Former Perfume Warehouse in London, Now a Live-Work Space, Lists for £3.65 Million

A former perfume warehouse in London has hit the market for £3.65 million (US$4.8 million). 

Located on Doyce Street in the borough of Southwark, the property offers 4,653 square feet of live-work space, plus a roof deck overlooking the city, according to the mid-March listing with Knight Frank. 

“It’s quite rare for London in general, as well as this part of the South Bank, for a property like this to remain a freehold, rather than having been split up into apartments,” said Mark Ruffell of Knight Frank. “It also retains both residential and commercial status, so someone could run a business from there.”

That’s brought interest from artists who might cultivate part of the space as a studio, and Mr. Ruffell has already shown the residence to a sculptor and a photographer. But it has a broad appeal, he added, and he’s also had tech workers inquiring about the property. 

“Some people like the appeal of the freehold,” the agent said. “If they were to get a home of this size in an apartment block, they would have to pay hefty service charges.”

A freehold is a type of property ownership, where a person or organization has outright ownership, forever, of a property and the land on which it is built.

The four-floor home has a south-facing facade and double-glazed Crittall windows with steel frames, according to the listing. Loading doors are also visible on the upper levels. 

Its top two floors make up the living area, featuring an open floor plan, combining the living and dining rooms, as well as the kitchen. 

On the upper level, the principal bedroom boasts vaulted ceilings with exposed beams and a “private patio with views across London,” Mr. Ruffell said. There’s also built-in shelving and a bathroom with a soaking tub. 

The ground floor and lower ground floor are studio spaces, one of which has office space, a kitchenette and a cloak room, according to the listing. 

The property is also close to the foodie haven of Borough Market and its pubs and Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as the city’s tallest building, The Shard, and Shakespeare’s Globe theater. There are several green spaces nearby, including Mint Street Park across the street. 

Mansion Global could not determine when the property last sold or for how much. The seller was not available for comment.