A Letchworth model shop has relocated to the heart of Baldock as it prepares to reopen next month.

%image(15630703, type="article-full", alt="The new location is on the site of the former Barclays bank building on Whitehorse Street. Picture: Redfin Models")

Redfin Models, owned by Jason and Miriam Carter, was booted out of its Letchworth home on Howard Way Corner, as the premises is being converted into a block of flats.

Jason, who was born in Letchworth, said he and his wife did “everything we could” to stay in Letchworth after many years of “serving the town’s community”.

The new location is in the heart of Baldock, at the site of the former Barclays bank building on Whitehorse Street, and Jason said he is delighted the shop has such a “visible presence”.

“When I stand behind the shop counter I have a direct view of the whole High Street,” Jason said, “And I realised that means that everyone else has a direct view of our shop.”

%image(15630704, type="article-full", alt="The store "specialises in everything RC, from planes to cars and everything in between." Picture: Redfin Models")

The new store will have a separate room dedicated to traditional model shop supplies, for customers who are interested in the old-fashioned niche of wood carvings and model builders.

Jason added: “We really value our community, and will do anything we can to cater for local needs. We like helping people in person, and are in the one per cent of businesses who don’t focus on online sales.”

In a widely-shared social media message yesterday, Jason said: “We have spent the last few weeks during lockdown preparing a shiny new shop in Baldock, so it will be ready for our opening date of July 1.

“The old shop in Letchworth is sadly being changed into a block of flats and we have been given no option but to find a new shop locally.

“Having searched for around six months we settled on Baldock as our new location. It’s a mature and welcoming shopping town with two hours free parking everywhere – and within walking distance from Baldock railway station.

“The shop we chose some might recognise as the old Barclays Bank, so we are now offering easier parking in Church Road behind the store, and there is free parking anywhere else on the High Street.”

When the store reopens on July 1, Jason and Miriam have taken all the steps to make sure social distance guidelines will be adhered to, and a three person capacity – with a one in and one out policy – will be in place.