ONE of Waterford city's oldest businesses has gone on the market. Chapmans, which opened its doors in 1847, continues to trade as a delicatessen and high class grocery.

It is the first time in its history that the premises has been offered publicly for sale either as a going concern or for alternative uses.

The building at The Quays contains 2,000 square feet on the ground floor with substantial space overhead. It was fully refurbished in 1990.

The building of a substantial car-park on the Quay, directly opposite Chapmans has greatly assisted trade in the area and will be an added bonus to whoever buys it, according to Des Purcell, of Purcell Properties which is handling the sale.

He added that a recent traffic survey has indicated a traffic through-flow on the Quays of 20,000 cars a day and this should also be of benefit.

Mr Purcell is quoting a guide price of £315,000. The vendors are also willing to consider a long lease at an initial rent of £30,000 per annum.

Chapmans was well-known in the Munster area and was one of the largest tea packers and distributors in the 1930s. In those days only three firms in Ireland were involved in importing coffee beans which were blended, roasted and then distributed. These were Robert Roberts, Bewleys and Chapmans. Chapmans' coffee is still widely distributed on a national basis.

In the last century, Chapmans had branches in Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir. The company also had a thriving export business, supplying salted fish and smoked bacon to the US market.