The Piper Building in Fulham.
Launched in 1979 by Ross, it has now taken on a 29,500 sq ft premises across the ground floor of one side of the Piper Building near Wandsworth Bridge.
Managing director Nick Carter said: “This will be one of the largest single space auction houses in the country, allowing us to take on more fantastic items and run more sales, with a vastly elevated buyer and vendor experience.”
Carter hopes the move will lead to the return of an art and antiques focus in the Wandsworth Bridge area.
The new location is 1.5 miles from its Lots Road saleroom and the fit-out is under way with the site expected to be operational by Easter.
On March 16 it will hold a final viewing day at Lots Road with goodbye drinks, followed by its final sale on March 17.
The final day to collect items from Lots Road will be March 28 and the new premises in the Piper Building will be open for viewings from March 29 with a first auction there scheduled for April 7.
Lots Road Auctions managing director Nick Carter with Olivia Hatt, Lots Road Auctions people, operations and finance director.
As reported in ATG No 2296, Ross sold the freehold of the Lots Road site to a consortium led by the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea for a redevelopment of the area.
Ross, who stepped away from day-to-day management nearly 10 years ago, retired last November.
Carter was promoted to managing director and works alongside Olivia Hatt who joined as people, operations and finance director last year.
Employee Ownership Trust
The firm said: “The management shift coincides with the sale of the company as an Employee Ownership Trust. This transition recognises the efforts and long-standing loyalty of the team while also ensuring the values and heart of the business remain largely unchanged.”
The 1950s Piper Building, which was subsequently refurbished into apartments, leisure and office use, was renamed after the relief panels by artist John Piper (1903-92) that are a feature on one side of the development
