A taxi driver bought a rundown Victorian property in Stoke-on-Trent and transformed it into an Indian restaurant with a luxury pad above for his family to live in. The five-storey High Street building, dating back to 1891, appeared on today’s episode of Homes under the Hammer.
Although the spacious retail unit on the ground floor offered big potential to any would-be buyer, the gaping hole in the roof and the mould-ridden walls and high ceilings were a cause for concern. The damaged roof was located in one corner of an upstairs bedroom and the hole was so big presenter Martin Roberts could put his hand through it.
“I think I might have just found the reason why it’s so damp downstairs,” he told viewers of the hit BBC daytime show. “It’s a mess. You definitely need to get that sorted out.”
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Despite those issues, cabbie Sarthak Goel wasn’t put off and he snapped the former Salvation Army shop building up at auction for £93,500. He’d had his eye on the property for a while and previously had offers turned down prior to it going under the hammer.
Sarthak. a business graduate, had never renovated a property before but dreamed of turning the building into a home for himself, his wife and his baby – and opening his own Indian restaurant downstairs. Although he’d also never run an eatery before, but was confident of success. “I love cooking,” he told Martin. “My wife appreciates it so I said ‘why don’t I give it a try?’
Work was already underway on the commercial side, but Sarthak estimated that the rest of the property would take five to six months to transform and had set himself a budget of £50,000 to £60,000.
Eight months later the cameras returned to see how the renovation was going. Although there were some minor things to finish, Sarthak had completely transformed the upper floors, dealing with the damp and mould and installing new carpets, plumbing, central heating and new kitchens and bathrooms on each floor.
The bedrooms were given a modern, luxury feel thanks to the addition of LED coloured lighting above the beds. And to stop the water coming in, the roof had been fixed and double glazing installed. Downstairs, he had already opened his restaurant although it was temporarily closed while the finishing touches to the upper floors were completed.
The venue – Paratha Junction – has since closed with plans revealed last year for the ground floor to be turned into Goel’s Bar Sports and Grill, which would then operate as a nightclub late on.
In terms of the renovation back in 2022, Sarthak had been helped by dad Dharam. He told the show his plans had changed slightly, and his parents would possibly be moving into the upper floors of the property while he lived on the first floor. If they chose not to move in, he would look at renting out the apartments on the upper floors.
Overall, Sarthak had spent £60,000 on the renovation, and the building itself had cost £104,000 after expenses and fees, meaning a total spend of £164,000.
Estate agent Joe Shenton was impressed with the work that had been done, saying: “Overall I think it’s been a good renovation. There are some areas that need improving still. However, I can see where they’re going with it.”
He reckoned the property could now be sold for around £175,000 – but Sarthak disagreed. “I think he’s telling the valuation very, very low,” he said. “According to my calculation, it’s going to be at least £250,000.”
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