JT Dove move out after 140 years

Independent builders merchants JT Dove have finally left their Newcastle city centre branch, after being there for 140 years.
The firm, which employs around 175 staff in the North East, has already set up a number of new sites over the last year, including three, two acre sites in Birtley, Newburn and Stockton, where the 45 Orchard Road staff have been moved to.

Newburn is now the head office for the company, members of NBG LLP buying group.

Developers Silverlink Holdings will now carry out important archaeological work in the listed buildings which JT Dove formerly occupied.

The site originally housed the shed in which Robert Stephenson built the world-famous Rocket locomotive.

JT Dove managing director Steve Robinson told buildersmerchantsjournal.net: “140 years ago when we started, the centre of Newcastle was a great place to have a depot. Now it’s been strangled by road system after road system. Very few of our customers actually work in the centre of Newcastle anyway.

“We had two choices, invest in this site, which is getting harder to access in terms of vehicle access and parking, or to surrender our leasehold interest to a responsible developer who will make sure that whilst the culture is preserved, it will be sensitively developed to improve our city.

“Through the surrender of our lease we have been able to build three purpose-built retail outlets, catering for builders, plumbers and landscapers in easy to access areas.”