A SALISBURY business has temporarily closed to allow its first floor to be turned into four flats, securing its future for years to come.

Fisherton Warehouse shut on October 31 to allow the work to be carried out. It is due to reopen in January with reduced floor space but the same “great traders”.

A planning application proposing the changes was approved by Wiltshire Council in April 2022.

The business's eclectic mix of art, collectibles and furniture from dozens of traders will be housed on one floor rather than two when customers return.

Fisherton Warehouse opened in November 2017  (Image: Newsquest) Owner Joe Henry, 60, is optimistic about the future of the warehouse, which has been described by Experience Salisbury as the city's “very own Aladdin's Cave”.

“We’re having flats going into the first floor, and we’re condensing Fisherton Warehouse into the downstairs area,” he explained.

“We’re going to keep the business, and it’s going to be much easier to manage because the building is very big.

“Fisherton Warehouse will look a bit different because we’re condensing down, but we’re keeping all the big traders that we’ve got.

“We’re future proofing it and want to make the business more secure going into the future.”

The business gave its customers plenty of notice about the closure in the weeks prior, and many are already planning to visit when it is scheduled to reopen in January.

Mr Henry, who has lived in Salisbury for 50 years, hopes the reopening will bring some positivity after a “difficult year” caused by roadworks on Fisherton Street under Wiltshire Council's £3.2 million Fisherton Gateway scheme.

The business saw a “surge” in customers before it closed, and people are already looking forward to exploring the new-look warehouse after Christmas.

Mr Henry said: “We’ve got some great traders, and they’re really enthusiastic about getting going again.

“Lots of customers have messaged me to say they’re looking forward to coming back and looking around the warehouse.”

Fisherton Warehouse used to share the building with Mexican restaurant Cactus Jacks, which closed its doors in March 2022, allowing the business to use the entire ground floor.

The plans to bring the extra flats to the building said they would “be beneficial to Salisbury” as the households would “help sustain local shops and services”.