Yes folks, the Box Works Bar and Function Room, home to Northern Soul Night, (spelled 'Nite' for some reason), is set to re-open under new management who signed their life away... I mean signed the new lease today. 

Under Steve Hewitt's watchful eye and manager Nicola Monk's actual control (thank god, Steve is useless), hopefully, the Box Works will see some investment and more good times to come. 

In case you are wondering, yes those shire horses in the photo are sh***ing in an area where the buffet areas now is. 

If you enjoyed a night at the Box Works in previous years or have some good photos of a night out there, please email us at [email protected] as we would like . to hear from you.

Yes, we know it's one of the oldest and ugliest buildings in Warrington (save for the Crown Cars 'Pink Eye' building - met the bloke who painted that - nice chap - likes the colour pink apparently) but the Evans House building has been around a long time and you can't polish a turd (if you disagree, please post proof in the comments section below).

That said, the building has a rich history and has been home to many different businesses since before World War II, so cut it some slack will you? 

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It was originally designed by a firm of architects in Liverpool. We are unsure of the exact date because but to give you a clue, the original lift motors turn 90 next year which would mean the building was constructed after 1927. 

Materials being scarce after war, the building was originally only constructed with a ground, first and second floor as shown in the pictures to the right and below. The floor you can actually see is now home to Giggles Soft Play Centre, Mike Ward Fitness Training and the Warrington Appliance Centre. 

When things picked up after the war (as the often do) the third floor was built. We recently learned that the building was originally used as a glass factory before being 

sold to the Smurfit's Box Company (which is still going today).

In time, the building became known as the Alliance Box Works, which was then sold to Stanley Evans and Stuart Evans' (father and son) company, Evans House, in or about 1972. Evans House, originally known as Stanley Evans Tent Manufacturers (say what you see Stanley), ran a camping shop complete with a manufacturing facility for (you guessed it) marquees, tents, trailer tents and so on. 

As the years went by, Stuart took over the business and started letting out units as the manufacturing side of the business diminished. The first tenant was Walter and Brenda O'Malley of O'Malley's Gym, and they are still going strong (no pun intended). 

The rest is history as they say. 

If you want to be a part of this ongoing history before the current management manages to burn down the building and claim the insurance monies, please check out our available units HERE or contact us by telephone on 01925 411170 or by emailing [email protected]

What's your name? 

Amy Wilson

What business do you run? 

Bright and Beautiful of Warrington and Knutsford

What do you offer? 
 
Eco-friendly housekeeping bespoke to you and your home.




When did you start at Evans House? 

January 2017

What did you want to be when you grew up?

An actress

How did you get into running Bright and Beautiful?
 
I have had my own business for the best part of 10 years but Bright and Beautiful is a new challenge for me.

What is your top tip for running a business? 

Being organised

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself
 
I have a dog called Bob and 2 children under 4

What is your most embarrassing moment? 
 
I couldn’t possibly share that!!

Where can we find out more about what you do? 
 
www.brightandbeautifulhome.com/warringtonandknutsford

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It's always nice to discuss start up businesses with new potential tenants at Evans House Business Centre in Warrington. To give some of you budding entrepreneurs an idea as to how this new tenant, Monia's Cakes, negotiated their way into Evans House, we have published below a transcript of the entire meeting:

Monia's Cakes: Can we have a unit please?

Evans House: What for? 

Monia's Cakes: We want to create a bakery.

Evans House: Cakes or pies? 

Monia's Cakes: It's in the name, Monia's C...A...K...E...S.

Evans House: I see your point, but our tenants on the ground floor want pies and we don't really have the space for you.

Monia's Cakes: We'll give you free cake.

Evans House: Here are your keys, please feel free to pay rent whenever you like. 

It's really that simple. As a result of that intense negotiation, we at Evans House Business Centre are now enjoying a free carrot cake (picture above), courtesy of Monia's Cakes. Check out Monia's Cakes at ​https://www.facebook.com/moniascakeswarrington/

If you or anyone you know might be interested in starting up or moving your existing business to Evans House Business Centre in Warrington, please check out our current Availability Schedule  or contact us at [email protected] or by telephoning 01925 411170. We offer a range of flexible terms to suit you including rent free periods and incentives for referring potential new tenants (terms apply, carrot cake excluded). We can even offer support in setting up your new business in terms of your accounts, health and safety compliance and advertising. 

Construction works were temporarily halted yesterday for a cup of tea and a toilet break, during which a review of some site photographs revealed a chilling discovery.

Prior to completing the new partition wall in the new fitness suite at Evans House, a photograph was taken (see left) which, when zoomed in, revealed the Evans House ghost (see below).

The floating dismembered head can be seen in broad daylight peering around the final section of the partition wall. 

Contractors working on site said they had felt a chilling presence that morning, which was unusual because the weather outside was quite warm. 

When asked about the 'chilling presence' the site foreman was too afraid to comment and so went home on sick leave. His wife, who came to collect him, simply commented that the workmen had left the air conditioning unit on all night. 

​The Police are not remotely interested and are not appealing for witnesses.

Investigators revealed that they believe the apparition is none other than Mr Speaksit (see left), who worked at Evans House, then known as the Alliance Box Works,in the 1940's and 50's. It is believed that Mr Speaksit was fatally injured in a freak moustache trimming incident shortly before his retirement.

If you have experienced anything similar at Evans House or in the Orford area and would like to speak with us about what you have seen please leave your comments below or contact the ghost help line on 01925 12345z.

As a result of the incident, tenants have been running scared and so we have some vacant fitness units to give away (subject to paying rent of course) to anyone interested in renting business, office, fitness or storage spaces at Evans House.

Please see the VACANT UNITS page or contact us at [email protected] or 01925 411170.

It's always sad when we have to bid farewell to tenants at Evans House Business Centre in Warrington. We must therefore say goodbye to the one-fingered push-up man, Eugene Salleh (for the avoidance of doubt, he has several fingers), of Natural Strength and Yoga today.

On the other hand, we are pleased to welcome The Antique Company (UK) Limited on the third floor at Evans House (accessed from the East stairs or  lift). TAC(UK) is part of the Greenwoods group of companies which is local to Warrington and specialises in secondhand furniture and catering equipment.

For further information check out their website at greenwoodsofcheshire.co.uk/.

Please remember we still have a circa 1680 sqft ground floor unit available for rent together with some of the smaller units. For further information please contact us at [email protected] or by telephone 01925 411170.


If you successfully refer a new tenant to Evans House Business Centre for a lease of at least 12 months we will give you either £250 or a packet of crisps (whichever has greater value to you). Terms apply, available on request.

In a move which indicates escalation of crime in Warrington, the Box Works Bar and Function room had been subject to an audacious burglary.

Last week the new proprietors of the Box Works Social Club came into work to find that renegade burglars had actually partitoned off part of the function room in order to steal floor space. Police forensic psychologist PC Sheet suggested it is likely that when the burglars realised they cannot pawn floor space at Evans House Business Centre to Cash Converters  in town, they decided to strip out everything else including wall paper and the false ceiling. It also appears that the getaway vehicle, a 1.5 tonne scissor lift,  was abandoned given it only has a top speed of 5 mph. 

The new proprietor of the Box Works, Debbie Davies,  has used this opportunity to 'spruce up' the Box Works complete with new toilets, stage and renovated function room.

Evans House Business Centre has also been able to re-enter the newly created ground floor unit and will be looking for a new tenant in the near future. The space is circa 1680 sqft on the ground floor and circa 19 feet tall so would suit a mezzanine. 

If you or anyone you know would be interested in such a unit to rent in Warrington, please contact Evans House at [email protected] or by telephone  on 01925 411170. If you are able to refer a new tenant to us which results in a lease agreement you will be able to claim a £250 referral fee if you quote the reference "IBOTHEREDTOREADYOURSHAMELESSMARKETINGCRAPANDISPENDFARTOOMUCHTIMEONFACEBOOK".

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Loads more going on at Evans House Business Centre in Warrington. 

Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has nearly finished setting up their new martial arts studio and hope to be ready training for August. 

New tenant Evolution Natural Strength Calisthenics (see picture left if you don't know what that is) and Yoga Training is also moving into the top floor at the end of this week. For those who don't know, which included me until recently, calistenics is not the art of taking your shirt of and upsetting small children by hogging all the playground equipment. It is acutally fitness and weight training using your own body weight for resistance. Cool eh? The new business is being set up by local (well, Liverpool) trainer Eugene Salleh, previously of Pure Gym Warrington. Don't go to Pure Gym boys and girls, Eugene ain't there! Eugene has a cool claim to fame in that he apparently trained Hollywood's Nicholas Cage to do the famous 'upside down press up' in Con Air. 

I was however a little suspicious of this claim given Eugene claimed to have given the Easter Bunny a "bangin' set on abs", but time will well. 

In other news, lots more renovation work is going on at Evans House as we have roofing works undertaken, lots of old electrics removed and upgraded, and repairing the brickwork on Hardy and Norman Street. 

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Evans House finally featured on BBC's "Caught Red Handed" this week. Very embarrassing but appeared to cut out all of Gym Owner Tracey O'Dwyer's swearing. Take a look on BBC Iplayer, the link for which can be found below.

CLICK HERE FOR BBC IPLAYER LINK