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Press, 3 September 1982, Page 8

Ashby Bergh and Company, Ltd, has sold its shop site at 235-241 High Street (above), and will consolidate and extend at its Manchester Street site. The company has occupied the site since 1899, but, according to a statement yesterday, the age and condition of the building and the area of land available inhibit the development of a “comprehensive retail outlet.” The company intends to retain and extend the audio department in a ground-floor shop either on the present site in High Street or at another centra] site. The statement said the disposal of the High Street

site would release funds to ’ enable large-scale improvement of the site between Manchester Street and Madras Street, near Bealey Avenue, without adversely affecting the company’s liquidity. Plans were well advanced and it was hoped that the preliminary work would begin before the end of the year. A spokesman for the purchaser, Windsor Nominees, Ltd, said the building would stay in use as retail premises. The purchase price was not disclosed. Ashby Bergh and Company had a record turnover of $l4 million for the year to July 31, the company statement said.