WHEN it comes to commercial property, it is a case of Malton arise!

Major refurbishment costing hundreds of thousands of pounds has been carried out by the Fitzwilliam Estate, the town's major property owner.

The estate's officials have freed up new retail and office areas to meet some of the growing demand for quality retail and office space in the market town.

The estate is now marketing the Derwent-side buildings in Yorkersgate, formerly occupied by Travis Perkins, the builders' merchant, which has relocated to the York Road industrial estate.

The four 18th century houses in Yorkersgate had been spliced together for the builders' merchant premises.

The revamping has meant that from these, nine new units have been created - four ground floor shops, two of them with first floor office space, three offices on the ground and first floors, plus two workshops

One of the shops has already been leased to Tui's Thai Restaurant and the remainder are being vigorously marketed with rents for the offices of varying sizes ranging from £7,600 to £24,000.

Warehouses on the riverside have been converted into the two workshops to ensure the site has a mixed use.

A spokesman for Fitzwilliam Estates said: "The message is that it is not only an ideal location for offices, shops and workshops, but also has its own car parking and is close to the town centre, yet with excellent access to the A64."

Meanwhile, revamping work is almost finished at Saville House, a former chapel in Saville Street, Malton, which until recently was occupied by fabric store Saville House Interiors.

There is nearly 1,500 sq ft of retail space with a small office and kitchen area which could be extended to 2,000 sq ft by building into a large yard.

Julie Fawley, of agents Fawley Watson Booth, acting for the Fitzwilliam Estate, said: "It's a beautiful building.

"Not many people realise by looking at it from the outside that the second floor has an internal dome."

The rent would be £25,000 per year, or more if the upper floor is used as storage, on a ten-year lease.

Updated: 10:43 Tuesday, March 14, 2006