AFTER being derelict for nearly ten years, a famous industrial building has been sold on.

The Laura Ashley building in Carno, which was where Bernard and Laura Ashley founded their world wide business in 1967, has been sold on to West Yorkshire Fellmongers Limited.

The company, which processes leather for garments, also has an abattoir in Llanidloes and confirmed the purchase this week.

A spokesperson said: “West Yorkshire Fellmongers Ltd are part of an international leather group processing leather for the garment and accessory trade and the company is delighted to have acquired the site in Carno.”

Laura Ashley also confirmed the sale had been completed, and the news was met with delight from Carno Community Council Clerk Alan Humphries, who was pleased the building had finally been taken on.

He said: “There has been a lot of confusion over the years about what was going to happen, but it is great news that the whole site has now been sold.

“There has been a lot of activity down at the site for some time now and we are just pleased it has finally been sold.”

Carno was the original base for the company when Laura and Bernard Ashley moved from Kent in 1961.

The factory was opened in 1967, and was open for nearly 40 years before closing in early 2005, leaving the current site derelict ever since.

When it closed, jobs were moved to the Newtown base, which had opened in 1984, a year before Laura Ashley passed away.

In recent years there have been plans to renovate the old railway station which became part of the factory in the 60s after it was closed due to the Beeching cuts.

Recently there have been plans to re-start the building and even turn part of it into a Laura Ashley Museum.