Yorkshire Firm Plans £1m Investment After Securing ‘Swap’ Deal With City Council

The real estate team at Irwin Mitchell in Sheffield has advised a kitchen knife manufacturer and distributor on its relocation to larger premises.

Taylor’s Eye Witness Ltd will swap its Grade 2 listed premises on Milton Street with Sheffield City Council. The deal will see the business move to a 32,000 sq ft unit on Parkway Close.

As part of the swap, the manufacturer will gain new factory space and additional space for its distribution facility.

Taylor’s Eye Witness will invest over £1m in the new building, which includes new machinery for the manufacturing unit, new warehousing equipment, offices and a trade showroom.

In addition, the historic Sheffield business has the option to remain at Eye Witness Works for up to 24 months to allow time for a well-planned relocation. While the company remains in the building, the council will prepare a development brief and market the property.

Expert Opinion

“This is an important move for Taylor’s Eye Witness. It has been based on Milton Street for over 150 years but these premises are now too small for its current and future needs. This business has an aspiration to build its international sales network and this deal will facilitate this by improving its manufacturing and distribution capability.” Guy Whitehead - Legal Director

Alastair Fisher, joint managing director of Taylor’s Eye Witness Ltd, said: "For us this is a great opportunity to continue the growth of our business and to give even better service to our worldwide customer base. It also it shows our continuing commitment to manufacturing in Sheffield."