Hobbs twins give restored Halesowen building their seal of approval

The former Hobbs hardware store unit at 27, Great Cornbow, has been restored to its former glory by developer Ruskin Properties and is now the official office for the Halesowen BID team.

James Hobbs' granddaughters, twins Dorothy and Mary, were invited by the BID team Vicky Rogers and Ellie Hunt to join them for tea and cake and to assess the work that has been carried out on the building.

The site remains close to their hearts as Halesowen residents and frequent visitors to the town centre.

The pair remember helping dad Hubert lay out the store for the day, dressing the front of the shop with essentials.

They joined the BID team and the construction team from Ruskin Properties in Somers Square on Thursday (April 22) to officially mark the reopening of ‘Hobbs’.

The building, which is grade 2 listed, was in a state of disrepair when planning started back in 2017, but the historic site has now been preserved for future generations.

Vicky Rogers said: "Ruskin Properties have done an amazing job and every little attention to detail has been considered, down to the stain glass windows, outdoor ball light and the signage too."

Project Manager Dominic Whittaker and Site Manager Steve Jones both from Ruskin, based at Fountain House, Halesowen, discussed the changes that were made with the ladies and were pleased that they met with a seal of approval.

Vicky presented the sisters with a bunch of flowers and an invitation to drop in whenever they are passing.

The developer is in the finishing stages of converting 24-27 Great Cornbow, a Grade II Listed building which was a former council office and 6-8 Hagley Street, Halesowen, into 25 apartments.