Chandlers Bar, 2 Ramsden Dock Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14

LOCATION

The property occupies a corner position at the junction with Ramsden Dock Road and Siemens Street, within a short distance of BAE Systems' submarine manufacturing facility, a major local employer that underpins the town's economy and supports strong demand for housing and local services. The surrounding area provides a mixture of uses including commercial and residential with BAE Systems operating a number of the buildings and docks in the immediate vicinity as well as the Port for Barrow owned and operated by Associated British Ports'.

Barrow-in-Furness is the principal town of South Cumbria and is situated on the coast of the south county boundary, bordered to the southeast by Morecambe Bay, the Irish Sea to the west and the Duddon Channel to the north. Barrow is connected by the A590 which leads to Junction 36 of the M6 motorway some 30 miles east providing links to the north and south.

The town has a resident population of 69,100 (2011 Census) and whilst it is very much known for its industrial and shipbuilding heritage, it lies just 12 miles south of The Lake District National Park. The town has a weighted retail catchment in excess of 70,000 people and a greater district catchment in excess of 108,000 being one of South Cumbria's main retail destinations. Barrow has benefited from substantial inward investment in recent years to improve the Port and Marina facilities and the waterfront in general. Local employers include BAE Systems, Siemens and Kimberley Clark.

Barrow has a railway station situated in the town centre, approximately 1.5 miles to the north of Chandlers Bar and provides connections to Whitehaven, Workington and Carlisle via the Cumbrian Coast Line and to Ulverston, Grange-over-Sands, Lancaster and Manchester via the Furness and West Coast Mainline.

Ramsden Dock Road is on Barrow Island and around 300 metres south of the main BAE Systems site. The local area has experienced significant growth in recent years with a number of major projects and manufacturing programmes such as Walney Wind Farm which has been extended over the past 2-3 years to become the world's largest offshore wind farm and several investment programmes for BAE Systems which is largely being developed at Barrow's dock yards. This is likely to last well into the 2040s and has led to upgrading and new development across the main site as well as the 300,000 sq ft Resolution Building a short distance to the south of Ramsden Dock Road and around 30 acres of development land for further commercial development.

Local Projects

BAES SSN-AUKUS Programme

The renewal of the UK's Nuclear Weapons Programme is being carried out in Barrow's Shipyard and further projects are in the process of being secured which will see BAE Systems provided valuable employment and expansion plans to 2040 and beyond.

In October 2023, BAE Systems announced that the Ministry of Defence had awarded £3.95bn of funding for the next phase of the UK's next-generation nuclear-powered submarine programme, known as SSN-AUKUS which is to be the largest, most powerful and advanced attack submarines the Royal Navy has ever operated. This award is funding significant infrastructure investment at BAE Systems' site in Barrow-in-Furness flowing into a major supply chain and recruitment of more than 5,000 people, growing its workforce to more than 12,500 including around 900 new apprentices and graduates (Source: BAE Systems).

Learning Quarter Scheme

Alongside the development of Barrow's state of the art Central Yard facility, the largest shipyard in the UK, a partnership between the University of Cumbria, BAE Systems, Lancaster University, Furness College and Westmorland & Furness Council has developed a 7-acre educational campus adjacent to the main shipyard and just 300 metres to the northeast of Chandlers Bar.

The Barrow Learning Quarter has created a full university presence to attract and retain talented graduates in areas such as advanced manufacturing, business, computing, education and health, offering specialist teaching spaces (Source: University of Cumbria).

BAE Systems Training Centre

In early 2023, BAE Systems purchased the vacant retail units formerly occupied by Debenhams, WH Smith and The Body Shop in Portland Walk which forms part of the Barrow-in-Furness town centre and is refurbishing the buildings to create an educational and training hub for new recruits and recent graduates, also offering an interactive submarine experience and the role Barrow has in the UK's defence industry. Work has completed on Phase I, developing a multi-agency recruitment office and this will attract trainees from all over the UK (Source: BAE Systems).

DESCRIPTION

The property comprises an end-terrace, two-storey building occupying a corner position, of traditional masonry construction, which is smooth rendered and painted externally, sitting underneath a flat roof with a pitched slate section to the rear.

Internally the ground floor accommodation is arranged with an open plan seating area with a central fitted bar, fitted out with a mix of carpeted/non-slip vinyl flooring, wallpapered walls and ceiling, wall mounted radiators and UPVC double glazed windows. There are also male and female WCs, a beer cellar and kitchen.

A staircase leads to the first floor which was formerly a function room, currently used as storage, fitted out with carpeted flooring, wallpapered walls, suspended ceiling, strip fluorescent lights and a bar to one side, as well as a store room and further WCs off.

ACCOMMODATION

The property has been measured on a gross internal area basis as follows:

Ground Floor 285.08m2 (3,091 sq ft)
First Floor 253.75m2 (2,731 sq ft)
Total Approximate GIA 538.83m2 (5,799 sq ft)

Site Area 0.03 Hectares 0.08 Acres

POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE USE

The building could lend itself well to alternative uses such as residential either apartments or a HMO, or alternative commercial/leisure uses, subject to planning.

SERVICES

The building is connected to mains electricity, gas, water and the mains drainage system. It should be noted that the services have not been tested and therefore should not be relied upon.

ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE

The property has an Energy Efficiency Rating of D84, valid until 8 June 2032.

A copy of the certificate is available to download from the Edwin Thompson website or upon request.

RATEABLE VALUE

The property has a Rateable Value assessment of £12,600, therefore qualifying for approximately 80% small business rate relief, with estimated rates payable of £1,257.48 per annum.

TENURE

The land and building is held freehold title of the whole and will be sold with full vacant possession.

MONEY LAUNDERING LEGISLATION

Edwin Thompson is bound to comply with Anti-Money Laundering legislation including obtaining evidence of the identity and proof of address of potential buyers. Prior to an offer being accepted, interested parties will need to provide the requested evidence.

EASEMENTS, WAYLEAVES AND RIGHTS OF WAY

The property is sold subject to and with the benefit of all public and private rights of way, lights, drainage, cable, pylons or other easements, restrictions or obligations whether or not the same are described in these particulars of sale.

PROPOSAL

The property is available freehold with vacant possession at a purchase price of £225,000. The sellers reserve the right not to sell and are not bound to accept the highest or any offer received.

VAT

It is advised that the land and property are elected for VAT and therefore the sale will attract VAT.

LEGAL COSTS

Each party to bear their own legal costs in the preparation and settlement of the sale documentation together with any VAT thereon.

VIEWINGS

The property is available to view with prior arrangement via the Kendal office of Edwin Thompson LLP. Contact:

John Haley / Paul Evans / Ellie Oakley

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Edwin Thompson for themselves and for the Vendor of this property, whose Agents they are, give notice that:
1. The particulars are set out as a general outline only for the guidance of intending purchasers/tenants and do not constitute, nor constitute part of, any offer or contract.
2. All descriptions, dimensions, plans, reference to condition and necessary conditions for use and occupation and other details are given in good faith and are believed to be correct, but any intending purchasers should not rely on them as statements or representations of fact, but must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to the correctness of each of the statements contained in these particulars.
3. No person in the employment of Edwin Thompson has any authority to make or give any representation or warranty whatsoever in relation to this property or these particulars, nor to enter into any contract relating to the property on behalf of the Agents, nor into any contract on behalf of the Vendor/Landlord.
4. No responsibility can be accepted for loss or expense incurred in viewing the property or in any other way in the event of the property being sold or withdrawn.
5. All statements contained in these particulars are made without responsibility on the part of Edwin Thompson LLP or the Vendor/Landlord.
6. These particulars were prepared in November 2025.