with galleried views over the first floor landing. The landing area here is 10' 9" x 10' 9" (3.3m x 3.3m) which leads to an inner landing with doors to bedrooms five, six, seven and eight and the bathroom.
BEDROOM FIVE 16' 8" x 13' 5" (5.1m max x 4.1m) Two windows to front of property, former fireplace and radiator.
BEDROOM SIX 17' 0" x 13' 1" (5.2m max x 4.0m max including fitted storage) Two windows to front of property, radiator wood laminate flooring and connecting door to bedroom seven.
BEDROOM SEVEN 12' 9" x 7' 6" (3.9m x 2.3m) Wood laminate flooring, radiator and window to front.
BEDROOM EIGHT 9' 10" x 8' 10" (3.0m x 2.7m) Window to rear and radiator.
BATHROOM Large bathroom which could easily be divided into two to provide an ensuite for bedroom six should one desire subject to relevant planning consents, slate effect flooring and steps down to bathroom area with fitted bath, WC, washbasin, tiled surround, sash window to rear and fitted storage.
OUTSIDE The property is approached from Hill Street with wrought iron railings forming the front and side boundaries with walled boundary forming the opposite side. There is a mature tree and border with the remaining garden laid to gravel forming a large private driveway. There is a passage which leads along the edge of the building passing the side entrance of the property and the delivery door to the restaurant and through to the rear garden. The rear garden is laid to lawn and patio with vegetable plot to rear which has walled and fenced boundaries and double gates accessed from the Horsefair part of Wisbech Town centre near to the car park.
AGENT´S NOTE Although not included in the sale, the majority of the catering equipment and restaurant furniture are available by separate negotiation should one wish to continue the business.
Currently the building has both business rates and residential standing.
DIRECTIONS Head into Wisbech on the A1101 Churchill Road and at the first roundabout take the second exit B198 Nene Quay. Hill Street is shortly on your left. The property can be found further down the road on your left and you may park on the private driveway when viewing the property.
LISTING AND HISTORICAL QUALITIES 17 Hill Street, formerly known as Dickens Tavern is a Mid C18 house. Constructed of local brown brick under slate roof with end stacks. Parapet with stone coping and painted stone band at second floor and rusticated quoins. There are Gauged red brick arches to all windows with stone sills, brick plinth and is three storeys. Five nine-paned recessed hung sash windows, five first floor and four ground floors twelve-paned hung sash windows. Central entrance with painted, moulded stone door case with pulvinated frieze and cornice and six-panelled door. Interior has good early C19 staircase and ceiling to right hand room of plastered cross-beams enriched by flower bosses, also C19.