Our move in 2023

When we first started Prokraft (by accident) we worked from home and gradually expanded with the use of containers and off-site storage.

Without realising we got to the point where we had no home left and never had a day off (I am writing this on a Saturday now!).

On a local cycle ride in late 2022 we went past the former Police Station in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire which had a large for sale board outside.

The building is one I know well as a former Police Officer who spent many an evening in the building completing case files in peace and quiet.

Following a successful offer in January 2023 the process began and we moved into our new premises in September 2023 having gone through a lengthy planning application to change from a Police Station (in a completely separate class of it's own) to a commercial building.

As is the case in the UK there is plenty of bureaucracy to be dealt with - the solicitor who advised the property was not in a conservation area when it very much is, planning departments, not to mention utility companies that simply cannot get the name of a business correct! Then of course there was several tons of hardware to move store and inventory.

We could have done things differently - we could have rented a unit on an industrial estate but the thought of spending every day in an oversized tin can was not the least bit appealing. We could have built an extension at home and called it a "studio" but frankly we are not that pretentious and I am neither a sculptor or an artist.

So the Old Police Station it was.

The property was built in 1912 as part of a larger building designed as a drill hall for Shropshire 52nd squadron and it is a fabulous piece of architecture with some extraordinarily high ceilings (those that have not had a false ceiling fitted). 

In the 1970's it became the local Police Inspectors house and in 2005 it was extended with a new reception area and entrance.

Is it our ideal premises? not really but we are pleased to be the custodians of the building and hope to improve it's appearance to perhaps fit into a conservation area a little better than the most recent extension and we will work around it's idiosyncrasies.

I would like to say we completed the move in the 3 days we closed but to be honest we are still doing it now - we are fitting our business to the building not the other way round.

Inside we have a large and somewhat heavy safe together with high security doors and windows throughout (features we rather like so they will be staying) not to mention state of the art alarm systems including a fire panel that would baffle Captain Kirk.

Do we have a shop? no, sorry, a shop for such speciality items in a rural location is simply not commercially viable - we remain very much an online business only, quietly trading without anyone noticing we are really there.

The Prokraft story continues.......we hope you will be part of it.