New lease of life for one-time Long Sutton butcher’s

A former butcher’s shop in Long Sutton once branded as “unsightly and deteriorating” is set for a transformation.

Long Sutton developers Sean Portass and Dana Garkavaya have bought what was once Barlings and then Barton’s Butcher’s in Bull Lane.

The couple have also bought one-time fancy dress hire shop Ruby’s and Diamonds in Market Place which could become a hair salon.

But it is the task of rebuilding the former butcher’s shop that will take up more of Sean and Dana’s time and skills.

Dana said: “One of the main reasons we bought it is because it pains us to see it when we’re trying to make Long Sutton a nicer place.

“It’s such a shame that the first thing people see when they come through the town is a building that’s been derelict for so long.

“A lot of people have sent us pictures of it from the 1920s and 30s so the plan is to make it look as it used to, with a shop downstairs and two flats upstairs.”

Ruby’s and Diamonds, now run by Melissa Reid who trades from her home in Sutton Bridge, closed its doors at the end of March after the premises were sold by its landlord.

In contrast, the one-time butcher’s shop has been vacant for many years and a report published by South Holland District Council in November 2014, said: “This property occupies a prominent position withing the town, but it is unsightly and deteriorating.”

Dana said: “Sean and I have a love for wonderful building and making things look nice.

It’s such a shame that the first thing people see when they come through the town is a building that’s been derelict for so long

“But we’re very particular and so the look of Ruby’s and Diamonds won’t change drastically.

“But the butcher’s shop will be a big project and we hope that people will support us because we want Long Sutton to succeed.”

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