Breathing new life into Ottery St Mary

An East Devon entrepreneur is soon to move his primary business back into Ottery St Mary from Honiton’s Heathpark Industrial Estate.

Stuart Phillips is currently refurbishing a building at Finnimore Industrial Estate to provide a head office and more accommodation for his four businesses: Coverstructures, RMC Build, Tickety-Boo Retail and Coverstructures Property.

Mr Phillips, who was born and raised in the town, said: “I originally founded Coverstructures – a commercial roofing and wall cladding contractor – in Ottery St Mary, and have wanted to move back here for some time.

“I' was searching for a suitable location in the town, and when the Alansway building became available it ticked all the boxes for size, location and convenience. I bought it in 2016 and took possession at the beginning of January this year.”

Mr Phillips plans to rename the building as Coverstructures House. The Coverstructures team, which has outgrown the current office space in Reme Drive, Honiton, will move into the top floor within the next month.

The building provides floorspace of 360m² on each floor totalling approximately 800m² and will be a mix of office space with a workshop area. Before it can be occupied, the internal space is undergoing a major makeover.

“The previous occupant ran a bodyshop, and we have already spent a considerable period clearing the site,” explained Mr Phillips.

“The next stage will be to make good the extensive exterior and interior, then decorate, lay flooring and fit it out. I’m hoping we will be able to move into the premises in February, if all goes to plan, though the completion of the project is likely to be later in the year.”

Mr Phillips is best known in Ottery St Mary for redeveloping the old Mill Street Bakery into the successful Tickety-Boo coffee shop and play kingdom, which provides a focal point for families with younger children in the area. Coverstructures House is, however, his biggest personal project to date.

Between Tickety-Boo, RMC Build and Coverstructures, Mr Phillips employs around 40 employees from the local area, and, he says, with current expansion there is likely to be new opportunities for employment. “I’m delighted to have the chance to revitalize what had become a rundown building. With this refurbishment and the new kitchen store recently opened just across from us, I hope the Finnimore Estate will be given a new lease of life.”