Landmark St Andrews building on market a year after closure of much loved business

The property, famed for its ornate oak frontage, was formerly home to historic bookshop, J&G Innes which closed at the end of last year after more than 140 years, having been run by the same family in the town since 1879. The shop on the corner of Church Street and South Street is renowned for its ornate branding for the St Andrews Citizen newspaper, founded by the family and now part of the Fife Free Press Group of titles published by National World.

Known locally as ‘the Citizen Shop’, the commercial premises provide some 2,444 sq ft of accommodation over the ground and first floors of a substantial four storey Category ‘C’ Listed corner terraced building. It is being put on the Shepherd Chartered Surveyors, with rental offers from £60,000 per year are invited.

Jonathan Reid, partner at the business, said: “The property would be suitable for a variety of retail, commercial and restaurant/café uses. While there is potential for subdivision for a variety of uses subject to planning, the remainder of the building is earmarked for conversion to residential flats.”

J & G Innes Ltd closed its doors for the final time on December 31 2023, marking the end of an era as current owner, Jude Innes, the great great granddaughter of George Innes who opened the book shop with his brother John in 1879, retired.

It was originally opened by brothers George and John, and became a family favourite over the years, selling books, stationery and art supplies to locals and tourists alike

John purchased the printing and publishing business from the Tullis family in 1879 after launching the Citizen newspaper, which continues to print to this day. The bookshop was then bought by the Innes firm in 1927 and was inspired by the arts and crafts movement of the time as it was modernised in 1927.

It once housed Baillie Bell, a co-worker of Alexander Wilson who was one of the first type-founders in Scotland, and is recognised in astronomy for his observatory work on sunspots) and John Baine, who was credited in some quarters to have owned the Philadelphia type-foundry in which the dollar sign was first cast in the 1790s