Doors open at new Midlothian country store

Carrs Billington Agriculture, the supplier of agricultural products and services, has opened its latest country store, at Eastfield Industrial Estate in Penicuik, Midlothian.

From right to left: Mark Tasker-Brown (regional branch manager, Carrs Billington) Colin Noble (director, Alex F Noble & Son) Kelly Mitchell (branch supervisor, Carrs Billington) and Tom Weir (area sales manager, Carrs Billington) at the new premises at Eastfield Industrial Estate, Penicuik. Picture: Contributed

The move marks the company’s tenth outlet north of the Border and sees it agree a ten-year lease on 8,500 square feet of warehousing and retail space at Eastfield, where the firm will employ five staff.

Carrs Billington is headquartered in Carlisle with a network of 31 country stores and ten "sub-stores" around the UK.

The new facility forms a major part of the now fully re-developed former Edinburgh Crystal warehouse and distribution unit which lay dormant at Eastfield for nearly seven years, before being converted into 35,500 sq ft of office/warehouse space by owner, Midlothian-based Alex F Noble & Son.

Carrs Billington’s regional branch manager, Mark Tasker-Brown, said: "Our new home at Eastfield ticks all the boxes for us through an attractive combination of immediate and flexible accommodation coupled with favourable lease terms, significant yard and parking areas and an excellent location near to the Edinburgh City bypass allowing us easy access to one of the most productive farming areas in the country."

Eastfield Industrial Estate was acquired by Alex F Noble & Son in April 2009 before being refurbished and sub-divided into smaller units, with Edinburgh-based Coates & Company acting as agent.

Mark Dawson of Coates & Company said: "Eastfield’s success is based on the simple principle of providing an excellent platform for new or existing businesses to secure modern premises at an affordable and sustainable cost."

Click here to ‘Like’ The Scotsman Business on Facebook