New business confidence in Sleaford Market Place

Legal firm, Sills and Betteridge, has announced it is moving operations from their Northgate office further into the town centre.

Unoccupied for years, restoration works are now well underway at their new premises at 17 - 18 Market Place, to open in the summer.

The project is being undertaken by local company J Hodgson and Sons who are restoring and adapting the building as part of their wider redevelopment of the Corn Exchange and Buttermarket area, which may include a cinema and other leisure and retail facilities. New proposals for the area will soon be ready to present to North Kesteven District Council for their consideration, said the firm.

The Grade II listed, three storey building will accommodate eight lawyers and their teams with the firm’s corporate team also visiting regularly to see clients.

Chief executive Martyn Hall said: “Northgate has served us very well since our merger with Godsons in 2010, but we now wish to create a larger, more collaborative working environment whilst at the same time being more visible and accessible for our clients.”

Meanwhile, work is well underway to convert the former Tiamo restaurant in the Market Place into Anatolia Mezze and Grill, a joint venture between Ozkan (Ozzie) Nacar who owns nearby Pizza Delight, and Taner Tikiz who owns Salvatore and VIP barber shops in town.

The plan is to open this month after redecoration, employing up to 10 people.

Ozzie said: “We are trying to do something not been done around here.” It will be a fusion of grill tastes from Greece, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Iraq and the Eastern Mediterranean. We are confident it will work. People are going to love it.”

Other empty units reopening include the former Wise Girls in Northgate which has just become Sleaford Barbers, and North Kesteven Voluntary Centre Services opening in the former beauty salon on Bristol Arcade on March 1.