Businessman's pride over redevelopment of Hartlepool street with close family ties

Lowthian Road, in the town centre, is being reshaped by town businessman Paul Gough.

This week he opened four new self-contained rental apartments after converting an empty house that was attracting antisocial behaviour.

He is also in the process of transforming two empty commercial buildings into office space for his growing group of companies, which includes We Love Renters, a specialist property company, and his consulting business that serves health care businesses worldwide.

Mr Gough said: “Lowthian Road means a lot to me – my family and Nana lived above the fish and chip shop here many years ago and I feel an emotional pull to the area.

"The Gough family are so proud to see the changes taking place in the street where they grew up!

"The Physio Rooms has long been part of the street and I was only too happy to buy the two old office buildings and redevelop them into assets for the town.

“My dad once brought me here when I was a kid to show me where he grew up. He showed me a lamppost that said ‘Goughy was here 1969’ – and I have never forgotten that day, it’s incredible to think we’ve done so much to the street with a Gough-owned businesses.”

Mr Gough’s property business has also recently redeveloped other shared accommodation properties on the street which have proved popular with renters.

And his well-established Paul Gough Physio Rooms, on the corner of Lowthian Road and Raby Road, has marked its 15th anniversary.

He added: “One of the commercial offices has been sat empty for almost 20 years, and we can’t wait to get it turned around and transform it into a buzzing property hub in the town centre.

“With the new apartments, the empty residential building was attracting anti-social behaviour until we purchased it in June last year and then followed established plans to create four quality apartments.”

One was rented out in less than 24 hours, and there has been instant demand for the other three.

Mr Gough added they have a waiting list of over 400 tenants and are working closely with landlords to help satisfy demand and support investment.

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