11 Bournemouth Road has lain empty now for almost 5 years. But it finally has a new owner, with exciting plans to bring a new lease of life into this neglected building.
Chandler’s Ford’s longest standing physiotherapy clinic, goPhysio , has purchased the building and will be creating a fantastic new physiotherapy clinic and Pilates studio, where we’ll be relocating to this year.
goPhysio have been providing support and help for people’s pain and injuries in Chandler’s Ford since 2006. We started goPhysio back in 2001, with founder Physio Paul working single handed from a small clinic room at David Lloyd, Southampton and then from a second clinic in Dibden Purlieu.
Back then it was more like ‘goPaul’, with Paul working every available hour! Our first clinic in the area was opposite the main Co Op at 110 Winchester Road, and from here we really started to grow.
Within 5 years we’d outgrown this tiny terrace property and relocated to our current clinic at 45 Bournemouth Road, opposite Southampton Audi. From here we’re open almost 80 hours a week, providing physiotherapy, sports massage, podiatry, personal training and a range of specialist Pilates classes.
We’re no longer just ‘goPaul’, we’ve got a great team of people that we work with. We pride ourselves in operating from a modern, light, spacious and well equipped clinic – it’s a fundamental part of goPhysio. But we’re almost about the burst at the seams! We never envisaged when we moved clinics 5 years ago that we’d outgrow it so quickly. But demand for services continues to grow and space here is severely limited! I’m often found with a lap top balanced on my knee in reception.
And so, early last year we started a serious search for a new home for goPhysio. Any of you who’ve moved house, I’m sure can empathise with our challenge. And searching for a commercial property takes this to a whole other level!
Having run goPhysio since 2001, we were very clear on our requirements. We looked at every potentially suitable property in the area, and tried to balance the key important factors of location, parking, finances, facilities, convenience, availability, business security, access…………..the list goes on!
A new clinic is found
Finally, in April 2015, after months of searching (and having passed the building so many times thinking it would make a great clinic!), we looked at 11 Bournemouth Road. We knew instantly it could be transformed into an amazing space for goPhysio – with potential to provide everything we want for our local customers. The fact it was so near to our current clinic was an absolute bonus.
Having been empty for almost 5 years, the property needs a lot of work. When we finally got the keys, 6 months after their fist viewing, It was still fully kitted out as Austen’s Hair & Beauty Salon had left it when they closed their doors. We started work started to strip out the building in preparation for the renovation works, with Paul taking on most of this challenge himself!
The Strong Room Challenge
Before Austen’s, the shop had been home to Hiltingbury Wall Coverings and prior to this it was Westminster Bank. This caused us our biggest challenge, as the bank had installed a huge strong room (safe vault) at the rear of the property.
The strong room was literally made with walls half a metre thick with 4 layers of re-enforced steel and a huge old Chubb safe door. A specialist demolition company was instructed to remove the strong room – making way for the planned extension.
Renovation work will soon be underway. We’re adding a full height extension to the back of the property. The footprint of this will be smaller than the previous extension, to provide valuable additional parking space in the rear customer car park.
We’ll be giving the outside a complete overhaul – with new windows and doors, new signage, refreshing the paintwork and taking out the random 3 door arrangement on the side of the building!
Investing in the local area
Having been empty for almost 5 years, it’s great to be investing in the local area and bringing this building back into use. Inside we’re creating a large, comfortable reception and waiting area, spacious treatment rooms and a wonderful studio from which we’ll continue to run our specialist Pilates classes, which are extremely popular.
We’ve started a blog to document our progress with the renovation project, you can take a look at our blog here our Move and Improve.
Note: Fiona Moir is Non-Clinical Director of goPhysio
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